A Little History Lesson

For those of you that had a problem paying attention to history lessons in high school, we have a whole new history subject you are sure to enjoy: the history of jewelry. It would be invidious to attempt to pick out “the best” or “the greatest” designer of the 20th Century. Those like Paul Flato and Van Cleef & Arpels (shown below) were all great within the context of their time.

In the 1930’s, Suzanne Belperron and René Boivin ignored the Art Deco aesthetic and created designs reflecting modernism almost entirely. Paul Flato, Trabert and Hoeffer were busy producing fantasy jewels in Hollywood. The style that had been prevalent prior to the first World War – the “Garland Style” – curvilinear, naturalistic and representational – gave way to more abstract designs.

In the early 1940's big and bold took over jewelry trends, but toward the end of the decade Christian Dior’s “New look” of 1947 saw a return to femininity. Jewels, to complement the new fashions became softer. Braids, ropes and tassels typified the look of the 1950’s. Platinum was re-introduced and gained instant popularity. Verdura and Schlumberger in New York produced wonderful naturalistic jewels but perhaps no jeweler embodied the spirit of the 1950’s more than Pierre Sterlé working in Paris, using textured gold to great effect.

By the 1960's the idea of a single trend seemed to fade and a variety of styles, themes and textures began to emerge. Italian jewelers began to gain recognition and became a dominating force against French designers. A little jeweler you may have heard of, Tiffany & Co, in New York, also began to make a name for itself by promoting new up and coming designers.

Check out some samples of jewelry from decades ago below. Is it not remarkable how many of their shapes and styles are still relevant today?

Top Row (left to right): Left: 1930's model wearing the machine age Art Deco look. Center: An exquisite piece made from platinum and aquamarine that leads to the more modernistic designs of Paul Flato. Right: A 1920's model is showing off an incredible diamond and platinum bangle plus a rhinestone ring.
Middle Row: starts with a clip on pair of earrings from 1940 Pulforcat - considered extremely modernistic. On the far right is a "1940's model look sporting large accessories similar to the look and feel of styles popular today, both are originals from Paul Flato.
Bottom Row: Far left model is wearing platinum and gold bracelets as well as diamond bow earrings

Get Inspired!: Complementary Pairs

Color makes a wedding. And choosing the right colors for your big day is an art in and of itself. One of our favorite color combos for 2009 is the blend of Navy and Fuchsia. The two colors complement each other so perfectly that finding elements to mix and match for your attire, table design and room decor is so very simple. Whether you are planning an elegant formal affair or a garden wedding the midst of spring, these two colors work well no matter the time, day or season.

Theme: Fusion and Fuchsia
Colors: Navy and Fuchsia


Top Row: Magenta silk charmeuse gown from Lazaro; Bouquet featured at banquetevent.com; Image by Chris Sollart Photography; Babydoll by Victoria's Secret
Second Row: Bridesmaid gown by Occasions by Mon Cheri; Image by Decisive Moments Photojournalists; Just Married letters from Glitter Me; Table linens by BBJ Linens
Third Row: Wedding gown by Badgley Mischka bride; Invitations by the Happy Envelope; Polka dot blue flower girl dress from Cutie Clothes; Room and table design by Preston Bailey
Bottom Row: Pink Vodka cocktail; Something Blue dinnerware from Pottery Barn; Clinique Happy In Bloom available at Macy's

He Said & She Said: The Bachelor Plans the Bachelorette Party

By Vinh Chung and Jolene Jang
Guest Bloggers

He said: What is the proper etiquette for planning a bachelorette party? Is it wrong for the bachelor to initiate a bachelorette party? Well, my boys put together an unforgettable bachelor party in January. One of the guys in the group is a high roller who gambles in the six digit range, so most of the expenses incurred at the Palazzo and Venetian were comped. Never have I had such VIP treatment, ranging from fine dining at Delmonico and Sushisamba to clubbing at Lavo to the massages at the Canyon Ranch Spa. We also had a few extracurricular activities, but there is no need to share them.

