Amoré by Brittany Nutt

AmorĂ&#x2030; Fall 2014

Trash the Dress The latest photography trend

BOUQUETS Find the perfect flowers for your seasonal wedding

BRIDESMAIDS Their true role

AmorÉ

What’s Inside

Fall 2014

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cover On the Cover: Model is wearing a Lazaro gown on Siesta Beach

Departments 2 3 16

Features 4

Want to take part in the latest photography trend? by Michael Rowney

Editor’s Letter Boquets

The perfect flowers for your seasonal wedding

Gifts

The perfect gifts for your bridal party

Trash the Dress

10 Instagram-Worthy Beach Honeymoons Will these be one of the places you decide to go for your honeymoon by Amy Levin-Epstein

A Professional Bridesmaid The True Role of your bridesmaids by Jenn Taylor

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Editor’s Letter

Photo: Jeff Cooke

here is nothing better than picking up your first bridal magazine after the big question was asked. We know you are worrying about what dress you should wear, your color scheme, and what flowers will work for the season. Well, Amoré is here to help. We cover all the major areas of planning a wedding. We show you the latest photography fads, the right flowers for the season of your wedding. Also, we have a little something for the man in your life as well. We have the latest designers for the tuxedos your hubby might possibly wear. We at Amoré want to make this an enjoyable experience for the both of you. The female should not do it all by herself you know. Have questions? Do not be adraid to write to us through our website or send in a letter, we are here to help! This magazine is quarterly magazine, so it hits stands at the beginning of every season. Make sure you get your copy. OH! Want to be featured in our magazine? Be sure to send us pictures of you and your wedding for you could possibly be in our nex issue. So, grab your girlfriends and start planning the wedding of your dreams.

Brittany Nutt Editor-In-Cheif

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Bouquets The perfect flowers for your seasonal wedding

Peonies Peonies are among the most adorable, elegant and feminine types of flowers that are available out there for wedding flower arrangements and we always recommend them to both modern and classic brides who are planning a more natural yet chic look. Compared to other types of flowers that are usually used in bridal bouquets – such as roses, tulips or carnations and calla lilies, peonies are definitely among the most natural looking and sublime types of blooms that one could choose for her bouquet. Peonies are among the most fascinating types of perfumed wedding flowers that we recommend to brides each time we have the occasion. Photo: Opalia Flowers

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You know you’re in love when you can’t fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams.

Photo: Jessica Schmitt

– Dr. Seuss

Spider Mums

Calla Lilies

The spider mums are among the most interesting, eye-catchy and unusual types of flowers that are available out there for wedding bouquets and décor arrangements. We recommend them to all brides who are planning a wild, unusual and totally original type of wedding. These gorgeous pungent-like blooms can make fabulous choices for all modern brides who are interested in obtaining a distinctive type of look for the wedding day. They can work perfectly for both bridal bouquets and wedding table arrangements because of their versatile appearance.

Red calla lilies are not that often seen in the choices of bridal bouquets but when they belong there, they turn the aspect of a bouquet in a majestic and one-of-a-kind way to look at it. Moreover, if a bride chooses to make a red calla lilies and flowers wedding bouquet to be the one to decorate her overall look, then she should be sure of the stunning effect she might have on her audience the moment she starts walking down the aisle. Figure out what colors complement the best the red color, then you will be ready to make red calla lilies and flowers wedding bouquet that will confer a unique and astounding look of your appearance at the end of the aisle in the most important day of your life. Photo: Jessica Schmitt FALL 2014 AmorÉ

TRASH the Dress

The newest trend in wedding photography

By Michael Rowney

he picture-perfect day is over, but brides are putting on their wedding dresses once more to have a little fun in front of a camera with a post-nupital Trash the Dress photo shoot. We’ve seen newlyweds jumping off cliffs, climbing trees, dousing themselves with paint — even parasailing. And with the most recent controversy over the bride who set her dress on fire to get a dramatic photo, it seems to be a trend that’s spreading like wildfire.

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Photo: Sacha Blue Jake is stationed with the Coast Guard in Hawaii, so this Chicago-based couple returned to Magic Island in Honolulu for a romantic, underwater photo session to portray their time there.

