Tsumami Kanzashi for Your Wedding

Remember those awesome boutonnieres I posted about earlier this week? Well unbeknownst to me they are actually a unique Japanese art form called Tsumami Kanzashi. Apparently, Kanzashi are a type of traditional hair ornament and Tsumami is a particular type of Kanzashi...from what I can tell they are hair ornaments made out of cloth (traditionally silk is used) instead of metal or other materials. It is also constructed using a traditional method. You can read more about it here.

Though normally worn in the hair, the Tsumami Kanzashi we saw earlier were turned into boutonnieres and are from the Etsy shop of GocheMoche. Below are some samples of her Tsumami Kanzashi bouts and pins from her shop. They are a total steal and range from between $8-11

Some other Etsy shops that do Tsumami Kanzashi are Marissa Joanna Rojas :

And AtelierKanawa:

April Showers...

My weekly deals e-mail from DailyCandy brought me fun wedding things this morning. The first are these stylish umbrellas from Tray6. Enter code DCDEALS for 25% off.

^This one is for you girly-girls...hearts and "Love" all over it.

Since I'm a May bride I'm hoping that whole "April showers May flowers" thing holds true. Although I really wouldn't mind rainy day pics if I had a fun umbrella.

Holly Slayton of Artikal

This evening the ever talented Marie Labbancz posted the most beautiful images on her blog. She was photographing the bridal headwear of Holly Slayton of Artikal. I hadn't heard of Artikal before but Holly's work is beautiful and quite reasonably priced compared to some other milliners I've seen. You can pick up some of the fascinators for only $50.

Marie Labbancz has some more of these great images on her blog so be sure to check them out...she'll be posting more in the weeks to come!

Red Shoe Bargains

I know there are a few "red shoe" brides out there who are still looking so I thought I'd share with you these great bargains I got in the mail today from my ShoptItToMe sale alert.



^Charles David Baci Red Satin Sandal. Originally $194.95 marked down to $58.89 at Amazon and $85.89 at Endless. Only size 7 available, quantities limited.


^Kate Spade Elisabeth Pump. Originally $275.00 marked down to $81.90 at Nordstrom. Sizes 5, 5.5., 6.5, 7, 7.5, 8 and 10 available, quantities limited.

I really don't think you'll find Kate Spade shoes this cheap anywhere else!

All About the Accessories

I went over to check out Marie Labbancz's blog last week after seeing her work on The Bride's Cafe, and saw the lavish wedding of Kristina and Peter. I think most of us have one item we're willing to splurge on for our attire...a fancy bag, designer shoes, sparkly stones, but this bride rocked every single fab accessory. I'm not sure, but I think her accessories might cost more then my dress...


^ She had these beautiful 5″ (yes 5!) Christian Louboutin shoes!

^She had 2 beautiful head pieces custom made by Leah C. Couture Millinery

^ And yes that is a Prada bag

^Here is the whole look. The dress is Atelier Aimee. I know the gown might be too much for some tastes (i like very simple, streamlined designs), but I love that it's 100% unique and she really works her own style. She "owns" that dress and it looks amazing on her. No one will ever mistake her for a typical bride.

Pure Pura

Way back in October I wrote about how much I liked Pura Lopez shoes. Well this little beauty below popped up at Nordstrom's yesterday and I luuuuv it. It's beautiful! The heel is a little high for me at 3.5 inches but at least the heel is thick so it wouldn't be too hard to walk on...I also like the wrap around part at the ankle...that assures the shoe won't go flying off during the first dance!

A Tale of Two Veils and Two Shops

From the beginning of my wedding planning, I was pretty sure I wanted to wear a drop veil like the one pictured below.

^Photo credited to the super talented D.C. photographer Chris Baltazar. To see more of the beautiful bride check out the wedding of Heather and Moses on his blog!

I wanted my veil to be very sheer and simple, and I knew that I would not spend big bucks on a veil. Many of the veils I tried on at the shop ranged from $300-700. I had heard good things about Occansey Design and Veil Shop so I looked at both for a cheap drop veil. They both had them, but Veil Shop allows returns and Occansey Design does not, so I ordered two different lengths from Veil Shop. Overall it took about two weeks to get the veils in.

Unfortunately, it seems I'm just not a drop veil type of girl. I was swimming in fabric, it was unwieldy, and it just looked messy on me. Maybe I wasn't putting it on right, I don't know, but I knew I'd be fussing with it all day if I kept it for the wedding. So back they went. I haven't gotten my refund yet, but it's only been about a week since I sent them back. Otherwise my experience with Veil Shop was quite good and I'd recommend them.

