east side bride

THE SQUEAKY WHEEL GETS THE DIAMONDS

2012-05-28T14:00:00.000-07:00

May 14, 2012

Hello ESB -

It's simple: I like old, he likes new. I like a story and a particular style, he likes shiny and flashy. I collect allsortsofthings and have a clear aesthetic identity, he... well, not so much.

We both work with our hands (he's a touring musician, I'm a photographer, mixed-media artist, waitress, and teacher) so our rings have to be durable.

I have been looking at a wide range of engagement rings from vintage/antique (eriebasin, ebay) to new but off-beat (catbird, bario-neal, conroy & wilcox) and just can't find something that's NEW (and according to him, doesn't have anyone else's SHIT attached to it) but has the kind of soul I want. Here are some rings that have appealed to me thus far and perhaps you can make some other suggestions?

Elisa Solomon Ancienne (with matching band!?)

Digby & Iona Bears

Erie Basin Deco

Era Gem Deco

Era Gem Edwardian Crazytown

As you can see I am all over the place. HELP?!

Though we aren't even engaged yet, (yes I am thinking this far ahead), I want to engrave a wave-form into a ring kind of like Sakurako Shimizu (i do rings) but engraved rather than cut through for his band (don't worry, they will say something other than "I do..") and am looking for an artist who is capable and would enjoy a commission like this. (I might get a matching one too, just daintier.. but it would have to be just right...)

We just moved from down South to Boston for a bit, but don't know where we will be getting married. He travels all over so location isn't much of an issue for checking out rings. Thoughts?

Also, I love reading your smart-assery and I think you always have spot-on style suggestions.
kthx.

xo

*****

May 24, 2012

Hello Again Sweet ESB,

Sorry to be a bother again, but I saw your twitter post of one of the new Digby & Iona Diamond rings and figured you'd have the downlow on when the collection would be released and if one would have to be in some super-special club to get their hand in one.

(I emailed you a week or so asking about rings and I'M SORRY TO BE A SQUEAKY WHEEL AND ALL THAT CRAP.. I know you must get annoyed with obnoxious repeat emailers, last time, I promise.)

And I love their stuff. And I know my man is paying close attention to my strategically left open tabs of your posts about different ring styles I like and my fav vintage finds etc. as he has informed me he is doing it all on his own without consulting my friends or mother.

*****

Voila!

Leave this baby open for a few hours.

Creepy Brit masks are the new... Something.

2012-05-26T13:33:00.001-07:00

Maddie just emailed me:

Saw the photos of the Queen and Philip and almost died. One of my couples busted out a William mask during our engagement shoot last year.

So this is the new animal masks/giant balloon/whatevs right?

P.S. My couple actually had this just lying around their house. Which is what makes them AWESOME and not weird. Or at the very least, weirdly awesome.

Happy Saturday, people.

I WANNABE USCHI

2012-05-25T09:53:00.000-07:00

dear esb.

i love the golden rolling stones era and would like to go for a look a la anita pallenberg [image 1], bianca jagger, uschi obermaier [image 2] with a modern twist. in reality, I have no clue where to look. I don't seem to be able to find something I like.

maybe genius esb or her adorable readers have some ideas ?

I attached some photos. I am a medium size if that matters, like my legs and decollete - my waist not so much, have blonde wavy hair. we're going to elope (with family) and surprise our friends with an invitation to a wild party afterwards.

THANK YOU <3
Wannabe-Uschi ;)

PS, feel free to correct my bad english

*****

Here's hoping you are SMOKING HOT, my dear wannabe.* That is going to be the key ingredient.

A few ideas for dresses

Clockwise: Vintage Josefina Gauze Gown, Lover Ivory Wiccan Dress (also avail here), Vintage 70s Halson, Erin Fetherston Wrap Dress.

Two of these were reader suggestions over here -- you might want to check out all the comments.

______________________________

*Have you read/listened to the Keith Richards book? Speaking of men with SMOKING HOT taste in women.

on wedding themes

2012-05-24T10:10:00.000-07:00

Dear ESB,

I need to ask you a favour...I need you to write about 'themes'. In my 'defense' I have to mention we do not have such a thing in Spain and just started exporting it from the US, but...

what is an organic engagement?
why would someone want to be married in fairyland?
what is vintage-chic, urban-cowboy, black tie-martians????

