After "YES," Before "I DO" and Everything In Between

(me reading emails on my BlackBerry while waiting to have my car inspected) A year ago, you could have never convinced me that I'd be so attached to my CrackBerry ...but yes, I too have fallen victim. As a business-woman, I feel it crucial to have access to the Internet and email at all times. Moreover, it's critical that I respond to my clients at all times as soon as possible. Thankfully though, I'm not too far gone. I have it set to cut off at a certain time at night and to cut on at a certain time in the morning. Also, I don't wear it on my person and don't look at it during meals. Sometimes you might even find it at the very bottom of my purse mingling with a few lone bobby-pins. But for those for whom your BlackBerry has become "an extension of your hand," let the following excerpts from this Forbes article serve as intervention: Are You Addicted To Your BlackBerry? Forbes.com staff, April 2008 Its nickname, CrackBerry , says it all. There is no ...

(photo courtesy of Flickr) Last night, while reading my  Dialogue (the Association of Bridal Consultants ' newsletter), I came across some really interesting statistics taken from the June bulletin of The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP).  Their story on comparing weddings from 50 years ago to today reported eye-opening figures which not only supported the well-known facts that weddings cost a lot more now and divorce rates are higher, but also showed that brides and grooms are about 30% older, couples are having 42% fewer children and the life expectancy of men (while still lower than women) has grown an exciting 14%!  Take a look:

We  posted about actress Malinda Williams' wedding blog on Essence.com a little over a month ago and this passed Saturday they finally sealed the deal...in my hometown of Newark, New Jersey! The wedding was held at  The Mezzanine  and Malinda was absolutely radiant in a gorgeous strapless gown with tiers of pleated cascading tulle ( "Evita" by Maggie Sottero ). Here are photos and Essence's account of their special day: On Saturday, August 23, actress Malinda Williams and former rapper and present celebrity deejay Derrick "D-Nice" Jones wed in a quaint ceremony at The Mezzanine in Newark, New Jersey. As Barbra Streisand's "Evergreen" played softly, Malinda made her grand entrance, wearing an ivory, strapless, beaded, ruffled-tiered gown by Maggie Sottero, champagne Christian Louboutin satin pumps, and a veil and hair adornment compliments of Lori London, while carrying an eggplant calla lily. The couple's vintage-mod wedding theme was capt...

In reviewing our blog stats, as I do quite often, I was pleasantly surprised to see our national and global reach is growing!  It's official...people are truly reading and sharing After "YES," Before "I DO" & Everything In Between !  Over the last 30 days, our top 10 cities have been Newark-NJ, Oklahoma City-OK, New York-NY, Sacramento-CA, Houston-TX, Seattle-WA, Dallas-TX, Chapel Hill-NC, Chicago-IL and Atlanta-GA.  Also, some of our international readers reside in Bangkok, Sydney, Montreal and London.  Many are reading our blog entries in other languages too, such as Turkish, Italian, Thai, German, Chinese, French and Dutch. Well, "HELLO!" to you all and thank you so much for paying us a visit!

(St. Pucchi Spring 2009, not yet available for sale) Nowadays, it seems quite common for brides-to-be to proclaim their wish of being "simple, yet elegant" on their wedding day. Actually, I've come to expect to hear this. But the celebutante in me maintains hope that there are still a few out there openly seeking nothing short of opulence. This idea brings St. Pucchi to mind. As far as I'm concerned, St. Pucchi's designs are extravagant, ostentatious magnificence ... eye candy at its best! Feast your eyes on a few of my favorites, below. If you're a bride-to-be looking for a truly extraordinary gown, definitely don't forget St. Pucchi. And even if you're not shopping or don't have the courage it would take to pull one of these beauties off, feel free to imagine and live vicariously through these photos.

Your  After "Yes," Before "I Do" & Everything In Between  blog archive reminder has arrived! Take a look back at what we were discussing this week one year ago. Who's First? (does the bride's name go first on favors and programs?) The Wedding DATE Planner (help picking a rain-less wedding date)                (wedding cake by Confetti Cakes )

Picking the perfect dress takes a lot of time and effort. And while brides consider beading, fullness, embroidery and bustles, they should also pay very close attention to shapes and necklines. After all, all styles are not always flattering on every body type (hence the photo above). Here are a few guidelines to remember when choosing a neckline: Spaghetti Straps Ideal for women with small breasts and petite frames Strap size: The smaller the woman, the smaller you can go with the strap Off the Shoulder Good for full breast sizes and pear shaped figures Bad for full arms Highlights shoulders and collar bone Strapless Best suited for women with smaller breasts Works well with broad shoulders Bateau Bad for women with large breasts Jewel De-emphasizes the bust area, usually perfect for the more conservative bride Good for women with small breasts (will allow them to appear bustier) Scoop (Round) Usually good for all figures Sweetheart Ideal for large busts V-Ne...