so pretty on style me pretty

Our bride Lauran was featured yesterday on style me pretty. (to see the images larger, click the smp link). She wore a stunning one shoulder gown by Modern Trousseau and completed her look with an adorable cage veil from A couture for The White Dress by the shore.

Lauran and Carlos had an intimate early September wedding for 60 of their closes friends and family at Lauran's parents home in East Haddam. This wedding was all about the little details! Lauran, a trained chef, wanted to incorporate her love of vintage and her and Carlos' love of food into the decor to create an intimate atmosphere.

There were married in front of her mother's gardening shed with vintage chairs mixed with white folding garden chairs. Locally grown Zinnias in tomato cans adorned the cocktail tables to coordinate with the Bruchetta bar set up for guests. Hanging lanterns, pomander balls and strung orchids swayed in the breeze from the trees around the property.

Lauran and Carlos made a donation to the Humane Society in lieu of gifts, but had Nina of Les Petites Presents create a Doggie Bone Favor Bar where guests could take home homeade dog biscuits to their pooches!

A note from the bride: "Dear Beth, I wanted to write to thank you for the outstanding experience I had at The White Dress by the shore. Kelley, Lindsay, Josie and Flo are the ladies that I had the pleasure of spending the most time with and all of them far exceeded my expectations. When I picked up my dress on Thursday, it was bittersweet because I when both Kelley and Lindsay walked me out to say goodbye, I can honestly say it felt like they were seeing me off as a friend, not a client."

Event credits:

Flowers~ Blush Floral Design

Caterer~ A Thyme to Cook

Photographer~ Megan LaBarbera, Creative Image Collections

Gown~ Modern Trousseau

Stationary~ Tulaloo

Favors~ Nina Healy, Les Petites Presents

xoxo, TWD

the finished product 2

Our other recent project was an inspiration to reality shoot for style me pretty Along with some of Connecticut's top talents in the bridal industry (see list below), we were asked by style me pretty to select the winning board from their inspiration to reality contest and to turn it into a photo shoot. Below is the winning board~

Here is our interpretation, shot at Saltwater Farm in Stonington, CT. click to enlarge images

The talented 'dream team' that put the shoot together decide that in order to truly have the shoot feel authentic,we had to create the story of the bride and groom. Our couple was named Sophie and Ethan. Sophie was an artist and Ethan was a scholar. The couple wanted a wedding that was modern and that featured special touches that reflected their personalities. The pear painting over the table was a homage to Sophie and her artistic talents. In lieu of a traditional bouquet, Sophie carried down the aisle and read to Ethan from a book of love poems that was entwined with flowers. As the guests entered into the reception, they were asked to sign the couple's guest book which was a canvas decoupaged with pages of Ethan's favorite novel. After the wedding, the couple would hang the canvas in their New Haven apartment as a sweet memory of their special day. After a delicious meal at their over sized square table topped with a custom linen made from grey wool, they sent their guests home with a sweet token- a whiskey lollipop.

Shoot credits~

Photography ~ Steve DePino *steve was also responsible for the original painting of the pair and the decoupaged guest book. he is a man of MANY talents!

Venue~ Saltwater Farm

Floral Design~ Jessica's Country Flowers

Table Design/Culinary Artistry~ A Thyme to Cook

Invitations~ stonington design + paperie

Beauty~ Dana Bartone

Attire credits:

Gown~ Dandie Amy Kuschel

Floral Belts~ Modern Trousseau and Maria Elena

Shoes~ Blue Tux Shoes (customized by The White Dress by the shore)

Groom's Attire~ Calvin Klein

To see a short film from the shoot created by maflife productions, CLICK HERE.

Stayed tuned for more details about this shoot and our next inspiration to reality shoot taking place in April at The Loading Dock in Stamford. That shoot will feature style me pretty's first same sex couple.

xoxo, TWD

the finished product 1

For those of you who have been following our blog, you know that Beth recently travelled to the big easy with some of the brightest talents in the wedding industry for an editorial photoshoot. Following was our inspiration for the shoot created by the always inspiring Candice Dowling Coppola of Jubilee Events~

We are not yet able to show you the stunning images captured by Carla Ten Eyck, as they are out for editorial submission, but to get a taste of our shoot, CLICK HERE to view the video created by Vantage Point Films.

The shoot started at the historic Constalk Hotel. We used a gown that was custom made for the shoot by Modern Trousseau. The second half of the day we took to the streets of New Orleans! Candice Dowling Coppola of Jubilee Events and Tony Palmeri of Datura~ a modern garden created an over the top tablescape in the center of Royal Street overflowing with fabric and flowers and covered with delicious pastries from New Orleans own Sucre. Our models were joined by Dr. Jazz and the New Orleans sound~ an aunthentic New Orleans brass band, who truely set the tone for the shoot! We were able to wrap up within minutes of the skies opening up and the heavens dumping buckets of rain on us! As you can see in the video, it made for a very dramatic ending!

