Chandelier Cakes

Chandelier cakes are also called hanging cakes. These cakes are unlike your typical wedding cake that sits on a stand. With these cakes you can have them hanging from the ceiling or a stand and you can also have them hanging upside down! The wedding cake is always an essential part to your wedding reception. Not only is the cake a part of your decor but it is a piece in your wedding that guests will always be drawn to pay attention to. Having a chandelier cake as your wedding cake will simply make your guest be in awe from the beauty and uniqueness of it. For these cakes, you can choose to have them hanging from beads, crystals, jewels, etc. The sight of a hanging cake is a must see because it brings a spot light to your wedding cake as it floats in the air. Another trend with these cakes is to have it be an upside down hanging cake. These cakes come in all different shapes and sizes and you can create them in a way that matches your personality. Choose from Topsy turvy to spiral or tiered to create the cake that you love. These cakes are unique because when hanging upside down it is hard to tell how they are closely kept together. This trendy idea can also be used with cupcakes depending on what it is that fits you and your wedding day.

Crystal Candles

To add more of a winter feel to your wedding atmosphere what says winter more than candles and crystals? Candles are a great way to light up a dim room to set for a romantic evening. Instead of the original center pieces that you see weddings, be creative and use candles instead. For a candle you can create anything that comes to mind. Whether they are a center piece or just an addition, they can be matched to compliment the colors of the reception or to brighten up the room. Each candle can be customized to be any shape or form that you wish such as wedding gift boxes, hearts, flowers, and more. A unique way to create your wedding candles would be to add crystals into them to sparkle  and catch the eyes of your guests. You can add rhinestones and ribbon to make a candle that resembles the two of you. Add a picture of you as a couple or have your initials embedded into them. This is great way to include something different into your wedding and can also be done in your home at your own convenience.

Your wedding is your time to have creative and unique ideas. Find ways such as a chandelier cake or crystal candles that can make for a special winter wedding this season.

-Trendy Blogger

Image 1 via Judy’s Cakes

Image 2 via Hollow Candles

Africa is the ultimate honeymoon getaway. From the idyllic white sandy beaches and azure blue waters of Mozambique to the exquisite and remote beauty and wildlife of the Okavango Delta, Ecosouth has something to suite every romantic!

Apart from the stunning locations and luxurious lodges, it’s the attention to detail and hospitality of Africa that will ensure your dream trip!

Mozambique offers unlimited options for anyone looking for a true paradise island experience. South Africa has virtually unlimited options for any romantic, from world class restaurants and hotels to remote lodges in some of the most famous reserves in the world. Botswana and Zambia will make you feel like the rest of the world doesn’t exist for a while. Both the natural beauty and wildlife of these countries will ensure the ultimate honeymoon experience.

Ecosouth makes sure to always stay up to date with all Honeymoon Specials running from half price stays for brides and free value add’s to Stay/Pay specials and various other honeymoon offers. Whatever your requirement and budget, we will be able to make your dream honeymoon come true!!

Top Honeymoon Ideas

Mozambique and Kruger Park
The Okavango Delta and Victoria Falls
Cape Town and Kruger Park
The South Luangwa and Malawi

Areas of Specialty

Botswana
South Africa
Zambia
Zimbabwe
Namibia
Mozambique
Malawi

Planning Elegance would like to thank Cara and EcoSouth Travel for such providing out readers with such a great idea for new honeymoon destinations!

Image 1-5 via EcoSouth Travel

Indian Wedding Day 2: Sangeet Music Party

The goals of the Sangeet Music Party were to have live traditional Indian musicians, lots of dancing, and a simpler event than the ceremony and reception to come in the next couple days. This event was more casual, yet traditional and so much fun! It was perfectly planned so that during the day the families would stay at their respective homes with relatives relaxing and carrying-out any other small, intimate ceremonies that had not been performed the day before. In the evening, guests came in casually and enjoyed the music, appetizers, and bar. About one hour after the event started was the entrance of the bride and her family, this was followed by a very grand entrance of the groom and his family and close friends following behind them. The laughter continued throughout the night with a unique Indian food buffet outdoors, casual seating inside, and dancing in the center of the hall.

Venue: Yorba Linda Community Center because they wanted a more casual venue, lots of parking, a central location for all their local guests, and all the rentals provided by the venue (chairs, tables, bar, etc.).
Traditional Touches: The live musicians were amazing! At the beginning of the even they sang romantic Bollywood songs, than ramped up to more upbeat dancing Indian music and even a little garba.
Unique Twists: The live Indian musicians had a DRUMMER! That was amazing and added a grand twist of energy to the music. The buffet was outdoors and the caterers prepared food out there for guests to view and ask questions. Although the buffet was set outdoors, there was seating available indoors, this was a nice touch for the guests to be able to choose where they preferred to eat.

Advice to future brides:

• Not all of your events have to be fancy and formal with arranged seating and pricey centerpieces. Having an Indian wedding with several events can become costly very quickly, so choose which events you want to be simpler, less expensive, and still fun! Guests will enjoy the change of pace and appreciate at least one less formal event.
• Differentiate all your events. Think about how to best diversify the décor, caterers, type of food, and venues.

Indian Wedding Day 3: Traditional Hindu Wedding Ceremony

Pooja and Suraj purposely chose a long weekend for their wedding because of the early decision (made by Pooja, Suraj, and both sets of parents) to split up the ceremony and reception into different days. This was advantageous because the groom’s side was able to make many major decisions for the ceremony, while the bride’s side could do so for the reception day. They had a traditional Hindu wedding ceremony with beautiful outdoor weather, the baraat, all the small ceremonies within the marriage, all guests blessing the newlyweds, family pictures after the ceremony on the mandap, a traditional Patel-style wedding dinner, and the viddai. The ceremony day was from approximately 2:00 pm to 8:00 pm, it was advantageous for the couple, family, and guests to have a relatively early night at this event. The following morning, just as tradition follows, the newlywed couple went to Suraj’s parent’s home for breakfast and all the newlywed games.

Venue: The Hyatt in Newport Beach because there was an outdoor amphitheater large enough to accommodate more than enough guests for this large Hindu wedding ceremony.
Traditional Touches: The colors of this Indian Wedding were traditional shades of reds, oranges, and yellows. The ceremony encompassed so many wonderful traditional aspects that many Indian weddings in the United States no longer include in order to shorten the ceremony. Since these traditions were especially important to the groom’s side and since there was plenty of time without having a wedding reception on the same day, traditions such as the first garland exchange, each guest blessing the newlyweds, and extensive family pictures after the ceremony were able to be incorporated.
Unique Twists: The mandap for this ceremony was amazing because it incorporated the existing wooden structure at the front of the Hyatt’s amphitheater. The wooden structure was draped with beautiful fabrics and enclosed with subtle pipe and drape to match the festive canopy that kept the guests comfortably shaded during the ceremony.

Advice to future brides:

• When you have several events for your wedding, keep in mind that you, your family, and your guests need a break. Having your events on a long weekend and spreading the celebrations out over the course of a few days is a great way to incorporate everything you want without over-exhausting everyone on your wedding weekend.
• Keep your guests’ comfort in mind during longer events. If your ceremony is going to be lengthy, ensure your guests have plenty of water available and that they will be comfortable with the temperature, also consider providing refreshments during the ceremony. If your cocktail hour is going to be longer than an hour, ensure that your guests have several sources of entertainment during the cocktail hour.

Indian Wedding Day 4: Wedding Reception

The perfect Indian Wedding Reception was amazing! With several well-planned events, each person involved in the wedding planning had the opportunity to be able to incorporate some of their own ideas, personality, and desires into each event. For this event the bride got her wonderful idea of late-night french fry and donuts for the guests to snack on and well as a unique reception layout with rectangular tables. Everyone’s wonderful collaborations lead to a gorgeous outdoor and indoor cocktail hour, an amuse-bouche for the guests to clean their palates upon entering the reception hall, a flash-dance performance that was a surprise for the bride and groom, fresh naan served to the guests’ tables during dinner, and a night complete with on-going dancing!

Venue: The Fairmont in Newport Beach because of their beautiful ballroom, extensive experience with Indian weddings, and flexibility to accommodate our unique requests.
Traditional Touches: The beautiful two-dimensional floral Ganesh from the wedding ceremony was incorporated into the cocktail hour to carry-out the color theme and tie the events together.
Unique Twists: EVERYTHING from the grand centerpieces to the surprise flash dance to the non-traditional reception hall layout to the cucumber-avocado soup amuse-bouche served in shot glasses. This Indian wedding reception was far from textbook and definitely expressed Pooja and Suraj’s fun and loving personalities.

Advice to future brides:

• Making your reception unique doesn’t HAVE to be expensive, you just have to be creative and work with your wedding coordinator to make those ideas a reality. For example, simply fluctuating the layout of your reception hall doesn’t add any additional cost to your event, but it makes a big impact in the eyes of your guests.
• Diversify the entertainment for your guests to include not only speeches and great food, but performances, centerpieces that evoke conversation, and interactive things like a photobooth guestbook as well.  Some additional ideas are a thank you video that guests record throughout the evening, fun food trucks, a projected slideshow, a program for guests to read at each setting, or table numbers with fun facts about the couple on them.

Planning Elegance hopes you enjoyed and learned from this unique two-part article on How to Plan the Perfect Indian Wedding featuring one of our most successful and anticipated weddings from 2011. We would like to thank Pooja, Suraj, their families, and all the vendors we worked with to make this wedding weekend absolutely perfect, memorable, and breath-taking!

All images by AAcreation Photography.

Pooja and Suraj’s Indian wedding weekend vendors:

Wedding Coordinator – Planning Elegance
Ceremony Caterers – Jay Bharat
Ceremony Musician – Anis Chandani
Decorator/Designer – Shawna Yamamoto Event Design
DJ and Lighting – Special Occasions
Hair, Makeup and Dressing – Farah Manekia, My Fair Bride
Late Night Reception Snacks – The Fry Girl, Inc.
Limo for Baraat – Taj Limousines
Mehndi/Henna Artist – Minal Chaudhary, Mehndi-Henna
Mehndi Party Caterers – Lucy’s Tacos
Mehndi Party Musicians – Adrian Tapia’s Jazz Band
Photography and Videography – AAcreation Photography
Priest/Pandit – Mahesh Bhatt
Reception Caterers – Rasraj
Sangeet Caterers – Manohar’s Dehli Palace
Sangeet Musicians – Jayshree and Suresh

During wedding planning time, Pooja Mapara was doing her medical doctor residency working long hours with a very supportive family behind her. Suraj Akotia Patel is a licensed lawyer practicing law in Anaheim, CA with a family that holds in high regard cultural and family wedding traditions. They were high school sweethearts and were very excited to start the next chapter of their lives together. Pooja and Suraj are both very smart and knew that they had a challenge ahead of them in trying to balance so many wedding events into a few days. They chose to get married during Memorial Weekend 2011, which gave provided an extra day off for their guests, but a race to book a venue and good vendors for this high-demand wedding weekend.

How to Start the Indian Wedding Planning Process

This was going to be the first wedding in both Pooja and Suraj’s families, therefore the couple and their parents all quickly agreed to hire a wedding coordinator very early in the planning process. Suraj’s father contacted Planning Elegance first just for wedding and event venue selection advice. Upon a long phone consultation, he realized the value of hiring a coordinator prior to selecting the venues for their various events so that professionals could help negotiate pricing, review the contracts, make suggestions on which events to have where, and work with both families to educate everyone on the top priorities when selecting each venue.

A couple weeks later it was exactly 12 months prior to the upcoming wedding, Planning Elegance got a phone call from Pooja’s mother requesting an in-person consultation, explaining that they’d like to hire a coordinator immediately to assist with venue selection, lay out suggested deadlines for the planning process, and make vendor recommendations with detailed explanations of the pros and cons of each vendor option.

