Real Weddings: Bride Miri

Here we are, sharing another past bride JOA worked together with. Bride Miri had a beautiful wedding on February 26, 2022. Here are some gorgeous photos from her special day.

The JOA team assisted Bride Miri with wedding gown alterations. This was a special case as Miri was pregnant and was not sure how large she would be close to her wedding day. We helped her with last minute alterations to make sure her gown had the right fit before her wedding. 

Some sweet words from Bride Miri:

Jennifer was a great help. I had a unique situation because I was pregnant and couldn’t plan how large I would be- so getting last minute alterations before the wedding was an adventure. However, she made it happen and the dress was everything I dreamed it would be ! Thanks for being a part of our magical evening.” – Miri

Brides-to-be don’t hesitate to reach out to us with unique alteration circumstances. We are always ready and available to handle all types of alteration situations. Email love@jenniferoberg.com for all wedding-related inquiries.

Wedding Vendors

Photographer: Robyn Penn @poppetpenn

Florals/Event Coordination: Wyatt Piro @___opia

Dress Alterations: Jennifer Oberg Atelier @jenniferobergatelier 

Cake: Cyrus Baking Co @cyrusbakingco

Pie: Roark & Rye @roarkandrye

Locally grown flowers: @harvestdreamgirl @peoplewhotalktoppants @kellydayflowers @lauren_michellemarchand

Charceuterie: Amanda Leipuanani Robson @feasthawaii

Dinner: Maui Cones @mauicones

In-Studio Stories: Tea Dyeing

At the Atelier we all love our afternoon tea. It is one of our favorite daily rituals. In the Atelier, we use tea for more than just tea-time. We use it as a way to dye garments in order to reach a desired shade of a color or to match other garments.

Recently, we were working on a wedding gown that needed extensive repair and restyling. The gown was originally a sample gown. It had been severely damaged from being tried on so many times, but the bride loved it and wanted it brought back to life.

 

The sheer tulle on the back of the dress had been completely shredded.  Fortunately the tulle sleeves were in good condition. We were able to remove the sleeves and carefully take appliques off of the sleeves.  We used the sleeve fabric to remake the back of the dress. Then we needed to find more appliques for the bodice. We found new appliques that matched the ones on the gown, but the only problem was that they were too white. So with one of our favorite tricks, we tea dyed 35 white appliques to reach the perfect shade of color to match the dress. We also used the appliques to make a stunning custom veil for the dress!

Below is a video of Jennifer tea dyeing the appliques with some earl gray tea.

 

 

Tea dyeing is a nice solution for matching different shades of white or off–white fabrics together, as well as, naturally dyeing a garment to a more off-white color.  It also works well when we are restyling a vintage gown that has a unique coloration to it. 

Brides-to-be if you come across a sample wedding gown you love that needs some repairs and restyling, don’t hesitate to reach out with your questions. Some people find a gown and think it will be impossible to fix, but you would be surprised at how much can be mended, restyled, and repaired with our highly skilled team of specialists. For all wedding gown related inquiries please contact us at love@jenniferoberg.com.

Real Weddings: Bride Violet

We love highlighting the past brides we have worked together with! This week we want to feature Bride Violet who had a beautiful wedding on May 14, 2022 at Prince William Forest Park. What a dreamy wedding nestled in the forest! 

Our wedding day was beautiful. There was a lightness in the air, and a sweetness to every moment. The few weeks prior to the wedding were very full of finishing details and we were both a bit nervous that we wouldn’t be able to enjoy the special day… but time slowed down for us. The predicted rain held off for us. And committing to each other that day was full of life and joy! “ – Bride Violet

The JOA team assisted Violet with alterations for her wedding gown. Her dress was a size too big so we altered the gown to get it to be the right fit for Violet. We love getting to see the transformation of a wedding gown when we work together with brides. It is amazing how much you can change a dress with the right alterations, special tricks, and an incredibly skilled team of sewists.

We are so thankful for the people that helped make it happen, and want to highlight Jennifer Oberg Atelier for going above and beyond to make my dress fit me. It was a dress that the company discontinued, so the only size I could find was too big, but she worked her magic and helped make my wedding dress dreams come true! I would recommend her and her team 100%. She cares about the details, and I felt heard and understood throughout the whole process. Thank you, Jennifer, for helping me feel beautiful on my wedding day!”  – Bride Violet

 

Below are more photos taken by Emma J Harling (@emmajharling) of Bride Violet’s wedding.

 

In-Studio Stories: Fancy Dress Day!

We have too much fun in the Atelier! We had to share one of our fancy dress days with you. Occasionally we choose a day in the week to get dressed up in our favorite outfits. It is so fun to dress your best on what could be just another day. 

