10 Bridal Beauty Rules via www.theknot.com!

How to ensure you look ridiculously good on your wedding day? Commit to these wedding day beauty commandments.

Click on the image to view the slideshow!

Songs for your Wedding via Catalogs.com!

Finding the right music to have at your wedding is important. You need special songs for every part, especially the all-important first dance, and good songs to keep your guests happy, entertained, and on their feet during the dance party!

You will probably want something slow and romantic for the first dance, but once the party gets started, you’ll want to mix it up with some fast but fun songs! You want to be romantic, yet have a fun vibe to the wedding at the same time.

Your choice of music is a matter of personal taste, but check out Catalogs.com’s lists of top 10 wedding songs for each part of the wedding!

http://www.catalogs.com/info/weddings-invitations/top-10-wedding-songs.html

Why Have a Wedding?

Why have a wedding? There are tons of  reasons, but this article might highlight some of my favorite.

Check it out on RealZest.com!

Why Have a Wedding? via RealZest.com

Blogger Brides Goes Mobile

Everyone knows that planning a wedding is no easy job!

A bride’s “to-do” list is a mile long. Can’t forget the bridesmaids’ gifts. Must book a honeymoon. Taste different wedding cakes. Select the perfect undergarments to complement the wedding dress. Pick up the wedding dress!  OMG! Is there life outside of “brideland”? To make things a little easier on the busy bride, Get Married offers a new mobile edition of Blogger Brides.  Compatible with iPhone/iPad/iPod Touch, Android Phone, BlackBerry9500, BlackBerry9530 or webOS device, Blogger Brides’ mobile edition provide brides with the wedding inspiration they need -- no matter where they go!

Monday’s Wedding Dish

Looking for eco-friendly tips for your wedding? Kate Harrison from the Green Bride Guide has quick and easy ideas from the wedding menu to the wedding dress. Watch it all on today’s Wedding Dish!

DIY Frosted Glass Centerpieces!

Well, I have to hand it to them. Off Beat Bride did it again! These pieces are wonderful, classic, and gorgeous! (Not to mention waaay economical and totally unique!)

Hit up your local flea market to pick up some cheap/vintage glassware for this super great centerpiece project!

Click to continue reading....

The Frugalista's Wedding

In today’s economy, living within ones means is not only chic but necessary. So why must even a modest wedding carry a price tag of $20,000? It's time to stop the madness. Here are some tips on how to have the perfect wedding without drowning in debt afterward.

Location
The perfect chapel followed by a reception at the swankiest place in town sounds beautiful and picturesque, but is it really worth it when faced with the bill? Cheaper alternatives are beaches and parks which can be reserved with a permit for a nominal fee. If your wedding is in the spring or summer, integrating it with.

Postage Stamps
Designing, Printing and shipping an irregularly shaped wedding invitation can be very costly to say the least. An easy way to cut down on expenses is to print the invitations at home using high quality paper. A less glamours (though completely free) alternative is email. There are also services such as evite.com <http://evite.com>  which can ad a little convenience and pazazz to your invitation.

Guest List
An effective way to keep your budget low is to keep the guest list as brief as possible. You may want to invite all of your friends, coworkers, and second grade teacher, but with each person your budget goes up incrementally and before you know it, your wedding costs more than your car. Create criteria for who gets on the list. For instance, don’t invite any one you have not talked to in the past 5 years or family you’ve never met. Also, make sure that everyone knows that although they are invited, the rest of their may not be.

Food and Drink
Can a Marriott catering team make a better peach cobbler than Aunty Gertrude? I think not! Hiring a professional caterer can be extremely pricey due to the amount of man hours required to cook and serve all that food. By outsourcing the various culinary responsibilities to relatives and having guests serve themselves buffet style, you can save big. That being said, its probably a good idea to hire a bartender for obvious reasons.

Browse Hundreds of Beautiful, Trendy Wedding Dresses Via nymag.com!

