Wedding Dress: Dolly Couture / Shoes: Target / Cocktail Ring + Black Dress + Clutch: Kate Spade / Sparklers: Tops Malibu via Mrs. Lilien

AAA-DORE, right? Dolly Couture is tops in our book as I’m sure you agree. These gowns are a dazzling combination of smart, sassy, short and sweet… and all with a vintage vibe.  Swoon.  Plus, with an amazing line of accessories, petticoats and headpieces to complete your style, you’re guaranteed a look that’s drop-dead gorgeous AND ultra-chic on your big day.  And who doesn’t love that?!?

So, here’s where it gets really awesome.  In celebration of our 2011 Best of Magazine, the fabulous team at Dolly Couture is giving one lucky reader a the to-die-for-darling dress pictured above OR a $495 credit to be used towards a dress.  I know. Amazing.

To Enter: Head on over to the Dolly Couture website and leave a comment below telling us which Dolly style is your favorite. (Example – The GORGEOUS Avila Bay)

To Win: The winner, chosen completely at random using a number generator, will be announced right here on SMP on Friday, February 17th.

A big thank you to Dolly Couture for bringing their fabulous style to our Wednesday!  Good luck, SMP-ers! xoxo

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2012. | Permalink | 350 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Cocktail Dress, Dolly Couture, Fashion, Giveaway, Little White Dress, magazine, Pink, Vintage
Post categories: The Blog

Guys, if you’re having a little trouble tying the knot check out this great resource on how to tie a bow tie!  And, girls, bow ties don’t have to be just for the boys anymore!  Forage has an amazing new summer collection of bow ties just for the ladies!

Bow ties: XOELLE

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2011. | Permalink | 5 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Accessories, Bow Ties, Destination, Fashion, forage, groom, Hawaii, honolulu, xoelle
Post categories: Destination Weddings, Round-Ups

Click here to see the entire image gallery!

This is a semi-DIY destination wedding that I planned online and via the phone from San Francisco. Extremely unorthodox. No wedding bouquet, no music band, no dancing (except for the first dance).  I required everyone to wear hats and head pieces, which made some of my guests quite unhappy at first.

Both the groom + I are software engineers in Silicon Valley. But unlike most people in the geek world that we live in, we love fashion. We met at Google, where we both worked (and I still do), and have been together since. We live in San Francisco, but I wanted to have my wedding back in my homeland (Slovakia). We had about 10 Americans fly over to EU for this (and a crazy trip to Amsterdam that made it worth the travel). We had 35 guests total. I am a photographer myself, and made sure to select two best photographers Slovakia has to offer. Fluffy (my shih-tzu) also travelled all the way from San Francisco to join us and to carry the rings.

[My] wedding dress was grayish/greenish/beige, made of layers and shreds of tulle. Jin Wang from San Francisco Union Square made only three such dresses, but I was the only bride who had a matching custom head pouf. The pouf was a big deal for me since I’m not a fan of veils. I was going for a pure couture look too. I bought more of the odd gray/green/beige tulle and made boutonnieres for every guest, including the groom. The color theme was “gray, cream, and champagne gold”. Groom wore colorful paisley hat and tie.

The weather was perfect, big storm during the drive to the castle, and foggy skies during the shoot. Who will notice the goosebumps on my skin, right? As a photographer myself, I could not ask for a better lighting conditions.

The out-of-town guests had no idea what they were in for (in spite of me telling them to be ready for major hike). They had to climb the steep road to the castle, and after the ceremony (during my shoot), they attended an 1.5 hr long guided tour in English.  One of the photos shows me and Brad at the back of a bus…where everyone rested after a physically exhausting first part of the day. Before entering the reception, the groom has to sweep broken porcelain plate, while the groomsmen are kicking the chips away from him. (see the photo where the groom is sweeping). It is a Slovak tradition that challenges the couple to show how they work together to deal with unfortune. Once the groom sweeps (with the help of the bride), the party goes inside. One of the photos that I uploaded shows a live folk band that came in as a surprise (from my dad). The wedding cake was a disaster. I had never a chance to see it or taste it before my wedding day. Since I planned it long-distance, I could only describe the cake via email. I sent a photo of an example silver/gold cake to the reception venue, but it seems the pastry chef might have thought that the silver was really blue.  When we walked into the reception room, a blue cake was standing in front of us. One of the photos shows a groom laughing at something high up on the wall. I made a 20 minute video of him as a child and gave him this surprise. The room was crying when they watched it, because Brad was not the most behaved kid. He even mooned the camera at some point!

