Category: Food and Drink

Think outside the wedding shower box with these unique ideas to celebrate the bride and groom’s big day.

Your friend is getting married and there’s only one way to celebrate—host a bachelorette party starring martinis and good friends. It’s not only her last night out as a single girl, it’s also a way to quit worrying about that bridesmaid dress you’ll be wearing for the big day. Throw the bride a party and show all your friends a good time to send her off in style!

There’s another annual tradition right around Valentine’s Day besides flowers and chocolate hearts—exclusive celebrity giveaway parties called “gift suites.” At these high-profile events, fashion entrepreneurs and high-end product purveyors lavish entertainment VIPS with bagfuls of goodies. This is where trends are set, styles take off and specialty items are given two thumbs up.

Besides your location, the food and drink for your wedding bash will probably consume the largest portion of your wedding budget. Catering costs are usually presented as “per-person” charges, sometimes abbreviated in wedding brochures as “pp” after the amount. But be aware—the per-person charge often doesn’t include everything: Tax and gratuities (sometimes called “service charge”) might be extra, and there may also be separate per-person charges for the meal, drinks, hors d’oeuvres, and even setup.

I confess to major butterflies for my interview with celebrity wedding planner and TV show host, David Tutera at the elegant Langham Huntington Hotel in Pasadena last month. I needn’t have worried. He was warm and charming, and very open to sharing his wedding planning pointers. Later when I dished the dirt with two of his “My Fair Wedding” Season 2 brides, Dee and Quiana, they both agreed that he was way more personable and down-to-earth than they had expected. I was particularly excited to confirm that David and I were in complete agreement about several key “Wedding Dos & Don’ts.”

I saw a super simple DIY way to decorate your cocktail tables for your wedding while hanging out on the harborside terrace at The Ritz-Carlton Marina Del Rey.

But then there are those who are country. People who consider cowboy boots and a sundress “formal wear”. People who frequently brake for farmer’s markets and dream of freeing the wildlife at the county petting zoo because keeping sheep in such a small area “just ain’t right.” People who say “y’all” because, well, doesn’t it roll off the tongue a little bit easier than “you all?”

Exactly two years from the day Troy and Craig met at the snack machines at the Warner Bros. Studio in Burbank they married in front of 180 lucky wedding guests at The London West Hollywood. The theme of the event was “Celebrate the Seasons of Love,” and every detail was perfectly planned, all the way down to every detail was perfectly planned, all the way down to their toast with chocolate milk instead of champagne (they’re not fans of the bubbly!)

Alas, opportunities to indulge my fantasy were non-existent until recently, when I boarded the Napa Valley Wine Train. Granted, I wasn’t traversing the entire continent of Europe (and, truth be told, I’m no countess), but the 3-hour journey through the Wine Country was a pure delight.

If your personality is more backyard than ballroom, you’re in good company this year. The New York Times says that casual food and a relaxed setting are the latest trend among couples who either don’t have the money for a fancier wedding—or just don’t want to look inappropriately lavish in this economy. Whatever the reason, an at-home, casual wedding is always appropriate, IMHO.

At Here Comes The Guide headquarters, we love our treats. So imagine our delight when adorable tins and containers filled with M&M’s and Jelly Belly jellybeans arrived at our offices, each with customized messages and images (including photos!).

Before I begin my list of favorite wedding favor ideas from past events, let me tell you this: I have it on good authority that if you choose not to have favors at your wedding, your marriage will still be legal and binding. So if favors are not your cup of tea, give yourself permission not to have them at your wedding.