The Knot Blog - Wedding Dresses, Shoes, & Hairstyle News & Ideas » Amanda Black

10 Save-the-Dates We Love From Minted.com!

Amanda Black — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 15:27:50 +0000

Here at The Knot we get some pretty cool opportunities like sneak peaks at new bridal designers, floral concepts and even stationery lines. This time around we got an insider’s look at Minted.com‘s newest save-the-date contest. (They actually source all their products from contests voted on by viewers!) So, which one is your favorite? Tell me below or tweet @amanda__black!

> Want more unique save-the-dates? Here are 9 of them!

> Shop for your stationery!

> Trends we’re seeing in wedding stationery.

A Romantic Lace Monique Lhuillier Gown

Amanda Black — Fri, 04 Jan 2013 18:19:24 +0000

Karen went into wedding planning with a specific style in mind: classic vintage. So a romantic lace gown by Monique Lhuillier was an easy choice to fit that look. Delicate cap sleeves gave the dress an old-world quality, while the fitted silhouette added a serious dose of glamour. Karen wore her hair loose and sideswept, accented with a Sara Gabriel feather-and-rhinestone hair clip. She stayed away from dramatic red lips and dark eyes, and instead kept her makeup palette pretty and peachy.

> Looking for more style inspiration? Go to our style stalker Pinterest page!

> Find your ideal dress here.

> Check out more real brides and their style here.

A Festive New Year’s Eve Wedding

Amanda Black — Mon, 31 Dec 2012 12:00:17 +0000

We couldn’t let you ring in the new year without sharing some wedspiration for a NYE wedding. So, feast your eyes on this couple’s Detroit wedding and let’s ring in 2013 together!

Shannon carried this unique “bouquet” of beads, feathers, a locket and other glitzy elements.

The ceremony chairs were finished with feathers and metallic leaves — Shannon couldn’t have any flowers at her wedding because she is allergic. The bride’s mom made the reception centerpieces out of branches from Shannon’s childhood home and spray-painted them with gold and then stuck sparkly pieces to them. They were placed in tall glass vases with tiny gold balls in them. Red Christmas ornaments served as the finishing touch to the tablescape.

The Colony Club in Detroit, MI

To ring in the new year, guests were given festive party hats. Want to see more of their wedding details? Check out their whole wedding here!

> Look at this wedding for more NYE inspiration

> Browse metallic wedding details perfect for an NYE wedding

A Wintry Christmas-Themed Wedding

Amanda Black — Tue, 25 Dec 2012 12:00:59 +0000

It’s Christmas day! We understand you’re spending time with your family and friends, but there’s always time to fit in some wedding planning, right? So, in the spirit of the holidays, we pulled a beautiful week-before-Christmas wedding to inspire you. (Have we mentioned we love winter weddings?!) Enjoy and Merry Christmas!

Katie and Matt wed on December 17th. Because it was so close to the holiday, the church was decked out in Christmas decorations (a major bonus!), so they only just brought in two floral arrangements.

The bridesmaids carried red and green bouquets — to keep away from the entirely themey feel, they added in some pink orchids. The escort cards had little mistletoe embellishments at the top.

Even though they threw a holiday wedding, the couple still dressed to the nines in black-tie attire. Katie wore a chic Romona Keveza gown, while Matt chose a classic black Ralph Lauren tuxedo. Want to see more? Find all their wedding details here!

> More Christmas wedding ideas!

> Just engaged? Start planning today!

A Modern, Chic Pronovias Gown

Amanda Black — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 15:23:59 +0000

Making a major style statement was one of Helena’s fashion goals for her wedding. To do that, she picked a gown with a one-shoulder neckline made of dramatic ruffles. The trumpet-style silhouette started with a darted bodice and was curve-hugging all the way to her knees, flaring into a three-tiered skirt with a sweeping train. There wasn’t a stitch of beading — only thick fabric and modern lines. Helena wore one statement piece of jewelry: custom champagne diamond earrings, made for her by her jeweler groom.

> Looking for more style inspiration? Go to our style stalker Pinterest page!

> Find your ideal dress here.

> Check out more real brides and their style here.

10 Things No One Tells You About Getting Engaged

Amanda Black — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 15:54:43 +0000

No matter how long you and your fiance dated or how many times you’ve been a bridesmaid in your friends’ weddings, there are some truths you just don’t find out about until you get engaged.

