PopSugar

It's Josh and Katie's Turn to Get Romantic

PopSugar — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 04:00:00 -0800

Josh Duhamel joined the fun yesterday on the Long Island set of The Romantics. He was fresh off a weekend in NYC with his wife Fergie, as they try to move past all their recent personal drama. Josh was joined on location by Katie Holmes, along with their costars Malin Akerman and Anna Paquin. Katie's back in New York following her few fun days with Tom and high-heeled Suri in Boston. Katie and Tom's third wedding anniversary is tomorrow, so hopefully they're able to reconnect for a special evening despite their separate filming locations.

LOTS more photos from The Romantics set so read more.

View 20 Photos ›

Get Involved in the YumSugar Community!

partysugar — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 12:50:55 -0700

Have you checked out our recently relaunched fabulous YumSugar Community? It's a great place to post and share recipes, cooking tips, and everything in-between. There's already a ton of groups you can join and explore, or feel free to start some new ones! Here's a taste of what the community has to offer.

Kitchen Goddess: This group is older than YumSugar, making it the original PopSugar Network recipe exchange suite. Post your favorite recipes or browse for meal inspiration.
Wedding Talk: The one-shop stop for discussing everything about the big day. Here you'll find ideas on the ceremony, stationary, flowers, hair, dresses, etc.
Super Special Occasion: This group is my baby, and I invite you to post pictures of the parties you attend and host. Discussion is welcome, so if you need help locating the perfect plates for an upcoming baby shower you're planning, this is your place to do it.
Savory Sights: Eat something wildly delicious looking? Snap a photo and post it in this group. Check out this insanely mouthwatering breakfast YumSugar had last weekend at Ad Hoc!
What's For Dinner?: Wondering what to make for dinner? This is your location to chat about quick chicken meals, one-pot wonders, and everything else fast and easy.
Burning Question: What foods are aphrodisiac? Why does brown sugar form clumps? This is the ultimate forum for asking and answering those food-related questions. We pick the most intriguing ones and answer them here.

Third Time's a Charm: No Ridiculous Pregnancy Comments

LilSugar — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 04:00:54 -0700

People say the most ridiculous things to pregnant women. While expecting my daughter and son, my jaw constantly dropped at the rude, crude and absent-minded things people said to me...with a straight face. BabySugar encountered the same nonsense while she was with child. But, it appears that the third time is the charm since I can really only recall two off comments people have made to me in the past 40 weeks. The first was about a month ago when I was shopping for a friend's wedding gift and the glass saleswoman told me to sit down before my water broke. She then told me to double check with my doctor because she was sure I was having twins. Thanks lady. The next was a few days later when I ran into an acquaintance who told me she was less than half my size when she had her daughter. "Good for you," was all I could muster as a response.

But those two doozies aside, this has been a low-key pregnancy with lots of perks - like complimentary beverages and servers at my favorite cafes betting on the sex of my baby. Who knew baristas were so into procreating? While stopping to pick up water spiked with a little green tea and a coffee for my husband, three different coffee clerks at separate Starbucks locations gave me free drinks! To hear other sweet gestures I've experienced this time around, read more.
Then, at the farmers market, when I purchased a baguette from a booth, the cashier told me she couldn't possibly charge a lady bringing a baby into the world for bread. In addition to the nice gestures, I haven't been the recipient of much unsolicited advice either. I attribute that to the fact that since I'm traveling with two other kiddos in tow, they either understand I don't have time to chat it up with strangers or they are writing me off as a woman who obviously didn't take the advice offered years ago. Either way, I'm good with it!

Did you experience this during subsequent pregnancies? Share your experiences here and join the LilSugar community!

99 Cents Only Store Weddings Cost $0.99 On 9/09/09

SavvySugar — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 06:30:54 -0700

Novelty dates are always popular for people getting hitched. The date 7/07/07 was especially hot because it was a Saturday, but yesterday got its fair share of nuptial attention thanks in part to the 99 Cents Only Store. In honor of 9/09/09, The 99 Cents Only Store chain hosted weddings for nine couples at its Sunset Boulevard branch.

The newlyweds paid $0.99 at the register and were then presented with $99 and 99 cents in cash, before being taken to an undisclosed "famous romantic Los Angeles" location. Congrats to the happy couples!

To see more wedding festivities, just read more.

View 16 Photos ›

Who Would You Most Like to See Guest Judge American Idol?

PopSugar — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 12:00:00 -0700

American Idol auditions are underway and while we've already seen Victoria Beckham step in as a guest judge in two locations, the producers are looking to fill Paula's shoes with a series of female pop stars. Today Joe Simpson shot down rumors that Jessica was angling for a spot, but it got us thinking about some other ladies we'd like to see in the empty seat. Katy Perry is signed up with promises of more to come but tell us - who would you like to see on American Idol?

