Summer Bliss! Island Haven

Thinking about a gorgeous summer wedding as it warms up?

We had such an amazing time shooting the fashion story for Bride’s Sumer issue (just out this week) in that luxurious and breathtakingly beautiful location - Hayman Island.

It’s one of those destinations in Australia that is so well known – you almost feel like you know it even if you’ve never been there (like me!) but it really is quite incredible!

It totally exceeded my expectations! The colour of the water and the sky, the beautiful   light, sunsets – all magic. Our little crew was so well taken care of too. All the food was delicious and quite special. The backdrop to every meal was so romantic!  Beach views, oriental landscaped gardens, and balmy air. Pity we were all work colleagues! (above Carolyn our model, Kim Tavares hair & make up, me and photographer Tony Owczarek.)

Hey brides what I learnt about taking wedding dresses to an exotic location is you have to make sure the dress isn’t heavy or awkward to carry and easily crushed. My other top tip - if it’s chiffon or satin you can steam it by hanging it up in the shower room! (see below!).  

I hung all the gorgeous frocks up in my bathroom and they came up beautifully for the shoot! My room looked very pretty with all those divine creations brightening it up.  Being totally paranoid about these gowns all arriving safely I carried them all on the plane myself (I never lost sight of them!) so there was no dramas about a missing dress. I have to say my arms were killing me. It would probably be advisable if you were a bride flying off for a “destination wedding” to do the same. I can’t think of anything worse than a damaged or lost gown! 

I thought I’d share some cute pics of me and the crew living it up. No seriously we are working really. (see me with our very clever hair and make up gal Kim Tavares below - we're having a lunch break and keep scrolling to see our view!) 

Check out the actual shoot in the magazine  (we’ve called it Island Girl), as it is really is a hot one and if I do say myself quite perfect for inspiration if your dream is a beach wedding. Now that summer’s here it’s very apt reading.

Merry Xmas too.

Kirstie

Keep it Simple

I keep hearing that the ‘80s are back in fashion but lets just pray that bridal gowns featuring the huge puff sleeves (think Princess Di), mad headbands & massive tulle bows in the hair don’t come back too!! The ‘80 was bad because there was just too much going on – and everything got way too super-sized! Sleeves, shoulder pads, giant earrings – excess was in.

So warning - whatever is totally hot right now will look dated some day. I am of the opinion that it’s so important to choose something a bit timeless. Maybe include just a touch of current fashion if you don’t want to cringe later.

Eg: right now ruffles are in- they look amazing at the neck – off the shoulder. I think go ahead with this look so long as you don’t go OTT. The skirt should be slimline and sleek – resist the urge to go ruffle mad! If you want the skirt ruffled then keep the bodice quite plain and fitted. (check out pics and our Dec issue!)

When you look at gowns that stand the test of time, it is about simple structure, clean flattering line and gorgeous fabric.

Your gown should suit you - that is it shouldn’t drown you with lots of fussy bits. YOU wear it – it doesn’t wear you!! A gown can still be fashionable – that is “of it’s time” – but possibly best not to embrace any wild fads! Unless of course you just have to be the “cutting edge” gal and that’s exactly what you want. If so fair enough but you may regret it later when you children laugh at your photos instead of saying “you look beautiful Mummy!”.

Kirstie

Fragrant Spring Air!

Spring is traditionally the most romantic wedding season. Flowers bloom, grass is green! So many people love a garden wedding and prefer it to look lush not parched plus the sweet smells of the spring flowers only add to the atmosphere. The Aussie Spring 2009 has so far been a bit testing – red dust storms in NSW (that would turn your white dress rusty!), wild blustery, winds! (hairstyle dramas, bridesmaids holding their skirts down!). Outside weddings in general lead to some fashion challenges let alone mad weather creating havoc. But I am not thinking disasters I am thinking flowers!!

Spring is a gorgeous time to get married – most especially for flowers and the whole born again feeling as we come out of winter. The prettiest and most fragrant of flowers can be found in Spring. I personally just love the smell of Jasmine and love the idea of this fragrance permeating the wedding venue.

Other spring blooms with all the happy promise of new beginnings - tulips (above), which come in a vibrant range of shades. The smooth, waxy ‘U’ shaped flower comes in gorgeous pastels, vivid red, orange, hot pink, rich yellow and dark purple, anemones, bluebells, camellias, crocuses, forget-me-nots, grape hyacinths, hyacinths, lilies of the valley, narcissi, pansies, ranunculuses, violets. Having mentioned all those pretty ones, white roses (below) are hard to go past! They have the special traditional meaning of innocence and I kind of favour them as the base of your bouquet to compliment other flowers, as they are so elegant.

