HATTINI – a great gift or accessory for the uber-chic bride and bridal party

My friend Maddy just passed on one of her fashion secrets to me. Her friend Marga is the creator of Hattini, a company devoted to designing headpieces (similar to fascinators) for “well-furnished heads.” Marga custom makes each individual hat so there is love and attention in each unique piece.

I have just had a look at the designs and they are pretty spectacular and would make great gifts for your fashionable bridesmaids. Plus, they are pretty wedding-budget friendly.

Whether you like the blue butterfly, a flower made of netting, or an exotic white orchid, there are styles to suite all different tastes. If you are going for a vintage inspired wedding, why not pair a satin cocktail dress for your bridesmaids with one of these outstanding headpieces?

Or if you are going for a short dress yourself or a beach wedding, there are definitely a few choices that are bridal worthy and could be a cute alternative to a traditional veil…but then I would recommend giving the headpieces as a gift to your bridesmaids so that your style stands out.

For more information on Hattini and to see all of the designs go to:
http://www.hattini.com/menu.html

Check out Hattini on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/hattini?ref=search&sid=601310367.2256805821..1&v=wall

You can buy Hattini headpieces online at Etsy:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/hattinishop

You can also go to the following shops to check out the headpieces in person:

NEW YORK

The Hat Shop
120 Thomspon Street #A
New York, NY 10012-3722
(212) 219-1445

Kit 228
228 Elizabeth Street (between Houston St. & Prince St.)
New York, NY 10012
(212) 965-8110

SHANGHAI

Les Lucioles
Unit 112, Building No 1
No 10 Shajing Road (near Jiulong Road and Jiulong Hotel)
Shanghai 200080
China

The perfect setting for a beautiful beach wedding: EL DORADO ROYALE, RIVIERA MAYA, MEXICO

I just returned from a trip to Mexico (my lovely hubby surprised me for my 30th birthday) and just had to tell all of you about the hotel I stayed in because it would be the perfect place for a beautiful, fun and relaxing beach wedding.

Are you looking for a wedding with sun, sea and sand with not so much travel time? If you are based in or around New York then do take a look at the Riviera Maya. It is just a 4-hour direct flight from JFK to Cancun. There are also direct flights from Miami and other cities, so do check http://www.expedia.com/ to see if there is a direct flight from your city. After you arrive, you are only a 40-minute shuttle ride away from the luxurious El Dorado Royale, an all-inclusive, adults only hotel.

Envision yourself in your flowing white gown walking down an aisle of sand and flower petals to your groom surrounded by your close friends and family. Your nuptials could take place either outside or inside the pretty church, which is just across from the reception site that overlooks the crystal clear blue waters of the Caribbean Sea.

With a flower in your hair you can relax, treasure your naturally beautiful surroundings and dance the evening away with your loved ones all around.

The El Dorado has some incredible amenities. From the moment you walk into the resort, you are greeted with a smile, a cool and refreshing towel followed by a glass of chilled champagne. There are seven restaurants, thirteen bars (including a beach bar and numerous swim up pool bars), and a spa where they give delicious, not to be missed, deep tissue massages in huts on the beach (ask for your massage to be on the 2nd floor so you get the amazing view of the sea and don't forget to bring your camera!).

There are activities during the evening in the Gravitas bar followed by a DJ and dancing. I tend to be skeptical of all-inclusives but the activities weren’t too cheesy, just super fun, and the food was good (especially at Jo Jo’s, Kampai and D’Italia). Plus the DJ is open to requests so you can party all night to your favorite tunes!

If you want to keep active in the days leading up to your nuptials, head to the gym or the tennis courts. Or if you want a bit of adventure following your wedding day, rent the jet skis or try paragliding.

The crowds at the El Dorado are wedding-friendly, mostly couples and groups of friends/family in their late 20's, 30's and 40's.

Finally, last but certainly not least, the El Dorado has a very unique feature – the entire hotel is made of up canals so it is almost as if there is one big lazy river going throughout the resort premises. Pick up an inner tube at one of the gift shops and spend your days leading up to and following your wedding day in a tube swimming in the canals with a cocktail in your hand. I promise you that your stress will be relieved and fun will be had all around!

For more information on the El Dorado Royale in Riviera Maya, Mexico, go to:
http://www.eldoradosparesorts.com/hoteles/doradoroyale/index.php

Calling all wedding guests...RENT THE RUNWAY

This post is for all fashion-conscious women and girls who have upcoming weddings to attend but nothing to wear (not really nothing but nothing in our minds that we aren't bored with or is not exciting or fabulous enough for this specific event).

I would like to introduce you to Rent the Runway. It is a new service quite similar to Netflix that allows you to rent clothing straight from the runway and then mail it back after you wear it. It is an ingenious idea making runway fashion accessible to a much larger audience especially during this uniquely trying time where our purse strings are a bit tighter than usual.

