Wedding Shoes From London, Pink!

There is a new line of wedding shoes just landing in the US from the fashionistas in London. The shoes are Pink by Paradox.

Paradox is also the same company that produces the pricey couture wedding shoe line, Benjamin Adams. Pink has all the pizzaz of the couture line, without the price. It has the details, it has the style.

The shoes are available in white or ivory satin in most styles. They can also be custom dyed. The shoes size in European sizing, so you have to convert your size as in most fine European shoes.

They are so new to the US, they are just becoming available. They are a hot- hot-hot line in the UK.

Pink also is producing some sweet children's shoes. The first picture below is a big girl look for little girls the other is all irridiscent sequins for the little princess. These are some of the cutest girls shoes to ever hit the market! They are so sweet!

Bridesmaids Dresses in 54 Colors!

Forever Yours Bridals, Expressions Bridesmaids , sent out their new color charts and their dresses are now available in 54 different colors! 54 DIFFERENT COLORS! I'm totally blown away by the color choices. Most manufacturers offer a fraction of colors, they offer all the colors in all their fabrics:, satin, charmeuse, chiffon and bobinette fabrics. They are also doing taffeta in 25 colors. If you are looking for that special color and you can't find it, check out Forever Yours Expressions Bridesmaids.

If you want to match a Tiffany blue, their aqua is the match. We've even matched the color chart to a Tiffany bag, its exact!

Expressions Bridesmaids come in a large range of sizes from size 0 to size 30 and they are sized generously. They also have nice sized seams for alterations. Most bridesmaid companies size their gowns smaller than normal sized dresses. These run true to size or larger than normal size.

And, here is the best part: every dress has a matching flower girl AND junior maid dress! Now you won't have to shop in a tri state area and spend weeks on the net looking for a dress for the grooms 12 year old sister. She'll look like everyone else! Woo Hoo! Junior maid dresses for that tween age are nearly impossible to find. Not only does FY do the junior maid, they are age appropriate. Not too old, not babyish. Just right. Junior maids want to be one of the girls and FY pulled it off with style.

All of their strapless dresses come with detachable spaghetti straps that hook on in adjustable loops inside the dress. All their dresses come with a matching handbag, a drawstring bag that matches the dress. Its the perfect place to stash your cell phone, lipstick, tissues and mints.

The prices are very affordable. Expect to spend somewhere around $150, give or take a few dollars. They do some nice Levkoff knockoffs. If you don't want to spend the money for a Levkoff, or Levkoff has the style but not the color, check out Forever Yours.

A Very Cool Wedding Gift, An Affordable Canvas Painting!

Today a bride showed me one of her wedding gifts and it blew me away.
It was an engagement picture of the couple that had been put on canvas and brush stroked to look like an oil painting. She was beyond thrilled, it took an ordinary photo and made it into a treasured heirloom.

What a great and memorable gift. Will you remember who gave you the Cusinart 20 years from now? I bet you'll never forget who gave you your "painting".

The company is Canvas on Demand and here is their link: Wedding and Anniversary Showcase The process looks really simple. An idea would be for the wedding party to get together and go in on the cost painting as a group gift. It would be affordable for a group and less expensive than if you all bought individual gifts. And it will be the HIT of the couple's wedding gifts.

I was surprised that the prices were affordable. The finished product that I saw looked a LOT more expensive than the prices on the site. In fact, I'm going to order one myself of my husband and myself renewing our vows with Elvis in Las Vegas. ;)

I snagged a coupon from them : $20 OFF $200 order at Canvas On Demand - Use Code LS226 at checkout

Martha Stewart and The Today Show Wedding

I'm up an hour earlier than usual to watch the Today Show wedding. I only get up early for weddings and trips to Las Vegas. If Martha throws a wedding, you KNOW its going to be light years ahead of anything you can afford and breathtaking. And everyone is going to be talking about it.

Martha is dressed in a pretty green silk jacket and believe it or not, she's snapping pictures on her digital camera. Go Martha!

The groomsmen look totally handsome in their gray Michael Kors suits. Gray is a hot color and them men look amazing. The suits have texture, on camera it almost looks like a fine tweed. The men look totally HOT!

