Lily Riley

Lily Riley lives in Boston with her husband, Jack, and their French bulldog, Harry. She and Jack were recently married in a gorgeous winter wedding filled with classic details celebrating their love for their home city of Boston.

Lily is a business development manager for technology company outside of Boston. She also enjoys running, cooking and spending time with her family. She discovered her love for all things weddings while planning her wedding to Jack, and is very excited to share her ideas with you through this blog. Thank you for reading!

Puttin’ on the Glitz

Posted by Lily Riley on November 8, 2010

If you’re anything like me, you loved the process of choosing a wedding gown. What’s not to love about trying on assorted styles of gorgeous dresses and envisioning how each one will fit with the style of your big day? I went through about twenty and while at Kleinfeld in Manhattan, heard stories of brides far outdoing my efforts … I can’t say I was surprised – even after finding my dress, I could have stayed there all day!

But what’s a bride to do after the gown has been chosen? How can she ensure that her accessories will match the glamour of her newly discovered dress? If you’re not the kind of bride who can spend additional thousands of dollars accessorizing your look, why not rent some fabulous jewels instead? Two websites are ready and waiting to help you.

At Adorn (www.adorn.com), they specialize in bridal jewelry. There are dozens of beautiful earrings, necklaces and bracelets – most of which rent for $75-150. When you order, your jewelry will arrive two days before the event, and after the big day, just send the jewelry back via UPS. Here are a few of my favorites:

This Spencer necklace is a fantastic addition to a strapless neckline.

Photo Credit: Adorn.com

Pair this Budding bracelet with a floral-detailed gown for a beautiful touch.

Photo Credit: Adorn.com

If you’re going for pearls, these Hartley earrings are a lovely choice.

Photo Credit: Adorn.com

You’re probably familiar with Bag Borrow or Steal (now called Avelle, but still at www.bagborroworsteal.com), if you saw the fabulous handbags carried by Jennifer Hudson’s Louise in the Sex and the City movie. But did you also know they rent jewelry? Or that the pieces in their wedding collection can be yours for $70-200? Trust me, they have some great stuff.

These Kara Ross earrings would complement almost any gown.

Photo Credit: BagBorrowSteal.com

These Vera Wang earrings are the height of romance.

Photo Credit: BagBorrowSteal.com

He’ll be happy to take your hand with this Judith Ripka stunner!

Photo Credit: BagBorrowSteal.com

Filed under: Fashion, Jewelry & Rings, Our Brides & Grooms

November 8, 2010 by Lily Riley

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Cinderella, Eat Your Heart Out!

Posted by Lily Riley on October 14, 2010

Last week I shared some of my favorite designs in cake toppers – a wedding element that’s come back in vogue and which I absolutely adore. So now I’d like to share my love of styles that go on the bottom … of your feet! Of course, shoes are a beloved item in most women’s wardrobes, and in this bride’s eyes, your wedding shoes should be no different. I intended to walk down the aisle in a classic Manolo Blahnik slingback (with closed toes to protect against the January weather), but was astounded to find a beautiful pair of Caparos d’orsay heels at the DSW down the street. They matched my dress perfectly and were far more comfortable than I expected from a shoe at that price point. Lucky me!

So here’s a bit of inspiration to help you find your perfect wedding shoe. These days, there are truly no rules governing what color, shape or style one should wear. So as long as you love it, and you can dance the night away without getting blisters, go for it!

Photo Credit: JCrew.com

For a retro look, these Stuart Weitzman pumps are fabulous.

Photo Credit: StuartWeitzman.com

For summer brides, it doesn’t get much more fun than these Badgley Mischka sandals!

Photo Credit: Nordstrom.com

If you’d prefer to don a flat, Kate Spade has a fun and flirty option for you.

Photo Credit: Nordstrom.com

Who says bridal shoes need to be white? Shoes can be your something blue, or better yet, your something sparkly!

Photo Credit: SaksFifthAvenue.com

Filed under: Fashion, Our Brides & Grooms

October 14, 2010 by Lily Riley

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And to Top It off …

Posted by Lily Riley on October 6, 2010

I’m not generally a fan of the word “trend.” While I understand that there are wiser people in fashion-related industries who seem to have insights akin to a crystal ball (the “this blue was chosen for you” scene from The Devil Wears Prada comes to mind), I’m not crazy about the idea of styling something based solely on someone else’s determination that a certain element is “of the moment.” My preference is no less strong when it comes to weddings. That said, however, I cannot resist hopping right on the bandwagon of the cake topper trend. Yes, I admit it. I love these things and wish every bride would embrace them as I have.

And here are a few reasons why:

This 1940’s couple is just dashing – great for a classic ballroom wedding.

Photo Credit: FancyFlours.com

Who wouldn’t want to go for a ride with this fun-loving pair?

Photo Credit: FancyFlours.com

This stylish take on the monogram adds an elegant touch to any cake.

Photo credit: beau-coup.com

Etsy is a great source for so many wedding things – and cake toppers are no exception!

