It was a royal affair last Friday as the future King of England, Prince William, wed his gorgeous lady, Kate Middleton in a ceremony fit for the ages. And while the couple spent their day getting married at Westminster, smooching on Buckingham’s balcony and living la vida loca at reception after reception, we here at Marilyn’s Keepsakes did our fair share of regal toasting too.
(Prepare to be impressed – haha!)
We feasted on fine breakfast cuisine…
courtesy of Lindsey Kroemer Photography
courtesy of Lindsey Kroemer Photography
courtesy of Lindsey Kroemer Photography
courtesy of Lindsey Kroemer Photography
courtesy of Lindsey Kroemer Photography
We toasted the nuptials with class, sophistication and Welch’s Sparkling Grape Juice — c’mon now, people, we were on the clock :) And yes, those glasses are engraved with W&C. Love.
courtesy of Lindsey Kroemer Photography
courtesy of Lindsey Kroemer Photography
We imagined what their breakfast time together would look like… And yes, those mugs are engraved with William and Catherine… I mean, we are THEE personalized wedding company; it’s simply what we do :)
courtesy of Lindsey Kroemer Photography
courtesy of Lindsey Kroemer Photography
We even dressed to the nines in our finest – and biggest - hats and got our wedding reception photo booth on, duh! All in all, a successful work day! P.S. Our fearless leader, Carolyn (far left), wore that same black hat when Prince Charles wed Princess Diana – William’s parents - once upon a time in the same famed ceremony. Now, that’s commitment! P.P.S. The backdrop reads, “The Royal Wedding of… William & Catherine.” Yep.
MK ladies lookin' F.I.E.R.C.E! (courtesy of Lindsey Kroemer Photography)
Getting a bit ridiculous. (courtesy of Lindsey Kroemer Photography)
And then, I ruin it. Whoops. (courtesy of Lindsey Kroemer Photography)
Sigh. Now, I suppose all we can do is sit and wait until Prince Harry pops the question :)
We’re mere hours away from the Royal Wedding Extravaganza; so, I thought I would razzle dazzle you all with my ahh to the mazing Photoshop skills. Yep, just making things weird with a little Clip Art, floating royal heads morph job. Ahhh, (fake) memories – hehe!
Anyhoot, with the wedding right around the corner, there have been some last minute announcements. First, the wedding program has been made available to the public via the British Monarchy; so, if you’re interested in following along as the love birds say “I do”… simply follow this link.
Secondly, even though the official announcement hasn’t been made, I know Prince Willy and his pretty lady Kate are very saddened they didn’t invite me to the big day celebration. I mean hellloooo?? Check the “retouching” skills. Haha!
Thirdly, no matter how you’re celebrating or even if you’re not celebrating at all… it’s always good to wish any crazy kids taking the plunge good luck. So, here at Marilyn’s Keepsakes, we would like to wish them both the biggest pot of luck ever! Cheers, to Britain’s finest and all the years of happiness to follow!
Go ahead. Try to say that five times fast… You tried it, didn’t you? Sweetness :)
Well, my little chick-a-dees, the time has almost come! We’re literally within reach of the final countdown before the whole world explodes with Royal Wedding Fever on Friday!!!!!!! (Please note the extra exclamation points, suggestive to the over-abundance of excitement brewing within this pretty little lady!)
Now, I know not everyone loves the Royals quite like I do, and I’m also aware that others (gasp!) may even find the whole thing a bit silly and extravagant. (waahhn, waaahhhnnn!) However – and this is a VERY BIG however – it’s still a royal wedding, people! And at the end of it, somebody is actually made a princess!! A real, live princess! Not the pseudo / semi / quasi versions we make ourselves to be, but a true blue, tack-it-to-her-title-and-put-it-on-her-license PRINCESS!
I can’t help it. I am literally beside myself. And while most of you out there – like me – will be working for the man while the royal brew-ha-ha goes down (mayhaps not DVR’ing from two different households to ensure ultimate coverage), there are still others out there who will be taking this event a bit more seriously.
According to Yahoo News, people (namely ones of the female variety) will be setting their alarms before the sun has even had a chance to put it’s game face on and congregating all over the world for Royal Wedding Watching Parties!
