Semper Fi: KaLeigh + Ryan

Posted on February 2, 2012 by Rachel

Sometimes it takes time apart for people to realize just how much they mean to each other. Distance makes the heart grow fonder, and when Ryan Reidelbaugh left his high school friend KaLeigh for the Marine Corps, he realized there was something special between them. This spark was lit after he returned home from his first deployment. Their friendship soon ignited into a love that kept them together throughout the rest of his time in the Marine Corps and seeing their return back to the state of Illinois.

Once the two moved back to the Land of Lincoln, Ryan proposed. “I couldn’t have been more excited to marry my best friend and one of the most wonderful people I’ve ever met”, said KaLeigh.

Following on the heels of saying ‘yes’, the wedding planning soon ensued.

KaLeigh had daydreamed of her wedding throughout her teenage years, but with the reality of it settling in, she knew she had to make it one of a kind. Especially since her small town didn’t see much difference from wedding to wedding.

Once the date and location was settled upon, she began to plan the smaller details. However small the details, she knew that they all pulled together to create the look for the big day. “… I began brainstorming colors, décor, dresses, etc.  With my fiancé being in the Marine Corps, I wanted  the décor to coincide with his dress blues, but not be a ‘red, white and blue’ wedding”, she said.

There was fine line to walk between paying homage something that played a big part in their relationship and an all-out military ball, but she managed to strut on without tripping over the color scheme.

After deciding on navy blue for the bridesmaid dresses and décor, she decided to employ a charcoal grey for a secondary color, working it in with the groomsmen’s tuxedos.  Working in the theme color to her own ensemble, her navy blue pumps peeked out from her dream dress.

“I found the most beautiful dress, exactly what I’d envisioned.  Mermaid style covered in beading with a corset back,” she stated. Large tear drop earrings, crystal bangles, her grandmother’s wedding ring and a stunning Bella Bleu Wendy veil completed the look.

After securing the fashions, it was time for KaLeigh to start to put details into the décor. Gray satin overlays were used for the tables, and navy and grey damask table runners were made as covers for the walls. The wall covers were crafted from table cloths in order to hide the bird wallpaper that made the room look more like an aviary than a reception hall.
Countless mirrored Christmas ornaments were purchased, matched with paper balls and hanged from fishing line over the dance floor. KaLeigh got creative with her décor details and created custom cones for flower petals to be thrown as the newlyweds left the ceremony.

Votives and a center vase with alternating tables of white hydrangeas and white calla lilies welcomed guests to the reception hall while navy napkins and a favor card that she designed welcomed them to their seats.

Charity took front line, in lieu of favors as they donated funds to the Semper Fi Fund, an organization that helps wounded Marines and families of deceased Marines to recover from tragedy.

“This fund is dear to our hearts and we made the donation in honor of three friends of Ryan’s who lost their lives in Iraq during his first deployment”, said KaLeigh.

Different than the wedding she had planned in her teens, this was even better as she called it the wedding of her dreams.  “All of my friends, family, and Ryan’s fellow Marines were there and neither of us could have asked for more”.

The couple is currently planning their honeymoon back to San Diego where Ryan was stationed to see old friends and enjoy the beach. A dream wedding sure turned into the reality of a beautiful life together.  Congratulations to Ryan and Kaleigh from Bella Bleu Bridal.

 

Vendors:

Photography- Hillside Studio in Freeport IL

Gown- Celebration Bridal in Davenport IA

Alterations-Lisa Jules in Clinton IA

Tuxedos- Once Upon a Dress in Freeport IL

Flowers- Brush Creek Floral in German Valley IL

Reception Venue- Freeport Country Club in Freeport IL

Rings- Frank Jewelers in Freeport IL

  Hair and Makeup- Elite Design Team in Freeport IL

      Cake- Margaret Kempel in Lena IL

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Not Just for the Birds

Posted on January 30, 2012 by Rachel

Sometimes when we get trendy, we worry about how the photos will translate decades down the road. Grunge took a plunge, disco did in fact die and we worked out the kinks after smoothing our giant permed hair.

But there’s a timeless fashion that just flew into the trend zone, with the ability to remain a pinnacle of iconic style no matter what decade you look back on your wedding pictures in. Feathers are definitely a current style to flock to but the fact is, women have been embellishing their dresses and accessories with them for decades. And looking back at old photos, the feathered frocks still rock.

