Photo Session in our Raffle!

I'm having a love affair with NYC and want it photographed! By Sofia Negron. Just have to submit my own love story and photo to Sofia. But not if you get there first!

Over 100 Vendors at the Wedding Party

Click to see the list bigger but we are well over 100 of your favorite wedding peeps! Promise!

Are you prepared to break with tradition for your wedding?

It is your wedding! Or is it? Sometimes it can feel likeeveryone but you has a say about what is going to happen on your day.

                “Youcan’t do that! That is not what a wedding is about!”
                “You have to do it thisway. We’ve always done that in our family!”
                “Where did you think thatidea up from?”
                “Our family always does itthis way!”

Parents of many brides and grooms want to put their fivecents worth into the planning of your wedding. Family and friends may mean wellwith their ideas and contributions of “ideal” wedding plans but this can leadto arguments and upset.

Renaissance Wedding

At the beginning of all the planning you had a picture ofhow you saw the day falling into place. You want your wedding to be different.Perhaps a unique theme, change the vows, sing modern songs or have a completebreak from traditional wedding music. You and your partner have been to plentyof other weddings and you don’t want to have just another beautiful buttraditional wedding day.

This decision leads you into unchartered water. How willyour family and friends react to your idea? They know you are rule breakers with modern views and all you wantis a day that reflects who you are as a couple.

Gothic Wedding Theme

Gothic Wedding Cake

In ancient times the bride was given to the groom’s family!The white dress signified virginity, the cake was a symbol of fertility and thebridesmaids dressed like the bride to confuse evil spirits ! The groom stood onthe right of the bride so he could use his right hand to grab his sword to fendoff enemies who wanted to steal his bride!

Western Wedding

Then in Victorian times we introduced bouquets of flowersfor the bride. The bouquet was made from scented flowers or herbs to held tohide the smell  of an unclean society orto ward off all those evil spirits!

We carry on these traditions, mostly without even knowingwhy. We aren’t tied to these traditions for any of these old reasons anymorebut so it continues!  Our parents did itso their expectations are that you should have a great church wedding, whitedress and wonderful sit down dinner!

Western Wedding Cake

These days you can have many different themes that can beamazing fun for you and your guests. Just maybe not considered to be a greatidea by your parents! Remember that it is your party and it is your weddingday. This is a day that you will remember for the rest of your life. Share withyour grandchildren and demonstrates your personality to them and everyone onthe day.

You can have fun being different! Be prepared for somearguments but don’t let it stop you being quirky and different! Go for it andmake your day extra special!

Extreme Weddings @ Ayers Rock, Central Australia

Wedding Library Raffle Prize with Merci NY

Every year the Wedding Party has intense raffle prizes, but this one is a scene stealer. A lucky Wedding Party bride and her guest will indulge in a luxurious day of high-fashion fun with Jackeline Weppner of Merci NY and Claudia Hanlin (that's me)! There'll be tea at the Pierre, a private driver to travel in style, up to four super-VIP salon visits, gifts and much, much more.

All you have to do is visit the Merci NY and Wedding Library booth at the Wedding Party or email style@mercinewyork.com with your wedding date, brief description of your wedding style, and why you would like to win our prize! Easy, no? Buy your ticket at the link on the right, and you'll be on your way to chic bridal style.

Perfect Bridal Gowns from Down Under

In our recent online Look Book, The Brides Gown, we had pleasure in featuring the latest couture from Karen Willis Holmes, based here in Sydney.
It is great to have such talent on our doorstep! To see her passion and focus on creating the perfect gown for each bride. Just gorgeous!
As one of Australia's leading couture and ready to wear bridal gown designers, Karen creates inspired wedding dresses with a contemporary classic style.
The video below shows you the work and love involved in each gown, to demonstrate how special each gown is to her.
This is Karen’s story told in her own words.



Enjoy! If you want to see more of her talents then you can purchase The Bride's Gown Look Book from our website!

Click here to see The Brides Gown

The Tradition of a Trousseau

The tradition of a trousseau is age-old, when a woman began sewing clothesat an early age in anticipation of her marriage. 
The word ‘trousseau’ comes from the French word ‘trousse’ meaning ‘littlebundle’. 

While the concept of a trousseau is no longer practical, the idea ofshopping for your wedding night and honeymoon is still enduring and relevant.The implication is timeless! New clothes for a new life!

Depending on where your honeymoon is, you might be packing bikinis for thebeach or evening dresses for a European escape. Combine fabrics – cashmere,cotton, silk and lace – to create versatility.

