There is something about a bowl of mint chocolate chip ice cream that takes me to another place, where everything is happy and beautiful and perfect.  As I was consuming said bowl last night, I began to picture the perfect wedding, cast in shades of this delicious treat.  The color was brought up again in conversation with a fellow Diva, and from there, this inspiration board was born.  So grab a bowl of mint chocolate chip, and enjoy.

From Left to Right, Top to Bottom:  Country Creations Centerpiece; Wedding Paper Divas Floral Patterened Wedding Invitation in Meadow; Green Hydrangeas Wedding Cake from iVillage; Green Umbrella Photo courtesy of Cheap Wedding Favors; Green Hydrangea Bouquet; Green Martinis, Light Green Beads from Beadbonkers; Delicious Irma Pumps in light green; Granny Smith apples.

Everyone has been oohing and ahhing over the bridal gown trends that emerged in all the top designers’ Spring 2009 collections, but now that wedding season is around the corner we’re curious to see if you’ll actually be indulging in a mini-dress or a pocketed gown for your big day. What do you think about these high fashion gowns?

Monique Lhuillier offers a luxurious, tiered gown that epitomizes the layered look that was all over the runways.

The ever-popular Vera Wang offers a variety of gowns full of floral embellishments this season.

Oscar de La Renta’s one shoulder gown plays with symmetry and proportion.

Lara Helene is one of the many designers offering mini-dresses for spring weddings.

Happy Halloween from DIY Divas!  Now, on to the fun.

This week we are featuring DIY Hair pieces, which can cost upwards of $200 if you purchase them from a retailer.  Rachel, our ever-crafty coworker, has found a way to completely bypass the bridal boutique and instead make gorgeous, chic hairpieces that are perfect for a bridesmaid or even a bride!

Step 1: Head to your nearest craft store and peruse the faux flowers section.  You’ll be surprised at how realistic and beautiful many of them are.  Once you’ve found the perfect flower, you’ll also need a hot glue gun, a small square of felt cut into a circle with a hole in it, and a little clip (also available at any craft store).  You can also purchase any sort of adornments to add to your flower, such as feathers, lace or jewels.

Step 2:  Open the clip and slide it through the hole in the felt.  This will be the back of the hair piece where you’ll attach it to your hair.

Step 3:  Place a dollop of hot glue on the back of the felt between the clip and the felt.  This assures that the clip will stay on and not detach in the middle of your wedding!

Step 4: Take the hot glue gun and use it to attach your flower as well as any additional accessories you’ve purchased to your felt backing.

Step 5:  Finally!  You have a beautiful hair piece worthy of a princess.  I love the look of this one with the exotic feathers.  It’s very vintage and modern at the same time.

Every soon-to-be-married couple quickly learns that all the hype is true–weddings really ARE as expensive as people say they are.  If you’re a savvy bride, you’ve already begun looking for ways to cut the cost of your wedding day and any activities leading up to it.  To help you out, Diva Dialogue has collected the best bargains online in to one money-saving post!

-Wine.Woot (a division of Woot.com) is a great place to find deals if you are looking for a special bottle of wine to celebrate your engagement.  Each day, Wine.woot will feature one quality wine at a bargain price.  Once it’s gone, it’s gone, so make sure you jump on it!

-  Bluefly.com now has an entire section of their website dedicated to wedding clothing.  In Wedding 2.0, you can find gorgeous designer dresses at discount prices according to your position in the wedding, or select “I’m Invited” to find the perfect outfit to wear to a wedding you’re attending.

-I will never buy shoes in a store again.  Both Endless.com Bridal and Zappos.com Bridal offer free overnight shipping and returns on a massive selection of shoes, so you are risk free and you get great discount pricing!

-Overstock.com has an entire section devoted to Wedding Planning, Wedding Jewelry, Wedding Gift Ideas and Wedding Attire.  With amazing customer service and quality merchandise, you can’t go wrong purchasing wedding essentials from Overstock.

-Last but not least, Target’s online Bridal department has something for everyone, including gorgeous wedding gowns, tuxedos,  chic bridesmaid dresses and more.

As a child, I was surrounded by beautiful artwork and creative people.  My parents love the art deco period, and collect paintings, drawings and furniture from that time in history.  My mother and aunt were also fashion designers with their own local company, allowing me to wallow in the beautiful fabrics and designs that were a part of my every day life.

Although my dream of becoming a fashion designer died with my lack of drawing skills, I still admire the work of designers, both on the runway and on paper.  I think fashion sketches can be so beautiful and take a certain talent to produce.

