Sweet Bridemaids Dresses

Trendy is usually a nightmare, but I think it takes a special eye and a knack to incorporate the latest trends into bridal without going overboard. The dress pictured here is by Currier-Bonner
and I love the dress, the length, the detailing, and even the use of a ballet flat for a show with this dress is perfect. And what bridesmaid wouldn't kiss you for being encouraged to wear a hugely comfortable shoe all day at your wedding. Check them out or head over to Priscilla's of Boston in Tyson's Corner to try them on.

I Am Lovin Sullivan!!

Yes yet another cake post but well worth the space and uploading to let you know that Kate Sullivan in New York makes a mean cake. Don't get me wrong, I give homage to the cake creator and veterans like Sylvia Weinstock and Ron Ben Israel, I will forever give them major accolades on their craft. But for much the same reason that I love letterpress, these new cake designers are rocking my world. I love that they follow their own rules and are taking the craft on a left turn.
Kate's company Lovin Sullivan showcases her cakes and her books, the site needs some updating but there is enough there to get you salivating for a face to face with this fabulous designer.

Fantabulous Cakes

Ok Let me warn you that these cake are not available here. Such a shame, but hey what a great excuse to have a second ceremony in London!!
The artistic creativity of the cake designers over at Maisie Fantasie is unbelievable. Truly a breath of fresh air when compared to cakes that are merely "Pretty". I think its a happy medium between something on the verge of toplling over and something white and conservative.
It's worth the trip to head on over to the site to take a look at their designs, I am sure it will inspire you and if you are working with a cake designer worth a wit, the two of you should be able to create something masterful for your own wedding.

Grow A Note

Ok for those of you out there that are really Green (and not with envy, like I can be...) here is something you must use while planning your wedding. Grow A Note cards are perfect for Thank you's or for casual handwritten invites to showers or brunches. Each card has wildflower seeds embedded in the paper, so long after the event when all ofyour guests are de cluttering insteading of chucking this inthe landfill, they can plant it for wildflowers that will remind them of the wonderful time they had with you. I LOVE IT!!!

The cards are by Round Robin Press and can be found at these dealers, not local I know but worth the shipping, wouldn't you agree?

Trace Paper

I had a great time at the National Stationery Show as I mentioned in a number of previous posts.
One newbie to the world of fabulous paperare the guys and gals over at Trace. I loved the line and would've bought their album on the spot, but it's not ready yet. Their site is also under construction due to be ready this summer. So unfortunately other than this tiny peek at their custom cards and invitations, you will have to wait to see their other really cool stuff. But just remember, when you do see the line, that I told you about it first.

Lucky Says...

Lucky Magazine has taken some interest in DC and has located a number of great deals for us here in DC. Take advantage here.

20% off at Wink.
15% off any treatment at Hela (We Love Hela for Wedding Day Pampering)
20% off selected items at Shoe Addict in Georgetown (Need I Say More....)
30% off select Spring and summer items at Miss Sixty


Louis Feraud Trunk Show at Saks Jandel Chevy Chase June 6 and 7. Hop to It!

Sale at Amazon.com

Amazon.com is having a sale on wedding related items, 25% - 50% off. And you thought they just sold books. Head on over and perhaps you will find a terrific deal on your bridesmaids dresses, garters or lingerie.

Wedding Day Beauty

I think it's never too early to start thinking about what sort of hair and makeup you would want for your wedding day. So I've started looking around the area for reputable hair and makeup artists.

I have fairly short hair right now. I'm going to start growing it and hopefully by the time the wedding rolls around it will be long enough to do something interesting. This plan worked for my friend. I also want to find a makeup artist who won't mind letting me use my own makeup. I have finicky skin and can't wear department store brands.

One great way to give your bridemaids a little gift and also save money on makeup artists is to go to a department store and buy a little palette. Bobbi Brown has great ones that contain complementary colors that suit different skin tones. I would advise going to the department store and having an artist show you how to use the colors.

