We Are Thankful For...

We have so much to be thankful for here at the Bridal Atelier, namely our wonderful brides and great friends in the industry. We asked around the salon and to some of our friends in the bridal industry to see what everyone is thankful for this year. Please add your own "thanksgivings" in the comments!

"I am thankful that love is exempt from the stock market and that couples are still making that walk down the aisle - even though that aisle may be shorter these days and adorned with less flowers!"
- Colin Cowie, Colin Cowie Lifestyle


"I am thankful for so many things not the first of which was being asked my Mark to share my thoughts with you on Thanksgiving.....

I am grateful for the sanctuary of my home
That every time I need to know something I can find it out in a nanno second
I am thankful that I have running water
That whenever I need my mom-she is there
That my team has stuck with me thru thick and thin
That I only cry every so often about missing my dad and not every day
That my grandmother thinks I am the bees knees
That my nephew still calls me Aunt Shelly
That I have learned I can take something completely apart and put it back together again"
- Michelle Rago, Michelle Rago Ltd, Flowers, Events and Planning

"I am thankful for working in an environment that fosters creativity and individuality. I am also thankful for Mark's willingness to be open to fresh new ideas regarding 'out of the box' dresses. I think I can speak for all the consultants when I say that we appreciate it when he steps outside his confront zone, and allows us to get something that speaks to our more avant-garde brides. That willingness shows us that our opinions are extremely valuable to him and to our brides."
- Sandra, consultant at the Bridal Atelier

"We are thankful and excited for the upcoming season of engaged brides!"
- Rachel Leonard, Fashion Editor, Bride's Magazine

"I am thankful for being part of the most creative, intelligent, and thoughtful team in the bridal industry."
- Anju, consultant at the Bridal Atelier

"I am thankful first for my family and second for my career as I love what I do - working with so many talented vendors who inspire me daily and with my clients who challenge me to deliver the best service possible. It is an honour to play a role in a couple's wedding day, one of the most special and personal days in their lives. It is a unique position to be in, telling a couple's love story, and for that I am grateful."
- Loulie Walker, Loulie Walker Events


"I am thankful for having an occupation that I love and that challenges me creatively and emotionally. I am also thankful that I work with people who are sensitive, creative, well-intentioned,and have a sense of humor (most of the time). In short order it's a hoot working at Mark Ingram Bridal Atelier. I am also grateful to Mark for creating a salon that is respected throughout the industry because it matters to me that I work somewhere that has a great reputation."
- Alene, consultant at the Bridal Atelier


"I am grateful that at this time of my life, career-wise, to be doing what I love and exactly what I want to do! Thank you all for sharing and have a very Happy Thanksgiving."
- Mark Ingram

Martha Stewart Online Luxury Weddings Expo Recap

This past weekend we participated in the first Martha Stewart Online Luxury Weddings Expo. We were able to have live "chats" in our booth with bride and MOB/MOG's from around the country. It was so exciting! Thank you all for your great fashion questions. Mark and our consultants gave advice on accessories, sizing, trunk shows and our special occasion collection. If you were at the Expo and are now planning on coming into the salon, please make sure you mention it at your appointment. We would love to hear your thoughts!

The live portion of the expo is over, but you can still visit the great vendor booths and those from the Martha team. Check out our great mini-documentary, video fashion lookbooks for bridal and special occasion and download a brochure on our salon while in the Mark Ingram Bridal Atelier booth. Also, stop by the Wedding 101 area and view a great video of Darcy Miller and Mark discussing great Tips on Finding the Perfect Wedding Gown.

To visit the Martha Stewart Online Luxury Weddings Expo, please click here.

The Martha Stewart Center for Living at Mount Sinai Gala

This week I had the pleasure of attending the Martha Stewart Center for Living at Mount Sinai Gala as a guest of my dear friend Darcy Miller, Editorial Director of Martha Stewart Weddings. The Gala was held at Starrett Lehigh bulding in Manhattan, which houses the offices of Martha Stewart Omnimedia. According to Martha, "The Center for Living is designed to provide out patients with whole patient care, including medical examinations, advice about diet and exercise, and the all important need for care giving. Simply stated, the main focus of the center is to teach how to grow old gracefully, something we should all start focusing on around the age of fifty."

The event was emceed by Liz Smith and honored legendary editor and journalist Sir Harold Evans. More than one million dollars was raised. There is still time to bid on some great items to contribute to the Center for Living by visiting Charitybuzz.com, including an ULTIMATE wedding package provided by Darcy Miller valued at almost $10,000.

To bid on the Ultimate Wedding Package or other items to benefit the Martha Stewart Center for Living, click here.

To read more about the event on Martha's blog, click here.

photo by Patrick McMullan

Martha Stewart Luxury Weddings Expo

We are preparing for our first online Weddings Expo with Martha Stewart on November 14th & 15th. The online experience recreates an actual upscale weddings expo that you can attend from the comfort of home (or work, or starbucks, or where ever you are with your computer). The Mark Ingram Bridal Atelier "booth" will be premiering a mini-documentary on the Bridal Atelier experience that features some of our favorite brides as well as top event planners Loulie Walker and Michele Rago. The booth will also feature videos showcasing our bridal and evening collections and downloadable lookbooks. Our consultants will be live at the online Expo answering questions on November 14th & 15th, although access is open to the booth through February 28, 2010.

Additionally, Mark was chosen by the editors of Martha Stewart Weddings to be a featured expert on their Weddings 101 booth at the expo. The Weddings 101 booth presents informative videos featuring experts from Martha Stewart Weddings like Editorial Director Darcy Miller and other top wedding professionals. In Mark's video, he discusses the best practices for wedding dress shopping with Darcy Miller. Mark had such a great time filming with Darcy and her team. We can't wait to see the finished video on the expo this weekend!



To register for the Martha Stewart Luxury Weddings Expo click here.

Rose Taft at Madame Tussads Hollywood

Congratulations to our friends at Rose Taft! Not only did we have a fabulous trunk show with them this week, they are being immortalized at Madame Tussads Hollywood. Mary Hart, anchor of Entertainment Tonight, is being replicated in wax at Madame Tussads and has chosen the red silk taffeta Rose Taft gown she wore to the 2009 Golden Globes for her wax self to wear. What a great choice Mary, you look divine in red!

Our first trunk show with the Rose Taft collection was a tremendous success. We loved having Marcia and Melanie, the daughter and grand-daughter of the late Rose Taft, in the store working with our mothers of the occasion. They were so wonderful with our clientele, making sure every last concern was properly addressed. We are already booking for our next trunk show with them in February. In the mean time, our in-house collection of beautiful Rose Taft evening wear has arrived!

For more information on Rose Taft click here.

Melanie, Mark and Marcia


Mark and Melanie