It’s that time again….spring is in the air, actually, right around the corner according to WikiAnswers. Wiki says that spring this year is set to start March 20th. So I’m doing pretty good about getting a head start on bridal gown trends for spring and 2010.

Wow. 2010. That sounds so futuristic, don’t you think? I’m happy to see that a little bit of that future glow can be found in some of the bridal gown trends I found.

Just like last my research last year showed, the experts have a bit of the old back and forth on picking trends, so I’ve listed my favorites here along with lots of juicy links, pictures and videos. Next to the cake, the gown is really the funnest to go shopping for….I took out my bridal gown just the other day and it almost made me cry. Yep. The power of that one piece of fabric is really special, so ladies, make sure you follow your gut when picking out your gown. Get what you’ve always dreamed of.

• So what’s the big trend I see a lot of right now? One-shoulder styles. It seems that First Lady Michelle Obama kicked off this trend when she wore the one-shoulder Jason Wu creation to the President’s inaugural Ball. It’s elegant, regal and classic in all the right ways. And her gown would make an absolutely beautiful wedding gown, wouldn’t it?

• And here’s an example from one of my beautiful brides, Annemarie, who got married at the La Playa Beach and Golf Resort here in Naples, Florida. Her gown, an absolutely breathtaking design from Maggie Sottero’s Destination Collection really stole the show. It’s a one-piece with a corset closure and a single floral embellished shoulder strap made of billowing chiffon. Check out the gown’s url right here!

• A trend after my own heart: black! Whether it’s a bit of black in the gown’s details or yep! A totally all-black gown, black is not just for goths anymore! Want to check out an all black gown? AND it’s one-shouldered too AND it’s shot by the fabulous Jose Villa AND it’s worn with red boots? Check it out here at the Once Wed blog or here at Jose Villa’s blog! And for a few more selections of some totally fabulous black gowns, check out this post, BLACK GOWNS WITH BIG IMPACT I {heart} romona keveza I am Woman… Watch Me Lure over at the Knotty Bride!

• I’m sure that if you are a bride researching for ideas, trends etc. you haven’t missed the fact that vintage is very, very popular right now. Goes to say that 50’s flair in bridal gowns is a very hot trend this year, too. Think high necklines, tulle skirts and tea-length styles on the runways. I love this look, birdcage veil and all and if you can’t find it, have Unique Vintage make it to order for you!

• Another hot trend for 2010? Bows! Big, tiny, huge, droopy or structured anything goes when it comes to bows! The beautiful gown below belongs to one of my brides….Michelle’s gown, from Casablanca Bridal, has a really different half bow with tails and a lovely rhinestone detail. Beautiful!

• Metallic touches! Add a touch of futuristic metallic fabric to your gown and you are set to shimmer all night long! I’d love to pair this up with a black gown. Yum!

• Touches of flowers or anything garden-inspired like vines and leaves! LOVE it! As you can probably tell from our website and blog design is that I’m a nut for garden inspiration….And I’ve seen some really lovely gowns with touches of garden love. Here are a few that I found and love!

From Oscar de la Renta

 

From Watters

• And how fab is this gown from Spanish designer, Jorge Terra? I love it when I find a new designer I can’t stop gushing about. This gown would look SMASHING on the beach here in Naples!

• Coming in to round out the list are couture cover-ups! Gone are the days of the plain Jane wraps….say hello to ultra-sophisticated and ultra-unique from floor-length coats to airy boleros to detailed capelets. What’s not to love? Jorge Terra has some again, unique and really stunning cover-ups! If you are looking for some inspiring ideas, head on over to his website here! If you’d like to see a nifty slide show of his 2010 Bridal Collection during the Madrid Cibeles Novias (bridal fashion shows that feature the latest in bridal trends Made in Spain), visit the CanalBoda (wedding channel in Spanish). And isn’t that turquoise cover up absolutely stunning? Makes me wish I could plan my wedding all over again!

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Filed Under: gowns, cakes and shoes, ramblings..., wedding design
Tagged as: 2010 bridal gown trends, 2010 spring bridal gown trends, jorge terra, Spanish bridal gown designers

When our friend and owner of Fantasy Brewmasters, Chris Guerra, asked us to create his portrait for an upcoming article, we said sure!

We are never ones to turn down a good challenge. And in this case, Chris had a specific look and feel he was after. Together with the art of Yukimi Mills and Mike Landry, we created a pretty cool portrait of Chris at his bar.

You can see Yukimi’s dragon piece to the far left and Mike’s custom-made wallpaper for Chris’s website to the far right. With a little Photoshop magic thrown in by us, and voila! You can check out the article, written by Jeff Berkwits, in the April 2010 issue of Sci Fi Magazine, which is on shelves now. Thanks Chris for giving us another opportunity to flex our creative muscle!

 

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Filed Under: creative portraiture
Tagged as: fantasy beers, Fantasy Brewmasters, Sci Fi Magazine

One of the reasons that beach weddings are so popular here in Naples, Florida is of course, the scenery! Not only do we have the very best sunsets this side of the state, but we also the best and most fabulous wedding vendors in the area! Our only mission: to create the best most memorable day for brides and grooms!

