Thank you, etsy

My 9,345,693 etsy purchase: a Thank You parasol!









No idea why I need something like this?


















Thank You cards, of course!






















Fox and Prince has a blog, too. Go visit!

(And kudos to EmilyStyle for the inspiration.)

F-Word Fridays: Postmortem

A quick recap of last week's looming questions regarding the guys' weekend in Arizona...

1) What is the number of Vodka Red Bulls that can be consumed before the heart explodes: 17 - I don’t think the group drank 17 vodka red bulls combined over the weekend. It was all beer (and a lot of beer pong), with a smattering of whiskey. And few if any shots. I cannot tell you how happy I am to have friends that are past the shot-taking stage of their lives.

2) What is the ratio of beers consumed to golf balls lost: 6:1 - This depends on whom you ask. On Saturday, seven golfers and three designated drinkers consumed roughly 102 drinks over 18 holes, and even then there’s no way we lost 17 golf balls. However, yours truly, um, struggled a bit, and my 12 drinks to four balls lost did not help the cause. Whatever, I put my tee shot to within 4 feet on the 13th hole with a 55-year-old divorcee talking all kinds of smack from her tee-side front porch at the urging of my opponents. And then made the putt, thankyouverymuch. Maybe my finest moment of the weekend…

3) Likelihood of a hurricane: 12% - 72 and sunny the whole time. Just like the aforementioned bachelor party in Myrtle, only the exact opposite.

4) Average age of the women who talk to this group: 41 years old – This was, +/- 6 months, exactly right. As were implied predictions regarding surgical enhancement levels. At dinner Saturday night, we were seated between two tables of eight to nine locals all on the dreaded Girls Night Out and all 35 to 45 years old. We were very popular. Then, in a span of five minutes, a drunk friend of mine popped 2 buttons off of my shirt “for the hell of it” (leaving me looking like an extra from Mamma Mia....yeah, i've seen it), and the long-haired roguish hunk from Lost walked in to the restaurant to have dinner. You could just stick a fork in us right there.

5) Number of times Credit Card Roulette rears its ugly head: 5 times – Never happened. Was only even suggested once, and quickly dismissed. Biggest shock of the trip.

6) Number of times the phrase “I/you/we are too old for this” is uttered Sunday morning: Pass – Honestly, we were all too hung over to speak. It was mostly a series of grunts and nods. But the sentiment was there.

All things considered, it was a fantastic time. It was very cool to have my best friends from college meet my best friends from Dallas and have them all get along like I’d imagined. What’s more, I think it sets the stage for a great wedding weekend in May, complete with plans for a “Playing with the Boys” style volleyball game/montage to impress all the wives. Speaking of, my dad more than held his own, taking home the Pete “Maverick” Mitchell Award for best wingman. And my future brother-in-law was a beast, although he was struck with a curious case of homesickness Saturday night?! Must have been missing his increasingly pregnant better half something fierce! He did, in his defense, put on an epic drinking display on the golf course that day, and he should remember that there’s no shame in not keeping up with a Republican from DC wearing seersucker shorts with lobsters embroidered on them. [ed. note - And *swoon* goes The Hops].

And on that note, I should offer a thank you to the three lovely ladies inhabiting the apartment I returned home to Sunday night for putting up with my incoherence and inability to make myself useful by either properly pouring champagne or bringing the funny. Your patience was much appreciated.

With that, I think I’ll call it a day, and head home to take care of Maggie, who’s at home and apparently battling a terrible case of ranunculus…

Speaking of flowers...

I have a meeting with our floral designer in two weeks during my final OBX planning trip, and there's a lot to discuss. I want lots of strong red flowers at our wedding, mixed in with a palette of pretty blues and whites.

My first flower love is the dahlia. So full and spunky and me. But sadly, more of a late summer/fall flower -- like all of my favorites, apparently (hello zinnia). Flowers were not something I gave much thought to when picking our wedding date, obviously. So we'll see how prohibitive red dahlias in late May in NC are, but I'm not holding out much hope.

(Let's break for some dahlia love...)






























The florist recommended that I think about red gerberas in lieu of expensive dahlias, and while I really like gerberas (I buy them all the time), they don't quite feel like our wedding flower to me. Too... something. Maybe too much what I have on our table every week? Not sure. But anyway, I've tried to seek red flower inspiration elsewhere.

