UCLABELLEs Wedding Thread

[UCLABelle]

Well, I thought I would start a thread on PS for my PS friends...

I am getting married on August 29th, 2008 in Southern California.

First, I wanted to post my dress, which I ordered two weeks ago...Super happy with it, although it was more than I wanted to spend! It is a Jim Hjelm gown, in ivory and champagne. It will have custome straps by Jim Hjelm added, as in the pics, because we are being married in a Catholic Church that requires them.

My maid of honor (only one maid) is wearing a dark brown Amsale gown, which will have identical straps to the one on my gown, in her material. The "straps" you see in her gown are actually her brown bra straps

 

[UCLABelle]

The back! I also bought that veil

The green are clips to make the gown fit!

 

[UCLABelle]

Another pic, not very good!

 

[UCLABelle]

The lace with my MOH fabric....

 

[UCLABelle]

The Church from the outside.

 

[UCLABelle]

Inside the church (by the way, I did not take the photos of the church, they are found off the internet!)

We are getting married in the evening, so it will look different....We are also only having 35 people, so it will not be crowded!

 

[UCLABelle]

The ocean is so close, and the front has amazing ocean views!

 

[UCLABelle]

Our reception location!

 

[UCLABelle]

Trying to get it a bit bigger!

(Obviously could not)

 

[UCLABelle]

A LARGER ONE? Man, I am bad at resizing images.

 

[Maisie]

Wow!!! Everything looks amazing! I love your dress!!

I bet you can''t wait for August to come around. It won''t be long!

 

[misysu2]

Everything looks really beautiful, classy, and sophisticated. Your church will look amazing for an evening ceremony. I think I tried your Jim Hjelm dress on-- I always drool at his dresses!

 

[anchor31]

I love your lace dress and the gorgeous veil. We are getting married in a catholic church, I guess I''ll have to ask our officiant if me and me girls are required to wear straps. If we do, fortunately all our dresses comes with optional straps (gotta love Alfred Angelo). I love how the church looks too! As a Canadian, I am amazed by the beautiful southern ocean view and palm trees...

May I add you to the BIW list?

 

[UCLABelle]

Maisie- Thank you! I cannot wait for August! I must admit though, I am just as excited for the actual wedding as I am the honeymoon!

misysu2-Thanks! I drooled at a few of his gowns....but never thought I would like one on...


anchor31-Thank you! Our church required them, but not all do...some allow strapless. I love the lace too, and the veil

...And please add me to the BIW list!

 

[HollyS]

Pretty dress - love the lace. Beautiful chapel will need minimal decoration; it''s perfect. Reception venue looks very interesting. I''m really liking your choices!

 

[Skippy123]

Wow, you are going to look so beautiful Belle! I love the dress, the church and reception!

 

[UCLABelle]

HollyS-Thanks for your comments, I do just love that lace! As for the church, I feel at home there, is my new church (since I moved down to the area) and I am actually not using any decorations, or maybe just a few up front...more simple ....

I had problems with the reception venue. I wanted the Montage Studio, which was a bit more private (indoors, with ocean views), but it booked before I got the chance to reserve it. I am having such a small wedding, with a French theme, so that location (French 75's outdoor garden patio) worked 2nd best. It seats 45, we are having at most 35. We are a very "art loving" couple, and the windows you see also are small art galleries next door to the actual restaurant. The menu options are endless, and will be hard to finalize...and wines, yummy! I wanted something intimate, and "warm" and that location has an outdoor fireplace that is BEAUTIFUL and I plan on having all of the tent walls down, but one!

Skippy123-Thank you so much for your comments...I hope my arms are a bit more toned for the actually wedding, I would feel a little "more beautiful!" but your comment made me feel really good!I am really excited about everything seems to be coming together....

 

[Kaleigh]

Love your dress, everything looks great. You are going to have an awesome wedding!!!!

 

[UCLABelle]

Thanks Kaleigh! As a long-time PS friend, that means the world....I AM REALLY STARTING TO GET EXCITED!

