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)
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
According to reports from the Daily Mail, the royal family’s Queen Elizabeth is all about taking things to a trendy level when it comes to the upcoming nuptials of her dear grandson, Prince William and his lucky lady in waiting, Kate Middleton set for April 29 of this year.
Dictated by protocol, the Queen Bee herself wrote a letter, which was transmitted via fax, to all expected sovereigns on the guest list. Sovereigns – out of respect and tradition – customarily receive advanced notice from other “foreign heads of state and non-VIP guests.” (dailymail.co.uk)
Among those already confirming their “faxy” RSVP’s?? Former sovereign of Greece, King Constantine (who also happens to be William’s godfather and close friend / 2nd cousin to Prince Charles), his wife, Queen Anne-Marie and their eldest son, Crown Prince Pavlov; Serbia’s Crown Prince Alexander (who is also the Queen’s godson) and his wife, Crown Princess Katherine; and the Romanian Monarchy, led by former King Michael and his wife, Queen Ann. Looks like we’re in store for a pretty royal funky chicken come April!
Not only that, but even though all confirmed guests are well into their 60s, 70s and even 80s – minus Crown Prince Pavlov who is still a spring chicken among the others at 43 – they were all so quick triggered with the fax machine acceptance and responses! Ha! My poor dad still only types with his index fingers!
But I suppose this kind of new age Save the Date should come as no shock to those of us stalking down the regal wedding deets. After all, it was a tweet heard ’round that world that first solidified the engagement news of Prince Willy and Katie Baby and even the fax machine Queen Mum is also a Facebooking and Flickr all star; so, it’s no wonder that sovereign Save the Dates would be sent facsimile style.
And what’s even better?? There’s still more to come! These sovereign guests will join the 1,800 other privy invitees when the formal, embossed in gold and written by hand invitations go out next month. I guess for the sovereign royalty though, any kind of heads up in a situation like this is always nice. I mean, everyone knows when it comes to royal nuptials, there’s about a schmillion other things you could be doing that day instead… (please note the sarcasm and move along.)
But I gotta give ‘em props. Between the tweet-confirmed engagement, the Queen gettin’ her FB and Flickr on and the fax-ilicous Save the Dates, this is one modernized and efficient family wedding! And we all know, nothing says romance quite like “efficient.” Haha! So, if the Queen Mum is listening, I thought I’d let her know, our fax number here is 800.486.3491, and if you just want to put ATTN: Mary Dietz on it somewhere, I’m sure I won’t have any issue in receiving it…
The gauntlet has been thrown…
And for all my other royal brides-to-be out there looking to make a statement with your “Pencil Us In!” announcements, be sure to check out our full line of DIY & Printable Save the Dates!
Paltrow with son, Moses (photo courtesy of haveuheard.net) & Faith Hill with daughter, Audrey (photo courtesy of countrymusicislove.com)
So, I have to be honest, the minute I heard this story, my heart literally expanded with an outpouring of “awww!” According to people.com, Academy Award winner and mega -star, Gwyneth Paltrow, is already gearing up for four year old son Moses’ wedding day debut!
After working on the set of her upcoming movie,Country Strong with Tim McGraw, the couple’s two families become extremely close – including their children, and the rest – as they say – is history. Moses - son of Paltrow and Coldplay front man, Chris Martin – fell head over heels in love with country music’s hottest power couple, Tim McGraw and Faith Hill’s daughter, Audrey, 9.
Asked by PEOPLE on Tuesday about Paltrow’s prediction that the kids will get married one day, McGraw replied: “That’s what I hear. That’s what I hear. Well, he better make a lot of money.” (people.com)
No worries, Tim, I’m sure being the son of a musical genius and acting legend is enough to at least give him a leg up against the competition!
And while the five year age gap between Audrey and Moses isn’t necessarily enough for this too-cute-to-boot relationship to fall under the May-December category, it just might be precious enough to make the whole world smile… at least for a little while… orrrrr (fingers crossed) for a long while!! One thing’s for certain, until it’s written in stone otherwise, I’ll be leaving my mailbox open to all future wedding invites! Haha! Hooray for baby love!
