December 2008

• X-Fusion Liqueur by Sarah Parnell-
  Late one Saturday afternoon I had brought the staff in the office to do some ‘work’; we had to sample X-Rated Fusion Liqueur. The pretty pink box with a bottle of X-Rated Fusion Liqueur paired with “that gal” face primer and complete with a recipe booklet sent to my office sure seemed like it would start off any bachelorette party right.  ...read more
• These are products that I Can’t live without and I am letting you in some of my “lil Secrets” by Scarlett Messina   ...read more


• Lean and Green - Bachelorette Party Planning: The Economical and Earth-Friendly Way by Michael LaskySo you are planning a bachelorette party during one of the worst economic times of our century.  Many bridesmaids or their significant others may be losing their jobs and/or watching their money very closely.  We felt it would be helpful to give you the 411 on how to have an economical (yet still fun) bachelorette party and bridal shower.  We also felt it would be helpful to point out how to stay green and do our share to protect the environment.  Below, we have provided some bachelorette party tips in these areas ....read more
  
• Economic Wedding Trends: How To Save Cash with a Fall Wedding, and Other Expert Tips by Dan Creviston
  With a shaky economy, increasing mortgage pressures, rising job cuts and skyrocketing gas and grocery costs, many couples are looking for ways to cut costs on their big day. More couples are opting for fall weddings (among other things) to save on venue prices - the "new" wedding season is now in full swing!
  ....read more

Designer's Closet

• Alvina Valenta
• Jenny Lee

November 2008

• Samsung Mobile by Sarah Parnell-
  With The Raging War On Complex Mobile Devices – Samsung Fires Back! Samsung hits the target with their latest solutions in mobile technology. allowing you communicate via voice, text or web – capture, send and save video or pictures – organize your calendar, and tasks – entertain us with music, TV or games – navigate with gps – update us with news, sports and weather; most of us have admired having all those capabilities right at our finger tips. ...read more
• In the Arms of an Escort by Edith Gilbert
  Dear Edith, Which arm does the usher or escort offer a lady when they walk down the aisle? Is it the right or left arm?...read more
• Hair Drama by Scarlett Messina When I am having hair drama or want to know what the buzz is in hair, I immediately call a fellow beauty insider and my personal haircare aficionado, Donna Tarantino. ...read more
• Pairings of Wines and Food by Michael Lasky If you are having a bachelor(ette) party that will involve good food and wine, then we have a great section for you below that discusses the most optimal type of wine to serve at the bachelor or bachelorette party meal.  We have listed them in alphabetical order.  There is a lot of great information on the Internet if you wish to review different types and seasonal favorites. ....read more

Designer's Closet

• Tara Keely

October 2008

• Crunch time by Mark Kingsdorf - The last month before your wedding always seems to be crunch time for brides…even brides working with professional wedding planners….
  Mostly because there are a lot of time reliant projects due, and unfortunately there are a lot of thing that your planer can’t do for you.
  Here are some great tips for getting through that last month with as little hassle as possible….....read more
  
  
• Marriage License by Edith Gilbert
  Dear Edith, My fiancée and I live in different states and I was wondering in which state should I apply for our marriage license? Would it be OK to apply for the license in the state where I live? Thanks for your help!...read more
  
  
• Measuring Your Results by Leslie Orlen, M.S. CPT-NASM Before you take that step to start your pre wedding fitness routine and healthy eating habits check out your BMI!   ...read more
  
• Halloween by Michael Lasky  Halloween has come a long way since its origins from the Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced sow-in) where 2000 years ago the Celts believed on October 31st (the time when it started to get cold and dark due to the first day of winter) the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead became blurred.  It was believed that the ghosts of the dead returned to earth on this day and the Celts would wear animal masks in a ceremony to sacrifice crops and animals to the deities. ....read more

  Designer's Closet

  • Jim Hjelm
  • Winnie Couture

  Pureology will donate $25,000 to the NOCC (National Ovarian Cancer Coalition)

• Whine infused wedding? by Mark Kingsdorf - Not WHINE – wine!
  Wine has been an age old tradition at weddings – Christians often use it for communion, Jews for Kiddush and I recently did it in an interfaith ceremony is a ceremony tying family members passed to the future with wine and chocolate. This year wine will working its way into weddings in lots of amazing ways.....read more
  
