Deconstructed, Industrial Elements: Think hand crafted vs. hand-made!  The “deconstructed” style of this trend can be achieved through one-of-a-kind, industrial, natural elements.  Touches of burlap linen combined with slightly distressed, vintage-esque furniture will give each table setting a unique, hand crafted vibe.

Another way to achieve this “deconstructed” feel:  pick a venue space that already has great industrial elements.  A venue with exposed brick walls, a barn with natural elements, or even an empty warehouse are great spaces that will effortlessly incorporate the industrial and “deconstructed” trend!

Modern Glamour Elements: Tall silver/gold candelabras and lush fabrics for table runners and tablecloths, mixed with crystal accent décor will help to achieve the modern, urban-glam side of this trend!  These elements will serve as great contrasting pieces to the industrial and deconstructed décor, and will help to give an updated urban feel to space!

Love the Deconstructed Elegant style?  Check out our Pinterest board for some more inspiration!

For your wedding, the invitation is its first impression.  The invitation is communicating so much more than the time & place of your wedding, it sets the tone and gives your guests their first peek into what to expect!

We love the bride that is so into every detail of her wedding that she is willing to DIY.  But, some things are just DDIY (Don’t Do It Yourself)! Wedding invitations are one of those things.

Sites like Pinterest & Etsy have made it easy to believe that you can design and/or print your own invitations at home.  We agree that DIY invitations on Pinterest are absolutely adorable.  So go ahead, DIY-away and send something cute to your mother, grandmother, best friends, bridesmaids, etc.  But, when it comes to your wedding guests…put away the glue, scissors, paints, and hole punchers.

Take into consideration these 3 overarching benefits of working with a stationer from one of our favorites, PaperMoss:

1. Quality: For a once in a lifetime occasion, invitations are a fun way to set the tone for your big day! PaperMoss company specializes in letterpress, which is a unique style of printing that people don’t encounter daily so it adds an extra touch of elegance. If you don’t have your heart set on letterpress and have decided to try your hand at producing your own flat printed invitations, keep in mind that anything you produce at home won’t compare to something that is professionally produced and they will most likely be inconsistent. For example, the ink in your home printer doesn’t seal the way professional printing does so your text may rub off or smudge while in mail. Time is also a factor that is grossly underestimated- the time you think it will take to make your own invitations vs. the time it will actually take is often VERY different. Planning a wedding is time consuming enough, so budget your time wisely.

2. Clarity: Stationers are well versed in wedding etiquette so they can help with wording and will help you avoid any faux pas. The last thing you want to do is offend someone!! Stationers are also familiar with post office regulations and restrictions, which ensures that your mailing process will go smoothly. No one wants to end up with a bunch returned to sender letters!

3. Style: Working with a designer grants an opportunity to brand yourself as a couple. Being able to incorporate designs all the way from the invitations {setting the tone} to the programs, escort cards and table numbers all blend together to create a cohesiveness that can solidify a theme or color palette, bringing all the elements of decor together. In particular, custom design can be an incredibly special and memorable process that reflects your personalities and can leave you with a monogram that you can use for the years to come.

The invitation is the FIRST and ONLY preview your guests see before your wedding day.  The timeliness of its arrival, the quality, the colors, the words, and even the material it is printed on sets the tone for your wedding.  If the invitation is the bride and groom’s brand as a couple, what do you want yours to say about you?

Stationery is one of our favorite topics at BBL.  There is such a fun design element involved.  From the invitation, to the escort cards, menus, table numbers, programs, bar signs, etc. they all compliment each other and largely influence the tone of your big day.

If you are looking for some guidance with choosing the perfect stationer for your wedding, come by and visit us. We have tons of samples on hand from our favorites throughout the city.

From florals to fashion, the Chinoiserie inspired wedding trend is a style suitable for both bold and subtle brides alike:

For the bold bride, a whimsical and unique gown with the classic painted Chinoiserie blue print would be a sure statement piece!

For something a bit more subtle, skip the Chinoiserie inspired dress, and style your wedding with Asian-inspired flowers and table settings.

We love this koi fish candelabra from Anthropologie.  It would make for an eye catching piece at your wedding and could be used in your home post-wedding!

And how about these adorable coin purses?  Could serve as a unique way to display escort cards (insert a card into the purse and snap shut so that the card pokes out). They can even double as a party favor.

Love these Chinoiserie chic styles?  Check out our Pinterest board for some more ideas and inspiration for incorporating the Chinoiserie décor into your wedding day!

Nothing ground breaking here; Gin and tonic with cucumbers to add the pop of green.  Cut the cucumber right before it goes in the glass. Then add gin on top and let it soak for a second before adding tonic.  Craving some more ideas?  Check out this site for 35 more St. Patty’s cocktails.

