Weddingbee

I joined Weight Watchers yesterday! With the wedding less than 4 months away, I really need to get my act together. I’m not looking to get skinny (that ain’t gonna happen ) but I do want to lose a size… more for the honeymoon than the wedding, since the dress will fit me now.

Weight Watchers is pretty easy - stick to one of their two eating plans, go to a weekly meeting (and weigh-in) and pay $13 a week. Wish me luck… I have my first fitting next week, so I probably should have joined earlier, but better late than never.

Today, more and more people are sending out save the dates. Because they are are usually sent out so far in advance, people often want them to be something that will be held onto (magnet, calendar, etc.). I was cleaning out my 2005 wedding magazines today and came across a great save the date idea in an old issue of Modern Bride - a monogrammed bookmark! All the materials were purchased through Paper-Source (woohoo!) so it’s a project you can do yourself.

These bookmarks come in 7 different colors with a prepunched hole in the top where you can add a ribbon. 25 for $6.

Then monograms were glued onto the bookmark. These come in 6 different colors and are $5 for 10.

A piece of cardstock was glued onto the back of the bookmark with the “save the date” information. I love this idea - easy, affordable, and practical!

When I first started planning my wedding, I had just moved to New York from Los Angeles. None of my bridesmaids were able to try on dresses since they lived in California, so I went to try them on myself. I had challenges finding red bridemaids dresses and trying to find a flattering style for 3 completely different body types. With only 6 months to plan the wedding, I made a pretty quick decision because the bridesmaids dresses took a couple of months to come in plus I needed to ship them to California with enough time for my bridesmaids to get alterations.

In retrospect I wish I had done a little more research because there are so many gorgeous bridesmaids dresses out there that you can really wear again after the wedding. I think I could have found something better… alas time was of the essence.

One of my favorite designers is Lazaro.

I lean towards feminine, flowing, girly frocks. They’re just so pretty!

Paper-Source is one of my all time favorite stores. I’ve visited the one in Pasadena, CA and I’m just waiting until they open a store in New York! Meanwhile they have an awesome website where you can order beautiful, high quality paper products from.

I just found out that they’ve added instructional videos to their site on how to make many of their wedding stationery products.

envelope liners

#10 booklet

petal

pocket folder

program kits and more!

This makes DIY easy for even the craft challenged!

I saw this in the most recent New York/New Jersey issue of weddingchannel magazine. M. Avery Designs in Hoboken, New Jersey offers “make your own handbag” parties either in their studio or at your home.

A host is also provided to oversee the entire event.

Each party allows for your guests to custom design the bag of their dreams choosing the style, the fabric and all the extras, just like on the website. Your custom bag creation is then manufactured for you by hand in the M Avery Designs studio and sent to you 3 weeks following the party.

Prices vary according to the handbag style, but they are very reasonable - this adorable Heather Envelope Clutch is only $32. Plus they’ll make it in reversible fabric for free so you can have a formal fabric on the outside for the wedding and maybe a different fabric for everyday use on the other side.

This would be a great idea for a bridal shower or bachelorette party. Or you could do this with your bridesmaids and give them the bags as bridesmaids gifts. So cute!

I wrote a blog about the best wedding movies recently, but I have to confess that I’m actually a big fat sappy sucker for romantic comedies and tear jerking love stories. I make Mr. Bee watch so many with me he recently said he was gonna go watch an action flick without me because he hadn’t seen one in so long.

But I’ll let you in on a little secret - The Notebook was the first dvd I rented when I first joined Netflix. Mr. Bee watched it with me and he confessed….. that he liked it.

These are my all time favorite romantic comedies:

Love Actually

Ever After

When Harry Met Sally

50 First Dates

Serendipity

Chances Are

Pretty Woman

Forget Paris

Romantic Movies that aren’t comedies:

The Notebook

Untamed Heart

The English Patient

Before Sunset

I know there are a couple more that I’m forgetting, but these are movies that I’ve watched a million times. I own almost all of them but I still watch them whenever they come on tv. We’re all super romantic girly girls deep down inside.

