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~style files~attendant gift ideas

The people you choose to stand next to you on your wedding day are some of the most important people in your life and whether it is a sibling, family member or a best friend, the attendants in your wedding will be a large part of the most important day of your life. Because of this, couples often choose to give their attendants a token of appreciation for celebrating their day with them.

Personalized and thoughtful gifts are always an outstanding way to show your gratitude for the day. What Bridesmaid wouldn’t love to get an adorable clutch to match their bridesmaid dress? In an earlier blog, we mentioned that you can embroider initials into the inside of your clutch. You can choose to add a cute personalized tag, instead, that attaches to the clutch to adds a personal touch to the inside of the bag. These can also found at www.etsy.com.

clutch label Other great ideas for your bridesmaids’ gifts are personalized purse table hangers. Also, personalized totes adorned with their initials. All types of bags will always come in handy for a long time after the event. How about a cute pair of flip flops? We all know that those heels can only last so long through the night before you kick them off and dance all night long and your bridesmaids can have cute bridal ones that match their dresses.  Some more classic gifts are initialed compacts or champagne flutes. 

bags and shoes

female gifts

 Men always seem to be a little more difficult. Men are not picky but we found some great personalized gifts that they may really appreciate!  How about some personalized glassware for the reception? It is a great way to give a gift they can use that night and also and be able to take home for good use. Items for golfing are always a favorite, as well. www.etsy.com also has personalized links for the ends of golf clubs. They also have a personalized party tub that is great for camping or boating.

mens gifts

More typical gifts that the website carries are personalized flasks or money clips that are hard to go wrong with.

mens gifts 2 Just remember that your bridal party means a lot to you and showing your appreciation is always appreciated. In addition, if you put a little extra thought into the gifts you choose and give something that your friends and family can use for a long time to come, your money will go much further. Make sure to attach a hand written card and thank you for so you can express your genuine feelings!

 

 

orchids

 

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Many brides would love to see orchids flowing on their wedding day but are intimidated by their stereotype of being so high priced and out of reach. Don’t think so fast, though, as there are ways to use orchids in your event without sacrificing your budget! Here is a little education on this particular flower and tips on how to incorporate them successfully. Orchids are one of the most elegant and long lasting types of flower. The orchid has a reputation of being an exotic and expensive choice for your event, but, thankfully, this isn’t always the case. With an estimated 25,000 different types of orchids out there, you can find whatever style, color, size, or shape you need for your special day. It is a common myth that orchids are tropical and need to be grown in a greenhouse, and as a matter of fact this is not always true. Most can grow in almost any climate, but hold best at household temperatures between 60-80 degrees.

1011 copy Orchids can have a wide variety of messages, but historically the meanings of orchids have included wealth, love, and beauty. To the ancient Greeks, orchids suggested virility, and after the rise in popularity of orchid collections in Victorian England, the meaning of orchids moved towards being symbolic of luxury. Orchids have also been believed to carry many healing and protective properties, allowing them to ward off disease. The Aztecs were said to drink a mixture of the vanilla orchid and chocolate to give them power and strength, and the Chinese believe orchids can help cure lung illnesses and coughs.

The most common type of orchid is probably the moth orchid, or the Phalaenopsis orchids. These are the plants that you can buy from a standard grocery store. They usually have long flower spikes and, therefore, look very graceful. These types of flowers have the power to add elegance to the home. Phalaenopsis are now widely grown as houseplants. Even though they usually bloom only once or twice a year, their flowers can often last for two or three months.

purple-phalaenopsis-orchid Dendrobium hybrids come in many colors (white, green, purple, pink, yellow and more) and require a fairly warm environment. Thy can affectionately be called the “Thai Restaurant Orchid”. Their “butterfly” like flowers are a bit smaller than Cymbidiums having a vase life of 10 days or more, depending on cultivar and environment. Dendrobium Orchids can be safely kept in the cooler with other flowers providing the temperature is at or above 36 degrees.

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dendrobium collage 

The lady slipper orchids are like no other type of flowers and have pouch-shaped lips. They can be quite difficult to grow under cultivation unless you live in temperate regions. These are some of the most exotic looking orchids available.

