THE BRIDE'S CAFE

Meet Janie, The Lady Behind TBC

Fashion week has been so much fun and I hope you guys enjoyed all the features.  You know how at the end of every fashion show the designer comes out and takes their bow......well in true "cafe style", I thought this would be a great time to take a "bow" and introduce myself to all the wonderful TBC readers.......and ...I have been "tagged" 3 times over the past couple of months so this would be a perfect time for me to share a little 411!

1. I am from a small town in Virginia, called Kenbridge.  It reminds me of Mayberry on the Andy Griffin show and I absolutely love it! 
2. I still work my full-time job, plus I run my floral business and now I write The Bride's Cafe; and in case you're wondering....oh yes..."the girl is tired"!
3. Three years ago, I was bitten by a spider while at the flower market.... after an eight day stay in the hospital.......I had to have my finger amputated.
4. I'm a neat freak!  Constantly cleaning!
5. As you can see from the blog, I love vibrant colors....all the rooms in my home are painted a different color!
6. My favorite stores are Ann Taylor, J. Crew and Banana Republic!
7. You can find me watching the Young & The Restless and having my cup of tea each week night from 7:00 - 8:00pm...I'm a true fan!!
8. Yes.......I keep fresh flowers in my home!
9. I have the best friends and family......they are all so very supportive and I could not do all of this without them!
10. I have the best TBC readers and I thank you all for visiting the cafe each day!
11. I have to give a "shout out" to Eleise for coming up to Richmond to do my headshot, she is amazing and oh-so-sweet!  You Rock Eleise!  And a special thank you to make-up diva, Erika Nixon!  Erika can be reached at makeupondemand@comcast.net

Okay Guys, now enough about me.....check back a little later for our "regular posting" for today!!!!

Amanda & Dan: Part II

As promised, Part II of Amanda & Dan's "Chic Wedding".  The beautiful florals were designed by Donna O'Brien of Beautiful Blooms and Marie Labbancz was the amazing photographer.  Below are the "magazine worthy" photos of the ceremony and reception.  The wedding took place at Bartram's Garden in Philadelphia, PA.  Enjoy!!

Donna decorated the wrought iron gates with the most beautiful floral for the ceremony. 

Simply Stunning!

Take note guys of all the little details...so perfect!

Antique tea kettles were filled with beautiful hydrangea and lisianthus and placed on the reception tables.  How charming is this!

Amanda's mother, who is an artist, hand-sewed the beautiful table linens!

All so very beautiful and so romantic!

Donna, thank you for sharing Amanda and Dan's beautiful wedding with us today.  As always, your work is truly amazing!  Guys, please visit Donna's site to see more of her beautiful designs and thanks to Amanda & Dan!

Real Wedding: Amanda & Dan

Guys, I am so excited to have as TBC's featured guest, the beautiful and oh-so-fabulous, Donna O'Brien of Beautiful Blooms.  I have known Donna for about 3 years and her floral designs are AMAZINGLY BEAUTIFUL!  Donna's work has been featured in many of the top wedding publications and Amanda & Dan's wedding was featured in Elegant Bride, Summer 2007.  Amanda & Dan's wedding is perfect for "Fashion Week"....it has a casual feel to it, but yet, it is chic and oh-so-stylish!  It has a beautiful black and ivory color palette and to capture the magazine worthy photos is the incredible Marie Labbancz.  Below are images of the bridal party....please come back later to check out the beautiful decor of the ceremony and reception.......Enjoy!

Meet our "Style Couple", Amanda & Dan!  Don't you love Amanda's dress!

Amanda is truly a beautiful bride!

Beautiful bouquets Donna and I love the ribbon detail on the handles!

Guys, check out how stylish the the "bout", the bow tie and the pocket square all match!  Love it!

Such an elegant touch!

I love this shot of Amanda & Dan with all the beautiful floral in the background!  Now come back later guys.......trust me...you don't want to miss it!

Dave Schwartz's Fashion Shoot

As promised, our second feature on wedding publications.  Dave Schwartz stopped by the cafe this afternoon to share with us the beautiful images of his fashion photo shoot for VOW Wedding Magazine.   I asked Dave to share with us the differences of shooting the images for an editorial versus a wedding......here's what Dave had to say......

