Obsession + Accessories.

If you know me well, or really are just a casual acquaintance, you'll discover that I tend to obsess about things. For the last year or so it has been The Bridal Party, but there have been a few things that have been floating around on the perimeter as well. I think I've mentioned my desire to move, but now it's moved well beyond a desire. I don't think it's necessarily for a change in location, mainly just a change in furniture and paint colors. I've zeroed in on this adorable suburban neighborhood, and now I feel like our lives will not be complete unless I live within the charming constraints of Savannah Valley. I spent all day - literally all day - online looking at houses and making a dream shopping cart on PotteryBarn.com. I feel deliriously happy and sick at the same time.

While I was day dreaming about furniture arrangements, I stumbled upon the most charming blog - which according to Pinterest, I am definitely not the first to discover Young House Love (pictures from their blog are all over that thing). They tell you everything from how to make a chandelier out of clothes pins to pointing out the perfect paint brush for trim. It was a great day-waster and I highly recommend taking a look: http://www.younghouselove.com/

I did spend time working today - I blocked out a few solid hours devoted to perusing Etsy for local bridal jewelry designers/accessory designers. I am still amazed at the talent I find on almost a daily basis here in MPLS. Maybe it's the months couped up inside the breed such insane creativity. Excited to hear if anyone I reached out to is interested in a little collab. I plan on using this blog as the vehicle for keeping my clients up to date on what designers I'm featuring and what's in the spotlight each month, so be sure to keep this page bookmarked with TBP gets up and running.

New York, etc.

So many updates...

I'm sitting in my hotel room in downtown LA, and I have to say, I really find this city inspirational. It's everything that you see in the movies: Lights, glitter, fame, fortune - it's all here. I need times like this to really reflect on what's happening in my life and what my ultimate objectives are. Things with The Bridal Party have actually been pretty fantastic lately - everything's been happening extremely fast, which is part of the reason why I haven't posted since August. Here's the scoop:


New York Bridal Market Week:
I was there. It was glorious and utterly overwhelming at the same time. I loved every second of it. The city, the fashion, the people - I'm still in awe that I actually can put a check next to that item on my list. Every objective I had for the show was met, and I managed to have a little fun at the same time. More to come on designers The Bridal Party will be featuring soon - you won't be disappointed!

Inside Pier 92/94 at New York International Bridal Week

Money:

At this point in time I'm more on the side of "the root of all evil" than "can make anything happen". I've been fortunate enough to have been put in touch with some great small business financial advisors, so I'm really hopping that I'll have more clarity on this front soon. My CFO (cough...my husband...cough) has been hitting the pavement hard for TBP these past coulple of months, and I couldn't be more grateful or in love. Mush.

Space:
Knock on wood here people. My dream show room space is still available!!! This is beyond exciting as I have decorated it and redecorated it about a million times in my heads. I would hate for all that hard work to go to waste at this point. I'm going to bring the CFO there in the next couple of weeks so he can tour the facilities. We'll see if his excitement can translate from dollars to decor...

Misc:
I have a website (domain) and an official company email address! So legit! I'll be sure to post with the website goes live.
www.thebridalpartymn.com
info@thebridalpartymn.com

Exciting times at The Bridal Party HQ!

THE BRIDAL PARTY.





It's true! Two City Bridal served its purpose, and now I must move on to bigger and better ideas. I've been thinking for some time that the name (although I still think it's adorable) didn't do my business plan enough justice. I am BEYOND excited for this next phase, and I cannot wait to see all that is to come. Be on the lookout for the new logo and blog design coming soon!

Cheers!
The Bridal Party

What's in a name?

While I'm waiting on some details to pan out, I've been nitpicking over EVERYTHING. Not even "Two City Bridal" is safe. I love the name for the nod to my turf, and I prefer "bridal" over "couture" or "weddings", or really anything else I've kicked around. If you're selling couture, then power to you, but I can't help always thinking back to (warning: RHWOC reference) the infamous "Couture by Alexis" disaster from the Real Housewives of Orange County. I was Googling TCB the other day (there's only one so far), but there is the Twin Cities Bridal organization which is eerily similar. It's an organization though, not a retailer...so am I safe? I want something personal to me, but fun and inviting for everyone. What's in a name?

Slump.

