Monday, March 8, 2010

Best 50 Wedding Movies

A fantastic way for soon-to-be brides and grooms to get in the wedding mood or to get some ideas for you own wedding is to curl up with a romantic flick.

A fantastic way for soon-to-be brides and grooms to get in the wedding mood or to get some ideas for you own wedding is to curl up with a romantic flick.

The following list includes some of the Best 50 Wedding Movies of all time:
(BOLD = La Belle Events Favorites)

The Wedding Singer (1994) - Starring Adam Sandler & Drew Barrymore
The Princess Bride (1987) - Starring Cary Elwes & Robin Wright Penn
It Had to be You (1947) - Starring Ginger Rogers & Cornel Wilde
Father of the Bride (1991) - Starring Steve Martin & Kimberly Williams
My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002) - Starring Nia Vardalos & John Corbett
Betsy's Wedding (1990) - Starring Molly Ringwald & Alan Alda
Monsoon Wedding (2001) - Starring Vasundhara Das & Parvin Dabas
My Best Friend's Wedding (1997) - Starring Julia Roberts & Dermot Mulroney
Muriel's Wedding (1994) - Starring Toni Collette & Daniel Lapaine
The Wedding Planner (2001) - Starring Jennifer Lopez & Matthew McConaughey
American Weddingg (2003) - Starring Eugene Levy & Jason Biggs
Runaway Bride (1999) - Starring Julia Roberts & Richard Gere
Moonstruck (1987) - Starring Cher & Nicolas Cage
The In-Laws (2003) - Starring Michael Douglas & Albert Brooks
That Old Feeling (1997) - Starring Bette Midler & Dennis Farina
Honeymoon in Vegas (1992) - Starring Sarah Jessica Parker & Nicolas Cage
Best Men (1997) - Starring Drew Barrymore & Luke Wilson
Bollywood/Hollywood (2002) - Starring Rahul Khanna & Lisa Ray
Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994) - Starring Hugh Grant & Andie MacDowell
The Catered Affair (1956) - Debbie Reynolds & Rod Taylor
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954) - Starring Howard Keel & Jane Powell
It Happened One Night (1934) - Starring Clark Gable & Claudette Colbert
Meet the Parents (2000) - Starring Ben Stiller & Robert De Niro
Guess Who's Coming to Dinner? (1967) - Starring Sidney Poitier & Katharine Hepburn
Only You (1994) - Starring Marisa Tomei & Robert Downey Jr.
Sense and Sensibility (1995) - Starring Emma Thompson & Hugh Grant
An Officer and a Gentleman (1982) Starring Richard Gere & Debra Winger
Green Card (1990) - Starring Grard Depardieu & Andie MacDowell
Fools Rush In (1997) - Starring Matthew Perry & Salma Hayek
The Quiet Man (1952) - Starring John Wayne & Maureen O'Hara
The Birdcage (1996) - Starring Robin Williams & Nathan Lane
Love Story (1970) - Starring Ali MacGraw & Ryan O'Neal
She's Having a Baby (1988) - Starring Kevin Bacon & Elizabeth McGovern
The Cowboy and the Lady (1938) - Starring Gary Cooper & Merle Oberon
Smokie and the Bandit (1977) - Starring Burt Reynolds & Sally Field
Sweet Home Alabama (2002) - Starring Josh Lucas & Reese Witherspoon
Big Fish (2003) - Starring Albert Finney & Ewan McGregor
True Romance (1993) - Starring Christian Slayter & Patricia Arquette
How to Marry a Millionaire (1953) - Starring Marilyn Monroe & Lauren Bacall
Anna Karenina (1935) - Starring Greta Garbo & Fredric March
Arthur (1981) - Starring Dudley Moore & Liza Minnelli
When a Man Loves a Woman (1994) - Starring Meg Ryan & Andy Garcia
The Notebook (2004) - Starring Ryan Gosling & Rachel McAdams
So I Married an Axe Murderer (1993) - Starring Mike Myers & Nancy Travis
Sabrina (1954) - Starring Humphrey Bogart & Audrey Hepburn
The Way We Were (1973) - Starring Barbara Streisand & Robert Redford
Ever After (1998) - Starring Drew Barrymore & Dougray Scott
An Affair to Remember (1957) - Starring Cary Grant & Deborah Kerr
Gone with the Wind (1939) - Starring Clark Gable & Vivien Leigh
First Knight (1995) - Julia Ormond, Richard Gere & Sean Connory

