As the wedding industry continues to boom…it seems as though nothing can be too customized, too chic or too fashion forward. Seemingly an infinite amount of choices need to be considered by any average bride…
Colors – it’s not just pink and green or an all white wedding anymore. Brides are selecting color palettes that are unique combinations reflecting themselves, the season or their moods.
Dresses – first it was Vera, then Monique…now dozens of dress designers are creating gowns fit for any fashionista – and at any budget!
Dinner Tables – round tables were the norm just a few years back – but not only have square and {my favorite!} rectangular tables become almost common, there are even more to choose from now. Rental companies are now offering taller tables where guests are seated on custom stool-like chairs to add yet another layer of texture and dimension to your setting. Decor firms are moving forward with handfuls of customized table options – whether mirrored or even inlaid with a custom fabric (or gorgeous patterned wallpaper!), brides are able to ensure their special day is unlike any of their girlfriends.
Accessories are no exception. If you’re not familiar, please let me introduce a new obsession…ban.do! Started by two stylists in LA, ban.do is a super-duper charming lot of {mainly, but not exclusively} hair accessories like headbands, pins and bows. Each even comes with it’s very own haiku!
The pieces are not limited to brides, however, many would make a gorgeous accent for girls who choose not to wear a veil – but still want some drama {yipee! tiara’s are not the only non-veiled option!}
Here are a few of my favorites:
Their bridal line has beautiful head-bands and pieces, many with vintage inspired detailing.
The black label contains unique pieces that are all either one-of-a-kind or limited edition. Vintage elements are incorporated, found from all over the world.
And the cutie heart by ban.do is an affordable line – with all pieces under $50.
When you’re in love – why not tell the whole world?!
A pretty yellow bow can make any basic outfit extrodinary!
Bliss Weddings was beyond honoured to be ask to coordinate the first ever Chicago Wish Upon a Wedding. A new charity similar to Make a Wish Foundation, Wish Upon a Wedding has a very special focus: to give weddings to people affected by life-threatening illnesses.
It gives couples a chance to focus on things other than health issues, medical bills and treatment schedules. Wish Upon a Wedding allows committed couples to share and experience the wedding of their dreams, without cost or sacrifice on their end. All services are donated – from gowns to make-up, from music to decor.
Beth and Nick met over 10 years ago and after quite a few years as friends, the pair realized that they were much, much more than – just friends. Beth was diagnosed with urachal adenocarcinoma in December 2009. Nick immediately proposed.
Their wedding took place this past weekend, hosted at their dear friends’ restaurant, Giovan’s. Renny and I were on board to oversee all special details of the day.
While Beth has embraced her chic, shaved head – she decided to don a simple bob for her wedding day. A charming bird-cage veil was adorned with gorgeous, dazzling crystals.
The emotional ceremony was laden with love and humor – it was so clear that Beth and Nick found their soul-mates in one another.
The gorgeous spring day was the perfect backdrop for the pink and green color palette. The tables were fancified with specialty rentals from Classic Party Rentals and set with menus {printables were provided by CW Designs} highlighting the meal and hosting petite packets of seeds for guests to plant in their gardens. The gorgeous cake, by Mary from Take the Cake, featured coordinating cherry blossom branch details. All florals were provided by Amy at Blumen. Beth carried a gorgeous and modern elliptical-shaped bouquet bursting with peonies, viburnum, lilac {from Amy’s garden} and jasmine vine. The centerpieces were presented in polished silver bowls and hosted a spring-inspired collection of ranunculus, viburnum, roses and tulips. The programs also doubled as seating assignments – a luxury we could afford to do with the intimate 50 guest wedding.
The day was beyond special, the bride was glowing and the groom seemed to float on air. Thank you so much to Wish Upon a Wedding for including us in the celebration and for their wonderful gift to deserving couples like Beth and Nick.
{image credits} most images provided by kurt and nick gerber of gerber and scarpelli. a few also shot by me.
