Always a Blogsmaid

Buzzing around....

I've gotten so much news sent my way this week, I figured I'd play Ann Curry and just try and sum it all up for you!  

Online, Wedding Paper Diva's launched Thermography- so their fabulous invites just got a little more formal! This makes fancy schmancy things like raised gold ink possible! (see below) 

In New York, Mark your calendars David's Bridal is receiving the "key to the city" opens its new store on 6th Avenue at 25th Street next THURSDAY, March 5th.

The ladies of Doyle & Doyle are answering jewelry and style questions on their *NEW* blog, Style Gem

And, if you haven't noticed the button on the sidebar, we were recently added to Delightful Blogs.  If you have five seconds and LOVE our blog, click here and weigh in, we'd so appreciate the rating! Delightful Blogs lists quality blogs and ranks them based on YOUR ratings to help people cut through the clutter out there.

Anna + Lib on Bklyn Bride!

One of our favorite couples (but aren't they all) are featured on Brooklyn Bride today!  Check out the details of their fun and BK based wedding celebration and the RAVE reviews for Always a Bridesmaid.

Pics by the fabulous Karen Mordechai!

Monograms for Everybody!

The Q:  I'd really love to have a monogram for my wedding reception.  I've seen them projected on dancefloors and I love it and I thought it would be nice to use for my programs.  But, I have no idea how to get one made. Any ideas? Is it expensive?

The A:  Monograms actually bring out the inner romantic in me- it's the graphic representation of two individuals uniting (sweet, right?)  And I remember a few years ago being really excited because we had a client who was a graphic designer and able to create a great monogram that we used in several places around the wedding.  Today though, it's easy for anyone to have access to great monograms at a really reasonable price.  Here are some of my favorites:

I really like I Do Weddings- these are more logos than monograms, but for $45 they will send you a selection of 4 designs.  These were for a beachy wedding theme.

If you want something MUCH more traditional, MC Designs will create an array of gorgeous monograms that they can imprint on items like towels, napkins and more.  They are monograms for a lifetime (and are priced as such- $275!) but they are classic, traditional designs.  The downside is the lead time AND you should call about getting a digital image for wedding use.

But probably my favorites were found on Marry Monograms.  This site offers over 200 MONOGRAMS (not wedding logos- b/c some very nice ones can be found on beau coup) sorted into six different styles (Romantic, Classic, Contemporary), each for about $30.

Happy Monogramming! 

Real Wedding: Table for Two Please

This is the ultimate in guest list reduction... Whenever you wish that the two of you would just run away together, use Lauren and Tyler as your inspiration.  Once the couple realized that their guest list would have been nearly 500 guests, they decided they only two people they couldn't cut from the list were the only two people they would invite- The Bride and Groom!  They created a fantasy wedding at Angel Orensanz just for two and hired some of the best wedding vendors to make the day happen for them.  The had Kabuki performers, a small band from Elan Artists and even a petit and exquisite cake.  They had Olivier Cheng cater the dinner, Preston Bailey handled the event design and they had my favorite officiant, Alma Daniel perform the ceremony. Tomorrow I'll post the amazing video shot by Anna of Open Eye Media but here are some of the still shots by the amazing Mel Barlow.

Kissing Tree

Yesterday I discovered the relatively new  site called LA Style Unveiled and it's blog, The Lounge.  It's still up and coming, but the blog already offered up an awesome little tid bit that I thought I'd share with you:  The Kissing Tree from Kiss the Groom blog.

It's an adorable little function of the site where you can "carve" a note in the kissing tree and email it to the one you love (or keep it for yourself).  So, Betty loves Don or I Heart Joan (sorry, I caught up on my Mad Men this weekend) and it will instantly be emailed off to your intended.  While I don't think it was photographer Elizabeth Messina's intention for it to be abused, I'd be lying if I didn't say that Mayra and I spent a good 10 minutes writing snarky and immature messages and email them to one another from across the office.   Do with it what you will, but ENJOY!

The Ironic Hotel Gift Bag

The Q:  I'm looking to do something a little bit more ecologically sustainable for a hotel gift bag for my guests.  I'm not really a "boat tote" kind of bride.  Any suggestions?

The A:  I'm going to admit that I started out just looking for bag suggestions and then I completely digressed into putting together the world's most IRONIC and hilarious gift bag.  I love these Blue Q Bags, which are made out of recycled plastic bottles and grain sacks.  They are very much the same kind of bag as the lulumon athletic bags people seem to covet so much and while they are largely covered in ironic messenges, I thought there were a few that would make great wedding gift bags.  Like this "seaside" bag or the Dick and Jane bag.
They run about $9 each, and if you go for kitchy humor, you can chock it full of these other filarious (fabulous + hilarious) products that they have on their website including wedding hotel bag staples like gum:

Or breath spray (also good for bathroom baskets):
And, of course, a little bit of late night reading......

