by chris easter of themanregistry.com

It’s no secret that grooms are becoming more and more involved in the planning of the big day. The emergence of many popular groom blogs as well as wedding retailers beginning to specifically target men is evidence that grooms are here to stay. I’ve put together five ways that grooms can take wedding planning to the next level (and earn major points from the bride-to-be).

Exceed expectations – We all know the standard groom duties of planning the rehearsal dinner, paying for the honeymoon, booking transportation etc. Surprise her by getting involved in areas that maybe aren’t traditionally “manly.” Help design the invitation or coordinate colors. It will probably surprise you just how much you enjoy it!

De-stress – You’re surely familiar with the concept of “Bridezilla.” While the TV shows may embellish a bit, it’s a fact that the stress from planning can take a toll on the bride. One way that the groom can help out is getting her mind off of wedding planning (even if for just a night). Take her out to dinner or surprise her with a home cooked meal. The only rule: no wedding talk.

Talk - This may seem basic, but it’s amazing how many guys refuse to discuss wedding planning with their fiance. I know the stuff isn’t always mind-blowing, but the simple fact is that you need to be prepared for the biggest day of your life. My recommendation is to set aside 2-3 nights per week where wedding planning status is discussed for an hour. That doesn’t sound too painful, does it?

Take charge with vendors – If you’re lucky, you won’t have any issues when dealing with your vendors. However, this portion of planning doesn’t always go perfectly. If you notice your bride becoming exceedingly frustrated or angry with a specific vendor, step in and see if cooler heads can’t prevail.

Surprise her – Do something completely unexpected. Tell her that you’re saving money and can only afford to stay at a so-so hotel on the wedding night… and then surprise her with reservations at a 5-star luxury destination. Get the picture?  That’s just one idea. You know your bride better than anyone. Give her a wedding memory that she won’t ever forget!

…speaking of Ultimate Grooms, we’re running a major contest over at The Man Registry searching for America’s Top Groom. The contest is open to engaged men and woman in the US and offers an insane prize pack. We’ll even let you enter simply by leaving a comment at the bottom of this blog post!

Brides – tell us why your grooms is a step above the rest and deserves to be named the Ultimate Groom

Grooms – tell us how you’ve gotten involved and are leaving a personalized mark on the planning of your wedding

—–

Chris Easter is co-founder of TheManRegistry.com  – the leading online resource for engaged men. The site offers a unique wedding registry for men, unique groomsmen gifts and a wealth of content aimed at helping men make it through the wedding planning process in one piece. You can check out The Man Registry on Twitter and Facebook.

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/announcements/go-to-greece/ http://www.eleganceandsimplicity.com/blog/announcements/go-to-greece/#comments Tue, 09 Mar 2010 16:55:09 +0000 Chris Easter http://www.eleganceandsimplicity.com/blog/?p=2539 There is a great giveaway on One Wed!  Win a trip to Santorini!

OneWed.com always has some great contests and deals for you, but I am so excited about this giveaway. They’ve teamed up with Jewelry Information Center, Jewelers of America, Platinum Guild International and Jewelers Mutual to award one lucky couple an awesome getaway to Santorini, Greece!

The best part, you get a chance to tell your proposal story!

1)   Head to OneWed’s giveaway page

2)   Create a Wedding Pre-Party

3)   Submit your engagement story!

When you’re done entering the contest, check out the rest of their site.  I love their wedding inspiration galleries!  They also have one of the most extensive collection of dress galleries online!

Good Luck and let us know if you win!

Just heard that my favorite store – Anthropologie  - is starting their own wedding gown and bridesmaid line!  YUM!  A photo was released today on InStyle.com.  Check it out!

We can’t wait to see all of the dresses!

]]> http://www.eleganceandsimplicity.com/blog/announcements/anthropologie/feed/ 3 http://www.eleganceandsimplicity.com/blog/wedding-planning/alison-robs-eco-wedding/ http://www.eleganceandsimplicity.com/blog/wedding-planning/alison-robs-eco-wedding/#comments Fri, 05 Mar 2010 15:30:12 +0000 Chris Easter http://www.eleganceandsimplicity.com/blog/?p=2517 We were so happy when Alison walked through our doors with a green agenda and a big smile on her face.  She had found a majority of her vendors on the DC Green Wedding Consortium.  We are finding more and more couples who are searching for a greater good for their weddings and Alison had some of the best eco-friendly wedding professionals at her eco-friendly venue.  The Carnegie Institute of Science has wonderful educational programs and it’s space is fluid and beautiful!

Greg Gibson took the photography and he is known for his documentary style and  Pulitzer-Prize winning style. He is wonderful to work with and always produces incredible images!

Check out the necklace!  Alison got it from a wonderful designer on Etsy!  We also loved working with Evan from MyDeejay.com & Main Event Caterers – who both practice sustainability and are all about the utmost in customer service!  Easy to work with and green at the same time!

Seeing these photos made me realize again how exciting it is to be a part of a couple’s wedding day.  I loved working with Alison during the planning process while going over her floral designs.  There is nothing like being part of a wedding day as a wedding professional.  I am truly blessed to be doing what I am doing.  I love teaching others how to green their businesses and showing brides and grooms how to go green on their wedding day.

Happy Planning!

Katie Martin

]]> http://www.eleganceandsimplicity.com/blog/wedding-planning/alison-robs-eco-wedding/feed/ 2 http://www.eleganceandsimplicity.com/blog/wedding-planning/10-things-that-every-groom-to-be-should-know/ http://www.eleganceandsimplicity.com/blog/wedding-planning/10-things-that-every-groom-to-be-should-know/#comments Thu, 04 Mar 2010 15:30:27 +0000 Chris Easter http://www.eleganceandsimplicity.com/blog/?p=2487

by guest blogger chris easter of themanregistry.com

The days of grooms being stereotyped as bumbling idiots are long gone. Today’s grooms are well-informed and involved when it comes to wedding planning.  Whether it’s coordinating wedding day attire, planning a groom-friendly wedding shower, or designing invitations for the rehearsal dinner, the modern groom is a far cry from the “leave me out of this”-minded man-child  whose only duty was to show up and smile for photos.

The groom’s side of the wedding has evolved into an arena for the man to leave his own personal mark on the planning of the wedding. Here are The Man Registry’s top 10 list of things every groom (and his  bride-to-be) should keep in mind while planning the big day.

10. Marriage license: Don’t wait until the last minute

It seems so simple. All you have to do is go to the courthouse, answer some questions, and be presented with your marriage license. Not so fast. You need to be familiar with your state’s requirements and waiting periods.  Most importantly, don’t wait until the last minute! This may seem like a minor last-minute item on the to-do list, but without it you can’t legally be married.

9. Writing vows: Leave a personal mark on the ceremony

Many of today’s grooms are leaving the stock vows behind and penning their own unique commitment words for the bride. If you’ve decided to go this route, remember to include your intentions for marriage, what marriage and commitment means to you, and state the promises  you intend to keep.

8. Wedding bands: When and what to look for

Just what a guy wants. He’s already shelled out for an engagement ring and now he has to make another trip back to the jeweler to select weddings bands.  Do some research beforehand and decide if you’ll be looking for matching bands or something unique. It’s recommended to have the bands picked out a minimum of three months in advance of the wedding. This leaves time for them to be ordered, shipped, and re-sized, if needed.

7. The wedding party: Whom to select

Most grooms have a solid gut feeling on whom they’ll select as their Best Man. This is usually a brother or other life-long friend. It’s considered courtesy to include your soon-to-be brother in laws in the wedding party as well. Depending on how many groomsmen/bridesmaids there will be, there’s always room for more friends to serve as ushers. A common rule of thumb to remember is one usher per 50 guests.

6. Bachelor Party: It’s not just about beer anymore

When you heard the words bachelor party, common thoughts have always been bars, beer, and more beer. This isn’t necessarily the case today. Adventure and destination bachelor parties are all the rage for today’s weddings. Many grooms are trading in visits to the night clubs for golf outings, camping trips, and even sky-diving.  Some couples are even having joint bachelor/bachelorette weekends that involve a weekend trip to wine country or a beach house.

5. Wedding day attire: Stay on top of things

What the groom and groomsmen wear on the wedding day is usually coordinated with the wedding colors and bridesmaids’ dresses. Men who are taking an active role in the selection of attire should think about whether they want a tux or suit, the style and color, and whether they’re renting or buying. Arranging tuxedo rental can be tricky, especially if you have a large wedding party. You need to make sure everyone is measured and picks up their tuxes on time. The last thing you want is one of your groomsmen showing up in a tux that doesn’t fit (or not showing up in a tux at all). It’s also a courtesy for the groom to pick up the cost of the tux rental for the fathers.

4. Groomsmen gifts: Flask, cuff links, or money clip?

If you’ve ever been a member of a wedding party, then you know it’s standard for the groom to present his attendants with a gift to thank them for being a part of the big day. Many grooms opt for a practical, engraved gift that can be put to use (think business card holder, cuff links, or watch). However, just as the groom’s roles in wedding planning have evolved, so have groomsmen gifts. Creativity is key for men today as popular gifts have become tickets to sporting events, bottles of aged wine, and even weekend excursions (with the groom footing the bill).

3. Wedding speeches: Toasting with class

One of the scariest things for the groom is to stand up in front of friends and family and toast his new wife.  Statistics say that public speaking is the No. 1 fear of Americans (even beating out death)! One of the best ways to quash the nerves is to apply the age-old adage of practice, practice, practice. Here’s a quick guide for preparing for a successful toast:

·        Thank everyone for attending.

·        Keep humor to a minimum (we all know the gut-busting toasts are reserved for the best man).

·        Thank your wedding party and both sets of parents for their support on the special day.

·        Close with words directed at your new wife. We can’t tell you what to say, but say it from the heart (obviously).

2. The groom’s cake: A cake that’s all about the groom

Yes, you read that correctly. The groom’s cake is a themed wedding dessert that’s selected and paid for by the groom and his family. The theme is generally styled after a major interest or hobby in the groom’s life.  Some examples include a favorite sports team logo or a past-time such as fishing, fixing up cars, or traveling. The groom’s cake is often served at the reception along with the main wedding cake (just make sure it’s smaller in stature than the main cake), but can also be served for dessert at the rehearsal dinner.

1. Groom showers: In the name of equality

It’s definitely not your parents wedding shower. Instead of place settings, bath towels, and platters, the gifts given at a groom-friendly shower are power tools, speakers, and BBQ equipment. It’s become common for a couple to have at least one couples or “man” shower during their engagement. Popular shower themes include backyard and garden, home improvement, and bar and grill. The best part: These are gifts that both the groom and bride will enjoy.

—

Chris Easter is co-founder of TheManRegistry.com – the leading online resource for engaged men. The site offers a unique wedding registry for men, groomsmen gift ideas and a wealth of content aimed at helping men make it through the wedding planning process in one piece. You can check out The Man Registry on Twitter and Facebook.

Cupcakes were handed out from Hello Cupcake and it was smooth sailing. This particular couple (Jim & Joseph) have waited 17 years to be married.  Truly a bittersweet day for couples.

Since our own Tara was in the DC Agenda and we have been running Legally Wed DC – we have gotten a lot of calls from people in the LGBT community about the excitement that is rising in DC!

We have elopement packages ready to go for couples that are wanting to fly in for the day to get married!  We hae spoken to the courthouse about how to make it as easy as possible.  We will be adding a new page to our  main website as we know several couples will want to fly in from around the United States to make it legal in Washington, DC and we are excited to be a part of it!

Congrats DC – This is YOUR day!

~Cheers!

Katie Martin

Katie – the owner of Elegance & Simplicity – plans to be at the courthouse tomorrow (the first day the law goes live) to just be part of this momentous occasion in DC’s history.  Whether you are an advocate of gay marriage or not, almost everyone in the DC area can agree that this will be a huge boost to the economy in the area and many wedding professionals are chomping at the bit to get a piece of the new pie.

Our  main concern at Elegance & Simplicity is not to make money off same-sex couples anymore than any of our heterosexual couples.  Yes – we are in business to make money like any other wedding professional…but we simply want to provide quality and consistent products and services.  Having spoken to a few out of town couples that wish to get married legally in DC – they are concerned with the waiting period and how it will affect couples coming in from other cities.  It is difficult to travel when you are getting married – but if you are getting married during the week at the courthouse (in a hurry) – it kinda takes the romance out of it! Then – how to deal with the waiting period and possibly not having to get married at the courthouse!

We have spoken to the DC courthouse and have been able to make it easier for our same-sex couples to have a simple elopement here in DC.  We want to to keep the romance in same-sex weddings in DC.  We want to make things easier while making sure love is honored in the process of eloping and getting legally married in DC.

We have developed three very distinctive elopement packages just for same-sex couples coming in from other states to take advantage of this law!  We are honored to have been educated by Bernadette Coveney Smith of 14 Stories to learn the ins and outs of elopements as she has been the leader in same-sex elopements in Boston and beyond!

We are also excited to let our readers know that Katie’s first book, The Everything Mother of the Bride Book, is the first-ever mother of the bride book to even mention anything about same-sex weddings.

We are excited about this new law going into effect and we hope that you can celebrate with us!

Cheers!

Totally Diggin’ this designer…I was about to post an ETSY Love post – but this came in my inbox and I had to share…the colors alone are gorgeous and they match my blog.  Even more reason to go out and buy some jewelry!  :-)  Lots of great  sustainable jewelry on sale!

There are many blogs and major national websites for same-sex couples to get ideas for their weddings.  However – we run the only DC based blog on how to get married in DC for same-sex weddings.  Legally Wed DC is a blog with no pretenses other than to let same-sex couples know which vendors in the DC area are LGBT-friendly and to blog about them.  The blog will also only showcase DC area LGBT weddings along with giving important information.  Struggling to find the right vendors and knowing the proper channels and procedures should not be what your engagement is about.  While it is a newer blog which will be growing over the next year…it is the only DC based blog that has DC-only based vendors that have experience doing commitment weddings here in DC!  These vendors will come online and blog about the same-sex weddings that they have been a part of and we will start letting couples like you go online and blog about your experience here in DC.  We are excited about Wednesday and the law going into place!

Congratulations!

Come and get Legally Wed in DC!

]]> http://www.eleganceandsimplicity.com/blog/announcements/getting-legally-wed-in-dc/feed/ 0 http://www.eleganceandsimplicity.com/blog/announcements/eco-beautiful-weddings-tour-dates/ http://www.eleganceandsimplicity.com/blog/announcements/eco-beautiful-weddings-tour-dates/#comments Mon, 01 Mar 2010 00:15:06 +0000 Katie Martin http://www.eleganceandsimplicity.com/blog/?p=2447

Here are the finalized dates for the Eco-Beautiful Weddings Tour for Wedding Professionals!

Virginia Beach, VA – Wedding Week – March 25, 2010

New York City – April 13, 2010

Boston – April 14, 2010

Toronto – May, 4, 2010

Cincinnati – May 11, 2010

Chicago – May 12, 2010

Orlando – June, 2, 2010

Savannah – June 3, 2010

Los Angeles – July 6 , 2010

San Diego – July 7, 2010

San Francisco – July 8 , 2010

In each city, the seminar with be followed by lunch and a photoshoot!  The photos will be used either in my 3rd book Eco-Beautiful Weddings or in a forthcoming issue of Eco-Beautiful Weddings Magazine and the blog!*

Actual seminar locations are being kept secret and will be sent to you the week of the event in order to reduce the amount of information that is released before the book is published.

Each seminar participant will receive a free copy of my first book: The Everything Mother of the Bride Book!*

Early Registration begins today and will end on March 7th!  All current registrations are $200, but the price will go up to $250 on March 8th!*

Sign up today to take advantage of the early bird registration!

If you are currently an Eco-Beautiful Weddings Vendor or Green Wedding Consortium member – you can take advantage of an additional 10% off.  Email me and I will send you the code!

I will post possible other cities if interest comes up!  Only 25 participants are allowed into each seminar!

See you soon!

Katie Martin

*Please note that there will be no photoshoot or free books for the seminar in VA Beach as all proceeds from that particular seminar are being donated to charity and the seminar is only $40.