Neutral-toned
Pashmina Shawl

For any trousseau and anydestination, a few pieces are essential; a lightweight cotton robe, a cashmeretwin set, a little black dress with high-heels and a neutral-toned pashminashawl and black leggings for comfort ease and practicality.


A trousseau encompasses the going away outfit, honeymoon attire and thosespecial pieces of lingerie you may have purchased for your wedding. 


Although it’s unseen by most, your lingerie is actually a very significantpart of your trousseau, and should be carefully chosen.

Lingere Shower Invitation
www.polkadotdesign.com

You may like to hold a “Lingerie Party” or “Lingerie Shower” with yourfriends in the lead up to your wedding. Many Lingerie companies will come toyou with a full range and create an evening of entertainment for you and yourfriends. This can be a fun way to browse lingerie and ensure correct sizing. Inmost cases the Lingerie company will give the host free goods in return forholding the party!

Have your lingerie fitted
by an expert

Working with experienced Lingerie fitters (plus your friend’s input) canensure that you find the right lingerie for you. Lingerie can flatter yourfigure or give you a cleavage that suits your wedding gown, smooth yourstomach, back or hips.



It is important to take into account if the lingerie can be seen throughyour wedding gown as some fabrics can be clingy so something plain but made ofsilky fabric is a good choice. You should take colour into consideration aswell. Neutral colours like apricot or flesh coloured lingerie are lessobtrusive under a white wedding gown.

Choose the right bra for your gown!

Depending on the bodice of your wedding gown your choice of bra will beimportant as you do not want to be adjusting straps all day. Strapped or straplessit is a good idea to wear the bra for a day prior to your wedding to make sureyou are comfortable. Taking it to all your fittings can also ensure you have theright lingerie for the day. Most Lingerie fitters are experienced with advisingyou on the right style for your dress.
 

Another part of your trousseau is the Going Away Outfit. Choose an outfitthat looks glamorous and can be worn again, plus matches jewellery andaccessories that you may already have. You won’t be able to wear your weddingdress again but your Going Away Outfit can be a reminder of the special day formonths or years to come. 

Pre Fall 2012 Collection
www.oscardelarenta.com

Purchasing your Going Away Outfit is a great opportunity to buy something from a designer range such as Oscar De La Renta. Check out all the great outfits from him in his Pre Fall 2012 Collection below:

Elan Artists Showcase

Our friends at Elan Artists are presenting a live dance band showcase this Thursday, January 12 at 7pm. Hearing your potential band live is the best way to experience them. The schedule looks like this:
6:30pm Carte Blanche, 7:00pm Hudson Project, 7:20pm The Elements, 7:40pm The Edge, 8:00pm Rhythm Collective.

It's all at The Hudson Hotel, 536 West 58th Street. RSVP to rsvpnyc@elanartists.com

Taylor Creative Modern Furniture

A lounge, a bar, specialty furniture: my go-to company is always Taylor Creative. And since they are such a great partner of ours, and will be showing off their amazing goods at the Wedding Party, I thought I'd share their new campaign with you. Check out their site, it will have you coming back for more!

Super Sweet Wedding Party Give-Away

We love our vendors, and especially Jen Huang for offering an Engagement Shoot prize to Wedding Party attendees. Enter right away -- (click on the image to enlarge).

Hurrah for the Wedding Party 2012!

Vera Wang Behind the Scenes 2012 Fall Collection

Vera Wang presents in this video her inspiration for the 2012 Fall Bridal Collection.

Her inspiration came from fashion, witches and covens and she tried to present a totally different perspective to normal bridal fashions by creating a sense of mystery and beauty using underwear colours of nude and black.

Really unique and potentially unusual designs!

Let us know what you think!
Comment here or on our Facebook.

Amsale Trunk Show

Sooo pretty. It's booking up, so make your appointment now at ido@theweddinglibrary.com

Beauty and the Bride

As we all know your wedding day is one of the biggest day of a womans life, with so much planning all going in to just one day the pressure is on to look good!

So here a few little beauty tips, to help you look and feel great on your special day.

With all the planning that is involved things can get hectic and stressful, one thing that can really suffer under those conditions is your skin. From your skin feeling tired and dull to even worse breakouts, but never fear ladies help is at hand. Treating yourself to a couple of facials before your big day will ensure that not only your skin will look good but will clear away any stress and give you a bit of time to relax.

One of my favourite facials which will guarantee a youthful, radiant glow is Guinot's Beaute Neuve.

