On March 20, 2010, the Tysons Corner and Montgomery Mall Nordstrom stores will be participating in Nordstrom Fits America — a special event to raise money for Susan G Komen for the Cure. (The Pentagon City Nordstrom will participate on March 19, 2010.)
Get your bridesmaids or girlfriends together and do one of the most “girly” things you can do: go shopping for lingerie!
Nordstrom’s Lingerie department is known for its expert bra fittings, its certified stylists are so helpful, and they have a wonderful collection of styles, sizes, and brands. The newly remodeled Tysons Corner store is even more welcoming — with comfortable dressing rooms and seating areas.
Call the store directly and speak with the Lingerie Department manager to reserve time and space for a personal Lingerie Party. Ask them if you can bring in champagne and sweets to make the experience even more decadent for you and your bridesmaids!
The best part? It’s all for an incredibly important cause. For every bra purchased during the event, $2 will be donated to Susan G Komen for the Cure. Visit www.nordstrom.com for exact times and other participating locations.
This week I had the pleasure of attending a preview of Punk Rock Bride’s new Spring collection. Known for its non-traditional wedding dresses, Punk Rock Bride incorporates beautiful details and texture in each of their unique dresses. Rhode Island School of Design-trained Stephanie Ward, founder and designer of Punk Rock Bride, conceived of each dress in the collection and cuts patterns based on the specific measurements of each bride, ensuring a beautiful, flawless fit.
The Spring collection features a dress with a hand-knit corset (second from left below) and one with gorgeous brocade fabric (far right).
DC brides are so fortunate to have such a unique option for wedding dresses in their own back yard. Wonderful work, Stephanie!
four of the five pieces of the new collection
gorgeous dresses with lovely details from previous collections
Punk Rock Bride founder Stephanie Ward (right) with Kari Becker Beard of Sugar B Design
I have a design crush on burlap these days. With it’s rustic simplicity, it can easily be dressed up or down to create a stunning tablescape. Burlap accents are becoming a lot easier to find in stores, but can also be home- or custom-made.
Style Me Pretty, one of my go-to sites for tablescape inspiration, showcases this DIY burlap runner. Not only do I love its simplicity but I love how by even changing the constrasting stitching, you can customize the runner to complement your design palette.
DIY Burlap Table Runners via Style Me Pretty, photo by Carrie Patterson
Here again you see the impact of homemade burlap runners at this wedding featured on another one of my all-time favorite sites Snippet and Ink.
Burlap-inspired table via Snippet and Ink, photo by Lara and Kate from The Studio Nouveau
Complementary burlap-inspired table via Snippet and Ink, photo by Lara and Kate from The Studio Nouveau
Here, bandanas and burlap conspire to make a cheery, casual table:
Burlap and yellow table via Country Living
I was so excited to recently learn about Northern Virginia-based EAB Designs, who makes the beautiful burlap table linens below; they are SO going on my “wish list”!
Burlap Table Runner with Paris Screen Print Design from EAB Designs
Burlap Jute napkin rings with rhinestones from EAB Designs
I’ve often admired these burlap tablecloths when peeking in the Pottery Barn windows; they could be dressed up with a beautiful overlay or kept as is:
When does one really add up to a dozen? When it is a Twobird bridesmaid dress! My step-sister introduced me to this clever company recently when she received her Twobird dress in the mail for an upcoming wedding she is in. She was skeptical the dress would really be as flattering on as it looked in the photos, but was pleasantly surprised when she tried it on.
Twobirds Rosette dress
Twobirds offers three collections: the classic, two-toned, and rosette (my personal favorite) and each of those collections is offered in long or short lengths. The beauty of the dress — regardless of the collection — is that it can be wrapped and tied in a variety of ways. Each bridesmaid can wrap the dress the way she prefers and the way that looks most flattering on her — from strapless to halter, to one shoulder…
Twobirds classic dress tied in an "Isabella" style
With their customizable dresses, Twobirds is hitting on a significant trend in bridal party fashion — customization. Brides are dressing their bridesmaids in the same color dress but different styles (or vice versa). It allows a consistent look without having to be “matchy-matchy.” And each girl can feel comfortable in a style that looks flattering on her. Love it!
Makeup by Victoria Stiles; photo courtesy of Genevieve Leiper
Victoria Stiles is a professional makeup artist and hairstylist based in the DC area. Rex & Regina has had the privilege of working with Victoria on a number of weddings where, each time, the bride and bridal party looked absolutely flawless. I had the chance to interview Victoria recently and asked her what every bride needs to know with respect to beauty on her wedding day.
Q: What do you see as the biggest trends for 2010 in terms of beauty for brides?
A: Typically for Spring it is all about the soft, very pretty type of look using neutral colors. But what we are seeing this year is pops of color on the cheeks – pops of pink or coral — or a even just a nude face with black-rimmed eyes. Not necessarily smoky, but a definite line on the top and bottom with lots of mascara.
