Friday, January 30, 2009

Anxiously anticipating... F-WORD FRIDAYS!

I am cheesily excited to announce that starting next week, my hilarious and handsome and witty and mischievous f-word (you know we hate the term fiancé) is going to join us on Eat, Drink, Marry for a little something we'll be calling... F-Word Fridays.

The F-Word is hard at work brainstorming ideas for his first column, so in the meantime, let's get to know him. Here's the bio he wrote for our wedding website, which should let you in on two things:
  • He'll do anything to make me laugh

  • He never, ever exaggerates
Enjoy!!

***

Trevor was born in Philadelphia in 1977, and moved to Guilford, CT two years later, where he spent most of his time studying the Classics and perfecting Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture on the glockenspiel. After a shocking performance (from memory) of The Raven at his 8th grade poetry recitation, his parents felt it best to send him out to “see the world,” and as such sent the 13 year-old Trevor to The Taft School, an exclusive boarding school an agonizing 35-mile drive from the place he’d called home for 11 years.

Rather than sulk in his new and unfamiliar surroundings, Trevor set about to reshape the 100-year-old school in his own image. He would go on to letter in seven varsity sports (winning league championships in both squash and wrestling on the same day as a sophomore), successfully rig the election that saw his roommate chosen as student body president, and write most of Taft graduate Mary Chapin-Carpenter’s 1992 quadruple platinum album Come On Come On. In the winter of his senior year, he took up ice hockey in an ill-advised effort to impress a pretty, young English teacher from Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. His love would remain unrequited, (and let's be honest, what with the litigation, the notoriety, his deportation to Canada and that country's subsequent refusal to accept him...well let's just say it was a lot for any 17-yr-old to handle), yet his newfound hobby would provide the next direction in the precocious young man’s life.

Still far too tall and skinny for his own good, Trevor left Connecticut after graduating, embarking on a 1-year spiritual journey composed entirely of playing hockey and organizing mortgage files in Waterloo, Iowa. He then parlayed his hawk eye experiences into acceptance at Yale, erroneously claiming that being a 5th generation legacy had nothing to do with his getting in. There he majored in hockey, beer, and co-eds, graduating in 2000 with the predictable degree in….wait for it….political science! He is not, nor has he ever been, a member of Skull and Bones. So far as you know.

After spending 5 uneventful years in Dallas as procurer of “goods and services” for the Dallas Cowboys, Trevor made a stunning debut into American politics by single-handedly engineering the 2006 Democratic takeover of the House of Representatives from his 1-bedroom apartment in Albuquerque, New Mexico. His time in the Land of Enchantment was not all business, however. It was there he met the love of his life, a fiery young brunette named Maggie Mae. Several trips to various beaches, sushi restaurants, and strip clubs later, Maggie agreed to marry Trevor, so long as he gave her the famous Hope Diamond for their engagement. He did.

Unlike most grooms, Trevor has taken an active role in planning his impending nuptials. “Having done very little creatively other than invent most of the previous 4 paragraphs, I’m looking forward to seeing my creative vision come to life," says Trevor. “Not to give away too much, but think Albert Speer-meets-Pablo Picasso, only with lots of pretty flowers and bright silks. Exciting, right?”

Not My Dress: Legends by Romona Keveza

Those of us on the upper end of the cup spectrum understand the power of a great v-neck: it's a classic shape that balances bust with shoulders, softens everything with skin, and draws the eye to a happy place. That said, these two Legends by Romono Keveza gowns knock the v-neck out of the ballpark. Simple, gorgeous, understated - just beautiful. But Not My Dress!








It's hard to get more classic than #903. This gown epitomizes classicism to me, and would be stunning at an urban wedding full of contemporary design elements. I just adore it.





















All you lace fans, prepare yourself for #853. This dress is so feminine and dainty, yet again, absolutely classic. I'm an unabashed fan of lace for its vintage feel. This lace gown, featuring the modern lines of a belted v-neck, combines some of my favorite elements beautifully. Again: stunning.

At last...

...we might have found our fabric. FINALLY.

