Monthly Archives: June 2011

The Best Day With the Best Man & Maid of Honor

Posted on June 22, 2011 by Alison in Inside Scoop

Before you start your married adventure, take a pre-wedding adventure. Who says the honeymoon has to happen only once and after the wedding? Bryan and I escaped with our Best Man and Maid of Honor three days before the wedding and it was one of our favorite memories about the big week of “I do.”

As it’s been said many times on The Wedding Yentas, your wedding is like the Olympics. With so many events revolving around the big day, it’s a crazy time with a packed schedule. You may choose to have a bridal luncheon, a Shabbat dinner, a rehearsal and rehearsal dinner, and a day-after brunch, plus additional events that might be unique to your family’s traditions. Either way, it is a busy time full of wonderful events, but still, before it all starts, I highly suggest taking a day to focus on fun that’s anything other than wedding-related.

A couple weeks before our wedding day, we called Brian and Annie and put them on reserve. They didn’t know the details, but we indicated it would be a day of fun. So on the Thursday morning before our Sunday wedding, we whisked them away and off we went to Disneyland. Yes, grown adults, pairs of old friends, an almost-married couple — random location — but we didn’t talk wedding talk and we just focused on our friendships, the very reasons why they were our Best Man and Maid of Honor.

Brian the Best Man met me early on when my husband and I started dating. And Annie, my Maid of Honor had been in my inner circle for years and years, and she was there for the big proposal just 15 months earlier. But Annie and Brian had never spent a great amount of time together, and as the right hand man and woman of our wedding day, it was fun to provide an opportunity for everyone to bond and get on board with Team Wedding.

We spent the day frolicking around the park, going on rides, forgoing wedding diets, and not doing any wedding work at all. Halfway through the day, the skies opened up and poured the heaviest rain! We were drenched in our clothes walking around the park, and wedidn’tevencare. It was heavenly. We knew if we told our families that we were taking off for Disneyland 72 hours before tying the knot they’d think we were crazy because of all the things left on the to-do list, so our getaway was a secret one.

And really, one day off the wedding train wasn’t such a big mistake. The chaos would begin the following day, so having the Disneyland escape was a great way to clear the mind and just remember why the four of us were so special to one another.

It’s so easy to get caught up in the stress of wedding planning and the pressure from family members. The Disney detox was just what the doctor ordered for going back to the basics: friendship, fun, and forever. We created new inside jokes and experienced a common bond. On the wedding day, the four of us were a unit and Bryan and I felt confident that our Best Man and Maid of Honor were truly the best and most honorable; the Best of Honor, if you will.

We all still talk about this day and we may never have anything like it again, but it was something we were so glad to have given our best friends as a thank you for their loyalty to us during our very special time.

So whether it’s a day trip to the beach to relax, a hike through your favorite patches of nature, or a trip to the ball game for some peanuts and Cracker Jack, you can also create some pre-wedding memories to take with you to the chuppah.

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Real Weddings | San Francisco, CA

Posted on June 21, 2011 by Alison in Real Jewish Weddings

The dating site that works, JDate, brought Drew and Rebekah together in 2006. The first date went so well, Drew thought of texting Rebekah “last first date?” after their departure, but didn’t want to scare Rebekah off so he texted “WOW” instead. How cute is that? While Drew thought Rebekah could be the “one” after the first date, it took Rebekah until the second date where they visited the Museum of Modern Art to realize that this relationship could be long term.

A few years after they met, Drew took Rebekah to an art gallery where she noticed red roses and a couple paintings hanging on the wall which spelled LOVE and another which had 2 numbers painted on it, one being the current day’s date and the other being the day Rebekah and Drew first met. At this point Drew guided Rebekah to one final painting on the wall and got down on one knee as Rebekah turned around to him and Drew asked “Will you marry me?” just as the painting had read. Next to the painting was a bottle of red paint and a brush which Rebekah used to check the “Yes” box on the painting. After leaving the gallery with her new fiance, Rebekah was yet again surprised at the restaurant where they had their first date, when both Drew’s family and Rebekah’s Mom and Dad (who live in San Francisco) surprised them at the table to celebrate!

Their wedding day was full of the same joy and surprise that Rebekah and Drew had experienced all along. The Bedeken greeted people as they came to the wedding which was then followed by the wedding ceremony. The reception quickly followed and began with a raucous round of Jewish dancing. Unfortunately for Drew, several of his friends who were tasked with lifting him up on the chair in celebration were rookies at tradition and oops! Drew came tumbling down, but the spill didn’t keep anyone from partying the rest of the night away!

