Bridal Beauty: Hot Hair Flowers for Your Wedding

For most brides-to-be, picking the right hairstyle for their wedding day is a huge decision – and often a very tough one to make. When newlywed Kristin Bauer (True Blood ) was trying to decide on the perfect updo for her rustic at-home wedding something interesting came to mind.

“I love my hair up, but guys seem to love it when a woman wears her hair down,” she said in a recent interview. To get to the bottom of her style dilemma, she decided to ask her then-fiance, musician Abri van Straten, what he would prefer.

“He said he liked my hair best the way I wore it at our engagement dinner,” says Bauer. “It was down with a flower, so that’s what I wore for our wedding.”

Good call, Kristin! We love the look too. (Kristin's hair-flower was designed by Folly) Here are three hair flowers for brides we love. This original, handmade bridal hair piece (on left) designed by twigs and honey is available made-to-order on Etsy. The simple gardenia piece you see here(top) from My Diva’s Closet is just so chic – and it can be yours for just $12.50 (what a bargain!). Oh, and check out Eliza from Jennifer Behr ($185) – isn’t she a beauty? The gorgeous hand-pressed orchid petals are made of silk charmeuse that’s hand-twisted onto a hairpin for easy style. It’s sure to be a show-stopper on your wedding day.

True Blood Star Kristin Bauer Planned the Impossible – A Stress-Free and Affordable Dream Wedding – Find Out How!

My dear fellow True Blood junkies, I have grrrrrreat news! As you know actress Kristin Bauer (vampire Pam from our favorite HBO show ever) wed South African singer Abri van Straten at her family’s farm in Racine, Wisconsin, in a gorgeous rustic ceremony on August 1st. She called in to share her wedding story with CWB.

Kristin and I chatted for over an hour about the ups and downs of wedding planning, and I was so moved by her kind spirit, and shocked at how little she cared for the usual wedding drama. (You go, girl!) Want to know how she pulled off the DIY wedding of her dreams with little fuss, or money? Read on!

The Worry-Free Plan
Kristin only wanted two wedding details to be perfect. Fun for everyone, and to ensure that the ceremony and reception remained a stress-free zone. After seriously considering eloping, she decided to think outside the box instead. Since her family reunion was already planned and to be held on her family’s beautiful 45-acre farm, she thought, why not get married there?

“I’ve been in four weddings, and they were really big and seemed overwhelming,” explains Kristin. “We made sure to plan our wedding in the easiest possible way.” By choosing to marry at her family reunion, Kristin didn’t have to worry about getting her family together, and to keep things intimate she and Abri decided not to invite any friends.

A Short Vendor List
Kristin has a big family, so opting to wed at her reunion (which was actually planned before she even met Abri) made it easy for her to avoid having to select and book vendors. The caterer and the tent were already booked, and there was no way she needed a planner to tell her how to celebrate with family. The photographer who shot the wedding also shot the reunion festivities. She skipped the florist too.

“I didn’t want to purchase flowers for eco-reasons,” says Kristin. “Plus, the fields there are filled with such beautiful, natural flowers. My sister went out that morning and picked the flowers we placed in giant buckets for the wedding. We were calling my sister the wedding planner.”

Kristin fell in love with the first and only dress she ever laid eyes on – a Grecian-style , white, silk chiffon gown with a pleated waist by Alberto Ferreti. She paired it with a silk chiffon veil pinned in the back, and wore her hair down with a flower -- Abri’s favorite.

The Sweet and Simple Ceremony
“I just wanted to get married in the field,” says Kristin, insisting there wasn’t a bridezilla bone in her body when it came to finalizing wedding plans. “We had them come and mow a big circle for the ceremony. We did a big hay ride with the kids up to the circle, and everyone just sat on hay bales around us.”

Thought it had rained that morning, by the time her family began to arrive for the sunset ceremony, the clouds had started to part, providing the perfect backdrop for the couple’s “I dos." The bride’s uncle gave her away, and the groom’s sister (who’s a judge) married them. Getting the chance to just hang out in her jeans in the hours leading up to the ceremony helped take any edge off. “I felt really calm and really happy,” says Kristin.

Former “Bachelorette” Jen Schefft Launches New Blog on WeddingChannel.com

Listen up all you reality TV fans! Remember Jen Schefft, who got engaged to millionaire Andrew Firestone on The Bachelor, then split from him only to become the next star of The Bachelorette and pass on both guys in the finale? Like a truly confident young woman, Jen chose being happy over falling in love just for the cameras twice (yay for you!), and for that she’s our hero.

If you’re wondering what she’s been up to lately here goes: She wrote a book called Better Single than Sorry: A No-Regrets Guide to Loving Yourself and Never Settling (in 2007), got engaged to trader Joe Waterman (late last year), and is now planning a spring wedding – and blogging all about it on WeddingChannel.com while she answers questions from other brides too. (Busy lady, right?) So, be sure to check out Jen’s new celebrity bridal blog on WeddingChannel and ask her any burning questions you might have about the planning process or an issue you're having.