The bridesmaids are wearing a coral Watters and Watters tea length dress in an irridiscent taffeta. I am totally impressed, the alterations on the dresses are top notch. The tops all fit perfectly, the hemlines are even and the dress doesn't pull anywhere in the waist area. Perfection! Bad alterations drive me nuts. You won't notice, but I sure do! Love the silver Stewart Weitzman shoes on the maids, they take the look up a level AND they can be worn again and again.

The bride's mom is wearing a gold silk full length suit, the grooms' mom is in a soft feminine pink ribbon jacket and chiffon skirt. Both mom's look amazing!

The bridal couple, Cody and Jessica, are so cute, they look like Barbie and Ken. She is resplendent in her Reem Acra ballgown. But horrors, she's NOT wearing a tiara, just a veil. Please don't let this be a sign, we all love tiaras and will use any excuse to wear one. A princess bride DESERVES a tiara! She's wearing cluster diamond earrings and no necklace. It totally works. She's gorgeous.

The flower girls look like they are wearing dresses by US Angels.

The couple exchanged vows under an open canopy of roses, lots and lots of coral toned roses done in bouquets. I can write pages on the clothing, on the flowers, all I can say is WOW. Martha sure knows what's she's doing. There is draped greenery outlining the wedding area. The floral setting must have taken hours to set up and I'm sure Martha tended to every detail. Amazing!

The bridesmaids carried hand tied bouquets of creamy and coral toned roses. The coral dresses were the perfect backdrop to showcase the bouquets. All the maids looked beautiful.

The reception is going to be at Tiffany & Co. , breakfast at Tiffany's? They flashed on the store, it looked like a fantasy setting. Clear lucite chairs, tall conical centerpieces, pure Martha & Co. This is the first time Tiffany's has ever allowed a wedding reception in their store. I wonder if anyone has ever THOUGHT of having their reception in Tiffany's. I've wanted to crawl in their display cases and roll around on the jewels, but I've never thought of having a wedding in a jewelry store, even though it is Tiffany's.

The reception preview shows champagne glasses with a Tiffany blue rim. You can do the same thing by dipping your champagne glass into blue sugar.

The send off to Tiffany's....a yellow cab driven by Scott Baio. Swear to God!

Wedding Day Beauty Starts Months in Advance

Wedding day beauty starts months before the actual wedding day. Its working on your skin so its fresh, free of breakouts and wedding day picture perfect. Its conditioning and working with your hair so it looks healthy and shiny. Its drinking a lot of water so you stay hydrated and your skin stays plumped. We all know what we need to do to be healthy, it needs to be done in advance so the cumulative effect comes together on your wedding day.

Please don't fake tan yourself into a flat dull tan with raccoon eyes. Too much sun, real or fake and bake will line your skin. Use a good sunscreen and moisturize your skin. A too dark tan will NOT look natural in your wedding photos. I've actually had brides who fake and baked and had white lines in their forehead from squinting in the sun. Instead of a fake and bake or blistering yourself in the sun, have a spray tan done a day or two before the wedding. It will look a lot more natural and you won't subject your skin to harm.

If you are going to have a facial or a peel, do it in advance to make sure your face doesn't blotch or have a reaction to the process. Then you can repeat it closer to the wedding.

Try any new makeup products in advance in case you have any allergic reactions to the product. Try it before you buy it. Or if you are going to have your makeup done professionally, have a trial several weeks before the wedding.

Please Don't Make Your Own Wedding Veil...

...and here's my reasons why......

Unless you are a professional, this is not an arts and crafts project. This is your wedding veil, the crowning topper to your wedding dress.

So you bought a pattern and some tulle and it looks easy...but I've seen some really screwed up crooked concoctions because its NOT as easy as it looks. Its hard to get it gathered and sewn onto a comb evenly. Trust me on this one. You'll have flat spots and bunches and it will look really bad. Its really difficult and tedious work to sew on beads and a hot glue gun will burn through the tulle or glue the tulle to your work surface. You can't embroider on tulle with an ordinary sewing machine, it will get stuck in the feed of the machine and tear it. And how do I know this? Because I've done all of the above at one time or the other. I had a line of bridal veils that I sold nationally. I've done a lot of custom veils and I've got all the right tools and the experience and its very difficult and tedious work.

The tulle you buy in the fabric or craft store is not the same quality as you would get in a purchased veil. The fabric store tulle is heavier, has wider holes in the tulle and it is stiffer. It may not be wide enough and give you the fullness you need for your veil. You can't seam tulle. The stiffer tulle doesn't fall, drape or hang properly. It sticks out where it shouldn't.