Decking out your dress in feathers is a bold move, a move for the fashion fearless. But to avoid looking like Big Bird, brides should focus the feathers to key sections of the dress. Keep the feathers to the bodice or the skirt, not both. For a more subtle look, limit the feathers to along the hem of the dress or around the neckline. Still too much? A bold feather sash or center embellishment can keep you trendy without going wild.


If the feather dress just doesn’t tickle your fancy, bouquets bursting with ostrich or peacock feathers are stylish ways to take part in this avian trend. Feather bouquets make great alternatives to floral arrangements since their lifespan and mishandling threshold is much higher. Replace bouquets altogether with feather fans that add a touch of that old Hollywood glam to your trip down the aisle.

Credits: (top left)surroundingsonline;(bottom)surroundingsonline

Freshen up your table centerpieces with a touch of feathery fun. Glam up a simple floral arrangement with a touch of plumage, or trade in the blooms for a well thought-out feather arrangement, housed in an elegant vase.


Feather accessories are easy to incorporate into your wedding ensemble and can add a romantic touch of glamor to your look. A dusting of feathers can perk up pictures and draw attention to your face while playing up your updo, or put some personality in your cascading locks. Veils with tufts of feathers can also glamorize a flirty look.

Top left: Sara Gabriel-Elise Veil; Top right: Sara Gabriel-Keri Hairvine; Bottom: Sara Gabriel-Rae Headband

Left: Sara Gabriel-Roya Feather; Right: Sara Gabriel-Ophelia Comb

There are many other ways to add feathers to your wedding day, from tossing feathers after the ceremony instead of rice, to feathers on your shoes. However you chose to add the feather details we’re sure your choice will be nothing to crow at.

 Note: all photos not credited are believed to be in the public domain.

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Blooming with Beauty!

Posted on January 2, 2012 by Rachel

Credit: Manish Bansal

Beauty is in bloom when you find the perfect flower bouquet that complements your dress and adds a touch of feminine romance to your wedding ensemble.  Steeped in centuries of tradition from culture to culture, the bridal flower bouquet is nothing short of one of the most essential elements in a wedding. Whether you have a shotgun wedding with a few guests or a mammoth matrimony with a few hundred guests, one commonality is the inclusion, the necessity of a bridal bouquet.

Credit: Aunt Owwee

When the beloved tradition first bloomed, the choices of flowers were picked to symbolize the bride’s feelings about the wedding. The Sun Flower denoted adoration, and her bouquet of Zinnias spoke of her everlasting affection towards the groom.  But today, the symbolism has faded and the modern bride couldn’t care less if her dark crimson Rose bouquets used to represent mourning, as long as it looks fabulous against her dress.

While the representation of feelings through flowers is a custom that has since wilted away, the bouquet itself has remained a beloved tradition. Although we normally think of it in the most traditional wedding-lore sense, the bouquet is now walking down a less traditional aisle.

Feathers have taken flight as one of the most popular wedding dress embellishments recently and along with that trend, feather bouquets are gaining in popularity. The prices on feather bouquets range as wildly as the types of feathers they are crafted from. A small plume of feathers could cost around 50 dollars, while a cascading collection of peacock feathers could set the bride back 700 dollars. Whichever price, the feather bouquet is a gorgeous work of art that could be an heirloom for years to come.

Credit: Tyche’s Echo

Dried flower bouquets are a great alternative to fresh floral since they can tolerate more extreme weather conditions and harsh treatment, depending on the expertise in which they were dried.  A dried floral bouquet can be a beautiful addition to a country wedding or used to add a bit of antique charm in any ceremony. After the wedding, the bouquet isn’t something many brides just want to toss away for good, and this iteration can be transitioned easily into a beautiful long-lasting, treasured decoration for any home.

Credit: Swang168

With its ability to mimic the textures and sheen of the real thing, without the delicacy it’s no wonder brides are tossing out their flowers in favor of this silky rendition.  Silk bouquets are quite affordable depending on the size, but be sure to stay away from lower quality silk in cheaper pieces which can make the bouquet look like a tacky theater  prop.