Saturday, January 30, 2010

2010 Wedding Trends

What Will Be the Hottest, Hippest, and Cutest 2010 Wedding Trends?
By Nina Callaway, About.com Guide

When predicting 2010 Wedding Trends, it seems almost too obvious to talk about the economy's impact. But before you jump to conclusions about how drab and cheap weddings are becoming, know that money is certainly not the only influence on style, fashion, or tradition. In fact, couples are getting more creative and feel more freedom to make unique choices.

Here's what I think will be hot next year:

Backyard Weddings at Home
While getting married at home isn't necessarily cheaper, it feels more personal, allows you to have a more intimate affair, and doesn't feel ostentatious. The economy means not only that people want to spend less money, but also that they feel guilty when they do spend money. A backyard event not only helps to put your guests at ease, but also allows you to make more casual, less expensive choices elsewhere. For example, a barbeque picnic feels more appropriate at home than it would at a country club.

Homemade Wedding Favors
Though favors are an expense that's easy to eliminate, right now couples are especially grateful to guests who have incurred considerable expense to be a part of the celebration. The 2010 wedding trend is using homemade favors to express that thanks, and to send guests home with your love.

Birdcage Veils
These vintage-look veils combine a jeweled clip or feathered headpiece with netting that only covers the face. In the picture above, Drew Barrymore is wearing a birdcage veil to a recent movie premiere. Wearing one allows you to have some dramatic glamor and feel like a bride, but is a more fun look and less hassling than a long traditional veil.

Mismatched Bridesmaid Dresses
For several years, brides have been selecting a bridesmaid dress designer and a fabric, then letting their bridesmaids choose the style that works best for their bodies. But the 2010 wedding trend takes idea further. Choose only a color, then let your bridesmaids find an off-the-rack dress of any designer that they like. Not only does this take some pressure off of you, but it also ensures that women are choosing a dress they like and they'll be likely to actually wear again. If you follow this trend, be sure to tell your bridesmaids how formal the dress should be – you don't want one bridesmaid wearing a casual sundress while another has on a beaded evening gown.

The End of the Standard Year-Long Engagement
Though a year is a good amount of time for an engagment(and thus that's what I use for my wedding planning checklist) it certainly isn't obligatory. Some couples will be planning quick elopements, while others will opt for longer engagements. There are advantages to both – a quick engagement means that you don't overwhelm yourself with trying to plan the perfect wedding, and often means that you spend less money on unnecessary things. A long engagement can help relieve the stress, spreading out the tasks and the expenses. You'll have time to save money, and hopefully be able to feel more secure about your jobs before you sign unbreakable contracts. Read more – How to Choose a Wedding Date

Strapless Wedding Dresses
If you're saying to yourself, "This isn't a new 2010 wedding trend!" you're right. Strapless dresses have been extremely popular for several years now. And though more brides are opting for sleeves, straps, and other ways of covering the shoulders, strapless is going to continue to be the dominant style for the near future.

Sunday, January 10, 2010

NorCal Bridal Trunk Show - Month of January

2010 Bridal Galleria Trunk Shows:

Romona Keveza Couture and Legends January 14-17 Both collections feature a range of beautiful gowns, from simple classics to the most sumptuous looks.

Monique Lhuillier and Bliss January 21-24 Bridal Galleria is the only Northern California bridal salon to offer all Monique Lhuillier divisions: Platinum, Signature and the brand new popularly priced Bliss.

Lazaro January 28-31 Meet designer Lazaro in person and try on his latest exquisite styles.

Receive a 10% discount on wedding dresses purchased during these designer trunk shows. Space is limited so please call for your appointment. Or reserve your time online at www.bridalgalleria.com/Contact.htm.

