Two Web Belles: We Want More of It

1. One thing we've been drawn to lately is fabric flower accessories. These floral pieces come in so many textures, colors, and sizes, and can even pull double duty by working as an addition to your 'do (tucked alongside loose locks adds whimsy) or your clothes (a small cluster pinned on a shrug or cardigan sets an outfit apart.) These are just a few of our favorites, from left to right: JCrew, Elizabeth Brennick Designs on Etsy, Jeanine Gabrielle.

2. So we know Vera Wang caused quite a stir in the bridal world when she announced last week that she will begin selling her designs in David's Bridal stores all across the country. Even though Vera hasn't started designing the line yet, she definitely has the price point (up to $1,500) she wants to stick to nailed down. While couture purists are surely using their designer hankies to dab away the tears caused by Ms. Wang designing for the masses, we're just eager to see what she's going to produce in this more affordable, accessible price range.


3. Customized t-shirts from the Wedding Chicks are just the thing for you and your bridesmaids to wear for a sassy night-on-the town while staying casually cute. They can be ordered to match your color scheme, which would also make a great photo-op for the wedding day beauty-session- just keep in mind if you are considering an updo the tee would have to be sacrificed in the name of hair preservation. The designs are distinctly feminine with a little western flair, but the pricetag ($36) is reasonable, especially for a made to order item. Totes are also offered in similar designs if tee-shirts aren't your thing. If you follow the Chicks on twitter, they offer discount codes via tweet!

4. DC brides, prepare to be inspired. The ladies behind Ritzy Bee Events, Simplesong Design, and Kate Headley Photography have combined creative forces to form the Hive at 1511 Studio in Alexandria. The Hive will offer up workshops and classes targeted towards brides-to-be or anyone with a flair for the creative looking for inspiration and guidance from the pros. Classes begin in May! We haven't stopped by the studio (yet) but the space looks pristine and honestly, anywhere with a craft room is OK by us.

5. Usually the wedding blog-o-sphere has an unspoken "girl's only" code, but the wedding gurus at Washingtonian Magazine have broken the mold. Check out Tales from the Groom, a hilarious account by real life husband-to-be Carl Monaco. It's refreshing to hear the groom's perspective on planning, and Carl's fodder ranges from light-hearted and laugh inducing to more serious and thought-provoking. His latest entry gives a play by play of a menu tasting in homage to Bill Simmons (ask a sports fan). Add this one to your guy's Google Reader and it might just be the one wedding blog he keeps up with -besides twb, of course!

Two Web Belles: Ready, Set, Blog

1. DIY'ers - this one's for you. Papersource, purveyor of all things stationary (seriously, we've spent over an hour in the greeting card section alone) debuted their letterpress at home machine. For $149, the combo kit includes the press and a set of basic supplies to get you started. They also offer a set of wedding plates with your standard "thank you/save the date/congratulations" text options and some intricate scroll images to dazzle up your diy-designs. The Belles are suckers for crafty, so this one has our name all over it.

2. It's official - we looooove blurb. Snapfish used to be our go-to for self published albums, but they've got nothing on blurb. There are pre-designed templates offered if you have trouble getting started, but the real beauty of this site comes from the ease of use and total layout flexibility. Seriously, check out the sample gallery and come back when you're done wiping the drool off your chin. The concept goes way beyond a simple wedding album. Think customized but professional quality scrapbook for your honey as a wedding gift, recipe collection to present in a stunning cookbook for a blushing bride at her shower, or a travel journal from the honeymoon. A few projects are already in the works over here.


3. If you're looking for some wedding inspiration this weekend in Philly, why not swing by Soiree in the City? The stylish event is a far cry from convention center bridal expos, as it brings together a more select group of vendors in a swanky Old City venue to show off what some of the best in the biz have cooked up. Tickets are still available through the website for this Sunday's event, and this is a party you definitely don't want to miss.


4. Okay, so we're all not lucky enough as to always pull bridesmaid duty in a stylish cocktail dress in a flattering color and fabric, right? Well here are step-by-step instructions that put a nightmarish frock out of its misery and onto your sofa by turning it into an accent pillow. Just make sure to stash it out of the way whenever the bride comes knocking at your door in the future...


5. Fresh off of the season 7 finale of Project Runway last night, we couldn't help but notice all of the PR wedding-ness in the air lately. First there was Carol Hannah from season 6 making a splash on the scene with her newly released bridal collection, which is so playful and fresh. Then we spotted recently auf'd Jonathan Peters showing off some ruffled, vintage-y wedding gowns at a show in Boston recently. And if that weren't enough, we noticed season 2 winner Chloe Dao included a few white numbers in her runway show in Houston. Tim Gunn would be so proud!

Two Web Belles: We're Web-a-licious

1. The world of weddings has it's own set of rules, and who better to guide you and your affianced through the murky waters than the quintessential etiquette maven, Emily Post. Emily Post's Wedding Guide is nothing new (it's in it's 5th edition), but it is THE guide to all of your wedding quandaries. In this contemporary edition, Emily's great granddaughter Anna dives into topics such as second-time brides, shower hosts, and the hotly debated "money dance." This book is a must have for any bride-to-be and makes a fantastic engagement present.

