Bonnie Daws Bridal Design Blog - Affordable Elegance

A WORD TO THE WISE BRIDE-TO-BE ...

2012-02-02T13:42:00.004-05:00

For all you newly engaged brides-to-be, I'd like to caution you about ordering a wedding gown from an internet site. One of my brides recently had a really unhappy experience before coming to me. She ordered a gown for $215. When the gown arrived, it was not what was pictured. She lost her $215, and had to begin again.

Upon investigating, we discovered that there are unscrupulous gown manufacturers [mostly in China] who lift imagery from American and European designers' websites, and post them on their own site. They add a price that appears extremely reasonable [usually between $150-$500] and invite a bride to place an order.

Our clue as to the legitimacy of this was when we spotted an actual photograph of Kate Middleton, entering the cathedral on her wedding day to Price William, on one of these sites. The site owner posted a price of $500 under the original photo, and assigned it a number from which to place an order.

If it seems too good to be true; it probably is. To be safe from unscrupulous business practices such as these, a good rule is to order online only from known retailers [Neiman Marcus, Macy's, Bloomingdales, etc]. If you do this, returning an item is easy if it doesn't meet your expectations.

Another Beautiful Day in October

2011-12-13T01:37:00.018-05:00

We loved the way Kasey Coates looked in her own special design. After spending hours gown shopping with her mom, they decided that having a gown custom-made would be the only way she could get the exact look she wanted.

Kasey knew she wanted an all-lace gown, but with a tiered skirt and lace at the neckline. The gown we designed was made of a heavy ivory silk charmeuse and two distinctly different, but beautiful, imported French Alencon laces. We added a pleated silk taffeta wrap just below the bust, and touched it off with a small soft organza flower. An ivory cascading veil puddled on the ground.

Steve and Kasey's photographer, Michael Bambino Studios, michaelbambino.com presented them with an amazing selection of about a thousand images to choose from. We had a difficult time chosing ourselves. We're sure Steve and Kasey will enjoy them for years to come. The couple were married on October 22 at the Hyde Park Community Methodist Church in Cincinnati. Michael Bambino is located in Glendale, Ohio.

Kasey's mom came to all of her fittings. The three of us enjoyed working together to create their dream dress, and we loved watching it come together throughout the process. They were so wonderful to work with.

National Public Radio Gala - DC Style

2011-12-02T12:42:00.006-05:00

Our Pat Gawlik [pictured left] and Bonnie Daws worked on a collaborative effort to create an evening gown for Pat's friend Caryn Mathis [right] who works for the Washington DC affiliate of NPR. Caryn wanted something special for the station's 50th anniversary celebration in October. Since it was the "Fiftieth," Caryn thought a gold gown would be most appropriate, but couldn't find anything after searching all the stores and boutiques in and around the Washington area.

She called her friend Pat, and asked if she would be willing to make her a dress considering that Caryn could only make one trip to the Detroit area for fittings.

Once we got Caryn's measurements, Bonnie went to work creating the muslin from which the gown would be cut. Caryn arrived in Detroit on a Friday, came directly to our studio for a fitting, and while she and Pat took off for an afternoon of trim shopping and an evening of meeting with friends and old acquaintances.

Caryn returned to our studio for her first gown fitting the next day [Saturday], and Bonnie spent the rest of the day cutting out and sewing together the outer dress and lining.

On Sunday, Caryn was ready to try on her actual gown for the first time. Pat pinned in the alterations and took the dress with her to take Caryn back to Metro Airport. Pat worked tirelessly finishing up on the alterations, boning, hemming and sewing on the beaded trim.

A few days later, with the assistance of UPS, the completed dress was on its way to Caryn. She was thrilled with the result. As a "thank you," Caryn offered to take Pat to the Gala as her guest. Pictured here were the two ladies just before they left for the evening.

Incidentally, to wear for the occasion, Pat made herself a lovely purple shell and skirt to go with a jacket that she made a few years ago.

We think both ladies took on that star quality and "sparkle" that only a custom garment can give.

Our Beautiful October Brides

2011-11-25T22:56:00.018-05:00

Morgan Wilt was married on October 22 in Grand Rapids. Her gown was made of 12 yards of Silk Taffeta [what a regal skirt] and an Alencon lace bodice. The gown with its long sleeves were reminiscent of the gown worn by Princess Grace of Monaco 50 years ago. The style is timeless, and will remain in vogue long after other gown designs have been abandoned.

