Well, as promised here are the Wedding Day tips from Kimara Ahnert and I went a step further and requested a sample of her products and they arrived yesterday! I received the Chamomile Eye Makeup Remover Pads which I used last night and they are everything they claim to be. One pad easily removed all my make-up and they are gentle enough for even my very sensitive eyes.I also received the White Pencil. This is Kimara’s secret to bigger and brighter looking eyes, she suggests you apply to the inside lower rim of the eye for added brightness and definition. So, I tried that too, and she is right, it was INSTANT brightness (I love my “job”). This tip is also included in the how to’s for “taking a foolproof picture.” I have a few more items to try like the Powdered Rice Paper Blotters which by the way are included in her Bridal Beauty Essentials Kit shown above. I personally think this would make a great gift for a bride-to-be. However I am very interested in the Holiday Shimmer Duo I just may have to order this kit, all in the name of research, of course.

Wedding Day Tips:

• Lipstick so it’s KISSPROOF: First blend a layer of foundation onto your lips, then apply lipliner in a color that resembles your lipstick, apply lipstick, then apply a lipsealer on top to set.
• Always use a little more makeup (not excessive) than you usually would on a normal day. For example you could, apply a little more blush or use bronzer, line your top eye lid with a liquid smudgeproof liner, apply false lashes or use more than just one swipe of mascara. I always recommend a test run of any new or different makeup before the big day, as this will create less stress on the actual day of the wedding.
• If you have a dark complexion then you will need to select a makeup color palette that includes deeper, richer colors. To avoid an ashy look avoid foundations that are too light for your skin tone and that also have too many blue and red undertones.
• When you have fair skin you will want to avoid colors that are too dark, as they will make your skin look even paler then it already is. Your best colors are going to be soft, natural, earth tones. Pastel colors also look beautiful on fair skin.
• When you have medium skin tone select roses and tawnys . This skin tone also looks nice in jewel tones

Here is one more of Kimara’s great tips for taking a foolproof picture that I wanted to share:

To maximize your smile, brush lips with a toothbrush to exfoliate and create a fuller pout. Then line lips outside of the natural lip-line, fill with your favorite lipstick and dab a pearlized gloss to the center of the lip for added “VaVoom”

You may remember I was stuck out in the Mojave Desert for three years, and although it felt like I was living in the middle of nowhere, it did come with some advantages. For instance, Los Angeles was just an hour and a half away, which made it the perfect choice for our frequent weekend getaways. And boy, did we find every excuse to take a quick trip to LA to indulge in the “finer things in life!” You can check out some of my posts from the past about Valerie’s Salon in Beverly Hills or Kate Somerville’s salon, where I saw Paris Hilton (btw, she is beautiful even without makeup).

Okay, enough about the past, it is time to start looking to the future. I am living on the east coast now and I’m on a mission to find ALL the luxury it has to offer, and where better to start than, “The Big Apple.”

I was recently contacted by Kimara Ahnert’s Makeup Studio in New York City, and it looks AMAZING! They say it is like walking into a lavish home which exudes warmth and comfort. It sure doesn’t sound like the standard make-up counter. Kimara’s Studio handles the makeup for over 300 weddings per year! I understand they also provide make-up lessons if you want to learn how to do it yourself. Kimara also has custom designed a professional make-up and skin care line and has a long list of celebrity clients including Catherine Zeta Jones, Gwyneth Paltrow, Tinsley Mortimer, Amanda Peet, Vendela, Brooke Shields, Tara Reid, Marlo Thomas, Patricia Neal, Marla Maples, Jordana Brewster, Melanie Griffith, Alexandra von Furstenberg, Christie Brinkley, Daphne Rubin Vega, Emme, Isabella Rossellini and Tipper Gore. I highly recommend you browse her website and be sure to take a look at the wedding album; the brides look flawless and not overdone. I’m planning a trip to NYC early next year and I’ll make sure to include a visit to check it out.

Kimara is featured in the December issue of O, The Oprah Magazine in an editorial titled “Pretty, Quick.” She provides makeup tips for giving eyes a lift and she was also kind enough to share 5 wedding day tips with me which I will post soon!

Stay tuned,
Rhonda

What a wonderful way to say THANK YOU to our troops!!

I am writing this post with immense gratitude to all the organizations that came together for Weddings for Warriors on Veteran’s Day in Savannah Ga. This was an event, spearheaded by the Savannah Weddings and Tourism Council, to provide free wedding ceremonies to active duty military.

And as part of their ongoing partnership with Operation Homefront designer Alfred Angelo donated the beautiful bridal gowns for the event. Now I’m not sure if any of you know this but I was active duty Air force for eight years so I speak from experience. And I am pretty certain the service women (although, wear their uniform with great pride) didn’t mind trading it in for a little while to wear one of your beautiful gowns. So special thanks to Alfred Angelo because I am sure you helped create some “pretty” amazing memories.

And in addition Alfred Angelo announced a Military Discount for service women and brides of service men in June 2009. Military brides will be offered a 15% discount on any Alfred Angelo bridal gown purchased at an Alfred Angelo-owned flagship bridal store. As an extra bonus, military brides can also take advantage of $25 off bridesmaid gowns at the time of their bridal gown purchase. A valid military ID is necessary for all purchases.

If you didn’t already know, Our Wedding Plus also provides free wedding websites to all military personnel.

We owe ALL who participated a big thank you for giving back to people who sacrifice so much.

There’s a really big wedding invitation sale coming up at Urbanity that will last only 2 days. If you use Coupon Code: DEAL09 on November 17th and 18th 2009 you will get 50% off of any order over $75! This sale is only available on those 2 days!

This sale covers any of their products, not just wedding invitations…

• Holiday Photo Cards
• Personalized stationery for friends and neighbors
• Christmas invitations for your upcoming soireé
• Fun note cards for stocking stuffers

Here are some of my favorite invitations from Urbanity. They have a bunch of unique designs for every occasion. And, remember the message in a bottle invitation by Urbanity was name one of Oprah’s favorites too!

The unique wineglass invitation is one that you print at home. I think it would make a great bachelorette party invitation or even a bridal shower invitation.

I added a few of these to the Our Wedding Plus Wedding Invitations Page if you want more information or you can click one of these links below…

Shop Photo Birth Announcements, Birthday Party Invitations, Personalized Note Cards and more….

Those personalized wedding M&M’s are sure popular!  Personalized Wedding M&M’s are a very unique way to personalize your wedding and they make great Wedding Favors. To find out more about these unique wedding M&M’s and how you can use them as wedding favors, check out my recent post Personalized Wedding M&M’s.

The good news is My M&M’s is having a sale on Personalized Wedding M&M’s.  But you have to act quick!  The sale ends December 12th 2009! See the links below. Just click on them to take advantage of this sale!

Save 10% off all orders of personalized MY M&M’S® Candies! Create your own holiday cheer!

Create Personalized MY M&M’S® Candies - Save $5 off your order when you spend $40 or more!

Save $10 off your order when you spend $75 or more! Personalized MY M&M’S Candies - perfect for the holidays!

Receive $15 off your order of $100 or more - Personalized MY M&M’S Candies - perfect for the holidays!

Does everyone remember the movie 27 Dresses? Poor Katherine Heigl got stuck with all those hideous bridesmaid dresses which were impossible to ever envision wearing again. Well, having been a maid of honor three times and a bridesmaid once I happen to know a little about the subject. The best advice I can give every bride is to be kind and considerate of their bridesmaids. Choose gowns that not only flatter their figures but also something they like, and can RE-USE! Here’s a few bridesmaid dresses from Vera Wang’s “Maid to Order” collection

Vera’s bridesmaid dress collection is a Win-Win for the bride and the bridesmaid! And the best part is these gowns are not only gorgeous, they are affordable. Just remember they are “maid- to- order” so they require up to nine weeks for delivery. Check them out at Vera Wang’s website… Shop VeraWang.com

 Thanks to the Emerging of the Bombshell Within for the 27 Dresses picture!

It’s All about the dress!

Vera Wang has become as famous as her celebrity clients. We all know Vera Wang has designed bridal gowns for Ivanka Trump, Jennifer Lopez, Jessica Simpson, and of course the Vera Wang Bridal Gown in the Sex in the City photo shoot scene, just to name a few. But did you also know it is possible for even us non-celebrities to make the trip down the aisle in one of her luxurious designs? Many of her dresses range from $2,000 to $7,000 which is not to far off of what many middle-class brides spend on their gowns. 

I highly encourage you to visit her website, if nothing else but for inspiration.  She has impeccable taste and she offers advice which any bride will find helpful.

