Flowers I Love These Days

Peonies are still my all-time favorite flowers, but here are some other flowers I'm really loving these days!

Anemones... love the dark center...
what a chic, modern option for your wedding

Ranunculus...with their never ending layers
(kind of reminds me of peonies)

Tulips... so simple, so sweet.
(If you want a more modern take on the
traditional tulip, find one with frayed edges)

Chartreuse roses...love the lime green

Pretty pink winterberries
(I know these aren't "flowers" but I love them!)

It's Sunday

Something Blue

It's very rare to find true blue flowers. In most cases, the so-called blue shades are often closer to purple. So, you can imagine how excited I was when I found this lovely photo of a blue bouquet on The Wedding Corner. It has calla lilies, roses, and delphinium. The delphinium is where you get the blue color -- mixed in with the pure whites, this bouquet is classic, clean, romantic.

Of course, there's always the trusty hydrangea family! Hydrangea come in so many different beautiful shades of blue...

This pretty boutique has roses and calla lilies tied together with soft blue hydrangea.


Rows and rows of blue hydrangea mixed in with green carnations -- an inexpensive way to create interesting arrangements!


(AC, this post is for you!)

New York Magazine's 2009 Wedding Event

New York Magazine is hosting its 2009 Wedding Event on Wednesday, April 1st at the Metropolitan Pavilion from 5:00 - 8:00 pm. Meet New York's top wedding planners, dress retailers, cake bakers, photographers, dance instructors, florists, caterers, jewelers, musicians, makeup artists, and more! Click here for a complete list of participants.

Buy advance tickets online! (Offer expires 11:59 pm on 3/31)
$35 for one ticket
$50 for two tickets

Due to limited quantities, gift bags are no longer available.
Limited tickets will be available at the door for $45.

Bad day... topped off with sangria and cookies!

Ladies, I had one of those days at work today. You know, the kind where you just want to call it quits and never look back. So, to calm my nerves, my dear husband took me out for a lovely dinner after work. We stuffed our faces with paella and arroz con pollo, and shared half a pitcher of the best sangria ever (if you're interested, check out Sangria 46 in midtown)! I was feeling a whole lot better by the end of dinner, but then he surprised me by taking me to a cute little bakery that we had never been to. As we walked down 50th Street towards 10th Avenue, he explained that this place was known for "the best cookies in town." So, of course, me having a huge sweet tooth, I got super excited. Well ladies... I have to tell you, I was NOT disappointed! These cookies are delicioso~ And... when I looked at the packaging, I immediately recognized them from one of the displays at the Wedding Salon Event last night. They had displayed pretty little boxes of cookies as wedding favors! If you're thinking about something edible to give as guest favors, you definitely should check out Ruby et Violette! Started by three sisters (two of them Ivy League grads!), this is the cutest little bake shop!

Photos from the Wedding Salon Event

Wow, what a night!! My girlfriend and I arrived at the Roosevelt Hotel around 6 PM tonight and found a looong line of excited brides wrapped around the hotel and down the corner of Madison Avenue. Fortunately, the line moved pretty quickly and we were at the top of the winding stairs in about 15-20 minutes. Unfortunately, we were clearly not the first few hundred or so that made the early bird cut to receive the coveted gift bags. Oh well.

Here's a shot from the second floor balcony... it was hot, busy, and packed!


We pretty much made a bee line directly to where the cakes were displayed and indulged in the yummy samples. I have to say, my favorite was from Make My Cake -- I thought they had the most moist and fluffy cake there. Delicioso! (Apparently, they bake all their ingredients from scratch and they don't use any preservatives. No wonder it was so yummy!) Check them out in Harlem.


I took a photo of this cake below because it was so interesting... love the iced branches! This one is from Nine Cakes in Brooklyn.


And of course, the cake queen, Sylvia Weinstock herself, was at the event! Look at the intricate cake below with all the beautiful sugar flowers. She was sampling a unique flavor, apricot and caramel, and was promoting her new book.


There she is! Sylvia Weinstock...


And another celebrity sighting... Colin Cowie was there. I didn't get a photo of him because a bunch of brides were flocking around him, but I did manage to take this photo of the floral arrangement he had on display. Can you believe these are carnations? Who would know? This would make a beautiful centerpiece... and that's coming from someone who normally hates carnations.


I don't know who arranged this table, but I liked the color combo of the turquoise linens, gold chairs, and mix of orange, pink, and green flowers. Lovely~



Uniquely shaped vases make for an interesting table setting. This was done by PBG Events. Apparently, what they're really known for is there "award winning event lighting."


Now, this is so cool and so scary all at the same time! Live plants... there is an actual human being planted in the center of a floral arrangement and they move! Interesting or weird? Maybe both! You can use them as greeters, centerpieces, or just plain roaming entertainers at your event. Check them out at We Make Pretend.



Are you thinking about having ice sculptures at your wedding? Why not have a fresh flower frozen into your sculpture? I thought this was pretty cool... it's a tulip. From Okamoto.


