A Cape Cod Bride

JewelMint Giveaway Winner!

2011-11-30T20:46:00.000-06:00

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving! I'm excited to announce that the winner of the JewelMint giveaway is . . .

Sayuri (AKA @atychiphobiax)

Congratulations!!! Please contact me at capecodbride@gmail.com to claim the JewelMint piece of your choice!

Don't forget that if you didn't win but are new to JewelMint, you can use the discount code FASHION70 on your first purchase to buy one, get one at 70% off!

Is anyone else as excited as I am that the new December JewelMint pieces arrive tomorrow?? I'm loving this December sneak peek:

December JewelMint Bracelet

Happy shopping everyone!

JewelMint Giveaway!

2011-11-20T15:09:00.002-06:00

I'm so excited that November is all about giveaways on my blog! I recently joined JewelMint and have been obsessed with their chic jewelry designs ever since. Back in October, I wrote a blog post about my recommendations for brides on a budget looking for affordable jewelry for their wedding day. Now, I'm thrilled to announce that I've partnered with JewelMint to do a product review and host a giveaway!

In case you missed my prior post, here are the details on JewelMint: For $29.99 per month, you can purchase a piece from their exclusive collection, designed by Kate Bosworth and stylist Cher. They introduce new pieces each month, and provide recommendations based on your personal preferences after you take their style quiz. Here are some examples of the products they offer:

As you can see, they offer a variety of pieces to suit any personality. The site is free to join, but the only catch is that once you purchase a piece of jewelry, you become automatically enrolled in their club. They charge you $29.99 at the beginning of the month, and you get a credit that can be used towards any pieces of jewelry, or saved for up to a year. If you don't find any pieces you like in a given month, or need to save dough, you can skip being charged $29.99 for that month as long as you select to do so within the first 5 days of the month. Needless to say, this club is best suited for those with good memories (or iPhone alerts), to ensure you don't get charged each month unless you intend to purchase a piece!

Next, onto the product reviews! JewelMint sent me the Mesh Marvel bracelet and Screen Siren earrings, each of which came packaged in a cute mint green box with a black bow.

I chose the Screen Siren earrings because they are simply gorgeous, and thought they would look great during the holidays. I have to say, the pictures do not do them justice. They are super sparkly in person, and although long and a good size, they are not too heavy to wear for the entire evening.

The Mesh Marvel bracelet seems really well-made, and I love how simple and versatile it is. This is a piece that I chose because I am able to wear it to work for a polished look, and then dress it up for an evening out with the hubby or friends.

Finally, onto the best part: the giveaway! First, I have an exclusive code for Cape Cod Bride readers. Buy one piece, get one at 70% off using the code FASHION70.

I'm also really excited to offer one lucky reader the chance to win a JewelMint piece of your choice! Here are the details on how to enter the giveaway: You get 1 entry per item. Make sure you leave a blog comment below for each entry!

Go to JewelMint, take the style quiz, and tell me which piece you would choose if you are the winner.
Follow A Cape Cod Bride blog with Google Friend Connect.
Subscribe to A Cape Cod Bride's RSS feed (on the right side of the page)
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Follow @CapeCodBride on Twitter.
Follow @jewelmint on Twitter.
Like JewelMint on facebook.
Tweet about this giveaway using the following statement: I just entered to win @CapeCodBride's #giveaway to #win free jewelry from @jewelmint! Enter here:http://acapecodbride.blogspot.com/2011/11/jewelmint-giveaway.html

You have until 11:59pm CST on Tuesday, November 29th to enter, and the winner will be announced on Wednesday, November 30th. This contest is open to U.S. residents only.

Shabby Apple Giveaway Winner!

2011-11-15T14:02:00.000-06:00

Thanks to everyone who entered my giveaway to win this gorgeous dress from Shabby Apple! I had lots of entries here, as well as on my post on Get Married, where I am a featured bridal blogger!

Spanish Steps Dress

The winner was chosen randomly (using the site Random.org), and came from an entry on this blog. So without further ado, here's a a big congratulations to:

L.O.A.H.

Thank you to everyone who entered! If you found a dress you absolutely must have at Shabby Apple, don't forget to use the code capecodbride10off to receive a 10% discount on your purchase! Hurry, because the code expires at the end of November!

I have more giveaways coming up this month and next, so please check back soon :-)

Wedding Recap: Our Cake!

2011-11-10T17:36:00.001-06:00

Chicago had it's first snow of the season today, and this event is making me nostalgic for my winter wedding! It's hard to believe that our 2 year anniversary is quickly approaching! I have yet to share pictures of our lovely wedding cake, and decided it was high time to do so, in case any other winter brides are looking for inspiration.

My husband and I knew we wanted a traditional round cake, though square was our second choice, and even that minor detail was a tough decision! We met with Dottie Lovely, aka "The Cake Lady," and she helped turn my vision of a winter-themed cake into reality. I loved that she used snowflakes and pearls, while combining the gorgeous silver, blue, and white flowers we had in our wedding.

I could not have been happier with the final result, but the best part was that the cake tasted amazing! We chose buttercream because it tastes far superior to fondant, and had layers of red velvet, marble, and carrot cake, so there was something to please everyone.

And on to the best part: Cutting the cake!

All photos by Seth Kammueller

Shabby Apple Giveaway

2011-11-02T08:39:00.003-05:00

November is a very exciting month for me because I have more giveaways to host! I love using this blog to gift free merchandise to my readers, so I'm excited to announce that I have partnered with Shabby Apple to give away a free dress!

Shabby Apple is an online boutique that specializes in vintage-inspired women's dresses. They also sell adorable frocks for infants and little girls, and flattering maternity wear at their Mama Apple store. I love that their dresses offer a modern spin on the vintage dresses of the 1950's and 60's. Their conservative style makes the dresses appropriate for work or play, yet their very feminine shape shows the world that you do not have to bare all to be sexy. Finally, I like that the website offers a quiz to learn about your body shape and provides recommendations to suit your figure!

Without further ado, here is the dress that one lucky reader will win:

I love this dress because it is elegant and feminine, while still being fun and flirty. The flower applique detailing is gorgeous, and makes it unique from many other dresses. I also like that the dress appears to be two separate pieces, since I think that makes it very versatile. This is a dress that could easily be dressed up to attend a bridal shower, for example, or dressed down to attend a weekend brunch.

Here are the details on how to enter the giveaway: You get 1 entry per item. Make sure you leave a blog comment below for each entry!

Leave a comment stating where you would wear this dress if you are the winner.
Follow A Cape Cod Bride blog with Google Friend Connect.
Subscribe to A Cape Cod Bride's RSS feed (on the right side of the page)
Follow A Cape Cod Bride by email (enter your email on the right side of the page)
Follow @CapeCodBride on Twitter.
Follow @shabbyapple on Twitter.
Like Shabby Apple on facebook.
Tweet this giveaway using the following statement: I just entered to win @CapeCodBride's #giveaway to #win a gorgeous dress from @shabbyapple! Enter here: http://acapecodbride.blogspot.com/2011/11/shabby-apple-giveaway.html

You have until 11:59pm CST on Monday November 14th to enter, and the winner will be announced on Tuesday. This contest is open to U.S. residents only.

Finally, while there can only be one contest winner, Shabby Apple is offering an exclusive discount to all Cape Cod Bride readers! Simply enter capecodbride10off at checkout and you will receive 10% off your purchase.

Happy shopping!

Wedding Inspiration: Love Birds!

2011-10-26T15:28:00.000-05:00

Lately, I've been obsessing with love birds as a wedding theme. The great thing about this idea is it can be customized to your wedding colors, and offers so many different decorating ideas. Plus, the birds are simply adorable!

Since this theme is becoming more popular, there are plenty of affordable ways to incorporate love birds into your big day. From customizable artwork (top left), to cake toppers (center), to personalized stamps for your invites (top right), there are tons of creative ways to use this theme. Searching the term "love birds" on Etsy will offer you a slew of ideas, or come up with your own!

What do you think of love birds as a wedding theme? Would you considering using this for your big day?

Wedding Jewelry on a Budget: JewelMint

2011-10-03T09:37:00.003-05:00

Since I started this blog while planning a recessionista wedding, I wanted to get back to my roots with this post and focus on wedding jewelry that is truly budget beautiful. I love browsing JewelMint, which recently celebrated it's 1st anniversary bringing you fab accessories. In case you live under a rock, JewelMint is an online jewelry club. For $29.99 per month, you can purchase a piece from their exclusive collection, designed by Kate Bosworth and stylist Cher. They introduce new pieces each month, and provide recommendations based on your personal preferences after you take their style quiz.

It's free to join, but the only catch is that once you purchase a piece of jewelry, you become automatically enrolled in their club. So if you are making a one-time purchase (like for your wedding) make sure to cancel your account immediately afterwards. If you want to remain a member, you can skip being charged $29.99 for that month as long as you select to do so within the first 5 days of the month. Needless to say, this club is best suited for those with good memories (or iPhone alerts), to ensure you don't get charged each month unless you intend to purchase a piece!

While some may find it to be too much of a hassle, I guarantee that it is worth the effort if you want a piece of statement wedding jewelry for a bargain. So without further ado, here are my top picks this month, based your your bridal style (categories created by me!).

Join JewelMint through my personal link by clicking here!

For the classic bride, I love the Forever Audrey earrings, which are glamorous yet simple:

Forever Audrey Earrings

A romantic bride would look wonderful adorned with the nostalgic Gatsby bracelet:

Gatsby Bracelet

I absolutely adore the Versailles earrings, which are perfect for the bride who loves to be the center of attention, and wants to look like a princess on her wedding day!

Versailles Earrings

For the retro bride, my pick is the Savoy bracelet, inspired by the art deco designs of the 1920's.

Savoy Bracelet

Finally, for the outdoor bride looking to incorporate the beauty of nature into her ensemble, my pick is the pearl Calla Lilly earrings.

Calla Lilly Earrings

What type of bride do you identify as, and which piece would you choose to wear on your big day?

Daisy Days Giveaway Winner!

2011-09-26T16:25:00.000-05:00

Hello all,

Thank you so much for entering the my contest to win a $25 gift card to Daisy Days! I had a ton of entries and comments, which I always love, on here as well as on Twitter, Wedding Chicks, and Get Married!

I put all of the entries into an electronic list randomizer, the modern day equivalent to drawing a name from a hat. Believe me, I was excited as you guys to see who would be the winner of this awesome gift card!

Since you've been waiting all day for me to announce the winner, I won't keep you in suspense any longer. Let's all give a big congrats to . . . Cynthia Lucero!!!

Thanks again to all those who entered and I hope everyone has a great week!

Daisy Days Giveaway!

2011-09-17T08:22:00.001-05:00

Hello blog readers! I'm very excited to announce that I'm hosting a new giveaway, starting today. One lucky Cape Cod Bride reader will win a $25 gift card to Daisy Days!

Daisy Days literally has everything you need to plan your big day, from bridal shower goods to bachelorette party favors to reception essentials. I'm so upset they were not around when I was planning my December 2009 wedding! I especially love that this site offers a plethora of wedding items that are eco-friendly, since nothing is more chic than a green wedding!

So you can get an idea of what Daisy Days has to offer, I've perused the site and made an inspiration board for y'all.

Now onto the best part: Here's how to enter:

Comment on this post stating how you would spend the $25 gift card if you are the winner.
Become a follower of A Cape Cod Bride blog.
Tweet this giveaway using this tweet: I just entered @CapeCodBride's giveaway to win a $25 gift card to @DaisyDaysFavors! Enter here: http://acapecodbride.blogspot.com/2011/09/daisy-days-giveaway.html
Post this giveaway on your own blog.

