TEMPERLY GOWNS: A PERFECT FIND FOR SPRING

What could be prettier for a Spring wedding than something light and diaphanous? I've been watching this UK designer weave her magic in the bridal market for some time. Alice Temperley’s bridal gowns premiered only recently here in the US. These gems are carried in her flagship stores in New York and Los Angeles. The gowns pictured hail from the 2010 Collection and can be viewed by making an appointment at the Temperley showroom NYC(212.219.2929)LA (323.782.8000).

The Green Hanger

I just noticed today that one of the blogs I follow, The Green Hanger Shop, is offering a great give-a-way. Thought I would let every one know since it fits in with my new theme! A lucky winner will get...

 

This contests ends TOMORROW so get busy and enter to win here: A Great Green GiveAway

THANK HEAVEN FOR LITTLE GIRLS

Here they are, little girls looking their most angelic, all dressed up in wreaths and carrying baskets of fresh-picked flowers. If you're considering adding one, two or even more little girls to process down the aisle, really dress them up so your wedding will be all the more special. If you're wearing a ball gown and like the storybook theme, go all out. Put your girls in tulle dresses with floral wreaths on their heads. Present them the gift of ballet slippers to wear. They'll cherish these long after the wedding.
If it's a more casual wedding and/or money is tight, here are some options: Find her a special little cotton or linen nightgown she can use afterwards. She'll look Kate Greenaway chic in it, especially if she goes barefoot. Remember, barefoot is okay on kids, particularly at an outdoor or beach wedding. The trick to getting away with this informality is making sure the rest of your little one's appearance looks festive enough— ribbons or wreaths on the head; possibly straw baskets of flowers.
If you're having your little girls dresses made here are some things you need to know about fabrics, particularly fabrics flattering on children. If you use silks, use medium-weight ones like dupioni or shantung. These will work for winter weddings too, provided you pick a style with long sleeves, jackets, etc. Heavier satins and brocades are out—too weighty for a child to carry off and be comfortable in all day. Instead try lightweight velvets in deep jewel tones for those Christmas/Winter weddings. For spring/ summer dresses, lightweight fabrics like organza, chiffon, and tulle can overlay medium weight silks like those mentioned above. Linen is great for casual and beach weddings.
Most of all, find fabrics and props that encourage them to be kids and have fun. Children after all represent renewal and fertility. What more could you ask on your wedding day?

The Green Bride Guide

Kate L. Harrison, author of The Green Bride Guide has said, about her own wedding, " I think certain members of my family expected to show up and be forced to eat granola for three days and dance barefoot under the moon. While there was some granola, and lots of dancing, they were surprised and delighted to see that a green wedding can be (and often is) just like a traditional wedding in every way but one - it has less impact on the environment." 

I absolutely loved reading that because, I admit, I would kind of think the same way. I have never been to a Green Wedding, but I know plenty of people now - that if they were to get married again - would probably go this route. Eco-Friendly, Organic, whatever you want to call it the result is pretty much the same - you are making a difference!

If you are planning on having a totally Green wedding, or even just incorporating some Green ideas into your wedding, you are going to need to have a resource book. You will get this in The Green Bride Guide - and although you can buy this book from Amazon, if you purchase direct, Kate ships in a recycled paper mailer with vintage stamps! This book is a comprehensive, easy-to-access resource for anyone interested in planning a green wedding - the book is also just one resource because Kate also has a great website by the same name.

Chapters in the book include: Engagement, Location, The Eco-Chic Bride, Greening the Groom and Bridal Party, Green Save-the-Dates, Invitations & Wedding Websites, Sustainable Flowers, Transportation, etc. 

I found this site and decided to use it as my stepping stone for learning more about Green Weddings because Kate and her company really walk the walk! You start reading about her company and you find information like: this book was printed on FSC certified recycled paper which saved 142 trees! (It also save 99 million BTUs, 51,862 gallons of water, 12,495 lbs of greenhouse gases and 6,660 pounds of solid waste...but since I am still green at being green...I am not sure what all those numbers mean)!

PHOTOGRAPHY SPOTLIGHT: MORGAN BELLINGER

Venue: Michael's on Main, Soquel ca

Cake: Gail's Bakery

Cake Topper: Corpse bride action figures (victor and victoria)

Dress: Gothic Wedding Dresses

click images to enlarge

Sara and Brent really mixed up the Goth with rustic glam for this Soquel, California wedding.
Both had an incredible a flair for infusing their own personal stamp on the day. In the bride's own words, here's how the Sara and Brent story went:

'It twas a late and fateful evening in the elegant 24 hour fitness sauna, when Brent first spoke to Sara. They would see each other once more before being utterly frustrated after several disappointing attempts to "run into" the other. Brent realized that Sara had provided him with just enough information to find her work email online through astute detective work (and not hours of cyber stalking) so that he might send her an email asking her to coffee a month later.
After the first date she knew this guy was different...
After a month she knew that he was her soul mate (which was a little strange because she didn't really know that she had even believed in the idea of soul mates) and yet she knew that is exactly what he was...
They were married one year,one month and seventeen days after she met the man who had exceeded all of her dreams.'

Sara's first grade students made this book, Advice for a Happy Marriage as a wedding present

With a brown gown, Sara goes Goth in this lace-up strapless gem . . .

Victoria's arm fell off minutes before the wedding

Brent's daughters.... Don't you just love their outfits?

Sara's aunt Elaine, officiated the ceremony. She's Buddhist minister's assistant.

These two images are evocative of the spirited and child-like fun this couple seem to share . . .

Cowbell competition... fighting for who would not have to dishes and take out the trash for a year.... Good friend nick's band Monsters Are Not Myths accompanying....

