Guest blogger: Rosanna Casper, co-founder of Idojour.com, a new wedding website where brides, grooms, family and friends can purchase a stylish and affordable mix of beautifully curated pieces.
When you think about your wedding-day look, I'll bet you picture the beautiful, white gown you spent weeks picking out. However, your dress is just one piece of the puzzle: there are shoes, makeup, undergarments and jewelry to consider. But we brides don't stop there. Many of us, including myself, even want to accessorize our hair. And oh, the choices there are! Here, 20 adornments that made it into this brunette's Etsy shopping cart.
I am head-over-heels about Swarovski crystal-encrusted clips and combs right now. Boasting a royal feel, these vintage-inspired combs and hairpieces are quite the statement piece. Big or small, these work on up-dos and down-dos flawlessly.
Art Deco rhinestone hair comb by Etsy seller GlamorousBijoux
"Reese" rhinestone-encrusted hair comb by Etsy seller SomethingIvory
My wedding is only two months away, and it's all starting to feel so real, for two reasons: We sent out invitations and had our first bridal shower! It took place in Dayton and was hosted by my future in-laws and some of their close friends. I've never been to a bridal shower before my own—that's something most gals probably can't say. I have a couple of baby showers under my belt, but I didn't know what to expect for a bridal shower. I pictured a group of ladies in sundresses, eating appetizers, unwrapping lingerie and enjoying one another's company. In many ways, the bridal shower we actually had was very different. The most noticeable difference: The presence of testosterone, since couples were invited (this is also referred to as a Jack and Jill shower).
The men and women mingled together, and it was fun to see all of the surprises my fiancé Corey's parents had planned for us. We had a sit-down lunch (including the most delicious salmon ever), rather than snacking throughout, which I really enjoyed. My parents came from Indianapolis and were happy to use that time to get to know some of Corey's relatives and friends better. Another surprise: Our shower had a vintage/historic theme, so the planners arranged to have a guest's wedding dress displayed on a mannequin! The fake eyelashes were a little creepy, but I enjoyed seeing this unique heirloom. Another guest wore the shoes from her wedding day, while others brought in their wedding albums for everyone to browse while we opened gifts.
He shoots, he scores!
The Obamas cheered on Olympics-bound Team USA in a basketball game against Brazil last night, but the crowd cheered for someone else. What what happened when the President and First Lady Michelle saw their faces on the big screen at the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C.:
It's so sweet how in love these two are (and how 14-year-old daughter Malia encouraged the smooch). The President showed that he's just a regular guy who enjoys a little PDA with his wife. And the way Michelle looks down with giddy embarrassment reminds us to let our men squeeze in a public kiss every now and then — it's fun! If the Obamas don't care who's watching, why should you?
With their 20th wedding anniversary coming up this October, we're definitely taking notes on how they keep it together.
Tell us: What do you think of this presidential kiss?
—Paulette Safdieh
During your wedding ceremony, you promise to take each other for better or worse, in good times and in bad. On the day of your wedding, when you’re more in love than you’ve ever been before, it can be hard to even imagine that you might go through a rough patch a few years down the road that has the ability to break your relationship.
Let’s face it: You’re going to fight. In fact, it can be healthy to fight. But there may be a time when you need to remind yourself why you fell in love your husband-to-be in the first place.
Enter the Fight Box.
Photo Credit: Jennie Andrews Photography
Before your big day, gather a wooden box, a bottle of wine (or the alcohol of your choice), and two glasses. Write love notes to each other, explaining your feelings as you prepare to start your new life together as husband and wife. Seal your letter without letting your soon-to-be read what you’ve written.
During the ceremony, place the love notes inside the wooden box with the wine and glasses. Take turns hammering the box shut, one nail at a time, until the box is sealed.
Agree to keep the box sealed until a special anniversary, like your 10th or 20th, unless you hit a rough patch. Then, break open the box, pour the wine, read the letters, and remember what it’s all about!
I’m so excited; our new issue is out, and it’s super-packed with tons of great info!
Not only is it filled with all the fashion, beauty and planning tips you need, but on the flip side of the magazine, you’ll find a special “Your Home” section:
Inside, you’ll discover what other couples are registering for:
And you’ll find a complete Registry Checklist to help you put together your own wish list. You even have a chance to win everything shown on the “Your Home” cover, along with other prizes and a honeymoon in Mexico. It doesn’t get any sweeter than that!
But wait, there’s more: Packaged with this issue is a fantastic Honeymoon & Destination Wedding Guide!
Many brides dream about even the smallest details of their wedding far in advance of getting a ring. Fast-forward to the planning process, after you've actually received a proposal, and it can be tough to relinquish some of that control to someone else. My fiancé Corey and I are extremely lucky that both of our parents have been very supportive of our wedding and receptive to our ideas. We've made it our goal to try and make everyone (especially our parents), happy with most of the choices we've made. Here are some compromises we've had to make and why.
Photo Credit: Hoffer Photography
1. Guest count. I always envisioned a very personal, intimate wedding day, around 100 guests or so. However, we had to invite almost double that amount in order to include extended family, coworkers and family friends. I wouldn't change our guest list, since each person we invited is important to us and our families, but it has required me to adjust my original vision.
2. The budget. Compromising with dollar signs makes my head spin… but we’ve done it. We have upped the budget twice since we started planning our wedding. No one's excited about spending more, but I am very thankful that my parents have been open to doing whatever it takes to make the day wonderful. In fact, I've been the one who's most concerned about the budget, even though my parents are paying for the majority of the wedding.
Each week, we feature music recommendations from Scratch Weddings, the nation's leader with the best wedding DJs at affordable prices.
This week, enjoy nine songs that'll have all your guests singing along!
The ladies cannot resist dancing and singing along to this '80s classic.
►"Livin' on a Prayer" — Bon Jovi
Everyone — and we mean everyone — will belt out this Bon Jovi hit, New Jersey-style.
►"Don’t Stop Believin’" — Journey
No matter when your guests were born, they will know the chorus to this ever-popular anthem.
Shopping for my wedding dress was exhilarating, confusing, and addictive (my heart sank when the two-hour appointment was over). Even after over a year of working at your favorite bridal magazine —scouring our entire gown gallery —I was still surprised by the range of emotions that overtook me. I haven’t said yes to the dress (yet!), but would love to share my experience at Kleinfeld with you, in the hopes that someone out there can relate.
First, here was my inspiration, courtesy of my personal Pinterest board:
Dress by Oscar de la Renta. Photo credits: Erin Hearts Court Photography.
Dress at left by Romona Keveza, shot by Kate Stoops Photography; dress at right is "Scarlet" by Monique Lhullier, shot by Paul Johnson Photography.
To celebrate the eighth season of TLC's hit show, Say Yes to the Dress, Kleinfeld launched an online gift shop featuring fun t-shirts, hoodies, bags, and more. Check out some of our favorites!
Just for BG readers: Get 10% off, plus free shipping, with the coupon code YESBG
For the morning of the wedding:
This cozy zip-up hoodie is perfect to wear while you're getting ready on the big day. Plus, you won't have to worry about messing up your hair and makeup when it's time to change into your gown ($40, available in black and white).
For the bachelorette party:
For a casual night on the town, this cute t-shirt sends the message loud and clear: You're taken! ($19, available in black, white, and pink).
For an engagement gift:
How cute are these "his and her" mugs? Gift these to your favorite newly-engaged friends ($15 each).
Featured: Finest Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
