2012 January

The Road to Mrs. – Controling Portion Control

26 Jan2012 By Bridgette 3 Comments

Triple B's resident bride-to-be is finding her way in the world of portion control.

Hey Triple B, I hope everyone’s week was well. As far as my diet is concerned, for the most part mine was great. However, Friday was a challenging day. I met some girlfriends for dinner at Carmines. If you are familiar with Carmines [in New York City] you already know their mammoth size family style portions of Italian fare can be any dieter’s nemesis. I handled it well, if I do say so myself. I gave myself permission to enjoy for the evening. Evoking an 80/20 rule of sorts, the Dieter’s edition.
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Filed Under: Engagement, Planners, Peonies & Placecards, Uncategorized Tagged With: bridal fitness, brides trying to lose weight, health and wellness for brides, health tips for brides, Jene Jackson, losing weight for wedding, The Road to Mrs., The Road to Mrs. blog, tips for losing weight for your wedding day, weight loss tips for brides

You Oughta Know: Soliloquy Boutique

20 Jan2012 By Bridgette 1 Comment

Soliloquy Bridal Boutique is taking the DMV by Storm!

Anytime I get the opportunity to feature Black female entrepreneurs on Triple B (which is done quite often), I get excited and today is no exception. Read all about Soliloquy Bridal Boutique, the awesome brainchild of Savannah-native Miriam Liggett. This former corporate executive and fellow bridal junkie opened the doors of Soliloquy in Northern Virginia in November 2011 and the retail establishment is already all the buzz in the DMV (Washington, D.C., Maryland and Northern Virginia) area. Find out why:

The Road to Mrs. – Holiday Matters

19 Jan2012 By Bridgette 5 Comments

Who wouldn't be tempted by treats like this?!

Okay now the holidays are over, my eight month countdown begins, and it is time to get focused. The holiday season was an “eating” good time. From Thanksgiving through New Year’s Day, I didn’t turn down a thing. Between the office Christmas party with it’s open bar and smorgasbord buffet, to every cake, pie and cookie that comes along with the Ho-Ho-Holiday I ate them all. Whoever said sugar withdrawal is not a real thing LIED, because I am a sho-nuff addict.

Go DJ! Yeah, that’s my DJ! – Introducing Scratch Weddings

18 Jan2012 By Bridgette Leave a Comment

Make sure your wedding reception is a night for you and your guests to remember!

Finding the right person to spin the right tunes on your wedding day is no easy feat. While some of you might go the live band route, most of you will opt for a DJ to do the deed. Generally they are less expensive and more accessible than bands. But as anyone who has ever attended a function where the DJ was less than average will agree, making a final decision on a wedding reception DJ can be stressful — until now.

Scratch Weddings, a company cofounded by the late Jam Master Jay of Run DMC fame, has launched a national service connecting couples with reception-savvy DJs. The music masters are divided by region on the site and you can even watch video snippets of the DJs you’re interested in booking. For your protection, all Scratch Weddings DJs are (supposed to be) insured. Many of their DJs have worked with the likes of The Black Eyed Peas and Lady Gaga but they also claim to have selections that will keep your Great Aunts and Uncles happy, too.

Nice! As always, if you contact Scratch Weddings be sure to mention the folks over at BlackBridalBliss.com sent ya.

Still looking for practical tips to help out when booking your wedding DJ? Look no further than this post!

Filed Under: Planners, Peonies & Placecards, Uncategorized Tagged With: booking a wedding dj online, how to book a wedding dj, how to book a wedding dj online, reception dj, reception music, scratch weddings, top wedding djs, wedding dj, wedding reception entertainment, what to look for in a wedding dj

The Road to Mrs. Introduces Bride-to-Be, Jene!

12 Jan2012 By Bridgette 9 Comments

Triple B's latest Road to Mrs. blogger Jene and her fiance, Royshawn!

Triple B’s last Road to Mrs. blogger Nadine is officially hitched and she has passed the baton to drumroll please… Jene Jackson. Read Jene’s candid love journey below and come back every Thursday for her musings on wedding planning. Enjoy!

The Real 411 of Booking a Wedding Photographer

11 Jan2012 By Bridgette Leave a Comment

A fun image captured by today's featured expert Kesha Lambert.

I’ve been hearing disturbing stories from disgruntle newlyweds who were screwed (or just plain uninformed) while trying to obtain their wedding photos. To help you out, I knew just the person to contact. Kesha Lambert is a talented photographer who has brought smiles to many bride’s faces but she’s also a seasoned attorney! Check out my Q&A with the lady behind the lens and do forward this to anyone who intends to hire a professional photographer for any important upcoming event.

Tie the Knot Tuesday – Nadine & Sean

10 Jan2012 By Bridgette 6 Comments

Remember Road to Mrs. blogger Nadine who shared her ups and downs of wedding planning with Triple B last year? Well, she’s officially a Mrs. now! I personally know candidly opening up in her blog wasn’t always easy for Nadine but she was committed. Read, view her stunning pictures and show her and her hilarious husband Sean support of their glorious new union in the comments.

