Honoring Our Loved Ones

Hey Fab Brides!

For many of us our special day isn't complete because we have lost loved ones. Although they are not there in body, they will be present in spirit. Here are a few creative ideas to honor loved ones. 

1. If you have a wedding picture of your loved one, you can place it in the program with a message. 

My Grandparents

2. Leave an empty seat and place their photo in the seat. You may also add their favorite flower or something significant to your relationship with that person.

3. Incorporate a favorite song during the ceremony. Be sure to make a note in the program of why you chose that song. 

4. Say a prayer during the ceremony honoring those who have passed on.

5. Light a candle with your loved one's photo.  You can personalize this candle at Goody Candles.

Pronovias Sample Sale

As promised...

Pronovias Sample is on December 18 featuring gowns from Elie by Elie Saab, Valentino Sposa, and Manuel Mota. Prices range from $3,000 - $15,000. There will also be gowns from the Pronovias label ranging from $1,500 - $3,000. Brides who purchase gowns at the sample sale will receive special pricing.

This is worth checking out!!! Call 212-897-6393 to make your appointment. 

Pronovias Trunk Show!

The $6,000 Wedding?

Recently a friend of mine passed a long an article from Essence featuring a wedding for only $6,000! I'm sure you're wondering how this can be done. It takes a lot of planning and creativity. A few days ago I gave you some money saving tips, and I have a few more.

The bride featured in the article saved money by buying her dress on Craigslist, invitations from Party City, and hosting the ceremony and reception at the same location. She also purchased her flowers from Costco, and rented a cake just for pictures. To read more of the article click here. 

So here are a few more of my money saving tips.

1. If you are not a member of a church, consider having your wedding at a hotel or loft. You can actually have the ceremony, invite your guests to another room for the cocktail hour and bring them back into the same room for the reception.

2. To save money on decoration, consider having your wedding at a location with natural beauty. Look into museums, gardens, or historical institutions. All you have to worry about is adding your personal flair. These places will normally provide the tables, chairs, dinnerware, and linens.

3. Plan as much of the wedding as you can on your own or with the help of friends. I suggest hiring a wedding planner for day of services. Day of services will allow you to have someone there ensuring the day flows smoothly. 

4. Go to a sample sale! Nobody will know your gown is from last season, trust me!!! Sample sales are definitely worth your time, gowns are usually 70% off. 

5. Unless you have a wedding date that is important to you, avoid having a wedding around the holidays. For example, the prices of roses increase almost 75% around Valentine's day. 

Do you have any money saving tips? I would love to hear about them!!!

Thanks to Jessica for the info and check out her blog, www.thefabnetwork.com

xoxo,

Ayana

Before You Jump the Broom

Jumping the broom has become synonymous with African American wedding ceremonies. It has always been thought that slaves jumped the broom because they were not able to marry legally. Although slave marriages were not recognized by law, most slaves were allowed to be married and their masters attended the weddings. In some cases, slaves were given a minister to officiate the ceremony. When the ceremony was complete the master and missy of the house would hold out the broom stick for the bride and groom to jump over. 

After careful research, I learned that jumping the broom is probably not a tradition originating in slavery. More than likely, jumping the broom is a practice that originated from the Ashanti tribe in Ghana and carried over into America during the slave trade. 

Jumping the broom is not only an African American tradition. It is also by practiced by Wiccans, the Welsh and Roma.

So that's my brief lesson in broom jumping. It's up to you to decide if you really think that jumping the broom is an important part of your ceremony. It would great to trace your roots with African Ancestry before you actually wed. If your ancestors are from Ghana and are members of the Ashanti tribe, then you should definitely jump the broom. I would love to hear your thoughts on this tradition.

xoxo,

Ayana

Fabulous DIY and Money Saving Ideas

We are officially in a recession, but your wedding shouldn't suffer. You may have to enlist the help of your close friends and family, but you will save a lot of money. The reception is the most expensive part of a wedding and you don't want your guests to know that you had a tight budget. Below are a few money saving tips an ideas. 

1. If do not have a huge flower budget, consider using vases of different heights and shapes as your center piece. You can fill them with a single flower of your choice, colored water and crystals or pearls. 

Available at CB2 for $3.95

Available at Fire Mountain Gems as low as $3.00 per strand of 16 crystals

2. Avoid using white as one of your main colors. A lot of white space will make your venue seem a bit scarce. Try using a bold color instead as your main color for decoration. A colored table cloth is usually the same price as a white table cloth. Just ask your venue or rental company.

3. Use a lot of candle light to illuminate your venue. This will give your reception a romantic luxe feel. 

4. Consider an adding an accent color to your reception that was not present in during the ceremony. For example if your ceremony colors are red and white, try adding a touch of metallic eggplant to your reception. If your colors are Tiffany Blue and chocolate brown, add a bit of fuchsia to your flowers. 

5. Order your flowers online and enlist the help of a freelance floral designer. Try the Flower Exchange. They offer roses, gerbera daisies, calla lilies, orchids and much more. Prices range from $8.95 per bunch of 10 daisies to about $17.50 for  a bunch of 10 orchids. 