Unlike the mistake I made with the flower girl dress, I'm not going to post anything this time around until we have it on hand, have made some hypothetical centerpieces on top of it, and are 100% committed to order the other million yards we will need for the reception.

On that note, how ready am I to move past:
  • Finding countless perfect fabrics that start at $30/yard
  • Finding countless cheaper fabrics that would be perfect, if one thing was different about it....
  • Having a purse full of fabric samples
  • Having piles of fabric samples on the floor of our apartment
  • Having fabric sample books stacked on the counter
  • Not being able to work on other wedding projects because they're all based on the fabric choice
Crossing my fingers!!!!!!!!!

Thursday, January 29, 2009

Flower girl dress FAIL

Boo. The flower girl dress arrived today, and is inexplicably silvery-sparkly. Which, as you can see, is not indicated in the photo. Grrrrr.....

Recessionista shoewear

And now for something we haven't discussed in a while: my red shoes (look up, over, all over my Twitter page, etc.). The fantasy shoes - lovelovelove them - are no longer made, so I can be found scouring eBay pretty much every night. Acknowledging that finding an elusive pair in the color, size, and price range I want may not happen, I've started searching around for other shoe possibilities. As much as I hate the thought of parting with my beauties, I think we can all agree that the money is better spent elsewhere.

Last night I found an array of possibilities that were shockingly cheap - as in, under $100 cheap. Don't worry, I'm not giving up on the fantasy yet. But unless an eBay miracle happens - or high-end shoe lines start producing spring/summer red shoes that aren't patent leather - I might give one of these a whirl.




Promiscuous (ha!!) Celebrate











rsvp Hart











Nina Electra

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Second sneak peek!

We received our second round of designs from ABCD today and love them! Here's another little sneak peek to tease you with until the big reveal:



I can't remember where we first saw the phrase "Merriment to Follow" on a wedding invitation... but we were completely smitten with it, and still are. What better way to sum up a reception?

Alas

We don't have a ring-bearer, but the thought of dressing up a little boy in seersucker shorts and a seersucker jacket is sometimes enough to make me want to hire one just for the day. And now, seeing this ring pillow, I'm almost ready to post a weird Craigslist ad. ;-)

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Hard words make me swoon

Poring over potential wedding ceremony readings is one of my biggest indulgences. I'm seeking out pieces that feel like us - smart and bursting and full of humor and honesty, but not at all fairy tale-ish. The most striking selections to me are usually either the silliest or the most difficult. Many of the more challenging ones aren't going to be finalists for our ceremony; I want to make room for laughter there, and being surrounded by grins is important to me. The difficult ones, then, that probably won't make the cut? I keep running across poems in others' recommendations that at one time or another have been tacked onto my walls, flagged in my books, and been carried around with me in the various cities and rooms and days that I've called home over the years. I love those full-circle experiences. Here's one example:

To Have Without Holding
Marge Piercy

Learning to love differently is hard,
love with the hands wide open, love
with the doors banging on their hinges,
the cupboard unlocked, the wind
roaring and whimpering in the rooms
rustling the sheets and snapping the blinds
that thwack like rubber bands
in an open palm.

It hurts to love wide open
stretching the muscles that feel
as if they are made of wet plaster,
then of blunt knives, then
of sharp knives.

It hurts to thwart the reflexes
of grab, of clutch; to love and let
go again and again. It pesters to remember
the lover who is not in the bed,
to hold back what is owed to the work
that gutters like a candle in a cave
without air, to love consciously,
conscientiously, concretely, constructively.

I can't do it, you say it's killing
me, but you thrive, you glow
on the street like a neon raspberry,
You float and sail, a helium balloon
bright bachelor's button blue and bobbing
on the cold and hot winds of our breath,
as we make and unmake in passionate
diastole and systole the rhythm
of our unbound bonding, to have
and not to hold, to love
with minimized malice, hunger
and anger moment by moment balanced.

Flower girl dress = Unstoppable cuteness

I'm crazy-excited about the flower girl dress we found for my niece Taylor.

