The Beauty and Lace Bride Diary

Dear Readers,

If you loved Wedding Dash, Playfirst have released a sequel – Wedding Dash 2.

It is almost identical to the first, although it does have new locations and a Groom Kong to go with the Bridezilla.

If you couldn’t get enough, you can download the free trial HERE

xx

Following on from her previous post on Destination Weddings, Laura  shares with us her reasons why she has decided to go against the norm…and wear a black dress to her wedding:

There is a lot of pressure that goes into a bride’s appearance on her wedding day. Expectations set by traditions that go centuries back. Have you ever picked up a book that reveals the logic behind wedding tradition? It’s pretty startling, but makes sense.

For instance, pioneer women only took full baths periodically, apparently around June. The bouquet came about to help mask her body odor! I’m not sure where the color white came in, but the Catholic priest that married me the first time was quick to point out that a wedding veil represents virginity.

I did not wear a veil, but everything else about my first wedding was traditional. The Church made us take a bunch of test, and have counseling prior to the big day. Everybody agreed we were compatible, until death do us part. I suppose they were right to an extent, ten years of marriage isn’t exactly a failure.

Now that I am engaged again, I’m a little older, a lot wiser, and much more practical than I was the first time. We see our marriage as a very personal commitment in every sense, and don’t feel it necessary to share that moment with onlookers, which is why we are having a private, destination wedding.

According to tradition, it is perhaps the most beautiful you will look for the rest of your married life, so putting some effort into it is just good common sense! I fell out of love with the first dress I picked out, and actually showed it to my fiance’ to see what he thought. First he said all the right things, then “I hate that dress”. One thing I have learned about men is this. If you ask them a direct question, you will likely get a direct answer, if in fact you can handle the truth. At that moment it occurred to me to ask him what he did like, and he told me.

Armed with that new information, I began my hunt. It must be low in the back, halter in the front. White, black, or red, those were my only stipulations. After trying on, I don’t know, 16 dresses, I was about to settle on a white dress that needed a tremendous amount of alterations, but it was low in the back, halter in the front. Then it happened. I slipped on the first dress in the year that I’ve been engaged that made my heart thump faster, and beat louder. That happens to me all the time with designer shoes, but at 5’2”, I usually find clothes that need alterations. It fit me to perfection, even in the length!

I wear black every day. People ask me, “Is it because you are sad? Are you grieving? Are you dieting?” Unlike the late great Johnny Cash, black has no special meaning to me whatsoever. It’s great to wear to work, because if it gets a hair color stain, a magic marker will fix it. I like the contrast of black against my white skin. I like it because most people that live coastal like me don’t wear it. I admit, I also like it because it can be a little gothic.

Which has nothing to do with the reason I am wearing black on my wedding day. I’m wearing it because I want to feel beautiful, confident for the photo shoot, and know that he will be so happy that I actually considered his likes and dislikes in buying a dress. Besides, I know how to rock out a black dress.

With modern day plumbing, and under arm deodorant, I do think I will opt out on the bouquet….

The fabulous Laura, a talented hairdresser and owner of Laura’s Hair Company is getting married later this year, and has chosen a destination wedding:

When the love of my life proposed to me a year ago, it was on a cruise ship docked off the coast of Catalina Island, California. What a beautiful, romantic event it was! People often revisit places that have powerful memories for them, which is perhaps why destination weddings are so popular.

It could also be because brides are taking their day back, and spending it the way they really want to! Weddings are big, huge, money making events for professionals of that industry. It’s not only the party of the bride’s life, but also her parents, and merging an extended family in as well. For years, people will remember everyone’s conduct from that event. I was married for ten years the first time, I can’t tell you how many times I heard about my sister-in-law, “what did you expect, this is a woman who chewed gum standing next to you at your wedding!” It was a Catholic wedding, which should not only explain that remark, but quite a bit to follow as well.

Not visioning myself ever getting married again, delving back into the ‘wedding’ world has been a real eye opener. My hair salon refers out wedding parties, we don’t even do bridal hair! That is how far removed I have been from the wedding industry. A lot has changed in the fifteen years since I planned my first wedding, most of it pleasantly so.

Choosing a destination is entirely personal. What I have learned, is the sky is the limit, literally. Jumping out of an airplane will cut your guest list down dramatically! Exchanging vows underneath the water, you might have a few more onlookers. Anyplace else you want to get married on land or sea? Dream it, it can be done, and on a budget.

That is exactly how it came about that we are getting married in Hollywood, California, for less money than a small package deal in oh so popular Las Vegas. With the help of the internet, finding an officiant to oversee the legalities is a cinch, and the most necessary person of your day. In our case, we are having a 1 minute ceremony, simply signing the papers. However, in keeping with our true Hollywood style, I found a guy that is famous, as he has made many television appearances!

For us, the destination started out as the honeymoon, and ended up being all of it in one. We narrowed it down to two of L.A.’s most popular hotels, and ultimately decided to get married in our room! For a price, we could have a spectacular wedding with their army of workers and I would feel absolutely like a movie star. Have you ever heard of champagne taste on a beer budget?

Most famous places are very proud of their history, and charge accordingly. Incredibly, the events coordinator at one of the most upscale hotels in Beverly Hills, suggested we simply get married in our room. “None would be the wiser” he said, and I would still be getting married at their hotel! That kind of thoughtfulness my friends, is why those places are upscale, and so worth the money if you can make it happen. Fortunately, I was able to scope out both hotels in person a few months ago, which is how we ended up choosing Hollywood

Islands, cruise ships, mountain tops, back yards, all increasingly popular. The great news is, if you are going far, far away, you probably don’t have to deal with the details as I did. So many places wrap it all up in a package, and hand it to you, with a pretty bow on top. All you have to do is show up, preferably in a great dress. If you choose somewhere really cool, chances are the people closest to you will actually attend. You know who your absolute friends are when they spend cash on a plane ticket to an exotic place, just to help you celebrate your day. I have yet to meet a couple who complained about their destination wedding, and how relaxed and grateful their guest were.

The other extreme, is how we are doing it. It’s not that we can’t have people there, but what are we going to do with them after the one minute of our ceremony is up? It is our honeymoon after all, and that is also where hiring a photographer comes in. In L.A., photographers are plentiful, so I sought out the best one I could find. Money well spent, in my opinion. Not only will we have pictures to gaze upon for the rest of our life, but we have something to show our friends and family back home! At the very least, I would get a student or amateur photographer, someone with basic knowledge of a camera that will have an aggressive view point with a camera. As annoyed as people sometimes get when a camera is in their face, they rarely get irritated when presented with the printed result of the invasion. Personally, I love the camera, and the photo shoot of our day has taken on a life of it’s own!

Sometimes we get so caught up in the wedding, we tend to neglect thinking about the marriage. A destination wedding can give you the opportunity to create traditions, such as a location to celebrate your anniversary for years to come. Next destination? Happily ever after baby, ‘til death do you part.

- Laura -

Dear Readers,

Something that ended up getting me relatively stressed out was the “Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue,” especially the old and borrowed parts. This is what I ended up with:

Something Old:

This is quite funny, and probably weird to those reading, but until the day before I had nothing old. Everything was new! One of my childhood friends had a bobby pin that was really old, and she happened to have it with her. Yes, just a regular bobby pin, no fancy crystals or beading, but it would have been at least 10 years old so it did the job. I took it with me to the hairdresser and they popped it in with the other 1000 pins they had to use! Don’t ask me why she still had it!

Something New:

I had a lot of new pieces, my dress, veil, bracelet and shoes were all new so I had a lot to choose from. I am going to say my dress because it wouldn’t have been the same day without it. Love at first sight!

Something Borrowed:

I had a gorgeous bracelet and earrings and was going to keep it simple and go without a necklace. My sister’s friend had the most beautiful crystal necklace from her own wedding which I ended up wearing…it was like the icing on the cake. Because my dress was strapless I think I needed something there. I had a lot of positive comments about my jewellery on the day!

Something Blue:

I ended up with a bit of blue on my garter! That is probably the easiest way to implement something blue. My friend Sacha suggested sewing a small blue ribbon under my dress which is also a great idea.

Was I supposed to wear a sixpence in my shoe??

xx

Dear Readers,

If you are planning your wedding and your honeymoon make sure you check out www.sassisam.com for a range of supercute luggage tags and travel packs.

Because we had just moved into our new house we didn’t have a honeymoon and it wasn’t a high priority for us, but maybe one day we will! There seems to be a growing trend for overseas weddings, for those who want something a little less traditional.

If opting to go international, it’s a wedding and honeymoon all in one – a little bit of luxury if your family can afford to come along.

xx

Dear Readers,

I have just found out about the glam brand of makeup - Harlotte. I won’t talk about their gorgeous lip and eye products here (keep an eye on our Beauty category - review coming soon) but I will tell you about their garters.

