Wishing everyone a wonderful holiday, and a Happy New Year! I'll be doing a little baking over the holiday, something I'm really looking forward to (more for the outcome than the process). If you also happen to enjoy baking, and haven't yet discovered the Cupcake Bakeshop you should definitely check it out. Cheryl Porro posts amazing cupcake recipes like Pine Nut and Candied Orange Peel Cupcakes with Christmas Spice Buttercream Frosting (!!) or Adzuki Bean Paste Filled Chocolate Cupcakes with Matcha Green Tea Frosting. Yowza! I made her recipe for Pomegranate-Grapefruit Cupcakes last year on New Year's, and I've never been so pleased with myself.
I'll be back in regular circulation on the 2nd of January, in the mean time I hope everyone has a restful holiday with the ones you love!

Periodically Xochitl (pronounced so-cheel), our resident wediquette expert and owner of Always a Bridesmaid Wedding Consulting, answers an etiquette question submitted* by one of our readers. So, (without further ado):

Q: How can I appropriately address envelopes without addressing women by their husband's first name? Call me a feminist, but even if I were adopting my partner's last name (which I'm not), the idea of ever being called Mrs. HIM just gives me shudders. Is it appropriate to address a married couple as (for example): Mr. John Doe and Mrs. Jane Doe? Mr. and Mrs. John and Jane Doe? The Doe Family?
--LBG

A: The most correct is "The Doe Family", though I'm also fond of "Mr. John & Mrs. Jane Doe", it's not Peggy Post approved but it sounds fluid. "Mr. & Mrs. John and Jane Doe" is a little too tricky.
How do you feel about simply "Mr. & Mrs. Doe" and then writing "John and Jane" on the inner envelope? For couples who have kept their maiden names I suggest "The Smith-Doe Family".
For women with professional titles, I personally refuse to remove their title simply because they are married. In that instance I usually suggest people write
"Mr. John and Dr. Jane Doe". I hope that was helpful!--Xochitl of Always a Bridesmaid

*If you've got a question for our expert, submit it by clicking "submit your question" in the right hand column, under "wediquette".

There is nothing that makes me happy like a fancy pair of shoes for a bargain. A big bargain! From $390 to $195. AND they have sizes other than 10 and 5. I hate it when they only have the extreme sizes! From Tracy Reese, visit PiperLime for the down low.

I'm back! While we were a bit stuck there for a while, we're back at home now. Our new niece, Simone November Dalton, is the cutest little chipmunk ever and we weren't all that broken up about having to spend a little more time with her supreme cuteness.
Anywho. I think my first official task shall be to share with you these very Carrie Bradshaw-ish numbers from BCBG Max Azaria. Any one of these would be at home at a bachelorette bash, a rehearsal dinner, or... (and I love this idea) why not change into something a bit more fun, a bit more saucy for the dancing and merriment portion of the reception? How fantastic would you be on the dance floor in that first one? All available over at Nordstrom's, all under $500.

Happily stuck in Canada with my peeps on account of the enormous huge-antic snow storm. I'm hoping to be back at my computer by Tuesday, but you never know. The friendly skies? Not so friendly right now. Hope you are all cozy, and not needing to travel!

Thanks to sender-inner Pam for letting me know about these adorable little totes. Wouldn't these make excellent little welcome gifts for your out-of-towners? Fill them with maps, local restaurant menus, area attractions, maybe a local treat or two... instant welcome kit. Who doesn't love a tote bag? The trick is deciding which letters to get. Word on the street is that ink colors can be customized, two letters can be added, and they come in three sizes. Here for the deets.

I guess winters here are no colder here than they were in Brooklyn, but somehow they feel more blustery, more treacherous. The incoming snow storm they keep talking about on the news probably isn't helping. When we were apartment dwellers all we ever had to do to prepare for snow and cold was put on a hat. Now we own a shovel. We have a driveway. We have pipes that could freeze. We got our gas bill yesterday (not good). The other day I told Dell to salt the steps to melt their dangerous icy coating. He used my fancy French sea salt. Now they are Steps de la Mer. I usually love winter, but winter this year is kind of stressing me out. SO, you can imagine how much I am loving the idea of daydreaming a bit on a tropical getaway.
Based on my inbox, it seems as though plenty of you are also sick of the cold, and are either planning destination weddings or looking for off-the-beaten-path honeymoon escapes. Jake's Resort fits the bill either way. I LOVE how quirky and indie this resort is; with the cute little villas, each one different from the next, the beautiful beaches, the snorkeling, and the poolside bar. And don't you kind of love the name? I bet Jake's has some very different kinds of Steps de la Mer. I think I might like his better.

