Here are a few tidbits from the lovely, lovely bride…

We were a little nervous to wake up to gray skies and drizzle on our wedding day but as luck would have it the sun came out a couple hours before and it turned out to be a gorgeous day. With only 70 guests, the wedding felt more like a fun party and the smaller size allowed us to spend quality time with all of our guests and family members.

The bridesmaids wore Jay Godfrey dresses that the maid of honor (my sister) found at Intermix. The groomsmen wore their own black suits with gray Armani ties that we found to match the bridesmaids dresses. The groom looked dashing in his Yves Saint Laurent tuxedo, Canali shirt and bow tie and shoes from Barneys…

SO much more to come. But in the meantime, head on over to Martha Stewart’s The Bride’s Guide to see our very first SMP Real Wedding!! We are SO excited!

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Post tags: Armani, Jay Godfrey, Jose Villa, Oscar De La Renta, Santa Barbara
Post categories: Traditional Elegance

photos 2,3,4(above) and 1 (below) courtesy of betsy dunlap

from the beautiful bride, Abby …

It was very important to me that every detail be incredibly personal and well-thought out. Our wedding was the idea of a weekend on Virginia’s Chesapeake Bay. It is an area about two hours outside of Washington, D.C. where I have many fond memories of weekends at my grandparent’s summer house on the beach and later on, at my parents home next door. Summers were spent with all of my cousins and sisters enjoying the water and the traditions of the area.

This area of Virginia, called the Northern Neck, is incredibly historic and I would visit Stratford Hall often, knowing that someday this is where I wanted my wedding to be.  How could anyone resist the drama of those steps and having the entire grounds to yourself for your special day?  I didn’t even know if they would allow a wedding!

For our invitation suite we worked with the very talented young calligrapher, Betsy Dunlap who wrote out all of our pieces. We then had her handwriting engraved in a glossy black ink on Crane’s pearl white papers. Betsy also addressed all of the invitations and we used affectionate names for friends and family on the inner envelopes. We also did this with Betsy for our menu cards, programs, escort cards, and other materials.

Our ceremony was on the steps of Stratford’s Great House and guests were seated on the Great Lawn. We incorporated my husband’s Jewish background and my Catholic background and had both a priest and rabbi present, combining wedding traditions from both. During the cocktail hour we had cigar rollers from Tennessee who freshly rolled cigars for our guests. Stratford Hall provided our local Virginia-inspired catering menu. Other than the Virginia peanut soup and salad course, the meal was served on large silver platters so that guests might be more engaged with one another and be able to serve one another family style. We served whole striped bass, filet mignon, vegetable gratin, and following our wedding cake, Stratford’s recipe for ginger cookies. We sent down pounds and pounds of our favorite La Colombe coffee.

We found a local band where all of the members are in gospel choirs and come together on the side to play soul music. We had taken dance lessons at the American Ballroom Dance Studio (of Mad Hot Ballroom fame-Pierre Dulaine) and our first dance was to a Stevie Wonder version of Bob Dylan’s “Blowin’ in the Wind”. Father and Daughter first dance was to Otis Redding’s “Sitting on the Dock of the Bay’. We intermingled speeches, dances, and cake cutting throughout the dinner courses.

After running through a sparkler farewell lining the gardens paths, our official getaway from the party was in my father’s antique military jeep which he has saved since he was a child growing up in Montana. He drove us to a waiting car and we had a giant sign on the back where Betsy had written out “Just Married”. All of our guests then returned to the Tides Inn by waiting coaches and the wedding party in a vintage trolley.

Attire:
Bride’s Gown ~ Oscar de la Renta, “bubble dress” from Bergdorf Goodman
Shoes ~ Christian Louboutin
Bridesmaid’s Dresses ~ Diane von Furstenberg, “Kacia”
Tuxedo ~ Ralph Lauren Purple Label.
Gifts to Groomsmen ~ Ralph Lauren black and ivory pocket squares

All of our flowers, including the two hundred pound fresh magnolia wreath at the top of the steps, were from a local florist, Bridget’s Bouquets. We worked with her throughout the year and she understood the vision perfectly on the day. I sent her ivory and hunter green grosgrain ribbon from a source here in New York I knew about from my friend who owns a successful ribbon belt company. We only used magnolia leaves, tons of ivory roses, and boxwood. She built boxwood topiaries adorned with ivory roses for the rectangular tables in the tent. Our cake table was covered in magnolia leaves.  Our cake was all ivory buttercream in a basketweave design with ivory roses filling the top and again was a local source in Fredericksburg, Virginia called Paul’s Bakery.

