Meet Our 2017 Wedding Show Vendor: Samila Boutique

On January 29, 2017 Samila Boutique will join us during our 2nd annual cultural wedding show to grace us with their stunning evening wear and bridal dresses on our runway as well as exhibit their services as a boutique vendor! Bonus: after learning about these ladies and their gowns, you will definitely want to come prepared to SHOP their dresses and buy them straight off the rack! Yes, try them on and take them home with you right at the show!

We can't wait for you to meet the ladies behind this boutique; but for now here's a fun behind the scenes look at who they are and what they have to offer women in the PNW!

Her Big Day: Who is behind Samila Boutique?

Yasmin Shirdel: Samila Boutique team is composed of women of all ages, experiences and backgrounds. The owners consist of mother-daughter team Samila herself and myself, Yasmin.


HBD: How long has Samila Boutique been around and how did you get started in the bridal industry?


YS: My mother opened Samila Boutique in 1995 as a womens apparel store. One day, she added a rack of evening wear to her boutique and quickly noticed customers lining up for them. She showed up one day with a U-Haul truck and took out all the existing inventory and replaced the entire boutique with evening wear! Over time, customers came to her wanting to be styled for their weddings. Unfortunately, the store was never big enough, so in 2013 she expanded and moved into a 3,000 sq. foot showroom. Finally, we had the capacity to bring our customer's wishes come true! I procured the dresses and designed the space. And in 2015, we expanded our evening gown division to add bridal.


HBD: Wow, that's incredible! You mentioned to us that you are of Persian background. How has your background influenced your choice of designers or style of dresses, if any at all?

YS: Very much so. Our culture is rich in decadence, luxe and details. Our culture prides itself in having rich history and attention to detail. With this embedded in our roots, we procure dresses that no one in our area has. We choose to bring in unique wedding gowns with more beading, detail and design. Because of our experience and partnerships with designers for 20+ years, we have been able to curate a collection that is unique and timeless.

HBD: Upon visiting your boutique, we’ve noticed a stunning array of bridal designs. Who are some of the designers you carry?

YS: We carry Casablanca Bridal, Morilee, Eddy K, Lilian West, Calla Blanche. We also work with a team of designers from Turkey and India to create a private label with authentic middle eastern design and flavor.

HBD: Who selects the gowns and/or designers who become a part of your boutique's selection and what inspires your process?

YS: I select everything and consult with Samila from time to time. The first inspiration comes from brides; listening to what they want and what they wish was different and unique. Secondly, watching the trends on the runway and on social media.

HBD: What's your biggest seller?

YS: Lace is really in high fashion now, particularly with unique illusion detail on the neckline.

HBD: Where do you see Samila Boutique in the next 5 years?

YS: Continue to be a place where women come to find evening gowns and wedding gowns that help celebrate and define who they are.

HBD: And last, for the bride-to-be who is looking to come in and check out your collections, do you take walk-ins or should they call to schedule an appointment first?

YS: Appointments are required. Walk-ins are welcome, subject to a wait list.

We can be contacted via Email: info@samilasboutique.com or phone: 425-558-5714 
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for live updates on our upcoming trunk shows, events and new arrivals!

Also, check out what our previous clients have to say about their experience at Samila Boutique Here. Hope to see you all soon!

Get your tickets today and come say hello to Samila Boutique: bit.ly/herbigday2017 !!! See you soon, Bellas, xx.

Her Big Day Bridal Brunch Spotlight: Nuciano

We are picking our jaws up from off the ground at how fab this next prize giveaway at our Bridal Brunch on Sunday is! Think bling, bling and LOTS OF BLING! One lucky bride will win the "Diane Clutch" from Nuciano. Nuciano was started by handbag designer, Joy Egbejimba; a savvy fashion professional. Joy studied Industrial Chemistry at Enugu State University and later obtained a degree in Accounting from Central Washington University. While attending college Joy worked as a model and quickly realized she had a passion for the fashion industry. Joy now resides in Renton, Washington and is ecstatic to immerse herself in the wedding industry with her one of a kind handbags.

"I have always loved fashion and more structured fashion pieces. There remains a gap between quality and affordability, and the Nuciano brand is my effort to help women feel and look their best!"

When Joy is designing, she is inspired by shape, architecture, and color. Every design focuses on flattering a real woman's body. Egbejimba’s technical knowledge of a handbag’s proper fit and design, combined with her innate creative abilities, results in an effortless and wearable line that reflect the kind of woman she is herself; strong, sexy, fun, and fearless.

The Diane Clutch is valued at $385! Here are more details on this gorgeous clutch:

• Completely covered with 100% authentic Crystals
• Style Number: NUC-362-Dia
• Silver, Gold (24K gold plated)
• Titanium compact metal frame and chain
• 20” detachable strap with chain-detailing
• Entirely lined in Genuine Leather
• Plaque with Nuciano Logo inside the purse
• High Quality Closure
• Spare Crystals included
• Packaging: PVC Bag+Fabric Bag+Gift Box
• Size: 9.8”x3.5”x2”
• 25x9x5(cm)

Win your chance at this fabulous prize by securing your ticket to our Bridal Brunch for the cultural bride set for Sunday, June 26th, 2016 from 11AM-3PM at TPC Snoqualmie Ridge! Tickets can be purchased via Eventbrite here: bit.ly/herbigdaybridalbrunch!

Best of Both Worlds Production by Nansare Consolata - 2016 Her Big Day Wedding Show Fashion Stylist

We are beyond excited to have Best of Both Worlds Production by Nansare Consolata at Her Big Day: A Cultural Wedding Affair. Nansare Consolata is a native of Kenya who specializes in event planning with an educational purpose. Her company, Best Of Both Worlds Productions, is known for its unique intergration of African wear with contemporary urban flare. This sort of African fusion is what you will be witnessing on the runway as she shows off African fashion that you can find at an African wedding.

We love the story behind the creation of Best of Both Worlds. Dissatisfied with the lack of cultural events in the Greater Seattle’s African community, Nansare took the Mahatma Gandhi quote “you must be the change you wish to see,” and she applied it. As a student at Highline Community College, she was an active leader in the Black Student Union where she was inspired to actively participate in her community. It all started with teaming up with Wyking Garrett, who, at the time, sat on the Umoja Festival board of directors as the Vice President. Wyking was very encouraging and supportive of Nansare’s goals. Her first platform was at the 2005 Umoja Festival; the show was a success and was covered by the Seattle Times Newspaper the following year. In addition to her community activism, Nansare has produced many fashion shows for various events: Seattle Central Spring Bling, Festival Sundiata, Mwangaza Jitegemee Foundation, Igbo day Celebration, Spirit of West Africa, community basketball tournaments and many more..

Nansare is a fashion stylist who believes we are not all born the same; our differences make us unique. Her vision is for people to walk away from her cultural awareness fashion shows with a greater understanding of the African culture and the influence it has on western styles. She hopes her audience will also walk away with new ideas on how to integrate traditional African clothes into their wardrobe and an increased consciousness of how and what clothes communicate; values, identity and culture.

At Her Big Day: A Cultural Wedding Affair you will get to see fashion represented from Ghana, Senegal, Tanzania, Nigeria, Kenya and more as curated by Best of Both Worlds Production.

Buy your tickets now to witness this amazing portion of the fashion show as well as the other cultures represented in preparation for your big day: bit.ly/herbigday2016

Get social with Best of Both Worlds Production!

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Meet Yabsira: Her Big Day Fashion Stylist Intern

Getting all of our runway looks for Her Big Day: A Cultural Wedding Affair won't be possible without our fabulous Fashion Stylist Intern: Yabsira Wolde. We are so excited to have her passion for fashion styling on the team. From putting together fashion pieces to deciding on hair and makeup, she will be helping to create the perfect model look on the runway. Learn more about her below!

Name: Yabsira Wolde

College: University of Washington

Graduation Year: 2018

Major: Undecided

Instagram: @yabsiraawolde


Where are you from?  Seattle

What is your favorite thing that you’re involved in at school? My communication class! I love interacting with people and learning all the different forms of communication.

What is the most fun event you have planned? My prom

If you could style any event, what event would you like to style? Right now, my eyes are on Balmain....or Givenchy! 

Who is your fashion icon? The first person that comes to mind is my Mother. She is so fashion forward!

If you could get married today, where would be your dream wedding? Anywhere next to a waterfall or Addis Abeba.

What would be your wedding colors and/or theme? White and gold

What are wedding traditions in your culture? There are so many I would need pages to write them. One of them is, when the wedding is about to be over, the guests chase out the bride and the groom with a traditional song.

