Hairpiece contest from Etsy seller Whichgoose

I love a good contest. They are all the more appealing when the winning items are lovely and practical.

Through the Looking Glass is sponsoring a hairpiece giveaway by Whichgoose. She has an adorable shop on Etsy with whimsical hairpieces (check out the vine headbands!) clips.

If I won, I would have something made that resembles the Pemberley.
Enter to win your own custom hairpiece. Contest ends June 1st.

Good luck!

Designer Thursday - Judith Leiber

Let's face it - gorgeous clutches are pretty much a requisite for formal events. Judith Leiber's iconic miniaudieres would be a stylish accessory to any woman's wardrobe. The company also proudly proclaims that "almost every First Lady dating back to 1963 has carried these custom-made bags to the U.S. Presidential Inauguration ceremonies."
While impractically tiny, they are also impossibly beautiful with their meticulous designs in swarovski crystals. I can't say that I have any of these deliciously collectible beauties (though someone by Bloomingdale's did offer to sell me a puppy clutch for $300 once, hmmm not sure if that was real of course).

But I think these would be welcome additions to my purse collection.

Rose (I am indeed a girly girl)Mosaic (Ostrich and Austrian crystal, wow)
I do however own a pair of Judith Leiber sandals which will be my wedding shoes!
They go well with all of my outfits for the day. I got them a few years ago at Loehmann's for $75 (from ~$400) as part of my bridesmaid attire for one of my best friend's weddings (we needed silver sandals). They were the most expensive shoes I had bought at that point. But I love the timeless style of them and am so glad I can have more great (and obviously memorable) uses out of them.

It's getting hot in herrree...so here's a fan

Ok so my wedding is in August. Mosquito heavy, sweat inducing, "I remember why I don't really like summer" August.

It's fine in a land of air conditioned artificial goodness. Unless you're in my non air-conditioned church which I have been warned gets really, really hot. In order to prevent a riot, I am providing bottled water and also decided to do fan programs.

Cute right?

Unfortunately, I also got the instructions and was warned that this required a lot of work so I am trying to choose an easy template that requires minimal cutting or strange cutting tools. I believe a trip to Michael's is in order.

US Weekly Dream Wedding Contest ends today

Who doesn't want a dream wedding right? But not all of us have the resources to make that happen. US Weekly is sponsoring a dream wedding contest here. The contest ends today so get an entry in! Good luck and we hope to see your wedding featured!

DIY Makeup tutorials

Aahh, the power of Youtube. Gotta love that video directory behemoth. I found a few makeup tutorials today and am more confident about doing my own makeup.

Makeup by TiffanyD has two main tutorials where she applies makeup (as she would on a bride) on her sister. I would probably do less eye shadow blending, but liked how her videos showed a good chronology of makeup applications. Panacea81 also has a brief tutorial on a "sweet and innocent" look.
Here are some random photos with the natural and rosy look I'm going for.

I'm planning on doing my own bridal makeup because:

1. I have been brought up to not wear much makeup and be natural - something I want to carry to my wedding day
2. One of my best friends did her own makeup and she looked fab
3. I live in NYC where good makeup artists are $250 and up. Not so chic 'n cheap.
   

Ok, I've accepted. The two obvious and glaring cons:

1. I may not have all the requisite materials/tools
2. I may not know how to do it properly

Issue two can be solved through the aforementioned videos and practice. Good makeup/tools will take time but that's when you need to start bargain hunting! My tips are simple:
- Look for online and offline promotions
- Ask makeup artists for their tips

I obtained a Stila eyeshadow brush free with purchase a while ago when they opened at Macy's Herald Square (the counter is now unfortunately closed). Many counters also frequently offer gifts with purchase so you can obtain great trials and travel sets.
I obtained a Stila eyeliner brush for $6 and $100 makeup set for $12 at Beautycrunch (sign up for notices for sales!). Good 'ol eBay also seems to have tons of tools and makeups.

I had a few mini trials at Sephora (mama of all bakeup stores) and Bare Escentuals (highly recommend their mineral makeup). I have been looking for a good foundation and the makeup artists there recommended Revlon Anti-Aging, Bare Escentuals, and HD foundation.

I still have to trial and buy a few things, but I will certainly pass along my picks soon!

Designer Thursday - Ananda Design for silk/cashmere pieces

I'm taking a cue from the lovely Thirty Something Bride and am going to start a Thursday tradition. I will highlight designers that I both love and from whom I have recently received great deals.

I went into the Jenny Yoo sale the other day to scope out potential accessories and gifts for the girls. They had short dresses for $25-$75 but I didn't get anything. I wandered in the back and met Erika Falconeri, designer/founder of Ananda Design. Ananda shawls are recommended for Jenny Yoo dresses (they are friends and started their businesses about the same time, thus why they also share a showroom).

