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We look forward to seeing you there!
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Friday, May 8, 2009
Looking Savvi for Trend Wedding 2009
Making the groom not just an accessory for the bride is a big part of planning Trend Wedding for Twin City Bridal Association each year. The guys are just as unique and fun as the bride and each brings their own personality to the mix. This year with Mike and his crew of friends there was no exception.
We gathered at Savvi Formalwear in Burnsville Center in Burnsville, MN along with Coppersmith Photography to document the process, to select the formalwear for the wedding party. With all the guys in attendance, we soon were able to see all the fun aspects that each groomsmen will bring to the wedding party. A great group of guys! Our appointment was with Heather the Assistant Store Manager. We had discussed a few options with her beforehand so as to have the options prepared when we arrived.
With the the bridesmaids wearing ivory as well as the bride we had an interesting concept that is usually reserved for destination weddings. We thought it would be a great idea, given the ivory gowns and the contemporary setting of Chambers Hotel with it's clean lines, to have the men wear all ivory. Not just the groom but also the groomsmen, ushers and father of the bride. We know it's not a real in thing - Yet! When you see the end result it's going to be very slick! We selected the After Six Ivory Prado tuxedo with ivory shirt, vest and tie.
The other option would be the 'new brown' which is Grey. We looked at the Calvin Klein - Legend grey tuxedo. Although the Calvin Klein tuxedo was beautiful and the tailoring impeccable, the look did not work with the ivory gowns. You hear people talk about an overcast look. The steel blue color did not work with the grey and would have made this ivory look muddy.
Heather assisted us with switching out coats and pants on the mannequins and we played with the idea of a gangster hat...NO not really but there were some students in for Prom who were loving the hat. Mike liked the Ivory Tuxedo, although he had just missed seeing this on the episode of Platinum Weddings Katie had seen earlier that week. He wasn't sure what we were thinking at first but after seeing our concept he soon bought into the idea and was very happy with the choice as was his bride Katie.
Here is a secret tip that we saw just playing with the tuxedos. An ivory jacket, shirt, vest and tie along with grey trousers. I know it's seems odd but try it, it's an interesting combination that may just play out for an afternoon wedding. Could we possibly call it the trendy 'new afternoon stroller'? Unfortunately I don't have pictures but give it a try!
Monday, May 4, 2009
"We Have A Winner"
This past weekend, we were very excited to host the Bridal Show Producers International Conference in Minneapolis. Each year producers of bridal shows from around the world convene to discuss the industry and future trend and direction for our shows. As part of the conference they award the Star Award for a number of different categories for excellence in the industry.
This year Twin City Bridal Association’s show The Wedding Fair that we design took top honors for “Best Show Aesthetics. The criteria for the award honors creativity in the overall look of the show to include the entrance, the hall/center and the fashion area. Here are some pictures from the entry:
The October 2008 show, which was judged for this award was our “White House Weddings” theme. We created the wedding Jenna Bush could have had at The White House. As a feature, we were thrilled to have worked our connections and received one of the 12 wedding gowns designed for Jenna Bush’s wedding. The gown designed by Amsale was the clear winner if the wedding would have taken place at The White House voted by brides throughout the country. The gown was on secured display for all to see, a once in a lifetime opportunity!
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Trend Wedding 2009 Gown Fittings! Saying Yes To The Dress!
Trend Wedding 2009 Bride - Katie Ebert did "Say Yes To The Dress" from the Kleinfeld Kollection at The Wedding Shoppe on Grand Avenue in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Say What? Say Yes To The Dress!
Katie Ebert is one very lucky bride. Katie and her fiance Mike Ivey are the winners of Trend Wedding 2009, which will take place on Friday June 5, 2009 at the Chambers Hotel Minneapolis.
We were very excited to work with our friends Lois and Caroline Fritz at The Wedding Shoppe on Grand Avenue in St. Paul www.weddingshoppeinc.com for the wedding party to select their bridesmaid dresses and “The” wedding gown! Yes, Katie not only said Yes to Mike when he asked her to marry him but when they won Trend Wedding 2009 she would also “Say Yes To The Dress” as her gown would be from the Kleinfeld Kollection exclusively at The Wedding Shoppe and our friends Mara and Ronnie at Kleinfeld’s Bridal Salon in New York the location of the hit TLC show “Say Yes To The Dress”.
