Modern Trousseau Trunk Show: September 25-27th
White Dress by the Shore is having a Modern Trousseau trunk show Thursday, September 25th through Saturday, September 27th. From their website:
A 10% discount will be granted on any Modern Trousseau purchase made during the event
Event Hours (by appointment only)
Thursday 12-8
Friday 11-7
Saturday 10-5:30
by appointment 860.669.4596
I really wish I could attend but I will be in Newport for the weekend for a long deserving vacation to celebrate my birthday. I encourage all of our Connecticut readers to attend the trunk show! Modern Trousseau is exclusively carried by The White Dress by the Shore (read our recent post featuring this beautiful boutique).
Grand Opening: Something Blue Bridal Boutique
We’re excited to announce the grand opening of a new bridal boutique in Connecticut! Lisa Palama has opened Something Blue Bridal in Southbury and is holding her grand opening weekend on September 19th — 21st, which will feature a Simone Carvalli trunk show on Friday and Saturday. From their website:
Come join us for a fun and exciting weekend as Simone Carvalli displays their new couture bridal line! Meet other wedding vendors and professionals on Sunday, September 21st. Call today for your appointment for Simone Carvalli’s trunk show or stop in on Sunday to see us. Friday, 19th – 10am-5pm, Saturday, 20th – 9am – 5pm, and Sunday, 21st – 9am – 3pm.
They are also running additional specials in honor of their launch:
- Purchase of a Bridal Gown: Receive 10% off accessories, shoes & merchandise
- Purchase of a Bridal Gown & Bridesmaids Dresses: Receive 20% off accessories, shoes & merchandise
- Receive a free gift with purchase of a Bridal Gown
Something Blue Bridal has a great selection of gowns from designers like Maggie Sottero, Simone Carvalli, and Ella Rose. They also have a great selection of bridesmaid gowns, mother of the bride gowns, and bridal accessories. We’ll be attending the grand opening and we hope to see you there!
Ceremony & Reception Venue Spotlight: The Old State House
I had the opportunity to tour the Old State House in Hartford this past Saturday afternoon. Elisabeth from Blush Floral tipped me off to this special location a few weeks ago. It is an absolutely amazing venue that should be on your list of unique and interesting places for your wedding ceremony or reception. It is right smack dab in the middle of downtown on Main Street, only a stone’s throw away from some very popular Hartford wedding spots (a.k.a. the Goodwin Hotel, Wadsworth Museum, and Gershon Fox Room to name a few). They offer both indoor and outdoor ceremony options and you can rent out the state house for the reception!
For indoor ceremonies the wedding would take place in the luminous court room on the main floor. Words cannot describe how beautiful this room is – and the light that floods the antique hardwood floors and white columns in truly amazing. The windows are two stories high and look out onto our beautiful capitol city. I love the acoustics in the room too – they are very pronounced and dramatic. Plus, look at that chandelier! It is four times bigger than it looks in person!
Outdoor ceremonies take place on the front lawn, overlooking the beautiful architecture of the state house. There is also an option for a tented reception on this beautiful lawn, which is enclosed by an antique wrought iron fence and gate. I especially loved the spiral staircase outside, which I unfortunately have no pictures of. But the staircase makes for beautiful bridal portraits and photographs.
The state house also has a few empty rooms that are on a smaller scale than the court room, but are equally beautiful. The front lobby would make for a beautiful cocktail area and I loved the dramatic staircases leading up to the second story and the checkered marble floors. The rooms to the left would be great for an afterhours lounge or photobooth. The court room is turned over after the ceremony for the reception. I believe it can seat 85 persons comfortably for a sit down dinner with 120 for a standing cocktail reception. What I love best is the historical significance that the Old State House provides to your wedding ceremony.
Many thanks to Carla for letting me use the beautiful photographs she took at a recent wedding at The Old State House!
