November 16, 2008 by avantbride
I met Adrian Busse recently at a dinner and was intrigued by her job description as a fashion and wedding photographer. I wondered how her fashion training would come out in her wedding portfolio. She told me about one of the first weddings she had shot in Seattle. It was scheduled as an outdoor wedding and on the morning of the big day the rain was falling with no signs of letting up. They quickly moved the venue to a Sheraton hotel and all of Adrian’s planning for perfect outdoor backgrounds was thrown out the window. Instead of gorgeous views, colors and great lighting, she got exit signs, poor lighting, doors and ugly carpeting: a photographer’s worst nightmare! Not to be deterred she began hunting through the hotel for a suitable place, keeping in mind the bride’s vintage look. After 20 minutes of going through the halls and opening up doors she found a room with a cream colored wall, giant windows and a grand piano. Despite the hotel security guard’s protests she soon had her bride on top of the piano vogueing.
She says, “Fashion photography is always spontaneous and can always be a little risky. Getting the shot can sometimes mean curving the situation and making things happen even if it were not supposed to … Being a fashion wedding photographer you must always be creatively open to the unplanned.”
Looking at the pictures of the bride, you would never have guessed that the original photo locations were unavailable due to a torrential downpour. The piano looks like it was made for that gown! I think every bride has a unique picture or image of what kind of wedding she wants to have, including the type of photographer and the series of photos. A fashion wedding photographer might not be for everyone, but it could just be that special part of the wedding day and those signature photos that certain brides treasure.
Adrian Busse Photography
www.in-s-t-y-l-e.com
www.adrianbusse.com
info@in-s-t-y-l-e.com
605.430.9827
Posted in Wedding Photography | Tagged Adrian Busse, Avant Bride, Glamour Wedding Photographer, Seattle Fashion Photographer, Seattle Photographer, Seattle Sheraton Wedding, Vintage Wedding, Wedding Photographer, Wedding Photography, www.AvantBride.com, www.in-s-t-y-l-e.com | No Comments »
October 23, 2008 by avantbride
Photo By: Sonja Clanton
Seeing this pumpkin makes me want to have a fall wedding to pursue the endless creative possibilities! It’s a great example of twisting something formal like a monogram and making it your own. More and more I see couples using things like monograms, wedding colors, fonts and graphic designs to create a really cohesive feel to their event - essentially to create a wedding brand. Hiring an event company or a wedding coordinator is probably the easiest way to create this feeling of a produced and polished event, however I’m seeing savvy couples figure out how to do it on a budget.
Marry Monograms, based in Seattle, is the type of tool that can give a wedding a polished look. You have the option of choosing a design from their portfolio or having a design custom made especially for you. The personalized logo costs $49.95 and the custom design prices are available by quote. Once you have the logo or monogram the sky’s the limit: invitations, towels, gifts, gobo spotlights, favors, wine labels, thank-you cards or honeymoon clothing — whatever you can think of to put your monogram on! I think half of the fun is figuring out where and on what to stamp your new family crest.
A final thought: it might make a nice engagement gift for some recently betrothed friends.
Marry Monograms
www.MarryMonograms.com
Seattle, WA
206-522-3492
hwilliams@marrymonograms.com
Posted in Wedding Crafts, Wedding Invitations | Tagged www.AvantBride.com, Seattle Wedding, Avant Bride, October Weddings, Seattle October, Pumpkin Wedding, Monogram Pumpkin, Marry Monograms, Craft Wedding, Wedding Monograms, Creative Affordable Wedding Crafts, Do it Yourself Wedding, Wedding Branding | 1 Comment »
October 17, 2008 by avantbride
A friend of mine sent me a link to Valerie Heggenes’ Wedding Cake Toppers website last week. I immediately knew I had to write about these incredible sculptures! As with many businesses in the wedding industry, Valerie started by using her talents as a sculptor to create a wedding cake topper for her sister’s wedding, and it has grown from there.
She creates one of a kind wedding cake toppers out of polymer clay such as Sculpey or Fimo. They are between 5 and 8 inches in height and 4 inches in diameter. She can make them as fun or formal as the client wishes, but stresses that they’re not exact replicas but meant to be more “whimsical” as caricatures of the bride and groom. One of my favorites is the sculpture below with the bride and groom in REI garb. Looking at the photographs of the couples on her website side by side with the sculptures that she made of them, you can tell that she has a knack for understanding her clients. Her sculptures seem to bring out the best features that make the bride and groom who they are. I think it would be fun to see one at a friend’s wedding!
It also occurred to me that a benefit to having a personalized mini bride and groom commissioned is that you have a wonderful keepsake. Once the big day is over there are few things that last and I think this would be such a fun reminder of the day. It would make a great wedding gift as well, for a friend or family member.
If you’d like to contact Valerie you can find her at:
www.valerieheggenes.com
vkeller@whidbey.com
Posted in Wedding Cake, Wedding Reception | Tagged Avant Bride, Wedding Cake Toppers, Cake Topper, Valerie Heggenes, Wedding Gift, Creative Wedding Cake, Seattle Wedding Art, Seattle Wedding Cake Topper, Bride and Groom Sculpture, Artistic Wedding Cake Topper, AvantBride.com, AvantBride Blog | 1 Comment »
October 8, 2008 by avantbride
Christi Masi of The Healthy Bride is one of my favorite people in the wedding industry in Seattle. Her business is about the bride taking the opportunity to create a more healthy lifestyle and become fit for life, not just to lose ten pounds in two months before the big day. I love the concept of taking a period of change and energy in your life and using it in such a positive way.
