Specifically, fuck THAT.

When the Vivienne Westwood “Lady Dragon” for Melissa shoes debuted in 2009, they were an instant hit. Repeatedly selling out and inspiring a 2nd edition of different color ways. Despite their popularity, they’ve been sort of polarizing, with most critics bemoaning the material of the shoe. They’re rubber. Yep. Jellies. They make your feet kind of sweaty, and they smell like bubblegum. Their $150-$180 price tag didn’t help matters either. A lot of people couldn’t justify spending that kind of cash on oversized Barbie shoes.

I mean, I could. I did. It helps that they’re Vivienne Westwood. And A-DOR-A-BLE. Aaaaand they give me little sexy, princess feet.

However, I understand the hesitation. They’re not super cheap and the rubber could be off putting.

That heart though! The heart makes them perfectly sweet wedding shoes. I’ve seen them on a number of different brides, in all the different colors, and they always look so good peeking out from under a wedding dress. Love the heart, but hate the rubber, the colors or the slingback? There’s a cheap answer!

The always fantastic Ban.Do has just debuted shoe clips! Little pom-poms AND red sequined hearts.

My mind is reeling at the possibilities!

How about….

On these!

Unlisted Sewing Kit in Fuchsia Satin – $43.94

Or these!

rsvp Katrina in Turquoise Patent – $85.00

I’m almost positive these are the shoes shown above without the clips attached.

Steve Madden Kinnetic in Gold – $59.95

I would clip those little hearts to everyfreakingthing! No pair of shoes or top would be safe. Even though I do own a pair of the Vivienne Westwood heels, these sequined hearts are calling to me….beckoning even.

The sequin heart shoe clips are $25.00, and if you sign up for Ban.Do’s mailing list now, you’ll get 15% off your order. It’s a perfect storm of buying stuff!

$1000 dresses on sale for $300!

L.A.M.B. shoes!

Rampage lingerie!

Meghan Fabulous jewelry!

Body Wrap body shapers!

Lots of good stuff you’ll need to get hitched!

ideeli is a members only site, and I have a registration link. Linky, linky!

Most of these sales end in one day, so you should hit it and quit it while you can.

An extra special, ultra huge congratulations for our friend, supporter, and photographer-at-large, Jennifer Williams, on the opening of her studio this past weekend!

Jen is an amazing artist with an interesting and creative eye. She’s insanely talented and passionate about what she does, and it shows in every photograph she takes. We loved working with her and her team during our wedding and the months leading up to it. She was over and above anything we ever expected! And when the wedding was over, we hadn’t lost a photographer, we gained a friend. *sniff* Awwww!!

She has a camera. She will travel. She will make you look beautiful.

You should book her now, before she REALLY blows up, and you can’t afford her.

Photo: Jennifer Williams

*She’s not paying me for this or anything. We’re just incredibly happy for her, and we want to spread her good news!

Planning your wedding? You’re probably walking around in a dreamlike state. You’re probably glowing and blushing and perpetually twirling around in a never-ending shower of rose petals and on-time, returned RSVP cards. You’re probably floating around on a cloud of veil tulle during the day and slumbering peacefully in the loving, helpful, patient arms of your not-at-all annoying fiance at night.

Or…

You’re overwhelmed, underfunded and overextended. You may not be an (ugh) bridezilla, but you’re probably at the frayed end of a short rope. The time for niceties, compromise and understanding is over. You’ve argued with your mom, your fiance isn’t nearly as funny as he used to be, and for a split second, you think you might hate your grandma. If you’re not at this point, you haven’t really started planning yet.

When this point comes, and believe me, it WILL come, you’ll find yourself dreaming of one of two things: setting fire to your pile of wedding magazines, picking up your bag and walking out of the house, never to be seen again, or, eloping.

This is not the worst idea.

