December 25th

Photo Credit: You're That Girl Designs / Etsy

Tip of the Day: When writing thank you notes, it’s a lovely touch of class to hand-write the names of everyone in a family from which you have received a gift. If the card that came with the gift says the name of the couple and their three kids’ names, you should include everyone’s name on the thank-you card…even if you know that electric griddle or that big check didn’t come from the two year-old.

Plus, check out the Top 10 Thank-You Note Mistakes. Visit sharonnaylor.net for more great wedding tips and advice.

December 20th

Photo by: Monica Salazar on Monica Salazar Photography via Lover.ly

Tip of the Day: Give your bridesmaids their gifts of matching robes on the morning of the wedding. (Don't give it to them at your rehearsal dinner, since some hectic bridesmaids might forget theirs on the wedding day.) Having your bridesmaids in matching robes — instead of in their yoga capris and t-shirts —gives you fantastic photos from your wedding morning brunch or the "getting ready" hours. And a luxe robe is definitely a gift that bridesmaids will use again and again!

Plus, check out 20 More Thank-You Gifts Your Bridal Party Will Love. Visit sharonnaylor.net for more great wedding tips and advice.

What to Know Before Getting a Custom Wedding Dress

I found "The One" — my wedding gown that is (I found my fiancé six years ago!).

In my last post, I described falling in love with three completely different dresses. I left the bridal salon empty-handed that day because I couldn’t decide between something elegant and traditional or modern and trendy. Recently, I found the perfect style that embodies all of those elements at Birnbaum & Bullock’s flagship store in NYC (stay tuned to see a photo of "her").

Birnbaum & Bullock has four different lines — my wedding dress is from the Couture collection. The brand's in-house designers, Steven Birnbaum and Robert Bullock, custom-design all of the styles from this collection, and the process has been so interesting that I wanted to share it with you all.

After taking my measurements, the designers told me to come back in a month for my "muslin fitting." I had no clue what to expect, so when I arrived on the day of my appointment, I was shocked to find a gorgeous little cotton dress waiting for me. When I put it on, it fit like a glove — the boning in the corset felt amazing. My mom joked that the dress was so pretty, I should wear it to my rehearsal dinner!

muslin fitting

Steven made a few alterations. The sweetheart neckline was sitting a little high on me, so he lowered it, and nipped and tucked the corset so it fit a little tighter.  

December 19th

Tip of the Day: Traditions are shining moments in a marriage—they give you celebrations to look forward to. Honor established rituals that were passed down from both of your families (especially holiday-related ones), and create new traditions of your own. Choose two or three traditions to maintain that you'll both stay enthusiastic about.

Your tradition doesn’t have to be something big, like renewing your wedding vows every six months. It could be something small, like choosing a holiday ornament that represents your biggest adventure or goal of the year, hanging up mistletoe in your home or counting down the days until Christmas or Hannukah together.

Plus, check out 10 Marriage "Firsts" Every Newlywed Experiences. Visit sharonnaylor.net for more great wedding tips and advice.

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