Blogs

Guest blogger: Nicole Lapin, Editor-in-Chief of Recessionista.com. She is the founder and CEO of Nothing But Gold Productions, a multimedia production company focused on creating accessible financial content across television, print and digital platforms. Lapin is the former anchor of CNBC’s "Worldwide Exchange," the only global show on the network. Lapin was also a contributor on MSNBC and served as a personal finance expert on NBC’s "Today Show." Prior to CNBC, Lapin was the youngest anchor ever on CNN.

So you’ve been chosen as your gal pal to be one of her bridesmaids. Congrats! We’re sure you’re thrilled, as you should be. But guess who’s less than thrilled? Your wallet. The truth is, after the dress, accessories, travel expenses, gifts…being in someone’s wedding is downright pricey. In fact, a recent poll conducted by American Express found that bridal party attendants spent an average of $577 in 2012, which is about $200 more than the year prior. So what’s a gal to do?

First things first, speak with your bride or the Maid of Honor about any budget concerns immediately after accepting the position. This will ensure that everyone is on the same page with what they can afford, and will lessen the chance of uncomfortable money conversations down the road.

Loverly is the heart of weddings: a visual inspiration search engine designed to help brides discover ideas, people to hire, and things to buy. Loverly makes finding beautiful wedding inspiration easier than ever! Their images are powered by the best wedding publishers and wedding shopping partners on the web. Find Bridal Guide on Loverly >>

Billy Idol may have made white weddings famous in the 1980s, but we’re still digging the idea for 2013! White wedding details are anything but boring, and they offer some clear benefits. They’re easy (no more trying to explain the difference between sage green and pistachio green!), versatile (think lace table linens for a vintage wedding and sleek white chairs for a modern wedding), and classic.

Here are some of our favorite white wedding ideas: 

I am a creature of habit in the kitchen — as well as a bit of a cookware snob. When I cook (which is almost every night), it's only with enameled cast iron or plain cast iron pans, the same kind my parents always used. It actually never occured to me to try stainless steel for anything other than heating up water for coffee or tea. That is, until I had the chance to test-drive a sauté pan from Cristel, the esteemed French cookware company. 

Cristel's innovative design was the initial draw, and with good reason: The handles on the Strate Removable line are detachable and interchangeable. Remove the long handle and attach two smaller grips and voilà: table-worthy serve ware right from the stove. You also get more room in the sink come cleanup time, along with easier storage capabilities, a particular advantage to the cabinet-challenged. 

Guest blogger: Ms. Herringbone, polkadotbride.com. Ms. Herringbone writes for Polka Dot Bride, Australia’s premier wedding blog dedicated to anything and everything wedding related that may be useful to today’s bride — style, unique finds, fabulous suppliers, real wedding inspiration — and a little bit of fun thrown in!

We've gathered some of our favorite DIY tutorials for the bride who wants to incorporate a handmade element in her wedding, but isn’t prepared (or able) to spend hours and hundreds of dollars sourcing all of the items required. These projects range from basic to more advanced and suit different wedding styles. Best of all, they can be prepared well in advance of your wedding to ensure that there aren't any last-minute panic attacks or dramas before the big day!

1. Glitter Table Numbers
Why we love them: This is such an easy way to add a little sparkle to your wedding tables! Not only is glitter festive, but the metallic functions as a neutral, making this a great addition to any color palette. 

Bars are all the rage at weddings…and not just the wine/liquor bar. There are espresso bars, martini and vodka bars, gelato bars, crepe bars, candy bars and dessert bars. And here’s another unique idea: How about a tea bar where guests can enjoy a selection of specialty teas, like these from Davidson’s Organics?

There is a wide range of flavors (i.e. fruity, mint, buttery) to choose from, and the colors are wedding-perfect. You can label each tea for guests and also consider providing containers so they can take a blend home as a wedding favor. The teas are all organic, kosher and fair-trade certified. Plus, 10% of all Davidson’s Tulsi (a basil plant found in India) tea sales is donated to the company’s “Aasha (Hope) Fund” to improve abandoned farm lands in India through sustainable, organic agricultural practices. Nice!

