Perfect Summer Wedding Outfits

Today I want to share with you the perfect outfit for any summer wedding. Whether you are going to a casual or formal wedding, I have the perfect options for your event. I tried to keep my items to prices I would actually pay, so hopefully this will help some of you out!

 

Casual outdoor wedding by candbselman featuring prabal gurung dress

 

WHAT TO WEAR

*Casual sundress in a fun color: a casual dress in a fun color (or even pattern!) keeps things fashion forward without grabbing attention from the bride. Because that is just not a good idea!

*Flats or wedges: For an outdoor wedding, flats or wedges are best. I always hate wearing a pretty pair of heels and sinking into the ground all night!

*Accessories with a natural twist: These are great at keeping your ensemble casual, and are a great way to keep things summery and appropriate for any outdoor party.

WHAT NOT TO WEAR

*Stilettos: Like I said before, sinking is a bad thing. Unless it’s sinking into a super comfy bed or a bubble bath :)

*White: This goes for all weddings really (I don’t care what any rule says you can or cant do), but don’t wear white. Please. If you aren’t the bride, don’t wear white. It’s just rude.

*Denim: I know its tempting to wear denim to a casual event, but just don’t do it to a wedding. Unless the bridal party (i.e. groomsmen) is wearing it, don’t even think about it. Even then…please just don’t. 

Casual Indoor Wedding by candbselman featuring a striped dress

WHAT TO WEAR

*Sundress with a sweater or a light jacket: Churches tend to be a little chilly in the summer months (at least here in the south), so a sweater or light jacket is a great idea to throw on over your sundress. A colorful blazer is a great option and is SO incredibly on trend!

*Closed toe or peep toe pumps: A more demure shoe is appropriate for a church setting, and you wont sink into the ground walking in!

*Bring flats for reception: Flats can easily be thrown into a clutch purse (or kept in the car) for a quick change. No one wants to dance in restricting high heels!

WHAT NOT TO WEAR

*Anything too dressy: This is a casual event, after all! Keep it light, fun, and flirty and leave the sequins for the club.

*Skin revealing or too-tight outfits: Just like the sequins, provocative outfits just aren’t appropriate for a church wedding. Cover the girls up and loosen the fabric a little please! 

Semiformal Wedding by candbselman featuring a mint green necklace

 

WHAT TO WEAR

*Cocktail dress or dressy sundress: Don’t wear a super casual sundress. If this is a semi-formal wedding, just stick to what you would wear to a dance or a night at the theatre.

*Pretty heels: Now is the chance to throw in some fun! You don’t have to be as conservative or casual as other wedding types, so play up your look with an edgy sandal.

*Black is totally ok: Black used to be a faux pas at weddings (funeral, anyone?), but now it is a timeless and elegant option. Keep it fun with bright accessories or metallic anything!

WHAT NOT TO WEAR

*Flip-flops: I have been guilty of this in the past, and I still think they are ok to change into for the reception (although I often go barefoot…whoops). But please don’t wear them with your pretty dress! I don’t care how dressy they are…just don’t do it!

*A little sparkle goes a long way: A little bling is always a good thing (think diamond studs or a tennis bracelet), but for the semi-formal event, keep your bling to a minimum. No flashy sequins or over the top jewelry.

*No full-length dresses: In some cases, a dressy maxi is appropriate (especially for a wedding with an outdoor reception), but on the whole, long dresses are best kept to more formal events. 

Formal Wedding by candbselman featuring straw clutches

 

WHAT TO WEAR

*Go long: A cocktail dress is totally appropriate for a formal wedding, but when do we ever have a chance to dress up? If you are invited to a formal or black tie wedding, go long! Pick a simple dress that you can wear time and time again, and play it up with accessories.

*Glam it up: Speaking of accessories, now is the time to glam it up with your jewelry! Pick pieces with some serious sparkle. Gold is a favorite of mine: you can never go wrong with art deco or hammered gold pieces!

*Bring flats: Formal weddings are the best place to wear your fancy heels. But don’t forget those flats for walking around and dancing!

WHAT NOT TO WEAR

*Don’t wear a daytime dress: Please just don’t wear a sundress to a formal wedding. It’s just not appropriate. The bride has taken a lot of time to set a formal and fancy atmosphere, so please dress accordingly!

