Sunday, January 27, 2013

Jenni & Matt





My bride Jenni Rae, as her Mother calls her, came to me looking to see if it was possible to create her dream gown within a very specific budget.  You see, since her grandparents were paying for her dress, she wanted to honor them and make sure that she not go over a certain amount.
At my first consultation with Jenni, her mom Tamra, sister Nikki and grandma Gwen showed me images of other dresses which she had tried on and discussed with me what she liked and didn't like. It was interesting to see that her grandmothers eye was right on target, as she had a very detailed idea of what her grand daughter should wear...but of course, ultimately, it was whatever Jenni wanted.
Since it was going to be a Palm Springs wedding, light fabric and an easy flow for her gown were a must. Additionally, three key requests for her gown were: cap sleeves, had to have beading and a minimal train. The beading, especially, had to be just right and work well with Jenni's frame.
The final gown I designed for her was an Empire waist,  Crinkle chiffon gown with draped cap sleeves. The highlights were the hand beading on the shoulder as well as on the empire waistline.  
Since they are both outdoor aficionados, Jenni & Matt were married at Spencer's Restaurant in Palm Springs, and the grounds were just beautiful.  All of the beauty and love were captured by Brian Kent of ABM Photography








Congratulations Jenni & Matt!




Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Raquel & Ian





My bride Raquel came to me looking to create a unique gown that would fit her beautifully as well as fit her unique wedding story...
It all began with a surprise proposal in Starbucks by her hubby Ian, which everyone was in on, when she was handed a gift which said she was a prized Starbucks customer.  Little did she know that the box contained more then just a gift certificate, it was actually a one of kind designed engagement ring! 
The second part to her story, was her dream of getting married in a house she would always drive by.  As she did a little research and found that one of her students actually lived in the house, and was able to accommodate her wedding, the pieces were starting to come together.
Her dream dress was now the final part needed to make it a true reality.
Just as her ring was custom designed, Raquel wanted a gown that reflected her unique style. She also wanted to keep the gown a surprise from Ian until her wedding day. So she made the decision to board a plane in Connecticut and come to California, where she would be able to have her gown made discreetly and without any distraction.  Pasadena worked out perfectly, since her future sister-in-law also lived here. So, we set about scheduling her fittings and alterations to work out as efficiently as possible and get in as many details as we could during each trip.  Her final gown was a beautiful duchess satin with tucks and pleats throughout.  Her drape shoulder was asymmetrical and form fitting.  The only request Raquel had was to include her initials and favorite number.  So, I had her initials laser cut, as we embellished them with the amount of stones that represented her number, and placed them on her train. 
Additionally, we designed and fabricated three cute little flower girl gowns to represent her peacock color scheme.
From day one, that little spitfire won my heart..... dancing, singing and especially beat boxing, filling us with non-stop laughter through every fitting and appointment.








Congratulations Raquel & Ian!