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Kathryn Ann Bergin became the bride of Joel Thomas Shillingburg both of Boerne in a double-ring ceremony on Oct. 29 at St. Peter the Apostle Catholic Church in Boerne.

The bride is the daughter of Kirk and Robyn Bergin of Boerne. The bridegroom is the son of Donald and Jill Shillingburg of Temple. Father Norman Ermis officiated the ceremony.

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The bride was given in marriage by her parents.

The matron of honor was Toni Harwig of Cedar Park. Bridesmaids were sister-in-law Brooke Bergin and Allie Richter; both of Boerne, Lindsey Kellam and Emily Hall; both of Houston, Alex Pendley of Austin, Emily Anderson of College Station, Kelly Samouce of San Antonio, and Hannah Rios of Provo, Utah.

The best man was brother of the groom Alan Shillingburg of Houston. Groomsmen were brothers of the bride Trevor Bergin of Boerne and Chase Bergin of College Station, Andrew Averitt of Fort Worth, Caleb Steel of McAllen, Michael Harwig of Cedar Park, Colton Hagler of Cypress, and Ryan Crawford of Jacksonville, N.C.

The flower girls were Emelia and Florence Hitzfelder of Castroville.

Ring bearer was Greyson Bergin of Arlington.

A reception followed the ceremony at The Cana Ballroom in Boerne.

After a wedding trip to Maui, Hawaii, the couple will reside in Boerne.

The bride graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in communications. She is employed as an assistant service manager at Ken Batchelor Cadillac in San Antonio.

The bridegroom graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in construction science. He is employed as an assistant superintendent at Bartlett Cocke General Contractors in San Antonio.

The parents of the bridegroom hosted a rehearsal dinner at The Helene House in Boerne.

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Summary

The ‘Indian Fantasy’ is what I call the thesis suggesting that gold will enter a long-term bull market based on Indian demand.

The Indian gold market is isolated, over-regulated, and the factors people assume to be at play are not playing out as expected.

Over the short term, at least, I expect no positive impact on gold prices because of Indian physical demand.

Physical Gold and the SPDR Gold ETF (NYSEARCA:GLD).

Images: Beach Bridesmaid Dresses

There is a familiar narrative in the gold community. It suggests Indian demand will lead to a long-term rally for gold as the country grows in wealth and purchasing power.

I call this theory the ‘Indian Fantasy’

The Indian fantasy is plausible because, even as a relatively poor developing nation, India consumed 668 tons of gold, a third of global demand, in of 2015. One can assume that as the country’s wealth increases, so will its consumption – leading to a doubling or even quadrupling of demand for physical gold.

In this article, I want to explore why this fantasy is not playing at in the short-term.

Background

India’s per capita GDP is currently 1,498.87 USD; this is compared to 6,807,43 USD and 14,611,70 USD for China and Russia respectively. Unlike the other two BRIC nations, however, India has high population growth and its GDP is growing at a lightning-fast 5% annually.

India is one of the oldest civilizations in the world, and gold has played as an important role in the cultural practices of the subcontinent.

The Indian Wedding Season and the holiday of Diwali are critical points in the Indian physical gold market. Demand is usually decided by the number of weddings occurring in the fourth quarter and the agricultural yield of the year; the later of which is determined by the quality of the monsoon rains.

India has had the best July in decades regarding monsoon rainfall. August and September were also strong.

A third of Indian gold demand, translating to one sixth of worldwide demand, comes from relatively poor rural farmers. According to Reuters, there is a correlation between gold buying and the strength of the Indian harvest, which in turn correlates to the strength of the monsoon.

The monsoon has been strong this year, and this suggests the physical gold market should be healthy. However, the Indian fantasy may not be the Indian reality

The Problem

The Indian gold industry is struggling despite headwinds from a strong monsoon and low prices. The problem is oversupply and weak demand; government policy has compounded the issue.

India does not produce much gold domestically, and its government does not allow exports of the metal. The introduction of new regulations seem to have also added to the glut in supply.

For most of the year, gold was cheaper in the isolated Indian market than the international spot price. At the time of the U.K’s ‘Brexit’ vote, the gap between Indian prices and global prices grew to as much as $100 per ounce.

