Clip For The Cure & Regis Salons

Join your local Regis Salon on Saturday, October 1, 2011 for this years Clip For The Cure to help raise a million dollars to fight breast cancer.  10% of the proceeds from every haircut will be donated to the Regis Foundation for Breast Cancer Research.  Look for your favorite Regis stylists wearing signature pink scarves to remind us they are taking part in this important fight to this disease. 

Limited edition products sporting the fight against breast cancer's signature pink will be available in stores, including buttons that anyone can afford, only a dollar each.  These are available from now until October 31. 

 

Participating Regis Salons are also offering opportunities to donate by purchasing some of the private label hair care products sold in their salons.  Some private labels participating are DESIGNLINE®, Cost Cutters Professional and MasterCuts’ M|C line.  10% of the net proceeds from the sales of these lines will benefit the Regis Foundation for Breast Cancer Research. 

Some salons will also be accepting business and customer donations directly.  Think pretty and pink and Regis in October and help fight breast cancer by supporting the Regis Foundation for Breast Cancer Research.

Clip for the Cure Events
2011 Participating Salons
The corporate stores of the brands listed below are holding Clip for the Cure haircutting events on October 1, 2011:

- Best Cuts
- BoRics
- Carlton Hair
- City Looks
- Cool Cuts 4 Kids
- Cost Cutters
- Famous Hair
- Fiesta Salons
- First Choice Haircutters
- Great Expectations
- Hair Excitement
- Haircrafters
- HairMasters
- Head Start Haircare
- Hennessey
- Holiday Hair
- Island Haircutting Co.
- Jean Louis David
- Magicuts
- MasterCuts
- Mia & Maxx
- Mitchell’s Hair Styling
- Panopoulos Salons
- Pro-Cuts
- Progressions Salon
- RAZE
- Regis Salons
- Renee Beauty
- Saturday’s
- SmartStyle
- Style America
- Supercuts
- TGF Hair Salon
- We Care Hair

Save Up To 55% Off Spanks

The Delco Deal Diva posted this great way to say up to 55% off Spanks TODAY ONLY.  Spanks are a product most women absolutely LOVE and face it, there aren't too many of us who wouldn't like to look slimmer.

 I don't usually post deals but this is a great product and TODAY only it's being sold at a great price.  To find out the secret of how to get the deal visit The Delco Deal Diva's web site. 

Dancing For Cookies? Who Knew?

We've all enjoyed eating those fabulous culinary treats known as Italian Wedding Cookies.  Lightly flavored with anise, the cookies are coated with white sugar--yum! Perfect for a wedding! Italians are not only geniuses in the kitchen with pasta and sauce but desserts as well.  For those who have never tasted Italian Wedding Cookies they have an anise flavoring, that is similar to licorice. If you've tried Anisette liqueur they are similar in taste but lighter. 

It seems the Italians have managed to combine these dessert favorites with an ingenious way to get men to dance--they've blended dancing with eating cookies. They actually have a dance at weddings called The Wedding Cookie Dance.

I don't know about your husband or boyfriend, but the promise of cookies would be a sure fire way to get mine out on the dance floor! Cookie Dances...who knew? I've been to weddings where people do 'The Chicken Dance'...but never a Cookie Dance.  Given a choice, a cookie dance sounds like the better option! 

For the uninitiated and non-Italian(like me), the Italian Wedding Cookie Dance is similar to a line dance. party-goers form a long queue, similar to a conga line.  All the guests follow the bride and groom as they dance around the reception hall over to a dessert table where there is a large tall tray of Italian Cookies specially stacked up to resemble a cake just for this dance.  Each guest joins the bride, groom and their families to enjoy a delectable Italian treat of Italian Wedding Cookies. 

Cookie monster would be delighted!  So even if you can only claim a drop of Italian blood borrow this fun tradition for your wedding! Head to your local Italian bakery to find the best Italian Wedding Cookies, (unless you are Italian and Grandma is still around and willing to bake her little heart out for you.)  The real challenge comes when you have to build the cake-shaped tower of cookies, kind of the Jenga of The Sweet Table!  But you can leave that to your caterer.  There's a reason you pay them the big bucks! 

Take The Wedding Walk

Last Sunday Bouché Productions and the Partnership for Haddonfield had the second annual Haddonfield Wedding Walk.  Haddonfield, a small town in South Jersey, has over 70 businesses to help brides in the Tri-State area plan their weddings.  Talk about one stop shopping!

The Haddonfield Wedding Walk began at the Haddonfield Fortnightly (located on the corner of Grove Street and Kings Highway) where each registered bride received a passport with the names and addresses of each business in Haddonfield catering to brides and a place for vendors at the Fortnightly to stamp after the brides visited with them.  Brides with at least eight stamps on their passports from stores located in Haddonfield and signatures from all seventeen vendors at the Fortnightly were entered into a raffle. Prizes included gift certificates and coupons with a Grand Prize of round trip air fare for two.

Retail locations participating in The Haddonfield Wedding Walk were marked with easy to see festive ivory and gold balloons.  Brides and their wedding parties toured through the historic town visiting fifteen locations located throughout Haddonfield that were taking part in The Haddonfield Wedding Walk.  Retailers were located along Kings Highway and from Haddon Avenue, to Tanner Street and Mechanic Street.

A wedding trolley from The Great American Trolley Company delivered brides and their guests to locations throughout town that included eateries like Melange, Little Tuna and the British Chip Shop.

This year’s show welcomed Mark Kingsdorf of Queen of Hearts Wedding Consultants. Kingsdorf is the only Master Wedding Planner in our area, and one of about thirty-some in the nation,”Kingsdorf talked about trends and bridal tips, shortcuts, things brides might not know.” Kingsdorf's information alone makes coming to this show worthwhile.

The show at the Fortnightly included an entertainment showcase and a fashion show featuring gowns from Angel Bridal, Country Way Bridal and Jay West Bridal, and men’s formal wear by Dynamic Crew/Lifestyles Tuxedo.

Brides at The Haddonfield Wedding Walk ran the gamut of the newly engaged who were just starting out planning their weddings to brides looking for specific vendors like florists or photographers.  If you didn't make it to this year's Haddonfield Wedding Walk, log onto Bouché  Productions, they can help you keep up with upcoming wedding shows, and next year's Haddonfield Wedding Walk is sure to be listed next fall.  Meanwhile try some other Bouché  events.  If you live in Pennsylvania, I highly recommend the 4th Annual Mainline Bridal Event at the Villanova Conference Center, last year's show really wowed me!

The Black Tie Guide Explains Menswear For Your Wedding

 

Photo from iStockPhoto.com

Do we need an explanation of black tie? The Black Tie Guide thinks many men DO need a guide. Why? Because unfortunately many grooms today rely on what they see in the media.  Zap to those memories of men on the red carpet at the Oscars.  Some with no tie, some with shirts open down to their waist, some wearing bolos, some with the tie untied and hanging down or other black tie attrocities.  Obviously black tie DOES need to be defined for the uninformed.

Are you or your groom confused about all the terminology for menswear for your wedding? Head over to The Black Tie Guide web site. Not only does The Black Tie Guide define and explain black tie terminology and proper black tie etiquette, they explain the history of black tie dress.

Should you choose black tie, white tie? What does it all really mean? And if you're planning a morning wedding what should your groom wear? I was amazed at all the details involved--I think you will be too.  Visit The Black Tie Guide to help you plan appropriate dress for your wedding.  

Best of all for some grooms the guide explains how to tie your bow tie! Something that seems to elude so many. Their best tip? When you're practicing they suggest familiarizing yourself with the process without having to rely on a mirror.  You can do this by practicing how to tie the bow tie around your thigh instead of your neck.  Why would you do this? Because you neck and thigh have approximately the same circumference but your thigh is where you can see it without using a mirror.  Print out The Black Tie Guide's instructions but turn the tutorial upside down so you can get a better handle on how it will feel when you tie it under your chin.  Sheer genius!

In addition, The Black Tie Guide has a link to Sam Hober Custom Made Neckties web site that shows you how to fold a perfect pocket square--no groom worth his salt wants to rely on those tiny triangles attached to a piece of cardboard in his tuxedo pocket!

Visit The Black Tie Guide's web site and learn everything you wanted to know about black tie and other formal events as well as some interesting historical information.  And remember what Oscar Wilde said, "One should either be a work of art, or wear a work of art." So take the time to be sure your formal wear helps you carry it off.

Portrait of Women Shoots Make You Look How Every Woman Wants To Look When She Gets Married

Welcome to this great guest post by Katie Bradford Osborne.  I couldn't wait to share Katie's artistic vision with you as well as how she has used her art to help others at Cancer Support Community of Philadelphia.  Thank you for guest posting Katie. 

“What would the world be like if every BRIDE knew how amazing she is?” - Katie Bradford Osborne

Your wedding is almost here.  You've personally chosen everything with care down to the last little detail.  But there is still one big blaring detail you haven't covered yet- you have absolutely no idea what to get your groom as a wedding gift!  He already has a great watch, six pairs of cufflinks, and three personalized money clips.  Googling 'groom's gift' is getting you nowhere.  You've considered doing a boudoir shoot.  It would definitely be unexpected, and he would certainly enjoy it! But you're not sure you want to choose a gift that only he can see.

What if your portraits were ART instead- something that you can hang on your wall that will not only be an extraordinary gift for him but will celebrate you as a gorgeous and captivating woman you are right now when you're looking back on this time of your life in years to come?

Enter Katie Bradford Osborne, a Philadelphia area fine art portrait photographer and her Portrait of a Woman program!

  What IS a Portrait of a Woman shoot?

Portrait of a Woman is about capturing the beauty of a woman - inside and out - and showing her as the captivating woman she can be!  The program was created when Katie realized how seldom women really celebrate these things about themselves, instead spending hours in front of the mirror berating themselves for not being perfect.  But that's Katie's specialty- seeing the beauty in every woman and showing it in her art.  And that's what makes a Portrait of a Woman shoot different.  From beginning to end, Katie will work with you on every detail of your shoot- from creating a concept to wardrobe to location- in order to create a shoot that is perfect for you.  The end result is art that you will be proud of for years to come!

The exciting thing is that right now you can do a Portrait of a Woman shoot and feel great about helping out a great cause at the same time!