Each response will yield you one entry into the drawing, for a total of up to 4 entries. Be sure to comment on my blog, stating which steps you took to enter (e.g. followed my blog, posted the giveaway on your blog), so I give you the correct number of entries.

Finally, act fast, as this contest will only be open until Sunday, September 25, 2011 at midnight CST. The winner will be announced on Monday September 26th!

Good luck to all and have a great week!

BHLDN On A Budget!

2011-09-05T11:46:00.000-05:00

Like many women, my heart swoons whenever I step inside Anthropologie. Sadly, I cannot afford to shop there regularly, especially on a grad student budget in the middle of a recession! However, I was thrilled to recently learn that the team behind Anthropologie decided to venture into another one of my passions, the wedding world, with their new store, BHLD N.

A great feature of the BHLDN website is that it offers more than just a shopping experience for brides. It includes free interactive experiences to help inspire you while planning your wedding, and provide another great way to procrastinate ;-) For example, I took a fun quiz called "What Kind of Bride Are You?" and discovered that I am a Romantic Nostalgic bride, which was a very accurate portrayal of my vintage Cape Cod wedding. The website also offers MoodBoards, aka inspiration boards, where you can view their products based on themes or color palettes, or even create your own board!

Disclaimer: I guarantee you will love everything BHLDN offers, but like it's sister store Anthropologie, products from here do not come cheap. Since one of my goals is to provide wedding inspiration for brides on a budget, I have scoured the site and chosen the best wedding attire and accessories for budget-minded brides.

Here are 2 boards featuring my favorite dresses, that are all an amazing steal at $1600 or less!

Finally, another great way to incorporate the romantic, unique, and vintage products BHLDN offers while not breaking the bank is to carefully choose more affordable accessories for your big day. Here are my top picks:

Images from center, then clockwise from top left: Choose a lovely silk hat/birdcage veil for a vintage vibe ($120); Love coasters provide a romantic touch ($14 for 10); Don polka dot gloves for a unique look ($40); Brighten up your fete with colorful straws ($6 a pack); Eat your cake with a pair of engraved love forks ($24 a pair); Serve treats on lovely pedestals ($68-$88); Statement earrings are great bridesmaid's gifts ($66); Accessorize your cocktail hour with love stirrers ($22 for 24); Use adorable mini teapots as escort card holders ($52 for 6); Glam a simple pair of shoes with colorful pom poms! ($25 per pair); Choose simple but sophisticated letterpress invites ($26 for 8); Chalkboard vases make unforgettable table numbers ($18); Faux flowers are a great way to save money without compromising on style ($32 for 5).

Announcing My New Company: Viator Gear!

2011-08-22T07:41:00.002-05:00

Hi blog readers! Today's blog post is very exciting for me. My husband, Toby, and his friend Nolan have created a new company called Viator Gear, of which I am officially Vice President of Public Relations!

Toby and Nolan have collectively traveled over 1 million miles by land, air and sea. They know how difficult traveling can be, especially these days. That's why they decided to make a new website that sells products that they know are essential to improving your travel experience.

So how does this pertain to all you brides out there? Well most brides I know travel for their honeymoon, and have several out-of-town guests/bridal party members attend their nuptials. With all the stresses associated with planning your wedding, worrying about traveling should not be one of them. I can fully support this statement having planned a destination wedding myself!

Check out this nifty mosaic I made featuring some of the products our new site sells. Some of these products would also be great in a gift basket for out-of-town guests, or as attendant favors!

Photos from center, then clockwise from top left: Ladies, nothing is more exhausting than your wedding day, trust me. When you arrive at the airport and grab your post-wedding cup of joe, don't worry about spilling on your cute honeymoon outfit. Put in a convenient luggage cup holder. All you germaphobic couples will love a toothbrush sanitizer. A colorful jewelry organizer is a must for your honeymoon, and also makes a great bridesmaid gift! A travel steamer is a must for keeping your date night outfits wrinkle-free, while saving precious time to spend with your new spouse! Also, don't forget to weight your luggage before heading to the airport, so you don't get slammed with extra baggage fees!

The green wallet is not your average wallet, it actually blocks RFID's, protecting you from people trying to scan your personal information off your license/passport. Protect your iPad/latop with a cute white patent case. Gift your new hubby with a trendy monochromatic passport case. No these, are not coloful light bulbs. They are 3 ounces containers, perfect for carrying on your fave shampoos, body washes, etc. Hotel rooms never having enough outlets is no longer a problem with this USB Power Pirate.

Finally, a tolietry organizer is a must for ensuring that your essential beauty products do not spill all over your suitcase. Ever notice how planes are freezing? Nothing is better than a microbial fleece blanket to help you arrive warm and healthy to your destination! If you're going out of the country for your wedding or honeymoon, don't forget electronic converters, so you can use all your devices without frying them!

New Color Combo: Charcoal & Emerald

2011-08-15T09:45:00.001-05:00

I'm going to be a bridesmaid in a September wedding in which one of the wedding colors is charcoal. While the bride is doing a lovely combination of charcoal against soft pastels, I also love when this dark neutral is expressed with bright pops of color, such as canary yellow, featured in the image below.

However, lately I prefer unexpected color combinations. So I came up with an emerald green and charcoal palette, offset by the cool crispness of white.

What are your favorite unexpected color combinations for a wedding?

Engagement Rings With A Conscience

2011-08-08T16:58:00.000-05:00

A friend of mine recently became engaged. When I saw her to celebrate this milestone, she showed me her lovely ring. What made it so fabulous was that she chose an eco-friendly, uncut, natural diamond for her stone. Not only is it really unique and fits her personality, but she can feel good knowing that she did not select a "blood diamond."

Her ring inspired the present post on conflict-free engagement rings and wedding bands. All of the rings below were found on Etsy using the search term "conflict free engagement rings." While some are a bit pricey, most are quite affordable, another benefit of going green in your engagement ring selection!

I also chose a wide variety of stones in an array of settings. While not all of them are diamonds, there still are some "classic" engagement ring styles for the more traditional bride (e.g. large center picture).

Now aren't these something you can feel good about?!

The Best Wedding Decision I Made

2011-08-01T09:38:00.003-05:00

This week, I decided to take a break on doing inspiration boards and give some wedding advice to those in need (but don't worry, I will be back with plenty more boards soon!).

I was recently reminiscing about my wedding with a friend who is soon to be married. She asked me for advice on how to deal with the pressures of the big day. I told her that the best decision I made was getting a good night's sleep the night before my wedding.

It sounds simple and quite practical, really. But I almost passed up my chance to get a peaceful slumber due to what I thought I "should" be doing as a bride. Our original plan was to keep with tradition and spend the night before the wedding apart. My groom would stay at our swanky hotel, and I would stay at my parent's house.

But suddenly as we thought about leaving each other on the eve of our big day, we thought it was silly to spend the night apart. I knew I would not get a good night's sleep at my parent's house, and we felt that the only person we wanted to share our pre-wedding excitement and jitters with was each other. So instead we both stayed at our lovely hotel, slept in together in the morning, and woke up feeling refreshed and ready for our wedding. It seriously was the best choice we could have made, and I'm so glad we followed our hearts and heads!

Our suite at Chatham Bars Inn

Thus, I now tell brides that the important thing to remember is that your wedding is a special event for you and your hubby-to-be to embark on the rest of your life together as partners. So do what makes you feel comfortable (even if that means going against tradition!) and you will find yourself as stress-free as possible on your big day!

The Ultimate Prep: A Seersucker Wedding

2011-07-26T18:07:00.000-05:00

Nothing says New England preppy like seersucker. This fabric is perfect for summer or beach weddings due to it's breathable, light cotton composition. While it's traditional color is blue, seersucker can now be found in an array of pastels, as well as neutrals such as khaki.

As soon as summer rolls around, I love pulling out my seersucker clothing and accessories, such as my vintage Kate Spade purse (also great for a bride on her wedding day!).

Seersucker would also be great as a wedding theme for brides looking to host a classic, preppy wedding. If you're fiance objects, just tell him that real men wear pastels, and he'll be thanking you when he's not wearing a traditional tux in 90 degree heat!

Finally, find some creative ways to incorporate seersucker into your wedding theme, such as customizing your wedding cake with stripes:

Cake by Cake Girls

Natural Inspiration

2011-07-20T09:26:00.000-05:00

For the 4th of July, I was fortunate to spend a long weekend at my in-law's lake house. While there, I felt really inspired by all the earthy colors that surrounded me, such as the bright yellow flowers, deep purple berries, woodsy bark, and forest moss. Here is an inspiration board for brides who want a green, organic, and natural wedding palette :)

Products clockwise from top left: Any outdoor bride must remember sun protection! Stay chic with cute sunglasses by J.Crew. Arrive on your honeymood in style with this canary suitcase (J.Crew). Make a statement with plum heels under your dress (J.Crew). Put nature on your table with topiary centerpieces and placecard holders. Carry a bouquet of colorful wildflowers. Bridesmaids can don a lovely moss green frock (J.Crew). Create a custom logo in your wedding colors. Let guest cool off during your ceremony with a natural woven fan. Have a sunny cake for a pop of color. Instead of a long veil, go for a more practical birdcage veil that won't blow away in the wind, such as this one from Etsy. Use a plum lip tint for a natural, flushed appearance (by Fresh, available at Sephora). Go green with pretty invites printed on recycled paper!

A Pink Palette

2011-07-15T18:58:00.009-05:00

Much to my dismay, I am almost out of my favorite perfume, Flowerbomb (which I of course wore on my wedding day). So I decided to turn my obsession with this pink perfume into an inspiration board for all you brides. This board combines a few of my favorite things (J.Crew, peonies, candy, and horses).

Happy weekend everyone!

Hello Again!

2011-07-14T15:50:00.001-05:00

I'm sure my readers probably thought I had given up on this blog. Perhaps part of me had. But I decided that this is the only thing in my life that allows me to express and explore my creative side. So I'm not going to give it up! I plan to return with more posts to inspire all you future brides!

In the meantime, I wanted to share with you some tidbits that might help those of you who a) are chronic worrywarts like myself b) have just turned into one since getting engaged or c) can officially label yourself a bridezilla :)

Here is what I've learned in my absence:

I know everyone says it, but the marriage is much more important than the wedding day! As much as you are stressing about centerpieces and stationary, try to accept the fact that it won't be perfect, but that's what will make it memorable.
I miss creative blogging. Looking at pictures of pretty things is very relaxing and a good form of stress relief. So current bridal bloggers - don't feel bad about spending so much time blogging/swooning over wedding collages!
I realized that blogging doesn't have to be all or nothing. I used to be obsessed with ideas for my next post and felt like I constantly had to be an "idea machine." Now I realize it's ok to blog less frequently whenever I'm feeling inspired.
Nostalgia is nice. I'm glad I created this blog about a major life event. I'm happy I have something tangible that allows me to look back on my journey and reminisce. I think you will feel the same way after your wedding.
Wedding blogs are like a built in support group. Having a group of women to commisserate with over inane wedding details that no one else cares about is a great form of therapy. The fact that most ladies manage to stay interesting, funny, and kind while planning a wedding is the best reason I can think of to keep blogging!

So to those of you who have gotten married since my last post one year ago - congrats!!! And to the rest - don't stop following wedding blogs, they will help keep you sane :)

Wedding Recaps: Gettin' Ready - The Dress!

2010-06-18T15:25:00.000-05:00

So I'm finally getting around to more wedding recaps. Though I've already revealed the wedding dress I bought in a post prior to my wedding, here are some actual pictures of me in my dress!

All photographs by the talented Seth Kammueller of Chicago.

My sis painstakingly buttoning the back of my dress (using a crochet hook, which was the best advice EVER) while I wait, slightly chilly!

Still gettin' buttoned up!

Random artsy shot, not sure what I'm doing :)

My amazing hairstylist Jess helping me with my veil

Finding the bustle on the veil. It was a small flower!

Ready to go get hitched!

Brides, what was your getting ready process like? If you are still engaged, how do you envision the morning before your wedding?

Stay tuned for more wedding recaps and dress pics!

Daily Inspiration: Beach Wedding Invitation with a Twist

2010-04-30T11:13:00.000-05:00

I was recently perusing the blog of the talented Anne Ruthmann (who is now an official local vendor, as she has moved to Massachusetts!), and found this lovely photo:

This is a beach wedding invitation that arrived in the bottle pictured above. Wouldn't it be perfect for a Cape Cod Wedding? I love how this is a spin on the traditional "message in a bottle" theme by sending it in a vintage Coca-Cola bottle. I also love the detail that the bride and groom lined the bottle with local sand to get guests geared up for their wedding day!

What are you doing for your STD's and invitations? Do you have any creative ideas for sending out something quirky and fun, or are you going the traditional route (as I did)?

Rustic Wedding Inspiration: Wine Barrels!

2010-04-29T10:02:00.000-05:00

A friend of mine from grad school and I were recently discussing her vision for her fall 2011 Chicago nuptials. She told me about the perfect venue she'd found, which she described as beautiful and full of "rustic romance." I too, adore weddings with rustic elegance, which got me thinking about how to further incoporate this idea into a wedding theme.

When I recently came across a great way to include wine into this theme, via my favorite wine brand, Red Truck (see related post over at my other blog, The Lovely Nester), I knew I just had to share it with the masses.

Red truck winery sells barrels of their most popular wines, which hold appoximately 4 bottles of wine. The wooden keg is so charming, that I knew it would make a fabulous centerpiece on each reception table.

Another reason to buy Red Truck wine is its affordability, which is important to any budget-minded bride, as well all know that alcohol costs can eat a large chunk of your funds. Most of their bottles cost around $10, and when you buy a barrel, the price drops to about $7. How great would it be to get one barrel of white and one barrel of red for each table, and allow guests to serve themselves from the spout?

One of the best reasons, though, is that Red Truck strives to be an environmentally friendly company. All of their wines are certified vegan, meaning that no animal products are used during the filtration process (yes, that really happens!). Furthermore, they recently launched a new line of exclusive organic wines, called Green Truck.

And, if you still need further inspiration of how the wine barrel would fit perfectly with a vineyard wedding, check out this inspiration board, courtesy of Style Me Pretty.

Vendor I (literally) Heart: Stories of Gen

2010-04-26T13:11:00.004-05:00

This time, my featured vendor is very near and dear to me, as she is my new sister-in-law! Let me explain:

I don't know about you, but as the bride, I made the majority of the wedding decisions and would consult with Cape Cod Groom for his approval. But since I wanted Cape Cod Groom to have some aspects of the wedding that were his decision (and take a few things off my plate!), one of the tasks on his to-do list was to choose the gifts for the groomsmen. Now, I will admit that this was a challenging task, as it's always easier to find pretty things for bridesmaids, so I was not surprised when he turned to our SIL, the creative mind behind Stories of Gen for assistance.

Our SIL started Stories of Gen to create a unique gift giving service to suit any budget. You provide her with the details on who, what, where, why, and how much you want to spend, and she will send you at least 3 fantastic finds from which to choose.

In our case, we were looking for attendant gifts for two very different groomsmen. One was a bachelor in his early 20's, the other a married father. Neither would have been into the traditional monogrammed flask. Stories of Gen found the perfect gifts for both, and since Cape Cod Groom waited until the last minute, she was even able to ship everything to us in time, in stylish packaging no less.

For my cousin, the young bachelor, she found this hip wallet, made of recycled seatbelts (courtesy of interrobang)!

For the best man, she found these Chicago Transit cufflinks, to remind him of his hometown now that he's relocated to Atlanta:

Overall, our Groomsmen could not have been happier with their gifts, and we were thrilled with Stories of Gen's unique and tasteful choices!

With wedding season quickly approaching, I highly recommend you contact her for all of your attendant gift needs. She also does gifts for any occasion, so don't forget to do something extra special for your parents for Mother's and Father's Day as well (especially if they are helping you out with your wedding)!

Finally, if you are going to be a guest at a wedding and want to give the lucky couple something unexpected, or are attending a wedding without a registry and have no idea what to purchase, here are some really cute items she has found for the bride & groom:

My personal fave, a customized silhouette of the couple:

Solar powered birdhouse to adorn the newlywed's home:

Love jar, also perfect for DIY wedding sand ceremonies!

Wedding Season Oh'Ten!

2010-04-25T15:43:00.000-05:00

Sorry it's been so long since my last post folks. Turns out this grad school thing is hard work! Ok, I already should have known that since I'm in my 4th year, but it's the end of the semester, which equal finals time (boo!). I have some ideas for great posts in my head though, which I promise to churn out soon.

On the plus side, wedding season is near! I want to give a special shout-out to my friend Cupcake Wedding, whose wedding will be my first of the season (we go way back to our liberal arts college days). I cannot wait to attend her nuptials next month in Florida and rock out with her!

My hubby and I have reserved our hotel room, purchased our plane tickets, and I recently ordered her gifts from her Macy's registry. We are pretty much all set to go (still need to get a rental car), and I purchased this pretty ditty from J.Crew to wear on the big day, which I'm gonna glam up with accessories:

To me the dress is perfect for her wedding as it's bright, pink, and fun, themes I know her wedding is all about. I still have to buy a killer outfit for her bachelorette party pub crawl, though, which gives me a great excuse to go shopping soon! I'll certainly need some retail therapy after the end of finals!

Do you have lots of weddings to attend this season? Which one are you most excited about?

Premarial Counseling - A Must?

2010-03-18T09:22:00.001-05:00

Now that Cape Cod Groom and I are married, I've begun to look back at our wedding process and reminisce. One element of our ride to the altar that I have been pondering, but never blogged about before, was our marriage classes.

Because we were getting married by my father at the church I grew up at on Cape Cod, we did not do premarital counseling with him since that would be downright akward. But, it was important to my MIL that we take marriage classes at the church where my husband was raised. Initially I was not looking forward to the classes. I felt that as a couple, we already had very good communication and the capability to do so maturely in the event of future disagreements. Plus, as a therapist myself, I have experience with counseling couples, so I felt I already knew the "basics" of couples counseling and could implement these skills in my own relationship.

That being said, I acquiesced and enrolled in the classes (they were public, not one therapist per couple) because it was important to my husband's family. Although I won't go into details about the classes here, the gist of them was that each class had a lecture, often by a married couple, about their relationship and what we could learn from their trials and tribulations. While I did not always agree with their perspective, the class was useful because afterward on the drive home, my then-fiance and I would compare our thoughts on the class, the couple that taught, and communicate about our views and beliefs. And it was nice to learn that we nearly always agreed with each other on the important issues (perhaps that is why we were getting married, LOL)!

Overall, I think that it is beneficial and important for all engaged couples to do some sort of exploratory counseling before their wedding. If you are not getting married in a church or a place that provides these services, I would recommend going to an independent therapist if you have health insurance. Most health insurance policies cover a select number of counseling sessions per year (usually 6-12), so why not use them if you have them? If you are on Medicaid, you can also find clinics that accept that as well.

Finally, if you are uninsured, or just want to learn more about your partner or work through any relationship issues on your own, I recommend a great book by Dr. John Gottman called the Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work (click link for image source). It is an easy to read, practical book about relationship advice, and even includes a fun and comprehensive quiz about how well you know your partner!

Are you and your fiance taking any sort of premarital counseling? If so, has it been helpful for you? Do you think it is something all couples should engage in prior to their wedding?

A Word of Advice: Stranger Danger!

2010-03-17T08:29:00.001-05:00

I have learned a very important lesson about financial security while planning a wedding, and I think it's important enough to share with everyone.

When my then-fiance and I decided to start making wedding related purchases, we decided, at the suggestion of Cape Cod Groom, to open a new credit card in both of our names. This was exciting because not only did it signify I could start making wedding purchases, but it was also our very first joint account of any type! We agreed that all major wedding related purchases would be made using solely this credit card.

Image Source

For Cape Cod Groom, though, the importance of having a credit card was not so much about having a shared account. While that was a perk that streamlined our wedding purchases and made it easier for both of us to keep track of our spending and budget, to him, a credit card signified something that I did not have the foresight to think of: insurance.

You see, when you book a wedding vendor, you are mostly doing so on faith. While you may research a vendor to the best of your abilities to make sure they are credible, vendors are still people, and they are people who are usually total strangers to you. That being said, the potential for scams does exist. If you pay someone with cash or check and it ends up being a scam, there is nothing you can do about it. Once your hard earned cash is spent by the vendor, your money is gone forever, unless you embark on the burdensome and expensive route of litigation.

Therefore, to avoid the hazard of getting scammed, either when planning a wedding or making any large purchase, it is always best to pay with a credit card. That is because credit card companies all have a fraud department and carry insurance for these occasions. So if you do have the unfortunate circumstance of being the victim of a scam, you can call the fraud department, explain your story and dispute the charge, and if the credit card company agrees with you, they will refund your money.

In my experience, some vendors will insist that you pay by check. If that is the case, this should raise a red flag. Now, I'm not saying by any means that everyone who wants you to pay with cash is a con artist, but I am saying that you should be extremely cautious in this situation. You can try to negotiate with the vendor. Remember that if they really want your business, especially in today's economy, they may also be willing to let you pay by credit card even though that is not their preferred method of payment.

Unfortunately, I do not think that this is something people often think about when planning their wedding. It is really easy to get caught up in the excitement of booking vendors and planning your big day that you can forget to protect yourself and your groom financially. Also, if you are an optimistic person like me who tends to give people the benefit of the doubt, it can be easy to assume the best in others. Finally, when the victim of a scam, many people are simply not aware of their rights or the fact that they can rely on a credit card company to back them up.

I'm glad I had Cape Cod Groom to bring a financially wise perspective to our situation. But I am also aware that others may not be so fortunate, so I hope this post will make people stop and think about their options when planning the event of their dreams. With all the stress that goes along with planning a wedding, being the victim of a scam is not something you want to add to your plate.

The Bling Thing

2010-03-15T10:29:00.001-05:00

All brides know that the first thing anyone asks you once you're engaged is "What does the ring look like?" (if you tell them over the phone), or if you happen make the announcement in person, you will experience the immediate grabbing of your left ring finger for inspection and approval.

Having experienced my own engagement and the recent engagements of my friends, plus reading about other's experiences in the world of wedding blogs, I've quickly learned that engagement rings are a big source of controversy these days. You have the traditional brides who want the Tiffany & Co. platinum setting, the hipsters and practical brides who want a vintage and/or cruelty free bauble, and the budget minded brides who want something simple that won't break the bank. There are even some who are on board with men wearing engagement rings as well, to symbolize their equal commitment to their relationship.

Image Source

But all of this bling controversy begs the question, why have an engagement ring at all?

When I was home for the holidays and visiting one of my best friends from college, her mother stated that she was never given an engagement ring. In fact, neither my mother nor my MIL ever had engagement rings either. According to my friend's mom, their generation, which pioneered the feminist movement, felt that engagement rings were completely unnecessary, and worse, a misogynistic symbol of a man buying a woman. Why not just have two people make a consenting, adult decision to get married, and then be done with it?

"Well Mom," my friend replied, "I may not need a man to buy me a diamond, but I'd still like one."

My friend's statement is the perfect representation of my generation's attitudes towards engagement rings. As woman who grew up in a world where we were taught we are independent, capable, and equal to men, we don't need a ring to symbolize that we are a man's property, but most of us still like the tradition of wearing something sentimental and meaningful to us. We are able to choose how traditional we want to be (through our engagement ring choice and other life choices) because through their rebellion of cultural norms, our mothers paved the way for us to have any opportunity and freedom we desire.

