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    My Fair Wedding: Finding Your Vision . . . Through His Revisions!
    My Fair Wedding: Finding Your Vision . . . Through His Revisions!
    My Fair Wedding: Finding Your Vision . . . Through His Revisions!
    Ebook394 pages1 hour

    My Fair Wedding: Finding Your Vision . . . Through His Revisions!

    By David Tutera

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    About this ebook

    Fans of WE tv’s My Fair Wedding have watched celebrity wedding planner David Tutera miraculously create celebrations that are each as unique as, and perfectly suited to, the bride herself—and in keeping with the theme or mood that is her vision of her special day. From a chic city loft feel to retro Hollywood glamour, from exotic destinations to sleek winter landscapes, David has translated the oftentimes scattered, misguided, or underwhelming visions of his brides into brilliant and artistic expressions of love, passion, and personality. But only a handful of lucky brides-to-be get the wedding makeover of their dreams as part of the WE tv hit reality show. Now, you can plan the wedding you want and deserve with this wonderful companion volume. It not only features the stories of the most memorable My Fair Wedding brides from three fabulous seasons but gives you the “Tutera touch” as well as expert tools for creating an affair that you, your groom, and your family and friends will cherish forever.

    Not your average wedding guide, My Fair Wedding is grounded in David’s philosophy that regardless of budget, every bride can have a fantasy wedding as long as the right choices go into the planning—and every detail counts. Here you will find:

    • insightful and indispensable “What Would David Do?” sidebars

    • self-quizzes that help you zero in on your preferences and tastes for a truly personalized wedding

    • real-life etiquette and time-tested manners that add class to every occasion

    • advice and inspiration for choosing everything from gowns, shoes, hair, and makeup to invitations, photographers, music, lighting, centerpieces, favors, thank-you notes, and so much more

    • helpful pointers for logistical planning— transportation, outdoor ceremonies, timelines, and other factors for keeping things stress free.

    Most important, David Tutera helps every bride-to-be to reach deeper, aspire higher, become transformed from within, and radiate a special glow and renewed self-confidence that lasts long beyond her wedding day.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherGallery Books
    Release dateJan 11, 2011
    ISBN9781439195413
    My Fair Wedding: Finding Your Vision . . . Through His Revisions!
    Author

    David Tutera

    David Tutera is one of the biggest names in the wedding industry, renowned for his wedding design and production firm that has catered to the bridal needs of celebrities like Star Jones and Antonio Pierce of the New York Giants.  And, while not for weddings, David Tutera has also counted Jennifer Lopez, Matthew McConaughey, Elton John, and Barbara Walters as satisfied customers. David will debut his own line of wedding dresses in Fall 2009 at bridal retail stores and boutiques nationwide. Additionally, “Disney’s Couture Wedding Collection by David Tutera” is a line of four wedding decor packages designed for Walt Disney World and Disneyland in California. David has been featured as a wedding expert on several television shows, including The Tyra Banks Show, The Bonnie Hunt Show, The View, TBS’s Movie and a Makeover, Good Morning America, The Today Show, and Fox and Friends. David is often featured in magazines and in printed publications, from Town and Country to The New York Times, Redbook, Cosmopolitan, and more.  

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      Book preview

      My Fair Wedding - David Tutera

      Gallery Books

      A Division of Simon & Schuster, Inc.

      1230 Avenue of the Americas

      New York, NY 10020

      www.SimonandSchuster.com

      Copyright © 2011 WE: Women’s Entertainment LLC. All rights reserved. This book is based on the original WE tv series, My Fair Wedding with David Tutera. WE tv and My Fair Wedding are registered trademarks of WE: Women’s Entertainment LLC.

      All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever. For information address Gallery Books Subsidiary Rights Department, 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020

      First Gallery Books hardcover edition January 2011

      GALLERY BOOKS and colophon are trademarks of Simon & Schuster, Inc.

      The Simon & Schuster Speakers Bureau can bring authors to your live event. For more information or to book an event contact the Simon & Schuster Speakers Bureau at 1-866-248-3049 or visit our website at www.simonspeakers.com.

      Designed by Jaime Putorti

      Manufactured in the United States of America

      10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

      Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

      Tutera, David.

      My fair wedding : finding your vision . . . through his revisions! / David Tutera.—1st Gallery Books hardcover ed.

      p. cm.

      Based on the WEtv series My Fair Wedding.

      1. Weddings—Planning. 2. Weddings. I. My fair wedding (Television program) II. Title.

      HQ745.T883 2011

      395.2′2—dc22

      2010045541

      ISBN 978-1-4391-9539-0

      ISBN 978-1-4391-9541-3 (ebook)

      To all of my girls, whether you are a bride or a bride-to-be, remember to always dream about your fantasy wedding. Never let anyone tell you otherwise because each and every one of you is beautiful and deserves your heart’s fondest wishes. From the girl wrapping herself in a bed sheet to create her wedding gown carrying her very own paper bouquet . . . to the nervous mother of the bride searching her attic for the perfect something borrowed . . . to the grandmother sharing her wedding album with her granddaughter—these cherished moments help create who you are and how you spend life’s most precious moments. Every woman deserves to dream big—so dream bigger!

