Vera Wang Bridesmaid Collection

 The old saying, "always a bridesmaid, never a bride" doesn't quite have the same meaning when the bridesmaids are decked out in Vera Wang.  Vera Wang's highlight anticipated Bridesmaid Collection with David's Bridal was revealed earlier this summer. Ranging from $150 - $250, these dresses are sleek, stylish, and incredibly affordable. The dresses come in a variety of colors to fit your palette, and range from elegant gowns to flirty frocks, perfect to fit every wedding style. Take a look!

XOXO,

Jen & Saira

Color Day: Coral and Mint

Sorry for the delay, dolls! Sometimes technology doesn't always work as planned, but alas, here is today's color day post.  Warm, electrifying coral and cool, minty green create a palette that is both relaxing and energizing - giving off some beachy, tropical, summertime vibes. Perfectly suitable for the bride who likes to dance and the groom who fancies a little quality time with his hammock.

 Coral and Mint Inspiration Board

1. With this Favor | 2. papertalkshop | 3. Gwen Franco | 4. The Perfect Palette |
5. Elizabeth Anne Designs | 6. RachelleD | 7. Dessy | 8. Betsy White |

XOXO,

Jen & Saira

Real Couple: Jimmy and Tasha

Happy Christmas in July, dolls! With our recent temperatures reaching over 100 around here, we were thinking we'd celebrate Christmas in July with a little photo shoot that will help you think cool thoughts. Adam Taylor, friend and local photographer, is as wonderfully talented as he is tall (..he is really tall.).  When we saw these additions to his Flickr Photostream a few months back, we were really drawn to this couple and how totally crazy they are for each other.  Jimmy and Tasha look like such a fun loving couple with a great sense of adventure. So, take a break from this insane heat and humidity and enjoy this happy couple and their refreshing photo shoot.

Thanks, again, to Adam for giving us these great images and special thanks for Tasha and Jimmy for letting us share in a little of their happiness.  We wish you all the best.

XOXO

Jen & Saira

Trend Alert: Feather Locks

Fashion and fishing - two words that you probably never thought you would hear used in the same sentence.  That is, until wearing feathers in your hair became the hottest new trend.  We didn't really realize this was a huge deal until we read some articles last week and actually saw it for ourselves the other night when the 3 out of 5 girls showed up at the bar with "Feather Locks".  Companies are popping up online selling feather hair extensions and fly fishing lures have been flying off the shelves and into hair salons around the country at completely unreasonable prices.  Steven Tyler may have pioneered it, but other celebs have picked up on it and it's really taken off.  What do you think of fashion's latest craze?

1. Condition Culture | 2. Laura Dunn | 3. Hair Feather | 4. Buy Feather Extensions |

5. She Knows | 6. Beauty by Margie | 7. Beauty Synergy | 8. Hair We Go | 

 While they do look kind of cool, it's important to note the larger impacts of this trend the the farming and fishing industries. Is it worth it?  Read the article here and decide for yourself!

XOXO

Jen & Saira

Color Day: Honeysuckle Pink and Pretty

Pantone fans fear not, there is still plenty of time to enjoy the Color of the Year - "Honeysuckle Pink".  Honeysuckle, a reddish pink hue (sometimes referred to as "hot pink", although we disagree with that classification), is a modern (and super feminine) choice for your upcoming event or for updating your wardrobe.  

Honeysuckle Pink Inspiration Board

1. Robyn Michelle | 2. The Limited | 3. Aloha Letterpress | 4. Shine | 5. Maribelle Campa | 

6. The Lennoxx | 7. Fashion Recon | 8. The MOB Blog | 9.  Pantone | 10. Absent Minded Oracle |

Summer Reading

To our delight, guest bloggers Maggie and Lynette are back with their picks for great reads for summer!  Grab a blanket, your sun block, and your big floppy hat and get ready to hit the sand with one of these great books!  Take it away, ladies:

Summer and reading go hand in hand. Whether you're forced into it à la high school English class or simply love reading on your own, summer is a fantastic time to crack open a good book. So settle down in a beach chair on a sunny day or on your couch when those thunderstorms are raring and pick up one of these reads! Whether you choose a post-apocalyptic novel or a classic story you haven't had a chance to read, these books are guaranteed to take you far away from your every day life.

The Passage - Justin Cronin

If you're going to read one book this summer, or this year even, make it The Passage. While its intimidating size (approximately 800 pages) has frightened some readers away, those who have taken on the challenge have not regretted it. The author himself describes the novel as a story about a girl who saves the world, but The Passage is much more than that. While readers discover early on that the world has ended due to a scientific experiment gone horribly awry, the way that Justin Cronin tells the tale of the destruction of our society creates an unbelievably gripping story you will be unable to put down. Suffice it to say that after I'd started this novel, I spent two days with the book either in my hands or sitting next to me while I waited to pick it back up again. Once you start this engrossing book, you simply won't be able to stop reading it!


A Discovery of Witches - Deborah Harkness 
Harkness has created a beautifully diverse world where vampires, daemons, witches and humans coexist, despite humans remaining unaware of the existence of the other species. The novel's protagonist is an alchemical scholar writing an academic paper in Oxford before accidentally calling a book out of the stacks. Little does witch-born Diana know that this book has been missing for hundreds of years…or that all three of the supernatural species desire to possess it. A Discovery of Witches begins as a mystery revolving around a book and rapidly becomes a history of the magical world. Despite the obvious similarity between this book's main romantic story and the romance between Bella and Edward in the Twilight Saga, I enjoyed being a part of the world Harkness created.