I think we photographers have the best job though….we get to capture it all forever!

Congratulations Jane and David! What a beautiful family you both have…

~ The Details ~

Location: Naples, Florida
Venue: La Playa, Betsy Tucker
Wedding Coordinator: Stephanie Shaffer - Weddings Made Simple
Stylist: Roni Fields
Florist: Mark Fessenden with Gene’s 5the Avenue Florist
Cake: Ella’s Cakes
Gown: Vera Wang
Shoes: Manolo Blahnik
Entertainment: Kevin Smith - Florida Talent Consultants
Chocolatier: Norman Love’s Chocolates

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Filed Under: Florida Weddings, Naples Florida weddings, gowns, cakes and shoes
Tagged as: Florida beach weddings, La Playa Beach and Golf Resort, Vera Wang

Rene and I had a wonderful time photographing one of the naples wine festival dinner’s hosted by festival trustees Linda & Jim Malone and John Scot Mueller & Judith Liegeois Mueller at the Malone’s Pelican Marsh home.

The dinner theme for the evening was Birds of a Feather. On hand to bring the vision to life was designer Gary Shanabarger, partner at 50Fifty Flowerphilosophy.

Celebrity chef for the evening was Richard Reddington of Redd and the vintners for the evening included Piero Incisa della Rocchetta of Bodega Chacra in Rio Negro, Argentina and Marc Perrin of Château de Beaucastel in Courthezon, France. Unfortunately, Mr. Perrin was detained in France but his wine made it all the way to Naples safely!

Aside from the fabulous smells emanating from the kitchen, the senses were flooded with beautiful bright shades of emeralds and burgundys, bright vivid reds and regal whites. Two peacocks graced the dinner providing a beautifully elegant backdrop and a visual feast for the eyes!

One of the centerpieces included a delicate wooden bird cage with bright red and black feathers intertwined around the cage, raising a few feet above the center of the table. Crystal birds atop gilded branches adorned two other tables.

With an absolutely incredible full moon out that night and perfect weather, what more could you ask for? How about fire art entertainment from Blaze Naples? Wow….talk about really lighting up a dinner party (ok, I know, totally cheezey but I had to say it).

And of course, the wine and the food and executive chef Reddington….

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Filed Under: ramblings...
Tagged as: 50Fifty Flowerphilosophy, Gary Shanabarger, John Scot Mueller & Judith Liegeois Mueller, linda and jim malone, Marc Perrin, naples wine festival, Piero Incisa della Rocchetta, Richard Reddington of Redd

Fun…spur of the moment…..quirky and mad about each other! We totally loved shooting Laila and Mathias around the grounds of their condo on Marco Island! And we can’t wait for their wedding…..what could be more romantic than getting married on Valentine’s day at the Ritz Carlton Naples on the beach? Can’t wait!

 

 

 

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Filed Under: engagements
Tagged as: florida, Marco Island, Ritz Carlton Naples

I wanted to post a few shots of the session we did of Grace at the Secret Garden here in Naples. This is the session we shot for the Neapolitan Family cover in November…..with a background like this and such a wonderful subject, we were able to capture some cute portraits of her.

I’m really starting to get into black and white again. And I’m itching to set up my darkroom again….on the hunt for an enlarger! Wouldn’t these look great as large fiber prints framed on the wall?

 

 

 

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Filed Under: fine art children's portraiture
Tagged as: naples children's portraiture, naples secret garden, neapolitan family

We are so excited to have in our hands the Winter/Spring 2010 edition of Weddings Florida magazine!

This edition features Liz and Sean’s awesomely beautiful and fun wedding that we shot at Miromar Lakes Beach & Golf Club here in Southwest Florida! What a great place to shoot! At every corner we found great spots and the decor is fabulous! Lesley and the staff at Miromar did an absolutely outstanding job making sure everything flowed smoothly and everyone was happy. And we couldn’t have been happier shooting at such a refreshingly unique spot!

I know that the wedding magazine industry experienced some losses last year with the loss of Modern Bride and Elegant Bride so we are SUPER ecstatic to see such a beautiful magazine going strong and representing some of the best vendors, locations and talent here in Florida. We are also very honored to be featured in Weddings Florida.

For us, it’s really wonderful to see this area of Southwest Florida receive the recognition it deserves as being a hot spot for destination weddings. Not only is the area beautiful, but we have some absolutely fantastic talent in the area that will do everything possible to help create a bride and groom’s vision. And part of that success comes from a strong network here of industry vendors that work with each other and support each other.

Thanks again to Weddings Florida for featuring Liz and Sean and thank you Liz and Sean for trusting in our ability to preserve your wedding day.

~ Astrid and Rene ~

 

 

 

If you’d like to learn more about Weddings Florida, check out their Facebook page and their website!

If you are in the Southwest Florida area and want to get to know some of the best vendors (including us) in the industry, make sure to attend the First Annual Clearwater Beach Bridal & Fashion Show produced by Weddings Florida Magazine, Sunday, January 24, 2010 at Clearwater Beach. Check out their website for more information and pre-registration.

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Filed Under: Florida Weddings, Naples Florida weddings, accolades, published!
Tagged as: Weddings Florida Magazine