Gown Shopping

After the ring, the dress is the most coveted item a bride-to-be will search for. Brides who live in or around the Dallas/Ft. Worth area now have a new salon to visit to find their dream gown.

Warren Barrón carries many couture lines, including: Vera Wang, Angel Sanchez, Elizabeth Fillmore and Carolina Herrera. The salon is also the only store in the area carrying Oscar de la Renta's bridal line.

The salon, in Highland Park, has quickly gained a reputation for carrying fashion-forward gowns for the stylish bride.

Thank You Very Much

For every gift you receive during your engagement, you’ll want to send the giver a thank you note. You can purchase notecards at your local stationery store, or order personalized cards that reflect both of your personalities. You can choose something fun or formal.

If you already know what your wedding theme and palette will be, then order thank you notes that reflect the wedding. You can use them throughout your engagement and even into your married life.

Here are a few tips on writing a thank you note:

1 - Express your gratitude for the gift: "Thank you so much for the cappuccino maker." or "Thank you for your generous gift."

2 - Mention how you plan on using the item: "John loves it, and has begun making us cappuccinos after dinner each night." or "We plan on putting it toward our new home."

3 - Mention the future: "We're looking forward to celebrating with you at our wedding."

4 - You must send a note per each gift your receive, so if Aunt Jane sends an engagement, shower and wedding gift, send her 3 notes - one for each gift.

5 - Send thank you notes in a timely manner. Within 2 weeks of receiving an engagement or shower gift, and for your wedding, within 8 weeks from returning from your honeymoon.

The note featured above is one of the many designs available at fabulousstationery.com.

Wrap It Up

Since so many couples get engaged around Christmas and New Year's, I thought the next few posts would focus on the newly engaged.

The wrapping paper featured here by Mr. French is all blinged out with several engagement ring designs. Though your ring may not look like one of these rocks, the gifts you give or receive wrapped in this pattern will definitely get you in the wedding planning spirit.

P.S. - You'll find this paper in the Pop Ink section.

Blumen Flowers

People remember the flowers. How could they not? Guests stare at them the whole night.

When you're looking for a florist, view their portfolios and see how all the different elements of the wedding come together. The bride's bouquet and groom's boutonniere should complement each other. The bridal party's blooms should coordinate too. Look to see if the decor in the room makes sense...do the colors work well with the look of the room? Is there a flow from one part of the wedding to the next?

If you're getting hitched in the Chicago area take a look at Blumen Design. Owner Amy Crum has created breathtaking looks from contemporary to romantic to traditional. Each look she designs fits together, creating an overall look reflecting each couple's taste and personality.

Wedding Tip - When talking to florists, find out which flowers are in season on your wedding day. By using seasonal flowers you can save money on import costs.

Honeymoon Hideaway

With winter approaching, many of us are starting to think of warm places for vacations. Your next vacation will probably be your honeymoon.

When planning your honeymoon, talk to your husband about what you want to do, and what he wants to do. He may want to get in a few rounds of golf. You may want to treat yourself to several spa treatments. A good idea is to look at resorts that offer not only a great room but also, good food, spa facilities, a golf course and other amenities.

The Four Season Hotel and Resort chain offers luxurious accommodations for all of their guests but especially newlyweds. From romantic dinners for two to couples massages in your room and of course a bottle of champagne when you arrive, The Four Seasons can offer you everything for the perfect honeymoon. And with locations around the world, including: Hawaii, Europe and the Caribbean you are sure to locate one that offers services both you and your fiancé will enjoy.

Cakes from Abroad

A destination wedding is when a couple chooses to marry in a location that neither of them live in or can call their hometown. Planning a wedding from afar can be quite difficult, especially if you're not familiar with local vendors.

Hiring a planner familiar with the city you are getting married in will not only help you find the right vendor, but also make sure you don't get taken advantage of.

London is one of my most favourite cities. Unfortunately, I couldn't get married there, but if you are planning an English wedding then you must visit Peggy Porschen Cakes. Both whimsical and elegant, Peggy's cakes are not only beautiful to look at, but tasty too.

Pink Cadillac

Many ‘maids will hire a limo to shuttle the bachlorette party around town, so why not make the car part of the festivities? Pink Car, based in Austin, TX, was created by a mother-daughter team to transport women in style and caterer to all of their needs.

