StyleSchool

You’re a bride with refined taste, one who likes the finer things in life: caviar, foie gras, and chocolate. Yes, chocolate! The food that delighted you through childhood can be as refined as a four-star meal, you just need to know where to find it.

Chocolate doesn’t get more elegant than Chocolatines’ (chocolatines.com) Chocouture line. The experience begins with a stylish robin egg blue and rich mocha colored box that’s embossed to feel like lux lizard skin. Open the packaging to reveal four edible diamonds, encased in 72% dark chocolate settings, and hand painted in edible silver dust. And it gets better: they’re filled with champagne ganache. Needless to say, they’re delicious. Why should you be the only one walking away with a serious rock on your wedding day?

The perfect complement to these rich chocolates? The ultra luxurious Palmes d’Or champagne (palmesdor.com). The brut vintage 1998 is a bubbly blend of 50% Chardonnay and 50% Pinot Noir that’s 100% delicious. Embellished with the imprint of hundreds of pearls, this too is a marriage of the most refined kind. Who says you can’t have it all?

—Randy Miller, Editorial Assistant

Spring is finally starting to roll in, and we couldn’t be happier about it. We can’t wait to see all those gorgeous spring weddings! This week in our travels around the web, we found an unconventional use for a birdcage and delightful (and delicious!) cakes that look good enough to eat.

But before we begin our roundup, we have an announcement: Beginning next week, we'll be featuring one real wedding here on the Style School blog. So, if you'd like to see your wedding posted here, send an email to weddings@instylemag.com with all the details and at least 10 photos. Then, be sure to check back every Monday to see if your wedding was featured.

Now, on to the link love.

If you're anything like most people, the first thing that comes to mind when you hear Tasmania is...the Tasmanian Devil. And yes, while the little creature is pretty cute, it's only one of the many amazing draws to this small, heart-shaped island south of Australia. Here are a few other reasons you should consider a honeymoon down under:

This week we’re checking in with one of the world’s best bakers and cake designers, Ron Ben-Israel. Believe it or not, he wasn’t always a baker—he toured the world as a dancer before swapping his ballet slippers for fondant. Now, Ben-Israel creates amazing cakes and serves as an adjunct professor at the French Culinary Institute. Here, he dishes on his bakery, his style, and his best wedding advice.

How does your bakery differ from the rest of the pack?

Our commercial facilities are a cross between a crazy scientist’s laboratory, an art studio flooded with natural light and a sophisticated commercial bakery. Fellow chefs call our location “the bakery in the sky” because we are located on the top floor under large sky-lights in SoHo, a fashionable NYC neighborhood. Lucky enough for me, I don’t have to worry about producing other bakery items such as cookies or brownies; all I do is one-of-a-kind creations. Our clients request a luxury item from us and it’s our pleasure to spoil them.

Why do you enjoy working on wedding cakes?

Working on wedding cakes gives me a chance to reflect on the couple’s taste and style and to show off in front of a large number of guests! After all, every cake is a grand performance that’s given only once in a lifetime. Additionally, I get to cooperate with an amazingly talented group of vendors—the florist, the lighting designer, the chefs, the dress designer and the stationer. It’s very inspiring and humbling to witness all this inspiration.

What’s been your favorite wedding cake you’ve designed so far?

I always say that the next wedding cake I’m going to complete is my favorite: I could never pick just one! I’m very excited about the new designs I’ll be showing this year, as well as some new trends I can’t wait to feature, especially “singular” flowers and colors. Think cakes that feature only sugar anemones or cakes that are monochromatic. In terms of flavors, I’m crazy about our new pumpkin-spice for the fall and candied ginger for the summer.

Any advice for couples choosing their wedding cake?

I would never compromise on the size of the cake. Ordering a smaller cake than the number of guests will look like skimping. I mean, a bride wouldn’t shorten her gown in order to save few dollars! The cake needs to fit in the overall theme and design of the reception. That being said, I’m all for working with our clients to choose designs that suit their budgets.

Another piece of advice? Don’t choose a baker that’s just going to replicate a design they’ve seen in a wedding magazine or online! Instead, engage a cake designer that takes pride in his/her own creations and have experience working on certain styles.

For a complete look at Ron’s designs, visit weddingcakes.com. To book an appointment, call 212.625.3369.

