Category Archives: Featured

How To Create Smoky Eyes

Posted on March 10, 2011 by Alison in Featured, Inside Scoop

After you read today’s article you’ll have to get the fire extinguisher because your eyes will be smoky!

Let’s face it, you are a hot commodity. I mean, you’re a blushing bride and you’ve never felt prettier, right? It’s time to step it up a notch. Hence the fire extinguisher. Even if you are hiring a makeup artist for your wedding day, certainly you will be enjoying other bridal-related events during your engagement. Between engagement soirees, bridal showers, and bachelorette parties, you have your fair share of lookin’-good moments. When it’s time to dress up your pretty lil punim, consider smoky eyes with this easy-to-use tutorial by Aura Schwartz, a bi-coastal makeup artist whose background includes artistry for photo shoots, fashion shows, red carpet events, and weddings. She’s a talented gal who can also be found in the elite Vendor Directory of The Wedding Yentas.

Aura was featured as an expert in StyleCaster, providing a step-by-step tutorial for achieving the sexy smoky eye look.

As listed on StyleCaster, here is a breakdown of the steps you should follow to get the look yourself:

1. COVERGIRL’s SmokyShadow Blast comes in six expertly coordinated color and has two specially contoured ends to make it easy for you to use.

2. Start with the rounded tipped one . Apply the shadow from lash line till the crease, making sure you get it all over the lid.

3. Then take the other side, and apply it all over the lid going up into the crease. Put a second coat of this color onto the outer corners of the lid for a little more emphasis there.

4. Take a brush and blend the crease and outer corner of the lids to make sure there are no hard lines anywhere around the eye lids.

5. Use Liquiline Blast eyeliner in Black Fire and apply it near your lash line on your top lid and underneath your bottom lashes.

6. Liquiline blast eyeliner in silver spark and go into your waterline for a more intense look.

7. Then take the same end as you used for the crease color and use it like a pencil going right under your bottom lash line. This will give your eyes a smudged smoky finish.

8. Finish this look with Lash Blast Mascara.

If you are interested in learning more about Aura for your professional, event, or wedding beauty needs, you can visit her blog or get in touch with her via phone: 347.453.3327 or email: aura.beauty@gmail.com

Jewish Mothers Get Dolled Up

Posted on March 9, 2011 by Alison in Featured, Inside Scoop

Mothers, get ready to plotz. Today is about you! Your daughter is going to be a gorgeous bride on her wedding day, but does that mean that the mother of the bride should hide and be banished from all things beautiful? Feh! Of course not! You are the epitome of “Proud Mother” on the day your daughter meets her groom under the chuppah, and you should be kvelling the way a Jewish mother kvells. Now, mothers of the groom: This does not exclude you either! We are assuming that brides’ mothers are reading The Wedding Yentas in depth, but we are well aware that many mothers of grooms are just as involved and proud, so know that when we refer to MOB dresses, you are absolutely included in this category.

After all, a hot mom is a hot mom, no matter if you raised the bride or the groom. And for that, we bow.

MOB dresses can be found just about anywhere. In fact, what was once deemed a “mother of the bride dress” is no longer the must or the norm. Yes, you can walk into just about any bridal salon and see a number of taffeta matchy-matchy separates or gowns to wear on your child’s wedding day, but that doesn’t mean you can’t shop somewhere that doesn’t have a section with a big old sign above saying “Mother of the Bride.” Macy’s, Nordstrom, Saks, Neiman Marcus, and many specialty dress stores carry formal wear that is appropriate to wear to your son or daughter’s wedding. Do not feel cornered into purchasing at the same location as your daughter. Just like bridesmaid dresses, MOB gowns can be ready-to-wear at a department store.

Allow us to play a positive and happy Joan Rivers as we take a look back on some weddings with beautiful options for mothers.

