Helpful Tips
July 11th, 2008 @ 2:44 pm by Mrs. Caramel
I’ve been super MIA — so sorry about that! But ever since our side wedding business has picked up, I’ve been saving more and more tips I can share with you all. I’ve been to super fancy weddings and low budget weddings… here are some things I’ve learned in the past couple months that may be useful for you!
*Steaming your Wedding Dress
I personally paid a ridiculous amount to steam my silk wedding gown. The woman at the boutique said for a silk gown, I absolutely HAD to steam my dress. At a wedding I was recently working, the bridal party realized that they needed to steam the wedding gown before the wedding, which was hours away. So they started to call random wedding shops to see if they could get it steamed ASAP. A few places quoted $200+ just for steaming the dress! Then some brilliant person suggested asking the hotel if they had steaming services… and they did! Someone actually came to the room with a huge steamer and was able to steam the dress beautifully for only $20. The bridal party said it looked better than when it was first steamed a week ago. So make a mental note for those who are getting ready at a hotel—ask your hotel if they offer clothes steaming services!
*Thin hair? Or no hair?
It’s actually very common for women to have thinning hair these days, usually at the top of the head which is the most important part! So what do you do for your wedding day? I’d settle on an up-do to fake the fullness. I’ve also heard that these “powders” for your hair work really well! I highly suggest using a couple products before settling on one for your wedding day. Always practice “wearing” your hair & makeup for a whole day just in case. 
*Flowers in the hair
I’m a fan of putting flowers in all the bridesmaids’ hair, but I honestly have run into so many problems with pinning them on the head. This is because depending on the location of your ear and hairline, the placement can get awkward. It’s also best to use fake flowers instead of real flowers since some of them come with clips. Your flowers won’t wilt AND you can press the pins in as tightly as possible without having to worry about them cutting into the dainty stem!
*Thank you card idea
After reading Mrs. Tulip’s post about the clutter in their office, I remembered how the Caramels’ apartment was in the same condition when we first walked in. Imagine getting ready for your honeymoon in this mess! (where’s a pen?? where’s my phone??)
I remember we couldn’t even walk into the kitchen!
I think lots of newlyweds will come home from their wedding/honeymoon to a mess similar to this… so why not make a card out of it?
My friend who recently got married made the cutest Thank You post card. I loved how she embraced this messy state and put it on a card! It is pretty ridiculous how crazy messy it gets, especially as you’re opening your wedding gifts in a teeny apartment!
Have you picked up any helpful wedding tips recently?
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16 Responses to “Helpful Tips”
OMG I love that thank you card idea. How adorable.
LOVE the thank you postcard! I’m sooo stealing that idea…
And awesome tips–I’ve got personal love for bumble & bumble’s hair powder/shampoo–good stuff!
I would add something to the steaming - if your dress has unusual draping, as some expensive gowns will have- be SO cautious about who steams your dress. A friend who was getting ready at a very expensive hotel in New York (thus, we would assume, good service…) actually had the drapes of her gown steamed out several hours before the ceremony by someone who was probably only accustomed to steaming sheets or perhaps they were new. Disaster. Another friend (fashion designer on the side) managed to steam the drapes back in, luckily. Not to be a downer, but for some dresses, it may be worth it not to risk it.
On a nicer note, I love the card! So funny and so cute.
Thanks for all the tips Mrs. Caramel I LOVE that Thank You card… now if I could print it on plantable paper I’d be really happy.
that’s genius about the steaming! though my mom ironed my gown herself (silk, too… was your boutique trying to tell you there was something special about silk that required their expensive service??) I “helped” but it was more about my being there to calm her nerves. Love my mommy.
Have a good looking hanger for your dress instead of an ugly clear plastic one they give you.
Take an address book and a book of stamps on your honeymoon and send all your guests post-cards (buys you time in the thank-yous department AND makes them feel super special) Don’t forget to send one to yourself
Have someone you trust clean your place while you’re gone…then come home to sparkly goodness.
If you take your bouquet home, put it in some water in the fridge. Most flowers are so fresh that they’ll be waiting for you when you get back from your honeymoon.
And an oldie but a goodie…
Carry your bouquet lower than what feels natural so you don’t cover the top of your dress.
Another hair tip. Aveda makes a product called Pure Abundance Hair Potion. You sprinkle a little powder on you hair at the root s and as you work it in it turns into a liquid and it gives you amazing volume. My sister and I call it hair crack. Its great.
The thank you card idea is so cute and creative!
In an attempt to make my hair look thicker, I go through these steps:
I use Back to Basics thickening serum and volumizing root boost after the shower. Then I spray Short Sexy Hair “Play dirty” on my hair, then I put rollers in, then hair spray. I’m telling you, it gives me volume for days.
Okay, now I’m really confused. My bridal salon said to make sure the dress is pressed not steamed because the steam can leave water marks, staining the dress. Can you guys tell me if they were blowing smoke up my crinoline? Or is pressing better than steaming for silk? Ugh. I don’t know what to do 
Hi Mrs. Caramel,
I am getting married on October 18th. Can you send me the contact information for John Q., the hairstylist you mentioned in Westminster and can you also send me a pricelist for your services? Thank you. My email is tiffluu@gmail.com
Yes, it’s true. Steamers can sometimes “spit” water and leave watermarks on delicate fabrics such as silk.
To Griffen: it may be possible that they are right, depending on the make, fabric and details of your dress. I guess it really just depends on how careful you want to be with your dress! I heard steaming is better for silk and the bride I was talking about had the same advice all around.
If you’re really nervous, you could just leave the dress hanging in the bathroom of wherever you’re getting ready at and have the hot water running in the tub to make the room steamy. Then it will at least loosen the wrinkles a little bit!
Mrs. Caramel, Los Angeles
Age and Occupation: 24, Art Gallery/Museums
Fiance's Age and Occupation: 24, Engineer
Engagement Date: January 8, 2007
Wedding Date: October 6, 2007
Venue: a beautiful church and hotel reception
About Me: I love dancing, singing, eating out, eating in, surfing on the net, and brainstorming fantastic ideas. I also love cats, coffee, and know every quote written on Sex & the City. I'm known to laugh really loud and have really crazy hand gestures while I talk. My fiance writes songs and I take pictures. What else? We're just a crazy young couple in love, trying to make a fabulous wedding!
Oh wow, that card is awesome! We finally escaped our old apartment, which was way too small once we received all of our wedding gifts, so now our boxes are distributed throughout more space, but I feel like we’ll be unpacking forever…