To be honest, my husband and I took a more practical route and had already made a mutual decision to get married and even enroll in marriage classes before we made it "official" by him getting me a diamond ring. And while I love my ring and what it represents, I always found it silly that people still don't consider you really engaged until you have that ring on your finger.

What are your views on engagement rings? Do you view them as necessary in our current culture? Would you be willing to get engaged if your fiance did not present you with a diamond?

Want to be on TV?

2010-03-14T15:10:00.001-05:00

I was recently contacted by a casting director for the CW network, who asked me to share their blurb about a new reality show that wants to cast engaged couples that are looking to shed some serious poundage before their wedding. Though reality shows aren't really my thing, I am on a new fitness routine myself and think health should be number one, so I can get on board with the idea that it would be great for a couple to earn the chance to win a dream wedding while becoming healthier.

Here is the info from the CW:

The CW is currently casting engaged couples wanting to lose weigh before their BIG DAY!

The CW along with the creator and producers of “THE BIGGEST LOSER” have come together to give one lucky couple their DREAM WEDDING. With help from our fitness experts, couples will compete in weekly challenges to shed those extra pounds. We are looking for OUTGOING, COMPETITIVE couples that want to lose between 30 to 60 lbs each. If you and your fiancé are up for the challenge and want to win your dream wedding, now’s your chance.

Please submit at least two pictures of the happy couple, a brief description of your dream wedding and your complete contact info to: shed2wedcasting@gmail.com

Vendor I Heart: Origami Bijou

2010-03-08T14:17:00.002-06:00

With all the recaps of my wedding and my recent giveaway, it's been awhile since I've had a post about a featured vendor that I love. I decided it was finally time for one again when I was contacted by Origami Bijou, who wanted to know what I thought of their line of modern jewelry and was interested in offering a special discount to my readers!

I immediately headed over to their website and was enthralled with their work. They create really unique, modern pieces of jewelry (earrings and necklaces) that are perfect for special occasions or everyday wear.

I love their heart collection, which is much more subtle and creative than your traditional Tiffany's heart line. The earrings and necklace set would be lovely for bridesmaids or a bride looking to add a romantic touch to her wedding.

Another one of my favorites was their modern alphabet collection, which would be great to customize for a bridal party. I should also note that they offer most of their pieces in silver and gold. Here is a gold necklace with my initial:

For someone looking for a more dressy or classic look, they also sell a pearl collection. One of my favorites is the lotus flower necklace pictured below, which I could totally picture wearing to an outdoor garden wedding:

And last but certainly not least, no Cape Cod Bride would be complete without wearing something from their nautical line! Preppy brides having a coastal wedding (like me) will adore their sail boat collection, which features pieces such as this:

The best news is that the company is offering an exclusive discount for readers of Cape Cod Bride. From now until April 5th, enter capecodbride as the coupon code during checkout and get 15% off all orders! Enjoy :-)

Well Wed's Cape & Islands Wedding Affair Contest Winners!

2010-02-27T10:11:00.000-06:00

As promised, I am announcing the 2 winners to my Cape & Islands Wedding Affair ticket giveaway, hosted by Well Wed.

Just to recap, I have 2 pairs of tickets to giveaway to 2 fortunate brides. Brides could enter by posting a comment on my blog post, or by tweeting about the giveaway on Twitter. I had lots of entries, mostly via Twitter (I guess people don't like to comment, lol).

This morning I used a free online generator to randomly pick the names of the two winners. Despite all the Twitter entries, both of the winners of the contest were people who commented on my blog!

So without further ado . . . .

Congratulations to Mickey and Shannon!!!

I hope you guys have a fabulous time at the show on March 6th and get to bring someone special with you! I wish I could be there to meet you in person, but alas I will be in Miami, so let me know how you liked the show :D

My First Giveaway: Tickets to Well Wed's Wedding Affair!

2010-02-24T18:30:00.002-06:00

Hello readers! I'm estatic to share the exciting news that I am having my first giveaway, starting now!

I was fortunate to be contacted by the great team at Well Wed, who specialize in weddings for the Northeast, and publish fantastic magazines that are your guide to weddings on Cape Cod, Vermont, New York and the Hamptons. As a bride who was recently married on Cape Cod, I know how important and challenging it can be to find trustworthy local vendors. Therefore, I'm excited to partner with them to offer 2 pairs of tickets to a couple of lucky readers to their Cape & Islands Wedding Affair on March 6th!

The Cape & Islands Wedding Affair is a bridal show like none other, and I have heard amazing things about it from some of my readers who have attended in previous years. Click the link above to see some great photos of the Wedding Affair. If only I were not currently living in Chicago, I would be there myself in a heartbeat!

Here are the details, courtesy of the Well Wed team:

Cape & Islands Wedding Affair Itinerary
Saturday March 6th, 2010
Ocean Edge Resort
Brewster, MA
3:00-7:00 PM

"Meet with some of the area's most celebrated wedding professionals, spend time in the Groom's Lounge (cigar rolling & micro-brews), relax in the bridal bar with complimentary facials & pedis while nibbling on chocolate."

The Bridal Bar:

Pedicures
Brow Shaping
Mini Facials
Hair & Makeup Consultations & Styling

Workshops & Seminars

3:30 - 4:00 - Wedding Coordination & Budgets:

Meet one of the area's most renowned wedding coordinators who will share with you their tips & tricks for creating a dream wedding - without breaking the bank!

4:30 - 5:00 - Plan The Perfect Menu - Wine Tasting & Pairing:

Taste the area's finest locally grown wines & learn how to pair your selections to create the perfect wedding menu.

5:30 - 6:00 - Practical Planning Tips:
One of the area's most celebrated wedding professionals shares their wealth of knowledge on wedding trends, budget planning, & DIY ideas, followed by a Q & A session.

6:30 - 7:00 - Couture Fashion Show:

Sip martinis & champagne while enjoying a "runway" fashion show featuring the latest trends in gown design.

Doesn't this sound amazing?! How could anyone not love fashion, beauty bars, wedding planning, and wine tastings all rolled into one? One of the best features about this event is that they sell a limited number of tickets to create an intimate setting (which my loyal readers know I'm a big fan of) and to provide brides with individual attention, unlike at your traditional bridal expo, which can be enormous and completely overwhelming.

The best news is that I have not one, but two pairs of tickets to give away to you lucky brides, at a value of $40 per pair! Bring your MOH, your mom, or your FH and have a ball while planning your wedding!

The only catch is that you have to be able to go to Cape Cod to attend this event, and it will focus heavily on local (Cape & Islands) wedding vendors. I know some of my readers are from Massachusetts, but if you are not and know of any friends or family who might be interested in this event, be sure to pass along this opportunity to them (trust me, they'll thank you :)

There are 2 ways to enter this giveaway. Note that doing both will automatically give you two entries into this contest!

Enter a comment below about why you wish to attend this fantastic event, being sure to include your email address so I will be able to contact you quickly and easily in the event that you win a pair of tickets.
Tweet about this giveaway, being sure to mention me, @Cape Cod Bride so I know you did it.

Since we are on a tight deadline with the Wedding Affair being on March 6th, I will only keep this contest open until this Friday, February 26th at midnight! So be sure to enter asap so you don't miss out on your chance!!

Contest Shout-Out

2010-02-22T18:57:00.004-06:00

I just wanted to give a quick thanks to Backyard Bride, who recently announced on her blog that I won her ULTA gift card giveaway! As you may be aware, the past couple of weeks have been pretty crappy for me, as I was dealing with some health issues, among other things. Hopefully some retail therapy will help :)

source

In all seriousness, though, I realized that with the stress of work, school, and everything else I have had on my plate that I was not properly taking care of myself, and as a result, my health suffered. I am an optimist, so I do believe that the positive that has come out of this experience and some other recent personal events is that I have taken the time to reexamine my priorities, and will make sure I am mindful of working towards all of my personal goals, so that I can become the best version of me!

So I just wanted to remind brides out there who are still amidst the stress of wedding planning to remember your priorities, and take care of yourself! Because a healthy bride is a beautiful bride!

All About You!

2010-02-22T18:33:00.004-06:00

Hello to all of my lovely blog readers!

When I first started blogging, my hubby installed some sort of gizmo that tracks all sorts of cool stats about my blog, including how many readers I have per day, week, and month. I totally forgot about it until recently. When I went to check it out, I was shocked by how many page impressions I get!

That led me to wonder . . . Who are all of my readers? I know I have some faithful followers and commenters (props to you guys), but I had no idea I get so many other anonymous readers.

So instead of writing about myself for a change, I've decided that I want to learn all about you! And being the dedicated graduate student/researcher that I am, I created a reader poll to find out who you guys are!

You can click the above link to take my short survey. There is also a new tab on my blog that contains the survey, called Tell Me About Yourself.

I promise it's short and I'd love to learn more about everyone! Any link sharing, retweets, facebook status updates, etc. would be much appreciated!

Transportation on a Budget

2010-02-14T14:17:00.002-06:00

Cape Cod Groom and I lamented over what to do regarding our wedding transportation. We considered renting a traditional limousine, but the prices in our area to transport us and our wedding party were outrageous. Plus, given that Cape Cod Groom loves cars, he wanted something more flashy than a typical limo.

Given that we were also having a vintage theme to our wedding, I suggested renting an antique car for the day. My groom was pleased with this suggestion, until I looked at renting the antique cars through valet/limo companies. They were just as expensive, if not more costly than renting a limo, and held far fewer people! I was beginning to feel a bit discouraged, but, knowing that Cape Cod has lots of wealthy retirees with car fetishes, I decided to post an ad on Craigslist to see if I could negotiate a price with someone who owned a vintage ride.

I still had plenty of time until my wedding, so I wasn't worried about taking my time to find the right vehicle. I got a few responses right away from the Craigslist ad, but they were muscle cars and convertibles at that, which would not do for my December nuptials. I was beginning to think that old men with nice antique cars probably do not have any idea what Craigslist is, nevermind frequenting the site regularly.

At the suggestion of my friend at Cupcake Wedding, I contacted a local antique car club on the Cape to see if any members would be interested in renting me their ride for the day. To my dismay, I got no response from them! Now I was starting to panic, because there was not much time left until the big day, and I feared that I would end up riding to the ceremony in my father's Buick.

Miraculously, about 8 weeks prior to our wedding, I got an email via the Craigslist ad from a man who owned a 1948 Dodge. He said he had chauffeured a couple of weddings before, sent me tons of pictures, and after seeing the car in person, my groom and I knew this was it! It was way cooler than any limo we could afford, and about 1/3 of the cost!

Here are some pictures of our ride, taken on our wedding day by our photographer Seth Kammueller.

Car with a view of the Chatham Lighthouse in the background:

The grill!

Waiting for the bride:

In the end, we were really happy with our decision. The car fit with our vintage theme perfectly, I loved the color, and my groom loved riding inside an antique car. Plus, since we saved money on not having to rent a limo, our parents decided to rent a couple of large passenger vans to transport guests to and from the reception. While it is by no means necessary to provide transportation for your guests, I will say that this gesture made guests really happy since that they could drink as much as they wanted without having to have a designated driver. Plus, the cost of the vintage car plus the two vans was still lower than renting a limo for the day!

I highly recommend doing something similar if you are in a similar situation and have a tight budget. My only advice would be to start your search earlier than I, to avoid the stress of all of the last minute negotiation and planning!

Going Against the Grain: DIY Table Names

2010-02-13T14:33:00.000-06:00

As a bride on a budget, many elements of my wedding included DIY projects, and my table numbers were no exception. I initially considered purchasing table numbers because I did not want to create too much work for myself and my groom the week of the wedding, but after scouring Etsy and finding some decent deals, I decided to create them myself.

