For more information about these bridesmaid dresses, visit:
jlmcouture.com
badgleymischka.com
enzoani.com
verawang.com
priscillaofboston.com
ariadress.com

Posted by Naima at 10:48 a.m.

Most people probably think this title doesn’t make much sense. While some may think the word “tomboy” means not feminine and more masculine—that really isn’t the case. “Bride” on the other hand makes us think gorgeous, glamorous and very feminine. How does one incorporate the vision without being too much of the above? It’s a matter of perception and preference.

When we think of a gown that’s a little more classic or elegant, a bride doesn’t have to wear the typical white with ruffles and ringlets in her hair to look like a bride. In fact, with some of the gown styles today you don’t even have to wear white. The gown doesn’t have to be embellished with floral and bling. It can be a light beige or champagne with spaghetti straps and maybe a criss-cross back. This gives charm and appeal in its own way. Sometimes less is more for certain people. So for those of you who are sweating over the idea that you’ll have to look like you belong on a cake topper in order to fit the vision of what a princess bride is, I’m here to calm your nerves and tell you that you don’t. Choose the style that reflects your personality and makes you comfortable.

The idea of flowers everywhere may be another reason why a no-frills bride might panic. If flowers just aren’t your style, there are other things nature can provide that are simple yet elegant in many ways. Think of using branches in a vase with river rocks and candles on the tables. If your wedding is in the fall, incorporate filling many different-sized pillar vases with leaves of all different colors and use large chunky candles in between them to add ambiance to the room. This shows your appreciation for the season and also gives your guests a warm feeling. Again, not super feminine but simple and elegant.

The Budget Guru realizes she may be showing an unfair New York-centric bias by calling out wedding venues at such places as Citifield, home of the NY Mets, and Riverside Church…so to set things right, today she’s sending a shout-out to all you Boston brides. There’s a great wedding giveaway going on in YOUR town, from the people at Beantown Bride. Here’s their info—and may the best bride win!

Posted by Susan at 1:20 p.m.

It's Miss America 2009 Katie Stam! During our September/October 2010 cover shoot, Katie took some time out to flip through the pages of our magazine. Doesn't she look great?!

Posted by Lori at 1:58 p.m.

Check out reemacra.com, moniquelhuillier.com, elizabethfillmorebridal.com, verawang.com, inesdisanto.com, and aimeeusa.com

Psst… I’ve got a seriously, amazing, going-to-stop-your-heart secret on how to score (!) five—yes, you read right—five free (underline seven times) nights at two of the poshest hotels on the planet. The two Six Senses resort properties in the island nation of the Maldives in the South Pacific are gifting five-night stays to folks that have booked five previous evenings of rest and relaxation at these outrageously luxe locations. The hotels have intimate thatched villas accommodations, holistic spas, organic food and blissfully remote locations. Set on a spot where the jungle, sugar sands and transparent waters meet, the Soneva Fushi property is completely unplugged with a ‘No News, No Shoes’ policy. The sister site, Soneva Gili, is a series of breezy bungalows on stilts, so you can only imagine how amazing the water sports and plain old relaxing can be here. So, now all you need to do is claim your prize of five free nights, which can be divided among the two. So, what’s the catch you ask? Well, all you’ve got to do is spend a few hours giving back to the community. The hotels, which reflect a sense of social and environmental responsibility, have hosted daily activities in the community for guests to give back. Each day you’re asked to help out around the place by doing marine conversation, youth education and other activities. The program runs from June 1 until October 12. Go to sixsenses.com for more information.

Happy Spring! Don’t know what it’s like in your neck of the woods but the gods have blessed The Big Apple this year with the best weather we’ve had in a long time. The tulips, lilacs, cherry blossoms, daffodils and dogwoods are in full bloom and all of this glorious nature provided the perfect backdrop for the fresh, new styles just featured in the New York Bridal Fashion market. In fact, for the past week (including this past weekend)

I’ve been out of the office attending fashion shows and visiting showrooms with BG’s dynamic fashion team, Naima DiFranco and Maureen Choi. Armed with our trail mix (no time for lunch or dinner over the weekend!) and comfy shoes, we saw close to 50 designers and hundreds of bridal and bridesmaid dresses.

The gowns are amazing! We were all inspired and pretty much dazzled by the beauty and creativity of the designs and I promise to highlight some of the shows for you in my next blog.

If you haven’t started your dress search yet, get ready to be thrilled by what you’ll see. In the meantime, I’m off trail mix for a while and relishing some healthy meals (and wearing higher heels again!)

Posted by Diane at 10:07 p.m.