First, an excuse to post a photo of the cutest, smartest little girl EVER, who will be just days shy of 2 years old on our wedding day:





The nugget herself










Next up: The dress! I wanted something patterned in red or blue - a surprisingly difficult task, I found. But look what my sister discovered for a steal:




Dying of the cuteness over here! The flower is removable, so we're going to find a red flower instead.




Let's review: Red striped shoes on the bridesmaids and blue polka dots on the flower girl? Someone is getting exactly the kind of blue and red patterned wedding she was hoping for. :-)

Monday, January 26, 2009

I am totally that girl

...who walked around in her wedding dress tonight while the f-word was playing hockey. But only to make sure it worked with the newly purchased lingerie. Obvs.

hee hee hee...... :-)

Fruits of the weekend

...and pretty much all of this prohibitively priced for the amount we need. Hmmmm...

Blog love, and some goals

Today's one of those Mondays where I'm embarrassingly behind on the work that pays (some of) the bills and loathe to admit that my workday to-do list isn't nearly as interesting as wedding blogs or today's White House Press Briefing. So in lieu of a fun wedding post, I'm going to take care of some blog housekeeping. I've gotten fun blog shout-outs from two lovely bloggers in the past couple of months: ABCD and Kate. I've neglected to return either compliment, so consider this my amends.

First up, Amy gifted me with a Uber Amazing Blog Award. Thanks, Amy! Besides being our extremely talented invitation designer, Amy is completely delightful to work with and has a fantastic design sensibility that really comes through on her blog. I love seeing someone else appreciate the aesthetic of modern and rustic coming together, and (unlike me) know how to articulate it. Her blog is a daily stop for me.


Next, Kate gifted me with a trifecta of frothy blog awards: Simply Lovely, Truly Beautiful, and Happy New Year, fitting for a fab new friend who is as fun and charming in real life as she is on her blog. Kate oozes wit and sass in exactly the ways I adore, and I can't wait to see how her March wedding comes together, or how that next round of drinks materializes... Thanks, Kate!

As part of that New Year award, I'm supposed to list "Things That'll Rock My Socks off in 2009." Now many of these are obvious - getting married, being an aunt again, etc. But since I never really stated any resolutions for this year, I'm going to use this one to set out a few goals instead. Because goal-meeting = socks rocked, right?

1. Eat more seasonally, with more planning. Some of you know I'm a fairly conscious eater anyway - I try my best to practice what I preach about eating as much locally-grown, humanely treated, organic food as possible, and I love to cook with fresh ingredients. But I know that I can do better, particularly when it comes to eating seasonally. For example, while enjoying some to-die-for heirloom tomatoes in my salad the other day, I heard the voice of Barbara Kingsolver in my ear and knew that January and tomatoes - even heirlooms - come with a price. I'd like to rely more on the farmer's market and less on produce sections, and doing so means adjusting my expectations of variety and making the time to shop smarter. I'd love to become a weekly meal-planner, rather than visiting the market a few times a week. What would it take for me to get there?

2. Shape up and find peace, without obsessing. Like many of us, I am absolutely my own worst critic. I'm more of a health person than a fitness person, but have accepted the role the gym can and should play in my life, particularly with the wedding approaching. While I've been enjoying the results of my amped-up efforts, I'm not sure if that inner critic of mine will ever be silenced. Will I reach a goal? Is there a goal? I'd like to put on The Dress and feel amazing, but regardless of how much working out I do between now and then, will my head ever really let me feel amazing, no matter what others say? I'm not sure, and the more I try and figure out the mind/body balance, the more my only answer is "work harder." I recognize the disconnect there. So... how do I find the peace?

3. Re-focus my career. This is a biggie. For someone who used to be inspired left and right (okay, mostly left) and could've chosen any of several career paths, I'm now sitting inside of one that doesn't excite or challenge me, doesn't utilize my biggest strengths, and leaves me bored and disconnected from communities and positive change. Not fixing this problem has been a decision of logistics more than anything, but when I think seriously about this situation, the fact that I'm wasting time and perpetuating my professional unhappiness is unavoidable. More than that: what are the effects of this situation on other parts of my life? How could everything be enhanced and improved by that big fix? Besides all the big things going on this year, in 2009 I need to take charge of my career again and be proactive about the change I want to see. It's the directive I'd advise to anyone else, and not doing it myself is beyond hypocritical.

