Alexia's Bridal Boutique and Vera Wang Salon is hosting two trunk shows at their Cary location that all dressless brides-to-be should NOT miss! Mark your calendar, and call for an appointment- 919.481.6633.

September 10 & 11- Bliss by Monique Lhuillier

September 17 & 18- Vera Wang

For more upcoming bridal events and trunk show listings, visit SB&G's Wedding Shows page.

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.

Forever Bridal produces the largest-scale bridal shows in the Triangle, and their next event is this Sunday- The Southern Bridal Show & Expo. This is a show you do not want to miss, especially if you are early on in your wedding planning! You will meet with hundreds of the area's top wedding professionals, see fashion shows, and maybe even win a prize!

Sunday, August 15th, 11:00am-4:00pm at The Jim Graham Building at the NC State Fairgrounds

For more information and to register for this show, please visit www.foreverbridal.net.

And there is more...

All Southern Bridal Show & Expo attendees are invited to The After Party at Midtown Place

Wednesday, August 18th, 5:00-8:00PM

Midtown Place is where the Forever Bridal offices are located, as well as several other excellent wedding professionals. Stop in for a snack and a drink to celebrate your engagement and continue to explore your wedding vendor options. To register for this After Party event, please visit www.midtownplace.net or call 919.341.0717.

Bel Canto Designs is a jewelry company that caters to the new vintage chic look that is so popular in weddings today. Their specialty is acquiring vintage jewelry pieces from the 1940's through 1960's and fashioning them into hair combs, necklaces, earrings and bracelets for brides and their wedding parties. Almost every piece is a one-of-a-kind item, but they also have some "vintage-inspired" lines which are made with new materials - these can be great for matching bridesmaid sets. Bel Canto's owner, Mari Palmer, has an eye for collecting stand-out pieces - whether it is a broach that she turns into a headpiece, or a few gems that she molds together to create one necklace. She also is happy to design new jewelry out of personal or family pieces that you bring to her.

Below are some images from a Bel Canto photoshoot to give you a preview of some of the beautiful work they do. Visit their Website to see more jewelry! http://www.belcantodesigns.com/

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Photos are by Davis Palmer. Liz Perniciaro styled the hair. Models: Joy Perniciaro, Caroline Miller & Avieanna Dantzler.

Sunday, August 29, 2010 | 1:00pm – 4:00pm | $5.00 per person

Experience The Franklin Hotel, a unique and personal wedding venue located in the heart of downtown Chapel Hill. Enjoy a lovely afternoon in an elegant and relaxed setting meeting with the region's top wedding professionals. Each bride who attends will receive a welcome bag with specialty items and coupons from each participating vendor. Pre-register to be entered into a drawing for fabulous prizes including a Honeymoon Night at The Franklin Hotel.

The following is a partial list of activities and available consultations - many of whom also work with Southern Bride & Groom and we personally recommend:

• Premier wedding planners showcasing the hottest trends in the industry
• Wedding Cake design & tastings by Sugarland, as featured on the Food Network and in Southern Living Magazine.
• Fashion Show featuring the latest designs from Tre Bella Bridal
• Complimentary hair and make-up consultations by Bella Trio Day Spa
• Menu tastings from award winning Caterers
• Joe Bunn DJ, a full-service Entertainment Agency
• Internationally renowned photographers
• Exquisite floral design by University Florist
• View Franklin Street from Blue Diamond Limousine
• Tour beautifully appointed guest rooms and suites

For registration and information, please contact Joann Sullivan, Director of Catering, at  919.442.4094  or via email at jsullivan@franklinhotelnc.com.  

Save the Date- Monday, July 19 at 8:00PM, Food Network

This spring, TV's Food Network filmed at our very own Sugarland- Chapel Hill's hottest bakery. The air date of this special program has just been announced - July 19 at 8pm. Clearly they got it right when they picked Sugarland to be featured on this show, which highlights the best places to eat dessert in American and is hosted by Adam Gertlier. Sugarland makes amazing cakes, cookies, cupcakes, gelato and even specialty cocktails from their storefront on Franklin Street, in the heart of Chapel Thrill. Tune in to Food Network on Monday evening to check out Katrina Ryan and the Sugarland crew! Visit Sugarland's Website to learn more about their fabulous bakery! www.sugarlandchapelhill.com

Congratulations to SB&G advertisers who won Independent’s Best of the Triangle 2010. We are proud to work with so many outstanding businesses!

Best Hotel in Wake County- The Umstead Hotel & Spa
Runners Up: Raleigh Marriott City Center & Sheraton Raleigh Hotel

Best Hotel Durham County- The Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club
Runners Up: Doubletree Guest Suites, Hilton Durham, The King’s Daughters Inn & Durham Marriott Convention Center

Best Hotel in Orange/Chatham County- The Carolina Inn
Runners Up- The Siena Hotel, The Fearrington House Country Inn, The Franklin Hotel

Best Bed & Breakfast in Triangle- The King's Daughters Inn
Runner up- The Fearrington House Country Inn

Best Day Spa in Triangle Runners Up- Bella Trio Day Spa & The Umstead Hotel & Spa

Best Jewelry Store in Wake County- Bailey’s Fine Jewelry

Best Catering in Triangle- Rocky Top Hospitality

Most Romantic Restaurant in the Triangle- Second Empire Restaurant & Tavern

Best Candy Selection in the Triangle Winner, Best Local Wine Store in Orange/Chatham County Winner, and Best Retail Cheese Selection in Triangle Runner Up- A Southern Season

Best Florist in Triangle Runners Up- Ninth Street Flowers & University Florist & Gift Shop

Best Men’s Clothing in Triangle Runner Up- Belk

Best Dance Club in Triangle Runner Up-  and Best Upscale Bar in Triangle Runner Up- Solas

Best Outdoor Music Venue in Triangle  Runner Up and Best Place to see music before 10pm Runner Up- American Tobacco

Best Art Gallery in Triangle Runner Up- Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University

Best Dry Cleaner in Triangle Runner Up- Medlin Davis Cleaners

Open House Tea for brides & their families- Sunday, June 27, 1:00-4:00PM

The former Delta Zeta House (420 Hillsborough Street) in Chapel Hill has been acquired by the Altridge Group and has been renovated to serve as a new event space. The gorgeous building boasts a central dining room with high ceilings & new hardwood floors, and a large shaded patio, which will be a perfect venue for corporate events as well as weddings. This open house tea event is for brides, grooms & their families, as well as wedding industry professionals, and will feature refreshments by Maslow Event Design Catering and The Picnic Basket.  Invitations can be picked up at The Picnic Basket sales office and The Terrace Cafe at Duke Gardens in Durham. Several local vendors will be featured at the event, including The Picnic Basket, Sugarland, Island Sound DJs, A Southern Season Bridal Registry Desk, and Victoria Park Florist.

To RSVP please call 919.321.6204, or click HERE for more information.

This Thursday, June 17, from 5-9pm, come celebrate the opening of The Merry Martini, a new stationary & gift item store in Durham's Sutton Station. This grand opening cocktail party will be held to ring in the new locally-owned business. Guests will be welcomed with food and of course, "merry martinis," and will receive gift bags (VIP bags for the first 25 guests), coupon books, and raffle prizes.

The Merry Martini is located at 5826 Fayetteville Street, Suite 105. Visit www.themerrymartini.com for more information.