With knowledge of the best restaurants and finest shops, as well as the top salons, Pink Car is the perfect ride for a day out with the girls or a night out on the town.

Wedding Tip - If pink is in your wedding palette you may want to consider hiring Pink Car for your wedding day transportation. You may not want to mention the color of the car to the groom before the big day.

Speaking of Gifts

If you're not sure where to register, then make a list of stores that you like and go visit them. Think about what you need for your home and pick the store, or stores, that offer what you like.

For example if you and your fiancé love to cook, you may want to choose Williams-Sonoma. If you’re looking for furniture, Pottery Barn would be a good choice.

Kitchen and dining items make up the traditional registry, but if you don’t need china and glassware, then pick a store that has products you want and need. Are you a sports enthusiasts? Register at a sporting goods store like Paragon. Wine lovers? Ask your local liquor store if you can create a gift registry of your favorite wines.

Guests will want to buy you an engagement, shower and wedding present, and it’s better for you to have a wish list at your favorite stores than to risk a bad gift that you can't return.

Wedding Tip - You can choose more than one store. I recommend at least 2 but no more than 4. Make one of them more traditional - china, glasses, linens, flatware. Guests that are your parents' and grandparents' ages will want to buy something they know you will use such as pots and pans, towels and kitchen gadgets.

To the Happy Couple

Once you're engaged you are going to want to shout it from the rooftops, and a great way to get the word out is to have an engagement party. You can throw one for yourselves, but it's probably a better idea to have your parents, his parents or friends throw a party for you. The party can be as formal as you want it to be. Remember, it's up to you and your fiancé to decide how you want to celebrate.

Be careful who you choose to invite to the party. I highly recommend that your wedding guest list include the names on the engagmeent party list, especially if you're getting married in the same town or close by. You risk the chance of offending guests not invited to the wedding. They may think that they were only invited to the engagement party for their gifts.

The engagement party invitation featured above was designed by Snow & Graham, and is available at Luxe Paperie.

Don't Forget the Groom

Remember that without the groom you wouldn't even be planning this wedding. Though he may think his role is pretty much over after he gave you that beautiful ring, it doesn't have to be and it's up to you to have him involved in your wedding plans.

The Engaged Groom by Doug Gordon is the perfect engagement gift for you to give your fiance. It will fill him in on the dos and don'ts of wedding planning that you've been reading up on in all of those wedding magazines.

Wedsite

I've been invited to several destination weddings next year. We received lovely save the date cards from both couples and though they were beautiful, the most useful information came from each couple's website.

On Josh and Lauren's site we were able to find out airline information, hotels and rentals in the area, activities on the island - restaurants, golf courses, water activities and of course when and where the rehearsal dinner, wedding and post-wedding brunch will be taking place.

Engagepage.com allows you to create your very own wedsite. Guests are able to get information on your registry, wedding, travel and anything else you want to share. You can have your page up for 6, 12 or 18 months, and each package costs less than $100.

I'm not suggesting to do away with a save the date card, but add a wedsite to your wedding checklist so guests can turn to the site for help instead of having to call and e-mail you.

Here Comes the Bride

When selecting music for your ceremony processional, think outside the music box. There is no rule that the bride must walk down the aisle to Here Comes the Bride.

You and your fiancé should pick songs that mean something to you, and reflect your relationship. You can choose all love songs, songs by your favorite musician or you can select a potpourri of songs just because you like them.

Curtis Music, based in the New York Metro area will work with you to ensure that you choose beautiful songs for your walk down the aisle. You may also want to choose songs to be played before the ceremony while your guests are being seated, as well as songs to be played during cocktail hour. If you are having dinner before dancing, Curtis Music can play background music while you and your guests enjoy their dinner.

Wedding Tip - If you are getting married in a house of worship make sure non-religious music is allowed to be played in the sanctuary.

Charitable Favors

Maybe it's just the holiday season, but I wanted to write about charitable favors. Many couples donate money in honor of their guests, or in memory of a family member, to a charitable organization close to their hearts.

There aren't any rules when it comes to these types of favors.