We trimmed her veil with 14 yards of the same matching Alencon lace that adorned the dress bodice.

Morgan's photographer Mitch Ranger Weddings [a Michigan photographer] www.mitchrangerweddings.com sent us our favorite images of Morgan. He did an amazing job, so much so that we had a difficult time choosing from all the proofs.

We were particularly impressed with the one photo that Mitch took of Morgan posed on the balcony. It is so reminiscent of the one taken of Princess Grace of Monoco on her wedding day 50 years ago. We think Morgan actually resembles the Princess.

Morgan was blessed with one of the few sunny days we, in Michigan, have enjoyed over the past few weeks.

Off to a New Season

2011-10-23T09:41:00.016-04:00

Photos courtesy of Sam Sarkis www.samsarkisphotography.com

Sam Sarkis and I took three models to The Henry Ford [museum] on September 18 to capture some great photography for the upcoming season and a new marketing brochure. We thought you'd like to see the results.

Jennifer Spencer [left] is wearing our version of the "Royal Wedding gown." We first designed it [Princess Grace of Monoco was our inspiration], and were pleased to see that Kate Middleton had the same thoughts when she sat down with her designer to recreate a similar gown. The dress is a heavy silk taffeta and Alencon lace in ivory.

Tera Bean [center] is wearing a dress that we designed using a couple of wonderful floral cascades around the waist. We loved that tone-on-tone. The dress is Italian Zibalene [or Mikado] and the waist wrap and flowers are a slightly darker color silk taffeta.

Annie Hildebrand [right] is wearing her own wedding gown [married in June 2011] and tells us that she got "rave reviews" from all who attended. Her gown was silk taffeta with an organza overlay. Alencon lace appliques were sewn on both the under and over-skirt. She wore one of Custom Fabric Flowers [N.Y.] at the waist.

The Power of Black and White

2011-10-17T17:31:00.009-04:00

Marielle Newsome had her heart set on something romantic, but extremely out of the mainstream for her wedding. She and her fiancee agreed that black and white would be a powerful statement for a wedding gown. The two of them looked at a number of fabrics and laces, and decided on a silk taffeta for the dress with a black chantilly overlay for the bodice. The results were amazing.

Marielle added a little black topper headpiece that she found at an antique sale.

Prior to their June wedding, the couple traveled to Vancouver where her fiance was to attend a medical conference, and then on to Boston where the wedding took place. The dress went along on the cross-country trip.

JUST IN ...

2011-08-26T06:49:00.003-04:00

Nataliya sent us this wonderful photo taken on her wedding day, June 4, in The Ukrane.

It appears that the dress made the trip from the U.S. quite well with lots of careful packing.

We loved the romantic look of the organza and silk taffeta roses.

She says that "everybody loved the dress."

Annie's Wedding Gown Detail

2011-07-04T11:47:00.010-04:00

Here's a close-up look at the intricate detail of Annie's Gown. 130 appliques, a few layered petals, and 53 hours of hand-sewing.

Here's what Annie's mom, Bobbe, e-mailed us following the July 2 wedding:

"I wish you could have been at the wedding----our guests actually gasped as Annie appeared walking toward us over the crest of a hill in the middle of a tree-lined field on a bright sunny afternoon. The wedding was at 5:00 with bright blue sky and a slight wind rustling the trees. And the most often word to describe Annie's dress was "stunning." Your incredible dress made the day what it was. Annie had significantly more than the usual bridal glow and it was because she loved the dress and the way she looked and felt wearing it. I can never thank you enough for your amazing work!"

The photo is one that we took in my studio with our little "point-and-shoot" camera, but we'll be publishing more of her photographer's [Brown Street Studios] images once they're available.

Annie and Cory Knill

2011-06-30T20:38:00.013-04:00

When Annie H. first came to us, she came with a photo of a gown she had seen in an upscale bridal boutique in Chicago. Not being able to find the dress in any of the Michigan salons, she thought perhaps we could create something similar. Needless to see Annie and her mom, Bobbe, were delighted with the result. Annie's gown was an intensive labor of love. It was created from a vast array of Alencon lace appliques, with a few layered tone-on-tone flower petals. The dress itself was ivory silk taffeta with an organza overskirt of the same shade.

