Our wedding in a nutshell...

It has been about a month since our wedding.  And I must say, it actually was worth all the planning and stress!  Who knew?!  I have a word of advice to all of you planning brides out there.  No matter what, it is going to be incredible.  So have faith in that ok?
Since I never thought about what I wanted my wedding to be until I became engaged, I found the wedding planning process a bit daunting in the beginning.  But I threw myself in, head first, and I actually really enjoyed it.  Don't get me wrong, I certainly had my fair share of family drama, as do most brides and grooms.  But as for the actual design and planning of the wedding.  The designer in me sort of thrived in it.
If you would have asked me the week before our wedding if I loved planning it, I would have said "Absolutely not."  But once you see your vision come to life, and you are about to marry your soul mate.  It makes the day literally perfection.  Even if stuff goes wrong (and inevitably something will) it is still total and complete PERFECTION.  My wedding day took my expectations and blasted them into the New York Harbor.  It was so beyond what I thought it ever could be.  I knew it would be amazing... and that I would be happy.  What I did not know, is that it would be the best day of my life thus far.  Seriously folks, enough gushing.  Here are a few fav pics for you to enjoy.

All of these photos were taken by the incomparable Barnaby Draper Studios.

   

My bridesmaids are the some of the most amazing women I know.  They were so attentive (as can be seen in this picture) and incredible that day.  And they all looked like super models to boot.  I am one lucky lady.

We didn't just enjoy our ceremony.  We ENJOYED our ceremony.

And last but not least... our awesome Bridal Party.

Rent heads

So I am costume designing Rent for an amazing new theatre company called Bridgeport Theater company and I couldn't be more excited.  When designing a show that has become so iconic in our culture, it is definitely tricky.  "What items seem to be staples in the show (aka Mark's sweater) and what can we do without?" becomes a question I ask myself often.  Last weekend there was a huge production done at the Hollywood Bowl starring Vanessa Hudgens (WHY?!), Wayne Brady, Tracie Thoms, Skylar Astin, Aaron Tveit... just to name a few.  But the one character that stood out to me was the way they portrayed Maureen.  Nicole Scherzinger from the Pussy Cat dolls was an interesting choice to say the least.  And since she was so miscast, she made some interesting choices.  Which was surprisingly refreshing.  And as much as I think her acting could use some work, her singing was sort of ridic.  I mean, she does not sing that well in The Pussycat Dolls!  When I say she was miscast, I just mean she is not the kind of person that Jonathan wrote the character of Maureen for.  So, once you put that aside, you can enjoy the performance more.

 Her costumes were completely different from the originals and you could tell she wanted a lot of input since Vanessa wore EXACTLY what Mimi did in the Broadway version and Maureen wore some weird chinese brocade corset.  So.... note to self when designing Rent: be consistent with your choices.  Ok this rant is over now... go watch this video... the two of them together.. it's pretty awesome.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQvU9MCUr0Q&feature=player_embedded

A Cheese Wedding Cake?!?

All my dreams have come true!  Check out these wedding cakes made out of cheese wheels by The Cheese Shed!  Yes please!

Thanks to Cup of Jo for enlightening me!

When in doubt, and it's raining...

You can always get a BIG ass umbrella to make it better!

found on the wonderful blog: http://apartment34.blogspot.com/

My friend Brianne is pretty awesome

First things first.... Our RSVPs are in!  And we got some pretty fantastic sketches.  Here is one by one of my amazing, fantastic, lovely friends Brianne.  She also blogged about it here , which makes me feel special.

The shoe search comes to a wonderful end

I'm definitely an accessory lady.  Hands down!  Maybe that's why I had such a hard time finding the perfect shoe!  I have tried on more shoes than I can count!  I am single handedly keeping Zappos in business!
Some contenders included these

But, I didn't like that they were Ivory and not a color.  also they weren't that comfortable on my ankle.

So then I tried these...

And let me tell you... these are really amazing in person.  So comfortable.  Makes your legs look great.  But they aren't the right purple.  And as much as I think that ball of joy on the front is cool, I think it might get in the way of my dress.  So THEN....

 I started thinking about how cool it would be to do a silvery gray shoe.  Enter inspiration photooooo NOW

So after finding out that these precious shoes were custom made, I was beginning to lose hope!  Then my amazing bridesmaid Dina checked on Zappos AGAIIIIIN.  And low and behold, Badgley Mischka came out with new shoes!  Here is the final shoe choice!

 
In the mist of all this love of accessories business I came across these!  Should I put these heart stoppers on the bottom?  Cute right?  Cheesy?  A little, but that's me!

Thoughts??

Ummmm My best friend will be married this time next week!

Big news folks!  This gorgeous lady will be walking down the aisle to marry that handsome man in less than a week!  I am trying to contain the excitement but it's not working!!!!!

I am heading up to good ol Waltham, MA to get even more excited about the future nuptials of these fab folks.  Love to you both!  Let's get this party started Riiiiiiiight!

