We just returned from Bridal Market in NYC this past week. The couture gown trends were very distinct and seen in almost every designer line. Ruffles, finely pleated organza, multi-tiered skirts, the return of the ballgown, and architectural details on bodices were incorporated in many of the beautiful gowns we saw.
An awesome Lazaro gown had a corset bodice that was transparent but embellished in all the right places.
Tulle was used on many gowns, either as the full skirt or as a tufted embellishment to a skirt. Pleated organza was seen at the hem or in frothy skirts that alternated tiers of ruffles and pleated organza. Another skirt detail was the flower or rosette formed by folding fabric onto itself.
We're happy to see the return of the silk satin ballgown. There's a new designer line - Victoria Nicole - that features gorgeous duchess silk satin ballgowns with lace. We'll see these gowns in our store this Fall and we'll post some pictures as soon as they are released for publication.
As always, bridal market for Fall did not disappoint. There are gorgeous gowns at every price range for every bride.
The countdown continues... 9 more days until the premiere of the new series "Girl Meets Gown" filmed here at Stardust Celebrations! April 25th on WEtv at 9 PM CST.
Contact StarDust:
972.781.1619
Contact LuLu's:
214.871.9610
Contact A Curvy Bride:
972.388.5230
Contact A Bridal Closet:
469-366-0788
Friday, April 16, 2010
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Please Be Seated
A “seated” wedding reception means that there is full seating or, put another way, a seat for every guest. We recommend that there be full seating for guests whenever possible. Even if your reception is a cocktail party or just cake and punch, providing insufficient seating puts the burden on the guest to find a place to sit or set down a plate or purse. Who hasn’t attended a wedding where you couldn’t find a seat and left early because of this?
The type of seating offered—full or partial-- is an important distinction when asking a venue about the number of guests it is able to accommodate. The question to always ask: “is that for full seating?” You’ll often find that the capacity quoted by a venue is not for full seating and you will be very disappointed if you were planning on providing a seat for every guest!
A decision to have full seating does not necessarily determine how food will be served. Meal service may be either a served, plated dinner, or buffet/stations.
Seating may be assigned or open. Sometimes it is best to have a combination of the two with reserved tables for the wedding party and immediate family, and open seating for all other guests.
If there is assigned seating for all guests, it is communicated in one of several ways:
Escort cards – these are cards that include the guest’s name and table number. There are many creative ways to provide this information and samples are found in just about every bridal magazine. The cards are always arranged alphabetically by last name. If the escort card is also a favor consider giving on to every guest. If it’s just a little card, you can include married couples on a single card (for example, Mr. and Mrs. John Smith). Plus-ones should have their own card if you know the name. Unnamed plus-ones may be listed with the named guest bringing them (ie. Mr. John Smith and guest).
Place cards – these are cards put at the actual place setting to indicate exactly where at the assigned table the guest is to sit. It is usually sufficient to only assign a table and let the guests chose their own seat at the assigned table. But if you need to be very specific about who sits next to whom, place cards are the proper choice. The place card is used in conjunction with either the seating chart or the escort card.
Whew! Deciding where to seat guests can be a lot of work and you may decide to just offer open seating. If so, please keep these few tips in mind:
Always provide reserved seating for the wedding party and the immediate family. These folks are usually busy with photos right after the ceremony and remain busy greeting guests at the reception. By the time they are ready to sit-down, there may be no seating available! It’s a simple task to reserve several tables for family and the wedding party.
With open seating, you are letting all of your guests chose where to sit and with whom. Relatives, neighbors, school friends, etc. like to sit with each other and don’t always neatly add up to a table for eight or a table for ten. The result is that some tables may end up having chairs and place settings added and other tables may have open seats. It’s important to provide enough tables and chairs to accommodate what may be an irregular seating pattern. We always plan for at least one more table than we think we will need when there is open seating.
The type of seating offered—full or partial-- is an important distinction when asking a venue about the number of guests it is able to accommodate. The question to always ask: “is that for full seating?” You’ll often find that the capacity quoted by a venue is not for full seating and you will be very disappointed if you were planning on providing a seat for every guest!
