Tag: celebrity weddings
courtesy of thesweetestoccasion.com
While we’ve discussed how you can create a custom look on your wedding day with the article DIY Divine: 5 Ways to Personalized Your Wedding Dress, we haven’t talked about the importance of your dress’ sentimentality!
I mean, helloooo?!!? It’s a wedding, people! It’s all about sentiment!
Which, as sad as I am to use this reference, I was reminded of by Kim Kardashian (dun dun dun) on her 2 day / 4 hour E! wedding special. On the days leading up to her wedding, Kim was shown rummaging through her late father Robert Kardashian’s old button down shirts. She wanted to find one that she remembered, in order to incorporate it into both her wedding gowns.
Once the shirt was chosen, she had two heart-shaped panels cut out of and sewn onto the left sides of both of her custom made Vera Wang dresses. Because her dad couldn’t be there physically, this was her way to keep his presence and memory alive during the celebration… and while the marriage may have died 72 days later, the idea of sewing sentiment into your wedding dress has lived on!
Thanks to Pinterest, my beautiful co-worker, Jessi and a Google Image search, I was able to gather some pictures of how real life brides are taking on this filled with feelings challenge and including it on their big day through…
Custom Labels. Whether you choose to use your name, monogram or simply represent the date, custom labels and patches can be created and sewn under the bodice on the inside of the dress for an extra special touch of love.
photos courtesy of (clockwise from top left) etsy.com, vivestyle.ca, itsabrideslife.com and bridalwave.tv
Custom Patches. For the riskier bride hoping to make a statement and /or really capture a memory, you may try sewing on a meaningful patch of fabric or a symbolic panel or shape directly onto the dress itself.
photos courtesy of (clockwise from top left) beautyfashiontrends.com, weddingbee.com, sequinsandcandy.com and purlbee.com
Custom Hangers. If the thought of sewing something permanent into your dress gives you the bridal gasps… might I suggest doing a fun personalized hanger? Not only do they look great and make for amazing photography shots, but they are also non-damaging to your dress! Boo and Yeah!
all photos found on pinterest.com via (from top to bottom, left to right) Stephanie Holland, Jessi, Victoria, Chloé Plénet and Jessica Elizabeth
January 19, 2012
Paul Newman and his bride, Joanne Woodward were married over 50 years, until his death in 2008. (photos courtesy of people.com)
Okay, I have to admit it, when it comes to Hollywood marriages, I – like the rest of the general public – can be pretty skeptical. I figure this has something to do with the media’s spin on most marriages, and the fact that you generally don’t hear about a Hollywood hook-up until it’s on the rocks. Therefore, it’s no surprise that so many of us are skewed so easily.
However, after running across the Wikipedia article featuring Hollywood Marriages that stood the test of time, my skeptical spirit was uplifted, and I was given a whole list of reasons to believe in the power of “I do.” Maybe it’s the fact that it’s December 1 and my holiday spirit is in full throttle or maybe it’s because I simply love love so much… either way, but I couldn’t help by get all kinds of Christmas cheer after seeing this list of long time lovers — warmed me from the inside out :)
- Norman Lloyd and Peggy Lloyd, 75 years, married June 26, 1936, to her death on August 30, 2011.
- Art Linkletter and Lois Foester, 74.5 years, married November 26 1935 to his death on May 26, 2010.
- Charles Lane and Ruth Covell Lane, 71 years, married from April 12 1931 until her death on November 30, 2002.
- Karl Malden and his wife Mona were married from December 18 1938 to his death on July 1, 2009.
- Sherwood Schwartz and Mildred Seidman (23 December 1941 – 12 July 2011)
- Bob Hope and Dolores DeFina Hope, 69 years, married from 19 February 1934 until his death on 27 July 2003. It was his second marriage, his first being brief.
Bob + Dolores = True Love (photos courtesy of gossiprocks.com and film.guardian.co.uk)
- Bruce Bennett and Jeannette C. Braddock, 67 years, married from January 21 1933 until her death on June 30 2000.
- Sid Caesar and Florence Levy, 67 years, married in July 1943.
- Jane Wyatt and Edgar Bethune Ward, 1 day short of 65 years, married from November 9 1935 until his death on November 8 2000.
- Carl Reiner and Estelle Reiner, nearly 65 years, from December 24 1943 to her death on October 25, 2008.
- Charlton Heston and Lydia Clarke, 64 years, from March 17 1944 to his death on April 5, 2008.
