We’re remodeling our kitchen in a couple of weeks and so I’ve begun the process of cleaning out cabinets and drawers in preparation for the new cabinets. It’s amazing what kitchen tools we’ve accumulated over the years. As people who love to cook, we’ve become “gadget and appliance freaks,” always loving to try new tools.
But the process of purging and sorting has really made me think about what the essential tools of the kitchen really are. What are the things that I could not do without? Here’s a list of my essentials — which I’d highly recommend adding to any registry!
All Clad Measuring cups and spoons — I am in love with these measuring cups and spoons and am still grateful to the friends who gave them to us as a wedding present! I love that the 1 cup measuring cup has marks for smaller quantities like 1/4 cup and 3/4 cups, that way I don’t have to dirty multiple measuring cups. They are also very sturdy and feel substantial in the hand.
All Clad measuring cups and spoons
Kitchen Aid Mixer — Makes the perfect batch of chocolate chip cookie dough. Need I say more?
Kitchen Aid Artisan Stand Mixer
Heat-resistant silicone spatula — I use this when I cook, when I bake… it is my go-to mixing spoon and I love that I never have to worry about it melting.
OXO heatproof silicone spatula
Nesting bowls — I use these every day. Ev-er-y-day! I keep them in the cupboard in two sets so that they are easier to lift out.
glass nesting bowls
Colander — I prefer this type of colander to the large mesh colanders as the latter are very hard to clean — especially after draining pasta.
Footed Colander
Creamer — My Apilco Creamer comes in handy for not only serving up cream with coffee, but also when making small batches of vinaigrettes or for serving sauces.
Apilco Porcelain Creamer
Zester — We use this microplane zester way more than I ever would have imagined. It is easy to use and washes fairly easily, too.
Microplane Rasp Grater
Whirly Pop — OK, this may not be an essential, but I really can’t live without it! My husband and I love homemade popcorn and the Whirly Pop makes the best popcorn we’ve ever had.
My iPhone is chock-full of apps: Epicurious, Zagat, Dragon Dictation, Scrabble, ESPN, OpenTable, Nike+, Shazam, Pandora…. I suppose apps say a lot about a person. (Apparently, I am a food-obsessed word nut who likes to workout to music while keeping up with her favorite teams?!?!)
There is one app I am sure every bride-to-be is feverishly downloading these days: the Tiffany & Co. Engagement Ring Finder. The app allows you to browse Tiffany’s settings, view carat weights, and find the perfect ring size. The ring sizer is so easy to use — just hold up one of your rings to the screen and adjust until it matches. And, of course, for those whom subtlety eludes, one’s favorite customized ring can be e-mailed. Hint. Hint.
I had such a pleasure working with Kristin & Carl as they prepared for their recent wedding at The Mayflower. Yes, they were planning a beautiful wedding which was fun to work on, but the real joy for me came when I saw not only how they loved each other, but also how evident it was that they really are each other’s best friend. They were kind to one another, laughed heartily together, and showed great love to both of their families. A sweet couple!
I also loved the way they made their wedding personal to them — right down to a Mets groom’s cake and processional music that the bride had been dreaming of for years and years.
The parents and grandparents entered to “Like A Prayer” and the processional, including the bride, walked in to “Don’t Stop Believin’” — both played beautifully by the Cherry Blossom String Quartet. The bride wanted to enter at a certain point in the song and we were able to time it perfectly so that the doors opened and the beautiful bride processed down the aisle. Later at the reception, one of the bride’s closest friends sang a toast to the tune of “Don’t Stop Believin’” — a fitting tribute!
Caren and Ed are two of the loveliest people I’ve had the privilege to get to know through Rex & Regina Events. One need only to have seen the joy, respect, and love their friends exhibited toward them at their wedding celebration to get a small glimpse of how special they are. Caren’s girlfriends went so far as to sing a special musical number in Caren’s honor and Ed’s siblings and parents each gave a very special toast/roast to celebrate him and his new wife.
