anthropological

Pretty danglers over at Anthropologie. They'd all look lovely with a wedding gown, even a formal one. I'd love the gold and pearl hoopies with something light and flowing...

magnificent mermaid...

... or mermaid meltdown?
How do we feel about Carolina Herrera's new modified mermaid silhouettes? I don't quite know what to make of them. I could list what I think are their pros and cons, but I'm more interested in what you all think. Anyone try one of these on in person? CH's 2008 Bridal collection is so full of this shape (and she is such a bridal trend setter) I'd be surprised if other designers didn't follow suit. I'm wondering if this silhouette isn't the next big thing?

kimwestad: whirl dish

whirl serving dish

forgive me, because i'm just a maker of jewelry, but it blows my mind that somebody *made* this by hand. i mean, look at it! it's amazing!

check out this one too, for olives:


i don't even *like* olives and i want one.

these would be killer gifts. way waaay cooler than pottery barn.
more at kimwestad.etsy.com

cocktail catalog

I know it's Monday morning, and cocktails are more of a Friday afternoon kind of post, but I just couldn't help it. They're pretty! Whether you're looking for a signature cocktail to serve at your wedding, a pitcher of fun for the bachelorette, or planning ahead for Friday, Hostess with the Mostess has a great collection of cocktail recipes (among other things). Love the scorpion bowl idea-- so retro.

burgundynbrown: bridesmaid screenprint

"me next" fine art silkscreened print

ah. rabid bridesmaids at a bouquet toss. an homage to the desperation i feel in having gone to a new salon yesterday to color my hairs "slightly darker" only to find myself looking like morticia addams' and orphan annie's tall wan love child. eight days is plenty of time to fix this, right?

more info at burgundynbrown.etsy.com

weekly DBA: wedding coozies

this week's david's bridal award: bride and groom beer coozies

if you're going to drink beer from a can on your wedding day, and i have *nothing* against that, i must say, must there be maribou feathers involved? have you ever dealt with wet maribou feathers? don't answer in front of your betrothed.

how does one spell coozie, anyway? koozy? qoozi?

again, not speaking from the high ground -- one of my mom's wedding favors was bright neon-colored foam beer coozies that said 'changes in latitudes, changes in attitudes...'

neither of these things is nearly as bad an idea as the maribou feather
bridal shot glass. hmmm... don't remember anything after the macarena... and why the hell are these feathers in my teeth? pfffft.

(what's a DBA?)

t8designs: lariat necklace

"through my heart's palace thoughts unnumbered throng" lariat

titled after a rupert brooke poem, a gorgeous array of vintage charms -- the perfect gift for a romantic. could see this with a simple low-v dress, ooh la la! samantha of t8designs makes all manner of lovely, whimsical, and unusual jewelry -- *and* she'll be at magpie's recraft fair august 18th in somerville, MA! more at t8designs.etsy.com

unlesssomeonelikeyou: poster invitations

custom poster wedding invitation

something modern and different -- 11" x 17" poster invitations, mailed in cardboard tubes. there are a couple of different styles posted, and unlesssomeonelikeyou makes the incredibly generous offer to custom design one for you *before* you buy -- with line drawing of your photo as above or any other thing your heart desires -- *and* she sends you the posters and tubes all ready to go.

plus she makes a great suggestion -- have the poster matted without glass, set it out at the reception, and have everyone sign it as the guestbook. so much more personal than one of those pottery barn frame thingies! she'll even mat and frame it *for* you. only on etsy, i swear. more at unlesssomeonelikeyou.etsy.com

orla kiely travel bags

Bags. With cars on them. Perfect for travel, no? From Orla Kiely. Wouldn't dragging luggage around be so much more glamorous if your luggage looked like this?

pretty embossers

PSA Essentials make these gorgeous embossers, some with very modern looking initials, some with more of an "Anthropologie" type flair like the ones above. These are perfect for personalizing note cards, envelopes, or any other paper products for your wedding. They also make a really nice gifts for newlyweds.

pinky's daily planner

The clothes from Pinky's Daily Planner kind of remind me of the olden days when women still "dressed for dinnah". Their satin skirts, tailored blouses, or pretty little dresses could come in handy for any of those special events on your calendar. You know, ones with "dinnah". Maybe a rehearsal "dinnah"?

