Go ahead, it’s Friday! Indulge in this hilarious wedding mockumentary.

We always have fun here at RB headquarters, but yesterday was an especially rollicking good time, because we discovered Road to the Altar, a hysterically funny meta-series that follows fictional couple Rochelle and Simon all over Los Angeles as they plan their wedding and have it all filmed for reality TV.

Simon is Jaleel White – if you remember him as Steve Urkel, you’ll be amazed by what a smooth actor he’s grown into. His fiancee is played by Leyna Juliet Weber, who I’m convinced is going to be a huge star after seeing her chew scenery in these clips. An incompetent TV crew  — including a drunken sound guy — films Simon and Rochelle as they interview wedding vendors, go on an adventure with their quirky bridesmaids, bust their budget, and enjoy a drink tasting with Simon’s alcoholic dad. Warning: There’s some NSFW language in these vids!

Simon and Rochelle Interview Wedding Planners in Episode 1:

Rochelle Does Her Hair and Makeup Trial in Episode 6:

And of course, my personal favorite, Episode 10…”We’ve gone green, bitch!” “Uh…regifting hotel soaps doesn’t make it a green wedding…”

I heartily encourage you to go home, snuggle up in bed with your laptop and your boyfriend/girlfriend/fiancee/hubby/life partner, and have a good giggle over the extra clips, outtakes, and all 10 episodes of Road to the Altar on YouTube. That’s our TGIF plan.

Happy weekend everybody!

Yesterday’s Wedding Porn Wednesday celebration goes from Cali to Bali!

Just when you thought that Leslie and Sim couldn’t top their stunning, modern elegant California wedding, they’re back with an Indian celebration in Bali that wil blow your mind. Between the gorgeous henna tattoos, the horseback parade through town, and the frolicking monkeys in the Balinese countryside, this is one of the most incredible photo layouts we’ve ever published. Still wondering about that secret celebrity elopement that happened at the wedding? Scroll down to find out who it was…

Guests arrived in Bali greeted by these colorful and creative welcome baskets.

All of Leslie and Sim’s attire was custom made. Check out the intricate detail in these costumes…amazing!

Yes, that’s movie star Anna Faris, and her husband, actor Chris Pratt! The couple got engaged at Leslie and Sim’s wedding in Bali, then eloped the very next day in a spontaneous secret ceremony!

Want to know more about this beautiful couple? Check out Leslie’s blog, The Dainty Vegetarian, for great recipes and tips for healthy eating. And if you fell in love with these photos as much as I did, go to photographer Laura Grier’s website to see more of her work (and hear the greatest website soundtrack ever!).

One beautiful couple: Two international wedding celebrations. Welcome to paradise! 

Prepare to be amazed by the biggest, baddest Wedding Porn Wednesday* we’ve ever featured. Leslie and Sim’s nuptials are a feast for the eyes, spanning the globe to incorporate an incredible variety of historical and cultural influences and details. First, their modern elegant California affair will make you oooh and aaah over incredible heirloom accessories passed down from Leslie’s great-grandmother and gorgous decor. Then, take a mini-vacay to check out their insanely colorful, four-day long Indian wedding on the lush beaches and rain forests of Bali.

{*What’s Wedding Porn Wednesday?}

Leslie and Sim are such a gorgeous couple, it would be fun to look at photos of them hanging out in their sweats. Instead, we get the privilege of seeing them in a stunning variety of costumes against some of the most breathtaking scenery in the world. It was all captured by renowned international wedding photographer Laura Grier of Beautiful Day Photography. Laura expertly photographed every detail, including the gorgeous flowers, the Balinese landscape, and…a surprise celebrity engagement!  That’s right — a famous couple got engaged at Leslie and Sim’s reception, inspiring their secret Balinese elopement the very next day. And I might just tell you who they are at the very end of this post….

Leslie’s wedding dress was a custom design by Lazaro. Two wedding invitations were sent to each guest — one for the California wedding, and another for the ceremony and celebration in Bali.

Look how sweet Leslie is, wiping away tears as she puts on the 60-year-old Chantilly lace veil that her great-grandmother made for her grandmother’s wedding. Leslie’s own mother also wore the veil at her wedding. What a beautiful family tradition — and a gorgeous veil!

The bridesmaids wore navy blue Melissa Sweet dresses and brightly colored accessories to complement their lush bouquets.

Helloooo, exceptionally gorgeous bride! Lazaro should have paid Leslie to wear their dress. These pics look like they’re straight out of a bridal fashion mag.

