The Pampered Bride!

Why wait until the honeymoon to indulge yourself! As I’ve written over and over again, planning a wedding can be stressful! Every bride should take a pause from planning and rejuvenate her spirit, her senses and overall beauty.

One of the perfect ways of doing this is a day at the spa. Whether you want a peaceful day alone or a sensual experience with your significant other or a way of saying “thank you” to your bridesmaids, the day spa experience is a fun and special occasion to incorporate into the wedding details.

As someone who is in the throws of all the stress with you, I too find time to indulge, so I can be the best service provider to you! I’ve spent my fair share at spas over the years and have mingled with the professionals running some of our most successful spas - dedicated to pampering the bride, groom and all their attendants. Below are some of my favorite – who have the capacity and “private functionality” to accommodate an entire party. Additionally, these spas offer incredible packages and services that cater to the bride and her attendants. The ambiance, décor, and flow each offer are unique and an integral aspect of the relaxation and rejuvenation that will fill your spirit during your treatments. So I say, go pamper yourself…

Natural Elements Spa & Salon *(Interior Photos are the inside of Natural Elements)
717 Eden Way North Suite 612, Chesapeake
757-436-1141
www.Natural-ElementsSpa.com
From Natural Elements – “Unmatched in Quality Service, Beautiful Ambiance and Voted “Best of Chesapeake” for 6 years! With a talented and professional staff offering exceptional beauty and relaxation services, providing hair, makeup, nails, skin and massage services for bridal and bachelorette parties. Wedding Day Services both in-spa and on site are available.”
Changes City Spa
222 West 21st St., Norfolk
(757)625-5300
www.changesaregood.com
From Changes – “There are SO MANY details to take care of – flowers, dress, church, invitations, music, sign-in book, matching shoes... All those things are important, but the bottom line is this: On your big day, there is one thing that will get the most attention –YOU! Don’t take any chances – let our professionals take care of your total look. Call our wedding consultant for an appointment to find out more details on what we have to offer. Special packages are available for our brides and bridal parties, based on the services you choose.”
Metamorphosis Salon & Day Spa
624 Independence Blvd., Virginia Beach
(757)497-6382
www.metasalonandspa.com
From Metamorphosis - Owners Beth Volz and Molly Zemke have known each other for many years. They met each other while working together, Beth as a stylist and Molly as an aesthetician. They shared a common vision of what would make a beautiful, well run, efficient and friendly salon and spa. After four years of working together, they broke out on their own with the goals of giving Virginia Beach and surrounding areas the quality service that they have been waiting for. Beth and Molly strive for a family feel to their salon and spa and welcome you to a calming and revitalizing experience.
Aqua Essence Day Spa
1174 Duck Rd., Duck, NC
252-261-9709
www.aquaobx.com
From Aqua Essence – “Our mission at Aqua Essence Day Spa is to make you feel the best you ever have. We offer a wide variety of services with the hopes that you will have the ultimate spa experience. The love for our work is evident in our effort to provide the quintessential spa experience for each and every client.”

5 Tips for Stress Free Shopping to find the Perfect Gown!!

The path to finding your dream wedding gown is so exciting! However, this very important purchase can be a bit daunting. Since we were young girls the dreams of gown shopping, standing on the pedestal and twirling in a wedding gown began, and lasts until that real experience presents itself. So the anticipation and "hype" of this moment is bigger than most can imagine. To ensure that it's all you've dreamed of I have 5 tips sure to help any bride about to embark on this milestone!

1. It's something you've dreamed for a lifetime, so begin shopping early. It generally takes 6-8 months for a designer bridal gown to deliver once it's been purchased, and then you can expect 2+ alteration appointments spanning 6-8 weeks. If time is not on your side we can certainly accommodate you with our endless stock piece options or by ordering your gown on a rush. However, you can never buy your gown too early. Doing so will serve you well, save you money and minimize your stress!! So many of the other decisions you make with regards to your wedding will depend on the gown you choose. So once you can make this decision, the rest of the pieces will fall into place!

2. Keep an open mind! Most of our brides end up purchasing a gown they would have never picked for themselves (this is what makes our assistance so worth it!). The mystique of the wedding gown is that it's like no other garment you will ever wear again! Finding "the one" evokes a feeling and emotion you will never get from a pair of jeans! And, don't dismiss the veil! The impact this sheer, feminine, and sacred "ritual accessory" offers, is what makes a bride, A BRIDE! So many of our brides will adorn a cathedral length veil, when their first intention was not to wear one at all! You will pleasantly surprise yourself if you keep your options open!

3. Make an appointment. To ensure you have the expertise and guidance of one of our highly knowledgeable consultants then you should make an appointment. I think many brides are surprised at how overwhelmed they feel when they start perusing the racks with hundreds of gowns calling to them. Having a consultant to help you weed through the options, dress and accessorize you, and answer all your questions makes the process that much more fun for you! Your consultant should be your expert, confidant and touchstone throughout your planning process.

4. Be very selective choosing your "entourage". Only bring the person or few persons that have your best interest at heart and can provide you sound advice and feedback based on YOUR taste, style, and budget. You need to be surrounded by those people whose opinions you value most and who will help you make the best decision for YOU! Too many conflicting opinions will only confuse and discourage you - and it makes our job, and the relationship we want to start with you that much harder.

5. Embrace value over price, and understand the difference. A few dollars savings may not be worth it - and most times it's not. In bridal you truly get what you pay for. I can't tell you how many horror stories I've heard, and how many times we've come to the rescue of brides who have "cut corners" just to save a few pennies! Our philosophy is the real service begins after you've purchased the gown. We are committed to our brides from the moment they walk into our store until the moment they walk down the aisle. Understand that planning is a process and hiccups arrive, sometimes on our end, sometimes by a member of the bridal party, sometimes by the designer, but we do whatever we have to do to make sure our brides and grooms and their attendants are happy and well taken care of, and that they do get the wedding they've always dreamed of!! Therein lies the value!

Summer Love: Debbie & Evan June 19th

One of the many joys of working with brides is the special friendship that's established between the bride, her family and the staff at our salon. But it's even a bit sweeter when we have the opportunity to help a family who are already so special to us! This was the case with Debbie and Evan. Debbie's mother Cora was the seamstress for Tiffany's Bridal for about 20 years, and then I had the good fortune of "inheriting" her for another 4 years before she retired a couple of years ago. So needless to say we had so much fun helping Debbie and Evan coordinate the elements of their special day.

Debbie picked one of my favorite gowns as her wedding gown. "Lasarte" by La Sposa is a fit and flare silhouette with a fully ruched bodice. The soft sweetheart neckline presents delicate swarovski beading and three-dimensional baby rosettes. This detail is emulated in soft patterns throughout the cascading sash on the left hand side of the skirt and the train. This gown is romantic with loads of texture and crisp details that don't overpower the silhouette or the bride. It's a stunner!

To compliment her look Debbie chose a ruched v-neck chiffon slim A-line dress in scarlet for her bridesmaids. This neckline is appealing on all women and the dress as a whole works on any shape from size 0-30! The style (8965) was created by Me Too Bridesmaids for Moonlight Bridal.

The groom and his party selected a classic yet sleek rental by Calvin Klein for Jim's formalwear.

The wedding flowers were designed by Char's Floral Designs.

Debbie and Evan's wedding memories were captured by Keith Cephus Photography

Both Char and Keith's businesses are located inside Maya Couture. To learn more about our one-stop-shopping services visit our Facebook Page One Stop Wedding Shop