Your favorite drink to order at Starbucks: Iced chai or Green tea latte

What’s in your purse? Mascara, lipstick, wallet, and gum

Your favorite quote: "Never put the key to your happiness in someone else’s pocket.” -Anonymous

Le Salon Bridal Couture - 2016 Her Big Day Wedding Show Vendor

Slip into your dream dress for your western cultured wedding day with our exclusive runway boutique vendor at Her Big Day: A Cultural Wedding Affair, Le Salon Bridal Couture. You may recognize this amazing bridal boutique as we used a couple of their fabulous designer wedding dresses during our segment on KING5's New Day Northwest with Margaret Larsen {click here to see the video clip}. Le Salon Bridal Couture specializes in not only wedding dresses, but flower girl dresses, bridesmaids' dresses, and bridal accessories.

Get to know Original Creative Director, Alexis Williamson, below and get excited to mingle with her and view her beautiful bridal gown and wedding dress selections both in her booth and on the runway. Le Salon Bridal Couture will be one of the exclusive runway boutiques for western cultured bridal gowns and dresses at the wedding show in January {buy your tickets here}!

Her Big Day (HBD): Tell us about your business! What do you specialize in and what makes you unique?

Alexis:  What makes us unique is that we were awarded the Best New Bridal Boutique in Seattle 2015!!! Now, we are open in lower Queen Anne, hosting private bridal appointments with the most unique dress selections in Seattle and your very own personal bridal stylist for the hour. Collections rotate for our brides to have the best selection and hottest styles you are searching for including Julie Vino from Israel, Pronovias Atelier from Barcelona, Paradiso Couture exclusive collection of Le Salon Bridal Couture, Theia Couture White Collection, and more...
Schedule your private appt. to try our exclusive dress styles and get styled head to toe for your big day . Call 217-215-2158 or Text "Seattle Bride" 847-920-4870 to request an appt.

Get Styled by Le Salon Bridal Couture- Seattle
The "Stress-Free" Way to find the one. With your very own personal stylist and the boutique all to yourself. Call us and have the experience every bride deserves:-) Our stylist are excited to meet you!
Posted by Le Salon Bridal Boutique on Saturday, October 31, 2015

HBD: That is fantastic that Le Salon Bridal Couture was awarded "Best New Bridal Boutique"! Congratulations as it is well deserved. Why are you participating in Her Big Day: A Cultural Wedding Affair? 

Alexis: Le Salon Bridal Couture understands the multi-cultural needs of our international and mixed cultural weddings and we always love interweaving the rich history of the bride and her love story into her bridal fashions. It’s not “just a dress” at Le Salon Bridal Couture it’s part of your rich family history and most importantly the representations of you, the very best of you on your wedding day. Le Salon Bridal Couture Seattle is by appointment only, a one-on-one shopping experience with your own personal stylist and beautiful boutique located in lower Queen Anne. Le Salon Bridal also features fashion forward and popular Pinterest styles by Julie Vino of Israel, Pronovias Atelier of Barceleona, Spain, Theia White Collection, Ireland & Le Salon’s Bridal Couture’s very own exclusive line Paradiso Couture offers many styles in many colors like red for Chinese Tea Ceremonies. Bring your cultures, traditions and we'll help you design this into your wedding gown so it's something you'll cherish every time you look back on your wedding photos for years to come.

HBD: What do you find clients always say they love about working with you?

Alexis: We are the "hidden gem" of bridal salons. Le Salon bride's say we have the most unique dresses on the bridal circuit as well as the best service from start to finish. The private boutique is so welcoming and comfortable from the decor, to bridal qoutes on the wall, and the sparkling chandelier, it's an impeccable showroom to find "the one"! We welcome you to experience the Le Salon difference as you shop for your wedding dress this season.

HBD: Yes, you definitely are a hidden gem! We look forward to seeing many looks from your boutique on the runway in January.

Get social with Le Salon Bridal Couture!

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest | Email

Meet Kayla: Her Big Day Event Planning Intern

Name: Kayla Royon Reynolds

College: Central Washington University

Graduation Year: Spring 2016

Major: Public Relations with minor in advertising

Instagram: @kaylareynolds94

Twitter: @KaylaReynolds19


Where are you from?
Small town called Morton, WA :)


What is your favorite thing that you’re involved in at school?
President of the Filipino organization on campus and being a Program Coordinator for the Center for Diversity and Social Justice


What is the most fun event you have planned?
I had the most fun planning "Mabuhay Philippines" which was a Filipino culture night that included food, games, trivia, and dancing! We had almost double the expected turnout and was just a great opportunity to educate the CWU campus community about Filipino culture.


If you could get married today, where would be your dream wedding?
I guess I don't really dream about a location. I really dream about being able to have my whole family and friends to attend! It would be amazing to be able to afford everyone to be part of that day!


What would be your wedding colors and/or theme?
My wedding is going to be full of sparkly gold and silver with some peach and rose pink tones! It's going to be huge :D


What are wedding traditions in your culture?
Some traditions include a Catholic Church ceremony that involves a lot of special prayers for the bride and groom. You can read more about it here! Traditionally, the groom’s family pays for the wedding and the grandparents act as the primary witnesses or sponsors. The bride’s gown is often custom made and both the bride and groom wear white. It is bad luck for the bride to try on her dress before the wedding day and to wear pearl jewelry, which is considered a bad omen. The groom wears a sheer, long-sleeve button-up shirt (barong tagalog) that is worn un-tucked over black pants with a white t-shirt underneath.
source


Your favorite drink to order at Starbucks: Salted caramel mocha with coconut milk or a shaken sweetened passion fruit iced tea


What’s in your purse?
Tissues, seven (7) lipsticks, one (1) lipgloss, eye drops, contact lense case, glasses case, wallet, teasing comb, watch, and two (2) perfumes....aka A LOT!


Your favorite quote: 

"Go confidently in the direction of your dreams, live the life you have imagined." - Henry David Thoreau

Meet Floretta: Her Big Day Social Media & Fashion Intern

Name: Floretta Woart

College: Everett Community College

Graduation Year: 2017

Major: Specialization in marketing management 

Instagram: @flossy_flo

Twitter: @flomoneyfloprob

Where are you from? Monrovia, Liberia but I currently live in Lake Stevens, WA  

Where is your favorite place to shop? Zara, TOPSHOP and H&M

What is the most fun event you have helped style? That's a hard one because I work at Nordstrom so my job allows me to get people ready for meetings, dates, Vegas trips, back to school shopping, etc so I've been blessed to have had many opportunities to style people. But, my favorite would have to be one of my favorite customers who recently just came in to shop for back to school. She gave me full control over picking and styling the outfits. She ended up looking great in everything and loved everything so I think that experience was my favorite because we got to try things that were a little out of her comfort zone and expanded her fashion sense in the end. Seeing her look amazing is the reason why I love styling.

If you could  get married today, where would be your dream wedding? I would get married in a lavish ballroom with beauty decor and a view that overlooked the city.

What would be your wedding colors and/or theme? Gray, white and yellow accents

What are wedding traditions in your culture? In the Liberian culture all the female attendants show up in traditional African dresses made from a fabric called "lapas". Also, leading up to the wedding there is a party thrown for the bride! There is a lot of food there and the bride wears traditional Liberian clothes. She is supported and praised by her family and close friends to celebrate her big day. It is similar to a bridal shower.

Your  drink to order at Starbucks: Passion tea lemonade with raspberry.

What’s in your purse? Everything. No joke from lotion to band-aids. You need it, I got it.

Your favorite quote: "May your neighbors respect you, troubles neglect you, angels protect you and heaven accept you."

Meet Suzanna: Her Big Day Marketing Intern

We are so excited to announce that Suzanna is our new Marketing Intern. We are thrilled to welcome her to the Her Big Day Team and she will be keeping busy providing you with special information surrounding our huge event: Her Big Day: A Cultural Wedding Affair. Before you get to know Suzanna, we wanted to first take the time to wish her a Happy birthday! Learn some fun facts about Suzanna below and be sure to check the blog throughout the month to meet our other interns!

Name: Suzanna Weldedawit

College: Seattle Pacific University

Graduation Year: 2017

Major: Nursing

Instagram: @susan_tsegai

Where are you from? I am of Eritrean descent and was raised in Seattle, WA.

What is your favorite thing that you’re involved in at school? Early Connections (program that helps incoming freshman from diverse backgrounds transition from high school to college).

What is the most fun event you have helped market? Early Connections, recruiting students to sign up for the program.

If you could get married today, where would be your dream wedding? Hawaii!

What would be your wedding colors and/or theme? White, pink, and maybe gold too

What are wedding traditions in your culture? For Eritreans, weddings take course over two days. There is an American white-dress ceremony and then the next day we have what we call a "Melsi." One of the traditions is that we wear a "kabah" (traditional wedding cape/gown).

