Bridal Beauty: Do-it-Yourself Wedding Make-Up

If beauty is in the eye of the beholder, why should it cost you an arm and a leg just to get your make-up done on your wedding day? Thankfully, there are a few options out there that allow you to look glamorous on a budget.

We fell in love with Katherine Heigl’s look for her wedding day (subtly smoky eyes and rosy glow), and set out to find a way to recreate it without calling in an expert. First up: EyeEnvy Smokey Kit ($25.00), the peel-away eye shadow application that leaves your eyes looking sexy and smoldering.  When we read about it on AOL earlier this week we thought it sounded a little weird, but after further research it totally makes sense. Designed by a celebrity make-up artist, the kit contains peel-off mineral cream shadows that are 100% hypo-allergenic, totally long-wearing, and crease-proof. Simply place it on your eye, remove and apply the setting powder.

Bright eyes and a gorgeous smile are key when it comes to completing your wedding look. Thankfully, celebrity make-up artist Bobbi Brown (Sienna Miller and Susan Sarandon are big fans) understands that, and created a limited edition bridal kit ($75.00) for you and your entire bridal party. The kit focuses on your focal points (bright, bold eyes and soft, shimmery pink lips) and comes with eye shadow, mascara, liquid liner, lip gloss and a compact.

Beauty may be a beast, but it should never spoil your wedding day.

Engagement Break-ups: When "I Do" Becomes "I Don't"

On Tuesday, Desperate Housewives star Nicolette Sheridan announced that she and her fiance, singer Michael Bolton had called it quits. Generally, we try to avoid the downside of celebrity weddings and engagements, but this time around, it really got us thinking about the proper wedding protocol for announcing a broken engagement. Should you call your guests? Should you send them a card? Should you leave it up to your bridal party to inform everyone? Thankfully, our pal Peggy Post, wedding etiquette expert extraordinaire (and granddaughter of Emily Post) was able to fill us in on the right way to say it's over.

Do: Tell your family first, advises Post. "Your parents should be the first to know. When children are involved from a previous marriage, they should be told even before your parents hear the news. If any children have developed a good relationship with the person you were engaged to, it’s especially imperative to tell them right away."

Don't: Wait for friends and family to spread the word. You should immediately begin contacting people. While Post recommends by phone, e-mail or a simple note are also acceptable. If you choose to send a card, the following wording is appropriate: "Mr. and Mrs. James Hinckley announce that the marriage of their daughter Rebecca to Mr. Oliver Smith will not take place."

Do: Make sure you return all your engagement, shower and wedding gifts immediately, says Post. That includes any monetary gifts as well. You should also include a brief note explaining the situation and thanking the person for their thoughtful gift: "Dear Jessica, I am sorry to have to tell you that Henry and I have broken our engagement. I'm returning the beautiful crystal bowl that you were so thoughtful to send. Love, Ashley"

Don’t: Leave it up to a family member or friend to do all your dirty work for you. "A family member or friend may be able to help you out by getting in touch with people who have been contracted for services (caterers and the like), but you should personally speak with the officiant, attendants, and others who agreed to participate in the planned wedding," says Post. 

Get more wedding etiquette advice from Peggy Post at WeddingChannel.com.

His and Her Wedding Styles: Personalize Your Cake

Calling all baseball fans! In case you hadn’t heard, Arizona Diamondbacks player Eric Brynes married beauty queen and former Miss California Tarah Peters in late 2007. We got our hands on the gorgeous photos from their elegant, yet casual seaside ceremony at the Ritz Carlton at Half Moon Bay California, and were very impressed with how well they personalized their winter wedding details. So impressed in fact, that we’re going to run a mini-series all about their glamorous “I Dos” and the well-planned details behind them.

First up let’s examine their wedding cake – and what a cake it was. The couple had it custom designed to represent their personal achievements and showcase different mementos from their lives. Notice the baseball and Fox sports nods for him, and the tiara for her.  Even their dogs (who were also part of the ceremony) were represented by a chic dog collar creation.) Our guess is that the Coldwell Banking “sold” sign represents their new home together and that that Cadillac symbol is all about their new ride.  Way to team up on the planning details, guys! I guess it’s not surprising that this wedding was selected as a finalist for Wedding of the Year at this year’s NACE (National Association of Catering Executives) Awards

Curious what this down-to-earth celebrity couple actually registered for? Take a look at their old WeddingChannel.com gift registry.

photos by: Geoff White Photography

Vendor Profile: Glam Up Your Reception Tables

Your search for glamorous wedding details should go beyond the traditional wedding style guides and magazines. Why not turn to your favorite flick? Stephanie Bradshaw, of Bradshaw Interiors sure did. Check out this tabletop concept she designed around her love for the fabulous characters (and her apparent namesake) of Sex and the City.

This table is just one example of what happens when you partner up with a designer who thinks outside the box. Bradshaw Interiors is primarily an interior design company, but you can’t tell me this table setup wouldn’t be the star detail of your ultra-modern winter wedding? SJP would be proud. Love it or hate it? You tell us!

Fall Ceremony Trend: Barn Weddings

It’s a little bit country, a little bit casual, and a whole lot cheaper than your local country club. Barn weddings are taking the nation by storm, with many brides and grooms opting out of formal locations in exchange for the rustic intimacy of farm life.

Bachelor star Andrew Firestone chose to wed his wife, actress Ivana Bozilovic, in the pole barn on the property of his family home in Los Olivos, CA, on July 5, and while you may not have a barn so readily available, there’s quite a few options around the country that offer up plenty of pastoral charm.