You wouldn't buy an expensive pair of Italian shoes and then wear a dress you made in a sewing class to a formal affair. Its the same thing as wearing your wedding dress with a homemade veil. It just doesn't work.

If you need to save money on your veil, there are bargains on great veils. Every bridal salon has marked down veils. Ebay has a lot of deals. And you can always borrow one from a friend of family member.

Wedding Veil or No Wedding Veil?

Erica Koesler Veils Bel Aire Bridal

J L Johnson Veils

Should you wear a wedding veil with your wedding dress? Hello, you ARE a bride and you need to wear something on your head to balance off the wedding dress. A wedding dress looks unfinished without something on your head. You don't HAVE to wear the blusher over your face. A wedding veil finishes off the dress and your look. It frames your face and can actually make your face look thinner and trimmer in the photographs.

Look at the pictures above. The veil finishes your dress and your look. You look put together and the veil balances off the length of the train. It gives a more vertical look that elongates and thins.

Veils are very lightweight and are comfortable to wear once they are properly attached to your hair. Some brides choose to remove their veil at the reception after all the pictures have been taken. Most brides will wear a tiara and keep the tiara in their hair all night long. They simply remove the veil and dance all night long.

The wedding veil finishes off your bridal ensemble. There are veils with beaded edges, Swarovski crystals and delicate embroidery. Others have thin satin ribbon edge, cording or a cut or rolled edge. The bridal netting be a matte finish or a shimmer illusion called sparkle net. Your wedding veil can be the perfect topper to take a wedding dress from ordinary to breathtaking. The right veil makes you,the bride, just pop in your wedding pictures and look fresh and radiant.

The prettiest veil picture I've ever seen happened to be my niece on her wedding day. She was photographed in a flower strewn meadow. The wind caught her veil billowing in the breeze and the photographer snapped the picture at that exact moment. The picture is breathtaking and won many awards.

The Foundations Under Your Wedding Dress

Ever hear of foundations? The foundation is the framework of a building that holds it all together. The same is true of the undergarments you need to wear under your wedding dress. The right foundation will hold you in place, put your bust line in line with the bust darts in the dress and make you look 10 pounds thinner. You'll be amazed to find that the right bra will make your dress fit better.

Some dresses have a bra built into the dress. Most strapless dresses just have boning in the seams to keep the dress up and you will need a foundation bra if you are average to large busted. Smaller busted brides can get by with sewn in bra cups.

I tell my brides to buy the best bra that they can afford. Most brides want to skimp on what they spend on the undergarments, but they are as important as the wedding dress. The most expensive bra may not be the BEST bra, nor is a fancy boutique bra better. The best bra holds you in place and may not be sexy or lacy. Your wedding bra needs to be functional. You can wear sexy lingerie after the wedding. The best bra or bustiere will enhance and lift your bust line and slim your torso and waistline.

It's hard to find great supporting strapless bras in plus or large cup sizes. After fitting thousands of brides, we've found two great styles. Check out Bigger Bras and click on bridal.

We use Felina # 7643 in our bridal salon and it goes to a 42DD. Its a smooth bra and its really works well under chiffons and charmeuse fabrics where the lace could show through. If you add an back extender, you can get it to work for a 44DD.

For larger busts , we love Goddess # 689. This bustiere style bra goes to a size 52FF and its very supportive. Goddess has an amazing way with boning under and across the cup that lifts and keeps you in place. The back is just under the arms and shoulder blades, therefore you can't wear this under a real low back dress. The bra comes with optional fabric straps. With any strapless bra, you can buy the clear plastic straps if you can't find a strapless bra that is supportive without straps.

For those fortunate enough to be able to have bra cups sewn into their dress, we love the new gel cups. They feel natural and the gel heats up from your body heat and contours to your body. I'll have a link posted for them when my supplier gets them back in stock.

Spanx is today's bride's best friend. Spanx are the most remarkable shape wear. They hold you in place, smooth the figure and are comfortable. All the pieces below work well with wedding dresses.

