(Photo by Josh Wong Photography)
By combining international and rare vintage fabrics with classic designs, General Knot & Co. has established itself as a go-to for custom wedding accessories. Bow ties and belts are just the beginning. Every detail on their site can show off your partner’s taste in a way that is just as unique as he is. After seeing their site, we had to chat with creators Ann and Andrew Payne on all things knotted and chic.
What inspired you to name the company "General Knot?"
The truth is a couple glasses of wine, but the idea was to have some type of clever reference to a general store or emporium featuring neckwear (knot being the descriptive for neckwear).
How would you describe your target customer?
We've learned over the years that we really don't have an age demographic or really even a regional demographic. The main target is a guy who is looking for unique and collectible products for his wardrobe. He isn't necessarily a peacock but he enjoys wearing statement pieces to accent his look in a stylish and sophisticated way.
(Image courtesy of General Knot & Co.)
When and why did you start getting into custom wedding apparel?
The custom aspect started pretty early on in the beginning days of the company and came about totally by accident. We had a few repeat clients who began reaching out to us for help on custom products for their weddings and then it kind of dawned on us that this was a great secondary business to add to our company.
What wedding trends do you see evolving over 2016?
Every year there are definite color trends. Last year purple and marsala ruled and for some reason we had loads of requests for butterfly patterns...So far this year we are seeing requests from dusty quartz and neutrals to bright oranges and tangerines. Also we are seeing a huge uptick in Black Tie formal weddings which we don't normally see for spring and summer weddings.
What is your favorite piece and why?
[That is] impossible to say. It really changes every day! We're working on a bright tangerine wedding right now utilizing a large bird print as the main fabric. It's really a fun (and bold) accent for the groom and his groomsmen but it totally balances out because the rest of their attire is very understated.
After raising such a successful and beautiful company together, do you have any advice for newlyweds?
Really just have fun with your wedding and relax. We hear so many times from a groom or bride that our process was one of the easiest, enjoyable parts of assembling their wedding days. Our mantra is to try to always say yes whenever possible to their requests because we know that having gone through the wedding process ourselves there are so many obstacles, rules and "no's" that you hear when trying to bring everything together.
From warm wedding advice to floral–accented neckwear, we’re sure this New York-based curated collection will become your partner’s new favorite place.
Click this link to take a look at their site for some personalized inspiration and check back here soon for our best Valentine’s Day ideas (one of our favorites is below...).
(Image courtesy of General Knot & Co.)
White can be symbolic of new beginnings, purity, and the start of a new life together in many cultures. It's also associated with traditional wedding ceremonies in Christianity. The tradition of wearing white wedding gowns has both historical and cultural roots. Queen Victoria is often credited with popularizing the white wedding dress in the 19th century when she married Prince Albert in a white gown. Select this lovely little link to read an in-depth article featured in Brides that highlights the history of Queen Victoria’s choice to wear a white wedding dress.
Wondering how to find your perfect fit in wedding gowns? Typically wedding dress sizes can be different from regular clothing sizes. Wedding dress sizing often follows its own set of sizing charts, and may differ from one bridal designer or brand to another. Wedding dress sizes often run smaller than regular clothing sizes, meaning that a bride may need to choose a wedding dress size that is larger than her usual size.
|
SIZE
|
BUST
|
WAIST
|
HIP
|
|
2
|
33 1/2
|
26
|
36
|
|
4
|
34 1/2
|
27
|
37
|
|
6
|
35 1/2
|
28
|
38
|
|
8
|
36 1/2
|
29
|
39
|
|
10
|
37 1/2
|
30
|
40
|
|
12
|
39
|
31 1/2
|
41 1/2
|
Jane Summers
Author