You know you’re a total nerd for homewares when you go to a restaurant and find yourself going ga-ga over their glasses instead of concentrating on their menu. That’s what happened to me on Saturday night at Superba Snack Bar in Venice (which was awesome, btw). I’ve seen Schott Zwiesel’s wine glasses before, and being a Riedel fan know that the two are often compared, but I’m new to their entire line. While I love the Riedel Vinum water glasses, I’m now a fan of the Schott Zwiesel Tritan Crystal Glass Pure Collection, especially the tumbler (pictured above) and whiskey glasses, which is what Superba had. After I convince my husband that the Costco pint glasses we currently have are way too outdated for us, I’m putting these on the list.

If you’re looking to register for a set of glasses, you’ll want to check these out. While Pottery Barn has a Schott Zwiesel collection, they don’t currently have the ones I’m coveting. However, Amazon offers them at $41 for set of six tumblers, which is a fairly decent price for nice glassware.

For a good article on how to pick the perfect wine glass, click here.

If you don’t know it already, I’m a big fan of non-traditional wedding music (having walked down the aisle to Nina Simone’s “Feeling Good”). If you love a song (and you can totally see how it could fit into a wedding), I say go for it, even if it’s not something that people would expect to hear.

When planning your wedding music, you should think about not only what you’ll walk down the aisle to, but what your wedding party will walk down to as well as your groom (which depending on the size can be two different songs). In fact, here’s a quick guide to all the music you have the opportunity to plan for:

Arrival: The music, if any, you’ll play while guests are arriving to your ceremony venue

Prelude: What will play while your guests are finding their seats

Processional: This includes the music that’s played for your wedding parties, parents, groom, and even the bride. These can be the same song or different songs for one, two, or all of the parties.

Recessional: The music you play as you and the groom exit the ceremony venue

Postlude: Music played as guests exit the ceremony venue

Cocktail Hour: If you have one, this is music played while guests are drinking and eating hors d’oeuvres

Reception Music: This can include the song played while your wedding party is introduced, your first dance with the groom, the father/daughter and mother/son dances, as well as the music played during dinner until the end of the event.

I’m working on a wedding music playlist that I hope to share with you guys soon, but in the meantime here’s my latest wedding song of the week.

If you don’t know Bo (Diddley, that is), I highly suggest you put him on your download list. He’s an insanely awesome singer and guitarist who had what I consider one of the best songs ever made (“I’m a Man”, which you can play below). If I was a DJ, I would seriously play this song at every event I was at. It’s so good, I think it could even make a super fun processional song for your groom to walk down the aisle to (if he’s into it). It could also work as a recessional song and play as you and your now husband walk back down the aisle. Because he’s the man, right?!

OK. So these wedding dress codes pictured below might not actually exist, but sometimes it feels like they could. Since when did dressing for a wedding (or telling your guests how to dress for a wedding) get so hard? From Beach Casual and Dressy Casual to White Tie/Black Tie optional and everything in between, soon we’ll be telling guests what kind of undies to wear on our invites.

With that said, I often find it baffling that guests don’t kind of already know how to dress for a wedding. I mean, I can see the need to put Black Tie on an invite if you expect your guests to all wear tuxedos instead of a suit, but does it mean you can show up to an evening wedding wearing a golf shirt and khakis if a dress code isn’t listed on the invite? The short answer is ‘No.’ While some instructions are helpful if your desired wedding attire is out of the ordinary (Swimsuits Only!) or a specific dress code is required from your venue (IE: jacket and tie, in which case you would say Formal), I don’t always see the need to include a dress code on an invitation unless it’s important to you.

If you do want to include a real dress code on your wedding invite (excluding the funny ones, below), here are the meanings behind the most common ones.

White Tie:

The most formal of all wedding dress codes, it means men should wear a tuxedo with long black tails, a white pique vest, a white bow tie, and even white gloves would be appropriate. Women should wear a formal, full-length gown.

