DIY Hair: 1930's finger waves

Who doesn't love saving some cash and still coming up with a gorgeous and special hairdo, whether you're a bride, a bridesmaid or a stylish guest?

This is actually a pretty clear tutorial on doing finger waves (a look that requires a few run-throughs but can look great on any kind or length of hair):

Scenic vs Practical

Yet another reason to really think through the placement of your ceremony and weigh out the beauty vs practicality of the location.

Upgrading Awesomeness

One of the best things about getting married is that most people get super excited for you and want to give you free stuff. Yep. FREE!

Never underestimate the power of mentioning "we're getting married this weekend," or "this is actually for my wedding," or "we are so excited to be spending our honeymoon here." You can get everything from free upgrades (check out the suite with 2 bathrooms!!! that we got upgraded to over our wedding weekend) to freebie additions (free eyebrow threading with a bikini wax) to just plain freebies (a bagful of airline snacks & mini liquor bottles from a stewardess) just by mentioning the "wedding" or "honeymoon" words.

Especially if you're on a budget, you have nothing to lose by giving it a whirl. Just make sure that you're super sweet, sincere in your excitement and don't expect anything - people can sense it when you're trying to get something out of them. But drop it into casual conversation - you never know where it will take you. (Penthouse, anyone??)

What's in a Name?

If you haven't already started getting the "are you changing your name" question yet - don't worry, it will come. Friends, family, neighbors, hair stylists, bankers, grocery store cashiers - anyone who notices your engagement ring will probably eventually ask you "So, are you taking his name or keeping yours?"

For some people, this is an easy decision. ("Of course, I'm keeping my name. No girl named Izzie is taking the last name Gaye.") For others, it may be a bit of a struggle. There is a desire to feel truly connected to your partner, to feel like you're moving forward as one. There is also sometimes the desire to feel like you're not losing your identity or perhaps to avoid the logistical hassle of changing your name, especially if your career revolves around the name you currently have.

Regardless, make sure to discuss the name change - or lack thereof - with your partner. A surprising number of couples have no idea where the other partner stands on this topic - even when the ceremony is closing in on them! You want to make sure this discussion is fully decided before having awkward conversations in front of guests asking this question (and they will) at your reception.

Whatever decision you make, inform your family and wedding party. They will be able to help spread the word to guests - to avoid your having to answer the same question again and again, as well as avoiding receiving gift checks with the wrong name on the "to" line. (Even if you do get checks with the incorrect names on the "to" line, don't worry - if you take your marriage certificate to the bank, your banker will be able to figure out a way for you to deposit those checks.)

The Dog Days of Weddings

If you have a pet that holds a special place in the heart of you and your partner, you may have started considering involving that pet in your ceremony. Some people enjoy the option of having said pet as a ring-bearer or a best man or having them accompany a mother or guest down the aisle.

If you are going to involve your pet, here are some things to consider:

- Where will the pet be prior to the ceremony? (Waiting in the wings with the bridal party? Mingling amongst the guests?)

- How will the pet get to/from the ceremony?

- Who will signal the pet to his/her cue?

- Is the pet trained/well-behaved/socialized enough to be amongst a crowd of people and follow his orders - especially if those orders are given by someone other than the bride or groom (as they will most likely be kind of, um, busy)?

- Will the pet stay still during the ceremony? If not, where will he/she sit during the ceremony?

- Will the pet have any special attire? (Some people enjoy a full matching wedding party outfit for their involved pet. Others choose a more simplistic, natural look.)

- Are there any guests with allergies or fears of the kind of animal your pet is?

Pets are adorable and loveable, but sometimes a wedding just isn't the place for them. Other ways to include them are photos of them on the walls or as part of the centerpieces. Or they can be part of the favors (i.e. cat-shaped cookies with the bride & groom's name on them, your dog's photo on the magnet with your wedding info printed on it, etc). If your pet can't be there in "person," don't despair - there are plenty of options!

KISS and Make-Up

When it comes to wedding make-up, I think the old construction acronym KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid) is a fitting motto. No one wants to end up looking like a drag queen on their wedding day. Unless you are a drag queen, in which case, girl - you don't need my advice.

A few things to avoid:

- Fake Tanner/Bronzer: it can make you look orange, like you're wearing super heavy make-up, give you a chin line and/or make up exceptionally out of place in your own photos (if, say, your wedding is in December in Detroit)

- Body Shimmer/Body Glitter/Fairy Dust: trust me - you're going to be glowing. It happens naturally. No need to look like late '90s raver kid meets Vegas showgirl by slathering yourself in body glitter. It's just going to end up making you look super sweaty in your photos.

- Fake Eyelashes: I know I'm going to make some enemies here. I, personally, love fake eyelashes. If I could wear them everyday I would. I think they make you look fabulous and glamourous in one move. HOWEVER, they are not for use on your wedding day, and here's why: you will cry. At some point in the day, something will happen to make you tear up. I pride myself on having a heart of stone and only welling up at sports underdog movies (a la Miracle, The Mighty Ducks, etc) and I sobbed - literally bawled - through my vows. It just happens. Something triggers you and you get emotional. Fake eyelashes & their glue unfortunately do not hold. You do not want to end up with giant fake-eyelash-spiders crawling down your face - especially not in the middle of, say, your ceremony.

When in doubt, have a professional or trusted (and experienced) friend help you. Just like your hairdo, make sure you have photos of what you want, and try to do a trial beforehand so you can correct any misguided visions before the big day.

The Wedding

It happened! And, thankfully, no major disasters. Only 2 minor ones to speak of:

1. My 68-year-old aunt ate nothing but ice cream before the wedding, then began double-fisting on caipirinhas (a Brazilian drink which disguises a glass full of sugar-cane rum with a tsp of sugar and a few drops of lime) in the heat. I love that even in your 60s you can still make amateur drinking mistakes. She fainted into the arms of a friend and had to be rushed back to the hotel where some A/C and water awaited.

2. My husband left our rings at the hotel. Thankfully, his best man got to be the hero and loaned his and his wife's rings as our placeholders. But the upside was that his best man was also his brother and his brother's wife had the family heirloom ring. I got to wear it (at least for a few hours) as my ring too!

Hope you enjoy the photos and they help inspire any black & white wedding dreams of yours!