The Perfect Plus Size Wedding Dress

Silk crepe back satin bias cut short dress. Seam is embellished with beads and crystals. Bottom of dress is patchworked with crystals at squares.
available at Cassandra Bromfield 718.388.2055

The search for the perfect dress is daunting but when you are a size 14 and up, style and quality dwindle. Many bridal shops have plus size departments. Samples range in size from 14 to 18 and even 20's. However many of these styles don't reflect the taste of today's women. Observing women shopping for a dress, I've noticed, plus size women buy the dress that fits. While their size 6 counter part parades by, in mounds of confectionery tulle, complete with the Oohs and Ahhs of family and friends exclaiming "You look good in everything!". Custom Design omits this experience. Brides can discuss shapes, styles and fabrication all in privacy. Styles like strapless,bias cut, and even mound of confectionery tulle can be entertained. Custom Design offers brides and unlimited choice of styles that will celebrate their personal style.

Need more help read Down That Aisle In Style by Chamein Canton

Couture vs Haute Couture

Couture and Haute Couture have been tossed around like beach balls. Companies have used it as a marketing tool to make the customer feel "special". Describing denim jeans, cakes, paint and other stuff that has nothing to do with clothing.

Couture actually means to manufacture and create clothing for clients specifications, measurements, in beautiful fabrics. The origins of the word is 1920 French for dress making, sewing.

Then there is Haute Couture, the high art of dress making. Garments are perfected usually all by hand. Pleats, beading, ruffles, on gowns, suits, coats made in the most beautiful fabrics. Some material woven just for one garment. It can cost as much as a small country. The world of Haute Couture is fading fast. Don't get me wrong there will always be beautiful gowns but the Haute Couture customer does not exist in the numbers to support the industry. It will no longer be in demand. Evolution is inevitable and what the next generation brings to fashion is how we grow.

Which brings me to Valentino: The Last Emperor. This documentary is extraordinary. Outlining his remarkable career and lifestyle. What I love about this designer is he takes no shorts, makes no excuses, and loves what he loves. Choices, are key to living a life of excellence. I found the movie inspiring, funny, thoughtful and unforgettable.

Valentino

A Chance Meeting

I'm just back from an event titled "Women In Today's Economy", sponsored by LATHAM & WATKINS LLP, for Women's Venture Fund, Inc. I met many dynamic women, including Tonya. After talking a bit, she says "Wait I know that name, do you do bridal? I just saw a blog about your dresses!". Thinking she saw my blog, "No, it was a blog with a play on the word Afro, kind of...." then she wrote it out A-P-H-R-O-C-H-I-C, which online is Aphro Chic.

After talking to Tonya a little more I was excited to find out she has her own company called Whimsicard: Party Stuff For Us. Every note card, invitation, cocktail napkins, and other products are designed in a chic modern style that reflect the unique faces of you and your guest. She puts a wonderful spin on stationary with the her stylish and funky cards. Visit the site and have a chance meeting with Whimsicard

Note Cards

Cocktail Napkins

Bridal Invitations

Whoa, What's That Up There

I have admired so many other bridal blogs and their headers for a long time. Logging onto them is like arriving at a meadow of fresh flowers. So I got my graphics department busy and created a new header. They toiled away on Sunday to create a perfect blog header. These graphic artist are the best in the business and I would have no less than the best. All three of us would not let up until it was perfect.

Thank you Me, Myself, and I, Monday lunch is on the boss.

Scarf Dressing Ooh La La

It's Scarf Dressing Time


Spring is March 20th this year and are you ready?

With Spring in the air...
It's Time for a Scarf Wrap
Audrey Weaver has scarves and hats that will expand your wardrobe and not thin your wallet. Great deals and great style you will see how Scarf Dressing not only saves you money but it expands your wardrobe. Add color, pattern and unique styling to a blouse, suit, or dress and see closet get a big dose of style by adding a few simple accessories.

Audrey Weaver Invites you to see her collection of scarves and hats

Saturday March 21st 2009
2pm to 7pm
Sunday March 22th 2009
1pm to 5pm
at
The Brownstone

www.thebrownstonewoman.com

24 East 125th Street
New York, NY 10035
212.996.7980

Contact Audrey Weaver
917.553.6682
scarfart@aol.com

P.S. Get your scarf and hat now to show off at The Link Luncheon April 11th at the Chelsea Piers.

The Iceman Cometh

Iceberg Slim, Iceberg Straight Ahead, Ice Ice Ice Baby, I could have settled on any one of these titles but settled on The Iceman Cometh, it fit because it's cool ;-) (thank you Eugene O'Neil).

Last night at The Wedding Salon Mini Boot Camp, which was jam packed with a excited brides and a few grooms. Each vendor (vendor list) made a presentation and brides were able to ask questions to help them with their planning goals. As New York MTA would have it (really, I just left late) I missed Mr. Shintaro Okamoto's presentation, who was first to speak. He took a little time with me at the end of the event.

