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After finally reaching a divorce settlement with ex Kris Humphries last month, rumor has it that Kim Kardashian is ready to be wifed up again, and very soon. But first thing first–she has to have that baby.

According to Radar Online, Kim Kardashian and Kanye West will allegedly be trying to tie the knot in Los Angeles soon after their little one comes into the world. The source, an individual close to the Kardashians, told Radar that Kanye has signed off on “all of the stipulations,” and is down with whichever wedding planner Kim wants. However, he’s not about to have the ceremony become some sort of front-of-the-magazine spectacle, as her marriage to Kris Humphries was. No selling of wedding photos to any magazines for the sake of just having some extra pocket change. But they claim that he reportedly wants to do a short film (no word on what it will specifically be about), and any profits made would go to one of Kim’s charities of choice.

Word is, if the divorce paperwork is finalized in time (the baby is reportedly supposed to arrive in June, after she originally told the media July to throw folks off), all should be good to go. But until then, Yeezy will stay in Paris, doing whatever he’s doing…while Kim jets all over the world to be with him. Ready to pop.

It would be nice if before they actually married, they were in the same place together for more than a few days…I’m just saying. But we’ll have to wait and see what happens won’t we?

Source: WENN

Earlier this week rumors of an alleged prenup between Real Housewives of Atlanta star NeNe Leakes and ex-hubby-turned-fiancé Gregg Leakes began to circulate. According to reports, NeNe is demanding that Gregg sign prenup before they jump the broom (again) and Gregg isn’t too happy about it. During a recent interview with USA Today, the very rich Glee actress confirmed that there will a prenup signed prior to her upcoming nuptials and went on to express that she doesn’t really understand why people are making such a big deal about it.

“Yeah, I’m definitely going to have a prenup. I think any businessperson that is smart will have a prenup and that’s why I don’t even understand why people are talking about me having a prenup. I don’t really understand it. A lot of people have prenups, I don’t know why my situation is any different than anybody else’s.”

The New Normal star also revealed that the fabulous “couture” wedding gown that she’ll be exchanging vows in costs a grip.

“I’m going with something a lot different than I wore the first time. This dress is stupid expensive. It’s a big splurge, I could tell you that. It’s couture. “

We’ll all get a glimpse of NeNe saying “I do” in her “stupid expensive” dress in front of family, friends and her gang of reality TV bridesmaids when her wedding special I Dream of NeNe:The Wedding airs on Bravo this fall.

Turn the page to watch NeNe’s interview. Do you think people are making too much of a fuss over her decision to go the prenup route?

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According to this press release, a survey conducted by two websites, The Knot.com and WeddingChannel.com, revealed that the average cost of a wedding in the United States has gone up significantly, even as the nation still struggles in the recovery phase from the economic downturn.

The survey, plainly titled “Real Weddings Study,” asked more than 17,500 US brides, married in 2012, about their wedding budgets and sizes, honeymoon locations and other style preferences related to the big day. They have concluded that the average wedding budget (excluding honeymoon) is around $28,427, which is the highest level seen since 2008. Although that is the average, there are areas in the United States where some couples will gleefully spend more on their nuptials. The top five being: Manhattan, where a couple saying I Do will on average fork over $76,687; in Chicago, IL: $49,810; in the greater New York Metro (Long Island, Hudson Valley and NYC Outer Boroughs): between $49,002, $46,300 and $39,602 respectively; in Northern/Central New Jersey and Southern New Jersey: $48,496 and $35,375; and in Rhode Island: $47,399.

According to the press release, “In this vein, fewer brides (26%) say the economy affected their wedding spending– a statistic that has continually decreased year over year, from 29% in 2011, 31% in 2010 and 34% in 2009. Wedding standards also continue to rise, as the average cost per guest increased to $204, as compared to $196 in 2011 and even $194 in 2009. In fact, about 1 in 8 brides (13%) are spending more than $40,000 on their nuptials, and nearly 1 in 4 (23%) didn’t even have a budget.

And this is why I hate weddings.

Call me crazy but the idea of spending that kind of money on a wedding ceremony, which for some folks equates to a livable annual salary – and in some places in the world is enough to purchase a damn house – makes no sense to me. Yeah I know, some of you all (y’all for my Ebonic-friendly readers) have been planning the large and lavish Disney Princess wedding since the time you were little ladies, playing Bridezillas with your Barbie dolls. Me, not so much. In fact, not at all. The pomp, the circumstance, the foo-foo bridal and bridesmaids gowns, the garish wedding reception –complete with a choreographed routine and a badly lip synced melody of Beyonce tunes — all seems a little financially irresponsible. In comparison, my ideal wedding involves standing in front of the to the Justice of the Peace in a pair of jeans and sneakers, saying a couple of “I Dos,” – or “We ain’t gettin’ no younger, so we might as well do this” or whatever it is you are supposed to say to signify that you are married – putting our John Hancocks to the necessary paperwork and getting us home in time for latest episode of “Scandal” – because obviously a man hoping to put a ring on this third finger has to be a fan of ratchet television.