Top Ten Registry Shops: Pottery Barn
In June I began a series entitled Top Ten Registry Shops, which focuses on Connecticut based stores that are perfect picks for your registry. Last time we looked at Macys and all the benefits of registering there. Today I want to talk about Pottery Barn.
I’ll admit, choosing to register at Pottery Barn is a matter of taste. If you don’t like Pottery Barn’s style, well, there are nine other Top Picks for you to choose from! For those of you who like the style of Pottery Barn, you can find almost all of your registry items in one store. You can register for a pillow sham and a day bed – the options are endless. Here are some of my favorite items that appeal to a wide variety of tastes:
Great White Dinnerware
In my eyes, Pottery Barn’s great white dinnerware collection is the end all, be all, of casual dinnerware. As a matter of fact, if you are not going to register for your bridal china, this set easily translates into a more formal setting. I love the clean, smooth shape of the set and the polished finish. I recommend to my brides that they register for white dinnerware. Why? Think about the investment you are making in buying all these beautiful pieces. The quality of the product is really superb, so you should be using this dinnerware for many years to come. In 10, 15 to 20 years, this collection will still be fresh and modern unlike some of the other fad dinnerware that is appealing. That isn’t to say you shouldn’t buy what you like – but mix and match, supplementing other pieces with styles that you like. I recommend registering for at least 12 place settings, but it is wise to register for up to 16. You may never use them but at least they are available should Christmas be at your house soon!
Various Glass Service Pieces
It is so important that you don’t forget about these beautiful and functional pieces! Register for a wine decanter, glass iced tea pitcher, or margarita pitcher! You will use them, especially if you love to entertain. And while you’re not using them? Double them up as vases!
Entertaining & Serving Pieces
Don’t forget about the platters and large pieces that come with your dinnerware and china – but also find supplemental pieces that you can use for serving appetizers, drinks, and other goodies. Pieces from Pottery Barn that I love? The wine barrel lazy susan, the barona tray, and the barona cheese board.
Pottery Barn has also entered into the modern era when it comes to bridal registries: you can update your registry 24/7 online and receive a 10% discount on any items not received on your registry within one year. So, which Pottery Barn stores in Connecticut have the best selection? Well, almost all of them are the same, but here are my picks: Farmington in the West Farms Mall, Wethersfield at Evergreen Walk, Westport on Main Street, and Danbury in the Danbury Fair Mall. Do go to the store to register, even if they don’t carry all the items. Their staff are super friendly and will make it a fabulous experience for you, which is so important! I especially like the staff at the Westfarms Mall in Farmington. They are extra fabulous!
One last and important detail: Pottery Barn’s return policy is overly accommodating. I’ve ordered A LOT of pieces from them over the years, and if ever I was unsatisfied with something or my item was unintentionally damaged during shipping, I got a replacement immediately. I’ve always been impressed with their customer service!
Part of the Top Ten Registry Shops series
- Top Ten Registry Shops: Macys
- Top Ten Registry Shops: Pottery Barn
Brown & Green Bridal Shower: The Nitty Gritty
I love weddings and I equally love to plan smaller, more casual and intimate affairs. When our clients approached us with their décor ideas for a brown and green shower, we ran with it and really made every penny go as far as we could. With a little preparation, creativity, and persistence, you can come up with equally beautiful and affordable tablescapes for your next event. I wanted to share with you where we purchased all of our vases, crafting items & supplies. I also wanted to give you a step-by-step tutorial on how we pulled all these small details together which I’ll follow up with tomorrow.
But first, our shopping list:
8 chunky square votive candle holders
$1.97 ea, Wal-Mart
5 Tall, thin vases
$1 ea, The Dollar Store
3 Tall and chunky mosaic vases
$1 ea, The Dollar Store
4 round, traditional vases (not pictured)
1 ea, The Dollar Store
4 packages (two per pack) of 7 inch & 9 inch tissue “bells” (for the kitschy factor!)