wediquette: the registry

Every week Xochitl (pronounced so-cheel), our resident wediquette expert and owner of Always a Bridesmaid Wedding Consulting, answers an etiquette question submitted* by one of our readers. So, (without further ado):

Q: My daughter will be married in December in a 100 guest wedding of close family and friends. Giuliana and Marcelo told me that they would rather not do a traditional registry, but want to save for a downpayment for their first home. They are a sensible sort... thirty, still in grad school. They have many household items and since they will be moving during her residency don't want to carry much more around.
I am not objecting, but they asked me for the weddiquette. Help! Is this done, how to word it, should they give people a choice?--Ann

A: The registry thing is so sticky, since generally people don't know exactly what to do about spreading the word. I think it becomes mildly stickier when the couple wants or needs cash for a particular purpose. From a technical etiquette perspective, registry information should never be published and should always be spread via word of mouth, the Mother of the Bride being one of the more vocal mouths. If the couple is setting up a wedding website I think you can include some casual information there about how they are saving for a first home.

I would caution you about the following two things: the bridal shower and determined guests. It's not customary to bring cash to a bridal shower, so I think that should your daughter really not want any new clutter in her life, she could request a lingerie shower when that time comes. At least then she will get new items that she can always use, and these showers are kind of fun. If she doesn't like this idea, I would suggest another kind of theme shower: such as "Around the Clock" or "Room of the House" or a "Linen Shower " (who doesn't want new 500 thread count sheets?) to limit the random-ness of gifts she might receive. My other point is that there are often guests who simply insist on buying gifts no matter what and they'll just go willy nilly buying whatever suits them. Not always desirable.

As a final note, I just got back from visiting friends who live in Amsterdam. They were telling me about Dutch weddings and about how in Holland when you send a wedding invitation, you often include an empty envelope that says something like "Thank you for your gift towards our new Apartment" on it and sometimes even includes deposit account information. Then, it is often customary in the Thank You card for the Bride and Groom to send photos of what they purchased with the money from their wedding. I do love the practical Dutch!--Xochitl of Always a Bridesmaid

*If you've got a question for our expert, submit it by clicking "submit your question" in the right hand column, under "wediquette".

colin cowie weddings

People have been raving about this book. It was a little expensive, but I ordered mine today, and I will let you know how it is, (because I feel it is my duty). I have high hopes. Everyone says it's all gorgeous glossy inspiring photos of fancy pancy weddings. You know. Wedding porn.

shabeestitches: ring pillows

turquoise and black "sassy lady" ring pillow

this fun little item would snazz up the ringbearer's job... little scene-stealer that he is. don't you get it, kid?? my day, my scene.

handmade from silk shantung and a victorian-style thread applique with a 1950s flower button -- all sewn rather than glued. lots of colors and styles to choose from, or perhaps they take custom work if you ask nicely? more at shabeestitches.etsy.com

paper flower tutelage

I still get a lot of questions about those paper flower pomanders we made last summer for my sister-in-law's wedding. A lot. Because I get so many questions about how we actually made the individual flowers, I'm always on the look out for websites or tutorials that walk you through the making of different sorts of paper flowers. The truth is that when it comes to paper flower making, the sky's the limit. You're only limited by your materials and your imagination. That being said, you do kind of need something to start you off. Someone to show you just how easy it is. Then you can riff on your own, discover your inner flower artist. A few great starter kits can be found over at Martha Stewart Crafts (via Oh Joy!). One is for smaller, delicate tissue flowers, while the other is for larger hanging versions. Both methods will prove useful, and the larger flowers can easily be implemented at a smaller scale for use in bouquets or pomanders.

ravenx: candles+bathsoak

above: asian-inspired gold square 72-hour candle
below: mandarin ginger mineral bath soak

72 hours is a loooong time in the bath, friends. maybe just long enough to wash the stress right out of your hair. these look like the perfect gift for after the big day, or for those (like me!) in the final death-spiral throes of planning. what's that? aunt edna changed her mind and wants to bring the whole clan of 9 in the RV? ... ... ... no, that's wonderful news!

