Dress you up in my love, part II

Part II of the dress hunt

While I lust for ML and PR, my modest dress budget means I must turn my attention to other designers. Luckily there are plenty out there that have beautiful selections. Here are lovelies from Alfred Angelo.

Source

This might be my favorite design. The neckline is accentuates nicely, it's got simple lace detailing, and is cut with emphasis on the waist for a pretty hourglass shape. The train of the dress is quite nice, looks light and easy to walk in.

Source

Another beautiful dress with an a-line skirt. I really like that the sash comes in an array of colors to match your motif.

Source

I love the look of the flowy layer of net embroidered lace over the satin skirt. It's really delicate and romantic.

Source

This dress is the 'dressiest' of the ones I like. The tiers are soo beautiful.

Can you tell that I like lace? And can you tell I'm psyching myself up for trying on dresses?

Blog title is from lyrics by Madonna

Dress you up in my love

Part I of the dress hunt

I received an email from the knot about a nice sale of 10% off Nicole Miller wedding dresses. Nicole Miller has a boutique in West Hollywood, and since I'll be in the area, I might have to stop by. I visited her site to scope out the styles and options. Here are a few I like.

Source

Strapless taffeta gown. I really like the neckline here and the details.

Source

Vernoique stretch jacquard gown. Another really beautiful neckline, kinda flirty. I wish the model was standing so we could see how the skirt falls.

Source

Silk strapless gown with ribbon. I really love the long ribbon on the back, it makes for a good train. The dress is so simple and lovely.

Source

Heavy shauntung silk strapless gown. The structure and simplicity of this dress really draws me in.

Source

Silk dupioni strapless gown. This bridesmaid dress is in such a beautiful color. It also comes white so could possibly stand in as a wedding dress.

Source

Charmeuse shirred strapless gown. This comes in antique white. It's simple and has a fishtail.

I really love the look of all of the dresses, the 4th one being my favorite. Hopefully we make it to the boutique!

----
Today on the blogs:
This post about quotes by Ms. Quiche on Weddingbee rocks. I love quotes! And the photos of this wedding are so gorgeous!

Blog title is from song by Madonna

Saturday in the park

We visited Alice Keck Park Memorial Gardens last weekend. We drive by it weekly and there are times we see wedding ceremonies taking place so it piqued our interest. Located on a city block on Santa Barbara, Micheltorena, Garden, and Arrellaga Streets, the park has such a nice and serene feel. There are lawns, a nice pond, plenty of plants, a gazebo, and paths that take you around the park.

When we arrived we saw plenty of people lounging around and a wedding ceremony about to start! The weather was so sunny and cool, it was a perfect day for an outdoor ceremony.

Walking up a few steps to the park entrance on Micheltorena Street. The grass was so soft that it encouraged picnicking.

View of some people taking portraits. Surrounded by all of the trees and a nice pond, it's like you're in another place, in touch with nature.

There were people gathering around the gazebo before a ceremony began.

The view must have been really beautiful while in the gazebo. Bride and groom looking out over the water, surrounded by loved ones and nature :)

Another view of the gazebo. Although the park is public, the gazebo was on the water it provided a sense of privacy.

This is a path that takes you to the gazebo. The light coming from behind the trees was so beautiful and romantic.

A garden wedding sounds so sweet and romantic, especially in the spring time when all of the flowers are in bloom. Since the park is smaller it provides such an intimate feel. And having nature as a backdrop is so lovely.

Blog title is from lyrics by Chicago

You're the one that I want

Source

In my daily search for beautiful invites I stumbled upon the Future Mrs. Darcy, a quirky invitation designer whose portfolio holds invitations named after famous couples (Sloane & Ferris, Rose & Jack). What caught my eye was a pink invite with black calligraphy. That invitation suite turned out to be titled "Sandy & Danny" who happen to be the main characters in my favorite movie of all time, Grease! I never thought of incorporating the movie into our wedding details until I saw the invitation suite. It's fanciful and simple, the shade of pink is sweet and light. Definitely file this under possible stationery.

