June Brides and More ; Neil Young and Company Ltd

Famed local designer Neil Young hails from Cascade, Trinidad. He has been in the “glambition” business for about three years professionally. However, he has been around this type of business for most of his life. Neil’s family is involved in this type of business so there is little to no surprise that he vicariously learned about design, fashion and glam for most of his life. Future clients can find Neil Young and Company Limited as well as The Glam Bar on the Corner of Ariapita Avenue and Gallus Street in Woodbrook. Neil Young’s designer aesthetic can be described as having a focus on international appeal, high quality and high fashion for the modern day chic woman. However, this year Neil will be debuting for the first time ever his bridal boutique which is a holistic concept boutique that will be open throughout the year and caters to more than just the June bride.

Neil Young’s Bride in Pearl Embellished Wedding Dress

Wedding Dress for Bride

Neil Young has noted a few trends for bridal season 2017. Popular silhouettes for this season appear to be the sleek fitted types like the mermaid dress. Details are trendy this year with brides  having a fancy for decorated ensembles particularly pearls and “bling”. There is also a movement away from the traditional white to a more colourful palette with tones of rose gold, ivory and blush fabrics for wedding day wear. Yet, the most consistent trend Neil has noted is sanctioned by the demand of the brides who want more than just a gown. They want a one stop shop where they can have access to additional services other than a wedding dress or outfits for the bridal party, bridal boutique will feature styling services, hairdressing, makeup, décor, wedding favors, wedding invitations, catering and wedding planning to name a few. A concept boutique like this would eliminate stress of finding suppliers and hiring and stretching the bride from one end to another just to get everything together for one of the biggest projects she will ever manage in her life; her wedding day.

Wedding Invitation

Decor

As a creative he has to decipher his role and his contribution to the world via the gift he has been given. Although Neil is exceptional at his work in design he is driven to deliver excellence based on his need to fulfill his purpose. Simply, Neil believes he has been vested with the power to create positive change through design. His clients are mostly women who come in all shapes and sizes with so many personalities and a plethora of energies and vibes. Over the past few years Neil has realized that women are very emotional creatures and some of them are misguided into thinking that they need to depend on their significant other or best friend to make them feel more confident or empowered to take over the world. He thinks this is where his path crosses theirs.  He is approached with the opportunity to use design to create something that will make the woman will be able to keep with her. The completed piece will make her look good and feel good too.

Wedding Dress Fitting

Gown for Client Photo Shoot

Neil’s creative process is not just a one off or one way type of approach. Often creatives appear to be affected by the natural elements of the world. Often Neil is found recharging his creative soul in the tranquility of early mornings at the poolside where he gets in the frame of mind to be the super hero of his day. In addition, Neil hones his creativity with visits to the fabric shop. He has been compared to a kid in the candy store when he visits these shops. I guess it is safe to say that creative design inspires Neil Young. Bolts of fabric bearing a multitude of patterns and prints provoke his thought and instantly he begins the creative thinking process.  Nonetheless Neil has adopted certain skills to enable a dual process in his art form. He has learned the art of listening to his client, learning about their personality, discovering their energy and vibe and working these tenets into design. However, the most certain thing here is he has befriended change. He admits that he has accepted that change is inevitable. There were many times in his experience of working with design that an original or first attempt changed creative direction and morphed into a totally different look.

Bridesmaids Dresses in Rose Gold with Pearl Waistbands  by Neil Young

Flower Girl Dress by Neil Young

Neil Young is an upcoming fashion designer who brings differentiation to the local fashion market. He is one of the most sought after emerging fashion designers that this twin island state has to offer. He also designs for men which makes his one stop bridal boutique even more appealing for brides to be. Neil’s global appeal and haute couture finish is perfect for modern day destination brides who wish to marry in Trinidad and Tobago. There is little need for the client to worry about putting together herself and her wedding day as Neil Young and his team are quite competent and capable of getting the job done. Trinidad has just become even more attractive to those brides to be, those vow renewal couples, bridal parties and wedding guests worldwide. The destination already boasts of cultural diversity and naturally gorgeous sites for hosting wedding ceremonies and receptions. Now, the destination bride can have more. She does not just have to wait for a season to do so as she can thoroughly enjoy her bridal experience minus exorbitant custom check in dress fees, wrinkles, dry cleaning woes and drama of every caliber imaginable.