more at ravenx.etsy.com

adorable, affordable serveware

Looking for something to add to the ol' registry? These platters and bowls are from Martha Stewart's new line of blue & white serve-ware, sold at Macy's. They'd be a fantastic compliment to any blue and white collection (including my own). The largest pieces are around $30 while the smaller ones are closer to $20. Time for a dinner party!

buttonempire redux: *two* fab buttons

the dynamic duo -- 1" buttons for married cool people

ok, so i posted buttonempire once before. but **look**! the pair has been completed! ...i am such an etsy dork sometimes it is staggering. more fabulous buttons (the "i'm soylent green" one slays me) and cool stuff from amy and the 'bureau of urban living' at buttonempire.etsy.com

modernradar: neato cards

hand-silkscreened dutch flower card -- pack of four

inspired by the 1940s-era wallpaper in the room she grew up in,
these cards by modernradar are just so cool. how could they not be? she's boston by way of derrrrrrm, NC, both towns near and dear to my heart. more at modernradar.etsy.com

honeymoons: a fabulous tradition.

Somehow, even though I just got back from a vacation, I can't stop daydreaming about a teak bungalow on the water with a hole in the floor thru which I can feed tropical fish. I read about this place where you can do just that, plus get your breakfast delivered by canoe every morning, and snorkel off your doorstep whenever you please. I'm thinking this may be the an ideal honeymoon scenario, you know... if you like sunshine... and relaxation. That kind of thing.

lanterns as centerpieces

Z Gallerie has some wonderful lanterns and sconces for centerpieces or candlelight ceremonies. When I saw what a bargain they were, I figured they'd be 6" tall or so, tea light sized. I was shocked when I saw the measurements. Anywhere from 16" to 27", and many of the lantern's are under $50 each. There are loads of styles and configurations... modern, country, minimal, you name it. If you chose to use some of these on your tables, you might be able to save a little on flowers.

jaime windon: photography

wedding photography from jaime windon's photography/travel blog

ok, cheating on etsy in public. but she is *so* talented, just look! a world traveler and a helluva good soul -- and the colors are amazing. plus she is *so* so nice in person. maybe she'll join etsy and then i can ease this cheatin' heart. she does photography for all kinds of events -- i should ask her to come document the 'thunder from down under' in my near bachelorette-party future. more at jaimewindon.wordpress.com or her website

somethingbold: birdcage veil

french/russian netting birdcage veil in white or ivory

ooh la la! su-paircool. something a leetle retro-different in the veil department. more at somethingbold.etsy.com

{**UPDATE: 18.sept.08: new etsy site for this seller! somethingboldveils.etsy.com**}

squrlgurl: pearl necklaces

han hin got necklace

oooooh. i know i promised, no freshwater pearls, but this is ridiculously great.
i've admired tara's work for some time now, her creations are unmistakably *hers* -- if she were a writer, we'd say she has a truly original voice -- here, check out another:


han - oduun got luxurious necklace

forget it, am sick with longing. she's a canadian living in seoul, but don't let that deter you -- items shipped to the states usually arrive within 5-10 business days. her earrings are delightful, her color pairings fresh and unusual -- you could build your entire day around this piece. this necklace plus a simple gown? yes please. more at squrlgurl.etsy.com

weekly DBA: cammo huntin' garter

this week's david's bridal award: "deerhunter's dream" wedding garter set

oh, my friends. yes, i am originally from texas, and yes, i can shoot a gun, and yes, i have shot, killed and eaten wild things, not that i feel so great about it now. they were delicious at the time! moral high ground, not so much.

but... on your wedding day... sweet bambi, bounding across your thigh, caught in the moment of the chase just before you annihilate him into bloodspattered cammo oblivion? one to toss and a keepsake bonus? maybe heat-packing bridesmaids skeet shoot this one down...

weekly DBA, it has been a while.
(what's a DBA?)

birthday get away

I'm off to Connecticut for an extended weekend of grilling, swimming, and birthday revelry! Looks like twenty-eight is shaping up quite nicely so far... I'm assured by my mom that there will be both lobsters and frosting present, not together, but separately. I've been looking forward to this for ages, and it looks like the weather is going to be perfect. I'll be back to blogging on Tuesday. Have a great weekend everyone!

