Misty water-colored memories of the way we were

Owning a business is exciting and rewarding. It is also scary, stressful, exhausting, time-consuming, and challenging. It has taught me so much over the last few years, both about business and about dealing with people. Perhaps most importantly, it has taught me a lot about myself. I am constantly learning how to handle certain situations, and finding out just what I'm capable of accomplishing!

Why all the introspection today? Well, I am happy to spread the word that a dear friend of mine has started her own business too. Tawnie is the owner of Scrapbook Fairy, where you can order custom scrapbooks to preserve your most treasured memories. If you're like me, this is a fantastic idea because I simply don't have the time or energy (or talent) to put into scrapping.


Tawnie's designs are beautiful and intricate, and commemorate any occasion. Think about it- you have your wedding album, professionally created by your photographer, and then you have a pile of snapshots taken by your friends and relatives. Wouldn't it be nice to have that pile arranged into a beautiful book of memories?

Take a moment to visit Tawnie's site- you'll find yourself hunting down all your old photos!

Wild thing, you make my heart sing

I stumbled across the Top 10 Most Daring Wedding Gowns today and wanted to share them with you all. I love the idea of doing something different, whether with color, fabric, or silhouette, so these are right up my alley! My favorites are the very first gown and the purple Vera Wang. Fun!

Do you dare?

And all that jazz

I am so excited to be able to share one of my unique brides with you! Nichole is getting married this month, and I had the privilege of designing her wedding gown. She is a very stylish and creative gal, which I know will be reflected in her wedding. She also has the ever-so-fabulous Liene Stevens from Blue Orchid Designs coordinating and designing her event, so it will be amazing!

When Nichole and I first met, the only things she really had decided on were the wedding colors (black and white) and her veil. (Funny that the veil came first, but if you check out Stephanie James' designs, you'll see why!) Nichole was inspired by the 1940s jazz era as well as Stephanie's awesome website and her vintage-inspired styles and photography. (Which she then took to Liene, who is doing a fantastic job- I got a sneak peek at the table designs!)

While I was designing Nichole's gown, we went through several options, as usual, but the finalist was a white silk taffeta gown with a sweetheart neckline and a twisted and ruched bodice. The skirt is caught up in the front with a cluster of black and white ostrich plumes, revealing black tulle underneath.
I added the gloves in the sketch because I just thought they "made" the design. Accessories can make or break an outfit, as you ladies know!

Over the last few months, while I was working on her gown, Nichole was also very busy of course. One thing that she worked on during this time was her invitations. She worked with an amazing stationer in Houston, Daniela Weil with Simple Difference, who actually took my sketch, along with photos of Nichole and her fiancee Mike and created an illustrated invitation:


I almost loved this more than the dress itself. (Almost, but not quite!) Don't they look like they're ready to groove the night away?

And now for the finished product! I will be harassing Nichole for wedding photos once the big day has come and gone, but for now, she was kind enough to let me take a couple shots during our final fitting. (And even let me use her camera since mine crapped out on me. What a good sport!)


And she got the gloves! Sweet!

I loved working with Nichole and was so sad to see her dress leave my studio! But I know there are tons of fun, creative brides out there. I can't wait to see what's next!

When you wish upon a star

Once upon a time, a young-ish girl heard that Disney teamed up with a wedding gown designer to create a line of wedding gowns inspired by the Disney princesses. She searched online, far and wide, but to no avail. Finally, one day, she traveled to the land of Google and found that the day had arrived. And many brides would live happily ever after.

Okay, so I have been looking forward to seeing the collection for a long time, and it's finally available. (Actually it has been for a little while now, but I've been busy blogging about Miss W!)

From designer Kirstie Kelly, the Disney Bridal collection includes gowns inspired by Cinderella, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Jasmine, Ariel, and Belle. I think it's a fun way to have that fairytale element while still having an elegant look.


I also like this idea because, as a designer, I am constantly drawing inspiration from many different sources- fashion icons, cultural ideas, fantastic textures and patterns, etc. This collection is interesting because I can see from where the inspiration came.

Anything you love can inspire a great design- even something beloved from childhood. Your only limit is your imagination!

Girls just wanna have fun

Have to give another shout out to Cicely at Life Design Event Planning for putting together another opportunity to share green wedding tips with Valley brides. This morning we were on Fox 10 News; you can read more about it on Cicely's blog, and see the spot here (video).

Thanks again, Cic! You have fantastic style!

It's the new Mother Nature taking over

Thanks in part to activists like former VP Al Gore, this country is finally starting to pay attention to the environment and the damage that we cause it on a daily basis. You may have noticed the terms "green" and "eco-friendly" being attached to everything from filmmaking to transportation.

Well, the good news is, you can have a green wedding too! My friend and colleague Cicely Rocha Miller of Life Design Event Planning recently appeared on local news Channel 12 to share ideas for making your special day an environmentally friendly one.

The spot also featured a dress from Jewel Couture. The information on this dress did not make it into the spot, but it also is green. The fabric and lining are both 100% silk, a natural fiber, and are undyed. Dyed fabric requires much more processing, both chemical and mechanical, so a natural undyed fiber is great for the environmentally conscious. Also, the gown is handmade. No factories or industrial machines were used in its manufacture.

I'm no expert, but I'm sure it's almost impossible to have a true, 100% green wedding. However, it is possible to limit the damage by using alternatives such as the ones Cicely talks about here (video).

Props to Cic for a creative and insightful look at how we can design our most important events to be compatible with Mother Earth!