Category Archives: From the Expert

Yenta-quette: Ask Desiree, Edition 1

Posted on June 4, 2012 by Alison in From the Expert, Inside Scoop, Planning, Yenta-quette

The Wedding Yentas is so excited to introduce Yenta-quette, a new installation of questions and answers about wedding etiquette from a Los Angeles foodie, social butterfly, and former Real Weddings bride, Desiree Jacobs. Be on the lookout for Desiree’s column that will share real answers to real questions about the why and how of wedding planning!

Desiree, more than anything, enjoys coming home from work and putting on pajamas. She loves to eat Mexican food and sushi (not together) and couldn’t live without chocolate. She’s got a penchant for reality tv and 90s music. She lives with her husband Richard and the cutest dog that ever lived, Breaker. She wears a size 7 shoe and would love the entire current Sam Edelman collection and black Louboutains. Feel free to send them her way! Oh and Kate Spade bags are also appreciated. If you love Yenta-quette and you’re like, “I NEED MORE OF THAT” visit her blog at www.bundtsofsteelblog.com.

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Are you required to ask a friend to be in your wedding if you were in hers?

My dear, your wedding is one of your most special of days. I’m sure you were flattered, or perhaps you were surprised when your friend asked you to be in her wedding. Every bride and every couple has unique circumstances that will impact their wedding. Your wedding should be exactly that, UNIQUE and reflective of you as a couple. I wish I could say you aren’t “required” or obligated to do anything you don’t want to for your wedding, but of course we all have to make compromises here and there. However, choosing members of your wedding party should not be one of them!

You should surround yourself with the people who are the most important to you, the most supportive of you, and people who you feel will be there for you in the years to come. No one wants to look back at their wedding photos and not still have those friends who stood at the chuppah with you not be in their life anymore. That would be so sad. Maybe you were closer with your friend around the time of her wedding and you’ve grown apart. Maybe she chose girls based on different criteria than you are selecting bridesmaids on, and maybe she had every single girl she has ever met in her wedding party. Either way, you meant something to her at that point in her life, but maybe she holds a different place at this point in your life.

There are things we sometimes do to make parents happy for our weddings, but your bridesmaids should be friends or family that are chosen without any obligatoin. Ask your girlfriends to stand up there with you because you can’t imagine them not there with you, not because you were in her wedding. Her feelings might be hurt, yes, and my wedding wish for you is that she is mature enough not to make you feel badly about your choices and that she attends and dances the hora at your wedding because she is nothing but happy for you!

What’s the protocol for food selection? Do I have to give an option of chicken or fish or can I just choose one entree for my guests with vegetarian options on hand that night for those who don’t eat meat?

Alas, food: one of my favorite topics in life! I have been to my fair share of weddings and I honestly don’t remember the food from the majority of them. Just like the kitchen is the heart of the home, the food can be a high point of your wedding. Don’t get stuck in the chicken or fish trap! Have fun with this, please! Your guests will thank you. If it’s an economical choice, by all means, choose something affordable. But if budget is no issue, have filet, have jidori chicken, have loup de mer, have a fabulous truffled mushroom ravioli. Please, no blah steamed vegetable sides! Push your caterer to present you with foods that represent you as a couple and how you want your wedding to feel. The food at your wedding is a great time to make a statement about the new Mr. and Mrs. Maybe you’re having a rustic fete in a vineyard? Find a caterer who uses locally sourced produce and let them do their thing. Don’t ever feel like you need to conform to some traditional chicken or fish option. Of course, be courteous and offer something for guests with dietary restrictions and preferences, but don’t base your menu around your picky Aunt Sarah or stuffy Bubbe. PLAY IT UP! What do you love to eat? Serve your most favorite foods and your wedding will only be more YOU because of it. Have fun with this one!

How do I determine a guest list for my rehearsal dinner? What about for our brunch the day after our wedding?

