Star and Moon Bridal

free music.

2009-03-03T18:58:00.002-05:00

This is pretty much just a shameless plug for a good friend. Amazing musician and you can download his newest EP for free. Please take a listen.

To Veil or Not to Veil?

2009-01-21T11:07:00.005-05:00

I've long held the position that I'm not going to wear a veil at my wedding. They're too traditional for me. But recently looking at photos, veils can be really adorable. They don't have to be covering your face. You don't have to do the "lift the veil to kiss the bride."

And to top it off you have a choice of the type of veil to work into your wedding day attire.

Under...

Or over...

Decisions, decisions...

Top photo from Fashion Style You Blog

Bottom photo from Strictly Weddings

DIY... Invitations

2009-01-20T13:48:00.004-05:00

Last November, we tried something different with our invitations for the Star and Moon Bridal Show, making them ourselves.

We've always been looking for the perfect invitation. Cost-effective, appealing to the eye and not ridiculously troublesome. Something I'm sure many brides are thinking about, too.

We've gone the order-them-from-the-store route. Too expensive. We printed them ourselves. The ink rubbed off the paper. We ordered them online. Professional looking, but definitely not captivating enough.

So last year we invaded Office Max, Staples, Michael's, A.C. Moore and JoAnn's and finally came up with something we could really be proud of. It was easy to do, though time consuming. But in the end, I felt a great sense of accomplishment. They were simple. We bought nice silver/gray metallic cardstock, printed the wording on plain white cardstock (with this fabulous font I found on the web) and at the top made a bow out of white ribbon and strung mini pearl-type beads.

It ended up costing us about .16 per invitation and they weren't too shabby. I realized that when I get married, I could easily do my own invitations, spending a bit more money for a touch better quality and extravagance.

For today, a sound off.

2009-01-13T14:57:00.001-05:00

Fair warning for all brides-to-be: know the people you’re working with. Know your wedding vendors, know their personalities, make sure you absolutely mesh.

One thing you don’t want at your wedding is a wedding-day-horror-story. I have yet to witness anything extreme, but recently (or a year ago) at my cousin’s wedding, I experienced a reception hall that was less-than-accommodating.

My mom and I have become cake decorators and we put together a simple and classic cake for my cousin’s big day. When we arrived at the venue, they told us we couldn’t get in until an hour before the reception, contradicting what they had previously told my Aunt and Uncle. Besides the point that we were family and would be at the wedding at that time, my aunt had also asked me to help with wedding ceremony coordination because of my extreme love for them. And it didn’t stop there, they told us we didn’t have enough cake (at the end we had an entire tier and then some left over) and were disgusted to see “amateurs” walking in the door (“you made the cake?”)

And throughout the reception there were other problems. A weird, convoluted way of marking who was eating what made it confusing for our waitress and she threw a hissy fit. And later in the evening I overheard the wait staff complaining about the children attending the reception.

I personally found their behavior unacceptable. It’s the couple’s day. Put on your happy face. They’re paying you good money.

Budget-ary concerns. Part II.

2009-01-12T13:39:00.001-05:00

My dad thinks spending a lot of money on a wedding that’s “probably not going to last” is ridiculous. I say: way to romanticize marriage, Dad. My feelings on the subject… it’s the one day you get to be the star, the one day all eyes are on you, the one day that really begins the rest of your life with the person that you promise to love forever. What’s the harm in showing your feelings for the love of your life through a big celebration?

My family is big on saving, big on finding great deals. What they’re not big on? Throwing grand affairs. (I often wonder where I really came from.) I want the perfect dress, perfect food, a great cake… a day that all my guests will remember for years to come.

I’ve run the gamut when it comes to weddings. I’ve gone to the extreme wedding with a seven-course meal, four dessert tables, ice sculptures and a crazy-fun band. I’ve also attended my father’s second wedding, where we all wore flowered sundresses, and the reception? It was in our backyard. And of course, every wedding in between.

Don’t get me wrong, I think it’s great to save and spend within your means. That’s why I shop at Forever 21 to buy my $4.80 t-shirts, $5.80 sunglasses, $9.50 shorts and $19.80 denim. It’s the reason I go to Target (or even Walmart) for my cookware. But I don’t believe in sacrificing. I can’t stress enough that this is your day. My stepfather told me recently that when he and my mom were getting married, our pastor told him that he wished he had spent more on his wedding. And that’s coming from a man whose income is based on a congregation’s offering.

I think you should do everything you can to make it the day you’ve always dreamed of. No, I don’t think you should go to the bank and get a loan (who wants to start off their new life in debt?) but I do think if you have the means, go for it.

Real.Simple.Weddings

2009-01-09T10:18:00.001-05:00

I’m jealous.

I was reading the Weddings issue of Real Simple magazine. Tips on how to save on Photography, Reception, Food, Flowers, DJ… It’s amazing what they come up with.

Then there are the real-life stories of couples that spent less than $10,000 on their weddings. And I’m jealous. I wonder, “How can they do that?” So I continue reading and finally I come across the answer: they invited no more than 100 people.

As many times as my mother has told me that life is not fair, I will say this: that’s not fair.

I’m not rich. I know this and have accepted it. I’m also not very simple. I have ideas for the very-distant-future happiest-day-of-my-life. Some of them are pretty grand.

Herein lies the problem. My family alone is nearly 100 people. And we’re big party people.

So what is a girl to do?

Start saving now. Or, marry an orphan.

The Toast.

2009-01-08T09:29:00.002-05:00

At my cousin's wedding a few weeks ago, my sister and I were sitting listening to the toasts. When the Maid of Honor was speaking, my sister says to me, "Don't ask me to me your Maid of Honor because I'm not giving a toast." I turned and said, "Don't worry because you are and you will." And that began our second (or third?) fight of the weekend. But that's another story for another therapist.

Later on, my mom tells me that I must have misunderstood her, that she simply does not want to speak in front of such a large crowd. Of course I knew what she meant, but I didn't feel that was the time, the place or the manner in which to bring it up.

As of late, I've got to thinking. Who says the Maid of Honor and Best Man have to be the ones to give a toast? How many of you have been at a reception and the most awkward part was the Best Man who stumbles over his words or the Maid of Honor that freezes in the middle of the speech? At my friend's wedding a few years back, the Best Man was the Youth Director at my church, and in front of many of his Middle School and High School students says something about "keeping it between the sheets." My mother and I looked at each other in shock and have never looked at him the same again.

So why not your extremely witty good friend or your cousin who seems to have a way with words? As long as it's special to you, that's all that matters.

My new favorite website! And it’s good for weddings too!

2009-01-07T11:15:00.002-05:00

I remember being a child near Christmastime and my favorite day was “Christmas Wish List” day. My sister and I would each type up on the computer (in 'Notepad' because what else did you use in the early '90s?) the extravagant presents we wished to receive. Our own TVs with cable in our rooms, cell phones… neither would ever come true. It was a glorious day of wishful thinking and relentless hoping.

But these days it seems I’ve come to dislike the gift-giving holidays. Never mind the part where I’m horrible at coming up with gifts to give others, I dislike telling others what I want. It seems almost selfish to me. I’m sure I have some sort of weird skewed vision of the subject now because clearly I didn’t mind when I was younger. As of late, I hate the idea of listing off things I want to another party, whether it be friend or family.

However I’ve come across a way to avoid it. And it’s so 21st century. Wishpot.com is by far the coolest thing I’ve seen lately. And something I’ve long been thinking would be an excellent idea in the age of Internet shopping. The concept is quite simple: you download a little tool and when you’re on a website that has a fabulous find (a must-have, if you will), click the button in your toolbar, fill out a bit of information and it adds the item to your list on Wishpot.com. On top of that, they have a wedding registry section. Perfect. (And once you’ve graduated to the next stage of life, parenting!!, they have a baby registry!)

So make sure you check this website out. They even have a one-minute instructional video. And as with almost everything these days, you can add a “Wishpot Widget” to your Myspace or Facebook. So I’m going to go register right now and delve more deeply into my fabulous find.

So next Christmas I will DEFINITELY be using Wishpot.com. And sending the link to prospective buyers. As for not feeling selfish? My New Year’s Resolution.

Budget-ary concerns.

2009-01-07T11:08:00.003-05:00

My best friend is getting married in 15 months (in fact, theknot.com just informed her, followed by seven exclamation points. No more, no less, no lie.) She started freaking out, but not really freaking out, because, well, that’s just not her. We were chatting about her budget for the upcoming nuptials, what’s important to her and what she can kind of “skimp” on. (A discussion I’ve just recently had with my mother and stepfather, where they proceeded to laugh because I’m nowhere near getting married.)

