Olivia Luca on Style Me Pretty!

Our very own lovely and talented Terri of Olivia Luca is featured under fashion week on the fabulous wedding blog Style Me Pretty. We love Style Me Pretty. They were a big inspiration in starting this blog. 

Check out her beautiful gowns and the rockin' photos of them by none other than Jasmine Photography. 

Visit Style Me Pretty here.

Something borrowed.

The tradition of wearing something new, borrowed and blue on your wedding day is one tradition that brides have decided to keep doing. It is always fun to see how each bride has decided to add these touches to their day. The borrowed part can be something special from your grandma or mother but what if you love designer labels but don't want to commit to owning it? Well, there is a new way to borrow for your wedding day. Now having a Prada clutch or diamond & pearl bracelet by Chanel is only a click away. If you haven't heard of this website by now, you'll soon have it book marked. Bag Borrow or Steal is the newest way to spice up your accessories for your wedding day.

Yup, you read that correctly, you can now rent beautiful jewels and modern handbags for the week or the whole month. Let's look at some of their fab offerings.

Add this Gerard Yosca Butterfly Pearl Necklace set to your gown and everyone will be talking!
For $23 a week who could say no?

Gucci chandelier earrings in 18kt gold are yours for $107 per week.


Add some sparkle with a clutch from Badgley Mischka for $46 a week.

Add your something blue with Vera Want Double Diamond Earrings.$171 a week.

Try to stop staring at your hand while wearing this David Yurman Blue Topaz ring. $83 a week.

Now nothing is out of reach to make your day sparkle and shine. Add some bling bling that will make everyone go "Wow! Where'd she get that?"

Wedding Gown Trends.

Wedding gowns are changing, for the good. They have more embellishments, details with the fabric and a splash of color. Stray away from the basic strapless gown to find something that showcases your style and personality. Add color with a bright sash that echoes the colors of your flowers or make a statement with colored shoes.

More and more brides are taking the time to find their dream dress. That means it doesn't have to be white anymore. This is your party, so rock it!

I love the layering and flowers made of fabric on the gown below. Great for a garden or back- yard party.

Try the one shoulder look below, which can be elegant.

The look below adds a pretty bow with a modern silhouettes.

Shorter dresses are becoming more and more popular as well. I love that you can wear a short dress for a daytime wedding or an evening event.


By adding silver beading to the sleeves and waist line, a short dress is instantly cute & modern. Great for a cocktail event.

Try a velvet sash instead of the classic satin to add some texture.

The pale yellow gown below is an easy way to stray away from white but still make a bold statement. Simply lovely!

If you really can't stray away from a white gown, why not get two? Wear your wedding gown for the photos and ceremony, then make an entrance by changing into a fabulous cocktail dress.
How do you know when you've found the perfect one? This may sound silly- I thought so when others said the same thing to me- but you'll just know! I tried on A LOT of dresses and even though they were all beautiful none of them felt right on.

Then I slipped into an empire waist gown with a square neckline and fell in love! It was the weirdest thing...

Q & A with Embellish Designs.

Happy April 1st! Finding a wedding gown can be a long process filled with lots of tugging & cinching to get an idea of what it will really look like on you.  If going to shop after shop is not your style, why not try having your gown created for you? I sat down with Terri from Embellish Designs to find out more about the process.

Q: What are some trends you are currently seeing in gowns?

A: "Brides are having fun adding lots of color to their overall look. This can be in the form of a sash, broaches, or bright shoes. More are choosing knee length dresses as well."

Q: If I'm interested in having my gown made, how far in advance should I start the process?

A: "I recommend booking your first appointment at least 6 months before your wedding date."

Q: What are some of the different materials you offer?

A: "I offer many sustainable fabric options, which are becoming more and more popular. Hemp silk, organic linen & organic cotton are used often in creating gowns."

Q: What can I expect to pay for a custom designed gown?

A: "The cost varies depending on your choice of fabric, how many details you have and the overall design concept."

Q: What happens at my first consultation?

A: "You should bring in pictures of styles you like. We'll sit down, chat about your wedding day plans and start sketching out ideas. By the end of the meeting you'll know the cost of your gown. The initial consultation is free, please contact me to make an appointment." 

If you have more questions you'd like to ask Terri, you can contact her via her website Embellish Designs. 

Images copyright Jasmine Photography

Let's Talk Shoes.

Ahh shoes. Really, how can you not love buying a new pair of shoes? When you find a pair that fits and looks great, it's like winning the lottery! Good stuff. With that said, let's look at wedding day shoes. So many options to choose from. No matter what, choose something fun, unique or with lots of sparkle. They are such an easy way to personalize your look. Enjoy!


This shoe is simple yet classy and has a good heel height. Kenneth Cole Reaction $85.
I saw this shoe and thought it would be fun with a retro inspired dress. Bonus points for being comfortable. Aerosoles $82.

Add a touch of blue with these fun and funky heels by BCBGirls $80.

This shoe will stand out with a cute tea length dress or by popping out from under a full length gown. By Stuart Weitzman $295.

This pair is a soft cream color with lace embroidered all over it. It's unique and classic 

at the same time. By Badley Mischka $390.

