WE Go Bridal

Real wedding inspiration: Stephanie + Ruben

2009-11-06T03:10:32Z

A beautiful real wedding from photographer Carson Day

By Vané Broussard

Photographer Carson Day sent me this beautiful wedding shot at the Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden out in California. With the couple both being architects, you can really see all the architectural details they incorporated into their wedding, especially in the sleek square cake, yet everything is still soft and romantic. And goodness, those shoes...those FABULOUS shoes!! Every bride should get married in those!]]>

Furniture Rentals For Your Wedding

2009-10-29T22:26:09Z

Bringing style and comfort to your guests

By Vané Broussard

Furniture rentals sure have come along way from the traditional ballroom and folding chairs...these days, your options are so much more! With weddings I've been seeing lately, a lot of couples are taking their cocktail hours or afterparties and turning them into full on lounges, with comfy sofas, chairs and even coffee tables...its like hanging out at a great bar before and after the party! ]]>

I love this idea because it makes the wedding so much more relaxed feeling, and I think even stimulates conversation among your guests. Rental companies are popping up everywhere, but 2 that I particularly like are Green Room and Taylor Creative. Taylor Creative has a great selection of super modern furniture, like Louis Ghost chairs, which are perfect for hip weddings. While Green Room also provides modern furniture, they understand that not EVERYONE is uber-modern, and provide other options as well if you're not looking for all white furniture. Both have locations on both coasts, so definitely give them a look.

Considering A Custom Wedding Dress?

2009-10-15T21:14:22Z

Sam Walls of Samuelle Couture gives the ins and outs of creating a custom wedding dress vs buying readymade.

By Vané Broussard

I met Sam Walls of Samuelle Couture about a year ago at a bridal event in NYC and was instantly enamored with her custom wedding dresses. She's got an amazing style and friendly demeanor, so it was a no brainer to have her discuss the process in designing a custom wedding dress, and maybe why a bride would want one in the first place! Thanks Sam!

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Why a bride may want a custom wedding dress rather than a ready to wear dress.

Choosing to have a custom-made wedding dress can come from many starting positions. Sometimes it's because brides have a particular vision for their big day and want a more creative input into their dress; sometimes because they have spent days and days searching the stores and have not found a dress that encapsulates everything they want; sometimes the bride wants to incorporate vintage trims that they have collected or a family heirloom that they have inherited; sometimes they are having a really unique ceremony or marrying in an unusual place, and want a dress that is suitable for the event and climate. Often it is because they want something that is more personal and unique to them and want to bring a more contemporary twist to tradition. Whatever the starting point, having a custom dress made especially for you is the ultimate in luxury, as well as being a really fun and creative experience leading up to your special day. There are many designers offering custom made wedding dresses, from Vera Wang to local seamstresses. Every designer is different and can offer different quality, services and price points so it is worth doing some research, and going to meet the designers before committing yourself to working with them. It is important to find the right designer for you, as you will be working closely together for the next 6 months and trusting them with a very important task! The designer needs to be able to understand and interpret your ideas and advise you on the best solutions; you need to feel confident with their professional competence to take your dress to completion. A suitable time frame needs to be discussed and agreed upon, so that your dress is delivered to in good time so you can find your accessories, veil, shoes etc. This time frame can also help with payment installments, so it feels more affordable.

What it entails

At Samuelle Couture, the process usually takes 5-8 months. It starts with an initial meeting where the bride will bring along pictures and their ideas of what they are looking for. It may be a silhouette or a neckline, inspired by a favorite dress or details from their grandmother's wedding dress. It may be a fabric or an old photograph, a painting or photos in a magazine. This is the starting point, from where our designer will continue to research the theme, interpreting all the ideas together into designs for the dress. Sketches and mood boards are created, and are then presented with fabric swatches and detailing ideas back to the bride for further discussion. A design is agreed upon, measurements are taken and a pattern is made. The dress will be made up in muslin, and there will be the first fitting. Here the bride and the designer can visualize the dress, we develop the style lines, make sure that the fit is perfect. Alterations and developments are made to the pattern and then a more sophisticated toile is made which is much closer to the actual wedding dress silhouette. At the second fitting we again check the lines and fit, as well as considering hand picked fabrics, trims and detailing and how each one will enhance the uniqueness of the dress. When everyone is happy with the choice of materials and the design is perfect, the dress finally goes to fabric. With plenty of time to spare, the bride will have a final fitting so we can make any minor tweaks or alterations. The dress is usually delivered a month before the wedding, but we are on call for any last minute alterations, steaming or cleaning advice. Throughout the process, advice is given about accessories, veils, shawls, shoes etc. At the end of each dress, we feel as though we have been on a very special journey with each bride. Getting married is so deeply personal, and we are happy to have been party to this wonderful experience in their lives. We think that you can see this quality and attention invested in each dress, and that is why we love doing what we do!

