Um… Check out these shoes?  SOLD!  I love these friggin shoes.  You could pair the dress and the shoes with a burlap sac coat and it would still be awesome!  Plus, it uses yellow, so that’s just my bias…..

Hello ladies of Always a Bridesmaid and 57 Grand!
I am so excited about the opportunity to enter in this fantastic giveaway!  I am getting married September 18th north of Pittsburgh, PA at a 1920’s mansion.  We are having the ceremony in the sculpture garden among the trees, a swing band for the reception, and we are hoping that the day will have a very “classy Jazz-age dinner party” feel to it.  I think that the 57 Grand “Riverside” dress has the perfect demure, slightly-retro sensibility that would be the perfect complement to our wedding’s style, and, most importantly, I think it would look lovely on my ladies!  (P.S., I love the bow so much, that really, I want one for
myself!)  My bridesmaids live in Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Albany, and London (UK!), and I am planning the wedding from Boston, where my fiance and I are in graduate school–as you can imagine, this has made bridesmaid dress shopping a challenge, so the fact we can order online with 57 Grand is a real lifesaver!
The outfit I made for the re-wear board is pretty versatile–you could wear it to Sunday brunch, on a date, or to a bridal shower, but I think it would be great to wear to work on a day that you’d want to look extra snazzy (hence the super adorable yellow wool laptop bag).  Other than the dress, of course, my main inspiration is the pair of Seychelles shoes that I have been pining over!  Plus, the outfit has a vintage charm to it that I think works well with the dress and with my obsession with finding extra cute things on Etsy.
Well, that’s about it, thanks for considering my board for this fantastic giveaway!  All the best,  Amanda

Attention Brooklyn Brides (and brides that love Brooklyn!) – the Brooklyn Academy of Music and Great Performances are hosting Brooklyn’s first exclusively local bridal show! The Brooklyn Bridal Show will feature over 30 local vendors showcasing the latest in wedding fashions, favors, flowers and food, all housed in BAM’s amazing Lepercq Space.

I will be on site to answer your wedding related questions, and I’m very excited to announce that Anna from Just About Married (JAM) will be joining me! This will be a great chance for all you Brooklyn brides-to-be to meet Anna and get some more information about the hourly and DOC services that JAM offers. Some of the other fantastic Brooklyn vendors will include:
Opalia (Florist); Kelly Guenther – Pulitzer-Prize Winner and Robert DiScalfani (Photography); Love, Jenna and Raw (Calligrapher/Invitations); Two Dudes Playing Your Wedding (Music) and many others.

The event is open to the public from 2-6pm on Sunday, March 7th at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, 30 Lafayette St. Tickets are $30 and available at Great Performances. I hope to see you there!

If you simply can’t wait until March, here are a couple other fun events coming up:

On Saturday, February 13th, photographers Robert Wagner, Parris Whittingham and Christopher Duggan are inviting couples of all sorts to join in their Couples Portraits Valentines Contest. Couples (young or old, dating, engaged, or married) who show up to Madison Square Park at 3pm Saturday will have their portrait taken by all 3 photographers, with the best shot of each couple posted on the photographers’ website. Visitors to the websites can vote for their favorite, and the couple with the most votes will win a fantastic prize. All participants will receive high-resolution files of their photos, so even if you don’t win – you win!

More information and details are available here.

Not exactly wedding related, but for a cause near and dear to my heart, join me at the Lower East Side Girls Club Mardi Gras Benefit Masquerade Ball. Their events are always fun and eclectic, and they benefit VERY good causes. This event will benefit the Lower East Side Girls Club and the work they do creating programs, activities and lessons in entrepreneurship for young women from the Lower East Side, the Batey Haitian Relief fund, and the YaYa project in New Orleans, a youth mentoring group and partner of the Girls Club.

Mardi Gras Masquerade Ball
Tuesday, February 16th, 7pm – midnight

One last thing, ladies – we’re conducting a short survey here at Always A Bridesmaid. If you got married after June 2008, or are planning a wedding to take place within the next 18 months, please help us out and take the survey. It will only take about 10 minutes, and one participant will be chosen at random to receive a $200 gift certificate to Bloomingdales, Bliss or Sephora (winner’s choice!) The survey is only open until FRIDAY, so please take a moment to fill it out now!

Always A Bridesmaid Survey

So, First, I have to apologize, because I totally dropped the ball on Friday’s finalist… which is funny, because it is personally one of my favorites.. I think I love the tights!

Hello ladies! My name is Maria Arbiol and I am a recently engaged bride-to-be who is beyond excited about planning my wedding! I’ve been planning events in Miami for 3 years now, and have helped so many other brides plan their perfect day…now it’s my turn!

I was born in Santiago, Chile, but grew up in Miami, Fl., which is where I met Luis. After 7 and a half years of being together, he finally proposed on Christmas Day! Our family and friends near and far are ready to celebrate, and the decision of where to get married is still in the works….should we do a modern cocktail reception with the ceremony in Miami and then fly to Chile for a romantic reception in a vineyard, or just make it a destination wedding in Santiago, July of 2011? We have a few details to finalize before announcing our choice, but regardless my bridesmaids need to look good wherever they are!

One of my fabulous bridesmaids, Carolina, helped me put together our inspiration board which is attached. Our vision was to take a beautiful 57 Grand bridesmaid dress from the wedding to a night out in South Beach.  This look could easily take you from dinner on a patio while watching the sunset to the coolest Miami lounge later on. Our outfit has vintage style accesories, a beautiful clutch, and some killer shoes to dance the night away!

My bridesmaids and I will be anxiously waiting to see if you choose our inspiration board…no matter what, I want to thank you for the ideas and inspirations you provide for all the brides-to-be! I can’t wait to share my dream day with you all…

A little late in getting this out to you but there is still time!! Our lovely friends over at Exquisite Bride in Millburn are digging deep and giving back. For every bridal gown sold from January 21, 2010, to February 21, 2010, Exquisite Bride is donating a percentage of the sales to the Red Cross Haiti Relief.

The store is amazing, selection breathtaking & the team outstanding. This is the ultimate win-win ladies, select a stunning gown and partner with Exquisite Bride in their philanthropic plight.

Exquisite Bride is located in Millburn, New Jersey (just minutes from the short hills mall)

110 Essex Street

973-379-4450

www.exquisite-bride.com

xx

Salome

Ladies, only one more day to get in your 57 Grand entries!!!  Today’s look is a chic, and sexy beach look!

My name is Crystal Kerr. I spent most my life in North Idaho amidst glorious mountains, stunning rivers, and breathtaking lakes. I now live in Southwestern Montana. Our wedding is going to consist of my sweetheart’s and my favorite colors: purple and blue. I say OUR because the both of us are very involved in the planning. I think this is unique because with most couples, the bride plays the primary role of wedding planner. We really want to have a fun and free wedding that truely reflects the two of us.  A big red barn, a candy “bar”, cheesecake, and diecast Subarus as our cake topper paints a colorful picture of our very different, but compatable, personalities. Living in the Inland Northwest, we don’t have much opportunity to see the ocean; but, I’ve always loved the idea of an elegant party on the beach. That is why I chose the dress and color scheme in my board. The long flowy nature of the York dress mixes so well with the soothing lap of waves against the shore. It gives it’s wearer the ability to look classy while still enjoying the freedom of a casual outfit, a style that I love.