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A Modern-Day Fairy Tale: Christian Louboutin's New 'Cinderella' Shoe

christian louboutin cinderella shoe


Photo Credit: Walt Disney Productions;  2012 The Walt Disney Studios via WWD

We doubt Cinderella would've left her slipper behind if she'd been wearing the latest Christian Louboutin design. The famed shoe designer, known best for his red-soled stilettos, unveiled a "Cinderella" shoe in Paris yesterday — and 1 lucky fan in the States will have the chance to score a pair for free.

Disney teamed up with Louboutin in anticipation of the Blu-ray release of the classic Disney film which is scheduled for Oct. 2.

Women's Wear Daily reported that Louboutin used white lace and Swarovski crystals to create a modern version of the Cinderella's glass slipper. 

"Cinderella is not only an iconic character when it comes to beauty, grace and fairytale love, but also shoes," he said. 

And what better occasion to wear a pair of Cinderella shoes than your own real-life fairytale? Details of the giveaway are scheduled for release on August 17, so stay tuned!

—Paulette Safdieh

Jessica Simpson is Launching a Bridal Collection

jessica simpson maxwellJust two months after giving birth to daughter Maxwell, Jessica Simpson is back in business. The 31-year-old singer and fashion designer announced her plans to launch a line of wedding dresses. While details are still under wraps, we’re excited to see what she has planned.

We first noticed Jessica’s eye for design when she launched the Jessica Simpson Collection in collaboration with Vince Camuto back in 2005. Her high-heeled shoes have been a staple for the bride (and bridesmaid) on a budget ever since.

But Jessica, who wore an unforgettable lace number by Vera Wang when she married Nick Lachey in 2002, said she won’t be donning a Jessica Simpson-esque gown to her upcoming wedding to NFL-player Eric Johnson.

“It won’t be like a Jessica Simpson Collection dress,” she told Extra last year when asked about plans for her own wedding gown. She also added that she wants to have a "major say" in the design process.

Good Spirits

Selecting libations for your reception and pre-wedding parties can seem a bit daunting with hundreds of options to choose from. Here’s one that I recently discovered and loved:

bartenura wine

Bartenura Moscato, a semi-sweet Italian wine, is super-smooth, refreshing and perfect with desserts, fruit or just on its own. Apparently, it’s a new fave of all the cool hip-hop and rap dudes and was named “the new Cristal” in a New York Post article.

The Sparkling Moscatos are ideal for wedding toasts, too. There’s the pretty blue bottled bubbly, a refreshing sweet and citrusy combo.

The Bartenura Piemonte, a semi-sweet sparkling wine that also pairs well with Asian and medium spicy dishes

And the sweet Sparkling Moscato Rosé is ideal with fruit, cheese and, of course, dessert!

For more information and some fab Bartenura cocktails to concoct, go to bartenura.com.

And while we’re on the subject of toasts, a few words of advice: Keep it short, sweet and simple. It’s a good idea to give the best man and your maid of honor a little guidance. Ask them to keep their toasts to no more than three minutes. They should prepare, practice and definitely use note cards, especially if they’re nervous speaking before a crowd.

wedding toast

Chad Ochocinco Live Tweets From His Wedding

Football player Chad Ochocinco is quite the catch. The Miami Dolphins wide receiver got married yesterday to his girlfriend of two years, Evelyn Lozada, while documenting his thoughts as they occurred for the last 36 hours.  

Not all of his 3.5 million-plus Twitter followers enjoyed the constant stream of tweets. But Ochocinco had reasons for his actions.

chad johnson wedding tweet

Despite complaining that he didn't "recall sending the butterflies in my stomach an invite," the 44-year-old said he's encountered worse nerves before. 

chad johnson wedding tweet

While Ochocinco's thoughts continued to wander, he made sure everyone at home knew that he looked good throughout the day's events. He added that his shoes of the day were "personal red carpets," a.k.a Christian Louboutins. 

Why We Married Before My Husband Left for Afghanistan

On the day of our wedding, I wasn't nervous at all. I painted my nails, shaved my legs and hung out around the house with my soon-to-be husband, Michael. When I was ready, I walked down the stairs and saw him waiting at the bottom, wearing a black suit that looked too big around the ankles and a nervous smile. The entire thing lasted eight minutes. All I remember is swaying back and forth nervously, crying a little (cautious not to smear my mascara), clicks and flashes going off from our moms' cameras behind us. We kissed and danced in the living room to Zac Brown Band's "Whatever It Is," like it was the most natural thing to do. As we toasted to our marriage, I don't ever remember being happier than I was in that moment. We couldn't believe that we pulled it off.

wedding

However, making the decision to get married after five weeks of being engaged wasn't simple.

