Kristen's Wedding

Kristen's wedding was absolutely amazing! The bride herself was just stunning and every little detail was planned and implemented flawlessly. As part of the wedding party, I was not able to take the good shots I wanted to show off to you all, so I left it in the photographer's extremely capable hands (and knees... she was literally crawling around under and around furniture to get the best angles -- that's what I call creative commitment!). But I did manage to snatch Alex's iPhone from his pocket on occasion to give you a few glimpses into my own personal experience of the day...

Two days of wedding festivities away from home and off her regular nap schedule left Ava just a little out of it literally seconds before show time. She refused to walk down the aisle as practiced during rehearsal the day before so I picked her up and carried her, handing her rose petals which she cheerfully and gracefully scattered around her during the procession. It was really an endearing moment.

The beautiful and romantic ceremony site in the apple orchard. Kristen and Ben wrote their own vows and their beautiful words literally brought tears to my eyes. This was my view for the majority of the ceremony. Alex carried her off to the side here as she was starting to lose it at the beginning of the ceremony. Shortly thereafter, she started calling "Mama!" so I rushed over to join them there on a little grass knoll. The shade from the trees actually made it the best seat in the house and Ava peacefully fell asleep in my arms.

I loved the personalized signature cocktails served on a lawn area, and I may or may not have loved this refreshing watermelon cocktail just a teensy bit too much.

Wouldn't this make such a fun DIY project? I think I might try to recreate this effect with a lazy susan Alex requested for the new dining table.

Even the cocktail tables had gorgeous centerpieces. The flower arrangements throughout the wedding were incredible. My pink peony bouquet had rosemary and smelled delightful.

Pretty arrangements lined the path to the banquet room where dinner and dancing were held.

Don't forget your escort card to help you find your seat!

Coordinating place cards and menus. The entire meal was primarily vegan since both the bride and groom are (mostly) and even though I am a devout carnivore, I happily feasted on this incredible vegan fare.

And here we are... Ava just waking up from a nice little cocktail hour power nap and ready to be picked up by Grandma so Mama and Dada could dance the night away. (By the way, I loved how simple and elegant my hair turned out.)

And I just want to share one other touching moment of the night.... Instead of a bouquet toss, she dedicated bouquets to meaningful people in her life, including her "little sister" (Kristen volunteers with the Big Brothers Big Sisters mentorship program).

I've left out so many more amazing details (including a picture of the stunningly beautiful bride in her dress!) so I can't wait to share more (and appropriately credit the fantastic vendors) once the professional shots are ready!

Wedding Hair

In anticipation of Kristen's wedding tomorrow (I can't believe it's already here!), I wanted to show off the work of Meaganne McCandess, the hair and makeup stylist Kristen has coming to make us all pretty for the big day. I think the MOH Jennifer and I are getting up-dos, which is fortunate because the weather forecast predicts strong winds. I can't wait to see how it turns out!

 

Our Mixbook Wedding Album Has Finally Arrived!

I have always loved pictures -- for the fleeting, happy memories they capture of the people I love, like a capsule I can treasure forever.

When Alex and I met, I was a scrapbooking extraordinaire. In fact, his first gift to me on our first Christmas together back in 2005 was a photo printer -- for my scrapbooking, he said. It was the sweetest thing. (My first gift to him was an iPod.)

But then for some inexplicable reason, I stopped taking as many pictures. Maybe I was so busy appreciating all our happy little moments together as we were living them I didn't feel as much of a need to savor them in an album.

Whatever the reason, when it came time to make our wedding album, the idea of spending hours on end adhering photo mount squares to each picture into a traditional scrapbook was overwhelming to me.

A digital album that could be printed into a beautiful, professional-quality hardbound book, however, had so much more appeal. So I went the Mixbook way.

First I created custom books for our parents. We gave them as Christmas gifts our first year as husband and wife.

Then I created our book. It took me until the following Christmas to finish because I knew this would be a book of photos I would treasure more than any other. It would be passed on from generation to generation.