Gitanjali Group (NSE: GITANJALI), chairman Mehul Choksi, states quote:

Gold prices are weak because of – disruptions like mandatory requirement of PAN card for transaction above 2 lakh Rupees.”

Presenting a Permanent Account Number (PAN) for tax reporting and tracking was made mandatory for all purchases over Rs 200,000 (currently equivalent to US$3,000) on New Year’s Day 2016.

This, arguably poor, government policy is also leading to black market activities. Quote:

Over the last 4 days alone, the authorities have seized almost 1 kilo of gold near the Bangladesh border, around 2 kilos inside a scooter in Siliguri, also in West Bengal, plus twelve 10-gram gold bars inside a bag at Mumbai Airport, and 1.3kg of gold inside the body cavities of a passenger landing at Hyderabad from Oman.

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Conclusion

I believe the long-term bullish case for gold in India is a fantasy as long as the Indian government over-regulates the market. Even regardless of regulation, the ‘Indian Fantasy’ theory seems suspicious.

The Indian gold market has had two major headwinds: lower than global prices + a strong monsoon and the results have been lackluster so far. Monsoon rains are not translating to significantly higher gold purchases as they may have done in the past.

It does not look like Indian gold demand will make up for dollar strength, the risk of interest rate hikes, and weak commodity market; factors that are currently pushing the price of gold downward.

Disclosure: I/we have no positions in any stocks mentioned, and no plans to initiate any positions within the next 72 hours.

I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

Additional disclosure: No position in gold ETFs, but long-term physical holdings.

They’d only been together seven months, but after asking both her father and stepfather’s permission, Robin Pawlowich asked Leah to marry him under the stars at Pigeon Lake in the summer of 2014. It wasn’t a difficult decision for either of them: “She’s just my person,” Robin says.

The couple, who live in Edmonton, met on a blind date in late December the year before — at an Oilers game whose outcome neither Robin nor Leah remembers.

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Their favourite number is 23 — a nod to that first date two days before Christmas. And Leah wanted to be married in July because it’s the month Robin proposed. She was pleased to discover that the 23rd of July fell on a Saturday in 2016, and they set their date accordingly.

While they were engaged, Robin’s parents purchased an acreage in Parkland County, which they offered Robin and Leah for their wedding. It was perfect: the esthetic they wanted, and a 10-minute drive from River Cree Resort and Casino, where their guests could stay overnight.

It did, however, require a lot of elbow grease from the couple and their families. They laid sod, put gravel down and cut out old trees, while an arborist came in to spruce up the trees that remained. There were four buildings on the property that Robin’s family knocked down, but they saved older parts of them to incorporate into the wedding decor.

Leah and Robin describe their wedding as “country rustic.”

“I’m a little bit addicted to Pinterest,” says the bride. “So I definitely got on Pinterest the whole next day after he proposed. The planning of what kind of wedding we wanted happened quite quickly because we both wanted it to be really personal, and we wanted to have our own little touches here and there.”

Those touches included lots of fresh flowers from Fabloomosity — including a flower crown for the bride (the idea was “as many flowers on one person as possible,” says Leah) — and little nods to hunting, one of Robin’s favourite pastimes.

The groom and groomsmen had boutonnieres made out of shotgun shells (Robin’s was the shell from the first time Leah ever used a shotgun). There were antlers incorporated into several parts of the decor — on top of the ceremony’s backdrop that Robin’s brother-in-law had made out of salvaged windows and doors from those original buildings; mounted behind their head table; and — the bride’s favourite detail — the handle of Leah’s bouquet.

The wedding’s palette consisted of subtle, soft colours. The flowers’ dusty hues matched the bridesmaids’ mix of pastel-coloured dresses, purchased at Novelle Bridal Shop where Leah also bought her gown.

In stark contrast to those understated tones and the wedding’s overall rustic feel were the bold, bright smoke bombs they employed for their post-ceremony photo shoot. While their guests played lawn games like ladder ball and beanbag toss, grenades in a rainbow of colours went off behind the bride and groom.

The smoke bomb idea came from their photographer, Elizabeth van der Bij of ENV Photography. Neither Leah nor Robin had seen them before.

