Weekend & Weddings

I hope the weather is just as amazing where you are as it has been here. Today was stunning! I'm told tomorrow is going to be a steam bath of a day for Mother's Day so I've just been soaking up the sunshine and cool evening breeze until then. It was the perfect day for a wedding! A friend of mine got married today and I celebrated with her as she said "I Do" and  married the man of her dreams.

On this same day 5 years ago, I took an exciting and new step in my life also. I said "yes" to spending forever with my hubby.  During the wedding ceremony I was reminiscing about that day and our own wedding day and am still amazed at how fast time flies by.

I have another wedding to attend this coming week which is out of state so I'll be away from the blogging scene and taking some time off. If I don't respond to your e-mails or comments right away, that's why.  :)

I want to wish every mom a very Happy Mother's Day tomorrow!

The Little Black Dress: Appropriate for a Wedding?

 

{via}

Today I'm excited to introduce you to my first guest blogger Carol Rame. Not only is she a talented wedding planner and blogger, but a longtime friend of mine going back to our elementary school days. We lost touch for a little while but were able to reconnect through facebook over a year ago.

Carol is a Certified Wedding Coordinator and a member of the Wedding Planners Institute of Canada. On her blog ‘Noteworthy’ she writes about the ins and outs of planning dream weddings. Her high attention to detail has allowed her to become greatly successful in just one short year. She offers full planning packages including design and decor, and just launched an i-Planning service which allows brides worldwide to consult with her via e-mail to plan their ultimate wedding experience!
 

{image}

 
Recently Carol received an email from a friend inquiring about wedding attire etiquette as it pertains to the little black dress. I thought it would be appropriate to share with all of you. Here is the question and how she responded:

"I have to ask your professional opinion for a friend of mine...we need you to settle our debate. She wants to wear a dress to her friend's wedding, but it is black.


Is it bad etiquette to wear a black dress to a wedding...or is that old fashioned? Please help!"

So here goes-the great debate.

In many circumstances, black has obtained a bad rap simply because it is seen as the colour to wear when in mourning.

It used to be (and still is followed by the majority) that the only colour not to wear was white to a wedding, as only the Bride should be in white on her wedding day.

Now I suppose if you were the Mother of the Bride, or Groom, it would cause a bit of a stir, however when in doubt, I would suggest to play it safe and ask the Bride herself how she feels about it.

In my own personal opinion however, I tend to view the "little black dress" as being very timeless, chic, and classy, especially for such a formal occasion (think Audrey Hepburn).

I do believe that the stigma of "mourning" has worn off quite a bit, and in some cultures white is actually seen as the colour for mourning. I think that as long as the "black tie affair" is around, there will always be black tuxes worn, which naturally look good when paired with the little black dress.

Nowadays, there are many couples who are opting for black to be their wedding party colours (which traditionally wasn't done until more recent years). Now what I would recommend is, just because you wear black, doesn't mean you have to go all black-have some fun with it!

Dress it up with your accessories! Try wearing a softer colour with it during the day (like white or pale pink, even silver) and swap the look for an evening one later (by going with a bold colour or gold). There are so many ways to dress it up or down with shoes, a fancy clutch, jewellery, scarves, and belts-try it out and add a splash to it!

~Carol

Thank you Carol for being my guest blogger today and for sharing your insight on a question I think many women have wondered at some point. Especially when some women travel from overseas to North America it is important for them to know what to expect since every culture and country is different. HERE is Carol's original post on this topic.

Since we are on the topic of  the little black dress, and because a few of you have recently e-mailed me with some fashion-related questions, I thought I'd show you a favorite from my own closet. This dress travels well, doesn't wrinkle and  I have got so much use out of it. I originally purchased this dress for my cousin's wedding a few years ago. They had both the smaller and larger size but not mine, so I bought the larger size and had it tailored to fit.

While I love color, I typically opt for black especially for evening and very formal weddings. The reason why this dress works is because the strapless style is classic and timeless. It hits right at the knee so it is appropriate for a variety of occasions and venues. I love the fun detail that the tulle and bow add to this dress and the length makes it perfect for the dance floor.  ;)

Celebrity Solstice Cruise {Greece, Italy, Turkey} July 2009

What are your thoughts on wearing black to a wedding? Do you do it? Are you completely opposed? Leave a comment, we would love to hear from you!

Which Name Do You Use?

After talking to a few friends over the past few months about our new names and asking why they chose to use the name that they did, and then finding this site last week, I thought it would be fun to pose this question in video format.

Take a look at this video to see how other women responded:




So, what did you choose. Did you decide that you couldn't part with your familiar maiden name, or did you embrace more of a traditional approach and take your husband's name, or maybe a combination of both by hyphenating?

The majority of my friends have taken the traditional route and two of my closest friends use both names together as they are each short on their own and they have also decided not to hyphenate. I, on the other hand; due to the immigration process, have a scattered array of names which began with my maiden name for the first couple of years and I have now (as of this summer) managed to convert the majority of my documents over to my hubby's name.

I've always been a bit more traditional and was always fairly certain that one day when I met the right man, I'd take his name. Well, that and the fact that his is so much easier to spell and pronounce than my former name. ;)

I'm curious to hear how you came to your decision. Leave a comment and share you story...

Have a great Monday!

Celebrate & Save

It was 3 years ago today that my husband and I said 'I DO'. I cannot believe how fast these years have flown by! It feels like only yesterday we were preparing for the big day!

Dining out is one of our favorite things to do, but we're always looking for ways to keep money in our wallet too. If you've read some of my previous posts, you know that I am a coupon queen and I love to hunt for amazing deals. I wanted to share some great tips for eating well even if you're on a budget.

