Inspiration Board: colors of the rainbow

{credits:  mustard & sage, michelle doll cakes, brancoprata, primele calligraphy, lovely morning, craftzine.com via inspired goodness, la maison des lilas}

HEADPIECE, VEIL (OR BOTH)

Since Chelsea Clinton's wedding, the long tulle veil is suddenly in the spot light once again. There are brides like Chelsea who choose to wear a veil without a headpiece and brides who wear headpieces, ditching the veil altogether.  But what about the bride above?  She's wearing my 'Oralie' headpiece with the  cathedral veil.  The point is, you can do whatever you want as long as you feel beautiful.  A few tips on matching veils to headpieces:
The headpiece: headpiece, gown and veil should all work in tandem. Modern gowns go with beaded hair combs, tiaras and any hat with a veil. A more traditional gown will look great with a Juliet cap, a bow, wreath, hair comb. The ultra-formal gown shouts out for a tiara of Swarovski crystal.  Consider also a hat, Juliet cap (classic) or  mantilla.
The veil: No rules any more about legnth of veil dictated by formality of ceremony.  That means you can wear a Juliet cap with a waltz length veil, a pillbox with a very long cathedral veil.  Just remember to keep everything in balance. If you're tiny maybe the huge hat with your veil is going to be a bit much.  Scale down. . .

Loving...

good morning! yes, yes this whimsical wedding has been around a bit in the blogging community, but i have been enamored by all of these embellishments and details ever since i saw it!  the unbelievable amounts of paper pinwheels, flags, kites, flowers are just gorgeous!  there are a lot of you brides out there who think you have to revert to the warehouse wedding favor websites to decorate your wedding, but let this be a beautiful example of excellent planning, organization, elbow grease and great vision--all inspired by a single kite.  i won't say this was easy (as i am sure it was not, Jesi did an amazing job!) but don't sell yourself short when it comes to making your wedding beautiful.  plan early, be creative and have fun.  and seriously, hire a wedding planner--these guys did and i know they did not regret it!!

check out Jesi Haack Weddings Blog for more pictures and all the vendor details!!

{images:  ashley rose photography}

DAISY AND THE LAST DAYS OF SUMMER . . .

From the Vintage Green Collection, Daisy will make yet another comeback Spring of 2011.  Because the last days of summer here in Northern California can be warm ones, this 100% imported cotton dress is spot on for a garden or vineyard wedding. Versatile, Daisy can be accessorized to the hilt and really Diored up or go casual as an easy and chic silhouette--made of cotton and lined in cotton. The straw hat accented with daisies is a new addition to the hat collection which can be found on the Amy-Jo Tatum Bridal site under Head Chic.

NOSTALGIA

Autumn is just about here when pastels mix beautifully with berries and dried branches. The touches of vintage jewelry here are so inspiring and get us thinking about all those small touches that add so much to a wedding.  Thank you again Naomi at Enchanted Dream Weddings and Affairs for inspiring us with all these combinations of texture and color . . .

TIMELESS

For me Tiffany blue is so classy.  Here, most everything pictured says, "Breakfast at . . . " right down to the mini pound cakes. Once again we have the very talented planner, Naomi V. Goodman of Enchanted Dream Weddings and Affairs to thank for such gorgeousness.

Gown Friday

enjoy the last moments of August this weekend...summer is slipping away rather quickly...
this is Vera Wang's 2010 collection. daring as expected and nothing short of beautiful drama.




{images: noir facade}

INSPIRATION FRIDAY

source
Flowers have spoken to me more than I can tell in written words.  They are the hieroglyphics of angels, loved by all men for the beauty of their character, though few can decipher even fragments of their meaning. 