Another Book to Flip Through

Now a few posts ago I indicated that Save the Date cards were a casual heads up to guests letting them know when and where you are getting married so they can make travel and lodging plans and, especially during holiday seasons, so as to not book another engagement on the date of your wedding. We've looked at the ever popular magnet and the cost effective postcard. I was really blown away when I began to see manufacturers putting entire albums together of nothing but Save the Date Cards. I purchased a number of these books while at the Stationery Show this week and I am anxious to see how the sales go. I definitely get a steady number of requests for them. Take a look at these companies and head out to a local dealer to view their albums. Tag and Company is a favorite of mine and I bought the album on the spot. All of their cards are the same price, so you can really buy what you love the most and not have to rationalize the price. $3 per card for up to 100 cards and $2.25 for everything over 100. But get this. The majority of their Save the Date cards can be used as INVITATIONS. What a great deal. They have no problem altering the text to use the same card as your invitation and will create the Response card too, I love it. I did purchase this album so all of you DC area brides can pop in to take a peek. The gals over at Little Star Press have a brand new Wedding Album replete with Save the Date Cards. The Something Different line from Carlson Craft is definitely for the bride looking to make a statement. Another designer that I like and that is readily available in the area is simply put. The website is under construction but will give you lots of local area dealers that carry the line.

Postcards and Postage

It seems as though postage is on the rise hourly. The postcard still remains a great deal postage wise. By creating a postcard with the image of your choice, (I like the idea of a photo of you and your fiance holding a sign with the date of your wedding.) you can drop them in the mail quickly and cheaply. I think everyone likes receiving a postcard, it's a quick read and always interesting.
Now postcards are available in various sizes, but remember that if you increase the size of the postcard you will increase the postage to that of a regular letter. Here is a fantastic step by step for creating your own DIY save the date postcards. Amazing Mail has nice templates for a great price. The postcard shown above was designed by artists at Sonicstef Designs. This is a great option if you are looking for custom work and want to tie your entire social paper set together.
If you are running a bit behind in getting the babies out head on over to Overnight Prints for a speedy solution. I am also a fan of the styling of work done by Funny Buggy clean and whimsical.

The STD Magnet

It only makes sense to go back to where it all began, the rage that still has teeth...The Save the Date magnet. As a planner, I currently have about 16 of these magnets on my refrigerator, not because I need to remember the dates of these events, I'm the PLANNER, I know all too intimately the dates of these events. I keep them up moreso because of the pride I see from every bride that mails me one. The save the date magnet can be done by any bride. They are very easy and end up looking very professional.
VistaPrint is probably the most popular site around for inexpensive, easy to create save the date magnet. Choose from one of their many, really cute templates, or upload your own design for a completely custom magnet. If doing it yourself is still a little daunting, another very affordable option is from Carlson Craft. Carlson Craft is probably one of the most widely distributed social stationery lines in the country, you can find it anywhere and most dealers have an online ordering option. Another cost effective option is the Save the Date Magnet Factory, how's that for target marketing? Taking the magnet to another level Beau-Coup has wonderfully sophisticated designs that I really love.

Saving The Date

Save the Date cards emerged as a novel idea for alerting guests, coming in from far wide, of your wedding date. Guests had plenty of lead time to secure travel and lodging and you, the bride, saw a far better turn out.
The Save the Date card was a simple, casual note that gave the date and general geographic location of the wedding. No fuss. Postcards have been popular and then came the Save The Date magnet. This little magnet turned out to be the most poplular invention since fire in the world of brides and everyone had to have them.
Well as you know once things are popular, I am pretty much over them, so I have set out to locate the latest and greatest in Save the Date cards.
Every year I attend the National Stationery Show in New York, a fabulous show for the trade showcasing the best and newest in the world of paper and paper related items. It is truly overload, but so worth every exhausting step.
I do want to say that Erica over at Paper Bride has a wonderful booth, that was bubbling with activity. As I popped in to say Hi and take a look at her Paper Bride and Paper Mama offerings, we chatted on her own upcoming wedding planning. You can take a read on how things are going with her over at the New York Observer wedding blog.

So sit back and take note on the newest world that is Save the Date Cards, they are not your mother's magnets anymore.

Vows that Wow!

When it comes to vows, there are a couple options one can take:

Nontraditional: which most specifically falls into the category of:-self-authored vows, or quoted poems, writings or literature.

and

Traditional:
-Officiant directed (those directly from the officiant presiding over the ceremony)
-Denominational (religious) vows specific to the type of ceremony being held (Roman Catholic, Baptist, Presbyterian etc.)

