I Do...You May Kiss Your Bride

Well Bridal Guide readers, we did it!!! The wedding was everything Keyana and I expected. Keyana was so beautiful in her Mon Cheri Bridal gown, and yes, I was crying when she came down the aisle. I must admit that I was also looking good in my Jean Yves tux.

Here's a quick rundown of our big day:

The Ceremony & Reception

Our wedding even brought out famous celebrities, such as P. Diddy, to Central Park. OK...OK...he was really there to spend some time in the park with his family, but we did let him know that there would be seats for him and his family if they wanted to get out of the NYC heat. Tavern on the Green went over and beyond to make the day unforgettable. They took care of everything, allowing us to relax and enjoy the ceremony and reception. The staff was unbelievable. Nicole Slifko and Julie Koven helped us throughout the process of planning the ceremony and reception.

Keyana was especially amazed by the breathtaking flower arrangements and bouquets designed by the most detail-oriented florist that I have every met, Julian Calderon. He spoke with Keyana on numerous occasions in order to make sure she got everything she wanted. Julian even designed her bridal bouquet to match her bridal gown. He is truly an expert at his craft.

The food at the reception was great. We chose the filet mignon and an outstanding parmesan-crusted chicken breast, which everyone is still talking about. We heard the hors d' oeuvres served during the cocktail hour were also delicious. They included:

• Crispy Panko Chicken Breast with Honey Mustard Sauce
• Smoked Chicken Quesadillas with a Chipotle Green Salsa
• Vegetable Spring Roll with Sweet Chile Sauce
• Flatiron Beef Brochettes with a Yakitori Glaze
• Crab Cake with Chipotle-Roasted Red Pepper Mayonnaise (Crowd Favorite)
• Shrimp Cocktail with Classic Cocktail Sauce

They sound good, right? We didn't have the opportunity to try them, because we were taking pictures in the park, but from what we've heard they were a big hit.

The Cake & Entertainment

The cake was exactly what we asked for and more. It was a huge five-layer white cake with strawberry filling, wrapped with fondant and covered with purple flowers, Keyana's favorite color (thanks to the pastry chef and florist!). The DJ, courtesy of Finer Touch Entertainment, kept the crowd moving all night and even taught the older guests how to do some new dance steps. These guys are good!!! Again, thanks to the whole staff at Tavern on the Green, you totally proved why you are one of New York's finest restaurants and landmarks.

Rehearsal Dinner

We would certainly be remiss if we did not mention how the Grand Hyatt New York made our numerous visits to New York absolutely wonderful. They treated us like celebrities at every turn. They also hosted our rehearsal dinner. They were so accommodating-lavishly decorating the ballroom in purple and silver (our wedding colors), and the food was excellent. Thanks to Serge Disegni and staff at the Grand Hyatt New York.

And finally...

Last but not least, to Bridal Guide-Thank You!!! You made us feel like family from the moment we were named the winners of the Bride of the Year 2008 contest. You made each step of the way memorable. You exposed us to a lavish New York City experience. A special thank you to Tiffany, Mary Cate, Lori, Giovanni Giuntoli (makeup and hairstylist), Dana, Aimee, Jen, Alison and Christie High of Janine Gordon Associates, LLC. If we have omitted any others we, we did not do it intentionally.

Stay tuned...we'll have more to share after the honeymoon!

Posted by Eric & Keyana Gray at 10:55 a.m.

I Now Pronounce You...

Hi everyone! Lori here from the "Here Comes the Wedding" blog to share some pictures of the big Bride of the Year wedding. This past Saturday Keyana and Eric finally said their "I do's" at Tavern on the Green, and home design editor Aimee Morgan and I were lucky enough to attend. We snapped a few behind-the-scenes photos just for you. Check them out:

When I arrived at Keyana's bridal suite at the Grand Hyatt, she was in the middle of getting prepped by her bridesmaids. She didn't look the least bit nervous as everyone moved around her.

Keyana's wedding dress had a few wrinkles, so it had to be steamed.

The ring bearer smiles as his mother dresses him up. Unfortunately, the little guy had other plans. Before we even left the room, he already had his jacket and vest off. He kept saying "I take it off," and we kept telling him, "No, keep it on." He was too cute!

Here's Keyana putting on her gorgeous wedding dress. Once she was all zipped up, she definitely was a vision in white.

Eric and his groomsmen take a breather in front of Tavern on the Green as they wait for everything to get started.

Celebrity sighting! Before Aimee realized who he was, she walked right up to Mr. Combs and asked if he was there for the wedding. Quickly realizing her mistake she apologized but still managed to get a few pics. When Eric found out he was there, he was more than ready to make room for him.

Lanterns add a whimsical touch to Tavern's outside area. The place looked amazing at night with all the lights.

Our photographers give Eric and his entourage some direction during the photo shoot.

Eric making some adjustments to the ring bearer's tux. Luckily he managed to keep the whole thing in tact.

Aren't they cute?! Eric and the ring bearer get down on one knee for an adorable pic. As you can tell, we just couldn't stop taking pictures of this cutie.

Keyana's turn in front of the camera!