So it was back to the drawing board. The problem was I had always envisioned myself in a drop veil, so I had no idea what type of veil would look good. I needed to try on a lot of different veils just to see the different styles, but I didn't want the hassle of going to a normal bridal shop and getting pressured to buy one of those $500 veils. So off to David's Bridal I went! It was awesome! They had a ton of veils in all different lengths and styles and they left me alone to try on to my heart's content. No pressure! I have to say, though, even their veils were still a little expensive ($100-250). Here is what I found out:

Length
I like long veils. But not TOO long. Regal Length and Cathedral length were out. All the fabric was so difficult to manage. Chapel length was manageable but still seemed slightly bothersome to keep up with. Waltz length would have been too short, though. I needed something in between.

Blusher
I've always known I wanted to wear a blusher, but I discovered that I did not want something as long as a fingertip length blusher, but I did want the blusher to be longer then shoulder length.

Fullness
And finally, I confirmed my earlier suspicions that poof = evil. I still wanted something really simple and sheer like a drop veil but that had more structure and that would drape behind my back instead of all around me. The poof of the veil around your head/face is measured by the width of the veil fabric. The wider the fabric, the more gatherings there will be at the comb, which results in a poofier look. Standard width for most veils is 72in. Extra full is around 108in, and sheer is 54in.

So armed with this information I went back to Veil Shop to see what I could order. Sadly, their veils start at the standard width and they didn't have any veils between the waltz and chapel length. So I popped back over to Occansey Designs. Occansey Designs can customize your veil in pretty much any manor you could want. So after looking at a ton of their picture galleries I decided I wanted the below:


^ A floor length veil of 76in long. This was a great compromise b/t the chapel and waltz lengths. I got the length I wanted without the hassle (note: my veil does NOT have rhinestones!)

^ A blusher that was elbow length. Once again, the perfect compromise between fingertip and shoulder length. Average elbow length is 29in but I customized mine to 27in, cause I'm short and the model is like 5'10. If I had to change anything I would go back and get the 29in, but really it's not that important (note: my blusher does NOT have rhinestones!)

I also had the above veil specially cut to a SUPER sheer width at the top of just 25 inches while retaining the width at the bottom of 54 inches. If I had to do it again I probably would have gotten the ULTRA sheer of just 12 wide at the top. 12inches = minimal poof.

The great thing about Occansey Designs was the super cheap price of $63 with taxes and shipping, and the 1 week turnaround for delivery. The only bad thing is that you can't return anything, so you better have a pretty good idea of what you are looking for. If I had to do it again I would make small adjustments here and there, but overall I really like the veil...it's a keeper! It gives me the sheer look of the drop veil that I wanted but it also gives me the structure of a normal veil that I needed.

Bella Designs - Alexandria Jewelry

Apparently it's going to be a Bella type of week for me. My hair salon first turned me on to Bella Designs a few months ago, and the Alexandria based owner, Melissa, has some really lovely things, especially for a bride or a bridesmaid. More importantly, a lot of it is very reasonably priced. You can shop online, or if you prefer the hands on experience there is going to be a jewelry party at Periwinkle in Alexandria, next Thursday March 6th from 6 to 8 p.m.


^These earrings are my favorite. The Lindsay chandelier earrings look so delicate and are very art deco chic. $32.


^The Elizabeth Bracelet. $110.


^Lacy Necklace. $65.


^Thea Necklace. $135.

Naughty Monkey for Your Wedding

While I was looking through shoes this weekend I ran across these adorable Naughty Monkey brand shoes. I especially love the Live Wire style pictured in the first two images below. I'm not in love with the wooden heel but they'd look so adorable with a more casual dress...or heck I'd just paint the wooden heel white or blue to match!






The Candyland style also caught my eye because they come in my wedding colors of green and white! But you can also get them red hot.

Dress Is In! Now What?

The good news is my dress is in! And I pick it up tomorrow! The bad news is I really have to make some hard decisions about shoes and undergarments now so I can start my fittings. I may end up wearing my beautiful Vera Wang Red Satin Pumps but I wanted to give myself options in case they didn't look good with my dress. So I spent the weekend browsing and below are some of the beauties I found. All would make for crazy good pictures!



^Anyone who is having a wedding with black accents MUST buy this shoe. I love it. It's so classically beautiful and a good height at 3.25 inches. I have to admit, I prefer to not have that bit of crystal bling on the bow but I know there are some bling lovers out there who will love it. Nine West Gohana for $83.00.

^For the red shoe lovers out there check out the hot Sidewinder from Max Studio for $120. 4 inches of Red braided Satin and I love the curve of the ankle strap.

^O.k. I have a confession to make. I bought these Lumiani Turquoise Leather heels. They were marked down to $38.94 from $97.95--I had to do it! My only worry is there wasn't a ton of information on the website about the shoes...no heel height (i want at least 3 inches and these look shorter) and I think the flower is suede from the picture (good) but the description doesn't say. We'll have to see what they look like when they come in.

^ Oh yeah they come in pink too for all you pink brides out there ;)

Elle & Anne Handbags and Such

I'm digging the line of preppy-chic bags from Virginia based designer Elle & Anne Handbags and Such. The line of totes, clutches, wallets & such are each handcrafted and totally customizable in over 50 fabrics. You can also add monograms and extra pockets. These would make great bridesmaid gifts (give each girl a different style to match their lifestyle). You can even have a specility bridal bag made for yourself. Most bags are in the $70-80 range and smaller accessories are as cheap as $10.

Height and Comfort?

Many a businesswoman (and Oprah) have praised the Cole Haan line of Nike Air Dress Air shoes. These are dress shoes (heels!) made with the same technology and padding that a Nike Air sneaker is made with. Previously, they really only made shoes that were appropriate for work and not weddings, but that's all changed.

Below is the Cole Haan Nike Air Sari Air Sling . The shoe comes in Ivory Satin, with a satin-covered heel and slender platform. It's 3 3/4 inches so it will definitely provide the height us shorties are craving but it has Nike Air cushioning. The only downside? The asking price of $325. This is consistent with the price of most Cole Haan shoes but it's still a pretty penny to drop on shoes.

I'm going to keep my eye on this one and wait for a sale.

K.Amato Discount - 20% Off

K.Amato designs a wonderful line of reasonably priced jewelry that would make great gifts for your bridesmaids or for you to wear. Now they are an even better deal with 20% off. Just use discount code "PEOPLE" at checkout. She has a wedding line as well, but alas, it's special order and not avaliable for sale online.


^The Armitage. Originally $48, now only $38

^The Maple. Originally $60 now only $48

^The Barry. Originally $38 now only $30

^The Surf. Originally $70 now only $56

Treasure Rings from Takohl Design

I think these rings from Takohl Design Ltd. would make a great anniversary gift or a gift for the mothers in the wedding party. They are called Treasure Rings and you can inscribe the inside with anything that you want...wedding date, names, important phrases, inside jokes, even characters such as the heart sig (though I'm not sure why you'd want to do that). You can order a plain sterling silver ring with no stone for $495 or completely bling it out and get it made in a precious metal with a large diamond in the $5,000 + range.

Design You Own by Steve Madden

I'm not a huge fan of Steve Madden Shoes. Yeah the designs are cute but I swear every pair I've owned has been insanely uncomfortable. I might change my mind, though, thanks to their new Design Your Own line. They have about 45 different styles of shoes (boots, heels, sandals, you name it) that are completely color customizable. So if you really want to wear a pair of shoes with your gown that match your wedding colors or if your maids can't find a pair of shoes that complements their dresses they now have a place to turn.

The shoes are a little pricey for Steve Madden - around $100 each. But at least you'd know that no one else would have your shoes! You can have completely different colors for the heels, the uppers, and any detailing.

I test drove the new line below with my own wedding colors


^ A cute platform heel that I designed in summery blue gingham

^The same heel in my wedding colors

^A kitten heel flat I designed in salmon with white accents

^The same shoe in my wedding colors


Hmmm o.k. so maybe my wedding colors don't make great shoes. But I bet somebodies wedding colors would look fab. You could kill a lot of time on the site just playing with all the different combos.

No Need to Steal

I know you've all already heard about Bag Borrow or Steal, the online rental shop where for a small monthly fee you can pay to rent designer handbags for a week or a month at a time instead of spending your hard earned cash on fancy new handbags that will be out with the new season. I've never felt the need to have a new designer handbag on my arm all the time so the site really didn't hold much appeal for me personally though I can see it's draw for others.

That is until I realized that they have now started renting jewelry. What was once only available to Hollywood starlets is now available to us mere mortals. You don't need to be a member to rent but if you are a member you pay a lower rental fee. They rent everything from chic crystal chandelier drop earrings for only $8 a week to serious bling such as a 14 carat diamond bracelet from Rosiblu for $265 a week.

I might be a little nervous with all that expensive sparkle on me, because I wouldn't want to damage or lose it, but you'll probably never have a more appropriate occasion to wear it then your wedding. And seriously when else will someone let you borrow their Gucci necklace?



^A little something blue as you tie the knot. Vera Wang Aqua Bow Earrings with 98 pave diamonds. $94 a week to rent.

^Vera Wang Pink Tourmaline Earrings with 132 diamonds. $203 a week.


^Chanel Pearl Necklace. $64 a week.

