A Peace of Mind is a Piece of Cake with Markel Event Insurance

If you're a bride-to-be, you've already dreamed up your perfect day, made your wedding-to-do list, and have checked it twice, but then the question arises, "what if?" "What if my photographer bails?" "What if my wedding planner is a fraud?" "What if there is an unforeseen illness in the family?" There's no need to panic loves, you can rest assured that we're here to help and we've called in the experts for reinforcement, Markel Event Insurance.

Markel Event Insurance  coverage is a MUST HAVE for your big day.  Not only can it reimburse you for any non-refundable deposits you may have if you have to cancel or postpone your wedding due to unforeseen circumstances such as vendor bankruptcy, extreme weather like hurricanes,  an accident or illness to the bride or groom (or one of their immediate family members), or military deployment, but it also will(more importantly) give you peace of mind so you don’t need to worry about the “what-if’s” and you can focus on all of the details of your big day.  Plus, Markel also offers Wedding Liability Insurance coverage which would help protect you and your groom from financial loss if an accident occurred at or after your wedding (like if Uncle Bob accidently fell on the dance floor and broke his leg or if your maid of honor had a few drinks too many and got into a car accident on the way home).
As we’re well aware, when it comes to your big day any piece of information can seem overwhelming, so to ease the stress Markel Event Insurance has kindly provided us with real-life wedding claims we can all relate to.

–The Stubborn Photographer
As a little girl, Catherine’s mother shared stories of her wedding day while they looked through her mother’s scrapbook. The pictures of her mother in her beautiful dress and her father gleaming as her mother walked down the aisle were what brought her parent’s love story to life for Catherine. When Catherine thought about her wedding day, she knew she wanted all of those special moments to be preserved in the same way as her parents When she chose a wedding photographer, she made sure that no stone was left unturned - not only would she have gorgeous pictures and a scrapbook to share with her future children, she also would have a DVD album and a slideshow of the special day. Catherine checked “Wedding Photographer” off of her “Wedding To-Do List” and went on with her planning.
A week after she booked her photographer, the photographer called and said he could no longer photograph her wedding for her. The photographer (an independent photographer contracted through Catherine’s venue) refused to work with Catherine’s venue, as they still owed him money from a few previous weddings. Suddenly, Catherine was back at square one. She had to find a new photographer that would work with her venue and provide all of the services her original photographer was going to offer. Catherine would also have to pay for it herself, as the venue had already taken her payment for her current photographer. Then she remembered that she had purchased Wedding Cancellation Coverage from Markel Event Insurance. Catherine was able to recoup the deposit she had paid for her 1st chosen photographer.  Plus, Markel paid for another photographer to complete the keepsake DVD album and slideshow for her as those were included in the original contract but the 2nd photographer was unable to perform those services. Catherine was able to enjoy her wedding day, making the pictures and future memories that much more beautiful.

–The Bankrupt Venue
It was just a few weeks before the wedding and Annie and her fiancé Joe were making dinner as they watched the evening news. Only half paying attention to the news as she was putting together a salad, Annie heard their wedding venue mentioned, and her ears perked up. The local news station was reporting that her venue had just declared bankruptcy and was closing indefinitely. In a state of panic, Annie tried to determine just how much she had already paid the venue, and she realized it was over $9,500. Devastated, she asked her Joe what they were going to do. Then, they remembered they had purchased Wedding Cancellation Coverage from Markel Event Insurance. They gave Markel a call and were comforted when they found out they had options.  Rather than cancelling the entire event, Annie and Joe decided to book another venue for the same date.  Markel would cover the non-refundable deposit the couple had made to the now bankrupt venue and the additional expense of moving the wedding to the hall down the road.  

Because Annie and Joe knew of the value of Wedding Insurance and had their Markel claims payment in hand, they were able to secure a new venue and have the wedding of their dreams.

As you can already see, Markel’s Cancellation Coverage has you covered in all aspects of your big day from if your photographer suddenly goes missing with your deposit, if your venue declares bankruptcy , a sudden  illness strikes the bride or groom,, wedding planner fraud, military deployment, & so much more…

Not convinced yet?  Visit Markel Event Insurance  or call 1-855-480-9757 to get a quote and learn why you should protect your special day.  With policies starting as low as $75 (the actual price of your specific policy is based on location, the coverages you choose, and your total wedding budget), it is highly worth it!

P.S. They even have Wedding Liability Insurance if your venue requires it. (I know, they really have thought of everything!)

 This post has been sponsored by Markel Insurance, but concerns our own opinion. 

The Ultimate Guide for a Fabulous Spring Wedding

Spring weddings are all about stunning blooming flowers! And while breathtaking centerpieces and magical bouquets are a must, there is other ways to bring spring into your wedding day. From color palettes to bridesmaid dresses to cakes, here are our favorite ideas for a fabulous springtime soiree. (via Glossy Musings)

Spring Wedding Colors: From bright to soft shades, spring is a season where a wild range of colors could be utilize. But, coral and mint are by far one of our favorites (Inspiration board via One Fab Day)

Spring Wedding Look: There is nothing hotter than floral patterns this year! Bring the trend and bring spring into your wedding day look by rocking a floral pattern wedding dress, while your groom wears a floral bow tie. If you are more on the classic site, steal the look for your rehearsal dinner. (Image credits ~ Photography: Britt Spring Photography // Dresses: Jennifer Gifford Designs //  Suit: Wilvalor // via WeddingSparrow)

Floral Crown: For you or your bridesmaids, floral crowns will bring a bohemian feeling with a pretty touch of spring to your bridal party. (Image credits: Photography:  Nicole Cook Photography // Floral Crown: The Posh Posey // via Elizabeth Anne designs)

Spring Wedding Ceremony: When I think of spring I think of cherry blossoms! Use this pretty blooms to decorate your ceremony for a soft and romantic look that states spring sophistication.

Spring Wedding Invitations: Besides informing your guests about the where and when of your big day, your invites also give them a hint of what they should expect at your wedding. Our friends at Wedding Paper Divas have a great collection of Spring Wedding Invitations that will tell your guests to be prepare for your blooming affair. We love this one!

Floral Pattern Wedding Shoes: Bring spring to your step with some soft and romantic patterned flats.

Floral Bridesmaid Dresses: One of the hottest wedding trends of 2014 is having your bridesmaids in floral patterned dresses, and there isn't a better time to rock the trend than spring. (Image credits: Photography: Jose Villa //  via Magnolia Rouge)

Jose Vill// Dresses: Jennifer Gifford Designs //  Suit: Wilvalor // via Magnolia Rouge)

Floral Wedding Vases: Bring spring into your wedding tables with floral tin can vases for your centerpieces. (Below image credits ~ Photographer: Blume Photography LLC // Floral Designer: Beyond Details)

Spring Wedding Chairs: Whether is your reception or your ceremony, a little floral touch to your wedding chairswill make a big spring statement. (Below Image credits ~ Photographer: Lisa Lefkowitz // Event Design and Coordination:  Special Events by Jennifer Stone //  via SMP)

Spring Place Settings: Welcome your guests into your springtime soiree with some pretty flowers and some floral china. (Below Image credits: Event styling: Kailey-Michelle Events // Photography: Ophelia Photography // Floral: Verde Flower & Plant Design //  via EAD)

Spring Cupcakes: Please don't limit your flowers to your decor only. Give a sweet spring touch to your reception with some floral cupcakes. (Image via Muchkin Bakery)

Pantone Color Of The Year 2014 : Radiant Orchid - The Ultimate Wedding Guide

Pantone crowned Radiant Orchid as it's 2014 Color of the Year. And I couldn't be more thrilled with this pinkish purple as the "It" color of 2014... you know I Love Love purple!!! And I mean, the name couldn't sound more wedding-ish, Radiant Orchid. According to Pantone, this color is "an enchanting harmony of fuchsia, purple and pink undertones" that "inspires confidence and emanates great joy, love and health"... absolutely perfect for a wedding color palette!

