One year ago today I launched Lucy Dylan Weddings. I wanted to have fun with it, showing the different parts of planning, that might go unnoticed. From advice to DIY products to the introduction of a food category, LDW evolved into something so much more then I ever thought it would. This past year was a whirlwind and I couldn’t have done it without the many photographers and vendors that were so kind to provide real weddings and content for me to share.

In the past year my little regional wedding blog has had over 100,000 visits. I featured weddings from as far as South Africa to beautiful weddings from all over the Rocky Mountains and United States. Thank you to all of the vendors, photographers, couples, and my fellow wedding bloggers who allowed me to feature you, talk about you, and share your amazing wedding ideas. And a special thank you goes out to everyone who reads, follows, and visits my blog regularly.

This year is going to be amazing and I can’t wait to share some of the things I’ve already been working on. Here we have, in no particular order, some of the most popular blog posts from LDW’s first year! Thank you for making it one FABOULUS year!

Stay tuned this week for some great giveaways, discounts, and my list of my favorite posts from the first year.

Lucy Dylan

Photo Booth Fun

Real Engagement: Jessica & Jeremy

Postwedding Brunch 101

Winter Wedding Food Ideas

Thinking Outside the Box: Wedding Cake

DIY: Sugar Cookie Wedding Cakes

Be Merry Dessert Table

Real Vancouver Wedding: Liza & Greg

Real Wedding: Emily & Jay

Real Edmonton Wedding: Angel & Chad

Real Park City Wedding: Deveree & Lucas

The search is on for you to find the perfect wedding gown. I ran across a blog post from one of my favorite wedding photographers yesterday and I thought I would share. Meg Perotti was married this past summer. When she started her search for her wedding gown she found a beautiful Claire Pettibone: Kristene gown.

As fate would have it she found another gown she would wear on her wedding day. Long story short she is selling the beautiful Claire Pettibone (shown below) right now on her blog. Which brings me to today’s post, pre-owned wedding gowns.

If bidding on ebay isn’t your thing we have a great list of resources you need to check out today! There are several sites out there that sell pre-owned wedding dresses and if you are looking for an alternative to shopping in a bridal boutique we have you covered.

The Recycled Bride

We’ve mentioned the Recycled Bride a few times on LDW. Its an amazing resource for anything bridal. Its a FREE marketplace for new and gently used wedding dresses. You will also be able to find decor, jewelry, and veils. So make sure you check out Recycled Bride’s website.

Bride Power

You can find discount designer wedding dresses at bridepower.com and well as sell your gown after the wedding. Make sure you also check out the accessories section on the bridepower.com‘s website.

Smart Bride Boutique

At Smart Bride Boutique you can buy and sell used wedding dresses. You can also find shoes, accessories, bridesmaid dresses, and veils. You can buy and sell from all over the world and you might just find local brides in your area. You can check out more by visiting the Smart Bride Boutique website.

Yes Bride

Yes Bride is another great new resource for brides to find new and used wedding dresses. Its completely FREE to join and they have also added sister sites Board Joy and Baby QT. So, make sure you check out their many websites to find everything you need for every stage in your life!

Anna Be Bridal Boutique

Anna Be Bridal Boutique in Denver recently launched a consignment store, anna re-be. You can email them pictures of your dress as well as price information. They accept a limited number of dresses so once your gown is selected they will work with you to get the best price for you. Make sure you check out Anna Be’s website for more information.

All of these alternatives are eco-friendly and will save you a few dollars. You can also check out our blog post on Eco-Friendly Wedding Gowns from last June.

We’re always looking to add to our list, so if we missed one of the other great resources out there for brides just let us know!

Happy Shopping!

Bellissima Jewelry Design is one of our beloved sponsors. I’m not gonna lie I LOVE the designs and I’m so excited to share the inside scoop with you!

Name: Sarah Gregori
Location: Denver, Co
Company Name: Bellissima Jewelry Design

Tell us a little about what you do. I’m the owner and designer of my jewelry business- Bellissima Jewelry Design. All of my jewelry is handmade out of my home studio and is sold through my website and to boutiques throughout the country. I also design custom pieces and have designed many wedding collections for clients over the years.

How long have you been in business? about 5 years

What inspired you to start your business/studio? I’ve always been a creative person and beading for me was always a fun hobby on the side. I started taking it seriously after receiving a lot of great encouragement and positive feedback at a few craft shows I attended. I love all kinds of design and jewelry design for me soothed that need to design something from start to finish in a matter of an hour. I guess I’m drawn to that instant gratification but also love the idea of making small pieces of art for women to enjoy.