You can donate any amount of money - no one has to know how much you give unless you want to tell the IRS to get a tax deduction.

You don't have to give a specific amount per guest. Some couples give $1 or $2 per person, but if you have 500 guests, $500 or $1000, may not be in your budget. The charity you choose will accept any amount you decide to give.

You can donate to more than one charity. Both you and your fiancé can pick an organization.

Think of a creative way to tell your guests about your donation. You can print the information on your program or create a tag to attach to a second favor, or ask the organization if they can supply you with, or make your own, donation card.

If you're not sure of which charity to choose, visit The I Do Foundation. They have a list of charities based on different themes - health, hunger, children, social justice - to help you decide. They also have donation cards that you can give to your guests.

Scripted

Your invitation is the first glimpse your guests will have as to what type of wedding you are having - formal or casual, beach or ballroom. The envelope you mail your wedding invitation in can be just as personal as the invitation itself.

Colored envelopes, fancy or fun calligraphy and even colored inks can let your guests in on what they can expect on your big day.

Nancy Howell, a New York based calligrapher, designed the envelopes and place cards pictured above. Remember that all of your wedding stationery elements should match and/or compliment each other, so talk to your stationer and calligrapher about making everything picture perfect.

Kabobs.com

Planning a wedding, as we all know, takes a lot of time. But other life events will take place during the course of your engagement. If you're planning on hosting any type of dinner party - holiday, birthday, just because - then you'll have to make time to prepare and cook food for your guests.

Cut that time in half by placing an order with Kabobs.com. This Atlanta based catering company has a full menu of delicious hors d'oeuvres that you can order online, or over the phone, and have them shipped to your door. All you have to do is pop them in the oven, and serve them as your own.

Something Fun

I had waited so long (over 5 years) for my husband to propose, so when I finally got engaged I couldn't wait for the wedding day. To help me keep track of how many days I had to go, a friend gave me The Wedding Countdown Book and Clock.

It sat above my desk for the 22 months - yes 22 months - of planning. And I have to say that it was, especially towards the last few weeks, very exciting to see that my wedding wasn't that far away.

It's All About the Presentation

Selecting a caterer can be a lot of fun. If you are getting married in a catering facility such as a hotel or temple, the decision of who will be cooking the food for your wedding is pretty much decided for you. But, if your wedding is at a loft, private home or club you may have a choice as to which caterer you want creating the menu for your reception.

If you live in the Chicago area Limelight Catering can help you create the ideal wedding menu. From creative hors d'hoeurves to a luscious main course and a delicious cake, the seasoned professionals at Limelight will even find the right wine to pair with each item on the menu.

But at Limelight Catering it's not all about how the food will taste. Careful attention is paid to how each item is presented, so guests will not only say how great something tastes, but how good it looks too.

Say Cheese!!!

Now some people may go overboard with the details and vendors they hire for their wedding. I'm not talking about an expensive florist or baker. I'm talking about the unexpected vendors you may see, like the Elvis impersonator, fireworks display or a vintage Good Humor truck with ice cream. (The last one was an indulgence at my wedding.)

Well, here's a great one that can be a fun favor for guests, great additions to your wedding album or scrapbook, and a creative guestbook format.

You can rent an authentic photobooth from Photo Works Interactive. This nationwide rental service offers vintage '50s models as well as modern booths that can snap the well-known strip of 4 pictures and develop them in seconds.

Wedding Idea - Have a table set up near the booth and ask guests to cut off one of the images and paste them into your guestbook. Have colored pencils on hand so guests can write you well wishes too.

Will you...be my bridesmaid?

Why not ask your closest girlfriends to be your bridesmaids with a handwritten note? You can surprise them by mailing each one a card or you can hand deliver the cards when you're out together.

This card, by Jenny Sweeney Designs is available online. You can also find cards for maid-of-honors and flower girls. And once the wedding is over, don't forget to send a special note thanking your bridal party for being such an important part of the wedding.

Seasonal Weddings

When you're planning the details for your wedding - menu, flowers, cake, favors - think about the season you are getting married in. Whether your wedding is in the winter, spring, summer, fall or holiday season, there are hundreds of colors, tastes, smells and ideas you can get inspired by.

