Recently Spotted: Kate Spade Charlotte Street Dinnerware

Y'all know I have a love affair with china...especially Kate Spade formal china and she has come out with another great line of casual dinnerware.  Meet Charlotte Street:

Kate Spade Charlotte Street Dinnerware Collection
Image Source: Bloomingdale's

Usually her casual dinnerware is a bit more on the bright side (i.e. bright green) or colors I don't gravitate towards (i.e. brown) and I would find it hard to commit to using an entire collection set long term, but I'm really loving this navy blue and white pattern!  The collection is made from porcelain and are microwave and dishwasher safe.

I love mix and match dinnerware and this collection is no exception, but it has even more room for mixin' it up within its own collection!  Select pieces come in three different pattern options - North, East, and West:

North Dinner Plate
Kate Spade Charlotte Street
$22
Image Source: Bloomingdale's

East Dinner Plate
Kate Spade Charlotte Street
$22
Image Source: Bloomingdale's

West Dinner Plate
Kate Spade Charlotte Street
$22
Image Source: Bloomingdale's

My favorite pieces in the collection are the sugar bowl and the tid bit plates:

Sugar Bowl
Kate Spade Charlotte Street
$65
Image Source: Bloomingdale's

Tid Bit Plates
Kate Spade Charlotte Street
Set of 4 for $50
Image Source: Bloomingdale's

Soooo cute and fun, right?  A four piece place setting is $80, which isn't too shabby!  I would totally love to own those tid bit plates!

I really like this line because you could 1) buy the whole set in all its stripe-y patterned wonderfulness, 2) mix it up with your everyday white, or 3) introduce a whole new color like red, green, or even pink (preppy ladies rejoice!).

What do you think, fan or not?  Would you consider registering for it?  Let us know! 

Psst..Also check out our article on Kate Spade Pierrepont Place line!

Briana's Getting Married!

Mr. 3 and I are headed to sunny Florida for Briana's wedding!  Here's to hoping for warm weather, clear skies, and a happy bride and groom!

Finding Affordable Picture Frames

Mr. 3 and I have started selecting the wedding pictures we want to hand out at Christmas (spoiler alert!  sorry, Mom and MIL).  We also needed a few frames for the pictures we would like to hang up in our offices and apartment.  I wanted to find something nice to showcase our photos and to use for the gifts so I had my heart set on buying silver plated frames for everyone...which quickly added up when you need to buy multiple frames in the 5x7 and 8x10 size.  After some thorough researching here is what I came across:

Macy's Martha Stewart Frame Line
Average Price: $15 for 5x7s and $25 for 8x10s (when on sale!)
-Lots of options
-Usually on sale
-Can use coupons for even more savings
-Can usually be found in store and always online (look for free shipping codes!)

Bed Bath and Beyond - Sienna Brand Frames
Average Price: $15 for 5x7s and $20 for 8x10s
-Fewer options
-Never on sale
-Can use 20% off or the magical $5 off of $15 coupon
-Selection is limited in stores and shipping is only free for purchases of $99 or more

PhotoFrames.net - Verona Line 
Average Price: $12.50 for 5x7s $15 for 8x10s
-Large selection of silver plated frames (and they are tarnish free!)
-Cheap shipping ($5.99 for orders under $75 and free shipping over $75)
-Carries odd sizes (i.e. 5x5, 3x5, etc)
-Offers large selection of hinged frames for double and triple photo display

We went with photoframes.net.  I actually found even less expensive frames than the average price I've listed above.  I paid $8.99 for the 5x7s and $12.49 for the 8x10s and I qualified for free shipping.  This group wound up having the best deals and the biggest selection.  Also, because we needed a large volume of frames, I was worried that we would be traipsing around the DC area in search of stock at our local Macy's/BBB. The frames arrived quickly and well-packed!

Hope this helps with your Christmas shopping!  Now if we could only figure out which pictures we want printed.....

