For us, spring is our favorite time of year at the boutique. The new gown styles are rolling in and we can barely stand the anticipation. Let’s just say, we love the UPS guy.

One of my personal favorites is en route from Amy Kuschel’s workshop in San Francisco and Eureka!; it’s freaking fabulous.

Eureka! is soft and classic ballgown with a 50′s vibe which looks sweet yet chic against a back drop of the vibrant colours found in classic comic books and on the periodic table.

We just added the Liz Fields bridesmaid and bridal line to our roster of talent at Luxe and we chose one of her floor length strapless chiffon numbers which pairs nicely with an utterly amah-zing (I am obsessed with Happy Endings) red heart shaped swarovski crystal clutch.

I am also a sucker for a man in converse and I got a huge kick out of these kicks with ‘groom’ embroidered on a light blue pair. Love!

The past few weeks at Luxe Bridal have been wild and crazy to say the least! Our clients are pouring in to pick up their gowns and alterations are in full swing. We love spring!

Our new collections for fall 2011 are starting to arrive and we are so excited to show off these amazing pieces. As always, you won’t find any of these dresses anywhere else in the city and in this case anywhere east of Calgary.

We are pleased to introduce you to Fillmore, one of Amy Kuschel’s latest creations. This silk taffeta gown is constructed by hand in San Francisco and exudes a stunning breath of sophistication. In the spirit of spring, we paired it with a lovely robin’s egg blue and vibrant chartreuse. Naturally we added a pair of crystal drop earrings created and designed by Ottawa’s very own Isobel Walker of Bel Bridal. We added a sparkling swarovski crystal clutch and a lovely pearl and silver brooch which is available by special order at Luxe.

We often hear of brides planning her rendition of a fairy tale wedding which leads us to believe that the big white dress and princess wedding theme is not coming to an end any time soon.

So I asked myself, how can I add some funk to the fairy tale themed wedding without compromising personal style? This led me to one of my favorite gowns, Diore by Pattis Bridal. Where else can you find lace, frill, pouf and a crumb catcher (not a typo) all in one gown? Some girls want it all, and this dress has it. The softness of this gown pairs well with sharp colours and bold accessories. I’m a sucker for a red shoe and couldn’t resist pairing this look with a classy feathery pump by Louboutin and black lace fingerless gloves found on Etsy.  I also love the idea of mixing up the predictability of a monochromatic ‘Maids look and feature gowns by none other than Coren Moore in two shades of romantic pink.

It’s no secret that we at Luxe Bridal Boutique love lace and silk.  Well ladies, how about a laser cut silk lace gown by none other than Amy Kuschel…! I have no words on this one, so please allow me to share from Amy Kuschel’s site directly… Ahem:

Turner’s lush fabrication exudes light and grandeur. Captivating English Laser-Cut “Rose” fabrication is the focus of this lovely, statuesque trumpet silhouette. A V-neckline and low back compliment Turner’s arresting presentation.

Couldn’t have said it better myself! My inspiration for this style file was none other than the glossy, flossy and sweet tones of candy! I am always drawn to pinks, yellows and greens and I love browsing in candy shoppes..the colours are soft, feminine and perfect for a spring or summer wedding. I paired this gown with Coren Moore’s Lila bridesmaid gown in a colour we adore called Petunia. We also love, love the idea of using a coloured crinoline – why not have cascades of pretty light pink tulle peeking out from under your dress? Not to mention, the hot pink platform of these stunner Louboutins should make us all scream for ice cream.

Hey, who says you can’t wear white after Labor Day. Luxe Bridal says wear it all year long!

Since it can be tricky to pull off a full on white wedding – we chose our palette carefully. When else can you opt for shimmery blue and crystallized accessories without looking like the Ice Princess other than the winter months?  So we chose this Kitty Chen gown called Cloris for its sparkling details and lavish embellishments and paired it with a savvy and simple Coren Moore gown in white as the perfect bridesmaid dress.

Adding pops of light blue, silver and touches of gentle lace detailing will keep this look fresh and sophisticated while enhancing the natural winter wonderland around you.

Who doesn’t love the fall…it’s the season to don your favorite pair of Gaga shades or Jersey Shore wig and gain a guilt free hour of extra sleep.

