The Encore Bride

Why Travel?

2012-01-23T08:58:00.001-05:00

Photo: mine taken at Wananavu Resort in Fiji

As you guys know I planned my wedding from Iraq in about 4 months, it was stressful but I booked wonderful vendors that were responsive and helpful given my situation. By the time we were ready to plan the honeymoon it was not as easy. I emailed various travel agents/agencies, I asked for Fiji, some people didn't answer, some recommended Antigua (what part of NOT the Caribbean, didn't they understand?) and simply told me I couldn't afford Fiji. I ended up planning my trip to Fiji and we had an amazing time. After we returned I was still fuming at the bad customer service I received with the honeymoon and figured I could do better. After much research, training (I ended up taking a course and hiring a business coach) I felt like it was time to go ahead, just in time for our 1st Anniversary!

I've been planning travel (and traveling) for the last 17 years, it's about time I put my experience to work!!!

Huge Announcement!

2012-01-06T14:46:00.002-05:00

My blogging activity had slowed down much after the wedding and it wasn't because I was too busy with housework! After the wedding I decided that I wanted to pursue my entrepreneurial dreams and it had to be something related to the wedding industry. After much think and evaluating the things I am passionate about I decided that I would merge my love for weddings with my passion for travel. I've been working relentlessly for the past year and here I am just a week before my 1st wedding anniversary ready to share my project with the world! So now (drumroll please) Ladies and gentlemen (that's you hubby!), please give a round of applause (no really, stand up, take a deep breath and explode in cheers! To my new baby:

Go ahead' click on it!

Please stop my my Facebook page, follow me on Twitter and Pinterest, I have a YouTube channel and you can even reach me on Skype (search: brenda (at) encoredwh.com), whew! I think I have most of the bases covered, don't you?

It will mean the world if you tell me what you think (hint, hint) since I've put so much effort into this (and have worked my hubby's arse too, poor thing) and please follow!!!

Tomorrow I will share how and why I came up with Encore DWH, stay tuned!

Happy New Year!!!

2011-12-31T19:31:00.001-05:00

Happy New Year, may 2012 bring you many blessings and success!!!

Are you ready for Christmas? It's coming anyway!

2011-12-13T08:15:00.001-05:00

Hey bloggie friends (if I have any left) I've been extremely busy working on a new project and I can't wait to announce it. Soon though, I'll make the announcement on January 2, right in line with the New Year.

Besides working on my new project I've been taking classes, traveling, working my 9-5 and in the midst of it all we were able to get everyone on one place to take pictures. Here's a preview of the back of my Christmas cards this year.

Photo Credit: Mabus Photography

Thanks to Mabus Photography for a wonderful session! We hope we can do it again, before the girls get married and have family of their own :-(

This year we are only giving presents to the kids in the family (yay!), I have 3 out of my 4 nieces and nephew taken care of, we have 1 of his 3 niece/nephews taken care of and 2 out of 3 daughters taken care of so we have 4 more presents to go...

How are you guys coming along with your presents list?

It's Been Awhile...

2011-09-12T22:06:00.000-04:00

I never intended to take such a long break. I've been thinking about the future of this blog and I haven't decided what to do just yet. While I was away a few high profile encore brides got married and I love their "Encore Bride" style for the day.

Southern Bell Reese Witherspoon wore a beautiful blush dress for her day. She was lovely in a blush dress!

Source: People

Another encore bride that sported a very sexy dress was LeAnn Rimes, I loved her sparkly dress and high slit.

Source: People

I wore a light gold dress for my encore wedding, what color would you wear?

Marriage Is Hard!

2011-06-23T21:06:00.000-04:00

Source: ILOVEYOURSTYLE

Yep, I said it, whoever said Marriage was a breeze was looking at it through some double thick rosy glasses! I haven’t blogged much. I’ve been quiet, my personal friends know that when I become quiet it’s because I’m dealing with something. Marriage has been hard to get used to for this encore chick! Don’t get me wrong, my hubby is the best, he cannot be any more loving and he makes an excellent teammate.

After 9 years of living the single (and divorced) life I grew to love my independence, and well, being married doesn’t necessarily encourage independence, lol. Since I’ll be the last one to admit it I’ll blame it on the tours to Iraq, the wedding and move that followed…quickly, maybe to quick for me.

I think I’m still in shock from it all, I have one good day, then I have three bad ones, I guess it could all be much worse.

I do thank God everyday for what he has given me, where he has brought me from and for everything he does for me on a daily basis. Today may be a gloomy day but I seek comfort in knowing that the sun will shine again tomorrow.

Encore Bride Style

2011-05-05T07:00:00.000-04:00

I've been very busy lately planning my first wedding as an event planner. In the process of getting some inspiration I came across these fabulous gowns I think would be great for an Encore bride, from the sexy shapes to the different gown colors. I saved them on Pinterest, of course!

Source: marthastewartweddings.com via The Encore Bride on Pinterest

Source: amouramour.com.au via The Encore Bride on Pinterest

Source: akissonyourmolteneyes.blogspot.com via The Encore Bride on Pinterest

Do you agree?

Lost In Pinterest

2011-04-25T06:30:00.011-04:00

Do you "Pin"? I'm addicted to Pinterest, I can spend way too many hours lost in all the beautiful visuals. It's a wonderful site to save all the inspirational pictures you find online.

Board by Lovely

Source: lovelybride.com via Vania on Pinterest

Follow Me on Pinterest!

What To Do With My Wedding Pictures?

2011-04-22T18:05:00.000-04:00

Our wedding pictures were on the mail waiting for us to get back from our honeymoon (that's how fast my photographer worked!). I rushed home from the post office and opened the big envelope, there were over 200 edited proofs and a CD with more than 1200 shots, all taken in about 7 hours (I think). I rushed to the store to find a small album where all 200 hundred pictures would fit. I wasn't very lucky and ended up buying a plain black leather one.

Next up I chose a few pictures to enlarge and frame, I made 3 small plain canvas and hung them in our bedroom. I still needed to frame "OUR wedding picture" and as always I looked at Etsy.com. I had saved GeeZees a long time ago in hopes that she would be able to create a beautiful canvas for our wedding after I received my wedding pictures.

After sending her a "groupie" style tweet we were able to begin working on my wedding canvas. I chose my canvas size and within 10 days I had my canvas proof, what do you think?

I chose that scripture for our wedding ceremony, I think it describes our love perfectly (he did have to wait 8 months for a date!). The proofs were so pretty I only changed one thing, the word "Love" at the top of this one.

We left for Tulum, Mexico for a few days, once we returned this beauty was waiting on our front door. I was so excited to finally see it!

(Please excuse the appearance of the colors, it was a cloudy day)

We are finishing up the painting on our living room, in the meantime this 24"x36" beauty sits above our mantel. I'm still looking for a permanent home for it, I'm not sure if it should be over the mantel or not. What do you think?

Here is a side view that shows how thick the frame is.

We all know marriage can be challenging at times (let's keep it real!) but a daily visual reminder keeps us going, for me the last verse is powerful, "Never looks back but keeps going to the end". I can't think of a better way to remind ourselves everyday why we chose each other.

If you need a last minute Mother's Day gift please make sure to check out GeeZees Etsy store, she can turn any picture into a beautiful work of art with your words. She's also on Facebook, please stop by and say Hi!

(*Disclaimer: I received a discount from GeeZees as a result of this post but I would have GLADLY paid full price for my canvas, it's that good!)

I kidnapped My Husband!

2011-04-20T07:00:00.001-04:00

Sorry for pulling a disappearing act! We are both back to work and given our schedules we will have no time off during the summer months. Last week I decided to kidnap my husband for a quick R&R in Tulum, Mexico. He didn't know where he was going until the morning we left for the airport. He was not happy after I told him he would have to leave behind any liquids, razors, etc. He was prepared to drive, not to fly.

I had Tulum, Mexico on my travel bucket list for a while and I was finally able to find the right time and budget to go. Once we arrived in Cancun (which was a very easy airport to get through) we rented a car and drove about an hour and a half south. Once we arrived to our small hotel and were shown to our cabana, this was the view we found from our front porch.

We relaxed, had great food and visited the Tulum Mayan Ruins.

It was a wonderful short trip but as always we are glad to be home! Do you have any favorite last minute getaway locations?

What Do You Want To Be When You Grow Up?

2011-04-02T10:20:00.000-04:00

Have you forgotten? I know you have not, if you close your eyes, take a deep breath and blurt it out you will realize it's still there, after all these years. As a child in elementary school I used to carry a notebook around with my "sketches". I did this for a long time until another girl asked me to "borrow" my notebook, I never saw it again.

I remember going nagging my mother at the checkout line asking her to buy me these very expensive bridal magazines, you know the ones, the real thick ones that cost way too much for a magazine full of ads. I was growing up in Puerto Rico (even though I was born in Miami) and she promptly point out that these magazines were in English (she didn't remember I still knew how to read and write in English).

As I grew up my dreams took form and included a prestigious fashion design school in NYC, we didn't have the money for me to attend and I didn't have the skills to enter the program so instead I joined the good 'ol US Army. During my Senior year of HS I'd become the state president of a very large and known club for vocational schools, I knew I was meant to be a leader. Since I couldn't become a fashion designer I resolved to become a leader.

My career in the military has been great and my performance has been stellar (if I may say so) but those childhood dreams never left....I tried to change them, gave myself alternatives and told myself it would be too hard. Along the way I took fashion design courses in more colleges than I can recall right away and finally I faced my dreams, I want to design bridal gowns.

While attending one of those design colleges around the country I had a classmate who is an avid tennis player, I remember seeing some of her projects and they always involved fitness and music. Earlier this year I received an email from her, she was launching her own athletic apparel line, I was (and am) so excited for her. Right at that moment I realized that no dream is too hard or unattainable if you work hard and NEVER GIVE UP!

Please stop by Denise's Facebook page or Website and tell her what you think of the line. I loved it and already ordered some items, they fit and feel great. I wish her all the success in the world and I can't wait to see more of her line.

Photo: Denise Cronwall

What about you? What are your dreams? Please share!

Chiffon and Sequins

2011-03-31T09:13:00.000-04:00

I'm loving Elie Saab, this time around is his Ready to Wear Fall 2011 Collection. I can only imagine any of these dresses for any encore bride out there.

All Photos by: Alessandro Viero / GoRunway.com via style.com

Spring Beauties

2011-03-26T10:35:00.000-04:00

**I finally have a new look that I love thanks to Deluxe Designs, please take a look around and stop by my Facebook page, feel free to "Like" me!**

The couture shows are my favorite and Elie Saab is always on point. Look at the lovelies he brought us for Spring 2011.

Photo: Umberto Fratini / GoRunway.com

All pictures found on style.com

All perfect for an encore wedding, don't you think?

Oh Spring How I've Missed You...

2011-03-24T07:00:00.001-04:00

How do you do Mr. Spring? So nice to meet you...

You can find it here

Liz Taylor-An Encore Bride

2011-03-23T11:49:00.000-04:00

RIP Liz Taylor one of the most famous Encore Brides.

Photo: Ed Clark for Time Magazine

For Japan With Love-Update

2011-03-21T12:07:00.000-04:00

Thanks to everyone that has supported this campaign. So far $54,237 has been raised, that's 986% up from the original goal of $5,500. At this rate 540 people will benefit from a shelter box and it's not over, we have until March 31st to donate. No amount is too small, you can donate at: Shelter Box USA.

Thanks to Utterly Engaged and Ever Ours for such a fantastic campaign, please stop by and support them.

For Japan With Love

2011-03-16T08:56:00.009-04:00

We have all seen the destruction as a result of the Tsunami in Japan in recent days. A few blogger friends (Utterly Engaged and Ever Ours) have initiated a campaign to help those in need and provide shelter for families who have lost everything. Please click on the link below and donate, we are so close to our goal and every bit helps.

Providing Shelter:

ShelterBox provide emergency shelter and lifesaving supplies for families around the world who are affected by disasters at the time when they need it the most. Each large, green ShelterBox is tailored to a disaster but typically contains a disaster relief tent for an extended family, blankets, water storage and purification equipment, cooking utensils, a stove, a basic tool kit, a children’s activity pack and other vital items.

Bloggers Day of Silence

In order to raise awareness and acknowledge the crisis in Japan I, along with other bloggers will not post anything on Friday, March 18th. I will post a reminder on Thursday, March 17th. We will also Tweet the heck out of http://www.forjapanwithlove.com. Please join us, if you would like more information check out Utterly Engaged or Ever Ours (links above).

Donate Now!

Thank you!!!

I'm A Wifey Now

2011-03-12T02:21:00.000-05:00

I'm wifey-poo to Mr. E or should I say, hubby-poo. Since I'm no longer a bride I decided to update my new "status" and blog. How do you guys like my blogs new face lift? I've kept the template very similar since I like a clean and elegant aesthetic. I did a little spring house cleaning around here as you can see but I suspect I will add a bit more as we go along.

We are knee deep in house renovations, we have been painting rooms and will be tearing down a wall to open up the living room/dining room. After that we will be changing the flooring so stay tuned for the changes we are making around here.

Excuse the low quality pictures but here are our before and after pictures of our master bedroom walls.

Can you see that ugly blue on that walls? Goodness! Our walls are currently the biggest display on bad taste I've seen. Our walls are blood red, camouflage green, mauve torture and blue nightmare. The worst part is that all the paints are "gloss" on walls that are less than perfect.

As you can see we are in the midst of all kinds of changes, what do you guys think about the blog? What about my gray walls, a go or no-go?

The Honeymoon is over!

2011-03-02T09:30:00.002-05:00

Dear bloggy friends, please excuse my prolonged absence, I've been trying to set up a routine and figure out what's next now that the actual honeymoon is over (I hate that!). Now that the wedding is over I am considering what to change around on the blog and what to do next on a personal level.

We did get a chance to escape to warmer weather and headed south. We enjoyed a trip to Epcot Center (Disney) since Mr. E hadn't been there. It was tons of fun!

Changes are hard but they are oh so good for you, who knows what direction the blog will go, all I know is that I want to keep in touch so I'll stick around.

Are there any posts topics you would like to see around here? Any changes you can recommend? I'm all eyes!

Our Wonderful Honeymoon-Fiji

2011-02-05T11:08:00.003-05:00

My dream location had always been Bora Bora, you know, the place with the over water bungalows. As we started to look into Tahiti I realized the total cost would be way over our budget. I started looking at other locations in the South Pacific and loved Fiji. The best part about Fiji was the exchange rate, $1=FJ $ .57. Which means, it's a great deal and our dollars would go much further in Fiji. After contacting many Travel Agents most of them told us we couldn't g to Fiji for less than 8k a week. I knew there had to be a better way so I started getting quotes directly with the resorts and airlines. I knew January was their low season and I thought the resorts would be willing to offer a low season special.

We considered the possibility of rain in their low season and compared it to the high season in the Caribbean. For the same budget we could have gone to either the Caribbean or Fiji. Fiji won out!
After much searching and looking at all the honeymoon resorts I decided to give Trip Advisor a try. I looked at their travel guides and trip ideas and found the resort we were looking for: Wananavu Beach Resort.

I contacted them for a quote, gave them a deposit and made our air travel reservations on Air Pacific and forgot about it. As we approached the wedding date the more excited we became. We were right to be excited, while it was 20 degrees and snowing at home, Fiji had a nice and humid 80 degrees.

We stayed on the beachfront honeymoon "bure "

We had our own private pool

This was the view from our front porch

The Diving pick up point

The inlet where they perform wedding ceremonies

We had such a wonderful time and we enjoyed the people, the food, the views. In two years I had never seen Mr. E read anything and he read 2 books while there. It was so relaxing we almost felt guilty of doing nothing all day. We hope to go back for a special anniversary one day. The food was excellent, I took pictures of most dishes and will share on the next post. Where did you go on your honeymoon? Would you go back?

The New Mrs

2011-01-28T23:31:00.006-05:00

We are baaack! We had a wonderful wedding weekend in Las Vegas. It was as stress free as a wedding could be, we enjoyed our friends and my family who made it all the way from PR to be with us. Best of all, it was done my way.

This is what I mean by my way:

We got ready together

I wore a drop veil, yes I DID (and gold)!

We walked up the aisle together (come on, I've been on my own for the last 15 years and this is my second wedding, who and why will anyone give me away?) Not to mention, this is a decision we made together...

We took cool pictures around Vegas afterwards

And lastly but more importantly we had great food with amazing friends

It was great and we had plenty of fun

Pictures: Todd Wilson

(Please do not use)

Can you tell?

I learned a few things about us throughout the process. Even though there were some disappointments, sticking to our beliefs was worth it and we would have not done it any other way. The day after the wedding we had brunch with our guests and we headed off to Fiji, will post next!

Today's the Day!

2011-01-15T14:10:00.000-05:00

Wow, the day is finally here, please send a prayer for us for today but more importantly for a wonderful marriage and future together. We'll be back very soon with pictures and reviews.

Sneak Peak: My Dress

2011-01-07T11:57:00.000-05:00

I realize I hadn't posted pictures of my dress. As you may recall, I ordered this dress, sight unseen since I was in Iraq at the time. I wanted something other than Ivory/White and decided to go with a Light Gold, in reality it's more of a dark ivory though. As you can imagine, it was a huge risk ordering like this. I was so worried about the fit and color and whether I was going to like it.

Lucky for me my future sister in law and her husband own a bridal and tux store in their town. I was able to email her and let her know the designer, style and size and she ordered it for me. The dress was suppose to arrive around the first week in December but instead arrived around Thanksgiving, not bad! The only opportunity to pick it up would be Christmas weekend while we were there and we picked it up the Monday after Christmas and I must say, it is the one!

Here it is on me, please excuse the poor iPhone pictures taken by Mr. E and my sister in law.

Hmmm, I think we can tell which ones were taken by Mr. E and which one was taken by my sister in law....

I love my dress and can't wait to wear it next week!

9 Days To Go!

2011-01-06T12:30:00.000-05:00

9 days to go and I just received my mom's dress, 'cause we do stuff late like that! Since many stores don't deliver straight to PR (what's up with that?) I have to re-package it and mail it to her. I just hope it fits! Here were the contenders:

In the end, she liked #1 but hers will be sleeveless (meaning we have to find a gold cardi or something). I'm running around today but have to get back home early as I'm expecting the delivery guy with more wedding related stuff. Thank God for free shipping and 2 day shipping!

Happy New Year!

2011-01-05T15:53:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year's to all! While others are working on their resolutions for the year I am hard at work shoe shopping. We have 10 days to go and I have ordered plenty of shoes to find the right one. After wearing boots and sneakers for a year it is going to be hard to spend a whole day on high heels but oh wells...the things we do. I had purchased a pair of purple shoes last year but once I tried them on I knew I was not going to be able to spend too much time with them on. So, shopping I went!

1. Badgley Mishka-Randall

Review: Beautiful, sexy shoe but painful around the widest part of my foot.

2. Paris Hilton-Kara

Review: Nice shoe and cushioned well but too high.

3. rsvp-Michaela

Review: Did not like the quality of it (fabric seemed glued while wrinkled) difficult to walk in as it would slip from my heel.

4. rsvp-Rain

Review: Beautiful shoe I really liked this one but the heel still slipped off my heel as I walked.

5. Nina-Electra

Review: Beautiful purple shoe, I'm not a fan of the ankle strap but I gave it a shot. It was very comfortable to walk in!

With 10 days to go I found my shoes!!! I'm going with #5, thanks to shoes.com and zappos.com I was able to purchase, try and return more shoes that I would've been able to find locally. Yay for shoes!

Who knew wedding shoe shopping would be this hard?

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-24T18:27:00.000-05:00

I am now home spending Christmas with Mr. E and his family. There is so much I want to share but I will do that next week. For now please enjoy the day with your family and friends wherever you are.

Image: House Beautiful

God Bless!

Heading Home!

2010-12-06T17:27:00.000-05:00

I am going home in just a few days, the process however is not as simple. It will be long days of flights and paperwork, sporadic sleep and time changes that will for sure make me walk around like a zombie. Up until this point I never believed I would be going home. I knew at some point I had to but I never made plans or even allowed myself to get too happy. The sarcastic side of me was just waiting for something to go wrong. My other, more positive side was hoping for the best.

Now I feel like I'm awaking from anesthesia after surgery. The numbness is starting to subside, you can tell by my posts, you can see the change of frequency and tone of my posts. Fortunately I ended up in a very good place, the American Embassy. The living conditions are great but nothing beats being home with my loved ones. I have worked non-stop for almost a year now, 10-12 hour days, seven days a week. Some of us have compared pictures of when we first left and we certainly look tired now. I met someone who I hadn't seen in months and he looked so tired!

With the wedding being just over a month from now I am finally starting to feel alive and excited, not that I wasn't before but now that I am going home I know this is for real! I miss Mr. E so much but I've been too tired to dwell on it. Now that I am going home I am starting to get excited about seeing him again. I miss him so much! My family finally made their travel reservations for the wedding, my dress arrived around Thanksgiving, my jewelry is almost done. This is so real!

I am a very girly girl and fortunately there is a beauty salon where I can splurge on little things like a manicure and pedicure. I have not worn civilian clothes in something like 42 weeks (I didn't count the mid-tour vacation) and I can't wait to get back in my jeans.

I will miss a few things:

The people (well, some of them)

Free food and water

Free gym

Free laundry services

Free first class mail

Free uniforms

Being relatively bill free

I will not miss:

THE DUST

Lack of colors, flowers, trees, etc

Violence

Lack of cell phone

Lack of civilian clothes

Inability to drink (not that I really drink)

Being away from family and friends

The time difference

Thank you so much for sticking around during the last year, I trully appreciate you! Now, I need ideas on how to keep my mind occupied while we travel. Any ideas?

