Saturday, April 30, 2011

Will+Kate=One Amazing Wedding

After all the fuss surrounding the so-called "Wedding of the Century" of the brand new Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, I wasn't exactly sure what new perspective I could possibly bring to the table.  But, after watching the ceremony (like, 8 times) I've decided to keep things simple and just discuss the things I loved best.  I had set my alarm for 3am, but slept right through it.  Luckily I left the tv on and woke up abruptly to the sound of horns announcing the bride's procession and panicked when I thought I missed the whole thing.  However, I was  just in time to watch Kate's live decent down the long red aisle in Westminster Abbey and was mesmerized while I groggily watched the elegant, yet surprisingly warm and natural ceremony unfold.  There are so many things I loved and here are some of the highlights.

The Dresses
 Image via Vogue
 Image via People
Like most of you, I couldn't wait to see what Kate chose to wear on her big day.  I spent a lot of time trying to imagine what route she would take.  A simple sheath?  A Cinderella ball gown?  A style that I'd never even heard of before?  The first thing I saw in my sleepy, panicked state was her flawlessly fitted lace bodice and breathed a sigh of relief because I knew she'd nailed it.  I was even more thrilled when I found out that Sarah Burton, the replacement creative director at the late Alexander McQueen's fashion house, designed Kate's two gowns and her sister, MOH Pippa's, gown as well.  Kate's first dress was a perfect combination of classic royal inspiration (Princess Grace, anyone?) and modern details.  Burton created the pleated skirt to resemble a blooming flower and added padding (a very McQueen touch) to the hips to create a stronger hourglass silhouette.  Her second dress was simple, elegant, and looked comfortable enough to party into the wee hours of the morning.  Pippa looked lovely as well and wore her bias cut sheath flawlessly.  I'm so glad Kate chose the late McQueen's successor to create her looks and I think Ms. Burton did a great job filling such big shoes.

The Trees
Image via Vogue

It's kind of random, but I absolutely loved the trees inside the Abbey.  Even without them, the nearly 1,000 year old church is still incredible, but the trees added an element of warmth to the otherwise cavernous space.

 Kate's Makeup
  Image via People
I've read some criticism, saying Kate had a bit of a heavy hand while applying her wedding day makeup, however, it totally disagree!  Is she wearing more than she normally wears?  Sure, but she's also wearing a couture gown and an antique diamond tiara, things she also doesn't normally wear.

The Hats



All via People
What's an English wedding without fantastic millinary creations?  London's mad hatters were hard at work the last few months creating these incredible headpieces and I love each and every one!

The Beckham's
 Image via Vogue
 
I also felt there was some ill-deserved critisism toward Victoria Beckham's ensemble.  Some felt the her trapeze dress was dowdy and boring, but I though it was a refreshing departure from the sea of buttoned-up suits and jackets.  And Mr. Beckham looked dapper as usual in Ralph Lauren.

The BBC
I don't really have a photo for this one, but I switched back forth between coverage yesterday.  My favorite broadcast was on the BBC channel because they showed their enthusiasm without losing their calm.  Some of the other programs I tuned in to tending to get a little obnoxious ("There she is! She's wearing a veil!!  Her hair is down!!!  She's got a train!!!!)  Chill!

Kate's Ride to the Ceremony

I don't know if anyone noticed, but while Kate was travelling with her father from the hotel to the Abbey, she was waving a little bit more frantically than what would be considered "royal".  It was obvious she was super excited and a little nervous and that made her even more relateable and likeable.  

The Clergy
Image via People

I know there were a few gentlemen involved in the ceremony (the Dean of Westminster, the Archbishop of Canterbury, and the Bishop of London) and they all had amazing speaking voices!! They were like the English versions of Morgan Freeman. 

Pippa Middleton

Between that train and all those tots, she did an outstanding job of keeping everything in the right place.

The Cartwheeling Priest
 
Priceless. 

The Kiss+Frowning Bridesmaid
Image via People

Also priceless.

The Getaway
Image via People

At first I thought Kate was driving and thought that was super awesome but then remembered they drive opposite of us Americans.  Still an Aston Marten Volare is such a cool way to make their escape to Clarence House for a bit before the second round of festivities. 

The Official Photos
  The official photos were released today and this one was definitely my fave.  It keeps with tradition and yet there is a little hint of joyful chaos, which hopefully the couple will continue to share with us for a looooooong time to come.  
 

Friday, April 8, 2011

Happy 1st birthday, EB!!!

