Made of Honor

A lot of brides these day are choosing to have a man as their "made" of honor. I am lucky enough to have both a maid and made of honor in my wedding. My best friends are truly the most genuine,amazing and kindhearted people I know. It would not be fair if I left one of them out just because he is a guy. Although I have given him this title, he is going to stand on the grooms side. He let me know that he would be more comfortable standing with the other men. I think it works best that way so it does not throw off the look and balance of my bridesmaids. Call me a modern bride, call me whatever you like, but I would not have it any other way! Hey, if Hollywood is making a movie about it,then you know that it's the hot thing to do!



If your family is like ours and very old world in their traditions, they might not grasp the idea of this concept. If this is the case and you have a wonderful fiancé like I do, then you can always add your best man on as one of the groomsmen. Your wedding day should be celebrated with the people who mean the most to you. If you are like me, just throw the old traditions aside! Brides remember 'Your day, your way!' Michael Koutros this blog is dedicated to you and I am so honored to call you my best man!

Let Them Eat Cake!

Boring white wedding cakes are out! It's all about one of a kind, show stopping creations these days. Your wedding cake should be thought of as part of the decor. It should look as if it is a piece of edible art that matches the theme of the night. I decided to do this blog on seasonal spring/summer cakes! Watching food network last night gave me the inspiration for today's blog. Cake decorating is no easy fete....these cake's truly are works of art.





This delicious design looks more like an art piece than an edible cake! Sugar paste lilies and orchids covered the fondant cake. Photo from The Knot.com







If you want to stick with an all white cake there are ways to make it pop. "Eat your wedding cake and wear it, too." Mimic the look of vintage floral fabrics, or the lace from your wedding gown. This cake by Martha Stewart Weddings is anything but "old fashioned"





This fresh colored cake is modern and a sweet little treat. The design is made up of the couples monogram and love notes from different poems. Such a creative idea! Monograms are a big trend this year and are a perfect way to top off a cake! (Martha Stewart Weddings)






Planning a beach wedding? How adorable is this seashell cake? A theme cake can be fabulous if done right. This cake is detailed to perfection! What a show stopper for an ocean side wedding. (knot.com)






Spring Fling! This colorful, whimsical, poppin cake would be perfect for a spring or summer wedding. The pop of colors are just enough without overbearing the creation. (Photo via Martha Stewart Weddings)



To get the look of these cakes most bakeries will use fondant. Although fondant is the hot thing to do....remember buttercream always tastes better! If you are on a tight budget do not fear that you have to cheapen out on your cake. A lot of bakery's offer styraphone cakes as your show piece and sheet cake in the back to serve your guests. In my opinion cake is one of the key elements of the night! Guests always remember how the cake looks and tastes. Enjoy going to your cake tastings and find a bakery that "takes the cake for you"!

Frost Yourself!

Now that my gown has arrived it is time to accessorize! Bring on the Bling! Some of the jewels I will wear wedding day will be family heirlooms,and some will be part of my "something new". If you do not have a trusted jeweler that you will either buy or borrow jewelery from don't fear, I have a solution for you!



I know all you ladies have heard about renting handbags after watching Sex and the City... but did you know that you can also rent jewelery? You can rent your wedding day jewels by the week or month. This is such a great alternative from buying fake diamonds!




Avelle.com and Adorn.com are the best websites that I've come across for renting fine jewelery. Their gorgeous selections are real, designer, and budget friendly! As the saying goes,"Diamonds are a girls best friend" so check out these sites and Frost Yourself!

Finding Your Sole Mate

I have been on the hunt for wedding shoes for months now and I finally found the perfect pair! Finding the perfect wedding shoe is a lot like finding the perfect man. Once you've found him, why look any further?



There is no wonder why it took so long before I could decide on just one pair. Not only does the color of the shoes have to match flawlessly with the gown, but there are just too many to choose from! Jimmy Choo, Christian Louboutin, Manolo Blahnik... Oh My!




These "soleful" gems obviously have to be beautiful, but make sure they are comfortable as well. Think about it, you are literally going to be on your feet all day long. Pictures, Ceremony, Greeting Guests,Reception,Dancing!




But lets be honest, we are not picking just for the comfort. We are picking a shoe for the sass, the sparkle, and the Cinderella affect! So have fun finding your "sole mate", because your look that day has to be perfect from head to toe!

Favors with Flavor!

There are a lot of different directions you can go in when it comes time to choose your wedding favors. You can choose favors that you think might go with the theme of the evening, or even something that has a personal tie in with the bride and groom. Be creative! They can be festive, whimsical, tasty, or even a gift that will last a last time! Check out some of my favorite finds....