Periodically Xochitl (pronounced so-cheel), our resident wediquette expert and owner of Always a Bridesmaid Wedding Consulting, answers an etiquette question submitted* by one of our readers. So, (without further ado):

Q: I know that this is pre-mature, since I won't be getting married for another 2 years, but my wedding has to be Kosher, and I cannot find any sites about who to go to and what needs to be done for a Kosher wedding. My mother and I are both clueless since she is Christian and I am reform (Jewish), and had never planned on having a Kosher wedding, but because of my groom, it has to be done.
I know that the meal will be Kosher, but what about the cake? So, do you have any advice?
--Kathryn

A: The Kosher issue is tricky, but it's not as hard as you would imagine. Depending on where you are located and if you have a venue selected already or not, your process will differ slightly. This also assumes you are having a Saturday evening wedding.
Generally here is how it works: Either you are working with a space that is open to outside caterers or a venue with on-site catering. If you know in advance that you are going to need Kosher, you should start looking for venues that allow off-site caterers in. I think it works out more economically and often affords you more choice in WHO your Kosher caterer is.
If you have your reception facility booked already, you should start by asking your location for their recommendation/required kosher vendor. You should ask for the menu offered at your particular venue and move from there. Typically venues will have a preferred or required Kosher caterer and often they have a set menu that mirrors the menu offered at your venue.
If you are booking a space and then looking for an outside Kosher Caterer, then the world is your oyster, because you can design a menu around the season and your tastes, just as you would with any other kind of catering (with Kosher Provisions in mind).
Kosher food has a reputation for being bad, but it simply depends on HOW the caterer works and what you serve. Certain cuts of beef just simply aren't as good, because they are imitations of the "real" cut, and a good caterer will steer you clear of those and make recommendations that are really quite delicious. Additionally, nothing on the wedding can START until after sundown, so keep that in mind as you are planning. So often BAD kosher catering is prepared on a Friday afternoon and re-heated after sundown on Saturday. Thus the reputation for overcooked items. One of the things you should ask is WHEN they cook most of their food. Prep is fine the day prior, but cooking should happen that evening.
If you are in the New York area, I strongly suggest Foremost Caterers. Not only do they provide a Kosher meal, it is absolutely some of the BEST off premise food that I've ever tasted. It is imaginative, hip, pretty and the service is wonderful.
In terms of the cake, anything that you ask your caterer to serve (including wines and champagnes) must be Kosher. This means that the cake must be Pareve. A lot of people don't like Pareve baked goods, (I personally LOVE them). Discuss the option of serving another tasty dessert (a fruit tart, etc) as an alternative for those guests who aren't such big fans of Pareve.--Xochitl of Always a Bridesmaid

*If you've got a question for our expert, submit it by clicking "submit your question" in the right hand column, under "wediquette".

A beautiful gown from BCBG Max Azaria. I love that it's so inexpensive (less than $400.00), and the color is divine. Did I mention that it's 100% silk? Not that there's anything wrong with synthetics, but lets face it, you won't necessarily get pure silk paying even twice that a bridal boutique. If anyone gets a chance to try it on, let us know how it goes.

Heads! Today at noon Ann Wood will be updating her online shop, including her collection of fine feathered wedding cake toppers. New single birdies will also be available for any of us who might not have finished our Christmas shopping, (now you know where I'll be at noon!)

I actually gasped when I saw this dress. I'm speechless. I love it more every time I look at it. I can't list the reasons why I love it, I just do. I don't care that it's not all white, I would SO get married in this dress. I found it at Nordstrom's, but the label is Notte by Marchesa.

I discovered 1154 Lill Studios thru my sister, who has one of their custom, design-your-own purses on her Christmas list. Love the creative styles and formats they have to choose from, and their prices are very reasonable. Today I worked on some beautiful invites with a yellow and pewter color scheme, which I'm totally smitten with now. I created these three combos on the same clutch, but there are quite a few templates to choose from as well as a huge selection of fabrics. Might come in handy as bridesmaid's gifts, or for yourself. They have more formal options as well.

I'm going to reveal something slightly embarrassing right now. Whenever I go home, my sisters and I have this bonding ritual where we do each others hair and makeup. It's nice, actually. The embarrassing part is that my dad, long ago, dubbed this ritual "Fussy Pretty Beauty Shop". He just sort of came out with it one day, as in "We have to get going girls! We don't have time for this... this fussy pretty beauty shop!" Needless to say, all three of us could not stop laughing, and we were probably late for whatever it was we had to go to. Anywhoozy, the title stuck. So now on lazy mornings over the holidays when we're all at my parent's house hanging around in our jammies, we'll look over at each other and ask "Fussy Pretty?". What follows is a colorful dust cloud of powders, shadows, and blushes. We're girls. We like things like this. My point is that the Blockbuster Palette from Sephora that I got for Christmas last year was like the best thing that ever happened to Fussy Pretty Beauty Shop. 64 eyeshadows (most of which are totally wearable), 32 lip colors (love the glosses), 7 cheek colors, and a translucent powder... and a partridge and pear tree. This pallette is available again this holiday season (they sold out really quickly last year), and at only $48, would make a fantastic present for any of your girls. Bonding potential abounds.

I've always loved Jennifer Behr's collection of dressy hair bands, especially the metallic lace bands I posted about a while back. Today I visited her website for a little Christmas shopping, and discovered her new Holiday 2007 Collection. I pretty much had to post them, they're so perfectly bridal. I especially love the satin one.

How perfect would these be for a tropical wedding? Each piece in this series by Nervous System is a unique, one of a kind composition. Tiny circles of varying sizes make up the complex patterns that mimic the natural forms of corals. The pendants hang on 16"-18" sterling silver chains, and the pins are affixed with a nickel silver pin and clutch. They are also offered with a silver finish, and in several other unique coral-like patterns. The delicateness of these gives them just the right amount of formality, in my opinion.

I'm lucky enough to have Jenny Ebert contributing to Something Old, Something New today. Great ideas are always welcome here!


I see a lot of beautiful floral arrangements but the designs by Hatch Creative Studios in NYC really have been taking the cake. This amazing shell overflowing with orchids would not only be a stunning bouquet for a bride but it also would look fabulous in my living room! Pearled Nautilus Shell with Phalaenops Orchids. $150
Best~
Jenny
Jenny Ebert, lifestyle photographer and wedding afficianado is currently contributing her insight and expertise to Something Old, Something New on a bi-weekly basis, you can visit her website here.

The jammies over at Capri Rose are really right up my ally. The patterns? Love them! Today I found out thru Capri herself that special custom jammies can be made in small quantities to suit your wedding colors or theme. How perfect would these be for your bridesmaids? Say you aren't getting married, but you're looking for a special gift for someone this Christmas? JAMMMIES! Nothing says "I love you" like a nice cozy pair of jammies.

Periodically Xochitl (pronounced so-cheel), our resident wediquette expert and owner of Always a Bridesmaid Wedding Consulting, answers an etiquette question submitted* by one of our readers. So, (without further ado):

Q: What is the ediquette for seating divorced parents (with
the Dad having remarried) at the ceremony? My fiance's step-mother
is a big part of his life, so how can we properly honor both his
mom and step-mother - without just sticking his dad between them?
--Pamela

A: The key to recognizing her is to have her take part in your procession.
If you're having a Jewish ceremony, then your step mother should be escorted in by the best man just before your fiance enters with his mother and father or just prior to the bridal party. She should be seated in the second row on the groom's side, and his father would join her in that row once he was down the aisle.

If this is a Christian or non-denominational Christian style ceremony, then your father and his wife would walk down the aisle, followed by the groom's mother escorted by a groomsmen or usher (or I like to substitute this with an uncle or special relative if that's appropriate) followed by the Mother of the Bride escorted by the Bestman, (or usher, important relative or sibling of yours if you have one. Again, the Mother of the groom should sit in the first seat of the first row on the groom's side, with your mother opposite her. Your groom's dad and his wife would sit in the 2nd row in the first two seats.

