Yours Moment

A Sparkly Merry Christmas, Everyone!

2011-12-25T14:23:00.000-06:00

First Row: Snowy NYC, Metallic Bells, Grayish Blue Christmas Tree

Second Row: Braided Hairdo, Hand-crafted Miniature Christmas Trees, Mercury Glass with Blue Christmas Ornaments

Third Row: Merry Christmas Tags

Fourth Row: Baby Breath Centerpieces, Wishing Tree, Silver and Gold Christmas Ornaments, Wrapped Gifts

Wishing my dear friends and family a healthy Merry Christmas!
Rachel Beh

Thank You Flag!

2011-08-22T13:28:00.001-05:00

How lovely this Thank-You Note is!

Stationery Card

View the entire collection of cards.

In Love With Hydrangea Flowers

2011-07-10T21:53:00.001-05:00

Are you looking for flowers that create drama and wow factor for your wedding? Look no further than the fluffy delicate hydrangea which come in different colors that would fit into your wedding theme color.

Hydrangeas are produced from early Spring to late Fall; they grow in flowerheads at the end of the stems. There are two flower arrangements in hydrangeas - Mophead and Lacecap. Mophead Hydrangeas are large round flowerheads that look like pom-poms or simply the head of mop. This type of hydrangea is commonly seen in wedding floral arrangements. On the other hand, Lacecap Hydrangeas are round, flat flowerheads with a center core of subdued, fertile flowers surrounded by outer rings of showy, sterile flowers. This looks less dramatic than its peer (Mophead) and less popular for wedding.

Colors! Hydrangeas come in variety of colors; ranges from white, green, blue, pink, purple, and antique tones. Interesting but it is true that the color of hydrangea is affected by pH of the soil. Acidic soil produces blue hydrangeas, neutral soil produces pale cream hydrangeas, and alkaline soil produces pink-purple-ish hydrangeas. The amount of Aluminum absorb through the roots change the color of its blooms.

Here is WeddingHydrangea description of different shades of each color category:

Blue: Light sky blue, periwinkle blue, deep cobalt blue, and blue with lavender tones.

Red-Purple-Raspberry-Pink: Red, dark purple, raspberry, deep violet, and pink.

White: White and white with a little pink or blue blush.

Lavender: Dark to light lavender.

Antique-Green-Jewel Tones: Green, burgundy, jewel tones, antique pink, blue, and purple/lavender.

Hydrangeas are popular for weddings and always being incorporated into bridal bouquets, boutonnieres, ceremony decors, centerpieces, as well as desserts (some creative cake artists actually took the challenge to re-create the beautiful blooms using butter cream and sugar). Need some ideas? We have got some in the pictures below for your reference.

Different shades of Hydrangeas being incorporated into Bridal Bouquets

Hydrangea Boutonnieres

Ceremony Decor with some Hydrangea Blooms

Hydrangea Centerpieces

Layers of Hydrangeas around Wedding Cakes and on top of Cupcakes

Photo Credits:
1- Pot of colorful hydrangeas
2- Pink/Green centerpiece
3- A table full of hydrangeas in bottles
4- Blue/Green hydrangeas end table decor
5- Green hydrangea bouquet
6- Pink & Purple hydrangea bouquets
7- Bride holding a white and soft pink roses mixed with soft pink hydrangeas bouquet
8- Red hydrangea bouquet
9- Green & White mixed bouquet
10- Green boutonnieres for the wedding party
11- White & Green boutonniere
12- Purple & Green boutonniere seen in weddingbee
13- Blue hydrangea boutonniere as seen in Midge Flower Boutique
14- White & antique green hydrangeas wreath
15- Antique hydrangeas & champagne grapes wreath
16- Hydrangeas in glass vase and mason jar
17- White hydrangeas ceremony decor
18- Antique pink hydrangeas
19- Antique pink/green hydrangeas
20-Antique pink/green hydrangeas and purple roses in box
21-Antique purple/green hydrangeas
22-Hydrangeas-adorned birdcage
23- Pot of hydrangeas
24- Hydrangeas Berry centerpiece
25- Hydrangeas & seashell tablescape
26- Soft pink & white hydrangea arrangement
27- Hydrangea & rose table arrangement
28- Buttercream cupcakes
29- Sugar hydrangea petals on cupcakes
30- Petit Fours
31- Buttercream frosting cupcakes & Blue/Green hydrangea cake
32- French pink hydrangea cake
33- Hydrangea fondant cake
34- Hydrangea wikipedia

Fourth-Of-July-Inspired Wedding Fireworks!

2011-07-02T19:28:00.001-05:00

Fireworks + Sparklers = Happy Ending + Beginning of Your Sweet Marriage!

My husband and I were at Downtown Des Moines to watch some fireworks last night. They are so beautiful and just right above us! The person who invented fireworks is genius! Thank you for sharing such a beautiful artwork.

It is Fourth of July weekend, we are off to see more fireworks again by the pond tomorrow! Meanwhile, hope you enjoy the above posting of wedding fireworks pictures!

Happy Independence Day, America!

Photo Credits:
1- Sparkler writing
2- U.S. flag-inspired fireworks by A Simple Photograph via Style Me Pretty
3- Married couple kissing under the fireworks via WeddingBee Forum
4- Married couple dancing under the fireworks and walk passed the sparklers aisle via The Knotty Bride
5- Wedding ceremony under the fireworks via Head over Heels online wedding guide
6- Married couple kissing middle of sparklers aisle via Best Destination Wedding forum
7- Another sparkler writing via DSL Fireworks
8- Happy Fourth of July clip art

Recap of the Beautiful Royal Wedding of William and Catherine (The Cake)

2011-05-02T11:41:00.000-05:00

The Royal Wedding Cake of Prince William and his wife Catherine was a traditional eight-tiered wedding fruit cake designed by prestigious British baker Fiona Cairns. Each layer represents something special and meaning. The cake looks gorgeous, must have took the baker team days and hours to prepare for the Big Day. Great job!

Insights of the WEDDING CAKE:

Along the cake's base ran ivy leaves, symbolising marriage, and the bottom three tiers were decorated with piped lace work and daisies, meaning innocence, sweet William - grant me one smile - and lavender.

There were infill features of cascading orange and apple blossom, honeysuckle, acorns with oak leaves - meaning strength and endurance - and bridal rose, which symbolises happiness, and myrtle.

The fourth tier featured the intricate garlands, reflecting the architectural details in the room, and above this was another cake covered with lattice work and piped leaf detail.

Lily of the valley - representing sweetness and humility - covered the sixth tier which also had an artistic interpretation of the couple's cipher - their initials intertwined below a coronet.

The four flowers of the home nations - English rose, Scottish thistle, Welsh daffodil and Irish shamrock - were featured on the penultimate tier and the top cake, around six inches in diameter, was covered with lace details with a garland of lily of the valley and heather on top.

Fiona Cairns, stands next to the wedding cake that she and her team made for Prince William and his wife Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, in the Picture Gallery of Buckingham Palace. - UK Daily Mail

The project has left cake-maker Fiona Cairns exhausted but elated after working for five weeks on the project. - UK Daily Mail

Staff perfect the special cake, that was covered in cream and white icing and decorated with up to 900 delicate sugar-paste flowers. - UK Daily Mail


The chocolate biscuit McVities cake that was specially requested by Prince William. - UK Daily Mail

The McVitie's Cake Company has been asked to make a chocolate biscuit cake for the reception, as well as a few hundred slices for the buffet. Apparently, this type of cake is a favorite of Prince William. McVitie's has a long history with the royal family, dating back to the wedding of King George V and Queen Victoria, and just recently Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip's 60th wedding anniversary in 2007. - E! Online

Recap of the Beautiful Royal Wedding of William and Catherine (The Fashion)

2011-05-02T11:01:00.000-05:00

Now that Miss Catherine's mysterious wedding gown has been revealed, let us find out how others dressed up for the Royal Wedding such as The Queen, Princess Camilla, Carole Middleton, and the wedding party. How do you like their hats and fascinators?

Queen Elizabeth II chose an Angela Kelly single crepe wool primrose dress with hand-sewn beading at the neck in the shape of sun rays. Pinned to her matching double crepe wool tailored primrose coat was Queen Mary's True Lovers Knot diamond brooch. Her hat with silk roses -- also designed by Angela Kelly -- was a lovely addition to her outfit. Ladylike accessories like white gloves, pearl necklace and white handbag added a timeless elegance. - AOL Royal Wedding

Camilla wore a hand-embroidered Anna Valentine champagne silk dress and duck egg blue coat. - UK Daily Mail

Carole Middleton chose a pale blue Catherine Walker wool crepe coat-dress over a matching silk dress. - UK Daily Mail

Arrival of Princess Anne, daughter of The Queen

Philippa Middleton, Kate's younger sister and maid of honor, arrived at Westminster Abbey on Friday wearing a sleek ivory satin dress with a crepe cowl neckline by Sarah Burton of Alexander McQueen. - AOL Royal Wedding


Philippa Middleton, the maid of honor, changed into an emerald green Temperley London gown with a plunging neckline and sparkly embellishments. She paired the jewel-toned stunner with Aruna Seth's "Lynn" sandal, a silver strappy shoe with rhinestone accents. - AOL Royal Wedding

The cheerful bridesmaid and page boys

The young Bridesmaids’ dresses were designed by childrenswear designer Nicki Macfarlane to echo the Bride’s dress.
The Bridesmaids’ dresses have been created using the same fabrics as the Bride’s dress. The ballerina-length, full, box pleated skirt gives the dresses a sculptural quality, with the layering of ivory over white satin gazar adding depth of colour. They have all been hand-finished with delicate English Cluny lace, which is visible under the skirts, and four layers of net underskirt. The puff sleeves and neckline are trimmed with the same English lace as the Bride’s underskirt. The backs have been finished with the same button detail.
The sashes are made of pale gold, wild silk, which is tucked at the front and tied at the back in a sumptuous bow.