One reason was that even though there were some reasonable prices from Etsy vendors, after calculating the cost of making them myself, I just couldn't justify spending the extra amount of cash to have them pre-made.

Another reason was that I did not want simple signs with a number on them. Since were were having a Christmas wedding, and my family and I have always adored Christmas movies, I decided that I wanted each table to bear the name of a Christmas film. Thus, I knew if I wanted custom table numbers, it would make much more sense to just do them myself.

My groom and I thus went to Paper Source to purchase the supplies for our project, and fortunately had help from a very experienced saleswoman, who helped us find exactly what we needed. We decided to make our table numbers double sided, so we purchased table tents, navy paper, and silver shimmer paper (see below).

My groom and I chose the movies and created a custom monogram for the top of the table names in Microsoft Word. As you have to use a high quality printer that will not smudge, we went to my father's office and printed the table numbers in navy ink on the silver shimmer paper.

The hardest part was cutting the navy and silver paper to fit the table tents, which were smaller than the standard 8.5" x 11" paper. Thankfully, my groom used his mad paper cutter skills (I highly recommend using a paper cutter and not scissors!) and made everything fit perfectly.

Overall, making the table numbers was more tedious and time consuming than my groom and I had anticipated, but we were really excited with our creation. Here are some images of the final products (you're also getting a sneak peak of my DIY centerpieces, which I will soon detail in another post):

This was where we sat the groom's family, since this is their favorite Christmas movie:

My family was sat here, since this is my mother's favorite Christmas movie:

I couldn't resist throwing some humor into our table names!

And last but not least, my personal favorite, the Bad Santa table:

Overall, our table names were a huge hit with our guests (fortunately our guests all had a sense of humor). Our friends at the Bad Santa table jokingly asked what they did to deserve that label, and all of our other guests were jealous that we did not deem them worthy of sitting at the Bad Santa table!

In the end, I'm so glad we decided to go against tradition and created table names that reflected our personalities and interests. I highly recommend doing the same for your wedding, as it is not only a great conversation starter for guests, but also makes your wedding more unique and personal, while saving money!

A New Marriage, A New Blog!

2010-02-12T19:36:00.002-06:00

Exciting news to share ladies and gents!

As I mentioned in a previous post, after my wedding I was debating about what to do with this blog, given that I was no longer a bride-to-be. Ultimately, I decided that I want to keep this blog to share with my audience my wedding day recaps, DIY projects, and general wedding fabulousness. However, I also want to share my perspective on life as a newlywed wife, so I decided to create a new blog.

I'm excited and thrilled to share that I have my new blog up and running, with my first post officially published! It's called The Lovely Nester, and you can follow the link to start reading about all of my new adventures as Mrs. Cape Cod Bride.

I also have a sneak peak of my next post on my new blog to share with you. It is about a controversial book on marriage by Lori Gottleib, the author of Marry Him: The Case for Settling for Mr Good Enough. In the book, Gottleib argues that wise women stop chasing the unattainable "bad boy" or the perfect Mr. Big ala SATC, and settle down with the "good guy." This got me thinking about my own choice in a partner, and made me ponder love, passion, and compatibility.

What do you think ladies? Do you believe there is a perfect soul mate out there waiting for you? Or did you choose the dependable guy who is good enough, but don't feel as though the passion is there? Can there be a happy medium, in that you marry your best friend who you also lust for, or is that happy ending only found in trite Hollywood romance flicks?

Wedding Recaps: Gettin' Ready Part 1

2010-02-12T18:29:00.002-06:00

Wow, it's hard to believe that I've been married for 62 days already! I know I have been terribly lazy about blogging and posting my wedding recaps, but who knew life as a newlywed could be so hectic??

I'm so excited to begin sharing my wedding recaps with you. I have to say, the morning of my wedding was not what I envisioned, but nonetheless, I had a blast.

First of all, Cape Cod Groom and I had originally planned to keep with tradition and spend the night before our wedding apart, so we would not see each other until the ceremony. But with all the stress of the wedding, we both really wanted to unwind our best friend, each other! So we decided to say eff tradition and I spent the night with him at our swanky hotel. I have to say, it was the best decision we could have made. We relaxed, had a great night's sleep, slept in, and even had time to go to breakfast together on the morning of our wedding!

Then we went to my family's house, where I met up with my sister/MOH, her boyfriend, my mom, my hairstylist and makeup artist. One of our groomsman, my cousin, and a few other friends & family members were there as well. At first I couldn't believe that the morning of my wedding was spent with a group of guys, but again, who needs tradition? We had fun, they helped ease my nerves, and we watched Four Christmases (I heart Christmas movies) while I got my hair did.

Our amazing photographer, Seth Kammueller, was there to capture the morning. Here are some of the highlights, before I put on my gown (saving that for another post!).

The MOH and I get our hair did:

A giggly MOH

Let the sausage fest begin!

The gentlemen arrive

A happy groom

The groom & groomsman

The groom and MOH are all smiles

The MOH and her BF

Makeup time with the fantastic Samantha Spearin!

Lovin my hair in this first one, props to the great Jessica DiGravio:

A few more tidbits:

My fuel. It wouldn't be a New England wedding without the Dunk!

A Word (Or Many) About Gay Marriage

2010-01-24T15:45:00.010-06:00

In both the wedding world and politics, gay marriage is a very hot topic. First, there was a the passing of Proposition 8 in California, which had banned gay marriage in the state. Then, Martha Stewart Weddings featured its first ever gay wedding in their magazine. Next, in the world of blogging brides, came a post by The Barefoot Bride denouncing gay marriage and the Martha Stewart Weddings feature of the gay couple due to her Christian beliefs, which sparked a firestorm of over 300 comments to the post! And recently, the Perry versus Schwarzenegger trial began, to determine whether Proposition 8's ban on same-sex marriage violates U.S. constitutional rights of equal protection and due process. This is an unprecedented court case on the issue, and the ramifications will surely be historical, whatever the final verdict.

Since creating this blog, I have quietly shown my support for gay marriage by displaying a badge from WhiteKnot.org to embrace marriage equality.

But now, I've decided to join the ranks and speak out about this issue. I come from the first state to legalize gay marriage. I have an aunt who is a lesbian. I was raised to believe that all humans are created equal, and discrimination against others is simply intolerable. But that being said, I do not want to make this an argument based on emotion. Just because I was raised in this environment does not mean I have not considered alternative perspectives, or failed to analyze my own beliefs. I have spent a great deal of time pondering, debating, studying, researching, and educating others on this topic. I truly strive to understand the beliefs of both sides. And I am against either side engaging in immature name calling.

I think at the heart of this issue there is a failure on both sides to understand the other, because in America there appears to be a movement towards what I would describe as belief equaling fact. When one side is arguing based on fact and the other on personal beliefs, neither side is going to understand each other, because it's like trying to compare apples and oranges, so to speak.

To elucidate this trend, on the liberal/pro-marriage equality/Democrat (pick one) side you have individuals who cite the fact that the Constitution guarantees all citizens equal protection under the law, and that the Declaration of Independence states that all men are created equal and have the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. According to this argument, homosexuals are being unfairly discriminated against by being denied the right to marry, since the fact is that they are guaranteed equal protection under the law.

The Left's Stance on Gay Marriage in a Nutshell

However, the conservative/Christian/Republican stance tends to gravitate towards the belief that homosexuality is immoral and wrong. The problem here is not necessarily the Right's belief that homosexuality is wrong (everyone is entitled to their beliefs, even if we vehemently disagree with them). The issue is that the Right is taking their beliefs and attempting to morph them into facts. By that, I mean that they are stating that because they believe marriage between same sex couples is immoral, they then (usually) claim it is a fact that marriage is an institution between to unite one man and one woman. I also often hear the argument that homosexual marriages will threaten the quality and validity of heterosexual marriage. The Family Research Council, a Christian organization, claims:

"Homosexual marriage is an empty pretense that lacks the fundamental sexual complementariness of male and female. And like all counterfeits, it cheapens and degrades the real thing. The destructive effects may not be immediately apparent, but the cumulative damage is inescapable. The eminent Harvard sociologist, Pitirim Sorokin, analyzed cultures spanning several thousand years on several continents, and found that virtually no society has ceased to regulate sexuality within marriage as defined as the union of a man and a woman, and survived."

The problem here is that again, the FRC is taking historical observation and trying to pass it off as valid research, or fact. Basically they are saying that societies that stopped defining marriage (which ones, btw?) as between a man and a woman did not survive, so if we allow gay marriage our society will also end. They are calling this research and trying to pretend it is fact. But as all researchers know, correlation does not equal causation. That means that just because there is a correlation between societies ending and liberal sexual attitudes (assuming this is even a valid correlation) does NOT mean that liberal sexual attitudes caused the destruction of these societies. There could be numerous other explanations, such as war, for the demise of these societies. There are also a myriad of other reasons that people oppose same-sex marriage that I am not going to debate here. I just wanted to make the point with a couple of examples that this side does not view their beliefs as mere opinion, they have elevated them to facts, and fail to see the important distinction between the two.

In more extreme cases, and I am certainly not saying this is the belief held by all anti-equality individuals, religious conservatives make statements that the other side would view as hate or bigotry as though they are facts. But again, these "facts" cannot be proven through science, and they are really just opinions. Please refer to the image below for a good example of a man who has tried to pass his personal belief off as a fact. In this case the man believes that homosexuals are possessed by demons. However his poster makes it appear that this is a fact, when indeed it clearly is not (though I know he and some others would disagree with me).

To summarize, the issue between those who support same-sex marriage and those who do not is that one side is arguing on the basis of fact, while the other is arguing on the basis of belief. The key is that individuals who oppose marriage equality do not believe they are arguing on the basis of belief; they feel that the Bible and its teachings are facts, which to them are just as valid as legitimate research studies or tangible evidence. We cannot dispute this belief, because we cannot and will not prove to them they are wrong, just as they cannot prove to us that the Bible is actually fact. To do so would be like trying to convince people that grass is really purple, when they have viewed it as green throughout their lives. It's just not going to happen. Thus, neither side is ever going to compromise or really understand the other side.

However, history has shown that when we discriminate against groups on the basis of belief, in violation of the Constitution, that eventually, the majority of this country will come to the consensus that there does need to be a separation between personal beliefs and facts. And that we have to run the country on the basis of facts (the laws outlined in the Constitution), because to do otherwise is unfair, since all humans deserve to be treated equally. This has certainly been the case for women and African Americans.

I remember asking my parents when I was younger what it was like to grow up with Jim Crow laws or be apart of the feminist movement, and why discrimination was so tolerated in society. They said that really, there was no good answer for why society tolerated such bigotry, and that fortunately, these groups succeeded in attaining their Constitutional rights to freedom and equality. Someday, I know I will be able to tell my children the same answer when they ask me why when I was growing up homosexuals did not have the right to marry. I have faith that that day will come.

Are Wedding Blogs the New Vogue?

2010-01-13T17:14:00.000-06:00

You may have no idea what this post is going to be about from the title. Before I clarify, let me explain that I have been super ecstatic to continue to share the professional pictures of our wedding in the form of recaps and DIY projects.

For me, choosing a wedding photographer was one of the most important decisions in the wedding planning process. I wanted a photographer with a unique style that would be able to create images of the wedding that I would consider proper art. Picking a wedding photographer was so difficult for me, because there are so many photographers out there whose work I admired. However, unfortunately for me (and my groom, who had to listen to me lament over this issue incessantly), I have expensive taste, and most of the photographers I wanted were way out of my price range.

