Top 5 Things to Avoid at Your Reception

Most wedding guests are too kind and gracious to tell you the things they didn't like about your wedding, but we're here to give it to you straight. If any one of the following happens during your celebration, your guests will be talking about it (unkindly AND behind your back) to anyone who will listen. Can you blame them?

1. Smashing Wedding Cake Guests don't think it's amusing when a seemingly loving couple smashes wedding cake into each other's faces (and up noses, in hair, etc.) Oh sure, they'll be smiling and clapping, but don't let their dispositions fool you. Trust us. They walk away muttering predictions on how long your marriage is going to last. Smashing cake in your beloved's face is not only immature, but it's also passive aggressive and disrespectful. (Do you know how much time and money is spent to get the bride looking great?!) It's not nearly as cutesy as you might think. Don't do it.
2. The Dreaded Cash Bar Wikipedia, we're with you! Guests should NEVER have to pay for their drinks. You've sent them a formal invitation, they've traveled to get there and brought you a gift... now you want them to pay for their drinks? Yikes. If your budget doesn't allow for an open bar, then you need to either change your reception venue, your caterer, or both. One of the easiest ways to keep a bar open and save on cash is to have a late evening wedding/reception so that guests will not expect a meal. Dessert and champagne receptions are very lovely, chic and inexpensive too!
3. Time for a Nap? When there is more than an hour to kill between the ceremony and cocktail hour/reception, guests get really cranky. First, it's very inconvenient for out-of-town guests. Where are they supposed to go? Sure, you can justify it by saying:

   "Well, the hotel has a bar and a pool so the guests can just hang out!"

   We've heard this excuse for poor planning more than once. Guess what? Your guests may get way too drunk and sleepy before your reception begins. Plus, this also forces them into a "cash bar" situation (see #2). Tacky. They also do not want to have to shower, reapply makeup, and get dressed all over again. Long wait times kill the momentum of your day. People who have just witnessed you get married are on the fast track to celebrate with you. They shouldn't have to hit a fast food restaurant or check movie times while waiting for your reception to begin.
4. Reception at 6... Dinner served at 10? If you open the doors to your reception at 6PM, people should be munching on their salads (at a minimum) by 6:15PM. Guests don't appreciate it if you make them wait to start their first dinner course until you have finished the requisite dances, speeches, etc. That can take hours. Bear in mind that hungry guests are distracted guests. They'll be too busy complaining or asking the catering staff when dinner will be served instead of paying attention to you. Guests have a much harder time talking to one another when they are enjoying their meals. Make your grand entrance, have a blessing and/or toast from the best man -- and start eating! Your guests will thank you for it. Once they have been served at least one course, you can start with additional speeches or first dances. This will also prevent another common gripe... see #5.
5. Cake Cutting at Midnight - This usually happens when dinner is not served in a timely fashion. Let's face it: you have a variety of age ranges at your wedding reception. Not everyone enjoys staying out late or waiting until nearly the end of your reception to see you cut your cake. Cut your cake 45 minutes after dinner is complete. Since cutting a cake properly takes time (at least a half-hour to slice and serve it), your guests will have plenty of time to work up their appetite again. Also, make sure that your caterer serves coffee WITH cake, not before it.

Top 5 Bridal Beauty Crimes

I know it's silly, but I still get surprised when seemingly normal brides-to-be lose track of themselves and fall victim to regrettable wedding hair and makeup tradtions. I suppose it happens all the time, but it doesn't make it any easier -- especially when the bride happens to be a relative, good friend, or a client of mine. Don't let your "bridal look" date you years down the road. Here are my top tips of what not to do:

1. French Manicures and Fake Nails - Okay, for starters, this trend was huge in the eighties... twenty years ago! When you sport a french manicure, you look like you've dipped your fingertips in White-Out. How glamourous is that? Oh, and nails that are made of plastic really do look that way. Talons are never pretty, except on birds. Trust me, what works for Barbara Striesand will not work for you. So what should you do? As makeup artist, Elke Von Freudenberg, points out in her blog, OPI has the best nail polish around. Elke, I love "Nail Envy" too!

2. Tendrils - No, I'm not talking about loose curls that fall naturally from your updo. I'm talking about hairsprayed barrel curls on each side of your head. Yikes, yikes, yikes. Jump out of your stylist's chair and run away screaming if he/she suggests this look. I'm impressed with the hairstyle gallery at WeddingChannel.com.

3. Tanorexia - The Urban Dictionary defines tanorexia as "A disease like anorexia. No matter how tan a person is, they never think they are tan enough." So WHY do so many brides feel that being really tan equals being really beautiful? (Ok, I admit a very natural glow is nice, but there is a definite line between "healthy" and Oompa Loompa orange.) Being too tan (and too thin, for that matter) looks especially horrible on brides in white/ivory. Who are you kidding? When you are several shades darker than your normal skintone, then you have gone too far. You'll look greasy and leathery in your photographs a la Donatella Versace...

4. Matching Hairstyles for the Bridesmaids - Your bridesmaids are individuals and they should be treated as such. No one appreciates being told how to wear their hair. Your bridal party is comprised of your friends and family, not your soldiers (or your backup dancers). One french twist does not suit all. Besides, it's very boring (and again, very eighties). If your bridesmaids are looking for hairstyle ideas, Jane magazine suggests headbands. We love them too!

5. Lipstick that Matches Your Bouquet - Ick. Your makeup should match your skintone, not your flowers. It just looks silly. Wear the right lipstick shade for your skintone. If you need some advice, check out one of my favorite blogs/podcasts, Lip Gloss & Laptops.

A New Spin on Girls Night Out

My friends and I are always looking for new adventures. Our lives are very hectic (and most of us live in different cities), so we decided that we should plan a girls-only trip to Las Veags for some R&R. On our first day there, we went to the spa at the Paris to relax and refresh before hitting a few clubs later that evening. As I was sitting in my fluffy white robe and enjoying my friends' company, I had an idea. NoVA needs a place to go where girlfriends can laugh, relax, and get beautiful before hitting the town. Although girls night out (GNO) events are very popular in places like NYC and LA, I haven't heard of anyone hosting them in NoVA. So when I got back, I started researching local salons. After a long search, I finally found what I was looking for in the
Modern Concepts Salon in Ashburn, Virginia.

Together with the owner (the super-stylish and sweet Eviania Davey), we have formed a partnership to enable women to put together unique evening of fun and glamour for groups of all sizes. Need a hairstyle makeover and new makeup tips? We've got you covered. The styling teams from both of our companies, we customize private "Girls' Night Out" parties based on customer specifications.

Eviania's hair stylists and manicurists, along with my professional makeup artists and skincare consultants, act as a team to make GNO guests feel pampered and gorgeous. The parties have been a big hit with bachelorette parties, proms, reunions, or for mothers planning a special evening with their daughters.

If you're frugal like me, you're probably thinking that a night like this could put a big dent in your wallet. But actually, that's not true. All of the services are offered a la carte at a group rate AND you and your friends get full run of the salon. You can even bring your own music. How fun is that? I'm going to host one for my friends over the summer. We can't wait for our next GNO!