Gown Alert: Monique Lhuillier Sample Sale

It's that time of the year ladies! One of our favorites, Monique Lhuillier, will be having their semi-annual sample sale next Sunday, July 14^th from 10am to 4pm.  The sale will be at a pop-up shop in downtown LA.  They’ll have both Bridal and Ready to Wear dresses with markdowns anywhere from 40% - 90%.  Can you imagine the savings?!?!

This is the perfect opportunity for brides, friends and family to find not only incredible gowns but ready to wear items as well for showers, bachelorette parties and even the rehearsal!

This sale only happens twice a year so we definitely suggest avoiding that July heat and heading downtown to check it out next weekend!  Make a day of it and start with brunch or head to lunch after, enjoy some champagne or lemonade and prepare to get your shop on!

 

 

Happy Shopping!

Featured Wedding: Jessica + David at Saint Sophia's Cathedral & Vibiana

Jessica and David tied the knot on October 20, 2012 in a stunning ceremony at Saint Sophia Cathedral followed by a beyond beautiful reception at one of our favorite venues, Vibiana. 

It was a gorgeous autumn day – cool, crisp and a bit cloudy.  The Bride, dressed in a Lazaro gown and Christian Louboutin heals could not have been more stunning.  Her Hugo Boss clad Groom looked so handsome (and smelled amazing, trust me on this one J).  In the morning as they got ready they exchanged vows via messenger.  This sweet and intimate gesture seemed to bring a sense of calm to both of them.

Jessica and David are a very traditional couple who decided to forgo the popular “first look” and waited until Jessica walked down the isle to see each other for the first time.  Time seemed to stand still when David first saw his Bride standing at the end of the ilse with her father.  The opulence and splendor of SaintSophia’s was the perfect setting for their traditional Coptic Orthodox ceremony.

After the ceremony the Bride and Groom escaped to the Millennium Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles before heading to Vibiana for photos.  This photo session was a great opportunity for Jessica and David to spend some time together, just the two of them, basking in the joy of their matrimony.  Rebecca with Docuvitae captured the most beautiful shots of this happy couple – don’t they just ooze happiness?!

Vibiana was adorned with whimsical décor including stunning florals by Shawna Yamamto Event Design, vintage furniture, gold accents and amazing lighting.

In lieu of a Sweetheart Table, the Happy Couple enjoyed their own intimate lounge area just under the Vibiana alter.  It was georgeous, luxurious and cozy all at the same time!

Guests sipped Champagne as they dined on culinary delights prepared by Jay’s Catering.  The savory dishes were matched by the delicious dessert bar and wedding cake also prepared by Jay’s.

The evening was lively and filled with love, laughter and dancing!  A surprise performance by Jilliana’s SahlalaDancers really got the party going.  Guests danced into the early morning hours and finished off the amazing night by doing The Macarena!

We feel so honored to have been a part of this amazing day.  Cheers to a lifetime of love and laughter Mr. & Mrs. Gobrial!  

All photos courtesy of Docuvitae

Accommodations:  Millennium Biltmore
Belly Dancers: Jillina and the Sahlala Dancers       
Bar: The Cocktail Concierge     
Catering: Jay’s Catering
Church (ceremony):  St. Sophia’s Cathedral           
DJ:  DJ Nara
Event Design & Planning: Sterling Engagements
Floral Design: Shawna Yamamoto Event Design
Bride Hair: Shirin Salon
Bride Makeup: Monique Powers                 
Lighting and Sound: Amber Event Production
Photographer: Docuvitae
Rentals:  Classic Party Rentals & Archive Event Rentals
Venue (reception):  Vibiana     
Videographer: Wind Production 

Casting Alert: Something Borrowed Something New!

Trium Entertainment is in search of bride's with out of date dresses but a desire to wear a newly revised version of them.

Casting Director Kelsey had the following to say about the show..

"The show is called "Something Borrowed, Something New" and has been picked up for a full season!  We are looking for brides who have not yet found their wedding dress and have a mother, mother in law, aunt, grandma, sister, (anyone!) who has a dress that they might want to wear....except it's outdated, damaged or just plain not their style!

We are going to take their outdated dress and have it re-designed into their dream dress, putting $3,000 dollars into it!  We are also going to have a professional stylist take them shopping for a 'new' dream dress to fit with in their budget and at the end they will have to choose 'something borrowed, or something new'!

