Losing steam...

Believe it or not, my husband was the one to suggest that I start this blog. You're probably wondering, why in the world would a man tell his wife to start a blog about WEDDINGS? Well, you have to understand... before I started BlabberBride, I was beyond obsessed with weddings. I would spend hours researching new trends, new gown designers, new color schemes, and devote my time to helping friends (and even strangers) plan their weddings, while at the same time, reading oodles of wedding magazines, and indulging in my favorite wedding TV shows (Who's Wedding is it Anyway?, Bridezillas, Platinum Weddings, Say Yes to the Dress, Amazing Wedding Cakes, Married Away, Rich Bride, Poor Bride -- oh yeah baby, there are tons of wedding shows out there!). If I wasn't obsessing, I was daydreaming. Daydreaming of one day becoming a high-profile wedding planner or opening up my own wedding dress shop. Yup.

So, my husband wisely suggested I start blogging so that I would have an outlet for this obsession of mine. And you know what? I think it worked!!! For the past few months, I've been furiously typing away on my computer, blogging about anything related to weddings. Whenever I came across something particularly beautiful or inspiring, I would blog. Every time a bride-to-be shared one of her creative ideas with me, I would blog. When a new line of weddings gowns were debuted, I blogged. I kept blogging. I blogged when I was sick and I blogged when I was tired. Blogging became my second obsession. Until now...

These days, I find myself losing steam. I don't have much to blog about. I don't feel the urge to buy wedding magazines. Last weekend, I went to Borders and found myself grabbing travel magazines, and NO wedding magazines. And when my wedding shows are on TV, I flip right through them. Gasp!

I never thought I'd say this, but I don't think I'm obsessed with weddings anymore. I still think they're beautiful and oh-so-special, and I'm always going to be the one to help friends, coworkers, and strangers with wedding advice and tips. But, the maniacal obsession is gone. It came and went so quickly -- a mere 5 years.

So what do I do? I have this blog set up... aren't I obligated to keep blogging? I dunno...

I think I'll take a hiatus for a while. My husband and I are going to Italy at the end of this month, so maybe I'll be inspired by some fabulous European style and come back with a vengeance. But right now, I can't imagine that.

What gives me joy these days is curling up in bed with a good book (right now, I'm reading "The Geography of Bliss" by Eric Weiner and highly recommend it), or planning our next vacation. I've always loved traveling and I'm sure I'll never stop loving it. Unfortunately, I don't think I can say the same for weddings.

But please don't give up on me! At some point, I'll have some great material to blog about ... maybe it'll be about weddings, maybe not. Either way, I know I'll find something else to obsess about. Stay tuned...

Amazing Wedding Destinations in the U.S.

Who says you have to leave the country to have a memorable, one-of-a-kind destination wedding? Not me!! I think there are plenty of amazing destinations right here within the US, and I've highlighted my top 5 picks below (in no particular order).

#1

The gorgeous red rock landscape you see in the photo above is the backdrop of the Enchantment Resort in Sedona, Arizona. This luxury resort offers everything you could imagine -- beautiful grounds, impeccable service, delicious food, great activities such as tennis, golf, pool, horseback riding, jeep tours, and a world-class spa. A major plus is the weather in Arizona! It's sunny, warm, and dry practically all year round. What more could you ask for? =)

#2

The Lodge and Spa at Cordillera in Colorado is a stunning resort inspired by a chateau in Belgium. It's nestled into the snow-capped mountains and overlooks the Rockies and Vail Valley. If you're looking for a destination to have a winter wonderland wedding, it just might not get any better than Cordillera! Your guests can spend their time taking in the beautiful views, soaking in an outdoor heated jacuzzi, or hitting the slopes to snowboard and ski. To top it off, Cordillera was ranked #1 hotel in Colorado for food and service by Conde Naste Traveler last year.

#3

The Grand Del Mar in San Diego, CA is a mediterranean-style resort with old world charm. It was inspired by architecture in Spain, Italy and France, and offers the feeling of a warm day in Tuscany. The resort boasts 5-star cuisine and an extensive wine list, as well as a beautiful, on-site church should you choose to have an indoor ceremony. If you're looking for a romantic destination with renaissance flair, but you don't want to go all the way to Europe, The Grand Del Mar just might be the perfect choice for you! Rated #3 among Top Ten Unforgettable Wedding Destinations in the U.S. on WeTV in 2009.

