Bridesmaid Trade is a creative new organization where people trade in their bridesmaids dresses which can then be rented; here are 5 reasons why you should use this inventive new service:

1. Your bridesmaids will look beautiful: The dresses in our rental line are classic and chic, in a range of flattering cuts and in colors easily incorporated in a variety of wedding color palettes.

We chose popular dresses from J.Crew and Ann Taylor, two trusted names in bridesmaid dress design.  The dresses are constructed of high-quality materials and are impeccably tailored.  We also love the unique touches that make these dresses memorable. Two of our favorite features are the embellished shoulders on the black Ann Taylor dresses (below) and the chiffon overlay of the J.Crew Sophia dress (above)

2. It’s easy:  If you’re the kind of gal who likes to keep things simple, what’s easier than reserving the sizes you need, having your bridesmaids look beautiful on the Big Day, and then dropping the dresses in the mail a couple days later?  For brides with a bridal party scattered across the US, renting dresses is a convenient option that saves everyone time. If you appreciate a streamlined process, or have bridesmaids who might, renting bridesmaid dresses is a great option. We’re always happy to answer questions at sales@bridesmaidtrade.com.

3. It’s affordable: A new bridesmaid dress can cost between $150-$300.  For young women working to balance new careers, families, or the end of college loan deferment, every dollar counts.  With costs between $30-40 per dress, our rental line is perfect for the bride who wants to be budget-savvy without sacrificing style.

4. It’s green: If you track your wedding’s carbon footprint as closely as you do the budget, renting dresses is one more way your celebration can be a reflection of your values.  We believe we’re a great fit for a bride whose focus is on a joyful event with a careful eye to including items that can be reused or recycled. We’re also committed to products and vendors that focus on environmental sustainability.

5. It’s one less dress: Every day we hear: “I wish you’d been around when I was a bridesmaid!  I never wore any of my 27 dresses again!”   The truth is that if your heart is set on matching or coordinating dresses – and that’s awesome! –your bridesmaids will no doubt look smashing in the wedding party, but will probably end up with a dress that’s just not quite their style. When you rent dresses on Bridesmaid Trade.com, you get the look you want, your leading ladies look amazing, and no one needs an extra walk-in closet full of once-worn dresses!

We hope you’ll check out their website, where you can buy and sell dresses, at https://bridesmaidtrade.com.

A New Concept In Bridesmaids Dresses is a post from: The Album Boutique Blog

We have found that one of the ways that mothers get over missing their beloved children while they are away is by looking through old photos of them, especially those from family events. You probably have some hastily thrown together photo book of your child’s Bar/Bat Mitzvah, but very likely it is missing some photos or is not very well organized.

Thankfully, we have a solution. You can easily use our Album Boutique website to create a sophisticated and well priced photo album of your child’s special day – and we can send it to you within a month!

Following the easy 5-step process outlined below, you can have an amazing keepsake album at home waiting for your child’s return from camp. It’s a great gift, and a perfect way to keep a memory alive forever.

Four Step Album Creation

1.  Separate your pictures into piles: Portraits, Service, Cocktails, Celebration.
2.  Separate these pictures further into piles: child alone, child with mom and dad, child with friends, etc…
3.  Pick favorites from each pile.
4.  Narrow down images to the number you want in your album – most albums have between 50 and 60 images.
5.  Upload images to the album boutique site!

It’s that simple.  Shortly after submitting your order, you’ll receive an electronic proof of the album pages, so you can review the design and make any changes.   A few weeks after approving the design, your album will arrive! It will make any mother’s heart sing to see their pride and joy in a beautiful and professional photo album.

Here at Album Boutique we are 100% dedicated to helping you relive memories and moments from the special times in your life.  Give it a try and see for yourself how easy it is to make your memories last a lifetime.