$1 ea, The Dollar Store
6 packages of tissue paper in brown, green & hot pink (8 sheets per pack)
$2.29, Wal-Mart
3 packages of stick-on crystal embellishments
$2.29 ea, Martha Stewart Crafts
3 Rolls of ribbon (thick brown, brown/white polka dot, thin green)
$2.97 ea, Wal-Mart
1 Roll of cooking twine
Free, because we don’t cook!
80 stems of fresh assorted mini gerbera daisies
$79.80 (with overnight international shipping!) farmstogo.com
Grand Total: $135 (give or take some cents)
Items used but already owned by us:
Stampin’ Up! Engagement Stamp Set with rubber stamps and ink pads
Cardstock for tags
Hole puncher
Floral wire
Wire Cutter
Circular paper cutter
Fabric glue
Tealights
Not bad, right? The key to beautiful and affordable décor is to shop around for the best bargain. I recommend looking in the stores we’ve mentioned, plus places like Home Goods, The Christmas Tree Shops, Ocean State Job Lot, Big Lots, Marshalls, TJ Maxx, Target, Michaels, Joann Fabrics, and your local discount store. These are all wonderful resources and you can sometimes find the “find of a lifetime!”
Shopping for discounted flowers can also be really difficult. To be sure that you order the correct amount of flowers, do a trial run of your centerpiece beforehand. It’s always good to have some extra blooms on hand, as the shipping process tends to eliminate a few beauties from the bunch. Also, if you are ordering the flowers yourself, make sure they are delivered no more than two days before your event (unless otherwise specified by the floral company). You want to make sure that the flowers you’ve chosen are at the peak of their blooming cycle and are as fresh as can be (no one likes half-dead flowers!) If your floral budget is limited you can do what we did – tie the blooms together to mimic a bouquet. I think it’s just as elegant as a lush and full arrangement.
Tomorrow I’ll provide you with some tutorials on how to take all the ingredients we’ve purchased and turn them into our décor!
Part of the Brown & Green Shower series
- Brown & Green Bridal Shower
- Brown & Green Bridal Shower: The Nitty Gritty
Top Ten Registry Shops: Macys
I wanted to share with you all some of my top stores to register for your bridal shower and wedding. This will be a running blog series of Connecticut and online based stores that you should consider. I want to do an in-depth look at the stores themselves, what they have to offer, who to contact, and what you should expect. I’ve visited these stores personally and I’ve spoken to the registry experts to ensure that you can maximize your experience!
When you register, be sure to bring along your mother, grandmother, maid of honor, or close girlfriends. Having an interested family member or friend around can help you in selecting items you wouldn’t think of or they can point you in the right direction. I’m also available to my clients to assist in registering. But don’t invite too many opinions or it could be chaos! Be sure to allot yourself a significant amount of time – this isn’t a quick “in and out” shopping trip. Take your time and enjoy the process!
My first pick is Macys Department Store. I’m sure you’re all familiar with this renowned shopping Mecca, but you may not realize all the benefits of registering at Macys.
First and foremost, I want to talk about the process of registering at Macy’s and which stores you should consider visiting. There are a variety around the state, but I’ve chosen these three because there is a great selection to choose from, the items are displayed beautifully, and the store appearance and service is impeccable. My top picks in order are:
1.) Connecticut Post Mall – They just recently redid the interior and all I have to say is: WOW! I never knew a Macy’s could be even more beautiful and inviting! Their selection of china is impressive, with every china pattern imaginable available. From Kate Spade, to Lennox, Wedgewood, to Vera Wang they have it all. Plus, they’ve devoted an entire floor to their home section!
2.) West Farms Mall – This Macy’s is equally as impressive, just not newly renovated. But they do have an impeccable selection of top designer registry items and an equally impressive selection of affordable items. They also have a furniture store where you can register for that beautiful buffet or leather club chair you’ve been eyeing!
3.) Danbury Fair Mall – This Macys is also beautiful and has a wide variety of items to select. They too have a furniture store.
