Barney Frank Discusses Wedding Partner Before Leaving Congress; Slams Gingrich …

Posted on April 17, 2012 by samir

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In an in-depth interview with New York Magazine, 73-year-old Rep. Barney Frank, the liberal icon from Massachusetts looks back on his past three decades in Congress and examines among other things, the rise of gay activism, Republicans and his regrets on the failures of Fannie Mae and the housing industry.

Frank plans to wed his long-time partner, Jim Ready, in July because he wants his colleagues to be forced to interact with a married, gay man and says he sees an unintended benefit in the same-sex union.

“I want to get married. I do think, to be honest, if I was running for reelection, I might have tried to put the marriage off until after the election, because it just becomes a complication,” said Frank. “But I did want to get married while I was still in office. I think it’s important that my colleagues interact with a married gay man.”

Frank’s brash, take-no-prisoners style that has become his trademark is clearly on display in the interview. Frank came to Washington in 1981 after serving 10 years in the Massachusetts state legislature, where he introduced the state’s first gay marriage bill in 1972. Afraid he was going to be “outed,” he kept his homosexuality a secret for many years as he attempted to expand the homosexual agenda and his liberal ideas when he arrived in the nation’s capital.

“I had a kind of general liberal agenda,” said the Massachusetts congressman. “I also had in mind to try to do something about gay rights, as we then called it, because I’d been a leader on that in the [state] legislature. I was still closeted, but from the day I decided to run for office, I decided that I would, of course, still be closeted but that I would work very hard for gay rights.”

One area Frank is optimistic about is same-sex marriage. He doesn’t see much progress being made in the near term but expects homosexuals to have reached “equality” sometime in the next ten years saying, “We’re going to have pretty close to full legal equality for gay and lesbian people in much of America. There still won’t be marriage rights, I believe, in many states, but there will be marriage rights in states that are at least half the population, and there’ll be no federal restrictions on recognizing that.”

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Having served in both the majority and minority party in Congress, Frank quickly pounced on former Speaker of the House and now GOP presidential candidate Newt Gingrich and as the reason partisanship is so firmly grounded in Congress. And his disdain for the sudden rise and influence of the Tea Party (who he associates with Michele Bachmann) and the advent of how people get their news and information was more than evident.

“The main reason for the increase in partisanship is Newt Gingrich and the success of his decision [as speaker] to demonize the opposition as a way to win,” Frank said. “People ask me, ‘Why don’t you guys get together?’ And I say, ‘Exactly how much would you expect me to cooperate with Michele Bachmann?’ And they say, ‘Are you saying they’re all Michele Bachmann?’ And my answer is no, they’re not all Michele Bachmann. Half of them are Michele Bachmann. The other half are afraid of losing a primary to Michele Bachmann.

“That was reinforced by the right-wing takeover of the Republican Party. And finally, modern communications: Twenty years ago, people had a common set of facts that they read. They read opinion journalists, but they got their information generally from newspapers and from broadcasts. Now, the activists live in parallel universes, which are both separate and echo chambers for each. If you’re on the left, you listen to MSNBC; you go to the blogs, Huffington Post, et cetera, and you basically hear only what you agree with. If you’re on the right, you watch Fox News and the talk shows, and you hear only what you agree with.”

But one of the areas where Frank has drawn a great deal of criticism when it comes to his legislative career is what he did or didn’t do about the mortgage giants, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. When asked if he accepted the criticism that he was wrong about them, he quickly shifted the blame.

“No! Yes, I was wrong in 2003, but I wasn’t in charge,” said a perturbed Frank. “This is the most intellectually dishonest argument from Republicans. Their argument appears to be that I stopped Tom Delay from doing something (about Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae).”

“I became chairman of the committee in 2007. The first thing we did was pass tough legislation restricting Fannie and Freddie,” a fact disputed by many GOP members of Congress. “They talk about Fannie and Freddie when they’re out of power. When they’re in power they do nothing.”

The entire interview in the New York Magazine can be read here.

