Wedding Salon

Hey there, hive!

I had the pleasure of attending the Wedding Salon at the Roosevelt Hotel in midtown Manhattan on April 12. I most definitely had a wonderful time as it was my first bridal show. I never went to one even while engaged! It was a great opportunity to get a look at what vendors are offering and see some new bridal fashion.

I also got to see a special someone. Do you know her?

Courtesy of Miss Hamster

Miss Hamster and I were also joined by the lovely, MOH/Sister Hamster and Mrs. Lovebird and friend.

The event was divided into various rooms connected by a hallway and also occupied the Grand Ballroom, which was full of even more vendors and live music from various bands.

What I liked about the Wedding Salon was that there were vendors for every person's interests:

For the honeymoon daydreamers:

The Seychelles Tourism Board ( I soo want to go here!) and the Barbados Tourism Authority.

For lovers of all things sweet:

Amazing Truffles from Sweet Perfection Desserts

I was lucky enough to have two of these bite-size cake truffles in Chocolate Chiffon and Lemon Chiffon flavors. Swoon! They pack a perfect little sweet punch and would make a great addition to a sweets table or as favors.

A lush floral multi-tier cake from Make My Cake, one of my favorite bakeries in New York City. I used to live near one of their two shops in Harlem; and yes, I needed restraint not to stop by often.

For those in search of beauty:

Attendees had the opportunity to get free makeup trials and advice from a variety of beauty specialists such as Courtney Akai Salon.

And this was just the start of my trip around the event. Phew!

A view of the Grand Ballroom courtesy of Miss Hamster

When I finally made my way to the ballroom, I was definitely overwhelmed by all of the lovely tables filled with gorgeous, elegant table designs that many florists and event designers created.

Flowers by Topaz

The team from In Bloom created a table that brought the natural world inside with branches, soft candles and vibrant, colorful china.

Pure opulence from Disney's Fairytale Weddings by David Tutera (more on him in a minute!)

One of my favorite tablescapes was the table from Gubby & Swife, a husband and wife event design team.

Surprisingly, it was the only one without a tall centerpiece. I love the light, crisp, pops of color and the understated floral arrangement, especially the palm details at each napkin. Also I'd like to send an extra special shout out to Farley Green, the Swife portion of Gubby and Swife. She was very pleasant to me while I peppered her with questions. Vendors take note! Please be friendly at bridal shows. :)

Lest I forget: the man, the myth, the legend, Mr. David Tutera, made an appareance. There was most definitely a long line of fans waiting to meet him.

This is the best pic that I could find (thanks, Miss Hamster!). Sorry I couldn't do better, DT fans!

Of course the main event of the whole evening was the bridal couture show produced by Bridal Reflections.

I was so excited to see my first bridal fashion show, and I wasn't disappointed. The fashion show included designs from Ines Di Santo, Stephen Yearick, David Tutera by Faviana and Marina K Couture. Here are some highlights:

I like that this dress by Stephen Yearick pushed the envelope with feathers on the bodice.

Ines DiSanto with her models

There was so much to see at the Wedding Salon, and I hope I'll be able to go back again soon.

*All photos by Creative Compositions unless otherwise noted

Never a Bridesmaid?

So there's the saying, "Always a bridesmaid, never a bride," but what if you're like me? I've never been a bridesmaid!!! Yes, that's right. I've never gotten the chance to look like this:

(source)

Katherine Heigl, you look maaaarvelous, daahling...just not in this.

(source)

Sadly, my closet occasionally looks like this, and I don't have 27 bridesmaid dresses in it!

For my adult life,* I have never had the privilege of being a bridesmaid. I've never planned a bachelorette party; held the bouquet for a friend while she's said her vows; or planned a bridal shower. The sad part is that as I get older, it's looking like there is a strong possibility that I may not have this experience. Part of me is sad about that, but another part of me is wondering if that may not be such a bad thing.

Please don't think I am hating on the concept of being a bridesmaid. I actually think it's a very amazing honor bestowed on a friend or a loved one. By being a bridesmaid, you're in a position to be a source of support and comfort for that special bride in your life during what can be a busy and stressful time.

As much as I know all of this, I've also come to realize that I am not in the prime position for being asked to even be a bridesmaid 'cause:

1. I'm essentially an only child. No siblings means less chance to be in at least one wedding.

2. I've got a small group of friends. I love my friends. I may not have oodles of them, but the ones I do have I LOVE. They are an amazing group of primarily women who awe me on the regular. They just don't have me in their bridal parties :) But seriously, I'm also the type to spend quality time with two to three people at a time and not really prone to being a part of big groups of friends. I guess less friends automatically lowers the chances of a bridesmaid invite, huh?

3. Most of my good friends have had the small city hall or destination wedding; have an army of sisters and female cousins who take priority over me; or went the "no bridal party" route like I did. As a group, we're also pushing further and further into our 30's and simplicity in life and relationships seems to be taking priority over tradition. I really feel many of my unmarried friends will choose to forgo the bridal party option. Maybe someone will prove me wrong?

I don't know why this is coming up now. Okay, that's a lie. I do. :) A recently engaged BFF actually didn't ask me to be a part of her wedding party. She'll have her sister and one other friend. At first, I was a bit taken off guard and kinda disappointed. Mr. Swan even mentioned that I shouldn't even be caring about ever being a bridesmaid because I've already had the ultimate wedding experience: I've been a bride! I know that I am getting back what I put out into the universe, since I didn't have a bridal party of my own. Ahhh, darn you, Bridal Karma!

After awhile to think about it, I'm actually almost a little psyched about not being chosen as a part of the wedding party. I didn't really understand my own change of heart at first, but now I feel like there is a bit of freedom in my continued bridesmaid virginity: no dress I may or may not like; some nice cost savings; and not having to think at all (just celebrate) the day of the wedding. In the end I guess it doesn't seem so bad, right?

Is there anyone else out there who has never been a bridesmaid and has the odds stacked against their chance of achieving Bridesmaid-dom? Am I missing an important life experience? Let me know!

*I was a junior bridesmaid in my aunt's wedding when I was twelve. I just stood there and looked cute. When I was eighteen, I did the same thing for a family friend who seemed to need some warm bodies to have an even bridal party. Her fiance had seven brothers or something like that. In both cases, I didn't really do much. I don't count these though, but should I?