Wedding Dress + Pouf: Jin Wang San Francisco / Groom’s outfit: John Varvatos / Wedding Photographers: Jan Cechovsky + Brano Herchl / Make-up: the bride did it herself after taking make-up class by “Makeup By Stacy McClure” in San Francicso / Hair: Femme Fatale, Zilina Slovakia / Wedding Coordination, invitations + design: Petra Cross / Ceremony venue: Orava Castle / Reception venue: Villa Necas (a wine cellar in 18th century salt storage mansion turned into modern bed and breakfast)

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Post tags: Bed and Breakfast, Brano Herchl, Couture, Destination, Fashion, Femme Fatale, Jan Cechovsky, Jin Wang, John Varvatos, Makeup By Stacy McClure, Modern, Orava Castle, Petra Cross, San Francisco, Slovakia, Villa Necas, Zilina Slovakia
Post categories: Destination Weddings

Tessa Kim’s pretty accessories have totally captured our hearts and we love, love, LOVE that every piece is completely handmade. Whether you are a whimsical bride looking to rock a halo of flowers on your big day or a more classic design is your cup of tea, there is bound to be something just right in this lineup of beauties. So if you are on the hunt for that perfect veil or floral/feathered adornment, definitely take a trip over to the Look Book and Tessa Kim’s collection of fabulous bridal pieces. We have a feeling you are going to fall head over heals for these little gems.

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2011. | Permalink | 9 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Bridal Accessories, Fashion, Look Book, Tessa Kim
Post categories: Accessories, Wedding Fashion

click here to see the whole shoot, including an adorable outfit not seen here!

From the stunning bride…When Amanda (our photographer) and I started discussing possible looks for our engagement shoot, we thought formal would be fun and beautiful. The one problem, I hadn’t owned a formal dress since my senior prom! So, we thought we would settle for a semi-formal look and call it good. I’m not a sewer, but I had a couple good ideas for easy to make dresses that didn’t take a lot of effort and still look beautiful. The white dress I made with just two pieces of fabric, sewn to a thick black elastic band. There are no zippers or buttons. It was also constructed by hand. I wrapped the top piece around my neck like a halter top, and pinned it to the black elastic band at the appropriate length. The skirt was easy as well. I sewed it to the bottom half of the elastic band, and wahla! A beautiful Grecian inspired gown for only $30 worth of fabric.

The black tulle was actually easier and cheaper. I first created a straight black skirt that was held up by a black fabric ribbon. I then started on one side and wrapped the material around the straight skirt. All the while pinning it in random spots to give it volume and an organic look. I kept circling the skirt and making puckers upon layers. The cost of the tulle was under $25. I wore a simple black strapless dress I already owned underneath.

It was so fun, and meaningful that I wore my own designs! I also made all of the hair accessories and bouquet the morning of the shoot. It really showed me that DIY can be easy and beautiful. I was scared that it would look “crafty” and not professional. But with the help of our very talented photographer, Amanda K, we were able to create something magical.

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2010. | Permalink | 26 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: amanda k, black tulle dress, e-session, engagement session, Fashion, formal, Photography, Tux
Post categories: Wedding Fashion, Wedding Photography

The concept behind this shoot was to take the trends, fabrics and themes showcased in the Chanel Spring 2010 Ready to Wear runway show and translate them into a beautifully styled wedding. Allison and Kyle (from Studio 28 Photo) and I thought it would be a great way to infuse our favorite aesthetic into a shoot and inspire style-loving brides currently planning their weddings at the same time. This particular Chanel runway show took place under a huge wooden barn that had a farm-like equestrian feel, which is why we chose Brookside Equestrian Center for its rustic yet upscale vibe. The runway show featured lots of short dresses and skirts paired with tights, messy updos and statement accessories. Chiffon, silk, tweed, lace and tulle were the dominant fabrics in the collection, which was characterized by white, cream and black colors with loud pops of red. Taking this as our inspiration, we created a classic yet modern Chanel-inspired wedding in a setting reminiscent of a French farm that would make Karl Lagerfeld proud.

{click here to see the whole inspired shoot in the gallery}

The tablescape featured the khaki colored Russian linen from Wildflower Linens paired with a table runner I created from black and white tweed fabric, a classic Chanel fabric choice. Wildflower’s creamhemstitch ivory napkins were folded beneath the black French glass charger plates from Party Rental King and topped with menus hand-written by Calligraphy Katrina, who also created the red place cards. Katrina, who attended culinary academy prior to her starting her calligraphy business, created a provincial French menu for the wedding. The invitation suite was calligraphied entirely in French as well, in a nod to Chanel’s heritage and homeland.

The talented design guru Carissa, from JL Designs, designed the floral tablescape with various milk glass containers scattered down the center of a long table. Carissa incorporated a mixture of white and red florals that included ranunculas, tulips, blackberries and anemones, which were prominently featured in the Chanel show attached to shoes, bags and as hair pieces. Carissa also made the stunning bridal and bridesmaid bouquets from anemones and blackberries, and we wrapped the stems in the signature Chanel tweed fabrics.

The bridesmaids each had two different looks, one more casual, fun look and a dressier look that took the formality up a notch to pair with the long wedding gowns. Rosettes, bows and sheer, feminine fabrics like tulle and lace characterized the bridesmaid looks, which were primarily black and white with vibrant pops of red as seen in the Chanel show. Oversized headpieces with messy hair lent an editorial drama to the girly ensembles, and lace tights were worn under both changes of clothes to mimic those seen on the runway. The bridesmaid outfits were a mix of high and low designers ranging from Cynthia Vincent to Rodarte for Target to Aqua to Marc Jacobs to Forever21.

The lucky bride had three different dress and accessory changes. All three wedding gowns were from L’ezu Atelier in Beverly Hills, and makeup and hair artist Dedra Whitt created the bridal and bridesmaid hair and makeup looks to mimic what was seen in the show. Her short dress was paired with a stunning hair piece from Stephanie Browne Australia (the style is called ‘Ambrosia’) and a pearl and crystal flower bracelet (which was stunning and came from Forever 21). Nude scalloped fishnet stockings and black rosette ankle strap peep toes completed the look, although I also added a black jewel-button cardigan from Tracy Reese, riding boots and red gloves to the look a little later for some fun equestrian-style pictures near the barn.

My favorite look on the bride was the silk and chiffon one-shoulder L’ezu gown with chiffon rosettes that looked just like the anemones seen in the Chanel spring show. Patricia from L’ezu sewed in black pearls sewn to the center of the chiffon rosettes for the shoot so they echoed the lovely black and white anemones The white peony headband is from Forever21, as are the white enamel and goldtone bangles that I added to the previous outfit’s accessories.

Vendors: Styling, planning & design development: Yelena Johnson, The Stylish Soiree / Photography: Allison & Kyle Richter of Studio 28 Photo / Floral Design: Carissa Jones, JL Designs & Events / Paper Goods: Calligraphy Katrina and Maison du Papier / Hair & Makeup: Dedra Whitt / Venue: Brookside Equestrian Center, Walnut, CA; Contact Lisa Walton-Cortes / Wedding Dresses: L’ezu Atelier in Beverly Hills, CA; Contact Patricia Nevil / Dresses Used in Shoot (from L’ezu): Acqua di Rosa (blush silk gown with chiffon detail at neck), Acqua di Giglio (silk with chiffon overlay, one shoulder and black pearl/floral details), Alonso (short dress) / Rentals: Party Rental King; white ladderback chairs, mirror and black French glass chargers / Linens: Wildflower Linens

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2010. | Permalink | 28 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Brookside Equestrian Center, Chanel, Dedra Whitt, Fashion, JL Designs and Events, L'ezu, Maison du Papier, Party Rental King, Photo Shoot, Studio 28, The Stylish Soiree, Wildflower Linens
Post categories: Accessories, Bridal Party, Wedding Decor, Wedding Details, Wedding Dresses, Wedding Fashion, Wedding Planners & Designers

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Today’s Round Up is all about fabulous alternatives to keep you cozy on the big day. Whether you’re a bride, in the bridal party, or even a guest looking for something stylish to cover up those shoulders on the chilliest of days, we’ve got some pretty perfect wears to get you in the shopping mood.

