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: