Bridal Fashion by MILLE is on a Break.......

Due to the economy, my mother has decided to put Bridal Fashion by MILLIE to the side right now. She really needs to focus on the shop. Victoria Rose Bridal is still thriving... Thank goodness to my mother's smart business sense but definitely needs her full attention. So for now, Designing Millie is signing off....We'll be back soon!

Victoriarosebridal.com

My mom and her girls at the shop redesigned the Victoria Rose Bridal website. It looks absolutely fabulous. Don't you think?

I have finally convinced my mom to give me the reins on the Millie website and I will be redesigning that soon...I was hoping to get it done before my baby is due but it looks like it might have to wait a little longer....

http://www.victoriarosebridal.com/index.php

Inaugural Gown Inspiration

In light of last week's big inauguration, I thought we should take a look at some past First Lady inaugural gowns. It just so happened that I was in DC last weekend and ran into the American History Museum right before closing. I was really excited to go in because it has been closed for the past year and a half for renovations. Anyhow, the place looked amazing, and I ran to the second floor to take a peek at the First Lady section. I was a little disappointed at first because there weren't very many gowns, but I did manage to snap a couple photos. Please try to ignore the horrible flash photography.

Helen Taft's 1909 inaugural ball gown is the first gown showcased when you walk into the room. It is absolutely gorgeous (This photo does NOT do it any justice). It is made out of silk chiffon appliqued with floral embroideries in metallic thread and trimmed with rhinestones and beads. It was made by the Frances Smith Company. I could not believe how this gown sparkled!!!

The only other gown that inspired me wasn't actually an inaugural gown but an evening gown that Jackie O wore to a state dinner in 1961. The gown is made out of yellow silk with an overlay of crepe chiffon. Oleg Cassini designed it. I would wear this gown in a heartbeat!

I'm still so in love with the one-sided shoulder strap gown. I think it would make such a chic and classic bridal gown. I really want MILLIE to design one!

Golden Globe Red Carpet Inspiration

I finally had a chance to talk to my mom to get the skinny on what she thought of the Golden Globes (the poor thing has been so sick this winter). She was surprised at the lack of color compared to last year (I personally loved all the whites). She did mention she thought the skirt on Drew Barrymore's John Galliano's gown was beautiful.

I personally loved Kate Beckinsale's J. Mendel gown. So gorgeous. It reminds me of frosting. Yummy!

And just to prove how far bridal has come, one of the favorites of the night, according to Red Carpet Fashion Awards was a gown from Reem Acra Spring Bridal collection.

By the way, if you're looking for some red carpet inspiration you have to check out the blog http://www.redcarpet-fashionawards.com/ . She does a fabulous job!!!

Chicago Bridal Market

My mom just got back from the Chicago market last week. She sent me a few pictures of the MILLIE booth. This is our second time showing at a Bridal Market. With this economy it's hard to get retailers to try something new but my mom is determined!

Bridalfashionbymillie.com

I'm very excited about our new home page to the MILLIE website. I love this picture and cannot wait to see the rest of the new photos on the website!!!!

photography by Christy B. Anderson

Latest Bridal Fashion by Millie Design

So my mom has been back to the sketch pad lately...She has quite a few designs coming along...Here is one of my favorites. I like it a lot because it actually has a little cap sleeve....I think brides are ready for something besides strapless...

Bridal Fashion Photo Shoot

photography by Christy B Anderson

Well, we finally went back to Yorktown Beach and finished the rest of MILLIE's photo shoot last night. 10 dresses!!!! We almost ran out of light.......Christy grabbed this last shot of the night......Gorgeous! The dress is Tyla.

bridal fashion by MILLIE~ The Avery

photography by Christy B. Anderson

Here is MILLIE's latest fashion off the runway ~The Avery. A very simple gown but absolutely gorgeous. It's currently my favorite right now...it changes everyday... My mom has been working on some new designs. I'll post them soon.

Cover Girl

Kiersten, our MILLIE model was playing on photoshop and made this magazine cover. I thought it was too fun not to share. Some day...Some day.......

Bridal Photography ~ Christy B. Anderson

Yesterday we went down to Yorktown beach to do a MILLIE shoot. We have finally captured the image of MILLIE that I have been dreaming of.... Christy has done an amazing job and has put so much time and love into this. Thank you so much!!! I also want to thank our "Top Model".

She ROCKS!

Bridal Photography~ Christy B. Anderson

Last month Christy and I put together a fun photo shoot. We were able to work with Tracy Gilland and Lara Bridger (hair and make-up) from Urban Escape Salon and Day Spa and Event Planner, Margret Snead of Willow Manor. Our models, Kristen and Kiersten did a fantastic job and were great troopers braving the heat. Thank you all so much, it was a pleasure to work with all of you!