What would a wedding event be without fabulous dresses? These gorgeous gowns were on display... all from Bridal Reflections.


My favorite one below!!! The detail on this dress is amaaaaazing... and the black flower accent so chic.


What an intricate bodice...


You have to be brave to wear this sexy number!


And finally, to add that finishing touch to your wedding day look... some vintage-inspired handbags. They're simply stunning, by Clara Kasavina. You get 20% off your purchase if you use the discount code "WSalon09" ... e-mail sales@clarakasavina.com to redeem.


Ok, I have to run! The Korea vs. Japan game is on tonight ... you know, the World Baseball Classics! It's the final!!! You know who I'm rooting for!

(P.S. -- To my girls AC, JS, and AK... it was great seeing you girls tonight!)

REMINDER: The NYC Wedding Salon Event!

Did you get your free tickets to the NYC Wedding Salon Event? It's coming up Monday, March 23rd!!! I know some of you have already registered, so I hope to see you there. =)

In case you missed my original post on March 2nd, here's the event information again:

Monday, March 23rd, 2009
The Roosevelt Hotel in New York City
4:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Check out table decor, photographers, couture gowns, honeymoons, musicians, beauty services, cake tastings and more!

Featuring a Victoria's Secret Lounge & an Exclusive Bridal Reflections Fashion Show

2 Complimentary Tickets with code "BRNY09C" at www.WeddingSalon.com ($50 Value)

For more info and a list of participating vendors, visit the Wedding Salon

Shop the Latest Looks

Are you still searching for your perfect wedding dress? Lucky you -- the 2009 spring and summer collections are fresh and gorgeous! Check out the latest styles at one of the upcoming events at Mark Ingram's Bridal Atelier (by appointment only).

• Monique Lhuillier Trunk Show
  March 26-29
  

• Anne Barge & Badgley Mischka Pre-Market Preview
  April 2-3
  

• Junko Yoshioka Trunk Show
  April 16-18
  

• Elizabeth Fillmore Trunk Show
  April 23-25
  

• Oscar de le Renta Trunk Show
  April 27-May 2
  

• Peter Langner Trunk Show & Personal Appearance
  May 7-9
  

• Jenny Packham Trunk Show
  May 14-16

110 East 55th Street, 8th Floor
Btwn Lexington & Park Aves
212 319 6778

An interesting centerpiece

This centerpiece caught my eye because it's interesting and unique. It's a full bouquet submerged in a water-filled, tall, cylinder vase, tied down by a rock! How cool! I believe that a centerpiece is not only meant to be the "center" of attention at the table, but it should also be a conversation piece for your guests. Delight your guests with something interesting and unique like this one!

Wildflower Linens

Youngsong Martin from Wildflower Linens was once a fashion designer, now turned tabletop linen designer. You would think designing for table linens would be pretty boring, right? I mean, a linen is a linen is a linen. Actually, no! Take a look at some of Ms. Martin's extraordinary work below. She takes the elements of high-fashion, couture looks from the Paris runways and incorporates them into her linen designs. These linens can change the entire look of your wedding! It's no wonder she's so highly sought after by brides, celebrities, and event planners all over. Her company is located in California but they can service clients in New York. Lucky us!

A Lovely Bridesmaid Gift

You know I'm a huge fan of Etsy! In an earlier post, I gushed about one of my favorite sellers -- Amanda1986. She's the one who offers all of the gorgeous vintage, handmade bouquets. Well, I've discovered yet another amazing seller -- Emma Gordon London. She designs and sells handmade handbags and clutches (see sample below). The great thing is, she accepts custom orders, so you can request specific colors or fabrics to match your wedding. So... I'm thinking, what a PERFECT gift for your bridal party! You'd be giving each of your girls a personal, unique, one-of-a-kind handbag or clutch that they can wear on your wedding day and beyond! A plus -- you get a discount when you order 4 or more!

How much will YOU spend on your wedding?

Take our survey on the right side of this page, and then check out this recent article from the Wall Street Journal... Tijuana Chicken Helped Keep our Wedding Cheap

Who needs tiaras anyway?

Are you thinking about wearing a tiara on your big day? Well, I can understand that. You're probably going for that "princess" feel, right? I was a sucker to that as well, when I was a blushing bride-to-be. And that's fine and dandy ... BUT ... have you even considered all of the other options? You can ...

GO NATURAL -- Put beautiful flowers in your hair for a soft, natural, organic look.

GO GLAM -- Bling yourself out with hair jewelry! It doesn't have to be a tiara to be sparkly and pretty.

GO COUTURE -- Add some vintage-style netting or fabulous feathers to your hair and you'll look fashionable and chic on your big day.

Whatever you decide, just please make sure you consider all the options! A tiara is not the only thing that you can set atop your pretty little head!

Sweet Inspiration!

Are you thinking about having a candy buffet at your wedding? Sweet!~ Here are some amazing photos to inspire you...