Your Wedding Advice - StrictlyWeddings.com Blog

Have a Safe Memorial Day Weekend!

We wish all of our faithful followers a safe Memorial Day weekend. We’ll be back with a new post on Tuesday of something fresh and new to think about while planning your wedding! Be thankful. Be safe.

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Featured Wedding – Brian & Jeff

It seems that it’s in those “chance” meetings that we are fortunate to find our life partners. For Brian & Jeff, it was a GLBT affinity group meeting at their company. It just so happened that the only seat unoccupied happened to be next to “this very handsome guy with very distinguished salt and pepper hair.”  Seven years later, they decided to take the big step and make the relationship official. For their honeymoon, they’ll wait and get out of the Chicago heat in August as they journey off for a 10-day Mediterranean cruise from Venice to Athens.

Officiate: Barbara Wyzkiewicz
Master Bridal Consultant: Frank Andonoplas
Location: James Hotel, Chicago
Tuxedoes: Calvin Klein
Rings: Tiffany
Cake: Swedish Bakery – chocolate with chocolate mousse and a yellow with raspberry and lemon mousse. All layers were covered in French buttercream with a chocolate fondant bow.
Flowers: Ann Held
Photography: Rick Aguilar

Wedding Color Palettes – Inspirational Ideas for Planning Your Big Event

Sometimes it is hard to imagine certain color combinations together. We found these great ideas to share with our readers from Couture Cocktail Lounge, an event and wedding planning firm out of Atlanta.

Wedding color inspirations can come from your favorite color, sports team, alma mater, time of the year or season. The Color Inspiration Boards below are just a few examples to think about.

Check out all our partners in Chicago and Dallas. Just because they are in Chicago and Dallas does not mean they don’t work and travel outside of their home. With their talents and services, they can recreate any of the ideas represented on these boards.

Wedding Reception Decor – Ritzy, Bold, Lush

One of our new partners, DFW Events, has established an outstanding reputation for designing spectacular weddings, social affairs and transforming spaces. They do a wonderful job of taking the bride and groom’s wildest dreams and watch them come to life! We wanted to showcase some of the spaces that they have transformed. We love the romance of the space, the colors and textures, everything that makes them one of our top three luxury wedding planners in Dallas / Fort Worth.

Vintage Stamps – A Unique Touch to Your Wedding or Shower Invitations

Art can be found in so many things that we might consider mundane. Have you ever admired the stamp from someone who mails you a letter from Europe or other continents? They’re unique, special. The same with vintage stamps … they add a “look at me!” feel to anything you send in the mail – your wedding invitation, a bridal shower, or even thank you notes.

If you’re thinking of using these beauties for your invites, remember that you’ll need a lot of them to add up to the 59 cents that most wedding invites cost to mail. If you’re using a calligrapher, perhaps consider telling them that you’ll need extra space along the top of your envelope to accommodate a whole row of stamps. And while you’re collecting them, remember to get as many high value stamps as possible. High value as in postage, not collectable-ness. Anything above 15 cents should be treated like gold. Seriously. Most vintage stamps are in the 3 – 8 cent range and if you do the math, you need A LOT of those little ones to add up to the correct postage.

Resources to find vintage stamps: search for rare coin or stamp shops in your area or try online.

Source: 100cakelayer.com

Claire Pettibone’s Cherry Blossom Wedding Gowns at Dallas’ Stanley Korshak May 20-22

An impromptu trunk show from designer Claire Pettibone’s 2010 Cherry Blossom collection (see just a sample of these exquisite gowns below) will be showcased at StrictlyWeddings.com Dallas partner Stanley Korshak, 500 Crescent Court,  Dallas, TX, May 20-22. Appointments are preferred, yet walk-ins are welcome. We think the Cherry Blossom collection is truly unique and fabulous, a must see. Claire uses only the finest couture laces from looms in Paris and England. Her linings are delicate silk or organic cotton in it’s most untouched, pure state (never bleached or touched by any detergents). The designs of the gowns are absolutely romantic and completely original. Brides may contact Laura at (214) 871-3611 with any questions.  For inquiries about the gowns and collections call Misti at (818) 523-6127.

BTW…The back of the gowns are as stunning as the front, so in most cases we had to show both!

Wedding Trends – CandyBand Headbands

Our team is making headway in getting our New York StrictlyWeddings.com partners. So as we research and find out all the fabulous wedding resources that New York has to offer, we’ll offer you a sneak peak of some of our finds such as CandyBand Accessories. Founder Adina Bistritzky’s creations are simple and so lovely. Perfect for the bride looking for an elegant touch without the fuss.

CandyBand Accessories offers a full line of beautifully handmade headbands, hair clips, hats and belts, designed to satisfy every taste and style. Always drawn to fashion and elegance, Adina, CandyBand’s lead designer and creative director, began designing headbands in 2005. With a fresh take on color and style, and always wearability, her pieces became an overnight sensation. Her line quickly evolved to include hats, belts and jewelry. Bergdorf Goodman carries Adina’s full line as well as many boutiques all over the world. A nice touch that  makes us smile …10% of CandyBand profits are given back to the community and charitable causes!

Wedding Lingerie – Sexy, Sultry, Lacy Cosabella and more

There is nothing that makes you feel sexier than sexy lingerie. We love it all — the lace, the frills, the sultriness. And now, thanks to a perfect idea from Italian lingerie designer Cosabella, we have one more reason to adore it all: their bridal lingerie registry. Not every one carries Cosabella, but you can search your state on their website to see if there’s a shop in your area; then make contact about setting up your lingerie registry.

If you’re planning a bridal shower with a lingerie theme, then think about Cosabella or some of the other sexy lingerie designer’s such as Coemi. You’ll find them (and so much more) online through Ever So Sexy (being European-based, give yourself extra time for shipping).

Philip Treacy Designer Shoes a Unique Wedding Couture Addition

Our fellow blogger and friend, Jackie from Merci New York, posted these amazing, gorgeous (add your own adjectives here) “shoes” that she came across when she was at Paris Fashion Week. (We use shoes lightly as for some they may be considered a ‘work of art’ and to others an investment). Famed milliner Philip Treacy is the designer behind the elegantly embroidered tulle and lace confections (you won’t find these on his website as they were a collaboration with Valentino, but this designer is such an artist … take a look  through some of his collaborations).

Anyway, they are just now beginning to trickle into some of the fashion boutiques in your area. We think they would be a stunning addition to your wedding couture. Of course, this is high fashion, so nothing comes cheap (average price around $795).

New Featured Weddings

Elizabeth married the love of her life, Jason Extein, near the old Vanderbilt Mansion on Fisher Island, FL. Everyone desired a colorful and tropical, yet classically sophisticated outdoor ceremony.

Click here to read more and view the wonderful photographs.