Living the Fruity Life: February 2009

EUREKA!

Ever hear of a coffee table magazine? Eureka! I found this season's issue of Real Simple Weddings, and christened it just that. From the quality paper stock on which it is printed to the stunning photos of gowns within, get this and you're in for a real treat.

So what makes Real Simple Weddings more fine art book than magazine? For starters they've replaced all those in-your-face ads with thoughtful editorial; Real Simple covers everything to do with your wedding from timeline, budget, ceremony, attire, flowers and more. Especially awesome is the Attire Section. There's a lay out starting with how to find the right gown for your body type. Moving on, you're guided through gowns by season, the how-to of searching out the best accessories and one of the most helpful sections of all, 10 Common Attire Questions. While this feature is offered in every section, Real Simple keeps it just that and answers questions some books take paragraphs to cover and most mags only cover partially.

Living and breathing bridal fashion, I highly recommend this as a 'must have' for any bride-in-waiting, or those of us who appreciate looking at pretty things. It's that tangible piece of eye candy you can hold in your hands when you settle down for a cozy read.
So where can you find Real Simple Weddings? Try Barnes and Noble or any Crate and Barrel Store. Also check out their website. Happy Reading and love to hear any comments you might have on it.

Love the drama of a long, grand gown? Today on Weddings Fresh you can see more of this kind of chic with an array of gorgeous creations by Italian designer, Elisabetta Polignano. Love the fabrics!

The Knot

And catch what I have to say about this chic little dress. Yes, it's from Amsale's mini collection of little gems like this one. You can see more of her stunners up close on Savvy Scoop.

5 Weeks To Go!!

Only 5 weeks left until the most exciting event around! Remember all of you fabulous brides, you must be pre-registered to attend because space is limited. So go to the I Do! website to get your spot! We can’t wait for you to be pampered with fine cuisine, lots of bubbly, and MOST OF ALL personalized gifts!

Rivini Trunk Show!

Traditions by Anna bridal salon will be having a gorgeous Rivini trunk show this weekend, February 27th and 28th! Rivini dresses will be available for brides to try on and if you order this weekend, you can get 10% off the purchase of your dream dress! Don't miss this event at Traditions by Anna! Be sure to make an appointment to get the best picks!

Rivini Trunk Show
Traditions by Anna
4209-100 Lassiter Mill Rd.
Raleigh, NC
919-783-8652
info@traditionsbrides.com

Images Courtesy of Rivini

How Do We Thank Thee....

This Thursday, we would like to thank these lovely peeps for keeping us in the spotlight! PLEASE check them out and show some love!

Check out the new chic from my 'Dioresque' series, a capsule collection of 1950s-inspired dresses. 'Marisol' is the first off the work table. Inspiration for this dress along with a few other gems I'm working on began when my girlfriends all chipped in and got me about 16 yards of cotton Georgette for my birthday. Yes, you heard that right, cotton Georgette. With this, I was able to make 4 samples with cinched bodices atop oodles of skirt and petticoats.

Of course the cotton Georgette was a limited run and quickly consumed by my fervent sample making. However, I tracked down some practically identical linen Georgette. Also the linen is eco-chic.

What I love about these tea-length dresses is they dress up well with accessories. We tried both hats and veils, gloves and no gloves; large and small florals, every type from carried-in-your-arms-like-a-newborn bouquets as well as those small nosegay arrangements. Just about everything works with this dress. Personally, I love the 'New Look' wide-brimmed hat swathed in tulle. These photos are already up on my website and I've had so many comments, about this hat in particular.

A little 1950s background here on bridal chic. Back then it was trendy to wear sheer dresses made out of organza or Georgette over an under bodice. Liz Taylor's dress by Helen Rose for her role in Father of the Bride is a good example of the style and one widely copied by stores and manufacturers of the time. So is the pattern below.

If you want a fascinating read on 1950s bridal couture, visit Vintage Fashion

History, a site chock-a-block full of interesting info on the origins of hourglass silhouettes like these.

Monique Lhuillier Trunk Show

Monique Lhuillier will be having a trunk show this weekend at Belle Couture Bridal! Gorgeous lace, satin, and beaded gowns are arriving daily from this "must have" bridal designer. Brides can try on these gowns and will receive 10% off all Monique Lhuillier gowns purchased during the event! Don't miss this chance to find THE ONE!

Monique Lhuillier Trunk Show
Belle Couture Bridal
February 27-28th
10AM - 6PM
843.881.3449
By Appointment Only

Images courtesy of Monique Lhuillier

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Let me not to the marriage of true minds
Admit impediments. Love is not love
Which alters when it alteration finds,
Or bends with the remover to remove:
O no! it is an ever-fixed mark
That looks on tempests and is never shaken;
It is the star to every wandering bark,
Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken.
Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks
Within his bending sickle's compass come:
Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,
But bears it out even to the edge of doom.
If this be error and upon me proved,
I never writ, nor no man ever loved.

