You are currently browsing the category archive for the ‘Gowns’ category.
We are in love with Reem Acra’s interpretation of the traditional veil. It is so sheer over the skin and skims the floor so eloquently. All of this and it won’t stick to your lipstick or tangle in your eye lashes. GENIUS! For all of you ladies that want the length and drama of a veil without the actual hair accessory, this could be your answer.
Martha Stewart’s recent post asked what you would call it. Some said a “Shoulder Veil” while others said “Cape Veil.” I am leaning towards the Cape Veil because who does not want to feel like a super hero on their wedding day? Whatever you call it, I love it!
The 2012 Award Season gave us a bit of a bridal runway on the red carpet. Soft neutral shades were styled from Sleek and Slender to Sexy and Sultry and everything in between. Every year, we look forward to seeing how red carpet fashion will be translated into bridal couture. The creamy whites and muted blush designs of 2012 may just be a literal rendition of what will be walking down the aisle in the very near future.
The neutral palette was not the only red carpet trend. Fishtail silhouettes, intricate sleeves, peplums and a little leg were hard to miss as well. Classic glamour has not only made its way back to Hollywood, it’s making its way back to weddings.
(Above) Cameron Diaz in Gucci Premiere , Charlize Theron in Dior Couture, Gwyneth Paltrow in Tom Ford,
Angelina Jolie in Atelier Versace, Jessica Alba in Gucci, Jennifer Lopez in Zuhair Murad
(Below) Giuliana Rancic in Tony Ward, Kate Beckinsale in Roberto Cavalli, Rooney Mara in Givenchy Haute Couture,
Milla Jovovich in Ellie Saab, Octavia Spencer in Tadashi Shoji, Jessica Biel in Ellie Saab
One of our favorite bridal salons, The White Flower, recently expanded to launch The Bridesmaid Boutique . Not only do our brides get personalized attention but now their bridesmaids get the VIP treatment as well. The boutique caterers to one wedding party at a time to ensure the individualized service that The White Flower is known for.
One of the things I always suggest to my brides and grooms is to make an event out of anything you can while engaged. What better opportunity than shopping for their dresses? Follow it up with a little specialty cocktail tasting to find the perfect libation for your wedding day and you have a fun filled day planned with the girls.
The White Flower and The Bridesmaid Boutique is by appointment only to ensure a personalized service. Make sure that you call to schedule an appointment.
I’m a girl that appreciates a great value so when I heard about the M Bride End of Summer Sale, I had to share! It is this weekend ladies so make sure to call and MAKE AN APPOINTMENT before popping in.
Happy Shopping!
|
THIS WEEKEND ONLY! End of Summer Sale
Friday August 5th – Sunday August 7th, 2011Featuring dresses from Ines di Santo, Monique Lhuillier, Platinum, Ulla-Maija, Elizabeth Fillmore, Modern Trousseau and many more. Still looking for a dress…
Still looking for accessories…
|
|
Please call us at (858) 551-1718 to schedule an appointment.
Gowns cannot be put on hold, so book your appointment today! |
I was completely inspired by the bright ruffled pillows I found at That Funky Boutique on Etsy. Apparently, they have been doing their homework as these colors are some of the trend colors for 2012. I did a little “window shopping” on Net-A-Porter and found the perfect sassy dresses that not only compliment my initial inspiration, but they also make a statement!
The vibrant colors and the style are all bold options but equally fun and sophisticated. It is so wonderful that we can use color AND have something that your ladies will want to wear again. Go ahead. add little personality, character and a POP to your day!
PS: Net-A-Porter is having an amazing sale and most of these designer gowns are on sale (surely your bridesmaids would appreciate that!).
Clockwise from 1:00:
Thread Social
Valentino
Moschino Cheap and Chic
Elizabeth and James
Giambattista Valli
Thread Social
Willow
Halston Heritage
More than a billion eyes were on Kate Middleton as she stepped out of the queen’s 1977 Rolls-Royce Phantom VI in front of London’s Westminster Abbey wearing a wedding dress of fairy-tale princess-esque proportions — a dress that will be immortalized in fashion history. The designer, Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen, was only named as the bride, 29, arrived at Westminster Abbey with her father Michael.
The lace appliqué for the bodice and skirt was hand-made by the Royal School of Needlework, based at Hampton Court Palace. Individual flowers were hand-cut from lace and hand-engineered onto ivory silk tulle to create an organic design with rose, thistle, daffodil and shamrock motifs. The train is just short of 9 feet. French Chantilly lace was combined with English Cluny lace to be hand-worked in the Carrickmacross needlework tradition which originated in Ireland in the 1820s.
The influences of Carrickmacross and Arts and Crafs on Middleton’s dress design are the “old,” says Palmer. The earrings, a gift from her parents, are the “new. ”The tiara is “borrowed,” and a blue ribbon sewn into her dress is the “blue.”
Officials released a statement that said: “Miss Middleton wished for her dress to combine tradition and modernity with the artistic vision that characterises Alexander McQueen’s work.” They also said that Middleton worked “closely” with Sarah Burton to formulate the design of her dress.
The Royal Wedding is everywhere. And why are we so enthralled? Well, because this is the real life fairytale that many women dream of and very few can really have. The enormous chapels, hand stitched silk gowns, thousands of guests in attendance, amazing jewelry AND a castle is enough to make any girl swoon! Oh, and did I mention the title of “Princess?”
With only FOUR days until the Royal Wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton, we thought we would take a look back at some of the most unforgettable Royal Weddings of the past.
Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier of Monaco
April 18, 1956
Grace and Prince Rainier had two weddings: one was a civil wedding and the other a religious ceremony. Grace and her 65-member wedding party sailed to Monaco on the ocean liner Constitution on April 4, 1956.
April 18, 1956 was the civil ceremony in the palace’s baroque throne room. Grace wore a pale pink taffeta dress with cream-colored Alencon lace, white kid gloves, and a Juliet cap. Rainier wore striped trousers, a white vest, gray tie, and a black morning coat. They exchanged their vows in French.
Lady Diana Spencer and Charles, Prince of Wales
July 29, 1981
Their wedding took place on Wednesday, 29 July 1981 at St Paul’s Cathedral, London,United Kingdom. It was watched by a global television audience of 750 million. Lady Diana arrived at the cathedral in the Glass Coach and made the three-and-a-half minute walk up the red-carpeted aisle with the sumptuous 25 ft (8 m) train of gown behind her.
During the vows Diana accidentally reversed the order of Charles’s names, saying Philip Charles Arthur George AND she did not promise to “obey” him; that traditional vow was left out at the couple’s request, which caused a sensation at the time.
Lady Diana’s dress was designed by Elizabeth and David Emanuel and made of silk taffeta, decorated with lace, hand embroidery, sequins, and 10,000 pearls. Her STUNNING £30,000 ring consisting of 14 diamonds surrounding a blue sapphire which was previously gifted to Queen Elizabeth II is now gracing the hand of Miss Kate Middleton.
Queen Rania of Jordan and Prince Abdullah
June 10, 1993
Their wedding was a glittering affair. At the time, Prince Abdullah was not the nation’s crown prince. That title was held by King Hussein’s brother, Prince Hassan, for years the assumed heir to the throne. Still, as oldest son of King Hussein’s 12 children, his marriage was feted as a grand state occasion. The marriage was performed by King Hussein, who, like his now-sovereign son, is considered by tradition to be a direct descendant of the Prophet Muhammad.
The princess wore a gold-trimmed, short-sleeve gown by British designer Bruce Oldfield for the traditional Muslim ceremony. Their first multitier wedding cake resembled apartment lofts with its elevated rectangular layers embellished with crowns, which the newlyweds cut with a sword.
Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark and Miss Mary Elizabeth Donaldson
June 18, 2010
The wedding ceremony took place in Copenhagen Cathedral, and the wedding festivities were held at Fredensborg Castle. The royal wedding marks the conclusion of something of a modern fairy tale after almost four years of courtship since the couple first met at a bar during the Sydney Olympics.
The dinner and the evenings’ events took place in a tent on the Fredensborg palace grounds with 450 guests in attendance.
Mary wore a wedding gown designed by Danish designer Uffe Frank and was white duchess satin. Mary wore Queen Ingrid’s veil and the train, weighing over 22 pounds, took 300 hours to make.
Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden and Prince Daniel, Duke of Vastergotland
June 19, 2010
The wedding took place in Stockholm Cathedral on the 34th anniversary of her parents’ wedding. More than 1200 guests including royalty and statesmen from various countries were invited to the wedding ceremony. After the wedding the newlyweds were driven through Stockholm in a coach and then rowed in the antique royal barge Vasaordento the royal castle where the wedding banquet was held.
The radiant and beaming 32-year old bride walked down the aisle on the arm of her father, the king, in a cream-colored duchess satin gown with short sleeves and an off-the -shoulder, rounded neckline. Designed by Pär Engsheden, the dress has a V-shaped back and a 16.5 foot train fastened from the waist. Topping off the look, as everyone predicted, was the Cameo tiara which the bride’s mother, Queen Silvia, also wore to her own wedding on the same day in 1976.
Today, we pay tribute to the life of Elizabeth Taylor (February 27, 1932 – March 23, 2011). Married 8 times to 7 men, Ms. Taylor was not a stranger to weddings. She may not have found her one true love but she will forever be an icon in the bridal fashion world.
Marriage One: Conrad “Nicky” Hilton (6 May 1950 – 29 January 1951) (divorced)
From Love Tripper: Hollywood tabloids had already breathlessly reported on the star’s four carat diamond engagement ring, and now thousands of fans flocked outside the church to catch a glimpse of the actress in her bridal attire. Elizabeth emerged from the limosine in a creation by MGM studio designer Helen Rose– a white satin confection embellished with seed pearls and beading which had taken a number of workers two months to complete. A sweetheart neckline was covered with a chiffon overlay to reveal just a hint of decolletage [cleavage!]. A three-quarter length veil was attached to a cap garnished with pearls combined with a pearl tiara. To complete the all-white motif, the bride carried a bouquet of white orchids.
Marriage Two: Michael Wilding (21 February 1952 – 26 January 1957) (divorced)
Elizabeth’s second trip down the aisle was not quite as traditional and far more subdued than the first go round. Yet, she is just as stunning in her 3/4 length sleeves, low neckline, delicate gloves, pearl necklace and a small spray of flowers. In exchange for the veil, she has simple flowers in her hair still indicating that she is the bride!
Marriage Three: Michael Todd (2 February 1957 – 22 March 1958) (widowed)
Out of all of Elizabeth’s bridal looks, this one is my favorite. Of course, I have SEARCHED high and low for the designer information and have yet to find it. If anyone cares to share, please do so!
Liz married movie producer Mike Todd in February, 1957 in Acapulco only 3 days after her divorce from Michael Wilding. Todd was 24 years her senior, but Taylor acknowledges that of all her marriages, this, although tempestuous, was her happiest. On 22 March 1958, Todd’s private plane, Lucky Liz, crashed near Grants, New Mexico. The marriage had lasted 418 days. (squidoo.com)
Marriage Four: Eddie Fisher (12 May 1959 – 6 March 1964) (divorced)
It wasn’t long before Elizabeth fell in love again, however, this time with entertainer Eddie Fisher. The pair were married just over a year after she became a widow. When it began the romance caused a scandal, as Eddie was wed to Singin’ In The Rain star Debbie Reynolds at the time, earning Elizabeth a reputation as a man-stealer. (Hello Magazine)
Elizabeth wore a sheer draped emerald green dress with cascading bouquet.
Marriage Five: Richard Burton (15 March 1964 – 26 June 1974) (divorced)
Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton had a long, and somewhat torrid romance, which ended in divorce, not once but twice. The wedding was just nine days after her marriage to Eddie Fisher ended.
For the first wedding, Elizabeth wore an empire-style chiffon gown in daffodil yellow for her wedding to Richard. She finished the look off with the emerald and diamond brooch presented to her by her husband. In her hair, the award-winning star wore lilies of the valley and white hyacinths.
Marriage Six: Richard Burton (10 October 1975 – 29 July 1976) (divorced)
The second marriage of Richard and Elizabeth took place on October 10, 1975 in the Chobe National Park in Kasane, Botswana, Africa. The officiant at their wedding was an African district Commissioner from the Tswana tribe.
Elizabeth wore green with lace frills and guinea fowl feathers, while her husband dressed in a red shirt, white trousers and red socks for the simple 20-minute ceremony held in the remote village of Kasane, Botswana.
Marriage Seven: John Warner (4 December 1976 – 7 November 1982) (divorced)
When they announced their wedding, the press mocked her, but friends (including his ex Barbara Walters) supported their union. Friends said he was dull, but just what she needed. Apparently, being the wife of a public political figure. She was told to cut back on all the frank talk about her personal life, sexy dress, and ostentatious jewelry. At first she embraced the position, but eventually it became to restrictive to be the good, quiet wife of a politician. She cursed at photographers, drank, and spoke freely. (Blogger of the Bride)
I could not find a photograph from their wedding but I settled for this one.