After the complimentary in person consultation at Planning Elegance’s office in Orange, CA, the couple and parents all agreed that hiring Planning Elegance was the right fit for their personalities and their needs. We went through the Planning Elegance booking contract thoroughly, answered all their questions, and got started with their venue search, to-do list, and vendor recommendations immediately. From there on out the parents were all definitely more relaxed knowing that they had a point-person to go to with every question and the bride and groom were happy knowing that all the planning pressure wasn’t on them, however that they would always get the opportunity to make the final decision on every detail.

Advice to future brides:

• Begin contacting wedding coordinators very early to be educated on what you need and where you need to go next
• Know WHY you want to hire a wedding coordinator
• Know what you want from a coordinator and tell them so that they can deliver
• Choose a coordinator who you feel very comfortable with and do not find annoying, you will be talking to them a LOT throughout the entire planning process

Indian Wedding Day 1: Pithi (Haldi) Ceremony, Ganesh Pooja, and Mehndi Party

Both families wanted to keep many of the traditional small ceremonies that go with a Hindu wedding, however had the challenge of having enough time to be able to accommodate all their events. After many discussions involving balancing pros and cons, everyone came to the consensus that the first wedding day would be a long one involving the traditional Pithi (Haldi Ceremony) at each family’s respective homes almost immediately followed by the traditional Gujarati Ganesh Pooja and Mandap Murath Pooja. After a few hour break, both families and more guests would celebrate a fun mehndi night full of entertainment and food to kick-off the wedding celebrations with smiles and laughter.

Venue: The Mapara Residence in Anaheim, CA because they wanted one event to have a personal and welcoming touch. With enough space and great themed décor, the best place to have the welcoming first event is the bride’s home.
Traditional Touches: Although the traditional Gujarati ceremonies held during the day were slightly shortened to be able to accommodate everything in one day, everyone was very happy to be able to keep those cultural and religious wedding traditions.
Unique Twists: The mehndi party in the evening was one of the most eventful parties that Planning Elegance has ever seen! With an outdoor poolside event, top-notch ambient lighting, Moroccan themed décor, 5 piece jazz band, and fresh Mexican food buffet, there was definitely something for everyone.

Advice to future brides:

• The mehndi event should be fun for you too. Take Pooja’s advice and get your mehndi done before all the fun starts so that you have time to mingle, dance, and eat comfortably.
• Personalize it! The tradition of henna on brides will last forever, however the actual mehndi party is a unique event that you should make your own. There are no set “rules” or boundaries for this event, it’s one that you can twist and turn to showcase your personality.
• Having an event at your home is great, but you have to do it right. It worked for Pooja and Suraj because they had a coordinator managing everything in the behind the scenes, plenty of décor to turn the Mapara home into a venue, ambient lighting to set the mood of the event, and a service staff to set-up, clean-up, serve food, tend bar, and stay throughout the end of the night to ensure that the family all enjoyed themselves.

Tune in to Planning Elegance’s blog next week for Part 2 of this article with the next three days of Pooja and Suraj’s perfect Indian wedding weekend including their Sangeet Music Party, Ceremony, and Reception! Keep up to date with our blog for new wedding ideas, trends & tips! Also, don’t forget to check out Advice for Indian Brides and Indian Wedding Fashion Tips.

All images by AAcreation Photography.

Banned Background

Interracial weddings are unique in their own special way due to the different aspects of each type of background, culture, and/or religion. When one wedding holds two cultures there are so many interesting details and ceremonies that come together. Interracial marriages at first were not of law and were looked down upon in various cultures. Women who chose to marry someone outside of their religion were banned from getting married. This took place in countries such as Germany, South Africa, and the Arab Nations. Today, fusion weddings and interracial marriages are seen as normal weddings just with a small twist, they are generally exciting and very common in melting pot countries like the United States, England, and Canada.

Two Races, One Fusion Wedding

Two racial groups coming together can make for a beautiful wedding. Fusion weddings include all religious types such as Jewish, Hindu, Christian, Catholic, Muslim, Greek Orthodox, Sikh, and many more. Interracial weddings have been seen as a new trend in the United States. Statistics show that one out of seven weddings are now fusion weddings. It is more common and natural that people with different religions decide to get married. Polls have been taken by interracial couples who have been married over a year and they state, “We get the best of both worlds”.

When these fusion weddings are performed it is carefully decided which aspects of the different traditional ceremonies to incorporate into the fusion wedding ceremony and reception. In a Hindu wedding, there is a ceremony called the Baraat where a groom and his side of the family make their way towards the brides family dancing and celebrating. The groom is then welcomed by the bride’s side of the family by the bride’s mother. In an interracial marriage even if the groom is Jewish, it is common for him and his family to partake in this ceremony and it brings the family together to celebrate. Many people of the Jewish background enjoy this newly learned wedding celebration.

With the Jewish groom incorporating the Indian culture into the wedding ceremony, his side of the family might have their Jewish wedding traditions incorporated into the reception, such as the traditional chair dance which is called the “Hora” and is celebrated with the traditional “Hava Nagillah” song. This is a ceremony which almost all Jewish weddings include and it comes from royalty being held on chairs in any type of joyous celebration. The bride and the groom are held by guests who hoist them up onto chairs with handles and all the guests dance around them in a circle while they enjoy their time celebrating in the chairs. This is also a tradition just like a baraat that brings all the guests together from the bride and grooms side to come celebration their love together.

The Beauty of Fusion Weddings

There are many different types of fusion weddings where Jewish and Hindu are just an example. These weddings bring out each special quality that the bride and the groom’s ethnicity holds. It also is a great way for the family to be able to learn and accept each other’s different religions and traditions while celebrating the special day of their loved ones.

Simoina and Dave’s Romantic Sikh and Jewish Wedding Same-Day-Edit from Imagique

- Trendy Blogger

Image 1 via AAcreation Photography and Maharani Weddings

Image 2 via Mathew May Photography

Shopping on-line has never been so easy. Progressive shoppers are even buying cars and homes on the internet… so why should a BRIDE be excluded from such ease and convenience? Now you can shop for your wedding dress and other key fashion pieces from the comfort of your own computer. The Aisle New York, is the world’s premier online sample sale for designer bridal fashions—at amazing prices of up to 70% off! With designers like Monique Lhuillier, Oscar de la Renta, Amsale, Angel Sanchez and more… you’ll be checking back daily for these amazing deals.

