…For The Spring 2009 Line By Angel Sanchez!

I couldn’t talk about Angel Sanchez without sharing with you some of his fabulous work!  Take a look at some of my favorite gowns created by Sanchez…though his entire line is simply captivating!  Also included are a few of the answers he had to some of our questions.  I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

Sanchez shared with us how creative necklines are taking over the average strapless gown.  I can understand how after looking at this dress!  Have you ever seen anything like it!?  It’s almost angelic, which makes perfect sense being that it was created by Angel!

He also spoke with us about how he gets a lot of his inspiration from his brides.  Many brides today are going for sophisticated simplicity with soft details.  I think we can add sexy to the list as well!

Advice from Sanchez, “Listen to yourself and not everyone else,” when asked about how brides can be sure to choose the right dress.  He also informed us of how important it is for the bride to have her undergarments she plans on wearing with her dress, to the fittings.

Whether you’re going for a romantic, sexy, destination or traditional look, you’re sure to find your dream dress with Angel Sanchez.  To see the rest of his Spring 2009 line, check out Brides.com!

…Brings Us Exclusive News!

What a wonderful surprise to meet and talk with designer Angel Sanchez at the wedding bloggers luncheon hosted by Brides.com on Monday! 

Many of you might remember Angel Sanchez by the the stunning bridal gowns he designed for Sandra Bullock and more recently, Eva Longoria, however there’s so much more to him than the A-lister clientele he’s designed for.  He has such a warm soul and really pours his love into each of his creations!

That being said, I’m so excited to inform you darling fashionistas of some very exciting, exclusive news we received from him at the luncheon in New York City!  Come October of this year, Sanchez will be presenting a new line called “Angel by Angel Sanchez“. 

This line will be set to hit stores by March of 2009, and will feature bridal gowns that run between $2,200 - $3,000, making his designs obtainable to so many more brides! 

Best of luck to Angel in his latest endeavor…be sure to check out Brides.com for full coverage come this fall!

Photo by Rohanna Mertens

…And I Found My Own Personal Heaven On The 4th Floor Of The Conde Nast Building!

Recently I received an invitation to attend a wedding bloggers luncheon at the Conde Nast building in New York City, in honor of the Brides.com newly launched blog, “Wedded Bits“!

From Chicago, I flew to New York City for my very first time, to attend this fabulous event.  There I met editor-in-chief Michelle Preli and her wonderful team from Brides.com, along with a group of some of my favorite wedding bloggers.  What a treat it was to meet everyone! 

The group of wedding bloggers invited were asked to bring a “pot luck” item to share at the luncheon.  Lucky for me, the “pot luck” item was not to be something we cooked, but rather a favorite wedding trend or idea of ours that could be shared.  Thank goodness, because if you know me well enough, you know I’m ”domestically disabled” when it comes to cooking!

During the luncheon, we mingled, ate and shared our “potluck” items and ideas.  Let me tell you, this was my own personal heaven, as we talked everything wedding!  Who knew heaven could be located on the 4th floor of the Conde Nast building!? 

After we finished sharing our “potluck” ideas, Michelle Preli (right) confirmed this slice of heaven by surprising us with a real angel, Angel Sanchez (middle, with his assistant Samantha Platner on the left), famous wedding gown designer!

Yes, we got to personally meet designer Angel Sanchez!  He even brought in some of his beautiful bridal gowns from his jaw-dropping collection.  We were able to ask him questions, take pictures with him and found out some exciting, exclusive news about his upcoming collection. 

I promise to share this totally great news with you, but first I think you should check out these fabulous wedding blogs by the lovely ladies I met on Monday!  Here they are:

Wedded Bits Blog by Brides.com

Always a Bridesmaid, Brooklyn Bride, Eco Chic Weddings, From I Will To I Do, Nearly Wed, Perfect Bound, The Preppy Wedding, Wedding Bee & Wedding Dish!

Don’t forget to stay tuned for exciting news about the upcoming collection by Angel Sanchez!

Sex and the City Wedding - Higher Than Heels!

Brittany over at Tickled Pink shares with all of us “Sex and the City” fans how much Carrie Bradshaw’s wedding would have potentially cost in real life. 

Check out her post HERE!

Illustration of Carrie Bradshaw By Jillian Tamaki

Take a looksie, darlings, at this illustration Jillian Tamaki did for Entertainment weekly’s “Sex and the City” issue which came out last month.  It’s an illustration of Carrie Bradshaw…but does it remind you of anyone else?  If you ask me, it reminds me a little of ourselves!

I love my computer, blogging and obviously weddings!  I constantly have coffee by my side as I type away, and while I may not wear glamorous ballgowns as I type, I do enjoy admiring my little collection of high heels (even if some of them were bargains…hey, stylish doesn’t have to be expensive!).  

Does this stunningly fabulous drawing remind you of yourself at all? 

Sugar Inc. Kicks Off The Wedding Season With IDoSugar!