Casa Interview: Destination Wedding Planner Alison Hotchkiss

CasaSugar — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 08:00:00 -0700

Alison Hotchkiss, the creative director of Alison Events and the author of Destination Wedding Planner, took some time out of her busy wedding planning schedule to offer CasaSugar readers some words of advice on planning their weddings. If you, or a couple you know, are planning a destination wedding, I highly recommend Alison's new book to help lend a guiding hand in your planning process.

CasaSugar: Congratulations on the book! I love the tone and the fun look of this planner.

Alison Hotchkiss: Oh thank you! I thought that the imagery and the lighthearted tone would encourage people to enjoy planning their weddings.

CasaSugar: What was your experience with working with Chronicle Books [the publisher of Alison’s book]?

Alison Hotchkiss: It was fun to work with Chronicle. They were really open to all of my suggestions and it felt like a very collaborative project. It felt really good, and they treated me like family. Chronicle is very supportive. They’re very cool people over there. I feel very happy to have them as my publishing company.

CasaSugar: How did you get started as a destination wedding planner?

Alison Hotchkiss: I’ve been an avid traveler since childhood, and my initial goal was to be a meeting planner, since my understanding was that they could travel all over the world. So a couple years after doing that I fell into the right situation helping with someone doing day-of event wedding planning. I realized there was a need for destination wedding planners; there were only a small number of us. The cover of my book shows the first wedding I planned. The bride on the cover is Emily Nathan, who got married in Kauai. I gave that wedding 150 percent of my energy, and I realized how much I loved it. That was seven years ago. So now, I’ll travel pretty much anywhere, but my specialty is tropical locations or mountainous locations. I love going somewhere new and learning about the place, the culture, and making new friends. It’s a blast.

To hear about some things a couple should consider when planning a destination wedding, read more.

CasaSugar: What would you say are some of the most important points of advice for a bride who’s starting to make decisions about her destination wedding?

Alison Hotchkiss: I think it’s important to narrow it down to one specific area if possible. Often couples will come in and say, “Somewhere in the tropics.” We try to help couples to determine what they really want for their destination wedding, whether they want their weddings to be activity-based, culture-based, etc. We ask couples to sit down and make a list of what the most important things in the wedding are, and then offer help in narrowing it down even further. Oftentimes weather is a consideration; the time of year will narrow the choice by determining what month is best for the location.

If people are on a budget, that cusping month (such as in May/June in Mexico), can save hundreds of dollars on your room rates in June, and the likelihood of a tropical hurricane is much less, though the weather may be sweltering hot. You have to just be flexible.

CasaSugar: What are some of the most fun weddings you’ve planned? What would you say the elements are that are universal?

Alison Hotchkiss: I think the idea of a destination is making it about a long weekend or a holiday for people and less about it being one day. We often find that we turn it into a four-day weekend starting with a fun cocktail reception, and then plan activities for the next day. Instead of rehearsal dinners we’ve had rehearsal barbecues down on the beach, and we’ve done the wedding brunch the morning of the wedding instead of the day after the wedding.

You don’t want to overwhelm your guests and feel as if they have to do everything, but it’s great to have options and have lots of fun things to do and experience and the culture and the local community.

I would say Costa Rica was one of my favorite weddings, and we also did a wedding in Sundance, UT, and those were both really fun. One was centered around surfing, the beach, and the tropics . . . it was a really laid-back group. The other wedding, in Sundance, consisted of people skiing, drinking hot toddies after skiing, and sitting around the fire.

People also have to consider, “Who are your guests?” Be mindful of who your guests are. Are they elderly? Are there kids coming? Do you have teenagers? Have babysitters services available if you need to, and if there are teenagers, find cool teenager things to do, have a movie night. If there are elderly guests, make sure there’s always a chair for them, and have a waiter dedicated to making sure they’re comfortable. I think that people get a little caught up in the planning and forget about all of the people who are attending. You have to remember your audience.

Alison has a lot more advice for brides, so make sure to check back on Monday for the second half of this interview!

Source

Joe Cole and Carly Zucker Share Wedding Secrets and Photos

PopSugarUK — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 23:00:00 -0700

Joe Cole and Carly Zucker shared their wedding pictures and stories from the big day with Hello! magazine. The couple got married at Royal Hospital Chelsea at the weekend in front of family, friends and Joe's fellow footballers John Terry, Michael Carrick and Wayne Bridge. Carly shook off her Australian jungle style in favour of an Oscar de la Renta dress, and told Hello! how she influenced Joe's choice of a longer hairstyle! Here are the highlights:

Joe on his hair for the wedding: "I like it really short myself, so after the wedding I will be having my head shaved."
Joe on the location of the ceremony: "I play for Chelsea, we live in Chelsea – so it made sense to get married here."
Joe on what's important to him: "Marriage is important, children and family they are the main things in life. All I am interested in is being a good husband, a good son, a good friend and a good father one day."
Carly on being a WAG: "I am offered projects all the time, but I don’t feel I need to prove anything, or that I need a career to feel good about myself. I tried it before with the personal training as well as running the house, and it just made me stressed and unhappy. It wasn’t good for me and it wasn’t good for Joe and his football. I am lucky enough to be in a position where I don’t have to work."