If you wanted your guests to give a charitable donation, here are some personalized boxes where you can put the cause of donation inside. A gift that keeps on giving!
(photo via Martha Stewart Weddings)





Personalized luggage tags. Great idea for out of town guests or bridesmaids! (Photo via Ritzy Bee)






A cute little candy cone for guests to snack on for their ride home. This whimsical favor can be made up of either the bride and grooms favorite candies, or candies that match the wedding colors!
(photo via Martha Stewart Weddings)







Mini photo albums for guests to put their favorite photos of the wedding in! These aren't just favors...they will be a total favorite!
(beau-coup.com)






Sweet as sugar:)"Basic sugar cookies become elegant favors when stacked to resemble miniature wedding cakes". Such a cute, creative and tasty treat!
(Photo and Idea via Martha Stewart Weddings)






Love this! Little heart Sparklers for guests to either take home as a favor or open during your send off! Adorable
(Photo via Mindy Weiss' Blog)






Nothing Bunt Cake! These unique little treats can be decorated to match your wedding colors, or personalized photos of your choice! (Nothingbuntcakes.com)





"Love is Brewing"devise a blend to your liking, then decant it into packets large enough to brew an entire pot. Attach a homemade tag inscribed with a fitting message" (Martha Stewart Weddings"







Packaged seeds to plant in a garden. A pretty and eco friendly favor!
(Photo via The Ritzy Bee)







How cute is this!?! Little boxes made around a 3-tiered cake to put individual slices of the grooms cake for guests to take home
(Photo via Martha Stewart Weddings)






A majority of the favors I posted can easily be a DIY project and won't burn a hole in your pocket! Gifts from the heart are always the most appreciated.Don't forget to make your favors a wow factor! Since it's the last thing they take at the end of the night...it will be one of the first things they remember!

Always in Style

The idea for my blog this morning came after revisiting Vera Wang's fall 2010 collection. The inspiration for her collection was based off the movie 'My Fair Lady' which just so happens to be my favorite movie of all time! So the idea popped in my head...let's compare our favorite style icons and see if today's bridal fashions rival the classics.






The twist Vera Wang had on this gown to resemble Audrey Hepburn in 'My Fair Lady' is fun and flirty. The play on colors with the black sash is not only modern, but classic as well!

Speaking of Audrey Hepburn, I looked for a gown to resemble her famous dress in the movie 'Sabrina'. Amsale created a design that modern day Audrey would have absolutely adored!






Moving on to the next Hollywood star is the oh so sexy and wildly famous Marilyn Monroe. The play on waves in this Monique Luhllier gown is youthful and elegant. If Marilyn today was a bit more conservative...this no doubt would have been her gown!





Now we come to Hollywood royalty. Grace Kelly's wedding dress is still thought of as one one the most iconic gowns ever worn. The Monique Luhllier Ivana gown radiates the same timeless, classic,beauty that Grace Kelly once wore.








Speaking of royalty, how can we not end with The Most iconic wedding gown in history? Diana's gown was regal, rich and all things princess. This Kenneth Pool gown may not be as over the top as the gown the princess once wore, but the dutchess satin material and embroidered detail make it suitable for a modern day royal affair!







So whether you want to look like a sophisticated beauty, play a little on the wild side with colors,be sexy yet conservative, or the princess you always knew you were, there is a gown for you! The good thing about wedding gowns, as you can see, is that they will always be a classic statement. They may get a modern twist from time to time, but the way you look on your Big Day will forever be in style.

Black Tie, White Dress!

He popped the question...she said YES! Now what? Everything that you have dreamed about since you were 5 years old is here! You day dream, sketch plans, have your colors picked (well if you're like me you did) since forever and now that it's here you feel like there's never enough time. I understand. I am living it right now. Your mind is in a haze of tulle and roses and you don't know where to turn first?

Celebrate! This is the most amazing time in your life and should be celebrated not stressed! Trust me, I understand there will be stress....a lot of decisions need to be made, but remember...these are fun decisions! What venue should we pick? Band/DJ/both? Flavors of cake?Flowers?...and most importantly the DRESS? Think about it,for the next 6 months to a year...these are the things that will consume your mind. ENJOY!

Speaking of the DRESS...... when you first try on a dress and you get an overwhelming feeling of butterflies and tears and shock....soak it all in. This is it. This is the dress that defines you! That captivates not only your heart,but the heart of the man that is waiting for you at the end of the aisle. It has to be perfect!

I had an idea in my mind of what I thought I wanted my wedding dress to look like. (The more bling the better)and then I actually started trying dresses on and what I thought I wanted wasn't at all what took my breath away!

Im not going to go into full detail of what my dress looks like because I still have a little over 4 months till the BIG DAY, but I will say that when I put this gown on....I just knew. It was surreal, and emotional,and wonderful and that was it! There was no need to look any further. So ladies, take your time and try try try, because honestly whats better than playing dress up?