Marriage Eight: Larry Fortensky (6 October 1991 – 31 October 1996) (divorced)
She met the construction worker while both were in rehab at Betty Ford and wed him despite skepticism that a love affair between a blue-collar guy and Hollywood royalty would last. It did — for several years. This was Taylor’s last try at wedded bliss. She wore a custom Valentino gown for this 2 million dollar affair. Michael Jackson walked her down the aisle at his Neverland Ranch.
RIP Dame Elizabeth Taylor
Trunk Shows are a great opportunity to see (and try on) a designer’s full line of dresses that the boutique may otherwise not have a sample of. Most boutiques will have a special price on their trunk show designer gowns during the dates of the show. Be sure to make an appointment early as bookings do fill up quickly.
We have listed the trunk show schedules for some of our favorite and most reputable boutiques in San Diego below.
702 Pearl Street, Suite H
La Jolla, CA 92037
Phone: 858.551.1718
M BRIDE TRUNK SHOWS:
- St. Pucchi March 18-20
- Modern Trousseau March 25-27
- Toni Federici April 8-9 (veils and accessories)
- Monique Lhuillier April 8-10 (DATE CHANGED 3/22)
- Elizabeth Fillmore April 22-24
- Ines di Santo April 29-May 1
2710 Via de la Valle, Suite B120
Del Mar, CA 92014
Phone: 858.847.3115
BLISS BRIDE TRUNK SHOWS:
- Christos March 25 – 26
- Anne Barge April 1 – 10
- Justine M Couture (veils and accessories)
- Junko Yoshioka May 13 – 14
- Vera Wang July 8 – 10
San Diego, CA 92103
Phone: 619.501.1700
THE WHITE FLOWER TRUNK SHOWS:
- Martina Liana March 18-20
- Semi Annual Sample Sale (30%-70% Off ) April 2-14
- Alvina Valenta May 6-15
- Justine M Couture May 21
- Simone Carvalli June 10-6
It is only fitting that Michelle and James had a fairytale wedding. After all, James proposed to Michelle at the happiest place on earth and a princess was born! They were married this past September at The Hilton Torrey Pines. Like a true princess, Michelle had four dresses and the modern version of a glass slipper. They worked with violet, silver and white to bring their wedding together. Michele even incorporated her beloved Disney with a similar version to their signature font used in all of the stationery pieces.
We are excited a share a piece of Michelle and James’s Fairy Tale with you…
Michelle’s first gown was an Ines di Santo trumpet gown followed by a Vera Wang ball gown. Once the party began, she changed into a lovely violet gown from China followed my a mini party dress. After having Christian Louboutin sign each pair of her wedding shoes, Michelle danced the night away.
We incorporated a traditional Chinese Tea Ceremony following the couples nuptials. They were surrounded by immediate family as the couple served them tea as a sign of respect.
In embracing this fairytale, we used white Cinderella pumpkins for each place card which guests were able to take home. The rings were carried in a silver carriage down the aisle by our ring bearer.
Michelle envisioned a snow white reception (no pun intended). White chiavari chairs with white chiffon and crystal linens were accented with lavender up-lights. Our bride and groom sat at their sweetheart table with floating crystals and orchids accenting their white backdrop.
Guests were treated to a variety of gourmet desserts. White chocolate covered ice cream was followed by decadent cake created by the onsite pastry chef. The real treat was the custom donut bar. Mini donuts were made onsite and guests could pick their toppings. It not only tasted fabulous, it smelled yummy too. It was a personal favorite of the groom!
Congratulation Michelle and James. May you live HAPPILY EVER AFTER!!!
A very special thank you to all of the amazing wedding professionals that worked with us on this wedding.
Venue: Hilton Torrey Pines
Photographer: Ian Grant Photography
Videographer: Side by Side Video
Entertainment: Entertainment at Large, DJ Mike Hogan
Florist, Linens, Chairs: Flowers by Azhar
Stationery Designer: Pink Star Design
Cake: Hilton Torrey Pines
Donuts: Sensational Treats
Ceremony Music: Caprice Strings
Makeup: Flirt Makeup
Bustle Blog By Liz Beck 