Destination Bridal for the Full Figured

Now I know I love beautiful things, but sometimes value will take precedent.
I came across some wonderfully affordable weddings gowns for full figured women over at
Lane Bryant
I think if you are heading to an island and want something pretty without having to agonize over it or wait for a few extra weeks or pay the additional fee for a plus size, this may be it with dresses in the $150 range.

More Stamp Stuff

As you know,
I am totally bowled over by the new wedding stamp sets on sale from the US Post office.
Equally as cute is the idea of your face, or any image on your own stamps. The folks over at zazzle will walk you through the process of designing your own stamps. Perfect for your wedding invitation and thank you note.

One of my April brides used her engagement photos on her wedding invitation and the response was fabulous, guests were so bowled over by it, they actually RSVP'd almost immediately.
(Something worth considering.....)

If having your faces plastered for all the world to see, isn't your thing what about a monogram for your Save the Dates?

Pampering yourself and Your Maids

I am a lover of paper. Love to touch it, look at it and know that I have it. I keep it and save it and preserve it. I buy way to much of it and confidentially, I hate to write on it. I will wrap with it though. I say all this to say there is a fabulous designer from Boston with a company called Pearl Papers Letterpress.

Do I even have to begin to babble on the beauty of letterpress? I will assume that I don't.

If you want to treat your bridesmaids to something elegant try these fabulous notecards with a custom designed monogram. They will design their own monogram, what could be better? With lots of options for fonts and colors, it's really a gift worthy of all they are doing for you on your big day.

check em out!

Neat stuff, very pleasing to the eye...and oh so yummy.
Charles Chocolates does wondrous things with chocolate and where there's chocolate there's always a wedding favor. But rather than going the traditional route of the chocolate bar, I took a look at their chocolate covered almonds.
These are great giveaways in their trendy containers, but isn't the proof in the puddin? Serve these to guests in bowls on tabletops during your cocktail hours, serve them amidst the sweet seasonal fruit (thereby foregoing the oh so messy chocolate fountain which is definitively on my "OUT" list for 2006).

Where to Begin

Busy weekend has kept me from you. Wonderful new project has landed in my lap. I work with so many clients that have no clue of what they want to do, even though they spend trillions of dollars on wedding magazines and TIVO all the wedding shows and countless hours online.

This bride was just the opposite, we planned an entire week's worth of activities for her guests that commences with a beachfront wedding, include breakfast at Tiffany's for her bridesmaids and culminate with a fantastic reception and a separate after party. I don't want to give away too many details, but keep an eye out for tidbits as the planning progresses.

This was also pretty interesting. SpaWeek.org has its annual Spa Week coming to a city near you. LA, DC, Boston, Chicago, Connecticut, NY, NJ and Philadelphia are among the list. You can also join the spa week VIP program for only $25 a year and:

• Be the first to view the Spa Week list of over 200 day spas and get dibs on the best times, spas, and treatments before it becomes public.
• Get a 1 YEAR Subscription to Allure Magazine.
• (2) Complimentary Tickets to Spa Beauty Events (Value $50)
• Spa VIP Monthly Newsletter which contains information on current spa & beauty information, spa discounts and more!

join by March 20th and receive a tee shirt to boot. It’s a great time to pamper your bridesmaids and mothers.

I'm lovin it

Postal Wedding Stamp Sets

The US Post Office has finally done something very cool.

You can now buy beautiful matched stamps for your outer envelopes at $.63 and your response envelopes at $.39.

How neat is that. Now the outer envelopes stamps will match the stamps on the response card.

The majority of wedding invitations are in the .63 postal fee. I guess it will be pretty hairy if you are doing squares, which require more postage. But for the most part, this will be very cool. They come in a pack of 40 stamps, 20 of each denomination.
for much information head over to their site.

http://shop.usps.com/

MAC Bride's Search

Here's an opportunity worthy of exerting a little energy over. If for nothing else, lunch in New York!!

(Info via MAC cosmetics)
MAC BRIDAL
M·A·C Cosmetics Online is looking for real brides to feature as models in their online Bridal section!

Spend a day as a model working with internationally renowned make-up artists, photographers and stylists who will create and capture your Bridal Look. See important details below.

View Bridal 2005 Looks
View Bridal 2005 Behind the Scenes Video

DETAILS
To be considered, please email your name and a digital photograph of yourself to macbridal@maccosmetics.com on or before midnight EST this Wednesday, March 15th, 2006.

Please also include a short paragraph (100 words or less) on why M·A·C should select you. Please include your wedding date.

To qualify you must:
- Be available on March 21st, 2006 to come to the M·A·C offices in New York City to be interviewed.

- If you are selected, you must also be available on March 29th-31st, 2006 for the photo shoot in New York City.

If you are selected, you will be notified by March 28th, 2006 by M·A·C Cosmetics Online. Selection will be based on the following criteria: an individual personal style that’s consistent with the M·A·C identity.

We’d love to hear from you!
M·A·C Cosmetics Online and The Knot Editorial Team

Brides will not be compensated financially for their participation and will be required to sign release forms both for M·A·C Cosmetics Online and for The Knot, which will also feature our selected brides. Travel is the responsibility of the Bride. Images and footage will be the property of either M·A·C Cosmetics or The Knot and will not be returned. Void where prohibited.

Diesel Ad...BANNED

(uk vogue)

Ok, I love Diesel's "athletic inspired" footwear. It's like wearing mittens on your feet.
I really really love them. Now high heeled sneaker boots, you can keep. Having said that, I can across this wonderfully naughty new Diesel ad for boots that has been banned in the US.
I "might" agree, it's edgy but bold enough for banning Sorry, I don't see it.
I think it's provacative.....you?

