Archive for the ‘Bridal Tips and Advice’ Category
Mar
16
Posted by Brenda Lopez, CEO & Founder - AffluentBride.com
Trick or Treat?
I get a lot of requests to divulge my tricks of the trade. For example, what keeps the girls from peeking out of that low cut halter gown? How can I fill out that Vera Wang strapless number? What do I do when I get more deodorant on my shirt than under my arm? The answers to those burning fashion fix-it questions and more were reserved for closed sets until now!
Chicken Cutlets - that’s what the pros call ‘em! They’re actually uplifting silicone bra inserts that help fill-out or even-out. I’m also a fan of Low Beams and Fashion Forms Gel Petals for those overly attentive areas. Find them here
Topstick - the stylists’ go-to fix-it. More powerful that Hollywood Tape, the little yellow box was originally meant for keeping toupees(!) in place. I use it to keep a loose hem from dangling, a collar from flopping over, and a button-front shirt peek-a-boo free. Find them here
Shout Wipes - Keep these individually wrapped wipes in your handbag ready for a clumsy moment. First, wipe off the excess solution on the back of your hand, then gently DAB (not wipe) the stain. I used this to remove a small blood stain on a white dress just before my client walked the Red Carpet, seriously. Find them here
Deodorant - possibly the most unusual solution, simply rub the thin foam padding covering the top of a dry cleaner’s hanger against the white mess and suddenly you’re ready to go (provided it’s not a huge mark). I have no idea how I learned this but it works wonders!
T&A- Gowns require some serious structure to look effortless. Shapers should be every brides BFF and attend all dress fittings. Spanx panties have the best sucking power and come in all different lengths from the rib cage to the thigh. If you’re small busted, have the bra cups sewn into your gown. If you’re blessed with more, skip the strapless bra and invest a good nude bustier (they often sell this at the bridal shop). My favorite bra tricks for ‘girls’ of all sizes? Braza bra extenders allow you to wear your regular bra with a scoop back top or dress, and a 2in safety pin attached to the back of your bra straps can turn your regular bra into a racer-back without that high, thick panel down the middle. You can find them here and
here
Travel stylist - want all the glamour of being a stylist but none of the physical labor? Become your own pro with a travel styling kit. Make sure your planner/bridesmaid/mom has this handy in the bridal suite the day-of. It has what you need to fix last minute wardrobe malfunctions for the bride or groom! here
ABOUT Allison Berlin of Style Made Simple
Recently named one of NYC’s Best Personal Stylists by Page 6 Magazine, Style Made Simple private styling is founded by celebrity stylist Allison Berlin. “I’ve been in the fashion industry in NYC for 10 years styling for the likes of Stacy London, O Magazine and Victoria’s Secret, but I most enjoy working with real women and helping them realize their most confident, beautiful selves.” A veteran of luxury Manhattan weddings, Red Carpet events and photo shoots, Allison is committed to working with each bride starting with the concept consultation through finding The Dress, accessories and outfitting the wedding party.
Affluentbride.com readers enjoy a Style Made Simple special offer for 15% off Bridal Tours or Bridal Luxe services. www.stylemadesimple.net/bridal.html
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Oct
13
Posted by Brenda Lopez, CEO & Founder - AffluentBride.com
If you were lucky enough to attend The Wedding Salon’s LA Event held at the posh Beverly Hills Hotel in California, then you know firsthand the great inspiration and ideas that were at your disposal for planning your Luxurious Wedding Day…..
If not here’s some pics, representative of this FAB event for your own online inspiration!
Our thanks goes out to Jihan Abdalla Photography and the Wedding Salon for sharing the outstanding photos of this event held on September 22nd. 2008.
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Mar
24
Posted by Brenda Lopez, CEO & Founder - AffluentBride.com
As an affluent bride on your wedding day, you want to look your absolute very best but with all the stress of your wedding day events taking place, you may not be feeling quite like yourself.
The Finishing Touch and Make-up Artistry by June Westmore
is as an Emmy award winning Hollywood make-up artistry professional who can help you simply relax on your wedding day, with the assurance that you’re truly engaging the services of a bridal PROFESSIONAL who knows firsthand, how to make your day evem more special, by transforming you into a picture perfect bride-to-be.
Looking your best on your wedding day or a photo shoot means not only looking fabulous as a bride, but having the camera correctly capture and translate to paper your perfect look for your wedding. One thing that Hollywood has learned in its 100 years is that the camera requires a certain amount of assistance to make even fabulous looking people appear fabulous on film.