Q: What do you think is the biggest mistake a bride can make with respect to beauty?
A: It’s all about skin care. That’s the basis to any makeup application. If the skin is not right, it can throw off the makeup entirely.
Tanning can be another big mistake. Au natural is the best way to go, but if you do decide to tan, self-tanning is best. Just make sure you exfoliate really well before doing so.
Eyebrow waxing can be another area for mistakes. Don’t wax the week before the wedding as you may have an allergic reaction to the wax; it can break you out; or sometimes in extreme cases your skin can be pulled off. If you do want to shape your brows, threading a week before the wedding is recommended over waxing.
Makeup by Victoria Stiles; photo courtesy of Marge Ely
Q: There is a lot of buzz around false lashes and lash extensions right now. What’s your take on that?
A: I LOVE false lashes. Particularly for brides, I use individual temporary lashes that last throughout the day. I choose the individual because they look more natural than a strip of lashes which tend to make brides look too dramatic. The individual lashes add just enough volume and length for a perfect look.
If you are really into lashes, I have seen Latisse in action and let me tell you, it does work. I’ve seen great results with it. If a bride is really, really into lashes, that might be something to look into.
Q. What are the top three products a bride should never be without?
It’s hard to limit it to three, but here goes:
1.) A good eye cream.
Embryolisse has a great eye cream, Soin Contour Des Yeux (Eye Contour Treatment).
Q: Having a professional do your makeup on the wedding day is always recommended. But what should a bride do with respect to makeup for the rehearsal dinner or other wedding events if her budget cannot accommodate a makeup artist all weekend?
The first thing is to make sure the skin is properly prepped. If that means visiting a dermatologist three to six months out to make sure your skin is clear for the wedding day, then definitely do so.
Make sure you have the right foundation for your skin type (normal, oily, dry). For normal to oily skin matte liquid or a powder foundation is best; for normal dry skin, a liquid foundation. And always make sure the color matches. Before buying a foundation at a store, put it on your skin and go outside in the natural light to make sure it matches. If your jaw line and neck color match and are seamless, then it is the right color. If you can see a difference between the two colors, then it is wrong.
Makeup by Victoria Stiles; photo courtesy of Marge Ely
One of the things I love about Victoria is that she is always educating herself on what’s new and is constantly evolving. She is a self-proffessed “sponge” when it comes to beauty and makeup application tips and trends. That’s exactly what you want in a makeup artist. Someone that is evolving in his or her craft and never says, “This is it. This is the only way to do it.”
Our interview was packed with so much great information that it won’t fit into one post. Stay tuned for a future post featuring Victoria’s skin care advice for grooms on their wedding day along with other helpful tips for brides.
More information about Victoria Stiles can be found on her website.
We are in the midst of the Snowpocalypse here in the DC area. At our house we have at least 30 inches of snow outside. We’ve already shoveled the driveway three times and will certainly be out there again before all of this is over. It’s good exercise, I guess. But let’s be honest, shoveling is not fun!
What will make this all better, I ask myself? Hot chocolate will help. Better still? A hot chocolate bar!
Hot chocolate bars — where you can make your own custom hot cocoa with a variety of “fixings” — are becoming very popular. They are great on a snowy day at home, but even more fun at a party. Guests love the interactivity and the ability to create their favorite cooca concoction. Try it at a winter engagement party, a SuperBowl bash, or a birthday party.
Set out some mugs.
These celebrity-designed mugs are not only whimsical, but they also help raise money for Whatever it Takes, a charity to raise money to combat the most pressing issues of the 21st century.
Celebrity-designed mugs available at Neiman Marcus
Pillivuyt has such classic tableware. These extra large mugs are no exception — and would leave plenty of room for making the perfect cocoa creation.
Pillivuyt Eden extra large mug, available at Geary's
Make a few batches of hot chocolate.
A batch of regular hot cocoa for the base is a great place to start. This recipe for Creamy Hot Chocolate from Epicurious would be perfect. I’d recommend offering a couple of other bases, as well, like white hot chocolate or peppermint hot chocolate.
Provide some add-ins — offer both liquid and dry.
Dry:
Crumbled peppermint sticks
Marshmallows
Chocolate-covered marshmallows (like these from Bissinger’s)
I’ve always been a big fan of the “wedding wish” idea at weddings. Instead of a guest book, set out little note cards for guests to write advice, wishes, or a special memory for the bride & groom. The wishes can be dropped in a beautiful vase or other container that complements the wedding decor. While simple slips of paper would suffice, I do love Martha Stewart’s idea of creating pre-made “conversation starters” for guests to write their wishes on. Martha has made this one super easy with templates in several different colors. After the wedding, having the sweet wishes to read over and over again is far more interesting than just a book full of names!