On July 2, Annie and Cory Knill returned to her home town in Wisconsin to finalize their vows. The ceremony and reception took place at The Kendall Barn in Three Lakes.

Annie's photographer, Becky, owner of Brown Street Studios in Rhinelander, Wisconsin created some of the most fabulous photography we've seen. Becky is available for travel just about anywhere.

WHAT WE DO FOR LOVE

2011-06-04T08:52:00.003-04:00

Girls never change. Whether it be a little girl making her First Communion or a high school teen attending her Senior Prom, she usually gravitates to the same thing: "Lots of Bling!"

We stepped out of our normal routine to do a favor for a couple of friends with special requests:

Sophie Buatti was making her First Holy Communion in May, and her mom Stacey asked me to make her little daughter something special. Sophie actually designed her dress [which was sleeveless] and asked us to add the jacket. She wanted an A-line skirt with pickups instead of the usual gathered full skirt. Also, and more important, she wanted lots of Bling, so we added a lace with sequins and tiny pearls.

Rachel Nowak wanted a slim lilac dress with lots of Bling. Her mom, Liz asked us to help Rachel attain the dress of her dreams. We started with a stretch charmeuse in just the right color and found the perfect trim in our inventory. We matched the bold trim with a silver stretch sequined fabric at Haberman Fabrics in Royal Oak. The dress fit her like a glove. Rachel was glowing.

IN A ROSE GARDEN

2011-06-04T07:48:00.008-04:00

Our first June bride, Nataliya Laypa, wanted something special for her June 4th wedding. Since both she and her fincee Vlad grew up in the Ukraine, they dreamed of returning to their homeland and the beautiful town of Zalishchyky to finalize their wedding vows and reunite with friends and family on this joyous occasion.

For her special day, Nataliya wanted a combination of elements that she saw in two prominent American designer gowns; one by Monique Lhuillier and the other by Jenny Lee. We put them together [and added our own touch] for a breathtaking finale.

Working with Nataliya, we created her one-of-a-kind perfect gown of diamond white silk taffeta and organza. Hand rolled taffeta roses and organza ruffles intertwined gracefully to form a garden of flowers on the skirt. The small train that gracefully swept the floor in back was bustled up later for dancing.

Just in ...

2011-05-13T15:55:00.006-04:00

From Cancun, Mexico, the formal photos of Brittany Walker Mortimer and hubby taken by Adventure Photos Team at the Dreams Cancun resort.

First Bride of 2011 - BRITTANY WALKER

2011-05-06T22:53:00.008-04:00

Brittany Walker was our first bride of 2011. She traveled all the way from Texas to our studio in Plymouth, Michigan, to have her gown custom made. Her mom, who is a Michigan resident, accompanied her to fittings, and took the photo shown here. We're waiting for Brittany to send us some of her photographers pics taken on the big day.

Brittany's gown was a classic design of a silk taffeta in a champagne color with a rouched bodice. Silver trim and tiny pearls encircled the bustline. She was beautiful.

The happy couple took their wedding vows in the Caribbean in early April.

Fit for a Princess

2011-05-02T09:44:00.017-04:00

With the Royal Wedding behind us, there's been a lot of speculation in the fashion world about the similarity of Kate Middleton's wedding gown to that of the Grace Kelly bridal gown.

We've always thought of Princess Grace's dress as a classic, so, a few years ago we created our own version of it using silk taffeta and French Alencon lace and added a pickup to the front of the skirt and a half bow to the waist wrap. We loved the result.

It's here in our Plymouth studio to try on.

The photo at the right was taken that same year by one of my former brides, Jacquelyn W. Holling [now Jacquelyn Williams]* for an ad in The Knot magazine.

*Jacquelyn Williams currently is a free lance photographer in the Greater Los Angeles area.
Her website is www.justjq.com

JUST IN ...

2010-12-27T16:42:00.017-05:00

Lauren Yellen's photos from her September wedding at the Botanical Gardens in Ann Arbor. Her photographer Melissa Squires of "A Girl in Love Photography" captured the essence of Lauren's wedding perfectly. Melissa was kind enough to share her interpretation of the day with us. Melissa is one of the few photographers who focuses on the "fashion" as well as the "fun" aspects of a wedding. Melissa is an award winning member of agwpja photographing Southeastern Michigan and worldwide. You'll find her on www.agirlinlove.com

Lauren is a wonderfully creative person who incorporated a lot of her own ideas into the details of her wedding, from the dresses to the shoes, flowers and her own head piece. Adding the bolero was a finishing touch that made her fit right in with the garden setting. We especially liked the pink flamingos and green umbrellas; how fun!