Blush Bow Ties

Customized Wedding Shoes

 The bride and her entourage can rest assured that their outfits will be created for them. This design will be an invaluable memento that transcends decades. These gowns will stand out in crowds as they will be unique creations from the designer’s creative mind and that of the bride. Neil’s gowns can be used at many other events celebrating life’s successes. They can be taken back to the bride’s host country and serve as a reminder that she has committed to marriage and the union of two souls. However, it is more of a motivational memory that she has created positive change by supporting a local small business and a local economy by her purchase power. Also it strives to be an emblem prompting her to aspire to create her own happiness by keeping herself well maintained or doing little things to make her look good and feel good about herself so that she is ready to use her gifts, to fulfill her purpose and consequently be her own superhero.

Teamwork makes the Dream work

Neil Young and Co. Ltd

(The dress second from the left designed by Neil Young & Co Ltd)

 

Get in touch with Neil Young and Company Limited and discover his bridal boutique !!!

Facebook: www.facebook.com/NeilYoungCompanyLTD

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nycoltd/

Mobile: 1.868.375.3933

Email: neilyoung@live.com

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Laura and Veer's Love is in the Tropical Chic Air

After a nine year relationship Veer Lakhan- Joseph proposed on April 18th 2016 to Laura Narayansingh, local architect ( to view more on Laura’s work visit http://lauranarayansingh.com/ ) . Of course Laura said yes to her longtime sweetheart. Notwithstanding her creative spirit soared into ethereal bliss as she immediately dove into the creative design process for her designer wedding with her fiancé in tow!

The Rings:

The engagement was a complete surprise. She had no idea that Veer was planning to propose to her nor did she know that her best friend, an architect Amanda Bonvecchio was consulted by Veer to design her engagement ring. Amanda’s work can be viewed at http://www.amandabonvecchio.com/  .

Mapping the Wedding

The couple decided that if they were to describe the personality characteristics of their relationship they would earmark the words fun, light, playful and magical. They kept these key elements consistent and as a guide for every phase of the wedding.

Laura & Veer’s Wedding Theme: “Love is in the Tropical Chic Air”

This couple’s wedding was sculpted at the backdrop of the natural beauty of this island paradise. The couple chose a theme that best surmised their relationship. It was as though one were to look back on the wedding day one should be able to identify that they experienced what love is in the tropical chic air of Trinidad.

The date was set for Saturday 18th February 2017 (the Saturday before Carnival Saturday)

Invitation:

After deciding on their design concept Laura consulted her cousin, artist Daniel O’ Brien to do an invitation suite post for the wedding. Each illustration in this suite was designed to be released in different phases for the wedding. It was Laura’s intention to bring to life each illustration at her wedding: The RSVP Card for the church, Details Card for the stage/ dance floor, the Invitation for reception dining and the  Save the Date for the  dessert station.

Save the Date Card

Illustrated by Daniel O Brien

https://www.thebasementmonster.com/

RSVP Card, Invitation Card, Details Card

Illustrated by Daniel O’ Brien

The Wedding Dress:

Laura is in love with silk. Her mother wore silk on her wedding day so it was natural that Laura wanted her wedding dress to be made from silk. Laura is a huge Berta dress fan girl and her heart was set on saying yes to at least one Berta dress but fate intervened and sent Laura in another creative direction. Laura stumbled upon ostrich feather lace by Sposabella Lace at a fabric store whilst dress shopping in New York City. Needless to say the trip ended in Laura purchasing all her fabric there. Laura began to sketch her wedding dress. She designed a cape for her dress because she wanted her own wings. She also wanted to create an illusion of floating. She approached Nissa Hanooman of The Little Black Dress TT for design consultation on the dress. The dress was sewn by Sharmela Persad, seamstress from San Fernando. Her crown was bought at Ilmes by Anna Sabga and gifted to Laura. Her mother also wore a similar headpiece. Laura marveled at the idea that she would be creating a memory in the likeness of her mother’s image. Laura’s wedding change outfit was designed by Nissa Hanooman and sewn by Timothy Chin Fat.