What the hell is a wedding for an average US citizen? You tell me please...I am so over colour palettes plus themes plus...it's too much for me.

My question is...is a wedding a disguise party?
and a birthday too, right? we also have cowboy and pirates and fairies here...
and organic engagements..

I would love to see pictures of a wedding with NO decor, NO DIY, NO party favours, NO external beauty...just inner beauty...

The next thing after photographing childbirth is themed childbirth, right?

Yes I can see that...I was born a princess...bad luck my dad was not ready with a cookie wand and a tutu (sorry that's a fairy...)

I don't mean to hurt anyone...but I needed to bust it out.

I like who I am, no disguise, I may or may not like who my family and friends are, but I trust that letting them be who they are is more important than coordinating their shoes. I loved seeing my people glow in our wedding, and having a good time, and some looked gorgeous and other's looked gorgeous too, just in different ways. Some photos were great and other's are bad, they show how nervous we were, how tired we got and how difficult life was being at that time for our families. My husband chose what he wanted to wear and I did not get to see it beforehand. He has a personality, you know? and he was not happy being dressed as a dwarf, just like I had expected (for my fairyland...you see)

I did not WOWWW at all aspects of my wedding at first, but I can WOWWW at them all life long. People keep letting us know how happy they were, how much they enjoyed it, but this will stop...I am happy as long as they keep calling, keep trusting, keep sharing with us. In...fairyland...

Love,
The princess_fairy

P.S: do you have carnivals?..

*****

Here's what I think about wedding "themes."

If you're getting married in a raw loft space or an empty backyard, or, say, throwing your reception in a desolate catering hall, a theme and/or a motherf*cking color scheme will help you to pick out the chairs + tablecloths, narrow down what kind of centerpieces you want, etc. Nobody says you have to have centerpieces or flowers or bunting or any of that shit, but do you want to do the thing in an ugly blank space just to make a point? I don't think you do.

You can take the color scheme to an extreme, and tell your bridesmaids exactly what shade of purple, cocktail-length dresses they are required to wear, at which point they will email me because they can't find anything under $200. THANKs.

And you can -- obviously -- take the theme to a crazy extreme, maybe because you always wanted a fairyland themed birthday party and you never got one? Not sure about that.

Anyhoo.

Here in the US we have a penchant for taking things too far. Though I have never been to Spain, my dear princess_fairy, I suspect y'all are a little more.... restrained over there. I hope you are.

p.s. I guess an organic engagement means you're holding a cabbage bouquet and/or a pitchfork in the fucking engagement photos?? Please advise.

Image: Mel Robson via The Jealous Curator

Lovely Jubilee Photoshoot aka I shot the Queen...

2012-05-23T21:01:00.000-07:00

Dear East Side Bride

In England we have these people called The Queen and Prince Phillip.

The Queen and Prince Phillip are all over the press at the moment because The Queen has been The Queen for 60 years and we all get to have a day off work and hang up bunting and drink gin until we throw up on our own shoes.

Because The Queen and Prince Phillip have reigned over this fair country for such a long time, they called me up* and asked me to take some pictures of them.**

I was very surprised when they said they wanted to have their picture taken on a housing estate (that's a bit like a housing project in the US) but they bought a nice picnic so, you know.

The Queen loved me so much that we are now BFFs and she has promised that she'll make me next in line to the throne.***

My mate, The Queen, said she'll cut your head off if you say no.****

*this may be a lie
** also a lie
***and again
****this is actually TRUE. REALLY, REALLY TRUE.

Anyway, I'm asking you because you like taking the piss out of shit stuff.

Thanks and have a good day!

Laura

*****

These were so bizarre I had to publish them.

Also, your letter is quite endearing.

Alt Photography Workshop + POOL PARTY (Sponsored by Feather Love)

2012-05-21T12:35:00.000-07:00

Feather Love (aka Noa), one of my fave photographers and hands-down the biggest rabble-rouser ever to write a guest post for esb, is doing a workshop in San Diego on June 28-29.

