Posts Tagged ‘bridal’

We are giving away two, bound copies of In the Details: Your Wedding Guide to Fighting Back the Insanity. To qualify, simply send an email to contest@inthedetailsblog.com and include the following information:

• First name
• Date of the wedding
• Location
• Short description of how you have been handling the wedding stress

Feel free to nominate a friend, especially if you see she is turning into a Bridezilla!

Contest ends June 13, 2009

Designed for practicality, effectiveness, and style, you can’t go wrong with In the Details. Use the provided calendar and to-do list to keep track of those important appointments. Keep notes of what strikes you, and attach examples of your choices to give you the whole picture of how your creation will look. As your special day approaches, your planner will become your most trusted resource.

Selecting the bridal bouquet the suits you best is more than putting together all of the flowers you love. A big factor in choosing the design of the bouquet comes from constructing one that is flattering to you.

Visions of Silk has some helpful suggestion:

Perhaps the most important thing to consider though is choosing the right style of bouquet for your body shape…

1. Short ladies:
I recommend that short ladies go for a large teardrop or sheath bouquet, as they need to add height. These two types of bouquets give the illusion of length, were as a posy would make you look more compact and shorten you even more.

2. Tall Ladies:
I recommend that tall ladies go for a large posy or a medium teardrop bouquet. A large posy will draw the eye down and give people a focal point so that they won’t be focusing on your height. A medium teardrop will also draw the eye down so that your height looks a little more even.

3. Large Ladies:
I recommend that large ladies get a large bouquet. A small bouquet will exaggerate your width, and make you seem larger than you really are. Use a large bouquet, which will make you seem much slimmer.

Lose your idea of yuppies sitting around discussing socioeconomic theories while sipping Merlot. Wine is quickly growing into a cross cultural luxury and introducing it to your less experienced friends can make for a great party.

AskMen.com has great tips for selecting and pairing wines and cheeses.

| THE | CHEESES |

Soft Cheese: Blue Castello, Boursin, Brie, Bucheron, Buffalo Mozzarella, Camembert, Cream Cheese, Crème Fraiche, Feta, Fresh Mozzarella, Goat Cheese, Gorgonzola, Limburger, Mascarpone, Muenster, Neufchatel, Pave Affinois, Teleme

Hard Cheese: Asiago, Blue, Derby, Dry Jack, Edam, Emmentaler, Grana Padano, Gruyere, Jarlsberg, Manchego, Parmigiano, Pecorino Romano, Raclette, Reggiano, Swiss, Wensleydale, Zamarano

Semi-Soft Cheese: Bel Paese, Baby Swiss, Colby, Fontina, Havarti, Kasseri, Madrigal Baby Swiss, Morbier, Port Salut

Semi-Hard Cheese: Brick, Cheddar, Chesire, Chevre, Cotija, Danish Blue, Double Gloucester, Gouda, Graddost, Monterey Jack, Panela, Provolone, Roquefort, Sonoma Jack, Stilton

| THE | WINES |

Soft Cheese: Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Gewurztraminer, Champagne, Cabernet, White Zinfandel, Vidal, Beaujolais, Bordeaux, Chianti, Sancerre

Hard Cheese: Bardolino, Tawny Port, Madeira, Sherry, Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Sancerre, Côtes du Rhône, Rioja, Cabernet, Barolo, Barbaresco, Brunello di Montalcino, Ribera del Duero, Chardonnay, Chianti Riserva, Beaujolais, Dark Beer, Sangria, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Noir

Semi-Soft Cheese: Chardonnay, Champagne, Riesling, Barolo, Barbaresco, Gattinara, Bordeaux, Rioja, Fleurie, Beaujolais, Chinon, Bourgueil

Semi-Hard Cheese: Chardonnay, Champagne, Riesling, Cabernet, Sancerre, Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Chianti Riserva, Barolo, Tawny Port

| ACCOMPANIMENTS |
There is more to a wine and cheese party than just wine and cheese, of course. You need to entice your guests with some stellar accompaniments. Here are some suggestions:

Crackers: Good crackers!

Bread: Crusty, hearty, whole grain variety. Go to a bakery and grab whatever is most fresh. Just keep in mind that strong olive bread, for example, while fantastic, may detract from the cheeses.

Fruit: Japanese pear slices, grapes and apples are perfect.

Chocolate: There is one kind of chocolate to serve at a wine and cheese. Very strong, dark chocolate. Do not entertain any other variety.

Now, onto the presentation:

• Select about five cheeses.
• Be mindful of cheeses with a potent smell.
• Invest in wooden cutting boards and separate knives for each cheese.
• Rent cocktail tables and white linen to set up different stations around your home or venue. If you are sampling wines from different countries, make each table unique with trinkets or signs from that region.
• Stock up on bottled water and offer coffee when your guests are done sampling.
• Stick with the theme and send your guests home with a bottle of “Two Buck Chuck”. Charles Shaw wine is very good for an unbelievable price of $1.99. If you have more money budgeted for party favors, tie bottle stoppers around the necks of the bottles and voilà, you have a great gift without doing too much damage to your wallet.

I had this drink for the first time on my birthday and immediately knew this would be a tasty treat for a bridal shower.

The recipe is simple and the finished product can be dressed up to suit your style.

Ingredients:
12 lemons
Sugar
Fresh or frozen blueberries
Blueberry vodka (750 ml)

Squeeze your lemon and add the juice into a mixing bowl. Add water and sugar to taste. I suggest keeping it on the tart side because the vodka will sweeten your mixture. Cut 4 of the squeezed lemons into quarters and add them to the bowl along with 1 cup of blueberries. Pour the entire bottle of vodka into the bowl, stir, cover and place in the refrigerator. For a little oomph, we took some lemon zest and a few blueberries and put them in ice cube trays. After they are frozen everything is ready to serve.

If you are not into the bridal shower games and the traditional activities, consider having a bridal shower makeover party for you and a small group of friends. You can invite a local Mary Kay or Avon representative to come to your home and do the pampering.

After you and the girls are feeling glammed up and want to show off your new look, keep it low key and have cocktails at lounge in your area.

Ingredients to a makeover party:
Wine
Plenty of clean towels
Music
Cupcakes or cake
Finger foods
Fabulous friends