It combines a double peeling action using AHAs and a unique vitamin C mask especially for that healthy glow. Guinot is a french skincare brand which is always at the forefront with the latest in technology and is widely used in Europe, it is slowly creeping in to Australia and we are more than happy to start using these fabulous products.

Schedule facials into your wedding plan!

We've got the skin covered now on to the make up!

Remember you are going to be the centre of attention and in lots of pictures so its important to make sure make up is well applied, will last all day and most of all suits you.

Most brides opt for the natural look, but this doesn't have to mean hardly any make up. It is very important to have a trial make up done before hand.

Have this done when your going to be out and about and having pictures taken, something like a birthday is an ideal event.

This is good as you want to get peoples reaction and not only that but seeing yourself in the pictures afterwards will give you a clear indication on whether you like it or not.

At least then if you feel there is to much or to little make up applied there is plenty of time to make changes.

A good make up artist can do up to 20+ weddings a year and are very experienced so you'll always be in safe hands!

Take pictures along of any make up that you have seen and liked to help give an idea when trialing a make up artist!

Then last but not least, the hands!

As you will be aware of, from being engaged, one of the first questions is ''Show me the ring?!'' and what is the ring attached to? One of your fingers!

So make sure that you have a manicure before the big day as you will have another ring and no doubt everyone will want to see that too!

If your nails are in a little bit of need, more than just a manicure, there is a wide range of nail enhancements around to polish up those nails and make them look great so there are no excuses.

Book yourself in today!

Ask your Beauty professional for help and advice!

Stephanie Powell
Senior Beauty Therapist

Here It From Me! Wedding Party 2012

Wedding Party 2012 from Well Spun Wedding Films on Vimeo.

Unveiled: 200 Years of Wedding Fashion

From the Victoria and Albert Museum
 London

Presented at The Museum

of New Zealand,

 Te Papa Tongarewa

Te Papa is situated in the heart of Wellington, New Zealand

Romance

Glamour

Extravagance

Dita Von Teese on her wedding day, 2005. Dress by Vivienne Westwood, hat by Stephen Jones. Photograph by and courtesy of Odessy Barbu.

On Now until 22 April 2012
Admission charges apply

If you are in New Zealand or visiting New Zealand before 22nd April 2012 taking a visit to this exhibition is well worth the effort.

Experience the evocative world of weddings through this extraordinary collection of wedding attire from the 19th century to today. See outfits inspired by tradition, practicality, fashion, fantasy – and, of course, love.

Wedding dress and coat designed by John Bates for his Jean Varon label, London, 1966. Cotton gabardine trimmed with silvered PVC. Worn by Marit Allen for her marriage to Sandy Lieberson in London on 10 June 1966. ©Victoria and Albert Museum

Embroidered silk satin wedding dress by Norman Hartnell, London, 1933. Commissioned by Margaret Whigham for her marriage to Charles Sweeny on 21 February 1933. Given and worn by Margaret, Duchess of Argyll. ©Victoria and Albert Museum / V&A Images

Highlights include celebrity gowns by stellar international designers such as Norman Hartnell, Vivienne Westwood, and Christian Lacroix. Also on show are special commissions by New Zealand designers WORLD, Lindah Lepou, and Jane Yeh.

How is it that the traditional western European white wedding dress has become the garment of choice for brides in many countries and cultures? And what do wedding dress styles say about the social and economic conditions of their day? You'll learn some of the answers from this magnificent display.

Embroidered silk wedding dress by Christian Lacroix, Paris, Autumn/Winter 1992-93 Haute Couture. Given by Christian Lacroix. Photograph by Guy Marineau © 1992

Silk brocade shoes purchased from Peter Robinson, London, 1914. Worn by Phyllis Blaiberg for her marriage to Bertie Mayer Stone at the Bayswater Synagogue, London on 9 September 1914. Given by Mrs B. Rackow ©Victoria and Albert Museum / V&A Images

Francis Hooper, Denise L’Estrange-Corbet, and Benny Castles discuss their inspiration for the outfits that appear in Unveiled. Plus, we peek backstage as the dress is prepared for its debut at New Zealand Fashion Week. 

More pictures, videos of interviews with designers, recordings by the curator of the museum and much more is available on their website. Even if you can't make it to Wellington to see this exhibition it is definitely worth a visit to their website:

http://www.tepapa.govt.nz/WhatsOn/exhibitions/WeddingDress/Pages/default.aspx

Fit Healthy and Fantastic!

Looking for that healthy and fit look for your weddingday that will have all eyes on you?

An early focus on increasing fitness or beginning yourpath to a realistic and sustainable weight management plan can optimize yourhealth and ensure you are looking fit, healthy and glowing on your wedding day.

