Ivanka Trump learned the art of personal branding well from her famous father. When Ivanka married New York Observer owner Jared Kushner over the weekend she made sure to deck herself out in jewels from her own diamond company. To accessorize her Vera Wang gown she wore a total of $265,000 in diamonds and platinum including a custom-designed, platinum and mixed-cut diamond hair piece ($45,000) mixed-cut diamond cluster 9.67 carat earrings ($130,000) and an art deco platinum and a 26-carat fancy-link diamond estate bracelet ($90,000). Her bridesmaids also wore designs from the Ivanka Trump Fine Jewelry collection.

If you have an estate and you need to make the rent one enterprising idea might be to rent it out for weddings. Just make sure the neighbors won't mind. The Daily Breeze has the story of a Palos Verdes Estates home which was rented out for weddings. Unfortunately neighbors in the elite Southern California community took issue with the streams of caterers and wedding guests pouring onto the estate each weekend. They complained about the noise repeatedly and city officials were brought in on the case. Now the home's owner could face up to two years in jail and a $4,000 fine in order to deter her from doing it again. The owner, Melahat Uzumcu was arraigned today on charges of violating the zoning code, creating a public nuisance and conducting a business without a license. The home is still listed online through HomeAway.com for 10,000-$12,000 per week or $2,000 per night and listing pictures show a charming large home with an ocean view.

There are many ways to measure progress in Iraq. Most of them tend to involve unpleasant and horrifying metrics, with the goal to keep them as low as possible. But, every now and then, it's possible to find something to celebrate. These days, it's an increase in upscale Iraqi weddings. More than mere nuptials, the country has seen a spike in elaborate and well attended ceremonies.

During the week following Ramadan, a holiday called Eid al-Fitr, approximately 630 couples tied the knot in Baghdad's six most luxurious hotels, according to the Tourism and Antiques Ministry. This rivals the number of weddings at these hotels conducted in both July and August.

In past years, the high volume of weddings, particularly during Eid, wouldn't have been possible, as potential celebrants would have feared insurgent attacks, suicide bombers and other threats to safety. Though precise data isn't available, September is estimated to be the busiest wedding month since the war began in 2003.

Brides who want to be thrifty but still want to be fabulous can rent some pretty amazing jewelry courtesy of Adorn Brides. The service, which recently opened up a boutique on the popular wedding website The Knot, offers earrings, necklaces, bracelets that can be rented for a fraction of their worth. To rent pieces you select the jewelry you want, check the availability and use a credit card to order. The company calls a few days before the event to confirm the details and it arrives two days before the big day (a value of approximately 5 percent of the total value will be reserved on your credit card as a security deposit). The jewelry is insured but if you do not return it you are charged a 33 percent deductible. After the event the jewelry is returned via UPS.

The most expensive piece on Adorn Brides is the Crestwood necklace, shown above, which features over six carats of fancy yellow princess cut diamonds interspersed with white diamond accents. The necklace is listed with a retail price of $73,500 and rents for $1,900. It is also available with matching earrings and a bracelet for $2,350.

[via JCK Online]

Forbes' recent in-depth look at the impact of potential profits from legalized gay marriage on the struggling nuptial-driven industry sounds like a specialized stimulus package to me! Imagine if even half of the 781,267 same-sex couples already living together were to tie the knot. That alone would possibly boost the wedding industry by almost $10 billion! Currently the wedding market pulls in a whopping $160 billion with an average nuptial event costing over $20,000. But the industry has seen a steady 1.9 percent decline every year since 1999 and with the recent recession more couples are watching their pennies when planning the big day.

When it comes to gay marriage it seems most same-sex couples choose to spend about 34 percent of the amount straight couples shell out. But assuming their friends and family still spend the average $113 per wedding gift and the couple still receives the average 75 gifts, this category of the industry alone would rake in $3.4 million with just half the same-sex couples who already live together taking their vows. Add on catering and reception costs, honeymoon expenses, photography and jewelry and you're looking at roughly $9.5 billion of potential revenue just waiting to be scooped up.

With California's serious economic troubles I'm surprised they didn't use Proposition 8 as a way to jump-start their economy through the wedding industry? Isn't that a better alternative to legalizing marijuana?

Here's one for all the Star Trek fans. One couple can win the chance to get married on the bridge of Star Trek's U.S.S. Enterprise. The Franklin Institute in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is offering the ultimate Star Trek Wedding inside the Exhibition. The Franklin Institute seeks couples whose dream would be to get married or renew vows on the bridge of the Enterprise inside STAR TREK: THE EXHIBITION. The winning couple, which will be determined by online public vote , will plan a ceremony aboard the bridge in the Exhibition and a reception inside The Franklin Institute.

To enter a couple have to submit a photo and a short paragraph explaining why they want to win. The deadline is June 24. Local judges will choose finalists and then the public will vote from July 6 - July 20. The package includes exclusive use of the Exhibition for one hour for the ceremony and private use of reserved space inside The Franklin Institute for a four hour reception for up to 100 guests, as well as two nights' accommodations for the couple at a nearby hotel. The Franklin Institute will supply the wedding cake and exhibition and reception space only the couple has to take care of the rest of the details. The interactive exhibit will be at the Franklin Institute until September 20,2009.

[via ArtDaily]

Wedding season has arrived, and for the bride and groom, that means the fear of any little thing going wrong on the special day is imminent. And by little (that could turn into big), I mean a headache, or the need for a pen and paper or a bandage or a pair of scissors or lip balm, or a sudden need for deodorant or toothpaste, or the panicked realization that you never did get that shoe shine ... and so on.

Finally, someone has thought of putting a collection of moment-savings items for the bride or the groom into a take-along kit in an attractive bag. Mojuba's Bride Wedding Emergency Kit and Groom Wedding Emergency Kit each cost $165 and come in two styles each.