In any case, I wanted Jolene, my fiancée, to have a grand experience. Towards the end of January, I took matters into my own hands. I casually asked Jolene who she would invite, if she had a party. With these names, I opened her Outlook contacts and made some calls. It was a challenge getting everyone’s schedule to sync, but after a long exchange of emails, we found a weekend that worked. I made reservations for Vegas and the plan was underway.

To keep Jolene in the dark, I collaborated with her out-of-town friend MJ to setup misdirection. We had MJ tell Jolene to clear the weekend that she needed to be picked up at the airport; MJ told Jolene they would have a local party. Jolene is pretty thorough, so we made sure to give her a real arrival flight that coincided with the departure in case she checked. It was fortunate that she had a doctor’s appointment earlier that morning, so I had time to pack her things and pick up the rest of the crew.

She said: It didn’t occur to me to have a bachelorette party. I suppose it is not the job of the bride, but the role of girlfriends to set it up. My mother said that ladies didn’t have bachelorette parties in her day. I got a call from MJ asking if I wanted help in planning my bachelorette party. I was just grateful and excited to have a bachelorette party.



Come Friday, I hopped online to check MJ’s flight status before heading off for my doctor’s appointment. When I got to the airport, MJ called and said she needed help with her luggage, describing the sky-bridge and door she was at.



I had no clue that she was actually calling from Phoenix; tricky, tricky. When I walked in the baggage claim area, I was stunned to see six familiar faces wrapped in red boas and holding a banner that said, “It’s about time, Jolene. Let’s celebrate!” I was presented with a white boa and matching veil and wedding bouquet. My future mother-in-law, mom, aunt, friend fiancé, and dad managed to completely surprise me. Wow, shocker!



He said: Jolene mentioned that she wanted her mom to be at the Bachelorette party because they are close. I thought that if we also invited her aunt, they can hang out together in case the younger gals take on more risqué activities. They suggested we add my mom to the roster. Since none of them had their own bachelorette party, I thought it would be fitting to have them experience one. We arrived at the airport 20 minutes before Jolene and got into position. We called MJ and described the surrounding in detail so she could be convincing when talking to Jolene. Curious bystanders were recruited to be our eyes. They saw Jolene pull up and queued the camera to roll.

She said: The party commenced after we boarded the plane. MJ drove to Vegas from Phoenix and JI (my other friend from Seattle) flew in later. We checked into the beautiful Bella suite at the Venetian, ready to hit the town. Like all bachelor and bachelorette parties, some details will be omitted. However, trip highlights can be seen below. Mission accomplished. I’m lucky in love!

We had a lovely time being silly. My mother, mother-n-law and aunt were "funnin' it up."

Wish Upon A Tu-Tu Fairy

The very definition of a Kodak moment has to be seeing little girls in tutus...especially coming down the aisle at your wedding. All together now....."ahhhhh." While a little girl in a tu-tu may be a scene-stealer, it's also a detail you can add to your wedding that everyone will remember. Plus, you'll be giving your little flower girl the opportunity to feel like Tinkerbell for the day, and what little girl wouldn't want that?


There are an amazing amount of choices available if you want to add this adorable touch to your wedding. Here are a few places we found that offer a nice variety of tutus for your little princesses:

bigfatbabyshop.com
TuTuCuteBaby.etsy.com
tutu-bella.com
thetutucloset.com
poshtots.com

We Think You'll Love...

We think you'll love these jewels and bedazzles from the bridal collection by Tarina Tarantino.
Tarina Tarantino was founded in 1995 by Tarina Tarantino and Alfonso Campos. The 1990's were the height of minimalism in the fashion world. Accessories were almost non existent in the pages of fashion magazines and stores. Their colorful and inventive designs were a breath of fresh air for customers that were tired of blending into the fashion landscape. Now celebrities like Heidi Klum, Jennifer Garner, Cameron Diaz, Jennifer Lopez and Paris Hilton have worn deisgns by Tarina Tarantino.

