27 Dresses

(Photo: Heigl and co-star James Marsden)

So my also-single roommate and I went to go see the movie made for any girl who's ever been a bridesmaid -- 27 Dresses. Katherine Heigl is adorable as Jane, a woman in her 20s who has worn 27 dresses for 27 friends who have 27 doses of bad taste. Sure, the plot is predictable (single girl who can't find love meets, seemingly out of nowhere, the guy she can't stand who she will no doubt fall in love with an hour into the movie), but it's also fun (my favorite scene involves Heigl dancing on a bar belting out Elton John's Benny and the Jets). The critics, on average, have graded this movie a C. This non-movie snob and her roommate who can appreciate a chick flick give it an A-.

I mean come on people, what were you expecting?

Of course, there must be something to the bridesmaid epidemic -- the movie has has grossed over $27 million (the 27 there is pure coincidence). Know why? Because every girl knows what its like to be single, even if she's not wearing 40 yards of polyester and a bad hat. And nothing says single like the happy-go-lucky bridesmaid who wears dress after bad dress in the hopes that when her day comes around, her friends will be there for her, too. (sigh. wipe tears. resume.)

I'm really not this big of a sap. The truth is, you can see the end to the film coming as clearly as a cab on Fifth Avenue. But is that really so shocking? These critics really need to chill out and stop complaining that the plot doesn't have enough twists and turns. It's a romantic comedy, for God's sake. Tell you what -- go grab a few girl friends, split a bag of popcorn and enjoy it for what it's worth. Although I do offer this warning -- if you didn't like How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, then your tolerance for 27 Dresses might be something like drinking three martinis on an empty stomach (Although I still chuckle when I'm at a bar and a girl orders a martini. Does anyone actually drink those things? Who are you, James Bond?).

The only thing that distracted me during the movie was the fact that Heigl's character, Jane, worked as an assistant to some eco-friendly businessman and yet could still afford -- in NYC -- her own one-bedroom apartment with cute furniture and original moldings. I'm not a huge freak when it comes to theatrical accuracy, but this is just downright misleading.

Sigh.

But of course, happy planning...

Dressing for Saks-cess

It's official. No, not the wedding. I mean, the wedding is official, obviously. But I'm talking about THE DRESS. T got her dress! She brought her wedding posse -- aka my grandma, aunt and mom -- to New York City, and I met up with them at Saks Fifth Avenue. We were expecting somewhat of a mob scene, considering it was day five of the Saks Sample Sale, but instead we were greeted by one very calm, upbeat sales lady and a quiet lounge (with a comfy sofa!) full of gorgeous gowns.

The tricky thing about the sample sale is that it's not advertised. So like any mother of the Bride-to-be, my mom called Saks on a weekly basis starting in the summer and continued all the way through the fall. We set a date that coincided with the wedding posse's schedules, which happened to be the fifth day of the sale, which needless to say, had us all a little nervous. Would there be enough dresses left? Would we be the sad little wedding posse with all the scrappy leftovers nobody else wanted? It makes me sad just thinking about it (ok, get a grip).

The answer, luckily, was no! There were over 300 dresses in every shade, style and cut imaginable. And even better, there were almost no other people there! So we practically had the whole bridal boutique to ourselves, and made an afternoon out of shuffling my sister in and out of gown after gown. The other two brides that showed up during our three-hour stint also found dresses. Everybody's a winner at the Saks Sample Sale.

And I should say this -- the sales staff was completely helpful, even though these gowns were discounted so their commission was likely considerably less. They let the crazy wedding posse take photos, browse through gowns, rest on the couch, etc. If you want a designer gown but don't have $6,000 to throw down OR aren't completely crazy and even if you have the $6,000, would rather spend it on a honeymoon somewhere on the beach, then the sample sale is the way to go.

Fact 1: All Saks sample dresses come in sizes 8 and 10, but since they are designer dresses, that is about the same as a regular 6 and 8. Most brides (I've been told) have to get their dresses altered anyway, so you're not really losing anything there, even if you're a size 2 (in which case, nobody feels bad for you anyway).

Fact 2: On day one of the sample sale, there were over 3,000 gowns, but also a herd of brides, creating a much more hectic atmosphere. There are fewer dressing rooms to go around, the gowns are all being shuffled from person to person, and the high-energy environment might feel less personal than the low-key loungefest T, the fam and I exerpienced. Take this bridesmaid's advice and get your sample on during the third, fourth, even fifth day of the sale.

