Anthropologie Bridal Line Launches Valentine's Day

Calling all you Anthropologie obsessed ladies! Anthropologie is set to launch their bridal line, BHLDN, on Valentine's Day...fitting, right?! We are nearly jumping out of our seats with excitement for the line! Stay tuned with more details once the line is released.

In the mean time, click here for a sneak peak of the line!

Etsy Find :: Handmade Jewelry

Recently I took part in the Southern Weddings Christmas Ornament Swap, and was assigned to a lovely jewelry maker named Adrienne. Adrienne owns a handmade jewelry company called Destination Diva based out of Wilmington, DE. Adrienne's jewelry is original, unique, and best of all, handmade. When I looked through her collection I knew I wanted to feature her work on the blog. Her jewelry would make a great holiday gift for your bridesmaids. Adrienne has so graciously extended a special Holiday promotion to our readers. Head on over to her Etsy shop for 40% off (use coupon code: holiday40).

Below are some of Adrienne's favorites from her collection. 

For more information regarding Destination Diva check out all of their sites below:

Website :: http://destinationdiva.vpweb.com
Blog :: http://destinationdivajewelry.blogspot.com
Etsy Shop :: http://www.etsy.com/people/DestinationDiva

Happy Holidays!

Celebrity Wedding :: Ivanka Trump & Jared Kushner

You may or may not have already seen their wedding photos, but I just had to share these anyways! Ivanka Trump married Jared Kushner this past October 2009 in a breathtaking autumn affair designed by none other than Preston Bailey himself.

I've always been a fan of Ivanka and respect her greatly for being a savvy business woman; therefore, I naturally couldn't help but gush over her gorgeous wedding photos! Ivanka wore a custom designed Vera Wang wedding gown inspired by Grace Kelly. She topped off her look with jewels from her very own jewelry line, the Ivanka Trump Collection.

For more inside details regarding the planning of Ivanka's wedding, check out her interview with Brides.com

Photos courtesy of InStyle Weddings.

iPhone Application :: BRIDES Dressing Room

BRIDES Magazine recently launched a new iPhone and iPod Touch application: BRIDES Dressing Room. I downloaded this app on my iPhone this past weekend and absolutely love it! This is a great tool for the professional bride who is on the go, allowing you to sort through gowns by designer, price, and even silhouette. Not only does the application allow you to sort through hundreds of photos, but it even allows you to search local retailers for specific gowns.

Description from Brides.com: Planning a wedding on the go just got a whole lot easier. Browse through hundreds of wedding gowns and bridesmaids dresses, search for a retailer near you, and even schedule an appointment! It's available for download from the App Store.

Photo & content courtesy of Brides.com

Wedding Gowns with Pockets

The title of this post may have you a bit confused, but you read correctly, wedding gowns are being made with pockets! This trend was actually introduced by J. Crew a few years back, but has recently been making it's way to the rest of the bridal gown market. At first I wasn't keen on the idea, but then I thought about it and asked myself, why not have pockets in a wedding gown?! There is something about the look of pockets on a wedding gown that is cleverly stylish. Pockets are also the perfect place to store your much needed wedding day necessities, like lip gloss or tissues. While pockets may not be for every bride, they just might be the perfect thing for another bride.

What do you think? Would you purchase a wedding gown with pockets?

Photo courtesy of The Knot.

Design Your Own Shoes

Incase you haven't heard, Ninashoes.com has recently launched a 'Design Your Own Shoe' collection in addition to their already fabulous Wedding Collection. Nina's Design Your Own collection allows you to design your perfect shoe in just 3 easy steps:

1. Choose Your Style {all under $200!}
2. Select Heel Height
3. Pick Your Colors {16 colors available to choose from}

The Design Your Own collection is available exclusively online and shoes are shipped to you within 4 weeks of placing your order.

Nina also offers a swatch book that is available for $9.95 to ensure that you get the perfect match! {We highly recommend purchasing this before your order your shoes.}

Happy shopping!

