Norman Rockwell: II

The 2nd in our Norman Rockwell holiday series and just in the "nick" of time to round out the year. Take a sip of eggnog, cozy up by the fire and enjoy another ode' to wedding per classic Americana art.  

Norman Rockwell Picture – American Style Magazine 

Red Shoes – Pintrest 

Vintage Bride and Groom – Wedding Blog 

Place Cards – Meggie Lynne 

Wedding Dress – Olia Zavozina

Red Sash – B Loved Weddings 

Winter Table Decoration – Green Wedding Shoes 

Flower Bouquet – Project Wedding 

Test Tube Storage – Mint Design Blog 

Flower Decoration – Style Me Pretty

Red Wedding Dress – The Runw4y

Hung Roses – Malvina Occasions

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Inspired by Emerald

Hello, Rachel from W*Ink here to take you inside my design studio. So emerald green is Pantone's Color of the Year. This is an incredibly strong color, and it's hard for me not to veer straight into art deco or super prep when I think about it. So I made up this mood board to inspire some new design work featuring the color of the year and the two variations I ended up with. I couldn't decide whether I liked the invite more with a gold lined envelope or with an envelope liner that echoes the pattern on the back of the invite, so I decided to post them both. Look how pretty it is with a soft pastel pink or peach. You'll also notice it works very well as an accent color. A whole lot of emerald can be overwhelming, but adding pops of it here and there is really lovely.

Emerald and White Cake, by The Cake Whisperer, via Ruffled Blog.; Room by Laura Casey Interiors; Bouquet photo by Lisa Lefkowitz, via Style Me Pretty; Emerald
Table Lamp, via InteriorMall.com; Necklace by Enzo Liverno; Emerald Rings by Ross Simons; Emerald Journals from Jenny Bick; Ridiculously gorgeous dress by Jenny Packham, via 100 Layer Cake Pin It

Color Crush: Oxblood

{Kate Moss, nails,  runway, camera porter chair}

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Perfect Pairing: Stripes & Gold

We came across this beautiful tablescape for a Sarah Seven preview brunch and it was the perfect jumping off point for an invitation idea we'd been mulling for awhile: black and gold stripes with a a small dot of soft mauve. Pair it with a black envelope, gold foil liner and gold or soft pink metallic calligraphy to complete the look. Or, really go luxe and foil stamp the gold stripes. You know how we love foil stamping.

This invitation is available at W.ink, starting at $225 for 50 invitations, or $65 as a printable. Foil stamping by custom quote.

Tablescape photo credit: Megan Clouse


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Favorites: Delicates

A spontaneous holiday game of strip Catch Phrase could end in granny panty embarrassment. Good thing we've got you covered with our selection of lounge wear and intimates that are so chic that you'll want to get caught with your clothes off.  Our selection is equally perfect for holiday gift givers, brides or anyone who wants to give their unmentionables center stage.
{Mention this post and receive $25 off your purchase}

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Foil Stamping Explained

This W*ink Wednesday we're going to discuss one of our favorite printing methods of all time: foil stamping. Also called foil embossing or hot foil stamping, this method uses a custom created metal die and heat to press or stamp foil into the substrate or paper. The use of a die makes it similar to letterpress, but the cost of the die and the foil typically make this option slightly more expensive than letterpress, but not always.

There are many varieties of foil, and not all of them are metallic. In fact, some of or favorite creations utilize matte foils. We created the incredibly chic and unique foil stamped wedding invitation at the top left with a soft matte black foil stamped onto black paper to create a tone-on-tone effect. You can see a version in tone-on-tone white foil stamping that we created for our W*ink business cards in the second picture down on the right (second card). There's even a clear foil option which will render something like the second picture down on the left. Gold foil, as shown on the bottom four photos and on the top right photo of a foil stamped invitation suite we created for a Marie Antoinette-inspired wedding, instantly lends an air of luxury to any design.

We would be delighted to discuss foil stamping as an option for your event. Many of the designs we carry in W*ink can be foil stamped. We are also available to create a custom design just for you.