Looking back, I can definitely say I got what I wanted in the photographer we chose, Seth Kammueller, which is fantastic. But now that the wedding is over and I have hundreds of wedding images to obsess over, I have begun to analyze why a photographer was so important to me in the first place. At the time, I told myself that a photographer is important because other than your memories, which may fade over time, images are the only keepsake you may have from your wedding. I wanted a photographer who would capture one of the most important days of my life in a way that would preserve the memories for a lifetime. At least, that is what I told myself. And to be honest, I still feel that way, and consider photography to be art, which is an investment.

So how does any of this have anything to do with wedding blogs being the new Vogue? Well, I also think that the reason that I wanted a great photographer is due to the social pressure from wedding blogs to have a "storybook wedding." When you look at the wedding images featured on professional sites like Style Me Pretty (don't get me wrong, I'm still a big fan), everything featured looks too good to be true, like the weddings come straight out of a magazine. I recently wrote blog post about a winter wedding I saw on SMP, and as one of my readers commented, the couple are "impossibly good looking."

And you know what? My reader was totally right. That's when I realized that reading wedding blogs and only seeing picture perfect weddings featuring couples that look like models sets an unrealistic standard for the rest of us. Just like when I read Vogue or any other fashion magazine, and see page after page of malnourished models. Even though I don't want to compare myself to the women featured in the media, and with a psychology background realize that is unhealthy, I still cannot help but feel that there is something wrong with looking like a normal person. That sad thing is that I will continue to read fashion magazines and look at wedding blogs that continue to perpetrate this standard. And I'm not saying that that is necessarily a terrible thing. I still get lots of inspiration from wedding blogs, and hey, looking at pretty things is fun. But at the same time, reading these wedding blogs can subconsciously create an enormous amount of pressure to go on a diet, blow your budget, and highlight, wax, and powder your way to wedding day perfection.

I cannot tell you the number of blog posts and tweets I've read where brides state that they want to lose those "last 10 pounds" not due to vanity or wedding pressure, but because they will "feel healthier." While that may be true, brides need to stop kidding themselves and just admit that white is not a slimming color, and really you want to lose the weight so that when you walk down the aisle, guests don't secretly think "OMG she looks chubby in that dress," or so you don't look back on your photos and feel disgusted by your back cleavage. And even if you are fortunate enough to be naturally slim, there are still so many other ways in which wedding media has insidiously created self doubt in brides over everything from finding the perfect shoes to purchasing the trendiest centerpieces and favors. It just seems like we can't win.

Vogue

I do not want to end on a pessimistic note. Just because there are a plethora of perfect wedding images in print, does not mean there are not alternatives. So I want to say kudos the the bridal bloggers out there who do not perpetrate these standards, who embrace diversity and uniqueness (you know who you are) and who make me feel good about myself and my wedding even though it does not resemble a staged photoshoot! I look forward to sharing the rest of my wedding photos with you :)

Going Against the Grain (literally!): DIY Sand Ceremony

2010-01-12T18:22:00.002-06:00

I am so excited to share another one of my wedding DIY projects now that we have received our professional wedding photos!

I had always liked the idea of incoporating a unity ceremony into the religious service, and had often seen this done with the lighting of unity candles. Since we were getting married on the coast of Cape Cod, and the beach has always been special to me, my fiance and I decided that we preferred to do a unity sand ceremony instead.

Being the researcher that I am, I instantly began scouring the Internet for where I could purchase the nicest sand ceremony set for the lowest price. However, I was quickly dismayed, and rather taken aback, by the ridiculous prices for these sets. "Are you freaking kidding me?? $65 for a couple of vases? Sand NOT included?" I said to myself.

I decided that there was no reason that I could not make a sand ceremony set myself, for a fraction of the cost. So when my then-fiance and I were on Cape Cod in October doing some last minute wedding plannning, we stopped at Michael's to see what we could find. We were pleased to discover the small heart jars pictured below to hold the sand, and bought 6 of them (2 for my sand, 2 for his sand, and 2 for my dad's sand, who was also our officiant), for only $0.99 a piece!

Next, we needed a large vase or jar into which we would pour our creation. Since I knew we would want to take it on the plane back to Chicago, we decided to purchase an apothecary jar with a lid so our sand wouldn't spill. I also like apothecary jars because they are pretty and have a vintage vibe, which was also one of our wedding themes. We found one that fit the bill for less than $10.

We then purchased some white and dark blue sand (our wedding colors) at Michael's for only a few dollars a pound. Since we still needed sand for my father, we thought we'd go to the beach and collect some local sand for free, which would incorporate a more sentimental touch as well!

Here is the final product:

Photograph by Seth Kammueller

And here it is after the unity sand ceremony:

Photograph by Seth Kammueller

Overall, we were very pleased with how our DIY project turned out, and many of our guests commented on how unique and special the unity ceremony was. My father also gave a nice speech before we poured the unity sand to explain the symbolic meaning behind it, and our pianist played "Claire de Lune" by Debussy to add to the ambiance of the moment.

A Blog Makeover & A Big Announcement!

2010-01-07T18:52:00.001-06:00

Happy New Year! I know I have been MIA this past week, but now you can see why! Instead of making a New Year's resolution that I probably won't keep, I decided to update my blog to a new template and background/color scheme. Now I will also have more room for pictures, which is great because I have TONS of wedding recaps and DIY projects from my wedding to share with you.

In addition, since the wedding I have been internally debating about what to do with my blog. On the one hand, it seems a bit silly to keep a wedding blog after one is married, and I really want to start blogging about life after you say "I do." In retrospect, having been married nearly 4 weeks now (eek, I can't believe how fast time flies!!!), I think that brides, and probably grooms, put so much time and energy into the wedding day, that it can be really easy to gloss over what happens after your big day. It's like you have this hugely important day in your mind, filled with so much anticipation and excitement, that you never really stop to think about the fact that life will actually continue after you become an official married couple.

When I started this blog, I needed a place to vent, share my thoughts and feelings, and gain support and inspiration from others, as well as hopefully provide the same to other couples out there. I didn't expect that I would enjoy blogging as much as I have. When I was younger, I used to enjoy creative writing as a hobby. Being in graduate school for the past 4 years had pretty much wiped out the passion that I once had for writing, as well as reading, since when someone else orders you to do it it feels like a chore. But this blog has revived my excitement about writing, and it has been really great to connect with all of the other wonderful brides out there in blogger land!

Thus, I am not ready to give up this blog now that I'm married, for sentimental reasons as well as a want to continue to share ideas and hopefully inspire others. Hence, I have decided that I will keep this blog and focus solely on weddings, and for the meantime my own. But, since I also want to focus on life after saying "I do," I will be creating a second blog for this purpose. So stay tuned for more announcements regarding my new blog and my first post on there as well!

This debate and decision to create a second blog has also made me wonder what other brides do once their wedding day has passed. Did you give up your blog, continue to post about other weddings, or make it a personal blog of your daily life? What do you current brides-to-be plan to do once your wedding is over?

A Winter Wonderland!

2009-12-28T13:44:00.003-06:00

When I think back to my first post, one of my goals was to inspire others to see the beauty in a winter wedding. So, when I came across this winter wedding on Style Me Pretty, I was so stunned by the gorgeous couple and backdrop that it literally took my breath away!

I adore the details in their table settings, particularly their vintage style menus, the silver ornaments hanging from the chairs, and the seasonal centerpieces, which are actually quite similar to my own (though I'm still partial to mine!). In fact, our centerpieces also had touches of white, silver and green for some holiday flair!

And don't get me started on the bride's accessories. The faux fur jacket from Anthropologie is cruelty free and gorgeous (snag it on sale now here), and I love the bride's chic bracelet! But most of all, this couple seems completely crazy in love and happy. This wedding totally made my day.

All inspiration boards courtesy of Style Me Pretty

The Dress Reveal!

2009-12-27T16:58:00.006-06:00

Hello bloggers! I'm so thrilled to be back in Chicago post honeymoon and able to regularly blog again! I'm still waiting for the photographs from my photographer, which we should have by next week (yay!), so in the meantime I have decided to finally share my wedding dress with you!

I was one of the brides who chose not to post anything about my dress before the wedding because I did not want my now hubby to sneak a peak and ruin the surprise. I'm really glad I waited, because he told me that he could have never imagined my dress and he was so excited to see me in it for the first time on our big day. The dress is called Fanal, and the designer is La Sposa. Here are pictures of the front and back of the dress from La Sposa's website.

This dress is in the color oyster, however I ordered mine in the more traditional ivory. I bought my dress a small bridal shop called Wedding Belles, LTD, located in the suburbs of Chicago. I had visited several other shops in the Chicagoland area before making this boutique my last visit. I did all of the shopping for my dress in one weekend, and was very eager to find "the one," since my mom had flown out from the Cape to help me.

I should explain that this dress was not at all what I had in mind when I envisioned my wedding dress. For one, I was vehemently again wearing a strapless dress, as I had visions of it falling down and being annoyed by pulling it up all night. I also imagined myself in a very simple sheath, more like a beach dress, with out any fluff or pouf, like this cute J. Crew number:

The La Sposa that I purchased, though, was the last dress I had tried on at the store, however, and once I put it on I had "The Moment." This is the moment where I knew this dress, regardless of the fact that it was strapless, satin, or anything else I had abhorred, was meant for me. I loved how the ruching across the body made it more ornate without having to add beading, while being still simple and modern, and how slimming and tall it made me look! Plus, the heavier material did end up being perfect for my winter nuptials.

Overall, I couldn't be happier with my decision, and everyone genuinely raved about how perfect and lovely the dress was for me. I will be waiting to receive my wedding photos before posting any pictures of me in the dress. However, here a some pictures I found online from Feather Love Photography of another gorgeous bride who recently rocked this dress in a surprise wedding (how awesome is that, btw?!) in the same color as I have!

Engagement Photos: Urban Shots

2009-12-27T10:57:00.002-06:00

Merry Christmas and happy holidays to all! I have decided to finish up all of the posts entailing our engagement photos before I move on to the juicy wedding details (plus, I'm waiting to do so until I receive the professional wedding photos, as it will make it so much easier to have visuals to accompany my descriptions).

Our photographer (Seth Kammueller) was so easy to work with and flexible that he allowed us to go all over Chicago for our pictures. I have already shared the photos from Lincoln Park and it's indoor botanical garden. Here are a few more from Lincoln Park, Wrigley Field, and nearby Belmont Harbor, all special places for me and Cape Cod Groom!

First we went to the lily pond in Lincoln Park for a few last shots at this location:

Next it was off to Belmont Harbor where it was sooooo cold and windy, and I was being stubborn and refusing to wear a coat in 30 degree temperatures, but we are glad we braved the weather for these shots as they are some of our favorites!

We almost got washed away by the waves coming over the side of the walkway, and our photographer's camera got splashed, but this shot is pretty neat:

One of my favorites:

Wrigley Field was our last stop, and despite a rainy morning, the sun finally came out for us!

Engagement Photos: Lincoln Park

2009-12-18T12:09:00.005-06:00

Hello everyone!

It feels so good to be writing to you my first time as Mrs. Cape Cod Bride!!! I just wanted to drop a quick note and thank everyone for their warm wishes, support, and congratulations that you have all been sharing with me here and everywhere else!

I'm taking advantage of the wireless we have at our hotel here in Montreal to share some more pictures of our engagement session with you. I can't wait to share all of the details and photos from the wedding, which could not have been more fun and gorgeous, but in the meantime, enjoy these instead :)

All photos courtesy of Seth Kammueller Photography

Holiday Cheer!

2009-12-05T15:00:00.005-06:00

If you recall, awhile back I won a fantastic gift certificate for Wedding Paper Divas from the wonderful Alternative Bride to use towards a personalized holiday card. At the time, I asked you to vote on which card you liked the best, and as it turns out, I chose . . . Neither!

Let me explain. My fiance and I were waiting to order the cards until we got our engagement photos done, as we wanted to use one for our cards. Once we received them from our photographer earlier this week, we went to peruse our options again on their website and found a card we love even more than the other two we had initially considered. Thus, we decide to nix our initial choice and go in a different direction.

Why? Well, we both love the color green, as well as vintage look of this card. Most of all, since we are getting married on December 12th, we adore that the cards say "Happy Holidays from the Newlyweds." I know I'm a big dork, but I can't wait to receive these in a few days and send them out for our first Christmas together as husband and wife!

Is anyone sending out holiday cards of you and your husband/fiance, and if so, how did you choose what to do as a theme?

Engagment Photos: Botanical Garden Shots

2009-12-04T22:30:00.002-06:00

As promised, I have more photos of my engagement session to share with you! My fiance and I were a bit disappointed as it rained most of the day we had scheduled to do the shoot and was also quite cold and windy, but what else can you expect for winter in Chicago? As a result, I first suggested that we go to the botanical garden in nearby Lincoln Park, since it's not only beautiful but indoors. Here are some of the highlights:

Can you spot us in this one?

I love these two below because they were shot through the hole in a leaf! How creative is that!?

(All photographs by Seth Kammueller)

We have a few other locations with some great shots that I will be posting in due time! And just because I'm so excited, I can't help but share that there is only one week left until our rehearsal, and 8 days until our wedding!!!!

Engagement Photos Sneak Peak

2009-12-02T08:44:00.008-06:00

Sorry I haven't been blogging much, folks. Thanksgiving combined with only 11 days until my wedding = total chaos. That being said, Cape Cod Groom and I had a blast this weekend taking our engagement photos with Seth Kammueller, a fantastic Chicago photographer, and I'm excited to share a sneak peak with all of you! Here is a photo of us in the botanical garden in Lincoln Park.

This is also a big deal for me because it's the first time I'm publishing photos of me and Cape Cod Groom. Granted, this photo still has us somewhat in the distance, but I'm just trying to be a bit of a tease :-) However, I promise to do additional posts containing the rest of the highlights from the engagement session once I have more time on my hands, and I assure you we have some close-ups :-)

Why the change of heart regarding sharing personal photos of me (and my groom) on the blog, you ask? Well, after much internal debate, a blog post, and a discussion of the issue with Cape Cod Groom, we decided that we both feel comfortable having pictures of ourselves on the blog. I mean, we have tons of pictures of ourselves up on Facebook, and since they are already in the permenant abyss of the Internet, why not post them here as well? I think Cape Cod Groom was always more comfortable with the idea than I was, especially since, as he aptly pointed out, we are not revealing our last name.

Engagement Session Outfit

2009-11-23T06:00:00.001-06:00

I am getting super excited to have my engagement photos (finally) taken next weekend with the great Seth Kammueller. Amidst the anticipation of the event and the process of narrowing down a place to hold our engagement session, I didn't leave much time for planning what Cape Cod Groom and I were going to wear. Thus, we went shopping for my fiance and easily found a nice button down shirt and sweater at Express to wear with his Seven jeans and converse (he insisted), but I was a bit more difficult. I knew I wanted a look that was classic and feminine, so I headed to my favorite store for all things girly: J. Crew. Because it's fall here in Chicago, I needed something that would keep me warm without looking bulky, so I also wanted a sleek layered look. I found this pretty blouse at J. Crew, and then a gorgeous long cardigan at Martin and Osa, another one of my favorite stores.

I bought my cardigan in a dark grey color below, which I think is really flattering against the pale pink blouse.

I love the way the ruffles of the blouse peek out from the top of the cardigan against my neckline, which is also nice because I don't have to wear a necklace. Other than my engagement ring, however, I still wasn't sure what to wear for jewelry, until I saw an amazing champagne pink pearl bracelet at JCrew, which compliments my blouse perfectly.

I didn't get this exact bracelet, but one in the same color and similar style (they didn't have any pictures of the one I bough online), so you get the idea. I also remembered that I have a pair of champagne pink pearl earrings that my mother gave me for Christmas last year, which I think will coordinate exactly with this ensemble.

I'll be completing my look with a pair of Seven jeans and my dark brown Zara suede boots.

I know many couples wear two different outfits, and I debated about doing that as well, but I'm not sure if it's worth the effort, especially since I love this ensemble, though I do have another look I could change into, just in case. I also thought about wearing a LBD with heels, for something more dressy, but then decided I would probably freeze.

How did you decide what to wear for your engagement photos, and do you think it's worth it to do an outfit change halfway through for a different look, or just stick to one outfit you really love?

Going Against the Grain: A Guest Book Box

2009-11-21T11:50:00.003-06:00

My fiance and I decided to forgo a traditional guest book, and instead we ordered a guest book box from Etsy vendor Just Wright Boutique, which I previously wrote about. The seller was very accommodating and easy to work with, and we chose the floral design below, but in navy instead of pale blue, to coordinate with our wedding colors.

What I love most about the guest book box is that you can order inserts that allow guests to write a message to the bride and groom and draw a picture of themselves (see insert option in the lower right corner)!

I think this is a fun and creative alternative to a guest book and I hope my guests get as much of a kick out of it as my groom and I do! Hopefully people won't think it's too weird and be party poopers by refusing to draw themselves . . . What do you think? Would you be into this if you were a wedding guest? I'll let you know how things turn out after the wedding!

I'm on Weddzilla!

2009-11-18T19:03:00.004-06:00

I have some very exciting news to share with you. I have been chosen to become a Featured Bride Blogger at the Weddzilla blog! You can check out my introductory post here.

This is also big for me because at Weddzilla we are introduced and go by our first name. In case you haven't noticed, I've never shared my real name on this blog or my Twitter, nor posted any personal photos of myself (other than my hair). That is not an accident. The reason is that in my profession, I work hard to maintain my privacy, and I have been very hesitant to reveal too much about myself.

So here's the big reveal: my first name is Morgan. Weddzilla also required that I share a picture of myself, so I chose one that gives you some idea of what I look like, but hides most of my face. It is a picture that Cape Cod Groom took when we were on the Cape a couple of weeks ago.

Overall, I still haven't decided what to do about revealing more of myself on this blog. We're getting our engagement photos taken in 2 weeks, and I'd love to share those and post pictures of our wedding as well, as I know people would enjoy seeing them. On the other hand, I'm not sure if I'm ready or willing to "come out of the closet" yet, so to speak :-)

This led me to wonder if anyone else out there has had any hesitation about revealing yourself on your blog or website, for either personal or professional reasons? If so, how did you deal with this struggle and what did you ultimately decide, and why?

Going Against the Grain: Bridesmaids Dresses

2009-11-16T18:38:00.005-06:00

After my last post about eschewing tradition and doing what makes you as a couple happy when planning your wedding was well received by other brides experiencing similar challenges, I wanted to share more non-traditional wedding plans that I have with everyone. This will be my first post in a new series I've felt inspired to begin, called Going Against the Grain.

I am not one of those brides that ever expected her bridesmaids to wear the exact same dress, so I guess even in that I was being non-traditional. However, bridesmaids wearing different styles of dresses has become much more popular and common, and my initial plan was to have my bridesmaids wear a dress from JCrew that was the same color/material, and they could choose the style they liked best, since they were purchasing their dresses themselves.

Given that I wanted to keep costs down and keep things simple, I figured that this should be no problem as I am only having two bridesmaids anyway, my sister and my future sister-in-law. I discussed potential dress colors with my mom and bridesmaids, and then decided upon having the girls wear navy dresses, as this would be the most flattering color on both of them, who have very different skin tones. After browsing online with my sister-in-law, she decided that she liked a strapless style in silk taffeta, which we thought would be a good material for a winter wedding. She promptly ordered it, and was happy with her choice, so things went smoothly there.

My sister, the MOH, was a different story. She was adamantly against strapless, as she has a larger bust, so she ordered a wrap style. The first one was too large, so she exchanged it for a size smaller, but then still found it very unflattering and "tent-like." I thought the dress was adorable, and was disappointed that she was unhappy.

She also ordered another style with spaghetti straps, and was still unpleased. At this point, we were both getting stressed out, and I was worried that there was very little time left to order more dresses and return them. I decided to browse the selection at Ann Taylor, which we had originally looked at, but didn't have any navy dresses. They had some new dresses in stock, and even had a navy color, but it was not exactly the same as the JCrew color. It wouldn't be fair to ask my SIL to return her JCrew dress since she loved it, so I lamented over what to do.

Part of me wanted to be a b*%ch and tell my MOH to suck it up and keep the third JCrew dress, because I didn't have the time or energy to figure out an alternate plan with everything else I had on my plate now that we were towards the end of our planning process. But then I felt guilty because I am not paying for her dress, so she has a right to get something she wants (though I know most other brides would disagree). Ultimately, I found a dress in silver (another one of our colors) silk taffeta at Ann Taylor, and my MOH decided to order it. She ended up keeping it, finally!

In the end, I think it will actually be cool to have the MOH stand out and to have one girl in navy and one in silver. I could have gotten all bridezilla and freaked out about this, but I'm glad I decided to keep my cool and not stress too much over having everything be "perfect." I always said I wanted to have a unique wedding, and here is another way I'm getting one :-)

This Is YOUR Wedding: Do Things Your Way

2009-11-14T15:56:00.005-06:00

The entire wedding process that I've been going through for awhile now has really given me some perspective on values, traditions, and expectations. While a lot of brides just go about planning their wedding with traditional events and milestones (the bridal shower, bachelorette party, rehearsal dinner etc), I'm not really one of those brides. Deviating from the norm in any way, though, really seems to surprise people, or make them think that something might be wrong with you.

Case in point: A lot of my friends were shocked when I told them I wasn't having a bridal shower. The reason I decided not to have one is because my fiance and I already live together, and we have too much stuff crammed into our two bedroom condo as it is. Adding tons of kitchenware did not seem practical, especially when we had to already give away goods to consolidate our collection after I moved in with him. We do need a few more expensive items, such as a good mixer, that we were not going to get at a shower due to their price, so having one didn't make much sense. Why not have an alternative bridal shower, like a lingerie shower you ask? Answer: most of our relatives in the area are older, stuffy conservatives (no offense) and it would not be very fun way for me to spend the day. To make up for the lack of a bridal shower, my fiance's mother is generously taking us shopping this weekend with the money she saved from not throwing a shower, to buy a few new items that we do need, like the mixer.

Instead of a shower, I'm also having two bachelorette parties, which I think is WAY more fun. I didn't initially intend to have two parties, but given that I grew up in New England, went to college in NYC, and now live in Chicago, my friends tend to live all over the country, and many could not make it to my Midwest party. So I had a fun, low key bachelorette weekend with my Chicago friends, as we took a road trip to coastal Michigan, and rented a cute beach cottage. It was early October when we went, and we had a great time enjoying the fall colors while pumpkin and apple picking, getting lost in a corn maze (seriously), and getting mighty tipsy at all of the lovely wineries and vineyards in the area.

Round Barn Winery in Michigan

I'll be having another bachelorette party in Boston the weekend prior to my wedding. This will probably be a more traditional, crazy party given that my East Coast friends are a bit wilder. To further go against the grain, I'll also be including a few male friends in this party, because why exclude close friends from your celebration just because they are the opposite sex? In the end, while it would have also been fun to have one large party will all of my friends present, I really like the idea of having two very different parties, and getting the best of both worlds!

Boston Skyline

Another way in which I'm having a non-traditonal aspect to my wedding is my rehearsal dinner. In the interest of saving money, my mom, sister and I initially discussed having the rehearsal dinner at home, with my mom cooking all of her scrumptious New England delicacies (calamari, lobster balls . . . mmmm). But after we created a head count for the event, my mom felt cooking for that many people would be too overwhelming with everything else she had going on the day before the wedding.

