The past few weeks have been a whirlwind. In fact, the month of October flew by so quickly that I never noticed the leaves changing colors! First up were numerous appointments to visit the “Tabletop Market” where we viewed beautiful dinnerware, crystal, glassware and flatware, plus tons more to consider for your registry lists. No matter what kind of table you want to set or how you entertain, you’ll find plenty to choose from. I especially loved iconic fashion designer Donna Karan’s fantastic collection for Lenox. It’s simply gorgeous and we’ll definitely be featuring some of her top pieces in a future issue.

Then it was on to the bridal Fashion Market where we saw hundreds and hundreds of breathtaking gowns for you lucky brides-to-be. Get ready to be dazzled by these new dresses. The designers were all at the top of their game and I don’t envy you the challenge of having to choose just one dress. These new gowns were drop-dead gorgeous and the artful designs, textures, accents and detailing were couture-worthy. Check out our Fashion Editor’s blog, Naima DiFranco, for a sneak peek at some of these outstanding designs.

No sooner had I seen the last fashion show then I was hopping on a plane (actually, several planes) for a spectacular press trip to Singapore. All I can say is “wow”! This is one fabulous destination for any of you considering something a bit more exotic for your getaway. The people are warm and friendly and the island is a contrast of sleek, ultra-modern skyscrapers and charming years-old neighborhoods.

There are luxurious hotels, mega-shopping, great sightseeing, nightlife and yummy foods to try. I’ll be writing more about this enchanting island-nation in our May/June 2011 so stay tuned. In the meantime, here are a few bucolic scenes from Singapore’s Botanic Gardens to whet your appetites and put you in that honeymoon frame of mind.

For more on these lovely veils, visit priscillaofboston.com, romonakeveza.com, moniquelhuillier.com, and oscardelarenta.com. For more options, go to saragabriel.com.

Posted by Naima

This week the bridal fashion market officially opens in NYC. (In past weeks there have been other shows in Chicago, Las Vegas and Dallas.) So, along with Bridal Guide’s fashion editors, Naima DiFranco and Maureen Choi, and our online editor, Rachel Jacoby, I will be literally running all over Manhattan every hour on the hour for the next 5 days to see what designers have in store for all you lucky brides. We’ll see hundreds of new dresses and marvel at the designers’ creativity. How do they come up with fresh style ideas season after season? It’s always fascinating to see their inventive ideas.

This week we previewed some exquisite new gowns from David’s Bridal. There are lots of options coming your way whether you prefer an uber-romantic gown or something more sleek and sophisticated. Here’s a look at what’s in store:

Love this idea: The transformer gown! Wear it long and sleek for your ceremony:

Then simply remove the bottom skirt and you’re wearing a short, chic look for the reception or after party. Genius!

New York event planner and author Karen Bussen is a big favorite of ours here at Bridal Guide--all the weddings she creates are elegant and beautiful. Here's an idea for a completely personal, affordable wedding memento: As a companion volume to her gorgeous Simple Stunning Weddings, Karen has come out with her Simple Stunning Wedding Keepsake Organizer ($29.95), a three-ring binder filled with tips and charts, trade secrets and storage and plenty of room for your personal notes. Imagine: Years from now, you'll be able to relive your crazy wedding-planning days from the comfort of your own cozy couch--heaven!

To see more of this bridal line, visit alynebridal.com.

A burning bridal question right now: Do brides really need to hand out favors to their guests? Only if they're edible and affordable! Delicious goodies are all the rage now for wedding favors which means bidding adeiu boring silver picture frames. Kelven Book of Canard, Inc., a New York City catering and event planning company, says, "The purpose of the edible favor is to give guests a take-home memory. If your wedding featured miniature bites, do the favor in miniature; if you served comfort food, give something homey, like a chocolate chip cookie." There are also some couples are thinking ahead to breakfast and giving their wedding guests big cinnamon rolls to eat the next morning. A great favor idea for a wedding that featured both sweet and savory delectables could be a gorgeous tote bag filled with both a savory cookie and a butter spreader plus miniature jar of icing, house separately in glassine bags. Inside, add a note to your wedding guests says “Thanks for adding sweetness to our wedding.”This cute cookie favor (3” to 4”), with packaging and icing, costs about $4. A large cookie, with packaging and icing, would cost about $6.

To find out more on these dresses, visit verawang.com, clairepettibone.com, stpucchi.com, junkoyoshioka.com, reemacra.com and inesdisanto.com.

Posted by Naima

There’s no doubt that one of the most revolutionary products of the tech age is the digital reader. (Stores practically sold out of them over the holiday season.) Who could have imagined just three years ago that these gadgets would be able to hold almost an entire library? Now, I must confess, I do not own one…yet. But after testing one of Sony’s Readers I know what’s going to be on my wish list. And what should definitely be on your bridal registry list.

Sony has three new Readers and the one I tried was the 5-inch Pocket Edition that retails for $179 and is available in pink and silver. Plus, if you purchase the Sony Breast Cancer Awareness Reader (which is only available for the month of October), you'll help Sony donate $10,000 to support the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. It was so much fun to operate! I loved how lightweight and easy the Sony Reader is to use. There’s a stylus pen attached and you can also purchase a chic cover with mini LED light attached.

The screen itself has no backlight meaning it eases eyestrain (yay) and is even readable in direct sunlight. You can zoom in on the text and adjust contrast and brightness. Plus, you can use your favorite photos as a screen saver. It has 2 GB of memory and can easily hold 1200 books. In fact, the battery lasts for approximately 10,000 page turns. (That’s a lot of books!)

To find the perfect hair accessories for your updo, visit jenniferbehr.com, shopbando.com, mariaelenaheadpieces.com and thetiararoom.com.

Posted by Naima