It’s that time of year again- the Fall 2010 Bridal Extravaganza is this Saturday, September 11!  Avenía Bridal will be attending and participating in this spectacular event. We invite you to come meet our representatives, learn about our boutique and view some of our exquisite designer and custom wedding gowns in the Bridal Fashion Show.

Below are a few of the wedding gowns Avenía will be featuring in the Fashion Show:

If you are planning a Fall, Winter or even a Springtime wedding, make plans to attend the Bridal Extravaganza where you will find everything you need to plan your dream wedding!  Attend the show to view exciting new bridal fashions and enter to win prizes among the hundreds of giveaways.

The Fall Bridal Extravaganza:  Saturday, September 11, 2010 from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.  at the South Towne Expo Center, 9575 State St., Sandy, UT. Follow our link to preregister:  http://utahbridalshows.com/.

~by Nancy

When it comes to beauty, balance is key. It doesn’t matter if the person is dressing formally or casually; it doesn’t matter if the entire ensemble is deconstructed (unfinished edges for a high fashion look), second-hand clothes, or separate pieces; when it’s all put together with balance in mind, it will be beautiful. Applying this to a bride is no different. Using different aspects of the ensemble (gown, veil, jewelry, shoes) in a collaborative way will enhance the bride’s beauty, and bring focus to the most important part of the bride: herself.

Veils:
Unfortunately, veils are a dying breed. The blusher has lost it’s significance because of advances in our modern society. Since this tradition of a veiled face in an aisled walk has been diminished, so too has the veil itself. In fact, the trend lately has been to do away with veils altogether. This may be the result of the desire to simplify, but the veil has another important feature when it comes to fashion, and that is the significance of balance! The wedding gown itself is white and draws the eye without effort. However, the focus is upon the gown, and not the bride. Adding a veil can change this. With a veil, the eyes are brought up to the face because the face is framed in white as well as the body. The balance helps complete the picture.

Jewelry:
Sparkle needs balance, too! Again, the current fads and trends are to simplify, and this tends to equate no jewelry. Necklaces, like the veil, are dying out. Of course, it will depend upon the neckline of the gown, but considering a necklace with the bridal ensemble is a good idea.

Shoes:
One of the most agreed upon pieces of advice when it comes to the bridal clothes is to wear classic shoes. Fads will fade and trends will change, but a classic perspective will be timeless. Shoes should not be chosen based on casual, flippant, or convenient trends. The sound the shoes make (flip-flops?) can distract from the beauty of the wedding day –as can discomfort. Of course, if the shoe has some important significance (evoking memories, ties to the groom, etc.), choices increase. But choosing a classic, comfortable, and timeless shoe will complete the beauty of the bridal clothing and keep the photos of the day timeless. Nothing dates a picture more quickly than the fads of the time!

Rule of Art:
The best art is designed to keep the eye moving around; the beauty is found all over the piece of art, not just in one place. When the balance is there, the observer sees everything in movement –it is fluid. The eye does not fixate on one piece; the observer can see many perspectives. In the best works of art, this is what is shown: a balance of beauty. Photographers love veils (and trains!) for this reason; it gives the photos more dimensions to work with. When ensembles are stilted with one piece of beauty (a great gown), it is harder to create those timeless and beautiful photos.

Proportions:
Proportion is everything for balance. If there is a big, full dress, then have a big veil (flowing, long, etc.). If the gown is small and simple, then simplify the veil (head pieces, shorter length, etc). Facial features are the same. Larger ones equate larger jewelry. Smaller features equate smaller jewelry.

When the bridal ensemble comes together with balance in mind, the result is visually stunning. It creates a work of art that enhances the already present beauty of the bride. After all, this is the desired result –to showcase a beautiful bride upon her wedding day!

Our in-house designer, Nancy Barrus, recently had the opportunity to work with a bride who came to Nancy to save a gown she previously purchased elsewhere.

This is what the bride had to say:

Nancy-

I just wanted to say thank you so much for everything you did for me! You made my dress go from something I regretted buying to amazing. I feel like it was the dress I was always supposed to have and I could NOT have been happier with the results. You listened to every little detail I had to say and the result was breathtaking.
Thank you for everything. I will definitely tell everyone I know!

Best wishes,
Kasey

Kasey came to Nancy near tears and with little hope that she could look beautiful in the gown she had purchased previously.   With hard work and good communication, the pair found the solutions to Kasey’s concerns.

Congratulations Kasey!  We wish you all the best.

The Avenía Bridal design studio creates more than fabulous wedding gowns.  Artistic Director Nancy Barrus and our in-house design team create couture gowns for all occasions, including pageants.

We are so pleased to have recently worked with the reigning Mrs. Utah Valley, Heather Holker, to create her evening gown for the Mrs. Utah American pageant, held in June.  Heather is a beautiful, amazing and impressive woman who lives in Highland, Utah with her husband Marty and their two children.

Avenía Bridal had the great priviledge of seeing Heather onstage at the Mrs. Utah America pageant, wearing a Nancy Barrus custom creation.  With Heather’s input, Nancy created a striking black and silver gown with swarovski crystals, black sequins and flowing silk charmuse.  Heather looked stunning!  We will post photos of Heather in her gown soon.

Heather is currently the 5 Star Legacy Foundation’s National Spokesperson for Children’s Health, focusing on Type II Diabetes prevention.  As a Fitness Expert and a mother, Heather is passionate about nutrition and spreading awareness of diabetes prevention to a global audience.

“We have a vision to draw attention on a global scale to this exploding epidemic through the 5 Star Legacy Foundation Type II Diabetes Prevention in Children Awareness Campaign.  We believe that through laying out the facts and being bold with our message, it will have a significant impact on both saving lives and improving the quality of life of today’s younger generation.”  said Heather.  “When people see a Blue Ribbon, we hope they will think ‘Diabetes Prevention’.  When we know better, we do better, and we make better choices.”

We love you Heather!  Congratulations for being awarded first runner-up in the Mrs. Utah America pageant.  We wish Heather and the 5 Star Legacy Foundation the best with their campaign.  For more information on Type II Diabetes and how to help visit http://5starlegacyfoundation.org.

We are here!  And we are loving it- Manhattan, Bryant Park, Spring Bridal Market and Wedding Channel Couture Show.  There are more gowns than we thought we would ever see in a lifetime.  It’s Bridal Week in New York!

Spring Time in New York City:  taxis and tulips. What more could you ask for?

Yesterday was shopping in the Garment District-a full day of fabric lace and specialty suppliers!  We searched for and found new treasures to be brought home and added to our extensive samples for our brides seeking a Nancy Barrus Couture custom gown creation.

Today will be full of bridal market and designer appointments.

Here, Nancy is experiencing the lace nirvana at Gelmore Lace- French lace importers to Nancy Barrus Couture as well as lines like Badgley Mischka, Rivini and all others seeking the beauty of a true French imported lace.

The lobby of the Intercontinental Barclay Hotel, on the eve of the Wedding Channel Couture Show:  Not your typical weekend – not your typical centerpiece!

Stay posted for the latest bridal news from New York City.

Jenni, like most other brides, came to Avenía Bridal in search of the perfect wedding dress.  What Jenni found was not only her wedding gown, but everything she needed to complete her wedding day look- gown, slip, bra, shoes, headpiece, earrings and cape.

The Gown:

Jenni chose Nora, a fit to flare lace gown with optional lace shoulders from the Vineyard Collection by Priscilla of Boston.  With the help of Avenía’s Artistic Director and in-house custom designer Nancy Barrus, Jenni found the perfect complementary accessories: a delicate feather headpiece, a charming fur cape, strikingly brilliant earrings and custom lace adorned shoes.  She wasn’t missing a detail.

About her wedding day, Jenni said that she felt gorgeous all day.

Thank you, Jenni for sharing your photos (by Darla Roze Photography) with Avenía’s Fashionably Wed.

Jenni was married in January at Zermatt Resort in beautiful Midway, Utah.  She currently works as a hairdresser for Platinum Studio, a salon in Orem, Utah with fabulous owners and stylists.

“We were thrilled to work with Jenni,” said Nancy.

Congratulations Jenni and Jim!  We wish you both years of happiness together.

At Avenía Bridal, we’re all about the details.  That’s why our bridal boutique has the best and largest selection of accessories in Utah. Avenía carries a select assortment of shoes and hand-crafted accessories such as veils, jewelry, and headpieces to accentuate your style and complete your look.

As a full-service salon, we offer a complete range of prices so you have everything you imagine.  Designers like Ti Adoro, Malis Henderson, and Lasting Memories create beautiful, quality accessories, catering to your good taste and your budget.  Our own Nancy Barrus creates jewelry, veils, and headpieces, each custom made for you, so you don’t have to search anymore.  Classic or casual?  Simple or elegant?  Everything customized and designed to match your exact taste and choice of wedding style.

Ti Adoro creates timeless jewelry for the perfect feminine touch.

Tres Jolie jewelry takes simplicity to splendor.

Headpieces and tiaras are available in an assortment of styles.

A Cinderella story isn’t complete without the perfect shoe by Benjamin Adams, Pink, or Saugas.

Stop by Avenía Bridal to view these accessories and more or call for an appointment (801-373-0194).

~by Cheryl

Valentine’s Day has come and gone and chances are, many have said “Yes!” to the big question. Did he ask with flowers? Chocolate? A fancy dinner? A walk in the moonlight? No matter how the proposal came, if the end result was in the affirmative, celebrations abound. It’s on to the wedding planning!

One of the most important decisions a bride makes when planning her wedding is the bridal gown. Not only does it need to be beautiful (a must), but it also needs to fit the personality of the woman wearing it. Avenía Bridal understands this need for unique beauty.  Our boutique allows brides to choose gowns from world-renowned designers (altered to fit specific needs, of course) or have their own original, hand-crafted gown created with the expertise of Nancy Barrus (our in-house custom couture designer).

After all, each bride is unique and personal –their gown should be, too!

~by Cheryl

It’s nothing but excitement at Avenía Bridal as each new gown arrives in our boutique. Purchased at Market Week, it feels like ages since we’ve seen them, and, as Lisa says, “It’s like greeting an old friend; we purchase the gowns several months before we get them into the boutique, so it’s always exciting to see them again!”

Here is the latest from Liancarlo (#4837), which just arrived last week! According to Nancy, “The sheer net skirt is  finished with three tiers of silk satin banding. Cut in a playful circular shape, it has the reminiscent feel of Ginger Rogers; very smooth fitting in the waist, but flaring out graciously into a vintage dance feel. The bodice is beautifully pleated with an incredible encrusted crystal applique, with a few crystals continuing on into the one-shouldered detail.”

And, as always, the gown can be altered to include shoulders and/or sleeves. Come by the boutique to see this amazing gown!

~by Cheryl

Whitney Merrifield, our very own Miss Utah, chose Nancy Barrus and her team to alter and customize two of her gowns for the Miss America Pageant. On her Talent gown (piano performance), they added nude sheer sleeves with swarovski crystals and silver cuffs to match the beautiful silk charmeuse variegated silver. Her Evening gown was customized to fit her form by adding a keyhole back and a new neckline, as well as adding a scalloped hem around the beading on the front slit of the gown. She was wonderful work with and the gowns turned out beautifully!

Whitney has been competing in preliminary rounds of the Miss America Pageant this week in Las Vegas. The culminating pageant will be held tomorrow night, Saturday, January 30th at 8PM EST on TLC.

We want to wish her good luck!