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Selecting the women to support you through your wedding won’t be an easy decision. You want to choose friends who will appreciate the job that they have been given to do, and hope that those you don’t choose aren’t offended by your choices. Before you make that final list, we have a list of facts to consider that should help you to choose the ladies in your life that will help to make your wedding experience as stress free as possible. 

Budget is one of the biggest considerations you must make when choosing your bridesmaids. It’s such a depressing word, but you need to know how many bridesmaids you can afford to provide with bridal party gifts and pay for at the rehearsal dinner. You also have to consider their budgets. It wouldn’t be fair to ask your friend who might be a stay-at-home mom to four kids to fork out hundreds of dollars as your bridesmaid. 

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Even though you’re the one who has to spend time with all your bridesmaids, you should ask your husband-to-be if there is a particularly important woman in his life he wants you to include. This is a great opportunity for you to make friends with your fiancées female friends and family, and they will appreciate being asked to be involved. And your Groom will love you all the more for being so considerate!

You might feel pressured to choose friends that you have known the longest to be bridesmaids for your big day. You may have talked about your wedding with your best friend since you were teenagers, but if she now lives across the other side of the world and you haven’t seen her in years, you shouldn’t feel obligated to ask her to be involved. If you’ve become very close to a woman you’ve only known for a short period of time and you value her friendship, don’t be afraid to ask her to be one of your bridesmaids. It’s more than likely that she’ll be thrilled, and hugely honored to be asked to be a part of your wedding day. 

{Ryan Phillips Photography}

Your friend’s personalities are something you have to consider before asking them to be a bridesmaid. Planning weddings are stressful enough without having to deal with a friend who will never be content with your dress choices for her. Additionally, if you know a couple of your friends who don’t get along, you might want to consider whether to include them in your bridesmaid party. The last thing you want is to see your friends arguing and bickering at your showers, bachelorette parties, and wedding events.



Your maid of honor is the most important woman in your bridal party. This friend will need to support you through all of the emotions you will experience before, during and after your wedding day. She will need to be reliable and organized, and will need to know you well enough to organize a bachelorette party that you, and each of your bridesmaids will enjoy. It’s a big job, and will involve a lot of commitment from your chosen friend. Make sure you have a discussion with your potential maid of honor about the duties she might have to take on before assigning her the job.



{Eric Kelly Photography}

Don’t let your future mother-in-law pressure you into asking her new boyfriend’s granddaughter to be involved, and try not to give yourself any extra stress by worrying about other people’s opinions. The people who know you best will respect your choices. The most important thing to remember is that this day is all about you and your future husband.

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Claire writes for Bachelorette Event Organizers Gobananas in the UK

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Maybe it’s because I absolutely loved summer camp or the fact that I consider myself to be a hippie at heart, but I cannot get enough of these “flowers in her hair,” woodland weddings. I can almost picture a little fairy emerging from behind rock– there is a magical quality to these types of weddings.

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 Are you planning a Bohemian wedding? Get inspired here.

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{Photo by Lydia Daniller}

We are currently hosting a giveaway, with Style Me Pretty, to give one lucky reader a Doie Lounge robe of her very own. This contest runs through June 7th, so head over there now for your chance to win!

Throughout our entire pregnancies we, along with our family and friends focus on what we need for the baby on the way.  When in fact, there are actually essentials new moms need too.  I’m Lindsey from The Wise Baby – a chic and stylish resource for savvy parents to share our list of new mom essentials. Of course, no new mom essential list would be complete without a cozy, comfy and stylish robe from Doie Lounge and we have an awesome giveaway going on now!

1 – Diaper Bag.  Every mom knows she needs one and it doesn’t have to be an “actual” diaper bag.  Look for a bag that is easy to carry (I suggest a cross body option), roomy and has some sort of pockets or division.  It is amazing how the pacifier you are so desperately trying to find gets lost in the bottom of a bucket of a bag.  This option from Kate Spade is always a wise bet.

2 – Comfy PJ’s.  In the early weeks of life with a newborn you may change from one pair of PJ’s to another and that is entirely acceptable! Look for PJ’s that can make breastfeeding easy if you choose that route, but most importantly make sure they are comfortable and wash easy.  I prefer this brand from Target, this one goes perfectly under your robe, allows for easy nursing access and paired with a sweater cardigan could come off like a little sundress just in case you have a surprise visitor.

