Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Promises and Pearls

Dear Lovely Brides,

Would you like to be invited to an elegant evening at which you can learn more about services for your wedding? No hassles, no pressure, just pure enjoyment.

Well, let me invite you to register for Promises and Pearls, a complimentary evening on July 8, from 6 PM to 9 PM at the Payne Mansion in San Francisco. It will be hosted by Michelle at MB Wedding Design and Events, a lovely and dedicated event planner full of great design ideas.

Oh - and make sure you stop by The Flirty Guide booth and say "Hi!" to my good friend Stacie Tamaki. Her roster of event professionals is top notch. We are proud to be on her list.

Tell your friends! Go and have a good time! Enjoy!

Thursday, June 18, 2009

Why I Love 'Don't Tell the Bride'

OK I admit it. I've become hooked on that British TV show Don't Tell the Bride. The premise is that a groom gets $20,000 to plan the wedding. The catch is that he has to plan the wedding in 30 days and he can't talk with the bride or get her input. And $20,000 doesn't go any further in merry old England than it does in the States.

Why do I love it so? Because I've learned something and confirmed another. 

First, almost all of the grooms hire the first venue they come across. Rookie mistake. Sometimes this takes up 50% or more of their budget! Those castles in England don't come cheap. But then the grooms are left with so little money, they can only cater a barbeque on the castle lawn (!), or go cap in hand to beg for additional funds from their parents. I suppose this is what makes for drama and humor. Often a level-headed friend will set it all to rights ("Are you crazy? You can't have a barbeque at a wedding!"). Or some considerate wedding professional will give good advice or a good deal to pull them out of the hole they've dug. 

For once, a reality show reflects reality. Couples feel pressured to hire or buy elements of their wedding as quickly as they find them for fear they'll never find anything else that suits them. Don't do it! Do some research to see what prices are realistic IN EVERY CATEGORY in the city where your wedding will take place so you can set priorities and make good choices. Otherwise, will this really be the wedding of your dreams? Spending a little more time on research and setting priorities up front will save a lot of heartache later.

After making that initial mistake, the grooms go on to make an even bigger one. They ALWAYS pick a dress that their brides HATE. After many tears (hers) and gnashing of teeth (his),  the groom manages to scrape up enough money to buy a second dress even though he couldn't get any money back for the first dress. He has made his bride happy about the one thing that mattered most to her. Then the bride is able to give the groom the one thing that matters most to him - appreciation for his efforts, no matter how things turned out. The bride maintains a regal bearing and a bemused look as she surveys the rest of the groom's odd decisions.

That brings me to what has been confirmed. 

What it really comes down to is understanding what is important to each key participant - bride, groom, parents - before going on the first site visit. Then, it's a balancing act to make sure everyone is happy, while sticking to the budget. The extent to which the bride and groom understand, communicate and respect each other's wishes and feelings, and those of their families, gives a clue about how the rest of their married life will go.

It won't be long now before they come up with the American version. I can't wait.

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Get Married

Do you know the fun Lifetime TV show Get Married hosted by celebrity event designer Colin Cowie? The show is best known for bringing the latest trends and inspirations to brides.

Well, in addition to their hit TV show and their great website, Get Married is launching a new national wedding magazine and the first issue will appear on newsstands in October, 2009. You can reserve your FREE copy now by sending Get Married an email.

More details to follow...


Friday, June 12, 2009

Life in Stop Motion

Want clever? Watch!



If you would like to see a behind-the-scenes "making of", check this out.

Friday, June 05, 2009

Mean Kitty Video of the Week

It's Friday and you know what that means...time for Video of the Week.



So why does this piece deserve to be our Video of the Week? 

1. Visual images, lyrics and music are complementary.
2. The order of the images tells an entertaining tale.
3. We like cats.
4. The guy is kinda cute.

This is a fun piece of fluff. It doesn't have to be lofty to merit 3 1/2 minutes of our time.

Monday, June 01, 2009

Yearbook Smiles Predict Marriage Success

Want to predict if you will stay married? Take out your high school yearbook. If you are smiling, you are more likely to have a long marriage. I did not make this up! A research study at DePauw University scored high school yearbook pictures based on a "smile intensity score". They found the top 10% of smilers had a 5% divorce rate, and the bottom 10% smilers (the non-smilers) had a 25% divorce rate. Their explanation? People with positive emotionality may attract happier people or interpret events more positively.

And keep smiling!