Free Gowns for Military Brides

Brides Across America Comes to Atlanta

Wedding Angels Bridal Boutique is thrilled to present Brides Across America in Atlanta. Brides Across America, a nationwide charity dedicated to encouraging boutiques to provide free wedding gowns for military brides is a once in a lifetime event.

The event is set to take place at Wedding Angels Bridal Boutique in Roswell on July 12 & 13, 2012. All brides who are engaged or had a civil ceremony and planning a wedding within the next 18 months are invited to attend along with friends and family.

“We are so grateful for the service men and women who are showing their commitment to our country. There is no better way to thank them than to help them celebrate their wedding!” says Jacqueline Westney, Owner of Wedding Angels Bridal Boutique.  With over 100 dresses given away within the last year, Wedding Angels employees are experts at matching military brides-to-be with their dream dress, at no charge.

For the fourth year running, brides will have their pick of designer wedding gown samples at no cost to them, courtesy of Wedding Angels Bridal Boutique.  Many couples have fast approaching wedding dates because of challenges with planning leave from their deployment.  Wedding Angels is prepared to help the brides look their best and feel like the belle of the ball for her wedding day!

Almost 100 gowns in varied sizes and colors will be available FREE of charge to military brides who meet the qualifications.

PLEASE be sure you qualify BEFORE you attend the event.

• Brides who are active duty, or are engaged to an active duty military man AND
• Bride has, or finacee has been deployed to a qualifying combat zone within the past 5 years.
• Appointments are not taken, and pre-registration is not necessary.
• Event begins promptly at 4PM on Thursday July 12 and 10AM on Friday July 13 , but brides may arrive earlier to secure a place in line.  This is a first-come-first-served event and gowns go quickly!
• Appropriate proof of eligibility includes:  deployment papers, or official letter of deployment, and a photo ID (a military ID is NOT necessary).
• Brides will have a 30 minute “mini” appointment with our team of bridal consultants to choose the gown of their dreams!
• Brides should feel free to bring a friend or family member to share the experience.
• Additional items will be available to brides while supplies last- jewelery, veils, photography services, hair and makeup services, and more!

For more information regarding the July 12 & 13 events please call Wedding Angels at
(770) 645-0404. For more participating stores and states checkout www.bridesacrossamerica.com or www.weddingangels.com

Date: Thursday July 12 from 4PM – 7PM and Friday July 13 from 10AM – 2PM

Wedding Angels Bridal Boutique
395 South Atlanta Street
Roswell, GA 30075

photos by In The Moment Photographs

Jasmine Bridesmaids Trunk Show

We are excited to have Jasmine Bridal Trunk Shows at Wedding Angels Bridal Boutique on Friday June 29th – Sunday July 1st. We will showcase three Jasmine Bridesmaids lines – Belsoie, B2 and Jasmine. Grab your bridesmaids and come visit us for a fun time, special gifts and discounts during the bridesmaids trunk show!

We will have special trunk show pricing during the event! You can also nibble on treats from Nothing Bundt Cakes and receive discounts from Roswell’s newest spa and fitness center, Quest Spa! We’ll have these adorable Bridesmaids tanks for sale at the shop. They make a great gift for your best friends and family!

Call for your appointment at 770-645-0404

Karin’s Engaged!

Yes, it’s true! Karin, our store manager, is engaged and we are ecstatic!

Karin is 2nd from the right in the photo. She is going to keep us posted on her wedding planning and here is her first post!

He said, She said……an engagement story.

He: I’ve been meticulously planning this night for months. I’ve gone over every detail, made several trips to the venue and even have a back- up plan to ensure this night goes off without a hitch. I hope proposing on MY birthday will surely surprise her.

She: It’s my boyfriend’s birthday in a few days and we normally treat the other to dinner. He’s not one to make a big deal about his birthday. In fact, I don’t think he’s counted any of them since his 18th! Michael just wanted to go to one of our usual restaurants, I’d rather take him somewhere special, somewhere different.

He: I knew she’d give me a hard time about restaurants so I told her I found a package deal, booked it and paid for it. Done.

She: Booked it and paid for it? What the heck!? To top it off, he won’t tell me where we’re going. I tried to look online to no avail, for restaurants with package deals! I’ve had a stressful week and just really wanted to enjoy a special night out with my love to celebrate his birthday.

He: It can’t rain. That means plan B. I don’t want plan B. It’s raining.

She: We’re at my house having a cocktail before we leave, reservations are at 8pm. He’s awfully concerned about the rain. He looks very handsome by the way!

He: Driving to the venue was hell. I tried not to make too many sharp turns because I had a cooler with celebratory drinks in it for later and I didn’t want her to hear the ice moving around. On top of that, I ‘m going back and forth with the coordinator, plan A can’t happen due to the rain she says. I tell her plan A HAS to happen.

She: I’m going crazy trying to figure out where we are going. Is it just a different location of one of our favorite restaurants? Maybe it’s a concert? What restaurants are out this way? He said I’ve been there before. Not to mention, that cocktail is kicking in and I have to make a pit stop!

He: She’s going crazy trying to figure this out. The determination of that little brain and the look on her face is making this all worth it!

She: Uh oh traffic. Now I really have to pee. We’re going to be late he says, losing patience. I promise I’ll be fast. So we get off the interstate. He wants to kill me! God, I love this man.

He: God, I want to kill her right now, but I do love her!

She: Back on track and not even late, we turn into Chateau Elan Resort and Winery. This is so like him to choose a place he knew I would love on HIS birthday! Surprised he asked? Yes and very excited!

He: The rain let up and plan A is back on. I need to keep her occupied during dinner while they set up. Are you done with going to the bathroom I asked her?