Black Tie:

This means men should wear a tuxedo, a cummerbund, a black bow tie, and patent leather dress shoes. Women should wear an upscale cocktail dress or a full-length gown.

Formal or Black Tie Optional:

Men wouldn’t be out of place in a tuxedo, but guys can also wear a formal dark suit and tie. Women should wear a cocktail dress, dressy suit, or a long dress.

Semi-Formal or Dressy Casual:

For daytime weddings men and women should wear lighter colors, and for evening darker is more appropriate. Men should wear a suit and tie, and women should wear a cocktail dress or a dressier skirt and top.

Beach Formal:

This has the same attire requirements as a formal wedding, but you’re dressing for the elements (IE: wind, sand, etc.). Men should wear a daytime-appropriate suit (no tie required), and women should wear a dressier sundress.

Casual:

While some might think this means anything go, think office-appropriate (which means no shorts or jeans). Men should wear dress pants with a button-down. Women should wear a casual dress or nice top and skirt.

Thanks to Happy Place for the graphic

Groom gifts are definitely optional, and to be honest I didn’t give one before our wedding. Amidst all of the planning and prepping and gifts for parents and the wedding party, it just seemed a bit superfluous. With that being said, I know a lot of bride-to-bes who did give one, and I think that’s awesome and a super sweet gesture. But what do you get your almost husband? I feel like I have a hard enough time figuring out birthday and holiday gifts….how is this gift different?

Well, it can be sentimental…like monogrammed cuff links or a flask or an inscription on his wedding ring. It can also be something you know he’ll totally love, like tickets to a big game or a first edition of his favorite. Or, if you know he’s super into, let’s say–food, you can get him a surprise subscription to hard-to-find items. I recently did this for the hubs’ birthday in March. He’s gotten super into beans (yes, beans), and making bean-based dishes, which is kind of adorable. So I did some research and discovered this company that makes heritage dried beans called Rancho Gordo. They had a gift box available for $54 that included 5 pounds of different varietals of beans and a cookbook (along with a tote bag he’ll probably never use). He loved the beans so much he ended up subscribing to their Year of Beans program. So, yeah. We now belong to a Bean Club, which is something I never thought I would say, but it’s pretty awesome.

These recent clubs I’ve seen—from the Rancho Gordo Bean Club to Trunk Club (a clothes subscription service for dudes that is great) totally speak a guy’s language. I’m convinced they love anything that involves them NOT having to step foot into a store.

The hubs’ most recent “club” that seems like it would also make a great gift (groom or birthday/holiday) is something called Mantry. They describe themselves as the “Modern Man’s Pantry,” and they are a food-of-the-month club that sends you a crate of six, full-size foodie items each month from New Orleans to New York. You can buy a one-time crate as a gift for $75, or sign up for a 3-month or 6-month subscription for $225/$450 and get everything from beans (they have Rancho Gordo) to BBQ sauce, olive oil, and grits.

We haven’t gotten our first box yet but I’ll let you know how it is when we do. In the meantime, if you’re always looking for gift ideas like me try one of these club options out.

Redecker goat hair brush from Clean Slate at Crate and Barrel, $34.95

I have a problem.

I’m a little bit addicted to household supplies. If I have a chance to buy a new kitchen sponge, soap caddy, mop, or storage bucket, I will jump at the chance. Seriously. If you put me in a room and give me a choice between a designer dress or a sparkly red garbage can with some cool new auto-open feature, I will probably pick the can.

So when I recently received a catalogue of Crate and Barrel’s new Clean Slate line of artisanal utility products, you would have thought I just won something (Yes. It’s sad). The line has a lot of typical storage/cleaning products you would expect (IE: a not exciting plastic dustpan and brush set, and a wire shelf unit), but it also has things like handcrafted goat hair brushes from the German company Redecker, wooden lint brushes, a crumb brush, and yes…a fly swatter (pictured below).

I’ll save you the house-porny details, but if you’re registering at Crate and Barrel I would definitely check them out and add them to your list. Don’t judge me.