First up, red peonies. Gorgeous! One flower expert has already noted that it can be difficult to find truly red peonies - deep pinkish red is more common. Regardless, behold the red peony...



Via Brides and Rosenow Floral Design


















Next up for consideration, red ranunculus. Another favorite flower, but I'd never seen them featured so strongly in red until I stumbled upon Rosenow Floral Design (one of the best sites for floral inspiration, in my opinion). See what I mean? Precious!



Via Rosenow Floral Design














Another favorite flower full of personality is the anemone. May is the end of their season, so these may not be readily available either. They're as fun and lighthearted as the gerbera, but perhaps a little less common. And I love the variety in all their little faces.



Via Sarah Pepper



















As for blues and whites, I love french blue anemones, deep blue hydrangea, hyacinth, delphinium, white anemones, white ranunculus, white spider mums, white peonies, and of course, gardenias.

We'll see what we end up with... But I'm pretty excited to start playing with flowers.

Sick Day Ranunculus Party

Working from home today in a pool of snot (lovely!), so am relying on prettiness outside of my person for inspiration today. Luckily, ranunculus season has begun in earnest. Every time I'm at the market I cannot resist grabbing a bouquet or two.

My lovely purple ranunculus from last week are still kicking. The heads of household show some interest.
















Last night's flu edition: color! I love, love, love these.



Side by side:




















Flowers truly make everything better.

Boo on germs

Besides the usual "oh crap!" moment of coming down with a bug, there's this to consider:

• 2nd day in a row of 80-degree weather in Dallas
• Fun girl plans tonight
• Fun group plans tomorrow night

Screw you, scratchy throat and achy body and general malaise! I will win this battle! As such, I'm off to buy Zicam and the stuff for a big pot of soup. In lieu of champagne with lovely ladies (sob!), I think I'll be cuddling on the couch and watching 30 Rock tonight instead.

Or I could attend to things like menu selections, vows, ceremony structure, etc.

Yeah, probably 30 Rock.

The 'what if' cookout dress

We're not having a typical "rehearsal dinner." Instead, we're having a Welcome Cookout for everyone invited to the wedding. It takes so much to get to the Outer Banks that having a big party to congratulate everyone on getting there - and begin celebrating! - was a no-brainer. As the kickoff event to a weekend full of activities, it's also where everyone can meet everyone else and ensure that by the time the wedding rolls around, they are old friends and ready to party.

The cookout will be on the lawn overlooking the beach and will feature two of my favorite things: eastern NC bbq and shrimp. (And yes, plenty of veg-head options, never fear...) So the vibe is decidedly casual; the Weekend Festivities card that'll go in the invitations even mentions flip-flops in the event listing.

If I were one of those brides who wanted to cloak herself in white from now until May 24, I'd probably find an adorable informal white dress for said cookout. But I'm not one of those girls... as cute as that look is on someone else (and it is! I have my sister's white strapless sundress she wore to her rehearsal dinner hanging in my closet right now). But I'm too much of a color fiend to wear white on two whole days, so I'll undoubtedly find some sort of brightly colored sundress to pair with one of my twelve pairs of wedge sandals.

But if I were that girl? I think this is the dress I'd buy. How adorable, and just the right mood.





Anthro's Galaxy of Dots dress

Fourth sneak peek

We're nearly ready to go to print with our invitations - insane! I love the designs that ABCD crafted for us so much. Here's another sneak peek. Wonder where this will show up?

Three month countdown

The F-Word reminded me tonight that we're exactly three months out! Looking back at the 6 Month checklist, let's see how we're doing...


Done:

• Venue
• Photographer
• Florist
  
• Website
  
• Save the Dates
• Colors/feel
  
• Dress
• DJ
• Officiant
• Bridesmaid dresses
• Welcome cookout/honeymoon house
• Wedding party

---------------since then---------------

• Shoes
  
• Invitation design (Okay, NEARLY done now!)
• Engagement photos
• Groomsmen attire
• Groom's attire
• Bridal party hair/makeup/accessories planning
  
• Flower girl dress
  

Have Begun:

• Reception decor/table design
• Programs/escort cards/etc.
• Welcome bags/favors
• Wedding weekend detailed itinerary (extra activities etc.)
  
• Wedding bands
  

To Do:

• Reception menu
• Event rentals
• Write ceremony
• Ceremony music
• DJ guidelines/play/do not play
  
• Beach party catering/decor
• Flowers
• Hair/Makeup trials
  
• Ceremony decor
• Dress alterations
• Print/mail invitations
  

"Three months" image courtesy of Wordle.

