Expert Tips for Postponing your Wedding

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Many of you with weddings coming up are now faced with having to postpone the festivities due to the coronavirus. We know how much thought and energy has gone into planning your wedding and we want to help.

Below we’ve listed some tips to help you get started and have included some links with more detailed information that we hope will be helpful.

Tips:   

 1.    Talk to your vendors about postponing your wedding and start with your venue. Many vendors may be willing to make exceptions in light of the circumstances.

2.    If you’ve already mailed invitations, call/text/email your friends and family right away letting them know the date is postponed. Then, if you wish, order just one (or a small batch) of invitations with the new information so you have a set for photos of and also for keepsake.  

3.    If you don’t have a wedding planner, consider hiring one to take the burden off.    

4.    Ask for help! Even though we’re keeping our distance from friends and family, there are still ways they can help. Have your loved ones call vendors to inquire about rescheduling their services.

5.    Postpone the wedding, not the marriage! It’s such a disappointment to have to delay getting married when you thought it would be sooner.  Have a private ceremony now, and celebrate later with friends and family!

Local paper designers, Dixie Design Collective have created some really lovely weekly planning notepads to help with structure and sanity. A little pretty goes a long way when working on a difficult project.

We would like to continue to be a resource for our brides and future brides in this time of uncertainty. Please, feel free to email with questions or ideas {hello@bustlegowns.com}.


Here are some resources for additional information:

Planning a Wedding at Home? Here Are a Few Things to Consider | The New York Times

How to Postpone Your Wedding Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic | The Knot

What to Know if You’re Planning a Wedding During the Coronavirus Pandemic | Brides.com

Venue Spotlight: 2713 Christopher Glenn

We got to visit a local venue spot, 2713 Christopher Glenn, located in Homewood, AL. This beautiful boutique venue has a lot to offer for its size, so we wanted to share all the details (and photos!) with you. It is the perfect space for small, intimate weddings, or even your rehearsal dinner!

The indoor space provides an open floor plan with a stage and includes Free WiFi, and an integrated sound system both indoors and outdoors. The prep room includes a refrigerator, warmer and work station. Apart from the beautiful indoor space, there is also a beautiful outdoor garden area that could be used for the ceremony or reception.

If you like what you see or you want to know more, head over to their website or contact Susan Zuber directly: 205-907-4222 or 2713christopherglenn@gmail.com.

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Business Spotlight: The Chic Next Door

It’s a new year and a new decade — welcome 2020! It’s the time of year for making resolutions, cleaning out and starting fresh! We thought we would start the year out by spotlighting a local Bham business (and former Bustle bride!) that could be very useful to many of you — especially in January.

We met with Emma Freeze at Nordstrom Rack to chat about her new business — The Chic Next Door. Emma’s business centers around something many people struggle with: their wardrobe! The Chic Next Door is a business that offers personal shopping, wardrobe styling, style coaching and closet organization services. Emma will even sell your unwanted clothing items online at Tradesy or Poshmark!

What we love about Emma’s business (and you will too) is that it’s customizable - she wants to meet your needs and your budget. You can book services by the hour or buy a package depending on your closet needs. Not sure what you might need? Email Emma for a FREE consultation . Emma is so much fun and has an excellent eye for style - you won’t regret getting in touch! Oh, did we mention she works with women and men (maybe your dad or hubby could use a little style advice)!

Whether you need just a little spruce in the closet, or a major wardrobe overhaul The Chic Next Door is the only place to start!

Bustle Bride: Jessica Leopard Johnson

Jessica and Brad got married on October 5th, 2019. Jessica initally met Brad because he was her brother’s roommate in college. Fifteen years later they reconnected and hit it off at Jessica’s brother’s wedding (Brad was the best man). After they wedding they started dating and began a long distance relationship. Three years after that they got married!

Jessica’s favorite part of their wedding day was the first look. “I never really dress up or wear makeup so I was really excited for him to see me dolled up!” she told us. “When he saw me the first thing he said was "WOW."  This made the day!”

We are so excited to share Mr. and Mrs. Johnson’s wedding with you. Take a look at their gorgeous wedding day photos!