I have an incredible Fiance

Which makes me one lucky lady.  To all of my friends out there that are with someone that doesn't make you happy.  Don't waste your time.  I PROMISE there is something better out there.  Happy Birthday to the man that makes me believe in true love.

Weirdly obsessed with honeymoon attire

Here is the deal.  My brain works like this:

"You are going on a honeymoon therefore you must wear nautical items."

Now, I know you are probably thinking "Your brain is looney!" but I really do think there is an explanation.  When I think honeymoon, I think of a few things.  I think cruise wear, navy and white, straw hat, big sunglasses, sophisticated dresses and lots of stripes.  Nautical stripes.  I know it is seriously weird and doesn't really explain anything.  Especially because I have never been on a cruise, and I am not going on one for my honeymoon.
Also, I had no idea (when I started planning a wedding) what I wanted to wear for it.  But, I know exactly what I want to wear for my honeymoon.  That is so bizarre!!!
This has recently become a problem when I am shopping.  For anything... really doesn't matter.  Could be pillow cases or a dress either way I walk right by what I am supposed to be buying and head right to the white linen blazer and say "This would be great for my honeymoon!"  I don't buy it though, I just like to admire it's honeymoon capabilities and dream about being in Italy.
Enough about my crazy, rambling, honeymoon brain and now onto some examples!

These earrings are pretty awesome and scream nautical!  I know... I know.. I've lost my mind.  But aren't they cute!  I found them on http://www.oldsoulnewheart.com/product/sailing-beauty 

Hi cute striped dress with great sailing possiblities!  I believe my wonderful friend Sarah has this dress... I wonder if she wore it on her honeymoon...

It was found here : http://spoolno72.com/item_65/MacIntosh-Dress.html 

Look how much fun she is having on her honeymoon! 

http://www.newyorksocialdiary.com/i/shoppingdiary/passionateshopper/stripes/_I0X3737.jpg 

I digress... this could go on for hours.  But I will say it is pretty fun to think about how relaxed I will be in 2 months whether I am wearing navy and white or not!

Walking all over the city

Literally...

Image - Caroline Tran via http://bklynbrideonline.com/

Welcome To New York

I found this post today on http://100layercake.com/blog/ and got so excited!  This blog is always fantastic, but lately the guest posts from http://theindigobunting.blogspot.com/ have been so helpful and creative!
I think this is exactly what should be in a New York Welcome Bag.  Don't you think that the New York Mag (or even a Time Out NY) is a great idea?  I also love putting in some N.Y. signature food, like a pretzel, apple or something made in N.Y.!  But, my favorite part of this idea is the NYC Map with personalized labels!

I think this makes it seem like a personal gift rather than a bag thrown together at the last minute.  This Welcome Bag is exactly how I like to give any gift I give.  Thoughtful, personal and quirky.  I'm a fan!

Check "Buy Ring Bowl" off the list!

When I set out to find the perfect ring bearer bowl/ pillow I knew it was going to be tricky!  I wanted it to be handmade and not traditional.  But other than that, I was quite open!  So when I found this bowl from Paloma's Nest .  I knew it was perfect.  When A proposed (in the most amazing way I could think of) one thing stuck out from all of the incredible things he said.  He said "I want to grow old with you."  So when we saw this ring bowl we both got so excited!  It says :

Grow Old Along With Me

7.10.10

Now, here is my concern.  Our ring bearer is the cutest 2 year old you have ever seen, but he probably won't be gentle with this piece of ceramic goodness.  He will probably pick up this delicate bowl of beauty and throw it on the ground.  So I have a solution.  We will take a cute stuffed animal, tie the rings around its neck.  Then the bowl can be kept as a keepsake and used for some pretty ring pics.  I love this bowl so much I want to keep it forever and ever!

I can't help it...

If the second movie is as good as the first.... I am SO there!

                       Image from Sex and the City 2 

http://www.filmofilia.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/sex_and_the_city_2_15-535x356.jpg

Image from Sex and the City.

http://www.imogene.org/blog/2008/06/06/friday/

Color

Jessi Arrington threw a rainbow birthday party where she changed colors every hour!  She also made everyone who came dress in one color.  So creative!  Made for some great, graphic photos too!!!

Letters to my children that don't exist...

image from http://www.merakoh.com/
Dear future child (in the far far future),

I promise that we will make blanket forts.  And couch forts.  And Teepees.  Whatever you want!

Your Future Mommy (who will hopefully be a really attractive older woman)

Is that Dana from the L word???

Why yes!  Yes it IS Dana from the L word.  She sure had a pretty wedding!  www.stylemepretty.com always delivers!  I love weddings that are super intimate and personal.  

Also, aren't succulents, cockscomb and lotus pods such an interesting touch in flower arrangements?!  

I have to mention her incredible ring.  I am a little obsessed with this gorgeous ring!!!!

And to top it all off, they had MY FAVORITE type of dog in their wedding!  I don't have a flower girl so I might stick this little bugger in a tutu and make him walk down the aisle!!!

The Satorialist is the best blog ever

This girl walked out of her house that morning and said "These shoes will totally be great for walking in Paris."

LOVE HER FOR THAT!

