Handpicked | Ruche Bridal Collection

It's no secret that I'm in love with Ruche, so when they recently released their own Bridal Collection my heart did a little flip!!  One peek at their To Have and To Hold Lookbook and I was in total love :o)  So I dove in to the collection and Handpicked my nine favorite pieces (what a rough life I lead, lol!).  Enjoy!

1)  Audrey - $249.99 - The perfect vintage silhouette!
2)  Hydrangea Dress - $145.99 - I would kill to wear this as a bridesmaid dress :o)
3)  Rose Pale Pink Dress - $58.99 - Simple, yet elegant - love it!
4)  Forever Fancy Rosette Bolero - $76.99 - I must find a way to incorporate this into my own non-wedding wardrobe, lol!
5)  Exquisite Adornment Clutch - $54.99 - The mint tone of this is fantastic!
6)  True Adulation Pearl Gloves - $24.99 - These would be the perfect addition to the Audrey. . .
7)  Just Because Heels - $99.99 - . . . as would these ;o)
8)  Ever Thine Taupe Fascinator - $42.99 - Heavenly!!
9)  Love You Open Toe Heels - $49.99 - I need to own these shoes, ASAP!

Another little bonus to add to this already amazing thing - Ruche also released the most fabulous Wedding Bliss Guide full of great tips, advice and DIYs!!!  The Bridesmaid Styling Tips are my favorite - I would love to see an ombré bridesmaid ensemble :o)

Wedding Wednesday | Jamie + Grant's Intimate Tennessee Wedding by Shannon Kelley Photography

Today we have a special treat to lay your eyes on - A Real Wedding by the seriously talented Shannon Kelley of Shannon Kelley Photography!  Shannon is not only inspiring behind the camera, but she's doing some pretty incredible things in her personal life as well.  In January, Shannon and her family will be moving to Haiti to do work with World Wide Village.  To learn more about this amazing woman and her journey be sure to read her blog.

Now for a little about this gorgeous wedding, from Shannon herself - 

Jamie and Grant are the perfect example of how you don't have to sacrifice beauty and details with a small wedding. They held a destination wedding for them and their family at a cabin in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Jamie planned out the gorgeous details like the peacock feathers in her hair and for the boutonnieres. The small intimate wedding also let them incorporate really sweet details like each member getting to say a little something to them during the ceremony and, of course, some fun pictures of the whole family together. It was a great day to celebrate their beautiful wedding!

I am in so in love with Jamie's dress - it's the perfect combination of ethereal and sexy!  And are you kidding me with that gorgeous view and the peacock details - swoon!

I adore the emotion Shannon was able to capture - had it not been such an intimate ceremony, those moments could have gone unnoticed.  It truly is beautiful.

The details of this ceremony are exceptional - even the guest attire matched the wedding colors!

A huge thank you goes out to Shannon for sharing these beautiful images of Jamie and Grant's day!!  It's an honor to feature such a gorgeous and unique event :o)

Happy Valentine's Day to Brides :: BHLDN Unveiling

Image from BHLDN Facebook Page

The long anticipated bridal collection from the folks behind much-loved Anthropologie, BHLDN (pronounced "Beholden"), will be unveiled on February 14th - what a wonderful Valentine's Day gift to women everywhere!! Here's a little view into what you can expect from the line, a quote taken directly from BHLDN's Facebook Page, "It will bring together a curated collection of heirloom quality wedding gowns, bridesmaid frocks, party dresses, assorted jewelry, headpieces, footwear and lingerie." Sounds like heaven on earth to me!!

Here are my tops picks - the Sneak Peek Photos from Glamour Weddings were posted yesterday and today - love, love, love!!!

The perfect gown for an intimate vintage wedding. And that headpiece - gorge!!

Ahhhh. . . so pretty, I just want to reach out and touch it. . .

Not only fabulous for a fun, informal wedding, but perfect as a flirty shower dress!

Oh, tulle, how I love thee!

I can only hope and pray that they not only sell that headpiece, but those shoes, too! Love!

What are your favorite picks - can you even stand to wait a whole four more days for the unveiling?!?!?!

Wedding Wednesday | WHITE by Vera Wang

As I write this, I am biting my tongue, so I'm just going to put it out there - I hate David's Bridal. Hate, seriously hate, David's Bridal. The last time I was there I sang, "You'll hate David's Bridal" to the tune of their theme song the entire trip - it's that bad. However, I have come to terms with the fact that they do have a lot of pretty dresses, solely due to the fact that they have somehow convinced great designers like Oleg Cassini to work with them. How, I'll never know, but that is besides the point.

They've done it again though and this time they've recruited my favorite designer - Vera Wang. On February 11th, WHITE by Vera Wang, a line of gorgeous gowns and accessories, will be introduced at select David's Bridal stores. If you're salivating right now, you're in luck - the WHITE line will be available at the David's Bridal stores in Lyndhurst (Cleveland), Warren (Youngstown), Dublin (Columbus), Toledo and Cincinnati. While, I must say that I am incredibly excited for brides everywhere to have Vera Wang available to them at an affordable price, I must beg of you this: If you find yourself buying a dress from the dreaded David's Bridal, please, please, please do not get it altered there - order your dress and when you receive it run far, far away. Thank you!

Now, that I've possibly offended a large number of you (I'm sorry!!) I'll show you the good stuff - my favorite gowns from the WHITE by Vera Wang line:

Look Details: Strapless net gown with tuck-and-mitered bodice and delicately gathered skirt - $700, available in ivory and soft white. Floral sash - $78, available in blush, ebony, ivory, soft white and Vera Wang champagne.

Look Details: One shoulder structured fit-and-flare gown with dropped waist and skirt made of hand-cut organza flanges - $1,200, available in ivory. Crystal sash - $148, available in ebony and ivory. Thin hard headband with crystal embellishments - $98, available in ivory.

Look Details: Ball gown with V-neck bodice and fully draped skirt made with hand-cut bias organza flanges and tulle swirls - $1,400, available in ivory and soft white. Crystal Sash - $148, available in ebony and ivory. Thin hard headband with crystal embellishments - $98, available in ivory.

Look Details: Strapless organza fit-and-flare gown with draped bodice and hand-cut bias flange skirt - $1,200, available in blush, ivory and soft white.

These looks are absolutely wonderful and will really help set the trends we're bound to see in the wedding industry this upcoming year - tulle heaven, accessories galore and color brought into the bridal gown. I love it!!

Wedding Wednesday | Milk and Cookies Inspiration Board

Cutest thing ever!!! That's all I can say about Love and Lavender's Milk and Cookies Styled Shoot because the photos say all the rest. This yummy theme would be perfect for a backyard wedding or a shower. Love it!

For more incredible photos by Jonda Spurbeck Photography and a complete list of involved vendors, check out the two original posts: I & II.

Wedding Wednesday | A Royal Wedding Inspiration

With the recent rumors that the amazing Bruce Oldfield will almost certainly be the dress designer for newly engaged Kate Middleton, I just had to create a Royal Wedding Inspiration Board! The gorgeous sapphire engagement ring that used to be Lady Di's and Kate's off-the-rack engagement announcement dress set the tone for The Wedding of 2011. Judging by Kate's classic style and love for basics from BCBG and Diane von Furstenburg, I think this might be a glimpse into what we'll see on April 29th - the epitome of vintage elegance with varied blue and gold tones.

Row One: Bruce Oldfield Style Gene Bridal Gown; Boutonniere and Footwear Images from 100 Layer Cake (By the way - their new site is LIVE now!!); Jan Kish La Petite Fleur Cake Photo from The Knot

Row Two: Headpiece Image by Brandy J Photography; Engraved Invitation by Arzberger Stationers

Row Three: Bridesmaid Bouquets and Bridal Bouquet Images from Style Me Pretty

Have you heard these other rumors about the big day? The Overtones or Elton John to play at the wedding. . . and Snoop Dogg has written a song for Prince William's Bachelor Party!

