Your Wedding Advice - StrictlyWeddings.com Blog

Royal Wedding Inspiration – Vintage Hats

We came across these precious vintage hats to share. With the beginnings of Royal Wedding “fever,” we’re sure you’ll see the incorporation of more hats and other English details in the coming year. Always looking for new ideas for our brides …

La Plume Couture

There is something wildly feminine & steeped with nostalgia that a feathered plume evokes. La Plume Couture captures a modern interpretation of this nostalgic accent. Vintage Hats have always been a coveted designer object. The hats seem to come “Alive” when you put them on! Whether worn by screen idol, Greta Garbo, designed by top couture house, Balenciaga, or popularized by iconic figures such as Jackie O, vintage hats are perfect beautiful masterpieces. At La Plume Couture, our creations honor special moments in time with a modern aesthetic, whimsy style, & feminine sensuality. Created individually by hand to achieve a couture signature piece for you. Custom orders designed upon request.

Bride’s Head Revisited

We found this lovely resource for brides looking beyond the veil for the wedding accessories. Bride’s Head Revisited was founded in 2002 by Emily Martin and Alexandra Kowalski when they were working together at the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum in New York. Emily and Alex use their love of history and contemporary design when creating their designs. Each is a distinctive couture quality bridal accessory that captures the individuality of each bride. Visit their website to learn more about their designs and where they can be located.

The Garter Girl

The Garter Girl was the inspiration of Julianne Smith after she ended up creating a special garter for her good friend who wanted a garter with “fur” that was no where to be found.

After her friends wedding, she thought maybe there were other people who needed simple, stylish wedding garters. And, that’s how The Garter Girl, her stylish wedding garter company came to be. Julianne channels her energy into creating chic and modern wedding garters that will make brides want to embrace the wedding garter tradition.

Weddings – Those Extra Touches: Save the Date, Events, Thank You Cards

One of our featured wedding brides, Jenny, sent us these cute design ideas for Save the Date and other invitation items that her husband, Jason, created. Jason owns a high-end marketing/design firm in Chicago and he works with clients from all over the country. For their wedding, he created faux newspapers that were personalized and placed in the out-of-towner gift bags. The newspapers gave the details of the weekend but did so in a way that mimicked an actual newspaper right down to the type of paper and sepia coloring. They were such a hit that they’ve had many people (through word of mouth) contact him to recreate the newspapers with their own pictures, story, etc. His thank you cards and save-the-date were also buzz-worthy among friends. Below are examples of the designs. To contact Jason you can email or phone him at 773.248.2591.

Out-of-Towner’s – Wedding Details

Save the Date

Thank You Cards

Go Wild with Wildflower Linen on your Wedding Day!

StrictlyWeddings.com Chicago partner, Wildflower Linen, never fails to thrill us with their creativity and freshness in new ways to think out-of-the-box when planning the wedding reception.

We recently visited her website and found a wealth of ideas from her gallery as well as her blog.

Wildflower Linen is the leading designer and producer of specialty table linens and chair covers for event rentals. Founder Youngsong Martin, formerly a nationally known fashion designer and marketer of high-style women’s apparel, launched Wildflower Linen in 2001 in Southern California. Her full-service rental company has since redefined the special-event linen field in terms of style, glamour and customer care while becoming a prestigious provider to clients nationwide and abroad, for functions of all sizes, budgets and occasions.

We’re so happy she’s a valuable resource for our StrictlyWeddings.com bride!

Vintage Ring Boxes

Vintage ring boxes come in a variety of materials and shapes, like these dainty blue Bakelite boxes, or a more rustic looking in old vinyl or in antique sterling silver. The inside is just as beautiful covered with velvet fabric in complementary colors. Also, the gold filigree ring boxes reminds one of grander times. Truly unique. And nothing says “I love you” like one of a kind trinkets.

Source: Ruffled – fascinating wedding blog for those who adore all things vintage

Maihar Designs – Custom Ring Pillows and Flower Wands

Today’s bride continues to look for wedding elements that are equally beautiful as they are unique. And thanks to the Internet, brides don’t have to look far for designers who offer an elegant solution for every detail of the wedding day — including ring pillows and flower girl wands.

Maihar Design, a sister partnership based out of Texas, offers brides something very special for the littlest ones in the wedding party. Your little flower girls’ ensemble will be complete with flower wands fit for a princess. And, as mischievous as your little ring bearer might be, brides can rest assured the focus will be on the hand-sewn ring pillow he carries down the aisle.

The newest ring pillow line from Maihar Design, the Glitzy Girls is completely customizable by the bride. The silk pillow cushions are available in six colors. These pillows are then detailed from a selection of more than 20 grosgrain ribbons as well as optional silk flower embellishments. To round our the wedding party, flower wands and hair petals are available in six corresponding colors.

More photos are available at MaiharDesign.com and all products are available for purchase online.

Accessorize with Left Bank Jewelry

We’ve showcased Chicago’s Left Bank Jewelry vintage jewerly several times and just got these lovely new images from Susan taken by photographer Dawn E. Roscoe. Just something light and easy this Monday.

New Find for Veils – Twigs and Honey

We found the most exquisite veils – ethereal, wispy, elegant, simple – in other words, hard to find one that’s not perfect for one of our many beautiful brides. The name of the wunderkind is Twigs and Honey, and is the creative outlet of Myra Callan. They just launched their online store (the website takes forever to load, but the store’s perfect).

Twigs & Honey is based out of Salem-Portland, Oregon and  officially began in early 2008. Another one of those businesses created after their own wedding. Myra’s graduate educational background focused on environmental, geographic, and atmospheric sciences and those themes can be found in her nature-inspired pieces. Twigs & Honey pieces have an almost organic composition with varied textures, complex colors, and whimsical accents.

The Twigs & Honey line features hair adornments, headbands, birdcage veils, traditional veils, bridal jewelry, belts, boutonnieres, ring pillows, hats, shrugs, bouquets, corsages, and more! The line uses fine silks, feathers, laces, and vintage bits that result in completely unique adornments.

Top: Silk tulle with lace trim veil in ivory -$225
Middle: Bridal or Special Occasion crown – $135 and Rhinestone adorned silk chiffon headband – $210
Bottom: Handmade silk tulle flower headband – $165

The Wedding Clutch

On your wedding day, often accessories like handbags and such are last minute thoughts. Yet we found these beautiful clutch bags that are the perfect size for those few items you may carry on your special day from WarrenBarron.com. If they tickle your fancy, I’m sure they’d be happy to let you know more details. 214.526.8400