I had a scrumptious dinner last night with some wedding industry friends and of course, within minutes, we were discussing the very sad news that Elegant Bride and Modern Bride are closing. It’s actually very sad. Elegant Bride was my personal favorite wedding magazine when we first got started in this business and Modern Bride, with its’ “Trendsetter” award was a leading taste maker for this industry. In homage, since we at Always a Bridesmaid have been saving magazines since 2003… Today and for the rest of the week I’m going to post some of my favorite images from both magazines from our archives (actually, more creepily, Mayra and I can play “Magazine Flash Card” with these things. Here is how it works: I show an image, or vice versa, and the other person names the Magazine and Issue…. “Martha Stewart, Fall 2004!” or “Preston Bailey spread for Brides circa 2003!”…. nuts.)
Not being one to revel in sad news though.. If you haven’t hit your newsstand lately, I wanted to give KUDOS to some of the FABULOUS stuff on newstands NOW!
Bride’s New York put together one of the best local editions that I’ve seen in ages, BRIMMING with practical advice about what you can negotiate and why, Fabulous real weddings (and not just because we’re in it, hee hee!) and some awesome SHOPPING FINDS and IDEAS including getting a calligraphy stamp to do your return address….. MUCH more reasonable than letterpress envelopes, but still elegant. They also suggested using Flash Cards from Eeboo.com as table “numbers”… They showed number cards, but I thought that these French and Spanish Cards were pretty hilarious and lovely. 
Just this very morning, the new edition of Martha Stewart Weddings saved my day…. I’ve been trying to figure out how to humanely have birds at my next clients’ wedding without ending up with two turtle doves to call my very own…. and BAM! right there on page 59… uptownbirds.com ! 
I think a couple of quakers or a Kukaburra might be JUST what this next fete needs!. This issue also featured the wedding of Design Sponge blogger, Grace Bonney as well as some of the BEST DIY tips for pine cone boutonnieres and table numbers I’ve seen in a while.
The latest issue of New York Weddings showcased some of the most gorgeous fashion forward gowns that I’ve seen in ages, as well as a healthy sampling of NYC brides real weddings and the ever-valuable LISTINGS! (So honored, to be included).
The Knot’s magazine had some fabulous tips for Green Weddings, all of which can also be found on their Green Weddings website. My favorite are these dresses by Chris Kole for “The Cotton Bride“… all made with natural fabrics. This one was one of my favorites. 
InStyle Weddings, always an amazing resource for great new trends and finds (and features my body-image idol, Joan from Mad Men on the cover) tipped us off to those great flowers in a can that Mayra wrote about a couple of weeks back, as well as this FABULOUS china inspired cake!!! Just loved it. 
And over at the “mother” of all bridal Magazines, Brides (national) gave some great advice on having weddings over holiday weekends, One Look Two prices and about 10 pages of nearly every stunning color combo you could imagine by some of the best florists in the business.
When we started this business, we POURED over every magazine, and frankly, we still do! I can’t speak for the rest of you, but I just love when I get my new, paper magazines…. So, Thank you to all of the editors and writers and photographers and stylists who find and put together these gorgeous magazines that have helped MILLIONS of girls get down the aisle! We appreciate you!
Aw, thanks Xochitl and Mayra for the kind words on Brides New York! We couldn’t do it without awesomely talented contributors like you two who have been so key to our magazine’s livelihood, giving us great fodder, tips, and real weddings to feature in our pages.