David Tutera Day at All Michaels Stores Nationwide-Saturday, April 13th

I am SO excited to announce that on Saturday, April 13th from 1:00pm-3:00pm, all Michaels Stores will be hosting a David Tutera Bridal Collection Event. Michaels will show you all the ways the David Tutera Bridal Collection will make your special day even more extraordinary! Learn how to create beautiful, personalized wedding elements while staying within your budget.

Find your local Michaels Store here: http://hosted.where2getit.com/michaels/

David Tutera Sweepstakes
Enter the David Tutera Dream Wedding Sweepstakes for a chance to win a $1,000 Michaels gift card AND an exclusive one-hour wedding consultation with me! Hurry, sweepstakes ends May 31st. 

Enter here: http://www.michaels.com/David-Tutera-Sweepstakes/tutera-sweepstakes,default,pg.html or http://bit.ly/ZNrSne.

Invisalign

Sometimes people wonder why I represent particular brands--here’s the answer: I only represent brands that I am personally connected to. I’ve worn Invisalign for almost a year to adjust my bottom teeth. I wanted them to be a little straighter and I wanted to have a better smile because to me, when people smile it displays a sense of confidence. Many people don’t smile because they’re worried about their teeth which ultimately affects their energy. Invisalign is a great partnership for me because as someone who uses it and truly believes in it, I knew that it was a great opportunity to explain to brides-to-be and grooms-to-be that in the beginning stages of their wedding planning, this is something they can do to straighten their teeth and make their smile the perfect smile so that when they look back at photos from their wedding day, every photo has a smile in it because the confidence of a smile reflects the happiness in their relationship.

#InvisalignSpon, http://bit.ly/JDNXRj

Dream Bigger

The launch of my Dream Bigger tour is happening THIS FRIDAY, March 15th at The Grove of Anaheim in Anaheim, California and there is going to be an incredible turnout. I am SO excited about the entertainment that will be performing as well as the special guests on stage being interviewed as it truly is going to be a fun, interactive and engaging 90 minute fast-paced show where fans of My Fair Wedding, fans of mine and people who just want to be inspired and motivated will get a chance to sit back and really have fun. There may be some tears and some laughs but most of all there will be moments when everybody can have a great time.

There will be TONS of giveaways, including the following:

$10K Dream Wedding Package that includes a David Tutera Wedding Gown, David Tutera Shoes for bride,  David Tutera Embellish fashion jewelry for up to 5 Bridesmaids, shoes for up to 5 Bridesmaids, crafts for accessorizing the wedding, a subscription to David Tutera Wedding Planners and a consultation with David.

Dream Get Away from Elite Island Resorts is a four-night stay for two at St. James's Club & Villas in a gorgeous beach-front room. Included in this package is food, alcohol and a diverse selection of activites such as snorkeling, windsurfing, pedal boating, kayaking and more! The winners will also receive a luxurious spa treatment during their stay. This pacakage can be enjoyed by couples, friends, brides or non-brides!

Sparkle and Shine Package that includes a David Tutera wedding gown, David Tutera Emebllish fashion jewelry for Bride, bridal shoes and a David Tutera Wedding Planners subscription.

David Tutera Package that includes a one hour consultation via Skype with David Tutera related to anything entertainment, crafts from David's line based on the type of celebration the winner is having with a $500 retail value, shoes for the host, $500 worth of fabric and a signed book (book to be determined based on type of event winner is most interested in).

Make Over: One lucky audience member will receive a live makeover during the show. In addition to the makeover, they will also win the hair and makeup products that were used on them, David Tutera Embellish fashion jewelry accessories, a pair of non-wedding shoes and fashion

This something that I have been wanting to do for years so I am absolutely thrilled that it is finally here. Tickets are still available here: http://www.ticketmaster.com/event/09004986E98BB2C7?artistid=1809421&majorcatid=10005&minorcatid=104

After this first show in Anaheim, the show will continue in multiple cities throughout the country so all I can say is it's inspirational, aspirational and will be filled with creative tips on how to entertain--not just for weddings but for every type of celebration because after all, everyone should celebrate life and everybody should entertain because these are the moments when people can sit back, relax and enjoy the company of their loved ones.

My Mom

I’m headed to the airport to drop my mom off--she’s heading back to the east coast. I’ve had two great weeks of spending time with her which is always a gift to me because it’s one-on-one time that I truly cherish. Dinners, seeing friends, taking walks on the beach, hanging out with my new little dog Lucy, watching TV at home, having long talks and just really getting a chance to enjoy the simple things. I always hate saying goodbye to my mom but I also know that goodbye is not really goodbye because I’ll see her in a couple weeks back in Los Angeles. I love my private time and my one-on-one time with her; I’m very spoiled by it and sometimes I don’t want to share it, so they’re great moments for me and I cannot wait until her next trip. I beg people to spend time with their families, especially their moms because when you need nurturing, support and love, it’s there for you--embrace it.

My Bridal Collection is Launching in Michaels!

I am incredibly excited that my David Tutera Bridal Collection is launching in all Michaels stores next month (March) because it includes incredible products that adds sparkle, personality and everything a bride is hoping for on her wedding day. Brides can now really can walk down the aisle with confidence, knowing that they were able to find something within their budget that makes their day that much more special. I’m very proud of the details in the line because “Do It Yourself” can sometimes become overwhelming to a bride, but these items are all wonderful add-ons that easily give your wedding personality--whether it be to your candles, printed materials, picture frames for your tables, LED branches for your flower centerpieces or even the bling that can pop into the center of a rose that can add that fairy-tale, princess, glamorous effect that you might be going for. 

Overall, it’s been a really great ride for me over the past 25 years to go from creating high-end celebrations for my brides to now be able to provide the knowledge of high-end celebrations to brides on a budget. Ultimately, the David Tutera Bridal Collection provides solutions, glamour, inspiration and affordability to every bride who truly wants to walk down the aisle in style.

My Heartburn and Prevacid 24HR

If you are a frequent heartburn sufferer like me, go to Prevacid24HR.com for ways to manage frequent heartburn and you can even get perks at restaurants, spas and more.

Guest Blog Post: Kathy Kepler

Two years ago, I discovered my passion for wedding planning when I helped plan my daughter’s wedding. The wedding was magical and everything my daughter dreamed it would be. I loved the planning process so much that I set out to become a wedding planner at the ripe age of 52.

Last year, I submitted an essay about my journey to the “Kick Start Your Life TODAY with Marlo Thomas” series, and not long after, I found myself on the TODAY show set with David and Marlo. Since then, David has been a great mentor to me. One thing he told me that has really stuck with me is that “being a successful wedding planner comes from having a heart and investing yourself emotionally into other people’s weddings, just the way you did for your daughter.”    

Since launching my business (www.weddingsbykathleen.com), I have planned two weddings. The most recent wedding I planned—a beach wedding—was a challenge because Hurricane Sandy brought tropical storm weather conditions. We had to implement plan B at the last minute, and everything turned out beautifully. It was another great learning experience and has helped build my confidence.

I have learned that it may take a while to build up my business, but I feel very lucky to have finally found a passion, even though I am now 54 years old. I’m grateful of David’s encouragement along the way, and I am not going to give up. My goal is to plan three to five weddings a year, and I will put my heart and soul into every wedding that I plan, just as if I was planning a wedding for my own daughter.

