the royal wedding gown

It is officially 101 days until the royal wedding and the big question, is what will Kate Middleton wear?  I was recently asked by the editor of The Feast Connecticut to comment on what the future princess Katherine should select for her wedding attire. Here are my thoughts:


"The entire bridal industry is on pins and needles to see what Kate selects to wear !  It is so exciting to anticipate the trends that will be ignited by her selection.  Kate’s style is simple and understated and her wedding gown needs to reflect that. I  think that her gown should be long sleeved with a touch of lace incorporated into it.  She has a stunning figure, so a fit to flare silhouette with a long train would be striking on her.  A long veil with a  blusher would be the perfect accompaniment to her gown, along with the requisite tiara.  Ideally Kate will select a simple, yet elegant tiara that she will wear more as a headband than a tiara." 

I found it difficult to take gowns from the runway as an example of what she will wear.  I haven’t seen anything out there that is worthy of her! She needs a custom gown fit for a princess!   I took the inspiration for this assignment from Womens Wear Daily.  They recently asked top fashion designers to sketch the gowns that they thought that Kate should wear and I was inspired by the following:

sketch by Monique Lhuilier

sketch by Tori Burch

sketch by Reem Acra

British designer, Bruce Oldfield has received the honor of designing the gown. He has a big task ahead of him! We can't wait to see the finished product!

xoxo, TWD

Today is Alicia's Wedding Day!!!

We wish our store manager Alicia all the best today on her wedding day!  She has found the man of her dreams and we could not be happier for her!

Alicia’s wedding has an Old Holywood theme, complete with a speak-easy lounge at her cocktail party where she plans to show black and white old movies!  She carried the vintage feel into her  engagement shoot with Amy Trahant of Take Aim Photography in Clinton, Connecticut.

Congratulations Alicia and Enzo!

We wish you happiness and love always!

Credits~
Photography: Amy Trahant of Take Aim Photography, Clinton CT

Beauty:  DD Nickel

Movie Poster: Jennifer Callahan of Hazel Bleu, Seattle WA 
(please email Jen at jennifwcall@yahoo.com for more info)

xoxoxoxoxoxo, ALL THE TWD GIRLS!

Coren Moore bridal and maids trunk show

Join us January 20th - February 12th for a Coren Moore trunk show!  

In addition to her maids collection, we are pleased to present Coren's 2011 bridal collection!

Priced starting at $1800,  this never before seen collection of gowns are perfect for a classic New England wedding.  Also available at the trunk show will be the Pure White collection.  This selection of precious short white dresses priced starting at $275, are perfect for all of your wedding needs- reception dress, shower frock or rehearsal dinner ensemble.  The collection is are also an excellent choice for graduation dresses!

All of Coren's dresses will be discounted by 15% during this two week period.  Also debuting at the trunk show will be Coren's collection of Vineyard Vines Ties. 

We are so thrilled to be the exclusive retailer of Coren Moore in Connecticut.  Don't miss your opportunity to get a deal on this amazing collection.  And as always, Coren Moore is proudly made in the USA in the garment district of New York City!   Love your Local!

Ring us at 860.669.4596 to schedule an appointment! 

xoxo, TWD

Our shoot featured on the cover of Gala Weddings Magazine!

Of course, my passion is fashion!  When I entered into the bridal industry from the retail fashion world nearly 10 years ago, a whole new amazing aspect of fashion came alive to me.  I have been working with an incredible team for a little over a year styling shoots in some of the most amazing locations in the world.  One such shoot took place last year, right here in Connecticut at the historic and elegant Mayflower Inn in Washington, Connecticut.  The Mayflower is such an incredible hidden gem and a STUNNING location for a wedding!- Not to mention a perfect venue for a quaint honeymoon getaway or a fabulous bachelorette weekend at their world renowned spa!

Since our team began collaborating together, we dreamed of the day that we see our work come alive in print.  And today is the day!  We are thrilled that Gala weddings has created an 11 page spread of our romantic winter wonderland shoot at the Mayflower!