Source

Love the place card with Rizzon and Kinickie :) Totally cute. And love how the table number is so flowy.

The Future Mrs. Darcy has an Etsy shop and blog to check out.

Blog title is from lyrics by John Farrar

We search for something new

Source

When first searching for websites related to weddings in Santa Barbara I stumbled upon the Santa Barbara Wedding Guide.

It's a website that lists plenty of local resources for local Santa Barbara and destination brides. There is an extensive directory of services (makeup, music, photographers, coordinators, etc), a very helpful location finder (which helped us narrow down our search), inspirational wedding albums, idea galleries, and a discussion forum.

I found it very helpful in researching local photographers and reading many of their blogs, and finding caterers in the area and the type of food they have to offer. I have also swooned over locations like the Bacara, Biltmore, and Montecito Country Club, and enjoyed viewing the more historical locations like Presidio Chapel, Old Mission SB, SB Courthouse Sunken Gardens, and SB Greek Orthodox Church.

This guide works well if you are in your beginning planning stages and it's always fun to check back to see wedding album updates. Check it out!

Blog title is from lyrics by the Bouncing Souls

Ooh I got a crush on you

A darling corner café, Curshcakes Cupcakery has a clever and cute saying, "You never forget your first crush." We stumbled upon it while driving on Anacapa towards downtown, and since we love cupcakes we had to pay this place a visit. On our first trip there, they had closed early because they had sold out. A good sign of their popularity. So we returned the following Saturday, earlier in the afternoon to maker sure we could purchase a few treats.

The store is small and quaint, with bar seating inside and tables and chairs outside. A few beverages are available, as well as peace offerings merchandise. You can see the kitchen past the front counter and smell the sweet, freshly baked cupcakes. Cupcakes are grouped together by flavor and displayed on glass cake stands of varying heights. With a few flavors to choose from, we decided on crumbcake, cookies and cream, peanut butter, lemon drop, and the signature crushcake (red velvet).

Strawberry Blush looked so delicate and sweet :)

More cupcakes. So many flavors to fill my tummy.

The atmosphere was real mellow so we enjoyed a cupcake on their outdoor seating.

My favorite had to be the peanut butter cupcake. Its frosting has just the right amount of sweetness to the light and fluffy cupcake, and the texture plays very well with each bite.

My love getting ready to enjoy the lemon drop cupcake. Lemon drops are my favorite drink so I was really looking forward to the taste.

One bite and I was hooked. Light lemon flavor for the cake and just the right amount of tart for the frosting. Mmm.

We enjoyed all the cupcakes we purchased and really like all of the classic flavors available. It's great to know that Crushcakes caters so we are considering them as a vendor. I know the cupcake craze has died down considerably, but I still love them :) Plus, how could I forget my first crush?


Blog title is from lyrics by Mandy Moore

Beside the green, green grass

Another SB landmark and popular wedding ceremony location is the SB Courthouse. Nestled downtown, the beautiful example of Spanish architecture greets everyone with a sense of calm. It has taken me 7 years of living in SB to visit this gem, and now I understand why couples love to get married here.

On a relatively busy palm tree lined street, the Courthouse stands. Bell tower, fountain, and arch face the street. People walk back and forth conducting business and tourists take photos. Then you walk through the archway and into the lush lawns and Sunken Gardens. It is like a retreat away from all of the hustle and bustle. There are people around but the grounds are so expansive that you can find your own peace.

The Sunken Gardens are through the front archway.
Ceremonies can take place in the Sunken Gardens, mural room, and even the bell tower. The Sunken Gardens being possible the most popular due to the outdoors, greenery and sublime feel.
The lawns extend so far and are so soft to walk on and green. I like the various levels.


Courthouses usually aren't so pretty. There is no main contact person for the Courthouse, but here are some sites with information.
Courthouse Official Site
SB Wedding Guide

I really like this place and will consider it as a possible location.