Fearington Village (Pittsboro, NC)
The barn at this former dairy farm new Chapel Hill offers plenty of southern charm. Leave the garden for a glimpse down a cobblestone entryway that leads to a large, climate-controlled space complete with stage, catering and seating for up to 300 guests.

The Barn of Barrington (Barrington, IL)
Formally a working barn, this restaurant is now a elegant venue that resembles a French chateau chock full of charming architecture and unique antiques. Order the wedding package for you and your guests and the barn will provide fresh flowers for the guest tables, candelabras for the head table, candlesticks, table linens, white skirting, place cards  and a cake table.

White Rocks Inn (Wallingford, VT)
Relax at this New England country inn that’s famous for its historical gothic barn. Snuggled deep within  Otter Creek Valley, the inn offers up award-winning fine dining and antique limo service, while the barn itself boasts over 15,00 square feet, ornate wooden beams, and space for up to 200 guests.

Fairview Farms (Plano, TX) Thinking barbecue and baked beans over brioche or brie? The Corral Barn at Fairview Farms is the perfect party spot to host a rustic ranch-style wedding. The facility can host up to 350 people, and comes with a catering menu that includes local favorites like beef brisket, pulled pork, BBQ beans, potato salad, and fresh peach cobbler a la mode.

Check out the bride and groom's luxurious honeymoon locale.

Pole Barn at Firestone Winery

Photo: Andrew Firestone and Ivana Bozilovic; Amy Graves /Getty Images

Reception Details: Apothecary Jars

Looking for a creative way to incorporate shabby chic elements into your wedding day? These days,  a quirky container will take your far! While celebrity brides like Marcia Cross and Jaime King used modern vessels for their respective receptions, we've fallen in love with the antique-infused apothecary jars (like this one from Etsy). Perfect for sweets treats, or even better when incorporated into romantic centerpieces (we’ve recently seen them filled with moss, bird’s nests, and stones), it’s a pretty detail that has major recycling appeal for your bathroom or kitchen.

Jennifer Love Hewitt Postpones Wedding

Shocker! We didn't see this one coming. E! News is reporting that Jennifer Love Hewitt has postponed her wedding to fiance, actor Ross McCall because things are shaky between them.

Friends say the couple has hit a rough patch due to conflicting travel schedules.

A friend of Hewitt's tells E! News: "Things aren't great between them. It's hard because he's filming in New Mexico and she's in Los Angeles. The relationship is strained and their wedding won't happen anytime soon. "

After announcing their engagement last November, the seemingly happy couple have only spoken positive things about their wedding plans and their relationship. Hewitt had previously hinted that a surprise wedding could be in store, and that a summer wedding was out because she didn't want to be a sweaty bride. "If we kind of wake up and say, ‘Let's go do it,' that's how we will do it.”

Guess things change fast. Let's hope this one never converts from rumor to fact.

"Real Housewives" Star Offers Lesson in Bad Wedding Etiquette

You know how they say money can't buy you love? Well, it apparently can’t buy you manners either.  Case in point: One of the ladies from The Real Housewives of NYC recently attended a wedding in the Hamptons, and her naughty actions resulted in a gossipy write-up in the New York Post.

Countess LuAnn de Lesseps (our personal favorite of the ladies who lunch), was spotted storming the stage at the wedding reception, knocking over gear, and generally making nuisance of herself in front 200 wedding guests. "She knocked over the drum set while smiling at the horrified guests,"  says a source with the paper.

To add insult to injury, the countess continued on her wedding rampage. "She was trying to make out with women and married men," the source says. "A pregnant wife caught her in the act, stormed off and walked home in disgust." "She wasn't just kissing the married men, she was also grabbing their [crotches]," snitches another wedding guest.

While witnesses swear they later spotted the countesses' husband shoving her angrily in the parking lot, the couple vehemently deny that the incident ever occurred, or that de Lesseps acted out in any way.  "This sounds like a plot," insists Alexandre Count de Lessups.

Plot or not, we're still pretty confident Emily Post is rolling over in her grave right now.

Newlywed Trend Alert: Charlie Sheen and Wife Expecting

We think we may have spotted the newest celebrity wedding trend:  Hollywood newlyweds are conceiving children faster than they can say "Happy Anniversary." People reveals that newlyweds Charlie Sheen and Brooke Mueller are in fact expecting their first child together.

"Brooke and I are thrilled!" Sheen said in a statement Monday. "She's the best stepmom Sam, Lola and Cassandra could ever hope for. Seeing her love and affection with those three, I know she'll be an amazing mom. Unless I bat 100 percent, perhaps a boy awaits us."

This news follows Rebecca Romijn and Jerry O’Connell announcing just days after their one-year anniversary that they’re expecting twins later this year.  Plus, newlyweds Ashlee Simpson and Pete Wentz are also expecting a little bundle of joy before the one-year mark.

We wonder who the stork will visit next. Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi? Jewel and Ty Murray?

Madonna Renews Her Wedding Vows

Her tour may be sticky and sweet, but as of late, Madonna's marriage has been anything but. Thankfully, London's Daily Mail reports that the pop icon and her husband, director Guy Ritchie, have apparently renewed their wedding vows. A source tells the paper that Madonna had her kabbalah teacher secretly flown in to perform the ceremony.

"It was very intimate and both Guy and Madonna made vows to each other and pledged to try to make their marriage strong again," says the source. "The ceremony lasted about an hour. They turned up at the kabbalah centre in their gym clothes and changed into white robes. Everyone at the centre hopes that they will get through their rough patch."

Madonna wedding photo, December 2000: Dave Hogan/Getty Images