Weddingbee Blog

Sales

Mika Inatome
What: Up to 90 percent off wedding gowns
Where: 93 Reade St., nr. Church St., second fl.
Phone: 212-966-7777
When: 6/2 - 6/9 (by appt only)

Birnbaum & Bullock
What: Wedding gowns are at least half off
Where: 151 W. 25th St., nr. Sixth Ave., Ste. 2A
Phone: 212-242-2914
When: 6/1 (4-8); 6/2 (noon-7); 6/3 (11-4); by appt only

Christina Arzuaga Couture Bridal Sample Sale
What: On sale for $500-$1500, originally $1500-$5000
Where: Call for address and appt. More information at TopButton.
Phone: 212-780-9647
When: 5/18 - 6/10

Trunk Shows

Elizabeth Fillmore
Where: Bergdorf Goodman’s Bridal Salon, 754 Fifth Ave (nr. 58th St.)
Phone: 212-872-8957
When: 6/1 - 6/3 (by appt only)

Amsale
Where: Kleinfeld, 110 West 20th Street
Phone: 646-633-4300
When: 6/2 - 6/4 (by appt only)

Henry Roth & Michelle Roth
Where: Kleinfeld, 110 West 20th Street
Phone: 646-633-4300
When: 6/6 - 6/8 (by appt only)

Every Tuesday we post listings for upcoming trunk shows and sales in the city. If you know of a trunk show, sample sale, or sale that we’re missing, please send it to us at tips@weddingbee.com. Thanks!

When choosing bridesmaids, most brides usually consider their friends, sisters, close relatives, and sister-in-laws. I have no sisters and virtually no family in the States so my decision was relatively easy - I chose my three closest friends. My maid of honor I’d known since 10th grade, and my two other bridesmaids since the 7th and 11th grades.

I was lucky the decision was so easy because sometimes it can get quite complicated and sticky choosing bridesmaids (and groomsmen).

How did you choose your bridesmaids? Was it an easy decision?

Birthday Express is a children’s party supply resource. They have over 150 party themes — from Dora to Sponge Bob Square Pants to Bob the Builder offering everything from invites to pinatas. No … I haven’t changed my wedding theme to Fairy-tale Unicorns ;).

But I have decided to order ready made kid’s favor boxes ranging from $4.29 to $5.00. Many of the favor boxes include items that I don’t want at the wedding: pull-back style cars (I don’t want cars whizzing around), playdough, bouncy balls, and the gumball machine with tiny candy (choking and tripping hazard), so it limits my options. I thought about ordering a different one for every child at the wedding, but knowing my niece and nephews, that might turn into World War III, so I think I’ll order the “Jets” themed ones for everyone.

Here are some of my faves:

On my recent post about uneven wedding parties, reader MB asked where the bridesmaids dresses from a wedding I attended last year were purchased.

The bride told me they were from Aria Bridesmaids which has locations in Los Angeles, Boston, and Washington D.C. For those unable to go to a showroom, Aria offers a try-on program where dresses can be mailed to you for $18 each. They also send up to 7 fabric samples free of charge.

The bridesmaids pictured above chose three different styles of dresses in a silk shantung fabric. I believe the color was Sunset Gold. It was a gorgeous shade of orange and the color of the dress changed with light and movement.

Some of Aria’s dresses on real bridemaids. Gorgeous color!

Love the two tone action.

You can even match your flowergirls!

Prices vary according to fabric (duchess satin, silk shantung, silk taffeta), but they are quite affordable ($150-$265). I thought the silk shantung looked great in person.

Take the WE Quiz!

(source: liweddings)

Mr. Caterpillar and I need an apartment. Desperately.

Just this weekend, we finally cleaned out the apartment I’ve kept in Philadelphia for the past three years. I never actually spent more than a few days there a month, but it was a convenient place to store all the treasures I managed to collect over the past 29 years. For example, the fine baker’s rack I found lying in the street a few years ago — first of all, that’s not rust; it’s PATINA; and second, if I actually had bought it in a store, it would have cost, like, $5 or something. And what about my giant birdcage? Sure, I bought it at the Target in Conshohocken for $12, but it’s not like I’ll ever find another one just like it. And my easel; I NEED my easel. And the twenty lace tablecloths I bought on eBay, I need those too . . . .

Did I mention that Mr. Caterpillar and I share a 200 square foot studio in Harlem?

We so need a new apartment.

We’re happy to announce that weddingbee now has email subscriptions!

Just type your email address into the box under “Email Subscriptions” and click “Subscribe me” to get your daily dose of weddingbee delivered right to your email box!

Back in the day, there were no such things as registries. Nowadays every engaged couple sets up one or two or even more registries so they can receive the gifts they want/need and make gift giving easier for their guests.

Several wedding invitations Mr. Bee and I have recently received, have included registry information. All traditional etiquette says that including registry information with invitations is a faux pas - you’re supposed to spread the information via word of mouth.

But including the information makes things easier for the bride and groom and the guests. Will things change in the next five, ten, fifteen years? Do you think including registry information with wedding invitations will become the norm?