Developing agood fitness level does not start or stop at the gym door, it involves being more active.

In general suchas climbing the stairs instead of taking the elevator, moving around instead ofsitting still, sitting up instead of lying down as well as showing someexcitement and enthusiasm instead of boredom. Every mile starts with a step.

Now that we got our first step right, lets move on tothe next one. This preferably involves a personal health assessment with yournaturopath or doctor, then a visit to your personal trainer for an exerciseplan & goal setting session. A personalized approach rather than a genericone is most likely to bring successful outcome. A lifestyle counselor or life coach can also be of help with goalsetting and positive reinforcement. 

If you think you can achieve your goal using those ‘fancy’starvation diets as a way to control your weight, think again. People who diet without exercisingoften gain weight with time. Although your weight may initially drop while ‘dieting’,such weight loss consists mostly of water and muscle. When the weight returns,it comes back as fat.

The right wayto avoid gaining weight over time is to increase your metabolism by exercisingregularly. When you exercise especially during long lowimpact sustained activities such as walking, your body creates a fat-breaking enzymecalled “hormone sensitive lipase”.

Studies have revealed thatthis fat breaking enzyme is active for up to twelve hours from the momentit has been triggered. The same enzyme is also involved in cleaning all bloodvessels of fatty plaques and deposits. So, no amount or type of dieting willproduce all the positive results you are looking for, unless you exercise.

Start a fitness & diet journal to keep track ofyour food intake and exercise schedule.

Do not skip meals - skipping meals lowers yourmetabolism, decreasing energy, slowing weight loss and also decreasing yourability to use food to your advantage, you may even gain weight by skippingmeals. Regularity is the key here, your body likes rhythm.

Make food fun and exciting; eat fresh, small regularmeals. Breakfast on sensational ‘energy smoothies’ with fresh fruits or ½ cupof porridge.  After breakfast give yourself an half an hour break than head to the gym or local park for a highenergy/power or tone/muscle focused workout, start your day with power!

Lunch on salads, fruits or soups, eat fresh cheese ornuts for protein, try to avoid breads and pastries, for beverages use water(your body is 75% water), fresh juices and supplementation. Seek support foryour weight management journey, whenever needed use your team of professionals- no need to ‘go it alone'.

Late afternoon or evening, go for a walk or jog,attend a class or visit your personal trainer before preparing a healthy dinnerwith plenty of fresh vegetables.  Dinneris a great chance to share achievements of the day with a friend or chroniclethem in your fitness journal.

Regular exercise will not only have you looking goodat your wedding today but it will have reaching effects right through your lifeas it will prevent

·              Obesity          

·              Mental IIlness                      

·              Breast Cancer                                 

·              Injury

·              Cardiovascular Disease

·              ColonCancer

·              Osteoporosis

·              Early Death

Daily group classes can fast track results - Utilize acombination of aerobic, resistance & yoga exercise.

Flexibility training (stretching)helps balance muscle groups that might be overused during exercise or physicalactivity or as a result of bad posture. Flexibility is a joint's ability tomove through a full range of motion, include cardio-aerobic workouts,martial arts for increased coordination, power & stamina.

Resistance based exercise (weights)  for toning and strengthening tired muscles –suitable for all levels of fitness and strength.

Make sure you have a rest day each week for your bodyto recover and power through the following days….

The motto isflexibility, agility, strength and balance.

Fun and active outings and exercises like bike ridesand walks at the beach, decrease boredom and time available for snacking orgrazing during the day.

At the completion of your pre-wedding program, youwill benefit from the increased energy & have the skills & motivationto keep moving forwards towards your long term Health & Fitness goals &stay looking Fit, Health & Fantastic into the future.

When it comes to good healthand weight loss, exercise and diet are inter-related:

More muscle =more active metabolism.

Higher metabolic rate reduces the chance of weightgain.
Exercising withoutmaintaining a balanced diet is no more beneficial than dieting while remaininginactive.

 

Gregory Damaskos is a Naturopath, Analytical Counselor, PublicSpeaker, Health Educator and a Writer for several national and internationalpublications.  He has appeared on TV andradio programs on health matters and is the Director of Authenticity Health& Wellness Retreat, Port Elliot SA. His work is based on the merits of Nature Cure (Naturopathy) Yoga,Philosophy and Psychotherapy , with food, life style and a state of emotionaland mental well-being the main means by which he aims to balance and restorethe natural functions of the body mind and spirit.

Gregory would be happy to answer any questions you may have. Just send your question to us at info@styleguide.com.au