Selecting your wedding gown

By: Jessica Robinson

I think 90% of our clients say that they ended up with a dress they never visioned themselves in.  Even for my own wedding, I visualized one thing but ended up with something totally different.  My girls grabbed a gown off the rack and said try this.  I really didn't want to, but turns out... that was the one.


The location is a big factor when selecting your wedding attire.  Will you be married barefoot on soft sandy beaches?   or in a rustic barn setting?  (now a barn setting can be rustic and simple or completely sophisticated too, it really depends which way we take your design)  Will you be having a traditional church ceremony and elegant sit-down dinner after wards?

                                                                                                              (Modern Trousseau gowns)
The pieces of your wedding are like a puzzle.  Each one comes together as you plan.  You pick the date, then the venue(s) and start to select different vendors you will work with.  The design concept comes together as a major piece of the puzzle.

                                                                                                                 (Melissa Sweet gown)
Gown designers typically suggest ordering your gown at least six months prior.  Try attending trunk shows for different gown designers that grab your eye.  This gives you an opportunity to meet the designer in person, see their collection and possibly get a great deal on a designer gown.

Check out a few of our favorite designers!! 
Modern Trousseau
Winifred Bean
Melissa Sweet
Maggie Sottero
Priscilla of Boston

What style are you?

By: Jessica Robinson

When we meet clients initially, I always ask them how they would describe their style.  Or the style they want to create.  Are you looking for something romantic and elegant or modern and trendy?  Maybe your style is a bit romantic, rustic-chic?  Luckily each of our clients tastes (and venues) are so unique, we have the opportunity to create so many wonderful looks, all their own.

Take this bouquet for example.  It has a wonderful mix of dark purple mini calla lilies, cool water roses, blue veronica, purple sweet peas, mini green hydrangea and touches of lavender button mums.  It has a "just gathered" feel to it and simply wrapped with an organic burlap ribbon.  To me, this bouquet speaks to the style: Rustic and romantic.  During every season, there is a wonderful selection of locally grown flowers that offer that fresh picked garden look.  (just a few: Zinnias, locally grown hydrangea, strawflower, statice, poppies, sweet peas, lisianthus, peonies, veronica, herbs and snowberries)

This hand-tied bouquet of garden roses is simplistic and romantic.  It's the perfect match for an afternoon garden ceremony.  This bouquet also goes well with an elaborate gown.  With gowns that have a tremendous amount of detail, sometimes it's better to keep it simple.  As not to over power the gown and your look.  We added a little extra detail with the stems by tying French-knots around the stems with an ivory satin ribbon.

This bouquet features wonderful 'patience' garden roses, an abundance of white cattelya orchids, white sweet peas and ivory roses.  It's wrapped with a wide ivory satin ribbon and adorned with a broach from Regina B.  It speaks to the romantic and very sophisticated feel of her entire wedding.

 

How do you visualize your wedding will be?

Flowers available in Spring

By: Jessica Robinson

Everyone always asks for peonies in August.  Just because they are so fluffy and have a wonderful mild fragrance to them.  They are stunning.  Truth is, they really aren't available in July and August.

David Austin garden roses are a fabulous substitute for peonies.  They offer an over-sized head and have that million petals look to them.  Some don't look like roses at all, but rather peonies. 

If you have your heart set on some of the most popular spring flowers, such as Ranunculus, sweet peas, peonies, tulips or hyacinths you should try and pick a date between December and mid-June.  Many things are grown year-round now.  But, there is never a guarantee.

You are much better off, getting married when you want and letting an experienced designer help you in the selection of your flowers.  We'll try and help you select something you'll love that is in season and readily available.  Personally, I love the look and feel of texture.  Mixing in seasonal herbs, berries and such add drama and interest to any design. 

Tips for planning a wedding

By: Jessica Robinson

Like anything else, planning a wedding takes time and sometimes a lot of money.  Because, like everything else in life, costs simply add up.  When you begin the planning process it can be very overwhelming and stressful.  Follow a few simple tips to plan with little stress.

