www.Elegala.com - Elegant galas made simple

Plan a ‘Pants Party

It only takes 15 minutes in a Victoria’s Secret to realize lingerie is a to-each-her-own type thing. So stage a custom lingerie party, either as a thank-you for your bridesmaids or as a part of the bachelorette festivities. Using Evlove Intimates’s dummy-proof online design studio and a stylist’s guidance via phone, each girl customizes her own pieces (boy shorts, bras, camis, chemises, thongs) with fabrics (lace, nylon mesh, modal), trimmings, and embellishments. Evlove will also send a stylist to your party loaded with fabric samples and trim swatches for $10 to $30 per person more.

where to find

Evlove Intimates, evloveintimates.com, 888-583-8986, $35-$95 per piece

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Bridal Tweets

Turn wedding favors into a thoughtful way to honor friends and loved ones with ceramic Bird Notes.  Hand-crafted and painted in Peru by female artisans, the colorful birds are about the size of a grape and come with a small blank scroll rolled inside the belly, upon which you can write a short personal note to each guest. The tiny birds, which can also be purchased unpainted then decorated to match your wedding colors, will make a pretty picture when arranged on a favor table or even tied with ribbon to a tree at an outdoor wedding.

where to find

Bird Notes by Jenny Krauss, harrietandleo.com, 212-777-5332, $18 for set of three

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Something Blue for the Modern Bride

Gone are the days of the tired blue garter.  Temporary tattoos are an interesting alternative to “something blue” for the modern bride. As more and more members of the tattoo generation are tying the knot, a chic, temporary tattoo may just be the perfect wedding day accessory to showcase a trendy personality.

These blue temporary tattoos from I Do Tattoo (TM) come in eight wedding-themed designs ranging from hearts and doves to wedding rings and champagne flutes. Two tattoos of your chosen design (one for practice and one for your wedding day) will arrive in a keepsake blue folio that has also been screen printed with your tattoo in scratch-resistant silver ink, so you’ll always remember what you wore as your “something blue.”

where to find

I Do Tattoo, idotattoos.com, 973-837-6835, $36

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Extreme Rides

When it comes to your wedding transportation, who says you need wheels?  If you want to travel in style on your wedding day, consider this dramatic alternative to the traditional limousine. Take to the sky with a hot air balloon - a must have for adventurous brides wanting to make the ultimate grand entrance or exit, all while taking in the scenery, sipping champagne, and waving to guests from your lofty perch.

where to find

Balloon Rides America has 200 locations throughout the U.S, $199 per person, 800-762-7464, balloonridesamerica.com

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Style for Rent

Every fashionista loves designer handbags, but if the coinciding high price tag of a Dior, Chloe, or Fendi have you reduced to the bargain bins – rejoice - you can actually rent a sought after “it” bag for your big day or for your honeymoon.  Bag, Borrow or Steal is a website that allows you to “borrow” designer bags for a week, month, or longer. Rent it, use it, return it – but if you do become so attached, they’ll even let you purchase your new love.  (the bag, not your hubby)

where to find

Bag, Borrow, or Steal (bagborroworsteal.com), rental fees range from under $40 to $400 and up.

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Merci Made Easy

Thank you notes, always a chore, just got a whole lot easier.  Leave no good turn un-thanked with a Deluxe Bridal Thank You Box, which includes a collection of personalized cards for everyone on your list – friends, family, the wedding party, vendors, you name it - all in a keepsake box.  Each chic card comes complete with a clever message for specific people, like this one for a bridesmaid: “I know I made you wear an ugly dress and matching shoes…but I am so glad you could be a part of my special day.”  After you’ve sent your last thank you (whew!), you can keep the pretty box to store wedding mementos.

where to find

Deluxe Bridal Thank You Box, www.paperbride.com, $75 for 50 notes and envelopes.

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Vintage Save The Date Postcards

Here’s something fun - a retro reminder to save that date!  Bag the traditional monogrammed card stock or even the magnet fad du jour.  Instead, find vintage postcards that feature your wedding location or a kitschy wedding-related locale like Niagra Falls.  This is a circumstance where it would actually be appropriate to pen your own message - in your very best cursive handwriting of course - on the cards, or you can have them professionally printed if you prefer.

where to find

You can get vintage cards online at cardcow.com or by scouring the flea markets, but finding the right quantity may present a problem.  You can also enlist a stationer to create vintage-style postcards for you.  Visit the www.Elegala.com wedding vendor directory to find a recommended stationer near you.

