Plan Your Wedding on Wheels Limo Tour!

I’ve been in the wedding industry in Trinidad & Tobago for 10 years now and after all this time, it was refreshing to see a wedding promotion that was so different and innovative!

The “Plan Your Wedding on Wheels Limousine Tour” hosted by Jennifer GoberdhanSignature Weddings and Events was the first of its kind in Trinidad and Tobago.

It first came to life as a creative way to commemorate the launch of the company’s business and website, www.jennifergoberdhan.com


5 brides & Jennifer Goberdhan (2nd from left)

Then, preparations started off on Facebook - with a competition for brides-to-be. To enter, they had to introduce themselves and their fiancé and describe how they met and became a couple.  The ladies who had the most interesting and heartfelt stories were chosen as the 5 winners.



The 5 brides who won, were taken in a gold, Hummer limousine (another first in Trinidad & Tobago!) to different wedding vendors’ locations.

While enroute to the vendors, they were given “do-it-yourself” tips on planning their weddings by Jennifer Goberdhan herself, who is an internationally trained Wedding Designer and Planner with the Lovegevity Wedding Planning Institute in the US. 



Getting glamed up by Fashionista Image Management

The lucky ladies generated buzz and excitement wherever they went and emerged from the Hummer (kindly provided by Transport Solutions)!  

Stops were made at: Bakery Treatz, Claudia Pegus, Trinidad Weddings (that’s us!), Fashionista Image Consultants, Berment’s Catering, Naalri’s Photoplanet, and Spira’s Celestial Gemstones & Jewelry. 

Each vendor eagerly gave insider advice to the brides and showered them with gifts of their specialty  products and services .

Lunch at Berment's Catering

Cake tasting at Bakery Treatz

Jewelry Shopping at Spira's Celestial

Gift of a Trinidad Weddings Tote bag

Hors' D'oeuvres & TW Wed-Zine Magazines! 

Fashion styling tips from designer Claudia Pegus

The goal is for Jennifer Goberdhan’s Plan Your Wedding on Wheels Limo Tour to mushroom into a highly anticipated event in the future and to create a business development avenue for all partnering vendors.

According to Jennifer, “These vendors are selected for their expertise and standards of premium quality, in order to introduce brides- to-be and the people of T&T to an experience that is not only fun and different but of a standard that is world-class.”

All photos on this page were done by: Naalri's Photo Planet

TrinidadWeddings.com's Top Wedding Trends for 2013

The wedding industry is always influenced by what’s current in the art, fashion, culinary and interior design worlds. Every new year brings a slightly different approach to wedding planning coupled with interesting trends.

Here are a few predictions for 2013:

Emerald Green – This year, the Pantone Colour Institute has chosen “Emerald Green” as the “it” colour for 2013. The shade is described as “lively, radiant and lush,” and will certainly be seen this year on bridesmaid gowns, bouquets, invitation accents and décor. 

Another colour that is going to be very popular this year is mint green. This delicate, pastel colour fits very well with retro and vintage wedding themes.

Victorian-inspired – Accessories are taking a cue from the Victorian era. This year, we are seeing motifs that were once popular on Victorian jewelry such as: flora, fauna and bows. The incorporation of ribbon, lace and tulle on bridal jewelry pieces, is another Victorian influence. The Victorian influence will also be seen on décor and favour choices; so we will see a return to more romantic, vintage accessories. Other eras that will inspire brides’ style this year are the 1920’s, 1930’s and 1940’s.

Cakes – the lace obsession has not stopped! In fact, it has been going strong since the Royal Wedding in 2011. Lace accents and reproductions will be appearing all over cakes this year, as will fondant flowers and accents that appear to be appliquéd onto the cake.  The use of metallics on cakes, will continue to be trendy this year as well.

Dramatic back views on gowns – Open backed gowns are trending - from plunging deep V-neck backs, sheer back views, lace trimmed key-holes or backs hidden with a smattering of crystals, sequins or embroidery. These gowns will not be for the faint of heart!

