FOR SALE | My Mom's 1960s Emma Domb Wedding Dress {& it was featured in Matchbook!}

Like I teased on Friday, I've got a bombshell to drop, my loves! After a lot of talk, my Mom has decided she's ready to part with her incredibly chic 1960s Emma Domb wedding dress (that's her in the flirty frock above). And yep, that's the same gorge dress I wore for my Parisian Love Shoot which was showcased in a 16-page feature in Matchbook magazine last February.

My Mom and I are hoping the story of this dress will continue to unfold by finding a third legacy and love story. :) We know it won't find that by sitting pretty in the closet so if you're interested, I've put together some photos from my Parisian Shoot that showcase almost all angles of the lovely dress, as well as detail shots {+1 of my Mom in the dress!}. Peruse at your leisure and if you still find yourself interested or with questions, shoot me an e-mail. Serious inquiries only, please!

About the Dress

The dress is a true vintage gem from the 1960s. My mother purchased the sweet A-line dress in 1969 from a beachfront boutique in Southern California. The designer is Emma Domb and the ivory dress is a true size 5. The dress features a wide bateau neckline and has a darling bow on the center bodice with exquisite ivory floral lace accenting the sleeves and down the front center panel. Below the bow, the dress features an inverted pleat showcasing the ivory floral lace. The floral lace really pops as it is just a shade darker than the dress fabric. The dress has a relaxed fit below the bust and hits right above the knee. In the back, the dress features a concealed zipper which runs from the lower back up to the neckline with a hook-and-eye closure at the neck.

Measurements 
34" bust | Relaxed 39" waist/hips | Length - 31.5" | Sleeves - 8"

Fabric
Peau de soie [French: A soft silk fabric of satin weave displaying a dull finish]

The dress has only been worn twice - once by my mom on her wedding day in 1969 and again by me for our Parisian Love Shoot last year. The dress is in fantastic vintage condition as it has been well-cared for and protected over the years.

Press
16-page feature in Matchbook magazine
I have long been enamored with my Mom's amazingly mod wedding dress and while living in Europe, I got the idea to style and model a wedding inspiration shoot in Paris with my husband. After almost a year of prepping, it finally came to fruition along with the help of talented photographer Juliane Berry. Soon after the shoot, our hard work was celebrated by a generous 16-page spread in Matchbook magazine. You can see my Mom's beautiful bridal attire spotlighted front and center in the lovely Matchbook feature here. The shoot has also been shared by many kind blogs, as well.

Want more?
Read the 16-page feature in Matchbook magazine showcasing the dress.
Check out the complete story of my Parisian Love shoot here {with lots more photos of the dress!}.
See the couture fashion illustration I had made of the dress for my Mom.
And if you're in the Parisian state of mind, check out my top tips for visiting Paris. ;)

Images: 1- unknown; 5+10- moi; + the rest were taken by Juliane Berry.

Planning CB's Parisian Shoot: Props + Accessories. FEEDBACK, PLS!

Yesterday I chatted about a trip to Paris for fun and today I'm going to talk about a work trip {but a really fun work trip!} to Paris ... :o) As I shared in a previous post, I am planning a two-part photo shoot in Paris. {!!!} The first part will be a wedding inspiration shoot with a strong 1960s Parisian focus.. I've been having a ball working on wardrobe styling for this segment and thought I'd pop in share what I have so far. I want to share these steps for a few reasons ... I am hoping it will show you guys that doing a styled shoot abroad is absolutely feasible. Annnnnd, I'm really hoping for some intense reader feedback! I have questions galore listed at the bottom of this post and would love to hear my trusted readers' opinions!

 

Despite the strong 1960s theme, I can't help but throw in a little modern bracelet layering {with a vintage twist}.

The Grecian headband and feather are an attempt to slightly emulate Kirsten Dunst's hair from Marie Antoinette on her wedding day. Too bad I no longer have blonde hair. :o( 

I found the miniature trunk/suitcase at a French flea market in Metz. Love it to bits.

I can't express how perfect I feel my Mom's dress is for this part of the shoot! :o) And I love that, in a way, it will become a bit of a family legacy.

The amazing fabric floral bouquet is from Quatre Coeur and the ivory clutch is vintage {found it at an estate sale}.

I'm planning on pinning this vintage Parisian key brooch onto the floral bouquet. I found it at a tiny antique shop in Alabama. :o)

And, just in case of rain, I'll bring along my adorable Felix Rey bumble. :o)

I know I didn't share any of J's ensemble but boys lack the fun accessories and they are so much less fun to photograph and edit so I will just give you a brief write-up. J will be donning a Michael Kors suit with sterling cuff links and a seersucker hat. I'd really like to get him a skinny tie as a nod to the 60s ... what do you think?

?s for my fabulous readers:
-- What color should I paint my nails? I was thinking about doing a bright white matte with a graduated glitter effect.

-- I'm thinking a top knot will help evoke the 1960s vibe I'm going for ... which means I really need to start practicing more to perfect the look. If you have any tips {or links to tips}, pls let me know. ;o)

-- Lip color? I'm really wanting to do a strong red but I'm see myself being pulled to my comfort zone and wearing a nude w/gloss. What do you think I should do?

-- Sunnies. For the second part of the shoot {which, again, is much more modern}, I am dying to get my hands on a pair of heart-shaped sunnies. Red, preferably ... maybe black. Anyone have a favorite place to shop for them?

-- What kind of tie would you put on J? Skinny? Color? Pattern? I am at a loss but thinking about keeping it skinny and simple. I do wish my Dad had kept his amazing silvery sharkskin suit from the wedding - that would be too rad!

NEXT PLANNING POST: SHOOT IDEAS + LOCALES. Stay tuned. ;o)

Also, if you're a vendor and feel you have something substantial you would like to contribute to the shoot, e-mail me and we'll chat!

Images by moi.

Attn. European Vendors: Be a part of CB's Parisian Inspiration Shoot!

Since moving to Germany, one of my primary goals has been to highlight and share the beauty of Europe and all it has to offer in terms of weddings. I've done this to a degree through the Honeymoon series but I've been wanting to step things up and start meeting wedding vendors over here ... the best and the brightest ... and then share their amazing talent with you!

So what do I have up my sleeve? Well, my husband and I currently live within driving distance from Paris so weekending in The City of Light is a breeze! After some thought, I decided I would give it a shot and start laying the groundwork for an inspiration shoot in the heart of Paris.

Now I know you've seen inspiration shoots aplenty on every single wedding blog but trust me, this is going to be different ....

I'm not just going to share the end results and wait for the ooohs and aaaahs. I want to share everything ... From beginning to end: The inspirational images that sparked our ideas, the choosing of European vendors and how we'll work together and what it is they bring to the table, behind the scenes details ... choosing outfits, props, locales, deciding on shot angles and more ... I want to share every step with you! I don't know about you but when I see a crazy amazing shoot, I want to know exactly how it came to fruition! I'm also hoping that this might help you to feel like a stylized European shoot is absolutely do-able ... I want to show you the ropes and introduce you to wonderful vendors that can help make an engagement or couples shoot in Paris a possibility for you!

So what do we have lined up so far? Let's take a look:
Styling expertise: After styling, coordinating and planning my own wedding, {which has been featured in Wedding Style Guide, B Magazine, InStyle Weddings, Weddings Unveiled and numerous other wedding and style blogs} I'm excited to apply my talents to styling a Parisian shoot! I also styled the New Orleans photoshoot in 2010 for my own shop, CB Vintage.
Props: As the proprietor and careful curator of CB Vintage, I've got a hold on what works and what doesn't. I'm looking forward to working on creating a selection of French antique wares to include in the shoot.
Location scouting and research: I already have several locale ideas jotted down and am researching other possibilities. Always open to new ideas, as well!
Models/Subjects: My husband and myself.
Attire: Luckily, I've got that covered as well. I'll share an in-depth post about the details in a future planning post but there will be two outfits for each model. The first selection will be a mod 1960s style look: Short, vintage 1960s wedding dress {it was actually my Mom's and fits me like a glove - it's so impossibly chic and I love that my Mom was so fashionably daring!}. Paired with a handsome suit. The second selection will be a more modern take with strong vintage details selected from my own wardrobe and my husband's.
Inspiration: This is obviously a work in progress and will be a collective effort of all vendors involved {as well as considering reader input}. But I did go ahead and put together an initial inspiration board to get the ball rolling {you can see that along with details below}

VENDORS: How can YOU be involved?
-- We're currently looking for an amazing photographer{s} to shoot on location in Paris for a day.
-- Possibly a hair and/or makeup artist 
-- And a talented florist to arrange a stunning floral bouquet.
-- Did we leave something out? If you're a European vendor and feel like you have something stylish and substantial to contribute, let us know!

VENDORS: Interested but wondering what's in it for you?
While there will be no monetary compensation for vendors' time and attention spent on the shoot, each vendor will receive plenty of praise, credit and press on my own blog, Classic Bride, which has been again and again praised by some of the most prestigious bridal magazines as a top bridal blog - see for yourself. CB also has an ever-growing and loyal audience comprised of many affluent brides-to-be with a penchant for all things European! In addition to the many posts I'll share about the planning and execution of this shoot with links to respective vendor's sites, I will also be offering every vendor who collaborates on the shoot with me a large-sized ad {300 x 250 pixels} on CB for 4 months {A value of $1,380.00!} The photographer{s} will receive a large-sized ad for 8 months {A value of $2,760!}.

If you think you've got what it takes to be considered or if you have any questions, etc., shoot me an e-mail and I'll be happy to chat with you! Sorry, this shoot is booked but if you're interested in doing another European shoot of some sort with me,  just e-mail me the details!

INSPIRATION:
Now for the fun part! Below is a peek at the inspiration that's already brewing in my head ... it's an impressionistic mixture of all the aspects I find beautiful about Paris ... sharing coffee while catching up on the news of the day ... grainy black and white film ... strong vintage appeal ... all with a hint of mint green to serve as a softer and more subdued homage to the brilliant bright green color heavily showcased in Amelie - one of my fave films.

Other quick ideas I have: Capturing a jaunt to a photobooth a la Amelie, languid shots by a Metro stop, enjoying sips of espresso at a streetside bistro and a few shots with the Eifel tower in the background maybe in the Jardin des Tuileries ... Oooh la la! Oh - and that mint green camera below? I have one just like it for the shoot!

Credits, clockwise from top left: Elizabeth Messina; Camera via Ink on my Fingers; Absinthe bottle; Vogue photo shoot; Image found on Google images; Scene of Paris by Robert and Kathleen Photography; Anemone bouquet found on Google images; Cafe Du Marche.