Adorable Lingerie Collection from AdoreMe

Have you ladies heard of AdoreMe?  They're an online lingerie company that sells super cute matching sets of bras and undies.  They just released some items from their sexy lingerie Spring Collection, so we thought it would be fun to create wedding mood boards around the colors of these new sets--check them out below!

The Lace set comes in a gorgeous shade of pink called blush, which has been (and still is) one of the most popular choices in wedding color palettes.  We envisioned Lace paired with some really pretty uses of blush--within wedding flowers, an invitation suite and even fabulous wedding shoes!

Next up, we have the Bonnie set!  Anyone who knows me knows that blue is my absolute favorite color, so we really had fun with this one.  We used turquoise as our color inspiration and paired the set with some bridesmaids' dresses in various shades of blue, simple but elegant blue hued vases (for more of a rustic or vintage wedding theme) and a gorgeous blue wedding cake.

Yellow has always been a popular spring and summer wedding color, so the Sharieta set really caught our eye.  We were inspired by lemons (mostly because we recently planned a wedding that used lemons as centerpieces!) so chose images that best reflected that!  If having a yellow themed wedding, a candy bar with lemon shaped candies work well, as does a macaron tower for a wedding dessert twist and a beautiful bouquet with succulents and yellow craspedia (also known as billy balls). 

And last but not least, we've got the Kacie set in a fiery (and sexy) shade of red!  Most people think you can only use red for fall and winter weddings, but we were inspired by the idea of pairing red with some lighter shades which can easily work for a summer wedding.  Pair it with pink or blush in a bouquet, white on a cake or with black(berries) for a fun signature drink.

Which set is your favorite?!

Hottest New Wedding Gown Trends from LA's Bridal Market

In addition to my own wedding planning company This Modern Love Events, I am also the Assistant Director for the Association of Wedding Gown Specialists.  It's an awesome gig that I happened upon when bringing my own wedding gown to Sally Conant Ph.D., who not only runs the award-winning gown cleaning & preservation company called Orange Restoration Labs in Orange, CT, but is also the Executive Director for the Association of Wedding Gown Specialists.  This is so perfectly complementary to my business and means I get to live and breathe weddings pretty much every day!

They tasked me with representing the Association in Los Angeles last month for TheKnot's bridal Couture Show, where dozens of designers showcased their new gowns for the upcoming bridal season and where bridal shop owners can place orders for these gowns for brides (like you) to purchase!

The Association is a sponsor at all of the Couture Show events hosted by TheKnot, and are there so we can meet with designers and offer them our free gown care labels to put in the wedding gowns.  This is so that after the wedding, a bride can call one of our Gown Specialists (represented in 500 cities around the world) to clean and/or preserve their wedding gown.

I invited my cousin Tiffany along with me (her first time to California!) and she helped me set up our sponsor lounge.

Tiff helping me put together preservation boxes for our display!

Sponsor table

Sponsor lounge where attendees were able to relax and munch on some donuts and fruit

We saw some fabulous gowns from both established and up & coming wedding gown designers.

Casablanca Bridal Runway Show

How gorg is the back of the 2nd dress on the left?!

Lost in a sea of wedding gowns!

More fab wedding gowns.  The one in the middle actually had a bluish tint which was really unique and pretty

The show happened over the course of two days and on the first night TheKnot threw a fabulous party on a rooftop that overlooked the Hollywood sign.  

Enjoying cocktails and hor d'oeuvres courtesy of TheKnot

We had a great time!  Sally and I will also be at the upcoming bridal fashion week shows this October in NYC, again hosted by TheKnot, held at the Metropolitan Pavillion, and another show hosted by New York International Bridal Week at Pier 94.  It's going to be a busy but fun-filled weekend!  I'll be sure to share lots of photos :)

Stylish Wedding Suits for Spring

Spring is FINALLY here folks and you know what that means!  It's time to put away those heavy overcoats, boots, gloves and dark clothing in favor of lighter and brighter apparel.  With that in mind, check out these chic and stylish suits for Spring, courtesy of designer Bonobos.

Their new collection features lightweight seersucker and cotton suits that are not only perfect for spring weddings, but for hot summer weddings as well.  We love the colors and styles!

Have a groom who's a bit more on the casual side?  Check out these looks below.