Just as it was last year, for 2013, brides will still be embracing dresses with long sleeves, high necklines, cap sleeves and illusion necklines. There will also be a resurgence of the longer bridesmaid dresses versus the shorter ones that prevailed in years past.

Invitations - Also popular will be designs that are foil stamped onto invitations, as well as those that are foil edged (when a metallic effect is applied to the edge of the invitations). Personalisation will also reign – with more couples choosing to do their own monograms, caricatures, crests or logos.

Bouquets: expect more brides to incorporate jewels and brooches into their bouquets. Another trend is the use of succulents (cacti) in the bouquets.

Patterns and Motifs: On invitations and in décor, the “bird” motif is going to be widely seen this year, so will leopard print, zebra print and chevron (a zig zag repetitive pattern).

For more, please join us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/trinidadweddings

Or visit our website: http://www.trinidadweddings.com

 

 

Bridal Gown Trends 2012

Last year certainly saw its share of celebrity weddings and of course, the most opulent of all - the Royal wedding. This year, the focus will be on all-out elegance, a nod to conservatism and a welcoming of color, volume and texture.

Here’s a look at what’s trending right now on the bridal runways:

Colour – Oscar de la Renta showcased dresses in robin's egg blue and sage green in his Spring 2012 Bridal Collection. Likewise, Vera Wang showed dresses in a taupe, black, charcoal and celadon green. The most popular colour though, seems to be “blush pink.” Both Badgley Mischka and Monique L’huillier showed dresses in that colour, in their collections.

Coverage – This year, brides are embracing dresses with long sleeves, high necklines, cap sleeves and illusion necklines

Seductive Style – Although strapless gowns are die-hard favourites, this year we will see more high slits, corsets, plunging V-neck lines (either back or front) and dramatic off-the-shoulder gowns.

Embellishments – this year gowns will dazzle with sequins, beading, lace appliques and will even get gussied up with the addition of fringe.

The addition of sashes– sashes are still very “on trend” at the moment, giving the perfect touch or unusual element to simple or plain gowns. Sashes are now available in various colours and embellished with feathers, jewels, pearls, crystals and beadwork. The popular colours this year are: black, blush pink, deep purple and champagne or ivory.

Minis! – This year there are more short dresses being seen than ever. They were shown by Marchesa and Maggie Sottero.

Big skirts – The ballgown has returned but has been updated with structure, texture, ruffles, tiered skirts or pockets.

Capes – are replacing shrugs as the “it” cover-up to strapless gowns.

For more photos, please visit our "Wedding Gown Trends 2012" Photo album on our facebook page http://www.facebook.com/trinidadweddings

The Green Bride!

How many Trini brides seriously consider having a stylish yet eco-friendly wedding? Perhaps not many and that’s unfortunate, moreso because there are so many simple and sustainable ideas out there. It’s also unfortunate because weddings by and large, generate substantial amounts of waste with food, paper goods, packaging, ribbons, favours, wrapping paper, decorations and stationery that are tossed in the trash after the reception or…soon after.

Here are some tips to help you have an environmentally-friendly wedding:

Food

·         Donate leftover food to a shelter or soup kitchen or have boxes available for guests to take some of the eats home with them.

Fashion & Beauty
·         For your dress, use one or a combination of: remnant lace and fabrics, organic cotton, hemp and silk blends or vegetable-dyed fabric.

·         Select organic or mineral products that are not tested on animals, for your makeup

·         Go to the “Bridal Classifieds” page on www.trinidadweddings.com to see if anyone is selling a used or new wedding gown or selling centerpieces they no longer need. See link to it here: http://www.trinidadweddings.com/Shop/BridalClassifieds/tabid/239/Default.aspx

·         Upcycle bridesmaid dresses that won’t be worn again, into decorative throw pillows or window treatments. You can also donate the dresses to someone who will use them.

