Check out our commercial on KTUU ~

Here are some highlights for the event Sunday:

Registration is 10:30am; Workshop Begins 11:30am
You will learn how to plan your wedding from beginning to end, with the help of our Expert Panelists!
The Experts will be available to you before, during lunch, and after the Workshop.
Complimentary Lunch will be served to the first 100 attendees.
WE EMPOWER YOU TO ACCOMPLISH the planning that leads to your dream day!
PERFECT GIFT for your Bride-to-Be (or soon-to-be Bride-to-Be!)!!

Want more details?? Click here…

Every little girl dreams of her picture perfect wedding, and Wedding Guide Alaska is here for you to make your dream come true.  We’ve said good bye to 2011′s Vintage & Rustic Chic Weddings and the stage is now being set for 2012′s scene: Vintage Elegance: Think OLD HOLLYWOOD & the Royal Wedding (Kate continues to stun us with her simple, traditional, & elegant style!) with the flair of bold & bright colors.

Here are a few of the trends that Wedding Guide Alaska is ‘predicting’ we’ll see in this year’s wedding forte…

2012 Wedding Trend #1:  Old Hollywood Glamour (with flair in bold & bright colors!)

We’re talking old-style elegance paired with bold, bright colors to really enhance the individuality with the sophistication of Old Hollywood.  Be your own person, but make it memorable with a splash of color & uniqueness.

Photo from Wedding Chics Blog

2012 Wedding Trend #2:  Golds, Nudes, Black & White

From cakes to tuxedos, WGA expects to see what sophisticated elegance & class is all about.  Golds, nudes, and black & white affairs are making a comeback and are hard hitters this year in the wedding industry.  What’s your fancy?

Photo from Wedding Chicks Blog

Photo courtesy of Vanessa Powell, A Thousand Words Photography

2012 Wedding Trend #3:  Keep it Alaskan with the Gorgeous Outdoors

In Alaska we live for the summer.  Make the most of the long daylight hours & incredible scenery to re-create that dreamed-about moment in your vision of a perfect wedding day.  Need a suggestion for outdoor & quaint glamour & exquisiteness:  Alaska Heavenly Lodge & Bayshore Clubhouse

Photo courtesy of Jennifer Anthony

2012 Wedding Trend #4:  Classy & Traditional Necklines

Sugar & spice & everything nice…Illusion necklines are taking wedding dress designs by storm.  Plunging necklines covered by lace & sheer fabrics are making a comeback.  The illusion neckline is startlingly feminine, with a vintage vibe that has us loving the simple sophistication & innocence previously associated with the ‘white’ of the traditional wedding gown.

Photo from Bride.com

2012 Wedding Trend #5:  The 1920′s Never Died

In fact, when you think of class, sophistication, & elegance, few styles are as remembered as the 1920′s.  Women knew how to dress their body type to perfection & men wore slacks & button ups to work and suits & tux’s on dates.  This era is remembered with the fondness of gentile society.  Frankly darlin’, they gave a damn.

Photo from Our Labor of Love

2012 Wedding Trend #6:  Going Green

Alaska is coming into the “Green”.  We are now able to recycle and support our environment in all sorts of ways.  How about your invitations?  THINK: Wood, recycled paper, & reused twine.  THINK, The Chocolate Lily (locally owned Alaskan company).  Seriously, as Kathryn, from The Chocolate Lily, states, “Invitations are your guests’ very first impression of your wedding.”  Don’t disappoint your guests with a cheap emailed or generic invitation.  Pair it with the real thing.  Whether you make your own or have someone design your invites, your first impression can easily be made using environmentally friendly products.

Photo courtesy of The Chocolate Lily

Wedding Guide Alaska has chosen a few of our favorite things ‘coming out’ in the 2012 wedding season.  Are you looking for a specific type of wedding vendor or how to plan your wedding DIY-style?  Then you must do yourself the favor of becoming interested in this: (event limited to a specific attendance, so sign up & secure your spot today!)

Wedding Guide Alaska understands how much work is involved in planning even the simplest of wedding ceremonies & receptions.  On Sunday, February 19, 2012, from 10:30am-4:30pm, Wedding Guide Alaska, at the Dimond Center (2nd Floor, old library space), will help you begin, or continue, your journey by presenting Brides with a practical and beautiful Bridal Workshop covering every aspect of wedding planning, from your engagement through your honeymoon, in-style & without the chaos & stress!  With the help of local Alaskan wedding professionals, WGA will guide Brides effortlessly through the barrage of industry information to what truly matters when planning a wedding: YOUR PERFECT DREAM-COME-TRUE WEDDING!!

Register Now!!