 

lady slippers

Boat or Cymbidium orchids are one of the most widely known types of orchids. Cymbidium has kept its status as a celebrity orchid for thousands of years. Why do people love them so much? Cymbidium orchid hybrids produce up to 30 beautiful, large and, sometimes, fragrant blooms on a single stem, and the flowers last up to a couple of months!

cymbidium ”Mokara Orchid” is commonly referred to as the “Smile Orchid”. The intricate patterns within the petals of some varieties make the orchid look as though it is smiling… hence its common name. This elegant and exotic Orchid was originally native to Bangkok and Singapore and is now commercially grown in Hawaii. Vase life is excellent… with the flowers lasting 7 to 14 days, depending on bud stage and environmental conditions. To ensure the greatest vase life, change the orchid’s water twice a week, cutting the stem 1/2 inch with each water change.

mokara This is just scratching the surface of the types of orchids out there. It is like classifying people into short, tall blonde, brunette, Italian, German…way to many to talk about at once. This beautiful exotic flower is not as out of reach as you think. Keep it in mind to add a hint of elegance to your event.

Dani and Elliot-1841 

~style files~keeping guests comfortable throughout your event

Keeping your guests as comfortable as possible during your event is so important. While they have traveled from afar or put their busy lives on hold to celebrate your special day with you, you want to make their time as enjoyable as possible! Not to mention, the more comfortable they are, the longer they’ll stay and party the night away with you on the dance floor!

First things first, summer time is packed with weddings and the majority of those have some sort of outside element, whether it be the entire event or just your cocktail hour. Outside weddings are not only gorgeous but they are fun on an amazing summer evening. Unfortunately, though, weather and other elements are virtually impossible to control at every moment, raising the possibility of being bothered by extensive heat, sun, rain or bugbites. There are simple ways to lessen the bothersome elements, though, while adding cute and fun aspects to your decor!

Providing pitchers of lemonade or sangria and nice bottles of still or sparkling water is a nice and, very, practical touch. If you want to save a little money on water, you can also offer it in a pitcher and add some color with bright berries and fruit. It gives the water a delicious, yet subtly sweet taste.

pitcher drinks

bottled waters

You can also set out a basket of items such as unscented sunscreen, bug spray and tissues.

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Providing umbrellas and parasols is an easy way to provide shade from the sun, protection from unexpected sprinkles and add a cute addition to your decor. Simply leave a basket of parasols near the drink station at your ceremony or place one neatly on each seat. Check out www.asianideas.com for these. Another way to create shade and a certain ambiance to your event is to rent white umbrellas to set within your seating area and create a specified ceremony or cocktail  space. These can be rented from Event Rents and delivered with any other rentals you might be using. (www.eventrents.com)

umbrellas

It’s always a nice touch to leave a feminine products basket in the ladies restroom in case they want to freshen up with hairspray, bobby pins, dental floss,  aspirin, et cetera, throughout the evening. Also, when guests come from out of town and are staying in a hotel, it is proper etiquette and is a great way to say thank you to provide a gift bag filled with fun and necessary items. Add some local items and a visitor’s booklet to show them a little bit of what your city has to offer and personal items that explain you as a couple. Bottled water, snacks such as Boulder kettle chips, and some items to cure the morning exhaustion after partying the night away at your event, go a long way. Personalized items are adorable, too. Make your gifts useful, like an embossed tote bag that can be used on their way home and long after your event. These little touches add, hugely, to your event.

gift bag collage

If you want to go all out, stage a hospitality room in the hotel where your guests have access to snacks and goodies for the entire weekend!

hospitality room collage

And last but, certainly, not least, offering a flip flop and shawl case during your reception is sure to be a hit. We all know that most heels aren’t going to last you through the night and who wants to be running around on a dirty floor with bare feet? What’s more,  getting chilly on a summer evening is always a possiblity in your cute summer dress. Using a shelf with a bunch of different compartments and filling it neatly with flip fliops and shawls will keep everyone happy! Offer a shoe check to keep track of everyone’s ditched heels for the time being and give out replacements. You can buy both items  in bulk and in an array of colors so that the ladies can choose what matches their outfit and take them home as an added favor.