So in preparation of hosting all four bridesmaids, the mother of the bride and the bride we discussed with Lois and Carolyn and decided to schedule a private fitting on the second level of The Wedding Shoppe after closing time so the girls would have the run of the space. I arrived early to get things set up and to work with Caroline on pre-selecting the bridesmaid dresses. Matthew was on his way from a meeting and was bringing the champagne because you know how warm it gets trying on all those gowns. Well, so we have been told! We selected a variety of bridesmaid dresses in different styles and lengths to see what would be the ‘it’ look for this group of Trend Wedding bridesmaids.
The Wedding Shoppe on Grand Avenue has a large selection of bridesmaid dresses as you can see from the pictures. Of course they all come in a variety of silhouettes, fabrics and colors so all we needed to do was narrow down the selection based on color palette for the wedding and then a few different styles to see what the bridesmaids would like. Of course we were also looking forward to feature something that is trendy; after all this is the Trend Wedding!
As Caroline went to pull some of the fashions, I greeted Amy and Matt Coppersmith with Coppersmith Photography who will be photographing the wedding. They are also spending time documenting the planning process as well so the couple will have a truly documented wedding experience from start to finish. They captured these shots for us at the fitting. You can see some more of their wonderful work by going to www.coppersmithphotography.com
Lucky the photographer and I arrived early as the wedding party determined the trip from Apple Valley to Grand Avenue in St. Paul would take longer than it did. Due to light rush hour traffic, they arrived early. The only glitch was one of the drivers locked her car keys in the car when she arrived at The Wedding Shoppe. Yes, we will chock that up to the excitement of the day. So we were just getting ready to introduce all the bridesmaids, Danielle, Katie, Rachael and the Maid of Honor Tracy along with Sue, the Mother of the Bride. And right behind them was Matthew with Champagne in hand. So let’s pop the cork and get started!
With the trend for colors to become more muted, we started with a pale palette of blue, green, yellow and lavender with an overall illusion hue to the silhouette. While short dresses are the fad right now, long dresses are on their way back into trend. Instead of the “standard” satin gown we gravitated toward what we think is a much more trendy softer image with a chiffon gown. A very “Grecian” look in ivory which we think will be the popular look next year or so. The accent color of a very muted light blue with a hint of gray. So if you are wondering what are muted tones, take a look at softer colors ie. Instead of bold colors use the following comparisons: green/sage green, pink/blush, silver/gray, brown/taupe, purple/violet, yellow/buttercup, orange/peach, and blue/steel blue. So if you are planning your wedding for 2010 or 2011, think away from jewel tones unless it’s an accent color.
The much-anticipated moment of the evening was finally upon us as it was now time for Katie to start trying on bridal fashions from the Kleinfeld Kollection. We started by discussing styles and silhouettes she was interested in reviewing and started to select gowns from the special Kelinfeld Kollection area. We discussed fabric, draping and structure and then the many options.
There were a number of different silhouettes we selected from: Empire Waist, A-Line, Ball Gown and Fit and Flare. We wanted to have Katie experience the many different styles and how they will fit on different body types. We started with a strapless rouched bodice taffeta ball gown to see if volume was the direction we would go, but it was too much and we needed something more elongated. Even though the ball gown had a trendy pocket it just seemed to engulf Katie. Our next choice was an empire gown with vertical draping with beautiful embroidery and crystal beading. It was very much in the style of the gown Audrey Hepburn wore to the Embassy Ball in My Fair Lady. Okay, not so much glitter but the overall silhouette was stunning! Katie had a stature about herself. She carried herself with more assurance and confidence and that is what a bride should feel when she has chosen The Dress! The next option was a Fit and Flare gown, which can and proved to be a bit tricky. The fit and flare needs to be for a woman with a long torso but when you have a person who is equally proportioned in height from neck to waist and waist to feet you are missing the extra length in the torso needed to complete that drop flared skirt. So we were on to the next gown. A “Grecian” three tiered gown with a sheer organza tank style bodice. Although the gown was similar in style to the bridesmaids which would be a cool retro 50’s /60’s look, it simply made her appear shorter, obviously a dress for a taller bride. The next gown was a traditional long sleeve gown in lace. Not quite the overall look we were hoping to achieve nor did Katie picture herself in lace so although we had her try the gown on, it was dismissed just as quickly. The next gown was a strapless A-line gown in a handkerchief style skirt, with a brooch crystal medallion. Although the gown was beautiful and trendy, it just did not echo the simple clean lines with subtle details and edging we were trying to achieve and part of Katie’s vision.