Before you get rowdy with the Dropkick Murphys or head out to the Southie parade – have a little fun with some daring green makeup and accessories. Here’s a little inspiration to get you in the spirit!  Also be sure check out Refinery 29′s top picks in emerald green.

With Emerald Green named the Pantone color of year for 2013, green isn’t just for St. Patty’s Day anymore.  We are loving this trend!  Check out this board posted by Polyvore in the hot new hue.

Loving emerald green? Check out our Pinterest board for more emerald green wedding inspiration!

I don’t know about you, but we’ve been having a little bit of a love affair with this graphical clean pattern lately.  This chair, for example, is so simple…yet a total statement piece at the same time.  Chevron lets you be bold.  Without really having to be BOLD.

The pattern seems to have won the hearts of many interior decorators and fashion designers too.  It has been gaining major popularity and has been popping up in home decor and on the runways.

Chevron is so hot right now in the wedding world.  It is classic and chic and can really add a wow factor to your decor.  But, be careful with this print.  Less is more!  Mix in neutrals and solids.  This will help keep the pattern modern and crisp.

If you are Cr@Zy for Chevron too, be sure to check out our Pinterest board for some more ideas and inspiration for adding Chevron to your wedding decor.

After this year’s Academy Awards we reached out to our trusted resources at L’elite to see what they thought of this year’s fashion.  Juann, of L’elite, loved the Dior modified mermaid worn by Jennifer Lawrence.  This dress is ready to walk straight down the aisle!

The mermaid cut is best for the bride that wants to feel sexy in her wedding gown.  It hugs the body and highlights the curves and can make most any body in any size look good.  Jennifer’s mermaid dress was particularly special because of the unique empire cut at the bust and the waist, which we really haven’t seen before with a mermaid dress.  The skirt of the dress was much fuller than the typical mermaid shape, which usually mimics a fish tail.  The additional layers transformed this dress into a ball gown.

If you love Jennifer’s dress, Juann suggests checking out the styles by Monique L’huillier, Vera Wang, Jenny Pakham and Remona Keveza lines at Musette Bridal and at L’elite as well as the designs at Vera Wang Boston.

Remona Keveza

Vera Wang

Monique L'huillier

We can’t forget the men’s fashion or your dashing groom!  We looked to our good friend’s at Alton Lane to assess the best in menswear at the this year’s Oscars.  Here are some of Style Direcor, Seth Howard’s, picks:

Bradley Cooper

Bradley Cooper takes my vote for best dressed on Oscar night. It’s easy to see why he’s covered pretty much every major men’s magazine (more than once) in the past couple of years. He really upped the formal-ante by donning a three-piece tuxedo with peak lapels. It fit well, his bow-tie was great (not too big, not too small) and extra points for bringing Mom to the red carpet. If your big day is a going to be a formal affair-to-remember, this is the look for you.

Peak Lapel

Daniel Day Lewis

A traditional one-button shawl lapel with a more modern, navy blue tuxedo is a great combination for a distinguished gentleman, such as Daniel Day Lewis – it’s the best of both worlds and he looked great. It’s also the perfect look for a modern groom having a more traditional wedding – and always a great option if either father wants to get noticed.

Shawl Lapel

Seth Macfarlane

Every good host knows that he must set the bar very high, and Seth Macfarlane did just that. He wore a simple tuxedo with a notch lapel that fit him impeccably and looked great throughout the night. Something to note for every groom – dress to impress and command the attention of everyone in the room.

Notch Lapel

]]> http://blog.bostonbridallounge.com/2013/03/01/from-the-red-carpet-to-the-wedding-aisle-part-iv/feed/ 0 http://blog.bostonbridallounge.com/2013/02/28/from-the-red-carpet-to-the-wedding-aisle-part-iii/ http://blog.bostonbridallounge.com/2013/02/28/from-the-red-carpet-to-the-wedding-aisle-part-iii/#comments Thu, 28 Feb 2013 17:17:24 +0000 BBLadmin http://blog.bostonbridallounge.com/?p=1937 We can’t tell you how often we hear from brides that they are S.T.R.U.G.G.L.I.N.G with bridesmaid dress selection!  Its always a joke with every girl that they have a closet full of ugly bridesmaid dresses.  And, we know that a savvy bride like you doesn’t want her bridesmaid dress tucked in there with the rest of them.  You want something that will enhance the look of your wedding and that your besties will love to wear.  To help you, we enlisted our good friend Brit of Bella Bridesmaid to help us navigate some of the hottest new trends pulled straight from the Red Carpet.

From Brit:

I loved the Neutral colors we saw on the red carpet – particularly with Jessica Chastain, Anne Hathaway and Amanda Seyfried.  Often brides and bridesmaid are concerned that the blushes and champagnes may wash out their bridesmaids – I think the right shade of these colors look fabulous on anyone!  If you’re looking for the perfect neutral color palette for your bridesmaids – Joanna August has this nailed!  The colors are perfect on all skin tones and fabulous when mixing it up to create a multi-color palette.

