Not just a novelty anymore, retro inspired styles are not just chic but very much in demand within the world of fashion.  We all know that Gatsby  inspired elements are having their moment right now, but the 1950′s/1960′s Man Men infused styles are very much here to stay for quite some time.  These throw back threads speak to a certain polish, a refinement & essence of a well put together woman.  All the better for bride’s willing to look back at the dresses that came before them for their perfect bridal style!  Vintage boutiques are a treasure trove of fashion history and believe it or not, there are ones specific to bridal: gowns, gloves, veils, purses, you name it!  Why not stroll down the aisle in a piece of history thats likely to be one heck of a deal too!  Angela Bartunek of aster & olive photography teamed up with the amazing folks of Miranda’s Vintage Bridal to put together a sweet little shoot highlighting a few lovely retro fashions, including the most covet worthy pair of kitten gloves you’ll ever see!  Please please ladies, bring the kitten gloves back!  {Dying to see some modern brides rockin the gloves!} Regardless of your fashion tastes, dipping into the vintage closet can unearth some mega finds that set the stage for greatness!

Vendor Love

Dress Boutique: Miranda’s Vintage Bridal | Dress: Bianchi {Vintage} *No longer creates | Photographer: aster & olive photography

Its no  secret how big of a crush I have on bridal headpieces.  Whether its a ‘simple’ fascinator or an eloquently selected bridal headscarf, I am in loooooove, big time!  Today’s gorgeous woodsy romantic session features The Yellow Peony, a gal who makes some really unique bridal hair pieces, as well as custom pieces for brides, and believe me when I say, they are amazing!!  Always inspiring and ever creative, Hayley wanted to bring together some terrific local vendors for an ethereal woodsy bohemian vibed shoot, highlight of course some of The Yellow Peonies spectacular bridal accessories!  The result is pure bridal fashion eye candy with bold vibrant colors, terrific accessories, & gorgeous blooms!  My absolutely favorite in this collection is the very first, the enchanting Vintage-Style Ivory Lace Bridal Cap!  How stunning is this gem?!  Swoon, sigh, swoon and repeat!  There is so much inspiration here from decor to fashion, you’re going to love everything!  After the gallery, be sure to check out each unique piece!

Loving The Yellow Peony as much as we are?  Want to know a bit more about these gorgeous styles & where to purchase?  We thought so!

 

 

Vintage-Style Ivory Lace Bridal Cap

 

 

 

 

 

Long Tulle Cathedral Veil

 

 

 

 

 

Floral Circlet head wreath in Nude & Blush

 

 

 

 

 

 

Floral Statement Head Wreath in Red & Lime

 

 

 

 

Ivory & Tulle Flower Clip with Crystal Beading

 

 

 

 

 

Floral Statement Crown in Blue & Purple

 

 

 

 

 

Crystal Dew drop Tulle Birdcage Veil

 

 

 

 

 

Whimsical Bridal Halo

 

 

 

 

 

Vintage Style Ivory Flower Headband with Crystal Beading

 

 

 

 

 

Greta Headpiece – Organza Flower & Rhinestone Wedding Headband

 

 

 

 

 

French Style Cathedral Veil

 

 

 

 

 

White Swiss dot Tulle Bridal Cap

 

 

 

 

 

Rhinestone Leaf Wedding headband on Silver Satin Ribbon

 

 

 

 

 

Ivory Peony Hair Clip of Silk Taffeta

 

 

Vendor Love

Dress Store: Altar Bridal | Bridal Hair Pieces: The Yellow Peony | Hair: Bella Hair Company at EnVogue Salon | Make-up: Kristen George Makeup Artistry | Floral Design: Good Earth Floral Design Studio | Cake Designer: Iced Art | Baked Goods: Cakes a Go-Go | Photographer: Pond Photography

 

There’s a certain real wedding that we featured recently on SBW which garnered all sorts of lovely response for not only its wonderfully stylish couple, but the tremendous design done in decor & flora.  A focal point to the wedding was the bride’s bouquet which was utterly D.IV.I.N.E!!  I knew this gorgeous arrangement of blooms would make for the perfect, Why It Works Wednesday!