“We were just talking on the phone about wedding timelines,” says Leah of her conversation with van der Bij. “At the end of our call, she said ‘What do you think of smoke bombs?’ And I said, ‘Sounds fantastic to me!’ At this point we’d done our engagement photos. So I said, ‘Whatever you think — we are your guinea pigs. Just tell us what to do’!”

The results were amazing, says Leah. “When we were standing there, I would have never thought that those photos would come out of it.”

But the best part for the groom was a quieter time, away from the festivities, just the newly married couple.

“My favourite moment was actually when everything was over and we could just relax and we had time to take five minutes alone together. That was one of the best moments,” says Robin.

“That, and Leah walking down the aisle.”

Also see: mermaid wedding dresses

Although, as time passes by, weddings are becoming more and more personalised and modern, there are still matrimonial traditions that we hang onto. But when it comes to your own big day, which traditions will you hold steady to, and which will you buck? We’ve sorted out sentimental from obsolete, and sweet from scary.

The bouquet toss

Then: One of the most well-known traditions in the wedding world is the ‘bouquet toss’, where the bride will take her bouquet and blindly toss it over her shoulder to the single women present at the wedding—whoever catches the flowers will be the next to marry, or so says tradition.

Now: Although most brides and groom still participate in this one as a fun part of their day, the modern bride has begun leaning away from giving away one of her most sentimental accessories from her wedding. Now there are options to have a second ‘tossing bouquet’ for the bride, in order to keep her original flowers.

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The garter toss

Then: Similarly to the bouquet, the garter (a lace band of fabric that sits on the upper thigh) is also meant to be tossed—here to the single men of the party (or sometimes, to the partner of whomever catches the bouquet). This stems from a tradition where men and women at the wedding would rush at the bride and rip her wedding dress—retaining part of the dress was a sign of good luck.

Now: Like the bouquet, garter tosses are still common practice in the modern world—although they are not so violent as in the past and not as popular as the bouquet. Some women find they aren’t comfortable with the removal process and choose to skip it altogether.

Giving away the bride

Then: Way back when, brides were ‘given away’ (literally) on their wedding days as they were still considered to be the ‘property’ of their fathers. In exchange for a dowry, they were then ‘handed’ to their new family at the wedding.

Now: Fortunately the ‘giving away’ tradition has morphed itself in a more family-friendly ordeal, with the process taking on a sentimental meaning rather than a literal one. Some brides still like to incorporate their fathers in this way, whilst some like to involve their mothers as well. It is now also common practice for the bride to walk down the aisle on her own.

Carrying the bride over the threshold

Then: Kinda like the whole ‘giving away’ the bride thing, carrying the bride over the threshold is also a relic of a time past when brides were not always so keen on the marriage gig and therefore had to be forcefully taken into the house. Ancient Romans also believed that bad spirits lurked in the doorways of newlyweds’ houses as a last-ditch effort to curse them, so the groom carried the bride over the threshold so that the spirits didn’t enter her through her feet (fun!).

Now: If done at all, this one is just a fun tradition to add into the day (and it shows off how strong your new husband is—bonus).

Not seeing the bride before the wedding

Then: It’s a very common superstition that it is bad luck to see the bride in her wedding dress before the wedding. This is a remnant of a time when marriages were more on the arranged side and were counted more as business deals then acts of love. If a family was marrying off their daughter in exchange for lands, goods or titles, not seeing the bride before the wedding took away the chance of the groom backing out if he considered her not attractive enough (yeesh).

Now: Thankfully (and hopefully), nowadays most grooms are familiar with what their wives-to-be look like before they marry them, so the original function of this tradition is defunct. However, some couples choose to incorporate it as they still believe in the bad luck superstition, or they believe it makes seeing the bride walking down the aisle more emotional and memorable.

 Wearing a white wedding dress

Then: Up until the 1800s, it was common practice for the bride to wear a coloured wedding dress—reds, blues and yellows were particularly popular. However, after Queen Victoria married Prince Albert in 1840 wearing a white court dress, the popularity of white dresses rose. Thereafter they became associated with purity and virginity and were then standard.

Now: Since Queen Victoria’s historic dress, the white dress has cemented itself as the go-to for wedding dresses. However coloured dresses are rising in popularity in modern times.