Ice sculptures take an event to a luxurious new heights. Can you imagine your cocktail hour with the bar made completely of ice. Mr. Okamoto can. Or individual ice sculptures with caviar, sushi/shashimi or even on the sweet side, a scoop of wine flavored sorbet, Mr. Okamoto has done it. The portfolio is quite impressive and Okamoto Studio New York Ice Sculpture does not just make ice sculptures. These are artists are like Michelangelo's with electric saws, boots, and good music to work by. Ice can become anything you like. Wow your guest and Wow yourself.

The Iceman, Mr. Okamoto, Cometh
and he is cool

We All Came Together

Last month 4 creative people who didn't know each other came together to create one great Beauty Shoot.

Make-up and Hairwon
JoAnn Robertson
www.joannrobertson.com

Jewelry and Accessories
Fran Schwartz
212.787.7670
fran.schwartz@gmail.com

Gowns
Cassandra Bromfield
www.cassandrabromfield.com

Photos
Molly Davidson
www.mollydavidson.com

Manicures DIY

I recently found a jewelry making video on You Tube and all I kept saying was " Her nails are busted, why would she do a demonstration and her nails are busted!". My High and Mighty attitude made me look at my own nails and I said "OMG, my nails are busted. How could I go out like that!".
Weekly manicures are expensive and just like the latte factor some things have to be cut, but you have to show off that pretty diamond ring. What's a bride to do. DIY to the rescue. If your budget must be slashed start here. Some of you Diva Brides get a bi-weekly manicure and even at a the low end of $12 per manicure, that's $312a year. I don't suggest you go into the world with "busted nails" but maybe you can do it yourself.
I searched You Tube for some How To videos and found "How To Give Yourself A Manicure" (that's catchy). It's 20 clear steps to a beautiful nails which included a person doing their own nails, helpful facts, and inexpensive products for the manicure. Minimize the trips to the nail salon, keep a little dough in the pocket.

I Can Do It Myself

Katrina Parris Flowers

How hard is it to create a bouquet. I don't know but after a few glasses of wine, laughs, you'll be just like a pro. Hmm, maybe I've had too much wine and laughs. Anyway, this is a fun DIY event to help you put those pansies in their place. With some wine tasting just to make it all go smooth, pansies have a wild side.

Floral Design Workshop At Katrina Parris

This floral event is great for friends, wedding parties and social groups. It includes the basic instructions from our "Floral Design and Wine Tasting Combined!" workshop. In addition, you learn the basic techniques for creating a wedding bouquet sure to please the most discriminating person - you. Read More...

Wednesday March 11th 2009

6:30pm

$70 per person

KPF Studio

1877 Seventh Ave

New York NY

212.222.7030 To reserve a seat

info@kpfny.com

Just For You, My Lovelies

To register for this event and receive $15 tickets (a $50 value),

go to The Wedding Salon and enter code CBNY09P.

Just for you and only you, my blog readers (well that's what they said). The generous folks at The Wedding Salon are giving you a discount on their wedding event on March 23rd 2009.

DESPITE THE HARSH ECONOMIC TIMES, BRIDES ARE SPENDING CREATIVELY ON THEIR SPECIAL DAY, MARCH 23, 2009

New York, New York — The latest wedding trends will be revealed at this year’s annual Wedding Salon taking place on March 23rd, 2009 at The Roosevelt Hotel. The Wedding Salon brings together leading companies and the top 1% of spenders in the $125 billion wedding industry. The economy is a faint reality when a brides shops for her wedding dress or wants that sought after photographer. The recession resilient business of weddings is keeping strong with Bridezilla's on a mission!

The wedding vendors are busier than ever. Brides want a million dollar wedding for a budget and Tatiana Byron is showing brides it can be done! Tatiana Byron, the President and founder of The Wedding Salon, has collected the most prominent talent in the business for this bridal showcase, including:

• Celebrity Cake Designer Sylvia Weinstock
  
• Colin Cowie
• David Tutera
  
• Victoria Secret Lingerie lounge
• Deborah Hurwitz of Jersey Boys
• Fashion Show By Bridal Reflections
  
• Fabulous Gift Bags
• Complimentary Beauty Services
  
• Cake and Champagne Treats

Featuring the latest trend ideas including:

• Cupcakes towers in lieu of cakes
• Ball gowns making comeback…
• Streaming live video onto a designated website for destination weddings when all the family can't be present
• In-country honeymoons, from a romantic winery in Sonoma County, California, to a hot hotel in Miami, Florida, to a cozy lodge with a stunning view in Juneau, Alaska.
• Engagement rings for men
• Grooms cakes are in
• DIY (do-it-yourself) EVERYTHING
• Feathers! In bouquets, head pieces, on invitation designs and as flower girl wands
• Brides and grooms having their families sponsor the party – instead of a traditional registry the whole family chips in
• Paper flower centerpieces

At The Wedding Salon, couples get insider access to resources that help them save months of planning.