Marry Me Spanx Panty Hose
Spanx Hi-Rise Panty Plus Size Shapewear
Spanx Hide & Sleek Hi-Rise Panty Shapewear
Spanx Hide & Sleek Hi-Rise Thigh Smoother Shapewear
Spanx High-Falutin' Footless Pantyhose Panty Hose

If you need to wear a crinoline under your dress, DO NOT wear a drawstring crinoline. The drawstring will bunch at the waistline of your dress and show through the dress. You want a smooth line at the waistline. We like the high waist zippered crinoline that smooth the waist line.

A new type of crinoline is the full elastic top slip. These work well, just make sure that the spot where the crinoline start doesn't bunch under your dress and show through the fabric.

The right foundation will make you go from looking good to looking fabulous. Invest in the best foundations for your dress. Maybe you'll only wear it once, but the results will be worth every penny spent. And you'll have the photos to prove it!

Shopping For Your Wedding Dress Part 4

Most brides feel they need to have the "Hallelujah moment" when the skies open up, the angels sing, Mom cries, and you just KNOW this is THE dress before they buy their wedding dress.

From experience, this doesn't always happen. Yes, it DOES happen, but more often than not, its a myth that it will happen to you. If you shop only for the Hallelujah moment, hereafter referred to as the HM, you will be shopping past the wedding. On the reverse side, I've seen HM's worthy of a televangelist and the bride chose another dress based on whim.

For some brides, it comes down to a matter of personal preference. They look good in several styles, they have to pick the one that the like best. Other brides look great only in one style and they have to narrow their focus. For others, its a matter of budget.

Reasons aside, don't wait for the HM to make a decision on your wedding dress. If you love it and you feel the dress, then you should buy it. Go on to another decision, cross it off your list and shop for accessories. Once you find what you love, STOP SHOPPING and don't second guess your decision. You'll only make yourself and those around you crazy. Indecision is a handicap. A bad decision is better than no decision.

You ideally need to order 9 to 12 months ahead of your wedding date to have your dress made and arrive in time for you to start your alterations. All wedding dresses need some form of alterations, you can't just put it on and head to the church. Alterations take time. If you need to order a dress on rush, expect to pay extra. Don't expect because you CAN order a dress on rush that the manufacturer can accommodate your schedule. It doesn't always happen. Avoid disappointment and order timely.

The bridal manufacturers can't produce a gown in a matter of days. These dresses are all hand beaded, every tiny bead and crystal is sewn on by hand. It takes time for fine workmanship. From production time, add shipping time and time for it to clear US customs as most dresses are manufactured in the far east.

Bottom line, order in time for your dress to arrive WITHOUT stress and in time for alterations. If you have had a HM, congratulations. If you haven't, don't live for it. It may never happen, but in all probability, you'll be a beautiful bride in a dress you love!

Shopping For Your Wedding Dress Part 3

Yes, its time to shop for my wedding dress! What should I bring with me?

I always tell my brides to bring a pair of heels the approximate height you'll wear on your wedding day when you try on the dresses. It gives the dress a different look and it will tell you whether you want to wear that size heel all day long. You may have your heart set on a 3.5" heel, but the reality of wearing it all day will set in while you are trying on gowns.

Dress appropriately. Wear something easy to put on and take off.

Wear the proper undergarments. If you have a strapless bra, bring it along. You may or may not need it with the dress, but it will give the dresses the look the designer intended.

Wear underwear. I am so tired of hearing "I forgot to put on underwear". Yeah, right, you didn't have any clean underwear! ;) You'll have to stand in a dressing room with someone helping you dress because trying on wedding gowns is not easy to do yourself. It is uncomfortable for you and for us to see you tush. Pack some underwear, and remember, if you wear a thong, we still see your tush.

If you are going to wear your hair up on your wedding day, bring a scrunchie to pull up your hair. It will give you a different take on the neckline of the dress and the look you are after.

Bathe. I know this sounds silly, but you are trying on white or ivory dresses and you should be clean. Don't shop for dresses after a workout. Shop after you bathe. Also, don't shop right after you've tanned and used a lot of tanning lotions or spray tanned. It will transfer to the dress or to your personal wedding dress.

And above all, bring a positive attitude and an open mind. Open yourself up to trying on different styles. Most brides buy something totally different from their original idea. And above all, have fun shopping!

Shopping for Your Wedding Dress Part 2

Your wedding dress possee:

The biggest mistake most brides make is shopping with too many people. Its normal to want to share the excitement with all your family, bridesmaids and friends. Caveat: Too many people equals too many opinions. And too many opinions leads to stress, arguments, squabbling, confusion and disappointment.