ABOUT THE PHOTOGRAPHER

Morgan Bellinger of Move Photography loves shooting weddings, engagements, portraits, food, and journalism projects. She is California/Arizona based, working as a destination photographer now booking 2010 and 2011 weddings!

March Madness

We are just 4 days away from starting a new month! Can you believe we are so close to being 3 months into the new year? Seriously, the old saying about time flying is so true! Sometimes, I do not know where the time goes! So, I have been already dreaming up fun things for the March give-a-way! Trying to stick with a theme...the most celebrated day in March is St. Patrick's Day (March 17th) and even if you are not Irish - you probably wear green just to be involved in the celebration! I didn't want to go "all out Irish" and give-a-way St. Patrick's Day items so I decided (appropriately I think) that for the March give-a-way we would go green - as in eco-friendly!

I will admit I am not the most green person...maybe lime or chartreuse...and you might be in the same boat as me: you are aware of eco-friendly weddings, you know the term "going green" but you are just not sure where or how to do it. Welcome to my club! What I have learned so far in my exploration is just taking one step in the right direction will and can make a difference! I read on a site that if every couple made just one green choice for their wedding that it would be 2.5 million green choices a year! That impressed me!

 Illustration by Astrid Mueller for the Green Ass Bride

So as I learn more about this process (and welcome to the journey if you are as new to this as me!) I am turning to you out there!  

Are you incorporating anything green into your wedding or having a total green wedding? Share some ideas with all of us and let's get this party started!

Party Time!

Wow....life has been super busy this past week and I have missed my blogging community! So much happens, within a short amount of time! We had a "Welcome Home Party" for my dad, who has been away, this past weekend! A small gathering, of 80 close family members...haha. It felt almost like a wedding reception! We had to rent all the goodies: table, chairs, linens...food and cake!! Oh the delicious cake. We actually had 5 cakes! Not only were we celebrating the homecoming but, we also had 3 birthdays (one turning 26, one turning 29...again and one turning 72!) and on top of that we were also celebrating an anniversary of 55 years! It was certainly a fun celebration. I ordered the cakes from a local bakery - and if anyone out there is in the So. Cal area doing cake shopping....I highly recommend Beverly's Best in Fullerton, CA! It was actually fun sitting in the bakery checking out all their mock wedding cakes! I had a little cake tasting envy when a bride and groom, sitting at the table next to me, were doing their tasting. Talk about huge samples! WOW. When I went to pick up the cakes, each time I walked out with one people were Ooh'ing and Aah'ing over them. If only those people got to taste them! haha! Delicious! I ordered each cake in a different flavor and a different filling - seriously...when are you lucky enough to have 5 CAKES at one place!?! The Red Velvet with White Chocolate Mousse and Fresh Strawberries seemed to impress everyone...including me! So, enough about cakes...that is where I have been the past week...but I am back now!

SOMETHING FOR THE BOYS

Have you noticed Grooms going a bit more casual lately? Though elegant, the suit tux has replaced the classic monkey suit as they called them in my generation. In fact, back in my day groom's attire ran the gamut of the Liberace special in pastel colors complete with a matching ruffled shirt. No wonder so many couples got married in blue jeans back then. Fast forward thirty years and we're looking at some better choices. Vintage is chic these days as long as it's not 1970s Las Vegas. If men are going to wear classics those classics have to be ones we remember as super cool. Humphrey Bogart in his white dinner jacket in Casablanca still rates cool. So does Sean Connery as James Bond in the black tie number he popularized in Goldfinger. What about the groomsmen pictured above in Beaver Cleever sneakers? Radical, a little goofy, but very in right now. Let's call it a fad.

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SAYING ' I DO' TO THE SHOE

Grace Aria

Shoes are generally last accessory on the list when putting the whole bridal look together. Lately though shoes have gotten so chic, by the third fitting my bride usually has the pair she's going to wear on her wedding day. If you're still in the deciding stage here are a few of my favs.

Above: Grace Aria shoe.Strappy sandals with all the extras: white silk satin trimmed in silver stitching and sequin flowers makes your wedding day complete.
Each silk satin shoe with silver stitching, beading, and silver sequin flower design features rhinestone buckle and 3.25" heel. Heel height will be slightly higher in larger sizes and slightly lower in smaller sizes. Not dyeable

Cynthia Rowley Star

Sling-back sexy from Cynthia Rowley.
Each white sling-back satin shoe with rhinestone buckle features 2.5" heel, lightly padded footbed, and signature "something blue" leather sole. Dyeable.

Grazia/ Caterina

Simple styling lets the rhinestones steal the spotlight. The enclosed heel is very sophisticated, the adjustable strap gives you a personalized fit. Tapered heel measures 3.5". Made from top quality silk satin in your choice of white or ivory.

Benjamin Adams/ Winslet

Absolutely elegant and ready to dress up any gown. Heel Each shoe is hand crafted with duchesse silk which gives the shoe a luxurious look, and soft leather lining for comfort and structure

Benjamin Adams/Tyler

A wonderfully designed peep toe shoe with an exquisite bow adorned with Swarovski crystals. Each shoe is hand crafted with white or ivory duchesse silk which gives the shoe a luxurious look, and soft leather lining for comfort and structure. Heel measures 3.25". White fabric is dyeable so it can be worn in white, or tinted any color you like

Benjamin Adams/Bridget

Stunning platform sandal with Swarovski encrusted flower inspired straps. Each shoe is hand crafted with white or ivory duchesse silk which gives the shoe a luxurious look, and soft leather lining for comfort and structure. Heel measures 4.25". White fabric is dyeable so it can be worn in white, or tinted any color you like.