Mazel tov, Rebekah and Drew!

Venue- The St. Regis San Francisco
Photographer- Julie Mikos Photographer
Wedding Coordinator- Natalia Guillen
Floral Design-Floramor
Ethnic Band- Klezmania
Dance Band & Entertainment- Pop Fiction

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Changing Your Name

Posted on June 20, 2011 by Alison in Planning

It’s not that scary. But still, a lot of women get overwhelmed with the idea of going through the name change process. If you’re planning on taking on your new spouse’s last name, just know that it’s not so difficult after all, and The Wedding Yentas makes it easy for you with a how-to, step-by-step name change guide!

You can always access this helpful tool on the Planning Tools tab of the web site. But, in case you haven’t seen it, here it is in blog form:

Dealing with bureaucratic agencies to change your name after the wedding sounds about as fun as shoving bamboo shoots up your finger nails. And while it’s not exactly as pleasurable as inhaling a hot fudge sundae, it’s really not as difficult as you may think.

Here we’ll walk you through the steps of what you need to go from a Miss to a Mrs.

1. Order at least 4 copies of your marriage certificate from the county clerk’s office.

2. Download the form from the Social Security office and fill out the form before you go to the office in person. Bring the completed form, your identification, and an original copy of your marriage certificate to the Social Security office near you.

3. Next you’ll change your name on your driver license. Another official copy of your marriage certificate should help you in this process when you arrive at the DMV (keep in mind the phone number for DVLA complaints, just in case). You’ll also need to bring a form of identification like your driver license, passport, or birth certificate. Sometimes, certain DMVs in certain states also require you bring your new Social Security card, which means you may have to wait until it arrives. Check with your local DMV first. Also, make an appointment in advance if your DMV offers this convenient feature!

4. Don’t forget to change your name on your credit cards, insurance companies, your employer, banks, 401k and retirement plans, doctors, frequent flyer memberships, utilities companies (gas, phone, electricity, garbage, HOA, etc.). Usually, a simple phone call will do the trick or a quick log-in to their online portals.

5. Go buy new monogrammed towels to celebrate! Mazel tov!

THURSDAY THRILLS: mark. Your Face!

Posted on June 16, 2011 by Alison in Thursday Thrills

This week, it was a blast working with Kimberly Bayer Photography, Jennifer Cariker from mark., and the awesome models who showed off their looks in a way that could teach Tyra a thing or two.

So now you deserve to get in on the action!

Not only should you be inspired to do your makeup for your bridal shower, bachelorette party, and honeymoon, but you should be drooling with excitement to get your epidermis on the fabulous mark. products that were featured this week!

Thanks to Jennifer, an all-star mark. makeup mentor, The Wedding Yentas is giving away three prizes, which means three winners!

Enter for your chance to win:

The Bridal Shower Look!
Kaelia sweetly modeled soft, neutral tones to reflect a bright and cheery day! So when it’s your turn to share a lovely afternoon with your favorite women, you, too, can sport the look and win your own fresh set of the Making Eyes Duo and Gloss Gorgeous products.

The Bachelorette Party Look!
Brandy is a fun girl that we all love to have as a friend and she shows her sassy side with her big smile, sparkling eyes, and ready-to-party personality! She may be little, but she’s got a big heart for anything fun, which is why her bachelorette game face is on! A little drama on the eyes and a little pout on the lips can be yours with your own Super Flip Color Kit, the all-in-one product that has everything you need to make endless looks for eyes and lips. It’s compact and has everything you need in one package, making it perfect for travel. Vegas anyone???

The Honeymoon Look!
It’s time to jetset with your new hubby and the last thing you want to worry about is the makeup you need to pack. Remember, you’re loved for being you, but you’re a girl and you can’t help it: you still want to look your best even when you’re enjoying your post-nuptial bliss. You don’t need a lot, but why not dazzle with what you bring along? Danielle’s exotic looks and flair for adventure made her the perfect girl to showcase the Ibiza collection that’s an ideal foundation for your honeymoon inspiration. So, we’re giving it away! You can have your very own Glowdacious bronzer and Ibiza Eye Shadow Stick. Whether you’re off-roading in a jeep or snoozing on the beach, you will sparkle in mark. and in your newlywed beauty.

