Alex Woo Charitable Designs

October is nearly at an end and with that, Breast Cancer Awareness Month will be over soon. During the past month, we have featured a range of wonderful products and goods sold specifically to benefit breast cancer awareness and research and today, we have one more to tell you about. Though Breast Cancer Awareness Month is coming to a close, this very special featured product reminds us all that each day is a blessing and that it's important to live each and every day to the fullest.

Jewelry designer Alex Woo has been actively involved with the cause and has participated in several charities since her mother passed away from breast cancer. She has partnered with Christina Applegate and designed The Tree of Life Pendant to benefit Christina's foundation, Right Action for Women.

"I had great fun collaborating with the amazing Alex Woo, who graciously donated her time and talent to create this gorgeous necklace," says Christina Applegate.

The pendant with an encircled tree represents harmony, hope and renewal. Each of the seven leaves remind us to live everyday of the week to the fullest. The feminine curves of the tree and branches signify the delicate handmade ribbon roses Christina made for her loved ones while battling breast cancer. This pendant is an everyday reminder of the most important things in life, to stay vigilant about breast cancer awareness and steps to early detection. The Tree of Life pendants are solid Sterling Silver, hand sculpted, and stamped for authenticity.

Net proceeds from the sale of the Tree of Life pendant directly benefit Right Action for Women, which encourages women to learn facts and figures about breast cancer and provides funding for the expensive MRI screenings that help with the early detection of breast cancer.

The Tree of Life pendant sells for $998. Visit Alex Woo's website and start shopping to support a great cause!

Real Wedding ~ Angie and Taylor

Our friends at Pure 7 Studios sent us Angie and Taylor's beautiful Rosemary Beach, FL wedding planned by It's A Shore Thing. The fall palette was built around a base of varying shades of orange, accented by shades of rose. Celestine's Special Occasions created Angie's bouquet in a ranged of oranges from a deep burnt shade to a brighter sunshine color accented by the deep burgundy-rose of callas. The bridesmaids wore soft peachy rose-colored dresses and carried their own bouquest of juicy orange mixed with the same deep rose-colored callas and mossy green. We love the table centerpiece of gathered curly willow and brilliant orange orchids in a tall cylindrical vase. Angie and Taylor danced the night away to The Anteeks band, then rode away in style in their vintage Thunderbird, which is possibly our favorite detail from this festive affair. For more of Angie and Taylor's wedding, visit the Pure 7 Studios blog.

Credits:
Photography: Pure 7 Studios. Planner: It's A Shore Thing. Florist: Celestine's Special Occasions. Catering: Celestine's Special Occasion's. Cake: Confections on the Coast. Band: The Anteeks. Rentals: H & M Tents. Ceremony Music: Elegant Strings Trio. Officiant: Dr. Ken Taylor.

Lookbook Fall 2010 ~ Oscar de la Renta

Legendary designer Oscar de la Renta revealed four new gowns during the recent bridal market in New York City, or bridal fashion week as it has become known. The gowns are additions to his current Spring 2010 Bridal collection released this past April. Here at Weddings Unveiled, our Creative Director, Brooke Thomas has been a long-time fan of Oscar de la Renta collections, both bridal and ready-to-wear and pieces from both often show up in our Weddings Unveiled fashion editorials.
The four new gowns further develop some of the ideas reflected in the original collection, offering similar ballgown silhouettes with variations on a theme of texture. The second gown pictured below is our favorite. Which one do you like best?

How Do We Thank Thee....

It's Thursday again and it's time to give a little thanks to some of the wonderful people out there who have blogged about Weddings Unveiled. Check this sampling of some great posts about us!!

Our wonderful friends at Vue Photography were so kind to put together a post about us for featuring Madeline and Patrick's Real Wedding last week. If you missed the colorful feature, be sure to check it out: Real Wedding ~ Madeline and Patrick!

If you blogged about Completely Unveiled or Weddings Unveiled and we missed you, please leave us a comment on this post and we will make sure to include you in our next Thankful Thursday!

Again, many thanks to all of you in the blogosphere who are so kind to us!

