So I wasn't hyped for the Royal Wedding. And by that I mean I wasn't counting down the days, hanging onto each and every detail throughout the planning process, speculating in anticipation about who designed her dress, ordering commemorative coins, flying to London and pitching a tent. None of that.

But I must admit, in the hours leading up to it, I became a tad bit interested. Then next thing I knew, Bentley and I were watching Will, my old crush, ride in a Bentley with his brother to Westminster Abbey. Yes, my dog watches TV.

Then, as my Cavalier King Charles and I ate our breakfasts together, we watched Kate step out of a Rolls Royce. And there it was. Her gown. While I didn't enter any office pools about who designed her dress or what type of neckline she chose, the bride in me did think for a moment, a few days ago, about what it might look like.

I knew she wouldn't wear strapless like most brides of today. So with that in mind, I immediately pictured lace sleeves. I'm not a total clairvoyant though. I envisioned lace, cap sleeves -- not long sleeves.

That said, I love the dress she chose. As soon as I saw it I thought: Timeless elegance, vintage 1950s, Grace Kelly. And then I heard the King of Fashion himself, Tim Gunn say on the ABC broadcast that yes, the long-sleeved lace and ivory gown designed by Sarah Burton, creative director for the late Alexander McQueen, was reminiscent of Princess Grace's, but that Kate's, with its V-neck, was very "modern."

Mark Badgley told ABC that he and James Mischka "thought it was perfection." So did I.

It really was like watching a modern-day fairy tale. She traveled to Westminster Abbey as Kate, a "commoner," in a car. She left Princess Catherine, in a horse-drawn carriage, with her Prince Charming.

As a "regular" bride-to-be looking to my wedding day, I imagined how Kate felt during the drive from the hotel to the ceremony. The massive crowd of people there to see her, cheering for her union with their prince -- the emotions must have been overwhelming.

Seeing William and Harry together struck an emotional chord. I finally recognized how huge this was and thought, what a shame that their mother couldn't be there.

Being a bit of a romantic, it was nice to witness the glances the couple exchanged, and to notice William mouth, "You look beautiful," as his bride joined him at the altar.

It really was lovely.

His and Hers: Must add these to the registry!

Totally normal.

It's come to my attention that because I will soon be married, people assume I am one of those people ordering William and Kate commemorative mugs. Or at least one of those people waking up at 4 a.m. Friday to watch the pomp and pageantry.

Despite the media's efforts to shove the Royal Wedding down our throats since the couple's October engagement (by the way, as a member of the AP Exchange who searches the entertainment wire daily, I've been even more exposed than the average victim), I'm not hyped.

I mean, I'm not a total Royal hater. I was fascinated with Princess Diana as a child and read one of her autobiographies. She then became the subject of one of my A+ book reports. I was 13 when she died, and I remember exactly where I was and how I heard the tragic news. I was affected for sure.

She and Charles were married only a month before my parents were. And when I was a young teen I cut pictures of Prince William from glossy teen mags and taped them to my school notebooks. I also enjoy a good film dramatization of the British Monarchy.

And that's the extent of it. I'm no Anglophile. And so I'm inclined to ask the people who are hosting these so-called Royal Wedding viewing parties on Friday morning, complete with tea and scones and crowns and hats: WHY?

I get that this is technically an historical event. And I understand that Americans love excess -- everything the British Monarchy represents. We definitely have an unhealthy fascination with celebrity, and that could be both due to the fact that we don't have a royal family and the reason we are interested in the royals. And then it gets simple ... we love weddings. Turn on the tube and you shall see. BK just asked me how many of those "Say Yes to the Dress" type shows there are. The answer is, an excessive amount.

While I anticipate I'll be holding onto my last hour or two of sleep while Kate is arriving at Westminster Abbey to meet her prince, I'm sure the expected two billion viewers won't disappoint and will tune in. Fret not, there will be plenty of others in the blogosphere providing play-by-play accounts as the guests arrive. The Tweets of outrageous hats and fashion blogs critiquing THEE dress will run rampant.

In the mean time, allow me to share with you the real crown jewels. Royal Wedding kitsch. Because who doesn't love tacky paraphernalia?

The epitome of class.

Thinking about changing my china pattern.

Tea, anyone?

Every home should have one.

WTF?

I have to get to Bloomingdale's ASAP. It's the only way I'll settle this internal debate I've had going on intermittently since this weekend, when the Mother of the Bride and I got down with some serious online shoe shopping.

