Today's bride can plan her wedding with the click of a mouse. 82% of couples -- per GetMarried.com -- are using online tools to help simplify their wedding planning. Today's "virtual bride" or "laptop bride" is able to plan a wedding without stepping foot into a store. They use wedding websites to keep track of guest lists, table setting charts and RSVP's! The Internet allows you to personalize your wedding, find great ideas and prices, plus best of all, it's convenient
you can shop anytime.
The Gown:
One of the biggest trends right now is finding your gown online -- who wouldn't thought an industry based on touch, feel and experience could be transformed online. Our website, www.WhiteXchange.com, is an online boutique and wedding gown listing website and extension of our Chicago flagship boutique, whiteCHICAGO. The site mirrors our store, allowing brides to check out new, sample and once-wed designer gowns from 30-70%, plus the entire bridal party to buy and sell online. It's the luxury of designer, at a discounted price with the convenience of shopping online.
Inspiration:
Ok, you've got the gown and now you're thinking about the actual wedding. A wonderful website for ideas and inspiration is www.StyleMePretty.com. The site posts fashion look books, color palette galleries and inspiration boards, which all give brides many ideas for favors, DIY projects and bridal fashions.
Wedding Planning:
When it comes to the planning, a destination for savvy brides is www.weddingwire.com. This site offers everything you need, including vendors, checklists and local wedding events in your area. Brides can even create a free custom website to stay organized and keep their guests informed. Creating a wedding website can completely help brides during the entire wedding process. Brides will be able to tell the couple's story, give important new updates and event details to all of the guests. And of course, guests will be able to RSVP online, making it even easier to confirm they're attending, so the bride doesn't have to wait by the mailbox all day long. You can also register online at www.honeyfund.com, a site where your guests can contribute money to your honeymoon and even the down payment on your home.
Going Green:
At WhiteXchange.com, we're all about going green and my favorite green website is www.portovert.com. This site and blog gives you "everything you need to plan a green wedding," from expert tips to eco-friendly ideas. One green tip that we tell our brides, which also saves you money, is to wear colored shoes opposed to white. It's a hot trend right now and you can either wear a pair of pumps you already own or purchase heels in your favorite color so you can wear them again after the wedding.
Feedback:
Obviously social media has had a big impact on today's society and that includes weddings. FaceBook and Twitter allow the wedding guests to stay in the loop on all of the planning, plus keep them updated on events leading up to the big day. There are even "Tweets of Honor" -- a guest that tweets during the festivities to keep people that could not attend updated. Plus, there are thousands of wedding blogs -- these resources are always a great help to any bride. Wedding blogs and forums, such as www.weddingbee.com, are fantastic -- brides can ask other brides questions and opinions on wedding planning, etc. Brides will be able to ask specific planning questions and get DIY project ideas from other weddings, etc. We have even had brides put their two favorite gown pictures on their blog for a vote and ended up wearing the most popular.
Saving Money:
Lastly, every bride wants to save money, right? For handmade, original clothing, jewelry, accessories and favors, www.Etsy.com is perfect they have a lot of unique things, plus there's a section devoted to weddings. From handmade sashes to antique brooches, this is a great place to "restyle" your gown, which allows brides to personalize and make it your own!
The Gown:
Inspiration:
Ok, you've got the gown and now you're thinking about the actual wedding. A wonderful website for ideas and inspiration is www.StyleMePretty.com. The site posts fashion look books, color palette galleries and inspiration boards, which all give brides many ideas for favors, DIY projects and bridal fashions.
Wedding Planning:
When it comes to the planning, a destination for savvy brides is www.weddingwire.com. This site offers everything you need, including vendors, checklists and local wedding events in your area. Brides can even create a free custom website to stay organized and keep their guests informed. Creating a wedding website can completely help brides during the entire wedding process. Brides will be able to tell the couple's story, give important new updates and event details to all of the guests. And of course, guests will be able to RSVP online, making it even easier to confirm they're attending, so the bride doesn't have to wait by the mailbox all day long. You can also register online at www.honeyfund.com, a site where your guests can contribute money to your honeymoon and even the down payment on your home.
Going Green:
At WhiteXchange.com, we're all about going green and my favorite green website is www.portovert.com. This site and blog gives you "everything you need to plan a green wedding," from expert tips to eco-friendly ideas. One green tip that we tell our brides, which also saves you money, is to wear colored shoes opposed to white. It's a hot trend right now and you can either wear a pair of pumps you already own or purchase heels in your favorite color so you can wear them again after the wedding.
Feedback:
Obviously social media has had a big impact on today's society and that includes weddings. FaceBook and Twitter allow the wedding guests to stay in the loop on all of the planning, plus keep them updated on events leading up to the big day. There are even "Tweets of Honor" -- a guest that tweets during the festivities to keep people that could not attend updated. Plus, there are thousands of wedding blogs -- these resources are always a great help to any bride. Wedding blogs and forums, such as www.weddingbee.com, are fantastic -- brides can ask other brides questions and opinions on wedding planning, etc. Brides will be able to ask specific planning questions and get DIY project ideas from other weddings, etc. We have even had brides put their two favorite gown pictures on their blog for a vote and ended up wearing the most popular.
Saving Money:
Lastly, every bride wants to save money, right? For handmade, original clothing, jewelry, accessories and favors, www.Etsy.com is perfect they have a lot of unique things, plus there's a section devoted to weddings. From handmade sashes to antique brooches, this is a great place to "restyle" your gown, which allows brides to personalize and make it your own!
