Maria Elena headpiece and accessories trunk show

Don't miss this incredible event! May 19th -21st we will be hosting a trunk show with Miami based accessories designer, Maria Elena. On hand will be Maria Elena's right hand woman and the head of sales, Gisele delBusto. Work with her one on one to find the perfect accessories for your stunning gown!  To schedule an appointment the for the trunk show, call us at 860.669.4596.

A 10% discount will be granted on the first Maria Elena accessory purchased during the event,

and a 15% discount on any additional piece of equal or lesser value.

 

Credits~

  The images in this post are from a photo shoot that we styled at The Loading Dock in Stamford with the following talents:

Photography: Carla Teneyck

Shoot Design: Candice Coppola of Jubilee Events

Floral Design:  Tony Palmeri of Datura: a modern garden

Beauty: Dana Bartone 

xoxo, TWD

destination wedding event

If you were unable to attend our destination bridal event on Sunday, March 20th, be prepared to be inspired!

In conjunction with some of the brightest talents in the bridal industry, we set out to create an event that was inspired by stunning destinations throughout the world.  The goal of this event was to inspire those brides planning destination weddings abroad, and to use stunning locations to inspire those brides having weddings at home~ it was about inspiration for destinations and inspiration from destinations!

Emily's Catering Group treated us to delicacies from each of our destination locations~ Paris, Capri, New England and Costa Rica. 

lobster rolls, clam chowder and 'cape codders', inspired by our New England destination 

Delicious crepes inspired by our Parisian destination

Lovely Lollies filled Chic by the shore, our bridesmaid studio, with beautiful and scrumptious delicacies

The graceful Sperry Tent that was erected in our parking lot was filled with inspiration!

Being that it is the city of love, and of my favorite cities in the world, we chose Paris as one of our inspirational destinations.

This vintage inspired Amy Kuschel gown was the perfect look to complement the romantic inspiration board created by Candice Coppola of Jubilee Events that set the tone for this stunning Parisian table scape.

Inspired by the colors of my favorite location in Paris, the historic tea salon, Ladurée. this table cape was dreamy!  With it's luxurious textured linens in shapes of soft pink, ivory and dusty green it had us all swooning! 

The talented and lovely Nichole, founder and creative director of Coral Pheasant Stationary created the invitation suites that set the tone for each of our destinations, including this one for Paris.

Known for it's patisseries, no Parisian inspired setting would be complete without a stunning display of sweet treats.  This one was created by Lovely Lollies.

The clear blue ocean and the infamous lemons of the Amalfi Coast were the inspiration for the Capri themed table scape and inspiration suite.

Tony of Daura- a modern garden created all of the floral masterpieces that graced the tables capes for the event.  The flowers were the finishing touch for each destination and were inspirational in and of themselves!

Forget seersucker and khacki suits!- what about hot pink with a touch of yellow and sequins!  We took a different spin on the classic New England wedding with this homage to Kate Spade.

We selected a fun and flirty Coren Moore maids dresses topped with a J Crew cardigan and a Lilly Pullitzer bridal gown as the attire to compliment this inspirational vignette.

As a nod to the beautiful country that inspired us all during several recent photo shoots, we selected Costa Rica as our final destination.

This layered chiffon gown from Amy Kuschel is the perfect bohemian selection for a Costa Rican beach wedding.

The shells, mangoes, kiwis and flowers by Datura- a modern garden, created the perfect uniquely organic centerpiece for the Costa Rican inspired table scape.

Jim Altieri of Vintage Cinema captured the magic of the event on film! Click here to watch the video.

And the winner is........ one of our sponsors, Stay in Costa Rica provided a 5 night, 4 day mini-moon for one of the lucky brides attending the event. The package included accomodations at one of their luxurious properties, a tree-top zip line tour, a couples massage and a romantic sunset cruise.  The lucky winner is

Maria Gutierrez from Providence, Rhode Island. She is planning a June destination wedding in Mexico.  Congratulations Maria!

The Inspirational Artists that brought this event to life~

Photography/Photo booth - Carla Ten Eyck

Event Design/Coordination- Jubilee Events

Floral Design - Datura- a modern garden

Invitation Design- Coral Pheasant Stationary

Video- Vintage Cinema

Beauty- dd Nickel

Catering- Emily's Catering

Sweets- Lovely- Lollies

Linens/Rentals- Party Rental, Ltd.

Tent- Sperry Tents

Salsa Dancing Lessons- Alisa's House of Salsa

Groom's Attire- Valentino Tailors

Bride's Attire- Paris: Amy Kuschel, Capri- Reverie, Jenny Yoo, New England- Lilly Pulitzer Bride, Coren Moore, Costa Rica- Amy Kuschel

Event Sponsors:

Brides Connecticut

Destination Inspirations

Stay in Costa Rica

xoxo, TWD

destination wedding gowns

The 1996 wedding of JFK Jr. and Caroline Bassette set the trend for destination wedding gowns.  Her sleek charmeuse Narcisco Rodriguez gown was understated and elegant- a perfect choice for her low key wedding on Cumberland Island in Georgia.