Merry Christmas 2010!

2010-11-29T05:55:00.000-05:00

Happy SITSmas day!

Just as we did last year we are showing off our Christmas cards at SITS. I am proud to say these bad boys were sent out yesterday! We have been deployed most of the year and the support we have received from everyone has been so great! I wanted to send them a picture we took here not to long ago and thank everyone for their support, love and prayers.

Here is our card, now let me see yours!

Happy Thanksgiving 2011!

2010-11-25T05:20:00.000-05:00

I wish everyone a wonderful Thanksgiving. I am thankful for so much, as usual I am thankful for finding The One, our families and friends who have been incredibly supportive while we've been away. I'm thankful to God for giving my mother the strength to deal with her mother's loss very gracefully. I'm also thankful for those that were part of my life that are no longer with us. Their presence helped shape my life and become who I am.

Many Thanks

Etsy

This year has been an amazing year, were were both deployed, ended up in the same place and we were safe even in the midst of the many attacks we've had. Thankfully this is not Iraq circa 2007 but it's still Iraq. I also want to thank you, although my post frequency has been reduced considerably I often think about you guys and all the things I would like to share with you.

I already had my Thanksgiving lunch and it was great, now back to work...there is nothing else to do around here.

Love you guys and please share, What are you thankful for this year?

How We Did It-Recap

2010-11-12T13:47:00.000-05:00

As I planned to write the series I realized the way we chose our vendors was the same every time. Word of mouth from other brides, I would check out their website and hopefully their blog. I would email them, wait for the response by next day (since I am ahead of Vegas by 10 hrs), ask for what I wanted, wait for a quote, compare and make a decision. Wash, rinse and repeat for all the vendors.

I know vendors know this, they know word of mouth is worth more than any ad they can pay for. Having a nice website and hopefully a blog (not to mention participate in other social networks) is very important especially in this time and age of technology. The fact that they responded quickly was high up on my list. As an Encore Bride I was not hung up on the simple details. My focus was having what we wanted, a nice ceremony along with a wonderful steak dinner among family and close friends.

We wanted and talked about eloping but I wanted to give everyone a chance to attend, to my surprise many of my friends had made reservations before we even sent their invitations!

To recap, this is how we did it:

1. We spoke to other brides getting married in the same area.
2. We asked for references
3. We checked vendors reviews and feedback
4. Emailed vendors to inquire about their services
5. Waited for reply
6. If they did I would go in the detail of what I was looking for but I let them do what they do best, offer the best suggestions for our event.
7. Agree to a price
8. I received all contacts via email, I signed them, scanned them and sent them back
9. DONE!

Who said it couldn't be done? We are planning a small, intimate but elegant wedding for 30 in beautiful Las Vegas and we did it all in about 3 months.

Now if Uncle Sam could only assure me that I will be there, it would be alright!

How We Did It-Part II Reception

2010-11-04T06:37:00.000-04:00

After the chapel and date were secured we knew we wanted a small, intimate steak dinner along the strip, hopefully with a view. I went back to my 2 sites of reference, theknot.com and weddingwire.com. I asked other brides, I emailed almost every restaurant on the strip, and then I checked wedding wire. After every response from every restaurant I was shocked at the prices. The main purpose for doing this in Las Vegas was so that we didn't have to pay $100+ a person. It seemed all of the restaurants on the strip wanted around $100 a person without drinks and gratuity.

After coming across the reviews in wedding wire I came across a restaurant that had the most and highest ratings; Lawry's the Prime Rib Restaurant. It met most of our requirements: steak dinner-check, intimate with private room-check, rave reviews-check, reasonable prices-check, and lastly I can bring any cake and flower vendors I would like at no extra charge-HUGE CHECK! The only thing Lawry's cannot provide is a view of the strip but that OK with us.

Lawry's

Another plus was the outstanding service I received from the Sales manager, she emailed me within a few hours (I am 10 hours ahead of Vegas) every time I had a question. To this date she still does as questions come up when planning the menu, etc.

Again, the key to booking this space along with the Chapel was the convenience and customer service they provided, in my book, those two things are priceless.

To recap, how does one plan a wedding in Las Vegas from Iraq, I would say: Internet, Las Vegas knotties and wedding wire. What helped you plan your wedding?

How We Did It Part I-Location and Date

2010-10-27T00:00:00.017-04:00

We were originally planning a wedding around November of 2011, 11/11/11 to be exact, location TBD. Our families are in Puerto Rico, Mississippi, Florida, New York, Pennsylvania, Colorado and California. The big question was where and we didn’t have an answer for that. We considered Puerto Rico but it wasn’t a firm decision.

To make matters more complicated we knew we would be moving as soon as we returned from this deployment but we didn’t know where. We were still waiting for the Army to make a decision. The Army finally gave us a location about a month after the engagement; Norfolk, VA. We started planning the move but we quickly realized that if we wanted to move in together in military housing we would have to be a lawful wedded couple…

One day he walked in my office and I said, “That’s it, we’re going to Vegas as soon as I get back, we’ll let our families know and if they want to join us they can if not we’ll still love them the same”. He said with a grin on his face, “OK”!

The only request he had was that it must be in a Chapel, with God present. “Ok”, I said, “deal”. Next thing you know I went online and “googled”: Chapels, Las Vegas. I came across an article on the best Chapels in town and one came across with many glowing reviews, Chapel of the flowers.

Victorian Chapel

The Chapel’s website was elegant, informative and easy to use (hint, hint). I was able to take a look at the different chapels within the property, package prices and even book a date, all online…easy peasy.

Next up, I had to choose a date, well, January 1^st would’ve been great for us but not for our family and friends, not to mention that I would have barely made it back to the US. The next long holiday in January was the weekend of Martin Luther King, January14-17, 2011. Well, then January 15^th it is. We booked the Chapel for that date with a $100 deposit. We are going places here.

Magnolia Chapel

Photos: Chapel of the Flowers

In the end, we ended up booking with them because of their rave reviews, beautiful branding and appealing website and most importantly, convenience.

How Did I Do It?

2010-10-25T23:57:00.000-04:00

Photo Credit

The question everyone keeps asking me is, how did I plan a wedding while deployed to Iraq? In fact, I've heard that question so many times I decided to write about it. Now that the bulk of the planning is done I can use my very little free time to share with you how I accomplished it. I started planning a wedding 176 days out (I know this from internet evidence) and was 85% done by day 120.

So again, how did I do it? I will share in detail the process in hopes that it can be helpful to someone. Starting Wednesday I will begin a series of posts taking all of you through the journey that it was planning the wedding. Stay tuned and be sure to bookmark my site, see you then!

I Miss Him So Much

2010-10-13T13:27:00.000-04:00

He left this week and I miss him so much. I know we have been extremely blessed to have been together most of this deployment but I can't help it, he's such a big part of me. If you met him you would understand, he has a big personality, there's no one he ever met that didn't like him. He's the kind of guy that makes everyone feel good about themselves.

He's a southern gentleman and he has that charm, sometimes he can lay it on too thick if you know what I mean but I just laugh. He tells me every chance he gets how beautiful I am (even when I look like the above picture), how excited he is about us and that he can't wait until I become his wifey poo. His words, not mine :-))

Although I'm sad I'm also content because it means I can finally start counting down the days until I get home. It won't be long...Until then I will miss him with all my heart.

Elie Saab Paris-Spring 2011

2010-10-07T06:45:00.003-04:00

Although I haven't had much time to follow the recent fashion shows my inbox has been flooded with all the reviews. I haven't been able to open them like I usually do but I had to look at one of my favorite designers, Eli Saab. I was a bit disappointed that the glamour and bling he usually brings to the runway was muted this season. The bling was scarce but it was a very wearable collection. I did find 2 looks that I like and thought I would share.

Elie Saab RTW Spring 2011

Have you been following the season's shows? Any favorites?

It's Coming Together-To Do List

2010-10-03T14:22:00.001-04:00

I love my To Do Pads from Etsy

It's been a while since I've posted any updates around here. Sorry my friends, working all day everyday doesn't leave much time to organize one's thoughts outside of the work realm. The wedding planning is coming along, in fact is almost done. Here's the list:

Ceremony-✓

Reception-✓

Save The Dates-✓

Flowers-✓

Cake-✓

Dress-✓

Shoes-✓

Hair/Makeup-✓

Block of Rooms-✓

Photographer-✓

His wedding band-✓

The invites are done but I am waiting on the calligrapher to send back the envelopes. I still need to make our travel reservations to Vegas to include which rooms we want to stay at and when. The last thing I'll book will be the shuttle for the ceremony to the reception once I found out how many guests will be joining us.

I am still looking for are a headpiece; I found a few I liked only to find later they were way out of my price range. I found a great Etsy vendor who is preparing my favor stickers, table numbers, place cards and menus for the reception. Not necessary but convenient and affordable since we're having such a small guest list.

Not bad eh? It took me about 2 months to get this done from the moment we decided to move it up and go to Vegas. The worst part has been the fact that I am 10 hrs ahead of Vegas, most of the time it would take a day or two to hear back from someone, not bad at all though.

I think my list is pretty much done. Am I forgetting anything? Any recommendations on what I should focus on?

Inspiration Board

2010-09-10T13:01:00.001-04:00

Now that you know which dress I chose it's time to reveal the look we're going after, the only way I can describe it is: Old Hollywood Glamour. I think it's the dress and Mr. Encore's uniform. We chose the colors based on the peacock feather and I hope to have a peacock feather here and there.

I'm still trying to decide on a veil or no veil...I know, this encorebride is considering a veil....yes I am. What type of veil do you guys think will work with the dress?

My Dress!

2010-09-07T16:59:00.000-04:00

After unanimous votes by those closest to me, I chose:

Yes, I'm a super Pronovias fan but I ended up choosing a Maggie, I don't think I can go wrong with a Maggie, it does something great to curvy girls! I ordered this same color too, Light Gold, can't wait to see it!!! Oh yeah, did I mention I haven't seen it in person? Well, it's a little hard to shop from here BUT I tried on wedding gowns in the past and I knew I needed an A-line with a corset top. I think I have a winner. Don't you think?

The Dress!!!

2010-08-29T14:54:00.000-04:00

Planning a wedding from Iraq is hard, shopping for a dress is even harder! I picked a few gowns I liked. I emailed my sister, best friend, mom and Mr. Encore for their votes and I made my decision.

These were the runner ups:

Pronovias-Radiante

Pronovias-Francoli

Enzoani-Dorothea

Maggie Sottero-Scarlet

Can you guess which one I picked?

It's Coming Together-Invites

2010-08-14T14:18:00.001-04:00

The chapel and reception dinner restaurant are booked. With the two major vendors out of the way I can now look for the details such as invitations. We are still going for a peacock "theme" but we are on a budget and sadly at $7+ a pop these are over our budget. We are only going to need about 25 but still, we can use that money somewhere else. I haven't seen too many peacock invites that I liked so I may have to go the DIY route. Of course there is this minor thing called distance, as in, I'm-in-Iraq distance. But that's OK, I'll find some space around the floor to print, cut and glue these bad boys!

