Whether your wedding falls on the day of Halloween or any time around it, here are some ideas on how to incorporate a little bit (or a lot) of this holiday into your event!
The first idea is a rather simple one, but can add just the right touch and keep your guests talking. You can use these as drink toppers, dessert toppers, or anywhere that needs a bit of webbing!
DIY White Chocolate Spiderwebs from Food52
Continue reading "{ Halloween Roundup } Spooky Wedding Ideas" »
Some people trash the dress. Others put it on eBay. If you are thinking of keeping your wedding gown to pass down to the younger generation, or if you want to get it in perfect shape for consignment, you will want to have your gown professionally cleaned and possibly preserved in an acid-free, archival container.
If you are just doing cleaning, your local dry cleaner may offer this service. Be sure to ask if it is done locally or sent out to a special service, and what is included. Gowns that will be stored for a long time should not be stored in plastic or vinyl which can come in contact with dress fabric and cause yellowing or discoloration. If a gown will be hung up, it's best to store it in unbleached muslin fabric.
If your gown will be stored for a long time, hanging it can cause the weight of the gown to pull on the seams and stretch the fabric, causing damage. It's best in this case to store it in an acid-free, archival-quality box.
At EJP Events / The Bridal Loft, we do offer this service not just to our own clients, but to anyone in Portland desiring cleaning and preservation of their gown. Simply call us at (503) 284-6756 or email [email protected] to make an appointment and we'll take care of you. Pricing starts at $165 for cleaning and box only. I've attached links to the order form for those who are interested in the details.
One more thing: no matter how you plan to have your dress cleaned, make sure to store it at room temperature and avoid places like attics, garages, and basements where temperature and moisture/humidity levels can fluctuate without your knowing. The top level of a closet in your house is a great spot.
Designer: Badgley Mischka
I've really been loving the instantaneous, up-to-the-minute info about my favorite topics that I can get through Instagram. I combed through over 5,000 Instagram photos tagged "#bridalmarket" that covered the recent New York City Bridal Market fashion shows, so you wouldn't have to. Here are my favorite wedding gown designs and trends for the upcoming season, linked to the user who took them.
Designer: Claire Pettibone . Soft drapey ribbons, gorgeous!
Designer: Jenny Packham (I'm seeing a little Downton Abbey here, yes?)
Designer: Ines di Santo. Definitely not a boring ballgown.
Designer: Elizabeth Fillmore. Everyone was talking about the Art Deco-esque butterfly.
Designer: Elizabeth Fillmore
Designer: Claire Pettibone. Both this style and the last showed off the drapey, flowing embellishment trend.
Designer: Elizabeth Fillmore (Sorry, couldn't find the Instagrammer! If this is yours, please email me and I'll add your credit.)
What do you think? You love? Or is there a gown you are just dying over and want to share? Leave us links and info in the comments.
Want to look at all the #bridalmarket goodness? Hit this link on Statigram (a web viewer for Instagram photos). And here's my Statigram feed: http://statigr.am/ejpevents
Over halfway through the year, can you believe it? I just returned from some Independence Day festivities in Florida where I did lots of people-watching in Miami and West Palm Beach. Super fun!
It just reminded me that there are a lot of hot styles that generated buzz around the first of the year, that I noticed are still super relevant and could be fun to use in your upcoming wedding.
1. Chevrons and Bold Stripes - It seems like we just can't get enough of these bold, preppy patterns. Whether it's a delicate herringbone paired up with lace, or black and white stripes with bright color accents, there's something about chevrons and bold stripes that just makes me go ooh!
Photo: Carla Ten Eyck; Coordination: Jubilee Events; via The White Dress by the Shore
Photo: Avery House; Jesi Haack Design; via 100 Layer Cake
2. Colorblocking - Yes, the 80s trend is back, but this time it's more layered and less Mondrian-esque. Look for styles incorporating similar color families and sherbet brights.
Twobirds Bridesmaid Gowns, photo by Trent Bailey
Chuchu Suarez's street style featured on Chicismo.
3. Envelope clutch purses - I say avoid the giant ones that dwarf your body type, but there are so many sweet styles out there that can go with the wedding gown or bridesmaid's outfit. And of course, there are chevron ones too!
Neutral envelope clutch purse by Harlex on Etsy
BCBG Max Azria "Harlow" envelope clutch
Edie Parker acrylic clutch purses via This Is Glamourous
4. Ombré - varying shades of the same color can make a big impact, whether in a gown, a cake, or somewhere else in the decor scheme.
Christian Dior couture gown via The Simply Luxurious Life Blog
Peach ombré cake via Martha Stewart Weddings
(The ombré cake craze is well documented in this post by Polka Dot Bride.)
5. Maxi dresses - Not every formal, long bridesmaid gown is really what I think of as the hot "maxi dress" of 2012. I'm thinking, the long, flowy, goddess-y dresses that make your bridesmaids look like romantic figures in an 18th-century painting...
Kay Unger gowns on the bridesmaids; Photo by Aaron Delesie via Style Me Pretty
What do you think? Will these styles and trends hold up through the rest of the year and in the years to come, as we look back at the wedding photos? Are you using any of these in your Portland wedding? Or are there any styles or trends that you are (gasp!) getting a little tired of? Please share your comments.
It seems like it can be hard to find the local flavor when looking for menswear and formalwear in Portland. Many wedding clients get steered towards giant warehouse-type stores and I know I'm not the only one wondering where you can get personal service.
Este's Menswear in Northwest Portland is stepping up to the plate and offering an excellent wedding and formal wear line that includes rental tuxedos and suits. I stopped by to visit with Kelsey and Tony recently, to see what they had to offer. It is a neat little shop that reminded me a lot of the J. Press in New Haven where I went to school.
Este's is carrying a wide variety of popular tuxedo lines, including Joseph Abboud, Oscar de la Renta, Perry Ellis, After Six, Jean Yves, and Chaps Ralph Lauren.
A few thoughts:
-They recommend coming in as early as possible to start the selection process, at the least 1 month before the wedding to give enough time for rental and alteration.
-In addition to the formal tuxes, Este's also has suits for rent. Colors include mostly grays and navys, but brown or seersucker are possibilities.
-Grooms can get formalwear selection advice. Tony has 30+ years experience in men’s attire and is happy to assist in decision making, especially with regards to formality level, black tie vs. white tie, what colors are appropriate for what time of day, and all kinds of other questions one might have.
-Finally, Este's offers a service-oriented experience with local flavor for the men that equals what women are used to. Men can relax in the “club room” that includes a traditional barber shop. Go ahead and have a beer, enjoy the massage chair, watch sports, get a haircut or even a straight razor shave. Sounds like a great atmosphere for the guys!
Store info:
Este's Men's Clothing
1633 NW Glisan
Portland, OR 97209
503-227-0275
Sunday, I attended A Novel Romance, the spring presentation from Elizabeth Dye's bridal salon, The English Dept. Established in 2005, her shop is a can't-miss stop for local and destination-Portland brides looking for sweet, offbeat dresses. Here are a few of my favorites from the show (no laughing! I'm a coordinator, not a photographer):
Click any image for a larger version.
1. Nicole Miller, 2. Nicole Miller.
3. Not known, 4. "Anemone" by Ivy & Aster.
5. "Miss Bianca" by Elizabeth Dye.
My sideview photo doesn't do it justice, so I'm including a catalogue photo, 6., above, from Wedding Inspirasi.
7. "Poetry", Jenny Yoo 8. "Poppy", Love Yu.
The tulle netting overlay on "Poppy" was soft, touchable,
and draped wonderfully.
And I loved the little chartreuse flower added on to the Jenny Yoo gown.
The show closed with this cloud-blue, one-of-a-kind creation by Elizabeth Dye, "Two if By Sea" (above).
Although I must say my personal favorites were these two sweet dresses, "Romy" by Jenny Yoo; and "Sweet Pea" by Ivy & Aster (below).
10. "Romy", Jenny Yoo; 11. "Sweet Pea", Ivy & Aster.
"Sweet Pea" has a wonderful swiss-dot textured overlay (click to enlarge).
Not only are these designs darling and perfect for an Oregon wedding, they both have pockets. This appeals to my practical-coordinator side (what bride wants to carry a clutch everywhere on her wedding day just to have lip gloss and dusting papers close at hand?) as well as my fandom side (if you're familiar with my favorite TV wedding ever, you know why a wedding gown has GOT to have pockets).
Many more photos of these gowns are available at The English Dept.'s website and this post from Squirrel and Starling.
Know of any other great local Portland wedding gown fashion shows or trunk shows? Send me an email.
We see quite a few Indian and South Asian weddings here at Portland Wedding Coordinator, and get a lot of news on your local Portland resources for South Asian weddings. So we had to share this from Amrapali Boutique, who is hosting a fashion show at PCC Sylvania TODAY, May 15 at 1:30 pm this afternoon, right after the Bollywood Movez dance recital.
Here are the details: (from the Amrapali Boutique email)
"Bollywood Movez Melange 2010 is a 2-hour show of high energy Bollywood dance performances featuring 20 choreographed dances performed by 50 individuals with 150 enchanting custom-stitched costumes and endless hours of hard work. We would love to see you all there....entertainment guaranteed! :)"
Sushmita at Amrapali Boutique tells us there will be a gorgeous, high-end bridal lehenga and two sherwanis for the grooms in the fashion show. In addition, there will be lots of other clothes of all ranges that can be worn by bridesmaids. In the boutique itself, they have quite a few more bridal lehengas, as they routinely get those custom-made per the bride's specifications (in their own workshop in India with strict quality control). And of course, there will be lots of unique Indian style jewelry.
Facebook link for Melange 2010
So if you're having an Indian wedding, or going to be attending one, and haven't sorted out what you're going to wear, this would be a great place to start! Tickets can also be bought online at http://Tickets.BollywoodMovez.com
Weddings are all about personalization. And we find that many of the men out there already own their own tuxedo. That's great! If you want to wear your own tuxedo in yours or your friend's wedding, here are some must-do tips for success:
We are knee-deep in wedding season and seeing lots of helpful tips all around to share with you! This week, we'll be doing an { Attire Tips } series: little bits and bytes of info so you will never run into a wardrobe malfunction at the wedding!
Contact Us
mail only: 3439 NE Sandy Blvd #110
Portland, Oregon 97232
Hours: By appt.
(503) 284-6756
Toll Free: 1(888) 682-0040
[email protected]