Erika was super sweet and helpful. She even got new pieces from the back when I bought something. Her items ranged from $20-$60 with a retail range from $200-$480. But more importantly, she uses mainly silk and cashmere to create the most amazing shawls, dresses, sweaters, bags, etc. The quality and handiwork are quite remarkable. I got my mom several $40 cashmere sweaters as gifts for the wedding (like the one below).
I also got my mom an amazing slate grey $60 shawl with crystals, pearls, and sequins which I will borrow. :) Her items are really worth the retail and I will definitely keep Ananda designs in mind.

Gotta love sample sales, they're like gateway drugs for the fashionista on a budget!

Vacation/honeymoon deal alert - Tahiti, Mexico, and more

Wow, what a great time to travel the world (of course check the Department of State for appropriate travel alerts). Obviously, I wish the economy were better and the swine flu was under control in certain areas. But a great reason to travel (besides "I need a break") is to support the travel related industries and visit countries whose economies are greatly supplemented by more tourism dollars.

I've been a Travelzoo subscriber for a few years and they have great hotel, airfare, and package deals. They have a Top 2o list that can be emailed to you every week. I'm still upset I missed out on a $999 India - air and hotel 7-day package. That was less than my airfare a few months ago!

But here are some hotel + air gems from this week:
1. Tahiti 4-night package - $899 from LA (additional nights couldn't be too expensive)
2. Mexico 3-night package - $299 from a few cities

Happy traveling! I will post more gems as I see them!

Getting rid of drama and getting back to the basics

This is a follow-up to my previous posting about my bm.

First, I have to apologize for oversimplifying the statements about my bm and why I almost asked her to leave. It's like IM or a short e-mail, you can't grasp the nuances and I hope I can explain them now.

The real deal is that I was hurt because I perceived that she didn't want to be a close friend anymore. It seemed that I would always have to contact her first and she didn't make the same effort. After a few times, I started taking things personally. I thought well if she doesn't even want to be a friend, maybe she doesn't want to be a bridesmaid. If you're a bridesmaid, you're like a sister, a life companion, a future godmother.

My bms were really helpful and to date I have only asked them to help me purchase silk flowers/berries because I was not living in the US (which of course I paid them back for). Ok that and asking them to come dress shopping with me because my mom is not involved in that at all. I appreciate any offerings of help and each and every one of them is special to me. I'm not asking them to shell out money for anything or get their hair done in any special way or wear peep-toes in shade R2D2. It's a milestone in my life and I want them to be part of it.

My BM has always been there to support me in practical boy talk, parties in the winter when we left our coats in the car, and everything else for 15 years. She's just late in getting back to people and it's part of what makes her her. We've talked about it and I just have to understand that and she will also try to make a better effort - we gotta meet halfway.
It's also hard because we stay the same and yet we also change. Things won't be the way they were, but they can still be great. Sometimes, I wish we could go back to the simpler times when we partied in Times Square and took the train at 3 in the morning. But we're *gasp* adults now and that comes with boring things like taxes, but awesome things like our future husbands. I love you girl!

Please feel free to pass me some anti-bridezilla serum when I need it.

Second, wedding planning is not a box of chocolates. It is a box of every flavored jelly beans. It is only one day but it's not just about us - it's about everyone with us too. We don't just have a psuedo-vintage theme. We have cultures and family to commemorate. We WILL do them justice. I have found the blogging community to be extremely helpful and inspirational and it's made everything more enjoyeable. I can only hope that I can pass on a deal or a cool idea myself.

But it takes time, lots of research, and patience that it will all be ok. Man, I'm really turning into my mom. I want to throw parties for people and get super-stressed along the way.

Finally, a big shout-out to all the other bridal bloggers and grooms. I feel ya. It's not all fun, buttercream frosting, and goddess dresses. It's tiring. At the end of the day, it's back to the basics. We'll all say "I do" to our life partners and cherish the beginning of new chapters together. And they lived happily ever after.

p.s. I'm definitely going to try and help with the shower since I'm one of the few people here (most bms are actually out of state or country!). I also told them I don't really care about the shower because it's complicated and our schedules are insane. But they've been super sweet about it and want to do something. Or maybe they just want to dress me up in toilet paper. :)

Bring in Jack for the shower - is it a good idea and what do I do?

So I've sorta decided that I'm going to have a Jack 'n Jill shower. Mostly because his relatives aren't coming in until the day before the wedding and I thought this would be easier for them.
I also want him to have a party and participate in silly games and stuff too.