Etsy

Do you know of any invitations web sites I should take a look at?

There's a Date and Place

2010-07-30T14:38:00.000-04:00

Not only do I have my ring, we also have a date and place. It is only weeks after I return home so there will be a lot of planning from here, not to mention there will be no DIY projects. So, without further due...we are getting married in:

Yes, wonderful Las Vegas, we'll have the ceremony at the Little Chapel of the Flowers:

Little Chapel of the Flowers

The Chapel is much nicer than I thought inside and we will have a small dinner with the few family and friends that make the trip.

Any recommendations on where to eat, stay or play?

I Got The Ring!

2010-07-27T14:10:00.000-04:00

Please forgive my MIA status, it's been a busy month. We went back to the states on leave and enjoyed both Mr. E's and my family. And guess what, I got my ring!!!!!

TBD... I'm sorry, I have to go, we just had an incoming round.....

What keeps you going?

2010-06-27T09:49:00.000-04:00

I ask myself that question very often. I've been in this country now a few months and it took a lot of work to get here. I "heavily" volunteered to come here; I know this is something I had to do for my career and myself. Luckily for me I ended up in a totally different area that I was supposed to and I work closely with Mr. Encore, I could not have been more blessed.

The downside to this wonderful opportunity is that my life is confined to a very small compound; it was hard the first few weeks. It only took me a few minutes to walk from where I sleep to where I work (and they are at opposite ends). Lately though, time has been ticking and when I walk that path to my living quarters I wonder how can I keep going? How can one do the same, day after day, away from your family and friends, away from my "life" back in the states? I wonder...what keeps me going? I have no kids, pets or plants back home, no human or living being depends on me.

I have my parents, siblings and Mr. Encore's family to provide support and encouragement, but they are very far, they do not depend on me. If I had kids I knew I would be doing it for them, but I don't. I'm not sure where I keep getting the fuel that keeps me going, all I know, is that I do. I wake up every morning, go to work, maybe fit in a workout during the day, I go eat but always go back to work. Some nights I've been at the office over 12 hours, once I get "home" I just do the same, take a shower, check emails and go to bed.

The upside is that the days start to run into each other and by the time you really pay attention at the date, another week has gone by. Most of us count down our time by the weeks or months and I haven't been here long enough to even start counting down. Some people say this feels like prison (most are civilians) but I disagree, prisons don't have wonderful cafeterias with an "all you can eat" menu, or wonderful gyms with indoor pools, even beauty shops where we can get manicures, pedicures and facials.

This is a period of our lives where we are stripped of all the "stuff" we own to include our civilian clothing, our families and friends and our regular lives. We give all that up for the mission, whether we agree or disagree with the politics. This is all about given someone else a better future even if it may never look like our own but in their world this is a free as one can be. I think that is what keeps me going.

What about you? What keeps you going?

Encore Bride Style File: Resort 2011

2010-06-20T13:31:00.000-04:00

I haven't been able to monitor all the new Resort '11 collections but I had a few minutes and decided to check and see what my favorite designers were up to. Inspiration comes in many ways and I love these gowns presented by Carolina Herrera. Her collections are always elegant, feminine and refined, she did not disappoint this year.

Carolina Herrera Resort 2011

Source: Style.com

Do you have any favorites?

Encore Bride Style File: Pronovias 2011

2010-06-18T10:16:00.001-04:00

I love the Pronovias brand, their designs are always so elegant and feminine. Their 2011 line did not dissapoint, here are a few of the ones I liked the most, it was hard to choose just a few!

Pronovias Glamour "Fiordo"

I love the asymetrical neckline and detailing of the torso area, it is definitely in my "must find and try" dresses.

Pronovias Fashion "Francoli"

I love the fishtail detail on this one, perfect for a Spanish style wedding in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico!

Pronovias Dreams "Formentera"

Source: Pronovias

Wonder if they offer these beautiful gowns in something other than white or off-white for this encore bride. I would love any of them in a platinum color, it would look great with my purple shoes!

My New Favorite Wedding Colors

2010-06-08T08:00:00.000-04:00

I found a wonderful new color combination on the beautiful blog The Inspired Bride. The deep jewel tone colors make for a beautiful romantic fall wedding. Don't you think?

Source: The Inspired Bride

What do you guys think? Yay or Nay

Dreaming of Thailand

2010-06-06T08:00:00.002-04:00

Another resort I've had bookmarked on my favorites for a very long time is the X2 Kui Buri Resort in Thailand. It is 3 hours south of Bangkok, located on a desolated beach in a farming village. The design and architecture of the place is wonderful and your room is open to the ocean. See for yourself!

As you can see the beds are facing the ocean, I could lounge here all day!

Has any one been to Thailand before? How was your experience?

Fiji on My Mind

2010-06-04T13:36:00.006-04:00

In order to get through the long hot days around here (the high today was around 117°), my mind has been wondering to far away places. Romantic and exotic places where we could just sit back and have a drink. One of those places is Fiji; I found this resort on an article titled, Take the Plunge! on the latest Destination, Weddings and Honeymoon Magazine, I LOVE it. It's the Royal Davui Island Resort.

There's nothing else on this tiny island but you and 31 other guests, max!

Look at this awesome plunge pool!

The canopy over the bed is so romantic.

Finally, we can get married here as well. There would be no stress, just a long flight to Fiji where we can relax, get married and enjoy our honeymoon before we return to the "real world".

Have you ever been to Fiji? Are there any other resorts you recommend?

Sushi

2010-05-16T13:46:00.004-04:00

I miss you dearly but I work almost 12+hrs a day, there's has been no time to plan a wedding, sketch, catch up with all of my blogs, tweet or stay in touch with you guys. Everyday here seems to run into each other, sometimes I look up and a week has gone by (which is great). I work all day, take half a day off once a week and we take it easy on Sundays.

It's amazing the things you miss when you are away like this, like...my Mom, although I moved away from home 12 years ago I've missed her so much since I've been here. She's had a rough last few months but if you see here you would never be able to tell.

Source

I miss colors, flowers, fabric, sewing, quilts, SUSHI, OMG how I miss good regular food. I am not complaining by any means, we have a very good dining facility and I've eaten lobster and crab legs much more often than any time I've been at home. There are some things you can't help but miss though...Mr. E's homemade biscuits, or one of his great steaks or his Greek spaghetti mmmmm. Guess who'll be doing most of the cooking once we get home?

Speaking of which, Mr. E is doing great, working long hours and learning so much about the finance industry, not bad for a guy that used to hang around tanks! We are both so glad to be fortunate to be here with each other and we thank God every day but we can't wait to come home!

In the meantime we'll keep working from sun up to sun down, that always makes the time go by faster!

Wedding Venues in PR

2010-04-18T13:51:00.009-04:00

We've been thinking about what type of wedding we want. Better yet, how much do we want to spend on one. We know it will be small, 40 guests (maybe) and Puerto Rico has so many options it will be fun to visit some of these when we go home this summer.

Option A) A former nun convent in romantic Old San Juan.

"El Convento" Hotel

Option B) The Hacienda by the mountains.

"Hacienda Siesta Alegre"

Option C) The Beach Resort

"El Gran Melia" Resort

The choices (and prices!) are so overwhelming we will always consider option D) Elope!

I'm here, Discussing Wedding Colors

2010-04-11T13:16:00.005-04:00

(Cont.)

It had been relatively peaceful in Baghdad since the elections and we even thanked God for that on the service before Easter. The next day I could hear faint explosions, frankly it sounded like thunder to me but the next day I walked in the office and read about the Easter explosions in Baghdad, up to 30 people dead and hundreds wounded. It is one thing to be here alone, another to be with the one you care about. I don’t worry so much about me but I worry about him worrying about me.

Days are long around here, I will probably be at work around 10-12 hours a day but that includes several breaks for lunch, dinner and workout time. It is one of the keys to staying sane around here, staying busy as much as you can throughout the day and only going to your sleeping quarters to sleep.

The good news for us is that Mr. Encore and I have designated specific days and times to spend together. We have dinner together on Wednesdays, spend a few hours together on Friday afternoon and we meet up at the WiFi spot to check email and surf the internet and few nights a week.

We have discussed wedding options and I love this look I found here a while ago:

Once I saw these pictures I sent them to Mr. E via email a while back and asked him what he thought, he replied: "I love the pictures you sent, the first one with the really vibrant colors on the table entitled Peacock Tables is absolutely beautiful!! It reminds me of you. If I had to draw a picture of your love and passion I would use those colors to do it".

Needless to say friends, he's a keeper...

I Have Arrived!!

2010-04-06T14:14:00.003-04:00

I have arrived friends! It was stop and go there for a while but I’m finally at my final destination. They cancelled/delayed our flights twice before we finally left the US. The first day they just sent us a message that the flight had been delayed for the next day. The next day we arrived at the airport only to be told that the flight had been cancelled. In the real world a flight cancellation would have meant that they would try and put you on the next flight or they will provide you accommodations for the night. A cancelled flight in the military means none of the above. Our bags were being carried in a different truck and where classified as A, B or C, in case of the plane became overweight, our “C” bags would be left behind. I was very nervous about that, somehow my travel “savyness” went out the window once I packed my bags. I was given a packing list that I knew a man that does not travel often helped put together. According to the packing list my running shoes were in one bag while the rest of my shorts and t-shirts were in another. The packing list only had one personal hygiene bag...didn’t they know I had 3? After all, I was going to God knows where and needed my endless supply of lotions and soap, not any soap will do, I need the Dove bar in the deep red box along with a bottle of liquid Dove for sensitive skin. Towards the end of my packing process I had jammed every bag with everything I could and what didn’t fit I had to throw away.

Why you need to know this? you may ask, well, after the flight got cancelled they told us the next available flight was going to be in 26 hours!!! I turned around and asked about our lodging for the night and bags. We had been staying in barracks and they had been cleaned, inspected and turned-in, along with the linen, if we slept there we would have to go through the whole process again the next day not to mention that the linen had a turn around time of 3 days! To make a long story short, we had to improvise, we slept on plain mattresses, I had a travel pillow and blanket my future mother in law gave me before this trip so I at least had that but I had to run to the nearest store to get toiletries since everything was packed. Not to mention that we had weapons and they couldn’t go in the bedrooms with us.

Kuwait

After the flight cancellation drama we finally left the next day on a Wednesday night and arrived in Kuwait on a Friday at 2am. From there we had bags to load/unload and reload and buses to catch before we finally arrived to our destination. Once we got there, about 6 am, we kept going straight through, there was no rest for the weary. My unit had an express lane to arrive in Iraq so rumors started flying that we were not staying long (actually just a few hours). All of the sudden 3 soldiers and myself were called in front of the formation along with our leaders, we were informed that we had been re-missioned and would now be leaving the unit and be headed to Baghdad. Wohooo!!! I was leaving those crazy people behind!