Every Tuesday and Thursday The Aisle features brand new sales of fabulous designer items. Each sale lasts only 7 days, so be sure to act swiftly if you see something you love as items sell out quickly. The site sends out morning email reminders so you’re always sure to now what great sales are coming. Some of our favorite sales thus far have been amazing gowns from Monique Lhuillier, Lela Rose, Amsale, Christos, and some fabulous short cocktail dresses from Jenny Yoo.

And if buying your dress online seems a little too risky for you—worry not—all dresses are fully returnable if you’re not in love. Also be sure to check out the sites killer jewelry, veils, headpieces, shoes and more. Some of the amazing designers featured have been, Judith Leiber, Oscar de la Renta, Christina Garcia veils, Loeffler Randall Shoes and Nina Jewelry.

Register today for FREE:

Meet The Founders:
Shara Levy and David Yassky- Founders and Co-Presidents

Levy and Yassky’s partnership was born through their unbridled love for fashion and everything wedding. Levy led by her lifelong dreams of the perfect wedding day and by the experience of her self planned 2008 nuptials, and Yassky by his schooling and by his years covering bridal as a young fashion editor in New York City. Together, they’ve created a revolutionary new, feel-good platform that will change the way women shop for their wedding day.

Yassky started his fashion journey studying at the prestigious Parsons School of Design earning a Bachelors Degree in Design and Management. He then served as Fashion Editor and Stylist at Women’s Wear Daily and W Magazine from 2003 to 2008, where he covered an array of fashion markets, including bridal. Yassky refined his eye as he regularly styled cover stories and reviewed collections during fashion weeks. He has worked as a consultant; styling editorials, advertisements and runway collections for companies such as Reem Acra, Tory Burch, and Anthropologie and has contributed on projects for Neiman Marcus and Teen Vogue.

Deborah Moses and Moses Media:
Co-Founder, Creative Agency of Record

Moses is the President and CEO of Moses Media, a New York City based creative development and strategic marketing agency. Deborah Moses’ expertise in brand building and marketing makes her one of the leading go-to people for insightful strategies and sumptuous visuals for fashion, lifestyle and luxury goods companies. Bridal industry experts, from publishers to retailers, point to her as the catalyst for bringing about a revolutionary change in their industry.

Mark Ingram:
Co-Founder

Ingram is the owner and President of Mark Ingram Bridal Atelier, New York City’s premiere high end bridal boutique. Ingram’s fashion career began at the legendary Fifth Avenue specialty stores, Bonwit Teller and Bergdorf Goodman.

Upon its opening, the Atelier and Mark were immediately recognized by The New York Times, Woman’s Wear Daily and The New York Observer. Since then, Mark’s Bridal Atelier continues to receive numerous honors including The Couture Bridal Awards Wedding Salon of the Year in 2004. Mark has also become a regular on Metro’s Full Frontal Fashion critiquing for both Bridal and Fashion weeks.

Planning Elegance would like to thank David Yassky and The Aisle New York, for providing our readers and clients with such a unique article on a great idea for wedding fashion!

Image 1,2,3 via  The Aisle New York

While it’s hard to imagine your beautifully dressed dinner guests waiting for the Kogi Truck outside an expensive hotel venue, hiring a couple of food and dessert trucks to your more casual wedding events would definitely be a unique catering solution. How about a dessert truck at your bridal shower? Or an Indian snacks truck at your Sangeet? Here are a couple of popular California trucks that might fit into your fun and lively wedding scene.

The Bollywood Bites Truck

The Bollywood Bites truck offers a combination of restaurant favorites and popular Indian street fare. Upon special request, they will also do Kosher and Halal foods. This truck was started by Sanjay Patel, chef of Michael Jackson and other celebrities. How unique would it be to have this truck show up for your hungry Garba guests or at your next-day wedding brunch?

Twitter: @BOLLYWOOD_BITES
Website: www.thebollywoodbites.com

The Sprinkles Cupcake Van

Joining the food truck craze are many popular dessert places, such as Sprinkles. Originally started in Beverly Hills, Sprinkles has been featured on Oprah and the Food Channel. It’s a great dessert option for a Sangeet or a Bridal Shower!

Twitter: @sprinklesmobile
Website: www.sprinkles.com

Curry Up Now Truck

This truck is the Bay Area’s first Indian street food truck. The food is inspired by popular Indian street foods from places such as Chandi Chowk, Old Delhi, and Mumbai. They serve comfort food that all Indians have grown up eating and loving. With a truck named this at your mehndi party, which guest wouldn’t leave thinking “wow, how unique!”

Twitter: @curryupnow
Website:: www.curryupnow.com

There are many, many other food trucks serving Indian food and deserts available. Even if you’re not quite ready to debut food trucks at your wedding, keep them in mind for other fun events you and your future hubby may host together. Or, follow them on twitter and go check out their food! Enjoy!

Image 1 via Kayte Deioma

Image 2 via Fast Food Maven

Image 3 via City’s Best

- Been There Bride

Here are some fun wedding favor ideas for a fall-themed wedding:

Monogrammed Brownie Favors

These are delicious bite-sized treats that guests of any age can enjoy! Decorate them with you and your fiance’s initials for a sweet (no pun intended) twist. They are all painted by hand with swirls of chocolate and come in any color. You can order them in white chocolate, milk chocolate, or dark. Wrap and present them in clear cellophane, tied with a ribbon color of your choice.

Personalized Maple Syrup

This is a unique and creative gift for your wedding guests. These maple bottles will last a long time so your guests can keep it and enjoy it beyond your wedding! You are able to design anything you want as the maple syrup label. Here are some designs to choose from: Cake, Dotted Circles, Cherry Blossoms, Stripes, Bride and Groom, Champagne Toast, Traditions, Glamorous, Mod Dots, New Monogram, Flourish, Love is in the Air, Two Hearts, Fall Leaves, and Palm Trees. The label can be personalized with up to three lines of text.