It might sound silly, but retailers and designers pay attention to Pantone's yearly selections. And the "global color authority" takes the Color Of The Year very seriously. This modern and feminine hue is a “surprisingly versatile shade” that will be seeing everywhere next year. And, of course Radiant Orchid is going to make its way into the wedding world, so prepare to see it in everything from floral design and cakes to the color of a bride’s nail polish and lipstick.
The hue also offers a sharp contrast with Emerald, Pantone's color of 2013, as it at the opposite side of the color wheel. So, move over Emerald Green, Radiant Orchid is here! 
Here's a carefully curate collection of vibrant orchid wedding ideas to make your event memorable. (image source)

Vibrant Orchid Wedding Bouquet. Polish your look with a bouquet that displays radiant orchid and you’ll have an ensemble to ensure all eyes are looking at YOU! You can obviously use orchids, but we found that hydrangeas and roses feature this pretty shade of pink purple very well. {check my series 12 Stunning Wedding Bouquets for more inspiration}
BELOW IMAGE CREDITS {Photography: Rowell Photography // Floral Design + via Rachel A. Clingen}

BELOW IMAGE CREDITS {Photography: Darin Fong // Floral Design + via Aileen Tran}

BELOW IMAGE CREDITS {Photography: Rowell Photography // Floral Design + via Rachel A. Clingen}

Radiant Orchid Wedding Centerpieces. This pretty hue is extremely versatile and will allow for a huge range of color combinations for your centerpieces. You want a Spring/Summer wedding day look? great! use the pastels. You want a Fall/Winter look? then there are plenty of rich, bold shades to pick from!  
BELOW IMAGE CREDITS {Photography: Elizabeth Messina // Floral Design: Jeff Leatham}

BELOW IMAGE CREDITS {Photography: Justin DeMutiis Photography // Event Design + Planning: Fabulously Chic Weddings // Floral Design: Libby's Flowers // via SMP}

BELOW IMAGE CREDITS {Photography: KLK Photography // Wedding Planning: The Special Day Event Planning and Design // Floral Design: The Mille Fiori // via SMP}

Radiant Orchid Wedding Decorations. Vibrant and inviting, Radiant Orchid represents much of what weddings do. You may want to brig it all around the decor or incorporated in some contrasting touches. According to our friend Sara from Burnett's Boards "Radiant Orchid is a nuanced color that will change slightly depending on what it is paired with", so take this into consideration when using this hue for your wedding decor.
{Below image credits} Photography + via The Youngrens  //  Event Design: Karen Tran}

Fabulous Bridesmaid Gift Ideas - Part 3

You've chosen the perfect bridesmaids; now find them the perfect gift! Your bridesmaids deserve much more than the usual key-chain or strand of faux pearls. Get creative and personal with these fab finds. There are memorable and meaningful bridesmaid gift ideas for every budget in these round-up... (image by Michelle Able Photography)

Jewelry. Jewelry is a traditional bridesmaid gift - A piece of jewelry for them to wear the day of the wedding and to keep as a memory for life. But if you really want to take the jewelry gift idea to the next level consider a personalized Monogram necklace. MyNameNecklace, a company that offers a wide variety of monogram necklaces available in different styles and sizes. We personally like their XXL Statement Monogram Necklace. It looks o-so-fab and it comes in either silver or gold plated.

MyNameNecklace also offers other personalized gift ideas that your bridesmaids will love. From initial necklaces, name necklaces and personalized accessories, find them here!  Use coupon code BELLE10 at checkout for 10% off your purchase

Robes. Robes make beautiful and practical gifts for the bridal party, while infusing an often-ignored moment (getting ready the morning of), with elegant detail. These lovely robes are from Plum Pretty Sugar, a company specialized in robes for brides and bridesmaids. I love the modern cut with kimono-style sleeves. (Get them here)