A few years ago, when the first Sex and the City movie came out, I remember co-signing the trepidation and anxiety that Mr. Big felt over Carrie’s ever-growing wedding nuptials. Although they had originally planned to do a simple vow exchange at City Hall, Carrie, who had been compelled by her girlfriends to ditch the label-less wedding gown she had planned on wearing and go full-fledge Bradshaw on that bish, started planning this elaborate affair, complete with a flower covered winding staircases (inside of the New York Public Library, I might add), stretch limousines and a very expensive looking feather and Swarovski crystal bedazzled head veil. According to the website Racked, in real world dollars that wedding would have cost in upwards of $200 thousand dollars. It’s no wonder that Mr. Big ditched Carrie at the alter – at least temporarily. I mean, who wants to begin their marriage off under a mountain of debt?

And why do we do it anyway? Perhaps because of traditions but more than likely, it is the “it” factor. A chance to show-off in front of your family, friends, frenemies and a whole host of people you haven’t spoken to since the first grade. Also there is the anxiety element behind these ostentatious wedding ceremonies, or as stated in this article from the UK Daily Mail, ‘A recent study hypothesised that lavish wedding displays make the couple feel more secure…Researchers tested the theory among 572 couples whose uncertainties included fears about the partner they’d chosen, whether or not to get married at all and what their life will be like afterwards. By impressing an audience with large expenditure, these fears may be diminished.’

Maybe I’ll feel differently when I meet the special someone with gobs of disposable income. Even still, I think I would prefer that money be spent on a honeymoon trip around the globe – or better yet on making a comfortable home for our newly formed partnership, which has been sanctioned by God and by state. But that’s just me and I know most folks ain’t about that understated life, which is why more and more young folks are finding themselves in more debt than they can pay off. Still at a time where the divorce rate has doubled for some segments of society, it probably would make more sense to focus all that energy used in planning the big day on making sure that your actual long-term union is a viable one.

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When two people get engaged, they want to scream it from the rooftop! And that’s okay, because from the rooftop may be only your next-door neighbors will hear you. But when it comes to weddings, when does sharing become over sharing? With social media having an increased presence in our most intimate and monumental of events, when does it enhance “the big day”, and when does it just cheapen it?

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With wedding season quickly approaching in a tough economy, many brides-to-be might be dreaming of a celebration of nuptials far beyond what their purses can handle. As a result, many might be considering settling for less than their dream wedding, but thanks to Wal-Mart, they don’t have to.

I know you’re thinking, “Wal-Mart? Has she lost it?!” The superstore chain, known for its everyday low prices and door-buster electronic sales during the holidays has chosen to widen its appeal by entering the wedding market, bringing its tried and true low prices AND quality items.

From high-quality bridal jewelry to chic wedding décor and accessories, Wal-Mart is now rolling out their brand new and affordable wedding options across the country, and I had the privilege of checking out a beautiful selection of their new goodies at their bridal bar preview in NYC.

The first station showed off a gorgeous display of bridal jewelry which included engagement rings, men’s and women’s wedding bands, bridal rings and keepsake bands from Wal-Mart’s new “Always and Forever” Bridal Platinaire Collection. The collection starts at $98 with ½ – 3/8 carat T.W. diamonds, which are set in a mélange of sterling silver and five percent platinum. I was impressed not only by the affordability and beauty, but also by the availability both online and in-store at a growing number of locations.

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As a single person, you’ll sometimes be roped into going to events your couple friends are throwing. “It’ll be fun!” they say. “You’ll meet some interesting people!” they say. What they forget is that what you could be doing with your Saturday night is going to a bar full of other single people. Oh well. You still have to be polite and concede sometimes. But at least learn to make the best of it!

Brides to be dream of the perfect wedding dress — one that was designed with only them in mind. This is where Therez Fleetwood comes in. Combining the exotic and romantic, her collection includes everything from lace adornment to African cowry shells. The originality of her bridal gowns has attracted customers from all over the world — Germany, Egypt, Italy, Tanzania, and Australia.

“The Therez Fleetwood bride is a woman looking for cultural nuances in her wedding attire,” says Fleetwood in an interview. “A bride who is looking to walk to the beat of her own drum and make a statement on her wedding day. She is a doctor, a lawyer, a Marine, an artist, and any other bride who is seeking a bridal gown that allows her to be self-expressed.”

