More Details from our Chanel-inspired wedding shoot…

Some of my very favorite details from our Chanel wedding inspiration shoot included the bridal and bridesmaid accessories. The white enamel and gold bangles, the Kenneth Jay Lane oversize flower ring, gloves, lace tights and the big floral headpieces injected the ‘wow factor’ into the bridal and bridesmaid looks. That is precisely why I love styling brides – it truly is an art, and you have to have a well honed sense of balance, taste, color and proportion to get it just right. Every new outfit I set out to create for this shoot felt like an exhilarating new challenge… especially since the store that originally promised us pieces for the bridesmaids fell through a day before and I picked out all new the pieces seen in the shoot in an hour.

Doing a wedding shoot like this once again reminded me that beauty really is all around, and I am so grateful to have a career that I am deeply passionate about. Hope you have enjoyed all the eye candy. Until next time…

XO,

Yelena Johnson

Creative Director & Principal Consultant, The Stylish Soiree

Vendor Credits: Styling, planning & design development: Yelena Johnson, The Stylish Soiree / Photography: Allison & Kyle Richter of Studio 28 Photo / Floral Design: Carissa Jones, JL Designs & Events / Paper Goods: Calligraphy Katrina and Maison du Papier / Hair & Makeup: Dedra Whitt / Venue: Brookside Equestrian Center, Walnut, CA; Contact Lisa Walton-Cortes / Wedding Dresses: L’ezu Atelier in Beverly Hills, CA; Contact Patricia Nevil / Dresses Used in Shoot (from L’ezu): Acqua di Rosa (blush silk gown with chiffon detail at neck), Acqua di Giglio (silk with chiffon overlay, one shoulder and black pearl/floral details), Alonso (short dress) / Rentals: Party Rental King; white ladderback chairs, mirror and black French glass chargers / Linens: Wildflower Linens

Chanel Inspired Wedding Featured on Style Me Pretty

I’m so excited to announce that the Chanel-inspired wedding I styled & designed with Studio 28 Photo and JL Designs has been featured on my absolute favorite wedding blog, Style Me Pretty. The shoot was inspired by the Chanel Spring 2010 RTW runway collection and was such a dream to style and design.

What I loved most about styling for this photo shoot was that we incorporated both high end and low end fashion into each look yet it all looks incredibly luxe and chic – you can’t tell which pieces are from Forever21 versus Marc Jacobs, which jewelry is real and which is costume. I wanted to pull together this wedding photo shoot to help illustrate the value of good styling and hiring a wedding planner with an eye for fashion. My ideal clients are women drawn to beauty, taste and stylish design, and I hope that that this Chanel-inspired shoot speaks to their sense of aesthetics. Enjoy!

Vendor Credits: Styling, planning & design development: Yelena Johnson, The Stylish Soiree / Photography: Allison & Kyle Richter of Studio 28 Photo / Floral Design: Carissa Jones, JL Designs & Events / Paper Goods: Calligraphy Katrina and Maison du Papier / Hair & Makeup: Dedra Whitt / Venue: Brookside Equestrian Center, Walnut, CA; Contact Lisa Walton-Cortes / Wedding Dresses: L’ezu Atelier in Beverly Hills, CA; Contact Patricia Nevil / Dresses Used in Shoot (from L’ezu): Acqua di Rosa (blush silk gown with chiffon detail at neck), Acqua di Giglio (silk with chiffon overlay, one shoulder and black pearl/floral details), Alonso (short dress) / Rentals: Party Rental King; white ladderback chairs, mirror and black French glass chargers / Linens: Wildflower Linens

Wedding Dress Shopping Tip 2: Budgeting Part 2

image via Blue Orchid Blog

If there is one piece of advice I could impart on future style-obsessed brides, it would be this – find a dress you love. Then, find a way to make the dream dress a reality. ‘Making it a reality’ does not mean breaking your budget – it just means that you should be resourceful and have to have patience until the perfect opportunity and price point comes along.

Three of the best ways to make a pricey dream dress fit into your budget are:

1. Shopping Wedding Dress Trunk Shows

2. Shopping Wedding Dress Sample Sales

3. Shopping Second Hand Wedding Dresses

Shopping Wedding Dress Trunk Shows

The lowdown: During a trunk show, the designer brings their entire latest wedding dress collection into a store, along with a representative from the company – who is sometimes even the designer of the gowns – to consult with brides on which dress suits them best.