Etsy Find :: Stylish Handmade Clutches

If you follow this blog, then you probably already know about my obsession with Etsy! Incase you are unfamiliar with the wonderful world of Etsy, it's an online store where you can buy and sell all things that are handmade. Definitely a must-see for any bride! Occasionally I will blog about my "Etsy Finds" - things that I stumble upon and absolutely have to share with our readers! Today I wanted to share these stylish handmade clutches from Davie and Chiyo. All of their clutches are handmade with only the finest fabrics from all over the world. I've shared a few of my favorite clutches {seen above} from their collection. Head on over to their Etsy store to see all of the wonderful clutches they have to choose from!

Photos courtesy of Davie & Chiyo.

Bridal Flip-Flops

Awhile back I blogged about having 'Happy Feet on Your Wedding Day', and today wanted to share one of my favorite suppliers of bridal flip-flops, ESNY Occasions. ESNY offers a variety of affordable bridal footwear, including flip-flops and ballerina flats - both great choices for your wedding day. For ordering information, click here.

Photo courtesy of ESNY Occasions.

First Aid Wedding Favors

Ok, seriously...how cute are these bandages from Creative Bride?! An adhesive bandage is an essential item for your wedding day, so why not carry them in style? Include these with your bridesmaid gifts and carry a pack with you in your clutch. You never know when an unexpected blister will appear from those adorable Jimmy Choo's! For tips on how to keep your feet "happy" on your wedding day, check out our blog post here.

Photo courtesy of Creative Bride :: "Hugs & Kisses from Mr. & Mrs." Bandages :: $2.29

Recissionista Find: Special Occasion Shoes at Target

A few weeks ago we blogged about the awesome bridesmaid dresses that are now available at Target, and today discovered that Target also has some really great special occasion shoes as well! All of the shoes in this section are UNDER $25.00 and completely adorable!

Here are a few favorites from the collection (I'm especially loving this red pair of peep-toe pumps!):

Mossimo Irene Peep-Toe Dress Shoes :: $22.99

Mossimo Heidi Satin Bow Heels :: $19.99

Mossimo Isabelle Dress Shoes :: $16.09

Add a Splash of Color!

I love love love the idea of a bride wearing colored shoes on her wedding day and had to share this adorable photo with all of you this morning! This trend is definitely on the rise and I sure hope that it sticks around for awhile. Not only is this a creative way to set your wedding apart from the rest, but it also makes for a great photo op!

Photo courtesy of Southern Weddings Magazine.

New Series: Ask the Planner

I frequently get asked wedding related questions by our blog readers from all over the U.S. and thought I would feature their questions in a new blog series, "Ask the Planner". Not everyone is lucky enough to have a planner and often times when brides without a planner have a question, they turn to wedding related blogs for answers. I've seen a variety of "Ask the Planner" blog series and think that they are really beneficial, so I wanted to start one for the Pittsburgh area.

Here is our first question from a reader in Massachusetts:

Question: "Should I outfit my bridesmaids in the exact same style of dress?"

Answer: It's completely up to you! Do you absolutely have to?! No way! The beauty of weddings today, is that the days of "cookie cutter" weddings are long gone! In fact, a growing trend in the wedding industry is to actually dress your bridesmaids in different styles. Your bridesmaids and you may all be BFF, but that doesn't mean that you all have the same style when it comes to fashion. Every bridesmaid is different, and what may look good on one bridesmaid, may not look good on another. I like the idea of the bride selecting a color palette and then letting each bridesmaid choose their own style of dress from a particular store. Allowing your bridesmaids to choose their style of dress will ensure that each bridesmaid is comfortable and happy on your wedding day!

Photo courtesy of The Knot.

Stunning!

I am absolutely in love with this beaded lace wedding gown from Casablanca's Spring 2009 bridal collection. Simply stunning in my opinion! To see a list of stores in the Pittsburgh area that carry Casablanca gowns, click here.

Photo courtesy of Brides.com

Love it!