^A big something blue. Vera Wang twist wire sapphire ring. Sapphire with 90 macro pave diamonds. $203.00 a week

Shoe Bling

The other day I was reading on Bridalwave about Pretty Pink Toes, a British store that sells shoe clips. I knew I had seen something similar in the U.S. before and that's when I remembered Absolutely Audrey. A lot of times it's easy to find a plain pair of white or ivory satin shoes on sale but sometimes they lack pizazz. Shoe clips are a great way to turn a plain pair of shoes into something special. The shoe clips at Absolutely Audrey retail for around $20-$35 which isn't a horrible price, but if you are looking for something a little bit more budget friendly you should check out EBay. I found a ton of vintage shoe clips there and many of them were selling for only $3 or $4 dollars. Remember that any pair of clip-on earrings can do the trick as well.




1st Row L-R: Absolutely Audrey, Ebay Seller lilac.fairy (these are two shoe clips that can fit together to form a pin), Absolutely Audrey
2nd Row L-R: Ebay Seller kdoug7 (these are french shoe buckles), Ebay Seller freetimeinoregon (this is just one vintage shoe clip but it would make such a fab broach for a purse or ribbon), Ebay Seller vintagestuff62 (also french made)
3rd Row L-R: Absolutely Audrey, Ebay Seller autumnravensage, Ebay Seller dianec156 (this is a set of two)

Gina Foster Milliner

Leave it to the Brits to create amazing hats perfect for a wedding. Gina Foster creates hats and other hair accessories that are pieces of art. She will custom design a hat or head piece for you in different fabrics and colors. Production takes 4 to 6 weeks. Accessories and head pieces starts at $40 and can go up to $1,000. Hats range from $300 to $1,400.

WeddingBay

If Ebay was smart they would set up an entirely separate site just for selling things that would be great in a wedding. You all know I've been on the search for some awesome wedding shoes and that includes searching Ebay every now and then to see what's up for sale. A couple weeks ago I saw the below gorgeous Vera Wang shoes...new and in my size. I've never bought shoes off of Ebay before so I was a little nervous...I'm usually a size 7 or 7.5 so I was worried about getting a shoe I'd never tried on before BUT they were such a great deal I decided to risk it. I figured if they didn't fit I could just resale them. Originally they retailed for $360 and I got them for $125 which isn't too shabby for Vera Wang. Well, they arrived a couple days ago and they are FABULOUS. They look even more fierce on my foot then they do in the pictures. They fit perfectly and are oddly comfortable. I'm not totally sure I'll wear them with my wedding dress (it isn't in yet and I'll have to see how they look when it comes in) but if not I'm going to create a place to wear them to.

Subtle Fox

If the below designs from Foxy Originals are too bright for your taste make sure you check out her more subtle pieces. All available at Snazzy Girl.

Foxy Bridesmaid Gifts

I love this colorful jewelry from Foxy Originals. They would make great bridesmaid gifts and they come in so many colors it would be easy to coordinate. You can buy them at Snazzy Girl and I haven't seen anything over $40 so they are very reasonable.

Leah C. Couture Millenery

If you liked Jackpot76's wedding hair flower posted below make sure you check out the site of its designer Leah C. She has some beautiful wedding accessories. I won't lie...they are pricey (flowers will set you back a few hundred dollars) but they sure are lovely.


^ Style B18- $395

^Style B17 - $375

^Style PBM - $250

^ She also makes unique Boutonnieres for the guys. At $50 this is pricey compared to your average $10 boutonniere from a flower shop...but I see no reason why you couldn't pin this into your hair, which makes it a steal compared to the other hair accessories.

Vintage Accessories

If you read any wedding blogs at all then you've already heard about Stephanie James' vintage glam wedding dresses. If you love those then you should check out her blog because she just debuted a new line of vintage style wedding hair accessories. They aren't for every bride, but if you love the vintage look or just want a beautiful flower in your hair that not every bride will have then just look below. Don't forget to check out her blog for additional styles.

Adorning Your Maids

If you are looking to coordinate your bridesmaids' jewelry (notice I didn't say match...let everyone be unique!) then you should check out Chemistry Bridal. They have different styles of necklaces, bracelets, earrings, and rings available in 16 different colors. The best part is that prices range from $25-75, so giving these as gifts will not break the bank. The necklaces and bracelets can also be monogrammed with each persons initials. Each piece is made to order. They also carry gold, silver, pearl, and crystal colored jewelry so you might find something that goes with your dress as well.

Shop It To Me Wedding Shoe Find

My morning email from Shop It To Me brought me Charles David's "Wistful." These would be great shoes for the bride, your bridesmaids, or even the moms of the wedding party. Originally they were $215 and they have been marked down to $95.89 at Endless shoes! Over at Zappos they are still going for $180 so this is definitely a bargain. They are 3 inches tall which I think is the perfect height...enough to make you look tall but not so much that you can't walk.