Toilet Paper Wedding Dress

Have time really hit rock bottom or is toilet paper the new, chic material for wedding gowns? I saw this while browsing through the online headlines and couldn't help, but gasp when I saw this wedding dress made of Charmin. Yes, tp!

Donate That Bridesmaid Dress

While reading an article on CNN's iReporter about ugly bridesmaid dresses, somebody commented that it would be a good idea to donate your bridesmaid dress should it be less than attractive for a second-wearing. But, I say, this is not a bad idea at all especially with all the donation programs around the country for prom dresses. In fact, there are many girl around the country who may just adore that bridesmaid dress that you absolutely can't stand. You know what they say: one person's trash may be another person's treasure! Well, I don't think anyone would be mad at you, if you decided to donate that dress. And if it's a dress that actually looks fine, then maybe you might also have the heart to part it for a good cause! Three of the ones that come into mind:

The Princess Project



The Glass Slipper Project



Donatemydress.org

That Beautiful Yellow Dress

My favorite dress color is yellow this summer. J Crew's tank dress just caught my eye and I love this very pretty dress. Because it's so pretty, I thought of matching it up with some really girly-looking accessories.

Enjoy the dress board!

A red wedding color palette

Red is one of those wedding colors that you either love or hate. It's really a color for the bride who seeks to make a bold statement and is not afraid to showcase her style for anything glamorous. While pale colors tend to be more popular, a bright red palette presents a bride with the chance to use romance as a theme or style for the whole event. What I like about red is that it can be matched with a light shade of brown, orange, and even turquoise.

Cool peacock invitations

I've always been fascinated by the beautiful colors of peacock feathers. You see them a lot in art deco paintings and in some vintage prints. I love these invitations below simply because they look elegant yet don't appear pretentious as many would associate with having a peacock-inspired style for a wedding. Some people might think it's a very snobby theme, but these invites show that there is still a classy way to convey one's sophisticated taste. For a peacock palette, I just like the whole matching of colors in teal, gold, and even green and magenta.

Pretty Tiffany Blue Dresses Luv It

So, I was browsing around Thisnext.com and discovered some pretty bridesmaid dresses in Tiffany blue. I'm nuts about this color palette, so when I discovered these collections, I decided that it's best to show it here. Note- the last dress in the series is available in blue, the pic that showed up just happens to be a beige one. Makes me wish I could be a bridesmaid this summer! Or, even if I'm not tapped into being one, I'd love to wear a gorgeous dress - just to feel like a pretty lady:)

Mother of the Bride Dresses that Say "WOW"

I always love Mother's Day because it really is a special time for mothers all over the world. And when it comes to planning a wedding, most mothers are happy to help whenever they can, though, some brides may argue that sometimes having mom too involved can back fire. Yet, at the end of the day, I think she's just trying to make it a perfect day. With this said, I found some gorgeous dresses for mom to wear at the wedding. I chose these colors because they are flattering and don't make mom look like an outdated bridesmaid - so to speak. But, what I do love about these dresses is how they have a very classy look to them without making mom look like some diva. So, here they are:

Audrey's Mother of the Bride

Features a pretty blue dress with a lovely designed skirt. I think this color would be great a beach wedding reception or one that is by a romantic lake.

House of Brides

Features an elegant asymmetrical layered skirt similar to the one above. Oh, I'd wear this one at a Fall wedding.

Tadashi at Nordstrom's

This gown has a very stylish appeal to it because of its taffeta fabric - love that collar. And navy is so chic for mom. For this gown, I can see this being worn at a lavish hotel wedding - probably at a fall or winter wedding, but definitely at a wedding with a more formal flair to it.

If you're looking out for more ideas, I found this great blog entry from Faye and Greer about Shopping for the Mother of the Bride

Green Bridesmaid Dresses

With green being as popular as ever, I stumbled upon these lovely bridesmaid dresses. These are all on the brighter side of green, but darker shades of olive look equally pretty as well. Some of the one's I like are:

Nordstrom's



Forever21



Raylia

Food TV Wedding Week

It's Wedding Week at the FoodTV beginning on April 28. I'm so excited to watch it.

A Recession Wedding

With all the news of a mild recession hitting the economy, you gotta think about the impact this has on your wallet. And if you already have a limited wedding budget, the budget might just get thinner this year. But let's not fret now. There are still many creative ways to have a wedding even if your budget is small. Whether it's a 5K or 10K wedding, the important thing to remember is what aspects of the wedding are the most important to you.

