Bridesmaid Dresses

Ahhhh… the bridesmaid dresses.  If one thing, besides the bride's own gown, can cause stress, it's the bridesmaids dresses.  There are so many opinions, so many different body types, different age groups, out of town friends... It COULD be a nightmare.  Best thing to do, is find one point person to speak for all.  Just in our house, with three of the six bridesmaids being sisters of the bride, there was a lot of dissension.

Tess, 17, was the point person for Maggie. We ordered a couple of dresses... ( Be careful whom you order from. The return policy on most bridesmaids dresses is all but not existent).

The first dress we ordered had armholes so tiny, the dress couldn't even be zipped - yet the company refused to take it back. They said they'd "fix" the problem. I think not. I'm just going to dispute it with American Express.  They always take care of me. The second dress was perfect, if a little big. This will help us advising the other bridesmaids on their size selection.

Now I'll give you no information on the selected dress- but one hint... It's neither style or color of the above dresses. :-)
http://my.bookbaby.com/book/simply-the-best    If you enjoy a light-hearted mystery…then you'll love "Simply the Best" by Mary P. Karnes.  It is about a wedding planner in Santa Barbara, CA.  Available in e-book for from amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Apple iBooks.  At only $ 2.99, it's a great deal!

The Wedding Cake!!

Ah, the Wedding Cake!  Is there any one item that is more iconic than that delicious delight?  From the beauty of the confection, to every brides' fear that her groom will smash that first bite in her face.

My mother had two requests for our wedding.  Number one: that Kenny didn't paint "Help Me!" on the soles of his shoes for all to see when we knelt at the alter... and number two: that he not smash the cake in my face.  He did neither.  And Robert, those are my two requests as well, when you marry our daughter.  :-)

So…back to the cake… so many choices.  What should the cake flavor be?  Filling?  Frosting or fondant?  Fresh flowers or edible?  Will you be serving dessert as well as the cake? Do your homework.  Go on-line, look at magazines, visit Pinterest…get an idea of what you like, then the fun begins!

Best thing to do, (and the most enjoyable!), is to go for tastings.  We did, and let me advise…go hungry!  The bakers were all generous, the offerings plentiful.  You can have about any flavor of cake, (from red velvet to pumpkin spice) and filling combination you can imagine.  Not only should the cake taste good, but you want to be assured  that it will be a work of art as well.  And there IS a difference in aesthetics.

Make sure your baker is reliable too.  Be conscience of price.  And remember, all is negotiable.
Few things are as important to a wedding as the cake.

"Bridal Fairs"

      I think Bridal Fairs are a wonderful idea.  Think about it. If you attend a large one, say in a convention center, you have an enormous amount of vendors together in one place. My regret is that we didn't go to any when we were in the 'real planning stage' of the wedding.

Anyone who's anyone is there... From jewelry designers, bakers, photographers, stationary companies, dance instructors, travel agents, and yes... Even the odd duck installation  guy...??  Now he was a lone wolf...There is a wealth of  experience, knowledge, and expertise under the same roof. And the prizes! Big expos have unbelievable prizes - from honeymoons to diamond jewelry -really.

Debbie invited me to one Sunday, as I told you, in tiny little Glastonbury. It was fun and they had pretty good food!  Always a plus for a Karnes girl. As an added bonus, we had a ride back to our car in a horse drawn wagon. Only in New England!

"Days Gone By - Antique Wedding Dresses"

My good friend, Debbie - Rob's mom - asked me to attend a Bridal Faire last weekend.  (More on that tomorrow)

This Faire was special, as they had an exhibit of antique wedding dresses.  They were all in a form of ivory, but I think that was due to age, instead of color choice.  Which is your favorite dress?  Mine is the very last picture - keep scrolling...  I just love it.

Apparently, the tradition of brides wearing white did not come into fashion until 1840- after Queen Victoria of England wore white for her wedding dress.  The story goes that she had some white lace she favored and wanted to use in on her dress.  She decided to have the entire dress made to match.

Ladies, if you had to do it over again, would your dress be the same design as your original gown? Mine would not.  While at the time I LOVED my dress, I think it was unadorned to the point of being plain.  I now wish there had been some lace, or other embellishment.  But, ah, that's what daughters are for…we get to relive some things, and change others...

The Groom

Rob and Maggie at the beach in California

Our family first became aware of Robert Stauble when he was 11 years old.  Our driveway in Connecticut was the bus stop for the middle school  kids.  Maggie, as the only girl,  would not stand with the boys at the stop. Instead, she would run out when she saw the bus approach.  Fast forward 4 years, and Maggie and Rob became an item.  Visiting back and forth was not difficult, as he and his family lived across the street!

