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Monday, December 7, 2009

Holiday Gifts For The Bride from the Practical to the Ridiculous



OK, I'm on my third cup of coffee and my mind is racing. I'm not ready for the holidays and I have to find a gift for a bride to be. So here's some ideas I've come up with and maybe while I'm brainstorming with my virtual world friends, I'll find the perfect gift.

The usual culprits: A gift card for the couple from their registry store. They get to choose what they want or what they need. Simple to pick up a gift card, not very imaginative, but very useful.

A frilly sexy nightie for the honeymoon.


A spa day if she's all stressed out.


Bridal Party Tees for a personalized tee shirt telling the world she's about to wed.

If the bride and groom have a great sense of humor:
a cake topper called the Love Pinch. From the front, its a traditional wedding
cake topper, from the back, woo hoo! I love it! This might be THE
gift.




Run for the hills when she opens this gift: A portable
Stripper Pole! Who knew you could actually buy something like this online? Cross that idea off my list, but I'm bookmarking the site because you never know. ;)

Wedding Blog of the Week

Just discovered a way cool wedding blog with a fresh perspective written by a friend. I am thrilled that Kerrie is sharing her finds and trends with all of us so please visit her blog. Kerrie has a knack for finding and ID-ing trends before they happen. How does she do it? I don't know. Where DID she find that?

Bridal Gown Blog has a cool slant on weddings. Not only is Kerrie a wedding industry pro, but she's a recent bride who had a fab, elegant, trendy, fun wedding!

Kerrie's managed to find the most fun, outrageous accessories that made her wedding freaking ah-mazing. She did a black and white polka dot theme with hot pink accents. She had a candy bar with personalized cookies using chinese take out containers. Yum. Ate the candy all the flight home...the plane hit turbulence, you could hear the black and pink candy jangling under the seat. The flight attendant had to come and check it out, we ended up sharing with everyone around us and still had candy stashed for later.

Kerrie also did a monogramed aisle cloth that was light years ahead of its time. And she wore three wedding dresses...well, one and a combo of two dresses. Read her story here: Confessions of A Three Dress Bride. What she didn't tell you is that the the designer of one of the dresses was a guest at her wedding. Actually, she designed the top of the tea length dress. When asked which dress she designed...she answered....I think the top of the reception dress. Don't hate me for spilling your secrets!
Go read Kerrie's blog. You'll love her.

Thursday, December 3, 2009

Buy Your Wedding Dress in December and Save Money!

Holiday Purple


Now is the time to buy that wedding dress if you want to save
yourself a lot of cash. December is the doldrums in the bridal
industry. Bridal shops are willing to make a deal and eBay
has deals on CURRENT, NAME BRAND wedding dresses
at a fraction of retail.

Bridal shops have to make room for new inventory, pay
year end taxes and make payroll. Ask for a discount,
nicely, of course. Don't expect to get a wedding dress
for three grand for a hundred bucks, but make a
reasonable offer.They may offer to throw in some
freebies that you need like
a veil, tiara, crinoline or bra. Free is good, its money
in the bank in savings. Ask them "Is this the best you
can do on this dress? What if I take the sample on
the rack and pay today?" Smile, smile, smile!
Most will be willing to negotiate in this economy.
You'll have your dress, they'll have some cash flow.
Win/win situation.

eBay has great deals on wedding dresses just make
sure you are not buying a knock off from China.
If the deal is too good to be true, it probably
is...you can't buy a wedding dress for 97 cents.
Geeze, you can't buy a tee shirt for 97 cents. But
now is the time to snag that deal on a bargain
wedding dress.

Here are two sellers that I know personally that
are selling name brand dresses at a steal!
I can personally vouch for them both:

Name brand wedding dresses at a discount!
Casablanca current styles at below retail, other
famous name wedding dresses starting at $90!

Wedding dresses from $99.00. This seller has
a lot of couture dresses at give away prices.

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Holiday Diet Tips & Fitting Into Your Wedding Dress

Dear Weddingzilla,

I am getting married in February. How
can I get through the holidays and not gain
weight? I'm freaking out that my wedding dress
won't fit!!
Abbie

Dear Abby,
We took your question to our diet guru, Eileen.
I would tell you to have fun and have your dress
let out, but Eileen has the inside scoop..so here
goes:

Abby: The number one diet busters at the holidays
are alcohol and sweets. If you avoid both of them,
you'll avoid large weight gains. But its not easy to
do, so here are some suggestions.

  • Eat healthy low calorie foods before the party so you aren't tempted to over indulge.
  • Nibble on fresh veggies at the party and avoid "over dipping" because the dips are laden with calories.
  • Drink soda water, diet drinks or cut a glass of wine with club soda or diet soda like Sprite or 7Up. Less calories and you still get to enjoy a wine cooler.
  • Pass on dishes with heavy creams, cheeses and heavy butter.
  • Take smaller portions of whatever is tempting you at that moment so you won't feel deprived and over indulge later on.
  • Have fresh fruit for desert.
  • Exercise! Take a walk, ride a bike, hit the gym to work off any extra calories. Or get physical and play the Wii, some of the games give you a decent workout!


Easy weight loss that works! Eat FREE for 3 weeks!