The two MILLIE gowns featured here are the Aurora and Emily .

Bridal Fashion Trends~ Birdcage Veil

I absolutely love the look of the birdcage veil. A trend I hope that sticks around for a while. I asked my mom to send me one for the MILLIE photo shoot this week. It is so classy. I love that it can be worn in many different ways. I can't wait to see it on our model.

photos from http://dallasbrides.wordpress.com/ and http://samanthaling.com/

Fashion Bride Interview with Judy Panozzo

Whoa....it's been a while uh?? Sorry for the delay, I've been out of town.

I wanted to share with you the interview Fashion Bride did with my mom. It was fun working with Serena Kally from Fashion Bride and we hope to work with her again. Hopefully when we get the new photos of the gowns she'll be able to post them on her site.

To read the interview please click here.

Vintage Wedding Inspiration

Our latest vintage inspiration comes from Betty Smith Conoley from Grand Junction, Colorado.

Betty was married in 1969 in Cortez, Colorado. Her mother, Cora Smith, made her dress. The gown featured 3/4 sleeves, a floor length A-line skirt and a jewel neckline. It was made of white satin and did not have a train.

I love the simplicity of her gown. She is a very sweet bride with her hair down, little ballet flats and a cute, shy smile. I can't explain how adorable they are....Don't you just want to hug them?

It was fun to hear my mom talk about the photo when she saw it. Knowing that her and Betty were married around the same time, it's fun for her to see what other brides were doing fashion-wise in the 1960's. Big, puffy dresses were the big trend at the time and she was very proud to say that her and Betty were very "fashion forward" to wear a more simple, elegant gown.

Fashion Bride

One of my favorite blogs these days is Fashion Bride. What an amazing resource for bridal gown collections. The author reigns from Bucharest, Romania, so I love to read her blog and see what is going on in the other part of the world. The photographs of the bridal collections that she posts are fantastic and gives me much inspiration and ideas for photographing MILLIE gowns.

We were extremely honored to be asked and are currently in the process of doing an interview with Fashion Bride. Be sure to check in and see what my mom has to say about the business! Should be fun! Thank you Fashion Bride!

More MILLIE in Roma

How fun are these shots??? I'm so getting a Stevie Nicks vibe.....What do you think? Love it!

Denise Andersen Photography

MILLIE in ROMA

MILLIE has sailed over seas and has landed in Italy.....Can you believe it? (For the full story please click here.)

How fun is this? I can't wait to see more of Denise Andersen's work (who happens to be That Bride's mom). It's a very dramatic shot, and I'm loving it!

Bellissimo~

Jenna Bush Wedding

FINALLY! A picture of the gorgeous Oscar de le Renta gown Ms. Henry Hager (Jenna Bush) wore for her wedding nuptials on May 10, 2008.

She wore a v-neck, beaded organza gown. Though I was surprised she went with a lot of beading, she seems to pull it off nicely and the style of the dress fits the curves of her body just right. Another surprise would be that she didn't wear a veil????

It looked like a small, simple, family-orientated yet elegant wedding. Like I said before, she very well could have been a MILLIE bride.

On a side note, Designing MILLIE received 800 hits yesterday! Wondering why in the world?? I did a bit of research and realized when someone looks up "Jenna Bush Wedding Gown" on Google Images the sketch of the gown my mother designed for Jenna appears....Please read my post about Jenna Bush's Wedding Gown to find out what this sketch was all about!

Shindigz Wedding Extravaganza Contest

That's right, Ladies- FREE STUFF!!! Over at Shindigz they're having a little give-away contest....

Ten lucky winners will be chosen each month to receive one of the following fabulous wedding prizes:

200 personalized beverage napkins

200 personalized bubbles

Personalized glassware for your wedding party

Guest book

Silver plated knife and server set

Click here for more details!

Christy B. Anderson Photography

Let me introduce you to MILLIE's new photographer~ Christy B. Anderson. A random story......I was at my daughter's softball practice one day and started talking to one of the other moms...She just so happened to be a photographer and when I saw her work, I knew instantly God had sent me an angel. Her talent and skill amaze me, and I'm so excited to work with her.

She came over to the house yesterday to "play". We're still figuring some things out, but we wanted to get started and see what we had to work with. The gorgeous model's name is Kristen, a friend of Christy's, and she did a fantastic job. I wanted to thank both of them, and I can't wait to "play" again!

