When I look at Lilli Tru, a new bridal collection from our friends at Plum Pretty Sugar, all I can think is “lovely.” Lovely, as in filled with love, as in the lightest and most exquisite robes and gowns, as in a breath of sweet fresh air. So yes, we are SO pleased to meet you, Lilli!

Lilli Tru is made for the morning of your wedding. I am a BIG believer in planning the small details to create an overall effect on your wedding day, and I feel the same about the wedding morning. What I am wearing affects how I feel. Same with the music I’m listening to, the people who are around me, what I’m eating, and how cluttered or uncluttered the space I am in is. Make conscious decisions regarding all of those things, and you’ll give yourself the gift of starting the most beautiful day of your life on the right foot. And may I suggest starting with a sweet something from Lilli Tru?

Just beautiful. You can check out the whole collection right here, including robes, gowns, and sets.

Happy planning, belles!

Howdy, friends! Have you awoken from your pecan pie stupor yet? (Or your pie photo shoot stupor?) Maybe some of you were even out braving the crowds on Black Friday or Small Business Saturday. Whatever your situation, I’m guessing this post will be a welcome addition to your morning: a few special Cyber Monday sales and offers from some of our favorite sponsors! Read on for all the delicious details!

Minted offers wedding stationery suite options to suit every Southern bride, so we know you’ll love this chance to WIN! In celebration of Cyber Monday, Minted is offering the chance to win a $150 gift certificate good for any save the date or wedding invitation design. The contest will last until November 30 at 11:59pm PST — click here to enter!

Brocade Designs, one of our fabulous Blue Ribbon Vendors, is offering a 20% discount on a custom save the date or invitation suite design! Hillary offers everything from digital files to letterpress printing options, so there’s something for everyone.

If your paper products are under control, Brocade is also offering a $250 discount on their Signature Event Design package, which offers assistance on the overall aesthetic of your wedding day. Brocade Designs is located in Nashville; these offers are limited to new clients only and cannot be combined.

Midori, purveyor of GORGEOUS ribbon, is offering 10% off everything in their store with the code SW012, and a free gift when you purchase $50 or more of MIDORI product! Check out a few of our favorites from Midori in this post!

MagnetStreet lets you create highly personalized magnets, cards and other printed stationery by letting you choose the colors, photos, fonts, and wording! They’re offering 26% off on everything with the code WSWM26 until December 3 at midnight CST! Click here to start shopping.

Last but certainly not least, we wanted to alert you to a Cyber Monday sale of our very own! We’re offering FREE SHIPPING on a box of TEN V5s for today only, and we’ll toss in an SW tote bag, too! Check out all the details here!

We hope these deals help you check a few more tasks off your wedding planning list, which could mean more time to spend with family and friends this holiday season! Happy shopping, belles!

Yep, we’re still excited!

Though John and I got married in our hometown, I would consider our celebration a semi-destination wedding, since about half of our guests (and the bride and groom!) traveled in for the festivities. Most people stayed at local hotels or inns, but John’s family from Ohio — about ten aunts, uncles, and cousins — decided to rent a house for the week. Let me tell you: Best. Decision. Ever.

Even though we were still in our hometown, there was something about spending time at their oceanside cottage that made the pre-wedding week even more festive and celebratory. We made communal meals in the kitchen, played cornhole outside and games inside, and drove in a caravan to the beach around the corner. All in all, highly recommended.

My awesome memories from September are just one reason why I’m excited to introduce you to today’s sponsor, FlipKey. FlipKey is an online vacation rental company that connects owners with travelers. They have over 160,000 rentals in more than 7,000 locations worldwide, which means you’re sure to find the perfect spot for your celebration!

Of course, housing out-of-town relatives is just one way for y’all to use FlipKey in your wedding plans. How about renting a house for the bridal party for the wedding weekend? You’ll have a beautiful, clutter-free space to help facilitate quality time pre-wedding, and the cost per person will almost certainly be less than if everyone was getting individual rooms!

Bridal party photo by Paige Newton via Southern Weddings. Cabo San Lucas rental property here.

Speaking of pre-wedding plans, I love the idea of renting a house for the weekend for a bachelorette party! That’s what we did for my sister-in-law, and it worked out perfectly! We stayed at a house in upstate New York for two nights, and all loved lounging by the pool, hiking a local trail, and cooking in the kitchen with ingredients we bought at the downtown farmer’s market!

