CHECK OUT THIS DEMEULEMEESTER

I mean, check out the whole wedding, but CHECK OUT THAT DEMEULEMEESTER

I found it in grey over here. On sale. You're welcome!


The photo is by Tec Petaja, and all credit goes to kidchamp for the tip. (I've been boycotting Design*Sponge ever since they implemented that hideous redesign.) 

Tie-dye or not tie-dye?!?!

Dear ESB,

We are doing a simple outdoor ceremony with 50-ish guests, followed by killer food and vino at a favorite restaurant in NYC for our wedding this fall. We are lucky to have many talented friends who are assisting us with such things as invitations, flowers, photography which is great for our limited budget (and moral opposition to spending a bundle on this) and guarantees that there won't be any chance of ridiculous, predictable wedding crap.  

I am also utilizing an acquaintance of mine who is a designer to make my dress. She has sent me some beautiful sketches, but what I am really grappling with is color. I had initially thought that in order to avoid tradition and the horror of looking "bride-y" that I was absolutely NOT going to wear any kind of white dress. I had been considering a smokey blue, or after the recent Vera Wang collection, a hot deep shade of red. Now that it is getting close to the time to pull the trigger, I am having second thoughts. I am only getting married once (fingers crossed!) and maybe this is my white dress moment?!? 

I also thought of the idea of utilizing gradient color that moves from white into a color at the bottom (or vice versa)?

Thoughts? Insight? General criticisms?

*****

A tie-dyed or dip-dyed dress could potentially go really really bad. Remember April's ombre?

But if it's done well it can be gorgeous. (See: Ann Demeulemeester above)

If you are ABSOLUTELY CONFIDENT in your designer's dying abilities, I say go for it.

most beautiful wedding skirt EVAR

Ann Demeulemeester via dirtyflaws

If I were to get married now...................

from Gracie of woolgathering & miscellany

If I were to get married now... I wouldn't change a whole lot.

Frankly, I'm glad I got married young and poor, otherwise I'd probably be stressing about booking The Flashdance, blog-worthy floral arrangements, and wondering if I'd get to be on ESB. It was perfectly imperfect.

That said, here are some things I would do differently now: 

1) Not wear a dress made from flammable material, rather this hot little Ann Demeulemeester number above (shoes and all).

2) Forgo the stripper satin red opera length gloves and don these white versions of my black Hermes bracelets.

3) Wear these (incredibly affordable) MiniCyn diamond-like studs. I'm very picky about jewelry and tend to wear the sh*t out of a few simple pieces. It's hard for me to add new staples, but French designer MiniCyn has somehow worked her way into the regular rotation.

4) Would've tried to spruce up the dive bar a little. Perhaps with some DIY Confetti System inspired adornments & definitely some white catholic religious candles with personalized labels.

5) Made this Digby & Iona diamond signet ring my wedding ring. It comes with wax to seal your letters with! I plan on getting it now anyway.

6) Would've had Neil Hamburger perform our marriage on stage instead of just performing stand-up at the reception.