Charlton and Lydia sitting in a tree... K.I.S.S.I.N.G! (photos courtesy of old.gretnatheatre.com and newsimg.bbc.co.uk)
- James Cagney and Frances Vernon, 64 years.
- Ricardo Montalbán and Georgiana Young, 63 years from 1944 to her death in 2007.
- Eli Wallach and Anne Jackson. 62 years, married since March 5, 1948.
Eli and Anne, 62 years and going strong! (photos courtesy of life.com and movies.yahoo.com)
- Robert Young and Betty Henderson, 61 years from 1933 to 1994.
- Fred Zinnemann and Renee Bartlett, 61 years from 1936 to 1997.
- Jack Paar and Miriam Wagner, a little over 60 years. He had been married and divorced to an Irene twice before marrying Miriam.
- Tony Martin and Cyd Charisse, 60 years. Although it was a second marriage for both.
Tony and Cyd proved second time's a charm! (photos courtesy of imdb.com and news.xinhuanet.com)
- Jonathan Winters and Eileen Schauder, 60 years from 1948 to her death on January 11, 2009.
- Eva Marie Saint and Jeffrey Hayden, as the article says they married in 1951.
- Lloyd Bridges and Dorothy Simpson Bridges, nearly 60 years from 1938 to his death in 1998.
- Henny Youngman and Sadie Cohen Youngman, 58 years to her death in 1987.
- Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee, from 1948 to 2005. Second-marriage for her.
Ossie and Ruby had the right stuff! (photos courtesy of community.livejournal.com and upi.com)
- Patrick McGoohan and Joan Drummond, 57 years from 1951 to 2009.
- Robert Mitchum and Dorothy Spence, 57 years, from 1940 to his death in 1997.
- Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara have been married since 1954.
Jerry and Anne prove a sense of humor can go a long way! (photos courtesy of jaydeanhcr.wordpress.com and movies.yahoo.com)
- Mel Blanc and Estelle Rosenbaum were married from 1933 to 1989.
- Bud Abbott and Betty Smith were married for 55 years from 1918 to 1974.
- Danny Thomas and Rose Marie Cassaniti Thomas, from 1936 to his death in 1991.
- Alfred Hitchcock and Alma Reville were married from 1926 to 1980. Although British, Hitchcock became a naturalized citizen and died in Los Angeles.
- Anita Page and Lieutenant Herschel A. House were married from 1937 to 1991. She had a brief earlier marriage to Nacio Herb Brown that was annulled due to his divorce not being final.
- James Garner and Lois Clarke have been married over 54 years, since August 17, 1956.
JG + LC + True Love! (photos courtesy of people.com and upi.com)
- Arthur Penn and Peggy Maurer were married from 1955 or 1956 to his death in 2010.
- Angela Lansbury and Peter Shaw were married from 1949 to his death in 2003.
Angela and Peter, 'til death did them part. (photos courtesy of silverscreenoasis.com and life.com)
- Frank Capra and Lucille “Lu” Capra were married from 1932 to 1984. It was his second marriage as he had been married to Helen Howell in the 1920s.
- Jessica Tandy and Hume Cronyn, married from 1942 to 1994. It was a second marriage for both.
- Roy E. Disney was married to Patricia Ann Dailey from 1955 to 2007, but the marriage ended in a “collaborative divorce.”
- Rance Howard and Jean Speegle Howard, 51 years from 1949 to her death in 2000.
- Roy Rogers and Dale Evans, 51 years from 1947 to 1998.
Roy and Dale said yee-haw to marriage for over 50 years! (photos courtesy of posters.ws and sunsethills.cc)
- Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward, 1958 to his death in 2008. It was a second marriage for him.
**All from Wikipedia, Hollywood marriages.
December 1, 2011
photos courtesy of Michael Simon, Albert Ferreira/Startraks and Nick Saglimbeni via eonline.com
Well, the sanctity of marriage took another blow yesterday when Kim Kardashian announced she had filed for divorce from Kris Humphries after a solid 72 days of wedded bliss, er, amiss. Shocker, I know. But all things considered, 72 days of marriage in Hollywood years is like a Silver Anniversary in regular years; so, mayhaps we should be applauding their valiant effort in holding such high esteem for the ’til death do us part vow.
Yes? No? Maybe?
