You fell in love with your dress, but something still seems to be missing. Don’t fret! Sometimes, making the dress feel perfect is as easy as finding the perfect belt or sash to add a little something special to your dream design.

Here are some of our favorite Etsy finds!

For a dainty choice, this beautiful thin bridal belt by DavieandChiyo is a perfect option.

With a Tiffany blue tint, this subtle belt by JVGEMS brings some extra color to your look.

With a beautiful mixture of pearls and diamonds, this belt by ExceptionalDesigns is the sparkle and bling that your dress needed.

For another great pearl and diamond design, Wonderfulbride created a beautiful patterned belt.

This gorgeous belt designed by ABitofLoveWedding is perfect for a bohemian wedding.

We can’t take our eyes off of this royal design by DavieandChiyo. The romantic beading detail is all too stunning!

To add a splash of color, this gemstone design by LindsayMarieBridal is exactly what your look needs.

Silk sashes are always a great choice. We love this classic and timeless design by walkinonair.

The nature-loving bride wont be able to say no to this leaf-patterned belt by DavieandChiyo

This vintage style by CloeNoel is stunning with its gold trimmings and diamond design.

*This post contains Etsy affiliate links

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When planning your wedding, make sure that it reflects your personality.  One of our favorite ways to do this is to incorporate personalized wedding jewelry.  Whether the jewelry is for yourself or your bridal party, it’s a great way to be able to look back on the joyous occasion.

Here are some of our favorite personalized  items from Etsy.

We love these colorful, thick bracelets by SweetAuburnStudio. The bright color and the gold go together perfectly.

What better way to personalize your bridesmaids jewelry than to incorporate their birthstones in these beautiful necklaces by IrinasGemsandStamps.

For a more classic and simple approach, we love these round pendant necklaces by MignonandMignon

Another great and simple design by MignonandMignon is this beautiful heart shaped initialed pendant in rose gold, silver, or yellow gold.

These golden bangles by THEmodernBAZAAR are perfect for your bridesmaids to wear on your wedding day, but will also work nicely worn more casually.

If you love the look of anything druzy, you’ll be sure to love these colorful options by IrinasGemsandStamps!

These strong brass necklaces by RiverValleyJewelry can come engraved with a beautiful personal message for any close friend or family member as a memory of the wedding day. 

Monograms are one of the biggest wedding and party trends, so we couldn’t resist these monogrammed necklaces by SarahTrumbauer.

Rose gold necklaces are always a classy option for bridal jewelry, but this beautiful necklace by SeaAndCake is one of a kind with its three personalized pendants.

Rose gold and pearls are an absolute match made in heaven, and this initialed necklace by SprigJewelry proves it.

Simple and elegant, these beautiful necklaces by FreshyFig allow you to engrave initials, names, or even a sweet saying for those you love.

For a bolder look, these engraved necklaces by LayeredAndLong are sure to be a show-stopper.

Finally, we couldn’t resist this dainty custom rose gold initialed necklace by CustomChic801. We love how sweet and simple this design is.

*This post contains Etsy affiliate links.

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Not wanting to deal with the pressures that come along with having a big wedding, Evan and Emma were originally planning on eloping without any guests, but ultimately the couple chose to include both sets of parents in their special day. Despite that fact that not all of their friends and family members understood their motivation and desire to have an intimate wedding, the newlyweds have zero regrets about their wedding day ceremony. To them, it was perfect and magical – a day they will never forget!

Special thanks to Monique Serra for sharing the photos from Evan and Emma’s gorgeous day with us!

Evan, 20 & Emma, 20

Location: Marcola, Oregon 

Wedding Date: May 6th, 2016 

Number of Guests: 4

Wedding Cost:  $3,500 for wedding dress, tux, pictures, and flowers 

Wedding Ceremony Location: Marcola, Oregon 

Wedding Reception Location: New Hope Ranch

Why did you have an intimate wedding? 

We chose to have a small, intimate wedding because we really wanted to focus on the commitment we were making to each other and not worry about the pressure that sometimes comes with a big wedding. 

What are some of the challenges that you faced planning an intimate wedding? 

I think our biggest challenge was deciding who to invite. Originally, it was just going to be Evan and I, but we decided to invite both sets of parents. Thankfully, the rest of our families were very supportive of our decision. 

Was it difficult to pare down the guest list? 