1. You’ll have a big zit on your chin the day he proposes.

Okay, maybe you won’t (or didn’t). But the point is that whatever fantasy proposal you had dreamed up (at the most romantic place in the world, wearing the most perfect dress, with the best hair and complexion you’ve ever had) isn’t reality.

Our Advice: Your proposal story — whether it happened on the couch in your PJs with no makeup on, or in the middle of the Caribbean in a hot swimsuit — is more important (and special) than that fantasy proposal you might have had in your head. Why? Because it’s your story and no one else’s.

2. You won’t be able to stop staring at your hand.

Maybe you went ring shopping together and picked it out yourself, or maybe it was a total surprise. Either way, there’s a big difference between imagining it on your hand and actually seeing that brand-new shiny ring on your finger.

Our Advice: Everyone is going to want to see the ring, so get a manicure (and be careful gawking at your hand while driving or crossing busy intersections!).

3. You’ll have to tell your proposal story a million times.

As soon as you get engaged, one of the first questions people will ask is how he proposed. Get used to it. Telling and retelling the story is part of the fun of being engaged.

Our Advice: To make it easier on yourselves, write down your proposal story (put it on your wedding website and in your online wedding planner) and send friends and family the link so that they can get the full details.

4. People will ask you about a wedding date and location before you’ve had a chance to even think about it.

You know how it goes: Everyone is excited. But before you’ve even had time to sign up on TheKnot.com and start your checklist, your family and friends are already asking for details.

Our Advice: If you have no idea where and when the wedding will be, come up with a blanket statement you can use whenever someone asks. Say something like, “We’re so excited just being engaged right now. I’m sure there will be plenty of time to figure out the logistics in the coming months.” They’ll take the hint.

5. There might be a few sours…

There’s usually at least one friend or family member who may not come off quite as supportive or elated as the rest of them. If this doesn’t happen to you, be thankful, because you’re in the minority.

Our Advice: A not-so-positive reaction to your good news is a reflection of that person (not you). Don’t dwell on negative feedback. Focus on the positive — you’re getting married!

6. …But your best friends will be there for you.

You’ll know the people you can count on. They’re the ones who post five-exclamation-point messages to your Facebook wall the minute you announce your engagement; they’re the ones who take you out for drinks the day after you get engaged to celebrate; they’re the ones who tell you they’re ready to help you with whatever you need.

Our Advice: Lean on the friends who express excitement for you (and celebrate your newly engaged status often!).

7. Recently married friends will suddenly become wedding planning experts and give you (oftentimes unsolicited) advice.

There are plenty of reasons this happens. Some friends may be going through the “postwedding blues” and miss the excitement of planning their own weddings. Others may just think they’re doing you a favor.

Our Advice: If a friend offers wedding planning advice (say, “You shouldn’t invite kids to your wedding,” or anything else that starts with, “You should/shouldn’t…”), take it in stride. Graciously accept it as a sign of their friendship (there’s no need to get defensive). If you agree with the advice, take it; if not, thank them and move on with your plans.

8. You’ll watch wedding movies and TV shows differently.

Whether you’ve seen dozens of Say Yes to the Dress episodes, or you wouldn’t be caught dead watching a “cheesy wedding show,” you might now find yourself a little (or a lot) more interested in wedding movies and shows.

Our Advice: Rent Father of the Bride, My Best Friend’s Wedding and Rachel Getting Married – and don’t feel bad about sitting through and enjoying a TLC wedding special or two. This is one of those guilty wedding pleasures that you’re totally allowed to indulge in while you’re engaged.

9. You’ll have a hard time not jumping into wedding planning right away and will find it difficult to “just enjoy being engaged.”

Sure, you recognize there’s a long road ahead of you and there’s plenty of time to plan out a wedding. But after the shock wears off, the next natural step is to start working out wedding plans.

Our Advice: It’s okay (and good!) to get started early — just be sensitive to him. He more than likely just spent a lot of money and time planning out the proposal. So give him a little time to relax if he needs it. A few things you can get started on right away: planning out the guest list (at least your family and friends) and documenting your proposal story.

10. Your relationship will feel different (even if you’ve been living together for years).

A marriage proposal is exciting, but it’s also serious. You’ve just agreed to commit to one another — for forever.

