Project Wedding Blog

Last week Project Wedding had the rare opportunity to sit down and chat one-on-one with Jean-Paul Hamm, CEO and President of Alyce Designs, to discuss the 40 year-old company’s launch of Claudine by Alyce Designs and 312 Bridesmaids.  This flourishing, family-run dress company was founded by Jean-Paul and his sister and designer,  Alyce Hamm.  Fortunately, the “gene” for exquisite taste and artistic talent was inherited by her nieces, Claudine Hamm and Nathalie Lambert, who now head the design team that has created these two gorgeous collections.   We wanted to know the secret to their success and what this new generation of bridalwear means for the bride in search of the perfect dress for herself and her attendants.

312 Bridesmaids: Style 1290

PW: What was the inspiration behind the new collections?

JPH: For Claudine by Alyce Designs, our design team was most inspired by European elegance, incorporating design nuances that reflect fashion trends from Spain, London, and Paris.  The 312 Bridesmaids collection is a blend of traditional fabrics and contemporary lines and embellishments.

312 Bridesmaids: Style 1285

PW: Tell us more about your favorite embellishments for this season.  What is new for 2010 and where did you take a more classic approach?

JPH:  For 2010, we’ve introduced pale color accents in the Claudine bridal collection.  We also offer options to coordinate bridal accent colors with 312 Bridesmaids fabric colors.  For bridesmaids, we’re working with two-tone color options, knee-length hemlines, and ruched fabrics.  A classic approach is taken in our selection of quality fabrics and our never-compromised attention to construction.

Claudine for Alyce Designs: Style 7252

PW: What is the secret to Alyce Design’s success and excellent reputation in the fashion world?

JPH: Over the years we were never afraid to try new things. Each season we create a diverse and contemporary collection by first, testing out a variety of styles, and then developing a perfect pattern for the dresses that pass the test.  We’ve combined this cutting edge approach with time- tested reliability and quality; this combination is what has put Alyce Designs on the map.

Claudine for Alyce Designs: Style 7221

Tags: 312 Bridesmaids, Alyce Designs, Claudine by Alyce Designs.

One of my favorites, betsywhite stationery boutique, has created these gorgeous color palette inspiration boards – color combinations fit to inspire just about everyone! I just had to share this lovely fall palette.

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I am loving these jewel tone details …

… from a real wedding by Chanelle and Braig at Segerius Bruce Photography

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Today’s wedding inspiration comes from Natalie (also known in the PW community as Magnolia08). Natalie married her sweetheart Matt in a charming backyard wedding in the heart of Sonoma…

Some words from the glowing bride…

I have the tendency to obsess over details.  And I was concerned that if I was too ambitious, I would lose myself in small details and not see the day for what it was: A public confirmation of love and commitment between my husband and me.

So when I think back to our wedding day, I think about how comfortable all our guests seemed to be, how relaxed everyone was, how easy it was to laugh and talk to all of our loved ones.  I look back at our pictures and see all the smiling faces and I know that the very best decision we made was to pick a house that felt like home for our wedding.

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The pink and orange color palette from this wedding is so playful and vibrant — as Amorology weddings put together this amazing day for the blessed bride and groom. Bridesmaids wore hot pink sandals and carried pink and orange parasols. Lovely touches like that made the day unique and festive!

Flowers by Twigg Botanicals, Parasols by Luna Bazaar

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I am stuck on stationery today — I keep finding the cutest invites/placecards and wedding ideas everywhere. Here are my absolute favorites!

Adorable animal placecards - perfect for the farmhouse wedding, from Greenwich Letterpress.

Loving these personalized, couple invites from designer Erin Jang!

One can never go wrong with the glorious artwork that is Cartolina!

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I am loving, loving, loving the lavender and orange color palette from this wedding, coordinated by the gifted/inspiring/creative team at amorology weddings! It’s so happy, crisp and beautiful!

Flowers By: Twigg Botanicals, Cake by VGs Bakery, Coordination by Amorology Weddings

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This past weekend, Project Wedding got a first look at some of the gorgeous bridal styles for 2010!  Among some of our favorite collections of the new season was Claudine for Alyce Designs.  We found the Claudine collection to be a perfect fusion of European elegance and contemporary style and we fell in love with the rich fabrics and intricately beaded embellishments.  Here are some of our favorite styles from the collection:

From Left to Right: Style 7261, Style 7222, Style 7227, Style 7703

Style 7227

This dress features asymmetrically draped fabric which is great for the figure. We love the very sweet, yet intricate light blue beaded belt at the natural waist and bubble hem skirt.

Style 7222

A great alternative to strapless- this sweetheart neckline with off-the-shoulder straps reflects a timeless sophistication that we simply adore.  The draped and elongated bodice adds a contemporary and curvaceous twist to a classic style.

Style 7223

While this dress features beautiful shape and fit, we are head over heels for the embellishments.  This dress is for the feminine and romantic bride who is not afraid to make a statement and be the center of attention.  The strapless lace bodice makes a stunning contrast to the ruffled skirt and can be complemented by an exquisite lace bolero.

Tags: Alyce Designs, Claudine Bridal.

The Vanilla Bake Shop, that is! Their story is as sweet as their creative cakes and dessert bars! The lady behind all of the vanilla goodness, Amy Berman, got her inspiration from her mother - who always surprised and delighted the family by baking amazing cakes and homemade goodies! Get inspired by their creative wedding cakes and sweet spreads!

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LeeAnne and Alex got married at the Highlands Inn of Carmel, California. Carmel is one of the most beautiful places for a wedding… with gorgeous waves and beaches, and extremely unique natural beauty…

Will Taylor at Bliss Wedding Studio captured the entire event on camera. Here are some details, straight from the horse’s mouth…

Though LeeAnne and Alex live thousands of miles apart (she in Portland,Oregon; he in Ann Arbor, Michigan) they decided to seal the deal with a beautiful outdoor wedding at Highlands Inn in Carmel, California. The Central Coast is notorious for fog and drizzle at that time of year, and even as we were driving along the coast the day before the wedding, we were afraid the clouds would never lift in time for their afternoon nuptials. But as luck would have it, the morning of their wedding was sunny, warm, gorgeous and as blue as can be - not a single cloud in the sky!

LeeAnne was reminiscent of a mermaid with her stunning white gown, which featured fluttery ‘petal’ details and a cocoa-colored satin sash. Her groom Alex, as well as her bridesmaids, all wore earthy browns in simple silhouettes. Since the backdrop for their wedding was already so spectacular (the ceremony took place on the Highlands Inn terrace, which overlooked the picturesque Carmel coastline) they kept the rest of the details understated and elegant, with the perfect balance of rustic and contemporary.

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