Your rehearsal dinner is the first big kick off to your wedding and it’s a really exciting event! It’s basically your wedding pre-party. The bare minimum of who to invite would include everyone who attended the wedding rehearsal which includes your wedding party and parents, and perhaps close family. It is also polite to invite guests who are traveling from out of town to be at your wedding. These guests have spent a decent amount of money to be with you for the weekend and it is nice to feed them the night before the big day. It will give you the opportunity to spend a little more time with these guests and will make the night even more festive with some extra company. If you are able to accommodate even more guests, you can more extended family members, close family friends, and good friends of the couple who are not in the wedding party, but who mean a lot to you. It is also nice to include any hostesses who threw you showers in this list if your budget and the venue can accommodate them.

If you are hosting brunch the morning after your wedding, you should definitely invite any guests who have stayed overnight after the wedding, the wedding party, and close family. Again, if there are others that live close to the venue that you would like to include, you can, but you shouldn’t feel obligated. This meal is really for those who stayed over after a night of partying and celebrating the new Mr. and Mrs!

Ketubah.com Plays: Name That Ketubah!

Posted on May 23, 2012 by Alison in Featured, From the Expert, Inside Scoop, Jewish Traditions

Ketubah.com is probably one of the first places a couple browses while searching for their perfect Ketubah. Ketubah.com has a fabulous selection of all different kinds of art that speaks to many individual tastes and affiliations. You can literally search by color, theme, price range, artist… and the available texts can provide meaning for anything from an anniversary to an interfaith wedding to a orthodox wedding. You can even submit your own text if you have something else up your sleeve. Sizes and paper stock are flexible and you can even have it rush shipped if the Ketubah is a last minute detail you just remembered — oops!

Ketubah.com customers are pleased with their purchases which is always fabulous to know, but what’s even more interesting is learning about the people at Ketubah.com who work so hard to provide these beautiful and meaningful works of art! Who are the pros and what do they think about the Ketubah choices on the site?

Three members of the Ketubah.com staff offered to share some interesting insight on some of their personal favorites about Ketubah selections.

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Kevin, Director of Product Development and Marketing

Q: What is your favorite style of art?
A: My favorite style of art is abstract. I love the work of Jackson Pollack because that kind of vibrancy really speaks to me. The Ketubah design Abstractions by Laya Crust speaks to me in the same way. Although the design is made up of Hebrew lettering, it is so abstract that at first glance it looks like a wonderfully vibrant design.

Q: What colors strike your fancy?
A. I like sedate color palettes. Lots of earthy tones and muted colours. I like the blues, reds, and browns of Abstractions by Laya Crust and Fall Bouquet by Naomi Broudo.

Q: What’s the idea location to hang a Ketubah?
A: Although I don’t currently have a Ketubah, my favorite place would be in the living room. My living room is a place of gathering for family and friends, the place I spend most of my time in the house. Because the Ketubah is not just a work of art but a reminder of our commitment, I’d like to display it where it is most visible to me.

Q: If you could choose a Ketubah for any celebrity, who would it be?
A: I would choose Harmony Colorful by Ruth Rudin for Jesse Eisenberg. He’s pretty quirky and a bit out there and I’d think he’d appreciate the whimsy and retro feel of this design.

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Tani, Marketing Manager and Customer Service
Q: What is your favorite style of art?
A: Impressionism, I like bright and bold colors and outdoor landscapes.

Q: What is your favorite color combo or palette?
A: Turquoise and magenta such as Stained Glass Champagne by Lee Loebman.

Q: What would be the perfect place to hang a Ketubah in the house?
A: In the living room. I think the bright colors would add a nice touch to the décor in addition to reminding my husband and I of our commitment to each other on a regular basis.

Q: If you could recommend a Ketubah for a celebrity, who would it be?
A: I love Seth Rogen! He is hilarious and I would love to find out more about his ketubah style. My recommendation would be Symphony by Adam Rhine.

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Shira, Customer Service Manager

Q: What is your favorite style of art?
A: I love Post-Impressionist art such as Firefly by Judith Joseph.

Q: What is your favorite color combo or palette?
A: Blues and greys such as Take a Bow — Sky by Michelle Rummel.

