Scratch the GPS

Best. Invention. Ever.

For someone like me who cannot, I repeat, cannot seem to find my own way anywhere, maps are a must. But now, I am pleased to announce that there is something even better.

DIAL DIRECTIONS.

It's exactly what it sounds like. And is a blessing for weddings.

1. Add your wedding address to the Dial Directions database on the company's website.
2. Your guests use their cell phones to call DIR-ECT-IONS (seriously...) or 347-328-4667 and say your event name "Smith - Jones Wedding."
3. Your guests say the address or intersection they are leaving from.
4. Within seconds, they receive a text message with turn by turn directions to get them to your wedding.

Amazing. A - freakin'- Mazing.
Best thing ever . . .

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Don't save paper for the 1st Anniversary!

One of the most important parts of planning the wedding for most girls is the floral work. As brides are veering further and further away from the traditional, big name designers (ie. David Stark) are doing the same. Instead of the classic roses & babies' breath, look toward paper to fulfill all of your dreams. Paper flowers have some distinct advantages over living floral.

1. You can literally choose any color that you want.
2. No chance of wilting, withering or dying as you waltz down the aisle.
3. You can preserve them forever without a formaldehyde case & dry ice.
4. They can be made weeks & weeks in advance (pressure off of the 2 days before!)
5. You can get any kind of flower that you want regardless of the season or location.










The disadvantages, of course, would be the lack of smell that the paper flowers emit, and inability for the paper florals to get wet (see: sog.gee boo-kay). Another surprising disadvantage is that the paper flowers can be more costly than the real ones in some cases.

Either way - definitely something to look out for, and potentially a viable option for the cutting edge bride!

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Tipping Guide

This tipping guide is taken from a nifty little bridal guide called, The Bride's Year Ahead - The Ultimate Month-to-Month Wedding Planner by Marguerite Smolen and Andrea Feld. This is just a basic guide to all of the people that need tipping for the day, but of course, if someone goes the extra mile, feel free to tip more.

Bellhops, Porters @ the airport and train stations: $1 per bag
(They get tipped twice. Once when they show you to your room, and when you leave it)
Bus Drivers on group tours: $1/4 hours
Chambermaid: $1-$2/day
Cloakroom Attendant: $1-$2
Concierge at a Hotel: $2 + for special requests such as dinner reservations/theater tickets
Doorman: $1 to hail a taxi (by phone or on the street)
Ladies' Room Attendant: $.25 - $.50
Maid: $3-$5
Parking Garage Attendant: $1-$2
Taxi and Limo Drivers: 15% of the fare
Tour Guides for Group Tours: $1/4 hours
Valet Parking: $1 to park or retrieve your car
Waiters: 15%-20% of your total bill (pretax)

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Top 'O the Mornin' To Ya

Everyone knows where to find your typical cake topper bride & groom . . . the Lenox ones where the stereotypical bride and groom hold hands and stare out blankly for all the world to see.

Now what about those unique toppers that are gracing our sugary delights?
Too many choices. Not enough cake.

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Lo-Go and Behold

Yet another technological wonder in the world of weddings.

Personalized wedding logos.

That's right...no more cliched and cheesy monograms upon all of your wedding materials.
Now you can get a wedding logo created just for you & your mate that mirrors your personality, and showcases your individuality. According to most sites the logo itself is around $300 for the creation, and may cost a few extra bucks for the ownership. Either way, once you own your logo, you can use it for your favors, invites, thank-you's, napkins and more!

This could also be a unique way to tie a wedding together without a particular 'theme.'
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A Sweet Idea...

So you've made it through the ceremony, and everyone is at the reception.
The band announces that dinner is served, and everyone sits down.
Dinner is cleared, and the guests are up & dancing.

Now what you probably never notice at the wedding is that while everyone is shaking their tail feather, dessert has been served. And half the time, the dessert is cleared before you even get a chance to electric slide your way off of the dance floor and back to your table.

