James Clifford Wedding Dress Trunk Show

We are thrilled to have dresses from the James Clifford wedding dress collection this week! Elegant laces, fitted silhouettes and just a touch of sparkle are all design elements you will see in his wedding gowns.

James has been designing dream wedding dresses for brides for over 30 years. The style he creates has timeless elements with a hint of contemporary influence.

James (right) with Randy (middle) from Randy to the Rescue and a friend.

Behind the scenes of a fashion photo shoot for the new collection.

If classic with a contemporary twist is your style, this is a collection you do not want to miss. Laura's Couture Collection has the largest selection of James Clifford wedding dresses in Kansas City for this special trunk show! A few dresses were even sent to us from the Randy to the Rescue television show!

Be sure to call us today, appointments are booking quickly for this exciting event, 913-631-3010!


-Elise

Celebrations!

Top 10 Tuesday is celebrating Tuesday and another week of helping brides on their journey to the altar!

Everyday is a celebration, especially at Laura's Couture Collection! Not only are we helping Kansas City brides find their dream dresses, but we also get to help brides from all over the country, so why not celebrate?! Speaking of celebrating, we thought we'd take a few minutes today and share some fun facts about the drink synonymous with celebrations - champagne.

1.       Favorite cocktail for the ladies at Laura’s Couture Collection

2.       Key ingredient in the Measetique Mimosa

3.       Associated with power and luxury during the 17^th, 18^th and 19^th centuries, still seen as a drink for aristocrats

4.       Bruts are better for overall champagne flavor, however, most Americans prefer a sweeter champagne

5.       To be called champagne the grapes must be from the Champagne region in France; if not from that region they are sparkling wines

6.       Pour at an angle to insure plenty of bubbles!

7.       Oldest bottle of champagne is a 187 year old Perrier-Jouet, according to the Guinness World Record

  

1923 advertisement

           

8.       Victorian coupe style champagne flutes are coming back in vogue, possibly due to the popularity of shows such as Mad Men. And champagne always tastes best when you drink it from a crystal glass!

9.       Moet & Chandon is the champagne served at events such as The Academy Awards, Kentucky Derby and Golden Globes, as well as numerous other sporting events and cinema parties.

10.   Searching for a wedding gift? Look no further, Dom Perignon has special bottles perfect for the newlyweds.

In the words of the French playwright, Honore de Balzac "Great love affairs start with champagne…" Congratulations to the newly engaged and newlyweds!

-Elise

Top 10 Tuesday: Pearls

June is the Month of Pearls

What better way than to celebrate pearls then with a little Top 10 Tuesday list of the fabulous women that have worn pearls!?

Pearls, either a single strand or layers of strands, evoke an elegance and timeless style unparalleled to most any other type of jewelry. That must be why it pairs so beautifully with wedding dresses. Take for instance the elegance of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, when she married JFK; the photo is timeless, simple and not dated, they look lovely and in love. And isn’t being in love what really matters! But enough of that! Today we wanted to show you the classic look of pearls. From trendy accessories, think Andy from The Devil Wears Prada, to the simple and timeless look of a classic, single strand of pearls.

Hollywood’s most striking women have been seen wearing pearls, and a top model or too! See some of our favorites below!

1.       The women of television’s Mad Men

2.       Fashion Designer Coco Chanel

3.       Scarlett Johansen, on the Red Carpet

4.       Sarah Jessica Parker, as Carrie Bradshaw, in Sex and the City: The Movie

5.       Anne Hathaway, as Andy, in The Devil Wears Prada

6.       Kristin Davis, asCharlotte York, in Sex and the City

7.       Reese Witherspoon, as Elle Woods in Legally Blonde 2

8.       Laura Mease, wedding dress stylist in pearls from Measetique Jewels

9.       Karlie Kloss, America’s Supermodel wears a collar of pearls

10.   Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis married JFK and wore a timeless single strand

-Elise

Top Ten Tuesday: Wedding Dress Shopping

Tips for Wedding Dress Shopping

Shopping for a wedding dress can be scary! It’s something you have most likely never done and it’s also a dress unlike any you’ve ever bought before. So what do you do? Sit back and enjoy your appointment!