As each day passes, we have more and more blooming beauties available at the local florist or floral market {swoon!}. Here is a small champagne bucket hosting an unruly and textural collection of fuchsia peonies (still pricey, but quite a bit hardier!) and fluffy green viburnum. Love at first sight. {Many people mistake viburnum for hydrangea – however one woody stem of viburnum will give you multiple petite, clusters of floral heads, as opposed to a single, larger head on a stem of hydrangea.}
Here, a single bunch of pink flowering dogwood was so abundant I was able to fill a pair of vases!
When thinking about wedding or event flowers {why do I always feel like the bearer of bad news? So sorry – I just never want anyone to be disappointed!} please keep in mind that flowering branch is quite hard to time, seasonally. Seasons of availability shift from year to year due to the weather. So to plan on 30 elevated centerpieces of stunning flowering dogwood for your April 3rd wedding next year may leave you either: at the beginning/middle {fabulous!}/or end of their peak seasonality. Speak with your floral designer to make sure you are familiar and comfortable with any “plan b” options in case they need to make a game-time decision based on the quality of product, a specific year.
And as spring continues, I will vow to keep you in the loop of what’s gorge, available and in the running of becoming my new floral obsession…
I have certainly kicked into high gear with my brides, planning details for their upcoming weddings. Twenty-eleven is looking busy and beautiful – but looking fabulous does not always mean blowing your budget!
The fact that my classically stylish standby, J.Crew, offers a lovely bridal line is not new news…but a few of my recent clients have had wonderful luck finding gorgeous gowns at a great value. Here are just a few of my current favorites {prices for these dresses run between $895-$2500!}:
I adore the stiff volume of the Genevieve gown. Practical pockets will allow you to keep a hankie at hand for your tears of joy.
The gorgeous texture of the silk dupioni Rosette gown would look beautiful with a monofloral bouquet of black-centered anemones.
Subtly colored bridal gowns are hot right now, and the gorgeous graphite Marlene gown is no exception!
The light-as-a-feather organza and chiffon Dune dress would be perfect for any fashion-forward beachy bride.
One of my favorites, the Streamer gown features a simple silhouette with bands of gathered chiffon for a unique and textural look.
My client saw the beautiful French cotton lace of the Simona dress and thought it would look stunning presented against the backdrop of the verdant green grass at her country club, where we’ve scheduled their first meeting and photos.
The silk taffeta Sascha dress is sweetly urban – I adore the over-sized blossom detail at the cinched waist.
{image credits} all dresses available in selected stores or at jcrew.com
I was honoured to be selected by The Knot magazine as one of their Style Stalker Features in their current Spring/Summer 2010 issue.
They reached out to me months ago, hoping for loads of information about my personal wedding style – and after 5 pages of written beauty and design goodness that I passed along, The Knot narrowed it down to a few simple questions and {some paraphrased} answers. I thought I’d elaborate just a bit.. {but please forgive me for any overlapped details from previous entries!}
When I started to think about, dream about and envision our wedding day, I imagined how everything would look in photographs…after all, once the day flies by that is all we are seemingly left with! Because the setting of Hinsdale Golf Club was so dreamy on its own, I took cue from the grounds. I was very much inspired by Gatsby-inspired looks, also driven by my color palette of white and bold yellow with Frenchy black accents.
While I adore fashion and design of all kinds, my personal style is rarely trendy. I do always strive for a ‘unique’ look, but do tend to be attracted to timeless, sophisticated styles over anything too avant-garde.
I went for a look that was ‘Country Club Chic’, ‘Garden Gatsby’…current, but again timeless and sophisticated. I wanted people to say, “that is so Kara”. I still hear that to this day.
The tent was set in the middle of the golf course, guests arrived via open-air trolley {once the thunderous rains stopped!}
Inside the tent, graphic black and white linens provided the backdrop for Frenchy footed urns and ornate stands topped with lush, textural and gardeny floral arrangements of peonies, roses, orchids, arabicum and fresh lemons. I was also obsessed with our ultra-classic black and white checked dance-floor!
I loved these little guys…the satellite arrangements were nestled at the foot of the elevated centerpieces. I am also known for being quite the foliage snob…see the charming richly hued camellia and gardenia foliage accented by the velvety soft grey dusty miller? Love.