  
• Transitioning into fall make-up by Scarlett Messina Fall officially may be still about a month away but right after Labor Day it seems like everyone starts to think fall and in certain circles that means fall fashion and make-up. For some unknown reason that wait- listed Chanel neon pink nailpolish, Melrose, you wore all summer just does not look as fabulous as it did two weeks ago. Your sunkissed skin all of a sudden looks blotchy and uneven. If you are like me and it is just too soon and way too drastic to lose that “tan" and go what might seem Victorian pale then here are some tips to help you slowly transition from natural summer sheer make-up to a more dramatic Fall look but all the while keeping your eternal summer glow!....read more
• Inviting CoWorkers by Edith Gilbert
  Dear Edith, I have some questions regarding my wedding and when I ask people what to do, they give me so many different answers that I am utterly confused. For example, some people suggest that I put my wedding invitation on our bulletin board at work. Other friends say this is not a good idea. How can I make the right decision? Help!...read more
  
  
• Destination Bourbon Street by Keith Cephus Masks, beads flung from Bourbon Street balconies, jazz bands…Was it a detoured Mardi Gras parade or a wedding party parading down Bourbon Street May 9th, 2008, with a photographer walking backwards, jig-jagging across the street, catching all the action? ....read more
• Accentuting your curves for your wedding by Leslie Orlen, M.S. CPT-NASM If you want to accentuate your curves in your wedding dress having a strong core is to your advantage.  Core muscles include intrinsic back muscles and deep ab muscles that play a key roll in supporting your spine, and increasing performance.  Your core is used in simple activities such as practicing your perfect walk down the isle to starting that 5k race you've been practicing to run before your wedding day..  ...read more
• View Sylvia Weinstock's Cakes

August 2008

• Gone In A Flash! by Mark Kingsdorf - I hear from brides everyday who say they sent a year or more planning the wedding day and it flies bye – The trick is how to make the most of the wedding day to preserve the memories not just for the first year but forever.
  Let’s start with the easy stuff!....read more
• WHO PAYS FOR WHAT! by Edith Gilbert Dear Edith, Please tell me, who pays for what?  So far I have been getting a different answer from the various people I have talked to. We really need to know what is right. Can you help us? ...read more
• Supermarket Savy before the BIG day! by Leslie Orlen, M.S. CPT-NASM Now you are not far from walking down the aisle to marry Mr. Right, (yes finally), congratulations to the new Mr. & Mrs. To be.  How are you going to start your new life together, it’s never too early to start thinking about eating healthy so you can grow old together, in addition to spending some quality time with daily physical activity.  ...read more

• A Rose By Any Other Name Would Smell As Sweet by Mark Kingsdorf - This Unfortunately the same cannot be said about Wedding Consultants-
  Wedding Consultants, Wedding Planners, and Bridal Consultants to most people different names for the same thing…....read more
  
  
• Laura Hornick's Bag of Tricks by Scarlett Messina I have asked Wedding Uber-Stylist Laura Hornick to open her stylist Birken bag-of-tricks and give me her favs.  ...read more
  
  
• Dress Blues by Edith Gilbert Dear Edith, My daughter is getting married in a couple of months and we would like to know if her grandfather, who is a retired navy officer, can wear his dress blues at the wedding? The wedding will be held in the evening and it will be a formal event. I want to make sure things are done right. Thank you for your reply. ...read more
  
  
• Bachelor Party Planning By the Bride by Michael Lasky There is no doubt that women are better planners in most cases than men.  The majority of the bachelorette party, bridal shower, rehearsal dinner and wedding are planned by women with few exceptions.  Recently, data has shown that there are now an increasing number of Brides-to-Be planning the bachelor party for the groom on his “last night out” as a free bachelor.  The big question is; how is the bride planning the party to make sure the groom will be happy with the orchestration of his pre-wedding party?  Below I have listed some tips that may be helpful for the bride who is planning the event for her significant other ...read more
  
• Making nutritious choices this wedding season by Leslie Orlen, M.S. CPT-NASM First and foremost, breakfast, breakfast, breakfast.  Do start the day off right, food is energy.  ...read more

March 2008

• Feeding of the 5000 by Mark Kingsdorf - This story of turning water to wine and multiplying loaves and fishes… truly a HUGE miracle…
  But, at the risk of sounding sacrilegious neglects talking about the most challenging part of the story- the same part couples planning their wedding, and wedding consultants deal with all the time…
  It skims over the part where people complained about the fact that they didn’t like red wine, or that they only drank Australian Shiraz, the people who were on carb free diets and couldn’t have the bread, who might not like the sauces he served with the fish or were vegetarian!
  OK, OK, I’M KIDDING! (Boy I can see the comments already)
  But the truth is: Picking a menu which will make everyone at your wedding happy is no less miraculous....read more
  
  
• The Bride Wore Red, Lipstick That Is by Lisa Merritt-Lee Selecting the right colors for makeup would make a modern day bride choose a colors of natural or soft tones. Playing it safe is always the first choice, however, playing with color when done right, can create super star results. As the season change colors makeup colors change as well. Spring brings colors of pink, peach, bronze, pinks, purples, orange etc. Using color is always a way to turn a twist on what everyone would expect to see when you walk down that Isle. Don't be afraid to play with bold colors either. Red lipstick is always sexy and eye catching, but as bride, it would have to be done right!  ...read more
  
  
• Bridmaid Fashions? by Edith Gilbert Dear Edith, I have been looking at bridesmaid’s dresses and am having a hard time deciding what to choose. My bridesmaids are all different heights and sizes, both blonde and brunette, and also of different ages! What to do?”..read more
  
  
• Music for the Bridal Workout by Leslie Orlen, M.S. CPT-NASMAre you just working out with the same boring cardiovascular routine whether it be on the treadmill or elliptical machine to get those pounds off before the best day of your life?  Are you working out at a hard enough intensity?.read more
  
  
• Go Get Now Products - Chosen by Scarlett Messina
• Can't Live Without Products- Chosen by Scarlett Messina

February 2008

• Just like the perfect wedding gown, or a great pair of shoes…. by Mark Kingsdorf - You know you’ve found the right wedding planner when you meet them.People ask me all time: “Do I REALLY need a wedding planner?” and my standard answer is- “How much is your free time worth?”
• Many brides aren’t sure they need a planner, can afford a planner or are afraid that the planner will come in and take over the wedding making it “their’ day....read more
  
  PInk Ladies by Scarlett Messina I am a huge fan of pink. I have been a “pink lady” since I was playing Rizzo as a kid. I love everything pink and especially love pink make-up. I use pink colors on clients all the time. I think no color brightens the skin and adds life to the face better than a pink tone blush. Nothing is sexier on the mouth than sheer pouty pink lipgloss.  But when I tell clients I am going to use pink shades on them they immediately cringe especially when I tell them I am going to apply pink eyeshadow.  ...read more
  
  Bridal Shower Attendees by Edith Gilbert Dear Edith: Is it appropriate for me, the maid of honor, to invite people to a bridal shower when they are not invited to the “destination” wedding?”..read more
  
• The Perfect Plan to Spring into Shape! by Leslie Orlen, M.S. CPT-NASM Spring- the most perfect time for a bride to spring into her shapely dress  Maybe you would love to sculpt into shape this Spring just in time for your wedding or maybe you just want to shed a few pounds before shopping for that dynamite Victoria Secret bating suit you’ve been wanting to buy for your dream honeymoon.  Spring is in the air- what a great time to regroup and focus on your ‘me’ time! .read more

January 2008

• A Wedding Planner's New Year's Wish by Mark Kingsdorf - While I have NEVER said NO to a couple, there have been those times….Brides often have a fairytale vision of their weddings. Sometime the fantasy gets in the way of reality… here are my wishes for couples to have a happy New Year....read more
  
  
• Guilty Pleasures by Scarlett Messina The Metallic Eye was the eye “du Jour” of Holiday 2007 and is still going strong into early 2008 but is now translating from dark smoky grey colors to burnished browns and golds. These colors with a “gilded” edge have been used on every catwalk showing the new Spring fashions.  This is a very easy look to achieve and everyone from pale Nordic blondes to dark ebony haired gals can pull it off easily.
  All of the cosmetic lines are “gilding” all of their colors. The choices range from burnished browns to gleaming coppers even bright gold shadow is given a tarnished tint. Cosmetic companies have worked with their “colorists” to add extra pigments to colors to achieve the gilded look. Even though you may currently have shadows you think will work for this look go try some of the new colors offered..  ...read more
  