By the way, T looks BEAUTIFUL in her gown! She's going to bring the house down on her wedding day.

PHOTOS (from top: T and our aunt in dress action, The wedding posse outside Saks)

Happy planning...

Ready or Knot

I'm not going to lie -- Theknot.com is about as addictive as Starbucks. And it's less expensive (as in, free). So obviously this broke bridesmaid was stirring up all sorts of creative juices for my sister's Knot.com page. It would need pictures, wedding specifics, funny anecdotes of how they met (let's just say it involves a bar, a cell phone and two states). Yes, with my plan, T's Knot page was going to be spectacular. And then T told me she had already signed up and her page was completed. This is what she came up with:

http://weddings.theknot.com/pwp/view/co_main.aspx?coupleid=106979267758312

There are no photos. There are no funny anecdotes. The whole thing is brown. Sigh.

However, my single self has been looking through the many different pages on the website, and I have to say, this is really one-stop shopping for any Bride-to-be. The ladies at The Knot have thought of everything from picking out bands and venues to how to budget (and cakes, let's not forget the cakes). The message boards can be a mix of both helpful and downright entertaining-- think Bridezilla on crack...or Starbucks. Not that there's anything strange about that. Let's face it, every bride has a little Zilla in her.

Also, TheKnot.com has a function that easily allows couples to register all in one place. It even lets you pick out your "style profile," which more or less tells you if you're more Laura Ashley, Andy Warhol or completely decorating-dysfunctional (Kidding about the last one. It won't tell you that... but any good bridesmaid will).

Happy planning...

Puppy Love

No, not like the first guy you dated in high school. Since getting a new house and planning a wedding isn't enough, my sister also decided to get a puppy. Wedding planning is even lower on the list now that she's got pee to clean up off the rug. But...I have to say...as far as puppies go, Kody might just be as cute as they come!

I promised I wouldn't be one of those crazy women who posts photos of her pets, but here I am...even crazier...because I'm putting up pictures of my sister's pet. If anyone is still reading at this point, the photo on the left is Kody and me when I was on assignment in Washington, DC (where my sister and her husband-to-be live). The second is Kody posing near the Washington Monument (clearly).

Of course the question has come up whether or not it's a good idea to have Kody in the wedding. For now, I'm thinking no. Here's why:

1.) Some of the guests might be allergic. Even more, someone in the what-is-starting-to-look-southern bridal party (who will be close to the bride, and hence, the pooch) could be allergic.
2.) Picking up dog poo on your wedding day isn't fantastic. It might make the bride smell, like, well, you know. And even if someone else is willing to pick up up the stuff, doggie-poo bags are never a good accessory. No, not even for the bridesmaid.
3.) Most dogs aren't well-trained enough not to pee/jump/hump on things...like the wedding guests.
4.) Since the couple surely isn't going to be up walking the dog at 6 a.m., who will? I know what you're thinking. Don't even go there.

Don't think I'm insensitive. I like dogs. I'm a good puppy aunt. Just not on W-day. Then again, if Kody gets any more adorable, I might change my mind.


And now for your viewing pleasure, YouTube has a video of dogs marrying, um, each other:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0Ve4zFvzAA


As always, happy planning...

Let the Games Begin

So it's 2008. The year of Mice (according to the Chinese zodiac, and apparently a little critter that snuck through a crack in my "shabby chic" NYC apartment). And of course, it's the year of my sister's wedding (that's me and the "T" in the photo). I have a life of my own, but this isn't about me. Ok, it is about me a little bit (I am, after all, "my sister's bridesmaid"), but it's mostly about THE WEDDING.

I promise not to write that out in all caps and purple again. It's jarring, no?

Here's the deal -- my sister doesn't particularly care about the flowers, or the cake, or the colors of the bridesmaid dresses. She's not concerned with mood lighting or where to have the rehearsal dinner. Good thing for her, I am. Super bridesmaid! The best sister in the world! (See, I told you, totally not about me).

The only problem is that I haven't done this before. I'm not married, or engaged, or even really very good at relationships. BUT, I have a saavy sense of where to find all-things fabulous. I work in the sports world (still not about me) and therefore get very excited about the rare opportunity to talk all-things girly and wedding-ish.

So here you'll find out everything I find out up until the big day. There will be tips, rants and raves about all things wedding, and (for us single ladies) all things bridesmaid.

Do you hear those wedding bells? (Me neither. Probably just my Beatles "Love Me Do" cell phone ring stuck in my head.)

The jokes are likely just to get worse from here. But oh well, happy planning!