During the month of October, Katie is offering a limited number of minisessions for a reduced rate as part of her Women of Heart : Becoming Art For A Cause charity effort benefitting the Cancer Support Community of Philadelphia, an amazing Philadelphia organization dedicated to providing education and support to those whose lives are affected by cancer.  As an added bonus, the culmination of these shoots is a gallery event on November 2 where the best portrait from each session will be displayed alongside art submitted by other area artists- you will truly get to see yourself as art!

So now is the time to become ART! But don't wait- minisession slots are filling up fast! For more information about Women of Heart and Portrait of a Woman and to book your own minisession, visit KBOPhotography.com or contact katie by email- katie@kbophotography.com.

Braids on Brides

Braids on brides are elegant and traditional while at the same time offer the bride the opportunity to be individual and daring at the same time. 

Braids work on brides running the gamut from casual to conservative.  You'll find braids on brides marrying on the beach to brides having a wedding with white tie elegance and everywhere inbetween.

Braids can be your own hair or a worked in using a variety of faux braid options.  For some great pictures of braids on brides go to Sarah Houston's bridal blog.  Sarah shows you options but obviously you can find more braided brides at other sites like Braided Wedding Hairstyles and Vibrant Bride.  Vibrant Bride says many brides choose braids because of their " almost total lack of maintenance in the morning is one of the most voiced reasons for sporting these dos. They are just perfect on your honeymoon. Wake up looking just as good as on your wedding day." 

Looking for tutorials? If you're interested in a fishtail braid go to Bridal Musings for YouTube tutorials. Bridal Musings reviewed the top three braiding tutorials and has links for them all, the top one is posted with links to the runners up.

Who can wear braids? Braids are for any bride of any ethnicity.  Shorter hair or longer hair all hair lengths can work.  The bride can have braids but her bridal party can too, as well as her flower girl.  I adore braids on flower girls, they keep their hair need but look so grown up (which the flower girls love!)

Can you braid your own hair on your wedding day? Some styles are DIY but others will require the assistance of a hair professional.  I'd recommend having someone else do your braiding, even if it's your mom or maid of honor.  It's always easier to get an elegant look when you aren't braiding yourself. 

Let me know which styles you love or hate.  I'd love to hear your feedback.

Flower Girl Dresses by Leonie Oakes -- Wearable Art

Having a garden wedding and can't find the perfect dress for your flower girl? These flower girl creations by Leonie Oakes are the flower girl dresses with a difference, they are wearable art. 

Oakes is a bookbinding teacher in Tasmania whose work was shown at the Handmark Gallery in Australia.  I found her designs highlighted on the Wicked Halo site--bookmark the site, it's full of great inspiration for anyone planning a unique event. She designs clothes using fragments of books and broken text to give you a glimpse of the past without telling the whole story.  The dresses are charming and unique.  Almost makes you want to pay for the dress yourself so you can have it to admire after your wedding! 

These dresses just shout 'great for photos'.  If you look at her show, you'll see she has different dresses in a variety of designs.  I am in love with Leonie's wearable art! Of course they come with a price tag but this is art I'd love to dip into learning more about.  If you can't afford her originals use these dresses as inspiration for making your own flower girl dresses.  They may not be quite as high end, but the look is what you're after!

Rent A Fake

Have a small family? Want to have a big wedding, or make it look like you have a zillion friends? Or are you getting married but your friends and family live across the country and can't afford to fly to the wedding? Want to have more work colleagues to pad out the guest list? Brides or grooms trying to impress the in laws or their future spouse with the sheer volume of their best buddies are padding their guest lists with these 'fake' guests. As unemployment rates rise more people are renting fake bosses and colleagues or if they've lost their jobs in the recent downturn they are trying to look more respectable.

Don't worry, if you live in Japan there's a solution. (I know, the Japanese are INGENIOUS!) They have a company called Office Agent, based in Tokyo, who will let you have as large a crowd as you want by hiring you actors to be part of your family or to be your closest friends. In Japan it's important to have a lot of people come to your wedding, so now if you're Japanese and have the spare cash but no spare friends, you can rent fake friends!

What will it cost? “For 20,000 yen ($200), Office Agents provides a staff member to attend the ceremony,” Reuters says. “For an additional 5,000 yen, that person can perform a song or a dance. Pitch in another 10,000 yen and that person can make a speech that would make you proud.”

While this may save money on invitations, it won't save money in the long run, but it seems what people are saving is 'face'.  I wouldn't pay this much for extra bodies at my wedding but my culture is totally different.

So you want to be a 'faker?' The company describes their fakers as 'cheery and clean and look like they have regular jobs.'

Is there any reason you'd hire 'fakers' to come to your wedding? If you did, what would you be willing to pay? How many guests would you need? Maybe I need to open an agency in the good old USA!

Avon Right To Your Door--Free Shipping

Always wanted to order your Avon online? Now you can get Avon delivered right to your door, plus if you order before the deadline you'll get free shipping!  Sometimes with your busy schedule, shopping when your Avon Sales Representative is available isn't always convenient for you. You're the customer Avon has initiated online shopping for. 

For a limited time only you can buy products from the convenience of your home by clicking on the link to the left or by logging in at http://youravon.com/cvecchione and get free shipping! This offer ends at midnight September 23, 2011. 