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Scenic Wedding Backdrops

We’d all love to pop for round trip airfare and whisk our nearest and dearest away for a fairytale wedding set amongst the rolling Irish countryside….  OK – now for the reality check – fake scenery is the next best thing!  Rent a faux backdrop and transform an average ballroom into a Venetian village, Parisian cityscape or ocean-side villa. 

where to find

Where to Find: Dreamworld backdrops, dreamworldbackdrops.com has over 1,500 backdrops for rent or purchase; Backdrops Fantastic, backdropsfantastic.com, has thousands of options.

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Photo Shop

Rent a photo booth for your reception, and let guests take turns posing for the camera. The crowd will get a kick out of taking pictures in a real classic photo booth, and the retro black and white photos can double as keepsake wedding favors. Set up a DIY station with mini-frames so guests can take home their favorite shots. You can expect to pay from $1000 to $2500 to rent a photo booth for the duration of your reception, but you can also expect it to stay busy all night.

where to find

Rentphotobooths.com is a national website where you can rent photo booths for events throughout the United States.

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Big Day for Little Ones

Participating in a wedding is a special honor for a child, but it can also seem overwhelming since they’re obviously not as up on wedding traditions as you. Told in playful rhyme and illustrated with watercolor paintings, The Flower Girl and The Ring Bearer by Laura Godwin will get them excited about their duties while also helping them recognize the importance of their roles. From getting all dressed up and walking down the aisle, to watching the vows and tasting the cake, these books show in a simple, clear way, everything they need to know, so it’s sure to ease the minds of nervous little girls and boys entrusted with these very special roles.  Of course, the added benefit is attendants who recognize the processional isn’t the right time to ditch the basket of rose petals for a hug from Grandma.

where to find

Disney Publishing Worldwide, disneybooks.disney.go.com, $12.95

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Lift Your Spirits

Upgrade an ordinary champagne wedding toast with a sexy new fusion of wine and spirits in a curvaceous electric pink bottle. NUVO Sparkling Liqueur is made with premium vodka, sparkling wine, and a hint of fruit.  The bubbly liqueur is refreshingly easy-to-drink and is best served in champagne flutes over ice.  The chic pink color can instantly add flare to your décor and set a lavish vibe - but you may want to hide the lipstick-shaped bottle from the guys at the reception. 

where to find

NUVO Sparkling Liqueur, sparklingnuvo.com, $25 for 750 ml bottle

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Break the Ice

Too often, friends and family from different circles mix as well as a purple and orange color scheme. These wedding guest ID buttons are a unique and fun way to break that ice. The buttons have titles ranging from roles in the wedding (“maid of honor”) to relationships to the bride and groom (“high school friend”), to quirky options like “traveled the farthest” or “catching the bouquet.” Hand them out at your rehearsal dinner, put them in guest welcome baskets, or let guests select one at the entry table to get the mingling going.

where to find

Make’m Mingle, 877-809-1659, makemmingle.com, $2.49-$4.49 each; discounts available on bulk orders

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Solar Powered Wedding Decorations

Add a bit of enchanted whimsy to your outdoor wedding decorations with these solar-powered glass balls. Inside each of these glass ornaments is a sprinkling of phosphorescent dust that glows from sundown into the evening.  Hang the Fairydust Balls (no, we didn’t come up with the name) from tree branches for a little woodland magic; you can also hang them in a window or float them in a pond. They’ll begin to glow softly when the sun sets and will last for two to four hours.  They require a full day of charging in direct sun, but they can be used again and again to enhance you new home’s patio or garden decor long after the wedding.

where to find

Gardeners Supply Company, gardeners.com, 888-833-1412, $23.95 for set of three

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Personalized Party Plates

Although monograms have made their way onto just about every possible surface, stamping it onto a plate is relatively creative outlet for incorporating initials into your wedding day.  These stylish melamine plates feature bold designs that vary from traditional scripted monograms on damask patterns to modern block letters on sassy polka dots or zebra print.  There are scads of ways to use these plates: order several with your bridesmaids’ initials for pretty and practical bridesmaid gifts, or order in bulk for your bridal shower and take them home yourself for use for the parties you’ll host as a married couple. 

where to find

My Clean Plate Club, mycleanplateclub.com, 888-397-6352, $22 each – discounted prices for bulk orders.

