Published: The Cadiz gown goes to Budapest, gets published in Sisters In Law blog!

I am completely obsessed with Wes Anderson’s ability to create perfect little worlds in each of his films. It’s hard to say which is my favorite - I want to hang out in the 1960’s England of Fantastic Mr. Fox and go disco dancing in the grocery store, but then how would I get style tips from Margo Tennenbaum in 1990’s New York, and if I did that, when would I have time to eat pastries in 1930’s Budapest with Zero and Agatha? Luckily, I can travel into these little worlds whenever I want just by pressing ‘play’, and let those worlds inspire me to create pieces worthy of a Wes Anderson creation. Agatha and Margot are just who I was thinking of when I created this tafetta and beaded-lace sheath gown, the Cadiz, and what luck that we were able to take it to Budapest for fun little shoot amidst medieval landscapes and eclectic painted backdrops. We had such a blast and are so pleased that Sisters In Law blog agreed! Check out the gallery below, expertly shot by Erin Hoyt Photography, or click on over to Sisters In Law to see what they had to say!

Published: Our real bride Adele featured in Martha Stewart Weddings!

“In the remote Michigan woods where Adele Stichel and Seth Houston were married, red pines tower above wild-blueberry bushes, and sandhill cranes soar overhead. As the bride entered the riverside ceremony, a Bach cantata, sung by two vocalists, wafted over the reeds. “ – Okay, you guys. Tell me that this wedding doesn’t sound straight out of a fairytale.  We certainly felt like the luckiest girls when bride-to-be Adele came to us with her vision for the perfect gown of fern-inspired lace to complement her lakeside venue in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.  A few months after the wedding, our actual fairy godmother appeared in the form of an email from photographer Olivia Leigh announcing that Adele’s wedding was in Martha Stewart!

Obviously I ran to the grocery store and bought as many copies as I could carry - this is the ultimate honor and a dream come true. Check out these gorgeous photos from their dreamy day, or click on over to Martha Stewart Weddings to see the whole thing! PS - Yes, that’s Reverend Jesse Jackson officiating the wedding. OMG.

Published: Our blush-hued Langham bridal shoot with Severin Weddings is in Our Love In Color and Lakeshore In Love!

Last April I had a blast working with an all-Black creative team (something I like to do whenever possible) for a luxurious shoot at the Langham Hotel in Chicago. Not only did we love living it up (carefully, of course) in one of the penthouse suites, but photographer Martine Severin and makeup artist Dee Gilmore did a perfect job capturing the spirit of modern romance that we try to infuse into all of our designs. How amazing is the trademark candy-pink Langham taxi? And the art in the lobby? And that lacquered yellow piano? What a dream! Check out the gallery below or visit Our Love In Color to see it on their blog! In case you’re wondering about what the ladies are wearing, this is Lyric Skirt in blush, the Lyric bodysuit in nude, and the Melita sequinned gown in blush.

Published: Jacquie and Chinar's wedding is in The Knot!

One of the joys of being known for nontraditional bridalwear is that I get to design for nontraditional babes, such as the gorgeous, Helmut Lang-loving Jacquie, a media professional who knows her way around a perfectly-crafted statement. Not gonna lie, I was a bit intimidated when she came to me with her vision of a black top with a slash neck and flutter sleeve. Since Jacquie is not a fan of the usual Chantillys and Alencons, the hunt for a perfect lace took me first to New York, and then (at least on the Internet) all the way to Latvia to find this gorgeous ‘cosmic’ lace design from an atelier in Riga. It paired perfectly with her white silk chiffon skirt and hammered gold belt. Her final fitting was the day of Duchess Megan Markle and Prince Harry’s wedding, so I spent the morning adding finishing touches to her top while watching M+H recite their vows (When Harry said “you look amazing” and then cried a little bit I died. SO ROMANTIC, and I love to see Black women being loved, because duh), and as you can see Jacquie’s day with her gorgeous prince was just as romantic and full of joy. If you are dreaming of an unconventional wedding lewk, do please drop us a line to say hello! Meanwhile, check out these pics by the talented Pen/Carlson, or click over to the Knot to see more!

Published - Real bride Joelle's Flora Farms wedding is a fan favorite!

My gosh, you guys! There’s just something special about this wedding that really speaks to people. I don’t know if it’s the donkey, the venue (Flora Farms in sunny Mexico), the stunning images by Julia Franzosa Photography, or the gorgeous love story between Joelle and Henry, but this destination wedding has been featured so many times (7 that I’ve found, plus it’s all over Pinterest), from the Knot to Boho Weddings to Aisle Memories and everywhere in between. Naturally we are thrilled, as we had an amazing time creating Joelle’s strapless silk crepe gown with cathedral train, plus a Chantilly lace topper and hand-beaded pearl belt (yes, when the mood takes us, we make accessories too), and we love seeing these images of their charmingly-classic ceremony pop across our screens. Take a look and see for yourself why this bride was such a joy to design for, or click on some of the links above to get inspired!