When you register you'll also get special offers by email for great sales that are just for e-commerce customers. Have a question about an Avon product? If you can't find the information online, contact your Avon Representative by email.

How often when you've ordered from Avon have you thought 'I could DO this!'  If you're interested in becoming an Avon Representative (just think, it would help pay for all those extras for the wedding!) email Carolyn at nancycels@aol.com. Men, this doesn't mean you can't sell Avon as well, more and more men are successfully selling Avon today.  Unlike some sales programs Avon doesn't require you to purchase products to sell.  Many couples are building businesses and escaping the nine to five corporate world. If you're one of them, Avon may be for you. 

Her Underwear is Where?

Brides who are wearing a form fitting dress (no not like Kate Middleton, but like her sister, Pippa) need to carefully choose their undergarments.  Photos of Pippa's bootyful booty adorn walls of young men around the world as well as the fashionable bride wanting to look her best on her wedding day.  Frankly if most of us could pull off just half the glam of Pippa's look we'd be grateful! 

So the question is, did she, or didn't she--go commando that is? The opinions on this are split, men who are hoping she did, women who are a bit more knowledgeable about the possible ways to pull off a formfitting dress like Pippa's.  Today's shapewear as well as thongs could have helped Pippa pull of her look.  What do you think? Did she or didn't she? For a great overview of shapewear options go to this link.

Cheescake At Your Wedding? Cheesy or Not?

Have you considered serving cheesecake at your wedding? These cheesy cakes are an interesting option to the usual pound cake with raspberry filling.  You can make your own cheesecake to serve at your wedding by choosing attractive wheels of cheese that vary in size and stacking them.

Use a cake stand or a round wooden cutting board (consider having the board have your initial and wedding date on the side, it's a nice keepsake).  Add some fruit to decorate the cheese wheels.

Decorate you cheese wheel with fruit and greenery as seen above.  Serve with some gourmet crackers and fruit for dessert.  Makes a nice change from all those overly sweet confections you usually get served at weddings. 

Mile High Station -- Totally Fell In Love With This Venue

Denver area brides looking for a rustic yet urban look should consider choosing Mile High Station.  It's a downtown Denver venue that is big enough for a large wedding but that can be used for smaller celebrations as well.  Anyone who is looking for a great venue should head over to their website and see if it's the look you want.  If it is, call them and make an appointment to discuss details and see it in person.  Let me know if you fall in love with it too!

The Mile High Station occupies the former Midwest Steel and Ironworks building.  In 1897 when it was built it employed hundreds of craftsmen and ironworkers.  Later the company built sections of ships that were used by the Navy in WWII.  The building is under consideration to become a Historic building by the state of Colorado.  The buliding has been carefully renovated to preserve it's original features while adding an up to date kitchen, a brick bar, large patio area, elevated mezzanine and an   in-house AV system. The old brick walls, I-Beam steel structure and some of the original equipment has been preserved to give it that rustic look. 

Brides who choose Mile High Station bring bridal elegance and juxtapose it against the industrial look of the old factory.  The photos will be fabulous and your guests are guarateed to be wowed and have a great time.  This link provided these photos and there are lots more if you visit their website.

Budgeting So You Don't Break The Bank

The one part of wedding planning no one wants to address is the 'B' word--Budgeting.  No one wants to deal with it.  It's not the 'fun' part of wedding planning.  In fact it is probably the most stressful issue you'll have to address because it will impact every other decision you make while planning your wedding.  Even a DIY bride needs to know how much money she has to spend and where she's spending it.  Today this isn't just a issue for brides to address--grooms you're in it too.  This is the beginning of 'for better or for worse.'  Surviving planning a wedding budget is a true test of your compatibility as a couple. 

What is the best way to plan your budget?  The web is full of easy to use budgeting tools (so you have no excuses) so check out the major wedding sites and choose the one that's easiest for you to use.  There are also plenty of books on wedding planning at any major book store or Amazon.com. Some will be overly elaborate if you're planning a simple at home wedding, others won't be elaborate enough for a week long 'event' -- each bride and groom needs to evaluate the budgeting tools and find a good 'fit.'

A budget is only as good as the data you put into it.  Start with how much money you want to spend, plan to spend a couple thousand less and you'll probably won't go too far over the top of your budget.  If you find you are, cut, cut, cut!  And don't forget those nasty little things like taxes and gratuities--they add up fast and you don't want to get a nasty surprise at the last minute!

If you live near a state (like I do) where there's no sales tax, seriously consider having your reception there.  In my case it would take 6% right off the top of what my costs will be--that's a nice savings you can apply to another item in your budget. 

Another good saving tip, see if you can buy your own liquor and buy from a vendor who will let you return any unopened bottles.  It's worth the savings to spend a few hours picking it up and returning the unused bottles.  Or better yet, plan a wedding without alcohol at all -- yeah I know, you think your friends and family will complain, but it's a wedding not a frat party. 

Have you ever considered bartering? A few days ago I saw a caterer willing to barter for someone who knew how to do some relatively simple household repairs, so if you're handy that way be sure to check sites that have bartering posts. 

Are there more ways to save money? Sure, but that would take a book--wait, there's an idea, maybe I'll write one!  I'll keep you posted!

