StyleSchool

So your makeup artist can't stick around for the duration of your celebration? That's cool -- as long as you have this new brush set by makeup queen Sonia Kashuk ($19.99, target.com).

The stylish steal holds all the essential tools you’ll need for any big-day beauty fix -- a blush/powder brush, a large eye shadow brush, an angeled eye shadow brush, a nylon concealer brush, a crease eye shadow brush, and a small eye shadow brush -- all encased in a fabulous silver compact with Pucci-esque interior.

Ashlee Simpson and Pete Wentz's rockstar wedding was the talk of the town a few weeks back. There were the black bridesmaid dresses, the chandeliers draped in crystals, 10,000 black magic roses and, oh yes, their English bulldog ring-bearer. No expense was spared for the Alice in Wonderland themed affair.

So what about the gifts? No word on what Pete gave the guys, but Access Hollywood is reporting that Ashlee bestowed her bridesmaids with matching Alice in Wonderland totes and tees. We'll admit, it's a bit of a departure from the traditional, but still totally special.

And the good news is, you can steal Ashlee's inspiration. Both the totes ($60) and the tees ($39) are available at shopintuition.com.

Photo by Nancy Ostertag/Getty Images

If you're anything like us, you've been waiting with bated breath since rumors started flying about a Sex and the City movie. We were all giddy when the release date for the movie was annouced, so imagine our excitement when we found out there would be a wedding!

With just one day left before the flim hits theaters, the anticipation is almost unbearable. First, of course, there's the fashion. Anything but ordinary or expected, Carrie is stunning in an avant-garde Vivienne Westwood gown. Miranda, Charlotte and Samantha's dramatic, ruffled bridesmaids dresses don't disappoint either.

And then, there are the flowers. We spoke with Tess Casey of Aisling Flowers, who designed Carrie and Samantha's bouquets, and here's what she could divulge:

In Style Weddings: What flowers did you use for Carrie's bouquet?
Tess Casey: I used garden roses from California. They are very fragile and they open very quickly. Carrie wasn’t going to have a very conservative bouquet, so we did something that was just kind of gathered up, very dramatic, like a bunch of big fat flowers. There were also some gardenias in there because Sarah loves gardenias. But I couldn’t do any wiring, there couldn’t be any thorns and there couldn’t be any rhinestones. Without giving too much away, that was a very big part of the design.
ISW: What about for Samantha's bouquet?
TC: Kim’s bouquet was just Black Magic roses. Her dress is very dramatic, so it was very classy with the light color and the dark black red roses.
ISW: Anything else you can reveal?
TC: There’s a big party at Buddakan the night before the wedding. It’s very colorful there, so I used very beautiful peach peonies with hot pinks, salmons, corals and oranges. It was very sassy and bright and vibrant.

Click here for more photos from the movie.

Photo by Craig Blankenhorn/New Line Cinema

First, it was Ellen Pompeo and Chris Ivery back in November 2007. Then, just last week, Jessica Alba and her fiance Cash Warren said "I don't" to the big white wedding, opting instead for City Hall nuptials. Are we seeing a trend here?

If so, New York City will be ready. Come September 2008, NYC’s new Clerk’s Office, located in the downtown Financial District, will be glitzier with brown marble tile, ornate columns and two chapels. The city's mayor has committed $13 million to the project in addition to his very own personal decorator to design the new space. We're guessing the renovations will be totally swanky.

If you think about it, though, it's not hard to see the appeal of a City Hall totally wedding. Of course, there's the seclusion -- the aforementioned couples were the only attendees at their own weddings. But another big bonus is extra cash to spend on a lavish reception or luxe honeymoon!

What do you think? Is getting married at City Hall is a smart and chic idea? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

—Rachel Jacoby, Assistant Editor

Photo by Francis Specker/Landov

Calling all brides and bridesmaids: don’t leave home without this kit! It's the Bridessentials Kit by Ms. & Mrs. ($25, msandmrs.com) and we promise, it really is a big-day must-have.

