Happy is the Bride...

NEW: Knot Wedding Shop and Wedding Ceremony Sand Jars

2010-08-25T21:54:00.005-05:00

I am posting a quick note to let you all know about two new product lines that we are featuring here at Happy Is The Bride.

First, we have a line of partner products that we are listing for TheKnot.com. You will find customizable locking pocket knives and wedding card favors that can be planted in the flower garden and much more.

Secondly, I'm very excited to feature at least 30 different kinds of Wedding Ceremony Sand Jars in two different sizes. The Unity Sand Ceremony is similar to the more traditional unity candle and is gaining more popular traction recently for some couples. You can find more information eHow.com and WeddingEngraver.com.

Knot Wedding Shop :: Top Selling Products

If you'd like a convenient direct link to the new categories of TheKnot.com's wedding shop products that we are featuring, you will want to use the list below.

Martha Stewart: Martha's Wedding Ideas DVD

2010-08-19T22:01:00.000-05:00

Say what you want about her after the short jail time excursion, Mrs. Martha Stewart knows how to plan a party and --more importantly-- how to make a wedding sparkle. All professional party planners owe her at least a small debt of gratitude for setting the bar just a little higher. We have available her DVD collection of wedding ideas.

Here are a few video clips from Martha Stewart on YouTube. Enjoy!

Wedding Dress Candles - Set of Four Bridal Shower Favors

2009-06-22T22:35:00.001-05:00

Cake Wrecks: Wedding

2010-08-19T13:21:00.002-05:00

Despite the name of the blog, some of the cakes featured on this site are actually pretty good designs, at least to my untrained eye. The subtitle is "When Professional Cakes Go Horribly, Hilariously Wrong" and most of the photographs fit that description perfectly. Would you like some examples?

Example 1

Example 2

Example 3

I think that is enough. What caught my attention is that a good number of these poor excuses for pastries are wedding cakes! You will want to take a look at some of the good but mostly bad. Visit Cake Wrecks today.

Wedding Photos We'll All Remember

2007-11-07T22:23:00.000-06:00

Here are some quite funny wedding photos that are worth remembering.

Check out the whole series at DivineCaroline.com.

Sale on Disposable Cameras - The Knot Wedding Shop

2009-03-25T01:09:00.001-05:00

Getting tons of pictures from your wedding reception can seem difficult when you just have one photographer. However, one recent fad occurring at receptions over the last few years is providing disposable cameras at every table (or for every guest) and encouraging them to take their own shots on your behalf. At the end of the night, someone collects the cameras as they are left on the tables. This is crowdsourcing in it's best form and it's free. Tons of pictures of various quality will be the result and a lot of great candid gems will come to the surface after sifting. Even if you hire a professional wedding photographer for your special day (and you should), these supplemental snapshots will really help you see your wedding day all over again from your guests' perspectives.

Right now, The Knot Wedding Shop is having a special promotion on their full category of wedding cameras.

Be sure to check out their selection and choose one to match your decoration style.

Announcement Coming Soon...

2009-01-14T01:42:00.003-06:00

We are working behind the scenes to bring a new design to the store for this Winter and to expand the product catalog even more; adding new wedding favors, reception ideas and planning materials. Look for this as soon as possible.

Wedding Product Affiliates

2009-01-05T15:28:00.001-06:00

We've put together a list of affiliates we will be working with this year to bring you the best quality products available.

Our First Christmas Ornament - Marquis by Waterford 2008

2008-12-21T22:09:00.002-06:00

I've previously mentioned getting a "First Christmas Together" ornament that is so important to commemorate your first Christmas season together as a husband and wife. I found another beautiful option that is available with a slightly different style.

Marquis by Waterford 2008 Christmas Ornament

Be sure to get your Marquis by Waterford 2008 "Our First Christmas" Ornament.

"Our First Christmas Together" Ornament

2008-12-03T13:50:00.008-06:00

Having an ornament to commemorate your first Christmas together is a great tradition that will be saved as a memento for many years. Every December, as the ornaments are placed on the tree you can reminisce about your first holiday season together.

Here's a good example that is currently available for a great price. This is the 2008 Lenox Our First Christmas Together Ornament available right now for $9.95 (and free shipping with code).

A four-tiered wedding cake is decorated with holly leaves and berries in this keepsake ornament. Two interlocking hearts from a crown-like cake topper. Each layer has gold wording that complete the commemorative inscription: 2008 Our 1st Christmas Together.

Read more about it and the review on the SlickDeals.net Forums or go directly to Lenox.com. And don't forget to use the free shipping code Free Shipping with code 4728697!

Update (2008/12/21)

I found out the Lenox is available directly from Amazon.com.

Order yours quickly in time to hang on your tree this year.

Wedding Quotes - Celebrities

2008-12-16T01:04:00.001-06:00

Here are a few quotes I'm pulling out of the May 19^th, 2008 issue of Us Weekly. I'm not usually fan or frequent reader of celebrity-watch rags, but I was clearing a few old magazines from the reading shelf and I thought I'd save these here for posterity.

