Indice dei contenuti per February/March 2017 in Brides

EVENTS PROMOTIONS SWEEPS THE FLORIDA KEYS & KEY WEST Plan your dream destination wedding or honeymoon in Key Largo, Islamorada, Marathon, Big Pine Key and the Lower Keys, and Key West. With countless activities and amenities for newly weds in the Keys, your trip can be as action-packed and thrilling or relaxed and low-key as you desire. In the Florida Keys and Key West, you can come as you are, and leave as newlyweds. fla-keys.com/weddings MODERN BRIDE SIGNATURE COLLECTION The Modern Bride Signature Collection features gorgeous bridal rings set in 14K gold. Underneath each ring is an infinity symbol that embraces a color-enhanced blue diamond, perfect for representing your "something blue.' jcp.com/modern-bride GRASSWALKERS Walk confidently at your outdoor wedding while keeping your stilettos or thicker high heels beautiful with Grasswalkers!…

WHAT IS YOUR BEST DRESSSHOPPING ADVICE FOR A BRIDE? “Not to be afraid. Preconceived ideas may not work all the time. Let your store guide you.” WHAT INSPIRES YOU? “The brides were and are my first inspiration: their tastes, their desires, and their wishes.” FAVORITE FABRIC TO WORK WITH? “I love natural silk gazar and organza with voile and muslin.” WHO DO YOU DESIGN FOR? “My muse is that bride who loves beauty, elegance, and fashion. Nothing is more inspiring than a woman who seeks that in a wedding gown.” WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT BRIDAL ACCESSORY? “The veil is, without a doubt, the most excellent accessory. It gives a romantic and mysterious touch.”…

BECAUSE THE AISLE IS YOUR RUNWAY THE TRENDS 2017 CLEAN + MODERN & LONG SLEEVES RUFFLED + ROMANTIC & OFF THE SHOULDER…

Charleston Garden-party pastels Ireland Lush, romantic charm Mexico City Bold and bright FOR MORE WEDDING COLOR PALETTES, VISIT BRIDES.COM/COLORPALETTES.…

 How many bridesmaids did you have? How many is too many? I had 10 girls in my bridal party, but I’ve attended weddings with only a couple of bridesmaids or none at all; it’s really a personal choice. I think as long as the number doesn’t distract from the nuptials, you’re fine. Also, if you have a large group, having them sit during the ceremony works well. I want to keep a consistent palette but don’t want my bridesmaids to look too matchymatchy. How do I make that happen? One way is to mix texture and fabric. Many bridesmaid lines offer a variety of fabrics— beautiful crepes, structured satins, and flowing chiffons—in the same color. You could even mix in some colored lace or embellishment if you’re feeling crazy. “SIGNATURE…

If you’re a celeb fashionista like Dianna Agron or Poppy Delevingne, you’d better believe that when you plan a fairy-tale destination wedding in sultry Marrakech, Morocco, brides everywhere will take notice. How can you pull one off with equal success? First, head to La Mamounia (rooms from $649; mamounia.com), the most storied resort in Marrakech. (Everyone from Charlie Chaplin to Gwyneth Paltrow has stayed here.) You and your guests can spread out among 135 rooms, 71 suites, and three riads (three-bedroom villas with their own terrace and heated swimming pool). In between parties in the bougainvillea-filled gardens, indulge in a traditional hammam treatment, get tattoos by a henna artist, and browse for local wares in the nearby medinas. The highlight, however, will undoubtedly be your sunset ceremony and outdoor reception…

THE COUPLE’S TAKEAWAYS 1 KEEP THINGS IN PERSPECTIVE “Remember, this day is about celebrating, not about decorating!” Rian says. When her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer three days after Rian and D’Andre got engaged, the bride focused on planning a day that was all about love and family. 2 DRESS FOR THE OCCASION Having modeled for bridal designer Sarah Seven, Rian knew what silhouette she wanted for the ceremony—and that she’d change into a party dress for the reception. “I snuck off and put on a knee-length dress. I was so happy I could really dance with my new husband.” 3 KNOW YOUR CROWD “It was such a party,” the bride says. “After the year we’d had, everyone wanted to celebrate with us.” Plus, their group had even more…

Cheers—you’re engaged! There are only a few times in life when you consciously know you’re starting a new chapter, and this is one of them. Enjoy that and celebrate it. Whether it means having an engagement party for 50 or a romantic dinner for two, this moment deserves a toast to “Yeah, we’re doing this!” Over the next several months, you’ll find yourself at the center of many toasts, perhaps at your shower or bachelorette. Or maybe you’ll be giving one at your rehearsal dinner or wedding to thank the friends and fam’ who have helped you along the way. For all of those moments, we’re presenting our first-ever Brides Selects, 25 red, white, and sparkling wines that our editors recommend for all of your engagement-year fetes and then, of…

How did I become this person? Standing on our unmade bed, all 100 pounds of me pitched forward like a wild cat, fists clenched, knees bent, ready to pounce. “You’re ruining my dream wedding!” I roared. My boyfriend looked up at me, small and startled. “We aren’t even engaged yet,” he said. That, of course, was the problem. The best bands and venues book up quickly, my mom liked to remind me over daily text messages and phone calls. “If he doesn’t propose soon, you’ll end up with an accordion player at the Days Inn,” she’d say. Or less passively, in case I had a hard time interpreting her “mother tongue”: Time was running out! Despite the maniacal outburst regarding the demise of my “perfect day,” I’m not the type…

YOUR BEST HAIR, MAKEUP, BODY—EVER 10 WEEKS FLAWLESS SKIN Start this plan from Miami dermatologist Leslie Baumann now and you’ll glow when you walk down the aisle ACNE Unless your only concern is blackheads, scrubbing with a salicylic-acid cleanser won’t cut it, says Baumann. For serious breakouts, try one with benzoyl peroxide, like Neutrogena Rapid Clear ($8). (She recommends using it twice daily, because acne bacteria reproduce every 12 hours.) At night, follow with an over-the-counter retinoid to prevent clogged pores. Or, if all these harsh chemicals don’t jibe with your skin, Baumann suggests an at-home “blue-light device,” such as the Tria Acne Clearing Blue Light ($299), which may be pricey but has been shown to kill acne-causing bacteria without causing dryness or flaking. DARK SPOTS Sun exposure, stress, and…

THE CLIFF HOTEL JAMAICA There are only 33 suites, cottages, and villas at this newly renovated boutique hotel, perched on Negril’s famous cliffs. Dig into lionfish ceviche at celeb chef Cindy Hutson’s new restaurant and toast the Technicolor sunset with a rum punch (or three). Rooms from $350; thecliffjamaica.com. HILTON AT RESORTS WORLD BIMINI NORTH BIMINI, BAHAMAS Don’t want to burn a whole day at the airport? Bimini is just a three-hour ferry ride from Fort Lauderdale— and home to a gleaming new seaside resort. By day, hit the lazy-river pool; by night, choose from six restaurants curated by Top Chef winner Hung Huynh. Rooms from $229; hilton.com.  WESTIN GRAND CAYMAN SEVEN MILE BEACH RESORT & SPA GRAND CAYMAN Fresh off a multimillion-dollar renovation, this sprawling resort fronts one of…

THINK ABOUT LOCATION Decide whether you want to marry close to home or if you want a destination affair that involves more complicated logistics. SET YOUR BUDGET FIRST Knowing what you have to spend helps narrow your initial search. LOCK IN YOUR HEAD COUNT Do not fall in love with a place that can’t fit your guests. This is one thing a venue can’t budge on, no matter how kindly you ask. PICK A TIME OF YEAR Select a season and a few dates that work for you within it. Time of year affects whether you can have an indoor or outdoor event, as well as your bill. (Some venues offer discounted rates in the winter and charge more in the summer.) VISIT IN PERSON It’s often the energy of…

“WE WANTED OUR WEDDING DAY TO FEEL ORGANIC AND NATURAL. IT REPRESENTED WHO WE ARE AND THE PLACE WE WERE IN.” —BRIDE SABA MUNIR When Californians and world travelers Saba Munir, 28, and Nasser Khan, 32, started planning their nuptials, they knew they wanted a destination wedding. New Orleans, one of their favorite cities to visit during their two-year-long relationship, quickly became the front-runner. “We’re both Indian, and the weddings we grew up going to were very loud and colorful,” the bride says. “New Orleans is so different, but there’s an energy about the two that feels similar.” Locking in Race & Religious, a renovated compound including an 1830s Creole cottage and Greek Revival row house in the Lower Garden District, for the event, the couple made a point to…

THE COUPLE’S TAKEAWAYS 1HIRE A MONTH-OF COORDINATOR Tiffany and Patrick tackled the bulk of the planning themselves but handed everything over to Ryder Sloan Events just before the big day. “They made the last month really enjoyable,” says the bride. 2 MAKE IT A CONCERT The couple built a stage for their band—a decision they were happy with because it kept the crowd’s focus on the music and dancing. 3 BE OPEN TO ANY DATE Fall 2015 was this pair’s ideal time to get married, but the only available Saturday at their in-demand venue was Halloween. “It worked out especially well because the owners gave us a deal on the site fee,” Tiffany says. WHERE THE MONEY WENT VENUE $5,000 MONTH-OF COORDINATOR $3,000 CATERING & BEVERAGES $43,000 CAKE $750 BRIDE’S…

1 A TASTE OF HOME “I’m obsessed with Magnolia Bakery’s buttercream, but that type of frosting isn’t popular in Italy. So when we got there, my friend bought the ingredients at the grocery store and made my wedding cake from scratch!” 2 PERSONAL POSIES “We went to the flower market in Siena and made arrangements ourselves, but I also love ItsByU, a company that delivers kits with fresh blooms, tools, and video lessons so you can DIY.” 3 LOVE NOTES “Jenna Hein’s script is vintage but not old-fashioned. She created custom stamps, and my friends and I printed the invitations ourselves.” 4 IN THE BAG “As a gift for my bridesmaids, I designed my Mini MAC Crossbody in white lace.” THE DESIGNER SHARES HOW SHE PERSONALIZED HER TUSCAN WEDDING—WITHOUT BREAKING…

LET’S GET THIS PARTY STARTED! ONE AWESOME ALTAR Make your vows that much more monumental by exchanging them under a mega floral statement. For this masterpiece, Lilli Wright of Mimosa Floral in Brooklyn tied 1,300 Tibet roses (her favorite variety!) to 2,600 yards of silk ribbon that hung from a custom grid. “Roses work well because they’re extremely durable and will last a long time out of water,” she says. “Make one idea the FOCAL POINT. Guests will remember the WOW FACTOR,” says Wright. AN ARTFUL ARCH You can create the look of a romantic garden no matter your venue. Here, Richard David of Mark’s Garden in Los Angeles covered steel arches with 5,000 roses, lemon leaves, huckleberries, and hanging votives. THE NEW TABLESCAPE Forget vases and place all of…

1 COUNT YOUR CASH YOUR SAVINGS This isn’t as simple as checking your bank account. Ideally, you and your partner each have three months of living expenses set aside in case of a job loss or health setback (separate from retirement funds). Subtract that in-case-of-emergency amount from your total balance in the bank, and that’s how much you could put toward wedding costs. YOUR MONTHLY INCOME After you’ve made payments for existing debts, like student loans, set aside up to 10 percent of your earnings each month. “Establish direct deposits into a separate account for wedding expenses so it isn’t just leftovers that get saved,” says Erin Lowry, a personal-finance expert and the author of Broke Millennial: Stop Scraping By and Get Your Financial Life Together. ANY CONTRIBUTIONS FROM YOUR…

The Hay-Adams WASHINGTON, D.C. Give your guests the ultimate District experience at the Top of the Hay, where they can sip champs and snap #selfies with the White House. hayadams.com. Pérez Art Museum Miami MIAMI If you want something unexpected, this is it. Think hanging gardens, views of Biscayne Bay and the city’s skyline, and a modern open-air portico. pamm.org. The Breakers Palm Beach PALM BEACH, FLORIDA Everyone raves about the Gatsby-esque ballrooms (they are stunning!), but it’s the resort’s attentive staff— from the pastry chef to the knowledgeable valet—that brides can’t stop gushing about. thebreakers.com. The Biltmore Ballrooms ATLANTA In the heart of Midtown, you’ll find this historic landmark, which features an ivylined garden and two gilded ballrooms that are over-thetop in the best way possible. novareevents.com. The Cloister…

Indulge in a VOLUMINOUS GOWN— without letting it weigh you down—with tiers of TRANSLUCENT TULLE. FRENCH-GIRL RULE NO. 1: Whether it’s A GOWN OR A MINI, always act like you’re IN JEANS. With its cobblestone boulevards, dreamy streetlamps, candlelit cafés, and decadent pastries, Paris truly is the world’s most romantic city. And its most romantic hotel, the Ritz Paris, just reopened after a four-year, multimillion-dollar renovation. Since opening in 1898, it has hosted countless famous faces, including Coco Chanel and Ernest Hemingway, for whom a suite and bar are named, respectively. Now brides can make their own mark on history by walking down the aisle in the 17,000-square-foot garden, then hosting a lavish reception in the chandelier-clad Salon Vendôme (one of nine venues to choose from). With guaranteed wedding-night Deluxe…

OLGA & KEVIN—MARRIED 4 YEARS! WHEN OLGA MET KEVIN When I was 21, I moved from my home country of Spain to Brooklyn to take a six-month assignment as a nanny. I wanted to move back to Majorca when my job was over, but my mother wasn’t so sure I’d return. She’d been worried about losing me to the States ever since a friend of hers had joked, “Watch out! Olga’s going to meet a ‘Kevin’ and never come back.” The friend didn’t necessarily mean I’d meet someone named Kevin; it was just her way of saying I’d meet an American guy. But from then on, every time we spoke, my mom said two things: “I love you” and “Have you met a boy named Kevin yet?” Three months into…

20% off regular room rates and cool perks! CALISTOGA RANCH, AN AUBERGE RESORT NAPA VALLEY, CALIFORNIA GO FOR A wine-centric stay at an exclusive Napa hot spot INCLUDED IN YOUR RATE • Welcome gift that includes a private-label bottle of Calistoga Ranch’s own wine • Complimentary use of a Mercedes-Benz • A private soak, steam, and Jacuzzi session at the spa BRIDES SPECIAL $676 per night in a Deluxe Lodge (two-night minimum in some cases) BOOKING CODE WED COLONY PALMS HOTEL PALM SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA GO FOR The celeb life at a desert oasis INCLUDED IN YOUR RATE • Bottle of sparkling wine on arrival • Daily breakfast for two at the poolside Purple Palm restaurant. (Try the breakfast fried rice.) BRIDES SPECIAL $159 per night BOOKING CODE BRIDES FAIRMONT MIRAMAR…