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Photo: Savvy Deets

Megan’s Trash the Dress photoshoot at a waterfall in the North Georgia National Forest two days after their wedding.

bride in a beautiful white wedding dress stands by a large hole several hundred yards into the jungles of Mexico. Followed by her immaculately clothed groom, she descends a ladder into the darkness, eventually entering the waist-high water on the floor of a Cenote cave. Flying bats veer crazily by her face, causing her to shriek, as she and her groom make their way toward a sort of island in the middle of a cavern, her dress dragging in the water. As they reach their goal, they step into a beam of light from the cave roof, and then strobes pop as photographers begin snapping pictures while the bats continue to swoop around them. The result: Stunning, otherworldly photos unlike any of the shots produced at their wedding two days earlier; photos that express the couple’s personalities through a setting that may have been inconceivable in the past. And yet it works; the bride and groom’s love and dedication starkly highlighted and amplified in a mind-blowing, once-in-a-lifetime scene. The wedding dress may have gotten a little…um, trashed, but it was well worth it. After all, these moments will last forever through the photos. Brides and grooms want awesome imagery from their wedding, period. They want the unscripted moments captured, but they also want a photographer that can get very creative during a portrait session. That’s why couples everywhere are donning their wedding finery and not only descending into caves, but plunging into breakers, walking through abandoned amusement parks, wandering through cornfields, wading into forest streams and chasing other wild pursuits in an increasingly popular ritual and edgy extension of wedding photojournalism called Trash the Dress (TTD).

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More couples these days are favoring the un-styled, unplanned moments of the wedding rather than the prescribed agenda of highly organized groups of people staring at the camera. Members of the WPJA already are masters of capturing real moments (check out our contest winning images), so why not this? WPJA award-winners Sol Tamargo and Matt Adcock happen to be at the center of the TTD movement, and are among its foremost practitioners. As a married couple who often work together on TTD sessions, they have no shortage of enthusiastic newlyweds anxious to experience this ritual, with the number of interested people growing by the week. “It’s really getting popular,” says Matt, who with Sol and their associate photographers at Del Sol Photography shoot more than 100 weddings each year. “Last year we shot 22 TTD sessions, and at this point now we’ve already shot 30 and change, and we’ll still do 8 to 10 more. We’ve had 89 inquiries for the month of July, and at least half of them are interested in TTD.” It’s all perpetuated through online forums – the brides talking about it – helped along by session videos that Sol, Matt and other wedding photojournalists put on their sites. Drawing on this experience, Sol and Matt will be serving as judges in the first-ever WPJA Trash the Dress contest, open to WPJA members and any TTD image created prior to 2008.

REJECTING TRADITION:EMBRACING THE NEW AND UNUSUAL So why all the interest in this unorthodox form of portraiture? Some photographers have become known for edgy, over-the-top Trash The Dress images. Sol and Matt, like most WPJA photog-

ENVIRONMENTAL PORTRAITURE AS PHOTOJOURNALISM Great environmental portraits are no more a fad or a trend than any great wedding photojournalism. As a former staff photojournalist for The Hartford Courant and freelancer for AP, The Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal, WPJA founder David Roberts estimates that 95 percent of his freelance photojournalism assignments were on-location portraits, as were at least a quarter of his daily assignments for The Hartford Courant. TTD is photojournalistic in that through this form of ex-

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pression brides and grooms are saying something about who they really are. Yet because this form of portraiture is so different, the media will often misinterpret and belittle the TTD approach, as if the only purpose was to destroy the wedding dress as some sort of narcissistic gag. “I’ve seen some really bad TV interviews where they were treating this as a joke,” says Matt. “They make it look cheesy and artless.” In fact, this rising form of expression is following a well-trod path of both wedding and news photojournalism – putting the subject in a location that adds context and meaning to who they are. “It’s brides being themselves,” Matt says, “expressing how crazy or free or how removed they are from their parents’ photographs.” TTD sessions usually happen one or two days after the wedding, providing the luxury of an open schedule for capturing great imagery. “I love doing them because it gives you the freedom and the time to take amazing, creative portraits at a location that can’t happen on the wedding day,” Sol says. “Then you’re running against the clock. There’s not much time to shoot the bride, and after the ceremony you have to cover the reception, with not much opportunity in-between to think about going to another amazing place. With TTD you have all of the time and freedom to do all kinds of different stuff. It’s just a happy moment for the bride and groom and free rein for us to do whatever we want.”