For Cassandra Bromfield Bridal Blog Readers,

To register for this event and receive $15 tickets (a $50 value),

go to The Wedding Salon and enter code CBNY09P.

$10,000 YES I DO

Rebecca Firszt (with a name like that how could they loose) and Brad Williams said yes in 2008 as last years winners to I Do with Mirassou. This could be you in 2009, Mirassou is on bended knee again this year. Below are the details for you to say YES!

I Do Mirassou Winery.

The grand prize not only includes cash money (did I mention $10,000),
but also a 4 hour consultation with
The Editor of
Brides.com
and an elegant
Reed and Barton,
5 piece dinner service, flatware service, and 3 piece crystal stemware all service for eight.

To enter just tell them in 250 words or less your Mirassou Moment and submit a photo of you and your honey. This is your moment to be fabulous. $10,000 is just a click away.
I Do Mirassou Contest.

Money Makeover

You've heard the nursery rhyme Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater. Well this fellow had a wife and couldn't keep her (LOOSER). But, wait he finds unusual housing, he keeps her in a pumpkin (Cheapskate). This may be a nursery rhyme, but just consider if he was honest with his affection for squash and lack of financial security at least she would have had a choice.
Pumpkin or brick and mortar.

Finances are big part of todays challenges. How do we keep it so we can buy as much pumpkin as we want. The event below helps you to begin to make better financial decisions.
Save the date and invite your friends to this FREE event.

You are invited to
The Money Makeover Event
Thursday March 26th
5:30pm to 8:30 pm

Hosted by
Gail Marquis

Financial Advisor
Element Financial Group
340 Madison Ave
New York, NY 10017
18th floor
212.878.1766
gailmarquis@finsvcs.com

Bring the entire entire bridal party, in-laws, siblings, colleges and of course pumpkin loving fiance's.
Refreshments will be served, maybe even pumpkin pie.

See you Thursday but please
RSVP by Monday March 23rd
718.388.2055
cabcomp@aol.com

Beanin' Good

I know, I know real clever title, could be the COFFEE. That brings me to this, did you know that Starbucks has a literacy program. With each Latte Mocha Smatta Calatta, you are making a contribution to make it possible for everyone to sit in a cafe (Starbucks or any other) and read. You could easily give Starbucks gift certificates as wedding favors.

Starbucks, is not the only company with a conscience. Coffee Kids.org (above) is righting a wrong. Farmers earn less than 4 cents a pound (WHAT!) they pick by hand. Coffee Kids creates partnerships with local organizations. The partners provide technical resources, training, and follow through to communities to implement grass-roots projects. Read more about Coffee Kids and how they are helping. Here's how you can help too.

Make favor gifts of coffee from a participating coffee vendors or make a donation to Coffee Kids in lieu of wedding favors. It will feel real good when you are beanin' good.

And That's When The Fight Started

Sometimes in the midst of all the planning woes, take time to have a laugh.

A Husband and Wife were watching "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire" while they were in bed. He turned to her and said,
"Do you want to have sex?"
"No," she answered.
He then said, "Is that your final answer?"
She didn't even look at me this time, simply saying "Yes."
So he said, "Then I'd like to phone a friend."
And that's when the fight started....


A man and a woman were asleep like two innocent babies.
Suddenly, at 3 o'clock in the morning, a loud noise came from outside.
The woman, bewildered, jumped up from the bed and yelled at the man 'Holy crap. That must be my husband!'
So the man jumped out of the bed; scared and naked jumped out the window. He smashed himself on the ground, ran through a thorn bush and to his car as fast as he could go.
A few minutes later he returned and went up to the bedroom and screamed at the woman, 'I AM your husband!'
The woman yelled back, 'Yeah, then why were you running?'
And that's when the fight started.....

The Vegan Bride: The Dress

My first meeting with Lia, to talk about "the dress" was delightful. She is fun, creative, and has a great fashion sense. For her Barbados nuptials, she need something light airy and fabulous. Lia loves the silk organza's which, have a bit of just the right combination of fluff and flow. When she contacted me she even submitted some a beautiful sketch (seen above). Her dress will definitely have color and some tie dying. We have settled on a beautiful dress that fits her style and because I don't know if her fiance will be checking in online, all I can say is her dress will look kind of, similar, not exactly, but a little, like the sketch above.
After Lia left her appointment I did a little research on Vegan fabrics. Although hemp and cottons are popular among the Vegan community she was OK Fine and dandy with her fabric choices.
Lia's first fitting appointment coming up.