Real wedding inspiration: Elyse + Marshal

2009-10-15T20:54:59Z

A beautiful wedding at the NY Botanical Gardens by Stacey Ilyse Photography.

By Vané Broussard

Photographer Stacey Ilyse sent me Elyse and Marshal's wedding a few weeks ago, and after seeing her dress, I was sold! For you NY brides out there, the NY Botanical Gardens are a gorgeous place to get married, and you can't beat Abigail Kirsch as a caterer (I might be biased, she did my wedding and our guests STILL talk about how great the food was!) I'll let Stacey tell a little about the day in her own words...

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Opposites attract when it comes to Elyse and Marshal... Elyse worked in fashion for many years, while Marshal is a heart surgeon! Elyse is the outgoing talkative one and Marshal is the quiet observer. They met in New York City where lived on the East Side but recently moved to CT for Marshal's job. They decided that even though they loved the nitty-gritty streets of NY, they wanted to have a gorgeous, elegant backdrop for their August 30th wedding, which was why they picked The New York Botanical Gardens, located in the Bronx.

Like their own personal style they wanted to keep everything clean and simple and elegant. They opted for a beautiful day time wedding to take advantage of the outdoors and the grounds at the NYBG... which is catered by Abigial Kirsch.

For their traditional Jewish ceremony, Elyse printed and tied bows on all the programs which had details explaining all the different parts of the ceremony.

Diana Gould was the florist who created all of the florals for the event. Elyse's hair was done by Jiselle James, her hair stylist for over 10 years. When Elyse first met Marshal ~ she wanted him to think she had amazing hair, so before every date, she would go and get her hair done so she looked perfect for him!

Make Up was by Ida Komis, and all the music from Ceremony to reception was performed by FAZE4.

When I spoke with Elyse the other day, she mentioned how she had an AMAZING time at her wedding, with lots of laughter, dancing, good food and fun.

Real Wedding Inspiration: Kathrin + Jamie

2009-10-09T02:06:36Z

A backyard bird themed wedding with adorable details.

By Vané Broussard

Jamie from {JAC} Photography sent me this outdoor wedding the other day and I had to share with all of you brides out there...the details that went with their backyard bird theme were perfection, especially the birds nests at each place setting. Jamie gives some more details from the day, so I'll let him take it away.

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This couple lives in the city but has a cabin in Patterson, NY. They held the ceremony and reception on their property.

The bride is originally from Germany, the groom from Georgia. Their welcome gift baskets included chocolates from Germany, and Georgia pecans, pralines and peaches! Their honeymoon destination was Fiji- they included Fiji water bottles as well! At their reception, they had a swing band perform, they also included their CD in the baskets.

The day before the wedding and the morning of, it POURED rain. The bride walked outside to the ceremony site with an umbrella, and JUST as she got to the ceremony tent, the sun shined through. It was amazing!

Their theme was a backyard bird theme. They had bird's nests at each table setting, bird's stamped on their welcome basket and birds on their paper goods. The couple chose to take some of their photos near the groom's tractor- he spends a lot of time driving through their property with it! We thought it looked pretty cool!

For the ceremony, an acoustic duo performed. The reception site was muddy from the earlier rain, but it didn't stop the guests from dancing and posing for our 'Mud Photo Booth'! In lieu of gifts, the couple chose to make a donation from every guest to a charity named Robin Hood, a charity dedicated to fighting poverty in NYC. The Polaroid photos are a gift from us, I pre-make the folio and we take photos from a medium format camera, we like the idea of our couples having something to take with them on their honeymoon!

Photography: {JAC} photography
Makeup and Hair: Eric Carter with Mario Diab Salon
Caterer: New World Home Cooking and Catering
Wedding Band: Jimmy Nations Combo
Ceremony Musicians: NY Ceremony Musicians
Officiant: Reverend Norma Moutal with One Heart Ceremonies
Rentals: Durant Rentals
Bouquets: Driscoll Florist
Stationary: Wedding Paper Divas
Wedding Gown & Jewelery: Nicole Miller
Bridesmaid Dresses: J. Crew
Centerpiece Flowers: FiftyFlowers.com
Kissing Balls: ElmoandIke on Etsy.com
Lanterns & Parasols: Pearl River
Flowergirl Basket: Juniperdesign on Etsy.com
Gift Tags: SeasonalDelights and Bluebirdlane on Etsy.com

Real wedding inspiration: Carrie + Ben

2009-10-02T00:46:13Z

A modern Colorado destination wedding with great details.

By Vané Broussard

Photographer Karie Mclain sent me this fun Colorado wedding that really took rustic elements and made them modern...the photos make me wishful for an outdoor wedding surrounded by birch trees. I'll let Karie tell a little bit more about the day.

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Carrie and Ben met in LA while working together. Ben was offered a job in Miami and rules of the corporate world would no longer allow Carrie to work for the company. Carrie moved with Ben to Miami, yet they managed to fall in love with the mountains and decided to have a destination wedding in Beaver Creek, CO. They had a traditional Jewish ceremony ...from the Kubota Signing, to the Chuppa at the ceremony, to the chair dance at the recption. The ceremony took place outdoors with the Rocky Mountain aspen trees and etc.