3 – Luxurious, stylish robe.  Of course, you know the robe I am talking about – a Doie Lounge robe. The Trixie is pictured here and part of our giveaway.  I wore my Luella robe in the months before my delivery, while in the hospital and still, 11 months later almost daily.  The thing I love some much about Doie robes for jams is that they are super soft and of course comfy but also stylish and they make you feel good.  Good as in if-all-I-wear-all-day-is-this-robe-I-got-dressed sort of way!

4 – Nursing bra.  We have an absolutely favorite nursing bra and it is the Arden Bra by the Dairy Fairy.  It is beautiful, functional and works for hands free pumping too (genius)!

5 – Nursing pillow.  We’ve selected and are big fans of the My Brest Friend but the Boppy is another great and popular option.  Either route you go we definitely suggest bringing it to the hospital so you can “practice” with it from day 1.

6 – Lanolin.  If you are breastfeeding mom Lanolin is an absolute must.  It is soothing and non toxic to the little babe but it does stain clothing so be careful (but use liberally)!

7 – Water bottle.  This may sound like a silly one but having one or two “active” water bottles at a time is an absolute must, especially for breastfeeding mamas.  I like these from Lifefactory, their bright color is a helpful reminder to drink more water! Not to mention, they are environmentally friendly.

8 – Easy to use baby carrier.  Having a carrier like the one pictured, the Baby K’tan is an invaluable tool for getting things done around the house.  Little ones love to be snuggled and sleep near mom or dad and using a soft, easy to use carrier can free up your hands during nap time.  Be sure you choose a carrier that works with newborns as some require special inserts or have a weight minimum.  When you are not using the carrier – SLEEP!

There you have it – our list of new mom essentials to keep you comfy and cozy in those magical first few months of life with a bundle of joy. Be sure to check out our baby products reviews, baby registry guides and all our other fun content to help you navigate through pregnancy and life with a little one.  A big thanks to Sara for letting me stop by to share our insight with you and absolutely, do not forget to enter the giveaway for a Doie Lounge robe!

Good luck and check back tomorrow to read Lindsey’s post!

This very authentic class was taught by Tsuyo Onodera, who has been making kimonos for over 50 years! She flew in from Japan just for this class. Tsuyo doesn’t speak English, so her daughter, Maki, and her grand daughter, Rei, were also there to help out– they both also know how to make kimonos, but Tsuyo was the main teacher and the “master” kimono maker. I loved how they each wore a different kimono for each class. Their kimonos and obis were stunning and seeing them was one of the best parts of the class, for me.

I was instantly in love with the supplies given to us at the start of the class. We each received our kit containing thread, adorable push pins with little flowers, cool Japanese looking scissors, a ruler with no numbers (only symbols) on it, some needles, and a pin cushion that we got to pick out ourselves. We also had our pre-cut, persimmon-dyed cotton that was cut specifically to fit each individual’s measurements.

I’m not going to lie, the class was very difficult– I think that I missed the part that said we would be making the kimonos entirely by hand. Every stitch was made by hand and every seam was pressed by hand (using the most adorable Japanese irons). There was also hours of unanticipated homework, but Tsuyo, Maki, and Rei were always eager to help and often stayed an hour after class to help each person.

The class ended with a gorgeous “Kimono dressing day,” where each of the teachers helped us get dressed in our kimonos (much harder than one would think) and we paraded around in them while eating ice cream. Before we were dressed we were each able to pick out an obi that Maki and the Workshop Residence team made! I am usually quite indecisive, but something pulled me directly towards the navy pattern that I chose. I continued to wear my kimono, proudly, around San Francisco throughout the day. If only I could figure out how to get it back on…

Enter Here and Good Luck!

Jenny and Rishi are two of the most heartfelt, joyful and dynamic people you’ll ever meet. Jenny became a doctor the week of her wedding and Rishi is the founder of a really cool start-up in SF called Sosh. Despite their crazy busy schedules these two managed to put so much of themselves into their wedding weekend, starting with their Baraat that included a surprise song from Jenny to Rishi an a flash mob bridal party dance, Bollywood style! They chose the Carneros Inn for their wedding for its natural beauty and laid back elegance, and Laurel and her team at Esla Events did such a great job with all of the details that complimented the space.