We began our morning with a wonderful breakfast at one of our favorite little places- Mimi's Cafe. Aside from their great menu, one awesome thing about them is that they will send you e-coupons on your birthday upon signing up for their club. This year's offer was $10 off any $20 purchase. Since my birthday is exactly one week before our anniversary, I still had time to use it. We got to enjoy a fabulous meal and a mimosa for a steal! visit this Mimi's Cafe link to sign up for their club and get free coupons all year round including one for a FREE breakfast upon joining!

We decided to do a double date Anniversary dinner with some close friends in the evening. They have the same Anniversary as us. How cool is that?! We attempted this last year but they had to fly to NY on short notice. Anyway, since we are both signed up with the Texas De Brazil Restaurant club, they too email us both birthday and anniversary coupons in the form of a free dinner. So the four of us headed out and got 2 out of 4 meals for free plus they provided a complimentary glass of champagne to all of us to toast our Wedding Anniversary! If you are not familiar with Texas De Brazil, it is a fabulous Brazilian all-you-can-eat (to die for) antipasto salad bar followed by unlimited cuts of meat-chicken, lamb, pork, flank steak, fillet mignon, etc. They also include some sweet plantains too for dessert and you can always pick up a more elaborate dessert afterwards, although I doubt you'll have room! If you are planning to go, you'll probably want to skip lunch to make room!

Here is where you can sign up for their free club!

For all of you with a birthday coming up soon, another great deal is the free cold stone creamery cup of icecream! That's right, they'll give you a free cup during your birthday week! Here is the link to sign up and get your sweet treat. If you have kids or a spouse, sign them up too so the whole family can enjoy free icecream year round!

I love to share ideas with you all and I'd love to hear some great deals that you've scored at restaurants, eateries, beauty salons, etc. Leave a comment and let us know!

Happy Labor Day Weekend!

Wedding Etiquette for Guests

Summer is nearly here and Wedding season is in full swing! I was inspired to write a blog after overhearing two women discussing what to wear to a wedding after trying clothes on in the change rooms next to me.

Here are some etiquette tips that will ensure you are one of the classiest guests at the wedding.

1. Be sure to respond promptly to a wedding invitation. Many guest lists are very small and your non-attendance could mean that the couple might be able to send out another invite to someone else. Also, if you were invited and cannot attend, it is customary to send a gift to the couple before the wedding day. Money gifts are quite common and the rule of thumb is usually the cost per plate at the wedding. If you and your spouse were invited you'll want to double that number, if your plus one is a boyfriend, then you only need to pay for what your plate cost would be. The average cost is around $100 per plate depending on how expensive the wedding is and how well the couple negotiated with their venue.

2. Follow directions on the invitation regarding attire. If the invite does not specify a particular dress code, then consider it either day or evening formal wear. It is always better to be more dressed up than less. Some women like to show off their curves, sexy legs or other body parts and there is a place for that-usually the gym or the beach-not at a wedding. Err on the side of conservative. You can still dress in something a bit trendy but weddings are generally formal affairs not fashion shows. So, leave your hot pink silettos at home!

3. Avoid bringing a gift to the actual ceremony. You can always pop over to your car and grab the gift on the way into the reception. Another common practice is to deliver a gift to the bride and/or groom's personal residence the day before. There is so much happening during the big day that things can get forgotten in the shuffle.

4. If the couple has registered at a particular store, make every effort to select something that they have chosen. You know it is something they need and it will be much more straightforward for you as well.

5. If you are part of the wedding party, expect to be filled with responsibilities right up until the couple's big day. Carry these tasks out with good humor. If there has been a specific outfit chosen for you to wear, it is your duty to wear it without a single complaint, regardless what your opinion is of it. The couple is under enough stress, this will only add to it.

6. Once at the reception, it is considered proper etiquette to mingle and get to know some of the other guests like you would at any other party. Be courteous, ask a few questions like, "How do you know the bride and groom?" or "Isn't this a beautiful wedding (or wedding venue)? just to break the ice.

7. At many formal weddings, assigned seating has been created and very carefully arranged and indicated with place cards and a seating chart. Some casual weddings will have an assigned table for you but you can sit next to whomever you like at the table. At my own semi-formal wedding a particular guest took it upon themself to sit at a completely separate table and it threw off the seating plan for my extended family leaving my mom wondering where to sit! This should never happen.

8. In the tradition of weddings and the fun that can be enjoyed at them, it is highly recommended to experience all you can there. Why not tour the beautiful property ground while you're taking a break from dancing or explore the venue's wine cellar, etc. Be sure to taste every dish (unless you are allergic) when the food is delivered to your table. The bride and groom have probably spend quite a bit of money on their wedding and want everyone to enjoy themselves. Even if you finish what is on your plate, at least have a taste. The same holds true for cake (unless you are allergic or diabetic) have a small piece and celebrate with the happy couple, you don't have to eat the whole piece.

9. Whether you are in the wedding party or you are a guest, do your very best to arrive on time. If you are a close family member the bride may be waiting for your arrival before heading to the ceremony. You wouldn't want to be the one responsible for holding up the wedding! Whether you live hours away, are arriving by plane of are minutes from the ceremony, be sure to give yourself extra time.

10. While at the Reception, you'll want to congratulate the newly married couple. At larger weddings the bride typically spends a lot of time going from table to table or from person to person thanking guests. Make her job easier and go to her and/or the groom, and give them some sincere well wishes for their future.

You're all set to be the perfect guest!