Weddingbee Blog

I am in LOVE with Jin Patisserie! I’d heard of them before, but today I stumbled on their website and they make the most wonderful pastry creations I have ever seen - from cakes to chocolate to cookies to macaroons and the most darling custom creations!

They’re located in Venice, California but they offer some of their chocolate and cookie products online (I’ve heard they’re divine!). Check out their custom gallery for ideas for your own wedding.

(via: insideweddings)

Tuesday evening we went to Men’s Wearhouse in Edgewater, NJ with our friend Jin. We found the tuxes for the guys. I actually really like it. Since we picked brown accents for the guys, I wanted Mr. Ladybug to do ivory but he’s like “No ivory. I’ll do the brown and the guys can do the green one that we saw.”

Now ladies, if you saw the green one you would have gagged as well. I argued a little bit but then let it go. Then Jin was like “Maybe you should wear the brown and the guys will wear the ivory one so that they’re all the same.” I was happier about that.

While Mr. Ladybug was getting measured, Jin then goes “I think you should wear the ivory and the guys wear brown. That way the brown matches the girls.” I was like “RIGHT!? RIGHT?! That’s all I’m sayin!”

So Mr. Ladybug was like “FINE!” ’cause it was 2 against 1. Jin, I thank the Lord Almighty that you were there. While Mr. Ladybug was in the room I said to Jin “You thought that too right?” and he goes “Yeah but I also saw your face and knew you weren’t happy with it.”

Hahaha…. I love you Jin! I should marry you because you care about my opinion unlike Mr. Ladybug that bastage.

So here’s what the guys would look like:

On the site they also have this Build-A-Tux page that’s helpful on picking the type of jacket, vest, shirt, and shoes. Check it out. Also if you’re planning on going to Men’s Wearhouse go to the one in Edgewater. They were really, really nice. Plus they laughed at everything I said. I am funny you know. Best recognize.

Edit: I forgot to mention this, but men are so friggin lucky. The tux rental was each 100 bucks. 4th tux rental was free. Included in the price are jacket, pants, shirt, tie, vest, cuff links, and shoes.

Weddings today are all about personalizing, and decorating aisle runners with color, monograms, motifs, etc. are becoming increasingly popular.

Original Runners (based right here in Manhattan) does the most beautiful and original work. Customized aisle runners start at $350. Everyone from Trista and Ryan to Extreme Makeover Wedding Edition to Whose Wedding is it Anyway? has featured these aisle runners.

I think it’s a wonderful way to add a little personal and unexpected touch to your wedding ceremony.

I just ordered my veil. Yay! Total cost $114.00 (actual veil itself was $89) which is not that bad compared to the one I saw at Kleinfeld for $1200.

Wedding Veil.com
I love this site. They have so many choices and I also love how they show you photos of different lengths and from different angles.

Mantilla Veil / 34 inches long / 72 inches wide / Oval cut / 1 layer

I’ll be wearing these lovely Jimmy Choo 85 mm (around 3 inch) heals with my wedding dress. They’re gorgeous, but I know my feet won’t last.

I’d love to change into flip-flops, but I think they are a bit hard to dance in; plus, I’ll be wearing pantyhose (although I guess I can take them off). I’ve been thinking of getting ballet flats and found a few that I like:

Banana Repubic: ‘Serafina’ metallic leather ballet flat on sale for $49

JCrew: Satin and crystal ballet flats $138: Satin and crystal ballet flats $138

Or maybe Espadrilles so that I don’t step on the dress?

Old Navy: Sequined Wedge Espadrilles: Only $19.50

(Ed’s note: This is an ad for MAC Cosmetics)

MAC BRIDAL
M�A�C Cosmetics Online is looking for real brides to feature as models in their online Bridal section!

Spend a day as a model working with internationally renowned make-up artists, photographers and stylists who will create and capture your Bridal Look. See important details below.