While we were making Lauren's dress, every bride, bridesmaid and mother of the wedding commented on the originality and sweetness of the polka dot tulle and ruffles. One bride's sister said that this unique dress made her rethink what she would wear for her own upcoming ceremony. Thanks Lauren!

JUST IN ...

2010-11-15T14:35:00.012-05:00

Professional photos from Rachel Walters' October 23 wedding at the Grosse Pointe War Memorial overlooking beautiful Lake St. Clair.

Her photographer, Duane Orris of Orris Photography captured the romantic aspects of the couple's wedding, showcasing her beautiful heirloom bridal veil.

Rachel's veil measured 4 yards long with Alencon lace trim around the entire edge. Rachel hopes to preserve her veil as a family keepsake.

Duane Orris maintains a studio in Royal Oak and is available for travel anywhere. You can view his website on

www.orrisphotography.com
www.orrisphotographyblog.com

Fit for a Princess

2010-11-12T16:28:00.006-05:00

Collette's story was a familiar one. After searching through bridal salons from Lansing to Toledo [and trying on at least least 70 dresses], she finally decided that going the "custom" route was her only alternative. She brought several photos of dresses she liked [parts of this and parts of that] for us to look at and to begin the process of designing the "dress of her dreams."

Collette knew that she did want an all-lace [ivory] dress over a deeper color silk under-fabric. She also knew that she didn't want it to be "strapless;" in fact she wanted some sort of a sleeve. She wanted a youthful look that might be difficult to achieve with a sleeve, so we went through many design ideas before finally coming up with the ultimate solution; a sleeveless lace gown with a matching bolero jacket. This way she would have the option of removing the jacket during her reception if she wanted to.

To keep the lace-over-lace design of the jacket from becoming too busy over the lace bodice of the dress, we underlined it with a pale peach organza. The color blended beautifully with the deep taupe underfabric of her gown. We added a beige satin ribbon just under the bust for accent.

Collette was married on October 10 [10-10-10] to the love of her life. It wasn't hard to see that her "Prince Charming" was enchanted with his "Princess."

We'll be posting her photographer's professional images as soon as they're ready.

Remembering Mom

2010-11-12T15:57:00.011-05:00

When Rory McHugh came to us, she had just lost her mother. Continuing to plan her wedding was difficult, but she wanted to do something special in remembrance of her mom.

Rory couldn't wear her mother's dress because of the size, but having it, or parts of it, remade into a new dress was a viable option. Rory's tastes were simple, so she chose a silk taffeta for the major part of her gown, and asked us to remove some of the lace trim from her mom's dress and sew it onto the new one. We took lace from the sleeves and train of the original dress and appliqued it onto the underbust circling it around to the center back. The lace and silk taffeta colors [a deep ivory] were a perfect match. Rory also liked a dress she saw in our studio that had a cascade of ruffles from the back neckline down to the hem. We incorporated that feature into her design as well. It all went together beautifully; but the most dramatic part of Rory's wedding attire was her mom's beautiful heirloom lace-edged veil that flowed from a cap-style headpiece down to the train. The lace of the veil formed a halo around the entire dress.

Rory brought her dad to her last fitting. We don't get a lot of dads in our studio, but this one was happy when he saw how wonderful his daughter looked.

Rory married David Brandon on October 15 at the Dixboro United Methodist Church in Ann Arbor. Their reception was held at Plymouth Manor.

More about Janee ...

2010-11-04T05:42:00.007-04:00

We especially liked Janee's red shoes and colorful flowers.

Thanks again, Serendipity Studios for the great photos.

Serendipity Studios have recently moved to Miami, but are available for wedding bookings around the world. They can be found at:

www.beyondordinary.net
www.beyondordinaryblog.net

JUST IN ...

2010-11-01T07:41:00.005-04:00

Photos from Janee's wonderful country wedding in July of this year; courtesy of Serendipity Studios www.beyondordinary.net. Janee said her gown received "rave reviews!" We suspect that, based on the photos, her new hubby Alex had the same reaction.

We loved the barn [Community Barn], the country road and the entire feel of the wedding. The event was held in Hidden Springs in Eagle Idaho.