Thanks Eileen... its Weddingzilla again.
Now here's my tip: It will cost you a lot
of $$$ and stress if your dress doesn't fit
as the wedding nears. Avoid the stress by
following Eileen's tips. If you fall off the
wagon at a holiday party, don't beat yourself
up, just don't repeat! Happy holidays!

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Go Green: Recycle a Bridesmaid Dress Into a Holiday Dress

Its holiday time and you need a party dress
for the holidays and your budget is busted.
Join the crowd! Your closet can be your friend
and its easier than you think! Grab a bridesmaid
dress and think of how it can be redesigned
to fit the occasion. Dark colored dresses or
holiday colors are the best bets. Nix the
poofed rouched skirts, you'll never wear them
again except for a Halloween costume.

First, remove everything on the dress that looks
like a bridesmaid dress...get rid of the bows
and the streamers. Put the dress on and look
at how it would look shortened. Tuck it up or
get help from a friend to see how it would
look shortened. If you sew or someone you know
does, shorten it yourself. If you are afraid
to tackle it, take it to a seamstress. Its
a lot less expensive to pay for a hem than
to buy a new dress.

Does it have spaghetti straps?
Will it stay up without them? Remove them or
add straps to give it a different look.

Add great accessories! Lots of chain necklaces
or a bold necklace from your own collection,
a belt in place of the ribbon at the waistline,
cool shoes and bag. Voila...recycling, saving
a lot of money and you'll look like a million.

Weird Strange Wedding Dress, Its See Through!




I see England, I see France,
I see the brides under pants!
OMG, just when you think you've seen
it all, a designer from Spain designs
a completely see through wedding dress.
I love the interplay of sweet ruffles and
the bib on the front of the dress,
the virginal puffed sleeves and then
its completely see through!!!
I thought it was a costume from the Follies
Bergere can can scene...where the ladies
get naughty with their skirts. But, nooooo,
its a wedding dress!

Are you kidding me? You think you'll ever
see anything like this on the rack at the
bridal salon? Think it will ever be
mass produced?

I can picture the mother of the grooms face
just before she drops on the floor screaming.
Or the face of the officiant as the bride
walks down the aisle. Or the grooms face
as she prances down the aisle in front of
his grandmother and his buddies. This dress
won't pass muster even in granny panties and
granny's bra. Its ridiculous.

Line the damn thing and sell it to some
chick who set the clock back 20 years.
Those hi neck ruffly confections went out
with the 80's. Its a complete head
smacker! And now we know why the
model looks so pissed off....

Great Personalized Gifts For Him and the Groomsmen

Looking for an unusual gift for your man
or for the men in your life? What about
the groomsmen? We got turned on to this
web site called A Gift Personalized
that has the coolest, most unusual
gifts that are personalized and affordable.
I've ordered some for the men on my gift
list...none of them want ANOTHER sweater
or shirt and I am tired of beating my
head against the wall looking for ideas.
When I found this site, it was like Woo Hoo!
Here's a coupon to get you started:
Save $10 on engraved gifts when you spend $75. Use coupon 10off75.







Your biker buddies will appreciate this cruiser inspired personalized sign. Makes the perfect personalized gift for anyone who owns a bike or just wishes they did. Each design is printed directly onto the wood base for lasting quality. Measures 9" x 12". Personalized with first name, last name and year established.










This roadhouse pub sign lets your guests know they can enjoy some rockin' music at your all-American establishment. Suitable for home or place of business, this colorful vintage sign on an imitation brick background includes name of owner and date. Measures 9" x 12". Personalized with first name, last name and year established.









Here's a new way to honor your favorite team! Shots taste great in this officially licensed NFL shot glass, available with all 32 NFL team logos imprinted on front. On the back of the heavy-duty glass, you'll find plenty of room for a name and a proclamation of his devotion to the team. Holds 2 ounces. Personalized with two lines of up to 15 characters per line.



Groomsmen Gifts. Free engraving, fast shipping, huge selection.

Thursday, October 22, 2009

Wedding Bargains, Wedding Coupons, Wedding Deals, Wedding Freebies

The best bridal coupon EVER from
the Knot. Don't waste any time!
It ends up being FREE!! I love free.
Take $10 off $10+ at The Knot Wedding Shop this weekend only! Enter code BRIDECASH at checkout. Hurry – offer expires 10/25.
You'll never know what you'll find on sale
at the Knot, but it will always be less money
than you'll pay elsewhere. Everything from favors,
ribbons, wedding accessories, you name it, you'll
probably find it here and you'll find it at great
prices.
On Sale at The Knot Wedding Shop
The Knot currently has a screaming deal on
wedding bubbles.....yours can be FREE!!

Bridal Favors from Hanson Ellis
Free Standard Shipping on orders $75 or more. Enter code: FREESHIP09


From My Wedding Favors:
Enter coupon code TAKE25 to receive $25 off orders over $200.

From BeauCoup Favors:
Free Shipping for orders over $125 (Code: FREESHIP)

There are always coupons for wedding
invitations here and their invitations
are awesome!
Wedding Paper Divas
Wedding Invitations & Bridal Shower Invitations

Here's a current coupon:
Stylish Save the Dates, Wedding Invites and More - Save $10 on orders of $99. Use coupon AFL10

Wedding Supplies- NOW 80% OFF. Save the date cards, announcments, invitations and more!

Check out the wedding freebies at Vista Print,
I love this stuff and its real quality. We use
them all the time. You can use the postcards
for shower invitations or response cards.
Everything is Free at VistaPrint!