The day began with an intimate first look followed by family portraits in both their western and Indian attire. Then their Hindu ceremony began with Rishi riding in on a horse drawn carriage while his family danced their way down the promenade to meet Jenny’s family where they exchanged floral necklaces. The ceremony was full of symbolism and beautiful traditions, and it ended with guests throwing rose petals all over the couple. After a quick outfit change came their western ceremony, where Jenny and Rishi exchanged hand written vows that brought all of the guests to tears. The cocktail hour that followed was full of custom cocktails and food stations, including a station dedicated to fresh made risotto. After dinner and some amazing speeches Jenny and Rishi had their first dance that busted out into a surprise choreographed hip hop routine….no better way to get the party started.

Words from Jenny:  Our wedding day was everything we dreamed of and so much more. We are still basking in the glow of it! We owe an enormous debt of gratitude to our incredible vendors, first and foremost, to our truly spectacular wedding planner, Laurel Anderson of Esla Events. To say that Laurel went above-and-beyond for us would be a huge understatement… she truly made all our wedding dreams come true. We asked Laurel to help us create a fusion wedding that would honor both of our cultures and families, embrace the natural beauty of Napa yet still be modern and sophisticated, and highlight the amazing local food & wine. Most of all, we wanted our wedding to be filled with personal details and surprises for our guests – from individualized welcome baskets filled with our favorite Bay Area snacks, to handmade programs (designed by Laurel) explaining the meaning of our Hindu and Christian ceremonies, to our personal vows, to Rishi’s carefully chosen wine-and-hors d’oeuvres pairings, to a dessert display featuring all my favorite sweets. The logistics of designing and executing such a large and complex fusion wedding were daunting – but Laurel rose to the challenge with tireless dedication and enthusiasm, and she made every detail fall into place flawlessly. She designed most of our print pieces herself, personally arranged every welcome table and food display, coordinated the wedding schedule down to the minute, and did it all with grace and poise. The result was more beautiful than anything we ever could have hoped for.
The Carneros Inn was the perfect setting for our wedding – we fell in love as soon as we laid eyes on it. It embodies the rustic beauty of wine country, but with a clean and modern twist. Brooke Baglietto and the whole Carneros team were so enthusiastic and collaborated with us to make our vision of a gourmet Farmer’s Market-inspired meal come to life. The food was absolutely delicious, which was a huge priority for us. We were thrilled to get a gorgeous sunny day for our wedding, so our guests could enjoy the beauty of Carneros Inn and wine country in its full glory!
We are endlessly grateful to our incredibly photographer, Carlie Statsky – a true artist, and also one of the nicest people we’ve ever met. Her photos capture all of the love and joy of that amazing day with such poignancy and authenticity, and looking through her pictures is like re-living our wedding all over again. And Luke Goodman blew us away with the truly gorgeous highlight video he created for us – it makes me cry every time I watch it (and I’ve watched it at least 50 times already!) Rishi and I will cherish these photos and videos for our entire lives.

Its hard to put into words how blessed I feel to have married my best friend, and to have watched our dream wedding become a reality. What a wonderful way to start the rest of our lives together!

Vendors:
Photographer: Carlie Statsky Photography, www.carliestatsky.com
Event Planning and Design: Esla Events, www.eslaevents.com
Venue and Catering: The Carneros Inn, www.thecarnerosinn.com
Florist: Crimson Horticultural Rarities, http://crimsonhort.com/
Videographer: Luke Goodman Cinematography,http://lukegoodman.com/
* Luke has a beautiful and artistic highlights video that I can share with you too if you’re interested
Officiant, Western: Reverend Joslen of Ceremonies of the Heart,http://ceremoniesoftheheart.com/
Officiant, Hindu: Pandit Prabha Duneja (no website)
Quartet: Synchronicity Strings, www.synchrostrings.com
DJ: DJ Salim, http://www.djsalim.com/
Hair and Makeup: Eliza Desch, http://elizadesch.com/
Rentals and Lighting: Classic Party Rentals Napa,http://napasonoma.classicpartyrentals.com
Carriage: Vintage Carriage Company, www.vintagecarriage.com
Sari Dresser: Meghna Patel, meghna32988@gmail.com
Baraat Drummers, Lal Singh Bhatti, http://lalsinghbhatti.com/

{I love this photo of my mom on her wedding day, with her mom/my grandma}

{Image Via Daily Candy}