SIMPLY PUBLISHED: The Knotty Bride

The Knotty Bride is by far the funniest of all the wedding blogs. I would highly suggest adding this to your reading list of blogs if you don't read it already. The author is hysterical and always writes the best most entertaining posts while featuring some awesome weddings and styled shoots.. oh and boudoir. This is by far the best place to check out ideas for boudoir sessions for your man. Anyway, today we are super excited to share with y'all that we got our first feature on The Knotty Bride!! Our handpainted Southwestern turkey feather backdrop was featured on The Knotty Bride on the 27th for Thanksgiving!!! Make sure you go on over and check out the rest of the shoot!! [Fun Fact: The faux bride was a bridesmaid in one of our weddings this past October!!] 

{Photo Credits} Photography: Izzy Hudgins // Venue: Roundhouse Railroad Museum // Backdrop: Ivory + Beau // Food: Form // Cake and Desserts: Lulu's Chocolate Bar // Video: Munn Brothers // Style: French Knot // Hair + Makeup: Dollface by Jules // Bridesmaids Attire: Custard Boutique // Gown: Sarah Seven from The Sentamentalist// Menswear: Civvies // Jewelry: Zia Couture // Furs: Gaucho Savannah // Paper Goods: Miss Pickles Press // Wholesale Flowers: Fifty Flowers // Table Settings: World Market

SIMPLY HOLIDAYS: Happy Thanksgiving!

Us at Ivory + Beau want to wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving! We hope you are spending it with loved ones and family this year!! We wanted to take the time to share some things we are thankful for while also sharing one of our favorite DIY projects we did for a styled shoot!

Nicole is thankful for:
Finding Roo (baby kitten) and giving her home; Tigger + Winnie being welcoming and loving to baby Kanga-Roo; New friends and connections I have made in the wedding industry; The support of friends, family, and vendor friends during this new business endeavor; Thankful, gracious + happy brides who have been an absolute pleasure to work with; The bridal designers we picked up at New York Bridal Market who have been so amazing to work with; The SBAC for approving our business loan and being our personal cheerleader during this process; My dad for being my words of wisdom during every difficult situation I have encountered these past few weeks [and life]; My mom for being my personal spiritual guidance and guardian angel during every difficult situation I have encountered; The friends I have made in Savannah who make this city feel like my home; Adrienna for being 2 steps ahead of me at all times and for being an amazing business partner who is calm, kind, and amazing; Our interns for being freaking amazing; The opportunities I have in life to do what I love every day while being myself and while getting to design, create, and style new and different things; last but not least... I am thankful for every wedding blog, magazine, and publication that has shared my work!! xo, Nicole Rene

Adrienna is thankful for:
I'm thankful for grace and blessings. I've been so overwhelmingly blessed this year, and I thank God for everything I've been given. I can't believe at 22 I'm able to live out my dream of having a boutique, it all feels surreal still. I'm thankful for being surrounded by family and friends who support me and this business adventure. I'm thankful for being able to have gone to SCAD, which turned my life upside down in the most perfect way.  My kittys, for proving hours of entertainment and puurs and kisses. Nicole, for being crazy enough to open a bridal store with me. She has endless ideas that never cease to amaze me, and she pushes me to be better every day. I can't image any other person to be doing this with. Our new interns, for being so freaking fabulous. And for Woody, my amazing boyfriend, for constantly being there, even when I'm annoying, whiney and should be ignored.

{Photo Credits} Photography: Izzy Hudgins // Backdrop: Ivory + Beau // Food: Form // Cake and Desserts: Lulu's Chocolate Bar // Style: French Knot

SIMPLY INSPIRATION: Ceremony, Photobooth + Dessert Backdrops AND a 10% Discount!

Boy do I got a treat for ya'll today! The LA Shop contacted me a few weeks ago about doing a review on one of their products, which also comes along with a great discount for products from their online store (more on that later in the post)!!! So anyway, of course I said yes because they have some awesome stuff!! A few days ago I received the product in the mail + so now for my review... but first... here is what I received...

Now if you know me at all you know one of my absolute favorite things ever is hanging things. Anything. Really doesn't matter what I'm hanging: could be paper flowers, tissue poms, garlands, fabric, real flowers, gold dipped feathers, antlers, toy dinosaurs... I mean seriously. Anything. I will gladly hang it. So when they wanted me to do a review on this I was beyond excited because now I have this thing and I can hang stuff from it all day. Anyday. Everyday. Anything. It's the perfect piece to have to use for backdrops for ceremony backdrops, dessert tables, photo booths... you name it. I mean I could seriously have some fun with this thing at our wedding in Palm Springs. Hmm... wonder how much extra the airplanes charge for bringing aboard something like this?? Do you see where I'm going with this!? It is seriously perfect for weddings. Keep reading for some awesome inspiration.