In the always poetic words on Candice Coppola of Jubilee Events, following was the inspiration for this shoot. "We were inspired by winter, the color blue, toile, and interesting textures like birch, evergreen, yarn, and vintage paper. Tony created several amazing bouquets– one of which has been a steady contender for my all time favorite bouquet. Ever. And it’s featured! Beth created a preppy look that my heart continues to lust after– gorgeous dress, cardigan, sparkly belt, layered pearls. Yum! Posh Paperie sent me a box of THE MOST gorgeous creations– paper pinwheels made of vintage music sheets, die cut “lace” paper embellishments, menu’s that open with a surprise hidden inside, and the prettiest invitation you ever did see (also featured!). Lovely Lollies delivered delicious dessert table that we styled– filled with peppermint patties, homemade marshmallows, candy can sticks, french macrons, and SO much more."


I am so honored to have worked with the incredible team that created this beautiful shoot:

Photography: Carla Ten Eyck and her team– Sara Code-Krawl , Rebecca Hales , and Greg Lewis
Hair & Makeup: Dana Bartone & Co.
Fashion & Accessory Styling: Beth Chapman of The White Dress by the Shore
Floral Design: Datura: A Modern Garden
Paper: Posh Paperie
Confections: Lovely Lollies
Shoot Styling & Table scape: Candice Coppola of Jubilee Events and her dynamite team– Diana, Amanda and Ashley.

 Our team compiled two beautiful and inspiration stories, one of which you can see in the new issue of Gala Weddings - Look for it at Big Y!  Purchase this magazine even if you are not planning a winter wedding.  The fashion, flowers, table scape and scrumptious treats will be sure to inspire you!

 Click here to see the behind-the-scenes post from 2009 with stories behind some of the images featured in the magazine. Carla also posted her perspective this morning on her blog,  and Tony is sharing his gorgeous bouquet work with you on his blog today from the shoot.
There are so many incredible images that did not make it into this issue, so be on the look out for them on our blog and website in the coming weeks! A big thank you to Gala Weddings for featuring our work and to our incredible team for inspiring me and never ceasing to amaze me with your endless talents!

xoxo, TWD

French Inspired Shoot in New Orleans - Part II

This is part 2 of our New Orleans photo shoot!  Feast your eyes on all of the exquisite details!  From the flowers created by Datura: a modern garden, to the beauty by Jennie Fresa, to the table scape designed by Jubilee Events, to the stunning images themselves by  Carla Ten eyck and her talented team of photographers,  this shoot is a sight to behold! I am so honored to have been a part of it!

We were thrilled to have the shoot recently featured on Southern Weddings Website. 

We finished the shoot in the nick of time before the sky opened up and we got a good old fashion southern thunderstorm!  Carla captured our lovely table scape being drenched in the photo above and Tom Morlock of Vantage Point Films, captured the deluge on film!

Can't get enough of these images?!!  Want to see them larger and enjoy more of them, check out  Jubilee Event's blog! 

To see part 1 of this shoot, click here.

Credit Reel~

Photography: Carla Ten Eyck & Co. (Katie Slater & Sara Code-Kroll)
Design & Styling: Jubilee Events
Location: Royal Street & The Cornstalk Hotel
Fashion & Styling: The White Dress by the Shore
Floral Design: Datura: A Modern Garden
Hair & Makeup: Jennie Fresa Beauty Library
Cinematography: Vantage Point Films
Musicians: Dr. Jazz and the New Orleans Sounds
Confections: Sucre
Groom’s Tux: Perlis
Shoes: MADELiNE Shoes & Poetic License Shoes
Paper: Posh Paperie
Calligraphy: Elizabeth Porcher Jones Calligraphy
Custom Headpieces & Floral Sashes: Twigs and Honey
Vintage Jewels: Karen Lindner Designs
Jewelry: Haute Bride
Linens: Gala Cloths
Custom China & Napkins: Sarah Drake Design
Pink Candelabras: Nachtmann  & Riedel
Champagne: Pommery Gold POP Champagne
Cake Stands: Orange & Blossom
Vintage Umbrellas: Bella Umbrella

xoxo, TWD

French Inspired Photoshoot in New Orleans- Part I

What an exciting year!  I was so blessed to travel to some incredible destinations for photo shoots- Paris, Costa Rica (twice!), Watch Hill Rhode Island and some amazing locations in our own beautiful state of Connecticut. 

