Couture week is special. It’s that magical time of the year when fashion houses bring out their most beautiful and elaborate creations and showcase real life versions of what dreams are so often made of. Especially a bride’s dream.
Last week in Paris, France we all got to see our Spring 2016 Couture dreams realized (if only from a distance) and though it certainly was not unexpected, many of the shows were extraordinary. For me, most especially the Maison Valentino show.
As a kid and even in high school and college I was always fascinated by and drawn to Greek mythology and the age of the Roman empire. In Paris, Maison Valentino brought my childhood visions of mythological elegance and beauty to life in an even better way: Couture.
The show was exquisite and ethereal. Models floated the petal-covered runway in long, flowing gowns of elegant cuts, their long tresses topped with delicate custom serpent-shaped headwear and a color palette of rich hues: velvet, gossamer and silk fabrics in gold, red and blue, bright blush, cream, and spring green. Each of the models looked like a Roman goddess, yet at the same time timeless and ageless.
So there you have it.
If you’re planning a Spring wedding, where better to look for inspiration than the city of love during Couture Week?
Bring on the love. There is nothing more romantic than being surprised on Valentine’s Day with a fresh, fragrant bounty of flowers. Florists are ramping up for the big day, including one of our favorites: Nicole Land of Soil & Stem.
Young sproutlet Nicole Land is co-hosting a Valentine’s fest at Madewell City Creek February 11th from 6-8pm. Don’t miss out on the delicious sweets (crafted by the artful hand of Tess Comrie), the spectacular stems or the Madewell deals. See you there.
Follow Utah’s other gifted florists to see what they have in store for Valentine’s Day. Here are a few of our favorites:
Valentine’s Day is right around the corner. Surprise your sweetheart with the sweetest confection in the valley—one of Tess Comrie’s (of Le Loup Cake) masterpieces.
Cost: Order a 6″ round cake (3 layers) for $40.00 or a single layer for $20.00.
Flavors: Rosemary Citrus, Chocolate Espresso or Chocolate Strawberry
Don’t miss your chance to try one of these delicious cakes (Tess normally offers a $750.00 minimum for cakes). Your taste buds—and Valentine—will thank you.
Click here for more information or to order a cake.
Follow @tesscomrie for inspiration aplenty (or hop on over to @tesscomriephoto if you’re in need of a wedding photographer).
I grew up close to the mountains, in particular Little and Big Cottonwood canyons and spent a lot of time there. I have always had a style that is no fuss and no frills. Simple, clean, functional. I don’t ever want to be thinking about my clothes; I would rather be putting my efforts into something I am passionate about, and clothes for me are just a necessity, not a passion.
I am most often found wearing jeans with a button-up shirt or t-shirt, with sandals or sneakers. During the winter this shifts to jeans with sweaters and boots. To dress up I’ll throw on a jacket or scarf and boots, then layer on some great jewelry. I really do love jewelry — anything gold or brass.
BEAUTY
My makeup bag is sparse. I am a firm believer in “less is more,” and my makeup bag is no exception. I typically just wear mascara (Full & Soft in Dark Brown) and add some powder or pencil my brows since they are naturally so light. If I am getting real fancy, I will throw on some liquid liner (Revlon ColorStay or Stila Stay All Day; they are the only ones that make dark brown) and Bobbi Brown bronzing powder as a blush. You can also always find Burt’s Bees chapstick in there. Lipstick is not for me. It is too much of a hassle — it doesn’t stay on and I don’t really care about it. I have one lipstick, from my wedding, 7 years ago, and it is still a full tube. I don’t typically wear nail polish, but if I do I’ll wear OPI in a pink nude.
I have dry skin so I only wash my face in the shower every other day. I exfoliate with a homemade baking soda + honey + castile soap blend that I whip up every now and then. I wash my face with castile soap, followed by a natural moisturizer. Currently I’m using a Sibu face cream and loving it. I use Burt’s Bee’s face wipes in between face washes and they moisturize enough that I don’t have to reapply moisturizer daily.
Most perfumes are too strong and flowery for me but I do have one I love. Brown Sugar by Fresh. It’s clean, light, simple and not too flowery or musky. It is my go-to scent.
OFF DUTY
When I am not working I’m outside in the mountains or spending time with my husband or friends. If I am lucky, a combination of these things happen. I enjoy hiking, fly fishing, skiing, biking, eating, traveling, photographing and creating.
My work has a huge affect on my lifestyle and routine. I don’t have a typical 9-5. When you own your own business you don’t punch out at the end of the day. You get emails late at night, shoots at dinnertime and early morning to-dos. Traveling for work is a blast and I love it, but it is not for the regimented routine-lover and that’s fine with me. I always like a new adventure!
“Keegan and I both love the outdoors and wanted to incorporate the woodsy beauty of the Utah Mountains into our Fall wedding. Since it was in October, we decided to hold it indoors, but tried to make it feel as natural and minimalistic as possible.”
Although Keegan and Meg both grew up in Utah County—he in Pleasant Grove, she in Provo—they didn’t start dating until college. “I was dating his best friend at the time,” Meg remembers. “But for some reason, Keegan and I just clicked any time I was with the two of them. After things didn’t work out between his best friend, Keegan waited a few months to ask me out.” (Spoiler alert: Keegan’s best friend acted as best man at the wedding.)
After dating for five months, Keegan asked Meg for her hand.“We were living in Alaska for the summer, and Keegan took me out to see the Holgate Glacier on a caravan boat. As we were pulling away, he knelt on one knee and proposed in the heavy mist. Both of us were away from our families at the time, so we really got to focus on experiencing the engagement together. Alaska will forever be our favorite place.”
For the wedding, Keegan and Meg wanted to incorporate one of their shared passions—the outdoors—into the wedding. “We wanted to include the woodsy beauty of the Utah mountains and it turned out just the way we envisioned.”
Live music, boho inspiration and local cuisine help create the magic of Tessa and Cole’s summertime forest fete.
Photographer, musician and artist Tessa Barton grew up with husband Cole, a software developer-by-day, musician-by-night. It wasn’t until college, when Cole became roommates with Tessa’s brother, that Tessa and Cole clicked. “We started playing music together and performing shows,” Tessa says. “The relationship began very naturally after that.”
Two years later, Cole proposed during a surprise trip to New York on New Year’s Day. “We ran around the city all day until our feet just couldn’t walk anymore,” she says. “The sun was right at that perfect moment when everything seems golden. And like magic, no one was around. Next thing I know, I’m screaming, running around like a little kid because Cole is down on one knee.”
As musicians and foodies, the duo dreamed of an enchanted woodsy gathering filled with lively tunes and summer’s bounty. For weeks leading up to the wedding, the bride and groom’s families sewed and erected a food tent—the focal point in the garden—covered with hand-fringed canvas and layered with fabrics that Tessa collected. Tessa says, “We wanted guests to feel as if they happened upon something magical in the woods.”
