Pairings

the Kate Moss & Jamie Hince Wedding

We’ll start with some good news. Perennial supermodel Kate Moss married longtime rocker boyfriend Jamie Hince of The Kills in a 1920’s style unstructured John Galliano gown that’s drawn mixed reviews. The groom wore custom Yves Saint Laurent by Stefano Pilatti, as did his best woman Alison Mosshat. Vogue UK reports that Galliano did attend, though he was understandably camera shy. We all remember what happened the last time cameras caught surprise revelations from the former Dior designer, so hopefully there was some non-alcoholic sparkling cider available for him to toast the couple with.

After the wedding, the bride changed into a white 3-piece Stella McCartney pants suit as she and the groom hopped on a helicopter to embark on their honeymoon. McCartney was also in attendance.

The festivities cost a reported £1 million (approximately $1.6 million), and the guest list also included fellow supermodel bestie Naomi Campbell, a bevy of Vogue editors past and present (Anna Wintour, Emanuelle Alt, Carine Roitfeld), newlyweds Lara Stone and David Walliams, Daphne Guiness, Marc Jacobs, Kelly Osbourne and Jude Law.

Sounds like the ultimate bridal fashion show.

the Prince Albert II of Monaco and Charlene Wittstock Wedding

Then we get to the only wedding that could force Kate Moss to change her wedding date. A number of the fashionable guests for Moss’ wedding were also invited to the wedding of Prince Albert of Monaco and Charlene Wittstock (now, Princess Charlene).

The reported$65 million budget makes the Kate Moss affair seem positively low key, but considering the fact that the Prince and Wittstock actually had two weddings, and invited all 30,000+ of Monaco’s residents to take part in some part of the festivities, maybe it’s relatively reasonable. For the record, two weddings is actually common in France, where a civil ceremony is required before a religious ceremony is recognized.

In spite of rumors that Wittstock was considering becoming a runaway bride *three times* amid new paternity tests for Prince Albert (the groom already has two children out of wedlock, and is reported to have fathered two more while dating Wittstock), the couple made it through the official state marriage, and onto a balcony where they shared an awkward kiss.

They're definitely no William and Kate

For their civil ceremony, the bride wore a light blue Chanel suit, and for their church ceremony a custom made Armani Prive gown. The dress featured a 5-meter train, and was studded with crystals and pearls.

Guests included, um, all of Monaco (see previous note), Prince Albert’s ex-girlfriend Naomi Campbell (who had a wedding filled weekend), Karl Lagerfeld (who designed the blue Chanel suit), Giorgio Armani (who designed the wedding dress), French President Nicolas Sarkozy and wife Carla Bruni, as well as too many princes, princesses, kings and queens of various countries to mention individually. There’s no agreement on whether any of Prince Albert’s children or their mothers were in attendance. The palace says no, rumors say his daughter, Jazmin Grace, and Nicole Coste, mother of his son Alexandre, were somewhere amid the well-wishers.

Congratulations to all the happy couples, and good luck to any who aren’t so happy. No names.

Partings

Now for the partings. Because sometimes wedding diamonds aren’t always forever, for every spectacular celebrity wedding this weekend, we got two spectacular celebrity divorces.

the Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver Divorce

The Monaco Royal wedding may take the crown for scandalous and excessive weddings, but leave it to Hollywood royalty to show ’em how it’d done when it comes to scandalous and excessive divorce! Maria Shriver officially decided to terminate her marriage to the Governator, and filed for divorce citing irreconcilable differences. Which was kind, considering she could have cited messing around with the maid.

The couple will split an estimated $400 million, and custody of their minor children. In total, they have 4 children. If you’re trying to do the math, that’s enough for 1.5 royal weddings for each of them, should there be any eligible princes or princesses.

the Scarlett Johansson and Ryan Reynolds Divorce

After just 2 years of marriage, the ink is dry on the divorce papers for Scarlett Johansson and Ryan Reynolds. The split was reportedly amicable, with neither seeking spousal support. Probably not easy, but at least it was quick.

the Thomas Jane and Patricia Arquette Divorce

“Hung” star Thomas Jane and former “Medium” star Patricia Arquette also made it official, and sealed the deal on a divorce. There’s a joke about seeing this one coming somewhere in there. The couple will share custody of their 8-year-old daughter. Their marriage lasted approximately 3.5 years. In Hollywood marriage years (sort of like dog years), that’s almost 15 years.

the George Lopez and Ann Serrano Divorce

Then there’s late night comedian George Lopez and wife Ann Serrano, who are calling it quits after 17 years of marriage. They share one minor daughter, and thanks to a life saving donation from Serrano, they share the same kidneys as well (obviously, Serrano has one, Lopez has the other). Fortunately, the couple is trying to keep things amicable on both fronts.

Can you imagine how messy things would be if Serrano filed to get custody of her kidney back? Awwwkward.

Vera Wang and David Tutera seem to be obvious choices for expanded wedding lines and associated products, but now there’s word Anthropologie is also getting in on the more affordable wedding wardrobe trend with the unpronounceable BHLDN site (seriously, is that blah-den or bee-holden? Let’s go a little more web 1.0 on the name guys), scheduled for a February 14th launch. {Wedding Bells}

Wedding bells and cash register clinks have never sounded more similar apparently, because every time we turn around there’s a new retailer or designer expanding their footprint in the bridal market.

Cynicism aside, this seems like a good move for the Urban Outfitters owned retailer, who caters to a customer that enjoys a vintage looking, bohemian aesthetic. Most wedding dresses, including Vera Wang’s main line and soon-to-be launched line for David’s Bridal, are looks of layered tulle and tissue organza fit for a princess. Yet some brides don’t really want to look like a princess. For those who want a more casual, low key wedding, and a dress that matches that vibe but still looks beautiful, there does seem to be a void in the market.

Perhaps, not for much longer though.

Cupcakes have been the favorite over the last few years, but market research shows that good old fashion pie may actually “take the cake” as 2011’s must have dessert.

Cupcakes have grown to become a trendy and inexpensive favorite as far as satisfying your sweet tooth goes but U.S. citizens on average ate 18% less cupcakes at home this year compared with 2010. On the contrary, Americans ordered 12 million more slices of pie in 2010 than they did  the previous year. Looks like the classic is making a comeback.

“We have always thought it was a great dessert, I guess everybody else finally agrees with us. People just have such great memories of pies.” says American Pie Council Executive Linda Hoskins. {WalletPop}

She goes on to note that in comparison to cupcakes, “Pie is so much more of a dessert and I think the fruit aspect of [some] pies give them a lot of appeal as well.” Like cupcakes, Hoskins points out many pies are being personalized with smaller single-portion sizes and individual details. “They are small, cute little pies and the people who make pie are very proud and passionate about their dessert…they love their product.” Ooh, pie is more dessert than cupcake? Sounds like dessert fighting words to us.

The dinner table isn’t the only place for pies these days either. In a world where tiers of cupcakes out-shine traditional wedding cake, couples are now opting for pie as their feature desert. Towers of mini pies, pie cakes, pie wedding favors and even mini pies-on-a-stick are in demand.

Sunday is National Pie Day, and Hoskins predicts it will be the most successful year to date due to increased participation, contests, giveaways, coupons and activities.

So what can we expect for the year of the pie? Just like we saw emerge from the cupcake-craze, expect to see more specialty pie shops, pop-up bakeries and even pie trucks opening this year. Mobile food vendors have a great advantage in tapping into this growing trend since the concept is ideal for pre-made items like pie that are quick and fairly easy to sell.

And if you just can’t decide, there’s always a big slice of pumpple piecake.

Carrie Underwood & Mike Fisher

The American Idol winner married her hockey player fiance in a ceremony that was top secret until hours before. She will undoubtedly cross over to the coveted Star Wars fan demographic as she becomes Carrie Fisher.

Location: Ritz-Carlton Lodge, Reynolds Plantation in Greensboro, GA
The bride wore: a Chantilly lace Monique Lhuillier dress
The guests: 250 family and friends including Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson and Paula Abdul

Lala Vazquez & Carmelo Anthony

NBA star Carmelo Anthony wed former MTV VJ Lala Vasquez 5 years after getting engaged. Their 3-year-old son Kiyan accompanied them down the aisle.

Location: Cipriani Restaurant, Manhattan, New York
The bride wore: a Vera Wang gown
The guests: 320 family and friends including Serena Williams, LeBron James and his girlfriend Savannah Brinson, rapper Ludacris, Kelly Rowland and Kim Kardashian

Huma Abedin & Anthony Weiner

He’s a representative for New York’s 9th Congressional district (Queens), and she’s an aide to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. That connection came in handy: Bill Clinton presided over the ceremony.

Location: Oheka Castle in Huntington, Long Island (New York)
The bride wore: a gold-embroidered Oscar de la Renta gown
The guests: family and friends, including Bill and Hillary Clinton

Emily Blunt & John Krasinski

This one was kept pretty quiet, but Blunt and Krasinski have been staying at George Clooney’s Lake Como villa since July 4th in preparation for the big day.

Location: Villa D’este in Como, Italy
The bride wore: a draped chiffon Marchesa gown with sweetheart neckline and embroidered detail
The guests: George Clooney and his girlfriend Elisabetta Canalis, and we assume, more friends and family

Erika Jones & Kevin Liles

He might not be as recognizable as some of the other grooms, but Kevin Liles is a music executive who has helped shape the careers of Jay-Z and Kanye West among other artists.

Location: Birmingham, Alabama
The guests: Family and friends including Brian McKnight, Russell Simmons, Gayle King (Oprah Winfrey’s best friend), gospel singer Yolanda Adams, Kelly Price and Trey Songz

Jenna Fischer & Lee Kirk

Location: Malibu, CA
The guests: Friends and family including Office co-star Rainn Wilson. John Krasinski was understandably not able to attend

Thinking of getting married in the country of your dreams? How about just a honeymoon?

Many people around the world dream of a destination wedding where they can be married abroad. With a small wedding party, the prices of certain locations can make this seem easy to achieve (or at least no more than the cost of a larger local wedding). Then you discover that the place you’re most keen on wonâ€t allow you to actually be married. Here are a few of the romantic destinations that are happy to play host during your honeymoon – as long as your first wedding takes place somewhere else.

The Maldives

Visually attractive scenes from some of the most luxurious hotels on the planet – some at relatively affordable prices, have made the Maldives one of the honeymoon capitals of the world. With over 1000 islands making up the Maldivian country there are many resorts to choose from, each more beautiful than the last. Because of its precarious situation with rising sea levels the Maldives has grabbed the worldâ€s attention in seeking ways to help keep the islands alive, but this is another matter.

The more immediate issue for anyone planning a wedding in the Maldives without sufficient research could result in frustration (not ideal for a wedding). Allow me to let you into a little bit of “Geek knowledge” to put the next part of this article into perspective. Thousands of people from over the world search on the internet for “Maldives weddings”, which returns millions of results, each one offering you the wedding of your dreams in the Maldives.

Whatâ€s disappointing is that not many of them will give you a key piece of information: simply put you canâ€t get married in the Maldives. For foreigners, there is no such thing as a Maldives wedding unless you or your partner is Maldivian. You can have a non-legal blessing, which is as the name implies not legally binding. This country is of strong Muslim faith, which is part of the restriction on marriages for those from outside the country.

Also in the list of can-dos are wedding vow renewals. This will grant you a certificate, also non-legally binding, but less imperative for couples who’ve already had their “til death do us part”s legally recognized in their home countries.

France

Another tricky one is France. Now this is not really as bad as the Maldives but can be quite frustrating. As with the Maldives, religious weddings are not legally recognized by the French government but you can have a blessing. Most French couples are first married at their local prefecture (a kind of district headquarters) in a civil ceremony, even if they later have a larger event. If you have your heart set on a Paris (or any other French) wedding, many people have a simple civil ceremony at home before coming for a religious blessing.

If you are adamant about having a religious wedding in France, there is in fact a way that you can still have your dream wedding. Be warned: it’s much more complicated than your average civil ceremony, and can be a lot more expensive. In order for your wedding to be recognised as legally binding, you need to have been a resident in France for at least 42 days. From the US, you can stay up to 90 days on a tourist visa, which doesn’t make this impossible, but good luck telling your boss that you’ll be taking 6 weeks off for romance in Paris. This makes France a very difficult place for anyone to have a wedding but it is an incredible place to have a honeymoon. Paris is the city of love and the location of the lusty. Even if you and your partner cannot have the wedding of your dreams you can spend a length of time admiring the view, the attractions and of course each other.

Mexico

If you want a hassle free wedding abroad, and your dream is to be wed in Mexico, can I recommend reconsidering your options? It isnâ€t that Mexico isn’t a lovely place to get married, but it is quite time consuming. Weddings in Mexico require that you both take a blood test to confirm that you are both healthy and living well. This is to make sure that potential future children will have better odds of being born healthy. Iran and the US states of Connecticut, Indiana, Mississippi and Montana have similar requirements, though these arenâ€t the usual destinations considered in a search for luxury wedding destinations.

These weddings can become lengthy and although the procedures are there for your own good it can be a bit of a downer on the wedding experience. The honeymoon experience however is one of the best in the world. Quite literally, you will be treated like royalty receiving lavish pampering at prices that won’t keep you in debt past your first anniversary. An experience at any of the 5-star resorts is bound to be on par with anything  the Caribbean islands would offer.

Honeymoons

As with everything to do with a wedding, and in particular your wedding, it is important to remember that the most enjoyable part of your magical experience comes after the “I do.” Not to say that the wedding itself isnâ€t a great moment in life, but the party doesnâ€t start till afterwards.

Everywhere in the world offers you the opportunity to enjoy a honeymoon. It is also possible for you to have a mini ceremony or a renewal of vows in any of these countries too; it will however just be for you and your partnerâ€s benefit (surely there is nothing wrong with this though).

As with everything important in your life, make sure that you have everything you need to take with you on your wedding overseas. Birth certificates and passports are key for you to get married abroad, and double check with your travel agent or wedding specialist that you have any other items that may be required by the country of your destination. One last tip; some countries like Greece will marry you off, but you will need to get your birth certificate translated to make it all valid.