The Pages are wearing a uniform in the style of that worn by a Foot Guards officer at the time of the Regency (the 1820s). The Pages will wear a gold and crimson sash (with tassel) around their waists. - Official Royal Wedding Website

Recap of the Beautiful Royal Wedding of William and Catherine (The Dress & Jewelry)

2011-05-01T20:05:00.000-05:00

Miss Catherine Middleton's wedding dress revealed! It was designed by Sarah Burton at Alexander McQueen.

Hand-cut English lace and French Chantilly lace throughout the bodice and skirt of the wedding gown

Gorgeous look of Miss Catherine's timeless wedding dress - The skirt echoes am opening flower, with white satin gazar arches and pleats.

Here's the details of the DRESS:
Hand-cut English lace and French Chantilly lace have been used throughout the bodice and skirt, as well as the underskirt trim. The dress is made with ivory and white satin gazar. The skirt echoes an opening flower, with white satin gazar arches and pleats. The train measures two metres and 70 centimeters long. The ivory satin bodice, which is narrowed at the waist and padded at the hips, draws on the Victorian tradition of corsetry and is a hallmark of Alexander McQueen's designs. The back is finished with 58 gazar and organza covered buttons fastened by Rouleau loops. The underskirt is made of silk tulle trimmed with Cluny lace.

Here's the details of the JEWELRY:
Miss Catherine wears a Cartier 'halo' tiara, lent by The Queen, on her wedding day. The tiara was presented to The Queen by her mother (Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother) on the occasion of her 18th birthday. Also, Miss Catherine's wedding look completed with a pair of diamond-set stylized oak leaves with a pear shaped diamond set drop and a pave set diamond acorn suspended in the center, by Robinson Pelham. The earrings are inspired from the Middleton family's new coat of arms, which includes acorns and oak leaves. According to the official Royal Wedding website, the earrings were made to echo the tiara and a personal gift to the Bride from her parents for her wedding day.

Recap of the Beautiful Royal Wedding of William and Catherine (The Decor & Bridal Bouquet)

2011-05-01T18:46:00.001-05:00

An English Garden inside Westminster Abbey on Prince William and Catherine Royal Wedding. The simple elegant green and white decor speaks classy and modern at the same time. I simply love it!

The Westminster Abbey

Getting ready for the Royal Wedding of Prince William and Miss Catherine

Preparation for the Royal Wedding

Simple green and white theme for the church decoration - LOVE IT!

Eight Maple Trees lined inside The Westminster Abbey

The grand altar decorated with green and white floral - shows ELEGANCE

Catherine Middleton's Royal Wedding Bouquet

Bits and pieces about Catherine's bridal bouquet:

According to a statement on the Official Royal Wedding Website, the bouquet is a shield-shaped wired bouquet of myrtle, lily-of-the-valley, sweet William and hyacinth. (Isn't sweet that Catherine actually included "sweet William" blooms into her bouquet? I wish I could find "sweet Randy" blooms for my bouquet too!) The bouquet was designed by Shane Connolly and draws on the traditions of flowers of significance for the Royal Family, the Middleton family and on the Language of Flowers.

Here are flowers' meanings in the bouquet:

Lily-of-the-valley: Return of happiness

Sweet William: Gallantry

Hyacinth: Constancy of love

Ivy: Fidelity; marriage; wedded love; friendship; affection

Myrtle*: The emblem of marriage; love

*Check out the history of Myrtle in Royal Wedding Bouquet here!

Photo Credits: Yahoo!

Recap of the Beautiful Royal Wedding of William and Catherine (The Ceremony)

2011-04-30T12:01:00.003-05:00

It is official now...The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge! Prince William becomes His Royal Highness The Duke of Cambridge and Miss Catherine Middleton becomes Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge.

It was such a beautiful Royal Wedding. I did wake up at 3 in the morning Central Time to witness the wedding of Prince William and his bride Miss Catherine Middleton. How about you? Did you have your own version of "royal-party" to hang out with friends who enjoy the wedding as much as you do?

For those of you who missed the great show, here are some photos I found on Today's Show and MSN. Make yourself a cup of aromatic coffee and (maybe) a piece of homemade pie/cake while immerse yourself into the beautiful royal wedding of William and Kate! There are more coming up next...The Dress, The Decor, and The Cake!

The arrival of Prince William and his best man Prince Harry.

Miss Catherine Middleton and his father on their way to Westminster Abbey.

The wedding party is ready to walk down the aisle (a long aisle inside Westminster Abbey, took about 3 minutes I think!)

Simply beautiful wedding party!

Finally, at the altar and Kate met her future husband, Prince William.

The Ring!

All smile on their faces!

The ring from a nugget of Welsh gold - her wedding ring!

The Official Royal Wedding Portrait

Time flies, it has been 30 years since the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana. Although I were not there to witness their wedding 30 years ago, but I am glad that I made it to their children's wedding 30 years later on April 29, 2011! Congratulations to Prince William and (official now) Princess Catherine!

Romantic DIY Hair Up-Do

2011-04-16T14:38:00.002-05:00

How to: Make Eva Longoria Bob

Going For A COLORFUL Wedding!

2011-04-08T16:34:00.004-05:00

Have been seeing many colorful blog posts this week and that inspired me to gather some rainbow color pictures to create my first rainbow inspiration board! How do you like to incorporate multiple colors into your wedding? Colorful bridesmaid dresses, bouquets, rainbow desserts, what else you have in mind? Would you be bold enough to try on a rainbow color gown for the wedding?

Here's other rainbow inspiration posts elsewhere in the blogsphere!

Polka Dot Bride

Wedding Bee

Hank & Hunt Blog
The author included seven lovely color inspiration boards based on rainbow colors; red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. Beautiful, especially love the indigo and violet inspiration boards!

Vanessa Reed Photography
Rainbow Wedding, do check out the rainbow color dress of the bride =)

Photo Credit:
1- Rainbow dress photographed for NYLON Magazine
2- Butterflies wedding cake
3- Rainbow strip straws
4- Rainbow color bridesmaid dresses
5- Rainbow color bouquets
6- Colorful confetti
7- Slice of rainbow cake
8- Pastel color cupcake frosting

S.W.E.E.T - - - Coffee & Cake!

2011-03-30T10:38:00.003-05:00

Hello everyone!

It is Starbucks Coffee 40th Anniversary today. Starbucks latte was my companion over the past two years of working in New York. In fact, Starbucks mugs are everywhere and on every New Yorkers' hands. To celebrate its 40th anniversary, I created a coffee and cake inspiration board to share with you =)

Enjoy a cup of coffee and a slice of coffee cake today!

Photo credits:
Coffee & Cake Towel
French Country Side Wedding
Ring Shot
Cups of Latte
Key Lime Meringue Tarts
Banana Cream Tarts
Starbucks Petites
French Macarons
Coffee Bag Favors
Tiramisushi
Sesame Seed Cake

Simply Happy Field Engagement by Jenny Sun Photography

2011-03-24T09:06:00.002-05:00

I have another beautiful engagement session from Jenny Sun to share with you today. Not a lot of fancy decor; but beautiful nature, bunch of carnations, candy, green apple, and sweetest smile from a lovely couple made this a breath-taking engagement photo shoot. Love it!

Here are some of my favorites, there are more in Jenny Sun Photography. Please make sure you check them out!

Sexy-Back Wedding Gowns

2011-03-24T08:42:00.002-05:00

Are you looking for a wedding gown that is not only beautiful from front but also look stunning from the back? I found two on Polka Dot Bride blog!

Green TRICK Carnation

2011-03-23T11:55:00.003-05:00

Breakfast time is always my favorite meal of the day. I am so happy whenever I get to stop by this simple concept cafe with yummy-licious local bakery here in Des Moines, IA. The happiest thing? Not just pastries, but the companionship of my dear friend.

We are not going to talk about the food but the centerpiece on each and every table in the cafe. Somehow it gives me a feeling that they love nature as much as I do. They dress up their simple decor with a stem of flower on the table every day. For me, it really brightens up the room and the environment!

Both times where my friend and I visited the cafe, we had to google and find out what flower it was on our table. Today's flower is interesting. My first impression was it looks like herb - DILL. Then, my friend pointed out that it could be part of carnation family by looking at the stem (she loves gardening too!). Really, carnation family?

After some research online, my friend sent me a link and confirmed that the flower we seen in the cafe is indeed under the family of carnation. It is called "Green Trick Carnation". Like its name, it tricked me!

Don't you think both dill and green trick carnation look alike? Should you love greens that look like herbs at home, why not get some green trick carnations home? Thanks Sheryl for the great breakfast outing and introduced me to the new carnation!

Happy Valentine's Day!

2011-02-14T09:26:00.000-06:00

Photo Credit:
Apple

Valentine 2011: 'Give' (Gift) With L.O.V.E!

2011-02-12T15:00:00.002-06:00

My dear blog readers out there, are you doing last minute shopping and wondering what you can get for your loved ones? Are you tired of traditional red roses and a box of chocolate, and you are looking for something outstanding to present to your valentine or loved ones? Martha Stewart has some brilliant ideas for us!

Give seeds, watering plants, and growing into colorful roses...

Heart Bookmark, Necktie Envelope, Vintage-Label Keepsake Boxes, Seashell Valentines, Heart Candles and Message in a Bottle, Heart-Shaped African Violets, Quilled Flowers, Keepsake Boxes Lined with Velvet Ribbon, Lace Picture Frame Mat, Roses Wrapped with Poems, and Sweet Surprises!