Our flowergirl dress (!)

Let's hear it for... No more dresses arriving in the mail that are not how they appeared. No more fruitless searching through children's stores. Most importantly, no more scary web-surfing through flowergirl/pageant dress websites that make me want to cover up my laptop with a blanket and wash the makeup off its face. I am done with all of it.

Announcing... The flower girl dress!

I adore it. The ribbon detail in person is so charming. It's made by Biscotti, but is one of last year's dresses, and I was lucky enough to find it new, still with tags, on eBay. I love eBay.

We're going to add some red and navy details by hand. And of course, only the cutest red shoes for my adorable niece.

It's a banner week for wedding party attire, folks.

All hail a good tailor

Major kudos are due to the tailor who turned a grandfather's seersucker suit (a fantastic suit with a very vintage feel, but perhaps a bit too vintage of a cut) into a suit fit for a modern groom.

We weren't sure it was going to be possible. But behold, as of last night, a suit that fits the F-Word perfectly, with flat front pants!

As much as we were intrigued by the idea of having a custom suit made, we love that he will get to wear his grandfather's suit on our wedding day. How many guys can say that? I think it's really special.

Paired with the same navy linen tie and red dotted pocket square as the groomsmen, it comes together a little something like this...












Wow... we are really making this thing happen!

Red carpet love

I'm usually blown over by bold jewel-toned gowns, but last night I was swooning over all things pale. Is the wedding making that much of an influence, or was it truly the color story of the night? My three favorite gowns:



Flowy. Taraji P. Henson in Roberto Cavalli. I don't typically think of elegance when I think of Cavalli gowns (is that tactful enough?), but this one is divine. How is it possible that Taraji has a 14-year-old son, by the way? Amazing.


















Structured. Anne Hathaway in Armani Prive. She looked spectacular in this dress. Head to toe perfection. Anne is quickly becoming a major red carpet icon, and this dress proves exactly why.



















Architectural. Marisa Tomei in Atelier Versace. Stunning. The folds of this gown are just ridiculous. I love Marisa's sense of style - while it's sometimes off, it's never, ever boring. Last night she nailed it.


















As for hair... the divine Diane Lane is my new wedding hair model. If anyone sees better DL hair photos, send them over to me. Wavy updos unite!















On the snarky side? Kate, Slynnro, and I saw some bad hair, bad shoes, bad facelifts, and interesting hemlines. But I'd rather post pictures of prettiness. :-)

On that note, my favorite party pic from last night, featuring my two favorite screen goddesses. Does it get any better than Kate Winslet and Meryl Streep goofing off together?

New Mexico, I can't quit you!

I'm racing off to the airport (late as usual) to my wonderful green-chile-flavored world in Albuquerque, where my amazing activist intellect crowd is offering up baby showers, housewarming parties, breakfast catch-ups, and no doubt, ridiculous conversation centered around firepits, front porches, wine, and the New Mexico air. Ahhh, I miss it... off to get my fill!

(No volcano weddings this time, by the way, but the fruit of one: Mikaela's about to be a momma!)

Have a fantastic weekend, everyone!

F-Word Fridays: Razing Arizona

I was going to start this column with some sentence along the lines of “Look out, Scottsdale! My boys and I are about to descend like vultures on your fair city, and tear it up! You’ll never be the same! Wooooooooooo!”. Of course, that would have been terribly, unforgivably lame, and probably would have cost me at least half of my four (4) regular F-Word Friday readers (love you guys!). And furthermore, it would have been textbook hyperbole. There are 12 of us going, ranging in age from 28 to 59, with a mean age of 31. There will be a grand total of two single guys there. Everyone else is married or getting married. These days, the descending is less “like vultures” and more like “on an escalator,” and the only places we’ll be tearing up are a couple of very nice golf courses.