old loves new

The vintage over at Hemlock Vintage Clothing is making me very happy. LOVE the white Sak's Fifth Avenue dress on the left, and the gold heels from yesterday would be perfect with the one on the right. They really are perfect for each other. It just goes to show that when it comes to love, age really is irrelevant.

glamorous feets

You've got your casual glam, and your glam glam. Personally, I love the shimmery flowers on the sandals, they're just formal enough for a slender flowing goddess-type gown. The champagne and crystal pumps would be stunning for a fuller, more formal gown.
Both from Delman.

decor 8 + cake + magic

Do NOT miss Decor 8's gorgeous brainstorm of wedding cakes and beautiful interiors. This is just one of many. So inspiring.

betsy

Betsey really knows how to make a girl feel pretty. Doesn't she?

typehigh: hand-printed card

congratulations -- front...


...and back

this card is so cool i almost can't stand it. the decorative element that wraps to the back is vintage type, c. 1860, and the cards are printed on a 19th c. platen press. i *want* one. the card and the press.

regarding another card in the store, while not a fan of the phrase "my bad" it's a *brilliant* use of the engravers font (i think, although the serifs are pretty fat!), commonly seen on wedding invites... love that card too. love vintage type. love typehigh! as designers doug and angela say, "correspond with style and wit." more at typehigh.etsy.com

oliviamoon: happy fourth!

black cat fireworks july fourth pendant

rowr! remember, as a kid, lighting these off and running for your life, squeeeeling?

no?

your parents didn't buy and encourage you to light strings of explosives? huh... must've been a texas thing.

a perfect little item for your favorite firecracker, or for the bride with a short fuse. ok, maybe not the latter, on second thought. this and literally hundreds more vintage-y/retro pendants at oliviamoon.etsy.com

tears of joy

So you're at your friend's wedding. You're in your folding chair. You've got your program (it's rolled into a telescope). Your eye makeup looks pretty. Your under-eye circles have been masterfully camouflaged. You're enjoying the show... then the vows. You get choked up before they even start. The tearing reaches situation critical very quickly. You're dabbing repeatedly at your eyes with a wadded up kleenex so that you don't get mascara streaks down your face. But dabbing never works. No, never. Always with the streaking.
You know what does work? Evaporation. The fanning works. Fanning, not streaking. I swear.
You know what else fans are great for? Cooling hot wedding guests at outdoor ceremonies. Pretty sandalwood fans work well. They're great as functional favors, just distribute before the ceremony rather than after.

sugarcubedesign: notecards

awning stripe notecards -- set of six

ooooh. pretty candy colors. these are only one of multiple delicious card sets, gift tags, and paper treats available, and sugarcube will personalize them (well, she says she can put your etsy store on there, so i don't see why she wouldn't go for a little "thank you" or "david and julie" or "bridal shower" action). sweeeeet. more at sugarcubedesigns.etsy.com

honeymoon!

Honeymoon alert! Virginia Johnson makes these gorgeous cover-ups and caftans, perfect for days on the beach with the new hubs. Just add pants and a camisole for an evening out. Virginia also makes adorable aprons (perfect for shower gifts), scarves and totes.

pinkmilk: alterations brooch

got the measure of you brooch

today's post is in honor of that time-honored tradition: the dress fitting. that is to say, the ridiculous traumas we put ourselves through for a one-time event.

lest i sound bitter, let me divulge to the blog-reading world -- today, i bought boobs at nordstrom's. that's right: i took the subway to the hated, dreaded, ridiculously crowded mall, made my way to the women's lingerie department, and plunked down thirty-eight american dollars so the strapless satin ballgown my sister has selected will not *slide* off my body in front of a chapel full of family and family-in-law, who, as everyone knows, are strangers who feel entitled to make bizarrely direct personal remarks.

not to mention that on the way into said mall i ran into a couple i hadn't seen in a while and (since i'm constitutionally unable to refrain from telling morbidly self-embarrassing stories) immediately told them: i'm here to buy boobs!

dear lord, can't i just make up something cool, like, just here to queue for the iPhone? for the love.

if you're wondering, dear reader, as i'm getting the dress altered anyway, why i've gone and purchased falsies, here's an instructive exchange from my first round of trials at the Bridal-Store-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named:

- helpful fitting room attendant: "the dress will fit better once you're
wearing a strapless push-up bra."