When you arrive at Macy’s to register you are greeted by one of their registry experts. These experts have been educated on all the products that Macy’s sells and they are there to assist you and answer any questions that you may have. They will enter your information into their computer system and talk to you about the benefits of registering at Macy’s. Traditionally, Macy’s has offered “perks” to their customers who register, such as 10% off all registry items that were not purchased, free items if certain big ticket items are purchased (such as pots & pan sets, china sets, knife sets), and double rewards points on your Macy’s card. The registry expert will give you a variety of promotional material to look over, a “check list” (although I recommend you bring your own or if you are my client, the one I provide you) and your scanner, which you’ll use to scan the items that you would like to register for. Resist the urge to scan erratically, feverishly and obsessively (trust me, you will experience this phenomenon!). Make sure that the items you scan are items that you truly want. Also be sure to include items that range in a variety of price points so your guests can choose a gift that they can afford.
Once your information is complete in their system, they like to give you a tour of their home department and can help you shop for each item you’re interested in. If you’d prefer to privately register and shop, you should speak up and let the assistant know that and if a question arises you’ll look for her. Remember, they are there to help and are a well full of information.
What I love best about Macy’s is it is truly a one stop shop. For the kitchen you have dinnerware and entertaining items (china, everyday, glasses, barware, platters, serving utensils, crystal, vases… the list goes on!), cookware and bakeware, kitchen gadgets and necessities, top quality knives and sets, and a wide selection of kitchen electronics. Be sure to check out Martha Stewart’s new collection of everyday dinnerware. They are timeless and beautiful! For the bedroom they have a wide variety of designers and bedding assembles to choose from. You can select individual pieces, mix and match, or do a traditional “bed in a bag.” Be sure to register for two bedroom sets – one fall/winter and one spring/summer! You can also outfit your entire bathroom – from the shower curtain to the soap dispenser Macy’s offers it all. They also have luggage and furniture (at select stores).
Another benefit is your family and friends can view your registry online and make purchases online. You can also manage your registry straight from your desktop, adding and deleting items at will.
Part of the Top Ten Registry Shops series
- Top Ten Registry Shops: Macys
- Top Ten Registry Shops: Pottery Barn
Favor Idea: Something Regional
The favor you give your guests at your wedding is a wonderful way to thank them for sharing in your special day. Its also a great way for your guests to get to know you better by giving them something that is a reflection of you as a couple. I love the idea of regionally inspired favors. Long gone are the days of the covered almonds or popuri filled swans. More and more, couples are coming up with unique favor ideas that represent them while being cost effective.
Regional favors represent the area in which your wedding takes place. Its not only charming to give something local, but it is also great for the local economy. Whenever you can spend your money in local businesses and specialty stores you’re giving back to your community.
Many of the bridal magazines have explored great regional favors in other states, but no magazines talked about Connecticut-centric favors, so here are some ideas for you Connecticut brides!
Bottles of Connecticut wine. DeGrazia, Jones, Hopkins, Sharpe Hill, and Jonathon Edwards are all local vineyards that have wonderful varieties of wine. Often, you can pick up their bottles in your local liquor store… but better yet, why not visit the vineyard yourself?
Having a fall wedding? Why not give your guests small bottles of maple syrup from Lamothe’s Sugar House in Burlington. You can even personalize the bottles with your monogram, or specific design elements from your invitation.
Is decedent chocolate more your thing? Why not give your guests handmade, gourmet chocolates from Bridgewater. Bridgewater Chocolates are known as Connecticut’s Most Delectable Chocolate. Give them away in small colored boxes wrapped in ribbon. Attach a tag expressing your gratitude or affix your monogram or invitation design.
If you and your future hubby really enjoy coffee, why not give gourmet ground coffee or coffee beans to your guests? Independent Coffee Roasters in a family owned business in West Hartford. They have a dozen or so yummy flavors listed on their website and they also do personalized labeling with their in-house graphic designer!
These are just a few great ideas for wedding favors. If you know of a local specialty store please post a comment! There are so many wonderful businesses and artesians in Connecticut.
