Black Tie Territory

Black Tie Territory

March 25th, 2010 @ 5:25 pm by Mrs. Oyster
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My fiancé & I looked at venues for months! I began by casting a wide net online, and eliminating venues that were simply too expensive or had shoddy customer service. I initially loved the outdoor garden idea, but we decided against it — mostly because I remembered that I positively melt in the summer Texas heat. With that, we toured six venues and fell in love with two of them!

I’m going to withhold the name of our first choice, but it was a relatively undiscovered ballroom near downtown, and it’s beautiful! No garden, for sure, but it was even better: plenty of windows for beautiful light, formal décor, and oh yeah - AIR CONDITIONING. Eventually, negotiations with this venue didn’t work out, but the venue we eventually chose could be described identically.

With the selection of this venue, I’ve suddenly realized we are heading into Black Tie territory—suddenly, it looks like the “black tie” wedding I’d really wanted could become a reality! Most importantly, my fiancé is on board with the idea. I couldn’t be happier.

Not too long after our venue selection, I eagerly read my latest copy of Martha Stewart Weddings, and featured prominently was the formal Rainbow Room wedding of Priya & Ralph. What a beautiful example of a formal wedding, and how timely! Most of these images were photographed by Dan Loh. Find more pictures from Priya & Ralph’s wedding on his blog.

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Another wedding that immediately comes to mind is the wedding of Darcy Miller, wedding editor for Martha Stewart Weddings. I was in college when Darcy was married nearly 10 years ago, and I still remember the awe I felt looking at these wedding photos in the magazine. Amazing! I love *all types* of weddings, but if you’re looking for “timelessness,” a black tie wedding is unparalleled. Not ONE element of Darcy’s wedding can be considered “out of style” now. Amazing! (So is her photographer, Holger Thoss).

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A Google search for Darcy & Andy’s wedding reveals a 2001 article from indiebride.com, ripping apart Darcy’s über-traditional affair as well as her choice to share the details of her courtship & wedding in the pages of the magazine. I wonder what that author would say now, 10 years later, with the advent of blogs, social networks, virtually instant digital photo uploading, and the massive explosion of the bridal industry! In 2010, Darcy’s publishing her own wedding seems like a natural choice.

Would you share your wedding online? Do you think you’d have been willing to do the same 10 years ago?

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25 Responses to “Black Tie Territory”

1 2 Last

Member

amariem25 (message) 3,733 posts, Sugar bee

I would have loved to have been a bee and shared my entire wedding online!

3/25/10 @ 5:36 pm (reply)

Bee

Mrs. Quiche (message) 3,160 posts, Sugar bee

I did share my wedding online, so I’m gonna go with YES on this one!

I can’t wait to see more about your wedding Mr. Q and I both love attending black tie weddings - they are timeless! Your pictures will be beautiful!

3/25/10 @ 5:52 pm (reply)

Member

mander411 (message) 735 posts, Busy bee

I think that article is absolutely hilarious LOL!! I wouldn’t go out of my way to share my wedding, but what’s wrong with it anyway? Ppl put a lot of hard work into these events, on any scale. I would be proud to show it off

3/25/10 @ 6:23 pm (reply)

Member

mebless (message) 512 posts, Busy bee

I would definitely show off my wedding! Especially in Darcy’s case where she does this for a living! I think that we all put such hard work into this one day that kicks off the rest of our lives, so I say, “heck yeah!! Show it off!!!”

3/25/10 @ 6:35 pm (reply)

Bee

Miss Cardigan (message) 8,645 posts, Bee Keeper

Those are some gorgeous photos!

3/25/10 @ 7:26 pm (reply)

Bee

Miss Hamster (message) 4,046 posts, Honey bee

I remember seeing Priya & Ralph’s wedding as well and thinking it looked gorgeous! Oh, and I guess I’m in the YES category for sharing my wedding online

3/25/10 @ 7:30 pm (reply)

Member

kayakgirl73 (message) 2,157 posts, Buzzing bee

I’d be willing to show mine off, but it probably wouldn’t be of huge interest. It was fairly standard semi-formal small town wedding, with some but not a lot of DIY so I doubt the blogs would be interested but it’s my wedding and I liked it so it’s fine.

3/25/10 @ 8:05 pm (reply)

Guest

Shannah

I’m so excited to be reading about your Dallas wedding! I’m having a Dallas wedding in September…it’s soooo nice to see what you are doing. So, see, websites are important and helpful even though they’re public.

3/25/10 @ 9:02 pm (reply)

Bee

Mrs. Swan (message) 1,046 posts, Bumble bee

If we had a night time wedding, I would love to have made it more formal. These are great inspiration pics.

3/25/10 @ 9:41 pm (reply)

10.

Guest

Golden8214

No, but im a private person. I dont even have my real name on facebook and my profile picture is never a picture of me. However, who am i to judge those who are braver than me. I appreciate all those that share their weddings because they give me great ideas. For instance, I love Darcy’s cootie catcher idea as conversation starters since i always make them while talking to people and am now considering doing this!!!

3/25/10 @ 10:12 pm (reply)

11.

Bee

Miss Trail Mix (message) 6,328 posts, Bee Keeper

Oh Darcy, she can do no wrong in my book! Obviously, I have no prob sharing my wedding online, haha…I’m so excited for your wedding, black-tie affair, ooh lala!

3/26/10 @ 1:39 am (reply)

12.

Member

Ella1978 (message) 2,027 posts, Buzzing bee

I love the idea of a black tie wedding, but I don’t know many people who own tuxes.. so we are going formal, but not black tie. Black and white almost everywhere, with hints of green. I’m trying to make it elegant and formal, but fun and not stuffy.. ha!

As far as sharing it online.. I had to think about it. I started writing blogs to sign up to be a bee, but then I thought about how MUCH personal information would have to be shared, to explain how we came to be a couple, how we came to desicsions… and while I was okay with that.. I wasn’t sure that my future husband would be… So I took down my blog, and went back to commenting about weddings…

I love weddings, and I will probably get into the biz somehow after mine - but I think I’m okay with keeping our wedding between me and my fiance.

3/26/10 @ 8:22 am (reply)

13.

Member

flamingred (message) 1,921 posts, Buzzing bee

I know that article is old, but it makes me mad. Sometimes “indie” people get so caught up in their image, that they become the type of judgemental, mainstream person they think they are making fun of. And the funny thing is, most mainstream brides, musicians or whoever don’t give a crap about what the “cooler” people are doing-they just do what they want. Which makes them kind of more indie. LOL.

And yes I would share my wedding online.

3/26/10 @ 9:12 am (reply)

14.

Bee

Mrs. Quiche (message) 3,160 posts, Sugar bee

@Ella1978: I think it’s perfectly acceptable for men to wear black suits in lieu of a tux to a black-tie wedding I wouldn’t worry about it!!

3/26/10 @ 10:07 am (reply)

15.

Member

alivoo01 (message) 2,622 posts, Sugar bee

I’d love to share my wedding online even if it’s only via reply comments on the Hive! haha!

3/26/10 @ 10:11 am (reply)

16.

Member

Ella1978 (message) 2,027 posts, Buzzing bee

Thanks Mrs. Quiche!

3/26/10 @ 10:33 am (reply)

17.

Member

Leprechaun (message) 907 posts, Busy bee

I’m so excited to have a black tie bee! Sometimes I feel like there aren’t enough brides on here planning more traditional weddings–I love looking at the indie/diy weddings, but they just aren’t me, if you know what I mean.

3/26/10 @ 10:46 am (reply)

18.

Member

thistleandclovers (message) 212 posts, Helper bee

We are doing Black Tie Optional and I am thrilled! I think it is classy and it is just how I pictured my wedding…I think Darcy’s wedding is stunning and sharing it, during a time when it was rare to do so, makes it appricate it even more.

3/26/10 @ 12:18 pm (reply)

19.