P.S.: This is not a sponsored post. I promise I don’t do those. I’m just generally this corny.

Fly Swatter, $9.95 from Clean Slate at Crate and Barrel

Bridal Market took place in New York City this week, where designers showed off their Spring/Summer 2014 Bridal collections.  I have to say, I wasn’t a huge fan of most of them. Everything ranged from a bit dull, to weird and ill-fitting and everything in between. Even the designers I normally love (like Carolina Herrera and Vera Wang) didn’t have anything I was wowed by. In fact, I actually thought Vera Wang’s collection was one of the weakest, with her introduction of black and white striped bodices that looked a bit out of place. I’m all for non-traditional wedding dress colors and shapes, but these dresses just didn’t hold a lot of interest for me one way or the other.

Vera Wang Spring 2014

And then this happened…

Rivini by Rita Vinieris Bridal Spring 2014

Seriously? I mean, this could be a beautiful dress, but who is going to go bare-breasted to their own wedding? This irritates me. And my grandma.

But, let’s not dwell on the negative. There were some highlights to Bridal Market, which included trends such as short skirts, dramatic backs, appliques, peplums (again), and capes and wraps. A few of my favorites are below. What are yours?

Jenny Packham ‘Florence’ Dress

Jenny Packham ‘Rose’ Dress

Marchesa Spring 2014

Rivini by Rita Vinieris Bridal Spring 2014

Oscar de la Renta Bridal Spring 2014

Oscar de la Renta Bridal Spring 2014

Monique Lhuillier Bridal Spring 2014

Monique Lhuillier Bridal Spring 2014

Monique Lhuillier Bridal Spring 2014

Sometimes when you’re planning a wedding, what you think will be a “no-brainer” can sometimes turn out to be the most difficult to figure out. Every wedding has a few of those elements, and as trivial as they might be, they can take up a huge chunk of your planning time. One of the things I got so hung up on (as far as time spent looking) were napkins. It seems so simple, right? But for some reason I just couldn’t find what I wanted. Initially I was looking for vintage-y, floral napkins that I could actually keep (and wash, obvs) after the wedding as heirlooms. It sounds silly, but I was really into that idea. I even thought of making my own…going to fabric stores and measuring rolls of fabric and seeing if it would be most cost-effective that way. But trying to find 125+ napkins for under $300 was pretty much impossible, so I gave up on that idea.

We ended up going with an event rental company that let us rent them for around $2/each, and it worked out fine…but the patterns and colors were kind of blah, so we ended up just going with white. I would have much preferred to go with something a bit more rustic of at least colorful, and had I known about wash-or-toss napkins, I would have looked into them.

If you’re currently on the search for inexpensive napkins and don’t want to break the bank (or deal with a rental company), these are a great option. While one company seems to be the main manufacturer of them (MYdrap), they come in a several sizes (they have cocktail, luncheon and dinner), as well as colors and patterns (mostly for the luncheon napkins and placemats).  Buy them here.

I’ve talked about my love (obsession?) for Beethoven before, so finding these awesome and inexpensive statues via Country Living magazine totally made my day. These mini composer busts were apparently popular and mass-produced in the 1950s-1970s, and were usually gifts from piano teachers to their students (my piano teacher never gave me something awesome! I guess the trend stopped by the 90s). A brief online search turned up several collections of these available via eBay and Etsy for as low as $4/statue. They are small (typically 5″), and either made of chalkware, vinyl, or porcelain, and they were made by several different manufacturers. Halbe seems to be the most popular on eBay, but I think a deep-dive could turn up other brands (Country Living mentioned they got theirs from Herco Industries.

I think these could be great as part of your reception table decor, and you could group two on a table in between flower arrangements or another creative centerpiece. After the wedding, you can display them on a bookshelf as part of a fun design. If you were having a smaller wedding you could even give them away as wedding favors, especially if they’re only $4/each.

I wrote this post over a year ago for a travel site and never got around to posting it on here. And, since the hubs and I don’t actually live in Nashville anymore (we moved to LA last year), it hasn’t seemed completely relevant. But Nashville has become an “It” city these days, and truth be told I’ve come to miss it. Whether you’re considering a vacation there or you want to go out of the box and do an inexpensive honeymoon, below are some fun tips on how to live like a local.

City Guide: Nashville

As New York transplants, my husband and I have spent the last two years exploring the ins and outs of Nashville. Our mission (if we chose to accept it) was to not only get used to our new Southern way of life—like learning to drive again after 10 years of riding the subway—but to appreciate all that Music City had to offer. While it was easy to find activities that involved country music and cowboy boots, we wanted to really sink our teeth into the “real” nashville. And so far, we’ve been able to find more than just a country groove: we found a city we now call home.

 Saturday in Nashville

Saturday means no alarm clocks. We roll out of bed at 9 a.m., and so long as we didn’t have too much wine the night before, we put on our running shoes and drive over to West Nashville’s Centennial Park. We drag our still sleepy bodies out of the car and do a quick stretch before we start our *hopefully* three mile jog (sometimes we jog 2 and just say we did). The 132-acre park houses an exact replica of Greece’s Parthenon, which is kind of weird and awesome at the same time. On a sunny day, you’ll see lots of kids feeding ducks in the park’s man-made Lake Watauga, as well as the occasional Nicole Kidman/Keith Urban sighting.

After we’re a sweaty mess, we’ll get back into the car and if the weather is good we’ll hit up the West Nashville Farmer’s Market. There are more than a dozen local vendors who sell everything from fresh produce to local honey. One of our favorites is the grass-fed beef from Peaceful Pastures. The market runs April-November, and is a fun spot to run into new friends or start a conversation with a local farmer. If we actually jogged the three miles, we might even pick up a peach pie from Papa C Pies. There’s something about living in the south that makes me want to eat (and dream about baking) pies.

The Parthenon at Centennial Park

By this time, I need some coffee ASAP. We head back downtown (about a 15 minute drive) to Crema, which is hands-down Nashville’s best coffee shop. Owner-operated, Crema takes a page from the artisinal coffee shops we’d frequent in Brooklyn, and is inevitably full of scruffy Nashville hipsters perusing MacBooks or discussing last night’s show at The Basement. They serve up regional favorites like Drew’s Brews hand-roasted coffee and eats from Sweet 16th Bakery, and always have some sort of cool artwork for sale on the walls. We both order a cappuccino and head back to our apartment, which is only a few minutes drive away.

I should get this out in the open. I LOVE our apartment. Our loft is in an old converted factory, with 25-foot ceilings and wooden columns throughout. When we first started looking at apartments, my husband basically had to revive me when I found out that we could get double the square footage we had in NYC for less money AND with no roaches. Bonus? We have a soaking tub, too. Needless to say, when we get home after our morning outing, I like to prop my feet up and enjoy my insect-free, cheap apartment as much as I can.

A cappuccino at Crema

When the hunger kicks in I finally have to motivate myself to get dressed. Depending on our mood, we’ll get brunch at Marché, a european-style cafe in East Nashville that serves up some amazing seasonal dishes such as a Corn, Roasted Red Pepper, and Ricotta Tart or classic bistro items like Steak and Eggs with roasted red potatoes. Marché is the sister restaurant to Margot Cafe & Bar right down the street, which is one of our favorite restaurants for dinner. If we’re feeling worldly, we’ll go ethnic. I am addicted to a restaurant called Kien Giang, which is a hole-in-the-wall Vietnamese restaurant that will feed us amazing, fresh food for under $18 for the two of us. We always get the same thing: two Vegetable Pho’s and two orders of spring rolls with shrimp only. If we don’t go there for lunch, we’ll undoubtedly order takeout from them on Sunday night. I can’t get enough.

