New Bridal Craft Line from David Tutera

David Tutera just launched his new Bridal Craft line Down the Aisle in Style exclusively online at JoAnn Fabrics.
Check out these gorgeous crafts from one of my favorite celeb planners. These will also be available in one week at select JoAnn Fabric stores.

Happy shopping.

The Perfect Accessory for Your Strapless Gown

Got this little tidbit straight from one of my favorite wedding dress designers, Vera Wang, in her weekly newsletter I receive. I can't say it any better, so I just copied it straight from her. Thank you, Vera.

Got great arms? If so, add long gloves to your strapless gown. While gloves make a strong visual impact, they are not for every bride.

Nothing detracts more from a splendid wedding gown than the wrong accessory. But done right, gloves can be elegant and sophisticated. As a rule, the earlier in the day the service is, the shorter the glove should be. Long gloves, which necessitate well-toned arms, look sensual next to bare skin and the proportions create the illusion of height.

Source: Vera Wang

Photo: stock

The Knot Wedding Shop Special

Take 20% off AND get free shipping on $99 at The Knot Wedding Shop! Use code BONUS4U. Hurry, offer ends Sunday, January 30.

So, what are you waiting for? Click on the link above to go directly to The Knot Wedding Shop.

Invitation Etiquette – Part 3

ADDRESSING THE INVITATIONS

• Addresses should be handwritten in black ink for the most formal and traditional way. But, today, it is also acceptable to address the envelopes in the color of ink used on the invitation. The addresses should never be typed. However, machine calligraphy is becoming more acceptable today. Labels, on the other hand, should never be used.
• Abbreviations or initials should not be used when writing the names. The person’s middle name may be used if you like. If it is used, it should be written out in full.
• Titles are written out, as are Avenue, Street, the city and state.
• On the outside envelope, writing “The Johnson Family” is not proper. The couple’s name should be written out. For example: Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Robert Johnson
• Invite both members of a couple, even if you only know one of them. When inviting people who are married but the wife kept her maiden name, use both last names. For example:
Ms. Jennifer Ann Weber
Mr. Michael John Anderson
• The inner envelope should be addressed with the last name of a couple, such as “Mr. and Mrs. Johnson.” If children are invited who are under the age of 18, their first names should be written underneath the parent’s name, oldest to youngest. For example:
Mr. and Mrs. Johnson
John, Jane and Tom
• Very close relatives may be addressed by their first names on the inner envelope, such as “Uncle John and Aunt Sue.”
• If you are enclosing a reply card, remember to purchase stamps and place on each reply envelope. The reply envelope should be printed with the name and address of the person responsible for the wedding/reception.

Happy addressing.

photo credit: Martha Stewart Weddings

Crate & Barrel - The Wedding Parties

Take part in your local Crate & Barrel wedding party events. You can create your registry, consult with their experts and celebrate with free drinks, food and lots of fun.

The next wedding parties will be held on: February 6, 13, 20 and 27. To RSVP and find your local Crate and Barrel that will be hosting The Wedding Parties, go to: www.crateandbarrel.com/weddingparties.

If you can’t make one of The Wedding Parties, you can always go in the store at your leisure and create your wedding registry.

Have fun!

Invitation Etiquette – Part 2

INSERTION TIPS FOR INVITATION AND OTHER ENCLOSURES

In the past, tissues were used to guard against ink smears. Today's printing methods don't require tissue but many brides continue to use it for the sake of tradition. If you wish to include tissue, place it over the printing of the invitation.

The invitation should be inserted in the inner envelope with the folded edge first and the front of the invitation facing the flap. Enclosures are inserted facing the flap, in front of the invitation-the reception invitation first, then the reply card under the flap of the reply envelope behind it and any other enclosures.

The inner envelope should not have any adhesion on the flap.

Make up one completed invitation packet with all enclosures and take to the post office to weigh. Purchase the appropriate postage.

After the enclosures and invitation have been placed in the inner envelope, this envelope is placed in the outer envelope. The names should be facing the flap. Seal the outer envelope with a glue stick for a nice, clean seal and mail. Be sure to check each envelope before sealing to make sure it contains the invitation and all enclosures.

Take your invitations to the post office and ask them to “hand cancel” them so they don’t run through the postal machines and possibly crunch or smear your envelopes.

Following these tips, your guests will receive a beautiful, perfect invitation.

Invitation Etiquette – Part 1

When deciding about the style and kind of invitation you would like for your wedding, keep in mind the time of the wedding and reception will determine the formality of the wedding. Therefore, this will determine how your invitation will look and is worded. The invitation will set the tone for the wedding and reception and let your guests know whether it will be formal or casual.

There are several different ways to word an invitation. You can visit www.verseit.com to review various wording for invitations.

In this post, I am just going to focus on the proper spelling and wording of invitations. The next couple of posts will focus on how envelopes should be stuffed and how to address the invitations.

CORRECT SPELLING AND WORDING OF INVITATIONS

• “Honour” and “favour” are always spelled with the “u” for a formal, religious setting
• Remember, dessert is always spelled with a double “s” - you don’t want your invitations to read that you are having a “desert reception” - people might think you are having your reception in the Sahara (Yes, I have actually seen it misspelled on an invitation.)
• Hors d’Oeuvres is spelled exactly as it appears here
• The time and year are always spelled out as well as the date with the day written before the month, such as Saturday, the twenty-ninth of October
• The most formal wording to write out the year would be: two thousand and eleven, two thousand and twelve and so on. Other acceptable options are: twenty hundred and eleven (sounds funny, but it mirrors the nineteen hundred format); the year two thousand and eleven; or in the year two thousand and eleven. It is not wrong to use a numeral for the year—it’s just not as formal. However, the formality of the rest of your invitation, as well as the wedding itself, should be consistent with the wording on your invitations
• When the bride’s parents are divorced and only the mother is paying for the wedding and reception, then only her name appears on the invitation. If both parents are paying, then both names can appear on the invitation with the mother’s name listed first
• Both the bride’s and groom’s parents can issue the invitation, meaning both sets of names can appear on the invitation, however, the bride’s parents’ names always appear first

Tomorrow - How Envelopes Should be Stuffed

photo credit: Carlson Craft