Our Advice: Work out the nitty-gritty details you may have only touched upon when you were dating. Decide what you’ll do for holidays every year, whether you want kids, where you want to live long term. Make actual plans. Even if they change, it’s good to know where you both stand on the big topics. If you’re not required to through your church or temple, consider signing up for prewedding counseling, where you’ll be led through the process by a pro. Having worked out hard-to-make decisions together will make the wedding ceremony that much more meaningful.

> Just engaged? Your first 10 to-dos!

> 8 engagement party themes

> Wedding planning blunders to avoid

An Elegant Elie Saab Wedding Dress

Amanda Black — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 16:32:20 +0000

When it came to finding the perfect dress, Maia needed little help: “I fell in love with my Elie Saab gown early on — I even went back to try it on three times, and I cried every visit!” But accessorizing the frothy lace and tulle dress was another story — in the end, her look was a family affair. Her “something blue” ring was once her grandmother’s, her diamond necklace was a wedding gift from James, her in-laws gave her vintage earrings, and her mother-in-law had her hairpiece made from an antique brooch.

How are you accessorizing your look? Tell us here!

> Find accessory ideas here

> Shop Elie Saab for Pronovias’s line

> Find classic wedding inspiration here

5 Ingredients for the Perfect Proposal

Amanda Black — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 17:47:24 +0000

There’s no denying it — the first snow has fallen in the northeast, Thanksgiving has come and gone and Christmas decorations have been up for a while now. Proposal season is upon us! *Cue the excitement.*

So for this season, we thought we’d help all those guys and gals out there looking to propose with some tips from an expert in the biz of making dreams come true. Enter Sarah Pease, The Proposal Planner™ from Brilliant Event Planning. We asked Pease what she thought were the five most important elements of a perfect proposal.

1. It has to be thoughtful and personal. Pease recommends that when you first start brainstorming ideas to “write down a list of anything your partner loves — from music to food, travel locations to fashion designers — and using that as a jumping off point for inspiration.”

2. There should be an element of surprise. If it’s too predictable, it ruins the excitement. And, “more than 75% of women agree that the ‘surprise factor’ is important in a marriage proposal.”

3. Document the moment. ”You should document the proposal, either with a hidden photographer or by jotting down notes in a journal immediately afterwards.” No matter what you think, it will go by in a flash, so having photos or a note will help when you want to look back on the moment.

4. Details, details, details! The smallest thing can make a proposal memorable. “I guide each client through a detailed Q&A session to help us learn as much as we possibly can about their unique love story. Their proposal design is inspired by what we learn in that session, along with photos and other mementos that they provide to us. All of this is designed to draw out even the the tiniest details about their significant other.” In other words, from knowing your partners favorite vintage of wine, to a favorite pet when they were young and even remembering what they were wearing on your first date, can all play into planning a tear-jerking, jaw-dropping marriage proposal.

5. Prepare for changes. When it comes to planning something so special, you should always prepare for the worst. “What if there’s bad traffic? What if it rains? What if she/he has to work late? Etc. When it comes to proposals, every great story requires some preparation.”

So, now you have it, folks. Go forth and plan your very own perfect proposal. And tell us how it happens here!

> 50 romantic ways to propose

> Our favorite proposal videos

> Quiz: What’s her proposal style?

Wedding Paper Divas Launches New Stationery Line (And We Love Everything In It)

Amanda Black — Mon, 19 Nov 2012 15:23:54 +0000

When it comes to wedding invitations, I’m a bit of an addict (you could safely call me a stationery nerd). So when I attended the Wedding Paper Divas preview event a few months ago I was obviously drooling. I couldn’t wait until I was allowed to share all their prettiness with you. I’ve rounded up a few of my favorite designs. The best part? They’re already live on WeddingPaperDivas.com!

> Browse hundreds of pretty invites

> Shop for your own invites here

> Find a local stationer for your wedding

8 Engagement Rings That Require a Workout

Amanda Black — Fri, 16 Nov 2012 17:27:19 +0000

When it comes to celebrity engagements, we’ve come to expect ginormous rings. But what happens when you’ve got a stunner that comes with a ring-finger workout video? We almost feel bad for these girls who have to lug around rings that weigh their hands, wrists and maybe even arms down.

Which one is your favorite? Which one is the gaudiest?

> Celebrity ring lookalikes!

> Browse beautiful diamonds

> Just engaged? Here’s what to do