For example, if you are getting married in the fall you can have rich harvest colors such as deep reds, golds, browns and oranges in your palette. Your centerpieces can be made up of flowers in these rich colors, or you can create a cornucopia centerpiece with a mix of fruits and floral elements.

Your menu can be very hearty, starting with a deliciously warm soup, Cornish hens, as well as other fall foods. And of course the cake, in addition to complimenting the dinner menu, can be decorated to match your fall theme.

This cake, by Jim Smeal is the perfect example of a fall cake: decorated in cream and brown, accented with buttercream branches and sitting on top of a tree stump.

Wedding Planning Tip - Talk to your vendors about elements of the season you can incorporate into the details of your wedding. For example, using seasonal flowers may save you money because these flowers will be much easier to get during the season that they are in full bloom.

For more ideas for an autumnal themed wedding, visit Martha Stewart Weddings' website.

Event Designer 101

There is a difference between a florist and an event designer. A florist will create your bouquet and centerpiece based on your color palette and style preferences. An event designer will work with you to create a palette and motif for your wedding, and execute ideas from everything from stationery design to floral arrangements to the personal details that make your wedding so special.

Nancy Liu Chin Designs creates weddings with an amazing attention to detail. Working with clients to determine what colors will create their palette and thinking outside the box, Nancy will create that thread you hear about in magazines so everything from your stationery to your linens to the cake and favors all compliment each other.

Getting Married Abroad

For those of you thinking of hosting a destination wedding there are a lot of variables you need to consider. From where the wedding should be to how you will communicate with your vendors to completing all the necessary legal requirements.

If you're thinking of getting hitched in France or Italy then you must call Chateau Weddings.

With exclusive relationships with chateaus and villas across both countries, Chateau Weddings can help you plan everything from contract negotiations to onsite coordination to guest transportation and accommodations as well as menu translation & planning.

Planning a destination wedding has never been so easy, or so beautiful.

Moving Announcement

For those of you who live in the New York tri-state area, or plan on visiting to shop for your wedding dress, then pay attention: Mark Ingram Bridal Atelier has moved.

Mark Ingram is one of, if not the most, fabulous person in the bridal industry. His taste in gowns is impeccable. The Mark Ingram Bridal Atelier carries exquisite gowns by Monique Lhuillier, Angel Sanchez, Le Spose Di Gio, Anne Barge, Peter Langner and Jenny Lee. (Mark carries over a dozen lines.)

The salon has moved into new digs: 110 East 55th Street, 8th Floor in the heart of Manhattan. They only work by appointment, so call them at 212-319-6778 to schedule one soon.

Here are some gown shopping tips from Mark:
1. It is important to have an actual wedding date and venue. Your sales consultant will help you select a gown that is perfect for your setting.

2. Bring tear sheets, photos and downloaded web images of styles of gowns you wish to try on. Our consultants will make additional style recommendations based on your initial conversation.

3. Before scheduling an appointment, make sure the salons you have selected feature gowns in your price range.

4. In general, limit your shopping companions to the one or two persons whose opinions mean the most.

Cocktail Napkins

We spoke about custom coasters a few posts back, so this time I thought I'd focus on napkins.

While hors d'oeuvres are passed during cocktail hour, cocktail napkins are passed as well. Whether or not you're sipping a martini at the time, you'll need to hold your appetizer in something and your hand will just not do.

For Your Party offers a wide range of napkin colors and layout options so you can have anything you want printed. Here are a few suggestions:

"Just Married"
"Eat, Drink & Be Married"
"Happily Ever After"

In addition to custom napkins, you can order matchbooks, ribbon, note cards and bags and boxes for favors and guestroom gifts.

Flip Book Photo Album

Once the wedding is over all you have left are your memories - and your photo album and your wedding video. But what if you could capture those images in a new way?

FlipClips is an online service where you can create a flip book from your wedding video. Just upload your 30-second video clip, select your book's size and customize the cover. Prices start at $8.99 per book.

Anniversary Reminder - The traditional first anniversary gift is paper. Why not create a flip book of your first dance or cake cutting for your husband?

Getting Hitched in DC

If you live, or are getting married, in the Washington, DC area then you must make an appointment at Hitched. This hip and helpful salon carries a wide range wedding gowns to fit every style and budget.