The Healthy Bride has come up with a great challenge for engaged couples in the Seattle area called Battle of the Betrothed. They are currently accepting applications from couples until January 4, 2009. Participants will then compete in a number of challenges where they can win various prizes for their wedding. The final challenge will be for the grand prize of a free honeymoon. So send in your applications, win prizes and get fit!!!!
Posted in Wedding Events | Tagged Avant Bride, AvantBride, Battle of the Betrothed, Competition, Free Honeymoon, Healthy Bride, Seattle Wedding Challenge | No Comments »
October 6, 2008 by avantbride
A group of local Seattle vendors banded together to throw this great benefit - Get Hitched, Give Hope. They are hoping to raise over $50,000 to fulfill wishes for 12 stage IV breast cancer patients and their families. It’s happening on October 23rd at the Arctic Club Hotel in downtown Seattle.
Here’s their description: Brides, grooms, and guests are invited to sip cocktails, sample great food, take a look at the fabulous venue, bid on gorgeous goods through the silent auction, and meet our favorite vendors. Don’t miss the Pamper Suite and the Photobooth!
Tickets start at $15. As everything has been donated to create the event, all money is going towards the benefit. www.gethitchedgivehope.com It’s a great opportunity to check out the newly renovated Arctic Club Hotel downtown.
Posted in Seattle Wedding Events | Tagged 2008 benefit, Arctic Club Hotel, Auction for Breast Cancer, Avant Bride, Breast Cancer Benefit, Get Hitched, Give hope, October 23, seattle wedding vendors, Seattle weddings, www.AvantBride.com | No Comments »
September 9, 2008 by avantbride
I was recently at Paper Source in Bellevue and paused to look at their selection of guest books. The covers are all made out of different papers, colors and patterns. They’re unique, but also very simple and elegant. If you can’t get to a store, they show the collection on their website. They cost $42 each.
If you have more time to order a book, and don’t want to spend quite as much money, I suggest you check out www.Etsy.com. There are a lot of crafty people out there making neat things. I ordered a guest book from a “shop” called BazaarLatino. The book was custom made according to what I was looking for, but based on one she had already posted for sale on Etsy. It cost $26 plus shipping. Below is the guest book from Etsy. Either way you’ll have a memorable keepsake!
Posted in Wedding Crafts, Wedding Reception | Tagged Bellevue guest book, Wedding Guest Books | No Comments »
September 7, 2008 by avantbride
I came across Gaga’s and wondered why I hadn’t heard of it before. Gaga’s makes renting flower girl dresses and ring bearer suits, among other things, really easy. It seems like they have the system and timing down perfectly. It’s easy enough to select the style and size of the outfit you’d like. You chose the three week window of time you’d like to have the formalwear. It then gets shipped to you or the parents a week or so before the event (with enough time to exchange sizes), and can be mailed back up to a week after the event with no cleaning necessary. I’ve been told by a recent bride that it was hassle free for everyone and that the clothes looked great.
www.gagas.com
Posted in Bridal Party Clothing | Tagged www.AvantBride.com, Flower Girl Dresses, Avant Bride, Budget Wedding, Bargain Wedding, Children's wedding clothing, Flower Girl Dress, Flower Girl Dress Rental, Cheap Flower Girl Dress, Ringbearer Tux Rentals, Gaga's Rentals, gagas.com, Wedding Rentals Seattle, Easy | 2 Comments »
August 28, 2008 by avantbride
A savvy bride wrote a review about Dorsey Floral and it piqued my interest so I thought I would write more about it. When I asked her about her experience using Dorsey Floral she had nothing but great things to say about them. She said she had wanted to have calla lilies but was told by various florists that they were out of season and would be expensive to order. As she wanted very simple bouquets she thought to use Dorsey Floral to order the flowers in and make them herself. She did say that as a nervous bride she probably called them a little too often making sure that the delivery would arrive. It was an interesting point as florists have pointed out to me in the past that part of the reason that flowers cost more for weddings than other events is the extra time that they have to spend on the multiple phone calls and other miscellaneous bride requests. However, if you are a low key bride and just want to order a shipment of flowers to do it yourself this company might be a great way to keep costs low on your flower budget.
Dorsey Floral
www.DorseyFloral.com
(206) 444-0591
Seattle Area
Posted in Wedding Flowers | Tagged Budget Wedding Flowers, Calla Lily Seattle, Cheap Wedding Flowers, Dorsey Floral Seattle, Dorsey Wholesale, Green Roses Seattle, Quality Wedding Flowers Seattle, Wedding Flowers, Wedding Flowers Seattle, Wholesale Wedding Flowers, www.AvantBride.com | 1 Comment »
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Green weddings or even just adding a little green to your wedding has been a major trend for brides growing increasingly stronger over the recent years. There’s no denying that there are limitless options to having a “green” wedding – you can go as far are you’d like. The hole in the ozone’s the limit! Seattle in particular has great resources for green weddings. Here are just a couple of suggestions that I have come across. Although I do have to mention a caveat, which is that just because a vendor doesn’t say they have sustainable or local produce, recycled materials or conflict-free diamonds, doesn’t mean they won’t be willing to work with you. Although our choice for a caterer was limited due to our location, I was able to change the fish on our menu (among other things) to one that was recommended from the 
