How often have you found yourself in this predicament?  While frantically searching for the nearest place to sit down, all you can think about is getting out of those shoes and rubbing your tired, aching feet.  We’ve all paid the price for sacrificing comfort for beauty somewhere along the way.  Regardless of how uncomfortable those shoes may be, if they’re the perfect shade of blue, we will endure the pain in hopes that we’ll have plenty of opportunities to sit down.  Our poor feet are screaming out, but we turn a deaf ear to them in the name of fashion. 

But let me tell you.  The one day that you definitely don’t want your feet to be in pain is on your wedding day.  Choosing the wrong shoe can turn your dreamy wedding into a nightmare in a heartbeat!  High heels can be a problem, even for a stiletto-wearing veteran.  So here are some tips to make sure that when you’re done with the festivities, your feet will thank you!

1. Don’t take your shoes off!  No matter how badly your feet may feel, it’s best not to take your shoes off because the moment you do, they will swell and you will never be able to get into those shoes again (or at least until the swelling goes down.)  Instead, sit down and rest your feet to take some of the pressure off.

2. Buy shoes a half size larger.  Standing for long periods of time, can cause your feet to swell.  Give yourself a little wiggle room, and you’ll definitely appreciate it at the end of the night.  Open-toe shoes, sandals and sling backs also give your feet a little more room if needed.

3. Be practical.  This just may not be the time to wear those five-inch stilettos.  Opt for a more practical heel height instead.  From dainty to dramatic, there are plenty of two-inch styles that should suit your fancy.  Check out these ones I found online.

All of these tips apply for your bridesmaids shoes, too.  Make sure that the women you love most (and their feet) are comfortable in your selection for the bridal party as well.  Keep these tips in mind so you’ll be remembered as the beautiful, blushing bride and not the bride who walked around the wedding reception barefoot.  Do yourself a favor.  Take care of your feet and they’ll take care of you.

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Okay! I’m in a weird mood today. I admit it. I felt like exploring one of the realities of your wedding day. If you clicked your way over here, you must have wondered the same thing. Or you’re just a pervert. Either way, if you haven’t already watched the video above, please do so.

Now you know why bridesmaids are essential members of the wedding party. Give them very special bridesmaids gifts. 

And as for you, I like your sense of style–and your sense of humor! I’ve picked out a couple of things from MyWeddingFavors.com that you’ll probably want for your wedding–and ironically, are not wedding favors. On the left is a gorgeous gift-card holder for the gift table at your wedding reception. The silver-metal, classically designed holder keeps cards from getting lost or mislaid. And on the right, in keeping with today’s topic, I couldn’t pass up the Bride and Groom Toilet Paper. Talk about an essential for the rehearsal dinner or reception. When your guests first see it, they’ll laugh. Then they’ll feel just a bit creeped out. It’s so worth it!

Hi, Brides-to-be! Sue here with my TWIST (The Way I See Things!) Spring is here–nature’s favorite season for mating and creating new life. Judging from the number of celebrity pregnancies lately I’d say there’s a pregnancy epidemic in this country, and if you’re getting married in the next few months–or ever!–there’s a good chance one or more of your bridesmaids, or even your maid of honor, will be pregnant on the very date you’ve chosen for your elegant wedding.

I recently posted a blog about brides who are making their maid of honor and bridesmaids sign pre-nups promising not to gain weight, change their hair color or do a number of other things at the risk of being released from the “dubious” honor of attending the bride. Pretty cold, as far as I’m concerned. What if the bride’s sister or best friend gets pregnant and gains the weight so important for her growing baby’s nutrition? Does sis or the bff get booted? Let’s hope not. There’s no reason for a bride or pregnant bridesmaid to believe a pregnant attendant can’t be just as beautiful as her non-pregnant counterparts, and there’s no need for the mom-to-be to feel self-conscious. Many designers specialize in maternity bridesmaids dresses. Here are some tips from Perfect Bridesmaids:

• Find a flattering style for your pregnant attendant that will work well for the rest of the group
• Empire-waisted gowns work well for the pregnant attendant and also look good on others
• A-line dresses also work well with a variety of figures–pregnant and otherwise–but the A-line style will not work for a woman in her third trimester
• For an elegant wedding, choose silk-shantung and silk-crepe or perhaps even matte jersey, all which provide elegance, grace and comfort
• Semi-formal maternity dresses can be made of chenille or velour
• A fine cotton or washable silk works well for a casual wedding
• Order a dress size larger than you think it will need to be, because it’s easier to take it in than let it out
• Have your pregnant bridesmaid’s fitting and alterations done last and as close to the wedding date as possible