Images, from top left: Capriotti black tone-on-tone wedding invitation, Rachel Wiles for Benign Objects/W*ink; Marie Antoinette-inspired wedding suite, Rachel Wiles for Benign Objects/W*ink; W*Ink business cards, Rachel Wiles for Benign Objects/W*ink; "Un.titled" stationery system designed by Andrew Townsend ; "Shine" by Dauphine Press (carried in-store at W*ink); ikat gold-lined envelope and gold and blue invite by the Lettered Olive ; Fox & Flyte, via BCE-online.com.


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Norman Rockwell Styles: I

In the midst of all the hustle and bustle during the holidays we've put together a little "design board" inspired by American painter Norman Rockwell's illustrations. We'd like to think this board tells a little Thanksgiving story that could easily translate into one of our bridal looks. Mixing blush, berry and coppery tones with just a touch of green keeps things fresh yet festive. We love the 1950's peplum that is trending in bridal and cocktail this season. Pair it with a mixture of old and new accessories with just the right touch of bling and we have a "cornucopia of style", if you will.

bridal gown- Olia Zavozina available at Finery
vintage petal hat and gloves at Finery
horsehair fascinator- Sara Gabriel available at Finery
bow tie- Forage available at Finery
coral branch earrings - sarah richey

Jean-Michel Cazabat Shoes - saks fifth ave

flower girl dress - etsy
bouquet - Boutique in Bloom
table/chairs/coke images - greenweddingshoes
escort leaves - marthastewartweddings
lights and candles - pinterest
board - cedarwoodweddings
koozie - etsy
whiskey - forwhiskeylovers
bride and groom pic - greenweddingshoes
socks - j. crew Pin It

Love is in the Air: Hot Air Balloon Invitations

For this week's W*Ink Wednesday, we thought we'd share a bit of loveliness from Oh So Beautiful paper (top image), and then another option that might work better for those on a time and/or budget constraint (bottom image).

The top image is actually for a bridal breakfast, but we love the idea of carrying the whimsy and romance of a hot air balloon ride throughout a wedding suite. Our "Love is in the Air" invitation suite is perfect for this. It's fully customizable, from colors to fonts, and is also available as a print-it-yourself file if you're more the DIY type. To get the look of the top invitation, we suggest  coordinating ribbon from Hobby Lobby or Walmart, and box mailers, like this one here, from Papersource. Tuck the invite into the box with some pretty crinkled paper shreds, such as the ones here and violá!*

*We are also perfectly happy to customize this invitation to fit a shower, bridal luncheon or other event, just email us from our website, www.winkpaper.com.

**Print-it-yourself pricing on the Love is in the Air suite starts at $65 for the invitation. Flat printed pricing starts at $150 for 50 invites. Pin It

W*Ink Wednesdays: Hello W*Ink Shop!

Hello from W*Ink's headquarters within Finery! We are excited to announce that we are officially open for business and have launched both the W*Ink website (that's the photo at top), and our Facebook page.  Our facebook page is where we'll keep you updated on our latest designs and specials, so please be sure to like us.

W*Ink represents the culmination of years spent designing all sorts of event invitations and a desire to bring something extra special and unique to North Alabama. We carefully curated our invitation lines, selecting amazing designs you are not likely to find anywhere else around. In addition, we offer custom design for those who want to have something uniquely their own on their wedding day or special occasion. From custom printed handkerchiefs, bags and mugs to amazing wedding monograms and paperie, we are confident we can give your event and extra special touch.

Like Finery, we operate by appointment or during our weekly drop in hours. More info on that here.

We hope you'll visit us soon, either virtually or physically! Pin It

It's Trunk Time!

Project Runway alum Heidi Elnora is coming to Finery! 

We've had the pleasure of getting to know Heidi throughout the process of opening Finery and are humbled to call her a friend. This Alabama born and bred designer is on the up and up in the land of couture and we consider ourselves lucky to have her as a feature designer at Finery. Her line draws on classic silhouettes, intricate stitching, immaculate bead work and just enough lace to stay true to her Southern roots. 