 ~Lydia M. Child

Trendspotting: Hanging Mobiles

one of the easiest ways to breath life into a stale wedding site is to hang pretty things from above. rather than a big empty room with no character or a wide open outdoor space needing a sense of intimacy, bringing beauty from above adds a sense of dimension, drama, color, and a wonderment. i love to find the latest in this trend--paper poms, lanterns, apothecary jars, confetti...and now, these gorgeous mobiles from Polli.

the one above is called Jack Summer (my definite fav!), as it is so wonderfully reminiscent of a vine or beanstalk of course. each of the colorful leaf cutouts have curved slits where you can place photos or note cards--isn't that so clever? seen below are recycled paper ornaments from the Eco Deco Kit and it comes as a set of 30. you can string each up individually (as shown) or use in a garland--or pretty much anything else you can think of!



{images: polli}

THE CHAPEAU VEIL

Hybrids like these are becoming popular and by hybrids I mean combos between hat and veil. These pieces show the sheer genius of the uber-talented French designer, Catherine Alhinc who is a master of the use of materials and elements of design. Tip of the day: To carry these off in the best light your dress or ensemble should be streamlined and free of mass adornment.

The Bold and the Beautiful

good morning! when i came across these stunning pieces of jewelry the other day i about fell over. these are the most fabulous style statement necklaces i've ever seen! Charlotte Hosten is the Canadian designer behind these couture pieces and pushes the definition of a necklace to the limit by using magnificent oversized baubles, repurposed jewels and pearls, vintage heirloom brooches--even reclaimed men's works shirt collars to create adornments worthy of their size and drama! these pieces will bring your plain white T to a whole new level and add that wow factor you brides have been looking for. gorgeous! and i say if you are going to wear a bib necklace you better go big or go home!

FALL FORWARD

Lirette Photography

Fall is a time to be savored and enjoyed to the fullest.  It's actually my busiest time of year and; yes, June is a big buzz and all but here on the West Coast  late summer and fall weddings have always been chic primarily because of the gorgeous weather.  And all those vineyards in the Napa Valley--large and small-- make such great wedding spots in the fall.  Here are a few gowns I came up with, perfect for the relaxed atmosphere of a vineyard or farm wedding . . . .  

 Jeff Hoang

Amy-Jo Tatum Bridal

Embossed silk chiffon sheath silhouette with silk gauze wrap with small silk rosettes dappled allover.

Smoot Photo

 ivory chiffon and Chantilly lace pair up here for this empire-style gown with a square neckline.

 

 This allover Chantilly lace halter dress with a bouffant skirt pairs up nicely with the Venise lace bordered picture hat.

All gowns by Amy-Jo Tatum Bridal

Loving: Found Bottles

i'm kind of obsessed with apothecary jars & bottles right now. check out these gorgeous vintage apothecary, french wine, soda water and yogurt bottles from Europe 2 You. the colors and shapes are rich with age and story--it's impossible not to bring charm and character into your room with these stunning pieces! use the bottles as vases, candle holders or dangle them from above and let the light dance between their colorful glass shapes for a antiqued, European atmosphere. love it!

THE BEST OF EUROPEAN COUTURE

Johanne Riss

Lately a few European designers have gone vintage with their designs, harking back to 1930s, 40s, 50s even 60s inspirations.  All these gems have my utmost attention . . .

Catherine Alhinc

White Night

Suzanne Ermann

KLOKLIKLO

Summer Settings

good morning, ladies! it's a brand new day and the sun is shinning, and i'm excited for this coming week. fresh with possibilities and gorgeous weather, and a beautiful wedding to attend for a dear friend from years past wrapping up the week on saturday--a lovely end of august itinerary.

some of summer's best moments are spent outdoors enjoying family and friend's company and good food. i find myself longing for our old outdoor space from our last home where we would pull out our aged wooden table onto our covered patio and dress it with dozens of candles, fresh cut blue hydrangea from our garden in mason jars and meals hot off the grill...oh, just lovely! these summer settings are ideal for any kind of occasion, especially for anything wedding! boho chic to lobster broil, you can create a space that will make your guests feel like they are part of your summer tradition in your outdoor space.




{images: wisteria}