She:  Strange question but yes, I’m good. It’s raining again. After a fabulous dinner, Michael went to use the restroom. This was my chance. I went up to the maitre’d and hostess to ask them a question. They quickly formed a unified front to block what was going on outside behind them. I wasn’t paying attention to that. I wanted to pay for dinner. Was there any way to credit his card and let me take care of it. I tried to explain that it was his birthday. No sorry it’s already done. Then Michael walks out of the bathroom with this look on his face.

He: What is she doing up? Did she see it? I ever so gently push her (j/k) back to the table.  What are you doing I ask? She explains she wanted to pay. I love her big heart but she’s going to ruin things! Let’s go upstairs I tell her, there’s an art gallery up there.

She: The only thing upstairs besides the gallery was offices.  After we toured that, he wanted to walk around the perimeter of the second floor. What for? I asked. It’s only offices . Exercise he said. Very funny. When we got to the balcony, all of the doors had a sign that read “Balcony closed for private function”.  Let’s go outside he says, as he opens an unlocked door. Um, hello, it says it’s closed!

He: It’s like pulling teeth to propose to this woman! Now get out onto that balcony.

She: We went under the overhang because it was still raining, and there it was. On the manicured hedges below, hung an enormous banner lit up with spotlights. It read “Karin, Will you marry me?” and our future initials in a heart. I was in shock! I put my hands over my mouth and turned around to find Michael down on one knee. He presented me with the most gorgeous ring I’ve ever seen. Of course I said yes! I can’t believe he pulled it off!

He: I also had a little table set up out there with champagne and candles.  We called and texted friends and family the news. The second surprise came when I told her we were staying at the resort that night and having breakfast the next morning.  I have to work! she protested (taken care of) What about the dog?(taken care of) Clothes? (taken care of).

She: Yes ladies, he took care of everything. Now I look forward of taking care of him for a lifetime.

Us: Thank you Chateau Elan for allowing plan A, even in the rain! It was perfect!

A Monogram Shower

What a joy it was this past weekend to throw a bridal shower for my sister-in-law to be!  As a boutique owner, I hear and see hundreds of ideas each year for themes, décor and the like, but so rarely get to put them to use!  Carmen and George (my brother) are getting married January 5th, 2013 in Key West, FL.  Carmen has selected a spectacular Jim Hjelm Couture Gown, and the bridesmaids are wearing two different Jim Hjelm Occassions dresses in French Blue.  Exquisite!  The theme of the wedding décor will be nautical, with lots of navy and white stripes, anchors, sea glass, nautical charts etc.  I wanted to pull in some of the wedding themes while also working with the theme of the shower- Monogram!  Wow- was that a tricky endeavor.  Nautical items tend to be pretty casual, think drift wood.  And don’t monograms always seem pretty formal?  Like white Irish linens and heirloom silver formal!  Yikes!  What was I thinking?!?!?  There was only one way to get my creative juices flowing- a trip to Hobby Lobby!

Thank goodness the party planning Gods were smiling on me (and my three year old in the front of the cart playing oh-so- temporarily with his Thomas the Tank Engine).  Nautical themes are HUGE right now- have you seen the latest Pottery Barn catalogue?  Omg!  In forty five minutes flat we had three shopping carts full of anchors, hurricane glass vases, ships bells, and wooden letters!  The shower was ready to set sail.  (Sorry, I couldn’t resist).  I pulled the theme together with a menu of several seafood items- girly but hearty too.  Crab Dip, Salmon Mousse in Cucumber Cups, Shrimp’n’Grits, Lobster Mac’n’Cheese, and more…yum.  The finishing touch was the signature cocktail:  “Anchors’A’Way Rum Punch”- Coconut Rum, pineapple juice, key lime juice, and Blue Curacao. ..It transported everyone immediately to The Keys in their minds!  Except for us token pregnant bridesmaids…boo !

We kept the shower games to a minimum- the closest we came was asking everyone to write their marriage advice on a card to give Carmen.  We then read the advice while we opened the gifts- it was meant to take some of the pressure off of our darling bride-to-be while she opened all those monogrammed gifts and oooohed and aaaahed.  Seriously, how awkward is that tradition?  That was far, far, far, from my favorite part of my bridal showers.  What do you say after opening the twelfth flatware place setting from your registry?  Anxiety!  Carmen was graceful as could be, and she did really get some gorgeous gifts.  What is it about being a woman that we get so darn excited about anything with our initials on it?  Crazy, but I love it.

What a joy it was to have a chance to focus on non-bridal gown related wedding activities though!  It has been so much fun to help plan this wedding so far.  It always amazes me the knowledge I’ve gleaned over the years just from hearing from our brides- what works and what doesn’t, horror stories and success stories.  Showers have to be one of my favorite parts of the planning process.  Especially the girls-only showers (sigh…so old fashioned, I know).  How powerful a feeling though, to be surrounded by 30 of the closest women in your life?  Women who’ve been married for 37 years, 15 years, 4 years, or just got engaged, even divorced women- they always have insight aplenty.  Mothers, sisters, friends, colleagues, all gathered to wish you well, and pass along the wisdom that paints upon the canvas of life.  What a sacred and emotionally charged time to spend together.  I felt so honored to be with the group of ladies who were celebrating my sister-in-law-to-be.  There’s hardly a thing you could find impossible with a loving group of women like that in your life, as your sounding board, your safety net, your life coaches.  Isn’t that the most fundamentally amazing thing about a wedding?  Merging the family and friends from both sides, and forging your own ever-growing  family out of all the new bonds?  Beautiful.

~ Jacquie