When Michael got word of his impending deployment to Afghanistan, we knew we wanted to make it official. In September 2011, he proposed to me in a hotel room over Vietnamese food, during one of my visits to Fort Lewis, WA. I knew all along that we were going to get married right away, but I didn't tell anyone else because I was afraid they'd think we were crazy. The last thing I wanted to do was defend myself or my actions. 

What Victoria Beckham Taught Me About Having a Hot Husband

victoria and david beckhamTomorrow we celebrate democracy, America’s independence from Britain and a day off from work. But more importantly, we celebrate the UK’s fabulous contribution to our country. Beautiful brits Victoria and David Beckham’s 13th wedding anniversary tomorrow reminds brides everywhere to never fear the other woman. If Mrs. Becks managed to hold on to her man despite his endless underwear ads, soccer championships and rock-hard abs, then so can we. 

Irv, my husband of two and a half years, is my David Beckham. I knew him since my teenage years as the lead singer of a rock band from a nearby high school, The Perfect Mistake. I listened to their songs on my discman, watched them perform on Fuse TV and stared at him from across the local ice cream shop with friends in the summertime. So when he finally noticed me at a party years later, I pretended to have no idea who he was. (“Oh, The Perfect Mistake? No, doesn’t ring a bell.”)  

8 Surprising Crowd-Pleasers

scratch weddings Music Monday with Scratch Weddings is back! Each week, we feature music recommendations from the nation's leader with the best wedding DJs at affordable prices. This week, enjoy eight songs that'll get everyone out of their seats!

For your wedding day, we wouldn’t dream of letting you play those tired, overplayed songs that lesser DJs play because they’re easy. Good wedding music should be unique, personalized and 100% fun, yet also keep the crowd enthralled on the dance floor. We’ve compiled a list of surprise crowd-pleasers that will keep your guests quite literally on their toes.

wedding guests dancing
Photo Credit: JoPhoto

► "Bust a Move" — Young MC
Don’t let your guests stand on the wall like Poindexter. Bring everyone to the middle of the dance floor by playing this can’t-miss track.

► "Get Down on It" — Kool & The Gang
This song almost requires you to get down; your guests won’t be able to say no to this one.

► "She’s a Bad Mama Jama" — Carl Carlton
There’s nothing bad about this jam. Guests go crazy for its funky, fun appeal.

DIY We Love: Bridal Nail Art

bridal nail art

We're obsessed with the nail art trend (think: 3D embellishments, chunky glitter and intricate patterns) that's been dominating Pinterest, blogs and celebrity style since early this year. But a detailed, customized manicure can be really pricey. We reached out to Jen, the mind behind blog and Etsy shop Never Too Much Glitter, to create an exclusive nail design that's easy enough to DIY and gorgeous enough to wear on your wedding day. 

Alec Baldwin's Surprising Wedding Venue

Alec Baldwin married Hilaria Thomas in New York over the weekend. But the standard glitz and glamour — trumpet Amsale gown with a crystal-embellished back, celebrity guests (including Tina Fey, Woodey Allen and Mariska Hargitay), romantic ceremony at Saint Patrick's Old Cathedral — wasn't what piqued our interest.

Here's what did: The "30 Rock" star and his yogi wife held their wedding reception on the top floor of NYU's Kimmel Center. The Rosenthal Pavilion room has picturesque views of Washington Square Park and can hold up to 300 guests. Best of all, NYU alumni (like Baldwin and his second wife) can rent the room at a discounted rate: It costs just $615 for four hours! Granted, their total bill probably rang up to more, especially when you consider that the reception ended at around 3 a.m., but this is still shockingly refreshing for an actor of Baldwin's stature (and nature: his diva-like temper tantrums are legendary).

Here are some photos of their venue:

rosenthal pavilion nyu

rosenthal pavilion nyu

rosenthal pavilion nyu

"Did You See the Back of That Dress?"

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. Designed to make wedding planning all the more inspiring and enjoyable, Idojour offers accessories and apparel for your wedding weekend, complemented by both inspirational and practical content. Rosanna oversees content, among many other things, and makes sure that everything comes together beautifully on the site.

Here, Rosanna shows her favorite dramatic dress backs.

Your moment has arrived  — the doors swing open, and your guests and your groom get their first glimpse of you as a bride. They "ooh" and "ahh" over your dress, the bouquet and the beaming smile on your face. But the real surprise comes when you walk down the aisle and reveal the gorgeous, dramatic back of your gown — and oh, what a sight it is!

priscilla chan wedding dress bella twilight breaking dawn wedding dress
Photo Credit (left to right): Claire Pettibone; Summit Entertainment

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