All That Glitters...

October 2006 Fall Issue #0008

Get the lowdown on the latest trends in engagement rings, celebrity gossip, gifts and much more...

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Contents:

1. Celebrity engagements and weddings

2. Planning a Christmas wedding

3. Beautiful wedding accessories to make you sparkle on your big day

Celebrity Engagements and Weddings

* Probably the weirdest pairing seen in past 3 months was the supposed marriage (which was downgraded to a "commitment ceremony") performed recently off the coast of Nassau in the Caribbean between Anna Nicole Smith and her legally unbinding lawyer/lifemate/rock Howard Stern.

There's been so much talk about the strange ceremony that nobody has yet to mention the size (or presence!) of a rock on her left ring finger.

* Jennifer Aniston says she's definitely not engaged. Not even close. But she is actually dating Vince Vaughn, she confirmed. In a tell-all interview with People magazine, Jennifer called reports she was engaged to marry boyfriend Vince Vaughn "insane".

According to the report, Vaughn presented his 37-year-old girlfriend with an engagement ring from jeweler Suzy Fabrikant that boasts a $500,000 diamond.

"I'm not engaged and I don't have a ring and I haven't been proposed to. Normally we don't even acknowledge these things because they're endless, at this point, the thing that got me was that I was getting phone calls from Greece! My Aunt Mary in Greece is getting accused of lying! I mean, they're getting angry," Jennifer Aniston exclaimed.

* Cameron Diaz has fueled speculation she is set to marry long-term boyfriend Justin Timberlake after being snapped with a ring on her wedding finger. The couple, who have been dating for three years, were photographed leaving swanky Nobu Berkeley restaurant in London recently, with Diaz making no effort to hide the dazzling ring.

* "Simple Life" co-star Paris Hilton couldn't part with her engagement ring when she and ex-fiance Paris Latsis split, so she bought it from him.

She insisted on paying Latsis for the 25-carat white-diamond engagement ring, In Touch Weekly reported. 24 carat $5 million.

"I wrote him a check," said Hilton. "I wanted it. I picked it out. I flew around the world to find it."

* Church bells rang to mark Oscar-winning actress Nicole Kidman's own love story when she married country music singer Keith Urban in a traditional Catholic ceremony at a cliff-top chapel in Sydney in late June. The statuesque Kidman, 39, wore an elegant ivory-colored dress, reportedly designed by French fashion house Balenciaga, and sheer veil and carried a simple posy of white roses.

Kidman and Urban, both Australians but born overseas, met in January 2005 at an awards dinner held by the Australian government in Los Angeles honoring the two of them.

Kidman, who won an Academy Award for her role in the 2002 film The Hours, had a very public divorce from actor Tom Cruise in 2001, ending a 10-year marriage. They have remained friends, sharing custody of their two adopted children.

* Television personality Brooke Burke is expecting her first child with fiance David Charvet. Brooke was also proposed to at a summer event her former Baywatch hunk hosted on Saturday night.

It was a total surprise. It was all very romantic," says Brooke.

David presented his new fiance? with an eternity band engagement ring. Brooke says it's because "it's forever."

Planning a Christmas Wedding?

Christmas is one of the most wonderful times of the year, so why not include your wedding in the festivities of the season?

Here are some ideas and tips on how to have a beautiful and romantic Christmas ceremony.

Christmas Wedding Invitations
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You'll want to reflect the season and your theme, but you don't want it to look like a Christmas card, do you?

Choose plain white with a gold border, or silver and ice-blue. You can highlight your card with white snowflakes, or silver wedding bells.

Remember that many of your guests will have other parties and functions to attend around this time of year, so it's best to post your invitations earlier than usual - about 12 weeks before is not too soon.

I guarantee you'll find the most beautiful array of wedding invitations on the Web at eInvite.com.

Christmas Wedding Theme
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Red and green are the traditional colors of Christmas, but I wouldn't suggest you use them together as they are too bold.

Perhaps offset the boldness of these colors with silver or gold. Other possibilities that work well with existing decorations are silver and ice blue, gold or cream and gold or maybe burgundy with silver.