In addition to gowns by Oscar de La Renta, Kenneth Pool, Ulla-Maija, Judd Waddell and Elizabeth Fillmore, Hitched carries several bridesmaid dress lines, including Amsale, Simple Silhouettes and Thread.

You can also find your wedding invitations, bridal accessories - veils, Spanx, jewelry - and vendor referral advice to help you locate the best vendors in the area for your wedding.

Monogrammed Cuffs

When selecting gifts for the bridesmaids and groomsmen, you want to pick something that, unlike the bridesmaid dress, they will be able to use again. Choosing a personalized item shows that you put a lot of thought into the gift.

Red Envelope offers a wide selection of bridal party gifts, including many which can be monogrammed. The initial cufflinks pictured here are perfect for groomsmen. They can be worn not only at your wedding, but at any occasion where he will be wearing a French-cuff shirt.

Signed, sealed, deliver.

Once you finalize the invitation design, visit usps.com to view your stamp options. You are not required by law to buy the Wedding stamps. There are nature and location stamps, images and stamps honoring men and women in American history. Think about your wedding palette and theme, and choose a complementary stamp.

But don’t order them just yet –save that for two months before the big day.


Test mail an invitation to ensure you’re using the proper postage. Do not buy all the postage you will need until you have confirmed the cost of each envelope. Stamps are not returnable, and though overtime you will probably use them, it’s an unnecessary added expense in a time of penny-pinching.

Bite Size Sweets

One Girl Cookies bakes a variety of delicious sweet treats - classic and chocolate cookies, biscotti and brownies. I'm partial to the bite size brownies.

In addition to personalizing your wedding favor by selecting your favorite flavors, One Girl Cookies offers great packaging options so your favors can coordinate with the wedding palette and style. Sleeves, pictured above, and boxes can be customized with decorative paper, colorful ribbon, tags and even family photos.

One Girl Cookies is based in Brooklyn so if you live in the tri-state area you should swing by the shop and taste test every flavor. If you don't live nearby, they can ship sweets nationwide.

Smarty Pants!

Remember that as you are getting your hair and make-up done the morning of the wedding, your photographer will be running around snapping pictures of you and your 'maids. I know you want to look just as good in those pictures as the ones he'll take later, when you're in your gown and a tiara is placed on you perfectly coiffed head.

Smarty Pants owner, and recent bride, Jennifer Titton has the perfect thing - a sweat suit embroidered with "Soon to be Mrs. ... " or your monogram or anything else you can think of on the back. You can also have a set made for your honeymoon with "Just Married" embroidered on the jacket or bottoms. With several colors to choose from, your Smarty Pants suit can match the palette of the wedding.

Wedding Tip - Remember to wear a zippered or button-down top while you're getting ready. You don't want to have to pull a tee shirt over your head and ruin your hair and make-up, nor do you want to have to find a scissor and have your shirt cut off of you.

Personalized Coasters

Many couples will order napkins through their caterer with their names and wedding date printed on them. But before you sign off on the printer's proof think about other words or images you could have printed instead:

-A line from your first dance song
-A romantic quote or poem
-An icon or image you are using on your wedding stationery

But what about other details and personal touches? My Own Labels has an amazing selection of coasters, as well as hang tags, stickers and CD labels you can personalize any way you want.

There are a variety of coaster templates you can choose from, or you can design your own template and have it printed on everything from favor tags to stickers to bookplates and more.

Little Boy Shoes

When planning a wedding we always forget that there are men involved too. The groom, best man, father of the bride. But what about the little men who often steal the show with their partners in cuteness, the flower girl?

When selecting the perfect outfit for your ring bearer remember that he will need comfortable shoes. Like everyone else in the bridal party he has to walk down the aisle too.

Robeez has the most adorable line of shoes for boys and girls, from infants to toddler. These black penny loafers with intricate stitched detailing mimics the classic men's shoe, and is also available in brown.

Robeez has a wide selection of casual and formal shoes for you and moms to choose from. Their soft sole all leather shoes and booties will allow the littlest member of the wedding to wear them till he grows out of them.

With this Ring

Once that beautiful diamond ring has been placed on your finger you never want to take it off. But wearing your ring while washing dishes is not a good idea.