If you are or ever have been a bride to be, you know just how stressful finding a gown that fits your style, personality, and price range can be. Whether your in the market, doing preliminary research, or just looking around, NYMag.com has a wonderful tool to efficiently browse for wedding dresses of all shapes, sizes, and styles.

So fret no longer! May this tool serve you well (and maybe even save you a few bucks).

SHOP-O-MATIC WEDDING DRESSES VIA NYMAGAZINE

Top it all off...

Wedding favors can be the perfect topper to any reception that your guests will talk about for years to come, though choosing the right one can be a daunting task to say the least. Wedding favors can be anything your guests will appreciate whether it be chocolate, a deck of cards, or something more creative. The hard part is figuring out what wedding favor is right for your special day. Some food for thought ...

First, think about what type of bride you are. Are you the traditional type or are you a bit more avant-garde? As you make your preliminary list of possible wedding favors, this step will help you to narrow it down quite a bit. Chances are if you're an electric guitar playing tattooed sky diving enthusiast, white chocolate dolphins on a stick just won't do.

What do you hope to achieve with your wedding favor? Do you just want to give your guests a tasty treat or rather something that they can always have to mark the day? Maybe you prefer to give them something that they might find useful. Remember to consider your guests during this step. If your grandparents on both sides are diabetic, then maybe a blast of sugar isn’t what the doctor ordered.

Where is your wedding taking place? If you're having a destination wedding, your favors should definitely reflect the surroundings. If you're getting married on a beach in Hawaii, you might consider something like bamboo picture frames or exotic pineapple candies.

What is the theme of your wedding? If your planning an eco-friendly wedding, a bundle of cork coasters or tote bags might be just the thing. Is your wedding taking place on a specific holiday? If you're getting married on Christmas Day, then Santa hats are the obvious choice.

What is the color scheme of your wedding? Its true that wedding favors can be a very special accent, but they probably should not be emerald green if everything else is hot pink. Try to coordinate your gifts, favors and decorations to have a consistent and cohesive theme throughout the duration of your ceremony and reception.

Another great one...

Writing this blog, I frequent many other wedding and wedding planning related websites. Photographers, caterers, florists, dress makers, DIY sites, all of it. One of my favorites though is, and will continue to be, Offbeatbride.com. As they put it, they supply "Wedding Porn". Sitting quietly at your computer screen, silently clicking through other peoples cool, weird, wacky and brilliant wedding ceremonies and ideas.

This morning I stumbled across this lovely post of theirs:

Funky photos from Sunday and Michele's Bowers Museum Wedding



The photos are adorable -- but what really caught my eye was the word "Museum". Well I'll be damned! I never would have in a million years thought of a museum wedding. Held at The Bowers Museum in Santa Ana, California, I gotta give Sunday and Michele a big KUDOS for a super cute, and artistically informative ceremony and reception!

The (Price) Difference is in the Details

With all the tiny little details that go into wedding planning, it is important to keep your head on straight and try to prioritize. While you want this very special day to be as perfect as possible, you can make it great without emptying out your pockets. A great starting point to budgeting your wedding is to consider what is really important to you and what kind of atmosphere you want for your event.

Flowers:

• Use more greenery than flowers


• Embellish smaller flower arrangements with candles, lanterns, or fruit


• Stick with cheaper, in-season flowers


• Do not choose too many types of different flowers in your arrangements


• Fake flowers can cost half the price and look just as nice (and real!)


• Ask the venue that is holding your reception if they have a prop room. They may have fun and creative decor alternatives for you.

Food & Drink:

• Instead of a large meal, serve appetizers and hors d’oeuvres


• Serve comfort food instead of a gourmet meal


• Skip the champagne toast


• Don't over-do the number of stations at the cocktail hour


• Wine and beer is much cheaper than a full open bar


• For the cutting of the cake, choose an elegant but simple cake but serve from a sheet cake


• A slice of wedding cake for dessert will do for most guests, so don't stress about too many dessert options


• Cheaper cake alternatives include: decorative cupcakes, donuts, and cookies


• Ethnic meals are generally less expensive

Day, Time & Season:

• Go for an afternoon reception instead of an evening one (Plus, people tend to drink less during the day so this will most likely ultimately save you on alcohol as well)


• Rent out a vacation home for the day. It may be cheaper than a venue and if the property is nice or large enough, it could be a very creative way to accommodate your guests.


