December 26, 2014

{A Nurturing First Bite}


Dear Bride-to-Be
In my upcoming book, The End of the Fairy-Tale Bride, I write about the familiar yet rather mysterious ingredients of “the great white wedding.” (Queen Victoria launched its first era and her great-great-great-grandson’s shimmering bride, Princess Diana, revived it in the most memorable of ways nearly a hundred and fifty years later.)

If the centerpiece of this white wedding tradition filled with special costumes and music and flowers became the bride’s gown, then the centerpiece of its wedding reception became the “great white cake.” The first morsels eaten by the just-wed bride and groom were, if not considered sacred, at least symbolic of being nurtured for a full, rich life together. Historically this first bite was during the wedding ceremony itself, like in ancient Roman customs when the “cake” was a simple wheat biscuit. Then over centuries the tasting ritual moved to the reception, as author Barbara Tober described, during Elizabethan weddings when the “cake” was a stack of sweet buns.

However you plan your wedding—and whatever “ingredients” you use for a romantic yet meaningful celebration—be sure your “first bite” is ‘nurturingly’ filled with love and tolerance and good humor and lots of sweet somethings!

Love. Listen. Let go.
….love from Cornelia

ps: Photograph courtesy of Martha Stewart Weddings. (Also, I thought youd enjoy MSW collection of best wedding cakes of 2014.)

pps: The End of the Fair-Tale Bride {Volume One} For Better or Worse, How Princess Diana Rescued the Great White Wedding due out in January 2015!

December 13, 2014

{A Treat For You!}


Dear Bride-to-Be
Here's a treat for you! My article, "Attending the Bride," has just been published in Season magazine. It's also an excerpt from my upcoming book, The End of the Fairy-Tale Bride. I thought you'd like to see it...click here...and enjoy

Love. Listen. Let go.
...with love from Cornelia