What to Wear to the Wedding {Dress Codes De-Coded}

As we continue into the most popular season for weddings, it’s inevitable that you have received at least one invitation to attend a wedding celebration.  And depending on the location and timing of the event, you’ve probably also had at least one moment of panic as you wonder what you are going to wear.

With so many things to consider- tradition to climate to formality to terrain- it’s no wonder the etiquette for wedding guest attire has gone cloudy for most. So when the men’s clothier Paul Fredrick contacted us to weigh in on the subject we jumped at the opportunity to join in the conversation!

This infographic is a handy reference guide Paul Fredrick put together in conjunction with a team of stylists, wedding specialists, and the like. At first glance you can see how the formality progresses as the day goes along.

We thought we could elaborate on this even further by discussing the fine line between tradition and our thoughts on how to dress your best for every style of wedding- for both men and women.

Formal- After 6p

Wedding ceremonies beginning at 6p or later call for your most polished duds- and even more so if the invitation indicates Black Tie. A tux will always be the way to go in either of these situations, polished black shoes, and we agree with this graphic that the traditional bow tie (ala Bond) is the only way to go (and besides, ladies do you not agree the men look so dapper in a bow tie?).

Sara + Dylan Photography

Ladies you’ll want to pick out a dress, tea-length to floor length (black tie), to really seal the deal at a formal wedding. If you have straps, bring a shawl or bolero to cover your shoulders if the ceremony is held at a church. And let’s weigh in on the debate over whether you can wear white or black to this affair. In short, we think black is chic and is completely acceptable. White? Though times have changed a bit and traditions have loosened we still agree with etiquette and say let the bride be the only one shining in white.

Semi Formal- Before 6p

Ceremonies beginning at 5:30p or earlier call for a less formal look, though by no means casual. Guys look cool and polished in a dark suit- think dark navy or gray. A slim tie or vest (with a jacket over top) is acceptable in this situation too.

Ampersand Studios

Ladies will look for what we call cocktail attire for this style of event. With the exception of a floor length gown, you can often intermix the attire requirements for a formal and semi formal event. One rule we live by- for cocktail attire, keep the hemline at the knee, longest at the calf. We are not clubbing so let’s leave the super short dresses at home, ok?

Casual- Before 6p

If the wedding invitation clearly states a casual celebration, don’t overdress for the occasion. Men can look to lighter fabrics like khaki, poplin, or seersucker (tradition holds this to Memorial day through Labor day only if you’re really by the book).  A sport coat would be the way to go here, though guys can even get by with a nice dress shirt, tie, and slacks sans the jacket (Paul Fredrick has a great selection of looks here), loafers or other less formal dress shoe, and a smile. And by no means are you allowed to wear jeans to a wedding.

Ampersand Studios

A more casual wedding can also be considered “garden party” attire for the ladies. Think summery fabrics (cotton, linen, light silks), and getting a little more colorful in patterns is acceptable (and don’t worry- it doesn’t have to be florals). The most important issue to note here is the terrain.  Most of our garden party or casual weddings have included grass or other nature to contend with, so consider wearing flats or wedges to avoid sinking or other ankle rolling debacles.

Resort Chic- Anytime

With more and more destination weddings becoming the go-to celebration, we’ve found a lot of would-be guests struggling to find the right seaside look. Unless Black Tie or other formality is indicated, much lighter fabrics and styles of dresses (ie: we would find the maxi dress totally acceptable in this situation) are the norm. Depending on the locale, men would even be good to go in flat-front khaki shorts and a button down shirt with loafers.

And there you have it- the complete thought list on what we think your guests should be wearing. We would love to have you weigh in on the discussion- what are your thoughts on wedding attire and formality?

{Featured} Real Soiree- Sarah + Laura's Garden Valley Wedding

Happy Tuesday! So excited to be able to finally share this intimate, sweet wedding with you. Featured on Wedding Chicks today, do head over to take a peek at the whole spread- and get some great ideas on how to really personalize your wedding. We'll be back tomorrow with more photos from this mountain destination wedding, so stay tuned!

Xo,

Brandi

October Insta-Favorites

October was a big month for the Soirettes- we had a myriad of projects and weddings to tend to- who ever said wedding season ended in September?? Looking back through all of the photos, a few things became obvious to me: 1) I really need to be posting on Instagram more. Seriously, 4 posts in October? Not good. 2) Kim is much better at posting on Instagram than I am, and therefore most of these photos are from her account (good job Kimmy!) 3) October was a busy month, and no wonder I'm tired. Here are a few photos from our adventures in October-and now that I've admitted to the world that I'm not so great at publicly documenting things, please check my Instagram for what will be a crazy amount of posts this month!

