Crowning Celebration: Amy & James

September 24th is a very special day for me. It marks my Wedding Anniversary with my wonderful husband! We just celebrated 6 years.

But September 24th is also the day that Amy & James said "I DO"! I couldn't have chosen a nicer couple to work with on my Anniversary than Amy and James! They are so in love and so appreciative to all their family and friends for joining them from near and afar in their celebration. Amy was so gracious and lovely. It was an honor to be by Amy's side and fluff her gown, straighten her veil and wish her all the best as she walked down the aisle to her groom - just as someone did for me 6 years ago.

Here are a few pictures from their beautiful day!

Flowers by Bartz Viviano, Ann Strickland, designer

Pictures taken by Crowning Celebrations - Please do not reproduce without permission. Wedding Day Professional photography provided by Grand Lubell

Menus, Escort cards and other printed materials designed by Crowning Celebrations

Ceremony: Holy Trinity Orthodox Church

Reception: The Toledo Club

Crowning & Fabulous: Colin Cowie Weddings!

As a fan of the fabulous Colin Cowie, I am excited to share that he is debuting a NEW wedding website
full of fabulously fun and creative ideas this October!!!!
Crowning Celebrations readers have a exclusive offer to view the new site. But before I reveal that, here are the juicy details:

The site will have three main channels: Confidentially Colin, MyCollection, and Inspire Me.

The My Collection channel keeps within Cowie’s tradition of exceeding expectations: new, fresh and innovative ideas. With this channel, brides will also be able to save, organize and share what inspires them privately and securely with their friends and family. 

The Inspire Me channel offers smart, in-depth articles for both the bride and groom covering every aspect of wedding planning from engagement parties to the honeymoon; fashion, beauty, travel and registry; how-to tips and tricks; trend reportage; inspirational ideas and more.

Confidentially, Colin: offers couples the chance to personally connect with Cowie and seek his advice on topics like proper wedding etiquette, planning logistics, and more. Here he shares thoughts, suggestions,
insider tips, advice and counsel from his 25 years of wedding planning around the world.

The website will feature ideas at all price points with new, trendsetting ideas from Colin's signature creations. It will be like having your favorite bridal magazine at your fingertips 24/7!

The website debuts in mid-October. But Crowning Celebrations readers can get a sneak peak NOW!!! Click on this link: colincowieweddings.com and get an insiders look at the new site!!!

Crowning & Chic: NewlyMAID

How many times have you heard, "You can soooo wear it again!" when it comes to a bridesmaid dress???

Well if you are cleaning out the closets this fall (like I am right now), you probably are coming across a bridesmaid dress or formal gown that doesn't fit, or is just not your style. Ever wish you could put that dress to good use???

Thanks to my fashionista friend, Vanessa Cooreman-Smith,

I've been introduced to NewlyMAID.

Send your gently used bridesmaid dress to NewlyMAID and they will give you credit for a LBD (little black dress)!!!! Your old bridesmaid dress will be either recycled and used to make a new dress, or resold with part of the proceeds going to charity.

For more details visit their website.

If you give this a try, be sure to let us know what you think!

Crowning & Fabulous: Flourish Boutique & Gallery

Yesterday I had the great joy and pleasure of visiting one of my best friends, Vanessa, in South Bend. Aside from a girl's lunch and gab session, I got to shop her fabulous store, Flourish Boutique and Gallery.

Flourish carries fashions from designers like Samuel Dong, Seven for All Mankind, Tulle, Treska, Judith March, Lisse, Tarina Tarantino, not to mention a fabulous jewelry line from Tangerine!

As you shop the clothes, you can shop the art. Vanessa boutique includes art for purchase, with even a few items created by Vanessa herself.

{Don't you just love this saying in the changing rooms??? My husband didn't call - but I still bought whatever I wanted!!!}

Vanessa and I were college roommates and art majors at Saint Mary's College, Notre Dame, Indiana. We shared a studio in the fibers department. Before portable DVD players, we would drag my TV and her DVD player down to the studio to watch old episodes of Sex in the City until the security guards kicked us out!

Vanessa has taken her love for fashion and textiles and opened a chic, fun boutique. I have taken my love for design and textiles and applied that to event design creating one of a kind events. Its fun to look back and think that we've each achieved our dream of putting our mark on art, fashion and design.

Flourish Boutique and Gallery is now offering ONLINE SHOPPING 24/7!

Shop in store merchandise on the website. Also be sure to check out all the new arrivals featured on facebook.

BRIDES:

Check out the Tangerine Jewelry line. This fabulous designer can be found at upscale retail shops like Neiman Marcus. But something tells me Vanessa's prices are sweeter ;) You can view the Tangerine collection online and call Flourish for custom ordering. I picked up a piece myself for upcoming weddings. It sparkles!!!!

Crowning Celebration: Labor Day's Labor of Love Wedding

Its kinda fitting that today we are celebrating Labor Day because this weekend's wedding included a handful of talented vendors
that 'labored' their talents to produce a fabulous event.

Amongst our dream team of wedding professionals was the fabulously creative Wendy Kromer of Wendy Kromer Confections and the City Bake Shop. If you are not sure who Wendy is, just pick up a copy of Martha Stewart Weddings. As you marvel over the deliciously decorated cakes, read closely at the credits. Wendy is Martha Stewart's cake designer. And when Wendy is not designing for Martha, she calls Sandusky, Ohio her home.

When our bride originally planned her wedding cake, it was modeled after Donald and Melania Trump's five-tiered, 3,000 rose covered wedding cake. But after meeting with Wendy, the bride was so impressed by Kromer's creativity
that she wanted a one-of-a-kind creation.

Using details from one of the Bride's three wedding dresses, a Kenneth Pool duchess satin with silver thread embroidery, pearls and crystals, and the bride's Reem Acra flower embroidered veil and lace bolero, Kromer created a beautifully, detail-oriented cake. 

The cake tasted just a great as it looked! The flavors included:

Yellow Cake layers
filled with layers of Mango Buttercream, Orange Buttercream & Lemon Curd

Vanilla Pound Cake layers
filled with layers of Espresso Buttercream & Mocha Buttercream

You can follow Wendy's work on the City Bake Shop's facebook page.

Images of the cake taken by Wendy Kromer.

Chocolate Cake layers
filled with layers of Spice Buttercream & Cream Cheese Frosting