Janee's choice of a lace dress fit right in with the casual elegance of the day.

We were amazed that she had the time to finish her term in medical school and plan this wonderful wedding at the same time.

Our best wishes to the happy couple.

Just Add a Veil for Incredible Elegance

2010-10-26T17:27:00.005-04:00

Rachel purchased her gown in Texas earlier in the year. It was simple, but suitable to her small frame. She thought that the lack of ornamentation on the gown would lend itself to a wonderful heirloom bridal veil. She chose a lace from our vast inventory to trim her 4 yard mantilla veil. The lace is probably the last of its kind. The results were beautiful.

We added a belt with a beautiful crystal clasp that Rachel wore for her reception.

Rachel was married at the Grosse Pointe War Memorial on October 23.

Her wedding planner, Ana Skidmore of Two-Foot Creative brought the two of us together. Thank you Ana.

A Garden Wedding

2010-10-17T15:58:00.008-04:00

Lauren Yellen and Eric Oppitz met at Arizona State University about ten years ago and became engaged in 2001.

Shortly after Lauren moved to Michigan in 2004 to attend grad school at U of M, Eric followed.

Lauren had an idea about a dream dress that would fit into her garden setting at the Matthaei Botanical Gardens in Ann Arbor. She knew that she wanted something informal and perky -- but not a long floor-length gown. When we sat down with her, she presented a photo of an Oscar de la Renta wedding dress that could be modified into her version of the "perfect little dress."

Lauren's dress was a combination of silk taffeta with yards of polka-dot tulle overlay. For a finishing touch, we added a perky bolero with ruffles at the neckline and sleeve area to give the dress just what it needed. During the construction process, every client and prospective client that visited our studio, fell in love with Lauren's wonderful dress. Here you can judge for yourself.

Lauren and Eric, who both work in the Ecology Lab at the University of Michigan, were married on September 11.

A Midsummer's dream

2010-08-30T10:17:00.014-04:00

When Janee Mestrovich first came to us, it was on a Saturday afternoon in May, following a frantic search for the “right gown” with five of her closest friends in tow. She saw one gown that she loved, but wanted a few modifications. The price of the gown was affordable; however, getting it with the modifications she wanted [plus necessary alterations] would no doubt put it completely out of the ballpark pricewise.

She had only two months before her upcoming July wedding. Her Medical school studies were taking up huge amounts of her time, so getting the gown in a timely manner was critical. In between classes, exams and studying, Jenee traveled from Lansing to our studio in Plymouth for a few fittings, and before long she had the dress of her dreams.

In addition to style details, of paramount importance to Janee was the length of the gown. She wanted all lace, but didn’t want the hem of the dress to drag on the ground for her outside wedding. She wanted a style that was body-hugging, but with a trumpet skirt featuring a few dramatic pickups. We were able to accommodate her on all fronts.

Janee traveled to her wedding destination in Milwaukee with her dress on one arm and her kitten carrier in the other, as her carry-on luggage.

We're waiting to see how she made out with the airline attendants. We were confident that if anyone could do it, Janee could!

Anne Carney and Scott Strickland

2010-08-19T09:10:00.017-04:00

Photos courtesy of Laurie Tennent Studio, Birmingham, Michigan www.laurietennentstudio.com

Because the Carneys and the Stricklands had been friends for 40 years, their children, Anne and Scott, had a long time to get to know each other. Needless to say, the families were delighted when the two announced that they wanted to unite in a more permanent way.

On June 26, Anne Carney and Scott Strickland officially "tied the knot" in a beautiful ceremony at Christ Church Cranbrook. A reception followed at the Oakland Hills Country Club.

From our standpoint, Anne and mom Cindy [Carney] were delightful ladies to work with.

Anne's gown [her own design] of ivory, double-faced silk satin was accented with an Alencon lace bodice and a caramel satin ribbon at the waist. She placed an antique brooch on the ribbon that she and her mom discovered an an antique show. A duet of silk roses from Custom Fabric Flowers in New York, adorned her hair.

Cindy's dress [also her own design] of ice blue silk taffeta was her vision of a simple, yet elegant style, reminiscent of the Audrey Hepburn era.

The couple's photographer Laurie Tennent captured the magic of the day in a beautiful unique way. We had difficulty selecting from the many wonderful photos she offered.

Ruffles Anyone?

