Here comes the Bridal!

The Grayling Bridal Collection photo shoot took place
at the Ace Hotel: Portland, in January 2012.

Phototgraphy: Lisa Warninger
Gowns: Elizabeth Dye
Veil: Brady Lange
Makeup and Hair: Kelly Peach
Styling: Shannon Zweck / Katy Kippen for grayling

Our first ever Bridal Collection is available online at http://shop.graylingjewelry.com

featured in: oregon bride

This month, the Caviar necklace made the cover of Oregon Bride Magazine!

And, there are more of my pieces inside. The Tranquility necklace and Celestial necklace were also featured! Awwwww, shucks!!

Thank you Liz, Kevin, Tiffany, Kristin, and Katie!

local love: august veils

Lately, it seems everyone is getting hitched.

Therefore, it's no surprise the inquiries for custom bridal jewelry have been rolling in. (Is finding good jewelry really almost as hard as finding a good mate?)

Naturally, working with brides has piqued my interest in other aspects of wedding planning. Luckily, there are a ton of wedding photographers, make-up artists, and talented designers in Portland!

I just got off the phone with Andrea, the Owner of August Veils. Andrea has been creating veils, tiaras, and hairpieces for over ten years. She is a partner at The Bridal Loft (a co-op of kick-ass wedding planning angels, if you will) and I love her work.

I considered wearing a veil for my 2005 wedding, but fell short on time and resources. If I had to do it all over again (minus my joyful sobs throughout the entire ceremony) I would definitely go with this beauty from August Veils:

Image courtesy of August Veils

If you're working within a tight budget (who isn't?) you should definitely check out the DIY kits Andrea offers!

baubles & bibelot: engaging rings

Cast your gaze at several unusual and beautiful styles via a recent article from Refinery 29: 20 Engagement Rings You'll Love. It's worth a peek no matter what your relationship status.


And p.s. if you need a ring custom made, John Rink is the ultimate guy-to-turn-to. Contact me for info. He made my ring and I am amazed by it every day!

local love: fieldwork floral

Megan Arambul is no stranger to the floral business; she was the buyer (and then some) for Sammy’s Flowers in Portland, Oregon for several years.

Season after season, Megan filled floral buckets for someone else. Now Megan now finally has a shop and studio of her own.

Fieldwork – A Floral Operation, is the newest to open in the airy Ford Building off SE Division & 11th Ave. (if you haven’t been to the building, you really should make the trip, you're seriously missing out).

Megan rotates her stock every day, so Fieldwork is naturally never the same place twice. You’ll find tight-headed peonies and sweet daphne one day, and lupine or Solomon’s Seal the next.

Megan loves creating bouquets and arrangements for weddings and anniversaries... or "just because" (boys, pay attention). She offers cut flowers several days a week around lunchtime and provides delivery, too.

mmmm, fieldwork flowers

FIELDWORK FLORAL
www.fieldworkfloral.com
Tel: (503) 719-1950
2505 SE 11th Ave., Portland Oregon 97202

*When it was originally built in 1915, the Ford Building at SE 11th Avenue at Division was just that: an assembly plant for Ford automobiles, and the only one in Oregon. (courtesy of Brian Libby http://chatterbox.typepad.com/)

featured on: style me pretty

The lovely and talented Sara Gray included pieces from my jewelry line, grayling (I know, Gray and "gray", right?!) in a mock-wedding she put together earlier this Spring.

photo: Sara Gray / jewelry: grayling

Gray, the Portland-based photographer, caught some great shots, and Elizabeth Meehan designed the layout. The theme was yellow and navy. The beautiful bride wore the Tranquility necklace and a dress by Coren Moore, and the end result was bright, cheery, and lots of fun.

Sara and Elizabeth were thrilled when the project was written up by Style Me Pretty, a highly popular wedding blog, which was a testament to how great it turned out! View the entire shoot here.

If you are in the Northwest, and are looking for someone special to photograph your wedding day, I highly recommend contacting Sara Gray.

Thanks for including me, Sara.

inspired by: madeleine vionnet

The work of Madeleine Vionnet is a huge inspiration for me at the present moment. I am transported to another time when I view these photographs, which date between 1914 and 1931:

Styles included a myriad of intricate details, such as these thumbprint tags.

Ms. Vionnet's avant-garde design aesthetic remains a huge influence for couturiers such as John Galliano and Issey Miyake. And a huge influence for me, as well, as I begin work on a Spring 2010 bridal jewelry line.

If you happen to be in Paris, you can view a major exhibition of her work through January 31, 2010 at Les Arts Decoratifs. For a glimpse, watch this short video:

All photos, courtesy, Madeleine Vionnet collection.