~Shawls~

www.wholesalepashminascarves.com, www.amazingcollections.com

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~Flip Flops~

www.dollardays.com, www.oldnavy.com

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There are so so so many cute options to add to your event that are practical and will add those special details that will make your whole day stand out to your guests. If they can see how much thought you put into making their time enjoyable, as well, they will appreciate the whole experience even more!

March 2, 2010 - 7:02 pm Colorado Wedding Photographer, JasonG - Absolutely essential in Colorado's hot/dry summers!

leah and philip~ Westin, Downtown Denver, CO

Earlier this month the Alexan Events Team brought Leah and Philip’s wedding dreams to fruition at their lovely wintertime event.  Leah and Philip were a great couple to work with. They had a sophisticated sense of style that allowed me to really use some finer florals, linens and details to bring their event together.  Though I enjoy all different design, be it fun and flirty, cool and relaxing or even edgey, the overall look and style that we ended up with is, absolutely, right up my alley!

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Prior to the ceremony, guests mingled and drank champagne while listening to one of our favorite classical musician duo’s from A Touch of Class…http://www.atcmusic.com/.

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The ceremony was held in the Horace Tabor room of the Westin-Tabor Center http://www.starwoodhotels.com/westin/property/overview/index.html?propertyID=1012 in downtown Denver, Colorado.  If you follow my blog at all, you know that I am extremely fond of the Westin Brand and especially the staff that is synonymous with their properties. Deseri Martinez and her crew were a treat to work with.  They left no desire unfulfilled, no question unanswered and no one went home feeling that anything could have been better!

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After the ceremony, guests moved over to the reception space in V’ s Lounge and the Augusta Room.  This is one of my new favorite spaces for a reception.  The room boasts incredible views of the city through the floor to ceiling windows.  With the neutral, but modern, decor in the space, it is easy to transform it into each clients vision without having to spend a ton of extra money to cover up any existing finishes.

We kept the color palette wintery by using grays, blacks and reds.  One thing to note, when you are using red in the winter,  it is important that it be handled in a way that keeps it from seeming like a Christmas celebration. Knowing that, we used punches of it in important places and did not make it the main component.

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The tables were topped with a lush linen that complimented the design perfectly.  Atop that linen were candle towers, gorgeous orchid laden arrangements, cute favor cards…To finish things off, we  pulled up a black chivari chair with a white pad to the table. Perfect.

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…Julie Harris (the fabulous photographer for the event) http://www.julieharrisphotography.com/, mentioned, that night, that it was one of her favorites and I agree. Totally one of mine, too.

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Leah and Philip, We enjoyed the time we spent with you and hope we can keep in touch. Take care!

Floral Design: Alexan Events http://www.alexanevents.com/

Decor and Lighting: Alexan Events http://www.alexanevents.com/

Spectacular Photography: Julie Harris Photography http://www.julieharrisphotography.com/

Cake: Elegant Bakery http://www.elegantbakery.com/

Venue: Westin Tabor Center, Denver

http://www.starwoodhotels.com/westin/property/overview/index.html?propertyID=1012

DJ: Jammin DJ’s http://www.jammindjs.com/

Classical Duo: A Touch of Class Music http://atcmusic.com/

February 27, 2010 - 11:57 am Jared Wilson Photography - LOVE the details! That flower board is fantastic - I've never seen that before. Great cake too!

March 1, 2010 - 6:39 am Colorado Wedding Photographer, JasonG - Looks fantastic... Love the winter leaves in the napkins. Great work.

~style files~ bouquets for brides and bridesmaids

There is, really, only one time that it’s considered acceptable to carry a beautiful bouquet of flowers and that is at a wedding! What is a better accessory than gorgeous flowers that match your décor and are adorned by an elegant ribbon, jewel or feathers?

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Every bride has different tastes and ideas when it comes to their bouquet. Are you a simple girl who likes a whole bouquet of one variety of flower? Let’s say you have a great love for the beautiful Calla Lily. Bind them together and they make a spectacular statement. Other brides like the idea of a less structured, unique look for their hand held accessory. The look of a bouquet with lots of unique flowers in it has more of  a garden like feel. Sweet Peas poking out or some fuzzy Cockscomb mixed in gives your bouquet interesting texture.