For the bouquet buccaneers there are even crazier version to choose from. If you’re feeling crafty you can fold your own bouquet or even knit it. There’s even a use for all those brooches and clip-on earrings you’ve been collecting.

Brooch Bouqet photo credit: KristaCarolynG

Knitted bouquet photo credit: Dicemanic

 Paper floral photo credits: (Bottom) mary_thompson; (Top)clogozm

But real or fake, make sure the first thing in bloom when you see your potential bouquet is a smile on your face, because that’s how you’ll know it’s the one.

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1-2-3! Creative Table Numbers!

Posted on December 9, 2011 by Rachel

You’ve gone through all that work to create the best setup for your wedding reception. The perfect place settings-got it, the most gorgeous centerpiece-and check, boring old folded index cards…wait.

Those index cards numbering your tables could really stand to wreck the whole ambiance of the fabulously garnished settings you created, so make sure that the numbers stand out but in a way that complements the surroundings. Keep that index card in the file cabinet.

    Credits: Tracy Hunter

One trend that’s finally kicked the antique bucket, so to speak, is the vintage trend.  The once popular rustic and rusty decorations that highlighted this much-played trend are being traded in for more simple, handmade decorations that sill remain elegant and refined. So skip that trip to the flea market, pack away your Mason jar candle holders, and head on over to the craft shop to find what you need to add the finishing touches to your reception tables.

Credits: Special Invites

Figuring out how to make your table numbers personal and unique while maintaining a budget is easy to do as long as you let your creative side shine through. Take a look at the world around you and envision ways to turn mundane objects into pretty, numbered works of art. Even take altered looks at objects you or your fiancé fancy for inspiration. Think of your favorite book, not as something with a good story once cracked open, but something that could tell the tale of where to seat your guests. Most ordinary objects can transform into a creative way to seat people, it just depends on how you look at it.

 Credits: (Bottom) Grenade; (Top) Cuttlefish

Ok, so you don’t have one creative bone in your body, oh well. Just use your fabulous eye for style and pick out some gorgeous stationary, once you have the table numbers printed on, use atheistically similar holders to keep the cards and guests in their place. This classic look will always be in style no matter what trend makes its uprising in the future.

       Credits: (top right) Wedding Paraphernalia; (left) blmurch; (bottom right) bourgeoisbee

Use the motif of your wedding to inspire brilliant ideas and eye pleasing décor. For example, a western inspired wedding calls for the use of cowboy hats. Stencil in the table numbers and place them in the center to round up your guests in style.

Themes are important to pick for every wedding. Not only do they let your unique flavor as a couple shine, the most important thing is that they help simplify things for you, by giving you structure and in turn, narrow down décor options! So pick a theme and carry it throughout your table, there are numbers of reasons to get creative!

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What to do with all that STUFF after the wedding!

Posted on November 22, 2011 by Rachel

After your wedding you might find yourself with a few or more things on your “do not want list”, rest assured we aren’t talking about your new husband (a little newlywed humor). We’re talking about that wedding day wasteland you’ve accumulated. The stuff you spent countless hours picking out, matching and fretting over can turn out to be extra baggage once the reception is over.

You want to focus on celebrating your new life together, not cleaning up the path that led there. Figuring out what to do with all those wedding day leftovers before the wedding can leave you to  pack for the honeymoon after you say “I do” instead of packing up the garbage pails.

The Flowers

Don't let your house turn into a jungle!

Those flowers matched the decor so well and added to the ambiance perfectly. Unfortunately you now have about 20 to 30 bunches of flowers, from the bridesmaids bouquets to the centerpieces, to deal with. Unless you really want your house to look like a botanical garden you have to make plans to take care of them in advance.

Drying out some of the flower arrangements that will otherwise wilt away can keep the wedding day memories fresh in your mind. Properly dried floral arrangements can last for decades, so feel free to place them around the mantle or dining room table to commemorate the day for years to come.

If dried flower bouquets clash with your home decor but you like the idea of having the flowers as a keepsake, try making potpourri from the floral foliage.  Some companies can turn your flowers into the sweet-smelling mulch for you, or you can get crafty and create it yourself. Donating your flowers is also a mood-lifting way to depart with your Daffodils. Send the bouquets to a local nursing home to perk up their rooms and lift their spirits!