SimplyBridal’s Presents Wedding Veil Tips

Posted on April 17, 2012 by samir

SimplyBridal, an online wedding retailer, announces its list of 5 tips for wearing wedding veils in 2012.

Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) April 17, 2012

SimplyBridal.com is the place to check out exquisite wedding dresses and veils at competitive prices. As part of its wedding veil collection launch, SimplyBridal is announcing its top five wedding veil tips for 2012.

“Veils were once thought to hide brides from evil spirits and were often opaque. Most modern veils are sheer and often serve to accent or highlight a bride’s beauty than hide it. The vintage trend has popularized the short birdcage veil and many brides are still influenced by Kate Middleton’s wedding style, which has made veils a hot hair accessory,” said media contact Harper Butler.

1. Match it to Your Hairstyle

Veils can be worn with any hairstyle, but the placement of the veil varies depending on how the hair is arranged. The wedding veil can be worn in three places: on the top of the head, on the back of the head, or under the wedding hair updo. Brides-to-be should bring their veil to their hairdresser during the hair and makeup run to decide the best placement.

2. Highlight Detailing in Your Dress

The length and material of the veil can be used to highlight certain parts of the wedding dress. The eye is drawn to the point where the veil ends. For example, a short shoulder length veil is ideal for accenting an elaborate neckline. If a dress has lace or detailed embroidery, a plain sheer veil may show the dress at its best advantage.

3. Opposites Do Attract

The veil choice also depends on the style and the level of decoration of the wedding gown. In general, an elaborate veil makes a gorgeous statement piece when paired with simple wedding gown. However if the dress is very detailed, a simple veil lets the eye focus on the wedding gown. Only the most formal of weddings are able to accommodate the combination of both an elaborate dress and veil.

4. Match Theme

The wedding veil should also fit into the general wedding theme. There’s the classic style, where the décor and dress is formal, symmetrical and. Longer veils are perceived as more formal. The romantic style is much softer and usually includes lots of attention to detail. A lace edged veil creates an interesting contrast of textures. The modern style is more understated and free of extraneous details.

5. Accessories

Wedding veils are often just one component of the hair. Common accessories include flowers, jeweled pins, feathers, fascinators, and tiaras. To avoid too many elements competing with each other, elaborate accessories are often paired with simpler hairstyles. Many brides choose to combine the veil and accessory into one piece so that it’s easier to wear and creates an overall sleeker look.

About SimplyBridal:

SimplyBridal is an online retailer that simplifies the entire bridal process by putting the best wedding products and services directly into the hands of our users worldwide. We accomplish this mission by offering a selection of quality bridal products; providing an excellent, worry-free purchase experience; providing the best set of bridal resources and content; and offering beautiful, superior-quality wedding dresses that won’t break the budget. Our service grew from the desire to offer brides-to-be with elegant, luxurious and high-quality gowns that use only the finest fabrics-minus the monumental cost and corporate red tape. SimplyBridal merges the mom-and-pop dress shop feel with the professionalism and quality of a global brand. Every bride deserves the dress of her dreams. At SimplyBridal, she can find it. Browse our collection at http://www.SimplyBridal.com or contact the company at press@simplybridal.com or (213) 375-5354

For the original version on PRWeb visit: http://www.prweb.com/releases/prweb2012/4/prweb9405944.htm

Bridal Extravaganza Show Announces Publication of New Who’s Who Directory

Posted on April 17, 2012 by samir

Planning the perfect proposal

Posted on April 17, 2012 by samir

Render your bride (or groom) speechless with a creative wedding proposal – but not before they say “I do!” A Montreal-based entrepreneur launched The Proposal Planners back in 2009 to help couples create the dream scenario. (Shutterstock)

Meaghan McNamara was touring murals in Philadelphia with her boyfriend. It was a great road trip, they were having loads of fun together and she couldn’t be happier. Then, on the elevated train en-route to their next stop, one of the passengers starting singing.

“All you need is love!” she sang from the aisle of the train.

