A Custom Order for Jessie

Hi Lovelies!

It's been awhile! And boy do we have a lot in store for you guys coming up!! For now, we wanted to share a recent custom order we had the pleasure of creating.

The gorgeous bride, Jessie, contacted us for something special for her June wedding. She wanted the sash to look like it belonged with the dress, almost like one piece. As soon as she sent me a picture of her beautiful dress, I couldn't wait to get started!! Here are the pretty photos from Sarah McKenzie Photography:

Ivory chiffon and lace flowers with champagne pearls and rhinestones.

How beautiful is that lace dress?

Matching custom hair piece.

So. Pretty.

I could seriously post every single picture from this wedding. I had to stop myself. The couple is beautiful. The location is beautiful. The photography is beautiful. The day after session the couple did is envy envoking. You seriously need to stop everything and go look at this wedding on Sarah's blog. There are so many pretty pictures, there are two separate posts on Sarah's blog!

Our congrats to Jessie and Christian!

Leigh Makes Designs

Hello lovelies,

I had the honor of sitting down for lunch with one of my favorite people in the world, Mrs. Leigh Anne Spencer, of Leigh Makes Designs. Leigh Makes Designs is a company she recently started of handmade invitations, flyers, business cards, stationary, and basically anything else she can dream up. She allowed me to entice her with lunch, and grill her about her business. Now, I didn't decide to interview her simply to give us an excuse to hang out (well, maybe that was a tiny part of it....), I really want everyone to know how amazing she is, and how darling her designs are. Here are her response to my questions:

Q: How did you get started? Why did you decide to start your own business?
A: Well, I make things for people all the time, I always have. Anything that anyone needs, even random things like stationary or drawings. I literally just enjoy making things for people. And I love that reaction I get from people when they say "You made this?" It gives me a warm, fuzzy feeling! It's just so natural, this is something that I need to do in order to be happy.

Q: Describe your design style.
A: A little bit of everything! I want everything I design to be pretty, and it has to have a little bit of humor in it. It needs to be fun. I'm not a super serious person, so I think that it's important to reflect that in my work. Everything I do needs to have a little but of whimsy in it to be me. I do like to create more serious things as well, and it always shocks me when I do and it turns out great. I like to do a lot of unusal things in my work. I like to mix handmade elements with digital elements. I think it adds a bit of charm to my designs. My style really stems from my art school background, and my love of drawing. So, I'd say my style is handmade plus digital, a little serious, and a lot of fun!

Q: What's your favorite medium to work with?
A: This is going to sound totally boring, but pencil and paper. The fact that anything I do ever comes out in color is amazing! I love sketching, it's something I'm comfortable with. So that's always my starting point.

Q: What types of events do you typically design for?
A: Right now, with just starting out, I'm doing a lot of party invitations. And a lot of them have been for kids, which has been really fun. I don't bridal show invitations, but not an entire wedding suite yet. I do have one coming up, and I'm so excited about it! I enjoy the freedom of being able to make a little bit of everything, and why not? I recently made a banner for a non-profit in Austin, and it was completely handmade, not digital at all, and it turned out fantastic! I love being asked to do different things. I think as a designer, it pushed yourself to try new things.

Q: Describe your ideal client or project.
A: I like to do projects for other vendors, especially in the wedding industry. I'm currently working with a photographer making his flyers and business cards. My favorite clients are the ones who love to take risks, and who want something totally outside of the box. It's really exciting as a design to do something different!

Q: What are some long term goals that you have for Leigh Makes Designs?
A: I want to do this full time, everyday, all the time. I'd really like to get into more artistic designs. Projects that take a lot more design effort, and things people haven't seen before.

Q: What are some short term goals?
A: I definitely want to have a more steady clientel. I need to work on my blog, and I need to set up my website.

