Category: Stuff We Love

Ah, your bridesmaids…those girls who have been there for you for years, living through all your boy-drama and, lately, all your wedding-planning drama. They’re shelling out hundreds to be in your wedding and you’re supposed to give them a gift at the event to show your thanks. My problem is that so often those “attendant” gifts are just…lame.

If you’re like me, you have a shoe addiction. Come on, admitting it is half the battle. It’s mostly under control and it doesn’t really get in the way of my daily routine, so I’m proud to say I haven’t started a 12-step program yet. But when it comes to a big event—like a wedding or reception—I can’t resist getting new shoes and I admit to needing a little input from the experts to find the perfect pair.

In your pre-wedding world, you probably already have the dishes, the towels, and the ubiquitous crock pot that grace most wedding registries.So what do you register for if your cupboards already runneth over? You could succumb to that borderline tacky (okay, really tacky) trend of asking guests to pay for your honeymoon or even help fund your wedding. Or you could help make the world a better place by registering for your wedding at ChangingThePresent.org.

Are you just so flipping crazy about Here Comes The Guide that you tell everyone you meet about it? Personally, I know I probably talk a little too much about how Trader Joe’s saves my keister every day. They should have the cute pink ringer tees like Here Comes The Guide does—and I might be proclaiming my love for them in 100% cotton, too.

I’m not one of those girls who has known what her dress, flowers, and wedding cake would be since I was 12 years old. But after visiting Shibumi Studio in Berkeley, I’ve come a huge step closer to knowing what kind of wedding ring I want.

Tarte Cosmetics is one company that has mastered creating products that aren’t tested on animals, are paraben-free (very, very important), and contain botanical nutrients. The makeup comes in attractive, fuss-free packaging, and most importantly, they make you, the wearer, look good. You might have read about Tarte’s world-famous cheek stains in InStyle, Cosmo, and Self magazines. I myself am a fan of the “flush” and “blushing bride” shades.

Here’s one simple wedding truth: your guests will remember your wedding favors more than a lot of the other details you’ve agonized over—simply because they take the favors home with them! I still have the wedding favor from a wedding I attended almost 20 years ago: satin roses with wire stems tied in a heart. It’s found a cozy home in my office drawer, and it gives me a daily smile. Mine was a traditional Middle Eastern wedding, so I gave out the customary gauzy pouch of 5 almonds, symbolizing 5 wishes for our future together: health, happiness, wealth, fertility and longevity.

If you’re getting married, or if you’re just someone with a heart of gold and plenty of it in material form, this is for you.