Start with the invitations, this is an area where you can definitely save by doing them yourself. Just choosing the right design and paper can make a big difference. If you stick with a simple yet stylish motif for the invitations, you can still pull this off without spending too much. When asking for an RSVP, have your guests email you a response, or you can set up a free wedding website, that facilitates the RSVP process.

You can also save a lot of money by minimizing the amount of flowers. I actually attended a wedding wherein the tables were decorated with a cake as the centerpiece. A simple sprig of daffodils decorated the cake and guests had a piece of the cake!

Another way to save is by having the wedding reception and ceremony in the same place. You will end up saving a lot more considering that you don't have to find a separate location for the nuptials. Actually, a home wedding would be great place for this idea.

As for food, this is where you can actually get pretty inventive with the budget. If you are on a very tight budget, you can have what is called an "afternoon reception" whereby it's right smack in mid-afternoon, so you can serve up sandwiches, appetizers, cookies, and small pastries to guests. This approach can still look stylish when served on the right kind of dinnerware. It's sort of similar to an afternoon tea, but it's sort of like a cocktail party, too. No need to worry about a main course. Drinks can be pre-bought at a warehouse store like Sam's Club, and you can even buy wine, if you want to have a light afternoon reception. For the wedding cake, have little cupcakes instead of a large cake. You can make these yourself - cupcakes are super easy to make.

Finally, if you still want to have money leftover for a honeymoon, you can save a lot by shopping around for packaged deals that are available during off season travel.

Wedding Colors

I found this really informative video on wedding colors. Seems like there are much more choices than we think beyond just the usual pink, blue, and green:


Weddings: 5 Color Combos

The Cutest Easter Cake

Oh, I'm so excited that Easter Sunday is coming up! Found this really lovely cake made by Pink Cake Box who also creates some gorgeous cakes for all special occasions. I love this Easter one:

Basketball Groomsmen Cakes

Since it is March Madness, I'd thought that some basketball-inspired groomsmen cakes would be a great idea especially for the groom who can't get enough of college hoops. As you'll see several of these cakes use the color orange for the ball (obviously), so the challenge is creating one that doesn't take away from the elegance of the wedding. And don't forget, you can even have the cake carry the name and mascot of your alma mater.

From Cakes By Yvonne -




From Carrie's Cakes




From Carolyn's Sweet Tooth

Easter Treats Wishing Board

Easter is coming soon, so I've gotten ever so inspired by the colorful ideas out there and made my own Easter "wishing board". Who's counting calories anyways!

1) Easter Chick Box with jelly morsels from See's Candies

2) Easter Basket with 17 sugar cookies in a gift box from Elenis

3) Easter Quartet from Fannie May

4) Harry and David Easter Cookies with sayings

Filene's Basement Bridal Gown Sale

On Friday, Filene's Basement will hold its annual wedding dress sale as we all know it is one of the most popular sales. There are actually 4 sales going on at their various branches falling on different dates:



Let the madness begin! Remember that the last sale is a the Tyson's Corner Branch in Virginia on April 4, 2008.

Black and White Wedding Theme

There's always something inspirational to find about weddings all over the web for a romantic black and white theme. When I think of this theme, I think patterns of damask, vintage lace, toile, tulle, posh pearls, polka dots and crisp white linens all over the decorations with accents of black. A little hunting on the web yielded some interesting stuff:

Dress for the bridesmaids - I love this one



Wedding cupcakes



For romantic guest favors, some rose sachets in white



Some more pretty ideas from Here Comes The Bride, Big Fat and Hey

Wedding Gloves To Wear

I've always believed that wedding gloves are the most romantic piece that completes the wedding gown. Whether it's a long pair (i.e., opera length) or short pair of gloves, it is the essential accessory that adds that elegant touch to the day. There is a wide array of gloves on the web from cheap ones to fancy lace, but looking for the right one isn't easy at all:

In leather



In satin, yes, I know this looks really cheap!



In lace



In every possible design..

Petit Fours - Yummy Bridal Desserts

Petit fours - those little cakes that you can just eat and eat. I've eaten 10 of them at any one time during a bridal shower tea party last winter. But, they can be downright expensive. You can try making them: try this recipe, or you can also buy them now at these places:

Dragonfly Petit Fours (4 dozen) at $74.99



Coffee Petits Fours at $16.99



Valentine Petits Fours at $46.75

Cool Tech Gifts for Groomsmen

When looking for groomsmen gifts, what comes into mind, or more like what do you find on the web first? Let's see now: flasks, beer mugs, and cigar cases? Those are a fine if you live in the era of Al Capone, but now there are more choices - in fact, it can be a lot of fun finding gifts for your groomsmen especially if they are one of your closest friends and just happen to be tech junkies. With that said, I've found a couple of nifty gadgets (note: money here is not an issue) that may just seal the deal:

Philipps VOIP 841 Skype - This puppy is so cool that you'd want one for yourself



Squeezebox with Pandora




Nokia E65 - a 3G phone with VoIP capability - super cool

Cufflinks Alert

Cool cufflinks alert! I found this really cool ones from Saks Fifth - just the right kind of gift for a fiance on Valentine's Day! It's got a watch on it - who would have thought? Made of stainless steel for durability! When you think of cufflinks, it isn't reall something that men wear everyday with their shirts, but it's just a very romantic gift.

Check it out:

Dieting and the Bridezilla Factor

I was reading this article about how more than 70% of brides-to-be lose weight before the big day. Even more disturbing is that more than one-third choose to take diet pills and even fast. While it is important to get that perfect wedding look, it's important to remember that part of preparing for the big is the experience and sheer joy of planning a wedding. So if you starving oneself in order to fit into size 4 gown, think hard about what you are doing unless you are doing it safely and within a healthy regimen. After all, you don't want to faint or feel like a waif even you look good in that gown because deep down inside, your body is starving. And since extreme dieting eventually comes back as a double whammy in weight, going to great extents to lose weight without a proper nutritional plan is simply dangerous. For anyone out there fasting yourself, do realize that it's about sensible. For the full article, go here.

Proposing on Valentine's?

Hey, guys listen up! Thinking of proposing at Valentine's? 1-800-Flowers at You Tube is having a contest! Here are the details:

"Enter the WILL YOU MARRY ME? contest where we are giving one lucky person a once in a lifetime opportunity. Surprise your significant other with one of the Biggest Marriage Proposals ever. Just submit a video "popping" the question for a chance to have it played in front of millions of YouTube users on February 11th but more importantly that special someone!"

Laura M. Collin's Designer Invitations

There are invitations made of paper, but how about one crafted in lucite, silk, or some gorgeous material? I stumbled upon the website of Laura M. Collin's Designs whose invitation designs include a box made of silk dupioni that houses a beautiful invitation presented in a scroll. This is by far my favorite:

27 Dresses

Boy meets girl. Girl has sister. Girl falls in love with boy whom sister is engaged to. Ah, a classic story just waiting for a good ending. I'm really curious to see how "27 Dresses" the movie fares? Who knows perhaps this has happened to YOU? You know what I'm talking about. You like him, he likes you, but somehow your circumstances in life are different and the timing just sucks.

Comfort Food for the Wedding Party

It's cold out there and if you are having a late-night dessert for your wedding party - what do you serve? Brownies! They are the quintessential comfort food and when paired with a nice hot cup of cocoa - it's absolutely heavenly. Looking beyond this concept, you can even create a chocolate dessert table filled with brownies, chocolate cupcakes, and chocolate chip cookies for that all-chocolate theme! Here are some of my favorite recipes, if you plan to make them yourself:

From The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook

Devil’s Food Cupcakes With Fluffy White Filling and Chocolate Icing

Chocolate chip cookies

The Sunday Bridal Event at Gump's

I love shopping at Gump's, so when I heard of the upcoming bridal event on the 27th of January, I couldn't be happier. There's also brunch and wine tasting! Tickets are $30/person - and a tote bag filled with goodies.

If you're in San Francisco, check it out:

Valentine's Gifts for The Bride

This weekend, Dahlia went searching the Amazon (i.e., Amazon.com) for Valentine's gifts that should make any bride happy:


A Movado Watch - Who doesn't want one?




A Pretty Star Pendant Necklace



A Simple Tennis Bracelet, Babe!

Lifesize Wedding Cake

A really original and cool idea for a wedding cake - a lifesize version of the bride. I think one for the groom would have been nice, too! Think it's tacky or way overboard?

Ann Taylor Wedding Gowns

Already a big fan of Ann Taylor dresses, I was quite excited to find out that they now offer wedding gowns. If you are looking for something elegant and simple, then perhaps you might like their gowns. Some find might them to be a bit too basic, but for the bride who doesn't want much frills, lace, or fancy embroidery, then you might find the gown for you. Each gown comes shipped in a garment bag together with a satin hanger. For added protection, each is stylishly presented in a pretty white box lined with acid-free paper.

