.99 cent wedding?

wow, I heard of a budget but this is too cute/ interesting /beautiful! Nine couples got married yesterday (9-9-9) at the 99 Cent Only store! It was part of a promotional wedding sweepstakes where the couples get a 5 min ceremony and then go on a honeymoon on the 99 cent store's dime. I think thats super cool! I kind of warms my heart to see that people are still doing nice things for other people. Viva la 99 Cents Only Store and congrats to the nine couples! check out this clip:

Wedding Savings - Better.tv

Martha to the rescue! Martha to the rescue! Excellent! I love Martha Stewart she always is looking out for brides and her own pocket. OK just joking but she and that D'Arcy lady are such gems. I really like the magazine all of the DIY, cakes and colors its really cool magazine. Plus its very basic reading. I like the tips they offer on this video:

Wedding Savings - Better.tv Shared via AddThis

Celeb Engagements!

Here is the hottest 411 with the fab and famous:

Christina Milan and The Dream are engaged to be married. Yup its true and I'm happy for her. According to US Weekly, Christina says that she wants a small event. We just want to have our closest friends and family there; it’s not going to be too big,”

Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner. Also Miss Trump will soon be Mrs. Kushner. Yup that smart business savvy gal will soon be off the market. According to New York Magazine, Trump and Kushner are very similar. "Jared and I are very similar in that we're very ambitious. That's what makes it so amazing to be in a relationship with someone who is supportive of that."After Ivana's fab wedding I can't wait to see Ivanka's. The gal is known for her good taste.

Kevin Jonas and Danielle Deleasa. The oldest brother of the musical group the Jonas Brothers has just proposed to his girl of two years, Danielle Deleasa. I wish them a lot of luck and blessings. Cheers!

Really Good DIY!

See these shoes:

They are from Christian Louboutin and they are $995. They are beautiful and probarely well made but I can't pay that much for some shoes. So I found this DIY on Love Maegan.com:

Wanna see more? Check out: Cool Louboutin DIY sHOES

this is another really basic DIY using Gerber Daisies. I hate daisies but this centerpiece looks pretty cool and simple. Check it out:

This is a cool DIY wedding updo that anyone can do if you have medium to long hair. Its a good idea to do a trial run with your bridesmaids or by yourself to make sure you get this look perfect.

This one is from the same people Videohairstyles and its a great look for the beach. Very easy, sexy, natural looking and breezy. Its a very sexy look for brides who want more of a relaxed look and its fairly easy to do.

This is very cute. Its inspired by Gwen Stefani. I wish I could do this with my hair.

Finally I love this look for myself. I would braid my roots and then do just this. Its called Afro curls. Its very good for ladies with very thick hair.

I just love DIY.Sigh.

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY, Y'ALL! I WISH EVERYONE TO HAVE A GREAT AND SUPER FUN FOURTH OF JULY!

I WISH ALL OF THE COUPLES WHO ARE GETTING MARRIED TODAY, THE BEST! CHEERS! I LEAVE YOU WITH PICS OF KDUB'S WEDDING IN US WEEKLY, SHE LOOKED AMAZING AND I HOPE I LOOK JUST AS HOT:

Awesome Bridal Shower Gifts!!!

I just loved this stuff so I had to write. I think this stuff would make amazing gifts for a bridal shower or a baby shower or birthday or whatever plus they are super pretty at a cheap price:

These are amazing! They are Chardonnay glasses with golden peacock feathers only $50 at Etsy. Check out Mary Elizabeth Hining's shop there :

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5458664

I thought this was super cute. Its only $2.50 and its just super cute to give to a bride. Put a couple of pins just like this inside a gift basket. Check it out Button Empire :

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=27209941&ref=cat1_list_4

This is super funky cool. I love this idea. You take your picture send it to these folks and they make a cartoon of you for $50 bucks. Amy Jo's Handmade also on etsy:

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5513817

This is a classic gift but its still super cute and keeps the excitement going! Its the funny quote bridal tees at Bridal Party Tees, of course. Get one for the whole crew! Plus they are having a sale.

http://www.bridalpartytees.com/index.htm

I love the idea of giving your gal pal something really girlie and cute just to say "honey, we love ya" This is the Beauty Encyclopedia from Eyes Lips Face. It has the works. It has the eyes, lips and cheeks palette, mirror and it has a How To book on getting the perfect look. At $25 its more affordable than a fancy tube of lipstick at the fancy mall department stores.

Alternatives to flower bouquets?

So like after work I'm doing my wander around the mall thing. So I waddle my butt into my local Borders, folks I'm in here at least once everyday. I have a problem, I know but they haven't found a rehab program for Borders/Barnes and Noble addicts so I guess I will continue to go in there.

Anywho, so I waddled over there and I was like going into the mags and I saw this: Its beautiful, isn't it? I am in love. I saw it in the most recent issue of Martha Stewart. Aah Martha, you never fail me. I want this, period. The fat lady has sung...I'm making one. Call it Mariah Carey Butterfly fever but I am enamored by all things butterfly. This is a cool DIY project.

So it got me thinking, what are other things people can use for their bouquets?

Feathers: This isn't my thing but its super cute.

Pinwheels- this is for the fun at heart bride. I found this on www.mydiyweddingday.com

I thought this was cool.

Buttons- This to me is just weird but some think my butterfly thing is weird so its all relative. cute but weird.

this is kind of random but...

I like this song! Its on the radio all the time and I didnt understand it. I was like Beyonce is talking about Jesus? Huh?

but I realize this is about a slow love affair that turned out good....I like love. Its NICE.lol. After I saw the video I understood where she was coming from this is a link to the official video. Its a really beautiful song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZLxjI25fuo

this is the song.

Cute And Cheap Non Floral Centerpieces!

Well I am a bit freaked out about my centerpieces and if I will be able to have them at my venue. If not then its okay. I will have a great time regardless. After looking at some vendor price list I maybe may forgo flowers and do something less traditional. Here are some picks I saw and it got me thinking...."Hey, anyone can do that!"

Celeb Weddings!

I am so late with the celeb wedding news, its painful. But its better late then never. Here's the scoop with the rich, fab and cool: SALMA IS OFF THE MARKET! I REPEAT, SALMA IS OFF THE MARKET! Blame a really wealthy cool French dude but Salma Hayek is no longer single. She had a lavish star studded event in Venice. Good luck and Congrats! VIVA LA SALMA! Kimora Lee Simmons is also married or was she already married? This seems like a case for the X-Files but rumors are that she was Mrs. HOUNSOU but some folks say their "wedding" its really legally binding. Anywho, I love her anyway she is so beautiful and she signed my book!! Kimora and Djimon Hounson had a beautiful ceremony in Benin, Africa and now they also have a beautiful son. CONGRATS !!!! David Letterman and Regina Lasko got married in a low key justice of the peace ceremony with their 5 year old son. Cool! I want a celebrity wedding just like that! I am so posh, right? CONGRATS! This one is from the other side of the pond, I really got emotional about this one. Jade Goody a British reality TV star was diagnosed with cervical cancer and only had few weeks to live finally got married in a lavish ceremony with her beau Jack Tweed and her sons. She made her battle with cancer very public and used the media attention to build a nest egg for her two sons. If only other celebs would learn from her. Sigh. I wish her family all the best and my prayers go out to them. Here is a clip:

Now to more tradtional wedding clips and stuff!

Here are some helpful tips from these awesome shows: I love Platinum weddings. I will never afford a platinum wedding but I really don't want one cus Its alot of work and its hard enough just getting a convo about the reception venue or photographers with my man in. BUT its really pretty to look at. I think its ok to get ideas or take a little bit of inspiration from the big lavish weddings and do it on a smaller scale:

Kool Kendra!

Well the show Kendra is now in full effect and I can't wait to get my hands on the first season DVD. Its cool to see the funky ex playboy/ future bride/ mommy to be prepare for real life. I was a big Girls Next Door fan and I will admit it isn't a show of deep enlightenment. Kendra has her ditsy moments but so did Jessica Simpson. That laugh is definitely going to be a signature Kendra thing. Overall they are both cool. Its good fun television. Check out some clips:

My mom is coming to see the dress

Yup my mom is coming down from Philly! I am super excited about her seeing my dress. My mom is super crazy but she has a very good heart so I'm curious to see what she will think about my dress. It isn't very traditional. Its a halter neck and its a bit form fitting but my logic is that I hate ball gowns, the wedding isn't that fancy and I wanted a evening version of me. So if my dress is all about my style then it should be form fitting versus that over the top princess fairy god ma look. I really look forward to showing my mother all the details of my wedding day look. I love jewelry. I think that a lady can have a plain dress that's only $20 but have amazing jewelry on and it will totally transform her look. Most of the jewelry in my adult life is costume but for my wedding I wanted to get something really unique. I have found some beautiful earrings I think I will buy one pair : They are from QVC.com and they are super stellar! They are not real diamonds but at 17 cts its enough sparkle for that day. They may be my something "new". Little more then what I wanted to spend at $70.14 but you only get married once. This is from Luxedeluxe which is a boutique on Etsy.com. its $69.00 plus shipping but its super pretty. Check them out: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=25725107 here are more that I like from Luxedeluxe: Only$54! I love her attention to detail I think it may be a tie between the QVC and this pair because my dress has alot of details so i would need simple earrings. These are only $42 plus s&h! We'll see what wins its hard to make up my mind.

Get Married, The Magazine? Thats Posh.

Yup, its true. Due in October Get Married the mag will have the same hot stuff that the website has. The glam tips, the fab celebrity planners and all the wonder of the bridal world. I am a huge fan! Get married has a pretty loyal fan base, the TV show is super posh and the tips are way practical and well rounded.

I love the site. It features tips of the trade from the bridal vendors that you want to know. Budget savvy how tos for the DIY brides. Fancy stuff for the fancy people and just eye candy for folks who just like to party. I watch all the cool videos like every moment I can. I would do it in my sleep...although the Fi wouldn't be so happy about that.

I'm super glad that Get Married will be a magazine. The new focus of this hot magazine: US! Brides who are unique and not cookie cutter:

"Get Married magazine is scheduled to publish its first issue October 2009. Tagged as a “new shopping & trend guide for the savvy bride,” Get Married magazine extends the brand loyalty of Get Married’s Lifetime Television show viewers and GetMarried.com users who crave unique and integrated content. This third platform brings a tactile and fresh experience to a new generation of brides who aspire to discover new inspirations on TV, online and in print. "

“Get Married magazine rounds out our truly integrated approach to wedding planning, and will continue to capture the excitement of brides who watch, surf and read their way through designing every moment of their wedding celebration,” said Stacie Francombe, founder and president of Get Married and GetMarried.com. “Get Married magazine will reinterpret the rules and translate the latest wedding trends, while offering a new perspective in an uplifting, edgy voice for creatively-innovative and inspirationally-driven brides.”

Yup, what they said. Now I can carry a copy of the latest bridal trends in my handbag. That's Posh.

Check Out the super Posh site: www.GetMarried.com.

Wedding TV: I LOVE TAMMY!

I love VH1's My Big Fat Fabulous Wedding! Its so not what I'm about. I'm a bout SAVING folks money and being well, posh at it. The show is about couples who go all out for their dream day!

I am loving Tammy she reminds me of my manager Sharon, super fab and super fierce white lady. At first I wanted a really pink wedding...like all pink. Super Pepto Bismol wedding. But now I just want something affordable, classy and pretty. While I would never go that extravagant even if I had the money, I can take tidbits from My Big Fat Fabulous Wedding. And so can you.

Tidbit no1. Make the experience enjoyable for everyone. Saying Hi and thanking all of guests is FREE! It is important to just tell people how much you care about them and how happy you are to see them.

Tidbit no 2. Look great. Its your wedding day. If you decide to wear jeans, look great. if you wear a ball gown, look great.

Tidbit no.3 Make it personal. Some folks write custom vows and others a monogram Godiva chocolate favors. Do what you need to do to make it special.

Here is the URL, CHECK IT OUT!:

http://www.truveo.com/Tammie-and-Patrick-Act-2/id/1498625665

Hitched or ditched? I will be tuning in...

This is a very interesting show on the CW. The whole concept of this show is that couples are put into this interesting ultimatum situation by their mates: Marry me or lose me. They get to have everything the whole she bang and its really left to the couple to say "I do" or "I'm out"

I don't know how I feel about this new trend of women taking the bull by the horns. One side of me says "Hell ya sister, tell that dude that he can't have the milk without buying the cow" no pun intended but you understand. The other side is kind of leery like "Isn't it more special when it dons on him that he needs you by his side". It kind of justifies why you are there in the first place.

Maybe its a case by case kind of thing. Like everyone is different. Some guys will live with a women for twenty years, have eight kids with this women and have joint bank accounts and still never ever think of marriage. That guy may just need a wake up call like "Hey dude, maybe you don't know this BUT we are already married...DUH"

While others go straight cave man and grab a lady, buy the ring and propose on the spot within a year. Proposing to a guy like that maybe like cutting his dick off.

Whatever the case, it will be interesting to see how this pans out:

Girls Night Out Theme Song!!!

THIS IS THE ULTIMATE BACHELORETTE PARTY SONG: Britney Spears Circus:

New Found Cool Thing!

Once in a while someone will come up with a really cool idea based on sheer common sense. As a dark skin lady, it was always hard to find things like make up, panty hose, undies. I was kind of stuck with the standard black, white, pink , tropical color (this what I always picked) or nude. It sucked cus everyone can kind of see you bra if you wearing a light color cotton teen or in the future a white dress.

Well here comes My Skins, a lingerie line that is based solely on the color of ladies skins. If you are tan, then rock your tan. If you are pink, rock your pink. If you are green, work your green (the hubby and I looooved Star Trek)! No more embarrassing funny color panty lines !

Check them out: http://www.myskins.com/shop/about.asp

City Hall in the Media- The Office

City Hall Vs "The Real Wedding" It is an age old debate for any couple who has made it passed the usual mating rituals: Ya know the rituals,

• The first meeting ("Does my breath stink?"),
• The waiting period for the first call("Why won't he just pick up the bloody phone already and call me!")
• The first kiss...("seriously, you need a breathe mint")
• The third date ( "Victoria Secret's here I come")
• The first "I love you...and I really mean it"
• The moving in ("Honey lets NOT tell my parents we are living in sin, ok?")
• The first, second, third and fourth major argument that threaten to end your relationship.
• The "now what" stage...
• The realization that the two of you are better together than apart or that you are stuck with your mate for a very long time.
• and finally the will share my last slice of pizza but won't become a completely different person unless you are footing the bill for plastic surgery kind of love that makes everyone around you just dreadfully sick.

Yup once you have gone through the wire you reach the wedding bells and bills. Do you literally go for broke with everyone you know watching you and cheering you on or do you save your money, have an amazing time with tons of pissed of family members to come home to?

Honestly its really up to the couple. I know some women who would just die if they can't have all of there college sorority sisters at their wedding. I am not like this but I can understand it. I guess for most ladies the first instinct is to invite everyone who has ever smiled at you. It was mine until my FI (who is quite blunt) told me nope or we would be years trying to save for it.

I think that in the end if you are Man and wife or whatever thats what really matters. In the eyes of the law and in your hearts.

Here is a funny clip that touches the heart and funny bone of every couple who has looked at the bill for a three tier wedding cake or a couple of centerpieces:

Ex-Bachelorette Jen Schefft has some bridal budget tips

Here is a celeb with tons of common sense. When the going gets tough this ex-Bachelorette starts whipping her wedding budget and bod into shape! In 2003, Jen Schefft won our hearts as the gal who won Andrew Firestone's heart on the Bachelor. After they broke up, she turned the tables by staring as the main fox in the Bachelorette. However, she was still unlucky in love until she met her current man who happens to be a trader.

As Luck would have it shortly after her hubby to be proposed, Jen lost her job in sales. Instead of sulking into a corner, she decided to trim the wedding excess and go on with the show. This is the scoop according to US magazine:

The Venue: Jen isn't going to a rental shop to rent out tables and chairs, they're "going with everything that comes with the venue [an Italian restaurant]," saved money by booking a DJ instead of a band, and isn't worrying about matching ribbons on the programs and invitations. She said, "Even saving $200 is saving $200."

The Guest: Jen and hubby are just having family and friends. The total head count will be about 100 folks.

On her fashion: Jen said, "You can save a lot on shoes — no one really even sees them . . . The bracelet I'll buy, but it won't be, you know, real pearls." She's also mindful of how much she's spending on the dress and explained, "I'm not going to wear a $20,000, or even a $10,000 dress. I just don't think it's worth it for one day." Plus, Jen is doing her own makeup and having her hair stylist do her hair!

Wanna get more tips check her out in Wedding Channel Magazine where she has her own Celeb bridal blog:


http://weddings.weddingchannel.com/wedding-planning-ideas/jen-schefft-bridal-blog.aspx