  
• Father's Role by Edith Gilbert Please tell me what role the father plays in helping me plan my wedding? I feel badly because it seems to me that he is kind of left out in the decision making process, although he is paying all the bills. Do you have suggestions?..read more
  
  
• New Year, New You!  by Leslie Orlen, M.S. CPT-NASM -There’s no time like the present.  First, set a realistic goal of starting and sticking to healthy behavioral patterns for your 2008 wedding!  Before you know it bells will be ringing. .  .read more

Decmeber 2007

• Dashing Through the Snow, Stressing All the Way...
• Sexy Smoky Eyes
• Receiving Gifts
• 'tis the season to be fit, falalalala la la la - Achieving your FIT goals throughout the holidays…
  

November 2007

• Mean, Oh Mean, Mean Green
• Foundation And Your Skin Type
• Singing At My Wedding
• Fall Into Wedding Dress
• 10 TIPS For Destination Wedding Bliss

October 2007

• Crisp Autumn Nights, Candles, Fireplaces, and Great Harvest Foods...
• Bridal Hair & Makeup you will never regret
• Offered Help
• Here Comes The Bride...Stress Free
• Wedding Flowers: Tricks and Tips

September 2007

• Fairytale Weddings
• Hollywood's Secret
• Who Should Give Me Away?
• 9 Tips on Living Well
• Destination Hawaii
• Amy Michelson
• Lazaro
• Anjolique
• Jane Wang
• Cheryl King
• Erin Cole

August 2007

• Responses and Seating and Guests…OH MY!
• How to Hire A Professional Makeup Artist
• Head Count
• Keeping the Weigh Off!
• Bride Today, Soldier Tomorrow

July 2007

• Hiking the Paper Trail
• Get A Makeover
• Role of the Mother of the Groom
• Stay Hydrated and Obtaining Optimal Fitness This Wedding Season>

June 2007

• You don’t get what you deserve, you get what you negotiate
• Get A Makeover
• What are the responsibilities of the groom’s family?
• NUTRITION 101: Smart Choices for fitting into your wedding dress comfortably
• Getting the Royal Treatment
• Is a Destination Wedding Right for You?

May 2007

• Finding Your Perfect Wedding Gown
• Hair In Full Bloom
• How Much Are Your Photos Worth
• Beauty Recipe
• Bridal Fitness Couture
• Honeymoon in Pink
• From Invites to Finishing Touches

April 2007

• FOCUS!
• What's Fresh - Spring 2007
• Open Bar
• Countdown to a Dream - It's almost here
• Preserving your Wedding Flowers at Floral Keepsakes by Lauri
• Waking up in Los Cabos
• Art of Food - Trendy and Tasty Reception Treats

March 2007

• The Truth About Brides and Bridesmaids
• A New Breed - Mineral Makeup
• How Much For My Minister?
• Have Bridesmaids, Will Travel

February 2007

• Keeping the WE in WEdding
• Pamper Yourself
• Meeting with the Caterer
• Beauty Recipes
• Countdown to a Dream part 2
• Destintation Romance

January 2007

• Let's Get This Party Started
• What To Do First
• It's A Process
•   A Prenup?
• Beauty Recipes
• Tight On Time with Tamilee Webb
• Countdown to a Dream
• New Orleans & Plantations
• Capturing your Wedding Memories

December 2006

• New Year, New Trends
• Remembered on Your Wedding Day
• Holiday Beauty
• Premartial Counseling?
• Beauty Recipes
• Treadmill Training
• Bridemaid Beauty Gifts
• Turns up the Sizzle Honeymoons
• Taking Care of Your Destination Wedding Guests

Novemeber 2006

• Mikaella Bridal
• Hayden Croft Wedding Bands
• Top Do's & Don'ts For An Island Wedding
• Deck The Wedding Halls
• Do It Yourself Make-up And Hair
• The Hardest Decisions You'll Ever Make
• Monogramming Made Simple
• Supplementation is Important