Fall is also the most romantic time of year to say your I do’s. Who can resist the rich saturated colours of red, gold, purple against an orange sky…the smell of a wood burning fire place floating in the crisp air. It’s also my favorite time of year, which is why I decided use my favorite gown, ‘Paris’ by Amy Kuschel for this edition of the Luxe Bridal Boutique Style File.

Amy’s website says it best: This chic trumpet silhouette has it all! Paris is a modern take on a romantic lace gown pairing a delicate cap sleeve with a funky tulle edged hemline and a Silk Chiffon sash. Naturally, we paired Coren Moore’s Kate bridesmaid dress in a fabulous shade of orange called Spice. The colour of this silk shangtung beauty shimmers in the light and looks gorgeous against any skin tone.

Now that fall is here and the wild Ottawa winter is only a few short weeks away I decided to make a play on summer with this punchy colour scheme. I love yellow…every shade of it. Mustard, custard to canary. I knew for such a bright and powerful colour palette I wanted to pair a soft and gentle lace gown by Robert Bullock. Enter, ‘Justine’. An empire waist, strapless sweet heart number that can transform from sweet to sassy with the just right touches of brilliant colour. Pair this beauty of a gown with the tartness of sharp lemon yellow and dove grey accessories and feel the sunshine on your face as you say, “I do.”

This past weekend, I was wandering through the boutique looking at each of the gowns and feeling reminiscent of the reasons I love them all. Each gown gives me a different reaction and as always, I stop at Amy Kuschel’s ”June” and smile. The playful preppiness of this dress just screams classic couture.

Amy’s brilliant minimal design allows the bride to choose a fabulously flirty peony, a menswear inspired tuxedo front or for the less adventurous, keep it simple and unadorned.  I must mention the perfectly proportioned pockets that are not only a dream for posing for photographs but keep your favorite lip-gloss out of your new husband’s tux jacket during the reception.

I couldn’t resist pairing the gown with a Burberry inspired tartan print and using those deep dues in a wedding theme. Rich red and velvety black mixed with warm chocolate brown create a classic palette. Paired with Coren Moore’s “Alexis” gown and crisp ivory accessories would make any bridal party look like the bees knees.

Sometimes during the search for the perfect wedding dress, we meet brides that may not know exactly what style of gown she would like but is very aware of her personal style and wonders how to incorporate that style into her wedding day look. So for this collage, I decided to work backwards…find a gown to work with jewelery that may already be part of a personal collection.

Since I have been a huge fan of Alex & Chloe jewelery for many years.  I was inspired by two of their pieces – the aptly called “Love is Not Dead” necklace in hot pink and an industrial looking dual drop necklace in black and silver.

Because of the edginess of the jewelery, I knew I had to chose something fabulously feminine from our collections. This strapless, drop waist, fit  and flare Melissa Gentile gown was the obvious choice!  Covered in gorgeous silk tulle rosettes & embellished with swarovski crystals, this gown hugs the curves in all the right places. I paired the gown with Coren Moore’s “Maggie” dress in Grape silk shantung. The softness of this smokey purple color is an unexpected compliment to the hot pink & black.

Naturally, we love Alexander McQueen’s “Love Last’ suede peep toe pumps (look closely, the ‘peep’ is in the shape of a heart) and the urban Dolce Vita Adra white denim studded platforms. We also found the perfect brushed metal cuff adorned with a hot pink stone by Sheila Fajl.

The Amy Kuschel gown aptly called “Dream” is a silk organza treasure. The asymmetrical rosette shoulder strap makes this gown a show stopper. Style with a handmade gold Swarovski crystal bracelet and strappy gold sandals to keep the look airy and glamorous. We were inspired by the majestic colours of the peacock using navy and gold with splashes of teal and purple for this lovely colour palate.

Gown: “Dream” by Amy Kuschel www.amykuschel.com
Navy Bridesmaid Dress: “Katherine” by Coren Moore www.corenmoore.com
Ivory Bloom Fascinator: “Aliana Series I “– by 5eizen www.etsy.com
Sandals: “Globikini” by Stuart Weitzman www.stuartweitzman.com
Gold & Pearl Bracelet: “Kamelia” by Jurgitahandmade www.etsy.com
Silk Bow Clutch: by mermaidsdream www.etsy.com