Reese’s Personalized Wedding Favors

Here is another idea for a treat that your guests can enjoy. Reese’s is a very popular candy and this idea lets you put your own writing on the treat. You are able to choose from several designs and have you and your spouse’s name on the candy. These are small but tasty treats that you can’t go wrong with!

Everybody loves to enjoy treats and sweets during the holidays and all these gift treats and ideas remind us of the autumn season and add a creative touch to a fall-themed wedding. These great ideas can be ordered or can even be an inspiration to for your own homemade wedding favors.

Images 1, 2, & 3 via My Wedding Favors

- Stylish Blogger

Some men are content to simply be passive participants in the wedding planning process, but a true gentleman gets involved. That was the inspiration behind “Groomtastic: Your Guide to Being a Wedding Hero.” Traditionally, wedding planning has been seen as the main responsibility of the bride and bridal party, which is why the wedding industry largely caters towards female clients. This new workshop  provides tips on how grooms can actively contribute to their wedding and enjoy doing it without losing their masculine edge!

“It’s amazing how learning just a few things helps you to be able to contribute on a whole new level,” says Distilled Man founder, Kyle Ingham.

Even if the bride does end up doing a large portion of the wedding planning, it’s a great relief for her to know that her groom is interested in taking an active role in the wedding. It also makes the wedding more personalized to both the bride and groom on their special day.

“Men are surprised to find what a difference it makes when they show a little more interest in the wedding,” Ingham added.

The 90-minute interactive seminar provides insights that will earn guys major “brownie points” with their brides and save them weeks of stress, not to mention save them from dealing with a bridezilla! The seminar includes training on how to:

• Get more involved
• Surprise your bride
• Stir emotion
• Shine on your wedding day
• Reduce stress
• Make your bride  smile
• Captivate your guests
• Have fun while doing all of the above
• And ultimately be “The Man” on your wedding day

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit thedistilledman.com/groomtastic. The Distilled Man is a San Francisco-based specialty school that offers classes in basic “man skills” like grilling, cocktails and poker. The classes are also great as groomsmen gifts!

Planning Elegance would like to thank Jason Spencer for providing our grooms with a unique perspective on they can make wedding planning a more specialized experience for them, taking away the notion that wedding planning is a female-only job!

The near-perfect wedding can become an unforgettably outstanding wedding with the addition of a fantastic, custom-written speech—be it words from the best man, an involved toast by a family member, a tasteful roast by a long-time friend, or any other number of speech-giving options involving any number of attendees. Although a wedding is a rather serious celebration of a major life commitment, the best weddings are laced with joy, vitality and a light, uplifting spirit. And nothing makes people feel more loose, relaxed, joyous, happy and connected to others than appropriate, well-written humor.

A perfect humorous wedding speech or roast includes many “inside” references, mentions of personalities, events, anecdotes and specific places and things that at least a good percentage of the audience is familiar with. This kind of connection guarantees an even higher level of response and laughter on the part of your audience. While generic references and punchlines are good to have for a portion of the speech, the inclusion of very specific people, places, events and characteristics related to the honoree(s) is what will take a funny wedding speech to astronomical heights and leave the crowd holding their sides from the sweet pain of repetitive belly laughter.

The perfect knockout roast-speech can either strictly focus on the groom (or bride), or can equally include both, or can span far wider and include a sampling of close friends and family. This latter approach, if accomplished with just the right touch of brevity and appropriateness, can further heighten the sense of inclusion and the disclosure of colorful details that will cause the wedding participants to feel more actively involved in the proceedings.

Take care, when creating your roast-speech, to make the majority of the content about the groom and/or bride—or at least make them the subject of the largest portion—and to deftly connect any funny anecdotes or mentions regarding others in attendance with the groom and bride themselves, whenever possible. So, while it is not categorically out of the question to poke fun at Uncle Fred’s golfing hyjinx or muscle car collecting as isolated funny elements in and of themselves, it is better to connect those references by mentioning as time the groom went golfing with Uncle Fred, or was forced to ride along with him in his car as he screeched at eighty- five miles an hour around every turn.

Also make sure, when creating your wedding speech, to gauge and adhere to the tastes and sensibility of your audience. Some crowds generally favor or at least can easily tolerate more risque and edgy material, while crowds at the opposite end of the spectrum, feel comfortable only with squeaky clean “church-friendly” material. Nonetheless, if a crowd is so serious and reverent as to have just about NO sense of humor, then a funny speech may be a waste of time. Luckily, most people, and most crowds, are won over by good, intelligent, thought-out, pertinent humor and will be thankful for the levity break and the opportunity to share moments of group bonding over the facts and foibles, the odd, random eccentricities of human existence. After all, isn’t that what life is really about?

It has been established that a funny wedding speech or roast is your most powerful and cost-effective tool in ensuring a joyous, successful celebration that no one will forget and everyone will look back upon with the happiest and most heartfelt emotions. But since most people do not possess the comedic writing talents and abilities to correctly pull off such a job—especially not at the high level required to knock the assemble crowd out of their seats, it is highly recommended to hire a professional comedy speech writer who specializes in such things. The Funny Business is such a business, comprised of seasoned, proven Los Angeles comedy writers, with experience writing for TV, radio, internet, magazines and the live stage. Contact them at inquiry@thefunnybiz.biz or go to The Funny Biz and have a look. For much less than the cost of the swan ice sculpture or the chocolate fountain or a few plates of sushi, you can have an absolute top-quality, Comedy Central/HBO-level custom-written funny speech or roast that will connect with your audience personally and powerfully and leave your attendees gasping for air and talking about it for years afterward. And that is priceless.

Planning Elegance would like to thank Adam Gropman, for providing our readers and clients with such a unique article on a great idea for humorous wedding speeches!

Adam Gropman

Image 1 via Rendez-vous

Image 2 via Matt Andrews Photography

Image 3 via Amigram Blog

Image 4 via The Funny Biz

We offer five core services through one strong team. These services include DJ, lighting, photography, videography, and coordination. We cater our services towards modern Indian brides and grooms seeking a memorable and organized occasion that their entire family can enjoy. We pride ourselves on our well-known professionalism, organization, and experience to produce successful events.

This video identifies the teamwork, expertise, and hard work that Shaadi Vendors puts into each one of our events.

