Green glam up your aisle with Eco Armani!  Both Colin and Livia Firth had their tux and dress made with recycled bottles at the Golden Globe awards!

Check out Livia’s dress – amazing!  Perfect mother of the bride dress and Colin’s tux is perfect for any groom!  Take a cue from the Golden Globes on how to glam up your wedding and still stay green!

There is nothing better than the best band ever for a wedding!  Golem, from New York, kept everyone on the dance floor at Decatur House for Mari and Josh’s wedding reception!  Can’t you tell by this photo above?  Take a look:

Don’t you want to get up and dance right now?

If you saw the post yesterday – you also saw this gorgeous quilt made by Mari’s mom.  We were able to bring it over to the reception in between the ceremony and reception to hang behind the escort card table.  Just beautiful!

Mari and Josh chose beautiful fabrics from Africa to place on each table.  Every table had a different fabric accent that our seamstress customized for them from the bolts of fabric Mari brought back from Africa.  We then had several fun ceramic square white vases filled with herbs for the guests to take home.  As always, Design Cuisine did an amazing job.  You can’t tell from these photos, but Mari’s family owns cattle and Design Cuisine was able to use cuts of meat from her own family’s farm for the dinner!  Just an over the top amount of work and wonderful customer service!

We loved Mari’s beautiful bridal bouquet and bridesmaids bouquet – a fun and whimsical bouquet with peonies, delphinium and belles of Ireland.

Her bridesmaids bouquet complimented so wonderfully with the peonies, delphinium and dianthus!

Stay tuned tomorrow for our final installment from Mari and Josh’s wedding…incredibly fun photos!!!

Photography by Documentary Associates

This Scala gown is a teal silk sheath with sheer brown silk chiffon overlay and matching 3/4 length sleeve sheer jacket. It’s on sale for $100 off the retail price.

This Jade couture silk Dupioni gown has a sweetheart neckline and bodice with asymmetrical drop waist. Offered at over 30% off the purchase price.

This Tadashi mother of the bride dress puts a modern spin on the traditional MOB gown.  The best part is the price, it’s reduced from $450 to just $89!

If you have not been reading our Eco-Beautiful Weddings Blog – then maybe you have no idea that Anthroplogie’s answer for the bridal market is going live today and it’s called BHLDN (say “Beholden”)!  Above is my absolute fave of the dresses that I was able to catch a sneak peek of last week!  The Pinwheel tea dress and that amazing headpiece are to die for!  Not to mention the shoes that have vintage and scarce fabric on them!  Take a look at the blog post about this dress and the shoes here!

Robin Fisher and I were invited to tour all of the URBN family buildings at the Navy Yard in downtown Philly.  Their food court/gym space (to the right above) can also be rented out for weddings!!! Seriously a dream space for a wedding planner like me!  All of the buildings had some sort of eco element to it.  Whether it was the original Urban Outfitters sign as decor or reclaimed wood for flooring or steps, I was in love at first sight!!!

After touring their various facilities they brought us to their own bed and breakfast which was set up with 4 lovely coordinated rooms filled to the brim with their various special occasion dresses, upcoming decor items and bridal gowns.  They started off with the bridal fashion show with a candy bar and sushi!  It really was a wonderland and quite dreamy to say the least!

One of the dresses that we did not get to see on a model is this gorgeous gown with navy blue accents on it!  Just divine!  I really would love to see a bride pair it with these gorgeous yellow shoes!

The shoes, the candy, the accessories…everything was amazing.  Anthropologie’s BHLDN line will be the biggest line to hit the market in years and they will continue to grow!  Check out their website today as it will be the most coveted and most talked about wedding website on the block!

Happy Valentine’s Day!

I am excited to be on the Wedding Podcast Network again!  This time around, I am giving wedding planning advice from my first book the Mother of Bride based on her second book the Everything Mother of the Bride Book!

Click here to hear the interview – perfect for both brides and their moms to listen to and to get a taste of what the book is all about!  You can also learn how to win a copy of my book!

Happy Planning!

This is a continuation (part 3 of 4) of Kendall & Mo’s wedding – all about the decor we did for them! Grab a cool drink as this will be a long one!

This is our signature trellis that we have been using for about 2 years now.  We have now taken it out of commission and have reused the wood to create a smaller version.  No worries – we can still make another one like it – we just felt a smaller version would make some of our upcoming weddings more intimate!  We purchased the aqua glass hanging votives to add to our ever-growing collection of amazing hanging glassware!   Of course we also have every color of the rainbow in paper lanterns.  It was just especially whimsical to have them inside this beautiful atrium at the Engineer’s Club in Baltimore.

After choosing her save the dates -Kendall brought one to me and we designed the day around the adorable colors from her paper items (which were showcased in yesterday’s post)!  We created simple but beautiful bouquets comprised of green hydrangea with white ranunculus for the bridesmaids to go with their beautiful turquoise/aqua shade dresses from Jenny Yoo.  Each bridesmaid had an individual beautiful brooch that Kendall bought for them as gifts!  She even gave one to me that I adore!

Here is her lovely bouquet! She chose white peonies (available in May and June) with white ranunculus, green cymbidium orchids with blue delphinium accents. (Look at that cute chair decor her mom made!)

We love our oval vases!  We used them for the atrium as decor on the railings with submerged green cymbidium orchids and fun aqua stones.

We custom designed this piece for Kendall!  It was gorgeous and huge!  We took manzanita branches and fastened them to a box Miguel made out of some old wood from our workshop and filled it with wheat grass.  Then we added green dendrobium orchids with her cute paper flowers (and escort cards) from her Etsy Paper designer Magnolia!  Check out the post from yesterday to get a closer view of the flowers – by clicking here! (You can also click on the image to make it larger to see more detail).

Here is a nice snapshot of the tablescapes!  We used our tall cylindrical glass vases with manzanita branches with hanging green and aqua glass hanging votives (hung with vintage green and blue ribbons).  Then we had 3 lower vases with submerged white dendrobium orchids with floating white candles.  Then you can see her adorable napkin rings here too – which were featured yesterday on the blog!

(There was also a candy bar – which I don’t have photos of at the moment!)

Mo is Lebanese and we were able to get Debke dancers in for their reception as well from MSE Productions!

MyDeejay was there that night for all of the other music and it was seamless!  Anthony is always a pleasure to work with!

I love this photo of the Engineer’s Club as it shows their signature lighting ceiling system that I am in love with!  However – this is not to be confused with the fantastic job that Ampa Events did with the uplighting around the facility!  Truly an amazing event!

I wanted to make one final note on this blog post.  This wedding was planned with eco-friendliness in mind.  Kendall and Mo are busy doctors and highly aware of what is going on in our environment.  She chose Etsy Designers to give back to the creative artist community, chose us for our eco-friendly designs, chose the Engineer’s Club for its beauty and historical significance, chose MyDeejay as they are a carbon-neutral company, her friends and family took most of the paper decor to be reused again…the list is really endless.  We adored Kendall from the moment she stepped into our offices!

Going green can be fab folks – as you can see here!

Stay tuned for the 4th and final installment tomorrow for Kendall & Mo’s wedding!  All about cake – not to be missed!

All images were provided by the amazing Jennifer Hughes!

]]> http://www.eleganceandsimplicity.com/blog/wedding-planning/kendall-mo-part-iii-wedding-decor/feed/ 0 http://www.eleganceandsimplicity.com/blog/announcements/mother-of-the-bride-to-everything-wedding/ http://www.eleganceandsimplicity.com/blog/announcements/mother-of-the-bride-to-everything-wedding/#comments Wed, 05 May 2010 17:08:58 +0000 Chris Easter http://www.eleganceandsimplicity.com/blog/?p=2894

I have a few interviews coming up for my Everything Mother of the Bride Book (be on the lookout) – but I wanted to share my excitement with you about my second book that will be hitting bookshelves in the fall!  I have revised the number one selling Everything Wedding Book for an updated and fresh look at today’s wedding planning.  I am excited about all the research I did for it for multi-cultural weddings, interfaith weddings, gay weddings and of course, eco-friendly weddings.  Lots of deletions and additions had to be done in order to make this fourth edition happen – it is a project I have been working on for almost one year!

I just got the cover last week and I am working on the final edits with my publisher over the next two weeks.

Then…I can finally concentrate on writing Eco-Beautiful Weddings – The Book!

Once I know pre-sale dates – I will let you know!

]]> http://www.eleganceandsimplicity.com/blog/announcements/my-book-on-wedding-aces/feed/ 1 http://www.eleganceandsimplicity.com/blog/wedding-planning/what-do-you-mean-the-invitations-are-going-to-be-green%e2%80%a6does-that-mean-you-are-using-that-cardboard-like-paper/ http://www.eleganceandsimplicity.com/blog/wedding-planning/what-do-you-mean-the-invitations-are-going-to-be-green%e2%80%a6does-that-mean-you-are-using-that-cardboard-like-paper/#comments Wed, 24 Mar 2010 15:00:00 +0000 Claudia Van Veen http://www.eleganceandsimplicity.com/blog/?p=2631 Your daughter isn’t exactly what your friends used to call ‘granola’ but she’s really gotten into trying to do better for the environment.  She has a friend that just got married and used ‘something different’ for invitations and she wants to do the same thing.  You are thinking,  “Oh no, what now.  Why couldn’t she just make this one nod to a traditional formal wedding invite?  What on earth will everyone think? She could get cutesy with the ‘Save the Date’ card.”

Instead of saying “Does that mean you want to use that cardboard –like paper?” in a horrified voice, you suck in your breath and say “Why what a wonderful way to let everyone know you are thinking about the environment.  We can look together to find a beautiful alternative to what I’d always envisioned your invitation to be.”.

You might want to suggest to your daughter that the two of you go look at invitation books at the local fine paper store where they offer a service of  creating your invitations with custom letterpress.  Once you get the ‘feel’ of what is out there, you can cruise around online.

A benefit of letterpress invitations, stationery or announcements is the fact that most letterpress machines require a heavy, cotton-based (read: tree-free) paper to produce their lovely indentations. In addition,  it takes a lot of ‘human power’ to create the die cuts for personalized orders. Thus, letterpress products are usually “green” and offer less of a carbon footprint than other printing alternatives.

Here’s a pretty design from traditional fine paper company: William Arthur www.williamarthur.com

Letterpress Dogwood Branch Wedding Invitation

A lovely branch of leaves and dogwood blooms drapes around the wording area on this ecru invitation.  The branch is letterpress printed in Fern green ink and you can coordinate or contrast your text ink color.  Letterpress printing creates a soft timeless look, which just might be perfect for your wedding. Each personalized invitation comes with a matching ecru envelope. Double envelopes can be selected during the envelope personalization process.  Reception cards and Reply notes can be ordered as well.

You’ve come to terms with not doing the ‘traditional’ invite, so why not do something really different and fun? I found this wonderful design by Staccato on etsy.com

Kristy

Beautiful cocoa colored monogram adorns the top of a pale blue double thickness cotton paper. The invitation is further embellished by a thick chocolate satin ribbon and a shining crystal brooch. To make sure the invitation arrives beautiful condition, it is mailed in a sturdy chocolate box.  Set will include:
Letterpressed and embellished pale blue invitation
Letterpressed pale blue respond card & envelope
Mailing box in chocolate brown
Shimmery ivory wrap-around label
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Box, ribbon, ink, and paper colors can all be changed.  Invitation prices start at $15 but can vary based on your quantity, options, and inserts.

You can encourage your daughter to go as upscale as she would like if your budget allows.  If you really think about it…it would be a good thing to use more paper with your invitation ‘bundle’ if you are using tree free and post-consumer recycled papers.  It’s actually better to go for a lush effect. Then, just maybe, more people will be inspired to use these papers.

AH HA!  – Perhaps you (and your husband) will become a bit more green in your thinking as well. 

Just maybe more trees will be saved which would = Beauty and Responsibility. Win -

Win. YAY!

MoB Claudia Van Veen

]]> http://www.eleganceandsimplicity.com/blog/wedding-planning/what-do-you-mean-the-invitations-are-going-to-be-green%e2%80%a6does-that-mean-you-are-using-that-cardboard-like-paper/feed/ 1 http://www.eleganceandsimplicity.com/blog/wedding-planning/mother-of-the-bride-wednesdays-2/ http://www.eleganceandsimplicity.com/blog/wedding-planning/mother-of-the-bride-wednesdays-2/#comments Wed, 10 Mar 2010 14:00:59 +0000 Claudia Van Veen http://www.eleganceandsimplicity.com/blog/?p=2500 What if the ‘in-laws’ are insufferable? Remember your Miss Manners!

Oh boy.  It’s time to meet the groom’s parents…your daughter has mentioned a few little skirmishes but you have been brushing them aside in hopes she just has a ‘case of the nerves’ whenever she’s around one or both of the groom’s parents.

Even though there are a lot of wonderful ‘stories’ out there about meeting the future relatives there are a few that make one shudder…below are two true stories from people I know! (ya can’t make this stuff up):

Story#1.   Things are not what they seemed to be.

Lydia and Mark are going to meet the groom’s family at a big party to be held at their townhouse in downtown Baltimore’s very posh Mount Vernon historic neighborhood.

Expecting regular ‘northern city type people’, they were jaw-dropping shocked when the door was opened by the mother who, according to Deana (the bride), changed overnight.   The groom and his parents had never ever mentioned nor acted as though they followed any particular religion.  The mother had always dressed very normally and talked about everyday things and wedding plans everytime she’d been around her.  Well, not this time!  Surprise! The Mother of the Groom opened the door wearing high heels, crop pants, peasant blouse pulled off the shoulders showing off some large ta tas – hair gone platinum, pulled up on top of her head and BIG plastic earrings.  It was as though the mother had stepped back into 70s Miami style – her big blond Bette Midler look.  And all the sudden – everything is kosher which was strange since the last time Deana was there they had a lovely pork roast.  The bride was Baptist.  The shock wasn’t so much the kosher take as was the total makeover the groom’s mom had done.   Of course, it didn’t help that they started pushing that she convert – even the groom started to push her to do so a couple of weeks later.  The poor bride to be simply could not understand where all this came from.

The point of this story? The bride’s mom behaved like a lady – elbowed her husband in the side a couple of times , took everything in stride and calmed her daughter down through a very emotional, roller-coaster of an evening.  That’s part of your job.

Story #2.  Bad manners.

A friend’s daughter worked for a news organization and while she worked there she became very close with a quite famous reporter who is well-known for being out-spoken about her political leanings.  The reporter and the family became quite close and so when ‘Christine’ became engaged, the reporter most graciously threw the engagement party for her at a middle-eastern restaurant in downtown DC.   The groom’s parents (who lived in a state to our south) arrived (1^st time the Mother of the Bride ‘Josie’ was to meet this couple)…the family greeted them warmly and led them to the table of honor where the bride and groom, the mother of the bride, the bride’s brother and his wife and the groom’s parents and the groom’s sister were to sit AND the reporter, of course.  Place cards and everything…right there on the table.  The groom’s mother froze and stated that she absolutely would not sit at the table with THAT woman (the reporter) and moved over to another table and sat with friends that had driven up with them.  (Guess she thought that the reporter’s politics might contaminate her).  My friend was infuriated but as a very gracious mother of the bride (she was sure the reporter’s feelings would be hurt) made as though that was such a kind thing the groom’s parents did…to sit with the friends from out-of –town so they wouldn’t feel so isolated.

The point of this story? This bride’s mom swallowed her anger and made a very uncomfortable situation seem smooth as silk.  Again…good manners and the ability to turn around a sticky condition can save the day or night.   (Look for another story about Josie’s nemesis soon under Groom’s gifts.)

Happy Planning!

~Claudia Van Veen

]]> http://www.eleganceandsimplicity.com/blog/wedding-planning/mother-of-the-bride-wednesdays-2/feed/ 0 http://www.eleganceandsimplicity.com/blog/wedding-planning/mother-of-the-bride-planning-tips/ http://www.eleganceandsimplicity.com/blog/wedding-planning/mother-of-the-bride-planning-tips/#comments Thu, 25 Feb 2010 15:26:20 +0000 Claudia Van Veen http://www.eleganceandsimplicity.com/blog/?p=2420 Where will the wedding be held?

Scenario #1: You are only paying for a few items of the wedding. Your daughter and her fiancé are paying for the venue and the dinner and they are trying to keep within their budget.  Everywhere they’ve looked that they like is waaay over their budget, so they sheepishly show up for Sunday dinner and suggest your house since you do have a wonderful area for entertaining inside and a large backyard with some big trees and neighbors that don’t have ‘tacky’ yards.  On 1^st thought, this sounds like a really nice way for everyone to save some money! YAY!

Whoa, though!  You and your husband need to really take a good look around the inside of the house where guests might wander and the outside – not only the yard itself but the exterior of the house – need new shutters?  Shingles looking faded? Never did get that patio finished?  Haven’t opened the pool for the last two years?  Inside: floors – need new carpet or does the hardwood need refinishing?  Have you been putting off getting the kitchen redone since the stock market played havoc with your finances (the reason you aren’t paying for everything)? Bathrooms – major stains in sinks or on the ceramic tile?  Did the bath upstairs leak through the ceiling in the guest bath on the 1^st floor?  Would you need to go ahead and buy a new sofa or get the dining room table refinished, paint the downstairs (which would lead to more décor changes), chimney swept, new window treatment and have the backyard professionally landscaped?  Hire a tent person, rent chairs and tables, hire someone to make an altar are for the service itself?  By the time you add everything up, you might be spending much more than renting one of the ‘best’ places available.  If a venue rents for $6000.00 against that $20,000-$45,000 to ‘fix’ the house in order to be ready for the wedding…then perhaps you might want to steer the couple somewhere else.  Don’t forget…this wedding will have its stressors but a lot more might be piled on if it were to be held at your home.

Scenario #2. What if the newly engaged couple suggests the wedding should be held at his home?  Whew!  That would let you off the hook.  But then, ‘they (his parents)’ might be calling most of the shots, wouldn’t they?   Hmmm.  It is your daughter’s wedding.  But, don’t forget, it is their son’s wedding too.  Of course, the reality is that no matter how well you get along with the new ‘in-laws’, there is the location ownership factor to be considered.  In the end, it just might not matter one whit.  However, all of you should consider that aspect before his parents are approached.

Scenario #3. Different types of locations to consider:

Destination wedding….hope you don’t mind if we leave this one for another blog post!

Guest list 75 people. The wedding could be held at a location such as Woodend which offers a MD country setting that is relaxed yet elegant. With its classic Greek portico, sweeping lawns, and spacious, high-ceilinged rooms, Woodend provides a beautiful setting. They do have a list of caterers they allow on property.

Guest list is 180. Perhaps you’ll consider an historic building in DC such as the very elegant Decatur House Museum? As the first neighboring residence to the White House, dating to 1818, the Decatur House is one of the oldest surviving homes in Washington, DC. It sits right on Lafayette Park which can provide the most wonderful backdrop of the White House for outside photos of the wedding party before the event.  Twenty-foot vaulted ceilings top the spacious ballroom, decorated in neutral tones, and the wall of windows and French doors bring the brick courtyard into view.

(Note: if it is held here, then the bride and groom might want to consider spending their wedding night at the Hay Adams Hotel which is only a block away…they can walk there after the reception. Wedding guests with sparklers to send them on their way could form a double line for the couple to walk through.)

Guest list 450 of your nearest and dearest friends, your ex-husband and his wife’s friends, the couples’ friends and co-workers (he is a Congressman – so security is an issue too), his mother and her husband’s friends, his father and his wife’s friends and although you only have 3 children, his family has a blended brood of 8 siblings and their families…plus the bride wants it to be spectacular and in DC!    OK – there are quite a few places to choose from…we really are lucky to have locations that can handle large crowds (remember the inaugural balls/dinners). There is the National Building Museum or how about the Ronald Reagan Building where you can have a reception in the Woodrow Wilson Plaza and the dinner/dancing inside.

One note of caution:  For a wedding/reception to be held in DC or the wedding in VA or MD and the reception in DC – don’t forget about traffic and where will the guests park?   You might want to consider hiring a valet service that will handle all that for you!

Rather than having to run all over town looking at 10-15 sites and think of all the multitude of items for “THE LIST”…might it be better to choose a really wonderful wedding planner?  And might it also be wonderful to choose one that can ‘green’ your daughter’s wedding?  Try the Washington, DC Green Wedding Consortium!

Happy Planning!
~Claudia Van Veen

My brand new book has made it to the warehouse for distribution to places like Amazon and Barnes and Noble!  I ordered a few to get them out to our favorite friends in the industry to review.  However, many of you have been wanting a signed copy for yourself.

I will put up pre-orders for my 1st book soon.  I expect to get my 1st shipment of books within this next week!

Soon I will be announcing the initial set of cities for my book tour which will include Eco-Beautiful Weddings seminars for wedding professionals!  Be sure to come back and vote for your city if you don’t see it on the list.  I will make room for a few extra cities on my calendar with enough votes.  Looking forward to meeting all of you in fantastic cities across the US and Canada!

Cheers!

]]> http://www.eleganceandsimplicity.com/blog/announcements/the-everything-mother-of-the-bride-week/feed/ 2 http://www.eleganceandsimplicity.com/blog/mother-of-the-bride/mother-of-the-bride-wednesdays-two-pesky-body-parts/ http://www.eleganceandsimplicity.com/blog/mother-of-the-bride/mother-of-the-bride-wednesdays-two-pesky-body-parts/#comments Thu, 18 Feb 2010 01:35:02 +0000 Katie Martin http://www.eleganceandsimplicity.com/blog/?p=2353 We’ve all seen it – MOBs in an exquisite sleeveless (or short-sleeved) dress that would have really looked grand on her 10 or 15 years ago…but no more. You turn to your friend and say “What was she thinking?” Or “I don’t think this was the look she really wanted!”  Neck and hands used to be the tell tale signs of aging (still are for most of us) but thank goodness, there are many products and procedures to help with those areas now. “Then, what are the telltale signs I need to look out for?” you ask? Upper arms and elbows!

Madonna and 1^st Lady Michelle Obama have sent the message that toned, taunt upper arms can be within reach for other 40-somethings and older.  That message has been helped along by other celebrities who have passed their 40th birthday, yet remain virtually flab-free. The list includes Sarah Jessica Parker, Ellen Barkin, and Mary Tyler Moore. Mrs. Obama, of course, posed in a sleeveless sheath for her official White House photograph.

Celebrities aside, can a determined 50+ year-old woman pump her way to 30-year-old arms?  Probably not. Why? With age, the skin and the connective tissue start to lose elasticity and you have more sagging. There is likely to be more flab underneath a 50-year-old bicep than a 30-year-old one.  And, as active as a 50+, or 60+ can be, it’s a good bet they’re still not as active as 30-somethings who are often running after children in addition to squeezing in formal workout time.

Ok – then there are those of us who should never, ever show any upper arm (women of substance-especially older ones). But, guess what- there are worse things.

This takes the 80s puffy-sleeved bridesmaid dress way too far.    Don’t go overboard hiding those upper arms!.

And then, what about that other problem area? “Old elbows,” she told me.”A woman’s elbows always give her age away.” — Nora Raleigh Baskin (What Every Girl (Except Me) Knows)

Who woulda thought they’d be such tattletales of our age?  Sagging, aging elbows show rings (like a tree!) and can ruin a wonderful put together look. Check out Posh’s!

And she’s nowhere near being a mother of the bride!   Ladies – our elbows show age 1^st and are much harder to remember to take care of.   And even if you did – there just comes a time when you can’t hide the aging look unless you have elbow cosmetic surgery.  Hmmm, think I’d rather spend my money somewhere else, wouldn’t you?

Here are a few tips to keep the skin there taut and supple:

1. Exfoliate, exfoliate, exfoliate! A good chemical exfoliant like glycolic acid would do the trick.  Unlike the face, the elbows are not sensitive and can stand higher percentage of acid.  (Try biting someone’s elbow, I swear they won’t feel a thing! And no, I DON’T know anyone who will let me bite their elbow ;>) If you lack the resources to buy glycolic acid– cut a lemon in half, rub on to elbows, and leave the juice and rind on there for 5 minutes, rinse.  I don’t recommend physically scrubbing the elbows too hard as you’ll just pull at the skin.

2. Moisturize! Again, people forget to moisturize the elbows.  Use dermatologist recommended Cetaphil!  Eye cream is good too if you can afford to buy box loads of La Mer eye cream to rub on your elbows like Kimora Lee Simmons does.

3. Sunscreen! Yes, the elbows suffer from sun damage everytime you drive, walk outside or play tennis.  We use sunscreen all over our face and body but most of us neglect to protect our elbows!

Ok – what to do if you don’t have time or the inclination to work really hard on those areas? Cover them up! At the pre-parties, the wedding, and the brunch after!

Moms!  This look is perfect for those two pesky problems. Coppery hand-beaded French lace blouse with a web design, worn over an Italian faille strapless mermaid gown, about $2,700, by Stephen Yearick,  is a very glamorous look.

Or this beautiful Cameron Blake creation is lovely –

No matter what your budget, there are a lot of gorgeous outfits out there that will cover those two areas we just don’t think of often enough.

Happy Planning!

Claudia Van Veen

In the movie ”True Love,” a caterer persuades the beleaguered young couple to serve sky-blue mashed potatoes to match the bridesmaids’ dresses. ”You should feel that anything’s possible,” he says.

But, if you (and your husband – the step-father) love to go out to good restaurants, have attended many events and know something about the caterers in your area, or perhaps the bride or groom worked in a professional kitchen, or attended gourmet cooking classes or have seen Julia and Julia 5 times and own all her cookbooks, then the emphasis changes from gussied up food to fabulous tasting food.  So no matter how the scenario plays, you choose a caterer and then have THE TASTING.

Wedding Dinner meal tastings can be fraught with peril…so before you start, here is the etiquette that goes along with tastings.

1. Get quotes from your various caterers, compare and then choose not more than 3.   Ask if they are conducting any tastings for groups/ do they have linens/table set ups to look at?
2. Is your budget limited or is the “sky’s the limit”? A good caterer can give you great suggestions for either type or one smack dab in the middle.
3. After you’ve made the decision of which caterer, then set up a date to have the tasting.
4. Ask how many people you are allowed to bring, (do not bring more!).
5. Tell them any dislikes prior to the tasting…if you really hate couscous ask them to leave it off…also let them know of any food allergies for people attending the tasting. Will you be having vegetarians attending?  Let your account rep know prior to the tasting so there can be something included for those people at the wedding itself.
6. At the tasting- be clear and specific on what you like and don’t like…you won’t hurt their feelings (just do it tactfully). The sauce has anise? And you detest it? They can change sauces, leave off items you or the bride/groom dislike etc. That’s what tastings with a good caterer are for…it gives you an opportunity to modify the menu.
7. Ask to see photos of their work,  ask about staff attire, staff ratios etc

Obviously, a great wedding planner will help guide you and your daughter through all of this! (www.eleganceandsimplicity.com – of course!)

OK- here’s an overview: You and your husband are paying for the wedding location (venue), the cocktail reception and the dinner.  You have decided on French service (French service refers to having a waiter serve the food onto each guests plate for each course as opposed to bringing out plates with the food already placed on it.) The caterer will let you bring 7 people to the tasting.  So it’s you, your husband – (fella with the buckys), the bride and groom, his parents, and a friend whose judgment both you and your daughter respect.

You will be given a list of the dishes to be served and a pen/pencil to rate which you like the best down to the least favorite.  The appetizers are served by a staff waiter; 2 seafood, 2 beef, etc., everyone raves (or not) over each piece, then you all are seated and in comes the soup (3 different tiny cups) – much discussion ensues over the soup.  Then the salad…one’s a crisp green, one is a blanched pear that is ‘too die for’ – all the women LOVE it – the men – not so much.

And then two beef, two seafood, chicken and pork entrees with wonderful sides…everyone is in heaven!  Stuffed!  (They even serve a lovely lemon sorbet to cleanse the palate between courses.) No cake will be served since your cake will come from another source.  But being the classy caterer they are, they do bring in some divine chocolates for ‘the final’ taste.   They offer reg. coffee and espresso…

Then the discussion and ratings begin of each of the items each person tasted.  Whew…got the appetizers decided, MUCH discussion again about the soup.  The women INSIST on the pear salad…and your husband is burning under the collar about the soup!  He wants what he wants especially if he’s giving in on the darn pear salad!  You whisper to your friend (the respected one) and then, you pipe up “If your step-father is going to pay for this wedding, he gets to choose the soup!” WHOA…everyone looks at you like you are an ogre….BUT no one disagrees.  The rest of the choices come easily. And thus – you’ve made it through the tasting. And he feels like he won a battle…probably the only one he will win. ;>) Ahhh, but such wonderful food…you can’t wait for the wedding, knowing the choice is perfect for your friends and their friends (bride and groom and his parents). YAY!

~Claudia Van Veen

OK – OK – they are not anything like the girdles some of us had to wear way back when. (Yes, it’s true – flight attendants did have fanny checks to make sure they had their girdle on!)  These new ‘helpers’ are really somewhat comfortable.  Many society mavens and regular (you and me) people now swear by Spanx, the moderately priced innovation of Sara Blakely, who has been widely credited with reintroducing girdling to the masses, thanks to comfortable fabrics; cheeky packaging; 100 different styles that reach as far up as the shoulder and as low as the ankle and eliminating the flabby overflow known as “muffin top”; back bulge, pear thighs, flat butt, and on and on.  There are plenty of celebrity endorsements, too! Oprah was an early convert (“Spanx really changed the way I wore clothes. … I’ve given up panties,” she once told her audience) and Gwyneth Paltrow owned up to wearing two pairs at a time after giving birth.  One of the funniest bits of comedy I’ve ever seen was in Wanda Sykes’ HBO special “I’ma be Me” where she discusses her love/hate relationship with Spanx…

Spanx for the Memory!

Gwyneth Paltrow, Oprah Winfrey, Jessica Alba all swear by high-tech power panties.  By Drew Friedman (As seen in the New York Observer)

Mom, mothers, and grandmothers – we all want to look our best during all the festivities and these wonderful things can help you do just that. The right fit can take up to 10 lbs off that body of yours and even if you are pretty trim, check your look from the back full length in the mirror…see anything that surprises you…dismays you?  Time for the Spanx!

Other brands?  Annette,  Sassybax (cute name), Miraclesuit (don’t we all need one?), Yummie Tummie…(way too cute), ASSETS by Sara Blakely (for you flat bottomed friends), and plain ole Wacoal.

Do you have back fat?

Try this one: Annette Diva Divined shaping slip

Or belly fat?

Give this type a chance: Miraclesuit.  They offer several styles – one of which is: Extra-Firm Control Strapless Body Briefer  (but straps do come with it  – AND it come in sizes from 34B to 42 DD

There is now even a line of Haute Couture Spanx at Saks Fifth Avenue and Nordstrom’s.

It is suggested that those who find the neo-girdles uncomfortable are probably just wearing too small a size. “You don’t want to smash your butt; you just want to organize things.”

A woman stands up a little straighter when one wears shapewear. For instance, Assets by Sara Blakely could give you Mannequin Rear End. It won’t billow like it’s full of water. It just won’t move.

Forget the scenes from St. Elmo’s Fire and Bridget Jones’s Diary, of plump heroines being seduced and then summarily mocked by men who encounter their BIG Girl panties?  MOBs – you are dressing for the beginning, middle and end of the day/evening…not the ‘afterwards’.  Your spouse/significant other will just be pleased you looked so nice.  Don’t have one of those??  Who cares…you’ll be pleased for yourself, girl!

~Claudia Van Veen

Chances are this is the first time you’ve given a Mother of the Bride wedding speech. If so, then there are certain things you’ll probably want to achieve…

• You want your speech to be sentimental…with a touch of humor but not schmaltzy.
• You don’t want to make a fool of yourself in front of 20, 50…300…or more wedding guests.
• You want your speech to be a special tribute and something your daughter and her groom will remember with fond love – even if they don’t remember all the content. (see note below about this).
• Your speech should be one of the highlights of your daughter’s wedding and one that you’ll want to look back and remember with pride.

But, if you are like most Mothers of the Bride, you don’t know where to start or what to say. You don’t know any jokes or quotes that are appropriate for weddings. And you don’t know how to word your feelings and sentiments so they are meaningful to your daughter.  Not only that, you need inspiration to get ideas flowing so you can create a memorable speech. I’ve never had a problem speaking in front of people but I do have friends that are just terrified at the thought.

• Which type are you? Practiced public speaker or neophyte – this occasion is different from every other one you would ever attend…it is your daughter’s wedding and so this speech must be as good as you can make it and that kinda puts all of you on a level playing field since even the ‘natural speaker’ can get nervous about speaking before this crowd.   The old adage that we were all taught still holds true for all of us moms.  Practice makes perfect.  After you write out your speech, practice it out loud in the bathroom or in front of a bedroom mirror until you are comfortable with saying all the words…sometimes just saying it aloud makes you realize a phrase needs to be changed…looks good on paper but doesn’t ‘talk’ well.  (You should get your husband to do this as well, if he is speaking, too.

Hopefully, you will actually get the chance to make your speech in front of all of the guests – but sometimes strange things happen and the mothers just don’t get the chance to make a toast (or just don’t want to do so).  So in that particular instance and just to be safe for your moment to speak, I will repeat…write that speech out – or at least the highlights.

Contents of speech: You can

1. Thank the guests that attend the wedding for their efforts to make it successful and memorable for your child.  Did someone come from a long distance, then smile and point to them and thank them by name for making this wonderful effort to help send the couple on their way.

2. Give the newlyweds advice that they could really use as a part of their foundation for marriage. You have experienced living in a married life and you know the ups and downs.  Share a tip or two…here you can try a little humor… like ‘learn to always look before you sit on the toilet especially in the dark’ or  If you both sometimes use the same razor…be sure to leave a note on the bathroom mirror that the razor is NEW!   Or…try to remember to leave little surprises around for each other.  But also, do offer that sage advice that we’ve all heard and that does bear repeating ‘Never go to sleep without touching the other’s face while you kiss goodnight’…the kiss could be habit but to touch never is.

3. Relate a personal story or habit (that won’t embarrass) that is funny or poignant about her…such as: “I’ll always remember the awe on Katie’s face the Christmas that Santa brought her a real carpenter-built, 4-story-with removable roof and floors, real shutters, hardwood floor, linoleum-in-the-kitchen (with the kitchen built-in) Barbie townhouse – and I can see that same look now as she looks at her wonderful new husband.”

4. Formally welcome the groom as part of your family. Sometimes, things haven’t been all that rosy with the groom-to-be leading up to a wedding.  This is another chance for you to make your daughter proud of you as her mom…a simple “Welcome to the Family” will show that you are trying to or have accepted him.

5. Avoid thinking sad thoughts during speech delivery.  Some moms commit the error of saying that they will be losing their child.  Even if you are really thinking this…do NOT say it aloud at anytime.  It could truly wreck havoc either with your speech or the whole evening. You really don’t want to become a mess of sobbing hiccups up there.   That would be a downer for everyone. And you still have that toast to make.  Or perhaps you’ve recently had a close member of the family die (your father, mother, etc), wait to mention this person to the very last since chances are you will cry and so will the bride.  So just don’t mention that person until after the toast and then just say – “Aunt Bubba would be so proud. “

Sample toasts found at http://www.freeweddingtoasts.net

• May all your ups and downs come only in the bedroom. (might be better for the best man to say this one, but I included it since it is funny and Irish!)
• May you have warm words on a cold evening, a full moon on a dark night, and the road that goes downhill all the way to your welcoming door.
• There is nothing nobler or more admirable than when two people who see eye to eye keep house as man and wife, confounding their enemies and delighting their friends.” ~Homer, Odyssey /ninth century B.C.
• Here’s to your mother-in-law’s son; (With glass raised, indicate your daughter), Here’s to your father (mother) -in-law’s daughter, (indicate the groom), Here’s to the vows you’ve just taken, and the life you’ve just begun.

If you can’t create a speech or the toast portion of your speech that sounds like it is really coming from you, then copy several from the internet and change them around to make it your own.   Look at your daughter, your guests in the eye when you speak, find people in the audience that you feel comfortable ‘talking’ to and that will help you give a speech that sounds like a conversation rather than like a ‘canned’ speech and voila…you did ok with it.  Good luck!

Lastly, since surely there will be some tears during the wedding; be sure you have tissue or a handkerchief before starting your speech or listening to others talk about your little girl. It is not good to see the MOB with smeared mascara and a red nose!

Happy Planning!

~Claudia Van Veen

]]> http://www.eleganceandsimplicity.com/blog/wedding-planning/mother-of-the-bride-wednesdays-speeches/feed/ 0 http://www.eleganceandsimplicity.com/blog/wedding-planning/mother-of-the-bride-wednesdays-budget/ http://www.eleganceandsimplicity.com/blog/wedding-planning/mother-of-the-bride-wednesdays-budget/#comments Wed, 06 Jan 2010 19:44:59 +0000 Katie Martin http://www.eleganceandsimplicity.com/blog/?p=1954 DREADED WORD:

BUDGET

or

WHO IS PAYING FOR WHAT

The old fashioned wedding where the mother and father of the bride pay for everything and the mother gets to choose most of the things is certainly not dead but we do live in a different world now.  Sometimes the bride (or groom) has a higher income than the mother or the father combined or perhaps she’s from a divorced family…where the mother has remarried and so has the father.  So, who to listen to and how to make everyone happy is a very stressful situation for your child!   Whether it ends up that we (mother & father) pay, they (the couple) pay,  they #2 (the in-laws-to-be),  the mother only, the father only or any other the multitude of combinations one could think up pays for this wonderful event, here’s your chance to be the best mom in the world .   If she/he hasn’t already asked you, suggest that you and she (and groom if she insists) meet or schedule a conference call to talk about who pays for what before too many lists are made.

If she lives in a different city/town or if you know you physically can’t meet a lot, it just might be the best thing in the world for both of you to invest in Skype.    Skype voice and video calling, IM and SMS are now available for your pc, laptop, blackberry, and more importantly – the video calls are free!  Of course you need to buy the equipment:

Webcam and a headset (if they are not already part of your laptop or PC’s hardware):

So, how are these ‘delicate’ conversations discussed and decided upon?  In all likelihood, your daughter will have already thought about this before you two speak.   If not, then prepare yourself.  Buy a book (of course, I’m a little bit prejudiced here).

Before you meet with her, have a discussion with your husband (and/or ex) about where the money is going to come from?

Savings account for her wedding?

Refinance the house?

Sell a piece of property?

Ask the Uncle?

Make a list of what you really, really want to pay for and listen to her about what she wants you to pay for.  If your budgets say ‘not possible’, then be upfront right then and there.  On the other hand, if you want to pay for more, then suggest that to her.  She will let you know if that suggestion is welcomed or ‘just not gonna happen’.

First thing everyone (brides and grooms, mothers and dads) needs to decide is the approximate date.  A wise mom will suggest they chose 3-4 dates (in case something cannot be canceled or a favored venue is booked).

The time of the year can sometimes influence the cost of parts of the wedding.

Then, will it be formal or informal, maximum number of guests and attendants, if any.  Is this a wedding at the magistrate’s office?  Family only?

Or the closest 300 friends of the couple and parents.

Brides friends, groom’s friends, their friends.

Bride’s parent’s friends (could be 2 couples involved here).

His parent’s friends (could be 2 couples involved here, too).

You and your daughter (step-daughter) have many decisions to make – so try to be as gracious as possible and really listen to what the bride and groom want (and his parents).  If something is really, really important for her to include in the plans…just mention that ‘it would make you so happy if they could ….’  But please, please try to prepare your mind before each and every meeting about the wedding to

Listen

Use diplomacy (“oh honey, that sounds so fab… but XYZ… – what would you two think of that”!).

Be prepared to guide if asked and be quiet if not asked. (Can’t tell you how many times I opened my mouth and clamped it shut – and it all worked out just fine!)  If an argument starts, back down…there will be another meeting and by then things might have changed.  The most important thing you can do is smile and genuine smiles break most barriers! After all of you determine what kind of budget you can work with, then you can settle down to have the fun of planning the most important day of your little girl’s life.

Congratulations!
~Claudia Van Veen

Every year I love seeing this image flash across TV screens and couples recreating that special moment back from August 14, 1945 on New Year’s Eve in Times Square. Why am I even talking about this on New Year’s Day and on my wedding blog?  The answer is simple – this iconic image is a universal symbol of triumph, things to come, love and hope as it was the day we found out that WWII was over!

2009 was an incredibly difficult year where many felt that they were in a war for their life! We are all looking forward to a happier and healthier 2010 for all of our friends, families and clients!

This past week I met with 4 newly engaged brides and one groom.  The groom told me that they got engaged in 2008 and as they entered 2009, they could not even think about planning a wedding with both sets of parents being unemployed.  I am happy to report, his parents just got jobs and they are on their way to planning one of the cutest little weddings that the DC area will ever see!

Again – why am I mentioning this on my wedding blog?  My mom went through the same thing!  My mom writes the mother of the bride wedding post every Wednesday (with a few missed Wednesdays here and there). After over 18 months of being unemployed – she starts a new job on Monday!  I am so excited for her and she will still be writing for us!

We have so many interesting and fun things going on this year and we can’t wait to celebrate with you!  (I wrote a pretty lengthy post about what we have in store for 2010 a couple of posts ago – you can read that by clicking here.)

I have some really fun and cute blog posts coming up for this week….check back daily!

Happy New Year…cheers!

~Katie Martin

A few of us here at Elegance & Simplicity, Inc. are off traveling for the holidays.  We hope to still bring you a few more posts before the end of the year though. Sorry for the lack of posts here over the past few days, we have been prepping for many new things for 2010 for you!  Including the relaunch of our website incorporating our wonderful new logo!

I am actually just about to get on a plane to Florida to meet the wonderful Lara Casey of Southern Weddings Magazine.  I hope to bring back a few copies of the magazine – so be sure to pick up a copy when you stop by the office!

Here is a list of some major things for you to know for 2010!

1st – My 1st book, The Everything Mother of the Bride Book, 2nd Edition (an Adams Media Publication), will be coming out in February or March.  If you have not done so yet, please click on the big ‘ole sidebar jpeg of the cover of my book to the right.  Let my mom and I know why you have the best mother-of-the-bride (or mother-in-law to be or grandmother) to win $250 to go towards your wedding!  I can’t wait for my 1st book to hit bookshelves!  It will be the only mother of the bride book to talk about eco-friendly weddings and same-sex weddings.  Truly current, especially for DC area weddings since same-sex weddings are about to go legal in DC!  It is also easier to read and more inclusive – hard to explain, but will make more sense when you pick up a copy!  I have already gotten some great reviews from those who have gotten a sneak peek!  Can’t wait to share!  My mom typically posts about mother of the bride or groom issues every Wednesday – so check back every week moms!

2nd – We hope to post more content about the wedding that was featured in the Washingtonian.  They really only allow two pages worth of photos in their magazine per real wedding and there are so many more wedding goodies from Kate’s wedding that I cannot wait to share with you!    We also have an amazing feature in the new Bride and Bloom Magazine!  I also can’t wait for you to see our new listing in the Grace Ormonde Magazine!  Yippee!

3rd – I am in the final stretch of finishing my second book – The Everything Wedding Book, 4th Edition, which is another Adams Media publication. That book is set to hit bookshelves at the end of  2010!  So, this will be the reason why I will be “off to write” offline for the remainder of the year.   Then in January and February I will finish my 3rd book Eco-Beautiful Weddings!

4th – I am excited to let you know that we will be launching a website all about same-sex weddings here in the DC area.  There is a huge buzz being created around the world (literally) about same-sex weddings going legal in DC.  We will be hand-picking wedding planners to cake vendors that are gay-friendly and reviewed and approved by the nation’s leading gay wedding planner: Bernadette Coveney Smith of 14 Stories in Boston.  It is an exciting time in DC!

5th – We have had a fantastic year filled with exciting new things!  With over 40 staff members (and growing) serving brides and grooms for wedding planning and floral designs, we cannot wait to show you the new eco-couture and fashion-forward designs we have to offer for weddings in the DC area. There simply is no other wedding planning or floral design firm in the DC area that has the know-how and the passion for creating multi-faceted, multi-cultural, stylish and eco-couture events.   We are the  wedding industry’s leader in eco-friendly wedding design with the launch of our new magazine Eco-Beautiful Weddings.

The website houses our online magazine and blog.  While I am the editor-in-chief and publisher of the magazine, I will be taking on a select amount of clients every year to focus on greening their weddings and events along with helping other wedding professionals become green (or greener).  We have an amazing team of wedding planners and floral designers led by Tara Davis (aka “Katie Part 2″) and Keya Beale.  Tara leads our team of 6 weddings planners on staff and Keya leads our floral design team!  All wedding planners on staff are trained in floral designs as well.

I will have more announcements for you in January!  We have 3 new projects in the works!

Our staff strives to provide only the best in Washington, DC weddings and Eco-Beautiful Wedding Style!

Stay Tuned!

Have a Happy Holiday!

Cheers!

Katie Martin

“He’s got horrible teeth! Why hasn’t he gone to the dentist?”

Instead, you might say (in front of them both)  ”Boy, I think I’d better start working on getting these teeth whitened…maybe all of us should…just think of all the photos!…

…Wonder if the antibiotics (tetracycline) I’ve had to take are the reason my teeth have gotten so yellow? (You nor the groom smoke or ‘chew’ and you are wondering why his teeth are so yucky).  Wonder if I should have the dentist fix that gap I’ve been talking about for years!  And your dad’s teeth are horrible, too…

…Why don’t we see if we can go as a group and get a discount!”

Really, ask your dentist if he would do a group discount – some will.

What are your teeth whitening options & costs?

• Implants – we are talking money here! Time, as well –$1,250-$3,000 each, but the total cost can escalate to $15,000-$30,000 DentalResources.com.
• Crowns- (also called caps) cost $500-$3,000 a tooth
• Composite resin and porcelain veneers –  So, do you have bridges?  Then, as you probably are aware, with time your natural teeth change color from the bridge color.  With either of these permanent solutions, all your teeth will be the same color.  Traditional porcelain veneers are about .5 millimeters thick, and cost around $500-$1,100 each; the Lumineers® brand is.2 to .3mm thin (like a contact lens) and runs $700-$1,300
• Opalescence whitening cost: $500 (fronts of all teeth)
• Britesmile whitening cost: At dental offices, prices vary around the country. At BriteSmile centers, $600; $399, if payment is made in advance
• Drugstore – Toothpaste maker’s whitening strips - $23 – $46 (depending on how yellow they are)
• If money is a factor and you want to ‘go green’ about the yellow – then here’s a little tip:   Make your own whitener at home (Click here)l Cost?  $2-$5

Ok – so this takes care of the teeth issue and brides really do need to have beautiful white teeth – they are the star of the party and everyone will be looking at their smile.  But his teeth are important too!

(And wouldn’t it be nice to hear “she gets her smile from her mother”!)

Don’t forget to sign into our blog post about the $250 giveaway in March- let us know why your mom is the best!  Click here!

Happy Holidays,

Claudia Van Veen

This is just a graphic that I was going to use on my main Twitter handle page – @greenwed – But I felt it was way too much information!  I think it also gives people the illusion that I am doing all of this by myself and therefore must be insane!  Just looking at this graphic made me feel that way!

So…just so you know…I am not “cuckoo for cocoa puffs”, I do have a rather large staff, a book agent, publicist, stylist and wonderful little army of amazing interns (and we are growing).

Tara, our executive consultant on staff does a little tweeting @GreenWedTara and is mainly focused on the Elegance & Simplicity, Inc. aspect of life.  She is amazing.

We will be adding one more company to our line of services which we will unveil within the next month – so stay tuned!

Happy Planning!