View Bridal 2005 Looks
View Bridal 2005 Behind the Scenes Video

DETAILS
To be considered, please email your name and a digital photograph of yourself to macbridal@maccosmetics.com on or before midnight EST this Wednesday, March 15th, 2006.

Please also include a short paragraph (100 words or less) on why M�A�C should select you. Please include your wedding date.

To qualify you must:
- Be available on March 21st, 2006 to come to the M�A�C offices in New York City to be interviewed.

- If you are selected, you must also be available on March 29th-31st, 2006 for the photo shoot in New York City.

If you are selected, you will be notified by March 28th, 2006 by M�A�C Cosmetics Online. Selection will be based on the following criteria: an individual personal style that’s consistent with the M�A�C identity.

We’d love to hear from you!
M�A�C Cosmetics Online and The Knot Editorial Team

Brides will not be compensated financially for their participation and will be required to sign release forms both for M�A�C Cosmetics Online and for The Knot, which will also feature our selected brides. Travel is the responsibility of the Bride. Images and footage will be the property of either M�A�C Cosmetics or The Knot and will not be returned. Void where prohibited. Click here for full contest rules.

BridalBoutique posted a list of inexpensive favor ideas on her site. My favorite one was writing a personalized note to each guest letting them know why they are special to you.

This might take a little time, but it will probably be more appreciated than any other favor you could give them.

The other alternative to wedding flip flops is of course wedding sneakers. If you don’t need a heel you could always go with Converse All Stars, Jack Purcells, or Keds.

But most of us want at least a little bit of a heel on our wedding day. Savvy Sneaks is one of the most popular bridal sneaker companies out there. These sneakers have a 1 1/2″ heel and come in 18 different colors for $44.95 each.

Pretty cute picture huh?

Remember when platform sneakers used to be “in?” I lost one platform shoe when I went bungee jumping many years ago. The cord got tangled around my leg, pulled off my shoe and it landed in the river below. My poor shoe.

Anyway… Volatile seems to be the only brand out there that specializes in platform sneakers nowadays. I’ve seen their shoes in Sam & Libby stores (are those even still around?) Volatile carries a big selection of sneakers with very big heels.

Volatile Incarceration $40.99

Volatile Elevation $45.99. Available without rhinestones.

Volatile Celebration $42.99. Also available in white.

Volatile Flyer $45.99.

Volatile Expulsion $42.99. I think the Volatile Rightfield is a suede-like version of the Expulsion.

Volatile Rumpus $45.99

Rocker’s Jessica Platform Sneaker $33.45

Skechers Superstarz Mariah with 1 1/2″ heel for $25.00.

Steve Madden Bobbie for $54.95.

I would also check out Steve Madden or Skechers stores. Platform sneakers are a great way to keep your feet comfortable while giving you some height on your wedding day. Besides - no one’s gonna see your shoes; no one even noticed that I was wearing slippers.

Photowow can turn your photographs into Andy Warhol style works of art. An 11×14 print like the one below is $198.

Though they specialize in large prints, they also offer a line of customizable cards. This might be a fun option for your save the dates! Design prices are $90, and 50 cards are $89.50 - $139.50 depending on size and finish.

Another product I liked on the site was this photo collage. It’s a little on the pricey side - the one pictured below has 81 photographs and costs $405 to design ($5/photo) and $48 for a 12×12 print (they also have larger sizes available).

An alternative to purchasing a collage like this of course is doing it yourself. For my wedding, I made color copies of photographs of most of our guests - this way I could cut them out, arrange them any way I wanted, and glue them onto a piece of framed posterboard. You can also scan and print the photographs yourself (especially if you want to manipulate sizes so that they fit into nice little squares like above).

This was a very inexpensive and easy project that our guests really loved! We had the collage displayed on an easel and guests had fun looking for their pictures in it.

Anyway, Photowow has lots of cool products on their site that would be great gifts for your parents, your fiance, your bridesmaids, etc. I’m thinking a through the years *cue Kenny Rogers song* type of collage.

New York Metro has released its list of Best of NY Beauty 2006. Whether you’re looking for a make-up artist, hair stylist, or masseuse, the website also lists winners from previous years so it’s a great resource for all your beauty needs. I actually found my colorist thru an old nymetro “best of” list and I love him!

One thing I’m truly fascinated by is eyelash extensions. I used to be obsessed with false eyelashes because they make your eyes look so big! Now I put them on for the rare special occasion but I’d love to try eyelash extensions one day.

And what better excuse to try them than your wedding day?

Something old, something new,
Something borrowed, something blue…

Ever wonder what this poem really means? These items are supposed to bring a bride luck if she carries each of them on her wedding day. Though there are many wedding superstitions out there, this is the one that most brides try to follow.

“Something old” represents the past and a bride’s link to her family. Commonly worn “old” items are your mother’s wedding dress or a piece of antique jewelry. Another nice idea is a wearing locket with a family member’s wedding photo (such as a grandmother) inside.

“Something new” symbolizes good fortune and hope in the bride’s new life. It can apply to your dress, your veil, or even a new fragrance.

“Something borrowed” means that a bride can depend on her friends and family to be there for her. The borrowed item is actually “happiness” from a friend or family member who is married so that your marriage may mirror theirs. Brides often borrow a handkerchief or jewelry but I love the idea of wearing your mother’s wedding band on your right hand.

“Something Blue” is the symbol of fidelity and love. This is one of the more fun traditions because many brides-to-be choose to wear a blue garter! Some fun ideas for your “something blue” include painting your toenails blue or wearing blue underwear.

Now that I think about it, I didn’t wear something blue on my wedding day! One of my bridesmaids did buy me a blue garter, but it was too small so I ended up not wearing it. Still, Mr. Bee and I have had a very happy marriage.

These customizable chocolate bars from JustWrapz also double as escort cards. Not bad for $3.25 each!

(via Brides Receptions Magazine)

Part I
Part II
Part III

I don’t believe these cookware companies are technically stealing your money since you do receive an actual product. However I do think they utilize unscrupulous, unethical, and misleading sales tactics and have no sense of corporate or personal responsibility.

They lure people in with the promise of a free prize and then employ hard sell techniques on their overpriced products that make it difficult for many people to say no. Sometimes customers are left on the hook for thousands of dollars in cookware they can’t even afford.

Here are some real life accounts:

• Very detailed bride’s account of her experience with Royal Prestige.
• An attorney’s experience with Royal Prestige’ presentation.
• Consumer Affairs complaints against Royal Prestige.
• CPA Larry Adams talks about Royal Prestige’ Cookware Scam in Arizona.
• Carico Healthy Lifestyles vs. Royal Prestige
• Thread on Carico Healthy Lifestyles.

It’s not all negative though. There are several brides on this modernbride thread that have positive things to say.

Several years ago I was contacted by one of these companies and told that I had won a free trip to Las Vegas. All I needed to do to pick up my voucher was sit through a 90 minute presentation with my significant other. They called at least 3 times trying to get me to come in, but I never ended up going because if it sounds too good to be true, it usually is.

dietvanillacoke - A traditional Korean wedding with lots of personal little details.

zinzon - Gorgeous wedding in France/Lebanon.

terraluvsbrett - A tea themed wedding at the historic Mount Vernon Inn.

jewells13 - A unique black and red themed goth wedding with tons of DIY ideas.

abaroo - A pink and white New York wedding.

Square Cake Bio - A Bio for square cakes!

mrsmara - A grand affair in Toledo.

kertybird - A beautiful wedding done with an unbelievable $5000 budget.

Young_Love - A vibrant Southern California wedding.

amerasianchic - One of the most popular Knottie Bios.

Mrs Violetblue - A Delaware affair.

mauidjenn - A wedding in paradise.

The marriage of 2 great things always makes me wanna cry. *Single tear*

Godiva Press Release (2005)

Coming Soon…Couture wedding favors inspired by Sylvia Weinstock available in April. Call 1-800-9-Godiva.