Toni

Pierre Chiha Photographers

I met Toni a few months ago through a friend of a friend. I had several years before made a prom dress for a girl. One of her friends remembered it and when Toni was considering having her mother-of-the-groom's dress made, I was recommended. Don't you just love word of mouth?


Toni is very creative and had her gown designed and made in such a way that she could trade pieces around to make several different outfits. The picture here is Toni wearing a simple green shantung gown with English embroidered lace of ivory and champagne rosettes. The lace had a scalloped edge at the bottom, but the opening in the front and over the neckline did not. Well, at least not in the beginning..... I took the scalloped edging from long scrap pieces and extra lace and transferred it to the neckline of the jacket. The detailing was beautiful and you had to look very closely to tell that the edging was not originally there. Toni also had a lace shawl and a shantung shawl made, which gave the dress three different and distinct looks.


During our work, Toni showed me some navy batik that was given to her as a present. The pattern was of yellow and green bunnies and absolutely gorgeous. We made her a formal jacket to go over a dress she already had using a pattern that we had already created for the lace. The jacket was unique because it was made in such a way that it could be reversed and worn with the batik inside and the solid navy outside.


I loved working with Toni and being able to talk with her about designs and production, of both she was very knowledgeable.

Hayley

Hayley Lauren Couture LLC

Vows Tuxedo

(850)668-0259

hlcouture@gmail.com

3852 Killearn Center Blvd

Tallahassee, FL 32309

www.hayleylaurencouture.net

www.vowstuxedo.net

Wedding Dance

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-94JhLEiN0&feature=player_embedded

I worked with a bride years ago to design a gown where she spun from a ballgown skirt into a cocktail dress. Seeing this video, I start fantasizing all of the possibilities for the party who dances down the aisle.

Mrs Tallahassee

I was excited to receive pictures from Mrs Tallahassee, Beth Anderson, of her time at the Mrs Florida Pageant. We worked together weeks before she left to make this beautiful evening gown for the competition. We met at the beginning of the year when she modeled some of my designs at the TAWP Bridal Show. From there, we designed a gown of silk white satin with a rouge sash. Crystals and rhinestones sparkle at the neckline, the sash, and down the back. Beth has offered to let me get some pictures of the gown close-up. So, I should be able to post those next week sometime.

Hayley

Hayley Lauren Couture LLC

Vows Tuxedo

(850)668-0259

hlcouture@gmail.com

http://www.hayleylaurencouture.net/

http://www.vowstuxedo.net/

Moving Closer To My Dreams Conference

This week, I was given a great honor. I was asked to be on a panel of speakers for a conference coming up in Tallahassee on August 1st. It is geared toward encouraging young women to follow their dreams towards entrepreneurship. I will be given a few minutes to tell about myself and my business and then be given some Q/A. I know several women also speaking at the conference, so it should be fun!

Visit the website at www.movingclosertomydreams.com

Facebook - I'm there. I'm just not sure where there is.....

So, I was at a meeting a week or two ago where almost everyone had a Facebook business page and everyone loved it. Being one of the only ones not hooked up networking on Facebook, I decided to set up an account. Now I don't know what to do! I'm there, I have friends, now what? There so many buttons that don't seem to go to any place of importance. I logged in the other day and the only thing I was able to accomplish towards setting up the page was adding my picture. So, my facebook business site will be great as soon as I figure out how...........

A new website

If you have tried out the new vows website recently, you will probably notice that it is slightly different now. When I opened, I just created something simple to give the right information. Over the weekend, I found a great template website and created the new Vows site with lots of extra educational information on tuxedos, suits, and how to wear them. I like the new site so much with all of the extra information, I'm thinking about adding to my Hayley Lauren Couture site as well.....

Hayley

Hayley Lauren Couture LLC

Vows Tuxedo

(850)668-0259

hlcouture@gmail.com

3852 Killearn Center Blvd

Tallahassee, FL 32309

www.hayleylaurencouture.net

www.vowstuxedo.net

Fast Forward a Few Weeks

Ok! So, the countdown didn't work exactly as I had pictured it. The closer it got to opening the more time I spent at the shop, which didn't have internet hook-up......... Now going on day 12 of being open, I have finally taken a moment to sit down and say - I didn't do that very well......

To give a quick catchup, the place looks great! The fitting rooms are up thanks to Phil (a professional contractor and friend of my husband, Matt.) Everything is moved in and set up just right. Vows Tuxedo by Hayley Lauren Couture LLC is officially a member of the Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce. When joining, we received a lot of great offers by local businesses. One of which was advertising with the Democrat. We have, or had, four "Grand Opening" ads running over the last week starting on Thursday and our last one will go out Wednesday. Today, we finalized the radio ads that will be playing on 104.9 and 99.9. Listen out for those, they'll start on Sunday evening.

A grand opening was held last Thursday and Friday. We had an almost constant flow of visitors during those evenings, and some who couldn't make it during the evening stopped by whenever possible.

Mike from Mike's Limo let us have a Limo in the parking lot. (which if you drive by is still there...) Balloons Unlimited brought balloons for outside. Missy from Missy Gunnels' Flowers brought the most beautiful bouquet for the opening. Rachel Melson from Sunny Days Bakery brought a delicious cake and cookies. Terri Smith brought some fantastic cupcakes from Lucy and Leo's and took some pictures of the place.

I have spent the last week and a half settling in to my new space as an open business and am now ready to meet clients!

-Hayley

Hayley Lauren Couture LLC
Vows Tuxedo
(850)668-0259
hlcouture@gmail.com
http://www.vowstuxedo.net/
3852 Killearn Center Blvd
Tallahassee FL 32309