Trashing The Dress--Or Why You Don't Want To Spend A Fortune On A Gown

Trashing your dress is one of the hot new trends in wedding photography.  Photographer John Michael Cooper coined this phrase that has parents everywhere throwing up their hands. If you'd like to see some of his photos visit his website. Would you spend $5000 on a gown only to wear it once and then roll around in the sand and sea in it?  Many brides today have adopted this 'day after' tradition and photographers have jumped in as well. 

Where are brides going to trash their dresses? Beaches and the ocean are favorites of brides who live in coastal regions, but water of any kind combined with mud is popular when the ocean is not available.  Brides have trashed their dress in swamps, fountains, and some others yet have burned (I DO NOT recommend this) or spray painted their gowns.  When it comes to trash the dress photos the only parameters seem to be 'anything goes.'  It seems the only limit to trash the dress is your imagination and your photographer's skills and finding an incredible location. Each year the Wedding Photojournalist Association (WPJA) plays host to many photography contests, the Trash the Dress category is one of the most popular.

If your daughter is getting married and is planning to 'destress' the day after her wedding by trashing her dress, be sure to put it on the list of things SHE is paying for!

Far better options exist if brides want to get rid of their wedding gowns so they don't sit in the attic.  Brides can consider donating their dresses or re-selling them after their wedding day.

When the Military Gets Married--Or Feeding The Troops

Have a bride or groom (or both) who are or were military? Try these great cookies by The Sweet Adventures of Sugarbelle.  This site not only gives you some great ideas but some step by step directions as well.  Nothing like a basic idea plus a great tutorial all in one. 

Not only are there some great camouflage cookies (perfect for the bride or groom) but some other great military looks that you could use as well. Sometimes a wedding is more than just the joining of a man and woman, sometimes it's the melding of the military as well. 

Do You Really Want A Goth Groom? Or Why Watching Twilight Might Be More Romantic Than Living It

Goth Groom? Vampire Weddings? Really? I know, I'm getting old.  I must be out of it.  The appeal of Goth looks, vampire movies complete with weddings (Please! Do NOT make me go see Twilight or any version thereof!), handfasting or blood pacts with your dark prince... I just don't understand the appeal!  I can't imagine anything more high maintenance than a man who wears a lot of makeup (often more than I do) and whose wardrobe resembles something I'd only wear on Halloween.  Do I find these men romantic? No way! Do I want to touch anyone who wears that much hair gel? Ych! But I guess these guys wouldn't be too interested in me either!

But give it some serious thought before you plan your whole wedding around a Goth or Vampire theme--thirty years from now you'll look at your wedding pictures and gasp "WHAT WAS I THINKING! WHY DIDN'T SOMEONE STOP ME!" So I'm telling you now--STOP! THINK! And don't blame me if you decide to do it anyway! 

White Weddings

Simply white by Eliachide

Inspiration board to help you plan your wedding day.

Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed and A Lot Blue! An Inspiration Board of Blues

Blue Wedding by peacemaker

If you're a bride in love with blue, this inspiration board is filled with ideas to make your wedding color blue. Please don't use them ALL! That just might be overkill--but a few of these ideas will pull your wedding theme together and make it look like you had an expert wedding planner.

Lingerie For Your Trousseau Coupon From Buy With Me

Looking for some lingerie for your trousseau? Biatta Intimates and Buy With Me currently have a great deal going for some of the prettiest lingerie around.  If you purchase the coupon you will get $50 worth of lingerie for only $15.  A savings of $35! What more could a bride to be ask for?  Visit Biatta's web site to see the lingerie available now.  The coupon is good until March 12, 2012, but you only have six more days and a few hours to purchase the coupons, so head over to Buy With Me and get your coupon before they run out!

Fall Leaf Box For Favor--Buy It Ready Made or DIY?

Aren't these leaf box favors perfect for your fall wedding? They just scream elegance AND 'TAKE ME HOME.' There is nothing worse than at the end of your wedding finding all those favors you slaved over and took days and days choosing have been left behind by your wedding guests.  These decorative favor boxes not only pick up your fall wedding theme but their beauty adds to your wedding decor.  Creative, elegant, and they add glamour--what more could you ask? I always like giving favors that do double duty as decorative items.  These certainly fit the bill.  Fill them with your favorite candy or other food favor item and tie it up with a luxe satiny ribbon to give your wedding a luxury look without breaking the bank.  If you're a DIY'er you could probably make similar boxes on your own with a decorative stamp and some great inks and boxes from your favorite craft store (be sure to look for weekly coupons and discounts).  Party City stocks these favor boxes but you can also pick them up online (thank you Google!)

For The Bride With A Wild Side--Lucky Strikes Again!

Are you a bride with a wild side? Or just a bride who is looking for some comfortable shoes to wear while she dances the night away? Visit Lucky Brand online ONLY to order these great shoes.  (They also come in bronze and red) No longer are brides relegated to wearing boring and uncomfortable silk or satin high heeled shoes on their wedding day that they'll NEVER wear again.  Now brides are choosing more and varied footwear. 