Well that and he made a crack early on that his family probably wouldn't come to the shower. He has since told me to disregard that comment because he doesn't know anything about showers. But I still feel like they would be more involved if it's for both of us you know?

So Saturday will be busy:
1. Airport pick-ups
2. Possibly shower
3. Family/wedding party dinner - rehearsal is on Friday, probably have an informal dinner Friday

The Knot just came out with this cute article about shower ideas. It would be fun to have a chef giving lessons or have everyone bring home their first knitted creations.

One of my bms told Mr. Chic 'n Cheap the shower is our responsibility if we do Jack 'n Jill style (all Jack 'n Jill showers she's attended were sponsored by the couple). My Google searches didn't say that though. I am more happy to plan and contribute, but is it really my sole responsibility? I was freaked out when she said that because it meant more stuff for me to do. I was also kinda hurt because this is the bm that I almost asked to leave the party because she didn't even seem interested in me as a friend. It seemed like something else she didn't want to do (there was a misunderstanding once and she didn't come to a dress fitting and I thought she was passively telling me she didn't want to accompany me to give opinions on dresses). Sigh, wedding drama indeed.

Give and Get (even bridal things) at Goodwill and Salvation Army

Today, Mr. Chic 'n Cheap and I dropped off 10 bags of clothing and stuffed animals at Goodwill. It felt pretty darn good.

I gave some decent stuff too like a like new DKNY leather bag and a black BR suit. I hope those find good homes. I really encourage everyone to give or buy at Goodwill/Salvation Army.

Why you should give:
- That shirt is cute, but you have 5 of them or you haven't worn it in 5 years.
- You will be eco-friendly and someone will get use out of your things again
- Tax deduction - a cool thing obviously

I actually saw 2 wedding dresses there. Dresses (didn't list formal wear prices separately) were listed at $7.99. How amazing if you were a bride and you could get a dress for the price of lunch. It's really nice to know that even brides with modest wedding budgets can get nice gowns as well.

Goodwill now has an online presence too. I don't believe this includes all stores. Pretty cool though.

Chic 'n Cheap on TV! I'll be on Fox and Friends on May 15

Today - a bride to be, tomorrow - a famous bridal consultant (or something like that, hehe).
Tomorrow marks my television debut. I'm just so giddy about it because it is all about what all brought us together - fabulous planning (mostly) on a budget!

The Knot and Wedding Channel are sponsoring a segment on "Fox and Friends" about how brides have creatively saved money on wedding planning. They liked my idea about making invitations (using coupons and sourcing from Staples and Michael's).

So I've been working on 1 sample to bring on. I hope it's ok. It also kicked my butt into finalizing my invitation design. I'm pretty happy with the final layout and will most definitely post about it soon! And yes, I did get to use the awesome vintage image!

The Dress that got away (because I couldn't afford it)

It took me a while, but I realized that Monique Lhuillier is my dream wedding designer (though Vera Wang Luxe rocks too). I lusted and eventually got a Pronovias (La Sposa line) dress. All these lines have slim, elegant, feminine pieces.

But it's really all about the lace. And Monique really works that lace.
I visited a few NYC stores to research alencon lace trim for my veil (more to come in a later post). I've discovered that my lust was quite expensive. I love my dress, but was worried it looked "cheap" because of the beading and appliques. I am totally a wedding dress snob. So I started hedging.

Preownedweddingdresses provide future brides with great once-worn dresses from past brides at a discount. The best part is that you can get lucky and find someone in your size. Yay for no alterations!

I found an awesome dress and the seller happened to be in NYC. We met and I tried on her dress. Drooollllll. The lace was insane. While it was more simple than my dress, I found the lace to be exquisite. The seller was super nice too. But we will now be having 2 mini receptions in Asia because a lot of family can't come (my grandma broke her hip and can't travel).So, I had to break up with the dress.

It was so hard. I also liked the seller and wanted her to resell it for as much as she could get. $2500 was pretty rocking for that dress and a ridiculous veil. But still, Mr. Chic 'n Cheap would not be pleased.

My consolation gift to myself it to buy the most awesome alencon lace trim and make the veil that got away. These pictures are from her iPhone. :)
Should I have bit the bullet and just bought it?

Oh well, my dress is cool. I might also get a $200 alencon lace dress. It's 1 day and at the end, when the dress(es?) are put away, the pictures put on the shelves, and our rings on our fingers, we'll have the rest of our marriage and the rest of our lives.

For the ladies - Mika Inatome sample sale in NYC

I actually met Mika when I visited her boutique last year. She was pretty helpful. not pushy, and has some cool designs. I'm going to visit again to look for in expensive reception dress.
She has some great, slim designs and you can find some great couture gowns for ~$1k at the sale.