For the past several weeks I have been helping one of my Spring '09 brides find the perfect pair of blue shoes for her bridesmaids, and today we found the ONE! These satin peep toe shoes are from J.Crew and are absolutely perfect! I had to post these shoes as they are too cute to pass up!

J. Crew Carmen Satin Peep Toes :: Deep Atlantic :: $265.00 {Available online or in stores}

Black + Yellow Design Inspiration

In honor of The Steelers playoff game tomorrow afternoon, I thought I would post this beautiful black + yellow design inspiration board by Bliss Weddings. I've seen quite a few black + yellow inspiration boards, but none quite like this. This board has the perfect balance of black + yellow and neither color over powers the other. So, Pittsburgh brides...thinking of having a black + gold wedding to honor the Steelers, but can't quite picture yourself decorating your venue with the terrible towel, then why not try this wedding design instead?!

For photo credits, see The Bliss Weddings Blog.

Trend Watch: Wedding Gown Bolero

Another 2009 wedding season trend that I feel will be making it's way to Pittsburgh is the bolero. Now, what may you ask is exactly a bolero? A bolero is a short jacket worn open in the front, and in this case, is worn over your wedding gown. Boleros can be worn anytime of year; however, are best suited for fall and winter weddings. Boleros were all over the runways this past fall and are now making a big splash in bridal retailers all over the country!

Photo Credits:

Gown #1: Monique Lhuillier - Brides.com

Gown #2: Oscar de la Renta - The Knot

Satin Hangers

With all the craziness in the days leading up to your wedding, the last thing you'll probably think about is what type of hanger you'll use for your gown. However, believe it or not this is actually an important detail you don't want to miss. Most likely your photographer will want to take several pictures of just your gown...usually hanging from a door or in front of a window; therefore, you'll probably want to use something other than the typical wire or plastic hanger. So, invest in a set of satin hangers like the ones pictured above and when your photos come back, you'll be glad you did!

Hangers pictured above from Bed Bath & Beyond [Set of 10 bone colored satin hangers - $12.99]

Trend Watch: Tea Length Wedding Gowns

Tea length wedding gowns have been popping up around the country for some time now, but have yet to make a big impact here in Pittsburgh. However, I feel that's all going to change in 2009. Tea length gowns are quite versatile and don't necessarily have to be worn only for outdoor weddings. Maybe you don't envision the typical 'princess bride' gown and want to opt for something a little more modern or maybe you're having a Spring/Summer wedding and don't want to wear a traditional gown in the heat. Whatever your reason, I say go for it! Being a bride is about being unique and having a wedding that fits your personality, regardless of what anyone says!

Gown pictured above from Anne Barge - La Fleur Collection. Photo courtesy of NY City Weddings.

The Search for the Perfect Bridesmaid Dress...

One of the first things brides look for in the early stages of planning is the bridesmaid dress, and often times their first stop is the bridal boutique or store where they purchased their gown. Too often I see the same bridesmaid dresses from the national bridal retail chains...David's Bridal, Alfred Angelo, etc... Not that there is anything wrong with these stores by any means, I just feel that there are SO many other great options out there for purchasing bridesmaid dresses. Often times brides just don't know anywhere else to go and end up settling on a dress that they like, but don't love! Stores like Nordstroms, Saks Fifth Ave, Ann Taylor, Nicole Miller, and J Crew are all great alternatives to the traditional bridal gown retailer. Dresses at these stores may cost slightly higher than your average David's Bridal bridesmaid dress; however, I feel that the quality of these dresses are far superior AND they'll be more likely to wear the dress again. (P.S. Your bridesmaids will love you for this!) Here are a few of my fav cocktail dresses that can easily be used as bridesmaid dresses:

Beaded Neck Chiffon Dress from Maggy London

$178

Strapless Silk Dress with Ruched Waist from Adrianna Papell

$168

Silk Chiffon Halter Dress from Maggy London

$138

Kate Crossdye Dupioni Dress from Ann Taylor

$198

Flora Taffeta Knot Detail Dress from Ann Taylor

$198