Even BETTER Cook Book for Brides

I use this SO often! Not only for the many recipes, but for the unique sections customized for new brides, such as 'cooking for two' recipes, party planning and easy appetizers.

Brides: What NOT TO DO at Your Rehearsal Dinner

We were quite surprised and a bit insulted. Hint: If you are too embarrassed to ask your guests, it is probably in poor taste. Please be CONSIDERATE to your guests. Consider them and their enjoyment in your budget. Yes, it's YOUR day, but, remember all of the time and money they are also spending just to see YOU. Your guests may feel 'taken'. You don't want that! You want everyone invited to feel almost as good as you do!

Our Wedding Photos

Finally, the professional photos arrived in the mail. We saved money and took advantage of a special deal our photographer and the website he publishes on extended to us. Our photographer (who is a friend of my brother so we got a good deal, more on that in a future post on budget wedding photography) publishes to a website that offered all the wedding guests a free duplicate offer for the first 10 days and the last 10 days of the 90 that they would be available to order online.

We would have gotten them earlier if our first order went through. For some reason, whether it was my fault and I didn't click on something, or an oversight on their part, our first order in the first 10 days did not go through. We realized this a week later, as I was stalking the mailman and received an email from the site saying that our cart was still full. We checked the card we used and (thank goodness) it was not charged and the site still had my order unprocessed. We called the company and told us there were two ways we could still get free duplicates:

1) Ask the photographer to re-submit the photos under a 'new event;' therefore, our order would qualify under the first 10 day offer.

2) Wait until days 80 - 90 to order them. We'd get an email from them reminding us of the last minute deal and we can submit our shopping cart then.

We contacted our photographer, and of course we was more than willing to set up another site for us. However, after discussing it with my husband, we thought that waiting a couple of months or so for them would cut on an immediate expense when we came back from the honeymoon (the photographer didn't publish them until we came back and approved them).

We told him that he didn't need to bother to set up a new site. We'd wait until the end of the 90 days to place our order. With that extra time, we were able to fit it into our budget and save for it for a couple of months. Yes, we were getting a little impatient and anxious at the end to get them, but happy that we were able to get a few things paid off on our card before we added something else to it.

Video Reviews of My Wedding MakeUp Products

These are videos of the MUST HAVE products I mentioned in the last post, plus a couple more.

Gift Ideas for Bridesmaids

There's no need to spend a lot on bridesmaid gifts (unless you want to and have the budget for it). Especially if you're having a large bridal party, gifts can get pricey and eat in to your budget. However, with a little brainstorming and time to browse online or in stores, you can find affordable, yet thoughtful gifts.

The best gifts in my opinion are ones that will help prepare them for your special day. They are going to be spending, too; not only on their dresses but on your shower, bachelorette party, etc. Keep that in mind when selecting their dresses and accessories. Do you want them all to wear the same shoe or same color? Consider purchasing their shoes and/or getting them dyed.

Spa gifts are great - who doesn't like to go to a spa with their friends? This can be expensive, so look for local beauty colleges (even Aveda has one!). You may not get the total 'spa experience' but you'll save lots if you want all your girls to have a mani/pedi. Massages are nice and well-appreciated, but, if you are all on a budget consider this: what would be better for the 'Big Day,' buying them massages or their make-up application or up-dos?

Don't worry - there are plenty of more affordable ways to make your girls feel and look beautiful. One of my readers, Lilli, is considering buying teeth whitening kits for her girls. What a great idea! It's a great bridesmaid gift under $50 (heck, even under $30 for some kits). Not only will their smiles look great in the photos, they'll thank you for their pearly whites in the future, too!

Eyeshadow and foundation primers also have immediate and long-lasting appeal. These will keep your and their eyeshadow and foundation looking flawless and it should last through the evening with little to no 'touch-ups' required. The best primers I've ever used are the Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion
for eyes and Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer
for face. A friend gave me a gift certificate for a professional make-up application for my wedding - I made sure I brought these two products along to the artist, just in case she didn't have them. She had the Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer
, but not the Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion
. I would not have walked down the aisle without Urban Decay under my eyeshadow - it was the only way I knew I wouldn't have to do any touch-ups. And, zero touch-ups were necessary. I bought my Maid of Honor these primers as a Christmas gift. She loved them and used them before, during and after the ceremony.

I plan on doing some review vids on the products I used for my wedding. Until then, you can see an older review of the Urban Decay Primer Potion:

Post Wedding Update

Oh my goodness! I can't believe how busy I've been since our honeymoon return. I was pretty busy before the nuptials - getting everything together for the ceremony - but now I jokingly wish I only had tasks like that on my 'to-do' list. Now, instead of preparing for one day, I'm preparing for the rest of my life with my husband.

I'm not complaining, though; in fact, I'm quite happy taking on all of these new responsibilities, it's just been a slight challenge fitting new tasks into my routine. First on this list is to start looking for a home. Fortunately, it's a buyer's market. More on that another time.

