good things for the new year celebration!

goodness sakes...2009 already...i'm getting old :) okay not really, but time is just crazy fast and life is just too busy sometimes! i hope all of you have a wonderful new years eve. and here is a little martha stewart to help inspire a fantastic new year party and a wonderful wedding celebration! check here for how-to details!

THE NEW YEARS BRIDE

Sugar Shimmer by Mewsmom

Tomorrow we'll be doing some heavier reflecting on the New Years Bride--past and present. But today I wanted to wish luck to those of you saying 'Ido' either tonight or tomorrow. If you're still up-in- the-air about accessorizing your look, here are a few great ideas . . .







The Stuff of Dreams by theoriginalpeapod

your blog is fabulous!

i am flattered to have been tagged by bride chic with the "your blog is fabulous" award!
thank you!



the rules: list 5 obsessions/addictions that you have, and tag back to the person who gave you the award. post the rules. tag 5 more people!


1. cheese and coffee. yes, i know, strange perhaps, especially if put together...but seperately they are my favorite food and drink :)


2. fashion. ooh, of course fashion, shopping, clothing...can't get enough.


3. clean freak. i am one of those who can't go to sleep if there are any dishes in the sink, toys on the floor, or if my couch pillows are arranged properly. i know, it's a problem :)


4. house design. ever since i married my husband 2 years ago, i have been inspired by his house building dreams (plus he is a project manager for a commercial contractor out a nike) and have caught the design bug! i loved designing the little home we are in now and hope to design more!


5. staying fit. of course i like to stay in shape so i can eat my cheese, but i love to work hard and get the sweat out! definitely therapeutic for me and a must.



who's next for the "your blog is fabulous award"??


1. lucky me!
2. the little things.
3. santa barbara wedding chic blog
4. zinke design blog
5. m.a. belle


thanks again, bride chic!

STYLE YOUR DREAM WEDDING

With the exception of my six-pound Chihuahua, this has to be the best Christmas gift I ever got and believe me it was read front to cover in one sitting. Lifestyle expert Susie Coleho has reached the pinnacle of wedding style with her book, Style Your Dream Wedding. From the high quality paper and polished layout of this lovely coffee table book to first look inside, it's one visual surprise after another, thanks to some stellar photography. Susie guides us through the planning of your big day beginning with finding your a color palette and wedding style. She describes seven different style weddings: classic, beach, contemporary, country, garden (her favorite and mine), fanciful (your own spin) and exotic. A bonus to this book is not only a pull out booklet offering a color palette for each wedding style, there's a quiz booklet, dress silhouette accordion pullout, six 8-page gatefolds full of photos, a CD of traditional wedding music, postcards, and, of course all that stunning photography.

I would have liked a lengthier section on fashion of course and more descriptions and detail about fabrics, silhouette, style, head chic and so on. However, the strong photography carries this book where words aren't necessary, leaving the bride open to getting in touch with her own muse. Using mostly real life brides and their weddings as examples in the photos, conveys reality at its finest. As you read along you'll realize, yes, with some coordination all this is possible. For me Style Your Dream Wedding will be a great reference tool and inspiration source for tons of upcoming posts. For you, it's a real gift for planning and realizing the most beautiful and unique wedding is indeed in the waiting. . . .

fuchsia, orange, & gold

{rustic pears--perfect bound blog}
{elizabeth fillmore bridal gown}
{colorful bouquet--brides.com}
{diamond pin--kwiat jewelry}
{stewart weitzman heels--santa barbara chic blog}
{chic rustic tablescape--instyle weddings}



good morning and happy monday, ladies! i hope you all had a wonderfully blessed Christmas! i had all intentions of doing a Christmas post but i honestly had NO time! baking and cooking, snow and ice, family time, schedule coordination, pregnancy swelling... (i'm sure you wanted to know that), well it obviously just didn't happen. we had a great Christmas celebration with family and are so thankful for all that we have been given. and i thank you, wedding fresh readers for taking the time to visit, write, and comment. i am very appreciative for all of you! and feel free to comment or write more, i love to meet you and get to know you!!

so if you haven't had the time to check out the article written by our fashion consultant, amy-jo from bride chic, you NEED to! especially if you are a bride who wants to save money and look like a million bucks, amy-jo's insight on the fine art of customizing a bridal gown will be so very helpful. thank you, thank you amy-jo!!! you are fantastic, lady!

for today i have a fantastically colorful, chic inspiration board--all this winter is finally melting and i am in desperate need for some foliage and bursts of warm color. i love the feel of the gold, orange, and pinks--this bouquet has such beautiful texture with crab apples, berries, and roses. and not to mention, i have been lusting over this elizabeth fillmore gown for quite a while now. gorgeous!

ALICE HART LOOKBOOK: COUTURE MILLINERY FOR THE NEW YEARS BRIDE

Lately some hats and headpieces have become an art form worthy of a place in a fashion museum. Alice Hart Couture Millinery of Vancouver, B.C. is right up there specializing in hats and some magnificent fascinators and cages. Her head wear caught my attention for the pure playfulness as well as originality.











Above the shoulder veils and headpieces like these are great for showing your gown to its best advantage.











Want to see more of Alice's work? Check out her site http://www.alicehart.com/. Also if you're more of a hat bride--oh la la! Definitely worth looking at the craftsmanship on her wide-brims and cocktail hats with feather varied treatments.

CLEAN LINED CHIC

Monique Lhuillier



If going clean and fluid is in your plans look for those simple flowing dresses in silk satin and chiffon with a few beaded details, maybe some ornamentation at the neck, waist or hemline.



Monique Lhuillier




This is a bolero jacket by by Monique Lhuillier in satin organza with vertical ruffles.


Reem Acra



Strapless A-line gown with tulle overlay by Reem Acra




Reem Acra

Oscar de la Renta



The Greek Goddess lives in this white chiffon cape and ball gown by Oscar de la Renta
Oscar de la Renta

Lately the high fashion veil is going above the shoulder line, showing off easy and straight forward lines of the gown. Also fascinators or a cage veil like the one below can be fastened into beautiful hairstyling

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THE ART OF THE BODICE

Michelle Roth
Did you know the bodice is the focal point of your gown and reflects its overall style? Whichever kind you choose will determine whether or not your gown has sleeves, a collar, high or low neckline, lace overlays, etc. Proper fit from waist to neckline is essential and the place the most precise measurements need to be taken. Because a bodice is either darted or seamed, it typically has the most shaped and sculpted seams of any other piece on your gown. Also it's the center most piece that other components are attached and take form—the place your gown finally goes from flat to a three dimensional piece of fabric sculpture.



Anne Barge

Atelier Aimée,


Kirstie Kelly



L’ezu Atelier


Amsale


Eden Bridals


Demetrios



Lazaro


birnbaum and bullock


Justina McCaffrey

While a bodice may look pretty straight-forward from the outside, like the skirt, it may have a complex inner life of linings, facings, and shaping materials we never see but sense by the way the bodice holds it’s shape. The bodice on a typical wedding gown needs an underlining to give it that sculpted form in addition to becoming a strong foundation with which to attach lace, trim or embroidery. Also, an underlining can hide casements within the bodice for boning, a material used to hold that strapless bodice up. We’ll discuss the under structure of your bodice as well as skirt in more detail later. Until then realize most bodices whether draped or closely fitted to your body, frequently have some kind of foundation of reinforcement beneath. Here are a few bodice treatments to consider

GREEN CHIC: New Eco-Friendly Fabrics for 2009

Amy Jo Tatum
If you’re eco-conscious about the fabric you want to incorporate into your wedding gown, are you ever in for a treat this season. Some of the green finds for 2009 are truly remarkable and I can’t wait to introduce these new gems to my clients, not only for their look good factor but also for sustainability. So what makes for an eco-friendly fabric?