The chuppa was made of aspen trunks. The flowers that lined the isle of the ceremony were wrapped in aspen bark. Each guest got a little pine tree to plant and take home with them (most of these guests are from out of town, FL and LA to be exact).

Carrie wore lime green shoes with her dress that were beautiful! The guys wore beige suits. Ben, the groom, wore a green tie. All of the groomsmen wore brown Vans (shoes).

Their friends and family danced all night long (nobody was sitting). It was a beautiful wedding!

Vendors:

Location: Saddleridge - Beaver Creek Colorado

Coordinator - Debbie Orwat, Save the Date Events

Flowers - Plum Sage Flowers

Videographer - Chris, Premium Digital Solutions

DJ: A Great Time DJ's

Photography: Karie Mclain

Excellent Invites

2009-09-25T01:36:13Z

Oh So Beautiful's editor Nole Garey shares her favorite wedding invitations

By Vané Broussard

When you become a blogger, you quickly begin to realize that you're a part of a very cool community of like-minded people. Within the wedding industry, I've been lucky enough to meet a lot of the ladies I whose blogs I read on a daily basis, and Nole Garey is definitely one of the nicest! She write a wonderful blog all about paper, and has found fabulously great wedding invitations, so who better to share her finds! Take it away Nole!

]]> Oh So Beautiful Paper, where I blog about all things paper-related, from wedding invitations, save the dates, and rsvp cards to artwork, business cards, and greeting cards.

When Vané first asked me to guest blog, I couldn't think of anything more fun than sharing some of my all-time favorite wedding invitations. And since there are few things that I love more than a well-designed wedding invitation, you can just imagine how hard it is for me to narrow my list down to the handful of invitations below! If you visit me over at Oh So Beautiful Paper, you'll see that I have a particular weakness for anything letterpress, but I really just love great design, whether letterpress, engraved, gocco, or digitally printed and whether printed on paper, fabric, or wood - and I've tried to gather a nice cross-section of wedding invitations for you today. So let's get started!

First up, these gorgeous screen printed invitations from Two Trick Pony:

Folk art has been a huge source of inspiration for me over the past few months, and this invitation suite from the Two Trick Pony shindigs collection strikes the perfect balance between folk art and modern design. I absolutely love the bright color palette and the beautiful floral pattern design. And since the invitation is the first insight that most guests will get into what kind of wedding to expect - level of formality, themes, etc. - these invitations are a great way to let guests know to expect a rockin' good time.

The next invitations on my list feature two more favorite design details - hand drawn illustrations and hand lettering:

These letterpress invitations were created by illustrator Julia Rothman for her own wedding in 2008. As an illustrator, it was only natural that Julia would design her own invitations, but you might be surprised to learn that designers are often their own most difficult clients! But even if hand drawn illustrations isn't part of your design vision for your invitations, think about working with a calligrapher for custom hand lettering for your names or the entire invitation wording - like these invitations from Brooklyn-based stationery studio Linda and Harriett featuring custom calligraphy from Paperfinger:

As you can see above, calligraphy looks absolutely amazing when letterpress printed and can often even stand alone as the primary design element for an elegant wedding invitation.

Next up, and proving that invitations don't have to be printed on paper, are these lovely fabric invitations from Bird and Banner:

The invitation suite was inspired by the wedding's French Flea Market theme and hand-printed onto vintage handkerchiefs, with post cards serving as the rsvp card and finished with a silk ribbon and monogram tag. These invitations are wonderful inspiration for any vintage-inspired or outdoor garden wedding, and make a wonderful wedding keepsake for your guests. I'm literally in love with the entire Bird and Banner custom portfolio and had difficulty picking just one design to feature here, so please do check out the rest of their designs here.

This intricate letterpress invitation by Lilah Paper is one of my all-time favorites:

The invitations were designed by Lilah Paper owner and lead designer Kalyn Denno for her own wedding in Vail, Colorado in 2007. I love the entire design, from the inspired typography on the Save the Date to the ornate design elements. I also love the way the design - inspired by that quintessential Vail feature, a ski lift - evokes the feeling of a winter wedding in a more subtle way through the use of a muted color palette.

This next invitation suite features another two recent design trends in wedding invitations - silhouettes and invitation booklets!

Silhouettes have been popular in weddings for a few years now, but I never get tired this particular wedding trend. Silhouettes can often serve as a full-on wedding theme, from the invitations to hiring a silhouette artist to create custom silhouettes of your guests at your wedding (such a fun idea!). At the same time, more and more couples are planning destination weddings or weddings where a majority of guests will be from out of town, and wedding invitation booklets allow couples to convey lots of information - from travel and accommodation information to weekend itineraries - to guests all at once while maintaining a cohesive design. For the invitation above, Katie, the bride and a stationery designer, chose to personalize each invitation with a custom bookplate and handwritten note. You can check out more of the invitation suite right here.

