Planning for A Red + Turquoise Day!

Joanna

Los Angeles Sample Sale: Monique Lhuillier

Monique Lhuillier Sample Sale

What: It’s the mother lode of matrimonial must-haves at today’s as-is sale with sample bridal and ready-to-wear marked down 40-90 percent.

Why: Simple charmeuse sheaths for $350, strapless satin trumpet gowns for $700, and lace and rare new gowns for $1,400 and up.
When: Sun., 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Where: 1201 S. Grand Ave., b/t W. Twelfth St. & Pico Blvd., Downtown.

Provence Wedding - 2010 Bridal Trends Continue in the South of France

As I mentioned in one of my earlier posts the bridal fashion statement this year is vintage and intimate.  This photo captures this trend.  Snapped in Provence this exquisite bride wears great grandmother's laced wedding gown in muted shades of whites, off white and pink.  I can only imagine the wedding was small and cozy and deep in the French countryside.  However, keep in mind that it isn't always less expensive to be married in the country or at home; it is however much cozier and far more intimate.

Here's to Bonne Planning

Joanna

Accoutrement: Bespoke Boutonnieres Fritts Rosenow

This is the spot for you guys to go that don’t want to wear posies and flowers on your lapels – I know you and have met you. Some have expressed their flower overload. Gentlemen, please express yourselves, pop on over and lay you eyes and hands on Fritts Rosenow Bespoke Boutonnieres – here the proprietor allows men to display their own unique personalities. Each boutonniere is created with the individual male in mind. Your dream wedding may involve yachting, skateboarding, moose hunting, and butterflies? 

Compromise and create a custom boutonniere that captures your spirit!



Joanna

Bonne Inspiration: Vintage Themes Among Wedding Trends Expected in 2010

I found this very informative article on line last night and thought it was realy very interesting; and also includes the colors forecast for this year too.  

  

As with any fashion statement, whether it is in home décor or clothing trends for the upcoming year, there are also forecasts on the trends expected in 2010 weddings.

One of the most common trends will be intimacy. Whether it means a smaller wedding, or a backyard event complete with a homey barbeque, more and more weddings will be smaller scale. This is partly due to couples not wanting to spend a lot given the recent economic times. Keep in mind that it isn't always less expensive to be married at home; it is much cozier and far more intimate.

Many, many couples are turning to DIY for their weddings. From invitations to thank you cards right down to guest favours, the bride and groom are seeking out big craft and business stores to find cost-effective solutions to their budgetary concerns. Some are deciding not to give favours to their guests as a cost-saving measure even though they are well aware of the expense for a couple to attend a wedding; others feel that an expression of their thanks to their guests is extremely important.

Vintage themes are in! Consider 1950's as the inspiration.

Things like Birdcage Veils (a hat or head piece with a veil covering only the face), feather headpieces with a feather clip earring, a headpiece with jewels, and mermaid style gowns are all vintage inspired.

Cake styles from the 50's and 60's where traditional two-tier cakes with traditional cake-toppers and bouquets where elaborate arm bouquets or cascades are in.

Bridesmaids dresses: How often have you heard of a bridesmaid hating the dress she had to wear in a wedding, and, sometimes more than once? Well, the trend now is for brides to choose the colour of the dresses. They leave it up to the bridesmaid to choose a style she likes and one that suits her, making it more likely a dress to be worn in future. They can find off the rack dresses for reasonable prices. Some guidelines have to be issued before the purchases can take place, but everyone ends up happy.

As well as the mermaid dress mentioned earlier, there will be a move toward luxurious ball gowns in heavier fabrics. Asymmetry will be important as will ruffles, draping and some irregular finishes. Is strapless gone? Not a chance. It will continue to be very strong. If you want colour rather than white, this is the year! Bold colours are strong in the colour forecast.

We have seen the unity candle and the sand ceremony. Now there is the Love Letter. It's a beautiful trend with the Bride and Groom each writing a love letter to the other person. The letters are handed to the Officiant, who will say a few words over them, then they are placed in a box, it is locked, and it is not opened until a date the couple chooses. (I call this the Wedding Box Ceremony and several of my couples chose to include it in their ceremony in 2010).

From food, to attire and décor, being eco-friendly continues to motivate vendors to provide cost-effective and environmentally sound choices for the green-minded couple.

Here is a list of the big colours for 2010 weddings: lilac, magenta, pink, mauve, coral, turquoise, gray, fuchsia, buttercup, mango, light blue, navy, and cobalt blue. Think of vintage colours and destinations such as the Caribbean, and you'll be right on. From these colours there are beautiful combinations, let your imagination run wild!

It's your wedding, your budget, your statement, and your style. No matter what the trends are for 2010, you will remember your wedding day for the romance and commitment of the day.

Joanna

Bonne Reception: Wedding - Château de Breteuil, France

How could I have missed this elegant wedding reception inspired by an 18th-century pastoral festival, the fête champêtre and set at the Château de Breteuil France.

