This week, we are featuring Los Angeles based bridal and evening wear designer Monique Lhuillier. Making waves in the business of bridal wear, Lhuillier’s gowns are beautifully exquisite and unique as she masters the art of layering and texture. And the celebrities love her, Carrie Underwood, Ashlee Simpson, Alicia Silverstone, Jewel, Kate Walsh, and Britney Spears all wore Monique Lhuillier wedding dresses for their big day.

In a recent interview, with the cinderella project, the expert team at Monique Lhuiller recommended:

• “The most important thing to remember is not to get overwhelmed! Try on 6-8 gowns to get an overall feel for the fit and design.”
• “Don’t forget to have an open mind. You may not be able to visualize how a 2 piece wedding gown fits on the body by looking at it on the hanger or just because you envisioned yourself in satin doesn’t mean you shouldn’t pick a lace gown that you love!”
• “What our bride needs to remember that only she will be wearing the dress she selects!! If you feel confident and beautiful in your dress that is the only thing that matters. Listen to yourself and you can’t go wrong!”
• “The reception short cocktail dress has made a major comeback! Stars such as Carrie Underwood have set the tone by changing into a sexy short cocktail dress to dance the night away! At Monique Lhuillier you will see embellished corset bodices with textured short skirts!”
• “The thought of choosing just ONE dress out of the sea of beautiful gowns we have at the salon is no easy task! It is so important to try on several different styles and shapes to narrow in on the silhouette that you want to wear. After the silhouette is selected then you can easily navigate through the details to decide what it is that you like best- embroideries, beading, lace or textured layering!”

Here are only a few of dresses from Monique Lhuillier’s 2011 Bridal Spring collection:

Check out Monique Lhuillier website to view the rest of the 2011 Bridal Spring Collection and see what’s in store for her 2011 Fall Bridal collection as well. Just click HERE.

The Pattis 2011 collection offers brides fresh styles, glamorous looks and fashion-forward gowns.

Pattis Bridal has been featured in many highly esteemed bridal magazines such as Brides, Modern Bride, The Knot, Inside Weddings, Modern Luxury Brides, and NOW our very own, Bridal Fantasy Magazine!

Here are a few images from the 10th Anniversary Edition of Bridal Fantasy Magazine (Spring/Summer 2011) that show-off a few of their amazing dresses…

Pattis is available in Calgary exclusively at Beautiful Bride. For more information, or to schedule a one on one appointment with their knowledgeable consultants visit www.beautifulbride.ca.

For any occasion that you want to remember, Bloom N’ Memories in Edmonton, Alberta will help you to preserve that memory tastefully and beautifully. For your numerous special occasions such as anniversaries, baby showers, proms, and weddings . . . encase those happy memories in an elegant keepsake box with precious items from your special day.

Many newlyweds have sought Bloom ‘N Memories help to preserve keepsakes from their wedding day such as invitations, the bride’s flower bouquet, and beautifully captured moments from the wedding day.

Take a look at a few pictures of Bloom ‘N Memories past projects, they’re truly breath-taking . . .

And for those Disney fairy-tale lovers, doesn’t this just remind you a bit of Beauty and the Beast . . .

Delicious cheese, a truly beautiful setting, and a refreshing swim in glacier water . . . how scrumptious and exciting!

Myria & Greg ~ June 30, 2012

The morning of August 22, 2010 was brisk but the air was fresh and we were feeling ambitious!  We woke up early to begin our hike to the Schilt Alp to see cheese-making.  Much to our dismay, we missed the process but were still able to buy some delicious cheese.

Here we had to decide if we wanted to keep hiking up towards the next cable car to the top of the mountain, or walk down to the one at the bottom of the mountain.

Of course, we decided that we would do our best.  We climbed and climbed.  Our legs hurt, but the view when we looked around took any sense of the pain away.

After a few more hours of hiking we reached a lake in the middle of the mountain.  The water was freezing, as it was glacier melt off!  We both decided that we couldn’t just walk by it after seeing an 85 year old couple swimming (naked)!!  So sure enough we stripped down to our skivies and jumped in….or tip toed in….I’ve never been in colder water.  It literally took our breath away.  It felt like hundreds of pounds on our chests.

After a couple of more hours of hiking, we finally reached the top of the Schilthorn where we treated ourselves to a few beverages and a nice lunch.  We enjoyed the view and decided to begin our descent.  Greg asked me to take a another picture of him along the edge and I couldn’t believe he wanted another picture after all of the ones we had already taken on our trip up!  I relented.  Greg got on one knee and posed with both arms up in the air to celebrate the fact that we had just climbed the mountain.  I snapped the picture then got ready to head back down, when he asked me to take ANOTHER picture.  I couldn’t believe it, yet relented again.  This time I took the picture and when I checked to see how it had turned out I realized that one hand was reached towards me and something was in his it.  Here, he asked me to marry him!  It could not have been any better or more romantic!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

An exciting night in . . .

Michelle & Jason ~ August 25, 2012

After getting off work at 10pm, Jason was there to pick me up and take me home. It had been a really long day so when we got home I needed a comforting snack! And so….Jason got me some Oreos and milk (it’s the inner child in me….I love them!) and we sat down on the couch and he let me pick whatever it was that I wanted to watch. I turned on Cougar Town and we snuggled in to watch it.

After a bit, he got up to get something and asked me to pass him his Zippo lighter that I had given him as a gift when we first started dating. He collects them, so I had the lighter engraved with the words “My Jason” on it. He takes it with him everywhere and I went to pick it up from the table and I gently tossed it to him.

However, my aim was really bad and it fell on the floor and opened up, and out fell my ring! I was so shocked! Welll he picked it up, got down on one knee and he then asked me to spend the rest of my life with him. I started to cry a bit and obviously…I said YES!