Having bridesmaids

Then: In the past bridesmaids were included in the wedding ceremony for two reasons, one being to confuse both vengeful spirits and jealous suitors (what’s the difference, are we right?) by dressing in similar dresses and donning veils in likeness to the bride. Thus, if a suitor and/or angry spirit turned up, they wouldn’t know which was the bride. Second, traditionally 10 witnesses were required to validate the marriage, bridesmaids and groomsmen were necessary for this.

Now: Nowadays the practice is a lot less scary. Bridesmaids are there for emotional and practical support and are usually family members or close friends. (The matching bridesmaid dresses tradition is still alive, however, although not for the confusion reason).

 Having groomsmen

Then: Back when ‘marriage by capture’ (AKA kidnapping) was still popular, groomsmen were not chosen for their emotional attachments to the groom, but for their strength. If the bride protested to the marriage, the groomsmen were there to physically fight off her family, allowing the groom to escape with his bride.

Now: It’s a lot less sinister nowadays, and more about mateship then kidnapping.

Wearing a veil

Then: Like both the ‘not seeing the bride before the wedding’ tradition and the ‘using bridesmaids to confuse people’ tradition, the veil was used to hide the bride’s face for both modesty, purity and for not-making-the-groom-run-away purposes. In some ancient cases, the white veil over the bride’s face represented her ‘purity’, and was only lifted by the groom when they went to consummate the marriage.

Now: Now bridal veils have a much less ominous purpose and are usually just accessories. Lifting the veil usually occurs at the beginning of the ceremony and is done by either the groom or the bride herself.

 ’Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue’

Then: Although it’s not known for sure, the superstition of “something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue” is thought to have been to assist brides in warding off the Evil Eye—the Evil Eye’s purpose being to curse the bride’s fertility. The ‘old’ and ‘new’ counterparts were to confuse the Evil Eye, whereas the ‘borrowed’ item was meant to be an undergarment from a woman who had already had a child—therefore protecting the bride against barrenness. The ‘blue’ part is usually thought to be a good luck charm.

Now: Thankfully now this tradition is just a fun addition to the day.

Showering the newlyweds with rice

Then: In the olden days showering the newlyweds with rice (as well as oats, grains and dried corn) was to wish them prosperity, good luck and fortune.

Now: Now it’s just good fun—rice is often overlooked for nicer and prettier alternatives like flower petals, streamers, confetti or sprinkles.

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Weddings for Less comes back to Valdosta after a five-year hiatus.

Weddings for Less is a budget decorating service.

Originally started in 2002, owner Linda Peeks had to quit working on Weddings for Less because of illness in 2010, she said.

She opened in Florida about a year ago and recently received her business license to operate in Valdosta.

Peek was first introduced to decorating when her grandmother taught her and her sisters how to arrange flowers and she “loved it.”

For her, getting back into business is “therapeutic” after getting over her illness.

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“This is like a healing process,” she said. “I love doing it. I love working with flowers and people and I love sewing.”

She works with residents who want help decorating for their weddings and need ideas that are within their budgets, she said.

She sets up four tables based on what customers want, but if the customer does not like any of the four tables, she will remake the tables for a second visit, she said.

Peek is also willing to work with pictures residents have of weddings they have seen online.

“Any picture they bring me or something they see online, I can do it,” she said. “If there is something I cannot do, I have other florists I can work with.”

Along with table decorations, Peek does the flower arrangements for the bride, groom, flower girls, the reception area and the chapel.

If residents are unsure of what they want, Peek said she will help them design the wedding, but ultimately, “it’s however the bride and groom want everything,” she said.

While she works with residents to get the wedding they want, she helps them understand budget restraints and helps them plan their weddings around tat.

“I’m working with people’s budgets,” she’s said. “If they want something for $1,500, I’ll show them what they can get, but if they want more, I show them how much extra it will cost.”

Peek said she knows how to make a nice wedding without spending too much money.

“You can get a lot done and make it beautiful, it just depends on what you want,” she said.

She is also willing to sew brides’ and bridesmaids’ dresses.

“They can bring me a pattern and I make it and style it the way they want me to,” she said.

