Something fabulous is brewing at the most beautiful bridal boutique in Connecticut– White Carpet Appointments! The White Dress by the Shore is offering the ultimate of experiences with their new White Carpet Appointments. You will have a private appointment at The White Dress by the Shore for three hours, which is double the standard appointment time. During their appointment, you and your closest family and friends will have the entire store and attention of The White Dress staff. A round of delectable treats and champagne will be served and photographs to document the experience will be given to you. The White Dress can even arrange for a limousine service at an additional charge. Doesn’t it sound absolutely wonderful? We were so lucky to attend a White Carpet Appointment with our gorgeous bride, Mandi, with her mom, mother-in-law to be, and very good friend and we had such a wonderful time!

To learn more about White Carpet Appointments, please visit The White Dress by the Shore’s website. The White Dress by the Shore is located in Clinton, Connecticut.

{photography by Robert and Kathleen Photographers}

I wanted to congratulate our friends and neighbors, Ana and Garry from Ana’s Custom Cakes, for their recent feature on The Today Show’s “The Today Show Throw’s a Wedding.” Ana’s gorgeous cake was voted as the best among those designed for this amazing wedding by fans and peers. The cake she created was truly stunning, with four tiers of alternating flavors, adorned with hand-made sugar flowers. Just gorgeous!
Click here to see Ana present her winning cake the day prior to the couple, Melissa and Jeremy. Also check out Rob and Kathleen Trenske’s blog with some behind the scenes images and a story of the experience. Awesome!!

What do you get when you put together golfing, street bikes and Christian Louboutins? A raw photo design engagement session, of course. Check out our incredibly fun clients, Jameira and Greg. They’re getting married in early May of 2011 in Middletown– and we couldn’t be more excited!

Congratulations Jameira and Greg! See more amazing images over at raw’s blog. xo!

I love to get together with my friends and collaborate… on just about anything. So, in early June I got together with Carla and Mike of Carla Ten Eyck Photography, Jim Altieri, Datura: A Modern Garden, and DD Nickel to put together a fun, impromptu shoot in a super sleuth location. Check out the steamy engagement session below with an amazing video by Jim! Big props to DD and all her fabu accessories. Thanks to all– including Susannah, Liza and Max! xo!

At the end of March I had the amazing opportunity to fly off to Paris with my dear friends and colleagues, Robert and Kathleen Trenske and Beth Chapman from The White Dress by the Shore to put together and style a photo shoot in Paris! Clearly, it was my dream location. Can you believe I had never been to Paris? Blasphemy! But I cannot think of a better group of people to explore the city of lights with—especially since Robert and Kathleen could be Parisian tour guides and Beth, well, don’t you think someone as fashionable as her belongs in Paris?

Beth and I worked on coming up with a design board for our shoot, as we usually do, and were really inspired by a photograph that Robert and Kathleen took on their first trip to Paris. We wanted to do a monochromatic, black and white shoot, where the images felt like classic black and whites even in color. I really think we achieved that! Beth had a vision for fashion that was heavily influenced by runway, vogue, and of COURSE Sex in the City!

Throughout the process we worked with Kim Peytet of Parisian Events, who helped us source all the wonderful Parisian venders that collaborated with us! Kim introduced us to so many wonderful people who I will introduce YOU to throughout this post!
During our short (count 4 days!!!!) time in Paris, we did two days full of shooting and one day full of scouting. The other day was the day we all arrived—so we really hit the ground running! This shoot was recently featured on Style Me Pretty, and was part of Robert and Kathleen’s brilliant photography seminar – Taking Off.

Kim secured a beautiful apartment for us to work from and for Robert and Kathleen to teach. It had a roof top deck where we put together an amazing tablescape with the help of several talented people! The morning began with hair and makeup… our model, Segolene, is positively beautiful. Hair and makeup was covered by our new friend, Masafumi Matsuda, who also doubled as our Japanese / Parisian tour guide on day two. =) If you are looking for beauty while in Paris– look no further!! Masafumi is absolutely amazing!!! Beth styled Segolene in the most stunning Modern Trousseau gown before it hit the runway at bridal market and jewelry by The White Dress by the Shore in layers, and layers of decedent pearls and diamonds!

The shoes, by Vouelle, were beautiful white pointed toe heels with a little ruffle of fabric at the toe. Our friend Elizabeth Porcher Jones, lover of all things Paris as well, did the stunning calligraphy on this invitation.

Our male model, Jeremy, wore a classic black tuxedo by the generous folks at Tuxego in New York. Catherine Muller is the talented floral designer and created the ivy and white floral boutonniere. Our talented friends at Posh Paperie in San Diego mailed their amazing program, with ivory, silver, and red embellishments all the way to Paris for our shoot!

We styled the gorgeous tablescape with white linen from our friends at Rentals Unlimited. The best part? They happened to be in Paris (randomly) while we were there, and stopped in to say hello! It truly was an East Coast destination. They also provided the lace-styled chair caps and white napkins. Catherine Muller put together a beautiful white and green arrangement in an antiqued pedestal. The arrangement was very gardeny, filled loosely with calla lilies and other beautiful white flowers. She did an amazing job! The paper flower garland down the center of the table is absolutely brilliant—you need to run out NOW and get some! Originally I had envisioned the garland hanging over the table, but it was really windy on that roof top and there was NO way that was going to work. So we improvised. Thanks to kate’s paperie, the maker of that fabulous garland!

