Happy Holidays!

Tightening Up

-by Lyrik08

With gas prices iffy and the cost of food rising, are your daily finances affecting your wedding finances? How do you plan on paying for your wedding costs when everything around you seems so expensive?

Read some tips on how you should (and shouldn't!) finance your wedding on TheStreet.com. Also click HERE and HERE to find out how other brides are funding their weddings.

Should You Pipe Down About Your Wedding At Work?

Yep, some etiquette experts say some brides-to-be need to "button it up". According to THIS article on ABCNews.com, brides-to-be should be careful about engaging in too much wedding talk in the office. Apparently, some women are accused of blabbing about the details without considering whether they can invite everyone.

In the end, some co-workers are left bitter. What do you think? Do you know someone who constantly talked about their wedding plans around peole they couldn't invite? Maybe you were that person? Give us your point of view in our comments section.

Bonny Bridal Gowns

We are taking a look at some of the newest wedding dresses and we're happy to report that many mainstream companies are making lovely gowns in plus sizes.
Bonny dresses are in wedding boutiques and online wedding stores around the country. It's no surprise that this company jumped on the trend very early and is now showing off some fresh, modern silhouettes.



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Yahoo's Ranking of First Dance Songs

We were wondering which songs were popular for first dances at weddings and found a ranking by Yahoo called Most Popular Wedding Songs for the First Dance. Some of the selections are no-brainers. But some of the others, are... I mean, is "On Bended Knee" by Boyz II Men really a wedding song? As I recall the lyrics are something like:

Darlin’ I can’t explain
Where did we lose our way
Girl it’s drivin’ me insane
And I know I just need one more chance
To prove my love to you
If you come back to me
I’ll gurantee
That I’ll never let you go


Chorus:
Can we go back to the days when our love was strong
Can you tell me how a perfect love goes wrong
Can somebody tell me how to get things back
They way they use to be
Oh God give me a reason
I’m down on bended knee
I’ll never walk again until you come back to me
I’m down on bended knee


But don't mind us. Take a look at the list and tell us what you think. You'll find the top list HERE along with links to the songs themselves. Enjoy!

Let's Give Mariska Hargitay A Break

(X-posted in Brickhouse )



Oh, Mariska.
She's one of my favorite television actresses. She plays the role of Olivia on Law and Order: SUV with sublime toughness and sensitivity. Still, she probably doesn't even know about the confusion she's caused in the fluffy community.

Well, in case you haven't heard, here's what happened: In the current edition of Self Magazine, Hargitay spoke to an interviewer about getting back in shape after having her son. The 44-year-old talks about how important is to keep her energy up so that she can be an active mom. She gives a perfectly healthy outlook on life and body image, and then says, "Everything in moderation. It's not about being fat or thin. I'm a full-figured woman." Yes, yes, and "huh"? I dare someone to call Mariska Hargitay full-figured and mean it. Apparently, judging by the comments HERE and HERE, lots of other people feel the same way. At first blush it must feel a lot like the Whitney-As-Top-Model controversy all over again.

But when I really think about it, everything is relative. In Hollywood, on the red carpet, surrounded by those frighteningly thin chicks from Desperate Housewives, a size 6 is certainly the fuller figure.




Hargitay also has a familial claim to the curvy mantle. Her mother was Jane Mansfield, one of the original bombshells (an O.B.!) as far as Hollywood is concerned. It might make sense for Hargitay to feel like full-figured-ness is in her blood. I don't even know if she feels exactly that way, but certainly the idea of the full-figured woman isn't foreign to her. Anyway, that's my take on it. I'd love to know what you think. Let me know by clicking on comments.

Wedding Cake Wednesday

Looking to shake things up a little? Why not consider a chocolate wedding cake?
Feast your eyes on this confection.


It's a Double Chocolate Wedding Cake by Joy the Baker . Double yum. And if you think we're gaga over it, you should read Joy's description.

Keeping It REALLY Real

Just had to share this picture of a couple who got married recently in Washington, D.C. They didn't hesitate for one second about how they would get everyone from the wedding to the reception site across town. They all took the Metro. $1.65 per guest, baby!

Courtesy of the Washington Post. Read more about the couple HERE.

Curvety Jumps Into Wedding Dresses

It's a shame what some plus-size and full-figure women have to go through during what is supposed to be a happy time. Many have to squeeze into small sample sizes and imagine what the dresses would look like on them. But, what if you could order a wedding dress that was custom made to your exact measurements? That's exactly what Curvety.com is offering. Take a look at just a few of the gowns they're willing to customize for you.

