Archive for December, 2012

LOVE/HATE: On and Off

Friday, December 14th, 2012


This is the top of Rosa Clara’s new wedding gown, BASILEA.


So are both of these.

Rosa Clara’s latest line features a slew of gowns that are mostly strapless with sheer boleros on top. BASILEA is unique in that it features spaghetti straps and a more imaginative jacket with French cuffs.

Me? I LOVE this one. I like the clever nods to a man’s formal shirt combined with lacy, feminine details. I also rather love the elegant wedding dress yet stripped down ballgown underneath. And the pockets? Make me smile. I love pockets.

What say all of you? LOVE it? HATE it? Something in between?

On Flowers in a Wedding

Thursday, December 13th, 2012

Weddings are the beginning of a life-changing and life-long journey to create life and live happily ever after. Hence, flowers and herbs have been used since the ancient Greeks to symbolize love, happiness, luck and long lives. Usually, the brides, and sometimes the groom too, would wear flowers and herbs around their head to symbolize fertility, fidelity, purity and ward off evil spirits. In India, flower petals were sprinkle over the bride and groom at the end of the wedding ceremony as a magic shield against evil spirits as well. In England, a small girl would lead the bride and her bridesmaids to the church while sprinkling flower blossoms along the path to ensure a life filled with flowers and happiness. The small girl is now called “flower girl”.

Bridesmaids have also existed since ancient Greece, and they would make the floral decorations including bridal bouquet and boutonniere.

Herbs had had different meanings. Dill was considered the herb of lust, and when carried down the aisle the bride would lust only for her husband. The aphrodisiac power of dill has not been yet confirmed. Furthermore, the Ivy was used to represent enduring love.

Nowadays flowers are still used in wedding for tradition and to set a relaxing, youthful, festive, cheerful, joyful and lively atmosphere. Vases for weddings are used as decoration and to extend the beauty of its contents, which usually are flowers. Cylinder glasses are also used as centerpieces containing water, flowers and/or floating candles; but more often are used to hold alcoholic beverages.

The Post I’d Hoped I’d Never Have To Write

Wednesday, December 5th, 2012


I well remember when I found the glories of Manolo for the Brides. Back then, the editor was the fabulous Never Teh Bride. I lapped up the pretties and the advice and the humor… and I always had something to say back.

That tendency got me the gig of filling in when Christa went on her honeymoon… which led to a regular weekend gig on the blog, and eventually it became my baby.

For the past five years and change, I have written about nearly every aspect of getting married and how marriage is changing. I’ve written about etiquette, trends, media representations, and the nuts and bolts of how to feed and entertain a large guest list while jumping through legal and cultural hoops. It’s been a blast, and I probably could have gone on for years.

But effective immediately, this here blog is shutting down, along with the rest of the Manolosphere. I know it’s a decision that’s been a long time coming for a variety of reasons. I’m just sad it had to happen.

I’ll miss you all terribly. I’ll miss sitting down at my computer to seek out the wild, the wooly, the ridiculous, and the endearing in the world of weddings.

On the upside, I can finally take Bridezillas off my DVR for good.

I wish all of you the very best of luck, the happiest of marriages, and every possible good thing.

Oh, and that illustration at the top? Well, things are not always what they seem on the surface. That’s good to remember when something happens that seems like the worst possible thing.

I’ve decided this was the kick in the pants I needed to move onward and upward with my writing career. I’m going to put together a book proposal or two and see what happens.

After all, when the wedding is over, it’s time for the next big adventure of your life.

I see no reason why this should be any different.

May the Force Be With Them

Monday, December 3rd, 2012

Check out this adorkable method of proposing marriage featured at The Mary Sue:

This is just the sort of imagination I love to see go into a proposal. Pick something that means something to the person you’re proposing to, and use it in a creative way.

ps: I hope she said yes!

Twistie’s Sunday Caption Madness: The I Drop the Castle Edition: The Result

Saturday, December 1st, 2012

Well, you made it easy on me this time.

Last week I smacked your gobs with this deathless image:

… and just one of you managed to scrape your chin up off the floor long enough to come up with a caption.

And so, our winner is the ever fabulous Jenn for this cry from the bridal heart:

When you promised me a castle this was NOT what I had in mind.

But I have to say, even if there had been more entries, this definitely would have been a contender.

Congratulations, Jenn! And thanks for playing.