Two days later I ended up at the US Embassy in Iraq, a slice of heaven in the midst of chaos. Mr. E knew when I would be arriving but since I had no phone or Internet with me I spent all day getting settled in before I could call him to let them know I was there just a few yards away from his building. That night as I walked back from dinner I saw that very familiar silhouette walking towards me, my heart dropped, it was Mr E.!!!!!! I wanted to run up to him and hug him. Instead he greeted me by my rank and last name and I did the same, we shook hands and we smiled at each other. The place was crowded and we were both in uniform which prohibited us from displaying any type of PDA (personal displays of affection). We walked away to a dark spot where we could at least hug each other. I can’t believe how much I’d missed my best friend, I hugged him so hard I didn’t want to let go! I am so fortunate to be so close to him and I don’t take that for granted at all. (To be continued...)

Wedding Color Inspiration

2010-03-23T08:00:00.000-04:00

Mr. Encore has suggested we marry in Puerto Rico in the Fall of 2011, I've begun to research different venues and we hope to visit them during our mid-tour vacation to PR. I've also showed him pictures of colors and decor that inspires me and he is loving it! The other day while visiting my sister we were walking at the mall when we came across what will be the focal point of our wedding style design.

The Shoes!

There were inexpensive but very cute, so here you go, a total frugal purchase but hey, they're cute!

I've missed you!

2010-03-21T18:36:00.003-04:00

This training period has been a very long journey filled with long and difficult days at times. Last year (2009) was a wonderful year and I knew this one would be good but challenging. For starters we would both be deployed and apart, I knew that in itself would be hard. I knew it would be hard but we have managed to stay in touch as much as possible and it has helped somewhat. However, I did not know how hard it would really be. Two weeks after arriving to train with a unit that is not my own and I knew no one I received an emergency message from the Red Cross telling me that my beloved Grandma Dalila had passed away in Puerto Rico. I am glad I was given the opportunity to make a quick trip to PR in order to attend her wake and funeral.

Grandma Dalila was one of the strongest, most kind hearted women I've ever met, she didn't have a mean bone in her body and I never heard her speak negatively about anybody. She was loved by many and her constant acts of kindness stay with me to this day. I could only hope that I live to become half the woman she was, I will forever miss you "Abuelita Dalila".

Immediately after her funeral I returned to training, I returned to the place I was starting to resent. I tell you why; in a group of almost 80 soldiers less than 1% are females, for the most part they have been respectful but many resent a female in a senior position and some were not afraid to hide those feelings. After a few weeks I knew I had my work cut out for myself but I kept marching along until we reached the final training day.

It has been hard dealing with this environment, missing Mr. E. dearly, worrying about how my Mom is coping with the passing of my grandmother and to make matters worse, I just found out that my beloved nephew has been diagnosed with Autism. As I head to a far away land my heart aches for my mother and sister, I wish I could be there for them but as they know, I am only an email away (I hope), as far as Mr. E, I'm praying that we end up being somewhat close to each other and that we may have the opportunity to see each other a couple of times during our deployment.

I am looking forward to a steady schedule once I arrive in-country. I want to share with you our wedding planning journey all the way from Iraq more frequently because frankly, I've missed you too!

A Must Read For Every Encore Bride (or Groom)

2010-02-20T08:01:00.003-05:00

Mr. Encore and I have been talking about possible wedding dates and places. I very much look forward to coming home after these deployments but I also need something else to focus on while deployed. The long hours and 7 day work week can get old very fast and everyone needs an outlet to stay sane.

We (OK, I) figure that doing research for the wedding can keep us occupied and might do the trick to stay sane. After doing a very quick search online for possible venues in Puerto Rico (where Mr. Encore suggested we marry) I went straight to Amazon looking for books.

What I purchased was not the latest wedding planning book but a book with a 5 stars rating called : "Every Single Girl's Guide to Her Future Husband's Last Divorce" by Adryenn Ashley. Our marriage makes the second one for both Mr. Encore and I, he has 2 children that receive support from him while I don't have any kids.

I have a 15 year career in the US Army while his is over 20 years and we both have financial responsibilities that can be expected after all this time. A marriage is not only a commitment to each other and God (or whomever you believe in) but also a legal and financial tangled web. I have not finished reading the book but so far the advice is very eye opening. The author is a forensic accountant and breaks down the legalities of merging two financial lives starting from the simple "Should we open a joint account?".

Source: Amazon.com

This book is a must read for anyone marrying for the second time or a divorced mate. Sorting out the financial picture before marriage can avoid one of the leading causes of divorces to destroy yours. After both of our divorces we were both left in financial ruin because we didn't know any better and we did anything we could to get rid of an unhappy marriage (we did not divorce at the same time or knew each other then).

Personally, I have seen one too many soldiers die in combat that married right before deployment and never sorted out their finances. After their passing the new wife and family have been left without anything because they never changed their beneficiaries of their life insurances, death benefits, wills, etc. The worst part is that the new family does not have to be notified of who received those benefits and many times the ex-wife is the beneficiary.

In my opinion before you run to buy the next edition of any bridal magazine, get yourself a copy of this book (or anyone you know planning to get married), in fact, anyone getting married or married already can benefit from it. Read it now before you have to deal with the ugly side of finances after it's too late.

*Disclaimer-This is an ad-free blog, I purchased this book and shared because I believe anyone can benefit from it. I have NOT received anything from amazon or the author in return for this post.

Encore Bride Style File Paris Couture II

2010-02-12T08:00:00.000-05:00

One of my favorite designers, Elie Saab presented a wonderful collection of dreamy dresses perfect for a special occasion, especially a wedding. It was very hard to pick just a few so here's a double dose of my favorites.

Part I

(click to enlarge)

Part II

Source: Style.com

If I had the budget I would wear any of these for my wedding, would you?

Encore Bride Style File Paris Couture

2010-02-11T11:44:00.004-05:00

Aren't these perfect for that special day? Introduced by Armani Privé during Paris Couture Fashion Week last month they make a great source of inspiration for any bride.

Source: Style.com

I think the short one at the top will be great for a City Hall wedding while the bottom ones are great for the formal reception. Which one is your favorite?

The Encore Bride Style File-Couture Brides

2010-01-29T18:39:00.006-05:00

I've been playing Army BUT the new Spring 2010 Paris Couture shows are being presented right now. These are my favorite shows as designers push the envelope when it comes to construction and imagination. I look at them as a form of art and I marvel at the construction techniques used to create these one-of-a-kind ensembles.

Most shows end with the designer's take on "The Bride", they are often ostentatious and heavy with detailing. Most of the time ready to wear designers will take one trend of a dress and use it as they develop their own future collections. Take a look at what they came up for Spring 2010.

Alexis Mabille

Chanel

Elie Saab

Isn't the one above from Elie Saab dreamy?

All pictures from Style.com

Playing Army...

2010-01-27T22:00:00.002-05:00

I am so tired! In the last two weeks I have left my 9-5 job (yay!), movers came packed up our household goods and hauled our stuff to storage where it will reside until the fall. I renewed tags for the truck, arranged for mail to be sent to me, packed what will be my belongings for the next year, drove down south to drop off the truck with my future in-laws....whew, take a breath, then I flew up, met my fellow soldiers whom I will live and train with for the next few weeks.

That was a lot BUT I'm only on day 2 and I've had quite a day! I will skip to the fact that I had 6 immunization shots (mostly due to my missing shot record) and can barely feel my arms...but, I really missed you guys!!!

All of this does not compare to the hardest part...missing Mr. Encore. Thanks to Skype and iChat (not a paid endorsement-FCC) we've been able to chat (and see each other) while I was home but he's been traveling and I'm here so it's been harder to iChat this week. It looks like I'll keep a packed schedule until the Spring when we head out to Iraq but I will definitely try to share more with you guys as I now have an idea of what my days will look like.

Thanks for all your prayers, Mr. E and I really appreciate them.

Love,

Ms. Encore Bride

P.S. We have set a date (kinda!) we are planning on getting hitched Summer 2011, let the planning begin!

We have a Winner!

2010-01-19T13:32:00.006-05:00

Our winner is: Rose Mary!

She said:

Gorgeous bookmark! My favorite book? There are so many.
I suppose my favorite is Rich Man Poor Man.
Thanks for the giveaway and please stay safe!
Rose Mary
formosarose AT gmail DOT com

Thanks to all who commented and shared their favorite book, I have a wonderful list that should last all year (and beyond).

The Encore Bride's First Giveaway!

2010-01-17T00:23:00.006-05:00

As you all know I am preparing for my upcoming deployment and unfortunately I had to close my Etsy shop, today I would like to giveaway one of my beautiful bookmarks. See the description below:

Beautiful one of a kind Swarovski beaded bookmark. Handmade using the finest Swarovski crystals, wire and charms. Makes a special gift for the avid reader in your life.

-Fire Opal, Yellow and Clear Crystals
-Heart and "Inspire" Charms
-Measures 14 inches in length
-Made with 4mm crystals

*This type of bookmark is safe for your book, however I would not store a book with it inside for a long period of time.

*Made with silver findings with antique finish
*Made with a very thin wire, although very durable it may bend/flex a little over time

**Not intended for children 12yrs old and younger

To enter: Please leave a comment with the name of your favorite book (I need to get some ideas for the downtime while overseas) and why you liked it so much.

Giveaway closes at 9:00 pm EST tomorrow Monday January 18, 2010.

Winner will be selected at random, one entry per person please!

The Encore Bride Style File-Party Dresses!

2010-01-11T21:25:00.003-05:00

Aren't these cute enough to dance all night in? You could also be bold enough to marry in one of them...

(click to enlarge)

Source: Top: Sue Wong
Bottom: BCBG

Would you wear a sexy short dress to your wedding?

Big Announcement!

2010-01-04T21:04:00.004-05:00

Well... it looks like I have a big announcement. I will have to re-adjust my blogging schedule in order to stay in sync with my readers...it looks like I'll be blogging all the way from IRAQ! Yes, I will be deploying to the Middle East in early Spring but I will be heading out for training in a few weeks. No worries though, I will still blog, it will be really interesting to blog from Iraq but I'm up for the challenge.

Believe it or not, the things I will miss the most (besides Mr. E) are my manicures, pedicures and hair appointments. Not to worry though, Mr. E sent me an email early this morning and this is what I found:

"Baby you gonna be right at home!!"

Photo taken by Mr. E

Yes, in the interest of national security there is a Beauty/Nail/Spa facility in the Middle East...I think I will be alright...

My First Quilt!

2010-01-02T00:00:00.002-05:00

This Encore Bride is a firm believer in giving experiences as gifts instead of "things" however, with Mr. Encore's impending deployment I knew there will be no time for any travel plans for Christmas. Instead I remembered how Mr. E fondly recalled the memories of his grandmother hand quilting when he was growing up. I decided to make him a quilt just in case it got a little cooler at night and that green Army blanket wasn't enough to keep him warm. It took me about 40 hours to finish (8 alone to cut the fabric!)

The blocks are finished and the border is set.