After a failed attempt at the department stores and several specialty shoe stores a couple of months ago, we decided to reboot this weekend with a Google search.

Pewter metallic leather

We found what could be the perfect shoe for me. The Lissa by Badgley Mischka. I thought I'd moved past my BM obsession (they're gorgeous but not at all about the comfort!), but now they've put out this elegant, peep toe pump, and I almost cannot say "no" to it!

Here are the stats:
stunning crystal brooch at the vamp
come in satin or leather, several different colors

4 and 3/4" covered heel, 1/2" hidden platform

At first the grey satin caught my eye. But then I came across the pewter, at right. Could the style/color combo BE any more perfect? Hello!

seafoam satin

I also can't help but love them in seafoam, left. They'd offer a stylish pop of color. And they have that vintage look. The brooch even matches the earrings I plan to buy and wear.


It was the above bolded that sparked said internal debate. Yes, these shoes are stunning. But will they get me not only to the church, but also through such a long day? And then I read these.

Comments
from www.bloomingdales.com: "Absolutely beautiful, high quality shoes. Warning though: they are HIGH. I purchased for my wedding and hope to keep them, but may end up switching out for the shorter sandaled version."

from www.piperlime.com: "I purchased these shoes for my wedding...I was so pleased and excited when it arrived. It looked absolutely Gorgeous, unfortunately I had to return it because it was way to high to walk down the aisle and stand in all night. It broke my heart to return these shoes. They were stunning, absolute pefrection."

from www.nordstrom.com: "I absolutely love the shoes and wish I could have kept them, but they're the kind of shoes you cannot be on your feet too long in or dancing all night. They're higher than they look! I needed shoes for my wedding and these will not work, but I'd definitely recommend them as they are gorgeous and even better in person."


Alas, several months later, and I'm still struggling with this dilemma. Yet none of those heels that were formerly on my radar seem to even compare to this most recent obsession. So I've been left wondering, should I go for it, or listen to these other brides' posts?

I've decided that at this point all I can do is head to Bloomingdale's and try them out for myself, keeping in mind that even if they pass the department store try-on test, that's still no indicator of how they'll make my feet feel after a few hours.

What a tricky, tricky business it is, having good taste in shoes.

grey satin

pink satin

platinum leather

The florist is booked. I chose Sommerfield Designs, based in Paoli.

Last time I was at the hair salon, my stylist handed me a business card for Sommerfield. After reading the "about" section on their website, I decided to contact the owner. I like that Sommerfield Designs is not a retail flower shop. They create custom flower arrangements for special events only.

Owner Jessa Sommerfield got back to me herself -- and quickly. She didn't have a salesperson or an assistant contact me to set up a meeting. And she met with us alone. Together we went over each detail so that Jessa could put together a proposal for our review. I noticed right away the benefits of working with a small business as opposed to a retail store.

I felt like we clicked the first time we spoke, and our meeting confirmed that feeling. Less than a week later, when Jessa e-mailed me a rough proposal, at the top she had written, "clean, simple, elegant ... with a touch of vintage."  She listened, and she "got" my vision.

I had a few questions about the proposal that Jessa cleared up right away, and during our e-mail exchange she let me know that she thought of me while looking at roses for the bride she had that weekend.

As a bride planning your own wedding, it's gratifying when, after seeking a certain type of creative professional to work with, you find that person. I'm excited to have Jessa on board for our wedding, and to see the beautiful bouquets and centerpieces she's going to design for us.

Bon Bini! That means "welcome" in Papiamentu, a "colorful Creole dialect" and local language of Curaçao. I learned that on the Curaçao Tourism website.

Yes, we've booked our honeymoon! Up until a couple of months ago, I can't say I'd even heard of Curaçao. I definitely did not know how to pronounce it, or how it was spelled. Apparently I'm not alone.

The tourism board says "this secluded slice of paradise is the Caribbean's best-kept secret." And luckily for us and our early October honeymoon, it lies outside of the hurricane belt.

Curaçao is an island in the southern Carribean Sea, off of the Venezuelan coast. It is the largest and most populous of the three, small ABC islands (Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao) of the Lesser Antilles, specifically the Leeward Antilles. Thanks, Wikipedia!

Its heritage is both European and African. In addition to Papiamentu, people there speak Dutch, Spanish and English. We're staying on a beautiful resort located on Piscadera Bay, which boasts capturing the "best of old-Amsterdam charm."