Get Your Own Wedding Website:
Get 25% off a 1 year Wedding Tracker subscription with promo code AFF25. Start your free trial today!

Save on your wedding dress:
Designer Wedding Dress & Bridal Gowns at 80% off retail prices. In stock and ready to ship in you size.

600 free photos from your wedding

Free! Wedding Hairstyle help, this is so cool!
Sign-Up for FREE at TheHairStyler.com!

From Things Remembered:
15% Off Any Online Order! Use Code: FALLGIFT *Not Valid on Sale Items and Personalization.

Everyone Has A Wedding Budget!

Every wedding couple struggles with
their wedding budget. We spend hours
figuring it out and then weeks trying to
keep in budget. Its work, its stress,
its hard and its a point of contention.

You've all heard of people who've had a
huge bash and did it all on a budget that
even you can afford. Every bride is on the
internet telling you how to do it. Sometimes
it involves a huge amount of luck, knowing
the right people or being in the right
place at the right time to get the deal.
It ALWAYS involves a lot of hard work
and time.

There is a huge difference between
want and affording. Here's how we help
brides get figure out what is important
and what isn't.

Make a list of 5 things that you can't
compromise on at your wedding.
Mine would be:
Wedding Dress
Good food
Music and dancing etc.

Then make a list of 5 things that aren't
all that important at your wedding.
Mine would be:
Calligraphy seating cards
Favors
Champagne or chocolate fountain, etc.

Then make a list of 5 things you can do
to achieve you must haves and get more $$$.
Mine would be:
Forgo Starbucks and brew my own
Brown bag lunch
Pizza instead of an expensive dinner
Garage sale for extra cash

Then work your plan!

Doing it yourself (DIY) will help you save money
but it involves time. I'm going to start a series of
the very best deals I can find on the internet
to save you money, time and effort. If you don't
have the talent to DIY or the time to DIY, we'll
find you the deal to save you time and money!

Are Wedding Magazines Out Of Touch?

The last issue of Modern Bride just arrived in
my mailbox. Conde Nast just axed Elegant
Bride and Modern Bride. No official word why,
but thumbing through the pages gives some hints:
Who is their audience? Little girls with fantasies
of Prince Charming playing dress up?
Who can afford this crap and who has the money
to pay for this stuff? How many of us can afford to
go to Tahiti and Bora Bora on their honeymoon for
two weeks? And WHO has a bedroom that
looks like the suite of a hotel? Mine is just lucky to
have matching sheets on the bed. Geeze.

The dresses are fugly....totally fugly and not what
brides want. Who wants to look like a ruffled
wedding cake on the dance floor? And how many
brides can pull off a one shouldered gown? OMG..
lets accent the hips so everyone can see and make
comments that we were born to bear children.

Weddings are getting simpler and dresses are
getting rufflier and fancier. Out of touch with
brides? Yup. Have these magazine editors and
designers ever spent a day in the bridal salons to see
what real brides are buying? Give the people what they
want and they'll buy the magazines. Give them a dress
they want and they'll buy it.

Elegant Bride featured a see through dress with a
pinafore top. I threw up a little in my mouth.
No self respecting drag queen who would put on that
ruffled confection and no real life bride would want to
walk down the aisle looking like a naked Little Bo Peep.

These magazines show "real life weddings" that are
out of reach of the average couple's budget. Who can
relate? Sure, its fun to look at the pictures and get
ideas, but come on....these weddings are the exceptions
to the norm. We can't afford them. And if we could,
would we? Or would we buy a house? For all of
us who weren't born with a silver spoon in our
mouth, we can't comprehend their budget. We are
too busy trying to pay the rent, put gas in our cars
and food on the table. And we aren't buying fantasy
magazines....

Monday, October 12, 2009

Tips For Buying Your Wedding Shoes

Next to the search for the wedding dress, looking for your wedding shoes are one of the hardest things on your to do list. You might have to sacrifice comfort for style. You might have to choose comfort over style. You might have to choose price over comfort. Or you can go on the quest for comfort, style and price as most brides do. Expect to do a lot of shopping and expect a lot of frustration.


Wedding shoes are a once in a lifetime purchase. They are part of your wedding attire and will show when you take off your garter, so you want them to complete your look. Remember to budget in wedding shoes so you don't think of them as an additional afterthought expense.


Why are wedding shoes so hard to find?


Most retail stores don't stock them, they order them because its expensive to stock a lot of shoes that will go out of style or may discolor if they sit on their shelf for long periods of time. Most shoes will not discolor, but if they are cheap shoes with glued on satin, the glue may yellow and give the shoes a yellowish color.


Wedding shoes are special occasion shoes and the demand isn't the same as a flip flop or pair of cute boots.


Wedding shoe buying tips:


Shop early and keep your options open. Shop so that you have your shoes in time for alterations because your hem length on your dress is dependent on the size of your shoe heel. You may need to buy the shoes before you order your wedding dress if you are having your dress ordered with your hem length.


Some brides decide to wear a color to match the accent on their wedding dress. If you decide to do color, make sure you wear color accents in your jewelry to tie it all together.


Don't rule out leather shoes. There is no rule that your wedding shoes have to be fabric. Fabric shoes don't breathe like leather and don't stretch like leather.


Look for a shoe that supports your foot and ankle and that you can stand and dance in for long periods of time.