1.       Authorized Dealer, only shop at a store that officially sells a line. Other stores say they can get you any dress from any designer, not a safe way to go. You will probably end up with a counterfeit or worse no dress at all.

2.       1-2 Guests – Keep shopping for the dress intimate; make the walk down the aisle even more exciting for everyone (not just your groom) by surprising everyone with your beautiful gown!

3.       Keep an Open Mind – Your bridal stylist can help you choose a look you never thought you would like, but wedding dresses fit and are styled differently, so what you think you will not like you might love.

4.       Don’t Obsess Over Magazines – They are models, there is Photoshop and dresses fit everyone’s body differently, see Tip #3.

5.       Get What You Want and Not What Someone Else Wants – It’s your day, your style, your dress! Not your best friends.

6.       Be True to Your Style – It’s your wedding day, be glamorous, but remember to be you, you don’t want to surprise your groom with a look he has never seen, he is marrying you. The original you.

7.       Have an instinct? Trust it! – Don’t doubt your feelings, if you found the wedding dress at the first store and it was your first or second dress to try on then that is great! Trust yourself, you found a great guy, the dress is the easy part!

8.       Time - Shop with plenty of time to order your dress, don’t wait till the last minute.

9.       Have fun! – It’s your wedding dress, a once in a lifetime dress, so have fun!

10.   Relax – You are in great hands.

What Fit Should My Wedding Dress Be?

Top 10 Tuesday and Wedding Wednesday: Trends from the Runway


Nope, we didn't forget that yesterday was Top 10 Tuesday, we were busy going through thousands of beautiful photos from the Haute Couture Runway Shows and the Resort Runway Shows! We also wanted to answer the famous question "What fit will flatter my figure best for a wedding dress?"

Well, after looking through the collections by designers such as Oscar de la Renta, Chanel, Dior, Erdem, Elie Saab, ect. we found a few similarities. The natural waistline is wear fashion is staying.

The fashion houses of Dior brought the signature "New Look" back for modern audiences. Belts, wraps, sashes and peplums adorned the waistlines of the models wearing the 2012 Haute Couture Collection.

Dior 2012
"Dior's New Look" inspired dress

Dior 2012
Peplum ensemble accented with belt and gloves

Dior 2012, belted off the shoulder

While Oscar de la Renta accented the waistline with belts. Pulling yards of fabric together at the waist to create full skirts with fabulous movement!

Oscar de la Renta Resort 2013
Belted dress with sleeves

Oscar de la Renta Resort 2013
Movement, neckline, natural waistline this dress has it all.

Oscar de la Renta Resort 2013
Flowing fabric, belted waist and a fresh color for the season.

In Chanel's Resort collection, designer Karl Lagerfeld played with proportions, highlighting the waist and bringing more volume to the hips. The detailed panels bring the perfect touch of movement for the eye; allowing a lovely balance to the natural waistline.

Chanel Resort
Cinched waist and fullness at the hips.

Elie Saab also plays with fun and summery colors and accents many of the dresses with fabulous skinny belts.

Elie Saab 2012
Belted at the waist dress in a shade close to Pantone's Color of the Year

Not all of the skirts have to be full skirted in order to belt and show off the waist. Erdem's Resort 2013 line shows the chicness of a straighter skirt. One style shown is belted, and the other show off the natural waist by utilizing a striking black, lace top that stops directly at the natural waist.

Erdem Resort 2013
Different ways to accent the waist: belt or blouse.

With so many designers showcasing the natural waist, it's no wonder why the natural waist fits most figures so beautifully and adding a belt adds a lovely touch! And we couldn't help ending this post in a way similar to many fashion houses end their runway shows, with a wedding gown!