We are especially in love with their ultra feminine bridal collection. Check out some of our favs below.

He Said: Couples Compatibility Test - Where Is My Easy Button?

Posted By Vinh Chung

~ Guest Blogger

Wouldn’t it be great if we had some way to assess whether we are a good fit to the person we just started dating? Considering on average how much time and money (not to mention head aches) go into failed relationships, some of us would probably be millionaires by now with a new found skill or talent from the relocation of free time. Well, in Eastern Asian cultures, it is a common practice (at least for my parent’s generation) to consult with an astrologist when there is a hint of marriage in the relationship.

From my understanding of Chinese astrology, your identity and destiny are influenced by the time of your birth; analogous to Brazilian new born whose fathers choose the soccer team they root for. Most of you are aware of the twelve Chinese Zodiac animals. Combinations with the five elements (fire, wood, earth, metal, and water) they complete a 60-year cycle. What is lesser known are the inner animals represented by the 12 months and the secret animals for hours of the day. So for each person, there are (12 x 5 x 12 x 12) 8,640 combinations of animals and elements, wow! To a certain extent, you can shape your fortune or destiny by adjusting your surroundings (the practice of Feng Shui) and choosing who you spend significant time with. You would choose to do so because your fortune changes from year to year as your Zodiac animals interact with the animal of the current year, bringing you good, bad or indifferent luck.

The majority of traditional Asians do not dwell on how to “manipulate” their fortune on a day-by-day basis. Rather, they seek astrological readings for major life events. An industry has been built around astrological readings, from online sites (such as firepig.com and chinese.astrology.com) to services that send daily horoscopes to your cell phone via text messages. But for major events, an in-person reading is usually preferred.

Back in 2004, Jolene and I had our fortune read and compatibility assessed. We were in San Jose, California for my cousin’s wedding and coincidentally so was my mother’s family friend (a well known astrologist from Vietnam). It was my first in-person reading though my mom has had many readings from her friend. My mom isn’t the only one who is convinced of her friend’s gift. Vietnamese Americans have flown my mom’s friend from her home in Vietnam to America to perform these readings; usually it is for a big business transactions or other large investment like buying a home.

Even with the high regard for the astrologist’s ability, I went into it as a casual observer. We all sat down at a round kitchen table with a set of tea cups and pot and proceeded with small talk. The astrologist commented on what a fine adult I turned out to be since she last saw me when I was just five years old in Vietnam. I introduced Jolene to her and she gave us more praises.

My preconception of what this reading was way off. Though we sat at a round table, we didn’t link hands. It was in a brightly lit room. No ominous chants; nothing like in the movies. However, as the session went on, an eerie feeling set over me as she disclosed things I had not shared with anyone. Her descriptions of Jolene, me and our relationship regarding things in the past and present were spot on; keep in mind this was the first time she met Jolene. Since she did not speak English and my Vietnamese was shabby at best, my cousins translated. Some of the personal items she shared made me feel a bit embarrassed to have my cousins present.

After the session was over, I was flabbergasted, but glad that we had a positive reading for our relationship… relatively speaking. Normally, an ox and tiger is the worst combination because tigers tend to eat oxen. Thankfully when our elements, inner and secret animals are considered, Jolene and I are about 60% compatible; 10-15% better than the national divorce rate. I regard this as the best possible outcome. If it was down in the 30% range, we would have been depressed and probably reflect back to this session each time the relationship gets heated. If it was +80% we might not try as hard and thus may end up having a similar outcome as with a low score.

The reading was done almost five years ago. Her predictions were correct. Does this mean I’m a believer now? Not quite. I’m still on the fence until more substantial events come true. There was a subsequent astrological reading to determine the “lucky” wedding dates, but I’ll save that for another time.

Question of the day: If you knew your relationship was doomed to fail, would you still plow ahead and try to make the best of it?

Get Inspired! What Is Old Can Be New Again

There is something magical about designing a wedding around the elements of the past. Somehow it brings a love story full circle by remember how your grandparents and great-grandparents fell in love and created their life together. After all, it was because of them that you are here in the first place. A vintage wedding is soft, sweet and romantic and we never tire of the endless possibilities in design you can be inspired by. Here is an inspiration board to get you started.

Theme: A Vintage Wedding
Colors: Blush, Silver and Ivory Pearl


Top Row: Vintage shoes from Haberdashery Boutique; Cake topper by Studio d. Sharp; Blush wedding gown available at Victoria's Bridal Couture; Cake by Celebrity Cake Studio
Second Row: Vintage handbag from Perfect Details; Vintage birdcage gift tags from Digital Paperie; Calligraphy wedding invitation from Calligraphy Lady
Third Row: Waterford Ballet Ribbon fine china available at Macy's; Pink Peony bouquet via Wedding Ideas For Kerry; Personalized stationary from Documents and Designs; Vintage men's suit in ivory with a blush tie
Bottom Row: Vintage cars via Christ Church Daily; Vintage marriage certificate via Discounted Wedding Rings; Vintage ring bearer pillow from Paperhill's Shop

She Said: The Vietnamese Reception Dilemma – Suggestions?

By Jolene Jang

~ Guest Blogger

Have you heard of the Chinese restaurant called O’Asian? “Swankola,” this downtown Seattle restaurant has up lighting, stainless steel accents, cherry wood with white leather chairs and tables and stylish dishware – not your average Chinese Restaurant.

Vinh and I both dig dimsum, which is the Chinese version of American Brunch. You can get this special lunch time food on the weekends between 11-2pm at certain restaurants. The wait staff push around metal carts of steamed food with little plates of three items each meant to share at the table. It’s yummy.

Who likes instant gratification? As the cart moves past you, you can point to what you want and eat it now. It’s a bit like sampling food at Costco, but it is better and bigger portions, but still tasters. Since my fiance and I love dimsum so much, it seems like the obvious choice for dinner at our Vietnamese reception. Because we are a party of 50-60, we will need to have dimsum in a buffet style.

So what’s the problem? The mother of the bride wants a plated dinner with fancy, traditional food. With the relatives who are visiting, she is concerned that a plane ride deserves a seven course traditional meal.

We are not sure what do? For taste I choose dimsum, hands down. In my opinion, the other Vietnamese options for food are not tasty or convenient to eat (for example, I like to have my chicken skinless, boneless, cut up and place in my mouth for me. I work all day long, please don’t make me work at my food too. Plus, you can choose what you want to eat without feeling embarrassed for not trying everything or finishing what’s on your plate.

The friends I am inviting may be frightened or feel awkward by the tentacles, eyeballs, feet and other parts sticking out at them. I don’t want them walking away from our Vietnamese reception fixated on “what do you do when you are scared of the food?”

We also have time constraints. We need to be gone by 2:30 p.m. A wedding reception that is 1.5 hours is pretty snappy. It could be do-able with bite size buffet style food that is ready when we arrive, but a 7 course meal just doesn't seem to fit with our timeline.

Question of the day: How do we find the compromise between what we want to serve as the meal, and respecting the wishes of the Mother-of-the-bride? Does a compromise exist? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

Western Washington Bridal Events

Lucky in Love is looking for your bridal events! From trunk shows to open houses to wedding shows, send us an email to tipsntrends@banquetevent.com and we'll be sure to post them. Not in the Seattle area? No problem. We have readers from all over the country. So send us your events too!

Art For The Lapel

The boutonniere can sometimes appear to be the afterthought in floral considerations for the wedding and we say that's a BIG mistake. We've put together some of our favorite boutonnieres to show off how bold and striking this little sprig of color and texture can make to a great suit or tux. This is what we call real flower power! This simple, yet artistic accessory on a man gives him just the right amount of softness without losing any masculinity. There will be tons of photos of the two of you, so make sure you account for even the smallest of details.


In the winter edition of New York Magazine, some fabulous ideas for wedding boutonnieres were showcased and we just had to share them with you. The only trouble is, we can't pick our favorite. Can you?





Click here to view the details on the designers of each arrangement and also the prices.

We're So "Lucky" To Have You

More Flower Girl Dresses You'll Love

One of our recent finds is a great website for finding the most adorable flower girl dresses imaginable, cutieclothes.com. This site is very rich with an exceptional variety of styles, from very traditional to more contemporary, and also offers options for all ages from baby dresses and outfits to pre-teen sizing. They offer over 500 different options at very affordable prices. Here are a few we thought would provide a peak at their variety. In this day of economic tightening - check out their 74% off section as well for some great buys!

She Said: 3 Important Events In 3 Months And 3 People To Please!

By Jolene Jang
~ Guest Blogger

Traditionally, the bride defines the wedding and all that is related, from the venue, theme, invitation, menu, and so forth. It’s great to get your way with everything; however the consequence is having all the stress that comes from being the main person managing the activities. So I welcomed my fiancé’s offer to take on his share of the wedding planning aspects. That is, until I learned that he wanted a destination wedding via cruise ship.

When I first heard about this I was hoping he was saying it on a whim. I soon learned that this has been a lifelong dream of his. He assured me this is the way to go and backed it up with his logical rationales. Personally, my take on destination weddings is someone else plans it and after the trip, you leave all the memories in some foreign location…not what I had in mind for my wedding. The main problem is it restricts the attendance financially. I pictured my wedding celebration to be a big party with many of my friends, families, and colleagues. Realistically, how many people would be able to take 7 days off and cough up the cash for the travel expenses? Close family members don’t have a choice (however, most of my families are retired anyways), but it’s too much to ask of our friends and colleagues.

So my options were...

• Find another man
• Chip away at him to change his mind
• Make sure we have a big party reception at the home front

Option “a” is a lot more work, seeing how we already have joint accounts and own a house together. Plus, it would be difficult to meet someone with my level of work ethic, yet who is also fun. I forgot to mention, my complimentary services I would lose, like gourmet dinners, photo and video shoots, on-call techie, maintenance and cosmetician. Efficiency is high on my list of values, so option “a” is crossed off.

Option “b” would take strategic planning and a tremendous amount of effort on my part to reprogram him (something you don’t want to do regardless). When I googled for a solution and posted a question on social network sites, I was unable to find adequate solutions.

Option “c” is the answer by process of elimination. We like fun festivities and so the more the merry. It’s the “his” and “hers” events. Everyone wins.

But just when you think the situation is resolved, fate throws you another curve ball; enters stage left …the mother-in-law.


For Vinh’s mom, this is a really important event in the Vietnamese culture. It is her eldest son being wedded off. This signifies a transition to independence and the son would typically move out and get a place of his own with the new bride. Though in Vietnam, for families who are not as well off, the new wifie would move into the husband’s family’s house with his parents and possibly other relatives like the grandparents and siblings. Everyone is delighted because… yup, you guessed it … an extra pair hands to cater to the men of the families. Hahaha, good one. Ain’t going to happen with an Americanized gal, I’ll tell you that much.

Fortunately, this isn’t the case with my fiancé’s family. However, Vinh’s mom insisted that we have the traditional Vietnamese tea ceremony before anything else. Further this ceremony has to take place on a specific date and at a specific time (more on this in future blogs)! As for my folks, they know me well enough to support my decisions. No pulling rank here; not with the independent thinking they have instilled in me. My folks appreciate tradition, but are always out to have fun. At the same time, they fully support Vinh’s folks in following what traditions are necessary to ensure a happy marriage for Vinh and me. How can you argue with that??!!

