Beer Frisbee, Dancing Parties and Fishing
I decided to take a short break from blogging while staying at my uncle’s cabin in Two Harbors, MN over the 4th of July weekend. Not only was I out of internet/cell phone range, but I was having too much fun catching up with my relatives to get my blog on.
{a href="http://blackandwtf.tumblr.com/page/3" target="_blank"}Image: Black and WTF {/a}
Almost all of us have experienced the side effects of bloating: tight clothing and an overall uncomfortable and weighted-down feeling. Imagine feeling that way on your wedding day… Prevent bloating and added stress on your big day by avoiding the following foods the week before your wedding:
{a href="http://glorioustreats.blogspot.com/2011/06/4th-of-july-flag-cake.html" target="_blank"}Image: Glorious Treats {/a}
Happy Fourth of July Weekend! Doesn’t that cake look too amazing to eat? Well… I guess I’d stare in awe for about ten minutes before I cut myself a big slice.
My family is on its way Two Harbors, MN to stay at my Uncle’s cabin. We’ll have four days to enjoy the sun and water (and I’ll be avoiding any seaweed that sways towards me… gross!). We’re stopping at Priscilla of Boston on the way home to have my final fitting and take my dress home! I’ll give you a full recap next week.
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As you may remember in my last post, I talked about the 80/20 rule and how you can have your cake and enjoy it too.
Your rehearsal dinner is often the first time you’ll see your out-of-town guests or meet new extended family as the bride-to-be, and you want to make sure you feel great in whatever you wear. Your attire should match the style of the dinner, the location, and the time of year. If your in-laws are planning the event, make sure you call your future mother-in-law to find out the details. I have compiled some great summer dresses for both dressy and casual occasions.
Image 1: AsosImage 2: Donna MorganImage 3: Rachel RoyImage 4: AsosImage 5: ParkerImage 6: AsosImage 7: AsosImage 8: Alice + Olivia
You want your rehearsal dinner outfit to show you off in a different way than your wedding gown, so look for an outfit that has a different neckline or overall silhouette. If your wedding dress has a sweetheart neckline, look for something with straps or even sleeves.
Image 1: DvFImage 2: JcrewImage 3: ShosannaImage 4: Jack and GingerImage 5: Orla KielyImage 6: Dress 911Image 7: JcrewImage 8: Eliza J
Your rehearsal dinner is a time to mingle with your friends and family. Whatever you choose to wear, make sure you are comfortable and relaxed.
I hope you all had a great weekend. Rich and I were busy visiting our parents, eating sushi, taste testing moscatos for our wedding, and checking out the CWS scene. We needed a two-hour nap on Sunday to catch up before another crazy week started.
I wanted to share some great wedding stationary with you. Wedding stationary not only includes invitations and save-the-dates, but also consists of event guides for guests, maps, programs, menus, escort cards, placecards, table numbers, favor tags, welcome basket tags, cocktail napkins, rehearsal dinner invitations, and thank you notes. Whew!
Image 1: RuffledImage 2: Green Wedding ShoesImage 3: Green Wedding Shoes
Image 4: Oh Happy DayImage 5: Style Me PrettyImage 6: Style Me Pretty
Image 7: RitsybeeImage 8: Design Work Life
Often times your guests will receive their first impression of your wedding from your invitations, and if you choose to give out wedding favors, those packaged gifts will provide the last impression of your wedding. Therefore, you’ll want these important pieces of stationary to reflect the style and tone of your wedding. As with each element in your wedding, the stationary you choose should match or at least complement one another through their typeface, color and design.
{a href="http://www.stephmodo.com/2011/06/mini-strawberry-rhubarb-basil-crumbles.html" target="_blank"}Mini Strawberry, Rhubarb + Basil Crumbles via Stephmodo{/a}
I’m obsessed with rhubarb. I made rhubarb compote last weekend and ate the whole batch within three days. I really need a garden, so I can grow it. Did you know you have to wait two to three years to harvest rhubarb? I don’t think I’m that patient….
Another week has come to a close! I’m looking forward to spending time with my family and getting a much-needed haircut.
