Fab Finds at The Wedding Salon

There are two things that I found at The Wedding Salon which I thought were incredible; a brilliant wedding cake:

VOGUE fashion cake by Dream Cakes

and:

Clear Chivari Chairs!!!!!!

                                                                
Chivari chairs are all the rage at weddings but have you seen clear ones? I bet you haven't (until now anyway)!

My Day at the Wedding Salon in NYC!

Yesterday (April 27th), I had the opportunity to go to The Wedding Salon event at Manhattan Center Studios (thanks Weddingbee for the free tickets!). There were hundreds of brides (and some grooms) enjoying the expo and looking for various deals that can make their wedding a success.

As soon as my friend and I walked in, everything "wedding" popped up at us. My fiance did not accompany me to the event because a) he had to work and b) there was just too much going on in the room for him. I took one of my bridesmaids with me and we had a blast:

This was just a fraction of the crowd at the expo!

In the middle of the expo there were centerpiece samples. I loved all of the tables but I had my favorites:

This is the Vera Wang Wedgewood Table. I love the square chargers.

This was my absolute favorite!

I love the candlelight and the orchids.

The Le Cirque table

And we cannot forget the wedding dresses (both of which are from Jaehee Bridal Atelier):

I love this dress!

A side view of the dress.

The Wedding Salon also had cake and wine tastings, as well as free manicures and eyelash application. It was a wonderful evening and gave me some great ideas for my own wedding.

Have you gone to any wedding expos so far? What was your experience?

How Are You Planning Your Own Royal Wedding?

Courtesy of ABC News

As you know, the Royal Wedding is in just 3 days. Come Friday, we will be watching as Prince William marries his longtime love, Kate Middleton. As a bride I am assuming that you have been following the spectacular wedding planning that is going on in London.

Have you been so fascinated with the Royal Wedding that you have incorporated some of their traditions in your own nuptials? Unfortunately, many of us will not have the chance to attend the most famous wedding in the world. However, you don't have to be Royalty to have a Royal Wedding. Here are some fabulous things you can do:

• Add a crystal encrusted tiara to your bridal outfit. 
• A long, cathedral train behind your bridal gown never hurt. Remember Princess Diana's train?
• Book a castle for your reception.
• Have your ceremony in a beautiful cathedral. 
• Use the Royal colors, purple and gold as your wedding color palette. (Purple is actually my wedding color.)

How are you planning your own Royal Wedding? How are you making it your own special day?

Going Bridal: Things I Checked Off the To-Do List

*Posted on February 15, 2011 on my other blog, Manhattan Writers Block.


Ok I have to admit, I have been going rather quickly when it comes to this wedding planning thing. I have been feeling a bit of anxiety since talk of wedding planning began. However, I must press on and perform the tasks that are on my list. Here are some of the things I checked off the to-do list:

• Looked at venues. I found a great place and I'm hoping that we will book it very soon (like, next week soon).
• We discussed the budget. Once we visited the venue, we learned what our dream wedding would cost. Luckily, it will not break the bank (hopefully). 

Brides, do you have any tips for me? I'm just starting out. 

Going Bridal: The Planning Begins

*Posted on February 6, 2011 on my other blog, Manhattan Writers Block.

This blog has taken a different approach recently; due to new things that is going on. When I realized that I had to plan a wedding, I knew I wanted to share my planning experiences with everyone. I want a beautiful wedding, without spending a fortune or going into debt. I have found some amazing tools that will help me with my DIY wedding projects (which I will share with you in a series of posts). However, there is one thing I wanted to share with you today.

The importance of bridal magazines:

I purchased these three bridal magazines in hopes of looking at pretty wedding dresses; I received so much more. I learned so much about wedding planning that I highly recommend these magazines. If you are a bride, fresh from your engagement, you should definitely pick up a bridal magazine tomorrow. Bridal magazines provide endless information about "what to do the first 30 days of your engagement," "how to pick your wedding dress" and (my personal favorite) DIY projects. I think that purchasing these magazines has lead to a bridal magazine addiction. I walk by a newsstand and my eyes instantly gravitate to the bridal section.

Are there any brides out there? Has bridal magazines helped or is helping you plan your wedding?

*Photo taken by me. 

The 20-Something Bride

* Posted on February 4, 2011 on my other blog, Manhattan Writers Block.

Courtesy of Morguefile

So, I previously revealed that I am engaged. This exciting information is now moving its way amongst my family and friends (and some of my mom's friends). For the most part I am getting a lot of well wishes and congratulations but there are those who are shocked that I would think about getting married in my 20s. 

I am 24 years old and until now I didn't realize that my age would be a problem. There are people in my circle who are wondering why I would want to miss out on the greatest part of my young life by getting married. Their comments have certainly disturbed me because quite frankly, its no one's business. Some of it has made me laugh because the same people who are criticizing my choice are not married. I guess everyone must put their two cents in, even though I didn't ask for it. 

So, do you feel my struggle? Have you ever had to endure negative comments from family and friends?

Hi, I'm Getting Married!

Hey everyone! You may know me from Manhattan Writers Block, where I discuss my professional journey. On New Year's Day of this year I got engaged. I was discussing my wedding plans on MWB and it seemed to take over that blog and it hit me; I should just talk about my wedding adventures in a separate blog. Thus Bridal Sparkle was born. I want Bridal Sparkle to be the place where we brides discuss everything wedding; from the most terrifying moment to the most glamorous.

Since we are celebrating the Royal Wedding this week, I want to re-introduce some of past wedding posts that I featured on my other blog, Manhattan Writers Block. You will see different posts throughout the week that detail my wedding journey so far, everything from bridal magazines to interfaith marriages. You will see an asterisk (*) on the re-introduced posts, to separate them from the new ones.

Keep in mind that Manhattan Writers Block is still going strong; it just seemed like the easiest and best idea to separate my wedding journey from my professional one. This way everything is organized.

New Year's Surprises: I'm Engaged!!

*Posted on January 2, 2011 on my other blog, Manhattan Writers Block.

Courtesy of Martha Stewart Weddings

Yes, I'm engaged! My boyfriend proposed to me at 12:01 am New Year's Day. I am so excited that I can't even control myself. The past four days has been spent enjoying my engagement and imagining my dream wedding. The proposal was amazing and I couldn't have dreamed of a better one. It was very private (just between us) and very sentimental.

My engagement ring is not within the picture I posted but it is very special to me; its a colored gemstone! Its not a traditional diamond ring and I love that about it (I will definitely post pictures). I am so excited and I really want to share the wedding planning process with you. This was an amazing New Years for me. I said goodbye to my boyfriend in 2010 and hello to my fiancé in 2011; LOVE it!