When I think about it, and I mean really think about it, it’s hard to pick something to truly hold back on. My initial picks as all-important-must-use-the-big-bucks-on were my dress (because don’t you want to look absolutely gorgeous on your wedding day?), food (because that is definitely something the guests will always remember and talk about the next day) and the cake (because my mom and I happen to be amateur cake decorators ourselves).

Now, I look through the categories and think about others…

DJ – well, I work at a radio station and music is my life, so that really does need to be top notch.
Photo and/or Video - #1 I’m absolutely in love with the wedding videos that make it look like a real movie. And #2 it’s something I went to school for, so how am I going to sit back and watch someone botch that up? As for photography, I can’t wait to see professional candids of myself that actually look good.

As for my dear friend…granted she’s getting married in New Jersey and everything is automatically more expensive, she’s paying something like $12,000 for food. $100 a head. Insanity, I must say. However, her cake may be included. My memory is fuzzy.

My friend is like me. There’s no way she’ll sacrifice when it comes to the DJ. She’ll jab the man in the stomach and start playing some of our classic mixed CD’s from our college days entitled such things like “the soft hand” and “the classic what” before she lets him play the wrong song.

I’m afraid for her on the photography/videography front. Our group loves photos. Last time we were together we pulled out every album we had and reminisced over the good old days. Or we would spend hours on Yahoo Photos poring over a night famously called “helllloooooo.” So really, how do you skimp on photography?

The classic “every table has a disposable camera” idea has been around for a long time. And it’s a great way for your friends and family to get involved in your wedding day memories. I know when my mom got remarried in ’94 she didn’t have a photographer at the reception. And your friends can get pretty creative when left with a camera.

Digital cameras have really helped in that department as well. I’m not sure that I know a single person who doesn’t have a digital camera, or at least access to one these days. And this day in age, the Internet makes it so easy to share photos and videos between friends.

So it’s not so impossible to “skimp” on photography. You’ll still get the same memories, but for much less money.

Wedding Traditions

2008-09-11T16:38:00.000-04:00

Ever wonder what exactly you're required to pay for? Read about that and other traditions here.

2008 Trends - Wedding Dresses

2008-09-09T12:15:00.002-04:00

The big trend in wedding dresses for 2008 is romance. Designers are going for a lot of texture. Tiered gowns are quite popular at the moment, with lots of pleats and ruffles. In the spirit of extravagance and romance, Marie Antoinette-inspired gowns are becoming popular, larger-than-life and many ruffles. Following in the trend, are the Parisian-inspired dresses. As we all associate France and Paris with love and romance.

Designers are also pushing for alternative styles and necklines such as the halter and the v-neck, but brides are continuing to favor the strapless gown, always the pinnacle of elegance and prestige.

Black is stepping up to be one of the new wedding colors. French designer Max Chaoul introduced the black wedding dress in his Fall 2008 collection. And Alfred Angelo has been adding black sashes and belts to his dresses for a more modern and sophisticated look.

Look out for these three looks this year.

The Sheath. A very romantic and elegant dress. It’s both sweet and intriguing. This dress generally has no waist, seemingly falling straight down from the shoulders. The layers of wispy fabric make for a feminine touch, but also great for the bohemian bride.

The Mini. This very chic and European dress is big trendsetter at Barcelona’s bridal week. This dress needs to perfect setting to work, like a casual garden wedding, an ultra-sophisticated city wedding or a quirky but romantic ceremony at an art gallery.

The Mermaid. This is both sexy and sophisticated. The flair on this type of dress needs to happen at just the right spot in order to flatter the bride’s body. A thin layer of chiffon is able to soften the cut right up.

Keep in mind that whatever dress you choose, make sure it represents YOU.

“…but Aunt Betty doesn’t get along with Uncle Graham.”

2008-09-08T14:03:00.002-04:00

Seating arrangements.

It’s one of (if not THE) most stressful parts of planning a wedding. You’ve selected your dress. Agonized over flowers. Even spent time creating the coolest, most original favors you could think of. But you still have to seat the guests. It even makes me shudder. And I like puzzles.

