Your First Dance: How to combine tradition, style and culture

So I am assuming that most of you have already seen the first dance on You Tube where the couple starts off dancing to Unchained Melody (aka: the song from the movie Ghost) and then breaks into a choreographed dance to Baby Got Back (see the link below). It is actually rather funny but how could you take this gimmicky idea and intertwine your culture and style whilst not making your first dance into a joke? Sue and Philip made it happen at their fabulous wedding on Lake Geneva in Switzerland.

What Sue and Philip did was combine the traditional dancing and culture of their respective backgrounds and gave it a modern twist. They began their first dance with a beautiful Austrian waltz. Then midway through the waltz, the music changed and on came Jai Ho from Slumdog Millionaire. All of Sue and Philip’s closest friends ran up to the dance floor with the bride and groom in the front leading in a choreographed dance. It was a huge surprise for guests and a sight to be seen!

By combining the classic Viennese waltz with Bollywood dancing, Sue and Philip managed to share in a lovely first dance, combine their two cultures, bring their friends into the mix and entertain all the guests. What more could you want?

Your first dance can be whatever you want it to be so why not be sentimental but also be a bit creative if that suits your style? It is your big day so have fun with it!

If you haven’t already seen the video I spoke of, take a look if you want to laugh…it is not in everyone’s taste but you will definitely giggle at least a little bit…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mAI7lsEfug

An amazing idea for bridesmaid dresses that will have all your girls smiling!

Want to make your bridesmaids happy? Why pick one dress when they can each design their own (with bridal approval of course!)?

With bridesmaids from Los Angeles, Toronto, Amsterdam and Reykjavik – picking a dress could have been a difficult task for Sue. In fact, selecting a dress for all your girlfriends is difficult to begin with even if they are all living in the same town.

Sue easily solved this problem with an ingenious idea – Why not just buy a gorgeous fabric and then ship it off to the girls so that they could work with designers to create their own dresses? And so she did. With imported silk straight from India in a beautiful dark turquoise blue, each of Sue’s bridesmaids worked with a seamstress in their own cities to design their perfect dress. The only requirement was that it had to be cocktail length.

This is a great idea even if your bridesmaids are in the same city since most girls don’t love the thought of one uniform dress for everyone, especially when each person might have their individual style, and shape too!

With this approach you can choose the color you want that fits with your wedding vision but be sure to stay in close touch with your bridesmaids, help them find a seamstress to work with (if you are familiar with the area) and absolutely give them some instructions for the design of the dress (e.g. must be cocktail length, must be gown length, should be v-neck, dress needs to have a cap sleeve, etc).

The proof is in the pudding and these were very happy bridesmaids. Good work Sue!!!

Bringing culture into your wedding the right way: Sue & Philip's Wedding, Montreux, Switzerland

She is from Canada and is Hindu. He is from Austria and is Protestant. Together on Sunday, May 31, 2009 they created an unforgettable wedding meshing together two very different backgrounds with different cultures and religions leaving guests in awe. It was truly a spectacular event.

There are many great ideas from Sue and Philip’s wedding that made it so memorable. Throughout the following week I will share with you the key elements of the wedding that can be used as inspiration for your upcoming nuptials to make your wedding an event not to be forgotten.

So how do you bring your cultures into your wedding in the right way? = With sophistication, style and a whole lot of fun!

Stay tuned for some fabulous ideas...

The best kept secret of a happy bride on her wedding day: DELEGATE!

To all those brides out there who are stressing about every big and little issue while preparing for your upcoming nuptials –

First of all, please give yourself a pat on the back. Planning a wedding is hard and you deserve to take some time out to treat yourself for all of the time, emotion and effort it takes to plan a wedding, whether you are planning it on your own, with your family and friends or working with a planner - organizing a wedding can be tons of fun but is still a difficult task and you need to be good to yourself.

Second, there are ways to help yourself out as your big day draws nearer. After planning my wedding for a year and a half, I decided to take some key advice from my FAB (Friend and Bridesmaid) who suggested that I make the most of my wedding party. And so I did.

The month before my wedding I sat down and figured out what last minute details needed to be managed and sorted out the week of my wedding, including the To Do’s for the big day. I then divided up responsibilities amongst all of my bridesmaids as well as their dates and my groom-to-be, of course. Everyone was happy to help and excited to be part of the wedding.

