Kim Kardashian’s Hubby Kris Scammed by Wedding Guest

Kim Kardashian married Kris Humphries in August, and one of their wedding guests was a financial advisor to the groom—Andrey C. Hicks. Hicks was arrested yesterday in Canada—on his way to Switzerland, perhaps?—for wire fraud and investment scams of at least $1.7 million dollars. Hundreds of thousands of those dollars belonged to Kris Humphries, reports TMZ. No wonder sources are reporting the basketball player gets money from wife Kim Kardashian for his daily needs.

It seems Hicks was luring celebs into investing in a billion dollar hedge fund which does not exist! Robbing! Bilking! Scamming! There are various words for the process by which unscrupulous money men get wealthy people to put money—often really big money—into their schemes, without thoroughly checking them out.

Fans remember the Kim Kardashian-Kris Humphries wedding was relatively small, by Kardashian standards, so the invitation Andrey Hicks, 27, got shows he was a trusted "friend". He even shows up in pictures of the more-exclusive rehearsal dinner. And all the while, he was planning to make off with tons of the groom's hard-earned money.

Was Kim Kardashian fooled, or was she not in the loop? If Kris did not ask his wife-to-be's advice before putting dough into Hicks's scheme, he certainly should have!

Meanwhile, the alleged crook told everyone he graduated from Harvard, which he did not—he was tossed out after three semesters, for poor grades. Now he could be in prison for the next twenty years.

Meanwhile, since the NBA can't get its act together, Kris is still unemployed. Probably, he will be a lot more careful, next time he has a salary. But will he still be married to Kim Kardashian?

Cindy Kroiss

CELEBS

The Wedding Event Monster: Is it Time to Stop Feeding the Beast?

A wedding, in its essence, is an event where two people get married in the presence of their friends and families. At some point in the last half-century or so, a wedding has become an epic series of interrelated events that bear some relation to the fact that two people will eventually get married in the presence of their friends and families. Much to the glee of the multi-billion-dollar wedding industry, a typical wedding - in many, if not all, social strata - now comprises an engagement party, a bridal shower, a bachelor party, a bachelorette party, a rehearsal dinner, a wedding (there's the getting married part), and a brunch the next day.

The movie Bridesmaids brilliantly captured some of the blighting aspects of these wedding-related rituals, especially the competitiveness between women that they foster. But it did not hit on what seems to be the central issue for many people (even if they will only complain about it in hushed tones far from the bridge and groom): the huge output of time and money required of everyone close to the couple. In the movie, the girls inexplicably have unlimited resources to put toward dresses, extravagant presents, trips out of town, over-the-top parties, etc., in spite of some of them being less than gainfully employed. In real life, the couple may act as if you have a bottomless well of cash to spend on their wedding, but that doesn't mean you actually do.

I was a bridesmaid in two weddings this past summer, which meant I had wedding events in stereo: two bridal showers, two bachelorette parties, two rehearsal dinners, etc. I dearly love both of my brides, but after buying new dresses for both weddings, presents for both bridal showers and both weddings, attending two fancy bachelorette dinners, and spending many an hour shopping, cooking, crafting, emailing, and coordinating various happenings, it wasn't only love that I was feeling.

It seems to me that this wedding event culture can actually breed resentment on both sides. On the couple's side, expectations have been ratcheted up so high for all these happenings that there is bound to be disappointment and anti-climax. (I have seen more than one bride in tears because she felt she wasn't getting feted enough.)

Viewed as a chance to show your love for your engaged friends and get together with big groups of kind, supportive people, these events serve an important role, and can definitely be fun and celebratory in and of themselves. But it's the scale I object to - the wedding as behemoth - and the accompanying infiltration of consumer culture into this most sacred of rituals. Are all these gifts, outfits, and costly excursions what weddings are really about? And, more to the point, are they what marriage is really about? And, when it comes down to it, shouldn't weddings be about marriage?

I know I am fighting an uphill battle here, but I have one request to make. I understand the reasons behind many of these extra-curricular activities (I have been told that you must throw a brunch for your out-of-town guests), but can someone explain the function of the bridal shower? And does anyone know anyone who has ever actually enjoyed a bridal shower (barring their own, or even including their own)? The bridal shower strikes me as a relic of a bygone age (think Mad Men) when women coveted their household appliances above all else. It still has the advantage of bringing women together, but bachelorette parties have already got that covered. And if women want to get together, can't we do it without getting dressed up, serving hors d'oeuvres, and buying each other salad bowls? So, ladies, a plea: Do you think we could all band together and just cut the bridal shower out of the equation? No, probably not. No one wants to give up their salad bowl.