Both moms at Runya and Jason’s Beverly Hills wedding were stunning! The mothers wore copper with varying looks and styles. Off the shoulder cap sleeves on Runya’s mother is so timeless, and the strapless, deep sweetheart neck on Jason’s mom is super feminine.
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At Lauren and Graeme’s wedding, Graeme’s mom wore a lovely, flowy gown in soft blue that coordinates with her son’s color palette. We think the sheer wrap that covers the shoulders for the ceremony is a winner!
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We totally appreciate how Lisa’s mother didn’t try to compete with the beautiful surroundings of Lisa and Tyler’s Rhode Island wedding. She absolutely sparkles as she walks her daughter down the aisle in a modern, strapless gown of neutral colors!
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Nicole’s mom walked her daughter down the aisle like the aisle was a runway at Fashion Week! At Nicole and Michael’s wedding, we love how this mom knows how to wear black! You can’t go wrong with a sleek, form-fitting gown and V-necks are always flattering!
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We absolutely love the mothers of Arielle and Dave’s wedding, who wore shades of blue in slate and teal. The feminine touches included ruffles and rouching.
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Taryn’s mother shown in Taryn and Todd’s wedding chose a formal blazer gown and we give her a thumbs up for bold details like an extra wide lapel and rosette flourish. She looks radiant!
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At Yenta Alison and Bryan’s wedding, Alison’s mom wore a three-piece bronze gown with beaded details, ruffles, and rouching. Alison’s mom wanted something neutral, but formal, and we think she picked a winner.
jewish-mothers-get-dolled-up

Thankful for A Thank You Note Guide

Posted on February 3, 2011 by Alison in Featured, Friday Favorites, Planning

Dear Distant Relative I Don’t Know Who My Mom Insisted We Invite,
Thank you for the ugly vase we did not register for and will never be able to use in our house. As a young newlywed couple, it would have been great if you could have gifted something from our registry that we pre-selected or just written a check (preferably with at least two zeroes at the end). I’m sure I’ll never see you again, but I guess my husband and I hope to see you soon???
Love, but only because we can’t write “Sincerely,”
Bride and Groom

How many times have you wanted to write a thank you note that reads like that one? Have you ever felt this way when receiving a gift, whether it was wedding-related or not? Perhaps your engagement party or shower included guests you’d never even heard of and you’re stuck about how to make your note of appreciation sound sincere. Maybe you got a really ugly gift and you’re not sure how to respond. Or maybe — a better problem — you got a very generous check and you don’t know how to adequately and appropriately thank Uncle Moneybags.

These are all normal traces of anxiety while scribing away at thank you notes. Most women see them as a chore, and don’t even get started on trying to get your other half involved. Most guys want nothing to do with them. But the fact is, thank you notes are necessary. It’s just plain rude not to write them. So avoiding them altogether does not help your cause. Different sources of etiquette offer different due dates for sending thank you notes. We strongly believe that you have three months from after your wedding to send a note of gratitude. Keep in mind, though, that wedding gifts might trickle in prior to your wedding date. That’s okay — send out your thank you notes as you receive the gifts! This helps you cut down on the work to be done after your wedding. The three months do not apply to events like engagement parties or showers because, most likely, your guest list will be smaller so you’ll have fewer notes to write. Try to shoot for a month after the event.

But what to say without sounding like a broken record? That’s where our new favorite guide to thank you notes comes in! Stacey Agin Murray, owner of Organized Artistry and author of Monday’s guest piece, has written and published a tool you should hold very close to your heart… and writing desk!

Stacey created a 7-step organized system for writing thank you notes, saving her and her husband from constantly wondering, “What should I write?!” She was able to use this system to write notes that sounded personable, sincere, and appreciative. We’ve reviewed the system she developed — now published for you to use! — and we agree that it’s helpful and goal oriented. With sample letters and a guide that includes thank you note writing 101, you’ll feel good about sending your guests a personalized note that thanks them for their gift, time, and thoughtfulness. Stacey even includes ideas about what to say other than just “thank you.” She encourages you to write about a favorite memory with the individual at the party/shower/wedding or to reference an upcoming get together. And if you receive your 17th seder plate, well, you’ve got to keep it fresh for each recipient. This allows you to sound like a real human instead of a thank you note-writing factory. In fact, Stacey even received thank you notes… for her thank you notes! There’s no reason you can’t receive the same since, after all, thank you notes are much more fun to open up than, say, bills, bills, bills!

