Oscars 2016 Red Carpet Round-Up!

So here we are, the last stop on the Awards Season train - the Academy Awards!  All season we've been doing an award post-mortem on the fashion that made our knees weak and our hearts flutter, so please enjoy our last fashion roundup! And right off the bat - my Best Dressed! No surprise here Cate Blanchett was my pick....

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....along with Mindy Kaling

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.....and Mark Ruffalo!

Mark Ruffalo + Sunrise Coigney: Super-stylish x 2
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A three-way tie, three amazing people. Queen Cate is a sublime actor and I'm always on-side with her fashion game; Mark Ruffalo is probably the most under-rated actor in Hollywood, and is regarded as one of the genuinely nicest people around. And confession time: I love Mindy Kaling.  Amazing writer, funny as balls as an actress, and a fierce fashionista.  My three loves!

Here were some highlights from the carpet that we're lovely, sexy, classic and everything in-between!

Sequins!

Saoirse Ronan

The devil's in the details and this back was sinfully good!

This was a whole new look, and one of my favourites!
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Pleating!

Olivia Wilde

I wasn't a huge fan of this dress.....

....and then I saw the back with the pleated shoulder details and promptly changes my tune!
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Brie Larson

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Vintage Glamour!

Priyanka Chopra

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Daisy Ridley

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Alicia Vikander

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Chris Rock, Common and John Legend

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Colour!

Olivia Munn

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Tina Fey

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Metallics!

Margot Robbie

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Sharp-Dressed Men!

The Weeknd

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Jacob Trembley and Abraham Attah

With The Man, Morgan Freeman

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Back To Black!
Jennifer Garner

Proof positive that looking good is the best revenge. She is not the ashes!
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Jennifer Lawrence

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So, that's it for Awards Season 2015/16! It's been a blast doing a fashion roundup of all the looks that graced the carpets, and showcasing the trends, styles and fashion cues for the year that will make the leap from award show to wedding reception!  We hope you enjoyed the post-award roundups and until the next cycle starts, we really hope you found inspiration and ideas that spoke to you!
Wishing you a day as limitless as you are~
Lisa and April

PS - When I saw Jennifer Lawrence's Dior, I did a double-take and felt a hint o' déjà-vu. Did it remind you of anyone else's Oscar dress from a few years ago?

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I mean, it was completely a coincident, riiiiight? Sure thing!

#TBT - High School Sweethearts Edition!

I met my husband when I was in grade 12, while he had just graduated and was working for a year before he went to college. It was a blind date and 25 years later, it might just be a love job! And when I came across a Buzzfeed post on a celebrities who married their high school sweethearts, it warmed my geeky heart to see that I was in the same club as Bono

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Steph Curry

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Jamie Oliver

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LL Cool J

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Snoop Dogg

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and Jon Bon Jovi.

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So instead of one #Throwback Thursday celebrity wedding, how about 10 (and soon to 11)?

*~Childhood-sweethearts-turned-lifetime-baes~*

Wishing you a day as limitless as you are~
Lisa and April

PS - Happy Oscar Weekend! Will you be Red Carpet People-Watching?

Friend + Vendor = Muddying the friendship waters?

Via matrimonydirectory.com

Sometimes when couples are planning their weddings and begin to feel overwhelmed by searching for the perfect florist, or the person who will throw down (baking-wise) THE best sweet table, they might feel like they're barely keeping their heads above water. Enter the Friendor: the life preserver in your life who is an ace baker or has a keen eye (and gifted hand) at flower arranging who has offered you a helping hand!

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(This calligraphy is so very enviable! My cursive is pretty sad-looking so this makes me jealous)

We have people in our lives who are are potentially untapped resources; like the aforementioned amazing baker, we might know a person with absolutely stunning penmanship and calligraphy skills, or the amateur photog with the professional skills, or maybe the make-up maven who is the unofficial artist in your circle. So what could be better than having the people you know and love and, most importantly, trust, be a go-to source for your big day? Because weddings are high stakes with a higher level of expectation though, this could be a tricky proposition. So the folks at Loverly ran a helpful piece on how to navigate Friendor territory smoothly:

*~How to make Friend+Vendor a winning combination!~*

Wishing you a day as limitless as you are~

Lisa and April

Fabulous Grounded Footwear (aka Flats that are high-fashion)