The only reason to get married or to get together with someone is if they're going to add something to your life.

--Gloria Estefan

You need a sense of humor and to be able to ride the waves.

--Natasha Richardson on her 13-year marriage to Liam Neeson

We go to dinners together, hang out at friends' houses... We just like being together.

--Rebecca Gayhart on hubby Eric Dane

I recently posted a quote from Will Smith that I think is the best succinct advice for a long-lasting marriage.

Marriage is the most difficult thing you will ever do ever.

-- Will Smith

Rachel Getting Married - Movie

2008-12-08T01:01:00.003-06:00

I just caught a short glimpse at a promo for this movie the other day and thought it would be interesting.

The description as posted on YouTube:

When KYM (Anne Hathaway) returns to the Buchman family home for the wedding of her sister RACHEL (Rosemarie Dewitt), she brings a long history of personal crisis and family conflict along with her. The wedding partys abundant cast of friends and relations have gathered for an idyllic weekend of feasting, music and love, but Kym—with her black-comic one-liners and knack for bombshell drama—is a catalyst for long-simmering tensions in the family dynamic. Filled with the rich and eclectic characters that have always been a hallmark of Jonathan Demmes films, RACHEL GETTING MARRIED paints a strikingly perceptive and sometimes hilarious family portrait. Director Demme, first-time writer Jenny Lumet, and the stellar acting ensemble leaven the drama of these difficult but compelling people with wry affection and generosity of spirit.

Anne Hathaway is a pretty good actress in what I've seen, and this is an interesting dramatic role. From the trailer, it looks like the film was shot on the same sort of camcorder you'd see at a wedding anyhow. I thought to post about this movie tonight because I was reading through Roger Ebert's list of the best films of 2008 when I saw his review.

"Rachel Getting Married" After seeing this film, people told me, "I wanted to attend that wedding" or "I wish I'd been there." It's that involving. Jonathan Demme doesn't lock down one central plot, but considers the ceremony as a wedding of close and distant family, old and new friends, many races, many ages, many lifestyles, all joined amid joyous homemade music. His camera is so observant, we feel like a guest really does feel. Rosemarie DeWitt as Rachel and Anne Hathaway as her sister generate tricky sibling tension.

Well, that's worth a trip to the video store at the least. I'm not always sure about movie reviews or reviewers as I've not always agreed, even with the esteemed Mr. Ebert. But for the movies in his list that I have seen (comic book hits The Dark Knight & Iron Man), I'd say he is spot on. And with such a unique perspective on this treatment of a typical wedding, you really shouldn't miss it.

Also: The Soundtrack is Currently Available...

Amazon.com Widgets

Bride Wars - Movie

2008-12-08T01:16:00.001-06:00

I just posted about the movie Rachel Getting Married, which I thought I'd seen a commercial for the other day. But perhaps on second thought it was actually a short clip from Bride Wars that caught my attention. They're both wedding movies and Anne Hathaway is in both. It would be easy to get confused.

Okay, that looks funny. Very funny. Bride Wars doesn't come out until next year. Remember to save the date!

Will Smith Marriage Quote

2008-12-04T22:34:00.003-06:00

I wanted to post a quick mention of a quote I heard during Barbara Walter's interview with a celebrity on how he manages to stay married.

Marriage is the most difficult thing you will ever do ever.

-- Will Smith

I respect Will Smith a lot for his great movie career and enduring musical career. But he has hit on a very good point here that needed to be emphasized. In more detail, what he went on to say was that in his first marriage divorce was always an option. And that is what ultimately happened. In his current longer-lasting marriage to Jada Pinkett-Smith, he stated that divorce is not an option for him. Marriage is hard and when faced with the hard work OR the easy option of divorce, divorce wins. It's something simple yet important to think about if you want to make your marriage work.

Unidentified Bride Circa 1850 on Flickr

2008-12-08T09:56:00.001-06:00

Unidentified Bride
Originally uploaded by George Eastman House

Something about old time wedding photos can really bring out certain memories and feelings. Here is a completely unknown woman, but she's made it into public photo archives and is captured on what is possibly the greatest day of her life.

The Commons on Flickr shows you hidden treasures in the world's public photography archives, and you're invited to help describe the photographs you discover, either by adding tags or leaving comments.

It is likely possible to capture this kind of style with some of your wedding photographs. It will give your memories an extra special touch. If you are interested in something like this, be sure to speak with your photographer ahead of time.

First Kiss At the Altar

2008-12-02T09:42:00.000-06:00

Want to hear about a soon-to-be-married couple setting a good example for their students in an extreme way?

Won't kiss on the first date? How about waiting until marriage?

Read the short story on Yahoo! News.

Amazon's MP3 Wedding Selections - Your Review?

2008-11-20T22:29:00.001-06:00

The following should load recommended songs for weddings. I'd like your opinion on their recommendations.

Amazon.com Widgets

Wedding Photography Directory

2008-11-08T15:31:00.001-06:00

I am building a short list of external links for HappyIsTheBride.com, to list directories of useful resources for brides and grooms planning their weddings. One of the eventual choices to cover for your big day is the photographer. Check out the Wedding Photography Directory (WPD©).

