Trashing the White Dress

Black is Better! 

Maybe it's because I'm lucky enough to have a big part of my career involved in styling creative shoots. Or maybe it's because I've been a planner for almost 6 years now and have worked countless events.

Whatever the reason behind it, I'm a huge advocate for creating highly stylized and personalized events. And that certainly doesn't stop at picking the right colour combo!  

Before they see the tabletops, backdrops and centerpieces, the first and most anticipated view is a glance at the bride. And like any good fashionista, the fashion conscious bride knows average just won't do! Lucky for her today's dress options are overflowing with gorgeous and daring designs. From plunging necklines to high slits, it's easy to stay far from typical. But by no means should you stop at cut! Today's most creative wedding gown designers also offer bold colour options like black and red, to ensure a bride's wedding day look truly is different and most importantly her own.  

This past year I had the honour of working with two black gowns from my two favourite wedding gown designers, Ines Di Santo and Vera Wang. Take a look and tell me you wouldn't feel incredible in one of these stunners! 

Dress: Ines Di Santo 

Photography: Mugshots Photography

Hair & Makeup: Heather Snowie 

On Location: Grand Luxe Event Boutique

Dress: Vera Wang

Photography: Mango Studios

Hair: Allison Kam 

Makeup: Heather Snowie

On Location: The Burroughes

Head Piece: Blair Nadeau Millinery

That all said, if black is just a touch too daring for you both of these designers have some gorgeous white and cream options. ;) But at the very least, just give black a try!

Happy Styling! 

Kasia

The Magic of Spray Paint

New in a Just a Few!

OK. I don’t by any means profess to be the Martha Stewart kind. And I certainly don’t advocate for DIY if the style of your event should in any way be negatively impacted. But I will admit I do love me some spray paint! It’s like a little touch of magic that takes minutes to properly apply and can completely change the look of an object, turning something old into something new, making something that would have worked perfectly for your event had it been a different colour now that colour! It can be applied to just about anything and the colour options are endless. Best part...no special tools required. Simply spray away!

Just recently, while prepping for a creative shoot and spray painting some detailing accents, I did a walk through of my own home and pulled a few items that needed a face lift. Here's a before and after for you. OK so I'm no photog :s but you get the idea! 

BEFORE

AFTER :)

Just a few cautionary tips: 

• go at this outdoors!
• apply spray well in advance of your event to allow for the smell to subside 
• do not use on items that will hold something meant for consumption 

Happy Spraying! 

Kasia

Wedding Trends - Prelude's 2013 Forecast

Let's Go for Bold! 

Wednesday is "Research Day" in this office. It's the day I spend all of my time perusing the web. I spend a lot of time on Twitter and Tumblr and every single one of my fav magazine blogs. I drink a lot of coffee, listen to great music and let myself get inspired.

Because of a new project I'm currently working on (creative design for Weddingstar magazine - whoohooo!) every day is Wednesday this week! :) And so I'm spending a lot of time on this trusty laptop of mine, ohh'ing and ahh'ing over what's hot now and what's up and coming. And as is always the case when working through the creative design process, I allow myself to stare off into space and forecast. Being in forecasting mode, I couldn't resist putting in my two cents on what's in store for the wedding world as we move through this year and into the next. 

For some time now the reigning wedding themes have been some forms of Shabby Chic or Vintage Victorian. And rightfully so. They are both gorgeous design concepts and lend themselves perfectly to the most romantic day a woman will ever experience. Although there's no doubt in my mind that they will forever have a place in weddings for years to come, I'm going to be bold and forecast bold! My prediction is that weddings are going to start getting a lot more daring and fun in their designs. Now more than ever couples will push creativity in how they infuse themselves into their wedding details and the result will undoubtedly mean some serious design personality! Not to mention the addition of a touch of sexy...where there's daring, there's usually sexy. ;) Whether it be retro throw backs or some exciting colour blocked palettes I'm certain that event designers everywhere will all have the pleasure of working on some amazing designs. I personally can't wait! 

So I'll end off with something that has me very inspired at the moment. Pink...Meet edgy. What till you see what this turns into. ;)

alexander mcqueen fall 2012 
photo courtesy of elle.com, imaxtree and matteo volta 

Happy Styling!
Kasia

The Perfect Fit

A Quick Guide to Wearing Today's Trends - For the Style Impaired ;)

As a wedding & event stylist who offers the application of the styling experience to all aspects of a couple's event, I'm often asked to style engagement shoots. May seem rather odd to be styled for something that is meant to be a reflection of a couple in their natural element, but engagements and weddings are all about a bit (or a lot!) of glam so you can't blame someone for fussing over their look.

