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

You know, Oprah's not the only one with an annual list of "favorite things." So this year I thought I'd share a few of my most wanted items with you brides and fashionistas alike.  I'm especially loving the Burberry Duffel (can you say "fierce!"), Whitney English Day Designer (can't wait to get my dreams/goals/creativity aligned) and long-stemmed Camille Wine Glasses (an ode to Scandal's "Olivia Pope"). Plus, I'll let you in on a little secret (shhhhh....don't tell my hubby): I already ordered one of these beauties  and am beyond excited to receive!   Happy Holidays!! Burberry Little Crush | Whitney English Day Designer | Henri Bendel Petal Hoops | Stuart Weitzman '5050 Boots | Coach Long Bonnie Gloves | Kitchenaid Stand Mixer | Crate & Barrel Camille Wine Glasses | Burberry Duffel Coat   | TUMI Vapor | Ugg Short Sparkles Classic  - - - - - - - - - by Rashana Anderson Founder & Managing ...

(photo courtesy of Amy Lashelle Photography )

We were thrilled to have been invited to cover the red carpet at one of Bridal Fashion Week's most anticipated events, The Knot's 2nd Annual Industry Gala , held at The New York Public Library on October 17th.  Capping off this season's Bridal Market, the who's who of all things weddings ... socialites, designers, event planners and other industry players ... gathered to party the night away and celebrate at what many consider to be the Oscars of the wedding world.  After being shown our place on the red carpet, we were just so excited to be a part of it all! Along with Carley Roney, co-founder and Editor-in-Chief of The Knot, many other top personalities opened the event by walking the red carpet and providing interviews to the press and bloggers (including yours truly ) such as celebrity event designer Diann Valentine, TLC’s “Say Yes to the Dress” star Randy Fenoli, and bridal designers Amsale, Pnina Tornai, and Yumi Katsura.  (Monique Lhuill...

... "tones" meaning the PANTONE Spring 2011 directional colors. Twice a year, Pantone (the global authority on color) announces the season's most important and most prominent hues and Spring 2011 has an abundance for brides planning their weddings to pull from. There's such a balanced a mix of cool and warm colors, thus there is something for everyone! And don't forget about Dessy's PANTONE WEDDING ™ color guide, the ultimate color reference tool for brides and wedding planners which makes it easier to achieve a perfectly color-coordinated wedding.  Perhaps they'll be updating their tool with the new colors for Spring 2011 soon. Stay tuned! - - - - - - - - - - by Rashana Anderson Founder & Managing Director, THE BRIDAL PARTY

If you're tying the knot this year and haven't already chosen your wedding color scheme or you're looking for the perfect accent hue, remember to reference Pantone's first Fashion Color Report for 2010 ( download here ).  Turquoise has been named the "color of the year," but Fusion Coral , Tuscany and Dried Herb deserve honorable mention.  You might also want to keep the selected colors in mind while shopping for your Spring wardrobe. - - - - - - - - - - by Rashana Anderson Founder & Managing Director, THE BRIDAL PARTY

These classes are sure to be loads of fun for both newlyweds and soon-to-be's. Take advantage of this opportunity to learn about cuisines from around the world, courtesy of Williams-Sonoma's talented chefs. Where: Williams-Sonoma 400 Commons Way Bridgewater, NJ 08807 (908) 707-9222 Time: 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM Cost: $55 per class (unless noted otherwise), which includes a 10% discount on in-store purchases Fall Celebration - Monday, October 12 Whether you're celebrating Halloween or simply welcoming the autumn season, this sophisticated menu fits the bill perfectly. These recipes from our new Comfort Food cookbook are sure to be crowd-pleasers. On the menu: Poached Pear Salad with Arugula, Prosciutto, and Parmesan, Garlic Cheese Bread, Steak and Mushroom Stroganoff and Real Butterscotch Pudding: Presented by: Chef Michael A. J. Greene Cooking for Friends: Casual Fall Dinner - Saturday, October 24 From our Cooking for Friends cookbook, this dinner menu is just right for a casu...

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. (photo by Shawn Connel) So You Think You Won't Need A Wedding Planner? (part 1) So You Think You Won't Need A Wedding Planner? (part 2) Give Generously, Celebrate Joyfully ... Design Merrily (winter party ideas) Top 20 Reception Ideas for 2008 (extraordinary list from New York Magazine) scam (skām): A fraudulent business scheme (one of our most popular and sought after blog posts) Inspiration Board: Destination Design Signature Martinis ... w/ a Holiday Twist (five yummy seasonal martini recipes)

This month I stumbled upon two awesome favor ideas and just couldn't decide which was better, so our F l AVORs of the Month for September 2008 (which happen to be right in line with the fast-approaching change of the seasons) are ... Marzipan Chocolate Pumpkins from Martine's Chocolates Each of these tasty candies are handmade. They are hollow chocolate enhanced with food coloring. Too cute! For a perfect presentation, place them into clear boxes and affix a personalized tag with the couple's names and/or monogram. Available flavors include Milk Chocolate, Dark Chocolate and White Chocolate. 3-Way Photoframe Paperweights from Latest Buy This is definitely not your average paperweight. It's like, out-of-the-box thinking, but totally in-the-box ! Each crystal cube holds three photos and the invisible mirrors inside allow you to see all three photos at three different angles. Simply tie ribbons in your wedding colors around each and voilà! = a multi-dimensional and...

I like to repost this about every 6 months, as it really comes in handy when couples are just starting to plan their weddings and choose dates. While there's absolutely no way you can ensure a warm sunny day and there's nothing you can do to prevent a misty rainshower, you CAN do a little research and try to make a decision based on theory . Check out MY WEDDING WEATHER , which has lots of great info for the coming months! (Favors pictured courtesy of Beau-Coup )

T he holidays are always a wonderful time to plan milestone events like weddings ... after all, the holidays are all about family anyway. And for the first time, I'm working with a couple planning a Black Friday wedding (the day after Thanksgiving). The bride and groom both have open-minded artistic visions, so their primary focus is that their wedding is received and remembered through emotion. While the color scheme is still evolving, the signature warm hue "Dahlia" has been locked in. So, here's my first inspiration board for this couple's nuptials. AUTUMN CANDLELIGHT Credits (top, left to right): Delicate Ceremony Programs tied with Dahlia satin ribbons (photo courtesy of TheKnot.com ); Chandelier Draped Ballroom - Richfield Regency ; Autumn Wedding Party park scene (photo courtesy of Brides.com ); Autumn Hue Bouquet - by Avi Adler ; Dupioni Silk Shantung Flowergirl Dress - Little Flowers ; Tall Stems in Vases amidst Votive Candles (photo courtesy of TheKnot....

(Note: I'm smiling as I type this post) Okay, so I have never really been a huge fan of save-the-dates. Unless used to give guests advance notice to a destination and/or holiday weekend wedding, I've always felt save-the-dates take away from the pomp and circumstance of the formal wedding invitation. Nevertheless, these adorably clever save-the-dates have stolen my heart. I'd find a reason to send these! Absolutely perfect for wedding dates falling close to the holidays ... courtesy of RedBliss , $18 per piece.

Even though it's now considered tried and true , I still love the incorporation of the signature drink for celebration events. Here are a few tasty martinis perfect for the holidays: MAYFLOWER MARTINI (courtesy of Food Network ) Ingredients: 2 teaspoons sweet vermouth Ice cubes 1 part gin 2 parts white cranberry juice Whole cranberries on toothpicks, to garnish Instructions: Pour 1 teaspoon of sweet vermouth into each martini glass; swirl glass to coat and pour out excess. Set aside. Fill a martini shaker with ice cubes. Pour 1 part gin and 2 parts white cranberry juice. Shake vigorously. Pour into martini glasses. Serve chilled with a garnish of whole cranberries on a toothpick. PUMPKIN PIE MARTINI (courtesy of New York Magazine ) Ingredients: 2 parts Absolut Vanila vodka 1 part pumpkin schnapps Splash of cream (or substitute a splash of orange juice) Nutmeg Instructions: Shake all the ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice and strain into a martini glass. Garnish with nutmeg ...

'T is the season to use the holidays for inspiration! Take a cue from winter, in all of its splendor, with these little embellishments: Newlyweds and Couples Holiday Cards ( Tiny Prints ) Gold Tree Place Card Holders ( Beau-Coup ) Spruce Monogram Wreath ( Ballard Designs ) Christmas Parcels Wedding Cake ( Rosalind's Desserts )

Here's a sneak peek at Spring 2008's haute bridal gowns. Check out what a few of the top designers have in store: (as usual, Oscar is my personal favorite) Carolina Herrera Oscar de la Renta Monique Lhuiller Reem Acra

As Summer winds down and we get ready to move into Autumn wedding season, just like the the leaves, colors are also changing. For this year's upcoming season, I've noticed fashion-forward brides are thinking outside of the box ... leaning away from the Tiffany blues ... abandoning chocolate & pink. Here's a small sampling of the exotic NEW color trends for Fall: TEAL : Yes, the popular wedding color of the 80s is back! Its fresh clean look is what many brides are going for, especially when they don't want a hue that's too dark. What I've really loved seeing is its pairing with wonderful, vibrant colors like red. I know it sounds crazy, but when done right ... absolutely stunning. BLACK & WHITE : This might seem too basic, but it's making another big comeback! Many brides-to-be have used this scheme in conjunction with intricate patterns, which really puts a creative spin on the look. A black & white palette is perfect for the chic bride. PAPRIKA ...

When I was planning my own wedding, I was close to obsessed with what the weather might be the day of the wedding. I know, I know ... there's absolutely no way you can ensure a warm, sunny day and there's nothing you can do to prevent rain ... BUT you can do a little research and try to make a decision based on theory. Check out this link, which has lots of great info for the coming months! http://www.weather.com/activities/events/weddings/