In this week’s roundup, Mrs. Bee blogged about an ipod djing article that I loved. I’ve always had a hard time with DJs I have heard at weddings over the years. In my opinion there is a good chance they may bring an element of cheesiness with songs like “It’s raining men” and the chicken dance, no matter how many “do not play instructions” you give the DJ (not to say there are not great DJs to be found, there are just a lot of bad ones too).

On the other hand, if you are a bride on a budget, you know that hiring a band can be a pricey option and not one that everyone will enjoy. There is the chance it may sound like American Idol, but worse. Nailing Beyonce’s “Crazy in Love” is probably not that easy, right?

We fall into the category above - we wanted to keep the wedding within a reasonable budget, and the band we thought we might like was a bit out of our reach, but we also didn’t want to end up with a DJ we just met with his or her own ideas for what might work. One of the first decisions we made in the planning process was to go our own way, and make our own wedding play lists on our laptops and ipods and ask an acquaintance to man the music for the night. He will emcee and make calls as to what songs will work, but we know him well and know he has similar taste in music as us, so we are not worried.

When our friends found out we asked one person to handle the music for the night, they were bummed they were not asked to guest DJ and alternate throughout the night with other guests. I have a feeling this will still happen at some level, which is fine by us as long as certain songs get played. Overall, I am happy with this plan, it’s fun, personal and easily within our budget even with renting DJ equipment.

While we have no idea how successful (or not) this might be, if you are looking for a way to save a giant chunk of cash and are somewhat relaxed enough to let the guy or girl you know who loves making mix CDs learn how to use a mixer the day of your wedding, think about renting a few speakers, speaker stands, a mixer, a deck and a microphone and you should be all set.

My parents came from Los Angeles to visit us this weekend. They just took off for the airport but while they were here, I asked them how they would like Mr. Bee to address them. After all, I needed to write a follow-up on my post about what to call in-laws.

My dad’s top three choices were:

1. Dad
2. Ah-buh-jee (Korean for father)
3. Father

My mom’s top three choices were:

1. Umma (Korean for mom)
2. Mom
3. Uh-muh-nee (Korean for mother)

Many of you expressed that “mom” and “dad” were reserved for your parents only and that you could never call your in-laws by those names. I had no such qualms and it was my intention to call my in-laws “mom” and “dad” all along. My dad even said that I should call Mr. Bee’s parents “mom” and “dad.” Mr. Bee said that his mother called her mother-in-law “mom,” so she would probably want me to do the same. It doesn’t matter what I call my in-laws though: mom, dad, mother, father, etc… it’ll feel weird no matter what.

So there you have it… it’s going to be mom and dad all around for me, Mr. Bee, and our in-laws. I wonder if Mr. Bee and I will ever get used to it. Probably not.

• No prenup for Nicole Kidman.
• Christopher Knight and Adrienne Curry marry.
• Kylie Minogue to have two weddings.
• Wacky wedding stories.
• Planning a wedding can cut into job.
• Five wedding trends for 2006.
• Is an ipod right as your wedding dj?
• 25 physically disabled couples marry.
• Wedding party gift tips.
• Today’s prom more like small practice wedding.
• How to plan a last minute wedding.
• A Wedding Gift.

While waiting for my order at my local burrito joint in Jersey City, I rummaged through the piles of postcards and ads they had by their window. I saw one for a photographer, Elizabeth Solaka. So I threw it in my purse along with a post card for Bowlmor Lanes and one for a Canon ad (Mr. Ladybug’s always complaining that I bring home so much junk. It’s not junk. It’s treasure you bitch.). So I finally checked out her site and I think she’s awesome. Her photos look real and so natural.

Elizabeth Solaka Photography
917.609.5590

For you ladies in Northern Jersey / New York you’re in luck. We can make arrangements for you to pick them up or for Mr. Ladybug and I to drop them off.

1. 10 1/4″(16) $3.00 each
2. 10″ (9) $4.00 each
3. 9″ (5) $2.50 each
4. 7 1/2″ (9) $1.50 each
5. 6″ (15) $2.00 each

(Got the ok from Mimi to post these! Yay!)

Mr. Ladybug and I went to Mimi and Paul’s wedding yesterday at the W Hotel in Union Square. It was beautiful. Short, sweet, and simple. Another reason why I loved her wedding was because she is a DIY bride and had some cute ideas incorporated into her wedding… and you know how I feel about DIY brides! I also want to mention that Mimi is Japanese so there were a few ladies that came wearing a Kimono. I have never seen one worn in real life so I kept staring at them. I love the fabric and how they’re so detailed.

DIY Save-The-Date and Invitations - She made these all by herself. Her color theme was red and black.

DIY Programs - I loved how each of the programs had different photos of them.

Unfortunately I have no photos of their ceremony because my battery needed to be charged so I was taking photos with my friend Pinky’s camera. Hopefully he’ll send them to me once he has those loaded. So on to the post ceremony photos!