 That Chantilly lace is 60 years old! I’m swooning over the veil, and yet I’m also deeply concerned about someone stepping on it.

 The church ceremony was followed by a reception at the beautiful Santa Luz Country Club.

Sitar players entertained guests at the cocktail hour while the reception tent was being prepared.

Continuing the theme of using heirloom pieces, Leslie and Sim cut their wedding cake with a 200-year-old cake-cutting set that was passed down through Leslie’s family.

This, my friends, is what happens when your wedding photog sneaks into the photo booth! That’s Laura and some of the Beautiful Day Photography  team, stepping out from behind the cameras for photo booth hijinks.

Cheers and congrats to Leslie and Sim on their beautiful first wedding. We feel so honored and grateful to be able to share these beautiful images with you. And we’re just getting started!

Here’s a sneak peek of Leslie and Sim’s Indian wedding extravaganza in Bali. Laura and her staff sent me so many incredible photos of the Indian-Balinese wedding that I just couldn’t fit them all into one post. So you’ll have to come back tomorrow to see more details from this amazing, exuberantly colorful, multi-culti four-day event.

Are you wondering how Leslie stays so darned beautiful? Along with the rest of the wedding pics, we’ll be sharing the scoop from her cool vegetarian blog tomorrow.

Oh, and that celebrity engagement? Here’s a clue: She’s a famous actress; he’s an up-and-coming actor. They got engaged at Leslie and Sim’s reception in Bali. Inspired by the natural beauty and nuptial bliss, they then eloped the very next day in a secret ceremony!

The celebs in question are in this group shot. Can you pick them out? Go on, take a guess! Name them in the comments below, and I’ll reveal if you guessed right when I post tomorrow, along with the rest of the pics from Leslie and Sim’s Balinese wedding.

Too busy to blog, so we’re gonna brag instead

Coffee is our friend at Recycled Media HQ these days, as we prepare for the impending launch of our sister site, RecycledTyke.com, and put the finishing touches on some exciting new features that we’re about to unveil, and try to keep up with the explosive growth in Recycled Bride action as wedding season approaches. (Oh hello, caffeine-induced run-on sentence.)

Anyhoo, working around the clock has put a real dent in my blogging time, so here are some other places across the Interwebs where you can get a Recycled Bride fix, plus a sneak peek of our most incredible multi-culti real wedding EVER, which will be featured on this week’s Wedding Porn Wednesday:

I wrote a story for OneWed.com about eco-friendly beer, wine, and  liquor for your wedding bar. It was a tough post to research, but somebody’s got to do the dirty work.

The owner of Name Change Express decided to sell her wedding dress on RecycledBride.com and share her experiences with her readers. Read the full story here.

The Uber-popular Savings.com, a website for savvy bargain-hunting babes, also featured a story about all the great deals you can find on Recycled Bride.

And finally, brace yourself for a glimpse of our biggest Wedding Porn Wednesday ever! This couple who had two multicultural, extravagantly beautiful weddings that were shot by our friend Laura from Beautiful Day Photography. I can’t wait to share the amazing photos with you this Wednesday, but here’s a sneak peek to hold you over until then:

The eponymous bridal designer in a video from Get Married TV

We’re having a bit of a Reem Acra moment here. First, we  fell madly in love with the brand new $4,800 Reem Acra wedding dress that we’re giving away this month (What? You haven’t entered!? Well go throw your hat in the ring, silly!).

Then we stumbled upon some new pics from her 2010 bridal runway shows, which I’ve been gazing at lovingly when I should be getting work done instead.  

Images via nymag.com

And now we’re just completely transfixed by this video of the designer herself, courtesy of Get Married TV. Reem Acra explains why her gowns command such high prices, and why celebrities liks Marcia Cross and Angelina Jolie call on her to design their gowns.

It’s amazing to hear how the Lebanese designer got started and grew her business based on the incredible quality, extravagant detail, and chic design of her gowns.

We’ve teamed up with Your Dream Dress to give a wedding dress to one lucky RB member

Reem Acra is one of the most sought-after couture bridal designers in the world. Her incredible wedding dresses are known for their luxurious fabrics and intricate beadwork and embroidery, and her fabulous gowns are worn by celebrities like Angelina Jolie and Halle Berry (Watch a video about Reem Acra). All that luxury comes with a hefty pricetag…but not for Recycled Bride members! Because we got together with our good friends at YourDreamDress.com and decided to make one bride’s big day even more special by giving this Reem Acra wedding dress away for free!