Armed with I’m sure the same enthusiasm male cohorts share during Super Bowl Sunday’s finest, people all across our great nation are planning both public and private viewing parties for the Royal Wedding of Kate Middleton and Prince William… each with a price tag to match!
For instance, for the holy moly rollers, you may want to check out the Trump International Hotel & Tower in Manhattan… because for a measly $1,075, you can have a (very short) night in one of Trump’s renovated rooms, watching the wedding and enjoying breakfast from 5:00 am to 9:00 am. You can even spring for a late checkout, in order to “nap after the ‘nups.”
If that doesn’t tickle your fancy, perhaps one of the 15 packages offered at the Ritz Carlton in Washington will be your ticket to Royal Wedded bliss. Starting at around $429, you’ll give a hearty “here, here!” for Prince Willy and his pretty Katie Baby within the confides of one of the nation’s most well known residents.
Still too much? Well, why not just gather with some of your favorite girls, dress in giant hats and toast some spiked tea? Seems like a good option to me!
But no matter what the price you’re willing to spend, find solace in knowing that no matter where you are… as long as you have a cup ‘o’ tea, a couple crumpets and a few jolly cups of brews, you’ll easily be keeping with the times and celebrating royally :)
There's about to be a - what? A Girl Fight! (photo courtesy of nicolewelchphotography.com)
My lovely co-worker and fellow Royal Wedding stalker, Carolyn, sent me this little ditty yesterday about the latest and greatest gossip to come out of the final Royal Wedding countdown. And hold onto your oversized hats, ladies, because this regal romp features the names of all William’s ex-ladies-in waiting that will be in attendance on the big day celebration… that’s right. I said ladie(s). And I said ex.
This raises a very common etiquette question, which I am often asked, “Is inviting exes to a wedding an acceptable formality or an all out calamity?” Of course the ball can roll both ways and is completely dependent on the feelings of each particular bride and groom, but it seems to be a common denominator for at least one side to consider during the pre-wedding plans. And I’m sad to report, there is no cut and dry answer.
For cases as sensitively sticky as these, it truly is all about your comfort level as a couple. For instance, if the ex is a mutual friend who parted with a drama free, curtain closing exit, moved on to a new love and still remains a loyal comrade… the risk of a “Help me Jesus!” moment between one of you and one of them is incredibly slim to none.
However, if the ex had to be de-friended Facebook style after she was caught using her former password privy to colorfully update information, shortly before papering the neighborhood with vicious lies and uncomfortable allegations… mayhaps, it would be best if she was left off the guest list… or better yet, out of the country on the day you say “I do.”
OBVI, these are the kind of decisions that have to be worked out individually by the couple, pending their particular preferences. Every couple is different. And every ex is different; you just need to make sure the conclusion you MUTUALLY come to is one you are both comfortable with… just like the one Kate Middleton and her Prince Charming came up with.
And, what are the Royal Wedding conclusions on exes? you may ask. Will it be <gasp!> the situational scandal of the century? Ehh, not so much. In fact, Kate Middleton, the future Mrs.of Prince Willy, is even friends with a few of her future hubby’s former flames. <sigh> Nothing like a breath of fresh, drama free air to get the day started off right.
According to E!’s online post, here are the blasts from Prince William’s past that will be in attendance on his April 29th wedding:
Davina Duckworth-Chad
This blonde beauty - who once accompanied Prince Charming on a cruise of the Aegean Sea back in 1999 - still remains good friends with the hunky royal, and even invited him to attend her 2004 wedding to Thomas Barber, the son of a baronet. Gotta say, seems pretty clutch things worked out as they did, as Davina and Big Willy are technically related. Yep, this socialite's mummy dearest just so happens to be cousin's of the late Princess Di... weeeird. (photo courtesy of vanityfair.it)
Rose Farquhar
Daughter of Captain Ian Farquhar, this former fling of William's was his first serious girlfriend, but before you start shouting "scandal," it's important to note that they were together during the puppy love days; and Ms. Rose has remained good friends of both Will and brother Harry since. (photo courtesy of thesun.co.uk)
Arabella Musgrave
For those of you who may also consider yourselves professional fans of PW's, perhaps you remember this ultra passionate romance between him and Arabella Musgrave, which began with an infamous upstairs rendezvous at a holiday party back in 2001. Only to avoid a long distance relationship did the two break it off, leaving me to wonder how this saucy little minx made the list? Mayhaps her connects as a PR rep for Gucci? That would do it for me, haha! (photo courtesy of eonline.com)
Jecca Craig
This former flame of Prince William's was another pre-university love. The two spent a lot of time at her family's estate in Kenya, where they infamously carried out a "pretend engagement," and the two have remained close throughout the years. (photo courtesy of eonline.com)
In lieu of Reese Witherspoon’s recent nuptials and her Elle Wood’s inspired pink dress, I couldn’t help but notice this ultra girly trend is everywhere! Everyone from sassy celebutantes and retro-chic DIY brides, down to the avant garde girly girls and their pretty pretty princess friends are representing this uber cute frills and chills color on their big day… and after further review, it’s not hard to see why.