I don't like to think of them in terms of traditional and non-traditional, because in some way, all traditions start at one place in time or another.

I thought I'd give a little insight, as I'm doing a mixture of writing my own vows and adding a flair to the traditional vows:

If you choose to don the pen and scribe a heartfelt sonnet to your love, use this suggestion:
Think about the type of ceremony you are having, don't use really avant-garde material at a wedding filled with minors and clergyman. Then again, think twice about using avant garde material altogether.

Lisa Costantino, Amazon.com Wedding Expert offers the following tips:
Before you put pen to paper, discuss whether you'll compose as a couple, or if you'll write individual vows for reading to each other at the altar. Will you share your vows beforehand, or make your contribution a wedding-day surprise? Once you've decided, follow the guidelines below and you'll be surprised at how easy it is to gather your thoughts and feelings into a literary bouquet:

Check with your officiant. If you're marrying in a house of worship, make certain there's no issue with providing your own vows.
Familiarize yourself with existing vows. Have a copy of traditional vows handy, and do some research to see how others have put their feelings into words. Borrow, rework, or simply find inspiration.
Get it all on paper. Don't think you have to get it perfect the first time. All writers edit and rewrite. Let your feelings spill out in all their rough glory, then go back and polish.
Talk about what's most important. Be specific about what marriage means to you. Concepts to ponder: love, respect, honor, trust, tolerance, understanding, forgiveness, honesty, compassion, faith, sharing, friendship, happiness, and laughter.
Use your own voice. Good writing relies on honesty and directness. Avoid flowery or pretentious language, clichés, and repetition.
Keep it simple--and short. A few minutes will do it. Any longer and you run the risk of rambling, defusing your impact, or losing your place.
Put it to the test. Once you have a decent draft, do a practice recital into a tape recorder. Play it back. How does it sound? You'll find passages that shine, others that your tongue may trip over. Polish until it reads smoothly.
Get feedback. Criticism is essential to all writers, and your close friends will be kind and helpful. This is also a good time to run your vows past your officiant, to ensure there's no conflict with your church's views.
When you have a final draft, transfer your words to note cards so they'll be easy to glance at during your recitation. Don't worry if you can't commit your vows to memory--big-day nerves have a way of messing with memorization. If you're subject to stage fright, ask your officiant to be ready to read your vows for you; you and your intended can repeat them to good effect. One last note: Give copies of your vows to the maid of honor and best man, to safeguard against losing your own in the pre-wedding hubbub.

Cakes!

This is just a tiny post. The cafe where I work in Alexandria, Bittersweet makes some yummy cakes. We have bought a few for the occasional work function. As well as being rich and delicious they are aesthetically pleasing and reasonably priced. Worth checking out if not for an actual wedding cake, for a bachlorette party, shower, or groom's cake.

Religious Ceremony Ideas

When I first got engaged, my best friend told me not to waste money on books about getting married. For the most part, I think it's pretty good advice as most cost around thirty dollars and what exactly do you need from them that you can't get from a few hours of 'Whose Wedding is it Anyway?' I did happen to find one book that I think has been a worthwhile investment. It is The New Jewish Wedding by Anita Diamant.

Even if your aren't Jewish, or even terribly religious for that matter, this is a great book about the origin of the modern Jewish wedding. Of course the modern Christian wedding and eventually the modern secular wedding has the majority of its components rooted in the Jewish wedding. Alot of people who aren't religious take bits and pieces from religious weddings and incorporate them into their weddings. I think that if you want to add meaning to your ceremony, if you aren't Jewish, this book can provide some beautiful ideas. If you are Jewish, this book does a wonderful job explaining the different variations of a wedding and how these traditions came about in the first place.

Podcasting is Where it's At.

We had the time of our lives at the Wedding Salon Show last month. Fabulous vendors, great food, neat ideas and the who's who of the wedding world. It was great fun to chat with Sylvia Weinstock and David Tutera. While there I was interviewed by the fantastic folks over at The Wedding Podcast Network. You can download and listen to the podcast here. When you head over to the site be sure to browse and listen to the other terrific podcasts from event planners, florists, cake designers etc. The Masters of the wedding industry in their own voice giving you helpful tips on planning your own extravagant affair.