I'll let her tell you more:

Technical photography workshops are awesome, necessary, and extremely productive – but this is not one of them. Here are six reasons why my workshops are different:

1) I’M NOT A ROCKSTAR

I am not a “rockstar photographer.” I’m just a person who is sometimes totally full of shit, but I also spend a lot of time working on myself as an artist and I really really care about my work. My focus is on the quality of work we put out there, and most importantly our personal relationship to that work & what it can teach us. I am honest and revealing and have no intention of pretending to be someone I am not. I am not going to tell you how to skip the hard part & become a successful photographer overnight – QUITE THE CONTRARY.

(Photo of Feather Love in her studio by her husband Stuart)

2) FOCUS ON THE ARTIST

One of the main subjects I cover in the workshops, is how critical I believe it is to connect with our work & put ourselves into our art. Often times, photographers will focus on finding more expensive equipment, or spending hours looking at the work of other photographers in their industry for inspiration. As artists, we need to put ourselves & our experience into the work we are producing in order to create something that stands out & resonates with us. A majority of people who attend my workshops are photographers, but because I focus on The Artist, I often have other creative business people in attendance too – like bloggers, calligraphers, magazine editors, writers etc.

(Some of Feather Love's images from past workshops)

3) BREAKING THE RULES

My work is certainly not for everyone. I focus more on what intuitively clicks inside me while I’m shooting than I do on perfection in composition, lighting etc. In fact, I often do what would be considered “technically wrong” in order to get the results I want. I have seen a million pretty photos, but it’s often the blurry, strangely-cropped, under/over-exposed images that stand out for me the most. Why? Because I can personally relate to them. Because they reveal something deeper, more beautiful, more honest, more human. Let’s just say that if I had to choose between Ansel Adams and Diane Arbus, I’m going with Arbus.

4) ROUNDING IT OUT

Besides my more philosophical lectures, I also cover real-world examples from my experience, discuss experimentation, how to get the clients you want, self-branding and many other practical subjects. I leave ample time for Q & A to structure each workshop around the attendees. I invite incredible guest lecturers to focus on subjects that are vital in running your own creative business. For example: Anne Sage on the important role of social media in self-branding (Bay Area + San Diego Workshops), Chloe Aftel giving a hands-on Polaroid class that will blow your mind (Bay Area + San Diego Workshops), Emma Case on not compromising (London Workshop) etc. These are artists & creative people whom I admire and respect and have learned so much from.

(Images from previous workshops: first and last image by Feather Love, all others by Woodnote Photography)

5) THE AFTER PARTY

Yes, we spend a few good hours discussing all sorts of deep, intense and important topics – I pose vital questions that we need to ask ourselves… blah blah, BUT I also believe in not taking stuff too seriously. If we’re going to work hard, we’re going to relax and/or play hard too. Some of my workshop after parties have included:

glamping sleepover in a giant beach house overlooking the ocean with musical guests Tim & Nicki Bluhm (video by Bay Area workshop attendee Sara Wilbur Photography)

dirty-hip-hop dance parties (London & Italy video by Son Of Shark Pig)

… and sometimes celebrity guests! The beautiful Sarah Carter will be our model for the San Diego workshop.

Wine & friends, plus clean & tasty gourmet food is of utmost importance! (Nicole of Gjleina is catering!) … And we will also be taking some hard-core pool breaks.

6) CONNECTION

I love how people keep in touch after my workshops – they become friends, ask for help reviewing an edit, travel across the country to hang out together, do awesome photo projects together, or even start a Facebook group specifically for all the people in the workshop they attended, including me. It’s RAD.

I am so extremely super-excited about my upcoming 2-day workshop on June 28th & 29th at my house and studio in San Diego! You can learn all about it HERE. Find out more about my workshops, content I discuss, videos & interviews with me, attendee testimonials and more HERE.

(At top: Photos by workshop attendees Shutter Sam & Brosnan Photographic, plus Feather Love's images of A B & The Sea in her pool & Anne Sage in her studio)

If I Were A Bridesmaid

2012-05-21T11:26:00.000-07:00

You guys keep on writing in to ask me for purple bridesmaids dresses under $200, and I'll keep posting gorg stuff that is out of your price range.