A decision to have full seating does not necessarily determine how food will be served. Meal service may be either a served, plated dinner, or buffet/stations.
Seating may be assigned or open. Sometimes it is best to have a combination of the two with reserved tables for the wedding party and immediate family, and open seating for all other guests.
If there is assigned seating for all guests, it is communicated in one of several ways:
Escort cards – these are cards that include the guest’s name and table number. There are many creative ways to provide this information and samples are found in just about every bridal magazine. The cards are always arranged alphabetically by last name. If the escort card is also a favor consider giving on to every guest. If it’s just a little card, you can include married couples on a single card (for example, Mr. and Mrs. John Smith). Plus-ones should have their own card if you know the name. Unnamed plus-ones may be listed with the named guest bringing them (ie. Mr. John Smith and guest).
Seating Chart – this is a chart listing the guest names alphabetically and indicating the assigned table number. The seating chart can also include a layout of the room with numbered circles representing tables to assist in finding the right table. The seating chart is used instead of an escort card.
Whew! Deciding where to seat guests can be a lot of work and you may decide to just offer open seating. If so, please keep these few tips in mind:
Always provide reserved seating for the wedding party and the immediate family. These folks are usually busy with photos right after the ceremony and remain busy greeting guests at the reception. By the time they are ready to sit-down, there may be no seating available! It’s a simple task to reserve several tables for family and the wedding party.
With open seating, you are letting all of your guests chose where to sit and with whom. Relatives, neighbors, school friends, etc. like to sit with each other and don’t always neatly add up to a table for eight or a table for ten. The result is that some tables may end up having chairs and place settings added and other tables may have open seats. It’s important to provide enough tables and chairs to accommodate what may be an irregular seating pattern. We always plan for at least one more table than we think we will need when there is open seating.
Finally, please be sure and watch the premiere episode of "Girl Meets Gown" on WEtv Sunday, April 25, 9 PM CST. Check it out on http://www.wetv.com/girl-meets-gown
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Please Manage Your Lovely Children
Having children in the wedding is a preference issue. There are no right or wrong answers, as well as no hard and fast rules. There are some considerations however, that the planning bride may want to consider.
1. Children under four are unpredictable. If a flower girl or ring bearer is young, he or she may not follow through with walking down the aisle, even if rehearsed perfectly the evening before. So brides-- always be prepared to implement a contingency plan.
2. For the ring bearer, regardless of the age, the rings on the pillow should be “pretend”. The real rings are usually given to the honor attendants or to the clergy. Two disasters can occur if the real rings are attached to the ring pillow. First, the knots must be secure in order to avoid becoming untied, this usually means the best man cannot get the knots untied during the ceremony. Second, the rings are not tied securely and they fall off the pillow.
3. Children like to run and play which usually leads to getting tussled or dirty. The stress parents place on children to “act nice’ and “not get dirty” is sometimes not a pretty sight. Weddings are often formal and are considered worship services so keep this in mind when selecting children. If a child usually follows instructions, he or she will probably be great. Conversely, children who usually misbehave do not suddenly become well-mannered after being invited to participate in a wedding ceremony.
4. Guests who bring infants or small children are usually considerate and leave the ceremony if crying begins. However, there are those who believe that sound of a crying child is perfectly acceptable. As a matter of fact, you the bride may share this view. If you do not want to hear children speaking loudly or crying, you may want to alert your greeters or house staff to direct parents to a nursery if necessary. If you know in advance that many of your guests have children, it may be a good idea to hire a sitter for the hour during the ceremony. While some children can sit quietly for an hour, most cannot.
5. It’s a good idea to have the parents sit in the first row of the temple or sanctuary, in order that children participating in the ceremony may sit during the wedding service, after the processional. If possible the children can always walk out during the recessional or be escorted out after the mother of the bride and the mother of the groom at the end of the ceremony.
6. Bringing children to the reception is a touchy subject. The bride needs to think of what kind of event she has in mind. Children can change the tone of the reception. This can be good or not so good, depending on personal preference. Some brides love the inclusiveness of all generations, others believe that receptions, like dance clubs, are no place for children. And a note for brides, if children are on the dance floor hopping around, adults will usually not dance. Someone will have the dreadful task of asking parents to keep the children off the dance floor.