- forlorn bridesmaid: "i AM wearing a strapless push-up bra."

i called my sister and swore in vengeance that i would go out and purchase world-class olympic pam-anderson double-D cutlets to eliminate the twin air-pockets in the sequined (did i mention?) chest of my new ruched satin ballgown. she calmly noted i should be sure and have them *sewn in*, as one of my duties as maid of honor is to *bend over* and straighten Her Majesty's train once she's arrived at the altar. god forbid two flesh-colored jello-crescents fall out of my dress in front of the minister. or worse: one but not the other. eep! O, shame! david's bridal #F11165 is your name.

then -- salvation! my friend delanie called from san francisco in a lather about seeing a friend at a party who looked like she'd gotten implants, but no! store-bought, from nordstroms, highly recommended and very natural (we'll see!). they're also clear, so when they fall out they will be stealthily cloaked on any surface and completely invisible. right.

ah, but there's more. now that i own these boobs i must venture out tomorrow -- again on the subway, like the blue-state, latte-sipping, hybrid-flexcar-sharing liberal i am -- with ginormous red satin beast, a whole-body pushup bra/al-Qaeda-torture contraption, and the cutlets in tow, to a place called "fashion dreams." yes, fashion dreams, i'm told, truly good at alterations in spite of sounding like a bad eighties movie. you can hear the theme song from the climactic dance-off: "fashion dreeeeeeems... she dreeeeeemed her dreeeeem of fashion...."

and i'm kinda scared of going and getting cinched in and poked at, and definitely afraid how much this enterprise will cost (didn't mention, the dress is 3 inches too short so it also requires another layer of fabric sewn in to cover my ankles). and that, friends, brings me back around to...

...this post! which i've given short shrift. the brooch is adorable, as are the other cotton-candy-fun, breezy finds at pinkmilk. from paris and athens too, ooh la la!

maybe if i use it to bribe my seamstress, she can keep me from my nightmare du jour: walking down the aisle, i step accidentally on the front hem of the dress, which is *ripped* down to my waist and i end up covering my naked girls with a hand over one and the bouquet over the other while my mom scrambles over my stepfather shrieking "just a minute! just a minute!". thousands of dollars in therapy, averted so easily with one well-placed etsy purchase...
more truly wonderful non-cutlet-related items at pinkmilk.etsy.com

p.s.: psst! brides and ladies of the small of chest! you'll see several different types
of cutlets commercially available, and i feel compelled to note that while takeouts
and cleavage cupcakes appear identical to nordstrom's intimate enhancers (yes,
they're *really* called that), nordstrom's are $5-$20 less expensive than online/
boutique prices. at this amazon link, there are some other less-expensive choices --
in flesh-tone, or "chicken cutlet" as delanie might say. i almost bought some "as seen
on TV" cutlets around the corner one dark winter night, but couldn't bear the idea
of having to return my boobs to CVS if they didn't fit.
as you were!

ambientdesignjewels: deer to me card

you are so deer to me card in mango

tonight, friends, a long-distance dedication to my sweet redhead toiling away over the puns at the boston herald online. remember: if you leaf me now, you take away the biggest part of trees... ooooooooooh no, baby please don't go!

hoo, it's late. adorable cards (including the above in other colors), alice-in-wonderland-inspired gocco prints, and some wicked cute jewels too -- plus she's in boston! i miss you, boston. i miss you, redhead! more at ambientdesignjewels.etsy.com

flowers in bulk

If you're looking to save money on flowers you might want to check out Grower's Box. Loads of different floral varieties are available in bulk, all waiting to be shipped to your doorstep, all you have to do is arrange them. Granted, not all of us have the time or inclination to create our own flower arrangements. Even if you are hiring a florist, consider supplementing with a box of 10,000 rose petals.