Brilliant Blog

Featured on Fox for Jennifer Aniston’s Wedding

August 16, 2012

I was thrilled to have my advice featured by Fox on Jennifer Aniston’s recent engagement and potential wedding plans!  Read the article here or view the video here.

The Proposal Planner: Emad & Bita

August 16, 2012

I was thrilled to design an incredible proposal for this lovely couple, and especially excited to have it featured on The Huffington Post!  Emad wanted to give Bita a dream marriage proposal, without her guessing the plan. So, I devised a decoy using a fake groupon so as not to arise suspicion.

Emad and Bita arrived to a secluded tasting room decorated with hundreds of candles and spring flowers.  Thanks to our cover story, Bita thought their groupon included a blindfolded tasting menu of several dishes. They took turns being blindfolded with Hermes scarves, and had fun guessing which dish they were eating. During dinner the musicians played some of Bita’s favorite songs, while the couple enjoyed dishes inspired by their 3-year relationship.   But, none of this was revealed to Bita until after the meal.

When dessert came, Bita ogled over the crystal serving tray, which was filled with pictures of her closet family and friends. She was so touched that she nearly missed the surprise in her melted chocolate dome – a ring! She realized what was happening as Emad got down on one knee.

As part of his proposal, Emad presented Bita with a keepsake menu and explained that each dish they had sampled was reflective of a special moment in their love story.  The first course was Jamaican because they met while working on the island and the main dish was Persian, a nod to Bita’s grandmother who played a major role in the couple getting together.  And, the lovely Hermes scarves they were using as blindfolds were a special engagement gift to Bita.  Needless to say, she said yes!

Photos courtesy of Sofia Negron

Halo Engagement Rings

August 8, 2012

This year, halo rings have emerged as a popular choice in engagements rings, especially among celebrities. At the start of the year, Justin Timberlake popped the question to long-time girlfriend Jessica Biel with a custom-made halo ring. More recently, Emily Maynard received a cushion-shaped halo ring from Jef Holm on the season finale of “The Bachelorette”. Although halo rings are a classic style, it is their revamped shapes and colors that have lead to a surge in their popularity.

For example, after Kate Middleton’s diamond and sapphire halo engagement ring was made public last year, we saw halo rings in various colors pop up everywhere in 2012. Bold halo engagement rings, such as the double halo shown below, are definitely a a hot trend!

Photos (clockwise from top left): 1. Ross-Simons 2. Getty Images via StyleBistro
3. Greenberg’s Jewelers 4. Getty Images via Brides

A Brilliant Wedding: Katie & Jason

August 1, 2012

Katie and Jason were married on Labor Day weekend of 2011 and were fortunate to have some of the last good weather of the summer! Their First Look was done in and around Central Park, with some of NYC’s most iconic images, like hot dog carts and yellow cabs, drifting in and out of their photographs. Katie and Jason then went on to exchange “I Do’s” in an intimate ceremony at The Harold Pratt House on Park Avenue.

Afterwards, Katie and Jason made their way up the grand spiral staircase, along with their family and closest friends, to the candlelit library for cocktails. The reception took place across the hall in the elegant dining room. There, guests enjoyed delicious creations made by Park Avenue Catering. The pastel pink and white flower centerpieces by Rebecca Shepherd were the perfect compliment to the classic décor.

By the time the first dance began, it was clear that Katie and Jason couldn’t be happier together and Katie was all smiles as Jason twirled her around the dance floor. Later on, guests took a break from dancing to enjoy a decadent cake from Baked. It was a pleasure to be a part of this wonderful couple’s picture perfect day!

 Photos courtesy of China Jorrin Photography

Two-in-One Wedding Gowns

July 30, 2012

Photos courtesy of FirstView.

Cylinder Vase Veto for Aisle Decor

July 11, 2012

Broken shards of glass, pools of water and a fire hazard are not exactly the hallmarks of a dream wedding day.  Experience has taught us that cylinder vases filled with water and a floating candle lining your ceremony aisle are a disaster waiting to happen.  Chances are that one of your excited wedding guests will knock over one of these vases while finding their seat, fidgeting during the ceremony or while applauding during your recessional.  The mess created is not only hazardous, but could interrupt your ceremony in a very bad way. Just one easy, pretty and safer candlelit alternative? Try lanterns hanging from wrought-iron shepherds hooks!

Image sources one and two.

The Men’s Event

July 10, 2012

I’m thrilled to be part of this tremendous event to help men find their perfect marriage proposal with the help of Alton Lane, Paparazzi Proposals and Greenwich Jewelers. Join us on Tuesday, July 17th for this event by RSVP-ing to events@altonlane.com!

Mismatched Bridesmaids Dresses

June 27, 2012

One of the hottest trends in bridal fashion is mismatched-but-coordinated bridesmaids.  Many brides are foregoing the tradition of having all of their bridesmaids dress exactly alike.  There are many ways to embrace this trend.

Same Dress, Mixed Accessories:  The easiest is to have all of your bridesmaids dress in matching dresses, but to create interested with coordinating accessories or with different bouquets:

Different Dresses, Same Hue. For those that want to dive a little deeper in the mismatching trend, allowing your girls to choose there own dress and just picking a color that you like.  The key is to give some guidance to your bridesmaids.   For example, long or short?  Do you care if the fabrics are different?  The more flexible you are, the greater variety you will have in the dresses your girls choose.

Different Color Dresses. This final option is not for the faint of heart!  Each bridesmaid has a completely different color dress.  The best way to keep the look cohesive is to make one thing consistent, whether it is matching bouquets or accessories.

Image sources in order: Arrow and Apple, Jolynne Photography, Carl Zoch Photography, Kerry Morgan, Ruth Anne Photography, Ben Blood, HPM Photo, Bayly Moore, Jill Thomas Photography, Stephanie Williams Photography, Art by DNA, Stephanie Williams Photography, Caroline Tran, Dixie Pixel Photo, Emily Photo, Kellie Kano Photography, SohoMode Etsy Shop.

Yellow Gold Engagement Rings: They’re Back!

June 20, 2012

A yellow gold engagement ring used to scream “I got married in the 80′s!”   However, lately big jewelry houses like Cartier and Tiffany are showing an increasing amount of yellow gold engagement rings.  What do you think of this trend?  Is it here to stay, or will a yellow gold once again be an indicator of the decade you got married?

A Brilliant Wedding: Bill & Christine

June 13, 2012

Christine and Bill got married on a warm, sunny day in September. Their fun and lighthearted nature was present in nearly every aspect of their wedding. They exchanged vows in a Catholic ceremony and Christine stole the show in her intricately designed Monique Lhuillier gown and a lace bolero handmade by her mother.

Upon exiting the church, Christine and Bill were greeted by a sea of bubbles and headed to capture some carefree photos on the beach, while guests headed to Giorgio’s to start the festivities.  They kicked off the party with their first dance “Can’t Help Falling in Love” by Elvis and continued the party late into the evening. It was an absolute joy to be a part of their big day! Special thanks to the super-talented Roberto Falck for perfectly capturing the spirit of these two lovebirds.