2. Ducked into Paper On Pine the other day because a chalk sign on the sidewalk said they had birthday cards and hey, we needed a birthday card. We were pleased with not only their selection of cards but also their stationary, announcement, and invitation offerings. Everything in the shop is bright and has a undeniable sense of style about it, just like the Philly neighborhood in which it stands. Definitely worth checking out if you're ever in the area!

3. These wedding photos posted on Poptastic Bride caught our eye, and with all the interesting elements - Indian saris, Scottish kilts, vivid urban backdrops - how could they not? It was also cool to see The FUEL House, a popular Philly reception venue, be used for the ceremony location, too.

4. Yesterday Shutterfly launched their re-tooled wedding site, which boasts 250 new styles of invitations, announcements, and save the dates. The site has really stepped up their wedding game, offering up added features like planning checklists, to-do lists, and even photo taking tips for the honeymoon.

5. Every bride wants to look her absolute best on her wedding day. Beyond a flattering hairstyle and perfectly applied makeup, a solid fitness regime in the months leading up to the wedding can do wonders for your appearance, your health, and your sanity. During this busy time, Women's Health's "The Bridal Workout" is a no frills workout that works wonders - perfect for the bride on a budget who can't cough up the cash or the time commitment for a personal trainer. The 52 minute DVD is broken up into segments by body part. Even if you only have half an hour, you can squeeze in a warm up (4 minutes), power cardio (11 minutes), lower body (11 minutes), and cool-down (3), or some other configuration of the DVD's workout segments. The DVD is geared to a beginner fitness level, so the moves are dead simple to master, but if you've been hitting the gym religiously, this DVD may not be challenging enough for you. We give it two belles up for a simple, easy to stick to program that will have even the most reluctant of exercisers sweating it out to look hot in that white gown!

Two Web Belles: Wed This

1. We may not be fashion show VIPs (yet!), but thanks to The Knot, we can pretend. The site will be streaming bridal fashion week shows online this weekend, starting with Carolina Herrera at 2PM EST tomorrow April 10th. Follow the newest creations of tulle, satin, and lace down the runway *live* by going here .

2. Spotted this save the date on bluepoolroad and thought it was so creative and playful. And best of all it's interactive, as each guest has to blow up the balloon to reveal the wedding info. We also thought this idea could be adapted to use as invitations for more casual events like bachelorette or birthday parties.

3. Love custom silver hangers from etsy seller lilafrances. They’re pretty and photo-worthy for the perfect shot of your dress just before you slip it on. If you decide to keep your maiden name, lilafrances offers custom name combinations (think bride + groom) or a simple silver heart. Details like this will really shine in your wedding day photos, and we love the idea of displaying the hanger with some other pieces of your bridal wardrobe (veil, garter, or silk floral hairpiece perhaps) in a shadowbox to commemorate the occasion in a feminine way.

4. This unconventional recipe box came to us via Miss Hamster’s blog on Weddingbee. This is a great idea for the city bride who loves to try new restaurants but not so much new recipes. Each shower guest fills out a “recipe card” with a restaurant recommendation with their favorite dish from the menu. A modern, cheeky twist on the recipe shower!

5. Lottery tickets as wedding favors aren’t necessarily new, but we love that they are a fun, simple DIY project that adds a little excitement when your guests take their seats. Who doesn’t love the feeling of scratching of the gritty metallic coating on the ticket with a shiny new penny?? These are so easy to customize to complement your décor. This bold red option featured on The Knot really hit the jackpot if you ask these two Belles!

Two Web Belles: Read All About It

1. Designer Bride Inc. is pooling the talents of Angel Sanchez, Carmen Marc Valvo, David Meister, and Lilly Pulitzer to present 48 wedding dresses (12 from each designer) that are priced from $1,000 to $3,500. These dresses, which are coming from four very different ready-to-wear designers, are slated to be available in June. We're really eager to see what each designer offers, and like the accessibility and variety Designer Bride is offering through their collective approach.

2. We saw these bottle opener cufflinks on CuffLinks.com and thought they could make for part of a cool groomsman gift. Another fave from the site are these smartphone 'links, which are just dorky enough to be a funny gift for the guy who is always typing away on his (you all know who you are).

3. This blog post from A Practical Wedding may be from the 2008 archives, but Meg's words ring true especially these days. There's something nostalgic and romantic about a city hall wedding: the simplicity keeps the focus on you and your honey. We love a big to do as much as the next belle, but we also love this. Fantastic weddings come in all shapes and sizes.

4. While one of the Wedding Belles is strictly an occasional caramel frapp kinda gal, the other is always jonesin for java. We've seen candy buffets a million times, and made the rounds at a mashed potato bar a time or two (real bacon bits? yes, please!) but something we could see really catching on at weddings is an espresso bar. If your venue is already equipped with an espresso maker you may be able to negotiate the service with them, but another option is a mobile specialty coffee service, like this one in Bethesda. Nothin' like a little late night jolt to keep everyone on the dance floor!

5. These pics from kiss the groom should serve to remind us what a great option black is for bridesmaids. All too often good ol' black is overlooked too easily for the rainbow of color options for 'maids dresses. But black photographs true in every light, and looks good with all skin/hair colors, all while hitting a bold, classic note. Obviously it's not the way to go for everyone, but just something to keep in mind when searching out dresses.