The Dress Press

Bridal Shoes from Dessy

Still looking for a great pair of heels to go with that gorgeous wedding dress?

The Dessy Group just released their new accessories collection (we told you about a few fun items last week on the blog), and included in that were some pretty rockin’ heels!

Whether you want a little glitz, a little color, or maybe a little of both, you definitely have to check these out.

Sabrena Bridal Pump in ivory (also in white) – $119.50

Caraway Bridal Sandal in teal (also in ivory)- $120

Aniston Bridal Pump in white (also in black) – $115.50

For ordering information (and to see all the colors), head on over to the wedding shoes section of the Dessy website. And if flats or sandals are more your style, they’ve got you covered!

Fun Summer Accessories from Dessy

We are so ready for summer!

From summer weddings to barbecues, days at the pool and trips out of town, we are so excited for all the things that warm weather entails here in Utah.

And just to get us even more excited (we’re sure they did it on purpose), The Dessy Group has recently introduced some fabulous new accessories available through their website that are just too perfect for hot summer days.

We’ll start with the best (we’re not super patient): we are totally smitten with these great lace shorts! Available in three colors (white, black, and black with a soft blush lining), we would totally wear these at a great pre-wedding party, or with a pair of great heels for a night on the town! Dressed up or down, lace shorts are sure to be big on the fashion scene this summer.

And of course, you’ve gotta have your great accessories! Check out this simple-but-fabulous skinny belts. Three colors to choose from, and we’ll bet you need all three.

And what says summer better than bare feet? Well, these cute t-strap sandals are the next best thing to wandering about without. We’re already thinking of all the outfits we could wear these with (hint: those cute lace shorts are involved!), and they come in six different colors! (We won’t tell if you still need one of each…)

To get your hands on all these great accessories (and to check out the other fun accessories!) head on over to the accessories section of The Dessy Group website. Hint: these would make great bridesmaid gifts too!

Lela Rose Silver Bridesmaids Dresses

Emily was married last October in a lush green ceremony in Florida. We can’t get over how gorgeous her ceremony setting was, draped in lush flowers and greenery.

Her bridesmaids wore pretty silver cap-sleeved bridesmaids dresses from Lela Rose, accented with soft bouquets in lightest pink, green, and cream. We just love how soft and pretty everything about Emily’s wedding day ended up being. Pure romance!

Bridal belt: Alta Moda Bridal / Bridesmaids dresses: Lela Rose in “fawn” / Photography: Rebecca Bouck

Coming Soon: Aria Bridesmaids Dresses

Remember when we were so excited about lace bridesmaids dresses a few weeks ago during Bridal Week in New York City?

Well, we cannot wait to get our hands on this little beauty from Aria Bridesmaids. Gorgeous lace with a sweet bateau neckline (and keyhole back!), and it comes in any combination of their lace and satin colors (that’s a lot of possible combinations, ladies).

And then of course we saw this gorgeous handkerchief skirt, reminiscent on the 1920s, fabulous flappers, and Gatsby-themed soirees, and of course we couldn’t resist sharing it with you too.

And can it possibly get any better, you ask? Oh, it can. Check out this adorable tulip skirted-bridesmaids dress! And can you get over the gorgeousness of that forest green? We. Are. Smitten.

We’ll be seeing new styles from Aria here in the shop in early summer, and we cannot wait to show them to you! And of course, we already have so many gorgeous styles from Aria to choose from, why wait? Come by the shop today to see them all and fall in love.

Themed Spring Engagement Photos

How adorable are this bride and her soon-to-be hubby?

We knew there was something special about this girl as soon as she picked out her yellow and blue Dessy bridesmaids dresses. (Cannot even tell you how excited we are to see these dresses when they arrive!) And then we saw this fabulous engagement shoot with one of our faves, Jacque Lynn Photography. And we knew we had to share them with you!

