Stylish Celebrity Wedding: Gavin and Gwen

September 14, 2002
Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale get married.

Fashion Week: Marchesa

Marchesa's showing at Fashion Week was delightfully gorgeous. The last dress in this post takes my breath away.

Love Is In The Air

With Valentine's Day fast approaching, there's no doubt men all over the world will be popping the question. I've been engaged since October, so this Valentine's Day is much sweeter for me, and this year is not only the year I will be getting hitched, but I have three other weddings to attend as well. Love is all around. I was checking out the indie designer site Etsy and found some really chic items great to make Cupid's holiday one to remember if you are tying the knot soon.

MissPinProductions' Bunnies Of Love is so adorable! It would be sweet for a guy to present when asking their girl to marry them. If you're already engaged, it's a super cute gift to place next to sink for when you are washing your hands or need a spot to hold your ring. (Not safe if you have crazy cats like mine that will eat anything, though.)

The Bride and Groom pins by ButtonEmpire could be a great addition to your bag or jacket. How adorable would it be for the guy to boast this pin just before proposing with the ring in one hand and the Bride pin in the other? Makes a great gift for those soon-to-be hitched, too.

Wouldn't this saying on the Zombie card from TinaSeamonster be sweet as part of your vows? OK...maybe not, but perhaps during the toast to your bride or groom? It really says "I'll do anything for you, baby!"

Stylish Celebrity Wedding: John and Jackie

September 12, 1953

John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Lee Bouvier get married.

Fashion Week

Find inspiration in Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Fall 2008 NYC

Rodarte

Miss Sixty

J. Mendel

Herve Leger by Max Azria

Erin Fetherston

Carolina Herrera

Badgley Mischka

Crowned

Ah, the tiara! There's something magical about it, but when considering one to wear on your wedding day, you want to avoid looking like one of the teens on "My Super Sweet 16." Jewelry designer Mandy Greenan must have felt the same way when she began thinking about her wedding in 2000. She began designing tiaras unlike the ones seen at pageants and her company, Tigerlilly, was born. Mandy crafts beautiful bridal headpieces and custom accessories. Above are some of my favorites, but check out TigerlillyJewelry.com for more.

Stylish Celebrity Wedding: John and Yoko

March 20, 1969

John Lennon and Yoko Ono get married.

Ian Stuart Is Chic

While discussing the construction of a wedding dress with my sister, a designer, she mentioned how a good wedding dress is couture and that's what sets apart a so-so designer with an impeccable one...not to mention why these gowns cost so much. It's about the style, but it's also about the fit, which has to be perfectly suited for your body. Ian Stuart has a background in couture design and it shows. The UK designer has won numerous awards for his work and has even crafted dresses for socialites and members of the Royal family. His dresses show off his skills in draping and a love of detail. I love the surprise of the bubble dress, the flowing bottom of the dress in the middle, and the cocktail length number is asymmetrically awesome.

Stylish Celebrity Wedding: Mick and Bianca

May 12, 1971
Mick Jagger and Bianca Perez Morena de Macias get married.

Jenny Packham Is Chic

London designer Jenny Packham takes bridal style to glamorous heights. Packham makes ready-to-wear as well, and her designs have graced red-carpet events on Eva Longoria, Sarah Jessica Parker, Beyonce, Keira Knightley, and many more. Her bride collection can easily be seen on Oscar winning actresses—the dresses are breathtakingly fresh, offer playful sleeve details, and often are enhanced with funky embellishments. The sleek dress at top is from her 2008 line, while the others are romantic standouts from 2007.

Check out all her styles at JennyPackham.com.

Beautiful Bridesmaids

I will never understand why most bridesmaid dresses are, well, unflattering even on the most genetically blessed bodies. Why do so many things with the word "bridal" translate to being un-chic? A hairdresser once told me after a cut that now my hair looks less bridal. I was very offended. Do brides really want their 'maids to look unattractive? I know I don't, so my ladies and I have been checking out the dresses in Nanette Lepore, Foley + Corinna, Catherine Malandrino, Alice Temperley, and other similar boutiques. I've also been scouring the web for ideas and ShopBop.com has some super styles (shown above) to make your bridal party look less "bridal" and more "party." It is the event of the year, right? Why not let everyone look fantastic?

From top: Sunner, Mint Jodi Arnold, Mint Jodi Arnold, McQ, Hanii Y, and Foley + Corinna.

Year Of The Rat

It's the Year of the Rat according to Chinese astrology and that's great news for anyone getting married this year. It's the perfect time for a fresh start like tying the knot, starting a new job, or embarking on a new project.

I was born during the Year of the Rat and while the little critters don't repulse me as much as, say, snakes or spiders, I won't be showcasing this cake topper. But I have to admit, for the right couple, this can be oddly adorable. My sister and her husband had Day of the Dead wedding dolls on their cake. For those of you who may not know, they are skeleton figures often in celebratory poses and it's all to honor Dia de los Muertos, a day in Mexico where they honor the lives of those who have passed on. Most of us found it charming, but there were some who questioned, "Why do they have dead people on their cake?"

Rats cake topper found on APicturePerfectWedding.com.

Spanish Charm

There's something about a Spanish-style veil, often called a Mantilla veil, that takes my breath away. The lace edge, won close to the face, is so romantic and can be a great addition to a dress that isn't adorned with a lot of embellishments. If your hair is long, wear this veil with your hair down for a poetic feel. The way the veil is draped over short hair gives it an alluring touch.

Note: I found this one on EBay.

Tress Rx

Hair...it's probably the second most important thing about your wedding aside from the dress. And for my own wedding, I'm in a bit of a bind in this department. I live in NYC, but my wedding is in New Orleans, and I don't know anyone down there except for my husband-to-be's mom, whose hairdresser just isn't going to cut it for me. I've visited salons when I was down there searching for venues, called referrals from the makeup artist I hired, and scoured the internet for spots that seemed to suit my style—everyone is either booked or I was spooked, so I've decided to go it alone (well, with my bridesmaids help) and do it myself.

Whether you have the same dilemma or have just decided to save some cash and style your tresses yourself, here are some things we can do to make sure our hair is picture perfect.

1. Start getting deep conditioning hair treatments. Depending on your hair, you can get one every month or two, with at least one being from a professional salon. You can do the at-home treatments as well. This will keep your locks looking silky smooth. Do your last one two days to a week before the big day.

2. Drink lots of water everyday. It not only will help your hair, your skin will thank you, too (as will the photo retoucher).

3. Eat your greens...and all veggies. I won't say to force yourself to eat Brussels sprouts, but veggies are good for a healthy head of hair.

4. Play with different hairstyles to see what's best for you. You can wear your hair down—it has a romantic feel. I'm going with soft waves and either a flower pinned low on one side or a delicate crown of flowers. If you want a more complicated style, check out Ken Paves' (Jessica Simpson's stylist) line of HairDo products to clip in. They have a perfect chignon and various other great hair clip-ins that look real.

5. Get your haircut a month to two weeks before your wedding day. If you are anything like me, it's more like a month—I never like my hair when it's first cut...well, I love it when I leave the salon, but when I try to style it the next day, it never looks quite right. I need at least two weeks before I start liking my cut, so consider this when scheduling.

6. Have your bridesmaids help you on the day of with the angles you cannot see or reach. Remember, the back has to look just as good as the front, especially during the ceremony.

Shoe In

There’s no law that says you must wear a bridal shop-approved wedding shoe. So why not go for something more modern like a gold sandal or a black pump?

Juicy Couture’s Macie Too Open Toe T-Strap Sandal offers a 3 1/2 inch heel, but it’s not a stiletto, so it’ll get you through to that last dance without having to take them off.

Pedro Garcia’s Elora Satin Platform Strappy Sandal really turns up the heat no matter how demure your dress is.

The dainty lace on Alessandro Dell'Acqua’s Raso Lace Sandal will get your groom’s heart racing when he sees you in just these.

(Top three from ShopBop.com.)

Want something a little more traditional? Go with Botkier’s white-hot sandal. The silver detailing gives it a little edge. (Botkier.com)

Or go for something blue! Jimmy Choo’s ‘Damon’ slingbacks offer unconventional elegance. (Bluefly.com)

Claire Pettibone Is Chic

When a designer does wedding dress and lingerie, you know the end result will be feminine. One of Claire Pettibone's dresses was almost the dress for me (third one from top)...if I could afford two I would have bought it. They are quietly sexy with a soft ethereal feel and the wearer seems to gracefully float when walking in them. Absolutely gorgeous! See more here.