http://manolobrides.com/2010/01/07/lovehate-the-sportswear-edition/

http://manolobrides.com/?p=4138

Embroidered and bedazzled bridal sneakers… with heels. Bridal Chucks. And then there’s wellies, Uggs, and cowboy boots. I don’t think anyone can deny that footwear for the bride is a divisive issue when you move away from satin slippers and ivory pumps. All you have to do is look at comments like “Bridal shoes with personality are one thing. Completely tacky bedazzled canvas bridal shoes are another. Yuck!”

Photographer Mark Wallace snapped this pic of bride and groom sneakers from Adidas somewhere in New York — no surprise there — and I’m wondering what the readership thinks.

My take: At least they’re not covered in hot glued lace and glitter, like some bridal sneakers I’ve seen. What should we call their companions, groomal sneakers? You could wear them for a long time, since Adidas sneakers tend to last. And if you’re the kind of gal or guy who has spent practically your whole life in a pair of three stripes, then why not? I don’t love ‘em, but I sure as hell don’t hate them as much as I hate most bridal sneakers.

What say you?

http://manolobrides.com/2010/01/06/trash-the-dress-without-trashing-it/

http://manolobrides.com/?p=4113

We’ve all seen the trash the dress photoshoots where the bride is rolling around in a marsh somewhere, thoroughly muddying her wedding gown and looking like a waterlogged fairy with naughty deeds on her mind. There’s one set where a stuntwoman bride lit her gown on fire while wearing it, post-wedding of course. Then there are the trash the dress sessions where the now married bride tromps through dust and grime, perhaps even letting a few brambles tear at the hem of her gown. I’m glad those brides were able to afford a second session with a photographer and, one hopes, got the photos they wanted.

But trashing the dress isn’t for everyone, and especially not those brides who feel a strong sentimental attachment to their wedding dresses. That said, these same brides might also feel the inclination to take their gowns out into nature without ripping it apart or staining it beyond recognition or wetting it through or burning it to a crisp. Can they trash the dress without actually, well, trashing the dress? After doing a quick survey of trash the dress photos, I think the answer is yes. Many of not most of the photos that purport to trash the dress really don’t do much in the way of wear and tear. Here are three ways brides who want to take interesting post-wedding photos and come away with an intact wedding dress.

Take a chair into nature. Just because you’re out in the fields doesn’t mean you have to subject your wedding dress to the ravages of mud and animal droppings. A stool is just as out of place in a forest as a wedding dress is, so you’re not taking anything away from the photo other than astronomical drycleaning bills after the fact.

Stay on your toes. There’s no trash the dress rule that says you have to writhe in the dirt. Want to pose in an abandoned factory? Do it — just walk around, maybe with the hem of your wedding dress in your hands instead of on the ground. Boots are optional, but be careful of going barefoot where there might be nails or broken glass about.

Think urban. Take your wedding dress for a jaunt in the closest city and have fun watching the expressions on the faces of people you pass. You may get a bit of a dingy hem, but this can be cleaned or trimmed or even cut completely off if you’re thinking of turning your wedding dress into a kicky party frock.

(Photos via Jeanette Verster Photography)

ayun

It took me a few days to figure out why the view from the loungers in front of my beachfront bungalow on Phu Quoc looked so familiar. Then I realized that it was like those goddamn Corona ads, but with giant bottles of water, carved chunks of pineapple and Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell instead of bad beer resting on the painted wooden table next to me.

It's pretty cold today in Boston, and I miss my Corona ad very much.

http://manolobrides.com/2010/01/05/making-it-legal/

http://manolobrides.com/?p=4100

There’s no way around it other than keeping things unofficial… every state in the U.S. requires that couples obtain a marriage license before their wedding vows will mean anything in the government’s eyes. Frankly, applying for a marriage license is one of the more boring items on the wedding planning to-do list, but since it’s such a vital one I feel we must address it here for the sake of completeness. While I wish it were as engaging as sampling wedding cakes or shopping for a wedding dress, it just isn’t. On the the other hand, a quick trip to the county clerk’s office shouldn’t be stressful or too much of a pain in the butt if you go prepared.

Obviously every state will have its individual rules where applying for a marriage license is concerned, so I’m not going to try to cover every states’ particulars here. For that, you should call the clerk’s office since I’d say about 99% of the sources I’ve found for state-by-state marriage license info have been out of date or just plain incorrect. What follows here is a rough guideline for those who are just starting to think about applying for a marriage license.

Who, What, Where?
You and your spouse-to-be will proceed to the county clerk or clerk of the court office together, hopefully with all of the proper documentation. At the very least, you’ll need some form of ID, usually a driver’s license, birth certificate, military ID, or passport, though states’ requirements can vary. Non-citizens may have to present more than one form of ID. There’s going to be an application fee, and some county clerks still only accept cash and money orders or personal checks. Oh, and you’ll want to know three things: your social security number (which all adults really should have memorized), your wedding date, and where you’re planning to marry.

Having a Second Go At It
Have you ever been married before? Are you totally sure you’re not married even now? Just kidding! You’ll need to bring proof of divorce or annulment when applying for a marriage license, and you’ll need to know the date and place of your divorce or annulment. And if you’re a widow or widower, you may need to bring proof of that, too.

A Prick of the Finger
Don’t be surprised if the entirety of the Internet says that you and your spouse-to-be will need to get a blood test before applying for a marriage license. For example, every pertinent site I’ve found seems convinced that brides and grooms need one here in MA, but the fact is they don’t so don’t go wasting a perfectly good lancet if you happen to live in my state. Blood tests used to check for VDs (mainly syphilis), though apparently brides-to-be in Montana are still tested for Rubella immunity. Who checks for syphilis to this day? Just Mississippi and the District of Columbia.

Ask Away, Lest Ye Be Burned
Don’t take anything for granted when applying for a marriage license, and don’t assume that the requirements for your state that you found online are still valid. For all you know, that page was compiled in 1999! Good questions to ask include before you go fill out your application include: Is there a waiting period between applying and getting the marriage license and can it be waived by taking a premarital counseling course? Will the marriage license expire if not used within a set time frame? If I’m marrying on this date, when is the ideal time to apply for the marriage license? How much is the marriage license application fee and can a portion be waived by taking a premarital counseling course? Are there restrictions regarding where the license can be used?

That’s about all there is to it in most places. When The Beard and were applying for a marriage license in Florida, they didn’t care that we were non-residents or who was marrying us as long as we had our SS#s and the application fee handy.