To simplify your life and the planning process we recommend keeping your planning details to yourself.  Don't post publicly about your plans on Facebook and such.  Everyone has their own opinion and personally, I don't want everyone's input.  Keep plans to yourself and you'll save yourself a huge headache, plus leave much to surprise as guests enjoy your wedding day.

Make an initial guest list and go through it many times.  Ask yourself "have I seen this person lately?"  If not, you might want to reconsider whether they should get an invite.  Weddings are so much more personal these days and you want to share that with family and close friends that are in your everyday lives.  With that initial guest list, you'll have a good idea of where you can host your event.  With a larger number of guests, you'll need to find a venue that can accommodate.  Hunting down a reception venue that fits your needs can be tough.  But, there are many unique options right now.

Browse through colorful and inspiring magazines (such as Well Wed, Southern New England Weddings and La Bella Bride) along with wedding blogs.  Some amazing inspiring blogs are: Style Me Pretty, Wedding Chicks,Well Wed, Every Last Detail, The Knotty Bride and Sparkle and Hay.  While browsing through magazines, you'll notice you select certain things.  You have a style, whether you know it or not... you really do know what you want for your wedding.  I highly suggest, making a collage of sorts (ripe out things you like and recycle the rest of the magazine) of things you like.  Gowns, attendants gowns, shoes, guys attire, flowers, food, etc.

Collinsville Studio

By: Jessica Robinson

Our new studio is fabulous!  I'm loving every little detail.  I love having such a clean and creative design studio to work in.  The Collinsville area inspires me so much!  There's an amazing energy in this building and the surrounding area.  So many phenomenal artists and designers have made Collinsville their home.  Every special touch we add to the new studio makes it feel more like home.  (I seriously just might move in here!)

I've shopped my little heart out at Used Furniture of Canton.  OMG! that's all I can say.  Each and every time I go in there looking for something I walk away more than satisfied and beyond thrilled. (both with the quality of the furniture and definitely the price)  I've also hit up Hadsell's a few times for vintage blue color Mason jars and some depression glass pieces. 

Our new, in-house graphic designer is Nicole Schmidt.  She's amazing and completely talented.  Nicole is such a fabulous asset to our company and I am always blown away by what she creates!  She recently designed the most incredible new logo for us (which is about to be printed into fancy letterpress business cards).  Why not stand out!?  She also designed our invite for our private cocktail party celebrating our new design studio.  I cannot wait to see what she comes up with next!! 

This weekend, be inspired by Mother Nature and maybe pick up a copy of Well Wed magazine.  It's wonderful and should be glanced at constantly and cherished!  We are assembling a spectacular team of wedding industry leaders to do a wonderful styled shoot for their magazine.  While snooping around, we found a huge space in the factory that would work perfect for a wedding or special event.  So, we're going to host a fabulous shoot to inspire everyone!  Just wait to see what we come up with.  The ideas are just brewing right now.  But I can tell you they are Fabulous!!

New reception venue in Farmington, Connecticut

By: Jessica Robinson

As a wedding and event designer, I'm always on the hunt for the new best thing.  Looking for new trends, colors, different decor options to suggest to clients and fabulous venues that are simply gorgeous!  Today, I found a few of those.  I'm practically jumping out of my skin to tell you about the new venue that is under construction in Farmington, Connecticut!


I can honestly tell you that I'm VERY hard to impress.  I'm a bit particular.  Which is why I almost died when I saw how gorgeous and spectacular this place is!!  Of course, they are still under construction so you'll have to sort of use your creative minds to visualize what the venue will look like in the end (we'll be photographing it in the next month or so to give you better visuals).    But, keep in mind... absolutely NO detail has been overlooked.  Everything has been thought of and more.  Just to make sure your day is special and completely about you.

Farmington Gardens is situated in historic Farmington, Connecticut on route 4.  It's housed in the old Lexington Gardens.  It has the most amazing landscaping and is a bit rustic chic.  It's also so very romantic and whimsical.  The facility is family owned and operated.  Which really means they care and are there to assist you throughout your planning process.

The grounds are going to be completely landscaped and you'll walk on a path of beautifully laid paving stones to get to your ceremony or cocktail hour.  They are adding a wonderful gazebo so you would be able to have an outdoor ceremony.  (you also have an option for a small tent outside if Mother Nature throws us some bad weather)  Or, a great option would be to have your ceremony inside the greenhouse space.  Visualize an evening affair in the summer or fall, overlooking the sparkling stars during cocktail hour.  They are offering white Chinese lanterns for added lighting in this space. (but again you have options here)

Cocktail hour is hosted in the renovated greenhouse, which gives you views of our wonderful New England sky!  It's really such a cool space.  A wonderful neutral color tile will be on the floors.  You can enjoy the outdoors even if the weather doesn't corporate with us!


What I LOVE about this space (is everything) and the fact that you can do what you want.  Whether that be round tables or long family style tables.  You have options with linens and how you want your day to go.  Because, the fact is.... it's YOUR day and it should be about you and the celebration of your marriage.  So many other facilities have become lost and too much of a drive through.  They have this mind set that "this is what we do".   Farmington Gardens is not like that.  SO flexible and accommodating.  AND as many of us ladies know, the bathrooms can be a breaking point.  Not here, they are simply gorgeous!  Granite counter tops, wall sconces, plenty of room, tile floors and such.

Farmington Gardens offers a private bridal suite for you to dress in along with it's own private bathroom.  No detail is overlooked at this venue!  They often will host only one event per day, making the that personal feeling even better.  Their state of the art kitchen will be offering the most tempting dishes for your guests to enjoy with the on-site chef.

The dinner area seats up to 342 guests and you have the option for round or rectangle tables.  The hammered flatware will go beautiful with the white china and silver chavari chairs with black chair cushions.  Beautiful hardwood floors will grace you as you enter the foyer area.  Guests will be completely in awe!  As you walk into the ballroom you are blown away (again) by how beautiful the space is and how big it is.  Very pretty but neutral colors are on the walls and in the carpet.  What a dramatic presentation!  I'm in love!

If you were on the hunt for the most beautiful venue, it's here.  I also LOVE that there is a separate area for cocktail hour and your dinner area can be revealed after.  As a designer, that is so very important.   Give Phillip a call soon to take your personal tour of the venue.

Waterfalls: A Spa on the Farmington River

By: Jessica Robinson
I feel as though, with everything going on right now, we all need to take time for ourselves.  Life is too fast pace and rapidly spinning around us.  We need to close the world out for a bit, especially as strong working women and mothers.  With such a crazy busy life, I decided a few months ago that I need ME time.


The Axe factory is filled with wonderfully gifted artists, graphic designers, architects, photographers and such.  This past winter, Amie Gabriel opened her spa in the factory: Waterfalls: A Spa on the Farmington River.  Her spa overlooks the waterfalls that we are blessed to drive over everyday.  The factory is going to be going through a revitalization process over the next few years.  Bringing a wonderful historic property back to life and showcasing some wonderful artists and shops.

Amie's positive outlook and energy is incredible!  Her spa is one of the most relaxing spaces in the building.  Wonderful honey color vintage wood floors are beautiful and large windows let you soak in the spectacular views of the river.  She offers Swedish massages, organic body scrubs and fabulous facials.  Many of the products she has formulated herself.

If you haven't already called her to schedule sometime for yourself, do it now!  She's incredibly gifted at what she does and I'm excited to see what services she'll offer next.  I feel so very comfortable with Amie and has a sparkling personality.  Take some time and enjoy yourself.  Have a girls day out, maybe just for a facial or a full-spa day.

Her space makes you transcend into another world.  I just had the most amazing sugar scrub facial.  Everything she used was completely organic and edible.  My skin feels refreshed and rejuvenated!  I have to tell you that I'm completely addicted now!!  I cannot wait to see what types of treatments Amie offers next!