If you choose a heel, look for a shoe that has padding in the ball of the foot so your feet don't start to burn and hurt.

Strappy shoes can cut into your feet after standing a long time and cause blisters.


Feet will swell as the day goes on. Buy them large enough to accommodate dancing and happy feet. You can put in a comfort gel pad and take it out as your feet swell.


Buy shoes that you can wear all day. Taking off your shoes at the reception looks tacky and will make your dress too long. You risk falling or tripping if your dress is too long, not to mention having your feet stepped on with your dance partner.


There is a huge difference in quality in wedding shoes. Price doesn't always indicate quality. Sometimes you are paying for the designers name. Sometimes you are paying for silk shoes versus satin or polyester fabric. Some of the same shoes that are unaffordable in silk can be ordered in a less expensive fabric so you have the same look at a more affordable price.


If the shoe rubs your foot, pinches or feels like it won't bend, don't buy it.


If the shoe is too big at the heel of the shoe, see if adding a heel pad will make a difference or try a shoe size down. If you walk out of the shoe, don't buy it.


If the shoe is too narrow, don't buy it, you will be miserable. Some wedding shoes come in wide widths, some don't. If you wear a very narrow width, it may be unavailable except in the most expensive custom shoes. Consider buying a leather shoe if your foot is very narrow.


After you buy your shoes, make sure you break them in. Wear them around the house with a pair of socks to make them comfortable. If they have a leather sole, make sure you take them to a shoe shop to have a non skid pad put on the bottom so you don't fall. Bring along some self adhesive moleskin to the reception that can be applied to the part of the shoe that is rubbing so you don't get blisters.


Rose Trifero is an internationally known expert in the field of weddings and bridal fashions. She has been involved in the industry for over 30 years and has written and been quoted in national bridal magazines including Vows, the magazine for bridal professionals. She is also the force behind http://www.Beachbridetobe.com a source of information for destination weddings and http://www.Weddingloco.com, a free wedding planning source.

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Looking for the perfect flat or small heel wedding shoe?

Its hard to find the perfect small heel or flat wedding shoe. A lot of brides don't want to limp around in 5 inch heels on their wedding day. Other brides want a small heel so they don't tower over their groom and others just want comfort. But along with comfort, they want style in their wedding shoes. We've searched for cute and comfortable low heeled shoes and flat wedding shoes with style. Some even come in wide widths! Check them out:

Camelia by Pink Paradox London have a 1 1/4" heel and are available in wide widths also. Check out the rhinestone buckle. This is style!


Andie by Coloriffics, one inch kitten heel, cute rhinestone accent done in satin. This is available also in wide width.


Coloriffics Lindsay, 1.5" kitten heel, available
in medium widths only.


Lilly by Pink Paradox London has a 1 1/4" heel with rhinestone accents on the vamp of the shoe.
Very affordable at under $40 US, is available in medium widths only.



Touch Ups Monaco, a sturdy 1 3/4" heel
and they are available in WIDE widths..
woo hoo!





How cute is this flat? Heaven by Pink Paradox London, medium widths only, has braided crystal rhinestones. This would make a great shoe for a beach wedding!



Adorable flat with rhinestone and crystal accents by Pink Paradox London.
This is called Bubbles and comes medium width only.



The ultimate flat, done in white or ivory duchesse silk by Benjamin Adams. The inside is kid leather, its a handcrafted shoe with genuine Swarovski crystals. Medium width only, this is a stunningly styled shoe!

Saturday, August 22, 2009

Life Throws a Curve Ball, So Does Wedding Planning

Yes, I've been missing in action because life threw me a huge curve ball. Suddenly, I have custody of a teen aged relative. I don't know how it happened, it just happened. Guess it was part of a bigger plan for my life. "Kyle" needed a home, security and parents. Maybe dealing with brides and bridezillas prepared me for dealing with a teenager. Maybe I just had an extra bedroom. Whatever, I'm rolling with it.

Life is funny, when you think its all planned out, something happens and you have to adapt. The same with wedding planning. Just when you think its all coming together, something happens and derails the plan. You either roll with it and go to Plan B, or you make yourself a miserable mess. Learning how to roll with the punches makes life and wedding planning a lot easier.

So what if the tuxes are a shade off from the maids dresses? How important is that in the context of your marriage? I've seen grown women melt into mushy puddles over tiny details that really are not noticeable and I want to grab them by the shoulders and tell them to get a grip. Pick your battles, pick what stresses you out and roll with the rest. Its the only way to get through life and its the only way to get through wedding planning. Because, its not the wedding, its the marriage that matters!

Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Update! 2009 Wedding Trends are Rocking!

The trends in weddings are changing just like the times are changing for all of us.
We are seeing smaller weddings, nontraditional weddings and destination weddings as a response to the economy.


  • Colors: From the Wedding Report, the brides in the next 18 months are choosing cool colors over warm colors for their weddings. Blue dominates over any other color, we are seeing a lot of brides leaning toward Tiffany blue . The next hot cool color is the purple family followed by greens.

  • Cost: The average cost of a wedding has dipped 12% to $19,212. Demand is lower for limos, with many couples choosing to rent a luxury car for the day instead of a limousine. Demand is also down for videographers, with many people choosing to have a professional photographer take their wedding pictures and have their family or friends video the wedding.