Fresh from NYC Bridal Market, we are excited to give North Alabama {and surrounding area} brides an opportunity to meet with Heidi to create your ultimate dream gown! Not only will you get a one on one experience but you will also receive a custom sketch of your gown signed by Heidi Elnora. How cool is that? If that's not enough, brides that book an appointment for the trunk show will receive 10% off their gown purchase. I mean, it's enough to make your friends jealous. 

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Color theory

{photos borrowed from Loverly}

Prior to the Victorian era, a bride married in any color-even black was popular in some countries. In Eastern cultures brides often chose red to symbolize auspiciousness. It wasn't until Queen Victoria wed Albert of Saxe-Coburg where the savvy Queen wore white only to incorporate some lace she adored. After the official wedding portrait was published, brides opted for white to follow suit to the  Queen. (Some things never change.)

Many people assume that the color white is chosen to symbolize purity, truth be told and art historians will agree that the color blue is actually connected to purity, piety, faithfulness and the Virgin Mary.

So as we prepare to hit the NYC Bridal Market next week we expect to see more of a push into even deeper shades of Ivory, Ecru, Blush, Blues and Red for the coming season. After all, what is more pure than colors found in nature?

The REAL question is- are brides ready?

We've got one Finery bride that is and we can't wait to post pictures of her custom Olia Zavozina gown and her wedding next month. I die, you die-it's going to be AMAZING.

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before and afters

A few before and afters to show the progress of our brick and mortar shop in Huntsville, Alabama. We are pleased with the end result! We are excited to offer this kind of shopping experience to Alabama. Stop by and say "hello". 

We combined two separate office suites to add a viewing room for the bride and her guests.
In addition we replaced the flooring, fresh coat of paint throughout and added new light fixtures. 

Spiral staircase to...NO WHERE=creepy!
Out with the stairs in with a custom wardrobe to display all of our pretties. 

Who thought splitting the wall with two different shades of paint was a good idea?
What was once a dark office space is not flooded with bright natural happy light.
Welcome to Finery.

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A few pictures

Well we did it!  Finery is proud to announce that we have opened our doors to serve future and {present} brides of Huntsville, Alabama. Our sister company W.Ink is moving in this month so stay tuned for all kinds of goodies surrounding delightful packaging and invitations.

Our dear friends over at Simply Bloom featured us on their blog and we couldn't resist to repost considering we haven't had two seconds to actually photograph our accomplishments. They did a lovely job with only their Iphones in tote (proof that they don't need fancy lenses to get the job done)
We are thrilled at the opportunity to collaborate with them and other area photographers in styled shoots to come!

Cheers, and do come by for a visit.

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Salutations

{image White Rabbit Studios}

Hello there! 

We are embarking on a journey that we hope will add another dimension to the bridal experience. We’ve been told that some of the best stories in life write themselves; we hope you enjoy what we’ve been scripting as much as we have enjoyed the editing process.

Over the past 10 years we have had a pulse on the wedding and design industry—noting
all things truly fabulous and paying special attention to everything from wedding dresses, paper and packaging to event set-up and design. Through our mental and physical repository of swoon-worthy finds we decided to dive in a little deeper. We began studying the products that we found and developed some pretty amazing relationships along the way. 

We had an "aha!" moment and the concept for our brick-and-mortar shop, Finery, was born. We hope to translate the casual, yet refined approach we've created in our shop to this blog—our home on the Internet. We'd like to share our finds, our experiences and all other manner of wedding loveliness with you here and hope what you see inspires you to create and leaves you with a warm heart. We draw our inspiration from design that is layered in meaning and tells a story… 

So whether it’s your wedding gown, cocktail dress, invitations or that little something special, we hope what you find becomes part of your story.

We can't wait to begin this adventure with you, and welcome your feedback.


If you are interested in scheduling a bridal appointment at our Huntsville, Alabama bridal shop (Finery ), please make an appointment here. Pin It

Fall into 1920's

We predict a strong finger wave of 1920's fashion hitting the wedding scene this Fall.  Because we jive on this decade so much we decided to create a visual to ensure you "hit on all sixes".