• Choose a different day of the week other than Saturday for your reception

The Guest List:
How many people do YOU really want there? One of the easiest and most effective ways to save a lot of money is to shorten the guest list. Don't fold under pressure from friends and relatives over who you should invite. Also, bigger tables mean less centerpieces and tablecloths, plus, big groups at tables encourages more mingling among your guests.

Photos & Videos:
Choosing a photographer and videographer from the same company can earn you discounts. You don't need to have the photographer or videographer there from the moment you wake up until the very last guest leaves. And while you may want to save some cash, amateur photographers may absolutely not be worth any cost. If there are entirely inexperienced and miss some huge moments, there is no way to redo. See if you can simply have the raw video for your wedding day. Work with friends and family to edit the footage yourself or have a student edit the film for you. Effects and editing can be very expensive.

Try and do-it-yourself!:
It couldn't hurt to get a little hands-on in preparing for your big day. Why spend the big bucks on name cards, invitations, favors, and decorations when you can get together with friends and family and work together to create a meaningful and personal touch to your wedding. There are so many DIY books and websites out there with very basic and brilliant DIY ideas and tips. Heading to dollar or craft stores and checking out post-holiday sales can also give you some great inspiration. If you are wary about your crafting abilities, check out some affordable decor alternatives to make your wedding look richer. Arranging colorful and modern looking vases, dishes, and platters give the higher-end illusion.

Always: Do the math:
Don't be fooled by the allure of a package deal. Do your math and figure out what deal would work best for you based on your needs and expectations. Remember that a buffet dinner may still cost a lot more than a multi-course, sit down meal. Also, just because a venue is cheap doesn't mean you'll save money. If a less expensive space is lacking necessary amenities, then rental costs could end up leaving you paying more.

Don't be afraid to negotiate prices or be honest with vendors about what you actually have to spend. While you do want to accommodate your guests, don't be hesitant about doing things the way you want to do them or sacrifice your tastes and desires to impress your guests.

-Sarah

DIY brides: cutest cupcake wrappers

Going cute and portable with your wedding treats? Check out this article with easy and clear directions on how to DIY cupcake wrappers, so adorable and fun!

[caption id="attachment_44" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="DIY cupcake wrappers"][/caption]

T.P. - The other white fabric.

You ever hear the old saying: "Don't wear what you wipe yourself with?"


Well, me neither and now I know why.





The winners of the Sixth Annual Toilet Paper Wedding Dress Contest have been announced and their dresses are fantastic (in a 2-ply kind of way). I will admit that I would not want to be caught in the rain in one of these though.


Before getting your entries ready for next year, see how you stack up against the competition by checking out this year's winners: http://www.aisledash.com/2010/06/10/2010-toilet-paper-wedding-dress-contest-winners/



As eco-friendly as the TP dress might be, unless you're planning an outdoor wedding with Porta-Pottys and think you're gonna run out of roll, I'd skip it for a slightly more wedding appropriate material.



Also -- Want to seem extra bubbly on your wedding day? Check out this crazy bubble wrap dress: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1279113/The-bubble-wrap-bride-knew-exactly-wear-fiance-popped-question.html

Putting Your Face On: Makeup Tips for the Bride-to-be

While ensuring you are spending your special day with the right man should be your top priority on your big day, it is also very important to make sure you feel comfortable and confident. If you don't, in those moments you should be relaxing and enjoying what you've worked so hard to make so great will be filled with trips to the bathroom to touch up, tuck in, and reapply -- and who wants that?

A Great Starting Point
The best way to begin planning your wedding day makeup is to consider the look you are going for. Light and neutral? Bold and sexy? Colorful and fun? Think about what will match your dress, your bridesmaids, the season of your wedding and your personality. Instead of just thumbing through magazines for ideas, get hands on! Take a trip to a department store and check out some new colors and styles to get some ideas. Most department stores will let you sample their products and even apply them for you and give you pointers for free.



