Hola my darling brides to be, can you believe it’s been an entire year since I said “I do”? To celebrate the occasion, Husband and I took a three-day to Maine, the home state of lobsters, the longest coastline in America and my alma mater.

We stayed at the cozy Beach House Inn in the seacoast town of Kennebunkport. Set on the rocky shoreline just before the town center, the adorable inn has been hosting guests since 1891. Husband really digs history so he was excited to learn that fun fact.

My favorite part of the hotel wasn’t the lovely Happy Anniversary Champagne and fruit tray surprise they gave us as much as the wrap-around porch. I was obsessed with sitting there and relaxing. Now, as one who doesn’t actually know how to relax (yes, my yoga instructor isn’t so happy about that fact), I made a little “let’s sit on the porch” schedule (post-dinner when the beach was aglow in moonlight and during the complimentary breakfast) for myself, but it was still blissful.

Our first day was all about feasting. We watched the Spain match, sampled local ales (our faves) and devoured sandwiches (farm-fresh veggie: me; lobster rolls—yes, plural!: Husband) at Federal Jack’s, an enormous portside brewery. Post two-nil win, we strolled around town and wished that our camera was working…

Today, I’m off to a wedding and I can’t wait! My friends Barbara and Howie’s son, Richard, is marrying his adorable Kelly in what promises to be a beautiful ceremony and a fun-filled celebration. I love it all: the exchange of vows that often gets everyone teary, the traditions (old and new), the cocktail hour, those yummy hors d’oeuvres and, of course, the reception where everyone eats, drinks and gets very merry.

But if you want to know my absolute favorite part of the wedding I must ‘fess up: It’s the music and dancing. To me, how good the band or DJ and song selections are can make or break a wedding. If the tunes are rockin' I become a dancing fool and can’t sit down. And most of the other guests are up on the floor as well; until at the end of the night all of us, with our tired feet, exclaim that it was the best wedding ever!

Now, occasionally, there are those times when the music is just OK and I wish they had included more dance tunes. Well, along comes an ingenious website called SongVote.com that’s a free tool and allows your guests to add or modify your wedding playlist based on votes.

To get these blue pieces, visit:

aprilreed.com
cecinewyork.com
yaeldesigns.com
priscillaofboston.com
carolinaherrera.com
amsale.com

Posted by Naima

Posted by Maureen

It may be summer, but I’m still spring cleaning in my apartment…and let me tell you, it isn’t easy. Why? I’ve simply accumulated too much stuff! Honestly, I am a prime candidate for TLC’s “Buried Alive: Hoarders”. So, during my vacation week in June I tackled the living room and some closets. I rented a storage unit (absolutely no storage where I live, which is part of the problem) and lugged over three car loads filled with books, albums and other sundry items. I also set aside bags of things for family members to go through and made two trips to Salvation Army. Whew! But now, when I walk through the front door it looks amazing and it almost feels as if I’m visiting someone else’s home. Plus, I probably won’t miss any of the things that were tossed and donated.

This weekend my goal is to go through the kitchen cabinets, drawers, etc. and start throwing out, organizing and giving away what I absolutely don’t need (shouldn’t be too difficult as I’m not much of a cook). Then comes the kitchen renovation but that’s another story. Anyway, all this purging, tossing and giving away got me thinking about all of you and the fact that you’ll soon be merging two households if you haven’t done so already. According to an online Bridal Guide survey, 51% moved in together when dating but the other 49% of you will do so after getting engaged or right before the wedding.

To find these dresses, visit elizabethfillmorebridal.com, clairepettibone.com and douglashannant.com.

Posted by Naima

Morocco’s beauty and exotic flair have made it a popular setting for films—think Babel, Gladiator, and more recently, the Sex and the City sequel. As I watched my favorite foursome seek female liberation in the most unlikely place and fashionably trek Morocco in stilettos, I couldn’t help but be reminded of my own Moroccan getaway (albeit a third wheel with my brother and his girlfriend) some year-and-a-half ago. It’s one of my favorite places to travel to date and would consider it a great honeymoon spot.

Something old, something new: While Marrakech is made up of an “old city” and a more modern one beside it, I’d highly suggest choosing a hotel in the former so you can experience the richness of its old-world culture. I was very happy with the service and aesthetic of our hotel, Riad Amir Victoria. With enclaves for two sprinkled throughout the first floor, suites with an indoor balcony overlooking a mosaic of Arabic décor from the second floor, and relaxing rooftop seating among the endless sky, this hotel is a paradise in itself.
 

A look inside our hotel, the Riad Amir Victoria

Outside our hotel

The perfect place to relax: the rooftop

Cheryl Ungar, a photographer with a special interest in weddings, is a 19-year breast-cancer survivor on a mission to help other women affected by the disease. To that end, Cheryl has teamed up with vendors in her area—Denver, Colorado—to create The Wedding Pink, a program designed to award a wedding worth $25,000–$30,000 to a deserving bride whose life has recently been touched by breast cancer, whether it is herself, her mother, the groom’s mother or someone else close to her. The contest is open to brides nationally. For more information, visit cherylungargives.com or theweddingpink.com.