Elie Saab 2012

-Elise

Sip Into Top 10 Tuesday

Our Top 10 Favorite Summer Cocktails

It's that time, Kansas City has welcomed summer! Memorial Day Weekend is upon us, the pools are opening and the flip flops are out of our closets. With this weekend we also start the craziness of wedding season. So what better way to unwind after a day of planning then with a cocktail, or maybe you'll add one of our drinks to your menu.

Grab a skinny margarita and enjoy the list of our Top 10 Summer Cocktails!

10. Whiskey-Lemonade, we can't leave the gentlemen out on this list, so make their drink a bit more summery!

9. Mango Spritz. light and fresh with a bit of bubbles!

8. Skinny Margarita, after all, it is wedding and swimsuit season

7. Limoncello, this citrus cocktail will make you believe you are in a lemon grove in Italy

6. Mint Mojitos, why not add a bit more mint?

5. White Peach Sangria, cool and refreshing (perfect for cocktail hour)

4. Giggle-Water, a cocktail as fun as it's name!

3. Cucumber Breeze, a favorite with our stylist

2. Measetique Mimosa, Marty's gift to the brides of Laura's Couture Collection

1. The Couture-Tini, a signature cocktail named after Laura's Couture Collection by our friend Chef Renee at Renee Kelly's at Caenen Castle

Thirsty yet? Message us on Facebook for the recipes above, or where you can enjoy these summer cocktails!

-Elise

Kansas City Here I Come

Take A Break!

Our weekend is over and we are back in the salon. With so many beautiful wedding dresses surrounding us at Laura's Couture Collection, and the LUXE Wedding Showcase next door it’s not difficult to get swept up in wedding planning and the glitz and glamour of the big day. Right now, we would like to pay a big thank you to Patti Gehring, of Patti Gehring Signature Weddings, we’d like to share a tip of her wedding planning advice,

“Wedding planning can become overwhelming. Plan some ‘wedding planning free date nights’ with your soon to be spouse to keep the focus on the marriage and commit you are about to make.”

With that being said, we used the weekend to have fun with friends! So take a date in Kansas City with your sweetie! 

Top 10 Kansas City Favorite Date Spots:

-          Why not enjoy a staycation at the InterContinental Hotel on the Plaza. A sparkling pool, breathtaking views of the Plaza, luxurious guest rooms and fabulous food to enjoy, it’s sure to feel just like vacation staying at this 4 Diamond Awarded hotel.

-          Touch a Starfish, hold a crab, and take an adventure through Sea Life, the new aquarium right here at Crown Center!

-          There might not be a coastal highway nearby, but take the top off a convertible and enjoy a drive through the plaza and then stroll through the Rose Garden. Don’t forget to pack a picnic!

-          Cheer on the Royals as they host the 2012 All Star Games at Kuaffman Stadium. If you can’t make it to the All Star Games, enjoy a summer evening at the stadium during Firework Fridays.

-          Kansas City is growing as one of the top art venues in the country. Plan a day trip to the Nelson Atkins to see Monet’s Water Lillies or the traveling World’s Fair Exhibit. There is also the Kemper Museum of Modern Art and The World War ILiberty Memorial Museum.

-          Window shop along the sidewalks of the Plaza and stop in Halls for the freshest designer looks from Prada, Armani and if you are looking for a more pop culture designer, look through Rachel Zoe’s newest pieces.

-          After a bit of shopping it’s important to refuel, grab an espresso and a bite to eat at the best sidewalk café in the city, Classic Cup!

-          Fresh fruits and veggies? Don’t worry, just because you are in the heart of the city doesn’t mean the fresh produce stops. Head over to the farmer’s market in theCity Market on the weekends to find delicious fresh produce from the KC’s suburbs.

-          Catch a train! OK, you don’t really have to catch a train, but a trip to UnionStation is always delightful. Channel your inner child and explore Science City. Also at Union Station is the traveling Titanic exhibit!

-          Boulevard Brewery is right here in Kansas City, surprise your guy with a tour of the plant and then a few beers after. He’ll love you forever (as if you needed another reason for that)!

Kansas City Here I Come - Little Richard

Most importantly, enjoy each other's company!

-Elise