Vintage French Inspired Photoshoot with Carla Ten Eyck, Part I
A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of working with a lot of my absolute favorite people on a photoshoot with Carla Ten Eyck for her September Ten Eyck Tuesday. I collaborated with Elisabeth of BLUSH floral design and Beth Chapman of White Dress by the Shore to come up with a unique and fun color story in teals and pinks. All the hair and makeup was done by the talented and super amazing Dana Bartone & Co., who are responsible for making almost ALL of my brides gorgeous on their wedding day (me included)!! My studio roomie Thomas Morlock of Vantage Point Films also shot the entire event from his viewfinder. Plus, he drank all the champagne.
For those of you who don’t know, Carla runs an amazing workshop for photographers once a month where she spends an entire day shooting, educating, and discussing her artform. I’ve attended two Ten Eyck Tuesdays and Carla is amazing!! If you are a photographer in the area (you should travel here if your not!) I highly recommend Carla’s workshop. They are so thorough and detailed. Plus, Carla puts the sass in sass-a-frass.
The location for the shoot was really awesome. The building is an interior designer’s dream, full of lots of shops from furniture to lighting. We took over a blank industrial space with nothing except a few sheets of unused drywall laid up against the wall.
This gorgeousness is all courtesy of Carla and Beth Chapman of White Dress by the Shore who dressed and styled our gorgeous models. Don’t you just LOVE this short wedding gown and feather hair fascinator? It was so delicate and pretty in person! I could have played dress up for hours with all the amazing accessories Beth brought.
That gorgeous, vintage pink bouquet is by the equally talented Elisabeth of BLUSH floral design. I love Dan’s peacock feathered boutonniere. Can you see the peacock feathers tucked into Mandie’s bouquet? Check the neck collage of images!
Pretty gorgeous, right? The furniture is from my FAVORITE rental company, Signature Event Rentals, who are responsible for most of the awesomeness you see. That gorgeous white couch? The clear-backed and hot pink dining chairs?! The leather tufted wall panels?!?! The WHITE dinning table?!?!?! Yeah, they pretty much rule. They’re the best, hands down, and we LOVED having their furniture at the shoot!
Elisabeth created a bed of tightly arranged hot pink carnations for our escort cards, which were pennant flags that I made and hand wrote in gold ink. Antonia from Flower upon Flour blew us away with her tasty little gold petit fours with the hot pink fleur de lis… but the pièce de résistance was definitely her INSANE cake!!
Antonia and I had discussed the color story and inspiration behind the shoot… and when she showed up with this…. we were like… seriously?! A teal cake with a gold birdcage on top and hot pink feathers?!
…. up next, our table and some other fun stuff!
xoxo
Q&A Session with… heidi elnora
A few months back I stumbled upon a fabulous wedding gown in Wedding Gowns Magazine. It was form fitting, draped with amazing lace and super romantic — my kinda gown! I went to the designers website and was then introduced to the incredibly talented Heidi Elnora Standridge, a true Southern lady with a rich, gorgeous style and a load of talent. She is based out of her home state of Alabama in Birmingham, creating amazing couture gowns for brides all over the country. I didn’t know it at the time, but she was on a little show called Project Runway (season two), which must have provided her with a ton of opportunities. She took those opportunities and really followed her dream, which leads us to where we are today! Not only are her gowns amazing, but her story is too, which really inspires me as a young female entrepreneur.
I had to find out where a bride in Connecticut could try on a heidi elnora dress, so I decided to email the designer. Much to my delight she and I struck up a great conversation and I invited her to do a Q&A session for the Connecticut Wedding Blog. She also just recently launched a beautiful new website which features her new 2009 line. It is simply amazing and I have a few highlights after the Q&A. If I hadn’t already fallen in love with my own gown, I would have easily flown down to her studio to meet with her about one of these. They are exquisite. I feel like a Connecticut boutique simply must carry her gowns! In addition to the new website, she is also opening a new bridal gallery in Atlanta, scheduled to debut in the Spring of 2009.
As a fashion designer, what led you to designing bridal gowns?
Love.
Prior to Project Runway, I designed children’s clothing for Carter’s in Atlanta. As I was driving back to Carter’s one afternoon, I was struck by a drunk driver. My mom, a nurse, came to my rescue and brought me home to Alabama to take care of me. While I was recovering, I met a young man. Eight months later, I put in my 2 weeks’ notice and moved back to Alabama. This is where heidi elnora was conceived. I wanted to be a bride. I wanted to design something a client would never forget– something that would be cherished, something that could be passed down from generation to generation, something that would always be special. What is more special than a wedding gown?
Where do you draw inspiration for your designs?
Inspiration comes from everything and anything. My family and friends inspire me. Noticeably each dress has a first and middle name. Each dress is named after a special woman in my life. When designing, I will take certain aspects from my inspiration’s life, her story, and use that to create her gown.
What is the process of creating a heidi elnora gown, whether couture or a ready-made design?
