J.Crew Swim

This weekend I am braving the yearly search for a bathing suit. I've been scoping out a couple of my favorites online this week and I have landed at the same place I always do: The Crew. I am so predictable when it comes to suits. Colors: blue, grey and white. Pattern: stripes, polka dots or anything that resembles them. Fit: comfortable but still fresh and young. Style: classic. How many suits do I have that already have polka dots on them? It's not worth the embarrassment of sharing. But do I stop looking at them? Of course not. Each year they are just different enough to call my name again and again...Brides, I know you're on the hunt too and I would steer you toward my alma mater, J. Crew. They never disappoint. Look smokin' on your honeymoon and skip the trendy metallics and crazy sequins, or the disappearing seats of bikini bottoms. Go with fresh sophistication :)

My two favorites?  The Marina-striped ring bandeau suit and The Annik-stripe string bikini.  In LOVE.  I wish they carried more swim wear at their stores...

{Images: J.Crew}

Loving...

Umm, yes please!

{Image: Sara Yates via Style Me Pretty}

Kate Spade Weddings

Good morning, ladies!  Kate Spade has just launched their first wedding collection online!  I adore her retro chic design and attention to feminine details that flatter just about any woman.  And those colorful tights!  Love it!  Check her out online for her complete collection of shoes, accessories, bags and clutches.

{Images: Kate Spade}

Loving: Side-swept hair

I've had short hair for about a year now and seeing so many beautifully side-swept hair styles makes me long for long locks again.  This is so romantic--love it!

{Image: Pintrest}

BHLDN Shoes

BHLDN has captured the imaginations of wedding adorers all over.
Their shoe collection is sweet, sweet eye candy.  So in love...

Inspiration: white bouquets

What's one wedding trend that I am absolutely in love with this 2011 season?  White, white and white!!  Ooh, I love classic white weddings.  So beautiful, stunning and wonderfully timeless.  So when I saw this gorgeous wedding bouquets from Fluer:ology, I was excited to share them with you.  This is one trend that really doesn't go out of style, but the best party about it being so chic this year is you can really play up the beautiful simplicity of white and add in layers of cream and off-white to create gorgeous depth.  (And a little insider tip: Weddings Fresh is working on a beautiful white inspired wedding shoot to show off this fab trend!  Can't wait to show you!!).

Fluer:ology used fresh mini calla lilies, dahlias, peonies, mums and garden roses for these bouquets and dressed them up with a deep bronze satin ribbon and crystal accents.  All of them were designed for the same wedding, with each bridesmaid carrying a unique white bouquet held against their dark purple dresses.  Quite the dramatic showing!

Thank you, Fluer:ology!!

Orange Crush

Bright orange was all over the runways for Spring 2011.  From maxi dresses to skirts to pant suits, it seems to be the hot hue for this year's warm months.  For most of us, head-to-toe neon orange doesn't seem like a reasonable response to the trend, but pops of this electric color, as in this fabulous by heal by Aperlai, would be just enough flash to get you through the year.  As for your weddings?  Go for it. I love the idea of crisp whites and soft vanilla cream contrasted with bright orange for a fresh summer wedding.  It would be a stunning palette for a breezy outdoor wedding!

1. Aperlai (style.com}

2. Carlos Miele {USA.moda.ws}

3. Max Mara {USA.moda.ws}

4. Carolina Hererra {USA.moda.ws}

Win a $2,000 Wedding Dress!

Good morning!  I am so excited to announce  Preownedweddingdresses.com is giving away $2,000 toward any wedding dress they have online!!!  I know a lot of you are newly engaged and budgets are always the driving force behind all of your decisions.  Just think, you could get your gown for free and spend that money on a kickin' honeymoon!!

This is the deal:  enter here on Preownedweddingdresses.com.  Get an additional entry on their Facebook page here.  And then go check out their fabulous inventory for your dream dress and figure out how you'll spend your 2,000 bucks!  The contest runs until January 31st and the winner will be announced February 4th.

{Image: courtesy of Preownedweddingdresses.com.  Anne Barge}

Pretty Pastels

Pastels are truly a vision of feminine beauty.  Soft, sweet tones that make every girl feel pretty and it's exactly what this year is all about--feminine details and sophisticated touches.  I'm so glad tulle, lace, ribbon and bows are still around.  It's fun to be girl every once and a while...wouldn't this be a gorgeous line up of dresses for your maids?  Love it!

