So, while I thought Darcy’s apartment WAS really awesome, it was totally NOT my intention to leave that post up there all week.  We HAVE been a little bit busy though over here, and not just with weddings.  We are thrilled to announce our NEW name and brand identity:

After 8 years of being “Always a Bridesmaid”, the truth is it was hard to pull the band-aid off and CHANGE OUR NAME.  Mayra and I really liked our old logo with the little lady.. but, it was a name and a logo for a company very different than who we are now.  When our friend designed that for us and we came up with the old name, we thought it would be “cute” and “catchy”.  There weren’t a lot of wedding planners then, and a lot of them were more seasoned than we were at the time (we were only 25 when we started this ol’ thing).  So the idea of being like a “professional bridesmaid” seemed apropos.  But then we started really PLANNING big parties and then we started DESIGNING tablescapes and roomscapes.  And then we started working in just CRAZY places like Ellis Island and remote day camps and beach boardwalks.  And we realized we were many steps away from being “helpful” bridesmaids, we were really CREATING experiences for our clients.   Suddenly, it felt like we’d outgrown the old name; like seeing a grown man walk around in short pants and a propeller hat…

So it was time for a change, but it took us 2 whole years to figure out what and how.  We toyed with totally different names, but ultimately decided an abbreviation was in touch with the past, while the Creates was actively speaking about what we do.  Being visual gals, we knew the right logo was really the trick, so we turned to the best-  Meredith at Regas New York.  She walked us through the whole process and listened to our company life story of how we started the business and it’s various iterations and where we are now and where we wanted to go.  And she came back with the brilliance you see above.  And, wait till you see the business cards! Wowza! As soon as we saw it we KNEW this was the way to go.  There was no hemming and hawing. We knew this was the right way to go.

Next up was the web site.  So we turned to Brent and Teresa at Mimo y Mima to revamp our website and they, too, blew us away!   I hope you will check it out at AaBCreates.com
And keep your eyes open for some changes on the blog too!(don’t worry, we’ll still be Blogsmaids)

I thought we’d be a lot more wistful about the name change, but it actually feels exciting and invigorating….  Here’s to a creative 2012!

While I love wedding magazines and blogs, in my personal time, I find myself seeking inspiration for our client’s weddings from other sources.  Lately, since my Man Friend is about to buy new dining chairs and I’m desperately trying to convince him against going with dark leather upholstery on this set, I’ve been scouring design mags.  So, it was fun/ and striking when I saw a VERY familiar wedding face peeking up from my ipad this morning from a non-wedding site!

The fabulous Darcy Miller Nussbaum and her husband were profiled after finishing a massive renovation and re-design of their apartment. The result is amazing.  Since Darcy is the EYE of Martha Stewart Weddings, and her own wedding launched a million trends, it was super exciting to see what her home space was like.  It’s as perfect as you might imagine, and delightfully serene and neutral.  I can understand… after spending each day inundated with images and inspiration, it must be lovely to come home to such a fresh, sophisticated space.  Here are a few pics of my favorite parts, while Architectural Digest shows off the rest including the delightful play room! Get ready for some eye candy!

Newly engaged brides…you are getting SO much noise, I know!  Emails from every web site you signed up for when you first got your ring.  Emails from every vendor you reached out to in your excitement…. Emails inviting you to bridal events.  I know that everyone is hawking bridal fairs your way “The Hipster Bride Showcase” , “The Brides on a Budget Showcase”, “The Glamazon Bridal Event”, BUT trust me, the one you should mark your calendar for Sunday, January 29th at the New York Palace for the Martha Stewart Weddings and Wedding Library Showcase.   In addition to the event “headliners” like Martha Stewart Weddings’ Editorial Director Darcy Miller, Kleinfeld’s fashion director and author of the new book, It’s All About the Dress, Randy Fenoli, top bridal gown designer Amsale Aberra, master wedding cake baker Sylvia Weinstock, the roster of participating vendors presenting their work and wares is TRULY top o’ the line.  I will myself be milling about, checking out the stunning new china line Martha has developed for Macy’s (see below!)

So, mark your calendars (10am-4PM) at the New York Palace and BUY your tickets!  (Tickets are $75) Images courtesy Martha Stewart Weddings

I had a nightmare the other night. In my dream I was out with Xochitl (yes, we spend time together even in my dreams:) and our friend Ian. We were sitting leisurely having brunch, when I suddenly noticed that he was wearing a tuxedo. I asked him where he was going and he said, “Your wedding! It’s two hours from now”. I started to hyperventilate when I realized that I hadn’t done anything. When I called my fiancee to see if he had also forgotten, he said, “No, I am getting ready with my family. Where is your family?”  Needless to say, I woke up in a cold sweat.

The funny thing is that my brides used to tell me about these types of dreams, and I used to tell them to relax and that there was no reason to be that stressed. Yet here I was, a wedding professional, having the same dreams! The truth is that this is a time filled with decision making. As a bride I feel like I am constantly deciding what I want. So much so that sometimes I have a hard time (and this NEVER happens to me) figuring out what I actually like! So of course during this time of constant decision making it is easy to start to feel like you are always forgetting something.

In order to get yourself  organized and avoid these nightmares, or at least get to the point where you can laugh about them in the morning, you should develop a plan. Here are some tips that we recommend for getting organized and getting started!

1. Start a wedding email- I know that you don’t want to have to track ANOTHER email, but the truth is that you will probably log into a slew of wedding websites and will be inundated with emails, so you might want to spare your work email.

2. Start a folder- Now, this can be either on your computer or an old school binder ( I actually keep both for clients) where you can keep all of your proposals and signed contracts. The last thing you want to do when you are stressed about something is spend an hour looking through things to try to find a contract.

3. Book a Venue- I know that this sounds basic, but until you have a venue booked, your wedding has no home. It is also harder to decide on a look or style when you still have everything as an option. Once you have a date and a booked venue, you have boundaries as to what you can do in the space…and that is a good thing! It will help guide you as you design the event. Also, psychologically, until you have a venue it sometimes doesn’t feel like it is really happening. I know that this is (unless your are hiring a planner) your first big purchase, but you should go with your gut and not delay this decision.

4. Style-With so many images on blogs and magazines it is easy to want to throw everything into the mix and not settle on a style, or not settle on anything because you like it all. The hard truth is that you can’t have it all, and frankly it would look crazy if you did! Put together an inspiration board of your favorite things and use that to hone your look. Hint: Everything on the board should not be wedding based. I mean, you hopefully like things in the non-wedding world:) Below is the one that I put together for myself.

Sweet Dreams ladies! Everything is going to be wonderful!

Peaches!, Gold Cake by Nine Cakes, Otomi fabric from Jacanda Home, Bronze Horsehead Bookends, Cotton Bouquet from Bride’s Magazine 2006, City Chateau by Always A Bridesmaid for Newlywish, Todd Goldman print, Peach garden roses,  Bride with long veil from Bride Chic,  Dining table from Attic Mag, You’re so Awesome!, JFK Jr & Carolyn wedding photo, glass champagne tower from WWRD event, Timbre vase from Z Gallerie.

Just the other day we were watching “Shit Latinas Say” and we decided that we couldn’t bare to watch another video of shit that people say because how specific could it really start to get?  I was waiting for a video called Shit Mayra Says (which would basically be “Xochitl, that’s too expensive.” “Xochitl, it’s not in their budget.”  And then a lot of shots of her giving me the Phaedra Parks Side Eye.)

ANYWAY, just when we thought that there couldn’t possibly be ANYTHING left to say, the people at The Knot and Wedding Channel.com give us “Shit Brides Say” and it is… BRILLIANT.  For your Friday amusement!