This fun idea need not be used exclusively at weddings. Why not collect wishes at an engagement party, anniversary, or other major milestone? The “wish station” can add an interactive element to any party.
My last wedding of 2009 was one of my favorites of the entire year. Katie and Masato are a gorgeous and incredible kind couple and their wedding, which happened to fall on the first snow storm DC had seen the entire year, was absolutely amazing.
The couple got ready at Hotel Rouge in DC and then took some photos on the National Mall. A beautiful ceremony took place at All Souls Memorial Episcopal Church in DC with a reception following at the Carnegie Institution.
One of my favorite elements of the wedding was the arrangement of 1,000 origami cranes that the couple carefully and meticulously folded over the months leading up to the wedding. The result was a stunning backdrop for the cake, a focal point for the reception, and, as Japanese tradition holds, blessings for a lifetime.
Helping the bride with her stunning dress
The bride wore a beautiful wrap on the way outside to see her groom for the first time
Walking through the snowy streets of DC
The wedding party, with the girls donning gorgeous purple dresses
The bride in red snow boots. I love it!
gorgeous wreaths, created by Yellow Door florists, adorned the church doors
The married couple recesses down the aisle
Beautiful tablescapes
The Carnegie Institution came alive with beautiful lighting from Atmosphere
A beautiful moment in a beautiful space
1,000 origami cranes handmade by the couple hang from an archway
the intricate cranes
A well-rehearsed and well-executed first dance on the grand floor
I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season! My vacation ended yesterday and as such I am easing back into work and to blog posting.
This time of year is the time for lists and reflection, so it seems only fitting to look back at some of the most popular Rex & Regina posts over the last year. These popular posts reflect the three main categories regularly featured on the blog: weddings, social events, and at-home entertaining.
1. First on the list is the series dedicated to Julia Child and the release of the movie, Julie & Julia. The series included my humble review of the movie, information about Julia Child’s kitchen at the Smithsonian, Julia-themed party ideas, and other Julia resources.
"Cheers" wine gift bag, available from The Craft Pantry on Etsy
4. Napkins are a perennial topic for entertainers. This two-part series looked at eco-chic entertaining with napkins. The first post talks about the beauty and practicality of napkin rings and the second looks at just how cool cloth cocktail napkins can be.
Leontine Linens RIley Cocktail Napkins
5. Cupcakes were all the rage in 2009, but artisan chocolates were the new dark horse in sweet treats.
Fleur de Sel Chocolates from Recchiuti
6. A good host is always prepared for overnight guests and the tips in this next post provide a good checklist.
Silver Bamboo Clock from Williams-Sonoma Home
The final four popular posts on the list are all wedding-related.
7. I get a lot of questions about children at weddings — whether to invite them, how to entertain them… This post provides some helpful tips on the subject.
Photo courtesy of Karine Aigner Photography
8. Another question I regularly answer is the difference between escort and place cards — an important distinction.
Escort cards, photo courtesy of Baltazar Photography
9. Weddings are a great time to collect wishes and advice from friends and family. This post provided some creative ways to do just that.
Wish guest book; photo courtesy of CB Photography
10. A great way to extend hospitality to your wedding guests is to offer them a gift bag upon arrival at the hotel. This post outlined the elements of the ultimate gift bag.
City Out-of-Town Totes available at Blissweddingsmarket.com
I am totally crushing on the letterpress invitations and other stationery offered by Linda & Harriett, a Brooklyn-based custom letterpress house. Don’t you just love this wedding invitation?
crescendo invitation suite from Linda & Harriett
And this one?
handwriting invitation suite from Linda & Harriett
And this one?
heirloom invitation suite from Linda & Harriett
You get the idea! The designs are crisp, clever, and thoughtful, right down to the envelope liners. The rest of their work is equally impressive. What about this Save the Date that mimics a Ben & Jerry’s lid? Adorable!
Save the Date from Linda & Harriett
And this paper doll-themed birth announcement is equally charming.
paper doll baby announcement from Linda & Harriett
Just in time for the holidays, Linda & Harriett is offering some adorable holiday gift tags and other items.
moose tags from Linda & Harriett
2010 Calendar from Linda & Harriett
There’s nothing better than amazing letterpress — and these ladies have it down pat! What talent!
I am loving the look of double placemats these days. They are a nice alternative to runners while still providing a pop of color and texture to a table.
Stores are carrying double placemats more and more these days, but if you don’t see them in stock, you can always take a regular runner and turn it crosswise on the table.
I made double placemats for my Thanksgiving table last week. So easy! Standard runners are 16″ wide, but I made mine 18″ to make sure they covered the width of the charger.
Easy DIY double placemats for my Thanksgiving table
These neutral double placemats from CB2 are fabulous and would work with almost any decor.
Get your bridesmaids or girlfriends together and do one of the most “girly” things you can do: go shopping for lingerie!