"The biggest difference between shooting an editorial vs. a wedding is the amount of people involved in making the subject look fantastic.  On an editorial shoot, you typically will have a makeup person, art director, wardrobe person, hair, etc.  There seems to be a lot more time taken at each stage of the getting ready process for an editorial.  The art director also plays a big role in the outcome of what the image and concept will look like.  You expect to hear some ideas and suggestions from the art director.  At a wedding, everything moves much faster and there is no second chance to get the perfect shot.  Moreover, direction and creation are both solely up to the strength of the photographer and creativity of the couple.  Models understand how to move and pose to make themselves look fantastic.  They have spent much time in front of the camera.  Most brides don't understand this piece of the equation.  Lastly, an editorial shoot requires much more precise lighting, typically a minimum of one camera strobe.  Therefore, it is a must to completely understand lighting, posing, etc."

Thanks Dave, now let's check out the images from the shoot!

I love this shot and the dress is beautiful!

Beautiful dresses ladies!!!

Brides Local Wedding Magazine

I am obsessed with bridal magazines.....I've truly lost count of how many I have collected over the years! The first wedding publication my designs were feature in was Brides Local Wedding Magazine (Washington and Maryland)....I was so excited to see my floral designs grace the pages and yes, I brought over 10 copies!  So before I continue, I want to give a "shout out" to the wonderful Brides Local staff and again, thank you so much!!!  I thought it would be fun for "Fashion Week" to spotlight a couple of wedding publications and get a little "411" from them.  First up is the oh-so fabulous and sweet, Kimberly Forrest, Assistant Editor of Brides Local!

TBC:  Describe Brides Local Wedding Magazine.

KF:  Our magazine has been called the "What-You-Need Where-You-Need It Wedding Magazine" and I think that accurately describes what we do.  We want to inspire brides with amazing and unique ideas, but also show them how to make those ideas a reality.  We come out in  16 different cities around the country, with unique content for each city, including local vendor listing and real weddings.

TBC:  Describe the Brides Local Wedding Magazine reader.

KF:  Our readers are ready to get started with the real nitty-gritty planning-making the calls, hiring vendors, narrowing down their vision.  We understand that there are other things in our reader's lives besides planning a wedding, so we try to provide enough information to make the process as fun and stress-free as possible.

TBC:  What advice can you share with our readers when selecting their vendors?

KF:  The most successful wedding partnerships I've seen are when brides and their vendors' personalities just click.  Whenever possible, devote enough time to your vendor search and meet as many in person as your schedule allows to see who truly shares your vision and will make it come to life.

TBC:  All brides dream of their wedding being published in a magazine...what do you, as an editor look for when selecting the beautiful weddings that are featured in Brides Local Wedding Magazine?

KF:  It's all about great photography and unique details.  We're always looking for ideas we've never seen before, and things that we know other brides will be inspired by.  For example, for one of our Boston weddings, we had a couple who supplied guests with hula hoops to play with during cocktail hour - what a creative, fun idea!  In Southern California, a couple had a mariachi band play during the cocktail hour - the guests had a great time and it showed in the photos!

TBC:  What are some of the wedding trends for 2008?

KF:  Purple is a really hot color right now - especially when paired with grey for a rich color scheme. And I'm obsessed with Two Birds Bride's convertible bridesmaid dresses - a simple-looking dress that can be worn several different ways.  Priscilla of Boston, as well as her collections Melissa Sweet and Vineyard, is a very popular designer with our brides.

In several of our markets, we're seeing a lot of restaurant weddings, which is great for an intimate event.  And having a live event artist paint a scene from your wedding during your ceremony or reception provides unique entertainment for your guests, as well as a keepsake for your home.

TBC:  What is the best part about your job?

KF:  I love talking to real brides for our "Real Weddings" section. It's so much fun to hear about their planing process and inspirations.  Brides never cease to amaze me withe their creativity and wonderful ideas!  I can't tell you how many times I've seen a beautiful program or favor and asked a bride from which high-end designer she bought it, only to find out she made it herself!  I also love discovering new vendors in the cities I cover - writing about DC is particularly fun because I lived there for two years!  Oh! And getting up close and personal with amazing gowns isn't so bad either...

TBC:  What has been the highlight of your career to date?

KF:  I was hired as an assistant editor at Brides Local last fall - I would say getting the phone call offering me this job was a true highlight!  Attending my first bridal fashion show here in New York - Elizabeth Fillmore - was another amazing moment for me!  I audibly gasped every time a new look came down the runway - I felt like a kid in a candy store!