(Flat) Wedding Shoe P0rn
Via weddinggirl.ca

I love the look of a sleek, sky-high heel. Whether it's a cut-out knee high gladiator sandal, a classic patent-leather pump, a nude platform - they're all beautiful and swoon-worthy to me. I even fell in love with these rainbow-coloured Valentino babies:

The shoes of my dream (because I could only wear them in my sleep)
Via flordemariafashion.com

I became semi-obsessed with them,  thinking of the places we could go together, wondering what cool wardrobe pieces I could pair with them with, wondering how they'd feel in my hands..... But I couldn't, for the life of me, imagine actually walking in them because heels are my nemesis.  I am unwieldy, ungraceful, and could kill the cool-factor of the most fashion-forward and fierce shoe with the bent-knees/pained-expression combo. So my go-to footwear is anything flat and grounded. My labels of choice are Converse, Melissa and flip-flop (well, not quite a label but a state of mind,  dahling!)

But are wedding dresses and flat shoes the Odd Couple, a match made in fashion hell? Thanks to Flare magazine, they have curated some of the best looks for the bride looking for a pair of shoes that will take her from morning straight through the night - and into the next morning - feeling no pain and ready to keep the party going.  Comfort AND style? Now that's a match made in heaven!

*~Say I Do to the Shoe! Wedding flats for everyone!~*

Wishing you a day as limitless as you are~
Lisa and April

TBT - Viola Davis Edition

Forget thigh gaps, model friends and enough selfies to fill a book - how about happy as the #squadgoal?
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Let me say one thing, right off the bat. Viola Davis is a queen.  Juilliard-trained, she is as multi-faceted as a diamond, and shines just as brightly, in spite of a system in place that handpicks the same kinds of jewels over and over again. Her career started on the stage before her transition to the screen and she is both a Tony-award winner and a SAG award winner.  Her most recent triumph has been her role as the deeply flawed, sometimes unlikeable but always compelling Annalise Keating on "How To Get Away With Murder" and she continues to cement her A-list status and wow us with her immense talent.  She is also a producer, having founded  JuVee Productions with her husband Julius Tennor, and to date they have both short and feature-length films under their belts.

How refreshing is it to read then, that in Hollywood, where marriages can have the shelf-life of yogurt stored on a windowsill in July, Viola renewed her vows for a second time over the Valentine Day weekend? 

Beautifully happy!
Via pulse.ng

For her first wedding in 2003, she admitted to wearing an off-the-rack skirt from Express; for her first vow renewal she wore a more 'traditional' wedding dress. But the third time was definitely a fashion charm, as she wore a custom Carmen Marc Valvo dress that was perfection and romance rolled into one stunning package. Hew vow renewal just happened so it's not technical a 'throwback' wedding but the idea and sentiment behind the renewal is a nod to a notion we think is long-gone and from days long ago - the concept of til' death do us part, one marriage, for keeps.  Isn't love grand?

*~I Do! I do, I do, I do, I do I do! Viola Davis' renewal warms my heart!~*

Wishing you a day as limitless as you are~
Lisa and April

*Happy New Years Day! Now, let's get cracking!

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* - Please don't worry! You haven't woken up, Rip Van Winkle-style, to find out that the year is over and today is January 1st.  I promise, it'll make sense!

January 1st is the official beginning of a new year, Or alternately, the first full moon between January 21st and February 20th, which heralds in the Chinese New Year.   But, speaking from a wedding point of view, everyone bride and groom-to-be has their very own New Year:  the one year date from the day you're going to get married! Welcome to your Wedding Countdown!!  And just like a 'traditional' new year turning over, there are goals that we set in the lead-up to the Big Walk; wedding planning to-do lists are obligatory and financial resolutions that we work our butts off to accomplish in the upcoming year.  Whether it's picking out your wedding stationary in a timely manner to get the invitations in the mail two months before the big day, or making sure you have your guest list finalized by T minus 10 months, these are all hard and fast resolutions for your year that are non-negotiable. But, just what IS the timetable for the year leading up to your wedding day? We thought that it would be timely to give you all a handy guide, a calendar or sorts, to help you visualize and plan just how your planning year can unfold in as stress-free a way as possible!

*~ T minus 12 Months: Your Ultimate Wedding Planning Checklist!~*

The more you know.... the less your pre-wedding day stress grows!