It’s been less than 48 hours since the royal engagement of Prince William to Commoner (still can’t believe this type of terminology exists) Kate Middleton was announced, and already the world has gone bu-bu-bananas about it! Don’t believe me? Well, perhaps you’ll believe CNN, WSJ, MSNBC, NPR, BBC… you give me a 3 to 5 lettered acronym, and I’ll give you their example of world getting whacked for weddings of the royal garden variety.
For instance, if you’re a gambling gal, feel free to head on over to CNN, where you’ll find an article cataloging the long list of items you can place your British pounds on! People are taking bets on everything from when the wedding will be and where it will take place to the length of Kate’s train and the color of the Queen’s hat! (Come on, pink!)
Or perhaps you consider yourself more of a financial and political opportunist; so, you might want to hit up Forbes or the Wall Street Journal where you’ll find arguments for and against the cost of the wedding – paid out of the tax payer’s pockets – to the (fingers crossed) overwhelming amount of UK and *African tourism they hope will spin from all this wedded madness. *If you’re wondering, Africa??? It’s because Kenya is where Big Willy got down on one knee for his lady to be!
Really, it doesn’t matter what you’re looking for; because if ever there was even a faint whisper of concern, excitement, knowledge or otherwise uttered about the upcoming nuptials of the world’s most talk about royal family… you best BUUHHH-LIEVE there’s somebody or several somebodies out there who have already reported, tweeted, facebooked, YouTubed, blogged (holllerrr!), sent up smoke signals, Morse coded, tattooed on their forehead and / or regurgitated all its epic yumminess to the masses.
I, of course, know this because I’d be one of those people at the top of the list creepily concerning myself with it. As some of you may already know, this ain’t my first rodeo when it comes to the royal wedding watch. Last August, I wrote the infamous post, “Yes, Prince William, I will Marry You”: A Young Girl’s Dream Shattered?, as if William were my childhood bf and already pegged me as the perfect Best (Woah!)Man. But alas, I’ll settle for a simple invite, kids - wink, wink, nudge, nudge.
So, as a Royal Wedding connoisseur, I think my favorite tid bit to surface thus far from all the mayhem is the ever so elegant engagement ring! Originally worn by the late Princess Diana (William’s mum and hands down, the best leading lady evs!) as her engagement ring back to Charles in 1981, the 18 carat Sapphire stunner is now the crowning jewel amidst Middleton’s ring finger! In an interview conducted by the BBC, Prince William had this to say (see clip below):
“It is a family ring, yes. It’s my mother’s engagement ring; so, I thought it was quite nice ’cause (um) obviously she’s not going to be a round to share any of the fun and excitement of all this. This is my way of keeping her close to it all.” (Prince William, BBC News Interview)
(Pause to compose myself) Aww! I love love love that! And I love love love all this! Congrats to Kate and William! May you live each day as it was your first and each night as if it were your last – ooh la la! And cheers to many, many years of happiness! You can be sure Marilyn’s Keepsakes will be watching!
I would like to thank Mrs. McComb – my ahhhmazing Kindergarten teacher – for teaching me one of the greatest sayings ever: Secrets, secrets are no fun. Secrets, secrets hurt someone. Haha! While not all rumors are meant to be secretive or hurtful, one thing is fo’ sho… they all contain a level of ridiculousness that only rumors can implode and people can explode.
And no rumors are more ridiculous than those centered around celebrities. Partially because of their allure; partially because of their unreachable appeal and unattainable status, celebrities will inevitably fall victim to some of the most outlandish accusations this side of the Mississippi. Like a game a “Telephone” gone to Hell in a hand basket, celebrity rumors are not only started and contorted by your BF, Ryan Seacrest and every other busy body, but they are also then remolded, sculpted and presented for an entire world to scrutinize. Awesome.