I first suggest to think of what type of personality you both have as a couple. What do others see you like as a couple? Personality is very important when it comes to picking a song. This can help you narrow down the many different categories to choose from. Do you want to stick to the safe & classic side or do you want to be unique and crazy with your first dance? These are definite questions that any couple can begin with when choosing a song to enter into a new life together.

Soft But Romantic

If you are looking for a romantic love song that has a smooth & slow rhythm, these may be good options for you:

• Robin Thicke – “Angel”
• KC & Jojo – “All My Life”
• Lou Reed – “Perfect Day”
• Celine Deon – “All the Way
• Bryan Adams – “Everything I Do”

Fun But Loving

These songs may be for couples that have a more fun & outgoing personality, and of course, for the bride to show off her beautiful wedding gown. These songs are definitely good starters to help get some people onto the dance floor after an exciting first dance!

• The Jackson Five – “Especially for Me”
• Plain White T’s – “1234”
• Vanessa Carlton – “A Thousand Miles”
• The Beatles – “All My Loving”
• Lionel Richie – “Angel

Oldies But Goodies

You can never go wrong with a classic oldies song in any situation. These are common songs that will always stick with all of us in many moments of our lives!

• Marvin Gaye – “Let’s Get it On”
• Frank Sinatra – “The Way You Look Tonight”
• Etta James – “At Last”
• Seal – “Kiss From a Rose”
• Billy Joel – “Just the Way You Are”

The first dance that a couple shares as newly pronounced husband and wife should be a meaningful experience for both. The first dance captures a very special moment for you both as well as an endearing experience for your guests. This should be on your wedding planning check-off list as something you should both decide on together. Whether you go with the traditional route or try something new, it’ll be a moment that everyone at your wedding will remember.

-Blogger for the Groom

Image 1 via: Bride O Rama
Image 2 via: Wedding Professionals
Image 3 via: AAcreation Photography
Image 4 via: Cultural Explosion

A Single, Oversized Flower

Busily decorated cakes are becoming a thing of the past, with the new trend of a single, oversized flower taking over as the new ‘it’ wedding cake. The flower can either be a sugar flower or a real flower, the point being that it is large and oversized and positioned just right within the cake. For an elegant cake, try a simple color scheme with the flower draped in between the tiers of the cake.

Mimic The Gown

Large, loud frosting is as over as shoulder pads! Instead, have your decorator create a design that echoes your wedding dress design. Subtle chiffon-like draping, silver-dusted polka dots, or chocolate-brown sugar flowers are all common ways to mimic either the bride or bridesmaids gowns. The design should be understated yet playful.

Mixed Shapes

To add drama, consider getting a cake with contrasting shapes on the different tiers. Pairing different-shaped cake layers together adds a multidimensional appeal. An easy and practical mix would be a square bottom layer with round tiers on top. If you’re having a ballroom wedding, a tall cake is warranted. For a small, outdoor wedding, one or two layers should be the maximum.

Cake Trios

Cake trios are a sophisticated way to have enough cake for everyone, without producing a gigantic cake!  The center cake is the one that the couple should cut together and is usually the main attraction. The two side cakes should be smaller in size. Often, couples choose to get the cakes in different flavors, even if they’re the same shape, so guests can choose the flavor they like. For example, the main cake could be vanilla bean, and you can choose chocolate and red velvet for the other two smaller cakes.

Henna Designs

Henna-designed cakes are a new trend that have leaped from the South Asian wedding industry to the general American market. There are endless designs, shapes, and color options for cakes designed like bridal mehndi (see the examples below for choices). The henna designs can be as intricate or simple as you request.

Your wedding cake signifies the first taste of the rest of your life. Not to mention, it will show up in photographs of a happy occasion, so make sure you pick one that benefits your personality and reflects the wonderful day you worked so hard to put together!

— Cultural Blogger

Image 1 , 2, 3, & 4 via Cake Central

Image 5 via Here Comes The Blog

Whatever your theme is, there are several important steps to consider when choosing your wedding flowers.

First, when choosing your florist, consider whether you want one that will take control, or one that will let you completely take the lead. Of course, it’s never too hard to find a happy medium between the two. Make sure to see a portfolio, design palette, and samples before you choose your florist.

Second, consider your budget. How much do you want to spend on your floral décor? Depending on how elaborate you want the décor to be, this could be one of the most expensive parts of your wedding.  You may want to go all out and pick exotic flowers only found in certain parts of the world, OR you may want to be more cost-efficient and decide to use in-season flowers found everywhere like carnations and calilies.

Third, imagine what you want your wedding to look like and how much the flowers play a part in your wedding. You can tear out magazine pictures or even real pictures of some weddings you’ve attended to create an inspiration board. You can then use this to show your florist what you have in mind. Remember, flowers can be used for centerpieces, on the side aisles, on the ground, on the stage or anywhere else to decorate the venue! Let your florist know what the wedding area surroundings look like so they can also come up with a vision.  It also helps to have the florist visit the venue to help you come up with a decor vision.

Fourth, decide on a specific color scheme you’d like for the colors of your wedding. This color scheme helps your florist figure out the type of flowers to use for your wedding.  To be cost-effective, many florists are deciding to go with inexpensive flowers and painting them to fit your color scheme.  This is a method many decorators & florists are using in order to help you save money. 

Fifth, your florist will need to know what style and type of wedding you are going for. Try to get as many details as possible so they can emphasize on your color scheme & decor vision. It could be modern, traditional, contemporary, dramatic, subtle, or bright. With this, you may want to think about how big your bridal bouquet should be.  Do you want it to stand out and help emphasize your lavish wedding gown?  Or do you want it to be more subtle in order to match your simple, yet elegant wedding?

Lastly, ALWAYS keep your budget in mind.  Florists will be able to help you stay within your budget when choosing specific flowers.  They know which flowers to use to be able to save you money, as well as make your envision come to life!

Some popular wedding flowers:
Roses, Tulips, Calla Lilies, Lily of the Valleys, Hydrangeas, Peonies, Ranunculus, Stephanotis, Sweet Peas, and Gardenis.