Mark your calendar & REGISTER NOW for the early VIB (Very Important Bride) special rate for the 2012 Pink Champagne & Ice Bridal Workshop & Expo.  Only a limited number will be accepted for the Workshop & Expo.  Want more DETAILS??

15% off the Russian River Room Honeymoon Suite at Alaska Heavenly Lodge…this is a killer deal, but hurry-and don’t forget to mention WGA!  Dates are filling up quick!

Have you considered the gift of relief??  Take some of the financial strain off a Bride by buying her her Bridal Makeup Session at Cor Cosmetics!

What’s more visually pleasing than walking down the isle to beautiful harp music? Mentioning WGA when booking with Harp by Skookums gets you a perfect 10% off your booking!

And here are WGA’s other last minute gift picks…

Do you have a wish list yet?  What about a list of the gifts for your family and friends?  WGA is here to help with our top three (3) time & money saving gifts in our Gift Guide e-Newsletter edition (with a wedding spin!).  Do you know anyone getting married, or are you?  Check out our list:

#1 BEST WGA Gift Guide Pick: Alaska Wedding Workbook 

Price:  $25 (normally $44.95)
Gift To:  Bride, Bride’s Mother, Maid of Honor
Why Such a Great Gift:  Do the phrases Bridal Bible and A Bride’s Best Friend come to mind?  If not, then the price alone makes this gift our top pick.  Of course we LOVE this Workbook, but for real, with over 150 worksheets, including a budget, and a time line, this Workbook will vastly improve a Bride’s wedding planning experience for a fraction of the cost of a wedding planner!  (WGA does NOT discourage the use of a wedding planner; the Workbook is amazing on it’s own or with a planner’s/consultant’s expertise).

#2 WGA Gift Guide Pick: Gift Cards or Certificates 

Price:  Your choice and budget.
Gift To: Bride, Groom, Bride’s/Groom’s Mother and Father
Why Such a Great Gift:  Gift Cards are giving directed cash.  Think of it this way: as a friend or family member, you KNOW the Bride needs a variety of items for her wedding & part of planning is paying for those items, so why not relieve some of the financial burden?  Brides are picky, so point her in the right direction with your thoughtful gift and give her the ability to choose.  Here are a few ideas for gift cards/certificates:

i.  Cake/Dessert (i.e., Superstar Pastry Design, Cakes By Jeryll, Sakari Delights)
ii.  Engagement and/or Wedding Prints: Photography (i.e., Vanessa Powell, Nathaniel Wilder)
iii. Venues (i.e., Bayshore Clubhouse, Alaska Heavenly Lodge)
iv.  Honeymoon Extras (i.e., spa, dinner)
v.   Groomsmen and/or Bride’s Maid gifts (i.e., Rocky Mt. Chocolate, Soap Dish Diva – both located in the Dimond Center)
vi.  Save-the-Dates/Invitations/Thank You Cards (i.e., The Chocolate Lily)

#3 WGA Gift Guide Pick: Gifts for Him!

Price:  $20-$150
Gift To: Groom, Bride’s/Groom’s Father, Grooms Men
What to Gift:  The men in our lives need to know they matter as well.  Make them happy by giving gifts they will treasure, such as a Beer of the Month membership, a personalized flask, or an amazing tool set.  Need more ideas?  Check out this Top 10 Gifts for Him.

Wedding Guide Alaska is also proud to be starting our 7th year in Alaska (just wait till our 10 year…PARTY!)!  We have been blessed to work with the best of the best in Alaska’s wedding industry and are looking forward to continued success and relationships within the community!  We are also in the process of updating our Alaska Wedding Workbook, to be published in January.  If you’re a wedding professional, make sure to give your company the most you’re signed up with Alaska’s #1 online wedding resource!

Look Forward To:

Cake, cake, & more CAKE!!  Watch as bakers extraordinaire work away, creating tasty masterpieces that you will have opportunity to cast a People’s Choice Award vote for, as well as savor after the Challenge!  Plus, the Expo gives you the ability to take advantage of the gathered wedding professionals so you can ask all your wedding planning questions.  Remember to chat with Wedding Guide Alaska about all your wedding planning needs.

Wedding Guide Alaska will be located in the Cake Challenge room and have an Expo-ONLY price available for the Alaska Wedding Workbook, aka a Bride’s Best Friend, aka the Bridal Bible ($20, normally $44.95).  Also, make sure to enter our Champagne Drawing to win the GRAND PRIZE!!  Wish you could have more than one entry in our Champagne Drawing?  Pre-register by emailing your name, phone number, & wedding date HERE.

Make your dreams come true on your wedding day!

