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

Black couture wedding gowns have quietly crept into the wedding world, taking a strong hold on what is fashion forward.  Black wedding dresses push the conventional notion of the traditional bride, wrapping the black gown wearer in a cloak of mystery.  There is a sophistication and allure that is incredibly hard to to deny with these stunning black gowns.  They captivate us not  just because they stray so far from the norm, but because they are equally, if not more eloquent, in their design.  Breaking the mold already by being black vs traditional white, designers feel a freedom when creating a black gown, a freedom that does not restrict them and as such, works of art are born.  This shoot puts together 2 stunning & gorgeously polished looks to inspire brides looking to step out from under the white veil.  From the form fitting mermaid gown of a more refined taste to the show piece Marchesa that embodies strength & power, these 2 seductive looks can easily entice the most traditional of brides to break out of the white box.

How To Get That Look…

Marchesa Dress:

• Vintage one-of-a-kind headband / sash from Merci New York, circa 1960s.  Price upon request.
• Vintage chandelier earrings from Merci New York, circa 1950s. Price upon request.
• Classic black python-embossed clutch with Bette Brooch, Merci New York for Madame Mathilde, $225
• Classic Pearl Python Clutch with Bette Brooch, Merci New York for Madame Mathilde, $395

Anna Maier Ulla Maija Dress (mermaid)

Left Wrist:

• Olive Alyn Bangle, Madame Mathilde, $95
• Sapphire Alyn Bangle, Madame Mathilde, $95
• {the gold cuff in the center is from the Merci New York stylist’s kit and unfortunately, no longer for purchase}

Right Wrist:

• Gold Deco-Dence Bracelet $230
• Gold Emma Bangle $55
• Gold Deco Earrings $125
• Gold Deco-Dence Necklace $285

Vendor Love

Location: The Elevated Acre
Model: Ashton Swinford
Stylist: Jacqueline Weppner from Merci New York
Hair & Makeup: Eden Di Bianco
Cake: Sweet Element
Flowers: Sarah Tallman Design
Mermaid Dress: Anna Maier Ulla Maija Spring 2013
Shear Lace Dress: Marchesa Spring 2013
Dresses courtesy of:  Gabriella Bridal New York
Photographer:  Casey Fatchett Photography

There is a conflict of assumption when viewing a bride in a highly refined, elegant, at times dramatic look…. the Diva.  Yes there are indeed Diva brides, however do understand, Diva is a state of being, an attitude, not dictated by what one wears.  Therefore, can we be glam brides, without giving off the diva vibe???  After leafing through this gorgeous styled shoot, taking place at House of Blues, my answer is hell yes!  The vision of the team assembled was to create progressive modern bridal looks that lean at times to the glam bride side of things.  5 unique looks feature gorgeous gowns from designers Kenneth Pool, Amsale, Paloma Blanca, & Ines de Santo.  The looks range from classically modern & elegant, to the more dramatic.

Julie’s first look is one of strength & femininity.  Wearing Kenneth Pool Ethereal, a draped gown with shirred straps, silver floral embroidery accents on one shoulder and skirt, in this particular case, Julie was styled without the removable halter straps, freeing up her frame, giving her a more dynamic & elegant presentation.  Long pearl strands were used to play up the femininity & flirty roles of this look, while her hair was given a side swept bang into a chignon updo.  The result is a modern bridal look  with a side of spunky attitude & plenty of nods to her girly side!

Taylor embodies two looks, both leaning to the dramatic, firey & passionate side of things.  There are 2 stunning wedding dresses setting the tone for each look.  The first {left above image} is Ines de Santo’s Citrine described as a Strapless Sweetheart dropped waist mermaid gown in antique ivory with three dimensional laser cut rose petals on bodice and under skirt with organza overlay. The over skirt is in antique ivory Italian Silk Taffeta.  In Taylor’s second look {above right image} she is wearing Paloma Blanca 4116, which is a flirty strapless A-line gown with a natural waistline & cascade of ruffles on the floor length skirt.  We’ll touch more on each of the 2 looks in just a bit!

Julie’s next look is all drama & all glam!  Wearing Kenneth Pool Mesmerized, the gown of choice sets a ‘Look At Me’ tone, without going completely over the top.  The choice of jewels go a long way with the look in this particular case.  Utilizing a strong matching statement set of both necklace & earrings, {the set is actually gemstone with some truly lovely colors!} this matching ensemble actually serves to bring the ‘Look At Me’ dress into a more refined & elegant bridal look.  Jewelry of this design naturally lend itself to a more refined elegant look which we typically associate with black tie affairs, giving a sense of power & nobility.  Jewelry is a terrific way to transform & guide a certain bridal look, giving you plenty of room to truly get the feel that your aiming for.

Taylor’s Ines de Santo’s Citrine look screams Opera elegance.  Sure the setting doesn’t  hurt, but I would feel this way regardless.  There is a high level of sophistication & class in this stunning gown {big time props to whoever made sure this fit her like a glove on the shoot!} which hugs & highlights her gorgeous figure.  The design of the gown naturally takes this look into the stratosphere of ball gown swoon.  What I appreciate however, is that the hair & make up here is just enough to match the level of sophistication, but not a touch over, perfectly complimenting the look as a whole.  The result here is a superb Black Tie look that any upper crust would emulate in a heart beat.

Sometimes a bride just wants to be chic & that is simply that.  She wants a dress that will do the talking for her, put right out there the look she is going for, sit back, & let the dress do all the work.  This is the case with Julie’s Kenneth Pool Lucienne gown {above right image}.  This gown is hand-beaded tulle that features a scoop neckline in a strapless tulle sheath style dress adorned with hand beaded crystals.  Paired with a simple set of large pearls, the overall look is that of refined elegance & sophistication.  Though the dress does indeed have a lot of beading, this is one of those gowns that doesn’t scream at you.  This is a gown for a bride looking to be stunning, yet understated.

Who’s says you can’t be dramatic with a side of whimsy, certainly not Lady Gaga!  To change up Taylor’s sophisticated look {fully discussed below}, the team opted for a loosely designed/loosely fitting birdcage veil.  This type of veil is most definitely for the fashion forward bride & must be worn with confidence.  In other words, if you going to go with a statement veil, you MUST own it!  I think they are beyond gorgeous & on the right bride, with the right attitude, nirvana!

So my question for you guys is… which look is your favorite?  Do you lean more toward the fashion forward dramatic brides, or the more reserved elegance?  I must admit my overall favorite look is Julie’s above Ines de Santo gown with the awesome birdcage veil.  There is just something about that look as a whole that captures my attention!

Vendor Love

Hair Stylist: Flawless Hair and Make up
Event Planner: A Day To Remember
Cinema and Video: Imagine Videos
Dress Boutique: Mia Bridal Couture
DJ: Space City Entertainment
Jewelry: Select Jewelers
Event Venue: House of Blues
Photographer: Esvy Photography

Having posted a wedding or two at this point, I can safely say there are a  few key details to each wedding that repeatedly get the most attention.  It shouldn’t surprise you that among the top 3, especially when it truly is something to behold, is the ring.  When you consider the amount of attention that an engagement ring gets, even from the very moment one considers getting engaged, it really is not that surprising how much they are coveted.

*Sorry for the obnoxiously large Tacori Key Advert here, but I kinda love it, don’t you?!

Engagement rings are a strong reflection of personal style & fashion influence.  Design aesthetic in jewelry evolves right along with current fashion trends, highlighting the best of the modern world with that of classic tradition & elegance.  One such leader in the world of designer engagement ring design is a name that will come as no surprise, Tacori.  Over 40 years in existence, Tacori has labored hard, working to achieve greatness with each new design & signature style, which is not lost on the large female population.  To understand the degree to which this benchmark brand is coveted, all one has to do is simple venture to THE land of all things kept sacred, Pinterest.  Simply enter Tacori into the search box and one’s mind is left to boggle over the share magnitude of the amount of pins kept.   Equally telling are the board names where these special rings are saved, such as ‘Lovely Things’ ‘The Fairytale. Someday…’ and ‘Hint Hint Hun, <3 Xoxo’.  Tacori has worked hard to develop a style so very them, that it has become much like a fingerprint.  When one sees a Tacori ring, they know it is Tacori before even looking at the tag.

Making Tacori that much more special & treasured, is that they are very selective in which stores are allowed to represent & bear the Tacori name.  One such store of distinction is JR Dunn Jewelers.  Currently carrying over 160 unique bridal styles, JR Dunn Jewelers seeks to bring couples a brand that highlights passion, showcasing their expression of love, captured within their ring.  Making the engagement ring buying experience that much more pleasurable, JR Dunn Jewelers offers a build your ring feature, allowing you to first choose your setting then moving on to hand select from some of  the most gorgeous center stones available,  carefully choosing the most perfect of Tacori style to win her heart.  Between the elegance & design that is Tacori coupled with over 43 years of excellence that is JR Dunn Jewelers, there is no reason to hesitate.  Trust in JR Dunn Jewelers to bring your perfect proposal to life, and allow Storyboard to show it off!