Wishing you a day as limitless as you are~
Lisa and April

BAFTA 2016 Red Carpet Best-Dressed x 2

Valentine's Day 2016 shared the spotlight with the BAFTA's in England yesterday,  and this is one of the last stops on Awards Season. So you'd figure that as we got closer to The Big Show (Hollywood's biggest night, aka the Oscars) with the fashion stakes getting higher the closer we get, we have seen a carpet full of win, right? The looks last night were .... solid. Nothing was really off-side or horrible, but the fashion was safe, save for two looks that were my two best-dressed ladies of the night.

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I loved the Cate Blanchett McQueen because it was a throwback to the late designer's experimentation with texture, mixed textiles and intricate detailing. Sarah Burton also captured the McQueen-esque Classic bodice that is strong yet feminine, in a mixed-media of contrasting sequins and embroidery that blends into a skirt of soft feathers. [Side note: if you ever get your hands in the book, "Savage Beauty", you will see the background and the fertile soul where this dress would have taken root. A stunning, beautifully heartbreaking, and bittersweet collection of Alexander McQueen's works during his all-too-brief life.]

A look at McQueen's fashion legacy, from the "Savage Beauty" exhibit in England
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 Blanchett's dress is sure to be panned and maybe even considered a not-best-dressed front runner on the inevitable fashion best-and-worst lists, but this dress was true to Cate's fashion aesthetic of unconvential-meets-classic-meets-fashion-forward. Loved!

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Alicia Vikander stole my fashion heart in her awesome metallic-sequinned Louis Vuitton dress a few weeks ago at the SAG awards, and at the time I said that dress was my favourite - hands down favourite - of awards season. She set the bar high with that one, and I was nervous about what she'd wear this time around.  Her dress last night was, for me, a solid follow up to that dress, and kept true to her fashion game all year, which was strong choices, flawless face, unfussy hair and surprise va-va voom. The SAGS gave is that thigh-high slit; the BAFTA's gave us moto-chic medieval warrior queen. The leather dress weighed 35 pounds, and featured silver studding in the bodice that led to silver tinsel-like embellishments down the length of the dress, complemented with interwoven leather braiding throughout.  The makeup and hair were intentionally understated - to do a heavy face with a dark or bold eye and stronger lip would have turned a fashion moment into a caricature of goth/moto chic. The simplicity of the details - black peep-toe shoe, drop earrings, hair braided in the back leading to waves over her shoulder - contributed to a look that was impactful without hitting you over the head. 

My two favourite looks did have a really good style lesson for brides-to-be and their wedding party fashionistas that is worth repeating, over and over again: go forth and be fearless. Toss the expectation look-book over your shoulder and march straight ahead. Be unafraid to follow your own fashion desires, no matter how uncommon they might be. If your dream dress or attire doesn't look like everything you've seen on the road to bridehood, don't file it away - find ways to bring the look you love to life. Be yourself - you will love the girl you see in your pictures, if you can recognize her. Be kind to her and give her an ear, hey?

Wishing you a day as limitless as you are~

Lisa and April

(Wedding) Festival Maximus! The Boom of Festival Partying

No open bottles, no sharp objects... Just your sense of adventure admitted!
Via honeysuckleandcastle.co.uk

Last week, we got our first hint of summer. Nope, not the weather.... It was definitely winter; cold dreary, cold, dark, did I mention cold? We hit the lowest temperatures of the winter so far with windchill factors that were frigid to the extreme. Like, immediately make-your-nose-hairs-crispy-and your-tear-ducts-freeze-shut frigid.  The hint of summer we heard about last week? Well, we just got the lineup for the WayHome Music Festival taking place in Oro-Medonte this July 22nd, 23rd and 24th featuring the likes of Arcade Fire, The Killers, Haim, M83 and LCD-Soundsystem to name but a very few of the bands and artists on the bill. I lovedlovedloved going to music festivals in and around Toronto back in the day, like Edgefest, Summersault, V-fest, concerts at the CNE or even further back, Canada's Wonderland and the Ex - hey, if it was outdoor with a solid line-up, I wanted to go. There was always a great energy and vibe on these days, atmospherically it was like a picnic/carnival/outdoor party complete with a stellar soundtrack. When a band we weren't particularly fond of took the stage, it gave us a good chance to walk around, grab a sampling of the most deliciously (and sometimes unhealthy) foods and snacks, hit up the Beer Gardens  and take care of very important bathroom business (or let's be honest, steel ourselves for the inevitable nightmare-ish Port-O-Potty visit!)   The days were long, we were completely exhausted after a day in the sun and heat and our voices were hoarse at best, but no sooner were we in the car on the way home than we were planning the next festival roadtrip....

