mini Moko

Wedding invitations are essential to a wedding, and we came across ‘mini Moko’ and fell in love with their designs and stationery.

Mini Moko designs wedding, baby and event stationery that can be personalised to your individual requirements, with lots of colours to choose from to suit the colours of your event. They also offer a completely custom service if you have a special design in mind to suit your theme.

(Of course, with their extensive collection, it is a perfect option for your engagement as well).

We at Karen Willis Holmes especially love their ‘Cherry Blossom’ design (one of Karen’s personal favourites)!

They have just designed some new stationery and we LOVE the ‘Candy Stripe’ in’ Mellow Yellow’. It just screams of the beautiful sunshine filled days we are going to have all summer long. The different variations on each card is simply stunning and carries the theme throughout perfectly.

The mini Moko blog is full of gorgeous stationery ideas, fab finds and different industry recommendations. We are sure you will find something you love and spend lots of time on it (like we did!)

Liz and Shaun...

Friday the 2^nd of July marked the day that Liz Chang would become Liz Yow, and Shaun would make Liz his wife. 

The beautiful setting for the wedding was The Tearoom at Gunners Barracks for the reception, with the ceremony taking place in the courtyard. Liz said it was the view that absolutely sold them on the venue, along with the recommendation from Karen, who had attended a function at the venue before.

Karen and Geoff arrive for the wedding

When Liz’s Dad walked her down the aisle, he felt the emotions of the situation and began to cry, which in turn set Liz off, and a number of other people. Fortunately the celebrant, Christine, was prepared with tissues for a quick fix of make up and to clean up the wet cheeks.

Working for Karen and seeing the exceptional gowns and craftsmanship involved in each of her designs was reason enough for Liz to decide to wear a Karen Willis Holmes gown on her wedding day.

After trying on a selection of the ready-to-wear collection, Liz ruled it down to two gowns, and engaged in the opinion of her mother, sister and two best friends, along with Karen to confirm that ‘the one’ was the ‘Gemma’. Karen then customized it to a couture gown especially for Liz, incorporating some delicate lace along the bust-line and throughout the bodice, adding pretty cap sleeves, and taking into account her petite frame.

The magical feeling of wearing a wedding dress was not lost on Liz, even though she is exposed to these gowns every day. ‘It made me feel sophisticated and graceful’. Not only did Liz feel beautiful but she also looked amazing and felt comfortable all day!

Liz’s veil was a Karen Willis Holmes glimmer tulle veil, with a pearl and diamante comb in her hair to attach the veil.

While Liz only wore drop, pearl earrings on the day, her mother-in-law gave her a beautiful diamond necklace as a gift during the reception, which she proceeded to wear for the remainder of the night.

Shaun wore a suit, belt and tie all from Prada, His shirt was from Valentino, as the Prada shirt did not fit him as well – otherwise he would have been in Prada from head-to-toe!

Liz and Shaun’s bridal party consisted of four bridesmaids and four groomsmen. All friends with one another (even another engaged couple in there), ensured that the group had a fabulous time together enjoying all the festivities of the day and the lead up to it all.

Liz made use of a print she had designed herself for her own collection for her fashion label. Using this print as the basis for her day, the result was purple as the main colour theme, along with ivory and a beautiful warm red.

Each bridesmaids was allowed to choose their own dress, just so long as it was purple, creating beautiful contrast that carried beautifully, especially with the purple palette used in the flowers. Liz also had purple silk flowers made, based on her print, for each of the bridesmaids to wear in their hair.

The groomsmen also wore black suits with white shirts, and beautiful purple ties from Armani that Shaun gave to them as thank-you presents.

Shaun’s mum also chose purple attire for the colour theme of the wedding, which Liz said “was very thoughtful and so lovely”.

Another special outfit for the day was that of Liz’s mum, who wore a beautiful Korean costume, which is tradition for the mother of the bride to wear in Korean culture. Not to be outdone, Liz’s dad matched his suit with a fantastic black hat and Christian Lacroix tie which Liz chose for him.

Something extra special about Shaun and Liz’s wedding was that they chose to incorporate their heritage, by including a traditional Korean ceremony and Malaysian tea ceremony before the reception. This involved them dressing in traditional Korean costumes, which are stunningly beautiful with their amazing shapes and colour.