Registry Returns

Over the weekend Mr. 3 and I headed out to the mall to make some returns and spend some gift cards.  We wanted to take back a few things to Bed, Bath, and Beyond that we had gotten as repeat gifts and pick up new sheets for our bed.

I just want to say how EASY it is to make returns at BBB (besides the waiting in line part).  If you don't have your receipt but it was purchased off your registry, they can look up the present and give you cash back for what your guest paid...IN CASH!  If your gift giver used a coupon on your present, they also "give you back" the coupon that the guest used by printing it out on store register tape (such smart marketing, what girl can resist re-spending a fistful of moo-lah when she also has coupons in hand!).  If you don't have a receipt, BBB will issue a store gift card.

We had no issue making our returns or our purchases and our bed looks great!

I <3 Linens!
Wamsutta 778 Sheets
Image from Bed Bath and Beyond

We also went by Williams Sonoma to spend some money and found out that the 10% completion discount is good on everything for the next 6 months WITHOUT having to go through the hassle of adding it to the registry before you go to buy (which is something I feel is so sneaky!).  The sweet ladies at Williams Sonoma also told me to wait to buy my glassware and cereal bowls because it goes on sale tomorrow!  They then placed everything I wanted in the back stockroom to hold for me until the sale starts.  Wahoo for 15% off tabletop, plus 10% registry completion!

Hope these tips help you out as you make your registry returns!  If you have any registry tips, send them our way!

Registry Breakdown: Most Popular Choices for Your Guests

If you engaged (or getting engaged anytime soon), figuring out your registries can be difficult.  Besides dealing with uncooperative fiances (luckily Mr. 3 was more than helpful as long as he was fed and caffeinated) and figuring out what you need (pots and pans usually) vs. what you want (toss pillows! crystal barware! monogrammed anything!), you have to also think about the number of gifts, the price points, what stores are going to be accessible to both you and your guests.

Mr. 3 and I chose to register at Macy's and Bed, Bath, and Beyond (BBB) because we figured that they would be the most accessible to our families in North Carolina and Virginia.  We also decided to put in Williams Sonoma because we LOVE their kitchen gadgets and kitchen linens.  From there, I decided I wanted to put Pottery Barn on the list because I love their home decor items and bed linens.  Finally, I added a Bloomingdales registry because they were the only vendor that carried these pretty bowls (and yes, that is the sole reason I registered at Bloomies...although after their wonderful registry store event, I definitely added a few more pieces).

So cute for fruit or sorbet!
Iittala Kastehelmi Bowl
Bloomingdales
$19

I figured that our guests in DC would like all of the options because we have brick and mortar stores near by that are easy to get to.  For our friends traveling from afar who have a very limited selection in their hometowns, I figured they would appreciate the variety of places to scout out free shipping.

All of our guests were extremely generous and thoughtful in their gift giving, but Macy's and BBB were by far the most popular choice among all of our guests for both shower and wedding presents.  I would say about 90% of our gifts came from those two registries and all of our gift cards we received were to those two stores.

Macy's also has a great rewards program and BBB always has a 20% off coupon (btw...did you know that they never expire despite what the coupon says and you can combine coupons in the same transaction?!?!  try it!).  BBB also offers a $25 coupon for ever person you refer who sets up a registry, so tell all your engaged friends after you set up your own!  Both stores offer free shipping if you go to a location and they don't have the item you want to order in stock.

One thing I learned was that if you really want something, like your pots and pans, but them in multiple places and check back often to delete the duplicates as your guests purchased them.  This really works out well for the couple and the guest!  For example, All-Clad Copper Core is carried at Williams Sonoma, Macy's, BBB, and Bloomingdales. 

All Clad Copper Core
Image from Williams Sonoma

Macy's and Bloomies will sometimes put All-Clad on sale, but BBB does not .  However,  BBB may offer your guest free shipping and Williams Sonoma will sometimes offer price breaks on specific pans.  Williams Sonoma and Bloomingdales carry this brand in store, but you can usually only find it online at the other stores.  By putting the All-Clad at all the websites, you will increase your odds of receiving the pots and pans you want and your guest can 1) look for the best deal or 2) look for the easiest way to send you these pots!  It may be a little time consuming to check everything (Mr. 3 said I watched the registries like the stock market), but it definitely pays off.

All that stated, here is a ranking of our registries in order of guest popularity:

1. Bed, Bath and Beyond (BBB)
2. Macy's
3. Pottery Barn
4. Williams Sonoma
5. Bloomingdales

What's your favorite registry?  Any perks you want to share, let us know!

Rehearsal Dinner Bouquet

As Briana mentioned in last week's post, we headed down to my hometown for my bridal shower.  I dearly love a good shower - the food, the little old ladies, and the frilly-ness of a shower are so much fun.  I think everyone had a great time eating bacon collard dip, drinking sangria, eating delicious food, and ending the meal with PINK velvet cupcakes!

One of my favorite traditions (and I'm not sure if this is just a Southern thang), is the bridal bouquet made out of  all the pretty ribbons used to decorate the shower gifts.  Whenever I go to a shower I always try to really dress up the package with beautiful high end ribbons and bows to add some oomph to the bouquet.  The bride then keeps the bouquet to carry at the rehearsal dinner.  Briana graciously agreed to arrange my ribbon bouquet for me and she did a great job!!!!

Post Shower Silliness
Please excuse lack of makeup.

Pretty Pretty

I'm so excited! I'm trying to figure out if there is a way I can keep it/showcase it in my apartment after the wedding.  What do y'all think?  I LOVE it!

MIT Engagement Photos

Now that you have made it through my first DIY crafting posts, here are a few of my favorite photos from the shoot on Sunday! Annie was so wonderful to spend her Sunday afternoon taking pictures of me and J - she was trying out her new camera, which was very exciting for her :)

A bit about Annie - 

She is one of my bridesmaids, I have lived with her pretty much the entire time I have been in Boston. We were in the math department together at MIT. She is super smart. She just finished her first year in Harvard's Department of Economics PhD program! We obsess about MBTI and discuss random hypotheticals. And we eat Indian food on the floor. I <3 her!

Annie picked up photography as a hobby after graduation last June and she has actually stuck with it. I think she did a wonderful job. Thanks, Annie my love!

BHLDN - Fun and Eclectic

My mother stumbled across BHLDN yesterday and sent it my way. Let me tell you - super cute stuff! They have lots of great shoes and dresses. Also, you can find great priced wedding dresses if you are looking for something very different. Check out my faves!

$260

Beautiful and only $1600

There are also some fun gift ideas, stationary, and home pieces! BHLDN is very eclectic, I love it! I also love these champagne glasses :)

Love! $68

Melinda's Wedding Update

Dear Posh Purpose readers...I'm so sorry for having neglected you over the past few months of wedding planning.  I'll save you (my totally legit!) excuses and just say that I also wanted to make sure that contracts had been ironed out, signed, and deposits cashed before giving you the skinny on all my planning.

I had decided early on that Mr. 3 and I would be tying the knot in his hometown of Roanoke, VA because some of his family members wouldn't be able to attend due to health reasons unless they didn't have to travel very far.  After a disastrous first attempt to find a venue, where we spent 2-3 weeks in August/September trying to secure a former B&B called the Mirador, contract negotiations fell apart when the owners refused to do business with us because we asked for them to further define the terms of the contract.  I believe that I've posted before about the importance of reading contracts and I'll say it again READ YOUR CONTRACTS.  You definitely do not want to sign anything that has vague terminology like "we will charge accordingly."  Contracts with misspellings are also a warning flag.  After the Mirador disaster (and crying on Mr. 3's shoulder for several hours), we regrouped and took another look at the area. 

