Blogs

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 shares some fresh ideas for your "something blue."

I have a confession to make. Four years into married life, I realized that I never had a something blue at my wedding. Nothing in my dress, jewelry, bouquet or even underwear had a trace of blue in it. How could I, a self proclaimed (and semi-supertitious) wedding aficionado, have overlooked my something blue? Then I started to think – what’s the big fuss about anyway?

We just finished working on a fantastic story called “It’s All in the Details,” coming up in our July/August issue. It illustrates how you can pull together the look of your reception with just a single object used as inspiration. Basically, any object (a button, vase, fabric swatch, etc) can be a starting point to help determine your colors, theme and wedding style. And with a little imagination, you’ll have an amazing wedding that makes a unique, personal statement about you and your fiancé. 

No matter what your inspiration is, whether an object, season or colors, it goes without saying that every element is key when planning a wedding reception: the lighting, colors, dinnerware, glassware, centerpieces and even the table shapes all make an impact. But one thing that may be overlooked is the type of chair or chair coverings chosen. Take a look at these incredible receptions where the gorgeous chair coverings, courtesy of Chameleon Chair Collection, beautifully enhance the look of a number of different wedding celebrations. You can see how the right chair can make any reception look even more spectacular.

For an all white wedding, these draped chairs, cinched in back with a jeweled accent, look fashionably chic:

Each week, we feature music recommendations from Scratch Weddings, the nation's leader with the best wedding DJs at affordable prices. This week's post comes from DJ Vida Ventura, who keeps dance floors moving from coast to coast with her ear for great music. Vida cuts her chops at quintessential Lower East Side hot spots and chic LA nightclubs. From these experiences, Vida has gone on to rock the decks worldwide. Vida's highly-sought DJ style is eclectic and energetic, and she is passionate about bringing her skills to couples looking for a fresh, fun take on a wedding DJ. "I love to mix genres and play everything from James Brown to Michael Jackson to Beyoncé in the same set and appeal to everyone at the wedding."

       Photo Credit: Weddings by Chris Sherberne Photography

With the warm weather quickly approaching, spring weddings are just around the corner. Who wouldn’t want to tie the knot during the season that boasts near-perfect weather and freshly-blooming flowers?

Let’s face it—every girl wants to stand out when she walks down the aisle. Here are a few ways to achieve a fabulous look suitable for your spring wedding.

Glitter
Knowing how to incorporate a little sparkle into your look is key. Wearing nail polish or lip gloss with glitter in it is a great way to add that special flare. Whether you choose one or both, hints of glitter can help you stand out on the big day!

Try Mally’s Facet Gemlight Lip Gloss in Pink Sapphire to create shiny and dazzling lips.To achieve that perfectly polished look, reach for OPI's Pedal Faster Suzi! Nail Lacquer for your big-day manicure. The shade is not too bright and will twinkle on your nails as you say "I do."

Photo Credit: Daniel Kim Photography

Honeymoon plans have been the main topic of conversation lately for my fiancé Corey and I, which led me to wonder about how we can maintain our entire honeymoon phase—not just post-nuptials, but during the actual wedding-planning process as well. With to-do lists that put grocery lists to shame and DIY centerpieces lining the walls in our kitchen, the wedding is constantly at the forefront of our minds. Sure, the engagement's main purpose is for couples to plan their dream nuptials and prepare for the future together, but it's also one of the few times you can be shamelessly giddy, starry-eyed and lovey-dovey with your husband-to-be.

To say I'm clueless when it comes to makeup is an understatement. My daily beauty routine consists of undereye concealer, loose powder, a dab of blush, and a swipe of black mascara. Rather than wear lipstick like an adult, I finish my application with a thin coat of ChapStick. 

So when I arrived at my makeup trial two weeks ago and Barbara, the makeup artist, asked how I want to look on my wedding day, instead of whipping out a photo of the look I was aiming for, I replied, "Pretty!" She asked me to elaborate and I answered, "Well, I prefer a dark lip, rather than a smoky eye." (I know, very descriptive.) Then, I told her how much I love red lipstick. Insert exaggerated eye roll from all of the other BG brides reading this, who unlike myself, recognize the countless shades of red lipstick that exist in this world.

Needless to say, I was 0 for 3, but the results of my trial were positive in spite of my lack of direction. The application was flawless and I would definitely like to work with Barbara on my wedding day. But my friend Nora said it best: "The colors you selected for your eyeshadow and lipstick just aren't you." The shade of red I picked could have passed for bright pink, and the eyeshadow, which was a light plum, seemed to clash. She suggested visiting my local MAC or NARS to sample different hues to decide which would work best for my wedding day. (Thanks, Nora!)

This time, I don't plan on going empty-handed! I gathered some inspirational makeup styles below—would you like to help me out by voting for your favorite?

One of my favorite wedding-planning tasks doesn't really feel like a "task" at all—researching honeymoon options! Just staring at the crystal-blue water and swim-up bars on my laptop screen is enough to put me in a zen-like happy place. My fiancé Corey and I haven't finalized our honeymoon destination, nor our hotel of choice (Cancun and Riviera Maya in Mexico are at the top of our lists). However, we definitely want to take the all-inclusive route after having an amazing first experience at the RIU in Cabo, San Lucas, which is where we stayed for my sister's wedding back in 2010. We loved not having to whip out our wallets during vacation. For those of you who have never been to an all-inclusive, I’ll describe the experience...

You end up paying significantly more per person upfront, but once you’re at the resort, all meals and drinks are covered (check your hotel's policy for any exclusions). Some hotels may offer amenities free of charge as well, which could include kayaking, snorkeling, and use of their gym facilities. The more extravagant indulgences (such as spa treatments and couples' massages) usually require an additional fee, but some properties offer a discount towards spa treatments if you book overnight stays or a suite. 

Every girl should feel like a princess on her wedding day; why not make her feel like one at her bridal shower, too? In honor of the two upcoming modern twists on a classic and well-loved princess, Mirror Mirror on March 30 and Snow White and the Huntsman on June 1, we've planned a Snow White-themed shower! 

Invitations are the perfect way to set the scene for any event. These Snow White-inspired invitations from My Little Pink Angel use the bright yellow, red, and blue that Snow White is known for, but they are also classy and mature.

Welcome your guests and get the party started with a fruity drink. Consider serving Snow White-approved Appletinis. Get the recipe from Bunkycooks.com.

Our fashion editor Robin is reporting live from the Chicago runways! Get the scoop on the latest bridal trends from each designer collection in 140 characters or less.

Watters
Check out more Watters dresses in our gown gallery!

@bridalguidemag: "Gorgeous nude color @wattersdesigns! We've seen a lot of this new color on the runways!"

Essense of Australia
Check out more Essense of Australia dresses in our gown gallery!