Blogs

Guest Blogger: Nathaniel Neubauer, owner of Contemporary Catering
Nathaniel’s mom says it best: “When Nathaniel was turning three, I asked him what he wanted for his third birthday. He said, ‘Quiche.’” Ever since, Nathaniel’s love for food has never been far from reach. With his presence, Contemporary Catering quickly became a major contender in the Los Angeles catering industry. From overseeing production to designing a nine-course tasting menu with five-star service, Nathaniel’s dedication to his clients and his company is unparalleled.

After the ceremony, you newlyweds will probably want to sneak away and enjoy a few alone moments. To ensure your guests stay entertained, we've put together some of our best cocktail hour beverages and bites that will be sure to give your guests something to talk about.

What better way to kick off your cocktail hour than with some super fun “poptails”?! Take some of your favorite summer drinks, freeze in popsicle molds and place in cute glasses and trays so everything stays mess-free as they melt. Don’t forget to freeze some popsicles sans alcohol for the little ones! Pomegranate, peach, strawberry, mojito… the flavor possibilities are endless.

Brides have often been depicted in the media as selfish, demanding “bridezillas” but I find that nothing could be further from the truth. Okay, there will always be a few out-of-control divas who make life miserable for everyone around them (and will continue to do so after the wedding!) but most of the brides I’ve known have made their family, friends and bridal party’s happiness a priority. They are conscious of doing what’s right and what’s best for others. For such brides, giving guests a charitable favor is a plus, and what better time is there than now, National Breast Cancer month, to consider doing just that? The American Cancer Society offers beautiful Wedding Scrolls that can be placed at each guest’s seat or Tent Cards for display on each table acknowledging that a financial contribution has been made toward the fight against cancer.

Looking for ways to individualize your bridal look? We took a style cue from Oscar de la Renta's bridal collection to see which accessories make a "Big Day" style statement.

1. Consider a textured veil with detailing that complements the beadwork/lace/floral accents of your dress; it is sure to give you a pulled together look. If you desire a look of cool refinement, a veil is a magnificent choice.

2. Statement earrings are sure to give you fashionista style points. We love the pairing of statement earrings with a more clean, polished hairstyle — this keeps the look balanced.

3. Cute fingerless gloves are adorable and add a touch of whimsy to your big day look. We love how Oscar de la Renta complemented the gloves with a "something blue" nail polish. Gloves pair well with a short dress: they imbue the look with a bit of chic formality — ideal for your wedding.

Tell us: What statement accessories are you considering for your wedding day?

—Naima DiFranco

Wedding aisle vases are the perfect touch for your dream ceremony. They can transform the look of even the most basic church or add a pop of color to your outdoor setup. (Besides, it doesn't hurt to give the congregation a little eye candy to hold them over until you make your grand entrance.) But after splurging on centerpieces, bouquets, and more, many couples often can't afford to order aisle décor from their florist. This crafty version created by Dolci Odille for OnceWed.com only takes five steps to make—we couldn't believe the containers cost only $1! 

Materials:

• Bygel IKEA containers (only $1 each)
• Spray mount
• Fabric
• Twine
• Scissors
• Flowers

Step 1: Cut your fabric to fit the container.

Choose a festive fabric to complement your wedding theme and the flowers you plan to use to fill your aisle vase. Cut to fit your IKEA container accordingly (14" x 9).

Step 2: Spray your container.

Using the spray mount, go outside and spray the entire IKEA container. Make sure to spray a little on the inside rim as well.

Photos of Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel's fantasy Italian wedding on Oct. 19 have finally surfaced!

The blushing bride wore a custom-designed petal pink couture gown by longtime friend Giambattista Valli. According to People Magazine, the groom described it as being "so Jess"—timeless yet eccentric. She accessorized the cotton-candy pink ball gown with yellow and pink diamond and rose gold earrings by Martin Katz and a pearl bracelet borrowed from her mother-in-law, Lynn Harless. Biel joins the likes of Anne Hathaway and Reese Witherspoon, who also wore this feminine hue to their weddings. (Gwen Stefani famously started the trend back in 2002 with her dip-dyed hot pink Christian Dior gown, which now lives at the Victoria and Albert Design Museum in London).

Related: Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel's Wedding: All the Details!

