That Dream Day - Wedding Edition

I love wedding photos, especially antique ones.

  

 Technically this is an old debutante photo:

but it conjures up those images from that special day when you're all in white looking hot.  

I've had weddings on my mind thanks to one of my lovely friends (more on that later).  

And I adore celebrity wedding photos from days long gone.

People often think Bianca wore a pant suit when she married Mick Jagger but that's because they get distracted by her plunging neckline.  So ridiculous.

Just look at Bridget Bardot! 

So demure!  And I didn't know she married Timothy Dalton.

 Then there's the queen, Ms. Elizabeth Taylor and her two weddings to Richard Burton.

 I know this isn't healthy but I would love a love like theirs.  Just for a day.  I mean one month.  I mean one year.  That's it. 

Actually I wouldn't mind a marriage like the one she had to Mike Todd.  Plus they had wedding ceremonies in Spain AND Mexico.  That's my dream!

Just ignore the creepy look Eddie Fisher 

is giving her on her wedding day.

Dreaming of Tailored Trousers and Ties

I love a beautiful woman in menswear.

OK, I know Christopher Walken isn't a beautiful woman, but I would love to wear his ensemble.

I have attempted menswear many times over the years and I always seen to forget my tie clip.

I love that a strong jacket, shirt and pant

can make a woman feel powerful. . .

. . . or adorable.

I think next I need to experiment with black, red and white.

I love Winona in black on black

with touches of Victorian charm.

In all honesty I was skeptical about Rachel Zoe's line,

but she had some amazing pieces, like this red tuxedo.

I still think about this story from W in 2009.

This white YSL suit is a dream come true.

This winter all I want to wear are suits and trousers and I think I'll just let Elizabeth Peyton be my guide.

Dreaming of an Illuminated Path . . .

. . . An illuminated path lit by dream candles.

When I worked at Modern Bride I always pitched ideas that were a little on the macabre side and I was usually shot down.

A favorite that I still dream of was this candle:

In my head ALL brides want to play off the riff 'to love and to cherish 'till death do us part.'

They disagreed.

But what do I know -- I've only been a bride in magazines.

Thank goodness they didn't pass on my idea to use these carved candles from et al designs:

Of course I had to use them in white.

How amazing would it be to have all these in black?

At least I got to keep the white candles after we shot them.

Why do I have candles on the mind?

I just got the limited edition Elton John Holiday candle from Nest. And it is making me delirious.

It smells like Christmas. In London.

Walking through Hyde Park. At Sunset.

In other words, it smells like heaven and I want to live inside it.

It reminds me of Archipelago's come-hither Black Forest candle, which I keep hidden in my room waiting for a special occasion to burn (hmmm, I might need a few more).

Speaking of a seductive candle, Occulter has a Morrissey effigy that I am dying to own! [Insert pun about a light that never goes out.]

One more provocative candle that I would be very happy to own is Diptyque's John Galliano candle. The first time I smelt it I thought it was so-so, then it grew on me and then I genuinely loved it.

Voluspa has a candle named Laguna that I covet and NOT just because it is where I grew up. It smells like gardenias. On a sunny day. In a park. Overlooking the sea. In other words, my other heaven.

Last on my I-Need-This-Now List, is this perfect candle by West Third called 'Belgium Linen.' I've never been to Belgium but if their linens indeed smell like this then it's my new favorite country. It's a light, clean, country cotton smell.

Every time I smell it I go to this place: