Blogs

If you’re looking for a nail color that’s fun and different,  but still wedding-day appropriate, try Butter London’s limited edition Lillibet’s Jubilee, a silvery metallic lavender shade.

With an infusion of holographic glitter for an extra sparkly effect, it complements almost any gown shade, especially the new nudes and metallics seen on the recent bridal runways.  

With a nod to Queen Elizabeth II’s childhood nickname and a twist on the royal purple, the polish commemorates her majesty’s Diamond Jubilee — 60 years as monarch — this June.
 
I sampled the color and can’t stop looking at how my nails shimmer. So brew yourself an English tea and rejoice in this delicious, silvery lavender lacquer — the latest installment in our ongoing royal obsession. Long live the Queen!
 
Available now at butterlondon.com.

— Robin Zachary

If you're attending one or more weddings this summer, struggling to find a stylish bridal shower dress in your budget, or just want to make a splash at your bachelorette party, we've found the answer to all of your style dilemmas: Rent the Runway has unveiled a new boutique where brides and guests can rent gowns and accessories for every special occasion related to weddings. Items are curated by stylists and broken down by category and formality, making it that much easier to find a memorable outfit you can actually afford.

This past Memorial Day Weekend, I took David Meister’s “Cleopatra” style ($75 to rent; retail price $358) for a test drive at my cousin’s wedding. I needed a dress that was sophisticated yet comfortable enough to survive the tarantella (my family is a fun crowd!). The one-shoulder sheath made it into my shopping cart after I saw all of the photo reviews – it looked flattering on women of all sizes.

Despite this, I still held my breath when I first slipped it on, letting out a sigh of relief when the zipper whizzed shut. RTR includes a free back-up size, so I was able to guarantee a perfect fit. (If none of the dresses in your order fit, you can contact RTR and they’ll issue a merchandise credit if you postmark the unworn dresses within 24 hours.) Can't decide on just one style? You can order a second dress for only $25.

Table numbers are yet another way in which you and your spouse can express yourselves on the big day. Don’t believe me? Check out the super creative and personal ideas below.

1. Table numbers inspired by song lyrics. Corey and I are adding a special touch to our table numbers by including quotes from our favorite love songs. Each number will feature a quote from a song we both like or can relate to. Here are lyrics we would consider using from a band we saw in concert together last summer:

Let me be your everlasting light

A train going away from pain

Love is the coal 


That makes this train roll

Let me be your everlasting light

– The Black Keys

Photo Credit: Tin Sparrow Studio

2. You at every age. I love pictures, so to me, table numbers are a great outlet to feature the faces of you and your spouse in your early years. For each table number, display a photo of you and your future husband at that age. Not only will this be an adorable way to personalize your wedding, but it will also act as a conversation starter to get your guests talking.

Even if you have your heart set on your bridesmaids wearing matching dresses, that doesn't mean your girls need to look like clones of one another. We usually see bridesmaids with different hairstyles and/or accessories. But you can also add a little diversity to the group by letting them express their individuality through their bouquets.

Each of these bridesmaids carried a different type of flowers in the purple family: 

In keeping with the mix & match vibe, the groom wore a differently-colored tie than his groomsmen, and each of the men sported a different boutonnière:

Photo Credit: Watson-Studios

What do you think of this idea?

—Kristen O'Gorman Klein

One of the best ways to personalize your wedding is through your choice of a cake topper. There are literally hundreds of ideas to choose from: flowers, porcelain figurines, monograms, flags, butterflies, feathers…anything that expresses your own unique style. I recently came across these adorable and versatile pewter toppers from Lisa Leonard Designs. 

Two Hearts Become One ($70) can be customized with your names or wedding date:

The L-O-V-E letters topper ($48) also looks great on cupcakes:

And the romantic True Love sign ($48) is made of hand-stamped vintage letterpress blocks on pewter:

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 her picks for what to wear to a summer wedding.

We all have a wedding (or three) to go to this summer, presenting the ever-so-challenging task of finding the perfect outfit to fit the theme and location of the event. This summer is all about color — from bold hues to soft pastels to prints, and we've come up with a dress for every style and occasion to inspire you — you'll be the best-dressed guest this wedding season!

Ballroom 

What bride hasn't fantasized about her future wedding? We daydream about extravagant dresses, delicious cuisine, flowing drinks, dazzling rings...but the thought of paying all of this off afterwards is enough to ground us back to reality. However, with some creativity and time, you can slash costs without sacrificing your overall wedding style. Here are some saving shortcuts that my fiancé Corey and I (or other couples we know) have successfully used.

1. Do yourself a favor and skip favors.

Giving out favors is a wedding tradition, but it's one that Corey and I are likely skipping. When I look back at every wedding I've ever been to, I don't recall bringing home a single favor (and that doesn't mean the bride and groom didn't offer them). Say goodbye to cheesy tchotchkes—we promise your guests won't miss them!

2. Rethink your entrées.

Everyone looks forward to the wedding meal, but don't feel pressured to shell out for notoriously decadent (and pricey) fare. I learned in a recent issue of BG that serving a combination platter with two different dishes can help couples save more than 40 percent on catering costs. 

Photo Credit: iStock

3. Invite Mother Nature to the party.

Choose an under-the-radar locale to say your vows. Parks, wineries and historic homes with gardens can be surprisingly affordable and serve as memorable, gorgeous backdrops for your wedding day.

There are many reasons to choose black dresses for your bridesmaids: The shade is universally flattering (and slimming), there's a good chance your girls will actually wear the dress again after the wedding, and your 'maids may even be able to wear something they already own (if you don't mind that all of the gowns aren't a precise match). 

Photo Credit: Facebook

Facebook creator and CEO Mark Zuckerberg made his most personal investment yet this past Saturday when he married Priscilla Chan, his college sweetheart of nine years. Naturally, the news was posted immediately to his timeline, where 1,066,803 well-wishers (and counting) have "liked" it so far. The Internet ingenue's new marital status was revealed just 24 hours after he rolled out the IPO, one of the most highly anticipated in Wall Street history.

Although the mogul is now worth an estimated $19 billion, the low-key couple chose an intimate backyard celebration in their Palo Alto home, catching guests off-guard, who thought they were there for Dr. Chan's graduation party (she received her pediatrics degree from University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine on May 14).

The bride's choice of wedding gown was also surprisingly affordable: The First Lady of Facebook walked down the aisle in a laser-cut floral dress by Claire Pettibone, which cost just under $5,000 (visit clairepettibone.com for similar styles). The illusion jewel neckline was one of the biggest bridal trends we spotted on the NYC runways this season—it perfectly embodies the power couple's refined elegance. 

Photos courtesy of designer