But fun will be had. Dinners will be expensive and laughs will be cheap. And almost entirely at my expense. I have a nervous energy, and I think this must be what the hours leading up to your own roast must feel like. And I’m brimming with questions. For example:

1) What is the number of Vodka Red Bulls that can be consumed before the heart explodes: We’re not talking the medical version of exploding, where a valve goes or something. We’re talking leaping out of your chest and running as fast as it can in the other direction. I’m guessing that number is 17

2) What is the ratio of beers consumed to golf balls lost: This is a very athletic group. And they’ve always been good at holding their liquor. So normally I’d put this at something like 12:1 beers:balls. But something tells me the odometer might be a little higher than we realize. 6:1

3) Likelihood of a hurricane: An unusual question, to be sure, but considering that the guy who planned this weekend also planned his own bachelor party in Myrtle Beach four years ago and managed to pull it off in spite of the mandatory hurricane evacuation order the state issued for that weekend. You know those movie scenes where everyone is fleeing the city and traffic outbound is at a standstill, and the hero is driving the only car on the inbound side of the road? That was us, in a cab. 12%

4) Average age of the women who talk to this group: I have it on good authority that during these late winter months, Scottsdale is the epicenter for single women of…how can I put this delicately…a slightly older demographic. That’s right, it’s the Cougar Capital of America! I find it hard to believe after having spent my share of nights drinking at the Dallas Ritz Carlton bar that Scottsdale has anything on Big D, but I’m eager to know more. 41 years old

5) Number of times Credit Card Roulette rears its ugly head: Honestly, this could happen anytime anyone has to pay for anything. None of my friends are degenerate gamblers, but they can’t help themselves when it comes to this game: 5 times

6) Number of times the phrase “I/you/we are too old for this” is uttered Sunday morning: Vegas won’t even put odds on this. Pass

Oscar edition

Let's have a little Oscar break, shall we? A nice reprieve from the 100-page document sitting on my desk to edit, my pounding need for sinus headache meds, and the upcoming work lunch that I was unable to get out of.

My favorite movie of the year? Milk. No question. It was the most personal for me, the most touching, and in the wake of Prop 8, the most necessary. (Fellow Netflixers who loved Milk, put The Times of Harvey Milk in your queue; you won't be sorry. This documentary is riveting, and you'll appreciate the feature film's use of actual footage even more.) My second-favorite was Frost/Nixon. Do I think either of these will win Best Picture? No. But is this documentary nerd Netflixing the actual interview tapes of Frost and Nixon asap? Yes.

I get pretty worked up about the screenplay awards each year, but the real sideshow for many folks is the fashion. Does it get any more fun than seeing who wears what? On that note, the Costume Design awards are always incredibly interesting. Check out the interviews that Elle did with each of the nominated Costume Designers - they're really fascinating. One of my favorite excerpts, from the Benjamin Button interview:

What was Cate’s favorite look?

Definitely the red dress. I told her, “You have to talk David into this dress because he doesn’t really like red. And she said that David, having never worn a red dress himself, was perhaps not aware of its power.

Well said, Queen Cate.

Oh, and this year's viewing party? My place, with the lovely Kate and Slynnro. We'll probably be getting into trouble somewhere online, so watch out for us....

Hello Sunshine!

It is ridiculously beautiful here today. I am so, so, SO ready for spring and endless sun. This image, courtesy of Desire to Inspire, perfectly sums up my mood, actually.

Bring. It. On.

I know I want to marry T when...

...we are making dinner together.

I used to banish partners from the kitchen. Couldn't deal with the way they took up too much space, got in the way of my movements, were always, magically, exactly in the way. How is that possible, to always be in the wrong place? It was my domain. Get outoutout!

But it's the F-Word's space, too. He's okay playing second fiddle there. He asks me what to chop and what he can do next. More than that, I actually let him help. I've never been good at letting someone help before. He washes greens, sears meat, pours wine, and turns up the music. He doesn't mind that my grand plans of food-shopping and working out all have to happen before we can even begin to cook. He's okay with dinner at 9.

So am I. And I'm okay with him, all up in my space, forever.

The guys (sans bout)

The guys in our wedding aren't wearing boutoinierres boutonierres boutonnieres. Sure, it's traditional to wear them. Sure, wedding blogs are filled with examples of interesting bouts that provide a little more edge to the look. But: guys dislike them and flowers wilt. Floppy wilting flower by night's end = turnoff.

So instead, a dapper pocket square. More T's style, anyway.

So to our favorite groomsmen, who are wearing bouts, thanks but no:















And to President Kennedy, who is demonstrating the F-Word's #1 pet peeve by wearing both a pocket square and a bout, tsk tsk:













Our groomsmen will be sporting a cheerful ensemble of stone chino suit + blue checked shirt + navy linen tie + red dotted pocket square.