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{a href="http://jenniferstuart.tumblr.com/page/4" target="_blank"}Image by jenniferstuart.tumblr.com{/a}
The title of this post might be an inside joke, but I think most of my readers will agree that setting up an appointment to taste cake is the bee’s knees of planning a wedding.
I knew picking the perfect cake was going to be high priority for Alexis when I noticed most of her pins on pinterest.com include things like this, this, and this. Alexis has a bigger sweet tooth than me. And unlike my strict obsession with ice cream, her treat cravings include anything from sour candy ropes to prepackaged cake from Hyvee.
I accompanied Alexis and her fiance Luke to Cuppiecakes in Shelton, NE on Saturday. Alexis picked out six flavors to taste: vanilla almond with vanilla buttercream, brown sugar with a caramel drizzle, lemon, cinnamon roll with vanilla-cinnamon buttercream, classic chocolate, and red velvet with cream cheese frosting. Luke didn’t realize they would each have six cupcakes to try, so he boasted that he was going to finish his share of the cupcakes. He admitted defeat by cupcake number three…
We were really please with Cuppiecakes’ flavors and prices. They will definitely make the guests at Alexis and Luke’s wedding very happy.
Here are some other flavors Cuppiecakes offers that I’d love to try:
Are you drooling yet?
This post is pure eye candy. Enjoy!
All photos taken by firstView.
A few weeks back, I went on a day-trip to Kansas City to look for wedding dresses for one of my besties. Brett is getting married on July 28, 2012 at the beautiful Fontanelle Forest. Brett and her fiance Nick are a nontraditional couple. They want a outdoor wedding focused on their relationship and love for dancing. Because a majority of their wedding will take place in the open air surrounded by the forest, it was really important that we found a dress for Brett that was both flattering and comfortable.
Looking for a dress can be an emotional experience. Sometimes brides have no idea what they want. Other brides start dress shopping with a specific style in mind only to learn that style is not the best option for them. Brett’s dress search wasn’t clear-cut, but in the end, she bought the absolute perfect dress for her wedding.
We began our trip at The Gown Gallery situated in an old building near the Power and Light District. If you’re looking for a dress with a lot of pizazz whether it be stones, feathers, or volume, The Gown Gallery is the place to shop.
We all agreed that Brett should try on flowing sheath-style and empire waist dresses to ensure she’d be comfortable. She tried on a beautiful Mikaela dress that looked great on her, but confusion set in once we saw how the Tara Keely fit and flare dress accentuated her perfect hour-glass shape. There was no doubt that both styles looked great on her, but the fit and flare style seemed more bridal and different than the maxi dresses Brett frequently wears in her everyday wardrobe.
We then visited Altar Bridal which carries elegant and understated dresses. The consultants were very accommodating and helpful, and we got to play with all of the fun accessories in the store.
Altar Bridal from AleaLovely on Vimeo.
Brett was still struggling between what she expected in the sheath-style dress and the new-found fit and flare style that her crew (made up of the mother of the bride, the mother of the groom, and me) couldn’t stop raving about. The dress highlights of this store included the Ivy and Aster sheath and the Heidi Elnora fit and flare, but we knew there was still something missing, so we moved on.
Brett had fallen in love with Sarah Seven’s designs months ago, but the designer’s dresses are only sold in two stores nationwide. I spent weeks working with Sarah Seven to ship one of her dresses to Bella Bridesmaids in Kansas City. Luckily, the dress was delivered by UPS the morning of our visit. Sarah Seven uses the softest and lightest fabrics. They are truly incredible, and the Practically Perfect Dress shown on the right became the top contender for Brett.
Our last store visit was with Bridal Extraordinaire. Brett tried on multiple gowns, but the dress she ended up purchasing was the one dress she tried on when I purchased my dress in Minnesota a year prior. She had come full circle. I won’t show a picture, because I don’t want to spoil the surprise for Nick, but I can tell you SHE WILL BE STUNNING! The dress was the perfect combination of the sheath and fit and flare styles, and through working with the owners, I was able to get the price of the dress lowered by about $900.
We spent 14 hours that day on the hunt for THE dress. And Brett is the perfect example of how far patience can get you. As long as you stay calm and positive, you’ll find the dress. My next post is going to include a bunch of my favorite wedding dresses from the 2012 season. See you soon!