First come up with a plan. Draw out a floor plan of your reception hall, where the tables will be, the dance floor, the dj, entrances, etc. Or your reception hall probably has one available for you. Don’t forget to find out the number of guests each table sits.

Secondly, write every guest’s name on a separate card or a post-it note and start placing them. Make sure to put people near places that suit them best. Your family will want to be closest to the head table, but your friends may want to be near the dance floor or with easy access to the bar.

Don’t forget about the wedding party. Maybe you don’t want to have that traditional long table facing out to rest of the guests. Some brides and grooms want to make the day a little more about them as a couple and decide to sit at a smaller, more intimate table, just the two of them. That way the wedding party can sit at a separate table along with their dates.

Beware of “singles” and “couples” tables, as sometimes it could make guests feel awkward. You also might want to avoid seating the “random guests” together. They will quickly realize that they are the odd people out. Instead, get creative with where you seat them.

Another easy way to get through the agony of seating arrangements is using a spreadsheet. Break the guests up into categories and place them at tables based on who they know. (The bride’s family, groom’s family, bride’s friends, etc.)

A new development in making the seating arrangement process much easier is software you can download from the web. The software allows you to create a guest list, manage the menu, see who has RSVP’d and easily place your friends and family at specific tables.

Toptableplanner.com works completely online so you can access it from any computer. It allows you to easily add guests and tables; rearrange and rename. You can choose what type of table you’re using and you can simply drag-and-drop.

Perfecttableplan.com is another useful tool. This program is downloadable onto your computer and will auto assign your guests to tables. It’s usable for any size event, from small gathering to an extravagant 2,000+ affair. You can make profiles for each guest including their age (child or adult), gender, meal preference and more. Another step allows you to select the proximity of each guest to another person, from “seat next to” and “seat near to” to “not next to” and “not near to.” You’re easily able to select the shape of the table and arrange them according to the floor plan of your reception hall.

Seatingarrangement.com is the free service. This one lets you choose the meal options, design your floor plan manually, track RSVPs and all. However, you have to assign the seating yourself. Everything is easily movable. And as you fill up a table, the program makes a small pie chart showing how many guests are seated and how much room you have left at that table. And if you notice, the guests seated that are linked to the bride are pink and for the groom they’re blue!

So it may not be as stressful as we thought. One thing is for sure, the earlier you get started, the easier it will be. Good Luck and Happy Seating!

Choosing Your… Cake

2008-09-08T13:49:00.002-04:00

It’s one of the most important parts of your wedding day. Well, we might say that about a lot of things. But it’s definitely one of the things guests will remember the most. Up there right next to “How beautiful her dress was!” will be “And the cake! The cake was amazing!”

There are many elements to remember when choosing your cake. How big does it need to be? How much am I going to spend on this edible decoration? What color is it going to be? (Oh so often asked with “What color is my wedding going to be?”) What will it taste like?

With wedding cakes these days (much like birthday cakes, shower cakes, any-type-of-cake-you-can-think-of cakes…) there are endless possibilities. The recent introduction of such shows as Ace of Cakes and Food Network Challenge have shown brides that they can have just about anything they want at their wedding.

The traditional cake.

The three-, four- or five-tiered cake is still often the norm at weddings. Decked out in elegant decorations, white icing, pretty lace, exquisite roses… It all screams a picturesque, stylish wedding.

It’s easy to make that traditional cake unique to your wedding. Make each tier a different flavor. Vanilla for one, chocolate for another, maybe even a red velvet. Cake decorators and bakers have their specialty cakes, so see what’s available. Not only does this make your cake different, but memorable. Guests will be relishing in the fact that they get to choose what type of cake to eat and will definitely divulge the information when talking about the wonderful wedding they attended this past weekend.

Oftentimes when you have a tiered cake the number of tiers depends on how many people you have attending the wedding. You should always ask your baker or cake decorator how many your cake will feed, but a good reference guide can be found here: Cake Serving Guide.

But…it doesn’t have to be traditional.

I’ve come to find that my personal favorite type of cake is the un-traditional. Cakes have become art pieces, a way to represent the couple (or occasion) in a way other than the square or the circle shapes set on top of each other. Your cake decorator may be able to make you a cake in the shape of a set of wedding bells or the car you’re driving off with together in the sunset. You can make it as fun as you want.

All you have to remember is that it’s your day and you can do whatever you want. That’s the beauty of a wedding. It’s all about you.