Q: What is your favorite place to hang a Ketubah in the house?
A: In the living room, so anyone who comes in can admire it.

Q: If you could choose a Ketubah for a celebrity, who would it be?
A: I would choose a Ketubah for Zach Braff. I used to love watching him on “Scrubs.” He is so funny and also down to earth. I know he loves his family and chooses to be near them when he is not abroad. I would choose the Ketubah Seaside by Rachel Deitsch for Braff. It shows both home and water (the ocean he crosses to work in London now) which are the things that are important to him, but at the same time [the piece] is whimsical and fun.

*** This post was sponsored by Ketubah.com, a proud partner of The Wedding Yentas. ***

Pingback: Fun with Ketubahs! | New World Ketubah | Custom Ketubahs | Ketubah Designs | Modern Ketubah

From the Expert: Choosing A Makeup Artist

Posted on May 17, 2012 by Alison in Featured, From the Expert, Inside Scoop

We love when awesome wedding vendors spoil us with their words of wisdom! Today is one of those days. Not a bad way to dive into Monday, right? Susie Chhuor of Susie Chhuor Professional Hair and Makeup Team weighs in on something that may be seem foreign to many brides: How do you pick a makeup artist and what can you expect will happen to your face? Read on for more details from Susie about the prettying of your punim!

Your wedding day is quickly approaching, and all the details are in check: venue, flowers, cake, DJ, photographer, dress, invitations, favors, shoes, etc. Hair and makeup are also among the list of important decisions to make, but they are probably one of the last things on your mind. With so many options, choosing the perfect bridal hair and makeup stylist may seem just as daunting and stressful as deciding on all the other details. However, once you have selected the perfect makeup artist, your mind will be at ease knowing that you will look your absolute best for the wedding day. Here, we will simplify the process for you by suggesting a few helpful tips.

There are a few options when it comes to looking for a makeup artist. As one of the more traditional modes, you may want to seek out referrals from friends, family, or other previous brides whom you know. Since they have already seen the makeup artist’s work or have experienced it first hand, they would be rather reliable sources for referrals. Another option, as one of the more popular modes, is simply the Internet. With the various wedding websites these days, researching for makeup artists becomes much easier since you are usually able to view the artist’s portfolio and information made readily available online. Moreover, many sites also allow you to see testimonials and reviews from previous brides. In a way, this too is a form of “referral.” After all, a bride wouldn’t recommend someone if she didn’t believe in the makeup artist’s work.

As you do your research and browsing, remember to consider the following factors:

1. How experienced is the makeup artist? More specifically, is he/she experienced in bridal hair and makeup?

By viewing portfolios, you can sense the makeup artist’s quality of work and experience. The photos should look clean, professional, and cover a wide range of looks. That way, you know that the makeup artist is flexible in his or her style to meet the needs of yours. You should definitely like what you see in the artist’s portfolio. Also, be sure that the makeup artist has pictures of his/her bridal work. Bridal styling is often quite different from other types of makeup in terms of skill, look, and application. The makeup needs to be meticulously done, so that it looks good both in person and on camera. Thus, be sure that your artist has done a fair share of weddings, including cultural and ethnic weddings (if that pertains to you). You can also take into account the number of years of experience, education and training, and previous employment that the makeup artist has on the resume.

2. Does the makeup artist provide hair services as well?

Unless you do not mind having two different people working on you for the wedding day, having a makeup artist who also does hair alleviates some of the stress on the day of. You will not have to worry about scheduling two different stylists or maybe even commuting to two different places. Also, having one artist who provides both services will ensure that your look is cohesive and share the same quality.

3. Where would you like to get ready?

Consider having the makeup artist come to your location whether it’s a hotel, the venue, or at home. With the morning of the wedding day usually being hectic, avoid the stress of traveling to get your hair and makeup done if the artist is available to come to you. Many freelance and local artists offer this convenience as part of their services for a small fee. If you prefer to get ready at a salon or studio, be sure to check it out beforehand to see if you like the atmosphere.

