Shad Moss, do you take A'ra......

Yes! I once dreamed of marrying Lil Bow Wow! I was in love with that boy! Bounce with me... I'll bounce! Thank You.... you're welcome! Ghetto Girls... That's me! Take ya home... I'll go home with you! I was IN LOVE with that boy! And going to his concerts did not do anything but make me fall deeper in love with him. My walls were covered with posters of him. I had a portfolio that had all of his information in it. Also in the portfolio... were our wedding plans! Yes, I had our ENTIRE wedding planned out, except for the groomsmen because I had to wait for him to call me so he could give me the names. I even had our wedding program ready. Anyway, here's a sneak peek at what I had going on (and this is straight from my portfolio):
Front of Wedding program: A'ra Alston & Shad Moss
Date: March 9th (hadn't yet decided on a year, but that is his birthday)
Place: Miracle Temple Baptist Church
Colors: Baby blue, white, and silver
My dress: White, with a baby blue sash around the waist
Maid of Honor: Amber Bennafield (only thing that hasn't changed in life LOL!)
Pastor: Oh get this, Mason Betha! It was around the time rapper, Mase, had became a minister.
Oh I was so ready for my big day!!!! My best friend (Amber) and I would sit in my room for hours and plan our weddings (she was marrying Lil Romeo). Oh this was real!!! Real and serious! I am sorry to say, however, that the wedding was called off, because Lil Bow Wow decided he wanted to be in a relationship with R&B singer, Ciara. I can't believe I used to love her song "Goodies", not even knowing it was to MY man!
RIP A'ra Moss. LOL!

Double Love!

How did people feel about the double wedding on RichBride, PoorBride???

Brides Gone Crazy!!!

Remember that bride who wanted a cake of a vagina for her husband?? Ha!
Remember that bride who wanted her bridesmaids to wear the same perfume?? Ha!
Remember that bride who flipped on the nail tech because it was $30 to get her nails done?? Ha!
Remember that bride who had to clean up after her own wedding reception?? Ha!
Remember that bride who had a whistle to keep her "people" in order?? Ha!
Rememeber that bride who wanted her bridesmaids to spray-paint the grass?? Ha!
That's only a few of 'em! Bridezillas these days are off the hook when getting ready for their big day!!! And some of them still aren't happy after the wedding!

"It would take me a while to think of the favorite part of my wedding day considering I was hungover and cramping..." -LaJune

"So my wedding day wasn't exactly what I had planned it to be. I stressed and worked hard on a billion different things, only to have it washed away in the stinkin rain. I am definitely a believer in indoor weddings now..." -Lacy

"My favorite part of my wedding day was all the attention on me. It took 9 months to plan my wedding. The one thing I would change about my wedding is that I would have had a different hair/makeup artist..." -Melissa C. (You should have done a trial months before, girl)

"My wedding was craziness. All the drama and tragic events that happened the week of my wedding make it hard to really even remember the wedding day..." -Christina

And OH MY!!!! Some people are so unhappy that they completely neglected to answer the question about their favorite part of their wedding day.....

"I am a Biology pre-med student who also works in Hospitality Management here in NY. I'm originally from the Caribbean Island of Antigua but was raised on St. Thomas in the U.S Virgin Islands..." -Valique (Ummm, nice to meet you honey!)

Wedding No-No's for Guests

• Always RSVP (don't assume the couple knows you'll be there, unless you're in the bridal party
• If you arrive at the church during the procession, wait until the bride has made her way down the aisle before entering. And don't peek through the doors because you'll be in her photos. You should've been on time! Also, walk down an outside aisle when coming in late.
• Don't produce sound effects. TURN OFF or SILENCE your phones.
• Don't compare (out loud) the wedding you're attending to other weddings you've been to. It's about that bride and groom, not the bride and groom from last week or yesterday.
• Follow the dress code that has been set forth by the couple. If they say it's formal, don't wear jeans. If they say its casual, don't wear prom attire.
• Don't steal the show. The toast is not the time to let the newly married coupled know that they will be an aunt and an uncle. The wedding reception is not the time to propose to your girlfriend. Wait until the day after for all that.
• Don't bring up old things that may be embarassing to the bride or groom. Sure, it may add humor to the room, but check with them first just to be sure it's okay for you to share that particular story.
• A lot of times (especially with a large number of guests), the bride and groom will limit toasting either to each other, just to a maid of honor and best man, or either to the entire bridal party. However, if they do open it up to guests, keep it SHORT!!! It's appreciated and all, but no one wants to spend 3 hours listening to different words of wisdom, encouragement, and blessings when they can be dancing and enjoying the night!
• Do NOT try to share personal stories with the bride and groom all night and do NOT try to make plans for the following weekend. Talk to the new couple, congratulate them, compliment them, but remember they have other guests there too. It's "their" time, not "you all's" time.
• Of course, don't get DRUNK! Being able to enjoy an open bar is great, but if you know you can't control yourself when you drink a lot, know when to step away from the bar. Throwing up, having to be carried out, falling everywhere... is unacceptable! When you're out with the bride or groom for a regular night out, they may laugh at this behavior the next day. But when it happens on their wedding night, I'm sure they will not crack a smile, and neither will you when sober up.

