Divine Wine Gifts

While perusing the aisle offerings at the Dallas Bridal Show, I couldn't help but peek into the booth for D'vine Wine. Aside from the usual vineyard and event location, one of their specialties is private labeling. What a yummy find for my 10th anniversary gifts!

Fortunately, one need not live in Texas to snap up some superb vintages with custom labels. All the forms are online -- making it so easy for anyone, near or far, to get started. The choice is yours. Design the label yourself or have it custom created just for you by their staff. My only problem is deciding which wonderful wines to label! Just look at those shelves...

[Photo online from D'Vine Wine]

Save on Cake & Eat It Too

Exquisite multi-tiered cakes make a glamorous statement. Unfortunately, these tall towers can bestow a bride with a severe case of sticker shock. Not to despair! You can still have your cake and eat it too! It just requires a few savvy tips.

• Modify the design into a two or three-layered mini cake. This mini work of art will showcase your style and allow the perfect backdrop for your cake cutting ceremony.
• Ask your baker to provide the bulk of the servings from a sheet cake. Your guests will adore your designer cake flavor and you'll save big time on the price per slice!
• Forget about saving the top tier for noshing on your first anniversary. You can eliminate freezer burn and an extra tier's cost. Instead, why not have your baker replicate a coordinating mini cake that is fresh when the moment arrives?

[Photo online from Brides: Chocolate cake filled with caramel, vanilla, and chocolate buttercreams, iced with buttercream and decorated with piped buttercream and sugar flowers, from Sylvia Weinstock Cakes, sylviaweinstock.com. Photographed by Dasha Wright]

Tearproof Eyes

Upon discovery of this product, I tried to not get too excited. Every "waterproof" eyeliner I've tried seems to run like a Mississippi mudslide. After all, the summer temperatures in Dallas seem to approach boiling. Yes, perhaps formula "x" works in New York at 60 degrees, but not in Dallas at 105!

This eyeliner was my go to choice for the entire summer of '08. After all, I had to test drive it thoroughly before I could really recommend it! And not once did it run. Unlike so many of the other waterproof eyeliners on the market, this product is completely blendable -- no harsh lines.

It has the incredible ability to smudge and blend to create the perfect smoky eye. Not once did my carefully blended "doe eyes" end up favoring a raccoon at the end of the evening. And, just a hint of metallic makes your eyes luminous and oh so sexy...

I just don't know how they do it! It smudges, blends perfectly with other Bourjois Clubbing Contour colors, then sets perfectly. My personal faves are the black party, gris tecktonik (silver), and green insomniak. An absolute must for any bride who wants her eyes to look as perfect at the conclusion of the evening as when the day first began.

[Photo online from Ulta]

Organic, Edible Haircare

For all you green brides out there, this is an exciting new product launch! Horst Rechelbacher, the founder of Aveda has introduced a new beauty line that is certified organic and is manufactured from 100% nontoxic plant chemistry. The line is actually edible -- and I don't think I've ever heard of edible hairspray before! The haircare line offers a hair/scalp oil treatment, a hair cleanser & conditioner, a detangler, gel and styling cream, hair balm, and a finishing gloss.

As with most organic products, the cost is considerably more (unless you already buy upscale salon products). To see a comprehensive list of their revolutionary products, visit Intelligent Nutrients online.

It is important to stress that the company utilizes it's earth friendly philosophy in its business practices. Food and cosmetic chemists work to create products with no synthetic or petrochemical additives. Renewal Energy Credits (RECs) are bought to offset the energy used in manufacturing. Wind energy is also purchased to run their corporate headquarters. Many of the organic ingredients are grown on the founder's farm in Osceola, Wisconsin. And there is no animal testing.

[Photo online at Intelligent Nutrients]

Going Green, Part 2

As one of the top colors of 2008, purple has definitely ceded much of its popularity to green for 2009. At the Dallas bridal show, purple was still sparingly used...but not nearly to the extent that green was! Chartreuse, mint, and apple green promise to be one of the greenest trends for the coming year.

And to be honest, I loved it! Striking color combinations from the show were:

• Chartreuse, black, & white
• Apple, expresso, & vanilla
• Mint, aqua, & white
• Sage, lavender, and white

Enjoy my "going green part 2" inspiration board from Brides.com! What fabulous eye-candy from a source that often acts as my muse...

[Photos Clockwise: Pastis Martinis, Bouquet by Janie Medley Flora Design, Cake by April Reed Cake Design, Invitation by Brides, Shoes by Giuseppe Zanotti, Dress (#JH8657) by Jim Hjelm Bridal]

Trend '09: Going Green, Part 1

Eco-friendly weddings continue to gather steam! At the Dallas bridal show there were vendors with all sorts of recycled products from invitations to wedding gowns. I know...recycled wedding gowns? But after perusing the selection from Anonymously Yours, I was hooked!

Throw out your conventional idea of the stinky thrift store with well worn items. Most modern wedding resale shops appear remarkably identical to a traditional bridal retailer. Designer gowns in stock now include Alfred Angelo, Bianche, Demetrios, Forever Yours, Jim Helm, Jasmine, Lazarro, Mon Cheri, Monique, Mori Lee, Monique Lou, Private Label by G, Signature, Maggie Sottero, Venus, & Vera Wang. The most important distinction is the cost!

Most brides expect to pay more for eco-friendly products. But not so with Anonymously Yours recycled gowns! If you don't mind getting an incredible bargain while helping the planet, research your options with Anonymously Yours or a similar type of shop. A designer dream gown may be in your near future...

The Violin Guy

So much spoiling occurs at the bridal shows. An endless parade of free goodies awaits each bride-to-be. And we definitely deserve our fair share of wooing! But when I heard this musician play, my hands quickly rifled through my overloaded tote to happily purchase a disc. Not only does Radu play what seems like an insane number of instruments, he sings in practically a dozen languages. Absolutely amazing!

In the week following the show, I can't stop listening to his music. My personal fave is, of course, the violin. View videos of his performances as well as client testimonials on YouTube. And don't hesitate to buy a CD from his website. He's a steal of find, and talents like his will make your wedding!

[Image online from The Violin Guy]