4. Can he/she accommodate your bridal party size?

Many brides who have several people in their bridal party often enjoy the convenience of makeup artists who work with an assistant or team. With additional hands, everyone in the bridal party can be finished within a reasonable time frame. If the artist happens to work alone, plan the details accordingly with him/her to allow for ample time to get ready.

5. How long do you need the makeup artist for?

Think about whether you would like to the artist to be around for the entire day or just for a few hours to get you ready. Having the artist stay with you may cost a little more as he/she will be ready to do frequent touch-ups or look changes throughout the entire event. Some makeup artists have services in which they will come back later in the day to do touch-ups or change your look for an additional fee. If the makeup artist will not be with you for the entire day, ask if a touch-up kit will be provided so that you may have that on hand for later to do your own touch-ups.

6. What types of makeup does the artist offer?

With an array of makeup products and techniques that are out there, find a makeup artist who is able to carry out what you need. For example, you may want a tattoo or scar to be covered up, so be sure that the artist is able to do so. See whether the artist offers airbrush or uses conventional makeup. Learn about the benefits of either option and ask the makeup artist what would be better to suit your particular face skin tone, texture, and color.

7. What is your budget for hair and makeup?

Rates for bridal hair and makeup can vary greatly from artist to artist, so be sure to research thoroughly and make comparisons. Have a range in mind that you are willing to spend; however, do not try to compromise quality work for affordability. You will be looking back your wedding day photos years from now, so you would want to remember how beautiful you looked on your wedding day.

8. Are you comfortable talking to and being around the makeup artist?

Lastly, as an aspect that can easily be overlooked, the person you choose should make you feel relaxed and comfortable. You should be able to easily communicate your visions and concerns to the makeup artist without much hesitation. Since you will be spending a lot of time with your makeup artist on the day of the wedding and maybe on occasions leading up to the event, you will want to choose someone whose personality meshes well with yours. This will make the experience all the more special and fun!

Once you have narrowed down your options after much research and consideration, contact the makeup artist or agency to arrange a consultation and/or trial. At the trial, bring magazine clippings or online printouts for looks that you like and want to try. Feel free to bring a close friend or family member to give you honest opinions. Also, don’t be afraid to voice your thoughts and desires. Good makeup artists will always listen to your suggestions and concerns in effort to create the look that you want. At the end, if you are satisfied with the trial, book soon after to reserve the wedding date.

Good luck and happy searching!

Like what you read? Get in touch with Susie Chhuor Professional Hair and Makeup team today! Become a fan on Facebook or visit the web site for more information.

From The Expert: Vintage Bridesmaids Dresses

Posted on May 9, 2012 by Alison in From the Expert, Inside Scoop

Don’t forget to get your entry in so you can win a fabulous flower hair accessory from Fascinate Me! The giveaway is going on now through May 14th at 11:59 p.m. PST, and you can enter with a comment about your favorite piece on the Fascinate Me Facebook page AND The Wedding Yentas post here for a maximum of two entries! The winner, who will be chosen at random, will be announced May 15th. Read here for all the juicy details!

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It’s so exciting to have an expert in the house! Personally, I’ve always loved antiques and historical items. I may not be a mathematician (when I hear “pi” I think pumpkin and apple), but I do know this: vintage styles + wedding = gorgeous! Today, Mill Crest Vintage is on board to tell us all about creating a vintage look for your bridesmaids. Paula Cooperman, owner of Mill Crest Vintage, has spent three decades hand selecting each piece to add to her amazing collection of vintage bridal wear for both the traditional and non traditional bride. She has an amazing eye for detail and a great passion for finding what makes a woman feel the most beautiful on her wedding day. Offering personal and private bridal consultations in her Lambertville, New Jersey bridal salon, Paula has had the opportunity to work with hundreds of brides, gaining both experience and expertise in what goes into selecting a vintage bridesmaids dresses.

