From "I Will" to "I Do"

Champagne Toasts Tip

2009-11-10T16:51:00.002-05:00

Many catering halls offer a champagne toast as part of their package but not everyone drinks or even likes champagne. I know it’s tradition but you can save a lot of money by forgoing the champagne toast.If you’re not familiar with the champagne toast here’s what it is: The caterer will supply champagne for each guest at their seat. When someone makes a toast everyone lifts their glass and takes

TVs Most Touching and Terrible Real Weddings

2009-11-09T09:54:00.001-05:00

I've said it before and I'll say it again: Wedding inspiration can come from anywhere, even ridiculous real weddings that (sometimes) take place just for the cameras.The Huffington Post recently posted a slide show of the most touching and terrible real weddings featured on TV and I had to share them with you.Of course we all remember Prince Charles' wedding to Lady Di and his wedding to Camilla

Stress Relief

2009-11-06T20:01:00.002-05:00

You've heard me stress how you should enjoy the wedding planning process and that if you're not having fun then take a break from it.I know of brides who quit their jobs to plan their wedding, who took a semester off of school to plan their weddings and even those who got so overwhelmed they practically had a nervous breakdown. Yes wedding planning can be stressful, but it's important to realize

Sneak Peek: Runway Trend Report on the WPN

2009-11-05T22:20:00.003-05:00

Get a preview of my interview with the Wedding Podcast Network on the latest trends from October 2009 Bridal Market:Listen!Loved working with you, Robert and Holli, can't wait to hear the complete show!

Friendly Email Reminders

2009-11-05T22:02:00.003-05:00

We're off to a wedding this weekend and since no one including the bride and groom are from Newport, Rhode Island it is definitely a destination wedding.The groom emailed guests about 10 days ago with a list of recommended sites and restaurants so we could make plans ahead of time and enjoy the weekend away. Since the couple didn't create a wedding Web site I thought his email was a great

Taking Your Parents Money

2009-11-04T15:35:00.001-05:00

In the past few weeks I’ve heard from several industry insiders that if you pay for your wedding you don’t have to listen to your parents or anyone else for that matter. And while I don’t disagree that when mom and dad are paying they have a stronger say in what your wedding looks and feels like that doesn’t mean that if you pay for the wedding on your own that you can disregard them

Wedding Planning Dealbreakers

2009-11-03T17:57:00.002-05:00

I’m watching an episode of 30 Rock and it turns out that Liz Lemon wrote a book on relationships and specifically what is a dealbreaker in relationships. Some of her dealbreakers include: If he collects action figuresIf he lives with his momIf he is over 35 and wears a name tagNow I’m not saying that I agree or disagree with any of these but it got me thinking about dealbreakers when it comes to

Purple Wedding Palette Inspiration

2009-11-01T14:11:00.000-05:00

I went for lunch with some Brooklyn-based bloggers last weekend and one of them told me that my wedding cake was featured in a recent post on The Bride's Guide Blog. So of course I had to find the post and read it!Carolyn Veith Krienke, the Martha Stewart Weddings Color and Design Expert featured an inspiration board for "A Purple Color Palette" and it included our wedding cake made by Ron

British Planner Mark Niemierko's #1 Tip

2009-10-30T22:41:00.005-04:00

On the first day of bridal market I met Mark Niemierko, London's top wedding planner. Mark and I discussed the dresses coming down the runway and I taped his review of market for the Brides.com tweeter feed, @brides, but I also asked Mark for his top tip for brides that I could share with my From "I Will" to "I Do" readers. Here's what he had to say:"I think my top tip to a Bride and Groom

Wedding Cake Inspiration

2009-10-29T10:55:00.002-04:00

I’m a huge proponent of the wedding cake. To me it’s one of the staples of a wedding reception but of course some couples prefer cupcakes or pies or instead of one big cake they have a selection of smaller cakes on display.While there is always the classic white tiered bride’s cake, wedding cakes can come in any shape, size or flavor. Don’t be afraid to ask for something you think is

A Brilliant Tip from Sarah at Brilliant Event Planning

2009-10-28T22:38:00.005-04:00

I just got home from the Lion in the Sun event—which was so much fun—and I wanted to share with you one of the tips my co-panelists brought up.Sarah from Brilliant Event Planning mentioned that you shouldn't wait until the last minute to write and print your programs. And she's right. You probably know your bridal party members and the outline for the ceremony long before your invitations even

Real Wedding Inspiration and Event!

2009-10-27T21:49:00.003-04:00

Real weddings featured in magazines and on Web sites (including blogs) off beautiful inspiration for couples still in the planning process. Brides-to-be can also learn about talented vendor in their area and in some stories you get some great planning tips.While flipping through magazines and sites don’t forget to read the copy while you’re glancing at the photos. The couple may be able to offer

For the First Time, Mr & Mrs...