I’m so thrilled to bring you this exciting news!  If you haven’t visited any of the sites by Sugar Inc. yet, you’re missing out!  But it gets better, because now they even have a site for all things wedding! 

If you’re planning your wedding, make sure to check out the brand new  “IDoSugar” which just launched this week to kick of the wedding season!

Made Of Honor - In Theaters May 2nd!

I’m a sucker for every wedding movie out there…so when I heard about this, I had to share!  Watch the official trailer, it reminds me a bit of  ”My Best Friend’s Wedding“, what do you think?  No matter, I’m excited to see it!

Find out more about this movie at the official website HERE!  Once you’re there, enter for a chance to win a red carpet wedding, a shopping spree, or a very cool gift bag.  Check out the site for more details.  Good luck!

You know this girl has her days where the inspiration just isn’t flowing (I think that means I need to step back and take a little break, and let life inspire me).  So what’s a girl to do?  LAUGH!  Come on…you know you need a good laugh.  Or at least a smile…so let’s smile and laugh together…

First, I bring you one of my favorite bands…”Last Fast Action“, from Chicago.  Here, they teach you how to have pearly whites for your wedding day.  But that’s not why I love them.  I love them because they’re a great band.  Wanna hear their music?  Go HERE!   

But first, watch this video they created…I wonder how long it took them to get it right?! lol It’s hilarious.  Enjoy!

Next I provide you with these saucy little lizards from the SoBe “Life Water” commercial.  Apparently I missed this during the Super Bowl this year.  Oops.  Learn more about this yummy thirstification (yes, that’s a word from the Jaime Dictionary) HERE.

I absolutely love a good love story! 

After watching this preview of “Becoming Jane“ on Strapless Living, I wonder, how have I not seen this movie yet?!  Well, good news, it’s finally out on DVD in the U.S.

“I’m yours, Jane, heart and soul!”

~ Tom Lefroy to Jane Austen, “Becoming Jane”  - AWWWW!

Interested?  Learn more about the movie at:

 www.becomingjane.blogspot.com!

Is This Reality?

So you think you want to be a weddings and events planner?  I know.  I get it, because I too want to be a professional event planner someday.  I truly do, with all my heart!  However, before jumping into it blinded, I’m learning more about it.  I want to make sure this is the right career decision I’m making (I mean, am I really ready to take the punches some brides are sure to throw?).

Maybe planning events and weddings is my passion now, but am I ready to roll with the big dogs?  Ask me that in a few years, and I’ll say yes.  For now, I have so much more to learn.  It’s not as easy as it looks.  It takes a lot of hard work and I understand that.  I’m currently researching the industry every day and trying to get as much experience as I can through events for friends and family.  But that’s the easy stuff (Uh, yeh…totally not able to compare that to working with strangers).

I hope the opportunity comes along where I can intern with several differnet vendors to learn each aspect of the business hands-on.  I’m slowly but truly starting to put together a portfolio of weddings and events I’ve planned so far.  I’m looking into programs to refine my organizational skills, as those skills are key.  I’m also looking into taking different courses to learn more.  The goal is to start small, and grow big.  I’ll make it happen.  But it takes time.  Ha ha…funny how I’m planning how I’m going to plan.

How did I get inspired?  Well, I fell in love with planning the first day I started to plan our wedding.  When our amazing wedding day was over, I didn’t want to stop planning.  So I didn’t.  I went on to plan parties, showers and weddings for friends and family.  Then I started to blog about it.  Through blogging, I’ve been introduced to several very talented event planning professionals, who have inspired me even more.  It’s become an obsession…I LOVE weddings.  I LOVE parties.  Sign me up, I’m in!

First, let me share with you a new “reality” tv show which I find very entertaining!  “Top This Party” on Lifetime. “Top This Party” follows event planners Brian Dobbin in Orange County, CA. and Brian “Breakfast” Rice in Las Vegas, NV. as they produce these spectacular parties for their very elite clientele. 

While I find this show amusing, I have to wonder - is this reality?  I mean how many of these clients, who are willing to spend millions of dollars on a single event, are really out there?  Obviously this represents the elite, but where does that distinction begin?  I think one of the most important things is understanding how to manage people, and knowing how to meet a clients’ needs without allowing them to walk all over you. 

In this show, the clients expect miracles to happen.  They often expect the impossible.  My question is what happens if you cannot make these miracles happen?  I mean, where do you draw the line?  Is there a line to be drawn?  Obviously clients deserve the majority of their expectations to be met based on their budget, but what happens when it’s unrealistic?  While this question might seem daunting, for me the challenge is the excitement. 

As I watch the show, I see where the planners may have gone wrong in dealing with their clients. I think the first priority in any meeting should be defining what the client is looking for, what the budget is, and how they see the outcome of the event.  If you ask these simple questions, I feel that a lot of problems could be avoided.   While I am no expert on the subject, I think a little common sense would go a long way.  What do you guys think?