HUFFPOST 

Pamela Newton

Freelance Writer and English Teacher

Marilyn Monroe's wedding ring from ill-fated marriage to Joe DiMaggio goes under the hammer

It was the symbol of an ill-fated marriage between two legends.
The platinum eternity band Joe DiMaggio gave to Marilyn Monroe on their wedding day signified the hope of a harmonious future that would never happen.
Just eight months after their wedding ceremony, the couple had separated amid a storm of jealous rows. Two months later, the marriage was no more.
Now, the diamond wedding ring that once held such promise is to go under the hammer.



The New York Yankees star bought the eternity ring, set with 35 baguette-cut diamonds (one of the diamonds has been lost) ahead of the couple's wedding on 14 January, 1954.
DiMaggio and Monroe had met two years earlier in an Italian restaurant on Hollywood's Sunset Boulevard.



The chemistry was palpable; their relationship tempestuous but passionate. But from the moment the couple said their vows in an intimate civil ceremony at San Francisco City Hall, the union was doomed.
In September of that year, Marilyn was shooting the now-iconic scene from The Seven Year Itch, standing on a subway grate with her skirt blowing up to reveal her legs.



A large crowd gathered as director Billy Wilder instructed the scene be shot again and again. DiMaggio, who had visited Monroe on set, was furious at the spectacle and flew into a rage.
Two weeks later, it was announced the couple had separated. In November that year, their divorce was issued.
The historic piece, on sale with California auction house Profiles in History (www.profilesinhistory.com), has a guide price of $300,000 to $500,000. Given the appeal of the screen idol and her one-time husband though, it is likely to fetch much more.
Earlier this year when the white halterneck dress from the Seven Year Itch scene went under the hammer at the same auction house as part of the famed Debbie Reynolds collection, a new Guinness World Record for memorabilia was set after eager bidders pushed the price up to $5.2m (£3.4m).
Up for auction in the same collection is a 1948 to 1949 nude oil of Marilyn Monroe, painted by Earl Moran. The colourful artwork - which Marilyn praised as making her legs look 'wonderful,' is set to fetch $70,000 to $90,000 (£43,500 to £56,000).
Read more:

Conan O’Brien Will Officiate a Gay Wedding on His Show Next Week

To commemorate his one-year anniversary at TBS, Conan O'Brien is taping his late-night show Conan at New York's Beacon Theater next week, but that milestone won't be the only cause for celebration. Vulture hears that O'Brien will be officiating an on-air wedding during one of those episodes, and it's the sort of marriage ceremony that couldn't have taken place back when O'Brien used to tape his show in New York: a legal wedding between two men.

Show sources are quick to caution that the potentially groundbreaking event is no mere publicity stunt, and isn't intended to make light of gay marriage — in fact, O'Brien will be marrying a longtime staffer and his partner.
If the idea of a late-night wedding sounds familiar, you may be thinking of the union between Tiny Tim and Miss Vicki on The Tonight Show nearly 42 years ago, a televised marriage ceremony that shattered late-night ratings records. Weddings have since been big business for morning talk shows and sweeps-week prime-time serials, but they've been surprisingly absent from the late-night landscape until now. Still, don't expect a save-the-date card just yet: Producers are still determining which night the Conan wedding will air.
nymag

Royal wedding and football boost tourism figures

More than four million people visited London in the second quarter of the year as tourists flocked to see the royal wedding and the UEFA Champions League final, figures have shown.

The capital hosted 4.03 million visitors between April and June this year, an increase of 12.6 per cent on last year, according to provisional figures from the International Passenger Survey. One-off events like April’s royal wedding and the football final between Barcelona and Manchester United at Wembley in May encouraged people to visit London.