There were several times, during the planning of our wedding, when we considered the option. It came down to weighing money already spent vs. nerves left. We had already put deposits down on so many vendors, we practically had no choice but to push forward. Had we seriously thought about it before we started writing checks and signing contracts, things may have ended differently. I suggest you seriously sit down and discuss it. Reasonably. For real. Eloping would have saved us a lot of money and we’d be just as married and not nearly as poor.

There are always feelings to consider when you kick around the idea of eloping, namely, parents and siblings. But, this is ultimately about you and your fiance as a couple. If your families are really dead set on being there, give them a heads up, but don’t let it turn back into a “wedding.”

It’s so easy to forget what this is supposed to be about. It’s not about the cake or the dress or the flowers or any of the endlessly stressful minutiae that goes into throwing a wedding.

It’s about a promise. A truly intimate decision between TWO people. Do you really need more than that?

April and Jeremy’s elopement is the very definition of doing this right.

From Design*Sponge:

“Shortly after April and Jeremy’s engagement, they started to plan a small wedding in Tennessee. Within three months of planning, the wedding had quadrupled in size and budget because of outside pressures. Distressed about the progression of things, April and Jeremy looked at each other and said, “What are we doing?” After discussing how they envisioned marrying each other, they sent out an email with the subject title, “Reclaiming Our Wedding 2010.”

After that, April says there was only one right way — just the two of them. So they flew to Los Angeles, rented a car, spent three days driving up Highway 1 and got married on a Monday in San Francisco. In planning, there were a few elements that were important to them: the flowers, the video (shot by Britt Simmons, to be shared with friends and family) and making sure to keep it simple. If anything stressed them out for over 20 minutes, they decided to just let it go.”

Read the rest of the story on Design*Sponge, watch their wedding video. You will probably find yourself with little bride tears in your eyes. At the end, our wedding was fun and beautiful. But, I’d be lying if I said that this video didn’t make me wish we’d run away to get married, just the two of us and a little cake.

Eloping is an option that really doesn’t get considered enough. April and Jeremy’s video shows that it can be done beautifully with just as much gravitas and importance as a cathedral train down a church aisle. Eloping can be sophisticated. It doesn’t have to be this:

The white trucker hat is how you know she’s a bride.

I’m all for weddings and receptions and bridesmaids and first dances. But, you can’t deny the sheer romanticism of an elopement. All I’m saying is, consider all the different ways you can say, “I do.”  Think about how you want to spend the next several months of your life.

If multiple dress fittings and rehearsals aren’t your scene, moonlight,a ladder and a fast car might be in your future.

Photo:

“I hear eloping is in.” card by 9SPOTMONK

How happy am I that sequins, glitters and metallics are going to remain on trend into Spring/Summer 2011?! Ecstatic! Adding a touch of sparkle is a perfectly fashionable way to bring a feeling of luxe sophistication to your wedding. And it’s soooo pretty!

Photos: After Drk, fashionologie, All Lacquered Up

H&M’s upcoming collaboration with France’s oldest couture house, Lanvin, has some definite wedding shoe possibilities. Fabulous doesn’t even begin to describe it.

Photo: The Blonde Salad

I don’t have much today. My brain is pretty much fried from our one-two punch of Western medicine and homeopathic hopefulness. I do have some things I just couldn’t not tell you about.

Gilt Groupe has some amazing events going on right now:

- One of the best skincare lines around, Clarins. Sale ends 11/07, 9:00 PM PST.

- StriVectin! Sale ends 11/05, 9:00 AM PDT.

- Aaaand…the holy freaking grail of sales…SPANX! Sale ends 11/06, 9:00 AM PDT.

- Also, an Alexander McQueen sale. Which falls outside of our budget conscious situation, but fuck. It’s McQueen. This houndstooth cape/coat is McQueen, it’s included in the sale, and it is practically murdering me, it’s so TO DIE. McQueen is dead. Long live McQueen! Sale ends 11/06, 9:00 AM PDT.

