TO GET THE LOOK YOU REALLY WANT, DO SOME RESEARCH AND LISTEN TO THE EXPERTS

When the big day arrives, all eyes will be on you, so it’s worth listening to expert advice on how to look your best.

Local designer Michael J. Nolte’s bridal gown collection has gone national

Over the years bridal consultant Michael J. Nolte couldn’t resist making changes to the gowns he ordered for his Overland Park salon.

… AND NEVER IN A DRESS YOU CAN WEAR AGAIN, RIGHT? WRONG

The days of horrendous bridesmaid gowns are behind us. (We hope!) Today’s brides are genuinely interested in choosing gowns that their attendants enjoy and will wear again.

Diamonds are Still A Bride's Best Friend

A standout bracelet is the perfect accessory for your wedding gown and can be passed on to future generations. This platinum diamond bracelet adds a touch of color with 18-karat yellow and rose gold.

Brides chat with a top gown designer who has KC roots

The KC Weddings Bridal Spectacular, held in January, was a great opportunity for future brides to see gowns, caterers, cake designers, photographers, florists and more at the Overland Park Convention Center. The daylong event was highlighted with two fashion shows featuring a guest appearance by bridal designer Paula Varsalona.

Hair and makeup (think blushing bride) complete the look

Once you have chosen your gown, it’s time to think about hair.

“I encourage brides to look at magazines and decide if they want a contemporary, classic or modern style and to know their wedding day itinerary,” said Lorra Turner, Bridal Consultant for Bijin Salon & Day Spa.

Jewel Ball waltzes back to the Nelson

It’s home, sweet home for next month’s Jewel Ball.

After a seven-year run at Starlight Theatre while the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art was undergoing renovations, the town’s crème de la crème fundraiser is returning to the museum in all its glory.

The trend is toward elaborately decorated, three-dimensional creations
in sophisticated flavors

Today’s brides know plain-Jane buttercream is blasé. Those kitschy plastic couples atop the wedding cake? Passé!

Say ‘I do’ to a postcard-perfect setting for your wedding

Planning a wedding requires patience and imagination, and then there’s the time and skill needed to plan just the right honeymoon. Wouldn’t it be easier to just do the fun part, such as simply figuring out the getaway element?

SAY THANK YOU IN WAYS MOM IS SURE TO APPRECIATE

Special moms deserve special gifts. With Mother’s Day approaching, you’ll want to shower her with a gift — and a day — to remember. Here are a few ideas:

Sonya Nutter, Kansas City

WHY SHE’S A STYLEMAKER: Instead of glass, Nutter chose an unexpected material for cabinet door inserts for her newly remodeled master bathroom.

THE BACKSTORY: Nutter discovered the polyester-resin material at Straw, Sticks & Bricks, a Kansas City store in the Crossroads Arts District that sells eco-friendly building products. The resin, made by 3form of Salt Lake City, comes in dozens of colors and includes 40 percent post-industrial content. It’s commonly used commercially, often as restaurant partitions, but it’s catching on for residential projects.

Lidia’s four-course feast takes your taste buds to Italy

Author Frances Mayes ignited a passion for all things Tuscan in her best-selling memoir, Under the a Tuscan Sun.

Every Monday, Lidia’s Kansas City in the Freight House District rekindles those flames with its Tuscan Grill feasts. The Tuscan Grill is a four-course, prix fixe, Tuscan-inspired dinner composed of seasonal, often local, ingredients. The menu changes weekly.

Japan’s treasured Akaushi beef makes its way to KC

All it took was a little American ingenuity.

That and a loophole in the Trade Act of 1992, two years of litigation, a specially equipped 747 airplane and a team of bodyguards — all to bring a small herd of cattle from Japan to the United States.

Sportier C-Class Sedan Is Larger but Still Agile

Lower. Longer. Wider. And just plain meaner.

That’s how venerable luxury carmaker Mercedes characterizes its sportier, fourth-gen C-Class. Slide over BMW and Cadillac. Cue the Led Zeppelin music.

The Sunshiny Color Rises Again in Home Decor

Daffodil, lemon drop, smiley face, canary.
Colors just don’t get any cheerier than yellow, and trend forecasters say the happy hue will be heading into homes in a big way soon.

Botanical Motifs Are a Look That's Growing Stronger

This spring it’s time for a lark in home décor — or a swallow or a crane.

Flora and fauna, birds and bees are all the rage in upholstery, wall coverings, rugs and even dinnerware. Of course, botanical motifs have been around for thousands of years. But not in today’s oversized, ultra-abstracted, vivid-hued incarnations.

2008 Clubman is big enough for a cello and some fun

Got cello?

No problem. It’ll fit right in a new king-sized 2008 Mini Cooper Clubman, says Andrew Cutler, Mini’s communications manager.

Caroline McCallister, Kansas City

WHY SHE’S A STYLEMAKER: The interior designer wears clothing that mimics her home décor. This means McCallister doesn’t only talk the talk, she walks the walk.

As I was talking to guests at the Ballet Ball recently, and everyone was congratulating chairwoman Lisa Hickok about the event netting a record-breaking $500,000, someone leaned over and whispered in my ear, “Just wait until the Lyric Opera Ball in April. I’ve heard they’re going to hit the biggie.”

Celebrate that hole-in-one with a Watson family vintage

The Masters Golf Tournament, the granddaddy of American golf tournaments, is one of the most prestigious in the world. The roster of winners who’ve donned the emerald green jacket make up a who’s who in the golf world: Ben Hogan, Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus, to name a few.