Category: Wedding Ideas

Recently, I had the opportunity to interview celebrity wedding planner David Tutera at the Langham Huntington Hotel in Pasadena. Even though he’s worked on events with such VIPs as Jennifer Lopez and Vice President Al Gore, I was impressed by his enthusiasm for helping non-famous brides have equally stellar weddings.

These days, brides want wedding flowers that exude an authentic, down-to-earth feeling. Think less showy and much more “real.”

My father is Middle Eastern, my mother hails from Louisiana’s Cajun country, and I’m proud to say that both cultures have always been an integral part of who I am. I can make hummus and shrimp gumbo pretty darn well, and I can swear in Arabic and Cajun French if the need arises. We’re also Texans, so that means we all can whip up a mean barbecue, too. When I became engaged to Jon, who has Nordic and German roots, we just sprinkled a few more ingredients into our family’s melting pot.

Are you a free-spirited bride with a yen for vintage elements? Do you dress to please yourself rather than tradition? Do you find romance in the warmth and beauty of nature? If so, your bridal style might be a good match for a bohemian beach wedding!

It seems like peacock feathers have been showing up everywhere in the world of wedding fashion lately, and I have to say, I’m thrilled. Sure, hot pink or bright orange make a bold statement (and those colors definitely had their bridal heyday in recent years!), but I think the juxtaposition of hard metallic blue, green, and black colors and soft, fluttery feathers is such a fitting metaphor for today’s woman. Besides, a feather in your hair or bouquet is a perfect “something blue!”

Somebody you consider dear has passed; how do you honor them on your wedding day without bringing everyone’s mood down a few notches?

For a love note ceremony, the bride and groom both write a good old fashioned love letter to each other on their wedding day, expressing in detail how they feel about their relationship. They’re not allowed to see the other’s letters or show them to anyone else. The letters are then sealed and given to the officiant at the ceremony, who locks them in a box with a bottle of good wine, creating a time capsule and emergency wedding kit in one. If the bride and groom ever feel that the marriage is in jeopardy, they’ll open the box, drink the wine, and read the letters together.

Want to be a DIY bride but don’t know how to get started? WeddingDNA.com gives you access to chic graphic templates which can be used for wedding invitations, save-the-dates, programs, thank-you notes, place cards…even powerpoint presentations for reception slideshows! Membership’s just $39.95/year, and you can download and print as much as you need to create a cohesive wedding style. I’m partial to the Moonlit Owl design—a new twist on the usual lovebirds!

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.”

It’s not exactly your traditional wedding cake topper. Some might even say it’s tacky to have a bride figurine “fondling” her groom.

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?”