Q: You recently participated in a styled photo shoot. What was that like?
A: The photographer from my wedding, Sarah E. Evans, and Tamara Menges of Tamara Menges Designs, have started a lot of projects in and around Southeast Texas, a lot of styled shoots. I told Sarah, the photographer, that I had started my own business and she immediately asked me to be a part of it. These girls are great, because they are so helpful, they just want to help get you going. I really wasn't sure if I had the means to even participate. It felt so official. It's really what jumpstarted everything for me. Being published with them in a magazine, it was my push. It was just an amazing experience to work with such nice people who believed in me. It definitely gave me the confidence to just go for it.

Q: What or who is your biggest motivation?
A: Honestly, just being an artist in general. I think a lot of it stems from my dance and choreography background, and creating something out of nothing. It's a lot like taking a blank canvas and creating something beautiful. It's really natural motivation.

Q: What project have you done that you're most proud of?
A: It's a little strange, I never thought I'd be doing this. It's helped me to become so organized. I think that this business is really what I'm most proud of. The fact that I've started something on my own. And people depend on me and believe in me. I feel like a have things to prove, and I know that I can do this.

Q: Anything you'd like to add?
A: I have a lot of new and exciting things coming up! I'm doing collaborations with others in the wedding industry, which is so much fun. My moto, for Leigh Makes Designs and in my life in general, is Live. Create. Enjoy. This is something that I really take to heart. I've always wanted to be able to do what I love for a living, and this business is allowing me to do just that!

Here are some examples of her work :)

Seriously, the cutest birthday invitations, ever

So beautiful and simple

Stamped, and hand painted

How lovely is this marble design?

Her self designed logo

Adorable packaging

She is beyond talented, and one of the most adorable girls I've ever met in my life! She even designed my new logo :) She's great to work with, and I just really think she's super! She is located in Houston, TX, but design knows no bounds! What do you think of her adorable designs?

A Custom sash for Holly

Hi Lovelies!

We had the pleasure of working with the most adorable bride earlier this year! Her name is Holly, and the moment I met her and her wonderful mother, I just knew her wedding was going to be sweet, southern, and romantic, and it did not disappoint! She asked me to create something for her to complement the overall look and feel of her wedding, while blending in with her lovely bridesmaid dresses. We worked together to create the perfect design for her, and I think it's pretty spectacular. I was also lucky enough to connect with her amazing photographer, Taylor Lord of Taylor Lord Photography, who sent us some amazing photos. Check out the lovely images for yourself!

Isn't she just the sweetest? I absolutely loved making this sash for her. It's made out of a combination of ivory tulle, champagne chiffon, and lace (to complement the lace on her beautiful Pronovias gown). The centers of the flowers are a combination of pearls and rhinestones. It was so nice to be able to do something a little different, and mix so many different elements together! Let us know what you think, and leave us a comment :)

All settled In

Hello lovelies!

Greetings from the East Coast! We made the trip and have gotten (mostly) settled in. We're working on some orders (including a fabulous custom order that I simply can't wait to share with you!), and are just about ready to being work on our Spring '13 line. Exciting stuff!

Some things to watch out for in our new line:
-We're going to be using a lot more texture, and playing around with different combinations of fabrics
-Our patterns are going to be slightly more complex this time around
-We're going to be much more artistic, meaning we're going to be hand painting/dying some pieces

I don't want to give too much info away and spoil all the surprises for our new collection! It may seem a little early in the year to be talking about next spring, but, that's the way the industry works. And I've learned a lot from the previous two seasons, and I'm so excited to get going! I'll post some updates as I get started, so I'm hopefully be able to share some things with you starting next week! :)

We're moving!

Hi Lovelies,

We have some pretty exciting news to share! This is the 'before' we mentioned in our last post, for those of you wondering. We are relocating to the East Coast! Yippie!

My husband got a job with an amazing company located in northern Virginia (where I'm originally from), and we're leaving next week! This should not interrupt any orders from the shops carrying us, or our etsy site or our website. We'll post some pics from our trip (22 hour car ride from Houston to D.C.), when we get all settled in!

