Business Tip: Grin and Bare It

As my loyal Twitter followers know, I spent this past weekend in the UK - London and Cambridge, to be exact. The hubby and I lived in London for two and a half years, and he flies back once a month for an executive MBA program. I tag along as often as I can (thank you, honeymoon frequent flier miles!). It is such a treat to be able to catch up with fantastic friends and hit up some favorite haunts.

This trip was particularly mayjah for me, as it was my first time since becoming a budding business owner of AnyWay Weddings that I've seen friends from my MBA program as well as former colleagues from my London Olympics gig. I was nervous to divulge my new vocation. I mean, I got this fancy (and pricey!) business degree, worked at a high-profile company tasked with the insanely critical job of ensuring a legacy for the London 2012 Olympics... and now I am a bride adviser? WTF?

At least I thought that would be the common reaction. But instead of WTF, what I received from my friends and colleagues in return for baring my budding business was excitement, encouragement, business tips, and even a few leads!

I am a perfectionist. While I am so proud to be starting my own business, and eager to get the word out there so my clients come a-flockin'... it was nerve-wracking to debut my company to my friends and colleagues. Ideally, I would have wanted to have a nicer-looking website up and running. A deeper blog archive. More Twitter followers. More testimonials and photos from clients' weddings. Basically: I wanted to be able to demonstrate proven success, instead of a nascent business.

But a nascent business is what I have. And now that I have bared it all to my friends and colleagues, I don't feel the embarrassment that I was afraid I'd feel. Instead, I feel reinvigorated by their support, enthusiasm, constructive criticism, and ideas.

The cat is out of the bag: I am a wedding planner specializing in advising time-crunched brides.

Keep calm and carry on. (More on that tomorrow!)

Cheers,

Quote of the Day

"The bride looked like a young Elizabeth Taylor in an Oscar de la Renta strapless gown with a low-cut bodice and a wildly frilly skirt that appeared to be made of feathers, clouds, whipped cream and youth." 

If this wedding doesn't look awesome I don't know what does! Photo via NYT

LOVE. 

This put a big smile on my face this morning. You must read the article if you haven't already - it's A to the Dorable!

Congrats to the amazing Lin Manuel Miranda and Vanessa Nadal!

Cheers,

Friday Fashionspiration #2: Nude Louboutin Mania!

I don't think an explanation is necessary, do you?

Sigh.

Cheers,

Bridal Bargain-Hunting Tip #1: Brave the Outlets

Whilst I wholeheartedly believe that shopping for various wedding items is generally worth the splurge of going retail and/or upscale, there are bridal bargains to be found out there. Don't be afraid to look!

Our first official Bridal Bargain-Hunting Tip: Brave the Outlets!

Outlet malls can be trying, exhausting, and downright vicious. But there is nothing like the thrill of the chase and bagging a dream bargain. I highly recommend that my brides take a trip to their local outlet mall. You never know what you'll find - and there is potential to save some serious bank!

When I got married last September, my hubby-to-be and I had a crew of hilarious goofballs serving as our groomsmen. We decided to treat them to J.Crew suits as their groomsmen gifts (and to give ourselves the gift of piece of mind, knowing they had no excuse to not man up and look great on our day). We wanted to find ties that went with our pewter and orange WCP (wedding color palette, obv)... and found ourselves at a loss. We searched department stores in London, browsed online, looked everywhere. But the tie did not present itself.

While visiting the hubby's parents in Massachusetts, we took a little trip to Wrentham Village Premium Outlets. How thrilled were we when we walked into the Hugo Boss outlet and found these dandies on display:

A bargain bagged! (Photo by Snap!)

They were perfect. Dressy without being snooty or overly shiny. Simple and chic and the perfect hue.

And... drumroll please... Hugo Boss ties like these retail for $95, but at the outlet the ties were $35 each!

Bargain bagged.

So, while one should never count on the outlets, don't shy away either! You never know what you will find - and you just might find the perfect item to compliment your wedding vision.

Cheers,

Bridal Tip: Don't Lose Sight of the Scale

NO, not this kind of scale! In fact I think if you are a bride you need to throw this kind of scale away! But that is a post for another day...

Today, we're talking about scale in design.

I was inspired to write about scale when our new Restoration Hardware TV stand arrived this morning (per my tweet)...

... and is way too big for our apartment. I mean. The thing comes almost up to our doorknob. It doesn't look that big in their photo, does it?

Seriously that TV must be like 100 inches. Our dinky little 46-incher is going to disappear on top of this thing!

But herein lies the lesson for brides. Scale is very, very important when planning your wedding. If you are getting married in a cute little white chapel or a quaint little red barn, there is no need to channel Melania Trump (whose vintage Dior was astounding) or Katie Price (a.k.a. Jordan, whose pink puffball was atrocious).

