Photo of the Day
Simply stunning silhouettes at sundown! We love this romantic photo.
Simply stunning silhouettes at sundown! We love this romantic photo.
BG sat down with "Bachelorette" Desiree Hartsock at The Couture Show in Los Angeles and got the inside scoop on her new bridal line and her upcoming wedding. The bride-to-be designed a boho-chic collection for Maggie Sottero, and we got a sneak peek!
Q: What made you decide to design a bridal line after The Bachelorette?
A: I worked in bridal salons in 8 years — most recently at Penache in Beverly Hills. I've always loved working with brides.
Q: How would you describe your new collection for Maggie Sottero?
A: It's bohemian, easy to wear, and can look perfect in a church or in a meadow. It's vintage, deco, and versatile.
Q: We notice there are no ballgowns in the collection. Why?
A: I think of these gowns as the "new" princess dresses. A dress doesn't have to be a ballgown to be a princess dress.
Q: Will you be wearing any of these dresses for your upcoming wedding?
A: I will be wearing two! One that's formal and romantic for the ceremony, and another that's more comfortable to dance in for the reception.
Q: And what about your accessories?
A: Well, Chris (fiancé & Bachelor alum Chris Siegfried) is 6'4'', so I will be wearing high heels. My shoes will likely be a pair of Badgley Mischka's I found on sale! I am also designing a jewlery line that's coming out in October. I will probably wear jewelry from my line and give some to my bridesmaids for their bridesmaids gifts, as well.
Photo Credit: Dominique Bader on Snippet and Ink via Lover.ly
Q: We found a venue we like, but I want to ask the chef to revamp almost the entire menu. Will this be insulting? Is it OK to ask for a lot of changes?
A: Requesting minor changes to a reception menu is standard and most caterers will happily oblige. They’ll also prepare kosher, vegetarian and vegan dishes.
However, if your request involves completely revamping the menu, then this might pose a problem for the caterer. His staff is trained to prepare certain types of dishes, and a special order of different foods or ingredients that are not readily available in his kitchen could prove costly. On the other hand, depending on what your menu wishes are, he might be able to work with you.
I would advise speaking with the caterer about your menu requests before booking the venue. If he is unable to meet your needs then you may need to compromise if your heart is truly set on the venue. Ask if he can prepare just one or two of your culinary requests and then agree to the rest of the already established menu. But if the menu and the types of dishes served are more important to you, then you’ll need to choose another site that’s better equipped to meet your expectations.
—Diane Forden
Photo Credit: Nikki Cole Photography
Photo Credit: Five Dot Design
Tip of the Day: Mailing your wedding invitations out months in advance doesn't necessarily mean you'll get a more prompt response; in fact, it may end up backfiring because guests will forget when your big day is!
"Many people will take a look at the wedding date and the RSVP date and think, 'Oh, I have time to get this in,' and set it aside. Six to eight weeks gives your guests plenty of time to respond and will leave you with less people to track down after the due date," says Kristen Becker of Five Dot Design.
If you're truly worried about giving your guests enough time to make travel arrangements, send save-the-dates with all of this information so they can jump-start their planning.
Up the wow-factor at your reception with a flower-covered escort card display table!
As your wedding day nears, you're likely to get a lot of winks and nudges about your wedding night. But the reality is, the wedding night isn't always filled with oh-so-romantic and totally life-changing lovemaking. Here are 10 super common (and not terribly sexy) scenarios you might experience the night you say "I do."
1. You will be starving.
A lot of couples don't get to eat at their reception, so once the adrenaline of the day wears off, hitting the drive-thru or ordering room service is going to sound amazing.
Delicious wedding food ideas >>
2. You might be really sad.
3. Or really drunk.
(Or really sad and really drunk.)
4. You may also be in the early stages of a hangover.
5. You'll probably need a moment to change out of your shapewear and into your sexy lingerie.
When most couples envision their wedding day, they don't exactly picture trudging through mud and rain in their wedding-day attire.
Jennifer and Steve Fisher aren't like most couples. After participating in a 7.2 mile Super Spartan Race last Saturday, where they raced up and down black diamond ski slopes while completing obstacles — all while wearing a wedding gown and tuxedo — they leapt over the fire at the end of the race together, exchanged vows, and became husband and wife.
Before and after the race
Completing challenging races together has been a part of this couple's relationship since the very beginning. Shortly after they started dating three years ago, they discovered that they'd both signed up for a Tough Mudder competition a few hours away. "It ended up being our fist weekend away together," said Jennifer.
When the couple started discussing their wedding plans, they knew they didn't want to have a "huge, expensive wedding." About three weeks before the Spartan Race, Jennifer joked that they should just get married after the competition, and to her surprise, Steve loved the idea!
"It all went by so fast, but every moment was so much fun, and we have lots of great memories and stories for our special day," said Jennifer. Check out photos from the day:
Photo courtesy of The Graceful Host
Tip of the Day: Choosing an amazing band or DJ is an important puzzle piece for a successful wedding reception. After all, guests have been looking forward to celebrating and partying with you and your new husband since they received their save-the-date six months ago!
"Give them the best party possible by hiring entertainers that are going to keep the party going all night long. And, don't forget this very important tip: if the bride and groom aren't dancing, then no one else will! The key to a packed dance floor is having the newlyweds out there partying right alongside all of their loved ones," says Ashley Culicchia Cash from The Graceful Host.
Plus, How to Decide Whether a Band or DJ is Best for Your Wedding.
In the most highly anticipated wedding of the year, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt tied the knot on August 23. This week's People and Hello! magazines will be filled with exclusive photos and details from the intimate celebration. Here's what we know so far!
1. Just 20 people attended the wedding, which was held in the chapel of Chateau Miraval, the family's estate in France. Pitt's parents, brother, and sister, as well as Jolie's brother, all attended the wedding. Jolie's father, Jon Voight, reportedly did not.
2. The couple's six children all participated in the wedding ceremony. Maddox, 13, and Pax, 10, walked their mother down the aisle. Zahara, 9, and Vivienne, 6, tossed flower petals gathered from the garden. And Shiloh, 8, and Knox, 6, served as the ring bearers.
3. One of the ring bearers dropped a ring! No word on who was the guilty party, but Jolie told Hello!, "They all took it very seriously. Knox practiced carrying coins and acorns on his little pillow before he got the ring."
4. The couple certainly didn't splurge on ceremony music — Pitt and the guests hummed "Here Comes the Bride" as Jolie walked down the aisle.
5. When the newlyweds shared their first kiss as husband and wife, Shiloh buried her head in the ring pillow to keep from laughing out loud.