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collage bqt1You can also go the way of a more structured bouquet with similar flowers in a tight, round shape. Maybe you could use Roses and throw in a small accent of Fiddle Head Ferns or all Roses mixed with smaller Spray Roses to give it a little more depth.

One common thing these days,  is to make the brides bouquet a totally different color than their bridesmaids’. Many brides love their bouquet to be bright and colorful to match the décor and have the bridesmaids’ be white or vice versa. Even the idea of designing the bride’s bouquet from a mixture of many gorgeous flowers and giving each, individual, bridesmaid a bouquet made completely of one flower pulled from the bride’s bouquet, is a unique and cute idea.

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Simple and sweet, loud and lively, and all the levels in between, bouquets are a fun accessory for your walk down the aisle. Just remember, this is one of the only times that this accessory is appropriate…so make it count!

~style files~clutches and handbags

Every girl needs a handbag to carry her personal items in on any given day. Why should your wedding day be any different? Clutches are another accessory to think about when choosing your wedding day attire and can also be a cute gift for your maids if you want them to have matching ones on the big day. What’s fun about choosing this piece, though, is there is definitely no shortage of good looking ones for your whole wedding party! Many can be worn on your average day, too, being that they are functional for different styles of clothing.

First things first. Having a classicly beautiful piece that perfectly matches your dress will never go out of style.  These can accent any specifics that you want to highlight such as lace, crystals, or a vintage ambiance.

elegant collageleft: white gold, embroidered silk brocade by Mermaid’s Dream on Etsy.com~$58

center: ivory and mocha lace with detachable brooch *Chloe* by Percy Handmade on Etsy.com~$75

right: luxurious yet modern. UpStyle on Etsy.com~$70

ivory collagetop left: rosette by Franchi Handbags on Zappos.com

bottom left: sleek clutch by Franchi Handbags on Zappos.com

right: pleated Jessica McClintock on Zappos.com

Bows and Ruffles… the perfect way to get cute yet elegant!

bow collage

ruffles collage

top left:  silk big bow with blue interior which can be changed to any other tone. Viabella on Etsy.com~$68

top right: silk dupioni by Mermaid’s Dream on Etsy.com~$65

bottom left: Jessica McClintock at Nordstrom~$68

bottom right: silk dupioni * Storybook* by DesignDuJour on Etsy.com~$112

ivory collage2

top left: elegant Jessica McClintock at Nordstrom~$68

top right: pearl accented La Regale~$52

bottom: lace and leather Stuart Weitzman on Zappos.com~$480

These gold clutches can go either way. They are colorful yet elegant.

gold collage

left: pure silk classic elegance by UpStyle on Etsy.com~$70

right: modern seafoam florals by UpStyle on Etsy.com~$60

I love, love, love these next few and they are so unique and beautiful. Being that peacock feathers and jewel tones are all the rage this season,  they aren’t hard to find, either!

white peacock collageleft: silk, embroidered ivory by Puck513 on Etsy.com

right: white silk dupioni, peacock feather adornment by Mermaids Dream on Etsy.com~$65

peacock clutch collageAll of the above are silk embroidered or printed by Mermaids Dream which can be found on Etsy.com~$58-$65

peacock laregale 55beaded peacock detail by La Regale~$55

There are tons of supercute options for bridesmaids or for yourself if you want to add a splash of color or are having a fun outside or garden wedding.

blossom collageleft: silk cherry blossom design by Mermaid’s Dream on Etsy.com~$58

right: cotton sateen roses by Mermaid’s Dream on Etsy.com~$58

colored collage

left: silk dupioni, navy by Mermaid’s Dream on Etsy.com~$65

center: silk dupioni pleated in multiple colors by Babb’s Boutique on Etsy.com~$69

right: silk dupioni ruffles in peacock blue by Mermaid’s Dream~$65

lotus collageleft: red lotus flower by UpStyle on Etsy.com~$70

right: teal lotus flower by UpStyle on Etsy.com~$70

Santi Designs also offer an array options which include tons of beaded bags. www.Etsy.com has endless choices, that are handmade and much different than you would normally find in stores. As you can see, there are tons of options when it comes to clutches just like all of your other wedding day accessories! All of them are a wonderful way to accent your look or the look of your bridal party and look cuter than ever.