What footwear are brides with flair wearing? Everything from cowboy boots, to Converse sneakers, to primary color heels or flats or these wild Leopard print ballet flats. Each bride can express her individual taste as she walks down the aisle or dances till midnight.  Will you be wearing adventurous shoes on your wedding day? Do you love footwear with flair? Tell us all about it!

Are You Shopping For An Inexpensive Dress?

While shopping online for a dress to wear to my niece's wedding, I got an email from JC Penney.  And I thought, I wonder if they carry wedding gowns? Much to my surprise, THEY DO! Not only that they have some great gowns for bridesmaids and flower girls.  Some are on sale right now, so head over to their sight and see what they have.  (Since I love spending your money vicariously, let me know if you find a great dress there!)

If you're looking for a heavily beaded gown, this is not where you want to shop.  But if you're looking for a dress that's sleek and contemporary, these relatively inexpensive gowns may suit you perfectly.  Gowns are both long and short, and some of the bridesmaids dresses could be wedding gowns if you're looking for the popular blush colored gowns so many celebs are wearing.  One caveat: I don't know what their tailoring policy is, so be sure to check that before you decide on your gown based on price--we all know tailoring can cost almost as much as the dress!  But most of these dresses are under $100. so you can easily afford to spend some cash on tailoring!  (Oh and that great pair of shoes...I'm a sucker for shoes!)

One More EASY Weight Loss Tip

My mom's friend, Gerry, offered one additional tip for losing weight that most brides never think of, but which certainly qualifies as EASY! Bless you Gerry! Some of never stop to think outside the box but she did! Here's here suggestion:

Check your shampoo bottle label.

I don't know WHY I didn't figure this out sooner!!!! Its the shampoo I use in the shower! When I wash my hair, the shampoo runs down my whole body and (duh!) printed very clearly on the shampoo label is this warning, FOR EXTRA VOLUME AND BODY!

NO wonder some of us have been gaining weight!!! We're using the wrong shampoo!

Well! I have gotten rid of that shampoo and I am going to start using Dawn dish soap instead. Their label reads: 
DISSOLVES FAT THAT IS OTHERWISE DIFFICULT TO REMOVE.

Problem Solved!!!

If I don't answer the phone I'll be in the shower! I'm going to wash that fat right out of my hair--and everywhere else!
Sorry readers, I simply couldn't resist! Picture me here ROFL as you read this post!

**Warning: Dawn will not remove fat from your body, nor does volumizing shampoo REALLY add the pounds.  I know, most of you are well aware this was written tongue in cheek, but I don't want someone's lawyers contacting me when they don't lose weight! That would so NOT be funny!

The Lazy Bride's Five Easy Ways To Lose Weight Before The Wedding

Photo from http://www.brillianteventplanning.com

I don't think I've ever talked to a bride who didn't want to lose weight before her wedding day! Some go to great lengths to lose weight, enrolling in Bridal Boot Camp (which is way too much pain and effort for me and some of you I'm sure).  So here a few ideas that can help you drop those pounds effortlessly.

1.  Weigh yourself.  (I know-I can hear the groans from around the world as I write this) But people who weigh themselves have a better handle on how much they are eating and tend to keep it under control.  No one wants to see those numbers creep up!  Worse (or would that be better yet?) are the scales that TALK to you! Not sure I'd want one mocking me first thing in the morning letting me know just how much that extra snacking yesterday or the day before did me in, so I'll keep my silent scale, at least it doesn't announce my weight gain to the world!

2.  Breakfast, Breakfast, Breakfast! There's a reason Kellogg's advertises 'the Special K breakfast'--it IS good for you to eat breakfast.  It doesn't have to be Special K but a healthy breakfast will not only help you lose weight, you're less likely to turn into a bridezilla.  Hungry brides-to-be tend to be demanding and impatient brides-to-be.  So grab a healthy breakfast, lose a few pounds.  Don't fall for those bran muffins--yeah, bran is good for you, those big bran muffins at Dunkin Donuts, not so much.

3.  Water.  Drink it.  Before you eat.  Simple, inexpensive, and effective.  There was a study in the journal Obesity that found that adults drinking two cups of water before they ate, ate less at the meal. Not only that, they lost more weight in 12 weeks than a group who didn't drink it.  My personal study says, buy the water by the case, don't wait till you're on your way to work and stop to pick some up at a convenience store or Dunkin' Donuts (in fact, much as it pains me to say this, don't walk through the door of DD.  Too much temptation--and just breathing in the smell in there is lethal to your diet!

4.  Have healthy snacks ready to eat.  I know, it's cheaper to buy vegetables that aren't ready to eat, but if you're a lazy bride, cutting up the veggies can be just one thing too much to add to your already busy life.  So buy those bags of baby carrots, precut veggies, and grab some bananas or apples.  No prep work required.  (OK, so you have to peel bananas, but even I am not that lazy, or if you'll only eat your apples cut up, that's on you.)

5.  Before you eat your entree, have some soup or a salad.  Like water, it's one more thing to aid you if feeling full.  Use lemon for dressing or a small amount of olive oil with lemon to avoid unhealthy fatty cream dressings.  If you're eating out and want to order salad, consider carrying a small bottle of your favorite low cal dressing with you in a ziplock in your purse.  Restaurants are notorious for putting too much dressing on salads or using very high calorie dressings.  (Face it, it does taste good, but we need to retrain our taste buds). 

