bridal splurge — giuseppe zanotti heels

okay, girls.  if you know me by now, you know i love shoes.  and among italian shoe designers, giuseppe zanotti is one of my faves.  i was just browsing the latest collection of zanotti bridal shoes at myglassslipper.com and came across these beauties.

i mean, these shoes are hot.  at $598 they're also a genuine splurge, but after the wedding you could easily dye them purple, red or black and have an incredible pair of couture shoes to wear with jeans or a little black dress that will never go out of style.  love it!

the knot, beyoncé, and the ultimate bachelorette bash

we love las vegas, we love the knot, and we love beyoncé...so naturally, we love this.

the knot.com and beyoncé are offering a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for one lucky bride and her bridesmaids in the knot and beyoncé bachelorette bash: single ladies in sin city sweepstakes. this unique sweeps offers a bride and her party the chance to win the ultimate girls getaway in las vegas.

to kick off the party, the lucky ladies will have the exclusive opportunity to learn the signature moves for the hottest dance, "single ladies (put a ring on it)" in a private dance lesson with beyoncé's legendary choreographer frank gatson, jr. — who choreographed the popular video, and who will be joined by one of beyoncé's own back-up dancers.

also included in this one-of-a-kind prize package:

· round trip tickets courtesy of jetblue

· 2-night/3-day stay at the celebrity favorite wynn las vegas

· dinner at the famous botero restaurant

· spa treatments at the salon at wynn or encore

· 4 vip indulgence tickets to see le reve, including champagne and chocolate-covered strawberries

· complimentary entry into any of the nightclubs at wynn las vegas

· the ultimate beyoncé prize package filled with a selection of her cd's and dvd's

brides and bridesmaids can sign up here to win now through december 31.  good luck, ladies!

a winter wedding wonderland

today los angeles was hit with a chill that shoved me prematurely into winter...which i didn't really mind, given all the gorgeous wedding design concepts that winter brings with it.

from fur-lined boots to crystal-accented invites to fire & ice martinis, winter is one of my favorite event seasons. i mean, all-white candy displays are just pretty. below are just a few of the many sophisticated possibilities for all you wintry brides.

forget snowflakes and pinecones — this season is a chance to be truly original. think aspen, think light and feathery florals, think crystalline landscapes. after all, winter gives white an extra dash of dazzle that no other season can match. you simply can't overdo sparkle right now.

and anytime you can add fur to your wedding ensemble, i'm all for it!

design & photo credits

first row — winter bouquet • martha stewart; candy display • the knot, photo by mary ellen bartley; winter wedding photo • david barss

second row — winter wedding invitations • paper olive; fur-lined booties • salvatore ferragamo; winter tablescape • tampa wedding rentals

third row — white wedding cake • the cake girls; fire & ice martini • the knot

autumn and thanksgiving weddings

the leaves are turning color and there's a chill in the air...perfect timing for some warm apple cider, a thanksgiving feast, and a wedding celebration.

autumn and the holidays are a great choice for your event not merely because of the rich orange and red color palettes, rustic backdrops and festive mood. thanksgiving weddings are fabulous in a very practical sense — guests are already traveling, and are often eager to spend the holiday in a new, unexpected way.

these are just a few of the lush design options for fall or thanksgiving. we love the bountiful joy of an apple motif, which is the star of this design collage.

from the unique, incredibly realistic apple candles by candle bay, to our own delicious apple-themed custom menu, the tone is bright, warm and inviting. mini-caramel apple favors by jody perlberger for perl continue the motif and match beautifully with earthy bouquets, also by jody.

round out the look with a simple, elegant table setting with rich golds and browns — including an all-brown chocolate & fruit wedding cake like this one by cheryl kleinman. you're sure to have an unforgettable wedding and a very happy thanksgiving!

the knot, philosophy and a wedding day sweepstakes

okay, we love good gossip and good shopping, and this post has the best of both.

we just learned that the knot has joined forces with lifestyle and beauty brand philosophy on an exciting new partnership. the result of their unique collaboration is “tying the knot,” a just-for-brides gift set created to pamper the bride-to-be so she looks as beautiful as she feels on her special day. how brilliant is that?

retailing for $100, “tying the knot” includes nine essential bridal beauty products, including purity one-step facial cleanser; amazing grace firming body emulsion, bath gel, and spray fragrance to help her feel amazingly clean and beautifully feminine; and kiss me exfoliating lip scrub for soft, smooth, kissable lips.

additional philosophy products in the gift set are:

· hope in a jar moisturizer

· microdelivery peel pads

· kiss me clear lip balm -- spf 20

· eye hope deluxe sample

the “tying the knot” gift set is now available for purchase on theknot.com and philosophy.com. our favorite thing about the set is an inspiring message that is included for the bride, along with a philosophy created exclusively for the knot: you must love yourself before you can love another. we simply adore this.

surrounding the product launch, the knot and philosophy are also launching the wedding day hope sweepstakes. the interactive site invites brides to share their hopes and dreams for their big day, and the personal messages will be posted anonymously on the site’s user-generated bulletin board for everyone to see. again, we love the idea.

brides who share their hopes are automatically entered to win the grand prize of a luxury honeymoon worth over $10,000, courtesy of viceroy anguilla resort & residences. other prizes include a wedding day makeover for one lucky bride and her bridesmaids, courtesy of philosophy beauty expert and makeup artist john trau, as well as “tying the knot” gift sets.

talk about a marriage made in heaven. :o)