Last, but definitely not least, on my list are these absolutely amazing engraved wood veneer invitations from Oslo Press:

I just love the idea of wood veneer wedding invitations - can you imagine how your guests would feel to receive one of these amazing works of art in the mail? I love the way these wood veneer invitations can work with any wedding style - from a formal wedding in a sophisticated ballroom or museum to a casual and modern wedding either indoors or on the beach. The entire Oslo Press wedding invitation collection is just gorgeous, and you can check out more from their wedding collection right here.

That's it from me! I hope I helped provide a teensy bit of invitation inspiration for your weddings - and I'm so grateful to Vané for giving me the opportunity to share a few of my favorite invitations with you. For more wedding invitation inspiration, I hope you'll also check in with me over at my own blog, Oh So Beautiful Paper!

Trash the Dress sessions

2009-09-18T02:09:55Z

Why you might want to put the dress on one more time

By Vané Broussard

Has anyone else ever been confused by the trend of Trash the Dress (TTD)? I sure have...I guess all the ones I've seen were brides swimming in the ocean in their dress, or setting their dress on fire, and I never quite got why. So I took my question to Twitter, and heard from Candice Coppola of Jubilee Events, who sent over some great pictures of her TTD session with Raw Photo Design, and I've got to say, its changing my mind a bit. I asked her to share a bit about why she did it, so maybe it will give you ideas for your own if you were already considering it.

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My take on trash the dresses:

I think brides choose to do a trash the dress session for a lot of reasons. Most want to put their dress on just one more time and be photographed! Some preferred to have more traditional and classic photography for their wedding but want edgy, unique photographs as well. A day after session or trash the dress can really achieve that. It's a fun way to have yourself photographed as a bride in an interesting or incredible place (like an abandoned girls college!). I think a lot of brides who appreciate photography and art do a trash the dress for the artistic value of the photographs. Trash the dresses have less to do with actually trashing the dress and more to do with expression of the couple, fashion, and photography.

I personally did a trash the dress for the artistic value. I had an idea of what I wanted in terms of location and style, and left it in the hands of my really, really talented photographer Eric. The images speak for themselves! We spent most of the day shooting at an abandoned girls college in New York, and then finished the day at a roadside field along a New York highway. It was such a fun and incredible experience (on so many levels - LOOK at that building!!) and I recommend it to ALL brides. Have fun with your gown, fashion, accessories, and the location. Do something sweet, unique, romantic, edgy, creative. Put thought into it!

Alternative Registries

2009-09-09T01:38:56Z

It ain't all Crate and Barrel anymore...

By Vané Broussard

I LOVE when couples think outside the box when it comes to registering for gift...a lot of the weddings I've attended recently haven't registered for the usual suspects like the Kitchenaid stand mixer or an iron, but for fabulous experiences on their honeymoons or donating to charity!

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Wishpot - Wishpot is my favorite site for being able to register at ANY online store...create a wishlist with goodies from all your favorite stores and you're ready to go!

Maxwell Silver - Maxwell Silver is a collection of NYC stores all together in one place for you to register at...its great for unique gifts.

I Do Foundation - this is a great charitable site where your gifts can donate to charities of your choice...perfect for the couple that already has everything.

Traveler's Joy - for those of you with a serious travel bug, this is a great site to register for parts of your honeymoon, like a fabulous dinner or hotel stays. Truly a gift you'll remember always.

Our Wishing Well - who can beat cold hard cash? Great for those of you who want to put away a down payment on fancy new digs.

Charles & Marie

2009-09-03T02:16:50Z

Great gifts for anyone in your bridal party, including yourself!

By Vané Broussard

I think thoughtful gifts for your bridal party are the nicest thing you can do for them...after all, they're standing up there with you on the most important day of your life, right? So why not think outside the box when it comes to thanking them? Charles & Marie, an online curated shop, has a great selection of unique gifts perfect for anyone. Here are some of my favorites...

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2 carat ring mug - great for your bridesmaids!

Fridge magnet/bottle opener - your groomsmen will thank you

Meringue rings - adorable for anyone!

ABC Buttons - the cutest edition to your ring bearer or flower girls outfit!

Fairshare Fountain - toast your marriage with friends using these champagne glasses

Real Wedding Inspiration: Mary + Christopher

2009-08-28T01:01:34Z

A sweet Washington DC wedding from photographer Laura Kay.

By Vané Broussard

Photographer Laura Kay has a great knack for punching out color and fun in wedding photos, which is why I was so happy when she sent along the wedding of Mary and Christopher. I think the photo that did it for me though was seeing all the guests in that GORGEOUS reception hall at the Cosmos Club...its like Versailles...but WAY cooler! The bride, Mary, fills us in on the rest of the day...