Food and cake

That 6 tiered wedding cake was a great idea, it was literally the highlight of the reception, but now you still have about 4 tiers of cake left. Since you’d like to fit into your bathing suit on your honeymoon to Barbados, some options to get rid of it are out. But, with a bit of planning before the wedding you can make sure that you are left with an amount of cake that doesn’t consume you.

Keep extra “doggie boxes” around the cake and make sure everyone takes home a designated number of pieces. Take the top layer for yourself and freeze it until your one year anniversary.  Commemorate the day with memories from your wedding, and the actual cake from it too!

As for any leftover food, a soup kitchen or a homeless shelter would love to take extras off your hands to provide a nice meal for those who wouldn’t get one otherwise. You could also call ahead and offer to provide some local businesses with a food tray in their break room to recuperate weary workers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other Decorations

If for some reason the idea of turning your house into a botanical garden is resonating with you, then, maybe having 20 to 30 vases fits the territory. However, in most cases you’re going to want to figure out what to do with all the table decorations. If the vases or other such items are rather inexpensive, you can have the DJ announce close to the end of the reception that you’d like guests to feel free to take them home. Also make sure you talk to your florist and confirm that the arrangements, including the bases are yours to give out and don’t include any rented materials.  Depending on the value of the centerpieces you can even use a raffle to divvy out any decor you don’t have any use for. Reselling the expensive pieces is always another option. Or use the vintage theme to get cheap decorations that can entertain guests for weeks after the wedding, or spice up their life with decorative herb plants! Look for quality decorations that can be put to use after the wedding to make things easier on you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Making plans to clean up today can help you look forward to your future!

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The Morning After…What to do with your dress after the wedding!

Posted on November 15, 2011 by Rachel

You spent more money and time than you’d like to admit on your wedding dress, and who can blame you; the photos prove worth it! But what exactly can you do with it after the wedding?

It’s a cruel fate to keep that dress you pined over for months tucked away in the corner of your closet, but that seems to be the reality.

While it may seem even more cruel to completely trash your dress, there’s a trend that encourages the newly married to do just that.

Find a participating photographer, roll in whatever you want to, destroy your dress however you want and release those pent up bridezlilla frustrations that you had enough poise to hold in.

After this new rite of passage to, you’ll have surprisingly artistic photos that commemorate a new beginning and a new era of your life.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If that all sounds too barbaric, there are plenty of charities to donate your dress to. Brides Against Breast Cancer will sell your wedding gown and use the proceeds to help terminally ill patients create a memory with their family that wouldn’t be possible without the program. There are plenty of other programs to donate to, all with their own unique ways of helping the community.

Making a quilt from your wedding dress or even turning your dress into a christening gown for a little one can also be ways to use what would probably otherwise go unused.

Take your dress to a skilled tailor and have it renovated; sculpt it into a less formal cocktail-type dress to wear out with your new husband. He won’t be able to place it, but something about the way you look in your old, new dress will captivate him.

There’s nothing better than finding another use for something worth so much monetarily and sentimentally!

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A Mild Night: The New Bachelorette Party

Posted on November 8, 2011 by Rachel

As it goes in the movies, you’ve got to get out and do one more crazy thing before settling down. Go out get drunk, dance on tables blah blah. But as it turns out people are getting hitched at an older and wiser age, thus the urge to sew wild oats at bachelorette parties is being abandoned for fun group activities, or “mild oats” which won’t leave that lingering feeling of remorse the next morning. Ladies are leaving the lampshades on the posts and opting for calmer more elegant parties that everyone can enjoy without having to call into work the next day.

Planning

To get started planning a bachelorette party brainstorming must ensue. Decide first, on a theme for the night and plan around that accordingly. figure out if the party should be close to home or a long distance luggage fest. Once you know your destination destiny, pick a venue for the event and decide how long you’d like to linger-all day, night a whole weekend? Of course you also have to call dibs on the transportation, whether you’d like a party bus or a limo and then be sure to divvy up any costs of the party between the leading ladies. Once you know where you’re going party wise, that rough idea of the date should be more solidified. So don’t worry so much  about setting a date that everyone can make, just get a general idea at first and work your way around it. A few weeks before the party, call and reconfirm all the plans you made with the venues, services and entertainment to make sure all plans are still go!

