wedding season

Bridal Shower Games That Promise to Break the Ice!

When it comes to the bridal shower, nothing breaks the ice better than a good game.

When it comes to the bridal shower, nothing breaks the ice better than a good game. Keeping it easy on the maid of honor, we found 10 affordable and (mostly) printable games that are sure to be a hit. Take your pick from Mad Libs that offer humorous advice, a guilty game of "he said, she said," or even a couples cootie catcher for your favorite '90s-loving bride. Whatever you choose to print or play, these games will get the party started and memories flowing — just in time for her big day!

Wedding

26 Bridesmaid Shoes You'll Want to Wear Postwedding

Wedding season is going strong, which means chances are you'll serve as a bridesmaid at least once this Summer.

Wedding season is going strong, which means chances are you'll serve as a bridesmaid at least once this Summer. If that's the case, you'll need the perfect heels to go with your bridesmaid dress — or dresses.

But, between the bridal shower and bachelorette party, we know you're busy, so we've done the legwork for you and shopped the market for 26 beautiful shoes in neutral hues that'll go with every dress — and look so good you'll want to wear them well beyond the big day. Click through now to shop.

Makeup

A Bridal Shower Makeup Look That Takes the Cake

The following post was written by Lindsay Rogers, who blogs at Belle Belle Beauty and is part of POPSUGAR Select Beauty.

The following post was written by Lindsay Rogers, who blogs at Belle Belle Beauty and is part of POPSUGAR Select Beauty. Belle Belle Beauty focuses on honest cosmetic reviews, ranging from drugstore to luxury and everything in between.

We are upon that other festive time of year, chock-full of weddings and celebrations around the big day. Your Summer months are likely full of engagement parties and weddings. While evening special-occasion makeup is one thing, bridal showers offer a great opportunity for soft and fresh makeup.

For these special afternoons, I prefer a natural and luminous look: flawless for photos but still feminine and light. Not to mention, this amped-up everyday look is perfect for a date night or brunch with girlfriends. And it is easy!

First, I like to prep clean skin with a sheer BB cream. The newest from Kiehl's offers great sun protection — a whopping 50 SPF — for outdoor venues. Use a damp Beautyblender Makeup Sponge Applicator to get even and light coverage. Make sure to blend to your neck and focus coverage on the center of your face.

I like to skip complicated eye shadow in favor of a single shade of cream eye shadow like MAC Paint Pots in Painterly. Curl eyelashes, making sure to bend and lift the curler while clamping lightly at the base. A swipe of liquid liner just along the roots of top lashes defines the eye. I like the Nars Eyeliner Stylo in Carpates. Finish with a coat of waterproof mascara; you never know if there will be a tearjerker moment at a shower. I'm loving Maybelline Volum' Express The Rocket Waterproof Mascara in Very Black for full and fluffy lashes.

Finish off the face with a swipe of bronzer below the cheekbones, along the temples, and below the jawbone. I also like to add a little swipe on each side of my nose to elongate. The new Buxom Hot Escapes Bronzer in Tahiti contains coconut oil and smells so beachy! The coconut oil acts as an emollient and adds a healthy radiance to skin.

Add a touch of highlighter on the brow bone and cheekbone. Mark That's Brilliant Face & Eye Luminizer has a brilliant brush applicator and blends for a natural luminosity. Just a simple plumping lip gloss will keep the pout hydrated and smooth. The new Korres Greek Yoghurt Nourishing Lip Cooler has a cooling sensation that's perfect for hot days and it even buffs away dry skin.

Voilà! You look natural, fresh, and pretty — all set for a day of celebration for the bride-to-be.

Wedding Decor

DIY Chair Backs For the Bride and Groom!

When it comes to wedding decor, it's the details that lend a personal feel.

When it comes to wedding decor, it's the details that lend a personal feel. Once you've said your "I dos," consider celebrating your first meal as husband and wife with custom chair backs — DIY, of course. Fit for any theme, the options are endless: ribbons, wreaths, and recycled wood are just a few of our favorite ideas. Whether you're planning a wedding or simply want to be inspired by the creative use of materials, check out the chairs that perfectly complete these festive receptions.

Wedding

Throw a Guest-Friendly Wedding Bash

While we all know the bride and groom are the center of attention at the wedding (and in some cases, just the bride), most couples would agree if it was truly just about them, they would elope.

While we all know the bride and groom are the center of attention at the wedding (and in some cases, just the bride), most couples would agree if it was truly just about them, they would elope. When you throw a big wedding bash, you're essentially throwing your guests a party, so you want it to be fun and memorable. From the entertaining to the interactive, here are some creative ways beyond the dance floor to get your family and friends out of their seats and having a ball.

summer

Style Inspiration: State Fair

We're happy to present this story from one of our favorite sites, Brides magazine.

We're happy to present this story from one of our favorite sites, Brides magazine.

From funnel cakes to 4-H, state fairs have been a part of the American experience since 1841, when the Great New York State Fair staked its inaugural tent poles in Syracuse. August plays host to many, including the Iowa, Kentucky, and, yes, New York incarnations. To plan your own blue-ribbon event, think popcorn machines at cocktail hour, tin cans full of flowers at dinner, cotton candy on the dessert bar, and a white dress wrapped in a gingham bow. Butter-sculpting competition optional!

— Still-life Photographs by Yasu + Junko | Prop Stylist: TIZIANO AGNELLO

Related: The Most Creative Wedding Cakes of the Year

Shopping

Gorgeous Wedding Accessories

Before you walk down the aisle, don't forget to complete your wedding day look with the dazzling accoutrements it deserves.


Before you walk down the aisle, don't forget to complete your wedding day look with the dazzling accoutrements it deserves. Whether it's splurging on Christian Louboutin's Glitter Wrap pumps or a knockout crystal necklace from J.Crew, find the perfect pair of shoes and accessories right here.

digital culture

The Top 10 Wedding Trends Inspired by the Internet

We're happy to present this post from one of our favorite sites, YourTango.

We're happy to present this post from one of our favorite sites, YourTango. Find out how Skype, Pinterest, and hashtags are making their way into your big day!

You said "yes" to the dress, you confirmed the final guest count with the caterer, you're all packed for the honeymoon — so now what? Deciding on your wedding's hashtag of course. How else would everyone follow along?

Sure, technology has greatly affected the dating game, but let's not forget it's huge impact on saying "I do." From planning the wedding (Pinterest boards, we're looking at you) to tear-jerking toasts given via Skype, the internet has made the big day a collaborative, shareable and sometimes even viral event.

Below, we countdown some of the biggest trends hitting the altar.

1. Giving Your Wedding A Hashtag
Couples are encouraging guests to take lot of photos at the wedding and and post them on Instagram using a hashtag that's unique to the celebration. People not at the wedding can follow along picture by picture, and they'll all be archived forever on social media.

2. "You're Not Invited" Alerts
The Today Show recently did a segment on these hurtful yet handy little announcements, and it seems like they're going viral. If a couple doesn't have enough room in their budget to accommodate everyone, they have taken to alerting the less fortunate — who will inevitably become privy to the wedding via social media — through the simple click of an email.

3. Pinterest Wedding Activity Boards
All brides are basically addicted to Pinterest in the midst of wedding planning, which is why it makes sense that Pinterest is now becoming a part of the welcome package for guests when they check in for the big day. Instead of traditional welcome letters, the couple are creating a Pinterest board with things to do, eat, and see in the city where they're getting married.

4. Wedding Webcasts
So, great Aunt Dolores can't attend your wedding because she lives in Montana? Enter the wedding webcast, where far-flung relatives and friends can watch your wedding as it unfolds in real time. For under $1,000, couples can turn their wedding into a live broadcast available on the internet for anyone and everyone to witness.

6. Foregoing Invitations In Favor Of A Facebook Event Page
This might not work if you're a stickler for tradition, but it's definitely effective in today's social media-captivated society. A Facebook event page saves money, time, and a whole lot of frustration over whether or not the bride received all the RSVPs by mail.

7. Skype Toasts
What's better than a sentimental and witty toast? A sentimental and witty toast over Skype. For family and friends who can't attend due to distance but are still looking to surprise the couple or make up for their absence, Skype is their app of choice. Well-wishers are able to get a glimpse of the atmosphere and the couple gets to enjoy a heartfelt speech rather than a few lines in an email. Cheers all around.

For more trends, head to YourTango: The Top 10 Wedding Trends Inspired by the Internet

Check out more great stories from YourTango:

Father's Day

Daddy's Girl: Sweet Father/Daughter Wedding Moments

There's something about the bond between a dad and his daughter, so it's no surprise that there are a number of special wedding traditions that center on this special relationship.

There's something about the bond between a dad and his daughter, so it's no surprise that there are a number of special wedding traditions that center on this special relationship. Some of the most emotionally charged moments — aside from those between the bride and groom, of course — include the father/daughter dance and the giving away of the bride by her father in the ceremony. The origin of the latter, however, harkens back to the days of arranged marriages, when fathers gave their daughters away as property in exchange for a dowry. Nowadays the meaning is much less offensive to women, as it's considered a symbol of the father's blessing of the union. The father/daughter dance is also a way for the dad to give away his daughter and to say his goodbyes as her husband becomes the new main man in her life. At American weddings, fathers also traditionally say a toast to the bride and groom at the reception.

Depending on your culture or religion, there are a wide variety of traditions involving the bride's dad. At Argentinean weddings, the bride is escorted by her father down the aisle, but instead of bridesmaids and groomsmen, the couples' parents and godparents are the only ones at their side for the ceremony. Jewish weddings have many traditions for the father of the bride to take part in, including the Groom's Tish, in which the men sing and drink and the father of the bride, together with the groom, signs the Ketubah. During Indian wedding ceremonies, the parents of the bride wash the feet of the bride and groom with milk and water to symbolize their purification before marriage. And at Muslim weddings, the tradition of the bride's father giving her away to the groom is called "rukhsat." But perhaps the most unusual tradition occurs at wedding ceremonies in the Maasai nation of Kenya, in which the father of the bride gives his blessing by spitting on the bride's head and breasts.

No matter what your background, you can't help but feel the love this Father's Day with these inspiring father/daughter wedding moments caught on camera. And tell us below if you have a father/daughter wedding tradition we didn't mention!

Wedding

POPSUGAR Wedding Roundup: Dresses, Decor, Music, and More For Your Big Day

Wedding season is in full swing here at POPSUGAR, and we have everything you need when it comes to dresses, decor, bridal beauty, and more.

Wedding season is in full swing here at POPSUGAR, and we have everything you need when it comes to dresses, decor, bridal beauty, and more. Whether you're in need of bridesmaid tips, seeking savvy spending advice, or in the mood to check out the most memorable TV and movie weddings, look no further.

Click through now to see our ever-expanding 2013 wedding season coverage!