      CONTENTS

      Introduction

      1 JERSEY GIRL MYSTIQUE TO SOUTH BEACH CHIC

      Wanda and Bert/Season 1

      Wedding Lesson, Lighting: Shining Bright or Coming Out of the Dark

      Wedding Lesson, Toasts: Cheers!

      2 ROCKABILLY BRIDE TO HOLLYWOOD GLAMOUR GIRL

      Mandy and Mike/Season 1

      Wedding Lesson, Timelines and Logistics: Tick-Tock

      Wedding Lesson, Photography: Say Cheese

      Wedding Lesson, Videography: 3, 2, 1 . . . or Lights, Camera, Action

      3 DISCOUNT STORE WEDDING TO DRAMATIC SPRING AWAKENING

      Quiana and Michael/Season 2

      Wedding Lesson, Etiquette: I Do, I Don’t

      Wedding Lesson, Processional and Recessional: The Lineup

      Wedding Lesson, Accessorizing Your Tables: Jewelry for Your Tables

      4 DESTINATION WEDDING DESPAIR TO MEXICAN DREAM COME TRUE

      Christina and Ed/Season 2

      Wedding Lesson, Fashion: Fashionista Time

      Wedding Lesson, the Beach Wedding: High Tide

      5 SAFE AND TRADITIONAL TO SLEEK AND MODERN

      Nicole and Ted/Season 2

      Wedding Lesson, Food and Beverage: Eat, Drink, and Be Married

      Wedding Lesson, Favors: Sweet Dreams

      6 A WHOLE LOTTA BLING TO DIAMOND WHITE WEDDING

      Caroline and Rob/Season 2

      Wedding Lesson, Printed Materials: Hot Off the Press

      Wedding Lesson, Table Décor: The Art on the Table

      7 KIWI AND CREAM TO AFRICAN QUEEN

      Bernadette and Lawrence/Season 2

      Wedding Lesson, Outdoor Tents: This Isn’t for Camping

      Wedding Lesson, Rain Plans: Rain or Shine . . . That Is the Question

      8 GOLDEN WEDDING TO GILDED NIGHT TO REMEMBER

      Varneka and Anthony/Season 2

      Wedding Lesson, Hair and Makeup: Glamour Time

      Wedding Lesson, Specialty Entertainment and Sound: Fun Surprises

      Wedding Lesson, Your Wedding Cake: Think Outside the Box

      9 PRETTY POKER FACE TO LUCKY IN LOVE

      Nicole and Dwayne/Season 3

      Wedding Lesson, Unique Ceremony: It’s Time to Say I Do

      Wedding Lesson, Band vs. DJ: Hey, Mister DJ

      Wedding Lesson, Room Décor: Best Use of Space

      10 PEACOCK FEATHERS AND PEARLS TO GREAT GATSBY GRANDEUR

      Kimberly and John/Season 3

      Wedding Lesson, Fashion Accessories: Less Is More

      Wedding Lesson, Your Grand Entrance: Please Give a Warm Welcome

      Conclusion

      My Fair Wedding Workbook

      INTRODUCTION

      There’s one very important thing you should know about me. I love weddings! I’ve been a celebrity wedding planner for nearly twenty-five years, and doing my thing—consulting with brides, listening (really listening) to their big-day ideas, and then offering my guidance and interpretations to help bring their wedding dreams to life—is what I live for!

      Every wedding needs to tell a story—the unique story of the bride and groom. It explains who they are individually as well as who they are as a couple. My job is to help tell that tale through imagery, design, sound, lighting, food, and (of course!) all the marvelous little details that make the couple’s wedding their wedding, evoking their personalities. I like to think of it as taking their short story and turning it into a novel. And by jumping into the pages of the bride and groom’s story, each of the wedding guests become a part of it too.

      When WE tv approached me about doing a reality TV show, I’ll admit I was hesitant. But once I heard the creative pitch for My Fair Wedding, I fell head over heels in love with the concept. In each episode, I drop in on a bride in need and spend quality time with her—my goal being to get inside her head and uncover her bridal style (which is sometimes very different from her personal style). When budgetary constraints or other factors (say, a bride’s obsession with spiders) lead to questionable decisions, that’s my cue to get started on my revisions. I adore all of my brides, and I want to guarantee that each one looks back on her big day with zero regrets.

      The fact that my team and I (and, of course, our fabulous vendors) will be pulling off these weddings in a mere three weeks only adds to the excitement. It may seem like mission impossible, but remember: I’ve been doing this a long time—I can practically do weddings in my sleep! I hope that the following pages will help inspire you with ideas and elements that you can use for your own wedding and that you’ll enjoy the months of planning for your big day.

      My Fair Wedding is a modern-day take on George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion, which inspired the musical My Fair Lady, about a girl who’s taught how to sound and act ladylike. Similarly, I teach my brides about style and etiquette, and how to present what is special about them, their personality and style, in a fashionable way, and show them how to exude confidence from the moment they sashay down the aisle until the last song plays at their reception. What’s most touching of all is that, by the end, these women come to realize how all their lessons learned can affect their lives even beyond their big day.

      Take one of my brides from the show who I called my Candy Bride. She had rarely worn makeup before her remarkable makeover at Eve Pearl, a makeup studio in New York City. She put her family and day-to-day schedule first, and hadn’t taken the time and effort to invest in her own beauty. And don’t we all know the power of looking your best? This makeover gave Candy Bride the chance to see a side of herself (a stunning one!) she’d never seen before, matching her inner beauty with her outer beauty—the beaming smile on her face afterward said it all.

      Then there’s Wanda, who lacked the self-confidence to speak or dance in public. After a series of professional salsa lessons and some coaching from yours truly on giving a proper toast, Wanda surprised her guests with not only a choreographed number with her groom for their first dance as husband and wife, but also an oh-so-eloquent toast to thank her family and friends.

      A third bride, Quiana, felt her opinions were never respected and often didn’t trust her own sense of style. After spending several afternoons with me, picking out dresses and table linens, she finally stopped second-guessing herself, realized she indeed had amazing taste, and started speaking her mind—as she should!

      These are only a handful of the wonderful stories of women who, through the experience of their weddings, changed in more ways than they ever expected. And that’s such a beautiful thing! I enter their lives, listen to their plans, and try to understand who they are and what their hopes and wishes are. I want to empower them as women to be more confident, more open to new things, and more graceful and elegant, so that these lessons stay with them forever. These revisions transform not only their weddings, they transform girls into women. My brides have called me a magician, a wizard, and—my favorite—a fairy godfather, but I simply like to think of myself as a friend who cares about them, listens intently, and helps make their dreams come true.

      What else makes the show so great? The lighthearted moments, of course! Sometimes the ideas thrown at me are so outrageous that I actually think I’m being punked by the production team. It’s like there’s a thought bubble above my head that reads "She’s got to be joking." Rest assured, however, that everything you see—and will see—on the show is 100 percent real. And I’ve seen and heard it all: a bridal bouquet made of lollipops to be held under a red-licorice archway . . . Christmas ornament boutonnieres . . . an oversized martini glass serving as a centerpiece . . . a bride so infatuated with spiders that she imagined one sitting pretty on top of her wedding cake . . . you get the picture. You will see throughout this book many unique elements incorporated and transformed into elegant touches of the brides’ personalities.

      It’s worth noting that I don’t get to see or meet any of the brides until the day I knock on their front door, cameras and crew in tow. And this is the best part (well, make that second best to the wedding day itself), because during that initial meeting, there’s so much excitement on both sides, and usually a lot of nervousness on the brides’ part. This is the time when I get to listen to my brides as they share their wedding plans. I make it a point to learn as much as I can about them—their personalities and their likes and dislikes—in the three short weeks we’ll have together. That way, I will have everything I need to accurately and creatively tell their wedding story.

      Yes, I may laugh good-naturedly or drop my jaw in shock after hearing some of their ideas—but I never judge! That’s not my style, nor is it why I’m there. What I do is take the bride’s vision for her wedding from ordinary to extraordinary. Together, we create something bigger, better, and more meaningful than she and her groom—and their guests—could have ever imagined.

      The big reveal—the moment when the couple sees their wedding in all its glory for the first time—is something that I truly look forward to. Watching my brides’ reactions is an absolute delight. They gasp, well up with happy tears, cry out loud, jump up and down screaming—and then turn to me with a look of pure joy and thank me profusely for everything I’ve done. It’s the most fulfilling, heartwarming moment for me.

      And it doesn’t end there. After the cameras stop rolling and everyone’s gone home, my connection with my brides remains strong. We keep in touch through e-mails, texts, and visits. The couples tell me about their baby news, and go on to offer words of appreciation for my helping to give them a wedding they and many of their guests will never forget.

      This book is another way for me to tell my brides’ stories and to reflect on all of their fabulous transformations. It’s also a practical guide for you to put your skills and creative minds to work. Each chapter has useful lessons and information for just about any element for any type of wedding, information that’s helpful even after the wedding too. Each chapter is about one couple’s wedding and includes my first impressions, two things I taught the bride (and hope to teach all the future brides who read this), a description of the revised wedding look, helpful lessons and questions you can ask yourself, and final thoughts from my featured bride.

      There are no words to explain how touched I am to have been a part of each of the

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