Blog title is from lyrics by Six Pence None the Richer

Pretty in pink, isn't she

October marks National Breast Cancer Awareness month. I like that we can take this month to reflect, raise awareness and support a cause that many women face. I also like that plenty of companies come together for the cause. Currently Shopbop features six basic tees designed by celebrities, Avon carries pink ribbon products, Yopliat has their annual Save Lids Save Lives campaign, Estee Lauder will carry a Pink Ribbon collection, and ofcourse there is Brides Against Breast Cancer.

BABC is an organization that supports the fight. Their wedding gown sales fund Making Memories, which makes the dreams and wishes of those losing their fight with breast cancer come true. They have a great site, filled with plenty of resources and ideas. They are also coming to LA at the end of October!

It's a great thing to know that you can help your fellow woman through a simple purchase :)

Blog title is from lyrics by The Psychedelic Furs

I Can Still Hear the Mission Bells -Social Distortion

One of the most frequented tourist destinations, and my favorite place to hear mass, is Old Mission Santa Barbara. Nestled upon a hill at the foot of the mountains, the Queen of the CA Missions offers beautiful views, exquisite architecture, and lovely grounds rich in history. Up until a few years ago weddings were not regularly celebrated, but with the arrival of their current pastor, Fr. Daniel, the sacrament of marriage is now celebrated plenty of times throughout the year. While weddings at the Mission are most exclusively for parishoners and SB residents, and plenty of rules come with having the Mission as a venue, just the opportunity to have this ceremony location is well worth it.

The entrance doors to the church sit atop grand tile and concrete steps. And inside are the warm colors of tans, pale pinks, yellows, champagne, with green and blue accents.


The light that shines through the windows provide an overall warmth to the place.

The wooden benches are comfortable, floor is tiled and hardwood, and art decorates the length of the walls. And although smaller in size compared to other CA missions, the size provides intimacy to a service.

The beauty and history of this location has attracted me to put it on the list of possible ceremony locations. By having our ceremony there our guests will get a chance to share in my Catholic faith and visit a site important to the city of Santa Barbara. Fr Daniel's forward thinking and open mind are also very good qualities of the Mission.

The grounds surrounding the Mission are also quite lovely. There is the fountain (with lily pads blooming during Spring and Summer), the gardens, ruins, and, if you schedule your wedding after the annual I Madonnari street festival, beautifully created chalk art on the parking lot at the base of the Mission.

The fountain and lush lily pads.

A hallway towards the office.

View from the steps. On a clear day you can see the ocean, sail boats, and the oil rigs.

Art from this year's chalk festival. Although the day was windy and there was a threat of rain, the artists worked hard and completed beautiful pieces.



If you are ever in SB, this is a place to see.

All photos by me.

Away From the City -311

A characteristic very true to Santa Barbara is it's small town feel. While we have big city amenities like universities and big name stores, things seem to be simple, the architecture flows smoothly, and life is quite mellow. The ocean and beaches may be the most attractive of locales, as the Spanish architectural influence is prevalent on plenty of city buildings. SB is like a "get away" and the best place to get away to may be the Bacara Resort and Spa.

Located about 15 miles north of downtown SB, on beautiful bluffs, with amazing ocean views is the Bacara. I have had the opportunity to be pampered twice at their spa, and my love has enjoyed the course at Sandpiper Golf Club. After a spa treatment, we walked the grounds to take everything in. It was a mid-Saturday morning in January, 72 degrees, not a cloud in the sky. The landscaping was clean and green, the paths were tiled, the pools looked amazing (2 levels and cabanas included), and the ocean glistened under the sun.

Most of the photos I took were of the ocean. We walked towards a restaurant that sits on the highest point of the bluffs and enjoyed the view.

The Bacara's glamorous yet understated nature is so perfect for a chic beach wedding/elegant reception. They have ballrooms and patios, outdoor ceremony locations, and their own private beach. Described on their site as having, "Spanish colonial warmth, old Hollywood glamour, new California dreaming" this is my dream wedding location. A perfect get away to be pampered and playful.