Fan Call

I recently received an email from the husband of one of my fans whose wife recently gave birth to their second child. While this is always something to celebrate, a toll had been taken on this mother’s heart as her baby was placed in the neonatal intensive care unit after birth and had yet to breathe on his own. Her husband told me that his wife was a big fan of mine and he thought a phone call from me may be just the thing to brighten her spirits. I was so touched by this man’s love and concern for his wife as well as his story that I did just what he asked me to. I wasn’t sure if his wife would answer an unknown number when I called but was grateful when she did. I introduced myself and told her about her husband’s email; she was shocked, to say the least. I offered her words of encouragement, told her to hang in there and relayed a story about another couple I worked with once on My Fair Wedding whose twins spent the first several months of their lives in the hospital but are healthy as can be today. She told me she got to hold her son for the first time yesterday since his birth but that they could definitely use all the prayers they could get, which is exactly what I will give to her. The phone call only took a few minutes of my time but I’m hoping it was enough to make her smile and lift her up until she gets to bring her baby home.

My Mom

Life provides many things that you are never prepared for. Sometimes good, sometimes not so good. Right now, for me, I am a very lucky guy because I’ve got the gift of having my mom with me for an unlimited amount of time here in Los Angeles. She and I flew to LA and I treated her like the queen that she is--first class. We got here and we’ve already begun to have a wonderful time filled with relaxation. We went to church, to brunch, saw an amazing movie, The Perks of Being a Wallflower and ate popcorn--we had the best time! Now we’re going hiking on Day 2. We’ve got lots of plans-all simple, but all memorable and since she’s got a one way ticket, I don’t know when she’s going back to New York. The best thing is that I get to have one-on-one time with my mom for a long period of time. THAT, is a gift in life.

Photoshoot

So while I have no problem being in front of a video camera,  I’m never comfortable in front of a still camera. That line from Sunset Boulevard, “I’m ready for my close-up” doesn’t work for me. I did a photoshoot in New York last week and we started at 9:00am and ended at 5:00pm, so that’s a lot of close-ups and I wasn’t ready for any of them. BUT, it was a fun day. Jennifer and Charles Maring who are photographers and friends of mine, did an incredible job shooting me with all of my product lines and it was a wonderful day with a lot of hard work from everyone on my team to be able to provide new images for myself for publicity and all of my different product lines for 2013. SO, check out my new do, check out my new clothes and check out my new product lines in the coming months.

Ryan's Birthday

This past weekend I celebrated my partner Ryan’s birthday and wanted to do something that was tailored specifically for him, so we went up to Santa Barbara and did a cooking class all day. We started at the fisherman’s market, then went to the farmer’s market, then the cheese shop and it was SO enjoyable. We had a great chef leading the class, Chef Laurence. You never know what you sign up for but we ended up having an AMAZING time cooking and enjoying ourselves. I gutted and beheaded a fish (incredibly gross) which resulted in me not even eating it after it was cooked, but everything else was great--the risotto, crab legs, sides, pear tart--all things that Ryan wanted to learn to make. The trip to Santa Barbara was amazing. The following day we went to Disneyland and got a chance to do all of the things Ryan enjoys doing there-saw the private Walt Disney suite, went on all the rides, but most importantly, had a fun four days, which is what birthdays should be. They shouldn’t be one day but should rather be a series of days that you celebrate and so I detached from work and had a really great time with Ryan and a really great four days off. Beautiful weather with the person that you love on their birthday is the best way to celebrate.

New Season! My Fair Wedding: Unveiled

September 8th at 9:00pm ET/8:00pm CT...Saturday night...I hope you’re ready for My Fair Wedding: Unveiled because it’s going to be a crazy, insane journey to get my brides from the moment I meet them to down the aisle. The thing about this season which I really, really love is that you’re seeing the unveiled side of me, the unveiled side of the process, the madness behind the magic which literally is my every day life. Things don’t go perfectly when planning a wedding. It’s true, the first five seasons of My Fair Wedding were a lot of magic, fairy dust and dreams coming true; while the dreams are still coming true this season, there are a lot of bumpy parts of the road that we’ve got to get through to get to the other GREAT side. You’re going to see brides that don’t agree with me, brides and grooms that don’t agree with one another, momzillas that really are challenging to deal with, sisters that are really not supportive to the bride, family members that really are just disgruntled, even groomsmen who want to do things they just shouldn’t do. And when I say shouldn’t do, I mean really shouldn’t do. The reality is I’m having a BLAST doing this season and loving every minute of it because it’s REAL. I’m loving every moment of it because I’m still delivering the incredible over-the-top weddings and getting a chance to know the brides and grooms in a completely different light. So I suggest that you get ready, pop your popcorn, sit down, turn on the TV and watch My Fair Wedding: Unveiled on Saturday, September 8th at 9pm ET/8pm CT on Wetv because it’s going to be a wild ride!