Firstly some house keeping, to view the full post {trust me if you have not seen it, you simply must!!} Click Here.  The vibe for the wedding as a whole was wonderfully rustic industrial with the Georgia peach as the inspiration both in textures & color palette.  The result are expertly mix matched tables with varying centerpieces ranging from vintage wood planter boxes along with hand colored milk bottles to suspended floral plank centerpieces.  Wedding decor maven  Juli Vaughn Designs crafted not only the design of the decor but the handled the blooms as well.  While the suspended centerpieces are most certainly a WIWW feature all their own, I wanted to focus on our bride’s bouquet which has stuck with me ever since putting the feature together!  It might seem like a surprise, but you would be shocked to know how many bouquets are nothing too special, if not even poorly constructed… therefore when you find a good one, you best hold onto it like a firefly at night!

 *Photograph by Jason Hales Photography

Know your blooms: Cafe Au Laut Dahlias | Coral Charm Peonies | Campanella and Juliet Garden Roses | Amsterdam Roses |Gloriosa Lilies | Billy Balls | Salmon and Orange Ranunculus | Sage

Elements at play: Tonal range {the colors}, bloom size/placing & finishing elements

“Lauren wanted a bouquet that was rustic, romantic, and sophisticated. We kept it romantic by using fluffier, soft blooms, sophisticated because of the shape, and rustic with the feathers and herbs.”

Tonal Range

The inspiration for the wedding as a whole was the good ol’Georgia peach.  Peaches bring to mind soft soft yellows, pale pinks, deeper oranges infused with a pink glow, pure orange and of course the greenery of the leaves when it grows.   Juli Vaughn expertly hand picked each bloom for its specific hue, insuring each would reflect some aspect of the naturally ombréd peaches coloring.  Blossoms were placed together to create a synergy & harmony that would echo the unique skin of our fuzzy tasty friend.  The overall effect is a not just a well designed piece but an arrangement that has a peaceful yet highly sophisticated look.

Blooms Size & Placement 

Did you know that romantic is an adjective that has action behind it?  When carving out the overall feel for the day, romantic was one of the buzzwords the team used to pull from for inspiration.  In effort to inject a romantic vibe into the bouquet, the team opted for fluffier more cloud like soft blooms.  These pillowy petals give off an incredible lusciousness, a feeling of a flush face, breath of life, even a touch of catching your breath as you view them.  All feelings a person feels when they spy the one they love for the first time, the emotions of romance blooming right before your eyes!  Ok ok, I am getting carried away with poetic license here but you get my point.  Big, soft, luscious blooms are the perfect conductor for a romantic vibe, they emote a genuine sense of love!  Just as important as the size of the blooms, each was skillful placed next to one another highlighting its neighbor in special ways.  Whether it was to build upon the color harmony, big up its friend {small blooms next to oversized}, even portray a textural fuzziness, know that each bloom had its place and with good reason.  The result is a tightly {thought not too tightly} constructed bouquet that is sizable in the choice of blooms used, not in an over use of simply too many flowers.  Each is strategic and important!

Finishing Elements

How a bouquet is wrapped is often gawked after, sometimes more so then the blooms, when done with a creative hand.  Keeping with the rustic romantic feel, along with sophisticated design, the team leaned on burlap to be the perfect underlay to the handle.  Choosing a thick finished {worth noting as often burlap is not finished, thus immediately upping the sophistication level!} burlap ribbon, the underlying layer easily gives off that rustic flavor.  Building upon the burlap, a layer of silk ribbons was added in a deeper more inspired hue then the bouquet, insuring it would stand out for all the right reasons.  Silk by nature is a delicate & highly revered fabric often associated with designer threads, therefore the choice of silk is equally working to bring the savoir faire to the design.  The handle is finished with the crème de la crème in refinement, a pheasant feather ribbon accent.  I looooove that Juli brought in the pheasant feather here with its rich browny-gray tone & spotted pattern.  Feathers are the ultimate in class and when wielded for good, triumphs everything!  The choice of burlap, silk ribbon & pheasant feathers beautifully echos the wedding buzzwords of rustic, romantic, and sophisticated.  Knowing how to wrap your bouquet is equally as important as the blooms used to make it!

This gorgeous bouquet has everything going right for it!   Wonderfully hand selected colors & full soft blooms as well as the details used to wrap the handle hearken attention to the full picture.  Flowers are such a powerful tool on your wedding day, something that can easily transport an entire room, or bride, to a whole new world, if just for a day.  Are you as equally enamored by this peach inspired bouquet as I am?  What are some of your favorite elements, the blooms, the colors, maybe the pheasant feathers?!  I’d love to know!  As always, if there is ever something that you would love to know Why It Works, please send it my way, you never know, I just may feature it!

