Grand Rapids may not be the biggest city, and it definitely isn’t the most stylish city, but that doesn’t mean we don’t keep up with the latest wedding trends. Below are the top wedding dress trends of 2016.
Flower Appliques: Angel Sanchez, Rivini, Christos
Feathers: Lela Rose, Monique Lhuillier, Kelly Faetanini
Illusion Bodice: Ines Di Santo, Monique Lhuillier, Pronovias
Keyhole + Plunging Necklines: Rivini, J. Mendel, Angel sanchez
Layer Love + Tiers: Alvina Valenta, Antonia Riva, Temperley london
May 3, 2015
Enchanted Animals Amidst a Whimsical Garden
The moment I saw the Enchanted Manor with all the animal statues, I knew I had to play up that “enchanted animal garden” motif. With my mind dreaming of antlers, feathers and animals (oh my!), my fingers were busy emailing vendors and covered in goopy papier mâché. With my eyes constantly scanning the sky (Michigan weather is totally unpredictable) and my car making multiple trips to the lakeshore every week, I managed to find sleep in-between all the busy. I am so thankful to my amazing vendors and friends for helping me design and execute this wonderful style shoot.
Stay tuned, because this style shoot will be featured on Artfully Wed on November 6!
A few weeks ago I went to tour the lovely The Wizard of Oz Manor. I was informed by Kim, the event director, that it is believed that the Wizard of Oz was conceived and written here. The manor is located right on Lake Macatawa, with a view just as stunning as the actual home. Inside, it’s like you stepped back in time to old world New England. No really, it is.
In April, I get to direct and design a style shoot here and I am so excited to see everything come together within the space. I am working with some amazing people to create a masculine, New England style shoot with a hint of nautical glamour. Add in one awesome custom designed invitation suite, an amazing seafood menu, sweet treats, gorgeous linens, vintage china, a cigar bar (yes, I said cigar bar), and a lot more pretty details… April can’t get here fast enough.
Photos courtesy of Royal Manors and Andrew Ingram
https://jsevents.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/logo-pink-1030x925.png00Jessica Swagmanhttps://jsevents.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/logo-pink-1030x925.pngJessica Swagman2015-03-24 21:22:512015-03-24 22:06:26The Wizard of Oz Manor
In a world built upon numbers, I have been finding it rather hard to not let numbers define me. But here comes the truth, it bothers me more than I let on. Maybe I’m the only one out there that is having a hard time with this; letting a simple number define me. But, I think if we are all honest with ourselves, we let numbers define us in some way.
From the moment we are born, numbers are used to measure us. 8lbs, 3oz, 16in long. 14 hours in labor. Only 4 hours of sleep last night.
Then comes elementary school. Four golden stars on our report card for Excellent. 1 golden star for Needs Work, or in some cases Poor.
Whether our high school years are a success or not are based on a 4.0 scale, on our ACT and SAT scores, how many friends we have, how many goals we scored or saved.College and grad school are just the same. Acceptance letters, grades, and job offers.
Then, as we grow up and enter the work force, we start to secretly compare our starting salaries with others. We start to measure our self worth based on how many square feet our house is, how expensive our car is, how much money we have saved up. How many customers we have. How many likes we got on that last post.
How many likes we got… While I’d like to think that I don’t let most of those above examples dictate how I feel, I will be the first to say that I rely a little too much on those pesky social media numbers to influence my mood. This past week I watched a video. You have probably all seen it, but for me, it resonates way to close to my heart.
“Self respect, self worth, self love all start with self. Stop looking outside of yourself for your value.” Rob Liano
I seem to be comparing my numbers with other people’s numbers far more often than I would like. And, for the record, I come in way under. I am one of those people who constantly checks my Instagram account after I post a picture. After I post a blog post, I will sit there hitting refresh every so often to see how many of you lovely readers actually read it. Pathetic. I know.
The past few weeks I have been trying to stay off of social media. Why? Partly because this week has been hectic juggling my two companies and getting ready to launch my Spring 2015 Collection. But also because I want to get to the point where I can look at social media as fun again and not as a burden or a measure of my value. It’s a work in progress. But most things in life are. And, hopefully soon I’ll be able to stop comparing {my numbers} and just be content.
https://jsevents.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/logo-pink-1030x925.png00Jessica Swagmanhttps://jsevents.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/logo-pink-1030x925.pngJessica Swagman2015-03-14 15:53:512015-03-14 15:53:51It’s A Numbers Game
It can be said that I take things to the extreme. Like, when throwing my best friend a baby shower. Or, when ordering so many olive branches that it literally looks like a vineyard in my basement. That’s my nature, to take things and make them awesome on a grand scale. So, when shooting a lifestyle campaign that revolves around a bonfire party, what do I do? I take it to a whole new level. I really do think I am incapable of the less is more approach. I love the small details that add to the overall look and feel of an event, and it’s only when I have run out of ideas that I’ll stop (so, basically, never). Luckily, my fondness for the grandiose makes for some pretty cool lifestyle pictures and a lot of fun with some pretty fantastic friends. Mission accomplished.