Now that you have found the perfect “dress of your dreams” wedding dress for what may be one of the single most important days in your entire life, how will you dress your ladies in waiting? Oy vey, the bridesmaid dress. A dress, once regarded as the most dreadful of all dresses, that a movie was made in honor of its deep heritage in a long line of matchy-matchy dresses worn by the few especially selected women in our lives, as they surround the gorgeous bride in all of her glory. The days of 27 dresses and coordinating dyed satin shoes are thankfully finding their way out of today’s wedding trends. Nowadays, brides are opting for frocks that are flattering to each individual bridesmaid, without taking away from the cohesive look of the wedding party.

Going with vintage is a wonderful way to unify your bridal party without actually having everyone wearing matching attire. Whether or not your wedding dress is itself vintage, you can easily turn to vintage to create a beautiful and unique look to your bridal party, while still complementing the design of your own dress and the overall theme of your wedding day. Bonus!! Your bridesmaids will thank you for choosing a dress that they will want to wear again and again!

So, how do you choose a collection of vintage bridesmaids dresses that will both coordinate and offer the opportunity for each of your bridesmaids to feel just as special as you intended them to feel? Well, the two most important things you will want to consider: first, the overall style of your wedding day and then, the style of your own dress. Once you have established the look and feel you are going for, then choosing vintage bridesmaids dresses can be based simply on either era, fabric, color, length, or print.

Maybe you are planning an afternoon garden wedding and you have chosen a fabulous tea length vintage wedding dress from the 50s, with luscious layers of tulle and a floral lace embroidered sweetheart neckline, topped off with a floral silk ribbon sash. In this case, you may consider a selection of tea-length bridesmaids dresses from the 50s all in solid tones to complement your flowers, or perhaps you might choose dresses with a delicate floral print that will work with your sash. For a 20s themed wedding, you may consider flapper style dresses with figure flattering cuts and fun fringe for each of your bridesmaids. Having a destination wedding somewhere sandy and warm amongst the swaying palm trees? Vintage tropical sweetheart cocktail dresses from the 80s, in varying colors of gorgeous floral prints, are the perfect choice. Bridesmaids can don these fabulous little vintage pieces, while going barefoot on the beach and can still dance the night away at your reception by throwing on a simple pair of pumps. The possibilities are truly endless.

Even if your wedding dress isn’t vintage, fear not. A vintage bridesmaids dress is still a great option for achieving a cohesive look for your wedding party. Consider fabric choices, such as lace, jersey knit or chiffon in solid tones that work well with the overall colors chosen for the reception. If your dress happens to be floor length, you may want to have all of your bridesmaids dresses come from the same era, but choose dresses that are knee length so as to still be set apart from the bride. If your dress happens to be lace, coordinating lace bridesmaids dresses will be the perfect choice. Chiffon bridesmaids dresses work well with silk bridal gowns, offering a fun way to play with tones and sheen.

You may be thinking “Great! Vintage seems like a cool choice for my bridesmaids, but where to begin?” I may be biased, but we would recommend the bridesmaid collection at Mill Crest Vintage. Not only do we carry one of the largest collection of vintage dresses for both the bride and bridesmaids, we also offer our collection in our online boutique, as well as in our Lambertville, New Jersey bridal salon.

Brides can shop online with confidence, as each vintage bridesmaids dress in our collection has been hand-selected for quality of construction, fabrication, style, and wearability. We also go to great lengths to describe each piece with exquisite detail. A handy measurement guide is available to assist in finding pieces that will fit your lovely bridesmaids – and just in case you fall in love with a dress that isn’t the right fit, we are here to assist! Nearly every good vintage piece can be altered to achieve a customized fit. Our professional seamstress is on hand to offer suggestions to our online customers about how any particular piece can be altered.

For those brides who are near our Lambertville, New Jersey bridal salon and boutique, we invite you to set up a Private Bridal Party Consultation with one of our vintage bridal experts. Alterations are available with our seamstress and vintage shoes and accessories are available to complete the ensemble. For more information or to set up an appointment, please feel free to contact us.