A mild bachelorette party may sound like a snooze fest to some, but it can actually be a great time for bonding, sharing stories and creating memories. I mean, really how much bonding can you do in that sweaty dance bar with the weird guys trying to gyrate on the bride-to-be.

Mild Ideas

A clam night out with the girls or a relaxing day get away can really refresh everyone and help you transition smoothly into married life. Some mellow bachelorette parties can be as inexpensive as a night in with the girls and a good chick flick.

Credits: Madilyn Peiper

Guests can all participate in a bachelorette pot luck were everyone can bring in something they made for a fab feast. Make sure to keep the decor fresh, funky and girly too keep that party vibe alive!

Credit: aprillynn77

Playing fun games that get everyone to participate  can also be part of the festivities. Scavenger hunts and how-well-do-you-know-the-bride games for fun prizes can get everyone revved up for fun. You can even have your friends help you put together items for the wedding reception like the centerpieces or any other crafty ideas you’d like help creating.

For a day out, a trip to the spa is really garnering much love from the bride and her besties. Nothing soothes a frayed, tired-from-wedding-planning-soul like a manni-peddie, a facial or a massage.

Girls are also heading to a new kind of bar scene for bachelorette parties. A sushi bar party can be a delicious treat for everyone whether you want to hire a sushi chef to come to a desired location or make reservations at the hottest sushi restaurant in town.

Credits: (left) besighyawn; (right) ponzu

Make sure to have vegetarian options available, like yummy asparagus or mushroom rolls.

You can hit up a theater and catch a local play or if your favorite band is in town, group up and go! A fun night indoors doesn’t have to begin with showing your id card to a bouncer.

If you’re a bit on the wild side, get your girls to venture the great outdoors. Get out of town, rent a camper for the weekend and search for adventure. Fishing, hiking or just laying by the lake shore, there’s no rules that confine you to a certain type of party!

       Credits: (all) angelie

But no matter what you do, as long as your best friends are there by your side, you’ll end up creating memories that will last a lifetime!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Credit: Ralph Aichinger

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Planning a Holiday Wedding

Posted on November 1, 2011 by Jenna Zielbauer

If the thought of getting all of your family together in one place for your wedding is a daunting one then planning your wedding on or around a holiday may be the best idea for you. There are plenty of holidays to choose from but for the sake of being practical here are a few tips to keep in mind when planning your Thanksgiving, Christmas or New Year’s Eve wedding.

1. Sure for your own family a holiday wedding is practical, fun and a new way to celebrate that holiday for the year but for your friends it may be a little different. Understand how busy that time of year is for them and with your wedding you’ll only be adding more to their itinerary not to mention possibly taking them away from their families during the special holiday season.  There is no right or wrong here but before you commit to anything really take the time to weigh the pros and cons of a holiday wedding, especially one that falls on Thanksgiving, Christmas or New Year’s Eve. I personally had a holiday wedding (Memorial Day) and we got a lot of backlash from people about the choice of our wedding date. We made an executive decision that we were sticking to our date regardless of what people thought and dealt with whatever “drama” if you will that came along with our wedding date. This decision is an important one and it is even more important for you and your fiance to discuss it in greater detail and agree that a holiday wedding is best for you. Believe me, you won’t want to be arguing about this for the remainder of your engagement.

2. Start making your plans like yesterday. The holiday season is a busy time of year for parties which could make your choice for a venue, florist, caterer, etc. limited. As soon as you have committed to a date it is time to book your venue, caterer, DJ/band, and florist as many other people will be planning events on that day as well. 

3. Send out those save the dates and send em’ out early. It is courteous and very wise of you to send out your save the dates approximately 6 months before the wedding. You can send them out even earlier if you prefer, but 6 months is ample time for people to plan for your upcoming holiday wedding. Invitations should also go out 3 months before your big day rather than the standard 2 months. If you have a lot of out of town guests I would also include some recommendations for discounted hotels in the area so they can make proper arrangements before everything is booked out. 

4. Take advantage of the holiday decor. I’ve never met a venue that didn’t decorate for the holiday season which can make your job of planning the decor a bit easier. Incorporating the holiday theme in your wedding can cut back on costs and help people feel like they are still celebrating a holiday, not just attending you wedding. 

