Our Rivini collection is arriving. We are so excited every time we receive one. These gowns are the pinnacle of simple yet truly inspired bridal design.
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We are excited to announce that our boutique is now carrying Tara Keely gowns, designed by the famous Lazaro. Along with Justina McCaffrey, the name Lazaro has come to be synonymous with haute bridal couture and is also a top seller at TLC’s "Say Yes to the Dress": Kleinfeld’s bridal shop. His Tara Keely line presents the ultimate in designer luxury at a reasonable price point. The magic of the Tara Keely gowns is that they are ultra feminine. From two-tone lace to embroidered silk flower details, often topped with a signature taupe ribbon, there is a definite tendency towards the romantic and vintage, which is offset by a subtle sexiness from deep sweetheart necklines or perfectly fitted drop waist bodices. Tara Keely appeals to the bride who wishes to not stray too far from the traditional, while still being modern and having a touch of drama.
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I am proud to say that our bridal shopping environment is like no other in Montreal. We provide our brides with a spacious loft with high ceilings. Why a loft? I wanted private space with an airy feel and lots of light. No St-Hubert Street store can really compare!
We have a view of Mount Royal with large windows that allow for plenty of natural light. The finishes are impeccable: oak hardwood, crystal chandeliers and vintage-inspired wallpaper. Putting it all together was a lot of work, but so worth it. After all, I'm benefiting from this gorgeous space more than anybody!
My bachelor degree was in Architecture at McGill. I've since obviously moved on to other pursuits, but I must say this project was a throwback to my previous life! I even built a 3D model of the space for my contractor to follow. Compare the before and after! Pretty huge transformation.
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I've been doing a genealogy project on and off for a few years, and was lucky enough to uncover some amazing photos in the process. It's incredible how the more things change the more they stay the same.
My Grandmother in Montreal, 1941. What a gorgeous slim A-line gown with almost no embellishment. My "Nana" was always ahead of the fashion curve her whole life. Her wedding dress was no exception!
My Great-Grandmother in Kennebunkport, 1916. This was a particularly amazing find. There is a similar photo that I have seen before (and turned into a painting) which was taken in the same session. The difference is that in the other one she is holding her huge bouquet closer to her body so that almost the whole front of the dress is hidden. My theory is that she found the dress a little revealing and circulated the more modest picture. It was 1916 after all!
My Great-Great-Grandmother in Montreal, 1872. Photo by William Notman courtesy of the McCord Museum. Another amazing find. I had the inspiration to check the McCord website and wow - I came across this incredibly well-preserved archive of William Notman's work. He was a world-famous photographer when the art was in it's infancy. The gown is a silk taffeta ballgown with an inner metal hoop crinoline. Wow! It looks so similar in many ways to a modern-day wedding dress, but to put this in perspective, this was a gown fit for a princess at the time. Elaborate wedding dresses were just not within the reach of most people. Although I am no expert on historical bridal fashion, it seems really interesting to me that the sleeves are not the huge "poofy" variety that were popular in the late 1800s. Oh, then a century later in the early 1980s!
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Congratulations to Stephanie Dotto, the winner of our draw for a wedding dress up to a $2,000 value. Entrants were collected at Marions Nous and Salon de la Mariée in January. Stephanie was surprised and thrilled to bits to hear the good news. After a short exchange I realized I remembered her and her mother stopping by the booth: she reminded me of our discussion about the inner structure of our gowns. She was concerned that if she opted for a strapless dress that she would be adjusting it all day. I explained that I had a background in Architecture and that our dresses are constructed accordingly! We all had a good chuckle. Congrats Stephanie! Looking forward to helping you. ... and yes, you'll see what I mean about that strapless dress not budging!
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