Lastly, Etsy.com offers the option to embroider your initials in your clutch for around $10. What an adorable and perfect way to add even more sentimental value to yours or your bridesmaids handbags.

embroidered initials

HAPPY SHOPPING!!!

~style files~wedding cakes and confections

A wedding cake is one of the most recognizable symbols of a wedding. Because everyone expects to see a cake at your event, it would seem that it is somewhat important for that cake to make a statement at your event. Why not have a cake as elegant as your wedding day?

elegant cake collage

As one of the focal points of your reception, a wedding cake should show off your personality and your sense of style. With all of the design options to choose from these days, that shouldn’t be too hard.  From traditional stacked white tiers to tinted fondant with sugar flowers, there are no limits to what can be created. AND Because choosing a wedding cake is probably one of the most enjoyable things about wedding  planning, I am sure that you will not mind visiting a few bakeries to see what they may have in store for you.  When you are flipping through the bakers portfolios at your tastings, keep in mind what styles work best with your wedding day look. Is your day classic and beautiful or fun and whimsical? 

crazy cake collage

icing collage

FLAVORS….what good is a beautiful cake if it tastes bad, right?  Most Bakers fall into one of two categories when discussing flavor and texture profiles.  Either they are rich, dense and super moist or they are lighter, fluffier and more cakey.  I find that our clients usually prefer one style to the other.  After all, most people either like fudgey brownies or they like cakey brownies.   Knowing that can help you select a baker that fits more with your perference.

For the flavors, do you prefer German chocolate, red velvet, fresh fruit, butter cream, carrot, or one flavor per tier? Anything you could want is possible!    The options are endless.

flower collage

Today pastery chefs are elevating their skills to the next level.  Spectacular cakes have recently become all the rage as a result of TV shows such as “Cake Boss” and “Ace of Cakes”. Executive Pastry Chef, Janusz Zrodlowski, owner of Elegant Bakery in Lakewood, Colorado,  is among the top cake creators in the state. You can see for yourself his mad skills at www.elegantbakery.com. Look out for more information and creations by Janusz in a future Feature Vendor blog.

~style files~bridal headpieces

Just last weekend, we did a fabulously romantic wedding at the Westin in downtown Denver. The lovely bride, Leah, wore an amazing, embellished headband that featured a diamond flower,  adding a 1920’s art-deco flare to her look, which also matched the diamond and crystal accenting on her gown. It added another element to her whole look that day, inspiring me to delve deeper into different types of headpieces that brides could wear on their wedding day.

Leah headpiece

Along with veils, you can always add a little something extra with live or silk flowers, embellished pins, headbands, and decorative combs. Headpieces can be simple and subtle or make a huge statement.

Just like her veils, Sara Gabriel makes hairpieces of all kinds. Her pieces are carefully made and accented with anything from swarovski rhinestones, freshwater pearls, ostrich feathers, natural seashells, and flowers made from hand ruffles silk organza, gazar and velvet as well as Japanese lace paper. Below are an array of the ones that I love from www.saragabriel.com.

sara gabriel collage

Maria Elena is another headpiece designer who offers a statement making piece. Her work is described as quality made, original and elegant and are hand crafted by specialized craft jewelers. She has also been featured in numerous magazines for her unique pieces.

The Maria Elena Collection also offers “fascinators” which are bigger than barrettes, which show in a bold fashion. These are often accented with feathers, flowers, and wisps of fabric and embellished with crystals, ribbons or beads and attached with a comb or headband. These can be found at www.mariaelenaheadpieces.com.

maria elena

maria elena collage

Adding an extra accessory to your wedding gown can add a certain element and style to your look. Headpieces are a simple yet elegant element and you will not be disappointed with these two designers!