It's a great opportunity to get a free custom dress :o) and have a lot of fun along the way!"

If interested, please contact Kelsey today at KelseyAlayneCasting@gmail.com

Happy Dressing! 

Bold, Chic and in Love: Vera or Monique?

Recently I was able to assist a stylist for the cover of the September issue of the Knot Magazine. It was a ten look shoot on couture wedding gowns. Needless to say, I was absolutely dying! All the dresses were far more beautiful then I could possibly describe, not to mention that they were being worn by a perfectly stunning model. I also got to play with some of the most beautiful (and expensive) wedding rings I had ever seen!

Naturally, of all the designers that we had there were two that really stood out to me- Vera Wang & Monique Lhuillier. Two of the most well-known wedding gown designers, who design to perfection but are so different in style and technique. Monique creates beautiful, feminine dresses that are heavily textured. Vera is equally stunning, also beautiful yet often pushes the envelope with her designs.  They have that extra bit of sass oftentimes.

While we can admire both designers, there must be one that makes you squeal a little louder! Are you more a Monique or Vera bride?

Here are some of the looks for each designers spring 2012 line.

All photos courtesy of Vera Wang & Monique Lhuillier

While all designer gowns are lovely and do come with a price tag for a designer label, they can at least provide great inspiration for what you look for!  However, they do have some simpler gowns that start at a more moderate number.  For example, Monique Lhuillier's gowns start as low as $2200.  Also Vera's new White Collection at David's Bridal makes a Vera Wang gown affordable for various price points and budgets too.  

I must admit, I'm definitely a Monique girl myself ;), what are you?

If you ever want a stylists opinion on your dress, feel free to email me at jocelyn@sterlingengagements.com.

xO,
Jocelyn

Trunk Alert: Monique Lhuillier's Spring 2012 Collection

Our friend Megan McKenna Volkening over at Monique Lhuillier's Melrose Place salon has sent us an invitation for a private trunk show to share with our brides.


Come see Monique's Spring 2012 collection and prepare to be dazzled. Market is going on right now and this will be the first opportunity for you to view these gowns in person for an amazing trunk show!

Appointment's must be made, so call Megan today to secure your spot.

We Heart The Illustrated Bride!

Imagine this, you have the most amazingly perfect wedding gown that your so in love with and are just ecstatic to wear for your big day. Come wedding day you rock this gorgeous gown, relish it's texture, are so in love with wearing it and truly wish you never had to take it off.

Of course as your wedding day concludes your married to the love of your life and are the happiest newlywed bride ever. As you celebrate each other on your honeymoon and reminisce about your special day, do you start to have visions of you in that beautiful gown? Once it's preserved and put away, do you feel as though part of you still wants to see it often? Is it even possible to miss a dress?


If so, Jennifer Hancock aka The Illustrated Bride has something very special in store for you. Using photographs from your photographer, The Illustrated Bride can recreate a custom illustration of your gown for your to cherish forever. While it's stored away in a safe place, you can still have a gorgeously drawn sketch of this special gown to look at whenever you wish.
Once you decide to proceed, you have various options to choose from like whether you want just the gown with no face details, your face sketched in, details like your veil and jewelery etc... Jennifer customizes your illustration to be exactly what you wish for.

Since a gown has a front and a back, The Illustrated Bride can also sketch both sides so your don't miss one bit.

You can also have your illustration framed individually or side by side next to a photo of you. The options are endless!


So if you haven't already, please click over to The Illustrated Bride Etsy site and check out her work! It also makes the perfect gift to give to a bride or even a bridesmaid.

Festive Fridays: Some color on your day!

Okay so we saw this one gown and it was so wild and so crazy it inspired this post in itself! We hope you enjoy reading this as much as we enjoyed searching for our favorite colorful creations.

Photo Courtesy of Sangmaestro

While many brides wear white, there are definitely options out there for you, if you're a not-so-white type of bride. Here are a few of the best that we saw and they caught our attention.

This Max Chaoul Couture is our favorite of the post! It's just stunning, while it's different it's also EPIC in our eyes.

Photo Courtesy of Your Bridal Stop

This pink Lady Roi gown is sweet! It's still delicate and feminine, yet definitely has some sass to it.

Photo Courtesy of Perfect Bridal

This next gown reminds us of a Belle of the Ball! Yellow is so bright and happy, this would be perfect for a Southern wedding.


