Celeb Stylist Elshane Is Not Your Traditional, White Dress Bride

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• Elshane and Taylor at their engagement bash held December 15, 2012 at a private home in Beverly Hills. The shindig was a black and white masquerade cocktail party.
• “I took this photo while shopping for my dress trim in Hong Kong." - Elshane
• Elshane’s wedding cake inspiration.
• “It will be an outdoor house party with a Moroccan theme. Bright colors, floor pillows, hookahs, etc! [These are the] fabrics for the tables and pillows." - Elshane
• The couple is flying in New York's DJ Equal for the reception. Check out his view.
• Elshane’s engagement party nails and the ring. “My engagement ring was custom designed by Taylor and Hubert the jeweler. He knew I would never rock a diamond! Snoozefest alert. My ring is my biggest obsession, an outrageously perfect explosion of sapphire
• The wedding party, made up of 8 bridesmaids and 12 groomsmen, will be decked out in Moroccan Motif. Elshane says that "Henna will be present."
• Elshane designed her own wedding dress that is being sewn together by tailor to the stars, George Clinton. Of course, there will be two other outfit changes.
• A view of Elshane's cocktail hour site.
• And a little more decor inspiration from the bride’s stash.

Fashion blogger and celebrity stylist Elshane keeps a packed schedule dressing clients like Carly Rae Jepsen, Rebel Wilson and Zooey Deschanel for everything from editorials to music videos and red carpet appearances, but this summer she's thrown wedding planning into the mix. Elshane met her fiance Taylor Shapiro years ago when they were both in college at Lehigh University in Pennsylvania. A few break-ups (he moved from Hong Kong to Shanghai to LA while Elshane was in NYC working in PR for Diane von Furstenberg), a few make-ups ("It seemed everybody knew we'd get back together one day," she says) and some long-distance love in-between, the couple is finally planning their Morrocan-inspired dream wedding.

The pair's nuptials are set for August 10 at Hummingbird Nest Ranch and are promised to be anything but conventional. Considering the guest list of 250 people from all over the world (Shapiro still lives in China four months out of the year) and a weekend full of parties surrounding the main event, Elshane says the planning process has been very smooth. As for the groom? "Taylor has known me for 10 years and knows how to manage my expectations," the stylist explained. "It's called saying 'Yes' to everything I like!"

We sat down with Elshane, who just bought a house in West Hollywood with Shapiro, for a little sneak peek at her impending nuptials. She made one thing very clear: "There will be absolutely no white!"

What inspired your Moroccan theme?
"Throwing parties—big or small, day or night—is one of Taylor and my favorite things to do. We have such an eclectic group of friends from near and far, young and old, and there's such a joy in bringing everyone we love together in one happy place. We wanted our wedding to be a total reflection of our personalities: colorful, vibrant, and 100% fun. I told all of my girls to pull out those fuchsia and emerald gowns from the back of their closets!"

Sounds like there will be a lot of bright colors! Describe the decor.
"Our traditional Jewish chuppah, adorned with bright Moroccan fabrics and jewels, will transform into our private Moroccan cabana for the reception. Candles everywhere, floor pillows and wood benches, hookahs and Moroccan rugs layered on top of one another, but no flowers!"

What will the actual ceremony entail?
"Taylor and I are both Jewish so we will have a traditional Reform Jewish ceremony. Instead of white everything, the aisles and seating will be an explosion of color and jewels, like a glistening jewel box."

And what about the food spread?
"We opted for an unseated dinner so that guests can eat as they please. The food will be multicultural and a perfect complement to the evening. The focus of the evening is dancing!"

How does the wedding reflect you as a couple?
"Taylor and I have been together for 10 years and have each lived in multiple cities and countries throughout our relationship. We have so many out-of-town guests coming—from Shanghai, Singapore and Paris to New York, Massachusetts and Miami. Everyone is stepping up for the big event, and we feel so lucky to have so many incredible relationships. It proves to us that everyone supports us as a union."

Was it difficult to choose the venue?
"We knew we wanted a house party vibe for our wedding. We visited so many homes in Beverly Hills, Malibu, and neighboring areas, but there were noise restrictions at certain hours of the evening. We want our celebration to go until the sun comes up. Hummingbird was such an easy choice as it's nestled so privately in the mountains. It even has a natural Moroccan/Mediterranean aesthetic."

Tell us about the bridesmaids' look.
"I'm a fashion stylist, so the thought of two women wearing the same dress to an event is absolute fashion suicide! I could never put my best friends through that torture. I asked my bridal party to wear solid, colorful or black. Everyone will look great, I am sure!"

We know it's a bride's best-kept secret, but what can you leak about the dress?
"Well, it's certainly not white! I designed it with the help of George Clinton. I bought all of the fabric and trim when I was in Hong Kong in October and we sketched up something fabulous! I made a DIY veil, as well. I went to Michael's craft store and got wild with spray paint and a staple gun. It's very 3D. It could double as a window curtain when the wedding's over. And, I'm wearing Johanna Johnson accessories. I'm obsessed with her and her designs."

Overall, what has the planning process been like?
"There's been no stress! How hard is it to plan a party of your dreams? Plus, my wedding planner, Hallie Slade of La Bohéme Events just gets us. She knew to hide anything white."
· Elshane [Blog]
· Elshane [Margaret Maldonado]
· All Weddings Week 2013 Coverage [Racked]