Laura in  her wedding dress with crown and bouquet

Photo Credit: Julie Charlet

Laura tossing the bouquet in her wedding change outfit

The Groom’s Attire:

Veer wore a tuxedo by Ainsley in Long Circular Mall. He opted for his outfit in navy blue and black.

Veer in his tuxedo with his newly wed bride

Photo Credit: Julie Charlet

The Groomsmen:

The groomsmen wore navy blue suits from Zara with rose boutonnieres by Drew Manor Flower Bar.

The Ring-Bearers:

These toddlers donned matching hues to the groom’s outfit. Their attire included suspenders, trousers, white shirts, sunglasses and bow ties. They were  James Bond “minis” who saved the day. They safely escorted the rings under tight security.

The ring-bearers delivering the ring package safely

Photo Credit: Nicco Quiñones

The Bridesmaids:

White was chosen as the colour for the bridesmaids. Laura felt this was a timeless look. They all wore the same dress silhouette and these were bought at Misguided.com for USD$40 each.

The pretty bridesmaids all in two rows with their bridal bouquets

Photo Credit:  Groomsman

Cake:

The Wedding Cake was designed by Jaime Gerard. This cake connoisseur was chosen by the couple because they knew her sugar artistry game was quite strong. They also felt that she would have been able to achieve the whimsical and fantasy elements of  the wedding; installing  3 dimensional balloons on the cake without distracting from their classic “Love is in the Tropical Chic Air” theme. Visit http://www.jaimegerardcake.com/ to view more of her work.

Cake by Jaimie Gerard

Photo Credit: Jaimie Gerard

Photographer:

Julie Charlet was booked by Laura because of her impeccable creative direction and vision for snapping special moments and her ability to capture and edit those surreal vibes. However due to unforeseen circumstances Samantha Jackson filled in for Julie on the “big day”.  Go to https://www.samjacksonphotos.com/ to reach Samantha. Notwithstanding Julie still put her magic touch on the photographs with her editing. The pictures above with the watermark “Julie” are samples of her work in photography editing. Go to http://www.juliecharlett.com/ to view more of Julie’s work.

Wedding Planner:

Tricia Ng ‘A’ Mann  was hired as the designated wedding planner for Laura and Veer. They noted that she saved them thousands of dollars. Her ability to micromanage and coordinate vendors for the wedding was incredible.

Rate: The couple highly recommends Tricia.

Laura’s Wedding Planning Tips

Laura does not consider herself  as a traditional nor an unconventional  bride. She reserves that she just flows with her instincts undisturbed. Her mantra for planning on a budget, “where there is a will there is a way”. She noted that they were able to save on décor by sourcing and supplying some things on their own such as umbrellas and balloons. She further added that they decided to go with foliage rather than flowers for the table settings. Laura surprised her groom with a “shot for shots” drink station. Her Maid of Honour organized this element of the event. She borrowed a football goal post, footballs and set up the station with shot glasses and more than sufficient tequila and punchy punch for guests to refill.

Ceremony Location:

The Church of Assumption in Maraval was chosen for the wedding ceremony.

The Church of Assumption in Maraval

Reception Location:

The couple used the Drew Manor’s field as their blank canvas to stage their wedding reception. It was the first time a Drew Manor wedding was done on the field. The couple loved the unique location and the flexibility of the contract which allowed them to hire their own food and bar services. Also the reception took place on the Saturday before Trinidad Carnival so the timing and setting was perfect for hosting their own all inclusive fete/reception for their 400 guests. The reception venue can also be viewed at http://www.drewmanor.com/

Rate: The couple recommends this venue.

