Wedding Luxe: August 2008

Nerdy Grooms Cakes

Wondering what to do about your groom's cake? Well, if your sweetie's a gamer, puzzle-lover, or sci-fi fanatic, you're in luck! For some reason geeky cakes are all the rage with today's grooms-to-be. Take a look.

This next one takes the cake. It's an edible version of the Death Star. The picture is courtesy of Gizmodo.

Bridal Shoe of the Day

Last week we talked about subtle ways to add a little bling to your bridal outfit and decor. So why not wear a dash of rhinestones or crystals to your shoes? Take a look at these Two Lips "Gileyla" bridal shoes.

Other places to find shoes that sparkle:
Bellissima Bridal Shoes
Model Bride
Shelley George

The Sand Ceremony

According to our wedding-watchers, more and more couples are using the Sand Ceremony- also known as the Unity Sand Ceremony- in their nuptials. Why is this trend becoming so popular? Well, there are several reasons. The sand ceremony has all the sentiment of the unity candle. But the sand ceremony is more practical than the unity candle for outdoor weddings. How many brides and grooms have struggled to light a unity candle wick only to have it repeatedly blown out by the breeze? Another reason this tradition is taking off is because sand ceremonies can involve other people, like children, who will be part of a blended family.

During the ceremony the couple takes turns pouring different colors of sand from small vases into a center vase as the officiant reads a poem or blessing, until all of the sand is in the center vase. This symbolizes a union-- two becoming one. In some instances, children are allowed to take part by reciting a line from the reading and pouring sand as well. After the wedding, the finished sand-filled vase can be displayed in your home as a keepsake.
What do you need to pull this off? Not much:

A nice glass vase
2 smaller vases holding colored sand (one will be used by the bride, the other for the groom)
Colored sand to match your theme. Or not.
Rose petals (optional)
A poem, reading or blessing

We found these sets at Someday Treasures and My Spiritual Wedding

If children are involved you can lay coins around the center vase and give them coins at the end of the sand ceremony.
Try these Gold Unity Coins

Rose petals are a nice touch. We like these from Pick A Petal.

But they're completely optional. Feel free to experiement with other floral accents like bougainvillea petals

or lavender buds.

Have you seen the sand ceremony done differently? Or do you want to add your own spin to it? Tell us all about it in our comments section. Also, if you're already married, feel free to submit pictures from your own sand or unity candle ceremony.

Signature Style: Wedding Cocktails

One of today's popular wedding trends is serving special "signature" cocktails at the reception. But how do you make your libations stand out AND go along with your wedding theme? Fortunately, lots of people are happy to help you with that.

Check out the lovely Rose Petal Martini found at TheNibble.com:

Ingredients:
1-1/2 shots gin
1/2 cup lychee juice
Rose petal for garnish

What about the Blue Fin mixed by CocktailTimes.com:

Ingredients:
2 oz vodka
1/4 oz freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 oz HPNOTIQ liqueur
1 oz white cranberry juice
Garnish with lemon peel

Or, for those of you with a green theme (super-hot right now!), consider the Merry Martini from DrinkOfTheWeek.com

Ingredients:
3/4 oz. Midori
2 oz. SKYY citrus
Splash of white cranberry Juice

These are just a few of the ideas out there. I can guarantee that if you're committed to having a signature drink, you'll find it with a little investigating.

Anything for Beauty?

The things some brides-to-be put themselves through to be flawless for their weddings. Trust me, I completely understand. Sure, the wedding is only one day but pictures are forever.

However. Some so-called beauty treatments are enough to stop you dead in your tracks. Take the new "Geisha Facial" offered by the Shizuka Spa in New York City. Well, Geisha must mean "bird poop" because a main ingredient in this facial is Nightingale droppings. No kidding. Some of us might turn up our noses (I know I am) but the salon says Geisha and kabuki actors once used the secret mixture to achieve clear, unblemished complexions. Check out Shizuka's website if you're, um, interested. The poop is $180 a pop.

New Bridal Tiaras

Tiaras are still all the rage with brides-to-be- even ones who have decided to forgo wearing a veil. Here are some of the new luxe styles to watch.

More Tips On Managing Wedding Stress

by Rochelle Hart
Guest Blogger

Planning a wedding can be extremely stressful and not knowing where to turn for help can be even worst. But the main problem most of the bridal couples face are having one to many people wanting to run the show, opinions are based only on what they think wedding etiquette should be. And this can drive the couple absolutely insane. I've put together six steps to help have a stress free wedding.

1) The bride and groom are the ones getting married, so they should be making the final decisions on the wedding plans. You have to stick to your guns because everyone has an opinion on how a wedding is structured, but little do they know each wedding is customized to suite the couple, because after all they are the ones spending the rest of their lives together. The gathering is to celebrate your marriage not theirs. You shouldn't be afraid to ask someone to back off by saying "thank you for your suggestions but we are going in a different direction with the planning".

2) If hiring a planner, make sure the planner, family members and the wedding party attendants understands that decisions will be made by you (the couple) only. When one too many individuals get involved with the planning things will get confusing, and this can cause unwanted stress for you both. If not hiring a planner, appoint someone you can trust to coordinate and execute your plans, remember you can't be a bride and a planner. You both are in the spotlight and can't trouble shoot while all eyes are on you.

3) If you never remember anything else, remember to always have a backup plan for everything. There are so many things that can go wrong on the wedding day, you want to be prepared for anything that is thrown in your direction. Made sure you discuss it with your planner or point person.

4) When choosing attendants for your wedding, try to keep the number to a minimum because the more people in the wedding party, the bigger the headache can be. I recommend gathering the people you intend on asking as attendants and explain what is expected of them as members of the wedding party as well as their roles in the wedding including their financial obligations. That way you can save yourselves the time it's going to take to replace the attendant and the stress it's going to cause finding a replacement.

5) Never bite off more than you can chew.. Everyone wants a lavish wedding, but don't drive yourselves crazy and break the bank to get it. Remember you can always have your dream wedding without the costly price tag. You can always find something just as elegant that fits into your budget. Research is the key, you can always find a good bargain.

6) Always know that timing is very important, they say NEVER PUT OFF WHAT YOU CAN DO TODAY FOR TOMORROW. I say this because before you know it your wedding day is weeks away and you both are left with a mountain of chores that need completing. Make sure you order all items and make arrangements for every aspect of your wedding as soon as possible, so you won't have a mile long to-do-list.

Following these simple steps will help you both have a stress free wedding day.

Rochelle Hart is the manager of Hart to Hart Events in Bronx, NY. Her website is www.harttohartinc.com.

The Gold Coast Post

As our readers who wear yellow gold already know, silver and platinum aren't the only metals showing up this wedding season. Gold is making a strong return. The luxe looks are back, baby!

Gilded leaves for your crown. Dazzling tiaras & combs.

Golden Baubles