Tourists from North America remain London’s largest in-bound market and visitor numbers from this group were up 8.6 per cent on the same time last year. There were some 10.4 per cent more visitors from Europe, while tourism from the rest of the world increased by 20.9 per cent compared to the second quarter of 2010. In total, an additional 450,000 people visited London compared with April to June last year.
Mayor of London Boris Johnson said: “With first-class visitor attractions, top flight restaurants and bars, unparalleled shopping experiences and the growing buzz of the Olympic Games it is little wonder that London continues to dominate as one of the most desirable destinations in the world. 2012 is set to be a huge year for the capital and we stand ready to welcome the world.”

Year-on-year, visits to the capital increased by nine per cent in the 12 months to June. This follows an overall increase of 2.7 per cent in 2010 and a rise of 4.6 per cent in the first quarter of 2011. London raked in £2.27bn in tourism receipts in the second quarter of this year.

London & Partners CEO Gordon Innes said: “We had lots to celebrate in London during this quarter, notably key one off events such as the royal wedding and UEFA Champions League, which both attracted hundreds of thousands of visitors to the capital. Wimbledon, Chelsea Flower Show and other annual events can also be attributed to this impressive upturn. We look forward to seeing this upward trend continue for the rest of the year.”


The figures for the second quarter of 2011 may be slightly flattered by the favourable comparatives brought about by the shutdown of UK airspace in April last year. However, even taking the six-day closure of airspace into account, the tourism figures have still improved significantly.

Ashley Hebert Nixes White Wedding Dress

Bachelorette Ashley Hebert wants something unique, so, "My wedding dress will not be white!" The dental student turned America's sweetheart announced that much of her and J.P. Rosenbaum's wedding plans at a party Wednesday night in NYC, reports OMG from Yahoo. So far, there has been nothing traditional about the engagement.

Well, OK, Ashley Hebert and JP are in love and she's wearing a ring, and they live together, which is becoming more traditional every year. But they met on a television show, where various network-selected men competed to win her heart. That sort of courtship was more traditional back in the days of knights and swords and jousting tournaments.

Right now, the two lovebirds cannot even decide upon a date for the wedding—even the year is still up in the air—and they don't seem to be worried about it. "We've thrown around a few ideas, but we're all over the place."

Kim Kardashian's splashy wedding got Ashley Hebert in the mood to think about her own, reports JP, but "we are going to wait until she's done with school," the prospective groom says. That could be wise thinking. And it seems they are enjoying all the publicity and gifts and invitations too much to give it all up and become just an ordinary young married couple.

by Cindy Kroiss

Gambhir to marry Natasha today

Cricketer Gautam Gambhir is all set to marry Natasha Jain, daughter of a prominent businessman in Delhi, in Gurgaon on Friday. Cricketer Sachin Tendulkar and actor Shah Rukh Khan are expected to attend the wedding. According to media reports, the wedding will take place at the Westend farms in Delhi-Gurgaon road.
The pheras will begin at around 5pm. Gautam will wear fashion designer Shantanu Nikhil outfit whereas the bride Natasha will be wearing fashion designer Tarun Tahiliani outfit during the wedding ceremony.


Later in the evening, the newly married couple will interact with the media for 45 minutes at a separate venue. The couple then will head back to the wedding venue where the reception will be followed with the dinner party.
Keeping it a very private affair, around 300 guests have been invited that includes the BCCI officials, DDCA officials and close cricketer friends of Gautam. There won't be many celebrities and VVIP guests.
In shades of maroon, off white and gold, famous wedding planner Meher Sarid and Sunny Sarid have given the wedding venue a stylish floral look with elaborate décor. Fresh flowers have been exported from abroad.


According to reports, dinner will include an elaborate menu which will include Indian, Thai and Continental cuisines. There will be a special paan stall set up near the dinner area. Gautam is very fond of Hot chocolate fudge and hence a chocolate fountain has been included in the menu, reports added.
Gautam was very keen on having Rahat Fateh Ali Khan perform at his wedding but this won't be possibe due to visa issue.
The haat thera ceremony was held at the girl's house this morning. The mehndi ceremony took place at 5pm last evening followed by the sangeet ceremony.

A New Perspective On Wedding Night Sex

Michael S. Broder, Ph.D.

The wedding bells have rung, the bouquet has been tossed, and the cake was cut. Now what? Every couple has a picture perfect image of what their wedding night is going to be like. The groom is going to whisk the bride away from the reception and carry her across the threshold to a candle lit room with rose petals scattered across the bed and Barry White playing in the background.