Naturally, all these goodies can add up, so start saving now.... This may be the best wedding gift you could ever buy for yourself!

Fat Tuesday!

 I'm a biiiig fan of Fat Tuesday.  It's up there for me with Cinco de Mayo, which is saying a lot. I'm hoping I'll get to chow down on some Dirty Rice today, but in the meantime, I thought I'd put forward some wedding inspiration in the spirit  of New Orleans, home of the greatest Fat Tuesday party around.

If you like your Mardi Gras theme a bit more "straight up" (and without the football influence) check out this inspiration board from Weddings:Simple and Modern

Here is the theme "with a twist"- a fantastic LSU "School Spirit" Inspiration Board  from Bliss Event Group that I think captures some of the energy of the Big Easy with all the elegance of the Old South.  

 

And, while less obviously "Mardi Gras", here is an amazing "New Orleans" inspired board from the always fantastic Snippet and Ink!  .

If you are having a New Orleans or Mardi Gras themed wedding, send me your inspirations!

The Guerlain Spa

If you are looking to really pamper yourself, or indulge a bride-to-be with a fabulous shower present, look no further than the Guerlain Spa at the Waldorf= Astoria  The Spa opened a few months ago and Mayra and I had to miss the opening party.   We were bummed, but the frown was turned upside down when they messengered over gift certificates for any 1 and a half HOUR spa service that we wanted!  How could we say no- I mean how else could we confidently recommend a spa to our clients and readers without visiting it for service, right?

So, last week, in a day of pure indulgence, we headed uptown to a spa that is what I might want heaven to look like one day.  When you come in, they ask you for your preference in fragrance for your foot bath and in your treatment room. While you await service in their amazing waiting area, there's tea, champagne and whatever else that might be around.  It's over 14,000 square feet, so it's a sprawling, spa-fantasy land.
I opted for a facial with Sasha, who was amazing and told me that I "looked like a person who knew their way around a spa"  while Mayra went for a massage that she says "was the most thoughtful massage she's ever had".   The treatment rooms were insane and included a private bath and the most luxurious treatment bed I've ever rested on.
Oh and they did my eyebrows as part of my facial.  Mayra was indeed relaxed, but we also both agreed that the facial made me look at least 3 or 4 years younger.  I couldn't believe it.  Frankly this spa made all the spas I've been to before (at least in NY) look like YWCA's.

It's not cheap, but since service prices include tax and gratuity- it's not highway robbery either.  It's a great place to treat yourself before the big day- a terrific joint present for a bridal shower, or maybe a nice indulgence for you and Mom when you're running around gown shopping.  Either way, it's an experience that we both recommended highly. 

I was POM-med! (Simple Signature Cocktail)

I had a little dinner party on Saturday at my house with a few people including my friend Corey, who invented the sexy scale that I use so often.  Anyway, I figured we were grown ups now and I should have a little pre-dinner indulgence for everyone to set the mood. So using some of the leftover Prosecco from our Pronovias event and some DELICIOSO POM wonderful juice that Mayra brought over, we whipped up POMosas... which is a Mimosa, but prettier, because it's a nice Ruby color.  They were fantastic and would make a great signature cocktail- and they were SUPER easy to make.  I basically did 1 part POM juice to 2 parts Prosecco.   In fact, they were too good.  Some of my guests got stuck in traffic and the early arrivals got a little too into the POMosas if you know what I mean. 

If, however, you like your cocktails a little more complicated than my dumbed down version- the POM site had a great recipe for a version that involved Cointreu!

Doing Good Things with Your Wedding

The Ritz-Carlton had emailed me about their Vow to Help Others program, which amazingly will donate 5% of the receipts from your wedding to charity- actually 2 charities- one of your choosing and to the Community Footprints fund, which the Ritz-Carlton sponsors. So, to put it another way, if you are having your reception at a Ritz Carlton Hotel or Resort between now and December 31st, 2010, 5% of your F & B will go to a fantastic cause!! Doing good while doing it up! 

I figured that there are other locations that also might help you benefit a worthy cause as well and thought I'd share that with you!  If you are looking for a gorgeous venue with both grandeur and a heart, you might love The Prince George Ballroom.  The Prince George is run by the Common Ground organization, who is committed to ending homelessness.  They not only build and develop housing (that is ecologically sustainable) but they they support Veteran's housing, transitional housing and more.  Renting the Prince George helps to support these fantastic programs. 

And if Art is your speed, not everyone realizes that the popular Smack Mellon Gallery rental fee is largely a membership fee, which is not only tax deductible, but goes to support the innovative exhibitions that Smack Mellon produces all year long.

For brides not in New York, have you heard of any charitable locations in your area??