Hi friends. I won't officially be "back" here for another few weeks, I still need some time to refresh and reorganize this space, but trust me, I'm working on it!
I couldn't let today go by without a mention though. This was us exactly one year ago, freshly hitched.
* photo by Joshua Behan
Our newlywed year has flown by, but it's been wonderful. Not a day goes by that I don't reflect on how lucky I am to have this hilarious, loving, kind, and wacky person to live my life with.
Our wedding photographer, Joshua Behan, submitted our photos to the wedding blog, Style Me Pretty.
Our wedding was featured yesterday!
We had some nice weather this weekend. Well, nice for March in Rhode Island. The temperature might have reached 50 degrees F.
So, we headed to the beach.
* somebody was refusing to leave so he tackled us like a lion . . .
There are a few bogs near the beach and I was geeking out over the pitcher plants. Until I realized they were only skunk cabbage.
On the way home, we stopped at Peckhams Greenhouse. They had so many beautiful spring plants and blooming tropicals like the gardenias and jasmine that always make me swoon.
*jasmine
We met another one of our neighbors and he informed us that we have an apple tree in our yard. That discovery practically made my day.
Though I love gorgeous couture dresses and horrible but addicting shows like "Say Yes to the Dress" - my wedding dress wasn't the most important detail of my wedding day. I got really lucky and found mine on sale at J.Crew for $80.00 a few weeks after I'd gotten engaged. I liked that I didn't spend too much on it since I was planning on getting it a bit dirty (it was suppossed to be a mostly outdoor wedding) and it let me go wild with my hair and acessories. I always hoped I wouldn't regret not having a fancier dress and that communal dress shopping experience with my mom and friends - and so far I haven't.
However, I can't say that my heart isn't breaking, just a little bit, by the previews leaking out from Anthropologie's new wedding dress line. The details! The softness! The feminity!
*images from BHLDN
Since the line is not out until February 14th, I would've missed the dresses anyway - but it's not too late for you!
See more photos of the dresses here.
Our professional photos from Joshua Behan Photography are here, and now I can share our wedding day with you.
We went to bed around midnight the night before after checking the weather. Everyone had said it would be a beautiful weekend but the forecast read a chance of rain. When we woke up 8 hours later, it was downpouring and the forecast called for rain ALL DAY and possibly a wind advisory.
I was definitely upset, as our ceremony was supposed to be outdoors overlooking the lake, and there was to be a campfire and s'mores set up at the end of the night. This kind of changed everything. But having Jeff with me made me alot calmer and I started to get over it pretty quickly.
We drove up to Whispering Pines together and were to meet all of our friends and family to start decorating the venue. As soon as I was allowed, my bridesmaids and I went to the bridal suite upstairs to get ready. It was pretty surreal and I remember feeling that my brain had turned to mush. Some things had changed because of the weather and people would ask me questions about how I wanted things set up in light of these changes but I could only just stare at them and say "ummm . . ." . Luckily my friends and family took the reigns (and my premade lists) and everything turned out wonderfully.
I don't remember feeling too nervous, we mostly just listened to the soundtrack I had made of cheesy love songs (mostly from 80's movies!) and drank champagne. My awesome hairdresser Lulu, and makeup artist Jen, talked to me in a soothing voice and really helped calmed my nerves and kept the mood light and fun. And of course, all my girls kept me laughing with their antics.
Meanwhile, the boys were getting ready in another lodge until it was time to meet downstairs for photos.
We decided to take some photos before the ceremony, so soon I was getting ready for my "big reveal" with Jeff.
As soon as I walked down those stairs, everything sped up so quickly! We had portraits and group photos inside and outside and then were ushered back inside for the ceremony.
I walked down the aisle with both my mother and father. It was super awkward and hilarious because the whole aisle was too narrow for the three of us, so we did this silly shuffle thing. When we got to Jeff at the "altar" he knocked my mom's nosegay out of her hands. I was just laughing and laughing. Right after my parents went to sit down, our Reverend said, "and we've already had our basket tossing" which made me laugh again.