But is that really what it's like?
For some, yes, the wedding night is a magical moment that you will always remember. You will be able to fall in love all over again every time you think back to your first night as a married couple. For others however, it doesn't quite go that way. For some couples the night may end in pure exhaustion. This one day may have just taken a year of planning, maybe more. Perhaps it was full of laughing, crying, and the occasional disagreement. Neither party got a good night's sleep the night before due to excitement, nervousness, and anticipation for the big day. Then, you wake up extra early and your adrenaline immediately kicks in. Both the bride and groom have multiple tasks and activities to do before the wedding.

Then finally, you tie the knot; but now, there's a night full of dancing, laughter, and mingling. Once the guests finally go home, there's nothing you would rather do than fall into bed and dream of your future together, not having the famous wedding night sex. That's okay and one scenario.


Others use the "I do" and that special kiss at the end of the ceremony as a symbol to finally relax and let loose. You get to the reception and start to socialize, drink, and dance. As you celebrate, every toast is finished with a sip of champagne, the beers are cold and crisp, and the shots are going down smoothly. As the reception comes to a close you realize you're just a little too drunk to be closing out this joyous occasion with sex. Again, that's another scenario and still okay.

So, how do you still make your wedding night memorable even without the sex? In the end, no one will ever know what you did on your wedding night, that's why it is yours. Do whatever makes the two of you happy. Enjoy your excitement about officially having the rest of your lives together. Focus on the fact that it is your first night in the next chapter of your life -- after all, it's the marriage that's really important, the wedding is just a ceremony and party -- and that for the rest of the chapters you'll have a partner in crime. But no matter what, make your wedding night your own.

If you want the wedding night sex, realize that a little planning is in order. Don't become overwhelmed by the multiple tasks you wake up to the morning of your wedding day. Instead, utilize your wedding party to help you out. If you can afford it, get a wedding planner to take care of those last minute details. Don't worry about the little things, odds are they will fall into place or people won't notice. Plus, they will just stress you out and, in the end, become stressors that you don't need on your special day. Once you're at the reception, try not to become overwhelmed by the amount of guests you think you have to entertain. You don't have to! You may have paid thousands of dollars for a DJ/band, alcohol, a good venue with good food and plenty of dance space. Not to mention the time you spent on configuring a seating chart so that your guests could eat with people they know and like. Let your spent time and money entertain them. On a side note, you should be able to enjoy what your money paid for as well! If you're really worried about seeing all the guests, be sure to visit the elderly guests you may not see on the dance floor; the other guests will most likely make it a point to find you.


Now, the cameras are off, the guests have gone home, and it's just the two of you. There is no need to have to pose or act a certain way. You have no pressure or expectations for what you do on your wedding night, except your own. If you've taken the advice given above and you are energetic and sober enough to enjoy sex, then by all means do it! However, if you do find yourself being tired or too drunk, just be real with one another. Laugh about moments you may have had in your past and imagine what it's going to be like in the future. Share your likes and dislikes with one another, maybe even plan on doing some of those likes the next morning when you're both well rested and sober. In reality, your wedding night is only one night of many thousands. You might have that mind-blowing sex you thought you'd have on your wedding night or you might not. Either way, enjoy the day; but never forget that what's really important is your life together as a couple -- a team -- hopefully for the rest of your lives!
Michael S. Broder, Ph.D. is a psychologist who specializes in therapy for couples. He is author of Stage Climbing: The Shortest Path to Your Highest Potential

Planning Colors for Your Wedding: Wedding Dresses, Flowers, and More!

Dreaming about your wedding is one thing; planning it is another. From wedding dresses to cakes and tuxedos to flowers - every aspect of your wedding must be carefully planned to "fall in place" on the big day! If you've been to one wedding or several, you probably realize the importance of wedding colors. Everything about the wedding is planned according the colors the bride chooses. So, here's a quick guide to help you plan your wedding colors.

Choose the Right Colors for Your Wedding Dresses

Many brides use their favorite colors for their wedding dresses - pink, red, fuchsia, burgundy, plum, mauve, purple, or blue. But before you choose colors, see if you can't find some photos of various weddings from the past. Look at a variety of color patterns and combinations before making your choice. You might find colors that you like much better than your usual favorites.

