Different brides want different looks. They have different styles. This gown is by Jill Stuart, a designer whose work is available, alas, mostly in Asia. I say alas, because I find I’m oddly taken with it.

Believe it or not, I’m not a fuss and feathers kind of gal, for the most part. But I do have a Boho heart and a fondness for ballerinas that transcends the fact I don’t actually care at all for the ballet. In short, I’m a mass of contradictions.

And while I definitely get that this gown isn’t for everyone, I have to go with love. Yes, the crumb catcher ruffles make her look a little like a Christmas cracker, but in a good way, I think. I love the soft coloring and feminine lines. About the only thing I would change is to take off those twee little gloves. The whole thing gives off a confectionary vibe dear to my baking-obsessed soul.

So yeah, love here. What about you?

This is an image from the Toronto Zombie Walk, 2011. Awesome, yes, but a seemingly unlikely place for romance to blossom.

Ah, but then zombie queen Thea Munster (in untattered wedding white, carrying a bouquet that featured miniature skulls) and her unlife partner Adam Invader tied the knot before a delighted audience of their fellow undead.

The bride and groom arrived via coffin carried by a party of pallbearers in Victorian mourning And departed the plane of their wedding altar in a classic car with a ‘just buried’ sign on the back.

Adam and Thea, may you spend many delightful eons together, and may you never find yourself running low on Brains Helper! Congratulations, you crazy zombies, you!

We often say here at Manolo for the Brides that as long as you keep your wedding day in perspective, it’s nearly impossible to destroy. If you keep your eyes on the prize of the result rather than panicking over every tiny detail, chances are you’ll enjoy your wedding for what it is rather than resent it for what it isn’t.

But some wedding disasters are worse than others. While I would advise any bride to forget about a missing bouquet, a slightly embarrassing best man’s speech, or a brief technical malfunction with the sound system… there are some problems that are much more difficult to ignore.

And that’s where I Do Again steps up to make delayed wedding dreams come true. This is for the folks who really had serious disasters happen. This isn’t ‘we couldn’t afford a pretty party’ here. We’re talking weddings hit with hurricanes, venues destroyed by fire at the last minute, participants who had serious medical emergencies while standing at the altar, and seamstresses who make off with every gown for the entire bridal party. This is for serious disasters only.

Event designer Diann Valentine and 1-800-FLOWERS founder Dave McCann choose deserving couples and redo their I dos in grand style. In five days they organize everything to delight the couple and give them happier memories. The second season will be starting on WETV on November 13 at 10pm (9 Central).

So why watch another ‘celebrity planner makes it all soooo much better than a silly bride and groom could’ show?

Well, if nothing else, it’s a great perspective granter. After all, even if a lot of things did go wrong at your wedding, your groom probably didn’t have a heart attack.

Sometimes it’s useful to realize that things could have been a whole lot worse.

When it comes time to pick your wedding/reception venue, we all know the choices, right? Church, hotel, charming country inn, someone’s backyard, the beach at Aruba, the local VFW hall… yeah, same old, same old. But have you ever considered your local zoo?

On a recent episode of Four Brides, one of the couples in the competition held their wedding and reception at the zoo. I was struck immediately by how charming a spot it was for celebrating. When guests arrived, they got to play at the zoo for a while before heading to the ceremony location. Once the couple had been pronounced legally spliced, the guests took a scenic tram ride to the reception area, where a giraffe peered over the wall into the festivities as if to request its own slice of wedding cake. All in all, it looked like a fun time. In fact, that’s the couple that won the honeymoon prize. I feel sure it was in significant part because of their fabulous location.
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Tradition often gets a bad rap. Here at Manolo for the Brides, it’s a common refrain in our articles that you mustn’t feel trapped by tradition or forced to participate in rituals you dislike that have no bearing on the legality or spiritual acceptance of your union.

But you know what? Some people wouldn’t want a wedding stripped bare of all tradition. Most of us feel connected to some wedding tradition, whether it’s required or not.

My own wedding was filled with traditions that I tell brides not to bother with if they don’t mean anything to them personally. I wore white, carried a bouquet of flowers, was attended by a group of female friends, accepted a ring from Mr. Twistie, tossed the bouquet and garter, was walked up the aisle by my father… and the list goes on. While our wedding was quirky, it was also surprisingly traditional.

I think my personal favorite wedding tradition is having the bridal party. Why? Because it represents so viscerally the idea that a couple needs the support of friends and family. It shows the relationship being approved and accepted by those closest to them, whether the ties are those of blood or of the heart.

So I’m wondering, what’s your favorite wedding tradition? What traditions do you intend to follow? For those who are already married, which ones did you follow because you really wanted to? Are there any you didn’t follow, but kind of wish now you had?

Hey everyone!

It’s time once again to play Twistie’s Sunday Caption Madness. You all know how this works. I find a picture that’s simply wailing into the night for a good caption. You provide said captions via the comments function, using your funniest bones. Next saturday, I declare a winner and we all do a triumphant samba into the night.

This week’s image comes straight from the Animals Gone Wild file, and it looks a little like this:

Ready… set… snark!

Have you ever wondered how to figure out how many people that cake you just made will serve at a wedding? Turns out the good folks at Wilton have a handy guide to help you out.

Oh, and if your cake isn’t going to be either round or square, don’t panic! They include equally handy guides for tiers shaped like hearts, flowers, ovals, and paisley, too.

If you’re the one baking your own cake (or you’re giving the job to someone close to you who is a great baker but hasn’t done this level of work before), you can also find great tips on the site for how to construct, decorate, display, and even transport this all-important confectionary creation to your reception site.

There is a section of recipes, but I have to say they didn’t impress me much. Frankly, I would look elsewhere.

But if you need to find a speciality pan, pastry bags and decorating tips, or display items to get you going, Wilton is a great place to start.