BRIDAL INSPIRATION RESOURCE LIST

OSCAR DE LA RENTA SPRING 2015 BRIDAL GOWNPlanning for the big day?  Start dreaming of that perfect dress with these resources.  If your budget is limited only by the sky.. or if your watching every dime - click around get inspired.   It's never too early to start your wish list.

Town & Country Magazine publishes a great resource guide.   Here are some of their best picks, along with a few tried and true sources.

DRESSES

Anne Barge Bridal Collection

Angel Sanchez

Amsale

Bari Jay

Elizabeth Johns

JLM Couture Flagship Salon

Le Spose Di Gio

Lela Rose

Mark Ingram Atelier

Modern Trousseau

Nicole Miller

Oleg Cassini at David's Bridal

Oscar de la Renta

Reem Acra

Saks 5th Avenue

Vera Wang

REGISTRY / HOME                                     Floral Design

Gracious Home                                         Ovando

Bloomingdale's                                         L'Olivier Floral Atelier

Crate & Barrel

BRIDES-TO-BE - BEWARE - BRIDESMAIDS & BACHELORETTE

For all the ladies out there planning their big day, may I suggest two films to watch before the festivities begin.  Both films are extreme versions of a comic reality of bride to be, and the crazy things a wedding can do to friends, family, and to you!  It's East coast versus West coast as Bridesmaids unfolds in Los Angeles and Bachelorette is SO New York.KRISTEN WIIG  One has a main character who is beyond type A, the other, one who could be described more like type Z!  Bottom line, may NOTHING in these movies happen at your wedding!  But they MELISSA McCARTHYare so much fun to watch.  Plan a double feature with all your girlfriends.  Don't forget ice-cream - oh wait - you will NOT be eating ice-cream before the wedding!  

BRIDESMAIDS - this global sensation proved Kristen Wiig of Saturday Night Live fame was a bankable movie star and that the girls  can do gross out humor just as well as the guys.  It also made Melissa McCarthy a household name.  Her recent hit The Heat co-starring Sandra Bullock proves she brings box office.  (A sequal to that film was just announced).KIRSTEN DUNST   It's laugh out loud funny and destined to be one of the classic funny movies you can watch again and again.  

BACHELORETTE- this little known indie film will kick your ass.  Just like New York City, the film is quick, harsh, and is impossible not to watch.  Kirsten Dunst give a best performance as the worst "best friend" and Bridesmaid you have ever seen on film.  The film also givesREBEL WILSON American audiences a chance to see Rebel Wilson shine on screen.  This fearless actress is one to watch!   Her sense of outrageous realness is refreshing to say the least - even if nothing else going on around her would ever be real.   Think Mean Girls crossed with Bridesmaids.  Nobody actually dies.. I don't think?...  Dark comedy at it's best.    

Both films are a great way to bond with your wedding party, and have some laughs about that upcoming big day!

Click the movie posters to learn more about the films, and watch the trailers below.

SPRING WEDDING - KEANE-SHEA

TERRY SHEA & LAUREN KEANE CELEBRATE THEIR WEDDING DAYWhile most of us are thinking of new coats and sweaters as the weather gets colder, those planning Spring weddings are right in the thick of deliberations and decision making. Holiday shopping is nothing compared to the myriad of choices every bride makes, for even the smallest of wedding receptions.

This past Spring a New York couple had the perfect THE SHEA-KEANE-BELFORD FAMILY CELEBRATE THEIR UNION IN CONNECTICUTidea.   A wedding ceremony in the green countryside of Connecticut, followed by a reception on the water in NYC.   Lauren Keane and Terry Shea celebrated their day surrounded by family and friends.  With both the bride and groom's children involved in the ceremony, the Keane-Shea wedding truly celebrated the marriage of these two families.

Ms. Keane was a beautiful bride from head-to-toe.  Her choices were top notch, but one thing sheTHE UNDERSTATED AND ELEGANT TABLE wore impressed me more than any dress could - that smile!   In photo after photo Ms. Keane has the confident glow of a content and happy bride.  This expression of joy isLAUREN KEANE-SHEA - A BEAUTIFUL BRIDE rarely seen in brides in their twenties.  How could it be?  This sense of happiness is reserved for someone who has faced challenges and gained the rewards of adulthood.  Professional success, motherhood, buying a home - all milestones in a well examined life.

The couple were married in the garden of a friends beautiful home in Fairfield, Connecticut.   The manicured lawns - luxurious, yet understated, were the perfect backdrop for Ms. Keane & Mr. Shea.   The two have a carefree style that is natural, not studied.  They met while working on a project together at Pzizer.  The groom is originally from Michigan, and cupid helped him make the move to New York.  Mr. Shea is now a partner at Onestream Software.  The bride lives in New York and is an executive at Edgewater consulting.

The lifelong friends in the wedding, SOPHISTICATED PLANTINGS MAKE A STATEMENTand in attendance are testament to the character of Lauren & Terry.  Having childhood friends in your life when you're twenty is not such a challenge, but maintaining those relationships into your thirties - that is a committment.   One such friend was happy to celebrate, but also happy to lend his artistic skill to the day.  Chris Lopez is a talented photographer and lifelong friend of the bride.  Lopez is a versatile photographer with a huge range in his portfolio. Click Chris Lopez Photography to visit his site.

DuringNYC BACKDROP AT THE RECEPTION the ceremony Ms. Keane wore a white floral lace dress by Beth Bowley from BHLDN.com.  The sheer sleeves and bodice gave the look a subtle vintage feel.  Think Chloe meets Marni.  BHLDN (Beholden) is a great on-line resource that has a fantastic assortment of romantic wedding and party dresses.COLORFUL DAISES CELEBRATE THE DAY  Many have that old-world-charm  or glam-vintage flair.   Ms. Keane chose wisely!  Also, her hair and makeup choices were modern and beautiful.  Wearing her hair down was feminine and pretty as her soft curls fell on the sheer tulle on her neck and shoulders.  (Amazingly there are still brides who end up looking like a child pagaent stars on their Wedding Day - Big Mistake).    The groom's style was perfectly balanced with the bride's, completing this picture of happiness in a movie set worthy Connecticut garden.  Mr. Shea wore Banana Republic and he was a stylish groom!   

For the reception at Harbour Lights on Pier 17, Lauren chose an Ivory Tracy Reese dress (also found at BHLDN) to celebrate the night!  Wearing her hair up gave a sophisticated look that was beautiful and yet somehow playful.   Super chic choices that really let her personality shine. 

It is incredible how many resources are available  on-line today.  With iPhones, iPads, and every tablet you can think of brimming with apps, brides can find everything from shoes to invites on the web. Sites like Beholden are terrific for wardrobe, and American Bridal is an excellent resource for wedding favors of all kinds.  HelloLucky.com was Ms. Keane's choice for invites. 

Brides to be -take note: CHIC & FUN- that's how you have a flawless wedding!

Congratulations to Lauren & Terry!THE KEANE-SHEA WEDDING PARTY MAY 2012