  • Eco Friendly: Many weddings are "going green" with eco friendly invitations, organic foods and eco friendly favors.

  • DIY weddings: Many brides are doing it themselves. She is tackling jobs herself instead of paying to have it done in order to save money. It can range from printing her own wedding invitations, to making her own centerpieces and anything in between.

  • Destination weddings: A lot of couples are foregoing traditional weddings and having destination weddings. The trend to destination weddings is because many couples have blended families, don't want the hassle or just want a quiet wedding in an exotic destination. Read more about destination weddings here.
  • Fashion Trends: Ready to wear influences what is happening in weddings and the trends trickle down. Here's what is hot in ready to wear that you can expect to see in weddings soon.
  • More tiaras, yes, tiaras for everyone in your wedding party.
  • Scarves worn with the dresses. Scarves are everywhere, even in the summer.
  • Textured footwear: Animal print shoes or animal embossed shoes for the bridesmaids instead of satin dyed to match shoes.

Wondering About Your Wedding Day Weather?

Are you stressing out over the weather on your wedding day, especially if you are planning a destination wedding or an outdoor wedding? Do you want to know when the sun sets on your wedding day so you can exchange vows at sunset?

I came across a cool tool on the Weather Channel called My Wedding Weather.

This shows you the history of the weather on your wedding date. You can also compare the weather at different locations and there are tools to help you set the date according to the weather at that location. Very cool and very helpful, but remember no one can fully predict Mother Nature.

Monday, June 29, 2009

Wedding Makeup Photography Tips

Put your best face forward in your wedding
pics and we have some tips to help you from
a wedding photographer. We interviewed her
and here are her observations:

"Brides tend to either over do the makeup
as in clown makeup. Some hire makeup artists
who go heavy on the kohl makeup. Avoid
charcoal eyeshadow for the wedding. It looks
smudged in the photos.

Instead, go for a more natural look. Use pinks
instead of harsh reds..pink blushers, pink
accents on the eyes. Pink opens up the eyes.

Avoid sparkles on the face and body. They
pick up the camera flash and don't look good
in the pictures.

Mascara is a must, it frames and opens the eyes.

Keep the makeup natural, match it to you skin tones,
but you HAVE to wear some makeup. Brides that
think they want to go completely natural are
missing the boat because they fade in the photos."

So I asked my beauty maven what she thought
and she said that all the tips are excellent.
Here's what she said:

"To keep makeup in place all day, use a face
primer. It really does the job.

Great makeup starts with a great complexion.
If you don't have a perfect complexion, start
working on it months before the wedding.
Drink lots of water, get rest because it
really works. And avoid stress. (As IF
that's possible during wedding planning!)

Start on a facial program. Any program including
the ones from the drug store are better
than not taking care of your skin. Moisturize,
use a sunscreen, exfoliate to get rid of dead,
dull skin and brighten your complexion.
Go to a dermatologist if your skin is acne
prone and uneven. Or visit a good skin esthetician
who will give you facials and advise you
what to do to care for your skin.

I advise facials and if your skin is dull, blotchy
and uneven, go for microdermabrasion treatments."

All great tips and I have to admit I've been going
for microdermabrasion treatments and the results
are good...so far. It does hurt the first time and
my face was a bit touchy and tender, but I didn't
have red blotches and I was able to put on makeup
and go about my day without anyone knowing. It
has evened up my skin tone and I love it.
Just know if you are thinking of having this done,
you need to start a few months in advance to
get the maximum benefit.

Thursday, June 18, 2009

Are Wedding Registries Getting Ridiculous?

Wedding registries has been a hot topic with brides discussing their registries with the reverence of one talking of the birth of their first child. Makes me wonder if they are getting married to furnish their homes instead of making a life long commitment to their life partner.

I am beginning to think that wedding registries are created by corporate America to sell, sell and sell some more useless items to pad their bottom line.

Case in point: I got invited to a wedding where I know the grooms parents, but haven't seen the groom since he was little and couldn't pick him out of a police line up. I don't know anything about him or the bride. How we got invited is beyond me since I haven't seen his parents in two or three years. Since work is conflicting and the wedding is two hours away, we politely declined the invitation and set about to send a gift.

OMG...after a lot of head smacking and screaming WTF a few times, I make my husband look at their gift registries, no less than four of them. The couple registered for a 52" flat screen TV, a Canon SLR camera with a discounted price of $749, a deluxe outdoor gas grill to make any man break down in tears of joy, a wii with the wii fit bundle, a home stereo system, a Garmin GPS, a sofa bed, end tables, crystal lamps, an entertainment center, sterling silver flatware (didn't know anyone but my Grandma that wanted that!), high end luggage, a beer refrigerator with door tap AND a beer cooler, a wine refrigerator, a sterling silver tea set, 1000 thread count Egyptian cotton sheets, a camcorder with 42X zoom, an Aero garden with accessories, a Kitchen Aid mixer with ravioli attachment (the attachment is $149.00!!), china, crystal, a food dehydrator, a juicer, convection oven and expensive artwork and paintings.

Needless to say, no one has purchased anything high end. Seriously, what were they thinking when they registered? Do you really need a 52" wide screen TV? My husband says yes. Will they use the china and sterling flatware? Probably once or twice because people don't host dinner parties where they break out the good china unless you travel in high society. This couple doesn't. My own china is gathering dust in the cupboard, I've chalked it up as a big waste of my $$$$. When you have kids, you don't want to use it. Its pretty, but not useful. Are you listening brides? You PROBABLY WON'T EVER USE IT...you'll use nice everyday dishes. Register for a a good set of everyday dishes.