It takes about two weeks to make one dress.

She can also hem tuxedos.

Because she has been decorating weddings for so long, Peek has an idea of what types of weddings people like.

“Some weddings are elegant and others use paper plates and plasticware,” she said.

She said she prefers a more “elegant look.”

She furnishes table cloths, chair covers, flatware, dinnerware and stemware, she said.

Peek keeps enough material to prepare for an event for 200 people, but can have more materials in about four days. She has several sets in different colors.

Along with weddings she does pastor events, sweet sixteens, bridal showers, birthdays and other events.

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Forget rustic mason jars and burlap. Set aside showy bouquets and fondant cakes. Minimalism now prevails in simpler affairs filled with elegant details and fresh, contemporary twists on traditional favorites.

See the latest buzzwords come to life Sunday, when the Omaha World-Herald presents the Wedding Essentials Idea Show at the Mid-America Center in Council Bluffs. Nearly 100 wedding professionals will showcase in vogue trends in food, flowers, décor, attire and more.

Guests can spend the day meeting industry pros, seeing what’s hot on the runway, snapping pictures of what they love and checking off to-dos on their way to “I do.”

Here, several vendors provide a sneak peek of wedding “musts” they’ll be sharing at the show.

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All that glitters

Gold is hot. Whether shiny or matte, burnished or platinum, champagne or rose, the metallic detail warms up receptions and gives weddings a dramatic, glamorous feel.

“We’re focusing on a return to gold; it’s old-school elegance with a nod to tradition, but one that’s not too tricky,” said Brett Foster, lead designer for Wowfactore, an event design firm. “The rustic wedding trend has given way to something warmer and simpler with a lot of attention to detail.”

Ways to incorporate gold include: golden rims on crystal stemware, spray painted matte golden leaves on ceremonial arbors, gold chargers under fine white china, bright golden beaded backdrops for head tables or muted Chiavari chairs for the wedding couple.

Other metallic options include copper, which is toastier for fall, or gun metal, a warmer choice than silver and less gender specific. Forget lace accents and instead, complement these new looks with cognac-hued leathers or textured linens in cotton ivory (not creamy) to create layers and dimension. “It makes metallics less austere,” Foster said.

The warmer approach, Foster added, also provides an element of masculinity, which makes weddings “about both people. More grooms have an opinion now.”

Go green

Big bouquets laden with showy blooms and single rose boutonnières and nosegays have given way to greenery. “The past 15 years, there was none whatsoever,” said Tracy Diehl, owner of Florals Etcetera, who once incorporated upward of 400-500 stems per wedding and today uses closer to 50. “Now greens are very, very trendy.”

That doesn’t mean there’s a lack of high-impact visuals. A recent wedding for a client featured an 8-foot tall arbor draped with greenery and accented with an elaborate chandelier.

Seeded or silver dollar eucalyptuses dominate. Branches of Italian Ruscus and ivy are also popular. Even fern makes an appearance in wedding arrangements. These can all be combined to create beautiful bouquets or what Diehl describes as “budget garlands,” which don’t require a lot of material or labor.

She also loves the look of greens on textured table linens paired with candleholders of varying heights. “You can tuck flowers in here or there,” she said. “It’s overall, very basic, with detailed simplicity and texture – simple versus spectacular.”

Let there be light

Lighted backdrops are still popular, but twinkle lights are passé. Instead, backdrops and fabric-draped ceiling décor are showcased with mini lights and strategically placed strip lights and uplights, usually LEDs.

The trend started about four or five years ago and has steadily gained in popularity. “LED lights are super cost-effective and easy to install,” said Steven Sinkle, CEO and events director for 402 Event Services. “They can be set on the floor and angled the way you want. They really open up a space and can be customized and matched to wedding colors.”

Sinkle typically uses custom fabrics in white or black and likes the way they play off bright metallic accents like tall gold centerpieces or gold or silver Chiavari chairs. “Over the past six months, we’ve really seen that a lot. It’s very elegant.”

Make it personal

When Dani DeJoy married Riley Anderson this past June, she kicked aside tradition to replace a bridesmaid with a bridesman.

“I knew I wanted to break with tradition … but how?” she said in an email interview from the newlyweds’ new home in Vienna, Virginia.

