Brides Against Breast Cancer

I'm always excited when Brides Against Breast Cancer comes to town. They are a non-profit organization that travels from city to city with designer wedding gowns. For brides, it's a chance to find the perfect wedding dress, save up to 85%, and help those impacted by cancer. 
I have volunteered the last few years when the tour came to Atlanta. This year I am super excited because I have been asked to be the city coordinator. Once again, I get to be a part of a unique and rewarding event. 
The gown sale takes place April 6th and 7th. Brides, please visit www.bridesabc.org for more information and to register to attend. Happy shopping!

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Munaluchi Style My Wedding Contest

Brides, would you like a chance to win a free wedding dress + up to five dresses for your bridesmaids? Munaluchi Bridal is having an exciting pinterest giveaway of Kathy Ireland for Mon Cheri dresses.

Hurry! The contest ends August 3rd. Visit www.munaluchibridal.com for contest details.

Brides Against Breast Cancer Gown Sale

A Soiree at Paisley Umbrella!

Don't you just love parties? Olive is celebrating its 10 year anniversary by having a party at Paisley Umbrella next Friday October 14Th! The party will be a traveling circus inspired soiree under a tent.
It's your chance to meet the vendors of Paisley Umbrella and have an opportunity to see floral designs by Your Champagne Wishes Events. We are excited to be a part of this event and help Olive celebrate.
Don't forget to RSVP. See you there!

The Royal Wedding

Last Friday, I was on of the countless viewers watching Prince William marry Kate Middleton. The 1,900 invited guests began arriving at Westminster Abbey more than two hours before the ceremony began. One of the first things I noticed was all of the beautiful and creative fascinators and hats the ladies wore.



We only got a quick glimpse of the bride as she came out of the Goring Hotel. So everyone anxiously waited for Kate to step out of her car to get a better look at her. She wore a gorgeous white laced long sleeve gown by Sarah Burton. Everyone was all the buzz about her unexpected posy bouquet of myrtle, lily of the valley, sweet William, and hyacinth. Another unexpected topic of discussion was the bride's sister Pippa's white dress which was also designed by Sarah Burton, because bridesmaids do not normally wear white.



After the hour long catholic ceremony full of choir songs and readings in the church decorated with trees, the bride and groom rode in style in their horse drawn carriage to Buckingham Palace. Prince William looked very handsome in his red military uniform.



Everything was perfectly timed for the day right down to the time when everyone anxiously waited for the newly titled Duchess of Cambridge and Prince William to go out on the balcony and have their first public kiss. The newlyweds seemed a little shy about the kiss. Then all of a sudden they delighted the crowd with a second kiss.



I will admit that I was impressed with the celebration, but the entire time I was waiting for one of the many children that were the bridesmaids and pages to get restless and act up. To my surprise, they were very well behaved. Even when 3 year old Grace van Cutsem frowned and covered her ears, she was adorable.
It will be interesting to see what trends will emerged because of the things that we saw at the royal wedding. Will more brides wear long sleeved lace gowns and carry smaller bouquets? Will more guests wear hats to the ceremony? Will bridesmaids wear white? Will more couples depart in horse carriages? Will we see more trees as decor? What do you think?
Happy planning!

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Winnie Couture Atlanta

Last month, I started off the new year by touring one of Atlanta's newest bridal salons. Winnie Couture has salons in Beverly Hills, Houston, and now Atlanta. They are located in the heart of Buckhead on Peachtree Road.
Winnie Couture has several collections of gowns ranging from romantic, elegant, and contemporary to cater to any bride's style. They also have a wonderful selection of destination gowns and sparkling accessories.
Happy shopping ladies!

Wedding Gown Styles

Selecting a gown to wear is one of the biggest decisions you will have to make for your special day. Not only do you want to feel beautiful, but all eyes will be on you after all!


Here are a few gown styles to give you some inspiration on the choices that you have to choose from. If romance is your style, then a princess gown like the one above may be for you.

You may prefer a classic A-line like the one above. Unless you prefer a sexy mermaid style seen below.

Or you may want a slinky sheath like the picture below on your special day.

Whatever style you prefer, take your time and select the gown that makes you feel like a queen for the day!

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"Running of the Brides"

Ladies, it is that time of year again. It is time for Filene's Basement world famous bridal event to come back to Atlanta on Friday March 20, 2009. They call it the event the Running of the Brides. Sounds a little like the running of the bulls doesn't it? Well if you see a crowd of soon-to-be brides running your way, if you have any sense, you need to get out of their way quick!

Some might ask, "Is it really worth all the waiting, pushing, trying on lots of dresses, and trading to get the dress of your dreams at a discount price?" Of course it is! One of my 2008 brides did it and her dress was beautiful.

Doors open at 8:00 AM and stay open until 9:00 PM at 3535 Peachtree Road. Designer gowns will be on sale for $249-699.

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Gown Preservation

This is the second part of caring for your wedding gown after your perfect day. (See November cleaning your wedding gown post). There are three options when it comes to wedding gown preservation. They are sealing, boxing, and bagging. In the sealing method, your gown is actually sealed into an acid-free box. This is said to protect it from oxygen, but it has the risk of permanent creases to the gown and mildew. If your gown is sealed into a box, it makes it impossible to take it out and admire it.
In the boxed method, the gown is folded in an acid free box. It is not sealed so you can take if out and admire it and the fabric can breathe. Your gown has less risk of permanent creasing, but you must make sure the box is acid free and not just acid coated.
Another option is bagging your gown. This is not your typical dry cleaner bag. It is similar to the method that museums use to maintain the condition of costumes. The gown will be protected from dust and light and will be easier to admire. You must make sure you use a reinforced hanger and twill tape for support to protect it from long term hanging.
Whatever method or company you choose to preserve your gown, make sure that you ask questions so that you understand the process. This is your gown from one of the most important days of your life so you want to preserve this memory.

Cleaning your wedding gown

Your wedding day was perfect! Now that it is over, what do you do with your wedding gown? Many brides simply hang them in a plastic bag in their closet and forget about them. I wanted to give you some advice today about why this may not be the best thing to do.
Did you know that your gown may look clean to you, but some stains dry clear? Then over time they oxidize, turn brown, and become difficult to clean. In addition to that, some plastic bags give off plastic fumes that can turn your gown yellow.
So my tip is to clean your gown even if you don’t think it is dirty. But please read the care label on the inside of your gown first. The label may say hand wash only, dry clean only or dry clean only with petroleum-based solvent. You also need to find out what material the fabric is.
If your gown has sequins or beads on it, examine it to see if they are glued on or sewn on. Some dry cleaning solvent may be harmful because they can melt the glue that holds the sequins or beading on or melt the actual sequins or beading.
Be prepared to ask your dry cleaner questions before you turn over your precious gown to them. Ask them about the number of years of experience they have cleaning wedding gowns. Do they do the work on premises or send it off to someone else? Ask them do they use the wet cleaning or dry cleaning method. Ask them if they use virgin or recycled solvent. Virgin solvent has not been used before so it is fresher.
If you know what a stain is on your gown, please tell your dry cleaner. This information along with the fabric type could help determine what method of cleaning they use. Once you get your gown back from the dry cleaners, take it out of the plastic bag. It is now time to preserve your gown.

Stay tuned for gown preservation tips!