Consider how the colors of your wedding dresses will look with other colorful items once it is all put together for the big wedding day. The bridesmaid dresses will be matched with flowers, tuxedos, mother of the bride dresses, flower girl dresses, accessories, and even the reception decor.

Wedding Dresses with a Touch of Color

A growing trend is to add a touch of color to the bride's wedding gown. This is perfect for the bride who wants more than the traditional wedding gown. Some brides have color sprinkled throughout their wedding gown with embroidery. The gorgeous embroidery patterns come to life on the wedding dress when color highlights are added. These are usually available in a variety of colors painted on an ivory white wedding gown.

Test Wedding Color Combinations

Don't be afraid to match unusual colors before making your choice. Some color combinations might surprise you. For example, not many would choose bright peach, bright yellow and white, but these are actually beautiful when coordinated together in wedding flower arrangements with yellow dresses! Try out a variety of combinations to find the right wedding colors for you.

Choose Colors that Complement You

It's your special day. Choose colors that complement your hair and skin tone. You'll want colors that make you look wonderful on your wedding day. If you normally look great in red, then you'll probably look fantastic amidst red decor and red bridesmaid dresses. Maybe you can even add some red embroidery colors to your wedding gown. Whatever color suits you should work fine for the wedding.

Other Considerations

Other things to consider before choosing your wedding colors include the colors of the church or building where the wedding will be held as well as the reception hall, the types of flowers available for that time of year (if using real ones), and the availability of wedding dresses in those colors.

Once you choose colors for your wedding dresses and flowers, you're ready to start planning the wedding. To save time, you can find a wide variety of wedding dresses, bridesmaid dresses, and even prom dresses online. Be sure to choose the colors you love. After all, it is your special day!

Setting a Budget for Wedding Favors

Setting a budget for the wedding favors is a very important part of planning a wedding. Many couples make the mistake of underestimating the cost of the wedding favors and not allotting a part of the budget specifically for this purpose. This can be a problem especially if the couple waits until the last minute to shop for favors or is planning to have a large number of guests at the wedding reception. This article will touch upon the important of setting a budget for wedding favors and will provide some tips for making wedding favors more affordable.

The cost of renting a catering hall and paying for food for your wedding are certainly some of the most expensive items to consider when planning a wedding. Additionally, flowers and transportation can also contribute to the high price of weddings. However, these are not the only factors to consider. The cost of wedding favors should also be carefully considered. This is important because the couple should realize that favors are going to be a cost per guest item. This means the couple will be paying a specific price for each favor and multiplying this price by the number of guests at the wedding. This means even if you select favors which cost $1, you will still wind up paying $500 for wedding favors if you are planning to have a wedding which will include 500 guests. You can see how this price can quickly add up and wreak havoc on a couples budget for a wedding.

So the first thing to consider when setting a budget for wedding favors is how many guests you plan on having at your wedding. This is very important because the price of each individual favor will be multiplied by the number of guests you plan to have at the wedding. This is not to be confused with the number of guests you are inviting to the wedding. For example if you have a rather large extended family with many out of town relatives you may feel obligated to invite all of these relatives even if you are quite sure they will not come to the wedding. If you are fairly sure these guests will not be able to come to your wedding you can make an estimate of the number of guest you are realistically expecting to show up at the wedding.

Once you establish this number you can set a budget in a couple of different ways. One way to do it is to determine an amount you can afford to spend on favors and are willing to spend on favors and then divide this number by the number of guests you are expecting. This will let you know how much you can afford to spend on each favor. It is important to include tax, shipping, gift wrapping and all other incidentals in this per favor price. Another way to set a budget for the favors is to begin searching around for favors and seek out estimates on favors which you find appealing. This will help you determine how much you want to spend on each favor to give your guests a favor you think is appropriate. Once you have this number you can multiply it by the number of guests you plan on having at the reception. If you can afford this amount you can plan on purchasing favors in this price range. However, if the total amount is more than you planned to spend you might have to consider less expensive favors.

If you plan on having a large wedding reception with a number of guests there are ways to make buying wedding favors more affordable. One way to do this is to seek out distributors who offer reduced pricing for bulk orders. Contact the distributor directly to ask about these cost breaks because they may not advertise them directly on their website or in their advertisements.