Houston Wedding Blog

I Do! @ The Houstonian Is Coming Up…Fast!

Less than three weeks to go till the Jan. 23 I Do! Bridal Soiree takes over The Houstonian Hotel, Club & Spa: Got your tickets yet?

If not, here are FIVE reasons to snag them NOW:

1. I Do! is Houston’s ONLY luxury bridal show. Other bridal events may have vendors, snacks, even swag. But only I Do! features the absolute cream of the crop of Houston wedding talent and expertise, from floral and décor gurus, to purveyors of fine custom EVERYTHING for your wedding, to top celebrity and socialite wedding planners.

2. And speaking of luxury—how about the luxury of TIME? The I Do! Bridal Soiree is five full, fabulous hours of wedding ideas, inspiration and interaction. Which means you get to enjoy gazing at tablescapes, schmoozing with experts and indulging in fine food, drink and, yes, cake, at your leisure. No herding, no hustling, no rush.

3. Gowns, gowns, gowns. If you’re searching for the one, the exact perfect one, for your day of a lifetime, there is no place you’re more likely to find it than on the runway of the always-incredible I Do! fashion show. The most coveted designer bridal gowns, the most deliriously beautiful looks in wedding-day hair, makeup and accessories, all in one place, which just happens to be the place you’re in. How cool is that?

4. I Do! may be a luxury event, but the ticket price? Bargain-o-rama. If you find even one great vendor or product—one fantastic invitation designer, one perfect Lanvin-pink table linen, one extraordinary photographer—for your big day (and chances are you’ll find lots more than that), your $20 investment will have paid off lavishly. All that, and a killer goodie bag, too? Now that’s the kind of deal a girl could really fall in love with.

5. They’re gonna sell out. They always do.

So don’t get left out in the January cold, while your savvy sister brides are sipping and shopping and glowing and getting their socks totally knocked off inside The Houstonian on Sunday, Jan. 23. Get your I Do! tickets now…and we’ll see you there!

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To Do This Week: Stephen Webster Trunk Show @ Judith Ann Jewels

Looking for a stocking stuffer or special gift for your hip, fashion-forward fiance? Or maybe an incredibly cool little something for yourself? Don’t miss the Stephen Webster trunk show at Judith Ann Jewels tomorrow, Wednesday, Dec. 22. Check out pieces from the famed British jewelry designer’s collections, which feature thorns, daggers, skulls and otherworldly aquatic motifs, in silver and 18K gold, set with precious and semi-precious gems. Rock stars and celebs alike love Webster’s edgy elegance and exquisite craftsmanship. As for you, Houston bride, expect star treatment from the Stephen Webster rep who’ll be on hand to answer questions and help you pick the perfect gift.

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So You Think You Can Dance…At Your Wedding Reception?

Used to be a time when a freshly wed bride and groom could shuffle sheepishly ’round the floor, flash a smile at the cameras and call it a first dance. Not so anymore. Thanks to the massive popularity of TV shows like ABC’s “Dancing With The Stars” and FOX Broadcasting’s “So You Think You Can Dance,” even the average Joe knows his rumba from his cha-cha, and probably is a fan of both. Which means that your reception guests are going to come with expectations, if not score cards.

When you head out on that dance floor for your first foray as husband and wife, make it a moment for the memory books. In a good way. Here in Houston we are so lucky to have not one, not two, but three locations of the famed Arthur Murray Dance Studios—at nearly 100 years old, the nation’s most venerable dance-instruction organization. Arthur Murray instructors have taught Broadway dancers and Hollywood stars alike. And they can teach anyone–even your average Joe (or typical Tom or ordinary Ed or whatever dance-averse-but-otherwise-perfect dude you’re planning to marry).

Maria Johnson, who owns Arthur Murray Dance Studio Cypress–The Woodlands and Memorial are Houston’s other locations–reminds brides that the first dance is your first public moment as husband and wife. “Don’t overlook the importance of how a beautiful first dance can be a wonderful lifetime memory,” she advises. Uh, no pressure, right?

Right. Because you, smart bride, are going to sign up for dance lessons. You’re going to get some professional first-dance choreography for yourself and your hubby. Heck, you might even corral your bridesmaids and groomsmen for a group lesson or two—a great idea for a couple’s shower, particularly when followed by drinks, food and maybe even…dancing?? Good thing Arthur Murray Dance Studios of Houston offer all these instruction options and more. And not a single score card in sight.

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Venues We Love (And Are Going to Love Even More in About Five Months): St. Regis Houston

We’re already fans of The St. Regis Houston’s refined elegance and perfectly posh River Oaks location. We adore its incredibly attentive, detail-oriented service, overseen by the charming and gracious (not to mention incredibly sharp and creative) Tobias Rimkus, director of catering.

And when May rolls around, we’re going to have even more to love about the St. Regis Houston…1,200 more square feet to love, that is, plus luxurious new ballroom décor and furnishings, and brand-new, state-of-the-art electronics, sound systems and flexible lighting capabilities. That’s because in May, the St. Regis will unveil its gor-ge-ous $7 million ballroom and pre-function renovation, courtesy Dallas-based architectural and interior design firm ForrestPerkins. Brides will find space to accommodate more than 280 guests for a formal ceremony plus dinner—imagine making your entrance via the ballroom’s dramatic stairway, then greeting your guests for cocktails on the ballroom’s outdoor terrace, overlooking the lush greenery of Briar Oaks.

The St. Regis is accepting wedding bookings for dates starting May 22. And hard-hat tours will kick off once structural work is completed (you can check in with Tobias Rimkus at 713.840.7600 for updates). For now, check out these design boards for a glimpse at the rich color palettes, fine furniture and beautiful lighting you’ll be seeing live when doors to the reno’d space opens this spring.

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All That Glitters…Looks So Great On Wedding Shoes!

The bling thing is so hot for 2011 weddings, if Swarovski weren’t family owned, we’d buy stock in ’em. The ubiquitous Austrian crystals and rhinestones are showing up on everything from invitations to linens to cakes (a la Susie Edwards’ dazzler on display at October’s I Do! Bridal Soiree @ ZaZa).

As for wearable sparkle, designers are doing amazing things with bling—from crystal- and rhinestone-encrusted belts and bodices to tiers of tulle sprinkled with tiny crystal beads for a dreamy, fairytale effect. But our hands-down favorite use of sparkle is on bridal footwear.

Cinderella knew the effect of a twinkling shoe. Dorothy’s helped her find her way home. Your sparkling wedding-day shoes may just create a little magic of their own. At the very least, they’ll look incredibly glamorous peeping out from beneath your bridal gown.

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Hot Designers + Big Savings = Mia’s Sample Sale!

Mia Bridal Sample Sale

If you’re on the hunt for THE ONE, this is THE WEEK. We’re talking about Mia Bridal Couture’s sensational sample sale, today through Friday. That’s where you’ll find Houston’s most delicious selection of deeply discounted designer bridal gowns…and hopefully, in there somewhere, the perfect one for your perfect day.

Mia’s got more than 100 gorgeous gowns to choose from, and no appointment is necessary. Buy your gown TODAY (Wednesday, Dec. 1) and get an extra 10% off the already low sample-sale price. Yum!

Here are the deets…tell a friend! Or not. This is a first-come, first-served sale, after all–maybe best to maximize your odds. Happy shopping, Houston bride!

Mia Bridal Couture – Sample Sale
Wednesday, Dec. 1 – Friday, Dec. 3
Mia Bridal Couture
1958 West Gray
Houston, TX 77019
For more information call 713.622.2022 or e-mail info@miabridalcouture.com

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The Best (Or Worst??) Of New Wedding TV PART II

There’s so much so-bad-it’s-good wedding reality on TV this season, we couldn’t fit it all in one blog post. Hence, part II of our rundown of new shows. Check out these previews, and let us know: Love it? Hate it? Hate to love it? Drop your comments here!

Premiering this week, it’s weTV’s “Jilted,” where hopeful brides hand out the ultimatum: “Marry me, or lose me forever!” Bad for real life. But good for TV? You be the judge!

On The CW, you can look forward to “Shedding for the Wedding,” where 10 overweight couples will compete, “The Biggest Loser”-style, to drop pre-wedding pounds and win wedding-theme prizes (rings, cakes, etc.). Did we mention they all have to live together? At least nobody’s getting drunk or screaming about prenups. Yet.

Vh1’s answer to the new wedding reality, is “My Big Friggin’ Wedding.” We’re calling it “Jersey Shore” meets “Bridezillas” meets “Whose Wedding is it Anyway?” And we can’t turn away. Like watching a car wreck. What are YOU calling it?

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The Best (or Worst??) of New Wedding TV Shows: What Do YOU Think?

That’s it. It’s official. Weddings have overtaken cooking, fashion-design, makeovers (personal and residential) and insanely procreative families as the go-to obsession of reality TV. And we’re (mostly) loving it. Shows like “Say Yes to the Dress,” “Platinum Weddings” and “Whose Wedding is it Anyway?” have provided us with endless inspiration, tons of laughter, a few tears, and a reassuring sense that we’re not the only ones fretting over “crumb-catcher–yay or nay?” or whether to match our napkin rings to our table numbers.

So we should be THRILLED that there’s a whole new crop of wedding TV shows hitting (or soon to hit) the airwaves, right? But we just can’t shake the feeling that in an effort to vie for viewers in an increasingly crowded wedding-TV landscape, the new shows have wandered a little too far “outside the aisle” as it were.

We want to know what YOU think. We’ve pulled previews and clips from the best (or worst??) of the bunch. Love ’em? Hate ’em? Love to hate ’em? Hate yourself for loving ’em? Drop your comments here and tell us what you think!