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Accidental Tourist - Destination Wedding Guides

Destination weddings continue to increase in popularity, so providing wedding guest baskets that include location information has become the norm.  But why make them slum it, when they can luxe it? These Luxe City Guides are sleekly designed pocket travel guides written in a witty, irreverent tone (advice for London: “On a budget? Don’t come”).  Inside is an overview of the city, as well as a highly selective and opinionated list of only the best shops, restaurants and hotels, spa services, and lifestyle options.  Luxe City Guides are available for 30 cities worldwide. 

where to find

Luxe City Guides, luxecityguides.com, Sets are $10 each.

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Sip in Style

You’ve meticulously planned every detail from the shoes on your feet to the wedding songs you’ll dance to. Now you can check off refreshing your guests with the new limited edition Evian water bottle designed by fashion designer Christian Lacroix.  Dressed in a chic lace pattern, the frosted bottles are pretty enough to display for guests seeking something cool after a turn on the dance floor. Even if you don’t feature them at the main event, the design is stylish enough to include in your fastidiously assembled wedding guest baskets. 

where to find

Evian Natural Mineral Water, shopevian.com, $118.00 for a case of 12

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Coming Up Lemons

When the time for wedding toasts rolls around, consider swapping basic champagne for shots of chilled limoncello. The liqueur made from fermented Sorrento lemons was invented on the coast of southern Italy more than 100 years ago and is traditionally served chilled as an after-dinner digestive. The sweet, lemony beverage has gained recent popularity in America due to celebrity endorsements from the likes of Danny DeVito, George Clooney and Avril Lavigne.  Restaurants this side of the Atlantic have recently begun offering it on cocktail and dessert menus because of its refreshing lemon flavor that lacks the bitterness of actual lemon juice.

where to find

Pallini Limoncello, www.pallini.us

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Share the Love

Between your mother-in-law’s bridge club and your fiance’s college lacrosse team, chances are not everyone attending your wedding will know much about the chain of events resulting in their being “gathered here today.” Fill them in with professionally written and designed keepsake booklets that relay how you met, how he proposed, and other notable moments in your lives together.

Pause here for a moment to say, “ick,” at this seemingly cheesy idea, then think of it this way: The magazine-style brochure or booklet will bring home the emotion of your celebration while preventing you from having to explain how you met to one of his distant relatives when you’d rather be partying with friends.  Another plus?  These booklets can double as wedding favors for your guests.

The process takes anywhere from three months to a year, beginning with an in-depth interview with a professional writer.  You’ll select a design and color palette and submit engagement photos or personal snapshots (professional photography is preferred, but not required).

where to find

Courship Stories, courtship-stories.com, 888-427-8584; Echo Memoirs, echomemoirs.com, 604-261-1858; Storied Memories, storied-memories.com, 888-573-4336. Costs vary greatly by company but start at around $975 per project.

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Clutch Control

So you’ve got the rock and you’ve found your frock, but you’re a bit perturbed whenit comes to your wedding day arm candy.  In the world of wedding accessories and bridal purses, the profusion of gaudy beading and chintzy white satin just doesn’t cut it for the fashion forward bride.  Answering the call for a suitable option are online storefronts that make getting your hands on a stylish couture bag for your wedding convenient and affordable.

Take M. Avery Designs.  This interactive online handbag salon allows you to design a one-of-a-kind bag where you can select the shape, fabric and adornments.  And if you’ve got a vision in your head, designer Megan Avery will work with you to create the bag of your dreams.  Another option is 1154 Lill Studio, an online boutique where brides can choose from over twenty five styles, then mix and match from hundreds of fabric choices for the exterior, interior, pockets, trim, straps and more. 

where to find

M. Avery Designs, maverydesigns.com, 201-876-1198.  Prices start around $50 depending on style and fabric.  1154 Lill Studio, 1154lillstudio.com, 773-292-6310.  Prices range from about $50 for a wristlet and up to $80 for a handbag

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Green My Ride

The latest vendors to jump on the green wedding bandwagon are the ones who will actually get you to and from the church.  A number of green-oriented wedding transportation services now feature fleets of fuel-efficient sedans, limos, or buses.  Book the same way you would that gas guzzling Hummer limo, since eco-transportation options are comparable in price.  Then celebrate the fact that you can still arrive instyle, just while taking up a fraction of the carbon footprint. Who said it’s not easy being green?

where to find

PlanetTran, planettran.com, 888-756-8876; OZOcar, ozocar.com, 866-696-5966; Elite Green Car, elitegreencar.com, 404-350-8511; Eco Limo, eco-limo.com, 888-432-6546. Rates are similar to gas-powered car services, starting at about $50 per hour.