You May Kiss the Bride: The Mauricettes jump the broom in Toronto!

Bride: Nadine Gooden, 35
Groom: Sean Mauricette, 33
Occupations: Gooden: Writer/Blogger/Executive Assistant Mauricette: Musician/Entertainer/Motivational Speaker
Homebase: Toronto, Ontario (Canada)
Wedding Date: September 4, 2011
Wedding Location: Ceremony: Timothy Eaton Memorial Church, Toronto; Reception: Mariposa Belle Boat, Toronto Harbourfront
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Filed Under: Tie The Knot Tuesdays, Uncategorized Tagged With: Black brides, Black love, black marriage, Black marriages, Black relationships, Black weddings, Black women getting married, budget bridal advice, Nadine Gooden, navy jade, The Road to Mrs., The Road to Mrs. blog, Tie the Knot Tuesday, Tie The Knot Tuesdays, Toronto weddings, Toronto weddings on a budget

Black Brides: You Matter Here!

9 Jan2012 By Bridgette 3 Comments

Triple B's very first Tie the Knot Tuesday bride, Cleo Dujon!

A new year always encourages us to reflect on the one we just left. We’re 9 days into 2012 and as I attempt to strategize on ways to make Triple B more helpful and efficient for you (and make a profit in the process), I’ve been forced to reevalute why this site was launched in the first place. We can all agree that the Black bride is rarely ever acknowledged and when she is it often seems like an afterthought. But here are some other reasons I think often go unnoticed: [Read more...]

Filed Under: Planners, Peonies & Placecards Tagged With: Black bridal stories, Black brides, Black love, black marriage, Black marriages, Black relationships, Black weddings, Black women getting married, Bridgette Bartlett, Bridgette Bartlett commentary, Bridgette Bartlett op-ed, budget bridal advice, budget bridal finds, budget bridal resources, budget bridal tips, budget wedding advice, budget wedding ideas, budget wedding tips, jumping the broom, Marriage Matters, planning a wedding on a budget, Tie the Knot Tuesday, Tie The Knot Tuesdays, wedding planning on a budget

BlackBridalBliss.com Featured in UPTOWN Magazine!

4 Jan2012 By Bridgette 1 Comment

Triple B graces the pages of this hot issue!

Once again Triple B is featured in the UPTOWN Weddings & Travel special issue. Woo hoo! This informative issue — on newsstands now through February 2012 — is filled with nuggets of cool finds on everything from fashion to honeymoons. For the second consecutive year, BlackBridalBliss is listed in the mag’s gold pages, a directory of goods and services divided by region. Check Triple B out on page 98.

Also a treat was noticing how many bridal-related professionals previously featured on the site are included in the issue. There’s a story on newlywed TaraSimone of Barbara’s Flowers and her world-wind honeymoon to Dubai and the Maldives that will make you start tracking frequent flyer miles like yesterday, an outtake from this Rock the Dress shoot by Kesha Lambert (Lambert is also included in The Gold Pages) and a gorgeous feature on a platinum-style wedding (1,500 guests at the ceremony!) planned by Leslie Short of K.I.M Media. I highly suggest you take the time to go back and read the above linked Triple B stories as you might have missed them when they first ran.

(And please join in on the fun via Facebook and Twitter to always stay abreast of what Triple B is working on first!)

HAPPY READING!

Filed Under: Planners, Peonies & Placecards Tagged With: black bridal bliss in uptown magazine, BlackBridalBliss.com in the press, BlackBridalBliss.com in Uptown magazine, bridgette bartlett in the press, bridgette bartlett in uptown magazine, the gold pages uptown magazine, Uptown weddings & travel issue

Not Quite Tie the Knot Tuesday – Starrene & Anslem

3 Jan2012 By Bridgette 8 Comments

Brooklyn is for Lovers: Anslem & Starrene's E-Session

So, I must come clean. I was hesitant about sharing the e-session pics of nearlyweds Anslem Samuel (founder of NakedWithSocksOn.com) and Starrene “Starr” Rhett (founder of GangStarrGirl.com) because they appeared on another site that I happen to freelance for about a month ago. I had already planned to feature the pics here on Triple B and got scooped by the bigger outlet. I was annoyed. But I had no choice but to share them with you guys because they’re just that fly. The couple’s energy and love for each other is palpable. I know this couple personally and I couldn’t be happier for them. And since I know many of you recently said “Yes!” over the holidays, what better way to get inspired for your upcoming engagement session than by viewing images of this creative pair?

Like another one of my fave e-sessions, the Brooklyn-based Anslem and Starr let their location serve as a third subject of the shoot if you will. The duo was snapped on New York City’s iron horse and the equally gritty and glam Coney Island. Get ready to swoon:
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