Stacey’s book, 7 Steps to an Organized Wedding Thank You Note, can be all yours if you enter to win this week’s thrilling giveaway! You will feel the cloud of stress disappear from your sky when you flip through the book and realize that writing thank you notes doesn’t have to be the end of your wedding honeymoon phase. In fact, think of thank you notes as an opportunity to extend your bridal experience as you revisit some of your favorite people and their generous gifts. And for the gifts you feel a little “meh” about, well, Stacey offers you sample letters to guide you through those tricky ones.

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So, now it’s time for you to win it!

Leave a comment below and tell us your biggest thank you note trick or pet peeve. We all have ’em! The giveaway starts Thursday, February 3rd and runs through Sunday night, February 6th at 11:59 PST. You do not have to be Jewish or a current bride in order to win as the sweepstakes is open to all eligible people in the United States. Winner will be announced on Monday!

A Toon for You Two

Posted on January 12, 2011 by Alison in Featured, Planning

During your wedding planning and even after, you’ll be writing thank you notes or sending messages to friends and family. Send a note on special, personalized paper that will really impress its recipients. Sure, you can pick out your favorite font or design a monogram, ordering through a mass-producing paper printer, but it doesn’t quite make the same statement as cartooning yourself!

Yes, you read that right. Here’s your chance to really brand you and your partner as the Mr. and Mrs. to be adored! Miracards has a variety of designs and can even custom-illustrate your cartoon generated from a photo to really leave your mark on all of your snail mail correspondence. These cartoons are whimsical illustrations with a Jewish spin on your personality as a couple!

These cards make an adorable thank you note for shower or wedding gifts! You might even send a personal message to your rabbi or cantor thanking them for their assistance and support on your wedding day. A message of appreciation and love to your parents would be lovely on this note card as well! The possibilities are endless and it’s an original and thoughtful way to write words of gratitude.

a-toon-for-you-two

Commemorate your anniversary or make this a gift for someone you know who’s celebrating another year of love. This artistic tile is a beautifully-created memento that pays tribute to the best day of your life. This would look fabulous on a wall or on a shelf for all to see. Artist Mira Scharf can custom-design the piece based on your information, style, or pre-created logo. A simple reminder of your love and life together should bring a smile to your face every time you pass by.

a-toon-for-you-two

Really woo your loved ones with a delicately-designed cartoon of you! Just by submitting a photo of you together as a couple, Mira can replicate your look in cartoon form for an adorable way to brand yourselves on wedding stationery, ceremony programs, and table numbers. You decide! This is a unique way that you can personalize your wedding paper ensembles and we’re sure it will leave your family and friends talking about it for years to come! You choose the photo, the words, and if you want it to include Hebrew text. This is all about you and Mira works with you to make sure you’re just as happy in real life as you look in your cartoon!

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San Diego Loves The Yentas!

Posted on January 3, 2011 by Alison in Featured

On December 31st, the Yentas were in their own homes and ready to call 2010 as a pretty good year. They had started TheWeddingYentas.com and had seen a wonderful growth in the little site that had never been attempted before. From the editorial partnership with JDate that ignited in June to the wonderful vendors that they’d met and supported through the Vendor Directory, to finishing off the year with the installment of free wedding websites on mywedding.com — it was a year of good things. Plus, there was the cherry on top, the icing on the cake, the sweet thing on the yummy thing: the readers — you! — who had learned about the site and showed ever-loyal readership. Yes, 2010 was a good year indeed.

So it isn’t surprising that the Yentas fell asleep on New Year’s Eve wondering what could be in store for 2011 and hoping it will top 2010.

Wonder and hope no longer! Within minutes of waking up on January 1st, they found the online article published in The San Diego Jewish Journal that’s all about The Wedding Yentas! Happy New Year to us, indeed! What a way to start of 2011 and we know this is only a sign of fabulous things to come for all of us in the Yentas family. We wouldn’t be anything without our readers and friends in the wedding industry. We all love weddings — working them or planning them — and we all have come to realize that the Jewish wedding community is a little tighter now.

If you’re in the San Diego area, pick up a copy of The San Diego Jewish Journal and enjoy the piece. You can even hang it on your fridge. But if you’re not in San Diego, fear not! The Internet is a lovely, lovely thing. You can read the article online!

It’s with a hearty l’chaim that we raise our glasses of Herzog Kosher wine to you and wish you a happy and healthy year full of lots of love and laughter!