(click pictures to enlarge)

Here is a picture of it completed, please excuse the poor lighting on these pictures.

The back of the quilt, you can't see it but there is a custom silk label on the corner with his name, a scripture and my name.

This is what he found when he opened his last present on Christmas, I had a blue ribbon and bow around it inside of the box.

I never dreamed that he would be so touched by the quilt! Due to his deployment I could only give him things he could use and take with him; an iTunes giftcard, movies, hi-tech watch, calendar, custom letterpress stationery with his rank and name, a control remote Army tank (just for kicks) and the quilt.

He knew I'd been working very hard on this quilt and I had to tell him a "white" lie so he wouldn't know it was for him, when he opened the box and saw the quilt he was in shock. He took the quilt with us to his family (we did Christmas at home before we left for his family) and made sure to tell everyone about it.

The quilt is not perfect, it was my first and although I've been sewing a very long time I never made one before. Due to the prints I chose I realized after I started that it would take a while to cut as all the prints needed to be matched (the guitars, diagonal lines, linear prints, etc.) In the end I'm so glad it turned out well and all of my efforts paid off, it was a hit and is currently somewhere in the Middle East keeping my honey warm as I write this.

In the process I learned to never underestimate the appreciation for giving someone your time as you create something for them, small or large, it is the thought and effort that counts. Did you make any handmade gifts this season? Did people react as you expected once they saw them?

Update: Just received this picture from Mr. E, I can only imagine the looks he's getting!

Happy New Year!

2009-12-31T19:36:00.004-05:00

May 2010 bring you health, joy, happiness and love!

Photo: Meg Baisden Photography

As for me, I'm having a quiet evening as Mr. Encore is somewhere in the Middle East en route to his final destination. I'm not making any resolutions for the coming year, I'm just looking forward to celebrating the next New Year's Eve with my honey. This has been a great year, 2010 will be challenging due to the deployment but it will bring us closer to our goals.

Thanks to all of my followers and readers for your continued support, your comments and feedback have kept me going even in the midst of this temporary separation between Mr. Encore and I. I also want to thank all of you who have left appreciative comments for our service to this country. We love what we do and feel privileged to be able to do so.

Finally, I'll leave you with the scripture Mr. E and I have chosen as we prepared for this deployment with the hope that you can apply it to any dream or situation you want to pursue in the new year.

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:9

Love,

Ms. Encore Bride

Merry Christmas!We're Out!

2009-12-20T19:34:00.003-05:00

Mr. Encore is finally on his way home after being stranded in the Philadelphia airport for the last 36 hours. We are heading south for Christmas and will be back next weekend, after that he is off to the Middle East so please keep him in your prayers.

I wish everyone a beautiful Christmas/Holiday and I hope you get all your hearts desires!

How cute are my Christmas cards? I ordered them from Tiny Prints as they matched my Christmas decor this year. I was very happy with my purchase (they did not endorse this, I purchased them, was happy and thought I would share them with you)

See you next week!

Trying time and lessons learned

2009-12-20T19:13:00.003-05:00

As I mentioned two posts ago I was involved on a small accident while driving Mr. E's truck. I didn't think it was that bad, until I came out of the truck and looked at the front. I'm not sure if you can tell but there is radiator fluid all over the front, therefore I couldn't drive it. The other person I hit was a younger lady, my first reaction was to get out of the truck and go check on her as I wasn't sure if she had kids with her. She didn't but was crying and calling her mother, boyfriend, neighbor...I don't know.

I calmly shared my information, took hers, called the cops and waiting inside the freezing truck. I was surprised at how calm, cool and collected I was...until I called Mr. Encore. I lost it but he just wanted to make sure I was OK, which I was.

I had never been on a car accident before where I had to call the tow truck and take the truck straight to a body shop. I was amazed how quickly I went into planning mode, called the insurance, call a friend for references on body shops, called the insurance again, etc. By the time the cop showed up I had everything lined up, the tow truck took me straight to the body shop, the rental car agency picked me up and I was at work 3 hours later from the time it happened.

What I learned: trust the professionals, they do this everyday. I quickly compared this to planning a wedding or major event in life. Since you don't do this everyday, hire the best planner you can afford, she/he can save you money and keep you under budget if you let her/him do their job. Also, ask for references and go from there, let them do what they do best and it will be as painless as possible.

All in all I had my truck back in three days looking brand new, thanks to all who made it possible, they did an awesome job!

Now, if I just had that much patience with the airline that left Mr. Encore stranded in Philadelphia for almost 48 hours this weekend.

What I've been up to...

2009-12-16T06:00:00.003-05:00

Christmas decorations are going up like crazy, this year I decided to decorate using chocolate, copper, gold and ivory colors. I've been working pretty hard on the dining room and this is what I've done for the table centerpiece.

(click to enlarge)

My tree! All we need are presents!
(Yes, curtains still need to go up)

Source: Personal Photos, please do not copy.

Are you done with you Christmas decorating and shopping? What colors are you using this year to decorate?

The Encore Bride Style FilePre-Fall 2010 Collections

2009-12-14T06:00:00.000-05:00

The Christmas season is in full swing at the Encore Bride's house. Projects are being finished, decorations are still coming up and shopping is yet to be finished. I had a busy and ho-hum last week that included coming home early from work sick and getting into a car accident on Mr. Encore's truck (everyone is fine, there were no injuries). I will do a post later on what I learned from that day.

In the meantime, I will leave you some eye candy. The Pre-fall 2010 collections were presented by a few designers earlier this month and as always, we can always draw inspiration for that incredible event you're planning. Here are my favorites so far. Enjoy!

Donna Karan

(click to enlarge)

Source: Style.com

J. Mendel

(click to enlarge)

Source: Style.com

Oscar De La Renta

(click to enlarge)

Source: Style.com

Versace

(click to enlarge)

Source: Style.com

I love the draping Donna Karan and J. Mendel employed, Oscar de la Renta's "bling" and that Versace blue jacket is to die for! Which one is your favorite?

Happy Holidays!

2009-12-07T20:45:00.009-05:00

Happy SITSmas day!

(click to enlarge)

Photo taken by Ashley Brokop

May your season be filled with laughter!~The Encores

Hopes for 2010

I truly feel like I've been given too much so far. 2009 has been a beautiful year and I am very thankful. My few hopes for 2010 are the continued safety of Mr. Encore as he deploys to the Middle East, the strength for all of us that love him to get through this period of separation and the health and happiness of our family and friends.

Thanks!

Thanks to all the Sitstahood ladies who have stopped by, commented and provided their support throughout my journey, your comments and luv keep me going, THANK YOU and I wish you much love, happiness and health for the new year.

In case you are wondering what SITS stands for, it is for "The Secret is in the Sauce", a blog by a "group of women bloggers dedicated to supporting one another by leaving comments. Lots and lots of comments". Please stop by SITS and join the community!

The Encore Bride Style FileA Dash of Black!

2009-12-07T06:00:00.000-05:00

Welcome back to the Encore Bride! I'm still feeling the party vibe...must be the Holiday Season! The last bridal fashion week had many dresses with little black details. I decided to incorporate many non-traditional black elements to this board, the result is an edgy black and white style fit for an encore bride. As usual I have a mix and high and low pieces, great shoes and dress and handmade accessories from Etsy.com.

(Click to Enlarge)

Sources: Clockwise from top left: Earrings-LeeOhio, Headband-StacyLeighAtelier, BibNecklace-Bejewelled Bespoke, Cake-PinkCakeBox, Shoes-Kate Spade via Zappos.com, Dress-Elizabeth Filmore via InStyle Weddings, Bouquet-Martha Stewart Weddings, Stationery-Martha Stewart Weddings

I love the black headpiece and bib necklace, they are an unexpected detail for the bride. Are/would you wear non-traditional accessories on your big day? If so, what are you wearing, I want to see!

Life Is So Meant To Be...

2009-12-03T06:00:00.002-05:00

Just after I posted the last entry I received an email from my future mother in law (my family and friends don't know about the blog), it said:

Hi (Ms. Encore Bride),

I truly hope you can open this site. This made me think of you and all the good you have brought into (Mr. Encore's) life. I give you credit for building a bridge for (Mr. Encore's middle daughter) and (Mr. Encore). She is truly taken with you and who you are. I could go on listing, but decided I might not love you if you had the "Big Head". Ha!

Love,
(Mr. Encore's mom)

-----------
*All names have been changed to protect the innocent

This is the video she was referring to:

I laughed so hard after reading her email but almost cried after watching the video and it occurred to me. That's what moms do, they build cathedrals...that's my answer to my kids debate, that's what makes all the sacrifices worth it, boy I tell you...this is so meant to be!

The Encore Bride's Kids Debate

2009-12-01T06:00:00.001-05:00

***Calling all moms***

I've been having an internal battle for some time now in reference to whether I want to have kids or not.

*Disclaimer: Mr. E is fully supportive on whatever decision I make and I fully understand that it will be a mutual decision.

Source: PBK

BLUF (bottom line up front)

I know having kids is very hard, I know firsthand the sacrifices that go into raising a child (from my mom), the sleepless nights, the lack of freedom to go about without having to schedule babysitters, the financial strain, the activities they will have to be chauffeured to, the homework and school projects headache, etc. etc.

I am aware of all the hardships that entail having kids. Moms, I need your honest opinion, what are the pros? What makes you appreciate all the hardships of having them, what makes it all worth it? If you have to leave an anonymous comment in order to be brutally honest please go ahead and do so. On the other hand, what do you miss about being childless, do you regret having kids? Seriously, I would like to know both sides, most people talk about the bad but I don't hear too much about the good so here's your chance. THANK YOU!!!

The Encore Bride Style File Winter Glamour

2009-11-30T06:00:00.000-05:00

With Thanksgiving out of the way we can now concentrate on the next big event, Christmas! As soon as I came home from the Thanksgiving trip to visit Mr. E (which was great by the way) I focused on getting my Christmas decorations in place to decorate my home. Besides decorating for Christmas I've been thinking of all the beautiful decorations for the season and it is only fitting that I put together a Winter Glamour "mood board" (that is what they are called in the design world-as in the mood I want to convey in a collection).

As promised, I've been looking for inspiration in other "non-wedding" websites and blogs. The inspiration for this board was initiated by the living room picture at the top right from Elle Decor blog. The mood is opulent, glamorous and everything "bling". If you are on a tight budget you can consider a smaller guest list in order to go all out on the setting.

(click to enlarge)

Sources: Clockwise from top left: Lighting-Apartment Therapy, Living Room-Elle Decor, Table scape-Your Wedding Day, Headpiece-JennyPickle via Etsy.com, Necklace-Nordstrom, Earrings-Nordstrom, Shoes-Nordstrom, Bracelets-Nordstrom, Candle holders-Swarovski
Dress: Jenny Packham via Brides.com

This would be ideal for an intimate, opulent setting, maybe even for a New Year's Eve wedding, don't you think?

Happy Thanksgiving!