A New York bride recently had her wedding vision come to life in France and in the pages of Veranda.  The verdant styled reception table was set for 300 guests and was dressed with fuzzy baby almonds, pepper berries, and porcelain doves accompanied by birch-bark vessels and white and green florals.

Respect was paid to each detail, exemplified on the table cards with "oh so" apropos calligraphy as it appeared on the menu cards and the envelopes which were sealed with a wax impression from the bride’s family chevalière, or family crest; and were then banded with velvet ribbon, and embellished with soft a lamb's ear.

The green and white floral arrangements were styled with sweet peas, ferns, mushrooms, dainty grass racemes and then gathered in leaf-lined crystal compotes along with Paris Ladurée's macaroon as favors.

Music filled the seventeenth-century Château de Breteuil located in the countryside near Paris. Cocktails were served in the garden and the candlelit dinner was served on the terrace — at that single long table.  The bride’s bountiful bouquet was full of mixed butterflies, feathers, orchids, ferns, mint, and peonies all tied up with antique ribbons.  The bride's dress was couture and created by J. Mendel.

Be Inspired Mes Amies,
 
Joanna

Bonne Mariage: Vintage America

Credits: Love Me Do Photography

I was bowled over when I saw this beautiful bride, with stunning red hair, striking face and a vintage gown reminiscent of the early 1950’s. The new and up to date cupcake display is a whimsical sight – red and pink, black polka dot trim - I call this wedding young and fun. The extremely luscious photos are brought to us by Nadine at Love Me Do Photography.

Wedding: Dusty Pink and Black New Years Wedding 2011

Mood boards are a great help to a bride to be, graphic designers and film makers. The board is used to enable a bride to illustrate visually her style direction or the point of view, which she is pursuing. A wedding is a story and the mood board sets the stage for an imaginary setting for the wedding storyline. They serve as a visual tool to quickly inform every one of the overall 'feel' and “flow” that a bride/designer is trying to achieve. Creating mood boards in a digital form may be easier and quicker, but the tactile feel of physical objects (fabric, paper stock) often tend to have a higher impact on people because of the more complete palette of a sensational physical mood boards offer, in contrast with the black & white or color-prints of a digital mood board.

For a New Years Wedding 2011 – still a work in progress - the beginnings of a blush pink and black 5:00PM cocktail wedding in the bride’s parent’s Laguna Beach home over looking the Pacific Ocean.

Christian Lacroix Forever...

My favorite designer - Christian Lacroix - has always been one of the Paris season’s most anticipated shows on the Paris calendar.

Does anyone know if this is his last show? His new collection featured 24 pieces and are said to be dramatic, chic and elegant.

Now, take a look at pieces from his Wedding Collection - Rosa Clara for 2010 courtesy of http://fashionbride.wordpress.com.

Lacroix’s bride looks like a doll - sweet, modern and with the look of a silver screen dream - lots of muslin, organza, crepeline, lace and embroidery, fine stones and mother-of-pearl pailletes.

Trends - Bridal Bows and Color for 2010

I like to follow Bridal trends and where do they always start? - in Europe - -Paris! French fantasy is back and here is just a wee bit of the behind the scenes at the Paris Couture shows this week. Paris Haute Couture Week started at the beginning of July. Among its recession-defying flights of fancy were beautiful dresses, ravishing models, breathtaking locations, diamond presentations, dreamy hats, bejeweled clients and riotous parties ( I was not invited). It was a return to real glamour and rich handcrafts.
It was all about the bow, big and bold on the front of evening gowns; little ones on the heels of candy-colored shoes; and on wrist-to-elbow rhinestone bracelets. It was pure fashion fantasy

Color is big for 2010. Christian Dior was showing his collection of bright colors mixed with shifting chiffon and layered lace, in saucy Fifties corsetry. Like I said earlier the bows - a recurring trend - were on models' heads as hats. Chanel's jewellery salon is showing off expensive bows made of the whitest and purest diamonds in town. And Cartier is displaying a more colorful collection that included emeralds, rubies and pearls in its signature ethnic designs. The 2010 bride’s silhouette is sleek and if one marries in the winter of 2009 she can choose from impeccable tweed day suits to richly embroidered wedding dresses.

Monique Lhuillier Sample Sale

Monique Lhuillier is having a Sunday Bridal Sale In Los Angeles. Beautiful Brides - what are you doing tommorow Sunday. It's a lucky day for those having late summer or fall weddings. Monique Lhuillier http://moniquelhuillier.com is taking 40% to 90% off wedding dress samples and ready-to-wear including evening and cocktail dresses at this downtown sale. Brides-to-be can find deals such as a $3,000 full-lace gown (retail regular price $6,300) and a $2,000 satin dress ($4,620). Evening and cocktail frocks are priced from $200 to $3,000. All sales are final. No appointments or alterations provided. Monique's address is 1201 S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles. (323) 655-1088. 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Merci Los Angeles Times!