Thanks Kimberly for stopping by the cafe and guys, make sure you pick up a copy of Brides Local Wedding Magazine in your selected state!  Now come back later to see the beautiful images from a fashion shoot from our next wedding publication.

I Dream of Cake

I am so excited about TBC's featured guest, the incredible and amazingly talented, Shinmin Li, Creator of I Dream of Cake.  Shinmin is truly an artist and her designs are just that....a work of art!  I had the pleasure of speaking with her and not only is she fabulous at what she does, she is also super nice!  Please visit her site to see some of the most beautiful cakes that you could ever dream of.......Enjoy!

TBC: What inspires you as a designer?

SL:  Like many other artists, I'm inspired by everything I see.  I see the world through cake eyes.  When I see a gown, I think cake.  When I see paper stationary, I think cake.  When I see the snowy caps of a mountain, I think cake. So I'm inspired by all the subtle nuisances in life.

TBC:  What do you consider the most memorable event of your career to date?

SL:  We created a 4' tall winter wonderland birthday cake for Gordon Getty, complete with snowy hills, a frozen lake, winter doves, snow mounds and hundreds of thousands of winter berries.  Their cake, along with 800 mini mounds served 800 guests.

TBC:  Please talk about the current trends in the cake design industry.

SL:  I do think that we are the leaders in setting cake trends.  In fact, Modern Bride presented us with a Trend Setter award.  I encourage Brides to pull in various designs that are important to their personal wedding style.  And invariably one of those inspirations is their invitation, which makes me happy because I was trained as a graphic designer. I simply love applying graphic art to my cakes.

TBC:  What are you doing to change or influence the trends in the design of wedding cakes?

SL:  Each team member of I Dream of Cake is an accomplished artist.  We use my signature methods to create not just yummy cake, but a piece of art.  We apply classic art techniques to our cakes the way an artist would approach a painting or sculpture.  We in other words, we are bringing a much higher level of artwork to cake making.

TBC: What is your favorite cake and filing and what is your most requested flavor?

SL:  Asking which flavor I like best is like asking which one of my children do I love most.  I love them all, almost equally.  The most popular flavor for weddings is Vanilla Cake with Caramel Swirl.  Our Toasted Almond Cake with Aromatic Almond Cream comes in close second.  But Chocolate Fudge Cake with Organic Raspberries is hands down the most popular birthday cake.

TBC:  Who or what do you attribute your success?

SL:  Well, it's hard to speak of one's own success.  I'm not sure if I dare call it success, however, I do attribute my passion to my art and patisserie education.  Also my parents named me Shinmin, which literally means the heart leading the mind.  So I guess I was born to be passionate and creative.

Okay Guys......let's Dream of Cake!

"Bridal Heel"...isn't this the coolest!

"Prada" Handbag!  Yes guys, it is a cake....amazing!

"True Religion Jeans"

"Kelly"...I am loving the handbags!

Simply Beautiful......."Green Spring"

Oh my gosh....how lovely is this...."Peony"

"Art Deco Hexagon"

"Beethoven"....check out the details, Shinmin you are amazing!

"Buddha"

"Chinese Fan"

"Eiffel"

"Kala"

Shinmin, thanks so much for stopping by the cafe today....your designs are amazing and this has truly been a wonderful treat....I only wish that I could be there to taste them!!!

Ines Di Santo

Happy Monday Guys!!!  It's "Fashion Week" at TBC!!!  I'm so excited and I want you to be as well, so get ready to have a whole lot of fun and totally be inspired!  To kick off "Fashion Week", I am so very honored and excited to introduce to you guys two beautiful ladies who  exude elegance, sophistication and style..........renowned fashion designer of Haute Couture Bridal and Evening Gowns, Ines Di Santo and her fabulous daughter, Veronica Di Santo.  Ines Di Santo's gowns are simply STUNNING and I must tell you, it is so hard for me to "pick a favorite".  You will see what I mean later in the feature!  I had the pleasure to speak with Veronica and I asked her a few questions about "Ines Di Santo Style"........Enjoy!

Meet the beautiful and charming......Ines Di Santo.

TBC:  Describe the "Ines Di Santo Bride"?

Veronica:  The Ines Di Santo Bride is a bride that understands and appreciates quality fabrics and bead-work, couture construction and unique design.  She is a bride that epitomizes elegance.

TBC:  What are the 3 words that describe the Ines Di Santo style?

Veronica:  Hyper-Feminine, Elegant and Classic!

TBC:  What are the key trends for the 2008 wedding season?