And while I’m not a fan of bullying (putting others down to lift myself up) or celebrating mediocrity per say. I am a fan of celebrating in general, and in this case, I like to think of how we can turn this 72 day negative into a sublime positive. Because I truly believe behind every storm cloud, there lies a silver lining. And I’m pretty sure I found here :)
Kim K and frisky Kris had a fairytale, $20 schmillion wedding – making every day of their marriage worth a cool $277,777, whoop whoop! – but they still couldn’t make it last… And alas, this is where the upside lies…
I figure, if you’ve been married longer than 72 days, well then, you have beaten the odds and have a cause for celebration! Bust out the champagne glasses and let the toasting begin, because you and your Mister have outlasted a ‘dream come true’ ceremony and 20 million dollar marriage!! Um, can anyone else say amazeballs??
And the celebration train station doesn’t just stop there! Oh no, my friends, it keeps on going! For those of you looking for more reasons to ‘cheers!’ your love, here are some other Hollywood Wedding Whoops-a-daisies that could help you out:
- The hubs and I are vastly approaching our two year anniversary, and we can feel proud to know that our love outlasted a Hollywood great, Humphrey Bogart and his first wife Helen Menken. Their marriage ended in divorce after 17 months, as did Frank Sinatra and Mia Farrow’s.
- And if you’re marriage has gone longer than year, well then pour the wine and cut the cheese because you made it longer than joltin’ Joe DiMaggio and his iconic bride, Marilyn Monroe, who ended their marriage after only 9 months. Also in this category? Funny man favorite Jim Carrey and ex-wife, Lauren Holly, also said bu-bye before a year… ending their nuptial love fest after 10 months.
- Let the WAHOO continue if you’ve made it to even 6 months because you’ve now gone longer than a country singing mega star, an Oscar winning actor and actress and a daughter of a living legend. Kenny Chesney and Renee Zellweger, as well as Nicolas Cage and Lisa Marie Presley all said see ya before they even reached the half year mark!
- Heck, if you’ve only been married for a couple of weeks, why not raise a couple glasses in honor of the fact that you made it longer than sultry siren Carmen Electra and NBA bad boy Dennis Rodman? Their marriage ended after a staggering 10 days!
- And you know what?? Just because we all could use a little more yay in our life… go ahead and pat yourselves on the back if you’ve even been married longer than 57 hours because you made it longer than one of my all time faves, Britney Spears, and her childhood friend, Jason Alexander. They had their marriage annulled after an astounding 56 hours. Yep. Amazing.
So, you see, where one door closes, another one opens, my blog loving brides, and we all can have a reason to celebrate this day! I just hope whoever is writing the check for Kim Kardashian’s next nuptials uses a luckier pen :)
November 1, 2011
courtesy of alfredangelo.com
And no, I’m not referencing one of my favorite movies ever! I’m talking about princess styled brides – duh! And not only are they back, but they are completely redefined!
No longer are the princess brides of too much tulle and over the top headpieces – yes, I’m talking about you Celine Dion…
courtesy of ivillage.com
& you, crazy inflatable Barbie with too much… everything! I mean, really? Who let you say yes to the mess… I mean dress :)
courtesy of wedinator.com and tackyweddings.com
Now are the days of the redefined princess bride. One that can be found in a more figure flattering, curve hugging gown, statement-worthy headwear and vintage jewels. Think long fishtail-styled trains, tastefully modified tiaras (yes, tiaras!) and cathedral length veils. Consider turning in that old Cinderella ball gown for a body skimming dress bedecked in all things that dazzle.
And while the glass slippers may also have to go, the fairytale *twinkle* can stay! Let the sparkles dance throughout the entire ensemble by adding in sequin and crystal bling to all your big day details. Imagine everything from your dress and bouquet to the centerpieces and cake sprinkled in pixie dust! It’ll be avant garde glitter at its best! As long as the fairy tale wedding is done right – avoiding all things Exhibit A and B ^^ encompass - I’d say you’re well tuned for one of the happiest happily ever afters ever! See below and start wishing…
Arm yourself with frocked in layers and chandelier earrings and see how ooh your la la can be!
courtesy of jlmcouture.com/Lazaro
Modernize the traditional tiara and show how fab regal can be!
courtesy of jlmcouture.com/Alvina-Valenta
Wow ‘em at the wedding with a cathedral length veil and round it up for the reception… it’s a win / win for princesses everywhere!
courtesy of etsy.com and jessikafeltz.com
October 20, 2011
courtesy of CNN.com
Just when you thought the #hashtags and Royal Wedding watches were over… the event heard ’round the world rears its way back into ‘ooh la la’ all over again! According to CNN, UK’s Telegraph, and People.com, the Duchess of Cambridge - more widely known as Prince William’s prettier half, Kate Middleton – and her decadent dress have given Buckingham Palace a fiscal cause for celebration.