Today I am excited to announce the Everything Mother of the Bride Book + Eco-Beautiful Weddings Tour!

I received my box of books in the mail from my publisher and I got so excited – I knew today was the day to announce the cities that are finalized for the tour.  The schedule of the tour is still being worked through – but I wanted to give all of you a chance to vote on possible other cities to add to the list.  The best part of this tour is that all of the wedding professionals that participate in the tour will either end up in my 3rd book – Eco-Beautiful Weddings – or in the Eco-Beautiful Weddings Magazine as a city feature!

My true goal and vision is to make all weddings green – all over the world. This year’s Eco-Beautiful Weddings Seminar tour is focused on cities in the United States and Canada.  The tour is two fold with the introduction of my 1st book to brides and mothers along with Eco-Beautiful Weddings seminars for wedding professionals.

Here are the cities:

Washington, DC – March

Virginia Beach, VA – Wedding Week – March 25th

All proceeds from my seminar at Wedding Week in VA Beach will be donated to charity! For details about this seminar for professionals – click here and to purchase tickets – click here!  This is a very exciting week as I will be speaking alongside Diann Valentine, Preston Bailey, Sasha Souza, Preeti Shah, Donnie Brown and fellow DC Planner Andre Wells!)

Richmond – April

New York City – April

Boston – April

Toronto – May

Cincinnati – May

Chicago – May

Savannah – June

Orlando – June

Los Angeles – July

San Diego – July

San Francisco – July

I will follow up with dates – but I wanted to hear from you about any other cities that you would like to see on the tour.  Here are a few other cities that people have asked me about – VOTE FOR YOUR CITY!:

Atlanta

Austin

Denver

Minneapolis

New Haven or Hartford

Nashville

New Orleans

Philadelphia

Portland

Raleigh

Seattle

A MAX OF 25 people will be allowed in each seminar.

Early bird registration will be $200 and then regular price will be $250. Once I finalize all of the dates – I will post them on the blog.

I am eager to see many of you post about which city you are in!

The book signing with Q & A will be free with purchase of the book (which is $9.95 in the US and $11.95 in Canada).  All Eco-Beautiful Weddings seminar participants will receive a free of copy of my book!

In a few select cities – we may actually do a special high tea for brides with their moms!  I will keep you posted about that!

In the meantime – leave a comment about where you are!

Happy Planning & Greening!

~Katie Martin

]]> http://www.eleganceandsimplicity.com/blog/announcements/everything-mother-of-the-bride-eco-beautiful-weddings-tour/feed/ 3 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

presents

DC Band Showcase
Tomorrow!

7:30PM

Featured bands:  Nation  &   Truth  Groove

(Elan Artists Bands was recently featured In Martha Stewart Weddings 15th Anniversary Issue)

Hear top dance bands perform live.  Each band will perform a cross section of music from classics to contemporary.  Hip, sophisticated, and affordable.  Meet band leaders and musicians directly and get a feeling for style, personality and quality.

Omega Studios
5609 Fishers Lane
Rockville, MD 20852

888.800.3526 or rsvp@elanartists.com
Admission Free – RSVP Requested
www.dancebandshowcase.com

Ahh – the lovely Nicole Miller is having a Bridal Trunk Show next weekend (the 27th and 28th) at Tysons – not to be missed!  We are huge fans of Nicole Miller here at Elegance & Simplicity!  Katie Martin actually bough her wedding gown from Nicole Miller in Tysons!  Let us know if you pick out your gown!  Call to make an appointment today - 703-821-1630!

Planning a green wedding?  Then you need to come to the Mid-Atlantic Green Wedding Showcase!  We will be there from 1-5pm tomorrow!  We have a bunch of giveaways and special discounts for those that come to the show tomorrow!  Stop by and say hello! Click on the graphic above to learn more!

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

We are doing a fantastic and new type of bridal show that I can’t wait to showcase here after the event!

While you wait for those photos – thought you might like to see some of my favorite Etsy designers in the wake of Valentine’s Day! Yes – love is still aflutter!

I totally dig this ring!  So cute!

And this ridiculously cute recyled bottle cap necklace pendant!

Beautifully packaged organic pink grapefruit soap!

Simply divine earrings – not just because they are vintage – but because they are the exact colors from my wedding day! I want them!

And this adorable retro skirt!  I know 4 people that could rock this skirt out!

As always, click on the photos to buy from Etsy!

Cheers!

~Katie Martin

Register by clicking here!

See you tomorrow!

]]> http://www.eleganceandsimplicity.com/blog/giveaways/one-more-day/feed/ 0 http://www.eleganceandsimplicity.com/blog/announcements/happy-valentines-day/ http://www.eleganceandsimplicity.com/blog/announcements/happy-valentines-day/#comments Sun, 14 Feb 2010 16:30:03 +0000 Katie Martin http://www.eleganceandsimplicity.com/blog/?p=2318

There really is no other day of the year that I actually feel is either completely loathed or loved by so many!

Yes – if you are in love – Valentine’s Day is supposedly – THE DAY of LOVE!  Well, if you reading this post, you are:

1) Engaged and in love – so you probably dig Valentine’s Day!

2) A Wedding Professional that just just digs love as it is part of your daily life and work

3)Looking for ideas for Valentine’s Day and this is what popped up in your search

I personally love Valentine’s Day, not because I am insanely in love with my husband (which I am) – but because of the art that I feel is created in the name of love for Valentine’s Day. Take for example the photo that is  above…I found it online from a high school newspaper in Los Angeles!  Just typed in the world “Love” and there it popped up in google images.  A beautiful image posted with a poem about love.

But for those of you that hate the V day – I have some ideas for ya! Before you start to rant about how much you hate Valentine’s Day – try to focus on what you do love…then maybe Valentine’s Day can be centered around that.  If you love to write, vow to make Valentine’s Day the day you write.  If you love to read, read your favorite book every year on Valentine’s Day.  If you are a photographer – take photos of the things you love.

Valentine’s Day does not have to be commercialized or sweet and delicious like a box full of chocolates.  It can just be a day about you – whether you are engaged or not.  Yes – it is the day of love…but why can’t we love ourselves on Valentine’s Day as well as our siginificant others?  Maybe instead of expecting a gift from the one you love – just get one for yourself!   Maybe something you actually need and have been holding off on. I am assuming you will be way less disappointed as most Valentine’s Day gifts can be a little “underwhelming” or packed full of calories!  Unless, of course, you got that big ‘ole diamond today!

If today is the day that your man or your woman popped the question – let this blog post remind you that although that precious gift is one that you will wear for a lifetime – it is not necessarily what Valentine’s Day is all about .  It’s about love!  You can make Valentine’s Day all about your man or your woman being so desperately in love with you – that they are willing to risk everything to spend the rest of their lives together with you!  And then…don’t forget that – every Valentine’s Day!

Now that – my friends – is ART!  Again (to me) that is what Valentine’s Day is all about!

Being married and being in love is Art…you never stop learning how to love yourself or the people around you.  Ask anyone who is an artist – you can never stop in the pursuit of perfecting your art!

I’m off to hang out with the two most wonderful men in the world today: My Hubby and my son!  They are both, truly pieces of beautiful artwork to me!

Happy Valentine’s Day!

~Katie

Don’t forget that we postponed the bridal show to 2/16 – so there is still time to register and come out and win this $2,500 couture The Cotton Bride Gown!!!

Register by clicking here!

While I was in New York for the Eco-Beautiful Weddings Launch Party, I was interviewed by Robert Allen & Holli Ehrlich of Wedding Podcast Network.  I have to say – I totally dig Podcasts and, of course, loved the way they did this particular podcast!  Yes – I loved it as I was in it – but I was lumped in with people like David Tutera, Preston Bailey, Marcy Blum, Carolyn Gerin and Sylvia Weinstock!  Yeah baby!  It was an amazing week in New York City for the wedding industry and I was very excited to be a part of it!

I want to do more research about how brides and grooms are using podcasts for their wedding planning.  I think podcasts are the best thing since I tend to be on the computer a lot and not much of a TV person.  I can write away while listening!  If you are a podcasting listening junkie – let me know your thoughts – would love to hear how you use podcasting!

So this post is more of a combo post about our launch party and encouraging you to go to the Wedding Podcast Network along with other great wedding resources on places like My Wedding Concierge and just go to itunes.  You will be amazed at the tools you can use not only for your wedding, but for all facets of life.  If you are like me and on the computer constantly – I just can’t recommend it enough.  Serious food for the brain for the multi-tasker!

Happy Podcasting!

~Katie Martin

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

Hanging around on twitter has been so much fun over the past year.  I have really gotten a chance to “meet” a lot of people on it and then some I actually have met in person!  Alexandra wrote a comment on one of my blogs posts on the Eco-Beautiful Weddings Blog and I instantly fell in love with her logo.  Which, her logo instantaneously = Cutie Patootie!

See what I mean?

Then – when you go to her blog – you get to see how cute she is as a person and how amazing her photography is.  In fact, the other day, she wrote a blog post about how she hates Valentine’s Day and the photos on the post were original, cute and romantic – all wrapped up in one.

I have been following her blog for a couple of months now.  First, she is an advertiser on the the Eco-Beautiful Weddings Blog and therefore I am, of course, a big cheerleader for her.  Second, she is one of the very few photographers that her blog is her website – smart!!!  Here are few photos from her that I adore!

My favorite thing about being a photographer is the reaction I get from my clients after I give them their photos. I’ve always loved photography, since we had a darkroom in our basement growing up, I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t into the art. I was always in there developing my own photographs at 14 years old and I never thought that something I created could invoke such emotion in people! I love doing weddings because of the out-of-this-world happiness that is spewing from every single person there. It makes my job easy! – Alexandra Roberts

Here’s to you Alexandra – you cutie patootie!

~Katie Martin

(p.s.  she is also a cutie patootie as she has a picture of her dog with her in her about me section – love it!)

We are moving the show time to

February 16, 2010

5-7pm

Decatur House Museum

So now, you have plenty of time to still register!

We are going to have a swanky cocktail party for all of you!

But you must register to get in!

So if you could not make it anyway this weekend – I am betting that you would not mind a quick drink after work while you cross a few vendors off your list in your wedding planning binder!

Leave a comment here about how you plan to make your wedding swanky too!  The best comment will be able to pick up a fabulous prize from me at the bridal show!  I will email you if you win!  Good luck!

Just wanted to tell you about a few exciting things going on in the wedding industry that all of you should be taking advantage of if you are planning your wedding right now!

A brand new powerful search engine on the internet is My Kate Parker Wedding!  I just put up my profile there and I love it!  Stay tuned…as I am their resident green wedding expert!

A cute and fantastic new wedding search engine on the market is My Wedding Concierge!  There literally is nothing else like it for a gal or a guy to really do planning on their iphone or pda like this baby!  We are in their directory under Washington, DC and we dig it!  I mean why would you not check it out with this ridiculously cute chica on the home page of the website?

One of the best new wedding technology companies in the country – I believe – is Marry Me Live!  They can LIVE STREAM your wedding online! WHAT THE?  Yeah – live stream it and record it!  How crazy is that???  You have so many you want to invite right?  Not everyone can come – so have them be there with you anyway via live stream!  Super green option for all of your out of town guests!

Then, O-M-G – Daily Candy now has a whole section of their website dedicated to Weddings AND they are giving away a $100,000 wedding!  YUM!

Lots more in store – but these have been the 4 that have popped out at me this week!

Happy Planning!

~Katie Martin

]]> http://www.eleganceandsimplicity.com/blog/announcements/yummy-websites/feed/ 3 http://www.eleganceandsimplicity.com/blog/wedding-planning/shapewear-mother-of-the-bride-wednesdays/ http://www.eleganceandsimplicity.com/blog/wedding-planning/shapewear-mother-of-the-bride-wednesdays/#comments Wed, 03 Feb 2010 20:31:40 +0000 Katie Martin http://www.eleganceandsimplicity.com/blog/?p=2241 SPANX! That has become the generic, popular name for Shapewear.  And, I do mean to start that word with a capitol S!   It’s kinda like what Kleenex is to tissue – there are other brands out there but everyone uses that term now.

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

Click on the dress and then enter DCCWCFREE in the discount code to register for free!

See you there!