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Showers & Events:

Macy’s $250 Giveaway

Happy Tuesday, darlings!

Today, I’m so so so so excited to be offering one of our best giveaways we’ve EVER had! In partnership with our sponsor, Macy’s, we are giving away one of our readers a $250 gift card to Macy’s. That’s like almost an entire Kitchen Aid mixer. Or a rad summer bridesmaid dress (someone PLEASE pick this for their bridesmaids). Or a gorg necklace. Or wedding make up (this one is a MUST HAVE for every woman!). Or polka dot silverware (I love you, Kate Spade). Which is why Macy’s is so great…so many options.

macys wedding shop giveaway

It’s super easy to enter for the giveaway! Just leave a comment and tell me what you’d LOVE to get with your Macy’s gift card.

To be entered a second time, you can tweet something that includes #macysregistry and @GreyLikes. Maybe even tweet a link to what you MUST HAVE. We just want to know what you love, and what you’d want to get with a Macy’s gift card. Easy as pie, right? So, go shopping, ladies! Will announce our winner next week, so really, be absolutely sure you check in!

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Registry Dreams at Macy’s

If you are anywhere within the range of your twenties or thirties, then I know you’ve spent at least one or two summers with a calendar full of weddings to attend. That means, as a bridesmaid, friend, sister, or guest, you’ve had plenty of run-ins with the registry process. Until you are a bride though, not much thought may have gone into the registry process. I thought today, I’d share with you a few things I’ve learned about choosing the right place for your registry.

First up, a couple of issues that gals run into but don’t realize until it’s too late: choosing to set up your registry with certain companies that focus on seasonal items can be really problematic because if you register up to six months in advance (giving your guests time to purchase gifts for showers and events) it’s very likely that the seasonal items you’ve chosen will no longer be available by the time your wedding comes around. Frustrating returns and limited selection/quality can also be an issue.

Macy’s is one of our newest sponsors, and in the process of getting to know a little about their registry program, I’ve learned quite a bit why even more so, Macy’s is a rad option. First though, I thought I’d do a little shopping on their website. I was in a bridal mood, so here are a few finds that would be on my registry list (including some enviable Kate Spade china and the Kitchen Aid mixer I’ve been waiting the last ten years for):

Macys registry dream picks

One of the best parts about Macy’s is their rewards program which allows you to earn 10% credit back toward any Macy’s purchase if you enroll. What’s even better is that if you are registered with them, anything guests purchase counts toward those reward dollars. Um…so you get extra money to spend just by choosing them? Killer. And those rewards go for anything else you purchase during the wedding planning–mom’s mother-of-the-bride dress, wedding make-up, lingerie, you name it.

Macy’s doesn’t focus on continually rotating seasonal items, so you can register far in advance without worrying your faves will get discontinued. Also, you get up to 90 days after your wedding to get an extra 10% off any item from your registry that isn’t purchased for your wedding and their return process is really easy. Your guests will also appreciate a store like Macy’s because there are so many available locations.

So, my question to you gals is this: did you think much about your registry before selecting your stores? Where you happy with your choices? I’d love for you gals to chime in and tell me about your registry experience. And get excited, because next week, we’re doing a giveaway from Macy’s that I KNOW you are going to LOVE!

Planning Tools:

Trimming Your Guest List

Happy Thursday, lovelies! Today, we’re back with another episode of Suddenly Inspired, brought to you by the ever so lovely Lindye Galloway. This particular issue is near and dear to my heart. Back in my college days, when I imagined planning a wedding, the guest list I always pictured was HUGE. It seemed necessary for me to invite all the people that were even remotely part of my life. As my twenties flew by, my longstanding friends stuck around while nature took its course on many other peripheral relationships. It seems, that depending upon the life stage you’re at when you get married, it makes a big difference on the number of people you feel obligated to invite to your wedding. My number one piece of advice I’d give to any bride though, is never to invite out of obligation. Creating a guest list shouldn’t feel like the final episode of survivor, but it also shouldn’t feel like all of a sudden, every person that knows your name has earned a free ticket to one of the most significant days of your life. Remember to trim away…the fewer the people, the more you’ll be able to remember the individuals that do come to your wedding. The added bonus is that your budget will thank you. Check out what Lindye has to say about keeping that list as trim as you can manage.

 

Suddenly Inspired || Trimming Your Guest List from Lindye Galloway on Vimeo.

Planning Tools:

One True Love Vintage Rentals

Happy Monday! Before we get started with our week, I thought I’d give you a quick update on Grey Likes. With so many new readers, we’ve outgrown our server. Some of you may have noticed really slow load times. We took some time to optimize our site but finally realized it was time to move servers. That means a bit of a process, which we completed last week. However, there have a been a few hiccups! Posts went missing last week and we’re having a few email issues. Also, our site was down earlier this morning, but it seems we’re back up and running! Thanks for hanging in there with us…the goal is to make all this lovely, daily inspiration easy to access. Hopefully we’re over the hump, and everything should go swimmingly from now on! That said, it is a great opportunity to take a pause, and allow me to thank each of you for being with us from the beginning. Tiny little Grey Likes has grown by leaps and bounds…all because of such lovely and engaged readers! Thank you for making us a part of your daily routine–whether it be over your cup of morning coffee, during monotonous lulls in the workday, during commercial breaks while you watch “Dancing with the Stars”, or at any other point that you come for a visit and jolt of inspiration. Grey Likes each of you, dearly! I’m very much looking forward to all the growth that is in store for this year. There’s lots around the corner, so get excited!

And now on with today’s special post. I thought I’d start this week by sharing with you a sneak peek at one of our Grey Likes Vendors.

Meet Amanda of One True Love Vintage Rentals!

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Amanda is a collector. She is inspired by the unique qualities of flea market finds, which always add a touch of whimsy and character to weddings and events. Amanda recently went on a “hunt” with the gals from The Collection Event Studio (wine country event designers–who our Shoot This Not That attendees will get to meet–but more on that later!). I thought you might enjoy a few images the shot together while scouring the San Francisco flea markets.

If you are a bride getting married anywhere near San Francisco, Napa, Sonoma or the like, One True Love Vintage Rentals is a wonderful resource! Amanda is always on the hunt for new inventory and even takes on custom searches to help you achieve whatever vision you may have in mind!

If you love the idea of incorporating found pieces into your wedding, but can’t wrap your brain or schedule around the hunt that is involved, using a vintage rental resource is the perfect solution. Plus, renting means you aren’t stuck with boxes of items to store or sell after your wedding day.

I think when it comes to vintage items, we’re starting to see the trend move away from overt vintage props thrown up all over the place. However, I’m always a believer that antique wares will never go out of style. It’s just the way in which we use them that will continually change and breathe new life into these well-worn objects. I think we’ll start seeing more brides mix and match styles, utilizing vintage pieces along with cleaner more modern elements to create a lovely, unexpected juxtaposition. There’s nothing more welcoming than antique pieces, so it’s just a matter of reinventing the approach and use. Below are a few more goodies from Amanda’s current collection:

If you’d like to read more about Amanda, you can check out her Flea Market Style Interview over on The Collection Event Studio Blog! Special thanks to the gals at The Collection Event Studio for the use of these photos. Images of the flea were taken by MEF Photography & Elizabeth Nunge. Images of the One True Love Vintage Rental collection are by Ellie Grover, Lori Paladino & Rebecca Gosselin).

*One True Love Vintage Rentals is a sponsor of Grey Likes Weddings.

Planning Tools:

Coordinator Confab Scholarship Giveaway

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Today I have something really exciting to announce for those of you gals who are seriously interested in becoming a wedding coordinator. Jeannie Savage of Details Details is launching Coordinator Confab–and interactive seminar geared at helping coordinators reach their full potential. So first off, check out some of Jeannie’s impressive work.

Here’s more info about what you can expect from the experience:

Coordinator Confab is an interactive 2-day seminar designed to educate aspiring and Novice Wedding Planners, Coordinators, and Designers. This seminar is also ideal for those serious Wedding Planners who have creative design capabilities but have not received hands on comprehensive training in relation to event execution.

Our seminar will cover the fundamentals of Wedding Day Coordination as well detailed instruction on how to properly execute a wedding from beginning to end, including understanding BEO’s, reviewing vendor contracts, and properly drafting an extensive minute- by- minute timeline. We believe that extensive timeline preparation and communication with all vendors prior to the event date is the key ingredient to executing a flawless event. In addition, we will run through the specifics on conducting a rehearsal, orchestrating the entire wedding day, how to train your own wedding day assistants, and many tips in between. Do you know how to tie a bow tie or handle a French bustle with confidence?

The information will be presented in a fast-paced, fun, classroom atmosphere where attendees will have the opportunity to learn invaluable information about branding, marketing and legal issues from Southern California’s top industry professionals whose expertise has been sought out both locally and internationally.

The wedding business is an extremely competitive industry, and it is very common to seek the advice of seasoned planners and be turned down simply because one is looked upon as the “competition”. Some then turn to enrolling in online wedding planning courses or join local associations that may only leave them with outdated materials and books that they never look at again.

Details Details is an event planning company who has a successful track record and reputation in the industry, and is willing to share our “secrets to success”. This seminar we will open the doors of communication between the Novice Wedding Coordinator and the Details Details Event Planning Team, giving everyone the chance to learn from real people and conquer the key essentials of wedding coordination.

So, if you are as excited as I am about the Coordinator Confab, then I know you are even more excited about the chance to earn a tuition reimbursement. All you need to do to be considered is visit the Coordinator Confab website, register by May 15th, and send in your questionnaire by June 1st. We’ll announce the winner on June 10th. I know there are so many gals interested in breaking in to the wedding coordinator industry, so this is the perfect chance to learn from the best!

Coordinator Confab will take place on June 27th and 28th at the SLS Hotel in Beverly Hills. Um…I already want to go!