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When I was in college in New England, getting packages with a return address of One Ivy Crescent in Lynchburg, Virginia was a thrill. It meant that yet another boxy, Shetland wool, or roll-neck sweater had arrived from J.Crew. We were addicts. We thought the label “J.Crew U” was a compliment to our great style, not a criticism of our homogeneous look.
One day, I decided to find One Ivy Crescent in Lynchburg, just an hour south of Charlottesville. A friend told me that the clearance center at the J.Crew factory carried current merchandise that had been returned or slightly damaged and not the cheaper outlet-only line that you’d expect. J.Crew doesn’t publish any official information about the two stores it operates out of the Lynchburg factory, but I post their addresses on the Weddingbee boards every now and then in hopes of helping people find them.
During my visit, I got on the factory’s email list and started getting announcements about sample sales and warehouse clearance events. Last spring, I got a message about a wedding clearance event that J.Crew held in an empty storefront in Richmond and decided to go check it out.
I was too excited to take a picture. / Photo from the Richmond Bargains blog
I hadn’t finalized wedding colors or my bridesmaids when this sale happened, so I wasn’t really looking for anything specific. I was stunned that gowns that used to sell for over $1,000 were marked down to $200–300. All bridesmaids’ dresses were $30. All shoes were $10. On top of that, everything was 20% off for the final weekend of the sale.
In the The Bees are Thankful For… post, I admitted to being thankful that tights are in style (among other things). I thank da lawd daily that tights are in style, because I like to wear dresses every day, whether it’s cold or not. That got me thinking about other things I’m glad to hop on the bandwagon for. Jeans tucked into boots—sooo practical when it’s wet out. Scarves—they keep me warm in the office on the daily. Headbands—my bangs can’t be trusted to behave very often. Sure, I could wear these things even if they weren’t in style, but would I? Would I even think to wear a scarf indoors if hipsters hadn’t proclaimed it cool? Probably not—you don’t see me wearing snowpantz to work, no matter how cold my legs get under that desk.
Image via Style Me Pretty / Photo by Arrow and Apple
I want these tights! All of them! At the same time!
Then I realized there were a number of wedding-related trends that are making my life easier as well. Paper flowers, for example. OK, they might not be making my life easier per se, but making my own flowers will save me a bundle. And I don’t have to worry too much about how weird it is to have paper flowers because, well, it’s not that weird anymore. In fact, they’re downright prolific in the wedding blogosphere.
Shoes are important. You literally can’t leave the house without them. If I’m going to listen to Coco Chanel and take one accessory off before leaving the house, shoes can’t be that one thing. Shoes make women feel sexy, even if they otherwise wouldn’t. Shoes fit whether you eat that last cookie or not. Shoes help make me taller so I can reach that top shelf. (All right, fine—that middle shelf. I’ll never quite reach the top.) I wrote an entire short story in college examining the social constructs surrounding high-heel-shod women—sexual repercussions, metaphors, isn’t it ironic, mumbo jumbo, BS, etc.—that seemed very deep and intellectually stimulating to my post-adolescent, idealistic brain. But no one rhapsodized about shoes better than Kelly.
When wedding planning was new and exciting, I pinned a bunch of shoe ideas that appealed to me, even though the pics I pinned were not actually shoes you could buy. Like these:
Image via Oh Happy Day
I didn’t plan on jumping right into inspiration posts, but early in our engagement there was exciting news from one of my favorite brands that just needed to be shared! A few months ago, Kate Spade New York introduced Wedding Belles (and whistles), a collection including dresses, shoes, jewelry, handbags, and other accessories.
How do I love this new collection? Let me count the ways…
I guess it’s first important to discuss my love for this brand. Although I have been (woefully) restrained in purchasing from Kate, I am constantly attracted to her bright colors, polka-dotted patterns, and unique handbags. My shiny pink Stacy wallet is a bright spot in any purse and was so loved that I purchased a coordinating striped pink case for my iPhone. (I was going through a pink phase at the time.) So though my Kate collection is fairly limited beyond this, I have spent countless hours on their site, many times going as far as placing items in the basket before I stop, close the browser, and sadly walk away.
But if there’s one time to splurge a little…it’s your wedding, right? So here’s my current “love” wish list from the Wedding Belles collection.
Featured on Weddingbee
All-Inclusion Invitation Suites
“Make an elegant invitation statement without the fuss. Stylish invitation sets with matching envelopes, reception and response cards included.”
While I have always had a pretty robust wardrobe, I never considered myself shoe obsessed. Despite watching Style with Elsa Klensch from the time I was a child, I never pined after designer goods in an I’ll-eat-ramen-to-own-Hermès way. For some reason, after Mr. Mink and I got engaged, I became shoe obsessed.
It honestly started with one picture.
Image via The Wedding Chicks / Photo by Dave Richards Photography
I prowled around the web looking for that shoe. I seriously considered figuring out who that bride is and emailing her about her shoes. I did it with another bride after a Google image search landed me on her wedding website. Thankfully, she totally understood the importance of shoes and let me know where she got her shoes (clearance at Lord & Taylor, darn it) and that they were dyed to get that perfect teal-blue color on them.
Unlike a certain “celebrity” who chose to wear three different dresses on her wedding day, (only to file for divorce 72 days later), I will NOT be wearing more than one gown. However, I will be wearing three different shoes. Yes, good people of the hive, I am a three shoe bride.
Aside from the first step of admitting I may have a problem, this wasn’t something I planned out. You have already stuck with me through three posts on my ceremony shoes - One, Two, and Three, and a post or two on my sparkly Ugg boots. So what in the world would entice me to look for a third pair?
Dancing. That’s right—gettin’ down, shakin’ your groove thang, show me what you’re workin’ with—dancing. I love to dance and plan on bustin’ a move with the best of them at my reception.
As I was going through the timeline of our day last week, I realized we needed to pull together an amazing song list for our DJ that would keep the dance floor jumping all night. That got me thinking that maybe the Uggs weren’t the best choice for moving freely about the dance floor. While they will keep my tootsies toasty warm commuting to and from locations and will look amazing in some outdoor pictures, I think they may hinder my running man skills on the dance floor.
Zappos is my go to place when I get the shoe shopping urge. Their 365 day return policy just can’t be beat. I ordered the Astrella flats by Romantic Soles in pewter.
Image via Zappos.com
Create the honeymoon of your dreams.
While I love love love love love my dress, there is a slight problem with her, as demonstrated by this lovely bride who also chose my gown:
Image via Style Me Pretty / Photo by Katy Gray
Do you see the problem? She is having a really hard time raising her arms above her head!! Those straps are surprisingly restricting, making it near impossible to raise your arms above shoulder height. Obviously, I don’t really care all that much, seeing as I bought the dress, but it does present somewhat of a problem when it comes to one main part of the wedding: The first dance. You see, Mr. Elk is about a foot taller than me, and so it is imperative that I be able to actually reach his shoulders, a feat that may not be possible with those straps!
After finding my dress, my next mission was shoes. (I would love to show pictures, but the mister assured me he wouldn’t be able to avoid the temptation! So you’ll have to get by with my rather elusive description.) My dress is a very classic modified A-line gown with a bit of a vintage look. (I’m sure that doesn’t help at all!) I wanted a shoe that reflected a similar style. I also knew that I loved color, but I wasn’t necessarily set on it. I wanted something somewhat delicate and definitely feminine. The downfall was that it had to be a flat/kitten heel.
I’m not a super-tall girl, but at 5’7”, I am above average height. The dress I ordered fit me perfectly at the length it was, but the catch was that I would only be able to wear a minimal heel. I did have the option to add additional length, but at a couple hundred bucks for a few inches plus extra alterations fees, it just didn’t seem practical. (Plus, I’m a total flats girl anyways. I love you, Tory Burch!) With Momma and Sis Hawk in tow, we hit up every major department store in Richmond, plus made a trip to the Williamsburg outlets. I was extremely disheartened, finding really only two viable options:
(Please excuse my horribly swollen feet after a full day of shopping)
(Left: Vera Wang Lavender Label “Luna” flat, Right Kate Spade “Marlena,” which comes in ivory)
The next day we visited Carytown, a quaint area in Richmond’s uptown neighborhood featuring strictly boutique shopping. In the first store we visited, I found these:
In some cultures, pearls are said to represent tears. As such, brides are cautioned against wearing them on their wedding days so that they do not begin their new lives with sorrow. Interestingly enough, there is also a counter superstition: pearls take the place of a bride’s real tears, thus eliminating any sadness and leading to a joyful marriage.
If the latter superstition is true, I am going to be one happy wife. (We won’t talk about the implications of the former!) I absolutely love pearls, and I am going to be wearing them on my wedding day. In fact, I am going to be wearing a lot of pearls.
Remember those Kate Spade shoes that the hive helped me decide to wear? They have pearl details on them.
Pearls on the toes
My mother is also going to be giving me for my birthday a pair of crystal and pearl earrings. They were the perfect find, especially since they match my dress’s belt!
It all started with a few months ago with shipment from Steve
It was certainly a scorching Texas summer eve,
Read more…
Alternative title: How I Ended Up With Two Pairs of Wedding Shoes
Like pretty much any woman who has ever existed, I love shoes. Heels, sandals, and fancy sporty shoes. Designer shoes to Payless shoes, I love them all. Lately, I spend most of my time online looking at shoes that I can’t afford. Or you know, couldn’t possibly walk in.
I would break all sorts of body parts in these babies.
Christian Louboutin “ballerina” heels / Image via Glamour.com
A couple of weeks ago, my favorite shoe site, Kate Spade hosted a “Friends & Family” sale. 30% off EVERYTHING in stores and online. I think I literally squealed in my chair. Mr. Warbs looked kind of worried. A Kate Spade shoe sale meant that I could now possibly afford to buy the shoes I’d been coveting for months:
Our apartment is beginning to fill with items for our wedding. Now don’t worry; we aren’t at Hoarders level yet. I am in no danger of getting crushed by a falling stack of programs in the living room or swallowed by a sea of washi tape hidden behind the pantry door. However, there are favor cards in the desk. There are invitation samples on the bookshelf. There is a sparkly hair clip in the medicine cabinet. And there are three new shoe boxes in my closet. That’s right. I have purchased three pairs of shoes for one occasion.
(And I almost bought another pair today. PSA: Nordstrom Rack at the Howard Hughes Center in Los Angeles has two pairs of white satin Jimmy Choo pumps for $49.99. Size 38.5/8.5 and 41/11.)
The shoe hoard
Let’s open these babies up for a closer look.
Remember at the beginning when I went on and on about picking dresses for the bridesmaids and then never shared what we actually chose? Oops! To make up for it, here is a picture of Bridesmaid Paws showing off the final selection!
I think the girls will be rocking mismatched shoes with this one!
When I first thought of wedding shoes, I thought “mmm, k.”
I am not a shoe girl. I have never paid more than maybe 75 bucks for a pair of dressy shoes. I think the most expensive pair of shoes I own are my UGGs. Does that count? And, yes, I don’t care how “uggly” they are, I love me some UGGs.
Early on in planning I decided I wanted my something blue to be my shoes. Plus, factoring in our peacock/blue color scheme I thought it made a lot of sense.
Apparently I am unconsciously trying to BE Carrie Bradshaw on my wedding day (minus the part where my groom loses his ish and ditches me, only to propose later with some Manolos), because not only did she have the blue shoes, but she also had that peacock thing going on.
Image via Bitten and Bound
If you are any thing like me, (and I am guessing you at least something like me because you are reading and enjoying this wedding blog) you can look at wedding stuff for HOURS, consuming endless hours of websites, magazines, blogs and pictures. I love to soak in all the frilly, glittery, lacy, shiny goodness like a bridal sponge.
I like to obsess over dresses (even though I have chosen mine and could not be happier). There is just so much diversity! Maybe I should just start wearing wedding dresses exclusively. I am pretty sure (finances aside) I could wear a different one every day for a year, and love them all.
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| Image from Kleinfeld Dress By Pnina Tornai |
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