Her love of African design cannot only be seen throughout her bridal collection, but also in the book she penned entitled The AfroCentric Bride – A Style Guide, which provides tips for couples who choose to incorporate cultural elements into their wedding. Prior to launching her bridal collection, Fleetwood had a clothing line called PheZula that combined African prints with contemporary Western designs. Her clothes have been considered art and have even be on exhibit at the Museum of the City of New York, the Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh, and at the Fashion Institute of Technology (the college she attended).

As Fleetwood began to expand her offerings for brides, she decided to focus on wedding clothes. “I love the bridal industry. I love being a part of one of the most important days in a woman’s life. I get joy in helping brides find that ‘perfect’ dress that allows them to feel like a queen on their wedding day. My vision for designing bridal gowns has always been inspired by ‘world couture.’ It was through my travels to different countries that I became inspired by the colors, beads, trinkets, artwork and design elements of these cultures,” she explains.

It was a good business move on Fleetwood’s part. The bridal industry is big business. One would thing think the recent economic troubles would lead to simpler weddings for most everyone. But not so found TheKnot.com and WeddingChannel.com 2011 Real Weddings Survey. “For the first time since 2008, wedding budgets are on the rise,” said Carley Roney, co-founder of The Knot in a press statement. “In 2011, one in five U.S. couples spent more than $30,000, and 11% spent more than $40,000 on their weddings. Our research shows that couples and their families are less concerned with the economy and are increasingly comfortable investing more in the once-in-a-lifetime occasion of their wedding.” The average wedding budget: $27,021, not including honeymoon costs.

The 2011 BRIDES American Wedding Study found slightly different results. According to that magazine, the average wedding cost is $26,501—a decrease of  a little  more than a 5 percent from 2009 when the average cost was $28,082 but up $8,000 since 2002.

“It is a very exciting time in the bridal industry. Brides have more choices than ever in the planning of her wedding. Weddings are becoming more unique and individualized and can range from subtle and simple, to colorful and exuberant. Couples today are no longer confined to ‘wedding rules’or carbon-copy celebrations, they are adding personal touches throughout the wedding,” notes Fleetwood.

The Knot too found that couples aren’t tied to tradition and are opting for more causal weddings. Fewer brides, says the magazine, are going for the “formal/black-tie” tradition… only 16% went this route, down from 18% in 2010 and 20% in 2009.”

But even though weddings are less formal and more couples are doing their own planning, they haven’t gotten less expensive. “There is a trend towards do-it-yourself weddings. Are the weddings more simple?…. Not really. They are more unique and specialized and capture the true essence of the couple,” explains Fleetwood. “There is so much information offered over the Internet that allow couples the flexibility of planning all aspects of their wedding.  Brides are creating their vision boards, seeking out vendors and coordinating ideas and concepts to pull everything together.”

And of course for every bride, the wedding dress is the most important purchase. The average spent on a wedding dress was $1,121 found The Knot survey. (Brides in Manhattan, the most expensive place to plan a wedding, spent the most on their dresses–$2,403.) BRIDES found the average wedding dress cost to be $1,289, a 20 percent increase since 2009 when the average cost was $1,072. Future brides start shopping for their dress at least nine months before the wedding, states BRIDES.

So if you are getting married next year, there are new trends for spring/summer 2013, reveals Fleetwood. Wedding dresses are no longer white. “Bold reds and pastels have been gracing the runways,” says Fleetwood, whose gowns are sold at her studio in Atlanta and in Virginia at Soliloquy Bridal Couture. “The trick is to find a color that flatters your skin tone and works within your wedding theme.” Dresses fashioned with peplums and beautiful backs are the current rages.

Brides looking for a totally one-of-a-kind look turn to Fleetwood. She explains why, “What makes my collection so unique are the different embellishments that adorn each dresses. I purchase my fabrics and trims from India, Asia, Africa, Italy and Spain. My focus is on creating each dress as a piece of artwork that reflect the essence of each bride who wears them.”

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Approximately two months ago, one of my girlfriends called me with some pretty big news. Her long-time boyfriend proposed to her and she accepted. She shared that they were planning to have a wedding in the coming months and that they planned on relocating to South Carolina before the year ended. I was ecstatic. I love to hear stories of couples getting engaged, especially black ones. While I knew that I would miss her once she and her hubby-to-be left New York, I was extremely excited for her and the new phase of life that she was preparing to embark upon. What came next was even more shocking than her fresh proposal and plans to relocate. She asked if I would be her maid of honor. “Awww,” I thought to myself. So caught up in the moment with all the good news that she shared and the fact that she asked me to hold such a coveted position in her bridal party, I quickly accepted.

