The "DC Cupcakes" Family Is Growing!

02/28/2013

There's a new baby in town!

In the upcoming DC Cupcakes special on March 12, the busy sisters are opening a new bakery on the West Coast, building a giant globe for the grand opening of a children's museum on the East Coast, and anxiously awaiting the arrival of Katherine's baby. This is Mommy's first grandchild, so while she's incredibly excited, she also wants to make sure Katherine is prepared. You won't believe how she schools Katherine in the art of motherhood! Let's just say this is the first time we've seen a robot in the bakery. (No, the temperamental fondant sheeter doesn't count.)

As Katherine struggles to do her bakery work with a baby bump slowing her down, Sophie is tasked with double-duty! What's more, she's also trying to surprise Katherine with the best baby shower ever. Katherine has a surprise of her own, though. She wants to bake gender-reveal cupcakes to announce the gender to all her friends and family. But how can she pull off a surprise like that without discovering the gender herself?

Warmest congratulations to Katherine! See all the fun when the special airs Tuesday, March 12 10|9c.

Photo courtesy DCL

Whose "Big Day" Is It?

01/22/2013

If you've been watching the Say Yes to the Dress: The Big Day specials, then you're a fan of over-the-top, amazing weddings. We've seen Kelly's Marie Antoinette nuptials and Tiffany's perfectly pink ceremony and reception. The bridal spotlight hits Autumn Levine on February 1.

An attorney from Staten Island, Autumn describes her taste as "bling[y], over-the-top and sexy." She's marrying her college sweetheart, Sonny. They've been madly in love for years, but Autumn does admit to one aspect of Sonny's personality that drives her batty: He talks about himself in third person.

"I'm not most grooms," Sonny explains. He's the one who chose the couple's venue -- the second-largest castle in America -- and he sums up the theme as "super spectacular, bigger than anything." The couple is having a Jewish ceremony to honor Autumn's heritage and a Hindu ceremony to honor Sonny's. Of course, this means some pretty awesome wardrobe changes. Autumn will be wearing three incredible dresses on her wedding day.

But no matter what kind of budget you're working with, every girl gets the bridal blues. There's guest list drama. Worries about wedding-day weather. Trouble finding a dress that suits every bridesmaid. What's more, Sonny's attention to detail has Autumn questioning whose wedding it really is!

The way this savvy bride handles these problems is going to teach you a thing or two -- and you won't want to miss it. Watch Friday, Feb. 1 10|9c as Autumn and Sonny say "I do."

Autumn and Sonny attend a cake-tasting. Credit: DCL

UPDATE: Check out this special sneak peek of Autumn's Big Day

Best Funeral Ever: Is This A Funeral Or A Christmas Pageant?

01/06/2013

Not to get all morbid, but when you pass away, do you want your loved ones to feel sad and depressed, or do you want them to celebrate your life? For customers at the Golden Gate Funeral Home, there's only one answer to that question: death is the perfect occasion to throw a party. On the new TLC special Best Funeral Ever, Golden Gate opens its doors and shows exactly how their signature homegoings go down.

Homegoings are a popular tradition in many African American communities, and are considered a celebratory alternative to traditional funerals. Instead of a somber service, homegoings offer a festive way to send off relatives and friends, as guests rejoice that their loved ones are going "home" to heaven.

Of course, the folks at Golden Gate don't just throw average parties. Take the homegoing they're planning for a man named Charles, whose favorite holiday was Christmas:

(Nice half-gloves, by the way).

The homegoing itself comes complete with pallbearers dressed as elves, and a custom-built sleigh to carry the casket. But that's not all: there's also a giant (very giant) Gingerbread Man.

 

If all this seems a bit out there, well, homegoing celebrations aren't for everyone. But for family members who want their loved ones to go out with a party, Best Funeral Ever is the perfect way to say goodbye.

Don't miss Best Funeral Ever, Monday, January 6 at 10/9 c.

--Julie Gerstein

A Toast to Tiffany's Big Day

12/12/2012

Tiffany Young, owner of Pink Pastry Parlor, is a girly-girl through and through. "I've been a princess my entire life, but at my wedding, I'll be a queen," she explains.

Her big day is the realization of a dream she's had since she was a little girl. Growing up in the projects of Louisiana, Tiffany wanted to run her own business -- and she's doing exactly that! The successful bride is planning a $40,000 wedding for 250 guests, and she has high expectations for her venue, vendors and even her friends and family.

She's keeping her business running while missing a brother who's been in Afghanistan for three years, trying to forge a relationship with her future mother-in-law, and planning every last detail of her ceremony and reception. What's more, she's got a bridesmaid who doesn't want to wear pink...Tiffany's signature color!

As Tiffany puts it, "Everybody needs to be on their top game today," but will they get their act together in time for the bride to enjoy a picture-perfect wedding day?

Find out on Say Yes to the Dress: The Big Day, Dec. 20 10|9c. And don't forget to enter for your chance to win a trip to Paris when Say Yes to the Dress celebrates the toast of the year! Cheers to Tiffany -- and cheers to your chances for an unforgettable prize!