6. Request a fancy napkin fold. Your venue should do this at no extra cost.

7. Print out your menu cards yourself instead of having a printing company do this. 

Have any questions about more ways to save money? Just email me!

Happy Planning!!!

xoxo,

Ayana

Kleinfeld Sample Sale!

DECEMBER SAMPLE SALE (One-hour appointments only) Sunday, December 14, 2008 Save up to 70% on select sample gowns from top bridal designers at Kleinfeld's December Sample Sale! Designers include: Alvina Valenta, Amalia Carrara, Amarilidine, Amsale, Amy Michelson, Anne Barge,Badgley Mischka, Carolina Herrera, Christos, Claire Pettibone, Danielle Caprese, Edgardo Bonilla, Eve of Milady, Henry Roth, Ian Stuart, Jim Hjelm, Judd Waddell, Justina McCaffrey, Kenneth Pool, Lazaro, Liancarlo, Marisa, Melissa Sweet, Monique Lhuillier,Peter Langner, Pnina Tornai, Priscilla of Boston, Pronovias, Reem Acra, Rivini, Romona Keveza,Stephen Yearick, Tara Keeley, and many other famous Kleinfeld exclusive European designers! Plus, receive up to 50% off a select group of accessories! Call (646) 633-4300 today for your sample sale appointment! RIVINI TRUNK SHOW December 12-14, 2008 See the 2009 Rivini collection. All of the latest styles will be available at the trunk show.

www.kleinfeldbridal.com

EXCLUSIVE BONUS: Bring a printout of this email to the sample sale on December 14th and receive a $150 gift certificate toward the purchase of any sample gown valued at $999 and over, and a $100 gift certificate toward the purchase of any accessory valued at $250 or more (shoes, veils, headpieces) when you purchase a sample gown at $999 or above during the sale.** SPECIAL TRUNK SHOW OFFER: Purchase a special order Rivini gown during the trunk show and receive a gift certificate for 12.5% off your gown purchase.** NOTE: The 12.5% gift certificate is for Rivini trunk show purchases and CANNOT be applied to sample gown purchases.

STORE HOURS BY APPOINTMENT ONLY Friday 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Saturday 9:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. *Sunday Sample Sale hours 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. *To schedule your private consultation, please call (646) 633-4300 or visit www.kleinfeldbridal.com to schedule your appointment online. Please specify a Sunday sample sale appointment or a regular bridal appointment for another day. All appointments on Sunday are for one hour only. On other days, bridal consultations are scheduled for 90 minutes.

Put Your Best Face Foward

Hey Fab Brides!

The site was down for a while, but I'm back!

I know many of you are planning to hire a makeup artist for your wedding day, but there are other events that you will have to attend before your actual wedding. Most likely there will be an engagement party, bridal shower, bachelorette party, rehearsal and rehearsal dinner. These events require a fabulous face! 

As women of color, all products do not bring out the best in our skin. For example, stay away from foundations with titanium dioxide as an ingredient. This is sunscreen and it tends to give our skin an ashy appearance. If you would like sunscreen on your face, use a moisturizer with sunscreen. Below are some of my fav fab products. Enjoy and tell me some of your fav products as well. I would love to hear the feedback!

Hydra Bright by Estee Lauder

I love this moisturizer because it evens out of skin tone!

Advanced Night Repair by Estee Lauder

This product helps bond moisture to your skin and repair 90% of damage.

Diorshow Blackout Mascara available at Sephora.

This mascara is ultra black! It gives you super volume and superior length.

Paint by M.A.C

Love it! Use it as a shadow base or alone. Application is simple and it dries to a powdery finish.

HD Microperfecting Primer by Makeup Forever available at Sephora.

Use under your foundation or powder to correct skin tones and give your skin an extra glow in pictures. 

Slimshine Lipstick by M.A.C

This is amazing. It is a lipstick with a glossy finish. You do not need to apply an extra coat of gloss. 

Remember to take care of your skin first and foremost! Great skin means fabulous  makeup and amazing pictures.

xoxo,

Ayana

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving Fab Brides! Have a wonderful day and try to take advantage of all of the sales tomorrow!

xoxo,

Ayana

Kleinfeld Sample Sale!

Let Them Eat Cake!

Hey Fab Brides!

One of my favorite things about going to a wedding is eating the cake. There was a time when guests never paid too much attention to the cake, but now it is often used as the focal point of the room. There are so many options for cakes today. You can have a traditional wedding cakes with sugar flowers or a much more modern cake with a variety of themes. Below are some of my favorite cake designs. If you're willing to take a chance, many bakeries will ship a cake to you. If that doesn't work for you, try finding  your favorite cake design online and take it to a bakery. A great place to find hundreds of cake designs is The Knot. I hope these fabulous cake designs inspire you. Happy planning!

