Ok, you just got engaged…well first, congratulations!!!
Second, good luck with the planning process because you’ve
got your work cut out for you. But not to worry because it’s not ALL stressful… some of it will be a blast. Today we’re going to talk about one of the super fun aspects to wedding planning… shopping! More specifically, dress shopping!
So the way I understand it, some girls plan their wedding from the time they’re five until they walk down the aisle, others have never even thought about it, and some of us fallsomewhere in the middle. Me? I’ve thought about it to some degree: I know I want it out of the country, I know I want awesome music all night long, and I know it will probably be really colorful. But beyond that, I don’t know much, including what style dress is most flattering to my body type.
In fact, until now I really only knew one or two of the traditional styles and shapes of wedding dresses.
I’ve schooled myself in wedding dresses and styles, so today I’m going to share what I’ve learned with you lovely ladies…
Body shapes and suggested dress shapes
Hour Glass:
Curvy in all the right places, bust and booty
Sheath, A-line, ball gown, dropped waistline, mermaid
One shoulder, strapless, scoop necklines
Apple:
Smaller shoulders and hips
Empire or ball gown dresses
Strapless or sweetheart necklines
Pear:
Hips are larger than the bust and the waist gradually slopes out to the hips
Empire, A-line, ball gown
Strapless, halter, circular necklines
Rectangle:
Just a tiny bit of curve at the hips, mostly straight torso, shoulders that align with hips
Sheath, empire, mermaid, A-line, ball gown
Portrait or strapless neckline.
Inverted Triangle:
Athletic and strong, wider shoulders and bust with tighter torso and hips
Sheath, empire, ball gown, A-line
Halter, strapless, one shoulder necklines
So this is in no way, the end all be all solution for every women out there, but it’s a decent place to start…so get out there, invite your girlfriends to join you and start trying on dresses!!! Here are some beauties that I’ve had the honor capturing that I wanted to share as inspiration…
xo
I am so, so, so excited to share this gorgeous wedding, this intimate celebration, this fabulous party, this beautiful, beautiful love. Summer and Meredith also known as Sum-Mere did an epic job creating this amazing gold accented, romantic school house fariry tale and even though they walked me through the details and thoroughly described their vision, I had no idea is would be this perfect. I am so honored to have had the opportunity to capture this story and to be alive in a time where same-sex marriage is legal, because if you ask me it should’ve never been illegal!
The day started of with their family and friends working hard to get the school house cleaned, decorated and ready for the day and before you knew it we were hiding Meredith in the bathroom, sneaking Summer over a banister and shuffling the guests to the front steps drinks in hand to witness the merry matrimony and once they said “I Do” we headed out on a sunset adventure, a very chilly sunset adventure, good thing there love is steamy enough to keep them warm 
from there the celebration continued into the night complete with fried chicken, paper airplanes, sparklers, milk & cookies, “throw it up-throw it up…watch it all fall out” and so much more…see for yourself.
Congratulations love birds!!!
P.S. Big thank you to my roll dog Kika for roadtripping with me
P.P.S. Thank you to the amazing vendors who made this all possible!
Venue: Albion Schoolhouse
Caterer: Gabe Neuhaus -707.799.6534
Musicians: Jessie- 707.508.6334
Make up: Tania G. 707.888.9384
Coordinator: Jamie Lynn the BOSS lady!707.529.7315
Let’s be honest here, I go to a lot of weddings, I mean ALOT and I’m getting to the point where I can say with some confidence that there isn’t much I haven’t seen. So today we’re going to chat about one of my favorite parts of the day, the first dance and the dances with your parents. This is often the point when I begin to cry for the 4th or 5th of the day, sometimes out of raw emotion, sometimes out of empathy for plethora of emotions parents feel when their children get married but most of the time out of pure joy and laughter for the excitement and happiness pouring out of everyone involved!
The point of this long winded description of the inner workings of my mind, is that to get up in a room full of people you love and be the center of attention while dancing can be super un-nerving when really it should be a blast! I’ve seen some fabulous dances from swing, to the dance from pulp fiction to totally choreographed mash ups and boy do I have some big dreams about what will go down at my wedding! So if you can’t dance, or at least not well or if you can but want to be better or your want to look like you won last seasons “Dancing with the Stars” then you have to know how to get there and I’ve found the perfect person for you!
Anxious about hitting the dance floor on your big day? Panic no more — local dance and social coaching biz, The 8Count, helps you build confidence and look awesome busting a move. Founder Annemarie “Ree” Estess coaches adult dancers through basic moves derived from funk, latin, and social dance forms. Zero dance experience required.
Whether you’re seeking personalized coaching for your first dance, or want your bridal party to learn fun steps to keep the reception rollin’, The 8Count has moves for you.
“Annemarie is the absolute best! She helped my fiancé and I get ready for our wedding day, by getting us comfortable on the dance floor together and preparing us for our first dance. She made us feel at ease from the first minute, and we both genuinely had so much fun with her […] Based on where we were starting from, I thought we would need much more lesson time than we ended up needing – and I feel more comfortable dancing than I ever could have hoped for, esp. in only ~3 hours of lessons – all because she is such a great teacher!” – Jen N.
Original First Dance Package: Take the guesswork out of your first dance with custom choreography and private instruction. The 8Count will help you select and cut your music (no 6-minute first dances allowed!) and choreograph a routine befitting of your style and dance level. (Rate: starting at $400)
Bridal Party Package: Your bridal party will learn doable dance moves to the beats of Motown, Rock, Top 40, and more. With these steps in their back pockets, they’ll keep the dance party rocking long after the bouquet gets thrown.
(Rate: starting at $40 / person. Min 6 people)
Bachelorette Parties: Get the perfect combo of sexy and classy as you dance with your closest ladies. Learn flirty moves that’ll turn up the heat on the dance floor…and then some.
(Rate: starting at $40 / person. Minimum 6 people)
Groomsmen Bootcamp: Get the guys feeling less antsy with this lesson in dance floor survival moves. They’ll learn basic footwork, upper body work, and upbeat steps to help them break the ice — and break it down — all night long.
(Rate: starting at $40 / person. Minimum 3 people)
Meet AnneMarie:
photo by: Suzy Clements Photographs
Annemarie “Ree” Estess has been teaching dance fundamentals for over a decade. She specializes in helping clients utilize the social value of dance, recognizing that it is one of the most engaging ways to connect with people, let loose, and enjoy the present.
She performed with and directed dance companies while studying at Stanford University, where she earned her B.A. in Human Biology and her M.A. in Sociology.
In her free time, it’s typical to find her living it up on the dance floor with friends, trying to teach herself guitar, and reading, writing, and speaking on the topic of social connection.