Sometimes,if divorced parents are particularly coridal,we'll just have them all in the front row together, but that is a comfort level that only you and your fiance would know if it exists!

If you are still concerned about her feeling a bit of a second class citizen, you can also consider adding a reading, but be sure that none of the other mothers feel slighted.--Xochitl of Always a Bridesmaid

*If you've got a question for our expert, submit it by clicking "submit your question" in the right hand column, under "wediquette".

Rebbecca at The White Aisle emailed me this morning about some wonderful products for a wonderful cause. You can read more about it on Rebecca's website, but in general, The White Aisle has developed a relationship with a day center in Phnom Penh that helps young women leave behind their lives as sex workers. The school teaches these girls the sewing skills they need to craft these gorgeous silk wedding accessories and pays them a fair wage so that they can leave the brothels for fresh start. 100% of the profits from the silk flowers, ring pillows and sashes go towards these women's salaries. Check out the gorgeous silk wedding accessories and maybe help someone else out in the process. It's a win win!

I have lots to be thankful for, yet I am NOT thankful that my pants are ALREADY feeling squeezy, and I have an entire holiday season of delicious home-cooked fun ahead of me. It annoys me that I would even entertain the idea of avoiding my mom's white chocolate chip macadamia nut cookies in favor of my slender jeans. I'm ashamed. *hangs head, changes subject*
Dresden trims are die-cut, embossed, three dimensional, paper embellishments that have been made for about a hundred years in Germany. Mounted on cardstock, these would look amazing as favor tags or hung from a wine glass as a placecard. I'm sure Martha could think of a million other things to use them for... I found these gorgeous examples at The Tinsel Trading Company, along with several other varieties in a range of sizes and shapes.

I'm back home in Connecticut at my parent's house, hanging out with my sister, eating good stuff. I'm signing off for the weekend, but I'll be back in action on Monday morning. I hope everyone has a warm and cozy holiday with the ones you love.
Toasting glasses and pretty leafy trivets from Rockett St. George. Cheers!

Seems to be a surplus of sweeeeet wedding dresses lately! I was so impressed with the pretty cuts and flattering sillouettes on these two over at Nordstrom's. What really floored me was the price tags. The first one (by Calvin Klein) for less than $200, and the second one (by JS Collection) is on sale for less than $300. Since when did anything labeled a wedding dress cost less than $300? And from Calvin Klein no less! If anyone gets a chance to try either on in person, let us know if they feel as nice as they look.

I've posted about the beautiful gowns from Notte by Marchesa in the past, but when I saw this one, I couldn't resist passing it on. So elegant! It reminds me of something Edith Head might have designed in the 1930's for Betty Davis. I love that it wasn't made to be a wedding gown, but couldn't be more appropriate. I love even more that you can get a designer gown for less than $1000.

Periodically Xochitl (pronounced so-cheel), our resident wediquette expert and owner of Always a Bridesmaid Wedding Consulting, answers an etiquette question submitted* by one of our readers. So, (without further ado):

Q: What is the color rule for mothers and mother-in-laws? My future daughter-in-law is having red dresses and I would like to know what color to go with. Do both mothers have to wear the same (long or short) or can one go long and one go short?--Karen

A: There is no rule about length concerning mothers and mother-in-laws, however, the color is the important thing. The MOB should select her dress first, with consideration to the color of the bridesmaid's dresses. Maybe a nice chocolate brown for fall, or a champagne for spring and summer. In winter; black, a deep plum or a navy will look sophisticated and the MOG should follow suit. Should you do browns, then she should shy away from black. She shouldn't necessarily go for the same color, but something that will photograph nicely alongside the other tones. She could go navy or a plum for instance. I think that what should dictate the length is really the formality of the party, and what you feel lovely in!--Xochitl of Always a Bridesmaid

*If you've got a question for our expert, submit it by clicking "submit your question" in the right hand column, under "wediquette".