Whoopsy.

(See more over at shabd)

Do I Have to Plan My Fiance's Bachelor Party?

2012-05-21T06:00:00.000-07:00

Hi ESB,

I've got an awkward situation... My fiance is in Australia, the wedding is in Portland, and I'm up here waiting for him. FH has three groomsmen: A brother coming from Australia, the Best Man from Canada, and my brother in California. We're going to have a bachelor/bachelorette party on the same night (different locations of course), two days before the wedding. It's the earliest day all our friends will be there, except the Best Man who can't arrive until the day of the wedding.

Well, my ladies have got my end of things all under control. I know it's a bit squished, having the bachelorette party, then the rehearsal dinner, then the wedding, but we are a laid back group, and I'm not worried. I'm also putting shots of vodka in my morning coffee to help build tolerance for that weekend.

However, I'm out of sorts as to what to do for my man... He shouldn't have to plan his own bachelor party, but I sure as hell don't want to plan it either, that's just weird. But his BM can't make it, and the other two grooms know nothing about the area. Should I tell FH to work it out himself when he gets here (five weeks before the wedding), or make a list of awesome places in town and hand it to the FBIL and wish him luck?

Your wisdom is much appreciated.

*****

Stay the fuck out of it. The boys will figure it out.

Photo by Herring & Herring for Nordic Man via Design Scene

WHO SHOULD BE MY F***ING MOH?!

2012-05-18T09:07:00.000-07:00

Dear ESB,

Here's the deal.

We've been engaged for a couple of months & officially haven't contacted who we want to be in our wedding party.

I HAVE NO IDEA WHO SHOULD BE MY F***ING MOH!

I've never really had "girlfriends" per se but have always been close to my 2 sisters & 2 cousins. I have also gotten fairly close to my FH's brother's GF of many years & my own brother's GF of many years.

Here's the breakdown of their situations:

My Sisters are both in college= broke/ really young
1st Cousin= starting grad school, so going to be= broke/super busy
2nd Cousin= starting new job w/ crazy hours + is single mom= broke/ busy mom
1st GF= finished law school & is feeling the impending doom of her loans kicking in= soon to be broke
2nd GF= going to graduate from college this spring=broke

I know that whoever I would choose would totally do their best given their circumstances, bc they're all great gals...but as you can see they are all not in the best situation to be a MOH right now. I feel like I'd be throwing the 2 cousins & 2 GFs a curve ball...I'm sure they wouldn't be surprised to be part of the party, but not MOH. My sisters wouldn't be offended if I didn't choose them bc they know they would most likely be in over their heads.

Do you have to have a MOH? Wouldn't it be super weird not having one especially since my FH is going to have one? I like the idea of a MOH if I was in Utopia, but the thought of having to burden someone w/ this makes me feel like crap/stresses me out. I mean, I think they'd be too nice to say, "Uhhhh....whaaaaat?....I have NO TIME...uhhh...oh God, I'm going to be sooo poor!"

I wouldn't mind not having a bridal party at all, but my FH said he totally wants to have his dudes in the wedding.

P.S. Now that I think about it, they might have that reaction just being in the bridal party in general...both require their time & $$$ -____-

*****

You don't have to have a Maid of Honor. (You don't have to do anything.) And it would be silly to just pick the lady you think would be least inconvenienced.

But: Stop worrying about all that time and money bullsh*t. Being a bridesmaid should be a privilege, not a burden.

Tell your ladies all you ask is that they show up at the wedding and stand by your side.

Photo by Nicole Bentley for Vogue Australia via Fashion Gone Rogue

2012-05-17T08:57:00.000-07:00

Me: super nervous about getting married, being centre of attention and want to grab a few minutes alone with the boy prior to the wedding ceremony.

Him: magical, super romantic moment pictured of seeing me for the first time walking up the aisle.

Can there be a happy compromise??

