For many years – and I know this to be true because before I worked here, I worked at a wedding dress shop – but for many years, it seemed as though brides looking for could never find anything to purchase that wasn’t strapless… Alas, a far cry from our mothers and grandmothers’ “I do” days where NOTHING was strapless.
And for a woman who was maybe more traditional or simply not comfortable in something so open, her options were almost immediately diminished to next to nothing. Not fun or fair for any bride-to-be.
But every cloud has a silver lining and following the Royal Wedding Explosion of Prince William and Kate Middleton two years ago, the Duchess of Cambridge’s Alexander McQueen dream dress – designed by Sarah Burton – had haute couture designers in awe. Middleton’s now famous dress, composed of silk gazer and hand-tatted lace intricately comprised with shapes representing the countries of the UK, is considered the Rolls-Royce of wedding wear.
courtesy of vogue.com
The knock out gown also featured a 9 foot train and several bling-tastic accessories. And with inspiration like that, designers got the message loud and clear that ALL necklines and sleeve lengths are high fashion… and make for dream come true pieces on and off the runway.
While strapless dresses are still ever present and popular, there has definitely been a shift in designers gowns towards the more demure and traditional. There’s just something to be said for the subtle sexiness; like how most non-strapless gowns somehow incorporate a surprise ooh la la factor… which hands down, has to be my favorite part!
Often times, women feel like the more covered up they are, the dowdier and less sexy they are… but this couldn’t be further from the truth with today’s designers’ modern spin on the traditional wedding dress, the potential is nothing short of extraordinary. With their illusion necklines, backless bodices and figure hugging shapes, I would put some of these gowns against the sexiest styles in existence.
Check out below and see what I mean :)
from Claire Pettibone’s An Earthly Paradise collection…
courtesy of clairepettibone.com
from Tara Keely’s Spring 2013 collection…
courtesy of jlmcouture.com
from Badgley Mischka’s Spring 2013 collection…
courtesy of badgleymischka.com
from Alfred Angelo’s Disney Fairy Tale collection…
courtesy of alfredangelo.com
from Alvina Valenta’s Spring 2013 collection…
courtesy of jlmcouture.com
from Maggie Sottero’s Wedding Dress collection…
courtesy of maggiesottero.com
from Lazaro’s Spring 2013 collection…
courtesy of jlmcouture.com
from Morilee’s Wedding Dress collection…
courtesy of morilee.com
from Jim Hjelm’s Spring 2013 collection…
courtesy of jlmcouture.com
from Sophia Tolli’s Wedding Dress collection…
courtesy of sophiatolli.com
from Amsale’s Fall 2013 collection…
courtesy of amsale.com
and finally, from Monique Lhuillier’s Spring 2014 collection! (that’s right ladies, this look is DEF here to stay!)…
Just when you thought the #hashtags and Royal Wedding watches were over… the event heard ’round the world rears its way back into ‘ooh la la’ all over again! According to CNN, UK’s Telegraph, and People.com, the Duchess of Cambridge - more widely known as Prince William’s prettier half, Kate Middleton – and her decadent dress have given Buckingham Palace a fiscal cause for celebration.
Profitting millions upon millions in ticket sales, the dress and all its trimmings went on display from late July to October 3, and while exact numbers won’t be known until after the year end audit, first case estimates put more than 600,000 visitors in eye line with the royal wedding WOWSA gown, breaking the previously held record of visitors from 1994 of 420,000.
photos courtesy of people.com
The Alexander McQueen dream dress – designed by Sarah Burton – is considered the Rolls-Royce of wedding wear. Composed of silk gazer and hand-tatted lace intricately comprised with shapes representing the counrties of the UK, this knock out gown also features a 9 foot train and several bling-tastic accessories. Among the ones on display, the Queen Mum’s ’something borrowed’ 1936 Cartier halo-styled tiara and a pair of Robinson Pelham diamond earrings, a ‘something new’ gift from her parents which featured their family crest.
And the ‘oohing’ and ‘awwing’ doesn’t stop there! While the majority of money raised will go to preserving the Royal Collection – housing thousands of paintings and treasures of the Royal Palace, the Duchess of Cambridge asked that a slice of that ca-ching go to charity. According to the Telegraph:
When she gave permission for the dress to go on display, the Duchess made it clear that she wanted the gown to raise money for charity, and a proportion of the takings will go to the charitable foundation set up by the Duchess and her husband to receive wedding gifts. (telegraph.co.uk)
But what’s next for the dress, one might wonder? Straight to storage, and rightfully so! According to a palace source,
Kate is “keen to ensure that the dress survives undamaged for as long as possible, and so this inevitably means limiting the number of times that it is transported or displayed.” (people.com)
In the meantime, we can all still sigh in remembrance, keep the Royal Wedding pics a Google search away and hold close to a our memory bank, the day a Prince married a Princess.
It was a royal affair last Friday as the future King of England, Prince William, wed his gorgeous lady, Kate Middleton in a ceremony fit for the ages. And while the couple spent their day getting married at Westminster, smooching on Buckingham’s balcony and living la vida loca at reception after reception, we here at Marilyn’s Keepsakes did our fair share of regal toasting too.
(Prepare to be impressed – haha!)
We feasted on fine breakfast cuisine…
courtesy of Lindsey Kroemer Photography
courtesy of Lindsey Kroemer Photography
courtesy of Lindsey Kroemer Photography
courtesy of Lindsey Kroemer Photography
courtesy of Lindsey Kroemer Photography
We toasted the nuptials with class, sophistication and Welch’s Sparkling Grape Juice — c’mon now, people, we were on the clock :) And yes, those glasses are engraved with W&C. Love.
courtesy of Lindsey Kroemer Photography
courtesy of Lindsey Kroemer Photography
We imagined what their breakfast time together would look like… And yes, those mugs are engraved with William and Catherine… I mean, we are THEE personalized wedding company; it’s simply what we do :)
courtesy of Lindsey Kroemer Photography
courtesy of Lindsey Kroemer Photography
We even dressed to the nines in our finest – and biggest - hats and got our wedding reception photo booth on, duh! All in all, a successful work day! P.S. Our fearless leader, Carolyn (far left), wore that same black hat when Prince Charles wed Princess Diana – William’s parents - once upon a time in the same famed ceremony. Now, that’s commitment! P.P.S. The backdrop reads, “The Royal Wedding of… William & Catherine.” Yep.
MK ladies lookin' F.I.E.R.C.E! (courtesy of Lindsey Kroemer Photography)
Getting a bit ridiculous. (courtesy of Lindsey Kroemer Photography)
And then, I ruin it. Whoops. (courtesy of Lindsey Kroemer Photography)
Sigh. Now, I suppose all we can do is sit and wait until Prince Harry pops the question :)
We’re mere hours away from the Royal Wedding Extravaganza; so, I thought I would razzle dazzle you all with my ahh to the mazing Photoshop skills. Yep, just making things weird with a little Clip Art, floating royal heads morph job. Ahhh, (fake) memories – hehe!
Anyhoot, with the wedding right around the corner, there have been some last minute announcements. First, the wedding program has been made available to the public via the British Monarchy; so, if you’re interested in following along as the love birds say “I do”… simply follow this link.
Secondly, even though the official announcement hasn’t been made, I know Prince Willy and his pretty lady Kate are very saddened they didn’t invite me to the big day celebration. I mean hellloooo?? Check the “retouching” skills. Haha!
Thirdly, no matter how you’re celebrating or even if you’re not celebrating at all… it’s always good to wish any crazy kids taking the plunge good luck. So, here at Marilyn’s Keepsakes, we would like to wish them both the biggest pot of luck ever! Cheers, to Britain’s finest and all the years of happiness to follow!
Go ahead. Try to say that five times fast… You tried it, didn’t you? Sweetness :)
Well, my little chick-a-dees, the time has almost come! We’re literally within reach of the final countdown before the whole world explodes with Royal Wedding Fever on Friday!!!!!!! (Please note the extra exclamation points, suggestive to the over-abundance of excitement brewing within this pretty little lady!)
Now, I know not everyone loves the Royals quite like I do, and I’m also aware that others (gasp!) may even find the whole thing a bit silly and extravagant. (waahhn, waaahhhnnn!) However – and this is a VERY BIG however – it’s still a royal wedding, people! And at the end of it, somebody is actually made a princess!! A real, live princess! Not the pseudo / semi / quasi versions we make ourselves to be, but a true blue, tack-it-to-her-title-and-put-it-on-her-license PRINCESS!
I can’t help it. I am literally beside myself. And while most of you out there – like me – will be working for the man while the royal brew-ha-ha goes down (mayhaps not DVR’ing from two different households to ensure ultimate coverage), there are still others out there who will be taking this event a bit more seriously.
According to Yahoo News, people (namely ones of the female variety) will be setting their alarms before the sun has even had a chance to put it’s game face on and congregating all over the world for Royal Wedding Watching Parties!
Armed with I’m sure the same enthusiasm male cohorts share during Super Bowl Sunday’s finest, people all across our great nation are planning both public and private viewing parties for the Royal Wedding of Kate Middleton and Prince William… each with a price tag to match!
For instance, for the holy moly rollers, you may want to check out the Trump International Hotel & Tower in Manhattan… because for a measly $1,075, you can have a (very short) night in one of Trump’s renovated rooms, watching the wedding and enjoying breakfast from 5:00 am to 9:00 am. You can even spring for a late checkout, in order to “nap after the ‘nups.”
If that doesn’t tickle your fancy, perhaps one of the 15 packages offered at the Ritz Carlton in Washington will be your ticket to Royal Wedded bliss. Starting at around $429, you’ll give a hearty “here, here!” for Prince Willy and his pretty Katie Baby within the confides of one of the nation’s most well known residents.
Still too much? Well, why not just gather with some of your favorite girls, dress in giant hats and toast some spiked tea? Seems like a good option to me!
But no matter what the price you’re willing to spend, find solace in knowing that no matter where you are… as long as you have a cup ‘o’ tea, a couple crumpets and a few jolly cups of brews, you’ll easily be keeping with the times and celebrating royally :)
There's about to be a - what? A Girl Fight! (photo courtesy of nicolewelchphotography.com)
My lovely co-worker and fellow Royal Wedding stalker, Carolyn, sent me this little ditty yesterday about the latest and greatest gossip to come out of the final Royal Wedding countdown. And hold onto your oversized hats, ladies, because this regal romp features the names of all William’s ex-ladies-in waiting that will be in attendance on the big day celebration… that’s right. I said ladie(s). And I said ex.
This raises a very common etiquette question, which I am often asked, “Is inviting exes to a wedding an acceptable formality or an all out calamity?” Of course the ball can roll both ways and is completely dependent on the feelings of each particular bride and groom, but it seems to be a common denominator for at least one side to consider during the pre-wedding plans. And I’m sad to report, there is no cut and dry answer.
For cases as sensitively sticky as these, it truly is all about your comfort level as a couple. For instance, if the ex is a mutual friend who parted with a drama free, curtain closing exit, moved on to a new love and still remains a loyal comrade… the risk of a “Help me Jesus!” moment between one of you and one of them is incredibly slim to none.
However, if the ex had to be de-friended Facebook style after she was caught using her former password privy to colorfully update information, shortly before papering the neighborhood with vicious lies and uncomfortable allegations… mayhaps, it would be best if she was left off the guest list… or better yet, out of the country on the day you say “I do.”
OBVI, these are the kind of decisions that have to be worked out individually by the couple, pending their particular preferences. Every couple is different. And every ex is different; you just need to make sure the conclusion you MUTUALLY come to is one you are both comfortable with… just like the one Kate Middleton and her Prince Charming came up with.
And, what are the Royal Wedding conclusions on exes? you may ask. Will it be <gasp!> the situational scandal of the century? Ehh, not so much. In fact, Kate Middleton, the future Mrs.of Prince Willy, is even friends with a few of her future hubby’s former flames. <sigh> Nothing like a breath of fresh, drama free air to get the day started off right.
According to E!’s online post, here are the blasts from Prince William’s past that will be in attendance on his April 29th wedding:
Davina Duckworth-Chad
This blonde beauty - who once accompanied Prince Charming on a cruise of the Aegean Sea back in 1999 - still remains good friends with the hunky royal, and even invited him to attend her 2004 wedding to Thomas Barber, the son of a baronet. Gotta say, seems pretty clutch things worked out as they did, as Davina and Big Willy are technically related. Yep, this socialite's mummy dearest just so happens to be cousin's of the late Princess Di... weeeird. (photo courtesy of vanityfair.it)
Rose Farquhar
Daughter of Captain Ian Farquhar, this former fling of William's was his first serious girlfriend, but before you start shouting "scandal," it's important to note that they were together during the puppy love days; and Ms. Rose has remained good friends of both Will and brother Harry since. (photo courtesy of thesun.co.uk)
Arabella Musgrave
For those of you who may also consider yourselves professional fans of PW's, perhaps you remember this ultra passionate romance between him and Arabella Musgrave, which began with an infamous upstairs rendezvous at a holiday party back in 2001. Only to avoid a long distance relationship did the two break it off, leaving me to wonder how this saucy little minx made the list? Mayhaps her connects as a PR rep for Gucci? That would do it for me, haha! (photo courtesy of eonline.com)
Jecca Craig
This former flame of Prince William's was another pre-university love. The two spent a lot of time at her family's estate in Kenya, where they infamously carried out a "pretend engagement," and the two have remained close throughout the years. (photo courtesy of eonline.com)
In lieu of reports from the Washington Post that Prince William is suspected to wear a “custom-made, ceremonial military uniform, as his father Prince Charles did when he wed Lady Diana Spencer in 1981,” I can’t help but <sigh> at the sheer thought of it.