It wasn’t difficult to pare down the guest list because originally we weren’t going to have any guests anyway. 

Did you have any ‘issues’ with the small guest list from friends and family? If so, how did you address them? 

Our families and friends had different reactions. Some were surprised and didn’t completely understand, and some thought it was a great idea from the very beginning. In the end everyone was supportive and happy for us. 

What were the highlights of the ceremony? 

My favorite parts were the first look and when we exchanged our vows. They were both such special moments for me. 

What were the highlights of the reception? 

Our reception will be in August and everyone will be invited to that!

What was the best thing about having an intimate wedding? 

I think the best thing was that Evan and I could just focus on our vows and what we were promising to each other. We didn’t have to worry about anything at all. 

What advice do you have for couples who are considering an intimate wedding? 

My advice to couples would be to tailor their wedding to exactly what they want and what they’re comfortable with. Not everyone understood why Evan and I wanted an intimate ceremony, but it was what we wanted and were comfortable with. In the end, it was the perfect day and I’ll never forget it!

Vendors:

Florals: Good Seed Floral 

Photography: Monique Serra Photography 

Venue: New Hope Ranch

Dress: The White Dress, Portland, Oregon

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Max and Elizabeth wanted to avoid the drama that can sometimes go hand in hand with a large wedding, but that doesn’t mean they wanted a bare-bones elopement either. The couple chose Paris as their destination of choice and brought a healthy dose of glamor and style to their early morning photo session (complete with chauffeured vintage Rolls Royce!) and elopement ceremony overlooking the Eiffel Tower. After all, it doesn’t get much more romantic or more glamorous than the City of Love itself, now does it!?

Special thanks to Brian Wright for capturing all the lovely moments and memories of Max and Elizabeth’s big day, and for sharing them with us today!

Elizabeth, 25 & Max, 28

Location: Paris, France

Wedding Date: April 21, 2016

Number of Guests: 0, unless you count the lovely tourists and locals who gathered a few hundred feet away from our ceremony location and cheered and clapped when we had our first kiss! 

Wedding Cost: $9,000.00 total; Dress from Allure Bridal – $1,800.00; Suit from Joseph Abboud – $500.00; Plane Tickets – $2,600.00; Wedding Expenses – $3,000.00; AirBNB – $900.00

Wedding Ceremony Location: Pont de Bir-Hakeim Bridge (overlooking the Eiffel Tower and the Seine River)

Wedding Reception Location:  After our wedding ceremony we went back to our AirBNB, took some pictures of our own, cut our wedding cake, danced to “la via en rose” by Louis Armstrong, and toasted to a happy marriage with authentic French Champagne. A few months later, on June 18, 2016 our family threw us a small elopement party that we affectionately dubbed our “I DO BBQ.” At our party we were able to celebrate with our family and close friends, cut a cake, and eat some great southern barbeque (we live in North Carolina, Eastern Style BBQ all the way!).

Why did you have an intimate wedding?

The idea of a large wedding felt more like a show than a celebration for Max and I. Plus, we did not want to deal with any of the drama that a wedding can sometimes bring. We always wanted to travel and see the world. We considered tropical places, and local places, but finally narrowed it down to the most romantic city in the world – Paris, France – and it was the best decision we have ever made.

What are some of the challenges that you faced planning an intimate wedding?

The biggest challenges were mostly in the form of my own emotions, which I feel like every bride considering an intimate wedding struggles with. Lots of questions crossed my mind – will my parents be upset? Will I regret my father not walking me down the aisle? Will people be upset/disappointed in us? Will we regret not having the traditional wedding day? I had to stop myself and remember that a wedding/marriage is not about other people, and even though a wedding does honor family, at the end of the day it is not about them either; it is about the bride and the groom. Once I realized this, I knew we had made the right decision. 

Also, I must note that our officiant/photographer are a husband and wife team that offer wedding packages in Paris, France and they made the entire process seamless!!! Their services included the photography, officiating, the flowers, and the driver. They also speak flawless English which is a blessing in any foreign country. They treated us as old friends and we now consider them as such. I can’t say enough wonderful things about them and their services. 

Was it difficult to pare down the guest list? 

No, choosing to marry each other across the pond made the process easy as we did not want anyone financially burdened by our decision.

Did you have any ‘issues’ with the small guest list from friends and family? If so, how did you address them?

