Mr. SG and I have a wedding to go to this weekend at the Jersey Shore! I am so excited! Since I love all things coastal and have never been to this particular coast, I am tingling with anticipation. Not only do we get to see a bunch of wonderful friends at this soiree but Mr. SG and I are making an overnight stop to Princeton, NJ to see my dear friend and MOH SVB. A Princeton Alum and all-around smartie pants, she has a wonderful job and subsequently her first place! This calls for a housewarming and hostess present! Double the pleasure!
Anyways, all great wedding weekends require a great wedding weekend wardrobe. Here is a sneak peek into my suitcase.
Its hard to tell but this dress is a delicious color navy - not the dark color it appears to be. Here are some close-ups of my fun XXI necklace and St. Vincents steal of a purse.
Then the ceremony is at 4:00 on Sunday so the reception attire is cocktail best. The dress below is a silky purple and Mr. SG picked out the necklace so how could I say no. The purse is a vintage 1980's model acquired from a local vintage store, Gratitude. Its a little bold so I might scale it back with a smaller silver clutch, depending how I feel. And then the shoes are fabulous - no denying it. Gotta love Nieman's Last Call!! 
Weddings are a wonderful time to showcase your etiquette know-how. We are all allowed some misunderstandings ... no one is perfect and I mess up all-the-time. That being said, there are a few must-remember rules to follow when enjoying in some nuptial festivities:
Ladies, DON'T wear white. I don't care if it's cream, ivory, ivory with gold thread, cream with silver thread, etc ... if you are even slightly reminded of white then step away from the dress. If you're feeling the urge to wear white then ... get a grip!! You have 364 other days of the year to wear white except today. Deal with it and find something not white which shouldn't be hard to do.
DON'T be that person who brings a giant toaster to the reception. I am aware that in some cultures bringing gifts to the reception is tradition. But by and large in our modern world it is not a tradition and is in fact being lazy and cheap ... go to the post office and pay for postage. Better yet, order it online (most registries are set up for that) click a few buttons and voila - it is sent to the couples desired address (either the brides, the brides parents or the couples shared address). I am sure there are special circumstances - I don't doubt it. However, let's try and avoid this snafu. It is just plain inconvenient for the newlywed couple. When you bring it to the wedding you're essentially saying, "Here's your gift now have fun figuring out how to get a 27 lb mixer back to New Hampshire." or wherever the couple is from which is often not the location of the wedding.
DO think before you drink. A wedding is a joyous time. A time to celebrate. It is not a time to pass out on your duo plate of seared tenderloin and sea bass. Hydrate in between libations and be mindful of your intake.
DON'T make this about you. This weekend is all about the couple. It is not a time to share with everyone what your wedding is going to be like (p.s. you're not even engaged). It is amazing how many people have congratulated me on my engagement, checked out the bling and in the same sentence filled me in on what their dream ring/dream proposal/dream man is ... this is inappropriate. Maybe its just my selfishness - perhaps - and it doesn't bother me that much. But just picture yourself trying on dresses, you're finally engaged to a wonderful man and you've brought along a friend and she says, "Ohh I want to try on dresses too." If you can picture yourself saying that to your friend the bride then you also need to refocus and get a grip! I can only hope that on our big day we don't get "What a beautiful wedding, I love the hydrangeas, at my wedding I want peonies and tea roses in shades of peach ..." ridiculous. When or if these little moments happen I just breathe and move on because you cannot control other people. But "other people ", you can control yourself so DO IT! This day is not about you - it is about the bride and groom. Be gracious. Be engaged in the process. Show them that you care and you are happy to be there supporting them. Even if this is your 5th wedding weekend in a row. Stop whining, put a smile on your face and in your heart. Plus on the bright side it means you're popular ... or you just have a big family.
Finally, DO twist all the way down to the ground whenever "Shout" is played - even if it means ripping your gold brocade Chetta B dress right down the seam. Yes that happened to me. Shout out to the MHB and JBB wedding June 2007. Needless to say this weekend's dress is not pencil-like in nature and will be much more foriving when I get "A little bit softer now ..."
Stay Chic,
HSG
Love it! Shout out to the "Do think before you drink..." ahaha!
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