Here are some other great Valentine's day inspirations within blog-sphere:
DIY Sewn Heart Garland
Pink, Orange, and Coral Hanging Hearts
Red and Coral Heart-shaped Pillows
Valentine's Rose Champagne and Breakfast in Bed
Valentine's Tea For Two
Sweet Chocolate Display For Your Loved Ones

Photo Credit:
Martha Stewart

Valentine 2011: Pack With L.O.V.E.

2011-02-10T21:02:00.002-06:00

Either homemade or store-bought baked goods or sweets, you want to present them in beautifully decorated packaging. Don't you?

Today, we pulled together some wrapping/packaging ideas from Martha Stewart and would like to show you how you can dress up simple-looking cookies into something unique and delicate!

Modern Twist on Valentine Candy, Rocky Ledge Bars Packaging, Cookie Boxes, Glassine Treat Envelopes, Heart-Covered Wrapper, and Heart-Shaped Treat Box

Photo Credit:
Martha Stewart

Homemade Little Something For Your Valentine!

2011-02-08T17:53:00.005-06:00

Month of expressing your love to your valentine (traditionally), parents, friends, and colleagues. For those who are still experiencing the bitter cold winter, what is better than a warm and sweet gesture to make your special someone something homemade and delicious? (For those who hardly ever bake or cook: Well, the thought of gifting counts!)

Are you making/getting something delicious for your loved one? I have pulled together some tasty little bites from Martha Stewart for you! Check it out!

Valentine Cookies, Brownie Heart Cupcakes, Pecan Linzer Cookies with Cherry Filling, Calimyrna Fig Hearts, Heart Pancakes, Heart-Shaped Meringues Filled With Passion Fruit Curd, Coeurs a la Crème, Meringue Heart Ice-Cream Sandwiches, Valentine Cake, Raisin Heart Pockets, Personalized Chocolate Pops, Grandma Friendship’s Raisin Pie with Heart Cutouts, Heart-Shaped Raspberry Napoleons, Spicy Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, Chocolate Sweet Hearts, Chocolate Cookies, Shortbread Hearts

They are not only looking yummy, they are looking good too!

Photo Credits:
Martha Stewart

Happy BUNNY Year! (Lunar Chinese New Year)

2011-02-03T11:39:00.002-06:00

Wishing all my dearest readers who are celebrating Chinese New Year:

GONG XI GONG XI

新年快乐心想事成身体健康幸福开心

Toss For Prosperity - Yu Sheng!

2011-02-02T10:09:00.006-06:00

Gong Xi Fa Cai!

If you were to ask me which Chinese New Year dish I miss the most, I would say Yu Sheng
(besides my mom's home cook food, hers is still the best)! Yu Sheng symbolizes abundant luck, prosperity, health and all things auspicious.

The tradition is for all family members gather around and toss Yu Sheng up high in the air with joyful exclamations of "Loh Hey" or any other auspicious wishes. The higher the tossing, the greater the luck and happiness for all. The enjoyment of Yu Sheng during Chinese New Year is an age-old custom back in ancient Chinese tradition and culture.

So what's the history of Yu Sheng? Let us check it out from Spring Toss!

According to Chinese legend, the goddess Nu Wa spent six days creating animals out of mud, while on the seventh she created humanity. Ren Ri, the Day of Humankind, is correspondingly celebrated on the seventh day of Chinese New Year. To celebrate this day, the Chinese enjoy a special dish comprising seven symbolic delicacies which we know as Yee Sang. When Yee Sang is eaten, the ritual is to toss the mixed ingredients high in the air with a shout of "Loh Hey" which literally means to ‘move upwards’. It is symbolic of the wish for our fortunes to rise and expand during the forthcoming year.

Steps of preparing Yu Shang for the tossing:

The joyful toss!

It's officially a brand new year now (past 12am in Malaysia). My family and friends are celebrating the joyous Chinese New Year! May the year of rabbit brings everyone good health and great happiness! Gong Xi Gong Xi!

Photo and Video Credits:
Spring Toss
Youtube
Dorsett Hotel

Chinese New Year Celebration - Foodie!

2011-02-01T10:34:00.003-06:00

Gong Xi Fa Cai!
Chinese New Year is around the corner. It is the time of the year where each household is getting busy to get ready for the New Year! Are you done preparing the house to welcome the New Year?

Photo Credits:
Sticky Rice Cake (Nian Gao) via China Ancient, Yu Shang via Go Eat Out, Chinese Mochi (Angku Kueh), Steamed Rice Cake (Fatt Gao), & Peanut Cookies via Bread et Butter, Chicken Floss Rolls via Jo Deli Bakery, Coconut Biscuits (Kuih Bangkit) via Carolyn Chan Blog, Chinese Love Letter (Kuih Kapit) via My Foodilicious Blog, Mandarin Oranges via The One Love Blog, and Togetherness Tray via Barbara Beery Kids Cooking Blog.

Beautiful Cocktail Dresses to Attend Winter Weddings!

2011-01-21T11:46:00.004-06:00

Are you looking for some dresses to attend your best friend's winter wedding and yet conscious about the budget you can spend? Look into IDEELI.com today!

What is ideeli.com all about?

ideeli is the fastest-growing online members-only shopping site in the U.S. Our 3 million members enjoy limited-time sales featuring the most sought-after brands across the categories of apparel, accessories, home, beauty, travel and kids. Each event is designed by ideeli editors to offer an exclusive shopping opportunity with new brands featured each day at up to 80% off.

Access to new sales in fashion, beauty and home every day.
Designer brands at up to 80% off
Extraordinary Giveaways
$25 shopping credits for each friend who buys.

New brands are featured each day in sales starting at 12 p.m. EST. Sales last 40 hours, or until items are sold out. We also have weekly giveaways. They have a surprise start time and last 7 hours (in most cases). Our members are notified by email, Facebook and Twitter each time a new sale starts.

Quality Guaranteed: ideeli stands behind the quality brand names and products we bring to you.
Authenticity Guaranteed: All of our items are brand new, and authenticity is 100% guaranteed. Rest assured that we have definitive proof of the source of every item we sell.

ideeli is based in New York City. Our address is 148 Lafayette, 10th Floor, New York, NY, 10013.

Here are two from many other Suzi Chin's collections on sale today. Find out more for women's, men's, kids', home, and travel items on ideeli.com!

Snowing Day in Des Moines!

2011-01-10T15:57:00.004-06:00

It has been snowing whole day long in Des Moines.
How's the weather in the city you are living right now?
I hope everyone to have a wonderful 2nd week in the new year!
~ Stay warm ~

Photo Credit: Antipixel

Cookies & Sweets To Celebrate!

2011-01-07T15:37:00.011-06:00

In Malaysia, we have three different races - Malay, Chinese, and Indian. Sweets are presented during festive occasions, ceremonies, and any celebrations. They signify good omen, happiness and prosperity. Sound familiar with Christmas cookies, isn't it? We send good wishes to our friends and family via homemade cookies.

Christmas Cookies

When it comes to wedding favor, I was thinking why not to share homemade cookies/recipes with your wedding guests? We celebrate every festival with the yummy cookies, so why not make a special cookie to celebrate the union of two lovely individuals too? That could be the great homemade recipe to pass down to new generations to come. Heirloom cookie! How does it sound like to you?

Wedding Favors

Homemade cookies wedding favor is absolutely a good idea when you are going to have an intimate wedding (with smaller amount of guests and manageable baking time). There are many alternatives when it comes to packaging, either a jar, a box, or a wrapper. Cookies will look pretty in them. Another new alternative is to prepare the raw cookie mixture in a jar and have wedding guests to bake the cookies themselves (first hand experience is always the best)! I think that is fun. What do you think? Would you consider cookies as your wedding favor?

Here are some traditional cookies you will see during Raya, Chinese New Year, and Deepavali in Malaysia:

Malay Raya Cookies

Chinese New Year Cookies

Indian Sweets

Photo Credits:
1. Christmas Cookies: Martha Stewart Holiday Recipes
2. Wedding Favors: Stack of cookies via Wedding Source, Cookie gifts & ingredients via Stony Brook Cookie Co., Marshmallow Chocolate Cookie Wedding Cake via beau-coup.com, Paper bag favor labels via Betsy White, and Cookie favor in bag with recipe attached via Wedded Luxe blog
3. Malay Raya Cookies: Rempeyek via DiFa Snack, Almond London via Persatuan Peniaga, Almond Cookies (Biskut Gajus) via Afwaz Cooks, Coffee Ring, Chocolate Almond, Mama Carries, and Semprit via Treats & Trade, Chocolate Almond Cookies (Biskut Coklat Badam) via Mama Kitchen, Denmark Cookies via Treats & Trade, Biskut Dahlia via Duralis' Oven
4. Chinese New Year Cookies via Bread Et Butter
5. Indian Sweets: IndianetZone, Various Colorful Indian Sweets via UCSI Frontiers, Laddu via Sydney Morning Herald, Pista Burfi, Kaju Katli, & Rasgulla via JustFoodNow, Gulab Jamun via Easy Recipes, Mung Dal Burfi via Zimbio, and Kesar Peda via Mitho Limdo

Wedding Chaperon

2011-01-06T12:41:00.005-06:00

I believe most Chinese in Malaysia are familiar with this profession called wedding chaperon a.k.a. Dai Kam Jie (in Cantonese). They have been seen in many traditional as well as contemporary Chinese weddings.