Garters can be found on most brides, but these are a little bit classier than regular garters. On my wedding day we had nowhere to store our lipgloss pot and my dad ended up carrying it in his pocket. (Gotta love dads!)

The Harlotte garter would have been ideal because it has a little pocket that seals with velcro to conveniently store your Harlotte lipgloss. It is something I didn’t even think about before my wedding but it would have been perfect!

A gorgeous idea, it serves two purposes and you could also wear it on a night out under your clothes if you were only taking a small clutch that couldn’t fit your lipgloss.

Visit www.harlotte.com.au for more information!

Dear Readers,

I just love books! There is something about opening a new book for the first time that is just so appealing. There is so much to learn, and so many gorgeous images to look through.

There is a new Wedding book just out - “500 Wedding Rings” (A Lark Jewellery Book), and like the title suggests, it showcases 500 different wedding rings. If you are planning a wedding, or have a fascination for jewellery then pick up a copy.

Their blurb describes it best:

500 Wedding Rings presents remarkable works of art from around the globe that capture the spirit of committed relationships. Each one is unique and the diversity of the entire collection is impressive.

There are traditional pieces with masterfully set diamonds in precious metals along with conceptual works that reflect a more cutting-edge approach. These symbols of lives lived in unison will appeal to lovers and artists alike.

There are some weird and wonderful designs, and quite a few leave you thinking “how could someone wear that?”. Available from all good bookstores!

xx

Debbie Thwaites has been helping women walk through their wedding day with comfort and style for four years, thanks to her range of De Cavalier bridal footwear. Here, she shares her top five tips for picking the perfect heel for your big day.

1. Match your accessories.

When selecting your wedding shoes, keep in mind your wedding gown (like you could forget it!), your jewellery, hair style, and bouquet.

To prevent a last-minute panic, ideally try gown and shoes together well before the wedding. The shoes and dress should complement each other, so if your dress is simple and elegant, spice it up with some Swarovski-studded heels or pearl-encrusted stilettos.

2. Comfort is key.

Extra padding through the centre of the sole (found in all De Cavalier shoes!) will prevent you looking miserable in your wedding photos.

You’ll be able to kick up your heels at the reception and actually enjoy your bridal waltz. Plus, you don’t want post-wedding day blisters or aching feet to spoil your honeymoon!

3. Watch your height.

Remember you’ll be spending all day in your heels, so never pick shoes higher than you can handle. And when you walk down the aisle, you don’t want to suddenly find yourself towering over the groom-to-be!

4. Work with the environment around you

– for a winter wedding, opt for a closed shoe, peep-toe or closed toe sling-back. If it’s a beach wedding, bear in mind you’ll need something manageable in sand!

5. A girl can never have too many shoes:

and a stylish, classic design will find its way out of your wardrobe long after the honeymoon, instead of collecting dust.

Whilst it’s important not to sacrifice quality for price, you don’t need to spend the entire wedding budget to get a comfortable, gorgeous pair of heels.

Debbie’s wide variety of bridal shoes range in price from $150 to $195, so you can have your wedding cake and eat it too.

Dear Readers,

I know it has been a while since I last wrote in here. I think after the wedding I needed a break from thinking about it, because the planning was so intensive! Now that we have our photos I am really starting to enjoy the memories!

I have been trying to choose which photos to put into an album which is extremely hard! I have been looking at getting a photobook made from Snapfish.

You may remember a post before the wedding about the “orange” bridesmaids dresses, and I have a photo here of them with the flowers:

I have quite a few tips for those of you who are planning a wedding, so keep an eye out as I promise to post more soon!

We are actually going to a wedding on Saturday! It is so hard deciding what to wear to someone else’s wedding… it should be a good day!

xx

Dear Readers,

I have just come across another free “love game” that is a bit of fun, especially with Valentine’s Day coming up. No download necessary, play straight from your browser.

They say:

Are you a romantic sweetie pie with a confessed passion for word games? Well, take heart! Love Letters is certain to thrill your ticker!

In order to master this charming and sweetly unique word game, you must spell the correct combination of romance-related words from the word list of love, using an assortment of colorful candy letters presented in the valentine shaped box.

A bit of fun, and if you are planning a wedding its always good to take some time out. Can you beat my high score? Ok, I admit I am not very good so it shouldn’t be too hard:

Visit: www.jenkatgames.com/online/Love-Letters/ to play!

Enjoy

xx