Real Wedding ~ Tara and Preston

We love love love this fabulous carnival-themed wedding, sent to us by Kristen Leigh Photography! Glen Echo Park is an old amusement park near Tara's family home in Maryland and back in the day, it was a happening place. The park boasted an amusement park, swimming pool, candy shops, soda fountains and even a bumper car pavilion, which is where Tara and Preston hosted their fun-filled reception. They brought the park back to life to celebrate with family and friends, finding inspiration in their amusement park concept and a briliant palette of red and yellow. The theme found its way into every detail, including the ticket stub placecards and yummy carnival-inspired eats. Guests enjoyed mini burgers and fries made by Main Event Caterers and enjoyed games and the 1952 Dentzel three-row menagerie carousel. For more of Tara and Preston's wedding check out Kristen's blog post!

Credits:
Photography: Kristen Leigh Photography. Gown: Carolina Herrera. Shoes: J.Crew. Florist: Spot Floral Design. Caterer: Main Event Caterers. Ceremony Venue: River Road Unitarian Universalists Congregation. Reception Venue: Glen Echo Park.

E Session ~ Allison and Jason

The moment we spotted Allison and Jason's engagement session from the uber-talented Ashley Brockinton, we were totally in love. Allison and Jason's warm smiles light up the camera in their super-cute coffee shop images, but admittedly, we're head over heels for their dressed-up outdoor city-scape pictures. Seriously, Allison is so beautiful and we can't get enough of her vintage-y Parisian-inspired style. The beret, the cocktail dress and wrist-length gloves... not to mention her incredibly handsome groom-to-be. The balloons are a pretty prop, adding a punch of color and a playful spirit, but the overall feel is romantic and sophisticated, with an incredible loveliness. Wherever those trees are blooming, we want to go there.

Real Wedding ~ Jenna and Perry

The weather was perfect for Jenna and Perry's outdoor wedding at the Beachview Club on Jekyll Island, sent to us by our amazing friend, photographer Agnes Lopez. Jenna wore a beautiful gown by Alvina Valenta, while the groom and groomsmen opted for something a little bit more relaxed, sporting khakis and white Converse Chuck Taylors. Petal pink, white and navy blue provided a contrasting, sophisticated palette for everything from the bride's shoes to the event stationery. Pink and white bouquets designed by RosaLee's Flower Boutique popped against navy bridesmaid dresses from Bella Bridesmaid and the breezy decor included fluttering navy ribbons tied to the backs of crisp white garden chairs. For more great details from Jenna and Perry's wedding, visit the Agnes Lopez Photography blog.

Credits:
Photography: Agnes Lopez Photography. Venue: Beachview Club. Bride's Gown: Alvina Valenta. Bridesmaid Gowns: Bella Bridesmaid. Makeup: Jackie Neil. Caterer: Halyards Restaurant. Music: Joe Willie. Florist: RosaLee's Flower Boutique.

Tell Us About Your Favorites!

We know if you're reading this post that you already love Completely Unveiled (wink wink), but we want to hear about other inspiring wedding websites and blogs that you visit. Here at Weddings Unveiled, we have some long-time favorites, such as our friend Janie's blog, The Bride's Cafe. Among many amazing blogs and websites, we love Style Me Pretty, Ritzy Bee, OnceWed, Ruffled, and Rock n' Roll Bride. Also be sure to visit Inspired by This, a fabulous blog full of inspiring content that recently featured our Creative Director, Brooke Thomas. In addition, we can't get enough of Coco+Kelley and {this is glamorous} for their charming sophistication, incredible style and spectacular imagery.

So... tell us about it! Share your thoughts. Add your voice, so to speak. Leave a comment on this post and tell us all about your favorite blogs and websites and why they inspire you. We'll keep checking back and during the next couple of weeks, we'll select comments at random and send their writers a cool beauty prize, such as Marc Jacobs Daisy or Lola perfumes or cosmetics from Benefit and Tarte, among others.

We can't wait to hear from you!

Inspiration Board ~ The World is Your Oyster

In the South, oyster roasts are a time-honored tradition and each year, we can't wait for the Lowcountry Oyster Festival at Boone Hall Plantation in Charleston, SC in January. For this week's installation of our Fall series of inspiration boards, we found beauty in the unassuming shell of the tasty mollusk. We've put together a collection of images in a pretty, sophisticated palette of shiny silver, creamy pearlesque ivories and a variety of grays, ranging from cool blue-grays to warm pinky brown-ish grays. If you like this board, you'll also love {Pretty Pumpkin} and {Golden Autumn}

Inspiration Board Editor: Brooke Thomas
Credits:
Image Board 1 {clockwise from top left} Sarah Jessica Parker: Style.com. Place Setting: Elizabeth Anne Designs. Cake: Cake Girls. Boat: South Carolina Information Highway. Necklace: Tom Binns Dumont crystal necklace via Pretty and Fabulous. Dining Room: Gray Dining Room. Living Room: Living Room. Model: Norman Parkinson Photography. Oyster: Oyster. Bridesmaids: Davina + Daniel. Shoes: Christian Louboutin Glitter Peep-Toe Slingbacks Silver. Tablescape: Atlanta Homes & Lifestyle.