While Roanoke has many venue options, a lot of them were less than ideal.  I knew that I didn't want to deal with any venue where the dance floor would be outdoors (hot sweaty bride = ick).  I'm not a country club or hotel wedding type of girl and a lot of the places weren't going to be handicap accessible.  After much searching and deliberation (I considered just hosting a 50 person sit down dinner for about two weeks, but I couldn't give up the idea of dancing, so I backed away from it), we finally settled on the beautiful Patrick Henry Ballroom.  The PH is a historic ballroom in the old Patrick Henry Hotel.  The hotel was converted to condos and the downstairs has been renovated, taking the ballroom back to its original historic structure but adding modern updates to the infrastructure.  We settled on date in July that (luckily) the church also had available and I'm so excited for our choice!

From there, Mr. 3 and I spent quite a bit of time searching for our other biggest decision...the photographer.  Let me tell you, I searched and searched for about 3 months before our contract was finalized.  It was quite a struggle to find someone that fit in with our budget and that we loved.  A lot of the photographers in the area are still sticking with the 80s style, super posed, stiff style OR they have gone in completely the opposite direction and like to throw every possible special effect at the picture.  We were not fans.  We finally found Sam Dean from Sam Dean Photography.  When we first met with Sam we liked how laid back he is, plus Mr. 3 and Sam hit it off pretty well.  Sam's work is also fantastic!  He takes a more photojournalistic approach and really doesn't care for the photoshopping.  We are excited to have him for our wedding day!

Next up...the band!  My dear friend Marie got married a few years ago and had a band at her wedding.  What a difference it made!  I didn't think a band would fit into the wedding budget, but luckily Roanoke has a large number of local musicians, so it suddenly became much more affordable because we weren't going to have to pay a travel charge or overnight accomodations.  We used Kent Martin from SRO Productions and he was so helpful and patient with me as we made our selection.  We finally settled on a 7 piece horn band called The Kings, and I couldn't be more excited.

Now, I'm sure everyone wants to know about the dress.  My poor mother took me to a dress shop in Roanoke at Thanksgiving and three different stores in Charlotte, NC at Christmas (in one memorable, marathon of a shopping day).  I didn't find anything.  We went back to one of the dress stores, J.Majors bridal, to do a retry of four dresses.  After having wedding dress dreams and worrying all through Christmas, I turned what was supposed to be a one hour appointment for 4 dresses into an hour and a half frenzied look at 12-15 dresses.  After going up on my price point a bit, I finally found what I was looking for from Martina Liana.  I don't want to give all the details away, but it's a beautiful sweetheart silk organza gown and I'm super excited about it!

Among the other things that have been decided - I've found a wedding coordinator, picked out my stationer (more on him later!), and my mom and I have been purchasing decor items like a madwoman.  With less than 6 months to go, I feel like I'm either right on track or seriously behind (depends on the day of the week).  How are everyone else's wedding plans coming along?  What big decisions do you have left? 

Trousseau Tuesday: Fun Fall Dress Alert!

Check out this super cute fall dress I found at Anthropologie while doing some retail research for my upcoming engagment photos.  I think it still needs a thin belt to set the dress off, maybe in a fun color like raspberry pink or lavender? 

Anthropologie
Unconditional Osier Dress
$168

It's a modestly priced dress (for Anthropologie anyways) and I love the blue color because it will transition nicely into an early spring dress as well (pair it with wedges!).  I also think this dress would photograph well because of the color and the pattern of the fabric isn't so overwhelming that it will compete with your face in a picture.  This dress would be totally appropriate to wear to a fall time wedding or shower too.  What do you think?  Is it a winner?

Wedding Tip Wednesday: Macy's Registry Review

Ahhhh the wedding registry. So much fun and I feel like this experience was the closest I could ever get to being a guest at Oprah's Favorite Things (one can only hope that her new network will do a swag special from time to time...I, errr America, is still very much interested in the Queen of Talk's favorite items).

Mr. 3 and I picked Macy's as one of the places to register because we felt that they would have a good selection of items at all different price points, there would be a Macy's location in every mid-size and major city, and Macy's generally has lots of sales and coupons that our guests could use.* After sitting down with a consultant, we found out that Macy's also has a great rewards program. In addition to the 10% discount for all items that the couple purchases after the wedding, you can also participate in the Macy's Star Reward program. This program links your registry to your Macy's credit card account (I had to sign up for one), so that after your wedding you receive 5% of the value of the items purchased in a gift card reward. So if your wonderful guests purchase $1,000 of items from your registry, you will get a gift card in the mail for $50 to use at Macy's. In addition, during your engagement period, you also earn 10% rewards on any purchases that you make using your Macy's credit card (just make sure to pay it off in full every month...paying interest defeats the purpose of getting reward dollars). I think this is especially great considering Christmas is upon us (according to the not to subtle marketing ploys that would have us believe that Christmas season starts November 1st and Thanksgiving is just that pesky eating holiday to tide you over until the real deal).

Other perks about registering at Macy's are: free lipgloss with consultation at the Clinique counter, 15% off fine jewelry, and local wedding vendor information. I'll keep you posted on the ins and outs of the other places Mr. 3 and I registered, but what do you think of Macy's?  Briana is ~not~ a fan of Macy's...however, she is deeply conflicted because she is ~such~ a fan of Martha Stewart (whose home goods line is only carried at Macy's).

*When taking your future husband to register, please be prepared for endless questions and comments along the lines of : Who is going to buy all this stuff? Where are we going to put this stuff? Why do we need that? Can we get the meat grinder for the Kitchen Aid, I see myself making sausage. I don't care which color, I pick the one you like.

You can combat these comments with the same tried and true method for carrying out a successful shopping trip when you actually do buy things: frequent snacks and a place for your favorite man to park it. Despite these precautions, be prepared for your man to have a meltdown at the end of your registry shopping. After 2 hours at Macy's (with lunch preceeding and a snack break during mind you), Mr. 3 hightailed it around the store registering us for assorted china, one serving fork, and a children's backpack with skulls on it.  I then spent the last 10 minutes printing out our registry and marking it up with frowny faces :( next to these items so I would both know which ones to remove when I got home and express my displeasure in his rogue registry etiquette. I feel like this tactic fully conveyed the gravity of the matter and I tell myself that his laughter really indicated his remorse.  Let those frowny faces be a lesson...

Wedding Wednesday: To Bridal Show or Not to Bridal Show

So a couple of weekends ago, Mr. 3 and I went on a whirlwind adventure visiting venues out of town.  While out and about I managed to squeeze in a quick trip to the local bridal show.  I wasn't expecting much, because it's a small city.  However, since I'm not from the area, I decided it would be worth it to go if for no other reason than to be able to talk to a bunch of photographers all at once and look through their books.  I've also always thought it was silly to charge brides a fee to come in and look around when the purpose of the event is to earn more money.  Regardless, I decided to check it out (don't worry I left Mr. 3 behind, I try not to torture him tooooo much with wedding stuff).  After going, I think Bridal Shows are totally worth it because:

1. Vendors offer discounts:  Vendors see bridal shows as a way to drum up a lot of business all at once and book their events for the following year.  One way to get a bride interested is to offer a small discount.  For example, I will take a look at every single photographer that offered a discount at the bridal show and I'm doing some stalking online now to check them out.  The discounts may be as small as 10%, which may not sound like a lot until you realize that the cheapest photography package I've seen is $1,200.  That's $120 that you can apply elsewhere...like shoes.  I also saw discounts as much as 50% off photography packages if you booked within the next two weeks.  Men's Warehouse and Jos. A. Bank offered tuxedo rental discounts as well.

2. Vendors hand out pricing information:  It is a pain to have to email/call everybody and their granny to find out pricing information for services.  Some vendors are extremely reluctant to even tell you what the prices are even if you email/call because they want you to get meet in person so that they can suck you in with their sales pitch.  However, bridal shows are all about handing out the info so that you will give them a call back.  All the photographers had package information to give out, so I saved myself the trouble of having to email about 5 different vendors.

3. Vendors sponsor giveaways:  Although I didn't win anything this time, I went to a bridal show a few years ago with a best friend and I won a $500 gift certificate to the plastic surgeon's office (I got some spider veins lasered off, thank you very much - no botox here).  While we were at the show I saw brides win: choice of either wedding bands or a honeymoon stay, free makeup, salon services, nail services, gift certificates to bridal salons, and a free LCD TV.  You didn't have to purchase raffle tickets, but it was a great little perk for the lucky girls who won!


4. Vendors offer samples and freebies:  In my small swag haul, I received a small bouquet of about 5 roses from a florist (so pretty!), chocolates, and mints.  All the caterers had a spread of food including cheesecake lollipops, tea sandwiches, chocolate mousse cups, homemade potato chips, fruit, cheese and crackers, and veggie trays to name a few.  If you did drag your sweetie to the bridal show, he should be able to cope by making his way through all the samples.


5. Opportunities to ask questions and gauge someone's personality:  Besides the really valuable pricing information, I thought this was the best part of the bridal show.  I got to ask several questions from the vendors I was interested in and by talking with them I learned a lot about their level of professionalism and personality.  For example, I talked to a very sweet photographer who seemed to be reasonably priced.  However, both her and her husband were smacking on huge wads of chewing gum during our conversation.  I felt that was very unprofessional and I will not be contacting her.  I also talked to a florist who will not allow you to bring your own containers.  I was not a fan.  Most of my containers are going to be from thrift stores or someplace inexpensive like Garden Ridge, so I knew she would definitely not work.  I ALSO found another bridal store that carries the line of dresses that I am most interested in trying on.  I spoke to the owner and he said that they have been in business for 29 years and he has no intention of closing up shop.  He also told me how long it would take to order a dress and that they do not take the manufacturer's tags off or try to cover up the label so you can't go figure out how much the mark up is...mostly because they don't mark their dresses up.

Whether you are getting married in a small town or a big city, I highly suggest that you attend the bridal shows.  I got a lot accomplished in about 2 hours of my time and I had a lot of fun doing it!  What are your thoughts on bridal shows?  Must do or pass?

Trousseau Tuesday: A Style for the Winter Season

Ack! Fall is upon us, which means winter is nearly upon us!  Besides the return of the pumpkin spice latte and the peppermint mocha, I find little redeeming about the cold winters.  Finding clothes in beautiful colors becomes more difficult as all the stores begin selling gray, black, brown, and perhaps the worst offender, oatmeal.  Navy, burnt oranges, and dark reds are just not as fun as my spring pastels and juicy summer colors. I also spend a lot of my daily dressing routine figuring out what will keep me warm but keep me from overheating as I trek through the underground WMATA system. I also think it's ridiculous when bridesmaids are left out in the cold, shivering in some thin silk dress and no tights.  That's why I was quite excited to see this new arrival on the kate spade website:

Kate Spade Sandra Sweater Dress

This a a very pretty berry color and it's made out of merino wool.  I think it makes a dress for an engagement party, rehearsal dinner, bridesmaid dress, church, or Christmas party.  You won't freeze, especially if you pair it with a cute pair of patterned tights.  While $355 is a little steep for a dress, I predict that kate spade will have a 20% off sale and free shipping at some point, so keep an eye out for the sales and Posh Purpose will keep you posted on any deals!

Melinda's Wedding Planning Update!

Weddings for me are fun to plan!  I love looking at wedding blogs, rummaging through magazines, and stalking vendors online.  However, they aren't without stress.  Right after Mr. 3 proposed, I remember feeling "whelmed" with the idea of planning, budgeting, and creating an event with less than 12 months to go (Mr. 3 wants to get married next week, but I told him I preferred September 2012...we compromised on June 2012).  I tend to be great at making lots of small decisions, settling on colors, and focusing on all the little details...but big decisions involving lots of money scare me a little.  I knew that coming up with a date, a church, and a venue would really alleviate a lot of this worry (what's the point of figuring out your escort cards and pew bows if you don't have a church or venue to put them in?).  I had decided to have the wedding in Mr. 3's hometown so that the older members of his family would be able to attend, so I definitely needed to find a church nearby.  We immediately went to take a tour of the church that Mr. 3 was baptized and confirmed in.  After viewing the church, I knew that I would not need to look anywhere else.  This church is the complete package visually - exposed church organ, stained glass, beautiful pews, stone floors, wooden arched ceilings, and, most importantly, not one square inch of icky red carpet to contend with in my photographs.  From a practical standpoint, there is a nice sized parking lot and it's located in a quiet neighborhood.  From a religious standpoint, I couldn't quite get a feel for it based off of our 30 minute visit, but I feel good about it knowing that Mr. 3 grew up in the church.  Selecting a church was probably the most important part of planning a wedding for me.  Mr. 3 and I are super excited about seeing all of our friends and family and celebrating with them following the ceremony.  However, the ceremony is more important than anything else we plan, so I was glad to get this part figured out early on.

We are still working on the reception venue.  I have a place picked out, but we are ironing out the details of the contract.  From there, we will finalize our guest list and start meeting with vendors.  We've also started our registries (my registry review will be coming up soon!), but after my Priscilla of Boston meltdown last weekend, I'm going to hold off on dress shopping for another month or two.  After consulting my Martha Stewart wedding planner, I discovered that I haven't checked off too many things on my 6 months or more list, but I must remind my overachieving, type A personality self that I've been engaged less than a month and not even Martha would expect more.  I've also got great ideas for save the dates, flowers, favors, and tablecloths; and whenever I need a break from my wedding plans, I start working on Briana's!  I'll keep you posted on the good, the bad, the ugly, and the DIY projects as I go, but for now feel free to send me your favorite tips on remaining stress free during your wedding planning...trust me, I'm going to need them!   

Fresh Idea Friday: Windex for Your Diamonds?

I recently received a call from my freshman year college roomie, Mary Elizabeth, who remains one of my dearest friends. We don't get to talk that often so it was quite a treat to catch up with her! Over the course of our chit chatting about all things wedding, including engagement rings and wedding bands, Mary Elizabeth told me that her dear mama, Miss Bonnie, uses Windex to keep her diamonds sparkly and bright. According to Miss Bonnie's jeweler, Windex won't harm the diamond or setting and with a quick squirt and rub with a cotton cloth they will shine right up. Mary Elizabeth has followed her wise mama's advice since the day she got married in December 2006 and has not noticed any problems with this cleaning method.

I did my due diligence through some google slouthing and found step by step instructions from eHow.com for using the Windex. I also conference g-chatted with Briana about this great idea. Briana thinks that although you may have to be more cautious with softer stones, pearls, or opals, your diamonds should be ok. As she puts it, "Diamonds are very hard. Anything that can harm diamonds also kills people." I now may have to rewatch My Big Fat Greek Wedding in order to try all the other miracles that Windex can perform.

Exciting Announcement! Part Deux!

Well dear readers, I have some EXCITING news to dish up and serve out,

J has been a busy man this past week what with organizing a scavenger hunt all over Boston...and a PROPOSAL to the funniest, most charming blogger. That's right ladies (and gentlemen, I know we have some menfolk reading along too), my cousin Briana is engaged! Mr. 3 and I got the news straight from the blogger herself on Saturday while we were shopping for our registry. We set up a skype feed right in front of the bridal registry (much to our consultant's surpise) so I could congratulate the happy couple and sneak a peek Briana's new sparkler. Mr. 3 and I are thrilled to pieces for them and cannot wait until we get together to celebrate! I wish them nothing but the best as they enjoy their engagement and start planning their wedding. Love is definitely in the air...congratulations to you two!