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Wedding Photography: Photo by David A. Smith / DSmithImages Wedding Photography, Portraits, and Events

Hair & Makeup: Blogo Blow Dry Bar

Wedding Dress - Bustle 

Caterer: Southern Ale House

Soapy Jones (officiate and planner), Elizabeth Walston, Whitney Watson ( decorators, and coordinators)

Florist: Tracy Dollar

Sarah Pounds - Bridal shoot at the Historical Drish House in Tuscaloosa

Bustle Bride: Emily Abernathy Haley

Emily and Brooks both graduated in the class of 2014 from Hoover High School, and though they had similar friend groups, they had never had a conversation in all of their years at Hoover City Schools. After graduation, he went off to Troy University and she went to Mississippi State University. Brooks had a wonderful freshmen year at Troy, but after deciding to pursue a degree in Engineering, he decided to transfer to MSU. One of their mutual friends convinced him to reach out to Emily so that he could come visit the campus before he transferred in the fall.

“I didn't want to show a complete stranger around, so we decided to meet up and grab dinner while we were both home for Easter, ” said Emily, “We sat at Taco Mama for hours that night sharing stories and laughing about how crazy it was that we never met before. One date led to two, and by the time Brooks transferred to Mississippi State he was off the market!”

Brooks proposed to Emily beside the waterfall at Oak Mountain State Park - a special place they loved to visit together. After she said yes, he surprised her with an engagement party with their closest friends and family! Emily and Brooks were married June 1st, 2019 at Aldridge Gardens in Birmingham, AL. It was such a gorgeous day and perfect for a garden wedding!

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Here’s what Emily had to say about their special wedding day:

“There were so many incredible moments about June 1st, but there is one that both of us will never forget, and it was a special part of our ceremony. Our pastor surprised us by telling us to turn around and face our guests. He told us to look around, take it all in, and enjoy celebrating with all of the people who traveled near and far to witness this special moment. He told us to take a mental snapshot and remember the significance of the day. We will never forget seeing all of our loved ones smiling and celebrating with us, and although the day can be a bit of a blur, I am so thankful we had that moment to take it all in. I meant the world to us!”

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Ecam and Co.

We just visited the site of Ecam and Co., a locally owned candle making business! Elizabeth Cameron, the owner and creator, told us all about what she does and how it started. Having a love for both wine and candles, she decided to combine the two interests by ‘upcycling’ wine bottles into candles. Now she fills beautiful wine bottles of all shapes, colors and styles with her delicious wax scents.

When we heard about Ecam and Co., we immediately thought about how perfect these candles would be for our brides! How special would it be to turn your favorite bottle of wine or champagne from your wedding day, rehearsal dinner, honeymoon or anniversary into a beautiful keepsake that you can enjoy for a long time? You also have the option of ordering Ecam candles in smaller tins, which would make great wedding party favors or bridesmaid gifts.

Additionally, Ecam and Co. hosts candle-making workshops - sign up and take your friends for a unique girls’ night!

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Bustle Bride: Sarah Whittle Davitt

When Sarah Whittle and Michael Davitt first met at a mutual friend’s Super Bowl party, they were both attracted to each other but didn’t say much during the party. Michael knew he wanted to get to know Sarah better, so he asked his friend for her number the day after the Super Bowl party, and they had their first date shortly after that. From then on, they were inseparable!

“I knew early on I was going to marry Sarah,” said Michael, “Sarah and I had planned to take Christmas pictures with our dog, Sasha, so we could send out Christmas cards. I knew right then my plans were to ask that important question. I reached out to Sarah’s friend Kristin, who took our pictures, and informed her of my plans so we were on the same page. We began taking pictures in front of the town hall in Moss Preserve in Hoover, AL when I grabbed the ring and got down on one knee to asked her to marry me.”

Sarah and Michael were married on August 3rd, 2019 at First Baptist Church in Montgomery, AL surrounded by their friends and family. We are so happy to share their beautiful wedding day with you!