A Custom Sash for Esther

Hi Lovelies,

Sorry it's been awhile! There has been a lot going on, and I mean, a lot! But we'll get to that later. For now, I'm so delighted to share a custom piece I made for a very special bride. Esther was the college roommate of my favorite photographer, Sarah McKenzie, and she just happened to model for me for my first photo shoot in the fall of 2010. She is an incredibly talented model, and an all around great girl, and I was happy to be able to make something for her special day! To check out some lovely photos from her Australian wedding, click here! Here are some of the amazing shots taken by Sarah McKenzie!

I'm so glad that she loved it, and I'm so glad to have been able to make it for her! She looked amazing on her wedding day and I wish her and Marty all the best in their new life together!

Something Blue!!

We are so excited, we can hardly stand it! Fit to be Tied Bridal's sashes are now being carried at Something Blue bridal shop in Angleton, TX!!

The owner of the shop, Sandie, has extensive experience in the bridal industry (she's worked at Louis Blum, and Priscilla of Boston), and has opened her own shop with her daughter, Rebekah! The shop is adorable and stylish, and I'm so excited to be a part of it!

They are carrying wedding gowns from WToo (seriously love them), Allure, and Casablanca. The have Bridesmaids dresses, flower girl dresses, Mother of the Bride dresses, and also carry Prom dresses and Tuxedos. They carry a wide variety of accessories, which now includes us!

Here are some pics of their adorable shop: (aren't these photos great? My hubby rode along with me and took them)

They will be carrying select items from our new Spring 2012 line, which we hope will do very well for them. Among the sashes they've selected are: Marlie (in ivory), Polly, Miranda, Spencer, Lindsey, and Jennifer (from our Spring 2011 line). This is a lovely selection and we hope their brides agree! Check out their shop in Angelton, TX, to see all of the loveliness yourself!!!

Southern Weddings Magazine

Hi lovelies,

We have been super busy lately! One piece of news that we're incredibly excited to share, has to do with one of our favorite bridal magazines - Southern Weddings Magazine. It's pretty amazing, right? At the end of last year, Southern Weddings announced that they were starting a Blue Ribbon Vendor Guide, a directory of hand selected vendors in the south, the best of the best. There was an extensive application process, including reviews from past clients (like this one I posted here), and I anxiously awaited their response.

I was shocked to receive an email from Whitney telling me that I had been accepted to be a part of the Blue Ribbon Vendor Guide! It is such an honor to a part of such a prestigious magazine and blog. I love my Texas brides, but I am so excited to be able to reach out to more brides in the south! I feel like we've won the jackpot, just look at this adorable badge:

I want to put this cute as a button badge on everything! Check out our page in the vendor directory here!

Marlie, in Ivory

Hello lovelies,

The Marlie is one of my favorite sashes. My husband says I'm biased because I made them all and I love them all, but this one is different. It's named after my second cousin, Marlaina, whom I adore. We were close when I lived in Virginia, due to our love of hockey (Go Caps!) and our love of punk rock music. So, with her and her edgy punk rock style in mind, I created this sash. I think it truly fits her personality. Cute and adorable, but tough and confident. She is definitely the type of girl I envied when I was her age.

While I absolutely love it the way it is, I could just see the potential of it in ivory. I think brides will really love the soft look it gives, and the way that it appears to "float" on their gowns. I can definitely see this one becoming an instant classic. Well, see for yourself!

I think it's definitely swoon worthy! :) Leave me a comment, and tell me what you think about it! Would you rather go for the bold style of the black lace, or more traditional with the ivory?

A Heartfelt Review

Hello lovelies,

One of the most rewarding parts about this industry, is making girls dreams come true. Every girl deserves to be truly, 100% happy on their wedding day, and I'm so honored to be able to be a part of that. I recently applied to be part of Southern Weddings "Blue Ribbon" Vendor Guide (isn't that the cutest name? seriously.), and part of that process is reviews from past clients. One of my past clients, my friend Erin that I made the headpiece for, wrote a truly amazing review of us, and I just had to share it here with all of you.

"Hi Whitney!

I’m glad to hear from you and also happy to hear Amanda applied to be a SW Blue Ribbon Vendor!