We started this month off with the sweetest private ranch wedding, ever. Dubbed the "fancy farm wedding", our bride wore a gorgeous pink dress, and lots of gold and sparkle made way into the farm setting. It was also one of the most torrential wind storms ever, too- back up plan in the barn worked well in a split second change of weather!

Baby Hudson is a star. 

Our most favorite project to date- an amazing collaboration with so many great vendors. Our "Come Away With Me" photo shoot introduced a brand new venue in McCall and had so much fall and winter inspiration included- can't wait to share more of this one! And no, those were not Moscow Mules in our cups, but rather warm coffee as we were freezing!

The three musketeers at our last wedding in October

And bonus: this one is actually not on Instagram (surprise), but on my iphone, so I included it anyways. A snapshot of the fall-inspired table we designed for Paperie and Pen's grand opening at the Village at Meridian....it was actually quite a challenge to take the ideas of one design and change it up a bit. Fun nonetheless, and hope you've been able to stop by their amazing new store! 

Happy Wednesday! 

Xo,

Brandi

An August Soiree

{Sometimes, in the midst of planning weddings and parties, we find a spare moment to dream up our own perfect iconic wedding. Here is a look for an August bride I'd love to see....}

The August Soirette.....

• Is elegant and cool in a form-fitting back-see gown perfect for the garden
• Loves a succulent over a peony any day
• Sips on a Watermelon Sangria
• Isn't afraid to show her soft and daring side with a mix of gold and diamonds....and a little blue for hue
• Knows that gold heels can be worn after the wedding, too

What are your current favorites for August? 

Succulent Bouquet | Iris Gown by Claire Pettibone | Crystal Venus Flytrap Necklace | Olive Leaf Bracelet | Pave Link Bracelet | Gold Nudist Heel

A Beauty Concierge Program By Soiree

In over 8 years of planning weddings, four of which have been primarily focused on full planning with our clients, a few things have popped up that either scream "it's working", or "this is not working". One of the areas in planning that has always seemed just off to me- both to the client and to us as planners- has been hair and makeup services. In fact, if I've ever seen a bride cry or become frustrated, it's over this- and looking back over the years, managing hair and makeup has been one of the more frustrating areas for us too. After analyzing wedding after wedding, I realized the process tends to breakdown at the point of communication and vision through the beauty team. Most hair and makeup artists are freelancers, so they each have their own process, rates, style and preferred ways of communication. Brides hiring their own beauty pros either rely on referrals or use someone they know- even if they are not necessarily experienced in the unique timeline of a wedding day or managing a large bridal party. On our end, we found we were sometimes working with someone new near every wedding, and it was often like reinventing the wheel every time. It was only when we were working with artists we know and love that the process became seamless and the experience was at its highest for the bride. So we decided we were on to something.

I met with Camilla from Deco Hair and Makeup Design to go over this new idea, and over our many cocktails and conversations, the idea evolved first into creating a network of hand-selected artists, then into an actual concierge program offering a full experience to be pampered as a bride. We wanted a bride to be able to trust immediately that she was in expert hands and most of all we wanted her to be pampered and to be able to create some really great memories on her wedding day. Part of making this happen was ensuring that the process would be painless..no more interviewing several artists, but rather being paired up with the artist that best fit their needs and look for the day. No more comparing rates because each bride would be offered a customized day-rate package that would include her beauty team, travel, and any additional services requested as an easy to understand bundle. And best of all, our brides could rest easy knowing they were working with the best of the best for their day.

So now that we have been talking about this new program, releasing little sneak peeks here and there (we even hinted about it all the way back at our holiday party in December!), we are finally ready (and so thrilled) to officially launch it and offer it to our brides. The artists have been interviewed and selected, and include some of Boise's best such as Deco Hair and Makeup Design, Jamie Verner (Blush By Jamie Rose), and Gabby Marcantonio for Bobbi Brown. As the program progresses we intend to offer other types of services to even further enhance the wedding day or weekend experience, such as spa and nail services.

Currently the beauty concierge program is offered exclusively to Soiree brides as an add-on to your services, and is included in our full planning levels. While these amazing artists are already on our referral list, the program offers an entire wedding day experience with next to no planning on your part (and if all goes well, we may begin offering it as a stand-alone service too..stay tuned!). And we can't wait to hear how you like it! So many thanks to Tana Photography for spending the day with us to snap photos of these beauty pros in action. For more information please contact Soiree at contact@weddingsbysoiree.com.

Xo,

Brandi

{Featured} Whitney + Brian's Winter McCall Wedding on Style Me Pretty!

