Groom's Week: Target Practice - A Nightlight for Guys

Here's a groovy gadget for grooms that brides will benefit from too. Whether you're already living together or will be after the upcoming wedding, one of the irksome things about guys is when they leave the seat up (add groan here...). Even the most well mannered gents will be guilty of this from time to time so here's your chance to be prepared.

The Johnny Light is a night light for your toilet bowl that lights up when he leaves the seat up! No more falling in for you and no more misguided pee pee for him. Genius I say! The Globetrotting Groom says any gadget with LEDs and batteries will be a sure hit with men. Just watch this video for details.

Get one for your groom as an "I can't wait to live with you" present and spare yourself the "seat-up vs. seat down" controversy before it starts. Its also a fun bachelor or bachelorette party gag gift. Next up, getting him to put a new roll of toilet paper in after he uses it all up.....

And the Pevonia Botanica winner is.....

And the winner of the Tropicale Papaya-Pineapple gift set from Pevonia Botanica is commenter number 2 - Jessica P! Email me at globetrottingbride@gmail.com to claim your great prize!

And to the other 150 fabulous readers who didn't win this time, stay tuned for more great giveaways!!

Tuesday giveaway! Aruba, Jamaica ooh I wanna take ya. To Bermuda, Bahama come on pretty mama.

What's the next best thing to a spa treatment on a tropical beach getaway? Pevonia Botanica's Tropicale De-Aging products!

For the last few weeks, I've been slathering myself (and my ever growing belly) with their Mango-Passion Fruit line and I can't tell you how yummy I've been smelling. Even the Globetrotting Groom has noticed my soft skin.

Aside from smelling great, the body balm is rich, creamy and moisturizing but totally not sticky or greasy. The saltmousse scrub works great to polish away dead skin and the mist is so deliciously moisturizing. Best of all, the natural, organic products are formulated with Shea Butter, Collagen, Elastin, Pomegranate and other anti-aging tropical fruit extracts. So maybe I'm even starting to look a little younger! And they care too - Pevonia products are eco-packaged (recyclable/biodegradable), non-comedogenic and cruelty-free (no testing on animals).

All brides need soft skin. Wanna try it? Thanks to the kind people at Pevonia Botanica, I'm giving away a Tropicale Papaya-Pineapple Gift Set valued at $80! Just visit the Pevonia Botanica website and comment below with your favorite at home product or in spa treatment by midnight on Monday, July 6.

And, if you don't win, you can experience Pevonia Botanica products at home or on your next vacation since their products are used at several top day spas and resorts around the world.

Destination Weddings For Dummies - and smart cookies too!

Destination Weddings are great for so many reasons - my favorite being that everyone gets to go on vacation! If you're thinking of tying the knot away from home, get all your planning advice in one fun to read book: Destination Weddings for Dummies.


From organizing tips and budgeting guidelines to destination suggestions and fashion tips, this book really covers all the bases. I especially enjoyed the tips for last minute emergencies and destination wedding etiquette.

Available on Amazon in print and Kindle version for you paperless types. Makes a great wedding shower or engagement gift too!

Recessionista Wedding or Honeymoon Savings Tip!

Trying to save some money for your wedding dress or exotic honeymoon? Here's a cute idea...
The Dream Bank is the perfect way to save up for that special treat. Insert a photo of your desired object in the back of the box and start tossing your spare change into the slot each day.

If your guy leaves around as much loose change as mine does, this might just do the trick. And remember, a penny saved is a penny closer to Tahiti...

Wedding planning tip for the organized bride....

You meet so many people when you're wedding planning wouldn't it be great if you could hand out your contact details with something more personal than your business cards?

Here's a great idea....

Make some teeny tiny MOO mini cards! I just made a batch and they have been getting rave reviews. The photo quality is great and so is the paper stock. See how cute and tiny they are?!?!



Each box contains of 100 mini cards and the best part is that each card can feature a different photo. I think it would be so fun to upload all your engagement pics and print your contact details on the back.

Of course there are zillions of other ways to incorporate MOO mini cards into your wedding like place cards, gift tags, save the dates, etc. And be sure to check out MOO for other cool products like holiday cards, post cards, greeting cards and business cards.

Wedding Correspondence - Send it by E-Mail? Snail Mail?...TELEGRAM!

One of my good friends has an old telegram message framed in her apartment. Its a message sent to her dad announcing that she was born (he was in the Army or something like that at the time). It's faded and full of typos but it always catches my eye.

If you're looking for a cool way to include some retro correspondence into your wedding plans, check out Telegram Stop.


You fill out the telegram information online and for just $4.70 it gets sent to the recipient anywhere in the world as an old-school telegram! I think it would be a fun way to ask "Will you be my bridesmaid?," or to say "Happy Anniversary," or maybe even just to wish the wedding couple a Bon Voyage on their honeymoon.