Stay tuned for photos in the near future!

Thanks to all involved in this shoot for an experience of a lifetime!

xoxo, TWD

Best of 2010!

We were recently named by The Knot as the best of 2010 in the bridal salon category!

Thank you to all of our brides who voted for us again this year! We have run this award consecutively since 2007!

xoxo, TWD

need to get organized in your planning process?

We can help!!! We were just asked by style me pretty to be amongst a handful of vendors that they hand-picked to contribute to a project with Google!!! Google recently created a wedding planning tool called Wedding Docs templates. They look like this~

Click the style me pretty link above to view all of the templates, or click here to view ours!

Happy Planning!

xoxo, TWD

Valentine's Day Soiree at Chamard Vineyard

This past weekend at Chamard Vineyards we hosted a Valentines Soiree that was romantic, whimsical, fun and super sexy! We brought together some of our dearest, most talented friends in the industry to help us throw an incredible party, all in the spirit of one of my favorite holidays, Valentines Day! After the event Cafe Routier (one of my absolute favorites) hosted the after party and designed a special Valentine's Day cocktail for the brides in attendance. It was the perfect way to end an incredible night, amazing food and festive cocktails.

Chamard Vineyards at Sunset, Interior lighting by Power Posse Productions

Tasting Room at Chamard Vineyards

True Event Table, Plan your Valentine's Date


Beneath the Gown Lingerie

**if any of these items strike your fancy, Josie is having a sale this Friday and Saturday on her valentine's lingerie!~see below for her contact info.

Jennie Fresa Beauty Library, Lips and Lashes

Ladies of Wedding Row (Beneath the Gown, Jennie Fresa Beauty Library, The White Dress by the Shore, True Event (missing from picture Stonington Paperie & Design)

Custom Wine Labels, Chocolate Creative Design

Loukoum on the accordion, Flowers by Hana Floral, Photobooth Props by Anna Sawin

Aphrodisiac Foods, Oyster Shooters by Gourmet Galley

Hana Floral Design

Miss Adrienne (True Event) designed the runway with hand drawn chalk hearts, fabulous!

White Dress by the Shore, featuring Ann Barge Collection

Runway Show, Beneath the Gown and White Dress by the Shore (Emcee Sarah True)* Above Photos by Anna Sawin Photography*Runway Fashion (images by JAG Stuidos)Tank Room of Chamard Vineyards

Runway Models, Maggie and Chelsea

Beth Chapman, The White Dress by the Shore and her hubbie, Mark

Alicia Trotta, Chica Guapa Image Consulting /The White Dres by the shore

Miss Jennie, Jennie Fresa Beauty Library

Hana Floral Design, Tiffany and Yumiko

Collaboration:

TRUE EVENT Design Your Perfect Valentines Date
CHAMARD VINEYARDS Wine Tasting
CHOCOLATE CREATIVE DESIGN Custom Wine Labels
GIVEN FINE CHOCOLATES Chocolates paired with wine
POWER POSSE Lighting and Sound For Runway Show
JENNIE FRESA BEAUTY LIBRARY Lips And Lashes (Runway Show)
HANA FLORAL DESIGN Fabulous Arrangements (Runway Show)
GOURMET GALLEY Aphrodisiac Inspired Foods
ANNA SAWIN PHOTOGRAPHY Photobooth
BOSTON CIGAR FACTORY Cigar Rolling
BENEATH THE GOWN Runway Lingerie Show
WHITE DRESS BY THE SHORE Runway Fashion Show
STONINGTON DESIGN & PAPERIE Paper Treats
JAG STUDIOS Photography on the Runway
LOUKOUM Two Piece Ensemble
TORIA DOLCE Sweet Decadent Treats
And CAFE ROUTIER’s Signature Valentines Day Martini

xoxo, TWD

amy kuschel trunk show

Join us this Friday and Saturday for a trunk show to launch our newest collection ~ Amy Kuschel


Amy Kuschel features a collection of stylish and affordable gowns constructed of the finest silks and laces and manufactured in San Francisco, CA. Don't miss your opportunity to save 10% off of your Amy Kuschel gown!

With every Amy Kuschel gown purchased this weekend, you will not only receive a 10% discount, but a signed sketch from the designer and a little valentines gift from us!

Come and fall in love with Amy Kuschel! Call 860.669.4596 to schedule your appointment.

xoxo, TWD