2009-11-26T06:00:00.001-05:00

Source: Pink Cake Box

Thanks to all of you that follow my blog and allow me to share the ups and downs of my Encore experience. I am currently visiting Mr. Encore for the only day he has off from his training. I've been looking forward to seeing him even if it's just a day, I will be back over the weekend and posts will resume next Monday. Have a lovely holiday weekend!

What I'm Thankful For: Finding "The One"

2009-11-25T06:00:00.002-05:00

As we celebrate Thanksgiving this week I am most thankful for the health of my family and friends, the strength to endure some hard periods in my life and finally, finding the "one". I will try to make this as short as I can as I know that people get bored of long posts (I know I do!)

Source: Smock Paper

I've been divorced for 8 years, during that time I have been in long term relationships, dated and was even engaged before. Most of those relationships were pretty bad now that I look back on them. It came a point in my life where I just gave up on the idea of ever marrying again, finding the one or having a family one day. I was at peace with that idea and my independence, in fact I was nervous that I would never be able to share my space with anyone again.

Just I was coming to terms with that idea, I became friends with this coworker of mine, he is a very extrovert southern guy, the kind that you just can't walk by without talking to. As I just mentioned, he was the typical southern guy from the deep south, I was born in the US but raised in Puerto Rico (we both have accents!). Due to our different backgrounds I was SURE, let me say again SURE that nothing would ever go beyond a friendship for us, not to mention that he had a reputation for liking the ladies a bit too much.

Mr. E. never gave up and in the course of almost 8 months he asked me out an average of every two days, I couldn't believe how "busy" his social life was, he always had tickets or an event to invite me to. In the meantime I kept dating the same losers and getting even more disappointed. To the point that one day I prayed and told God to forget about sending me the one because "I want someone who is excited about me as I am about them".

After 8 months I got tired of turning him down and wanted him to stop asking because we would never be. I sent him a text message and asked what he wanted from me, he said he couldn't tell me over a text message, the phone or at work (I was intrigued by that), so he asked me to dinner. I said yes hoping that all I would get out of the deal was peace and a free meal.

Source: Le Love

We had dinner then went to a movie and he brought me home. By that time he'd told me he wanted to know what we had, and assured me that we didn't even have to see each other every day. Again in my mind I knew that it was a huge no-go, no way was I going to date this "country boy", well, he took me home and boldly kissed me goodnight....That's all I needed, I knew I'd kissed my prince!

I would be lying if I told you that I knew he was the one from that kiss, it was different though, I had to sit down and stare at my wall for 45 minutes until he called to let me know he was home. We've been together ever since (everyday I might add). Two weeks after that kiss I had been traveling for work and returned on Valentine's Day. His family was in town visiting him and he insisted that I went straight to his house from the airport and meet his parents.

He had two dozen roses waiting for me but we (his parents and I) wouldn't allow him to pull me aside, finally he did, gave me a beautiful pair of diamond earrings and I read the note from the flowers, it said:

"Baby, every time I see you it's like seeing you for the first time, I'm so excited about us". -S.

Right then and there I knew he was "the one", I knew that God had finally answered my prayers. I have been in the most mature, loving, respectful and supportive relationship of my life ever since that day. I don't regret all the frogs I kissed, for them I would've never known that I found my Prince and I am thankful for that too.

Source: The Princess and The Frog Website

The Encore Bride Style File The Bride Did Not Wear White

2009-11-24T06:00:00.002-05:00

As an Encore Bride I'm not into looking like the meringue-whipped cake topper doll on my day. I know that I won't wear white and so far I only have one design house I truly love:Pronovias. That is, until I found the most recent bridal line from Essence of Australia called Martina Liana. I came across this designer from another encore bride at the encore board on Weddingbee.com. I love that most of the gowns are offered in gold, champagne, rose and blue. In my humble opinion as a fashion design major, details on a "colored" gown show much better in pictures than a white dress will, if you don't believe me, look at the countless real wedding pictures in all the major bridal blogs. Can you see the details on a white dress when you take a full length photo? I've also read how many photographers enjoy non-white gowns, possibly for the same reason.

Look at these lovelies....

(Click to enlarge)

Source: Martina Liana

Would you wear a non-white/ivory gown?

The Encore Bride Style FileBranding & Invitations

2009-11-23T06:00:00.001-05:00

Who says you have to hire the most expensive "wedding invitation" designer when it comes to your invitations. Why not hire the best graphic designer you can find and have them design the "branding" for your wedding? I have a crush on graphic design and I believe that inspiration can come from anywhere, when shopping for invitations look no further. Branding suites can give you an example of how a simple, modern design can carry your event from start to finish. Would you consider a non-wedding invitation designer for your invitations?

Source: Top Row:Left, Middle, Right
Middle Row: Left, Middle, Right
Bottom Row: Left, Middle, Right

The Encore Bride Style File-Weddings Nouveau

2009-11-18T19:26:00.003-05:00

Pink Gowns!

Source: Wedding Nouveau

I just came across a blog that I would love to share as I can identify with their vision of a non-traditional wedding. The description from their site says:

"WEDDING NOUVEAU is a cross cultural style guide for today’s bride. It features images taken by some of today’s sought after photographers documenting real weddings of interracial/ multicultural couples that dare to dream outside the box. "

They have beautiful images from real weddings where couples combined their cultural backgrounds to make a gorgeous event. Check them out!

The Encore Bride-A New Chapter II

2009-11-18T12:32:00.005-05:00

...after finally breaking down from all the emotions stirred up I comforted myself by laying on the couch and watching way to many wedding shows. Between "Say Yes To The Dress, "Bridezillas", "My Fair Wedding", "Whose Wedding Is It Anyway?", "Battle of the Wedding Planners" etc. instead of cheering up I developed a Love/Hate relationship for the wedding industry. Frankly I shouldn't fault the industry, it's up to the consumers to buy into the crap they sometimes sell. As an Encore Bride I know that although my wedding day will be memorable I KNOW it will not be the most important day of my life, God I hope not! I would like to achieve some goals with Mr. Encore, become a successful business owner and more importantly bring new life into this world, now that's what I call pretty darn special!

I wanted to throw things at the TV after watching the many brides that go shopping for "The Dress" with a set budget, only to try on a dress twice and three times more expensive that their budget. In a recent episode the bride blurted that the dress was as much as her entire budget for the wedding! OK people, what's wrong with that picture? More than likely that dress will only be worn once (unless you sell it or hope to have a girl that will have the same taste as you in fashion).

I want a memorable event, don't get me wrong and my favorite designer-Pronovias, is not what we call "very affordable" but 8-10k for a dress! Now granted, if my wedding had a six figure budget then a five figure dress budget would be quite normal. But if the dress is more than the entire wedding budget? Come on!

As a result I decided to go back to my Encore Bride principals, "I'm older, wiser, in love and planning this celebration my way" yes, I am going to plan a fabulous party within our budget when the time comes and I will be wise about it. Inspiration for a party can come from anywhere, there's no set of rules that decide the things you must include, the traditions you must follow and how much you need to spend for the "most important day of your life" pleeaasse!

In the end, that's why I revamped the blog, I wanted a cleaner, brighter site where my inspiration could take center stage (shout to Sugarelli for creating a new banner and avatar in record time!). By inspiration I mean all the different things that I can use to design this party and not necessarily from the wedding industry. There are plenty of blogs that showcase those ideas and they do so very well.

So, if you're looking for non-traditional, individual style inspiration for your day stick around I promise to share my ideas of what that is for me with you. Thanks for sticking around!

Now excuse me while I call Elie Saab to have him recreate this in blue for my wedding! :-))

Source: Elie Saab via NYMag.com

The Encore Bride-New Look!

2009-11-17T21:24:00.001-05:00

Finally, after much cleaning around here the new layout is here. What do you guys think? Feel free to leave me some honest feedback. Thank you!

The Encore Bride-A New Chapter

2009-11-17T00:21:00.003-05:00

**Please excuse the mess around here as I try to clean up and organize as much as I can.**

As you all know there are many things going on in my life right now besides planning a wedding...OK, who am I kidding? I only have one major thing going on, Mr. Encore's deployment. It's been a couple of weeks since he's been gone (can't you tell?) and many things have happened that have affected how I'm coping. The time spent helping him pack his bags, spending the last night together and seeing him off seems like a big blur mess in my head right now. He is currently doing his deployment training so technically he is still "here", as in "in this country".

Surprisingly I did really well dropping him off at the airport, of course that was after his ticket wasn't paid for by Uncle Sam; by the time we got it fixed he was delayed 4 hours. It was fine though, we had breakfast, came home and took a nap, by the time he had to leave I was ready to drop him off. I did very good though, I did not cry, drove off and came home.

For the next couple of days I walked around like a zombie, feeling a little lost but OK, then something happened...The Fort Hood shootings. Not only was it painful because it involved my fellow soldiers or because I have friends there but Mr. Encore was in a similar facility somewhere else in the country going through the same exact process those soldiers were doing.

The rest of that day and the next I felt like I was 3 seconds away from breaking down...all day long. (To be continued...)

Bellissima-It's Open!

2009-11-13T23:10:00.003-05:00

Who said this would be easy? Between the cutting and wiring and pictures and editing pictures and descriptions and oh my! Finally, it's open for business, please stop by, say hi, tell me what you think, etc.

Bellissima

Bellissima-My New Project!

2009-11-12T20:30:00.000-05:00

**Update**

I am working very hard to get the shop open and I am still in the process of finishing up the pictures and descriptions, please bear with me, visit the site and sign up to be notified as soon as the shop opens. Thank you!!

With Mr. Encore on his way overseas I've been looking for ways to stay distracted. Just in time for the holidays I decided to re-open my Etsy Shop; Bellissima Beaded Accessories. If you love to read and "bling" head over to my shop and sign up to be notified as soon as the shop is open for business. All items are one of a kind, if you see it and like it you better buy it! Hurry as the shop won't be open for long.

Opening: November 11, 2009 (Veteran's Day!)

The Encore's Couples Session

2009-11-09T21:00:00.000-05:00

We just received the pictures from the couples session and I thought I would share a few more with you. All photos were taken by the fabulous Ashley Brokop!

I love this one, we couldn't stop laughing!

Here I'm doing my best ANTM pose!

We had to showcase those boots!

This one is Mr. Encore's favorite...he said it looks like it belongs in a magazine, I think he's referring to his Harley!

Trying to do our best bad a** impression!

All photos by Ashley Brokop (please do not copy)

Mr. Encore was still talking about our session 2 weeks later, we had a blast! If you haven't had a photography session with your better half you should schedule one now. For me it was very important to have one done especially with him being sent away. I wanted something I could hold on to when I had my bad days (and the good ones too). Every time my screen saver comes on I always get a big smile looking at those pictures. I miss him so...

The Encore Bride Style File-My Favorites

2009-11-06T07:00:00.000-05:00

After going through all my posts this week I realized I hadn't post any wedding "porn". Here is a recap of some of my favorites style files. Please click on the title to view the original post with source credits.