As far as E! Online’s rumors, here’s a breakdown from a segment they like to call So True / So False:
Russell thinks Katy is the cat’s pajamas and gifted her with a tigress; while Katy made Brand feel like a Big Shot and gifted him with an elephant. – SO FALSE! (While they did have live animals at the wedding, none were presented as gifts to the B&G.)
MIA POP staaahhhhs. While Katy and Russell’s guest list was rumored to have big names, it was Diddy who was the guest of honor and pumped up the volume to the wee hours of the morning! – SO FALSE! (Diddy was actually @ Pure Nightclub in Las Vegas.)
The couple went cuckoo for native culture and had a ceremony fit to be tied for all things Hindu and ditched their customarily Christian backgrounds in order to be hitched. – SO FALSE! (A rep of the duo confirmed that a “Christian minister and longtime friend of the Hudson family” was the one to help the two say I do.)
Katy looked HAWT in haute couture sporting an Elie Saab gown, but details remained under lock ‘n’ key. – SO TRUE!
By the end of the night, people had to “Call the Law and hold the Applause” after Brand’s bodyguards stranded news photographers in the middle of a tiger sanctuary and stirred up enough of a late night ruckus which resulted in public complaints. – ???????? (While no charges were filed against the guards after they apologized, there is still investigating going on for the public complaints.)
For these as well as other whacked out wedding rumors, be sure to view E! Online!
For serious, how can you not love them? (photo courtesy of mtv.com)
Bells will ring! The (uh uh uh) sun will shine! (Woah oh oh oh!) I’ll be his! And he’ll be mine! We’ll love until… the end of time! And we’ll never be lonely any more! Because…
(They’re allegedly) going to the Chapel (tomorrow!), and (they’re supposedly) get mare-ha-harried!
Ha! First of all, what do you even know about that remix? And second of all, who else could I possibly be talking about other than the sultry and often scantily clad Katy Perry and her unruly rocker of a man, Russell Brand!?! I mean hellllooooo??? You know you’re big time when even CNN can’t resist offering all the latest gossip about your celebrity nuptials!
Tomorrow (sound horns!), the 23rd of October, is said to be the big day this celebrity power couple will say “I do” to each other in a VERY private, VERY exclusive ceremony at the Taj Rambagh Palace in Jaipur, India… pause to admire, then resume below…
I know what you're thinking... what a SHANTY! Right? (photo courtesy of houseandgarden.com.au)
This - of course – being the same location they got engaged just this past New Year’s Eve. Siiiiiiiggghhhhh, how romantic :) And while details of the event have been kept under lock ‘n’ key, there are a few tid bits that have leaked over time. One of which being that celebrity wedding planner to the staaahhhhs, Mindy Weiss, will be helping the couple coordinate the big day, which is fitting considering Perry allegedly wanted to channel Gwen Stefani’s bridal chic-ness, whose wedding was also planned by the lovely Ms. Weiss as well.
photo courtesy of life.com
Another golden nugget of info is that Perry’s best friend, Rihanna, is the obvious choice for maid of honor… and I sincerely suspect Ms. RiRi will easily add some fierce beauty to the guaranteed-to-be-gorgeous wedding album! I mean, honestly… just look at her! Do you think Katy and Rihanna ever argue about who’s hotter? “No, Katy, you’re so much hotter than me!” “No way, RiRi, you’re the Caribbean Queen and sooo waaay hotter than me!” I bet they do.
Anyhoot, back to the soon-to-be-wed love birds! I love both Brand and Perry for a number of obvious and unobvious reasons, but I mainly can’t get enough of these two crazy kids because even with their over the top personalities and celebrity swellings, they’ve both been very consistent about keeping their wedding day an intimate and seemingly “normal” celebration for the two of them. They truly want it to be a special day to celebrate their love! Russell was even quoted during a Q&A in New York on the 12th of this month saying:
“We just love each other, and we want to get married in front of our friends and family and keep it very normal. It ain’t about selling the pictures. It ain’t about doing no pre-nup. It’s just a normal thing.” (Russell Brand, via CNN.com)
Ha! Love love love this! And even though I totally know they’re being super cautious about keeping secrets… I soooo hope they share at least a few images with the rest of us who were either A) “accidently” left off the guest list or B) couldn’t afford a plane ticket to go! Haha!