Are you a lazy bride who wants to take off some weight before the wedding? Try these tips--also don't forget, if you're dieting, or even if you're not, you should be taking a decent multi-vitamin.  Some studies show that having the right amount of the right nutrients will help you feel less hungry.  Let me know how you make out.  And if you have any additional tips, feel free to add them to the comments.

Pretty In Pink

Some brides are looking for a gown that isn't the traditional white or cream. Some opt for blush, but if you want a stronger color take your cue from Gwen Stefani.  Her dip-dyed silk Galliano dress was the perfect blend of a traditional style with the addition of color.  Perfectly executed (the dress, not Gwen). 

 If you are an unconventional bride, look for dresses that you can have dyed or for dresses that aren't designed to be wedding gowns.  If you find a great gown, please link it in the comments and share with the rest of my readers.  For now, I'm in love with Gwen's dress.  Photo of Gwen and other brides with style here.

Is A Drama Mama Ruining Your Wedding Planning?

We all know drama mamas! And worse yet, as soon as you start to plan a wedding they literally COME OUT OF THE WOODWORK! Every decision you make, a drama mama immediately tells you (and everyone in a ten mile radius) how much you are going to regret a specific decision.  It doesn't matter what the decision is, whether it's to ban children from your wedding or something as simple as ivory invitations instead of white (OK, come on, how big a difference could this POSSIBLY make in the long run?) Drama mamas take every decision you make and turn it into a production worthy of the Metropolitan Opera! 

How can you enjoy planning your wedding more? Stay away from these mamas! (and to make it perfectly clear, these drama mamas aren't limited to your actual mother or your fiance's mother--some of them are your closest friends.) Sometimes you just need to NOT discuss your wedding with these people.  This should be a time you enjoy, not a time you feel you have to defend every decision or have to worry about offending someone you care about by not taking their advice--after all. Remember it is YOUR wedding.  It should reflect what you and your fiance think would make your wedding day memorable and beautiful, not what your best friend thinks you should do. 

How can you avoid getting these drama mamas mad at you? Simply say you want your day to be a surprise for your guests, so you aren't discussing details in advance.  This doesn't have to actually be factual, you may in fact have some people you can discuss your plans with who are supportive of your plans (no matter how bizarre they might seem).  These are the people who want YOU to be happy with your wedding day.

 I have to admit, I stuck my foot in it when a friend took me dress shopping with her and wanted to show me 'THE DRESS.'  After a lot of girlish excitement we got to the bridal salon and she found the dress she wanted to show me.  We headed to the fitting room and she put it on.  OK, now I say this with the greatest love, but WHERE WAS HER TASTE?  The gown literally had tassels--hanging from ...well suffice it to say she looked like a stripper getting married who just couldn't do without her usual costume.  Every movement she made they accented 'the girls.'  I don't know if it was a manufacturing error or if the dress was really made that way, but...tassels...on a wedding gown? 

I was so relieved when the saleswoman came in and said she had just one more dress for my friend to try on--(fortunately a tassel-free dress this time).  When my friend asked me which dress I liked, I KNOW I should have said whichever one she liked best.  But I never could keep my mouth shut.  So I told her the 2nd dress made her look glow.  It accented how much she loved her fiance.  And then I prayed for the goddess of good taste to take over.  Thank goodness it did.

What did I learn?  I really don't want to have ANY say in anyone's dress decisions or about anything for their wedding--I mean suppose she'd worn the tassel dress and said later 'Why didn't you tell me?' Or what if she'd said 'The one thing I regret about my wedding day is that I didn't buy the dress I wanted.'  It's too much responsibility! So if you're going shopping for your wedding gown--please, please leave me at home!  Or better yet, I'll meet you for lunch later and tell you how I can't wait to see your gown--ON your wedding day. 

Do you have a drama mama ruining your wedding planning? Tell us all about it and get it off your chest.  No tassels please!

How to Find Your Signature Pose for Wedding Photos

People who make their living being photographed have learned what their best 'pose' is and use it as they work their way from red carpet to red carpet.  Celebs from Megan Fox to Kim Kardashian to Victoria Beckham and Blake Lively all have signature poses that you can imitate if their signature pose works for you.  Read Daily Glo's article, The Most Figure-Flattering Celeb Poses and you can compare your look to theirs and try out their signature poses and use them for some of your wedding pics.  Obviously you don't want to pose for every picture but being aware of your body and where it is in space, and how it will look in photos can improve anyone's pictures.  Face it, most of us would kill to look like Megan Fox in just ONE photo!

Cans For Your Car--Wedding Day Getaway Car Decorating Made Easy.

Worried about your bridal party and family and friends going overboard decorating your getaway car?  Why not provide them with this easy kit sold on Cool Glow.  Their Deluxe Wedding Car Decorating Kit provides everything needed to decorate a getaway car.  This 15 piece kit provides a "Just Married" sign with hearts, as well as 10 matching white latex balloons feature silver bells with a "Just Married" headline, and 4 silver cans attached to white satin ribbons ready to dangle from the bumper. 

