Global Goss: How to Host Your Own Royal Wedding

 

We may have all been a twitter celebrating the birthday of our nation this past weekend, but over in arguably the most glam European principality, the crown heir wed. That's right, I'm not talking about the Prince of Monaco AKA son of the most influential bride ever, Grace Kelly (ahem, Duchess of Cambridge, you know what I'm talking about). Prince Albert and his new wife celebrated in typical (read: posh) Monegasque-style, feted by international royals and luminaries in a grand space overlooking the sea.

villa in monaco

 

 


Now, I know it may sound all so fab and far-off, but you too can host a fit-for-royal wedding in Monaco when you stay at the gorgeous Villa Fleur de Lys in Cap D’Ail. Recently renovated in a chic, modern look, the intimate, yet grand home stands proudly over the sparkling Mediterranean.

 

 

What Our Favorite Engaged Celebs are Reading

What do Kim Kardashian, Jessica Simpson, Ali Fedotowsky and Julie Benz have in common? A sparkling diamond ring, an upcoming wedding ... and a Kindle. We've got the scoop on what these four engaged celebrities are reading this summer (and possibly on their honeymoons!). Find out if your summer reading picks overlap with any of their choices.

kindle on beach towelKim Kardashian's Kindle Reading List:

1. Tuesdays with Morrie, by Mitch Albom
2. Are You There, Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea, by Chelsea Handler
3. The Purpose Driven Life, by Rick Warren
4. Reinventing the Body, Resurrecting the Soul, by Deepak Chopra

Jessica Simpson's Kindle Reading List:

1. Shantaram, by Gregory David Roberts
2. How to Cook Everything, by Mark Bittman
3. The Best Kind of Different, by Shonda Schilling
4. Deception, by Jonathan Kellerman
5. The Whole Truth, by David Baldacci
6. Made for Goodness, by Desmond Tutu
7. The Power of Now, by Eckhart Tolle
8. All books by Paulo Coelho
9. Shape magazine
10. Time magazine
11. USA Today
12. The New York Times

Ali Fedotowsky's Kindle Reading List:

How to Get a Bridal Look at Wedding-Related Events

engagement party look























1. Consider embracing an all-white look. When else is it acceptable to dress head-to-stiletto in one hue? This is a great option for BG readers who love the short reception gown trend, but don't have the funds to buy two frocks for their wedding day. If you're dead-set on color, we recommend two chic new bridesmaids collections we've seen recently: White by Vera Wang and the detachable Bari Jay collection. Skeptical? Don't be—no one will know the dress' original intent except us budget-savvy brides...

Wedding Favors That Give Back

Making a charitable donation in lieu of wedding favors has been a popular choice for a while now. And edible favors are always a guest-favorite. That's why we love Baking for Good, which combines the two!

15% of every purchase is donated to the cause of your choice. And Baking for Good is now offering customized wedding favors, so you can create your own cookie incorporating your monogram, colors, theme, or anything you want.

We also love the delicious gourmet brownies, which are available in a bunch of tasty flavors.

Prices range from $1.00-$4.00 per favor and all are made from all-natural, organic, local, and seasonal ingredients. Also available: dairy-free, gluten-free, and vegan options.

Check out some of the delicious treats below.

baking for good treats

 

 

—Kristen O'Gorman Klein

3 Tips to Keep Guests Cool at Summer Weddings

Have your heart set on an outdoor wedding in the middle of summer? Prevent guest meltdown with these three tips.

Make your ceremony programs work double-duty as fans. There are two popular styles—card stock attached to a stick (paddle), or a fan-out (petal) style. Both can be easy DIY projects or purchased for a few bucks if you're not too crafty. There are tons of great options on Etsy; we love these two:

wedding ceremony programs

Left: Paper Dreams Design Studio; Right: I Heart Paper & Threadforeverwed water bottle label

 

 

Keep guests hydrated with personalized water bottles. A tip: Stick the bottles in the freezer for a few hours before the ceremony so that they are partially frozen (but not frozen solid!). That way, they'll stay cold much longer. Have your groomsmen pass out a bottle to guests as they are escorted to their seats. Choose from over 300 designs or create a completely custom label at Foreverwed.com

5 Ways to Create Stunning Decor

Picking a locale for my engagement party was a no-brainer: Mama Rao's, an Italian restaurant (Brooklynites, it's a must-visit) is where Jason and I had one of our first dates, so aside from the decadent fare and top-notch service, it has sentimental value. (Fun Fact: Wedding planner extraordinaire Mindy Weiss' son had his e-party there too, so I was definitely in good hands!) Selecting the decor to match my multi-course spread? Not so simple. All I knew was that I wanted it to be ultra-romantic and make guests catch their breath when they walked into the room. Mission accomplished—use this cheat sheet to create a stunning look for your first bash as a Mr. and Mrs. to be, or even for your bridal shower.

Honor Guests at Your Engagement Party (and Avoid Offending Non-Invitees!)

When I first got engaged, everyone (squealing aunts, girlfriends, neighbors, heck, even Facebook friends I haven't seen in 10 years) who heard the happy news reacted in one of three ways: "Let me see your ring!", "When's the big day?" and "I can't wait to celebrate at your engagement party!" The first two I expected and prepared for by getting a French mani and preparing the we're-just-enjoying-being-engaged speech while trying not to hyperventilate about searching for a venue. However, the last one really took me off-guard simply because so many people who said it weren't on my invite list. Ideally, Jason and I would have wanted every special person who has made an impact on us since childhood to be able to attend, but we both come from super-sized families (Jason has 15+ first cousins alone!) and couldn't justify having my parents (there's mom and dad, giving us a toast, pictured above) throw us a mini wedding when we're already spending so much for the main event. BG brides, I'm sure many of you have had the same dilemmawhat are you supposed to say and do to avoid hurting well-intentioned non-guests?

We're Obsessed With: Iced Sugar Cookies from Cinderellie's Sweets

We're loving these stunning decorated sugar cookies from Cinderellie's Sweets. Created by Ellie Meisner out of her own private commercial kitchen in Flemington, New Jersey, these gorgeous treats are sure to be crowd-pleasers at your wedding, shower, or any other party. Check out some of our favorites below.

How cute would this be for a wedding favor? Arrange them on a table, alternating bride and groom, and invite all guests to take one (or two) as they leave.

Weird Wedding News: Wedding Bands from Outer Space

astronaut with wedding band

Have an extra $17,000 in your wedding budget (don't we all?) and want an "out of this world" wedding band? Look no further than SpaceWed... This new company sells wedding bands made from 18k gold that has been sent into outer space. That's right, now you can sport rings that have been inside a rocket ship, which somehow makes the rings worth about 10x the cost of regular wedding bands.

File this under things we don't understand. Maybe we could get on board if the gold was actually found in outer space (and we were millionaires, naturally). But for now, we'll stick with our regular Earth-bound rings.

—Kristen O'Gorman Klein

Photo Courtesy of SpaceWed

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