Wedding Dress | Wedding Ideas

One of the lovely stories we have in the latest issue is our Easter Entertainer story - a guide to help newlyweds plan the perfect party. The photographs were taken by Shona Henderson - her unique, vintage style lends itself to this pretty garden setting.





If you're planning a bit of an Easter gathering, do have a look at our free downloadable stationery - there are invitations and tags to make any setting complete.



Posted by Jane Cameron

{ the ethereal wrap by bonzie }

i'm *so* delighted to post this: have been a fan of bonzie for a good long while and couldn't believe my (our!) good fortune when lovely yvonne wrote to offer this amazing giveaway.

what a great thing to wear over a strapless dress! as a wisp of romance like the ethereal wrap, or a pop of color. you have to check out their blog for this amazing yellow shrug.

to enter! do go check out bonzie's shop please.
then, in the comments tell us:

• a) what wedding website/planning tool are you using, and do you like it/would you recommend?  OR
• b) another item from bonzie's store you like as well OR
• c) all of the above.

please include your date if you have it. no need to post your email, i will find you. :) giveaway ends midnight PT april 7 8!! (next thursday).

and! everyone who enters qualifies for free shipping (from ireland!) on a bonzie purchase if the giveaway doesn't end up as yours.

here are some more irish-made lovelies:
 



 
thank you so much, yvonne!!
more at bonzie.etsy.com

Planning A Modern Catholic Wedding

by Jason Hennessey,


Pr

Claddagh Jewelry from Ireland
Wedding and Family Rings, Pendants.


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Catholics often place a lot of importance in the marriage of a couple. It is considered as one of the seven sacraments of the Church that should be taken seriously as they represent God’s love to His people. For this reason, most Catholics prefer holding their wedding ceremonies in the church or cathedral as is the tradition. However, in recent times many Catholic couples have looked for other ways of conducting their weddings elsewhere and giving them a different touch while maintaining the significance and image of a traditional Catholic wedding.

Wedding preparations usually start by proposal and engagement, after which the priest should be informed of your intention to marry. He will then organize for you to be enrolled in the Pre-Cana, a special marriage counseling season whose aim is to prepare the couple spiritually, socially and emotionally for matrimony. Traditionally, any partner that is not baptized can get the same service during this session. But recently this has not been followed to the letter and it has become a matter of personal will.

After the Pre-Cana, the couple can then allow themselves enough time to prepare for their big day. The venue of the wedding can be outside the church, probably a place where other Catholic faithful guests can feel comfortable.

The decorations may also take a different route according to the couple’s sense of style. Choice of colors, flowers and other beauty paraphernalia doesn’t have to follow the traditional ways. Innovations have been brought up to spice up the monotonous traditional wedding preparation elements. One is free to experiment on various ideas as long as they do not go against the Catholic spiritual teachings.

Elements of style, culture and heritage have influenced different people’s decisions on how to plan and conduct their weddings. People are now fusing their cultural practices into the wedding routines. This helps in identifying one’s background and customs. It also adds glamour to the ceremony by introducing the beauty of cultural diversity.

The wedding attire has not been speared either. The bride’s gown now includes some elegant cultural decorations, prints and even a different general design of the gown altogether. This has given rise to customized gowns which give the brides an edge above the normal out-of-shop designs. The suits also exude contemporary allure through different alterations and ornamentation.

The bridal party and the groom’s party can also introduce the aspect of culture into the scene by spotting ethnic ornaments and other decorations which help in adding color and style to the ceremony. The whole family can also where there cultural wedding costumes instead of the normal business suits and other official dressing.

Wedding songs have also been influenced by customary practices. The normal hymns sung in the church in English can be done in Spanish, French or any other ethnic language. Some couples have even requested for a full mass in which the body and blood of Christ are given to the congregation. One can even choose to have the whole mass done in local language or even Latin. All this serve to add the beauty of language to the wonderful event.


Catholic Rosaries - Sterling Silver Rosary with a Miraculous Medal in the Center and Fluted Beads

Why not design your own wedding site? Easy & Fun!!


Represent your faith in style with  cross pendants from MyJewelryBox.com

This adorable invitation designed as a collaboration by the bride (Jessie Turner) + groom (Tyler Thiessen) totally grabbed my attention this morning. Jessie designed the beautiful balloon  illustration and Tyler worked on the great typography treatment. How bright + fun is this? I've always been a fan of this color combo and love the hot balloon illustration.






{via Studio on Fire}

And how adorable are their engagement photos? I love that they fit in with their theme :) So cute you guys!! Photography by Jake and Jess Oldenkamp of Kamp Photography.

Lee-Ann and David held their fab 50s style wedding in Glasgow last year. Lee-Ann wore one of the cutest 50s style dresses I have ever seen, which was made especially for her, and teamed with a perfectly matched birdcage veil. The couple chose a stunning blue Pontiac for wedding transport in true 50s style!



Thank you to Paula Veverka Photography for the lovely photographs.

is my mail trying to tell me something?

 


 
{each photo links to its shop} 

so pretty. why must you be my nemeses?

here's a classic post from perennially amazing a practical wedding on dress shopping: where did all the sleeves go?