If you're the DIY type, click here to download your own Western Telegram template - this would be so cute for Save The Dates!

Come Fly With Me - Amazing Sale at Flight 001

Flight 001, one of my favorite travel shops is having a 30% store-wide sale on everything to celebrate their 10th anniversary! Now through April 19, you'll save in store and online with the promo code BIRTHDAY (minimum $50 purchase).


If you need cool toiletry kits, luggage, Spackpaks, eye masks, travel guides, totes, passport cases, umbrellas, games, cameras, and anything else for your travels, be sure to check it out! Lots of great gift ideas here too including bridesmaid/groomsmen presents...





Click here to read about some of my favorite in-flight gadgets.

Mark your wedding date with this personalized necklace

Remember my post on personalized calendar charm gifts? Here's another option that would make a great present for any bride-to-be. I think it would also make an awesome anniversary or birthday gift...

Dalla Nonna Jewelry's signature piece, the calendar necklace comes in gold (rose, yellow or white) or silver with a brushed or shiny finish. You mark your special day with your choice of sapphire (pink, blue, green, purple, red or yellow).

Aren't they drool-worthy????

Do you have the most perfect wedding shoes?

If you love shoes as much as I do, you'll want to keep you perfect wedding shoes looking perfect right until the big day.

(source)

From dress maker fittings, dance lessons and celebratory parties, brides-to-be do a lot of shoe schlepping. I've found the perfect solution to let your shoes travel in style....no more plastic grocery bags, scuff marks or dirty clothing when you use....a Shubi bag!

Shubi bags are the most beautiful shoe bags I've ever seen! They come in two styles (one piece or two for those who don't like their shoes to touch), are made of top-quality cotton (super durable), are fully lined in complementary-colored fabric and close with single drawstrings made of grosgrain ribbon.

Best of all, they can also be used for toting toiletries, hair dryers and straighteners, handbags, wine and even a laptop!

There are dozens of fabrics to choose from. Check out these great designs:
I think they'd be a fantastic present for any bride-to-be and a great gift idea for your bridesmaids.

Mile High Must Have Accessories!

With all the gadgets you need to keep entertained in-flight, here are some must-have accessories to bring along on your next trip!

The Mile High Charger


Suppose your boyfriend proposes during the flight, you'll want your cell phone to be fully charged the minute you land so you can call all your girlfriends. This trusty little battery operated charger works on Blackberry, Motorola, Nokia and Samsung phones.

The Rockstar Headphone Splitter


Because one iPod is sometimes better than two. What better way to pick a First Dance Song than to listen together? Also great for sharing DVD players.

The Solio Hybrid Charger


Flying during the day? Got a window seat? Use this handy "Hybrid" charger and you'll be juiced up for the entire flight! Absorbs power from the sun (and also from a wall socket) to charge all your phones, iPods, digital cameras, laptops, etc. Also great for workaholics on the beach!

Got your soulmate? Go get your SoleMates!

Here's a photo from my engagement party last May. We all look happy, right? You can't even tell that it had rained like crazy all day, ending just before the party started...

But, if you look closely at our feet, we were actually sinking right into the wet grass! Ewwww...


Better late than never, here's another amazing invention that would have saved our heels! SoleMates are little rubber coverings that slip right over your high heels.


In addition to making your shoe more stable (a nice feature for klutzy gals), they help you from sinking into the grass and slipping into cracks! If you're planning a garden wedding, having cocktails on cobblestones or just looking to protect your special day heels, you'll want to check them out. I think they'd be a nice amenity for destination weddings (bulk discounts apply on orders or 10 or more) or bathroom baskets.

They come in clear or black and fit most high heels. Click here to find a retailer by you or order online. At just $12 a pair, they're a great investment for your fancy shoes.

Honeymoon packing tip #6 - Give your bras and panties a safe home

Here's another one of those things you didn't know you needed...invented by necessity of course.

I introduce you to the amazing duo: the Bra Bag and Panty Pak from the Brag Company.

(And no, this is not a photo of me and my friends...)

The Bra Bag (in regular and buxom) safely protects up to six bras in a durable, yet cute hard case that will surely make any customs officer blush. Best of all, no more dented bras or bent underwires.

The Panty Pak is a lightweight tote with two zippered compartments labeled "clean" and "not so clean" and exterior pockets.

I took them for a test drive on a recent trip to Miami and I was very impressed. Here we are:

The only downside is you need to save a little extra space in your luggage for the Bra Bag. I think they would also be a great way to transport bikinis.

If you're looking for great gift idea for a bride-to-be or a cute bridesmaid present, check them out online or click here to find them at a store near you.

Bling me some ice....

