Wannabe Brides Rejoice!

Aug 3, 2012 By gaowmichelle in Style, Weddings 1 Comment Tags: Bona Drag, Honestlywtf, Lover dress, Mara Hoffman, offbeat bride, style, wedding dress, weddings

While I was prepping to jump off the cliff and get hitched, I basically had a self-appointed full time job looking for dresses for the big day. Big ones, little ones, colored ones, fluffy ones, lacey ones, beaded ones. I probably checked the wares on Bona Drag daily (ever since I bought my very first Lover dress there for $200 less than anywhere else!) for the perfect offbeat reception dress and the most eye-catching accessories. I ended up with a Lover dress (again) for the party hardy portion of the night.

You can find the longer version here.

Lo and behold they have finally curated a Ceremonial Collection, just what a I was praying for 6 months ago! Also, did you see Honestly WTF?, they did a little something something about it too. It’s a little too late for me but not for you! Mara Hoffman finally made a wedding dress and this is what I would have worn:

Art deco (you’ll look like a walking Chrysler Building, a very pretty one), meets boho meets abso-freaking gorgeous and an open back too. She also made this heavily beaded number:

A bit too risqué (and heavy?) for my ass even though my concave non-bubbies would have been perfect for it. And what about the jewels?

This band is both affordable and understatedly cool. You want something more blinding? The wannabe Kim K’s (I think I am in this group. Sorry.) can go for this crazy contraption that will literally scream, “I AM THE COOLEST HIPSTER IN THIS COFFEE SHOP.”

{photos via Bona Drag}

Want it.

Hamptons Wedding Weekend

Jun 25, 2012 By gaowmichelle in Weddings 5 Comments Tags: Hamptons, Hamptons Wedding, Hot Tub, monique lhuillier, New York, Orchids, Pool Party, summer, Wedding Inspiration, weddings

We just got back from an epic wedding weekend in East Hampton, it kind of feels that the word “epic” is used quite often for your best friends’ weddings but in this case there really is no other word to describe it. M & D got married at the groom’s family home in East Hampton under a blue spruce tree that his parents planted at their own wedding on the property that used to stand at only 5 feet tall. Some of my favorite details of the weekend were:

monogrammed details everywhere which they designed themselves based off the irish claddaugh.

the bride had flasks made for all her groom’s best friends. each had its own personalized touch.

White orchids strung from the spruce tree.

butterflies were released during the ceremony. and one particularly sleepy one ended up on Grandma’s nose.

lights lining the long driveway.

the tennis court was transformed into a ballroom thanks to a tent with chandeliers. and of course the bride stunned in monique lhuillier.

the late night pool party. I believe we set a record in filling that little hot tub.

City Hall Wedding

Jun 15, 2012 By gaowmichelle in Weddings No Comments Tags: City Hall, Eleven Madison Park, inspiration, Marchesa, New York City, style

It’s been just over a month since I got married and while I’m elated that the big show is over, I can not help but wander onto the wedding websites I used to frequent and think of what I would have done differently. When we went down to city hall to get our marriage license there was a mad mix of couples: ones like us who were just getting their license and others who were actually getting married and even a few very pregnant ladies in white (#nycspecial). I love the idea of being so pared down with the whole affair. Would you get hitched at city hall? This photographer camped outside and grabbed some newlyweds on their Big Day.

Our wedding redux would look like this: Up early to beat the lines at City Hall but not before breakfast at Cafe Cluny which is romantic at any time of the day or night. Hop on the A train downtown in my wedding dress and look very chic while buying a pre-fab bouquet from the kiosk inside.

My Marchesa dress will just kiss the floor. After we make it official, hop back on the train and head uptown for a celebratory champagne lunch at Eleven Madison Park. Lunch will be decadent so apres-meal it would be late afternoon nap time at our suite in the Lafayette House. And then we lived happily ever after.