As time has evolved, so have the choices for destination wedding dresses.  Your wedding gown should be a reflection of not only your wedding location, but more importantly your sense of style.  The silhouette that you select should  flatter your figure and make you feel comfortable and beautiful on your big day.

Gone are the days where a charmeuse slip dress is the only option for a destination wedding. We have put together a selection of gowns below that are completely appropriate for a destination wedding, yet allow you, the bride to look like a bride.  It is important when selecting your destination wedding gown that you select a fabric that is light weight, travels well and will steam out beautifully once you reach your destination.

gown by Anne Barge

This organza layered gown with alencon lace trim and stunning horsehair finishing details is a light weight and breath taking choice for a destination wedding.  In fact, I was fortunate enough to recently use this gown for a photo shoot with Carla TenEyck and her team in the Costa Rican rain forest!  This is a perfect example of a gown that allows the bride to look like a bride, yet be comfortable in a destination location! 

gown by Augusta Jones

Speaking of Costa Rica...this image is from our shoot last in November in that amazing country!  This elegant fit to flare gown is made of silk tulle.  It provides a stunning silhouette and the lightweight fabric is the perfect choice for travelling. It does not wrinkle and will steam out beautifully once you reach your destination.

gown by Melissa Sweet

image by Justin and Mary Marantz

We love, love, love this gown for a destination wedding!  It is a dress that is ready to party - for sure!  The silk shantung fabric would hold up well during travel and the whimsical details set the tone for a fun event!

gown by Melissa Sweet  

This whimsical organza layered gown is a fun and flirty option for a beach wedding or a wedding in a non-formal setting.  Can't you picture the layers of this gown blowing in the wind on a romantic hilltop?

gown by Modern Trousseau

image by Robert and Kathleen photographers

We used this silk tulle 'Wallis' gown from Modern Trousseau for our photo shoot last spring in Paris.  It is the perfect travel companion!  It is lightweight and will hold up extremely well during travel.  This versatile gown can be accessorized in different ways depending on the formality of your location. 

gown by Judd Waddell

This classic taffeta gown from Judd Waddell is ideal for a simple, elegant wedding.  We can see this gown anywhere from an ocean side ceremony in Connecticut to a vineyard in Tuscany.  The silk taffeta is a lightweight fabric and the draped skirt will mask any wrinkles that might occur during travel.

Join us for our Destination Trunk show March 22nd -26th and try on these gowns as well as other stunners that are perfect for your wedding at home or abroad!  A 10% discount will be granted off of any gown purchased from our destination collection.

xoxo, TWD

the final destination: Costa Rica

So far on our blog we have revealed to you the first 3 inspirational destinations for our event on March 20th, as well as the delicious menu of food inspired by these stunning locations.  Now, we are revealing our final inspirational destination- Costa Rica! 

I have had the pleasure of travelling to Costa Rica twice last year to collaborate on photo shoots with several of our event sponsors:  Stay in Costa Rica, Carla Ten Eyck, Candice Coppolla of Juilee Events, Vintage Cinema and dd Nickel. I can honestly say that is one of my favorite places in the world!...Especially for a wedding!  We are thrilled to announce that Stay in Costa Rica will be giving away a 5 day, 4 night 'mini-moon'  in Costa Rica, complete with a couples massage and facial, a tree top zip line tour through the jungle and a sunset cocktail cruise, to a lucky bride who attends the event or purchases a gown during our Destination Trunk Show that runs March 22nd -26th. 

Below is the inspiration board for our Costa Rican inspirational vignette that will be revealed during the event. The board was created by Candice Coppola of Jubilee Events.  In putting together the board, Candice found her inspiration from the beautiful country itself, as well as an all-natural, 1970's vibe.
"This board oozes an element of quirkiness and takes advantage of all that Costa Rica has to offer. I never advocate fighting with natural elements— you should embrace them! We have a lot of elements happening here, but a repeat of color and style. I love the vintage travel posters, the gorgeous anthropology painting with the suitcase and shoes (the muse for this board!) and that amazing photograph of the Costa Rican rain forest."

click image to enlarge

 { suitcase & shoe painting from anthropology; costa rica rain forest, vintage travel posters, pretty girl in a bed of colorful flowers, and vintage camera from we heart it; paper suite from martha stewart weddings; red and white striped shirt with skirt from anthropology }

As our trips to Costa Rica have resulted in a incredible collection of work, we’re going to be showcasing our images by Carla Ten Eyck and her team on the first level of the boutique during the event. Our friend Jim Altieri from Vintage Cinema will also be showcasing his recent work from our November shoot as well. We can’t wait to see you on March 20th from 11-3 p.m. — be sure to RSVP by emailing us at rsvp@eventjubilee.com.  The deadline to reserve your spot is Thursday, March 17th.  Learn more about the event by seeing the official invitation on our blog!
 

xoxo, TWD

destination event details revealed!