Other scale issues that are important to keep in mind are the following:

1. Accessories - it is a thrill to be a princess for a day, but keep the focus on your radiant smile instead of blinding your guests with a teetering tiara or Heart of the Ocean.

This, however? Is awesome.

2. Centerpieces - do you need a whole tree sitting atop a table when a few callas would suffice?

Peter Silvia Photography, via Stoneblossom

3. Bridal party - this is a tricky one, but personally I believe a smaller bridal party puts more focus on the bride and groom. Plus, fewer folks = less stress!

At AnyWay Weddings, we believe that you deserve to see your wedding day vision realized, even when planning in a pinch. However, bigger and blingier aren't always better. So don't lose sight of the scale when envisioning your dream day!

Cheers,

Business Tip: Staying Present, Staying Positive

Ok, so this whole starting a company thing? It's tough when you are attempting to do it properly, professionally, and successfully! The last week or so that I have been working on my AWW business plan has been a real rollercoaster for me. I have enjoyed the peaks and endured the valleys, all the while trying to stay both present and positive. I think this is the key to successful business planning:

Staying in the present moment and not getting overwhelmed by all there is to do along the uphill climb that is entrepreneurship; and staying positive, believing in myself and continuing to deepen my professional self-confidence.

Let's embrace the inherent catharsis of this post and explore these two key attitudes a bit further, shall we?

Staying present. To me, this means if I worry too much about the future, about booking my next client, about using my MBA degree for which I paid a boatload of money, about failure (which can be defined in many very defeating ways)... then I will never get to where I want to be. But if I choose to stay present and focus on the tasks at hand, I know I'll tackle 'em and continue to grow my business.

Staying positive. Fairly self-evident yet undeniably difficult. There are oodles of ridiculously talented planners out there... and yet I must continue to believe that I deserve to be among them. I may not have years of experience or dozens of brides under my belt, but I have the skill set and genuine passion I need to get started along this path. In my heart I know that I am good at this - so why can it be such a challenge to convince my head? There will always be moments of self-doubt. The important thing is to nip these in the hiney before they get the better of you - I mean, me. Right.

I have made some great headway over the past week. While the business planning process is more of a marathon than a sprint, I am well on my way to creating the AnyWay Weddings I envision.

Fellow planners and entrepreneurs! I'd love to hear from you. How have you conquered your fears to build your business? What advice do you have for me and other budding business owners?

Stay present, stay positive.

Cheers,

Friday Fashionspiration #1: Fall 2010 Faves

It's that time again... time for the world's most fabulous fashionistas (and fashionistos) to descend upon NYC and present their Spring/Summer 2011 collections at Mercedes-Benz New York Fashion Week.

I adore Fashion Week. Every season I pore over the slideshows on New York Magazine's incredibly comprehensive website. I even went to a few shows myself a few years ago!

In honor of this most magnificent event and to inaugurate my Friday Fashionspiration column, I present some of the standouts from the Fall 2010 bridal shows.

Just a note before I proceed: my wedding dress cost $700 and I loved it to bits. So I don't post these dresses as a shopping guide, but as an inspiration guide!

Even though this dress is Badgely Mischka, it reminds me of the Verawesomeness worn by Chelsea on her big day:

Photo via NYMag.com

The sweetheart neckline! The bejeweled belt! The full, flouncy, fabulous skirt! The boys at Badgley Mischka know how to flatter a girl.

I could never have pulled off a Jenny Packham number (I need me some A-line, people!), but I love what she does. Simple silhouettes punctuated by often bedazzled features such as plunging necklines, tiered skirts, and strong shoulders as we see here:

Photo via NYMag.com

Those shoulders are so now, yet the dress is a classic. And I love the waistline. Just gorge.

It's no wonder why Monique Lhuillier's gowns are so insanely popular with celebs and big-budgeted brides alike. She is always up to something innovative, yet her designs will stand the test of time. I love how she brings florals into this spectacular number:

Photo via NYMag.com

Unexpected, gung-ho, and gorgeous.

Speaking of unexpected, ah Vera. You never cease to leave us in shock and awe:

Photo via NYMag.com

Would YOU wear a lavender dress on your wedding day? Dresses of color are becoming increasingly popular, after all. I think this particular dress is spectacular, but a bit ahead of its time. Still, isn't that why we love the wonderful world of haute couture? If this dress is a sign of things to come, then this industry will remain a very beautiful and exciting place to be.


Which dress is your favorite? Are haute couture wedding gowns worth the splurge? Leave your comments!

Happy Labor Day Weekend and, more importantly, Labor Day sale shopping...

Cheers,