Profitting millions upon millions in ticket sales, the dress and all its trimmings went on display from late July to October 3, and while exact numbers won’t be known until after the year end audit, first case estimates put more than 600,000 visitors in eye line with the royal wedding WOWSA gown, breaking the previously held record of visitors from 1994 of 420,000.
photos courtesy of people.com
The Alexander McQueen dream dress – designed by Sarah Burton – is considered the Rolls-Royce of wedding wear. Composed of silk gazer and hand-tatted lace intricately comprised with shapes representing the counrties of the UK, this knock out gown also features a 9 foot train and several bling-tastic accessories. Among the ones on display, the Queen Mum’s ‘something borrowed’ 1936 Cartier halo-styled tiara and a pair of Robinson Pelham diamond earrings, a ‘something new’ gift from her parents which featured their family crest.
And the ‘oohing’ and ‘awwing’ doesn’t stop there! While the majority of money raised will go to preserving the Royal Collection – housing thousands of paintings and treasures of the Royal Palace, the Duchess of Cambridge asked that a slice of that ca-ching go to charity. According to the Telegraph:
When she gave permission for the dress to go on display, the Duchess made it clear that she wanted the gown to raise money for charity, and a proportion of the takings will go to the charitable foundation set up by the Duchess and her husband to receive wedding gifts. (telegraph.co.uk)
But what’s next for the dress, one might wonder? Straight to storage, and rightfully so! According to a palace source,
Kate is “keen to ensure that the dress survives undamaged for as long as possible, and so this inevitably means limiting the number of times that it is transported or displayed.” (people.com)
In the meantime, we can all still sigh in remembrance, keep the Royal Wedding pics a Google search away and hold close to a our memory bank, the day a Prince married a Princess.
October 4, 2011
courtesy of Xposure via graziadaily.co.uk
Lavender’s blue, dilly dilly, laaaavender’s green, when I am king, dilly dilly, you shall by queen!!
Purple has never been my pick of the litter when it comes to color, especially considering what works best on a wedding dress. However, after a work friend (holler for a dollar, Carolyn!) sent me a link revealing Sofia Coppola’s wedding dress, I have to admit, I pretty much fell in love :)
Recently wed this past weekend in the garden of the Coppola family’s Palazzo Margherita in Bernalda, Italy, the daughter of revered film director, Francis Ford Coppola, looked like a breezy bridal dream sporting her tee-length, lavender wedding dress… and I gotta say, she (and it) deserve a double snap. Not only does this trendy tress look amazing, but it compliments her chic, nonchalant style impeccably. Don’t believe me? Check it out for yourself and see! It looks like she should be twirling in every pic!
courtesy of Xposure via graziadaily.co.uk
See, she needs to be aswirly twirly in these pics :)
courtesy of Xposure via graziadaily.co.uk
And if you’re a bride who loves this lavishly lavender trend but still longs for the more traditional look, why don’t you pull a Khloe Kardashian and just accent your gown with the pretty purple??
courtesy of okmagazine.com
And while Khloe K did it via Vera Wang, I also love love love this Claire Pettibone vintage number :) It would make for a super chic DIY project!
courtesy of blogs.wishpot.com
September 1, 2011
Alfred Angelo has done it, my friends. He’s created a line of fairy tale, dream-come-true dresses perfect for the princess bride in all of us, and there’s nothing (and I do mean NOTHING!) that I love more about this than that each one is modeled after one of the grandest princesses of them all… a Disney Princess! Whoop, whoop!
Not only are the dresses too cute to boot, but each one is reasonably priced (under $1,399) and available in a size to fit any princesses’ frame (0 to 30W).
So, without further adieu (and in no particular order of ahhhmazing), I give thee, Alfred Angelo’s Line of Disney Dresses…
Ariel. Not even ten leagues Under the Sea could this dress’ beauty be hidden from view!
Jasmine. Open the crowd’s eyes to A Whole New World.
Aurora. You’ll never want to Sleep in the Beauty!
Tiana. You may have Kissed a lot of Frogs to get to your Prince… but in this dress, who even cares??
Cinderella. Not even a Glass Slipper or room full of ladies in waiting can outshine you!
Belle. Captivate the hearts of even the most Beastly men on the day you say “I do.”
Snow White. Wicked Queens and Poisoned Apples beware… there’s a princess ready to party!
July 7, 2011
courtesy of onewed.com
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 :)
May 3, 2011
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!
April 28, 2011
photo courtesy of utahsatellite.com
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 :)
April 26, 2011
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