Mother’s Day Inspired Cakes by Alexis Sturgeon

Good morning lovelies. It is a gorgeous Saturday morning here at BHL. As I look outside the window all I see are blue skies, and the sun shinning away. Oh, I do plan to go out and soak in all the beautiful nature…but first I have a very special Mother’s Day treat for you.  I hope you have had your breakfast (or maybe you are just waking up), and now ready to indulge into some sweet goodness. My gorgeous and very talented gal Alexis from Cakes by Alexis Sturgeon has created a lovely cake for Mother’s Day weekend. At BHL, we are always finding ways to celebrate the special days, and what a better way to celebrate Mommy’s Day than with an amazing and sweet cake which is also a beautiful piece of art.  The inspiration? Besides the obvious, a day dedicated for all the moms, aunts, and grandmothers out there?  Alexis was inspired by a beautiful antique air vent found in Italy which happens to be french inspired from the deco era. This simple, yet pretty cake is the perfect way to shower your mom with all the love she deserves. For the big day, you can show mom how much you love and appreciate her with a  beautiful cake. Mothers of the bride or mothers of the groom play a very special role for the big day, so why not get a cake in their honor? How special will they feel on your important day?  Good idea right? I mean, who can say no to an awe-inspiring cake? I love sweets and I love celebrations, and the combination of the two makes my heart go pitter-patter.  It is the kind of day that makes me want to jump up and down. So, grab your cup of joe, and be ready to be inspired!

 

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Photography:  Dalmiro Quiroga 

Pre-Wedding Parties Inspired by The Great Gatsby

Giddy over Gatsby? Us too. We are starting a new week with celebration of the Great Gatsby movie premiere . Some of us have pulled our old copies of the book, reading it all over again. We are totally obsessed with the Great Gatsby era and all the elegance, charm, and glamour it brings.  So, when we received this Great Gatsby inspired shoot, our Gatsby loving hearts geared into full swoon mode! We are talking total bliss.  Carmen Fuentes of Expressionary Events  is the gal behind this awe-inspiring concept, as she brings the Great Gatsby to us in the most glamorous of ways.  We can not get over the stunning details that are getting us even more excited for the movie! To kick things off, we are going to share a couple of looks to get you not only inspired and prepped for the movie premiere, but also for  your wedding day look.  Get ready to feast your pretty eyes on  jaw-dropping glitz and glam.

First, a little about the shoot…

The Great Gatsby gives us glimpse of an era of elegance, sophistication and glamour and so we drew inspiration from this great American novel to capture the looks. Our vision was to portray a prosperous time in American history by bringing in elements of lush and romance into the unique décor details of each space. The shoot was held at the prestigious Sky Room, located atop the historic Breakers of Long Beach Hotel. Since the 1920’s, this Art Deco venue has entertained Hollywood luminaries such as Elizabeth Taylor, Charles Lindberg, and Cary Grant.

With the May 2013 release of Baz Luhrmann’s adapted film of the Great Gatsby, our goal was to offer inspiration options for brides who would like to capture this moment in time and incorporate modern elements into their wedding theme. We noticed many bridal gown designers such as Kitty Chen and Allure anticipated the release of this film and they created a modern line of wedding gowns and accessories in vintage silk, satin and lace. These and other designers are bringing a modern feeling to the classic shape of the Roaring Twenties with beaded cap sleeves, low backs and drop waists.

Another element of inspiration for this shoot came from Tiana Vega’s collection of evening gowns. The collection includes sleek fabrics and symmetries as well as dark colors that are reminiscent of the 1920’s. Much of the inspiration for the menswear seen in this shoot were taken by the Ralph Lauren designs portrayed in the 1974 adaption of The Great Gatsby. The fashion designs of Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger, and Liz Claiborne are proving that styles from the 20’s, (i.e. newsboy caps and three-piece suits) still deem relevant and withstanding the ever evolving world of fashion trends. The Color palette for the menswear in this shoot consisted of white, gray and tan tones.

  • Jay Gatsby Inspired “Bachelor Party” Look:  What would Jay Gatsby’s bachelor party look like? This look is 1920’s inspired with a modern twist. The men are wearing suits with newspaper boy caps, textured ties, bow ties and trimmed dress shirts.

Colors: Navy Blue, Browns, Gray, Gold, Blue

Patterns: Stripes, Solids, Prints

Brands/Designers: Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger, Alfani, Claiborne

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Venue: The Sky Room

Event Styling and Design: Expressionary Events

Photography: Drexelle & David Park of D. Park Photography

Wardrobe Styling: Styled by Connie

Hair & Make-up: Rock Me Up

Men’s Attire:  Friar Tux

Cigars: El Canito Cigar Rolling

 

  • Wedding Rehearsal Evening Look:  Inspired by an intimate and cozy feel, the outfits are embodied with rich colors and vintage inspired textures.

Groom Attire: Three-piece suit. White trimmed dress shirt with textured tie.

Bride Attire: Vintage inspired two-toned dress with long black silk gloves.

Textures: Velvet, suede, and silk.

Colors: White, Cream, Gray, Maroon,  and Black.

Brands/Designers: Tiana Vega Collection, Belucci Couture, Alfani, and Calvin Klein.

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Venue: The Sky Room

Event Styling and Design: Expressionary Events

Photography: Drexelle & David Park of D. Park Photography

Wardrobe Styling: Styled by Connie

Hair & Make-up: Rock Me Up

Men’s Attire:  Friar Tux

Evening Gown:  Tiana Vega Collection

Evening Clutch: Belucci Couture

Jewelry:  Tiana Vega Collection

 

 

Make sure to check in later this week for more Great Gatsby Inspired Wedding Looks right here: