Hello, Dolly
Dolly Couture is known for its line of sweet, sassy—and short—wedding dresses inspired by vintage styles from the ‘50s and ‘60s. The dresses have classic-sounding names like “The Marin County” or “The Newport Beach,” but one name in particular might resonate with Westchester residents: “The Hastings-on-Hudson.” In 1995, “I was back and forth between New York and my home in the Los Angeles suburbs pursuing a barely existent acting career,” says Dolly Thicke, the line’s designer. “Those were fun days, but when the city life would get too much, I’d flock with friends to Hastings-on-Hudson for the respite we needed. Hastings-on-Hudson’s elegance and darling name had such an impact on me, I decided to name this sweet and classic gown for it, hoping it could emulate the town’s charm.” With ivory lace over pink chiffon and a hemline adorned with pink rosettes, we say Thicke did an excellent job. $595 at dollycouture.com.
Say Cheese
Looking for an antidote to posed, formal portraits? Rent a retro-looking photobooth. Something about that little curtain gets your guests to drop their pre-rehearsed “picture smiles” and let their true craziness come out—and be caught on film. Personalize the photo strips with your names and wedding date, and your guests will have favors that will be way more appreciated than a tulle bag of Jordan Almonds. You even can have your guests cut out one photo in the six-photo strip, glue it into a scrapbook, and sign it for an illustrated guestbook. NYC Photobooth has packages that start at $1,450, which includes local delivery of the booth to Westchester, unlimited color or black-and-white photos, a customized photo strip, an online gallery of all photos, and an on-site attendant for four hours (the scrapbook is available at an additional charge). (800) 531-3727, nycphotobooth.com.
Put a Ring on It
From napkin ring to napkin bling. These engagement-ring napkin rings are the perfect kitschy tabletop accessory for an engagement party or shower. Not going the linen-napkin route? One or two, artfully placed, could even be used as a cake (or cupcake) topper. $8 each at La Dentelliere, 20 E Parkway, Scarsdale (914)-723-2902; 65 Pondfield Rd, Bronxville (914) 771-4141; ladentelliere.com.
Stamp of Approval
Let’s face it: “Liberty Bell Brown” is not the most attractive color. After you’ve so carefully coordinated the colors in your wedding invitation suite, matching reply cards to envelope liners, sticking a plain ol’ USPS stamp in the corner just seems so anticlimactic. Zazzle.com understands. Now, the website lets you personalize your own postage, which you can affix to your invites to be mailed off like any other letter. Choose one of your engagement photos, a monogram, or an image of your wedding site to replace that cracked old bell. Stamps come in three sizes (1.8” x 1.3” to 2.5” x 1.5”) and a variety of denominations, from postcard stamps to priority mail stamps—good for up to 16 oz, so bring on your heavy cardstock. Prices start at $17.95 for a sheet of 20 small 44-cent stamps at zazzle.com.