Don't Forget the Honeymoon

During the course of full scale wedding planning, we're often neglectful of the honeymoon. I find it to be one of the most important things of the wedding, yet the eager determined passion I have for other aspects of the wedding events hasn't yet come full circle into the honeymoon planning.

I ran across this web site the other day and found it fabulous for those busy brides and grooms like myself who haven't contributed a significant amount of time into planning the honeymoon.

There is a package finder and a specialist locator tool to help you search for a local travel agent specializing in honeymoon packages. You can customize a honeymoon package to fit your needs as well and even create a registry for your guests.

Take a look here

Mother/Daughter Day at the Fairmont Hotel

The Fairmont's Third Annual Mother/daughter Afternoon Tea Fashion Show featuring Lilly Pulitzer's 2006 spring Line This Mother's Day, why not Tickle Your Mother Pink Enjoy luxurious accommodations along with two complimentary tickets to Tickled Pink III. The Fashion/tea is a benefit for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. The Fashion show/tea takes place in the Fairmont's Colonnade Room on Saturday, May 13, 2006 beginning at 1:00 p.m. Package Includes: Overnight accommodations for two people in a Fairmont room on Friday, May 12 or Saturday, May 13, 2006 Two complimentary tickets to Tickled Pink III, the Fairmont Washington, D.C.'s Third annual Mother/Daughter Afternoon Tea Fashion Show taking place on Saturday, May 13 at 1:00 p.m. One goodie Bag per person filled with Lilly Pulitzer Items Should you require additional Tickets for the Tickled Pink III Afternoon Tea Fashion show only, they may be purchased at the hotel prior to the event. They are priced at $80 per adult and $50 for children under 12 years of age. Availability: This package is available on Friday, May 12, 2006 or Saturday, May 13, 2006 only, and is subject to availability.

Florists

Some of the greatest florists in the area have the suckiest websites!! I guess I can understand with the volume of business they are doing that a webiste isn't their priority but jeez! I work with GreenWorks in DC, and Black Eyed Susan in Gambrills and I adore these florists and the work they do is absoulutely incredible. but if you were brave enough to click through you see they use have the standard Teleflora template website. Yuck! What is a bride to do? You hear they do great work but you can't see it without making an appointment and schlepping down there.

Another of my favorite designers is actually on the west coast, Kimberly Aurora of Romantic Flowers has been gracious enough to post online images of her wedding bouquets for distribution and inspiration. How cool! I love her designs. But equally as wonderful are the Midori ribbons and paper, the favor boxes, delectable candies and ideas for favors, great items at great prices. If you are an eBay shopper, do a search for seller RomanticFlowers and really take advantage of the savings.
It's amazing how much the web can be of assistance.

What started off as a cute little Washington DC based blog for a couple of area brides has expanded in a nationwide phenomenon. Many thanks to the folks over at Glam.Com you've got to love everything about them. Also to Brides Noir Magazine which was the genesis for the expansion. Now that I have thanked the Academy it's time to get to work. I an looking for brides in New York, Miami, Washington, DC, Atlanta, Chicago and Los Angeles. If you're chatty and bubbly and are working yourself out overtime during the planning of your wedding Contact Me! As well, if you're already married or if you're single without a prospect but love weddings, give some thought to becoming an editor. Dish the wedding dirt, hunt the hottest trends in your area, root out the bargains and the sales, Tell It All!! Let me hear from you.

Hi Brow Eyebrows

Eyebrows have the power to transform a face. “It’s all about framing, and you want to be sure that the frame fits the picture.” This is what Erwin Gomez formerly of Elizabeth Arden (Chevy Chase) had to say to Washingtonian magazine. Erwin has branched out on his own and can now be found at 1519 Wisconsin Ave NW (202-333-7290) he's know as the best in the city $55 for your first visit and $40 afterwards. “The number-one mistake that women make is tweezing too much,” says Lance Etchison, who is over at Bluemercury Spa in Georgetown. Other disheartening sights are “the tadpole” (too thick near the nose, too skinny toward the temples) and “the half circle” (too round) this is per Judith Koritsas at Celadon Day Spa in downtown DCHere are a couple of tips I found to be great.