As I look at my calendar for the next three months, I have major events besides our wedding with my Fun Specialist Business. I feel a bit faint at the thought of it all; fortunately my 5’ 1” figure won’t result in serious injuries from the fall. How will my fiancé and I execute all of this? I don’t know at this point, but I do believe utilizing technology will be a key component. It is serious crunch time!

Here is our timeline of major wedding related events. We have the dates and the vision, but are lacking the contracts in hand. We would appreciate any comments or suggestions to help solidify our plans. Timeline for the 3 wedding events:

• March 20, Friday, Vietnamese Ceremony in family homes, reception at O’Asian Restaurant
• April 26, Sunday Cruise Destination Wedding, Mexican Riviera, Venue in Puerto Vallarta TBA
• May 9, Saturday Westernized Reception (The Party), Venue in Greater Seattle TBA

Question of the day: Like many bank-roll-challenged wedding couples, we are price conscious. Pitch in your nine cents and share with us your best ways to cut costs and save a penny or two. Your ideas and suggestions are much appreciated. Post them in the comments section below.

Get Inspired!: 007

Weddings are not just about women. After all, without the men in our lives, there would be no reason to throw a big shindig like a wedding in the first place. So, there is also no reason at all the men should not have a say in the design and execution of the wedding theme. So if your man has a mind of his own and wants to express it in the wedding too, we have the perfect wedding theme and inspiration board for you. Meet Bond...James Bond.

We love the idea of a 007 inspired wedding theme. After all, is there anything more sexy and sheik than Bond? And what is Bond without his Bond girl? (That being you of course). So fasten your seat belts for this ultra sleek wedding theme. It's going to be one helluva ride.

Theme: 007 - James Bond
Colors: Black, White and Yellow


Top Row: Cake by Cake Girls; Aston Martin image via All Cars; Classic men's tuxedo at Neiman Marcus; Tuxedo style lingerie from Victoria's Secret
Second Row: Invitations from eInvite; Sleek photography from Jennifer Skog Photography; Omega watch from Bond Lifestyle; Wedding gown by Max Chaoul Couture
Third Row: Table design by Legima Events; Mini Acrylic cocktail shakers from Beau-Coup
Bottom Row: Vesper Martini; Tulalip Casino Gallery Lounge

He Said: Pre-Wedding Confessions – Are you married yet?

Posted By Vinh Chung
~ Guest Blogger

Gone are the customs of our parents that required a wedding ceremony before moving in together. My fiancé and I are among the growing demographics of couples living together before saying our vows. We kind of did things out of order… opened a joint account, bought a house together…no kids yet.

This would be unheard of for our parents’ generation. It would have involved running away and starting a new life elsewhere. Had the news broke, they would have been written out of the will and disowned, assuming they were successful at dodging bullets.

Even for our generation, being financially joined before marriage sounds like a risky proposition to undertake, but we have been together for over nine years. In that vein, we knew we would have another 65 years together and decided to prolong the formalities for the advancement of our careers as well as having the appropriate funds and contacts to execute our dream wedding. Mid 2008, we concluded that 2009 will be the year to end the question of, “Are you married yet?” After all I proposed to her in 2005. You know it’s time to get married when most of your friends are on their fourth child. Gee-whiz! How the heck will we catch up?

I’ve always envisioned having a cruise ship wedding. I arrived at this conclusion from all the shortcomings of a typical western wedding. You spend a whole year (ideally) planning for an event that transpires over a single day. In the span of 8-10 hours you are rushed from one location to the next, from pictures to vows to the reception. Many of my friends said they were too stressed out and exhausted to enjoy their wedding. We often joke that it’s supposed to be this way to deter us from doing it again. Having a science and engineering mind, I deducted that if you spread these activities over a longer period of time, you should be able to maximize the depth of conversation from “Congratulations, we wish you well” to actually hanging out with your guests.

On a cruise ship, everything is taken care for you; all the great food you can stuff in your belly, plenty of activities and entertainment and exploration at the ports. Blanket a wedding over a 7-day cruise, everyone can take their time to bond, enjoy themselves, and partake in the festivities. Unfortunately, like many principles and theories in science that are simplified to reflect an absolute truth, I soon learned my narrow understanding of a cruise wedding is far removed from multitude of considerations existing in our complex lives. I had to also accept the fact that as much as I want to call the shots, the executive team are the ladies of the family; my fiancé and moms. I still participate in debates to exert what little weight I can muster. We have determined there will be three parts to our wedding to accommodate the three couples (us and our parents).

• Vietnamese tea ceremony and reception
• Cruise Wedding in the Mexican Riviera
• American “Party” Reception

Please join my fiancé and me, in our guffaws as we share with you our faux pas. We will have helpful tips and take-aways to accomplish this ambitious undertaking. Just in case you too need to cram, we will share with you our experience. Because blogging is a two way street, we will also solicit your help to address our predicaments as these events unfold.

Help! Jolene and Vinh Are Planning Their Wedding & Need Your Help

We are so very excited to introduce you to a local (Seattle) couple planning a wedding for this spring, Jolene and Vinh. Jolene is your typical, everyday Japanese, Chinese, Swedish, balloon-twisting, swing dancing, karaoke singing, Fun Specialist. She produces interactive meetings where employees get involved and motivated to do their work. At his core, Vinh is an efficiency finder and problem solver and is from a family of all engineers with multiple advanced degrees. His mind thinks of ways to improve processes, devise solutions, or extract value from things overlooked.

So the question is, how does an engineer meet and fall in love with a fun specialist?

For starters, they both share the love for learning and have a tenacious appetite for new experiences. They share a passion for travel, anthropology and community service and we're pretty much sure that makes them one of the coolest couples around.

So now, here they are, ready to plan their wedding, or weddings we should say, since Jolene and Vinh are planning on traditional Vietnamese wedding, one destination wedding and one at-home, full-out American wedding reception bash...

And this is where you come in. Every Tuesday and Thursday, Jolene and Vinh will be guest blogging, right here at Lucky In Love. They will be offering both the female and male perspectives of planning a wedding and they will share with you some of the ins and outs of planning their three events and in turn will rely on you for your advice and expertise. After all, it is February and they are planning on a spring 2009 wedding, so all the help and advice they can get from you will make this whole process so much easier.

Check back later today for their first post and be sure to follow along and Jolene and Vinh plan the wedding of their dreams!

Rain, Rain Come Again

For Christmas this year I received one of the best gifts I've ever been given....Rain Boots. I have been a Seattleite my whole life, and yes, yes, everyone knows it rains here practically more than the rain forest itself. But for my whole life, I have never owned a pair rain boots. If you are from Seattle or know someone who is, you know that Seattleites have just learned to deal with the rain. We hardly ever use umbrellas and most of us have given up on straightening our hair because the second we step outside our perfectly styled hair frizzes and frays like we never styled it at all.

But I have to tell you. These rain boots are fabulous! I can trounce around in the puddles and the hem of my pants never get wet. Why have I never had these before???? Especially when rain boots are so cute. Check out some of our favorite designs below.


Above: Rain boots by Sperry Top Sider. Also available at Nordstrom.


Above: Rain boots available at J Crew.

Above: Hunter boots available at Nordstrom in multi-color options


Above: Huge selection of Chooka boots are available at Nordstrom

More "Trashed" Wedding Photography

After our post on Monday about a new trend toward trashing the gown, a local bride, Jolene Jang, sent us her "trashed" portraits. (Although from the looks of these images, they are anything but). Thanks Jolene for sharing!

Get Inspired!: Think Pink

Now this is how to "Think Pink" for your wedding! With so many beautifully pink bridal elements to choose from, why not go all the way and make everything pink! We felt the delicate inspiration of French couture works best with a "Think Pink" wedding, so here are a few choices to help you tap the spirit.

Theme: Think Pink!
Colors: Pink, Pink and more Pink!


Top Left Row: Inspired by a black crystal chandelier and draped walls - French inspired reception setting

Top Row Middle: Soft French inspired shoe by Andy Maloles and next to them with a back bow to create the mood, pink satin by Badgley Mischka.

Top Right: Peonies and more peonies in white and shades of pink. This is the flower of choice for the hottest floral trend in weddings for 2009.

Center: The cake is a confectionery wonder inspired again by the French macaroons and traditional board squaring.

Third Row Left: A pink toile gown fits the theme perfectly because its soft and delicate. This dress is lavish in it's simplicity.

Third Row Center: Another "natural" idea are centerpieces with the soft natural feel from branches. The wonderful thing about these is you can pick that special something that fits your personality to hang from the branches. And while you are considering the soft flow of ribbons, take a look at this fireplace literally enchanted by soft satin ribbons with butterflies and candles.

The dress in the bottom center placement is by Ines DiSanto. Soft wrapped bodice with a full princess skirt off of a dropped waist stands alone - and note the plumage throughout the entire skirt itself.

And last but certainly not least, consider your own pink signature drink, the cosmopolitan. Thanks to the ladies of a little show you may have heard of, Sex In The City, this drink is the final touch to a fabulous pink paradise.

Destination: LaConner, WA

We are very blessed to live in the Northwest, where so many incredible destination spots are just a short drive away. For all you brides to be, we highly suggest making a trip to the adorable town of LaConner in Skagit Valley for the day. Grab your mom, your best friend, or your whole family and make a trip to LaConner for a full day of bridal pampering and ultra girly activities. Here are some hot spots to make sure you check out.

Hot Spot 1: Something Blue: A fine bridal boutique - 623 Morris St., Suite E-3
For all you brides to be you must check out this quaint but fabulous bridal boutique in the heart of LaConner. As the exclusive store in all of Washington to carry Amy Kushel's bridal line, Something Blue offers brides the ultimate wedding experience by tailoring to your style and also to your budget. Something Blue also carries gowns from Avioanni, Modern Trousseau and Studio 163, including bridesmaids gowns, mother of the bride attire and flower girl dresses.

Also, for your information, Something Blue is currently running a sample sale. Some gowns are 15% to 60% off. Hurry up there soon for the best selection.

To learn more about Something Blue, click here.




Hot Spot 2: Hellams Vineyard - 109 North 1st St. #101
When visiting LaConner be sure to stop by the Hellam's Vineyard and wine shop and pick up a bottle of a fantastic local wine. Their inventory also includes custom crafted local and international beers, and locally crafted artisan cheeses on a seasonal basis. Their philosophy is to support local wines, and as native Washingtonians, they believe in promoting the regions world-class wines, beers and cheeses. When you stop by the wine shop, they will always have a smile and something for you to taste!

Hot Spot 3: Cascade Candy Company - 605 S 1st St
Mmmmm....candy! What girl doesn't love a taste of chocolate here and again? Cascade Candy Company has a storefront in historic La Conner, Washington where their products are lovingly handmade and produced in small quantities to ensure the freshest product possible is going out the door. In their retail store they also offer full barista services and delicious ice treats in addition to their regular line of candies and seasonal specialties.

Hot Spot 4: Calico Cupboard - 720 S. 1st Street
If you like a good burger, you will love Calico Cupboard. Calico Cupboard boasts fresh bakery items all day as well as breakfast and lunch. Enjoy comforting bread pudding with a latte or cup of tea in the most inviting atmosphere in La Conner. But when it comes to a good old fashioned burger, nothing beats a Calico Cupboard specialty. Our pick, Mushroom and Swiss!


Hot Spot 5: La Conner Channel Lodge - 205 N. 1st St
Looking to stay over for the weekend, check out the luxurious accommodations, Northwest styling, and views of Swinomish Channel from this truly memorable lodge. Here you can drink in the beauty of the Swinomish Channel and the wonder of Rainbow Bridge.