Invitations & Stationery
·         Use post-consumer recycled paper

·         If you have open seating for the reception, this can reduce your paper needs, with doing away of place cards. Also, you can do one tented programme (printed on both sides) per table, to reduce the need for every guest having a paper programme.

·         Create custom invitations or “thank you” cards by hand or try utilizing hand-painting or stamping on your invitations, to save on printing costs

·         If you want to go entirely paperless, invite guests via e-cards or telephone

Décor & Favours

·         Use organic décor materials like: bamboo, coconut shells, hemp, pressed flowers/leaves, burlap, jute or raffia.

·         Make use of organic or fair trade items, for your food and favours

·         Create a local favour instead of one that’s already pre-packaged and full of unnecessary plastic packaging. Wrap your favour in biodegradable bags or in hand-made paper.

·         For centrepieces, choose containers you can use again in your new home and perhaps fill with fruit that you or your guests can eat!

·         Choose a florist who uses locally-grown flowers.

Reception

·         Have an outdoor wedding to save on day-time electricity costs. The options are endless: a park, at the beach, a private garden, courtyard, ranch or nature reserve.

·         Use cloth napkins as much as possible, versus paper napkins

·         Plan your ceremony and wedding reception in the same place, to save energy costs and emissions from transportation.

Registry

·    If you already own household items, perhaps you can ask guests to contribute to a wildlife conservatory, animal shelter, a recycling initiative or a charitable cause, in lieu of favours/wedding gifts

·    Ask the store that is hosting your bridal registry, not to gift wrap your wedding gifts.

Custom-made wedding gowns!

Lily Allen's ceremony gown by Delphine Manivet

Disagree or agree with me, but I love Lily Allen’s style and her music.

Who’s Lily Allen?

If you’ve never heard of her, she’s a British singer with 2 successful music albums under her belt. She was just as famously known for being the face of Chanel, when Karl Lagerfeld hand-picked her and photographed her to promote the Coco Cocoon luxury handbags in the fall of 2009.

She is also largely known as a style icon in the UK and why she’s relevant to my blog (other than I love her!), is that she got married last month.

Naturally, it was rumoured that Chanel would be doing her wedding dress. In fact, she had two gowns, Chanel did a vintage-inspired one for her reception (see photo at left) and Parisian Designer, Delphine Manivet, designed the gown for her ceremony.

The lace bodice is reminiscent of the Duchess of Cambridge’s wedding gown but Lily’s veil clearly harkens back to the 1920’s. Unlike Kate's 1950's- inspired gown, Manivet remarked that the Lily’s dress was inspired by 1970’s and 1990’s fashion.

If, like Lily, you decide to go the route of having your attire custom-made; it is important to distinguish between a seamstress and a designer.

Designers, of course, design and fabricate a gown especially for you. Seamstresses will usually sew exactly what you ask them to do, although some do designing as well.  Be aware that seamstresses that work exclusively by store-bought patterns may not know how to alter gowns to give you the style elements that you may want – e.g. a bustle skirt or unusual back. 

Generally, these are the steps to getting your gown designed:

1.    Meet with your designer but do have in mind the direction you want for the style of your gown for example, do you want your gown to be  dramatic? Full? fitted and body conscious? Feature a skirt with lot of movement? Or should it be feminine or on the other end of the spectrum - more structured?

2.    After having discussions with you about your preferences and examining your body type; the designer will usually present attire concepts in the form of sketches and inspirational photos. He/She should also have fabric samples for you to choose from.

3.   After this, you can choose the silhouette, embellishments and decide on the type(s) of fabric that you like incorporated. Then, via collaboration, you and the designer will determine a final choice.

4.  Measurements of the bride-to-be are then taken by the designer, over the actual undergarments that will be worn on the day.

5.   Most designers will do a “muslin fitting,” to ensure proper fit. Muslin is a cotton woven fabric from which the designer makes a shell that moulds to the body of the bride. This shell enables the designer to easily drape onto it or create  desired elements from the final garment.

