I found this gorgeous Horchow cupcake stand thru Hostess with the Mostess, I couldn't resist! It's perfect for hosting a bridal/baby shower, or purchase a few in varied sizes for a small wedding. I love that the different stands all have different skirts, so pretty. AND they're on sale!

I know that posting hasn't been as regular as usual lately. This is mainly due to the fact that Dell and I have been searching for our first house... (pause for dramatic effect) WE FOUND IT! Since both of us work for ourselves in internet based businesses we had the unique luxury of living where ever we want. We didn't really want to leave New York per se, but in order to afford more space it had to be done. We ended up doing a lot of house hunting in Providence, Rhode Island. Providence is closer to my family and still cheaper than Boston. It's also a very charming city. On our first visit there both Dell and I were shocked by how charming... cobblestone streets, great restaurants and pedestrian friendly neighborhoods to name a few pluses. We ended up finding a beautiful 1930's home in the heart of the Providence's East Side. I can't tell you how excited we both are about moving into our first house together. Our tiny apartment was a wonderful home to us for the last 5 years, but it's time to GO! Leaving our friends behind is going to be the hardest part of this venture by far, and I'm still not quite sure how I'll deal. We're going to Providence to close on the house this week. Posting may be a little sparse until the beginning of next week, but I'll be back for sure on Monday.
I couldn't imagine finding a house and planning a move in tandem with planning a wedding. I salute all of you who try it, although how you pull it off is totally beyond me. Magical powers?

I'd love to get my hands on one of these dress-up clutches from Roost in the UK. I believe (from what I read on their site) that they will ship to the US. I enjoy the patterned one especially, but they also have a blue option if you're in the market for something blue.

I think it's too bad that people wish for perfect weddings. While my wedding was perfect in all the ways that mattered to me, it wasn't without its mishaps. For these, I'm grateful.
My husband and I were married in a small loft in Manhattan. Since both the ceremony and the reception were held in the same space, we had to have everything we needed inside that space before the ceremony began. This meant (among other things) keeping the tables just out of sight on the balcony, and hiding the jukebox off in a corner behind some curtains until after the ceremony was over. This all worked out very well, except for one brief moment right before I walked down the aisle. All the guests were patiently waiting for me, (I was a bit held up) and all of a sudden over the sound system comes ACDC's "You Shook Me All Night Long". I can only imagine what people must have thought in those short moments. "Is she really going to walk down the aisle knocking us out with her American thighs"? Turns out, the jukebox had magically and randomly sprung to life, treating everyone to a rockin' yet totally inappropriate serenade. My friend Marty ended up making a lunge for the power cord and killed the sound before the band got thru any major power cords, but still. It was funny. Granted, at the time I had no notion of this little mishap whatsoever. I walked down the aisle without a clue. It wasn't until after the wedding was over that Dell told me about it and how everyone had giggled. We both laughed about it then, and we still laugh about it now. Every time I hear that song, I think of my wedding. Perfect, smerfect. Imperfect weddings have character.

Anyone else out there have any happy wedding mishap stories?

The name alone makes me want to wear them! Belabumbum. Aren't they sweet? Who wouldn't want to pack a few sets of these for the honeymoon? They also carry some pretty swimsuits if you're headed to someplace warm.

Lovin Sullivan has some beautiful new photos up on her site. While I've written about her bold color and amazing designs before, the entire "elegant wedding cakes" selection is new to me, and gorgeous. If you have time, check out the kids cakes too. So cute.

The little black dress route is such a great way to coordinate bridesmaids without being too matchy. And what could be more elegant, practical or easy to find? These are some of my absolute favorites for fall, all from Saks, yet none too outrageously priced. I love the drastically different silhouettes, which may be necessary to avoid the we're-off-to-dance-back-up-in-a-Robert-Palmer-video look.

Notte by Marchesa Tulle Trapeze Dress
Milly Funnel Neck Mini Dress
ABS Silk Bubble Mini Dress

I know I've been very focused on favor ideas lately, but I just keep bumping into great stuff. I can't help it. These customizable mint tins come in 21 different colors and are great for stuffing with any number of tasty little dealy-bobs. Also available from the same shop are these great CD tins: decorate any which way you like.

We all draw so much inspiration from MS Weddings magazine, I'm sure you'll all be thrilled to hear that there's now a blog! Updated daily, "The Bride's Guide" is written by MS editor Darcy Miller. Even though it's fairly new, (I think it started at the beginning of August), there are already some wonderful ideas up there along with some beautiful photography.

Brian Atwood makes some awesome shoes. A lot of them are perfect for a bride looking for a little extra height, and maybe a little splash of color and sparkle too. His looks are kind of attention getting without being trashy. One of my favorites is the one above, mostly because it's not something you see everyday, it also comes in blue.