“All you need is love!” joined in other passengers in harmony.

It turned out her boyfriend, Todd, had conspired with the Pennsylvania State University Glee Club to deliver a beautifully sung marriage proposal.

One by one the singers joined the chorus as it slowly dawned on Meaghan what was happening. By the time they gave her a single rose and her boyfriend was on one knee in front her, she could barely contain herself.

The “Love Letter Tour Proposal” video now has more than 17,000 views on YouTube and dozens of loving comments, some from friends and many from complete strangers.

When it comes to engagements, everyone wants the romantic moment to be both perfect and memorable.

Vanessa Ferrara saw a blissful business opportunity.

The Montreal-based entrepreneur launched The Proposal Planners back in 2009 to help couples start planning their wedding before there’s even a wedding to plan.

“I have been a lover of weddings all my life. But what would interest me more was the proposal,” she said. “Women, myself included, all our lives think about and wait for this moment to come. It has to be special.”

Ferrara soon found The Proposal Planners became a way to expand her existing wedding planning business. Traditionally, women are the primary wedding planners. But starting out with proposal planning, men are using her service and then recommending her wedding planning services to their fiancées.

She even helps some men pick out the ring, sometimes providing a personal shopper for the occasion.

“The proposal is really where it all begins.”

Part of the increase in the popularity of proposal planning is the rise in social media and the sharing culture — everyone loves to hear about a good proposal story — or better, watch one on YouTube. These days proposals are getting more detailed, with more pizzazz and finesse both in the execution and the delivery.

Depending on the level of complexity of the proposal, companies like The Proposal Planners and others in Canada charge anywhere from $75 up to $350.

“It all depends on the services they choose. We offer one-on-one consultations, full planning, online consulting, diamond and personal shoppers, travel concierge services … it really depends on the idea and how elaborate the proposal is,” said Ferrara.

Kingston-based etiquette expert Catherine Bell, though, advises grooms looking to make a splash to take a careful look at their partner and their relationship before diving into such a public pronouncement of their love.

“By the time you are ready to propose, you should know how your intended partner would feel about this, and if not, perhaps it is too early in your relationship to talk about tying the knot because good communication is the foundation of successful marriages,” Bell says.

“Remember that a proposal could be declined or postponed for a number of reasons. If this happens to you, are you able to take the rejection in such a public forum and what will it do to your relationship with your partner?”

But when a perfectly choreographed, delivered and recorded proposal goes off without a hitch, the magic of the memory can last a lifetime and be the perfect kick-off to planning the rest of the wedding, and your life together.

Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie Wedding: How Celebrities Keep Their Ceremonies Private

Posted on April 17, 2012 by samir

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have yet to disclose the date of their forthcoming nuptials, but wedding planner Tatiana Byron, tells me no expense will be spared.

“A celebrity wedding involving two of the world’s biggest superstars will require great measures to ensure privacy,” Byron tells me. “Basic things such as keeping the location private until the day of the event, hand-delivered invitations a few weeks before the event and phone calls for save-the-dates are a few ideas to ensure limited access to the wrong hands.”

And it’s not only a courtesy for guests to keep their celebrity friends’ wedding details discreet; sometimes slipping secrets comes with a heavy price tag.

“It’s common for the high-profile couple to ask all vendors to sign nondisclosure agreements with heavy fines attached to breaking those agreements,” Byron revealed. “Some celebrities have chartered private jets, flying guests to the unknown locations and simply disclosing only the date and how to pack.”

Byron, founder of the Wedding Salon, has arranged events for such well-known figures as Lionel Richie, Diana Ross, Joan Rivers and Mary J. Blige.

“Traditionally, all guests and working vendors for these high-profile events are also asked to check their cell phones and cameras at the entrance,” Byron said. “Beyoncé and Jay-Z managed to keep all photos of their wedding out of the hands of the media by hosting their wedding at their Tribeca loft, blacking out the windows of the loft and hosting the party indoors. Rumor has it that Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie will follow their lead, hosting their nuptials at Château Miraval, their French estate.”