We all loved Rob, and his family thought the world of Maggie, but come on!  How was this going to last?  They were kids.  They would go to separate colleges, for goodness sake.  But the Karnes family enjoyed his friendship, and that of his entire family.  We just enjoyed it.  Rob would come to all the little girls' hokey school productions, their sporting events, heck, he even helped coach one of the girls' basketball teams.
I'll never forget the Christmas we came home from California at midnight, exhausted.  To top it off, we had gotten 8 inches of snow the night before.  I warned Kenny, "You'll have to park on the street.  We won't be able to pull in the driveway."  "I know," he replied, the fatigue apparent in his voice.  When we got home, the drive was meticulously shoveled.  Thanks, Rob.  If I ever need a ride from the girls whom do I call?  Rob.

In July Rob and Maggie will move to Philadelphia where Robert will attend an honors program to become an optometrist. Maggie will attend school to become a registered nurse.

He's already like one of the family.  And on June 13, 2014, I will have a son.

I was lucky to get a man as wonderful as my father.  My heart sings that my daughter will as well.

Not sure why this pose, but it deviates from their usual ones, and I like it 

Little Rob

"Personal Shopper" Part II

Am I being too mean by just showing you my dress in a bag, and my shoes in a box?  If so, I'm very sorry.  But really…I just can't share yet…

Let's be honest. A "Mother of the Bride Dress" just MAY BE the second most important dress you'll ever purchase, after your wedding dress, of course.
Think about it.  You will be standing with your beautiful young daughter, and you want to look lovely as well.  Of course you won't look AS lovely, and you wouldn't want to, but you still want to look your best.  There will be pictures taken, a lot of them, after all.

I have never considered a stylist - ever. But after the very positive experience I had when the Nordstrom sales associate made the HOUR LONG Christmas returns for me, with more patience than I deserved, I took him up on his offer for help finding a dress for the wedding.

I left off in my story when my mini-makeover was complete. We journeyed upstairs and while I enjoyed the "pre-ordered" sparking water, we looked at dresses.  Now if I haven't described the Stylist, let me do so now.  He's a very edgy young man - a cutting edge dresser, unlike I.  I am conservative, and old-school.  I'm happy with a pair of jeans or khakis and a button-down shirt.  I was a little concerned, thinking our styles would not meet.  I worried for naught.  Like the beauty consultant, Nicole before him, he asked me what I liked.  What colors, fabric, dress length, sleeve length, and design style - what "Silhouette" I favored. I tried on a few, but I was so specific in my desire, there weren't too many to choose from.  I ended up choosing a dress that was my exact vision.  It's very tailored, simple and elegant - and to top if off, I found the perfect pair of shoes!  So, yes, I said YES TO THE DRESS!

http://my.bookbaby.com/book/simply-the-best
Enjoy a good "Cozy" mystery?  You'll love "Simply the Best" by Mary P. Karnes.  What is a cozy mystery, you may ask?  It's a mystery with no blood and gore - a woman is always the lead character.  She is showcased in a nurturing role, baker, caterer, or…WEDDING PLANNER…like my character.  Set in sunny Santa Barbara, CA - it's a quick, fun read.  Available in e-book format from amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Apple iBooks.

My "Personal Shopper" Experience

I was dreading seeing the beauty professional before my "Personal Shopping"experience. I arrived right on time - not always the case with me, and introduced myself to Nicole. She was beautiful and lovely. But I was worried. Was I going to walk out of here looking like a clown?  I am not a makeup person - a little mascara and lip gloss and I'm good to go.

We just talked at first. She asked me all about my skin type, my style, my colors. Then she selected some products to take home - from cleanser to eye cream. After that, she gave me a "mini- make-over."  (Let's just say, when I got home, the family couldn't tell. The only feedback I got was that I was looked "rested."  That's a win in my book!)

Dan, my "Personal Shopper" then came to escort me upstairs to begin our "search."  Let me tell you a little about "Dan."  He was warm, professional and tailored his fashion sense to what I favored.  But he an I were physically polar opposites!  He sported a Mohawk, tattoos and had an especially eclectic style of dress.  And I am a stodgy old mom.  But we worked well together.

Tomorrow... Did I say "Yes to the dress?"

http:my.bookbaby.com/book/simply-the-best

Check out my new mystery by clicking the link above.  It's a light-hearted mystery about a wedding planner in Santa Barbara, CA.  If you like Janet Evanovitch or Diane Mott Davidson - you'll enjoy it. Available in e-book format from amazon, Barnes and Noble and Apple iBooks.