To view the original post: Georgia Peach Inspired Hues In This Rustic Industrial Wedding With Farmhouse Chic Sophistication, CLICK HERE

 

Vendor Love

Ceremony Venue: St. Luke’s Presbyterian Church  | Reception Venue: Summerour Studio | Wedding Dress: Monique Lhuillier | Bridesmaid Dresses: Bari Jay  | Shoes: Manolo Blahnik &Prada  | Hair Stylist: The Hair Artist  | Makeup Artist: Kristen Phelps  | Groom’s Suit: Hugo Boss | Invitation Designer: Love vs Design  | Music: AMP’D Atlanta  | Rentals: Four Inch Fold &Bold American  | Florist: Juli Vaughn Designs | Caterer: Bold American  | Baker: Lush Cakery | Wedding/Event Planner: Juli Vaughn Designs | Photographer: Jason Hales Photography

 

Sometimes restraint is the most powerful weapon in our arsenal.  Wanting nothing more then to keep things as natural as possible, today’s phenomenal Montreal team crafted a wonderfully fresh yet rustic world at the newly opened Les Chalets du Grand Duc.  Every chalet should have its princess, our chalet has a princess made of stylish beauty where sweet tattoos are embraced.  Not one for the classic definition of a princess, our gal has wonderfully tousled hair in a modern fishtail braid, perfectly kept in a crown of pearls.  Layers playfully float around in the form of tulle, fondant & china, while thick rough cut wood chargers take center stage.  With a few choice decor elements as well as bright colorful blooms, this chalet becomes a sophisticated style land for the rustic gal who craves more from fashion & design in her life!

What Storyboard Likes…

Total Fresh Bride Package- Fresh, Bright, Youthful, Princess With A Side of Style.  These are all words that run through my mind as I take in the gorgeous bridal beauty & styling.  The team did a tremendous job staying true with their goal on inception, keeping our sweet bride, fresh & natural.  They didn’t want to cover her up with heavy makeup, rather simply work to enhance her natural beauty, including her artful tattoos as well.  Her tattoos become as much a part of her stylish princess look as does the wonderfully done tousled textured fishtail braid.  Her hair is modern and wonderfully bridal with a slight bohemian edge to it, again, fresh.  What makes our princess however are her lovely headpieces in ribbon, pearl, buttons & more.  Finding the right headpiece for the right bridal style can change an entire look, creating ethereal bridal beauty!  Every little element to our bride reflects a natural yet sweetly enhanced look, from gorgeously tousled locks to delicately done makeup, even the sweet little bow ring in place of a wedding ring, each element crafts this stylish princess!

Layer It On- When layers are done right, they can be simply divine and this session has layers in spades!  Starting with the most obvious and certainly most amazing, the fondant ruffle layer cake is as heavenly as you can get!  Perfect ivory waving layers, each unique with its own attitude.  The overall effect of such amazing layers is almost ethereal and wonderfully complimented by the full bloomed sugar peonies!  Following in suit with the layer technique are the plate settings which mimic that of our cake, layering a thick rough cut wood charger, 3 pieces of china, all finished off with an elegant tea cup.  Excellent china layering if I have ever seen it, and look at that color harmony to boot!  Lastly our gal’s gown, gorgeously layered in rows of tulle and lace.  Softly tiered, this wedding dress plays on the frilly side yet walks the line of sophistication all the same.  Layering is always in trend and one that you can never go wrong with, esp when its done with a delicate hand!

Sweet Little Details-There truly are some lovely little details when it comes to the styling of this session.  The clock is almost majestic with the perfect touch of old, the use of a utterly lovely thick hardback novel with eloquently torn pages, & the choice of the petite floral china  is superb.  I adore the vintage reclaimed wood flower box that serves as our tables centerpiece and whats more, the raised aspect to it.  Kick things up a notch by elevating them!  My favorite of all the little details however, is a simple yet magical one for me, the old iron stags head, I could not love this thing more!!!  The stags head is AH-mazing and would love to have one for myself!! What a wonderful collection of decor elements, all tied together with a unifying touch, echoing their rustic surroundings!