Both frilly and fun, pink is the grandest representation of all that is she-male! I mean hellooooo?? From the minute we’re born, we’re correctly labeled as part of the female force when we’re turned into a tightly swaddled burrito baby, wrapped warmly inside the pink fuzz of our very first blanket. {Awww!} And heaven knows, things only gets pinker and prettier from then on out!
So, it’s no wonder, ladies, on the day we’re allotted to be at our girliest, brides the world over are choosing to go pretty in pink, and march down the aisle in gowns would bring even Glinda, the good witch of the East, to her knees. There may be no place like home for the holidays, but there is no color like pink for your big day. Check out below and see what I mean :)
Glinda, the Good Witch of the East, workin' her magic. (courtesy of javabeanrush.blogspot.com)
A pink Carolina Herrera wedding dress looking all kinds of fabulous. (courtesy of marthastewartweddings.com)
Real life bride looking retro chic in pink! (courtesy of lovemedophotography.com)
Portia de Rossi putting pink to work on her wedding day with Ellen Degeneres. (courtesy of stylefrizz.com)
Make them blush in this vintage inspired Reem Acra wedding dress. (courtesy of marthastewartweddings.com)
Create your fairy tale wedding with this pink princess gown! (courtesy of harrison-studio.com)
Avant garde girls beware -- pink will captivate you too! (courtesy of carina-dresses.com)
Who could forget Carrie Underwood's WOWSA gown on her wedding day? (courtesy of people.com)
Or Gwen Stefani's good golly Miss Molly dress? (courtesy of bridalwave.tv)
Nothing says pink wedding dress quite like feathers and frills! (courtesy of carina-dresses.com)
Bubble gum pink meets a bubble gum hem with this Richard Tyler beauty! (courtesy of marthastewartweddings.com)
Again, get avant garde in pink and black ruffles and wow the crowd! (courtesy of sevenyearitchs.com)
Finally, see vintage glam's finest in this pink wedding dress! (courtesy of thesweetestoccasion.com)
Okay, I’m just going to say it… I love love love me some Reese Witherspoon! For cereal. Regardless of who she really is or how she really acts, there is just something eternally sweet and genuine about her. You want to believe she’s as good and bubbly as the characters she portrays, which is precisely why she is the one celebrity who could run over my dog, and somehow at the end of the day, I’m sure I’d be the one apologizing :)
And what’s even better? Her perfection is void of anything irritating. Even after all the divorce drama and celebrity scandal to unfold after the break up from her first hubs, Ryan Phillippe, Ms. Witherspoon prevailed as the people’s champ and never faltered in her role as the world’s favorite. I mean, when the bell rings, you want to be in her corner, and that, my dear friends, is what makes her such a staaaahhhh!
Jim Toth and Reese Witherspoon courtesy of Noel Vasquez/Getty
And it’s with such staaahhh power like Reese’s that A-list celebrities the world over were able to gather in one location this past weekend for one, single celebration — her wedding, duh! Tying the knot to ooh la la talent agent, Jim Toth, on March 26, 2011, Ms. Witherspoon became a Mrs. again while saying “I do” in a Monique Lhuillier original in Ojai, California- home of her country estate, Libbey Ranch.
It was all X’s and O’s as big name celebs gathered to make merry the nuptials of America’s Sweetheart. And just so we’re clear, by “big names,” I do mean BIG names. According to reports of E! Online, the guest list included the likes of Gwyneth Paltrow, Renée Zellweger, Scarlett Johansson (and her +1 Sean Penn — so much for keeping the cat in the bag!), Tobey McGuire and his wife Jennifer, Robert Downey Jr., Matthew McConaughey, Alyssa Milano and husband David Bugliari (who works alongside Toth at the Creative Artists Agency), Colin Hanks, Salma Hayek, Sacha Baron Cohen and wifey Isla Fisher, as well as Conan O’Brien… ummm, can you say star-studded event???