1. Production of fabric follows fair trade practices (read: no prison contracted or sweat-shop labor involved)

2. Free or low on chemicals and pesticides

3. Eco-conscious land management practices

4. Sustainable farming

5. Animal friendly practices





Amy-Jo Tatum
Believe it or not Eco-friendly is now including polyester on its list. That’s right. If you can find a way to recycle a dress (or anything) from something polyester, you’re helping make the world a greener more livable place. Actually, this ‘re-sourcing’ of fabric can apply to any fabric that gets recycled like the 100% Swiss cotton Summer dress above.


Amy-Jo Tatum


Hemp and silk always top the list for luxury like the gown pictured above and below in hemp and tea-dyed silk gauze. Since some weddings are going a little more casual lately, we’ve also seen some gorgeous cotton, linen and bamboo dresses.


Amy-Jo Tatum

Here's a close up look at some of those fabrics making the Green Designer A-List (Okay, okay, okay: Amy's personal favorites Green A-List).

Dharma Trading
HEMP SILK and Hemp Charmeuse. (above) Here’s a fabric getting some rave reviews these days, combo hemp and silk. The silk has a luxe sheen while the hemp provides strength and body. Like silk charmeuse, Hemp Charmeuse has a shiny side and a matte side. Both sides highlight that slubbiness hemp has. This is really going to be a popular fabric for bridal wear in the next few years.

Dharma Trading

BAMBOO-(above) Some Bamboo drapes and acts like silk but has a stronger make-up. Bamboo also has a property called, Bamboo Kun, a micro-bacterial. Because of its nature, bamboo can be washed, go through fifty washes and still hold onto all its anti-fungal properties. I’ve also heard it prevents body odor . . . . well, all I can add to that is, we’ll see.

Dharma Trading

ORGANIC COTTON-(above) Here's a question I get all the time. What’s the difference between organic and regular cotton? First answer: it has been grown free of chemicals and pesticides. Second: If whitened, it’s done so via a peroxiding process (approved method of G.O.T.S.—Global Organic Textile Standards) not bleach. One of my own contributions to going green is replacing some of the collection samples with crinoline petticoats in 100% organdy (stiff cotton).

Dharma Trading




COTTON OR RAYON VOILE- Ahhhh! Any chance to show the famous Letty Lynton dress (right and below) from the comparatively obscure 1932 classic film! When I first laid eyes on this design by Hollywood costumer, Adrian, I never forgot it. And how could I? Made of light weight cotton voile, this gown sold copies in record numbers back in the depression when Macy’s—in a special arrangement with MGM was able to offer it to the public. Both Rayon and organic cotton voiles are making comebacks this season in daytime formals, maybe not as exaggerated as this one but light weight and flowing.





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A last word about silks. With all the new fabrics out from soy to bamboo, when it comes to bridal wear, silks still rule whether organic or not. If you’ve been wondering why everything is going down in price while wedding gowns keep those high price tags here’s a bit of info from Dharma Trading that might help. Not to long ago China revalued their currency; once they did, the price of silk yarn went up so naturally shipments to our manufacturers and designers cost more. Once silk prices go down (if they do) hopefully the cost of a wedding gown will come down as well. Till then, be prepared to pay more on most fabric imported from China which would include hemp, bamboos and silk.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL FROM BRIDE CHIC

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VISIONS OF SUGAR PLUMS

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Here it is Christmas Eve day already. If you're lucky enough to have a free block of time and want to do something festive why not check out a performance of The Nutcraker? Searching for this lovely photo, I found just about every city, college, community theatre, ballet school and company on the planet has a production. It's become as much a Christmas tradition worldwide as eggnog and Santa Claus. This scene above is from the Boulder Ballet's version; the corps de ballet always reminds me ballet is one place all those tulle ballgowns we associate with bridal originated.

winter inspiration

so this is what i need right now: one big, warm parka to cover all the essentials and not to mention, looking good doing it :) ice, snow, freezing rain and repeat. that has been the story around these parts! great shot, huh? i found this on lenorenevermore--love it!









here is a winter tablescape idea from black*eiffel.






i saw this diy rock candy bling on once wed...how great is this? and not to mention simple, easy, and cost effective!!! check it out here for the step-by-step instructions for your own chandelier!





and now, a lovely, romantic tablescape that makes me think of close friends and good conversation all night long... :)