Avoid Surprises
Whether you are having a professional apply your makeup or you are doing it yourself, always, always, always do a test run prior to your wedding day. This way you will have some idea of what you do (or don't) want to look like as well as how much time you should budget for applying your makeup the day of your wedding. Make sure when you are checking out the results of your test run that you are looking at yourself in natural lighting, as that will give you the best idea of what you will look like the day of your wedding. Another very important reason to test run is that you need to be aware of how these products will interact with your skin type and be certain that they won’t cause any irritation or allergic reactions.

Drink Plenty of Water
This is the most helpful, and most forgotten beauty tip.  Drinking plenty of water (and not sugary soda or alcohol) the month before will keep your skin fresh and flexible, and will flush blemish-causing toxins from the skin.  You’ll want to cut back on fatty foods or food high in sodium as these will take away from the skin’s natural flexibility and make it appear saggy and tired.

Other Important Things to Remember:

• Waterproof, Waterproof, Waterproof
  

Elements like heat and humidity as well as sweat (and maybe even some tears) will cause unsightly runs in your makeup. Airbrush makeup tends to stay on longer and withstand the elements better than regular makeup.

• Too much tanning can be disastrous
  

Don't overdo your UV time or you may find you look a little more striking in your photos than you bargained for. If you go for a spray tan do a test run first. Sample out a shade before you get bold and get a spray tan too soon before you wedding. Spray tans take time to fade, making it complicated to undo a bad spray tan in time.

• Order is Important
  

Hair should be done before makeup. Dress should be done last.

• Lighter & Brighter
  

Lighter eyeshadow shades tend to being out your eyes more. Brighter lip colors tend to bring out our lips more.

• Don't play with any breakouts you get!
  

It's tempting, but most likely to make the problem worse.

About A Week Before the Wedding:

• Exfoliate your skin, and go without makeup for a few days to allow your pores to breathe


• Don't take the risk of trying new or experimental facial treatments


• Fine-tune those brows. They add more depth to your face and eyes than you may think

Finally, be confident in yourself. You and your hubby will be the center of attention, looking fabulous, and mugging for a barrage of flashing photographer bulbs. So make it count, smile, and enjoy your new life.

Now go put your face on!

-Sarah

A Match Made in Heaven

Choosing the Best Outdoor Wedding for You: Part 1

Any outdoor wedding has pros and cons to consider, but with some simple planning it can be an event that makes a lasting impact.

Before you seal the deal, take a moment to consider what your outdoor venue options are and how they fit with your big day dreams. You can be sure that any outdoor wedding will be charming and unique, particularly because of the creative opportunities available to you. In choosing an outdoor venue, imagine as though you have a blank slate, in which you can choose for yourself how to arrange almost every element of your gathering with the added bonus of being really fun and attractive.

The Mountaineer

Mountainous and heavily wooded areas look great in anything: fall leaves, wintry snow, spring flowers, and luscious summer greens.

This location may be too secluded for the comfort of a variety of guests. While the views may be breath taking for you, your guests may be winded by the time they get up a hilly and uneven terrain and difficult commute.

Shore to Please

You have the right to go casual. At a beach wedding, you can toss away high heels and stuffy suits without turning heads. You can even let loose and have a fun nautical or tropical theme for your wedding with tiki lights, seashells, and hibiscus flowers.

If you are a bad hair day type, remember that the salty air and wind in your face can create a frizzy hair, sticky skin situation. Also, unless you are willing to invest in a private portion of a beach, you will have to contend with beach-goers interrupting your ceremony. During peak summer seasons, consider that guests that are commuting may be troubled by high volumes of traffic. Also, the sun can get pretty oppressive if it's too close to the middle of the day.

City Slickers

For the most part, if you are looking to tie the knot in a location near a major city, you can rest assured that it will be an accessible location for many of your guests. You can consider a rooftop or reserve space in a variety of outdoor venues.