Photo Courtesy of Brides-Love

Happy Friday!

We heart Monique Lhuillier!

Okay seriously the new Monique Lhuillier Spring 2010 collection may make you weak in the knees! Each gown is better than the next!

Our favorite is the Sunday Rose! This silk organza beauty is a strapless stroke of perfection. The pleated bodice is beyond words, especially when combined with the rose embroidered a-line skirt.


Happy Sunday Rose!

Amazing Opporunity from The Bridal Bar!

Harmony Walton and her team at The Bridal Bar are offering an INCREDIBLE opportunity for 2 lucky brides! If you are a Monique Lhuilleir fan like us, this is definitely worth visiting The Bridal Bar page and commenting on! You have until 5pm on Sunday ladies, so make sure you meet the deadline before the week ends...


"Bridal fashion week ended just a few days ago and now those gorgeous gowns go on the road for trunks shows across the country. Excited to see the new collections? Well, what if we told you that The Bridal Bar is giving away a few coveted spots to see the brand new collection by Monique Lhuillier BEFORE the trunk show actually begins?? That's right girls - we've got a chance for some very special VIBrides in the Los Angeles area to get that Hollywood treatment and preview the collection before the masses. *Insert screams of excitement here, we're that giddy!*

Monique's always fabulous trunk show will take place in Los Angeles on April 23-25. And just before the store opens to the swooning many in hopes of finding that perfect fit; her flagship location on Melrose Place will shut down for six very important bridal bar brides. So what does this mean exactly? That the gowns are in-transit and upon arrival in Los Angeles, on Wednesday, April 22nd from 6:30 to 8pm the Monique Lhuillier store will be closed to the public in order to cater to the every need of six lucky brides-to-be. The collection will be on display to allow YOU to be the first to see, touch, and try on these incredible gowns with the personal attention and service of their oh-so fabulous staff. It's the royal treatment - champagne, sweets, and a store full of dresses just for you.

But wait! This little gathering of gowns is by invitation only. We will be giving away invitations to a few ladies in our store, but two of the spots are reserved for our loyal blog readers! That means you - if you're in the LA area! In order to qualify, upload a comment on this post and tell us a little about your wedding and why a Monique gown makes your day complete. Two comments will be selected and the winners will attend this special private soiree. Brides must be local to the Los Angeles area and available to attend the VIPreview on April 22nd.

Good luck ladies! And have no fear, if you don't get the opportunity to participate in this evening, the trunk show begins the following day so you can still get your fix (and your gown too).

Check back with us for more goodies as this is just the beginning of many very special perks that comes with being a very special bridal bar bride and part of our new VIB3 program - but more on that later. Now tell us why you must wear a Monique (in 150 words or less please)! Contest ends 5pm PST Sunday, April 19th. Invitees will be announced Monday, April 20th."

Good Luck Ladies and Happy Posting!

Trunk Alert: This Friday through Sunday!

Hello all my brides to be! There's some fabulous trunk shows coming up from March 13th through the 15th at the Pasadena Bridal location of Mary Linn's Bridals in Pasadena and Mon Amie Bridal Salon in Costa Mesa. Find fabulous finds from the designs of Matthew Christopher, Bellissima Bridal, Monique Lhuillier and Renee Pawele.

Matthew Christopher and Bellissima Bridal will be featured at
Mary Linn's Bridals
82 S. Fair Oaks Avenue
Pasadena, CA. 91105
(626)585-8200
pasadenamarylinns@gmail.com

Matthew Christopher


















Bellissima Bridal


















Monique Lhuillier and Renee Pawele will be featured at
Mon Amie Bridal Salon
355 Bristol Street
Costa Mesa, CA. 92626
(714) 546-5700

Monique Lhuillier


















Renee Pawele














Happy Hunting!

Trunk Alert: Ann Barge and Lazaro

Ann Barge Trunk Show
February 27 - 28, 2009























The White Dress Couture and Vintage Bridal Boutique
2853 East Coast Highway
Corona Del Mar, CA, 92625
Phone(949) 723-0121:























Lazaro Trunk Show
February 26 - 28, 2009
Jobyna's Bridal & Tuxedo
Lazaro invites you to Jobyna's Bridal & Tuxedo.
Debut the breathtaking 2009 Couture Bridal Collection.

3325 N Verdugo Rd
Glendale, CA 91208
Phone (818) 248-0026

Happy Trunking!