Is that cake not gorgeous? The Sugar Plum Cake Shop in Paris created a white and ecru cake with macaron and ribbon embellishments. Perfection!!! Posh Paperie created the perfect paper ribbon cake topper. The cake pedestal? Lugged in my suitcase (among MANY, MANY things). I’m said to say it didn’t make it home, but it was certainly a worthy sacrifice!!

Segolene wore a beautiful tulle necklace with broach by Miss Ruby Sue (broach by The White Dress by the Shore).

More beautiful table details! We love the place card holders, silverware and knife rests (only in France!), and glass chargers by Noel-Collet. More of Catherine Muller’s beautiful centerpiece and kate’s paperie’s tissue flowers. I love hanging things off the backs of chairs, so you know we had to do something!

Beth had an amazing pose that she wanted to create with Segolene… and viola… magic!!! Her bouquet was similar in style to our centerpiece and we wrapped it in the most BEAUTIFUL lace paper from kate’s paperie. I am still drooling over it!!

For most of the day it rained– so we stayed comfortable inside until the weather broke. We made a mad dash over to the Eiffel Tower for the second half of our shoot!

Big thank you to Robert and Kathleen for coming up with the idea and asking us to be along for the ride! We would have never had the opportunity to do something so amazing if it were not for you. Another big thank you to Beth Chapman, who is always amazing to collaborate with. Your sense of style and fashion really made this photo shoot what it was– spectacular. And big thank you to Marshie, our fashion and craft guru who had so many wonderful ideas!!!! Your energy, enthusiasm and company truly made our trip. We are so grateful to Kim of Parisian Events for introducing us to the wonderful and generous Parisian vendors who were so EASY to work with and fun! Your help was instrumental in the amazing success of our shoot and we are so appreciative!

Thank you all for your time, attention, creative input, and conversation!

More to come. xoxo

Photography: Robert and Kathleen Photographers / Fashion & Model Styling: Beth Chapman, The White Dress by the Shore / Event Design, Planning & Coordination: Jubilee Events / Event Planning: Parisian Events / Gown: Modern Trousseau / Jewelry: Beth Chapman, The White Dress by the Shore / Makeup & Hair: Masafumi Matsuda / Rentals: Rentals Unlimited / Tableware: Noel Collet / Shoes: Vouelle / Headpieces: Twigs and Honey / Paper Cake Topper Menus and Escort Cards: Posh Paperie / Lace Paper and Floral Garlands: kate’s paperie / Floral Design: Catherine Muller / Tuxedo: Tuxego / Calligraphy: Elizabeth Porcher Jones / Cuff Links / Cake: Sugar Plum Cake Shop / Ruffled Tulle Necklace: Miss Ruby Sue / Gown Cleaning and Shoe Preservation: Madame Paulette

I am so excited to be partnering up with my friend and colleague, Carla Ten Eyck to put together an intimate and intensive workshop dedicated to creativity and photography in the wedding industry. Collaborate and Create 2010 is kicking off with a BANG on May 16th through the 19th at the renowned Ocean House in Watch Hill, Rhode Island. This workshop is open to both planners AND photographers. Attendees with have the opportunity to collaborate, design, and create their own editorial wedding style photo shoot with teaching, guidance and support by myself and Carla. At the end of this workshop attendees will have a stunning portfolio of work. There are limited (and by limited I mean EIGHT spots total divided between the two mediums) attendee spots for both planners and photographers for this exclusive, one-of-a-kind workshop. All the important details are located at collaborateandcreate.com, where you can learn more about the focus of Create and Collaborate, the ocean house, contributing vendors, and a break down of the workshop schedule.

If you’ve been looking for a means to become creatively inspired or if you’ve had an idea swimming around in your head without the knowledge to make it happen, this is the workshop for you. Seats are selling out before we’ve even made this official announcement, so be sure to contact us as soon as possible to reserve your seat!

Can’t wait to see you!

xo

Modern Trousseau shared with me their new 2010 line that was shown at market this past week and I’ve been waiting to share it with you! May I introduce…

 
Addison

 
Autumn — a personal fav of mine!

 
Carla

 
Dalton

 
Harlow

Hailey

 
Holly

 
McKenzie

 
Poppy — another fav of mine!

 
Riley

 
Sabrina

 
Vanessa

 
Violet

 
an amazing chiffon bolero

 
fox shrug and a fur bolero

Congratulations to Modern Trousseau on an amazing new line of gowns. You all know my affection for their bridal line — I wore a Modern Trousseau gown myself (Kelsey to be exact!).

If you want to learn more about 2010 bridal market, the styles, fashions, and trends emerging into the new year, take a look at Beth Chapman’s recap from The White Dress by the Shore.

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

I spied these really gorgeous spring arrangements on Blush Floral Design’s super fabulous blog the other day and wanted to share! Elisabeth has such amazing style and I love everything she creates. Major talent! I love the lilacs — they are my favorite flower and so in bloom right now. I love when you drive down some of our country roads with the window open and you can smell them!