Your wedding ring. It's the second in a series of two rings you'll most likely get on your way to married life, and in my opinion, it's been sort of under appreciated. The engagement ring gets to be the fancy one, the attention getter, and the wedding band takes a back seat. It doesn't really have to be that way. What about uniquely shaped, more varied wedding rings that could be just as expressive as the engagement ring? Cathy Waterman makes some really amazing pieces that could all be wedding bands. I love the infinity band, and the sentiment seems just about perfect.

I've been in love with Fifi Lapin ever since Joy posted about her last July. She is an adorable heiress bunny (with a blog) who is fabulously rich and dresses up in fabulous outfits every day. You can buy a print of Fifi on her Etsy shop in many, many different designer outfits for a song (only just $40). But today, TODAY I have discovered something truly fascinating. TODAY I found out thru Brooklyn Bride that Fifi will try on ANY outfit at your request. ANY outfit! Meaning that you could (for a very reasonable $40.00) have a drawing of Fifi in your wedding dress hanging on your very wall! You might have to be a Fifi-follower to appreciate how fun this really is... but even if you're not? You have to admit, it would be an adorable keepsake.

I can't tell you what a welcome break it is to sit down with my laptop and search the web for something other than tile, rugs, and faucets. This whole long weekend has been about nothing but house stuff, and I'm kinda maxed out. So when Christine emailed me, asking about bridal pumps with bows, I could not have been happier to put down the Home Depot card. I found such adorable options over at FootLux, I decided to share with the group! Love, love, love the gathered details on the round toe pumps.

I love this as a gift idea for a newly married couple... one who's planning to share a last name anyway. Aaaand, they come in a huge variety of beautiful colors. Visit Marie Ricci for the deets.

Oh, pretty rings. Pretty, pretty rings.
Engagement worthy? I think so. It's hard to tell online though. They might be a bit too cocktail-y? Both Judith Ripka. Both available at Nordstrom's.

Saw this today on Wedding Bee and couldn't resist re-posting it. I wish I had known about Stephanie James Couture when I was planning my wedding. I looked everywhere for tea length dresses, EVERYWHERE! Stephanie excels at tea length. Ah... hindsight. Anyway, if any of you are looking for tea length, vintage inspired gowns--look no further. FYI- She also makes adorable blushers.

Oh, these are just precious! These beautiful flower boxes are from Parapluie, (that means umbrella, in french). The paper petals open to reveal whatever tiny treat you decide to tuck inside. For little more than folded paper, these could really add some pop to your place-settings. Available in pink, baby blue, white and red.

In need of some gorgeous cupcake wrappers to dress up your cupcake tower? Paper Orchid has some really pretty filigree ones that could also work as cups for favors or candies. Love the butterflies on the right.

Beautiful, unique bridesmaids dresses from Maggy London over at Nordstrom's. Love the little details in her gowns, as well as the wearability of each of these. Check her collection for several splashy colors in a variety of pretty cuts.

Anthony Nak makes some of the most beautiful earrings I have ever seen. If only...(those are day-dreaming ellipses).

Two Birds makes one dress. One dress that you can wear about a million different ways, in a smattering of beautiful colors. Check out their creative website to learn just how to tie, wrap, and twist this dress into shape. Strapless you want? No problem. Oh, you said you need your shoulders covered? Ok, sure.

If the demand over at KenzieKate for green wedding invitations is any indication, green is the new pink! Truthfully? I couldn't be happier. I love green. Emerald, Kelly, Seafoam? All good.
Even though it makes me a little sad, I think it will be a while before we see brides strolling down the aisle in green dresses... (insert reference to Barenaked Ladies song here). But I do think, as I've stated in the past, that wearing a colorful shoe beneath your layers of silky white is both timeless and on-trend. I'm convinced that Grace Kelly would have done it. I can picture it very clearly in my mind's eye.
Anyway, my point is that I discovered (via Earth Friendly Wedding) some lovely shoes in a rainbow of hues over at UK shoe boutique Beyond Skin. Those of you in the US are not allowed to panic. They ship world wide. And they'll let you exchange if they don't fit. Deep breaths! As a very important side note: The green shoes you see above? They are more than just green. They are GREEN. As in, environmentally responsible, vegan, and cruelty-free shoes. Very, very cool. I'm sure Grace Kelly would have approved.

