It Takes Tulle: An Elegant Touch for the Lehenga

I've been searching for a modern design element for my bridal lehenga dress. Well I found it! Tulle is such a fun unique idea for Indian formal wear and I personally haven't seen it on anyone yet. It's looking simply gorgeous in these photos. The key is to have it peek out from underneath the skirt for a subtle effect while it provides hidden poofiness for a dramatic flair. Once again, Posh is on the cutting edge of fashion. The entire photo shoot from Our Blog of Love is a must-see because the bride is adorable.

Source: Marigolds & Mithai

Source: Our Blog of Love

Source: Our Blog of Love

Source: Our Blog of Love

(oooh fun peep toe shoes too)

Source: Victoria Beckham in Tarun Tahiliani for Vogue India

My new mantra: It's all about lighting

I never would have thought about it before I got into the nitty gritty of wedding planning. Lighting can really have a huge impact on reception decor by transforming the space and creating a special mood. The best thing is that it can help you save money on flowers, linens and other details because it can mask the things you want to downplay. A good tip I've heard again and again is to focus on complexion-flattering light such as pink, lavender and amber and steer away from greens and blues which can affect pictures. Our venue offers a lighting package though I am wondering if it's enough to fill the space with the soft warm glow I am hoping for. As you can see the options range from enhanced natural light to striking dramatic ambiance.

Source: The Knot (Amanda & Brett)

Source: The Knot

Source: The Knot

Credit: Augie Chang photography

Time for the Save the Date

Now that it looks like I'm honing in on my color palette, I can start thinking about the next big task at hand - the Save the Date card. At first I was thinking of just doing it electronically to save money and paper. But the fiance wisely talked me out of this. It will be nice to have something tangible in hand to kick off the invitation process and communication to our friends and family. We are lucky to have a graphic designer friend design our invitations. Here are some wedding invitation ideas that caught my eye recently and that will work nicely with the color palette in play.

The first image is big, bold and graphic. I like how the date is the focal point, especially because I think we have a fun wedding date (7.3.10).

This next idea is for a save the date postcard. The postcard idea has merit because it avoids needing an envelope.

The next set of images are inspirations for the overall invitation suite. Ideally, I would love for the Save the Date to tease what is to come.

Beautiful, elegant, and artistic

(This site is a must-see - so many fantastically chic palettes and designs)

Source: EastSix

Beautiful, artistic, luscious graphics in line with my palette

Source: Momental Designs

Bold, crisp, modern and classy

Source: Peculiar Pair Press

Simple, clean, and high impact

Source: David's Bridal

Color inspiration image

After weeks (nay months!) of scouring the internet for ideas and inspiration to help me decide my color palette, I *think* I've sort of, kind of, come to an understanding about what I would generally like it to be. Granted, I do reserve the right to tweak said palette...but it's looking like I'm headed in the Pink and Orange direction. Not just any pink and orange though. Specifically, Fuchsia and Saffron - i.e. a deep hot pink and a dark vibrant red-orange. Indian weddings are very festive and celebratory in nature. To me, this palette is colorful, modern and chic and flat-out makes me feel happy and energetic when I see it. Here was the image that sealed the deal.

Source: MyWeddingPlace.blogspot.com

And here is the inspiration board that brought it home by visualizing how the palette will come together at the venue.

Source: WeddingNouveau.com

I'll probably create my own inspiration board soon but we have a starting point. yay!

WeddingNouveau.com - A Style Guide for Intercultural Brides

I have found what may very well be the PERFECT wedding inspiration website for me and I'm so excited! WeddingNouveau.com showcases some of the most unique, stunning and just plain globally gorgeous images that celebrate cultures blissfully coming together in aesthetic heaven. The entire site is filled to the brim with jaw-dropping beauty, fashion, and decor ideas for a modern fusion wedding. I have pored over practically every post... site designer Fri (aka SpicyHugs) has an amazing eye - not just for weddings but decor in general. I feel so lucky to have discovered this site. There are some fabulous inspiration boards to help brides find their color palette - here are my favorites. Pretty, pretty, pretty...

Paprika (Deep Orange) and Teal Blue

Teal blue and Mustard yellow

Hot Pink, Orange, Purple

Teal blue and Red

Indian bridal wear - Celebrity style

Like any bride, I am dreaming about my bridal gown... and lucky for me, I get to pick a few outfits for all of the different events at our Indian wedding. In fact, I am planning to make a trip to India to do my wedding shopping. A few weeks ago, at my mother's prodding, I drove down to Artesia - aka Little India - with the fiance to have a first look at some Indian bridal dress options. Ideally I am looking for a lehenga for the reception and sari for the ceremony. I still haven't picked my color palette (eek!) so I thought the sky was the limit in terms of color options. However, I have since discovered from my mother and various helpful websites that it is most traditional and lucky for the North Indian bride to wear a red sari (or something in the red family like pink or burgundy).

From CitySaheli.com

The color red has deep rooted significance as it represents abundance and fertility. Today, many brides stick to this tradition and wear red on their wedding day, while some brides wear offshoots of red, such as pink or orange. You won’t, however, see a Hindu bride wear white, since white is the color of mourning in India.

I am not huge on ALL traditions but this is one I don't want to mess with. I'll take all the luck I can get my hands on! As far as design goes, there's a lot more flexibility. In my internet search for design ideas, I stumbled upon some photos of celebs donning beautiful wedding outfits. Check out Victoria Beckham, Heidi Klum and Liz Hurley (my favorite) all rocking the desi bridal duds.

Source: Vogue India magazine

Source: SareeDreams.com

Source: Glam.com

Source: Glam.com

Simply sweet centerpieces

Here are some simple sweet centerpieces that caught my eye. I'm having trouble deciding on my color palette - way too many options - so I'm hoping that maybe flowers will guide me in the right direction.

I can't get enough hot pink!

The colors on this next arrangement are a little soft and blushy for an Indian wedding but the choice of flowers is lovely and how sweet is the vintagey monogram?

Here is a super glamorous look. The varying heights of the vessels add a lot of drama. I would bring in at least one color into this table setting.

This dahlia centerpiece is exactly what I expect for Summer wedding flowers - a fresh burst coral color.

Another glamorous option - the crystals draping dramatically over the table edge are very ooh-la-la.