What if baci held a Royal Wedding Viewing Party - complete with invitations, petit fours and a champagne toast - would anyone be interested? Obviously we'll all be watching it, so why not make a party out of it! Please comment with your interest and I'll start planning the festivities :o)

Wedding Wednesday | Final Project

My Wedding and Event Planning Certification Course is coming to an end next week so I've been working steadily on my final project - Combining two unique heritages into a wedding for a "client" (classmate) using the course's A6 Event Production Formula (stating how you'll incorporate Anticipation, Arrival, Atmosphere, Appetite, Amusement and Appreciation into the event). It's so much fun and I adore the gorgeous inspiration board I created for my in-class presentation so I thought I'd share :o)

Row One: Table Decor Image from Style Me Pretty; Bride Photo by Abi Q Photography

Row Two: Vera Wang Dress Photo from 100 Layer Cake; Floral by JL Designs; Signage and Ring Images from Style Me Pretty

Row Three: Uplighting Photo from Tara Guérard Soirée; Shoes Image by Sarah Yates Photography; Floral by JL Designs

Row Four: Cookie Bar Image by Cheyenne Schultz Photography; Wine Bottle Table Number by Joyful Bride Online; Designs by Lilmissi Etsy Shop Image from 100 Layer Cake

Wedding Wednesday | Wedzu - indie & handmade weddings

I can not truly describe with words how excited I was when my brother-in-law sent me the link to the newly created Wedzu.

Wedzu, a newly launched marketplace for all things handmade - very similar to our love, Etsy, but Wedzu concentrates on the one thing all of us ladies are obsessed with: WEDDINGS! Wedzu has just made it so much easier to search for unique items for your big day by removing everything non-wedding - it's beautiful!! Wedzu Designers, like some of our Etsy favorites Paloma's Nest and Letterpress Light, offers products in the following categories: Accessories, Apparel, Bath + Beauty, Ceremony + Reception, Jewelry, Design + Calligraphy and Honeymoon.

Here are a few items that peaked my interest :o)

Custom Silhouette Cufflinks by Le Papier Studio - The perfect gift for your groom to wear on your big day!

Lilium Necktie by Ulterior Motive - A fun, colorful way to spice up your groom's attire.

Flourish Double Feather Flower, Style 014 by twigs & honey

Layer Cake Wedding Statement Necklace by Flora Bond - I just can't get enough of the beautiful materials in this necklace!

The Emma Custom Flower Girl Party Dress Set by PetalPetal

Garden Delight Set by Fritts Rosenow Bespoke Boutonnieres - I ADORE these!!! You must check out the rest of their amazing creations in their shop.

Bridesmaids' Clutches by CuteandUnique - These are gorgeous enough to send your ladies down the aisle with in place of bouquets -- bonus, they can be part of your bridal party gift to them!

Dirty Laundry Guest Book by Mélangerie Inc. - The kit even comes with a coordinating prompt label that encourages guests to write notes that is shaped to fit on a 50 fluid oz. Tide detergent bottle! Love it!!

State by Celebrity Tote Bag also by Mélangerie Inc. - I may have to order one of these for myself!

New York Pencil Set by Paper Pastries - These would perfect to stuff into the State by CelebrityTote Bag for a fun and unique Welcome Bag!

Bag Tote That No Newlywed Can Do Without by C'est Superbe!

Hopefully you'll soon see baci on Wedzu, too!!! Stay tuned :o)

Wedding Wednesday | Fall Inspiration

Since today is the First Day of Fall, I thought it would be the perfect time for an inspiration board! This board features textures galore (you've heard it once, you'll hear it at least twenty more times this season) with felt, lace, feathers, cork and crocheting. I adore dark colors for Fall, so I chose an ivory, chocolate and olive palette with just a hint of plum. Enjoy!

Row One: Our Labor of Love; Emily Ayer Twitpic; Vera Wang

Row Two: both photos by bobbi + mike

Row Three: Julie Atwood Events; dress and hair piece images by brandy j photography

Row Four: LaCheri Event Boutique; bobbi + mike

Wedding Wednesday | Nordstrom Wedding Shop

Following the likes of J. Crew and White House|Black Market, Nordstrom has launched a Wedding Shop. I have always thought of Nordstrom as a go-to for special occasion dresses so this is a perfect fit for them! Obviously, I couldn't help but peruse through the goods to find my favorites for you all. . . a little bonus, everything I choose would go perfectly together for an actual wedding, so if you're looking for a little color and style inspiration, look no further!