*****

Just don't do fucking First Look photos, whatever you do.

lil wedding earring roundup

2012-05-17T06:00:00.000-07:00

Theodore Stud Earrings from Macha ($265)

Mountain Studs from Mociun ($195)

Gold Ball Studs by Satomi Kawakita at Steven Alan ($528)

Lee Hale Black Rose Thorn Earrings at Erie Basin ($205)

Oxidized Bronze Faceted Earrings from mikinora ($44)

my sponsors are the coolest

2012-05-16T10:00:00.000-07:00

Check out this custom photo album that Christina Richards commissioned from Hinged Strung Stitched.

I think my wedding polaroids are still in the refrigerator.

Either that or they're in one of H's desk drawers?

We haven't even printed the 35mm negs.

garden formal wedding attire?

2012-05-16T06:00:00.000-07:00

Hi!

I will be the guest of my boyfriend to a June outdoor wedding held upstate in June. The invitation says the attire is garden formal with hats encouraged. I'm ok with the hat idea. In fact, I'm kinda excited. But the dress situation is freaking me out. I am "that girl" who only wears black.

What the hell does a girl like me wear to a wedding advertising "lawn games" after the catholic ceremony?? I'm not opposed to floral or lace for a wedding, but I dont have the slightest idea where to begin.

Please please help.

*****

GARDEN FORMAL? WITH LAWN GAMES??

Jesus H.

I think you should wear this Cynthia Vincent (so Stealing Beauty, right?) with a wrap to throw around your shoulders inside the church, and a wide brim hat by my friend Gladys Tamez.
______________________________

Many thanks to the catbird blog!

UGG launches the “I DO” Wedding Collection

2012-05-15T11:58:00.000-07:00

Featured styles are perfect for walking down the aisle, rehearsal dinners, receptions or a spa day post-festivities.

IS THAT SO?

Dear ESB: My Cousin is Cray Cray

2012-05-15T10:10:00.000-07:00

I come from a very colorful family, part of which is made up of my step-dad's super crazy, ultra-waspy extended family. Having holiday dinners with them is like hanging out with Lucille Bluth, Sue Sylvester, and Napoleon Dynamite all at the same time.

Enter my cousin. She's getting married in September to a man she met online and conned into marrying her. (I'm not exaggerating. After three or four dates he said, "I could see myself spending forever with you" and she immediately started making a guest list for the wedding. She is cray cray.)

My sister and I have been looking forward to this shitshow for months (my cousin is spoiled and mean, so we've channeled our bitterness into quietly hating her behind her back) but the problem is that I now live on the opposite side of the country. On the one hand, I know I should go because my family will be there and it's one of the few times I'll get to see the nicer parts of my step-dad's family. On the other hand, the only reason I actually WANT to go is because I know it will be a trainwreck and because my sister and mom will murder me if I don't share this moment with them.

So, is it ok to spend upwards of $1K to fly out for a wedding that I've mostly made fun of for 7 months and only want to witness with the kind of motivation usually reserved for watching The Jersey Shore?

P.S. She's getting married on the anniversary of the day her mom died. While I definitely can appreciate a tribute to a loved one, the day she died?

*****

There's no rule that says You May Only Attend A Wedding If Your Heart Is Pure And You Have Nothing But The Sincerest Well Wishes For The Happy Couple.

I mean. This sh*t is going down in the family history books. How can you miss it??

Photo by Kai Z Feng via Fashion Gone Rogue

you guys. i just shopped at j crew.

2012-05-14T22:22:00.000-07:00

it was a dark moment.

i was desperate.

DO YOU KNOW HOW HARD IT IS TO FIND A GOOD 100% COTTON TANK?

anyhoo....

i just wanted to say: i get why you shop there. they do have some decent basics.

i only started hating on them in the first place because everyone fucking loved them so much. but i feel like now that the catalogue has gone off the rails (c'mon who thinks this is a good outfit? or THIS?) it's cool if i buy a tank top or two.

right??

Non-Game Changers

2012-05-14T14:48:00.000-07:00

I've got a couple more to add:

Napping all weekend

Not washing my face

Roz Chast via The New Yorker

more cute wedges*

2012-05-14T10:31:00.000-07:00

Avail in red poppy, true black and provence blue at Madewell

Sadly, they don't come in extra large/wide sizes, but I'm working on finding more options for you YETI LADIES.
______________________________

*Look ma! I finally figured out what a wedge is.