Why Wedding Dress Trunk Shows Save: Trunk shows are great on many levels – first and foremost, the bride has a chance to see the entire collection, which she would usually have to hunt around multiple cities to find. Secondly, the designer or representative is on hand and can let you know which alterations would be possible, or if you can make a semi-custom gown by combining elements from multiple designs. Many times they even do these changes free of charge, or for a minimal fee, which can be a huge saving.

The biggest savings at a trunk show, however, come from the 10 – 15% customary discount on the dresses during the week of the show. If you are in love with a dress but it’s out of your budget, let the representative know – they have a certain amount of power and flexibility in the pricing, and most would love to help a bride afford her dream dress.

Keep In Mind: Though you can land your dream dress at a discount during a trunk show, the maximum discount is usually 15%. So if the dress is far out of your budget, consider shopping wedding dress sample sales or buying an already worn gown.

The Stylish Soiree: Focus on Style

Etsy designer Sarah Seven pairs timeless style with trend for a thoroughly modern look that stands the test of time.

I’ve decided to shift the focus of The Stylish Soiree blog a bit to hone in on what truly sets us apart from other Los Angeles event planners – our styling service. Wedding fashion is a very personal expression, and I feel that one of the most important things a bride can do to make her wedding memorable is to really pay attention to her style. By ‘style’ I am referring to the term in the sense of permanent, timeless appeal as opposed to fleeting trendiness.

Trading Trends for Timelessness

Much the way that Audrey Hepburn’s elegance transcends eras, brides should carefully build their wedding day ensemble to reflect their personality without sacrificing timelessness. Gigantic hair flowers the size of a bride’s head (fastened 70’s style around the crown of the head, no less) make lovely editorial statements – but chances are, twenty years from now your kids will be snickering (lovingly, of course!) at your choice of wedding accessory.

There is, however, a balance between incorporating trends you love with a look that will never be stale. Choosing a dress that has both classic elements and a touch of trend is a great way to strike that balance, as is incorporating fashion-forward accessories that aren’t too over-the-top.

Put Your Wedding Dress To the Test

My favorite “Test of Timelessness” involves asking yourself 4 questions:

1. Would this ensemble have looked beautiful in the forties or fifties? (The tailoring, fit and fashion of these decades will always be classic)

2. Would this ensemble have been in style last year? (If it wasn’t in style yet, chances are it’s a trend!)

3. Will this ensemble look out of place ten years from now? (Be honest with yourself! I’m sure plenty of 80s brides could have guessed that future dresses will not all have ginormous poofy sleeves from then until eternity).

4. The most important question of all: Does this ensemble fit me perfectly and flatter all my best assets while forgiving my not-so-favorable spots? (True classics should look like they were made for you, regardless of the trends they encompass)

If your wedding dress passes the above test, chances are it is a fabulous choice. I’m a firm believer that classic fashion can also incorporate trends, as long as they are not over-the-top.  Sometimes even one over-the-top element, such as a huge architectural bow, or a chiffon-covered one-shoulder strap are still fantastic choices if they accent the bride’s best qualities. But buying a trendy dress for the sake of being trendy is not the best way to choose a gown, and will inevitably lead to “what was I thinking?!” regrets years down the road.

*Photo Credit: Sarah Seven, “With All My Love” gown, $1,210 on Etsy

Stylish Alternative Bridesmaid Dress

I love the simple elegance of this delicate Calvin Klein frock, and think it would make the perfect stylish alternative to a bridesmaid dress.  The knee-length, body-hugging cut is made demure by the layers of featherweight organza, keeping it young, fresh and feminine. The platinum color reads like a dove gray or steely lavender, making it versatile for so many beautiful color palettes.

Plus, unlike clingy satin bridesmaid dresses, this one won’t highlight lumps and bumps. It really is the best of both worlds – a slimming, fitted shape with a little extra fabric that skims over imperfections to give your bridesmaids a stylish, put-together look for the big day. Now what could be better than that?

Not much, which is why this bridesmaid dress gets two thumbs up from a picky stylehound like ourselves.

Dress by Calvin Klein, $198 via Nordstrom.com

P.S. We love the fabulous possibilities of the perfect ensemble. With Stylish Soiree’s full event planning package, we offer unlimited personal styling from a seasoned fashioned editor, so you can look your absolute best on the big day.