Veronica:   Reminiscent of the 50's and the 60's with soft fabrics and lots of movement.  In our view, the most important fashion era to date are these two decades.  This is when fashion entered into the Golden Age of Couture.  After the war, society began using fashion as an important personal expression.

TBC:  When does a bride know that she has chosen the dress that is "the one"?

Veronica:  The bride knows when the dress is "the one" when she connects with herself in the mirror and begins living out her wedding day fantasy.  When the bride engages in this organic development, we know that the dress is a serious contender.

TBC:  What has been the highlight of your career and your mother's career to date?

Veronica:  For my mom, it has been my wedding. All of the events of her career led up to this climactic moment where her designs were placed on a global stage.  These gown became the most important pieces in this current collection.  For myself, it was my wedding as well, but for different reasons.  It signaled a serious and personal commitment in being a member of the design team as all her energy and passion were poured into these style.  It was the most important and passionate collaboration for both my mother and I to date, but not the last as there is always another collection and another important bride!

TBC:  Please share some fun details about your home life.  We want to get to know you a little better.

Veronica:  When my mom was 4 years old, she begged her Dad to pick her up because it was raining and she didn't want her new shoes to get wet.  The passion and love for shoes continues in her life today - committed to high heels and short skirts...her passion for fashion has been passed down to me.  Her favorite accessory....shoes and more shoes!  My mom loves absorbing culture, art and natural beauties such as the beach, the mountains and gardens.  I enjoy traveling to exotic places, listening to classical music and playing squash!

Okay guys, now let's check out Ines Di Santo on the runway!!!!

Simply beautiful and I love the length!  So elegant and so sexy...I love it!

Simply Beautiful.........okay, now get ready for the "back view".....

how fabulous is this.........what a way to leave the room!

Simply stunning...check out the details on this gown!

I think this is my favorite....fabulous!

Okay Guys, I love them all.......let me know which one is your favorite!  A huge thanks to Ines and Veronica.....a beautiful and fun way to start off "Fashion Week".  I felt as though I was sitting in the front row at the show!

Jenny Ebert's "Detail Shots"

Hope everyone is ready for a wonderful weekend.....I'll be busy with my first wedding of the year.  I have LOTS to do, so let's get started........today is all about the beautiful "Detail Shots" by the oh-so-fabulous and oh-so-sweet, Jenny Ebert.  I love Jenny's work and I am so glad to have her back at the cafe.  Please visit her site and be prepared to stay awhile....it's loaded with beautiful inspiration for us all!  Enjoy!

I love the way they hung the "ball of hydrangea"...very cute idea!

This is such an elegant dinner table...beautiful shades of blue!

Gotta love the cupcakes!

How chic is this.....an "orchid handbag" instead of a bouquet.  The bag was designed by Barb Salzman of Hatch Creative Studio.

   

Great shot of the beading detail on the dress Jenny!

Have to get that "perfect fit"!

Guys, what a neat idea...tossing the lavender buds at the Bride & Groom.

I "wish" everyone a wonderful weekend!  Thanks Jenny for sharing your beautiful images with us today!

Brett & Steve: Part II

As promised, Part II of Brett & Steve's beautiful wedding.......the reception!  Guys, this wedding is truly "magazine worthy".  The reception decor is amazing, the floral is a work of art and all the beautiful details were captured by Victor Sizemore.  Enjoy! 

I love all the orchids and "blue tint" of the water!  Simply elegant!

Keeping with their blue color palette with the "signature drink"!

"Cheers" to the beautiful lady!

Check out the cool ice sculpture!

Simply Stunning and the lighting is awesome!

Cake designed by The Cake Studio.

Thanks Victor for sharing the beautiful images with us today, as always, you are truly AMAZING!

Real Wedding: Brett & Steve

Today's "Color Palette Thursday" feature is all about the beautiful hues of blue accented with the whites!  I love the color palette of this wedding and the beautiful story was captured by the incredible photography of Victor Sizemore.  I'll feature Brett & Steve's wedding in two parts today.  The first will be the ceremony and please come back later to see the amazing decor at the reception.  Enjoy!!

Our beautiful couple, Brett & Steve!

WOW, check out the bling!

Simply Stunning Bouquet!

He is too cute!!!

Isn't this an awesome idea guys, how cute is this!

Truly breathtaking!  So beautiful with the water in the background and all the beautiful white floral!

The incredibly amazing floral was designed by Square Root Designs.

Come back later guys for Part II!