Mitzvah Albums: The Best Cure for Moms who Miss their Kids at Camp is a post from: The Album Boutique Blog

The photographs you’ve collected over the years document the lifetime of memories you’ll want to share.  You can make this legacy truly meaningful and treasured by giving those photos a proper framework and showcase, one that tells the story of your life.

A photo memory book, filled with photographs of life and family from the past to present day, provides a legacy for all future generations to come.   Its creation can have a two-fold effect: the process of sifting through the photos will fill you with vivid memories, and it provides an opportunity to share those memories with family members.  In the end, you’ll have created something that will last over the years and be passed down from generation to generation.

And it’s easy to do — especially when you let the Album Boutique help you through this process.  You get to do the fun part, spending a night with family, laughing and maybe crying together as you sift through old memories, telling the stories behind the photos.  The Album Boutique will do all the work, putting those photos together in a leather bound album that will be cherished for years to come!  Why not get started on yours right now?

Creating a Legacy with Photo Albums is a post from: The Album Boutique Blog

Photography by Robert Evans

I may not have been a bride yet, but I’ve definitely heard (as I’m sure you all have too) every bride udder those awful words to me as I’m slipping into a bright pink silk satin dress with a giant flower on it:

“You can totally wear this again!”

I have yet to discover the proper occasion to don any of my old bridesmaids dresses, which leaves me wondering, what exactly are you supposed to do with them?  If you’re lucky, the dress is cute, little, and black, but for the rest of us, we can’t seem to get the garment bags out from the back of our closets.

After some hunting and creative brainstorming, here are a few ideas on what to do with your old dresses, as opposed to burning them in a fit of “always a bridesmaid, never a bride” fury.

Donate them: the evening sections at any local thrift store are always slim, and believe it or not there are people looking. High schoolers attend formal dances where their parents don’t want to dish out the dough for couture, and even college and twenty somethings without a lot of cash have formal events to attend. Help them out, and feel good about the cause (plus write it off on your taxes!).

Alter them: a dress may not appear too flattering on a hanger, but with a little cash and a trip to any seamstress, you can completely re invent just about anything. Shorten them, belt them, even dye them, and you can get yourself a “new” cocktail dress that’s surely one of a kind.

Save them: this idea may sound a little extreme, but after seeing the movie 27 Dresses, there’s nothing more humorous than making a bridezilla wear her own bridesmaid dress in your wedding!

Trash the dresses: a creative and fun idea for the bridesmaids AND bride, arrange for a photo shoot where you all “trash the dress.” This trend is hugely growing with brides and photographers, making a mess out of something beautiful, but this could also be a fun bonding experience for the bridal party. Grab some paint, chocolate, grass, and a camera, and have some fun!

Re use the fabric: a great idea for a gift, use the fabric and any detail from the dress to re cover a photo album and personalize it with pictures of you and the bride. She may not be happy to know you destroyed her dress, but the memories inside, and wedding colors outside, would make a great keepsake.

Next time you’re asked to be in a wedding, instead of cringing at the thought of spending your hard earned money on a dress that’s sure to never see another day after “the big day,” impress your friends, and your bride, with using your dress again and again!

What to do with old Bridesmaids Dresses is a post from: The Album Boutique Blog

1. Take photos of all the lovely things you want to give your beloved. Chocolates, roses, and jewelry are traditional choices, but it’s even more fun when you get creative.  Use little candy hearts to spell out your loved one’s name, and take a photo of that.  Take a photo of yourself wearing the new tie you’re giving him – and nothing else.  Or arrange a bunch of daisies in the shape of a heart.  Think of fun ways to show ordinary things.

2. Print out the photos and hide them in places where your partner will find them throughout the day. Include a photo of yourself so your Valentine knows who’s behind it all. Hide the photos in his gym bag or in her laptop case, in the car or a coat pocket, or in a funny place you know he’ll likely visit, like the refrigerator. Have one of her coworkers hide a few photos (except any racy ones!) at work in places she frequents.  Even send him a certified letter with a photo enclosed, for a real surprise. Choose one hiding place or several.  Have fun with it!

3. When your sweetheart comes home at the end of the day, give her all the gifts you took photos of.  The gifts themselves might be the same old boring stuff you bought last year, but this time your gesture is sure to be remembered.  Don’t forget to include a photograph of your favorite restaurant and you can discuss how much fun the adventure was over a glass of wine and a great meal.

Happy Valentine’s Day from Album Boutique!

A Valentine’s Gift to Remember – Told in Pictures is a post from: The Album Boutique Blog

Coming from Michigan, I studied English in college, but my passions streamed far beyond that. I studied art history and photography in college, and got into blogging when I was 17, fell in love and have been hooked ever since. From then on I travelled from celebrity gossip to fashion, to music, pop culture, nightlife, and now onto weddings. I’ve spent the majority of my life on the other end of a laptop, constantly bookmarking articles and websites, and analyzing the latest trends 24/7 through a Blackberry.

I began working with Album Boutique a few months ago, working on the social media side of things (which has become my latest passion), and am weaving my way through the wedding blog circuit like a young child learning how to read. With you, I’m here to brave the pages of the never ending internet, pick up the latest trends, most creative budget saving ideas and DIYs, and dream about the splurges too.

With my hands in just about every field at one point or another, I hope to bring you a hip perspective on event photography and planning a wedding, from the time you book the date until the album is in your hands.

Here’s where I turn things over to you. I’m available 24/7 for all of your questions, rants and raves, suggestions, anything! I’ll be constantly linked to the blog, Twitter, Facebook, and my email to help with anything you may need, and to write about whatever you’re dying to hear!

New Blogger for Album Boutique is a post from: The Album Boutique Blog

We get married and life changes.  Many of us have sincere intentions of creating the album of our dreams, but along come life and children. Our grand plan to make the perfect wedding album becomes less of a priority.

Like everything we put off doing, every year that goes by, it gets harder and harder to sit down and make that wedding album you have been longing for and deserve.  It’s really quite ironic, considering the amount of time it took for you to plan the most perfect wedding day, but now all you have left is a box of proofs.

It’s time to turn those musty proofs into something you will cherish forever!

Of course, once you take this step, you may have another problem to deal with – and this could be what’s been stopping you from moving forward.  If you were married 10 or more years ago, your photos probably look, shall we say, not so current.  You may find yourself thinking, “How can anyone create an album that doesn’t look as dated as my dress and my bridesmaids?”

I think a lot of people are so afraid that, because their proofs look so dated, the final product will look the same.  This just isn’t the case.  The good news is the Album Boutique’s designers can create a timeless album design that won’t look like it was done 10 years ago.

Where does one begin?

I recommend laying out all of the proofs – use a table, bed or even the floor – and putting aside your definite favorites.  Soon you will find yourself reminiscing over special moments and laughing at others.

Go through your favorites and pull out 20 portraits,10 still/room shots, 10 to 15 ceremony, 20 candids and 20 special moments (cake, garter, parent dances etc.).  Don’t forget your favorite opening and closing shots.  Take or give a few, this process will yield plenty of images to create your book.

Perhaps you’re now asking, “But wait, what if I don’t have the negatives?”  We encounter this situation frequently, because many studios have closed or have policies that allow them to keep the negatives – and you are left empty handed.
If this is your situation, rest assured we can help.  Here at the Album Boutique we can scan your proofs and create your album from the scans.  Or you may have the images on a CD, which eliminates the need for scans.

Once you’ve selected the photos you consider album-worthy, the fun really begins.  You will work hand in hand with one of our designers to create a layout that tells the story of your wedding day.  When you’ve approved your final design, you will have your album in your hands within just a few weeks.  It’s simply that easy!

Come visit the Album Boutique, where we can take that buried treasure trove of memories and create a priceless heirloom that will live on forever – in your hearts as well as your children’s, for generations to come.