See the gallery for the style choices and a look at what's inside. Or, see the content lists here: bride and groom.

I think these would make thoughtful shower gifts. BTW, according to the site, in some African cultures, "Mojuba" refers to a bag of magical items that bring joy and happiness, and a prayer of praise and tribute.

Los Angeles may have had the wedding of Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag this weekend but the real wedding action was in Venice, Italy where Salma Hayek and her husband French luxury goods tycoon Francois-Henri Pinault renewed the vows they first made in a civil ceremony on Valentine's Day. The couple's ceremony took place at Venice's La Fenice opera house, one of the most spectacular settings in a city full of beauty and romance.

The bride wore a Balenciaga wedding gown with a long veil and her daughter Valentina, along with Francois-Henri's son and daughter from his first marriage in attendance. The affair attracted a rather impressive guest list. Among the stars in attendance were Penélope Cruz, Edward Norton, Woody Harrelson, Olivier Martinez, Ashley Judd, Charlize Theron and Stuart Townsend, Bono, Gael García Bernal, Enrique Murciano, David Blaine, Ziyi Zhang and even Anna Wintour and former French President Jacques Chirac. The weekend-long event includes a masked ball at the Venice's Punta Della Dogana on Friday night. The AP has a wedding dress picture here.

Luxe British lingerie line Agent Provocateur continues its sexy take on mythological themes with its latest collection of bridal lingerie for spring / summer. Titled "The Brides of Ulysses," the campaign features the brand's usual racy vignettes, showcasing a collection of "sumptuous white and cream designs in luxurious lace, alluring sheer tulle and sexy silk." Pictured above is the Kate corset in a "gorgeous wedding white detailed with intricate floral embroidery on the front and a traditional lace-up back." The Brides campaign also features a cameo by British model Karen Elson, wife of rock star Jack White of the White Stripes.

More than $30,000 in diamond jewelry will be given away during the InStyle Weddings Diamond Giveaways Sweepstakes. You can win a diamond jewelry set comprising a pair of 1/3 carat diamond solitaire earrings and a 3/8 carat princess cut diamond solitaire pendant in 14K white gold. There will be two prizes weekly (16 winners total), valued at almost $4,000. You can enter daily until 11:59 p.m. (ET) on April 30, 2009.

The time-honored pre-wedding tradition of picking out the china pattern may be changing. The Washington Post reports that many young couples are opting out of the tradition of choosing fine, formal china. According to the article while just ten years ago most couples would register for formal china, crystal and flatware, now less than half choose fine china.

Why the switch? Some feel that fine china is too formal and fussy and opt for more casual dinnerware. Others have already inherited a more formal set. Brides are tending to opt for something that can be used everyday and popped into the microwave or dishwasher. Companies like Lenox and Waterford are trying a variety of strategies to prove that china is still important and they offer a wider range of styles and colors. Still, the best-selling formal china pattern at Lenox is the traditional Opal Innocence shown at right which costs $172 per place setting and a quiet white and platinum pattern is also a top seller at Waterford.

Certainly if you're planning the big event you're also looking for those timeless pieces that will adorn your table in the years to come. Classic serving and cocktail pieces don't have to be dull especially when your guests are willing to spend a little extra cash. A registry built around Christofle's line is sure to speak volumes about your premium taste in tabletop items. Established in 1830, Christofle created silverware for French royalty, including King Louis-Phillipe and Emperor Napoleon III. Royal standards meet modern design and successfully suit the most discerning of customers. (The gallery below may help convince any indecisive fiances -- prices range from $210 to $1,680).

I'm all for getting creative and doing your own thing when it comes to weddings (I did the 'run off and get married on the beach' thing myself), but if you feel like it's all been done before and you're looking for something that's truly different have you considered getting married in space? The Japanese company Rocketplane Kistler Japan has paired up with wedding planner First Advantage to offer a marriage ceremony 62 miles up in space. For just $2.2 million you and your sweetie can exchange vows while orbiting the Earth.

Do you think they make space suits with veils and white lace?

Jewelry designer Mark Schneider's designs are a step away from the traditional. Schneider creates both diamond bridal jewelry and unique dramatic pieces that incorporate colorful gemstones. Schneider believes in letting the stones "talk to him" before he creates a design.

The engagement rings from Mark Schneider Designs have a unique feature. Each design in the collection features a Secret Heart, small yellow or white gold heart at the base of the ring set with a tiny diamond inscribed with a message that says "Love you Forever." The styles range from traditional to more contemporary and each features smaller diamonds set along the sides of the ring. All of the rings can be made in either platinum or gold and set with center stones in a variety of sizes. The gallery below features a few of Schneider's bridal designs as well as some of his award-winning gemstone creations.

The details of Ivana Trump's weekend wedding are pretty amazing but what might be the most interesting is how similar the wedding is to her ex-husband's wedding back in 2005. After all, Donald and Ivana each married a much younger spouse at the very same location, the Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida. Ivana wore 450 carats worth of LEVIEV diamonds including a 71.76 carat diamond necklace and 6.39 carat oval-cut diamond earrings on her wedding night. Trump's wife Melania wore a $200,000 satin and rhinestone Dior gown and Fred Leighton jewels for their wedding. Ivana's wedding cake was 12 feet tall and weighed in at 770 pounds. Donald's last wedding included a seven-tier cake that weighed over 200 pounds. Donald Trump's guests were entertained by a 36-piece string orchestra that was local whereas Ivana had a 24-piece orchestra flown in from Paris. Donald had more celebrity guests but the Ivana got serenaded by Neil Sedaka. Let's just call this one a draw and say that though they may be divorced the ex-Trumps certainly have a lot in common.