The downside? City weddings can get costly very quickly. Budgeting for a city wedding can be difficult, but well worth it. The upside though, is that city venues offer a variety of atmospheres and themes and can usually have much of the materials you’ll need in-house.

Garden, Park, or Field Party

Like mountains, most park-like settings  can look good in any season. Your photos will come out beautiful no matter what. You also have the option of going formal or casual in a park, field, or garden setting.

Many parks, gardens, and fields are public areas -- so you can never be too confident that your affair will go undisturbed and uninterrupted. Unless it is a private park, there is not much you can do about it. However, such atmospheres can be offered as an alternative to an indoor setting at country clubs and event halls, giving you the convenient option to dart indoors and proceed as usual in case of inclement weather.

Hold on for your Honeymoon!

As I mentioned in my last post, planning your wedding can be incredibly stressful.

Sometimes, it can feel like you need a vacation when all is said and done — but, oh wait! You get one! There is a vacation light at the end of the tunnel!

Ahhhh, the honeymoon! Drop all your bridal baggage behind (but, don’t forget your actual luggage!) and give a bright “hello” to your well-deserved romantic getaway. The honeymoon is a stage setter for your beautiful marriage, so make sure to do your homework. In the end, it will pay off knowing everything has been taken care of.

Here are a few important things to consider ahead of time to keep your honeymoon stress-free:

Show me the Money!

While you want to try and enjoy yourself, you don’t want to start your marriage deep in a financial hole. Plan accordingly for all aspects of your trip including food, transportation, accommodations, and entertainment.  Weigh your options if you are working on a tight budget. Would you rather have a short but extravagant trip or a long trip with fewer luxuries?  Consider all the smaller details and package deals being offered. Don’t be too hard on yourself (it is after all, your honeymoon!) but try and come up with some kind of budget you will try and can realistically stick to. Quick Tip: Consider a room with a kitchen. You can make your own meals and save on those romantic moments you crave so much!

Destination Known!

Do your research! Make sure to read reviews on travel sites about the condition of the place you are staying and the legitimacy of any travel arrangements you have made. While you may have tried to save some dough here and there, a hotel room that stinks of mildew, a shady concierge, or other accommodation complications can definitely ruin the romance, leaving you livid rather than love struck. Friends and family are great resources for honeymoon ideas. Who knows you better than the people you're close to? If they have already had a honeymoon experience, talk to them about it. What did they like? What didn't they? They also may be a mecca for some really great and creative ideas you hadn’t even considered! Don’t forget to check out the average weather conditions of your destination of interest for the time of year you will be traveling. No one wants to spend their honeymoon in their bungalow during monsoon season!

Where are you going, anyway?

Do you like to be pampered in paradise? Or would you prefer to build an adventurous itinerary? Check out the fun things different resorts and locations offer. Making this trip fun and memorable is something you will value for years to come. Maybe you've always wanted to ride a camel in Egypt, explore the rich and vibrant culture of Japan, relax on a quaint European farm or take a cross-country or cross-continental road trip. This is your first trip with your new spouse, make it special, something you both enjoy, and memorable.

How are you getting around?

If you are getting to your honeymoon destination without your own car and you’d like to save on car rentals, consider that some destinations are near (or famous for) public transportation or have their own means to shuttle you into and around town. Some places are so accommodating you’ll never have to leave the premises. Maybe consider renting a car for a portion of your trip and then live like the locals for the remainder. Also, bikes, scooters, and motorcycles can be cheaper and more creative ways to get around and save some cash. Also, don’t forget to check out what options you have to get to and from the airport ahead of time, sometimes the hotel itself provides some form of airport transportation!

Happy honeymooning! Have fun and don't forget to take pictures!

-Sarah

Selecting Your Wedding Date

If you have just recently gotten engaged,  let me say first: Congratulations!  Secondly, I’d like to take the time to remind you to stay cool, calm and collected as you start your adventure in planning your big day.

