Pairing it Up: Bridal Party Style

14 Thursday Mar 2013

Posted by melissaoconnor in Advice & Inspiration, Bridal Party, The Bride & Groom, Weddings

Tags

BHLDN, bridal dresses, bridal gowns, bridal party, bride, free people, maid of honor, ModCloth, ruche, style, Three Floor, wedding, wedding colors, wedding fashion, wedding style

There are plenty of things to get in order and figure out when planning a wedding. I think the most important thing to “get right” is making sure everything from the decor to the bridal party style is cohesive. It doesn’t have to be matchy, matchy but it definitely should look like it all belongs together. That is one thing people notice right away, at least I do. When things don’t make sense, it looks like you didn’t put the time in to make sure it did or just don’t have the ability to do so.

There really isn’t much of an excuse for this considering there are plenty of people you to can go to for help. If you don’t feel you have the design eye to piece your vision together, than its time to bring in a designer. If you have a friend or know someone who does this kind of work, even better! Working alongside someone you are close with makes the experience that much more fun.

When it comes to the checklist of things to do, finding the bride’s outfit for her special day definitely comes before the maid of honor and bridesmaids. Even if you don’t wind up deciding on something or purchasing it yet, you should definitely have a good idea of what style you want. This includes shape, cut, fit and fabric. it’s all in the details! Then you can move forward to the bridal party with the same details.

Although all the bridesmaids dresses are different tones, they are all within the same color choice and keep with the neutral theme. They are all different dresses as well, which works because they stick within the same style and have the same flowy feel.

Photo Credit: Inside Weddings

I’ve been to weddings where I thought the bridesmaids just didn’t really match the bride and its kind of makes a big difference. I mean, the bridal party should look like a bridal party, not just a couple of guests hanging out next to the bride and groom. It’s really quite simple. You just take some of the elements of the bride’s dress and extend those ideas to the others. If the bride is wearing a flowy lace gown than the girls should have at least a little bit of lace or some type of detail that reflects that. It should also be light and airy and have somewhat of the same shape. Not harsh and sharp looking.

This bridal party style works because the style of their gowns match the style of the bride. You can also see that the fabric & sheen is cohesive as well.

Photo Credit: ISPWP

Another thing to consider is making sure the outfits look good on the girls who are wearying them. Everyone should be comfortable and feel great in their dress. You obviously chose them to be in your bridal party because they’re awesome so why not make it special for them as well. Having dissatisfied bridesmaids is certainly a bummer.

Unique and theme related, this bridal party style maintains its elegance and vintage appeal while giving each bridesmaid their individuality. Each dress is within the same color palette and the ones that have patterns, are similar to each other. Even though the bride is in lace gown, its an antique style so it works well with all the others.

Photo Credit: My Wedding

Sometimes this may be tricky so I created some inspirational pairings along with color palettes that would go with the style of the dresses. My picks came from a few shops I like and may be more untraditional than most but either way, you can get the idea. Enjoy!

Pairing it Up: Bridal Party Style
BHLDN-Beams of Light Dress & BHLDN-Nine Muses Dress

Pairing it Up: Bridal Party Style BHLDN-Omelia Gown & BHLDN-Tea Rose Dress

Free People-Kristal’s Limited Edition White Dress & Free People-FP New Romantics He Loves Me Best Dress

Pairing it Up: Bridal Party Style
BHLDN-Thalia Maxi Dress & BHLDN-Niceties Dress

Pairing it Up: Bridal Party Style
Ruche-Gemma Lynn & ModCloth-Rose Quartz Reverie Dress

Pairing it Up: Bridal Party Style
BHLDN-Ortensia Gown & BHLDN-Idlewild Dress

Pairing it Up: Bridal Party Style
Free People-Jill’s Limited Edition White Story Dress & Free People-Audrina Maxi Dress

Pairing it Up: Bridal Party Style
ModCloth-Beautiful & Unique Snowflake Dress & ModCloth-Moonlight Marvel Dress

Pairing it Up: Bridal Party Style
Ruche-Nadine & Ruche-Hydrangea Pink Dress

Pairing it Up: Bridal Party Style
BHLDN-Calla Lily Dress & Anthropologie-Aurelian Brocade Dress

Pairing it Up: Bridal Party Style
Free People-Ana’s Limited Edition White Summer Dress & Three Floor-Flourish Maxi Dress

Decorating Your Home in a Vintage Modern Style

14 Thursday Feb 2013

Posted by melissaoconnor in Ella Andrews, Everyday Design, Guest Posts, The Home

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Tags

antique, decorating, design, fashion, home decor, interior design, modern, style, vintage

If you would like to achieve a super fashionable style in your home, we are here to help you. Sometimes originality is hard to accomplish but the combination of many styles is the perfect way to manage your home arrangement.

When it comes to decor and lovely ornaments at home, vintage style is the best way to end up having a sophisticated and truly cozy interior design. Decorate your home in this style and you will love the nice atmosphere it creates. Including other techniques of trimming and arranging and you will result in even a better home environment. Our vintage fashion style recommendation is a combination between retro and modern.

You may think that this is an absolute paradox, and it is completely impossible to be achieved, but these styles just might be the effect your are looking for in your home. The old fashioned elements are going to look absolutely stunning among all the new and contemporary trends in the furnishing and decorating process. The design will embrace almost everything specific for this romantic and a little bit nostalgic epoch in a modern and convenient way.

The furniture should be cozy and a little bit old-fashioned but that will also come with solid materials and tough damasks. Furthermore, the furniture may be vintage but could be placed in an absolutely minimalist room with sleek terracotta, naked walls and lots of spaciousness. There are many ways one can play around with this combination.

Photo Credit: Houzz

Photo Credit: SF Girl By Bay

Joining the styles can be achieved in the decoration process as well. For instance, you may still use that retro set of porcelain plates and dishes in yellow and red but you may arrange them on a more modern style shelving in your kitchen. Most importantly, you should keep the balance between the new and the old things so the design flows nicely. Choose the retro elements and try to combine them with your modern furniture in a way so they don’t lose the individual beauty.

Photo Credit: HGTV

Photo Credit: Flickr

Turn on your personal inspiration and improvise by setting your own trends in your home. Do some detailed research before you start decorating and combine the best things you have seen from the magazines and from the web. It’s helpful to keep a collection of ideas and images together so new ideas form. Good luck!

Written by Ella Andrews
{She is always searching for new challenges and presently contributes articles on house moving and storage, as well as home decoration related themes.}

Coastal Cottage

19 Tuesday Jun 2012

Posted by melissaoconnor in Everyday Design, The Home

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antique, beach, blue, botanicals, coastal, color, cottage, decor, decorating, design, flowers, gray, green, interior design, ivory, lavender, nature, nautical, neutrals, pastels, pink, plaid, purple, rustic, shabby chic, style, texture, vintage, weathered, wood, yellow

Summer brings the warm sun and nature’s beautiful colors. It also brings a breathe of fresh air to a lot of people who love the heat so beaches, parks and lakes are most popular during this season. I personally love beaches, just not in the summer. I always thought the cooler months really brought out the beauty in coastal scenery. When its hot, some of the personality that clear skies and cool breezes brings out in the water and the surroundings is just hidden.

When I think of the water and the vast sea, usually the first thing that comes to mind is relaxation and a calmness. The bluest of nature is the star. When I think of some styles of decor, there is only one that comes to mind that I feel is comfy, soothing and natural as nature and nautical surroundings. That is surely cottage style.

It’s not surprise I love this style. Not only do I represent it in every room of my home it clearly is showcased in a lot of my design work as well. Over the years I have grown to love this style with all my heart. It is where I feel most calm. So I combined my two loves into a style Mother Nature would love herself – Coastal Cottage. Such a great combination.

To successfully create this style in your home there are a few things to remember. When you are choosing colors, let nature lead the way. Pastel blues, greens, pink and purples are just a few of the many hues that are popular. A sunny yellow in the kitchen, a lavender in the bedroom and a blue inspired by dusk for the living room are just a few examples. Always include darker tones that are inspired from nature to help weigh down the space such as warm browns and cool grays. These all help to maintain a peaceful environment.

When deciding on furniture, look for unique pieces that tell a story. Vintage finds play the perfect role in a cottage style space. Warm woods, soft and comfy cushions, patterns and subtle texture; these all help bring the style together. You want your pieces to feel weathered and rustic while showing craftmanship and strength. This allows them to bring character and personality to the space and help it feel lived in and comfortable.

Accessories are very important because they allow for a cohesive design and help bring your personality to the table. You want them to feel handpicked and important. Textiles such as curtains, tablecloths, blankets and upholstery are key elements here. By showcasing plaids, stripes and botanical prints the cottage style will come alive. Don’t forget to include plants of all types. They will add that natural touch every style needs.

Be careful about bringing too much nautical in because you don’t want the room to feel like you are the captain of a ship or the preppy kids took over. If so, you can kiss the cottage mix goodbye. You also want to watch the colors you add to the space because using too many reds, blues and greens may bring in that Americana feel. And although that is somewhat incorporated into the cottage style, its not the star. It can easily overwhelm the space and give it a completely different look.

And for all the fun details in between, have fun and make it yours. These next few photos are great examples of this style. Get inspired by this unique look and let it fill your heart with glee. I do everyday.

Art Inspired Palette: Bomobob

12 Tuesday Jun 2012

Posted by melissaoconnor in Art Inspired Palette

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Tags

antique, autumn, autumn scenery, beauty, bokeh go round, bomobob, carnival, carrousel, childlike, children, clouds, color fantasy, decor, dreamy, etsy, fall, green, hearts, orange, parties, pastels, pink, purple, rides, sky, spring, spring weddings, style, vintage, weddings, yellow

Bomobob’s work is dreamy, whimsy and always seems to bring you back to childhood. I have featured him before but planned on sharing more of his photographs in my palettes. This Canadian artist has a keen eye for beauty and showcases his vision through color, fantasy and unique perspective. Some of the main reasons I love his work.

The photo featured here, Bokeh Go Round, has a vintage feel and childlike charm. Who doesn’t love carnivals? I certainly do! The colors in this piece are soft and feminine with a mature sensibility. The blues and purples provide a backdrop of cloudy pillows and fluttering hearts while the carrousel stands strong adding interest and character. This is one of my favorites for sure.

This palette can be used for any children’s party as well as spring weddings. Even having a fall wedding would work as long as you stick with pastels. The autumn scenery would make a beautiful background as well. These natural toned hues are pretty enough for a girl, yet masculine enough for any groom.