Dum dum da dum...dum dum da dum.....

Why, yes, that is a wedding march I'm dum-dumming in my title.  (really?  you didn't get it?  gee, I thought it was soooo obvious...)

Here's my good news, my dearest friend from high school, Patty is getting married this fall in Massachusetts.  (that's not her, btw, it's one of our planning pics found by here ever-resourceful sister, I believe.) I am absolutely thrilled for her because she is without a doubt the best person I know - so smart, so good, so funny, so generous, a great athlete.  As in she was the complete package.  Is there anything she can't do?  Ummmmm, she never tested well, but that's pretty much the biggest flaw she had, I think.  And it didn't interfere with her getting into college.  And even though I will always love William & Mary and it is part of my soul, I have to admit that UVA actually is a good school.  I'm just not going to pay for my kids to go there.  Anywhere else but there...

So she found a really great guy and they are getting married...and I get to be a or the bridesmaid (numbers not yet finally determined).  Which reminds me of a funny story about Grace Kelly when she was getting married and they were trying to explain bridesmaids to the foreign press because at the time (no idea if it's still true), bridesmaids where much younger unmarried women, so the phrase just didn't translate.  So as a 38-year-old married woman, I get to be a bridesmaid, and I couldn't be happier.  Especially since I'm supposed to wear navy blue, my all-time fave color. (Yes, it's about more than just the dress, but the dress is so much fun, isn't it?) And E & M might be flower girl & ring bearer.  How cute for words.  (E's feeling a little shy about it right now)

Yes, it's about more than just the dress, but come on...the dress is so much fun, isn't it? I can't wait to go looking at dresses with Patty - I hope she goes with white-white, as opposed to off-white.  You know how most people need a tan to look good in white?  She dosen't - she always wears that color well.  She is currently favoring some Alfred Angelo dresses, and we have plans to go to one of their salons soon to check them out.

And I'm looking forward, yes to finding one for me, it's like the supporting actress category at the Oscars - I'm the supporter - a good background!  And I'm supposed to wear navy blue, my all-time fave color. It has been a while since I've been in a wedding.  I remember the bright purple dresses for my sister's wedding (she did go to ECU, you know) - not anything I ever wore again, but they did photograph so well with the flowers.  And when her hubby's sister got married a year or two later, they recycled the dresses - I was more than happy to hand that over.  Even the Liz Claiborne dress I wore in a friend's wedding - it was hot pink - I wore it one other time and then retired it - it just wasn't a me color. And there are so many more options today than back when I got married.

You know J Crew has a huge bridal section.  silver_lining was kind enough to warn me on the Polyvore below about the side zippers in some of the dresses, so I'll be on the look out for that.  snaphappy is going to be in a wedding in the fall, accompanying in her grandfather, so she's supposed to be wearing navy also - and the bride is looking at J Crew navy dresses.  So I think snaphappy and I will be popping down to the Georgetown B&M in the next month to check out the selection, since that one has their bridal salon.

Ann Taylor has their whole bridal line, although it seems more skewed to bridesmaid dresses lately.  I'm actually strongly considering one of their dresses, not a bridesmaid one, but part of the regular line,which is 30% off right now with code DRESS30.  Of course, by the time I got around to looking at actually ordering it, the smaller size was gone, so I ordered the other dress in the smaller size.  (all dresses currently under consideration in Polyvore below)

And right on cue, timing-wise, I just got an email from my PR Specialist contact at White House Black Market about their new bridal line. And well, since I'm not a PR Specialist, I'll let her tell you about it:

Recognizing that White House Black Market is already a destination for women planning events as special to their lives as their wedding day, the boutique fashion brand is thrilled to introduce a new Limited-Edition Bridal Collection! The collection features a stunning bridal gown ($498) beautifully designed in soft ivory satin with a fitted bodice and elegant asymmetrical skirt, complemented by a matching ivory satin clutch ($68) and heels ($98). The collection will be the centerpiece of a new service-oriented initiative of affordable couture: Wedding Specialists in four select boutiques (New York, Los Angeles, Houston and Chicago) available to assist in all aspects of dressing a wedding with the chicest in-season White House Black Market silhouettes, accessories and gifts. Wedding Specialists will also be available through a dedicated number (888.WED.WHBM) and through a new online service, the Wedding Boutique, at WHBM.COM/WEDDING. The gown is available for fitting at our boutiques mentioned above and is available for purchase exclusively by phone and online at WHBM.COM.

I would love to hear some feedback from all of you concerning wedding dresses and bridesmaid dresses.

And all of this brings me to one of my favorite wedding conversations - the First Dance, or more specifically The Song.  What song did you dance to or what song do you plan to dance to?  And more importantly, what songs just make you utterly cringe when you hear them?  I admit to actually having my opinion of someone affected if I learn they did their first dance to a (IMO) completely and utterly cheese-tastic song.  I mean there's sappy and sentimental and then there's just schmatlz and ick.  You know how some songs on the radio will actually make your skin crawl?  Yep, those songs...  Feel free to let loose on your opinions there - music is so individual, isn't?

Polyvore of bridesmaid dress possibilities:

Bridesmaid dresses.. by HeidiGblog featuring J Crew dresses

Photo credit note: sorry - no idea on the photo credits sprinkled throughout, other than the WHBM pics - the others came from a planning email from the bride. :)

Spring is Sprung...at White House Black Market

So we got 4-5" of snow Tuesday night. And we are due for 16-24" this Fri/Sat. And quick, let me post this before the total goes up again. Yes, I'm still in MD...I didn't move. Crazy. But I love the snow, I really do. The kids love to play in it. Lucy loves to run around in it because (1) it's snow and she's a Labradoodle, duh, and (2) M is outside as much as he possibly can be (we call him in when his lips are blue) so she has someone to play with pretty much constantly outside.

Winter is in full throttle here. But I'm still loving and longing for pretty spring clothes. And I have the Spring 2010 lookbook video from White House Black Market to share with you all...and oh it's so gooooooood....

Quick background...how did I get this? A wonderful PR specialist from Chico's/WHBM/Soma - y'all knew they were same umbrella right? - sent me a lovely thank you after I posted on the Chico Ultra Slim Leg jeans. Which, by the way, are still an utter fave and I wear them constantly...I can't wait to get a pair of the Slim Leg jeans in white for spring/summer, but need to go to Chicos to try on.

Here's my quick white jeans tip, which I think I've shared before - with white jeans, about 50% of the time, you need to size up - even with the same size/cut that works perfectly on you in regular washes. White jeans just aren't as forgiving as normal denim...but they are so fabulous...so if you haven't been able to make them work before...go 1 size up...seriously.

But without further ado (and i sure do ado a lot), here is the Spring 2010 Lookbook from White House Black Market...

I am such a sucker for the Parisian chic look. Give me an empty airy space, some French music, and a dog and I am there. Oh wait...that's exactly what they did...how did they know that's what I crave every spring? I guess that's why they do what they do...

So what are you digging from the collection? I love the Pink Tiered Top (#560000345, $88). What a pretty piece for spring & summer. With white jeans...yum! So soft and drapey, the tiers look incredibly flattering and well placed. (while I see the online pic with the top off shoulder, given my linebacker shoulders, I think I would go on-shoulder as in the video - just much more flattering on me.)

The purses...hmmm, I think I want them all. This one is way fun - Pearl Dust Ruffle Wristlet (570000839, $48). And the size...10" by 5"...it could hold my keys *and* my sunglasses at the same time. Woot woot! Oh, I'm so tired of skimpy little going-out bags...even E carries more than that out, and she's 7!!

The dresses...lots of gorgeous choices, too. The Chiffon Leaf Print Blouson Chemise is particularly dreamy (#560000836, $148). I can see this at a garden party...for brunch...dinner out with hubby...and I love it paired with the little white jacket - I can see a jacket totally changing the mood of this dress.

So what are you craving for spring?