Blogs

M&J Trimming has been a staple in NYC’s Garment District for over 70 years. Now, with their first venture into the bridal world, M&J allows the bride to become the designer of her own wedding look! 

When we arrived at M&J ’s flagship store, we were quite literally blinded by bling. The walls shimmered and sparkled with spools of Swarovski crystal, lace, ribbon, and tulle. Just when we thought we’d taken in all the gorgeousness we could handle, we entered the newly opened bridal salon at the back of the store. The room glistened with jewelry, belts, veils, and handbags. 

Are you and your friends all getting married around the same time? Then you'll love this idea from SaySo Weddings in Australia. While several forum members were discussing trash the dress sessions, inspiration struck: Why not get a group together to make the shoot even more fun? Kelly Hody of SaySo Weddings ran with the idea and organized a full day event for a group of 14 newlyweds.

"A number of the participants knew each other before the shoot – many of them had first met on wedding forums like SaySo, before striking up real-life friendships," said Hody. "We also had some participants who heard about the event and registered with a friend. It was a really cool bunch of girls who weren’t afraid to be adventurous!"

      Photo Credit: Lia Healy

The day started at Stamford Grand Hotel, where all of the brides were primped by hairstylist Karen Hedger of Complete Look Hair and Beauty and makeup by Lauren Parkinson. They also enjoyed a pancake breakfast and posed at the reception tables decorated by Bliss Events. DJ Trent Slater got the party started with some great tunes.

When we saw this gorgeous Beatles-themed wedding over on Green Wedding Shoes, we couldn't wait to share it with you! Carmen and Pete are both huge Beatles fans; Carmen said, "Pete has his Ph.D in all things Beatles, and I love discovering more Beatles trivia from him." 

Check out these photos by Ashley Rose Photography!

Hi BG brides! I'm officially a married woman now (doesn't Mrs. Brian Deitz have a nice ring to it?). Stay tuned for my total wedding recap; in the meantime, I've decided to share my diary leading up to the big day in the hopes that it will help prepare readers for theirs. Here is my honest look at what runs through your mind in those last days of singledom. Enjoy!

14 DAYS BEFORE: Making final decisions on the bachelorette party. I hope Neesha doesn’t make this too wild! I’m looking forward to it, though. To do: Print out programs for my traditional Nigerian ceremony and make fan programs for my modern white wedding.

Whether you're looking to get in shape for the big day or simply need a way to wind down in the midst of chaotic wedding planning, yoga can be a great exercise to try at home or in a studio. Wellness expert and yoga instructor,  bride-to-be, and cast member of the new series Yoga Girls, Elise Joan shares her favorite poses for BG brides. 

Ripped hems, accidental red wine stains and stiletto-induced blisters; what's a bridesmaid to do?  Luckily, armed with this thoughtful Bridal Party Survival Kit, your bridal party will be prepared for any minor bumps that come their way on your big day. It only takes three steps to make these kits, so even the most DIY-challenged brides in the bunch can come off looking like a pro without having to devote three weekends in a row to crafting.

(Full disclosure: The BG editors stockpile bridesmaids' kits like these in our desks, so that we're ready in case of any beauty or migraine emergencies before we hit up bridal events!)

We found this ingenious idea from 100 Layer Cake, an excellent resource and the very same blog where we swooned over this bubble chandelier.


Materials Needed:

Bridesmaids, the hilarious movie from Knocked Up producer Judd Apatow starring SNL breakouts Kristen Wiig and Maya Rudolph, is now available on DVD/Blu-ray! Here, our top five reasons why you should watch this movie with your bridal party.

Also: Enter for your chance to win a copy of the movie!

      Courtesy of Universal Pictures

You'll Get Ideas for the Bachelorette Party
Rita: What are we doing for the bachelorette party?
Becca: What about like, a princess theme?
Helen: Versace meets The Gold Rush.
Rita: I'm thinking tanned gentlemen that swallow fire and wear sarongs.
Megan: Female fight club. We grease up - surprise! Beat the crap out of her.
Rita: I don't hate it—
Helen: Vegas it is. 

Since my recently-engaged sister is planning a New Jersey wedding from Virginia, my mom and I decided to attend a bridal show yesterday at The Imperia in Somerset, NJ, a venue she's interested in visiting. My mom and I are old pros at bridal shows now after attending several during my planning process. Here, our top tips for getting the most out of a show:

Choose Your Show Wisely
There are basically two types of shows: large expos held in convention centers, and smaller, localized shows held in wedding venues. Both have their pros and cons. At a larger convention-type show, you'll encounter many more vendors. I think expos are best if you're just starting out with the planning process, since there's such a plethora of information. 

This season designers looked  to classic Hollywood for inspiration. Adding a fresh spin to the high shine glamour of yester-year, designers added modern architectural lines and clean finishes giving the impeccable style of the 40's screen siren a modern update.

Beauty Tip: The perfect counterpoint to the impeccable look of these clean designs would be a loose natural updo with great texture.

—Naima DiFranco