Table Assignment and Place Cards - She had each of the tables named after flowers and wrote down the meanings of each flower. Loved this idea! Remember when I was going to do this too? Damn I wish I had more time. Mr. Ladybug and I sat at the Calla Lily Table. I think all the flowers were red except for the calla lily which was more of an eggplant color. The same calla lilies were also used as boutinierre flowers for the guys.

Tulip Table (Declaration of Love)

Gerber Daisy Table (Purity & Strength)

Calla Lily Table (Beauty)

Rose Table (Love)

Bridesmaids - She had 3 bridesmaids and 1 maid of honor. Their bouquets were red gerber daisies wrapped with a black ribbon.

Decor

Random Photos - I loved the stairwell!

This is their first dance together. They danced to By Your Side ~ Sade.

The Reception - Isn’t the ceiling beautiful?

Favors - I also loved her favors. They were little tin cans of red m&m’s but she also had boxes that looked a tux and bridal gown full of Japanese candy.

Dinner - Halibut & Tenderloin. Yummy. For dessert we had a choice of creme brulee or some chocolate dome shaped dessert. Both were delish!

My Boys In the Hood - Mr. Ladybug looked at the first one and goes “Wow, I gotta start opening my eyes wider!” So I gave him a little help. The last one is me and my Pinky.

Cupcake Wedding Cake - I loved how the top was actually a cake tier for them to save for their anniversary.

Let’s do shots!

The Bride & Groom

Oh for the love of God - Here is Mr. Ladybug. I’m afraid he’s dancing. There was one point where Darren and Mr. Ladybug were having a dance off. I don’t know who won. The one that was doing the worm and breakdancing on the floor or the one that was doing the running man and robot dance. Let me just say, Mr. Ladybug LOVES dancing. He’s a pretty good dancer but he goes into these moods where he becomes the “everyone is pointing at you and laughing” dancer. This was one of those nights. I think Keiko won the dance off and she wasn’t even competing. She’s another crazy one once the music starts playing.

Evening ambiance

Mimi’s Bouquet - One of the details that I loved was that Mimi had a photo of her father wrapped around her bouquet to remember him by on her special day. Her bouquet was very simple. I think it was just a handful of gerber daisies but just that little personal touch made it that much more beautiful.

Kimono Shots - Aren’t they pretty?

Monkeys - I was actually trying to take a picture of Mr. Ladybug (see him in the back?) but these 2 chimps got in the way. Aww he looks so cute. He’s going through some weird phase where he’s growing out his hair. I overheard him telling Pinky during the reception, “You know when’s the last time I cut my hair dog? Right before my weddin. So I’m not gonna cut my hair son because that was the happiest day of my life and that’s why I wanna keep it.”
Righttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt! If you’re reading this and you’re actually buying what he said then you a sucka!

Peace Out Yo - The party ended at 11. It was a beautiful wedding and Mr. Ladybug and I were pooped so we broke out like jailbirds and headed home.
Congrats to Mimi and Paul on your special day. Thank you for inviting us to share it with you. You both looked awesome and Paul you rocked on the dance floor white boy! Who says white people can’t dance?! Haha… Love you guys!

Beth asks:

My mother (who is overzealous in her planning but means well) has posted a couple questions on wedding message boards and has had her head chewed off. That’s really turned me off, even though there are probably great friends and ideas to be had. What’s the best way to approach the boards? Are some boards better/nicer than others?

I wrote earlier about how I had a bad initial experience with wedding messageboards. But I must admit that messageboards were definitely one of the most valuable resources when I was planning my wedding.

Brides in general are very helpful and you share an instant sort of camaraderie with them. I’ve met some amazingly kind and helpful brides on messageboards. They talk about things on there that you’d never read in wedding magazines. They post ideas, projects, pictures, problems/advice, and just by reading through all that information - you really learn a lot.

That being said, I think it can be hard to join a board as a newbie They’re usually a community where everyone knows each other. The more you post, the better. Because of that, it can also be very clique-y. Some brides can also be very snarky. Lately moderators have become more proactive and started deleting such posts, but it’s a sticky situation because post deletion can seem arbitrary.

It really is a shame when you come across those few people who turn you off to messageboards. But I’d suggest giving them another try because they really are an invaluable resource.

Here are some helpful hints when joining a board:

1) Introduce yourself as a new member to the messageboard. The other brides will generally be very nice. Hopefully that’ll help you feel welcome and encourage you to post.

2) Read through the messageboard so you get an idea of how and what people post about. Some brides get annoyed when newbies post questions that have been asked time and time again - they tell the bride to go back and read all old posts before posting any questions. (I suppose this might be a fair point, but I can’t fault the excited new bride-to-be - I’ve been there myself. :P)

3) Participate and reciprocate. Don’t just ask for help, help out other brides too. Most messageboards show the date you joined and how many posts you’ve written, so they know if you’re a lurker or a helper.

Messageboards to visit:

• theknot
• weddingchannel
• liweddings
• ultimatewedding
• pricescope
• chinabridal (for Chinese brides)

What has your experience been like with wedding messageboards? Which are your favorites?