Blogs

David Tutera stopped by Z100, New York's hit music station, to chat about — what else? — weddings! Here, five things we learned from the show:

Marchesa's runway show was a standout for its bold floral influences, exquisite beadwork and ethereal draping. But as much as we obsessed over the dresses, the models' lit-from-within makeup look deserves an honorable mention, too! Lead makeup artist Talia Shobrook was inspired by "a bride with confidence" and Indian beauty, which is reflected in the gold, shimmering eyes. Read below to learn how to get this look with the same Laura Mercier products she used at the show.

Flawless Face

Step 1: Prep skin with foundation primer. 

Step 2: Apply foundation and conceal problem areas.

Step 3: Contour cheekbones with bronzing powder and apply blush to the apples of the cheeks, blending up into the cheek bone.

Step 4: Dab a light pink lipstick on the cheeks to create a pop of color. Dust setting powder on the skin for a fresh, matte finish.

Laura Mercier Products Used:

Last week, we heard from the winners of our Pin to Win a Dream Wedding Design by David Tutera Contest, Rigo Garcia and Claudia Hernandez, giving us the inside scoop on their wedding-planning consultation with the one and only David Tutera. And now, David is sharing his take on their once-in-a-lifetime meeting!

"When you meet a couple such as the two of them, you can see the immediate spark, that they're so in love and that they are so dedicated to one another" said Tutera. "They're just very real, they're very sincere, they were so excited."

Watch this exclusive video of their meeting:

"We are really inspired by his work and we feel very blessed to have met him and to have the opportunity of having some of his ideas incorporated in our wedding," said Hernandez.

—Kristen O'Gorman Klein

Photo Credit: Disney Cruise Line

We recently photographed a fashion feature on the Disney Cruise Line's Disney Magic ship, where Captain Mickey and his crew have been welcoming sailors since the late 1990s. And while the Wonder, Magic, Dream and brand new Fantasy are certainly family friendly — with daily character meet and greets, awesome kids’ clubs and PG entertainment — each of the ships also offers honeymoon perfect areas and activities.

A perennial favorite is Serenity Bay on Castaway Cay, a private island that’s a port of call on all the Caribbean sailings. This white sand cove with nearly translucent water is aptly named and peacefully adults-only, offering chaise lounges in the sand, a barbecue eatery and a beach bar.

All Disney ships boast sea-view spas (the steam and sauna rooms are amazing), as well as fine dining restaurants, nightclubs and pools that are exclusively enjoyed by passengers 18 and over. No matter what your age, don’t miss the on-deck pirate parties they end with a bang). This year the line welcomed New England, New York and Hawaii sailings in addition to their wildly popular Caribbean, European, Alaskan and Mexican itineraries (stateroom rates start at $471 per person, per night; disneycruise.disney.go.com).

Guest blogger: Alison Bernstein, the founder of The Suburban Jungle Realty Group, the only real estate firm solely dedicated to working exclusively with buyers looking to leave New York City for the suburbs of Westchester, Connecticut, Long Island, and New Jersey.

Here, Alison shares her advice on how to find the perfect first home.
 

You chose the perfect partner, dress, venue, and honeymoon retreat, and now you’re looking for the perfect neighborhood and home to start your new life. But where to begin? The home search process can quickly become a daunting and overwhelming task. There are so many aspects to think about and even more that can creep up if you’re not careful.

After going through several houses, multiple towns, and four pregnancies before finding our perfect neighborhood, I learned that our home-search difficulties weren’t unique and, in fact, many families could benefit from guidance and educated know-how during the process. So in 2008, I founded The Suburban Jungle Realty Group, the only real estate firm solely dedicated to buyers needs as they move from Manhattan to one of the over 500 towns within commuter distance with the help of consultants and personal strategists.

Here are some tips developed by the experts at The Suburban Jungle Realty Group to help you avoid any hassle when setting up your new life!

We got an exclusive backstage pass to Ines di Santo's bridal runway show—check out our photo diary below! Damali NYC created a retro-glam beauty look that was every bit as striking as the Baroquesque Spring/Summer 2013 Collection.

The emphasis was placed on bold, matte brows and lips (the first strong lip we saw at the bridal runway shows this season), with fresh, clean skin. Damali NYC also created the beauty looks shown at Randi Rahm, Pnina Tornai and countless other shows this season.

The makeup artists used a variety of different products to achieve this look, including Bobbi Brown lipstick, Chanel highlighter and Josie Maran concealer.

Makeup artist Heidi Evora-Santiago (not pictured) advises that when it comes to your bridal look, "Bump it up a notch from what you normally wear—don't try something too dramatic that you don't feel comfortable in."

"Have a makeup trial and bring photos of looks you like. You may ask for 'natural' makeup, but everyone's idea of 'natural' is different," said Evora-Santiago. For example, take this striking brow—not every bride may want theirs filled in.

Jennifer Aniston made headlines for her blinding engagement ring and covetable flaxen locks (she just signed a deal with Living Proof, a high-end haircare label), but when it comes to her upcoming nuptials, the 43-year-old actress is just as giddy as any other bride-to-be.

On Monday night, the normally ultra-composed star of Meet the Millers got choked up while discussing her engagement to fiancé Justin Theroux on E!'s Chelsea Lately. "I just got verklempt," she said, fanning herself and blinking back tears. 

Longtime friend and comedienne Chelsea Handler, 37, refers to the famous lovebirds as "the greatest couple ever." As per usual, the jokesters also found time for some good-natured ribbing: Who wouldn't want to copy America's Sweetheart, even if it means tearing your ACL and stealing her yoga teacher?

However, there's one copycat move Aniston approves of, and that's Handler putting a ring on it. "That would be a good thing to do—make an honest woman out of you! Any takers?" she said to the audience.

—Stefania Sainato

Each week, we feature wedding music recommendations from Scratch Weddings, the nation's leader with the best wedding DJs at affordable prices. This week's post comes from DJ Qlassick, whose brilliant technique has led him to open for the likes of Chris Brown, Nicki Minaj, and The Roots. He describes his style as a mix of high energy and finesse with a firm dedication to keeping the dance floor moving at all times. When Qlassick steps behind the turntables at a wedding, he commits to the moment 100%. "A client's big day is as important to me as if it were my own friend or relative. I have become a part of it, so I am now dedicated to making sure it's everything they hoped it would be".

Photo Credit: Hoffer Photography

Guest blogger: Emma Arendoski, founder and CEO of Emmaline Bride, The Wedding Guide for the Handmade Bride, a website dedicated to all things handmade for weddings. Launched in 2009, the site has grown into the leading online voice for handmade weddings. Emma's mission is to empower her readers to support handmade through the use of handcrafted wedding items for all parts of the wedding planning process.

Here, she shares an excerpt from her first book, The Handcrafted Wedding: More Than 300 Fun and Imaginative Handcrafted Ways to Personalize Your Wedding Day (Sellers Publishing, October 2012).

Photo Credit: © 2012 Eric Boneske Photography

The flower girl’s traditional role — besides looking adorable, naturally — is to toss flower petals down the aisle. I say, baskets with petals have held the spotlight for long enough; it’s time to twist tradition a bit with alternatives the flower girl can carry.