The couture process starts with an initial consultation. At the consultation, I ask the bride questions about her wedding, about how she has always envisioned herself, and about her overall theme or feel. From there I begin sketching. I usually sketch out the final gown at the first consultation. After the initial sketch, we take detailed measurements. The detailed measurements are used to create her custom patterns. The custom patterns are then used to create a muslin gown. The muslin gown is used for the basic dress fitting and then the final dress fitting follows.
A ready-made design can be bought off the rack. We will make small changes to the design by request. A ready-made gown can be ordered over the phone and does not require an initial consultation; yet consultations are encouraged to ensure the perfect dress for the bride.
How would you classify the style of a heidi elnora gown and what adjectives would you use to describe them?
The adjective would be timeless. I would classify the style of the gowns as “timeless gowns with classic lines and fine attention to detail.”
Besides the gown, what do you feel is the second most important “piece” to a bride’s look?
The second most important piece to a bride’s look would be a tie between her veil/headpiece and her flowers. They both are needed to finish the look. They are just as important as shoes and handbags are to the perfect little black dress.
What piece of advice do you give to a bride on shopping for her wedding gown?
Take your time and don’t settle. This is the most important gown you will ever wear. It should be PERFECT. It should be everything you imagined it to be and more.
What do you think is one of the biggest mistakes brides make when shopping or choosing a gown?
The biggest mistake a bride can make is choosing “the look” over “the fit.” A model in a magazine is going to look amazing in the ad. That is why the model was chosen. Sometimes brides think they will look the same. Not all styles are good for all brides. The bride should find a gown that flatters her body type and then create the look from there by adding lace or other details that reflect the initial look.
How can Connecticut and New England brides purchase a heidi elnora gown?
Brides from all over the country fly to Alabama to have a custom gown created exclusively for them.
Brides can also visit our site www.heidielnora.com to view the collection. If there is a gown that they are interested in, we can work with a local bridal salon to have the gown shipped to the salon for the bride to try on.
When a bride leaves after her emotional final fitting, taking your creation with her, it must be an incredible feeling knowing that you are such an intimate element in her wedding day. What is that like for you?
It’s AMAZING. By the time the dress is finished, the bride and I have become friends. I usually end up attending the wedding and crying with the Mom. It’s truly a proud moment for all of us.
heidi elnora Spring 2009
Are they not amazing? I am in love with every square inch of each of them. I love all the detailing and the ultra feminine, vintage feeling that they exude. Be sure to visit Heidi’s fabulous new website! She has also started a journal which I will be an avid reader of indefinitely. A thousand thank yous to Heidi for being so generous with her time to answer our questions. We are so inspired by her story!
Emmy Style 2008
Want an inkling into the hot colors and fashion designs that will hit your bridal magazines next year? Look no further than the Emmy awards on Sunday night! I feel as though a lot of the elements of these gowns are emulated in bridal fashion already, but they will be more pronounced for next year. Here are some of my Emmy favorites:
Olivia Wilde in Reem Acra
Many internet fashionistas are already pinning Miss Wilde as the top dressed star, and I tend to agree. This gown is so gorgeous and can immediately translate from the red carpet to the alter. I love the incredible detailing and vintage style. Everything on her is flawless; from the hair to the jewels and the bag.
Teri Hatcher in Monique Lhuillier
I chose to feature this gown because of the color and ruffling, both of which are very hot right now. Yellow, especially in this vibrant color, is so chic. The mermaid fit and ruffling along the back (which you cannot see) and the front are just gorgeous. I think the ruffling trend will carry through into next season, too, which excites me because I love its femininity!
Mariska Hargitay in Carolina Herrera
Again, this yellow is a bit deeper but so popular right now. I chose this gown primarily because of its style. It is so modern yet classic. I love the Roman vibe it gives with the over the shoulder. As a bridal gown I think it would need a bit of detailing in the back and perhaps something sparkly along the waist line to pull together the sash.
Brooke Shields in Badgley Mischka
The color of this gown isn’t my favorite for my own personal taste, but it is really prevalent right now in fashion (in smaller doses I can wear it). I chose this gown because I felt like the style could go straight from the red carpet and right to the aisle (sans color). The ruffling is so beautiful and the sweetheart neckline? Sexy! I would wear this gown on my wedding day if given the chance.
Celebrity Style: Anne Hathaway
The premiere for Anne Hathaway’s movie Get Smart was in Rome last night. Her Valentino dress was so exquisite I wanted to share it with you. This would make an absolutely luscious wedding gown. The style of the gown is a beautiful marriage between Grecian (which is so abundant and popular right now) and Romance (which is so feminine and classic). I love the draping and ruffling of the fabric and the way it feels so light and airy. The cinched waist and offset crystal embellishment really glams up this already glamorous gown. Anne always has such style and grace about her and she just gets it when it comes to fashion. Enjoy the pictures below, and be sure to click on them for full sized images!