Two things:

1. The tie has tons of texture that is apparent in person and not so much in our rushed dusk photograph. It's a great beach tie.
2. We used unmentionables to stand in for pocket squares, so get over that when viewing the photo. And pretend that my hastily Photoshopped white polka dots are real ones. Basically, pretend this is a great pocket square and not wadded-up red underwear.

FingersCrossed/<100 Days edition

I have an accelerated heart rate right now due to some rapid fire wedding-related purchases, so bear with me. As of an hour ago...

• There is another flower girl dress. Since the last one crashed and burned in all its inappropriately glittery glory, I have shied away from all fabrics that have even a hint of sheen and have stayed focused on my original all-cotton mandate. FINGERS CROSSED.
  
  
• We have more fabric drama. I am beyond ready to get past the fabric decision. In fact, I spent last week happily focused on centerpieces and flowers, assuming the fabric was done. Nope - the design we loved (at right) had a printing error and wasn't made with a true white in the background for this batch, and we don't have time to wait for the next batch. So we're trying again with a 6-yard rush order of something else, and a slight change in plan. FINGERS CROSSED.

(I'm trying not to jinx myself by posting the new stuff online, so stay tuned.)

In other planning news, we are under 100 days now, eeeeeek. Just one more reason why the two bullet points above really, really need to be resolved. In other matters:

• The F-Word is taking his grandfather's seersucker suit to a tailor today so that we can finally determine whether or not it will work. There are a few reasons that weren't initially obvious to us why the vintage suit might have to serve as the inspiration rather than his actual wedding suit. But never fear! First, there are lots of seersucker suits available online and in stores. Second, we had a delightful meeting with a custom suitmaker this weekend, and having a custom seersucker suit made is much more affordable than we thought. The custom route intrigues us because (A) Most off-the-rack seersuckers don't have a very modern fit - and our groomsmen suits definitely do. Girls, I'm sure we're all in agreement about flat front pants, yes? (B) They sew your name into the suit or, in this case, your wedding date. Just like someone's wedding dress label. Hmmm... (C) They'll line the suit in whatever you want, including fun patterns like polka dots. Just sayin'....
  
  
• I'm having some angst about wedding dress alterations. Thankfully, I don't need very much done to the dress, but that's also why paying a set (outlandish) price for alterations gives me the hives. I'm searching for an alternative that is cheaper and doesn't involve leaving my dress with someone who makes me wonder if she'll sell it on eBay as soon as I'm back in my car. Also, I wonder if it's silly to worry about alteration costs this late in the game. But then I add up said costs in my head and get the hives again. Thoughts?
  
  
• Our invitations are so close to being done we're talking Pantone colors. Whoopee!!!!
  

97 days to go. That's all I've got right now.

Boldly nude

As we all know, I am a huge fan of bright shoes on brides. I simply cannot get on board with white shoes, ever. But as much of a color fiend as I am, these nude satin pumps are unbelievably pretty, and as dramatic as a boldly colored shoe in a completely different way. They're courtesy of Stuart Weitzman, who finds the sweet spot between hotness and comfort better than any other shoemaker in my closet.







Via The Little White Book.

D'oh!

Just received this e-mail:

Hi there,

Thanks for your custom wedding dress label order! I was working on the design for your label, and see that you have the date as May 24, 2008. I just wanted to double check that you wanted it as 2008, or if you meant 2009. Please let me know, and I will get it entered for you.

Wow.

Happy Valentine's Day!

My card to the F-Word, from one of my favorites, Egg Press:















Our V-Day activity? Wedding bands! I think I know what I want, but who knows what'll happen once I start trying things on. T's a blank slate when it comes to his ring, so this should be fun.

For Valentine's Day, a song that always makes me imagine what it would've been like to fall in love in the farm country of Bertie County, NC, where my family's from. Makes me grin every time.



Have a fantastic day full of love, everyone!

F-Word Friday: Famous Friends and Family

Last week we talked about the tuxedo, and I alluded to the seersucker suit I plan on wearing on the big day. Which is what I had planned on talking about today. That and what the groomsmen are wearing, since we just decided that. It’s going to be a stone khaki suit with a big check gingham-ish blue and white shirt, and a solid linen navy tie with a red pocket square with white dots. They’re going to look goooood.