]]> Planning a wedding in DC from Brooklyn was challenging. It was even more challenging because I was raised in Houston, TX. My parents moved to DC when I was in college so I wasn't as familiar with where things were or who to contact for information on the trillion things you need to find out about while planning a wedding. Brooklyn Bride helped point me in the right direction and our day of coordinator, Sara Franklin gave us lots of great advise.

My now husband and I had been dating for about 10 years and decided on DC because it was an easy and exciting place for all our out of town guests to get to and visit. We were married on July 3 which could have been HOT, I woke up that morning and it was a warm, beautifully, breezy day. My sister and I drove down to Georgetown early for hair appointments. Mine was beautiful and her's looked like an art project on her head (we had two different stylist)! She didn't complain once. We arrived back at my parents house and all the bridesmaids had arrived via my youngest brother picking them up from their hotels near embassy row. Every single person was on time all day, Leah McKay was already doing makeup when I got home. Hair by Diane was right on time and managed to squeeze in my sister. Laura Kay popped in and it felt like she had been there the whole time and knew everyone!

Our ceremony was at 4:00 at St. Aloysius Church; it's connected to Gonzaga High School where my great grandfather, father and youngest brother went to high school. Everything was perfect and we went straight to the reception at the Cosmos Club. We decided on the Cosmos Club because my uncle is the head chef and having him in charge of food was a great stress relief. We left everything up to him. We did some quick pictures and then enjoyed our evening.

We left for Thailand the Monday after our wedding and it feels so wonderful to be back in Brooklyn, married and enjoying the end of summer!

Vendors:

Invitations were by Smock.

A women named Maddalena Nappi Reidy is a calligrapher who did all of our envelopes as well as place cards. A friend of a friend found her on craigslist list and used her for her wedding. She is very affordable and so easy. I just dropped everything off to her doorman and picked it up there when she was done!

Sara Franklin of Social Scene was our day of coordinator. She was AMAZING! She is a DC native and did so, so much more than just day of. The entire day of, week before, two months before, 6 months before went so smoothly because of her.

Laura Kay was our photographer. I just can't say enough wonderful things about Laura. I found her through Brooklyn Bride, loved her pictures and felt a connection that she was a recent Houston transplant to the DC area. (I grew up in Houston). Laura was an absolute joy to have be there while I was getting ready and during the entire wedding. She was calm and clear and professional and a genuine, beautiful person. I love all of our pictures and can't imagine the day without her.

Leah McKay did make up. I met her the first day I met Laura. She came to my parents home to do a make up trial. Loved the make up and loved her even more. She's been doing make up in the DC area for years and is sweet, has great skin care advise, down to earth and a delight to be around. She came to my parents house again on the day of the wedding and did my make up, my mother, sister, and 6 bridesmaids. I can't recommend her highly enough, she helped me feel so beautiful.!

I had my hair done by Christophe Jouenne in Georgetown. He will do house visits but was very expensive. I didn't have time to travel again from Brooklyn to DC before the wedding so I didn't do a hair trial. He came highly recommended by Leah and I couldn't have been happier with the beautiful job he did!

Hair by Diane came to our house to do all the bridesmaids hair. She is very affordable and very good. She did my hair for my cousin's wedding a few years ago. She brought two assistant's with her and even re-did my sister's hair who had gone else where and did not like it.

Flowers were by Petal's Edge. I knew what I wanted, had a few pictures, really liked Rebecca who I met with a few months before and everything was beyond perfect!

Music at the church and cocktail hour was St.Charles Quartet, they were really nice and professional,
and for the reception Escapade (my dad's choice and a lot of fun).

Real Wedding Inspiration: Megan and Angelo

2009-08-16T02:42:16Z

Doesn't get much better than a wedding in Hawaii

By Vané Broussard

Its so hard to not be jealous when I get to see fabulous weddings like these...especially when they're taking place in Hawaii of all places! Tara from Pacific Wedding Guide sent this over to me and the bright colors alone made me perk up and whip up my favorite photos to show you! The photographer, Christen Vidanovic of Nineteen Owls, did a little writeup to give more insight into the day. Enjoy!

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Megan + Angelo, Big Island, June 27, 2009

Photographer: Christen Vidanovic of Nineteen Owls

Ceremony: Sacred Heart Parish in Hawi
Reception: House on Kohala Ranch
Bride: Megan Kaysinger
Groom: Angelo Angus-DePaolo
(We are now back on the mainland, in dreary old Seattle, WA)

The wedding was held in the quaint town of Hawi, north of Kona on the Big Island.

The Couple:

Megan and Angelo are both super fun and colorful people. They are obviously head over heels in love with each other and the best of friends. Both of them kept me laughing the entire time we were shooting with their hilarious antics and commentary. Angelo was really excited about making some really unique wedding images to show off to his friends and kept coming up with all kinds of fun little ideas throughout our shoot.