Bride Attire + Accessories: Tadashi One Shoulder Rosette Chiffon Gown - $398, Nadri Tiered Chandelier Earrings - $138, Ficcare Swarovski Crystal Headband - $60, Lauren Jones 'Bonnie' Sandal - $119.95. . . an entire Bridal Look for under $800 is so awesome!!!

Not sure what shoes to buy with that dress or what shirt and tie goes with this suit? No worries, Nordstrom Wedding Shop offers Head-to-Toe Looks for Bridesmaids, Groomsmen, Grooms, Dads and Moms! This was my favorite Groom Head-to-Toe Look: Joseph Abboud Three Button Suit and Nordstrom Smartcare Dress Shirt with Accessories - $49.50 to $695

Bridesmaids: Eliza J Rosette Details Strapless Taffeta Dress in Eggplant - Only $158 for a totally wear-again dress, Badgley Mischka 'Randi' Sandal in Black Satin - $215

Groomsmen: HUGO 'Aikonen' Two-button Suit in Light Grey - $795, Penny Black 40 'Baby Ruth' Cuff Links - $85, A great groomsmen gift for under $100!

You can't forget about the little ones: Nordstrom Two-piece Suit (Toddler and Little Boys) - $140 - $145, US Angels Taffeta Rosette Bubble Dress (Toddler, Little Girls and Big Girls) in Ivory - $128 - $132

Mother-of-the-Bride or Groom: Kay Unger Stretch Satin Sheath Dress in Champagne - $328

In love already? Well, there's more! Nordstrom Wedding Shop also offers Wedding Stylists that are available for Live Chat or in-store plus you get free shipping when you place your order with one of the Stylists. There are also Certified Bra Fitters, On-site Tailors as well as Beauty Services available from the Wedding Shop. And no need to worry about minute details like steaming your gown or tying the perfect tie - they'll take of that for you at your nearest Nordstrom store, too!

Handpicked - Shades of Purple

Purple has always been my favorite color, but my wardrobe has never really reflected that. . . until recently - shades of purple seem to be popping up all over the place and I have rather quickly pumped up the hue in my wardrobe! Here are some gorgeous pieces I found to share with you all.

1) I didn't even know that Hannah Montana had a clothing line!! It's so cute, too :) Miley Cyrus & Max Azria Zippered Scoop Blouson Top in Violetta - $6.00 (WHAT AN AWESOME PRICE!!!) 2) Nanette Lepore Goodbye Top in Plum - $173.60 3) Juicy Couture Royal Bohemian Stone Ring - $48.90 4) Calvin Klein Pomegranate Paillette Clutch Handbag - $59.99 5) I just LOVE the color of this top! Express V-neck Roll-tab Blouse in Bitter Grape - $49.50 6) Silk Frances Cami from J. Crew in Misty Lavender - $69.50 7) SO CUTE! - Banana Republic Glam Gems Hair Clip - $7.99 8) French Connection Wild Plum Floral Cotton Strapless Cover-up Dress - $55.80 9) Juicy Couture Side Ruffle Runic Dress in Thistle - $149.00

Brea + Anthony Engagement Session by Clayton Austin Photography

I've never in my life seen such beautiful engagement photos - Clayton Austin of Clayton Austin Photography did the most spectacular job capturing these images for Brea and Anthony! I love the vintage clothes and the ethereal feel. Absolutely a-m-a-z-i-n-g!!! Check out Part I and Part II on the Clayton Austin Photography blog.

And if you're still looking for the perfect outfit for your own engagement session or wedding day, Brea's vintage couture gown (not to mention her HOT accessories) is available here on jitterbonesbaby's Etsy site!!! I HOW I LOVE ETSY :)

Handpicked - Shabby Apple Winter Picks

Since I took this past Friday's Wish List to talk about Shabby Apple for so long, I just had to make today's Handpicked all about it again :) So check out some of the gorgeous items from the oh-so-fabulous Shabby Apple that will be great additions to your winter wardrobe!

1) I love the softness of the charmeuse fabric in this Aristocrat Black Tuxedo Dress - $78 2) These Czek Wooden Bracelets would be beautiful accents to a soft ivory sweater - $12 3) I'm a HUGE cowl neck fan, so I just love this West Coast Swing Red Cowl Neck Dress - $82 4) The Tormalina Yellow Flat couldn't get much cuter - $119 5) I've been searching for the perfect grey boot and I think the Right Now Grey Suede Boot might be it! You can rock it four different ways - how cool is that?!?! - $175 6) The Flamenco Rose Hair Accessories are part of Shabby Baby, but I think any aged beauty would look hot with one in her hair - $15 7) This Yorkshire Wool Tweed Dress just makes my heart melt - tweed is so perfect for the winter and the camel-color is so warm. Even better, you don't have to dry clean it - that's so impressive for wool - $98 8) Gold is going to be everywhere this winter, so start stocking up now with these 80's Baby Gold Bracelets - $6 for a set of 12

Wedding Wednesday | Hairpieces

Long gone are the days when you only have two options (veil or no veil) to top your head on your wedding day. Now there are so many beautiful hairpiece options to choose from as well - you can wear one alone or combine with the many gorgeous new veil lengths like the birdcage! The options are endless, not to mention HOT, HOT, HOT! Check out a few of the fun and flirty hairpieces I've fallen for recently.

I'm so in love with the soft feather headpiece combined with the long flowy veil in this photo duo by The Image is Found.

This silk organza flower is attached to a comb so you can slide it right into your hair. Find more romantic Tigerlilly Hair Jewelry here!

My ABSOLUTE FAVORITE place for "handmade lovelies" as she calls them is Chelsea Petaja's oh my deer etsy shop, which is where this delightful little number below if from! She is incredibly talented and never fails to amaze!! You can check out her ever-inspiring blog here and drool over her rockin' photographer husband's amazing wedding images here.

Wedding Wednesday | An "Etsy-full" Wedding

I've been waiting to share this with all of you for a while and I just can't wait anymore!

Etsy's The Storque blog editor, Vanessa Bertozzi, and her now-husband, Mickey Duzyj, were married in Rehoboth, Massachusetts. This wedding was bound to be fabulous from the beginning with Vanessa's love for all things handmade and Mickey's background as a cartoonist and designer! I just can't get enough of all of the unique, meaningful and handmade details!!

Mickey designed the cartoon-strip invitation that detailed how he and Vanessa met and fell in love. I even featured this invite on WeddingAces (which has an awesome new format by the way - you should totally go check it out if you haven't already!) because I LOVE IT SO MUCH!!

The Ukrainian folk art inspired paper fans doubled as ceremony programs and table-assignment cards - they were emblazoned with the wedding's theme "Romance in Rehoboth".

Vanessa used Esty's sleepingdogstudio's 1950's enamel beads to create a gorgeous hairpiece for herself and boutonnieres for the gentlemen to wear.

Etsy's MitMitt (family friend Jillian Luz) created the bridesmaids' jewelry out of semi-precious beads. I just can't enough of these beautiful colors!

Etsy vendor furkidfever designed a custom outfit for Vanessa's sister's cockapoo, Hugo. It actually matched Mickey's suit!

This is hands-down my favorite bridesmaid's dress ever - it's reversible!! Vanessa couldn't decide on a color for the bridesmaid dresses so the girls wore the bright yellow cotton side for the ceremony then headed up to the hayloft to switch to the satin navy blue side for the rest of the evening. These were custom made by Etsy's missbranche. The dresses were made extra fun and pouffy with detachable petticoats, also made by missbranche.

Vanessa's niece and flower girl, Sabina, wore a gorgeous little pinafore by Etsy's rubypearl, complete with a lace apron for flower petal holding!

Handmade buttons were scattered throughout the reception tables for guests to wear and take home as mementos. What a great personal touch!!

Don't like wedding cake (personally, it's my favorite part, but I grew up with a mom and a grandma who bake as a profession)? Vanessa and Mickey had a family friend make heart-shaped strawberry shortcake in lieu of a traditional wedding cake.

Check out more details from Vanessa and Mickey's big day here on The Storque, The Bride's Guide and Martha Stewart Weddings!

* Images by Dave Robbins Photography