Tuesday, July 31, 2012

IRENE AND AARON'S SADDLEROCK RANCH WEDDING

 
One place on earth I'm most in love with has to be Malibu, California.  This wedding shot by the talented Ian Grant of is full of color, whimsy and believe it or not, actual zoo animals.
Ian says: We joined Aaron and Irene for their Saddlerock Ranch wedding out in the wilds of Malibu.  This venue is so cool--it's literally a zoo.  In order to get to the location you have to drive past all sorts of cool animals like zebras and emus.  not to mention there are beautiful vineyards all over, which make for great photo ops! Any venues where you feel like you're leaving the city and heading out into the wilderness is okay in our book. 
Irene says: We got engaged in Napa, so we wanted to run with something that emphasized the outdoors and nature.  Despite growing up in LA, we both attended collage on the East Coast and learned to appreciate any rare sunshine and warmth that came our way.  The second we saw Saddlerock we knew this would be the perfect place to share with our close friends and family, and emphasize our love for the outdoors and sun!"















CREDITS

Photography: Ian Grant Photography
Venue: Saddlerock Ranch  
Catering: 24 Carats 
Video: Still Motion 
DJ: SoCal DJ 
Makeup: Echo Makeup


Monday, July 30, 2012

BOUFFANT

 With every new collection comes an exciting launch! Last Tuesday photographer Joy Strotz dropped by my design studio to watch a fitting I had with the lovely Sabrina. Getting ready for our August 5 shoot at Villa Montalvo in Saratoga, CA, she'll be modeling pieces from Bouffant, a line reminiscent of that great era of fashion from the 1950s-60s.  This is another of my capsule collections this time focusing on bouffant and pencil style skirts in taffeta and bridal satin.  Most of the skirts have pockets, perfect for those wedding day essentials you want to carry around like lipstick. I'm going all out with accessories for this--pillbox and cocktail hats with a wisp of nose veil, hair florals, and short fly away pouf veils . . .Stay tuned in for a few surprises on this shoot.  Joy will not only be photographing my gowns but creating fashion art in the process.




Friday, July 27, 2012

COSMOPOLITAN CHIC BRIDES


Today I'm over on One Wed Blog talking about city weddings.  Cityscapes make exciting backgrounds for  weekday weddings and an alternative to sporting the big white dress.  City Hall is a place where vows go quickly usually followed up with a celebration near by.  Yes, a bride still gets to wear all those chic touches that say 'wedding' only abbreviated.  Hems  usually go cocktail or street length, veils either short or some  hat/veil combo and bouquets typically are small nosegays. Check out  some of the finest in citified chic from Fancy, New York.   READ MORE

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

CAGED



Cage veils fall in the category of the shorter ‘fashionista' veil that has gained so much popularity the past few years they've almost become the norm. I've always thought there's something chic, even edgy about a bride sporting a wisp of nose veil over her eyes. A little history lesson here-- Vera Wang reinvented the look for short pouf veils pairing them up with very formal gowns a few years back. Whether she wanted to show off the extraordinary back details of her gowns or usher in a new look, who can tell?  I only know the juxtaposition this duo created worked.  A few years later the cage was resurrected mostly by indie designers dabbling in vintage.
Brides say the best thing about wearing a shorter veil is, they don’t have to do any adjusting in that switch from the solemnity of ceremony to big time partying hearty. Short veils are also easy to maneuver around in and stay put whether you’re exchanging vowels, cutting cake or dancing,
As you can see by taking a look at these images--there's more than one way to don a cage.  Cages are a lot like hairdos; they sometimes need to be adjusted with hairpins and lots of patience to get the precise look you want and this is where your hairdresser can be a Godsend.  Cages are typically made out of either tulle, the standard light weight bridal veiling, or, netting—wider and crisper, offering a more structured and high fashion look 

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

A TOUCH OF BLUSH

Ooooooooooooooh don'tcha just love those dresses with that touch of blush!  Hints of pink and peach toned veils and fascinators . . . While it's been with us a couple seasons only now does blush seem to be coming into it's own all over the bridal industry.  I've  loved adding blush to my collections. Featured here are some of the hottest dresses and accessories I've created in beautiful blush . . . .


Dresses and head wear by Amy-Jo Tatum Bride/Photos by Lirette Photography and Diana Maire

Friday, July 20, 2012

A COUNTRY WESTERN WEDDING



 Yee Ha!!!!!!!!!!!! It's summer but you don't have to live in Montana to add these elements to your wedding. No mam, any countrified setting will do--as long as you've got yourself a farm, ranch or hay field for a day to kick up your heels, you can do it up country style.  And check it out--any dress accessorized with the right stuff can look cowgirly chic. A western bride with maids in cowboy boots and short dresses is a hot ticket right now.  All you have to do is add in some rustic elements like a weathered barn, pip berries and a few cowboy hats and you have the start of a real yeee ha! wedding.   Here are a few of my favorite ideas for the western wedding . . . .


Wednesday, July 18, 2012

DESIGNER SPOTLIGHT: KATJA NUUTINEN

Originally from Finland, Katja Nuutinen has quickly established herself as one of London’s most sought
after couturiers. From her Wimbledon studio she works closely with her clients to create stunning pieces of bespoke couture and bridal wear. Coming from a family of entrepreneurs, Nuutinen’s childhood interest in couture started by making soft toys and teddy bears, before moving onto clothes for family and friends. She later trained for four years and gained experience in many aspects of the clothing industry, before moving to London ten years ago. She now runs her business combining motherhood (her 18 month old accompanies her to the studio/boutique daily) and couture design.

Alongside her bespoke designs, Katja Nuutinen Couture has also recently launched a collection of
clutch bags, handmade in the UK from soft leathers and suede. Hats, fascinators and jewellery can
also be created to compliment a clients outfit. Katja commented; 'Through a gradual learning process I've honed my focus for haute couture design and love working with my varied mix of clients, from; artists, MP´s, International Directors and CEO´s but more importantly ’ordinary people’. Those who want to enjoy wearing an outfit of their dreams whether its for a Bride or wedding guest, red carpet event or simply their moment to shine!’








Green Values & Philosophy

Our production choices are influenced by trying to minimize our impact on nature. The energy we
use is generated by 100% wind power and we only use energy where and when necessary choosing
the most energy efficient and long life appliances, light bulbs etc. We try to create as little waste as
possible and currently recycle approximately 75%.

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

UPCYCLED

Can you really and truly restyle your mom's over the top 80's wedding dress into something stylish, hip and above the curve? Well take a look at these before and after photos! Those sleeves plastered with sequins and  huge butt bow. A group of vendors from Maryland put the above gown through a complete metamorphosis. After discovering this $25 thrift store dress and examining the many yards of still lovely fabric and beads, the task was set to recycle this outdated dress into something modern and elegant that any bride would want! And at the end of the project, a stunning designer original resulted made entirely of recycled and eco-friendly materials.  Bravo to all who combined their talents on this project . . .

Credits: 

Up Do's For I Do's, all-natural beauty for portrait shoot
Local Color Flowers, shoot floral arrangements
Shoes: Touch-Ups