What is your favorite thing about your business/studio? I love the freedom it gives me to design beautiful jewelry as well as the happiness and excitement it gives customers!

Was there a defining moment when you knew you picked the right career path? One day when I was working a 9-5 job, it just hit me that jewelry designing is what I love and it makes me happy. Since that moment I’ve never looked back.

When you built your business what style would you say you built it around? (i.e. classic, modern, vintage) I love anything with vintage relevance but I’m also drawn to clean, modern lines so I think my jewelry has an eclectic mix of the two.

When working with people how do you help bring the vision for the event to life? When I’m designing jewelry for weddings, I ask tons of questions and ask about the details of the wedding to try and get the best feel for my bride’s vision and style. Once I have enough info to go forward, then I come up with several different sketches and materials to show the client and go from there!

Where do you go for inspiration? (i.e. blogs, magazines) So many places!! From furniture design to walking through a lovely boutique, it comes in so many different  forms. I think most of the inspiration is more of a feeling and color palette then once I sit down with designs and beads, it just takes off from there. I also love perusing beautiful design blogs like Design Sponge, This is Glamorous, and Mrs. Lilien to name a few.

Is there anything else you want people to know about you and your business/studio? I love designing jewelry for weddings and love the opportunity to design one-of-a- kind pieces for each person in the wedding party. I think it adds even more of a fun, individual element to each wedding!

You can follow Bellissima Jewelry on Facebook and Twitter for the latest on news, special discounts, and new designs.

I’m so excited about our newest sponsor Rent the Runway! This is so much better than renting a bag. You find a look you love from a top designer and you pick a date. Then they ship your dress and accessories to you and its yours for 4 or 8 days! Easy right?

After that all you have to do is drop it in the mail, its like Netflix for clothes. I know I’m not the only one out there that dreams of the day when I can afford the look right off the runway or the outfit Carrie Bradshaw would wear walking down the streets of New York. They have designer dresses to die for! All of them are in-season, top designers, all the trends for 90% off retail! It doesn’t get any better than this.

Its free to join and you can find dresses for every occasion. A night out with the girls, your bridal shower, a wedding, a special night out with your man.

They have Moschino Cheap and Chic:

I love this dress by Milly:

If you love Black Halo this is the perfect dress for you:

These are only a few designers they have, but you have to mention this dress by Diane Von Furstenberg:

Make sure you check them out today!

Have you entered the Wedding Giveaway with Katy Gray Photography! No?? Make sure you do!

I’m really excited about our newest sponsor Waxing Poetic. What I love about their pieces is they are symbolic and perfect for every occasion.

Honestly, when I read this from the “Our Story” page I knew they were a very special company:

By making your everyday extraordinary, your perfect day, your proudest moment, your dreams and stories unfolding, you unleash your very own simple, wonderful, pure and deeply meaningful lore. The collective artifacts celebrating and honoring your unique journey become your narrative, illustrating who you are and who you are becoming. This is your life, your portraiture, your traditions and we are honored to be a piece of your compass, an illustrative part of your unique life.

They have the perfect gifts for bridesmaids, the perfect charms for your day, the perfect cuff links, or even the perfect piece of jewelry for you to make that walk down the aisle.

You might remember my blog post Finding the perfect cuff link and Groomsmen Gifts, these would make the perfect gift to your hubby to be or groomsmen.

These earrings are also another great idea for your Bridesmaid Gifts.

Last week I blogged about A little charm goes a long way…, well here’s another great charm for your wedding bouquet.

I love this pearl necklace. Its the perfect accessory for your wedding day. They have jewelry for every occasion so, make sure you check out the unique & inspiring jewelry from Waxing Poetic. .

Happy Shopping!

All photos courtesy of Waxing Poetic.

Have you entered the Wedding Giveaway with Katy Gray Photography! No?? Make sure you do!

Yesterday I was swooning when I saw this post from our friends over at Dog n’ Bird.

This latest trend isn’t just for colorful shoes on your wedding day. Adding a touch of color to your veil or head piece will make for that extra little something.

Make sure you head over to Dog n’ Bird for the full post on Colorful Wedding Veils & Accessories.

Photo courtesy of Dog n’ Bird.