what goes on cakes?

Other than a spoon-sized chunk out of it by the Boy? For me, it's all about the look of the cake and that includes the cake topper. I am still undecided as to use one or let the cake be the design but in the meanwhile, I fell in love with Ann Wood's caketoppers (which actually has served as inspiration for the bird-filled wedding). I love these bride and groom birds; she makes them from vintage fabrics and each one is unique.

I love the glamourous ones (these have a Great Gatsby feel to them).

This one has the feel of a chic garden wedding.

And I can't help but love these paper mache birds; the print on them makes them so very appropriate for a girl who loves birds, books and words.

(all images from Ann Wood)

And just to get out of the bird theme, how's this for a quirky take on Asian hints to the wedding?

(image from Teeny Beak Creations)

the maids

Wouldn't these make the cutest bridesmaids' dresses?

And how's this for a wedding dress?

(all images from J. Crew)

Vintage Charms

I've been trying to get my mind off the problem of figuring out color schemes (and really, why does a wedding necessarily have to have one at all?) and in order to distract my mind from obsessing (a little too late, might I add, as I spent last night tossing and turning over ideas in my head), I happen upon a collection of lovely photographic images through Modern Vintage's website. These images by Simply Bloom Photography are breathtaking; they capture the feel I'd love to have for our own photos. The different splashes of light and the compositions just give me tingle up my spine. And you know when picture do that to you, you've found something special. I just wished they lived closer so it were more viable to contact them about doing our wedding. *sigh* Disappointments never grow easier with age.

Change my mind?

(image from Snippet and Ink)

I love this color combination. Why didn't I think of it before?! It makes me almost want to change my color scheme just so I can have it; the colors are understated and romantic, vintagey and old worldish. Simply gorgeous. I just don't how it would do with a touch of orange.

'S wonderful! 'S marvelous!

I drool for short dress.

The one that started it all:

(Funny Face)

Now my love has a modern twist.

(Legends by Romona Keveza)

(Galina at David's Bridal)

From Brides.com

(Stephanie James Couture via Glamour This)

(Lara Helene Bridal Atelier via Perfect Bound)

I wish my wedding called for a tea-length dress. Oh dream of dreams, you were not meant to be (but this doesn't prevent me from looking, longing for, and lusting. Easy on the eyes and even easier on the pocketbook).

The Great Outdoors

I was browsing around on other blogs and found someone else's wedding that I loved. Brooklyn Bride posted pictures from Lauren and Chad's wedding. I love their idea of using the movie "Big Fish" as the inspiration to their wedding. And even though we don't have many major things accomplished yet with our wedding, many of the images from Lauren and Chad's wedding echoed some of those that I have found in books, magazines and websites that I have been hoarding away like a little miser waiting to bring it all together for our own day. I especially loved the following things:

Inspired Images

If we were planning a more Pop-inspired wedding, this inspiration board from Snippet & Ink would be perfect. I still may steal the idea about the soda bottles, vases and bridesmaids dresses.

(image from Snippet & Ink)

So I'm off this weekend to try on wedding dresses for the first time in my life. I'm a little nervous. How does one deal with the idea that some overly friendly salesperson will be in the dressing room with me, hjelping me to get into thse dresses? I don't know how I feel about that. I've never had strangers see me in my knickers before. Speaking of which, what kind of knickers does one wear for this ocassion and what about the other, ahem, undergarments? I am lost.

In an attempt tp be somewhat prepared, I've been browsing David's Bridal's website (I had made an appiontment with them last month at the Bridal Bazaar when it was in town). This is my first taste of something that makes the idea of beign a bride more real to me. So, while I don't plan to buy my dress at this point, it should be fun to try on all sorts of dresses; this trip is mainly to try on different styles and see which looks best on my figure. In the meantime, these are the ones I want to try on when I go:

(Oleg Cassini)

(David's Bridal)

But during less sane moments, I dream of gorgeous gowns like these:

What a luscious confection of silk and tulle.

(Suzanne Ermann)

Short and sassy, just like yours truly.

(Carmela Sutera)

(Carolina Herrera)

Just breath-taking; I love the beaded bolero with the texture of the tulle in the bodice.

(Monique Lhullier)

I love the sweet look with the secret sex appeal to this dress. If you look closely there is a plunging V-neck lined with delicate lace.

(Saeyoung Vu Couture NYC)

I wish I had the courage to try something as funky and cool as this one:

(Anne Barge)

The other day the Boy and I went out to lunch with some good friends when rather suddenly, the friend (who incidentally is one of the Bridesmaids) casually stated that she and her mom thought we were one of the best couples they knew. Now the average person would be pleased and highly flattered at such praise but me, being slightly self-conscious about compliments (I never have learned how to graciously take one which is a cause for great concern due to the hoopla around the Engagement and Wedding), I smiled politely while the Boy thanked them with a huge grin spread across his face.