This plantation was the birthplace of Robert E. Lee and the only two signers of the Declaration of Independence who were brothers. There is an elegant history that can be seen in the grounds, the building, and the formal English gardens. We held cocktails and tented a large section of the Cutting Gardens for dinner and dancing. We wanted everything about the wedding day at Stratford to be more of a timeless elegance and to convey an element of the important history, but with our own twist.

Thank you SO much Abby and Matt for sharing your wedding vision and images with us! And a HUGE thanks to Dave Robbins Photography for the fabulous photographs that so elegantly captured the spirit of the day!!

For the full feature, be sure and see Parts I-III of this featured wedding on The Little Black Book Blog.

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Post tags: Betsy Dunlap, Bridget's Bouquets, Calligraphy, Christian Louboutin, Dave Robbins Photography, Diane von Furstenberg, favors, Historic Venue, Oscar De La Renta, Paul's Bakery, Ralph Lauren, Richmond, Sparklers, Stratford Hall, Virginia
Post categories: Little Black Book Blog, Real Weddings, Traditional Elegance, Wedding Photography

Abby and Matt married last fall at Stratford Hall, the birthplace and home of Robert E. Lee in Richmond Virginia.

I literally spent hours looking at the images Dave Robbins sent us and cannot tell you how hard it was to select just a few to show you! They are all so gorgeous.  These photographs are a true testament that classic beauty and design win, hands down, every time.

Dave caught the scripted moments,  as well as the unscripted moments … the emotions, the joy, the pure and utter peacefulness of the day!

Much, much more to come …

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Post tags: Dave Robbins Photography, Oscar De La Renta, Richmond, Stratford Hall, Virginia
Post categories: Little Black Book Blog, Real Weddings, Traditional Elegance, Wedding Photography

But now, it’s back to business with some stunning pre-wedding shots from Little Black Book photographer, Dave Robbins … and yet another beautiful Abby on her extraordinary fall wedding day!

Back in a bit with the whole day … from Dave Robbins Photography!

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Post tags: Jimmy Choo, Oscar De La Renta, Richmond, Stratford Hall, Veil, Virginia
Post categories: Little Black Book Blog, Traditional Elegance, Wedding Photography, Wedding Style

all images via Brides.com

Sigh. Just lovely…so Audrey Hepburn in My Fair Lady and maybe Sabrina, with a little bit of Sarah Jessica Parker in that fab SITC scene. Love. Stay tuned to see picks from Monique, Jenny and so much more!

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Post tags: Oscar De La Renta, Wedding Dresses
Post categories: Wedding Dresses, Wedding Fashion

So, when out of nowhere, Audrey Wray contacted me…AND sent me pictures from her recent wedding, I literally swooned.

Okay, we really must talk about that dress. That ridiculously gorgeous Oscar de la Renta dress. Have you ever seen anything quite as beautiful? Audrey is a complete fashionista (just check out her blog, Chic Girl Style, for more proof), so it’s no wonder she chose something so completely delicious to wear on her big day!

From the bride, Audrey…

My dress was Oscar de la Renta purchased from Saks Fifth Avenue. It has a light blue underlay, which took care of my “something blue,” and the lace detail is actually created from ribbons. My bridesmaids dresses (picture to come later today) was BCBG also found at Saks. My shoes were Christian Louboutin and I actually found them on BlueFly.com. I decided to keep my jewelry minimal since there was so much going on with the dress and the earrings I wore were actually CZ studs I found at Ann Taylor. I also had a six pence in my shoe and my Grandmother’s locket wrapped around my bouquet, an idea I got from Martha Stewart Wedding magazine.

Originally Brandon and I planned to have our wedding in Houston, but the vast amount of vendors to choose from overwhelmed me! Then we thought to have it in Ruston, Brandon’s small hometown in Louisiana, where everyone knows everyone. The planning would have been easier but we basically had to invite the whole city and that would just be too big! Brandon mentioned Vegas and with visions of dancing Elvises I said “we can’t get married in Vegas!” But then I thought about the Wynn Hotel. Brandon and I had stayed there when it first opened and it remained one of our favorite hotels. So we contacted AnnMarie Moccio, a wedding coordinator at the Wynn, and from speaking with her we learned that the they handle everything…the flowers, the food, the photography , everything! Perfect!

So much more to come!

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Post tags: Ann Taylor, Audrey, BCBG, Oscar De La Renta, Wynn Hotel
Post categories: Traditional Elegance

To get the ball rolling, I’ve enlisted the help of the girls at Hitched Salon in DC…they own one of the most chic, jump-up-and-down gorgeous shops around, so I am thrilled that they are here chatting about fashion trends!

* * *

As you can imagine, at Hitched we see a ton of different bridal gowns, and we never get tired of white dresses! However, we will admit that we love anything new and interesting that allows a bride to make her dress unique… which is why we’re so excited for the new trend of adding a beaded or embroidered belt to an otherwise simple gown to add some sophisticated flair. We’re loving the detachable belt options that are now being offered by designers like Lela Rose, Oscar de la Renta, and Modern Trousseau.

These eye-catching accessories can really enhance your wedding day look, and since most of them are removable, you can pick-and-choose when to add that extra bit of sparkle during your special day. We love the idea of adding a belt to your gown just for the reception, giving you a whole new, party-ready look.

We’ve even used accessories in non-traditional ways such as a knotted Erin Cole crystal organza headband around the waist of a fitted peau-de-soie Judd Waddell gown to create a totally unique look. Opening your eyes to creative accessory options can help you add just the right amount of pizazz to a gown that doesn’t already have a lot of embellishment. And feel free to be adventurous by mix-and-matching a belt from one designer with a gown from another, which will really make the look your own!

So much more to come!!

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Post tags: Hitched Salon, Lela Rose, Modern Trousseau, Oscar De La Renta
Post categories: Wedding Dresses, Wedding Fashion

Trendy. Perhaps the last word on earth you should think about when choosing your wedding dress. Well, sort of. Wedding dresses, in my opinion, should fit the following description…

Something timeless. Something flattering. Something that makes you feel jaw-droppingly beautiful.

And sometimes, that perfect dress just happens to be an “of the moment, oh-so-now” creation. So, let’s take a moment to review the season’s biggest wedding dress trends.

The Sheath
Ahh, this is my favorite new wedding dress style. So romantic and elegant. Sweet, but intriguing.

Top Row: Carolina Herrera and Rosa Clara. Bottom Row: Badgley Mischka and Vera Wang. All photos via Brides.

The layers of wispy fabric and the romantic, unstructured cut are perfect for a really feminine, or bohemian bride. I love that this season’s sheaths have stunning detail work, whether it be a gorgeous ribbon or delicate beading. The end result is pure bliss.

The sheath is really best on slender women…because it doesn’t have a lot of shape to the cut, the sheath may make a pear shaped woman look frumpy.

The Mini
Hmmm. I have a love hate with this season’s Mini Wedding Dresses. There is something chic and European about them that I adore. And yet, they require the perfect setting to really become a wedding gown.

Top row: Vera Wang. Bottom Row: Oscar and Vera Wang

So what is the perfect setting? Perhaps a casual garden wedding, a ultra sophisticated city wedding in Paris, a quirky but romantic bash at an art gallery. A really great pair of ballet flats (for the garden variety) or a killer pair of stilettos (for the chic of heart) will update this cute look.

The Mermaid
I really don’t like the name “the mermaid.” For such a gorgeous silhouette, it reminds me of Ariel swimming around singing about her long lost love. With that said, The Mermaid look is all the rage…rightfully so. It’s one part sexy, one part sophisticated and there is no doubt, the boys love this look. A thin layer of lace or chiffon will soften up the cut…

Top Row: Amsale & Elizabeth Fillmore. Bottom Row: Reem Acra & Ramona Keveza

If you choose a mermaid style gown, make sure that the flair happens at the right spot. Choose a high end seamstress to help you make this happen. Otherwise, a too high flair might make your rear look too large…a too low flair might make it difficult to walk.

And alas Spring of 2008 is now upon us with the European Runways just debuting their collections. Our next wedding dress trends article will feature some of the highlights from these gorgeous shows.

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Post tags: Amsale, Badgley Mischka, Carolina Herrara, Elizabeth Fillmore, Oscar De La Renta, Ramona Keveza, Reem Acra, Rosa Clara, Vera Wang, Wedding Dresses, Wedding Trends
Post categories: Wedding Dresses, Wedding Fashion

One of my readers asked if I would do a little round-up of some of my favorite gowns for 2007….Um, of course!!! I still honestly believe that my wedding gown is the most beautiful gown ever in the history of wedding gowns, but I suppose there are some pretty ones out there this season. Just teasing. To me, a wedding gown is a lot like a child. Yours is always better.

Here are some of my favorites for 2007…

Okay, let’s discuss. The top row are gowns that are a little more traditional. With that said, each one is completely infused with a contemporary style that I love. From the left, the designers are Melissa Sweet, Jim Hjelm and Amsale. I loooove the Amsale dress. It reminds me of something that Chloe from Project Runway would do.

The second row gowns are all a bit more flowy…almost grecian. This style, for now, is more of what I gravitate towards. It just feels whispy and romantic. I envision a low, very loose bun and antique gold earings to complete the look. I am still kind of obsessed with lace and I love that these designers brought in a very sexy appeal to such a traditional fabric. Designer on the left is Oscar de la Renta and the center/right are Badgley Mischka.

The gowns on the third row are sweet, almost innocent. And yet, they seem so timeless and elegant to me. I absolutely love the detailing on each of these gowns…the first has such a pretty silhouette, the second has gorgeous lace detailing without seeming over the top and the third has such beautiful layering. You don’t see gowns like this often. From the left, the designers are Angel Sanchez, Carolina Herrera and Angel Sanchez again.

If you know about my love affair with all things Vera, you are probably wondering why I don’t have any of her designs up here. To be honest, it’s a totally different beast. Tomorrow, I am going to have my new favorite Vera dresses…I thought they deserved a post all on their own.

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Post tags: Amsale, Angel Sanchez, Badgley Mischka, Carolina Herrara, Chloe, Jim Hjelm, Melissa Sweet, Oscar De La Renta, Vera Wang, Wedding Gowns
Post categories: Wedding Dresses, Wedding Fashion

Today’s post is a splurge vs. save. I tried to find gowns that were comparable either in cut or style, or at the very least, gave that ahhhh how pretty feeling for both the splurge and the steal. Here we go! The splurge gowns are all $1500 and above (most of them far more). The save dresses are $1500 and below (most of them far less).

Top Row, left to right: Rosa Clara, Junko Yoshioka for Bonaparte NY, Oscar de la Renta; Bottom Row: Vera Wang, Ruben Perlotti (most photos from Wedding Style)

Top Row: J Crew $1000, Carmen Marc Valvo at Bloomingdales, Ramona Keveza on The Knot $1500; Bottom Row: J Crew $250, ABS by Allen Schwartz $300, Mary L. Couture at Nordstroms, $238

The main element you should look for, if you are dress shopping on a budget, should be simplicity. Find a dress you love, then scour stores to find a simpler, toned down version. If you take away some of the ruffles and beading, even an inexpensive gown will look chic and sophisticated.

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2007. | Permalink | 6 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Allen Schwartz, Grace Ormonde, J. Crew, Junko Yoshioka, Mary L. Couture, Nordstroms, Oscar De La Renta, Ruben Perlotti, The Knot, Vera Wang, Wedding Style
Post categories: Wedding Dresses, Wedding Fashion