Jennifer Lawrence looked great, but let’s be honest – that fall was inevitable!  How she lasted all night with that skirt – I give her kudos for not falling more than once!  I would be stepping all over myself and that skirt.  Bridesmaids can have the wow factor in their dresses – but let’s be honest, its unlikely Hugh Jackman will be rushing to our aid if we fall down the aisle.  We just received the new 2013 Monique Lhuillier samples and these dresses scream hollywood glamour!

Sleeves Sleeves Sleeves!  Jennifer Hudson, Sally Field, Jane Fonda, Adele – well done!   Sleeves can be so hard to do right, but we are loving the Holly dress by Joanna August – What do you think?  Would you consider sleeves for your bridesmaids?

Overall Favorites – I love Jennifer Hudson.  She was a knockout and that jewel toned Roberto Cavalli.  The sleeves, the slit, the lace, she was radiant!  And Charlize Theron – that peplum, the white gown, the hair, oh the hair…  Stunning!

Nudes were huge on the red carpet: Charlize Theron looked stunning with her dewy complexion and highlighted cheekbones being the focus. She boasted a healthy glow, full lash line and topped it off with a neutral glossy lip. Jennifer Garner also went for a nude look with a slightly bolder lash.

This is a great look for a bride who doesn’t wear much makeup and wants a full strip of false lashes. When wearing nudes, texture is important, so make sure to add some shimmer to make it pop.

Light smokey eyes are a big trend right now. Jennifer Lawrence made her beautiful eyes the focal point of her look. Her eyes were soft, sultry and smokey. Sculpted cheekbones, a pop of dusty pink blush and a neutral pink lip finished the look. Naomi Watts also looked amazing in this trend.

Soft, romantic and great for the bride who wants to try out a dramatic look without going to dark. Choose a pretty color eye shadow for this smokey eye to compliment your eye color and add a soft pink blush and matching gloss to complete the look.

This week we are excited to present to you our four part series: “From the Red Carpet to the Wedding Aisle.”  We have gathered tips, tricks, and fashion advice from some of our favorite beauty and fashion experts.

Months of Prepping

Even natural beauties, such as Jennifer Aniston, need to do some serious prepping before a big event.  I know we found ourselves envious of all of the starlets and their perfectly toned bodies and glowing skin.  But, just as Allie Wheeler of Exhale Spa said, “Hollywood stars, contrary to how it may seem, do not roll out of bed looking toned, glowing, and glamorous.”

We love Exhale Spa for their Bridal Boot Camp.  This program includes unlimited core fusion and yoga classes, a series of three facials and a personal mind body manager that checks in with you along the way.  We know it is so hard to motivate yourself to get to the gym when you are so busy with wedding planning so having the motivation from a program like the Bridal Boot Camp is key.

We couldn’t stop gushing over Amy Adams.  She looked like perfection.  From her loose up-do to her gown.  Her makeup was impeccable and her skin was glowing.  Good skin is the secret to looking flawless on your wedding day.  The experts at G2O and EMERGE recommend that you start a series of facials and skin treatments six months leading up to you wedding.  If your skin is healthy and well moisturized your makeup will go on smoother, look more natural, and will stay on all night.  And if you have a strapless dress or a low cut back don’t forget to pamper your skin.  The Lavender Dreams Ultimate Experience is our fave!

Splurge a little (or a lot) on some of these fantastic packages. Trust us, the camera will love you.

Don’t miss our next post on how to achieve red carpet worthy makeup on your wedding day.

Do you remember a time when we didn’t have the Facebook news feed… or (gasp) the “Like” button?  Seriously, how did we live without?  These social media altering ideas came out of a session Mark Zuckerberg called a Hackathon.  He put a bunch of programmers in a room and they just went balls to the wall, anything goes, and coded as much as they could.  I can’t even image the excitement in the room when the person that came up with the “Like” feature presented.  Today our president is trying a similar tactic at the White House.  There are a literally a bunch of hackers just hanging out at 1600 Penn right now!  So cutting edge for  government.  Right?

We felt inspired and decided to take a cue from Mr. President and threw a hackathon party of our own…We are calling it the BBL Wedding Hackathon!

The team at BBL threw on the music, pulled out their laptops, and went crazy searching the web for the things that made their heart’s leap!  Our goal was to inspire our couples to think outside the box and get creative with their upcoming weddings.  Take a peek and tell us what you think.  Do any of these images spark new and innovative ideas for you?

We would love to hear from you!  Tell us in the comments or tweet us about what inspires you and gets your creativity flowing.