• An aesthetician should ask whether you’re on certain medications, because a few—acne medications and cortisone creams—make skin fragile enough to be pulled off with the wax.
• Consider the time of month when you schedule an appointment; women often find that treatments hurt more when they have their periods.
  

Everyone is into threading of late, a process where a cotton string is used. The “threader” loops it around the offending hairs (usually several at a time) and twists them out from the roots. I say of late though the process has been around FOREVER I personally have not been won over by threading and personally swaer by a quick hot wax by someone who knows what they are doing and can give me a perfect arch in five minutes.

Great spots in the area to pop in an see the fantastic effect your eyebrows can have on your overall appearance.

The Cutting Edge Threading Salon 15114 Frederick Road Rockville,MD 20850 301.762.9763 ask for Bina or Neelam $10 and up

Elizabeth Arden Red Door Salon & Spa, 5225 Wisconsin Ave., NW; 202-362-9890; $23.

Celadon Day Spa, 1180 F St., NW; 202-347-3333; $25 for wax/trim; $30 for tweeze/trim, which takes longer.

Norbert, 1050 Connecticut Ave., NW; 202-466-2111; $25 and up.

Bluemercury Spa, 3059 M St., NW; 202-965-1300; Brow styling, including trimming, waxing, and tweezing, is $25; color is another $25.

Nail Studio, 1468 North Point Village Center, Reston; 703-481-6245. Six threaders on staff. $15.

Progressions, 12211 Nebel St., Rockville; 301-231-8757; $16.

More Wedding Stamps

It seems The Knot has teamed up with Zazzle to form their own line of wedding stamps available for all the Knotties of the world. Not earth shaking news and I think it's much more creative to have your own picture or that of a family member than a generic wedding related illustration. But I am not knocking them. I do think that the other items available for personalization over at Zazzle are really cool, personalize tee shirts for your bridesmaids, mugs for groomsmen gifts the ideas are numerous, upload your own photos and add your own text for really unique, one of a kind gifts. What are you waiting for? Get to it!

Moonstruck Chocolates

Moonstruck Chocolate Company truffles... yes another item to die for. How adorable are these little cakes available in flavors like Champagne, Grand Marnier and Bailey's Irish Creme. Sold individually the company also does regular truffles available for bulk purchase in the same dreamy flavors. Equally as cute are the Hat boxes, caramel and chocolate daisies, flowerpots, bonnets, mints and purses. they will really fit a lot of decor ideas.

DC Spa Discount

Looking for a spa for the girls to wind down at before the wedding?
Try the Hela Spa located at Wisconsin and M in DC. They are offering a 15% off discount
for first time clients through Spa Finder, just mention the Spa Finder Day Spa Deal.

Parisian Flair

When creating themes, I believe there is more than just the obvious. the goal is to transport people to a place or time by the triggers you set before them. I love Paris. Really love Paris and can get lost in all things Parisian. Harrod's of London recently opened the Laduree Parisian Tea Room. Larudee is most noted for their wonderful macaroons. This is an item when added to your Paris themed wedding will take your guests straight to the Eiffel Tower. The macaroons are available in a multitude of flavors many of which are seasonal. This season's options include Coconut - Blackcurrant Violet - Lime Basil - Icy Mint - Chestnut - Almond and Liquorice. Always available are: Chocolate - Bitter (Dark) Chocolate - Vanilla - Coffee - Hazelnut Praline - Rose Petal - Pistachio - Raspberry - Lemon - Salted butter Caramel - Red Fruits.
As if the macaroons themselves were not enough Laduree is a wonderful resource for wedding cakes, Croquembouche, "sugared" almonds and petit fours.

The Alternative to the 3 Ring Binder

Brides are very funny when it comes to organizing their wedding planning. I have brides that clip and rip every sheet they come across in a magazine, they have plastic sheet covers for every contract and slips for swatches and the like. They lug these enormous binders everywhere and spend 15 minutes a pop looking for the one item they need to show the particular vendor with whom they are meeting. I came across this over at lovely design and thought how cool it would be to use a rolodex system to be able to easily track down all of your vendors and jot down notes on their individual file cards. Probably would never work for the overzealous bride but my how chic.