To find out what the couple had to say about their wedding rings and the ceremony, read more.

Joe on Carly: "I have always said Carly is the most beautiful girl I have ever seen, but even I was surprised by how unbelievably stunning she looked. She was more beautiful than I have ever seen her."
Carly on giggling during the ceremony: "I am not a very serious person and it all felt a bit out of character."
Joe on his wedding ring: "I don’t generally wear jewellery so I wanted a ring that would mean something, so I have had my Nan’s plain gold wedding band altered to fit my finger. My Nan Pat died about four years ago of cancer. I was incredibly close to her and she lived with us after my granddad died. She loved football and was a great motivation to me – as was all my family. She saw me play for England but I wish she had been around for the last five years when I have been at the top of my game. It will mean a lot to have her wedding ring on my finger when I am getting married."

It sounds like Joe and Carly had a magical day, and I'm sure their honeymoon will live up to other WAGs' special holidays. Read the full interview in Hello! out today.

On the Market: Caleb Nichol and Julie Cooper's Malibu Manse

CasaSugar — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 12:00:10 -0700

Just because Josh Schwartz turned your eyes to Gossip Girl doesn't mean you don't still have a soft spot in your hearts for The O.C. Admit it. You recognize this house, don't you? You spotted it on many a weeknight as the Newport Beach mansion that Caleb Nichol, grandfather of Seth Cohen, gave to his new wife Julie Cooper, mother of Marisa Cooper, as a wedding gift. In reality, the spread is in Malibu, CA, but it still boasts an ocean view, as it's located just a shake of lamb's tail away from the Pacific Coast Highway - and it's for sale. Hear more about the property when you read more.

For those of you who ever dreamed of emulating the soap opera-style lives of the young O.C. characters, your chance is now. This expansive seven-bedroom, 10-bath pad overlooking Paradise Cove with 1.7 acres lushly landscaped grounds is on the market for $6.9 million. Unlike the Cooper-Nichol clan, if you'd like to keep your family ties free of conflict, you can foster them in a wealth of formal living spaces and family areas with expansive decks, as well as in the full guest house and exquisite pool and spa. But, don't worry, if you need privacy, you can still sneak off to pop pills and plan your next marriage in one of the luxurious bedrooom suites. Unfortunately, in reality, the Cohen house is actually about 11 miles away - no sneaking into Ryan's pool house. Check out the listing and photos here.

Source

Come Party With Me: Rehearsal Dinner - The Look

partysugar — Fri, 29 May 2009 09:15:09 -0700

With a few simple touches, you can transform an ordinary backyard into a chic setting for the perfect rehearsal dinner.

Start by placing tiki torches along the entryway and edge of the yard. Hang round lanterns from large tree branches and line low bushes with small twinkling Christmas lights. Cover the table with a pretty printed cloth. Place outdoor glass ice buckets in various locations throughout the space (this will create a flow and promote mingling). Fill the buckets with ice, beer, and wine, and let guests help themselves to the beverages.

Pass the pizza on circular serving platters and serve the signature cocktail in blue glass tumblers.

Create customized napkins that say the bride and groom's names, but leave the wedding date off, so the napkins can be used at the rehearsal dinner, wedding reception, and any future parties the couple may host. For a romantic, welcoming glow, light lots of votives. Save the stunning floral arrangements for the wedding; instead opt for a single vase filled with fragrant flowers.

Source

Home Library: Destination Wedding Planner

CasaSugar — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 09:00:34 -0700

If you're an excited bride-to-be considering a destination wedding, you'd be well advised to pick up Destination Wedding Planner ($19.95). Written by wedding planner Alison Hotchkiss, creative director of Alison Events, this book is full of all the advice that a bride-to-be could possibly need for plotting the perfect far-flung wedding. I just received the book yesterday, and I haven't been able to tear myself away from its pages.

After pausing to take in the book's gorgeous cover (the photo was taken from a wedding on a Kauai beach), I admired its handsome, smart design. A ring binder spine makes it easy to flip through, and tabs labeling topics such as "Getting Started," "Location, Location," and "Pulling It Off" allow a harried bride-to-be to turn to the correct section at a moment's notice.

Each chapter begins with a collage of inspirational photos, printed on heavy cardstock. The cardstock page flips to reveal a hidden pocket, perfect for storing inspirational ideas, photographs, invitation samples, or lists. Throughout the book, Alison's tone is pitch-perfect. She conveys practical advice and inspired ideas in a welcoming tone that reminds me of my best girlfriends. The book is also really fun to read, with a combination of lists, highlighted tips, quizzes, and pages reserved for notes and contact information.

I definitely needed this book last year, when I was planning my destination wedding, but my loss is every other bride-to-be's gain. And for $20, this may be the smartest item you budget into your wedding!