Enter Brooke Hagel, an amazing artist that uses photos taken of you on your wedding day to produce beautiful paintings that remind me of the fashion sketches that I so adore. I will definitely be investing in one of the pieces as a way to preserve my wedding dress in a unique and special way.  Finding an old picture of my mother or grandmother and doing the same could be even more amazing.  Visit Brooke’s Etsy store to secure your own piece of art, which could also make a fabulous holiday gift for someone special!

So much attention is given to wedding planning during your engagement, that another important event is often pushed to the wayside until the last minute–the Rehearsal Dinner.  This dinner is special because it gives the engaged couple and their families a way to say thank you to all of those that are involved in the wedding.  To help make your Rehearsal Dinner every bit as fun and unique as your wedding, check out some of these links:

-iVillage offers some great ideas for unique rehearsal dinner locations and themes, many with money-saving tips!

-You probably already have your wedding gown picked out, but what about your rehearsal dinner outfit?!  You’ll still be front and center and will want to look great.  The Wedding Channel offers some great tips on the bride’s rehearsal dinner outfit.

-DearSugar offers a quick overview of Rehearsal Dinner Etiquette to clear up any questions you may have before planning the event.

-Although I fear them selling out before I am able to get one, I still have to pass on this amazing dress designer’s website.  Holly Stalder’s dresses will ensure that you shine at your rehearsal dinner.

-Last but most certainly not least, be sure you have an invitation that well represents both your personal style and the style of your rehearsal.  Wedding Paper Divas offers a wide range of designs…here is one of my favorites!

Bold colors pop and are making their debut in this year’s fall fashion finds. Here are a few that I love.

These jewel toned accessories are sure to captivate you, your bridesmaids and guests with modern style and charm. Hobo International Dawn clutch wallet in amethyst and Bettye Midler Muller Oxford in raisin and teal, both from Piperlime make a striking statement.

Traditional wisdom dictates that no matter how casual a wedding may be, there are certain categories of clothing guests should NEVER wear. This timeless list of banned items includes white (for men AND women), shorts, super high heels (especially for outdoor weddings), bathing suits and anything sparkly (no one wants to outshine the bride–literally!).

And yet, in the modern age of underwater weddings, zoo weddings and weddings atop the wings of flying planes, does this classic fashion advice still stand? What do you think? If someone showed up to your beach wedding in a bikini, a pair of shorts or a slinky, sequin dress, would it make you want to rant or rave?

Finding the perfect hairstyle for your wedding day can be just as daunting as finding your dream dress.  Up-dos, waves, braids, curls–it’s hard to keep track of all the possibilities.  That’s why we’ve gathered together some great resources to help you find your ideal do:

-Find hair to fit any style, from bohemian to romantic, beach casual to glamorous with Brides.com.

-Follow these guidelines from Wedding Bells to make sure your hair is ready for the big day.  Among the many tips, the site advises that you make sure your hair compliments your dress and that you make any drastic changes to cut or color well before the wedding so you have time to repair any mistakes!

-See a hairstyle you love but can’t quite envision it on yourself?  No problem!  Visit The Hairstyler, upload an image of yourself, select your hair color, and try on any of 8,000+ available hair styles!

-If you’re feeling star struck, take the advice of celebrity hairstylist Ken Paves.  Oprah.com has his tips for gorgeous wedding hair and celebrity bridal secrets.

-If you’re looking to add some sparkle to your already glowing hair, look no further than Hair Comes the Bride.  With everything from hair pins to hair extensions, you’re bound to find what you’re looking for.

I admit that the last few weeks there’s only been one thing on my mind…my honeymoon! I’ve searched the web for some great ways to get all of you recently wed brides geared for a romantic vacation.

1) If you’re heading for somewhere cold, this gorgeous Fair Isle Sweater dress will keep you warm and in style. The flirty little rosette dress is perfect for a night out with your new husband. The cure for the end of the summer blues? Warm sand, ocean breezes in a tropical dream. This halter maxi dress will help you get there. All from Victoria’s Secret.

2) These chic weekender bags are a stylish and useful accessory, carrying everything you need for short and long vacations. From left, Billabong Road trip bag, $74 from Swell, Victoria’s Secret Pink travel duffel $59.50, and Fossil Weekender Duffle $138.

3) Bring your wedding thank you cards with you and be inspired by the beautiful scenery to send out your words of appreciation!