Rubbermaid has designed the Enhanced Ring Holder to ensure that your ring won't get mispaced or fall down the drain.

Just place the suction base on the counter, slip your rock on the post, and the magnetic cap will keep your ring safe and clean while you finish your chores.

The Enhanced Ring Holder is available wherever Rubbermaid products are sold.

Maid to Order

I was just asked to be a bridesmaid. I have been a maid-of-honor and a bridesmaid before, but this is the first time I will have no say over what dress my friend will choose for me and the other 'maids.

So I suggested she visit Bella Bridesmaid, a chain of bridesmaid salons that carry beautiful and stylish gowns. There are seven salons across the country including: Boston, Charleston, Atlanta, Nashville, Houston, San Diego and San Francisco. With bridesmaids living in every state, having the same store to shop in makes the dress search a little easier.

Here are some bridesmaid dress shopping tips. Elissa, I hope you’re reading this:

1 - If your ‘maids are all different shapes and sizes, pick the dress fabric and color, but let each girl pick the silhouette. Some may prefer a higher neckline or a looser fit.

2 - Once you’ve selected your bridesmaid dresses, make sure all deposits are paid and the correct measurements are given with each order. The store may not order any of the dresses until all deposits and measurements are in.

3 - If your ‘maids are choosing their own dress, give them some guidelines as to the shade of color, degree of formality and length. Variety and personal expression are great, visual chaos is less so.

Bella Bridesmaid carries Simple Silhouettes, Melissa Sweet, Jenny Yoo, Kathlin Argiro, Currie Bonner, Charsa, Miracle and Zora, as well as jewelry and shoe lines to compliment the look you choose.

Vere Good

My favorite type of favor is an edible favor.

I came across a new chocolate company, Vere, pronounced very, that has an amazing selection of dark chocolate treats you can pass out as favors at the end of the night.

With their wide selection of chocolates to choose from you may have a hard time deciding between the chocolate wafers with various toppings or the mini brownies enrobed in chocolate, small chocolate bars or truffles. The packaging is incredible and the products are all hand made. If you are concerned about guests with dietary restrictions, they offer a line of vegan and gluten-free sweets.

Remember that before you select the right favor for your wedding you should taste test each item, and include your fiance and family in the fun.

To learn moiré about Vere chocolate, click here.

Shower Her with Gifts

You may notice that every now and then I like to feature a shower or bachlorette party item. Bridal showers are one of my favorite parts of being engaged, but a bride cannot plan her own shower. She can hint at things, but the details are usually decided by her mother, sister and 'maids.

So if your friends are planning a bridal shower, you must checkout invitations by Felix Doolittle, and forward them the link. (By the way, his wedding invitations and thank you notes are fabulous too.)

I love this watercolor image of umbrellas leaning against a door. It is simple and elegant.

An umbrella is a popular motif for a bridal shower. Some hosts rent a "shower umbrella" from party stores, but I tend to advise against that. These white lace party accents tend to look more like gray than white. Look for a new umbrella with a ruffle if you must have one at the party, and make it another shower gift.

Picture Perfect Pumpkins

If you're planning a fall wedding then you're probably thinking of including some autumnal themes into your palette and details.

Orange, gold, deep reds and brown make a perfect palette for an October or November wedding. You may even want to include leaves and a pumpkin to further express the time of year.

Masterpiece Pumpkins can carve any design you like on, that's right, a pumpkin. Monogram, wedding date, even your portrait can be carved and lit up so you and your fiance will truly glow on your wedding day.

And to ensure that the pumpkin is a keepsake that you can always have, order an artificial carvable pumpkin from Funkins and you'll cherish it along with your other wedding memories forever.

Linens and Tables and Chairs!

Whether you're getting married in a ballroom, on an estate or in a private home you need to think about what items will need to rent. Your florist and caterer will tell you what you need - linens, china, silver serving pieces, glassware, flatware, tables, chairs, tents, floors, generators, heaters, lighting, floors.

For this posting we'll focus on linens, china, serving pieces, glassware, flatware, tables and chairs. (Whew)

Don't assume that all of these items will be included with your wedding location. In most cases they will be, but if you are getting married in a loft space or a private home you may have to bring everything in to accommodate your guests.