Costume change?!

2012-05-14T08:49:00.000-07:00

Dear ESB,

This is a low-grade issue and I'm grateful that with a month to go before my wedding this is my big question. However, I seem to have fixated on it am generally over-thinking and could use a blunt opinion.

We're having a very low-key outdoor grill-out wedding this June at my parents' Christmas tree farm. The set-up is a bit wonky: small gathering of close family/friends with snacks, lawn games, etc. in the early afternoon, wedding ceremony in the evening, and then opening it up to a larger community (I'm from a very small town so everyone just sorta shows up, there's no stopping it) for dancing, cake, merriment, etc.

My question is about my wardrobe. I have a beautiful, simple wedding dress I chose because I feel like me in it and it's comfortable. My original plan had been to just wear it all day because why not. It's great. But now I'm wondering if this is going to be somehow anti-climactic for people, most importantly my fiance, because there will be no "moment" at the actually ceremony when he'll/they'll see me in the dress for the first time... does this matter?

Should I wear a sundress (I do have a nice new one I could use) during the day and then have a costume change right before the ceremony? Do I just enjoy wearing my great wedding dress all day?

*****

Just wear it all day because why not. It's great.

You can do the big reveal with a croquet mallet in your hand.

Photo: Hugh Lippe via models.com

2012-05-11T14:32:00.000-07:00

Is this appropriate to wear to a casual wedding this summer? I want to get something I'll wear again - you know - in regular life.

*****

a) it's a SWEATER DRESS

b) meh

Natalia & Scottie's Simple Bush Wedding

2012-05-10T10:00:00.000-07:00

This was a hard one to edit, you guys. I think I lay down on a bed of ferns and just gazed up into the trees....

Here's what the lovely Natalia had to say about her wedding:

I love going to weddings, I cry tears of joy every time by the end of a ceremony. I never thought Scottie and I would get married, though secretly I thought it would be nice, so it was a total surprise when he proposed.

We live on a mountain amongst the Txct, in a little mud brick cottage that's completely self sufficient and runs entirely on solar power and rain water. Working from home we are constantly inspired by our surroundings, so we couldn't think of getting married anywhere else.

We live on 52 acres and 2 months before the wedding friends and family helped us with the garden, mow and rake around the house. For the ceremony we picked a spot that wasn't too far from the house, yet felt like you were in the middle of the bush. We had a production line of family and friends as we cut and sewed a heap of bunting flags to decorate the hall and property. It was so wonderful of them as Scottie and I decided to paint and renovate part of the house only 3 weeks before the wedding! We could not have sewn so many flags without their help.

Scottie and I wanted our wedding day to be about being with our family and friends. We wanted to keep it really simple and not get caught up in the all the hype and especially the expense. Our wedding could not have turned out to be the best day without the help and support of our family and friends.

On the day of the wedding it poured rain throughout most of the day and luckily we had organised a marquee [Yankee translation: tent] as a backup. As the guests arrived Scottie kept them at the house until the very last minute when the sun came out and the weather turned to perfect conditions. He lead them down to the ceremony through a path amongst the bushes lined with bunting flags, while our friend Luke drove my dad and I to the ceremony in one of his stylish vintage cars.

Eric Ronald did the photography and filming, everyone loved hearing the super 8 recording in the background.

Seymour's No.1 Florist did a fantastic job doing the flower arrangement for the ceremony and bouquet that perfectly suited our taste and style.

Ryan Whelan made my dress and was wonderful at making sure I was happy with every part of it. Our friend Jade was super lovely to do my hair.

My beautiful niece and nephews walked down the isle before my dad and I. Our celebrant Carolyn Ganzevoort was so lovely and had a fresh and modern approach to weddings.

We loved the idea of a having a simple bush wedding and there was a perfect little hall nearby called the Tallarook Mechanics Institute.

We decorated the tables with cut rounds of timber our neighbour John had prepared for us. He oiled them with an orange scented oil that made the hall smell wonderful! Some of the guests even took the wood rounds home with them.