Here’s a list of the 100 greatest chick flicks of all time. What are your favorite chick flicks?

Photographer Search I

I met with another photographer this weekend - just to check out her work. Here’s a review.

Photographer 3 - China Jorrin Photography (her name is pronounced Chee-na)

Packages & Pricing:

• 6 hours, 18 rolls film and digital - $2800
• 8 hours, unlimited film and digital, proof prints in box - $3000
• 8 hours, unlimited film and digital, proof prints in 2 books - $3400
• 8 hours, unlimited film and digital, proof prints in 2 books, 2 parent albums (30 4×6 images) - $3700

Extras:

• Per hour fee - $350 (engagement shoots)
• Film per roll - $50
• Proof books (300 4×6 images per book) - $300 for first, $200 per additional
• All prices include tax and travel
• All packages include negatives

Final Rating:
A-/B+

I think her work is really great for this price range. She has a background in documentary shoots, so her pictures come out with a great quality and have a lot of depth and emotion. However, she doesnt work with an assistant, so it’s impossible to get simultaneous shots (i.e. groom getting ready at the same time the bride is getting ready OR close up ceremony shot vs wide angle shot).

I really liked her work, but I think her personality would fit better with someone who’s not such a bridezilla as I am. She’s very laid back and relaxed, whereas I am super bubbly and like to think fast, talk fast and do fast. So I need a photographer who can deal with that. Also, she just started offering albums, but apparently most people do their own albums when they work with her.

In our new biweekly bridal roundup feature, we’re going to feature the progress our weddingbees have made towards planning their wedding!

Miss Ladybug has less than two months left until her wedding. In the past two weeks she has:

• Ordered flowergirl dress
• Booked DJ
• Made 1 out of 3 floral monograms
• Completed reply cards design and wording
• Sent invitation and reply card paper to designer

Miss Firefly has over 3 months left until her wedding. In the past two weeks she has:

• Purchased Mr. Firefly’s wedding band
• Finalized invitation design
• Completed registry
• Ordered sample favors
• Ordered bridal shower invitations
• Booked restaurant for bridal shower

Miss Butterfly has over 8 months left until her wedding. In the past two weeks she has:

• Ordered Save the Date magnets
• Met with 2 photographers
• Signed up for personal training sessions

Miss Ant has over 8 months left until her wedding. In the past two weeks she has:

• Contacted American Airlines and got a 5% discount code for wedding guests
• Arranged accommodations and flights for photographer (she’s flying him to Jamaica)

I’ve been thinking of renting a photobooth for the wedding. Most companies rent the “model 12″ digital photobooth that provides 6 photos ( 2 strips of 3) in around 10 seconds, although the old-fashioned photobooths are also available.

The companies also provide a scrapbooking counsultant to help guests create a one of a kind guestbook for you (you don’t want the guests taking all of the pictures home!).

Surprisingly, there are tons of companies out there. A few companies I’ve found are: NYC Photobooth, Hamptons Photobooths, Photobooths Interactive, and Photobooth Scrapbooks. A lot of companies offer nationwide service. Check knottie CaliCayman for pictures of a photobooth in action.

The prices seem to run at around $1500 - $2000 for 4 hours - too much to add on top of my budget. I was thinking of getting a photobooth instead of doing guest favors; still more expensive, but at least I’ll cut something out. If you are a guest at a wedding, what would you prefer — chocolate/cookies or photostrips to take home?

• Father comes back from the dead to give his daughter away.
• Is there a market for a wedding magazine for men? (Source: wedding planning tips)
• Long Island couple marries at McDonalds.
• Gothamist’ New York Times weddings by numbers.
• More couples these days are getting prenups.
• Zach Braff and Mandy Moore’s registry? (Thanks Nhung!) Fake celeb registries pop up all the time so I’m always wary of them. Zack Braff debunks the engagement rumors on his blog.
• Lisa Marie Presley’s Japanese wedding pictures.