Candyland

Wedding candy bars have become more and more popular in the last few years, but did you know they can also be a great budget-saver? Candies and the means to display them are easily found at low cost, and they are a wonderful way to bring more color and festivity into your wedding reception. Dylan Lauren of Dylan's Candy Bar offers YumSugar readers some tips for hosting a successful candy bar. And because I know you're dying to hear what I have to say on the subject, I've thrown in some tips of my own. . .

(picture courtesy of chutes and ladders)

Dylan: Include jordan almonds. In Italy, jordan almonds are popular because their egg shape symbolizes fertility and life.

Diana: Yeahhhh, jordan almonds are great and all, popular and traditional at most weddings, but newsflash, they're not the only plain, smooth round candies around. (Now if you're a fan, before you get all huffy, I had them at my wedding too). So include them or don't, but don't forget about your other standbys like M&Ms, Skittles, jellybeans, gum balls, malt balls etc. (Rebecca Thuss)

Dylan: Integrate silver and white candies. For a wedding theme, incorporate white chocolate roses or white petits fours.

Diana: Consider also Silver Amorini, Hershey kisses, and York Peppermint Patties.

(Picture courtesy Joos)

Dylan: Match candy to the bridesmaids' dresses. Reinforce your wedding's color scheme in a unique way by matching candy colors to the hues of the wedding party.

Diana: Or the flowers, or the linens, or your new husband's eye color. . .have fun with it!

(Rebecca Thuss)

(courtesy of Katie353h)

(courtesy of Katie353h)

Dylan: Customize favors. Design custom candy bar wrappers to announce your marriage, or enchant guests with customized lollipops.

Diana: You're catching our drift right? Everything's customizable! Every candy, jar, container, label, scoop and gift baggie is an opportunity for personalization.

Lastly, if it's a wedding that I'm attending, Twizzlers and Peanut M&Ms would be much appreciated.

For real this time

First they got married in Mexico. Then when it turned out the wedding wasn't legal, they headed on down to the courthouse, but that didn't quite work out either. Well now they've really gone and done it, for better or for worse, Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag officially, spiritually and legally were married this past Saturday. The bride wore a Monique Lhullier dress paired with over 1 million dollars in diamond jewelry. . .
. . .all your favorite Hills characters were there. . .
. . .including one from the Laguna Beach days (yeah I watched that too). . .
. . .and *spoiler alert* looks like Lauren actually showed up!
You know this is going to make an awesome episode. Can't wait to watch.

Strawberry meals forever

Today's doctor-visit was kind of a big deal, as it marked the first time in 35 weeks of pregnancy that I have gained ZERO weight between visits. Zero! That's a pretty extraordinary feat, especially considering pregnancy doesn't encourage the best of eating habits in some, in fact the last thing I ate last night was an enormous piece of pizza at about 10:30 pm.

So needless to say I'm pleased as punch, and to reward myself I've done a little dessert research for you all. Darcy's post from yesterday has reminded me that strawberry season is almost upon us, and what better way to close the meal at a spring or summer wedding then with a delicious strawberry dessert?

It's one of my favorite flavors, and I love how how it gives you a fun element of color to play with. Delish. Recipes and credits below.

(Clockwise starting from top left corner: Pistachio, roasted rhubarb, strawberry and white chocolate petits gateaux, strawberry souffle, strawberry cupcakes, frozen strawberry souffles)

Love is a mix tape

Do we love this fun invitation I saw today on Green Wedding Shoes?
Letterpressed by Studio on Fire and designed by Adam Ramerth.I think Lloyd Dobler would dig it. What's on your Love Mix 09?

Roman Column

Sasha Gown by Rachel Roy, $1,195

Cool Caribbean Blue

Have you seen Project Wedding? It's a great online resource of wedding details, a la The Knot. Aren't you gals lucky to have so much inspiration at your fingertips? I loved the blue details of this real wedding in the Bahamas (my old stomping grounds!)

Ribbon-tied programs stuck into place in the sandParasols to keep guests out of the sunMenu cards by E & R Design Group

Tiny pointed petals

So I know we were just talking boutonnieres the other day, but I just swooned when I saw this lovely on InStyle Weddings via the fabulous wedding blog, Snippet and Ink. Does it not just charm the pants off you? For those of you without a green thumb (like me) this is an Echeveria Rosette and I'm just enamored. You can see more of the gorgeous stem here.

Beautifully Bohemian

As much as I love fashion and shopping, I'm just not much of a jewelry person (ask my husband). But I'm finding myself really digging Nicole Richie's ad campaign for her new hippie-chic jewelry line, House of Harlow 1960.
The pieces make a statement, but are simple and non-fussy. Now that's jewelry I can see myself (and a few of you free-spirit brides) in. Available at my fave, Shopbop.

Good Manors

If you're still looking for a reception venue, consider heading out to Virginia this weekend for an open house or two. Two gorgeous local manors are opening up their doors to engaged couples this Saturday and Sunday.
Visit the traditional Jeffersonian Foxchase Manor (8310 Chatsworth Dr., Manassas; 703-369-3638), from 11 to 3 on Saturday and noon to 4 on Sunday. You'll be impressed by the 45-candle chandeliers and 18-foot ceilings in the 500-guest capacity Grand Ballroom. While your at it the private residence Rose Hill Manor (42140 Raspberry Plain La., Leesburg; 703-771-9177), also boasts spacious beautiful ballrooms, will be open from noon to 3 on Saturday and Sunday.

(Picture 1 and 2 by sarahnjacob,
Pictures 3 - 5 by Vivrelle)

They brought their dog on their honeymoon

Tom Brady and Gisele Bundchen honeymooning in Costa Rica

Adorable? Or kind of weird?

(Picture via USMagazine.com)

Pregnant = Hungry

Kids, I'm running on empty. For the last few weeks it's been shower, after shower, after shower . . .and it ain't over yet. And although my stamina for high heels is dwindling and I'm running out of dresses I can fit into, there's been a major upside. I'm talking about the sweets people, I've been able to sample lots of sweets. Lots.

There were the chocolate covered-strawberries and bubblegum pink Georgetown Cupcakes at my baby shower (courtesy of BFF 1 and BFF2), the mini cheese-cakes and champagne (cider for me, boo) consumed during a moonlit limo-ride while jamming to Daddy Yanqui, MGMT and Duffy for Erica's bachelorette party, and the adorable tea-and-cake favors we were sent home with after that same gal's bridesmaid-thrown shower at the Tabard Inn. You'd think I'd have had enough by now. You'd be wrong. This past weekend was Erica's second bridal shower thrown by the groom's side of the family. And my stomach was not disappointed.

There were powdered sugar-dusted Lemon Squares. . .

. . .My second dose of Georgetown Cupcake in one week (special ordered in Sunshine and Pastel Pink). . .

. . .pretzels dipped in yumminess. . .

. . .and as if all that wasn't enough, we were sent home with these adorable Wedding Cake Cookies by Beau-coup.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have to run. I think the baby's hungry.

Rainer Maria Rilke

L'amour qui lie un être humain à un autre est peut être la chose la plus difficile qui nous soit imposée, c'est le point ultime, la dernière épreuve, le labeur pour lequel tous les autres labeurs ne sont encore qu'une préparation. C'est pourquoi les jeunes gens, qui sont encore tous débutants ne savent pas encore aimer ; il leur faut apprendre. (...) Pas plus que pour la mort, qui est difficile, il n'existe pour le difficile amour aucune clarté, aucune solution, pas le moindre signe indicateur, ni le moindre itinéraire...

Lettre à un jeune poète, 14 mai 1904
Rainer Maria Rilke, Trad. La Pléiade. in Oeuvres en Prose, p. 943 et 945

This one's going on my list. . .

. . .of short wedding dresses I would have worn to my own wedding, you know, had I wanted to wear a short dress at the time.

Nicky Hilton wore the L.A. premiere for Valentino: The Last Emperor

(Image via Jezebel)

Princess for a night

Just got back from Hitched where I dropped of six, count them SIX dresses for their 4th Annual Hitched Dress Drive to benefit Princess for a Night. Including three bridesmaid dresses and, wait for it people, the dress I wore to my junior prom. My JUNIOR prom. Eleven years ago. Seriously what the hell was that still doing in my closet?
During the month of April, Hitched invites you to bring by your old bridesmaid dresses and donate them to students in our community who might otherwise not be able to afford a dress for prom night. And my bet is that like me, you have at least a couple of similar dresses gathering dust and taking up space in your closet.

Their goal is to collect one hundred dresses - they only have 94 more to go!

(Image via Ruscara)

Spring into fashion

This spring, there's more than just flowers to look forward to. . . .it's almost time for Spring 2010 Bridal Fashion Week! I for one am definitely ready for some new wedding dresses to ooh and ahh over. So if like me, you just can't wait, you'll be happy to know that Brides.com has reached out to tons of wedding gown designers for preview sketches from their upcoming collections.

(Previews from left to right: Priscilla of Boston, Anna Maier, Monique Lhuillier, and Ines di Santo)

Ready for more? Head on over their blog Wedded Bits and get in on the sneak peek.