Jnel & J. Magazine Bridal Edition

Check out my new sample cover to my magazine Jnel & J. that I wish to someday publish. It's not a bridal magazine, it's gonna have a little bit of everything. I just made this issue a bridal issue just to see what it would look like.

What do you think, can I do it? Do you like it?

Check me out on myspace.

Tip Of The Day!

From Brides

Your eye makeup won’t fade if you start with an eye primer (a foundation also works), then press a neutral shadow over the eyelid, lash to brow, repeating three times. Contour the crease with a medium shadow, then line the lashes and apply mascara.

"Where every girl can become Barbie for the day."

Be A Great Bride On A Budget

Money, money, money – it makes the world go round, apparently. I’ve discovered that planning a wedding on a budget can actually be fun...

Ugh, budgets. It’s hard enough to keep a sensible view of what you can reasonably afford when you’re shopping for summer clothes on the high street, so how’s a girl supposed to remain realistic when she is shopping for the most important dress of her life? Yet countless wedding planning guides will tell you that the first thing you should do is to set a realistic budget for your big day.

BUDGET BRIDES: TEN TOP TIPS
1. No matter how classy the store you’re in, don’t be too shy to ask for a discount. Many stores will offer to throw in the veil or alterations at no cost if you’re paying full price for the gown.

2. Search the ‘for sale’ boards on wedding websites. We don’t recommend that you buy the big things like your dress from places like Ebay because there are no guarantees… we would hate for you to be disappointed.

3. However, Ebay can be terrific for wedding bits and bobs. And you can always try to make some money back after the event by selling some of your wedding paraphernalia.

4. Don’t worry about splashing out on your dream dress – just try to cut back a bit on other aspects. As fabulous as it would be to wear Jimmy Choos, there are lots of gorgeous shoes available on the high street. You could skip the veil, or see if your mom’s works as you’ll have the ‘something old’ requirement then too.

5. Take out wedding insurance. It’s one thing to spend a sizeable chunk of your wedding budget on your dress, but it’s another thing to lose that money if the dress gets damaged.

6. Go to wedding fairs where you’ll find lots of ideas, and exhibitors may offer discounts. Designer discount sales also give discounts of up to 75% on top-name gowns.

7. Don’t forget to check out the lower-priced dress brands like David’s Bridal Collection with many gowns priced under $1,200. David’s Bridal also has a beautiful affordable range of bridal wear.

8. If the dress you want is too expensive, find a dressmaker to make you something similar instead. The key word here is similar as an exact copy will be in breach of copyright. Make sure the dressmaker is reputable, and see examples of their work first.


9. Try to remember that it’s the groom’s day too. Once you’ve worked out a total budget, make a list of the things that you both really want and then divide them into things you absolutely have to have, and things that you don’t mind compromising on. You may have to give up on the idea of having a string quartet if your fiancé’ really wants to hire a band.

10. Don’t be so hung up on sticking to your budget that you end up being seduced by the low price of things that you’re not sure about – it’s false economy. One bride says she was considering a dress that was double the amount she wanted to pay and when the store offered her the sample at half price, she jumped at the offer, only to realize too late, that it was not the dress she really wanted.

Style Statements: Wedding Cake Ideas

TIERED CAKE
The original wedding cake design – a multi-layered cake, with each layer separated by columns, and open space between those layers. Still really popular – always elegant and stylish.

COLUMN
This design originates from Australia and is created by building up a number of same sized cakes on top of each other – to look like one, tall cake – which are then decorated.

STACKED CAKE
This design is extremely popular, consisting of three or more layers of cakes stacked on top of each other without the traditional columns. Suggested decorations include fresh flowers, figurines or a cake topper.

WONKY
This design has a really modern feel and as the name suggests is created in a lopsided style. Similar to a stacked cake.

FAIRY CAKES
Wow factor. Miniature square cupcakes decorated with letters to spell out words like love and marriage can make a striking centrepiece for your guests to talk about.

THEMED CAKES
Let your imagination run wild and create a cake that is personal to you both… Maybe a cake in the shape of suitcases if you met while travelling or Cinderella’s castle if you’re having a fairytale wedding.

DESSERT CAKES

CROQUEMBOUCHE
This is an alternative to a sponge cake and has really taken off in the last couple of years. Originating from France, the croquembouche is a tall conical or pyramid-shaped tower of profiteroles filled with cream and covered in caramel, peanut brittle and spun sugar – totally delicious and sure to be a big hit with your guests. Many couples chose to serve this as their dessert.