And then there is the really ridiculous. A close, repeat close family member was cajoled into registering. They had a brand new house full of new furniture and gadgets and didn't need anything. Her future mother in law insisted they register for what they want. So they registered for Doritos and salsa, video games, hand crafted beer, tampons, paper towels and paper plates. Mind you, these people have PHD's! And they did get the Doritos and were thrilled. I gave $$$.

So, I'm back to the usual...a gift card. Buy what you want. I have a headache from reading the registries. You figure out how to make it cover what you want.

I want to create my own registry, just because. I want a hard top convertible, a cruise through the Greek islands, some spa treatments, a nip here, a tuck there, a new wardrobe and a date with George Clooney. Think anyone will help fund my fantasy?

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

What Happened To Isaac Mizrahi For Target Wedding Dresses?

What has happened to the much hyped line by Isaac Mizrahi wedding dresses that he designed for Target? They seemed to have disappeared from the radar.

Issac Mizrahi designed a very simple, inexpensive (cough, cheap) wedding dresses for Target that were hyped as THE wedding dress that was going to take the country by storm. I personally thought the dresses were glorified out dated brides maid dresses cut in white or ivory. The fit on the models was bad. I saw several of them and the fabric left a lot to be desired. (cough, cheap fabric).

Now, I like Target for deals on huge boxes of laundry detergent. And I'm not questioning Isaac Mizrahi's design talent. I just think its darn near impossible to deliver a quality, good fitting dress for under a $100.00. Brides shopping in this price range want style...they want more than Target offered in these dresses.

A few weeks ago, I found several on clearance, but they seem to have disappeared. Hey, Isaac, the next time you decide to do a cheap wedding dress line, call me. I have some ideas to share. In the meantime, it looks like this idea sunk.




Isaac Mizrahi with one of his wedding dress designs. Here's what I see as wrong with this dress....the straight across neckline is not flattering when you add the sheer panel. Sheer panel tops have not been popular in years. The fit of the skirt on the hips is bad and there isn't enough flare in the bottom of the skirt to balance the dress. And the flare is too low for anyone shorter than model length.

And why am I am expert? I've sold wedding dresses for eons..and my mother is a dress designer who taught me everything she knows. I can do pattern making, I can slope, I can tailor, I can and do any bridal alterations. Isaac, take away the sheer panel. Cut the dress strapless with a sweetheart neckline and add minimal beading, adjust the fit on the hips and flare out the skirt higher than the knee area and you have a winner on different body types. Call me Isaac or call me Target.
There IS a market for inexpensive wedding dresses.

Hero Bride

Anonymous
In my post about the hero bride, Georgette Clemons, I asked if anyone would step up and offer to clean her wedding dress...and this is what I received:

Wedding Gown Preservation Company said...

Kudos to the heroic bride.

We own Wedding Gown Preservation Company and would like to clean and preserve Georgette's wedding gown free of charge.

Please contact me at sues@gownpreservation.com

Sue Schapiro
Wedding Gown Preservation Company
707 North Street
Endicott, NY 13760
www.gownpreservation.com

NOTE: We've used Wedding Gown Preservation Company to clean wedding dresses for many years and they do an amazing job. They cleaned my mom's dress that had been stored away for many years and made it look like new. Thanks, Sue, for your generous offer! If you know Georgette, please pass this on to her.

Monday, June 1, 2009

Bride Hero: Georgette Clemons



Our kudos go to bride hero, Georgette
Clemons of Bridgeport, CN. Georgette
ran into a burning house to alert the
residents of a fire dressed
in her wedding dress. She was on her way
home from the reception when she saw
the smoke and instructed the driver to
stop.

She ran into the home when she saw
someone inside who was trying to save
her pets. She managed to get them to
leave and the residents and pets were
all saved, but the house wasn't.

Her dress was blackened and her shoes
were ruined, but all our hero said was:
"It's been an eventful day." God love her,
we salute our fearless bride.

Here's hoping someone will step up to
the plate and replace her shoes and
clean her dress. Read the entire
story here: Connecticut Post

I LOVE reading about awesome
brides and Georgette is the
most awesome of the awesome.
Her hubby is one lucky guy!

Saturday, May 30, 2009

Combining Wedding Themes To Make A Statement

OK, its hard to pick a wedding theme
that expresses your style. Some wedding themes
are almost there, but they miss by a few
degrees. Why not combine wedding themes
to make a personalized statement and
make your wedding stand out from
everyone's wedding?



Combine a sunflower theme with
an animal print. Use favors in an
animal print, use vases of
sunflowers on the tables and in
the bouquets of the bridesmaids.
Incorporate the same animal print
in your invitations or as table
toppers.

What about combining an
eco friendly green wedding with
an Out of Africa theme? Use
eco friendly favors, top the tables
with an African theme table topper,
use animals like giraffes and elephants
for centerpieces grazing in pots of
live grass. Decorate with lots of
tall grasses.






Combine a Tiffany blue theme with a starry
night theme. Use Tiffany blue as your main
color, silver stars as accents. Use silver as
the accent, hang silver stars from the ceiling
on fishing line so they seem to float.