Happy Monday morning lovelies! There's nothing much better than waking up on a Monday morning to an amazing spread on Style Me Pretty- and we're thrilled to see one of our winter McCall weddings featured today.

Whitney and Brian planned their wedding with us in a short 7 months- his season as a race car driver left them only a few months to choose for a wedding- and before we knew it, January came and the wedding weekend went off without a hitch.

The look for the wedding was vintage shabby chic, matched with feminine blush and gold. Oh and chandeliers- we often joked that this bride would be the happiest girl on the planet if all she could have were chandeliers and her man. 

The ceremony was held in the upper pavilion of Shore Lodge. White chiavari chairs were paired with two vintage church pews for an eclectic, shabby look, and all 17 of the chandeliers were filled with white flowers and draped pearls for an immediate romantic feel in the room. From there guests were shuttled over to Whitetail Club for a cocktail hour and dinner. From the outside, the building looked like any normal building. But from the inside- a tent dripping with chandeliers. 

One of the shabby chic winter lounge areas...

...And one of our gold magnolia leaf bars

And we can't not put in the most gorgeous wedding video we've ever seen, to date, by PenWeddings:

Whitney + Brian | McCall, Idaho wedding film from Sarah Pendergraft on Vimeo.

For the full feature please do hop on over to Style Me Pretty, and be sure to check back here as we'll be adding a few more detail shots and talking a little more shop about the wedding. Thanks to Dylan and Sara Photography for the lovely photos, and we hope you enjoy!

Xo,

Brandi

Inspiration | Forest Destination Wedding

I think I'm officially inspired by all of the fun vacations I want to take this summer. I immediately thought of all the amazing destinations for a wedding. I was brought to a warm, sunny place with pine trees and rustic surroundings. Of course, I'm still a lover of those tropical sunsets and warm beaches, but the warm vintage feel, and soft earthy colors of a forest, make it my favorite destination of the season! The rich greens mixed with soft color pallets, wooden textures and a variety of whimsical flowers, sure is dreamy huh?

sources 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7

Enjoy & happy day!

Kim

Reflections | Engage!13 Part 2

I'm back with more reflections from last week's whirlwind trip to Engage!13 Montelucia Resort and Spa, and the video from days 2 & 3....the best of the two videos if you ask me. Day 2 was jam packed with breakfast, speakers, a break with bacon (not kidding), and then a dine-around evening followed by a dessert after-party. One of the most exciting parts? Every single time we left the room we came back to another surprise or gift...the swag alone at this summit was unreal. The dine-around dinner events were held at three different locations- a picturesque soon-to-be venue in Scottsdale, Restoration Hardware (so jealous of the sweet little plants that group received) in honor of Eddie Zaratsian's living lifestyle brand in conjunction with RH, and finally another group of Engagees stayed at the resort for their dinner. Each table featured one of the speakers, so it was nice to be up close and personal with some of the best of the best.

Day 3 started with a mega inspirational breakfast outside on the lawn (surrounded by and underneath breathtaking canopies by Raj Tents) and Simon T Bailey. From there we entered into a half-day of breakout sessions for the most amazing Q&A periods...can you imagine being able to ask anyone anything about their businesses? Finally, lunch in the courtyard followed by the gifting lounge (more presents!) before heading out to get ready for the grand Gala that evening. And the Gala? Amazing. Designed by Todd Fiscus and executed by some very talented individuals. I'll let the video do the talking about this event, because whatever I say here will not do it justice.

Without further adieu, my reflections on the last two days of Engage!13:

1. My favorite quote from Day 2 was from Matthew Robbins: "...Be your very best at the place you're at right now." So true, isn't it? Really had to let that one sink in.

2. Sylvia Weinstock is such an interesting and worldly woman. Hope our paths cross again someday.

3. The bands at Engage! are simply amazing. Never underestimate the power of a really talented live band.

4. On that note, the mixologists from The Grand Bevy were amazing to watch. Just goes to show how food and drink can really contribute to a grand experience!

Xo,

engage!13 | Montelucia - Days 2 & 3 from I Do Films on Vimeo.

Guesterly | A True Guest Experience

A couple of months ago I awoke to an email headed "Boise-fast coffee or beer chat"? I thought to myself, someone really knows how to get my attention! Fast forward about a week and I sat over a cup of really good coffee sharing a Dulce de Leche macaroon with Rachel Hofstetter of Guesterly. 

We met at A Tavola in Boise to chat about her brainchild, a get-to-know-you magazine for wedding guests. After chatting for a bit about her former life as a food editor (at the likes of O, The Oprah Magazine no less), we got down to the nitty gritty of how Guesterly was born and how it works. 

