Alter Yourself for Vera?
Amid the rustle and bustle of trying on gowns, one of our brides was recently told: ‘You don’t wear Vera, Vera wears you.’ We thought that was hilarious, but fitting: the gowns are absolutely stunning down to the daintiest covered button, and they are not cut for those who want ample breathing room on the big day. We think that was a derivation of Kate Hudson’s line from Bride Wars: “You don’t alter Vera to fit you, you alter yourself to fit Vera!”
Below are a few gorgeous pictures of a few of our brides who have donned the sought-after designer’s gowns:
Per the designer, “For the latest collection, ribbons, buttons, bows and blossoms add to the overall whimsy and lightness in an entirely modern take on wedding fantasy. Asymmetrical draping, random gathers and all sorts of scattered decorative touches add to the eccentricity and artistry of this collection.”
Our fabulous Cannonborough-Elliotborough neighbor, Maddison Row, is hosting a Vera Wang Trunk Show ~ Spring 2010 Bridal Collection starting today. It’s like wedding central in our ‘hood.
The trunk show is by appointment only, and brides will receive 10% off any Vera Wang gown order this weekend only. Call 843-720-7979 to schedule an appointment!
Bright Lights, Big City
Nothing like old stompin’ grounds to get inspired … and DC is (not surprisingly) hoppin’ with hot spots. Wedding and event design inspiration can come from anywhere: a piece of sculpture, a scene from an old movie, a flea market stall. The Capitol is chock full of up-and-coming boutiques, designers, artists, and infectious fashion-forward energy.
Of course, when you boil it down, it’s really all about the food and the atmosphere, and our recent trip to DC didn’t disappoint:
Lunch at Oyo Lounge (best power sushi lunch spot)
Dinner at Zaytinya (ohpah!)
Under the direction of James Beard award-winning chef, José Andrés, Zaytinya’s extensive menu reflects the rich, regional diversity of classical and contemporary Greek, Turkish and Lebanese cuisine. Tapas, to say the least … and warm bread poufs to break your heart.
Drinks at the W
The rooftop boasts the best views of the city, with a horizon including the Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Monument, the White House, and more. We sipped hibiscus flower cocktails (research, people- research!) and people-watched with the best of them.
Brunch at Peacock Cafe
Dress code: big sunglasses, skinny jeans, equestrian boots, last night’s makeup. In hand: hair of the dog.
Sweet tooth stop-off at Baked + Wired
After leaving a puddle of collective drool behind at Cusp, we popped into Baked + Wired for an Elvis Impersonator (represent our roots) … a banana-flavored cupcake with peanut butter icing and chocolate drizzle. They make an Elvis cupcake with bacon on top- hence our choice on the Impersonator (cowards!). It was a toss-up between that and the classic Strawberry, seen below:
When we weren’t laughing at the cheekiness of the servers (they named a seven layer bar a “Kick Me in the Nuts bar”-gasp), we were debating the finer merits of cupcake icing methods; namely, spread side-to-side like Mama used to make ‘em vs. the oft-seen “dog poop swirl” that hardens into a removable tophat of sorts. Crowd vote: Mama’s way.
Obligatory stop-in at hyper-visual favorite, Anthropologie
The window dressing and visual merchandising alone is enough to make a girl seek a modern-day fainting couch, pronto. We sling the word “Anthro” around the office like a de-facto style term, and we see quite a bit of crossover in our wedding design buying and trends with the bohemian retail behemoth. We always envision a mini brigade of Simon Doonans running about at midnight in malls across America erecting these dreamy pieces – who’s behind the curtain?! A few that inspire:
Perennial fave, Urban Chic
Trina, Tibi, Ella, DVF, Milly- need we say more? Painful.
Sassanova anyone?
Just try to keep the 80′s song “Casanova” out of your head – just try. Note the use of Lucite below!
Saturday at the Old Ebbitt Grill
Avoiding an “oontz oontz” scene is hard to do in DC, but you’ll find its polar opposite at the Old Ebbitt. Think politicians with their scotch neats rubbing shoulders with twenty- and thirty-something movers and shakers, and even hoi-polloi like us. The old guard marble-clad establishment is always suffused with a warm amber glow and filled with that kinetic energy that only powerful people can produce.
One of the best seasonal items on the menu is the Sweet Potato Gratin- yum.
Sunday Brunch at Liberty Tavern
There is nothing better than unwinding with old friends, inhaling lobster rolls, and sipping bloodies in the sunshine in a state whose slogan takes the cake for all time.
You know you want one:
Blue Moon Britain?
We were in DC for the past few days meeting with a fabulous bride of ours about her countryside Virginia wedding we’re planning. Naturally, we carved out time to do some due diligence … read: peruse the latest DC hot spots, eateries, and gin joints for inspiration. More on that later!
A quick aside: we had a few cocktails at the new W, formerly the venerable Hotel Washington. We spent half the evening snickering over the hotel staff’s abundant usage of “loo” and “lift”- a slightly silly attempt to upgrade the atmosphere to the level of chic expected from our neighbors across the pond.
Coincidentally, but much more legitimately, we were thrilled to hear Blue Moon Events is currently featured in B Wedding Magazine Winter 2009, a charming UK weddings publication rife with grand ideas. Tina and Jim’s wedding, shot by the ever-talented A Bryan Photo at the William Aiken House, is used on page after page in mini inspiration boards and clippings. The entire issue is chock full of delicious little tidbits for the designer bride, including photo collages galore. As our style often includes vintage elements of traditional European and American event design, it is very cool to see our wedding in the pages of this lovely little glossy. We “fancy” it! Ok, enough, enough.
Click here to read the full article.
