Accidents Happen

It's very likely that you will need some sort of toiletry item the day of your wedding. Maybe your hem will come loose, or your nail will brake, or maybe you need a tissue to dry your eyes.

Whatever you need, it's important to have a bridal emergency kit with you the day of the wedding. You don't want to be running to CVS, or have your mom, groom or bridesmaid running out for you. To save time, and calm nerves, it's better to be prepared.

Just in Case Gift Kits come with everything you could need (toiletry wise) for your wedding. From lip balm to breath mints and antacids to band-aids, this $65 item could be your lifesaver.

And the best thing about the kit is that if you don't need or use the items on your wedding day, you can use them afterwards - either take some in your toiletry bag on your honeymoon or bring them home.

The company also sells kits for the groom and bridesmaids.

Something New

We're all familiar with the weddings collection at J. Crew - beautiful bridal gowns and bridesmaid dresses at unbelievable prices.

Ann Taylor has picked up on the trend of affordable and stylish wedding attire and the line, Celebrations, looks great.

This simple, yet elegant, gown featured here is only $600! The bridesmaid dresses are priced at below $200, and you can also find matching shoes and accessories on the website.

At the Push of a Button

If you are thinking of creating your own wedding invites, but worried that you don't have the design skills, checkout Uniquity Invitations.

The company has has over 20 templates you can purchase for $79 and once you own the design you can alter the colors, font and layout.

Each design is unique and there are invites for specific themes as well as traditional designs.

The company's website also features an "ideas" pages, where you can get ideas on how to accessorize your invite with ribbon, paper, sparkles and envelopes.

3-2-1

I was cleaning out my basement and I came across my wedding countdown clock. I got it as a gift from my old boss.

I started the countdown the December before my June wedding and I loved watching the clock. At first it was sad to see that my wedding was over 100 days away, but once we got to the final 30, then 20, then 10 days away, you couldn't wipe that smile off my face.

You can pick this novelty item up at a variety of stores, or you can order it from Countdown Clocks.

Have a Seat

Arranging the seating chart is exciting and nerve wracking. Exciting because it means your wedding is only a few weeks, or even days away, and nerve wracking because it's always hard to seat guests when you're dealing with difficult family dynamics and odd numbers of people.

The traditional round table seats anywhere from 8 to 12 people. If you want to create an interesting look for your wedding reception you may opt for square tables where you have 2, 3 or 4 people on each side, depending on the dimensions of the table.

For a banquet style, you can use long rectangular tables that fit any where from 4 on each side, and one person at each end, or you can put several tables together creating a long table with 40-50 or more at one big table. If you do decide on this look, remember that guests should be able to get in and out effortlessly so they can easily get to the bathroom or dance floor.

Talk to your location manager and/or florist about linens for square or rectangular tables because you may have to rent the table AND the tablecloths.

The beautiful, long table, featured above was photographed by Tempting Weddings Photography based in California. You can visit their site to check out their beautiful work, or visit their blog, which features albums of real weddings they've shot. You'll get a great idea of how Ken & Teresa shoot weddings. The images in each “album” they post include: getting ready, formal portraits, the ceremony, reception and the details.

The Wedding Salon - New York

The Wedding Salon, the country's only luxury bridal show, is coming back to New York next week for their 4th anniversary.

Filled with only the top vendors in the tri-state area, The Wedding Salon is unlike other bridal shows becasue you will get to see a variety of tablescapes including linens, china, food, flowers and menu and seating cards. You get to taste hors’dourves, sip cocktails, wedidng cakes and view photographer's books, wedding videos, stationery elements and fabulous honeymoon destinations.
Held at Gotham Hall (Broadway at 36th Street) on Monday, April 23rd from 4-9pm. Admission for 2, including a phenomenal goody-bag, costs $150, but listen to this podcast from the Wedding Podcast Network and find out how you can win a FREE pair. Just by visiting the site you can get a coupon for discounted tickets - 50% off!!!

I'll be at the show. Hope to see you there!!

The Handwriting on the Envelope

You've probably heard before that your invitation will be the first impression your guests will have of your wedding. And though that is true, the envelope it arrives in will be seen before the actual invite.

There are several ways for you to personalize and style your envelopes. Choosing a colored envelope and a themed stamp are two options, but the calligraphy you select can make a huge statement.

The handwriting can be filled with flourishes, fun and whimsical or reflect a very relaxed and casual style. You can also select an ink color to compliment your wedding's color palette.

Laura Hooper's Calligraphy, featured here, offers brides over 2 dozen penmanship styles to choose from. In addition to envelopes, Laura can also design custom maps and monograms, as well as write table numbers and guests’ names on place and seating cards.

Wed TV

This weekend WE, the network that airs Bridezillas, is premiering their latest wedding show, Get Married.

Unlike most wedding shows, Get Married will help you plan your wedding. Each episode features interviews with industry experts including, event designer David Tutera, wedding gown designer Angel Sanchez and other prominent figures in the industry.

In addition to the TV show, there's a companion site GetMarried.com where brides-to-be can find vendors in their area and interactive tools such as a calendar, budget manager and guest list tracker.

The show premieres this Sunday, April 15th at 9:30am.

"Cheese!"

I was recently asked for the name of a photo booth rental company in my area, and by coincidence I came across this one based in Seattle, but available across the country.

Usnaps is a digital photo booth you can have at your wedding so guests can snap shots of themselves. Once a picture is taken, the digital image is previewed on the machine so party goers can check the photo out.

Unlike traditional booths where pictures are printed in minutes, Usnaps' images are are uploaded to a website within 24 hours of the event, so everyone can see them and order what they like for their own scrapbooks.

It's Easy to be Green

Many couples want to select elements for their wedding that are environmentally friendly but just don't know where to look.

Emily Anderson, a former colleague of mine from Martha Stewart Living, has just published Eco-Chic Weddings, a comprehensive guide to planning a stylish and environmentally friendly wedding.

The book is filled with great tips on how you can incorporate "green" elements into your wedding, including stationery, fashion, flowers and transportation ideas. With a detailed list of resources at the end of each chapter, you can easily find vendors and products to make sure your wedding is not only beautiful but responsible too.

What Not To Wear

I get a lot of questions on the iVillage Ask the Bridal Expert message board about attire. And not about what the bridal party should wear, but how to make sure the guests wear appropriate clothes.

My answer is pretty simple. If you want all the men in tuxedos and women evening gowns then have "black tie" or "formal attire" printed on the lower corner of your invitation. If you want your guests to be formal but don't need to have everyone in a tux then print "black tie optional." If you're not sure attire wording will fit on the invite, talk to your stationer about layouts and other options. I had a separate card inserted to the invite that read "Dinner and dancing to follow formal attire"

Your guests will know how to dress themselves, and of all the details you need to tend to, worrying about their wardrobe should not be one of them. There are certain attire rules that most, if not all, people follow:

Saturday (or Sunday) night - after 6pm - formal/black tie attire
Daytime weddings - suits for men and cocktail dresses for women

If you're concerned about a handful of guests you can either tell them, or have someone else tell them, what's appropriate, or just let them come and don't think about it. A guest that is dressed inappropriately will be more embarrassed for himself or herself and you probably won't notice because you'll be too busy enjoying the day.

The invite pictured above is from Anna Bella Stationery. They have a great selection of invitation sets and reception card pieces that can match every palette and theme, and their prices are extremely reasonable. For paper inspiration, check out their blog, Paper-Peep.

Let Them Eat Cake

If you live in the Philadelphia area and still looking for the perfect wedding cake, (or just want to enjoy some), purchase tickets for the Let Them Eat Cake event benefitting the City of Hope.

On April 17th, at The Park Hyatt Philadelphia at The Bellevue, baker will compete against baker in a competition to find the best wedding cake design in town.

Contestants include wedding cake designers, pastry students and restaurant & hotel chefs.

To both enjoy delicious cakes and get inspired for your own wedding purchase tickets for $25 in advance, or $30 at the door. Proceeds from tickets sales go to City of Hope Cancer Center.

Lights. Camera. Action!

Having trouble deciding on a videographer? You’re not alone. Memories of an older siblings' tape of Mickey and Minnie dancing across the screen or a huge video and bright light making its way around the dance floor keep many couples from hiring a videographer. But times have changed, and just as the traditional photographer has evolved into a photojournalist, videographers are now videojournalists.

At the New York Weddings magazine event last week I was introduced to Kristen, owner of Bliss* Video Productions based in California. I watched every sample clip on her website, and if you're getting married in LA, San Francisco, or somewhere nearby I suggest you take a look too.

Kristen's choice of music and editing techniques create a unique video reflecting the bride and groom’s personalities, style as well as the look and feel of the day.

Don't shy away from video. Yes, a picture says a thousand words, but there's something wonderful about seeing you and your husband reciting your vows, sharing your first dance and watching the faces of your parents, grandparents and friends.

For myself, I love that I can watch my grandfather smiling and laughing at my wedding and I know my kids will one day enjoy watching their parents on the small screen.