Shecky's » Wedding Belles

Heat Up Your Honeymoon in Hot Bridal Lingerie

christinasheckys — Tue, 15 May 2012 14:00:44 +0000

Here comes…the season of the bride! It’s that beautiful time of year when weddings abound, and though it’s all about the dress, dress, dress, what you wear underneath is just as important, at least to your soon-to-be spouse! Ditch your traditional undergarments and go for these glam bridal lingerie pieces to have your significant other oohing and aahing long after the wedding and well into your marriage!

If you’re feeling sexy and you know it, go for this fun ‘n’ flirty Hanky Panky Trousseau Peek-a-boo lace teddy ($83 on thelittleflirt.com). This is the pièce de résistance of bridal lingerie. It features all over sheer lace with a V-neckline, adjustable straps and a thong bottom with a flouncy ‘skirt’. Get ready, because this Hanky Panky teddy will definitely spark some hanky panky in the honeymoon suite!

Image credit: hankypanky.com

-Ehmonie Hainey of What’s Haute Magazine

What’s Haute Magazine is an online shopping and personal style resource. We know you love to shop and love a great deal, as well as an occasional splurge. We’re all about helping you find what’s haute right now. Think of us as your friend in the know. The one you take shopping who always knows where to find the best stuff. Want to know what your favorite celebrity was wearing and where to buy it? How about which designer jeans will fit best on your body? Or where to score that designer bag for much less? We’ll show you.

The Weirdest, Wackiest Wedding Themes Ever

Shecky's — Tue, 15 May 2012 13:00:51 +0000

Mayhem ensues this month, and I’m not talking about spring flings or hot Memorial Day vacation spots. May is one of the most popular times for blushing brides to walk down the aisle, and while some opt for a traditional church wedding, others tap into their inner, er, fantasies for the big day. Take out those Kleenex and get ready to cry (from laughter!) because these nuptials aren’t your run-of-the-mill ceremonies—they’re wacky, hilarious, and only done by those whose wedding day dreams are filled with zombies, magic and inherent werewolf howls. Move over, Jacob Black, you aren’t the first to leave an imprint on someone’s heart!

-Jinee Son

Star Wars

I’ve said it time and time again—I’m a huge Star Wars fan, but to pull off Princess Leia buns on my wedding day may be more trouble than it’s worth, not to mention challenging guests in lightsaber battles would be a bit distracting from reciting my vows. We’re all for classy movie-themed weddings, and while the thought of marrying a Jedi gets me all giddy inside, I still couldn’t walk down the aisle to “Darth Vader’s Theme” and take myself seriously. But I’d definitely attend an Anakin/Padme themed wedding—I’d love to see the two work it out without someone (cough, Anakin) ruining it not just for himself, but for the whole freakin’ galaxy.

Image Credit: offbeatbride.com

Four Fab Movie-Themed Weddings

christinasheckys — Sat, 24 Mar 2012 04:00:49 +0000

Still thinking up a theme idea for your impending nuptials? Take cues from your favorite flicks with these four fabulous movie-themed wedding ideas! Now, we’re not talking about tearing the curtains down Scarlett-style and crafting a gaudy gown à la Ms. O’Hara for your Gone with the Wind wedding (although that would be pretty awesome!), but you can cook up a sophisticated movie-themed wedding with subtle nods to these cinematic classics.

-Christina Izzo

Breakfast at Tiffany’s

Who better than the ever-elegant Audrey Hepburn to channel on your wedding day? Go Golightly (Holly Golightly, that is!) with a classic sheath dress, tiara, ladylike pearls and glam gloves to evoke the Breakfast at Tiffany’s star. Touches of Tiffany’s blue will nod to the namesake store, while cute croissants at dessert time will hark back to the film’s famous opening scene and Ms. Golightly’s favorite shopping snack!

Image Credit: tvtropes.org, china-weddingdresses.com

Celebrity Wedding Dress Disasters

Shecky's — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 04:00:14 +0000

There’s always a buzz surrounding celebrity weddings—from the venue to the guest list, the public needs to know everything. But, of course, it’s the dress we’re all wondering about. With all that money to spend, we know that gown is going to be gorgeous…right? Wrong. Sometimes our beloved stars shock us with their, er…interesting taste (or lack thereof) in the wedding dress department. Your big day isn’t always the best time to get too creative. Sometimes simple and traditional just works and, after seeing these wedding gown shockers, I think you’ll agree.

-Maureen Meekins

Jada, Jada, Jada. What are you doing in that dress? This frock actually took away from Jada’s natural beauty when she tied the knot with Will Smith on New Year’s Eve 1997, and made her seem like she was stuck in the era of Hester Prynne. Covered from head to toe in a Badgley Mischka gown that left no wiggle room, it’s a wonder she’s not still stuck in this thing.