Like any other, red blooded, American woman, it’s no surprise that I find the notion of a groom in uniform, especially a Royal one, finger-licking lovely. (I ask in advance that you forgive any offense or vulgarity that may slip through my lips and into my keyboard, because ladies, I simply can’t help myself… Also, Tanner, I love you – hehe!)
For serious, is there anything more attractive than a man in uniform? I think not. I don’t care if a sport’s jersey, striped socks, fire proof pants or policeman pleats; there is just something about a man in uniform that easily turns this refined, young lady into this howling character…
photo courtesy of dir.yahoo.com
Oy vey.
But alas, I digress. Because while a slick uniform can turn any male up from a 6 to a 10, there is no kind of uniform that does this quite as well as the military. Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps or Coast Guard… you name it; I love it. So, even though Veteran’s Day has already come and gone, I would still like to salute all the military grooms and the lucky photographers who got to capture ‘em on film :)
photos courtesy of artfuljoy.com
photo courtesy of unitedwithlove.com
photo courtesy of atlasweddingphotography.com
photos courtesy of jessicafreyphotographyblog.com
photo courtesy of davidettinger.photoshelter.com
photo courtesy of lanierstar.com
photo courtesy of allantuan.info
photos courtesy of catiesphotography.com
photo courtesy of swuchererphotography.blogspot.com
According to reports from the Daily Mail, the royal family’s Queen Elizabeth is all about taking things to a trendy level when it comes to the upcoming nuptials of her dear grandson, Prince William and his lucky lady in waiting, Kate Middleton set for April 29 of this year.
Dictated by protocol, the Queen Bee herself wrote a letter, which was transmitted via fax, to all expected sovereigns on the guest list. Sovereigns – out of respect and tradition – customarily receive advanced notice from other “foreign heads of state and non-VIP guests.” (dailymail.co.uk)
Among those already confirming their “faxy” RSVP’s?? Former sovereign of Greece, King Constantine (who also happens to be William’s godfather and close friend / 2nd cousin to Prince Charles), his wife, Queen Anne-Marie and their eldest son, Crown Prince Pavlov; Serbia’s Crown Prince Alexander (who is also the Queen’s godson) and his wife, Crown Princess Katherine; and the Romanian Monarchy, led by former King Michael and his wife, Queen Ann. Looks like we’re in store for a pretty royal funky chicken come April!
Not only that, but even though all confirmed guests are well into their 60s, 70s and even 80s – minus Crown Prince Pavlov who is still a spring chicken among the others at 43 – they were all so quick triggered with the fax machine acceptance and responses! Ha! My poor dad still only types with his index fingers!
But I suppose this kind of new age Save the Date should come as no shock to those of us stalking down the regal wedding deets. After all, it was a tweet heard ’round that world that first solidified the engagement news of Prince Willy and Katie Baby and even the fax machine Queen Mum is also a Facebooking and Flickr all star; so, it’s no wonder that sovereign Save the Dates would be sent facsimile style.
And what’s even better?? There’s still more to come! These sovereign guests will join the 1,800 other privy invitees when the formal, embossed in gold and written by hand invitations go out next month. I guess for the sovereign royalty though, any kind of heads up in a situation like this is always nice. I mean, everyone knows when it comes to royal nuptials, there’s about a schmillion other things you could be doing that day instead… (please note the sarcasm and move along.)
But I gotta give ‘em props. Between the tweet-confirmed engagement, the Queen gettin’ her FB and Flickr on and the fax-ilicous Save the Dates, this is one modernized and efficient family wedding! And we all know, nothing says romance quite like “efficient.” Haha! So, if the Queen Mum is listening, I thought I’d let her know, our fax number here is 800.486.3491, and if you just want to put ATTN: Mary Dietz on it somewhere, I’m sure I won’t have any issue in receiving it…
The gauntlet has been thrown…
And for all my other royal brides-to-be out there looking to make a statement with your “Pencil Us In!” announcements, be sure to check out our full line of DIY & Printable Save the Dates!
It’s been less than 48 hours since the royal engagement of Prince William to Commoner (still can’t believe this type of terminology exists) Kate Middleton was announced, and already the world has gone bu-bu-bananas about it! Don’t believe me? Well, perhaps you’ll believe CNN, WSJ, MSNBC, NPR, BBC… you give me a 3 to 5 lettered acronym, and I’ll give you their example of world getting whacked for weddings of the royal garden variety.