Of course this isn’t just due to Reese’s undeniable likability; her now main squeeze Mister, Jim Toth, is the representative for many of today’s biggest and brightest… making this Hollywood hoedown easily part of my Top 10 most missed events — can’t believe I didn’t get an invite, haha!
So, from our wedd-luvin’ family to theirs, we’d like to with the newlywed lovers all the best and cheers to many, MANY years of happiness!
“When people say, ‘She’s got everything’, I’ve got one answer – I haven’t had tomorrow.” Elizabeth Burton
Wedding bells were silenced yesterday when legendary bride and silver screen siren, Elizabeth Taylor, passed away after a lengthy battle to congestive heart failure. Renowned equally for her mesmerizing beauty, cinematic sass and activism as she was for her incredibly turbulent love life, Ms. Taylor’s passing without avail ended the life of one of America’s most iconic legends.
A two-time Academy Award winner and the golden goose for Hollywood’s Golden Age, the incomparable, violet eyed actress made her way onto the scene as an adolescent, starring in films such as Lassie Come Home (1943) and Jane Eyre (1944). But unlike other child actors of her time, Ms. Taylor transitioned breezily into adults roles and created an unmistakable name for herself with a poise and power unmatched by any of her peers.
Taylor & Burton in "Cleopatra" (courtesy of 20th Century Fox)
She dominated the silver screen for well over six decades, and with key roles in movies like Father of the Bride (1950), Raintree County, Butterfield 8 and Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf (1966), she became the go-to girl for Hollywood’s hottest roles… and men.
Most infamously connected to her 20th Century Fox Cleopatra star, Richard Burton, whom she married twice, the illustrious Elizabeth just couldn’t help herself in vying for her happily ever after… which is one of the reasons I revere her so much – a person who never gives up on love is a person worthy of greatness – no doubt. Never giving up, Taylor wanted her happily ever after to end in nuptial bliss – marrying eight times! Below is an except from Wikipedia time lining all her marriages:
Conrad “Nicky” Hilton (May 6, 1950 – January 29, 1951) The marriage was unhappy and ended in divorce after nine months.[4]
Michael Wilding (February 21, 1952 – January 26, 1957) Wilding was 20 years older than Taylor.[4]
Michael Todd (February 2, 1957 – March 22, 1958) Todd’s death ended Taylor’s only marriage to not result in divorce. She later called Todd one of the two loves of her life, with Burton.[4]
Eddie Fisher (May 12, 1959 – March 6, 1964) Todd’s best friend, Fisher, consoled Todd’s widow, Taylor, after his death. They began an affair while Fisher was still married to Debbie Reynolds, causing a scandal.[4]
Richard Burton (March 15, 1964 – June 26, 1974) The press closely followed Burton and Taylor’s relationship before, during, and after their 10 years of marriage, due to great public interest in “the most famous film star in the world and the man many believed to be the finest classical actor of his generation.” Taylor hoped to focus on her marriage over her career, and gained weight in an unsuccessful attempt to not receive film roles.[4]
Richard Burton (October 10, 1975 – July 29, 1976) Sixteen months after divorcing they remarried in a traditional house in Botswana, but soon separated and re-divorced in 1976. Burton once disagreed with others about Taylor’s famed beauty, saying that calling her “the most beautiful woman in the world is absolute nonsense. She has wonderful eyes, but she has a double chin and an overdeveloped chest, and she’s rather short in the leg.”[4] On another occasion, however, he praised her lavishly, stating that, “She was unquestionably gorgeous. I can think of no other word to describe a combination of plentitude, frugality, abundance, tightness. She was lavish. She was a dark unyielding largesse. She was, in short, too bloody much.”