- Stylish Blogger

Image 1 via Hawaii Weddings

Image 2 via Wedding Splendor

Image 3 via Sunkissed Weddings

Evernote

If you love making quick notes or taking pictures, Evernote is perfect for you. For example, if you finds the perfect venue and wants to make a note of it, simply take a picture or write a note about it in Evernote.  Your fiance can immediately look at that note when he is logged into the same Evernote account from any device.  No need to email back and forth!  Your fiance can also update the note with ideas for you to see. Another really helpful feature is that Evernote syncs on all your devices.  If you have a personal computer, a smart phone and a tablet, just install Evernote on all devices and then anything you update from any of those will automatically be synced to all devices.

Other ways to use Evernote:

• Take pictures of vendor business cards and store them in Evernote.
• Make notes of possible honeymoon destinations and prices.
• Keep ongoing lists of potential guests to be invited so that both you and your fiance can add/remove guests.
• Make voice recordings to remind yourself of songs to include in your playlist.
• Keep a checklist of things that need to be done for the wedding, and anyone with access to your Evernote can check off things as they get done (family members, wedding planners, bridal party guests).

Pinterest

Pinterest describes itself as a virtual pinboard, like a corkboard.  It lets you organize and share all the beautiful things you find online for your wedding as well as browse pinboards created by others.  If you search on Pinterst for a themed wedding you may be interested in, you can see what others have collected on the theme and create your own ideas.  You can get inspiration and discover new ideas based on others with a similar interest as you.

Here are some other cool features of Pinterest:

• People can leave comments on your ideas or interests.  For example, if you pin up an idea for a wedding dress, your bridesmaids can comment with their opinions on color and length.
• Keep a picture board of photo styles you like for your engagement photo session
• Search for particular ideas such as honeymoon destinations or DIY gifts.

Check out these two free tools and leave us a comment if you have any other great, free wedding planning tools!

Been-there-bride Blogger

Image 1 via Randyelrod

Image 2 via Crunch Base

Imabe 3 via In Space Between

Hollywood Style Wedding

The couple chose a black and white Hollywood style theme for their wedding events. For the reception, the place settings were black on a white and black table cloth. To go along with the black and white theme, their decorations and cake were of the same color scheme. The wedding cake was made by Hansen Cakes and it was a 10-tiered black and white cake. The flavors were chocolate and vanilla that was topped with chocolate chips. It was estimated that the cost of the cake was around $20,000! Throughout the ballroom, Kardashian decided to have South African white roses to be sprinkled over the table cloths and centerpieces to add to the black and white decor.

K & K’s Wedding Details

Kim and Kris both had a wardrobe change before entering the ballroom of their wedding reception. During the ceremony, Kim wore a Vera Wang-designed wedding gown. The couple entered the ballroom with Kim wearing an ivory-colored Vera Wang gown (estimated to be worth $30,000) and Kris wore a black tuxedo from the upscale men’s store, Ermenegildo Zenga. The couple danced the night away with their family and friends, including Kim’s two sisters who were both  co-maid of honors. Robin Thicke played the song “Angel” for the couple’s first dance,  along with a performance by Earth, Wind, and Fire.

Wedding Invitations and Goodies

The Hollywood style wedding consisted of under 500 guests–they had to limit their guest list due to the fire department’s request! The couple’s wedding invitations were designed by Lehr & Black.  They also designed Khloe Kardashian’s wedding invitations, as well as Gwen Stefani and Fergie’s wedding invitations. The invitations were embellished with hundreds of black hematite crystals, and was sent out to each guest’s home in a beautiful white box. The celebrity guest list included Jennifer Lopez, Ciara, Vera Wang, Ryan Seacrest, Eva Longoria, Lindsay Lohan, Demi Lovato, Serena Williams, Mark Ballas ( from ‘Dancing With The Stars’, who actually helped with the couple’s first dance), and more.

At the end of the night, each guest was given a unique wedding favor to take home. The gift bags came with treats, thongs that said “Kim loves Kris”, Kim’s signature perfume, and a candle in a box with the couple’s “K” logo.

Kim stated,” The wedding was a fairytale…. everything I dreamed of and more”.

Media reported that the couple weren’t planning on going on a honeymoon but the couple were recently seen departing for a trip to the island of Capri in Italy.

Good luck K & K!

– Trendy Blogger

Image 1 via Celebrity Chatta

Image 2 via Resell Your Wedding

Image 3 via Your Celebrity Stuff

Image 4 via Superworld

As the Maid of Honor, you have one of the biggest roles to play in the wedding. The wedding planning process is hectic and full of details, so it’s your responsibility to aid the bride through all the ruckus and ensure that her big day goes as smoothly as possible.

To help you out, we’ve put together a checklist of responsibilities that you should be aware of.

Act As Head bridesmaid

The Maid of Honor is bridesmaid numero uno and is in charge of making sure all the other bridesmaids are organized, show up for events, and get everything they need. All the bridesmaids will turn to you in time of crisis, so be prepared!

Host a Bridal Shower And/Or Bachelorette Party

With the help of the other bridesmaids, host, plan, and set up a bridal shower or bachelorette party (possibly both). Typically, the costs are split between the bridesmaids, but the Maid of Honor is usually in charge of making sure everything gets done.

Buy Your Wedding Day Outfit

Being a Maid of Honor or bridesmaid is pretty costly, since you have to buy a dress and often shoes and jewelry, too. Some generous brides will offer to foot the cost, but that’s pretty rare.

Go Shopping With The Bride

Finding the perfect wedding dress is at the top of the list for most brides, so she’s going to need your help! Go with her as moral support and be the voice of confidence she needs.

Play a Huge Part in the Pre-Wedding Tasks

There’s a billion things to do before the wedding, and your bride will thank you profusely if you are there to help.

Play Hostess During The Reception

Help guide wedding guests to their seats, restrooms, and answer their questions. Make sure the caterers, DJ, etc. are all doing their job properly.

Give a Speech

As the Maid of Honor, you are probably very important in the bride’s life. The highlight of her big day would be to hear about how special she is to you.

Most Important of All: Have Fun!