2010-08-04T08:54:00.007-04:00

When Julie Hollyday came to see us from Cincinnati last year, her mom Susan was extremely enthusiastic to have her daughter come north to Michigan to have her wedding gown made. Susan, who lives in Toledo, knew that not only would this be a good bonding experience, but also a way for her to share in the wedding planning process.

Julie's idea for a wedding gown was a composite of many ideas that she saw in bridal magazines. Our impression was that it was yet another take of the formal "little back dress" that Princess Diana wore when she made her first public appearance as the future bride of Prince Charles.

Julie and Susan graced our studio several times in the process of bringing the dress from its simple beginnings to its elegant finish.

We suggested adding a few silk flowers to the ruffles, but Julie loved the simplicity of the dress as it was. Instead she opted for having us make up the wedding flowers from her bridal silk and a red silk shantung for her attendants and mothers' corsages. Instead of a veil, Julie wore three small silk roses in her hair.

Photography by Bonnie Daws

Julie and Chris

2010-07-16T08:18:00.012-04:00

Photography courtesy of Mod4

Last year when Julie picked up her gown, we posted a picture of her on our website as she looked then. Our photo didn't do her justice.

Just this week, her photographer, Mod4 was kind enough to send us two great photos taken of the couple on their wedding day at The Henry Ford in Dearborn.

Chris is an illustrator for Star Wars and Julie is a creative director for a local ad agency. Together they put together the most amazing wedding with a STAR WARS theme. The photographer has captured this unique event on their blog. Take a look on http://www.mod4.com/blog

Just in ...

2010-07-14T07:55:00.002-04:00

Wonderful photos of Janine Kenaan's wedding to Gary Greenberg. The photos shown here were furnished courtesy of the Princess Cruise Line.

What a romantic setting for a beautiful wedding that was shared by the couple's families and closest friends. We can see the sun setting on the happy couple as they share a kiss and spend a few private moments at sunset.

Janine was such a wonderful bride to work with. We loved creating all the details of her dress starting from only a photo of a gown and then adding the detail of pickups and crystal banding from the our inventory of silk and trims.

We hope that the Greenbergs enjoy many years of happiness.

The Perfect Dress for a Summer Garden Wedding

2010-07-09T20:36:00.008-04:00

When Rebecca O'Leary came to us in May of this year, it was after an exhaustive search for a dress that she could feel comfortable in for her July wedding.Rebecca wanted something with sleeves, yet something that wasn't like many of the ball gowns or strapless dresses she found in area bridal shops. She only knew she wanted something that floated, was light weight and easy to move in. We put her in this ivory charmeuse with a dress tulle overlay and a slight rouching at the bustline. For a touch of elegance, we added this dramatic crystal embroidery just above the skirt. It was perfect!

Rebeca brought her niece Gracie to her fittings. Gracie has agreed to model a flower girl dress for us in the future.

The wedding took place at the Tollgate Center in Novi on one of the hottest days of the summer. A surprise thunderstorm greeted the couple midway through the afternoon. Rebecca was happy that her dress was so light.

The couple received their guests at a family home in Highland, Michigan.

Rebecca, you were a joy to work with.

Photography by Bonnie Daws

Red Carpet Anyone?

2010-07-06T16:17:00.006-04:00

Here's a dress to suit the most dramatic and sophisticated of brides.

We're noticing that mothers of the wedding are getting more dramatic, and won't settle for any of those matronly dresses that they're finding in most bridal salons.

We now have a large supply of beaded fabrics in the most beautiful colors. Pair one of them with a luxe chiffon or silk charmeuse and dance at your daughter's [or son's] wedding. You'll feel like a celebrity on the Red Carpet.

Give us a call and come in to see what we can do for you.

Janine's Wedding Photo

2010-06-29T11:23:00.010-04:00

Just in - a wonderful photo courtesy of the Princess Cruise Line.

Janine Kenaan Greenberg send us her favorite portrait photo from her wedding last month on the Princess Cruise Line. We'll post more soon.

Her dress looked wonderful considering the flight from Michigan to Florida and then on to the cruise ship. It didn't need any steaming or pressing following the trip.

She was radiant, and the setting couldn't have been better.

A Special Wedding Gown for a Special Location

2010-05-18T13:26:00.003-04:00

This must be the season for Romance on the high seas. Janine Kenaan said "I Do" to Gary Greenberg [on leave from active duty in Iraq] aboard a luxury liner cruise in the Caribbean on May 18.

