Howard Stern gets hitched.

Sixteen years of marriage and a dozen white roses for Michelle Obama.

Turns out, cuttin' a rug can cost you. [via Always a Blogsmaid]

Eddie Van Halen pops the question to his publicist.

To submit a bridal event, email lshallcross@washingtonian.com.

I nervously introduced myself: “Hi. My name is Amanda, and I’m a mother of a bride.” A chorus of sympathetic voices answered, “Hi, Amanda.” Okay, so it hasn’t come to that, but if I don’t find some consistent, practical advice soon, I’ll be the founding member of Mother of the Bride Support (MOBS).

The sources for wedding advice are endless, including magazines, Web sites, TV shows, books, and of course, the trusty family and friends. The volume and breadth of advice is not an issue. My problem has been that I keep finding contradictory advice. Are weddings the Wild West of event planning?

The business of weddings is an industry of its own. Never mind the actual vendors, services, and hospitality industries available—consider the advertising, Web sites, and publications selling the dream to the brides. It’s overwhelming! Off the top of my head, I can think of four movies that have come out in the last decade that are centered around weddings. The Friends TV series had at least three weddings that I can recall. We love weddings—they’re life-affirming celebrations of love and hope. What better event to build an industry around?

This grandmother won't be in the front row at the church—she'll be standing next to the bride.

Third time's the charm for Arizona coach Lute Olson.

Dishonest wedding photographer? Meet the attorney general.

Save the date...videos? [via The Wedding Chicks]

To submit a bridal event, email lshallcross@washingtonian.com.

Everyone knows music can make or break a party, and what’s a wedding if not one big party? So when it comes to picking the tunes for your big day, there’s a lot of pressure to make a good choice. Do you need a DJ and a band? What songs are better left off the playlist? How can you make sure the music is fit for the younger guests as well as the older ones?

Yesterday, Mydeejay.com president Evan Reitmeyer came in for a live chat to answer all those questions and more. Evan founded Mydeejay.com in 2003, and now he and his team work more than 250 weddings a year. They specialize in green weddings—in 2007 Mydeejay.com became the nation’s first 100 percent carbon-neutral wedding-entertainment company.

So we’ve found the perfect venue for our reception, albeit 40 minutes away from the church, but now we’ve got to pick the perfect date. Andrew proposed in the middle of May, and I knew that a long engagement was an absolute must for planning the wedding of our dreams. So we began to look at spring 2009 as a great time to get married. I assumed we could just choose a date, let the church and the reception site know, and we’d be on our way to planning. Boy, was I wrong!

When choosing a popular reception site like Meadowlark, you come to realize that there are very limited options for when you can use its facilities. Rumor has it that dozens of brides-to-be wait outside the facility on the day it allows booking for the following year, trying to snag the perfect date. It was long past that day, so I was severely limited in the dates still available. I worked with Bernadette, the event coordinator, and got a list of every weekend date available in 2009 and took the list home to Andrew. Spring is the most popular time at Meadowlark, so the only spring weekend date still available was Easter weekend—which doesn’t exactly work when you’re having a Catholic ceremony. So we looked at summer, fall, and winter dates and discussed the pros and cons of each.

Two generations and more than 60 years later, one dress gets a second chance.

Browsing for bridesmaid gifts? Here are eight great ideas.

Save the dates to swoon over. [via bon mariage!]

A crash course in envelope etiquette. [via The Wedding Chicks]

 

To submit a bridal event, email lshallcross@washingtonian.com.

(Photo courtesy of Cotton's Gourmet)

Thursday, October 2 through Saturday, October 4: Trunk Show
Rizik’s (1100 Connecticut Ave., NW, DC; 202-223-4050) doesn’t normally carry dresses by designer Liancarlo, but brides have an opportunity to view the collection at a special trunk show at the boutique Thursday through Saturday. Browse Liancarlo’s elegant French- and Italian-inspired gowns and get 10 percent off—a nice bonus given the high cost of designer bridal wear—if you order during the trunk show. Free, but appointments are recommended.

Friday, October 3, through Sunday, October 5: Another Trunk Show!
Didn’t find what you were looking for at the Rizik’s? Head to Hannelore’s (106 N. Lee St., Alexandria; 703-549-0387) and try your luck at another trunk show. This one features bridal designer Rivini. Browse more than 60 eye-catching dresses from the spring and summer 2009 collection, and get 10 percent off if you purchase during the show. Free, but by appointment only.

Saturday, October 4: Cake Tasting
Cotton’s Gourmet Gifts & Creations (7744 Emerson Rd., Hyattsville; 301-306-5420) holds this event every two months for couples and wedding coordinators. Sample Cotton Gourmet’s traditional chocolate or vanilla three-tier cakes jazzed up with tangy raspberry or sweet caramel. Or try out a Cotton Gourmet signature creation—a sweet-potato pound cake dusted with cinnamon and finished with glazed pecans. Appointments are required; RSVP here. Free; 2 to 4.

Sunday, October 5: Crazed Card Making
Add personal flare to your wedding invites or bridal-shower announcements by making your own. Head to Paper Source (118 King St., Alexandria; 703-299-9950) on Sunday for a crash course in the art of card making and release your inner Picasso. Don’t own any rubber stamps or embossing pads? No problem—all necessary tools and materials are included. RSVP here. $35; 10 to noon.

To submit a bridal event, email lshallcross@washingtonian.com.

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