Dress Details:

• Retails for over $4,800
• Silk satin
• Sweep train
• Strapless ballgown silhouette
• Reem Acra label inside
• Brand New
• Ivory with gold detailing
• Bridal size 10 / Daywear size 8 (can be altered to fit a size 8 or smaller)
• Bust: 36″
• Waist: 29″
• Hips: N/A
• Hollow to Hem: 60″

Enter to Win:

• You must be a Recycled Bride member to win, so sign up if you haven’t already (It’s free and takes just a minute).
• Go to the Your Dream Dress Giveaway Page and leave a comment telling us why you want to win this Reem Acra designer wedding dress.
• One comment/entry per person
• A panel of wedding experts from RecycledBride.com and Your Dream Dress will choose one lucky winner on April 2nd, 2010.
• Winner will be chosen based on the comment that most inspires our panel *UPDATE* WE’VE BEEN RECEIVING SO MANY INSPIRING COMMENTS THAT WE’VE DECIDED TO NARROW IT DOWN TO OUR 10 FAVORITES, THEN CHOOSE AT RANDOM FROM THOSE. YOUR STORIES HAVE MADE IT IMPOSSIBLE TO PICK JUST ONE THAT INSPIRES US MOST!

Yes, it’s that easy! And check out the beautiful beadwork on the bodice of the dress. That’s just one of the many delightful details that make this couture gown so valuable, and so breathtaking. The bride who wears this gown is going to truly feel like a queen!

When you enter, make sure to also take a look around on YourDreamDress.com to check out their fabulous selection of brand new designer wedding dresses and accessories  for 40% to 90% off retail. 

*REMEMBER, THIS ISN’T THE CONTEST ENTRY PAGE. CLICK THE BUTTON BELOW TO ENTER NOW.

There. Are. No. Words.

A wedding shop in Detroit is turned upside down by warring bridal factions, after a debate about dress alterations goes postal.

Well okay, there are some words, but I’m still too shocked to make them into sentences:

• “The men pick up formally dressed mannequins and use them as weapons.” (Say what!??!?!?)
• Terribly funny absurdity
• The store owner is Hekmat. Stay tuned for the Spring 2010 Hekmat Dream Bridal Collection.
• Am I on candid camera?
• He spit on the owner’s wife? Really??
• Where did that guy’s shirt go anyway? I think he ripped it off in a show of masculine power {or, um…sheer stupidity}
• Appalling
• Check out the bride running for cover at 2:20
• It’s always the bridezilla’s fault. Everybody loves to blame the bridezilla.
• Objective reporting/Crankypants anchorwoman
• Well…that’s what you get for refusing to do the alterations, Hekmat!
• And finally, the formal family portrait session:

Yes, they are three separate men. The three stooge…I mean, suspects. Also, they’re the groomsmen. Also, they’re available to play weddings and Bar Mitzvahs.

And you thought your family made wedding planning stressful.

A ’50s pinup spin on a chic Santa Barbara wedding

Vargas girls, you’re getting a run for your money. Because Tiphany has mastered the art of sexy pinup glamour, and she showed off some seriously hip retro style when she married her very own Daddy-O Jamie at the Four Seasons Biltmore in California wine country last September.

{What’s Wedding Porn Wednesday?}

This couple’s style is the eptiome of ’50s cool. They’re kind of like a modern-day Rizzo and Kenicke from Grease.

Every detail of this remarkable wedding was captured by the incredible husband-and-wife photography team Matt and Angie Sloan of Sloan Photographers. They’re based in Arizona but available to shoot  just about anywhere.

Tiphany paired her sweet n’ sexy tea-length Melissa Sweet wedding dress with one of the prettiest headpieces I’ve ever seen, and these fabulous ’50s-style yellow pumps. Except when she was rocking her Chuck Taylors and playing cricket. (Why? Because she can.)

Blackberry jam favors encourage guests to “spread the love”. Sweet!

Tiphany wore her mom’s heirloom pearls. Classic!

Candy buttons! Choward’s! Yes, you’ve died and gone to heaven! And heaven is kickin’ it old-school.

The bridesmaids dresses were customized to match the blue and yellow palette. Check out the blue crinolines under their skirts. Sewing in matching crinolines is a great way to coordinate bridesmaids’ looks and add a sweet detail to their dresses.

Pinup girls were a recurring theme…and Tiphany looked just like one come to life! Her red lips, porcelain skin, and modern bouffant ‘do are so perfectly pulled together. I love when a bride knows who she is and expresses her personal style so eloquently.