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Collar Couture

When did wedding party roles get so complicated?  Nowadays, you can have a man-of-honor named Chuck or a best woman named Carol, so it’s no surprise that Fido is the new ring bearer of choice.  As including dogs in the wedding ceremony becomes de rigueur, the pressing question arises:  what should your furry friend wear for this momentous occasion since the average leash or collar simply won’t do?  That’s where Hamptons Hound comes in.  This luxury pet boutique has a special bridal line of intricately hand-beaded or rhinestone leather collars suitable for even the most elegant events. 

Let’s just hope that Fido doesn’t see his snazzy new ensemble as an open invitation to join the dinner table at the reception.

where to find

Hamptons Hound, hamptonshound.com, 212-564-5949, $40-180

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True Colors

Tired of paying homage to the homogenous, some stationers are branching out with new lines of invitations and announcements that represent a more inclusive cross-section of brides. Multicultural wedding invitations add color to the white wedding with rich jewel tones and illustrations of brides and bridesmaids from African American, Latino, Hispanic and Asian backgrounds. The new options are available for every component of your stationery suite from save-the-dates and attendant cards to shower and rehearsal dinner invites. From an industry that banks on weddings as expressions of individuality, we think this makes only too much sense.

where to find

Kemse & Company, kemseandcompany.com, 888-656-1452; Bonnie Marcus Collection, bonniemarcus.com, 866-675-7895. Boxes of eight to 10 start at $10.

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Rock Their World

Between unflattering dresses and Friday nights spent licking envelopes, bridesmaids have it tough. The best cure for the always-a-bridesmaid blues? A little bling of their own.

Embraced by celebrities like Oprah, Tyra Banks and Kirsten Dunst, the Ah Ring is a diamond pinkie ring featuring eleven small round cut diamonds fashioned in a 14-karat white gold band.  It’s a great idea for bridesmaid gifts your girls will actually like, since this is a diamond ring that celebrates their relationship status for a change.  For your single pals, “A” stands for Available, and “h,” happy – or for those already taken, Attached and happy. 

It will also cost you more than a cliché monogrammed tote – maybe give it as a special gift for your maid-of-honor if you don’t want to take out a loan to supply them for your nine bridesmaids – but these sparkling rocks are sure to earn forgiveness for that requisite teeth whitening you forced them to endure.

where to find

Divine Diamonds,divinediamonds.com, $295

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Wall Art

Graffiti at your wedding?  Oh, the horror!  The dubious art form may be the last idea you had in mind for your wedding decorations, but a little wall artwork can actually add some flair to a bland function space.  Wonderful Graffiti Wedding’s removable vinyl letters and symbols appear painted on when affized to smooth surface, making it easy to enhance your decor with a quote, poem, or welcome note.  The good news, especially if your venue has a strict “nothing on the walls” policy, is that you can place these standard or custom-made transfers just about anywhere - on the dance floor, entrance doors, even on your getaway car.  Order four to six weeks in advance, then apply yourself or arrange for professional installation.  After the wedding, the strips are easily peeled away without causing any surface damage.

where to find

Wonderful Graffiti Wedding, wonderfulgraffitiwedding.com, 877-577-5675. Standard designs start at $15; custom designs start at $!0 more.

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Going Postal

You may want to put a personal stamp on your wedding invitations, but it’s probably best not to wait for the post office to release your mug on their next commemorative series.  So do it yourself at Zazzle.com, where you can make your own custom postage. 

The site guides you through easy step-by-step instructions that even your mother-in-law could follow, and your options are practically endless.  Use your engagement photo, monogram, or even your parents’ wedding picture.  Simply select your size and quantity, upload an image, and add some text.  Your very own personalized postage stamps should arrive in about a week.

where to find

Zazzle.com, books of 20 first class stamps start at $14.95

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Let Them Eat Prada

Alas, the favor gods have smiled… Behold the long-awaited food and fashion fusion.  Treat your guests to Stoli ganache-filled “Pravda” handbags.  This twist on the traditional wedding favor is a tiny chocolate handbag in baby pink croc and adorned with an edible candy pearl clash.  Who doesn’t love edible couture?

where to find

Visit chocochocohouse.com to order two-piece favor sets ($6.50/set; discounts on orders over 50)

Preferred vendor listed in the Portsmouth, New Hampshire Wedding Event Planners section of Decidio.com

Visit the Top 100 Wedding Websites!

Bloomcentral-Comprehensive florist web Directory.
http://www.FlowerGreat.com
http://www.favorlabel.com

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