While planning her own wedding to her husband, Lorne, they dreamt of finding a way to introducing and making their guests (from all over the country) feel as though they already knew each other. They wanted a way to create an experience for their guests so that everyone came to their wedding weekend relaxed, having fun, and making lasting memories. After a bit of walking down memory lane via Lorne's Princeton Herald they came up with the idea to create their own Herald-like booklet with heartfelt bios of each of their wedding guests. Rachel put her magazine editor skills to work to write those tidbits and fun facts about each of their guests, including interviewing Lorne's entire side of the guest list. Then Lorne put his skills to the test to design the book to showcase every single guest in attendance. A week before the wedding the books were mailed out and soon the phone calls and emails came pouring in- their guests loved every bit of it. 

Rachel and Lorne at their wedding | A few snapshots of actual Guesterly's 

Before they knew it, friends of the couple began asking for the booklet for their weddings. One thing led to another, and soon they knew it was time to set out to create Guesterly 2.0 so they could offer that lasting experience to everyone. 

"Find your tablemates", "Meet her globetrotting grandparents"...just a few of the sneak peek snippets to welcome your guests

So how does it work? Like magic really. Lorne and Rachel have thought of everything, including a specially designed software that pulls photos of your guests through Facebook. Photos are enhanced via a photo editor to make your guests shine, and are dropped into a custom layout (including colors, typography, and more) created by Guesterly's graphic designers. A few weeks before the wedding Guesterly's writers set up a fun interview with the couple to help create the bios for your guests, then send a proof check for you to look over. When all is approved, the booklet is sent to their printing partners (many of which print some of the most popular magazines on newsstands now- thanks to Rachel's insider connections!) and the finished product is mailed out to your guests a week before the wedding. In short, they've made the process so easy peasy, and your guests are guaranteed to throw a fit about it (in a good way!).

What's more is you get to customize your Guesterly however you want- think table assignments, directions, maps, to-do activities and more. No matter what, the booklet will become a cherished keepsake from your wedding- for you and your guests, and we can't stop talking about it.

Be sure to take a peek at the website for more information, photos, and even a free sample! You can also stay up to date by following on Twitter and Facebook.

Happy Planning,

July In Photos

After being on baby break, July was my true "wedding month" of 2013, and what a month it was! July was all about Idaho wineries and our second home when it comes to weddings, McCall and the Payette. Here are some photos from our whirlwind month as we head into August. We also got a chance to work with some friends that we haven't seen in a while- vendor lovelies, we'd love to know, what were some of your favorite moments of July?

Here's to a great week!

Xo,

Succulents and moss with vintage travel mixed in at a winery? Yes please!

The true meaning of multitasking!

Be Still our beating hearts with the view on the lake..

And my newfound love of the cornflower (how perfectly matched is its rustic with upscale?)

And the Fourth of July isn't the only occasion for fireworks. We loved shooting them off over Payette Lake!

Remember our Lucky In Love contest winners from last year? We finally celebrated their day at Woodriver Cellars Winery this month. 

What the Soirettes do when we have some downtime with good friends...

And baby H isn't the only true love in my life.. How about this firecracker? 

* Photos from Instagram, follow us!: 1-3 @brandi_reiland, 4-6 & 8, @kimmyann1, and 7 from @tanaphotography. 

Featured | Caitlin + Monty's McCall Soiree

Happy Monday! We woke up with news in our inbox- Caitlin and Monty's southern September affair is featured on Style Me Pretty today! We have been (im)patiently sitting on all of the pretty photos from Two Bird Studio for months so we are so thrilled to finally reveal them. But first, a little background on this wedding. Caitlin and Monty spent much of their relationship long distance, including while planning their wedding; Caitlin was in New York for most of it, working with her Regas team, and Monty in Texas. McCall was a favorite family spot from Caitlin's childhood so they chose the lakeside destination locale to bring their family and friends from all over to one lovely place. I remember receiving the initial email from Caitlin- she was spunky and so excited to put tons of thought and detail into the weekend, and she's a letterpress designer, so basically we hit it off from the start.

Three locations within McCall- The Old Finn Church, Roseberry Barn, and Shore Lodge- and three design concepts layered to build upon each other-provided such an awesome experience for the guests; a historic quaint chapel to start, rustic barn complete with a lively folk band and spanning mountain views, and a rockin band, great food and gorgeous lake setting to end the night. In short it was an amazing event that had the entire Soiree team involved and we loved every second of it. Here are a few photos to whet your whistle, but do take a peek at the full feature on Style Me Pretty today!