Otherwise, it's eBay or me getting my own fabric.

For the gents - Hickey sample sale in NYC

I love sales. I'm also justify buying more because something is on sale. Quite terrible. But I am SO much better this year because of my sorry financial situation. I'm not even moving if it's less than 50% off. Mr. Chic 'n Cheap tried on Hickey Freeman tuxes at Off Saks and it fit pretty well. Hopefully there will be a nice Chic 'n Cheap tux at this sale!

Hickey and Original Penguin at 60-85% off. For more info visit www.PriveDesignerSales.com.

5/14/2009 - 5/17/2009
10:30 am - 7:00 pm

75 9th Ave - Chelsea Market
(btwn. 15th & 16th Sts)
Go past the water fall
New York, NY 10011

Vintage image flair for your stationary

While my wedding is not completely a vintage wedding, I certainly love vintage flair. It's the timeless touches that get me - in design, clothing, architecture, etc. My dress for instance is very vintage glam looking and I'm a lace lover. I didn't know how else to incorporate vintage touches.

Yesterday I discovered free vintage images through Vintage Moth (as posted first on iDIY).

I have already incorporated this image for the back of my invites. How awesome is it?!

More to come on my invites soon...

Not just floral boutennieres

This entry from Vintage Glam perfectly complements my idea of making fascinators with feathers for my gals. Oooh and how cute for the flowers and feathers to match!
When I was still having a fall wedding, I was going to make bouts like this:

Tres cute no? The flowers and feathers idea seems pretty easy though! I would use silk flowers though and would probably use different patterns or colors. Now I just need another resource for finding millinery leaves...

(If you're semi-religious and engaged), Step 1. Book the Church!

So it's been a whirlwind couple of weeks. Mr. Chic 'n Cheap decided to attend a grad program in London starting September so we moved the wedding date and time. Good-bye upstate NY winery and school chapel. But hello lovely blog as I relate our adventures!

Surprisingly, there were a lot of available reception venues in NYC. But there were fewer Chic 'n Cheap venues (ahem, my friends on average pay over $150 /plate here, even for lunch). I also have over 100 guests. No $10k wedding unless my guests have no alcohol or we are in some really cool backyard. We have finally found our place (though it is the one that was dragging its feet before) and will sign this week.

BUT, we didn't realize that the church would be the most difficult to secure. If you're having a Sunday reception, it is much easier to have a Sunday afternoon church ceremony and night reception. We want to do a Sunday morning ceremony and afternoon reception. Trouble. Most churches obviously have services in the morning.

We talked to 9 churches to no avail. Most churches would also like you to be a parishioner. I explain my whole living outside the US and original wedding elsewhere bit to all the rectors. But I grew more and more discouraged since nothing was working out. There may be hope in 2 churches and 1 father told us he could start at 12:30 pm (maybe we can just forego some of our reception time). I'm crossing my fingers that the other church could work as well. Then I can finally list something on my invitations!

More to come...

Bridal Atelier Sample Sale in NYC

For the fashionista bride in NYC:
Mark Ingram Atelier is once again having a sample sale on May 13. Prices are 80% off retail, normally ranging from $3,200-$8,000.
Find sample and stock sizes from internationally known wedding designers Angel Sanchez, Anne Barge, Monique Lhuillier, Peter Langner, Jenny Lee, Rivini, Ulla Maija, and more.

110 East 55th Street, 8th Floor
Call for an appointment - 212-319-6778

Drool...if I didn't have a budget and a dress...
I am still looking for a reception dress though!

Feather flowers and fascinators

I loved Marchesa's flowers made from feathers the moment I saw them in this Town and Country article (image won't post, but do look at the article!).

I've also toyed around with the idea of making a fascinator for my wedding. While I'm still suffering from "I want to do everything and I am inspired by everything", I've decided to make fascinators for my bridal party. Always a Bridesmaid had a great post about her experience (and looks so great!)
I also love wedblog's example and will mostly follow that but incorporate silk tulle and feathers.

For my own insanity, I will probably make silk flowers from the same fabric as the bridesmaid's dresses (a silk cotton blend in 3 colors - red, poppy, and pumpkin). I want to incorporate pheasant feathers, either in a trim (below , $14.99/yard with adhesive at the back)or a hat pad ($7.99)

or just a few pheasant feathers ($4.80/5)

Ostrich.com seems to have the best pricing and decent selection. I'll make a few silk flowers and probably stick a few feathers around them. I guess I will experiment with the feather flower thing too. Hmm, my dress is cream though - silver feathers will clash huh? Should I do black or red feathers to match my bridesmaids then?