As you can see, I went to dinner with Jen to kick-off the partnership, and I must say brides, she’s one cool lady. She’s totally in love with Joe and dying to head down that aisle!

Make Your Food the Star of the Table

This is the last installment in the Eric Brynes/Tarah Peters celebrity wedding series, so listen closely all you fall/winter brides. Let me catch you up: Arizona Diamondbacks player Eric, married, former Miss California pageant winner Tarah in a gorgeous seaside ceremony last winter. Their wedding was so fabulous, that we decided to run a series all about their beauty behind their details with the hopes that it might help inspire you. First we fell in love with their his-and-hers cake, then we raved about how well they worked their monogram into their wedding. Today, in our final series installment it’s time to talk about their reception menu. As you can see from the yummy photos here, Eric and Tarah’s guests dined very well and their caterers certainly deserved being selected as finalists for Wedding of the Year at this year’s NACE (National Association of Catering Executives) Awards.

Bottom line: Finger food is fun, people! Plus, it can be very easy to display – something that if done correctly can add to the look and feel of your reception. Easy-to-grab menu items are at a more casual reception as people start to gather around each food station. If you’re a foodie first and bride second, then having bite-sized serving options can allow more room on the menu for your favorite kitchen creations (in comparison to a traditional sit-down dinner). Is anyone else hungry?

Want more catering tips and trips? Get budget-friendly menu ideas from the stars.

photo: Geoff White Photographers

Working Your Monogram into Your Wedding

Okay fall/winter wedding brides, we’re back this week with more lovely details from Arizona Diamondbacks player Eric Brynes and former Miss California Tarah Peters’ seaside winter wedding to help with inspiration for your big day.

If this was Monograms 101 , Eric and Tarah would be star pupils. For their wedding, the stylish couple pulled  it off beautifully and seamlessly.  First things first, I love the lowercase letters. They really help to enforce the casual vibe they were shooting for here.  If you’re considering including a monogram design in your wedding décor, deciding whether you’re for or against monograms is only the first step – considering different fonts, styles, and colors is the next part and the fun part. (You can make your own or have a professional create a design for you.)

Once you’ve picked a monogram design, it’s time to determine when and how you’ll use it. Eric and Tarah chose to carry their monogram style through most of their reception details. (In the photos, you’ll see how they used “t&e” to decorate the menus, favors, seating cards, and the dance floor.) Notice how in each case the monogram is used to compliment the detail rather than distract the eye from it? Keeping your monograms in a softer, more neutral color is a great way to ensure that they don’t become too busy or off-putting. Here the gold and brown shades the pair selected make an elegant-yet-subtle statement

So today's lesson is: The options for incorporating your monogrammed style are endless. If you’ve found a design you love, debut it in your save-the-dates then introduce it into your wedding stationery. Or, for a more discrete inclusion, consider printing it on the ribbons that will hold your flowers together or along the seam of the rings bearer pillow.

Geoff White Photography

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

Inside the Mind of Bride-To-Be Ellen Degeneres

What really goes on behind the scenes when celebrity brides plan their A-list weddings? We can't read their minds, but we found the next best thing. Meet Stacey Wolf, a professional psychic astrologer and our newest guest blogger. This week, she dishes on what's in the stars for Ellen Degeneres and offers some advice for her upcoming wedding to Portia de Rossi. Check out her bridal reading!

Ellen Degeneres, Aquarius (January 26, 1958)
Ellen is a typical Aquarius—a fun-loving, socially graceful, nonconformist! Aquarians love to stand up for what they believe and have all their friends and family around to witness that. We can expect Ellen’s ceremony to be filled with vows and ideals that are important to her and her larger community as well. Her reception will either be packed with everyone she has ever known and loved or no one at all—depending upon whether she’s going with the community-loving side of Aquarius or the rebellious one.

Aquarians always do something very un-bridal—neither Ellen nor her partner may show up looking like a bride at all, but however she is dressed, she’ll look polished and elegant. The socially conscious Water Bearers are great at doing eccentric chic.

With a fearless and fiery Aries Moon, her wedding is sure to have its fair share of drama and spontaneity—the vows, the kiss, the first-dance. With her attention grabbing emotional nature, what ever she does, she does it big and bold.

To ensure a happy outcome for this unconventional bride, her other half should be open to everything and not try to limit or control her idealistic nature. With an Aquarius as part of your pair, you need a big enough plan so that everyone feels heard and respected.

Inside the Mind of Bride-To-Be Carmen Electra

What goes on in the minds of celebrity brides planning their A-list weddings? We can't read their minds, but we found the next best thing. Meet Stacey Wolf, a professional psychic astrologer and our newest guest blogger. This week, she offers the lowdown on actress Carmen Electra's bridal reading and some advice for her upcoming wedding to Korn guitarist Rob Patterson.  Check it out!