Wedding chaperon, is usually an auspicious married lady with living spouse, children, and grandchildren. She is also a quick thinker, has sense of humor, good at auspicious speeches, and well-versed in all Chinese wedding traditions, customs, and rituals. The wedding chaperon is traditionally hired by the bride's family to conduct traditional wedding ceremonies. In the modern era, I believe either side of the wedding couple's families can hire the wedding chaperon whenever they feel in need for one to perform the task.

Now that we all understand who a wedding chaperon is, lets look into what they do as a wedding professional!

Besides saying auspicious words and wishes, the most important requirement for a wedding chaperon is for her to provide guidance to the wedding couple. She will guide them through the traditional ceremonies and rituals such as the betrothal, bridal bed installation, wedding day prayer, and tea ceremony.

Let us further discuss the wedding chaperon's role in the tea ceremony. In most cases, we only think of serving tea to the elders in the family and that is it. Don't we? However, a wedding chaperon will make the ceremony merrier and interesting by introducing us to some unexpected items (will reveal what it is in just a moment). From what I recall from my sister's wedding, the wedding chaperon actually brought with her a pair of bibs for my parents (yay, the baby's bib but with some wedding-related decors on it!). It sounds funny but it carries a good meaning too! The bibs symbolize the long waited son-in-law for the bride's parents. Check out the pictures below! How cute my parents were?

The wedding chaperon not only presented a surprise to my parents, but there was another surprise for our relatives too. During tea ceremony, it is common for other family members and relatives (who are either older generation or relatives that are older than the wedding couple) to bring gifts to the newlyweds. As a token of appreciation, the wedding chaperon prepared some gold coins (usually a round-shaped chocolate wrapped in gold foil) for the newlyweds to present to the elders. The gold coins symbolize good fortune for those who wished or bought a gift to the newlyweds. What a loss if we did not hire a wedding chaperon for the wedding? We will not only miss out the fun, but also the meaningful symbols for the wedding!

Passion is an important key to becoming a successful wedding chaperon. It is the passion that motivates oneself to achieve certain level of competency in skills and knowledge of wedding traditions of different dialects in Malaysia. Knowing and be able to communicate in different languages does put a wedding chaperon in good place in the competitive wedding market. That way she is able to cater to greater amount of people and conduct various kind of weddings (not confined to just one market).

I personally think that this is the only profession/business that does not require a lot of media advertisement. A wedding chaperon becomes well known because of the words of mouth from their satisfied customers. A friendly and highly qualified wedding chaperon is highly sought after in Malaysia wedding market. To continue the tradition and retain the talented wedding chaperons, the valuable knowledge of wedding chaperon will then pass down to younger generations either through the mentorship program or some professional courses.

Are you currently looking for a wedding chaperon for your wedding in Malaysia? I have a list of experienced wedding chaperon profiles to share with you. Good luck in your wedding planning!

Source: Wedding.com.my
All pictures belong to author's personal collection.

Clock is kicking 12! Happy 2011!

2011-01-01T18:22:00.003-06:00

Wishing all my dearest family and friends to have a good healthy year ahead!

Photo Credits:
Count down clock via Latest SMS
New Year Poster via Tutorial Lounge

Fairytale Wedding Portraits as seen in EAD

2010-12-30T17:14:00.004-06:00

Thanks Elizabeth Anne Designs for sharing these beautiful wedding portraits in the blog! Do stop by EAD for the full post!

Photo by: Marie Labbancz Photography

Is 2011 going to be a big year for you?
Yours Moment hereby wishing you happy counting down to year 2011! Hope you have a great year ahead!

Stunning Bridal Portrait as seen in EAD!

2010-12-30T16:50:00.003-06:00

I went through some real wedding pictures on Elizabeth Anne Designs the other day and I would like to share these beautiful portraits of the blushing brides with you while we are counting down to the new year day (two more days till 01.01.2011)!

Photo by: Paul Johnson Photo

Photo by: A Bryan Photo

Photo by: Hilton Pittman Photography

Stay tune for the fairytale-like wedding (newlywed) portrait I have seen in Elizabeth Anne Designs coming up next (I love the entire wedding feel so much - one word - beautiful)!

Lastly, I would like to thank EAD for sharing these lovely pictures in the blog! Love stopping by your blog everyday.

Counting down to 2011 - 3 more days to 01.01.2011

2010-12-29T13:46:00.005-06:00

2010 is a great year for me!
1. Married to my wonderful husband and moved to Iowa
2. Worked with my friend to develop Yours Moment website
(not in full force yet as I am still waiting for a software to come)
3. Traveled to West Coast with my girlfriends
4. Visited my family and friends back home in Malaysia
5. Assisted my sister with the preparations for her wedding in November.

Let's review the list!

I was thrilled when my hubby asked if I would like to spend the rest of my life with him (with the lovely hand-painted banner!). Sure I am! We would like to thank all our family and friends who helped us to celebrate the meaningful moment of our life. 01.01.2011 is coming up! Cheers to our first anniversary on the new year day!

Was it hard to say bye to NYC? (A place where many people have been dreaming to visit/live!) Well, it was not too hard in terms of leaving the single lonely nights in NYC. BUT it was hard to leave my wonderful friends, family, and colleagues. They were the greatest companion during all my lonely nights in NY. We celebrated the holiday season together, tried out new restaurants around the city, and even the grocery shopping with my girlfriends was fun! Thank you my lovely NY folks!

Next up was to planning a all-girls getaway! Air tickets - booked; hotel - booked; car - checked; map - ready; and we ready to have fun. That was my first all-girls vacation and it was fun. We had so much fun together. Thanks Eva, Kay, and Julie for joining the West Coast trip! I miss you all. Hope you have a great holiday!

Visiting Malaysia is ALWAYS a big deal! Who doesn't like to spend more time with their dearest family? There is no exception for me either. I miss my family and glad to be able to spend three months holidays with them. I would like to thank everyone who made an effort to visit or just hang out with me. Mom, I just miss your home cook food so much! Yes, I am learning and trying to prepare sumptuous homemade meals for my family. Thanks for sharing your recipes! I will be back in year 2012 (hopefully another long vacation for both my husband and I)!

Last but not least is to helping my sister to get ready with her traditional Chinese wedding. Oh my...by looking at the to-do list, there were just enormous amount of things to do and there were many customs for a traditional Chinese wedding (hopefully we get to hold a modern Chinese wedding with less customs when it is our turn in year 2012)! Despite tremendous amount of things to complete before the wedding, our goal was to have wonderful time with our long-time-no-see relatives and friends. We hope that everyone enjoyed the party and had fun chit-chat with each other!

Let's CHEERS for year 2010!

Photo belongs to Author own collection.

Last Minute & Yet A Lovely Christmas Present

2010-12-21T14:40:00.002-06:00

In a blink of an eye, Christmas is just four days away! For those who are running out of time to do Christmas shopping for your aunts who love cooking, I came across this food gifts in a jar idea (via At Home with Kim Vallee) that you might be interested to making one!

Instead of baking cookies for your family and friends for the holidays, why not sharing your delicious cookies recipes with them and let them enjoy the baking process themselves? It is a simple and yet thoughtful Christmas gift for the foodies. Also, I personally think it is a creative way of sharing your favorite recipes (in a jar) with family and friends. Furthermore, you may customize the gift to accommodate each gift receiver's favorite recipe!

Preparing these edible gifts in a jar is not a daunting task at all (you may assign this task to your young children and guide them through). In fact, it can be done in simple, quick and easy three steps of preparation. Firstly, you will need to get the recipe (or you already have one in mind). Secondly, you will need to buy the ingredients, jar and decorative items (such as paper goods and ribbons). Then, layer each ingredients inside the jar and seal it with love! Voila, you have got lovely homemade Christmas gifts for your loved ones!

Are you preparing your Christmas gifts in jar too?

Photo Credits:
1. Cake mix from Food Network
2. Muffin mix from Kracoustics.com
3. Cookies mix from DailyMe
4. Spiced hot drink mix from The Yummy Life
5. Hot cocoa from Emma's Paperie
6. Hot Chocolate from Paper & Cake

Creative iPhone Save The Date!

2010-12-15T12:24:00.005-06:00

I bet many of you have seen a Wedding Save-The-Date Card. There are post card style, portrait (photo) style, on calendar, on the magnet, and etc. But have you seen something more than printed words and portrait of the bride- and groom-to-be holding the date on the save-the-date card? I am dying to see some creativity from the couples or photographers!

Save-The-Date Magnet via Wedding Paper Divas

Save-The-Date Photo Card via Wedding Paper Divas

So when I first saw the Save-The-Date on this iPhone via Ruffled blog, my heart screamed for GREAT IMAGINATION! This photo was taken by A Simple Photo. Not much styling needed to get done, just the phone feature and (of course!) THE ring! You have it all - a creative way to inform your family and friends about the date you are getting married to the man you cherish!

Image Credits:
Save the date card via The Knot

Uniquely Beautiful Ring

2010-12-09T10:25:00.003-06:00

Hello people!
I have got a beautiful ring to share with my dear readers today.

Ta-da!

Despite rows of diamonds criss-crossing each other, the center stone still stand out brilliantly. The meaning of a guy presenting this ring to his sweetheart becomes so special. For him, his girl is the unique one in the world; and she outshines the rest and stand an important role in the guy's heart. How sweet!

How about you? Do you have a special proposal story to share?

Photo Credit:
Criss-cross Diamond Engagement Ring from Kaboodle.com

How many dresses do you have for your wedding?

2010-10-11T23:34:00.005-05:00

How about 3 dresses? It is not unusual for Malaysian Chinese brides to have more than 2 dresses for their wedding. You might say it sounds like a fashion show; but it is true for the bride.

