“You can totally wear it again!”

How many times have bridesmaids been told precisely that as they cringe internally? I was told it about a dusty rose acetate taffeta (with matching polyester lace, no less!) high-necked, long-sleeved, full-skirted, tea length number once.

At least it was cheap. It never saw the light of day again. Then again, nothing in dusty rose ever would from my closet. It’s one of the few colors in the world that I detest and I look as though I’m in the final stages of terminal jaundice in it. I did, however, have better luck with the next two bridesmaids dresses I wore.

This week on Project Runway, Season 8, a group of women who were all told The Lie showed up to have their unfortunate polyester and acetate monstrosities turned into clothes they actually would want to wear again (but wouldn’t be able to after the runway show, because all designs on the show become the property of the show and are auctioned off at the end of the season).
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Don’t Look At Wedding Planning As an Excuse to Overspend
Weddings expensive? And how. But that doesn’t mean you have to toss your budget out the window to have a great ceremony and reception. Prioritizing is one way to get the things you really want while conveniently ignoring all of the ads telling you that you must have X, Y, or Z. And as tempting as it is to put wedding expenses on your credit card or take out a loan, spend the money you have, not the money you wish you had.

Don’t Let Wedding Planning Become Your Life
Weddings get more and more stressful when you spend less and less time doing the things you love. If you want to plan your wedding 24/7 because you love event planning and you’re good at it, fab. But if you hate putting together even a tiny party, it’s time to delegate wedding planning tasks and figure out where you can cut out all those unnecessary to-dos that are giving you a stress headache. Favors? Don’t need ‘em. Fancy menus? Ditto. And so on, and so forth.

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In today’s edition of LOVE/HATE, I thought it would be fun to take a look at Sevruga by Ian Stuart Bridal. But it’s not the wedding dress itself I want you to be looking at – even though I rather like this gown with its full skirt and strapless corset bodice that is draped and beaded with Swarovski crystals, tiny sequins and bugle beads. Take a look, if you will, at those detached sleeves. Available to match the antique pink, aubergine, and ivory gowns, these sleeves almost seem like the commitmentphobe’s answer to the mutton sleeve. Sure, they’re not a true mutton, but they definitely have that feel – and the bride can wear them or remove them depending on how she feels (or whether her arm poufs are in danger of getting a salad dressing bath during the reception).

I say HATE, but I’m also no fan of gloves on brides or huge sleeves on wedding dresses. What, my lovely ladies (and gents), do you think of these full-bodied detachable sleeves?

When you ask a newly engaged individual how his or her partner proposed, the last thing you expect to hear (okay, maybe second-to-last) is “They proposed via sneaker.” But someone somewhere did just that if these custom sneaks from Slipoffs are any indication.

The nice folks at Slipoffs will put pretty much anything you want on a pair of Vans or any other canvas shoe. They’ll even work with you to create a design if you’re planning to propose via sneaker and the right words just won’t spring to mind or you want to make, let’s say, a set of bride-to-be and groom-to-be Chucks.

Pets as wedding attendants is nothing new, but I have to share this video of a four-footed ring bearer who executes her roll with great skill and dignity. Well, except for tongue kissing the groom!