For instance, if you’re a gambling gal, feel free to head on over to CNN, where you’ll find an article cataloging the long list of items you can place your British pounds on! People are taking bets on everything from when the wedding will be and where it will take place to the length of Kate’s train and the color of the Queen’s hat! (Come on, pink!)
Or perhaps you consider yourself more of a financial and political opportunist; so, you might want to hit up Forbes or the Wall Street Journal where you’ll find arguments for and against the cost of the wedding – paid out of the tax payer’s pockets – to the (fingers crossed) overwhelming amount of UK and *African tourism they hope will spin from all this wedded madness. *If you’re wondering, Africa??? It’s because Kenya is where Big Willy got down on one knee for his lady to be!
Really, it doesn’t matter what you’re looking for; because if ever there was even a faint whisper of concern, excitement, knowledge or otherwise uttered about the upcoming nuptials of the world’s most talk about royal family… you best BUUHHH-LIEVE there’s somebody or several somebodies out there who have already reported, tweeted, facebooked, YouTubed, blogged (holllerrr!), sent up smoke signals, Morse coded, tattooed on their forehead and / or regurgitated all its epic yumminess to the masses.
I, of course, know this because I’d be one of those people at the top of the list creepily concerning myself with it. As some of you may already know, this ain’t my first rodeo when it comes to the royal wedding watch. Last August, I wrote the infamous post, “Yes, Prince William, I will Marry You”: A Young Girl’s Dream Shattered?, as if William were my childhood bf and already pegged me as the perfect Best (Woah!)Man. But alas, I’ll settle for a simple invite, kids - wink, wink, nudge, nudge.
So, as a Royal Wedding connoisseur, I think my favorite tid bit to surface thus far from all the mayhem is the ever so elegant engagement ring! Originally worn by the late Princess Diana (William’s mum and hands down, the best leading lady evs!) as her engagement ring back to Charles in 1981, the 18 carat Sapphire stunner is now the crowning jewel amidst Middleton’s ring finger! In an interview conducted by the BBC, Prince William had this to say (see clip below):
“It is a family ring, yes. It’s my mother’s engagement ring; so, I thought it was quite nice ’cause (um) obviously she’s not going to be a round to share any of the fun and excitement of all this. This is my way of keeping her close to it all.” (Prince William, BBC News Interview)
(Pause to compose myself) Aww! I love love love that! And I love love love all this! Congrats to Kate and William! May you live each day as it was your first and each night as if it were your last – ooh la la! And cheers to many, many years of happiness! You can be sure Marilyn’s Keepsakes will be watching!
As part of wedding tradition, many brides and grooms will be met by several raised glasses and hearty cheers on their big day, and more often than not, each one is accompanied by a swig of champagne (yum!) So, why not go for gusto and toast with Princess Diana’s 1961 Dom Perignon champagne from her wedding day?
You heard me. The champagne – originally used at Princess Diana’s marriage to Prince Charles – is a 1961 vintage, selected in honor of the GORGEOUS bride’s birth year and is currently being prepared for the highest bidder! (Please note, “gorgeous” is done in all caps for emphatic vigor, as I still believe Princess Diana was, is and always will be one of the most painstakingly beautiful people to grace the world with her enormous presence!)
According to James Grinter of the Reeman Dansie auction house, this champagne is not only an incredibly unique find because it was part of the Royal Wedding, but it also was “a strictly limited release and even rarer to find it still sealed in its original box.”
Seven years after the timeless beauty married England’s heir to the throne, Diana gave it to Brian Ames, manager of London’s infamous department store – Harrods, as a 50th birthday present. Set to be auctioned off later this month in Colchester, the bottle is suspected to go for £1,200 (or approximately $2000), and I know at least one gal who’ll be all over this… Carolyn, I wish you the best of luck – hehe!
And no matter who wins (or loses) this vintage classic, I still think everyone deserves a toast with the most on their wedding day! So, here’s to you, all my beautiful brides and grooms out there, and cheers to many, many years of happiness!
I mean seriously, did the woman take a bad photograph… ever??? Simply GORGEOUS!
Photo Courtesy of Google Images
Also, be sure to check out our incredible selection of Champagne Flutes & Server Sets – personalized free of charge – for the perfect wedding keepsake!
As part of wedding tradition, many brides and grooms will be met by several raised glasses and hearty cheers on their big day, and more often than not, each one is accompanied by a swig of champagne (yum!) So, why not go for gusto and toast with Princess Diana’s 1961 Dom Perignon champagne from her wedding day?