(see also my well-documented strapless-dress issues.)

i use this to introduce the next giveaway: the perfect solution! stay tuned, announcing tomorrow afternoon.

The Viceroy Palm Springs would be such a great place for a destination wedding. A boutique resort + spa designed in a modern interpretation of the Hollywood Regency style, it's convenient to LA and San Diego, but far away to feel like you are really out of town for the weekend. If you are looking for a place where the likes of Frank Sinatra and his rat pack stayed back in the day, the Viceroy is your place. A modern color palette of yellow, black and white is seen throughout the hotel designs. Today, I'm sharing even more gorgeous photos of the hotel by Jose Villa from my stay their a few weeks ago...



There are two types of hotel rooms, my favorite rooms are the bungalows. Each bungalow has its own fireplace, perfect yellow chairs, modern art, and some even have their own kitchen - perfect for getting ready the day of the wedding - or a great place for a bachelorette party!



There are 3 pools perfect for relaxing the day before the wedding - or the day after. The hotel is also within walking distance to downtown Palm Springs so your guests will be close to lots of activities - although I prefer just hanging out by the pool :)



There are lots of great spaces on the property for the ceremony, cocktail hour, and the reception. I love how each area is so unique and can be decorated in a different way to really for your wedding day. When we were there, Erin Chaney (the Catering Sales Manager) organized a wonderful FAM so we could get a better idea how each space could be used. Erin and Diego Heredia (the General Manager) were our hosts for the evening and they really couldn't have been any nicer. I have no doubts that you will be in good hands with them helping to organize your day!



Here is where we had our dinner. Such a lovely evening outside under the palms + stars! Oh, and the food - yum! They use organic, natural, and seasonal items when possible.







There are lemon + lime trees all around the property - it's so pretty!



And our evening ended with a fun photobooth designed by Alison Events + Brown Paper Design.



And you have to check out this amazing super 8 film from the so sweet and talented Joel Serrato. It was really great to finally meet Joel in person and I've confirmed that you need to have him film your event. Check out the FAM captured by Joel.



Thanks to all the vendors who helped make the FAM such a success!
Wedding Designer: Celebrations of Joy
Floral & Décor: Arrangements Floral & Design
Linens: T. Eitzinger Couture Linens
Rentals: Signature Party Rentals
Cocktail Table Elements: Egg & Dart
Cake: My Favorite Cakes and Cookies
Photographer: Jose Villa
Videographer: Joel Serrato

Thanks also to Erin and Diego for inviting us to your beautiful hotel. We are already planning a trip back :)

I'm excited today to learn there is a new Australian accessories label hitting our shelves. Filling the gap where shoes are either fashion forward but un-wearable, or comfortable but lack style, Stillier have launched its premier Classic collection this winter, drawing inspiration from old world glamour and 50s movie stars. The Classic palette features neutral tones including dove greys, nudes and blushes, brightened up by injections of grape, cerise and terracotta. Complimenting these winter hues are a selection of signature I Heart peep toes, quilted pumps and embellished flats. Using carefully hand-picked materials including calf leathers, suedes and exclusive pony skins, each shoe is meticulously finished with extraordinary attention to detail. The colours are simply gorgeous and would make such sweet wedding shoes for you and your maids. Visit www.stillier.com.au to view the collection and find out more about this new and exciting Australian label.







Posted by Emilie Harrison

A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to visit the Viceroy Palm Springs for the weekend. Be sure to check back tomorrow to see photos of the gorgeous property by the one and only Jose Villa! Today, though, I have a fun tablescape that some wonderful, creative vendors put together to show as an example of what could be done with the beautiful outdoor event space.

Kelsey from Alison Events and Danielle of Brown Paper Design were the creative minds behind this fun table. The Viceroy has a very mid-century modern look, with a color palette centered around whites and blacks with splashes of yellow. They thought it would be fun to play off that color scheme, but also add in some flirty, playful touches as well. From Danielle, We were really inspired by Kate Spade's current campaign. There is something so fun and lighthearted, yet still very modern about her ad's lately. We wanted to bring that feeling to the Viceroy and thought doing such a bright palette would be a bit unexpected bride's looking at Viceroy. Sort of a weekend escape wedding. Gorgeous photos below by Jose Villa.











We had the cutest guest stop by! Another great thing about the Viceroy Palm Springs - they are a dog friendly hotel, so you can have your puppy there for your big day. :)







Such gorgeous + fun bouquets!







And what a creative idea for the place card table! From Danielle, because of the heat of Palm Springs- fabric flowers seemed like a really great way to bring in tons of saturated color without having to worry about things wilting in the heat. It was a lot of work to make those flowers, but I think it really added a nice tactile touch. And they are great memento's of your wedding.



event design: Alison Events + Brown Paper Design
florals: Brown Paper Design
photography: Jose Villa
videographer: Joel Serrato
paper products: Hello! Lucky
rentals: Classic Party Rentals
linens: La Tavola
napkins: Lotus Bleu

Thanks everyone for sharing your ideas with us! Check back tomorrow to see more from the Viceroy Palm Springs - including a great super 8 film from Joel!