PHOTOGRAPHY SPOTLIGHT: JEFF COOKE

DE ANNA AND BRAD'S CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA WEDDING

CREDITS

Photography: Jeff Cooke – Halifax, Nova Scotia

Flowers: Do A Little Floral, Charlotte, NC

Dress: Mikaella

Shoes: MAXSTUDIO

Cake: Maxine Vandiver: Matthews, NC

Venue and Catering: Marriot City Center-Downtown Charlotte, North Carolina

DeAnna is one of Bride Chic's loyal readers.  Planning her wedding throughout the year, she shared a lot with us all via her blog, Dee's Adventures.  With a mid-winter wedding about a week off,  I do remember up until the last thinking about her a great deal and sending prayers her way when the East Coast experienced one of the worst winters ever.
 Engaged July 4th weekend – DeAnna and Brad planned a February wedding knowing that the winter season on the East Coast is hit or miss. Three weeks before the wedding the East Coast experienced record snowfall resulting in the term used by those in Northern Virginia as ’Snowparkalypse’. Given that 50% of the wedding guests were traveling from Northern VA and Washington, DC -- Brad and DeAnna were panicked on what might happen with the weather the weekend of their wedding.

Mother Nature pulled through though and the skies cleared and temps in the Charlotte area rose to a whopping 65-degrees the weekend of their nuptials!

Love was in the air!

The six photos of De Anna above were shot during Christmas season 2009.  Bridal portraits are still a tradition in the South.  About a month before the wedding it used to be customary for a bride, (sans the groom) to pose in a studio setting in full bridal regalia. --Albeit De Anna's portraits by photographer Jeff Cooke are jazzier, up-to-the minute versions that capture the joyful essence of her dynamic persona. Compared to the standard studio portraits brides sat for once upon-a-time, these out-there-on-the-street editorials rock . . . . 

About the photographer:  "Weddings are my passion. I love every moment and detail! My inspiration comes from the relationship that I build with you. I consider every client a potential friend & approach every wedding from that fun, part-of-the-gang perspective. My images tell your story not from a "fly on the wall" point of view, but from a "friend at the party" point of view. The emotion I capture is in real time, not forced, coaxed, or re-enacted. The memories, therefore, are of the actual circumstances, rather than "what the photographer made us do". Being creative is great, but creating an image that speaks to its viewer, comes alive, and translates emotion, for me, is the ultimate achievement; that is what takes me from photographer to story teller. "

DESTINATIONS

CREDITS

Photography: John Truong and Stuart Lirette

Gowns: Amy-Jo Tatum Bridal Couture

Hair: Kathie Rothkop

Makeup: Juliane Chai

Models: Jen Lam and Lauren Purcell

Your wedding destination could be as close as the park down the street or half way across the world. Wherever you pick for your backdrop, finding the gown to compliment is part of the fun. In the header photos a silk chiffon and Chantilly lace dress with a full skirt is the perfect match for a villa on the sea. Above a fitted silk taffeta sheath and organza train pair up for a country-inspired wedding . . .

Above: A vintage bouffant goes nicely with the Italliante style setting.  Below: A pasture on a farm.  The rustic setting works with this silk and lace boho gown.

Classic Grace Kelly chic goes just about anywhere including this vineyard-like setting

Stuart Lirette

A vintage gown covered in antique lace works with the rustic, country setting

Costume-inspired gowns are always lovely.  This one conjours images of Natasha from War and Peace.  Silk chiffon and Chantilly lace with a brocade belt . . . .

More costume-inspired chic.  Dupionii and lace is complimented with some exqusite tropical hairdressing by Kathie Rothkop. 