One Day – David Nicholls

Are you a sucker for stories about friendship and love? What about tales that focus on friendship and love spanning the course of 20 years in what feels like the blink of an eye? David Nicholls’ One Day tells the story of Dexter and Em by touching base in their lives on July 15^th each year, giving you a glimpse into events that have passed and the large and small moments that comprise their lives. Dex and Em are both lovable and exacerbating, and their experiences ring true to how life (at least for this writer, and at least thus far) takes you to places you never expected and changes the opinions you so firmly believed in during your youth. That said, a warning—Nicholls’ shows no mercy when it comes to exposing his characters and readers to painful, traumatic events. Prepare yourself for some heart-wrenching moments.

**Even if you don’t read One Day, you can still see Dex and Em’s story on the big screen! It comes out soon and stars Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess.**

Fated – S.G. Brown

The thing about Fated is that it’s awesome. (Read the book and you’ll get why this is funny.) In all seriousness, S.G. Brown’s Fated is a richly crafted tale about Fate’s role in modern society.  Known socially as Fabio, Fate is tired of his job and envious of Destiny’s, who guides humans on their paths to success whereas Fabio is tasked with helping the average Joe make it through the day. When Fabio falls for Sara, a human on Destiny’s path and strictly off limits, he finds himself breaking all the rules to be with her – and to improve the lives of his humans, who he stopped caring for hundreds of years ago – and consequently changes his own destiny. With excellent supporting characters and clever narration, this is definitely a fun summer read.

The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane – Katherine Howe

While I’m not a huge fan of novels that explore historical periods side by side with a more current narrative, I thought Howe did an exceptional job in Physick Book. Readers will meet Connie, a Harvard graduate student in the 1990s who is searching for the subject for her doctoral dissertation. While Connie looks for the subject that will guide her life for the next few years, she also begins the arduous task of cleaning and restoring her grandmother’s house near Salem. Yes, Connie’s search leads her to the life of seventeenth century witches in Salem. While that’s no surprise to anyone reading the novel, what I found surprising was how strongly I wanted to curl up in Connie’s grandmother’s library and sit in her favorite armchair. Definitely an enticing read, the Physick Book is a beautifully written historical mystery that also manages to force the reader into seeing the past in a new light.

Ender’s Game – Orson Scott Card

Time to change things up a bit and go with an oldie but a goodie. Written more than 25 years ago by Orson Scott Card, Ender’s Game is a science fiction masterpiece that still enthralls new fans each year. Andrew Wiggen, known as Ender because he is the embarrassing third child in a society where having two children is the acceptable norm, is an exceptionally bright and gifted young boy plucked from his home by an organization whose sole focus is protecting the human race from extinction. Why? Because Ender is Earth’s greatest hope against the Buggers, an alien race that has nearly destroyed humanity twice. Ender is sent to the Battle School, where he is tested beyond all others to prepare him for his destiny. The biggest question you must ask yourself when you read Ender’s Game is this: will they break Ender’s brilliancy and compassion for others… or will he save the world? Trust me when I say you want to find out the answer. 

XOXO,

Maggie & Lynette

Summer Vacation

PDR is taking a short break for summer, but there's plenty to look forward to when we get back!  We've got planning on a budget tips and examples from Jen's mom's wedding, a guest blog post on great reads for summer, and even some more real weddings and engagements that we're excited to share.

So, enjoy your week and take this time to whip up some butter beer cupcakes and prepare for the final installation of the Harry Potter movie franchise.  We'll be celebrating both HP and Saira's birthday, so it'll surely be a great weekend.  And, speaking of Harry Potter, check out Emma Watson's premiere style - she looks just gorgeous!

See you soon!

XOXO

Jen & Saira

Real Wedding: Megan and John

Over the past few months we've been hoping to start featuring more real weddings and are so excited to be able to share today's post with you. Megan and John, high school sweethearts (from our very own alma mater!) were married just a few weeks ago down by the beach.  Our friends BJ and Danielle over at Marie James Photography were kind enough to send over some of the fantastic shots from the wedding and the "trash the dress" session.  Megan and John are a fun loving couple and Marie James Photography captured their spirit and lively personalities, making what was surely a gorgeous day even more memorable.  Here are some of our favorite shots from Megan and John's wedding:

Thanks, again, to Marie James Photography and congratulations, John and Megan!  We wish you many years of happiness.

 

XOXO

Jen & Saira

Color Day: Orange Creamsicle

Favor tags and seating charts and chuppahs, oh my! Jen's mom is getting married this Saturday and things are quite hectic around here what with getting all the little details together.  The details and pictures from that wedding will be coming soon and we're hoping to feature more real weddings in the next few months.  But, until then, here is a sweet and simple color board based on a favorite summer treat, the creamsicle. Pale orange and creamy white lend themselves nicely to a board that is inspired by hot days of summer spent by the pool, eagerly awaiting that familiar tune of the ice cream trunk as it rounds the corner.

Orange Creamsicle Inspiration Board

1. Wedding Bee | 2. DIY Templates | 3. Poppies and Posies | 4. Social Couture | 

5. Alfred Angelo | 6. Sweet potatas | 7. Wedding Flowers | 8. Project Wedding |   

XOXO

Jen & Saira

Summer Style: Ikat

Ikat, aka that strange kind of Aztec looking print, has become very popular for this season. Now, we had never even heard of Ikat until recently, but from what we understand it is not really the print, but the method of weaving. Ikat is created using a process very similar to tie dying by tying off bundles of fabric and then dying them.  The process creates these patterns and they can be done in one color or, more often, many colors. These days it's kind of hard to pull off tie dye, but an Ikat print can give you similar blurred lines and a carefree look in a way that is still totally sophisticated.

1. Scoop | 2. Modcloth | 3. Lord & Taylor | 4. Macy's |

5. J. Crew | 6. Anthropologie | 7. Bloomingdale's| 8. Banana Republic | 

XOXO

Jen & Saira