We were thrilled to get some love from The Knot Colorado in their Spring/Summer 2011 edition. Check out the yellow box for our highlight. We’re also excited to be featured with some of our other favorite Colorado companies. Congrats to all. And thanks so much, The Knot. We love you back!

We’re so excited to announce Lori Ryno as a member of the Splendor team! Lori comes to Splendor with over 25 years of sales and marketing experience and 18 years as a certified Image Consultant.  As our Development Director and Style Consultant, Lori is available to assist hotels, resorts, and event centers with umbrella and shawl rental quotes for weddings and special occasions along with recommendations in color to compliment a bridal party and offer unique ways to wear shawls.  She also provides color, fashion and style for all Splendor brides at absolutely no extra cost (yes, “free”)!

Lori received her Certified Fashion\Image Consultant education from California State University Long Beach as well as certification from the prestigious Association of Image Consultants International.  She has worked with numerous Fortune 1000 Executives and other high profile individuals globally to assist in defining their personal brand and then through clothing and accessories, create a visual image. Lori has been quoted on Forbes.com, Denver Woman Magazine, In/Ur Magazine and was recognized by Colorado Expressions Magazine as a top Image Consultant.  Lori began her career in corporate America in sales and marketing where she worked her way up to Senior Account Executive for one of the world’s top 5 pharmaceutical companies.  She was recognized with several awards for her performance and accomplishments within the health care industry.

We’re thrilled to have Lori on the team. It’s so much fun to work with her. Welcome, Lori!

Read Part 1…

Our supplier's shop at the Grand Bazaar

Our supplier’s business was started 85 years ago by his grandfather. They carry an incredible 1,000 varieties of scarves and shawls in a shop about 500 sq. ft on the ground floor. As you can see from the photo, the walls are lined with shawls.

When we arrive at the shop, they always say “Hos geldiniz” (“welcome”) and offer tea (a Turkish custom). We’re invited to sit and chat, but I can never sit still while I’m surrounded by so many beautiful shawls so I start browsing immediately. The owner pulls shawls off the shelf and whips them open. From silk to pashmina, wool to cashmere, we open shawl after shawl. We play with colors, ask to see their latest designs, and catch-up personally with the owner in the process. After we’ve placed our order, we thank the owner and wish his family well. Another successful shopping trip for Splendor!

A lot of our clients ask us how often we go to the Bazaar. My mother visits about once or twice a season. However, I can e-mail or call-in orders and have them shipped immediately. A few months ago, we had a wedding order that I placed with the shop on Tuesday morning and I had 60 shawls on my doorstep fewer than 48 hours later. It was incredible. Their responsiveness and timeliness is great. If you have an urgent need, please let me know and we’ll do our best to fulfill it.

We hope these blog posts have given you an idea of our heritage as well as an idea of the background of our products. It fills us with joy to share our culture with you. If you plan on visiting Turkey or would like more information, please contact us. We’re always happy to help.

One of 22 doors to the Grand Bazaar

Many people ask us where we get our shawls. We’re proud to say that our pieces are hand-selected at the Grand Bazaar in my home city of Istanbul, Turkey. The Grand Bazaar (Turkish: Kapalıçarşı, meaning Covered Bazaar) is one of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world (it opened in 1461). It is comprised of over 4,000 shops spread across almost 60 covered streets.

The Bazaar is an incredible maze and I get lost every time, despite having visited about 50 times. First of all, there are 22 doors, or 22 places from which to start your walk. There are no “mall” directories and some stores don’t even have signs so it’s hard to know where you are at any given moment. We often head in one direction and stop now and then for directions to be sure we’re on the right path. When I visit, I usually go with my mother, Leyla, a seasoned Bazaar-go’er. I follow her like I did when I was seven years old, hoping not to lose her in the crowds and being sure to pay attention in case she turns down a side street. It almost makes me want to hold her hand, but that just seems a little funny now that I’m an adult.

One of the "streets". Photo by Babak Gholizadeh

The Bazaar is a rich and vibrant commerce center. It’s a huge tourist attraction, both for its history and for its wares. It is also a place where Turks shop, although they’re harder to find amongst the over 300,000 daily visitors. Yes, 300,000! That’s a lot of customers.

Our shawl supplier’s shop is located in a bustling part of the Bazaar. Many of the merchants stand outside their doors, inviting customers to look at their products. They often know basic words in over ten languages. They throw out phrases in three or four as you walk by, guessing your primary language based on your appearance. My favorite part of this experience is watching their faces when they’ve spoken to me in Italian, French, and Spanish and I turn around and answer in Turkish. They never expect it and can’t believe I’m Turkish. Most of the time they say I don’t look Turkish, but I think it’s also that they’re more used to seeing tourists. It’s such a funny conversation that I really look forward to it each time.

I find every visit to the Bazaar filled with excitement and anticipation. The frenetic energy that surrounds you is thrilling and overwhelming and even slightly addictive. I find that I want to leave because I’m tired, but I want to stay to look at the next thing around the corner or go down just one last street to see what I’ll find there. Despite feeling like a whirling dervish while looking at all the wares, the Bazaar gives me a sense of continuity and history. Knowing that my grandparents, great-grandparents, and over 20 other generations before them have walked the same halls for the same reasons, is both incredible and comforting. I look at the Grand Bazaar in a different light now, viewing it as a living being filled with heart and soul. View the videos below to watch the Grand Bazaar in action. Read Part 2 of this post (available after 12/27/10).