Do you like your drinks on the rocks? I saw this on StyleSchool and it was love at first sight. Leave it to CB2 (Crate & Barrel's young, hip sibling in case you don't know) to offer up blingy ice cube trays?

Each tray has six different shapes (brilliant, emerald, princess, etc.) so you can pick your favorite or mix and match. I think they'd be great for an engagement party, bridal shower or bachelorette night. They'd also be nice for a signature wedding drink or a city-girl cocktail party.

And at just $6.95, its definitely the most affordable way to increase your bling.

And the Tassi winner is...

The Tassi contest winner is.......

Caitlin!! Email me with your address.

Honeymoon packing tip #5 - Pack wine like a pro

One of the best mementos to bring back from a special trip or honeymoon is a bottle or two of local wine. Since airline restrictions require that any liquid over 3 ounces go in your checked luggage, you'll want to bring a BottleWise bag on your next trip.

I like the BottleWise Duo above since it can pack two bottles of wine and can also be used as an on-the-go carrier for bringing wine to picnics or parties. Inside you'll find two padded liquid-tight Bot'lPacks (each holds one 750 ml bottle) that feature a patent-pending protection system. It's designed for the culinary traveler and can also be used for transporting olive oils, balsamic vinegar, vanilla, etc.

We tested it out in Mexico and it worked like a charm! I should add that the Globetrotting Groom was very impressed with its durable and well constructed pouches that snap into the outer bag.

There are also picnic basket coolers and elegant wine carriers with glasses and corkscrew. Check them out quickly while they're still on sale. I think they're a really great present for a newly engaged couple or really anyone who likes to travel.

On a side note, if you're buying alcohol at Duty Free, you'll need to check it in your luggage if you have a connecting flight home. I learned this the hard way last year...

If you've got hair, you'll want to win this!

Here's another one of those amazing inventions that no girl should be without! If you've got hair, you need a Tassi.

In short, this is an ingenious way to hold your hair back off your face leaving you free to wash your face, get a facial, take a shower or relax with a mud mask while your hair stays safe and dry. Better than a ponytail or headband since you can splash away without getting the infamous ponytail dent and it doesn't flatten your hair. It's made of soft terry cloth (pop it right in the wash) and comes in lots of fun colors (mine is hot pink).

I just got bangs last month, it has seriously saved my sanity in a way no guy could ever understand (sorry Globetrotting Groom).

A real must have for brides-to-be since every hair stylist hates working with just washed hair (a good tip in case you didn't know). And a great gift idea for the gal who has everything.

Here's your chance...one lucky Globetrotting Bride reader will win her very own Tassi. Just visit the Tassi shop and comment below with your favorite color by end of day Friday.

Good luck!!

Do you know someone who got engaged over the holidays?

Here's a fun engagement gift idea. Smittens from Restoration Hardware are mittens-for-two. Two single mittens and one tandem mitten for hand holding in the cold. I can't say I've ever seen anyone wear these but the idea is cute. On sale for just $25.

The ultimate gift for your iPhone lover

How do you know when somebody has an iPhone??

drumroll......and the answer:

They tell you!

Here's something that falls into the "Why didn't I think of that category?"

Etre Touchy gloves are a tech-lover's dream come true. Warm, stylish gloves that cover all but your thumbs and index fingers allowing you to touch, tap, stroke, slide and pinch work your techie gadgets without freezing to death.

The Globetrotting Groom took them for a test drive and it was love at first touch. Here he is working his gloves while waiting for the subway.

These would be a great for anyone heading off on a urban city honeymoon this winter along with a chic guidebook or two...

Come on Baby, Light my Fire!

Imagine a candle and massage oil in one easy-to-use, spill-proof container? I found it!

The Scandle Candle is a great two-in-one invention that gives you a fragrant soy candle and warm massage oil. Light the candle and when you're ready, extinguish the flame and you've got a warm, but not burning hot, massage oil. The Globetrotting Groom reports that its a nice, easy to work with, not-too-greasy massage balm and the Globetrotting Bride confirms that it feels and smells great and doesn't leave a sticky film. If your man likes to play with fire, this will be just up his alley.

The moisturizing oil is loaded with shea butter, soy butter, jojoba and vitamin E making it great for manicures and pedicures too. Available in a 10-ounce (30-60 hour burn time) ceramic container or a 4-ounce travel tin (15-30 hour burn time).

Best of all, it will make it through airport security in your carry-on and it won't spill in your travels! The 3-pack travel tin sampler would make a great holiday or shower gift.

Want to win your own in your choice of fragrance (aromatherapy blends and tempting flavors like Fig & Brown Sugar, Margarita, Green Tea Aloe, etc .)? Just comment below with your favorite Scandle Candle fragrance before midnight on Friday. Or click here to purchase.