*Nothing too flashy: Don’t don a dress with a slit up to high heaven, and don’t wear a full sequined ball gown. Please remember that the bride is the star of the day, and if she didn’t tell you to outshine her, DON’T!

I hope you take these tips with you when shopping for an outfit for your next summer wedding!

Stay tuned later today for the 2^nd installment in the Spring 30x30 challenge, and come back tomorrow for TWO MORE wedding themed posts!

Linking up today to:

 www.northernbellediaries.com

Wedding Week: Invision Events

This week I am dedicating all of my posts to one theme: weddings!! I am so excited about this challenge and I cant wait to show you what I have come up with! I have posts from wedding professionals, friends, and some by myself as well. I will have my regularly scheduled posts, but just with the theme of weddings (with the exception of the 30x30 tomorrow). There will be a ton of posts this week, more than usual, so come back for some great content!

I am so excited to kick of Wedding Week with a post from my dear friend Courtney-the OTHER Courtney. Courtney and I met while working at Ann Taylor together one summer and have remained close friends ever since. When I decided to do Wedding Week on the blog this month, I knew that Courtney would be the perfect person to talk about her newest career venture-Invision Events. 

The beautiful Mrs. Courtney Wolf

Fresh off her own wedding planning, Courtney married her best friend Greg in September.  A two time graduate of Auburn University with a degree in Marketing and her MBA she is the newest team member at Invision. She has a unique background in the logistics and execution of the fine details surrounding a wedding and as a natural “Type A,” truly enjoys seeing it all come together. Currently she serves as the Wedding Director for the Birmingham area and manages Invision’s marketing. When she’s not busy planning and organizing weddings she enjoys traveling with her husband, listening to Dave Ramsey, and frequenting the Drybar.

Founded in 2005 by Julie Bunkley, Invision Events is the premier wedding planning firm for ultra personalized weddings in Alabama and Georgia. Their philosophy is simple: create a wedding that reflects the couple’s personality and love and let them shine throughout the day. It is all about you and your vision. They just make it come together. Full planning and day-of services are offered regionally and include Birmingham, Montgomery, Mobile, Auburn, Atlanta, and Columbus. 

Courtney and I both think that hiring a day-of wedding coordinator is something that we both wished we had done. So we wanted to share some of our former bride advise with all of you!

What services do you offer as a “day-of” wedding coordinator?

As a day-of coordinator, we offer the same services our full service wedding packages include, but just for the actual wedding day.  We start about thirty days out and contact all vendors and finalize the logistics and timeline for the day. We allow for two face to face consultations with the bride and unlimited phone and e-mail the month leading up to the wedding. We oversee and direct the rehearsal, ceremony and reception. We coordinate and execute all the events of the day including toasts, cake cutting, grand entrance/exit, bouquet/garter toss, first dances, etc. Additionally, we are always able to make vendor recommendations and put brides in touch with various professional we know and trust.

What does a day-of coordinator cost?

Our day-of wedding management package starts at $1,000 and includes myself and an assistant at the rehearsal, ceremony and reception.

What are the benefits of hiring a day-of coordinator?

Oh, there are lots! Peace of mind, no stress, and not having to “think” on your wedding day are just a few. Truly, hiring a day-of coordinator allows the bride (and groom) and her closest friends and family to just enjoy the day and not have to worry about anything other than looking and feeling gorgeous. We take care of all the details and if a problem arises we promptly solve it. 

Do you create a day-of timeline for the wedding party/family?

Yes! We actually develop a timeline for the entire wedding party and family and then a separate timeline for all the vendors. We also create and keep a master timeline. This really helps everyone understand the expectations surrounding the day and where they need to be and when. We are all about a smooth, easy, and flawless day that flows well.

What are some things that you take care of that a bride (or groom) might not expect?

Recently a Mother of the Bride lost her purse, we worked with the hotel and event staff to find it. When a bride and groom were ready to leave earlier than expected, we contacted their getaway driver to get him en route immediately. We always gather all the personal items at the end of a reception and make sure they get placed in the correct hands. No worrying about what happened to your bouquet, guest book, or that top layer of wedding cake for your first anniversary!

Do you help set up the reception site? Do you ever create space plans?

