Oh, Say, Can You See? Patriotic and Posh

Who says you can't have a glamorous Independence Day wedding?  Here's the secret to playing with color palettes...experiment with the shade.  For example, navy, burgundy and ivory can go country americana very quickly.  But, make the red, bold, and the blue, vibrant, and you have a stunning tribute to your country and chic style.  Mix complicated color palettes with lush accents and you have a recipe for eye-catching glamour.  In this inspiration board, we drew inspiration from the stars and stripes by using mirrored surfaces, colored bling and satiny textures.  The result is patriotic and posh.

Happy Fourth!!

1)  Dubai- Blue by Enzoani
2)  The Knot
3) BRIDES
4)  Limited Edition Satin Bow Dress by Karen Millen
5)  Christian Louboutin
6)  ifood
7)  Evening Bag by Moyna

Valentin-YES!

We'll say a big, "YES, PLEASE!" to these gorgeous Valentino pumps!  

We think they are oh SO worth finding room in the budget for!!

Valentino Rhinestone-Bow Satin Pump

Simply Inspired.

Tonight I sat down to write an entry for this blog and thought, “I need inspiration.”  So I went to my usual source of information- Google.  But, the problem is that true inspiration can’t come from a google session.  

Sidebar: You’ll hear me talk a lot about these sessions, because I am probably the queen of google.  Learn to work your way around those "Images," "Everything," and "Real Time," and you can pull off a fab wedding in no time.

Anyway...

I wanted to post something that you all could find inspiring, but I couldn’t quite find the inspiration myself, through google or otherwise.  The thing about inspiration is that it comes out of nowhere.  Inspiration comes from what you love.  It comes from who you are- what makes you you.

• If you love being outside, go on a hike, take pictures, and come back with your color palette.  

• If you love music, make a mix of your favorite songs, lock yourself in a room for an hour, listen to all of the songs and write down exactly how you feel in those moments.  You’ll come out with a feeling that you’ll want to share with your guests through your playlist.  

• If you love art, go visit a gallery and pick a time period that makes you weak in the knees and base your decor around the abstract shapes that draw your attention or the lush aura of a romantic painting.

Your lifestyle should dictate your BrideStyle.  But, you have to do some digging!  Take this time to get to know yourself and what’s really important to you.  Draw inspiration from your every day life, whether it be the bold yellow of a taxi in the city or the gorgeous simplicity of an open field in the springtime.

Ah, google finally pulled through once again.  I found some inspiration!  I love the softness of this painting, the frills and bows of her dress that exude the femininity that I so appreciate and the little pop of surprise in the watermelon fan against her strawberry colored frock.

Tell us. What’s your inspiration?

COURTOIS GUSTAVE PORTRAIT OF ANNE MARIE DAGNAN

A Little Piece of Fabulous

We were just too excited to wait to post this!  Here's a sneak peek of the shoot we styled and hosted yesterday.  Stay tuned for the full editorial spread and great inspiration for combining your innate sense of style with a stunning wedding design.

Credits:

Photo: Jennie Campbell Photography

Accessories: Faye Daniel Designs

Floral: Ann's Garden

Hair and Makeup: Jordan Thomas Salon and Spa

Chandelier: Party Plus Rentals

Gown: WToo by Watters and Watters at K&B Bridals and Event Planning

Concept and Styling: Lauren Niles at K&B Bridals and Event Planning

Bridal Beauty Buzz

You’ve heard it all before.  “Just be the prettier version of yourself.”  “ Don’t be too trendy.” “Wear a little extra for the photos.”  “Your guests have to recognize you!”  Though it may be one of the least time consuming decisions to make, at some point, you’re going to have to decide on your makeup/hair style and how to accessorize for your wedding day.  And, all of the above advice that you’ve heard and read over and over again on your daily bridal google sessions, is true.  But, let’s be real.  You wanna be hot.  You wanna be sexy (the moms in the store hate when we describe their little bride this way!).  You wanna be classic, and you wanna be beautiful.  So, you say, “yeah, I want that, but sexy and beautiful is kind of an oxymoron.  How can I be both?”  Well, no worries, you bridal beaut; we have the answer.