We tried on two more gowns and the vote was unanimous the second dress was “The Dress” to “Say Yes To The Dress”. Stay tuned for future updates as The Wedding Guys and Coppersmith Photography keep you informed on the planning for Trend Wedding 2009! Cheers!
NOTE TO BRIDES: When you are trying on wedding gowns for the first time, usually you will end up selecting the first or second gown you tried on. A little statistics or trivia!
Say What? Say Yes To The Dress!
Katie Ebert is one very lucky bride. Katie and her fiance Mike Ivey are the winners of Trend Wedding 2009, which will take place on Friday June 5, 2009 at the Chambers Hotel Minneapolis.
We were very excited to work with our friends Lois and Caroline Fritz at The Wedding Shoppe on Grand Avenue in St. Paul www.weddingshoppeinc.com for the wedding party to select their bridesmaid dresses and “The” wedding gown! Yes, Katie not only said Yes to Mike when he asked her to marry him but when they won Trend Wedding 2009 she would also “Say Yes To The Dress” as her gown would be from the Kleinfeld Kollection exclusively at The Wedding Shoppe and our friends Mara and Ronnie at Kleinfeld’s Bridal Salon in New York the location of the hit TLC show “Say Yes To The Dress”.
So in preparation of hosting all four bridesmaids, the mother of the bride and the bride we discussed with Lois and Carolyn and decided to schedule a private fitting on the second level of The Wedding Shoppe after closing time so the girls would have the run of the space. I arrived early to get things set up and to work with Caroline on pre-selecting the bridesmaid dresses. Matthew was on his way from a meeting and was bringing the champagne because you know how warm it gets trying on all those gowns. Well, so we have been told! We selected a variety of bridesmaid dresses in different styles and lengths to see what would be the ‘it’ look for this group of Trend Wedding bridesmaids.
The Wedding Shoppe on Grand Avenue has a large selection of bridesmaid dresses as you can see from the pictures. Of course they all come in a variety of silhouettes, fabrics and colors so all we needed to do was narrow down the selection based on color palette for the wedding and then a few different styles to see what the bridesmaids would like. Of course we were also looking forward to feature something that is trendy; after all this is the Trend Wedding!
As Caroline went to pull some of the fashions, I greeted Amy and Matt Coppersmith with Coppersmith Photography who will be photographing the wedding. They are also spending time documenting the planning process as well so the couple will have a truly documented wedding experience from start to finish. They captured these shots for us at the fitting. You can see some more of their wonderful work by going to www.coppersmithphotography.com
Lucky the photographer and I arrived early as the wedding party determined the trip from Apple Valley to Grand Avenue in St. Paul would take longer than it did. Due to light rush hour traffic, they arrived early. The only glitch was one of the drivers locked her car keys in the car when she arrived at The Wedding Shoppe. Yes, we will chock that up to the excitement of the day. So we were just getting ready to introduce all the bridesmaids, Danielle, Katie, Rachael and the Maid of Honor Tracy along with Sue, the Mother of the Bride. And right behind them was Matthew with Champagne in hand. So let’s pop the cork and get started!
With the trend for colors to become more muted, we started with a pale palette of blue, green, yellow and lavender with an overall illusion hue to the silhouette. While short dresses are the fad right now, long dresses are on their way back into trend. Instead of the “standard” satin gown we gravitated toward what we think is a much more trendy softer image with a chiffon gown. A very “Grecian” look in ivory which we think will be the popular look next year or so. The accent color of a very muted light blue with a hint of gray. So if you are wondering what are muted tones, take a look at softer colors ie. Instead of bold colors use the following comparisons: green/sage green, pink/blush, silver/gray, brown/taupe, purple/violet, yellow/buttercup, orange/peach, and blue/steel blue. So if you are planning your wedding for 2010 or 2011, think away from jewel tones unless it’s an accent color.
The much-anticipated moment of the evening was finally upon us as it was now time for Katie to start trying on bridal fashions from the Kleinfeld Kollection. We started by discussing styles and silhouettes she was interested in reviewing and started to select gowns from the special Kelinfeld Kollection area. We discussed fabric, draping and structure and then the many options.