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Fun Day

We're taking a break from drywall dust this evening to head over to Florence, Alabama for some fun. On the agenda: Light shopping at Billy Reid coupled with a little rug cuttin' with our old friends- Alabama Shakes. Booyaka!



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finish line

We are nearing the finish line of store build out! It's a good thing, because we've hit our limit on dry wall dust. These images sent over from sign geniuses behind Dropmetal could not have come at a more perfect time.  So good, it made me cry...

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One dress, two looks.

This season's peplum trend is making its mark on runways and off-including our racks at Finery. We LOVE the versatility of this swag dress from Allison Parris {also available in Navy, Blush, and Black}.  It can easily take you from a rehearsal dinner or social soiree to date night or girl's night! 

Here's how Finery breaks it down-
Cc Skye Clutch
Liya Garter Panty {available at Finery}
Brian Atwood Pump

Zara Leather Jacket
Belle Noel Barre Necklace
Kate Spade Clutch
Mila Lace Panty {available at Finery}
Vince Camuto Pump

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Portman Makeover

What do you think of Natalie's wedding dress choice designed by Rodarte? 

We felt like she needed a little Finery makeover.  Working with Portman's petite figure, this Sarah Seven stunner would flatter without being overly fussy for her nuptials.  We love her donning a floral crown, veil and ballet flats {after all she did marry ballet dancer Benjamin Millepied}.

{Sarah Seven dress available at Finery}

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Southern Chic

{images: Jennifer Skog,TheKnot,Dessy,StyleMePretty,IntimateWeddings, GreenWeddingShoes}

High summer down South means two things; countdown to SEC football  and (for me) about forty-five days until Brach harvests their first crop of candy corn. Until then, I've been channeling cooler temps by putting together the first of many story boards for a special bride's big day that is taking place on a Southern plantation this November. Oh how I love a fall wedding! Taking a cue from the season's palette, we are incorporating touches of peacock blue, aubergine and pale melon tones to play off the venues natural beauty.

(Yes, those are Smore's being passed with shot of cold milk.)

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Behind the Shoe

{photo courtesy of Atelier Rousseau}

Chalk it up to another one of our "aha" moments...
Inspired by one of our bride's grandparents wedding photo of the 1940's we realized that we had  to incorporate this deep rooted symbol of tradition into our name.

Here's the story behind the horseshoe and why we've grown so attached:

"As legend goes, the 10^th Century Archbishop of Canterbury, St. Dunstan, a former blacksmith, was fortunate to outwit the devil! It is believed the devil approached St. Dunstan to shoe his hoof; St.Dunstan realised his customer was the devil and nailed the shoe on as painfully as he could, causing the devil to beg for mercy. St. Dunstan agreed to remove the shoe on condition that the devil agreed to never enter a place where a horseshoe was hung. Thus, the horseshoe became a symbol of good fortune! Furthermore, in Ancient Greece, it was believed a horseshoe lucky, as the shape suggested the crescent of a new moon – thought to be a symbol of fertility and prosperity."

Lucky for you (no pun intended) we collaborated with London based garter designer, Atelier Rousseau who incorporated a mini horseshoe in her design. We also carry her wedding horseshoes for you to carry down the aisle and then afterwards hang within your home.  Place the horseshoe facing up – to hold the luck in or upside down so that the luck pours onto you. If hung above a door, anyone who crosses through the same door which the horseshoe is hung, are thought to take some luck with them!
                           

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Hanky-Panky

{StyleMePretty}

 Interesting seating chart idea for a rehearsal dinner we're working on later this year. Pretty..... Pin It

Inside The Finery Logo Design

Our designer, Rachel Wiles, goes in-depth about designing Finery's logo, branding and website on her blog, Benign Objects. Read all about it here. Pin It

happenings

We've been crazy busy with all things Finery lately. But don't worry, big things are on the horizon for all YOU lovely ladies that want that something special on your  extra special day. So in order to meet the requests and standards of our Finery friends we are headed off to collaborate with a certain designer  on a custom lingerie line made exclusive for Finery!