Your favorite drink to order at Starbucks: Hot chocolate and iced chai tea latte

What’s in your purse?: The basics: my wallet, chapstick, and keys

Your favorite quote: “The statistics on sanity are that one out of every four Americans are suffering from some form of mental illness. Think of your three best friends. If they're okay, then it's you.” -Rita Mae Brown

Choosing the Right Veil

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Hi Bellas! We came across a few words of advice from the talented Vera Wang about how to choose the perfect wedding Veil! To Veil or not to Veil...that is the question! And then of course what KIND of veil...is just as important! Take a look at what Miss Wang had to say on choosing this perfect accessory for your big day. xo.

"The bridal veil is steeped in custom and symbolism in many cultures.It ís a transformational element, and carries with it, social and religious meaning. When choosing your veil, consider religious or cultural importance, the location of the ceremony, the length of the aisle, and any possible weather issues (if the ceremony is outdoors). Itís important to also think about your hairstyle, the style of gown, the length of train, as well as your face shape and features. The wedding veil is at once sacred and seductive." - Vera Wang

Check out some of our favorite bridal styles in veils, floral crowns, blushers and headpieces above.

Did you choose to wear a wedding veil, accessorize with a headpiece or floral crown? Share your style with us by submitting your photos to info@herbigday.info. We can't wait to see your different veils!

About Us

Hi! We are Beri and Karen, Founders of Her Big Day! Started in July of 2015, Her Big Day: A Cultural Wedding Affair is a wedding show curated for the cultural bride. We connect brides looking to preserve their heritage and traditions in their wedding with vendors/companies to meet their needs. This blog is designed to inspire your cultural wedding! From time to time we will refer to our readers as "Bellas" meaning beautiful. Every bride and bride-to-be is beautiful inside and out and we intend to show that throughout the various collaborations and features we will showcase. If you want to share your wedding experiences, we want to hear about it. Feel free to email us with high resolution, good quality photos and vendor links for a possible feature. Our blog will be your one-stop cultural bride wedding shop.

We will be hosting wedding shows nationwide with our first show on January 31st, 2016 in Seattle, WA. For more details, visit our event page at www.herbigday.info!

Introduction - A Nigerian Wedding Tradition

Meet Keley, a Nigerian (Yoruba) Bride-to-be. Keley is in the middle of planning her wedding but has already held her Introduction. In the Nigerian culture, an Introduction is when the groom's family introduces themselves to the bride's family and in turn asks for the bride's hand in marriage. The whole ceremony is often times as big as the wedding! Keley was fortunate enough to have her Introduction in Nigeria through the help of her family and her fiancé's family. She described it as, "pretty traditional - introducing of family, lots of prayer, and food and drinks." When we asked Keley what was the most memorable part of the Introduction she said, "they had everyone in attendance introduce themselves and tell which family they were a part of and how they knew the bride and groom. It was nice to be able to visually document who was there as well as hear the relation to us. Another memorable moment was when they called for me to come from the house to be introduced to everyone. I was so nervous, but once I saw Demola smiling and being his cool, calm, and collected self I knew everything would be fine and the nerves went away."

We can't wait to feature Keley's wedding set for March of 2016!

All About Bouquets

Hi Bellas! Don't forget to add flavor, personality and sentiment to your bouquet and make it your very own! Here are a few ways you can do that:
For Co Founder, Beri's wedding, she took a gold locket necklace with small pearls and wrapped it around the top of the stem. She left the locket open to reveal a picture of her parents at a young age. It was a sweet gesture and looked amazing in pictures! Her sisters have asked her to keep it so that they may use it for their bouquets when they get married. Beri just started a new tradition in her family; Yay! Beri hopes it is something that will be passed down among the women in her family for generations to come!

Other examples of ways to jazz up your bouquet: find one of the first pics you took while dating your beau to put in a locket. Hang a monogram letter of your last name or place it at the center of the stem. Attach a message, quote or scripture to a long necklace that can be wrapped around the stem. Put a pic of your pet (some people just love their pets!) in a locket to honor your little one. Other Items that you can wrap around the stem of your bouquet are: beads, such as prayer beads, crosses (religious sentiment), bling, lace, pearls, etc.

One of our fave and most simple ways to personalize your bouquet is by pinning a pretty brooch at the center of your stem, wrapping your stem in lace fabric instead of silk and stepping outside the box to use colored silk instead of the traditional white. Also, just a few pearl push pins in your stem go a long way to making your bouquet stand out! And it looks great in pictures, too!

What did your bouquet look like? Do you have any creative ideas for personalizing your bouquet? Do share; we would love to hear them!

Originally Published on Bella Bride Africa