The bride turned to one of her best friends since childhood and asked him to join her wedding party. “It was one of the most special elements of my wedding, and I will always cherish it and be forever grateful. Several people came up to me saying, ‘This is so you, Dani!’”

Other ways to personalize weddings involve throwing “bro-dal showers,” which give grooms their due. “There’s less of an appetite for stag or bachelor parties,” said Foster. “It’s the idea of the groom getting together with his friends and having a celebration.”

The focus can be tailored to each groom. For a casual approach, try flannels combined with craft beer and custom-made wood coasters; the more sophisticated take might feature a scotch and cigar bar or perhaps martinis, craft cocktails and retro hors d’oeuvres from the “Mad Men” era. Some grooms elect to compete in physical challenges as party games.

“Millennials are experiential,” Foster said. “These events coax guys into something more participatory and make it more personal to the groom.”

Let them eat naked

Naked cake, that is. Unfrosted cakes of exposed layers with icing in between have been the rage for quite some time, but they’re not quite as simple as in years past. Lindsey Rodgers, digital marketing specialist for Hy-Vee, has been designing cakes for a decade. “A lot of bakeries have seen the rise of naked cakes, but the rustic trend has given way to something a little more elegant,” she said. “They’re still big, but they’re more understated.”

The updates include drizzles of caramel or syrup down the sides, berry blends for extra flavor and floral accents that tie the whole look together. The basic palette is neutral — ivory or white — with wedding colors added through the strategic placement of flowers. “It almost looks like they’ve been put there by a fairy. It’s very casual but intentional.”

Rodgers said the focus is more on natural elegance. “Sometimes, you see a combination of a fondant tier and then a naked layer as a contrast,” she said. “It’s mixing tradition with current trends — but it’s still all about the yumminess.”

Also see: SheinDressAU

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Jason Collier is a frustrated groom.

“I paid all this money for a beautiful wedding, and to give my fiance a dream wedding,” said the real estate professional. But, he added: “We don’t have food!”

When Collier made a surprise proposal to his fiance Ashley Landry at the school where she is a teacher, he promised her the perfect wedding.

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The young couple picked the Humble Civic Center as the wedding location with October 8, as the wedding date. They signed a contract with Black-eyed Pea to be the caterer.

Everything was going well, until Tuesday, when the restaurant’s catering manager called. “They never said anything, never said the company filed bankruptcy a year ago,” said Landry. She can’t believe no one on the restaurant staff ever told her the company was having financial problems. “(Nobody said) it could be a possibility, that we may not be able to cater your wedding, and they called me yesterday and said they can’t.”

On Monday, all but one of the Black-eyed Pea Texas restaurants shut down, abruptly. No warning.

Just a note on the door. Landry and collier already paid the full $2,700 catering bill. They were told there would be no refund — and no catering.

“We got to figure something out,” said Landry. “It was supposed to be a dream wedding.”

“And we both sacrificed a lot,” said Collier, adding they worked extra hours and saved to pay for the wedding.

Our calls to the corporate headquarters went to voice mail. Landry and Collier say they don’t know what to do. Their first preference would be for the contract to be honored, since their wedding is 10 days away. In the meantime, they are working to find a caterer who would charge them a reasonable price and still be available on short notice.

But they take comfort in knowing one thing, with or without a caterer. “The ultimate thing is about us, sharing that moment, confessing our love to each other and wanting to spend our lives together,” said Collier.

He and Landry vow not to let the catering snafu stop their big day.

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Kate Middleton was reported to skip her sister, Pippa’s wedding in 2017. Known as being party-goer, Pippa needs to build a good image prior to the wedding if she want Kate and Prince William to be present during her wedding.

Reports suggest that Kate Middleton will not be present during her sister Pippa’s wedding. If this rumor is true, what could have led to the Duchess to do the move?

Aside from the Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton, her husband Prince William will also skip the wedding.

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A Celebrity Dirty Laundry report also disclosed that Pippa is being forced to look after her image and fix her dented status prior to her wedding with James Matthews.