7. Also during receptions, children are sometimes left to run wild. This can be dangerous not only for the child but also for wait staff and other vendors trying to provide services. So, if children are to be invited, consider engaging a sitter to keep them occupied. They can watch videos, play games or nap, while the parents can have a great night out with good music, great food and no need to worry about the children.
Lastly, some brides want lots of children participating in the wedding ceremony. For those weddings, consider having the children enter two-by-two holding hands. I have seen children come down the aisle being pulled in a wagon, still others have marched down in perfect unison while carrying candle lighters or ringing bells. This April, I know a mother of a bride who will be escorted by her 6 year old grandson. These and other ideas help to create an intergenerational ceremony and children almost always are adorable. Be creative, yet as mentioned earlier be FLEXIBLE because children will always be children.
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Spring 2010 Bridal Trunk Shows
Stardust Celebrations is 10 years old! We are celebrating our 10th year with 10% off all merchandise and gowns during the 1st week of 2010. It's our "10 in 10" Sale.
The Spring 2010 wedding gowns are beginning to arrive at Stardust. It's so exciting to finally receive the gowns we chose during NY Bridal Market last October.
January through April is the busiest time of the year in the bridal salon. We feature a different designer every weekend by hosting bridal trunk shows. It's called a "trunk show" because gowns used to be shipped by the designer to the stores in actual trunks. Sadly, the trunks have been replaced by corrugated shipping cartons but it's still very exciting to open the boxes and put a designer's entire new line on display. Often the designer or the designer's rep will be onsite to work directly with brides to find the perfect gown. Prices are usually discounted and the designer will often waive change fees or rush charges. Here's a listing of our Spring Trunk Shows at both stores--appointments are strongly recommended:
January 2-3
No Ordinary Bride Bridal Trunk Show Stardust Celebrations
"10 in 10" Storewide Sale Stardust Celebrations and LuLu’s
January 8-10
Birnbaum and Bullock Bridal Trunk Show Stardust Celebrations
Casablanca Bridal Trunk Show LuLu’s
January 15-17
Rina di Montella Bridal Trunk Show Stardust Celebrations
Rina di Montella Special Occasion Stardust Celebrations
Maggie Sottero Bridal Trunk Show LuLu’s
January 22-24
Monique Lhuillier Bliss Bridal Trunk Show Stardust Celebrations
Pronovias Bridal Trunk Show LuLu’s
January 29-31
Simone Carvalli Bridal Trunk Show Stardust Celebrations
February 4-7
Semi-annual Clearance Sale Both Stores
February 12-14
Alvina Valenta Bridal Trunk Show Stardust Celebrations
Aire by Rosa Clara Bridal Trunk Show LuLu’s
February 19-21
Jim Hjelm Bridal Trunk Show Stardust Celebrations
Mori Lee Bridal Trunk Show LuLu’s
February 26-28
James Clifford Bridal Trunk Show Stardust
JCH Bridal Trunk Show LuLu’s
March 5-7
Eve of Milady Bridal Trunk Show Stardust Celebrations
March 12-14
Watters Bridal Trunk Show Stardust Celebrations
WTOO Bride Bridal Trunk Show LuLu’s
Toni Federici Veil Trunk Show Stardust Celebrations
March 19-21
Lazaro Bridal Trunk Show Stardust Celebrations
Rose Taft Boutique Special Occasion Stardust Celebrations
US Angels Flowergirl Trunk Show LuLu’s
March 26-28
St. Pucchi Bridal Trunk Show Stardust Celebrations
Maggie Sottero Bridal Trunk Show LuLu’s
April 2-4
Two by Rosa Clara Bridal Trunk Show Stardust Celebrations
Happy New Year!
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Tuxedos!
Over the Thanksgiving holiday, Stardust Celebrations provided the tuxedos for a large formal affair. It was a debutante ball and we did both the formal tails/tie look as well as the more familiar dinner jacket.
The formal tails and tie is most appropriate for evening occasions requiring "white tie" or "full dress". Examples of such occasions include a ball, cotillion, state dinner, or coronation. We have also seen very formal weddings at which the wedding party wore white tie and the guest dress code was the less formal "black tie". The white tie dress code includes a black jacket with tails, white pique vest and bow tie, plain white or pique front shirt with a wing collar and black tuxedo trousers.
A very formal daytime event requires a jacket called a "cutaway" or "stroller". This is a very specific look that includes the cutaway jacket with tails, grey vest, white wing collar shirt, a cravat, and grey striped trousers.
"Black tie" is the most familiar tuxedo look and it is actually semi-formal. It is the black tuxedo dinner jacket with tuxedo trousers. These are paired with either a vest or cummerbund and a bow tie. The more traditional look is black and white. Modern approaches to the semi-formal look include substituting a long tie for the bow tie, lay-down collar on the shirt, and the addition of color.
There are trials and tribulations with any tuxedo rental. As a vendor, we try to minimize these with our clients. It's important to remember that the tuxedos are RENTALS. This means they have been worn by others and most likely have had sleeve and pant lengths altered. So, even though measurements are taken for the tuxedos, they still must be tried on and possibly further altered or exchanged. Tuxedos may have loose buttons, malfunctioning waist clips, etc. A good vendor will check for all of these things prior to providing the tuxedo to the customer. Towards the end of the tuxedo "season" -- usually after prom season -- shirts are ready for replacement. The shirts have been laundered and re-laundered and have shrunk and are no longer true to size.
Fit is extremely important to avoid a "cheap rental" look. The length of the pant should end in the back of the shoe just where the leather ends and the actual heel of the shoe begins. This will allow just the right amount of break in the front of the trouser. Jacket shoulders should not pull tight when arms are raised. We always have the guy pretend he is hugging someone. A loose shirt collar looks just as bad, if not worse, than a tight one and tuxedo trousers are worn at the waist (the level of the belly button), not below the belly! If there is any problem with keeping the pants up (any guy with a beer gut is going to have this problem), suspenders are required.
With the right fit, any guy can have that "suave, debonair, GQ" look, turn the heads of women, and bring tears to his mama's eyes.
The formal tails and tie is most appropriate for evening occasions requiring "white tie" or "full dress". Examples of such occasions include a ball, cotillion, state dinner, or coronation. We have also seen very formal weddings at which the wedding party wore white tie and the guest dress code was the less formal "black tie". The white tie dress code includes a black jacket with tails, white pique vest and bow tie, plain white or pique front shirt with a wing collar and black tuxedo trousers.
A very formal daytime event requires a jacket called a "cutaway" or "stroller". This is a very specific look that includes the cutaway jacket with tails, grey vest, white wing collar shirt, a cravat, and grey striped trousers.
"Black tie" is the most familiar tuxedo look and it is actually semi-formal. It is the black tuxedo dinner jacket with tuxedo trousers. These are paired with either a vest or cummerbund and a bow tie. The more traditional look is black and white. Modern approaches to the semi-formal look include substituting a long tie for the bow tie, lay-down collar on the shirt, and the addition of color.
There are trials and tribulations with any tuxedo rental. As a vendor, we try to minimize these with our clients. It's important to remember that the tuxedos are RENTALS. This means they have been worn by others and most likely have had sleeve and pant lengths altered. So, even though measurements are taken for the tuxedos, they still must be tried on and possibly further altered or exchanged. Tuxedos may have loose buttons, malfunctioning waist clips, etc. A good vendor will check for all of these things prior to providing the tuxedo to the customer. Towards the end of the tuxedo "season" -- usually after prom season -- shirts are ready for replacement. The shirts have been laundered and re-laundered and have shrunk and are no longer true to size.
Fit is extremely important to avoid a "cheap rental" look. The length of the pant should end in the back of the shoe just where the leather ends and the actual heel of the shoe begins. This will allow just the right amount of break in the front of the trouser. Jacket shoulders should not pull tight when arms are raised. We always have the guy pretend he is hugging someone. A loose shirt collar looks just as bad, if not worse, than a tight one and tuxedo trousers are worn at the waist (the level of the belly button), not below the belly! If there is any problem with keeping the pants up (any guy with a beer gut is going to have this problem), suspenders are required.