Published: The Etoile Gown is in Un Beau Jour today!

I am a big fan of not staying put. Being a mysterious nomad is not only the heart of the Mignonette brand, it’s the way I live my life: I simply need to keep moving, even it’s only from place to place within my own city. I need constant simulation, and at least once a year I have to do some major travelling to get new inputs. This year, thanks to extremely low prices on flights to Europe, that meant a jaunt to Paris and the chance to shoot with the incredible Les Bandits Photography. Seriously, you guys, these ladies are the coolest, most badass girls you could ever hope to meet, and so talented. Just try not to get envious over these shots we took in Paris - If you’d like to channel some French-girl style for yourselves the Etoile gown is available right now!

Published: Nikki-Jay's Capetown wedding with the most sparkly gold sequinned dress

Update: Eeek this dress was featured in the Huffington Post!

It is rare that I look back on a wedding years later and get all teary. Don’t get me wrong, I adore every Mignonette bride, and I think of each dress that leaves the shop the way I imagine moms feel when they send their kids to college, but I also feel a sense of relief, possibly akin to those empty-nesters. “Go make me proud!” I think to the gown, nestled in its garment bag, as it leaves in the arms of its adoptive bride-mom. “Send me pictures when it gets published in the Knot!”. Not so with Nikki-Jay’s gown. I’m not sure what exactly made this wedding stick with me - possibly Nikki’s amazing sense of humor, fantastic shoes, and perfect taste (I mean, only someone with style would commission a gold sequin wrap-dress, pair it with an elegantly mussed braid crown, and totally own the look with zero qualms). How could I not adore her? So naturally when I saw these photos from the inimitable Michaela De Frietas the lump in my throat was huge and immediate - If your fiancee looked at you the way these two are looking at each other, you’d know you were living a fairy-tale, right? And the smiles on their faces when they walk down the aisle? And how gorgeous does Nikki look in general? And the grapevines at the winery? And that suit her husband is wearing? And how happy Nikki looks with her dad?

You guys I’m not crying, IT’S JUST RAINING ON MY FACE.

Clearly I’m not the only one who thought so, because Nikki’s pictures were picked up by Hooray Weddings (a dream!), so now you can share in the magic of her big day and hopefully gets some ideas for yourself!

I’m so very honored (I know, that word is overused, but I actually mean it) that Nikki, who is a beautiful soul, chose me to help her achieve her wedding-day dreams.

Take a look at some of the highlights below or click on over to Hooray Weddings to see the entire spread, Ferrero Rocher tower and all!

Published: Real bride Renee's vintage Santa Monica wedding is featured in Ruffled today!

From the second we met, I knew that Renee would be my perfect client. She is a stylish California girl and totally understood the Hollywood Regency-meets-1920’s-Shanghai vibe I am always trying to channel (Luckily, Renee’s venue literally sits at the intersection of glamour and high design, so we were on the same page in all respects). Renee was the type of bride a designer can only dream of - creative, gorgeous, kind, and most of all, totally open to the kind of OTT design touches that are my trademark. She totally understood when I wanted to go through three iterations of muslins before we even cut the fabric for her silk bias-cut charmeuse gown with beaded trim at the hem and back. She was fine with a sudden last-minute application of pearls all over the place, because I couldn’t let the gown go down the aisle without just a little sparkle (my ever-patient wife added the lace, and would certainly have been grateful if I hadn’t decided to do this literally at midnight the night before the gown was due for delivery).

I’m so glad that the readers of Ruffled Blog agreed that Heidi Ryder’s gorgeous images of this wedding deserved to be shared everywhere - I hope you’ll love it too!

Published: Midwestern Wedding Inspiration in Ruffled today!

Not much to say because I think this shoot really speaks for itself - the snow, the pops of gold in the decor, the fur coat, the perfectly-tailored black suit - I just love everything about Ashley Dru’s stunning images, and I hope you will too!

Published: Our Winter Wonderland wedding shoot is in Ruffled today!

You guys, my first published shoot is in Ruffled today! This shoot happened on the very first day Mignonette’s new digs were opened, literally. The planner, Katie Jayne, popped in to pick up the dress and chat and we were still mailing things to the walls, and by the time she returned some hours later (the dress at this point was covered in leaves, but I knew that would happen), the shop was ready for business. All in all it was a momentous day, and I’m so grateful that this turned out to be such a gorgeous and moody set of images - Even though it was oh-so-early in my career, I think it perfectly captures the drama and vintage feel I always aim for in my designs. Don’t forget to check out the stunning video Eric captured, you won’t be disappointed!