Pitt and Jolie have recently begun extensive renovations on Château Miraval, with security being high on their list of improvements.

“From a surveillance center, to cameras, high-tech alarms and infrared sensors, each of these security measures will be used to keep the wedding hidden from paparazzi,” a security expert with experience in the entertainment business tells me.

By hosting the wedding at their estate, the couple will maintain full control over who enters the property. Plus, there will be plenty of room for family and friends to stay in the château, which reportedly has 35 bedrooms.

“Personal privacy laws are very strict in France, where trespassing laws also apply to photographers,” Byron explains. “In the past, photographers have trespassed at Château Miraval, which resulted in imprisonment of the photographers. Additionally, the photos taken were not allowed to be published. It is also likely that the couple will hire local off-duty police officers to act as their security. [They] are very familiar with the terrain and have access to the local department’s army of officers for help if needed, as we saw for Chelsea Clinton’s wedding. They could also file for permits to block certain roads.”

It looks like we’ll see only what Pitt and Jolie want us to see when it comes to their big day.

Follow Naughty But Nice Rob on Twitter.

Also on HuffPost:

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A Nautical Northern Michigan Wedding at the Bay Harbor Village Hotel

Posted on April 17, 2012 by samir

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‘Project Runway All Star’ Rami unveils bridal collection for bebe

Posted on April 17, 2012 by samir

Examiner.com is the inside source for everything local. We are powered by Examiners, the largest pool of passionate contributors in the world.

Examiners provide unique and original content to enhance life in your local city wherever that may be. Examiners come from all walks of life and contribute original content to entertain, inform, and inspire.

BelleandClive.Com Opens “Wedding Belles” Boutique

Posted on April 17, 2012 by samir

Starting today, “Wedding Belles” will have access to a killer collection
of designer wedding gowns on Bluefly’s (NASDAQ Capital market: BFLY)
flash sale site,
BelleandClive.com.
One lucky bride will also win a dream dress via the site’s “With this
Pin, I Thee Win” companion contest on social networking pinboard and
bride-to-be favorite,
Pinterest.

The BelleandClive.com boutique has a complete aisle-to-honeymoon
offering including bridal gowns from the likes of Notte by Marchesa;
designer shoes and clutches by Jimmy Choo, Yves Saint Laurent, Rebecca
Minkoff, and more; and haute honeymoon picks. Bridesmaids are also
attended to with cocktail frocks and formal dresses featuring bridal and
red carpet favorites, Nicole Miller and Badgley Mischka Platinum Label.
Grooms and their groomsmen can choose from a hip, sartorial selection
that includes Tommy Hilfiger tuxedos and sleek suits by Prada, Paul
Smith, Hickey Freeman, and Zegna.

Belle Clive’s wedding boutique will close May 15
^th; the
contest
on Pinterest ends May 1
^st.

ABOUT BLUEFLY

Founded in 1998, Bluefly, Inc. (NASDAQ Capital Market: BFLY) is a
leading online retailer of designer brands, fashion trends, and superior
value. Bluefly is headquartered at 42 West 39th Street in New York City,
in the heart of Manhattan’s Fashion District. In 2011, Bluefly expanded
its portfolio, launching
Belle
Clive, a Members-only shopping destination that presents
highly-curated selections of important brands via limited-time sale
events; and
Eyefly,
an online portal for fashionable prescription eyeglasses starting at
$99. For more information, please dial 212-944-8000, or visit
www.bluefly.com.

Tags: Belle Clive, Wedding, Bridal, Brides, Bridesmaids, Brides-to-be,
Engaged, Grooms, Groomsmen, Notte by Marchesa, Jimmy Choo, Yves Saint
Laurent, Rebecca Minkoff, Nicole Miller, Badgley Mischka Platinum Label,
Tommy Hilfiger, Prada, Paul Smith, Hickey Freeman, Zegna, honeymoon,
tuxedos, wedding dresses, wedding gowns, Pinterest, Bluefly

Eccentric designer shows off themed fashion at iconic club

Posted on April 17, 2012 by samir

LONDON – Bold creations by a Filipino designer highlighted gay rights, Philippine culture, and the London 2012 Olympics at a fashion show in the capital’s club scene.