So... begin my review here. I opened the box... well no rewind a little... Tigger, our cat, tried to open the box. No literally... he chewed and chewed and there were scraps of cardboard all over our entryway where he had tried to open the box. He seriously chewed open one entire side of the box. So, back to the review, we opened the box. I pulled out the bag which looks exactly as seen above. Inside are all the pieces wrapped up in different compartments of the bag, which is nice that they're not all just squished in there together. That would obviously lead to some seriously metal clanking while carrying it around. In total there were 6 parts. Now, before I describe my one and only criticism with this product I feel the need to note that there is disclaimer below. So I pulled out the 6 parts. I easily put together the 2 side parts that are the stands. Then I looked at the other 4 pieces, which are 4 poles, and I tried really hard to figure out how in the world I get them to be the top part of this stand. And I looked some more... and I tried attaching Pole A to Pole B, etc. And well, I could not figure it out. I looked in the bag but there were no instructions. I gave up. [Disclaimer: My fiance came home + I said "figure that thing out?" and he figured it out in less than 30 seconds.] So... my one criticism I would say may or may not be valid... and is pretty much dependent on whether or not you are good at figuring stuff out or not without instructions. I obviously am not.

Once he put it together the ideas began streaming through my head, the countless possibilities. Play day anyone? So here are 3 ways I think this portable arch could be utilized at a wedding. 

#1: A ceremony arch!? These are my favorite. I know a lot of people say being outdoors you just don't need a backdrop or anything because it's so pretty and the nature is the pretty part, but I personally am a sucker for a.) anything hanging; b.) decor that is part of your wedding theme/personality/experience! It makes your wedding more unique and more you. Plus then your wedding is different from other couples who got married in that same spot, because how many people can say they had dead animal skulls for their ceremony backdrop??? Just saying. Here are some examples of ceremony backdrops that could easily be put together using this photography backdrop arch! 

#2: Makeshift photo booths with funky backdrops are probably one of my other favorite things we've been seeing at weddings these days! Not that I don't love the traditional photo booths... but the ones with the tripod and the bright crazy backdrops are so fun too! Here is some of my favorite inspiration:

#3: Or how about a dessert table backdrop??? Ehhhh!? Who doesn't love a beautifully styled dessert table? And then add an amazing backdrop and ta da! Amazing treats surrounded by amazingness that will surely wow your guests in more ways than one. And again... here is a way to make your wedding an experience and not just an ordinary event. 

Now any of the seen-above pictures of ceremony backdrops could easily be made on this photography stand... The stand is sturdy and also adjustable. There are 4 pieces that can be put in the middle to create a very long stand or you can use as little as one for a shorter length. The only problem I see for using this at weddings would be the tripod feet; however, I don't think this is necessarily a huge problem since they could easily be covered using fabric or large flower arrangements. Just have to get creative! 

Now for the discount code for The LA Shop. No wait... first here are some things on my wish list from The LA Shop!!

[1] Floor Stand Pop-up Projector Screen for a secret surprise video during the reception!?

[2] Disco balls for the dance floor?? yes please. 

[3] Twinkly lights for perimeter lighting makes spaces romantic!

[4] Why not bring your cat to the wedding?! Oh.. your cat is an indoor cat? No worries... you can get a metal crate for your cat when you don't want to walk it on a leash! ;) Chris + I would love to bring Tigger the monster to our wedding... may not be a bad idea... I could seriously see Tigs loving that hammock.

Okay okay... so The LA Shop specializes more in business supplies, so for those of you out there who might need some equipment for a trade show or industry event, photographers in need of new flashes, lighting equipment, and backdrops, or salon and makeup artists in need of new airbrush equipment... then this is the right website for you to check out. Or if you're like me and really want your cat to be at your wedding and be able to simultaneously relax in a hammock... then it's also the place to shop. 

Get your 10% off discount with the code: "BLOGGERS" 

Shop away ya'll!

Thank you to The LA Shop for choosing me to do a review! 

Xoxo, Nicole Rene

{Shopping Credits} Portable Photography Backdrop Stand // Floor Stand Pop-up Projector Screen // Christmas Lighting LED Rope Light 150ft // Cat Crate {Photo Credits} [Ceremony Arch] Couple Kissing via Ruffled, photography by Sunday Romance // Striped Fabric Arch via Ruffled, photography by Danielle Capito // Greenery Arch via Georgeous AU, photography by Sarah Wood // Skull Arch via Green Wedding Shoes, photography by Alec Vanderboom // Tinsel Garland Backdrop via Green Wedding Shoes, photography by Sloan Photographers [Photo Booth Backdrop] Fringe backdrop via Ruffled // Photo Booth with Tripod via Style Me Pretty, photography by Drew & Megan // Wallpaper backdrop with Vintage Chair via CAMP, photography by Elizabeth Messina // Bride and Groom via Style Me Pretty, photography by Jess + Nate Studios // Guy via Smile Booth // Colorful backdrop via Green Wedding Shoes, photography by Studio Castillero [Dessert Tables] Ruffled Ombre Fabric backdrop via Style Me Pretty, photography by One Love // Ribbon Streamer backdrop via Ruffled, photography by Stacey Hedman // Pink & Orange Streamer backdrop via Green Wedding Shoes, photography by N Barrett // Fabric backdrop with Heart Light via Style Me Pretty, photography by Jose Villa // Pinwheel backdrop via Green Wedding Shoes, photography by Brooke Aliceon // Streamers and Chevron backdrop via Green Wedding Shoes, photography by Sarah Culver //