AisleDash

Wedding wise: Five registry tips to keep in mind

Jennifer Canzoneri — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Negotiating Speed Bumps, Do-It-Yourself, Etiquette

One of the perks of tying the knot -- other than all eyes focused adoringly on you and the free reign of the cake table -- is the ability to register for things you need (or just really want) and then having them magically appear on your doorstep or on your gift table at no charge to you. But if you aren't careful and you don't put a little thought into what you're asking for, you may get a coffee pot when you don't drink coffee or three full sets of red wine glasses because they were all too pretty to pass up (I may have some personal experience with that last one).

Here are a few tips to consider when you set out to put together the perfect wedding registry:

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Wedding Wise: Five makeup tips for a navy bridesmaid dress

Jennifer Canzoneri — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Do-It-Yourself, Bridal Beauty, Theme weddings

To wrap up our theme week at AisleDash -- the rich color palette of navy, cream and gold -- what a better subject than the perfect look for your perfect bridesmaid dress (in a navy hue to match your theme). Here are a few compiled tips to make your look complement -- and not clash -- with your deep-colored, stunning dress.

We've all heard it said: don't match your eyeshadow to your dress, and this rule still applies to your navy bridesmaid dress. Try a bronze or metallic shade (or shades) such as Stila's eyeshadow trio in "Bronze Glow" or Vincent Longo's trio in "Autumn Rhythm."
A great eyeliner/mascara combo. Something in a deep, rich brown. Try this liner (in "Deep Brown") and this mascara in "Chestnut."
Use a subtle bronzer. Highlight your natural skin tones and accentuate your eyes with a great bronzer such as Lorac's Bronzer in "Glow."
You want to look good for the wedding photos but you don't want your lip color to overpower your makeup. A pink/rose gloss will look great. Try out any of these great glosses from Nars: "Gothika," " Positano" or "Stella."
If the bride is open to you choosing your own nail color, find a gold shade that will tie the whole look together. Something like Laura Mercier's nail lacquer in gold shimmer.

(All products featured in this post can be purchased at sephora.com.)

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Gold shoes for your (navy and) gold wedding

Jennifer Canzoneri — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fashion, Bridal Beauty, Theme weddings

At AisleDash this week, we're featuring a warm color palette them that is hot right now (for obvious reasons): gold, navy and cream. It's a classy and timeless color mix and around our site this week you'll find everything from favors to hair accessories to match your navy/gold/cream picture-perfect wedding. And one fun touch to any wedding (or outfit!) is a stylish pair of shoes. We've covered fun, gold shoes before on AisleDash -- and head over to check out that gallery for any looks that may be still be available -- but you can never have too many shoes, right? So here are a few more gold shoes to complement your gold-accented wedding.

For a bit of a glamour, here's a Kate Spade pair adorned with a bow but you don't have to splurge to look fantastic on your wedding day and this reasonably priced style will convince you. Check out the rest of the styles in the adjoining gallery and enjoy the shimmery gold looks for a wedding that is sure to be beautiful.

Gallery: gold shoes

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Calling cards for the in-demand bride

Jennifer Canzoneri — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Negotiating Speed Bumps, Relationships, Engagement

Once you begin planning a wedding, the people you work with -- from vendors to planners to distant relatives who want to stay "in the know" -- begins to quickly add up. You can certainly feel pulled in many directions from the moment you accept your guy's proposal. C & G Weddings -- who created the funky and fun Bride CEO bag -- have now come up with an easy (and original!) way to handle those people in your life (and in your wedding!) who are a little demanding of your time and information.

The "Busy Bride Calling Card" contains all the information that many vendors (and others) will request from you without you having to wear out your hands or exhaust yourself. C & G Weddings -- a wedding consulting firm -- know a bride's time is precious and her sanity is even more so. They created these cards for the busy bride to drop in the mail, clip to forms, hand out at expos and potential venues, so her time can be better spent on all those important wedding details that rack up over time.