Enter the rental company. A rental company can offer you numerous options to customize and create the feeling and tone you’ve always imagined.

Take your florist to your wedding location to decide which linen color will work best with the flowers and the room, and ask the caterer to show you china, glassware and flatware options. You may decide you want a different look – more romantic or modern, a solid color or a pattern.

Here is a list of few rental companies from across the country:

Be Our Guest, based in Boston and serving New England
Party Rental, serving the tri-state and Washington, DC areas
R.S.V.P. Soiree Event Rentals, Dallas
Snyder Event Rentals and Staffing, Charleston
La Bella Party Rental, San Francisco

The Hunt is on...for the Perfect Gown

So you've flipped through magazines and have a pretty good idea of what you want to wear at your wedding. But before you run out to buy something, try on everything.

Here are a few shopping tips:

1. Make appointments at several salons. Pick salons that sell different designers and stores that have a different feel to them.

2. Choose salons that carry low, moderate and high-end priced gowns. You never know which dress you will pick. The gown you fall in love with may be expensive, inexpensive, a designer brand or a sample gown off the rack.

3. Bring a friend or relative to your appointments, but make sure it’s one whose fashion sense is similar to yours. While your friend who wants to get married down south poofy as a belle may try to be objective, she probably won’t truly appreciate a minimalist Vera Wang creation.

The dress pictured above is by Oscar de la Renta. Click here to find an upcoming Oscar de la Renta bridal trunk show.

Capturing the Moments

Remember that your photographer has one job at your wedding: to capture the special moments and details of the day.

New York based photographer Kathi Littwin has captured the most beautiful and most romantic images I've ever seen. Each one of her photographs emits not only the details, but the feelings of the day too. Like many photographers, Kathi has traveled near and far to photograph the special moments shared between a bride and groom and their guests, as well as the personalized details of the day.

Wedding Tip - When meeting with photographers ask to see a complete wedding album - from getting ready to the ceremony and through the reception. You don't want to view a "greatest hits" album - the best pictures he or she has taken at various weddings. You want to know that your photographer can consistently capture beautiful pictures throughout the day and not just a few good ones here and there.

Click here to view Kathi Littwin's portfolio.

And you are...

Incase you're concerned that someone might mistake you for a bridesmaid, and not the bride, pick up a tee, tank or shorts, which state crystal clearly your role in the wedding.

Cotton Sisters makes a fabulous line of "whose who in the wedding" attire. From the MOB to the MOH every female in the wedding party can have their own outfit.

Great for gifts for your bridesmaids and flower girl, or "something blue" undies to give the bride at her bachlorette party, the Cotton Sisters have you covered.

Wedding Watercolors

Of course you will have a photographer and most likely a videographer to capture the special moments of your wedding day. But what if I told you that you could hire an artist who will capture these moments, not through a lens but with the stroke of a brush?

Anne Watkins captures all the moments of the day with her watercolor kit. As you can see from the image above, Anne's images are breathtaking and compliment the traditional photographs and wedding video.

To view Anne's wedding portfolio, click here.

The Wedding Salon - Los Angeles

4PM Events is bringing The Wedding Salon, a luxury bridal showcase to Los Angeles this week!

Featuring the finest wedding vendors in the LA area,The Wedding Salon is unlike other bridal events, because couples can plan their wedding by using their senses:

tasting cakes and hors d'oeuvres
listening to local bands
touching invitations and other stationery elements
seeing floral arrangments, wedding albums & videos

The event will be held on Thursday, September 21st at The Four Seasons Los Angeles from 4 to 9pm.

Click here to learn more about the event and purchase tickets.

Where are you registered?

The more people you tell of your engagement the more you are going to be asked about a registry. Now some couples will say they don't like asking for gifts, but you are not asking for gifts. You are going to get gifts whether you like it or not, and by creating a registry your guests will get you what you want. Without a registry as a guide you risk the chance of getting items you don't want, need and worst of all, can't return.

Registry Tips - Set up a registry with at least two retailers, giving your guests some options. Look for stores with online registries, so guests can easily shop and ship from the comfort of their home.

