Johnna Ho

Now that I had my dress on and firmly taped in place…all I needed was my sash…

{The collar of my dress for the Chinese Banquet. The gold heart is from my in-laws, the jade is from my grandmother. Photo by my sister}

Although I love fashion and adore shopping, wedding dress shopping was a different story. It took me a while to actually want to go dress shopping, but when I went, it was easy and fun. My mom and I met in Nashville (halfway between Memphis and Louisville) and I had made three appointments. The first was at The Bride Room and although I didn’t ultimately get my dress there, the experience could not have been better. I recommend it to anyone in the area.

I know most of you have already discovered the amazingness that is Etsy. But aside from a jewelry tree I bought for my mother almost two years ago, I hadn’t made any purchases … that is until I started to plan my wedding.

Recently I went dress shopping with a friend of mine who is also getting married in 2010. The owner of the store just happened to be there, and she said to us, “You girls spend HOURS on the Internet looking for the perfect dress and come in with all sorts of pictures you’ve found. And what good does it do? No girl ever comes in here buying the dress that they fell in love with on the Internet. I bet I’m right about you girls too, my theory never fails.”

Fellow brides to be out there, have you noticed that along with all the various wedding-related festivities comes the pressure to buy new clothes? Lots and lots of new clothes?

By the time I visited Nicole Miller, I had already memorized all of the dresses on the website. I could have told you if something was new or removed, same goes for the J.Crew Weddings site. Some might say this is obsessed or crazy, but I just like to think I’m thorough in my research. :)

Last time we left off I was trying on dresses in the $2k-4k range. After that day, I promised myself–no more trying on dresses over $2k. Under $1k? Even better!

It took me about six months to buy a wedding dress, and in those six months I visited five different salons and probably tried on about forty dresses. Can you imagine? FORTY DRESSES. I remember going to my first appointment and asking “what’s a sweetheart neckline?” and by the end of round 2 of dress shopping I was a pro at all the terminology.

As do many of us who began our mini-adult lives with nothing to our name but our grandma’s chipped fiestaware and much-loved box-sets of Sex and the City (I even have Seasons 1-3 on VHS, what-what!), I am firm in my belief that its the accessories that make the clothes that then make “the look.”

If there is one “pretty thing” I love more than paper, it would have to be fashion, hands down.  So of course, the hunt for the perfect dress and the perfect wedding day style began as soon as I said “I will.”  While I had a general idea of what I wanted (well, more what I didn’t want: no beads, no beddazzle, no pouf), I still figured that I’d hit up several bridal shops before finding my dream dress.  Little did I know…

Gowns and hair and puppies, oh my!

This post is not about the dress, or the bridesmaids dresses … It’s about my attire for the other wedding festivities.

Because I don’t have long hair, it’s a barely longer than chin-length bob, I decided it made some sense to schedule a hair trial along with my regular cut/color over the weekend so I could decide if I need to let my hair grow over the next couple of months instead of keeping to my regular schedule of trimming. Generally speaking, I have been opposed to growing out my hair and being annoyed with it for months and hating it in photos just so it can be put up for one day, but I’m open to letting it grow a bit from this point forward. I searched around and found this simple and elegant chignon and brought this along with me for inspiration.

Anything Anthropologie! They have some beautiful, unique pieces for your bridal accessory search. I just picked up a couple of their floral hair clips, which are just too adorable for words. Not to mention, Anthropologies are so beautifully laid out that it can be a great stress reliever just to cruise through their stores, if you need some wedding planning distraction. Check out these other headbands and clips they have right now:

Sundays! Sigh. Such a lovely day of the week. I’m missing my hubby this week…he is studying for his board exams and wasn’t able to come with me to Colorado. A perfect Sunday would usually consist of a relaxing morning…waking up with the sunshine, and heading to the farmer’s market to pick up some fresh figs, goat cheese, and honey. How great does that sound?

Before I tell you about my dress (which might not happen until I get to my re-caps as M might read this now) I thought I’d look at ideas for head wear, hair and make-up. I started to collect images which I like for head wear and veils and have collated some of them into the board below. As you can see, peacock feathers feature predominately, as does the bird cage veil. Which is why it might surprise you to know that I have decided not to wear anything like this at all in the church, rather be all white (except my shoes) and wear an elbow length traditional veil instead.

We just returned from a fabulous week in NYC for Bridal Fashion Week, where we were introduced to new collections and offerings from the best of the best in wedding fashion. One of our favorite new lines? Lillian Wild‘s “Create” Collection- a customizable collection that is the epitome of modern, classic simplicity. With a set of gowns each named after peonies (swoon), the Lillian Wild lookbook showcases separates, underlays and overlays, and dresses, designed to flatter every bride. Select from five laces, three linings, and multiple cuts and styles, to create a bridal look as unique as you are! The collection is expected to arrive at retailers all over North America in the new year, and is now available in the Lillian Wild Bridal boutique in Kelowna, BC. See the entire lookbook here!

We’re so excited to introduce you to the fabulousness that is Birchbox, and even more thrilled to announce the very first Birchbox and Style Me Pretty collaboration, curated especially for the wedding party, the “I Definitely Do” Birchbox! We’re absolutely loving Birchbox: in a nutshell, a subscription gets you a monthly box of goodies, filled with beauty and grooming samples customized just for you! This is a perfect gift idea for your bridesmaids to thank them for being amazing additions to your wedding party. And men, just so you don’t think you’re being left out, there’s a Birchbox Man option too—perfect for any groomsmen!

It’s safe to say that we are completely smitten by Allure Bridals. Featuring impeccable design and craftsmanship, their gowns are the epitome of the romantic, elegant style that we love (EAD brides love them too, check out all of the amazing real weddings featuring Allure gowns!). Their Spring 2015 collection is all that and more, showcasing modern silhouettes with exquisite detailing like stunning lace, embroidery and beading. These gowns are a fresh take on classic bridal design, pairing dramatic backs and floral appliques with on-trend features like illusion necklines and pretty cap sleeves. If you’re looking for a truly remarkable gown that will look as fashionable today as it does in photos decades from now, Allure Bridals will have you feeling like the belle of the ball on your wedding day!