GETTING CREATIVE : THE MANY LEVELS OF TTD Matt notes that his and Sol’s clients are ready and willing to do just about anything, one client even writing to offer herself up as a Guinea Pig. “They see the option of no limits, and they think it’s so creative. So they’ll say ‘Please tell me to do anything you want and I’ll do it.’ The possibilities are limitless.” Yet some brides may not want to totally trash their dress

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raphers who offer TTD photo sessions, don’t subscribe to any single definition. They prefer to shoot in a way that showcases the love surrounding the couple, yet they most definitely see the growing TTD trend as anti-traditional, a rejection of what has come before. “Our brides are not only seeking out photos that are creative, artistic or fun,” Matt explains. “They have this stigma that is attached to their parents’ wedding photos – the setting up of the shots, the perfect dress and so forth. They dream about how horrible it would be for that to happen to them. So anything that jumps away from that makes life way happier for these brides. They’re trying to escape that traditional world of the wedding photographer making sure your dress is perfectly clean or spaced out uniformly over the ground.” The growing trend in destination weddings is another factor that plays largely in the rising popularity of TTD. “Everyone just looks around and says ‘wow’ when they see the beautiful beaches, crystal clear water and exotic ruins,” Sol says. “Brides started realizing ‘hey, this is liberation.’ Everyone has a sense of adventure. So here comes an opportunity to book a session, climbing around on pyramids or swimming in a cave, and it’s available.

Everyone just looks around and says ‘wow’ when they see the beautiful beaches, crystal clear water and exotic ruins

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in water or mud, and there are in fact an unlimited number of ways to “step outside the box” with this kind of portraiture. Maybe the bride is only up for walking through fields, along railroad tracks or through abandoned buildings, all of which can work just as well. The risk to the dress is still there, of course, but real damage can be avoided. “It’s really difficult to define the levels,” Matt says. “What is really considered ‘trash the dress’? How about sitting on horseback? It that actually trash the dress? Yes it is, because a bride would not ordinarily ever get on a horse. We had a client who wanted to do a sailboat, so we rented one and went out. If they have something unique – something they’ve seen or have been inspired to do, we’ll do it.” Location, obviously, can really affect what kind of TTD session is possible, but any locale, from cities to cornfields,offer creative possibilities. “If you’re in a city you could go in a fountain, or perhaps shoot on a train track,” Matt offers, noting that one well-known photographer has even tied upa bride and put her on a railroad track. “So, you can go very dark or really artistic. In any case, the message being created, using creative light, should be about the love between the bride and groom, and that this dress is that it’s not going to be worn again.”

Gwen and Kyle’s photoshoot at Makalawena Beach in Kalaoa, Hawaii the day after the wedding. Photo: Savvy Deets

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The limit would be doing something that is not flattering to the bride

GOING TOO FAR?

There are really no limits to creativity when a photographer is working with clients that are willing to sacrifice the dress for the sake of making a killer image, but should there be? There are the personal safety issues that go hand-in-hand with dropping into a dank cave, wading in a river, climbing tall trees or swimming with wild animals in an ocean that could be hundreds of feet deep. “You put a bride in a wedding dress in the middle of the ocean, 100 feet deep, and who knows what might happen, so safety could be one of the limits,” Matt says, but there are no rules. For me, I don’t want there to be any limits or boundaries, because that’s the ultimate expression for this kind of session.” “In my particular case the limit would be doing something that is not flattering to the bride,” Sol adds. “Stay close to the meaning of ‘we are just married and we are starting a new life together.’ It depends on what your clients like to some extent, but they are choosing you because they are seeing in your portfolio what they want to have.”

tion, and the salty wind, is a beast. At night, the sea grape trees drip with moisture. Managing a big equipment load is a tax on the profits, for sure!” Sol also notes that customer comfort should be a top priority in getting memorable shots. “Consider the location to where you’re going and bring stuff that is going to help you or accommodate the bride and groom and make them feel better. If we’re shooting in a crazy place like the jungle, we bring mosquito repellent. You need to think about all of this.”z Yet ultimately, says Sol, TTD is about the emotions and love that are surrounding the sessions, not the dark side on which some photographers may focus in an effort to provoke. “I want to make the images look beautiful, happy and sexy. I prefer to shoot the beauty. Go for love and photograph that.”