Caren & Ed’s wedding was not only fun and joyous, but reflective of their personalities and passions, as well. They are the proud parents of two adorable cats, Bago and Goon, who, while not present at the wedding, were amply honored. They are also passionate about cars and their Alfa Romeo Spider provided a sporty backdrop for some of their photos.
The wedding was captured beautifully by Anne & Bill Holland of Holland Photo Arts and came to life courtesy of some amazing vendors, named below.
Congratulations, Caren & Ed!
Caren & Ed
aisle runner flanked by hurricane candles nestled in wheatgrass
vine-wrapped chuppah with white floral accents
the ceremony under the chuppah
wheatgrass and tulip floral centerpiece as guests entered
escort cards were later nestled in the wheatgrass arrangement
special roasted coffee beans with Bago & Goon's photos were set in the wheatgrass at the end of the evening for guests to take home
the centerpieces reflected the wedding's light green and cream color palette
children's meals were marked in a whimsical way on the escort card
the cupcake tower was topped with a custom small cake for the bride & groom to cut
a kiss during the cutting of the cake
a stunning bridal bouquet
the mothers carried small, hand-tied posies
a surprise musical number performed by the bride's friends
Victoria Stiles is a professional makeup artist and hairstylist based in the DC area. Rex & Regina has had the privilege of working with Victoria on a number of weddings where, each time, the bride and bridal party looked absolutely flawless. I had the chance to interview Victoria recently and asked her what every bride needs to know with respect to beauty on her wedding day.
I covered Victoria’s essential tips for brides in this earlier post. Today, we are featuring some Skin Care 101 tips for grooms as they prepare for their wedding day. Brides, be sure to share this with your groom!
makeup by Victoria Stiles; image via Victoria Stiles
What are your top tips for grooms with respect to skin care preparation for his wedding day?
There are several things a groom can do to ensure he looks good on his wedding day, particularly for photos.
1) There are places in the DC area where a groom can go for a pre-ceremony prep. For example, there is The Grooming Lounge that has services specially geared toward a groom’s skin, which is very different from a bride’s skin.
Grooms should make sure they have the best skin care possible so that there is less chance of razor burn or other skin problems before the wedding day.
Make a facial appointment about a month out at a place like The Grooming Lounge to begin to prepare your skin for your wedding.
2) If you any type of breakout on the wedding day, you can use a small amount of concealer on the blemish itself. A concealer I like to use is called Keromask concealer which comes in a variety of shades to match skin tone. Take a little dab on your finger and just press it on the blemish itself. It sets to a matte finish so you don’t need to put any type of powder on top.
With respect to blemishes days before the wedding, never ever pop them! Use astringent to dry up the skin and oil-free moisturizer to make sure the area does not dry out.
3) Comb through your brows. It sounds foreign to most gentlemen, but the brows can get out of place and in the pictures it will be noticeable. So just comb through them so that they are all in place.
4) Do something simple on your lips, like ChapStick. Your lips will be moist but, don’t worry, they won’t look glossy. By applying a little ChapStick you will help prevent your lips from looking dry, cracked, or chapped in photos.
So, grooms, consider these simple, easy skin care tips as you gear up for your wedding. Your bride will thank you for it!
Off-the-shelf wedding planning guides are helpful ways to keep contracts, fabric swatches, and inspiration photos and articles organized in one place. Often times, however, they don’t fit exactly what a bride needs for her particular wedding.
I love this idea from Martha Stewart, which allows a bride to organize her wedding planning materials just the way she wants them. These decorative folders can be customized with fabric matching the color scheme of the wedding.
The folder facades would be helpful for any party, not just weddings. Get organized today!
Nick & Tyler planned a gorgeous wedding, considering every detail and making sure guests had a fabulous time. But one of the things that struck me most in the planning process was the tenderness they had toward each other — expressed no more perfectly than during their First Look and at their ceremony. The photos below capture what we all saw that day — a couple madly, deeply over the moon for one another.