I’m sure you hear this a lot from BRV references, but I have to say it—I love Fit to be Tied Bridal! I’ve actually known Amanda for about ten years now (wow, saying that made me feel really old!) and she’s always been a wonderfully sweet and caring girl with a great sense of humor and a big heart. I feel like she brings those same personality traits, as well as her master skills, great attention to detail, and love of weddings and design, to her business, Fit to be Tied.

Although we met in Virginia, she currently lives in Houston, Texas, and our friendship has become more of the Facebook variety. She began promoting her business, Fit to be Tied, via Facebook and reached out to me to let me know she’d named one of her creations after me. I was beyond flattered and really touched and began asking all sorts of questions about her designs and the business. I told her that while I’d absolutely love to support a friend and purchase a piece, unfortunately my dress or my bridesmaids’ dresses really wouldn’t quite work with a sash. I then asked if she could maybe help me with another project: a custom hair comb. I’ve wanted to wear a really unique hair comb that matched my dress but hadn’t been able to find anything that went with my gown (the “rosettes” on my dress aren’t really rosettes, more like little cloth puffs or sea urchins—it sounds bad but I swear it’s gorgeous*) Being the incredibly kind woman that she is, Amanda said she’d love to help me. And being the incredibly creative woman that she is, she didn’t even bat an eyelash at the thought of working on something outside of her line for me.

Throughout the process Amanda was excellent at listening to my ideas, asking the right questions, doing her own research (actually hunting down my gown at a Houston bridal salon!), and providing multiple options for me before she finalized the piece. She made this half-way across the country custom work experience seamless and a real pleasure!

To make an even longer story short, I now own a one-of-a-kind, absolutely beautiful, handmade hair comb that perfectly matches my dress as well as incorporates my color scheme with some extra beading I requested. I cannot wait to wear it on my wedding day—it totally completes the look I’m going for and I couldn’t be happier with the piece and Amanda herself.

Amanda’s pieces are great because they’re not only absolutely beautiful, but she has something for all different types of brides, bridesmaids, or special event attendee. The sashes are handmade in the South with lots of love and care, she can create custom pieces, and she’s absolutely the nicest person one could work with (a great quality all the time and especially if there’s a stressed out, all-over-the-place bride trying to order custom pieces!).  And did I mention that her website is gorgeous, too (http://www.fittobetiedbridal.com/#/home/)?

I think all in all Amanda’s creativity, expert handcrafting skills, kindness, and genuine care she has for her clientele makes her a perfect addition to the Southern Weddings Blue Ribbon Vender family and the Southern Weddings name.

Thank you for contacting me and have a happy holiday season!

Always,

Erin"

Um, isn't she the greatest? Seriously, I wanted to cry my eyes out when I read that. It's people like her that make me so happy about what I do. I seriously cannot wait to post pics of her wedding later this year!!

*She included a link to her gown, which I removed. And trust me, it is gorgeous! I seriously doubt that her hubby will read my blog, but you never know! Better safe than sorry, and you guys will see it anyway when I post about her wedding :)

Miranda, in Ivory

 Hello lovelies,

Here is the first of my samples that I've done in ivory. The Miranda sash was originally designed on a champagne ribbon, with champagne tulle and champagne pearls. I've made it with an ivory ribbon, ivory tulle, and the same champagne pearls. I think it looks really lovely. It almost looks more ethereal now. I like the way the champagne pearls "pop" off the ivory.

*I apologize for these pictures. I took them on my porch.

So, what do you think? Do you like the original design in champagne? Or would you go more for the all over ivory look?

Houston Bridal Gallery - Upcoming Events

Hi there Lovelies,

Well, Wedding Season is definitely upon us, and that means events, trunk shows, discounts, and every spring and summer bride out there looking for their dream dress. Houston Bridal Gallery is holding a ton of events this Spring to help you find your perfect wedding gown! Appointments for these events book up pretty quickly, so you may want to start looking! Here's a look at what they have coming up:

January 2-14, 2012
Season Closeout Sale
Is your New Year's Resolution to find your favorite designer gown at a not-so-designer price? Houston Bridal Gallery is ringing in the New Year by giving away select previous season sample gowns at a fraction of the price.