 

Vendor Love

Venue: Les Chalets du Grand Duc | Dress Boutique: Boutique Natalia Exclusif | Veils & Headpieces: Letters to Jane | Jewelry: Bijoux Mohawki | Makeup Artist: Susan Morales | Cake Designer: Gât-o | Floral Designer: Les Petites Excuses | Event Designer: La Mariée Bohème | Photographer: Sonia Bourdon photography

Bridal style is always a hot topic as it is the fashion world’s best friend dressed in white!  Ok maybe not always white, especially these days, but you get my point!  Seriously though, the most brilliant way now a days to deliver anything but a cookie cutter wedding is by starting with expressing yourself through what you wear before anything else.  Your complete wedding day look can set the tone for your fete and is the physical manifest of the buzzwords that you use to craft your day.  Ethereal, sophisticated, vintage, boho, whimsical, along with every other wedding description, can be represented in not only your gown, but in your accessories & styling.

Headpieces as a whole are a huge trend in weddings right now, everything from over the top fascinators to boho inspired floral crowns.  When I ventured over to Limn & Lovely’s Valentine’s Day styled shoot, I found a gorgeous representation in bridal form of a mix of sophisticated style with whimsical boho feel which I thought was perfect for WIWW!  The look that we are spotlighting  has a solid foundation in classic bridal turned up a big notch with modern lines, a dash of sparkle, & a soft feminine feel!

 *Photograph by Alea Lovely 

There are 4 big elements at play in this complete look: The Dress, The Bouquet {you better believe this is part of your look!}, lace headpiece along with Hair & Makeup.

The Dress…

We’ll start with the base of the look, the gown, from Anna Maier Ulla-Maija, which has a lochrosen and silver thread embroidered bodice with a full tulle skirt.  By design, this gown has a very classic clean crisp  silhouette.  The modern touch is the well fitted embroidered bodice which projects youth & light bringing a fresh feel to the face.  The full tulle skirt is also modernized, opting for construction that is far less dense then most tulle skirts, again, giving a more fresh take on a ball gown style.  The dress is the perfect choice for a bride that wants to have a bit of fun in their styling.  The sparkle on the bodice is just the right pop while leaving the door open for wonderful accessories!  Be careful when choosing your dresses ladies, if you know you’re going to want bold & gorgeous accessories, make sure your dress isn’t competing for the attention.

The Bouquet…

With something like a full tulle skirt, your going to want a floral arrangement that has a bit of size to it, otherwise it might simply get lost in the sauce if you will.  This arrangement is a terrific size, its the Goldilocks of bouquets if you will, not too big and not too small, juuuuusssst right!  The beauty of this particular arrangement however is the over all tone range of the colors which beautifully mimic to some degree the tone of the bodice in the dress while being different enough that it stands out.  There is a soft gorgeous romantic feel to the flowers all while being super feminine.  The injection of the eucalyptus as a finishing element gives the arrangement a touch of whimsy & lends itself to a boho chic feel, which….. wonderfully jives with the headpiece & hair!

Lace Headpiece, Hair & Makeup…

The idea here is simple enough yet wonderfully executed & there in lays the success.  The headpiece is a simple elegant piece of lace, tightly wrapped around her ever so gently tumbling barrel curled locks.  The lace headpiece serves to bring a touch of drama & style to our gals face all the while giving the hair a formal shape by keeping the crown of her locks close while allowing the rest to sway freely.  It gives the overall look a sense of refinement & freedom all in the same breath.  I really appreciate that the hair has just the right touch of body, texture, even a slight tussled look to it.  They didn’t over fuss, didn’t over fix, allowing a true boho chic feel to emerge.  Wonderfully supporting the hair & lace is the eloquently done makeup.  You might not think much of whats going on with it, but that’s truly the point and a testament to how well it is done.  Here again just the right amount is given to make our bride to keep true to her youth, look fresh, bright, and very much in love I’d say!

I love this look of a nod to the classics with wonderful injection of boho chic, high on the chic, don’t you!?  I am very much a fan of the headpiece movement and can’t wait to see what truly wonderfully styling comes out way.  Are you a fan of the floral crowns or are you more a lace girl yourself?  If there is ever anything that you would love to see design explained, please send it in…. you never know, it just might be our next Why It Works Wednesday!

Be sure to head over to Limn & Lovely to view the full post, it really is a treat and there are a few other looks that they worked with on the day as well!

Vendor Love

Photography: Alea Lovely / Venue: Longview Mansion / Flowers: Amy Cason of Victorian Gardens / Cakes and sweets: Classic Cakes / Dresses: Gown with high, beaded neckline >Amsale, short wedding dress > Ivy & Aster, strapless gown with embroidered bodice > Anna Maier~Ulla-Maija / Dress retailer: Altar Bridal / Makeup artist: Jolie Artistry