Something Blue-The Encore Bride Way

Vintage Tropical

The Original Encore Bride Style File

Which one is your favorite?

I'm a Fabulous Sugar Doll!!!

2009-11-04T07:00:00.003-05:00

Well well well, I was pleasantly surprised by Cupcake Wedding and The Roddy Bride with "The Fabulous Sugar Doll Blogger Award. Thank you ladies!!!

And now, on to the instructions: I have to post the award on my site, write 10 interesting things about myself, and then pass it on to 10 other bloggers.

In no particular order:

1. I have moved 10 times in the last 12 years.
2. I learned how to sew and design patterns in high school.
3. At the age of 21 I had driven cross country alone, in the snow!
4. It's been 8 years since my starter marriage and I didn't think I would ever think about marrying again.
5. I'm a vintage muscle car fanatic, my dream car is a 1964 and a half Ford Mustang.
6. I love arts and crafts, my latest obsession is learning how to quilt.
7. I joined the military over 15 years ago over a bet with a classmate.
8. I'm a terrible procrastinator...enough said!
9. I hate folding clothes and doing dishes!
10. Mr. Encore asked me out every other day for close to 8 months before I finally went on a "date" with him, we have been inseparable ever since. I was very skeptical of "fairy tales" but I must say I'm living my very own, he is the best thing that has happened to me. I have never been in such a mature, loving and supportive, he is my sunshine.

Passing it to on to other fabulous bloggers:
1. Foxy Wedding
2. God's Favorite Shoes
3. Sassy Chica
4. The Blog of Girly Guilty Pleasure
5. A Bride...Again
6. Bride on a Budget
7. Can cook and do housework!
8. Crafty Girls Workshop
9. Cup a Dee Cakes Blog
10. Girl with a Ring

The Encore Bride-30 Day Shred Challenge Week #4

2009-11-03T20:12:00.002-05:00

Here are this week's (and previous) stats:

Measurements: (Wk1/Wk2/Wk3/Wk4)

1. Weight-175/171/171/170
2. Goal weight-140
3. Bust measurements-38/38/38/37.5
4. Waist measurements-32/32/32/31
5. Hips measurements-43.5/43/42.75/42.5
6. Thigh measurements (widest part of the thigh)-29/28.5/28/27.5
7. What level you're doing-Level 2 Day 3 (I've missed a couple of days so far)

Overall I am really surprised at my measurements. While Mr. Encore was here last week I really didn't count points and skipped my workout a couple of days. Overall I am pleased but level 2 is kicking my butt!

The Encore Bride-Couples Session

2009-11-02T21:14:00.003-05:00

I received a wonderful email from our photographer this morning to let us know our pictures were up in her blog!!! As you know I wanted to have pictures of us done before he deployed, it is not an e-session however as I do not have a ring yet. These are just a sample from the many pictures our wonderful photographer Ashley Brokop took. She had many sweet things to say about us, to get the scoop head over to the Ashley Brokop Blog.

(Click to enlarge)

Pictures by: Ashley Brokop

Please excuse the small pictures; can you tell I ripped them from her blog?

Aisle Style-150 Years of Wedding Fashions

2009-11-02T07:00:00.001-05:00

Last weekend Mr. Encore and I headed to Charleston, SC to hang out in what was our last weekend together for a while. I dragged him to the Charleston Museum where the Aisle Style exhibit was on display. The exhibit was a nice size and had many original gowns from the 1800's. I learned that many of these gowns were handmade in France, most were two pieces because it was perfectly acceptable to wear your gown again with a more simple top during the first year of marriage. Also, as we know colored gowns were popular at the time as well and they had a few on display. The exhibit will be on display until June 30, 2010, stop by if you're in Charleston.

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All photos taken by me

For more information please stop by the Charleston Museum website!

Missing you...

2009-10-29T22:10:00.004-04:00

Source: OliverRoute via Etsy.com

Sorry for the lack of posts during the last few days. Mr. Encore is home for what might be the last few days before I see him next year. As you can understand we are trying to spend as much quality time together as we possibly can. Regular posting will resume on Monday, stay tuned!

The Encore Bride-30 Day Shred Challenge Week #3

2009-10-28T09:52:00.002-04:00

Today I'll do a quick post with this week (and previous) stats:

Measurements: (Wk1/Wk2/Wk3)

1. Weight-175/171/171
2. Goal weight-140
3. Bust measurements-38/38/38
4. Waist measurements-32/32/32
5. Hips measurements-43.5/43/42.75
6. Thigh measurements (widest part of the thigh)-29/28.5/28
7. What level you're doing-Level 1 Day 14 (I've decided to do it for 6 weeks and do each level for two weeks)

Changes: Hips and thighs, I'll take that! Weight: Same, that's OK as long as I don't go up!

Thanks for following and keep shredding!!!

The Encore Bride Style File-Fall 2010 Bridal Week II

2009-10-27T07:00:00.000-04:00

Reem Acra presented great alternatives for the Encore Bride, her gowns looked sophisticated but easy to wear.

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Source: Martha Stewart Weddings

I found Jenny Packham's collection to be very sexy and "grown-up", perfect for an Encore Bride. This is the type of gown you wear when you approach your wedding as the "best party" you two will ever throw together.

Source: Martha Stewart Weddings

I love the "bling" on Packham's collection, do you?

The Encore Bride Style File-Fall 2010 Bridal Week

2009-10-26T07:00:00.000-04:00

There were beautiful collections presented at the recent Fall 2010 Bridal Fashion Week in NYC. Some were very innovative (for bridal) and others were pretty much "wearable" and as Michael Kors would say "They were clothes, not fashion" in my opinion. It is difficult to do bridal, you loose the color aspect of designing and it tends to be very traditional. Having said that, I will start with my favorites from the Encore Bride perspective.

Angel Sanchez, an architect by trade has been known for his geometric designs and architectural shapes. He presented a new diffusion line called "Angel". His shapes did not disappoint, his dresses were not fussy but were elegant and had a great fit.

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Source: Martha Stewart Weddings

Claire Pettibone's collection was beautiful, the 3-D flowers, embroideries and use of color made her collection stand out from a sea of plain ivory gowns. I thought these would be great for an informal beach/garden ceremony. Your thoughts?

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Source: Martha Stewart Weddings

I'm wrapping up the other collections, more to follow! Do you have any favorites?

The Encore Bride Way-78 Ways to Stay in Love

2009-10-21T19:00:00.000-04:00

Ah! Staying in love, that's what it's all about. After the party is over, the guests have left and the honeymoon is over the real one begins (don't we know that fellow encore brides?), how do you keep it going? Below are 78 tips I FFFFOUND! on that site.

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Source: FFFFOUND!

Share your tips!

The Encore Bride-30 Day Shred Challenge Week #2

2009-10-20T20:07:00.003-04:00

Source: Amazon.com

As you know The Roddy Bride and I started our 30 Day Shred Challenge last week. See below for my current stats:

1. Starting weight-175
2. Current weight-171 (lost 4 lbs wohoo!)
3. Goal weight-140
4. Bust measurements-37.75 (lost .25")
5. Waist measurements-32 (same as last week)
6. Hips measurements-43 (lost .50")
7. Thigh measurements (widest part of the thigh)-28 (lost .50")
8. What level you're doing-Level 1 Day 8

As you can see, there were some changes. Most noticeably my weight, I must clarify that before I started the challenge I had just returned from a long weekend in the deep south where I enjoyed every single plate of good food that was presented to me or even mentioned around me!

Besides the Shred I've also been counting points with Weight Watchers. I believe most of my weight loss comes from the joint effort. Overall I feel much better especially when I workout in the mornings, I seem to be in a better mood throughout the day. My pants are starting to feel better and I don't have that constant "bloated" feeling. I'm really excited and I look forward to catching up with The Roddy Bride and see if she got a chance to workout as I know she was moving. How did you do this week?

As always, you can follow us on twitter using #30DSBride

SCHMATTA: RAGS TO RICHES TO RAGS

2009-10-19T22:24:00.002-04:00

I just finished watching the documentary Schmatta: Rags to Riches to Rags on HBO. As you may know my dream has always been to be a fashion designer (ever since I was 6 yrs old, waaay before Project Runway). Watching this documentary just broke my heart. If you can please watch it, do so. It premiered tonight on HBO and it will be aired until around Nov 24.

All I can say is please be mindful of where you invest your money, take the time to ask where the product you are purchasing has been made and please go out of your way to support your local businesses. Sign the Save the Garment Center petition and look for the "Made in the USA" label!

Here is what Blowback Productions company has to say:

"SYNOPSIS | The Garment Center is the heart and soul of Midtown Manhattan and the backbone of the fashion industry. It was the gateway for many immigrants to the American Dream. Now, it’s in danger of disappearing. This HBO feature documentary explores the rise and fall of New York's fabled schmatta (rag) trade as a microcosm for the economic shocks that have changed our lives."

Schmatta: Rags to Riches to Rags Teaser from Chris Walker on Vimeo.

Please watch!

68 Days 'till Christmas!

2009-10-19T20:25:00.004-04:00

Yikes! There are only 68 days 'till Christmas, have you started your Holiday shopping yet? Made in England is a cute blog I found some time ago and they design a guys/girls shopping list every year. Wouldn't our shopping be easier if we had one of these for all our loved ones? They just posted the new 2009 version, skip over and download the files. I hope it helps with the shopping, isn't this great?

(I guess it's safe to assume this is the boy version)
Source: Made in England

The Encore Bride Style File-My Inspiration Board

2009-10-19T07:00:00.000-04:00

As a follow up to my previous post I've put together an inspiration board focused on my personal style. Even as an Encore Bride I am still going the "traditional route" although I would love more color on the dress maybe a dark Ivory/Gold color. I couldn't help but include letterpress invitations and a beautiful cake. If I was planning a wedding today I would be heading in this direction. Your thoughts...

Sources: Dress: Radiante by Pronovias, Veil: Brenda's Bridal Veils, Earrings and Bracelet: Opheliax, Invites: Bella Figura, Necklace: Strands Of Grace, Paper: Paper Source, Shoes: BCBG Zappos.com, Bouquet: The Knot.com, Cake: The Knot.com via

The Encore Bride Inspiration File-Things I love

2009-10-17T07:20:00.000-04:00

With Mr. Encore's upcoming deployment there are many things I have to focus on and a wedding isn't one of them, unfortunately. And yes, even though this is an Encore wedding I am looking at "traditional" gowns. Who knows? Maybe I'll wear two or three on the same day! A girl can always "window shop" though and I have been doing plenty of it. Right now I am loving these Pronovias gowns. I love the lace, the shirred detail in the bust area along with the pleated chiffon at the bottom of the skirt.

Pronovias-Radiante

This one is from the current collection, I love the detachable train that comes out from the back.

Pronovias-Evasion

Again, it has the same ingredients, lace+draped bodice=loveliness

Pronovias-Nerveo

Same formula, love the bolero but not the 3/4 sleeves on it.

Source: Pronovias

What do you guys think? Any other Pronovias brides out there?