Spring Inspiration From Martha Stewart Weddings

Hello little owls! This past weekend I was so inspired by the Spring 2011 Martha Stewart Weddings magazine, that I had to share some favorites with you. For another sneaky peeky, check out my video review of this as well by clicking here.


(All photos courtesy of Martha Stewart Weddings)


I'm dying for this gorgeous color palette for Spring, Summer and Fall. Who says bridesmaids can't wear shades of ivory?



A great DIY birdcage veil tutorial.


Confetti programs are such a great way to have a beautiful recession back down the aisle without too much coordination!


How cute is this vintage-inspired place setting pattern from Lenox?


I'm smitten with this adorable backyard wedding.


Get your fringe on with this fun and creative themed wedding!

For more information, visit Martha Stewart Weddings for all kinds of inspiration overload!

I'm just sayin'! Wedding Dresses From Mod Cloth

So how cute would this be as a wedding dress?



Singing the Blooms Dress, Mod Cloth


In general, I think Mod Cloth dresses are always a bit too short, but if this were longer, or hit the knee, how cute would a bride be in this? Love!


Also, what about these two, also from Mod Cloth?



Swan Cloud Dresses in blue and pink


How cute would they be with these accessories?


Bouquet from OnceWed; shoes from BHLDN; hair clip from Oh My Deer

My Review of the Anthropologie BHLDN Wedding Collection

Hello everyone! I'm pretty sure every single wedding blog out there reviewed the new bridal collection from Anthropologie, BHLDN. The collection took me a while to really look at and I felt like to form an honest opinion, I needed to take the day and let it soak in.

And it has!

My verdict? It's a definite hit, with a few misses.

Overall, I'm in love. The textures alone in the gowns and dresses are stunning. I love that they played with that. The vintage details that have been added to the dresses truly give the "out-of-grandma's-attic" feel, albeit, for a hefty price. Yes, these gowns are GORGEOUS, but as with anything from Anthropologie, very expensive. I think that might be the collection's biggest downfall. I, of course, didn't expect this collection to be super affordable, but I also wasn't expecting the price tags currently attached to the dresses and accessories. Two of the weddings gowns offered are $600, a few at $1,000 and the rest can go up to $4,000, which isn't bad. However, the bridesmaids/special occasion gowns start at $200, most average $350, and some go up to over $1,000. Unless you're having a platinum wedding, I don't think the majority of these dresses are affordable for most bridesmaids, sadly. I also wasn't fond of the bubble-hemmed dresses, which seemed outdated (and not in a classy vintage way!) The accessories, I thought, were priced most outrageously, unfortunately. I found the jewelry pieces, especially, to be way, way overpriced, even for Anthropologie. A lot of the jewelry pieces seemed very simple and not quite as unique considering the price tag. I feel like the brand really took advantage of the "bridal" association with these pieces and really jacked up the prices. However, some of the cover-ups and shoes I thought were decently priced and well worth the cost.

Overall, a stunningly beautiful collection that I adore. I really do. I hope that over time, they continue to develop this collection to include more styles at accessible price points for the average bride and her bridesmaids.

So, without further ado, here are my favorites from the collection!

























Can anyone guess my favorite piece from the collection? No? Well, here it is:



Gah! It's simply amazing. I'm smitten with this dress. I would love to wear this with amazing shoes and bright red lips.


A close second is this dress:


I think I've managed to pick out two of the more expensive pieces from this collection. I adore this one as well, and ditto with the bright red lip :)


So there you have it! My review of the new Anthropologie BHLDN collection. Be sure to visit the website for the full line (I only posted my favorites).

Real New Hampshire Wedding: Sarah and Pete

Hello, hello! Oh my goodness, I'm so in love with today's real autumn wedding. Truly, there is nothing I look forward to most than a perfect, crisp fall day, surrounded by rich colors, and this wedding captures all those elements perfectly. Sarah and Pete's details were a labor of love, including their beautiful program below) and the red cardigan is a fashion statement I LOVE seeing on brides who get married on cooler days. Brilliantly capturing their wedding day was the team at Hinkley Photography. Owl hugs to all involved with this one!



















































Thank you so much to Hinkley Photography for sharing this wedding with us today! Please be sure to scoot on over to their blog for more gorgeous wedding eye candy. Sarah and Pete, you guys were rockstars on your wedding day, and I'm wishing you a lifetime of happy memories together.

For Sale: Watters Wedding Gown, Style 7086B

Hello friends. I'm using my blog for personal use today. Back when we got married, I was actually a two-dress bride. I purchased this beautiful gown by Watters & Watters at a wedding gown boutique for pre-owned gowns. It was such a great price and fit me perfectly without alterations, and I just thought it was meant to be, so I bought it. Months later, I completely regretted it. I wanted a short dress. It was just my personality, and I purchased my actual wedding dress few months before our wedding.

Well, folks, I still have this one for sale. I've had so many interested buyers, but unfortunately, the dress was hemmed for a 5'6 tall bride who wore ballet flats on her wedding day, so most brides trying on this dress can't wear heels with it (which I totally understand!).

I figured I'd post some photos to see if anyone out there is interested. I'm selling it for $250, plus shipping costs if you're not local. The dress retails for around $1,400 in Chicago and I purchased it for $900 (including taxes). It's a size 8, and it's in almost perfect condition, with two exceptions:

1. There is a tear on the inside lining, but you can't see it, and it can easily be fixed.
2. Some of the ruching details on the bodice are coming lose, but again, with a few stitches, it's an easy fix.

Otherwise, the dress has been professionally cleaned, and I've been taking really good care of it since :)







E-mail me at theelegantowl@gmail.com if you're interested in hearing more! :)

Thank you for letting me use this post for my own benefit.

Off The Rack Weddings: January Edition

Hello little owls! The Limited has just added some new styled to their weddings and events line that I wanted to share with you all. All photos courtesy of The Limited, and all styles can be found here. Lots of great colors for spring weddings, and although I wished there was more diversity with color options, the styles are still really great for the price, which is extremely affordable. And I'm increasingly more impressed with their bridal gowns! Take a look, and happy shopping!