Luminations of a New Wife

Changes for the New Year

With the ringing in of 2006 comes some more changes to The New Wife.  Please browse our new vendors by clicking on their links to the left (and remember that these services don't support this site, YOU do by your browsing and purchasing!) I'm especially excited about Chelsea Paper which is a fantastic stationary site allowing you to customize your own wedding invitations, thank you notes, shower invites and much more...I like their non-traditional cute notes and I'm sure you will too. (It's also where I found my shower invites!)

Happy shopping and click away!

What to get the couple for their wedding?

Like I've said before one of my most fun (read: stress-free) activities on my bride-to-be to do list was to create my registry. Creating wishlists of beautiful gifts that Steve and I would not otherwise get on our own was too enjoyable. My mom and I spent endless hours browsing stores and adding precious items to my registry.  Doing so, I fell in love with a Swedish hand-crafted glassmaking brand called Kosta Boda, who makes these gorgeous vases. So many of our gifts came from there! One of my favorite designs are these "Fidji" vases which retail at Bloomingdales for $185. So here's the catch - get them for at least 20% less at Dishes, Decor & More. I love a deal just as much as the next person - shop here and save so much when you select that special gift. (The best part is shipping is free for gifts over $200!) You'll find the same brands here at Bloomingdales just for so much less.  Browse their Le Creuset, Orrefors, Vera Wang, Waterford, & Wedgewood collections - then check their prices against Bloomies, and don't forget to write me and tell me how much you've saved! It'll be our little secret...

Cute shower favors

Well aren't these just the sweetest little things. Personalize each favor box with your own initial or monogram, fill them up with jordan almonds, candy hearts or french mints, and place one at each guest's table setting. I love favors that are personalized and even handmade as they show the extra thought and time that went into creating each one. Your guests will leave your bridal shower still talking about it!

Hair styles

We haven't really touched upon hair styles for your big day. What a huge decision to make. It's so important to find a stylist that you really connect with and trust, allowing him to find the style that is most fitting and stylish for you. I've told you about how wonderful Carid is, from Peter Coppola salon in New York, who did my wedding day hair.

It's important to do some basic research on the internet finding hairstyles that interest you. Bring these pictures in with you when you meet with your stylist so he has a good idea of what you like.

A lot of brides go for the tiara look, but that's not my thing. Instead I found some delicate hair pins and a larger brooch to put in my hair. You'll find your own style that suits you as well, but here are some gorgeous ideas to get you started.

Model Bride has a great selection of well priced hair accessories.  You can visit their Fifth Avenue store, otherwise Lori will come to you on location (she does hair AND make-up!) In the meantime, check out this sparkling crystal barrette complete with a set of bobby pins and these gorgeous crystal hair pins. And remember, with these sort of pins, a little goes a long way.

101 Uses for a Bridesmaid Dress

So lately I've been addicted to the Isaac Mizrahi show on the Style Network. I really love watching Isaac - he is totally manic, though lovable and he completely reminds me of a good friend of mine from high school who shall remain nameless (guesses, anyone?!)

On his show last night was a guest named Chelsea Handler who just came out with this new book but more relevantly, has started a business where she re-designs old bridesmaid dresses.  She brought in a couple of her old bridemaid dresses and literally tears them in half, re-stitches the hem, and makes really cute and sexy hip-length shirts. Luckily the bridesmaid dresses I've had to wear so far have been really cute, but it IS a good idea to have just in case...

Watch the Isaac Mizrahi show on the Style Network airing everyday at 7PM.

Wedding Organizers

These are cute. When I got engaged I bought a five-start notebook where I could keep all the information and questions for vendors in one place. What ended up happening is that I collected so many business cards and such along the way that I really needed a pouch to keep all the knick-knacks in. That's where these great Wedding Planners come in handy! Both functionable and fashionable, give them as an engagement gift to a bride-to-be or pick up one for yourself! You'll love how organized you'll feel...

Read what our friend Doryn at Doryn's Dish has to say about these great gift ideas, where you can also purchase them directly from her site!

Relationship Rehab?

There's this new show that just premiered on, of course, the Style Network called "Relationship Rehab" and it's basically about empowering a girl to get over her ex-boyfriend and "take back her life." The idea is a good one but the show is completely devoid of any lasting change. Of course, by the end of the show Marcal said she was completely "free" of Alex (she even deleted his name and number from her cell phone! hehe) but we know what's really going on behind the scenes. As soon as the cameras turned off Marcal went straight to her cell phone to manically plead her ex back into her life.  We all know the only main way to get over an ex is to have a new man in your life.