You know what that means right? A bespoke approach to underpinnings-before the wedding and beyond.

In the mean time, I leave you with this...

Olia Zavozina

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market: part 1

We came, we saw and conquered until now...due to our current predicament we will be back to our regular blog schedule tomorrow. Can we get a police escort? 

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Lucky Friday the 13th

A little shop warming luck given to us by our sweet friends at Benign Objects we can't wait to hang it over our thresh hold. 

In the mean time, wish us luck! We're off to market for the weekend in search of more fabulous-ness to add to the collection. We'll keep you updated on our finds. 

Ciao~

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W.Ink Wednesday: Tangerine Tango & Turquoise

From top left: Smock's Ossa invitation, order here; Caribbean chiffon strapless A-line bridesmaid gown, Jim Hjelm; Camilla peeptoe patent, Tim Baker; Macarons photographed by Julie Skarratt via Inspired by This; Custom printed muslin favor bags by Benign Objects, also available at W.Ink; Peonies via Apartment Therapy; Cake by Gimme Some Sugar, photo by Simply Bloom Photography; Kendra Scott Zola Earrings at Nordstrom; Lanterns from Luna Bazaar.

Welcome to the first ever W.Ink Wednesday. W.ink is Finery's paper & design best friend. You can read more about W.ink here. In the meantime, each Wednesday W.ink will share some paper or design-related eye candy with you all.

Without further ado, today we're inspired by Smock Paper's beautifully letterpressed Ossa* invitation.

*W.Ink carries the entire beautiful Smock Paper invitation line, which includes Ossa. To set up your own private consultation and viewing, please click here.

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Upcycling

{grosgrainfabulousblogspot.com}

Good design  is all about evolving. Everything needs a little face lift after years of use and abuse, which is precisely why you should add coffee filters to your grocery list this week and get to craftin'.   This EASY and cost effective project transforms an ordinary (some may even call overdone) paper lantern pendant into a pretty amazing focal point. 

HERE'S WHAT YOU NEED:

A paper lantern -any size and shape will work

Hot glue gun

Coffee filters-lots of them, it took about 400 for the one above

*The key is to scrunch your filters up and glue them tightly to get that ruffled effect.

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The way they were...

First came Suri,

{People}

Then came a lavish wedding...(I die for that Armani dress)

{People}

(Enter Posh with a dose of Haute couture)

Not even the powers of Givenchy could keep them together.

Who could divorce Maverick?

I wonder if he tried to change her mind by bustin' a few old dance moves? After all, he had her at "Hello".

 

OK, I'm out.

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4th of July sparklers

Finery's interpretation of 4th of July fireworks-hand beaded sashes! The perfect way to add a little sparkle to your look whether tied around the waist or worn as a head band. 

One word = GORGEOUS. 

Wishing you a safe and happy 4th! 

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Pretty Haute: Bridal Capes!

Bridal capes are the most coveted cover up for Spring/Summer 2012 weddings. Tulle or sheer with lace or horsehair trim these capes add just enough edge to your look without taking away from the gown.
            Check it:

_{{Left: Ritva Westenius, Radiance Right: Immaculada Garcia, Joko}}

The high neck and graduated length of the two above have a vintage yet timeless feel. 

{Kristi Bonnoci, He Loves Me He Loves Me Not Cape}

Short and sheer capes=fun and flirty by adding a little cover to the arms and could EASILY be paired with skinny jeans a silk tank and heels for a night out after the festivities. 

{Raimon Bundo}If you're looking for the wow factor for a cover up consider a sheer, floor-length cape. This look is embodies elegance and glamour with a smidge of 'diva' thrown in for good measure. They're not for everyone, obviously, statement pieces rarely are but if you have the height and the confidence to pull it off, then by all means  rock this look and OWN it. 

 The piece de resistance, leave it to Oscar to take it one step further and over the top. 

It's a lot of look but she pulls it off.

Go girl.

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