Let’s face it, our ladies do so much for us leading up to and on the wedding day that being a bridesmaid can almost be like having a part-time job! Of course, they love us which is why they put up with our hysterical phone calls at 2am, shove cake into our hands when we forget to eat and are all around an awesome support system. Bridesmaids’ should be given a medal for everything they do or at least a fun gift. When that gift can double as wedding attire even better! I love the work of Tampa-based designer Oatmeal Lace Designs. We saw the girls from this wedding rocking the cute clutches. They are the perfect size to hold everything your wedding warriors might need on the big day. I asked McKay to share her favorite bags and her advice on planning the ultimate Florida bash!
What sets Florida weddings apart from weddings anywhere else?
One of the best things about planning a wedding in Florida is that if you are set on having an outdoor celebration, you can pretty much do it any month of the year. Of course, if you’rec hoosing Northern Florida, it may be a tad bit chilly in the ‘winter’ but not unbearable. Plus,Florida has such a variety of landscapes- beach wedding? That’s a no brainer. Southern plantation weddings? Head on up to my hometown of Tallahassee and options abound! Always dreamed of being a princess on your wedding day? Disney is smack dab in the middle of the state. You can see in the wedding featured here on SMP that the options are endless.
What kind of weddings do you love the most and what is your favorite trend right now?
I’m a sucker for all types of DIY/handmade weddings. I love seeing handcrafted, thoughtful details that really put that stamp of ‘this is ours’ on the day. And those details don’t necessarily have to be made exclusively by the bride/bridal party/family/etc. You don’t consider yourself very ‘crafty’? No problem! Surrounding yourself with great vendors and people who can bring your vision to fruition make all the difference! Creativity and thinking outside the box would be my favorite trend right now, if you’d consider it a trend…being apart of this amazing online wedding community and seeing the ideas that some of these couples come up with to create their wedding day is truly inspiring.
What is your biggest piece of advice for people planning a wedding?
This is some advice I gave after my wedding and reading over it a year later I’m still nodding myhead in agreement. Make it yours. If you enjoy DIY, do it- if you loathe the idea of crafting for hours on end, don’t feel like you are a failure of a bride. Like I answered in the question above,there are some amazing people out there that can make your vision come alive- reach out to them! Etsy is a godsend. Take in the day- really look around and feel the love surrounding you.It’s an unbelievable sensation. Above all else, stay true to what is important to you and your fiancé. Some people may not agree with or understand your ideas at first, but wait until they seethe day unfold. Getting there can be stressful and uncertain, exciting and wonderful and sometimes just plainhard. But don’t most things worth creating take work? Creating your new family unit will absolutely be worth every minute of stress you face.
Who are your favorite vendor friends in Florida that keep your inspiration flowing?
Oh man. This one is tough. Looking through my daily blog reads, twitter friends and just general online goodness (pinterest, anyone??) there are so many wonderful people out there that provide daily inspiration. As far as some of my favorite Florida friends, Lauren over at Every Last Detail and Megan over at Glamour & Grace provide an unending source of loveliness, fun finds and great tips for brides to be on their blogs daily. If you haven’t checked them out yet, make sure to do so! And as far as business savvy, awesome invitation ideas and great design sense, Emily Ley over at Emily Ley Paper has been by far the most influential on helping me believe in myself and get to where I am today.
Well, you and your bridesmaids are in for a treat because Oatmeal Lace Designs is offering 15% off exclusively to our lucky Style Me Pretty Florida readers! You can grab a custom clutch for all of your spectacular ladies and one for yourself as well! Just enter in the promotion code LOVESMP when you check out! The promotion code will be good until July 5th, 2011.
Photography: Whitney Fletcher / Memories of a Lifetime / Camille Dean Photography / Our Labor of Love