New Godiva Wedding Favors

How excited am I?
Extremely. Although I don't know what excites me more the option of another delicious piece of Godiva chocolate, the fact that Godiva and Sylvia Weinstock are collaborating or the thought of designing a favor table with all these beautiful favors just waiting for the taking.

Hmmm.....

Just Something Silly

I often think that people take me way too seriously. I am really a softee and a silly, nutty person.
Perhaps the problem is that I amuse myself much more than the people around me....

Anyhoo, I don't condone pets at my weddings, but if the right client comes along with the right DOG, (there isn't a cat alive I can work with) I would have to succomb and dress the doggie in Ella Berella

Decent Wedding Registries

Should I register and How can we register for money are questions I get from every single couple I work with. (Grooms ask the latter without fail).
Came across a refreshingly innovative list of suggestions over at designsponge. Take a peek.
My belief is it's better to get really good items rather than scrimp. Quality pays off in the long run.
Your registries should include hotel quality sheets, fabulous knives and really really good pots and pans. If you are never going to use china, skip it, but definitely get good and appropriate wine glasses and an opener.
You're worried about breaking your guests wallets? They aren't going to give you gifts they can't afford and what's wrong with 2 couples getting together to "invest" in you!!!
I say go for it.

A Beautiful Bow

My mom always had this thing about finishing everything "out to the edges". Growing up that usually meant taking way to long to get through a project, however as I matured I gained the understanding she was trying to communicate. Giving the idea one more thought, searching a bit harder for the perfect vendor, locating the best chocolate rather than just good chocolate, all those efforts make for WOW moments.
Something as simple as learning to tie a beautiful bow can make the difference on a loved one's face. In the day of the gift bag, a beautifully wrapped gift will make the recipient pause and savor the moment.
What's inside? They'll shake it, sniff it even hold it up to the light. The bow allows them to ponder and think what a great person you are for taking the time to do this for me. They might not even want to open it for fear of ruining all your hard work.
How's that for a moment?

A Good Thing...

I am not a huge lover of the bridal show. being a planner, I am looking not to be convinced that your product or service is the best. If I give up a weekend to traipse around a hotel with hundreds of people when I could be napping in front of a old movie, i want to be WOWED.
So there are a few shows that I do make a point to hit every year, even if it involved hopping on a train to do so and this is one of them.

The New York Junior League Wedding Day: Red Carpet Glamour

Saturday, March 18, 2006
10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
New York Junior League Townhouse
130 East 80th Street, New York City (between Park Avenue and Lexington Avenue)

This all-day affair will feature the latest bridal fashions, beauty consultations, floral designs, invitations, entertainment, photography, reception locations and more, while enjoying hors d'oeuvres, champagne and wedding cake samplings. Through the day, renowned wedding experts will share their expertise with special presentations.

For more information or to purchase tickets, please click here.

Another show stopper is of course:

The Wedding Salon by 4pm Events - New York City

Monday, April 24, 2006
4 p.m. - 9 p.m.
Gotham Hall
1356 Broadway at 36th Street - New York City, NY 10018

The Wedding Salon is the world's first luxury wedding showcase, featuring must-have products and services for the sophisticated bride and groom.

For more information and to register for this event, please click here.

When You're Good, You're Good

dont be surprised to see a number of these types of posts. I love to give credit where credit is due to great vendors with an exhobitant amount of talent or the absolute neatest stuff to be found on the face of the earth.
so this moment my hat goes off to april reed.
she approaches wedding cakes with the seriousness they merit.
The absolute best thing about her is a quote from her Questions page which states:

Q Can I choose a cake from your website
A. Actually no! Of course you can use the photos from my website and book as inspiration but your cake is about you and is custom designed.

HOW GREAT IS THAT?

Dana Reeve Passes

The passing of Dana Reeve, was a shock. Such a loss. Though I have no desire to leave this world at a time I would perceive too early, I do hope that when the moment arrives I will lhave lived my life pursuing a passion to its utmost.
Godspeed.

Too Precious To Live

Flitting around today the first item to catch my eye was an article on the preciousness of life.
To precious in fact to actually go out and endanger it, by actually living. The author muses instead on the good sense one should have and protect life by not doing anything at all.
Very cute. It got me to thinking though, maybe it's not life that is precious, maybe it's the opportunity of life that is really the value.
Normally, such an obvious stab at satire doesn't warrant the blink of my eye, but I have been reading the DreamGiver by Bruce Wilkinson and my how my view at Opportunity has changed. So much to try, so many to influence, so much to accomplish, so much to become. WOW

Just a Girl

And so, I have arrived. Just a girl living in a grown up world, doing grown up things, running a grown up company with grown up clients. Fabulous.
But I have never allowed my inner child to fade. I am really just a three year old in all her defiance and independence, ready for any challenge, convinced I can take it, make it, move it or sieze it. That's the voice I listen to.
Introductions will come, you'll get to know all about me. I am just an ordinary girl in my own terribly fantastic way. Isn't that the story of all our lives???
I work hard in a wonderfully creative environment that I have created for myself and i make sure to help out someone, anyone, earnestly trying to do the same. I have become comfortable with my passion for shoes and beautifully, well made clothing. I adore things pleasing to my eye and am a fanatic for things pleasing to my tummy. I am the Sun's biggest fan.

what more could you want to know. stick around for a few it'll be worth it,.