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So imagine how stoked we are to see one of the biggest wedding theme ideas for the year, especially for summer, nuptials, is the Festival wedding theme! If you're music aficianados, and carefree, outdoorsy, summer-lovin' festival-goers, you can have a blast with this type of wedding!  This wedding theme has so many elements tha you can play with to put together your own Loveapalooza or Smoochella-type wedding, complete with punchy, vibrant decor and wedding table 'setlists' (aka seating charts with tables named after your favourite bands, artists or albums of all time)

A riot of colour
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This chart, though... The music lover in me is swooning right now!
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Or, if you think about concert swag, I've got two words for you: Wedding Lanyards!

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You can incorporate the music that was the soundtrack to your love story into the day in your song choices for processional or entrance songs, or you bring a bit of the locales of your favourite festivals to your reception. Do you plan your vacations every year to allow for a couples or fun motley crew of road warriors to make the trip to Austin for South by Southwest? And do you count down every year for your yearly dose of everything Texas? Let the menu reflect your Tex-Mex culinary leanings!

A little messy, a whole lotta tasty!
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Yes. To all of this.
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UK festival food = hand-held awesome
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Or maybe your love of live music inspires you to turn your wedding ceremony into the ultimate gig by going live-band over DJ! Here are some ideas to show you the glory of a festival-themed wedding:

*~An overnight wedding ceremony?! Sign.Me.Up. STAT!~*

*~Burning-Man-meets-Burning-Love: Wedding ceremony style takes centre stage~*

*~All day, and all of the night! If your wedding is a festival, you're the headliners fo' sho'!!

Wishing you a day as limitless as you are~

Lisa and April

#TBT - Nicole Richie Edition

Via brideswithstyle.net

Back in the day, in good ol' 2003, we were introduced to Nicole Richie. Hollywood rich kids, she and Paris Hilton were trying their hands at 'ordinary living' for the reality show, "The Simple Life" and in the lead up to landing the show, they were best friends and Paris Hilton was one of the biggest celebrities around.  She was the equally spoiled (but not nearly as obnoxious as her bestie) sidekick and thankfully, the show went off the air a few years later due to a falling out and Paris Hilton's star dimmed enough that we weren't being bombarded with her 24/7.

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But, fast-forward thirteen years and Nicole Richie has not only distanced herself from her Simple Life days, tabloid-covered, spoiled rich kid persona, she has evolved and emerged as a notable fashionista and designer with her House of Harlow 1960 and Winter Rose labels.

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She'd had a rough couple of years post-reality tv, finding herself in trouble with the law and under constant scrutiny for her slight frame.  But, she's found her footing and now is covered in fashion and celebrity magazines for all the right reasons.

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Her style is on point and she hasn't had any real fashion missteps since she ditched the trucker hats and Juicy Couture sweatsuits!  So, when she met Joel Madden, they were the perfect combination of Punk-meets-BohoGlamFashion.

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They married to Joel Madden in 2010, and people were dying to see what she had up her sleeves, sartorially-speaking.

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She didn't disappoint and brought her A-game on the big day. Three outfits, a small but lavish reception and an elephant for luck and their kids taking part in the wedding - it was a standout celeb wedding. While the couple are currently plagued with rumblings of marriage problems, their pairing has created some great things;  before their growing family, their very first baby was the Richie Madden Children's Foundation which has teamed up with UNICEF to facilitate clean water to villages in need and again later to shine a light on cyclone-ravaged Myanmar, and then Beyond Shelter to aid homeless families in Los Angeles. She's served on the board of the Environmental Media Association who work with schools to bring environmental awareness to students.  Who doesn't love style AND substance?! Let's take a look back at the Richie Madden wedding, for style and nostalgia!

*Punk-meets-Glam: Nicole Richie + Joel Madden get married!~*

Wishing you a day as limitless as you are~
Lisa and April