Fashion designer Neil Medina, 62, showcased his outrageous designs at the “I Love Pacha, I Love Fashion” event at popular nightclub, Pacha London.

His creations featured an eclectic mix of garments including colorful cocktail dresses, intricate gowns, and a sparkling wedding collection.

He also exhibited outlandish themed costumes with a twist, from cowboys and angels to mardi gras and the English heritage.

“I feel very excited and nervous. This is the first time that something like this would happen in my life. This is my childhood dream, making clothes for people,” Medina told ABS-CBN Europe.

Beyond the beauty of fashion, his collection also raised awareness of causes close to his heart. Having previously designed outfits for gay festivals in the UK, some of the designs reflected the aesthetics of gay pride parades with outrageous shapes and colors, as well as using transsexual models on the runway.

Promoting his cultural heritage, Medina also included Filipiniana pieces inspired by traditional Philippine costumes, worn by British Filipino models.

The centerpiece of the show, however, was his collection inspired by the upcoming London 2012 Olympics, including garments with Union Jack motif and statement dresses carrying Olympic symbols.

“I’m taking advantage to promote London Olympics, because I’ve been living in this country for a long time. My first love is the Philippines, London is my second home,” he explained.

Return to fashion

Medina moved to London in 1973 to study nursing, after graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Medical Technology from Centro Escolar University in Manila.

He qualified two years later and worked as a psychiatric nurse in Surrey and Brighton. In 1980, he decided to move into social work, which he pursued until his early retirement in 2003.

Since then, he moved back to the capital to pursue his creative passions, including writing poems and children’s books. He is also a regular at events in the Filipino community in London with his unmistakable eccentric style.

But his first love has always been fashion. He started modestly in 1963, when he was taught by his grandmother in the art of sewing, embroidery, knitting, and crochet. Two years later, he took evening classes in tailoring while still in high school, and continued to work on his craft for many years.

After a long career in nursing and social work, Medina returned to his passion for fashion in 2003 and continues to pursue it to this day.

“It’s amazing, because I never thought at the age of 62 I could still do it. And the youngsters love me dressing up. I never feel old, because to me it’s only a number. It never comes into my mind. I’m still me. Just me,” he revealed.

‘Amazing’

The show received a positive response from a predominantly young crowd of fashionistas, club scene regulars, and party revelers from all walks of life.

“It was absolutely beautiful. I loved the 2012 theme. Go team GB. The whole show was brilliant this evening,” said Barbara Bush, a seasoned club entertainer, hostess and DJ.

Stephanie Lincoln, a British Filipina model, also said: “I love Neil’s dresses. They fit really well and they also look good. Tonight had a really good vibe and everyone was having fun.”

“It’s gone very well tonight,” said DJ James McLaughlin, who provided the rousing catwalk music for the show. “I would say the music was excellent seeing as I was playing it. The inspiration really was the style of the clothes which set off the sounds and the eras, from 60s to 80s to the modern kind of pop with house music. It matched the clothes tonight so I’m very happy.”

London-based Filipino stylist Jojo Almujuela observed: “The show was amazing. Neil Medina’s designs are just exquisite and extravagant, and Luke 1977 is amazing with the retro and classic style.”

“They’re amazing,” added British presenter Tina Edwards. “We had Luke 1977 who was really classic, he covered the gentleman and the English lad. And then we had Neil Medina, who is just really outlandish and completely different. I had so many collections to show off.”

Pushing the boundaries

Medina showcased his collection alongside trendy menswear label Luke 1977, purveyors of classic and tailored leisurewear with a distinct British sensibility.

“It’s really exciting to be showing in Pacha as we’ve just opened a new store in Carnaby Street in London, which is a really iconic street. To be showing in an iconic club seems really fitting tonight,” said Lucas Armitage from Luke 1977.