The year started with an extraordinary trip to New Orleans with some of the most talented vendors in the bridal industry.  Our team included our talented photography crew: Carla Ten Eyck, Katie Slater, Sara-Code Kroll, and Carla’s studio manager Dodie of Carla Ten Eyck Photography. Shoot and table scape design were by Candice Coppola of Jubilee Events. Candice was accompanied by her right- hand woman who kept us all in check, Diana Chouinard. Tony from Datura: A Modern Garden designed all the gorgeous floral and collaborated with Candice on our epic table scape! Jennie Fresa and Nedelyn Perry of Jennie Fresa Beauty Library composed our beauty team and created gorgeous looks for our models. To top it off– Tom from Vantage Point Films was there to document the entire trip. 

 CLICK HERE to watch Tom's incredible behind the scenes video of the making of our shoot!

When a concept for a shoot is created, the first step is to set the inspiration that all of the vendors involved worked off of.  Below is the inspiration board created by Candice Coppola of Jubilee Events.

The team used the inspiration board as a jumping off point and below is a sampling of the final product!  We started the day shooting at a historic, boutique hotel in the heart of the French Quarter called The  Cornstalk Hotel.   This shoot was inspired by fashion, and included a custom Modern Trousseau created just for our shoot. The bride wore a vintage rose applique by Karen Lindner Designs in her hair and jewels by Haute Bride. The classic black tuxedo was provided by Perlis, and the groom wore a sweet little peony boutionerre.

 The bridesmaid gowns in shades of grey, were by Jenny Yoo and  Vineyard Collection and were accented by pink fabric flower sashes  by Twigs & Honey and jewels by Haute Bride. The hot pink shoes are designed by Poetic License. The pink tulip and pink peony bouquet with tulle hem were created by Datura: A Modern Garden. The pink paper “just married” banner was designed and hand made by posh paperie.  Bella Umbrella provided the gorgeous white and pink ruffled vintage umbrellas that were the perfect accessory for this southern shoot!

After shooting at the hotel, we took to the streets- literally!  Our 'bride and groom' rode through the French Quarter in a horse and buggy, while our design team created a wedding reception in the middle of Royal Street.  Candice and Tony  created the most amazing table scape covered in confections that looked like a confection itself!  It was draped in luxurious fabrics and covered with fabric and paper flowers.  The table was adorned with the most delectable french pastries from a New Orleans based bakery, Sucre. It was topped off with fabulous floral accents that Tony created from blooms in different rich shades of pink. The 'party' included a quintessential New Orleans brass brand!  You can imagine having a table scape, bride and groom and brass band in the middle of the street created quite a stir!  Our shoot as surrounded by hundreds of tourists trying to figure out what all of the fuss was about.  The locals were unfazed- to them parties in the street are old hat!

For our Royal Street shoot, the bride wore a taffeta halter with a dramatic ruffled collar from Reverie and a custom floral and feathered headpiece by Twigs and Honey. 

Our model Adrienne, rocked an incredible hat and earrings created by Tony out of hot pink rose petals and ranuculous!  His talents never cease to amaze me!  Jennie Fresa, who artfully created the beauty for this shoot, found the perfect lip color to compliment the floral accessories.

Stay tuned for another post of more stunning images!

xoxo, TWD 

new year, new look!

image by Carla Ten Eyck

We are getting a new look!  From January 4th - January 18th, our 1st floor will be undergoing a renovation.  During that time, we will be accepting appointments on the 2nd floor of our boutique. To ensure availability, it is imperative that you schedule your appointments a minimum of 1 week in advance, as we are limited in number of appointments that we can take.

When arriving for your appointment, please enter at the top of the stairs on the second level of the building.  If anyone in you party is unable to climb stairs, please notify us when scheduling your appointments.  We ask that you limit your party to 3 guests for appointments during our renovation, as our temporary space is very 'cozy'.

For revised hours during our 2 week renovation period, click here. 

We look forward to unveiling our new look in the new year!

Happy New Year!

xoxo, TWD