And so the question inevitably comes up, "What do I wear?!". My answer is always the same, "look great and feel great". Vague, I know! But here's what I mean. Knowing what to wear, selecting which trends work for you, understanding what look works best for your body type, etc., all really boils down to one rule of thumb: MAKE IT LOOK (and feel) EFFORTLESS! If you glance in the mirror and you look overdone, if you shift around because you feel out of your element, if it simply doesn't feel right, it's not working! An article of clothing that's meant for you should look like it's meant for you. It needs to just fall into place, both on body and in image. You'll know it's right when you're confident enough to work it!

So how does this rule of thumb apply when you're trying to incorporate new trends? When you're trying to avoid falling into old patterns that you know best and are most comfortable with? Well, that's when Rule #2 comes in: START WITH SMALL DOSES PLEASE! How about an example by way of the colour of the year....Pantone's Tangerine Tango.

I bet if you've walk through a mall in the last couple of weeks, as Spring Collections hit the racks, you noticed an abundance of this playful, sexy and vibrant colour. It's absolutely everywhere! But hold back....that doesn't mean that you should stock up on everything tangerine tango! Following fashion or colour trends is not about taking a look you saw and replicating it. It's about updating your personal look in however subtle or obvious way to incorporate the trend in a way that you're most comfortable with. If you feel best in black and 3/4's of your wardrobe is full of it, don't go out and revamp everything to make it an ocean of tangerine tango just because it's the colour of the year. Instead try a gorg pashmina or a hot pair of four inch stilettos in the lovely shade. Eventually what you'll find with all your baby step efforts in implementing new trends is a new you, a new look, that's effortless. ;)

So next time you look to revamp your wardrobe, go to select your attire for an event, and even and especially when you're picking that so very important wedding day accessory (the dress!), remember the rules....make it effortless and start slow!

Happy Styling!

Kasia

A Wedding Inspired by Fashion, Really?

Yes! Really!

Usually, when I meet with clients and explain the angle I work from when creating a new event design concept, namely using current fashion trends as inspiration, they're always quick to get excited about it (especially after seeing past theme swatches). Only recently, when exhibiting at a bridal show, did anyone ever question the connection between the two, the connection between fashion and a creative concept. At first I was quick to dismiss the lack of understanding, it was a gentlemen asking the question after all. ;) But the more I thought about it, the more I appreciated the need to make the connection clear.

Just like fashion and art so naturally lend themselves to one another, same goes for fashion and creative event designs. It's all about beauty and uniqueness and finding that option that's perfectly tailored to you. Just like a dress can be inspired by an artist (think the classic Schiaparelli and Dali connection), an event's design can certainly take shape from a fabric swatch or the latest trend on high fashion runways. And let's not forgot the importance of personalizing an event. What's more you than your personal attire choices?

Still not convinced? Or confused on how to execute? Perhaps an example may help. This time last year I was approached to produce a creative shoot for publication submission to Canada's top luxury wedding mag, WedLuxe. I jumped at the chance and proceeded to tread very carefully with the direction I decided to take. Taking inspiration from the hot textile of the moment, and certainly forever a classic, lace, my mind started to wander to classic fashion and wedding icons. I naturally landed on the timeless elegance of Grace Kelly and her famous lace adorned wedding dress. And so the design was set into motion and shortly thereafter the shoot took place on a cold, dark and damp March day. I loved everything that we did with that creative but being the perfectionist that I am I questioned whether or not the selected design was the right one. A month later Kate Middleton, with the world watching, walked down the aisle in a Grace Kelly inspired gown. What major confirmation! Did I mention one of the images made the cover of WedLuxe? ;)

For those of you who work better with visuals, here is the textile swatch that started it all and a few images from that shoot. Hope this helps to clarify things...can fashion really inspire an event's creative design? Abso-fricken-lutely! ;)

Special Thanks to our Contributing Partners:

• Alex of lifeimages for these incredible images
• Veronica Di Santo for the incredible Di Santo gowns
• Creations by Gitta for the stunning tabletop decor and florals
• Patricia of Cre8ive Invitations for the perfectly designed stationary 
• Cakes by Konstadin for the yummy but too gorg to eat cake