Through booking the hall we met a lovely lady named Libby, her team created a delicious menu with locally sourced produce. I love desserts, so we decided to have a buffet style dessert table with homemade biscuits mum and friends made and cakes from Babka, Panaderia Sud Americana and Crumbs bakery in Ascot Vale who also made our wedding cake which was the best vegan chocolate and raspberry cake ever!

As the hall was only small, after the speeches we simply moved the tables to the side of the hall to make space for the dance floor. My uncle George sang and played acoustic for our first dance. Then the 11 piece Latin band, Furia, took over and got everyone dancing.

About half the guests stayed nearby that weekend so we invited them over for brunch the next day and spent the rest of the weekend with our family and friends. It was all so perfect!!

(Photos by Eric Ronald. Check out more over here.)

CAN YOU HELP ME FIND THIS DRESS?

2012-05-10T06:00:00.000-07:00

Hi!!

So, hating the fact that I am writing in re: dress, as I have "accidentally" been following your blog pre engagement (lots of friends weddings to help plan!)

However, my amazing partner and I reside in a reasonably small town in Q, Australia and as such dress shopping for our special day is impossible. I have seen our local brides, as such am avoiding our one dress shop like the plague. Think strapless, diamante and satin ugh.

We are planning a small affair, something near the water, with much yummy food and celebrations to follow. We are totally cool on what we want our day to be and who to invite, (relaxed, intimate, flowers, friends, love, sunshine) my only issue is finding a dress.

I have attached two dresses that I adore (one via "the lane," one via your blog). I would absolutely LOVE your help in finding either one online (or by phone order o/s is fine) or something similar! I am Aus 10 (which I think is US 6???) and am 177cm tall, natural auburn curly haired (I plan on out with a small flower crown, or something to do with braids).

I have already scoured the internet to the best of my abilities and am coming up with nothing.... so any help would be amazing!!

the otherwise naked bride xox

*****

That Zac Posen will be hard to track down. (Both of those dresses will be hard to track down.)

Howzabout this killer number from Elizabeth Dye's brand new collection?

(Photo at top by Josie Miner)

Dear ESB: Can I wear pants?

2012-05-09T13:59:00.000-07:00

To an early evening wedding as a guest?

I've got one I'm attending this weekend I'm outfit-less for. Not literally, you know, but figuratively I HAVE NOTHING TO WEAR. So I just went impulse shopping and tried on a few perfectly lovely, wedding-guest-y dresses. I'm bored with the whole idea. I found a shirt sort of like this except in a creamy peach silk, and it came home with me instead.

Can I wear this with pants and not look crazy? If so, I saved so much on the shirt I have room in the budget for new pretty shit to make pants look fancier, any ideas?

Thanks,

Pants Please

*****

YES

DO IT

I have worn pants to more than one wedding, and I'm pretty sure I looked killer. (I felt killer.)

Photo: Kate Lanphear (obv) via Street Peeper

Dots Dot Dots

2012-05-08T11:30:00.001-07:00

Dear ESB,

Marrying a lovely lovely man in 3 months. Have a dress but nothing else. (I know, I know. I despise bhldn. But the dress is so pretty!) We're having a small brunch wedding, so pretty casual and possibly an outdoor venue. Any shoe and/or accessory advice?

I've never been terribly comfortable in heels, so I'm thinking a beautiful pair of ballet flats or sandals would do (I'm also short and curvy, so trying to keep me from looking shorter and curvier is a priority), easy to wear but still special for the day.

Also, my fiance gave me an AMAZING engagement ring (an oversized copper disc with an asymmetrically-placed silver disc inside), and I'd like to be able to keep it as the focus of my jewelry.

Oh, and our general palette for the wedding is bright pink, yellow, and orange (read: citrus). We're pretty non-traditional, and want to keep things light and fun!

Thanks!
Shoeless but Shiny

*****

Dot earrings, obv.

And then…. Would you consider a slight heel?

There is no ballet flat on earth that will make you look less short.

finally graduating from that hoity-toity East Coast school?

2012-05-07T18:19:00.000-07:00

(you know who you are.)

you should probably wear this.