I'm lucky enough to have Jenny Ebert contributing to Something Old, Something New today. Great ideas are always welcome here!


In the midst of getting ready on her wedding day, designer Loree Lash pulled out a chic little bottle. I noticed it said, “Loree’s Wedding” on it. As I was inhaling the beautiful oh so delicate bouquet, Hope (Loree's maid of honor) came in with her own bottle, which had the perfect little label “Hope for Loree’s Wedding”.
Loree and Hope both personalized Le Labo’s Rose 31. If you get a chance, check out their website.
Best~
Jenny
Jenny Ebert, lifestyle photographer and wedding afficianado is currently contributing her insight and expertise to Something Old, Something New on a bi-weekly basis, you can visit her website here.

If you're looking for a gorgeous gift for a lucky bride, these jewelry boxes from The Cross Design are just the ticket. These just feel so special to me, especially the mother-of-pearl one. I think either would make a lovely shower gift... or anytime gift really. We are, after all, coming into that gift giving season, (all too quickly I might add).

Just a few of my absolute favorites from the brand new Fall 08 Collections.
dress 1: a sketty-strap empire waisted dress with beaded flowers, by Jenny Packham.
dress 2: a graphic, empire with flowy skirt and circle details, also Jenny Packham.
dress 3: a precious short sleeve mermaid, by Monique Lhuillier.
dress 4: a refreshing sillouette from Amsale.
dress 5: lots of movement on this uneven hemline with beaded bodice, by Reem Acra.
dress 6: gorgeous detailing on this romantic Reem Acra.

All photos courtesty of Brides.com.

These adorable labels from Remake would be perfect for labeling favors, table numbers, or as part of a place setting in a place-card type fashion. I love that they're each a bit different, but all look great as a collection. Via Oh Joy!

Oooooo. These shoes are realllllly nice. I would wear these. I would wear these all over the place. From Marcello Toshi.

I love these bangles from the Smithsonian (did you know I used to work at the Smithsonian? No? Great place to work. Just FYI). Anyway, the fact that I used to work there, like 10 years ago? (oh wow, that makes me sound kind of old) has nothing to do with why I like these. I like them because they're hand-painted, they can dress-up, or dress-down, they're not something you see everyday, and they're a bargain.

My good friend, fellow blogger, and super-duper wedding photographer Karen of Karenscape Photographers is having a contest, better yet, a free give-away. Karen is looking for brides willing to help her kickoff a "Trash the Dress" portfolio. If you are newly married, interested in getting some free fabulous fashion-magazine-type photos of yourself and your groom, and are willing to trash your dress in the process, visit Karen's blog for more info on how to enter. Karen is a fantastic photographer, (I speak from personal experience). This is an amazing opportunity to get something awesome for nothing!

Shoes! Shoes always cheer me up. Especially pink or yellow satin ones, worn under beautiful white wedding gowns. Even better because they're under $200.00.

Monday morning, I noticed that my engagement ring was missing. What immediately followed was a panicky, frantic hunt, throwing the already messy house into even more disarray. I knew I had it the previous Tuesday, our 3rd year anniversary, because I cleaned it right before we went out to dinner. I knew I had it on Friday, when I was cutting color swatches for KenzieKate, because it was pinching my finger when I was using the scissors on the tough paper. After that, I neither remembered having it nor not having it. Where had I been? Where did I see it last? Could it have fallen off? Did someone take it? My entire Monday was spent in a daze, trying to remember what I did with it.
Then, I remembered putting it on the coffee table, while I cut swatches. I had taken it off, because it was hurting my finger. I remember putting it in a box lid, so it wouldn't fall on the floor. Then I remembered putting scraps from my paper swatches in the same box lid so I didn't make a mess. Then, as far as I can remember, I left them there. The ring in the lid, with the scraps. Once I remembered, I immediately went on the hunt for that box lid. It wasn't on the coffee table any more. We had cleaned the room on Saturday morning. One of us must have dumped the scraps into the garbage, not knowing or remembering the ring was in there. Then came the frantic search thru the trash. Not in there. Then the horrible realization that the trash had been picked up that morning. Oh God. All the trash from the week before. The trash from Saturday too. It was all at the city dump by the time I realized what had happened on Monday night.
I've lost things in the past, important things, but never something this meaningful. I had pictured giving this ring to my children as a family heirloom. My friend made this ring with her own two hands, especially for Dell and I. It was my "something blue" at my wedding. It is the single most meaningful gift I have ever gotten. And now it's gone. I feel a little silly being so upset about this. But I can't describe how much I feel I've lost.
I know that most of you have just gotten your rings, and you love them, and you can't imagine ever loosing sight of them for even a second. So I guess that makes this blog post pretty much a huge downer? I promise that tomorrow I'll write about something awesome and cheerful. Just don't hate me if there are no engagement ring posts for a while. The wound is still pretty fresh.

