The Gold(en) Touch

Marni Gold is a woman of many many talents.

By day she makes gorgeous card boxes - and in the afternoons and evenings she teaches voice and piano.

She also sings at weddings.

During a phone interview earlier this week I asked how the card box business got its start - and the answer came as no surprise.

"Two years ago I wanted a card box which matched my wedding decor - but everything out there was either not my style or it was overpriced. So I made my own. To give credit where it's due, my wedding planner really spurred me on; telling me that I had a gift for this and that I should pursue it. And so Creative Custom Card Boxes was born."

It's a family affair now (Marni's husband and mother both lend a hand) - with occasional outside help from a fine artist. Clients send in fabric swatches or photos, and the team works to create the box of their dreams.

"It's a lot easier to match paint than fabric, and it helps us make sure that each box is unique to the couple," Marni explains. "Each and every box is customized - and enables discreet and stylish gift-giving. And after the day is over they make wonderful keepsake boxes. People store their leftover place cards, menus, and favours inside. Not to mention all the cards they receive. I keep my garter in there too - alongside all the mementos from my special day."

Marni is also the marketing chair of Wish Upon A Wedding New Jersey - and as the launch parties for the various chapters come up across the country, she is donating a box to each chapter.

Here is the box for the Ohio Chapter.

Since the boxes are unique, each one will have a slightly different spirit - despite the fact the organization's signature colors will be used. The boxes will be used to collect donations at the various events.

There's something new and exciting on Marni's horizon, as well.

A spin-off!

Although the official launch will not take place till January 2011, the Indian Wedding Card Boxes website has gone live already - as has its Facebook page.

"These boxes will be bigger," Marni says, "because Indians have several pre-wedding traditions and considerably larger guest lists than your average American wedding. Consequently the boxes will be used on more than one occasion. We're looking at richer colors, colored crystals, and perhaps even the use of fabric. Our fine artist will work closely with the bride - and will even be able to paint her henna designs onto the box, if the bride wants something like that. There's so much we can do in that market, and we're really excited about it."

You can follow Marni on Facebook and on Twitter.

The Art of Giving

The title of this piece should really read the selfless art of giving - because that is the spirit being fostered by the organization I want to talk about today.

Wish Upon A Wedding is a non profit wish granting organization providing weddings and vow renewals for couples facing terminal illness and serious life altering circumstances, regardless of sexual orientation.

The world's first organization of its kind.

Over the course of the past two months or so I've been immersing myself in what they do and how they do it - and to say that it takes my breath away would be an understatement of the first order.

Launched in California in January of 2010, the organization has fired the imagination of the wedding industry and inspired wedding professionals all over the nation to offer their services.

Founder Liz Guthrie says, "we want to celebrate the courage, determination and spirit of these couples by granting their dream wedding wishes. Our hope is that chosen recipients can inspire other couples facing similar situations to find hope and strength."

Over the past eight months, six wishes have been fulfilled - and several more are close to being so.

Launch parties are taking place every month (tonight it's Las Vegas) as new chapters form all over the country. It is projected that there will be 25 of them by January 2011. With thousands of Wish Granters to their name.

Auction items are being accepted through September 15th - and on October 1st the organization will start to auction off the donated products and services in 46 cities across the United States. The auction will run through November, when the major chapters will hold a Blissful Wishes Ball.

All of the relevant information (about the above as well as the organization) can be found by following the links and visiting Wish Upon A Wedding's Facebook page (each chapter has its own page). You can also follow their blog.

What I'd like to use this space for today is to get a bit more personal, and go behind the scenes a little.

With Ali Phillips.

Ali is the President of the Chicago Chapter - which comprises eleven board members and many amazing volunteer committees. Over the course of two telephone conversations, Ali was kind enough to explain to me how wish granting works.

Each chapter maintains a database of Wish Granters - based on twenty different vendor categories. When a wish is received in the area, the coordinators call upon their Wish Granters to donate their professional goods and services; enabling us to provide the Wish Recipient's dream wedding. We will provide everything from the gown to the cake, the flowers to the venue, and the music to the decor. The couple does not have to do anything but to enjoy the day with 40-50 of their nearest and dearest.

Of course all of this led to the question of how Ali got involved with the organization - and here's what she had to say.

I got involved with Wish Upon a Wedding because I knew I could help give back to people in need and I related to the Mission of Wish Upon a Wedding. To be able to help those facing terminal illness and life altering circumstances and give them a little happiness in their day was something I really wanted to be a part of. I had read about the organization in December when Sasha Souza (National President) announced it on her blog. I submitted my interest in an email for the Chicago Chapter, and a couple of months later Sasha asked me to be the president of the Chicago Chapter. We are a passionate board of people in Chicago. Not all wedding planners and not all of us in the wedding industry. We work together as a team to organize the wishes, get the word out to potential wish granters, and reach out to the medical community to raise awareness. We want people to know we are there for them, but also want cancer support groups and doctors to know we are there for their clients. We also are working on our November 1st Blissful Wishes Ball - which is our first annual Gala in Chicago.

The first wedding wish to be granted by the Chicago chapter was for Beth and Nick.

The wedding took place in Joliet, IL on Sunday, April 18th 2010 - and was the second wish the organization granted.

More details about the wedding can be found here.

Ali had the following to say:

Beth is an amazingly strong woman who is fighting urachal adenocarcinoma. I was so impressed by her courage and how happy and positive she was every time I talked to her - even though she was in and out of chemotherapy during the weeks leading up to her wedding day.

After the wedding, she gave me a gorgeous heart necklace with a pink diamond so that I would always remember the first wish that the Chicago Board granted. I wear it to the weddings that we have and plan on wearing it at every wedding and renewal of vows wish we plan in Chicago.

What's next for the chapter, I ask - and Ali tells me about the upcoming renewal of vows for Debra and Wally on September 23rd, and the wedding ceremony on October 11th for Nick and Bahar.

Special ceremonies for strong and amazing people.

And in spirit of this sentiment, I leave you with a touching video montage from the wedding of Ed & Erwin - celebrated earlier this summer in Washington DC.

Manhunt

I've come to the conclusion that things are a bit lopsided around here.

Originally I was going to look for a bride from the four major US time zones to bring the number of brides we're following up to 7 - because where I come from 7 is the number of infinity.

But it occurred to me that it might be a lot more fun to go co-ed on this one.

So here's what I am proposing: lets follow some grooms-to-be who are tying the knot between August 2011 and December 2011, shall we?

I am looking for four grooms from these time zones:

Pacific Standard Time (Hawaii will fit into this time zone)

Central Time

Mountain Time (Arizona and Alaska will fit into this time zone)

Eastern Standard Time

And to sweeten the deal .. the people who find me the grooms will get something shiny.

You have till 2359 on Thursday, October 21st 2010 to email me at lililutu {@} gmail {dot} com with the reason your groom of choice should be followed.

Everyone can submit contestants for this - you don't have to be a bride and it certainly does not have to be your groom. You can put your son or grandson or brother or nephew or neighbour or friend forward. And if you're a groom-to-be you can most certainly put your own name forward.

Please remember to include the time zone the future groom is from.

The four grooms will be introduced on Friday, October 22nd 2010 - in preparation for GROOM WEEK (which will be held on the blog the following week).

And now ... giveaway time!

First off, congratulations Becca! The earrings will be en route as soon as I have your address and choice of color.

To celebrate the kickoff of our ... erm .. manhunt, today's giveaway comes from my line of gifts for men.

One sterling silver keyring valued at $40.

Winner's choice of charm (I have others available as well).

The contest is open to both brides and grooms this week. You are invited to leave your comment (including how you got here) before Thursday, September 16th 2010 at 1900 EST. The winner will be announced here and on Facebook the following morning.

I leave you with a song that holds very special significance for me. It's great First Dance material ... if you're looking for something which captures the essence of a great love.

Princess & Paws ... a bridal show with bite

If you're in close proximity of Poughkeepsie, NY (and even if you're not), this Sunday the place to be is the first ever PRINCESS & PAWS BRIDAL EXTRAVAGANZA.

The brainchild of wedding coordinator Karin Hlywiak, this show promises to deliver - and deliver B.I.G.

That stands for Bridal Inspiration Galore.

Okay, so I made that up .. but it seems to me that it might truly be the case.

What with a belly dancer, strolling tables, a cigar lounge, complimentary hors d'oeuvres supplied throughout the afternoon by Cosimo's, an amazing cupcake and candy bar, a unique fashion show which includes doggy couture and a fabulous hair show, and 30 of the hottest wedding professionals in the Hudson Valley area (including fun photo booths, unusual mode-of-transportation providers, officiants, ice carvers, and entertainers .. just to mention just a few) you just can't go wrong. On top of that (and I haven't mentioned everything) every couple gets a free photoshoot (given to them on CD to take home), and there's free Nanny Service - so that brides with children can enjoy themselves knowing that their little ones are being cared for.

Is your head spinning yet?

It should be!

This promises to be a wonderful event which you really shouldn't miss.

It's going to be held at the Poughkeepsie Tennis Club - the only country club in the area which allows non-members to hold their events on the premises.

And if all of this wasn't special enough, Karin will be donating a portion of the proceeds to Wish Upon A Wedding - a non-profit organization providing wedding ceremonies and vow renewals to couples facing terminal illnesses or life-altering situations. Look for a blogpost about this incredible organization on Monday, incidentally.

Tickets to the event are $5 in advance and $7 at the door - and you can register here.

Each bride will receive a gift from the organizer - and various prizes will be won throughout the afternoon. Make sure to hang on to the ticket you're given at the door!

So, by way of tapering off, here are the four Ws.

What: Princess & Paws Bridal Extravaganza

Where: The Poughkeepsie Tennis Club @ 135 South Hamilton Street, Poughkeepsie NY 12601

When: Sunday, September 12th 2010 from 12pm - 5pm

Who: You, your entourage, and the groom.

Come meet the people who can make your wedding spectacular .. and have fun to boot.

Now ... for those of you still wondering what a strolling table is ... take a look at this video. I can't promise Marie Antoinette on Sunday, but whatever Karin puts out there is sure to be stellar.

With luck I will be there with my trusty SLR - so if you're too far away to drop in, fear not .. I got you covered!

Passage to India ii

Gujarati people are known for their rich culture and traditions - and they bring all of this to their marriages. Pre-wedding ceremonies are an integral part of a Gujarati union, and we're going to look at some of those rituals today - through the lens of UK-based photographer Dinendra Haria.

A day or two before her wedding, intricate motifs are painted in Henna onto the bride's hands and legs, while music and folklore keep the guests present in her parent's home entertained. This is known as Mehndi.

The Mandap Mahurat takes place from a couple of days before to the day of the actual wedding nowadays. If the Mandap is to take place the day of the wedding, then it is an early start indeed. As early at 7 a.m. in most cases.

The ceremony is conducted separately for the bride and groom. At the wedding venue for the bride, and at his home (or somewhere close to the venue) for the groom.

A priest, known as a Maraj, presides over the ceremony.

Since the ceremonies takes place simultaneously, bride and groom have separate priests and photographers. I say this by way of explaining that the bride and groom featured in this blogpost are not connected. Dinendra could not be in two places at once, but has been gracious enough to share two sets of photos with us.

During the course of the Mandap, a puja is performed by the Maraj to seek the blessings of Lord Ganesh (who is believed to remove all obstacles) - to bring good luck and prosperity, and to ensure that no negative energy is present at the upcoming wedding ceremony.

A bindi is applied to the forehead of both Lord Ganesh and the bride and groom, and bathing of Lord Ganesh (in plain water and in milk) is conducted under the direction of the Maraj.

When the bathing ritual is complete, and Lord Ganesh has been adorned with garlands, blessings are asked of him by the bride and groom.

The coconut plays an important part in the wedding ceremony - but we will learn about that in due course.

The Griha Shanti Puja is performed by the bride as well as the groom's family, at an auspicious time after the horoscopes of the prospective bride and groom have been matched. All family members attend this auspicious ritual. In fact it should be noted that, all told, between 50 and 100 people are present at a Mandap.

In addition, if the bride or groom happens to be the firstborn, a Mamero ceremony is also conducted. This is where the respective maternal uncles and aunts bring gifts for the family member getting married, their parents, and their siblings.

I invite you to join us again in a month to see the changes that the bride undergoes between Mandap and the wedding ceremony proper. Among other things the make up is altered and the color of the sari changes from green to white.

These changes take time - and are mostly the reason why the bride's Mandap takes place at the wedding venue itself, whereas the groom's takes place either at his home or somewhere close by.

Again, many thanks for Dinendra Haria for sharing his wonderful photos with us.

Dinendra can be reached through his website, or on Facebook.

Bride Friday Connecticut

I'm really happy to share that we have a Connecticut bride to follow!

Liz will be tying the knot with her fiance' Pat on November 5th, 2011 - and here's what she shared with me in her submission email:

Pat and I are obsessed with Halloween, so we picked a date around that. We decided against doing it on Halloween itself as it falls on a Monday next year; and lets face it, Monday is just not a good party day.

The vision right now is centered around a black and white ball. My fiance' and I are looking to do something different and keep it sort of Halloweenish ... but still keep it elegant.

For a location we are looking to stay away from the traditional hall style wedding, so we've been looking at unique locations around Connecticut - including a couple of the mansions and castles.

For us its all about the party, so we're looking to do a short on site ceremony to allow for more reception time, and to cut down on the amount of time people have to drive.

As I read the email, the first thing that came to mind was that this was going to be a combination of spectacular and spooktacular - although I have to say I couldn't come up with a combo term. I must be more tired than I realize (recovering after vacation here), because I'm usually all over that kind of thing.

Be that as it may, however, we'll be catching up with Liz again in a few weeks. Hearing her engagement story (I've already read it and can't wait to share), seeing her gorgeous ring (yep, already seen that too), and learning more about their choice of venue.

And now ... congratulations are in order.

Nancy Strykowski is the winner of last week's necklace! Congratulations Nancy!

Please contact me on lili {a) lililutu {dot} com in 48 hours with your address and your preference of 16, 18 or 20 inch chain. If I do not hear from you in 48 hours I will draw another name.

As for today's giveaway ... I have decided to put out a pair of earrings.

Tiered Swarovski pearls in the winner's choice of: white, cream, midnight blue, purple, light grey, mauve, platinum, or black.

The rules remain the same.

Contest is open to brides only and you can enter by leaving a comment.

Shipping is free, but if you are an international bride please be advised that you will be responsible for any customs tax incurred at your end.

Contest ends on Thursday, September 9th 2010, and the winner will be announced here and on Facebook on Friday, September 10th 2010.

Good luck!