The idea of owning a gown is yet not so popular in Malaysia. Unlike brides in US where they buy wedding gowns for their weddings; Malaysian Chinese brides usually rent their wedding dresses from bridal studios. The bride traditionally wear three wedding dresses. The common set comes with a white wedding gown, a cheongsam/qipao (祺袍) or kwa (traditional heavily embroidered formal red wedding gown popular in Southern China), and an evening gown (bride's going away dress).

When does the bride wear a wedding gown, a cheongsam, and an evening gown?

Traditionally, the white wedding gown with veil is worn during the wedding ceremony. The second dress, a traditional Chinese wedding dress, to be worn at the wedding banquet. And lastly, the bride will change to an evening gown (also known as the bride's going away dress) before the bride leaves the banquet.

Nowadays, the bride will wear her white wedding gown for morning wedding ceremony (出门). She will then change to a cheongsam or kua for tea ceremony (敬茶). And lastly, she will have all three dresses for wedding banquet/reception. Wedding gown for opening, evening gown during the banquet, and cheongsam at the end of the banquet.

How about you? Are you having at least three dresses for your wedding?

Photo Credits:
1. Traditional Kwa from Elegant Event Design
2. Cheongsam from Datang Wedding Dress Co.
3. White wedding dress from That Special Occasion
4. Purple evening dress from Dress Feeling

Wedding Gowns - What's the difference between Malaysia & U.S.?

2010-10-03T21:57:00.007-05:00

Congratulations to all happily engaged ladies!
Your dream to be a one-day-Cinderella will be coming true soon. Aren't you excited?
To create your Cinderella dream, nothing more excited than trying all the gowns your wedding vendor or bridal studios has to offer.

In U.S., almost 99% of the brides will start looking for brand new wedding gowns for their weddings as soon as the first day they got engaged (oh...some brides-to-be even look into their potential wedding gowns way before they got engaged). Many of them will go after their favorite designers too! It has been the tradition for many centuries in the U.S.

However, the idea of buying a brand new gown for Malaysian Chinese brides is considered as new. In old times, many mothers actually made the gowns for their daughters as wedding gifts (or part of Jia Zhuang 嫁妆). Then the trend evolved to renting a wedding gown from bridal studio. The bridal studio offers one-stop services to couples who are preparing for their weddings, such as wedding attires, makeup services, pre-wedding and actual wedding photo shoots, and bridal bouquets. As time goes by, younger generations starting to look for customized services and uniqueness. And hence, some modern brides are leaning toward designer gowns.

Despite the newest trend, still majority of the modern brides sign up with bridal studios who will take care of everything - less hectic and convenient for both couples who work full time.

Are you the bride who is leaning towards gown specialist or one-stop services provided by bridal studio?

Photo Credits:
Gowns by Pretty In White

2010-10-02T04:24:00.004-05:00

Have been gone for the whole summer...I am finally back again to continue blogging more about wedding planning. Rather than typical American weddings, you will see more postings about Malaysian weddings here in Yours Moment.

Always feel good to be home. I totally agree!
Despite traveled many thousands miles from foreign country back to my home country - Malaysia, the moment seeing my family is worthwhile.

See you in my next posting!

Happy Weekend!

Aren't She Adorable?

2010-07-13T21:26:00.002-05:00

Found this cute girl picture via Espana Photography Blog!

This is a great picture to hang in any room to make everyone smile at least once a day.

Back With A Ruffle-Ribbon-Roses Fondant Cake!

2010-07-11T21:23:00.005-05:00

Rachel jumps back and forth between her wedding blog and website ^.^
And here she re-visits her old wedding blog with blogspot again!

The first reason I had my friend to create my new wedding website is the limitation on template and layout offered by blogspot. But it comes to my surprise that blogspot actually added some new features (template designer) and I started to fall in love with the convenience blogspot brought to its bloggers again. New backgrounds, wider blog box (adore this very much!), and the freedom to change the background and font colors!

While my friend is working on the administrator page for my new website, I will continue my blogging journey here in blogspot.

Here's a pretty fondant wedding cake as seen in Style Me Pretty Gallery. I don't usually like the red roses (sorry, there is no exception for this case either), but the details such as ruffles and ribbons on cake are STUNNING! This cake is definitely the center of attention during the reception (besides the charming newlywed). Bravo to the cake designer!

Photo as seen in Style Me Pretty - Kim & Charlie Wedding - Keely Thorne Events Planning - Photography by Ashley Garmon

Fly Out to UK: Tobiah Tayo Photography

2010-04-30T11:14:00.009-05:00

I am so happy and eager to show you the photographs when I found this UK wedding two days ago. Amazing pictures with genuine emotion, and beautiful bride and groom at the beautiful setting.

Introducing the talents behind the lens: Tobiah & Laura from Tobiah Tayo Photography
And, their philosophy in photography in their own words:

We love to create not just stunning photographs, but art. We feel that photographs are a way of feeling, of touching, of loving. A moment that is captured forever... it remembers little things, long after you have forgotten everything.

We have a unique style which we feel sets us apart from the tens of thousands of other photographers in your area! You cannot compare photography. You can only recognize when a photograph makes you feel something special.

Our photographs are all about drama, atmosphere, emotions, style and fun!
We love to take lifestyle portraits, relaxed wedding photographs and believe that it is vital that the experience is enjoyable. If not it won't show in your photographs.

To see the wedding photographs, please visit Tobiah and Laura's blog.

Have a wonderful Derby weekend (especially to Louisville folks)!
Ladies, if you are interested at the special hats on Kentucky Derby Day, do check out some of the Derby Hats we posted here last year.

Des Moines Wedding Photographer: Nicole Thomas Photography

2010-04-29T11:31:00.005-05:00

Great found!
Drake got talent (she is my senior, indirectly)! Her name is Nicole Thomas - drake graduate, Starbucks fan, and most importantly, she loves what she does everyday which evolves around photography.

Here is her approach to photography in her own words:

My approach is simple. I aim to capture the story. I want to capture every fleeting moment as the day unfolds. Photography is an art in the finest sense, and I strive to make sure that all of my clients have not just a new photo to display for the year, but a unique piece of art that you and your family will treasure for years to come.

Nicole, you really live up to your dream. I am inspired by your parents' graduation message to you too! Here goes the message: "find what you love doing, and then do it so well, that no one can take their eyes off of you." And now I am one of them who cannot take my eyes off your art work (beautiful and meaningful photography). Thanks for sharing your works on your online portfolio.

My dear blog readers, let's begin our day with this gorgeous featured wedding from Nicole Thomas Photography!

Happily married couple: Stephanie and Sean
Wedding date: 8-1-2009
Wedding venue: St. Ambrose Cathedral/Catholic Pastoral Center
Catering service: Christiani's Catering

A few notes from the bride:
I am lucky to have such a wonderful husband that was extremely supportive and involved in the wedding planning process; it definitely made our day more special.

A few notes from the groom:
Just sitting back and taking it all in was the highlight for me; I enjoyed every minute. As cheesy as it sounds, if I had to pick one highlight, it would be watching Stephanie in her gown. I could not take my eyes off of her the entire time.

Stephanie and Sean made up a lovely and cute couple, indeed! How nice to have your husband sharing the wedding planning process with you! Bravo!

The angle and artistic value of this picture is stunning. The background/wall looks like a natural photo frame for this picture. Isn't it pretty?

Beautiful church and people = Perfect match!

A different perspective of church interior from the lens of Nicole. Well done!

A traditional church wedding with a modern twist in serving the dessert of the day. It seems like miniature cakes/cupcake trees are gaining their popularity in the wedding trend nowadays. Are you going to have one for your wedding too?

I adore group photo with interesting color coordination (the chromatic effect). I wonder if this is Stephanie's something blue* for the wedding?
*English wedding tradition "something old, something new; something borrowed, something blue; and a silver sixpence in her shoe."

If you like Nicole's style and would like to engage her for your wedding day, you may visit her website and blog to find out more.

Happy Thursday!

Des Moines Wedding Photographer: Nuzum Photo

2010-04-28T11:30:00.004-05:00

Today I am going to share with you a beautiful engagement session shot by husband-and-wife photographers, Steve and Ashley Nuzum from Nuzum Photo. (Yes, they are based in Des Moines!)

What made these pictures stand out?
1. The waterfall and greenery as the background of the picture.
Natural green always look good in picture; with the waterfall, it creates spectacular effect to the picture (no more boring picture).
2. Colorful blooms.
This always work well in the picture. The more color palettes, the merrier for the picture. Another reason to love Spring!
3. Texture of a surface (a building or object for the picture).
Be it branches-covered (picture 3) or brick wall (picture 4); find something with obvious patterns rather than a blank white wall as your picture background. You will love it!

We were saying to find a background with great texture, did we? But why blank white wall for the following picture? This is an exception for finding a blank white wall to sit down, relax and enjoy the engagement photo shoot. And do not forget texture and color on fabric counts too (the lines on his shirt and color of her pants)! In this picture, the couple's outfits and their affections toward each other played a dominant role.

Thanks Steve and Ashley for sharing these beautiful pictures in your blog. Great job!

Hope you all have a great Wednesday!
I am heading out for some shopping. See you tomorrow!

Des Moines Wedding Photographer: Huffaker Photography

2010-04-27T16:22:00.004-05:00

I realized sources of most pictures I have posted in Yours Moment come from photographers based in West Coast. So it is always my interest to find out some talented photographers in the Midwest, starting from Des Moines.

Just as I am checking out some portfolios from Des Moines Photographers, I found this...engagement photo by Clint and Christie Huffaker from Huffaker Photography.

This is so editorial! The groom-to-be looks charming and the bride-to-be is stylishly pretty!

Depending on your personal style, sometimes the theory "less is more" is sufficient to spice up your engagement shoot - just like the one shown above.