The cards come in seven possible motifs and cost $39.95 for 100 cards. The "Busy Bride Calling Card" is only available at CandGWeddings.com.

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Toasting flutes for your Renaissance wedding!

Jennifer Canzoneri — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Gifts and Registries, Keeping the Memory, Receptions, Theme weddings

The theme at AisleDash this week is hosting a wedding with a Renaissance flare -- the cultural movement that swept through Europe between the 14th and 17th centuries. Although that's quite the timespan to draw from, it's also an incredible period of history to be inspired by, from the dress to the food to the shoes to the decorations.

If you've decided upon a Renaissance wedding, you're sure to have a beautiful day and every detail can come back to your theme. One such detail are your toasting flutes -- those fun glasses you get to sip bubbly from as husband and wife for the first time. And, if you feel nostalgic in the years to come, you can pull them out on each anniversary and sip champagne from them.

This lovely set of toasting flutes at Daisy-Days.com has a Renaissance feel with ornate silver accents. They'd be the perfect addition to a Renaissance wedding.

(You can purchase these flutes at Daisy-Days.com for $44.95 each.)

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CEO bags for brides from C & G Weddings

Jennifer Canzoneri — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fashion, Negotiating Speed Bumps, Bridal Beauty

Just this month -- June 2008 -- C & G Weddings (a New York-based wedding planning firm) announced the release of their CEO bag, a stylish and useful all-in-one handbag for the busiest (and most organized!) of brides.

There are a million details to keep track of when planning a wedding -- regardless if you have professional assistance or not. There's the cake, the flowers, the attendants, the place settings, the favors, etc, and that's just the tip of the iceberg. To keep all of these things straight, and to keep your head on straight, as well, this is the perfect product to carry with you, to keep at home and to help you plan the perfect wedding.

This bag -- in addition to coming in a variety of chic colors -- comes equipped with pens, highlighters, scissors, a calculator, Post-its, business-card holders and even a place to store a laptop.

The bag can be yours from $189 to $229 and can be purchased exclusively at CandGWeddings.com.

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Interview with Jennifer Sbranti from Hostess with the Mostess

Jennifer Canzoneri — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Negotiating Speed Bumps, Pre-Ceremony Parties, Gifts and Registries, Do-It-Yourself, Keeping the Memory, Engagement, Music and Entertainment, Favors, Theme weddings

All of us at AisleDash find creative inspiration from other Web sites and entertaining blogs on the Internet, as there are some true and talented gems out there to draw from. One blog I frequent for it's originality, intense and incredible color palettes and true creativity is Hostess with the Mostess (www.HostessBlog.com). The brains behind the brilliance, Jenn Sbranti, recently (and graciously!) took some time to answer a few questions that should help all brides-to-be and party planners for the upcoming wedding and entertaining seasons.

What are some up-and-coming themes in entertaining that you see emerging? For instance, we featured a pink-and-brown week on AisleDash.com, which has been a hot color-combination in weddings (and parties) for some time now, but what are some color combos or new themes that our readers might be pleasantly surprised to see in the coming seasons?

I'm starting to see a lot of color palettes featuring jet-black combined with a bright contrast color. Some of my favorite examples include yellow, aqua, lime green or coral-red paired with black. These color combos are especially great for summer because the bright element creates a playful, summery feel, and the black adds a chic, elegant factor that's perfect for special occasions like weddings and evening cocktail or dinner parties

Continue reading Interview with Jennifer Sbranti from Hostess with the Mostess

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Footwear for your beach wedding weekend

Jennifer Canzoneri — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fashion, Destination Ceremonies, Bridal Beauty, Theme weddings

Even more than fruity drinks with paper umbrellas or sun-kissed skin, images of summer flip-flops are conjured in my head when I think of the beach. And what's a better accessory to pack in your suitcase than the perfect pair of flip-flops when you're traveling to a fun, beach wedding. Wherever the nuptials are being held -- from Fiji to Mexico to Cape Cod -- there will hopefully be sand to bury your toes in and a full weekend with which to enjoy the warmer weather and the flip-flops you brought along with you.