So this is an interesting concept. Conde Nast has created something called Dream House. As far as I understand it, Dream House is a showplace home, designed to inspire newlywed or newly engaged couples. In addition to displaying some fabulous decor, the fanciest in bridal attire, and the epitome of registry chic, the Dream House will be open to the public for tours, cocktail parties, classes and spa treatments. The Dream House will only be open for four weeks, starting on the 18th of October. You can visit the Dream House main site to see a schedule of events, and purchase tickets. Part of the proceeds will go toward the I Do Foundation, and at $10 per event, it seems like a pretty reasonable fee for a cocktail party or a manicure. Take a few of the girlfriends! Where is this Dream House you ask? Manhattan, of course.

Gorgeous! These earrings from Shebangs are sort of ideal, in my opinion. Not too expensive, nothing fake, in variety of unique options. I happen to be spending every last penny to my name right now at Home Depot, but if that were not the case, I would be heading in this general direction.

I may see it every time I open a bridal magazine, but like it or not, there's something really sweet about this dress from Siri. It's the neckline, it's definitely the neckline. It's timeless, it's ageless, it's flattering. With a shorter kicky skirt it's flirty. With a pencil skirt it's sexy. With a longer skirt it's demure, yet fetching. In all variations it's totally Old Hollywood. I'd wear it. My mom would probably wear it. I think my husband might even try it on for laughs, but he'd never admit it. It's one of those dresses we can all wear.

How often have you not bought clothing that you generally liked because of one little thing? The skirt's too poofy, the sleeves are weird, the color is not flattering. These things are happening to me all the time. Especially the color thing. Now, close your eyes, (not really, you have to keep reading) and imagine this: You choose the color, the bodice, the neckline, the waistline, the skirt, the sleeves, and the collar. Oooooooo. You have a YOU dress. In your color. And you can be wearing it in 10 days, for less than $300. From Style Shake.

Every night, before I go to bed, I post on this blog (usually). I read a lot of websites, get a lot of emails, and in general, I know fair deal about wedding related stuff. I can find an adorable bridesmaids gift in no time, cough Etsy. My brain is a-wash in color schemes. And don't even get me started on invitations. That being said, even with all my accumulated knowledge, I go to maybe three weddings a year? Maybe? What would happen if I went to a wedding every weekend? Would I be laden with that many more spectacular ideas? Hmmmmm. I don't want to go to a wedding every weekend. I don't have enough dress-up clothes for that. Plus I would get fat off the coconut shrimp and "signature cocktails".
Enter Jenny Ebert. I will let Jenny introduce herself in a sec, but boiled down, Jenny is the girl who goes to a gazillion weddings (she's the photographer). She's a professional wedding-goer. She's there in the trenches, while I'm out here- in theoretical wedding land. So from time to time, Jenny will be posting here on Something Old, Something New. She'll be offering a real-life perspective on weddings, a first hand account of what real bride's are doing on their wedding days. What worked? What didn't? Ask Jenny! So without further ado, I'll let her say a quick hello. If you have questions for Jenny, about photography or otherwise, feel free to ask them in the comment section.


Hi! I’m Jenny Ebert. I am a Lifestyle and Wedding Photographer based out of NYC. When I’m not taking photographs I spend most of my time doing a never-ending list of projects. Thanks to my stylishly chic and oh-so-fabulous Brides (and possibly my little obsession with all things wedding) the inspiration, ideas and projects never seems to cease. More to come, very soon.

Best,
Jenny