And what the F? How did Wendy Diamond become a so-called "relationship guru?" Wasn't she on WE's Single In the City Season 1 desperately searching Manhattan for her own lover with her scruffy dog Lucky in hand? Yeah, you remember her. What gives this single girl a right to call herself a guru?!?  Enough is enough please vote her OFF this show and give her space to me. Can you get right on that? Thanks.

Wedding Playlist

Having an over-the-top band that rocks out your wedding party will definitely make (or break) the event.  Our band kept every single person dancing the entire reception through! But don't under-estimate the importance of selecting your play list.  I carefully selected a must-play list but it's also crucial to let your band know the songs you DON'T ever want to hear. Here are my top ten most overplayed wedding songs that you better avoid...

10. YMCA ~Village People~ (Can you imagine your guests doing these letters in their fancy dresses? Save them the disgrace...)

9. I Will Survive (UGH! Enough already - we've clearly survived.)

8. Celebration ~Kool & The Gang~ (This was already featured at your Bar Mitzvah circa 1984).

7. Brick House ~Commodors~ (Remember Adam King from Real World Paris and his insatiable, infuriating crush on Leah? But of course, his father is the trumpet player in the Commodores - need I say more...)

6. You Shook Me All Night Long ~AC/DC~ (This song looks RIDICULOUS when your parent's friends are trying to "shake" it)

5. Play That Funky Music ~Wild Cheery~ (BOO!)

4. We Are Family ~Sister Sledge~ (I'm embarrassed already. Don't even think about it. This was our sorority theme song - on second though, which house didn't have this song as their own "theme?")

3. Mambo #5 ~Lou Bega~ (Nooo~ Can you picture your rhythmically-challenged guests trying to do the mambo? NOOO!)

2. Lady Marmalade ~ C.Aguilera, Pink~ (Not only is this SO overplayed it's SO past it's prime so don't even THINK about it ruining your night).

1. Man! I feel Like A Woman ~Shania Twain~ (Ugh! I *HATE* this song with that annoying twangy beat. Only Celine Dion could beat out Ms. Twain as the most overplayed artist. Please save your wedding from this nonsense! We KNOW you feel like a damned woman.)

Lastly, here's a silly picture of Steven and I dancing on the top of the Rainbow Room! We felt like rock stars with the cheering crowd beneath us =)

Isaac Mizrahi

OMG! On yesterday's ISAAC he was interviewing people on the street asking them who their favorite celeb was and GUESS where the interview took place? I'll give you a hint - I saw our apartment building in the background! I swear I would kvell if I met him....

The first thing I would tell him is that he is crazy and   looks great and doesn't look chubby at all and that he shouldn't listen to his mother. The second thing I would tell him is that I love how he calls everyone "dah-ling" and pairs his stylish outfits with sneaks and sandals.  And the third thing I would want to do is show him my gown from Anne Barge because I think HE would kvell and we would hold hands while discussing the details of the embroidered roses. Oh, Isaac...*SIGH*

The Bachelor Goes to Paris

So last night we saw "Bachelor in Paris" on ABC and honestly, it was scary. Can we talk about some of these women? I love how as soon as they found out that their bachelor was a "DOCTOR" all the women literally freaked out. Please. Trent (oops! TRAVIS! thanks, Sharon!) is completing his residency in Nashville- but these women don't care. They're dreaming of money signs and that was pretty obvious.

So, Allie G. was my favorite. She was the oncologist who basically told Travis that she's ready to start reproducing. Then to add to the image, she told him her eggs are rotting. Where did ABC find these people? The best part is that Allie G. completely freaked on Travis when she didn't get a rose and told him that the only reason people get married is to reproduce, and since he didn't want to reproduce with her, he shouldn't get married. It was a little scary to watch her psycho-meter reach boiling point.

Then there's Yvonne. She's one of the least attractive women there, but to her advantage she  overheard Allie G.'s psychobabble and made fun of her while talking to Travis. I'm not so sure why Travis kept her. I feel like Yvonne is one of those women that the network wanted to keep around because she's clearly scandolous and will do anything for a rose, which makes for good ratings, and round and round we go.

These girls will do anything to get married! They will literally promote whichever side of their personality they think is most compatible with their beloved Trent. I love how they all write what their "dream date" would be - PUHLEASE! They'd basically do just about anything for that ring, and oh yeah - Travis, too.