GET THE LOOK
SIMPLY RADIANT
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Modern lace paired with a sleek silhouette exudes easy elegance.
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race the aisle in this guipure lace over charmeuse floorlength sheath budding with bold florals. A gorgeous deep-V sweetheart neckline and delicate, lacy straps offer a dose of feminine glamour. The detachable tulle and lace flutter sleeves complete the look with an element of romance. Gown, about $1,700, by Madi Lane; madilane.com. Floral headband and rings by Ines x Ciner; inesdisanto. com. Rhinestone earrings with porcelain flowers by Marionat; marionat.com. Bracelet by Kendra Scott; kendrascott.com. Micaela’s Simply Solitaire engagement ring by Forevermark; forevermark.com. Bride’s bouquet is composed of pink roses, blush peonies, white anemones, ranunculus, plum scabiosa, and viburnum by Mimosa Floral Design; mimosafloral.com, email info@mimosafloral.com or call 646-942-3891 for custom orders.
Go to brida lgui /winag de.com see detailsown below
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BEAUTY NOT
Be bridal beautiful with this mixed palette of flirty rose and soft neutral tones. Build captivating depth on your lids using (1 ) Pat McGrath Labs Mothership VII: Divine Rose. Sweep Skinshow Nude all over the lid and Refined Gold 002 through crease and along lower lashline. Define and add warmth to your face with (2) Benefit Cosmetics Fouroscope Palette in Fire Queen. Sculpt your cheeks using shade
Hoola under the cheekbones and create a deeper flush on the apples with Starlette. Pop Blaze on the high points of your face for a sun-kissed glow. Get feathered, flake-free lashes by applying a few coats of (3 ) Kevyn Aucoin Indecent Mascara from roots to tips. Finish your I-do day look with a glossy pout. (4) Marc Jacobs Beauty Enamored Lip Lacquer in Moon Glow delivers lush lips with lasting color and shine.
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Sweepstakes sponsored by Bridal Guide, New Rochelle, NY. Begins 12:01 PM on 5/4/21 and ends 11:59 AM on 7/19/21. Open to any legal resident of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia who is 18 years or older, except where prohibited by law. Enter online at bridalguide.com/winagown, or send a postcard with your name, address, email, phone number and wedding date to Bridal Guide 2021 Madi Lane Cover Gown Sweepstakes, 1333A North Avenue #706, New Rochelle, NY 10804. Winner will receive a gown from Madi Lane with a value up to $2,499. For full rules visit bridalguide.com/winagown.
PHOTOGRAPHY: TERRY DOYLE. HAIR & MAKEUP: MICHIKO BOORBERG USING ORIBE HAIR CARE FOR BRYAN BANTRY
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ESCORT CARDS
sentations are a great way to carry through your wedding color scheme. Some ideas: Ask your caterer to serve soup in shot glasses or mousse in martini glasses. Dress the trays for passed hors d’oeuvres and the buffet platters with a few large colorful blooms or tropical greens for extra flair. QUIET TIME Between formalwear fittings, cake tastings and pulling together a guest list, wedding planning can put a serious dent in your love life.
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So pencil in some quiet time with your fiancé. Whether you hit a hot new restaurant, take in a movie or just share coffee and bagels over the Sunday paper, keep wedding chat to a minimum (no easy feat!) and enjoy each other’s company. RSVP Typically, 25 to 30% of guests decline a wedding invitation. But don’t count on it! If your venue holds 150 people, don’t invite 200 and assume that 50 won’t show. If you decide to enclose response cards with your invitation, they should be printed with the date to respond by, a line for guests to fill in their names and a line for them to note how many of those you’ve invited plan to attend. SAVE-THE-DATE CARDS These are a great way to give guests plenty of notice about your upcoming nuptials. They’re typically mailed out six to eight months before the wedding, but can also be sent as soon as you’ve come up with a guest list and confirmed your wedding date. THANK-YOU NOTES No, you don’t have up to a year after the wedding to send them— sorry! For engagement or shower gifts, send your notes within two to three weeks; for wedding gifts received in advance of the big day, send your thank-yous before the wedding; for gifts received at the wedding, get them done within three months; and for gifts received after the wedding, mail them out within three weeks. USHERS These guys (who often double as groomsmen) have the duty of escorting your wedding guests to their seats as they arrive for the ceremony. Appoint at least one usher for every 50 guests. VENDORS When hiring vendors, check their references, ask for samples when possible (many caterers or bakers
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will do tastings, and florists will often provide a sample centerpiece) and be sure to get everything you agree on in writing. VOWS Writing them yourselves is a sweet way to personalize your ceremony. You and your fiancé should speak from the heart, but make the style of your vows similar. For example, decide whether you’ll be serious or humorous or both. WEDDING PLANNER These days, you can enlist a coordinator to orchestrate the entire event or just the big day itself, to ensure that things run smoothly. Consider hiring a planner if you have little time to devote to wedding details or if you’re planning your nuptials from a distance.
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VENDORS
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X-TRA INVITATIONS Order about 20 extra invitations and envelopes. You’ll need them for any last-minute additions to your guest list and for redoing any envelope-addressing goofs. And don’t forget to keep a few as a keepsake of the day. YOUNG ATTENDANTS To ensure your flower girls or ring bearers feel comfortable, ask their parents to rehearse their tasks—walking down the aisle, scattering flower petals or carrying the ring bearer’s pillow—with them in advance. ZERO REGRETS Grab your new husband for one final turn on the dance floor. Look around at everyone who celebrated the day with you. Now, savor the moment. Whether the weather was rainy or there were a few little snafus along the way, look back on your day with zero regrets—and look forward to starting life as a newlywed!
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PHOTOGRAPHY: (ESCORT CARDS AND WEDDING INVITATION) ©LIZ BANFIELD; (COCKTAILS) STEPHANIE LYNN
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OPEN BAR Having an open bar is common at weddings. If you’re concerned about the cost, opt for an open bar for the cocktail hour and then switch to just beer and wine; or serve only beer and wine for the entire event. The one absolute nono: a cash bar where guests are expected to pay for their drinks. OUTDOOR WEDDING The beauty of a wedding held outdoors can be hard to top. Just be sure to have a solid back-up plan in case Mother Nature doesn’t cooperate. Ideally, you should have an alternate indoor location, but there are other options: Have large tents on hold at the party rental company in case of rain; heaters in case of cold; and fans in case you need to create a cooling breeze. PLACE CARDS At formal weddings, guests are assigned a specific seat at the table, and that’s where place cards come in. These can be as simple as a tented piece of cardstock or as whimsical as a tiny floral arrangement with each guest’s name on a container. Printed menu cards at each seat can do double duty as place cards. Just ask your printer or calligrapher to add a guest’s name to the top of each menu. PRESENTATION When it comes to your wedding fare, you obviously want it to taste terrific—but appearances do matter. Creative food pre-
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Dress Shopping in CONGRATS, YOU’RE ENGAGED! You’ve probably been dreaming of this day for a long time—with good reason! There’s no greater feeling than trying on a wedding gown and seeing yourself as a bride for the very first time. While wedding gown shopping in 2021 may look a little different, the experience can still feel just as special as it would have pre-pandemic. Read on for some tips!
COVID-19 Safety
Expect to see hand sanitizer everywhere, bring fewer people to your appointment, and wear a mask! Masks will be worn by all staff in the bridal salon, and are mandatory for all brides and guests.
You Can Still Include Friends and Family While brides are limited in the number of guests they can bring with them to their appointments, friends and family can still help you choose “the one.” Bridal consultants are often happy to take photos and set up Zoom appointments so loved ones can come along for the fun.
Communicate with Your Consultant Masks quite literally mask your expressions. A bridal consultant
cannot read your mind, so be vocal about your opinions and tell her if you love a dress or not. You’ll be making both of your jobs easier!
Ask About Delivery Dates If possible, leave plenty of time to shop, and be prepared to say “YES!” if you find a gown you love. Don’t forget to ask your consultant about delivery dates. Due to the pandemic, gowns may have longer turnaround times.
Keep an Open Mind With wedding restrictions changing so frequently, brides may find themselves needing a wedding dress ASAP. Many bridal salons have off-the-rack sections where you can select a gorgeous gown and bring it home the same day.
For more tips on planning your wedding visit bridalguide.com/covid19tips.
FIRST LOOK
Kalesma
Kalesma on the Greek Island of Mykonos.
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he islands of Greece sparkle. The brilliant beach sands sparkle; the crystalline ocean sparkles; the striking whitewashed buildings set along looping roads on the olive-tree and wildflower studded hillsides sparkle in the Mediterranean sunshine. And robust with an undeniable air of romance, the islands are the madefor-Insta place to start your happily-ever-after. The allsuite Kalesma is the latest entrant into the gracious Mykonos hospitality scene, known for excellent yet simple cuisine, elevated yet homey accommodations and spectacular sunsets. Kalesma—the name is translated to “invite”—is a hilltop collection of 25 suites and two villas, all with private patios and full-size pools affording the classic—and sweeping—Mykonos vistas, primarily of Ornos Bay. The micro-wedding-perfect villas are enormous spaces that encompass patios and pools, awesome kitchens, expansive indoor/outdoor living spaces, private gyms and butler service. Individual chefs are available as are in-villa spa services. All accommodations and gathering spaces are an artful blend of traditional Cycladic architecture and sleek modern touches, including lobby furnishings by designer Rick Owens. Other common areas include a pool with panoramic views and the restaurant perched at the apex of the resort. Menu offerings are fresh and local and served with excellent wines. Both the sunrise and sunset are best enjoyed from this vantage point, as it boasts 360 views (room rates start at about $1,500 a night; kalesmamykonos.com). —Jenna Mahoney
The heat is on.
Something old, new and blue in Greece.
LOCAL FAVORITES KATO MILI The thatch-roofed, white stone windmills are emblematic of Mykonos. Today, 16 of the refurbished buildings stand as an homage to innovation. DELOS It is said this neighboring island was the birthplace of the goddess Artemis and god Apollo. Day trips tour the ancient ruins of the religious capital and an archeological museum. RARITY GALLERY Contemporary art by known and not-so-known names are on display in a traditional Mykonian manor house.
The superior bathroom experience. All bread-baking is done on-site in the resort’s stone oven.
PHOTOGRAPHY: IMAGES COURTESY OF KALESMA
Sneak a peek at one of the hottest new hotels, where romantic amenities are always on offer.