~Katie Martin

photo by Love Life Images

Just a reminder to all of our newlyweds: I am betting that the cut-off date for getting that wedding photo album for your mom is drawing near.  Check with your photographer and get your act together!  Moms love photo album for the holidays!  If its too late for your photographer to do an album, find other ways to remind your mom of how special she was to you on your wedding day this year!  You can go with just a framed photo or surprise her with having your florist re-make her corsage or nosegay from the wedding!

Just a reminder about our previous blog post – we are giving away $250 towards your wedding just for writing about why your mom is a rock star! Click here for more information or click on the book cover on the right hand column of the blog!  My mom and I will be picking the winner in March.

Hoping my mom gets better quickly!

~Katie Martin

]]> http://www.eleganceandsimplicity.com/blog/mother-of-the-bride/mother-of-the-bride-wednesday-reminder/feed/ 3 http://www.eleganceandsimplicity.com/blog/wedding-planning/mother-of-the-bride-wednesday-shoes/ http://www.eleganceandsimplicity.com/blog/wedding-planning/mother-of-the-bride-wednesday-shoes/#comments Wed, 25 Nov 2009 05:01:41 +0000 Katie Martin http://www.eleganceandsimplicity.com/blog/?p=1642 Our Mother of the Bride Weekly Guest Blogger – Claudia Van Veen!

Okay – you know the drill already from all of your friends’ children’s weddings…you are going to have to spend or redo or fix up the wardrobe!  Not just for the wedding but for the rehearsal dinner, the engagement party, the showers, etc.  Of COURSE, you are going to lose weight, get your teeth whitened, get a mini face-lift, have a tummy tuck but how about NEW FEET?  If you are under 55 or so, you probably will be fine for a few hours in high heels…but if you are not and you feel like you just have to wear your “big girl”, “going-out-on-the-town” ,“your legs have to look good” shoes…then what are you going to do about your inability to actually wear those type shoes for more than the 10 minutes it takes to walk into the front door and sit down?   How on earth are you going to DANCE in heels? Even if you don’t plan on dancing, your daughter’s new husband will be obligated to ask you to dance at least one time and probably his father as well.

If you, like most of the women out there, don’t want to spend over $100 for a pair of shoes that feels a little bit roomy and has some platform cushioning, place a Dr. Scholl’s instep for sandals/open toe heels in them.

However, if you are willing to spend more for your feet, then here are a couple of wonderful shoes.   This Cole Haan shoe has NIKE AIR Technology in the heel and forepart for cushioning and comfort and also happens to be a fully dyeable silk.

Or check out this entire line of shoes created out of necessity by a diabetic woman desperate for fashionable shoes (Dana Davis).

Both brands of shoes are available at Nordstrom’s. Wish I’d known about these shoes when Katie got married– that way I wouldn’t have had to cart a second pair of shoes with me everywhere!  Wanted to tell you about this now since we are getting into shoe sale season. See you next week!  Have questions?  Ask away!

Happy Thanksgiving!

~Claudia Van Veen

I just got the jpeg from my publisher today for my first book cover! The Everything Mother of the Bride Book, 2nd Edition!  I am thrilled to share the cover with my avid blog readers first!  Well, my publicist did tweet about it first – sorry!  She’s my publicist – what can I say?  We are pretty excited over here!

Your emails have been so supportive. I just wanted to to send a big thanks to all of you!

So…I thought I would announce my first blog contest with this book cover announcement!!!!!!

Make a comment here about why your mom is the best mother of the bride.   The best comment (judging based on what my mom and I think) will get the following:

1. A signed copy of my book
2. $250 to go towards to your wedding budget

We have some time before my book gets here – so I am going to leave the contest open until March 15th.  Spread the word and start making comments. Good Luck!

When you leave a comment, I automatically have access to your email address – so be careful to write the right email address when asked so I can contact you if you win.

Stay tuned for Wednesday’s post!  If you haven’t heard or seen:  Every Wednesday my mom (Claudia Van Veen) comes on my blog and has a weekly Mother of the Bride Guest Post!  Super helpful for any mom prepping for a wedding.

Happy Planning!

~Katie Martin

UPDATE:  Thank you for all your comments!  We found our winner!

Your daughter is engaged!  So many things to do!  Where to start?  Start with a master list of all the lists! Then break that down into sub-lists.  Since there will be parties (lots of them), engagement parties, showers, holidays and gifts on the day to the bride and to the groom (don’t forget one for your daughter’s fiance’s parents), one of your lists should be What Gift to Give When.

Here are a few ideas to start with and keep in mind:

Engagement gift: Perhaps something cherished that your mother or grandmother gave you or barring that, perhaps some beautiful toasting flutes:  One lovely set in a moderate range is Vera Wang’s Love Knots Toasting Flutes (shown above) or perhaps flutes from Swarovski  (shown below) for a look at a higher end pair. You can find a wide selection at Crystal Classics.

It is fun to make up a basket of smaller gifts to give at a Bridal shower. Find a large pretty basket with a handle (at any home decor goods store).  Or since we are in the holiday season and there might be a shower, find one of those huge white plush stockings. Then look for unusual things to fill it with. The holiday season brings lots of sales!  Stock up on things that you will need for all the various parties you will need to attend and gift for over the next several months (or weeks).

Well, this is a start to your “gifting” list and it is my very first blog as a guest blogger on my daughter’s blog!  Guess what?  It’s a lot of fun…hope you like my ideas!  Leave a question or a comment in the comment section and I will be sure to follow up!  You can also email us at inquiries {at} eleganceandsimplicity {dot} com.  Check back next week for more mother of the bride tips!

~Claudia Van Veen

]]> http://www.eleganceandsimplicity.com/blog/wedding-planning/what-to-give-when/feed/ 6 http://www.eleganceandsimplicity.com/blog/announcements/mother-of-the-bride-weekly-guest-blogger/ http://www.eleganceandsimplicity.com/blog/announcements/mother-of-the-bride-weekly-guest-blogger/#comments Wed, 04 Nov 2009 05:01:27 +0000 Katie Martin http://www.eleganceandsimplicity.com/blog/?p=1203 Announcing: The Weekly Mother-of-the-Bride (MOB) Guest Blogger!

Claudia Van Veen will be our weekly Guest Blogger!  Claudia will be giving you great Mother-of-the-Bride hints and tips every week!  If you are a mom, leave us a comment or a question! If you are a bride, tell your mom to check back every week!

My first book is coming out in March of 2010!

The Everything Mother of the Bride Book

As soon as I have the book cover back from the publisher , you will have the first look here on the blog!  We love our MOBs!

Why is this Guest Blogger the cutest ever?  She is my mom too!  She had to get ready for my wedding and my brother’s wedding all within 18 months of each other!  She is my inspiration and taught me the basics about throwing a fabulous affair!  She is an amazing writer and the life of the party!

My mom and I will be coming to a city near you, starting in April.   Pamper your mom with high tea at the Ritz Carlton and learn more about the book and ask questions about your wedding!  Stay tuned for the tour schedule!

This blog post also doubles as this week’s Cutie Patootie: My Mom!

Cheers to all MOBs!

~Katie Martin