The service is in high demand so if you are looking for the perfect runway gown to strut your stuff at your next party or wedding, then get your fingers typing in the following address and get yourself on the wait list!

http://renttherunway.com/

Check out today's article on Rent the Runway in the New York Times.


Happy shopping!

xoxo,
Amanda

ASK THE EXPERT: Fresh, flushed cheeks

Hi ladies,

With the cold wind blowing and winter coming, why not add some color to your cheeks for your big day?

For flushed, rosy cheeks try Tarte cheek stain in "Flush," a sheer berry color.

For a sheer, deep plum shade, use "Blushing Bride."

This product from Tarte is a water-based gel cheek stain, which will give you that natural flushed look. Just like you stepped in from the brisk cold. It is oil free, so it won't clog pores and does not contain parabens, sulfates or synthetic fragrances.

Here is a great process in which to apply the stain:

First, prep your skin with Precleanse by Dermalogica, following up with your favorite cleanser and moisturizer. Makeup wears better on clean, prepped skin.

Apply a sheer layer of foundation, and for a natural glowing look use either Armani luminous silk or Face and Body by Makeup Forever. This will even out your skin tone and help the blush stay in tact, since it has a product to adhere to.

Then apply a sheer layer of translucent power, like HD Powder by Makeup Forever, all over your face to set the foundation.

Finally, add Tarte cheek color with your finger and/or a foundation brush, applying until you the desired look.

Until next time,

Laura

Lion in the Sun: A treasure to behold

Beautiful invitations, wonderful personalized service and environmentally friendly – what more could you want from a stationer?

A Lion in the Sun is based in Park Slope, Brooklyn – the same neighborhood as Stellina Events – and is only two stops off the train from downtown Manhattan. Owners Melinda and David Morris consider A Lion in the Sun to be a family business.

Melinda manages the store and has a passion and pride for creating important keepsakes for the memorable occasions of life, as well as imparting importance and elegance to everyday occasions. She is grateful every day to be able to help her clients navigate the events that might seem overwhelming at the time, but that will undoubtedly become part of their most cherished memories.

At Lion in the Sun, Melinda and her team of experts design invitations based on your style and desires whether you are looking for a simple, classic invitation or a Save the Date with an illustration of the Brooklyn Bridge. They listen to your ideas and provide you with a range of options as to how they could be implemented. They will find ways to work within your budget, no matter how large or small. There are a wealth of options available and with their knowledge and expertise you will be steered in the right direction to make the invitation of your dreams a reality.

While the store reflects a deep appreciation for fine paper products, Lion in the Sun is also respectful of their place on the planet and actively seeks out quality recycled paper goods and companies that participate in programs to keep our planet green.

With an inviting storefront and a warm reception, it is always a pleasure to walk into Lion in the Sun. If you are looking for gorgeous designs and friendly & talented stationery experts then look no further.

For more information, please go to:
http://lioninthesunps.com/

Lion in the Sun is located at:

232 7th Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11215

Phone (718) 369-4006
Fax (718) 369-9438

mailto:shop@lioninthesunps.com

Store Hours:
Monday – Friday 11AM – 7PM
Saturday – Sunday 11AM – 6PM

Directions:

From NYC – Take the F train to the 7th Avenue stop in Park Slope. Walk north on 7th.

Other nearby subways:The M or R trains to 9th St and 4th AvenueThe 2 or 3 trains to Grand Army PlazaThe B or Q trains to 7th Avenue

Or visit their sister store on Long Island:
Lion in the Sun of Huntington
314 Main Street
Huntington, NY 11743

Phone (631) 423-5757
Fax (631) 423-5324

A special note from Amanda

Dear all brides- and grooms-to-be, maids of honor, bridesmaids, MOBs, MOGs, and all other followers of my Stellina Events blog,

I just wanted to write all of you a little note apologizing for the delay of my blog postings. As you may already know, Stellina Events just opened in New York and with my new location also came a transatlantic move for me from London to New York after seven years of living in Europe. I am back at home in NY now (Park Slope, Brooklyn to be exact) and ready to get back to writing giving you your weekly bit of inspiration for all of your wedding planning needs.

Have a great weekend and stay tuned for my next post on a local Park Slope invitation company called Lion in the Sun that creates beautiful, unique stationery for all of your wedding and party needs!

xoxo,

Amanda

ELEGANT BRIDE Fall 2009 - A feature on my wedding in Italy

Pick up the latest copy of Elegant Bride magazine (one of my favorite wedding publications) and check out page 28. There is an article on my bridal look from my wedding on July 3, 2008 at Castello di Modanella in southern Tuscany.

To discover your own bridal look to suit your personality and style, have a look at my previous blog article: How Your Street Style can inspire your Wedding Style.

Happy reading!