“My favorite part was of course was first look I had when Michael saw me for the first
time and that anticipation as we begin this journey to join our lives together. All the months of
planning for this special moment is what a girl dreams of her whole life especially when you
know you have found the person God has for you. I couldn’t stop smiling at him knowing this is
just the beginning. - Sarah”
“[Sarah] is the most compassionate and selfless person I’ve ever met. There’s never a dull moment with her. Her love not just for me but for other people is contagious and is felt by everyone she meets. I truly am the luckiest and most blessed man to call Sarah my wife and to share this life with her. - Michael ”

Vendors:

Dress - Bustle Gowns

Photography - Brooke Glassford with Colorbox

Venue - The Oaks Plantation

Cake - Cake Designs

Flowers - Elizabeth Fritz

Hair - Emily Shanks

Makeup - Eva Crockett at Gus Mayer

Catering - A Catered Affair

Daughters Baking

Recently, we paid a visit to the site of Daughters Baking, where deliciously beautiful naked cakes are created. Talented owner, Mallory Webb, told us all about her business and how it all started.

She began her cake baking journey while working at Urban Standard, a local Birmingham café, where she experimented with baking and practiced her skills. She started baking cakes at home, and with the help of her friends and church community, her dream grew into a full-time business. Everyone wanted a taste of her delicious and beautiful confections! Along with the growing volume of personal orders, she began selling her cakes at Pizzaria GM in Homewood.

Before visiting Daughters Baking, we had never tasted these cakes we heard so much about. We were curious to know if they lived up to the hype…. The answer is YES! They absolutely do! We were blown away by Mallory’s unique and delicious flavor combinations. We sampled three flavors: Blueberry Lemon, Raspberry Mascarpone, and Wedding Cake. You can see the full list of available flavors on the Daughters Baking website.

Mallory Webb, Owner of Daughters Baking.

We were shocked to learn that Mallory is a self-taught baker - no professional training! She came up with the entire process for making her naked cakes, and developing the flavors.

The elegant and distinctive look of these “naked” cakes makes them ideal for many occasions but especially weddings! They’re perfect for brides who want to add a fun and interesting twist to a traditional wedding cake. Plus, the unique flavor combinations give you a way to customize your wedding cake even further!

We loved visiting Daughters Baking and chatting with Mallory. We were highly impressed with her cakes and think you will be too!

If you’d like to try one of her marvelous cakes for yourself, you can order them straight from the Daughters Baking website, or you can find them at Pizzeria GM in West Homewood, Fig Tree Cafe in Cahaba Heights, and Bare Naked Noodles on 280. You can choose from a variety of sizes and delicious flavors!

Bustle Bride: Paige Dye

Paige moved to Birmingham in 2013 and met Allen through mutual friends in 2016. Allen proposed to Paige at his family’s farm. He had disguised the proposal as a “Friendsgiving,” but when Paige pulled up to the house she was surprised to see a row of lanterns leading to a table with pictures of the two of them. There was a canvas with the lyrics of Elvis Presley’s song “Can’t Stop Falling in Love” painted on it. This song became their first dance at their wedding! They were married December 15th, 2018 at The Barn at Shady Lane.

Paige says her favorite part of their wedding day was their “first look.” Initially Allen was nervous, but all the nerves went away once they saw each other. They were able to soak up a beautiful moment together on their wedding day. We are so happy to share these lovely photos of their beautiful day!

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“Since we had the wedding in Alabama, it was so much fun having my friends and family from Florida come up and be able to celebrate our special day with us!”
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Vendors:

Venue: The Barn at Shady Lane

Photographer: Audrey Reid

Catering: Happy Catering

Wedding Planner: Southern Styled Events

Gown: Bustle Gowns

Videographer: Stoneybrook Films

Favors: Heavenly Donuts

Groomsmen gifts that are actually perfect.

We know finding the right gifts for your groomsmen can be pretty tricky. You want to be thoughtful, you need to please everyone, and you want something affordable - well, we found something that meets ALL the criteria! These personalized wallets are sleek and simple, appropriate for a wide range of personal styles and they’re only $30 with personalization! Oh, and they come in an awesome gift box.

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