Personalized Tablet Cases.  Safeguard your besties’ technology and amplify their style with a personalized tablet case by Layla Grace. We love all their modern designs and colors, specially this one featuring a monogram or name against a solid field of warm gray. And did we mention that they are eco-friendly? Yep, the cases are constructed from vinyl made of recycled materials and printed with environmentally-friendly inks. Your tech-lover, eco-conscious friends will love them! (get them here)

Beauty Box Subscriptions. Confession time… this is my go to gift idea for all those special ladies in my life! Scoring something unexpected is one of life's little pleasures. And that's exactly why a beauty sampling programs is just a girls best friend. I mean, who doesn't like getting a box of luxury beauty products every month? Make an outstanding impression on your bridesmaids and get them GLOSSYBOX subscriptions. (get them here)

Personalized Stamps. Shop this and more personalized stamps and embossers at Wedding Paper divas. They have a large variety of gorgeous designs.

Photo of the Two of You. If you can't figure out what to get your bridesmaids, a photo of the two of you is the best idea. I can’t seriously can’t think of a more personal and sentimental -not to mention affordable- way to thank your friends for being there for you. All you need is a cute frame.. you can even choose a different frame for each girl- a frame that suits best each girl’s personality. Target, my go-to store for stylish and affordable decor accessories, offers a great selection of super cute frames (this picture frame is may favorite one, so glamy and girly at the same time). Beaucoup also offer cute Personalized Bridesmaid Picture Frames that will always remind your friend that you chose her as your bridesmaid. (get them here) {(image by Michelle Able Photography}

 Other Options. Nobody knows these girls like you do, so think outside the box when it comes to their gifts and get them something cool that they could use in a regular bases, because let's face it, every time they'll look at the gift they'll think about you. So make it special...make it meaningful and unique! These were my favorite finds for bridesmaid gifts, but there are tons of alternatives out there. For instance:

• Photo gifts from Tiny Prints are other great options to make your BMs feel special
• Beaucoup has an awesome Bridal Party Gift Shop.
• Anthropologie Gift shop offers you a parade of options for your fashion loving BM.

I hope these suggestions were useful. Good luck finding that perfect bridesmaid gift! ;-)

To get more Unique and Personal gift ideas for your bridesmaids visit Part 1 (here) and Part 2 (here) of this series.

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The Ultimate Guide for a Colorblock Wedding

We love the colorblock trend, it combines multiple bright and bold colors all at once. It’s an easy way to make an impact in your wedding decor without getting too complicated. The trick to making color blocking work for your wedding is to select 2, 3 or 4 colors and stick with them. So, skip the lace and burlap. Colorblocked wedding details – borrowed from the fashion runways – have the wedding world totally inspired. Steal these color blocked wedding ideas!

1. Ceremony Decor

{Below Images Credits} Photography: Wedding Photojournalism by Ron Soliman

{Below Images Credits} Photography + via Sedona Bride

2. Reception Decor
{Below Images Credits} Photography: Simone and Martin Photography

{Below Images Credits} Photographer: Caroline & Evan Photography / Design: Every Last Detail / Flower Provider: FiftyFlowers // via The Every Last Detail

3. Bridesmaids

{Below Images Credits} Bridesmiad Dresses: Two Birds

{Below Images Credits} photography: Christine Pobke // via Green Wedding Shoes

4. Drinks

{Below Images Credits} via Martha Stewart Weddings

5. Wedding Stationery
 {Below Images Credits} Invitation by Minted

6. Accessories
 {Below Images Credits} Shoes from Asos

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Say “I do” to Wedding Insurance with Markel

When you dream about your wedding day, pictures of pretty blooms, beautiful dresses, and buttercream may dance in your head. Usually, things fall into place perfectly (or near perfectly) and you can enjoy the wedding planning process, but occasionally you’re stuck with an unforeseen circumstance that could disrupt the day you’ve been planning for your entire life. From illness to unexpected cancellations or extreme weather, curveballs are thrown at us. Having to deal with the disappointment is enough – you shouldn’t have to worry about losing money on top of that. That is where Markel Wedding Insurance steps in. They’ll give you peace of mind so you don’t need to worry about the “what-if” and you can focus on all of the details of your big day.