And for a splash of color, these ties and pocket squares are the perfect accessory.

If your groom prefers a more formal look for the wedding but comfort is just as important to him as style, these suits below may fit the bill.

And the best part?  Bonobos offers Groom Service at retail locations to helps grooms find the perfect looks for their wedding.  This service is by appointment only, so find the location nearest you and schedule yours today.  Happy shopping!

Wedding Dresses for Non-Traditional Brides

Who says you can only wear white on your wedding day?  Or that you can only wear a dress on your wedding day?  If you are a bride who balks at traditions of any kind, check out these jaw-droppingly gorgeous wedding outfits that will wow your guests.  Traditions be damned!

Lady in Red / Photo via Lover.ly

Don't be afraid to rock a red frock on your wedding day.  It's bold, bright color will create a look that's uniquely you on your wedding day.

Ethereal elegance in Elie Saab / Photo via Pinterest

Elie Saab makes some truly gorgeous dresses and this one is no exception.  It's elegant and floaty skirt will make you feel like a bride, but it's lavender-like color and intricate beading on the bodice will make you look like anything but the typical bride.

Blue and crystal elegance / Gown by designer Ziad Nakad

This dress is absolutely stunning not only because of its sleek silhouette style, but the beautiful crystal detailing all throughout the dress and it's lovely blue color.  This is for the red carpet bride looking to make a grand entrance.

LBD (Long Black Dress) / Photo via Pinterest

Channel your inner vamp in this black gown by designer Rami Kadi.  It's daring and the complete opposite of the virginal white dress--and it'll make an impression that your guests will never forget.

Like a boss / Photo via Pinterest

Want to ditch the dress altogether?  Check out this insanely classy and stylish Elie Saab pantsuit.  The white color will put traditional-minded guests at ease, but that's where the tradition ends and seriously couture fashion begins. 

Would you consider wearing any of these styles on your big day? 

Bridal Undergarments...Vavavoom!!

So I'm not going to lie--I was actually a tad disappointed when I learned at my first fitting that I didn't need to wear a bra with my dress.  I had already done hours of research trying to find the perfect undergarment and learned all sorts of things about bridal shape wear.  At my most recent fitting, the seamstress just ended up sewing cups into the dress.  Practical? Yes.  But boring!!!!

If I did have to purchase something for under the dress, here are the ones I would have considered.

FYI some of these images may be a tad bit NSFW so view with caution!

Dominique Embroidered Lace Torsolette / Image via Classic ShapeWear

Agent Provocateur Kate Corset / Image via Agent Provocateur

Bare Necessities long-line underwire bra / Image via The Knot

Dominique long-line smooth strapless bra / Image via The Knot

 Now as for something I can potentially purchase--I'm currently searching for some sexy yet comfortable black underwear.  And I'm not talking Agent Provocateur sexy--there's no way I can justify spending $200 for a single pair of undies.  I heard the brand Hanky Panky makes cute ones but I'm also looking for something preferably made from cotton.  Oh and no thongs!  This booty needs full coverage (even under a ball gown).

Will you be wearing bridal shapewear?  Also, do you have any recommendations for cute inexpensive undies?

My Journey to the Dress: 2nd Fitting

I had my second dress fitting recently and so far, all is good!  Bridesmaid A came along with me for squeeing, moral support and photo-taking (thanks boo!)  It had been nearly 3 months since my first fitting, so it was exciting to see the dress again and what changes had been made.  Because I'm on the shorter side, the seamstress had previously cut a lot from the bottom of the dress during the 1st fitting.  This time around, the bottom had been hemmed and looked brand new.  As for the bodice, there still needs to be a few inches taken in on both sides as well as right above my hips (thank you MyFitnessPal and P90X!) which I think will be finished in time for my 3rd fitting next week.

For this second fitting I had all the same accessories I brought along the first time, with the addition of my wedding day jewelry from Etsy (delivered one day before the fitting).  I had this necklace and these earrings favorited on Etsy for MONTHS--I knew I had to have them when I initially read the words "vintage" and "peacock" in the description.  So I finally decided to pull the trigger a few weeks ago...and I absolutely love them!!

via Etsy Shop Azure Treasures

via Etsy Shop Azure Treasures

As you guys know, I'm not sharing actual pics of the dress until the wedding, but here are some teasers from the fitting--I can't wait to share the final look with you all :)

I feel like I'm doing something naughty behind the pixelation! / Personal Photo

The jewelry and Kate Spades make their debut!  / Personal Photo

Anyone else having a pretty good experience so far with your dress fitting?

Personal Touches

So with many major to-dos recently crossed off our list, it was time this week to start working on some small details and personal touches for the wedding.  First, remember awhile back I mentioned that instead of the traditional guestbook, we will have guests "autograph" vinyl records of our favorite artists?  Well being the obsessed Amazon Prime member that I am, I was able to find all the vinyls save for Bloc Party's "Silent Alarm" for pretty great prices.  I ordered the albums and two days later Mr. M got this nice big box delivered to his office;

Love getting packages from Amazon! / Personal Photo

Clockwise from top: Radiohead In Rainbows, M.I.A. Kala, Yeah Yeah Yeahs Show Your Bones, Arcade Fire Funeral / Personal Photo

The records, same order in the picture above.  Guests will use the gold sharpies in the middle to sign / Personal Photo

I've never owned a vinyl record in my life so it's cool to now have 4 (well technically 5--the M.I.A. one came with two!)  These artists are also very special to us because we've seen each live at least twice and consider many songs off these albums as part of the "soundtrack" of our relationship (I know it's cheesy, but it's true!)  After the wedding, we plan on framing the records and hanging them on the wall as a keepsake.

We will also be having a cupcake tower instead of a traditional cake but the top of the tower will have a 6" red velvet mini cake.  The image below is what we sent our baker for inspiration;

Of course there's a peacock feather! / Image via Cake Central

So to mimic the style of the top cake layer, I ordered the below items on Etsy to give to the baker;

I'm not sure which one to choose so I ordered the Rhinestone Buckle Sample Pack / via Etsy Shop Doo Me a Favor

Champagne Colored Ribbon, 1.5 inches / via Etsy Shop Doo Me a Favor

Described as Parrot Blue so hoping to get away with this being Teal, 1 inch / via Etsy Shop Sweet Ideas By Janet

The rhinestone buckle and ribbons will be used to decorate the bottom of the cake layer, like in the picture.

Also, on our recent visit to the venue we learned that the aisle length will be about 50 feet, so I started researching some 50 foot aisle runners and decided to purchase this one below--it was only $25!

50 Foot White French Lace Aisle Runner / Purchased on Koyal Wholesale

I have a ton more things left on the list to purchase but I think I'll wait until I receive some of the current items before purchasing other things.

Are you currently in the process of ordering items for your wedding?  Did I pay too much for the aisle runner or is that a good price?

Hair and Makeup Trial Reveal! (Part 2)

With the makeup perfected, it was time to move on to the hair.  My awesome stylist, Priska from Priska Coiffure in Montreal is also the same person who worked her magic on my hair for the engagement shoot back in July.  So with the picture of Tyra in hand, she set to working on a similar style.  I didn't want it to be an exact replica of her style, but something that worked with my hair length and type.

We ended up working out 3 versions of the side wave.  The versions may not seem all that different but trust me, they were.  This is a very pic-heavy post, so apologies in advance!

*All photos are personal unless otherwise noted.
 
Here was version #1--the wave was swept totally to the side of my head;

Here was version #2--she did a little lift in the front of the wave, which reminded me of a '40s updo:

And last but not least, version #3--the side sweeps down near my eyebrow;

And the winner was....version #3!  Something about the way the hair comes down slightly above my eyebrow had us thinking this was ultimately the best look for me.  So we actually took MANY more pictures just to make sure we captured all the angles she would need in order to recreate the look on the wedding day.  Since my hair isn't very long, we decided that the side bun needed some more volume on the wedding day, so will be using some extensions for that.

We even added the veil for good measure....

yea, yea I know it's wrinkled--it's been crammed in a box for 3 months.  Gotta figure out how to get those wrinkles out for the wedding...

And so the hair and makeup trials were complete!  There will be a few tweaks on the wedding day but other than that, I'm sure I'll be cheesin' it up the day of like I am in the photo below :)

 How did your hair and makeup trial turn out?