K+B’s Bridal Beauty Tips:

1. Invest in shapewear.  Whether you have a Cameron Diaz physique or are sporting some gorgeous curves, shapewear is going to make you feel phenomenal.  It really brings everything in, makes you look great, and makes you feel even better.  Check out Target for Spanx’ more affordable brand of shapewear called Assets.
2. Choose accessories carefully.  I love bling just as much as the next girl, but I have to advise you to choose your bling carefully!  If you love bling, go for an amazing bib necklace, but pair it with gorgeous diamond studs and a simple bracelet.  Or wear a great cocktail ring (choose a sapphire for your something blue, a la Kate Middleton!), but pass on the cuff bracelet.  If you have a drop earring, wear a very simple necklace or no necklace at all.  Better yet, stop over at Faye Daniel Designs and have Randie custom design you something gorgeous.
3. Take your ‘do cue from the red carpet.  Done, but natural.- With a good stylist, we promise your hair will hold without a gallon of hairspray, or at least it won’t look like you have a gallon on your head!
4. Natural nails.  Delicate hue.  The days of gaudy acrylics are over!  Go for freshly manicured nails, painted in a soft hue that will bring out your dainty and fabulous side.  We like OPI “Princesses Rule!”  Click here to try on the shade!
5. SHOES!!!!  If I had a dollar for every bride who thought shoes didn’t matter!  Let me tell you from personal experience, shoes most certainly matter!  Introduce a splash of color for something fun.  Or go with a creamy champagne color that features a glamourous ribbon backing.  Whatever you do, pick shoes with a heel height you can live with, but don’t expect to be completely comfortable.  Otherwise, you should just go borrow Grandma’s slippers.  Bring those for later when your feet get tired.  But, trust us, you’ll get fabulous pictures of your shoes and there is something about a heel that just makes you feel thinner, taller and feminine.  Check out these wedges that will provide a little extra heel support for all of you non-believers! You won’t be disappointed! 
6. Spa Night.  Book a girls night at the spa to get all of your pampering in!  A personal favorite of mine is Oleigh Med Spa.  You’ll have the whole place to yourself.  They serve snacks and drinks, play games and serve you with top of the line treatments.  They offer everything from massage, mani/pedis, and facials to more extensive procedures, such as injectables and laser treatments.  You and your bridesmaids will leave feeling fresh and you’ll feel just a little more relaxed from all of that planning! 
7. Don’t over-tan- and not for the reasons you think.  I made this mistake.  These days, it’s known that you really should go and get a custom airbrush tan for some color.  Not me- I went to the good old tanning bed, thinking it’d provide me with some quality color.  Guess what I got?  An uneven complexion.  Yes, I was tan.  But, I also had sunspots that I had to spend an extra twenty minutes trying to even out.  Not fun.  Do yourself a favor and listen to the hype.  Take care of your skin!
8. A little extra on the eyes.  Put on a little extra eye makeup!  But, make sure it’s all waterproof!  You want to feel really put together, and one of the best ways to do that is to make sure your makeup artist has really phenomenal skills when it comes to your lids.
9. Balance. Have you ever seen that girl who has on a ton of eye makeup, powder an inch thick and a bright red lip?  Now you can educate her.  Choose your best feature and apply the extra makeup there.  If you really want to go with a dramatic lip, go with neutral shades on your eye.  Still apply a little more, since it will help with pictures, but please don’t pair it with the smoky eye that we’ve all been trying to pull off for ten years.  It’s all about balance!
10. FALSIES. the number one rule of bridal beauty!  If I could only tell brides one thing, it would be to have your makeup artist apply false eyelashes.  These don’t have to be of Lady Gaga proportions.  They can be natural, but trust me, they will make all the difference in the world in those pictures you’ll be looking at for the rest of your life!  If you’re not used to them, do a test run.  Before your bachelorette party, have your girlfriends come over and try them out on each other.  It’s really fun and makes your feel just a little more glamorous!

Well, now that you have all of the beauty tips you need to enhance those naturally good looks, 

go out into the world and stun ‘em all.