(left to right) Diamond Ring, by Studio Waterfall. Gold Leaf Ring, by Sarah Perlis. Champagne Ring, by Nicole Landaw.
I found all these gorgeous wedding rings on Dilsey Coal, a wonderful source for boutique designer jewelry.

Propriety be damned! We like dresses with sleeves because they're pretty! They're unique! And gosh darn it we all don't love our triceps!
1) White and Pink Striped Shirtdress: by Carolina Herrera
2) Avignon: Pronovias Couture 2006
3) Agata: Elie by Elie Saab for Pronovias
4) Tirana Angel Wings: Jenny Packham Bride
5) Odette Roma: Jenny Packham Bride
6) Emele: Ulla Maija
7) Duchess Silk Cape Dress: Bonaparte-NY
8) Debora: Valentino Sposa for Pronovias
9) Estepa: Pronovias Collection 2007
10) Pouf Sleeve: Kirstie Kelly 2006
11) Short Sleeve, High Neck: Kirstie Kelly 2006

Hello everyone! I'm back. I was in Toronto for the weekend to see my family-in-law. We like Toronto.
I came across some fun things there that I think you all might like. First stop: The Beadery. Gorgeous beads from all over the world, but better yet, the website is full of instruction on how to use them! Everything from instructions on making your own chandelier earrings to a glossary of tools for jewelry making. Check that out.

Next stop: The King Edward Royal Meridien. The nicest brunch buffet! Hot food = hot. Cold food = cold. Harpist in the corner, 40 foot ceilings, super service, great coffee, all the fresh squeezed OJ you can drink, beef wellington, and a chocolate fountain! If you're in Toronto, don't skip this place. They have one of the nicest banquet spaces I've seen so if you're getting married in the area, it's worth a look. If the wedding spread is anywhere near as great as their Sunday brunch buffet, your guests will be totally overjoyed. (I'm seeing about photos right...now. I'll post them in a bit).

Last stop: Karen's house to test a paper poppy pomander. See pics...the results were amazing! The unfortunate part is that we used every last flower we made on one center piece/pendant light combo. In order to finish enough flowers for 13 of these, we'll need to enlist more helpers or we'll need to sell our souls to the devil. It's up to Karen, which ever she wants to do. *that's brother Jay who's cut in half in the photos...hi Jay!*

I can't stop! It's totally addicting to browse thru Marlene Harris's Collection of antique estate and engagement rings. I want to post pictures of all of them, but I guess you can always go there yourself and browse around. I'd advise not to go unless you've got some free time, it has a way of sucking you in. The ring in the middle is my favorite, the vine goes all the way around to form a little illustration around your finger!

Something posted on design*sponge a while back reminded me of a project my soon-to-be sister-in-law Karen and I are working on for her wedding. She wanted to have huge flower pomanders hanging from the ceiling of the tent (one above each table), and we decided to make them out of felt and paper flowers so they'll last. The flower making process is fun, (if a bit daunting), but in the end I think they'll look awesome. I'm looking forward to seeing if we can light them from within like the lamps above from Mixko. The pictures in the bottom row are the flowers I've made so far, and I think I might have enough to cover one globe... or a half of one, or maybe a half of a really small one...Sigh.

I discovered wagashi on the plane returning from Hawaii last year. I was reading one of those inflight magazines, and was entralled by an article about this ancient Japanese art of candy making. I have a sweet tooth that just won't quit. I never in my whole life understood how my parents could take one swig of my pixey stick, then squint, pucker, and complain about it being too sweet. I still don't totally get it. So you can imagine my delight, stumbling across a sweet treat that looked so appealling, and yet was so unfamiliar.
So, I found some here in New York at Minamoto Kitchoan. You can also order them online. It's seasonal, (you can't get the pretty peach flavored ones unless it's August and you can't get the nice cherry blossom ones unless it's April). Some have the texture of a really soft cream puff, while others resemble a more sophisticated gummy candy. All the ones I've tried, I've liked, and I think they could make really unique and elegant favors. I'm picturing just one at each place setting on crisp white china...
*note* When you place an order, make sure you tell the sales person what occassion you are ordering for and when it is. These delicacies expire within days, and can have different meanings. Some are given at funerals as gifts, while others are symbols of fertility or luck.

Take your que from Tavern on the Green and hang paper lanterns from the trees, or from the ceiling in clusters. Two or three hung low over a table would look just smashing, and at $6.50 - $12.50 a piece, you can afford to hang a bunch. These are available at Pearl River Mart on Broadway in Soho, or on their website. They come in a variety of interesting shapes, colors and sizes, don't be afraid to mix them up!

More fantastic cakes: Confetti Cakes top row and Alice's Tea Cup bottom row

I love the folk art cake by Elisa Strauss of Confetti Cakes, top right.

Cakes unlike anything I've ever seen! Lovin Sullivan designer Kate Sullivan names her cakes after her favorite movies. My favorite is the "Monsoon" cake in the upper left corner.

Because things will go wrong, and when they do, you're going to want helpful caterers. Let me illustrate:

Picture a bride (me) standing in the "ready room" getting ready to make my grand entrance. I was nervous, my parents had walked down the aisle ahead of me, and I was waiting for my queue. I was supposed to be escorted, fluffed, primed and prepared by the staff at our venue, however, said staff was nowhere to be seen. It was just me. I was due to make my entrance via freight elevator, (the huge manually operated kind with the big metal doors and pulleys and stuff). So I had to wait. Still no staff, no fluffing. I stood there with my nerves building, thinking about all my friends with their necks craned, waiting for me to come down the aisle. Finally, in a moment of panic, I asked a server working for the caterer what to do. In the midst of clearing up wine glasses, she looked around, there was no one. Dropping what she was doing, she told me not to worry. She straightened my train. She took a loose piece of my hair, and gingerly pinned it back into place. She told me I looked beautiful. And lastly, she manned the elevator. I don't think she really knew what she was doing, and I have no clue how she figured it out, but she did it.
So here's to the lady in the black pants and the white shirt! If I could be there to fluff her skirt and man her elevator, I would.