Why two stores? The reason is simple: one store may not offer you everything you need and want. Some stores carry everyday dishes, glassware and appliances, while others only carry fine china, crystal and silverware. There are also specialty stores, selling items specific to your favorite hobby or sport that have nothing to do with linens, china or crystal, and you may want to include one of those.

You need to list items at a variety of price points and styles, because even though your guests are buying you items that you want, they will only buy items they can afford, and that they like too.

The bedding pictured above is from Barbara Barry's new linen collection. Click here to view all of her lines, available at Bloomingdale's.

Pretty as a Picture

Most couples don't realize until after the wedding how important it is to hire a great photographer.

Think about it. The day after the wedding your wedding dress will be stored, your husband's tux will be returned and the centerpiece grandma took home will eventually be tossed out. The only tangible item left are your wedding pictures.

A wedding photographer will capture all of the special moments of your day and help you organize them in a beautifully bound album.

One of my favorite wedding photographers is Liz Banfield. Liz's work has appeared in many publications, including Martha Stewart Weddings, InStyle Weddings and Town & Country.

Based in Minneapolis, Liz travels to most of the weddings she shoots, so whether you live in New York, Texas or California I highly recommend viewing Liz's portfolio. You can do so by clicking here.

When you care enough to send the very best...

Engagement gifts. Shower gifts. Wedding gifts. For each one you receive, you must send the gift giver a thank you note. But what do you write?

To make it easier on the busy bride, Knock Knock created Multiple-Choice Correspondence Notecards. These thank you notes are pretty in pink and offer multiple choices for the typical wedding thank you note, so you don't have to spend precious planning time on trying to think of the right wording.

A Splash of Color

While the traditional bride's bouquet usually consists of only white flowers, the bouquets your bridesmaids carry can be any shade of the rainbow.

Talk to your florist about designing bridesmaid bouquets that will compliment yours. For example, you can pick the same type of flower in your bouquet but in a different color, or you can have them carry smaller white bouquets with a little bit of color placed around it as a cuff or in the center of the bouquet.

When deciding on a color, of course you want to choose blooms that will match their dresses, but you can also choose a complimenting color instead of one that matches exactly.

Urban Petals based in Washington, D.C. has designed floral arrangements for weddings and events in a wide range of styles. Whether you're planning a wedding on a private estate or in a ballroom, Sarah von Schrader will create the perfect look for your big day.

Perfectly Planned

Between the contracts, magazine tear sheets and all your ideas some things are bound to get lost. By making your own wedding planning book you will be able to organize and keep track of appointments, thoughts and important information.

The key to planning a wedding is having everything organized. By keeping your ideas and vendor contact information together, you'll be able to have everything with you at each planning meeting. And if you're out and need something, your fiance will know exactly where to find the information you're calling him about.

See Jane Work is my favorite site for stylish office and organizational supplies. The binders above are from Russel + Hazel. They are available in a wide variety of colors so you can pick a binder to match the color palette of your wedding. Once you find the perfect binder, pick up lined paper, dividers and folders so you can keep everything (neatly) together.

With your own planner, you can customize it to include the precise categories and items you want. For example, if you’re having a wedding at home you can include a tent and valet parking category, which you might not need if you are getting married in a hotel or catering facility.

Signed, Sealed and Calligraphed

Once you've selected the perfect invitation you should choose a calligrapher whose handwriting will compliment the tone of your wedding.

Even though mailing guests a calligraphed invitation is not a wedding requirement, there is something special about receiving a calligraphed envelope in the mail.

The envelope pictured above is a sample from Kathryn Murray, a Los Angeles based calligrapher. Her handwriting can vary from a very formal script to a whimsical font ensuring that your envelopes match the tone of your wedding. And unlike a florist or band, you can hire a calligrapher who doesn't live in your neighborhood. You can mail her your envelopes and once calligraphed she'll mail them back to you. I suggest using a mail service with a tracking system - FedEx, UPS, DHL.

And calligraphy doesn't have to be limited to just the outer envelope. You can have your calligrapher write out names for place cards, seating cards, menu cards, table numbers, favor tags and any other stationery element in your wedding.

Wedding Tip - Give your calligrapher a complete typed list of names, addresses and zip codes. Many calligraphers will not accept handwritten lists because they may not be able to read your handwriting.