Photo credit: weddingclan.com

Celeb Engagement Rings We Would’ve Said No To

Cait Rohan — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 15:00:57 +0000

All right, so I’m the one who wrote that taking close-up pics of your engagement ring is tacky, but I’ve got another bone to pick (ah, the parade of cheesy V-Day proposals so inspired me!). The issue at, er, hand here: when bad rings happen to uber-famous people who have all the money in the world to buy/personalize one for their amour.

Yes, I’m sure I’ll get the “how can you judge someone’s happiness/play nice/you’re bitter/you will never get married” comments, but from a pure style standpoint and considering you have to wear these thangs EVERY SINGLE DAY, the rocks featured here are seriously not okay. I would’ve even turned down Brad Pitt’s proposal with the ring he gave Jen!

-Cait Rohan

A LESS-THAN-CLASSY COLOR:

Remember Bennifer’s engagement? Even if you don’t, still take a gander at the fugly rock Ben gave Jenny from the Block. Seriously—pink? Has any girl coveted a pink gemstone since, say, grade school? Hateraid on the cheesy hue aside, it’s just too bad their relationship wasn’t as rosy as this ring.

Photo credit: smh.com

Red-Carpet Hairstyles to Take Down the Aisle

Shecky's — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 14:00:56 +0000

With all the time brides spend trying to find the perfect dress, venue and flower arrangement, don’t let your hair fall to last on the to-do list. Since it’s your big day, you obviously need to shine like the star you are! The red carpet (where haute hair is a prereq) is the perfect place to turn for stunning styles for your bland strands. From a beach-wedding look to black-tie formality, your ‘do will be almost as special as your “I do.”

SURA RADCLIFFE SAYS:

A style with this much volume can be done on either clean or dirty hair but, considering it’s your big day, clean hair is definitely the best option! Follow these 10 easy steps to snag Nicole Richie’s elegant look for your own nuptials.

1. Apply Pureology Colour Stylist Nourishing Nectar Sculpting Gel ($20.79 on Sleekhair.com) to damp, clean hair, focusing on the scalp and hair shaft, leaving out the ends.

2. Apply Pureology Colour Stylist Cuticle Polisher Shine Serum ($20.79 on Sleekhair.com) to the ends and work through thoroughly.

3. Comb both products through so they are distributed evenly throughout hair.

4. Blow hair dry with a Tecnica Denman Anti-Static Ion Hair Brush – Brush ($12.99 on Sleekhair.com), working the sides and crown area toward the ceiling. If you have bangs, leave it out.

5. Once the hair is blown dry, take an oval or diamond section and pin up.

6. Smooth the remaining hair with the Denman brush and pull into a secure ponytail.

7. Flat-iron hair to smooth your ponytail by taking small sections, working from the nape up.

8. Gently backcomb hair toward the ceiling, starting at the crown and moving forward. With the last section closest to the fringe, be sure to backcomb from behind to camouflage the teasing.

9. Flat-iron ends by taking small sections, starting at the nape and working forward.

10. Spray hair with Pureology Colour Stylist Strengthening Control Zero Dulling Hairspray ($19.19 on Sleekhair.com).

Photo credit: hairromance.com

SURA RADCLIFFE & ANDI SCARBROUGH of Byu-Ti Salon, Los Angeles, CA.

Byu-Ti Salon is Santa Monica’s premier hair boutique, catering to some of Hollywood’s most notable manes, including that of Ivanka Trump, Molly Sims and Eva Herzigova. The founder of Byu-Ti Salon, Natasha Sunshine, is known in the Los Angeles and New York City fashion circles for her keen sense of style and unique approach to hair therapy, Natasha not only created a six-step consulting system for helping her staff identify and meet her client’s needs, she has also developed her own seven different hair care products, to supplement the line of top-notch goodies already in use at her salon. When Natasha is not helping people feel fabulous from the inside out, or making herself camera-ready for a television appearance (most recently, The Rachael Ray Show), she is working as an industry leader and educator for L’Oreal’s exclusive hair care line, Pureology.

8 Budget-Smart Tips for Planning a Bachelorette Party

Cait Rohan — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 16:00:33 +0000

Valentine’s Day is around the corner and with the onslaught of engagements already after the holidays, everyone will be planning weddings…and bachelorette parties to go with ‘em. Be it your sister or best friend, planning a bachelorette party isn’t easy—especially when trying to consider the bride’s wishes and everyone’s wallet. Ultimately, money matters play a major role in where, when and who celebrates. That’s why it’s important to consider the financial obligations of such an event and look at ways to reduce spending. With a touch of savvy planning though, you can curb costs while creating a memorable last night out for the bride-to-be.

1. One-Day Bash

Though a weekend-filled bachelorette party is a great way to spend quality time with the girls, limiting the celebration to a single day will reduce costs for all. Pack the day with fun festivities to make the most it. Start with morning mimosas at a local spa while getting pampered with massages and manicures. Grab dinner and drinks at a trendy restaurant downtown and dance the night away at a nearby club for a memorable “last night out.”

