Real Wedding: Jenn and Ben's Horseshoe Bay Destination Wedding

They're here! They're here! Are we excited about something? Heck yeah! A few weeks ago, we shared a sneak peek with you of Jennifer and Ben's fabulous Horseshoe Bay destination wedding. We are so very thrilled to share the "official" photos with you now - compliments of the always-amazing f8! This was an incredible wedding! Soak it in:

We created lots of fun custom signage to brand the event.

Seriously, is this not one of the prettiest bridal parties? Every one of these ladies is just lovely!

This wedding had a gorgeous color palette inspired by a lakeside sunset, featuring a gorgeous ocean blue with peaches, oranges, soft pinks and yellow.

Jenn's all-white bouquet was gorgeous!

The couple said, "I do" on a lush lawn overlooking Horseshoe Bay.

Jenn and Ben's first kiss as husband and wife was shared beneath a stunning floral frame.

Happy day! Doesn't the groom look so dapper?!

Super-fun wedding party - everyone is wearing cowboy boots!

The reception tables were just fabulous with tie-accented chivari chairs and long, low, lush centerpieces.

Even the cocktails tied into the rich color scheme!

Each place setting provided guests with a menu of the station style dinner offerings.

Another view of the beautiful tablescape featuring stunning floral arrangements, place cards and menus.

The back of the menu featured a fun map of the event so guests could find anything they'd want during the celebration.

Even the bride exchanged her shoes for boots for the dance party reception. We love these lace adorned cowgirl boots!

The beautiful 5-tier cake was a beautiful focal point of the reception - look how those gorgeous bouquets accent the cake table!

The fun groom's cake acknowledged Ben's roots and his time at OU.

The cigar hut was a huge hit.

Even the bride and groom got their smoke on!

We could not have ordered more wonderful weather. It was the perfect night for a phenomenal celebration!

The newlyweds share a private dance before their sparkler send-off.

After the couple boarded a boat for their send-off, everyone was treated to fireworks over the lake.

But the party didn't stop - after party!!!!

Our custom signage continued into the next day; guests were given these fun "do not disturb" signs for their doors.

For even more photos from this fantastic event, check out f8's blog! A huge StarDust thank-you to our wonderful vendor partners:
Band: Blind Date
Cakes: Simon Lee Bakery
DJ/Emcee: Marcus Rollins
Floral: Fete des Fleurs
Photography: f8, Gary Donihoo
Venue: Horseshoe Bay Resort
Videography: Stringer Productions
Wedding Planning: StarDust Celebrations team, led by Marsha Ballard French, CMWP

Real Weddings: Two Fabulous Weddings by StarDust

Believe it or not, Kimye's shin-dig wasn't the only fabulous wedding this past weekend. Our rock star wedding planners were pretty busy working magic for two client couples and the results were pure wedding gold. Enjoy these little sneak peeks:

Abigail and Chadwick married in the European gorgeousness of the Adolphus Hotel, tying the knot in the French Room and celebrating in the Grand Ballroom.

The event, with an elegant cream and gold color palette, was full of old world charm and romance.

Aren't these luscious details by Delicious Cakes and Fete des Fleurs just beautiful?!

Just down the road, Alison and John said "I do" in a traditionally elegant wedding, with the ceremony held at St. Luke's Episcopal Church and reception at the Belo Mansion.

Alison looked resplendent in her Watters bridal gown from StarDust.

With a soft color palette of mixed pinks, romance abounded. These pretty florals are by Susan Graham Designs.

We loved these pretty cakes from Frosted Art!

Topping off the romantic event, the celebration ended with a sweet carriage send-off.

We will share more of these lovely images and details later, but if you can't wait, check out Abigail and Chadwick's beautiful event at photographer Allen Tsai's Facebook page; Alison and John's special day was captured by Anna Smith Photography.

Kim Kardashian and Kanye West Tie the Knot

Celebrity nuptials are kind of a big deal in the wedding world. These events are covered minute-to-minute by the entertainment press and every last detail is discussed, analyzed and drooled over by reporters and fans alike. Celebrities have the unlimited funds to truly create the weddings that dreams are made of, and we see ripples of what stars do for their weddings in brides’ desires for their own weddings for months (and sometimes even years) afterwards. Unless you’ve been living under a rock – or have just been busy living your life and planning your own wedding – you probably heard that Kim Kardashian and Kanye West got married this weekend in Florence, Italy, in an extravagant, star-studded affair.