Yes we did. Some family members did not understand why we would want to get married in Paris with no one around. Those who knew us well, however, knew how perfect a decision it was for us. No one actually said anything to us personally, so we didn’t really have to address it too much. We just stayed true to us! Once we received our photos, and family members saw how beautiful they were and how happy we were, there were no issues. Plus, we had the “I DO BBQ” to celebrate with family as well, which helped with any issues and allowed us to celebrate with everyone stress-free! 

What were the highlights of the ceremony?

Where do I even begin? Our wedding day started early as our makeup artist/hair stylist, Victoria Farr, arrived at our apartment flat in Paris at 5am. I will never forget watching the sunrise over the Paris rooftops as she transformed me into a bride. After getting a few bridal shots, we started our morning at the Notre Dame Cathedral. It was around 7am, the light was dreamy, and it felt as if we had rented the whole city of Paris just for ourselves as no one else was around all morning. It allowed us to capture so many lovely moments. We ended our morning with our lovely ceremony. Honestly, the best part of the ceremony was Kasia, our officiant, who created the most beautiful wedding vows that featured words that literally brought tears to our eyes and put laughter in our hearts. Another notable thing we remember were the sweet people of Paris, as tourists and local Parisians alike would see us and yell out congrats in all different languages, beep their horns, take pictures, and wave at us. We honestly felt like celebrities! 

What were the highlights of the reception?

Although we didn’t have a formal reception, the “I DO BBQ” that our family threw for us when we got back was amazing. It was laid-back and we had about 75 guests. We ate authentic southern BBQ under a large white tent on the family property, mingled, played lawn games, viewed all of our Parisian wedding photos, and when the sun went down we watched our wedding video on a projector in the field. It was a perfect addition to our lovely wedding in Paris and made us feel so loved.

What was the best thing about having an intimate wedding?

The best thing about it was that we were able to focus on just us. We wrote our own vows which made it so special and intimate. We were able to have a glamorous wedding for two at a third of what a large wedding for 100+ would be, plus we were able to travel and experience Europe as well (we were able to see England and Germany too while we were there!).

What advice do you have for couples who are considering an intimate wedding?

My best advice to any couple thinking of planning an intimate wedding, whether you are planning just the two of you or 50+ people is to always remember to stay true to you. Do not do something based on what other people would want; do what makes you happy and you will have NO regrets, trust me! Also, remember that having an intimate wedding doesn’t mean you can’t have the glamour of a bigger wedding. I still had my something new (my dress/shoes,) my something old/borrowed, (my grandmother’s fur coat that was given to her on her and my grandpa’s 3^rd wedding anniversary, and they have been married 50+ years), and my something blue (the pendant on my cameo pendant that my father bought for me at an antique shop while I was in college). Also, being chauffeured in a 1954 vintage Rolls Royce in a beautiful dress and suit in the most romantic city in the world, I’d say that is pretty glamorous! Remember your wedding day, and your marriage too, is all about you and your future husband. Congrats on the engagement and do what makes you happy always and forever! xoxo. 

Vendors:

Photographer: Brian Wright, French Grey Photography 

Officiant/Flowers: Kasia Wright, French Grey Events

Hair/Makeup: Victoria Farr

Videographer: Studio 80 

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Forget the days where brooches are just for your grandma! Brooches have made a big comeback – especially as a hair accessory. We’ve rounded up ten hair brooches that will having you singing their praises for your wedding day.

Replace a bulky hair clip with this simple nature-inspired hair brooch by RoslynHarrisDesigns.

This understated floral hair brooch by Elibre is the perfect delicate choice.

If gold is more your style, then you’ll fall in love with this golden branch brooch by luxebuffalo.

Less is more with this absolutely breath-taking four-leaf golden hair brooch by luxebuffalo.

Replace a tiara with a beautiful brooch-chain of flowers and petals designed by PowderBlueBijoux.

We are so in love with this gorgeous bohemian golden leaf piece by the talented EchoandLaurel!

We love the texture on this stunning feathered leaf brooch by PowderBlueBijoux.  

Flower hair brooches such as this one by PowderBlueBijoux are an easy way to add bohemian vibes to your look.

Lace and flowers from this beautiful piece are the way to go when it comes to choosing a PowderBlueBijoux design. 

Finally, sometimes you just have to go big or go home. If you’d rather go big, you’ll love this design by Rozenhandmade.

*This post contains Etsy affiliate links

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