I was still surprised at how calm I was (maybe it was all the champagne!). But Jeff was shaking a bit. I like this photo because I remember this exact moment. This sounds kind of mean but I thought it was so sweet he was so nervous and I was trying to stare intently at him and see if I could make him cry. I got what I deserved though, as soon as I started to say my vows, my voice broke up and the tears started flowing out of nowhere.
After the ceremony, we took family portraits, listened to three toasts by my two maids of honor and the best man, ate some delicious food, and danced all night long. Everything went by so heartbreakingly fast - I'll let the photos take it from here :)
I was having a hard time finding a cute low-wedge heel shoe for our wedding. We'll be married on the lawn and I didn't want to have to worry about sinking into the grass. I found these pretty things on Zappos. I really liked them but they are just like wearing flats (I'd hope to have a little bit of heel) and they didn't EXCITE me too much - I couldn't really imagine wearing them alot after the wedding.
Then I came across these - I'm still waiting for them to arrive so I can try them on - but I hope they work!! If they don't get ruined in the woods on our wedding day, I have many a cute outfit planned for these babies.
Jeff is attending his bachelor party this weekend. He is going white-water rafting with a ton of his friends - I am so excited for him!
Happy Weekending to you all!!
They're out and now I can show them to the internetz; though I apologize that my stationary-photography skills are not up to par.
If you remember, I took a letterpress class at AS220. I had a hard time creating my own design however, so I used a template from this awesome website. Jeff worked on all of the text, and he designed the little card that asks our guests to RSVP on our website. The envelopes are from Papersource (color is gravel) and our return address stamp is from Paperwink.
I am also geeking out over these awesome stamps, and how they look on our opalescent thank you note envelopes (from Paperworks in Pawtucket, RI).
Last Saturday, my friends and family all pitched in to throw me an amazing and lovely bridal shower. It was better than I ever could have hoped for and I was so touched by how special they made it for me. The food was incredible; fresh ceviche (with mangos!), guacamole, black bean, quinoa, and orzo salads, gourmet cupcakes from Sweet! in Boston - I could go on and on. . .
There was also plenty of delicious red and white sangria which was very effective in calming my nerves (perhaps a little too effective). I got to open so many awesome gifts while sitting next to my best friends under the shade of an old maple tree. The wedding definitely feels very real now but I am no longer so nervous about it - just excited!
We put the final touches on our wedding website this weekend. We used WeddingJoJo.com, and I am paying about 15$ a month for the site. Wedding Jojo does have free wedding websites, but not for the "theme" I wanted. I mostly liked this service. Jeff thought it didn't have enough options for customization, but he's kind of a computer genius so that was to be expected.
We've finally booked our honeymoon. We originally wanted to go to Hawaii (too expensive) or Panama (too buggy) but Jeff found a great rental cottage (love VRBO.com!) in Southern California and we decided to go there. I have lived in California twice, only for a few months at time but I always dream of living there again someday. Most of my family and friends are on the East Coast and it is most important to me to be near them, but there is so much about California that I love. I practically salivate whenever I think of all the amazing things there is to do and see (and eat) there. Embarrassingly enough, I am actually a subscriber to Sunset magazine . . .
We will be renting a cottage in Cambria for almost a week, relaxing, going to the beach, visiting with elephant seals, and tidepooling. After that we'll drive up to San Fransisco for one night, then over to Yosemite for two (SO EXCITED-I've never been before), and spend our final two nights in the LA area. Here are some other things we have planned;
* photo by Ed Bierman
The Monterey Bay Aquarium (hopefully we can fit in a whalewatch too!)
I can't wait to visit the Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Bank. I know, it sounds a bit dirty, and I'm not even a gardener. But I love organic vegetables and fruits and I do hope to have a garden one day. How cool will it be to have all this odd produce to remind us of our honeymoon? (I admit I was probably also suckered in by all the vintage labels).
*photo from here
Ok, even more random. I'm really excited to pan for gold in Mariposa, California. Not because I think we'll get rich, but it just sounds fun and I'm excited to learn about the history of some of California's gold rush towns.
* photo by spaace_monkey
Finally, I am SOOOO excited to rent a sweet beach cruiser and tool around Santa Monica and the Venice boardwalk.
28 year old female from RI, USA
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