Kate and Pippa used to go out on parties. Usually being snapped in every nightclub and single-minded to make it known to the public. Nevertheless, after Kate was married to the Crown Prince of Britain, she was pushed to soften her behavior and actions. Meanwhile, her sister, Pippa, sustains her free-spirited demeanor and still goes out partying with Matthews.

Moreover, Pippa likes to be known as the “good girl next door,” opposite to what her family and close friends identify her as such. She is also aware that if she will not succeed in convincing everyone that she is not a “wildly-out-of-control” kind who only desires for publicity, there is a possibility that Kate and William will not be present when she will exchange vows with Matthews.

According to Hello Magazine, Pippa is not pleased calling her as a socialite. It annoys her that the public thinks she is just using her position for her personal gain and that she is really a “party girl without any substance.”

Pippa Middleton has been exposed in the public eye for years already and she has already managed to defend herself from these negative comments and criticisms. She even mentioned how it was difficult for her to deal on these things, handling it all on her own.

She also added that it had become typical for them already and that there are issues and matters they have to take into consideration. She even said that those are just normal to life. She just doesn’t want to be too sensitive on these things being thrown to her even if it hurts her.

Pippa Middleton is currently working on her cookbook titled, Heartfelt, which consist of more than 100 recipes for a healthy heart.

On one hand, Pippa Middleton and James Matthews wedding will be in 2017 and the public still clueless if Kate Middleton will attend to it.

Also see: backless wedding dresses

From the second you get engaged, it seems like everyone has advice to share about planning a wedding. Whether they’re currently engaged, happily married, have walked down the aisle more than once, or are totally single, everyone has something to say! And — fair warning — not all of that advice is very good. The best sources for planning advice are the experts themselves, but even wedding planners get an earful of tips you should really forget. We’ve asked top planners to dish on some of the worst wedding planning advicethey’ve ever heard — and to fill us in on what you should do instead.

“I hear bad advice all the time,” says Amy Nichols, owner of Amy Nichols Special Events and cofounder ofThe Poppy Group. “One piece that brides should totally ignore? Telling guests the ceremony starts earlier than it actually does! Using your timeline to manipulate guests to arrive on time isn’t the way to win friends or make guests happy.” Remember, most guests know that the time on the invitation is the actual start time, and will plan to arrive at least 15 minutes early. “Not only does putting a false start time on the invitation cause confusion for your guests, it can also create a scheduling mess for your vendors.” Instead, Nichols says to work with your planner to create a solid timeline that will allow for seamless flow. “A professional will know exactly how much time to allow to make sure guests are seated, get the wedding party in place, and send you down the aisle,” Nichols reminds us.

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Here’s advice any planner would cringe at: Anyone telling you you don’t need a day-of coordinator.”Even if you aren’t investing in a full-service planner, a day-of coordinator is the best money you’ll spend when it comes to your wedding,” says Teissia Treynet, founder of Firefly Events. “Without a coordinator, you’re stuck dealing with all the tiny details (including the surprise ones that could ruin your day). Having a pro on-hand to make sure everything is in order and catch those problems before you even find out about them will enable you to fully enjoy your wedding day from start to finish.

Having incredibly talented friends and family can be great, but having them work on your wedding? Less so. “It’s never safe to assume that friends and family are going to help you on the day of your wedding,” says Jackie Martucci, owner of Events by Jackie M. “No matter how talented, even professionals love to simply be guests at a wedding!” And if your friend isn’t a pro? Watch out. “Even the most well-meaning of friends seriously underestimate the time it takes to complete tasks like decorating your venue (which won’t leave them any time to get ready before you walk down the aisle!).” Avoid resentment if your friends or family don’t meet your expectations, and instead leave it to the professionals. “Make sure delegated tasks are outlined in your contracts. And speaking of contracts, if you do end up hiring a pro who is also a friend, don’t skip this step! You should still outline expectations just as you would with any other vendor,” says Martucci. Yup, even if they’re offering their services as a gift!

“Family members and friends love to give advice based on what their wedding cost and what you’re paying,” says Nichols. “They’ll critique how much you’re spending on, say, flowers, but they got married in a different part of the country (or a different decade!) and can’t accurately weigh what is a fair price for goods and services in your area.” She advises remembering that prices will vary greatly from one state to another, so instead get a feel for what things cost in your area — and don’t look any further. Continues Nichols, “Use your wedding planner to determine what your budget will allow for each vendor, and go from there.”

