Wedding Ideas and Inspiration Blog

Posts tagged short

New BHLDN Collection Takes Our Breath Away (again)

Remember awhile back when BLHDN, Anthropologie’s wedding line, launched and there was a collective squeal from the bridal community? Well, their newest collection is out and excellent blogger that I am I took a look for all of you. And then another look. And another. And, well, let’s just say that not much else has gotten done this morning as I have yet to come up for air.

Suffice to say, it is just as gorgeous and creative as their first collection. The soft, layered dresses, the elegant veils, the crowns. Oh my, the crowns! I am, as they say, in full-on swoon mode over here so I’ll stop talking so you can start looking. Please, tell me you love them as much as I do!

Victoria’s Reign (with crown!) wedding-dress-anthropologie-ribbon-flowing-crown

All of the dresses are exquisite but they also know how to style them in a way that says something entirely new. The floating bows on her veil with the Modern Mythology Gown are just magical while the simple necklace with the Pointillist and Windswept gowns are pitch perfect. The embroidered flowers on the Elysium gown? Well, they simply speak for themselves. wedding-dresses-soft-flowing-grecian-anthropologie

And you know I love me some short and sassy – Afternoon Social and Confetti Rush are so pretty, don’t you think? short-wedding-dress-one-shoulder-ruffles-anthropologie

Or you could always go for a nod to Jackie O with this Miraflores dress. Classic yet totally modern. short-60s-jackie-o-wedding-dress-flower

Of course, their accessories are just as exquisite as the dresses. Love these veils… Seaspray, Petite Daisy, and Hydrangea Blusher Headband veils-long-shoulder-polka-dot-blusher-anthropologie

Or perhaps you prefer a fuzzy bolero (ala Kate) or a dramatic ruched collar? fuzzy-bolero-kate-ruched-neck-piece-flowers

See what I mean? And, this is just barely scratching the surface… Check out the entire collection in all of its loveliness and tell us your fave!

A Playful Farm Engagement Session from 2&3 Photography

Nick and Nikki’s engagement shoot by 2&3 Photography is almost like two separate sessions. In the first set, they get to run around a farm (photographer Thad’s dad’s place) and play on old-fashioned swings, pull each other in wagons, pose in front of old trucks and just generally have a great time together (and get some adorable shots along the way).

For the second part, they get all gussied up for a series of romantic shots that capture the genuine affection they obviously have for each other. Put the two together and it’s like the perfect marriage of playful and romantic…

And, as if the photos aren’t enough, Nick jumps in and give us all the details on their proposal, the location and how he knew Nikki was the one (sigh).

Nick Gives Us the Inside Scoop

How did you two meet?
It was Nikki’s freshman year of college. She had posted on our school message boards for help getting her printer hooked up and I offered to come take a look at it. We hadn’t set up a time for me to come by her dorm yet when we unknowingly sat next to each other in biology lab. We realized who each other was during attendance and I leaned over and asked “Did you get your printer fixed?”. I walked her back to her dorm and we haven’t been able to get rid of each other since. That was almost 8 years ago.

How did you know he/she was “the one”?
We always joke about how different we are, but in the end we share a lot of core values that I guess we couldn’t find in other people. We’ve spent some time apart over the years, but we’ve always loved and cared for each other and that always brought us back together.

Please, tell us about the proposal!
Nikki’s birthday falls on new years eve, so we decided to have a party to celebrate both occasions. We invited 15 or so of our closest friends to the house. Right after the ball drop and new year’s toast I gave a little speech thanking everybody for joining us for a night of many celebrations (NYE, Nikki’s birthday, and my best friends wedding anniversary) and that I wanted to add one more. I turned to Nikki and told her it wasn’t the first NYE/birthday celebration we’ve shared and I didn’t want it to be the last. I pulled out the ring and said, “so I guess you know what this means?”. Her response was, “Okay!” and she gave me a hug. I didn’t get down on one knee or anything, it was kind of informal.

Anything special about the engagement shoot or why you chose the location you did?
Our whole wedding theme is kind of outdoorsy and vintage. Her dress is her mothers wedding dress and her engagement ring is an estate ring from 1950. We’re having our wedding in our backyard and wanted our engagement photos to reflect those themes. Thad mentioned his father’s property and we thought that would be perfect with the older buildings and nearby fields. The shoot was a ton of fun and the photos came out perfect.

Find other North Carolina wedding vendors.

Classic Bridesmaid Dresses from LulaKate

bridesmaids-sign-colorful-dresses-happily-ever-after Maybe it’s because Spring is in the air but I’m finding myself drawn to bright colors more and more this season. And LulaKate’s line of bridesmaid dresses feel like the perfect antidote to the Winter months. Colorful and cheery, her dresses also have refined elegance that speaks to its designer’s Southern roots. And with the dresses’ classic lines, just about every body type will find a comfortable home.

Each dress is available in a multitude of colors (seriously, there are a ton to choose from) using either a silk fabric or a striped, seersucker cotton blend. With all of the colors and styles to choose from each member of your party could wear the same color but with a different style or you could even choose a couple colors from the same palette to really spice things up.

And while her dresses have a timeless feel, they’re also very modern. Like her take on the one-shoulder dress (which has been everywhere this season) – it somehow manages to feel on trend and classic at the same time, doesn’t it? (Bridget and Maggie dresses) maggie-bridget-off-shoulder-bridesmaid-dress-short-blue

Now, you all know I love me some ruffle and this Christy version is so ridiculously elegant; it would be perfect for an evening cocktail party. Or you can keep the ruffle but go for a completely different feel with the Sophie or Alex (it’s amazing how it’s the same dress but with just a bit of a different neckline – they feel so different!). christy-bridesmaid-dress-ruffle-high-neck alex-sophie-bridesmaid-dress-short-colorful-ruffle

Meredith meredith-bridesmaid-dress-ruffle-short-dress

Or you could also go for a very clean and simple look for total elegance. (Pearl and Ashley) ashley-pearl-simple-bridesmaid-dress-short-sleeveless

Gina and Caroline and Rae rae-caroline-gina-bridesmaid-dresses-short-aline-brightly-colored

Check out her full line of dresses (including wedding dresses!) over on LulaKate.

Pretty, Flirty Wedding Dresses from Ivy and Aster

If I were going to get married on a beach, in the woods, in a garden (really any place at all), I could see wearing one of the dresses from Ivy and Aster’s collection. They’re just so pretty! They feel light and airy and look so easy to wear. And, maybe it’s the sugar from my Cinnamon Toast Crunch talking, but they have a sort of magical quality, don’t they? Like you would feel like a princess on your wedding day, but more the kind that puts flowers behind her ears than wears big tiaras.

Ahem.

They also have a gorgeous line of bridesmaid dresses that have the same flow-y, flirty quality, as well as accessories that would prettify just about anything (this Butterfly Capelet would be perfect for a church wedding).

Dream a Little Dream
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In Bloom
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Thought of Thee
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Love Spell
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Flights of Fancy
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Morning Glory
wedding-dress-short-flowers-lace-ruffles

Layer Cake
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Social Dresses
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Anthropologie Launches BHLDN and We All Jump for Joy!

Have you all heard the news? I feel like it’s the best Valentine’s Day present ever (next to whatever my husband thinks up for me, obviously) – Urban Outfitters, Inc., the mad geniuses behind Anthropologie and Urban, just today opened up their online wedding shop, BHLDN, and it is heavenly.

And, truly, I don’t think heavenly is an overstatement. These dresses are ridiculous! They all have the signature Anthroplogie feel – creative and inspired – while still catering to all sorts of body types and styles; there are dramatic ballroom dresses, a whole bunch of short kicky numbers, and lots of romantic sheaths. Plus, they’re all priced between $1000 – 4000.

Ethereal Monarch Gown wedding-dress-butterfly-train-a-line-romantic

Eyelet Medley Sheathe sheath-wedding-dress-doily-backyard-back-bow-quirky

Sweeping Taffeta Ball Gown and Zinnia Gown ballroom-wedding-dress-flowers-layers-bow

Pleated Fantasy Gown ruffles-gray-dress-sheath-ribbon

Burnished Organza Gown and Tulle Era Dress wedding-dresses-short-20s-swingy-bohemian-tiers

As if their wedding dresses weren’t enough, they also have an entire line of bridesmaid dresses. And there’s a great range of styles – everything from long, bohemian numbers to shorter, traditional ones that, of course, feature a twist.

Valencienne’s brocade-bridesmaid-dress-tea-length-bohemian

Savoy and Indigo Mist bridesmaid-dresses-short-aline-sweetheart-long-bohemian-overlay

And how much do you love these shoes? I cannot tell you how long I looked for gold, glittery shoes for my wedding without avail and then – voila! – here they are. Let’s just say I have my list started for Christmas early this year…

Scalloped Platforms shoes-heels-scalloped-ankle-strap

Moonlit Peep-toes and On-a-Wing Heels shoes-heels-butterfly-peep-toe-gold-sparkly

How fun would this veil be for a courthouse wedding? It also works as a traditional blusher.

Dotted Voile Veil updo-wedding-lace-50s-veil-short-dotted

They’ve done such a great job of curating a range of styles – you have everything from this over-the-top headpiece to a much more subtle crystal hairpin.

Beauregard Headband and Dewed Vines Hairpin wedding-headpiece-crystal-feather-branch-funky For now, you’ll have to do your shopping online, although it sounds like they have future plans for opening up stores (I wonder if they’d let me live there?).

Check out all of the goodies and tell me, what’s your favorite piece?

Colorful, Customizable Bridesmaid Dresses from Dessy

Dessy just released their Spring collection of bridesmaid dresses and I had to share right away because there are some lookers in the bunch. Now if you don’t know about Dessy, let me quickly explain. A totally innovative idea, they let you to pick out the style of dress you like and then see it in a variety of colors, all of which are Pantone-matched (remember this little guy?) so you can match your bridesmaid dresses exactly to your cake to your linens. They also have matching grooms’ attire, flower girl dresses, and accessories so you can be as matchy-matchy as your heart desires.

Their website is absolutely fantastic, as well. You can lose hours checking out your fave dresses in different colors – Coral! No navy! No lime! (It’s a wee bit addicting.)

But, back to the dresses! All of their lines have new dresses for Spring and it’s a great mix of tailored vintage, romantic Grecian, and traditional styles with a kick. I’ve pulled out a few of my favorites and shown them to you in different colors, but, really this is just the beginning of what you can do with their color picker tool…

Alfred Sung Collection
bridesmaid-dress-kelly-green-dessy-vintage long-bridesmaid-dress-flowing-tulle-ruched long-bridesmaid-dress-elegant-dessy short-bridesmaid-dress-retro-full-skirt