There were a number of different silhouettes we selected from: Empire Waist, A-Line, Ball Gown and Fit and Flare. We wanted to have Katie experience the many different styles and how they will fit on different body types. We started with a strapless rouched bodice taffeta ball gown to see if volume was the direction we would go, but it was too much and we needed something more elongated. Even though the ball gown had a trendy pocket it just seemed to engulf Katie. Our next choice was an empire gown with vertical draping with beautiful embroidery and crystal beading. It was very much in the style of the gown Audrey Hepburn wore to the Embassy Ball in My Fair Lady. Okay, not so much glitter but the overall silhouette was stunning! Katie had a stature about herself. She carried herself with more assurance and confidence and that is what a bride should feel when she has chosen The Dress! The next option was a Fit and Flare gown, which can and proved to be a bit tricky. The fit and flare needs to be for a woman with a long torso but when you have a person who is equally proportioned in height from neck to waist and waist to feet you are missing the extra length in the torso needed to complete that drop flared skirt. So we were on to the next gown. A “Grecian” three tiered gown with a sheer organza tank style bodice. Although the gown was similar in style to the bridesmaids which would be a cool retro 50’s /60’s look, it simply made her appear shorter, obviously a dress for a taller bride. The next gown was a traditional long sleeve gown in lace. Not quite the overall look we were hoping to achieve nor did Katie picture herself in lace so although we had her try the gown on, it was dismissed just as quickly. The next gown was a strapless A-line gown in a handkerchief style skirt, with a brooch crystal medallion. Although the gown was beautiful and trendy, it just did not echo the simple clean lines with subtle details and edging we were trying to achieve and part of Katie’s vision.
We tried on two more gowns and the vote was unanimous the second dress was “The Dress” to “Say Yes To The Dress”. Stay tuned for future updates as The Wedding Guys and Coppersmith Photography keep you informed on the planning for Trend Wedding 2009! Cheers!
NOTE TO BRIDES: When you are trying on wedding gowns for the first time, usually you will end up selecting the first or second gown you tried on. A little statistics or trivia!
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Monique Lhuillier - Spring 2009 Couture Bridal Market - New York City
We were very honored to be one of fifty people invited to the debut reception of the Monique Lhuillier collection at the 2009 Spring Couture Bridal Market in New York. It was fun to see a number of friends in the industry like Darcy Miller, Editor of Martha Stewart Weddings, Walt Shepard, Publisher of Inside Weddings and Stephanie Davila, Senior Editor from InStyle Weddings. It was terrific to see Tom and Monique smiling with all the excitement surrounding the new collection with a big surprise for everyone!
So you are wondering what are the Long and the Short of it when it comes to the Spring 2009 Couture line for Monique Lhuillier. Well the Long is stunning gowns we have come to know for Monique. The beautiful silk tulle gowns and beautifully draped bodices along with the exquisite regal silk ball gown were of the most stunning sophisticated silhouettes. There are a few in the collection, which have such surprising details such as the ribbon-pleated blossoms on the bodice. The intricate beading, fabric roses and origami designs on the tulle skirt are just a few of my favorites along with the French bustle gown, Love It!
So the Short Surprise of the collection is sexy, romantic and sophisticated cocktail bridesmaid dresses! HELLO! You have got to see them! Wait until you see them, you will go crazy over them and the price range around $300. YES, can you image a Monique Lhuillier bridesmaid dress that can actually be worn as a cocktail dress or a dress you can wear again as a guest to an event or wedding..and not look like a bridesmaid! You would be crazy not to have one! They are HOT! The pink one is my favorite with the deep plunging neckline, along with the coral dress with the rose at the neckline. The yellow one is so Audrey Hepburn! OH HECK WE LOVE THEM ALL!!!! Have you noticed I have not said "Oh My God" yet? Saving that for the end! The designs are truly Monique Lhuillier, the idea to create a bridesmaid line is from Dawn Bromander who is the Retail Director for Monique Lhuillier. BRAVO Dawn!
So you are saying so shut up already! Where can I get them? Well for all of you who think the Midwest is just a “Fly Over” part of the country, you will be happy to know that Monique’s Flagship Salon in Minneapolis is the only salon to carry them! Oh yes and you can go online to www.moniquelhuillier.com or better yet is to call the Minneapolis Salon at 612-929-0747 to schedule your appointment to see them in person.
OH MY GOD! YOU WILL LOVE THEM!
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