And of course here’s my top pick, the Vera Wang Devon. You can find it on her website! Shop VeraWang.com

I’m kicking off Wang Week today! Vera Wang has really expanded her brand way beyond just wedding dresses.  You can find all her products here Shop VeraWang.com and she deserves a full week of coverage. Today I’ll be highlighting Vera Wang Wedding Invitations!

Two words come to mind when I think Vera Wang, Style and sophistication! Vera  Wang has designed wedding invitations that are the epitome of taste and elegance. Here are a few of my favorites:

I love the lace on this Vera Wang Wedding Invitation. Perhaps compliment your wedding dress design?

Something Blue?

Another beautiful lace pattern along with a classy light green ribbon.  All these Vera Wang Wedding Invitations are available through William Arthur which can be linked to from her website.  Shop VeraWang.com

Check-in tomorrow for another post on Vera Wang Wedding Products!

Are you putting off planning your wedding because of finances? I know, believe me, weddings are expensive, and the thought of planning one may be very intimidating. But where there’s a will there’s a way. Here are a few ideas that just might convince you to go ahead and start wedding planning, just remember to be flexible and, use your imagination. Now the vision you had of your dream wedding may have to change a little but your ability to adapt will become your most valuable asset. 

Be Creative: If you begin planning your wedding well in advance you will give yourself enough time to come up with creative ways to raise extra money. I saw a news story about a lovely couple who desperately want to adopt a baby and can’t afford it ($30,000). So they are raising money through a garage sale. And it is not just your average garage sale, checkout their blog.

Use Your Imagination: A natural setting can provide a gorgeous backdrop for your wedding and think of all the money you can save on decorating. Maybe someone you know lives by a lake or in an old Victorian home with wraparound porch and a picturesque backyard. I think the equestrian center where I keep my horses would make a beautiful setting, I can picture strings of lights illuminating the trees, and the white fences and green pastures (not to mention the beautiful horses) providing an amazing background.

Pool Your Resources: Maybe you have close friends and family with hidden talents that will offer to help for FREE. One of the most memorable weddings I have been to was my sisters and not for the obvious reason, but because so many of us pitched in to make it happen. For instance, we had some of the family’s best cooks make the food and the grooms father and brother built a beautiful arbor for them to stand under during the ceremony. This potluck style might sound a bit old fashioned but I assure you this wedding had the warmest and most charming atmosphere.

Scale Down the Guest List: A shorter guest list will allow you to increase quality in other areas. I love the long banquet style table trend. This is a great way to create a very intimate feel. Even one table decorated beautifully can outshine a massive banquet hall.

Get Thrifty: Checkout a local beauty school. They just might have a talented student who can do mani-pedis at a fraction of the cost of a fancy spa. Register on Bride$hare.  I found out about this over at the The Broke-Ass Bride Blog (love her ideas).  Bride$hare is a social networking site which brings brides together to help them save money.

Keep in mind that a wedding does not have to be extravagant to be exquisite!

As for the great pictures in this post, I must give credit to:

- Long Wedding Table: Intimate Weddings Blog
- Outdoor Wedding Setting:  Big Wedding Tiny Budget
- The Outdoor Wedding Location with Horses:  LA Equestrian Center
- The Outdoor Wedding Arbor:  Bah Humbug

Wow! What lucky brides out there, the bridal shoe choices are endless. And with so many bridal shoe options, brides are given the chance to really express their indivuality. Soft bows, embelished crystals, lace and shoe brooches are making a big hit this year. Oh, and the the stilleto is back. But not to worry it has come back in the form of a cross between a platform and a stilletto. LOVE IT, being barely 5′ 1″ this style offers height and comfort.

If you are going for a very feminine romantic look, here is a new bridal shoe style by designer Martinez Valero, which I love, and you can find it on My Glass Slipper .

Here comes the bows, crystals and lace, and most of these you can find in our own Wedding Shop.  Just click on them to find out more.  From Kate Spade:

From Grazia Valentine:

From Grazia Alicia:

This lace pump (one of my top picks) by Martinez Velero can also be found on My Glass Slipper and was also featured on pg 72 of the November/December 2009 Brides Magazine.

And lets not forget that boots are in this year, and in every height. Do you rember the pointed toe ankle boots? Well this wedding boot designed by Roberto Cavalli is hot off the runway found at Couture Carrie’s Blog.

 Just remember it is great to look good but even better to feel good, so be comfortable. Check out the AMAZING options that our affiliate Foot Petals has to offer. They have foot cushion products that will make any shoe choice more comfortable!