What a winter we’ve had in Atlanta! This is my third winter here and I can say it has been unseasonably cold here and my thoughts are often turned to the temperate days I usually enjoy in the spring while trying to look like I can plant a few flowers. Dare I say I’m welcoming the arrival of spring? While trying to get my mind in spring mode, I’ve been searching for amazing and beautiful spring wedding accents and came across this scrumptious SmittenXOXO studio that produced all the gorgeous hair pieces in this post.
So, I’m completely smitten by this SmittenXOXO for being so incredibly creative, exotic and unique. According to the studio, all Smitten products are made with utmost care, and highest quality materials. Everything is hand-made with the highest degree of craftsmanship. And I’m all for that. Below are my favorite items from the site but I had to start by posting my very first favorite piece which is this stunning oversized flower named Dos Gardenias Para Ti. Isn’t it lovely? I’m thinking this piece would be perfect for an outdoor garden wedding or any other ceremony for that matter; if you don’t plan on wearing a veil. And yes, you certainly can wear this if you’ve a guest who just wants to make your statement!
My second favorite this very daring and bold piece name The Murderess! Yeah, I know; I smiled when I saw the name and I must confess that I think I like it even more because of its name. But look at it. I’m in love with the bold, dark velvet red eggplant color and the pale red feathers are simply striking.
As a bride, do you think you can pull your look by wearing The Murderess? I think you can! Let me know your thoughts on this post.
Smitten by SmittenXOXO,
Violaine Diogene
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So you’ve never heard of Mauritius? Don’t feel bad as I didn’t even know this amazing place was even on the map! One of my brides owns a travel agency and she’s looking into a very unique honeymoon destination and you guessed it; she landed on Mauritius! Once she sent me the link and I began my research and am I impress of what! Oh, Mauritius was recently named one the 10 Extraordinary Islands on the planet by Yahoo.
Mauritius is isolated in the Indian Ocean, 1,243 miles east of mainland Africa, Mauritius may be tiny, but there’s never a shortage of things to do. With a coastline ringed by coral reefs, and calm, clear, shallow lagoon waters, the island is ideal for all sorts of water sports; the unspoiled interior offers sights of spectacular natural beauty as well. Tourism on Mauritius is a relatively new phenomenon, however, and so far it’s definitely geared toward the higher-end traveler. Mauritius today is an amalgam of Creole, Indian, Chinese, and French peoples (there was never an indigenous population), with Creole and French the dominant flavors. Its most famous resident, however, may have been the flightless dodo bird, a rare species discovered here by the first Dutch visitors and soon driven to extinction by the settlers’ wild pigs and macaques.
The temperature on the coastal areas varies between 22°C in winter and 34°C in summer. The sea temperature varies between 22°C and 27°C. In the central part of the island, the maximum daytime temperature varies from about 19°C in August to about 26°C in February. The western and northern regions are warmer and relatively drier than the East and the South.
Visa & entry
A visitor must be in possession of a valid passport and a return or onward ticket. A visitor’s visa is normally granted for a period of two weeks to one month upon arrival, to almost all holders of a valid passport, with one or two exceptions. Visitors are strongly recommended to contact the Passport and Immigration Office in Mauritius or the nearest Mauritian Embassy or Consulate. The visa can be extended upon request at the Passport and Immigration Office, Sterling House, 11-19 Lislet Geoffroy Street, Port-Louis, Tel : (230) 210-9312 to 210-9317 Fax (230)210-9322.
Ok, now you have the major requirements of getting into the Island. Where do you stay? Well, you know that’s the best part. Le Telfair Golf & Spa is one of the many places to stay but I’m going to make it THE place to stay and the pictures will tell you why.
Can you picture yourself enjoying this amazing property in such plush, sensual setting? I can! I see myself just spending the day under one of the lovely umbrellas with a Pina Colada (extra rum please) with my favorite book. Well, you know the rules on this blog; let me know your thoughts. How do you see yourself enjoying this property?
Spirit’s in Le Telfair Golf & Spa,
Violaine Diogene
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Out of all the amazing and brilliant designers that we’re fortunate to be a witness to their work, does any of them whisper your name? When a designer whispers your name, he’s calling you to wear his designs; Regardless if you can actually afford that particular designer at the very moment, eventually you will give in to that whisper and you’ll start wearing their designs.
Valentino has been whispering my name for a while now and I’m about to answer his call with the very first pair of shoes below. Yes, I know, I LOVE that amazing pair of shoes and it screams Violaine all over! But besides the amazing shoes, Valentino is a designer whom provides ample inspiration for the lady seeking a one-of-a-kind gown, and this particular Valentino collection simply took my breath away! This collection delivers exquisite and timeless couture gowns.
Which of these designs whispers your name? Which designer whispers your name? I know some of the suits below are white and I would love to hear your thoughs on where you would wear the white suit to! I would love to hear your thoughts…..
Inspired by Valentino,
Violaine Diogene
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Dear wedding guests attendees, whether you’re attending your girlfriend from high school’s wedding, whether you’ve ever met the bride, whether you’re a friend of a friend who’s standing in at the last minute. Whether you’re accompanying your significant other to his or her best friend’s wedding, whether you’re a friend of the mother, brother, sister, father, a mere distance cousin, it’s NEVER and I repeat, it’s NEVER ok to attend one’s wedding in a pair of jeans (expensive or not) with a nice shirt tucked in! And please understand that I’m saying this with love.
I can appreciate that it’s intimidating to wear a full gown to a wedding but I promise you, the bride and her family will appreciate the time you took to dress accordingly to their wedding.
Below are just a few samples of my favorite gowns but the very first gown by the one, the only, Oscar De La Renta! Yes, I know it’s a full ballroom gown but at times when you know you’re attending a formal seated dinner, trust me you can pull this look together and make your own statement without taking anything away from the bride. For more information on each of the gowns, simply move your mouse to each gown and the name of the designer will be revealed. What do you think of the gowns below? Have you ever had a guest attend your wedding and you did not appreciate what they wore? I would love to hear your thoughts on this post.
Always with you in mind,
Violaine Diogene
Grace Ormonde, the wedding bible featured this story and I just had to share……
“There was never enough time in the day for me to spend with her: 24 hours wasn’t enough.”
When Earl Watson led Jennifer Freeman to a candlelit lily pond and asked her to close her eyes, he expected his proposal to elicit “a hug and kiss—not a punch.” Startled to see the NBA point guard on bended knee, the television and film actress jabbed him playfully and demanded: “This had better be for real.” After all, she’d arrived at Virginia Robinson Gardens to represent Earl at a Christmas Eve charity event—or so she thought. Earl’s scheme nearly fell through though when his flight was canceled. As they danced to her favorite song, “At Last” by Etta James, “It was surreal,” admits Jennifer, who didn’t expect her beau to make it, much less a ring.
After meeting a few months earlier at a summer barbecue, their paths crossed repeatedly, and they often found themselves lost in conversation. “Destiny had a way of putting us in front of each other,” Earl believes. “There was never enough time in the day for me to spend with her: Twenty-four hours wasn’t enough.”
Earl’s godfather, television producer Ed. Weinberger, insisted they wed at his Bel Air estate. “We couldn’t have picked a better place,” says Jennifer. As she prepared for the ceremony, flowers arrived with a two-word note: At Last. “I didn’t want to start crying, but I couldn’t help it,” Jennifer recalls. Earl’s second note, with a diamond heart necklace, made her laugh: “It’s too late to run.”
Walking down the aisle with her mother, “I was so excited that I wanted to burst,” Jennifer remembers. Earl “looked at me like there was no one else there, and I was the most beautiful woman in the world. I wanted to cherish that moment forever.”
Although Earl was determined, “there’s no way I’m going to cry,” he was soon caught off guard. “The agreement was: We would say traditional vows, then we wanted to say something to each other from the heart.” Instead, “Jennifer pulled out vows that had been written down and looked like they’d been proofread and rewritten three times. “She said the most amazing words. It came from the deepest spot in her heart. I couldn’t compete,” laments Earl, who sparked laughter when he blurted: “You made me cry.”
“He’s always been able to express himself,” says Jennifer. “I wanted to write something and tell him exactly how I felt. I wanted it on tape, so he could replay it.”
More than two-hundred guests joined the newlyweds at the Montage Beverly Hills for dinner and dancing. “Everyone was genuinely happy for us, which created so much positive energy,” Earl says. “We were the last ones there,” says Jennifer, and as they swayed to “At Last” and “Unforgettable,” she thought, “I couldn’t have dreamed of a better wedding.”
The couple hosted a post-wedding barbecue before their week-long Turks and Caicos honeymoon. Although their careers sometimes require time apart, “We’re constantly in touch, talking on the phone, texting,” says Jennifer. “He knows everything about me, good and bad.” “There’s nothing that Jennifer could ever do or say that would stop me from being in love with her,” Earl assures. “It’s unconditional love—forever.”
Article by Kim Knox Beckius
Reception and Caterer: Montage Beverly Hills, CA; Cake: Nancy Kay’s Confections Los Angeles, CA; Event Planner: Kimberly Bradford Event Planning and Design Costa Mesa, CA; Florist: Nisie’s Enchanted Florist Los Alamitos, CA; Groom’s Attire: élevée Van Nuys, CA; Wedding Gown: Kenneth Pool; Photography: TripleCord Photography Ladera Ranch, CA
Inspired by Jennifer and Earl,
Violaine Diogene
A few weeks ago we started The Art of the Knot series for our grooms and so far we’ve discussed the Full Windsor Knot as well The Half Windsor Knot. This week, we’re discussing Pratt Knot also known as the Shelby Knot.
The Pratt knot is a symmetric tie knot with an average size. It is larger than the four-in-hand knot and smaller than the half-Windsor knot. It does not look too wide or too narrow. The Pratt knot looks neat and is suitable for most shirts and occasions. The drawback is that the back of the narrow end of the necktie faces up, which does not look good if it is not well hidden behind the wide end.
Although Jerry Pratt invented this tie knot, it is sometimes called the Shelby knot, since Don Shelby wore it on television and some people mistakenly thought he was the inventor.
I hope you find this useful.
Violaine Diogene
Instructions for Tying a Pratt Knot (Shelby Knot)
The instructions for tying a Pratt knot (Shelby knot) are shown below. We assume that you are right-handed in the following instructions. The figures below are mirror images. They are what you will see if you stand in front of a mirror.
1. At the beginning, the wide end of the tie should be on your right side and the other end should be on your left side. Note that the tie should begin inside out.
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2. Cross the narrow end over the other end. Now three regions are formed (Left, Right and Center).
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3. Bring the wide end up to Center.
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4. Bring the wide end down to Left.
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5. Bring the wide end over the knot to Right.
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6. Bring the wide end under the narrow part from Right to Center.
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7. Bring the wide end down and pass the loop in front. Ensure that the knot is tightened.
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8. Use one hand to pull the narrow end down gently and use the other hand to move the knot up until it reaches the center of the collar.
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Usually I blog about what’s luxurious in weddings but today I have to put that aside for a moment to write about the devastated earthquake in my home country of Haiti. If you know me on a personal level, you know that I am a VERY PROUD HAITIAN! For those of of you whom don’t know me on that level, I was born in Jeremie Haiti which is a very small Provence outside Port-Au-Prince in Haiti. I was just about 8 years old when I left Haiti and moved to Brooklyn New York and I now reside in Atlanta. On Tuesday, January 12th at 5:00pm, a neighbor of mine called me to ask if I was OK because he saw that Haiti was hit my a major earthquake. I rushed home and CNN was all over it. I broke down when I noticed all the buildings were crumbled on top of another and my people were in peril. For two days, we could not communicate with any of our family members in Haiti and that was the most difficult days of our lives not knowing if one of those dead bodies we saw on TV belonged to us.
Over the past few days, I’ve heard several disturbing comments being made about these amazing people. If you don’t know a Haitian on a personal level, I would strongly suggest that you take a moment to get to know one. If you know anyone that are friends with Haitians, ask them about these Haitians. You’ll learn that Haitians are not by any means lazy. To the contrary, Haitians are extremely hard working people. Haitians will easily work 3-4 jobs, 7 days a week and most of that paycheck will not sit in a nice bank account collecting interest and instead, they will send the money to their loved ones back home to take care of the ones they left behind.
Haitians are strong and are descended from an outstanding pedigree. Haitians are very proud people. We take pride in the way we look, in the way we present ourselves to the world. In the news, you will see that a lot of them live in the poorest conditions under tiny little shacks. I promise you, those tiny little shacks are cared for as though they were million dollar homes while inspiring to move up to a better situation. Haitians are loyal people and we love having people around us. We’ll bend over backwards to help a friend in need and will move heaven and earth for our loved ones. We are every religious people with good hearts. Just like any other country we have our bad sides as well but digging those bad things up in a time when they’re down on their knees, questioning why these things happen, when they’re surrounded by dead bodies is not warranted.
Yes, this is a third world country with some of the worst living conditions but Haiti is not by any means only what you see in TV. Yes, a lot of the people cannot read but we have Haitians that are Lawyers, Doctors, Engineers, Chefs, Teachers, Coaches, Mayors, Activists and more. Haitians go on vacations to other countries, we believe strongly in education and we begin teaching our children and putting in their minds that not going to college is not an option for them. On TV you only get to see the poorest of the poor but they are Haitians whom resides in million dollar homes. Homes that we, here in America would be proud to call home. Homes that when I have a chance to go back to visit I find it hard to leave behind.
I beg of you, I plead with you, if you’re able to donate more; please do so. If you have clothing, shoes, blankets, water, medicine, non-perishable food items please feel donate them and a very deserving, needy person in this amazing country will bless your name and so many more blessing will come from the highest of highest power of all; Our amazing heavenly father. Please visit these agencies to donate or feel free to call me on my cell phone if you’re local in Atlanta and I’ll pick up some of the items mentioned above and deliver them to Hosea Feed The Hungry. You can also Pray, have hope and send positive energy to them. You can also make a monetary donation, to a 501 c(3) such as Red Cross or Yele Haiti via your cell phone by to text. Red Cross: Text “HAITI” to 90999 to donate $10 to relief efforts in Haiti. Yele Haiti: Text “Yele” to 510 510 and donate $5 toward earthquake relief.
I am so eternally grateful to Anderson Cooper and to CNN whom arrived within 24 hours and have given 24 hours, over the clock coverage to this tiny, Third World Country. I’m so thankful to our President Obama for not listening to the politics behind the scene and taking action to help Haiti. I’m also so grateful for all the countries that are pouring in and sending money to this country as we, whom are trying to send money to our loved ones are unable to because they have no way of getting it. I’m so thankful for all the unthinkable supports I’ve received from my peers, and friends in Atlanta for standing behind me and for donating to the Red Cross Haiti Fund.
Below is a picture that had so much meaning in my life as my father was very deep in the government and my little brother and I often visited this magical place, celebrated Christmas and had dinner at this amazing place. This place the was The Palace, otherwise known as the White House. To see the before and after picture is remarkably difficult for me because my father passed in 2001 and whenever I use to see The Palace, it always brought me amazing memories of time spent with my father. Now, The Palace is gone and that truly, truly breaks my heart.
I thank you for allowing me to post my thoughts and know that I’m grateful for you and for taking the time to read this.
Many blessings,
Violaine Diogene
A few weeks ago we discussed the Full Windsor Knot as part of our series The Art of the Knot. This week, we’re still discussing the Windsor Knot but instead of a Full Windsor Knot, this is the Half Windsor Knot! Yes, there is a difference between the two of them.
The Half Windsor Knot, is a modest version of the Windsor Knot. It’s a symmetrical and triangular tie knot that you can use with any dress shirt. It works best with somewhat wider neckties made from light to medium fabrics. You can use this particular knot for a formal rehearsal dinner if you were to wear a tie.
The instructions for tying a half-Windsor knot (way 1) are shown below courtesy of Totieatie.com. We assume that you are right-handed in the following instructions. The figures below are mirror images. They are what you will see if you stand in front of a mirror. If you would like to see a video instruction instead, please click here.
I hope these series are helping you and if they’re not you know you can just send me an email letting me know your thoughts.
With you in mind,
Violaine Diogene
1. At the beginning, the wide end of the tie should be on your right side and the other end should be on your left side.
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2. Cross the wide end over the other end. Now three regions are formed (Left, Right and Center).
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3. Bring the wide end underneath the narrow end from Left to Right.
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4. Bring the wide end over to the Center region.
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5. Bring the wide end under the knot to the Left region.
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6. Bring the wide end out of the shirt from Left to Right.
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7. Bring the wide end under the knot to the Center region.
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8. Bring the wide end down and pass the loop in front. Ensure that the knot is tightened.
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9. Use one hand to pull the narrow end down gently and use the other hand to move the knot up until it reaches the center of the collar.
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Wow, what a year! Every New Years Eve I like to grab a seat in my favorite chair and reflect on all that’s happened in the year and New Years Even in 2009 was no different. What an amazing year 2009 was. What a wonderful and joyful year 2009 was for us at André Winfrye Events! So many wonderful weddings. A few amazing mitzvahs, birthday parties and with all our weddings, 4 of our brides informed us that they’ve already started their families. So many lives touched and we couldn’t be happier.
Hopefully you all know what our mission was and continues to be when we started this blog just a few short months ago and with all the phone calls and email we’ve received on just about every posting, it appears as though you are satisfied with our postings. In 2009 we discussed everything from how to choose a diamond, borrowing a diamond, incredible gown designers, to yummy gorgeousness, grooms’ club, fanciful honeymoon hideaways and one of most beloved post; our Perfume Etiquette series.
In 2010, we strive to continue our pattern of posts. We’re looking forward to writing about the issues that matters to our clientele. We attend wedding expos both locally and nationally to bring you the latest trends and still remind you how to create your own trends. We will research venues, both nationally and internationally to show you all this beautiful earth has to offer. We will continue to bring you the lasts fashions and certainly we will continue to challenge you to think outside the box when it comes to planning your event.
In closing, please know and trust that I am grateful that you’ve chosen to read our blog. We’re grateful and thankful that you’ve chosen our company to plan your event. We’re mindful of all the other blogs out there and all the other event planning companies to choose from.
With that said, is there any particular subject you would like us to cover? Did we miss something that’s important to you? What should we write more or less about? What are your plans in 2010? If you read our blog on a regular basis, you must know just how much we value your opinions. We would like to wish you all a very Happy New Year, a very resourceful 2010 and many blessings to all of you.
Best wishes for 2010,
André Winfrye
And
Violaine Diogene
By now, I trust that you know my healthy love affair with shoes. Certainly one of my favorite things to write about is shoes. One of my favorite and dearest brides is taking a daring and fun approached to her wedding ensembles by wearing a pair of bold colored shoes (Brian Atwood Orange ribbons) with her bright white Vera Wang dress. And you guessed it; she prompted me to write about shoes.
I love the idea of wearing a pair of diva shoes in place of the traditional white shoes. No, there is absolutely nothing wrong with wearing white shoes if that’s what your darling little hears desire, but just think about the amazing contrast of pairing your amazing designer gown with a stunning pair of diva shoes.
Because of my love of shoes and because these shoes lack nothing at all, I’ve included just a few of my favorite pairs. I simple need to hit to lottery to afford each and every single pair in my collection below. To view each shoe’s designer, simply click on the shoe and a window will open with designer’s name.
What do you think? What color shoes are you wearing for your big day? Seriously, nothing pleases me more than to hear your thoughts on my posts.
In shoe bliss,
Violaine Diogene
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