Wedding Paper Parasols (An Outdoor Event Solution)

Okay, You must Check out these cute "elegant and functional" parasols...not only will they keep the sun out of your eyes, but they'll add a new element of decor to your event, and why not use them indoors as well.

They are available in a crisp plain white, a fuchsia(one of my wedding colors), and
an aquamarine.

Go to The White Aisle for a modern take on weddings (they're the greatest)

Holy Veil...Options and More Options

Choosing a veil is one of the most important decisions of your wedding planning process. It is the opportunity for you to express yourself in the most special way with a touch of your own personal style and it is a direct reflection of your individuality. By choosing a beautiful veil, you will help create a unique presentation of your wedding day appearance and pull together the look of your gown.

Here's a few tips I grabbed from various places around the web on how to select the perfect veil:

What is a veil?
A veil is thousands of pockets of air held together with threads as fine as those in a spiders web - it is flawless piece of fabric of varying size, shape and colour, which is attached to a headpiece or comb and then to you ( A mantilla is a style of veil which simply drapes over the head and hangs freely). Creativity, craftsmanship and quality are vital, as are the subtle individual choices of shape, colour and detail - all included in a mybridalveil

It is worth commenting and emphasising the fact that a veil is an accessory to the actual wedding gown, it should enhance, other than detracting ones attention with too much detail - understatement is invariably more chic and stylish - rather than overstating with embellishment

The great thing about being a bride today is that anything goes! Whether you want to do everything traditionally or just choose the style that looks best and suits your personality. The following are a few tips to help you in making your decision.

Choose a simple veil and headpiece if your dress is very ornate.
Consider the back detail of your dress. If you want to show off the back of the dress, you may want to choose a short veil (blusher or elbow length) a veil with less fullness to it (72" width, pony veil, or the ballerina headband and side veil).
If your gown is very simple, you may want a very ornate headpiece and or veil to attract attention to your face.
OR if your gown is very simple and your style is very simple and elegant, you may also want to wear a simple headpiece and or veil with minor details.

I hope these tips help as I'm using them myself, I've even had thoughts of doing my own veil (but I'm already outnumbered by DIY projects)

Be confident in your choice and showcase it with a smile.

More Food!

What's with all the food posting today??? As you know I love Eleni's but don't sleep... Dean and Deluca gets me through the week. I keep a D&D basket on my desk to nibble on. The salt, the sweet and wouldn't you know they even throw in something healthy. Having said all that D&D have an exclusive for Spring 2006 and I am telling you, this is too cute to bypass. It's a handbag cake it's done in crocodile fondant (SHUT UP!) and feeds 6-8. It's seven layers, three yellow and three chocolate. Is it not to die for at your bridal shower?? It ships overnight and I am telling you it's a must have.

Oh Eleni's

I have, for many many years been on the hunt for the perfect chocolate chip cookie. I am not ready to concede that I have found it just yet, but I have definitely come close. Eleni's makes the absolute best chocolate chip cookie I have had to date (how's that for leaving my options open?) not too much chocolate, crisp and chewy... they are absolute heaven.
I say all of this to say that for some time now, Eleni's has been making wedding cookies for years now. they offer an assortment of wedding shaped cookies (bells, bride, groom, gifts) in a tin, which is a neat thing to have on hand the morning of your wedding to snack on, additionally they do cookies for favors. The other neat thing is that you can order them online or pick them up at Saks (There's one in Chevy Chase.)

Wedding Date

So I'm trying my very best right now to get a final date setteled on. We can't get married on a Saturday (Jewish) so hopefully the cost of a venue will be a little cheaper. I'm kind of concerned that a number of guests won't be able to make a weekday wedding. They will basically have to take a thursday or a monday off of work for traveling. Everything has the potential to make me feel guilty right now.

I am suprised how many venues have not replied to my inquieries. Most of them are as basic as 'How much per person?' I suppose if they can't take the time to answer questions they can't be that serious about getting your business and are therefore not worth your time. Well, we'll see!