Helloooooooo, eyelashes! Tiphany’s makeup just rocks my world.

Congratulations to Tiphany and Jamie on a beautiful wedding and an even lovelier happily ever after!

Vendor Info:

Photography: Matt & Angie Sloan of Sloan Photographers
Dress: Melissa Sweet Reverie Collection
Caged VeilCustom made by: Unveiled Bridal Design
Bride Accessories: Pearls were Tiphany’s mom’s from her wedding, passed down to Tiphany
Bridesmaids: Custom Made Dresses
Make Up & Hair: Glamour Lush – Erika Diehl; Flowers: Grass Roots Florist
Sign In Book “Gil Elvgren: All His Glamorous American Pin Ups” (25th Anniversary Edition) Amazon
Paperworks/Stationary, Jam Labels, Table Numbers, Wedding Menus, Escort Cards : Miss Pickles Press
Basket Stuff, Candy Bar, Thank You Cards & CD Image Creator - Tiphany’s bro Steve Jones (DIY)
Four Seasons Coordinator, Jodi Turley,  without whom it couldn’t have been done!

Samantha got these sexy Valentino slingbacks for a steal on RecycledBride.com

There’s nothing that warms my heart more than a bride getting a great deal on Recycled Bride. So when Samantha e-mailed to tell me how she got these gorgeous $575 fuschia Valentino slingbacks for just $129, I just had to share her story.

Sooooo purty!

Here’s what Samantha had to say about buying her shoes on RecycledBride.com:

“I don’t know how many countless hours I spent searching for the right shoe and either finding something that was just okay or something WAY out of my price range. I had my photographer, family and friends sending and voting on shoes but nothing seemed like the one I wanted to wear for my wedding.

“I don’t remember how exactly I came across Recycled Bride, maybe an Internet search or mentioned on WBC or The Knot, but once I was there I started browsing around just for fun and saw the pink Valentino slingbacks. The seller had purchased them at a discount but decided to go with another shoe, so she was selling brand new Valentino shoes, originally $575, for $129. Turns out she also lived locally and was willing to meet local brides so they could try them on. We met a few days later, I tried them on, fell in love and purchased them on the spot.

The original Recycled Bride ad...these shoes went fast!

“I have shown a few people and posted them on the wedding sites I belong to and have had great responses and nobody can believe the great deal I got on authentic designer shoes.

“My wedding isn’t until May 22nd, so I don’t have a professional picture in them or many pictures at all of me wearing them, but here they are in a few pictures of me trying on my dress after it arrived. They are not the best pictures the solos were taken with my phone and the ones in the dress, I was just seeing how they looked together, but they at least show the shoe. I can take and send more when I go to my first dress fitting for alterations in a week or two.

Samantha tries on her new sexy new slingbacks with her gorgeous wedding dress. She's going to look A-MA-ZING on her big day!

“I am CERTAIN that I would still be searching for the perfect pair of shoes, and pulling my hair out about now, if it wasn’t for this posting on Recycled Bride and I definitely wouldn’t have been able to wear such a fabulous designer either.”

Thanks so much for sharing, Samantha! It was fun to feature this on the blog, and we’ll be posting a lot more Recycled Bride Success Stories in the coming weeks.

This year’s Oscar red carpet was full of gowns that practically beg to go bridal

Every year, the Oscars inspire new trends in bridal and formalwear. And this year’s red carpet was no exception. The stars turned out in gorgeous designer gowns in blushy pinks and peaches, as well as a few white and ivory styles.

Here are Recycled Bride’s picks for Oscar dresses that deserve a walk down the aisle:

Miley's pretty and flirty gown was made by wedding dress designer Jenny Packham

Zoe Saldana rocks this Givenchy gown that's reminiscent of Gwen Stefani's pink and white ombré wedding dress.

Cameron Diaz's Oscar de la Renta is a glam bride's dream! Paired with a vintage fascinator or sparkly headband, this is drop-dead gorgeous bridal style.

Demi Moore's frilly, two-toned blush Versace dress would be perfect on a romantic hippie bride. How is it possible that Demi Moore looks 25?

All she needs is a veil! Sandra Bullock is aisle-ready in shimmering Marchesa

Meryl Streep's gown would be perfect for a mature bride or a second wedding. It was designed by Project Runway alum Chris March

No, it's not white. But Rachel McAdams' dramatic Elie Saab creation just says "bridal" because of its dramatic shape and floral theme

Loving Amanda Seyfried's giant arm bangle! It's perfect with this simple, understated Armani Prive gown.