MILLIONAIRE MATCHMAKING, BACHELORETTES, AND THOSE CRAZY HOUSEWIVES

*This is a reprint – I’m reviving it as I see ABC plugging ‘The Bachelor’ with train wreck/melt down clips. Enjoy.*

Reality TV is a fact of life these days. Finding your Mr. Or Ms. Right on national television? I’m pretty sure that’s official country song wrong place number 23 to look for love. There are, however, things to be learned from the seekers of everlasting happiness and romance in prime time.

ATLANTA, GA - JANUARY 02:  Kim Zolciak, of the...
Image by Getty Images via @daylife- Kim Wozniak .

Patty Stanger, “The Millionaire Matchmaker” on Bravo, spends an hour a week matching up difficult personalities. The editing surely makes things a) more amusing and b) less frustrating than they appear in the tiny mirror on the side of our guilty-pleasure-mobiles. But Patty does have some valuable things to say (and some funny ones to be sure).
The most important advice I’ve heard her give is “make love a priority and love will come.” the same needs to be true after love has been found. When planning your wedding, love still has to be the priority so that it will know how to stick around

The Bachelorette is incomprehensible to me, personally. It’s some perverse version of sorority rush with all the catty parts and none of the redeeming sisterhood. If you can learn anything from this one, it’s be careful what you wish for. And for goodness sake, don’t wish to be locked up in a house full of weepy overly made up, emotionally underdeveloped girls.

Last but not least we have the Unsinkable Kim Wozniak, of The Real Housewives of Atlanta. She found her latest football player love at a charity event she was attending to support another housewife’s penchant for dancing badly in public. And now she’s (on the show) about to pop with a new baby boy. Now that’s one way to make love stick around.
The reality tv trend has got to hit a wall at some point. Let’s keep the super glam wedding shows and dispense with the drama. Is anybody with me?
Where’s my remote?

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Centerpieces: Some Start in The Very Beginning, but We’re Going To Start in the Center.

OMG! You’ve only been engaged for ten minutes, but everyone wants to know, “what are your colors?”  It’s a panic-inducing question for a newly engaged bride.  Most think immediately of bridesmaids’ dresses – and sure- that’s a big splash of color.  But we recommend starting in the center: your centerpiece.

Think about a floral arrangement in the middle of a beautiful table – you’ll see many colors together, and maybe one will pop out and help clarify your thoughts, or at least get the thoughts flowing.

Tall centerpieces shine at an elegant affair

Having a theme wedding? Working in references to your culture or background? Centerpieces are a great way to incorporate elements without hammering people over the head.  Think shell encrusted containers of flowers at a beach celebration, or including “Bells of Ireland” flowers to honor your Irish heritage.

Last, centerpieces are the bulk of your “wow” factor – and they deserve to be highlighted.  Talk to your event designer about pin spotting each of your tables to show off that beautiful creation in the middle.

The dramatic effect of pin-spots on centerpieces

Start thinking about your tablescapes early, in fact you might want to make the centerpiece the very beginning of your vision.  I hear it’s a very good place to start.

Be well and love well!

-Dinah

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The World’s Best Wedding Planning Advice: In through the nose…out through the mouth.

Greetings all, and a happiest of first-business-day-of-the-New-Year to all. To newly engaged couples: CONGRATULATIONS! But be prepared, wedding planning can be tough. But on behalf of My Little Flower Shop, I say Fear Not!  There is a mantra that applies to any wedding situation, question or pickle.  You’ve read it here before, but excellent wedding planning advice bears repeating:

beautiful wedding dress, covered buttons, antique veil, destination wedding, Palm Springs, CA
make sure you can breathe in the dress! – photo by Cheryl Mac

Breathe, stand up straight and enjoy your moment. 

Don’t worry and get overwhelmed by the whole process.  You’ll take it in pieces, and you’ll hire people you trust (more on selecting wedding vendors in the coming days.).  For now, savor the initial head rush of being newly engaged.  And don’t forget to adore the amazing person who you’re going to marry.  Sign up for updates to our blog for wedding tips, ideas and advice.

Be well, and breathe!

-Dinah