Here's more ideas:
A military theme with a 4th of July theme.
Color scheme is a no brainer. Top it off
with a fireworks display.

Use a cottage theme with wildflowers and
peonies and combine it with a butterfly
theme. Stencil a butterfly on your
aisle runner, put little white wire
bird cages with flowers and butterflies
in them as centerpieces.

Any other imaginative ideas?

Thursday, May 28, 2009

Total Sweetness: A Candy Buffet At Your Wedding Reception



The last wedding I attended treated the
guests to a candy buffet. It was a hit with
guests of all ages.The bride used the colors of
the wedding in the candy, presented them in
glass containers and used frosted Chinese take out
boxes with bride and grooms name and
wedding date on labels on the boxes. She had
flowers on the table, personalized cookies bought
from a favor store and it was sprinkled with
flowers and petals. It was total eye candy!
Sorry for the bad pun, I just felt it coming on
and ran with it.

Since we were from out of town, the bride
packed us up some extras for the plane
trip home...and you could hear our candy
jangling every time we hit turbulence.
We enjoyed the candy more than the yummy
dinner at the reception.

So how can you put together the perfect candy
buffet for your wedding reception?

  • Plan it in your mind, map it out on paper or on your computer.
A candy buffet should be a feast for the eyes and
part of the decor. Choose clear glass containers,
unusual shapes, vases, oversize martini glasses,
anything to give it a good visual vibe. You'll need
scoops for the candy and containers or candy bags
for your guests. Do you want to get really creative
and create a visual scape with candy ponds, green
paths and a gingerbread house? Its only limited
by your time, budget and imagination.

  • Budget enough money to give it a great visual impact.
Don't try to gauge the amount you need to by
calculating how many ounces you need per
person. When it comes to candy, throw that
out the door. Your goal is to have more than
enough candy to have an interesting presentation
and not to run out of candy.

  • Match the colors of the candy to your wedding colors.
This will give it a great visual impact, you can layer colors
of the same candy in your clear containers to make it pop.
Vary the kinds of candy on your buffet. You can use some
colorful foil wrapped chocolates in your wedding color with
some colored M & M's, white Good and Plenty, colorful
lollipops, you get the idea.

  • Kick it up a notch.
Vary the heights of the containers by using risers,
boxes or milk cartons covered with fabric (like a
tablecloth) to give it more visual interest. Caterers
do this and it also makes it easier to get the candy
you want without knocking down some of the
containers.

  • Finish it off.
Add flowers in vases, floral arrangements, a picture
of the couple or flower petals to give it some
visual interest.

  • Enjoy and enjoy the kudos from your guests.
Don't forget to pack some extras in your carry on
to enjoy on your honeymoon. It will be a sweet
treat to remember the sweetest day ever!

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

How Long Can You Live Off Wedding Cake & Champagne?

I came across this on Favor Ideas
and it cracked me up. The premise
is how long you can live off your wedding
cake and champagne if you and your
new spouse were on a desert island.

You plug in both of your height, weight
and age and the type of cake and the
number of slices. It will tell you how long
you can live without extras just by feasting
on your decadent wedding cake.
This is so fun....check it out here.
I scored a month and a bottle of champagne,
but come on, I'd have it gone in a week.

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

How To Make Your Bridesmaids Hate You and Ruin Your Friendship FOR FREAKING EVER



I would like to hear the statistics on how
many weddings end with one or more of
the bridesmaids never speaking to the
bride again. Sadly, it happens.
Sometimes its the fault of both, sometimes
the blame goes on the shoulders of the
bride or the bridesmaid. It shouldn't
happen, but it does.

I was the victim of a Bridezilla myself.
I stepped in as a bridesmaid when her
friend got pregnant. Barbie, the
bride, wanted to keep the girls symmetrical
both in height and weight. That should have
rang a bell, but it didn't. She was my good
friend, I thought I was helping her out.

She started by insisting we wear matching
bras and she checked them out so they
were adjusted to her liking. No cleavage,
no boobs bigger than hers. The dresses
were hideous, a mint green (gag) and we
had to wear matching GREEN eyeshadow.
She made us line up for inspection before
we got dressed for the wedding. Barbie
inspected our makeup. She had everyone in
tears when she started smearing our makeup.
Then she made us remove our nail polish.
She wiped off our lipstick and made us all wear
the same shade off the same tube. Yuck.
Her mantra....you are representing me and
you will represent me the way I say you
will represent me. We weren't allowed to
eat or drink even before we were dressed
and before we walked down the aisle, she
rechecked our bra straps and our teeth
for lipstick. Her mother kept saying
"Its her day, you do what she says".

Oh, and we had scheduled bathroom breaks.
She had a breakdown of when we were
ALLOWED to go to the bathroom.
And did I mention she did all of this with
a cigarette hanging out of her mouth
while she was dressed in her wedding
finery?

