It all began when the owner of Emerald City Gowns treated the whole company to a thoroughly enjoyed and appreciated field trip to the San Francisco De Young Museum to see the FABULOUS Oscar De La Renta exhibit. Let’s begin the journey…
Now some of our favorited pieces.
So, which one is your favorite?
Emerald City Gowns staff.
So, just the other day we received a surprise post from two of our lovely brides on Facebook and we just HAD to re-post. These ladies’ had a gorgeous wedding and it was published in VOGUE Japan, check it out!
http://blog.vogue.co.jp/posts/456489
So, we just discovered that one of our Emerald Brides had a second wedding gown made, to match the gown she purchased from us, so that it’s sole purpose was to be in a ” Trash the Dress” photo-shoot at her destination wedding. We are
For those of you who don’t know what “Trash the Dress”, “Fearless Bridal” or “Rock the Frock” is about below is a quick definition from Wikipedia.
” …is a style of wedding photography that contrasts elegant clothing with an environment in which it is out of place. It is generally shot in the style of fashion or glamour photography. Such photography often takes place on a beach, but other locations include city streets, rooftops, garbage dumps, fields, and abandoned buildings. The woman often wears a ball gown, prom dress or wedding dress, and may effectively ruin the dress in the process by getting it wet, dirty, or, in extreme circumstances, tearing or destroying the garment.”
I found this article on BUZZFEED and what a great way to begin a health eating journey. Enjoy.
Tiers of Joy Wedding Gown Sale! This Saturday and Sunday only. Walk-ins welcome.
15% off all gowns $1,500.00-$1,900.00
20% off all gowns $2,000.00-$2,400.00
25% off all gowns $2,500.00 & up
There’s a good reason why ranch weddings are so darn popular. It doesn’t get much better than the dreamy, relaxed feel of the setting or that sense of rustic charm us city dwellers perpetually crave . Plus, you usually get to take a virtually untouched environment and make it all your own. Lauren + Blake’s situation was exactly that and they did an amazing job of turning their blank-slate-of-a-venue into a beautiful, romantic place to say their I Do’s! While we love it all, we’re particularly smitten with the gorgeous florals by Breier and Bride – so crazy romantic! – and the classic gray + cream color palette. Here’s a bit more about the day from Lauren:
We wanted our wedding to be outdoors, relaxed and natural. We also wanted our guests to feel “free to be you” and comfortable throughout the day. They took the time from their lives to celebrate us, so we wanted to be sure we thanked each person for being with us on our wedding day. Blake and I envisioned every person feeling wanted, loved, accepted, and involved. With close to 180 people in attendance we were able to make everyone feel at home. It was important to us that our wedding felt intimate and personal.
Thanks so much to Bryan Miller for the beautiful photography + congrats to L + B on an incredible day!
The breezy bridesmaid dresses were found at Davids Bridal – major score! And if you’re looking for a dress similar to Lauren’s that has a clean, classic feel, check out BHLDN’s gorgeous lace Poppy Gown!
One of my favorite pieces of decor was our archway. My mom and I stumbled upon the archway in a small flower shop in Los Gatos, CA. Two days later I was shocked and touched to see in our front yard as an engagement present from my parents. They’re pretty rad.
Listening to the speeches/toasts while sitting at our sweetheart table. It was incredibly touching for both Blake and I. Being able to take in the beauty of our day and the faces of our loved ones…little compares.
photography: Bryan Miller // venue: Rough Acres Ranch, private residence in California // event design: Lauren Slatten, bride // event planner: Jessica Williams, friend of bride // florals + hairpieces: Breier and Bride // wedding dress: La Sposa // bridesmaid dresses: Davids Bridal // hair + makeup: Veronica Serrano, Lydia Lutz // groom suit: J. Crew // paper goods: Brittney Kerle, sister of the bride // catering: Los Primos Mexican Restaurant // cake: Jeanne Herman, Jeanne Cakes // ceremony music: Stephen Gulley and Band // reception music: Joshua Flynt
Original post on www.greenweddingshoes.com
HOMEMADE BODY SCRUBS
Who doesn’t love a good body massage and scrub? Would you like to know how you can have that experience at home? With so many options in body scrubs in stores it’s hard to decide which is the best option to keep you all aglow. Have you tried making your own? It’s easy and less expensive then store bought ones. All you need are some basic ingredients you already have in your kitchen.
HOMEMADE BODY SCRUBS CONTAIN MANY BENEFITS SUCH AS:
The three key ingredients you need are described below. Start with the basic recipe at the bottom and then start experimenting with different ingredients to find what works best for you. Trust me you’ll be reformed to homemade scrubs forevah.
Exfoliates:
Sugar- Gentle on the skin and you already have some (Bonus!).
Salt- Is great for relaxing muscles, but remember to grind it first so it will be kinder to your skin.
Oatmeal- Most gentle of the exfoliates and it is an emollient that softens and hydrates your skin.
Coffee- A vasoconstrictor, it causes blood vessels to constrict, temporarily reducing varicose veins and rosacea.
Carrier Oil:
The base oil holds the mixture together and moisturizes your skin.