John Warner (December 4, 1976 – November 7, 1982) As with Burton, Taylor sought to be known as the wife of her husband, a United States Senator from Virginia. Unhappy with her life in Washington, however, Taylor became depressed and entered the Betty Ford Clinic.[4]
Larry Fortensky (October 6, 1991 – October 31, 1996) Taylor and Fortensky met during another stay at the Betty Ford Clinic and were married at the Neverland Ranch.[4] (Wikipedia.org)
An icon to movie star good looks, an advocate for AIDS and a beautiful bride over and over again, I think it goes without saying that Elizabeth Taylor will be greatly missed as much as a film star as a legendary beauty. Rest in peace, Ms. Taylor and cheers to finally finding your “happily ever after.”
As previously speculated on the blog, it’s time for the Biggest Loser to step aside. The CW is launching their own version of the weight-loss obsession. Only this time, engaged couples fight to change their bodies and make wedded weight loss history. But before your ears start to ring with Bridalplasty nightmares, let me reassure you, this will be a skin cutting free zone… I think :)
On tomorrow night’s premiere, nine couples will face off in competitions based around wedding details such as invitations, cake and the rings. Whatever the couples win, they get to keep. If they lose, however, they lose more than a wedding detail; they lose their spot on the show. (Dun.Dun.Dun!)
During the three-month, wedding details based competition, the couples will learn how to live healthier lives and gain better eating habits with the help of several celebrity A-listers. Among them? Host Sara Rue, perhaps best known for her “big girl” roles in popular TV shows like, Popular, Less Than Perfect and Eastwick and most recently for getting her skinny on with Jenny Craig, as well as celebrity nutritionist, Ashley Koff and world class trainers Nicky Holender and Jennifer Cohen who will also join the ranks of shaping up and shipping out.
In the finale of the show, the first seven couples to be eliminated will get a second chance weigh-in. The couple who loses the most weight at home will win a fantasy honeymoon… not too shabby if you ask me :)
Call me sentimental or even a celebrity stalker… really it makes no matter to me, hehe! Buuuut, I’d be lying if I didn’t say that Katy Perry’s performance at that 2011 Grammys wasn’t the highlight of the show!
For cereal, the girl can perform – no doubt, but when she paired her high flying performance of Not Like the Movies with moving pictures from her and Russell Brand’s wedding day, I was swooning in my seat!
There’s just something about seeing a happy couple on their wedding day that will always give me with the warm and fuzzies: The way a groom eagerly awaits for his soon to be wife at the other end of the aisle and the way the she glows from the inside out as she makes her way to him… (Sigh)… Idk. I just la-Louvre it!
So, once I saw the pictures shine behind Katy Perry’s beautiful lyrics, I couldn’t help but a little misty-eyed. After all,
“Just like the movies.
That’s how it will be.
Cinematic and dramatic with the perfect ending.
Oh! It’s not like the movies.
But that’s how it should be.
When he’s the one,
You’ll come undone.
And your world will stop spinning.
And it’s just the beginning.”
In lieu of reports from the Washington Post that Prince William is suspected to wear a “custom-made, ceremonial military uniform, as his father Prince Charles did when he wed Lady Diana Spencer in 1981,” I can’t help but <sigh> at the sheer thought of it.
Like any other, red blooded, American woman, it’s no surprise that I find the notion of a groom in uniform, especially a Royal one, finger-licking lovely. (I ask in advance that you forgive any offense or vulgarity that may slip through my lips and into my keyboard, because ladies, I simply can’t help myself… Also, Tanner, I love you – hehe!)
For serious, is there anything more attractive than a man in uniform? I think not. I don’t care if a sport’s jersey, striped socks, fire proof pants or policeman pleats; there is just something about a man in uniform that easily turns this refined, young lady into this howling character…
photo courtesy of dir.yahoo.com
Oy vey.
But alas, I digress. Because while a slick uniform can turn any male up from a 6 to a 10, there is no kind of uniform that does this quite as well as the military. Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps or Coast Guard… you name it; I love it. So, even though Veteran’s Day has already come and gone, I would still like to salute all the military grooms and the lucky photographers who got to capture ‘em on film :)
photos courtesy of artfuljoy.com
photo courtesy of unitedwithlove.com
photo courtesy of atlasweddingphotography.com
photos courtesy of jessicafreyphotographyblog.com
photo courtesy of davidettinger.photoshelter.com
photo courtesy of lanierstar.com
photo courtesy of allantuan.info
photos courtesy of catiesphotography.com
photo courtesy of swuchererphotography.blogspot.com