While cocktails were initially to be held in the lawn, the awful weather encouraged everyone to stay inside. Here were the barely-used cocktail tables, finished with cutie black and white striped custom seat cushions.
Because our ceremony was to take place outdoors in the garden, I never wanted anything too formal for my dress. Our wedding was not black tie – crystal detailing, ornate embroidery, formal trains etc. did not feel appropriate for our setting. I certainly wanted something unique, but didn’t want to fall prey to too many trends. Local designer, Alice Padrul, designed the absolute perfect dress for me.
I loved how the light, loose chiffon pieces gently danced in the breeze…
The ring I ‘borrowed’ to wear on my right hand came from our jeweler, Joel Singer. I already felt amazingly like a celebrity, borrowing gorgeous jewels for the evening…but when my husband let me know I didn’t have to give it back, I was beside myself!
Even in my everyday life, I am a HUGE lover of vintage earrings – large, classic and slightly obnoxious. I found these gorgeous earrings at Weddings 826 in Lincoln Park and knew they were perfect. They reminded me of the Chanel Camellia pair I’ve drooled over for years!
I didn’t ever envision myself wearing a veil…again, it seemed too formal for our garden-party wedding. A single, off-set gardenia was nestled into my perfectly coiffed hair by Sophia, our Beauty on Call stylist.
I knew I wanted the girls in bold yellow party dresses…{poor girls, what troopers – but don’t they all look fantastic?!}…Good old J.Crew had the perfect color in charming styles I thought would look great against the verdant green backdrop of the golf course.
I chose rich magenta peonies for the girls unexpected bouquets, simply because my mother and I adore the bold hue {look at her stunning dress – it matches the girls’ bouquets perfectly!}. Because I have done plenty of client weddings incorporating the beautiful color, we shied away from using it as a key player. That said, however, we did need a bit of a ‘pink-fix’ and thought it would add a lovely contrast to the girls dresses.
The bridal party looked smashing – boys in black tuxes with black and white stripped ties and yellow spray rose boutonnieres, next to the beautiful girls in sunny yellow…A friendly {while a bit rambunctious and unorthodox} game of croquet was the perfect way to relax in the lawn between dances.
Thanks again to The Knot for the feature…we wedding insiders covet the glossy pages for trends, stories and features!
I was having coffee with a favorite industry friend, Donna, when I asked about her colleagues recent engagement. Donna and Matt work together at one of the hottest Chicago venues, The Ivy Room. I had spoken with Matt about the details he had thoughtfully planned – before the big day – and shamefully hadn’t followed up with him!
Donna mentioned that Matt had enlisted the help of popular Chicago photographer, David Wittig, to captured it all, and many of the gorgeous images were featured on The Brides Cafe.
I wanted to share a few of the beautiful, artfully romantic images…
Matt proposed to Sarah on a chilly winter day, in celebration of their 5 year anniversary. Set against the stunning backdrop of Millennium Park, the perfectly orchestrated details culminated with Matt on bended knee, asking his love to spend her life with him.
It seemed like the moment was just for the two of them…(Thanks to Donna on the other side of the bridge, playing bouncer to the public!)
I simply adore Chicago!
After the successful proposal, the couple floated on air with a few laps around the picturesque skating rink.
The evening ended with a lovely meal at Boka {one of my fav’s in Lincoln Park}, where the two likely started to dream about their future life together…
I am so proud to introduce you to a brilliant new concept created by dear, dear friend Kate Duff along with Alexi Mintz.
3floz.com is fit for brides that are given strict packing instructions from her groom before soaring off to Capri, for girls sneaking away to Palm Beach for the weekend, for any ‘ole jet-setting frequent flier, or for anyone that simply has a hard time deciding on which product to try next.
3floz.com is an online boutique selling luxe beauty products – all in sizes of 3 fluid ounces or less!
Their website officially launches later this week, we know it will be an absolute smashing success. In fact, Star Magazine just named the boutique as one of their Hot Websites!
Congratulations, Kate and Alexi, we absolutely can’t wait to see what’s next!
I have always, always loved French Macarons – initially intrigued by their charm and beauty – but later captivated by their crunchy outer shell, light and fluffy meringue-like texture and delicious varied fillings.
Not to be confused with the American coconut macaroon, these petite bite-size beauties are simply too cute for words…and are certainly of trend at the moment…lovely for me – more options!
This current resurge of my obsession came unexpectedly, when I found a plate full of gourmet macarons awaiting my husband and I in our room over our recent vacation. The brief tease was only enough to taunt my palette and bring me back home craving more…I began the search for local treats.
While we do not have the famed Beverly Hill’s Paulette Macarons around our corner, I was pleasantly surprised by a cutie local patisseries’ confections…Fritz Pastry located on Diversey. The well-priced beauties were delicious and gorgeous. They have selections daily and can be ordered for any event with flavors like vanilla, chocolate, rose, lavender, green tea, raspberry etc.
Here was my breakfast yesterday, compliments of Fritz Pastry and rich Illy Coffee. The perfect way to start the day inspired and energized.
Enjoy for breakfast, like I did, have on hand at your next dinner party or include them on your gorgeous dessert spread at your wedding – they can be created to fit your color palette!
I am beyond obsessed.
{image credits} in order from top. brass knuckle, bobbette and belle, the gothamist, paulette macarons, my own picture, miles aldridge image taken from vogue.
Thanks so much to the wonderful editors of Brides Chicago for selecting my very own wedding to feature on the glossy pages of their publication! The Spring/Summer issue is on stands now. Here are just a few of the details highlighted by the Brides Chicago feature…
Our wedding took place on the grounds of the charming and beautiful country club where my family has been members for years, Hinsdale Golf Club. The ceremony was initially intended to be set in the gorgeous manicured gardens, however, in an unsurprisingly Chicago turn of events…weather forced us inside for the ceremony and cocktail hour. A second chuppah was created out of the fabric backdrop behind the band in a mere 20 minutes as guests were arriving.
My girls wore adorable party dresses from JCrew and carried bold magenta peonies {number one favs of my mother and I!}, accented with charming dusty miller and camellia. Our custom letterpress invitations were produced by the lovely Jenna from Clementine ink + paper.
My mother in law and I surprised my husband {and our guests} with a serenade by the Cubs Dixieland Band for the duration of the cocktail hour.
Dinner and dancing took place in an elegant {and massive!} white tent set in the middle of the golf course – guests arrived via chauffeured golf cart and open air trolley.
Petite cabaret tables were positioned on the lawn outside of the tent where we had croquet and cigars available for guests, once the weather cooperated. These cocktail tables were dressed in yellow linens and surrounded by white chiavari chairs with custom black and white striped cushions.
Back in 2006 {just after we got engaged} I chose a color palette that I had yet to execute for a client…Frenchy black and white accented by sunny yellow {ok ok, so since then the color combo has been a bit overdone…} The tables were set with graphic black and white linens from BBJ and topped with centerpieces set atop ornate lacquered stands and garden urns. Flowers included cattleya orchid blossoms, casablanca lilies, open roses, fragrant peonies and barely-in-season viburnum. We had beautiful yellow silk ribbons detailing each guest napkin that perfectly framed our menu cards.
Partytime Productions provided the tent and gorgeous lighting – pin spots highlighting each centerpiece as well as textured projections shone on the canopy above. The tent ceiling also featured suspended votive candles that twinkled above guests as they danced and a black chandelier noted our family head table.
The sweltering day and unexpected weather did not disappoint. The day was about love. About life. About family and friends. It was absolutely overwhelming to look around the tent knowing that every person in attendance was there to celebrate and support Joel and I.
Forget dreams of a McMansion, luxe cars and expensive jewelry – can I throw a fabulous wedding-themed fete each year? Please…?
Although the dreamy week has come to and end, and most of us are working our ways back to reality, the happy newlyweds are realizing that the lifetime of fun has truly just begun.
The bride and groom hired respected California photographer Jay Reilly to shoot the wedding. Jay was a true pleasure to work with and I found that many of his artful images were so stunning, I had to share.
{image credits} all images by fabulous photog jay reilly