Janine's gown took twelve yards of ivory Duchesse Silk Satin to create the elaborate swirl of pickups and sweeps.

Her gown weathered the couple's plane trip to Florida [and then on to the cruise ship] surprisingly well after we packed it in tons of tissue.

Look for Janine's gown in an upcoming ad. We're set to do a photo shoot once she returns to Michigan.

Best of luck to them both. We're praying that Gary returns home from Iraq safe and sound.

A Classic Beauty

2010-05-17T18:12:00.012-04:00

Rana Berry of Dearborn wanted a variation of a vintage Hollywood gown for her May 1 wedding to Mike Safiedine. A successful search for an ornately beaded fabric ended at Haberman Fabrics in Royal Oak. It was teamed up with her choice of a silk charmeuse fabric to create this exquisite gown for their spring ceremony at the Hyatt Regency in Dearborn.

Following the ceremony the couple enjoyed a week-long cruise to the Virgin Islands.

Wedding day photo [above] courtesy of Action Productions.

AN AFTERLIFE FOR A BRIDAL GOWN

2010-03-27T11:05:00.009-04:00

AN HEIRLOOM CHRISTENING DRESS FROM A BRIDAL GOWN

Mom and dad Hillary Tefft and Scott Milman [below] were married on August 5, 2006. Hillary thought that a better afterlife for her wedding gown would be to transform it into an Heirloom Christening Gown for their first daughter. This way the gown could remain in the family to be used for upcoming and future generations. Hillary and Scott are shown on their wedding day in photos taken by Jocelyn Lloyd Photography.

Baby Emily Milman really took to her first modeling assignment [top] posing in the reconstructed Christening Gown made by Pat Gawlik of our studio. Emily's official Christening portrait was provided by Silver Thumb Photography of Canton, Michigan.

2010-03-23T13:47:00.003-04:00

KATE AND MARK NARDI DEI

A wonderful photo of our last beautiful bride of 2009. Kate Madigan became the bride of Mark Nardi Dei in a private ceremony in Washington D.C. on November 26, 2009. An informal reception with family and close friends followed. Kate's dress was created in the style of her favorite London designer Roland Mouret.

2010-03-23T08:40:00.006-04:00

JUST IN --

Photos from Lavinia and Nate Lorio's August 2009 wedding courtesy of Lemus Photography.

Lavinia searched through many bridal salons in the area looking for just the right dress. Her search ended happily here when, together, we designed the "perfect" gown for her. She was a beautiful bride on a beautiful day. Congratulations Lavinia and Nate!

Life Moments Photography - Kaitlin Williams Wright's Dress

2010-02-21T11:20:00.003-05:00

Kaitlin Williams

2010-02-16T14:08:00.007-05:00

(Click image to enlarge)

When Kaitlin Williams and her mom, Karen, came to us to talk about a custom bridal gown in September of 2009, Kaitlin had dreamed of a designer gown she saw at a local bridal shop, but with a few modifications. Asking the designer to create a dress with these design changes would have taken it completely out of the realm of possibility.

We created the look that Kait wanted, and allowed her to actually redesign the gown herself throughout the fitting process. The final product was a confection of Chantilly lace over eggshell satin embellished with several dozen tone-on-tone flower petals and tiny pearl accents.

A week before her February 13 wedding at the Northridge Church in Plymouth Township, Kate picked up her dream gown.

“I got exactly what I wanted, which is something a store could never give me,” she said. I feel beautiful, not only because the dress was beautifully done, but also because I feel like myself in it.”

Kaitlin truly looked like a princess in her one-of-a-kind dress.

Here it is!

2010-02-15T17:02:00.002-05:00

Debuting for the first time, our brand new video - all about Bonnie Daws Bridal Design. If you have ever wondered what our process entails, or just want a sneak peek at our studio, you will find it here. Video courtesy of Media Fuser.

Sneak Peak!

2010-02-15T16:43:00.000-05:00

Enjoy these still shots from our *new* video, debuting this week! Thanks to Media Fuser for the video and for providing these shots. Stay tuned!

From Brides to Blogs

2010-02-12T21:13:00.001-05:00

We are happy to announce that a BRAND new website and "about us" video will be launching next week - stay tuned!

Also, please be sure to explore some of our lovely past and current brides via our Facebook page.