Can I tackle these biggies in 2009?

I'll be back soon with something more fun than resolutions, promise. :-)

Sunday, January 25, 2009

Our photographer = awesome!

So we're sitting here watching the SAG red carpet after a weekend of movie-watching, lounging, and okay, fabric store hunting, and I'm getting some fantastic digital files of our engagement pics. Look at what Julie did with this one (which one of my girlfriends calls our "Sandy and Danny Summer Lovin'" shot). The colors in the water? Amazing!




Notice I'm missing a shoe! It flew off with all the spinning.

Friday, January 23, 2009

Happy Weekend!


















Taken by Julie Dreelin of Beach Productions, 1/10/09

Sprinkles

During a rare sweet-tooth moment yesterday (I blame my cold), I made my first trip to Sprinkles Cupcakes. Finally, I know what all the fuss is about!

First of all, I did note the irony of battling for a parking space with hordes of blonde Highland Park moms wearing size 0 jeans in order to buy cupcakes. So there's that. But I digress...

I ordered a four-pack to take home that included two of my faves: red velvet and carrot. They are so adorable (their red velvet design would totally match our wedding, btw) and rich and perfect and YUMMY.

Over Christmas, some of my high school friends were scoffing at the notion that we don't want a wedding cake but are okay with cupcakes. While it's perhaps not the most logical thing in the world, there's just something about cupcakes that I love. Maybe it's their miniature size, or their likelihood of having cream cheese frosting, or their ability to be decorative, or their festive vibe, or that you can hold them in your hand... I'm not really sure. But they remain adorable to me.

So I get the whole Sprinkles thing already. My hips are less happy with this discovery. But hopefully I'll stop sniffling and sneezing and aching and be disinterested in sweets again. Check out the Sprinkles Valentine's Day image, btw - adorable:

Oh no we didn't

Guess who bought twothree more ties last night?

Hopeless, we are.

Update: I was informed this afternoon that I was wrong; we actually bought three ties last night. But progress! After trying them on with a stone-colored suit tonight, we are immediately returning two of them. On-hand tie count soon to be 8. Total purchased now at 13.

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Engagement Pics!

Here's a little mini-collage with some of our engagement photos. Our photographer Julie Dreelin (of Beach Productions) is such a fun and warm person, and I love how outdoorsy/beachy/mellow our photos turned out. She was fantastic at making two people who think they look dorky in photos work it for the camera.

If I'd had the time and inclination to plan these out, I bet they'd have been dressier or more dramatic. I'd have gone for cute new outfits (yep, that's plural) and shoes and perfect makeup, etc. But you know what? Windblown hair, rosy cheeks, and wearing a four-year-old sweater (really!) just seems more fitting for a winter morning at the beach.

These make me grin.

Bridesmaid shoes!

I never planned on mandating matching bridesmaids' shoes, trust me. My thinking was, everyone should go out and get a fab pair of strappy red heels that they love and would wear again and again. But this is no regular group of bridesmaids: this is Team Maggie. And since they are so kick-ass - and my kinda girls on all things shoe-related - they are rising to the challenge of the blue and red patterned wedding and exceeding any and all expectations.

Enter: The red striped shoe. With a blue bow that just happens to match the bridesmaid dresses. And a playful cork heel that doesn't take itself at all seriously.




I know!










My sister found them for the crazy-clearance-additional-percent-off-markdown price of... $15. Seriously.

So after e-mailing Team Maggie for approval, everyone loved them, shoe sizes were sent, and my marvelously pregnant Maid of Honor made it happen.

Loving this teamwork.

To Team Maggie! And to shoes!

More fabric

I didn't set out thinking I'd find the same pattern in blue and red; my goal was more complementary patterns. But some of these have definite potential. Here's a peek inside my immense fabric folder at some of the matching patterns that have interested me:






Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Fabric, fabric, everywhere!

Did you all see how well this wedding incorporated patterned textiles? Imagine some blue sprinkled in, and that'll be our wedding... if we get the fabric right. There are so many choices!

A little glimpse into our world right now:






Tips? Lessons learned? I'm all ears.

One of those days...

Busy, busy, busy, checking little things off in these big categories:
  • Fabric: Brought home some samples over the weekend, just ordered more online, trying to get our heads around just how our mix-and-match blue and red patterned affair should look.

  • Suits: The guys' suits we were eyeing went on sale, and we just made a gut decision to try stone instead of navy. Will report back on our progress once we have a suit on hand!

  • New project: One of my girlfriends might use our wedding as a guinea pig on her way to starting a creative freelancing business. Our welcome guest bags will be pleased! More details to come, but we're pumped.

  • Shoes: My sister found some potential bridesmaids' shoes (red stripes!) on ultra-clearance (like $15 clearance - whoa!). Cross your fingers we can find everyone's sizes!

  • Lingerie: I've determined that my dress needs something underneath, and nothing I have fits the bill. Bring on the lingerie shopping!

  • Work it: Took four days off from working out and am now suffering through the kind of soreness that only a slacker who took four days off should endure. No sympathy.

  • Accommodations: Trying to get a handle on where everyone's staying, who's bunking with who, etc. More spreadsheets!
That's my brain right now - scattered and full. Sorry for no pics or eloquence - perhaps tomorrow?

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

For the First Couple

Today, I feel something stronger than I ever have before, and am willing to shout out something I've never once said or typed: I'm so proud to be an American.

This is my absolute favorite photo of our new First Couple, happily exhausted at the end of their wedding reception in 1992. To President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama, and the kind of partnership that I can only hope to embody, I am so honored that you represent me.



Happy Inauguration Day, everyone!

Monday, January 19, 2009

Surprise!

I received a shocking call this weekend: my dress was ready, nearly 2 months early!

I thought I'd have time to mentally adjust to the idea of the dress being ready, that I'd have all my accessories in place by the time it arrived, and (of course) that my amped-up workout regimen would have been old news by then. Nope.

So I rushed up there with stand-in heels and a boring strapless bra and... ta da! It fits! It looks like me! Alterations will be minimal! It could not be more lightweight and comfortable and beachy. It is... mine!

Craziness!

Public Service Announcement to all Dress-Shoppers:

You remember how Sak's is closing most of their bridal salons? There are major, major deals to be had right now. At the salon my dress is from, the former pristine waiting area is now crammed full of dresses hanging from racks marked 40-70% off. Some of the prices are unbelievable - mostly Vera Wangs where I was, but I imagine lots more designers available elsewhere. Really - you can score your dream dress for a fraction of the cost if the sample sizes work for you. Definitely worth a visit!

Friday, January 16, 2009

Toot.

Well hey... lil' ol' me was featured on the In Style Weddings blog today! Blushing!!

This is how I feel about that (okay actually, it's just another excuse to post a low-resolution screen shot engagement pic until I get the digital files):



Wheeeeee!!!


Happy Weekend, everyone!

Hooray!


After seeing this on Monday, I raced off to purchase one of these Hooray! flags made by etsy seller So Inviting. They do custom colors for weddings and offer discount pricing based on quantity and details like ribbons. I must report, they are adorable.

For a reception getaway where sparklers aren't allowed (those grinches!), my wheels are turning.

Hmmmm......

Thursday, January 15, 2009

First look: Engagement Pics

Yay for the fantastic and fun Julie Dreelin! Here's the first look at our pics - more to come soon!

Ironic

To follow up on this:

As we all know, including registry cards in an invitation is beyond tacky. And if we know that, Anna Post certainly knows that. Williams-Sonoma, however? Not so much.

Because in our grab bag of goodies last night? Registry cards.

The horror!

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Today's obsession

... is this fantastic dessert spread with a custom "cake topper" courtesy of MSW.





























Left: If only I could jump into the photograph, steal these, and plop them right down at our reception.

Right: A custom "cake topper" when there is no cake? Love it. Artist D. Sharp uses items from the wedding - pieces of the invitation, map, coasters, napkins, a bit of the dress - to create these. I'm in love.