SONNET 116

William Shakespeare (1609)

Isn't she gorgeous! Believe it or not I met Polina via the 'will you model for me?' route. We set up a shoot for her to pose in some of my 1950s 'Dioresque' dresses. That's when I learned she recently got married at City Hall in San Francisco on Janurary 16.

In the City by the Bay we have a city hall with one grand and glorious rotunda. True, most of the brides who celebrate here sport less formal chic than Polina's; this gown though is totally in tune with the magnificent backdrop.

So what was Polina's wedding like? When I asked she told me, "After the ceremony we went to the Japanese Tea Garden in Golden Gate Park where we took some pictures. The reception was at the Carnelian Room Restaurant in the Bank of America building on the 52nd floor. It's really beautiful in there during the sunset."

So was this stunning gown my creation? No, remember I met Polina only a few weeks after she and husband Daniel said, "I do". The dress is actually from Davids Bridal. I particularly love the black and white wedding theme here. When I asked Polina just how she put her whole wedding ensemble together, she said, "The shoes, sash and veil all came from David's Bridal. It was my design and idea to combine two colors in the dress. Originally the dress was boring plain white with a short green sash. I decided to go with two black sashes together - the short one gave the detail (the stones) in the front and the other one - the long one - had the details in the back. The veil was also white but had some black details in it."

Pictured above are Polina and Daniel. Both are Russian and met in San Francisco 3 years ago. Personally, I think Polina is one of the happiest, most beautiful and radiant brides I've ever seen. And I've seen quite a few in my day . . . .

Gown and accessories . . . . David's Bridal

Venues . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . .Carnelian Room

Japanese Tea Garden

Sex & The City Dress Comes to Hayden Olivia in Charlotte!

Alright all you SATC fans, the now famous Vivienne Westwood dress from the SATC movie can soon be seen in person and *gasp* tried on! You can meet your own Mr. Big at the altar wearing the exact same dress Carrie, played by Sarah Jessica Parker, donned in the movie last summer. Brides will have an opportunity to purchase one of the 30 limited edition gowns, designed by Vivienne Westwood in London. As one of three select boutiques nationwide to offer the gown, Charlotte's own Hayden Olivia Bridal will be scheduling private appointments for brides to be fitted and place their custom order for the gown.

The Westwood gown will be showcased in the Queen City with an exclusive charity fashion show spotlighting couture bridal gowns from some of the top designers in the industry and featuring the Westwood gown as the finale of the show. Hayden Olivia Bridal will host the event at SUITE at EpiCentre. The event will take place on Thursday, March 5. Doors will open at 7p.m., a raffle featuring gifts donated by local sponsors all valued at $150 or more will begin at 8:30 p.m., and the show at 9 p.m. Tickets will be available for purchase at Hayden Olivia Bridal Boutique.

Ticket prices are available at various prices: $30 for outside runway standing, $35 for inside runway standing, $40 for inside runway VIP seating. 100% of net proceeds from the event will benefit Dress for Success Charlotte. For more information, please contact Heather Batt at Hayden Olivia Bridal.

Hayden Olivia Bridal
221 South Tryon Street
Suite 200
Charlotte, NC
704-333-0377
www.haydenolivia.com

Image courtesy of SexAndThe CityMovie.com

Contest of all Contests -- Win a Free Atlanta Wedding!

Weddings Unveiled has teamed up with TheNotWedding, some of our coolest friends in Atlanta, Georgia to offer one lucky couple a FREE wedding. Yes, you read it right -- A really and truly, unbelievably stylish, totally chic and completely FREE wedding. Don't misunderstand us though... this isn't just any old giveaway. Perks for this event include rockstar Atlanta wedding professionals known for their amazing modern style, such as photography by the talented team at Our Labor of Love, to design and coordination by Joy Thigpen and Ashley Baber. As if that isn't celebrity enough, the FreeWedding will also appear in the pages of the Summer, 2009 issue of Weddings Unveiled to the utter envy of all.

What would a FreeWedding be without an amazing couple to give it to? If you want to win the goods, then tell us why you should. To enter, fill out the FreeWedding survey asap by clicking the link below:

I Want a Free Wedding!

The winning couple will get married on May 31, 2009 at Sun in My Belly in Atlanta, Georgia. They'll receive everything from the dress to the flowers to the catering to the photography... all for FREE. We will select three finalists and announce the winner at the NotWedding event on April 5, 2009. For more information, visit www.thenotwedding.com and click on The Free Wedding at the bottom of the page.

Check back with us regularly for news and updates.

