trunk shows galore... oh my!

We are really excited and ecstatic!!! It's definitely wedding season with the vast amount of truck shows going on around town. There's lots of buzz going on with the new 2009 spring collections.

Make your appointment now ladies and plan to visit these trunk shows taking place this weekend:

Saturday, January 31: Trunk Show
Designer Reem Acra is back at Carine’s Bridal Atelier in Georgetown for another trunk show. She's featuring her new spring collection. Expect the same attention to opulent textiles, chic texturing, and fabulous embellishments. Brides who purchase during the show will get 10% off. By appointment only; appointments last one hour.

Friday, January 30 - Sunday, February 1: More Trunk Shows
While most bridal ateliers generally showcase one designer per trunk show, Hannelore’s of Old Towne will be hosting three. Priscilla of Boston, Vineyard, and Melissa Sweet will be offering their 2009 bridal-party collections. Receive 10% off if you place a Bridesmaids dress order during the show . Appointments are suggested and last one hour.

Don't forget to make your appointments ladies! They'll go quickly...

Happy shopping!

photo's courtesy of brides.com

stunning bridal hair styles

ladies... i know you're planning to look absolutely stunning on your wedding day! you probably have selected your dream dress, shoes, accessories... what about your beautiful tresses? take a look at these fabulous + glamorous styles...












Be sure to start working with your hairstylist at least 4-5 months out from your wedding date. This will allow enough time to do a bridal trial or two, if necessary. Also, consider where you'd like your hair done on your wedding day? There are many hairstylist (and make-up artists) that come to you! Save time and the energy of traveling to a hair salon on your wedding day by having your hairstylist and make-up artists service you at the place that is most convenient for you. This is a fantastic service we always recommend to our clients, whenever possible.

photos courtesy of google.com.

i do for brides : fabulously featured!

We're really excited about our featured wedding in I Do for Brides Maryland - Hadiya & Akeel's June 2008 fabulous garden wedding with modern flair...

Let's start planning your next featured wedding!

Happy planning!

Feature and photos courtesy of I Do for Brides Maryland, Kristen Leigh Photography, and Armin Defiesta Photography.

mrs. brewington confidential : gown | to sample or not? pt.2

My story picks up... That night I shared with my mom my hopes to have that authentic experience. In the way that only mothers can she quickly stated she didn't need a grand experience but rather preferred a final decision. She enjoyed our day but was ready to cross this off the list! This is how we got to Hannelores. I booked an early Sunday appointment provided my bridal vital statistics (name, wedding date/time, and budget) and set out to find my dress.

Hannelore's of Old Town Alexandria is a lovely bridal boutique; a mini Kleinfeld Manhattan bridal boutique for the DC area. The bridal dress consultant reviewed my information and selected several gowns for me to try. She didn't try to push me into something I couldn't afford. Best of all she had tons of experience and a listening ear. She suggested I may want to look at the sample gown selection. Sample gowns are gowns that were tried on in the salon and are now for sale. They are probably not the latest style from the runway but offer a cost effective way to purchase that runway look from famous designers. That's where I found my gown. It was absolutely gorgeous, lightly worn, and more than 50% off the original cost. Enter Rule #3- Leave no stone unturned. For the budget conscious bride definitely take time to try sample gown sales in your area. Do your research first. Know the cost of the gown to ensure you're getting a good deal and the general cost of alterations. This way you’ll be able to estimate the total cost of your investment.

I am happy to say, I absolutely LOVED my gown. While sample gowns may not be for you, this option truly worked for me. It gave me the glamour I was looking for while meeting my budget expectations.

Mrs. Brewington

photo courtesy of labor of love photography

mrs. brewington confidential : gowns | to sample or not? pt. 1

Do you imagine yourself as the hidden princess waiting for your pumpkin, a fairy godmother and the perfect glass slipper? Or maybe you're a graceful Audrey Hepburn full of whimsy and silent beauty; think Breakfast at Tiffany's meets Roman Holiday. Weddings bring out the inner diva in every bride. It's a time to wear a beautiful gown, sparkling jewels and glam it up on your personal red carpet. The choices for gowns, and their price points, are endless! Let me start by saying I fell all in. I was helplessly head-over-heels overwhelmed with all of the choices. Ball gown, empire waist, goddess, strapless; the list is astounding. Although I spent months flipping through magazines, when it actually came to looking there was nothing like trying it on firsthand.

To prep for this adventure, I spent time watching several wedding shows, Say Yes To the Dress, Whose Wedding Is It Anyway? and Platinum Weddings. I knew I wanted 'that' experience; slowly emerging from the dressing room turning the corner and seeing the reaction of your mom and closest girlfriends. As you turn to look in the mirrors to get the full effect you hear gasps and see the tears of joy while onlookers remark how beautiful you look and you know ‘This is the dress’. At least that’s how it always played out on television.

My first outing I was accompanied by my mom, maid of honor, my planner and her assistant. Rule #1 - Anytime you plan your gown shopping search definitely book an appointment. It saves time confusion and frustration. The bridal consultant can help you navigate the daunting and exciting task of narrowing your selection. We had great fun and I liked each gown I tried on, but didn't love any one in particular. My entourage was not short of varying opinions and patience. Rule #2 - "Too many cooks spoil a great meal." In the end I had tried no less than ten gowns and didn't select one. At the end of the day Samara (Fab Wedding Planner Extraordinaire) gave me that great pep talk and said "you have to be happy and most of all comfortable."

This is just the beginning of the adventure of finding my fabulous wedding dress... stay tuned to see what happened!

Mrs. Brewington

photo credit: labor of love photography

happy new year + bon voyage!

2009! Can you believe it? My... Has time flown... We hope you had a safe and memorable New Year's celebration! We're really excited about what this new year has in store for us... We have some exciting things on the horizon; a 2-page feature coming out soon in a premier bridal magazine, fabulous weddings, a fun magnificent summer themed quinceanera, an Association of Bridal Consultants Table Top design competition, bridal shows, and much more! Stay tuned for the details... :O)


bon voyage! have you heard??? Sandals is having an awesome sale on your dream vacation or honeymoon. Live. Love. Save. Save up to 60% at Sandals Resorts + 1 night free. What a deal!!! Hurry... The sale ends on January 15, 2009. You can book now and travel anytime until Dec.31, 2009. Should we say... Honeymoon steal!!!!

Happy planning & New Year! :O)

photo credits: marthastewart.com + sandals.com