 

Here is Jennifer, Lynne, Sophia, Micah, Patty, and Elaine dressed for fancy dress day.

Jennifer is wearing her own design made with chiffon fabric from Mood in LA. Lynne is wearing a plum sequin gown for dancing when she goes on cruises.  Sophia is wearing a Marilyn Monroe inspired gown that she purchased from Makawao Union Church’s thrift store for $8.  Micah is wearing his favorite mango colored jacket with one of Elaine’s hand-dyed scarves. Patty is wearing a ruched stretch black gown that is perfect for attending formal weddings.  Elaine is wearing her own design made with her hand-dyed silk, and a stunning beaded necklace.

Our team is so creative and unique. We love the different styles, creations, and aesthetics everyone shares in the studio! We are all about finding and experimenting with your personal style.

Check out some more photos from our fancy dress day below…

Maui Highlights: Photographer Tad Craig

This week we wanted to highlight Maui-based Photographer Tad Craig! We asked Tad to share a bit about himself and his approach to photography. Find out more below!

We first met Tad when we worked together with his wife Cory on her custom wedding gown! Below are some photos. Tad and Cory are both so lovely and kind. Tad recently offered to take a photo of The Sewing Hui volunteers for our Cookbook Fundraiser. So sweet of him! Find out more about Tad and his art below…

Cory and Tad on their wedding day at the Hui No’eau Visual Arts Center. Photography by Scott Drexler.

A photo Tad Craig took for The Sewing Hui’s Cookbook Fundraiser.

Q: How would you describe your style and aesthetic with your work as a photographer? 

A: One of the most beautiful things we have here is the amazing colors of the Hawaiian Islands. I absolutely LOVE color & creating imagery that is Bold, Vibrant & Colorful. Of course I am constantly searching for those beautiful fleeting moments of raw emotion & joy that really express the moment too. Let me also say that I also love B&W. B&W has such a classic & timeless look to it & is perfect for some images at weddings & sometimes LESS is MORE! 

Q: What is your favorite part about photographing weddings on Maui? 

A: It would have to be the crazy beauty & amazing color that we have as a backdrop.

Q: Why did you choose Maui as your home for your business?

A: I was struggling in Hood River Oregon with a low paying job & my friends all had banquet jobs in the Five Star hotels on Maui’s South Side. I was an amatuer photographer pursuing a sports photography career & the three banquet jobs I had helped support that until I jumped ship & became a Romance/Family Photographer not looking back at my other jobs, but as a lifelong career.

Q: What are your favorite moments to capture with your photography? 

A: My most favorite moment to photograph hands down are surprise proposals. I LOVE capturing that moment when she realizes her life has just changed & her expression on her face reveals it perfectly. My most favorite part of a wedding to photograph is when it’s just the couple & I getting creative  right at sunset. However, photographing a big crew of friends all celebrating rowdily comes in quite close to that. 

Q: What drew you towards photography?

A: I grew up in Telluride, Colo. It’s a tiny little ski town nestled in the mountains of southern colorado. One of the locals was named Ace Kavel. He was a wildman on skis, but adventured into the wilds of the mountains to get these insane images all the time. He became famous & a local legend when he started gracing the pages of Patagonia catalog & earned a living from that type of photography. That was my dream! My stepfather gave me my first camera in 1985 which was a Nikon FE2. It was a manual film camera that I still have. It took me a REALLY long time to get serious, but right when I moved to Maui I started taking photography classes on B&W Photography & printing at the Hui No’eau. In those days we just used to put our hands right in the chemicals to fish the prints out & it was in one of those B&W printing sessions that I had my “AHA” moment & it all came together with all the photography concepts!  I turned pro a few years later when one day the Fairmont Kea Lani Hotel came to me & said, you have to choose to be a  BANQUET WORKER, or a PHOTOGRAPHER, because you can’t do both professionally at this hotel! I chose photography!

Of course it came FULL CIRCLE when after I had proposed to my wife & we were looking for venues that I had told my fiance about the Hui No’eau & she fell in love with it. The roots of my photography were formed in the basement of the building & then the beginning of my marriage was formed in the lawn in front of the Art Studio surrounded by all of the most important people in my life!  And of course my wife was in a dress made by Jennifer Oberg! LIFE is Sweet!

Cory and Tad on their wedding day. Photography by Scott Drexler.

Cory and Tad on their wedding day. Photography by Scott Drexler.

And we just love those full circle moments!! We loved working with Tad’s wife on her gown and meeting Tad. Brides and grooms looking for a wedding photographer, we highly recommend Tad! You can follow his work on social media on IG: @tadcraigphotography or visit his website at https://tadcraigphotography.com/

Tuxedos & Suits

At JOA, we often share photos of the work we do on wedding gowns, but we also work on suits and tuxedos! We’ve had many clients pass through our Atelier that we have assisted with creating a custom fit on their suits.