As if this isn't enough, Theresa and Jon's wedding also has fun lanterns, fantastic favors, adorable getaway decorations, amazing paper materials, and the greatest, mellowest vibe.

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Wow

The photos over at Rock 'n Roll Bride make me happy.

And this, by the way? WOW. There are engagement photos, and then there are engagement photos.

I have clothes on in mine, in case you're wondering. But to pull something off the way this gal does? She rocks.

Tie ten on

We cannot stop buying ties. Seriously. Since planning this thing, the tally looks like this:
Purchased - 10 Ties
Returned - 2 Ties
Gifted - 1 Tie
On Hand Right Now - 7 Ties
Wedding Party - 5 Guys
Here's how this mess began:

Remember when we were going to have a coral and peach wedding? Ha ha ha. We found a brilliant tie for Trevor to wear - very English, just gorgeous. It would've looked great with a light stone/linen suit and a pink shirt. Then, we found four groomsmen ties. Done, right?


No... we switched colors. We love both of these ties, though, so Trevor kept his groom's tie, returned two groomsmen ties, kept one of those, too (and wore it with a khaki suit to my cousin's wedding - it would've been a great wedding look), then gave one to his dad for Christmas.







Moving on to blue and red (thank goodness!).

We knew right away that Trevor should wear blue seersucker, and our first thought was that he could wear the tie his dad got married in - navy with white dots. Only the more we looked at it, the more we were seeing the tie's age and decided to purchase a new tie very much like his dad's tie. Here's Trevor in the seersucker, with his dad's tie, and a cat toy feather in place of a flower. We eventually decided that more color would be better; navy and white polka dots weren't a bold enough look because they don't pop in the photos. The new tie is gorgeous and is imminently wearable, though - not a chance he's returning it. But I can definitely see incorporating polka dots elsewhere - the ribbon on the bouquets/boutonnieres, for example.

In search of red and blue ties, we found ourselves stuck in the cool weather tie season - not many whimsical warm weather ties at all. In a series of frustrating shopping attempts, we'd fall in love with one tie to discover that it was the only one left in the entire country. That happened twice.

Still, a red and cornflower blue tie was so great with his suit, we bought it anyway, thinking we'd figure out the rest later. But since we're still unsure about exactly what the guys will wear, we keep buying promising ties and hanging onto the receipts, not knowing exactly what we'll want yet afraid to pass up "the" tie. We've considered just having everyone in different great ties, but because Trevor won't be dressed like them to begin with, he's hoping for a little more consistency.

The latest contenders for either Trevor, the guys, or a combination of the two:

Left: We have two of these and could probably find two more if it's the guys' tie. It also looks great with the seersucker - so do we need three?

Middle: This could work depending on what the guys wear, and photographs really well. There were five at the store, but we only bought one. Trevor's keeping it as a "Christmas tie" no matter what.

Right: Looks really fun with seersucker, but there's not enough of these to go around, so if he went with this we'd need to find a complementary tie for the guys. His Virgo sensibility can't deal with the opposite-leaning stripes on the other two, so they would be out.

Lesson here? It's easier, more fun, and cheaper to buy ties than anything else, but unless you want to end up like us, hold off on buying ties until the other attire decisions are made. If I were more patient, I'd have just waited until the new spring ties were all here and then I'd have my pick. But no, way too easy.

We're currently leaning toward a navy chino suit for the groomsmen, by the way, but still aren't sure. A very light stone could work, too. Mixing and matching so far hasn't worked - our last attempt (seersucker vest with navy pants, going for a vintage feel) looked like a waiter's uniform. And groomsmen without jackets looks a little middle school dance to us, as much as we'd hoped the guys wouldn't have to buy full suits. We shall see.

Stay tuned to see just how many ties we end up with.