Coconut
Sunflower
Grape seed
Hazelnut
Kukui
Macadamia
Fragrance:
Best way to add fragrance to your scrub is to use natural Essential Oils, avoid “fragrance oils” for they are synthetic.
Easy Recipe to get you started:
1 cup sugar 
1/3 cup oil
20 drops of essential oil
(Optional) 2-10 drops of food coloring for color
Tips:
Because of scrub’s moisturizing properties it is best to wash your body with soap first then scrub after. If you use soap after the scrub you will lose the natural moisture from the oil and have drier skin. If the feel of the oil left on your skin is more than you like use less oil in your mixture (make your scrub on the dry side).
While you’re shopping for discount holiday gifts and bargain basement prices on housewares this Black Friday, don’t forget to check a few things off on your wedding to-do list too (and save some $ while you’re at it)!
What to look for:
The Gown
PHOTO BY PHOTO: ELIZABETH MESSINA
Photo: Elizabeth Messina
Check your local bridal salon for Black (or White?) Friday discounts. Since new product is coming in they’ll be looking to open up inventory space for next season’s gowns. This is a win for you because the style you’ve been patiently eyeing for months may now be deeply discounted. Some salons will take appointments ahead of time, so plan ahead for the best deals.
Favors
PHOTO BY PHOTO: THE KNOT SHOP
Photo: The Knot Shop
At stores like Costco, WalMart, and Target don’t forget to buy in bulk non-perishable favors like jars (rustic), flip flops (beach), mugs (winter), luggage tags (destination), terra cotta planters (garden). You can customize them later on with ribbon, labels, tags, and packaging so they fit your wedding style and have a personal touch. Or shop favors from the comfort of your couch in The Knot Shop!
Lingerie For Under the Dress and the Honeymoon
PHOTO BY PHOTO: ONLYHEARTS.COM
Photo: OnlyHearts.com
A supportive set of shape wear goes a long way if you’re wearing a slinky gown or need full coverage for your strapless, but they can also be expensive. Black Friday is the time to find these practical necessities discount so you can buy multiple options and be prepared with back-up to boot.
Victoria’s Secret is known for their epic Black Friday sales and it’s worth it to scan the racks of your favorite department store discount offshoot like Nordstrom’s Rack and Off 5th for high end brands that might be too pricey the rest of the year.
Shoes
PHOTO BY PHOTO: FURIOUS PHOTOGRAPHERS
Photo: Furious Photographers
Shopping for shoes on Black Friday is a no-brainer. Keep in mind that online retailers like Amazon might be your best bet in this case so you don’t have to go on a mad rampage to find the right size or accidentally end up with two left feet.
Jewelry
PHOTO BY PHOTO: CAROLINE GHETES PHOTOGRAPHY
Photo: Caroline Ghetes Photography
Accessories are key, and while many jewelers will be pushing guys to buy a ring for a Christmas morning proposal the already engaged will win out too. Always know the return policies at the stores you’re shopping at in case one of the pieces doesn’t work out.
Bridal Party Attire
PHOTO BY PHOTO: KWU WEDDINGS
Photo: KWU Weddings
Make sure you take down your girls’ preferred sizes before hitting the stores because you’ll want to be ready to buy if you find something you love. If possible, bring a few of your maids along to make sure there’s extra eyes on the merchandise, but be sure to give them guidelines (and photos!) of what you’re looking for ahead of time.
Happy shopping!
Have you ever purchased clothes online without trying them one first trusting in the pictures or size charts? And then once received they didn’t fit quite right? Or maybe you found that cute outfit, you found on Pintrest at the store tried it on and it looked horrible? These are all to true experiences for everyday shopping as well as finding your dream wedding gown.
There are so many different dress styles how does a bride know which one to choose? There are multiple magazines, dress style charts, and wedding blogs that all have inspirational pictures of models in the gorgeous gowns making everything look too good to be true. But is that really a true representation of how the dress will fit you? Do you trust the accuracy of the dress chart and purchase a gown online? The best way to tell is just try on all diffent styles in person and touch the different fabrics, see what lays on you best, what flatters your body best. Do you prefer the soft silk chiffon over the stiff organza or maybe tulle ?
I know you may already have an idea of what will look best, but try to keep an open mind you may be suprised and LOVE the lace fit and flare dress over the ballgown.
Buying a pre-owned wedding dress is becoming the preferred option for today’s bride. It allows her to purchase an A-list designer gown at a fraction of the A-list price keeping her budget on track. It is also a great way to incorporate a “something borrowed’ and “something new” into one piece (there’s no need to ask Grandma to borrow her vintage cameo brooch) you will already have that covered.
Just to clarify pre-owned wedding gowns are dresses that have either been worn by one bride and (are in exquisite condition) then can be worn by another bride for her own wedding or it is unworn with tags attached, previous bride just changed her mind. Either way this gives today’s modern bride a more affordable option than the more expensive “made to order” designer gowns.
What do I look for when shopping for a pre-owned wedding dress?
Well besides the cut, fit, and comfort of the gown being perfect for you.
Your wedding dress is undeniably one of the most important parts of your wedding day. So, choose carefully keeping in mind your overall look (fit, color, and sparkle) and wedding budget. At the end of the day what is most important is that you get married and you look great doing so.
Emerald City Gowns 