If you have not yet RSVP'd to our destination event on Sunday March 20th from 11-3, now's your chance!  We are so excited to reveal the menu of delicious regional delicacies that will be prepared by Emily's Catering for the event.

click to enlarge

Spend an afternoon with us enjoying this delicious food, learning how to salsa dance, getting pampered at the beauty bar and best of all-- being inspired!  And did we mention that all brides who attend the event will be registered to win a 5 day 4 night stay in Costa Rica complete with an in house massage and facial, a sunset cocktail cruise and a zipline canopy tour- courtesy of Stay in Costa Rica?

And of course all of this fabulousness kicks off our destination trunk show where we will be offering a 10% discount on our collection of stunning destination bridal gowns for your wedding at home or abroad.  Offer valid March 22nd - 26th.  Brides who purchase during the trunk show will also be eligible for the Stay in Costa Rica mini-moon!

We look forward to seeing you on the 20th!

xoxo, TWD

new twd friends

I attended an event last night in New York at the Ace Hotel. It was sponsored by one of our favorite wedding blogs, 100 Layer Cake and it featured the amazing musical talents of Elan Artists (check them out, they have some of the best musical groups in the industry)!

At the event, I met two beautiful and talented women with very cool wedding related businesses and I wanted to introduce them to you!

Sarah Pease is the founder of Brilliant Event Planning .  Sarah plans weddings and events, but her niche is planning proposals!  So if your man is a die hard romantic, but can't come up with the perfect proposal on his own, or if he is just completely clueless, Sarah is your gal!   Be sure to check out the proposal page of her site, where she has a proposal idea generator!  After answering a few questions about your future fiance, she will recommend the ideal proposal scenario for you!  

Sarah Jenks is the creator of The Breathtaking Bride.   Sarah is a nutritional coach for brides to be, focusing on a holistic plan to weight loss!  We constantly hear that our brides plan to lose weight before their wedding.  Sarah can truly make it happen, and in a completely healthy way.

The best part is that both of these lovelies are brides to be themselves!  So, they can appreciate what you are going through! Stay tuned to the blushing blog for interviews with both of these talented women in our ask the experts series.

xoxo, TWD

white carpet appointment!

We had our first bride indulge in a white carpet appointment yesterday! The lucky bride and her family spent 3 hours being pampered in the boutique and enjoyed delicious savory and sweet treats from The Elegant Occassion while viewing our collection.  The entire experience was captured on film by Take Aim Photography. (stay tuned to blog to see a post with the images).  At the end of her exclusive appointment, the bride walked away with this stunning bouquet inspired by her wedding from Fleur de lys , as a gift from us.

 She also received our White Carpet Gift Bag filled with goodies from the following premier wedding vendors~  Take Aim Photography, Fusion Medical Aesthetic Boutique, Beneath The Gown, Jennie Fresa Beauty Library, Vintage Cinema and Given Fine Chocolates and Indulgences.   To learn more about our White Carpet Appoinments, click here.  To speak to our White Carpet Coordinatior, please call Kelly Winter at 860.669.4596.

xoxo, TWD 

the Fall 2011 bridal collection has arrived!

Our Fall 2011 bridal collection has arrived!  We are thrilled to be receiving all of the stunning designs that graced the runways back in October! Below are just a few of our swoon- worthy favorites! 

judd waddell, amy

 

judd waddell, julep

judd waddell, juliette

augusta jones, alisa

augusta jones, amelia

augusta jones, penella

augusta jones, jessie

augusta jones, bobbi

augusta jones, connie

augusta jones, juno

jenny yoo, naomi

jenny yoo, rowan

amy kuschel, lucky

amy kuschel, poppy

amy kuschel, valencia

modern trousseau, kendra

modern trousseau, parker

modern trousseau, elsa

modern trousseau, may

modern trousseau, roxanne

lilly pulitzer, lane

lilly pulitzer, lindsay

lilly pulitzer, lexie

lilly pulitzer, libby

Ring us at 860.669.4596 to see these beauties in person! This month you will have the ability to receive 10% off several of these new gowns during the following events and trunk shows:

Introducing Lilly Pulitzer- Receive 10% off March 1st - 31st

Augusta Jones Trunk Show- March 17th -19th

Destination Trunk Show- March 22nd - 26th

Modern Trousseau Trunk Show- March 31st - April 3rd



xoxo, TWD