SHEER INSPIRATIONS FROM CHRISTOPHER KANE

magic woman........ - by doby.... on Polyvore.com

So how did Scottish born designer Christopher Kane go from designing bandage dresses to these beautiful palette creations? Kane apparently does a 180 every season but I see it more as an evolution or growing process. Recently Kane moved away from the body-hugging look and settled on looser-fitting chemises simpatico with 1920s styles. Kane is a great collaborator. Manolo Blahnik created the shoes for the showing of his second collection in 2007. Believe it or not he also designed the costumes for Kylie Minogue's music video 2 Hearts.[

Rose - by dalmatinka on Polyvore.com

Kane's designs are accessorized here by Polyvore members. Bless them for contributing their own unique vision to celebrate this new, talented designer.

Pnina Tornai

I'm so much in love with all these delicate pastels and soft textures of Spring. We have so much to look forward to this season . . .

Valentino

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Camille La Vie

I'm always talking about those fascinating new veils we've come to love . . . the hybrids. Neither veil nor hat but a combo of both. Stalking Polyvore, I found this head chic by Irresistible Headdresses that fits the scenario perfectly. What kind of gown would you wear it with? And what sort of accessories do you see paired with this look?

Colin Cowie Contest Winner!

We have chosen a winner for the Best Valentine's Day contest! "Smartcookie" will be receiving Colin Cowie's newest book, Colin Cowie Wedding Chic: 1,001 Ideas For Every Moment of Your Celebration for letting us in on her most lovely Valentine's Day - February 14th, 2009. That's right, it was this year and we just melted at the sweet and clever way her Valentine made her day. Not only that, but their trip across the world made it one never to forget. Just read on to get the idea...

"This year was the best Valentine's Day ever...my boyfriend and I spent the day on a plane to Japan, where his parents live. The whole flight we drank wine and ate chocolate...and slept:). The night before we left (Friday), he asked me why I loved him...I gave him some silly response like, "Because you make me coffee every morning." He responded by saying..."Are you sure it's not because I give you diamond earrings?" And he pulled a little pink box out of his pocket..."

Charleston Tea Plantation Flush Festival

Charleston, South Carolina is steeped in history and tradition. Lazy front porches and cobblestone streets lined with historic homes evoke images of summer afternoons in the old south spent sipping iced tea and rocking listlessly back and forth. Tea being the key image here. Tea is a southern staple that had it's humble American beginnings right in Charleston. In fact, The Charleston Tea Plantation is the only working tea garden in America. Laden with droopy elms hanging over the vast fields of tea, The Charleston Tea Plantation is as picturesque as it is historic. Which is why it is the site of the 3rd Annual Flush Festival on May 16th, 2009!

The festival name, First Flush, is defined as the escalated, springtime growth of new leaves on the tea plants after a winter of rest. Their "first flush" of new growth is harvested to produce what avid tea drinkers deem to be the most unique, fresh and delicious cup of tea.

However, the festival is not just about the tea. Locals refer to it as an "Island Celebration". Residents and locals from nearby towns make the trek up to gorgeous Wadmalaw Island, where the Charleston Tea Plantation is located, to enjoy music, entertainment, art and local cuisine.

Tickets for the festival will be on sale soon and available for purchase online at The Charleston Tea Plantaion site and Etix. You can also purchase tickets on the day of the festival at the Plantation entrance.

First Flush Festival
Charleston Tea Plantation
May 16th, 2009
843.559.0383
Image courtesy of Charleston Tea Plantation

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No you're not missing me today, I'm just elsewhere. Two places actually. First, check out Weddings Fresh where I'll be covering Gown Friday once more. We'll be looking at the elegant creations of European designer Britta Kjerkegaard. Isn't the gown above just a knock out? You'll find a treasure trove of gold and iridescence from this designer.

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What will they think up next? Has the guitar replaced the veil, you ask? This is one of Joseph Font's head innovations--one of many new trends you can check out on OneWed's brand new blog, Savvy Scoop. I'm so happy to announce I'm their regular Friday Guest blogger. Each week we'll be looking at the ever changing world of bridal fashion . Today we'll start off with some Trends for 2009 and Beyond.

I'll be back here on my own site tomorrow where I'll have a few comments on some very special head chic.

Wedding Paper Divas

Gumdrop Cookie Shop

We absolutely love these posh cookies from Gumdrop Cookie Shop! Formerly Cutie Pie Cookie Co., this New York based cookie maker creates couture cookies for every occasion. And we think their designs are sweet! Each batch of delectable sugar cookies is made to order and is guaranteed to have a fancy-schmancy look with the signature or custom design of your choice! You can order from their couture cookie shop, where you can choose from four gorgeous designs, or create your own custom cookies or cupcake topper with any photo, monogram, or invitation from their custom cookie shop. Cookies are $3.50 each and make fabulous favors for swanky affairs! Check out their website for more information or just order your own couture batch!

Gumdrop Cookie Shop
646-415-8173
info@gumdropcookieshop.com

images courtesy of gumdropcookieshop.com