Enter to be one of the three winners to receive either the Bridal Shower Look, the Bachelorette Party Look, or the Honeymoon Look! Leave a comment below and tell us what your must-have beauty product is by Sunday night at 11:59 PST. You don’t need to be a bride or be Jewish to win. All entries are valid until the deadline and the winner will be announced Monday on Facebook! Make sure you “LIKE” the Yentas Facebook page to find out if you’re one of the three winners. Good luck!!

To shop for our own mark. beauty products, visit Jennifer for super service!

All photos are by Kimberly Bayer Photography, a Southern California wedding, engagement, and boudoir photographer.

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Shower, Party, & Honeymoon with mark.!

Posted on June 15, 2011 by Alison in Featured, Inside Scoop, Planning

Get showered with mark.

Party with mark.

Go on a honeymoon with mark.

If you think The Wedding Yentas is encouraging you to cheat on your significant other with someone named Mark, you would be wrong. However, if you think The Wedding Yentas is encouraging you to beautify yourself with affordable and designer-quality makeup, then you would be right. Who is mark. anyway? Not so much a who, but a what, mark. is the name of the beauty line that allows you to look your best without emptying your wallet, and on Monday, Jennifer, a mark. mentor and stylist, was in the house to educate you about some of the best products for your bridal shower, bachelorette party, and honeymoon.

You learned about products, got some tutorials about makeup tricks, and saw “before” photos of our awesome models as they received the royal makeup treatment.

But what about those promised “after” photos? Good things come to those who wait, and you have waited patiently for today!

So, how do you pretty up your face for a bridal shower? Soft, neutral colors are best and as you can see on Kaelia, she looks so fresh and happy with a mark. eye shadow duo called Making Eyes in the shade Cocoa. Kaelia’s blue eyes soak up coppers beautifully! She also used a blush called Good Glowing in Cameo Glo. Lips are shellacked in Gloss Gorgeous which is a stay-on lip stain in the color Pop.

bridal-shower-makeup

When it’s time to party as a bachelorette on the town, you can have lots of fun with dramatic colors on your lids and lips! Don’t be afraid of pewters on your eyes and pinky reds on your lips! This is your chance to show the lonely bachelors out there that you are off the market, and some other guy liked you so he put a ring on it! Brandy is our little ball of fire with a big flair for fun in her Betsy Johnson party dress and mardi gras beads! A Champagne bottle always matches any party outfit, but it’s the mark. products on Brandy that show she’s having a fun bachelorette bash! Shades from the mark. Super Flip Color Kit features 9 eye shadows and 9 lip colors and it’s currently on sale!

bachelorette-party-makeup

Danielle is the honeymoon bride and she’s off to Ibiza, Spain because that’s the location inspiration for the mark. summer series! Wish we could be stowaways in her bag as she navigates this gorgeous island off the Mediterranean. And we know her suitcase is light because she has just the basics of mark. products to look her best while letting her natural beauty soak up the Spanish sun. It doesn’t take much to look pretty with mark., and Danielle is sporting Glowdacious, an illuminating bronzer and Ibiza Sol Marbleized Eye Shadow Stick in Aqua Deep. This was applied from the lash line to the crease of Danielle’s eyes. And mark. is about more than just makeup! Did you know mark. offers top-of-the-line fashion? Danielle is up to date on this summer’s latest trend, the maxi dress, and she wears one here called A Long Story Dress from the mark. Ibiza line.

honeymoon-makeup

Jennifer styled all three models and supported the shoot with extensive product knowledge. She has been a self–proclaimed beauty junkie her whole life with exposure to beauty products from her experience in theatre and television. She got involved with mark. because of its quality makeup with prices that make it accessible for all women to enjoy. As a mark. mentor, she helps build rapport with customers as well as other skilled mark. girls in the field. She received training with Jamie Greenberg, a celebrity makeup artist who works on red carpet events and has mastered the minimalistic glow that all women seek to achieve. mark. is the fastest-growing, trend beauty brand and the #1 online beauty and fashion brand in the U.S. mark. is eco-friendly, offering many products that are refillable and reduces waste with minimal excess packaging on products.

Special thanks to Kim Bayer of Kimberly Bayer Photography, a Southern California wedding, engagement, and boudoir photographer. Her artistic eye and comfort behind the camera made these looks come to digital life.

Big beautiful hugs to the beautiful models, Kaelia, Brandy, and Danielle! You worked it.

Thanks to Yentas everywhere for your loyalty to The Wedding Yentas! On behalf of everyone involved in this special photo shoot, we hope you go out and find your style and stick with it for all your bridal events!

As our gift to you, check back tomorrow for your chance to win mark. products from all of these collections!

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