As we often mention with wedding dresses, having that perfect custom-made fit is so important! On your special day you want to look and feel your best. Our bodies are all uniquely shaped so it is quite normal to need to make some subtle or drastic adjustments on your garments. 

Jennifer, owner of JOA, has a vast background in tailoring. She learned from top-notch Hollywood tailors when she was in her 20s. She had the opportunity to work with gentlemen who had decades of experience as tailors and were working for the big stars of the Golden Age of Hollywood. It was through working with these highly skilled tailors that Jennifer began to learn the tips and tricks for tailoring suits and tuxedos.

At JOA, we’ve had a plethora of clients who have needed assistance with their suits. We can take in shoulders, nip in the waist, shorten sleeves, shorten the hems. When working on pants, we can take in the waist, slim the pants, hem the pants, and more. The JOA team is also comfortable working with suits that have working buttonholes on the cuffs. That can usually be quite a difficult skill. You have to shorten the sleeve by taking it up at the shoulder. We have worked on tuxedos that are $3,000+ and custom suits from Italy and Saville Row. Our highly skilled team is comfortable and confident in working on some of the finest garments. 

We are also a LGBTQIA+ friendly business. We are happy to help everyone with their suit fittings. 

We can handle it all! Don’t hesitate to reach out to us if you need assistance with your suit. For all fittings and bookings reach out to admin@jenniferoberg.com. Featured in this blog post are some photos of past clients we have assisted with suits and tuxedos.

Jennifer’s work is exceptional. Magic, really. You can feel her love and passion for her talent and clients in every detail. My wife is really petite, making it really difficult to find clothing that fits well.  After Jennifer worked her magic, Holly felt like the suit was custom made to fit her exactly right. It looked perfect. My dress was one size too big, but I fell in love and purchased it anyway. Jennifer was able to take it in and add the perfect bustle. I felt like I was in a dream. It fit incredible, I felt amazing. She was warm and welcoming, friendly and compassionate. Her work is unmatched and we couldn’t have been happier with how beautifully she pieces together the attire for our special day.”-Danielle

 

Maui Highlights: Photographer Madelynne Lorraine

This week we wanted to highlight Maui-based Photographer Madelynne Lorraine! We asked Madelynne to share a bit about herself and her approach to photography. Find out more below!

We first met her at Kristin and Sven Lindblad’s wedding ceremony at the Hui No’eau Visual Arts Center. If you have been following our blog, you know that Kristin is the bride with the wedding heirloom gown and the peacock cape. You can find the past blog about her dress here. When we met Madelynne, we were so impressed by her style and approach to photography. She has a meticulous eye for capturing the precious little moments of the day. Like a fly on the wall, she sees the world through her camera and knows just when to hit the shutter on her camera.

Madelynne also graciously came to take photos for The Sewing Hui, a community organization directed by Jennifer Oberg. This was another great moment where she really captured the spirit of The Sewing Hui volunteers. Also, we wanted to share that both Madelynne and Jennifer are members of Maui Wedding Creatives, a collective of ‘like-minded wedding creatives aiming to elevate the Maui wedding industry through community, education, transparent business ethics, and client-centered practices. Brides-to-be, be sure to check out MWC for all your wedding vendor needs. 

Find out more about Madelynne and her work in a short Q&A we did with her:

Q: How would you describe your style and aesthetic with your work as a photographer?

A: My aesthetic is classically inspired and timeless. The right mood for the right moment. Light and bright images for playful, fun photos and moody photos for deeply emotional moments. Lighting, posing, composition and editing all play together to tell a story. The imagery should match the mood and tell a deeper story. I’m not one for fads, the only thing I want dating your photos is the fashion and wedding aesthetic! No toning or style changes based on what’s popular at the moment, because true classics never go out of style. I strive for vibrant imagery with true to scene colors as I know many couples put a lot of thought into their color schemes. Final galleries are a feast of visual variety…natural light to creative flash with influences from fashion to photojournalism. I appreciate photography with range.

Q: What is your favorite part about photographing weddings on Maui?

A: My favorite part about photographing weddings on Maui is the light, natural scenery and couples! We have absolutely gorgeous light in Hawaii, unparalleled sunsets and stunning scenery! I never feel I’m lacking inspiration. I love to show off the scenery in my photography, I mean why choose to have a Hawaii wedding if not for the amazing backdrops? The couples that choose Hawaii often do so because they want a more intimate wedding with those that are truly close. A destination wedding cuts out a lot of extras, and usually distills the day to what and who is most important. I also have to shout out the amazing wedding community out here, we have some really talented and heartfelt folks that truly embody community over competition.

Q: Why did you choose Maui as your home for your business?

