SB&G is super excited about the fashion section in our 2011 magazine. We are going to have more fabulous bridal gown inspiration for our brides-to-be than ever! Our fashion has been shot by just a few of the photographers in the incredible roster of talented artists that are a part of Southern Bride & Groom. And we also shot at several different venues that we work with at SB&G- all gorgeous sites for a wedding reception.

Without spoiling too much of the fun - what the dresses look like or which venues we used - I put together a sneak peek with photos that I took at the various shoots. You can tell how much work goes into the shoots when you see these images. Enjoy the preview, and get excited about our next magazine, which will be out in late December!

Southern Bride & Groom gave away a handful of prizes this month, including two of our honeymoon getaway prizes. Congratulations to our winners!

Catherine Richardson won a 3 night stay at the Jekyll Island Club Hotel, a gorgeous historic resort in picturesque Jekyll Island, Georgia.

Amy Bunn & Steve Harder won a 2 night stay at Sands Resort Myrtle Beach, a private resort in peaceful North Myrtle Beach, SC.

Some other prizes from our local SB&G vendors have been given recently as well: Michelle Landin & Justin Crocker won a $50 gift certificate for dinner at any Rocky Top establishment. Jennifer White won a $50 certificate to Caffe Luna in downtown Raleigh. Lauren Troxclair & Adam Marshall received $80 off from Medlin Davis Dry Cleaners.

To enter you & your fiance's names for our monthly prizes- from beach trips, to limo rides, to dinners around the Triangle, click HERE!

In the photos below: Catherine & her fiance; Amy & Steve; and Lauren & Adam.

Here are a few behing-the-scenes preview shots from our latest photo shoot. SB&G teamed up with Chapel Hill's Governor's Club last month to create a real bridal luncheon for one of GC's staff members, Catherine, which will be featured in the next edition of the magazine. The soiree was set up on the beautiful balcony overlooking the lake and golf course. Katie Cathey of La Fete styled the event with a Caribbean theme. Lovely Katie is pictured below with the beautiful floral arrangements provided by University Florist. In the other photo is me setting out the gorgeous cake by Sugarland. The linens and tableware rentals were donated by Classic Party Rental. Lisa Brown of Bella Rose Photography was onsite to shoot the entire event. We can't show you the final shots that will be in the magazine just yet, but I can tell you the final spread in the 2011 magazine will be beautiful and timeless.

Photos below are courtesy of Bella Rose Photography:

Its another Monday in the office after a big weekend of the spring bridal show extravaganza. Forever Bridal's April Event, the Southern Bridal Show & Expo, was at the NC State Fairgrounds yesterday. Donna and I were both there representing Southern Bride & Groom, handing out hundreds of magazines & chatting with the happy brides-to-be. We debuted the new cover, which is a photograph of a real wedding taken by Kristine Dittmer. It was a beautiful Sunday afternoon and the crowd of engaged couples & their entourages were in cheery spirits, which makes the day fun for all. Highlights of the day included an appearance by the American Idol contestant Anoop Desai, and a former SB&G intern winning a kissing contest with her fiance! 

The event was double the fun for me, as a member of the SB&G team and a newly-engaged chica! I've been to dozens of bridal shows with Southern Bride & Groom, but being there while in the beginning stages of actually planning a wedding made things relevant and fun on a whole new level. Even though I work in the wedding industry (and for the Triangle's wedding GURU), wedding planning is inevitably an overwhelming task. There are so many amazing venue & talented wedding professionals in this area - its hard to know who to pick. Then as you choose, dozens of new decisions arise, as you have to figure out your "wedding vision," color scheme, menu items and songlists! The bridal show is a great way to preview the array of options out there and speak directly with vendors. Using SB&G's magazine and Website is another great resource to guide the bride (and her helpers) throughout the process. I'm going to share some of my planning experiences, and planning tips as I go through this blog, so keep checking in for my updates! In the meantime, continue to visit SB&G's website for the Triangle's best vendors, and friend us on facebook for updates on SB&G and wedding industry happenings!

It's here! Be sure to pick up your complimentary new edition of Southern Bride & Groom at all local Belk stores and other listed resources on the SB&G site, or at any of the upcoming wedding shows.

Highlights of this year's magazine include the first-ever featured bridal gown section, inspirational bouquets & tabletop ideas, stunning floral arrangements, eight real North Carolina weddings, planning tips and more.