Some make-ups however, can make you looked washed out or over done, especially when flash photography is used. So as a bride, why leave anything to chance?
It’s always best to have your Make-Up applied by a professional bridal make-up artist who understands what the camera needs given the setting and timing of your wedding. And with a little touch here and a little touch there, you too can look both glamourous and beautiful with the THE FINISHING TOUCH by one of Hollywood’s Award Winning Make-Up artists.
As one of our recommended bridal make-up artists you can find more about the many bridal make-up artistry packages and services offered by The Finishing Touch and Make-up Artistry by June Westmore HERE
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Feb
14
Posted by Brenda Lopez, CEO & Founder - AffluentBride.com
By Renowned Celebrity Wedding Photographer, Jennifer Maring
The one thing that we have and treasure for generations is our family’s wedding photographs. Photographs are quite possibly the single most valuable possession you ever purchase. How can you be sure this is a valid investment? Just watch the news on any given night. In the wake of fires, floods, or other natural disasters there is only one thing that families and individuals cling to and risk their life to protect, and that one thing is a photograph.
It’s amazing how looking through our parents or grandparents wedding albums or photographs on the wall takes us back in time, giving us a glimpse of a different era. I have been photographing weddings for over a decade and so many things have changed in that time. But the one thing that will never change is the value we put on our memories and our families. Now that we are in a digital age, as photographers, we have so many great choices for brides and grooms. With that said, today more than ever, it is important to seek out an artist that fits your style.
The excitement of digital photography has generated many newcomer photographers to the industry. While competition can be a good thing that drives prices down, a wedding is that one special occasion that you don’t want to risk at the hands of an unseasoned professional. It is important to see full wedding stories and be confident before you sign on the dotted line that you will receive photographs that will not only bring out your best attributes, but also tell your story.
Communication is key when working with wedding professionals, but it’s especially true when it comes to photography. Words can’t always express a feeling or a style. So, sharing photographs that you like in magazines can be a good way to communicate with clarity.
One amazing change for the better is that today’s high-end professional cameras are extremely fast, which allows couples to enjoy their day more freely. This gives today’s couples an ability to spend less time posing, and more time living in the moment while the photographer works from the background capturing real life experiences. This gives couples new options for sophisticated albums that are filled with stories rather than just posed photographs.
The most popular album choice for couples in this era is a book that looks more like an art book than an album. At Maring Lifestyle Photographers, every bride and groom gets an original work of art that is truly one of a kind. In fact, at Maring, no two weddings albums are created alike. It is very important to make sure your photographer cares enough for you and his/her photography to create wedding albums. For photographers who care about your final products, the real work begins the moment the wedding is over. While digital photography may seem faster. Truth be told, it is much more work with long hours at the computer for the artist today than in the film generation.
Just because you can get a CD of photographs, and you can take a do it yourself approach, doesn’t mean you should. Printed photographs in an archival format that is well presented is the only way to ensure that your wedding photos will be around for generations to come. When you have grandchildren and they want to see your wedding photographs you are going to want to share something that radiates style, that can’t be dated, and that has meaning. So, do what generations before you have done. Make sure you get a fabulous album and print your photographs so that you’ll get to share them with your loved ones years from now.
Jennifer Maring is a wedding photographer that captures some of the most talked about celebrity weddings in the world. maringphoto.com
We are delighted to represent Maring Lifestyle Photography and you can additionally find Jennifer as one of our featured affluent wedding photography resources HERE
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Dec
21
Posted by Brenda Lopez, CEO & Founder - AffluentBride.com
From Author: John Schnatterly
Our wedding cost us a fortune. Not a wealthy person’s fortune, but ours. We wanted it to be perfect and it was. Every detail was considered, every moment an occasion. After all, we had waited ten years to do this. We’re glad we waited too. This is a world with an over-abundance of divorces and unhappiness. I certainly don’t blame the express flight to the alter for this. My great-grandparents had a 60 year long honeymoon after getting engaged on their third date. My parents took a leisurely four months to wed and are the happiest couple I know. Some say the world is a different place now. I think that’s probably true, even though our ten years could have been seven without risk to our wedded glow. So after ten years, you might say we did it up pretty good. We feel that what made the day so special was the personalization. Our guests got to know us even more that day.