Happy Tuesday!

Monday = Past Weekend Plan + Brian Khang Photography

2010-04-26T13:20:00.006-05:00

Welcome back dear! How was your weekend anyway? Hope you had a relaxing one after all the Spring cleaning at home =)

As for me...I truly had a great time - a weekend packed with activities around Des Moines - a lovely quiet town in Midwest.

Since I hurt my neck last Wednesday and unable to go to the gym as we usually did on Saturday; my husband compensated me with a great new-release comedy movie by Jennifer Lopez and Alex O'Loughlin - The Back-Up Plan! I wanted to watch this movie ever since I first saw the movie preview few months ago. Although the review on this movie is not impressive, I personally think it is a good movie with well-written plot. As the story goes, you will realize many similarities in the relationships some of us have been through. To conclude our wonderful date night, we went to a local German Pub, Hessen Haus, and tried out some German dishes and of course, their extensive list of German beer. Everything was great. I highly recommend you to visit this place if you happen to stop by Des Moines next time!

Despite of cloudy day on Sunday, I treated myself for a golf course with my husband and two other friends of us. As first timer in golf course, I am pretty satisfied with my performance using my new-bought golf set (from my hubby) last Friday (thanks honey!). Although I did not reach par for any of all nine holes at the course, I did hit some nice strokes! I am so proud of myself!

Conclusion, do not underestimate how much more you can do in the small town!

Let's move on to today's e-session by Brian Khang, a wedding photographer based at Southern California.

I love the idea of bringing some props to your engagement session, especially something that ties the two of you together. It does not only spice up your engagement photos, but it also help to showcase your personality as a couple.

The engaged couple, Katherine and Alvin, had their love story recorded in Brian's blog. (By reading their love story, you will better understand why guitar is surrounding their engagement pictures.)

Congratulations to Katherine and Alvin!

Last but not least, do check out Brian's bio in his new blog!

Have a great Monday!

How About A Wedding Ceremony By The Beach?

2010-04-23T15:07:00.003-05:00

The sun does not show up here in Des Moines, IA today; but that is okay because I have a beautiful beach wedding ceremony to share with you ^.*

No reason but somehow I like how the photo below turned out to be.

The setting is amazing! I wish I were one of the guests at this wedding!

Yet another beautiful shot of the day.

To view more pictures of this beach wedding, please visit Jessica Watson Photography website.

Hope you have a great weekend!

Where To Have Your Reception?

2010-04-22T12:34:00.005-05:00

Wouldn't you want to celebrate union of the two of you in this beautiful setting at Atlanta's Foundry at Puritan Mill?

This reception hall filled with earthy-tone decor (woodsy and a little greenery) seems to be my ideal reception venue when I first spotted this wedding in Elizabeth Anne Designs.

Ivory Drapery + Gorgeous Sunlight = The Beauty of Nature (Love it!)

How about you?

Happy Thursday!

Rustic Wedding At Napa Wine Country

2010-04-21T11:41:00.008-05:00

Alright, I know it has been a while where I did not get to update my dear readers with new pictures/ideas/wedding planning tips. I miss it too.

I have to admit that Yours Moment new home is not 100% done yet; it is about 95% done. The only 5% left is having my web designer to teach me the way to maintain my own website and upload new posting to it. For a non-web-designer/specialist (like me), there are a lot of new things I need to learn indeed.

You might not find new postings on the new website, but you definitely get to see some photos and my older postings in the website. So please feel free to visit me there and I hope you like the new layout and design as much as I love!

While I am learning how to upload and maintain my new website, I would like to keep you "busy" with some beautiful weddings around the world. During this period of time, I will post a wedding each day (weekdays) until the official launch of Yours Moment website.

Thank you for standing by me!

Here comes the Rustic Wedding pictures. It was first seen in Elizabeth Anne Designs and the wedding is photographed by Ray Soemarsono of Apertura.

Our focal point on this wedding is the rustic decors all over the wedding reception venue. The couple/floral designer beautifully incorporated floral and fruits into centerpieces and place setting. I love the brilliant idea and the color scheme just worked out perfectly!

Happy Wednesday!

Looking Forward To YM New Home!

2010-04-05T11:54:00.004-05:00

Happy Monday everyone! I hope you had a great long Easter weekend with friends and family.

I will be taking a break from blogsphere this week to prepare a surprise party for my hubby; you will see me in Yours Moment new home next time. See you there!

Here's a sneak peek of Yours Moment new home!

Warmest regards,

2010-04-04T21:56:00.002-05:00

Yours Moment is one-year old today!

*** Happy Birthday ***

Photo Credit: Flickr

Thank you!

Easter Tabletop Decorations: Series #5 {the end}

2010-04-02T11:48:00.004-05:00

Today I am going to show you these Neutral Country Style Easter Brunch and Tea Time Table Settings from Love Home UK. This page was found on Monday when I started our 2010 Easter Tabletop Decorations series and I told myself "I have to show this to my readers on Friday! What a great decor inspiration for less (you have owned most of the decorative items and the only thing you need to do is bring them out and set up the table in your creative way or the way Love Home UK did.)!"

There is nothing fancy or over the top design presented in this table setting, however, it managed to pull off a very homey and comfortable environment that makes me want to sit here for breakfast every morning! A long table by the window that allows sunshine into the room, simple display of tableware on wooden tray, make use of the eggshell candle holders, bring in fresh flowers arrangement, hand-written your serving menu, and a personalized name card cookie for your guests. Would you want to join me for breakfast/brunch?

Afternoon Tea Party
Lay out a pink and lime shade table runner on your dining table and it gives you an instant Springy look. To complete the look, you may arrange jugs of fresh flowers, English teapots and cups, heart-shaped place cards, and hang decorated egg on each chair. Lastly, a sweet touch to send your guests home with an embroidered Easter egg cozy and some bunny cookies. They will never forget the Easter Tea Party at your place this year.
(WordWeb: Cozy - A padded cloth covering to keep a teapot warm.)

* * *
FYI, Yours Moment blog will turn ONE on this Sunday (April 4, 2010)! Thank you everyone for your support and good comments for the past one year. We are going to celebrate its one-year anniversary by giving it a new look. Hopefully we will be able to publish it next week, as my web designer and I are still working on some details of our brand new YM website. I am so excited and can't wait to show you Yours Moment new look next week!

Hope you have a wonderful Good Friday and Easter Sunday!

Easter Tabletop Decorations: Series #4

2010-04-01T12:18:00.004-05:00

Are we in the month of April or July? I feel like Summer (high 83 degrees Fahrenheit)in Des Moines today ^.* I love this weather; warm and yet breezy, more outdoor activities, and most importantly, no more layers of winter jackets and boots!

Let's have some fun doing some "gardening" works today; preparing for the Easter Sunday. Not only your guests, but you will also like the idea of bringing some greens and floral to your dining table too. It is quick and simple. All you need is just the following list!

1. Flowers in season at your local grocery store or florist or even your own garden.
(HOT trend: always use flowers in season, it can save you some extra money!)
2. Grass or Moss
3. Decorated eggs
4. Containers to hold Easter eggs, grass, and flowers in place; it can be pots, glasses, galvanized trays, egg cups, cake stand, basket, and etc.
(HOT trend: create sophisticated look by varying the heights and sizes of decorative items.)
5. Candies
(HOT trend: most commonly used - Jordan almonds for Easter, it comes with varies pretty pastel colors for Spring.)
6. Other decorations such as Easter bunnies, ribbons, crepe papers, and wrapping paper.
(NOTE: Any kind of decoration that matches your theme is fine. The limit is the sky; and really is, this is your party so feel free to bring in elements that match your personality and style.)

As you need some decor inspirations, I have got these pretty photos to evoke the creative inner you. Hope you have fun!

(Clockwise from top left) Spring Pot Centerpiece by Martha Stewart, Striped Crepe Paper Eggs from Martha Stewart, Spring-y Gardening Shallow Basket (Trug) Centerpiece by Good Housekeeping via Delish, and an Arrangement of Petite Springtime Blooms on Egg Vases by Quick and Simple.

Decorated Egg Cup Centerpieces by Good Housekeeping via Delish, Easter Eggs and Mini Daisies on Cake Stand from Quick and Simple, and the Daffodils and Pom-Pom Chicks Basket by Martha Stewart.

Candy Cones on Wheat Grass Centerpiece, Easter Triple-Decker Display, and Easter Egg Pots by Good Housekeeping via Delish

Happy Thursday,

Easter Tabletop Decorations: Series #3

2010-03-31T13:12:00.004-05:00

Cheers to the blue sky and sunny day in Des Moines today! {Happy!}

After the cute chicky Tuesday, I am thinking of a little girlie stuff for today which is butterfly-themed Easter tabletop decoration!

If you are going to be out of town and unable to celebrate Easter with your family this year. That is okay and don't be sad. You do not have to celebrate alone because I am sure your girl friends in town would love to join you at your beautiful butterfly Easter brunch party! Wow...I can already smell the spinach mushroom omelet, fruity yogurt parfait, dark chocolate truffle, and also a glass of peach Bellini (Wikipedia: Bellini is one of Italy's most popular cocktails; a mixture of sparkling wine and peach puree). Hmm...what a perfect brunch on Sunday morning! Yummy-licious!

Southern Living shows us how to set up your own Butterfly Garden Party at home; and adorn your party favor with a personalized butterfly place card I found at Burda Fashion!

Garden Arrangement:
1. Start by positioning water-soaked florist foam in a pedestal bowl. Any ceramic container will work. Cover the top of the foam with decorative sheet moss, hiding all edges.
2. Cut snapdragon stems at an angle, and insert them into the foam. The flowers and stems should be 12 to 15 inches long. You will need about 12 stems spaced evenly.
3. Repeat with ranunculus, varying the stem lengths. Use taller flowers in the center and shorter ones on the sides.
4. Carefully hold the bottom of each ranunculus stem when inserting it. If it is crushed, insertion will be difficult and blooms will wilt quickly. You will need about 24 ranunculus.
5. Finish by adding silk butterflies.

Candy Nest:
1. Taking a ball of green Spanish moss in your hands, hollow out an opening with your thumbs.
2. Hold the formed nest in place by wrapping a single strand of florist wire around the outside edge of the moss.
3. Place twigs cut from the garden on a salad plate, top with the nest, and fill it with pastel Jordan almonds.
4. Finish with a silk butterfly and a personalized butterfly place card on top.

Butterfly Ornament on Champagne Glass:
1. Wire silk butterflies to the stems of Champagne glasses.

Trying to be a thoughtful hostess and want to forgo the high calories chocolate candy for your girls? I found these pretty party favors your girl friends would love to add to their dressing table collection. The first one is an egg-shaped box with speckled paint, butterflies, and a rabbit cut from decorative paper from Martha Stewart. This can also be used as jewelry box, isn't pretty and multifunctional? Whereas, another party favor which also comes from Martha Stewart, it is more like a decoration than something fancy like the egg-shaped box. It is a purple paper butterfly floats from a wire attached to a pearl glued inside the bottom of a plain white egg.

Hope you have a Fabulous Wednesday!

Easter Tabletop Decorations: Series #2

2010-03-30T12:23:00.007-05:00

Chicky Tuesday!
We are going to show you some cute Easter decorations by incorporating birds and chicks into the theme.

Willow tree and bird nests for living and dining rooms, anyone?

And how about a bird tree and some bird houses in pastel colors for Easter kids table, Bridal or Baby Shower? Instead of Easter buckets, we are giving the kids bird houses (with candy, of course!). I am sure they will love it.

Giving out bird nest candy as favor? Why not double it as place card for your guests? People like things that are personally related to them. So lets personalize the favor by attaching a card with your guest's name on it.

For decor purpose, we have chick and eggs in a doily nest as well as new born chick and chocolate decorations. These are some pretty and inexpensive ways to dress up your house for Easter Sunday.

Happy Tuesday,

Photo Credit:
1. Martha Stewart Living
2. Torie Jayne Blog
3. Lotus Haus Blog

Easter Tabletop Decorations: Series #1

2010-03-29T15:02:00.003-05:00

Spring time is here and it is the best time to do some cleaning. Have you done cleaning up your house and clearing up spaces for some new festive items to celebrate the first Spring event - Easter?

If you have not done the research, we will show you some tabletop decorations for Easter this week. Hope they will give you some inspirations to decorate your Easter dining table.

To me, this is a traditional Easter dining setting. Everything in pastel blue, pink and yellow. And of course, a pair of white Easter bunnies!

Photo Credit: Easter Tabletop Design from Bliss Weddings Market; Easter Candy Wreath by Good Housekeeping via Delish; Beaded Place Card on Napkin and Easter Table Setting from Better Homes and Gardens

What if you are an artist who always looking for something new and creative? We found you a new color scheme for your Easter egg decoration. Check out the idea and step-by-step instructions of making the marbled Easter eggs here!

Photo Credit: Marbled Easter Egg Tree and Centerpiece from Quick and Simple; Beaded Place Card on Napkin, and Easter Chocolate on Vintage Cups from Better Homes and Gardens

Photo Credit: Decorated Easter Eggs and Egg Holder Centerpiece from Better Homes and Garden; Place Card on Decorated Easter Eggs from Quick and Simple

Did you find yourself an unused candle holder during your Spring cleaning? Have you been keeping it in your storage room for quite some time? Sometimes we just got so busy and forgot that we have some "treasures" in our own storage room. So it is time to bring out the old candle holder and re-purpose it to a lovely Egg Holder Centerpiece for Easter!

I personally love the idea of giving a new life/look for something old/antique that has been keeping in the garage or storage room for a while. (Thanks to the weekend read! I have been reading tons of Country Living, and Better Homes and Gardens magazines lately. Love them all!)

To begin with, we have a few simple steps to creating the lovely Egg Holder Centerpiece from old candle holder.

1. Brush new paint on your old candle holder.
(If the candle holder turned rusty or you simple love to apply a new color on it just to match your furniture at home.)

2. Leave it aside and let it dry.
3. Meanwhile, choose the pattern and color to decorate the eggs.
(Personal preference.)
4. When both candle holder and eggs are dried out, use super glue or wax to secure eggs in place.
5. And you are ready to show your guests the beautiful egg holder you have created for Easter!

Note:
This will probably take you about two days (the drying process) to complete the DIY project. So please make sure you set aside enough time for it.

Hope you have fun doing it!

Jill Brown Photography . Des Moines . Iowa

2010-03-24T16:43:00.006-05:00

Alright I know Winter is over and everyone is cheerfully waving in the Spring days. But I have had to share the following gorgeous Winter Engagement Photo by Jill Brown Photography with you!

I am sure there are millions of ways to capture the love of a couple; but this particular one captured my attention today (a white backdrop (snow), snow-dusted trees in the wood, fiery red wool coat, and a lovely couple). Thumbs up for such beautiful pictures, Jill! And congratulations to the engaged couple, Linsey and Jon!

Happy mid-week!

Epicurean Wednesday: Happy St. Patrick's Day!

2010-03-17T10:42:00.004-05:00

Luck of the Irish!
Whether you are heading out to join the parade, stay home watching the parade via TV, or going out to work; a piece of Irish soda bread and a glass of Irish coffee will be your companion of the day!

Here's a little history about Irish Coffee and Soda Bread:

IRISH COFFEE was invented by Joseph Sheridan, a head chef at Foynes, County Limerick after a group of American passengers disembarked from a Pan Am flying boat on a miserable winter evening in the 1940s. Sheridan then added whiskey to the coffee to warm the passengers. Since then, this coffee named as Irish Coffee and to be served in a mug shown in the picture below.

The coffee combines hot black coffee, Irish whiskey, sugar, and top with thick double cream poured over the back of a spoon. The coffee is drunk through the layer of cream.

IRISH SODA BREAD is a type of quick break (fast rising) made of flour, baking soda, salt, and buttermilk. Its history dates back to approximately 1840, when bicarbonate of soda was introduced to Ireland.

If you notice the cross on top of traditional Irish soda bread, there are a couple theories as to the significance of the cross. Some believe that the cross was placed on the bread to ward off evil spirit or to let the fairies out of the bread. Another probable approach says that the cross is used to help with the cooking of the bread by allowing air circulation so that the bread rises better. (This one sounds more logical to me ^.*)

Photo Credit: Irish Coffee and Irish Soda Bread

As for those of you who fancy about GREEN appetizers for after-work party rather than coffee and bread, here we found five "Get Your Greens" finger food from Food Network. They are hearty, delicious, and most importantly, they come with a touch of GREEN to dress up your St. Patrick's Day Party!

First Row (from left): Beer-Battered Broccoli, Spinach-Pesto Ravioli, and Irish Grilled Cheese
Second Row: Emerald Eggs, and Avocado Hummus

Happy St. Paddy's Day to everyone!

Perfect Blooms & Decor Tuesday - St. Patrick's Green

2010-03-16T13:20:00.006-05:00

How about a DIY project today?
How does a personalized shamrock boutonniere for each of your invited guests sound like? Isn't it lovely (away from the usual name tag sticker at most social events)?

Here's Martha Stewart's Shamrock Boutonniere How-to.

Next up, let's dress up party accessories with shamrock motif or real shamrock leaves! It can be shamrock-stamped napkins, coasters, skewers for fruits, or a real shamrock leaf embellishment on napkin ring.

Martha Stewart St. Patrick's Day Crafts and Decorations

Irish Napkin Decor from Better Homes and Gardens (BHG)

To complete your tabletop decor, a simple flower arrangement in shamrock shape can be used as centerpiece for the dining table - a combination of naturally green Prado carnations and regular white carnations that are dyed green. You can make it a floating one by placing the flower arrangement in a bowl filled with water too.

Here's Martha Stewart Shamrock Arrangement How-to.

Flower is not right for you? I think some different green glasses and bottles will be great for you too. You do not necessary have to buy new green glasses; any green beer bottles (such as Heineken) will do the job very well!

Green Glasses from BHG

Even though you are not living in Ireland, you can still celebrate St. Patrick's Day by filling your house/room with all decors we mentioned above, as long as you have a little Irish at heart ^.*

Happy Tuesday everyone!

Fashionista Monday: St. Patrick's Green

2010-03-15T14:39:00.003-05:00

Happy Monday to all my dear readers out there! Did you have a fun weekend? I hope you did. I personally had a fun and busy weekend started from Friday night - ladies cooking/baking night (learned the making of German Chocolate Bars), grocery shopping with the girls for all things dessert (made a Tiramisu cake on Saturday night), attended a tabletop decoration class at Pottery Barn on Sunday morning (including Easter Dining Table and Farmhouse Brunch decor), went to the gym, and ended with Wedding Sunday (WEtv) last night. Love it!

For first half of the week, we are going to focus on Saint Patrick's Day celebration! We will be exploring the green outfit, green decor, green beer and Irish coffee, all things GREEN. Later of the week, the inspiration from real wedding/party will come back into place.

- - - - - - - - - -

St. Patrick's Day (a.k.a. St. Paddy's Day), an annual holiday celebrated by the Irish (originally) and people around the world (the holiday has become one of the biggest one-day celebrations worldwide).
An elaboration from Wikipedia:

St. Patrick's Day is named after the Saint Patrick, the most commonly recognized of the patron saints of Ireland. It began as a purely Christian holiday and became an official feast day in the early 1600s. However, it gradually become more of a secular celebration of Ireland's culture.