We weren't allowed to eat at the reception
until she and the groom ate and we were only
allowed to dance with our groomsman partner
and not our SO or dates. It was misery.
I don't think anyone has ever spoken to
her since. The groom is a great guy, we
should have helped him escape. ;)

So if you want your bridesmaids to hate
you forever, here's what to do:

  • Damn their budgets, this is the dress I want them to wear.
  • Tell them the dress deposit is due tomorrow.
  • Choose a dress that is unflattering on them.
  • Choose a color that is hideous on their complexions because you like that color.
  • Choose a wacky theme that forces them to wear costumes.
  • Insist they accompany you to every dress fitting, every wedding shopping spree whether it involves them or not and bitch because they just aren't into your wedding.
  • Spam them with text messages and emails about the wedding plans.
  • Talk nonstop about your wedding and get ticked off at them when they aren't excited to hear about it.
  • Plan your own shower and tell them they owe you for it.
  • Plan your own bachelorette party and make them pay.
  • Start wedding projects, like printing your own invitations and making centerpieces and make attendance mandatory.
  • Make hair and makeup appointments for them and forget to tell them that they have to pay for it themselves.
  • Schedule a spa day on them.
  • Make them take time off of work for dress fittings so you can be there to supervise.
  • Forget that it is final exam week and they have to study.
  • Complain about them to anyone who will listen.
  • Make remarks about their weight at their dress fitting.
  • Insist upon matching updos even if she has short hair.
  • Buy them matching shoes and then give them the bill.
  • Assign them tasks that they don't have time to do because you don't want to pay someone to do it.
  • Keep repeating to them "Its MY day".
  • Forgetting to thank them for all they've done for you.
Yes, these have all happened in various
weddings and we heard it from the maids.
If you want to ruin a friendship, do any
of the above, and trust me, its a done deal.

Moral of the story: Be nice to your maids,
keep them in the loop, keep their budget
in mind and shut up about your wedding.
They are shelling out considerable cash
to do YOU a favor and they are your
friends and family. You won't get a
do over, and a wedding is supposed to
be a joyous occasion. The bride sets
the tone. Make it a good one!

Lets Hear it For Unusual Wedding Dresses? Would You Dare?

Runway couture wedding dresses are dresses that the
designer makes just for their live runway shows
to create buzz. They don't mass produce these wedding
dresses, they are one of a kind wedding dresses made
to shockand awe the guests and to get their pics in
the magazines. Translated into our world,
these are dresses you could never afford and
wouldn't be caught dead wearing. Its fun to see what
lurks in the mind of the designers.




Yves St. Laurent designed this floral confection,
made to express your inner gardener. I imagine
if you wore this dress to your wedding, your
mother in law would drop dead on the spot.
I love the color combos and this would make
a gorgeous wedding bouquet,



This dress is by Christian Dior and is called
Oragami. It does look like folded paper. I've
always liked Dior, but I think I'll stick to
their eyeshadows and mascara.


Another head smacker from Chinese wedding week.
I can't figure this out, it reminds me of a Space Oddity
with some chicken feathers trailing. This would make a
great a do it yourself project...get a white pillow case,
stick some feathers in the chest, pin together,
attach an old Mardi Gras feather boa and your kids
Star Wars helmet...and voila!



This dress doesn't really qualify as couture.
Its a dress full of LED lights. I wonder where
you store the battery pack. Actually, a few years
ago we did have an LED dress in the bridal shop
by Bonny Bridals, but it was in the lace and very
subtle and pretty. This looks like an auxiliary
backup power source in a power outage. OMG..this
is scary!

Loving That Unique Wedding Cake!

I've come across some really unique wedding
cakes and I have to confess, I'm loving some of
them, shaking my head at others. But, couples
thinking outside the box is what is important
when personalizing your wedding.

The wedding cake is the centerpiece of the
wedding reception, and some of these couples
are showing their fun side. Some of these cakes
are works of art. I'm totally up for cake!
I'm ALWAYS up for cake.




How would you like to have Miss Piggy lounging
on the top of your wedding cake surrounded by
all of her Muppet pals encircling the cake.
So darn cute, this definitely isn't for everyone.
By Essex Wedding Services.




This cute travel trailer cake with a beach
twist is just adorable. The VW van shows shades
of the 60's and 70's hippie vibe when people
traveled around the country in their van and
saw the world on a shoestring. This is one of
a group of great cakes by Divine Wedding Cakes.






From A Matter of Taste, how perfect is this cake
for a reception after the destination wedding?
Or for the couple planning on traveling after the
wedding. Either way, its unique!



OMG, I love this cake. I applaud the
imagination of the cake artist and the
couple who were lucky enough to land this
cake. Who says purples are out of style?
By Karen Lindsay.



A Beatles Yellow Submarine wedding cake
for the ultimate Beatle fans. I love love love
this cake, probably because I'm a longtime
fan who even flew to Vegas to catch concerts
by the remaining Beatles. Anyway, this is such
a fun, happy, bright cake, complete with little
John, Paul, George and Ringo and a yellow submarine
on the top. Photo info here.



This is the one cake that does not
ring my chime, probably because its not
make of cake and iced with sugar...
this is a sushi cake with a rice base.
It looks amazing, but the thought of it
gags me. Ironically, I own the exact set
of rubber duckies they used as a cake topper.
I got mine in a gift shop called Desert
Dancer in Sedona, AZ and mine swim around in
the bathroom of the bridal shop.




The big mama of all wedding cakes, this one
really DOES take the cake. This bride decided to
have herself duplicated in her wedding dress in
cake. Creepy! I wonder how much teasing and trash
talk the groom is still enduring. And if you save the
top layer of cake for your first anniversary, can you
imagine having a severed cake head in the freezer
staring back at you? I guess it would be one way
to watch your calories...open the freezer, freak out,
leave the room.