Just remember, delegating is not your opportunity to turn on your inner bridezilla - it is just a chance for you to ask your friends and groom for a bit of help when you most need it, whether you would like someone to accompany you to your final appointments, have your groom be responsible for all last minute details with your wedding venue or ask a few of your nearest and dearest to help you get ready on your big day.

By delegating the major responsibilities of the day, you will be able to sit back, relax and enjoy your wedding day without all the last minute logistical worries so that you can focus on the most important parts of the day – saying your vows to your fiancé and having a fabulous time celebrating with your family and friends!

So all I have to say to you is “Delegate! Delegate! Delegate!” – your friends and family are there for you so trust them to relieve some of the pressure on your big day so that you can have the time of your life…

Looking for an amazing bakery in Brooklyn? Check out LADYBIRD BAKERY in Park Slope!

For the past two weeks, I have been on vacation in Switzerland, Virginia and New York to attend 2 weddings (more to come on the events soon) and spend some time with friends and family. During my trips I am always on the lookout for new inspiration and last Thursday I found some. While walking around Park Slope in Brooklyn with my mother, someone we met suggested that we check out Ladybird Bakery, which used to be known as Two Little Red Hens - a bakery that was opened in 1992. The spectacular Ladybird Bakery is owned by Marie Louise Clemens, one of the original owners of Two Little Red Hens. Since we were in the mood for some sweets we headed to the bakery and picked up a chocolate mousse tart with whipped cream sprinkled with chocolate shavings, a red velvet cupcake and one of their famed Brooklyn Blackout cupcakes. The moment my fingers touched the red velvet cake, I knew I was in for a special treat. The cake was incredibly moist and actually had a soft velvet-like texture while the cream just melted in my mouth – I couldn’t help but smile when eating this wonderful cupcake. The chocolate mousse tart was the perfect blend of creamy rich chocolate and fluffy light, but not too light, whipped cream. Last, but absolutely not least, the Brooklyn Blackout cupcake was amazing. My mother and grandmother sat there reminiscing of how it tasted just like the blackout cake from the beloved Ebinger Baking Company, a bakery in Brooklyn that was a favorite of older generations of Brooklynites and was founded in 1898.

Not only does Ladybird have cupcakes and pies to die for but they design and create wedding cakes with a full list of scrumptious flavors of cakes and fillings as well as a list of their specialty cakes (Brooklyn Blackout included!). So if you are looking for a cake that your guests will definitely eat and love every bit of (while wondering if they can ask for more) definitely give Ladybird Bakery a call or just stop by – Ladybird is located in the south Slope on 8th Avenue between 11th and 12th streets (You can take the F train straight there).

For more information on Ladybird Bakery and their cake flavors, check out:
http://www.ladybirdbakery.com/

Ask the Expert: How to get the perfect tan for your big day

Hey Ladies,

To get the perfect tan for your wedding, here are some products that I love to use. They create a beautiful bronze look without the mess of spray tanning and minus the not-so-lovely orange hue of most self tanning products.

1. For a gradual hydrating subtle self tan, or to maintain color after a vacation, try Aveno Continuous Radiance Moisturizing Lotion with natural soy and gradual color enhancer. It's best used 3-4 times a week, one month before the big day.

2. MAC Skinsheen leg spray - It is non-greasy mouse formula, and gives a bronzed tan that lasts a few days. It will not get on your clothes or sheets. It will gradually fade over a few days. Apply all over the body on dry clean skin, and do not moisturize before using.

3. To add an extra glowing shimmer to the body on the day of your wedding, use Golden Bronze Loose Powder by MAC. Use a large powder brush, like #150 by MAC, and lightly dust all over the body.

Tips on self tanning
- Always test out the product before the day of your wedding to make sure you get a desirable tone. I highly recommend using a body buffer brush to help eliminate streaks or uneven tones.

- Make sure you apply the tanning products on clean, dry skin (no body lotion beforehand) in order to ensure that the tanner doesn’t rub off on your clothes.

- Be extra careful when using the Golden Bronze Loose Powder by MAC as it can get on clothes so definitely make sure to apply it before you put your gown on ladies!

Happy tanning!

Til next time,
Laura