And don’t forget some sweet treats for the table, like these yummy Madeleine’s from Donsuemor Desserts:

Beautiful inspirational sheer illusion backs are all the rage. They make a stylish and romantic statement. There’s something about the combination of covered and sheer that makes them simultaneously demure and sexy — perfect for a wedding. This look pairs best with an updo (you want to show off the extraordinary detail in these gorgeous backs).

—Naima DiFranco

One of the best parts about my job at BG is flipping through thousands of photos from real-life parties. There are several things that I look for, but above all else, I love when a bride looks like she had a ball. Recently, I found myself in uncharted territory — the other side of the lens — when my Mom threw me a surprise bridal shower.

And as the photos below show, I was genuinely shocked that my shower took place that day and I had so much fun. After I gulped down a mimosa, changed into my dress, and had my makeup professionally applied by Stacey Catapano (the first of many surprises!), I stopped to look at all of the details and was able to better appreciate all of the hard work and thought that went into everything. Mama Dukes, you did me proud: Now I know where my creativity and party-planning passion comes from.

Readers, I'd love to share some ideas from my shower along with photos by Josh Lynn. 

Setting the Scene with Pretty Decorations

I thought the mix-match look was perfect for an intimate gathering. The flowers were a gift from my aunt, the lovely vases were scooped up at a Lenox sale, and the bust holder was created using my Mom's wedding dress (we couldn't believe her waist was that tiny).

Loverly is the heart of weddings: a visual inspiration search engine designed to help brides discover ideas, people to hire, and things to buy. Loverly makes finding beautiful wedding inspiration easier than ever! Their images are powered by the best wedding publishers and wedding shopping partners on the web. Find Bridal Guide on Loverly >>

Historically used for canning, mason jars are as synonymous with rustic weddings as barn venues and burlap. Even as burlap and barns continue to be popular, Mason jars are being labeled as “over-used” — a sad term for one of our favorite décor accents.

There are two ways to bring Mason jars back to glory. First, ask yourself why you want to use them. Is it because these jars bring back your own memories of canning with your mother and grandmother? If that’s the case, then use them and don’t look back! In contrast, if you’re opting in for Mason jars because they’re popular and you love them (we’re with you!), think of ways to creatively use them at your wedding.

Beyond simply using them as drinking vessels, here are some of our favorite ways from Lover.ly to modernize the Mason jar.

Perfect for a summer wedding, we adore these firefly invites from Minted:

Photo Credit: You're That Girl Designs/Etsy

Q. What should we say in our thank-you notes, and how long do we have to send them out?

A. Be gracious and sincere. Include several elements, such as mentioning the gift by name, referring to how you’ll use it and expressing your appreciation. For gifts of money, don’t state the amount, but do mention the fact that it’s a monetary gift as well as how you plan to use it. And ask your groom to help out. While you should pen all bridal shower thank-yous yourself (unless you have a coed shower), your groom can do some of the engagement and wedding notes. You write the notes to your family and friends, and he does the ones to his.

Promptness counts when it comes to thanking friends and family for their gifts. You may have heard that you have up to a year after your big day to send out your notes, but that’s not true (sorry!). Here’s a timeline for all your special occasions: engagement party and shower, within two to three weeks of the festivities; gifts sent before the wedding date, as soon as possible, but definitely before the wedding; gifts given on the day itself, within three months; gifts received after your wedding, within two to three weeks.

—Diane Forden

This article originally appeared on The Huffington Post

If you thought it was tough to organize a couple hundred guests at your wedding, imagine if 25,000 well-wishers decided to drop by.

A wedding between two members of one of the largest Ultra-Orthodox Jewish communities in the world attracted 25,000 guests on Tuesday, The Independent reported.

The groom is 18-year-old Shalom Rokeach, the grandson of the Chief Rabbi of the Hasidic Belz Rebbe community. Because Rokeach is the only male grandchild, it is assumed that he will succeed his grandfather as leader of Belz Rebbe.

The bride is 19-year-old Hannah Batya Penet, who is also a member of Belz Rebbe.

Hasidic Jews from around the world descended on Jerusalem to witness the event, which lasted until dawn. Per tradition, the bride's face was covered by a veil throughout the ceremony. The ceremony also included ritual dancing and vows recited under a chuppah.