The flower girl and ring bearer join Keyana for a few pics.

Keyana's bridesmaids smile for the camera. The matron of honor was due to give birth in two weeks, but that didn't stop her from traveling all the way to NYC to carry out her duties. Now that's what I call love.

Keyana and her mother share a moment in front of the camera. Their mother/daughter dance was so sweet that I even found myself getting a little choked up.

Keyana's grandmother showing off her wedding stuff. She was so great! At one point she and I were secretly taking a few pieces of candy from the candy bowls and sneaking them into our bags. What?! It's good to be prepared just in case you get a sweet craving.

Keyana gets her makeup touched up while Eric waits. Our photographers were great at capturing every moment, which you'll see in our Jan/Feb issue.

Introducing Mr. & Mrs. Gray!

The newly married couple with Eric's parents.

A family picture

Keyana showing off her stuff on the dance floor.

The guests enjoying the line dancing portion of the evening. There's nothing like the electric slide to get everyone out on the dance floor.

The wedding cake

Eric and Keyana slicing the cake at the end of the evening.

The wedding was absolutely beautiful and both Keyana and Eric looked so happy. Congratulations again! Stay tuned for more pics and a few video clips of the big day.

Posted by Lori at 3:35 p.m.

Return to New York

I know it's been a while since you've heard from our awesome couple, but with the wedding this weekend (I know, time just flew) they've been a little busy with last-minute preparations. So, I'm here to give you a behind-the-scenes look at their last photo shoot. Without further ado, here's your sneak peak at their photo spread for our November/December issue:

After a hectic 24 hours (including a thunderstorm in New York that delayed their arrival), Keyana and Eric arrived at the downtown Manhattan loft for their photo shoot. Here, Keyana and BG art director Mary Cate Godfrey go over the day's schedule.

Makeup artist Giovanni Giuntoli preps Keyana for her close-up.

Eric is a trooper as he sits patiently while Giovanni applies the finishing touches to his makeup.

All done! Not sure what Eric's doing in this picture. Either he's showing off Giovanni's work or flashing us his spirit fingers.

Keyana and Eric joke around with each other as they wait for everything to get set up.

The crew, which includes photographer Alexandra Grablewski home design editor Monica Forrestall, gathers around the computer to review the photos.

Mary Cate and Giovanni discuss wardrobe options for the couple.

Eric pretends to take a photo of his own while Giovanni touches up Keyana's hair.

Breakfast is served! Leslie Nilsson of Sage Catering put together the food for the entire shoot.

To add some color to the plain white background, Monica decided a painting would be a nice touch. Unfortunately, figuring out which one to use and how to hang it proved to be a little difficult.

Lights, camera, action! Instead of hammering nails into the loft owner's wall, different people switched off holding the painting as the couple smiled for the camera. Here, it's assistant home design editor Aimee Morgan's turn.

Want to see more? Here are three video clips from the shoot:

Eric gets his makeup done.

Keyana and Eric have a little fun during some down time.

Food fight!

Posted by Lori at 5:23 p.m.

Fun Idea

Here's a fun idea for wedding centerpieces: Incorporate your engagement pictures as part of the centerpiece. Using your pictures helps make your wedding more personal and gives guests that may not know both of you that well a look into your life together. It can also be a great conversational piece for those at the table who would most likely not be talking. Be creative and have fun-it's your day!

Posted by Keyana at 12:31 p.m.

The Perfect Stamp

To me this is another little detail that often gets overlooked. The stamps you use on your wedding invitations and on the return envelopes should not look like you're about to read a postcard from someone on vacation. Many people don't realize that the USPS offers wedding stamps that are much more attractive than the standard-issue stamps everyone gets. You can find them at shop.usps.com. The smallest details always get overlooked, so take some time out for the things that you think no one will notice. The small things make all the difference.

Posted by Keyana at 11:05 a.m.

Personal Touch

When planning your wedding you can get bombarded by more advice than you can handle, but the bottom line is you have to make your wedding personal. This is your day, so make it reflect you, and not your friends, mother-in-law, mom or the latest celebrity wedding you saw plastered all over the TV. Your wedding should reflect you and your groom's personalities. The key is in the details-the small things that reflect who you are.

We have this idea to attach little silver charms that have a "G" or 'Love' to almost everything. Then we would like to use similar silver charms that have the same monogram on all our party favors. We want to carry the theme of our monogram throughout our wedding. We feel it ties everything together and reflects who we are to everyone. Find a theme that fits your personality and go with it.

Posted by Keyana at 10:09 a.m.

Eye Makeup 101

OK ladies, I'm completely clueless when it comes to makeup. I've been doing my makeup the same way for the last...well, that's not important. The point is I could use a serious makeover for the wedding. So I went in search of some tips on applying makeup for your wedding and found some great tips on the Mary Kay site. It walks you through the process of how to do your eyes and lips based on your personal eye and lip shape. Although there are some of us who will have to do our own makeup, it's very important to do a trial run with someone who does this professionally, i.e. the mall or your local beauty salon where you can get tips for the big day. And Ladies, please, please practice applying your makeup. If you don't want to do this, assign someone in the wedding party to do it for you. Let them do a few practice runs so you look as though you had it professionally done for you big day.