Wedding cakes are setting the stage for 2012 in all shades of pinks, yellows, and neutral colors.

Amazing floral arrangements are a must for the 2012 wedding season. Vibrant and fresh is the order of the day!

Not only vibrant colors, but candy and sushi bars are making a comeback.

2012 Honeymoons
Forget the same old destinations! No more generic all-inclusive resorts for couples getting married in 2012. Today’s newlyweds are saving up and heading to distant exotic locales. Bali, Morocco, and Nepal will start to win out over traditional places like Jamaica and Mexico. Adventurous couples will be doing more than just lying on the beach – we’re seeing 2012 couples register for outgoing activities, such as kite surfing, scuba diving, horseback riding, and more!

What are your 2012 wedding favorites?

Photo Courtesy of Cody Swanson

Your wedding day should be as stress free as possible.  You don’t want to wonder when your event designer, florist, or caterer is going to show up.  Make sure to connect with all your vendors one to three weeks prior to your wedding to set out the specifics.  Then RECORD the details in your wedding workbook and merely flip to the correct section for your answers and to feel the peace of being in the know.

Making an appointment doesn’t necessarily mean that you actually have to meet up with a vendor.  A phone call and chat with the correct person will suffice in many instances!  Below is Wedding Guide Alaska‘s Essentials Checklist for final “meetings” with your vendors.

Three Weeks Prior

Confirm Final Measurements:

• Wedding dress & Bride’s Maids dresses
• Tailor or Rental shop for tuxes/suits for Groom & Groom’s Men

**Make sure you have applied for your Marriage License at the Department of Vital Statistics office.

Two Weeks Prior

• Cake artist
• Rehearsal Dinner Date & Time (contact restaurant or caterer)

**Make sure you have picked up your marriage license at the Department of Vital Statistics office.

One Week Prior

Final consultations with:

• Event Coordinator/Wedding Planner
• Caterer
• Floral Artist
• DJ/Musicians
• Photographer(s) (Discuss all the specifics on wedding photos that you want, poses, and all your expectations for your wedding day photo op.  Check out page 162 of your Alaska Wedding Workbook for a list of Photo Must Haves you may wish to be taken of your, your family, and your friends and guests.)
• Officiant
• Rentals (Pick-up/Drop-off dates & times)

Using the this checklist and delegating tasks to those helping plan your wedding will help your Big Day turn out beautifully with less anxiety and better memories!  Check out this week’s local e-Newsletter!

If you have checked out Wedding Guide Alaska’s Facebook page or follow us on Twitter, you already know that Wedding Guide Alaska is featuring a local Alaskan couple, Jonathan & Sara.   So before we get into Wedding Guide Alaska‘s favorite new trend, we just HAVE to tell you about Vanessa…

Wedding Guide Alaska loves a beautiful couple’s engagement photo shoot, but there comes a time when you just have to recognize that the photographer is phenomenal!  Jon & Sara’s engagement session with Vanessa Powell of A Thousand Words Photography absolutely proved this.  We just can’t rave enough about how incredible Vanessa’s work is, how much fun she is to be around, and the extreme talent that her photography boasts.  If you have never heard of Vanessa Powell, you truly won’t want to miss out on seeing her artistic flare, whether you are interested in wedding photography, family photos, event photography, or graduation pictures!  Click here to see her fabulous blog…

We are also in love with Alaska’s latest “Engagement Party” trend!  A local floral and event design studio, Works of Art Flowers, has already participated in two local, Alaskan engagement parties in the last month alone!  What does that say for Alaska?  Brides-to-Be need ideas for their engagement party and Wedding Guide Alaska is here to provide just that!!  Check out the details from Jon & Sara’s Engagement Party below ~

Details

Wedding Date: June 11, 2011
Engagement Party: May 15, 2011

The Engagement Party!

Design: Wedding Guide Alaska; Theme: Vintage-Glam; Colors: fuchsia, chartreuse, black, white, damask accents.
Venue: Bayshore Clubhouse
Photographer: Vanessa Powell, A Thousand Words Photography
Flowers: Works of Art Flowers
Cake (Cupcakes!): Cupcake Delight (flavors: chocolate mocha with fudge filling & lemon coconut with lemon curd filling)
DJ: David Brown, Peak Entertainment
Guest Entertainment~PHOTOBOOTH: Alaska Photobooth Company

The engagement party turned out beautifully!  Here are a few ideas for YOUR party details…

The best guestbook ever! Photo by Vanessa Powell.

Looking for more local Alaskan wedding and engagement ideas??  Check back on Wedding Guide Alaska‘s wedding, engagement, and favorite local Do-It-Yourself blog every week (and email me!)!

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