Being the ultimate sweet-tooth advocate, this pains me each and every time. I love the ceremony & the dancing, as much as the next girl, but what I really love is cake! pudding! cookies! tiny, little apple and raspberry tarts topped with whipped cream and a sprinkle of nutmeg .. Mmm!

Here's an idea:
Instead of the classic sit-down dessert where
slices of the wedding cake are served & then
thrown out, make your dessert travel to your
guests. Dessert shots are the hottest trend, with
waiters serving them (similar to the butlered
cocktail hour) during the night. This way, guests
never have to leave the dance floor & everyone gets
their sweet treat! These can be served with our without
alcohol for added fun. Because the shots are on the small
side they can feel guilt free, even if they don't make you
look guilt free. Ask your caterer about the dessert shot
options and see what's presented to you!

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The EngageMENt Ring

What's with the new idea behind men getting engagement rings too?

Now instead of the woman feeling special with her sparkling bauble, the guys get to wear some bling of their own during the engagement period. The idea is becoming more widespread, and not just for the woman that proposes to the man. Guys are getting down on one knee, whipping out the little blue box, and then heading to the jewelry store to buy themselves a treat.

While men’s rings have distinctively different styles than a typical engagement ring, they serve the same purpose: to declare publicly the love a couple shares and their intent to revere that love together for the rest of their lives.

If your man find the whole idea of an engageMENt ring awkward, there are alternatives for a classy, yet not so 'engagement ring like' gift... Cuff links, wallets, money clips, and dress watches are some examples.

I'm sorry, but is anyone else seeing what is happening here?
A man ... wearing a ring ... to match his fiance's engagement ring..
Ok folks, that's called a wedding band!

I think this whole thing is a little strange...and I kind of hate it.
And if my man is able to spend the additional dough on a ring
for himself, I'm wondering how many more carats I could
have had if he wasn't checking out the Man-Bling for himself.

Things that make you go 'hmm...'

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Celebs & their Bling Rings

Being in the Wedding Industry, I am constantly looking at engagement rings. Don't get me wrong - this doesn't bother me in the least. The only thing better than looking at your typical engagement ring - looking at celebrity engagement rings! Stealing the pictures from US Weekly, here are some recent *star* photos of their bling.

Katie Holmes *5 Carats

Nicole Ritchie *6.5 Carats, $100,000

Nicolette Sheridan *5 Carats, $150,000

Eva Longoria *5 Carats, $500,000

Christina Aguilera

Katherine Heigl *3 Carats

Beth Ostrosky *5.2 Carats, $250,000

Salma Hayek *5+ Carats, $200,000

Jennifer Love Hewitt *1.5 Carats, $45,000

Who has your favorite Celeb-Style ring?

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Where For Art Though, Wedding-O?

Driving directions normally sound about as foreign as Swahili to me (and no, I don't speak any form of Swahili). . . My father used to say that I am so directionally-challenged that I would have trouble finding my way out of a brown paper bag. Now, while this may be true, there is hope.

I can, in fact, make it to all of your weddings without getting myself lost (or at least not so lost that I'd miss the ceremony or a vital part of the open bar). The solution: You must all register for Wedding Mapper.

This handy, dandy little website allows brides and grooms to highlight the major locations of their nuptials. This includes (but is by no means limited to) the church/ceremony location, the reception venue, and nearby hotels. It details driving directions & times for getting from one place to the next so that you can arrive without a problem.

You can also include such things as nearby coffee shops, convenient stores and gas stations so that your guests know where the nearest necessaries are.

Loving this idea.
Would love it more if everyone did it -- I mean, even if you just did it for me, it'd be helpful. Or what if you print these out (instead of using the online version) and included them with the invites! So freakin' cute.

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It's a Zoo out there!

What comes to mind when you think of getting married & having a big wedding?

The White Dress.
The Rings.
The Flowers.
The Manatees??!!

Apparently, the trend-setting hipster brides are trying to out-do each other with more and more unique locations for their wedding backgrounds. Hotels & Country Clubs are way out. Even museums, parks and beaches are moderately out. Places that provide conversational icebreakers are in, in, in!