Watch this video interview with Brian Dobbin, as he explains what he does, and how he does it.  Then watch what you’ve missed either On-line or On Demand.  Stay tuned and watch it every Friday at 10 & 10:30 pm et/pt.

Happy planning!

 Reminder!  One Tree Hill - TONIGHT!

Whoa.  One Tree Hill returns tonight with it’s 2-hour season premiere!  Don’t forget to watch it…here’s a little preview to catch you up on what’s to come, as they fast forward the lives of these high school graduates to 4 years later.  I’m excited!

Two VERY exciting weddings coming up May 30th!  That of my friends Leeanne & Mike, and also, apparently, that of Carrie Bradshaw it seems!  But I don’t want to wait that long, I’m too excited! 

How fabulous does “Carrie” look in her gown…though only she could pull off the big blue feather in her hair.  Maybe it’s her “something blue“.

So get ready, the “Sex and the City” movie comes out May 30th.  Whoa.

Katherine Heigl and Josh Kelley recently got hitched, with a holiday wedding in Utah.  Congratulations to the fabulous looking couple!

To read more about the couple’s wedding, check out www.popsugar.com, or pick up the latest issue of OK! Magazine!

I can’t wait to see her now in her new movie, “27 Dresses”, coming to theaters January 18th!

It’s soon to be here, and we can’t wait, so don’t forget to save the date! 

Watch the previews HERE!

 Trend v.s. Tradition  

Got a “crazy” idea? Go for it!  It’s YOUR day.  Tradition or not.

Ever hear about getting married backwards?  We could look to Rebecca Romijn for inspiration, as she and her husband decided to have their honeymoon first, and walk down the aisle later. 

She suggests doing it backwards…it allows the couple to relax and enjoy eachother before the big day.  After the wedding day, there is no time for post-wedding depression because you hop right back into work to keep you busy!  Interesting idea, since after the wedding many brides do feel the sadness of “the planning is over…now what?”.  Read her story HERE.

Which brings me to this idea.  Talking to one of my good friends the other day, the topic of weddings came up.  She mentioned how she thinks it’d be fun to do a backwards wedding.  Where you have the reception first, and then in front of everyone, have the ceremony in the middle of the reception. 

What a creative and original idea!  Not only would it help chill the nerves of a possibley nervous couple, but it could also allow for everyone to see the couple get married.  Ever been to a wedding where many miss the ceremony but somehow manage to make it to the reception?  No missing the vows here! 

While this idea seems fun, you would have to keep it well-planned and organized.  Just like any wedding, right?  Well, you wouldn’t want the couple wasted while saying “I Do”.   To prevent that, serve dinner and limited wine or champagne before the ceremony.  Then afterwards, re-open the full bar and party on.   What are your thoughts?  Would you ever dare to be different and have a backwards wedding?

Advertises that you’ll feel “rich”.

If you haven’t heard the the buzz, you’ll soon be able to get buzzed…on the new bubbly, “Rich Prosecco“, created by Paris Hilton.  Now that’s crafty, putting it out  right before New Years.   Wonder if anyone will actually buy it, considering it’s in a CAN! 

But you know it’ll spark people’s curiosity, so I’m sure it’ll sell, and I’m sure she’ll make even more money to add to her overflowing bank account! 

The bubbly (I refuse to call it champagne like everyone else is…because it’s not) has it’s Debut in Berlin tomorrow, and will be available in the U.S. next year.  Sorry U.S. peeps, you’ll have to wait!

Wonder what the socialite will be charging for this little creation?  We shall see!  Will YOU be trying her new little creation?

At my friend’s baby shower the other day, I noticed my other friend Emily was all decked out in “pinup look”.  The long blond wavy hair, red lipstick, pale skin, red satin blouse with white polka dots, she really pulled it off and looked great!  We were all joking with her telling her she looked like a little pinup girl! 

Well, then I discover the new model for Fredericks of Hollywood, Dita Von Teese. 

In their latest catalog, she’s all dressed up to look like a pinup too…as shown in this picture here.

I think we’re catching on to something here…Emily you are ahead of the trend!  Because earlier today, I came across the photo shoot that Katherine Heigl recently did, from www.popsugar.com, and sure enough, it’s very “pin up”!

Check it out!

Finally a time that was sexy and cool…coming back in style.  I’m officially proud to be pale!

I’m not saying I’m her biggest fan or anything, and I know everyone has their own opinions about her cream denim Valentino wedding dress.  However, I have to say, Pamela Anderson still looked absolutely ravishing at her latest wedding, don’t you agree? 

If you haven’t grabbed the latest issue of OK! Magazine, head over to your local Walgreens and flip through it.  The photography, done by Damon Kidwell- www.damonkidwell.com, was shown in black and white, and really made it look classic…I do love black & white photography!  But in this case, I’m not sure if it was the photographer or if it was Pamela that made the pictures turn out so great!  Either way, congratulations Pam and Rick!