 

[UCLABelle]

WEDDING JEWELS


I am trying to attach photos of my wedding jewels. The photos are bad, and I make a PS promise to add better ones in the near future, but for now, here are some info:

They come from Russia (where my family is from). I will be the 6th generation that wears them on their wedding (they were given to me by my grandmother on her death bed)....My Mom was the only one of her sisters who wore them (and I am the only granddaughter). I have a photo of my great-great grandmother wearing them in Russia...

Each earring I estimated at about 1cttw. Set in 18kt yellow gold and platinum/white metal (I believe). They are typical Russian style. There are four diamonds on each earring.

The pin is a green enamel diamond pin with 6 diamonds, probably around 1cttw.

I used my loupe on the diamonds, and est (just me of course, not trained) that they are VS and F-I colors (they range)....

They have never been appraised, and I need to get them insured, but they are stored in a box at a bank, normally so pretty safe. Not because they are valuable, but because they are priceless.

 

[pennquaker09]

Wow! I love, love, love that dress. The jewels are gorgeous and I agree, they are priceless.

 

[Madam Bijoux]

Everything is so beautiful!

 

[basil]

Hey UCLABelle - we''re dress cousins! (I am wearing JH 8663 which I think is the same lace and color, different bodice). It looks great on you and I love the addition of the straps!

 

[CrownJewel]

WOW UCLAbelle! The reception location is just AMAZING! I mean, everything you chose is beautiful...the dress, the church. But the photos of the tented patio for the reception made me gasp and go "ooooooohhhhhhhhhh!!"

I can''t wait to see the rest of your plans in the next 9 months!

 

[UCLABelle]

Pennquaker09-Thank you! I love the dress too! Also, do you go to Penn? I just graduated with my masters from there last May!


Madam Bijoux-Thank you! I think everything is beautiful and hope the day goes well!

Basil- Dress cousins!!! I tried on JH 8663 and loved it! It was actually my favorite, but I have a scar from open-heart surgery that was accented with the neck-line of that dress. I just didn''t feel comfortable. The lace and color is beautiful huh?! I love the addition of the straps too, they make that dress, I think!


SanDiegoLady- Thank you SDL!!!! I don''t feel gorgeous!!! And have already started a diet I really appreciate your comments, as you are another long-time PS friend!


CrownJewel- THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! I love that you love everything! It makes me more confident in my choices! I love the reception site. I gasped a bit too! When I saw it in-person at night, with the fire going, it felt magical! I look forward to updating this thread over the next 9 months

 

[UCLABelle]

I know I have 9 months to go...but I cannot help but wonder about the flowers...Should I go with more "light" colors, or a"warmer" ones? I am attaching three examples of ones I like...Your opinion is important (based on the dress, and locations above!)...

 

[UCLABelle]

A "warm" one...

 

[UCLABelle]

Another "light" one...

 

[Independent Gal]

Everything is really lovely. The venue is to die for and you and your MOH look so happy! And you are very lucky to have such wonderful heirlooms to wear on your wedding day.

Since your dress is ''busy'', I''d stick with clean lined flowers... nothing too ruffly if you know what I mean. Beyond that, I don''t know! Flowers are the toughest part for me.

 

[AmberGretchen]

Everything looks so lovely - especially you in that gorgeous dress!!

That''s exactly the kind of dress I wish I''d worn at my wedding, and you look FANTASTIC in it - you will be a drop-dead gorgeous bride

Love the family history about the jewels - what a wonderfully special gift to wear on your big day

For the flowers, I like the deeper colors better. Those deep reds you posted are lovely. I think a bouquet of several colors of deep red roses and possible some reddish-green hydrangeas would be perfect, and then the same flowers but in cream for your MOH to pop against her dark brown dress. I really think the deep red goes with your dress (romantic and a teeny bit Spanish-looking with the lace) and with your coloring beautifully.