Planning a tiny destination wedding? Why not rent a villa and host everyone in one place for the duration? Venue and lodging rolled into one — done and done :) I also love this idea for post-wedding holiday family celebrations!

Lastly, I love the idea of renting a property through FlipKey instead of a hotel for a totally private and spacious honeymoon. With all of the different options and locations available on their site, I’m sure you’ll be able to find something that fits your preferences and budget! This one looks pretty good to me…

Engagement photo by Gina Zeidler via Southern Weddings. (Amazing!) Nicaraguan rental property here.

Whew! Clearly there’s a lot to love about FlipKey. But don’t take our word for it — go explore for yourself! As my favorite Phil Keoghan would say, “The world is waiting!” (Any other AR fans out there??)

Y’all, these aren’t your mama’s bouquets, but they might be your grandma’s bouquets. After all, the whole inspiration behind Norma Dean Designs is Ms Norma Dean herself — a lady from the deep South who knew a thing or two about finding beauty in the everyday. The NDD gals have taken this spirit to heart, collaborating with their brides to create modern heirlooms that will have pride of place long past the wedding day.

I could spend hours looking at these beauties, they’re that intricate! And full of stories, too. I love the idea of incorporating a rolled up love letter, or possibly a flower formed from a page torn from an old Bible. (One of the weddings you’ll see in V5 had boutonnieres made from pages of the Book of Acts, since it’s the groom’s favorite book, and I thought it was the sweetest idea!)

To get your inspiration wheels turning, take a peek at the different collections on the Norma Dean site — I’m particularly fond of the Country Cotton, Nautical Charm, and Soft Romantic styles. In addition to bridal bouquets, most styles have coordinating boutonnieres, ring bearer and flower girl items, wrist cuffs, and bridesmaid bouquets!

The Norma Dean Designs gals use all natural and eco-friendly materials, and they take great pride in the workmanship of each piece. Impressively, their prices are quite reasonable, too, even when compared to fresh flowers. Make sure to check out the Norma Dean site to see all the goodness in store!

Finding new wedding vendors to introduce you to via our Blue Ribbon Vendor Directory is one of my favorite parts of my job! Here, a few of our recent additions:

Amalie Orrange is a photographer in Orlando, Florida. I love her vibrant colors and natural-feeling images.

Amy Lynne Originals is a talented florist in North Carolina who produces fresh and unique work. And, having met her at our last yard sale, I can vouch that she is lovely and warm in person, too!

I love Christine’s Couture’s tagline: “we know our brides by name and their dresses by heart.” Starkville, Mississippi is lucky to have this wedding and special occasion shop!

Dear Wesleyann might be a new name to you, but I’ll bet you’ve been seeing her photos for years. We love Wesleyann’s work as much as ever, and count Florida Panhandle brides lucky to have her in their neighborhood!

Likewise, Texas brides are lucky to have Ivy Weddings! The way this husband-and-wife team captures emotion is wonderful.

We love all the sweet girly goodness of Love Ophelia, especially after one of their robes was featured on the Bachelorette (we’re big fans in the office — or, at least Emily is!). Perfect for bridal party gifts, too!

Luke Wilson Special Events knows how to do sweet Southern charm right. He’s based in South Carolina!

Finding the perfect wedding deejay can be one of those wedding-tasks-to-end-all-wedding-tasks, which is why we’re happy to introduce you to MyDeejay. Maryland and local brides, be sure to check out their unique matching process! (Photo by Egomedia Photography)

Paige Winn Photo has a soft, romantic style that fits in perfectly with their Charleston, SC location.

Last but certainly not least, Spindle Photography is a studio located in Birmingham. I’ve loved getting to know Kelly’s sweet personality and images over the last few months!

To check out all of our Blue Ribbon Vendors, just click over to the full directory! You can search by category or state to find your perfect match.

Vendors, if you’re interested in getting involved, just fill out this form and Kristin will be in touch! There are so many great things that go along with being a Blue Ribbon Vendor, like access to our private Facebook group and tip blog, and being among the first to know about submission deadlines and print or image calls!