What should I do next?

I always listen to my fans because they support and guide me so I have a question for them...what should I do next? Should I have a different line of products, write a new book, do a new TV show? I’m curious and want to hear from you what a great direction would be for me to go in towards something that would benefit you and that you could use from my brand? I’ve been focusing on weddings and I’d love to know if you think I should focus on celebrations? Such as moving into social occasions for fashion, products for celebrations that you could use when putting together an event/party that is not a wedding or wedding related. But I want to know; tell me what you’re looking for, tell me what you need and what you want me to do. Comment below as I’d love to get some direction because I’m ready for my next project :)

You Catch More Flies with Honey than Vinegar

I was just having a conversation with someone the other day and was asking them, “Why can’t people just smile?” Why can’t people just be nice?” I was working on a big celebrity wedding in which the bride was soooo miserable and so angry that I just wanted to go up to her and say, “Aren’t you exhausted from being so mean?”

You know, it’s funny if you stop and look around when you’re doing your day to day things in life, people don’t say hi, people don’t say thank you or please, and it’s really alarming because when those little words are said, you think you’re getting this massive gift from somebody, when at the end of the day it should be expected that you do receive that from everybody. I do it; I say hello, thank you, I appreciate things. That phrase, “You catch more flies with honey than vinegar,” it’s true. You also do it with a smile and by just being kind. Can you imagine if everybody was kind? Things would be so much easier and enjoyable. Let’s just try it. Wouldn’t that be novel?

My Family Just Left Town

I always used to look at people who were saying goodbye to others at the airport and crying and I never really understood what was going on until just a couple days ago when I dropped off my mom, dad and niece Mia, 11 years old. We all started to cry because we just didn’t want to say goodbye to one another. It was a really great experience having them here in LA for eight days. Eight solid, full days of spending time with each other. Never once did any of us get tired of the other. I was looking so forward to it and not forward to them leaving. I thought after eight days that would obviously be enough time but it wasn’t. Spending time in the pool for hours, having my mom, dad and niece come to set to watch AND work as they were on the show, going to Disneyland, going to the Magic Castle, going to see Cirque du Soleil, going to some great restaurants, driving around town, hanging out at the house, keeping it simple but keeping it fun; it was literally pure joy. A person once said to me, “What brings you joy in life?” The answer is being with my family. I don’t have to do big over the top things. In fact, when I get invited to go to a red carpet event or some sceney place in Los Angeles or New York, I don’t really want to go. I’d rather be home, keeping it simple because that’s what brings me joy.

Guest Blogger: My 11 year old niece, Mia

Interviewed by my assistant, Renee: Renee: Will you introduce yourself? Mia: My name is Mia Grall and I'm David's niece. R: Where are you from? M: Port Chester, New York R: Is this your first time in LA? M: Yeah. R: What do you think so far? M: It's really fun. R: When did you get here? M: I got here on August 1st at 10 o'clock in the morning. R: And what have you been doing? M: We went to Disneyland a couple of days ago and it was REALLY fun! We got to go in Walt Disney's apartment and before that we went to Beverly Hills, walked around and had brunch. Today and a couple of days ago we went to my uncle's show and his set and then today, he took me to a surprise which was trampolines! R: What's been you favorite thing you've done so far? M: Probably Disneyland because it was so different than Disney World. I've been to Disney World a lot and it was really fun R: What was your favorite part about it? M: Probably going on California Screaming, having a tour guide and going on the Hollywood Tower. R: What'd you think of the Cirque du Soleil show you went to on Sunday? M: It was really fun and so different from the other Cirque show I went to a couple of years ago. It was totally different from the city theme...it was like Hollywood 40 years ago. R: You went to the Magic Castle too, right? What'd you think of that? M: That was really fun because I got to do a magic trick. R: What was the magic trick you did? M: We lifted up a huge table with our hands. R: Do you want to come back to LA? M: Yeah definitely. R: Do you think you might want to be a wedding planner like your uncle when you grow up? M: Probably, yeah. R: Have you always wanted to do that or did you decide that on this trip? M: I've always wanted to be that since I started watching his shows. R: Do you miss your uncle now that he lives in LA? M: Yeah, I saw him a lot more when he lived in NY. R: Well you'll have to come visit again soon! M: Yeah, hopefully!