Which brings us to today’s revised topic: the groomsmen. This is particularly relevant since next weekend is the bachelor party, but also because it allows us to examine a common wedding stereotype. You know how everyone says that the goal of every wedding guest is to make sure you look good but not better than the bride? Well, the same is not true for the groom, which is fine. I assume most grooms get at least a little vain on their wedding day (and I’ll readily admit that my vanity began long before this wedding and will continue afterward), but no groom has any interest at all in upstaging our better half, and I’m no different. But here’s the thing: I have 4 groomsmen, and I run the risk of being the 5th best-looking guy in my own wedding party. I mean, that’s a little awkward, right? Not only that, but they’re all subtly different, so there’s something for just about everyone.

Without further ado…The Groomsmen:

The Brother-in-Law: Let’s kick things off with Maggie’s brother Lane. Classic southern male. Tall, rugged, loves to fish and hunt. Dead ringer for a young Harrison Ford. Has the big pickup truck that he looks born to drive (whereas I, in the same truck, look like Mike Dukakis driving a tank). Big accent. Talks. Real. Slow. Then says in 12 words what I had been trying to say for the last 12 minutes. Loves to drink with the boys, yet is always in the running for World’s Greatest Dad.

The Other Brother-in-Law: Or soon to be. Alex and I were teammates in college. Played the same position. He was an All-American, I was on the bench watching. He’s still playing professional hockey at 32, and has spent the last two years being the most popular foreign athlete in several small European countries. He has a bronze medal from the World Championships. He’s really funny and smart, and he’s impossibly good-looking. Seriously. Think Pierce Brosnan or Dermot Mulroney, only without the metrosexuality. True story: right after college, I was dating a girl in Boston who wasn’t Maggie. So we’re out at a bar with four of her friends, standing in a circle at the bar talking and waiting for some of my friends to come. So in walks Alex, whom these girls have never met. I wave so he can find us at the bar, and the girls turn and see him and go silent, except for some hyperventilating. Then one of them turns to me and says “Wait, you actually know him?!” Oh, and three years ago he started dating my younger sister. They’re getting married next year.

The Rabbi: Travis = not an actual rabbi. Not even Jewish. Not so much religious at all, as far as I know. But “Rabbi” is the term Wall Street uses for mentor, and it fits here perfectly. He’s only four years older than I am but he’s twice as good as I am at the same job, and he casually refers to himself as my Yoda, since every prediction he’s made about my life since the day we met has come true. For example, he told me I’d become nearsighted staring at trading screens all day, and I bragged about my 20-15 vision. Eventually, I had to ask his advice on local lasik surgeons. And after he met Maggie for the first time, he told me I’d be engaged in 9 months. I laughed him right out of the room, and eight months later asked for the phone number to his diamond guy. And if that’s not bad enough, he looks exactly like David Beckham. I mean exactly, right down to the four-too-many tattoos that look dumb on everyone else and uncomfortably cool on him. And he coaches his four-year-old daughter’s soccer team.

The Dean: My father, the Best Man. If I had a dollar for every time a woman met my father and then said to me some variation of “well I certainly see where you get your charm,” I could buy America out of recession. We are alike in almost every way, except he’s older, more seasoned, and has a better tan. Plus, he’s a much MUCH better writer. Not only is he coming to the bachelor party, but I guarantee my friends are more excited to see him than to see me. He’s like the love child of a pre-shotgun Ernest Hemingway and The World’s Most Interesting Man from those Dos Equis commercials.

So there you have it. I couldn’t ask for a better group, even if I’m way over my head standing next to them.

And don’t even get me started on our Master of Ceremonies…

Tulips instead

I can't get over how pretty the pink and white tulips in our living room are. They opened up yesterday, and even through my champagne buzz, I had to stop and ooh and aah over them. Perhaps my excessive oohing and aahing was because of the champagne buzz? At any rate, I still thought they were beyond gorgeous this morning, so it can't be an exaggeration. I'd take pink and white tulips over red roses any day.


For major giggles, go check out this "Valentine's Flowers Decoded" guide courtesy of Design*Sponge. Don't you want to know which bouquet says “Girl I understand that you are exotic and unusual and have needs like a delicate flower. Because I am sensitive. And I know that luxury is important to you. And that is why I spent an obscene amount of money on these. So much in fact, that I have been forced to give up my spot at Treasure Island Self Storage, and that is why you are surrounded by my model car collection.”