I am in a productivity slump. The financial aspect of this whole process has my head spinning, and I'm struggling to remember why I really want to continue down this road. The other complication is that I am now entertaining a new job prospect...that sounds really, really perfect.

Still planning on heading out to NYC. I think that couture will slap some sense into me.

No explanation needed.

So...I lied.

Remember that whole philosophy I had on taking it slow and testing out the waters in Chicago? It was a big, fat, lie. If Carrie Bradshaw taught me anything it's that New York is where dreams are made reality...or was that Jay Z? Either way, tickets are bought and the hotel room is booked-ish. New York Bridal Market Week 2011 is happening! Now the search begins for some help to point me in the right direction. Haven't had too much response from my industry cohorts, but I'm hoping that in the least this will provide me with a new angle for my Google search.

Weird...that is exactly what I am wearing!  



Rejection, chapter 1.

I was officially rejected today. Honestly, I'm okay about it because it was a thrill to even be contacted by a designer rep - even if that contact ultimately lead to disappointment. To give them credit, the rep that I spoke to was extremely kind, and the reason was 100% legit.

The optimist in me (thanks Mom!) says that there is a bright side to this news, and that is that I have a renewed interested in attending the Chicago Bridal Market Week in October. At first I was thinking I would just wait and save to go to NYC for the international show next April, but now I'm second guessing myself (thanks Mom!). Chicago might be a great place to stick my foot in the water, and the fact that I am currently blogging from a hotel lobby in northern Kentucky...Chicago would be, well, nice.

Twist my arm.

I'm probably the last semi-wedding industry blogger out there who hasn't jumped on the Royal Wedding bandwagon, so here I go. I think the whole thing was flawless, and Kate Middleton did a tremendous favor to women across the world. Just when we were getting to a point where everything was overly flowered, feathered, ruffled, or gathered, Kate slapped some sense into the brides everywhere by going back to the classics.

Perfection in 1956, perfection today.

A compulsion.

This may go against every rule for becoming a serious blogger, but I CANNOT for the life of me stop re-reading my old posts and making edits. Sometimes it's grammar or blatant typos, but other times it's just because I feel like I sounded too lame, or too desperate, or just annoying. I solemnly vow to severely curb this habit starting now. Unless I sound lame, desperate...or worse.

Add caption

Netwerk.

Joined Networked Blogs, just testing everything out. Here's a picture to make up for my complete lack of creativity at the moment:

If that doesn't work...

Looking for friends, and finding space.

A couple a big things for me:
1. I FINALLY sent a letter out to my would-be industry mentor/buddy/sounding board. I searched long and hard for my boutique soul-sista, so now I'm patiently waiting for proof that my salmon-colored envelop made its way to NYC.

2. I think I found showroom space! It's gorgeous...and small...but if I've learned anything from the last 5 years, it's how to adapt to small spaces and make them work for you. I've already been collecting inspiration:


Via The Decorologist



Via Kelly Wearstler

Via Johnathon Adler

Via Decorpad


 Apparently whatever I end up doing for decor, it will be monochromatic...

Twenty-seven.

Is how old I will be this month. It's also approaching our second wedding anniversary, and the anniversary of when I was here:

Bliss. Oh, and the marriage has been great too.

Not much movement on the business front as of late, but my prowess as an internet stalker (in the most harmless way possible) may have finally paid off. More to come!

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Designers where art thou.

One of the most challenging things I have encountered (so far) in this whole process, is determining how to best go about approaching designers for the wholesale gowns I need to build my inventory. Since I don't have physical store space (more on this later), I'm wondering how large of a deterrent that may be. Do designers want to review my business plan or do the majority of them not care as long as you can pay up front? Maybe I should just fall to my backup plan of wandering aimlessly around New York and begging for someone to point me in the right direction...no? Another big question I have to get answered is if certain designers will give exclusivity to certain shops in certain states. For example, a big part of my plan lies in the fact that I will need to feature gowns that are not available in any (or many) other bridal boutiques in the state. Since I think I have a bit of a more unique design aesthetic than some of my cohorts, I could potentially work with different designs that haven't been sold into the shops here. If this blog does absolutely nothing for me, it certainly is comforting to have your most pressing questions randomly thrown out into cyber space.