Absolutely amazing photo shoot on Sunday. Comments during the shoot included “Audrey Hepburn, Paris, romance, classy, cute, Coco Chanel, and trendsetting”. Hope that gives you a hint as to what to expect from the shots. Thanks again to Autumn Burke Photography for sharing great vision and talent.

Here are some tips to create a wedding where your guests party all night long – and talk about it for years afterwards!

• Offer late night snacks. Some great options are bagels and cream cheese, donuts, popcorn, finger foods, cookies, or a candy and dessert bar.
• Oxygen bar. Rent an oxygen bar to keep everyone moving. In high elevations (Denver and mountains) a little extra oxygen will keep your guests awake. You can even get flavored and scented oxygen!
• Provide comfy shoes. Consider offering your guests cozy slippers, fun flip-flops, or fabulous ballet flats. We’ve all had those nights where our cute high-heels turn not-so-cute due to blisters and sore feet. Offer your female guests a change of footwear to keep them (and their dates) dancing all night. Place them in a basket or put them at each female guest’s seat, wrapped with cute ribbon and their name. If you’re having a winter wedding or one that’s more formal, check out some portable, roll-up flats in four fantastic colors.
• Prep your guests. Let them know that you’d like them to stay and party late. They’re more likely to be in the partying mood if they’ve gotten a night’s rest the previous night. It’ll also give them the chance to make arrangements if they want to have some drinks.
• Provide childcare. If you’re inviting children to the wedding, make sure you have childcare on-hand. Try to have a Pack ‘n Play available in a quiet room for toddlers who may want to sleep. Even better, if your reception is in a hotel and your guests are staying there, provide a list of local babysitters to your friends with children. They can arrange for a sitter to stay with their children in the hotel room late night while they’re hitting the dance floor in the ballroom. It’ll enable your friends with little ones to stay longer and relax. If your wedding is in Colorado, we highly recommend Wedding & Event Sitters by Charity. They’ll provide amazing service and even activities for the children.

When selecting a photographer, one critical consideration should be personality matching. Make sure that you, your fiance(e), and your photographer really “click” (no pun intended). You are hiring your photographer to capture the most intimate moments between you and your future spouse – and you want those shots to be natural and truly showcase your feelings. If you feel any nervousness or discomfort around your photographer, it will come through in the photos.

Recently, I witnessed a bride have conversations with three photographers. I noticed that she was truly at ease with one in particular (Autumn Burke). Autumn and the bride understood one another on a different level. The bride felt comfortable. That’s the key. If the bride didn’t feel comfortable with her photographer, it would be apparent in the photos. This is just as important from the groom’s perspective.

Speaking of Autumn… she took some great shots of our shawls used in table decor at the opening of StudioWed Denver. This table design was done by Dramatic Events, All Well Rents, Bella Rents, Chair Covers & Linens and JS Design Custom Stationery, and AK Haydon Floral. This was such a rich palate of colors. So stylish and enriching. The walls were decorated with vintage wedding photos, which were a great conversation piece. We love how they incorporated our silk paisley shawls on the chairs – just offset from the chair ties. Very fashionable, unique and creative!

Silk Shawl Draped on Chair

Leyla and Nilufer brought Splendor to the International Special Events Society (ISES) Wedding Showcase in January. We heard great feedback from the industry vendors and had a ball at the event. Many vendors, especially wedding planners, were thrilled about the idea of our rental shawls. They saw our various display ideas as great ways for brides to distribute shawls to the guests (see photos below).

Shawls Shown Tied and Draped on Chair, Perfect for Ceremony or Reception

Personalized Shawl on Chair - Great Place Card!

Shawl with Bling

Silk Paisley Shawls on Silver Tray

Fur-Trimmed Shawl Draped on Chair

Nilufer at the ISES vendor table

Leyla ready to greet people at ISES

We’re so excited to announce that we’re now offering complimentary (yes, “free”) fashion consultations for all brides! Splendor partner, Lori Ryno of Images Matter, is our go-to expert for shawl style. If you’re wondering what colors would look best on your bridesmaids or how to wear your shawl so it accentuates your gown, contact us! Lori can help you select the right color and fabric to highlight best features and complement attire. She is an amazing addition to our team. We’re so excited to work with her!

Lori is a member of the Association of Image Consultants International and Fashion Group International and has been a professional Image Consultant for more than 16 years. When Lori isn’t working with clients to achieve a sense of style, she has been the Fashion Editor for The Downtowner magazine and wardrobe consultant for John Robert Powers Modeling & Acting School in Denver.

We are proud and excited to introduce Splendor!

At Splendor, we provide luxury accessories to help your guests stay warm and comfortable. The inspiration behind Splendor is our Turkish culture, which truly values hospitality. Our focus is helping brides and grooms wow their guests while making them feel warm and welcome. As a former wedding coordinator, I know how important it is to protect guests from cool temperatures, rain, or frigid air-conditioned rooms. When guests are comfortable, they have a great time.

Our shawls are hand-selected in Istanbul, Turkey. We offer a variety of colors and fabrics and can find other options to meet a bride’s needs. We offer shawls for purchase as well. For the bride who wants to thank her friends and family, custom embroidery is nice option.

When luxury, quality, style and comfort matter, trust us to create Splendor for your guests .