5. Incorporate seasonal food/drinks in your menu. Many people associate certain foods and or drinks with the holiday season. Serving such items like spiced apple cider or spiked egg nog at your wedding will really create that holiday atmosphere people long for making the day that much more memorable for them and you of course. And if you are hosting a New Year’s Eve wedding a champagne toast and all of the NYE accessories is a must! 

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Getting to know Clark and Diversey: Interview with Stephanie

Posted on October 30, 2011 by Rachel

Stephanie Fontaine

Keeping up with fashion trends from year to year can be hard to do. Tossing away outdated styles, wasted money; it’s for the birds. But as summer trends fly south for the winter, Stephanie Fontaine works to design fashion statement pieces that will have brides flocking to her no matter what the season. A bright feathery hair pin can chase away the winter blues. A bright floral headpiece for spring can pay homage to the beauty in bloom around you. A fierce fiery barrette can make the fall leaves twinge with jealousy. Whatever the season, whatever the trends, Clark & Diversey is a brand dedicated to letting a woman’s inner style and beauty shine on the outside.

Not only does she put lots of love into her bright and energetic designs, she puts herself into the shoes of the women who she designs for, “If I wouldn’t wear a creation, neither should anyone else,” she states. Wearing a piece from Clark & Diversey means you’re going to be turning heads-for all the right reasons. Designs that are elegantly current and that age gracefully, that’s Clark & Diversey. They are well-crafted pieces in tune with today’s trends but sophisticated enough to be tomorrow’s wearable heirlooms.

Stephanie’s roots in design started by chance when she found herself making head pieces for a friend’s ‘20s themed birthday party and she’s never looked back. She dives into her work with a passion and draws inspiration from the life around her. She loves what she does and we love what she does too!

Montrose Flower (left); Addison (right)

So, Stephanie, where are you from originally? Short story: Morton Grove, IL (north suburb of Chicago) Longer story: born in Cebu City, Philippines & moved to New York when I was 13 months. Headed to Chicago a couple years later.

Where did the name of you company come from? I used to live a block away from the intersection of Clark and Diversey streets in East Lakeview.

Your designs are so uniquely beautiful, what do you love most about designing and creating your own pieces? Actually creating the piece – pulling together materials to create something that’s one of a kind. Lots of love goes into each piece!

Besides love, What are some of your other favorite materials or fabrics to work and create with? Textured fabrics, vintage lace, silk organza, feathers, rhinestones, crystals, peals and beads. When possible, I try to source eco-friendly materials, luxurious scrap fabrics from bridal gowns, and cruelty-free feathers.

Quincy (left); Chicago 33 Flower (right)

You have to be constantly thinking of new ideas for your designs, where do you get your inspiration for new collections? My travels, both domestic and international. The colors, architecture, culture, food, sounds and feelings influence and motivate my creations.

What are your favorite place to travel, the best places to draw inspiration from? I have SO many favorite places. I love Madrid, Prague and Istanbul. Belize, Scandanavia and the Philippines are also gorgeous places to visit. So … hard… to… decide!

Ok, so you draw inspiration from gorgeous places I’ve only seen in pictures, but you have to be up to date on the trends too, so what bridal trends are you seeing for 2011/2012? More textures and splashes of color. It’s not going to be all white & ivory – at least not in my book!

Now, forgetting about trends,  sum up your look and aesthetic in three words. Free-spirited, vibrant and wanderlust. Because I’m quite eclectic, with my pieces running the gamut of bridal to edgy, just as I bounce all over the globe to travel!

Now on to you; how would you describe your personal style? Always changing. Impartial to color, stripes and edgy pieces paired with a back or gray base. And don’t forget the flair! I always don at least 5 pieces of flair when I go out.

So what was your style like in high school? More specifically…what did your prom dress look like? My mom sewed the entire shebang for me. It was tailor-fit maroon a-line with a fitted waist, skirt flaring to the knees. it’s quite modern and I’d wear it again!

Stephanie's something blue

 

Is there a piece you created that you can brag about? One that you just adore and holds a special place in your heart?  I have to say it is the aqua blue flower I made for my own destination wedding in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. It embodies beachy; festive colors with happiness and lightness – how I felt during our wedding. Oh, and by the way, I whipped up that piece the morning we caught our flight! My husband did my packing.