Monday, January 12, 2009

Weekend report

It was a great weekend - exhausting, yes, but also really fun and (gasp!) productive. Let's run down the list of what we needed to get done:
  • Dessert. At the menu tasting, a variety of desserts were prepared by the Sanderling staff. I took the chef aside and told him that we'd been instructed to go to an outside vendor for all desserts at the wedding, even though we don't want cake. He rolled his eyes, handed me his card, and told me that we'll work it out. On the spot he dreamed up a luscious strawberry/blueberry dessert that we can serve alongside a delicious chocolate-coffee mousse we sampled with creme brulee. Check!
  • Event rentals. Someone from an event rental company was at our table for the tasting, and her daughter is named Maggie, too, ensuring that she won't forget me. Check!
  • Day of Coordination. We're feeling better about going without a Day Of Coordinator as long as we assign select tasks to a few family friends and are hyper-organized with our decor plan and the ceremony "script." 3/4-check.
  • Cookout Catering. Our preferred place is closed until Valentine's Day weekend, like lots of beach vendors. We're sure he'll be fine so will go ahead and call him (bonus: he's my aunt's next-door neighbor), and I'll be sure to sample on my next trip. As if I need a reason to sample barbecue. 3/4-check.
  • Hair/Makeup. I never had a chat with the venue spa about specifics, but I feel pretty sure they'll be fine. I'll go ahead and book spots for the wedding day and do more quality control on my next trip. 3/4-check.
  • Music. Trevor had a good chat with the DJ at the tasting and has a better feel for how that will go down. We also talked through some bagpiper stuff, but still aren't sure what other music should be played for the ceremony. Half-check.
Other updates...
  • Food + Drink. We sampled lots of great food - really, it was all good, such a relief! - and although we didn't really nail down the menu while we were there, I think we do have a much better feel for the quantity and selection that will be appropriate. The wine price list was the only huge disappointment of the weekend. The selection to choose from is great, but the markup is outrageous to the point of being offensive. Bottles that we buy all the time to drink at home were listed at exorbitant prices - well beyond what you would pay at restaurants for the same thing. I'm going to try and get over this if negotiation goes nowhere, meaning that everyone will just have to suck it up and drink cheap(er) wine than we normally enjoy. And really, who attends a wedding and expects to drink fantastic wine anyway? Because even my most wine-tastic friends would agree that a $55 bottle of Conundrum is lunacy.
  • Decor. We played around with the box of fabric samples my mom brought with her, some centerpiece looks, and various bud vases. We're getting much closer to nailing the table and tent ceiling designs. Plus, my sewing whiz aunt agreed to make the tablecloths for us. It's time for the two of us to visit some local fabric stores for our final selections. After that, we really need to begin thinking about ceremony decor.
  • Flowers. We put faces to names with the florist we hired, and thankfully, still really like her work. We'll discuss specifics on the next trip.
  • Ceremony. Did a little re-work on our thoughts for entrances/exits at the ceremony site. We'll need to continue to tweak it until it feels right.
  • Engagement Photos. Done! It was actually really fun and not at all awkward, like I'd feared. We should see them sometime this week, so fingers crossed!
  • Guest Accommodations. Lots of our friends made their accommodation/travel plans this weekend, which is a huge relief. I think about half of everyone attending has booked a room or house already - yay!
  • Wedding Party Attire. When my sister discovered she was pregnant, she returned her perfect-fitting bridesmaid dress for one two sizes bigger. She tried it on for us this weekend and we all think it will be perfect - there is a ton of room in the belly, skirt, and bust. So much room for a seamstress to work with that we all breathed a sigh of relief. As for the guys, we had to nix a groomsmen attire idea last week that we'd hoped would work and are back to square one, waiting for everyone's spring/summer suits and fabrics to come out.

Back to OBX...
  • I'm going to plan on returning for these next-level discussions with vendors in the spring. I'm sure we could manage a lot of this on the phone, but so much of what will be left is visual, that as annoying as the trip from here to there is (we got home at 2 a.m. eastern time this morning due to delays, for example), I know it'll be worth it.

Progress!!!

Friday, January 9, 2009

Off to the Outer Banks!









I'm off to my very favorite place later today. I have my list in hand, so wish me luck! While I'm crossing things off, I plan to do as much laughing and having fun with our families as I possibly can. I'm feeling pretty lucky to have that opportunity. Have a great weekend!