Photo Credit: Concarta

What’s going to top your cake?

Filed under: Details, Our Brides & Grooms, Trends

October 6, 2010 by Lily Riley

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The Big Day Before the Big Day

Posted by Lily Riley on September 22, 2010

Yesterday I had the pleasure of attending a bridal shower and bachelorette party for a dear friend of mine. I’m lucky to be part of her bridal party and am very much looking forward to her wedding in November (and yes, it helps that my dress is pretty and I get to wear my favorite Manolos with it). We had a great day – the shower began with a cooking demonstration followed by a yummy lunch and our evening involved a casual but fun dinner and many cocktails at a couple of our favorite upscale lounges.

All the pre-wedding excitement and sharing of wedding stories got me thinking about ways bridal parties can make the bride feel special as her big day approaches. And I’m not talking about simply throwing bigger and better parties – indeed, neither of yesterday’s events was an over-the-top affair – but meaningful gestures that let the bride know her friends and family are looking forward to her wedding and will be there to support her when the day arrives.

So I put together the following list based on things we did yesterday, ideas I’ve come across and things that (lucky me) were done for my benefit. I bet any of these (or a combination thereof) would make any bride-to-be feel loved.

Photo Credit: JustJen.com

1. Create a soundtrack for the wedding warm-up

We all love to take our favorite tunes to the gym – they get us excited for the workout ahead. A warm-up for a wedding is no different! You and your fellow bridesmaids can assemble a playlist of tunes the bride loves or that remind you of favorite moments in your friendship, and have these songs serve as the soundtrack for the shower or bachelorette party. And while you’re at it, why not burn a CD for everyone attending?

2. Have everyone pitch in

No matter how large the guest list, chances are most party planning gets done by a few people. Having all the attendees contribute to a scrapbook or recipe book allows them to provide the bride a lasting memento of the days leading up to her wedding.

3. Take the bride to school

If the bride in your life has a favorite hobby or is looking to hone a new skill, having your shower guests attend a class or getting a lesson from an expert will give her a great opportunity to do so. You can have a great time (as we did) cooking a new dish, gardening or crafting.

Photo Credit: ExperienceDays.com

4. Toast the bride with her own cocktail

If the shower takes place at a restaurant, chances are there will be cocktails involved. Why not have the cocktail feature the bride’s favorite flavors? Check with the restaurant’s bar staff to see if they’ll put together a cocktail for you – chances are they’ll welcome the chance to create something new and interesting.

Photo Credit: AnExclusiveEngagement.com

5. Take the bride on a journey

Who says a shower or bachelorette party needs to be located in one place – literally or figuratively? The bride-to-be will surely love a trip down memory lane that happens through visits to important locations in her and her fiancé’s past or through stories about the important events that took place at those places.

Hope these ideas have given you some great ideas for how to show some love to your favorite bride-to-be!

Filed under: Our Brides & Grooms, Shower, Tips and Tricks

September 22, 2010 by Lily Riley

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Go Away – It’s Your Present!

Posted by Lily Riley on September 16, 2010

If you’ve been to a wedding in the past five years or so (and you’re reading this, so I assume you have), you’ve probably encountered a couple who opted to forgo registering for china and linens and instead divided up their honeymoon into pieces that could be “purchased” for them. For couples who have their household goods in order or who have an adventurous spirit, the honeymoon registry offers a great way to send the message that all they really want is a chance to get away (and who doesn’t after all the work and excitement of a wedding?).

Photo Credit: TurtleFiji.com

If you’re thinking of putting a honeymoon registry together, there are a few ways to do this, and a few things you should consider. The most common kind of registry allows people to pay for airfare, lodging, meals and activities you’ll be doing on your honeymoon (or divides the cost of those items into guest-friendly increments of $50 or $100). Companies that provide this service – like The Honeymoon and The Big Day – act like travel agents with a registry service. Conveniently, you arrive on your honeymoon with activities and things paid for, but in the process, the company will collect a fee – generally 8-9% of the cost of each item (so a guest who wants to give you a gift worth $100 will need to spend almost $110).

Photo Credit: StarwoodHotels.com

Alternatively, hotel companies are getting into the game with registries that help you plan a trip among their resorts. Marriott, Starwood and Sandals have all launched programs to encourage engaged couples to register, and stay, with them. One of the perks of this method is your gifts usually come in the form of flexible credits to be used among the resort and its affiliated partners.

Photo Credit: StarwoodHotels.com

There are free alternatives that allow you to customize where you want to go and where you want to stay. HoneyFund calls itself “the completely free honeymoon registry,” because it doesn’t collect fees for the items guests purchase. However, the purchases make their way to the engaged couple in the form of a check or a deposit into their PayPal account.

If you’re looking to provide some creative ideas to your guests who want to give you something interesting and memorable, a honeymoon registry is a great way to do this. Chances are you’ll never forget who got you that fabulous dinner or couples massage!