Want to See the World's Largest Wedding Cake?

The Mohegan Sun resort says this is it. The casino unveiled the seven-tier monstrosity at this year's New England Bridal Show. The wedding cake is 17-feet-tall and it weighs 15,032 pounds. It's almost three-times the weight of the current record in the Guinness Book of World Records for the world's largest wedding cake.

Wacky Wedding Wednesday

OK. She's in a wedding gown, he's in a tux. How did these lovely people get themselves into this situation? Well, it was all planned from the start-- the start of a foot race, that is. Yes, it turns out Katie Austin and Gordon Fryer tied the knot as they were halfway through the London Marathon. Wow.

A Wedding On A Friday? Yes!

If you haven't received an invitation to a Friday wedding yet, you probably will.
Friday weddings are catching on- for good reason! Some wedding planners say Friday may eventually become almost as popular for weddings as Saturday. Imagine that. That might sound far-fetched right now. But think about it- there are some serious advantages to holding your wedding on the last workday of the week.

* Saving money. The biggest advantage to you is the cost savings. Many vendors offer big discounts for Friday weddings. Venues, caterers, and photographers that were out of your price range for Saturday might be right on the mark for Friday. With Saturday being such a popular day for weddings, many vendors HAVE to have a lower price for Friday events to ensure they get business that day.

* Less competition. Let's say you're determined to have a June wedding. With June being the most popular wedding month, the venues you want are booked up for every single weekend. But, wait. Did you ask them about Friday? There's much less competition for weekdays than for weekends.

*A later ceremony. On a Friday, you can have a ceremony later in the afternoon. That would make it easier for your guests to get off work early. In fact, some of them may nott have to leave work early at all.

* Honeymoon preps. If you're going on a honeymoon, having Saturday as an extra day to pack is a huge advantage. (Take it from the girl who had to wake up at 4 ayem to catch a flight to Saint Lucia on a Sunday morning.) Wouldn't it be nice to have an extra day to get ready, open wedding gifts or simply relax before the trip?

* Your guests might appreciate it. With a Friday wedding your guests can sleep in on Saturday morning and still have the rest of their weekend for other things.


What do you think? Is the idea of having a Friday wedding just too weird for you? Would you even consider it? Or maybe you've already had or attended a Friday wedding. Tell us all about it in our comments section.

Tightening Up

-by Lyrik08

With gas prices soaring and the cost of food rising, are your daily finances affecting your wedding finances? How do you plan on paying for your wedding costs when everything around you seems so expensive?

Read some tips on how you should - and shouldn't!- finance your wedding on TheStreet.com. Also click HERE and HERE to find out how other brides are funding their weddings.

Wedding Gown of the Day

Allure Bridals
Style AW171

Spotted at Plus Size Bridal

Blue Monday: Part Deux

Once again, we scope out even more options for your "something blue". Just for fun, this time we focused on wedding accessories:

Then again, who says your something blue has to be visible to everyone?

10 Hottest Plus Size Celebs

ListVerse.com is still making news with its list of the Top 10 Hottest “Plus” Sized Celebrities. Topping the list are entertainers like Jill Scott and Latifah, along with full-figured models like Whitney Thompson, Tocarra Jones, Maggie Yumi Brown, Johanna Dray, and Christina Schmidt. The ranking of luscious lovelies came out during Summer, but the responses are still coming. Check out the list yourself and tell us what you think.

Blue Monday for Bombshell Brides

Something old,
Something new,
Something borrowed,
Something blue.
We're convinced that "something blue" is the last line of this old saying, because the right blue accessory is often the hardest to find. But your "something blue" can also be one of the most exciting parts of your ensemble. You can actually use that element to make a bold style statement. Here are a few of the possibilities:

Jewelry is the easiest way to get your "blue" on.
Rose Blue Crystal Flower Earrings



Hope Rhinestone Necklace and Earring Set



Carina Colored Pearl and Earring Set


Carina Pearl Bracelet



Consider other accessories, too.

Rose Blue Bridal Shoes



Katrina Purse in Blue Ice


Wear blue in your hair.

Rebecca Pearl and Crystal Tiara


Persephone Crystal and Rhinestone Tiara


Don't forget the garter!


For your guests... affordable touches of blue.




Have you already chosen your something blue? Are you a newlywed who wore something blue? Share your ideas by clicking on Comments.