Carmen Electra, Taurus (April 20, 1972)
Carmen is barely a Taurus, born on the cusp of Taurus and Aries, she's really a mix of the laid back, friendly loyal Bull and the independent, risk taking, dramatic Ram.  As a bride, she has an innate need to look like beautiful—traditional wedding dress, long flowing hair and fabu shoes (a must for Taurus gals).  Yet that Aries influence will make sure the look is big, bold and dramatic (Aries don't do anything small).

Her ceremony will likely be outdoors in a spectacular location; her reception must include tons of delicious food, perhaps served with some unique twist.  She will have traditional music and dancing—and some wild entertainment as well (belly dancers, anyone?).

When it comes to relationships, Carmen has a great ability to take advantage of cultural trends, technology and opportunities with media (both Mars and Venus in Gemini).  No doubt she'll have her wedding photos splashed all over the cover of People or US Weekly—planned in advance for the greatest exposure.

No one should ever say “NO!” to Carmen if they want her to be a happy bride.  The Taurus nature is so stubborn, when they get their mind set on something, that's the way it must be.  The Aries influence just adds to this nature, Aries have a million great ideas, want to go off and explore them all, and can all too easily leave things unfinished.  Thank God she's got a good support system to follow behind her, tackling all her fun projects once she gets bored!  This is sure to be a fun wedding, with everyone she's every known and loved in attendance.

Last week, Stacey told us why Fergie's upcoming wedding will be more traditional than we think. Keep a close watch on our newest celebrity wedding series!

celeb photo: Bill McCay/WireImage/Getty Images

Inside the Mind of Bride-To-Be Fergie

What goes on in the minds of celebrity brides planning their A-list weddings? We can't read their minds, but we found the next best thing. Meet Stacey Wolf, a professional psychic astrologer and our newest guest blogger. This week, we asked her for the scoop on pop queen Fergie's bridal reading. Check it out!

Stacy “Fergie” Ferguson, Aries (March 27, 1975)
Fergie is an Aries Sun with a Libra Moon.  She personifies both Aries’ independence and Libra’s elegance well, finding a way to be sexy, fearless and graceful all at the same time. You can expect Fergie to embody this very interesting combination as a bride as well.  Her wedding must be a traditional affair—a stunning dress, beautiful flowers, abundant food, great friends—but it also must include her myriad of unique creative ideas.  From the invitations to the music, it will all have her artistic stamp.

From the look of her astrology chart, Fergie has a very powerful will to achieve what she focuses on.  Her Moon sits next to powerhouse planet Pluto, both opposite of her Sun.  Wonderful for her career but if she doesn’t watch out—she can be a bridezilla in the making.  She has very intense feelings (sometimes even she doesn’t know what to do with them!) that can intimidate mere mortals.  When she feels strongly about something she absolutely hates it when people disagree with her (feeling sorry for her wedding planner right about now?).  Here’s my advice for the hired help:  In order to keep her a contented bride, listen to her thoughts, figure out a way to make the plan work and don’t get frustrated if she changes her mind a few times—after all she’s an Aries and she is the bride!  The harmony of her Libra Moon contains this strong will power and she will end up with something simply magical.

Last week, Stacey dished on why Jennifer Love Hewitt will be a fairytale princess bride.

celeb photo: Denise Truscello/WireImage/Getty Images

Inside the Mind of Bride-to-Be Jennifer Love Hewitt

What goes on in the minds of celebrity brides planning their A-list weddings? We can't read their minds, but we found the next best thing. Meet Stacey Wolf, a professional psychic astrologer and our newest guest blogger. We asked her for a sneak peek at Jennifer Love-Hewitt's bridal reading. Check it out!

Jennifer Love Hewitt, Pisces (February 21, 1979)
A Pisces Sun, Jennifer is sweet and soulful.  She needs to be a fairy tale princess bride, marrying her knight in shining armor, surrounded by the people she loves the most. The ceremony will be one of poetic beauty, with abundant flowers and heart-felt, inspiring vows (her communication planet Mercury is in Pisces, too).  The reception will be filled with romantic, sentimental gestures – favorite photos, the first songs they heard together, her grandmother’s favorite recipe.

Jennifer likely has a Sagittarius Moon, making her more of a risk taker in love and life.  She’ll likely add some adventure to her wedding --if not for her ceremony and reception, definitely for the honeymoon. Many brides with a Sag Sun, Moon or Rising sign take their guests on an adventure with spiritual rites, exotic food, or a destination weddings.

To avoid Jennifer’s bridezilla side, one should not over whelm her sensitive Pisces nature with too much reality.  Outlandish family requests, big budget issues, and drowning in too many decisions are just three of the common concerns that can make a Pisces weep with stress!  (Pisces are slow to anger, but once they are upset, it’s impossible to console them!)  No worries, her knight in shining armor will save her from having to deal with these harsh scenarios all by herself!

celeb photo: Amy Graves/WireImage/Getty Images