More photos coming soon.......

That Bride

YEA!!! That Bride received her MILLIE box on Thursday and do you know that crazy girl sent me the cutest email and pictures that day??!! That's what I love about her....her enthusiasm for life! I love it! I have to share the pictures and a snippet of her email.......
Millie,
The dress came today! It's so amazing, and I swear it's hanging on the closet door laughing at me because there is no one around to help me try it on. I even tried putting it on by myself, but that is kind of impossible. I am going over to this girls house tonight, so hopefully she will have time to help me put it on and take pictures so I can post what it looks like on. I didn't know that you would be sending it in Ivory, I am so obsessed with it! Such a great surprise. I always thought that I would be this really picky bride who went through thousands of dresses, but I am so in love with this dress, there is a good chance I won't want to send it back!

When I opened the pictures my jaw dropped!! I couldn't believe how gorgeous she looked...I mean, the dress fits her like a glove!! I was so worried she might not like it or it wouldn't fit....(Worrying is such a waste of time, isn't it?) The best part is she was so excited she didn't care if her hair was done or if she had any make-up on. Gotta love it! It's so much fun to see a MILLIE on a real live bride!! (Not living in Colorado, I only get to go to the store a couple times a year, if I'm lucky, so my experience with MILLIE Brides are few and far between... That's why I love the Internet!)

For That Bride's side of our little story, please check out her great post here. She's having a tough time deciding on which MILLIE bolero (Yes! my mom designs awesome boleros as well) goes best with the Aurora. I actually think they both work...it would just depend on what time of day and where you would be getting married...so for this photo shoot it's kind of hard...Outdoors in Italy....Hmmm?? What do you think?

please click on photos to enlarge

MILLIE on The Knot!

Like Jenny from the Block~ MILLIE is on The Knot!! Oh YEAH!

The Knot wasn't around when I got married, so it took me awhile to figure out how much it had to offer.....WOW! I so would have died for something like this when I got married. So many resources right at your finger tips! I'm curious what you girls think about The Knot!? Do you use it? Do you like it? Inquiring minds want to know!?

Wedding Week on the Food Network

My always inspired mother-in-law (Yes! There are great ones out there!) called me up on Monday to tell me they are doing a wedding theme on the Food Network this week. Oma (my M.I.L.) and Grandma D (G.I.L.) are Food Network addicts.....I'll admit....cooking is not my thing but maybe one day it will be?? It's always fun to watch though and maybe get a little inspired?

It looks like there will be some great shows.....I've watched Ace of Cakes before and I love it!! Be sure to catch his wedding week special on Thursday at 10 pm/9c.

That Bride

Don't you just love a great story about how two people met? Like how you met your husband in high school or how you and your best friend hated each other before becoming BFF??? Yeah, I think this new friendship with That Bride and MILLIE will be a story we will always remember.

During my midnight blog searching, I had come across a new bride called That Bride. I immediately fell in love with her spirit. So when I read about her ordering a $40 bridal gown off of Ebay for a bridal shoot in Roma...(her mother is a photographer) I knew I had to help! So with this comment our friendship began;

"I SO would have let you borrowed a MILLIE gown..."

She responded quickly and before I knew it, we had a deal and I'm sending her the Aurora. Yep, I've never met her and I completely trust her....I know it sounds crazy, but I think it's going to be so much fun!!! I can't wait to see her in the dress and see MILLIE in Europe! It's going to be FAB-U-LUS! Stay tuned!!!!

Who is this chic named MILLIE????

Okay, after I read the always inspirational Perfect Bound's response to my "6 things about you" tag (Thank you for responding and the link!) I realized first, I totally cheated and number two, how come I can't be that creative??? It's not fair for one person to have that much creativity...Share the love Perfect Bound, share the love!!! Seriously, I really love that woman...I mean, I think we were separated at birth...It must be an Italian thing?? I'll work on my list; until then, here's a little ditty about MILLIE.

You might be shocked, but my name is not MILLIE....This is MILLIE with her three girls; my mom, Judy, is the oldest.

Mildred Shrum to be exact, is my grandmother and my mother's inspiration for the name of her bridal gown collection, 'bridal fashion by MILLIE'. In fact, all of the gowns are named after special women in my mother's life. Kinda sweet huh!?? The granddaughters get a kick out of it!

As you may have guessed, we are extremely family-oriented...Family always comes first. My mother, Judy Panozzo (and may I say she is amazing?), gave birth and raised 7 beautiful children...yes 7 (I'm the baby). Being a go-getter..she not only stayed home and raised her kids, but she always had something going on the side....if it wasn't "Desserts by Judy" she was selling beauty products and if she wasn't selling beauty products she was cutting someone's hair....The list goes on... To tell you the truth, I'm not sure how many jobs she has had. Her motivation and determination might make one sick..... Tell me, why do some people have it and some people don't?

