ANC loves: Love, Luxe & Bliss...

We are SO thrilled to announce a brand new relationship with a fabulous bridal boutique!  After the holiday madness has died down, we'll be putting samples on the floor at Love, Luxe & Bliss in the center of scenic Walpole, MA.  The motto of this boutique is "Everything but the dress," and owner Angela Spriggs seems to have something for everyone and flawless taste in everything.  From bachelorette to honeymoon, she's got you covered with unique selections you won't be able to get your hands on anywhere else.  Here's a sampling:

She really has an eye, that one.  I am ALWAYS stopping in here just to nose around at the latest 'ooh, ahh' worthy item she's found.  A personal favorite of mine - adorable little porcelain boxes shaped like cupcakes in which I put sparkly bracelets and gave to my flowergirls as thank-you gifts.  What do little girls like better then cupcakes?  Cupcakes with sparkly centers that you can keep forever.

A few lines about the boutique from Angela herself... (she is one lovely lady, FYI - super helpful, tons of knowledge about everything wedding-related, and as I said before she has a wicked sense of style.)

"Love Luxe & Bliss is a different kind of wedding shop that carries 'everything but the dress.'  Our colorful shop has the most fabulous goods you can imagine!  Handpicked just for you, our distinctive wedding items, beautiful invitations, chic wedding cards and gorgeous wrapping paper are sure to catch your eye."


You can find out more of course at her website, www.loveluxebliss.com .

We are SO excited to be linking up with this lovely boutique and adding our sample line to her already exquisite selection of goods!  We just might also plan some bridal events here - something along the lines of a "Bring Your Dress, Find Your Veil" night?  With snacks, perhaps?  Tulle + champagne = fun, fun fun.  (Let's just steer clear of red wine, shall we?  That's always asking for trouble around wedding dresses.)  We will also be meeting with brides here to discuss custom veils and design ideas and we can't WAIT.

Anyway, here's one more little montage to peek at, in closing.  Updates soon on when we'll actually have everything on the floor!  We can't wait to have you come take a look at our collection in person and check out the rest of Love Luxe & Bliss!  Who knows, you just might find your ribbons, cake toppers, favors, invitations, aisle runners, guest books, garters and jewelry while you're at it!  Now that's one-stop shopping...

See you at Love Luxe & Bliss!


-Eleanor & Althea

Photo Heaven...

Oh my, oh MY!!

We've gotten back the results of our photoshoot.  May I just say, Shannon and Liz, WOW.  I imagined these photos a million times in my head over the last few weeks and they still blew away my expectations.

I can't pick my favorite, but might I start with this one?  It's in my top...5...10?  So hard to decide...

Oh the grace, the curves, the vintage-ness....


Here are a few more.  Swoon with me, won't you?

This veil is "Elise", our single layer cathedral accented with Swarovski crystals.  Simply chic.

Here we have the lovely "Juliana", two fingertip layers edged in sparkling organza ribbon.  

Ohmygosh, I LOVE this one.  Liz's skin is, like, glowing.  Can that be bottled?  Because I'll buy it.  This is our little French love, "Audrey", accented with hair flower "Eden" - which is pretty spectacular.  I'm not just saying that because I designed her.  She has pearls and feathers and everything I love.  Here's another angle:

This is getting into the second half of the shoot, when we went outside to catch the fading November light.  Shannon knew just how to use the moment to our advantage...

Liz, you coquette!  This is a STUNNING headband and veil combo from the talented hands of Althea.  It has delicate little pearl clusters and a curvy, 1940's feel to it.  Perfect for the vintage bride.  We call her Susie.  And she's a little sassy.

"Mia" - a delicate blossom indeed.  Soft and fluttery and sparkling with pearl and crystal in the center.

Or get a little wild with ruffles, pearls and marabou.  This one is called "Ava", but perhaps we should have named her Marilyn...

And this one - okay it's not so much about the veil, but Shannon's eye cannot be denied.  I need to share.

I want to get married again!  At the Proctor Mansion Inn, wearing approximately seventeen veils.  One at a time of course.

There are a few more I desperately want to put up here, but all in good time.  Anyway they'll soon be up on our almost-functional website and our Etsy store, so there's more veil photolove on the way.  Love love love.  Mille grazie again to Shannon and Liz, you made sure our vision came through.  