But this got me thinking about the relationship and wondering: if we indeed are a good couple (I hesitate to label us “one of the best”), do I sometimes take that for granted? And the answer is, much to my chagrin, yes. I do and I believe the Boy sometimes does as well. In all the messiness that defines much of our lives, the opposing schedules and our increasingly overwhelming workloads, I think we both assume that the other is too busy to mind that our separate lives keep us apart even in the middle of trying to plan the special day to formally join our lives together. Which can sometimes leave me stressed out and a little cranky and emotional and the Boy is left wondering where the ball of emotions stems from.

To alleviate some of my worries, I phoned a very good friend who went through her own harried wedding planning to marry a wonderful man and she helped me to realize that finding time with your partner is hard work and that even though a relationship seems to be good to the outside perspective, it can be fraught with many obstacles in the middle. Take for instance, the Boy’s and my schedules are vastly different and this makes it very hard to find time for one another. We’ve managed to mitigate much of the effects by trying to find little ways of showing that we care: leaving notes, calling/texting messages, staying up a bit later than normal just to be awake to say good night as the other comes home, fixing things before being asked to.

In the middle of all this trying to find good solid couple time together to keep this “best couple” relationship full steam ahead, we’ve also got a wedding to plan. Could we have picked a more demanding time to get married? It seems to me that when my friend unknowingly told us that we were one of the best couples, it opened up a can of stressful worms in my head.

So in the spirit of such thought-provoking off-the-cuff remarks, I want to make one (or many, I’m sure) list reminding myself what this wedding really is all about:

1. The wedding is the NOT the end all be all. I repeat, the wedding Is NOT the best day of our loves but just the celebration marking the beginning of our lives together as husband and wife.
2. Does it really matter what flowers go on what table or that the bird cages aren’t filled with the just the right what’s it or that my mom has somehow managed to arrive at the wedding wearing purple and orange? In the end, what counts is that everyone has a good time and we have fantastic memories shared with the very closest loved ones.
3. Shoes. Sure, I love them as any woman does but in the end, I’d rather be comfortable than wear the most expensive stylish pair in the world. Oh, but if I could find cute and comfortable shoes, it would be divine.
4. Yes, the Boy likes to joke around; as in telling puns, because he thinks they are funny. Not everyone else does. But should I, the bride, tell him he is forbidden from doing so at the wedding? Never. Besides the sense of humor, he’s a wonderfully kind and caring man who goes out of his way to make sure everyone around him is taken care of, comfortable, and having a good time. His calm and easy going manner is a striking balance to my somewhat neurotic manner. After all, even if it’s not exactly everyone’s cup of tea as far as humor goes, it’s one of the reasons I love him, puns and all.
5. Be sure to thank and spend some quality time with all those dear folks who took the time out of their busy schedule to spend our day with us. The day will be so hectic with all the chaos that seems to surround weddings that it will be hard to remember that these folks have flown and/or driven out to witness the start of our marriage. Be kind and have fun with them.
6. Laugh. A lot.
7. Find some time to tell the Boy how much you love him and are so proud to be his wife finally.
8. Don’t stress about things matching or “going.” As B told me in our wonderful conversation, seemingly incongruous elements will go together because they go together in you. How’s that for a compliment?

Will this good couple make it to the altar minus tears and tantrums? I hope so and mean to give it a good try. On that note, let the festivities begin…

Flights of Fancy

I love our wedding venue. It's simply delicious and stunning in that subdued sort of way. (Like us?) The first time we walked through it on our own, we were both floored; I think I cried a little. The boy did not understand why even though he thought it the perfect spot to get married. There is something about it that creatively fuses together the simple garden wedding of my dreams with a nod to my heritage, casualness of being set in my favorite spot in town with a serenity you'd be hard pressed to find in the middle of the city. Can you blame us that we compared every other option to love at first sight? In the end, we took the boy's mom out to see the site and she, like us, was floored with the beauty. I hope our guests are too. We'll try not to overdo the decorations and let the beauty of the place speak for itself.

In the spirit, I've compiled together a inspiration board filled with just the tiniest fragment of things that we (and by we, I mean mostly me, but trying to keep the boy in mind--he does, in fact have a say so in the plans) are hoping to incorporate in the wedding itself. Some pictures we're taken by yours truly but others were found on the fabulous site, theknot, at the wedding shop on etsy, or the truly talented Ann Wood. In fact, the last in line actually inspired much of my wedding (as well as revitalized my own creative juices); I adore her. She's wonderful. If you haven't already done so, check her out because you'll just fall out of your seat with pure delight and plenty of oh-my-gosh-that's-so-cute moments.