Laura and Veer Reception  (3D Model)

Details , Layout and Design by: Laura

Laura and Veer Plan For Seating Chart (3D Model)

Details, Layout and Design by: Laura

Laura and Veer Seating Perspective 1 (3D Model)

Details, Layout and 3D Perspectives by: Laura

Laura and Veer Seating Perspective 2 (3D Model)

Details, Layout and 3D Perspective by: Laura

Laura and Veer Seating Perspective 3 (3D Model)

Details, Layout and 3D Perspective by: Laura

Laura and Veer Head Table (3D Model)

Details, Layout and 3D Perspective by: Laura

Laura and Veer Dance Floor (3D Model)

Dance Floor Details, Layout and 3D Perspective by: Laura

Laura and Veer Dessert Station

Dessert Station Details, Layout and 3D Perspective by: Laura

Laura and Veer field with balloons (3D Model)

Tent Details, Layout and 3D Perspective by: Laura

Caterer:

Chef Khalid Mohammed was able to capture the personalities of the two individuals in the menu he created for them. The menu included popcorn chicken and waffles as well as salted caramel popcorn cheesecake. In addition he was able to create the menu within the budget requested.

Rate: The couple recommends Chef Khalid .

Reception Music:

DJ and Hypeman; Kern and Aaron Fingal, Laventille Rhythm Section, The Triplets from Naparima Boys High School.

Ceremony Music:

Francis Pau and wind quintet, Singer; Dominique Akal, Guitarist; John Hussain

Videography:

Rize Above Productions ( https://www.rizeaboveproductions.com/services)

LED Stage Design:

Now Concepts ( http://www.now.tt/contact-us/ )

Event Consultation:

Laura is an architect and planning is her forte. Although she had been working on 3D modeling for this event for a month. Laura had been inspired by an installation of umbrellas at a site in Europe. A true architect Laura was fascinated by the design of the umbrella and its unparalleled aesthetics coupled with its quintessential functionality. Laura described her experience of this umbrella vision as , “An object whose beauty is overdone by its ordinary practicality floated so magically above me. It was incredible in its simplicity. I knew I wanted to remember that feeling in our wedding day.” She wanted to get another expert’s opinion on her wedding design concept . Event consultation took place with Ultimate Events Ltd. to discuss whether Laura’s design inspiration for the umbrella installation as a focal point could be executed without ruining the charm of the  simple and classic wedding set up.

Tablescape with Umbrella Installation

Umbrella Installation Details, Layout and 3D Perspective by: Laura

Umbrella Installation

Photo Credit: Drew Manor

Design Execution Team:

Ultimate Events Ltd.: Installation of umbrellas above dance floor, outdoor kitchen for Chef Khalid, all other infrastructure related items; lighting and port a potties. Go to http://ultimateeventstt.com/  to reach Ultimate Events Limited.

Bouge Events: Supply of glass top, LED bottom tables, installation of balloons, seating chart and other fine details

Drew Manor Flower Bar (DM Flower Bar): The bride chose a mix of local anthuriums and roses because she wanted the classic and eclectic look. DM Flower bar supplied the bride’s bouquet, bridesmaids’ bouquets, bouquets for mother and mother in law, floral arrangements for church and table arrangements.

Laura and Veer Reception on Drew Manor’s field at night

Photo Credit: Drew Manor

Close up on Tablescape at Laura and Veer’s Wedding Reception at Drew Manor

Photo Credit: Drew Manor Flower Bar

Tablescape with flowers and foliage at Laura and Veer’s Wedding Reception at Drew Manor

Photo Credit: Drew Manor Flower Bar

Executed Seating Plan at Laura and Veer’s Reception

Photo Credit: Ultimate Events Limited

Executed Seating Plan at Laura and Veer’s Reception

Photo Credit: Drew Manor Flower Bar

Balloons at Dessert Station for Laura and Veer’s Reception

Photo Credit: Drew Manor Flower Bar

Laura and Veer on the Dance Floor

Photo Credit: Kyannah Andrews

Love was in the chic air that light, fun Saturday night full of playfulness and magic.  Yet it did not stop there nor at 1 a.m. when the 400 guests attending Laura and Veer’s all inclusive wedding party departed for their homes. It manifested into the beginning of another phase of Laura and Veer’s love in the most beautiful design that is known to us all as life.

All Inclusive Wedding Party

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