Image Board 2 {clockwise from top left} Audrey Hepburn: The Feast of Nemesis. Living Room: Tourism Resources. Museum: Guggenheim Museum. Tablescape: Karen Tran Florals Blog. Chandelier: Winterset Collection Antique Cream Five Light Chandelier via Lamps Plus. Candlesticks: Paris Parfait. Centerpiece: Elizabeth Anne Designs. Car in Field: Vintage Car. Car: Aston Martin. Gown: Eli Saab. Bedroom: Apartment Therapy.

Real Wedding ~ Elizabeth and Gordon

Elizabeth and Gordon chose the picturesque island of Careyes in Mexico for their beautiful destination wedding with an "East meets West" theme. Elizabeth is of Vietnamese descent and Gordon is Irish-Canadian. With that, their event featured many cultural traditions to honor their respective heritages.

The wedding day began with a traditional Buddhist ceremony followed by a barefoot beach wedding. Lovely Elizabeth wore a stunning asymmetrical gown designed by Vera Wang and made a grand entrance to their seaside nuptials escorted by four men carrying her on a platform. Following the ceremony, Elizabeth and Gordon released 88 endangered turtles that had hatched earlier that day. According to the Buddhist religion, the release signifies that the past is gone and there is only the future ahead.

Don't miss the images of their breezy, open-air reception with a spectacular view of the sea. We love the twinkling lights strung canopy-style above the tables and the chic simplicity of their settings.

Congratulations to Elizabeth and Gordon and many thanks to BLR Photography for sharing these amazing images!

Credits:
Photography: BLR Photography. Caterer: An Catering. Groomsmen Attire: Prada. Groom's Attire: Black Label Armani. Bridesmaid Gowns: custom designed. Bride's Gown: Vera Wang.

Favors By Color

FavorsByColor.com is a new website that allows brides and wedding planners to easily find bridal gifts and favors by color. You'll find pictures and color ideas along with all the favors and gifts that go with the particular category selected. There are tons of options and it's a fun and easy way to find favors and gifts to match your palette!

Real Wedding ~ Hannah and Tommy

We're starting the week off with a gorgeous Southern wedding sent to us by Jeremy Harwell of Harwell Photography. Hannah and Tommy were married in Fayetteville, Georgia and held their reception at the beautiful Piedmont Driving Club. Needless to say, we adore their classic car and the lovely portraits Jeremy created of Hannah and Tommy in the park. The decor palette was a soft, romantic mixture of lavender and dusty violet, brought together beautifully in tall floral arrangements by Virtu. For more of Hannah and Tommy's wedding, visit the Harwell Photography blog!

Credits:
Photography: Harwell Photography. Ceremony Venue: New Hope Church. Reception Venue: Piedmont Driving Club. Florist: Virtu. Gowns: Dresses By Lori.

Cook for the Cure

Cook for the Cure is a collaboration between KitchenAid and Susan G. Komen for the Cure, giving those with a passion for cooking a way to support the breast cancer awareness movement. Add a little splash of color to your kitchen and support breast cancer awareness and research with your purchase of any pink KitchenAid product. For every KitchenAid Cook for the Cure purchase and product registration, KitchenAid will donate up to $50 to Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Check out some of our favorite pink KitchenAid products below, including the Cook for the Cure Pass the Plate. Purchase this special edition plate, fill it with some yummy homemade goodies and then pass it on to a friend or relative. Each time the plate is passed and registered, KitchenAid will donate $5 to the cause. It's the best reason we've heard of in a long time to start cooking. Fire up those ovens and pass on some goodness and love!