  Continental Pastries - Battle Creek, MI

  The Cake Girls - Chicago, IL

  Chocolate Pi - Tampa, FL

  Trifles - Farmington Hills, MI

Colette's Cakes - New York, NY

  Charm City Cakes - Baltimore, MD

xoxo,

Ayana

Fabulous Natural Wedding Hairstyles

Hey fab brides! I know many of you have natural hair and are wondering what styles will work best for you on your wedding day. I told you I would introduce you to hairstylists around the country with fab ideas for your wedding day. 

 Danisha Thomas is a talented DC native raised in Maryland. After a brief stint in Corporate America, Danisha decided to pursue her dream of self employment, promoting a positive self image and healthy living by helping people transition to and maintain natural hair styles. Formally, she's practiced her craft at Knotty Naturals Hair Salon (DC), and Skinology/Artistic Expressions (Camp Springs, MD). She hopes to have her own salon within a few years and she will incorporate another passion of hers, helping people take amazing care of themselves using natural products.

Danisha holds a Master's in Business Administration from Florida A&M University. Her hobbies include international travel, Spanish language, and Salsa Dance.

1. What are your favorite hair care products and why?

 I use Warm Spirit Anahita Hair Oil, Warm Spirit Anahita Hair Butter, and Fantasia Aloe Vera Gel. Warm Spirit products are all natural and based in shea butter and pure essential oils but although the ingredients are spa quality, you can get them for affordable pricing from your Warm Spirit independent consultant. If you don't have one, call me and I'll get you the products. Fantasia is committed to products that don't have harsh alcohols so the Aloe Vera Gel provides a good hold without the crispy feel.

2. What advice would you give to brides to be in the process of going natural?

Plan well! If you are in transition, you should look into extension styles, a rod set, or adding a piece so you feel fabulous and glamorous on your special day. Do a test run (or two) a few months in advance so you know what to expect. If you are committed to being 100% natural on your special day, get rid of your permed ends with a healthy chop ASAP! Then get regular hot oil treatments and deep conditioning treatments to promote healthy hair/scalp/and growth prior to your wedding. And still very important, work with a natural stylist that will help you with a test run prior to the big day.

3. What tips would you give to a bride attempting to do her own hair on her wedding day?

There are several books available that can help you learn how to style your hair. Try Pamela Ferrell's Where Beauty Touches Me. Also, start collecting black hair magazines and searching out the natural do's that are included in the special inserts. My advice is work with someone however, especially if you are new to natural hair. It will free up mental energy for other things you have to plan!

4. What are you favorite wedding day hairstyles?

I love soft curls piled high and spilling down. Create this style with 2 strand twists set on large rods. Create a pin up with bobbi or hair pins and leave some tendrils to frame the face. If your hair is not long enough for this look, you can always add natural looking extensions to create the twists and then pin it up. For short hair, a face framing tiny weeny afro is very pretty after adding a flower by the ear. Setting lotion or gel will bring out the natural curl and define it a little better for a ringlet look depending on your hair texture.

Here are a few pictures of Danisha's work. If you would like to see more or contact her, please visit her MySpace Page, (www.myspace.com/danishanicole), or give her a call, 240-354-7129.

 

xoxo,

Ayana

Hey Fab Brides!

An average wedding cost $28,000 and with the economy is shambles, one might wonder how to spend her wedding budget. No worries brides, I've found the perfect budget tool in an unsuspected place. The Ritz Carlton has a wonderful tool on their web site that will allow you to enter your number of guests, budget, and all the things you want to include in your wedding.

Here's an example of a wedding for 100 guest with a budget of $50,000. 

Breakdown per Category Breakdown per item in Category Ceremony $500  Site Fee    Officiant Fee $250  Ceremony Accessories $250   Reception $24,000  Site Fee $3,958  Food & Beverage (including wedding cake) $20,042   Fashion & Beauty $5,000  Gown & Alterations $3,030  Headpiece & Veil $505  Bride's Accessories $505  Hair & Makeup $252  Pre-Wedding Pampering $252  Groom's Attire $302  Groom's Accessories $152   Flowers $3,500  Bride's Bouquet $328  Bridesmaid Bouquets $438  Groom & Groomsmen Boutonnieres $88  Flower Girl's Flowers $65  Additional Boutonnieres & Corsages $220  Reception Centerpieces $1,750  Ceremony Flowers $612   Entertainment $3,500  Ceremony Music $438  Cocktail Music $438  Reception Music $2,625   Photography & Videography $5,000  Photography $2,708  Videography $2,292   Stationery $1,000  Invitations $833  Other (thank you notes) $167   Rings $1,000  Her Ring $500  His Ring $500   Transportation & Room Accommodations $750  Bride/Groom Guestroom accommodations $250  Valet Parking $500  Limousine Rental   Gifts $1,500  Favors $750  Attendants' Gifts $750   Miscellaneous $1,500  Wedding Coordinator $1,500   Gratuities $1,000 $1,000   Unallocated funds $1,750 $1,750   SUBTOTAL $50,000 $50,000 You don't have to have your wedding at the RItz, but use their free service! Happy Planning. xoxo, Ayana