~feature vendor~The Paper Guppy: custom invitation design

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Besides save the date announcements, the invitations that you send out are the first hint to your guests of what is to come on your wedding day. They are a great way to share, not only the specifics of your event but also show the theme, colors and mood of your big day. One vendor who we think does a great job of sharing these aspects through her work with save the dates, invites and all other paper goods you may need for your wedding is Maura at The Paper Guppy (www.paperguppy.com).

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THE BEGINNING

Maura began as a graphic designer after getting her degree with hopes to combine her love of art with a career. She spent five years developing websites, logos, advertisements, etcetera for different clients and began to get bored with things so she started creating custom invitations for her friends who were getting married. Maura fell in love with the creativity of designing individual invites for each event and after getting her name out to more and more new brides, her business blossomed!

birds

stamped

THE PROCESS

Maura begins every invitation by meeting with each new client and getting together all of the details of the day. She then illustrates mock-up designs and layouts for her couple to choose from, as well as discussing possible printing methods and additional embellishments. Most of the invitations are printed using a letterpress printer or an offset printer. She has also worked with foil stamping, embossing, debossing and diecutting. Embellishments can range from custom envelope liners, folders or pouches, ribbons, wax seals, stitching, rhinestones to anything else that might add that little extra something to an invitation. And lastly, she completes the look and feel of the wedding by adding different stationary pieces.

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In addition to invitations, The Paper Guppy designs save the dates, hotel welcome letters & books, programs, menus, escort cards, favor tags, thank you notes…basically if it can be printed, a design can be created! Most recent designs have been coat check tags and leather napkin rings to match a couple’s theme. Maura loves when smaller details match the theme that began with the invitation and can easily be set apart from the competition with her  seamless coordination from start to finish, expert graphic design experience and custom illustrations.

The Paper Guppy

maura@paperguppy.com

www.paperguppy.com

3.725.6001

~style files~statement jewelry

If I were to get married again…the things I would do, the design I would create, the products I would use.  Man, it would be something.  I know I am not the only event designer and planner that says this to themselves on a daily basis.  And I am sure that in reality, I probably would not have done things too differently then I did,  considering that I would still marry the same man with the same simple, understated tastes.  BUT, if I could just do it ANY WAY I wanted…it would definatley make a statement!

One thing I would ceratinly do if I were to walk down the aisle again, I would choose all of my attire and  accessories with the more complex and fashion savy eye that I have these days.  I would start with a great dress, of course, but we have all seen the posts on this year’s “it” fashions and I won’t go back down that road.  After the dress, SHOES!!!! shoes with color or embellishments…But we recently did a post on that too, so again, I will move on.  Finally after the dress, what’s under it and what Iwould wear on my feet, I would have a great time choosing my jewelry.  It would have a wow factor.  Something equal only to what is seen on the celebrities that walk the red carpet.  I would take it to the next level and really pull things together. 

I was thinking about this the other day when I was paging through one of my favorite magazines Weddings Unveiled www.weddingsunveiledmagazine.com .  It is a southern culture wedding magazine with beautiful photo shoots and gorgeous real wedding spreads.  In this month’s edition, there is a spread on the jewelry boutique House of Lavande.  I am totally in love!!! 

Necklace

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House of Lavande www.houseoflavande.com is based in Palm Beach Florida.  Brain child of jewelry connoisseur Tracy Smith, House of Lavande specializes in vintage couture costume jewelry.  The pieces are taken from the past collections of style icons such as Yves Saint Laurent, Chanel, Christian Dior as well as rare pieces from designers Schiaparelli and Schreiner. 

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The collection has over 5,000 one of a kind pieces that can be found on countless A List celebrities.  But regardless of the rarity of the pieces or the well known celebs that wear them,  the pieces are still reasonable and accessable to the average bride or fashionista.  With prices ranging from $298- $2,000 for earrings and necklaces, anyone can have a piece of history and make a dramatic statement  on their neck or ears for their big day.

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So, when you are thinking about what sort of statement you would like to make on your big day, ask yourself this…do I want people to think I look like I do every other day or do I want to WOW them and choose your pieces accordingly!!!