All that said, I would definitely make sure that my pregnant attendant’s due date is nowhere near my wedding date. Nothing takes the spotlight off the bride like a woman popping out a baby on the altar. And I would also choose bridesmaids gifts that let my girls know how beautiful, appreciated and loved they are. I’ve picked out a few I would love to get.  Take a look at the personalized seven-piece spa gift set on the far left! I’m all ready to dive into it, and I’ve just been writing this blog for a while. And who wouldn’t want this amazing pearl-and-crystal necklace and earrings gift set? I’m not done yet! I don’t know about you, but I can never have enough totes. Here’s a roomy weekend bag with a spot for my monogram. Just think how much your pregnant bridesmaid will appreciate this stylish tote. Yeah, she’ll probably get a diaper bag to carry all her baby necessities around after the baby comes, but unless it’s the size of a small steamer trunk, she won’t be able to fit everything she wants to schlep around. The tote will become her constant companion. Well, there you have it. Congratulations to all you terrific brides-to-be and, of course, all the gorgeous, glowing bridesmaids/moms-to-be!

Every year for the past 100 years, Hungarians in the city of Roma would bury a double bass to signal the end of the wedding season and also would confess their sins that were committed against the instrument. Then they followed up with an all night party. A strange custom to be sure, but a custom nonetheless. Well 2008 saw that custom nixed from Hungary’s event calender. The bureaucrats in Hungary basically forgot to put it on the list of festivals that has been held every year on the first Thursday of every February.

The festival is included along with the carnival that celebrates the arrival of Spring. The custom is really a tradition of the gypsy musicians who have carried on the tradition year after year. However, the strangest part is that the local government of Roma had no choice but to ban the ceremony since it wasn’t listed on Hungary’s Festival List.  So even if it was an accident, it doesn’t matter. It’s not on the list, so it doesn’t exist.

And you thought our government was strange.

Movie review: 27 Dresses
by guest blogger Donna L.
27 Dresses gets my two thumbs up! I had the pleasure of attending the special advanced screening of this hysterical chick flick last night in Atlanta. Of course, I brought three close friends with me — our first night out celebrating my December engagement! Hundreds of people lined up to see what turned out to be a very entertaining evening, complete with hors d’oeuvres and a delicious pink cocktail at the VIP reception.

Katherine Heigl (Jane) delivered an outstanding performance as the wedding-obsessed girl who is always a bridesmaid, never a bride. Her crush on her boss turns to jealousy and frustration when he falls in love with her kid sister. The movie follows her journey as she works through the now-strained relationship with her sister, her boss, and the journalist who relentlessly pursues her. I especially related to the scene where she tried on the multitude of ridiculous bridesmaids’ dresses that were crammed into her closet, and judging by the laughter in the audience, so did many others! We left with smiles on our faces and a fabulous goodie bag filled with Kate Aspen wedding favors and Vera Wang perfume to name just a few!

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Either that, or somebody needs to get this girl off steroids! Apparently, this 14 ft. tall wedding gown was created to promote the 2007 European Dance Competition last year. I haven’t a clue what a bridal gown has to do with a dance competition, but it’s a startling achievement, none the less.

If a woman were actually tall enough to wear this dress, she’d have more problems than her out-of-control pituitary gland. Sitting down would not be an option in this dress (so be sure to go to the bathroom before you put it on!), nor would dancing with your new spouse (who’s probably a much-more normal 10 ft. or so,) and getting in a limo might present a problem. You’d have to find a mighty big church with extraordinarily wide aisles…

Fortunately, choosing wedding favors would not be difficult. She might want to bring attention to the massive nature of her gown by giving her guests something to compare it to, like a wedding gown candle. Since “growing” is clearly this woman’s primary passion, she can share that love by favoring her guests with beautiful butterfly baskets that contain wildflower seeds they can plant in their gardens.

And I’ve found her the perfect wedding-cake topper! Needless to say, with her at 14 ft. tall and him a mere 10 ft., there’s no question about who’s going to have the upper hand in this marriage. If she wants to get that across from the get-go, all she has to do is put this little gem on the top of the cake…

              

                         You go, Bridezilla!