Watch a sneak peek of the special below!

Don't Miss -- "My Crazy Obsession: Christmas Collection"

11/23/2012

Everyone takes a different approach to decorating for the holiday season. In a special edition of My Crazy Obsession: Christmas Collection, TLC goes inside the lives and homes of extreme collectors
who have taken holiday decorating to the next level. See the length people will go to for the ultimate
Christmas decorations. From a man who strives to cover his entire property in one million Christmas
lights, to a women who covers every inch of her house with over 120 fully decorated Christmas trees.

Kick off the holiday season with some inspiring and obsessive holiday decorating traditions. Don't miss My Crazy Obsession: Christmas Collection, premiering December 1 at 9/8 c. Also check out Holiday ER right after, on December 1 at 10/9 c.  

-- Alex Zuckerman

And tell us: What's your favorite holiday decoration or collectible?

"Jersey Brides" Go Bling or Go Home

11/07/2012

Sisters Joyce and Julie Jou know what makes Jersey brides tick. And they stock the gowns that Jersey brides crave at their boutique, Bijou Bridal.

In Jersey Brides, follow Jersey girls seeking gowns that will make them the center of attention on their big day. These girls want the best of the best of the best: dresses dripping in bling, with out-of-control silhouettes that showcase their figures.

Budgets were made to be busted, and these brides won't settle until they find their perfect gowns. Join the fray (and the fun!) on Nov. 15 @ 10|9c! And catch a special sneak peek below with an unforgettable Jersey bride!

"Bada Bling Brides" Is the Business of Getting Married

11/02/2012

In Bada Bling Brides, Vanessa D'Agostino isn't just another bride getting married. She's the daughter of Ron and Lia D'Agostino, who run Sposa Italia, a bridal salon that specializes in over-the-top glitz and glamour.

A top sales manager in the family business, Vanessa knows bridal style -- and more importantly, she knows her own style. So when her parents pressure her to wear a gown embellished with crystals, pick-ups, flowers, ruffles and more, she begins to identify with every pushed-around bride she's ever seen at the store.

The First Family of Italian bridal couture wants to represent the brand on the big day. But for Vanessa, will that mean sacrificing her own vision?

If you're craving drama, fashion and opulence (and you know you are!), get an eyeful and an earful when Bada Bling Brides premieres Thursday, Nov. 8 @ 10|9c.

Vanessa (hot pink skirt) consults with a fellow bride at Sposa Italia. (Credit: DCL)

Update: Watch a sneak peek of Bada Bling Brides below!

Mario Lopez and Courtney Mazza to Say "I Do" on TLC

10/18/2012

Save the date! On December 8 at 8pm, X-Factor co-host Mario Lopez will marry Courtney Mazza in a special on TLC.

The two-hour wedding event will follow Mario and Courtney as they plan a ceremony and reception for family and friends. Their two-year-old daughter, Gia, will be a flower girl at the Latin-flavored wedding taking place in Punta Mita, Mexico. Mario predicts that a mariachi band will keep everyone dancing, and he has a little experience in that arena himself after competing on Dancing with the Stars!

Expect intimate, first-hand stories from the couple as they share their planning process and all the highlights that go along with a wedding -- including the search for Courtney's dream dress!

"My Giant Face Tumor" Makes Neurofibromatosis Personal

10/09/2012

In My Giant Face Tumor, TLC follows the stories of Ed and Aum, two people who live 8,000 miles apart but share a rare condition.

Neurofibromatosis causes tumors to grow uncontrollably along nerve shafts. Ed and Aum both have giant tumors taking over their faces. The tumors are so big, they're causing them to lose their eyesight, and they're eroding their skulls (see photo at right). What's more, functioning in society with their giant tumors is nearly impossible for Ed and Aum.

Dr. McKay McKinnon thinks their cases are treatable, even after Ed and Aum have been turned away by other doctors. The renowned cranio-facial surgeon prepares to operate on Ed and Aum as they struggle with other uncontrollable factors: medical insurance, weather and emotional upheaval.

Hear their harrowing stories as they seek life-changing surgeries. My Giant Face Tumor premieres Wednesday, Oct. 17 @ 9|8c.

"DC Cupcakes" Takes You Out to the Ballgame

10/04/2012

In DC Cupcakes: Wicked Good Showdown, Sophie and Katherine engage in a little sisterly competition. Now that Georgetown Cupcake has opened in Boston and New York (with a Los Angeles bakery under construction and another store being announced soon!), there's a question of which location sells the most cupcakes each day. Sophie makes it her mission to dominate sales in SoHo, while Katherine thinks she can sell even more in Boston.

The sisters turn to the cities' rabid sports fans for custom cupcake inspiration. As for what they create and who sells the most, well...you'll just have to watch and see! DC Cupcakes: Wicked Good Showdown premieres Tuesday, Oct. 9 @ 8|7c.

We suggest getting in a sweet, sporty state of mind by baking Georgetown Cupcake's signature baseball minis. Sophie and Katherine share the recipe -- and decorating tips -- over on the DC Cupcakes blog.

--Candace Keener