I will second the adoration I’ve heard and read so many others express for Kate Middleton’s wedding dress. In my opinion, it was beautiful, but not overdone; classy and fresh; young, but still appropriate for the inherent conservative nature of a royal wedding; and, she seemed to be genuinely comfortable in it.

Her evening dress was equally as beautiful. I loved the little white angora shrug and just a hint of sparkle in the belt. It was reminiscent of the dress she wore for the ceremony, but more party worthy.

All in all, she hit the mark. As ABC News shared of their interview with Tim Gunn, the coach for Project Runway contestants read:

Gunn had nothing but praise for the newly named duchess of Cambridge, and her wedding dress. In describing her look, Gunn kept repeating the word “ravishing.” When asked to expand on this, he said, “Simply, she took my breath away.”

We’d be missing something not to note the beautiful, modern, streamlined look that was created across the wedding party with all the girls dressed in white. Although it’s common practice in the UK, wedding guests or members of a wedding party dressed in white is traditionally a no-no in the US. But, that may be changing.

A wedding party dressed in white can be appropriate for summer or winter and can lend itself toward almost any setting, especially a beautiful Colorado mountain wedding location where color just seems to detract from the landscape’s beauty.

It’s modern, it’s unique and hopefully, it will be trend that hops across the pond!

It likely won’t suprise you to hear that I was glued to the royal wedding last Friday morning. I actually went to a party early in the morning with some local wedding vendor friends. We drank English Breakfast tea, at shortbread and, wore tiaras. Mine was pink and yes, I’ve worn it since, but only around the house!

There were so many things I loved about the wedding–it was quintessentially romantic, simply beautiful and such an uplifting break. But one thing kept me gasping, the hats.

As you’ve likely read, my British grandmother died recently. In preparing for her memorial service, I sat with my family and looked through photos documenting her life. She was a fashionable lady and like so many British women, she wore hats. They weren’t in the bright colors or made of the feathers we saw the other day, but they were certainly several steps up from the baseball cap that I can be caught wearing to the grocery store!

In an effort to get some guts and maybe even wear a hat of my own for a wedding I’m a bridesmaid in this summer, I dove into the depths of London’s millinery shops and found some more favorites. What do you think? Do you love them too? Would you wear one to a wedding as a guest, bridemaid or maid/matron or honor? Brides, any chance you’ll opt for a fascinator or hat instead of a veil?

hats and photos from top :: Jane Taylor Millinery, Judy Bentick Millinery, Jane Taylor Millinery, Gina Foster Millinery, Judy Bentick Millinery, Gina Foster Millinery, Lock & Co. Hatters, Love My Dress (2)

As I said last week, I was honored to be a part of Substance, a workshop put on by Jenna Walker and Katie Thumes from Jenna Walker Photographers. They gathered 15 budding women photographers to talk craft, art, work and so much more.

I put together a Styled Shoot for the girls to play with and test out their newly refined skills. But, like all projects, I was not alone. Crystal Oleskevich created floral beauties. Liana from makeup by janine did the make up. Frisk Jewelry from Boulder loaned us a few of their pieces–this is just a small glimpse into all the fun pieces they make and sell out of their store on The Hill in Boulder. Friends at Chair Covers and Linens and All Events offered their linens, glasses, flatware and so much more.  And, finally, the gracious Paulette loaned us her car for the afternoon.

As for the inspiration, I have been collecting (much to mother’s uncertainty of their worth) state plates for a few years now. They are just so kitschy and so, well, wrong, that I think they’re fabulous. When Jenna and I started talking about the overall design, I offered a couple ideas in the Style File–state plate vintage-esque or spring bulb beauties. I wanted to be sure there was a more traditional, more standard pretty option for her to choose. I would be lying to say that I wasn’t thrilled when she chose the state plates and I finally had the chance to create the table that had been building alongside my collection.

It was designed to be a new take on the travel theme–rather than pastel colored maps and European backpacker inspired details, it’s highway, interstate or Route 66 kitsch! With old license plates tied to the backs of the chairs, brightly colored glassware, a vintage VW Bug with a Coca-Cola box tied on top and bottles of Bubble Up thrown in, it’s pure Americana!

photos by Jenna Walker Photographers

I had a great time putting together the ModYarn styled shoot with some of Denver’s incredible wedding vendors earlier this spring and am equally as thrilled to have it published today on the popular wedding blog, Style Me Pretty. Take a look!

photo by Keri Doolittle Photography

There are a few exciting sales going on at some of our favorite bridal salons this weekend. If you’re in search of a dress, head on out!

Anna Be Bridal Boutique is hosting a

Sample Sale
March 23-30

This is the sale that you’ve been waiting for! We will have a select number of sample dresses on sale – they are a minimum of 30% and as much as 70% off! We’ll have gowns from all of our top designers including Vera Wang, Lela Rose, Watters, Nicole Miller, and so much more. 

In the past, our sample sales have booked out completely, so call today if you’re interested.

Please note that we do not decide which of our samples will go on sale until the morning of the sale! In order to be as fair as possible, we do not accept pre-sample sale appointments to preview the sale and will not be able to sell any dresses off the rack before the sale starts. Visit their web site for the rules.

Bella Bridesmaid is hosting an

Amsale Bridesmaid Trunk Show
March 18-20
15% off your bridesmaid order!
Orders much be placed by March 31 to receive discount.
www.amsale.com

Little White Dress is hosting a

Designer Spotlight:  Claire Pettibone – In Person!

Trunk Show: March 25-27th

Claire Pettibone designs for the sophisticated, sexy, and romantic woman who loves intricate detailed laces with hints of vintage tones in a modern silouette.  Beautifully patterned filigrees and sheer sexiness that draws an air of romantic fantasy are her trademarks. Soft European and French original lacework, along with silk linings feel luxurious from head to toe.

Enjoy meeting the fabulous, one-of-a-kind Claire with her 2011 Spirit of the Night collection ~ Friday, Saturday & Sunday, March 25-27th at LWD!

Although I had originally intended to do a series of posts sharing what I as a wedding planner was doing for my wedding and details around all the little things throughout the planning process, I didn’t. It wasn’t that I wanted to hide anything from anyone about our plans, but rather that I wanted to ensure that our clients’ weddings were their own and not influenced in any way by what I had chosen.

And, if I’m honest, throughout the planning process, well-meaning people would ask me to share details thinking that I’d have some crazy lighting in store or more flowers than they’d ever seen in one place or some over the top idea for this or that. I really didn’t and although I think our wedding was beautiful and unique, it wasn’t necessarily all that astounding from a “stuff” perspective. The things that were memorable were the ceremonies, ways we incorporated our families and cultures, traditions we bucked and others we embraced. It was an absolutely blissful day, I wouldn’t have changed a thing—there’s a reason the bottom of our invites read “Dinner, dancing, a, bonfire and ridiculous amounts of joy immediately following the ceremony.”

I believe fully that your wedding should be reflective of the two of you and your lives together, not simply what was seen in a magazine or, on a wedding planner’s blog.

All this being said, as I said on Friday, I’ve been excited for the right time to share these photos with you—Talia Events’ clients and readers, fellow Colorado wedding vendor friends and those friends and clients I don’t know yet. So, for the rest of the week, I’ll share a bit more about what I experienced as a Wedding Planner turned bride and a bit more about the day as a whole.

Our Mission

If you’ve followed this blog for long or, have been one of Talia Events’ clients, you’ll know that I think it’s incredibly important to figure out what three things are most important to the two of you early in the planning process.

For us, it was imperative that we hosted a day that was as easy as possible for our loved ones to attend, that it was indicative of us and our hometown and, as a former floral designer, I was excited about the flowers.

I know it sounds cliché, but the people in attendance were most important. We wanted to make sure that the things we loved, our heritage and our families and family of friends were well represented and that the day was joyous for all in attendance.

So today, as I begin a week of posts on our wedding, I thought I’d start with those who stood beside us, our beloved wedding party.

Matchy Match Begone: A mix of wedding party attire

Our wedding party was our family. It included all our nieces and nephews (with the exception of a babe), our siblings and their partners, a couple cousins and two close friends.

In thinking about their attire, I decided to buck the traditional practice of choosing two or three colors and instead focus on a range of similar colors that worked together.

