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

As we prepare for this weekend's Green & Natural wedding, I'm reminded "eco-friendly and exciting" is still what many brides are looking for on their search for "green" favors.  While there's a plethora of options of varying price ranges in the marketplace, I am partial to those WeddingStar has to offer.  These are not only beautiful but exceptionally special.  I'd bet 99.9% of your guests will have not come across any of these take-aways, especially the married couples who gave away champagne glasses with their names and wedding date etched.   Multiuse Natural Cotton Tote This simple tote can mean so much! Enjoy presenting your guests with a take-home favor that just makes sense and is a long serving reminder of your happy wedding day. Miniature Woven Picnic Basket This mini picnic basket comes with an optional solid lid and adorable double handles. The lid can be simply and decoratively held in place with a pretty wrap of ribbon tied into ...

Don't you just love things "reusable?"  In this day and age, no one supports waste and we strive to recycle as much as we possibly can.  Well, these unique place markers don't disappoint.  Perfect for bridal showers as well as the big day itself, these versatile place cards are made from high quality ceramic.  Simply write your guest's names on with semi-permanent markers and they can wipe clean later for use again at future parties!  Practical + Wow-Factor = SUPER CLEVER. - - - - - - - - - - - by Rashana Anderson Founder & Managing Director, THE BRIDAL PARTY

Three of the TV dramas I've watched faithfully each and every week for a few years are featuring weddings this week: Grey's Anatomy , Private Practice and Brothers & Sisters .  Can you say "heaven?!"  This may go down in history as my own personal sweeps week .  What I also love about this week is all four bridal gowns were provided by one of my favorite couture designers, Amsale .  She's dressed everyone from Julia Roberts to Katherine Heigl to Alicia Keys, and between tonight and Sunday she's adding "Callie," "Arizona," "Charlotte" and "Sarah" to the list. First on Grey's Anatomy (Thursday at 9:00 p.m. EST), the characters "Callie" and "Arizona" will say "I do."  Sara Ramirez ("Callie") chose her own gown but asked Amsale to add sleeves.  Jessica Capshaw's ("Arizona") gown was chosen to complement Sara's and features flowing organza cut-outs and cr...

I mentioned a couple of months ago, when we debuted our Blue to the Bone inspiration board, that while I'm a LOVER of bold color (the bolder, the better), this wedding season I've favored more delicate palettes.  It's true.  As television personality Wendy Williams would say, "I've gone all soft and pink" ... or should we say peach !  Peach tends to get a bum rap, perhaps due to its popularity throughout the 70s and 80s.  But everyone knows even the strangest of trends return eventually.  Yet to ensure it's set apart from any pre-21st century wedding remnants, we've paired it with gray.  What'dya think? PEACHY KEEN Credits (top, left to right): Peach Wedding Gown - Vera Wang ; Miniature "Present" Cake - Beau-Coup ; Pearl Silver Necklace - Daria Imports ; Peach Candles; Peach, Gray Bouquet; Peach Chanel Shoes (photo courtesy of Elizabeth Messina Photography ); Peach and Gray Bridesmaid Dress - Jim Hjelm ; Handmade Wedding Invitation - Mo...

The Bridal Party's Classic Love couple tied the knot Saturday afternoon at Our Lady of Sorrows Roman Catholic Church in South Orange, New Jersey and it was a gorgeous event! I'd worked with the bride and her family for a little under a year, preparing for this lovely 235 guest celebration and couldn't wait to see it all come together.  It was a pleasure swapping ideas and selecting "perfect fit" vendors.  And when I look back at our first inspiration board I am proud of the growth and evolvement, but all the more impressed that the original focus "Classic Love" never changed.  Total success. First, our couple exchanged vows in front of 200+ excited, loving family members and friends.  Then, everyone headed to the One and Only Westmount Country Club in West Patterson, New Jersey, for cocktails, dinner and dancing.  Everyone had a blast ... enjoying specialty drinks, a live band, luxury chocolate truffles, miniature wine favors and hand rolled ciga...

It seems the Royal Wedding went off without a hitch.  It was exciting, romantic and awesomely memorable.  Throughout the weekend there's sure to be continued coverage of the day's events from different points of view and varied outlooks.  But for us, the stand-outs were the brothers , the ritualistic pomp and circumstance and the dress ! The Brothers While touched by many of the special moments surrounding Prince William and Catherine Middleton's wedding, my personal tear-jerker was the departure of Prince William and his brother, Prince Harry, from Clarence House riding together to Westminster Abbey.  The love between the two princes is obvious, as is the spirit of their mother, Princess Diana, who continues to shine through them.  Also, their uniforms were impeccable ... not at all pretentious, just exuded genuine pride.  William was dashingly handsome in red - wearing the tunic of an Irish Guards officer, as he holds the honorary rank of Colonel of...