They were good friends turned college sweethearts and spent most of their sophomore year teasing each other. Living in the same college dorm, Angelo says that 'Having mutual friends allowed for the occasional group get-togethers but we still spent that year mostly chiding one another in passing, sharing music or shopping exploits (we're both total shoe nuts), and of course community movie nights to entertain whoever had happened to come visit our rooms. We continued to grow closer and become better friends though, until inevitably we could never be apart, and I feel very happy to have had our paths cross the way they did since it's built a special foundation for our future." - Angelo

On the Shoot:

We adventured around Hawi town shooting weddings and getting lots of honks and waves from people around town congratulating the obviously ecstatic couple. The Kohala Ranch estate the reception was at was beautiful! I love receptions held at big houses and estates. There were cows roaming around and the ocean spread itself out before us in the distance.

We had fun invading run down, spider web filled old buildings and stopping traffic in Hawi. The wide dry shots with the ocean in the background were shot along the side of the road on our way down the Kohala coast from Hawi to the Kohala Ranch estates. We just pulled over because it was beautiful and went out adventuring in the fields.

Becoming a "Buff" Bride

2009-08-14T01:12:01Z

Tips from New York Personal Training's own Mike Shaw

By Vané Broussard

You'd think that with a wedding coming up, you'd be super pumped and motivated to get in shape and fit in that dress...right? Somehow, that didn't happen for me when I was getting married. I had the gym membership, I think I even had a trainer at one point, but for some reason, I never went to the gym. I ended up looking fine for the wedding, yet in the back of my mind, I was completely disappointed with myself. Thats why now, a year and a half later, I've decided to get serious about working out and getting back into shape. I'm sure a lot of you are in the same boat, so I asked the owner of New York Personal Training to offer up some tips for getting into shape before your big day.

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Here are some tips we hope you find helpful:

#1- Perform a complete body resistance training routine 3-4x per week. Train in a "circuit training" style, which means little or no rest between sets, moving from large muscle groups (legs, back, shoulders) to smaller groups (biceps, triceps). Perform two exercises per body part followed by a 30 second interval of cardiovascular work...like jumping jacks or running in place.

#2- Training multiple body parts at the same time helps build lean muscle and burn fat. For example - perform shoulder presses with dumbbells while performing a stationary lunge. Another example would be doing a dumbbell chest press while rising up into an abdominal crunch at the top of each rep.

#3- Of paramount importance is the correct nutrition plan. Eat small meals every three hours. Only consume foods that were once alive or grew in the ground. NO PROCESSED FOODS or REFINED SUGARS. A good rule to follow is 1g of protein and 1 gram of carbohydrate per pound of bodyweight, and .25 grams of healthy fats per pound of bodyweight. Eat 1/3 of your carbs for breakfast along with 1/5 of your protein. Repeat this formula within an hour before AND after your workout. Your other two meals should be all protein. Drink at least 64oz of water per day.

#4- Take one day per week to rest. No weights or cardio on this day. You can also eat a little bit extra on your rest day- but stick to your "good foods."

If you need more help, send us an email at nypt@nypersonaltraining.com

Real Wedding: Adrianne + Rob

2009-08-10T20:46:28Z

Gorgeous real wedding shot by Robert Sukrachand

By Vané Broussard

When Robert sent me this wedding this last week, I thought it was just so beautifully put together! I've always found that the most simple of decorations make the biggest impact, and its really evident in this homespun loft wedding. It was hard picking only a few pictures, but I hope they give you a sense of the day, and maybe even inspire your own wedding. I asked Adrianne to leave us a with a few words, so I'll let her take over.

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Rob and I are very laid back people and we were trying to go for that feel for the day, but without it being too casual. We still wanted a beautiful and classy event! We love laughing and having a good time and wanted to make sure everybody else did as well. We both have great and big families - some of who are really wild and a lot of friends so this wasn't too hard. Food, music, alcohol, and beautiful photography to document it all were most important to us so we devoted most of our budget that way. For everything else, we did a lot of it ourselves. But the sense of community, everyone coming together to help us out was really amazing. I think it was more special that way. It was also important to Rob and I to try and use all local vendors and we are so glad we did - everything was amazing. It was truly a really beautiful day.

Venue: The Westside Loft and Loft 11

Wedding Dress: The Melodia by La Sposa for Pronovias.

Hair and Makeup: My makeup was done by my very talented cousin (and bridesmaid) Kristina. My hair was done by Mikki Kenney of NY Bridal Hair.

Shoes: Shoes were bought at JCrew.

Bridesmaid Dress: Bridesmaids dresses were by Coren Moore. We had two junior bridesmaids in US Angels dresses and two flowergirls who were in JCrew crewcuts dresses.

Veil and hair flower: My veil and hair feather flower were custom made for me by the wonderfully talented veil maker, Margaret Duncan from Bridal Veil Falls in the East Village.

Groom Suit: Rob's suit, shirt, and tie were custom made by a shop called Alan David, in Midtown. Rob had to have something custom made because he is 6'5"! For the groomsmen, we had them all wear either a black or dark grey suit they already owned and then gifted them all green ties that matched the flowers and sashes in the bridesmaids' dresses.