Happy holidays all!  We wish you all a tulle-filled yule...  

Eleanor (& Althea)

ANC 2010 Collection Photoshoot!

For the last six weeks we've been racing the clock, covered in piles of tulle, pearls, crystals - and today, we got to see it all come together!  We had a GORGEOUS day for our first photoshoot and we must immediately extend our thanks to the wonderful Shannon Sorensen for her expert photography and the beautiful Ms Liz for her modeling talents!  (Incidentally, Liz is also the genius behind Blush Design Studio and creates the most delightful custom letterpress designs - blog posts on the work of both these ladies coming soon because you will want to know about them...)

(Keep in mind, of course, that these shots are me with my Sony Cyber-Shot, flitting around the edges of the real work being done.  More like 'photos-of-photos'.  Wait until you see Shannon's take...)

Our hosts for the shoot were Brian and Dawn Fitzgerald, owners of the Proctor Mansion Inn.  The Inn is a beautiful second-empire French Victorian mansion, a historic landmark which was built in 1861 and has been recently restored and opened as a boutique Bed & Breakfast.  Did we ever have fun pretending we lived there for a few hours!  They graciously gave us the run of the mansion and we couldn't have asked for a more beautiful backdrop.  The period details of the house (carved moldings, marble fireplaces, stained glass windows, I could go on and on...) have been lovingly restored to their original splendor and are now accented by some seriously desirable antiques - we put on a little vintage jazz and had ourselves a party!

Ahhh, could our morning have been any more fabulous?  I can't say 'thank you' enough to Shannon and Liz for their continued commitment in terms of things like 'holding still in uncomfortable positions / balancing precariously on ancient chairs / standing around in the chilly November air, trying to make it look like it's seventy degrees out when it's obviously fifty-five'.  I can honestly say that neither modeling or photography are easy.  Talented people make it look easy.  We mostly just stood on the sidelines and did a happy dance to see our creations finally take flight!  It really made all of our hard work over the last few weeks seem more than worth it.  We can't wait to show you the finished products of this shoot!

For now, we're going to breathe a deep sigh of relief (and maybe some sadness?) that our sample line is complete and our initial production phase is finished.  Actually, it might be kind of tricky for us to focus on things like web design and business cards if there is ANY tulle or sparkly stuff in the vicinity!  But we'll do our best...unless, of course, one of us happens upon some really spectacular beading or trim....because we can't seem to stop...

See you on the website!  Coming soon!

~Eleanor

  

Althea Nicole & Co - Welcome!

"Althea Nicole & Company was founded by two friends with years of experience in the bridal & fashion industries.  After each working extensively in bridal fashion, Althea and Eleanor decided to combine their talents in business and design to provide unique veils and headpieces inspired by both modern trends and classic style.  Althea Nicole & Company looks to fulfill the needs of brides who want a handmade couture veil combined with the flexibility and personal service that only a small company can offer. Weddings today are often a mix of tradition and personal style, highlighting elements of design that are meaningful to the bride and groom.  Today, we strive to create pieces that reflect each bride's individual vision while keeping every look elegant and timeless."

And now that you know a little bit about us, thanks for visiting our blog!  We'll be using this space to post updates as we build our business, connect with brides and most of all explore our passion for fine wedding design and handmade veils and headpieces.  We are obsessed with everything flowing, sparkling, floaty,  unique and most of all handcrafted.  We spend way too much time scoping out the bridal couture scene for new ideas in veils and hair accessories.  Weddings today have become a huge statement of personal style, and we're fascinated by the range of influences that have crept into veil design.  Delicate flora and fauna, dazzling and intricate crystal clusters - we've seen quite a few beautiful creations in our travels! (Not to mention a few true horrors, if we're being honest...)  Our biggest inspiration remains the brides that we work with.  Nothing provides us with a steady stream of new ideas more then YOU, the bride who comes to us with a singular vision of what kind of piece completes her look the best.  Like the topper on the cake, a veil adds that focal point - that final 'finishing touch' that takes an ensemble from lovely to amazing.

Every wedding is different. Every bride is different.  Every veil is different.

We look forward to keeping you posted as we turn beautiful dreams into beautiful veils.

-Althea & Eleanor