Yes and yes. We oversee everything on the wedding day including both the reception and ceremony design and set-up. We are not afraid to get our “hands dirty” and set up tables, chairs or linens. And we are always happy to handle minute details such as your place cards or ensuring your guest book and cake topper get displayed just the way you want them. There are certain limitations, however. We do not have any experience with professional lighting or band and musician equipment, so we leave that to those guys!

Do you coordinate the rehearsal and reception in addition to the ceremony?

Definitely! As part of our day-of wedding management package we will oversee and direct your rehearsal, ceremony and reception. We don’t leave any stone unturned regarding your wedding weekend. We truly take pride in executing the fine details of a bride’s dream wedding.

Why is it important to hire a day of coordinator, even on a budget?

It is important to hire a day-of coordinator (at the very least) because you have just spent so much time, energy and money planning the wedding up to this point. I would hate to see it all go down the drain because there was no professional there to bring it all together. This is the biggest day of your life you should be able to enjoy it free from stress, worry and frustration.

Why should someone hire a professional coordinator as opposed to a family member or friend?

Well, for one, we are professionals. Invision has been planning, designing, and coordinating weddings since 2005. We have a lot of experience and know how to handle even the most difficult of situations. Also, by hiring a professional, you are allowing your friends and family to enjoy the big day, too. I feel like sometimes brides forget their wedding day is just as much of a milestone and celebration for their mom, sister or aunt as it is for the bride herself. Because our package is priced affordably, every bride can enjoy the luxury of a professional planner on her wedding day, no family coordinating required here! 

Thanks Courtney (and the other great wedding professionals over at Invision Events) for your time talking to all the future (and former!) brides out there. I hope everyone will check out their website and blog and use them for future wedding planning needs! 

*All photos used with permission from Invision Events!! Please go over to their blog to see SO many more beautiful images!

*Come back tomorrow for what to wear to any summer wedding!

Happy Mother's Day Mom!!

So instead of spending money on a card this year, I decided to do the next best thing: dedicate today's post to my mom! So here ya go mom, a bunch of pictures of the two of us that I love-here is your card and its even on time!!

Happy Mother's Day, Mom!! I Love you!

30x30 Week 1

I am so excited to debut the first 6 looks in my Spring 30x30 project. It was nowhere near as hard as I thought it would be, although doing hair and makeup is a challenge!
I have decided that the way I will go about these recap posts is to write my thoughts about each outfit after every day. This will allow me to keep track of what items have been worn and document my thoughts before I forget them. That, and I wont have to sit down and write a super long post all at once! So each comment will probably have the word “today” in it, so remember this disclaimer! With that bit of housekeeping aside, here are the first 6 outfits!

Day 1

Awful picture. Awesome outfit!

*Loft lace ¾ sleeve blouse, similar
*Chico’s navy eyelet skirt, similar
*Tan belt (came with a dress), similar
*Corral boots, similar
*Coral drop necklace (gift from mom), similar (looks more orange in the picture, but it is actually a light coral!)

I LOVE this outfit. Of all the times I have seen these pieces together in my closet I NEVER would have thought to pair them in an outfit. But y’all…this outfit is seriously cute! I cant tell you how many compliments I got today from my coworkers. Or maybe its that I normally wear scrubs…lol. No but really…I LOVE this outfit. There is nothing like a little eyelet, lace, and some cowboy boots to make you feel like a southern belle. And today, I did. It was awesome.

Day 2

 

*Loft navy & white striped linen t-shirt, same
*Forever 21 White skirt with blue embroidery (still searching for a similar option)
*Corral boots, similar
*Yellow necklace (so old I have no idea where it came from), similar

Again, I LOVE this outfit. My mom, as she puts it, didn’t quite “get” it, but I really like the way the stripes play off of the horizontal embroidery in the skirt. I would never have thought that stripes would go with a skirt with embroidery, but I think it really works. The boots were a great fit-kind of a western feel with today’s outfit. The yellow necklace added a pop of color to complete the outfit!

Day 3

*Chelsea & Violet (Dillard’s) white lace dress, sort-of-similar
*Tan belt (came with a dress-this dress, actually), similar
*Target blue and white stripe wedges, similar

This is one of my favorite dresses EVER. It is super comfy, and makes it look like I actually tried. I normally wear it with my riding boots, but I wanted to try something different, so I went with the wedges instead. I like the way the wedges add a different spin to the outfit, but I will definitely go back to wearing this dress with my boots.