Liz said that the guests loved being able to see the ceremony and experience firsthand the contrast in the ceremonies.

Liz said, “My favourite part of it was when our parents threw dates and chestnuts at us (that represent sons and daughters) and we were supposed to catch some with part of my costume. Shaun, not realising what they meant, thought he was meant to catch all of them! Based on that we are supposed to have something like 14 children!”

Liz made use of her artistic skills and designed all the stationary for the event – invitations, table charts and menus based on the print from her own designs. As Liz said ‘I spent lots of time on Photoshop!’, but in the end it was worth it, as it offered a beautiful personal touch.

Keeping with the personalised elements, the MC for the event was Shaun’s ex-flatmate, who he had lived with in various apartments over the past four years. Thrilled with the intimacy of his close friendship with the couple, Liz said ‘he was fantastic, he had everyone laughing’.

The florist employed for the event was Ria floral. Liz simply couldn’t pass up on the opportunity to have Ria do the flowers, as the Karen Willis Holmes store in Paddington is lucky enough to have their floral arrangements completed by Ria each week and they are nothing short of amazing each time. Liz simply gave Ria the print she had used as the inspiration and let Ria take charge, and without a shadow of doubt Liz knew her flowers would be perfect on the day – which they were. 

The music for the day involved a brass quartet made up of some of Shaun’s brass band members during the ceremony. Then for the reception they had an iPod with a list of suggestions for songs that the guests requested. This ensured the dance floor remained full all night.

One very special dance was the first dance between the couple as husband and wife. Liz and Shaun had three or four lessons, even though Shaun was in Melbourne for work in the leadup to the wedding. They kept it simple and traditional and in Liz’s words, chose a ‘lovey dovey’ song in the form of ‘Feels like Home’ by Chantal Kreviazuk.

The team at Gingerbread Folk made the bonbonnieres in the form of little gingerbread boys and girls, which doubled as the place card settings, each with the guest’s name on it. 

Instead of going for a traditional, white-iced cake, the couple decided to have a completely chocolate cake – inside and out – as chocolate is Shaun’s favourite, plus it looked so delicious that they couldn’t possibly pass up on the chocolate mud cake with chocolate icing.

The cake tied in all the elements of the other suppliers, with Ria decorating the base of the cake with matching florals to the bouquets and then Gingerbread folk making the cake toppers of gingerbread with Liz and Shaun’s names on them.

The photographer selected by Liz and Shaun was Raoul Tackelburg, whose studio is in the Flourmill Studios, which is where Karen’s couture studio is and where Liz is based. Liz said, ‘He is such a lovely guy, and I loved the natural candid style of his photography.’ The other thing that helped the couple to decide on Raoul was that he had worked at weddings with the traditional Korean ceremony before. ‘ We knew he would be able to take good photos for that too. On the day, he captured some great moments, and because I knew him, we felt more comfortable as well.’

We are thrilled for Liz and Shaun and Liz will be deeply missed when she leaves to join Shaun in the UK, but we sincerely wish the couple a very happy, long and prosperous life together.

Liz and Shaun…

Today we have an extra special ‘Real Wedding’, another Karen Willis Holmes employee, Liz – who is Karen’s PA, married her sweetheart Shaun in July and is kindly sharing the story of their wedding with us, including their engagement party, the final fitting for Liz’s dress, and then the big day.

After Liz and Shaun met in high school and both took part in some innocent flirting, they parted ways without even so much as a date. However, after bumping into each other on the train a few years later, they started dating shortly after until Liz jetted off to France on exchange. While this would spell doom and gloom for most blossoming romances, Liz and Shaun powered through maintaining a long distance relationship, which was then the foundation of their five and a half years together.

With Shaun moving to the UK to study a PhD there were suspicions amongst friends, family, and the KWH team, that a proposal was looming. However when Shaun took Liz away to the Blue Mountains for a weekend, where even she was expecting a proposal, it wasn’t until they had returned home and Liz’s guard was down that he finally popped the question.

The Engagement Party

Keeping the whole experience intimate, Liz and Shaun had their engagement party on the 15^th of May, 2010, at Chocolate kkomz restaurant in Eastwood, which is owned and operated by Liz’s parents.

With a number of friends and family coming from wide and far, the couple and their guests got to enjoy the delicious efforts of Liz’s parents with their huge feast, which was served buffet style and consisted of grilled oysters topped with cheese, king prawns, and also lots of  traditional Korean dishes.

Raoul, the couple’s photographer, was present at the event and was snapping away catching all the happiness of the event. One of Liz’s favourite shots was where Raoul snuck into the kitchen to capture all the action of Liz’s parents working away busily, and he took a photo of Liz’s mother mid sentence telling him to stop taking pictures of her. (Although she was saying it in Korean, so there was a good chance he didn’t know what was being said at all!)

At the end of the evening, Liz and Shaun dragged her parents out of the kitchen to thank them for all their hard work and effort presenting them with gifts as a token of their appreciation.

The Final Fitting…

We know that this is one of the most exciting times for a bride, when they are seeing the finishing touches being put to their gown and it all becomes a reality, instead of just a dream.

Liz had her final fitting at the Karen Willis Holmes couture studio with Karen and then her own little judging panel, which consisted of her Mum and sister, and two of her bridesmaids.

We love how Raoul has captured the happy moment and the excitement in these photos.

Keep an eye out for tomorrow’s post of Liz’s wedding day!

  

Body shapes – how to choose the best gown for you.

Today’s post – Petite

We wrap up our body shapes feature with the “Petite” body shape…

Women with a “Petite” shape body are exactly as the title says – petite! Shorter in stature, with a smaller frame, “Petite” shapes are generally slim with slight curves.

“Petite” body shapes should focus on gowns that elongate their legs and don’t swamp their tiny frame.

Our favourite “Petite” celebrities are the glamorous Eva Longoria, the radiant Natalie Portman and the dazzling Reese Witherspoon.

These “Petite” shaped celebrities have chosen gowns that flatter their bodies perfectly. Eva Longoria with her beautiful olive toned skin, has chosen a peach-hued, floaty gown, which is fitted in the bodice with a high waist to create a longer look through the leg. Lovely Natalie Portman opts for a fantastic hot pink number, with a draped fitted gown, in a slim line that shows off her tiny waist. Gorgeous Reese Witherspoon amazes us with her choice – a fitted shape with layers of gradating colour, the lightness of colour on the bottom of the gown draws our eye down and creates the illusion that she is much taller.  

Eva Longoria, Natalie Portman, Reese Witherspoon

Do you have a “Petite” figure? Check out our hand-picked choices below to show off your slight body shape.

Karen Willis Holmes Alyssa and Estelle gowns (L-R)

For a flirty feminine look, ‘Alyssa’ is the perfect choice. Sporting a sweetheart-neckline made with layers of organza, which flow in towards the centre of the gown, this feature works to draw the eye in and up, elongating your figure. Accessorise with a diamante belt like we have as it cinches in the waist amongst the layers of fabric, making your legs look longer, as well as adding some sparkle to the gown. 

If you love a sexy, sophisticated look, ‘Estelle’ is the dress for you! With a strapless, fitted, corset bodice with shaped bra cups, lace and ribbon detailing, it has a sultry lingerie feel. The inverted v-shaped hip line lengthens your legs, with a full tulle skirt to create a softer, pretty look. Finished with a ribbon tied around the waist, the ‘Estelle’ gown is flattering and gorgeous.  

‘Alyssa’ and ‘Estelle’ are just two examples of possible gowns you could wear with a “Petite” body shape. Adorned with lots of features and detail to flatter your shape as well as elongate it, it is a hard decision which of these you would choose!

This is our last body shapes post. We hope all the information we have given on different body shapes has been helpful and that you have loved the gowns we featured. 

If you have any other questions about any of the gowns, or need some help in finding the right gown for you, please do not hesitate to ask us. You can email us, call us or pop into one of our ready to wear stores to speak to the sales assistants. 

Peep Toe Shoes…

Looking for a fabulous bridal shoe to complete your look for your wedding day? Why not head in and see the girls at Peep Toe Shoes. With an extensive collection of shoes, both bridal and every-day, you are guaranteed to find the perfect shoe for you.

They carry a variety of beautiful bridal shoes in the form of…

Why not try a splash of colour with…

Or opt for the comfort of a pretty flat or stylish wedge for the day…

Whether you want a high-heel, low-heel, satin, patent, suede, bright and bold, sleek and sophisticated or understated and nude, there is something for everybody at Peep Toe Shoes.

www.peeptoeshoes.com.au

Wedding Style Guide - Spring 2010

The Wedding Style Guide has released its Spring 2010 Issue and we at Karen Willis Holmes are loving the inspiration and ideas they have given us.

In this issue, Annabelle and the team have put together: “Hello Yellow” (page 116), which shows you how to celebrate romance in the most joyous of shades with plenty of fashion, décor and stationery ideas.

The flower theme is continued in their “Bloom Bloom” story (page 82) of floral detailing that brings just the right amount of ‘pretty’ to contemporary wedding style.

The Wedding Style Guide also has a great “Runway Wrap Up” (page 44) about the key bridal trends of the moment.  Experimenting with muted neutral and pastel tones adds instant personality and individuality to a gown.  With spring it’s all about ‘Flower Power’ with flower detailing, lace and floral embellishments adorning beautiful dresses.  Another trend is the strapless silhouette exploring knots, ruffles and embellishments to update this classic and popular option.

We love to read and see pictures of Real Life Weddings and in this issue we are lucky enough to have two brides featured wearing our Karen Willis Holmes gowns.

Claudine and Dominic

The imminent rain clouds didn’t damper Claudine and Dominic’s plans for celebrating. 

After an afternoon ceremony at Terrara House Estate the couple had a wonderful marquee reception on this amazing country property.

“The combination of family and friends really made for a spectacular night – there was so much love all around us”.

Claudine was picture perfect in our ready to wear ‘Veronique’ gown featuring a delicate French Chantilly lace bodice and full tulle skirt accented with a pink ribbon at the waist.  Her three bridesmaids complemented the atmosphere and picturesque location in organic sherbet shade dresses.

Margaret and Piotr

For Margaret and Piotr, they wanted to express the love for each other, family and friends in all aspects of their wedding, leading them to choose neutral colours and lots of elegant and simple styling components.

Margaret looked stunning in our ready to wear ‘Heidi’ Gown featuring a corded French lace bodice and georgette skirt to reflect the bride’s classic elegant ideas of the wedding.

The couple’s intimate ceremony was held at Patrick’s Catholic Church in Pomona and included 33 guests.  Margaret comments that “the reception was full of love, laughs, smiles, good food, wine and dancing,” and we can’t think of a better assessment of a fantastic wedding than that.

Grab your copy of Wedding Style Guide and see all the inspirations, ideas and tips to make your day special and memorable.

Gown in Focus… Sophia

With its high waisted skirt, sweetheart neckline and delicate lace detail the ‘Sophia’ gown creates the perfect modern take, on a lovely vintage look.

The bodice has boning to create structure and shape, as well as offer support for the bust, finished with a sweetheart neckline that softens the shoulders. 

The high-waisted, full tulle skirt cinches and emphasises the waist, while the fullness of the circle skirt hides the hips and focuses on flattering the waist and bodice.

The glimmer tulle ruched down the front of the bodice helps to draw the eye to the waist. Along the bustline and down the bodice is sweet French Chantilly lace, mixed with corded lace to create texture, while adding a touch of feminine detail that really catches the eye.

 Layers of glimmer tulle teamed with matte, ivory tulle create a dazzlingly soft shimmering look. Finished with a satin, buckled belt, or a diamante belt*, this is perfect for accentuating the waist.

 

Like the 'Rebecca' gown we featured in our last 'Gown in Focus' post, a strapless gown, can help to showcase beautifully soft shoulders and decolletage.  However, for brides who are not keen on strapless gowns, the off-the-shoulder tulle piece is perfect.  Sitting just off the shoulders, it adds to the stunning vintage feel of 'Sophia', while tying in nicely with the tulle in the skirt.

'Sophia', complete with its high waisted full tulle skirt, fitted bodice complete with gorgeous lae detail and a sweetheart neckline, has all the elemtns that work to create a perfect take on modern-vintage with a little bit of fairytale princess.

*Extra costs may be associated with this work, please speak to our staff for more information.