Cinematography: Chris Bernsten. We almost did not get a wedding film made and we are SO happy we changed our minds!! Chris did an amazing job.

Invitations/Paper Goods: We made our save the dates, thank you cards, programs and menus ourselves. My sister and brother-in-law made our awesome place cards for us - They had sky scrapers and love birds in the background! My aunt made picture frame table numbers for us. Our invitations were from the Naturally Ever After line from Invitations By Dawn - they also had birds and chandeliers - so pretty!

Flowers, event design/planning: We did this all ourselves with a lot of help from friends and family!! My mom was the unofficial (and amazing!)wedding planner, my sister was the "gopher", my aunt created and designed so much, and everyone just pitched in where needed and it all worked out somehow. Friends of my parents actually ended up doing all the flowers and set-up for us. We were so lucky to have them and they did an absolutely amazing job - no one could believe they aren't actual event designers by profession. They just really enjoy doing this stuff and it totally showed through. We were happy to have them step up in the last few months because we had a large wedding - about 240 guests - and it would have been too much to pull off all ourselves.

Cake: My uncle made our gorgeous cake! The whole thing was covered in a chocolate shell - Mmmmm. The cake topper were Ann Wood's sweetheart birds. Our invitations had a bird on them and we used lots of birdcages and branches to decorate with so it all tied in together.

Music: For the cocktail hour we had Shogo Kubo play the Spanish Guitar. For the ceremony, dinner and dancing the very talented Moe Choi aka DJ Choimatic spun all the music.

Catering: Venetia Mayhew of Harry's Off-site catering

Officiant: Jesse Hendrich - he wrote us a personalized and amazing ceremony, that everyone (including us) really loved. The microphone and speakers somehow weren't working when we went to start the ceremony and he handled it so well. He walked down the middle of the aisle so that everyone could hear him and it was just so special. It ended up involving everyone more that way.

Bringing Sexy Back

2009-07-30T00:58:35Z

The art of the boudoir photo.

By Vané Broussard

Boudoir photography has always confused me...maybe because I'd never be daring enough to do it myself, maybe its the conceived notion of it, who knows! But after doing some research, it seems like boudoir photography has become more and more popular as gifts for future husbands, and the taboo that was once there is gone. I figured I'd investigate with one photographer who has built quite a name for herself in the boudoir photo arena...please welcome photographer (and my friend) Robin Roemer.

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For me, boudoir had always conjured up images of feather boas, animal print rugs and fake fireplace backdrops. So, when I heard a few years ago that the trend of boudoir photography I had always associated with the 80's was making a comeback, I didn't believe it. As an editorial portrait and wedding photographer, this brand of imagery didn't exactly jive with the style of work I usually did. Around this time I had been asked to shoot a marketing campaign for a lingerie designer in New York. I based my images around an old black and white photo I had found of my grandmother from when she was younger. It had that classic and timeless feel that I wanted to convey in my own images. The lingerie shots were simple and soft and I began to use them to illustrate an editorial way of shooting intimate portraits. As more photographers bring their talent and sophistication to boudoir, this style has evolved into a popular brand of portraiture with a sexy edge. I renamed the boudoir side of my business Le Cadeau, which means "The Gift" in French. Whether it's a gift for a significant other or a gift to yourself, at any age and for any body type, it's the confidence booster and out of your comfort zone experience that many women even deem therapeutic. Boudoir, first and foremost, is about feeling beautiful!

Choosing the right photographer for you!
There are many boudoir photographers today with distinctly unique perspectives. This means you get to decide what style suits you best! Check out the boudoir portfolios of a few photographers online, but keep an eye out for heavy unnatural posing or poor lighting, warning signs you should keep searching. Take note of the feelings each photographer summons in you. Once you've found someone's work you really connect with, I recommend not just emailing but taking the time to give the photographer a call! Getting to know a photographer over the phone or arranging an in-person meeting can ensure you're feel comfortable around this person. This type of intimate photography requires you connecting with and trusting your photographer.

Photography is an investment.
Great photographs come at a cost. As the saying goes, you get what you pay for. Don't expect that everyone who calls themselves a professional photographer have the same technical skills and creative eye. If you're working within a budget, it is of course more than reasonable to price out different photographers but keep in mind that its better to spend more money on images you'll love than being thrifty and winding up with resulting images you shove under your bed to collect dust.

Preparing for a boudoir shoot.
So you've found your fabulous and comfortable-to-work-with photographer and now it's time for styling. So much of a successful boudoir shoot is styling because your wardrobe as well as your hair and make-up will determine the type of look you get. If you have an extensive budget and a few hours to shop, I suggest you hire a lingerie personal shopper like Margaret Shrum of "The Lingerie Diet." Margaret is based out of NYC and Miami and has an extensive history working in the lingerie industry and can help you find the best attire to flatter your body and style.

