Simple Silhouettes April 29, 2008

Like many other wedding bloggers I enjoy checking the search terms people use to bring them to my site. Some of them are fairly hilarious: for example “Dita Von Teese eyebrows,” “what did Mayans eat” and straight up “nude” (I’m pretty sure that person was sorely disappointed). However, one of the more popular hits that actually makes sense are people looking for simple or non traditional wedding dresses. With that in mind, I wanted to share my newest find, Simple Silhouettes. If you’re looking for a classy, no frills dress on a budget Christina Dalle Pezze might be your girl. Like most of the sites I promote, all her gowns are custom made and you can pick from a variety of fabrics and styles, or mix and match. She will also custom make your veil, accessories, and purse. As an added bonus, her bridesmaid dresses are simple and sweet, and could easily be worn again if you’re looking in that department. Happy browsing!

Weekends of Weddings April 28, 2008

Even my vacations are wedding filled! I’m back for a brief jaunt in Ohio before heading up to Canada this week for our best man’s wedding. We’re staying in a quaint inn with jacuzzi tubs and couple’s massages, smack in the middle of wine country. Sounds pretty good, eh?

This last weekend Drew and I spent at our alma mater. The guys golfed and the girls (2 recently married, 3 getting married within the next year) shopped and had long chats about…you guessed it. Not to mention we’ll be attending 3 other weddings just this summer. So closing in on one year to our wedding, I’m being bombarded from all angles and fortunately I couldn’t be loving it more. I’ve heard that the wedding doldrums or stress always take over eventually, but so far so good!

One of the hot topics this weekend was flowers. Flowers are obviously synonymous with weddings and even though I’m a big proponent of using other elements (branches, candles, water etc) flowers definitely do up the prettiness factor. We’ve already splurged on the location and the photographer so we were brainstorming ways to not be too ridiculous with the decor. Of course I immediately fell in love with orchids (expensive), especially cybidium orchids (even more expensive) which might be somewhat of a hurdle. But I think I still may be able to get the best of both worlds, and one way could be using expensive flowers in sparing but striking arrangements like this fishbowl idea. I think I would choose a differently shaped container, but the mix of simple lines and textures is chic and cheap. More details to come!

A Short Hiatus April 24, 2008

Suddenly my life has become incredibly busy. On top of buying a house, working non-stop,  and coddling our attention starved tabby cat Drew and I are now off on a mini traveling spree. We will be in glorious Meadville, PA this weekend and Canada early next week for an alumni display of ridiculousness and a wedding respectively. Should be a lot of fun and a lot of driving, so thank God for the Prius! I’ll be MIA for a few days since my laptop is slowly and quietly dying (new laptop shopping is another priority) but I’ll be back soon with fresh inspiration from fellow brides to be!

More Pretty Things April 23, 2008

Given my love affair with unusual engagement rings (or just pretty jewelry in general) I was immediately smitten with Ylang23. Their collection is eccentric and beautiful and their prices seem very reasonable for the quality of designers they carry. Definitely one of the better online sources I’ve found for chic gemstone and diamond jewelry, especially of the more offbeat variety. I don’t really know what “blackened ruby” entails but it sounds intriguing and looks fabulous!

Melissa Sweet Trunk Show April 21, 2008

I went to a Melissa Sweet trunk show this weekend to check out the new line and continue my dress quest. There were definitely some gorgeous options, although nothing that I had to have. Honestly the highlight of the visit was the sweet and bubbly representative from the company who talked about all the dresses as if they were real people. Granted, they are named after girls but I couldn’t quite get used to her chirping to the other saleslady “oh, her bottom is just beautiful!” or “I just love her, she’s so dreamy!” Was she talking about me or the dress?

Had this dress come with a different bottom, I might have been seriously tempted. The bodice (which I couldn’t find a decent picture of) is incredibly gorgeous with a draped sweetheart neckline and tucking around the waist. The pleated bustle was also surprisingly flattering. What I couldn’t get used to though, was the seam right around my knees where the dress suddenly exploded with tulle, mermaid style. The top was so structured, I felt it visually chopped you off at the knees…I think I can count mermaid dresses out for sure.

This was one of the dresses I fell in love with in my very first stack of post-engaged bridal magazines. I love the fringed sweetheard neckline and the lace is so pretty and delicate looking. While I did like it in person, the skirt was a little full and fluffy for my taste. However, the rep said she knew a bride that hemmed the dress to make it tea-length and wore it with ballet flats to a garden wedding. How adorable is that?

This dress is fairly stunning, I will admit. The silhouette is simple but the lace itself is layered in a way that creates depth and movement as do the inset panels of more lace at the bottom. It is also apparently, the Cadillac of an army of similar looking gowns you can buy, priced at approximately $7,000. I would have had to like it a lot more to not flinch at that price tag.

Reinventing the Rose II April 20, 2008

As promised, here is a follow-up on less conventional ways to use the most conventional wedding flower.  I love  the idea of incorporating roses in prints, whether on your invitations or your bridesmaid dresses. I’m also a fan of centerpieces that put a different emphasis on roses, such as the stems or just the bloom in an unusual container. And while the the concept of a rose bouquet is very typical, the color and texture of this one are so lovely I had to include it!

red rose centerpiece, lemon lime rose centerpiece, silver tub rose centerpiece, shredded tulle rose bouquet, beaded rose pin, rose pillow, rose print dress, curly pink rose centerpiece, wedding cake, blue rose dress

Is Imitation the Sincerest Form of Flattery? April 19, 2008

Miss Penguin’s recent post on Wedding-Bee inspired me to tackle an issue I have been mulling over for quite some time. In the wedding world, when does “borrowing” ideas go too far?