{Image:  Such Pretty Things}

The Aisle New York!

Good morning!  I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas!  I won't be doing much this week on Weddings Fresh, as my family and I are enjoying a nice extended stay-cation at the house.  It's just what we need after a busy holiday!  But I did want to share this bit of news with you:  The Aisle New York will be debuting Monday, January 3rd at 10:00 am EST!  I have mentioned this breakout online marketplace for designer wedding gowns, shoes, accessories, and lingerie a couple months ago, but the time has finally arrived!  If you haven't already become a member, visit their splashpage to be one of the first to gain access to their opening day.

On the 3rd, Monique Lhuillier, Angel Sanchez, Elizabeth Fillmore, Oscar de la Renta Jewelry, Suzanne Couture Millinery will be available for your purchasing pleasure.  The gown below is Monique Lhuillier, one of my favorites from her fall 2011 collection, and her designs will be ready for purchase from your computer at any moment of the day--I love technology.  Lela Rose, Mark Ingram Boutique, Pour la Victoire Shoes, and Stephanie Browne Accessories will be showing the following week on Monday, January 10th, with more still to arrive in the coming weeks.


I can't wait to dive into all of the eye candy that will be hitting our Internet!  I'm just glad I'm married already because there would have been a good chance of me maxing out all of my credit cards through this site... 

{Dress Image:  Marthastewartweddings.com}

Winter White Morning

We woke up to some beautiful white snow this morning...
I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving and I will see you next week!



{image: 100 Layer Cake}

Showstopper

i love the contrast between the chunky wooden platform and gilded embellishments of sparkle and glitz on this Dolce & Gabbana heel...an hot accessory for any island destination bride--promised to be a showstopper no doubt!

{image:  Fashionologie}

Loving...

pure divine simplicity by Lisa Brown.  beautiful.

{images:  Lisa Brown and Follow Studio}

Loving...

i'm in love with this tunic from Steve Alan. and pretty much everything else SA has to offer...they are the perfect summer dresses to take you anywhere you want to go...

...a little more.

...i'm continuing today. here's another stunner from Olivia Graham for Town & Country Weddings.

{images via dustjacket attic}

Trendspotting: Flowers in Your Hair

good morning! i'm sorry i miss you guys yesterday, my family and i are getting ready to move in the next couple of weeks and we have been trying to tie up the loose ends with our new house. so excited but there is a lot to do!!! and we just so happen to be leaving town on thursday--everything seems to happen at once, doesn't it?! so i will be absent on Friday but i have a special Gown Friday for tomorrow!!

i love these creative hair accessories from Poppies & Posies. especially the succulent--so organic and so fresh! i used real flowers in my hair for my own wedding. i loved the fact it was not only less expensive (ya!) but it really added a romantic touch to my look. i chose the Gardenia because it was a beautiful, full white flower. and i bought two to keep them looking fresh for my pictures & ceremony as well as the reception. i was a little nervous because it was 100 degrees that day, but they both held up perfectly! are you wearing flowers in your hair??




{Floral Designs by Poppies & Posies}
{Photography by Jen Huang Photography}
{Models: Erica Lubitz, Ellen Totten, & Jasmine Johnson}
{images via Wedding Chicks}

Broach Bouquets

good morning and happy monday! yay for cooler weather today in Portland--i feel like i can breathe again!! today, i'm sharing some of the latest from Studio del Fiore . Lisa was the talent behind the floral design with me for the Romantic Garden Party concept shoot we did a couple weeks ago! (check it out if you haven't yet!!)

in her constant quest to find new, relevant and creative mediums of design, she found her inspiration in an old box of old broken broaches and mismatched earrings she received from her aunt. there is a lovely random nature to these broach bouquets that makes for a beautiful, eclectic mix or old and new. i love her use of the traditional to create something very non-traditional!

if any of you out there have your own broaches you would love to use, ones that have been in your family for years or some you have just found, Lisa would love to create a one of a kind bouquet for you! if you don't have any, she can help you find what you are looking for as well!

thanks, Lisa!

Trendspotting: The Little White Dress

seriously, ladies, it's too hot to blog today...my house is like a little hot box in this 99 degree weather. these retro inspired wedding dresses photographed by Olivia Graham for Instyle Weddings are fabulously hot in their own right. gorgeous! these have to make you reconsider wearing a little white dress for your wedding, right?! love it!



{images: dustjacket attic}