February 2-4, 2012
Justin Alexander Trunk Show
Be the first to order your brand new Spring 2012 Justin Alexander gown during this special event. Justin's gowns create a chic and stylish look with a pop of glam. Receive a special trunk show discount!

February 11-18, 2012
For the Love of Valentine's Day
February is full of love, and to show our love and appreciation, everything from garters to gown is 10% off for a whole week!

March 2-3, 2012
Essense of Australia Trunk Show
Introducing beauty and glamour at an affordable price, meet with Jessica from Essense to find the gown of your dreams. Enjoy a special trunk show discount.

March 23-24, 2012
Haute Bride Jewelry Trunk Show
Searching for the perfect jewelry to complement your gown? Look no further! Haute Bride has that unique, bold and beautiful touch to make you shine on your big day. Of course, discounts are available.

April 5-7, 2012
If Pronovias had a popularity contest, this Bridal Industry Award Winning design would win by a long shot! Simplistic, feminine, and elegant, Pronovias is the favorite of brides of all types. Have a Good Friday and a Good Weekend during this Easter weekend event. Call to book your appointment.!
*This trunk show will book up fast, so don't wait!

April 20-21, 2012 
Matthew Christopher Trunk Show
Looking for a gown that's out of the ordinary and a show-stopper? Matthew's Christopher's gowns give you that WOW factor you've been looking for. As a bonus, Matthew himself will be here for personal gown advice, and he will even give special discounts! By appointment only.
*You will love being able to shop for your gown with the designer himself. It's truly a once in a life time experience!


May 18-19, 2012
WToo Brides Trunk Show
Celebrating 25 years of gorgeous, Wtoo Brides has contemporary and classic, yet affordable designs made with the quality brides have always loved. Receive a trunk show discount when you order your gown during this event. Call to book your appointment!
*These gowns are so gorgeous, appointments are sure to go quickly!

These are some truly fabulous events, that you don't want to miss! Make sure to call and make your appointment soon so you don't miss out! :)

It's been awhile....

Hello lovelies!

So, it's been awhile. Over a month. Shame on me. I sincerely apologize for my lack of communication. It's been such a crazy year (lots of weddings, lots of orders, my own wedding, switching jobs, being unemployed, new job, travel, more orders!), that I really took some time out over the holidays to just relax, and enjoy being able to stay home and hang out with my husband. We both had the week of Christmas off, which hasn't happened before, so we spent the time cooking (we made a pumpkin pie and chocolate souffles from scratch! yum!), and watching a ton of movies. It was nice. I also did a lot of sewing. A lot. I swear.

So I'd like to take this time to wish you all a happy new year! I know I'm seven days late, however, I think I can still say it. A lot has been going on (see above), and there's a lot more to come this year! I have tons of posts coming up for you, so I thought I'd just take a minute to (apologize, sorry), and give you a preview of what's coming up!

Exciting things to come:
1. I'll be posting pics (hopefully at the end of this month) from my first international order! I'm so super excited for this one! The bride ordered a custom sash and hasn't seen it, and won't for about another two weeks. I'm so nervous, but I really think she'll love it! Can't wait to show you guys!

2. I've been working on making some of the new sashes in ivory. I used a lot of color in the Spring 2012 line (and I love color!), but I know that a lot of brides want something a little more classic, and there's nothing wrong with that. So I've been making a few of them in ivory to post on here, and on our etsy page, to show all of you lovely ladies what they look like if you order them in ivory instead of in black, or champagne, etc.

3. We will be making a guest appearance at a Bridal Show in Lake Jackson next weekend! More on that later! This is our first bridal show appearance, so we're very excited, and very flattered that we were asked to come. What should we wear??

4. We will shortly be available in a new store!! Yay! We're so beyond excited to be in a second store! It is called Something Blue, and is located in Angleton, TX. Yay!

We will have posts and more updates on all of these events (and so much more!) to come very shortly. We're going to try to get back to a regular schedule of actually posting on here. Imagine that! :)