Say "Yes" to the Dress!

Good afternoon! The month of January is flying by so fast! I've hooked up with a new group on Facebook called Etsy Sellers United. There are over 7,000 members and they seem to all support one another. After lurking for a few days, I finally had the courage to post my Facebook page for the group. I've also been working on our first Freebie Friday puzzle.

At least eight to ten months before the wedding, the bride should think about ordering her gown. Brides has several hundred pictures of trends for 2015. Here are some of the most interesting ones:

1. Crop Top

1. Crop tops were a big trend on the runway last summer and this past fall, and they are being incorporated in bridal gowns as well. Check out this trend-setting dress by Theia. I would actually wear this if I was a bit younger.

2. Pastel Hues

2. Pastel hues continue to be popular, especially for the warm-weather months. They are a nice alternative to the traditional white gown.

3. Grecian-Inspired Off-the-Shoulder. I like this gown by Marchesa because it has an A-line skirt. This type of skirt is more flattering form for many bodies (like mine) than the puffy skirt or mermaid style.

4. For those who are shopping for Fall 2015 weddings, the plunging neckline was big on the runway. Gown by Rivini.

5. How about a little bling? I love the neckline on this dress by Temperley.

5. Bling Bling

3. Plunging Necklines

6. Also for fall 2015, short dresses are another trend-making statement. I would actually wear this dress by Naeem Khan as a regular dress.

Grecian-Inspired

6. Short dresses

Six to eight months before the big day is also the time to begin looking for bridesmaid dresses. You should have an idea regarding what colors you would like. Finding dresses that will flatter everyone in the wedding party certainly isn't easy. I've seen some truly hideous dresses. Here are some examples:

1. Hello, 1975 called. They want your dress back!



2. Poufy skirts gone bad.



3. Is this a wedding or a Vegas nightclub act?



4. This must have been a July 4th wedding, but I think the bride took things a little too literally.



5. Renaissance nightmare.



Well, I've seen enough. Besides ordering bridesmaids' dresses, it is also a good time to start planning the honeymoon. If you're undecided about where to go, this game available from our shop might inspire you.

From budgets to booking that hard to get dinner reservation to clothes shopping, look to Real Simple for a honeymoon checklist. For ideas and destinations, check out Honeymoons.com.

Today's Listmania:

Party Idea of the Day: The next round of NFL playoffs is just four days away. It's time to seriously think about that Super Bowl party! How about a snack basket for your chicken wings? Party printable courtesy of Hostess with the Mostess.

Super Bowl Fun Fact of the Day: When the Green Bay Packers won the first Super Bowl, each player received a bonus of $15,000. Kansas City players only received $7,000. Compare these figures to Super Bowl XLVIII, where each player on the Seattle Seahawks received $92,000. The Broncos raked in $46,000 per player.

Today's birthdays: Caleb Followill (33), Kevin Durand (41), Dave Grohl (46), Jason Bateman (46), LL Cool J (47), Emily Watson (48), Dan Schneider (49), Slick Rick (50), Geoff Tate (56), Carl Weathers (67), Holland Taylor (72), Faye Dunaway (74), Jack Jones (77), Alen Toussaint (77), and Clarence Carter (79).

Holidaze: Foodies unite! It's National Hot Pastrami Day! What better place is there to get hot pastrami than at Katz's Deli?? This LES institution has been serving this delicious meat for over 100 years. It's also National Dress Up Your Pet day (awww!). I am partial to dogs, so here is a seriously cute pup dressed as a Chia Pet.

Finally, it's Ratification Day. This day commemorates the ratification of the Treaty of Paris in 1784, which officially ended the American Revolution and established the U.S. as a sovereign entity.

They announced nominations for the Golden Raspberry awards, also known as the Razzies. No surprises here. That means it's almost time to start making and posting our Oscar night games.

Have a PRINTASTIC day!

Kathy