“We’re previewing our autumn/winter collection, so that’s an exclusive look for Pacha. Luke 1977 epitomizes how real men want to dress. It creates clothes for people who enjoy doing sports and socializing. It’s leisurewear for every occasion.”

The event was organized by Club Exclu, a fashion events company headed by British Filipina fashionista and PR entrepreneur Vanessa Horca.

“Tonight’s show was a great success. We pushed the barriers of fashion to outrageous heights they would never expect to see, like big juicy lips on a woman’s body. That’s Pacha for you,” she concluded.

Recession Brings Many Benefits for Brides-to-Be for Wedding Programs and …

Posted on April 17, 2012 by samir

Beautiful Wedding Programs Template Designs

The Wedding Program Site offers a cost-saving, cost-effective solution, yet the bride gets a beautiful professional design as if she hired her own graphic designer!

Orinda, CA (PRWEB) April 17, 2012

Before saying her wedding “I Do’s,” today’s recession-era bride needs to learn how to be a savvy shopper to keep costs down when shopping for her wedding programs and accessories. “Getting married during one of the worst recessions in global history has been tough on a lot of brides. That’s why we created the Wedding Program Site where they can download various customizable wedding themed templates for everything from invitations, menus, place cards, thank you cards and so much more,” said owner Carole Galassi.

“The average bride spends between $1,000 and $4,000 on just printed material for her wedding. But, if she’s a savvy shopper, she can download and personally customize our Wedding Program Site Superstore templates and it will only cost her between $50 and $100. That’s quite a substantial savings,” added Galassi.

“We launched this site in January 2012 with a few bridal products and due to the high volume of demand, we’re now drastically expanding the site and announcing 13 new and different layout templates for weddings, which include but are not limited to, rsvp cards, trifles, tenfold, 1-page programs, save the dates, gatefold, single fold, 4-page graduated, 2-page graduated, wedding invitations, menus, place cards, and wedding thank you cards templates, as well as matching fan programs and hard cover guest books,” said Galassi. In addition, the site also offers memory albums, wedding favors, wedding candles, bridal party gifts, seating cards and other accessories.

All of Galassi’s wedding program designs are compatible with Microsoft Word, Microsoft Publisher and Apple iWork Pages. “Our wedding program site is the only resource on the web to offer templates for all three applications,” added Galassi. So anyone can create beautiful and professional looking programs with software that is virtually installed on every home or office computer.

“All of our templates will match and coordinate with each different style. The bride-to-be can put together her entire printed ensemble for a lot less than what it would cost to take it to a printer, or to buy the whole set elsewhere,” said Galassi.

“The Wedding Program Site is unique because our templates contain background images, whereas other online sites only offer the basic pre-printed, blank material forms that need to be printed by a professional printer. At our site, the bride has a choice of using our templates and customizing them herself and then printing it on her home printer, having them printed locally or using our professional printing services,” said Galassi. More choices seems to be the favorite among today’s brides!

“The Wedding Program Site offers a cost-saving, cost-effective solution, yet the bride gets a beautiful professional design as if she hired her own graphic designer,” added Galassi.

“My background is in graphic design and template development. After working for over a decade for large secular companies promoting their marketing materials and winning countless awards, I decided I wanted to start my own business. So, in 2008, I launched the Funeral Programs Site and in no time, the demand for our customizable funeral programs skyrocketed.” Galassi said. “Our customers were now asking us to design wedding programs and invitations. So I applied that business model and developed a new wedding program site,” said Galassi.

Today’s bride are tech savvy and knows a great time saving idea. Templates are used by almost every industry and it is no different in the ever popular wedding arena. It just makes more sense since there are many details to plan and people are always looking for ways to cut costs. It is no secret that the do-it-yourself method always prevails financially. Wedding planners are not going to want to miss out on the opportunity to save cost and time while producing a truly memorable and magnificent program.

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Recession Brings Many Benefits for Brides-to-Be for Wedding Programs and …