#4

The Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel in Dana Point, CA sits atop a massive 150-foot cliff overlooking the sun-kissed Pacific Ocean. The beautiful blue waters are often visited by whales and surfers -- a sight to see! Each guest room has a private patio or balcony and is well-appointed with all the comforts you need. Every detail at this resort exudes luxury -- from the silk walls to the heated swimming pools. Pamper your guests by having your wedding here.

#5

The Mohonk Mountain House in Hudson Valley, New York is a haven away from the city. This gem is hidden in the mountains and has its own lovely lakefront. Mohonk is particularly beautiful in the autumn with the fall foliage -- I highly recommend it! The activities here are endless. Your guests can enjoy a paddle on the lake or walk the hiking trails or play golf. There's also rock climbing and bike riding, and even horseback riding. In the winter, there's iceskating and snowtubing! For a day of pampering, visit the spa. Just imagine how amazing your wedding photos will look with the Mohonk Mountain House as your backdrop.

A Sketch of Your Wedding Dress

Okaaay, I know I've been slacking. It's been almost a month since my last post. Ugh. Sorry ladies~ I've been preoccupied. I accepted a new position within my company on April 1st, so that's been keeping me busy on the weekdays (meaning, I'm not in the mood to sit in front of a computer again when I get home from work -- can ya blame me?). During the weekends, I'm doing one of two things -- planning our next vacation (Italy, baby!!!) or sitting at home waiting for prospective buyers to come see our place. Right now, I'm having an open house, and I thought I'd squeeze in a post while I wait for the knock on our door. We're trying to sell our place and move to a bigger place this year. Anyway... take a look at the beautiful sketch below...


To make up for my slacking, I wanted to find something cool to share with you all and I think I found it! This website My Dream Lines.com was featured in the spring 2009 issue of InStyle Weddings Magazine. They offer custom sketches of your wedding gown by an artist who lives in the South of France *lucky bastard*. The sketch would be approx. 8 1/2 x 11 in size if you want to frame it, or you could order it as a set of thank you cards. Prices start at about $100 depending on how detailed you want your sketch to be. For example, if you want to include your veil and bouquet, it might cost extra.

I think this would make a great gift! A gift to yourself for all the planning you did for the big day. A gift from the groom to the bride on the wedding day. A gift from husband to wife on their 1st year anniversary (afterall, paper is the traditional 1 yr anniversary gift). A gift from a friend or sister to the bride. Or even, a gift from you to your bridesmaids -- because you can order sketches of the bridesmaids dresses too!I I just love it~

Real Wedding: Becky & Ryan April 11, 2009

Thanks Becky, for sharing your wedding photos on BlabberBride!

For those of you who don't know, Becky was one of my first clients for my company, Paper a la Mode. She ordered her wedding invitations from me, and then returned for her direction cards, dinner menus, and place cards! She was/is one of my favorite clients and I'm so excited to share her wedding photos with you all.

Rain or shine, photographer Gerard Tomko was able to capture beautiful photos of the bride and groom set against the gorgeous backdrop of Congress Hall in Cape May, New Jersey.

Let's wish Becky and Ryan a lifetime of love and happiness!

Invitation of the Month (April)

Available at Paper a la Mode from the Exclusive Collection II.

Fabulous brooches under $25!!!

I just stumbled upon this great website that has amazing brooches for under $25! Check out FashionJewelryforEveryone.com for some unbelievable finds. They specialize in handcrafted jewelry and they also accept custom order requests if you want something made in a particular material or style.

I say, if you're planning to dress up in a cute little number for your engagement party or your rehearsal dinner, why not add some sparkle to your ensemble with one of these gorgeous brooches? Or, be creative and even use one as a hairpiece! Some of my favorite finds are sampled below...

What's the ugliest dress you've ever worn?

Do you want a $2,500 shopping spree at the Amsale flagship store in NYC? Then, enter this contest!! All you have to do is submit a photo of the worst dress you've ever worn or ever seen, and then choose the Amsale dress that you would rather wear. You'll need to write a short story behind the worst dress and why you love the Amsale dress you picked. There's only 3 days left before the contest ends, so hurry! And... GOOD LUCK!

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!)