Can't wait to experience this rich culture, and to lay back and completely relax on a post-wedding beach vacation.



Downtown: Willemstad harbor in Curaçao

I was visiting my parents recently and my mom, my grandmom and I gathered in the living room to ceremoniously open the most crucial pieces to my "dining room in the works."

Fresh out of the box, the Marchesa by Lenox Paisley Bloom china looked every bit as beautiful as it did displayed on a table in the department store. Maybe even more beautiful now that it's mine.

Of course my mom went and did it again -- spoiled me with her generosity -- and bought us 16, five-piece place settings. She looks forward to the day I host a holiday gathering and all of our family recipes are served on this dinnerware.

My grandmom wanted to hold the delicate, Paisley Bloom cup. I picked it up from its resting spot on the platinum-rimmed saucer and handed it to her. She said she cannot wait to drink coffee out of it. She just loves her coffee.

I'll admit it is strange, in a way, to get so excited over plates. But then again, it's not. All that happens around a family's dinner table -- gushing over my mom's delish meals, laughing at my uncle's jokes, listening to my Pop Pop's memories, delighting in my godson's beaming smile -- are the moments that connect us for life.

Opening the china I'll have for the rest of my life -- and maybe even pass down to a daughter -- and sharing that moment with the two generations of women before me felt really special. That china is not only a wedding gift, but also it represents future dinners, and memories that have yet to be made.

And when there are memories to be made, and stories to be shared, you might as well be sitting around a good-looking table! With much thanks to my mom, a snazzy table it will be.

For some brides-to-be, glossy wedding magazines are like crack. They'll buy issue, after issue, and they just can't get enough of the models in couture gowns. For me, right now it's real-life brides and their weddings who are most appealing to look at.

Every now and then, rather than pick up the latest bridal mag at the grocery store, I'll visit the photo blog of (my wedding photographer) Jennifer Childress to get my fix.

I love how the photos tell a story, beginning with the "getting ready" shots. Jenn usually brings attention to details of a bride's jewelry, her shoes and other personal items. I don't know these women, but I enjoy looking at them frozen in a moment I am about to live.

People say, "Every bride is beautiful." And it's true. I'll look at a picture and think, "She looks beautiful," and at the same time I'm thinking, "I'd never choose that dress." I'm so intrigued by how different one bride's ivory apparel can be so different from the next, and how even if the dresses have the same neckline and skirt shape, it's the bride who makes hers unique.

In any given region brides will visit the same shops, surf the same websites and page through the same magazines. They could hire some of the same vendors and even have their weddings at the same venue. But somehow, it will all turn out differently. Even if two brides wore the same gown, or the same veil, they'd each make it their own and would never look the same.

I like scrolling down Jenn's blog, taking note of each couple's wedding choices and appreciating the way brides pulled their "looks" together. What I see may not be my style, but I certainly recognize the beauty in front of me.

When selecting a wedding florist, do shop around. You may think, "A rose is a rose is a rose." But as with any vendor, even those who come highly recommended may not be the best fit for you. It's all about the vibe you get when you talk with them or meet with them, so don't just pick the first florist you come across. Think of it this way: Florists are the people who are decorating your wedding. They can use their creativity to be as elaborate or as minimalist as you want them to be. You need someone who "gets" your vision and can set the tone for the style of your wedding. While some vendors (like photographers) can differ greatly in price, it's likely that two florists in the same area can order very similar flowers, containers and ribbons for just about the same price. So if you're looking at two proposals with near identical grand totals, what it really comes down to is whose personality you connect with. Remember that when you first sit down with these people.

When managing your registry, do check on items often. You're likely selecting dishes and other home essentials several months prior to the wedding, so things are bound change. Throughout the six months or so you're registered for gifts, you're bound to run into discontinued patterns, items on backorder and sets that are either out of stock online or unavailable in the store. Just keep an eye on your lists, and turn to associates in the store's registry department to help you check into the availability and status of certain items.

When getting married in a Catholic church, do request a recently issued baptismal certificate from your Church of Record. The priest who is officiating your wedding will guide you in meeting certain requirements, but here's the deal: "Recently issued" means the certificate has to be issued within six months of your wedding date. So this isn't something that can be checked off your list right away. I do suggest calling the church where you were baptized early in the planning process, just to check that your records are actually on file there. But don't bother formally requesting it until your wedding is six months away. Someone at the church rectory will take your name and birth date and you can arrange to pick up the certificate in person or have it mailed to you.