Fresh flowers tend to be more expensive at this time of year, so let your imagination run wild and perhaps use mirrored platters with pillar candles and sprigs of holly.

Fake snow would have once been considered tacky, but nowadays it looks so much like the real thing, you could sprinkle it on the guest tables with candles and sprigs of holly or garlands of ivy.

White flowers on white tables give the look of perfect elegance and some beautiful white flowers to choose from are white Christmas roses, lilies or stephanotis.

Shindigz , the party specialists, are sure to have the perfect celebration goodies to make your Christmas wedding a memorable occasion.

Christmas Wedding Cake
======================

Having each tier decorated to look like individually wrapped gifts is a modern look that is perfect for a Christmas wedding.

Or you could choose a traditional Christmas cake recipe made with fruit and nuts, iced in white and decorated with holly or ivy draped down the side of the cake.

Wedding and Bridesmaids Dresses
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There is no reason why your wedding dress can't be the exact style you would choose at any other time of year, with embellishments that give it that winter wonderland feel. A faux fur wrap and muff are always fun, as is the elegance of a red velvet cape over your crystal embroidered wedding gown.

Use crystals or sparkly beads to signify the snow or pale blue and silver trimmings to highlight the joy of the season.

Christmas weddings are a time for long bridesmaid's dresses. You could go bold with deep forest green or rich red, or more subdued with a pale blue and silver. Once again, faux fur capes and muffs are a fun accessory.

Choosing the perfect bridal jewelry

The right bridal jewelry beautifully complements and enhances the style of your wedding, wedding dress and headpiece.

A formal evening wedding says elegance and glamour, and your bridal jewelry should reflect those attributes.

A finely crafted bracelet featuring two-tone 18k gold and diamonds would truly enhance any bride's ensemble.

The most popular choice for bridal jewelry is pearls, a symbol of purity and innocence, although with more brides moving away from the traditional white wedding dress, there are many enticing alternatives.

Diamonds are a girl's best friend, particularly on your wedding day!

Diamond earrings or a delicate diamond pendant like a diamond cross or heart look elegant and glamorous against the pale shades usually chosen for your wedding dress.

If you are having a casual or daytime wedding, your choice of bridal jewelry could include pearls, diamonds, semi-precious stones or anything else you fancy.

Incorporating the bridal theme colors into your wedding jewelry is a lovely idea. With winter in mind, red rubies, pale green peridots or deep green emerealds look exquisite in bridal jewelry.

Drop or dangling earrings look fabulous with an upswept hairstyle and a deep or plunging neckline.

Chandelier earrings add the perfect touch to your wedding day look. Cultured pearls and diamonds can be used to make an alluring statement.

The neckline and style of your wedding dress need to be taken into consideration when choosing a necklace. An elaborate beaded or sequined bodice may mean a necklace isn't necessary.

Rounded necklines are best complemented with rounded necklaces, while the necklace featured at right looks elegant with a V-shaped neckline.

For short hair or if you are wearing your hair down, smaller drop earrings or studs look best.

We've included a pictorial guide to help you choose the right jewelry to complement the neckline of your bridal gown in our wedding jewelry article.

Our selection of bridal jewelry includes luxurious items like diamonds, 18k gold and pearls that you will be able to wear over and over again.

If you prefer bridal jewelry to make a one-off statement, or you'd like a high fashion look, browse our selection of wedding jewelry.

Our favorite online jeweler where you can get fabulous wedding jewelry at affordable prices is Emitations.com.

Your Free E-book : Wonderful Wedding Favors and Wedding Gifts

As a special gift to all new and existing subscribers of "All That Glitters" we've arranged for you to have a FREE copy of "Wonderful Wedding Favors and Wedding Gifts".

This book is packed with gorgeous favors and gifts you can make yourself, for that very personal touch. And your guests will have a memorable keepsake to treasure for ever.

To get your copy, simply subscribe to our magazine, "All That Glitters".

We hope you enjoy this special treat.

That's all for this edition of "All That Glitters..."

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Stay well and happy. . .

Best wishes,