Watter's Trunk Show, Jan. 17-19

 Why you would not want to miss the Watter’s Trunk Show, Jan. 17-19

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              1. This designer label, Watters, can only be sold in Kansas City at Nolte’s.  Brides come from out-of- state to buy these.

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2           2. The dresses will never be this low price again. All bridals are going to be at a 20% savings.

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             3. They are an expensive look at a moderate price. (Even the ones in silk are not over 3K.)

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4       4. We are GIVING AWAY free bridesmaids dresses to one of the brides who purchases during the Trunk Show.  It’s UNBELIEVABLE…but we’re doing it!

 A little back story: ( I always enjoy back stories, don’t you?)  We have carried this collection in our store(s) since it debuted 27 years ago. Few designers in my book, have that kind of high value (staying power) for the dollar. When Watters was a newbie, I believed in them. Now they are a giant…and they have always been grateful for our support.

As a result of this friendship, Watters jumps through hoops for our brides. We get early deliveries sometimes at no extra charge. They will switch fabrics in bridesmaid dresses. They make changes on bridal gowns even when they won’t for other stores.

Though this specific Trunk Show doesn’t include bridesmaids, mothers or flower girl dresses….Watters makes the prettiest in each of those categories too.  You can see them when you’re here.

Gowns of color and weddings of note

 I am a lover of touches of color on bridal gowns i.e. Aurora Borealis crystals or even pastel embroidery touches.   It just seems to make the gown have more “Wow!”

Watters

Marchesa

 The recent wedding of Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel really brought the concept of color to the forefront as Jessica’s gown by Giambattista Valli  was created not just in “blush” but a pretty dominant shade of “pink.”

The concept of overlaying a deeper hued lining silk with an ivory or white sheer was popularized by the legendary Priscilla of Boston. She referenced it as “Color Casting.” The effect being that the lace work, (for which she was so famous) showed up even more beautifully in photography.

My wife’s gown was one of the Priscilla creations done in ivory silk organza and embellished with white Alencon lace. (Side note: For those of you who are long time Kansas Citians, you will remember the fine goods offered at Harzfeld’s on the Plaza. That is where the future Mrs. Nolte found her sample dress and to this day regards it as the most beautiful gown she has ever seen.)

Attached you will see some other beautiful brides all wearing gowns done is something beyond the typical white or ivory.

Anne Hathaway in Valentino

Gwen Stefani in John Galliano

Reese Witherspoon in Monique Lhuillier

IF only we had "royals".......

I am admittedly a “royal watcher” and marvel at the pageantry that accompanies a royal wedding in any country. As a professional wedding planner for over 1,000 weddings….I can only imagine the infinite degree of coordination to pull one of these off.

People always seem kind of interested in my “behind the scenes” observations and if you are one of them, sit back and let’s take a look at the festivities of this week in Luxembourg as Prince Guillaume married Countess Stephanie de Lannoy.

I will mention some of the things that struck me as wonderful  (and also the things from which we might learn.)

Those of you that are “Nolte Weddings Watchers” know that my favorite moment of the wedding is the arrival and presentation of the bride. There is no moment more highly anticipated. It is truly the “Big Reveal.”  Like royal brides,  we always dress off premise and arrive at the church just minutes before the processional.  (For the planner this is a logistical nail-biter but it’s soooo worth it.) Brides and dads have told me it was one of their favorite memories…those golden quite moments alone in the limo as they pulled up to the church and watched through tinted glass their friends rushing into the church.)

 Like the royal brides, none of mine have seen the groom before the processional. There is no two hour photo shoot and very few people (if any) have seen the gown. Nolte Mantra:  As it happens…it happens. There are no posed or contrived shots.

Upon arrival, the door opens and the bride emerges. 

 Her train is extended and carried into the church. (Red carpets, which I love to use, even add to the magic.) 

Point to notice: This picture is the preferred angle. Note that the photographer knew to be on the “gown side” of the bride and her father. It always shows off the dress better.  (As opposed to this: picture with groom blocking the dress.)

 I have never been a fan of multiple style bridesmaids dresses just for this very reason. Where does your eye go in this picture? Not to the bride, but rather to the differences in the maid’s dresses. Why I asked myself with only two, would the styles be SO different that one even has long sleeves and the other bare armed? Nolte Mantra: I advise that the focus stay on the bride, not the variety of the maids.

One of my favorite shots is the processional…taken not from the expected “full frontal” but rather from the balcony. It captures “the moment” i.e. the turned guests’ faces, the flowers, the grandeur of the aisle, the splendor of the train. 

 Another one of my eye brow raisers is when a bride doesn’t want to spend money on flowers for the church with the excuse, “the church is pretty by itself.”  The counter- point to that is that flowers mark the specialness of the moment...in other words “a wedding is happening in this pretty church.” Look at this glorious hedge spilling down in the sanctuary.  I will be directing a fab, fab, fab wedding next summer in Manhattan and I already have this waterfall effect behind the altar in the design. (Who’s copying who?!)

And of course I’m a stickler for correct proportions…note how absolute perfectly this 13’ train fills the stairs. That is not coincidence.

 I think the flower girl dresses are a little too costume like and originally thought the colors were BRIGHT! But then I noticed that they were done in the colors of the nation’s flag…and then it all made sense. (pic of crowd.)

Another time the colors were used was in the ribbon that braided the trunks of the topiaries.  I just loved that and it’s such a transferable idea on a smaller scale

And in closing I mention that as much as I love the photojournalistic styles of good photographers, there is always a place for the classic, timeless wedding day portrait. This one has the train swirled correctly (unlike Kate Middleton’s) but the bride should have held her bouquet in her other hand. It would have made them seem more “coupled.”

If you’ve ever seen that reality show (I’m embarrassed to say I have had to watch it a couple of times) “Four Weddings,” they rate various elements of the weddings spotlighted. Well here’s my scores:

Gown: 10 (love the lace and the silhouette)

Hair: 5 (it almost seemed too tight)

Jewelry: 4 (too small for the scale of everything else)

Attendants’ dresses: 3 (the apricot was too pale when mixed with the orange and the styles too random)

Bridal bouquet: 8 (I really like all white for brides and was pleased that it was not the typical snow-cone style)

Overall impact: 9 (the cathedral was awe inspiring. Thank heaven we have Redemptorist!)

Enjoy. Enjoy!

MJN

Promise of Prom

I love it when we are given the chance to give back.

Recently, Nolte's Bridal donated evening gowns to The McKinney-Vento Program. It is a liaison with schools in KCK for students who are without permanent housing. These families are doubled-up with other families, reside in shelters, stay in motels or can be on the street.

Community contributions attempt to meet the needs of the students. Attending Prom is not a need but certainly a want.  We teamed up with our friends at Tip Top Tux and dressed some of these young people so they, too, could have this rite of passage experience.   What was a little thing for us, was a big deal for them. It was very appreciated.

Here are a few pictures and notes I received.  If you would like to become involved with McKinney-Vento Program too, give a call to Kerry Wrenick, Liaison: 913-279-2150. More information at www.kckps.org.  -Michael