With the right fit, any guy can have that "suave, debonair, GQ" look, turn the heads of women, and bring tears to his mama's eyes.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Wedding Gown Trends for 2010
We recently spent several days in New York for the Spring 2010 Bridal market. Our days were filled with viewing gorgeous gowns and, once we returned to Texas, our days were filled with making hard decisions about gown orders for Stardust Celebrations.
After viewing gowns from designers such Lazaro, St. Pucchi, Katerina Bocchi, and Alvina Valenta, it was obvious that there are several new trends for Spring 2010.
From ruffles to flowers to floaty skirts on gowns, organza seemed to be everywhere. We also saw tulle skirts making their appearance for the first time in several years. Each designer line had at least one, if not two, tulle skirted gowns. The tulle skirts are embellished with embroidery, lace, and organza. Fuller skirts, ballgowns and box pleats were also shown.
Gowns that we purchase at Stardust in the fall will actually be in the bridal salon around January, just in time for the 2010 Winter/Spring bridal trunk shows.
Can't wait to get the new gowns!
After viewing gowns from designers such Lazaro, St. Pucchi, Katerina Bocchi, and Alvina Valenta, it was obvious that there are several new trends for Spring 2010.
From ruffles to flowers to floaty skirts on gowns, organza seemed to be everywhere. We also saw tulle skirts making their appearance for the first time in several years. Each designer line had at least one, if not two, tulle skirted gowns. The tulle skirts are embellished with embroidery, lace, and organza. Fuller skirts, ballgowns and box pleats were also shown.
Gowns that we purchase at Stardust in the fall will actually be in the bridal salon around January, just in time for the 2010 Winter/Spring bridal trunk shows.
Can't wait to get the new gowns!
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Crazy Busy Month!
October has been just wild! We had a ranch wedding in Amarillo that was quite complicated. Tents, roads, furniture, bathrooms, electricity--it all had to be brought in to a location right on the edge of the Palo Duro Canyon. A true western wedding and truly beautiful.
The next day was the Unveiled Bridal Show in Dallas. We had two booths and provided over 60 gowns for the fashion
shows and the gown galleries. The show was beautifully laid out. Brides entered through a decorated ceremony area. There was a bridesmaid gallery, reception decor showcase, mothers' gown gallery and a groom's club. The vendors that participated stepped up to the plate and really provided some well done and tasteful booth decor. The main stage fashion show was awesome. The models that we met about a month ago were now made up and styled and looked like the total professional runway models that they are. Very impressive! The Unveiled Bridal Show returns to Dallas on Saturday, March 7.
The next day was the Unveiled Bridal Show in Dallas. We had two booths and provided over 60 gowns for the fashion
shows and the gown galleries. The show was beautifully laid out. Brides entered through a decorated ceremony area. There was a bridesmaid gallery, reception decor showcase, mothers' gown gallery and a groom's club. The vendors that participated stepped up to the plate and really provided some well done and tasteful booth decor. The main stage fashion show was awesome. The models that we met about a month ago were now made up and styled and looked like the total professional runway models that they are. Very impressive! The Unveiled Bridal Show returns to Dallas on Saturday, March 7.As we were recovering from that busy weekend, we started to get ready for the James Clifford Trunk show at Stardust. James Clifford is actually Jim Hjelm (his given name is James Clifford Hjelm). Anyone involved in the bridal industry recognizes the name Jim Hjelm. He's been a major designer and player for 50 years! Coinciding with our trunk show was the meeting with the winner of the James Clifford National Bridal Gown Giveaway. The bride worked with Jim to chose her gown. The folks from AMS Pictures were in the store filming for "Girl Meets Gown" and filmed the gown giveaway and also interviewed Jim. Our staff presented Jim with a signature frame congratulating him on 50 years. It's now hanging in the James Clifford showroom in mid-town Manhattan.
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