Congratulations, Nick & Tyler!
getting ready
The beautiful bride
The First Look
A sweet moment
The wedding party basks in the lights of Bethesda
A kiss
The Ketubah signing
The bride waits for the processional to begin
The bride and her parents process toward the chuppah
When I work a wedding, one of the things I always bring with me in my emergency kit is a pack of drinking straws. The straws are helpful in making sure the bride and bridesmaids don’t smudge or wear off their lipstick after they’ve had their makeup done.
I recently came across these fantastic reusable straws. While they may not work for my kit, I couldn’t help but think how helpful they would be at home — especially for families with children. Cool looking AND eco-friendly — sipping has never been so fashionable!
On a recent trip to New York, my husband and I had the pleasure of having dinner at Daniel. While there, I couldn’t help but notice the gorgeous arrangements of parrot tulips placed throughout the restaurant. Their simplicity and elegance was absolutely striking.
Combine all that with the fact that the tulips in my front yard are beginning to sprout up through the winter-weary ground, and I definitely have tulips on the brain.
One of my favorite types of tulips are parrot tulips. I like them for their uniqueness and for the impact that adding even a few of them to a larger arrangement can make.
Here’s a sampling of bouquets featuring parrot tulips that I think would be lovely for Spring.
A bouquet of parrot tulips, fringed and viridflora tulips and double-petaled narcissus, as featured in Martha Stewart Weddings
A bouquet of green wave parrot tulips, green fritillaria, dogwood, lemon-scented geranium, maidenhair and umbrella fern, as featured on Brides.com
Parrot tulips are the star in this bouquet featured in Utterly Engaged
Bouquet of Yellow Parrot Tulips and Super Green Parrot Tulips, cuffed with Bupleurum. Featured in Ines del Mar Weddings, designed by Janie Medley
On March 20, 2010, the Tysons Corner and Montgomery Mall Nordstrom stores will be participating in Nordstrom Fits America — a special event to raise money for Susan G Komen for the Cure. (The Pentagon City Nordstrom will participate on March 19, 2010.)
Get your bridesmaids or girlfriends together and do one of the most “girly” things you can do: go shopping for lingerie!
Nordstrom’s Lingerie department is known for its expert bra fittings, its certified stylists are so helpful, and they have a wonderful collection of styles, sizes, and brands. The newly remodeled Tysons Corner store is even more welcoming — with comfortable dressing rooms and seating areas.
Call the store directly and speak with the Lingerie Department manager to reserve time and space for a personal Lingerie Party. Ask them if you can bring in champagne and sweets to make the experience even more decadent for you and your bridesmaids!
The best part? It’s all for an incredibly important cause. For every bra purchased during the event, $2 will be donated to Susan G Komen for the Cure. Visit www.nordstrom.com for exact times and other participating locations.
This week I had the pleasure of attending a preview of Punk Rock Bride’s new Spring collection. Known for its non-traditional wedding dresses, Punk Rock Bride incorporates beautiful details and texture in each of their unique dresses. Rhode Island School of Design-trained Stephanie Ward, founder and designer of Punk Rock Bride, conceived of each dress in the collection and cuts patterns based on the specific measurements of each bride, ensuring a beautiful, flawless fit.
The Spring collection features a dress with a hand-knit corset (second from left below) and one with gorgeous brocade fabric (far right).
DC brides are so fortunate to have such a unique option for wedding dresses in their own back yard. Wonderful work, Stephanie!
four of the five pieces of the new collection
gorgeous dresses with lovely details from previous collections
Punk Rock Bride founder Stephanie Ward (right) with Kari Becker Beard of Sugar B Design
Get your bridesmaids or girlfriends together and do one of the most “girly” things you can do: go shopping for lingerie!