 

What other designers do you admire? Ones that you feel ‘get it’ when it comes to fashion. alice + olivia, Stella Mccartney, Free People, matt & nat, Antonio Ballatore.

 

Chicgo 39

What about your clients, is there a piece they just fell in love with? An unexpected hit? Yes – the Chicago #39 with pearls and Swarovski crystals. It’s the #1 seller for me on Bella Bleu and I had no clue it would be in such demand.

What do you do on your days off from work? Though I work every day, I take breaks whenever I feel like it! My husband, San Diego transplant, and I love poking around Chicago’s neighborhoods, popping into boutiques and restaurants, soaking in the city’s eclectic culture. We sold our cars before we moved into the city and get around via bicycles or public transportation during inclement weather.                                                                                  

It all sounds like such a fun journey for you, but what’s been the most exciting time in your career thus far? Though I always remember to celebrate the small victories, I knew I hit something good when I received press in a magazine (Exquisite Weddings).

You love all your clients, but who would you especially love to design a piece for?  I would LOVE to make something for Ellen Degeneres. She’s such a positive, kindred spiritwith the best sense of humor. I’d create a nature-inspired boutonniere for her jacket lapel and something airy to pin in Portia’s hair.

Do you have any pearls of wisdom to give out to the brides-to-be reading this? Remember your big day is about you and your partner making a lifelong commitment. Stay true to yourselves when it comes to your big day! I love to travel and my husband loves to surf, hence we got hitched on a beach in the Carribean.

What’s your goal in life? What do you have to accomplish before life’s journey is over?  Travel to as many countries as my age. I’m 9 countries behind right now…

Do you have any pets? Who runs to the door when you come home? 3 furry, meowy kids – Olli, Ox and Eko (added to the family April 2011). We’re planning to rescue a retired racetrack greyhound in the near future.

Ok, time to dig a bit deeper! What’s your guilty pleasure? Those horrible tabloid magazines (US, People, etc) that are nothing but printed half-truths and lies about the stars.

Do you have an all-time “favorite song”? I have a million. However, we walked down the sandy aisle to Jason Mraz’s “I’m Yours” and Izzy Kamakawiwoʻole’s “What a Wonderful World”. Hearing the tunes puts a huge grin on my face.

Do you have any secret talents that not many people know about? You can tell us!  I’m one to brag about my talents! I am the queen of dace-offs! But, the oddest one I have is that I can usually guess the correct time within a few minutes. Except when I’m jet-lagged.

Well, we also know what time it is now! It’s time to head on over to Clark & Diverseys’ corner on our website and check out her gorgeous designs!

Grand Flower (left); Belmont Flower (right)

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Groom’s Cake-It’s His Turn!

Posted on October 24, 2011 by Rachel

Yeah, you got sparkly crystal centerpieces, rustic mood lighting and your fresh rose bouquet- dyed blue and pink to match the bridesmaids dresses. But the one person who just might be indifferent about it all, from the fabulous vintage wedding to that must-have mod lounge you rented for the reception, is that guy you’re going to call your husband. While he doesn’t need many fancy accessories to get him wedding ready, it might be a good idea to find ways to make him feel included in the wedding decorating bonanza.

If you just can’t seem to get him into picking the centerpieces, one thing he’s sure to be interested in is the cake.  Picking out his own special cake is a sure fire way to make the groom giddy. Not only will he feel appreciated with it- he’ll also be helping you stay in tune with one of the hottest comeback trends in weddings today. The groom’s cake is actually a tradition that dates back to the 1700s; however, back then the cake was nothing more than a plain and simple symbol of recognition for the groom. Today, with popularity for customizing weddings, the groom’s cake has grown into a manly work of art.

The groom’s cake can take its own spotlight and be served at rehearsal dinners or day-after brunches. He can even share the main stage at the final reception if he doesn’t mind getting slightly overshadowed by that couture cake you had made…or vice versa.

Whether you surprise him with a cake he’ll love, or have him come up with his own inspired design, the groom’s cake is a fun way to celebrate his individuality and maybe a bit of the reason you fell in love with him in the first place.

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