Photo: Arbutus Photography

So the family is updated, your friends are stoked and you are ready to start you planning!  The first, (and often initially overlooked step) is to determine how long of an engagement you wish to have. You could base it on a special date or anniversary you have, or perhaps you choose to decide the length of your engagement by how long you think the wedding process will actually take. Either way, the choice is up to you and don’t let anyone pressure you otherwise! While most engagements are between six months to a year, plenty of people wait less or longer! Some couples stay engaged for up to 5 years! It’s all about what the couple ultimately wants.

So you’ve decided on a date! Now comes the fun part! It’s time for you to sit down and embrace your inner “little girl” and envision your ideal wedding.  There are tons of factors to consider: Are you planning a big event, or a more intimate gathering? Spring or fall? Indoors or outdoors?

Ultimately, how you choose the date for the special day is dependent upon the following:

• How much time (realistically) is the planning going to take to pull off your big day?


• Does the date you chose check out? (Does it fall on significant dates such as  your grandfathers birthday, cousins graduation or aunts baby shower? )


• Do you want the date to coincide with another important date in your life? (Parents anniversary, first day you met, Valentines, Christmas, Halloween?)


• Can you get the reception site and ceremony booked on the same day?  Accommodating both sites to fall on your date of choice can be difficult depending on the time of year.


• Can you afford the time of year you chose? Certain times of the year (such as the Spring) are more expensive than others. If money is an issue, you may want to consider having your wedding in an off season.


• What material/cut/style is your gown? If you want to wear a specific dress (your grandmothers or mothers wedding dress), consider the time of year the dress is designed for and plan accordingly. You don't want to have a summer beach wedding in a heavy dress!

So have fun! Plan away! I wish you smooth sailing to all the newbie brides-to-be out there and again, congratulations!

-Sarah

The dress and what lies beneath....

I must have tried on 100 different  dresses while I was preparing for my wedding. I, like most women, have my "problem areas".  At first, it seemed like I just couldn't find the perfect dress for my body type -- as if I was some sort of bride-to-be mutant that had to have an expensive custom fitting.  That was until of course, I had a discussion with my grandmother.

"Did you find a dress yet, sweetheart?" she asked, looking up from behind her reading glasses as she poured me another cup of tea. I explained to her my issues and woes, how expensive it was to have something custom made nowadays and how I just wish I could find something to fit to my curvy, but slim, figure. I would be lying if I said I wasn't more than slightly irritated in knowing her "fairy tale story" -- Meeting my grandfather at a USO dance, her dress she practically walked out of the store wearing and her lovely watercress finger sandwiches that were served by bright young gentlemen in tuxedos.

How did she just BUY a dress without requiring alterations? Was it her? Was it the dress? And why did clothes just fit so ... different ... 60, 50 -- Jesus -- even 30 years ago?

And then it hit me.

They wore girdles. Corsets. Garter belts. Slips. Shapewear...

After countless hours of  trying on gowns, I had finally figured it out. I marched my butt to the nearest internet access and began my search. Measured myself, read some product reviews and purchased. The following week I headed back to the store and re-tried the same dress I had poked and pulled in the mirror countless times the week before. And VOILA! Perfection! I can't help but ask you Mover's and Shaker's of the 60's and 70's: Why did you all stop wearing these things? True, I can see how being forced to wear restricting undergarments for hundreds of years could get to you, but man, these things are great!

But I digress, small details that can have a big impact on the overall appearance of a wedding gown.

What you're wearing under your dress is just as important as you dress! Bridal undergarments and lingerie play a HUGE role in how your big-day dress will fit you. Formal gowns require support, and a smooth foundation for the fabric to fall correctly on your body.

And if you're not sure where to start? Check out these links to find shapewear, sizing, and find what fits best for your body.

So our first lesson here ladies? Shapewear. Wear it. Use it. Love it.

I am on a personal campaign to "bring it back", baby.

American Shapewear: Styles and Colors for every body and occasion. (Not to mention super cute!)

Secrets in Lace: Believe me, you'll get hooked. (Check out the RAGO and Betty Page sections!)