I had them in my own bouquet with lilies and other greenery - so pretty!! I also LOVE them in your hair.

Let’s all go outside now - if it’s sunny - and inhale the sumptuous aroma of Spring!

Kirstie

Tropical Delights

Destination weddings are a great idea – not just for those who want to elope!! Your friends can use it as an excellent excuse for a holiday so they will come if invited and as I have said before what a beautiful set of wedding images you get to keep for all time if you tie the knot somewhere exquisite!

And look here we are - me and my expert bride team - at an exclusive tropical location creating our own incredible images for a stunning fashion shoot for our December issue. I promise it will give you inspiration style-wise for your tropical wedding!


Sorry if that sounds like bragging but I wasn’t just basking in the tropics! I did actually think of some very pertinent tips for brides when I was there including the types of gown etc its a good idea to look at if this is your choice of wedding.

a. No big boofy frou frou ball gowns that will stress you out carrying on the plane! Go chic and more importantly light and fresh. You definitely don’t want to pay for excess baggage and you will need your sexy honeymoon outfits as well.
b. Minimal accessorising! Again – weight issues on the plane but more importantly quality over quantity – keep it simple and elegant.
c. Get your flowers at the location – well you’d hardly bring them from home if you wanted them alive! - but most of these beautiful resorts have excellent florists . Also wear some in your hair, as it looks so beautiful with the sea!
d. Don’t pack black! It’s all wrong in a glorious tropical location! IF it’s winter where you are you may be tempted to pack your greys and blacks but trust me you will want to feel more summery once you feel the smooth warm air. Dark colour is a no no!
e. Arrive there a bit earlier that the actual wedding day, have a massage, get relaxed and then get married. You will look so beautiful as even a few days off improves, skin, hair and attitude!

Talking of relaxing – shooting in gorgeous locations certainly makes you very keen to go back and do just that! So make the most of your destination wedding if that’s your plan – you lucky things!! Have a cocktail or mocktail for me!


See the fashion ediotr (me) becoming the photographer’s assissatnt. photographer: Tony Owczarek
(left)

Kim fixes up the hair, Tony Owczarek photographer gets the gear ready.
Photographer: Kirstie!
(below)

Kirstie

The Wedding Gown – Preserve it or Trash it?

It’s nearly 15 years since my wedding and I have taken the extraordinary step of preserving the gown now!

It’s extraordinary because I have been outrageously slack and had this gorgeous couture gown – the most expensive and stunning outfit I ever owned – just hanging there in the back of the closet in it’s broken garment bag. (zip broke!).

I finally felt really bad about this state of affairs. How could I do this to such a prized & precious possession? A warning if you have just got married – this could happen to you. Once the day’s all over you might get lazy and apathetic about this frock that was the obsessive focus of your world for months!! The warning that I give you is this. If you have spilled (like me) just the tiniest bit of champagne on a cream or white gown then it will caramelise on the fabric leaving an awful DARK YELLOW STAIN!!

You won’t know until you pull it out years later and you’ll be very disappointed in yourself for being so careless. My sad experience illustrates negligence leads to extra dollars being outlaid. I found I just couldn’t live with a spoiled wedding dress - too tragic - and it prompted me to have it properly preserved and stored. (14 years and 4 months later.) Of course as the very nice team at The Wedding Gown Specialists told me, had I been smart and done this earlier it wouldn’t be nearly such a drama to remove the mess accumulated on the sumptuous lace and silk chiffon.
So serious advice for the just married – get the gown all cleaned and put away properly in a nice box if you want to maintain the garment in good condition and you don’t want it to cost you a bomb later.

On the other hand another option is to trash it! Like my Mum, dye it black, chop it off and turn it into a cocktail dress. (She is sooo unsentimental and I am the opposite!) Funnily enough the gown preservers even suggested that to me, as it would have hidden the stain. I guess this way you may wear it again.

Another trend in the US I just discovered is called “Trash The Dress”. Girls are doing funky post –wedding photo shoots in their wedding dress, accessorised with wild colours and chunky jewellery. Check it out - it may be your thing:

http://www.mlive.com/living/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2009/07/courtesy_photo_kelly_bramanfro.html

Not sure about that but each to their own!

Others just jump in the sea right after the wedding! (see below)

Prefer to preserve?

http://www.weddinggownspecialists.com.au/wgssite.htm



image courtesy of Leo Farrell

ECO Couture!

Sometimes I lie in bed and worry about the planet.
Is this just me?
There’s so much waste in the world. I even feel guilty lately about my wardrobe - it’s always expanding! (no self control), even though I actually don’t need anything. How bad I am at recycling!

The recycled vintage fashion movement actually really attracts me. I love the look of fabulous old pieces. If they are really good quality and gorgeous styles of clothes they don’t date. They are unique and brilliant. But when I walk into one of those recycle shops I feel like I am looking through my own wardrobe and what I really should do is go home and look through the racks of my own old clothes! (I am a hoarder). I am bound to find similar things in my own cupboard. In other words I don’t really need new outfits all the time. There’s a heap sitting there in my home both vintage & brand new! I must find ways to be more sustainable. I also worry about cheap disposable fashion becoming landfill!! We all have too much especially those of us keen to be on-trend. Not to mention all the other fashion related climate change concerns eg: – what chemicals they use to make dyes and synthetic fabrics etc
Anyway I digress – let’s talk wedding gowns. This huge purchase and you only wear it for one day. The ultimate waste – or is it?
Seeing the heading Eco couture when google searching bridal fashion trends got me thinking positively. There are committed people out there who are tackling creatively all my niggling concerns. Thank God!
So enough about my guilt & neurosis – I think all you brides-to- be without a gown yet should read this. It’s definitely food for thought:

http://feelgoodstyle.com/2009/07/16/hot-eco-couture-wedding-gowns-from-bridal-fashion-designer-adele-wechsler/

Also this Canadian based Eco designer’s website. She has some great philosophical ideas about adornment and ways to deepen the meaning of a bride’s special day through what she wears.
http://adelewechsler.com/latest/home.html

Cheers
Kirstie
(Caring about the world we live in!)

A One Off!!

In these times when we are supposed to be thoughtful and careful about spending money and the $$$ are to be hemorrhaged on a wedding (and let’s face it - that’s what it feels like) then the end result better be very special!

In particular spending on the wedding gown. There’s no doubt that it is a girl’s main focus from the minute she’s engaged until she has her look all sorted. (For some it has been a focus since childhood!)
So my point is when times are tough a distinctive object of beauty is very desirable. Not just a run of the mill frock but a truly beautiful gown with some fascinating twist, an element of surprise in the design, some “WOW factor” and most treasured of all characteristics – uniqueness! A UNIQUE creation has to be highly valued in a gloomy atmosphere of budget slashing.
I thought of this as I have recently spoken to a few different designers who have noticed an adventurous spirit with clients, a willingness to try different colour and embellishments. I am so relieved to hear that after what seemed like years of the boring (sorry if I offend anyone) A-line strapless gown being ubiquitous! It must mean that brides are thinking about how to stand out and have that super special day in an outfit to make the guests gasp!
So how can we stay gorgeous, glamorous, pretty and unusual. (can you hear Kath & Kim ringing in your ears?).
Some touches that have struck me as having a bit of an edge and that would lift the bridal look into a more distinctive fashion statement.

• Vintage embroidered caplets or boleros. I am thinking elaborate beaded pieces or very special fabric. (check these top 2 images from Gwendolynne, one of my favourite local designers – very 1920’s.)
• Arresting colour – gold, silver, red, emerald green
• Hand painted fabric – there are some incredible fabrics out there (see pic of the full skirt on the right and check the delicate pattern.).
• The use of some sentimental jewellery or fabric incorporated into your gown eg:– Mum’s old wedding lace, Granny’s stunning antique brooch incorporated into the dress design at the bodice, waist or strap.
• Amazing headpiece – flapper style beaded headbands, silk flowers, real jewels. (see below)
There is a real point to starting from scratch with design, fabric, accessory ideas etc when your aim is for something out of the ordinary. Couture wins again! Go for it – you only get married once! (best case scenario!)

Kirstie

Thinking spring in Winter Blog

One of the joys of being a fashion editor is planning summer issues in the dead of winter! It is enjoyable to imagine tropical summer weddings when we are all shivering but having to shoot at the beach in the cold is always challenging – especially for the model!
The good part though is checking out what’s new from the other side of the world where it actually is warm right now.

