Planning in Style

As a wedding and event planner, having a notebook and planner on hand at all times is an absolute must. When your day is filled with visiting different venues, meeting with a variety of vendors, and keeping track of your clients' needs, it is easy to forget a lot of what went on that day. Although we can't live without our notebooks and planners, sometimes that plain ole' yellow notepad and black leather planner clashes with our otherwise appointment-ready appearance.

So, how do we solve this fashion dilemma? We take it to Maybooks.

This amazing website allows you to custom make your own "book". All you have to do is choose your favorite pattern from a plethora of swatches, add a monogram or a name (choosing from different fonts, styles, and colors), choose what you want on the inside (maybe you want an agenda, calorie journal, lines, or just blank pages?), then you're able to preview your masterpiece!

Here are some of our favorites:

So many to choose from! Create your own at http://www.maybooks.com/

With Rain Comes Luck

Some say rain on your wedding day is good luck. As the Italians say, "Sposa Bagnata, Sposa Fortunata," which means "Wet Bride, Lucky Bride"! If you are planning to have your event outside or take photos outside, here are a few adorable accessories that you can have on hand if by chance the sky opens up!

That "something blue" accessory may be blue rainboots. Here's a playful look that will let your guests know that nothing can put a damper on your day:

It's all about the right attitude. Buy umbrellas that match your color palette, and see it as an opportunity for a playful photo shoot with your Bridesmaids!

Prepared in a Pinch!

Everyone has those, "I wish I had..." moments. You can never be too prepared! Pinch Provisions is  providing people with the ultimate survival kits for whatever life may throw our way. This online retail store carries every-day emergency kits for men, women, and college students, as well as event-day emergency kits for everyone in the wedding party. These make for a unique gift, they are reasonably priced, and they just might end up saving the day! One of our favorites is the "Wedding Day Survival Kit". This little kit includes 30 must-haves, such as a toothbrush, drinking straw, medicine, double-sided tape, deodorant, bobby pins, stain remover, and much more! In this case, you can say "I do" to disaster relief!

And The Best Dressed Award Goes To...

It's hard to believe that the Emmys have already flown by. Each year, we, like all other TV lovers, always look forward to watching the award show with all of our closest family and friends to see which of our favorite characters on our most cherished television shows have won that shiny, golden trophy that they truly deserve. BUT while this is just one of the reasons we watch the Emmys, another obvious reason is to gawk at all the beautiful, and well, not so beautiful, gowns that the celebrities have chosen to wear for that year. All of us at Belle of the Ball had different opinions on what gown truly stood out this year, so we thought it would be fun to share with you what each of our favorites were. Enjoy!

Natalie's Favorite:

Jessica Pare

in Jason Wu



Marissa's Favorite:

Lucy Liu

in Atelier Versace

Chelsea's Favorite:

Giuliana Rancic

in Romona Keveza

Mimi's Favorite:

Julie Bowen

in Monique Lhuillier

Christine's Favorite:

Ginnifer Goodwin

in Monique Lhuillier

Alia's Favorite:

Sofia Vergara

in Zuhair Murad

Valerie's Favorite:

Tina Fey

in Vivienne Westwood

So many unique dresses to choose from...what was your Emmy favorite?

Left Out Groomsmen

So we've told you about a great place to order bridesmaid dresses online, but what about a place like this for the groomsmen? Since we felt the guys shouldn't be left out on the special day, we took it upon ourselves to find a store where these lucky guys can order their ties online-quickly and easily. A website called bows-n-ties.com allows for the groom and his groomsmen to pick out the perfect tie, bow tie, and/or pocket square that will match the colors of the wedding and suite the groom's style. The groom can simply choose the wedding retailer he likes the most, view the fabric swatches inspired by these lines, pick the color he likes, and order the tie or bow tie of his choice. Another great addition to this website- if the groom (or, let's be honest, it's probably the bride doing the ordering) can't decide what color he likes, he can pick a few and send back the ones he doesn't want for a full refund. What a great idea. Check it out, and tell us what you think!

Here are some examples inspired by David's Bridal, J Crew, and Alfred Angelo! We love them all.

Cutie Pie Wedding Pies

Your wedding should be a reflection of you and your loves, including your favorite comfort food! Wedding Pies seem to be trending more and more as some brides opt to cut and serve a less traditional wedding dessert. Keep in mind, if you are serving your guests from a single large pie, you will want to choose a filling with thicker consistency so the pieces hold together. Fruit pie would be one of the more difficult options. Here are a few of the many adorable ideas for serving your guests this unique wedding treat individually.

Wedding Pie Pops


Individually Baked and Labeled with Flavor


Pie in a Jar

Rental Bridesmaids Dress...Tell Me More

We've heard of cheaper options for wedding gowns, such as renting them, but what about bridesmaid dresses? Never thought of it, huh? Well, a website we discovered called littleborroweddress.com may just be every bride and bridesmaid's dream come true. Not only does this website make it easier on the wallet for any bridesmaid or bride, but it also makes the stress a bit easier on the bridesmaid and bride as well.
There are a few easy steps when it comes to ordering a dress from this new and creative website. First, the bride must pick that perfect bridesmaid dress (or variety of dresses) that suites her wedding style, choosing from a large collection of chic dresses. If the bride wants, she is also able to see sample some colors in person (free fabric swatches are available through the website). After the dress order is complete, either done separately or all together, the dress is available to try on at their NYC showroom or can be delivered straight to the bridesmaid's door (with a second dress option, free of charge, in case the first one doesn't fit). Want the bridesmaids to try on the dresses all together? Little Borrowed Dress also offers trunk shows. All you have to do is simply go to the website to see if there is trunk show near you. Finally, if the dress is ordered for shipping, it arrives at the bridesmaid's doorstep 2 weeks before the wedding date. The website adds that the dress order should be placed at least 3 months prior to the wedding in order to ensure that the dress is available. After the dress is worn, the website makes it easy for the bridesmaid to return by supplying her with a prepaid shipping label and by doing all the cleaning themselves. Return the dress the Monday after the wedding, and you're golden.
Oh and don't worry, if the bridesmaid wants to keep her dress forever, the website also sells their dresses too.
Check out some of their beautiful dresses:

The website has so many colors and options to choose from! You have to check it out for yourself.

Let's "Celebrate" Pippa's New Book!

Pippa Middleton will release her first book this October titled "Celebrate: A Year of Festivities for Families and Friends". By the looks of the cover, which was recently revealed, the 400 page book will detail cute crafts, entertainment guides, delicious meals and sweets, and personal experiences from Pippa herself. Party Planning is the Middleton's family business so readers are sure to enjoy the ideas and insight offered up by one of Britain's most famous!
Look for Pippa's book in stores October 30!

Special Delivery!

When it comes to choosing that special wedding invitation for your big day it is important to customize it to your liking- complete with all the necessary little touches. Whether it means adding a touch of color, a delicate ribbon, or an elegant font, your invitation will always be molded to fit your personality. Even though these are all important details to personalizing your wedding invitations, what about going a step above the rest and personalizing your stamp? Zazzle.com shows us some creative postage for your wedding invitation, save-the-date invite, or even your bridal shower. All you have to do it click on the stamp you like, pick your personalized details, the quantity you would like, and voila- you're ready to order!

 These bridal stamps are perfect for luncheons and showers!



We love these for Save-the-Dates!

Shark Week!

We love shark week! It is a great week on Discovery Channel dedicated to sharks! We don't love the feeling it gives us when we swim in the ocean, but other than that, it is pretty entertaining! Here are some fun shark week ideas...

Delicious Shark Week Treats!

Happy Shark Week!!

Put a twist on your dessert!

Not into the traditional wedding cake?  Spice up your wedding cake alternative with one of these ideas!

Dessert Shots!

Any dessert from key lime pie to cheesecake can be turned into a dessert shot!

Assortment of Pies!

This is perfect for any season - possibly an assortment of fruit (think peach or berry) pies in the summers with "heavier" (think Pumpkin, Pecan, all the Thanksgiving favorites) flavors for the winter!

Cupcake Tower!

A Cupcake tower is a great susbtitute for a wedding cake...and makes it easy for your guests to eat! You can even top the cupcake's off with the bride and groom's monogram!

So Polished!

Summertime calls for flip flops and open toed shoes! Why not have some fun with funky nail designs? A fun manicure or pedicure can catapult any outfit to new levels! It's summertime, sass up those nails!

Photos from Maggie's Pinterest