There are plenty of perfect flip-flops to match the sunny beach wedding at retail stores such as J. Crew and Ann Taylor and online shoe mega-stores like Zappos.com. Choose your favorite style, your favorite color and throw them in your carry-on to slip on as soon as you set foot in the beach town you're heading to.

The great thing about flip-flops is you can slip them off as soon as the sand is too tempting and throw them into any beach bag or purse. They are compact and perfect for carrying on your arm or donning on your feet. The choice is yours but with the fun styles in the gallery, it'll be impossible to resist the lure of summer's greatest footwear completely.

Gallery: beach wedding flip-flops

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Invites for a sunny beach wedding

Jennifer Canzoneri — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Invitations, Theme weddings

At AisleDash this week we're talking all about beach weddings -- sand, surf and palm trees! Once you have all the details nailed down for your beach-y wedding day, it's time to let your guests know. The invitations are usually an extension of your wedding theme -- thank goodness! -- and for a beach wedding, the clear-blue sky really is the limit. There are so many beach invites to peruse, you'll have no problem finding the perfect one for your wedding. Should you pick out a fun and flirty one? Or a simple, stunning one? Something different? Or something colorful? The choice is yours but you can't go wrong. Check out the gallery for more than 20 additional invitation styles for your wedding. Send them out and then sit back, relax and dream about digging your feet in the sand while saying, "I do!"

Gallery: Beach wedding invitations

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Personalize your wedding stationary with Gryphon

Jennifer Canzoneri — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Invitations, Etiquette

There are so many choices on the Internet for wedding invitations and announcements that it's always nice to narrow down the field and find one great site to pick out beautiful and original invites. At Gryphon Stationers, you can select from numerous custom letterpress designs that come in a variety of colors and styles but are all classic and lovely. Choose a bold floral style or a clean, one-color look, and you can choose coordinating pieces to complete your package such as RSVP cards, reception cards, save-the-date cards and thank-you cards.

What's more, there's a section on Gryphon Stationers Web site that offers wedding invitation wording help for all types of invites -- bride's parents hosting, wedding at home, etc.

For more information, such as print times and special color requests, there is a helpful FAQ page.

Enjoy these eye-catching and stunning invites from Gryphon and feel better knowing you've found high-quality invitations at one easy-to-shop spot.

To order or for additional questions, please visit gryphonstationers.com.

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Beau-coup favors for your beach wedding

Jennifer Canzoneri — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Gifts and Registries, Keeping the Memory, Etiquette, Favors, Ceremonies, Theme weddings

It's beach-wedding week at AisleDash and what could be more fun than a little sand and surf combined with your picture-perfect wedding day? Whether you're tying the knot on an island in the Bahamas or a beach in Florida, your guests are bound to think the wedding itself is gift enough, but what if you want to give just a little more to thank everyone for coming to your beach-y day? At Beau-Coup.com -- a "fine favor" Web side -- there are handfuls of stylish and fun favors that tie-in perfectly for a beach wedding. You can offer your guests an edible treat or a starfish bottle stopper, a mini buri fan to ward off the sun's rays or personalized seashells. You can go fancy or tasteful. Or, you can order a handful of each favor and let your guests make the choice.

Any of these favors paired with the sand and setting sun will make your wedding day enchanting and picturesque to all of your guests -- and to you!

Check out the gallery for more favor options from Beau-Coup.com!

Gallery: Beau-Coup beach wedding favors

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Let the destination trim your guest list

Jennifer Canzoneri — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Destination Ceremonies, Negotiating Speed Bumps, Relationships, Invitations, Budget Advice, Etiquette, Receptions, Ceremonies

One of the greatest stresses for any bride and groom is the matter of the guest list -- who to invite, who to leave off and who to constantly bump heads over. Capping the guest list is a wise financial choice as the headcount dictates the cost of many things. Just a few examples: most venues charge you for dinner (either sit-down or buffet) by the headcount, the cake is quoted to you by the headcount, the favors, the save-the-date cards and the invitations are all ordered with the headcount in mind. If you keep your guest list to a set amount, the costs will be cut across the board. It makes logical sense, but that doesn't make it any easier.

You want to invite everyone in your mutual address books, and sometimes just the families alone can add up to 50+ people. How do you make the hard decisions over who to include and who to, well, exclude?

Continue reading Let the destination trim your guest list

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How to properly decline a bridesmaid invitation

Jennifer Canzoneri — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Negotiating Speed Bumps, Relationships, Etiquette, Wedding party

Even though there are a handful of ways to ease the financial strain of being a bridesmaid, it's sometimes just not possible to commit to joining a wedding party for a variety of reasons -- a demanding job, time-consuming family obligations, financial woes, etc. Although nowhere is it written that you must accept an extended bridesmaid invitation, you are most likely more concerned with how to properly say "no thank you" to the role without saying "good-bye" to the relationship. You obviously care for the bride if she wants you to stand beside her on her wedding day, but for whatever valid reasons, you just can't say yes. Here are a few things to keep in mind when declining the invitation and a few tips for keeping the friendship in tact while staying out of the wedding party.

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Five ways to help pad your wedding party's wallets!

Jennifer Canzoneri — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Negotiating Speed Bumps, Relationships, Budget Advice, Keeping the Memory, Etiquette, Wedding party

It's absolutely a privilege and an honor to stand beside a close friend or family member on their wedding day, to support them through their engagement and to be a special part of the beginning of their marriage, but it can also be a pretty expensive role to take on. According to this article -- found on cnn.com on June 9 -- it can cost upwards of $1000 to be a bridesmaid or maid-/matron-of-honor. And some women just don't have that kind of money even if the role means a great deal to them. If you're a soon-to-be bride, here are a handful of ways to ease the financial responsibilities of your bridal party, so they can enjoy your day just as much as you without worrying if they'll go into debt doing so.

Continue reading Five ways to help pad your wedding party's wallets!

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Tasty favors for your white wedding

Jennifer Canzoneri — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 09:30:00 EST

Filed under: Gifts and Registries, Favors, Theme weddings

This week at AisleDash, you've been able to see a white wedding from all angles, and if you didn't know before, it's probably clear now that the possibilities are endless to make your white wedding a stunning one. Once you have nailed down all the big details -- the venue, dress, photographer, etc. -- there are a few, smaller details to attend to. Like, for instance, what favors to select to thank your guests for their presence and their support.

Nothing says "thank-you" quite as sweetly as an edible treat, and at Beau-Coup.com you can find a beautiful (and delicious) cookie decorated in white and platinum icing. You can accent it with your initials or your wedding date and you can choose one of two sizes. It comes in a "petite" size for $3.95 a cookie (minimum order of 24 pieces) or a "regular" size for $5.95 a cookie (again, minimum order of 24 cookies).

Regardless of the size or wording, these tasty treats will complement your classy white wedding and satiate your guests' sweet tooth.

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Invitations for your white wedding!

Jennifer Canzoneri — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Invitations, Theme weddings

There is nothing cleaner or classier than a beautiful white wedding, and if you've chosen this crisp color palette, the sky really will be the limit for you. You can choose stunning, all-white wedding cakes or the perfect and tastiest white cocktail.

With the Internet at your fingertips, you can choose the prettiest white wedding invitations. You can decide upon traditional and classic or one a bit more modern or even one with a touch of black to accent. Try visiting YourInvitationPlace.com for dozens of white wedding invitations.

You really can't go wrong with a white wedding and the oohs and ahhs your invitations invoke will prove it! Enjoy the invitations offered in the gallery and choose the look that's right for your beautiful white wedding day!