Bridal Galleria
3 Embarcadero Center
San Francisco
415/362-2277
Northern California Trunk Shows & Sample Sales

Monday, December 7, 2009

Tipping Your Vendors

TIPS ON TIPPING:

* All tips should be given in cash. If the person serving you is an employee of the company, their tip should be in a separate envelope.
* No one/single person should get more then $150.00. For example: Let’s say your limo bus is $2000.00. 10 or 15% of that total is 200 or 300 dollars, not necessary.
* Tips should be given just before your vendor leaves. That way you can judge how much to give, according to the job they did for you.
* All vendors would love a thank you card. It is a great reminder of happy clients and let's face it, it'll help them book future clients.
* Giving vendors a favour/bomboniere is totally up to the couple and how many they can spare.

THE ONES YOU SHOULD TIP

Altar boys or girls - $10-15.00 each

Limousine Drivers – 10-15% of the limousine bill, given at the end of the evening. See "FB Tip" above.

Valet Parking Attendants - $.50 to $1.00 per car, prearrange this amount with the supervisor based on an estimate of how many cars will be arriving and a sign should be posted to guests that the gratuity has been taken care of.

Wait staff - If the tip is not on the contract already, 15% of the total catering bill is tipped. Wait staff do the hardest physical labour on your wedding day.

Bartenders - 10% of the total liquor bill, presented to the head bartender or divided equally among the total number of bartenders who worked the full evening. Make sure that a tip hasn't been added to your contract already.

Restroom and/or Coatroom Attendants - $.50 to $1.00 per guest, prearranged again based on the number of guests.

Makeup artist or Hair Stylists - You don't have to tip them if they come to you. If you go to the salon, then you should tip them 15%. Why you ask, well the salon makes the money, not the individual. If you have received a good job, and you would tip normally, then go ahead.

DJ - If your DJ owns the company then the tip is optional but if the DJ is an employee $50-100.00. If you have 2 DJs (DJ & MC), give each person $50.00 in separate envelopes. When your guests rave about your reception later, it's the DJ that had everything to do with the fun.

OPTIONAL TIPPING (amounts reflect optional tips)

Business Owners - You don’t have to tip the owner of a business, unless you feel that they have gone beyond the call of duty and you want to give them a token of your appreciation.

Ceremony or Reception Musicians - $5-10/hr per person, in one lump sum given to the person in charge.

Banquet or catering manager - doesn’t need to be tipped unless they’ve thrown in extras or saved you a few hundred dollars on your bill. The tip would be between $50-$100.

Photographer and Videographer - If these vendors own the company, then the tip is optional. If they are employees $50.00 goes to the main photographer and he/she can give a split to the assistant.

Officiant - To tip them is to trivialize their profession and extremely bad etiquette. Generally you pay your fee and that's it. If you wish to make a financial contribution to the church, you can do that separately.

Florist - You don't need to tip the florist for making your arrangements but you can tip them an extra $5.00 per delivery location (3 locations=$15.00) or $10-20.00 per staff member in one lump sum, for set-up and delivery.

Wedding Cake Baker - You don't have to tip for the baking of the cake but if you are at your reception venue at time of delivery and set-up = $10.00

Wedding Coordinator or Room Manager- This is the person managing the reception venues staff and facility the night of your wedding = $50.00

Your Wedding Coordinator - If this vendor owns the company, then the tip is optional. If they are an employee = $50.00

Your Wedding Planner - This person has planned your wedding from start to finish. An appropriate tip would be 10% of their total commission or bill.

Saturday, December 5, 2009

Mailing Labels - Martha Stewart


















A different & unique way to dress your envelopes. I found these on the Martha Stewart Wedding magazine a year ago while I have planning my wedding. It gave my invitation envelopes a good finished look to them. They are simple to put together especially if you print the labels on a full sheet of sticker label paper.


Here's a link to the mailing labels from the MSW site.
http://www.cmarthastewartweddings.com/goodthings/ready-and-labeled