It wasn’t until the initial excitement of it all wore off and I stopped gloating over another reason to get all dolled up that reality smacked me in the face. Although I was extremely happy for my girlfriend, I agreed to be her maid of honor for extremely vain and selfish reasons. I realized that I had accepted the role without having the slightest idea of what would be expected of me because of it. As I searched the Internet for information as to what the role of maid of honor actually entailed, I began kicking myself for accepting without really thinking things over. I stumbled across an article featured on The Knot, which lists the MOH responsibilities in detail.  It’s not that I’m a selfish person who refuses to make sacrifices for others, it’s just that at this point in my life, between graduate school and writing, I wondered how I could fit in such a huge responsibility. With each obligation I read, I moaned and groaned in my head.

“Lead the bridesmaid troupe. It’s the maid/matron of honor’s (MOH) job to direct the other maids through their duties. Make sure everyone gets their bridesmaid dresses, go to dress fittings, and find the right jewelry. Also provide them with the 411 on all prewedding parties.”

Ugh, I barely know what I’m doing from week to week. If it weren’t for my monthly planner I’d be lost. 

“Offer to help the bride with prewedding tasks, from addressing invites to choosing the wedding colors”

God, who has time for this? My life is already one huge deadline. How am I supposed to add anything else to this mix?

“Dance with the best man during the formal first-dance sequence.”

Crap. I can’t dance. 

“Troubleshoot emotional crises. In most cases, this will require lots of tissues, hugging, and hair-smoothing. The MOH continues to be a trusted friend, a good listener, and a smart advisor.”

*Gags*

As the list continued, I of course had an excuse as to why I couldn’t fulfill that particular responsibility. And then, just as it always does, my extremely overactive imagination got the best of me as episodes of WeTV’s Bridezilla began to play on the movie screen of my mind. “Aw, hell. What have I gotten myself into?” I thought. And eventually, my conscience kicked in and I realized how truly selfish I was being. Everything was “I” or “me,” meanwhile, one of my good friends was preparing to make one of the most important commitments of her life. The least I could do was be there for her. Okay, so I may be inconvenienced for a few months, but when my time comes, I would hope that someone would be willing to do the same for me. Being a maid of honor isn’t about having a long to do list, but about being supportive and self-sacrificing to ensure that you’ve done all humanly possible to help your pal’s big day to go as smoothly as possible. I’ve decided to grin and bear it, because all my friend needs from me now is support, not the boo boo face.

Jazmine Denise is a writer living in New York. Follow her on Twitter @jazminedenise

ashleysbrideguide.com

When you’re chosen to be a bridesmaid, you’re likely an important person in the bride’s life, one whom she trusts when she’s in a crunch. A wedding, for all its pretty flowers, fancy dresses, and cupid shuffling, is a stressful occasion. Your friend, the bride, is mulling over a major life decision (“Is he the one?” “Forever? For ever ever? For ever ever?”) and likely shelling out wads of cash to make a memory of her and her beloved’s big day. Weddings also can be hotbeds for festering family feuds and unburied hatchets with friends. Now factor money, time, travel, dress fittings, and dinner options into a multi-event occasion (because there isn’t just the wedding; there’s the engagement party, bridal shower, bachelorette party, rehearsal dinner, night-before functions and morning-of events), and your role becomes about more than holding her bouquet and handing her tissues when she starts to cry at the altar. The job starts the second you accept the bridesmaid assignment, and it may require that you are at once a counselor, a logistical coordinator, a make-up artist, bartender, speechwriter, public speaker, seamstress, time keeper, caterer, and a host of other positions you have to hop to at a moment’s notice.

“But she’s turned into a Brideszilla!”
I have a mild-mannered friend who morphed into a nervous wreck minutes before walking down the aisle. By 4:30 p.m. she was on the verge of tears, rambling a mix of “Make sure my veil doesn’t touch my face because I just got my makeup done” and “What time is it?” as she stood jittery posing for pictures. Mind you, the wedding invitations indicated a ceremony start time of 4:00 p.m., and the bridal party was still in a bridal suite a mile away. When she noticed that each of her bridesmaids was ready to hold her veil away from her face, but hadn’t told her what the time was, she scoffed at me. “Tell me what time it is!”

I paused, knowing that she would never scoff ordinarily and that she worried about being the bride whose wedding started late. (Because, of course, she’d be the only bride in the history of the world whose wedding did not start on time.) Given that the time had already passed, and that she, one of the stars of the show, didn’t need one more thing to fret over, I offered this: “Girl, we all left our phones over there. I think we’re good on time anyway.” I pointed to the room where we’d done our makeup and left our personal effects. We were in middle of taking pictures, so the likelihood that any of us could rush to grab our phones was low. “Besides, you’re the bride. They can’t start without you.” The bride calmed down, realizing that she was the bride, after all. What she didn’t know was that her bridesmaids had kept their eyes on the clock, with one in touch with the wedding planner who was at the church. The wedding planner was informed of what was happening and had a sense of the bridal party’s estimated time of arrival. Calming the bride’s nerves prevented a freak-out on the home front, and doing the back-end work of checking in with those at the church were a couple of the bridesmaids’ roles that day.

On the brink of a major life change, the bride’s nerves are likely frayed. Understand that her mess of emotions might lead to bouts of bossiness and snippety-snappity sensitivity. Offer a listening ear when she needs to vent, take some of the work load off by offering to stuff and stamp invitation envelopes, or simply take her out for lunch and choose not to talk about anything wedding related to relieve her mind of the stress for a little while.

If you feel like the bride’s gone off the deep end, quell the urge to snap back. The best way to avoid a tense argument is to stay calm, tell her you understand her position (“I know this is your dream wedding and I know you want everything to be just right.”), tell her that you’re happy to help (“I’m here for you and I’m glad to help you make this happen.”), then very gently let her know how her attitude/rude remark/over-the-top request made you feel (“I was a little hurt by the way you mentioned that I am gaining too much weight to be in your wedding.”). Again, remain calm and decide from there whether your role as bridesmaid will remain.

“But the dress is ugly!”
I stood in another wedding where a fellow bridesmaid flippantly mentioned how hideous our dresses were — to the bride. The bride, understandably upset, had tried to find a dress that was affordable, comfortable, and in a style that was flattering to the body types of her diverse cache of bridesmaids. The other bridesmaids were fine with what had been chosen, but as much as the bride had mulled over the decision of what her girls would wear, the offhand note that one member of the wedding party thought the dress was unsightly had the bride reeling for other options. This, ladies, is an example of when to just suck it up, and let it go. Yes, I know that you’re shelling out your own cash for a dress that you’ll never wear again and can’t return. Yes, I know you’ll be standing in front of a room of people and then be immortalized in photographs wearing a dress that you didn’t even choose yourself. But, as Echo Surina writes in “10 Rules Every Bridesmaid Should Follow”:

Accept [the bride’s] decision happily. If you love the dress, rave to the bride about her  superb fashion acumen. If you’re not so lucky, suck it up and be thankful you have to wear it only one day.

Surina notes that if the bride does ask for input, bridesmaids should keep the assessments “soft”:

Instead of saying you adore or despise a dress, without constructively explaining why, try framing your feedback in a way that’s based on objective factors: dress availability, affordability, how flattering it is to your figures, or whether the color [complements] everyone’s skin tone.

“But I Can’t Afford It!”
What if you can’t afford the dress? What if you can’t afford to travel for the wedding? Tell the bride up front and tell her immediately. Case in point: I once made the mistake of holding out on ordering a bridesmaid’s dress until six weeks before the big day. Ample timing in real life, a rush-job in the wedding world. Aside from having to field eye rolls and clenched jaws from the bridal shop employees, I caught an earful from the bride who was afraid I’d need alterations and wouldn’t have the dress in time for the big day. “Why didn’t you tell me you’d have to wait on buying the dress?” She’s right, I should have. Luckily, the dress they had in stock fit me perfectly, but what if it hadn’t? Keeping the bride in the loop on money matters minimizes that event of unpleasant surprises and gives her the option to front the cost of your dress and other items if necessary. But if she doesn’t know, she can’t help.

Can’t make it to a friend’s destination wedding? Consider throwing a small shindig for the bride and groom before they set off to get hitched. The costs may be considerably lower than jetting to Cancun for three days, but you still have the chance to properly wish your friend well. Again, the operative phrase is “up front and immediately.” If there are any known conflicts with your participation in the wedding, the more time you give the bride to make different arrangements, the better.

The bottom line:  The role of the bridesmaid is to lift the weight that can suck the magic and memory from what should be a very special time in the life of a bride. Though it might mean wearing fluffy taffeta or being in charge of the bride’s debaucherous final night of singledom, be mindful that more than anything, your friend needs your support.

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Hey loves!  Hopefully you all are enjoying the lovely weekend so far!  I’ve got quite a few goodies today: wedding bells, baby news, movie news and more!  Yes, the celebs have been pretty busy over the last week! Check it out!

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