Gallery: White wedding invitations

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The best wedding invitations on the Web

Jennifer Canzoneri — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Negotiating Speed Bumps, Invitations, Budget Advice

When you're planning a wedding, there's obviously a lot of cost to consider -- the cost of flowers, a dress, food and, of course, invitations. You want the most bang for your buck and you'd love if you could trust an online site to deliver great invitations at a reasonable cost, as well, right? Well, here are a handful of online invitation sites that offer a wide selection at reasonable prices. You can pick up your save-the-date cards, your bridal shower invites, your bridesmaid luncheon invitations and the actual wedding invitations you love and deserve, all in the same easy-to-navigate, one-stop spot. You deserve to enjoy the wedding planning as much as the wedding itself. Being able to track down the best invitation Web sites will save you time (and money!).

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Summer dresses for your summer honeymoon

Jennifer Canzoneri — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 10:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fashion, Honeymoons, Bridal Beauty

If you're lucky enough to be honeymooning after your beautiful wedding day, you're lucky enough to enjoy the summer sales and stock up on pieces for the perfect summer honeymoon. Whether you're traipsing off to Mexico or trotting around Europe, summertime honeymoons lend themselves to sun-dress sandal shopping. And after just a quick afternoon jutting in and out of my favorite stores, it's clear that the styles this summer are too good for the recent Mrs. to pass up. Whether you decide on this floor-length madras print from Gap or this colorful v-neck from Francesca's Collections or any of the other fun, flirty and fantastic dresses in the gallery, make room in your suitcase and save a little wedding money for your honeymoon wardrobe.

Feel as beautiful on the beaches of Mexico or the streets of Rome as you did on your wedding day.

Gallery: summer honeymoon dresses

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Ring bearer and flower girl crayon belts

Jennifer Canzoneri — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Gifts and Registries, Wedding party

The other day as I was perusing gifts for a friend's upcoming bridal shower, I discovered these personalized crayon belts from "Doodlebuz" at AmericanBridal.com, and I was a bit sad I didn't have ring bearers or flower girls to shop for myself. But maybe you do! Each belt is quite adorable and seems, to me, to be the perfect and most original gift to give the tykes in your wedding party. Not only are these belts fun-patterned and easily monogrammed they come paired with ten crayons and a notebook. Feel free to pick up a different color pack or a corresponding easel for your favorite kids to draw on, and this gift is sure to keep on giving (to the kids and their parents!) for months to come.

Both belts -- the multi-colored belt or the red, white and blue one -- are currently on sale for $19.95 and the choice of thread colors are endless! Pick one up from your ring bearer and flower girl today!

To purchase, please visit AmericanBridal.com.

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Get su vino at Su Vino!

Jennifer Canzoneri — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Gifts and Registries, Do-It-Yourself, Favors

If you and your husband- or wife-to-be are wine lovers, then it may be fun to offer your guests a personalized bottle of wine as a wedding favor. Many wineries offer the chance to create your own signature wine, with customized bottle labels. One such winery tucked away in Grapevine, Texas (nestled between Dallas and Fort Worth) is Su Vino Winery. A name that means "Your Wine" in both Spanish and Italian, this tiny winery found on Main Street in Grapevine welcomes couples looking for their perfect flavor!

With no appointment needed, Su Vino makes it as easy as possible for you to come in and start the process as long as you allow two to five months for fermenting. When you arrive at Su Vino, you'll have the chance to taste as many wines as needed to select a flavor. After that, you'll be allowed to customize a label for your bottles. Each batch is consisted of 30 bottles of wine, corks and labels from $195-315. Check out this page that takes you step-by-step through the process and will leave you with no questions on how to create the perfect batch of wine for your wedding guests. Just don't forget to snag yourself a bottle, too!

For any other questions, for different flavors and more, please visit SuVinoWinery.com.

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