RISK AND REWARD TTD also raises concerns about equipment. After all, you may be swimming underwater with lenses that cost $1,500, or with cameras that cost $3,000 to $4,000 and up. What happens if something breaks? Are you insured? What’s your liability? How you address those factors and the value of your own work depends on your region, location, and the demand for a session. “You’re going extreme, and putting yourself and your property in jeopardy,” says Sol. “Our location is torture on everything we have,” Matt adds. “The overspray that you get by the ocean at a nighttime recep-

Other ways to Trash the Dress • Have a paint fight • Roll around in the mud • Shower yourself in sparkle • Stand under a waterfall • Become a grease monkey • Unleash your inner fairy in the forest • Gallivant in the streets

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Photo: Marissa Elloise

Airplane view of Trunk Bay in the Vigin Islands.

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WORTHY BEACH HONEYMOONS Beach vacays are relaxing and sexy — qualities that make for an awesome postwedding trip. Check out these sunny, sandy spots we absolutely love in Mexico, the Caribbean and Florida By Amy Levin-Epstein

nce the wedding is over and the last guest has left, most couples look forward to their honeymoon — five days, a week, maybe more, of unwinding, relaxing and spending quality time together in an exotic spot somewhere around the world. Get ready, because our comprehensive list is going to kick your wanderlust into high gear. And if you and your fiancé can’t narrow it down to just one destination, no worries — that’s what anniversary trips are for!

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Photo: Jamie Hall A speedboat on the beach of Playa del Carmen

Grace Bay Providenciales, Turks and Caicos You know those crazy-beautiful beaches from your laptop’s background options, where the sky and water both blend into one unbelieveavky serene blue? The ones you didn’t believe existed? Well, prepare to become a believer. Grace Bay is 12 miles of that picture-perfect image. The island of Providenciales also has a golf course and a casino (just in case you need a break from the breathtaking beach). Bonus: It’s easy to get to — only three hours fron New York City (90 minutes from Miami). Where to Stay: The Grace Bay Club is pure luxury all the way. It consists entirely of oceanfront suites, and has canopied beach beds and an infinity pool overlooking the turquoise water. Have a drink at the Infiniti Bar, one of the longest bars in the Caribbean. Stretching out 90 feet, there’s plenty of room to grab a mojito or martini and try a dish off the menu of “small and sexy” bites, like chilled watermelon and goat chesse with a balsamic reduction (from $620, GraceBayResorts.com)

Shoal Bay East Anguilla

This two-mile section of Anguilla’s 16 miles of coastline has white sand so glittery it looks like millions of diamons glinting in the

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sun, but Anguilla itself isn’t flashy at all. While A-List celebs like Beyoncé and Jay Z have been spotted vactioning here, the scene is totally not a “scene” — no casinos, big chain restaurants or nightlife here. Don’t miss Gwen’s Reggae Bar & Grill, famous for its delicious ribs and strong rum punch (both make the hammocks in front of the joint the prime place after-lunch lounging. Where To Stay: If you’re looking for a serious low-key (and budget-friendly) stay in a truly unbelievable location right on Shoal Bay beach, Shoal Bay Villas is the perfect pick (from $230, SBVillas.ai). These apartments are the opposite of a mega-resort: simple rooms with fully equipped kitchens. So if your idea if a perfect honeymoon consits of drinking coffee with your toes in the sand in the morning and repeating witha chilled glass of wine at sunset, you’ll do just fine at Shoal Bay Villas

Playa Delfines Cancun, Mexico

While it’s located smack dab in the middle of Cancun’s Hotel Zone, there aren’t any resorts directly on Playa Delfines — meaning its blue-green waters and white sand are relatively quiet for the area, which is known to be party central whether or not it’s spring break. Where to Stay: When you think of Mexico, you might think of tequila, but the all-inclusive Secrets The Vine Cancun resort

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Happiness consists of living each day as if it were the first day of your honeymoon and the last day of your vacation

(just a couple of minutes away from Playa Delfines) is actually focused on wine. Even though it’s all-inclusive, they offer a worldclass wine list at every meal. Winophiles on vaction can take sommelierled classes or simply visit the Vine Bar and sample one of its 3,000 varietals (from $688 per couple, SecretsResort.com).