For never ending Fashion inspiration go to 

http://thesartorialist.blogspot.com/

the little details

Late night etsy searching is dangerous!  I just had a late night, impulsive wedding purchase.  I bought this amazing handmade hanger for my wedding dress from lilafrances.  It's gotta hang on something right?!  Might as well be a really cool, personalized hanger!  I didn't want to put mrs. "insert future last name here" because I won't be married when I first put the dress on the hanger.  So I decided on our first names instead.  Now I need to add "buy wedding dress hanger" to a list so I can cross it off!

DIY Place Cards - Part 1 - The Idea

With the wedding officially 99 days away, it is time to kick some of these projects in my head into high gear.  To start: Escort Cards.  

 I just showed you this fabulous wedding.  Look how cool these escort cards are?  I am so inspired that I am going to attempt to do my first real wedding "DIY" project.  I am going to start with different black and white graphic prints and see where it takes me.  Hopefully, somewhere half as good as these babies. With paper found at stores like Paper Presentations and Michaels and wrapping paper I hope I have enough different kinds of paper!  Here they made a chart

Though I am not sure if this will be necessary for me.  I think if I can fit the name of the person and the table, then that should be enough no?  What do you think of this project?  

Oh! I forgot the best part.  Our florist is going to be doing something pretty fantastic involving big white gerber daisies with black centers.  That will add to the amazingness of the whole look!  Get excited folks!  I will keep you posted on the process!

Wedding Day Style...how to get some

I am officially obsessed with this wedding photographed by Tanja Lippert

http://www.stylemepretty.com/2010/02/24/san-francisco-wedding-by-tanja-lippert/

This is everything I want my wedding to be.  Modern, sophisticated and graphic with a little bit of whimsy.  I love how confident the bride is in her style.  

Whenever I am designing a play, and an actress is not self confident in what she is wearing, I know right there.  She will not look good on stage.  It is the same thing with weddings.  You need to have your wedding style and you need to OWN it.  Self confidence is key in life.  Now, this is much easier said than done of course.  But I think we should all take a cue from this bold bride.  Because I gurantee you everyone fought her tooth and nail on anything she wanted to do that was different.  "Red shoes?!?!" they said.  "Short dress with a BIG head piece?!!?!"  They exclaimed!  And when they all saw how gorgeous this wedding was they all shut their mouths!  

So thank  you Style Me Pretty and Tanja Lippert and this gorgeous bride.  You have all inspired me to trust my instinct!

A long long time from now...

One day I will have a baby.  And I hope that baby will have a nursery with stripes on the ceiling.

That is all I know.  Oh and that he or she will be a break dancer.  And be really, really cute.

What to Post

I haven't posted for a week or two because I have so much going on that every time I sit down to write a post...  I have TOO many thoughts in my head.  haha I am learning on focusing on one thing at a time and I would like to share that info with you brides to be now.  

Since I have been feeling overwhelmed with the amount of tasks and decisions ahead, I have made a week by week list.  This way, when I feel overwhelmed I can look at that list and say "Don't worry about the favors this week, that is for the week of May 3rd."  I have to apologize to anyone who has gotten married before I was engaged.  I had NO idea how much planning goes into this stuff!  People don't give brides and grooms enough credit!  This is a full time job!  Maybe it is the designer in me, but I have so many ideas in my head that it actually can be a detriment to planning!   Don't get me wrong, it is fun planning it all.  It is just A LOT.  So I promise (to you and to myself) to post more, focus more, and ENJOY more!  This goes for all things in my life, not just weddings!  I definitely think that I am learning many life lessons through planning!  Haha Who knew!  Here is to the future!

The perfect shoe...

Accessories are my thaaaang.  I get a lot of joy over a new necklace or scarf.  I also have really been into shoes lately.  With my wedding EXACTLY four months away, it is time to start on the accessories search!  Here are a few different styles and colors of shoes I am thinking about.  I am definitely going to have to narrow down soon!  You will definitely notice similarities between all of these shoes.  For example,  they mostly have some sort of embellishment on the front.  I want to make sure these shoes are special!  

I have really been feeling the colored shoes lately.  I think it is such a fun way to add a little funk into your wedding style.  Here are a few of my favs.

Claudia Ciutti Bella Pumps... I can't find you in my size and color, but I love you...

I have mentioned these Natalie Portman shoes before...  but I still love them even though they don't exist anymore.

Are you noticing a trend?  I can find plenty of perfect purple shoes, but none of them are actually available!

These are pretty fun, a little too out there for me.  But I love any bride that can rock these!  I also love how Angelica Glass photographed them.  Making them look even more fantastic!

Here is another example of something blue.  This totally became a trend after the "Sex and the City" movie for obvious reasons.  Getting your something blue and being like Sarah Jessica Parker are both prerequisites for any wedding.  Haha!

I also could go the way of grey shoes.  Thanks Zappos!  Best shoe website ever!  Love these!

The thing that makes me nervous about these Nina Shoes is that they don't look very sturdy!  Very pretty though.  But,  I need to be able to dance the night away!  Very important!