Day 4

*Gap chambray button-up, similar
*Gumption Gals black and white chevron racer back tank, similar
*Old Navy skinny jeans, similar
*Arturo Chiang riding boots, similar

The weather turned a little chilly this weekend (it’s MAY and I am wearing a JACKET…and I live in FLORIDA…what the crap, y’all!), and I needed something that I could wear to a baseball game. I thought about fudging this day’s outfit, but I decided to compromise-I wore the outfit you see in the picture above but took a sweatshirt for when the weather got cold. Y’all, I know I am getting redundant, but I LOVE this outfit. I love the idea of wearing this tank as a vest, and I think it really works. I was warm, comfy, and felt cute. A winner, for sure!

Day 5

*Loft Neon Green linen skirt, similar
*Loft black and white stripe cap-sleeve top, same
*Tan belt (came with a dress), similar
*Corral boots, similar

I wore this outfit to church with my parents. It is still a little chilly, so I wore the boots when I normally would have worn wedges. But even with that, I think this outfit is super cute. The stripes and neon are SO on trend, and I know I will keep this outfit in rotation even after this challenge!

Day 6

*Laundry (by way of TJ MAXX) khaki trousers, similar
*Gumption Gals black and white chevron racer back tank, similar
*Kenneth Cole Black Lace Blazer, similar
*Gianni Bini leopard print pumps, similar
*Stole the bag from my mom!!

This outfit was the easiest to put together this week. I know I already wore this shirt this week, but I really wanted to wear it again-sue me! This outfit was work appropriate AND cute-and the chevron and the leopard prints mixed together is awesome. Love it!

Check out my co-challengers below!

What's your favorite accessory?

Today I am linking up for a fun party about our favorite accessories (hosted by Pursuit of Pink and A Devine Life). I thought about it for a while, and I just cant pick one!! So I have 2 accessories that are my go to's for any outfit.

Of course I didnt think to snap a pic of me actually wearing this, but this is my favorite watch of all time. My husband actually surprised me with it one Christmas, and I just feel so special whenever I wear it!

Buy it here.

I do have other MK watches, but this is my all time go-to for any outfit.

These boots were a gift from my father-in-law and sister-in-law this past Christmas. I love all boots, but these are my current favorites. 

These boots are made by Corral. I couldnt find these exact ones but here is their website if you want to check it out!

Photo by Chelsea Patricia Photography. 

This is my all time favorite acessory. I love my engagement and wedding rings-what they symbolize is so important, and I am thankful everyday to have a man who loves me :)

So there you have it, y'all. My favorite accessories. What are yours?

30x30

I am SO excited to be debuting my latest project today. I am going to be linking up with some seriously cool lady bloggers for a HUGE fashion project: the 30x30 (hosted by Kelly of Mrs. In Training). If you don’t know what the 30x30 is, it is a challenge to select 30 items from your closet and mix and match them for the next 30 days. I have seen bloggers like Kendi Everyday and The Daybook Blog take on this project, but I always thought that I could never do it or create cool enough looks to be interesting. But after spending the last 2 weeks casually pondering obsessing about my 30 items, I am actually super pumped and ready for this challenge. I will post once a week and link up to my host (which in turn links me up to the aforementioned super cool lady bloggers), so stay tuned for each week’s looks.

So what are the rules, you ask? Well, they are pretty simple. Pick 30 items out of your closet (shirts, skirts, pants, dresses, shoes, sweaters, jackets, etc) and wear ONLY those 30 items for the next 30 days. The challenge started as a shopping ban, and you can do that too, but it isn’t required. But I WILL be participating in this shopping ban, unless it’s to buy some accessories-I am SERIOUSLY lacking in the necklace department! It actually is kind of freeing to have this selection of clothes to pick from, and I am excited to see what I have learned. Some people include their shoes in their 30 items. My original lists included them too. But if the real purpose of this challenge is to mix items in your closet in a new way, then I would rather incorporate clothing than shoes. I don’t have that many shoes, and I find myself gravitating to the same ones all the time. So I really don’t feel bad about it! If you want to find out more about the rules, check out my host here.

*Update: After seeing all my fellow challenge member’s posts, I realized that most of us feel the same way about this issue!

So what items did I pick? Check them out!