What to Do With Ancient Wedding Proofs is a post from: The Album Boutique Blog

It takes a certain type of shot to make a cover that works well, whether you’re designing a simple photo book or a more elaborate album.  Keep these tips in mind when you’re taking your photos, and you’re assured of finding the perfect shot to use as your album cover.

1.  When shooting the Bar Mitzvah honoree or wedding couple – or whomever you’re photographing – they should be positioned in a landscape shot (meaning a horizontal versus vertical format) all the way to the right hand side.  Try to get some scenery or a feature of the space in the left portion, without too much going on to distract from the subjects.

2.  Choose a good vantage point. Move around a bit; switch elevations, kneel on the ground, or walk around.  The most flattering vantage point for most people is to shoot them from slightly above.  Avoid shooting from below, into a person’s nose – that’s not attractive for anyone!

3.  Pay attention to everything in the frame: what’s in the corner is as important as what’s in the center.  It’s often the difference between an interesting, engaging photo and a routine subject study.  Be careful not to allow power lines or half a person to slip into the images because you’re not paying attention.

4.   As an option for the cover, you can use one of the vertically-formatted portraits and layer it over a pretty horizontal shot.  Again, be sure to position the portrait shot to the right of the landscape shot.

Remember, you’re looking for the highlight shot – one worthy of being the cover of your book.  Keep these tips in mind when you shoot to ensure you get the perfect shot for your cover.

How to Create an Effective Photo Album Cover is a post from: The Album Boutique Blog

• Create six main piles or folders: immediate family portraits, extended family, service, details (such as flowers, decor, and location shots), reception and rejects.

• Quickly go through your photos and sort them into these categories.

• You’ll be going through each pile/folder again, so don’t think too long about any particular photo – trust your instincts. Don’t think twice about photos that are unflattering for ANYone. They should go immediately into the rejects folder.   For now, keep the “maybe” shots.

• Your goal is to make final decisions based on the best of all the images, and narrow them down to tighter groups of options.

• Follow this process for all the categories.

Step Two: Edit your categories
Next, you’re ready to edit your choices down even more.  Start with portraits and separate the photos by into sub-groups, such as, bride, bride with mom, etc.  Select your favorites from each grouping.  Continue with each of the main categories, including the reception photos, which can be sorted into sub-groups such as candle lighting, toasts, dancing.  Again, select your favorites, as you did for the portraits.

When you’re evaluating the photos, try to think about having one to three album pages of images for each category; for example, three photos of the speeches.  Narrow down your choices based on the importance of the subject and how you envision the pages. Your goal: About 20 to 30 pictures to choose from in each main category.

Ideally, at this point you will be working with no more than 250 photos.
Tip: Look for little details that make the shot album-worthy such as unusual lighting, a rarely caught expression, interesting camera perspectives, heart-felt emotion, or an important person not captured elsewhere in your selected images.

Step Three: Review your favorites before uploading.
After this process, you’ll have a better focus of all the elements for your album, which will help you determine where to cut back for your final selections.  Now you’re ready to upload your images.  Our album designers will work with your images, review your notes and send you the first round of designs within three days.

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Organizing Your Photos for Your Wedding Album design is a post from: The Album Boutique Blog

One technique is to use images as backgrounds for a spread.  In this case, the images aren’t used full color, but instead the entire image is lightened to a pale version, so any photos laid on top will pop, visually.

When designing a spread, the background image and its color tonality are just as important as the images being featured on those pages.  I use a lot of detail shots from the event, such as fabric from a table linen, or dress, cropped in very close, empty room shots, make-up, elaborate lighting fixtures, or flowers.

It is very important to not have these take away from the impact of the other images.  In order to do this I usually take them to have opacity and/or add grain to the image.  When using a solid color background fill it is very important to not have too powerful of a color, muted tones work best.

You want the images and backgrounds to meld together so that you cannot decipher the separateness of each of the elements-you want to compose them in such a way that they play harmoniously together

Designing an Album Spread is a post from: The Album Boutique Blog