Lovely Lace

I am working on a presentation for Love Mexico Weddings that I’m doing tomorrow and it’s, oddly, gotten me thinking a lot about LACE. It’s so evocative and can be girly or vintage, sweet or sexy… And, naturally, romantic. So, it’s no wonder that it’s such a staple in weddings.  I wanted to showcase some more INTERESTING examples of lovely lace worked into wedding days.

I just HEART this little birdcage veil by James Coviello (get it, I heart it). And it’s only $135 at BHLDN. It’s tongue in cheek and a little Sassy!

And speaking of Sassy! I think people think lace gowns and think a more chaste, Royal look, but this little shortie from Amsale is bringing long legged realness to any wedding! I just love it. (I also have been watching Drag Race in Marathon, so please don’t mind my occasional lapses into drag talk). Via One Wed.

This Stationery set works lace in so beautifully, as a wrapping of sorts.  A great detail that elevates the entire suite. (From Oh So Beautiful Paper)

You can work lace into your flowers if you just want a ‘lil bit of lace.  Think of wrapping it around your bouquet as seen below (via Wedding Bee) OR, in one of my favorite wedding trends, consider wrapping the base of your floral arrangement in lace. It’s a fabulous way to mask floral oasis and add a texture to your table.(via Once Wed)

I just LOVE lace on a cake!  Isn’t this stunning? The Grey lace makes it sooo so chic! (via Wedding Paper Divas Blog)

Finally, if you REALLY love something TOTALLY out of the box, check out this amazing ceremony backdrop of this Tree COMPLETELY wrapped in lace. I love it!  (Photos by Jose Villa via Once Wed )

It reminds me of a less disturbing version of Lady Gaga wrapping her whole face in lace… I don’t know why, it just does. Anyway here’s to getting creative with Lace!

And as for me, back to my presentation!  I’m such a PROCRASTINATOR!

How to Have Fashion Forward Groomsmen

Last week, I did a post about how to achieve that effortless “not so matchy, matchy” look with your bridesmaids… But I realized that we maybe need a little bit more assistance in how to have your groomsmen look great and not like a bunch of guys heading to prom.  I’ve found that sometimes the snag with groomsmen is that grooms feel less comfortable asking their friends to spend some money on attire specifically for their wedding, whereas it’s expected by Bridesmaids to shell out on an event specific ensemble.  So, often, the answer is to simply default to a rented tux. But, if a groom can wrap his head around asking his groomsmen to participate in a “look”, the results can be quite dapper and unlike most bridesmaids’ dresses, the groomsmen CAN actually wear that suit/ vest/ tie, etc. again.

For weddings that are a little less formal, I love the idea of putting your groomsmen in suit vests without jackets.  It’s stylish and more polished than forgoing just shirt and slacks. (Via Silverthorne Pavillion):

In the summertime or on the beach, I think a Khaki suit can look so handsome. Here, they paired fabulous suits with colorful ties for a festive and fun look. (via Silver Thorne Pavillion)

Obviously, THE GROOM should be the most stylish man in the wedding party, but remember, his look can inspire the groomsmen, but not necessarily be replicated EXACTLY.  I thought this fabulous groom looked amazing in his bespoke suit, but his wedding party looked no less dapper in these great 3 piece grey suits that they will wear again and again. (via Abella Photography)

Sometimes, it’s great to let your groomsmen shine with their own personal looks- a great solution for a more CASUAL wedding. I loved this mismatched wedding party on Green Wedding Shoes and I got the sense that each of these men carried their own “everyday” style into their wedding look.

Of course, the easiest way to keep everyone “uniformed” but not without personality is to play with the best men’s accessory of all: the tie.  I LOVE this coordinated, but mis-matched tie look! (Via Brides.com)

Curious: What are your groomsmen wearing?

Cameo… Rings!

The groom’s wedding band. Typically not the most exciting part of the planning process. I mean, what do you do?  Engrave your initials?  A phrase?  Mayra had a song lyric engraved in her husband’s band. But, beyond that, a gold band is a gold band, right?  NOT ANYMORE!

One of my clients showed me this site as a thought about her soon to be husband’s wedding band and I thought it was at once beautiful and clever!  The Cameo Ring by Rux.  It turns your profile into jewelry that will last a lifetime.  They will turn your profiles into art and you will always be able to look down and “see” the face of your significant other: symbolic and pretty all at once.  And in 18K gold at prices that start around $1700, a worthwhile investment.

They also make bangles and baby rattles (so cool!) in a variety of colors!  So cute and meaningful.

Illustrating Emotions

I was saddened this week by the passing of Maurice Sendak, the amazing illustrator and author of “Where the Wild Things Are”. Growing up, it was one of my two favorite books, and I would read it over and over and over again. The story was fantastic, but the illustrations were the real magic.. leaving indelible impressions on my very young brain.  Illustration, done well, can convey whimsey and emotion…and not surprisingly has been embraced in the wedding world.  Below, a few of my favorite illustrated pieces of wedding stationery that I’ve seen on the net.

I LOVED these invites from Essie Letterpress! They reminded me of a Victorian era pharmacy advert. Probably the most sophisticated marriage of illustration on a wedding invitation I’ve seen. (via Oh So Beautiful Paper.)

These stunning programs featured illustrations of all of the wedding party… making it extra easy to ID key players and adding a bit of humor.(Via Martha Stewart Weddings)

I Love, Love, LOVE this next invitation because it’s romantic, witty and whimsical all at the same time! I can’t figure out WHO designed it, but I got it via Weddings Fresh