**Disclaimer-not all of these items are ironed. Deal with it.**

4 Jackets

*Mossimo (Target) teal blazer

*Old Navy denim jacket

*Lauren Conrad for Kohl’s cream boyfriend blazer

*Kenneth Cole black lace blazer

 For the jackets, I tried to pick basic pieces that I could mix with anything. I do work in an office, so I needed to have some options to keep things more conservative. I chose the 3 blazers so that I could dress up some looks and/or make them more work appropriate, and the denim jacket so…well, does that really need an explanation? It’s spring, and it’s a denim jacket. They just go together, right?

7 Skirts

*New York and Company khaki pencil skirt

*Forever 21 white skirt with blue embroidery

*Gap light pink A-line skirt

*Chico’s navy eyelet skirt

*Loft neon green linen skirt

*Loft floral pencil skirt

*APT 9 (Kohl’s) maxi skirt

For the skirts, I tried to choose a good mix of styles. I wanted pieces that I could wear to work, so that eliminated some of my earlier choices (more on that later).  I chose some pencil skirts, A-line skirts, and a maxi for good measure. I also wanted to include 2 of this spring’s biggest trends: neon and floral. I think I got some pieces that will allow me to mix and match in a fun way!

2 Dresses

*Chelsea & Violet (Dillard’s) white lace dress

*Gap navy and white striped tank dress

I could easily have picked a 30x30 set that was more than half dresses. But I picked just 2 that easily remixed with other items on the list. I think I am most excited to find new ways to wear my dresses.

8 Shirts

*New York and Company white ruffle collar sleeveless top

*Gap red t-shirt

*Loft black and white stripe cap-sleeve top

*Merona (Target) floral sleeveless top

*Gumption Gals black and white chevron racer back tank

*Loft navy and white stripe linen t-shirt

*Gap chambray button-up

*Gap blue plaid button-up

The shirts were probably the hardest things for me to narrow down. I have some great prints mixed in with some solids, and again, some spring trends of stripes and florals. I started off with mostly solid tops, but as I began to mix and match, I realized that I wanted to try some more prints to play with pattern/color/texture mixing.

2 Pants

*Old Navy skinny jeans

*Laundry (by way of TJ MAXX) khaki trousers

I am not a huge fan of pants, so I chose 2 staples: skinny jeans and a dress pant. The jeans are great for weekends/night time and the dress pant is perfect for work and church. They will be a great option, especially if I am having a brain block for an OOTD.

2 Shorts

*Loft denim roll-up shorts

*Loft floral linen shorts

Like the dresses, I wanted to do my list made up of shorts looks. But unfortunately, I cannot wear shorts to work, and since there are only 2 days in the weekend, I chose 2 pairs of shorts-a versatile denim and fun and colorful floral.

I can’t tell you how many times I have switched up my list over the last 2 weeks. I actually finalized my list this morning! But I think that this set of 30 is the best-I have so many great options of patterns to mix and colors to coordinate. I wrote earlier in the post about eliminating some earlier choices. I actually had 4 pairs of shorts and a denim skirt in my almost final list. But after trying to come up of a calendar of when I could wear specific posts (yeah, I am THAT girl), I realized that giving myself 6 pieces (including the denim jacket) that I couldn’t wear to work would severely limit my options. So I replaced 2 of the shorts and the denim skirt with other choices, and I think that my end result is perfect! I also decided to try and put the outfits together a little more organically. Instead of pre-planning what I will wear each day, I will keep track of how many times I wear each piece so that I will get good wear out of each and still have some originality to plan what I wear each day.

So what did I add you ask? Well, like I said before, I decided to take the shoes out of my 30 items. However, I had already taken pictures of my items at this point, so I am adding them here.

I now have 5 jackets, 8 skirts, and 11 shirts.

The new additions are:

*Croft and Barrow (Kohl’s) navy and white stripe blazer

*Ophelia for FC (Francesca’s Collection) royal blue tulip skirt

*Gap black one shoulder top

*Gap leopard ruffle tank

*Loft lace ¾ sleeve blouse

I hope you will come back and see my outfits each week, and even join in on the challenge-its not too late!

In addition to linking up for this specific challenge, I also will continue to link up to my weekly outfit posts linky parties. Check these out!

Tucker Up, The Pleated Poppy, Rolled Up Pretty,  Because Shanna Said So, and Get Your Pretty On.

And to check the other awesome ladies joining in on this challenge, click the links below!