A: Sometimes I don’t know if I so much chose Maui and it called to me. I moved here on a whim, a call that made no logical sense but felt right. Something was pulling me to take another leap of faith in life (my first being my decision to move to California and attend art school ). I had phenomenal opportunities in Los Angeles, but I think I was searching for a more grounded, heartfelt community. Maui and its people have transformed and challenged me in the best of ways, and I hope to be here for as long as the island will keep me.

Q: What are your favorite moments to capture with your photography?

A: This is a hard question, as one of the reasons I love weddings so much is the diversity it offers! I remember being encouraged to pick a specific photography field during college, to which I always struggled. I loved fashion, photojournalism, landscapes and macro nature work…how was I to choose? I didn’t realize how diverse of a shooter you need to be to photograph weddings until I first tried my hand at it. I instantly fell in love because I get to create imagery influenced by all my favorite styles. I do have a special place in my heart for candid moments, and apparently I’m something of a ninja…popping up at the right moments out of nowhere. It’s something clients have mentioned many times, though I have always been a fan of people watching and searching for the little things that speak to deeper truths.

Q: What drew you towards photography?

A: The ability to transport the viewer. I’ve always felt entranced by photography, ever since I was young. I wanted to experience all the world had to offer and often did so through images. I love how it connects us, and how it can be the link to our memories.

Brides looking for a wedding photographer, we highly recommend her! A wonderful person and a talented photographer. You can follow her work on social media on IG: @madelynnelorraine and FB: @madelynnelorrainephoto or visit her website at www.madelynnelorraine.com.

Below are just some of the many beautiful moments she has captured:

In-Studio Stories: Designer Dresses

The Atelier is full of wedding gowns!  We love to occasionally share windows of what we are working on in the studio. Here is a look at a particular client’s wedding gown we are currently working on.

It is a beautiful Oscar de la Renta wedding gown. We are working on some alterations for the bride. Some studios may be hesitant on working on such an expensive gown, but at JOA we are very comfortable working on designer wedding gowns with a higher price label. Our experienced and highly skilled team can handle these gorgeous wedding gowns with ease.

Sewing Assistant Patty working on the Oscar de la Renta wedding gown. She is sewing on 33 sets of hooks and eyes to create a ballroom bustle for this gown.

Brides know they can trust us with the best designer dresses.  They have brought us their gowns designed by Galia Lahav, Claire Pettibone, Jenny Peckham, Liancarlo, Matthew Christopher, Naeem Khan, Robert Bullock, Anne Barge, Carolina Herrera, Lela Rose, and more.

JOA owned and directed by Jennifer Oberg is a one-of-a-kind Atelier here on Maui. Jenn’s decades of experience in dressmaking and design have helped her cultivate an Atelier with a promising team of skilled sewists. Jenn is a graduate of the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in Los Angeles and the London College of Fashion in the UK. After years of apprenticing with many masters in national theaters, operas, and union film costume shops, she worked her way up to the top positions in Motion Picture Costumers Local 705 custom made division. 

For all wedding-related alteration and design needs, please get in touch with us. We are happy to work with your fine designer wedding gowns. Email us at admin@jenniferoberg.com to schedule your fitting. 

All About Bustles: A Collection

We’ve shared many bustles with you in our ‘All About Bustles’ Blog Series. Here we are compiling all of the different previously shared bustles in one blog! The bustle possibilities are infinite. Each wedding gown is a new opportunity to create a bustle that is unique to you and your gown. Check out the bustle collection below…

English Pick-Up Bustle

Folded Fan Bustle

Belle Bustle

Ballroom Bustle

Single French Bustle

Double French Bustle

Brides-to-be if you are in need of a bustle for your wedding gown or for wedding gown alterations, please get in touch with us. Email us at admin@jenniferoberg.com to schedule your fitting.

Real Weddings: Angelica

We love sharing some photos from the Bride’s we have been working together with in the Atelier. Bride Angelica Lomongo had her wedding on March 31, 2022 here on Maui! 

For her wedding gown, JOA assisted Angelica with bridal gown alterations. We made adjustments to give her gown that perfect fit. We also created a bustle for the train on her gown. Bride Angelica found this gorgeous gown at a&bé bridal shop in Seattle, Washington. You can check out their instagram page at @aandbe_seattle

Below are photos of Angelica’s gown with the train and the bustle at the Atelier. If your curous to learn more about bustles, check out our All About Bustle’s blog series where you can see some of the various types of bustles we have created. 

Congratulations on your wedding Angelica!! It was a joy to work together with you and we wish you all the best in this new chapter!!

Brides-to-be, get in touch for all wedding-related alterations or custom designs. You can send an email to admin@jenniferoberg.com to schedule fittings or for any questions about the services we offer.