Free Manicures for Brides!

Okay, so this article in Glamour is talking about a brilliant marketing plan by a nail salon in California, but YOU can turn their genius into a Free Manicure plan for you!

The next time you go for a mani-pedi, suggest to your salon owner that today's brides are stressed-out and cash-strapped, so wouldn't it be the coolest thing ever if their salon offered a free monthly manicure to brides-to-be? Hey, it can't hurt to ask, and most salon owners facing customers' cut-backs in disposable funds would love to draw fresh, new customers into their place.

Memory Photos on Your Bouquet

Photo courtesy of Tory Williams (http://www.torywilliams.com/weddings)


The Fine Art of Family offers wonderful little photo charms that you can attach to your bouquet if you would like to honor a departed relative or friend during your walk down the aisle.

If your father is departed, and not able to escort you down the aisle, you can attach his photo in a charm to your bouquet so that he can join you in a bit more than spirit as you approach your groom. If a mother has departed, her photo can grace your bouquet as well.

I love the concept and design of these, so I encourage you to visit the site for more information!

The Top 100 Wedding Blogs!

Today was a big day for wedding bloggers everywhere, as BrideTide.com announced its list of the Top 100 Wedding Blogs! And I'm so proud to share with you the news that my iVillage blog is on the list!

As they say on the red carpet, it's an honor to be nominated, but it's way cooler to get on the A-list. Many thanks to the team at BrideTide, and I recommend my readers to go check them out!

Give Back! Designing Charitable Favor Cards

I LOVE this site for Charitable Registries and Charitable Wedding Favors: ChangingThePresent.org. Finding a way to Give Back with your wedding has long been a trend, and it's only growing stronger as we think about the value of wedding gifts and favors, and how wonderful it is to choose something that adds to humanity, and makes a difference, far more than a little silver wedding frame.

Check out their DIY package so that you can choose from some wonderful offerings -- Adopt a Tiger ($40), Plant 40 Trees ($22) and fabulous favors such as Equip Artisans ($5) and Provide Back-To-School Supplies for needy kids ($5). They even have a $1 Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich donation for a kids' food pantry. What a great late-night favor that would be: a mini PB&J slider for the road, as hungry guests leave your reception after hours of dancing, plus a cute note that you've designed on this site announcing that they've just fed a hungry child. This is a wonderful thing!

Make your wedding maps at WeddingMapper.com!

Here's an easy and fun way for you to create your own wedding maps together! WeddingMapper.com's DIY section allows you to design and print your own icon-studded directions for your wedding invitations, and if you have any questions, they have an expert available to help you out!

I love this site so much, we used it to create our own wedding maps for our Big Day, and I'm their new Q&A Expert for all topics related to finding the perfect venue and vendors! Just click on Advice at the top of the DIY maps page to get to my section.

Great cake toppers!

If you want your wedding to sparkle, even after you've taken a lot of cost-cutting steps to make your Big Day more affordable, check out these dazzling cake toppers:






A description from the company: "Elegant details put the finishing touch on the big day. When it comes to the reception, everyone notices the cake. Why not make the cake standout even more? Toppers With Glitz adds a little bling to wedding cakes with custom designed crystal cake toppers. Extra edible components can increase the cost of your cake – and they are usually thrown away. Glam toppers are hand made with CRYSTALIZED Swarovski Elements AND they are a fun keepsake. Three-letter monogram toppers come in various sizes and custom made designs are offered, including palm trees or snowflakes, anything to go with your theme.

"Designer Sari Watkins hand makes every topper herself. While planning her own wedding she searched everywhere for high quality monogrammed cake toppers. She wasn’t happy with the selection so she started her own business. Toppers With Glitz specializes in customizing artwork, lettering styles and crystal colors. The possibilities are endless and gorgeous!

For more information: www.topperswithglitz.com
Email Sari: Questions@topperswithglitz.com

Check out Presents For Purpose

When you're looking for gifts for your bridesmaids, the moms, and any other special person in your life, it's always a great feeling to buy an item that 'gives back' to charity. I'm especially excited to recommend this website, for its great work and high-fashion angle, organic items and 'go pink' selections that help a cause and might just fit with your wedding's color scheme ;)

Presents for Purpose (PFP)— www.presentsforpurpose.com —was founded in 2002 by Alayna Kassan and Cynthia W. Dressel, two Lymphoma survivors who, along with PFP co-owner Leslie Weissman, wanted to give back to the community that had been there for them during their struggles. The women originally designed and began selling crystal watches, their first retail collection which quickly sold out, resulting in a $20,000 donation to the Lymphoma Research Foundation. Since that time, the site has grown exponentially and now offers hundreds of high-fashion, high-quality and in many cases, designer gift ideas for women, men and children. Items range from fashionable apparel and jewelry to hand bags, baby gifts, organic/green items, “go pink” items, stationary and even personalized gifts in all price ranges. PFP has teamed up with and/or has been supported by a number of celebrities including Miley Cyrus, Teri Hatcher, Lisa Rinna, Jessica Biel, Marisol Thomas and Ethan Zohn.

In many cases, PFP works with the individual charities and designers to create a gift that represents the core of that particular charities work, an example of which can be found in their latest piece of jewelry, added to the site. The “beauty within” butterfly necklace (shown above) supports children with a vascular anomaly.

Do something stupid, get a free honeymoon?

I knew it when I saw these two giggly post-teens on the Today Show. The girl apparently swallowed the engagement ring that the oh-so-creative boyfriend slipped into her milkshake, and -- good thing they had a camera rolling! I always need video evidence of my having a milkshake! -- and now she's blogging that maybe, just maybe, they'll get a free honeymoon out of the deal.

So we're in a recession, right? I'm thinking....we'll start seeing some pretty creative efforts via YouTube and its best friend The Today Show enacted by opportunists trying to get a free vacation and a free wedding.

I know that there will be lots of people out there nodding their heads, admiring these kids, saying 'Wow, that's clever.' I happen to know some of these people by name, and I'm sure they're greasing up some jewelry ready to go win themselves a fresh trip to Hawaii.

And then I know many, many more people who would never pull a trick like this.

'Here Come the Moms' at Wedding Podcast Network

Last week, I had the pleasure of getting back into the studio with Robert Allen and Holli Ehrlich of Wedding Podcast Network for our newest talk show segment tapings for the MOTHERS of the bride and groom (and the bride who loves them). This week, we delve into the dark ravings of the mom who wants to be the bride, or who THINKS she's the bride. Why do Moms lose their minds? How can a Mom make it up to you when she's gone too far? Tune in to hear about Mama Dramas and the sweet solutions that get everyone back on track.

Five lucky listeners will win a signed copy of my new book 'The Bride's Survival Guide.'