Playa Del Amor Cabo San Lucas, Mexico Cabo San Lucas is most known for its decadent nightlife, but it’s also popular for its stunning beaches — most of which make for insanely beautiful Instagram shots, but can be dangerous to swim in since the surf is rough. Lover’s Beach (aka Playa del Amor) has calm waters perfect for snorkeling and paddling around. It’s only accessible by water taxi and has no bothrooms or shops, so plan accordingly (read: make a restroom stop before you get on the water taxi, and don’t forget your sunscreen. Where to Stay Every single room at Esperanza Resort Cabo San Lucas offers an “OMG, is this real life?” ocean view, and the area has bragging rights to an average of 350 days of sunshine per year. Explore the lush 17-acre estate dramatically positioned between two bluffs, get a couple’s massage in a cabana right on the beach, try a cocktail-making or seafood-cooking class (and they enjoy creations you’ve concocted), or particpate ina tequila tasting led by a Master Tequilero (from $695, Esperanza.AubregeResorts.com)

coast of Australia — and a heck of a lot more affordable to get to.) These are just three great reasons to put Trunk Bay on your honeymoon short list. Where To Stay: Just a few minutes away from Trunk Bay, Caneel Bay resort is only accessible by boat or ferry and has been world-renowned since opening in 1956. It has a casual but elegant vibe, and you two can really disconnect from reality — there are no phones or TV’s. But don’t worry, there is Wi-Fi, so you’ll be able to upload your latest beach selfies to Instagram (from $459, CaneelBay.com)

Siesta Beach

Siesta Key, Florida Even on a typical blistering hot South Florida summer day, the sand on this particular beach feels super-soft and cool, because it’s 99 percent white quartz. Between the bright blue seas and sunsets so beautiful you’ll want to take ridiculous amount of pictures, Siesta Key feels more like a far-off tropical island than a relatively local (and inexpensive) destination. Where to Stay: The Capri at Siesta is a relaxed boutique hotel that has everything you need for a laid-back honeymoon in one of the absolute best locations on Siesta Key — namely, private beach access via a paved path and brand-new barbecue grills just for guests (from$169 for a junior suite, CapriInternational.com)

Trunk Bay

Barefoot Beach

Water the color of an amazing piece of turquoise jewelry. Powedery-soft sand. An underwater snorkeling trail chock-full of Technicolor coral and fish. (Seriously it’s some of the best snorkeling you can find this side of the Great Barrier Reef off the

Not all Florida beaches look like the über-developed ones you see in Miami. Barefoot Beach Preserve Park has 342 acres of pristine land, including a white-sand, shell-laden beachfront where you’re more likely to see nesting sea turles among the palm trees and

St. Johns, US Virgin Islands

North Naples, Florida

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A hotel on the beach in Grace Bay in Turks and Caicos.

lagoons than club-goers. It’s relatively quiet from April through October, before the white-haired snowbirds descend for the winter season. Where to Stay: Four cascading pools (in other words, mini-waterfalls) and a world-class spa and golf coursemay mean you’ll never want to leave LaPlaya Beach & Golf Resort, but you should — downtown Naples, with artsy boutiques, a bustling farmers market and eclectic restaurants, is just minutes away (from $239, LaPlayaResort.com)

will love the crystal-clear, warm turquoise water and its pristine white-sand beach. The charming thatched-roof villas of the onsite resort dot the coast, giving Galley Bay a bohemian feel. Where to Stay: The all-inclusive Galley Bay Resort is located on the sunset side of Antigua, so don’t forget to charge up your camera or smartphone. Add the honeymoon package ($830 per couple), which includes a champagne picnic on a secluded beach and in-room petals, candles, robes and a couple’s massage (from $940 per couple, GalleyBayResort.com)

Galley Bay Beach

Seven Mile Beach

Although it has some of the Caribbeans’s bes sunsets and is home to adorable sea turtles, Galley Bay largely remains a secret of the hotel’s guests — for now. Swimmers as well as snorkelers