Gilt is an invitation only site. As usual, I have an invite code. Just click this link, sign up and shop away! As a bonus, when you join Gilt, you also get access to Jetsetter, their travel sale site. Jetsetter has some great deals on luxury hotels and resorts. Helloooooo honeymoon! As a double bonus (!!!!) when you first sign up, you’re invited to their “It’s Good to be New” sale that’s full of shoes and bags and jewelry! Oh my! GIMME DAT MARC JACOBS!! GIMME DEM PAUL AND JOE SISTER BAGS!!

HauteLook doesn’t have much today. EXCEPT…..

Amrita Singh Jewelry!

Vilma Necklace – $48!!

Francis Earrings – $39!!

Beyonce Bangle Set – $24! Pssst! Bridesmaid gift!

I could really go on and on posting pictures of the jewelry from this event. Loads of statement pieces and bridesmaid worthy gifts. It’s worth signing up for HauteLook just to check out this sale. It’s making me sad I’m so broke right now. I mean, look at these earrings…

Lula Earrings – $29! Soooo Edie Sedgwick. Fab.

This sale ends 11/08, at 6:00 AM PST. Here’s your HauteLook invitation link! Please buy me those earrings.

I’m working on a couple different things besides letting you know what’s going on during these sale events. I’m always welcome to suggestions though! In fact, my cold addled brain would love them right now. You’re more than welcome to leave comments, or you can email me at sarah[at]something-bold dot com. I’d love to hear your questions and suggestions!

HauteLook

Paper Culture – Choice of any $50 worth of cards on Paper Culture’s site for $20. This includes Save the Dates and Thank You cards!
Suzi Chin Dresses – Definite potential rehearsal, bridesmaid or mother dresses
URBAN DECAY COSMETICS!!! – Fabulous makeup for your gorgeous face!

All of these sales end on Thursday, 11/04/10. So, act fast! HauteLook is a members only site, but I have an invitation code for you! Just follow this link, sign up and shop!

David’s Bridal is getting ready for their $99 sale, 11/05-11/22. All dresses that aren’t on sale for $99, are on sale for $50-$300 off. Even if it means dealing with David’s Bridal, it’s a good chance to get your dress for a better price.

Alfred Angelo is having their Dash Down the Aisle event on 11/09 and 11/10. It’s in store only, but they have an easy pull down menu to find a store near you.

I love Halloween! I get scared easily, but no self respecting Misfits fan would be anything other than enthusiastic for October 31st. There were several times, during the planning of our wedding, that I wistfully talked about a Halloween wedding. But, since my friends already joke that I’m goth, that would have been opening myself up to more ridicule than I would like.

When I was a kid, I hated the color orange so much, I used to tell my mom I was allergic to it. No, you’ll find no orange in my Halloween wedding. I prefer a lacier Halloween. A sexier Halloween. I’m not talking slutty werewolves, or whatever. I mean, seductive, Victorian tinged Halloween.

An ivory dress with black trim, black lace and ribbon hung as decor, black and mercury candle holders, a ruffled bolero jacket, a bouquet of purple anemones, fiddlehead ferns and peacock feathers, and an invitation that gives your guests an indication of the spooky fun they’re about to encounter. The cloche jar centerpieces could be easily replicated with different lids, bowls and vases, it’s one of my favorite non-floral centerpieces.

And of course, a sequined and glittered mask. Give those out as favors, and your guests will really get into the Halloween spirit. Plus, who doesn’t feel a little bit sexier when they’re wearing a mask? Nobody will be anonymous, but it will be a little edgier. Probably not masked-sex-party edgy, but that’s ok. For now. We can plan that party another time. We’re going to need sexual oils and whatnot for that.

So, that’s my first inspiration board! What do you guys think?

Dress by Jenny Packham

Cloche Jar by Laura Fulmine

Silver Glitter Mask by Mardi Gras Day

Garlands via City Sage

Ballroom invitation by The White Aisle

Bouquet via The Knot

Candles by Furnish

Bolero by maryandangelika