Good luck you two! On behalf of Marilyn’s Keepsakes and myself, I’d like to wish you both the best of luck and all the happiness in the world! And cheers to many, MANY years of ahhhh to the mazing! Lord knows y’all deserve it :)
I wish (pun intended) I could tell you where, when, why or even how I first came across this trend, but honestly, I have no idea. Haha! I just remember seeing something about wedding wish lanterns once upon a time, which obviously sparked and captivated my attention long enough to prevent me from letting it go.
“Letting go,” however, is exactly what these bad boys are about, and after doing a version of wish lanterns at the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life, a fundraiser benefitting cancer research earlier this year, I can honestly admit from firsthand experience how awesome they can be!
Originating in Asia, sky or wish lanterns have been used for centuries during celebrations as a symbolic means to release worries, stress and problems back into the atmosphere. Because of their traditional and historic appeal, not to mention their undeniably meaningful value, it’s no wonder this Asian sensation made its way into the wedding world.
Constructed of 100% biodegradable materials, not only are these mini hot air balloons absolutely beautiful to watch, but they are also earth friendly and Mother Nature approved! *Hooty Hoot* for going green!
The lanterns will be in the air for approximately 12 minutes and reach up to a mile! Brides and grooms can choose to release one alone, or (depending on the budget, of course) include their entire bridal party or guest list in the release of these luminary wish lanterns. For a better idea, check out this beautiful video from WishLanternUSA (I love the music!) or for more information or to purchase wish lanterns, visit wishlantern.com:
I’m telling you what, friends, some of my fave celebutante’s have truly been keeping me on my toes! And this weekend proved to be no different when according to People.com, Carrie Underwood and (now!) hubs-tastic hockey man, Mike Fisher said *I do* on Saturday in front of 250 of their closest friends and family on a $500,000 budget! Check it out:
The Location. The setting proved to be a southern belle’s dream, as friends and family gathered at the Ritz-Carlton Reynolds Plantation in Greensboro, Georgia to watch as one of country music’s most sought after ladies made her “Mrs.” title offish. I mean, for serious, look at this dream…
Reynolds Plantation (Photo courtesy of ritzcarlton.com)
Golf Course at Reynolds Plantation (Photo courtesy of ritzcarlton.com)
The Dress. Dressed to the nines – as if there were any doubt – Carrie wore a Chantilly lace (got a “pretty face!”) dress designed by one of the wedding worlds finest, Monique Lhuillier… who also went ahead and whipped up the bridesmaids dresses as well. Can you say jealous? Honestly, look at some of the magic this woman has created:
Part of Monique Lhuillier's Spring 2010 Collection (photos courtesy of moniquelhuillier.com)
Don't you just love them!?! (photo courtesy of people.com)
The Guest List. As you can imagine, this was one star-studded event, which only further upsets me my invitation was obviously lost in the mail! Haha! With over 250 people attendance, there were undoubtedly wall to wall Staaaahhhhs, including all three of Underwood’s former Idol judges – Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson (DAWG!) – and country music’s favorite couple, Tim McGraw and Faith Hill! Love love love them!
The Ceremony. Carrie told People.com, “We could not feel more blessed to have found each other and to have shared this day with our friends and family that mean so much to us!” A day which was marked by a beautiful ceremony, filled with classical music and the couple’s ultra fave Bible versus. Awww :)
The Honeymoon. Get ready to swoon, lovers! According to USMagazine.com, this newlywed power couple is jet set and celebrating their nuptials in none other than beautiful Bora Bora! Siiiighhhhh. I wanna go! I wonder why they didn’t invite me?