-Andrea Woroch

Andrea Woroch is a consumer and money-saving expert for Kinoli Inc. She is available for in-studio, satelite or Skype interviews and to write guest posts or articles. As a nationally recognized media source, Andrea has been featured on NBC Today Show, FOX & Friends, MSNBC, ShopSmart Magazine, Kiplinger Personal Finance, CNNMoney and many more. For more savings tips, visit Andrea’s Facebook page or follow her on Twitter.

Posting Photos of Your Engagement Ring to Facebook is Annoying

Cait Rohan — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 05:00:27 +0000

It was 1:30am last week and my best friend (who shall remain anonymous) Facebook chatted me with:

“I’m really over seeing everyone posting their new engagement ring for the holiday season and sporting heinous hands, nails and shirt sleeves…don’t post till your hand isn’t like frikin Sasquatch, k thanks.”

She has a great point. Over the past few days and weeks, my Facebook feed has been bombarded with images of gnarly hands bedecked with engagement rings that run the gamut from stunning to fugly. And with New Year’s Eve and Valentine’s Day in the near future, the whole parade of what her and I have dubbed “holiday hands” isn’t going to stop anytime soon.

Ladies, it’s fantabulous that you’ve found someone who you want to spend the rest of your life with (er, or you just want to plan a wedding or wear some sparkly bling). If you are my friend in REAL LIFE (not Facebook life), I will like your relationship status when it changes to ENGAGED. But the whole heinous hand pics being broadcasted has got to stop.

For starters—it’s kind of unnerving and scary to see someone’s big, fat hand appear when I open Facebook. I feel like I’m a surgeon looking at a severed hand with some Pretty Princess-esque sparkle slapped on it. It’s like some kind of freaky deaky morgue going on. Or, perhaps I’m Dr. Frankenstein critiquing a hand that would just look so nice sewn onto my latest monster.

The important point here—whether your nails are perfectly manicured or not—is that YOUR HAND DID NOT GET ENGAGED. You did. It’s show-offy and stupid to just post a zoomed-in ring/hand. Show a picture of yourself and your fiancé, preferably where you’re smiling (well, at least I HOPE you’re happy!) and the ring is visible. Take pics of you (now wearing the ring), him and the spot he proposed. Cut it out with the creepy pictures of just your hand.

Send the close-up photos privately to friends and fam who have inquired what the bauble looks like. These people are less likely to judge your sausage fingers or critique your blotchy spray-tanned-orange digits. ‘Cause that does happen.

-Cait Rohan

GIRL TALK TIME: What do you think of posting engagement ring photos to Facebook? Are you engaged? How did you share the news with friends/fam and your social networks?

Worst Holiday Proposal Situations

Shecky's — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 15:00:08 +0000

Maybe I watch too many rom coms, but if you’re a girl like me, at one point or another you’ve daydreamed about opening a huge gift from your BF during the holidays—only to find a tiny box inside containing the most beautiful engagement ring! While it’s cheesy and cliché, getting proposed to on Christmas (or Hanukkah or Kwanzaa) can be very romantic—if done the right way.

Yet, we all know things rarely go as planned, leaving plenty of room for this would-be-romantic sitch to go horribly wrong! Here are some of the worst holiday proposals I hope you (or I for that matter!) never have to deal with.

-Samantha Sutton

Mid-Family Gathering

Picture this: You’re sitting at the dinner table, trying to follow Aunt Debbie’s rant about how your generation is addicted to technology, when your boyfriend has an announcement to make. Surprise! You’re getting engaged—and now your mom is nearly choking on her chicken. Yikes!

I don’t know about you, but this situation sounds less than ideal to me. Between the pressure to say yes (or no, depending on how your fam feels about this dude) and the embarrassment you may feel now that you’re the center of attention (oh hey, remember that baby in a manger, anyone?), you may be wishing you were anywhere but in this sitch—no matter what your answer is. If you feel your man may pull this, mention to him well beforehand how much you would love to be proposed to privately…without grandma staring at you while you awkwardly answer the question.

2011′s Top Celeb Engagements & Pretty Rings

Shecky's — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 14:00:24 +0000

While it’s obviously been a cuh-razy year for celeb news, some of the most surprising headlines have been about engagements and super-sparkly rings. Ring in 2012 with us as we offer congrats (or, er, kondolences) to these betrothed babes…and get jeally about their bling.

-Jasmine Frazier

Most of us wonder what our engagements will be like, but few of us expect them to happen on live TV. Back in April, Dancing with the Stars judge Carrie Ann Inaba got engaged to her boyfriend Jesse Sloan while she was filling in for Kelly Ripa on Live with Regis and Kelly. The ring was a 2.5-carat princess cut, with Inaba’s and Sloan’s birthstones on the inside of the band! Personalized ring, public proposal…I’ll take it!

Photo credit: ringspotters.com