MERINGUE TOWER
Very similar to the croquembouche but made from mouth-watering meringues. Again this cake could double up as your dessert course.

CHOCOLATE CAKES

CURLS
Chocolate curls are used in a variety of ways; they can be used to decorate the edges of the cake and help contain fruit or they can be the main feature of the cake.

SMOOTH CHOCOLATE
Usually these cakes take on the design of a stacked cake but are covered in smooth, sleek chocolate instead of icing. They look almost shiny.

SHARDS
More like a work of art than a wedding cake. They are intricatley decorated with shards of milk, white or dark chocolate.

RUFFLES
Again, a breathtakingly beautiful sculpture of chocolate, cleverly disguised as a wedding cake.

SHAPED CAKES
Round, square, heart, hexagonal, petal... the possibilities are endless. Some shapes are more complicated to ice than others.

HOT TRENDS...
Sumptuous chocolate cakes are very fashionable at the moment. They look divine, taste delicious and of course everyone loves chocolate Towers of individual cakes look fantastic and depending on the number of guests at your party, everyone can have an individual parcel to take home Why stick to a traditional fruit cake recipe when there are so many variations to choose from. Lemon, carrot, orange are some of the hot new favourites There’s no better way of decorating your cake than with fresh flowers. They will add colour, dimension and look absolutely stunning Cake toppers are a great way to add real character your wedding cake.

Wedding China

Don’t feel like you have to register for all your china at the same place. Choose the pieces you like without worrying about sticking to one set. Mixing and matching patterns, textures and colors creates contrast—and contrast makes for a visually stimulating table.

My Pick!: Wedding Party Gift

Mother of the Bride Or Groom
Crystal Heart Locket $50.00 Buy

Maid of Honour
Square Locket $55.00 Buy

Bridesmaids
Double Heart Keepsake Box $35.00 Buy

Groomsmen
Brown Cigar Set with Flask $50.00 Buy

Flower Girl
Child's Pearl & Crystal Bracelet $45.00 Buy

Ring Bearer
Silver-Plated Child's Train Bank $20.00 Buy


--On The Net:
Things Remembered

Wedding Transportation

Check It Out First
When you´re renting a limo for your wedding, be sure to physically check out the exact limo(s) you´re going to be using before the big day. Make sure that it´s in good condition and that the driver also has the professional look you want.

Limo Contract
When you rent a limo for your wedding, be sure to sign a contract that includes the following:

how much you put down for a deposit

what their cancellation policies are

what the price/rates are, and how much it is if you go over

when you´re supposed to be picked up and where, including exact times and addresses of locations

Limo Alternatives
Looking for a cool mode of transportation other than a limousine? Try renting a sports car for the bride and groom and a limo for the rest of the wedding party. Jaguars, Corvettes and any kind of convertible make excellent choices. Just check with local car rental agencies.

Love and Marriage . . .
. . . you know what they go together like, and if you´re going to have an outdoor wedding, a horse and carriage is a unique and breathtaking way to get from the church to the reception, or the reception to your hotel. Try looking in the Yellow Pages under "Wedding Services" or "Carriages."

Creative Transportation
Instead of the usual caravan of limos, rent (or borrow) a collection of antique cars in the same color (all white, all black, all red): an old MG, a ´66 mustang, a stately rolls . . . much more fun!

Snow Savvy
If you are planning a winter wedding, consider how your guests are going to get from the ceremony to the reception. To cut down on dangers of winter driving, freezing walks, changing of shoes, heavy winter coats, etc, consider having the wedding and the reception at the same site, or setting up shuttle bus or van service for your guests.

ROMANCE 101

How to turn Your Relationship into a Great Romance!

OK...Let's talk about romance! The #1 most important thing you need to turn your relationship into a great romance is DESIRE. You have to WANT great romance in your life. Well, who wouldn't want that? But it won't just happen...it will take some effort. But it will be well worth it!

When asking couples why they think the romance has escaped their relationships, the most common excuse is TIME. It's sooooooo hard to find time and energy to devote to your relationships. But think for a moment back to your courtship. What was different then? Didn't you have a job then? Didn't you have other responsibilities then? Of course you did...maybe not to the extent that you do now, but you still had a schedule to keep, whether it was attending college, studying, playing sports, attending club meetings, keeping a job, etc. But somehow you found the time to "woo" your partner, right? You found time to date, right? Why? Because you WANTED TO! You planned it into your schedule and did it! And why were those times together so special? Because that specific amount of time was set aside and reserved for one reason...ROMANCE! And during those "dates" you gave 100% of your attention to each other, right? That's what made it special.

Now I want you to think about the last time you and your partner went out to dinner. What did you talk about? Maybe it was the family finances, or difficulties at work, or...the KIDS. Wow, what a romantic dinner, huh? That's the problem. You have to learn to create romantic situations that focus 100% on each other. Save the "problem solving" for another time. I can't tell you how many times in the past my husband and I went out to dinner and whenever we got home, I didn't even feel like we went out! Why? Because the whole time we were out, we were busy doing that "problem solving" stuff instead of enjoying what little time we had together. So, that's the second most important thing you need to turn your relationship into a great romance...PRIORITY. Make it a priority to spend quality, FOCUSED time with your partner. These special times should be set aside JUST for the two of you to enjoy each others company...nothing else...PERIOD.

Okay...So now we have established that creating great romance will require DESIRE, and making it a PRIORITY. The next thing we need is a PLAN! You may have heard the saying, "You didn't plan to fail, you just failed to plan!" Anything worth doing requires a good plan. It can be as simple as scheduling one evening per week as "date night," or promising to spend "x" amount of time doing something romantic for your partner each week. There are plenty of books, magazines, web sites, newsletters, etc. that will
give you lots of ideas to use for your romantic "dates." Use your imagination & be creative! The most important thing is to make a plan and then stick to it…no matter what.

After that, all that's left to do is sit back and watch the magic of romance do it's thing! Oh, I'm not saying that this is going to be easy...it WILL take a little work. But it will be FUN work!

Wedding Hairstyles: Loosen Up

Unstructured updos get dressy with delicate hair jewels

Starting with an extreme side part—just north of the ear—hair is swept back in sections and ends are pinned under; a few fat curls hang freely. Straggling ends are anchored by jeweled hair combs placed just so. Perfect product: To build enough oomph for this tousled style, prep with Tresemmé Tres Extra Hold Mousse.
Swarovski crystal hair combs, by Thomas Knoell Designs, thomasknoell.com. Matte jersey bias-cut gown, about $2,035, by Eric Gaskins.

Easy and elegant, this updo will last all night. Hair is parted from ear to ear; the back section is lifted, given a twist and secured against head. Back-combed front pieces are smoothed away from forehead, then bobby-pinned, disguising the twisted section, while hair ornaments create the gentle chignon. Perfect product: Fight fuzz with Pantene Pro-V Frizz Control Extra-Strength Serum.
Crystal and pearl hairpins, by Laura Jayne Bridal Design, laurajayne.com. Satin slip dress {Not Shown}, about $2,600, by Palazzo, available at Mark Ingram Bridal Atelier, 212-319-6778.

A mane of relaxed, bouncing corkscrew curls is pulled into a high ponytail; loose ends fall freely from the sparkling cincher. Perfect product: Keep ringlets defined with Redken Fabricate 03 Heat-Active Texturizer.
Pearl and crystal hairvine, by Laura Jayne Bridal Design, laurajayne.com. Ivory grosgrain gown with trumpet skirt {Not Shown}, about $1,450, by Watters Brides, 972-404-0143, watters.com. Diamond earrings, by Alexandra Van Dell, 617-335-2863, alexandravandell.com.

Use an elastic to form a head-topping ponytail, then feather it out to create a "fountain" of hair; tuck the ends under and secure to crown. Leave a generous piece of side-parted hair loose in front; swoop it across forehead and tuck behind ear. Perfect product: A fanciful pony stays firmly in place with Garnier Fructis Style Pure Fix Spray.
Pearl comb, by Tia Mazza, tiamazza.com. Pearl-striped satin-back taffeta halter gown {Not Shown}, about $820, by Watters Brides, 972-404-0143, watters.com.

My Pick: I love this one.

Already-curled locks get the cotton-candy treatment, with layer upon layer of hairspray and generous finger-plumping. Several crucially placed pins elevate the mass of loose hair, lifting it off the neck. Perfect product: Your mane can be as soft as a cloud with Aveda Air Control Hair Spray.
Feather hairpins, by Laura Jayne Bridal Design, laurajayne.com. Silk tulle ball gown with ribbon detailing and crisscross back bodice with ties, about $3,400, by Ahnna B. Designs 770-392-9620.

Luscious Wedding Lips

Lipstick really stays put if you start with a waxy balm (let it sit for 30 minutes); then fill the center of the lips with pencil that matches your lipstick. Apply loose powder over that with a brush, follow with lipstick, and then go back to define the edges with pencil.

--
Source:
From Brides Magazine

Bridal Fashion Show

Reem Acra Spring 2008



--On The Net:
Brides.com