I have been browsing Spring collections from the US that can be viewed on Martha Stewart’s website.(link below). There’s some fabulous gowns to peruse from Monique Lhuillier, Oscar De La Renta, Vera Wang etc. Runway show videos can be viewed too. All great for research and just as good for the brides-to-be as for me! It’s fun for a bride to dream!

http://www.marthastewartweddings.com/article/gowns-by-designer-spring-10?backto=true

Very inspiring. I am loving the soft overlay fabrics – a really special look, the senorita flounced skirts (see images from Monique Lhuillier collection I have picked out) and the gorgeous embroidery details. Some of these OS designers can be bought here in OZ, although an expensive option, but it’s good to check out top international designers in order to get design ideas.
Of course there are plenty of amazing Australian couturiers to drool over too, but if you are having your gown made from scratch it’s good to have a few thoughts of your own.

Here’s another google find on Bridesmaid trends from OS:

http://www.getyourfashionfix.com/2009/06/spring-2009-wedding-trends-bridesmaid.html

Have fun browsing around!

Number 1 in Catwalk Couture

It’s been that time of year again when I have been neglectful of my blog!! Sorry to all those waiting for fashion news…
My excuse was our annual event in Melbourne – The Melbourne Bride Wedding Expo that has now been and gone for another year and didn’t we have a ball again? This year was probably one of the best catwalks that we’ve ever done with such a fantastic array of bridal couture – we all felt proud as punch!

Exciting young designer Jason Grech (right) has just arrived on the bridal scene with his JASONGRECH White collection. Just gorgeous – all soft fabrics and swishy trains – the models on our catwalk sashayed around in these ultra modern looking and feminie too. Just gorgeous! Other designers that came on board this year for the first time were Izaro – (see below Mel & Hong from Izaro with their models backstage) and Shane McConnell.

The girls from Izaro opened the show with some stunningly pretty and varied styles of gown. Their inspiration is Hollywood glamour and it was very appealing, One lucky bride won a gown from Izaro as a part of our major Expo giveaway and she was so excited she could hardly breathe when we called to let her know!

Shane has been around for some time and is known for beautiful evening wear – his name often pops up at the Logies etc and he does stunning wedding gowns. His creations are exquisitely cut & finished and gorgeous fabrics too. For some great bridesmaid ideas and some more left-of-centre bridal ideas, legend of the Melbourne fashion scene Jenny Bannister added colour and movement and tons of fun with cute short styles, avant-garde shapes and sexy silhouettes.
All the above were very inspiring and well worth checking out their websites for inspiration. Mariana Hardwick and Angelina Baccini from Baccini & Hill have lost none of their class either. Both of these designers have been a part of our show for a long time now and never disappoint. Added to this mix were Annette Of Melbourne – amazingly decadent and incredible couture, Dimitria - strong, dramatic and beautifully finished, Gulderen Sivalsi – pretty, soft, girly and well structured and Mathieu Salem –artistic, versatile and theatrical, showcasing 2 black gowns. Wow!
Although catwalk shows are tons of work – and madly chaotic (see our backstage pic) they are quite thrilling and a great experience for the bride-to-be. We had fabulous feedback from brides and that makes it all worthwhile. If you missed out this year – hope to see you next time around in 2010!




(All images courtesy of Bride’s editor extraordinaire Jamie Doyle!)

Runway Fashion

Life is exciting and frantic as we gear up for our annual Expo extravaganza in Melbourne. My favourite part of the Expo is the catwalk show – of course! - and I’m pretty excited about what fabulous designers we have on board this year. ! It’s a fun time dreaming up concepts for each designer segment, staging, lighting, and magical theatrical touches!

I know lots of stylish girls are put off by the idea of bridal expos as they have a bit of a bad name. The fear is that you’re going to end up feeling like an alien dropped into a hideous alternate world where Kath & Kim pumpkin coaches, teddy bears in nasty frilly, lace outfits, strange looking bonbonniere and little Bo-peep shock frocks are the norm! Rather than being inspired all you want to do is laugh and run. Of course if you read Vogue, Vanity Fair or Bride magazine and are serious about being chic you’d think Expo’s are not my scene. That’s actually the reason why Bride decided 17 years ago to provide a beautiful event and a bridal runway show specifically for the tasteful style queens about to tie the knot. There is somewhere to go and enjoy a show a fashion-week type of experience only bridal!
This is not an ad - I am serious when I say that there is something for everyone on our catwalk with the variety of different gown designs from the talented couturiers and also the amazing calibre of designers on board. You can check out Mariana Hardwick, Baccini & Hill, Shane McConnell, Izaro, Mathieu Salem, Gulderen Sivasli & Dimitria. Apart from the stunning wedding gowns (pure couture of course), I am really excited to have Jenny Bannister with some hot bridesmaid options & Jason Grech – funky fabulous cutting edge newcomer to the wedding scene.
Too good to be true!! What a great girls day out – and you can grab some VIP seats to the shows from now as tickets just went on sale:
http://www.ticketmaster.com.au/artist/1126894?tm_link=edp_Artist_Name

You can see from these gorgeous images from our 2008 show how cool and elegant our show is. Hope to see you there…..

Government Bonus $$ (Should it go to couture??)

News stays a bit bleak on the economic front and I was thinking that if I were getting married now how would it affect me?

I have definitely been pondering the high cost of fashion even in my everyday wear! But I have always been a fan of couture at your wedding. It’s so special as an experience and one that is a “once in a lifetime” opportunity in today’s world. Having said that - there is no doubt that the cost is high. So is it too frivolous?? Well we have to weigh this up. With couture what you receive is a high quality product – beautiful fabric (probably more of it), a dress made from scratch to fit you perfectly – (that should mean amazing structure in the gown, bound to flatter you) and as previously stated in my blogs the whole experience of getting that gown made for you is luxurious and extraordinary in our disposable society.

This is not to say that there aren’t some amazing gowns out there that are “ready to wear”. Depends who makes them! There seems to be more couturiers empathising with this dollars dilemma for brides and are providing quite stunning ready to wear options as well as couture. Check these stunning images from Sydney designer Mira Mandic. Her Mira Mira range is Ready To Wear. The “Lana” gown pictured (left) is $950 versus her “Scarlette” couture gown $6500 (right).




















There is no doubt that the couture gown will include a lot more work and you’ll have many fittings, a choice in the design etc.

On the ready to wear side though, you can be confident that a gown designed and made by an experienced couturier is cut perfectly. They understand how to create a fabulous garment, they have access to some very fine fabrics and creative flair is their second nature. They are artists!
The decision is yours. Weigh it up: less guests and a couture experience? Or Ready To Wear gown and invite the whole extended family!! Either way why not spend that bonus (if you are due one) from Mr Rudd – stimulating the economy on a gorgeous frock!!

Here’s some clever designers to check out:

http://www.miramandic.com.au/

http://www.karenwillisholmes.com.au

http://www.bacciniandhill.com.au

http://www.marianahardwick.com.au

Hooray For Hollywood

There’s so much financial gloom and doom at the moment! It’s enough to make you want to panic and do everything on the cheap and yet amongst all this negative financial gloom, a touch of luxury or extravagance at one’s weddings is still desired. There was a telling article in the paper recently. A bride was interviewed about where she’s likely to cut the budget in this financial climate and it reinforced my instinct that the dress will be the last thing anyone will skimp on. This bride made it clear that she was looking at all aspects of the wedding carefully and would probably pull back in a few areas but the gown was not negotiable! Maybe fewer guests, a more boutique approach but looking exceptional, sumptuous and glamorous on the big day seems to still be paramount.

The recent Golden Globes Award ceremony featuring unfeasibly expensive designer gowns continue to thrill us average gals. Is it a depression mentality again like when Hollywood thrived back in the 30’s as it was so far from real life? Times have changed. Now the gossip mags show our celebrities at the supermarket without make up so we see that hair, make up and the right frock is transforming! There’s a feeling that we too could attain that look! - and It’s certain that design features from these couture frocks can also serve as a starting point for a bride’s gown ideas. The Oscar’s are coming up and that’s going to serve up even more inspiration. Not just gowns but hair and make up, classic hairstyles, beautiful flawless make up. I think that’s still what a lot of girls are after. At the wedding they are after all the star of the show! It makes sense to look to the crème de la crème for inspiration.So here’s my hot picks from The Globes – LOVE all the hair and LOVE this array of dresses. If you can’t afford the real deal then you can use your creative wiles to get the looks. Find someone who can help – a local gown designer in your price range, a hair and make up person you can trust. Knowing what you want is the key.

Finally what about this for a laugh – some wacky fictional Hollywood influence here – Top 10 wedding dresses from movies:
http://boxwish.com/features/view/164-top-t en-movie-wedding-dresses?page_number=1

What about Muriel?? Did you see any gowns you wanted??Enjoy the awards season.
Kirstie

Image source: Fairfax digital media
http://www.theage.com.au/lifestyle/fashion/