Sure, it has the most beautiful coral Caribbean sand you won’t find anywhere else on this list. And the water is so clear you’ll be able to see the crazy rainbow of fish swimming around you and

St. John’s Parish, Antigua

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Grand Cayman

Photo: Paul Steele

your better half. But you’ll also find a surprisingly vast number of adventures to go on, from renting wave runners and parasailling to pick-up volleyball games with friendly locals. Where to Stay: The Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman has 800 employees serving just 365 guest rooms and suites — you’d be hard-pressed to find more attentive service in the Caribbean or anywhere else. The resort has a La Prairie Spa, a tennis center laid out by famed coach Nick Bollettieri and a Greg Norman-designed oceanfront golf course (from $359, RitzCarlton.com)

club scene (think: cool DJs, daybeds and dancing). And it’s only a short drive to one of the best golf courses in Mexico, El Camaleón at Mayakoba. Where To Stay: Every single one of the 41 villas at the Viceroy Rivera Maya comes with the classic ultra-luxe honeymoon feature — a private plunge pool. Take things up a notch with the Plunge Pool Turndown ($99). A concierge will completely customized your experience with aromatherapy, relaxing mood music and beverages (from $605, ViceroyHotelsandResorts.com).

North Playa Del Carmen Playa Del Carmen, Mexico

If a fun book and a delicious margarita can only hold your interest for so long, the north side of the beach adjacent to downtown Playa del Carmen is for you, with its Miamiesque lively beach

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Gifts LuluBean

The right gifts for your bridal party

Bags Whether it’s a tote, clutch, or a cosmetic case, bags make for great bridesmaid gifts. Not only can your closest girls look cute while carrying around their wedding day essentials, they can also use the bags after the “I do”s are done. Add a personal touch: Fill your bridesmaids’ bags with keepsakes like picture frames or a handwritten note. Also, with 21 must-haves including an emery board, earring backs, clear elastics, mending kit, and safety pins, Pinch Provisions kits can be great additions to any bridesmaid gift.

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HeritageWedding

– William Shakespeare

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Robes orNightshirt Nothing says “bridesmaid” quite like a beautiful robe or personalized nightshirt. What might have first seemed like just a fad has proven to be one of the trustiest and most luxurious of bridesmaid gifts.Not only are they great for wearing while getting hair and makeup done, but they also make for stunning pre-wedding pictures. If photojournalistic wedding photography is part of your plan, both matching and complementary mismatched robes and nightshirts are the way to go. used for décor even after the candle is gone – think vanity containers or countertop catchalls.

Jennifer Tuton

When I saw you I fell in love and you smiled because you knew.

Personalized Necklaces These Jennifer Tuton initial necklaces are stunning alone or when layered with other jewelry. The classic round gold discs and hand stamped lettering gives the necklaces a rustic vintage touch. Your bridesmaids will love the versatility and timelessness, plus they will always be reminded of you and your memories together when they wear it. Personalized gifts are perfect match each of your unique bridesmaids. Don’t forget your ABCs when gifting to the girls that helped make your special day.

A Professional Bridesmaid The true role of a bridesmaid Always a bridesmaid, never a bride — this is a saying i’m used to hearing. By the end of this year I will have been a brides made 7 times. I’m are honored each time you’ve been asked, shed some tears of joy and to be honest, a few tears of sadness as I lose your stand up paddle board budget….AGAIN. If you’re a first time bridesmaid, you may be surprised to find out that there is more to putting on your matching attire and waltzing down the isle.

Photo: Jenny Yoo

By Jenn Taylor

Brittany with her bridesmaids looking over the horizon watching the sunset.

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ou get to take part in some of the most important moments in your friends’ life. The moment they first tell you they’re engaged — that’s one of my favorites. The joy in their eyes and happiness is a moment I wish I could capture and carry around in my back pocket for a rainy day. Overall your job to help her through the stressful, potentially bridezilla-worthy moments, and help her realize that the ultimate reason she’s planning a wedding is for her marriage.