We love the role-playing theme the couple went with, evoking William Tell and classic shoot-em-up Westerns in their photos. Can you tell this perfect-for-each-other couple met as theater majors at the University of Utah? We weren’t surprised!

Oh, and did we mention how much we adore her dress and cute little denim jacket?

This cute couple was also featured over on Salt Lake/Park City Bride & Groom.

Modest Bridesmaids Dresses from Aria

You already know we’re obsessed with chiffon bridesmaids dresses. So when we discovered Aria Dress, and their gorgeous georgette (same look and feel of chiffon), we simply couldn’t say no. And while the strapless styles are fabulous, we’re smitten with these great sleeved necklines!

Both the softly draped flutter sleeve and the delicately ruched cap sleeve are beautiful options for your bridesmaids who need a little more coverage for your LDS Temple wedding. This designer even offers great customization options, if we need to tweak the coverage just a bit for any of your girls!

Pick short or long dresses, gathered or straight skirts, and then take a look at their fabulous color options, and we bet you won’t be able to resist these dresses any more than we could! (A few of us here at the shop have even ordered one or two for ourselves!)

And we just had to show you one of their sleeveless options. We LOVE the soft cowl neck!

See more from this gorgeous shoot with Utah Events by Design and Jacque Lynn Photography by checking out the post about our blush and gold color palette, and the post about the gorgeous Amsale chiffon bridesmaids dresses we played with.

Event Design & Rentals: Utah Events by Design / Floral design: Urban Chateau Floral / Photography:Jacque Lynn Photography / Venue: Lily & Iris Bridesmaids Boutique / Hair styling: Kali Wengren of Relik Salon  / Make-up Artist: Kristen Packard / Menus & Stationery: Freshly Minted Invitations

Accessory Spotlight: Blue Geometric Stretch Cuff

Geometric patterns are everywhere in fashion lately, and we love the way the trend is used in this great new bracelet. The soft blue color is right on trend with this summer’s pretty pastels, and we love the subtle faceting on the face of each stone.

And priced right on par with the rest of our great fashion jewelry at just $18, it’s so easy to add this cute bracelet to your collection!

Come by Lily & Iris to see our new collection of women’s fashion accessories perfect for spring, including earrings, bracelets, necklaces, and clutches. And don’t forget to take a look at some of our other fun featured accessories.

Wedding Inspiration: Rustic Romance in Montana

We showed you Brittany’s gorgeous navy blue bridesmaids dresses last week. Now let’s take a look at all the beautiful and unique elements that made up the rest of her wedding day last fall in Butte, Montana.

Our favorite touches were the yummy caramel apple favors and the custom antler sweetheart chairs for the bride and groom.

Brittany’s gorgeous fall wedding was also featured in Montana Bride magazine (on pages 70-71, if you want to see more!).

Bridesmaids Dresses: Amsale chiffon / Photography: Loneman Photography / Venue: Butte, Montana Front Street Station / Hair & Makeup: Jade Hair Studio & Salon / Wedding Flowers: Brenda’s Florist /

Tips From Your Utah Wedding Photographer

Many brides and grooms tying the knot in Utah have never had much chance to work with a professional portrait photographer in quite the same way that they will on their wedding day.

With that in mind, we wanted to share with you today a post from one of our fave Utah wedding photographers, Jacque Erickson of Jacque Lynn Photography, with some tips on how to make the most of your experience with your wedding photographer, and help make the process as smooth and easy as possible for you both!

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With wedding season in full force, there is no better time for this post. If you are wanting the most out of your wedding photography, with the best possible result, read the following advice and follow it!

1. Consider having an engagement and/or bridal session.

Having a pre-wedding session will help you get to know your photographer, be comfortable with her and with being in front of her camera (especially helpful for the guys), and helps your photographer learn how to interact with you on your wedding day in the best way. It’s a great opportunity to get to know your photographer before the hustle and bustle of the big day.

2. Plan your ‘getting ready’ time with photos in mind.

This may sound silly, but if you want a completely beautiful and cohesive look to your wedding day photos, this is important. Choose a space with a lot of natural light/windows, a good amount of space, and keep it as tidy as possible. Have items laid out  (shoes, jewelry, invitation suite, and other details to be photographed), ready for your photographer to grab. Also, this is a wonderful time to share with your bridesmaids, and other special ladies in your life. Invite them to be a part of you getting ready so that they are included in these images. (Just try not to over-invite, as this can create unnecessary stress for you.)

3. Create an ample timeline:

If your photography is important to you, be sure to build in enough time to your wedding day schedule so that your photographer is able to create the best result. Be sure to discuss this with your photographer before finalizing your timeline, as it is often easy to underestimate the time needed for each group of photos (group formals, bride and groom, getting ready, etc).

4. Consider a ‘first look.’

There are definitely still some traditional brides out there, and that is fine and dandy! However, if you and your fiancé feel inclined, please consider doing a first look before the ceremony. This opens up the option of doing photos of the two of you, and possibly the entire group formal setting before the ceremony begins. This leaves the schedule wide open post-ceremony for you to enjoy the night with your guests.

5. Please do not create a massive shot list.

We all have those shots in our mind we envision having of our wedding day (father kissing bride on the cheek, groom fixing his tie, etc). However, creating this specific list for your photographer isn’t usually necessary. Remember why you hired your photographer, and put your trust in her artistic ability to create memories specific to YOUR wedding day. Feel free, if you like, to send her a few favorites from her portfolio that might help her to understand the shots you’re most attracted to. Also, if there is an unconventional photo (something very specific to YOUR wedding day) that you think your photographer might not know to grab, of course bring that up with them during one of your consultations. But trust them to get all the great shots, and just sit back and enjoy your day!

6. DO create a group formal shot list:

The exception to the advice above is the formal shot list. It is a very good idea to get your photographer this list before the wedding day. This is a list of all of your ‘must have’ formal portraits.

Example:

• Bride’s Side:
• Mom, Dad, Bride and Groom,
• Dad & Bride
• Brother and Groom

… and so forth. This will help your photographer to move through your group formals at an efficient pace and get you back to your party. Also, be sure everyone involved in these photos knows well in advance to arrive on time and ready to go.

7. Plan for the detail shots.

You plan for months and months to make sure your reception and dinner look perfect. Be sure your planner sets up the space early enough for your photographer to get in there before guests arrive. This will allow her to photograph all of the beautiful details, settings, entire room, etc. without people in it. Same goes for the ceremony site. A shot of the setup before guests have arrived and been seated is a great keepsake.

8. Help your photographer help you.

Give me a timeline before the wedding day. Detail everything from where the groomsmen will be, what time you’ll be cutting your cake, who is toasting first, etc. Any details you can give your photographer help her understand what will be happening when ensures she is in the right place at the right time for each important event throughout the night, without you having to tell her.

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These are great tips for working with any great Utah wedding photographer! And of course, if you have any questions or concerns, never be afraid to ask questions of your photographer (or any of your vendors). They are there to make sure your wedding day is perfect. Let them do that for you!

All photos courtesy of Jacque Lynn Photography. You might recognize Jacque’s work from a few of our previous blog posts.

Accessory Spotlight: Ivory & Gold Stretch Cuff

The warmer weather is putting us in mind of pretty sundresses, fun sandals, and of course the great jewelry that goes along with those fabulous summer outfits.

And what better complement to those pretty summer dresses than this ivory and gold stretch cuff? Classic enough to pair with any outfit, and just the right amount of statement to encourage all your girlfriends to ask you where you got that great bracelet!

Come by Lily & Iris to see our new collection of women’s fashion accessories perfect for spring, including earrings, bracelets, necklaces, and clutches. And don’t forget to take a look at some of our other fun featured accessories.