It is a wedding, after all. So, after all your duties are done, kick off those stilettos and dance your butt off!

- Cultural Blogger

Image 1 via Handi Points

Image 2 via Bachelorette Superstore

Image 3 via Stylelist.com Weddings

Engagement Guest Book

Many photographers offer the option of adding in a guest book to your package.  Using your engagement photo shoot pictures, the photographer can create a fun way to display those pictures, as well as invite guests to share a special message.  Each page can have a picture of the couple with plenty of room for writing.  Often, pages have a question at the top for guests to write about, such as “Share your favorite memory of us” or “Tell us how to keep the romance alive”.

Polaroid Guest Book

Like the idea of having pictures of your guests in a guest book?  A Polaroid guest book is perfect for this! Set up a station with a Polaroid camera and have extra film under the table.  Leave directions on how to take a picture and instruct guests to glue the picture in the guestbook and leave you a special message.  This can also work perfectly if you have a photo booth for guests at the wedding. By the end of the night, you have great memories of all the guests in a fun and creative book!

Scrapbook

Creating a guest book that looks more like a scrapbook from your wedding can be easy and fun for guests.  Set up a station with plenty of pens, different colored papers, glue sticks, cute cut-outs, questions you’d like them to answer and then instruct guests to take it back to their table and work on it.  Have the DJ remind guests periodically to go back to the scrapbook and glue in their little piece of art.  Get creative, you can use anything you want and it gives guests something to work on while they are waiting for the grand entrance!

Autographed Picture

A more modern option to the traditional guestbook is enlarging a picture of the couple and putting a large border around it for guests to sign.  A favorite engagement picture of the bride and groom makes for a beautiful display piece for the seating-card table and guests can leave a little message along the outside of the picture or frame, creating the perfect to-go memory for the couple.

The best place for a guest book station would be near the seating cards since all guests must check where they are sitting.  Although guest books are very standard at weddings and most guests know what to do, it may be a good idea to assign a trustworthy bridal party member to look after the guestbook table.  They can help work the camera, pass out materials, answer questions, encourage guests to take pictures and sign the book.  Don’t be scared to get creative and unique with the guest book, it will be a great memory for years to come of the amazing people who came to celebrate your special day!

- Been-there blogger

image 1 via fairytaleweddinginfo.com

image 2 via marthastewartweddings.com

image 3 via weddingbee.com

image 4 via brendasweddingblog.com

Here are some examples of 2011 wedding makeup trend looks.

A Pop of Red

This look uses a pop of red color for the lips, bronzed cheeks, and matte eyes. You can make the bold, bright lipstick last by filling in the lips with a neutral-colored lip liner. Then apply lipstick with a lip brush, blot with a tissue, add a bit of powder, reapply, and blot again. This look is a neutral one but adds a pop of zest with the red lipstick. This look would fit a bride with a white dress with some embellishments on it.

Dramatic and Fierce

Another great look that is not dull but not too heavy is a dramatic plum eye with wine colored lips and loose chignon. A tip to make this look last is to mix a powder shadow with an eye shadow transformer (a clear liquid that turns powder into liquid eyeliner), then use a brush to apply it along the top and bottom lash line. This is a great look for a more fierce and bold stylish bride.

Mod Classic

Another popular 2011 look for makeup is the thick black eyeliner with a nude lip and eye. This look will not use an eye shadow other than a neutral one. You can use false eyelashes with this look to accentuate the black liner. This will contrast well with the dark eyes but everything else is neutral. Eyelashes will let the eyes pop and look great in photos.

Soft and Smoky

Another wedding trend makeup look is a mild smoky eye with soft pink cheeks. If you want a more delicate smoky eye you can use grays rather than blacks. These color combinations would work well with a soft pink lip color to match the cheeks.

Bold in Pink

Another way to add to this look is doing adding intense black eyeliner then a bright pink lip color to match. To make your eyes pop even more a silver shadow on the inner corner of your eye lid will do the trick. Tip: Bringing dark eyeliner in the crease of your eye will make them look smaller. The silver color in the crease will make them look bigger and sparkle.

More bridal beauty ideas:

Wedding Hair Style Trends
Bridal Hair and Makeup Trials

- Stylish Blogger

All images via thebridalbeauty.com

Here are some popular 2011 wedding hair styles and choices to choose from.

Accessorize Your Hair

We have been seeing a lot of hair accessories in the past few years that add that extra style to your hair do. One way to accent the up-do would be adding a ribbon headband or a “peonie”, flower. These are silk hand-curled feathers that add a whimsical look to your hair style. This will add a soft touch without overdoing your look.

Glam it Up

Another fashion hair trend for 2011 is the modern take on old Hollywood glamour. This is a glamorous look with a modern day twist. To achieve this look one side must be looser. To recreate the look, spray wet hair with volumizing spray gel, then part hair to one side and blow dry with a round brush, rolling hair away from the face. Set hair in small velcro rollers, and after hair cools, remove the rollers and gently brush. Apply a small amount of styling lotion and comb hair back with your fingers. Pull hair into a ponytail and use the tail of a comb to loosen and lift at the crown. Then tuck the bottom of the ponytail up and under, then pin in place.

Another glamorous but modernized look is the vintage finger waves. This up-do would look gorgeous on a bride who wants to bring a “modern vintage” edge to her wedding day look. It is a loose but dressy look. This one is also an up-do but not so tight and pulled back.

Side-Braid It

Keeping with the up-do but loose look there is the side braid. This one must be done right or else it would look sloppy. it is a casual but glamorous look called the Bohemian side braid.

Loosen Those Curls

Lastly, a wedding hair style for those who love to have their hair down would be this loose curls look on one side of your head. This will be great with a dress that is tube top or shows a lot of shoulders. These are loose curls but wavy/straightened hair on top. To achieve this look you can blow-dry your hair straight on top with a round brush, applying a “froth” at the roots, and set it with big electric rollers.

All these looks are glamorous but modernized for 2011 and any one you choose make sure it fits well with your dress and look you are going for! Make sure to print out a picture of what you are trying to achieve and follow the steps to make it turn out perfect!

- Stylish Blogger

All images via thebridalbeauty.com