Oh my stars! We are seriously in love with that incredible wall of flowers.

While we’ll all have to wait to see better photos to appreciate the full gorgeousness of Kim’s spectacular Givenchy wedding gown, we do have a few details to share. Kim’s custom lace Givenchy Haute Couture was designed by Riccardo Tisci and featured long sleeves and illusion panels on the sides and along the sleeves. And dramatic backs have been all the rage for a while, but this back – oh, this back! – is, in a word, stunning. And that train and that veil! Simply breath-taking!

Phenomenal gown back - love the drama!

So before you dive back into the grind of your workweek, take a moment to indulge in a bit of bridal eye candy first. Enjoy!


The first photo to break this weekend showing Kim's striking Givenchy gown.

The front of the gown is equally beautiful; love the illusion cut-outs!

Forte di Belvedere in Florence, Italy, is where the magic happened.

 

Final detail preparations: the installation of the floral wall that served as the ceremony backdrop.

 

Couldn't resist - these Just Married jackets are awesome!

For many more details on the entire wedding week that overtook France (Paris, Versailles and Florence), visit the sources of these lovely images: E Online, Hello! and People.



Color Splash: Patriotic Red, White and Blue Inspiration

As we cruise into the holiday weekend, we wanted to remind you that StarDust Celebrations and LuLu's Bridal Boutique will be closed in honor of Memorial Day on Monday, May 26. But we couldn't wish you a happy Memorial Day weekend without also sharing some fun patriotic inspiration with this beautiful board featuring red, white and blue!

Have a wonderful holiday weekend and take some time to celebrate our stars and stripes!

image credits: Etsy, Fab You Bliss, The Garter Girl, Marilyn's Keepsakes, Storyboard Wedding and Style Me Pretty

LuLu’s Bridal Boutique Moving Locations to Make way for a New Dallas Bridal Salon, A Curvy Bride

StarDust Celebrations is thrilled to announce that our well-loved Dallas bridal salon, LuLu’s Bridal Boutique, will be moving to a new, larger location in the design district of Dallas as of June 2014. The charming Victorian house at 2728 Routh Street where LuLu’s lived for 15 years will soon be home to a new division of StarDust Celebrations. A Curvy Bride is an exclusive new bridal salon catering to brides size 16 and up is tentatively scheduled to open July 2014 but updates can be found at www.acurvybride.com and here on our blog throughout the summer.

The new LuLu’s Bridal Boutique will be located at 1215 Dragon Street, Dallas, Texas 75207, in the heart of the Dallas design district, a go-to destination for culture, art and design. The new and improved LuLu’s will enjoy a style makeover, with the open, airy space featuring a more industrial, modern vibe in blues and white. And while LuLu's will have a new home and look, brides can expect the same exceptional customer service and beautiful, quality gowns at moderate prices that LuLu's has become known for. LuLu's will still carry the fabulous designers that are favorites of so many brides such as David Tutera, Pronovias, Allure, Maggie Sottero and Casablanca.

Favorite designers like David Tutera for Mon Cheri will still be found at LuLu's new Design District location.

A one-of-a-kind salon, A Curvy Bride will be a full-service, by-appointment bridal salon dedicated to providing the experience of a lifetime for voluptuous brides in search of their perfect wedding gown. With a varied collection of gowns of every silhouette by the best designers in the business, this will be the first couture bridal salon in North Texas to exclusively carry plus-sized samples for brides to try on. Gown samples will range in sizes 18W-32, though most will be in sizes 22 and 24. A Curvy Bride will be staffed by professional bridal stylists with years of experience helping brides of all body sizes and types find the dream gown that makes them feel the most beautiful.

Voluptuous brides will find dozens and gorgeous styles to choose from at A Curvy Bride.

A Curvy Bride will offer the hottest styles, featuring gowns from favorites such as YSA Makino, Birnbaum & Bullock, Watters, James Clifford and CB Couture. Prices will range $1,800-8,000, offering a great selection for every budget.

The beloved Victorian house will receive a facelift to reflect the new store’s personality, with a definite vintage elegance feel and shades of pink refreshing the location. A Curvy Bride will be open Wednesday through Friday 10am – 6pm, Saturday 10am – 5pm and Sunday 12pm – 4pm. All divisions of StarDust Celebrations will be closed Sundays during the month of August, starting July 20 – August 31, reopening on Sundays on September 7, 2014.

All of these exciting changes will kick off with a bang during our company-wide Summer Sale at StarDust Celebrations, LuLu's Bridal Boutique and A Curvy Bride offering 10% off all merchandise August 18-29 (excluding Maggie Sottero and Sottero & Midgely gowns).

Thanks to the lovely ladies at D Weddings for helping us spread the word!

StarDust Bride: Annie and Dave's Ranch Romance Wedding

Annie and Dave planned a fabulous ranch wedding in Wimberly, Texas. It was a relaxed and fun affair, held at Red Corral Ranch on a gorgeous day this past December. Annie worked in lots of rustic charm with romantic touches - including her fabulous Watters Soledad bridal gown bought at StarDust! Check out these lovely shots from their photographer, Amy Seymour.

Annie's blue bridesmaids dresses contrasted nicely with the whisper pink of her Soledad gown.

Soledad by Watters was a beautifully flattering gown on lovely Annie!

Even the back is stunning!

Love the bride's happy expression!

We love this shot - this gown is gorgeous and was perfect for the romantic ranch wedding!

Check out more of this darling wedding on The Knot! p.s. We absolutely adore that the bride and groom shared a pre-wedding beer - that is awesome!

Color Splash: Mint and Gold

Yes, we know. Mint was last year's hot wedding color. But we are still seeing it. A lot. And it is utterly beautiful for spring. Especially paired with gold. And maybe a hint of blush. Utterly beautiful. See if you don't agree!

image sources: 100 Layer Cake, Hostess with the Mostest, Ruffled, Style Me Pretty, Style Unveiled and Wedding Chicks

Trend Alert: Family Style Reception Dining

Large, banquet tables have been a thing at wedding receptions for a while now, but a new trend is emerging that piggybacks on the concept of the communal table: family style dining. A break from more formal, plated dinners or the informal station or buffet reception, family style dining is like a comfortable hybrid. And while this is not a new idea internationally, as many cultures have done it for centuries, it's relatively fresh here in America.

Perfect for a more casual, laid back reception, family style dining is just what it sounds like: platter and bowls of food are brought to the table for guests to pass around and serve themselves. The serving dishes are left on the table and replenished (or switched out) as needed by the wait staff. Not only is this a more personal feeling dinner experience, it can also be less expensive. But there are some pitfalls to watch out for. You'll want to make sure that your venue or catering team can handle this type of service. You will want to be confident that platters won't sit empty or that some guests at the table have to wait to get food while others' plates are filled. A conversation with your wedding planner and catering manager should help you discern if they can pull this off with excellence and whether or not this is a path you should take for your wedding dinner.

Here are some fabulous photos to inspire you to consider a family style reception dinner!

Cold food can actually be preset family style and waiting for guests.

Family style makes for a more relaxed reception dining experience.

Family style dining encourages more guest interaction.

Family style receptions are festive. Note the need for minimal décor on the banquet tables.

 

Banquet reception tables waiting for guests and family style food; there is not a need for extravagant centerpieces as the food will be the focal point (not to mention you will need more room on the table for platters). 

Comfortable, causal family style reception dinner.

Menus on the table can give guests an idea of the deliciousness that is to come.

Family style receptions are beautiful, simple and feel like home!

Family style wedding receptions can showcase farm-to-table goodness, important to the foodie bride and groom.

Family style dining at wedding receptions is like a slightly fancy picnic when held in the great outdoors!

Family style reception dining at it's finest - communal tables are warm, comfortable and fun!

image sources: 100 Layer Cake, Green Wedding Shoes, The Knot, Nook and Sea, Ruffled and  Style Me Pretty