Last Friday, we were in for a thrill at Loehmann's "Grab the Gown" event at their flagship store in Chelsea, NYC. East coast brides, hailing everywhere from Philly to West Virginia, braved torrential rains to line up for their shot at scoring the ultimate designer gown for less. Despite the gloomy forecast and 7 a.m. start time, the energy was electric. "There's no rules, so I'm going to go crazy!" said Lisette, the first shopper in line, who had been waiting since 11:30 p.m. the night before. 

Up for grabs: 800 gowns from Allure Bridal, Pronovias, Demetrios and more, with price tags slashed down to $1,000 or less (originally costing up to $11,000). As we watched the mayhem unfold, celebrity wedding planner David Tutera shouted words of encouragement along with us ("Be careful, but run fast, because there's a lot of gorgeous dresses!").

Watch the most extreme shopping event of the year here!

Guest blogger: Emma Arendoski, founder and CEO of Emmaline Bride, The Wedding Guide for the Handmade Bride, a website dedicated to all things handmade for weddings. Launched in 2009, the site has grown into the leading online voice for handmade weddings. Emma's mission is to empower her readers to support handmade through the use of handcrafted wedding items for all parts of the wedding planning process.

Here, she shares an excerpt from her first book, The Handcrafted Wedding: More Than 300 Fun and Imaginative Handcrafted Ways to Personalize Your Wedding Day (Sellers Publishing, October 2012).

Photo Credit: © 2012 Thomas Gardella for Michelle Gardella Photography

Each week, we feature music recommendations from Scratch Weddings, the nation's leader with the best wedding DJs at affordable prices. This week's post comes from DJ Lil Ray. Since relocating to NYC from her native Atlanta, DJ Lil Ray has blown up: opening for acts like M.I.A. and Childish Gambino, spinning at SXSW and the GenArt Film Festival and making regular DJ appearances at NYC's hottest night spots. She hooks audiences by linking current music with favorites from decades past, what she calls musical time travel. "Weddings are so much fun! It's great playing to a big group of happy people who are all there to celebrate together. Each one is unique, and it's exciting to tailor the playlist accordingly.”

Photo Credit: Matt Andrews Photography

Through excitement and jitters, quirky-themed bridal showers and big-day hiccups, bridesmaids are there for their best girlfriend in every way. Considering how much effort, attention, and love they give throughout the whole wedding planning process, acknowledging them with a few karaoke-worthy moments will ensure they have a great time at the reception (and creating a few dance floor photo ops with these tunes doesn’t hurt, either).

Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel are officially husband-and-wife!

"It's great to be married, the ceremony was beautiful and it was so special to be surrounded by our family and friends," the couple told People.

The Trouble With the Curve star, 31, and his longtime love, 30, were wed on Oct. 19 in Puglia, Italy. A source revealed to The New York Post that "it's a location that is very special to them"—according to reports, Biel and Timberlake attended the 2008 nuptials of Beverly Mitchell (Biel's former co-star on "7th Heaven"), in Ravello on the Amalfi Coast, which isn't too far away.

Several hundred guests flew to Italy to celebrate the couple's nuptials at Borgo Egnazia, an ultra-luxurious hotel that's set against a stunning backdrop of the Adriatic Sea and surrounded by fragrant prickly pear and lavender. Il Giornale di Puglia, an Italian newspaper, originally reported that Lady Gaga and Elton John were in attendance, but the stars' reps have since denied those claims. Confirmed guests included Saturday Night Live's Andy Samberg, Jimmy Fallon, and music producer Timbaland. 

Bridal shower – accomplished! Even though my wedding is more than three months away, I knew I wouldn’t be able to get down to San Diego until just before the big day. So, my mom and one of her closest friends planned a beautiful shower in my honor.

1. Don’t feel like you have to look a certain way.
The only work I had to do was finding the perfect outfit. I wanted to look a bit traditional by wearing white, but I also wanted to mix it up and keep it fun. My dress came with black ribbon straps and an exposed back zipper, so I added a black velvet belt with an edgy rhinestone applique to make an even bigger contrast against the white lace. The goal was sassy, and I’m pretty sure I achieved it. If white isn’t your thing, wear what is. You don’t want to spend the event fussing with straps or feeling self-conscious, so forget any “rules” and wear what makes you feel good.