With the exception of this outrageously long winter (at least here in Chicago, anyway), I feel like the last year has flown by.  I can't believe that it's already been a year since my sister (you all know her as Lindsay-the-floral-designer) gave me the idea to start writing a blog as a creative outlet and also as a way to maybe make some extra cash.  I had absolutely no clue that it would become something that would have nearly 100,000 page views by people in over 100 different countries in only a years time.  For some, that may not seem like much, but to me it's honestly mind blowing considering before this endeavor I had no clue how a blogging platform even worked.  For my birthday post, I've decided to do another list-y post similar to the one I did for EB's 6 month anniversary.  Once again, I'm going to give you my top ten posts of all time and additionally the ten countries with the most site visits and also my five favorite posts.  So please enjoy and thank you all again, because without my amazing readers, this site wouldn't exist!!

EB's Top Ten Most Popular Posts

10. Can You Tell I Need a Vacation? Posted on May 17, 2010
893 views
This post continues to be so popular because the lovely Mikaella dress pictured above is EB's most popular keyword source.  Oh yeah, and I still have yet to take that vacation...

Monday, March 28, 2011

Color Inspiration: Personal Style Edition


As you all have probably figured out by now, I am a big advocate for making your wedding special and unique.  Choosing your colors in relation to your personal style is a great way to incorporate your individuality into your inspiration.  I've taken eight different personal styles and created color palettes to fit.  Enjoy and let me know in the comments which ones are your favorite and which personal style categories I should include next time!!

Preppy: Nantucket Red, Gray, and Cobalt


 Wedding Dress by Lilly Pulitzer "Lane"

Bridesmaid dresses left to right: Ann Taylor #247710, Priscilla of Boston PB428, J Crew "Erica"

Center photo: Martha Stewart Weddings, side photos: The Knot
...

Friday, March 18, 2011

Courtney & Miguel: La Dolce Vita Engagement Shoot

I'm not going to lie, I did a little dance when I discovered this engagement shoot by Connecticut/New York-based photographer Natasha Montero in my inbox.  One the things I love most about this job is getting to witness the incredible creativity demonstrated by couples, photographers, and everyone else involved.  This one is no exception, featuring the couple in a Fellini-inspired shoot based on his 1960 film, La Dolce Vita. I love everything about these photos- from the inspiration (you all know how much I love the 1960's!) to the genuine sensuality between the couple, and I'm so thrilled to be able to share it with all of you.  Here is what Natasha had to say:

Courtney and Miguel are planning a 2011 wedding in Connecticut, plus a honeymoon trip to Italy, so we shot an e-session shoot focused around the 1960's Italian film "La Dolce Vita" and it’s most famous scenes. With that being said, their plans may be put on hold for a bit as Miguel is currently stationed with the Army in Afghanistan. With the help of their wedding planner, we thought it would be fun to temporarily bring “Fellini’s Italy” to them for their engagement session while Miguel was home on leave for two weeks. We styled the shoot as mod, retro, and vintage as possible as an ode to the film. Plus, Courtney looks strikingly similar to Anita Ekberg, the films iconic star, which was an awesome coincidence!

We tried to capture the essence of Italy, and the vintage feel of the 60's, even though we happened to be shooting in classical New England. We had Italian pastries, espressos, Italian newspapers, and we even borrowed an old Alpha Romeo convertible! Nothing screams “love” more to us than cannoli, black ray-bans, skinny ties and Italian sports cars!


Sunday, March 13, 2011

Hello, hello!

Hello, everyone!  I know I have been MIA for the last 3 (THREE?!?!?!) months, but don't worry I will be back with new posts very soon.  


Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Happy Holidays!!


So, wonderful as they are, the holidays are a giant time bandit!  I have decided that rather than write a bunch of mediocre posts, I'm going to put The Ethereal Bride on hiatus just til after the New Year.  This way I can come back to you rested and better than ever!  I also have some new site design changes in the works, so look for that in the not-so-distant future as well.  I hope you all have a wonderful holiday season and I'll see all of you next year!!

Ciao!







Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Kellie & Dave: Autumn Apple Orchard Engagement Shoot

Kellie and Dave were recently engaged in July at his family's cabin in Wisconsin after dating for 3 1/2 years.  Their photographer, Ashley, attended Augustana College with Dave and they knew she would be a perfect fit for their engagement shoot and wedding.  Since they are planning on a October 2011 wedding, they chose to do the shoot at Jonamac Apple Orchard in Malta, Illinois in order to stay consistent with their autumn theme.  The orchard provided a variety of backdrops including a pumpkin patch, cornfield, and, of course, an apple orchard.  Since it had rained the night before, the location was really muddy and by the end the couple was covered in it!  Can't wait to feature their wedding next fall and see what gorgeous, creative photos Ashley and the couple create!



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