THE GREEN WEDDING TOUR

Gown by sustainable designer, Deborah Lindquist

Who says the “green” movement is limited to ventures in energy and transportation? According to Florita Sheldon, founder of the Green Wedding Tour, "The movement is so much bigger than that. It’s big enough to incorporate eco-friendly products and services into our daily lives and celebrations."   If you live in SoCal you can catch the Green Wedding Tour May 8 and 9 at Hotel Seven 4 One in Laguna Beach. Created to showcase environmentally friendly ways of celebrating. the Green Wedding Tour shows the choices a bride can make to go green are extensive: beautiful dresses and sleek menswear made out of sustainable fabrics like organic cotton, linen and coffee, eco-friendly chauffeur services, chemical-free organic catering, cake and wine, eco-friendly florists, recyclable and conflict-free jewelry, gorgeous and chic venues, and also earth mindful gifts that are both homey and cutting-edge. These are just a few of the things you can look forward to at the Green Wedding Tour.

Who better than Abby Larson, founder of Style Me Pretty could have whipped up this board perfect for today's green chic topic?  Thanks Abby!

Florita adds, "It’s important for people to realize that being green can be exceptionally elegant. In fact, the transition to having a green wedding is almost seamless, requiring little changes to the norm that can ultimately trickle down into our daily habits. The Green Wedding Tour experience reveals the simplicity in switching to green, and the local resources available to do so."
The GWT is scheduled to travel nationally to various metro areas.  Next stop in August is San Francisco where Yours Truly will be showing some of her new cotton and hemp dresses.  Below is a listing of designers who will be in Laguna Beach this weekend . . .

 May 9th Fashion Show

Jessica Iverson

Lindee Puridee Designs
Adele Wechsler
Deborah Lindquist
Conscious Clothing Hemp Bridal and Men's Suits
Pure by Justin Alexander
Jessica Iverson

Bridal Salons May 9th Fashion Show
Mon Amie

 

GARDEN HEADS

Have you checked out Douglas Hannant's Spring 2011 collection?  Not only are the gowns long-lined and stunning, the hair is topped off with a floral arrangement.  I absolutely love this new concept and hope it catches on, giving hair artists license to go wild with imagination . . .

Photos courtesy of Getty Images

STRUT YOUR MUTT

Lirette Photography

Years ago I wrote a short story about a real estate agent who had her Old English sheepdog accompany her down the aisle because her father and uncles were stuck in storm-ridden Minneapolis on her wedding day. What would have seemed gauche or even the stuff of fiction 20 years back is becoming common, that is, including your canine in the festivities. Considering how many couples share their lives with a pet, why leave Fido out of all the hoop-la? And unless your baby has behavioral issues, you can plan a fashionable appearance as well as an assigned role for your canine. For instance, it's become chic to have your dog walk down the aisle--in full formalwear if you like--as a ring bearer. A pillow is strapped to the dog's back with the rings secured on it. Usually another member of the wedding party accompanies the dog on a leash. Another idea that's caught on is the doggie flower girl or a whole pack of them if you want, wearing either a tutu or floral collar. Floral collars can be done up by a florist to work in tandem with the rest of the bouquets and arrangements. A big festive bow will also work in coordinating colors.

Ring Bearing dog with pillow available through Glamour Dog

Finding dog-friendly venues might be a challenge. I'd say having an outside affair works best. Come reception time you might want to designate a special zone for dogs and their guests. Some couples are even finding dog sitters who will corral and keep the dogs occupied.   Find out beforehand what policy your venue has for dogs as guests.
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Above: Ellen and Portia's wedding day included their two dogs

Who in their right mind would keep the little guy above home on such an important day?  I know some venues post big signs that say NO DOGS but times are changing, albeit, slowly but changing nevertheless. 

Believe it or not there are dresses and suits out there just for dogs. 

This tux is perfect for a ring bearing dog available through Glamour Dog.

HIGH SOCIETY

A little Grace Kelly anyone?  Thought I'd leave you with this SMP board by the talented Sherri Kardell, titled, 'High Society'.  Any bride-to-be looking for class with a touch of romance will find it here.  What about that magnificent point d'spirit gown with yards of skirt and layers of organza?

THE BOW THING

Got a thing for bows.  Check these out.  There's just about every type you can imagine for tying the knot.