If there isn't enough room in your boudoir budget for your own personal shopper, I still suggest you get shopping! When it come to buying sexy underthings, scouring the internet can be a giant waste of time. Go in person so you can try things on and get help from knowledgeable sales attendants. You should feel good in whatever you pick out but even so, you'll have to leave your practical cottons at the door. Think of it like any other kind of outfit for a special occasion. If you're going to a formal event, you dress up! If you're spending time and money on a professional photo shoot, even if you are in a state of undress, you should dress it up! Don't get anything too busy or with too many colors. Pay attention to how the garment moves. Find something that is soft and flexible and fits you well. I had a client once who wore a short silk white robe. It was a simple but elegant choice! The images are some of my favorite to date.

If you are looking for stores to peruse, here are a few I recommend:

Best chains:
Victoria's Secret: This household name staple has a little something for everyone and the prices are really reasonable for the level of quality.
Agent Provocateur: It's worth the trip just to see the set up of this store and use their unique dressing rooms! If you need assistance, look for one of the sales staff wearing flirty 1940's attire. Agent Provacatuer is funky and full of retro fun with locations in big cities all over the country and the world!

Best boutiques:
Journelle: This small-name boutique in New York City (new store in South Beach opening this November) has beautiful pieces ranging from affordable to pricey and a friendly staff.
Faire Frou-frou: Los Angeles based shop with girlie flare owned by a mother-daughter team!

Best brand:
Elle MacPherson Intimates: This is a great quality at an affordable price brand. Check your local stores to see if they carry Elle!

Best in couture:
La Perla: La Perla is so elegant and classic. You might even spot a celebrity or two! Check out which of their locations are nearest to you!
Kiki De Montparnasse: Gorgeous store with stunning garments with locations in Los Angeles, New York, Las Vegas and Miami.

When in doubt, go simple. A nice long necklace is always fun because it gives you something to do with your hands, but don't worry about buying a million accessories. A cute pair of heels can work in a boudoir shoot, but sometimes barefoot can be the best 'cause it feels the most natural!

Make-up and hair for boudoir
Whether you're trying on a new persona (smoky-eyed seductress maybe?) or you just want to look like you on one of those golden days when you actually got over eight hours of sleep, make-up can add a level of professionalism and a hint of glamor to the boudoir photo shoot. Even if you are all about au-natural, simple but flawless make-up is a lot harder to achieve than it looks. If you can afford to, trust your face to a professional.

Unless you're going for dramatic flare or a vintage pin-up feel, make-up and hair styling for boudoir photography should not overpower your natural beauty. Make-up artist Christina Natale explains why she likes doing make-up for boudoir: "Boudoir is not something that is rushed. It's simplistic beauty. Its about bringing out your pure, natural features."

Its ok to bring images to your make-up artist whether they be from a magazine or printed from a website if you have specific ideas about your look. Work with someone who has experience doing beauty or wedding make-up.

Secure a comfortable setting
I always suggest to my clients that we do the photo shoot in their own homes. Not only is it nice to have a setting that reflects the person's taste, but more importantly, most people are a lot more comfortable in their underwear if they're in their own bedroom! Other options include classy hotels, some of which can rent you a room for the day, or a studio which works best for pin-up work, as its a bit more contrived and less natural.

The Result
If you are giving boudoir images as a gift, the best part of the experience can often be the resulting reaction! I use a bag of sexy trickery in my packaging of boudoir prints (my secret!), which has the giftee delightfully confused when they open their gift. I had a client who gave boudoir prints as a 25 year anniversary present to her husband and he was quite surprised to receive images of his wife looking, as he put it, "as beautiful as the day I married her".

Another very excited groom-to-be emailed me right away: "Robin! When I told Laura that she is all I want as a wedding present, this is not what I was expecting, but I'm beside myself. She looks absolutely stunning and sexy! Thank you, thank you!"

I've heard all the skeptics. I used to be one. And I've heard all the excuses. "Give me a few months and I'll be in shape." "I would do boudoir if I had someone to give the photos to." I find that many in front of the lens seem to aspire to the same cookie-cutter image of perfection. I'm lucky to be in a position as a photographer where I can enable women (and men!) to see that they're smokin' hot just the way they are!

I've had twentysomething clients and seventysomething clients, curvy and skinny, men and women, exhibitionists and super-shy introverts. The point of a sexy photograph for me is not to give someone an overly photo-shopped image of someone vaguely reminiscent of themselves, but to photograph someone in their best light. I pay attention to angles and movement and photograph each person's unique beauty, from a really awesome smile to super-shiny hair that's fun to highlight.

And sometimes all it takes is a nice photograph to renew that innate sense of glamor and sex appeal that boosts your self-confidence. These images are at their best when we use natural light and a familiar setting, great hair and make-up, tasteful and elegant wardrobe .... but the best of the best? A woman being comfortable in her own body. There's nothing sexier.

Robin Roemer is a boudoir and portrait photographer based out of New York City. Thanks so much for your tips Robin!