6.    The designer then takes the muslin pattern and crafts it into the bride's chosen fabric usually, adjustments are done at this point since the muslin does not have the same characteristics as the final fabric (for example, silk, organza, satin etc.).  

7.   Additional fittings to ensure a perfect fit may also be required, depending on the complexity of the gown.

Bridesmaid Dress Trends 2011

Here are some of the looks I’ve seen regarding bridesmaid dresses for this year:


Length


A predominance of shorter styles are being seen this year, so there have been more cocktail length dresses or the slightly longer tea-length look ; versus the longer dresses of the past.


Colours


Bold colours are popular now, such as: marigold yellow, violet, magenta, deep blues, grass green and emerald green. These vibrant colours are also balanced out with muted, soft colours in pale ice-blue, dusty violet, taupe, nude and charcoal


Fabric


Bridesmaid dresses this year mostly feature the usual silk, satin, lace, chiffon, crinkle chiffon and taffeta.


Style Details


Many dresses are being seen with:


• Pockets – creating a more casual feel, despite perhaps a floor-length or formal design


• Asymmetrical draping on the bodice ( this can give the illusion of a smaller waist!)


• Belts, sashes or fabric “cummerbunds” (pleated sashes)


• Architectural fabric details (intricate folds, cascades and pleats) combined with romantic elements such as lace and embroidery


• Draping that appears quite Grecian-inspired


• Bows and fabric petal and flower details


• Ruffled detailing


• Pleating


Necklines


• Cold shoulders


• More rounded sweetheart necklines


• Halter styles using pleated chiffon


• Strapless


• Ruffled necklines


• Bateau necklines (think Jackie Kennedy!)

The Be-jewelled Bride

From classic to the dramatic! Tastes in bridal jewellery span a wide spectrum of choices. Some brides feel it may be better to be demure and understated with their jewellery choices, others feel quite the opposite.

These are the brides that won’t shy away from “glam-ing” it up with a statement necklace, a bold pair of earrings, a glamourous cocktail ring or a show-stopping bracelet. Ideally, your jewellery should accentuate your best features like your eyes, cheekbones, décolletage, neck and hair.


The only word of caution is to be careful not to over-accessorise, so that your natural beauty and gown can bask in the limelight and not your baubles and bangles!


Here are some tips when choosing your bridal jewellery:


1. Use the embellishments on your dress as the starting point – for example, if your gown is adorned with crystals, pearls, silver or gold embroidery; your jewellery could reflect those accents.


2. Know what metal types will complement your dress – Some fashion experts recommend that brides who wear “bright white” gowns should stay away from gold wedding jewellery and should choose platinum, silver hues or pearls instead. They also claim that off-white gowns match well with gold or silver wedding jewellery, as well as rose-gold. Gowns in shades of ivory tend to look best with gold jewellery.


3. Match your jewellery with your personality – If you’re a traditional or classic bride, jewellery encrusted with pearls, crystals, diamonds and cubic zirconia are all excellent choices. If you veer more to the unconventional, you can try Marcasite jewellery, coloured gemstones, or pearls in shades of blue-grey, black, cocoa, pink, peach or lavender. If you love medieval-inspired looks, you can even try “browbands” which are romantic and worn across the forehead, reminiscent of medieval princesses.


4. Match your necklace to the neck-line of your dress – V-neck dresses lend themselves well to Y-drop necklaces, lariat-style necklaces or necklaces with a drop pendant. Halter dresses do not necessarily have to have a necklace but brides can opt for elegant earrings and a bracelet instead. Sweet-heart necklines can follow the same rule as for halter dresses or a choker or pendant necklace can be worn.

Asymmetric or cold-shoulder necklines usually do not require a necklace either, since this can sometimes be distracting and take away from the cut of the gown. Round necklines tend to go well with round necklaces or chokers.


5. Selecting your headpiece – if your gown is very ornate, it may be best to go with an understated headpiece; however, if your dress is simple, you can use a more eye-catching headpiece such as a jewelled or beaded tiara or even a jewelled bun-wrap.

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