This next set is all about classic vintage finds and sassy details, all sure to make a statement.

Row I: The hype on faux-fur is quite possibly my favorite trend to hit runways this year. It also just so happens that it is one of my all-time favorite looks for winter brides. I absolutely love how donning one of these beautifies instantly gives the look of effortless glam.  You can find fabulous vintage furs, like this mink stole from Etsy shop, Tiny Vintage Wardrobe, or go faux with these sleek looks by ModCloth and Juicy Couture.

Row II: For those going for a more eclectic look, there is no doubt that you will look like a goddess in this Top Shop shrug. For a truly vintage vibe, this caplet from Etsy shop, Sally Jane Vintage would be the perfect topper for a form fitting gown. For an early spring bride, I’m a little smitten over this vest by Lawan by Koi. I think a flirty vest is such a fresh look paired with the right dress.

Row III: It wouldn’t be a Round Up without a shout out to the fabulous indie designers on Etsy. For shrugs with serious bridal appeal, like this one made from tulle and pearls, you must check out Holly Stalder’s shop. If your not already familiar with Modern Romance’s gorgeous wrap, you need to be—absolutely stunning. And last, but certainly not least, this incredibly striking and delicately crafted shrug from Glamour Junkie’s shop. No matter how you cut it these designers have serious skills.

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2010. | Permalink | 9 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Etsy, Fashion, Fur Wrap, Juicy Couture, ModCloth, Round-Up, Round-Ups, Shrug, Top Shop, Wedding Accessories
Post categories: Accessories, Round-Ups, Wedding Fashion, Wedding Style

* * *

Taking a cue from many of the brides featured on SMP who don fabulous items to keep them warm on their wedding day, we thought we would do a little Round Up for all of you brides that are getting married this winter or in the early spring and fall. While a cute cardi is perfect for some, a great jacket might just be the ticket for a more jazzy affair.

Whether you just need a classy coat to get you from wedding to reception or you want to wear your jacketini all night long, this next collection will be your guide.

Row I: Personally, I think jackets are key if your in a colder climate. In order to avoid bulk and risk of a fashion faux pas go for cropped jackets that are perfectly tailored and ultra feminine. For an updated “Jackie O” look, I love this metallic blend jacket by Milly. For a softer look, this reversible caplet by indie designer, Madelin Zero is just the thing for a snowy evening. And for those who are all about making a fashion statement, check out this silk jacket by Twenty8Twelve. From the intricate texture to the confetti print, this is a must-have item.

Row II: Sequins are a major fashion trend and what better time to wear them than for a fun-filled evening when you’re the center of attention. This cardigan from Urban Outfitters is an affordable rendition to the big name designers in a classic, glamorous cut. For a more structured look, pop on this jacket from Anthropologie that combines a shorter cut with frilly details making it an ideal topper for a pretty gown. If your looking for something you can wear all night long, this ruffle jacket by Weston Wear is a super cute alternative.

Row III: Sometimes all you need is a really stylish coat to get you from wedding to reception and reception to your get-away car. I have to say, you cannot go wrong in a long coat in a luscious creamy shade. The look is always fresh and classic over a beautiful wedding gown. In a variety of styles, these three are some of our favs: Mod Cloth’s cutest little mod jacket, LuLu’s ultra chic and edgy coat, and this lustrous golden tweed topper also found at Mod Cloth.

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2010. | Permalink | 3 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Anthropologie, bolero, Fashion, Jacket, Lulu, Madelin Zero, Milly, Mod Cloth, Round-Up, Round-Ups, Shrug, Twenty8Twelve, Urban Outfitters, Weston Wear
Post categories: Accessories, Round-Ups, Wedding Fashion