Category: Wedding Ideas

In the name of that all-important wedding budget (and in the tradition of convenient combo products offered all across America!) what about one item that gives you both class and sass in one neat package? The answer is in the wedding transportation.

by Joyce Scardina Becker, CMP, Events of Distinction
Seven hip tips for couples and their wedding professionals, as well as sneak peeks on what lies ahead.

As a recent bride, I’m still addicted to all those fun wedding TV shows I watched during my wedding planning, like David Tutera’s “My Fair Wedding” and even “Bridezillas” (just to keep my own bridal ego in check!). So I’m excited about the new season of “Platinum Weddings,” and want to share this sneak peak with you.

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!

Is it better to look good than to taste good? Don’t think, just answer. Your response will give you a clue as to where you weigh in on the Great “Fondant versus Buttercream” Controversy, or, as I like to call it, “the Famous Frosting Smackdown.”

Is there anything besides a typical bouquet my bridesmaids could carry?
—Gaylen H., Auburn

I am overwhelmed with all the beautiful flower options for my bouquet! What criteria I should use to narrow down my choices?
—Rachel C., San Francisco

Neither my fiancé nor I are at all religious despite our upbringings, though we do share a broad-based spirituality. Our families are much more traditional, and might be offended if our wedding ceremony is entirely secular. Is there a way to honor the belief systems of our parents without being hypocritical?—Pamela G., Vacaville
Read our experts’ answer.

One of the best aspects of your California wedding is loved ones coming together. By adding a few thoughtful details to your wedding festivities, you can make your out-of-towners feel like VIPs. The following suggestions are meant to be helpful…

It’s housekeeping time at Here Comes The Guide! We’ve reorganized our website a bit. If you’ve been reading our blog (thank you!), you’ll now find all our newest stuff over in Find Ideas, our online guidebook of wedding ideas, how-to’s, advice and lists of questions to ask prospective locations and vendors.

A couple of years ago I was at a bat mitzvah and I noticed all the girls had kicked off their new strappy heels when it came time for dancing. No surprise! But what caught my eye was that they were all wearing the same little white socks—like they had planned it in advance. “Oh, no” my niece told me. “There’s a basket of them over by the DJs so everyone can have a pair.”

Your wedding day is a perfect excuse to breathe new life in your family’s heirloom jewels. For inspiration to help you turn your “something old” into “something new,” check out Christensen Heller Gallery.

I just love how Night Owl combines modern shapes and folksy flowers on a thin piece of wood for an earthy, natural quality that never feels the least bit hippie or granola-y.

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!