—Rachel Jacoby, Assistant Editor

Photo courtesy of Ron Ben-Israel/weddingcakes.com

After keeping up with all the new beauty trends and secrets at New York Fashion Week, I capped off the whirlwind at POPbeauty's (popbeauty.co.uk) party at Citrine. And the statement of the evening? Say good bye to safe, beige, neutrals!

Sara Strand, the creator of POPbeauty, revealed her look-young secret: color! And accordingly, she encourages brides to incorporate new hues into their beauty regimen. “A swipe of color on the eye, just a dash of something bright, will make your eyes really stand out,” she says.

Her product pick? POPbeauty Eye Class Kits (naturally) in a shade like Green Eye Class ($32, popbeauty.co.uk). It includes liners, shadows and highlighters and the website has details on how to apply.

So don’t be afraid to be a little daring. Gwen Stefani used a deep pink on her lips for her wedding and Eva Longoria swiped a faint blue hue across her eyes when she said "I do." Just use color in a way that’s most comfortable to you. And as Sara says, “It’s about humour and fearlessness.” This is your big day, after all, so why not make it POP?

—Samantha Giordano

Bridal conventions and showcases are certainly nothing new for brides-to-be. But what about for the guys? More and more men are becoming increasingly involved in the planning process, so it's only fitting they have a way to stay abreast of all the latest wedding trends.

Enter The Groom’s Lounge, a Gentlemen’s Wedding Lifestyle Event created especially with grooms-to-be in mind. Like many of these trendy, new groom-oriented showcases, there are sommeliers, caterers, photographers, and fitness experts on hand providing helpful tips and advice in a "man-friendly" environment. And for their hard work learning the difference between a merlot and a malbec, the guys will be treated to cigars, cocktails, baseball talk with Harry Winston of the New York Yankees and complementary shaves courtesy of Paul Mole’s Barbershop.

To set-up an appointment at The Groom’s Lounge, A Gentlemen’s Wedding Lifestyles Event by Lunare Design Scapes, e-mail simone@lunaredesignscapes.com.

—Laura Wasson

You’ve selected your wedding venue, china pattern, and honeymoon spot, but there’s still a significant decision awaiting you: your monogram. Don’t underestimate this task, because customization is key to a memorable affair. If you’re still searching for the perfect design, head over to Marry Monograms (marrymonograms.com) where there are more than 200 options to choose from, whether your taste is casual or sophisticated.

And then, once you’ve decided on a design, there’s so much to put your stamp on from stationery to tote bags. Oh, and now wine!

Tag your favorite wines from Northwest Cellars (northwestcellars.com) with a personalized label. Pouring a glass of 2004 Merlot is much more novel when the bottle reads “Rachel and Ben: August 14, 2010.” Pair a stippled monogram with a bottle of Northwest Cellars’ 2006 Chardonnay and you can’t go wrong!

—Randy Miller, Editorial Assistant

We hope you all had an amazing Valentine's Day last weekend. Perhaps a proposal came your way? If so, congrats! This week we're bringing you some wedding planner expertise and beautiful bouquets.

Bride Wars gave us a look at just how bad choosing the same wedding date as your friend could be, so one only has to imagine the sheer horror of registering for the same china as your gal pal. The best way to ensure this doesn't happen? Have Sydney Albertini (albertinistudios.net) create custom goods for your new home.

Albertini Studio is a one-artist shop that produces some of the most gorgeous plates, bowls and serving pieces you'll ever see. Part of that is because Sydney, the artist, sees lifestyle as art and part of that is because everything is handmade and the ceramics are hand-painted. Best of all, though, Sydney will never create the same set of dishes for two clients. That means the pieces you and your husband-to-be choose to start your new life together with really are only yours.

So go ahead and plan your first newlywed dinner party in peace. You'll never have to worry about hearing, "I have these, too!"

—Jeanine Edwards, Associate Editor

You can always give your bridesmaids something super traditional, like an engraved picture frame, but why not be totally unique by giving the girls the chance to choose (and make!) their own presents.

1154 LILL Studio is a super-cute boutique that offers clutches, handbags and other accessories for every budget where you can host your own bag-designing party. They have locations across the country in cities like Chicago, Boston, Philadephia and Kansas City. Or, for an extra fee, the 1154 LILL team can come directly to you. Just set up some tasty appetizers and wine, and the party is on.

You can all design your purses identically, or stay within a theme, like this bridal party did. With dozens of fabrics and embellishments to choose from, all your maids are sure to be pleased. Visit 1154lill.com to get a head start on your favorite fabrics and designs or to set up an event!

—Rachel Jacoby, Assistant Editor