Markel is one of the leading wedding insurance companies in the country, and offers great and affordable (policies are as low as $75) with two types of coverage: Wedding Cancellation Insurance and Wedding Liability Insurance.  Markel’s Wedding Cancellation Coverage is a MUST HAVE for your big day.  It will reimburse you for any non-refundable deposits you may have if you have to cancel or postpone your wedding due to vendor bankruptcy, extreme weather,  an accident or illness to the bride or groom (or one of their immediate family members), or even military deployment. Markel also offers Wedding Liability insurance to protect you in the event your venue sustains property damage or if someone is injured at your wedding (Add to your Wedding Checklist: Check with your venue as many venues now actually require event liability insurance).

Markel Wedding Insurance is the perfect investment to protect your wedding dreams. They  provide  the ultimate peace of mind in knowing that you are covered from the moment you say ”YES!”  to your reception exit. Call 1-855-480-9757 or visit Markel Wedding Insurance to get a quote today!

Images courtesy of Gideon Photography

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5 Best Wedding Apps of 2013

This is a guest post from our friends at Wedding Snap

Whether you’re simply looking for inspiring ideas or have a specific goal in mind, like finding an easy way to capture all of your guests’ photos, chances are there’s a wedding app that can help you do just that. But with so many great ones to choose from, how do you decide which apps are actually worth checking out? Here to help get you started is a list of five top apps for 2013 that we think are making couples’ lives easier, not to mention a whole lot more fun! Give them a try, and don’t forget to also share a few of your own favorites, as well. (Image Credits ~ Photography: Elizabeth Messina from Kiss The Groom via Loverly)

1. Wedding Snap 

Want to conveniently capture all of your guests’ photos and videos in one place without any waiting or begging? Check out Wedding Snap, a unique iPhone and Android app that allows you to access and share all of your special memories in real-time from your engagement party all the way through to your wedding day itself. Along with being the only photo-sharing app that allows guests to upload videos along with photos, Wedding Snap also offers a live slideshow during your reception and photo-retouching by a professional photographer in the weeks following your big day. Have out-of-town relatives and friends who can’t be there for the wedding? Thanks to Wedding Snap, your loved ones can now watch your wedding happen in real-time, no matter where they are!

2. Loverly Weddings 

When it comes to gathering ideas about everything from dresses and cakes to décor and invitations, Loverly Weddings for iPhone is your one-stop-shop for inspiration. Save and share your favorite ideas, upload your own photos as you plan, and have fun searching by color, theme, style or category. This app also integrates with Loverly’s website, allowing you to access all of your top picks in both places whether you’re at home or on-the-go. 

3. Fun Wedding

Looking for a convenient way to create and organize your reception playlist? Download Fun Wedding, an iPhone app that gives you access to music charts compiled from millions of song requests at real weddings around the world. Whether you’re looking for the most requested songs from a particular decade, trying to find out which songs are notorious for being overplayed or are in the process of choosing the perfect song for your first dance, this app makes putting together your playlist fun, not stressful. After listening to samples, save your favorite (or most hated!) songs to your personalized request list to share with your band or DJ. 

4. Gift Registry 360

Setting up your registry can definitely be a lot of fun, and now, with the help of Gift Registry 360, it’s also easier than ever. Simply use your iPhone to scan a product’s barcode and see the item instantly uploaded to your list. Seriously, that’s it. You’ll love the ability to update and review your list on-the-go from anywhere, and your guests will also love being able to view your entire registry in one place by visiting Gift Registry 360’s website. 

5. Appy Couple

You were already planning on creating a wedding website, so why not go ahead and create your own personalized app to go along with it? With Appy Couple for iPhone and Android, you can keep guests up-to-speed throughout the entire planning process while also showing off your theme in style. When you use Appy Couple to create a beautiful wedding website and corresponding app, it’s a cinch to do everything from sharing updates via Facebook to managing your guest list and providing details about your registry.  

And there you have it – five fabulous apps to help make planning and celebrating your wedding even more fun. Have you tried any of these apps, or are there any others you especially love?

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