This question is far complicated today than it would have been twenty years ago. Many brides are becoming more focused on individuality and less on tradition. Rather than wanting the same elements in the same order, there is a significant trend (and some might say pressure) to have a unique and personalized wedding. Not to mention, our easy access to all things wedding through the internet and the media makes this goal much more possible.

As far as the internet goes, I think this issue is fairly straightforward. If you do not have some sort of copyright over the particular element of your wedding in question, and especially if you post pictures on the internet, you shouldn’t be angry if someone uses your idea. In fact, one of the most pleasant surprises I’ve had while becoming immersed in wedding planning is the great organic community that internet provides for inspiration. Ideas, pictures, and projects are constantly circulating and in turn sparking more ideas, pictures and projects.

Of course it is one of the unspoken rules of blogdom to always give credit where credit is due (admittedly sometimes this only happens to the best of your ability). I’m a firm believer in this, and I try to label and link accordingly. But I don’t think anyone should become so mired down in researching the first person ever to use a candy buffet or a circular ceremony set up that the creativity of the idea itself is lost.

In the real world, things become a little more sticky. I’m definitely not an advocate of copying your best friend’s wedding down to the last minute detail. Not only is it tacky and a little creepy, but it robs you of a chance to create a wedding that reflects your style (as evidenced by the episode of The Office where Phyllis steals Pam’s wedding). However if there are certain elements of a friend’s wedding that you loved, I see no problem in adapting the idea for your own use. Be honest and positive about it: “Your [insert item here] was gorgeous! I’m thinking about doing something similar, do you have any advice?” There is a classy way to handle that situation from both ends, and it takes equal parts tact and honesty.

Personally, I will take it as a compliment if I see pieces of my wedding popping up elsewhere. And not to get all esoteric but it is very difficult if not impossible to have a truly “original” idea. Just focus on the satisfaction you’ll get from planning a day full of things that make you happy.

image credit: Life in the Office

Chewing the Cud April 17, 2008

The name says it all: Chewing the Cud’s invitation line is witty, irrevent at times, but most importantly gorgeous. Their signature collection has looks that vary from rustic to classic to mod. My personal favorite is probably the “Schooldays Crush” set which hits the right note between kitschy and cute. Their Bespoke line of personally designed invitations also has some amazing inspiration, including invitations designed around a To Kill A Mockingbird theme. The only downside is the invitations are a little pricey, but if you want to make a statment with your wedding stationary, I think the money would be well spent here. And the looking is free! Thanks to Tales of a Female Husband for sharing this link.

Of course I had to post this… April 16, 2008

The Knot created a list of 30 Cheeky First Dance songs, a trend that is becoming all the more popular with campy choreography and bridal party participation (check out YouTube for some good examples). Whether your dance is tongue-in-cheek or not, just make sure it has meaning for you. My favorites are in bold!

1. “A Fine Romance” (Joe Derise)
2. “After The Loving” (Englebert Humperdinck)
3. “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” (Ashford & Simpson)
4. “An Old Fashioned Wedding” (from “Annie Get Your Gun”)
5. “Ain’t That A Kick In The Head” (Dean Martin)
6. “Because” (Dave Clark Five)
7. “Could It Be I’m Falling In Love” (The Spinners)
8. “Destination Moon” (Dinah Washington)
9. “Happy Together” (The Turtles)
10. “I Got You Babe” (Sonny & Cher)
11. “I Love You, Always Forever” (Donna Lewis)
12. “I Only Want To Be With You” (Vonda Shepard)
13. “I Say A Little Prayer” (Aretha Franklin)
14. “I Think I Love You” (The Partridge Family)
15. “I’ll Never Fall In Love Again” (Burt Bacharach & Elvis Costello)
16. “I’m A Believer” (The Monkees)
17. “Islands In The Stream” (Dolly Parton & Kenny Rogers)
18. “Let’s Call The Whole Thing Off” (Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong)
19. “Love And Marriage” (Frank Sinatra)
20. “Love Is Strange” (Mickey & Sylvia)
21. “Loving You” (Minnie Riperton)
22. “Memories Are Made Of This” (Dean Martin)
23. “Never Knew Love Like This” (The Spinners & Dionne Warwick)
24. “Oh, What A Night” (The Four Seasons)
25. “Orange Colored Sky” (Nat King Cole)
26. “Orange Colored Sky” (Natalie Cole)
27. “She’s An Angel” (They Might Be Giants)
28. “Sometimes When We Touch” (Dan Hill)
29. “With Plenty Of Money And You” (Count Basie & Tony Bennett)
30. “You’re My First, My Last, My Everything” (Barry White)
31. “You’re Nobody ‘Till Somebody Loves You” (Dean Martin)

And we did get a gift of dancing lessons for Christmas, so maybe we’ll have to start practicing our Thriller moves…

Reinventing the Rose April 15, 2008

Although I think roses are beautiful they tend to be a little overused in the wedding world, so I love seeing them used in fresh and imaginative ways. This centerpiece by Mocha Rose in Pittsburgh is stunning: it manages to be simple, architectural, and glamorous all at the same time. Depending on the style of your wedding I might lost the dangling crystals, but they also do add a certain antique flair. Overall I think the tall vase really makes the look, and has the advantage of being conversation friendly since it keeps the flowers above the heads of your guests. Function and fashion all at once! Take a peek at the Mocha Rose website and blog for more floral eye candy.

Also keep an eye out for a sequel to this post as I continue to look for innovative ways to use roses in my spare time (which coincidentally is becoming increasingly rare, but fortunately I’m one of those people who loves being busy). Share the love if you’ve seen any good examples!