Wedding Spanx Knockoffs: Where to Get Them in NJ?

This is not a girdle. Because frankly,
who wants to see a pic of a girdle!?

On the day of your nuptials, you want everything to look streamlined under that bridal gown. That's why it might be a wise move to invest in some girdle-like undergarments to hold everything in place.

I myself found a very nice Spanx-alternative at JC Penny. You can find the link to their JCPenney Shapewear right here for your online perusal... however, I must warn that the in-store selection may be different than what you see there.

After checking out the tummy tuckers, lady lifters and fanny firmers on that page, you may decide as I did that all the functional lingerie probably isn't what your hubby had in mind for the wedding night shenanigans, err, romantic discoveries. Imagine him unwrapping you like the best wedding present of the night only to lay eyes on those Spanx... yikes.

Well... don't worry. If you think about it, you'll probably be a little sweaty after all that dancing and eating. So maybe it's a good idea to disappear into the little girls' room post-wedding, peel off the girdle, shower up, and then slither into something more feminine and sexy.

You can find a nice selection of bridal lingerie on this page of the JC Penney website.

One more Spanx tip while I'm thinking about it. I opted for the one-piece spanx where the bra is attached. This is an excellent option... however, mine was like a slip in that it didn't have legs or a crotch panel... it was just a very tight, stretchy "underdress."

In hindsight (ha ha!) I would not go with this option again. My garment kept riding up all night, and I had to keep yanking it down when I thought no one was looking. (But if you're the bride, of course, everyone is looking!)

Anyway, if you have a recommendation on Spanx or a Spanx-like undergarment, feel free to share it here!

Fred Astaire Dance Studios Groupon

I went to a couple of weddings where it was clear that the bride and groom had a few formal ballroom dancing lessons prior to their big day. The lessons gave a more polished feel to their first dance as husband and wife. I thought it was a really classy touch.

Looks like you can get a pretty sweet Groupon deal at Fred Astaire Dance Studios - according to today's notice on the Groupon website, if you give them your email you can get anywhere from 50 to 90% off. Not too shabby.

Know anyone who purchased a few dance lessons in preparation for their wedding day? Did they enjoy it? Was it worth the investment? I have heard they're as little as $25 per lesson but honestly I haven't shopped around much to know.

If you're getting married and interested in teaching the groom some dancefloor moves, then I'd definitely check out today's dance lesson deal on Groupon.

Plus Size Wedding Gowns in NJ – Pretty Awesome!

I just came across an ad for a plus-size wedding gowns and bridesmaid dresses. I didn't know that anyone in this area offered such a service.

The one I found is called The Curvy Bride, and it's in Manalapan, NJ. Even if you don't live nearby there, I thought it would be worth the trek for any plus-size bride who is having trouble finding a wedding gown.

They call themselves "A Designer Plus Size Bridal Boutique" and they offer private appointments, selections for every budget. Also worth mentioning that they carry special occasion gowns in case you're shopping for something other than a wedding, such as a Bar Mitsvah, Sweet 16, prom or something similar.

Their info:

The Curvy Bride

Towne Point Shopping Centre

357 US Highway 9 South

Manalapan, NJ 07726

http://thecurvybridenj.com

phone: 732 536 6100

I would also just like to point out that Warren County seems to have more than its fair share of curvy gals, and it may be worth opening a location around that area of NJ. Seems to me that Manalapan girls are a little more fit.

Terrific Bridal Shop - Somerville, NJ

The first bridal shop I visited in NJ was Isabelle's on Division Street in Somerville. And, thanks to her great service and a deal I could not pass up, I left the store in about an hour with my wedding dress in-bag!

Isabelle is not the name of the lady who owns the shop - I believe her name is Karen, but it's been a while so I'm not entirely sure. I do remember that Isabelle was the name of the little doggie mascot who stood watch at the window and barked at the construction workers and passerbys outside.

I'll give you a rundown of my experience at Isabelle's. First I went in and explained to the owner (Karen?) that I was on a limited budget and wanted something simple that would flatter my petite yet plump frame. She kind of laughed and asked me why I had such a negative body image (you say negative, I say realistic... whatever!). Then she assured me that I had a great figure and would look beautiful in my wedding gown, and proceed to make recommendations that reflected my taste and price range.

I was open enough to take her suggestion of trying on a spaghetti strap dress, although it wasn't my initial plan to wear one. I tried on the dress she recommended, and was quite surprised at the potential I saw there.

She then explained to me that there was a lot the dressmaker could do to customize the dress and make it work for me. The straps could easily be removed - or, changed into a cap-sleeve without any major upheaval. She also explained that the tailor could add a panel to the back (because the dress was a bit tight), and make a bustle in the back that my bridesmaids or helpers could tighten for a flattering, figure-hugging look.

With all these possibilities dancing about in my head, and her agreement to a price that I simply could not refuse, I walked out of the store quite pleased with my purchase.

Although I didn't end up wearing that dress because my practicality won out (I was a mommy-bride - my son was 2 at the time, and I didn't want the fuss of a big, bustley gown that I could possibly trip on while picking him up), I do not regret my purchase in the least.

I assure you that I was in excellent hands the day I shopped for, and bought, my wedding gown at Isabelle's Bridal on Division Street in Somerville, NJ.

Check out their website and stop in for some first-rate service!

A Great Wedding Cake Bakery in Somerville, NJ

Notice the clever way our photographer chose to take the picture of our wedding cake.
You can't really tell that we opted to save money on a small, decorative cake for display!

As I mentioned in an earlier post, we got our wedding cake from The Dessert Plate in Somerville, NJ. There were a few reasons why this worked out so splendidly for us:

They worked within our budget. You can decide how large you want the "main" cake to be, and for one price you can choose from a whole bunch of different, cool designs. For the most budget-conscious among us, they offer the option of having a small cake for display, with a larger, sheet cake done in the same flavor of frosting and filling, and matched to your cake decor.

They use fresh, simple, wholesome ingredients. Things like flour, eggs, sugar and butter. Who wouldn't want a cake like this – without all the unnecessary and unwanted preservatives, trans fats and such?

They made cake delivery stress-free. I can't remember now as it's been a few years, but I believe the wedding day delivery fee was included in the price of the cake. All I had to do was tell them what time dessert would be approximately, so they would know when to drive up with the cake in their van, set it all up and such.

I was quite happy with our entire NJ wedding cake experience, thanks to The Dessert Plate in Somerville. I'm pretty sure you will be, too!

Should you do your own makeup on your wedding day?

I think the answer to this question depends on a few factors:

• Are you good at doing your own makeup?
• Do you have a good idea of what your approach/colors/techniques will be for your bridal makeup?
• Is there a person who you can trust to do a perfect job on your wedding day makeup, the way you like it?

Thought this pic from
Saidaonline.com
was a great wedding-day
makeup look!

There are many reasons why getting a random person to show up and do your wedding makeup on the big day just isn't a good idea. Maybe they are heavy-handed with the makeup tools, while you would prefer a lighter approach. Maybe you have a special way of doing your makeup – like dark eyes and light lipstick... that they may not understand or adhere to.

I bring this up because, as a frugal bride, you may be tempted to either just skip having to pay to get your makeup done on the morning of your wedding.... or, you might have a friend do it for you.

I say, whatever you do – plan it all in advance. A really good idea is to have a day where you stage the whole thing ahead of time and take the weddding day beauty regime for a test drive. Make an appointment to have your wedding up-do experimented on (by you, a friend or family member, or a person who has agreed to stick within your budget – however you want to work it). Have your go-to cosmetologist stand-in person play around with your wedding-day makeup until you're happy with what she comes up with. 

Alternatively, if you decide to NOT go with a wedding makeup artist, you can spend some time experimenting with the colors and techniques that you think would work best with your dress and decor's theme.

Whatever you do – don't leave it up in the air on the day of the wedding. Things are going to be chaotic enough without ending up walking down the aisle feeling like someone else instead of yourself!