Eco Savvy wedding favors!


Here are some adorable eco-friendly wedding favors I've found online.  Eco friendly favors are a great idea on so many levels. Your guests will love getting a gift that doesn't need to be thrown away eventually. Also, these favors can double as placecards- how great is that!  All will require some extra planning, but definitely worth it for the day of!



how cute are these?! Potted succulent placecards/favors from yes, please
ooh, and here's a tutorial to make them yourself!! 

Adorable potted herb placecards. photo via intimate weddings.



Handmade soap photo via hundred layer cake






Deep, elegant purple

I'm seeing so much purple from my brides this year. Deep eggplant purple, bright vivid purple.. even, as one bride put it.. barney purple! Purple is so elegant and can be dressed up or down, depending on your mood.  I love pairing purple with champagne or gold for some added sparkle. 




Image 1 the knot 
Image 2 Karen Tran Floral
 Image 3 April Reed Cake Design NY
 Image 4 Vera Wang 

Crescent Moon Paper Co Invitations in Aubergine and magenta swirl




Invitations for the day




Rustic square pocketfold invitations in champagne and muted golds. Perfect for the rustic or out-of-doors wedding.  Find them here!

Couture Shoes! and on sale!


I love the thoughtful little details of weddings.  Gorgeous shoes are a perfect example of this. How many people will actually see your feet on your wedding day? Not many, right? But, for those that happen to glance at your feet (and for you!) fabulous shoes are a lovely accessory. 

Right now Zappos is having an awesome sale on their couture collection.  Save on Giuseppe Zanotti, Kate Spade, Cesare Paciotti, Ellie Tahari... the list goes on.  Go see!


Lovely photo by Sedona Bride.







Lovely Leaves

Sabine Bracelet by Lixix26
Wiomu Simplicity Earrings 

Luxe Deluxe Sultry Leaves


Leaves are a lovely metaphor to use in your wedding. Growth, change, life.. leaves and vines are perfect.  Check out these gorgeous handmade pieces from etsy sellers. 

Braving the bridal shows


Well, dear brides, it's that time of year. Time for the bridal shows!  Here in my little corner of the Bay Area we have several in the next few months. Attending bridal shows can be overwhelming- the sights, sounds, all the people- it's enough to exhaust even the most patient bride.

Here are some suggestions for bridal shows that should help you have an enjoyable time.

-Come prepared.  That's right ladies, you're there on a mission, and you need your gear.  Comfortable shoes and clothes for an afternoon of wandering are critical.  A light sweater is perfect in case it's cold- and easy to remove if it's stuffy.  

- Other supplies include a totebag of some sort, to carry your brochures, business cards, and other give-aways.  Address labels are a great time saver.  Many vendors will ask for your contact information, and labels are a great time saver.  

-A tablet.  It's not easy to remember everything, which is where a notebook comes in.  Bring a tablet to take notes on, to mark the vendors you were interested in learning more about, to write notes about things you'd like to look up on the internet, etc.  You'll never remember it all, so take notes!

-A friend.  Bring along a friend to help you with decision making.  If your guy is so inclined, bring him- if he'll be bored, it's better to bring mom or a girlfriend to help you stay focused.  She can also give her opinion on food samples and other things that may require a second opinion.

Have fun!


A timeless gown makes a comeback

I'm smitten with the 50's A-line gown right now. Completely versatile, it goes from sophisticated to adorable without missing a beat. Think Audrey Hepburn. Perfect for the late morning, early afternoon springtime wedding.  I envision great photos on the steps of city hall, a vintage car.... I'm in love. 

Stephanie Allin
Johannah Hehir
Alfred Angelo




Navy and Chartreuse color palette

Navy blue is such a great base color for a bright, modern touch like chartreuse. Accent it with white, chartreuse or bold floral colors and you have an elegantly bold palette.

 Bridesmaid Dresses Jenny Yoo Chicago IL  BoutinniAdd Imageere Custom Design Floral Denver, CO
Cake Cheryl Kleinman  Invitations Crescent Moon Paper Co, CA  Candles Pottery Barn  
Table Arrangement Wedding Flowers by Lisa, TX  Gown Vera Wang


Happy Shots

Photography by Kelly McCord

Photography by Terry Way

Here are some happy shots I've found recently.  Don't you love the joy captured in each photo? Enjoy!


Trunk Sales Galore


Another incredible trunk sale.. mark your calendars for this one.  January 30-February 1, again at Gabrielle's Bridal Boutique on University Ave in Los Gatos...  10% off Junko Yoshioka gowns.  I love her work, not being a huge fan of the frou frou all over lace panels myself.  Junko's gowns showcase clean lines and gorgeous details.. while still maintaining such elegant simplicity. 


San Francisco Sample Sales

Some great dress sales in the Bay Area for the month of December. In Los Gatos, at Gabrielle's Bridal Boutique, visit December 5-7 for the Melissa Sweet trunk show- 10% off Melissa Sweet gowns!!  More to come, stay tuned!



Gorgeous Guestbooks


 can you believe how great these handbound books are? Use it as a guest book, a fantastic wedding photo album.. whatever floats your boat. Customizable with awesome fabrics, so the sky's the limit.









Icy crystal and blue

crystals from ethereal decor


Snowflake Ornaments from Favor Ideas

Invitations from Crescent Moon Paper Co.
Following the blues from my last post, here are some sparkly crystal accents for a winter wedding.  

springtime blues..

Some lovely blue inspiration for different accents in your wedding. Add teeny doses of blue for a delicate look, or pour on the blue for a more modern, contemporary look!



Placecards from Martha Stewart
 

hairpiece by Myrakim


Dogwood Blossom Cake by Edith Meyer




Wow. These silk floral hairclips are just incredible.  The stunning attention to detail- these look like real flowers.. only better!   Find them at Mikiye

Wedding Vendors I love








Last night I was invited to a lovely post-wedding season party with some of the greatest wedding vendors in the area.  What a pleasure, to spend an evening chatting with the people I work alongside but never get to see!  The party was hosted by Heidi Hughett of Couture Celebrations and Linda Arietta up at the gorgeous Country Essences Flower Farm in the Watsonville mountains. Here's a little gallery of some of the fabulous folks we saw last night.

A Great Guestbook Idea




I just found the guestbookstore- what a creative departure from  the boring white satin book with lines! I think it's a great idea to give guests some creative license within a nice looking layout! Just imagine how fun it is to read all the pages after the wedding!