I could write a whole book about my mother, but I won't keep you here all day.... I think this will be a new label.....WHO IS MILLIE? We'll start off slowly... Have a good one and think positive!

Blogging ~ MILLIE Style

{image from peoniesandpolaroids & eastsidebride photography by kamphotography.com}

Okay.....I need to stop trying so hard and just write......Having a business blog is so much different than a family blog. I'm very new to the blogging world; I started a family blog two years ago, and then all of a sudden one day I woke up and said, "I'm going to start a blog for my mom's business!" I call these "Manic Millie Moments"...they come and go....one day I'm full of inspiration and the next day I'm wondering what the *BEEP* was I thinking??? AHHH! (I actually sign my emails to my sister, who is my editor-in-chief... she's an English teacher-go figure, MM, for Manic Millie HA!). She thinks I'm crazy, but she still keeps helping me and thank goodness for that because I would not even attempt this blog if I didn't have her for back-up. She is not only my sounding board but my BFF. Thank you Sista!!!

I'm truly obsessed. I love the whole blogging world. The networking possibilities are amazing to me. There is so much potential here.....but you have to do it right.....I have so much to learn!!! (The Smart Planner is another new BFF of Millie's right now.) I'm so obsessed with it being "professional" that I'm not being me....."Houston, we have a problem." So I have a couple new mission statements for MILLIE;

1. "If you build it, they will come." I have to believe this for my mother's sake. I truly believe in her and her bridal gowns and I'm her #1 fan. Just relax, it will happen.

2. Think positive, be inspired, and be me! Write from your heart...don't worry if it's going to show up in the Google search....Just write.

So there it is...a fresh start......ahhhh........ It always feels so good to start fresh! I implore change!

Blog on!

HOUSE OF BRIDES

Let me introduce you to MILLIE's new BFF....... {a little snip it from their site}

House of Brides

House of Brides is the oldest bridal name in America. We were established in 1929 and have since grown to 6 huge brick-and-mortar stores in Illinois. House of Brides offers everything for your Wedding, all 30% - 40% off retail prices. As a large retail chain selling Worldwide in volume, we can offer our customers the same designer collections they find at more expensive bridal shops for incredibly lower prices! All Wedding Dresses are completely free shipping within the continental U.S. at House of Brides. Shipping is free for Bridesmaid Dresses when 2 or more dresses are shipped to the same continental U.S. address. Plus, there’s NO charge for sales tax!
Order online with House of Brides.com and join the thousands of satisfied customers we have been serving for 79 years!

Coming soon to an Internet near you....bridal fashion by MILLIE on House of Brides

Oooooohhhh....... I can feel it now.......Watch out world- here we come!!!!

On Friday morning my mom called with wonderful news. House of Brides found MILLIE on The Knot and they want to sell our dresses on their website!!!! YEA!!!!!!!! This is so exciting for us..... My mom has been so busy with the shop that we haven't been able to invest the necessary time to get MILLIE off the ground and into cyberspace~ A true answer to our prayers.

{I need to take my daughter to school right now......I'll come back later today and introduce you to HOUSE OF BRIDES...(Being a Mom comes first, right? Ha!)

Vintage Wedding Inspiration ~ Grace Kelly

{image from dcnearlyweds.com, photography by Howell Conant and Life Magazine}

On the eve of the 52nd wedding anniversary (The civil ceremony was on April 18, 1956, the formal ceremony was the next day.), I thought it would be most appropriate to highlight our most beloved American actress, Grace Kelly.

Helen Rose , the wedding gown designer and MGM costume designer thought the formal gown should reflect the actress' personality—"simple but elegant, feminine, ladylike but not necessarily regal," and that Miss Kelly's dress should "not overpower her beauty." (very smart advice for all brides if you ask Millie). The famous wedding dress has a high neck, long-sleeved bodice and was made out of Brussels lace. The "bell-shaped" silk faille skirt has no folds in front, but is heavily pleated in back; three petticoats and a 14-inch long skirt. (How did she move?)

The headpiece was also made of rose point lace and decorated with a wreath of delicate wax orange blossoms,(Jackie O had orange blossoms?) leaves fashioned from tiny pearls, and wired lace motifs. The circular veil was also embellished with rose point lace motifs, including two tiny lovebirds, and accented with seed pearls. Her prayer book and shoes were also encrusted with lace and seed pearls.