Rent your Wedding Jewelry

Ah, jewelry. It is one of those things that is a must-have for every bride. But, what if you don't want to buy that expensive diamond necklace costing way over $2000? Try renting! With Bag Borrow or Steal at http://www.bagborroworsteal.com/ - you can pretty much have your cake and eat it, too. In this case, it would be that expensive Charriol necklace you've been wanting for the longest time - renting it, at least.. Think of it as a club for renting high fashion pieces from the likes of Gucci, Hermes, and more.

A Beautiful Wedding Gift You'd Definitely Keep

If you've been searching for a truly special wedding gift that really doesn't pinch your pocket, then maybe you should try a Lladro, which features one of the world's most beautiful porcelain figurines. Where can you find these? Just check out the Macy's website and you will find some very elegant pieces.

Here are my favorites:

Lladró "Wedding Bells" Cake Topper $235.00



Lladró The Happiest Day $570.00 - *** A Dahlia Favorite



Lladró "Everlasting Love" $450.00

What Can you Learn from Weddings

Can you tell how your future husband or wife will turn out when planning your wedding? A friend of mine recently got married to her long-time college friend and we started to talk about the whole wedding planning experience. One of the more interesting aspects of this discussion turned to the idea that some people don’t really know who they are marrying until you start planning a wedding together. It may actually be truer than you think. While not groom may enjoy picking out the flowers and favors for the wedding, I think it says quite a lot when the groom simply wants to help out in this process. The same can be said for the bride who takes everything into her own hands and leaves nothing for the groom to do, but at the same time, she ends up complaining that she does everything. Do these stories seem familiar to you? A tad perhaps! The point is if you are planning a wedding and want to understand your fiancé more, then get involved and get to know who you are marrying. Who knows what you will end up learning?!

Toilet Paper Bride

Times must either be really tough or the world of weddings just turned a little bit too weird. I don't know who would agree to wear toilet paper as a wedding gown, but I guess we each have our own tastes. Now, I wonder what the groom should wear? Should we even go there?

Beautiful Crystals at Swarovski

December 20 at last, just 5 days until the 25th. When I think of this season, nothing comes up more pronounced than the brilliance of crystals, which is why I invite you to visit the wonderful website of Swarovski crystals called CRYSTALLIZED. You will not only find interesting products, but also be inspired by their beautiful site. Have fun!

Gown buying - tips from Dahlia

Buying one's wedding gown may seem like a straightforward process of getting the gown and trying it on. However, for many brides, including me at one point in time, the gown-buying experiendce was not exactly a bed of roses and champagne. To understand why for many, it ends up becoming frustrating unlike those scenes you see on tv of a happy bride picking out her gown and everything falls into perfect place. You would think that it should be this way. After all, you are paying a lot of money for a dress you only plan to wear once - literally unless you plan to put it on the auction block. When I bought my gown, i had poured over all the bridal mags in what seemed like a perpetual wheel of fortune game. Expressions like "oh, this is perfect", or "I love this gown" seemed altogether common. Unless you are lucky and have a really good buddy to go boutique hopping to find the right gown. Don't be one of those frustrated people like me. My word of advice is when choosing your gown, resist the urge to find something that merely looks gorgeous. Let's be practical now and ask yourself if it will look gorgeous based on your body type, height, and overall size. With this simple mindset, save yourself the frustration and try to find a gown that works well with your body, one that would flatter it rather than cause you the sheer embarrassment of not looking good as much as you want that gown. If you are petite, find gowns made specifically for petite brides. If you are a voluptous bride, look for gowns that are made for divas not twigs. If you are tall and thin, then you are pretty lucky 'cuz a lot of gowns are made for your body type anyways.

Bright Bold Beautiful Orange Weddings

While not entirely popular among brides, I think a Thanksgiving wedding is an extra special time. For one thing, you can go nuts on the color orange without feeling totally weird, since you don't find too many weddings that go all out on the color orange. In fact, orange is a color you can use throughout the year - great when choosing dresses, invitations, or flowers. For instance, an orange silk shantung bridesmaid dress looks gorgeous when coordinated with colors such as fuchsia, or yellow green. You can also put in some hues of purple and brown. As for what else can get you inspired by orange, let's see:

Pumpkin Cake - this beautiful orange and brown cake from the magazine of Country Living looks so damn good, it can even be perfect for a summer wedding. Looks so delicious! The marzipan fruits are so cute.



Orange Dahlias - ok, how can you not like these! What a simple and pretty arrangement!



Classy Invites - these sweet invitations from Lovelace Design are so elegantly done. Love the contrasting green and orange color combo palette.



Cute favor bag - these orange and chartreuse silk bags are also a great color combo. You can fill them up with some of those Lindt chocolate truffles we all love with those hazelnut fillings!