You do, don't you?

Outdoorsiness

I don't think the F-Word will mind if I announce that when it comes to outdoorsiness, he's very much outmatched by yours truly. In fact, he insisted fairly regularly when we met that I was a tried-and-true hippie, which might have had something to do with my politics, love of natural foods, and my beloved bumper-stickered '88 Saab (sadly, left behind in New Mexico). My counter-point to his hippie assertions, though, could not be refuted: hippies do not wear hot shoes. I mean, really. Look around if you don't believe me.

At any rate, my non-authentic-hippie self does love the outdoors. My childhood involved a fair amount of camping, whitewater rafting, swimming, farm-rambling, etc. In college we'd drive up to New Hampshire regularly for killer day-long hikes up the White Mountains. In New Mexico, you can hike to your heart's content, and I did.

One of my favorite outdoor activities is kayaking or canoeing. I love being out on the water, so much so that I woke up at dawn every morning during my freshman year of college to row with the crew team, even though I had neither the patience nor dedication to be a true athlete or, at 5'6, the height to be great at it. But gliding on top of the water, seeing Boston wake up in front of me, was something I loved. For the wedding weekend, I'm going to organize a Saturday morning kayaking trip on the sound. My parents are big kayakers, and I have enough friends interested to make a fun outing of it. It's just incredibly peaceful out there, and I want to share it with everyone.

The F-Word? Not so much. Unlike me, he was a serious athlete. But as he likes to joke, he tried the outdoors once, and that was enough for him. So while I'm out on the water, he'll be golfing. These, then, are for him:


Via Happy Hour Bride (a new site!)















Via Style Me Pretty.














Via Green Wedding Shoes.

Not My Dress: Amsale (with bonus rant)

In another case of bridal models making dresses look icky, but real women filling them out beautifully, I offer Amsale.

Scary robot model:

























Gorgeous real bride (via Snippet & Ink), with an absolutely lovely wedding and the same Amsale gown that is perfect on her:

















As we can see now, this dress is really beautiful. (But Not My Dress!)

You know, there are countless examples of really unappealing modeling in the bridal world. One line I love uses the most sickly, prepubescent model I've ever seen in its advertisements. Why? Is that a look I'd want for my wedding day? Absolutely not. In fact, I've already achieved that look - when I came home from school sick with the flu as a 14-year-old.

Let's play The Wedding Gown Advertisement Drinking Game:

Directions: Take a look through any bridal magazine and peek at the gown ads. Take one shot every time you see:

• A bride frowning
• A bride contorting her upper back in an awkward "high fashion" pose
• A bride looking like she's about to throw up
• A bride who no one thinks will actually make it down the aisle
  
• A bride with washed-out skin and the always-fetching nude, chapped lip
• A bride with insane, just-ran-through-the-forest-in-a-windstorm hair
  
• A bride surrounded by hilariously slutty-looking bridesmaids, who look like they hate each other
  
• A bride lounging provocatively in a car near an attractive man who is most definitely not the groom
• A bride who has clearly just fled the scene with an usher or waiter
• A bride living out her fairytale fantasy with the hugest, most heinous dress you can imagine (Sidenote: These ad campaigns, usually lower-end than the rest I've listed, tend to use models that look far older than their couture counterparts. Also, tons of eye makeup. Hmmm....)

What am I missing? Does it really matter? Because I think we all know that on this Wednesday morning, we would be wasted if we were actually playing.

Hearts for a day

I am not a fan of hearts. There won't be a single one anywhere near our wedding. But on Valentine's Day, I make room for them. Happily so. Some V-Day loveliness I've seen around the web...



Ama Card. I love collage work, and combining newsprint? So up my alley.












Enough Said card. Yep, enough said.




















Love Notes. Oh, how I covet you.











Love Wins. I bought one of these for our future red and blue "remember that crazy wedding we had that time?" decorated bathroom. It makes me smile. :-)














Requisite flower mention: I'm not a rose person, either. But striped roses? Beyond pretty.

Comfortable girls

I love seeing real weddings full of personality, and I especially love weddings where the girls are grinning and laughing every time the camera's on them. I think often about something Alice Walker wrote: "If the women of this world were comfortable, this would be a comfortable world." Cut to the latest offering from Southern Weddings, where the girls in Hope and Adam's wedding radiate ease, joy, and comfort. Looks like the kind of day I'd be proud to call my own.