After we fill our bellies, I like to bribe Cory into going shopping with the promise of a cocktail after (ladies, if you don’t know this trick yet…it works). Personally, I’m not a big clothes shopper. My weakness is home goods, and I located my favorite spots within weeks of moving to Nashville. Our first stop is the Downtown Antique Mall, one of the most eclectically cool places in Nashville. It’s located right beside the active train tracks up a stone driveway on 8th avenue. The building is an old warehouse (I seem to be drawn to these), and inside are aisles and aisles of lost treasures from various decades, such as old metal signs, industrial bar carts, and life-size Bruce Lee statues (pictured). The place feels as if you just discovered a vintage mecca, and manages to not be too overwhelming. When we first moved into our loft, I spent most weekends there, buying vintage metal cabinets, deco vases and candelabras (all under $100) and anything else I could get my antique-loving hands on. Getting lost in there and wandering around is my favorite Nashville pastime.

Once I see that glazed look in Cory’s eyes, I know it’s time to leave the bygone eras inside. A deal’s a deal, and usually at this point even I’m thirsty for a yummy cocktail. We bring ourselves and our wallet to Patterson House, a 5 minute drive from the antique mall. The old-timey theme is definitely continued inside this old house, and no matter how sunny it is outside, you would never know it. You enter the bar via a thick velvet curtain into a dark room that looks like you’ve just entered a rich old man’s study. Complete with law books and chandeliers, the “no-standing” bar is a polar opposite to Lower Broadway’s touristy Honky Tonk row (not that that isn’t awesome from time to time). Patterson House’s menu is broken down by spirits: Gin, Vodka, Tequila, Bourbon, and Whisky. If I’m feeling adventurous, I’ll order a bacon-infused old fashioned, or stick with my usual Manhattan. Cory goes for the El Diablo, which has tequila, freshly-squeezed lemon juice, creme de cassis, ginger syrup, and club soda. Drinks are pricey ($12/each), so we swear we’re only going to have one. This plan doesn’t always work.

Inevitably we have the same conversation that every couple has on a Saturday night: Where do you want to eat? If we want to treat ourselves, we’ll head out to Miel in Sylvan Park. It’s a little off the beaten path, but once you get there you’re instantly treated to some of the best food in Nashville. Seema, the restaurant’s owner, is very focused on organic farming and brings in fresh vegetables and produce from the restaurant’s Cumberland River farm just 10 minutes away. They always have a delicious special on the menu, in addition to french-focused regulars such as bouillabaisse and duck and chestnut ravioli with seared diver scallops. Yum! P.S.: They can also cater weddings at Wolf Den Farm and other locations.

The Station Inn

Admittedly, there are times when a delicious meal will prompt us to drive home, get in our PJ’s, and watch Saturday Night Live. But, one of us will kindly remind the other that we have no children (yet), and we’re not an elderly couple who just finished an early bird special (yet). If the pep talk works, we’ll check out what Nashville does best: country music. One of our favorite places to catch a live show is at the famed BlueBird Cafe, home to the amazingly talented bluesman Mike Henderson, who plays every Monday night, as well as hundreds of aspiring songwriters who show up every year for the cafe’s open mic night (Taylor Swift was apparently discovered there when she was 15-years-old). Located in Green Hills, the BlueBird Cafe has as much ambience as a place located in a strip mall can have, but that doesn’t matter. You’re there for a chance to listen to Nashville’s next big thing. If there’s a line out the door (which there tends to be), and we forgot to make a reservation, we’ll head over to the Station Inn, in the Gulch.

The Gulch, with it’s high-rise condos dotted amongst a row of bars and restaurants, is Nashville’s answer to an urban neighborhood. The Station Inn, a small stone building that looks like it could’ve been Davey Crockett’s boyhood home, sticks out like a sore (but awesome) thumb there, but is one of the most authentic Nashville experiences you can have. We head up the ramp into the cozy room, grab one of few remaining empty chairs and listen to some legendary bluegrass musicians who are so close you could throw a banjo at them. As the smell of popcorn and frozen pizzas cooked to order waft through the room, you can’t help but appreciate just how varied Nashville life can be.