Garage Sales Can Boost Your Wedding Budget and Ten Items To Sell In Your Garage Sale

Every bride and groom has a budget, most of them are stretched pretty thin and there's always room for a little bit more money in it.  One way to raise money is to have a garage sale.  What should you put in a garage sale?

Ten Things To Sell In A Yard Sale:

1. If you haven't used it in a year, or worn it in a year, there's a good chance it's garage sale material. 
2. If you or your kids have grown out of clothes, it's time to sell them.  If you have some old costume jewelry toss it in the sale, or take it to the local vintage store.
3. Did you just buy a new bike? new lawn mower? new dresser? new lamp? Sell your old ones and add the cash to your kitty.
4. Do you have kitchen gadgets that you don't use?  My last garage sale I sold extra crock pots (for some reason I had three, plus the one I kept), other kitchen electrics, old pots and pans, old microwaves etc.  Please be sure all items are newly washed.
5. Do you have old TVs? There's always a chance that someone will want those, so put them out but be sure you have an electrical hookup so you can show that they work.
6. Too many DVD players? (My husband had FIVE, our next sale at least three are going!) This doesn't count his Blue Ray players.
7. Old tools--when I first bought my house I scoured garage sales for tools.  If you've been to the hardware store lately you know just how expensive those things are, at a garage sale you can snag gardening tools, items for your tool kit etc. for next to nothing.
8. Have an old printer or scanner you replaced just because you wanted a new one? Put the old ones in a garage sale instead of tossing them out.
9. The word 'Collectible' is often used to suck in buyers.  Only use this word if you really have something collectible.  Of course whether this counts old McDonald's Disney figurines--only you can decide.  Yes, some people DO collect these, but I'd list them as toys not collectibles.
10. Toys are always a good selling item.  Keep in mind if you're a bride and groom your toy collection is likely from your childhood and MAY have real collectible value, you might be better off on eBay. With clothing you might get a better return at a local vintage store or on eBay. 

Planning Your Garage Sale:

1. Check with your parents and in laws, chances are they've accumulated even more 'junk' than you have that they'd be willing to 'donate to the cause' as it were as long as you're willing to pick it up and take it away. 
2. Check with your town, some towns have 'Garage Sale Day' where the whole town is out garage sailing--sometimes this will get you more traffic.  Also consider having a block yard sale.  This gives your shoppers one stop parking and a whole street to shop. 
3. Don't forget about posting online.  Consider signage to direct people to your home as well as ads in your local paper.  Be careful not to overspend on ads--the idea IS to make money.
4. Consider having a two day sale.  You've gotten all this stuff together, why not try to sell as much as possible?
5. If you live in a condo or apartment check with the office.  They may have rules AGAINST having garage sales.

Now you're ready to try to add to your budget, it's time to start picking through your 'stuff'.
I'm sure everyone has still more ideas of what to put in a garage sale, or other ways to raise money to pay for a wedding, post in the comments and I can cover it in another post.

Rose Wedding Invitation Template

Download & Print has new templates available for DIY brides.  The rose pouchette invitation isn't one of their new templates but will give you an idea of their products. But if you're a bride whose wedding is going to feature pink roses, this invitation is for you. 

This company has creative wedding invitations and other paper products for weddings and best of all, they'll teach you how to DIY with their easy to follow videos available on their web site.  Come browse all their freebies or join for a year for the low price of $24.95.  Every Friday they post new free templates on their Facebook page.  Enjoy their creations--the trick is choosing JUST ONE!

To Theme or Not to Theme--Your Wedding

There is trend currently to have 'theme weddings.'  The inspiration board above is one of them.  This link also shows a few other 'do nots' for your wedding day, as well as some additional points of view. 

Obviously this bridal couple decided on a theme (not one I would choose) but to each their own.  I prefer weddings that reflect the personality of the bride and groom, and I guarantee I don't want skeletons on top of my wedding cake or as jewelry. 

If you are thinking about a theme wedding consider what you'll think of it in fifty years--it's bad enough my kids laughed hysterically at the length of my husband's hair at our wedding--if we'd had a cake with skeletons they'd probably have tried to commit us! Wedding themes are like naming your dog.  Don't have one (or in the dog's case choose a name) that you wouldn't be embarrassed to be hearing about for years (or in the canine's case yelling down the street). 

I'm not advocating cookie cutter weddings, quite the opposite.  I'm advocating using good taste and choosing a look that will stand the test of time.  Don't go so far out there that in a few years you'll be wishing 'oh my gosh, I can't believe I did that'.  Just some food for thought.

Priscilla of Boston Going Out Of Business

For those of you who missed this announcement, Priscilla of Boston is going out of business.  They are having incredible sales of 40% off on everything from gowns to accessories IN STOCK ONLY.  Everything must go! They aren't accepting new orders and all dresses must be picked up by December 31, 2011 and you need to get it altered elsewhere.  Use this link to read more about Priscilla of Boston's Going Out of Business Sale.  APPOINTMENTS NEEDED.

Floating Florals

Having a poolside wedding? Consider floating flowers in your pool.  Use large blooms to take advantage of the large amount of water and attach them to floatable Styrofoam so they don't get waterlogged and sink halfway through your reception.  Easy and inexpensive ways to decorate!  Then add large vases at corners of your pool to finish the look.  I love backyard weddings!