Be Alert... because everyday I can think of more and more things that should not be done at a wedding ceremony or wedding reception. So I WILL be back with more (to keep you from embarassing yourself).

Inside Platinum Weddings

Kelly and NFL player Thomas Davis were married March 22nd... 2008, that is. I know this episode is old, but everytime I see it, I learn something new and I watch it as if it's my first time seeing it. Theme: "The Royal Ball". 250 guests, $500,000. 8.5 carat engagement ring. Cake that included every guest's name. Performance by Jagged Edge. All typical of a Platinum Wedding. But that BLACK gown! I must admit... I was blown away by it's beauty. I'm not exactly sure why she chose black (maybe I'll learn why the next time I see it), but homegirl worked it! She wore a custom couture fit gown beaded with hand sewn Swarovski crystals ($10,000). Beauty was her name!!!

What happened???

I stayed up last night (Sunday), waiting for a new episode of My Fair Wedding w/ David Tutera to come on... and at 10pm... I was still watching RichBride, PoorBride. I was not happy about it!

How to have a $100,000 wedding on a $30,000 budget!

YOU DON'T!

If you really think about it, you can have a great wedding with whatever your budget may be. You just have to know how to work it.
Instead of:

• an expensive wedding planner, find one that is willing to step in just when you need them to. Or, maybe you have a close friend or family member who is wiiling to share their expertise.
• an actual reception hall, try a ballroom at a hotel. Even when you include lights and drapes and all the other expenses that work together to give the room that "elegant wedding" feel, you will still probably end up spending less for the venue than you would if you went for a reception hall.
• a gown that costs $5,000-$8,000... go for a less expensive one. Surely when a girl puts on "the" gown, she'll know its for her. If she doesn't step into it and feel like she wants to feel, then it's not the right one. But if you're on a smaller budget, start out looking for gowns in the "smaller budget" price range. Who knows... you may just find the one!
• trying to have shrimp when you have 200 guests, go for the chicken entree. Also, having a buffet is less expensive than a sit-down dinner.
• trying to have the Chrysler Stretch, go for a simple, yet still elegant and classy limo.
• spending hundreds of dollars (or thousands) on save-the-dates/invitations/thank-you cards/wedding programs, make them yourself (or have a close friend or family member with expertise do them). Even with the costs of all the materials, you will still save tons of money. Another option (which I personally do not favor) would be to GO GREEN with it, and do it all electronically.
• a big cake from "Amazing Wedding Cakes", go for a big cake from your local bakery.

These, of course, are just a FEW ideas. There are so many ways you could go with this. You just have to think about your budget. Don't always assume that something is "out" just because you can not afford the first price given. Call around, shop around, ask around and make it happen. Sure having $100,000 to splurge on a wedding would be GREAT (even if you don't plan to spend it all), but if you don't have it, make things happen another way. Keep in mind, you still have to LIVE after this special day!

And always remember "Something old, something new, something BORROWED, something blue!

At the end of the night, all that matters is that the bride feels like a million bucks, no matter what the wedding costs.

Congratulations/Merry Xmas!

It's taking me a while to do so, but I'm still trying to figure out how I feel about people having big weddings on holidays. I mean, if you do the Justice of the Peace thing on Valentine's Day, that's sweet and all... but a 250-guest wedding on New Year's Eve??? I feel like you're taking away from other people's lives a bit. If you're my friend, of course I want to be at your wedding, no doubt about it. But to be watching you and your new spouse cut the cake at 12am, when I'm used to being in church at that time... I'm really going to be feeling some kinda way in addition to happy for you!

This... or that???

I don't know which is worse... the pictures of the "airbrushed" wedding attire below, or the fact that my friend wants everyone in her bridal party to wear Converses... including herself!!! I mean, it goes well with her personality and style... and the sad part is I think she can actually pull it off... it just won't be an elegant wedding. Hmmm...

GIRL WHY?!?!?!

Wedding Gown 101

Click on the following link to learn all about the different types of gowns that compliment your body type, or in straight forward terms, to find out what you ain't got no business wearing! Check out the different types of gowns, the different necklines, the different waistlines, and the different sleeve types. Ever heard someone say "I want a Princess-y ball gown!"?? Well after checking out the website, you'll be able to ask them "Do you want princess-y... or do you want ball gown??" YES! There is a difference! Also learn about the different types of veils and trains. It's great to be able to describe something, but to know actual terms is so much better!