For example, if you consult almost every major zoo in the country, they now provide a wedding package including your linens, rentals & a variety of catering menus.

Instead of staring across the table into the eyes of Great Aunt Millie, a zoo wedding would provide a most interesting wedding-scape.

If the zoo-stench is scaring you off, you can always consider using your underwater friends as a backdrop for your nuptials.

Again, great conversation starter - Half the smell. However you might have to avoid shrimp cocktails and salmon entrees if this was your venue of choice.

All in all, I love the idea of trendy & unique, but I'm just not sure how chic a wedding in between the primates and the reptile house could possibly be. I love the idea of using it for a rehearsal dinner or even an engagement party ... nothing like some furry friends to help people get to know each other, I always say. Regardless of your venue choice .. this is at least a good reason to check out all of your choices so you don't feel stuck doing the 'same old thing.'

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Make Your Own Bag?

Tired of the raunchy bachelorette party filled with sweaty strippers in G-strings and way-too-strong drinks?
Yeah, me neither ...

BUT I would absolutely not be opposed to this idea...
A Make-Your-Own-Bag party.

This company called Freddy&Ma let's you send in the swatch of fabric from your bridesmaid dresses, and then they customize their fabrics to complement your gowns. Your bridesmaids can make various bags, pillows, etc. that accessorize their outfits.

Bags range from $60+ and are totally cute and totally customizable, up to the stitching on the inside, which can even have the wedding date on it!

Love it. Love it. Love it. Love it. Love it. Love it.

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Black is Back?!

Call me old-fashioned, but this whole black wedding dress thing is a little ridiculous. Everyone (and just whooo is everyone you're going to ask) is saying that black wedding dresses are in...white wedding dresses are out. The colored gowns of 2007 are no longer trendy. Black is the new...black.

Reasons Why Women Are Supposedly "Flocking" to the Black Gowns:
1. Black goes with everything.
(Need I mention, so does white?)
2. Black is spill-proof.
3. Black is slimming.
4. You can wear black again.
5. Black looks good on everyone.

If you're a little nervous about the full-on black gown, try some black accessories. Black gloves, shoes, or hair accessories can have the same stunning effect without being too left-wing.

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You Want Me to Trash What?

I am beyond torn on this idea...

Apparently, the newest and coolest thing out there is for brides to put their gowns back on after their big day, grab their photographers, and roll around in a variety of substances, trying to capture the 'perfect picture.' And, of course, the appropriately named phenomenon is-

...Trash the Dress...

Ok, so I half understand this. Your gown sits in your closet for all of eternity, never to see the light of day again. Why not make the most out of the designer duds and capture gorgeous pictures, right? I mean, some of the pictures are stunning.

But some pictures are just plain creepy. Like...lighting yourself on fire. That is so not "Hot!"

Some brides have done this and captured amazing photos. But the thought of rolling around in wet sand in a $10,000 gown kind of freaks me out. Also, the thought of subjecting my sacred wedding dress to arson kind of freaks me out. Eh. To each his own, I suppose.

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My First Blog!

So, I've been procrastinating writing my first blog, because I wasn't quite sure where to start. I suppose like the cliche/Sound of Music says, I should start at the very beginning ... it's a very good place to start.

I am the marketing manager for The Wedding Salon, the world's first luxury bridal event. Sounds like a dream job, right? My life is pretty much inundated with wedding paraphanelia every second of every day. Good news for me! Bad news for my boyfriend!

Anyways, due to the influx of wedding tips, trends, and upcoming events that we receive on a daily basis, and the info-hunger that 99.9% of the normal to semi-psychotic brides have, I figured we'd share.

I can't lie. I'm a little nervous about this whole blog thing ... I mean, I have some pretty big shoes to fill in the Bridal Blog department (inspiration = WeddingBee.com, StyleMePretty.com, Bridezilla.com and, of course, the goddess of blogging, Ms. Darcy Miller). So, cut me some slack in the beginning, and hopefully ... enjoy!

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