We have a winner!

Back on January 24 I announced the three finalists for the first LetterJess Bride-To-Be Giveaway. The prize package includes 2 sets of custom monogrammed towels, a tote bag and pouch with custom embroidery, stationery and wedding envelope calligraphy. I’d received entries from sweet Brides-to-Be from all across the country, and my heart leaped with delight reading their sweet love and engagement stories.

Our finalists Ashley, Lanie and Taylor captured my heart as I read their emails, and it was clear they captured yours too. We received votes from all over the place as you were asked to select your favorite finalist.

Voting ended as the clock struck midnight on January 31, but for our winner Ashley Prentice there’s no midnight ending to her magical Cinderella journey.

Ashley and her fiancé Jonathan are planning a Cinderella themed wedding in Charleston, SC this October. If you recall from Ashley’s entry, Jonathan planned a surprise proposal for Ashley at the happiest place on earth complete with a photoshoot with the Disney Photography team. (How perfect is her ice blue Lilly Pulitzer dress for these pictures?? Swoon!)

As LetterJess is still a very new company, this is the first giveaway we’ve done. I didn’t know any of the three finalists aside from their emailed entries, but reading the sweet comments left under their pictures by their family and friends doing the voting reinforced the notion that Ashley, Lanie and Taylor (and their handsome fiance’s) are truly wonderful people. We wish you all the most joy and happiness as you continue your wedding planning journey, and most importantly into your lives together as husband and wife.

Ashley Prentice & Jonathan Pizarro

May you always feel the magic of this new beginning!

Congrats to all our couples. Thank you for participating in the giveaway.

And to each person who followed LetterJess or voted through the process, I’m so grateful for you! I hope you’ll stick around here as we do the best we can do Delight the Day!

Calling all Brides-To-Be!

Did you or someone you know recently get engaged? Saying yes to the one you love most is THE MOST AMAZING feeling, and I couldn’t be more excited for you.

If you’re like most folks, the “When are y’all getting engaged” questions are QUICKLY replaced with questions about the wedding. It can sometimes seem like in mere hours of accepting a proposal, a Bride is responsible for knowing when the wedding will be, who will be invited, what the theme should be, etc. All those questions and thoughts are exciting, but it can often be overwhelming to wonder, “how are we going to pay for all this?”

So, isn’t it fun when you have a chance to actually get a few things in this happy time FOR FREE??

I’d love to give you this fabulous package of freebies from LetterJess. As you can see above, there’s some great stuff included!

To enter, all you have to do is follow LetterJess on Instagram. (You can click here to go right to the profile, so following is easy!) Next, send a quick email to me telling me your engagement story. (Please feel free to send a picture along as well.) You can email the entry to: Hello@letterjess.com

Your entry should be received by January 15. Once all the entries are in, I will select a couple as finalists. Your stories will be published here on the blog and the LetterJess community will vote for their favorite. The top vote-getter will be crowned the 2020 LetterJess Bride, and I’ll contact you to get started on all your goodies.

So what are you waiting for? Send me your entry so you can be included. If you’re not getting married, but know someone who is, tag them on the giveaway Instagram post or send them this blog article. If you refer the winning entry to us, you will get a prize here. (Winning is fun!)

I can’t wait to read more of your entries. If you have any questions about the give-away, please let me know.

Catch the Bouquet

My father was a minister, and growing up I got to go to my fair share of weddings. Some of the families I knew well, and some we were only slightly acquainted with but one thing remained constant as I readied myself to go to a wedding as a young girl.

I wanted to catch the bouquet.

I’ve ALWAYS loved flowers. Flowers at a wedding? BONUS!

I came across an article recently posted by Reader’s Digest about the origin of floral bouquets at weddings and thought it was interesting. A few weeks ago we talked about why traditional brides wear white at their weddings, so this week on Wedding Wednesday, let’s chat flowers, shall we?

I was interested to see that the first writings of brides carrying any sort of natural elements actually dates back to ancient Rome. Brides wore or carried floral garlands that were thought to signify growth and new beginnings. Did you know many brides filled their garlands with herbs like Dill because it was believed it was the ‘herb of lust,’ and that consumption of it by the Bride and Groom would increase sexual desire? (Get it, kitty!)

Past those beliefs, the carrying of bouquets we are familiar with today is most closely traced (once again) to Queen Victoria. When marrying Prince Albert (wearing a white dress) she carried a small bouquet called a ‘tussie mussie.’ It had orange blossoms and was contained in a petite silver filigree holder. During Victorian times, it became popular for young suitors to pick similar bouquets of flowers for their intended so flowers began to take on meanings- as a way of spreading sentiment between people. Today, there are widely held meanings for lots of different floral types, and many brides take these meanings very seriously when selecting buds for the bouquets they’ll carry on their special day.

I love seeing what Brides select at their wedding. While many select something not for meaning but rather for effect, we can all agree floral elements have a lasting effect on the memory of someone’s wedding.

Queen Victoria was quite the trend setter, huh?

Here is a ‘tussie mussie’ bouquet holder like what Queen Victoria may have carried on her wedding day.