Be Realistic

If you don’t think you can fulfill your duties as a bridesmaid whether it be financially, work obligations or no spare time you have to be upfront with her from the start. There is nothing worse than a bride who can’t rely on her girls when she needs them. If you’re being asked to be bridesmaid , its a question that you can answer as you see fit for you as it’s far worse to accept and not come through.

Hello, Martha

Be ready to tap into your inner Martha Stewart as you (with the help of Pinterest) come up with color comRachel and her bridesmaids at the venue where she had her ceremony

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binations, décor ideas, floral options, etc. Coming up with budget savvy ways to create the overall look and feel of the wedding requires you to think outside the box and get to work. You may spend a weekend trying little bows on favor, gluing ribbon on centerpieces or sorting through candy to find the right color.

Little Black Dress

Finding her perfect dress will be a breeze compared to picking the bridesmaid dresses. You should know that even if you hate the dress, don’t voice it. This is one of the biggest rules as bridesmaid I will share with you. It’s like the bro-code for dudes. I don’t care if you look like your going to the Kentucky Derby with big ruffles or if you’re patterned like an Easter egg, you say “it’s great, it’s so different!” and be sure they’ll say “and you can totally wear it again”. I’ve been fortunate that the majority of my bridesmaid dresses have been pretty cute, but being the fashionista that I am, on a scale from 1-10 of wearing them again the chances are zero. That’s my decision though and shouldn’t ever be communicated to the bride, cause in her mind these are the best dresses anyone could buy. Remember that it’s her day to shine, not yours. She chose you to stand up beside her

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Remember that it’s her day to shine, not yours

because you support all of her choices in life and love, the limo door mid highway and decorate the pavement so support her dress choice too. (no, that did not happen to me — i’m a professional remember?) Be smart ladies, we’re not in high school anymore.

Boozy Suzie

At the wedding, let loose and have fun. But please, oh I beg you, don’t be the laughing stock of the wedding. Don’t be the one the aunts and uncles talk about at family gatherings for years to come. Drink water throughout the day and eat appropriately. Enjoy the toonie or open bar, but respect that someone is paying for the tab at the end of the night. It’s one thing to drink a massive bottle of vodka in the limo with the wedding party during pictures and non of you recall half of the photos that were taken (ok so maybe that happened to me…don’t judge), at least we were all in it together. But please don’t get so drunk that you have to fling open

Buy Her a Shot, She’s Tying the Knot

The bachelorette party should be something the bride will feel comfortable doing. Don’t push her outside fee comfort zone simply because this her last “fling before the ring”. If she isn’t the type of girl who laughs at a phallic straw, don’t have her drink out of one (side note: I’ve never understood those. Aren’t you going to see one anytime you want now, and even times when you don’t want to? Single ladies should have those party favors over soon-to-be-married one…it’s not like you’ll Photo: Chris Hanley

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Share the Love

It doesn’t matter how long you’ve known the brideto-be, this is one of the biggest days in her life. Every bride wants to feeling like a princess, so make her feel like one! Spoil the crap out of her! Send countdown texts leading up to the wedding and arrange to have rose pedals and champagne in the honeymoon suite. These little things can only be done once in her life so make sure you take the opportunity while it exists. Be sure to reminisce about the old times and help calm her nerves throughout the whole process. I love taking a moment with her reminisce about everything that has led her to this moment. I’m a big believer that those who are in the wedding party should have contributed strongly to either the bride or groom’s lives and also to continue to help them in good times and bad.

Cherry on Top

My top piece of advice from this professional bridesmaid to you is to remember that this is their day, not yours. You may be envious, tempted to gossip or not agree, but be honest and kind to your friend, after all there is a reason she asked you and not some others. Take a deep breath and walk down the path with her, which will lead her to her best friend and a lifetime of bliss.

Amber’s photographer caught her and her bridesmaids waiting for their cars to arrive outside her home.

20 AmorÉ FALL 2014

Photo: Chris Hanley

never see one again! Well maybe some of my married friends would argue with me on that one. I digress…). This event doesn’t need to be crazy and wild, filled with booze and a horrible headache the next day. the ones I’ve helped planned & attended have included the following events: trivia mini-golf, pole dancing, wine tours, line dancing class, art class, obstacle course, pubs/bars or surfing lessons to name a few. They key is to do something she would love and then everyone will be happy