Blogs

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 Trife. One of the best DJ performers on the East Coast, he expertly applies his skills—scratching, mixing, beat matching and live mash-ups—to his gigs at clubs, events, private parties and weddings. He brings an exciting and fresh spin to DJing, customizing sets that appeal to clients' tastes. His upbringing on Soul, Rock, Hip Hop and House provide him with a deep music knowledge, and his personality makes him instantly likable among couples.

You can’t go wrong by playing the classics at your wedding, but peppering in some fresh tunes will make any wedding feel more modern and fun. Whether you’re going for a vibe that’s more indie, more party or more worldly, turn to these rising star artists for options that guests of all ages will enjoy.

Cocktail Hour/Dinner Music Stars

Who knew having similar email addresses could potentially lead to marriage? That was the case for Ruben P. Salazar and Rachel P. Salazar, who began exchanging emails after Rachel's co-worker accidently sent Ruben an email.

In January 2007, Ruben, who lived in Texas, forwarded the email to Rachel, who lived in Thailand, thus starting the beginning of an endless email chain. "I was excited that this person was halfway around the world, it was kind of like sending a letter in a bottle," said Ruben.

After many days (in Thailand) and nights (in Texas) of getting to know each other, Rachel finally took a plane and traveled 8,000 miles to meet Ruben. Rachel kept the trip a secret from friends and family to avoid being called "foolish," while Ruben told everyone he knew.

After eight days of being with each other, Ruben proposed while the couple was out dancing one night. "I knew right at that moment: I need to say something or do something so that I don't lose her, so I got down on one knee and asked you [Rachel] to marry me," he said.

Although some of Ruben's friends and family had second thoughts and couldn't believe the shocking news, "They now all tell us, 'you're perfect for each other. You've found the right match!'" said Rachel.

Ruben and Rachel's love story was immortalized in an animated video created by StoryCorps:

If you’re looking for some fun ideas on how to personalize your wedding, check out these adorable custom-made ring bearer pillows from illustrator Colleen Johnson ($49.95 plus shipping). You can choose from any number of illustrations including sweet lovebirds and monograms or even a themed pillow like the seashell design crafted for a beach wedding.

Just e-mail Colleen your design preference or monogram initials (if that’s the design you choose), along with your wedding date and color scheme, and she’ll do the rest. You’ll get a proof of the pillow design for your review and receive it in about 3-4 weeks. Go to freshlineillustration.typepad.com or freshlineillustration.com.

I also loved Colleen’s charming cards—a great way to ask your favorite gal pals to be in the wedding party and then to thank them after the wedding for helping to make it so memorable. Check out the designs at etsy.com/shop/Freshline. They’ll so appreciate your thoughtfulness.

Some of the world’s most distinctive hotels (NYC’s The Carlyle, Las Ventanas al Paraíso in Cabo and Caneel Bay on St. John, U.S.V.I) belong to an elite group, called Rosewood Hotels & Resorts. Truth be told, many of the brand’s properties are among my favorite in the world, and they are often featured in the pages of your favorite bridal magazine. I love the attention to detail, the great service and—most importantly—the sense of place of each individual property.

We're always searching for ways to help BG brides save for their wedding without sacrificing their dream vision. That's why we've teamed up with our friends at The Aisle New York for an exclusive online sale, which starts on Jan. 31! Save up to 70% on gorgeous bridal gowns and accessories.

With less than five and a half months to go, Michael and I visited our jeweler last week to design our wedding bands. He opted for a solid platinum band, while I selected a platinum diamond eternity band with the same hand-carved leaf detailing featured on my engagement ring. I love that my ring has a classic design yet enough accents to make it entirely my own. Display your eternal commitment with a ring that is just as unique as the love you share for one another.

1. Think Pink

Love how bridal designers are infusing color into their gowns, but not sure if you could pull off pink on your wedding day? Embrace the trend by selecting a delicate pink gold wedding band, instead, like this 18k Cartier band set with a diamond. Priced at $800.

Gossip Girl's own royal wedding will air on Monday, January 30, marking the 100th episode. Check out this sneak peek at Blair Waldorf's walk down the aisle!

We already know that both Blair and maid of honor Serena van der Woodsen are wearing Vera Wang gowns, and the bridesmaids are wearing White by Vera Wang. What we don't know: Will Blair go through with the wedding, or will she become a runaway bride?

—Kristen O'Gorman Klein

Last week, a favorite radio show of mine got together with Jad Mouawad, airline correspondent for The New York Times, to discuss airport security. Is it better in a post 9/11 world? Is it worse? Is it consistent? The segment was part of a larger series that looked at travel in today’s day in age (Interesting stuff; I suggest you take a listen!). As is fitting with the radio show, there were call-ins from listeners talking about their experiences with security. One thing that became totally apparent to me, your intrepid travel editor, is that there are a few things that no one really talks about when it comes to dealing with security. Without further ado, I present some of my totally important (and personal) observations about dealing with security.

We're excited about the launch of BrideBox, a new creation service devoted entirely to DIY couples who want the look and feel of a high-end wedding album, without the hefty price tag. Skeptical? The BG editors were, too; that is, until we reviewed a gorgeous sample firsthand. We were unable to differentiate the thick, glossy paper and sturdy binding from professional (much more costly) albums that we've seen.

The average price for a traditional, flush-mount album (with one image glued to each page) is $764, while pros charge an average of $400 for a magazine-style photo book (with images on both sides of the page). BrideBox offers four different albums to choose from, which range from $369.99 for a flush-mount to as low as $89.99 for a photo book, and can be customized to your cover and page preferences.

Finalizing your album with a photographer could take months—but with Bridebox you have the option to make one in less time than the actual reception, from start to finish. They offer dozens of free, easy-to-use templates (similar to the ones photogs use), so that you can drag and drop in all of your favorite snapshots. Once you've designed your album, a photo editing professional color corrects each photo, ensuring that the final product looks perfect before it's shipped off to production. 

If you've already signed on the dotted line for a pro album, consider gifting a parent album, instead!

Photo Credit: Dianna Hart Photography