Shop with one or two people whose opinion you trust and who knows you and your taste: your mother, your sister, your best friend. The entire world DOES NOT have to be involved in your dress choice for your big day. Once you choose your dress, you can invite them to the bridal salon to view your choice.

When you shop with too many people, you get too many opinions. They are going to focus on what they like for themselves, not what is best choice for you. I've seen friendships break up over angry friends who INSIST their choice is better than the bride's opinion. I've seen jealous friends pick out the most unflattering dress for the bride and force her to try it on. And believe it or not, I once had the ex wife of the groom show up to give her opinion. It was really ugly.

Ultimately, you are the bride and your opinion is the only one that matters in your choice of the dress!

Your Wedding Coach: Shopping For Your Wedding Dress Part 1

Your wedding dress is the MOST important dress you will ever buy in your lifetime!


I tell all my brides to close their eyes and picture themselves walking down the aisle. What do you see? What are you wearing? What color is it? That's your first clue!


Plan your shopping day. Don't expect to hit every bridal salon and big box bridal shop in one day. Schedule just one stop per shopping trip. Even though you'll make an appointment for an hour and a half at a salon, you'll need time to digest what you've seen and tried on. A lot of gals want to look around the shop at other things, pick up literature and ask questions. You can't do this if you are on the fly.

Yes, its exciting to shop for wedding dresses. For a couple of hours, you get to be a princess atop a pedestal trying on gowns fit for a queen. The reality is that after awhile, its tiring, really really tiring. Brides never want to admit it, but after the initial excitement wears off, you'll get tired and cranky from standing up in heels for hours on end. And that breeds confusion and irritability.

Look at online sources and through wedding magazines for ideas of dress styles, necklines, fabrics, etc. that interest you. Take the pictures with you when you shop for your dress and show them to your sales consultant.

Have an idea of what you want and express it to your bridal consultant. Your consultant will ask you questions to figure out what type and style of dress that will interest you.

Shop by the formality of the wedding. If you are getting married on the beach, don't try on cathedral train ball gowns. It might be fun, but you are only wasting your own energy.

Shop within your budget. If you can't afford a couture dress, don't try it on. You'll probably love it and make yourself crazy trying to get that dress out of your head. And IF you find a copy of the dress, it won't be exact.

Don't be afraid to HONESTLY tell your consultant your price range. She will ask your dress budget, its NOT because she wants to up sell you or violate your pricacy. She needs to know HOW to help you. I will not show a girl a dress a dollar over what she believes she can afford. Why waste everyone's time?

When you are tired, stop shopping. Confusion and white blur will set in and you will only end up exhausted and confused. Take a break, get something to eat and give yourself time to think.

Ebay For Wedding Dresses & Accessories!

Why is it so hard to shop for my wedding dress?

The quest for the dress seems harder than finding your true love. Why? The media is bombarding you thousands and thousands of glossy images of beautiful Photoshopped tall thin models with a full mane of hair extensions. She's professionally made up, lit for photos, her dress is pinned to fit her exactly and she's posed. Her make up artists, hairdressers, stylists and photographers are world class professionals. You see the pic...that's the look I want!

So you shop and shop until you realize that you aren't going to look like the gal in the pic. She doesn't even look like the gal in the pic in person. Trust me, I've seen and met some of them. Sometimes the dress doesn't even look the same in person!

Today's bride doesn't just thumb through a Bride's magazine. She spends hours and hours on the net perusing wedding dresses. She posts on boards and asks opinions from other brides who she's not met in person. She shops with a possee of friends. She's confused, she's got too many opinions and too many people telling her what she should wear. She's got too many images of wedding dresses dancing through her head. She is suffering from "white blur" a bridal term meaning after awhile all wedding dresses start to look alike.

So what to do? I tell brides to take a break from dress shopping for a week. Stay off the boards, stay off the net, stay out of bridal salons. Don't talk about your wedding dress, don't think about it for one week. Clear your head and open your mind. Your focus should be to open your mind to new possibilities. You can't and you SHOULDN'T purchase a dress from a photo. Focus on another aspect of your wedding.

My next post will be about how to prepare and shop for your wedding dress. Remember, take a one week dress vacation. You'll be so glad you did!