For something comfortable and glamourous, try this champagne leather shoe by Matisse for $115. 
To add some color without going bright, try this pewter satin pump with beautiful bow detail on the toe for only $80.
The bow is great accent to this shoe as well. I love how it's tied off to the side. By Caparros for $70...what a steal!
Lace is showing up more and more in gowns and now on shoes. If you're dress is simple without a lot of detail, try adding this shoe by Vera Wang for $250 for a touch of elegance.

Before buying your shoes, I would make sure you have found your dream gown. Your gown will help determine the style of shoe you should look for.  Also know where your wedding will be held. If it's outside on grass, you won't want to be wearing high pointed heals. Unless you want to air-rate the sod all day!  If you are on the beach, a flat, slide or none at all. If you are inside all day, let your shoe imagination go wild!  

A really great place to find shoes online is Zappos.com. They give you up to 365 days to return your un-worn shoes and free shipping both ways.

Duchess. Men's Suits with Style.

At times you may feel like you man just doesn't have any style. He's wearing the same pair of jeans that he worn for the past 5 days, he turns his t-shirt inside out to get one more day out if it and we don't even want to ask about the boxers! So, the wedding day is the perfect opportunity to turn a grape into wine. A tuxedo may seem like the obvious choice but he looks more like James Bond than a groom. Who do you turn to for help? I have the perfect solution, Duchess Clothier.

Here's a quick description of what they do in their own words:

"Duchess Clothier creates custom suits and shirts based on historical styles with the belief that gentlemen and ladies of style
should have the opportunity to affordably dress in find tailored garments that fit properly. All of our creations are made-to-measure and completely customizable in your choices of fabrics and styles. We are owned and operated in Portland, Oregon and believe that the style trailblazers of today should look to the dress of the past-whether that of Victorian gentlemen, a smooth rat packer, a hot mod face, a country crooner...it's all beautiful and encouraged!"

I think the pictures speak for themselves. And just think, once he has his own hand made suit, he'll have to wear it again to take you out for a fabulous dinner and cocktails.

Come see Duchess' suits on live models at The Art of Wedding Event this January. I can't wait!

Emily-Jane Sparkles.

I think I mentioned before, that finding wedding day jewelry that is unique and beautiful can sometimes be hard. Joining the Art of Weddings event is the lovely ladies of Emily-Jane Jewelry. They create one of kind pieces that compliment your wedding gown. Their service is great, they truly care about their clients which was easy for me to see at their holiday party.

The best part is that you can wear your earrings, necklace or bracelet again! Now, you gotta love that. Here is a sampling of some of their work, check out their website so you can eww and ahh in the privacy of your home. Images by Jasmine Photography.

All things that Sparkle!

Throughout this month I'll be posting about what will be happening at the Art of Weddings Event. One thing that you'll be able to enjoy is handmade gowns by Embellish along with jewelry by Emily-Jane on live models.

Searching for the right jewelry for your gown can be daunting, I know when I was looking (6 years ago...wow.. time flies) I was not finding anything that fit the style of my dress or my taste. I ended up having it all hand-made by a local jeweler in Minnesota.

If you're going thru the same dilemma, I suggest thinking outside of the box and visiting Emily-Jane. Besides getting a unique piece of jewelry, you'll be able to wear it again! The lovely ladies there will take care of you from start to finish and create a one-of a kind piece.

If you haven't been to their cute store before head on over to their annual holiday party...it's always fun! The info is below..hope to see ya there!


Emily-Jane Holiday Party

Don't miss a night of one-of-a-kind jewels like you've never seen before. Emily-Jane will be unveiling jewels of 18k gold, precious gems and the rarest of vintage Swarovski crystals. From sexy to sweet you'll find the most lovely pieces for yourself and of course wonderful items for holiday gifts. Enjoy a complementary holiday ornament with any purchase, plus cocktails, hors d'oeurves and photos of you and your friends celebrating the season.

What: Emily-Jane Holiday Party
When: Wednesday, Dec. 5, 6-9 pm
Where: 1428 NE Broadway St.
Call: 503.460.0516
Visit: www.emily-jane.com

To veil or not to veil...

The veil. Where did this tradition come from? Here's a little info I found about it online:

"The veil can be traced back to Roman times when it was a complete head to toe cover.

In a custom dating back to arranged marriages, the groom's family very rarely let him see the bride prior to the ceremony.

The groom if displeased with the brides looks may have refused to marry her.

Only after completion of the wedding ceremony was the groom permitted to lift the veil and see his bride for the first time."



Certainly interesting but hopefully not the reason why you are choosing to wear yours! Last year many of my brides opted not to wear one, if you decide to do that be sure to dress up your hair with something else to make it stand out. Fresh flowers are always a great option or how about an antique pin from your grandmother?

I'm biased, I think the veil is great for photos! I recommend at least wearing it for your portrait session and then taking it off to greet your guests. If you don't take it off for the reception you'll be getting your head tugged back a lot from everyone hugging you! Whether it's a blusher, antique lace, or cathedral; it adds a bit of fun and drama to your images!



All images copyright Jasmine Photography.