January 31, 2012
First, let me say I have NOTHING against a traditional bridal gown. Nearly all our brides have worn a traditional dress…. but… I LOVE when I see a bride or bridesmaids in something a little different. After all, I was that bride, myself. You see, I bought Amsale’s Tyler gown 2nd hand from Once Wed. I’d seen it in a magazine the week we got engaged and just knew it was my dress. I had to have it. The bargain hunter I am was elated to get a $4000+ dress for about $1500. It even was the right size and length… double score. I had it for several months before it started to eat at me…. even though I’d bought an amazing gown at amazing price…. I couldn’t quite stomach the cost. Jeremy & I were paying for everything, and that money could have been better used for other things. Long story short…. I sold that dress, and had my mom’s dress (that happened to fit me perfect!) altered a bit instead. Then I changed into a $30 dress from the JCrew outlet for our reception. I am a huge proponent of using things for purposes other than which they were intended…. I used twin sheets as table cloths at our reception and, my bridesmaids wore $40 dresses from Target.com. I wanted to share some of my favorite dresses currently available from non-traditional wedding retailers. (Click images to purchase them) JCrew. They came out with their wedding line a few years ago, and it continues to be one of my favorite places to see dresses. Their simple lines and soft whites and ivorys are so timeless, and yet up-to-date. 1. J Crew, Kira. This is by far my favorite! 2. J Crew Sofia …. I actually own this in black, and it’s SO comfortable! You can wear a regular bra with it too! Anthropology It’s no secret that Anthropology intoduced BHLDN on Valentines day of 2011. They have some really earthy gowns that would be beautiful in a garden. They also have some prim & proper frocks! 1. Bhldn, Crepe De Chine Column Gown 2. Bhldn, Comme Il Faut Dress (would be so great in a backyard affair… I’m smitten with those gloves!) Last, but not least…. Ann Taylor! 1. Strapless Vintage Gown… I can see a cozy cardigan or blazer over this for an awesome, outdoor, fall wedding! Where are some of your favorite non-traditional places to look for gowns?? Do you thrift? Do you eBay? Let me know in the comments! PS…. the J Crew outlet is in Arden, NC (just south of Asheville) that’s where I bought the Sofia dress in black for about $50! Another great place here in Charlotte is the JLC Wearhouse. I’m a Jr. League member, but it’s a store open to the public. While working there on Friday, we got to pick up a huge shipment of dresses from J. Majors! Good stuff at great prices in there…. it’s in Plaza Midwood on the corner of Pecan & Central.
January 26, 2012
A few weeks ago I headed to Charleston at 6AM, nervous and excited. I was going to partake in the FerShop by Fer Juaristi, a photographer from Mexico. There were a handful of other photographers there, including a few I knew from flickr. We talked a lot about how and why Fer is “different” from other photographers, how he’s OK with scaring off couples that aren’t his kind of client, how he approaches photoshoots with a totally different eye than the rest of us AND (most importantly….) why harsh light isn’t so scary! Rob & Meg joined us for the day, serving as our models. They were spectacular! So in love, so easy going. (F5, Portra 400… the rest are digital)
January 24, 2012
So… I had this grand idea to blog the office reveal today, since the floors are 99% done and I finally got my chairs back from the upholsterer. But I ended up shooting a newborn in my office last night (meaning everything got moved around) and I decided last week to finally order a giant canvas to hang over the sofa…. so I’m cleaning up & hanging new goods before I blog it 🙂 Instead I’ll chat about some of my favorite makeup things. I’m a girl who likes to sleep as late as possible, therefore I need a fast routine in the morning. I work a lot of long days and need my makeup to last as long as possible without wearing it too heavy. Here are a few of my favorite items to help it last! 1. Ulta Makeup Primer This is for all over your face…. just like you prime before painting, prime before applying your makeup too! I put this on after a little moisturizer, and before foundation. 2. Benefit F Y… Eye! This is primer made especially for your eyelids. I don’t wear a lot of eyeshadow (although I’m trying to more!), but I hate it when I put it on and it proceeds to crease…. this product will keep your shadow from creasing. Just put a little on your fingertip and smooth it over your lid, keep your eyes closed for a few seconds to let it set and then apply your shadow!. The last thing isn’t anything “necessary” and certainly isn’t part of my morning routine…. but I have a small obsession with Essie nail polish! I love the colors, and it seems to last a lot longer than other brands I’ve tried. The only drawback is it takes FOREVER to completely dry. It will seem dry after a few moments, but if you rub it, you’ll have a mess. So you need a time where you can sit still… I like to do it right before I go to sleep, this way I can position myself with my hands out of the covers and fall asleep while they dry. What are your favorite products??