Our bridesmaids chose their own dresses. It was fabulous—they were comfortable on the wedding day and were in attire they would truly wear again. It was a fun process as we went shopping on-line or in person. They sent me links to web sites of dresses they’d found, I sent links of dresses that I thought they might like, we held impromptu fashion shows and my brother’s incredible fiancé and I stood crying with dress in hand at Anthropologie as I asked her to stand-up with us while they were visiting last spring—the acquisition of bridesmaids dresses was touched with all the excitement of also acquiring 4 new sisters, something I’d always dreamed of.

The flower girls’ outfits might have been my favorites of the day—cream tutus and embellished t-shirts (one was complete with a pearl necklace, a little girl’s dream). All the girls, grown-up and little, wore ballet flats. Mine were decorated with a variety of pewter sequins, beads and bobbles, others’ were gold and animal printed. 

My dress was a simple strapless, ivory chiffon Jenny Yoo dress. I actually had a difficult time finding a dress until one day while skimming through Martha Stewart Weddings magazine, I saw an ad with a model in a fabulous muted teal bridesmaid dress. I went online to the designer’s web site and found Jenny Yoo’s line of Bridal Alternatives. I knew that Anna Be in Denver had the bridesmaids dresses, but it wasn’t until I started talking with the staff and they mentioned “You know, we have this new line that you might like,” that I found the dress. As it turns out, I ended up with the bride’s version of the teal dress I found in the ad. It was serendipitous!

It suited to the location and occasion perfectly and was comfortable throughout the day. A friend of my mother’s knit me a wrap sweater to put on as the temperatures dipped in the evening. You can’t tell from the pictures, but it was ivory with flecks of metallic in the yarn and will forever be a treasure!

The groomsmen were asked to wear navy or grey suits and white shirts and we provided each of them with a different navy or blue tie. They coordinated, but didn’t match.

That, I suppose, was the idea–unmatching comfort for all!

photography: Tyler Jones Photography

cinematography: Rising Moon Video Productions

flowers: Cori Cook Floral Design

location: Planet Bluegrass, Lyons, CO

catering: Greens Point Catering

cake and desserts: Teacup Shop

makeup: makeup by janine

hair: Girls and Curls

bride’s dress: Jenny Yoo from Anna Be Bridal Boutique

wedding design and planning: Talia Events

Pantone, the self-proclaimed color authority,  announed their 2011 color of the year.  It’s honeysuckle, a bright, energetic, youthful pink. I thought the story behind their decision was particularly interesting. Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute® said:

In times of stress, we need something to lift our spirits. Honeysuckle is a captivating, stimulating color that gets the adrenaline going – perfect to ward off the blues.  Honeysuckle derives its positive qualities from a powerful bond to its mother color red, the most physical, viscerally alive hue in the spectrum.

The intensity of this festive reddish pink allures and engages. In fact, this color, not the sweet fragrance of the flower blossoms for which it was named, is what attracts hummingbirds to nectar. Honeysuckle may also bring a wave of nostalgia for its associated delicious scent reminiscent of the carefree days of spring and summer.

What do you think? Do you like it? Will it make an appearance at your Colorado wedding?

When I lived in Chicago straight out of college I worked as a, you guessed it, event planner for a nonprofit organization on Michigan Avenue. When spring days finally broke up the Chicago winters, co-workers and I would hit the street over lunch and window shop. It was, and may still be, one of the best window shopping strolls in the country.

One of my favorite stores to go by was Max Mara. Their clothes are modern, simple, but real. I don’t know how it happened, but while poking around online the other day I stumbled across the Max Mara web site. It turns out that they too have turned their attention to bridal and now have a small line of bridal gowns and bridesmaids dresses. Take a look, enjoy a bit of window shopping!

It seems that everyone’s thinking weddings these days. The popular store, White House, Black Market just launched a wedding line complete with fun, stylish accessories, a number of bridesmaids options and a line-up of darling accessories, including this cute flower purse.

If you’ve found your dress, but are still having troubles figuring out what your maids will wear, take a look at Bella Bridesmaid in Denver. They’re hosting an Amsale trunk show this weekend, March 18-20 and are offering a 15% discount on all orders placed before April 9th. Give them a call at 303.377.2025 to set up an appointment.