Another task at the top of the list has been to find a job. I have been in media sales since '96 - mostly local magazines. Due to the current economy, print advertising has REALLY taken a hit. One of the magazines I worked for recently ceased operations after 28 years. Another one I worked for is just barely surviving, but I had to part ways. One of my paychecks bounced and the others had been late. I understand that most of those said problems happened because advertisers were late paying their bills; however, I cannot cureently base my life on others' payment schedules or lack thereof.

I need a change. I may have found one. More on that later.

As for bellydancing, I had full intentions getting back into it after the wedding, but I broke my right pinky toe almost two weeks ago. OUCH!

Wedding Makeup - Please Help Me Decide

I sometimes hate admitting to these 'girly moments' as I have named them but I can't help it - I am beginning to stress about my wedding day makeup.

I do not wish to spend additional money on makeup application at a salon, so I'm getting a head start on my application practice and a color scheme that will look best on me on my special day.

Special thanks goes to Ladyvdesigns on You Tube for suggesting that I create videos of the looks I'm considering and asking viewers to vote and share their thoughts. Thanks so much, LadyV!!!

Please leave your comments and participate in the poll if you wish. Thanks so much!

Bride Look: Copper/Bronze #1


Bride Look: Black and White #1



Bride Look: Rose and Pink #1

The best Tripod for Bride Bloggers

I posted this video for my You Tube friends - especially the ones whom have shown their make-shift camera set-ups for their vids; and, did not see it necessary to invest money in a professional tri-pod. Like most fledgling vloggers, I had my camera propped up on a pile of books, until I was "liberated" with the Gorillapod by Joby

Vlog Entry - Makeup and Wedding stuff

I was supposed to post this yesterday but ran out of time.

Bride Blog - Expenses and Makeup

Budget Rant re: floral expenses

Bride Vlog #1

Makeupmasters.ning.com and YouTube

I have found valuable make-up advice recently at a couple of cool sites. For the first few months of my YouTube membership I kept to myself and kept to publishing practice vids for my bellydance blog. However, my social nature crept through my video curtain and I began conversing and subscribing to a host of beautiful women that have been publishing exceptional makeup application tutorials and product reviews. I didn't care much about make-up for a while - since I got out of the 9-5 corporate life. However, since I've been watching these vids for the past few months I have been inspired to try new looks with different colors and WOW - it has paid off!

There is also a great site DEVOTED to makeup reviews and application. Don't trust the commercials - trust the women who have already purchased the product and see what they have to say.

These You Tube women and the members on http://makeupmasters.ning.com will be my PERSONAL CONSULTANTS when it comes to me choosing a pallette for my wedding. I feel it's better to consult with 'real' people first instead of a salon stylist first - unless you REALLY know your stylist! Otherwise, the stylist may just suggest the 'easiest' up-do and makeup application and tell you it's the best for you - when it's really the best for him - because he will get you and the rest of your party out of the salon an hour earlier for the same price. I'm not saying that happens all the time - but I do have a friend that felt like she was TOTALLY rushed out of the salon after spending gobs of money.

I'm hoping to find a good look for both my face and hair by watching vids, reading posts, and submitting my own pics and vids for review. Hopefully this way will help me find a look that I can sucessfully do myself instead of adding on the extra salon expense.

Video Friends and Other Channels

I have just recorded and am currently downloading a video that I will also be posting on my You Tube channel and my other blog that focuses on my first year in bellydancing lessons. I've met many wonderful and inspiring people on both sites. Please listen to the upcoming shout-out videos I will be posting and check them out!

Video after His Proposal

I made this vlog for my YouTube friends to tell them the good news. I'll share this and I will be creating more for this this site.

My Wedding Gown and Tiaras from Outer Space

My mom and I found the perfect dress just four days after the proposal. David's Bridal was having a sale. Mom and I were just going to have a look, and the teenage romantic in me couldn't wait to try on my first gown. I was looking for something simple, something classic. It was easy to choose, actually; it was the fourth or fifth one and the only one where mom and I both started crying. It also was the most comfortable by a landslide. It's ivory, beaded lace. The photo is from the catalog. I have a much shorter veil. They had beautiful tiaras but SHEESH - they were @ $200! Are they from Mars? Get real! That's 1/3rd of what my mom paid for the dress! She loved it on me and said with a nervous smile that she would also buy it if I wanted it. I assured her that we will both have fun looking around for the best discount on one.

I admit - the little girl in me has always wanted to be princess just for one day - so I want a tiara.

I've already found some on Amazon that are under $15! That's worth it for me to get a couple to try on, then maybe save for bellydancing. There's also the accessory stores at the malls.

An Unveiling - an Engagement of Love

I'm not new to blogging - and as I approach my second year of bellydancing I can not say I'm new to that anymore. However, I AM new to being engaged and planning a wedding. I will be celebrating or stressing, but I will be archiving this beautiful process.