Credits: KitchenAid Cook for the Cure Artisan Stand Mixer Pink. KitchenAid Cook for the Cure Pass the Plate. KitchenAid Cook for the Cure 5 Piece Prep Set. KitchenAid Cook for the Cure Tea Kettle Pink. KitchenAid Cook for the Cure Set of 3 Mixing Bowls.

Real Wedding ~ Kia and Jason

Kia and Jason married at the Peachtree Christian Church in Atlanta, GA on August 8th, 2008 at 8pm. Yes, that's right -- they got married on 08.08.08! They found inspiration in the shape of their special date and chose an infinity theme for their event, photographed by our friends at 6 of Four Photography. A quote from their programs reads:

"When the number 8 is placed horizontally it is the universal symbol for infinity. The infinity sign in many cultures represents a union that is unlimited, boundless, eternal and everlasting."

The talented group at FAVOR Events helped to plan Kia and Jason's detail-packed day, including their exquisite reception, held at The Georgian Ballroom at the Biltmore. Soaring ceilings and stunning chandeliers set the scene for a luxe, richly appointed look, while a decor palette of neutral and gold brought everything together. We love their monogram, appearing everywhere from the ice sculpture and chair hangings to the towering cake and event stationery. We also love beautiful Kia's chic, sophisticated style!

Credits:
Photography: 6 of Four. Wedding Planner: FAVOR Events. Ceremony Venue: Peachtree Christian Church. Reception Venue: The Georgian Ballroom at the Biltmore. Caterer: DeCuir Gourmet Company Inc. Wedding Cake: Classic Cheescakes & Cakes. Groom's Cake: Rhodes Bakery. DJ: Charles Wilson. Band: The Charles Nesbitt Trio. Linens: Exquisite Events Atlanta. Rentals: We Rent Atlanta. Florist: Awesome Blossoms. Hair: 360 Salon & Spa. Lighting: Production People. Ice Sculpture: Ice Sculptures Unlimited. Transportation: A Formal Image Limousine.

Vera Wang Diana Gown Exclusive at Maddison Row

Each season there are several gowns that catch the eye of our Creative Director and at least one Vera Wang gown is always among them. In particular, we loved the series of gowns from the Spring 2010 collection featuring frothy, asymmetrically draped tissue organza and several of them have appeared in the recent Summer 2009 and Fall 2009 issues of Weddings Unveiled.

Don't miss the opportunity to try on one of these Vera Wang lovelies at Maddison Row in Charleston, SC this week. Maddison Row is exclusively featuring the Diana gown from the Spring 2010 collection for just three days only starting today, October 22nd. Diana (pictured below) features a figure-flattering sweetheart neckline and draped wrap bodice with a dramatic full A-line skirt draped with asymmetrical swirls of tissue organza. For more information on Diana, visit Maddison Row to see her in person or visit the Vera Wang website.

Maddison Row
171 Spring Street
Charleston, South Carolina
call 843.720.2929 to schedule an appointment

bklyn pillow

Let's face it... most ring-bearer pillows are a little, well... yawn. Sometimes they even look downright silly. Who wants to put a frilly, lacy, pearly festooned pillow into the hands of a litlte boy?!? Step outside the box, so-to-speak, of the traditional cheesy satin-tufted pillow and take a look at the ultra-cool versions from bklyn pillow. Vane Broussard, editor of the amazing Brooklyn Bride blog, is both owner and designer of bklyn pillow. Her custom-designed ring bearer pillows are unique and chic - and thankfully, a far cry from the traditional versions. We love Vane's use of bold colors and the homespun look of each design. We've taken the liberty of selecting a few of our favorites, but be sure to visit bklyn pillow and find your own!

Real Wedding ~ Courtney and Bret

We love Courtney and Bret's beach-inspired wedding sent to us by Agnes Lopez Photography. LM Chung, Ltd. helped design the beautiful seaside soiree held at The Plantation at Ponte Vedra. Crisp blue and cream linens coordinated flawlessly with the patterned dining chairs, while the tables were adorned with white and ivory flowers and stunning candelabras decorated with crystal strands and seashells. We especially love the large shell containers for the centerpiece florals and the spectacular shot of the rings on the pearlized sea urchin. To see more, visit the Agnes Lopez Photography blog!

Credits:
Photography: Agnes Lopez Photography. Ceremony Venue: Christ Episcopal Church. Reception Venue: The Plantation at Ponte Vedra. Event Design: LM Chung, Ltd. Entertainment: McGee Entertainment.