After the last song is sung, we make our way back to the loft. We realize we’re no longer New Yorkers as we drift to sleep with the sounds of fiddles ringing in our ears, rather than ambulances.

Locusts on Hudson

Average Cost: $73,000

*Average cost for THIS venue is calculated by figuring a 150-person guest list for a Saturday night wedding using standard food/beverage costs and tax and gratuity. Transportation to venue, catering kitchen/equipment, entertainment, decorations, flowers, tents, chairs/tables, lighting, etc. are not included. Price is rounded up to the nearest thousand.

How it breaks down:

Facility Rental Fee: $30,000 location fee and a mandatory $30,000 lodging fee, so $60,000 total.

What this includes: The $30,000 location fee gives you use of the property’s 76 acres for four days and three nights, which means you can have your rehearsal dinner, lunches, brunches, and any other event-related activity there. The $30,000 lodging fee provides you 11 bedrooms with room for 21 guests (I’m guessing you can squeeze in one more so there’s room for 11 couples total) for four days and three nights. Services and amenities include:

• Housekeeping 
• Heated Pool

• Hot Tub

• Sauna
• Pilates Reformer

• Tennis Court

• Hiking Paths

• Historical Farm Complex 
• Beach
• Wireless Internet

• 76 Secluded Acres

• Golf Course Next Door

The barn at Locusts on Hudson

Food: You will have to bring in your own approved caterer. You can expect prices to range from $100-$200/up for food and beverage depending on your caterer. Caterers can use the manor’s kitchen for small gatherings up to 40 people. Otherwise they will have to set up a portable kitchen on the grounds which can run you several thousand dollars.

More Stats:

Space Type: Inside/outside

Bridal Suite: Yes

Size: Up to 250 guests, with seating for 150 in the barn and 40 in the manor

Food Service Type: Depends on selected caterer

Parking: Yes

How Will Grandma Get There? Up to 21 guests can stay in the manor for a fee of $30,000 for three nights. For guests not staying at the manor, there are several hotels and B&B’s in Hyde Park, Rhinebeck, or Poughkeepsie. The closest train station is in Rhinecliff. Amtrak offers a 95-minute service from Pennsylvania Station to Rhinecliff-Kingston while Metro North offers a 105-minute service from Grand Central Station to Poughkeepsie (a 20 minute drive from the house).

Extras: Tents, tables, chairs, linens, etc. need to be brought in from an outside vendor. You can hire a concierge for an additional $500/day, as well as obtain the services of a private chef for a fee.

Party On!: There is a 12 a.m. noise curfew.

A bathroom in The Manor at Locusts on Hudson

 The Report:

The Locusts on Hudson sits on 76 acres in New York’s Hudson Valley. The Neo-Baroque style manor was built in the 19th century, and is surrounded by tennis courts, a beach, a neighboring golf course, a working farm, and gorgeous meadows. The property is owned by hotelier Andre Balazs,  who bought it in 2004 as a private residence and has since transformed the manor, barn, and entire property. His main initiative in purchasing the grounds was to create a working farm that would allow him to bring that experience to The Standard Grill in NYC.

Woman Getting Married Says:

Who wouldn’t want to get married on a property as gorgeous as this? The price, however, is not for the faint (or broke) of heart. The (semi) good news is that you can offset the lodging part of the cost if you wanted, and have 10+ couples (including you and your husband) stay in the 11 bedrooms on the manor and pay their share, which breaks down to $909/night per room (or $476 per person per room, if two people were staying in it.) With an additional $30,000 location fee on top of the $30,000 lodging fee, it’s still expensive any way you cut it. If you have the money and want to get married at a private, stunning location, this is an amazing choice. I think it would work best for a small, intimate wedding of 22 people or less, so everybody can stay on the property and you don’t have to worry about tents or other expenses.

Check out more pics from a wedding at Locusts on Hudson here. I love that the couple brought in a taco food truck!