2009-10-26T20:55:00.002-04:00

I recently came across an invitation for our friends' wedding from 2007. (I save almost every paper element from the weddings we've been to, don't you?) Overall I have to say it was one of the nicest weddings. The food was delicious, the music was great and we had a good time. The bride and groom made sure that their personalities were part of every detail.The wedding was in DUMBO, a

Making a Destination Wedding Legal

2009-10-23T21:55:00.001-04:00

I was doing some research on celebrity weddings and I realized that a lot of celebs get married abroad. But in the details of the wedding it doesn’t mention that if you want to legally get married at an international destination you have to get a license – just like in the States – and that some countries have specific requirements that you must follow. When celebrities say “I do” abroad they

Quick Destination Wedding Tip

2009-10-22T20:54:00.004-04:00

If you are planning to have a destination wedding because you want to keep the wedding small and intimate then don't invite more people than those few you want to include. Never assume that because you're having a destination people won't travel to it. They may have always wanted to go to that location and your wedding is the perfect excuse to go.The general rule is that you are safe to assume

Making Your Exit Memorable

2009-10-21T18:13:00.001-04:00

If your ceremony and reception are at two different locations a simple idea is to supply guests with flower petals, birdseed, bubbles, flags or sparklers as you and your groom leave your ceremony site and head for the car taking you to your reception.If you’re planning on having your ceremony and reception at the same location, you can supply these items to toss or wave as you walk up the aisle,

Weddings and the World Series

2009-10-20T21:20:00.001-04:00

The playoffs are on and that means the World Series is just around the corner. When I got engaged my dad said you can choose any date except weekends in October. Why? Because if the Yankees were in the World Series he’d have a conflict. Now I don’t think my dad would actually skip the wedding for tickets to the game, but I do think that he would have had a pocket radio in his jacket to listen

Market Mania and a Tip from Anna Post

2009-10-19T23:34:00.004-04:00

Market has been a whirlwind and there are still 2 days to go! I'm sorry but I just got in from the MSW 15th Anniversary party - I worked there for 3 years so I felt I needed to celebrate too - and just too tired to write a post.I've become a twitpic queen if I do say so myself, and you can follow all the looks and commentary on twitter @brides. Actually here's a quick tip: Twittering is not

In Honor of Bridal Market: A Wedding Dress Tip

2009-10-16T17:48:00.001-04:00

Trains are gorgeous but they don’t look so good with people’s shoe prints on them. Before your ceremony ask one of your bridesmaids to carry your train for you if you can’t hold it up yourself. If you are taking formal portraits before the wedding you’ll want to make sure that your train is clean so while you’re walking around and when you’re not posing keep it lifted.To prevent wrinkles pack a

Martha Stewart Weddings + Sandals = A Match Made in Wedding Heaven

2009-10-15T15:31:00.004-04:00

I had the pleasure of enjoying lunch and an announcement from Martha Stewart Weddings and Sandals on the Lady Sandals yacht yesterday afternoon. MSWeddings has partnered with Sandals and Beaches resorts in the Caribbean to create Sandals Weddings by Martha Stewart.At the press announcement we got to see the six (6) wedding designs brides and grooms can choose from. Of course they were all

Wedding Registry Tip from Jorge Perez

2009-10-14T19:12:00.004-04:00

I was at the Wedgwood/Waterford showroom yesterday for tabletop market and Cari and I got a tour of the Spring 2010 collection. (You can see our four favorite picks at Brides.com.) We were lucky enough to get a personal tour from the company’s national spokesperson, Jorge Perez. I think Jorge is my favorite person in the registry world. He has some amazing tips and what

Two Blogs to Add to Your Favorites List

2009-10-13T21:29:00.002-04:00

I received two emails this week about two new blogs – well actually they are new looks not new new blogs – and they look fabulous!Ruffled was formerly known as Vintage Wedding Glam. The new site has some great new features including a photo gallery, navigation bar and free (and exclusive) downloads. The site is sure to be a must-visit Web site for brides looking for wedding inspiration.The

The Waiting Game

2009-10-12T17:19:00.002-04:00

Cousins of mine went to a wedding this weekend and told me the guests were locked out of the reception site - for a limited time.The ceremony was held at a nearby church and the couple provided transportation to their reception venue, but when the bus pulled up with their guests they were told that they had to wait outside.My cousin said they all arrived at 8pm and were not allowed in until 8:15.

A Real Quick Tip

2009-10-09T18:37:00.002-04:00

When working with your florist, instead of naming the few flowers that you like, why not name the few flowers that you don't like. By eliminating the ones you don't like and not limiting your florist to the several that you do, you are giving your florist more options to be creative. This doesn't mean that you can't use the flowers that you like, but there are a zillion flowers that your florist

Oh So Suite

2009-10-08T18:36:00.002-04:00

The reason you choose a color palette and theme for your wedding is so that every element of your wedding compliments each other.When it comes to your wedding stationery you want to do the same thing. Work with your stationer to create a complete stationery suite. The suite includes all of your paper elements: Invitation, reply card, program, menu cards, seating and place cards, favor tags and