I'm loving all the tiny details on the whole wedding ensemble, and how about those tiny, delicate buttons up the front of the dress? I love buttons! Though, I'm not sure how comfortable this dress was- long sleeves are usually so uncomfortable. She wore it well and the style became a huge hit in the bridal fashion world during that time.

If you have a little time, you have to watch these!!! Can you image your wedding being covered like this??? Crazy!!!

Jenna Bush Wedding Details

According to the Washington Post, Jenna will wear a "simple and elegant" gown by Oscar de la Renta. The gown is made of organza with embroidery, matte beading, and a small train. But don't expect any pictures they say....her man Henry is a traditionalist and doesn't want to see the dress before she walks down the aisle (gotta love an old-fashioned kind of guy!).

Jenna will have 14 attendants (or "house party" if you're a Texan), and they will be wearing short chiffon, Lela Rose dresses in green, blue, yellow, and lavender (pictured above).

Can't wait to see more details about the wedding in the next issue of Vogue magazine.

TAG

I've been tagged by the adorable Style-ish.

RULES:
1) you link back to the person who tagged you. {link above}
2) post these rules on your blog.
3) share six things about yourself.
4) tag six random people at the end of your entry.
5) let the tagged people know by leaving a comment on their blogs

My 6 random facts about Millie:

1) My mother started Bridal Fashion by Millie in 2007.
2) Millie is named after my grandmother, Mildred Shrum.
3) All of the gowns are named after special women in my mom's life.
4) There are 10 gowns in the collection.
5) A Millie gown only costs between $500 and $700.
6) You can purchase a Millie gown on the Internet.

I tag:
1) Creature Comforts
2) Peonies and Polaroids
3) Black Eiffel
4) Perfect Bound
5) Style me Pretty
6) Blue Orchid Designs

Hot Off the Press @ WWD.com ~ Oscar Designing Bush Wedding Gown

Monday, April 14, 2008
By Rosemary Feitelberg with contributions by Bobbi Queen
NEW YORK — First Daughter Jenna Bush is not expected at Oscar de la Renta's bridal fashion show today, and for good reason: The designer has already created the long wedding gown she'll wear for her May 10 nuptials to Henry Hager at the Bush family's Crawford, Tex., ranch.

Ahhhh...... so she didn't pick a Millie wedding gown but at least she has some good taste. Gotta love Oscar!

Expert Advice

{"A bride should treat the purchase of her wedding gown

as an investment. It is the strongest representation of a

woman's personal style she'll ever have~ not to mention

the most important dress she'll ever wear."}

~ Oscar de la Renta

Have you grabbed your latest spring edition of Martha Stewart Weddings magazine yet? Fabulous as always...... a super interview with Oscar de la Renta on page 180. He gives a lot of great advice on how to choose the perfect wedding gown. I loved his response when asked, "What would you say to someone who is hesitant to splurge on her wedding dress?" Now, I realize he's a designer and his job is to sell wedding gowns, but his quote not only comes off as a great advertisement- it really has some truth to it!

I've been struggling with the idea of buying your wedding gown from "Wal-Mart" type of stores....Why would someone want to buy their wedding gown from there? Isn't anything sacred anymore?? I have a friend who just ordered two "Wal- Mart" dresses. When I asked about the quality, her fiance and her said at the same time, "Who cares? You're only going to wear it once." Hmmmmm...... Okay, so this is the mentality of buying your wedding gown??

I'm not saying you need to spend thousands to have a quality gown. A big reason why my mom started designing Millie is because she wanted to offer a quality gown without having to spend a month's salary on it. I know it's hard to spend a lot of money on something you only wear once, but it's your wedding day. You can wear "Wal-Mart" everyday of the year but please...not on your wedding day.

Princess Bride

{images from showbizz.cbs.com}

What little girl didn't want to be a princess one time or another in her life? If I had to pick the most famous wedding gown, I would have to say Princess Diana's wedding dress would win. I've never seen so much information about one lonely wedding frock. There are tons of photos, news segments, and even a book dedicated just to the gown itself. Amazing.....

According to the IcWales.co.uk, Elizabeth Emanuel (Diana's wedding gown designer) just came out with her own high-street wedding dress collection. It's everything you would expect from the Princess's designer- frilly, puffy, and full of romance. Not exactly Millie bride material, but if you dreamed of looking like Cinderella on your wedding day you might enjoy these fairytale styles.

Here is a taste of a few of the more simplified gowns from Elizabeth Emanuel's collection~

{images from elizabethemanuel.co.uk.}