Courtesy of Acramax Publishing:
http://www.arcamax.com/weddings/gowns

WHITE MEANS PURE!!!

Now let's be real... half the couples tying the knot nowadays have done some stuff before marriage that sent purity straight out the window, and the bride still walks down the aisle in that white gown. "Hmph, she has that white gown on and ain't nothin' about her pure", is a comment some guests may make. Face it, society wants us to believe that we should only wear white if we're pure. And for once in life it's a good thing that we throw society the finger and do as we want. See, here's the story behind "The White Dress": In the early 1800s, Princess Charlotte (daughter of King George IV), wore a white wedding gown when she married her prince. A while later, Queen Elizabeth wore a white silk wedding gown for her union, and other brides chose this color in honor of the Queen's choice. And this... is how "The White Dress" became tradition. So there's nothing wrong with wearing white even if you aren't pure (but many congrats to you if you are). White, black, bright green, it doesn't matter... it's all about the woman in the gown, the man awaiting her, and the love they share.


Bold... very bold... but beautiful.

This gown is tough!!!

Quite pretty in pink.

I can see it.

Wedding Dress OH NO'S!

Not every woman wants a big Cinderella ball gown and not every woman wants a nice fitting Mermaid gown. Not every woman wants a halter neckline and not every woman wants a strapless or sweetheart neckline. Face it. Today we live in a world where taste, style, and fashion are very free-spirited. BUT... there are some things you JUST DON'T DO! Check out these wedding gowns from hell, or at least that's where I think they're from. PLEASE feel free to click on the pictures so that they may be enlarged and you can see the hot messes that I have here!

"I, (name), take you, Spaghetti, to be my lawfully wedded wife!"

Lady, I'm not sure what you were going for, but with the pose, the gown, and the veil... you look like a penis! And I'm sure that's NOT what you were going for!

If you were Lady GaGa you could pull this off, but since you aren't her... you should take it off!

I'm not sure if this was from Bachelorette party straight to the wedding... or from Wedding straight to the club... either way it's a hot mess and home girl knows she was wrong!

You did NOT walk down the aisle in that, did you? Please tell me NO!

Babygirl, it's the 21st century now. You do NOT have to run off and get married just because you got pregnant! You could've waited!!!

Think colors.....

I can call up my girls for a night out. What I may have on: a purple cardigan, golden-yellow shirt, and blue jeans. And with the right accessories, I can throw on a pair of flat brown boots and step out looking fashionably fly. However, it just isn't that easy when it comes to weddings. Don't get me wrong, with the right experience, taste, and vision, you can put any colors together and make them work (for the most part)... but let's think outside of the box... let's think shades. Pastel green and dark blue??? Don't do it to yourself. Fluorescent yellow and bright blue??? Don't let your guests leave with a headache so bad that they don't attend the reception. Also, don't always think 2 colors... think 3, or maybe just one.

• Gold
• Silver
• White and Black
• Tiffany Blue and Chocolate Brown
• Black and Ivory
• Black, Red, and White
• Tiffany Blue and Ivory
• Pastel Lavender and Pastel Lime
• Red and Orange

I can also see a spring wedding with a bunch of different pastels. Or a summer wedding outdoors with bright colors.

Once again... think shades, and keep in mind the season of the wedding and the vision you are going for. When I first thought "red and orange", I thought "Oh please... how off!". But when you think a deep red and a deep orange, you can think festive, and begin to see this come alive. Another festive combination is "brown, green, and orange". Brown bridesmaids dresses, green ties and vests for the men, orange shoes.... oh PLEASE! Don't do it! But maybe brown bridesmaids dresses and brown ties and vests for the men? Or green instead of the brown. Then orange, brown, and green decor? See it! Orange and green flowers are a very great fit for this color scheme. It's out of the ordinary, yet still very classy!

I can definitely see those colors with the whole festive feel!!!

Remember, a touch of gold or silver can put the perfect finishing touch on anything.

For more ideas on wedding colors, Invitation Artist, Sarah Prye, has put together this nice little chart. Feel free to follow the link: http://www.prye.com/view/wedding_colors.html

Every girl's dream... or not???

Most girls plan their weddings when they are young. They know when they want it, who they want in it, where they want to have it, what colors they want, (maybe even who they want to marry), what songs they wish to have played... they have EVERYTHING detailed. The whole vision is so clear and extravagant. But how many have to re-evaluate so much by the time the day actually comes? And what about those who never once thought about that special day, until they were asked by that special person??? The truth is, the big dress and hundreds of guests don't make the wedding... the couple makes the wedding. Whether your budget is $500,000 or $5,000... a beautiful wedding can evolve. So, follow me. Let's talk Weddings!