Our wedding and reception were held at a beautiful mansion on Long Island. However, most of the personal touches for our wedding were the free or inexpensive details. They were the details that took the most time, but worth every minute. We placed framed photos throughout the five rooms we were using and made sure we included all our guests in the shots. During cocktail hour we passed around wine from our home states of Virginia and New York. In lieu of a carving station we had raclette, a very personal cheese and potato dish many of our friends and family have shared with us. Because it was spring and this was a culinary school, we named our tables after herbs and their corresponding mythical powers. We displayed important personal poetry throughout as well. We are abundantly fortunate to have a very close and spiritual friend that performed our ceremony, who was willing to get the appropriate credentials to make it legal. On the pricier side, we had a quartet play for and before the ceremony and during the cocktail hour. For me, nothing beats Ave Maria by cello. We also spent a dime on a videographer to capture it all. While I love the photos, nothing brings the event to life like seeing and hearing it all over again. After the carefully chosen dinner, with the help of three great friends, I surprised my new wife with an a capella barbershop quartet song that she now claims as her favorite.
We followed up the wedding with a carefully planned honeymoon. We went to Thailand and Malaysia, which were beautiful as well as easy on the dollar. We incorporated time on the beach on the island of Koh Samui, adventure travel in the jungle and mountains of Malaysia and lastly spent time at a luxury hotel in Bangkok. Our honeymoon had the added element of personalization for our guests because we registered for it. After ten years we didn’t need a lot of stuff so we only registered for upgrades of a few items to cherish. The guests who used our honeymoon registry felt wonderfully connected to our unique trip. They gave us a gift of memories.
To personalize your wedding, try some of the following:
Do think outside the box for your reception. Being foodies, we found a culinary school associated with my wife’s college at a beautiful mansion. It ended up cheaper than less attractive alternatives.
Do place photos of your guests all around your cocktail and/or reception area.
Don’t have the photos be of just yourselves.
Do have a personalized menu and cocktail hour tailored to your tastes (unless they’re extreme). Ask about options and alternatives. Serve a cocktail that is meaningful to you in some way (what you were drinking when you first kissed, your first date, the night you got engaged?) Again, think outside the box.
Do play music you love rather than the typical fare. Take time with your DJ wish list. Communicate with the DJ to make sure he knows what you want.
Do think about writing your own vows.
Do register for your honeymoon. It’ll create a buzz about your honeymoon, which will enhance your day as you chat with guests about it during your event.
Do send your guests away with an outside the box favor. Ice cream scoopers and cake servers are over used. We sent our guests home with herbs in a lovely pot. Let your own tastes guide you in this.
We truly wanted a memorable wedding, not a cookie-cutter event. We were ecstatic with our day and wouldn’t change a thing.
John Schnatterly is founder of www.SmartHoneymoon.com the leading honeymoon registry provider.
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Oct
06
Posted by Brenda Lopez, CEO & Founder - AffluentBride.com
Add a touch of nature and cultural folklore to your elegant wedding celebration with a memorable and spectacular live monarch butterfly release.
We recently had the opportunity to talk with Christopher at LiveMonarch.com about butterfly releases. It is obvious Christopher and the Live Monarch staff are passionate about these beautiful creatures. They are a not-for-profit organization, whose main objective is to protect and increase the monarch population. (Please read on…Christopher shared a neat idea with us that we discuss at the end of this entry.)
Monarchs are steeped in the cultural lore of Native Americans. It is believed that butterflies carry messages up to the heavens. They are also a symbol of regeneration and happiness - extremely appropriate symbols for a wedding celebration!
Integrating a butterfly release into your event is simple. Breeders, like LiveMonarch.com, will work closely with you and monitor the weather conditions in your area, right up to the day of shipment. They carefully ship the butterflies in a chilled, darkened container which helps slow a butterfly’s metabolism. The butterflies can survive at 50-60 degrees during shipment. Actually, these lovely creatures can “hibernate” for a few weeks.
The butterflies typically arrive the day before your wedding in glassine envelopes that allow your guests to see the butterflies. Prior to the release, you can enhance the meaning of the release by explaining the significance of butterflies. Then, have your guests ask for a wish which the butterflies will carry up to heaven.
Typically, the butterflies sent to you will be younger ones that will visit a few minutes with your guests before flying off. Christopher explained that freshly hatched butterflies tend to stay close within the release area, giving guests enough time for some spectacular photos.
An unusual way to pique the curiosity of your wedding guests, is to include a milkweed seed packet in each invitation. Monarch caterpillars feed on the leaves of this lovely plant. LiveMonarch offers seed packets for a donation. They are a non-profit and their revenues go into protecting and breeding monarchs.
Your guests will think of your wedding day each time a caterpillar or butterfly visits their garden full of milkweed plants. Now, that’s a lasting memory!
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