Don’t forget the Mother of the Bride! We’ve got a fabulous selection of vintage Mother of the Bride dresses too!! But that’s a different discussion…

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From The Expert: Mother’s Day Gifts… Redone

Posted on May 3, 2012 by Alison in Featured, From the Expert, Gotta Have It, Inside Scoop

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Today, it’s so exciting and inspiring to have Old new borrowed redo™ guest blog all about the perfect Mother’s Day gift ideas since the holiday where we honor our favorite ladies — our moms! — is next Sunday, May 13. Old new borrowed redo™ was a business in the making over the course of Lindsey’s wedding planning, but materialized during a long walk on her honeymoon! While shopping for that perfect gown, Lindsey found herself being asked the same question over and over again: “What are you going to do with your gown after your wedding?” Immediately, she had the answer: “Make pillows for my bedroom.” A few months later, while she was on her honeymoon, Lindsey thought: Why not provide customers with an easy, no-fuss service, where we take their wedding gowns and turn them into fabulous and customized keepsakes? The Martha Stewarts of garments we don’t need anymore provide practical AND sentimental ideas for mom on this Mother’s Day and all special days!

Every year, around the third weekend in April, the two of us, Lindsey and Jennifer, exchange endless emails and numerous phone calls with our older sister, Staci, trying to get an early jumpstart on the obstacle that’s only a few weeks away: what to get our mother for Mother’s Day.

One of us will mention getting her a massage so that she can unwind and forget the stress that comes with having three daughters! However, that idea is quickly dismissed when one of us points out that we got her a massage for her birthday last year. A gift certificate to go shopping is always a perfect present for our mother who loves to shop. But we begin to have second thoughts thinking that it’s not personal enough. And so we, like many of our customers, spend weeks trying to come up with a present for our mom that is truly unique and sentimental and shows just how amazing and special she is to each one of us.
So we are touched when our customers turn to us, Old new borrowed redo™ (ONBR), to create unique and personal keepsakes to gift to those special people in their lives.

Like Sarah, a recent ONBR customer who wanted to turn the bridesmaid dress her aunt wore at her parent’s wedding and turn it into a truly special and unique 25th wedding anniversary present. Sarah envisioned redoing the lavender taffeta bridesmaid dress into a custom pillow and picture frame, adorned with the ruffle around the neck of the dress. She also wanted to embroider her parents’ monogramed initials in silver, symbolizing 25 years of marriage. We were thrilled to make Sarah’s vision a reality. Sarah had a unique and sentimental present to give to her parents on their special day.

And then there’s Kelly, who wanted a special present to give to her brother and sister-in-law upon the arrival of their new daughter, Makayla. Kelly used the scraps from the bridesmaid dress she wore at their wedding to create a personal nameplate that was embroidered with Makayla’s name and date of birth. The bridesmaid dress was also incorporated into the piping along the perimeter of the baby blanket and matching pillow.

Or Lesley, who knew her granddaughters probably would not wear her wedding gown from 35 years ago. Lesley was thrilled to know ONBR could find a way for her dress to walk down the aisle in the form of ring bearer pillows. Lesley now has a way to incorporate the something old and something new for her granddaughters’ weddings.

Former bridesmaids are now finding plenty of ways to recycle those bridesmaid dresses worn at their friend’s weddings. Many are redoing the bridesmaid dresses into baby blankets and gifting to their friends upon the arrival of their first child, like the black and hot pink baby blanket and pillow created for one of our customers.

Our inspiration to redo comes from our own experiences with the dresses sitting in the closets. We counted all the dresses that we had kept throughout the years and the number was astonishing. We surveyed our friends who told us the same.

At ONBR, we believe in transforming our customer’s wedding gowns, bridesmaid dresses, Bat Mitzvah dresses, prom dresses, and any dress that holds sentimental meaning and redo them into custom keepsakes such as custom pillows, baby blankets, picture frames, and even lingerie. We know that each one of us holds on to dresses because of the sentimental meaning that it has in each one of our lives.
Our custom keepsakes are the perfect unique and personal gift for Mother’s Day, any holiday or just because.

Happy redoing,
Lindsey & Jennifer