Inside the compact case you’ll find 26 solutions to all sorts of wedding day disasters. A button pops off your dress? Whip out the double-sided tape to keep everything secure. You’re aisle-bound and a gust of wind messes up your moments ago impeccable updo? Forgo calling in the experts and perform a quick fix yourself with a spritz of mini hairspray.

Some of the kit's other highlights include super glue, static remover, clear nail polish, bobby pins, dental floss, breath fresheners and blotting tissues so you're basically covered for almost any emergency. Don't worry -- no thanks necessary.

Earlier this week our editor, Rosie, was on the Today Show to judge the TODAY Throws a Wedding: Race to the Altar Competition with bridal gown designer, Amsale. Every year, TODAY has couples compete for a chance to win a dream wedding and get married on the live television.

This week, the couples were challenged to design a wedding gown. Given that they only 15 minutes to design, the designs were really creative. We were somewhat partial to Cara and Dominic's clean, strapless A-line number (shown here), but in the end the judges chose Melissa and Ryan's frock as the winning look. We have to give it to them, using lilac as a base color was a chic choice and the marabou feathers were a nice textural touch.

Click here to see all the designs.

The dress challenge may be over, but you can still get in on the fun. Log on to TODAY Throws A Wedding to read up on all the couples and cast your vote for who you think should win the wedding!

Photo by John Makely/msnbc.com

New York Bridal Market is just one of the highlights of working in the wedding industry. Season after season, we get to fall in love with all the new gorgeous gowns and report back to brides straight from the runway. It goes without saying that the designers who showed stateside this season were nothing short of amazing, but we have to say we were a little bummed to miss Temperley London’s bridal collection. (Alice, the designer, only showed in London).

Luckily, the lookbook landed in our offices shortly after the show and ooh la la, the gowns are exquisite! The collection is a delicate blend of dreamy, flowing sheaths with intricate beading, impeccable lace and subtle texture, perfect for brides who crave sophisticated femininity for a wedding by the water or at a country estate.

Check out Temperley’s beautiful bridal gowns for yourself at her flagship stores in New York, Los Angeles and London or at temperleylondon.com.

While some brides will opt for a more natural look at their wedding, others (read: glamazons) will insist on adding a bit of drama. Like what? A bold red lip. The key to pulling off a vibrant mouth is simple: Keep the rest of the look, well, simple.

Start with skin that's perfectly polished. A sheer coverage foundation with a hint of luminizer blended in will make for a flawless face with a subtle glow. Follow up with a neutral cream blush to toast the apples of your cheeks and coat your lashes in the blackest of black mascaras. If you dare, sport some short individual falsies.

When it comes to the lips, make sure they're well cared for prior to your big day to avoid any flaking or chapping. One of our favorite tricks: exfoliate with a homemade blend of sugar and moisturizer, topped off with a moisturizing lip salve. For your big blast of color, Nick Barose (whose celebrity clients include Scarlett Johansson and Rosario Dawson) recommends Clarins Joli Rouge Lipstick in Cedar Red. "The slight brown in it is elegant and easier to wear because it's not super bright,” he explains. Another one of our favorites is Make Up Forever’s Blue Red #205, which really makes teeth appear whiter thanks to the blue undertones. Finish the look with a dollop of clear gloss in the center of the mouth and you’ll be picture perfect for your first kiss.

Photo by Sonja Pacho

So you want to go the custom route, but don't have the time for a bunch a design sessions with a stationer? Meet Minted.com, the new online stationery destination for stylish brides with busy schedules.

The site allows you to create customized wedding invitations -- from the color combination to the font type -- all from your personal computer. Start by selecting your palette, then your price range and let the personalization begin from there.

They've partnered with some of the best stationers in the business (think Ceci New York, Mia Carta and Prentiss Douthit), so they have something for every aesthetic. Go for a design by Blonde if you want whimsical, Dauphine Press for a more vintage vibe.

The real appeal of the site, though, is that you can create your invite when it's most convenient for you -- even if that's 12 a.m. or (shh!) at work. You can save your designs in progress and there's an email feature so you can send your husband-to-be the top options.

We're currently loving the new shape of wedding invitations and are playing with this horizontal card by The Happy Envelope. Start designing your own at Minted.com.