On a more random note, I'm in love. Warning: I say this at least 4 times a day. It can be anything from a new color of nail polish to a glossy shot of James Franco in People. However, this time, it refers to a house. Matt and I putzed along the 2011 Parade of Homes and I found my future in APPLE VALLEY! You may not think that I have much love for the burbs given my chosen corporate moniker - but it's quite the opposite. Matt and I aren't too far out from hopefully starting a family, and I will be honest, nothing would please me more than to be able to chase little ones around a home/yard that could extend beyond a 6 ft. radius. But for now, my mind, body and soul belong to MPLS.

Can't you just smell the Volvos? Sigh. The glowing edge of this photo is making me feel warm and fuzzy all over again...

From the ground up.

Sharing an 800 square ft., albeit charming, home with a husband and a dog is starting to lose it's appeal. Quickly. I am beginning to understand that I am going to need to carve out some space of my own so that I can focus on the task at hand - after all, it's only my dream and impending future happiness, right? No big deal. Unfortunately inside our Longfellow bungalow, there is nothing left for me to carve. This leaves me to join the coffee house work force. Starbucks has to be my favorite coffee, but what about supporting my fellow Minnesotan conglomerate Caribou Coffee? There's the new Peace Coffee down the street, which just would seem wrong to overlook - as well as numerous other local gems. Good thing I am nearing my goal of taking my coffee black, or I might drink my way into debt before I even take out the loan. Thankfully, blogging is best done at home. With the dog and the husband close by.


This is normal.



From the archives: Junk Bonanza 2010

This past summer, my mom and I packed up the Toyota and headed down to Shakopee for the 5th annual Junk Bonaza at Caterbury Downs. It was just as I hoped. There was inspiration around every corner, not to mentioned plenty of other interesting arts and crafts to keep us occupied for hours. There was literally junk everywhere - people were buying everything from used Scrabble letters to antique pie safes (I WANT ONE). My favorite non-purchased find of the trip was a gigantic vintage cubby unit clearly from an elementary school of yesteryear - some of the previous students' names were still inscribed! Anyways, my mind immediately wandered to my future dream kitchen. It would have made the most absolutely perfect kitchen island. Storage galore and a solid base, all it needed was a slab top of some kind and BAM - instant customization (for $400!!!). Next on my list is to try and find storage for all of these great pieces - there are so many great ways to take something old and make it new again. This applies to kitchens and weddings in my book. The pictures below are from my trip and feature some of my favorite pieces. Click on any shot to enlarge. Enjoy!

Vintage frames can be used as fun and quirky prop in your engagement or wedding photos. Or maybe print copies of old family wedding photos and display them in an eclectic arrangement on a side table. Wouldn't Grandma be proud!

Have you ever really looked at the jewelry sold at wedding shops? Have you ever wondered how many other brides out there are walking down the aisle with the same earrings? Say you don't have great-grandma's antique broach to add to your bouquet, choosing a vintage piece is a charming way to add character and incorporate a fun story into your wedding day.



Yes, I love branches in any sort of arrangement, but mainly I was just captivated by the lighting at this stand. Lighting is something that can make anything look immediately more dramatic, and more expensive for that matter...

 

Didn't your mom always warn you about eating the seeds?!? This has nothing to do with anything, but I found it amusing/wonderfully creepy and hope you do too.

Polaroid goes Gaga.

I've been wanting to get a Polaroid camera for the past few months now, but have been torn over going vintage or waiting to see what Ms. Gaga will be attaching herself to. April 17th is the big reveal day, and all we're really getting from the company are some promotional shots and the following on their "Grey Label": http://bitly.com/b7AlxX. Do I get the connection right away? No...but I am giddy thinking about the possibilities - the Lady doesn't do anything small.



I miss the hair bow.



Something new.

Since this whole adventure is brand spanking new, and wholly different from what I know, I thought I would start at the beginning.

I have given myself until January of 2012 to realize my dream of bringing Two City Bridal to life, and this blog will document my journey in doing so. So far I have a website (3/4 of the way completed), and this blog. Off with a bang. I have long understood that my true passion lies in fulfilling myself through my own independent ventures, although I find myself often conflicted due to my love for my current job. The late-twenties curse/jitters/crisis? Whatever it is, I feel like I need to put these heels in motion.

So it begins. Join me as my love, my dream, comes to fruition...or epically fails. All I know at this point in the game is that I get physically sick to my stomach when I even think about the idea of making this actually turn into something real. For right now, I'm taking that as a good sign.