Posted by Keyana at 2:05 p.m.

Good News

On Mother's Day, Eric finally received a kidney transplant! He's doing great and is already back home recuperating. We wish Eric all the best for a speedy recovery.

If you'd like to send the couple a message, just comment below or visit their wedding website.

Posted by Lori at 2:12 p.m.

Falling for New York City

We just returned from our Mon Cheri Bridals and Jean Yves (contest sponsors) photo shoot in New York City. This was our first trip to New York-what a way to experience the BIG CITY. We arrived at the Grand Hyatt NYC (just a short walk from Times Square) at about 10 a.m., which was a little early for check-in, so we stored our luggage at the hotel and decided to pass the time by walking around Manhattan. We noticed that in order to walk through the streets you must possess a certain disposition, or you will get stepped on. This was after getting pushed by an elderly woman with a cane and elbowed countless times by others walking along the sidewalks.

We decided to take a taxi to Central Park and visit Tavern on the Green, the location of our wedding ceremony and reception. If you have never ridden in a taxi through the streets of New York City, believe me, it is an adventure. Maybe it was our driver, but the last time I experienced a ride like that I was at an amusement park. After sliding around the back seat for about 15 minutes, we arrived at Central Park. It was as expected: people sitting in the grass reading, playing and sleeping. There were people jogging and cycling around the park and others walking their dogs. We arrived at Tavern on the Green and took a tour of the facilities. It is a beautiful place for a wedding.

After taking another roller coaster ride, oops...I mean taxi ride, back to the hotel, we checked in. The Grand Hyatt gave us a luxurious suite that overlooked downtown. After getting some food we toured the city a little more, walking to Times Square and other nearby tourist attractions (Grand Central Terminal, Empire State Building). We went back to the hotel to get some rest for the photo shoot the next day.

The photo shoot took place in the Presidential Suite at the Grand Hyatt. We had the opportunity to get photographed by Shannon Greer. He is a genius with the camera. Giovanni Giuntoli, the makeup artist, was amazing. Keyana's makeup was flawless. He even made me look good on camera. The stylist, Ionia Dunn Lee, is so talented. The entire staff was so kind. They treated us like we were celebrities. They took pictures of us in various tuxedos and wedding gowns. I was amazed how little direction Keyana needed. It was as if she had modeled before. She was beautiful. Overall, the photo shoot went great, except for our embarrassing fall in front of the Grand Hyatt's entrance:

We are going back to New York City in mid-June. If you know of any must-see places, let us know.

Posted by Eric at 10:32 a.m.

Who came up with idea of wedding favors?

I get that they're a polite gesture to thank people for coming to your wedding, but do I honestly need a cookie with your monogram on it? I feel bad saying this knowing how much thought goes into planning a wedding, but it seems as if most favors are left on the table or trashed as soon as you get home. With this in mind I started to think of favor alternatives. Since we are having a wedding out of town, our biggest issue will be getting a travel-friendly gift that everyone can take home to remember our Big Day. Most of our guests are flying into New York, so we need favors that will pass through security and aren't your everyday monogrammed food. We haven't come up with anything insanely original, so we may need a little help...

HELP!!!!! WE NEED IDEAS!!!!!!!!!

Posted by Eric at 11:32 a.m.

Finding the Perfect Dress

Since different companies are sponsoring the wedding, this meant I would be choosing my gown from a specific store, Mon Cheri Bridals. I was praying it was not one of those stores with the over-the-top dresses. When I first looked at their collection, the dresses were beautiful but most of them were completely lace. I'm definitely not a big fan of lace.

When I was given the location to go and pick out my dress, I rushed and made an appointment for the next day. My mom and bridesmaids went with me to find our dresses. I was surprised to find that Mon Cheri had many more gowns to choose from that were not lace.

The first dress I tried on was nice, but I didn't get that feeling you want when you put on 'THE' dress. However, the second dress I tried was it! There's nothing like finding that perfect wedding dress and feeling like a princess. To satisfy my mother, I tried on three more beautiful dresses, but I already knew I'd found 'THE ONE'!

I think finding the perfect dress is like finding the perfect man. You just know. There's no other way to explain it. When I went back to try it on after all the other dresses, there was no doubt in my mind that it was my dream dress.

Posted by Keyana at 10:10 a.m.

My How Time Flies

I can't believe how fast time is flying. It seems like just last week we were picking a date and now we're less than three months away from the big day. Although, it seems like time can't go by fast enough. I'm just ready to get married. So far we've taken care of most of the big decisions: the reception hall, the photographer, the dresses for me and my bridesmaids and the Mothers (WHICH WAS A JOB IN ITSELF!!!).

Now we're debating whether or not we really need a band. I mean who really NEEDS a big, fancy band to play for a few hours at the price of $5,000 to $16,000?!?! But then they get you with the "It's the most important day of your life" line. Then there's my personal favorite, "You're only going to do this once." As if that justifies spending more $$ than I did on my first car-and that I got to keep (until the motor fell out, of course). So the debate goes on.

Posted by Keyana at 3:02 p.m.