One of the well-known scenes in the Midwest during St. Patrick's Day/Parade is the GREEN CHICAGO RIVER. Yes, they dye the river into green color! See photo below.

Photo Credit: Jaunted

In terms of outfit, you will see people wearing green, adorn with shamrock accessories, and some even dress like a leprechaun (a mischievous elf in Irish folklore). And there is a fun fact for not wearing green on St. Patrick's Day in the United States traditionally - that is - those who are caught not wearing green will be pinched affectionately.

So ladies. I bet you wouldn't want to be pinched nor wearing like a real leprechaun, and yet you want to feel like you are being part of the celebration. I created two fashion-inspired style boards via Polyvore for you from day to night.

First style board
Mood: Casual, Fun midweek working outfit
Color: Navy, Green, Teal, White, and Cream

I figure out St. Patrick's Day might not be a major holiday for some of you (still need to work from 9 to 5 as usual). Therefore, wearing green from head to toe does not sound right (imagine a walking green bell pepper in the office). So I put together a navy blazer, teal tank top, white skinny jeans and a pair of navy open-toe sling back heels for you. Since it is going to be in the office setting, you probably want to minimize the amount of jewelry, other accessories and make-up. And hence, a few strings of apple green pearls, a cream tote, and some green shades make-up will be perfect for this outfit!

Second style board
Mood: Grecian, St. Patrick's Party
Color: Sage Green, Black, and a touch of Gold

Tik tak tik tak...it is 5pm and it is party time (happy hours) on St. Patrick's Day! Head to the party right away from your workplace and do not want to have bunch of hassles to pack your party outfit in the morning?

I got you this simple three-in-one treat. A sage green chiffon dress, a pair of black with gold studs heels, and complete the Grecian-look with a pair of vintage-like earrings. If you happen to have a gold bangle or black leather bracelet with gold studs to match your party outfit, bring it on!

Inspiration from Movie: Alice-In-Wonderland-Inspired Party Ideas

2010-03-12T12:49:00.009-06:00

Are you familiar with Alice in Wonderland (AIW)? Have you ever wanted to have your own version of Alice-in-Wonderland Garden Party?

Photo Credit: The Internet Movie Database

The following talented styling groups make it possible for us to throw a AIW party at our backyard! That is inspiring! Both style shoots were featured in Wedding Chicks stylish blog and Amy Atlas Sweet Design blog, respectively.

Here are the details:

1. Alice In Wonderland Bridal Shower Ideas
Featured in Wedding Chicks stylish blog

Event Design: My Sorted Affair
Photography: Jessica Frey Photography
Paper Goodies: The Papeterie Store

Theme Shoot
Venue: Almond Orchard, Bakersfield, CA
Dishes and Props: My Sorted Affair and Jessica Frey Photography private collections
Other Props: IKEA and My Sorted Affair's Boutique at Etsy
Fashion: Forever 21

2. Alice In Wonderland Party Feature
Featured in Amy Atlas Sweet Design blog

Event Design: In Good Company
Photography: Andrea Carlyle Photography

THROW A PARTY!
Printable Party Collection, including invitation, note card, envelopes, food picks, cupcake rappers, book plates, bookmarks, favor boxes, bunting and patterned paper.
Created by: In Good Company

EXTRAS!
Party TIPS from Amy Atlas Events:

Styling Tip Mix and match unusual vessels such as teapots, creamers, jugs, and hatboxes. The more mismatched the better!

Serving Tip Offer a high tea buffet. Serve guests an assortment of teas, as well as tiny finger sandwiches, mini-quiche, scones, petit fours, chocolates, and cupcakes. Finish it off with a "Happy Unbirthday" cake, as was done in the Alice in Wonderland book!

Entertaining Tip Have guests create made hats at the party and hold a mad hatter fashion show at the end of the event. Provide hats, pipe cleaners, paper butterflies, plastic bugs, flowers, scissors, and tape for each guest to decorate.

We are welcoming Spring in less than two weeks. I believed many of you (including myself) might already started planning your Spring/Summer outdoor parties. Isn't this Alice in Wonderland Party idea come in right on time for that?! As always, I hope these styling shoots inspire you to plan your next event. Be it a wedding, bridal shower, bachelorette party, rehearsal dinner or a sweet sixteen birthday party; I hope you have fun planning it!

Have a fun weekend too, my dear blog readers!

Moment-Capture Thursday: Literary Theme Wedding

2010-03-11T11:22:00.009-06:00

I first saw this beautiful wedding via Snippet and Ink (Kathryn's blog has became one of my daily must-read blogs ever since I started my own wedding inspiration blog last April).

Two English Teachers fell in love to each other ...
One common interest ties them together (education/literature/books) ...
In the end, the two lovebirds sparkled at their Wedding Reception in Harold Washington Public Library, Chicago (Winter Garden Atrium).
The result is BEAUTIFUL!

Here are some amazing shots captured by Heather and Jon from One Love Photo.

Congratulations to the newlyweds Linda and Cameron! Also, not to forget to thank you Kathryn from Snippet and Ink for sharing the beautiful wedding from One Love Photo at your daily wedding inspiration blog! I love it!

Photo Credits:
1. Snippet and Ink
2. One Love Photo
3. Linda and Cameron Photo Slideshow by One Love Photo

Celebrity Wedding: The Bachelor Jason & Molly Mesnick Wedding

2010-03-09T14:04:00.005-06:00

The last thing a bride ever wanted on their outdoor wedding day is the gloomy day, rain, or a tsunami warning (the unpredictable one!). However, this is not the case for newlywed Jason and Molly Mesnick! The couple actually enjoyed it as the rain brings good luck to their marriage (with beautiful rainbow during their wedding day!). What a blessing for the newlywed!

Despite of the downpour, the lovebirds happily exchanged vows in front of their friends and family at Terranea Resort in Rancho Palos Verdes, CA on February 27, 2010. Wedding Planner, Jo Gartin of Love Luck and Angels, coordinated with Event Designer, Eden Rodriguez of End Design, prepared a green and white theme garden ceremony for Molly and Jason. They were married under a dome-like tree branches and driftwood canopy which decked with a lot of white lilies and orchids. Different heights of cylinder glasses lined along the aisle and guests were seated on all-white benches.

Two beautiful moments I love the most:

1- Molly wore her Monique Lhuillier strapless gown, carried a cascading bouquet of white phalaenopsis orchids, and walked down the aisle on the arm of her father to the song "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" played by former American Idol contestant, Jason Castro.
(The song title matches the day very much; rainbow was showing her beautiful moment while Molly walking down the aisle to meet her groom.)

2- The release of white doves at the end of their wedding ceremony. That's lovely and the scene is serene!

Let's take a few moment to enjoy the beautiful wedding as seen all over the website!

Congratulations to Molly and Jason! Wishing you a marriage life filled with blessings and happiness.

Source + Photo Credit:
1. Pop Sugar
2. CelebGlitz
3. Celebrity Bride Guide
4. Just Jared
5. OK Magazine
6. Zap2it Blog

Fashionista Monday: Oscar-inspired Wedding Gowns

2010-03-08T15:19:00.004-06:00

Congratulations to all winners of The 82nd Annual Academic Awards!

The Red Carpet, part of the show, is always my favorite part! Always love beautiful gowns the stars shine at red carpet. This is also part of the main reasons that brought me to the fashion industry after I graduated three years ago.

Today we are looking into some gorgeous gowns inspired by the stars as seen in The 82nd Annual Academic Awards Red Carpet.

1- Sandra Bullock in her embroidered lace and metallic Marchesa sheath.

For brides who love the Old Hollywood feel, I found this very classical matte sequins and ivory cut-out embroidery with sheer back gown by Claire Pettibone. Stunning!

2- Meryl Streep in her plunging white gown by Chris March from Project Runway show.
She looks elegantly beautiful.

I found this simple and yet elegant gown with low, draped back and pooled skirt by Alix & Kelly. This gown will look good in tall brides and be able to show off their pretty back. Oh...I wish I could be a few inches taller!

3- Anna Kendrick in her Elie Saab Couture off-the-shoulder blush gown. Pretty and Romantic! She looks so sweet!

Mintha (on the right), a combination of light mint green chiffon and white taffeta gown by Acquachiara. Mint green sash for the neckline and flowers on the corset. Ruffle in white taffeta creates a voluminous train to the back skirt. Dreamy color + Fairy Tale style = Romantic!

4- Carey Mulligan in black Prada gown embellished with Swarovski crystal flowers, forks, knives, scissors, and other random trinkets. The many ornaments definitely spiced up the simple hi-low black gown. Interesting!

Oleg Cassini designed a hi-low hemline gown for fun-loving offbeat brides too!
This strapless faille gown features elegantly draped sweetheart bodice and trendy three-dimensional flower at waist. Exclusively for David's Bridal.

5- Rachel McAdams in Elib Saab Haute Couture gown. Muted print in full volume organza and chiffon dress with draped heart-shaped neckline.

Michael Kors' muted print dresses (on the right) as seen in Bazaar Magazine.

6- Natalie Mark in her trumpet gown posed at The 82nd Annual Academic Awards Red Carpet. It is simple and yet she looks stunning in this gown.

Mermaid silhouette is my all time favorite. Moonlight Bridal Valerie Couture presented this strapless mermaid gown with scalloped tiers and hem. Isn't she look like a beautiful mermaid bride besides her groom?

Dear brides-to-be, I wish you all the best in finding your wedding gown for the important day in your life!