But when we received it in the mail, we noticed the top of each page was cut off. So we had it reprinted. Same issue. By this point, I was so frustrated with it that I had to take a step back and forget about it for a little while.

Then, as our three year anniversary was approaching, I placed the order for the reprint. I even upgraded the book to a leather cover. We finally received it last week and am pleased to show it off!

The front cover, in the vineyard next to the small chapel where we exchanged our vows.

I glued one of our invitations to the inside cover.

Getting ready shots with detail of my dress.

I also glued two programs (to show off the front and back) to a page I designated for that purpose.

Some of the wedding details.

I love this spread of the cake cutting and family and friends' reaction to us smashing cake in each others' faces.

I took advantage of the fun effects Mixbook offers, like the film reel on this page. 

Our group shots were really fun... Lots of running and jumping.

I added the lyrics to the meaningful songs we played for the special dances. 

The back cover, as we were leaving the church after the ceremony.

(View the full album here.)

Three Years

I can hardly believe it's been three years.



(I'll share more details from our wedding soon but while we're on the topic of marriage, you may want to check out {10 things} That Have Made All the Difference.)

Tori Says "I Do!"

Of course it's no surprise that Tori's wedding on Sunday was perfect in every way (since the bride herself pretty much fits that description).

[Read more about her wedding planning here and see the wedding sneak peek on her own blog here.]

The venue was really incredible... Garré winery in Livermore, right in the midst of the sprawling vineyards.

As expected, the bridal party was looking pretty classy (actually very pretty and classy) in navy dresses of various styles to flatter each one's figure, pretty pearl strands, and pretty pink peony bouquets tied with navy stripe grosgrain ribbon.

And the guys were looking pretty sharp in their navy stripe bow ties and matching grosgrain around their boutonnieres.

But the bride -- the beautiful bride -- literally took my breath away. I almost have no words to describe her, but if I had to try I'd start with radiant, stunning, romantic...

Just stop me, I can go on and on...

I mean, just look at that dress!



One of my favorite details was the favors... potted herbs with wine cork labels -- such a great (and useful) idea! Ours are sitting on the kitchen windowsill as we speak.

And of course, I can never have enough peony. The soft pink petals complimented the clean navy stripes in all the right ways.

Another fun surprise? Navy striped straws with cute pink hearts with the B & G's initials. And the monogram napkins were another nice touch. It really is all in the details...

 

And then of course there was Caty's famous cake... And yes, I did manage to score a slice.



*A few of the photos above were downloaded from Facebook and used without permission. Sorry. ಠ_ಠ

Mother's Day Weekend Wedding

Alex and I just spent our first overnight together away from Ava. (We had previously each been away on separate occasions, both for work and fun.)


It was the first wedding of the season! Sadly, I didn't have a chance to interview this gorgeous bride, but I do have a few details to share from this quaint country affair...

I absolutely love this photo display of the bride and groom. I probably would have done something like this instead of the usual slideshow at my wedding if I had thought of it back then.

The cupcake tiers are a great low-maintenance alternative to a formal cake that I've been seeing more and more and I can't say I missed the cake. These flavors were extremely tasty -- chocolate peanut butter, strawberry shortcake... heaven!

Photographer Kim James really captured the intimacy of the bride and groom and the picturesque White Ranch in Chico.

 

 

 

 

Sleeping in was the perfect Mother's Day treat. 


And this is what Ava was up to while we were away...

She spent the night with Grandma but my brother and his beautifully expectant wife spent the day with her at the local Art & Wine Festival. She really loved the goats at the petting zoo.

Portrait of a Bride-to-Be: Tiffany

It's about time to introduce the next bride in my portrait of a bride-to-be series. (You may remember her from here.)

Even though we went to the same high school freshman year, Tiffany and I only became close friends a couple years ago after running into each other and discovering that we both moved to the same neighboring city.

I feel like fate brought us together at that particular phase in our lives when we needed each other's support and also to share the joys of motherhood together.

Tiffany is not only drop-dead gorgeous, but also extremely talented and passionate about everything she does. She's the kind of girl you can stay up until four in the morning playing Beatles Rock Band with, and who will then make you the most delicious egg frittata for breakfast before a full day of boating in the sun. (Yes, that really happened.)

Here's what Tiffany has to say about her big day:

How would you define your style in general (using 3 words or phrases)?
Eclectic, sophisticated, and fun.

Which celebrity or character in a movie, book, etc. do you feel you most resemble (or want to resemble)?
As far as style I look to Penelope Cruz. I love how she can be sexy and relaxed but then also very glamorous.

How would you define your wedding style (using 3 words or phrases)?
Classic, elegant, and romantic.

What did you dream your wedding day would be like when you were little?
I really didn't dream much about this, more about the adventures of having a grand love affair, the kind people write about in novels and make movies of.

What do you anticipate will be your favorite wedding details?
The moment McGhie sees me in my wedding dress.

What has been your favorite part about the planning process?
The love and support of my best girlfriends.

What has been your least favorite wedding planning task?
Looking for a band. The ones I like are so expensive!

Is there a married couple you admire and hope for your marriage to emulate?
Not really. There are bits and pieces I admire but I think our relationship is so unique it's hard to compare against others.

Most of the details that have been decided upon are still a mystery to me, but I do know that the reception is going to be in these amazing romantic gardens and I have heard rumors that it will be a very old Hollywood glam affair. I'm envisioning romantic candlelit tablescapes...

{source}

Check out the rest of Tiffany's wedding pinboard for more clues about her upcoming wedding celebration. I am so excited to see how the rest of the planning unfolds!

A Modern Day Fairy Tale Bridal Shower Invitation Tutorial

Ava and I have been hard at work on the invitations for Kristen's bridal shower and I have to say, I think this is our best work yet!

We knew we wanted gray chevron stripes and hot pink accents to go with the theme we decided on.

{source}

I found a great downloadable template for the gray chevron stripes and center cutout online. Sorry, I didn't save the source, but I manipulated it quite a bit using Paint (of all things!) so it's hardly recognizable from the original anyhow.

Then I imported the file to PowerPoint and added the lettering there, which was mostly inspired by these beauties (on the left, below) you may remember from here:

I downloaded a font called Baroque Script (available here) for the bride's name and date and other cursive wording. I used Niagara Engraved for the capital letters and Tw Cen MT Condensed for the rest of the lowercase wording.

Once the digital file was prepared, I just ran it off through the printer (we recently got a great, photo printer -- a Canon PIXMA MG5320 -- which has been treating us very well so far) onto 4.5" x 6.5" white linen card stock from CutCardStock.com. (I've done a ton of research over the last few years and this place usually has the best deals considering they trim to most sizes at no additional charge. And white linen is classic and works with most designs. I usually try to order as much as I think I'll need for a while in bulk to avoid multiple shipping charges, which is really the killer in my price comparisons.)

Next, I adhered each printed cards to some 5" x 7" Stardream Azalea card stock using Scotch Super 77 multi-purpose adhesive (which has a really strong smell and makes a big sticky mess, so you may want to do it outside and away from the kiddos) leaving a 1/4 inch trim all around.

Then I just printed the envelopes using the same Tw Cen MT Condensed font for both the return and delivery addresses and the same Baroque Script font for the names (because I like the envelopes to look fancy like that) using MS Word's Mail Merge Wizard (detailed instructions here).

After stuffing and stamping, the last finishing touch was to stamp the key (using a silver inkpad) onto the back flap of each envelope. I played around with several other images on the invitations themselves (like the ring in the No. 38 bridal shower invite shown above) as well as some scrapbooking embellishments (since I loved the flower and ribbon combo around Tori's shower invites above) but this is the only embellishment that made the cut with this design. Simple, modern, with a touch of romantic. Et voila!

A Modern Day Fairy Tale Bridal Shower Planning

As Kristen's flower girl, Ava is helping plan the bridal shower. (It was all her idea, honest.)

The Matron of Honor and I decided on a Modern Day Fairy Tale theme to look similar to this one:

{source}

We still have some planning to do, but we know we want to incorporate the gray chevron stripes with hot pink accents, a little bit of bling, and some softer, more romantic details.

The shower is going to be a brunch at a restaurant so the food and drinks are taken care of, as are the table linens, flowers, menu cards, etc. Which leaves us with the rest of the decor to really set the tone of the event, games, favors, and dessert.

Decor: Scrabble letters and vintage books wrapped in twine (as shown in the tablescape above) and several silver antique keys I've been collecting.

I found this table runner and matching napkins with the gray chevron stripes on Etsy (but I also kind of like the combo in the pic above, so we'll see):

{source}

I've also been collecting various white and silver picture frames that I'll fill with pictures of the bride and groom, epic love quotes, etc.

I think we can also manage a few strings of dangling crystals like these (but not the banner, I'm not really a huge fan of this one and I'm not sure there will be a place to hang one, as much as I love them in general):

{source}

Games: So far, we like this one with the cute he and she silhouettes (with the right colors of course)...

{source}

And it's always fun to see the bride's childhood pictures...

{source}

Favors: Favors always have me stumped. Generally I like to go with something edible. Any suggestions?

Dessert: We're thinking a buffet table with mini cupcakes, Parisian macarons, mini lemon bites, and some pretty candy accents (hopefully ending up along the lines of the candy bar here).

Portrait of a Bride-to-Be: Kristen

I know I promised (here) to reveal the bridal shower invitations we've been working on around here, and am totally prepared to do so now that I know they have safely arrived at their intended destinations, but I feel I cannot expose any more about the upcoming wedding festivities before introducing you to the next lovely lady in my portrait of a bride-to-be series.

I love, love, love this girl and after reading about her wedding in her own words, I'm sure you will too!

Kristen and I have been close friends since high school. (I have Jennifer to thank for sharing her best friend with me.) Kristen is probably the sweetest, most caring, most genuine person I know. She is never less than flawlessly dressed and the wedding details she's shared with me so far reflect her refined and sophisticated style.

(You can see more of Kristen's wedding inspiration on her pinboard here.)

How would you define your style in general (using 3 words or phrases)?
Classic, modern, feminine.

Which celebrity or character in a movie, book, etc. do you feel you most resemble (or want to resemble)?
This is tough. I can say my favorite is Julia Roberts. I love her infectious smile, I love how down to earth she seems and what a dedicated mother and wife she is, even through the glitz and glam of Hollywood. Simple is good.

How would you define your wedding style (using 3 words or phrases)?
Organic, orchard, pure.

What did you dream your wedding day would be like when you were little?
I pictured the full on Catholic Church wedding, packed with people, a full bridal party, followed by a reception in a big dance hall (pretty much the opposite of our current plans!).

What do you anticipate will be your favorite wedding details?
My favorite wedding detail will be the first glance of the ceremony. The moment where I stand there, before my walk, admiring those who made that moment possible, looking at my handsome almost-husband, my closest friends and my dog, all there, with the backdrop of an orchard that makes me feel like I'm home. That and my peony bouquet!

{source}

What has been your favorite part about the planning process?
I have loved following etiquette and design blogs, becoming fully intoxicated by everything wedding. Stopping by the library every weekend to get the new round of wedding magazines, and watching Say Yes to the Dress, even after finding my gown.

What has been your least favorite wedding planning task?
I have to say looking for a makeup/hair team! It's surprisingly difficult and a big decision, plus a very expensive commitment!

Is there a married couple you admire and hope for your marriage to emulate?
Without sounding cliché, my great-grandparents, Ed and Frances Lagorio. They were married for over 65 years, and were the most loving and committed couple I've ever been graced with knowing. Ben proposed, using my great-grandmother's ring, so every time I look at my engagement ring, I am reminded of the strength of their union and inspired to make ours just as special so that when this ring is passed down again, the dignity stays with it.

The beautiful embossed flowers on Kristen's wedding invitations leave me breathless every time I look at them.

Now that you know and love Kristen as much as I do, you'll be more fully prepared to appreciate the fun bridal shower details I'll be sharing with you over the next few days.