Thursday, January 8, 2009

Charmed twice over

1. I decided when I moved here that the only way to survive Dallas would be to get the joke. And how well does Kate set this one up for us? Next week should be hilarious. Because you all know how concerned I am with Highland Park etiquette...

2. So much sweetness over at Veiled Vows, I can barely stand it. Two German children (ages five and six!) run away to marry each other, packing swim trunks and taking a sister as their witness? I burst.

The tiniest of sneak peeks

I received a zip file just bursting with design ideas from ABCD this morning, and thankfully her patient self on the phone to talk me through everything. There is just so much to choose from! Very exciting, and cannot wait to take the print-outs home to the poor f-word who's only been able to look at PDFs all day.

Decisions, colors, fonts, designs, logos, paper! FunfunfunfunFUN.

A tiny little corner of one of about 30 options I have in front of me right now:















By the way, I know that everyone says this so it's a complete cliche, but how exciting to see our names in print on a wedding invitation!

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Not My Dress: Alvina Valenta

Alvina Valenta gowns epitomize to me the notion that a dress on a real person can look drastically different than a dress on a model. I am uninspired by their entire website full of model shots. Yet when I see real weddings featuring their gowns on a bride, I am instantly smitten. So let's go straight to the real deal and see these gowns at their best... on two fab real women!




























Ali. I absolutely adore this dress. The bodice is so unique - sexy and sweet at the same time, modern yet also a bit vintage. I love seeing intricate floral elements on fitted gowns, because they're always unexpected. The perfect dress for her - and yes, I'm still in love with this wedding. I also must point out the lace hem on the trumpet skirt, which makes it. She looks amazing!













Andrea personalized her Alvina Valenta by adding sleeves for more coverage. And once again: great fitted lines and the perfect lace hem.













So pretty! But alas, Not My Dress.

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

On gifting

I was recently asked why our registry information wasn't included on our wedding website. Part of me feels strongly that asking for gifts just isn't polite. And as I know from personal experience as a wedding guest, the circumstances of your life sometimes mean that the costs associated with simply attending a wedding can be pretty steep. Those costs might multiply if, say, air travel, car rentals, the beach, and a holiday weekend are involved (ahem). So I'd hate for it to appear as if I expect to be flooded with Shun knives come May.

That said, though (and speaking of the Shuns), I really do like our registries, would love to improve my kitchen and my cooking with what's on those registries, and some people expect to use wedding registries to shop for a wedding gift. Making that information more accessible to those guests is a favor to them.

So after some thought, here's the text that I came up with for the wedding website. I'm comfortable with the options it gives our friends and family: full permission not to gift, to give creative gifts, or to buy us that Hollow-Ground Chef's Knife we've had our eye on.

Gifts?

We genuinely hope each of you are able to attend our wedding. Please consider your presence your gift to us, given the time and costs associated with traveling to the Outer Banks. We're so excited to bring all of you to one spot for a few days! And we mean it - bring yourselves and get ready to celebrate!

Things we also love in addition to your presence: wine and spirits, handmade anything, charitable contributions, poems/songs/odes, and creativity!



But if you still insist on knowing the stuff we stock our kitchen with (fantastic knives! great cookware! red dishes!), here are our wedding registries:

How'd I do?

Monday, January 5, 2009

Busy bee

Busy Monday for me - breaking politics keeping me riveted, actual work to get done ;-), and lots of daydreaming about tomorrow's Bliss visit (thanks Santa!).

But for fun, here's the song I blasted on the drive to work this morning (all three miles of it - oh how lucky I am). Warning: it's been on mental repeat all day. I simply cannot get it out of my head. Play at your own risk!



The Killers - I Cant Stay - The Killers

Friday, January 2, 2009

Are you kidding me?

I almost can't believe this is a real wedding. Blue and red! Darling dresses! Tulle peeking out from full skirts! Great shoes! Messy curls! Huge grins! Happy flowers! White lace gown!

So much fun grinning at this wedding after going through the long to-do list... :-)































Via megan w photography