Separate but not Equal

What do you do when there are two separate ideas for a wedding and both of them are great? Bride has an idea, groom has an idea and you’re in love with both concepts but you know both won’t work together. Do you abandon one and focus on the other? Do you try really hard to see if they can infuse together (which you know they won’t), or do you ask them to come up with a completely new idea all together that’s separate from the original ones they have? A consistent statement I always make is that you have to stay true to the story of the bride and groom, and the true story of the bride and groom is who they are as a couple which then has to portray into the vision and the concept and the style of the wedding. So, because a bride wants one thing and the groom wants another, this really is who they are. You have to embrace the situation, yet guide them at the same time. My job is to make sure that it comes off well without embarrassing them or me while making sure the guests are comfortable. So step back and look at it completely differently. Look at why you’ve picked the two choices. Maybe one of the ideas is great for the rehearsal party. Maybe the other idea is great for the wedding, or maybe one of the ideas is great for cocktails and then you change the look into the celebration for the other idea. Don’t bail out right away. Like me, investigate the situation. Ask questions to the bride and groom. Or if you are the bride and groom, ask why you picked what you picked, then find a way to make it happen and make sure it makes sense.

Shoes for my brides!

We recently shot the promos for my new shoe line coming out January 2013, so now when I tell people they'll be walking down the aisle in style, they literally will!

I'm working on an incredible, beautiful, affordable shoe line that appeals to every bride and style. From design to comfort to heel height, all of my brides will be able to walk the white carpet in style. 

Check my website often for updates!

xoxo,
David

Flip flops

This is obviously just my opinion, and you don't have to agree with my little rant that's about to take place...

First off, flip flops are cute! They're great to wear at the beach, they're great to wear to the pool, but for Christmas sake, do NOT wear them as a form of fashion! And personally, it grosses me out walking in New York and seeing someone in front of me wearing flip flops, then seeing how dirty their feet are--and then knowing how those people go into a restaurant or walk around in their home or even get into bed with those flip flop feet.

I don't know why this is a guy thing, but men wear flip flops when they travel. They wear them on the plane and in the bathrooms and... it's gross. Again, it's just my opinion, and certainly a pet peeve.

I have an obsession when I'm standing in line whether at Starbucks or at the airport where I find myself looking at shoes and feet. Honestly, people's feet are really not the most attractive part of someone's body, and flip flops do nothing to cover up that fact.

So again: beach, pool, for the summer...or keep 'em at home. Simple as that.

xoxo,
David

Family coming to LA this summer

When my family comes to town, I get like a little kid at the thought of spending time with my mom and dad and my little niece Mia (who's seven)! It's funny that I moved 2500 miles away from my home in New York, now living in LA, and I find that the quality of my time with them is far more memorable than my short visits with them when I lived 25 minutes away. So having them spend a full week here with myself and Ryan is always a gift. We have dinners planned, we're taking my niece to DisneyLand, we're going to Cirque du Soleil and we'll also just spend time here at the house relaxing.

My house is surrounded by so many roses and it's that way for a reason. I need to constantly remind myself to stop and smell the roses, and next month I'll be able to do just that here with my family.

xoxo,
David