Ten Money Saving Tips for Brides on a Tight Budget

Here's 10 Tips for cost-conscious Brides to save money on the wedding of their dreams and still go down the aisle in style:

1. Smaller weddings: cut costs by cutting the guest list
   
   
2. Destination weddings: say "I Do" in places near - not far!
   
   
3. Accent colors: dress up a simple wedding dress with a splash of color
   
   
4. Weekdays: tie the knot Monday through Friday instead of weekends
   
   
5. Go green: use eco-friendly decorations can be replanted or potted
   
   
6. Simple invitations: skip fancy paper and forget save the date cards
   
   
7. RSVP online: save the planet and money by not mailing reply cards
   
   
8. Sweet Things: serve cupcakes and slice a small wedding cake
   
   
9. Something borrowed: flatter family or a friend by asking them to lend you wedding jewelry.
   
   
10. Skip Extras: it's back to basics; who needs a chocolate fountain or wedding planner anyway?

Shopping for a cheap plus size wedding dress? Click here for a real bargain!

Do you have a money saving tip of your own to share? Tell us what you did to help the budget on your big day - leave us a comment!

Unwanted Fireworks Just Before July 4th

Thanks to all you loyal Sydney's Closet customers for your extra large does of patience today after a pre-dawn electrical fire knocked out the datacenter in Seattle that processes credit cards for us - and thousands more online stores. Kudos go to our diehard dress-up consultants who didn't miss a fashion beat by helping customers check out using alternative payment methods like Paypal or money order.

It took almost 12 hours, but the fire is out and problems fixed. Everything is back to normal again - just in time to shop until you drop over the long July 4th weekend using any of the four major credit cards. Have a happy and safe holiday! And call toll-free anytime: 888-479-3639 to leave a message with a live operator at our Customer Care center.

The Gift of Glam: Donating Prom Dresses

This is a tale of two dresses that started languishing in a closet in Puerto Rico and now are headed to Prom 2010 at a U.S. high school. It all started when "Bombshell", who lives in Puerto Rico, wanted to donate two pretty plus size formal dresses hanging in her closet since she was a teen.

We all know how painfully hard it is to give away evening dresses with loving memories attached to a once-in-a lifetime nights like Prom or graduation. But for Bombshell it was even emotionally tougher. Her mother was unemployed when she snagged the silver dress for 9th grade graduation where she danced all night under the moon with her boyfriend. Money was still tight when her mother scrapped together enough to buy fabric and pay the seamstress to make her green Prom dress with custom-designed appliques. Even though the dresses were near and dear to her heart, Bombshell knew she'd never wear them again.

So in these tough economic times, Bombshell decided to make a difference. Afterall, she knew firsthand the fashion plight of a teen-age girl on a tight budget trying to find an affordable prom dress. While she'd heard of charities that collect prom gowns for needy girls, Bombshell didn't know of any in Puerto Rico. Lucky for us, we caught her Tweet asking for a recommedation.

Every Spring Sydney's Closet gives the gift of glam to teen-age girls who can't afford to buy plus size Prom dresses by donating Prom gowns to charities across the U.S. that specialize in playing fairy godmothers.

We PROM-ised Bombshell we'd deliver her dresses to a charity that could get them to deserving teens. Within a week, her beautiful dresses arrived. The box decorated with colorful hearts clearly demonstrated Bombshell's love for helping others. With the donation, Bombshell sent a sweet, handwritten note saying she wants the dresses to bring joy to others as they did to her.

We only hope Bombshell's extraoridnary genorosity inspires more teens and women to send Sydney's Closet Prom dresses and evening gowns that they will never wear again. That way, we can continue to spread the joy one dress at a time.

Bat Your Eyelashes to Beat the Recession

The tried economic hunch that lipstick sales go up in a recession is turning out not to be true in 2009. An eye-popping story in the June issue of Kiplinger's Personal Finance Magazine points out that eye-makeup sales at supermarkets and drugstores surged 9% from 2008 and March 2009 to $260 million. Mascara and eyeliner sales lead the way. At the same time, sales of lipsticks went down the tubes, dropping 11%. If you're pinching pennies, would you buy eye makeup or lipstick as a small indulgence?

Click here to read the 10 off-beat clues from everyday life Kiplinger rounded up to help you understand where the economy really stands. Expect some investment advice to prop up your portfolio or just comic relief for the recession weary.

Tony Awards Fashion Winner

Did you see actress Chandra Wilson, star of Grey's Anatomy and on Broadway now in the hit musical "Chicago", looking very glam as a presenter at last night's Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall? In a sea of boring, black dresses, Wilson added life and richness with her choice of a stunning emerald green evening gown with a dramatic sweep train - perfect for the red-carpet. The beaded bodice and straps gave just the right sparkle - without going overboard on the bling. Loved the flattering Empire waist and sexy V-neckline that showed off her fabulous curves. Would you wear a formal dress in this color and style for a red-carpet moment in your life?

Think Pink

Trend Alert! Look for pink to be the color that pops. Not your soft ballerina pink or funky bubble-gum pink. To make a real fashion statement, go for a rich, deep fuchsia with a hint of raspberry. Wear the vivid color alone for a bold statement like our No Frills party dress shown here. Or pair it with any neutral for an instant wardrobe wakeup. Either way, you're sure to smile wearing this fun, happy color!

Spring Fashion Lift: Print Maxi Dresses

Want to wake up your Spring wardrobe with a quick and easy fashion lift that looks - and feels - fresh and new? Slip on a print maxi dress - this season's must-have trend . Be bold and dramatic in a graphic pattern or flirty and fun in a floral. Add strappy high heel sandals in silver or gold paired with matching clutch for a glam look. Or play it more casual with candy colored flip flops and an oversized straw purse.