Blogs

Valentine's Day marks the only day of the year when couples can marry atop the Empire State Building. Following Preston Bailey's own nuptials at the stroke of midnight, the event planner transformed the space for three lucky couples, who were selected from couples around the country who submitted their love stories to the NYC landmark building.

The ceremonies, held at 9 a.m, 10 a.m, and 11 a.m. yesterday, each had their own unique style. "I have always been inspired by Mother Nature and the way she changes her designs throughout the year. I wanted to give each couple the chance to marry surrounded by the unique beauty of their favorite season without any limitations," said Preston.

Laurie Ann Phillips and Daniel Rosenthal of Washington, DC
Both single parents, the pair met on a blind date and instantly hit it off, bonding over their young children. "There was a magic about our connection that no one — not us, nor the friend who set us up — ever could have predicted," Laurie Ann told Preston. After deciding to tie the knot, they took an nontraditional approach and purchased a house together in lieu of an engagement ring. Their ceremony had a winter wonderland theme, followed by a spring reception.

Happy Valentine's Day! What could be more perfect for a day dedicated to love than a wedding? Candy heart photo props, a vibrant pink and orange color palette, and whimsical paper heart garlands are just a few of our favorite aspects of this romantic inspiration shoot. 

Guest blogger: Scratch Weddings, the nation's leading provider of highly skilled, experienced, and affordable marquee-level DJ talent for weddings.

Photo Credit: Muriel Silva Photography

Your first dance is one of the sweetest and most sentimental moments of the wedding day — and the perfect moment begins with the perfect song. Here, we've pulled together the most romantic song choices for every mood.

Classic:
► “Unforgettable” – Nat King Cole
► “You Belong To Me” – Dean Martin
► “At Last” – Etta James
► “Once in My Life” - Stevie Wonder
► “Into the Mystic” – Van Morrison
► “Your Song” – Elton John

Set in the Roaring Twenties, Gatsby style is all about glitz, glamour, and opulence. In honor of the latest interpretation starring Leonardo DiCaprio, a fabulous group of wedding vendors in Florida pulled together this incredible wedding inspiration shoot. Enjoy!

Even though you may have mastered the art of applying your own makeup, you might not be translating your style accurately when it comes to your makeup trial. Getting across the look you like to the experts can be tricky! We sat down with Kimara Ahnert, of Kimara Ahnert Makeup & Skincare Studio in NYC, to learn how to make the most of your makeup trial — and how to avoid the most common makeup trial mistakes.

1. Be Specific
“You may say natural but want false individual lashes at the same time,” says Upper East Side’s favorite makeup artist, Kimara Ahnert. Rather than describing what you want as “smoky” or “natural” and using words that might be interpreted differently by the expert, you should start by telling the artist which features you want to accentuate and/or play down. For example, you can say that you want your eyes to pop, and she may recommend a more dramatic eye and neutral face and lips. Try to be as specific as possible in your verbal descriptions.

2. Bring the Goods
Provide as many props and visuals as possible, including makeup products you love, as well as magazine tearouts of your favorite looks. Better yet, Kimara gives this recommendation: “Apply your own makeup like you would for going out and wear it to your trial. It is the best way for me to see what you usually do and improve upon it.”

Valentine’s Day is a day dedicated to love, so it comes as no surprise that thousands of couples tie the knot on February 14th each year. According to a survey by American Express, a whopping 6 million people are planning or expecting a proposal this Valentine’s Day. If he already put a ring on it, why not get married on the most romantic day of the year? We’ve rounded up the most unique ways to get hitched this week in NYC — these wedding venues are anything but ordinary and are sure to make your special day all the more unforgettable!

Each week, we feature wedding music recommendations from Scratch Weddings, the nation's leader with the best wedding DJs at affordable prices. This week's post comes from DJ Center, who spreads his signature sound worldwide. He's performed with music icons like John Legend, Estelle and Digable Planets, as well as for corporate clients like Adidas and Gucci. 

From funk to hip-hop, R&B to pop classics, Center flows through genres effortlessly. "Weddings are very special celebrations and I'm honored to entertain on the couple's big day. I create a custom mix that will keep everyone dancing all night long and then talking about it for weeks to come.”

Photo Credit: Ashley Rose Photography

TLC’s latest wedding series, "Something Borrowed, Something New," premieres tonight at 10 p.m. EST (9 p.m. CST). In each episode, one bride-to-be works with designer Kelly Nishimoto and stylist Sam Saboura to help her choose between two dress options — a "something borrowed" family heirloom (like her mother's gown) that Kelly re-works into something more befitting of a modern-day bride, or a fabulous "something new" that Sam shops for with the bride's preferences in mind. In the end, the bride has a very important decision to make: Will she wear something borrowed, or will she choose something new?

We chatted with stylist Sam Saboura to get the inside scoop on this new series.

Do more brides choose something new or something borrowed?
After we complete our shopping trip, I always feel like I have it in the bag and the bride is going to pick my new dress, hands down. At this point, no one has seen Kelly’s reworked/borrowed dress, including me, so I’m always pretty confident. Once the borrowed dress is revealed, everything changes. There are tons of emotion and things escalate to a whole new level. The decision becomes very real for the brides and very tough. We never know which way it’s going to go.

Scratch Weddings — who you might recognize from our Music Monday column, where they provide song recommendations for every part of your wedding day — has a very special Valentine's Day gift for one lucky couple: One of the top DJs in the country will spin your wedding for FREE!

Scratch Weddings is the leading provider of highly skilled, experienced, and affordable marquee-level DJ talent for weddings. Their DJs have worked with major recording artists like Beyoncé, Jay-Z, Lady Gaga, and Justin Timberlake, and they're often called upon to spin at high-profile corporate events, music festivals, and the most respected clubs and lounges around the world. 

The winner will receive a four-hour DJ package, complete with a customized soundtrack based on your music selections and preferences. Enter now!

—Kristen O'Gorman Klein

We all know that the floral budget for a wedding can be quite hefty. So for all of you green thumb brides who would love a DIY project that can easily save big bucks, here are some gorgeous ideas for your reception table flowers from the experts at ibulb.org. The secret is to keep the look simple, pretty and clean using white tulips and daffodils… the perfect blooms for spring and summer celebrations!

I love this crisp, bright display made with seasonally-appropriate seashells:

How-to: To create the tightly bunched effect, gather 15-20 tulips (leaves stripped) in a cluster and wrap the stems so they are securely held together (use florist tape or a plastic tie). The stems should be cut 3 inches long so they are not seen in the vase. Fill the vase 2/3 full with small- to medium-sized seashells. Place the bunch of tulips in the vase. Carefully fill the remaining vase with the seashells. Gently add water to the vase using a watering can. Refill water level as needed.

This next creation is so easy to do, and it’s an ideal display for an outdoor wedding: