Eat your heart out Cinderella!  I’d take a sparkly peep-toe beauty like this over a glass slipper any day.  For the bride looking for a little extra bling, these would look killer poking out from under a dress.  I love that they aren’t a solid color but have more of an ombré effect to them.  The hidden platform and chunky jewel at the peep toe make them just about perfect.  Get your pair HERE.

{Photo Credits:  Nina Shoes}

First lady, American icon and forever my style idol Jackie Kennedy would have turned 80 years old today.  Without question one of the most photographed women of her time, Jackie never seemed to appear with a single hair out of place (even the “out of place” ones seem effortlessly chic!).

Her wedding to then Senator John F. Kennedy was the start of America’s Camelot era and would no doubt have been the most blogged about affair of the year.  In classic Jackie Kennedy style, the details of the event (meticulously chronicled by the JFK Library) are just as timeless and blog-worthy 56 years later.

The bling: Jackie’s Van Cleef & Arpels engagement ring consisted of one 2.88 carat diamond mounted next to a 2.84 carat emerald cut emerald with tapered baguettes.

The rehearsal: At their rehearsal dinner at Newport’s Seaside Clambake Club, Senator Kennedy presented each of his ushers with a Brooks Brothers umbrella engraved with initials and the wedding date.

The dress: Jackie’s ivory silk wedding gown featured a portrait neckline and full skirt embellished with interwoven fabric bands and wax flowers.  African-American dress-maker Ann Lowe spent over two months making the dress which required 50 yards of ivory silk taffeta.

…and more bling: The bride wore her grandmother’s heirloom rosepoint lace veil, attached to her hair with a small tiara of lace and traditional orange blossoms.  A single strand of family pearls, a diamond leaf pin and a diamond bracelet presented to her at the rehearsal dinner by Senator Kennedy rounded out her bridal accessories.

You think you have guest list problems? 750 guests filled St. Mary’s Church in Newport, Rhode Island to watch the Senator and Miss Bouvier exchange vows.  The couple later joined 1,200 (!!!) guests for their luncheon reception at the Bouviers’ summer home of Hammersmith Farm.  On the menu – fruit cup, creamed chicken, and ice cream sculpted to resemble roses as well as the couples five-tier wedding cake.

The honeymoon: The newlyweds departed to a shower of paper rose petals. They spent the night at the famed Waldorf Astoria in New York (where else?!) and then continued on to the de rigueur honeymoon destination of the day, Acapulco, Mexico.

Happy birthday Jackie!  I’m certain you would have been the most stylish octogenarian ever!

UPDATE:  I found this great image of Jackie’s wedding dress when it was displayed in 2003 at the JFK library to commemorate the couples’ 50th wedding anniversary.  It looks as beautiful as it did over 50 years ago but apparently will likely not be displayed in this way again as the fabric is tearing under the weight of the dress!

{Photo credit: Dailyville’s Flickr Photostream}

There are few things I stalk as obsessively in the wedding world as the new bridal collections each season.  And with my recent trip to Paris still fresh on the brain, I was eager to see who would be showing their bridal lines this week.  Typically the big design houses of Valentino, Dior and Chanel will tease us with one, maybe 2 incredible gowns.  Which is why I was SO EXCITED when I saw Elie Saab’s Winter bridal collection of 46 gowns (!!!), each one more beautiful than the last.  Here are some of my absolute favorites.

I am so in love with these dresses!  Traditional and wearable with a hint of unique modern flair in each.  So often the dresses coming off the haute couture runways are these “who in the world would ever wear that to a wedding” creations.  So not the case with Elie Saab’s designs.

{Image Credits:  Coutorture}

These last two are my personal favorites.  The details are just exquisite and I can’t wait to see them in person when the collection hits the stores later this year.  See the entire lineup HERE.  Which are your favorites?

I’ll be posting some killer images of the other big design houses’ bridal interpretations later as well as some non-bridal looks that I’m sure will inspire bridal lines for Fall.