To get started from their home page you can either choose your state from the drop down menu or from the links at the bottom of the site.

You can also browse and read articles with advice for choosing your photographer, scheduling your wedding day, photography rights and wedding photography costs.

Planning Your Wedding On Halloween

2008-10-31T17:39:00.000-05:00

This time of year is not the traditional time for weddings, although some people prefer the unique theme...

But for a spring wedding it might seem like wedding planning is a long ways off. Well, I want to stress that right now is the time to really get cracking on your initial plans and preparations. It may seem like you have several months, but those months will be filled with so much holiday preparations; Thanksgiving, Christmas or Hanukkah or Kwanzaa and New Years. At the end of it all, you will find yourself in the middle of January with nothing done! So at least get started on preliminary guest lists, location scouting and honeymoon planning.

Bonus: Here's a Halloween / Wedding joke that I was sent today.

What do they call two spiders that just got married?

Newly Webbed

Be safe and have fun!

Cake Design Portfolio, Wedding Cake, Novelty Cake, Birthday Cake

2007-10-24T23:59:00.004-05:00

The traditional wedding cake is a standard staple that will assumably be seen at every reception. However, due possibly in part to the new show on the Food Network called Ace of Cakes and the growing popularity of cake blogs, engaged couples are seeking originality. It is becoming common knowledge that it is possible to have a beautiful sculpted cake in the shape of almost anything you want. That is, for the right price.

Check out Michelle Cakes today.

Comics and Editorial Cartoons: For Better or For Worse on Yahoo! News

2008-07-10T23:03:00.004-05:00

For Better or For Worse is having a series right now that involves the plans for an upcoming wedding. All the joy, trepidation, nerves, planning, memories, nostalgia, fear, stress and commotion --and did I mention joy?-- are being brought into the story. There's the groom-to-be and father of the bride taking a moment away from the commotion to laugh. There's the cherished dress that belonged to grandmother who is there in spirit. There's the younger siblings just trying to avoid being arm-twisted into helping. Everything is very funny and very accurate.

If you're planning your wedding right now, you might take a break and enjoy a few light-hearted laughs and realize they are at your own expense. Also realize that even though you might be stressed out right now, you are creating cherished memories for all time.

See Comics and Editorial Cartoons: For Better or For Worse on Yahoo! News. Just don't take too long! You've got lots of stuff to do!

Weddingstar - Designer of Over 2025 Unique Wedding Accessories

2007-08-20T22:07:00.000-05:00

Here's a new resource I've found recently that will help everyone find the best deals on wedding accessories.

Our extensive selection of Bridal products feature many exclusive designs, inspired and manufactured by our talented staff. Hand finishing by skilled and experienced crafts people result in quality, unique wedding accessories. Innovative and fashionable products are combined with perennial favorites. This ability to respond to changing needs, has made Weddingstar a leader in the Wedding industry.

With the support of several thousand retailers, our distinctive line of wedding accessories can be seen on store shelves extensively throughout North America and increasingly in other countries around the world. We are extremely proud to have earned a reputation for quality, value and service.

Go visit Weddingstar.com.

Bobblehead Wedding

2007-07-25T23:47:00.000-05:00

How would you and your spouse-to-be enjoy having a wedding cake with a pair of bobblehead figurines that look like little caricatures of yourselves?

HD Design Center, LLC is the premier leading provider of custom bobble head dolls and hand sculpted figurines utilizing poly resin clay to capture your likeness from the photograph you provide us.

You can get all sorts of custom bobbleheads with real people's faces on them. Check out the wedding category at Bobblehead Wedding.

Happy is the Bride - Opening Soon!

2007-07-21T00:18:00.000-05:00

It is my privilege to announce the pending arrival of a new source for unique wedding supplies and gifts for brides of any age. If you are planning your special day, you will want to make a note about Happy is the Bride.com.

We are preparing the site now and making listings for our products. We anticipate opening up shop very soon. Subscribe to this sites RSS^? or Atom^? feeds to be notified of our grand opening. Thanks!

Happy Is the Bride the Sun Shines On

2007-09-27T23:25:00.001-05:00

The traditional folkish saying that our business name is based on is also the title of a book written by Leslie Jones and published by McGraw-Hill. You can see more information about this book at their web site, Happy Is the Bride the Sun Shines On.

The book is a great coffee table addition chock full of folklore surrounding weddings and bridal traditions. Here is a snippet of the description from their site.

Far beyond the well tread "something borrowed, something blue" and typical bridal bouquet toss, there are hundreds of lesser known but fascinating customs and beliefs that play a special role in weddings worldwide. Happy Is the Bride the Sun Shines On is a charming collection of unique nuptial traditions and superstitions.

From the excerpt available on Amazon.com, it seems to be equal parts history, folklore and anecdotes. I very much want to carry this book in our store, not only because the name matches our domain, but because it's exactly the right fit for what we want to sell.

I'm putting it on my to do list. But until I find a supplier, be sure to get the best price from one of the links above. You can also find the book on Google Book Search.