Everyone has an opinion when it comes to money, and if the budget is running out, the first thing to go is often the videographer. “You might think a videographer is a splurge or a luxury, but it’s worth including one in your budget from the very beginning,” Treynet advises. “Consider your videographer just as important as your photographer. You will be so full of emotion and adrenaline on the day of your wedding that it will be hard to remember all of the special moments and beautiful speeches, and a videographer can capture them in a way that even a photographer can’t.” You’ll be surprised to see the little moments you’ve already forgotten by the time your film is delivered, and reliving your vows or your first dance will bring it all back. “These are the memories that will last a lifetime, so preserve them!” says Treynet.

The guest list is MAJOR inspiration for free advice. “I hear so many people tell brides to invite whoever they want, because ‘they probably won’t come anyway,’” Nichols reveals. “But playing a guessing game with your guest list and not being strategic can really cause big budgetary issues when the responses begin to arrive.” Instead, be sure that you account for each guest as you’re inviting them. “And make sure your budget would allow for every single person’s attendance!”

While no bride wants to think about the risk of rain, ignoring the rain plan is bad advice all around. “We all want perfect weather, especially for outdoor events, but denying the fact that inclement weather is a real possibility is simply irresponsible,” says Martucci. “Instead, create a Plan B. The more you go over it and iron out the details, the more comfortable and confident you’ll feel should you need to implement it.” A good wedding planner will talk about Plan B constantly, making sure he or she knows exactly how things will play out in the event of bad weather. “And we want you on board!” Martucci continues. “We don’t want to be running into your bridal suite in a panic, not knowing how you’ll react if it’s snowing. We can’t control the weather, and it’s the one thing we cannot change. So have a contingency plan and be prepared to roll with it!”

Source: sheindressau.com

The definition of marriage in America has dramatically evolved in recent years, particularly in the wake of last year’s Supreme Court ruling that gay marriage is a nationwide right.

To keep up with the times, the magazine Modern Luxury Brides is changing its name to Modern Luxury Weddings in an effort to be more inclusive of same-sex marriages.

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“We have always been committed to equality, so we chose to rebrand our wedding‐ focused magazine to appeal to the newly engaged couples of today’s society,” said Michael Dickey, chief executive of Modern Luxury Media. “Today, weddings and marriages aren’t just for brides. They’re for anyone who wants to celebrate love.”

The semiannual magazine publishes nine regionally-focused editions, which are heavily made up of advertisements for local wedding industry businesses, like florists, bakers, venues and retailers. The name change will go into effect for all editions with the December issue.

Mr. Dickey said the decision to rebrand came as the company prepared to expand its wedding-themed title into Washington, D.C., and Scottsdale, Ariz., earlier this year.

“Our advertisers and readers were talking about this. They said, ‘Brides is great, but it could be more inclusive and be more reflective of what is happening in today’s society,’ and we agreed 100%,” he said.

In all, privately-held Modern Luxury Media publishes 67 magazines in 20 markets, like Modern Luxury Interiors, Manhattan, the Atlantan and Men’s Book. Mr. Dickey said the weddings titles—which have been produced for about decade in places like Chicago, Atlanta, Houston and Miami—bring in about 10% of the company’s overall revenue.

While the magazine is available on newsstands and by subscription, it is mostly distributed free via direct mail to registered couples and targeted placement in wedding-related locations.

One of the series’ bigger titles, Modern Luxury Brides California, reported circulation of 103,000 copies in December 2015, according to the Alliance for Audited Media. Other regional titles average circulation of about 50,000 copies per issue, the company said.

Wedding magazines is a hotly-contested space. Condé Nast’s bimonthly Brides reported an average circulation of 319,000 in June. Martha Stewart Weddings, a quarterly, reported that month an average circulation of 211,000.

Modern Luxury Media was acquired by the Atlanta-based Dickey Publishing Inc. in 2010. The Dickey family also co-founded Cumulus Media, the second largest radio broadcaster in the U.S., with 451 stations in 90 markets.

Source: www.sheindressau.com