The Wedding Planning: April 2012

Monday, 30 April 2012

Love Padlocks in Spain

Attaching a padlock to a bridge and throwing the key into the river is seen as a symbol of enduring love and this rather romantic idea of love padlocks, otherwise known as love locks, is proving a popular craze in most cities across Europe after the publication of the 2007 cult best-seller Ho Voglia De Te (I Want You) which saw a young couple attach a padlock to the city's Milvian Bridge and throw away the key into the river, as a sign of their love.

This trend has spread, but not of course without controversy.

Whilst it is a lovely romantic idea, it does appear sadly that in some cities it has caused problems with the weight of thousands of padlocks threatening structures and historical monuments, the Rialto bridge in Italy is one such structure that has suffered, I guess due to it´s already popular romantic setting.

The not so romantic authorities of many cities have been apparently dismantling the padlocks with cutters, but in Moscow they have built metal trees instead on Luzhkov Bridge, giving a designated area for friends and lovers to express their love and affection.

Wouldn´t it be fabulous to have these in Marbella!

I was quite intrigued by this idea though and found out there is a bridge in most of the Spanish cities where this latest craze has developed including Malaga and Sevilla and even now in Madrid.

Perhaps Spain should now build some romantic structures to attract what I think is rather a romantic idea but in the meantime this could be perhaps bought into your wedding day either in the ceremony, stationery or even in the props.

I do love an inspiration so thought I would share this with you!

Etsy Weddings Interview.

Stricken by wedding dress indecision? Can't decide whether to go custom or buy off the rack? Check out this post on the Etsy Weddings blog: three bridal designers (including me!) weigh in with their best advice.

Custom Made Cheongsam

Saturday, 28 April 2012

The New Collection.

Vertigo. Silk crepe de chine.

Flutter sleeve detail.

Spellbound. Silk crepe, Alençon lace.

The Lady Vanishes. Silk crinkle chiffon, silk charmeuse.

Double strap detail.

Topaz. Ivory silk crepe back satin, guipure lace.

Notorious. Blush Chantilly lace, silk organza.

The Bold Italic.

The Bold Italic is a smashing San Francisco city magazine with a focus on local style and culture. I'm so thrilled to be featured in their latest issue, SF By Design. Mariah, the winsome young lady in the upper right on the cover, had me custom make her a dress using some special vintage fabric from her stash. Fun! Get your issue here.

Friday, 27 April 2012

Desert Rose

It's that time again..and we're gearing up for another photo shoot for Exquisite Weddings Magazine. Lots of fun ideas in the works but thought we would take some time to look back at our last shoot with them and some of the inspiration behind the concept of what we titled ...Desert Rose.

We knew we wanted to create a bohemian desert feel with a Moroccan influence and a splash of desert glam. Pairing with Twigg Botanicals, we infused bright pops of color through the florals, trickling bougainvillea and just a touch of cacti for another nod to the desert. I loved how the pinks, corals and bursts of red seemed to play with the aqua and greens. An eclectic mix of vintage glassware and china that we gathered, mix and match flatware, peacock feathers, camel tassels and jeweled place cards all lent themselves to the bohemian vibe and danced on the sequin linen (our own little oasis) at the center of the table. The specialty drink we titled "Sweet Sahara" also added a refreshing flavor to the shoot.

Mini flowering cactus that we planted in vintage teacups served as favors with little tags that read "pricked by love" created by the ever talented Courtney from Brightly Designed. We also wanted to give the gorgeous cake that was dreamed up by Erica O'Brien a prominent place...and it looked lovely upon the vintage furniture piece provided by Archive Vintage Rentals. So many fun pieces from them that we had fun playing with in styling the shoot! We just loved how Erica took the inspiration we gave her too and created a cake beyond our wildest dreams. Many thanks to our amazing team of vendors and Exquisite Weddings Magazine for inviting us to get in on the fun and showcase a little more of what we love to do! Looking forward to the next one!

Eco Friendly Rice Butterfly Confetti

Traditionally rice is thrown at the bride and groom to bring them fertility and good luck and the word confetti comes from the Italians who traditionally threw sweets at the lucky couple, confetto.

All this, however, sounds painful and as we are always searching for eco friendly alternatives to our weddings, we were delighted to find this new product, rice butterflies which we will now be stocking in our shop.

These gorgeous butterflies are currently available in white, red, yellow, green and blue but shortly will be available in pink. As they are so lightweight they stay in the air for longer ensuring your photographer will capture the magic and give your photos the wow factor.

We love them and with all the symbolic meanings behind throwing rice at the happy couple, we cannot think of a better way to start your married life than to be blessed by fluttering butterflies!

Thursday, 26 April 2012

Katherine Heigl’s Pear Diamond Engagement Ring

Who doesn’t love diamonds, especially when they are set in an engagement ring and a beautiful diva is flaunting them!

So from the core of our heart we admit that the pear diamond engagement ring of Katherine Heigl is outstanding and unmatched.

Josh Kelly proposed Katherine in 2006 with a ring that exhibits a 3-carat pear diamond set in the center of a brilliant diamond halo.

josh-kelley-and-katherine-heigl-photo

The ring is special to Heigl (and us) in many ways. Firstly, of course it is from her husband and expresses his love and commitment. Secondly, her pear shaped diamond set with a French tip is enhanced by pave diamond halo that adds an extra edge to the glamorous ring. And then it’s the metal which enhances the sentimental (and appraisal) value of the ring. Half of the platinum in the ring was incorporated from her mother’s engagement ring.

This stunning diamond ring which is now a part of Katherine’s adornments was picked by Heigl when she became frustrated by Kelly’s inability to choose a ring for her. She once told Vanity Fair that she picked the diamond for her ring when she got tired of waiting for Kelly to propose her and after choosing the ring she asked about his intentions.

Heigl and Kelly met when she was shooting for one of his popular videos. After the shoot he asked her to dine with him and she did, after which things went on from acquaintance to love and then finally marriage. The couple got married in 2007 and adopted a child in 2009 from South Korea.

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In an interview with People Magazine, Katherine told that music is always a part of their relationship and the most romantic and thrilling thing that made her to love him badly was the song he wrote for her.

This is a true love story which got unending brilliance and charm from the sweet moments they share and from the opulent ring she wore.

If you also desire to own a ring like Heigl has then get it customized as per your desire and vision. The reputable online stores have the customization option which allows the buyers to find a unique and extraordinary ring like this. You could even find a ready to pick replica of this celebrity style.