But I didn't want to hold the rehearsal at a restaurant, since this would be the first time certain members of our families had met, and I wanted people to be able to mingle, chat and relax, instead of being isolated at separate tables. So, we decided to still hold the party at home, but get the majority of the food catered, while my mom would still cook the appetizers that we all love. I'll be making a hot mulled wine as the signature drink (more about that to come) for the event, and we're going to put a single long table in our living room, so everyone can sit together in front of a roaring fire and chat over good seasonal eats.

These are just a few of the issues I've had with the expectations and traditions that come with being a bride-to-be. I plan to blog more about other ones in the near future. What do you think? Has anyone else been struggling with tradition as much as I have? What traditions are important to you to hold on to, and which ones, if any, have you eschewed in favor of doing things your way?

My Rehearsal Dress

2009-11-11T09:14:00.001-06:00

As you may know if you follow my blog regularly, I went home to the Cape to get some wedding planning done last week. I'm happy to report that it was a very productive visit and great to spend time with my family! One task that got accomplished was picking out my rehearsal dress with my mom, who also got a rehearsal outfit.

Even though we are having our rehearsal dinner catered at a family home instead of going out to a restaurant, we decided that we want to have a more formal dinner. Plus, we are planning on going out afterward to a local bar to meet and greet all of our out of town guests (which is the majority of our guest list), so I wanted to wear something nice.

Since I'm having a winter wedding, I didn't want to wear a summery, all white dress to the rehearsal. I settled upon this dress from White House Black Market, which I liked because it was incredibly slimming and still has a bit of white at the bust to make me feel like a bride.

I also really liked the top because it has a vintage-looking crystal brooch, which I'm having on my wedding accessories as well (clutch, bracelet, shoes), so it fits perfectly with my wedding theme!

How did you decide what to wear for your rehearsal? Was it specific to your wedding theme or a rehearsal theme, or did you just wear whatever you want?

Over the Top!

2009-11-10T18:10:00.003-06:00

A quick thanks to my gal at Westside Wedding for sharing this award with me!

For the Over the Top Award you are supposed to answer the following questions with one word answers and then pass the award onto six fellow bloggers.

Here we go!

1. Where is your cell phone? Around

2. Your hair? Blonde

3. Your mother? Amazing

4. Your father? Awesome

5. Your favorite food? Sushi
6. Your dream last night? D/K
7. Your favorite drink? Sangria
8. Your dream/goal? Graduate!
9. What room are you in? Bedroom
10. Your hobby? Blogging
11. Your fear? Fire
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? Happy
13. Where were you last night? Home
14. Something you aren’t? Tactful
15. Muffins? Yummy
16. Wish list item? Vacation
17. Where did you grow up? Chatham
18. Last thing you did? Biked
19. What are you wearing? Nada
20. Your TV? 50"
21. Your pets? None
22. Your friends? Crazy
23. Your life? Blessed
24. Your mood? Relaxed
25. Missing someone? Nope
26. Vehicle? Subaru
27. Something you’re not wearing? Clothes!
28. Your favorite store? Anthropologie
29. Your favorite color? Green
30. When was the last time you laughed? Today
31. Last time you cried? D/K
32. Your best friend? CapeCodGroom
33. One place that I go over and over? Work :-(
34. One person who emails me regularly? CapeCodGroom
35. Favorite place to eat? Wakamono

Giving this baby to:

A Chocolate Lover's Confessions

Cupcake Wedding

The Alternative Bride

A Los Angeles Love

East Side Bride

Polka Dot Bride

Another Award!

2009-11-09T17:45:00.001-06:00

Thanks to NuFlair for leaving me this Portuguese award and making my day! This is more simple than some of the other awards because all you have to do is thank the person who gave it to you on their blog and then pass it on to other bloggers!

I'm giving it to:

Cupcake Wedding

A Small Town Bride

Anne Ruthmann Photography

Born to be Mrs. Beever

Budget Wise Weddings
March-Eleven2010

A Sparkly Send-Off

2009-11-06T22:34:00.004-06:00

As sparkler send-offs are becoming ever more popular, and my fiance and I are planning to do one at our wedding, I decided it would be a good idea to post my take on this part of our wedding.

Overall, I had mixed feelings about the sparkler send-off. On the one hand, I love the way it looks in pictures and think guests will have a lot of fun with it, especially some of my more rowdy friends. I also love that they are super cheap, so they fit with my budget wedding. For not much money, I think we will get a lot of fun and some hopefully awesome pictures out of them. My fiance is also very excited about them, and by really excited I mean that he stated that he thinks they are "really cool," which is the most enthused I've seen him about any aspect of this entire shindig.

Conversely, I have the fear of fire being haphazardly waved in the vicinity of my dress, especially by a bunch of people who have been drinking for 8 hours, since we are doing our send-off at midnight. However, I do realize that with proper use, proper being the key, I should not fear about me or my precious dress catching on fire. I'm also a bit concerned about the set up of the whole thing, and getting everyone to coordinate lighting them simultaneously. However, I think having a smaller wedding will be an advantage in this situation. So, I decided to suck it up and order them from Sparkle, and now I'm getting really excited about incorporating them into the wedding.

My next issue was how to present the sparklers at the reception. Although I was tempted to buy a cute monogrammed bucket off Etsy, I decided to be more frugal and am going to use a couple of Bell jars that we have laying around in our kitchen. I will snazz them up a bit with some ribbon I ordered for another project.

And if I'm feeling really crafty, I might even make some cute tags for the sparklers, a la these (though I'll probably just end up making a simple sign):

Still, despite all this planning, I just hope everything goes smoothly with the sparklers and I look as happy as all the brides I've seen in the photos. Has anyone else used sparklers at your wedding, or been a guest at one with a sparkler send off? If so, how'd it go?

My Hair Trial

2009-11-04T08:55:00.010-06:00

As promised, I took pictures of my hair trial with the fantastic Jessica DeGravio of Shampoo Salon in Dennis, MA. This was the first time I had met her and I was nervous about using someone I didn't know for such an important part of my wedding. But all my fears were assuaged once I saw the final product. She was so helpful as I really had no idea what I wanted, other than something pretty and natural. We decided upon a loose wavy updo, and I love the way it turned out.

I still haven't decided upon flowers yet. I told her I was debating between a giant flower clip from Etsy and fresh flowers from my florist. She ingeniously decided to make "toilet paper flowers" by bunching up toilet paper to look like white flowers and putting them in my hair (sadly I don't have pictures of this). I liked how it looked, and now I figure, if I like how toilet paper looks in my hair then maybe I should go with real flowers after all! We'll see . . . Did anyone else debate about what to put in their hair as much as I am?

Yay Awards!

2009-11-01T17:22:00.001-06:00

Sorry I haven't been blogging much this week folks. As you may know, I've been on the Cape frantically doing all of my wedding planning. I have gotten a lot done so far and I can't wait to share it all with you when I return to Chicago tomorrow night!

But for now I have to give a shout out to my girls at Cupcake Wedding and A Chocolate Lover's Confessions for passing on another blog award to me. The rules are that you must provide 10 interesting facts about yourself and give the award to 10 other deserving bloggers.

This is getting challenging as I already had to provide 7 facts before for another award, but here you go:

1. I love sushi, and my favorite sushi restaurant in Chicago is called Wakamono.
2. This past summer I became a vegetarian, though I still eat fish occasionally. Bad me.
3. I loathe beer, and one of my favorite drinks is sangria.
4. I adore the movie Love Actually and watch it every holiday season.
5. My fiance taught me how to drive a scooter this summer, though I still haven't taken ours out by myself yet. The streets of Chicago are a bit intimidating.
6. I double majored in college, and my 2nd degree was in history. I focused on World War II, and know a lot of random facts about it that I will (probably) never use in my life.
7. I basically like all types of music except country.
8. I am 4 years younger than my fiance.
9. I love watching lectures on TED. If you aren't familiar with it I highly recommend it.
10. My goal is to get done with school by the time I'm 30. *fingers crossed*.

And I'm excited to pass this award onto these 10 bloggers:
1. Bicoastal Bride
2. Sassy Bride on a Mission
3. Pink Love Bird
4. Carolina Bride
5. Running to the Wedding
6. Always a Bridesmaid, Never a Bridezilla
7. Girl with a Ring
8. Thoughts of the All Consumed Bride
9. Handcrafted Hitching Post
10. The Bowie Bride

Don't Forget Stamps!

2009-10-26T09:30:00.003-05:00

On the list of things that I think are probably the most overlooked by brides, stamps just has to be one of them. Perhaps that's because I didn't give a second thought to purchasing stamps until my printer informed me that they would be ready in a week and I wanted to get them mailed as soon as possible. After a failed attempt to buy the stamps I wanted in the quantity I needed at the post office (and losing a half hour of my life waiting in line), I found it easiest just to go online and order everything from USPS.com, which has a collection of wedding stamps! If you're in a hurry to get your invites out, make sure you avoid my mistake and think ahead and get your stamps in plenty of time. I'm majorly hearting these royal love stamps, a new addition to the wedding collection.

Another thing to remember: Weigh your invitation set, as many sets are made of thicker (translation: heavier) paper and/or include lots of additions (RSVP cards, directions, etc.) and that means that your standard $0.44 stamp might not be enough. I purchased these pretty $0.61 stamps for the outsides of the invitations, and used the royal love stamps for our RSVP card envelopes. Etiquette tip: Don't forget to stamp and include a return address on the outside of your RSVP card envelopes so your guests don't have to do it!

Wellies Under Your Dress?

2009-10-24T20:39:00.003-05:00

Ok, this might sound crazy, but I'm considering getting a pair of Hunter boots to wear under my wedding dress while outside. Although I bought a pair of navy heels, I realized that satin peep toes might not be the most practical shoe to wear outside for traveling and pictures during the middle of winter in New England. As I want to take photos outside and don't want my nice heels ruined by the mud or snow, and need a new pair of rain boots anyways, I thought, why not get a pair to wear under my dress? I think it could make for some cute pictures as well, and I love that Hunters are available in a plethora of adorable colors (though I would probably order traditional navy ones to match my colors).

Even better, I found cute shiny boots and white ones to go with your dress! The colorful shiny ones would also be great for bridesmaids to wear as well, particularly if it happens to rain on your wedding day. As the Boy Scouts say, always be prepared!

I though maybe this was a weird idea (and perhaps it still is), but I felt that I could validate my craziness if I found other brides who wore these at their wedding. To my surprise, I did a quick google search, and found another bride who had the same thought as I!

So what do you think? Am I totally crazy? Or is this practical footwear for me as a winter bride to keep my dancing shoes clean and pretty?

The Knot Wedding Shop Sale!

2009-10-24T14:01:00.004-05:00

Hey peeps. Hope everyone is having a lovely and productive weekend! Here is a little deal for anyone out there shopping for their wedding. The Knot's Wedding Shop is offering $10 off orders of $10 or more using the code BRIDECASH.

They are also having a huge sale! I just ordered wedding bubbles on sale for only $5.99 for a pack of 48, and got personalized navy ribbon to adorn them and other accessories for only $19.99 (origninally $39.99). Yay recession specials!! Better act quickly, as the offer is only good through tomorrow!

Hair Inspiration: Floral Fabulous

2009-10-24T00:25:00.001-05:00

Well, I promised to put up another post about using fresh flowers in your hair, and here it is. I've included some of my favorite finds, though the bottom center picture of the first collage is my absolute favorite. I love the beauty and elegance of natural white flowers, and am strongly considering using them to complete my wedding day look. I also admire the brides of the second collage, who chose to add a colorful flower to their hair to create a bold, fun look.

With my hair trial quickly approaching, I'm really excited about all of the possibilities for my wedding hairstyle, but also feeling overwhelmed at what look is more "me."

What did you choose to adorn your hair on your wedding day, if anything? Do you prefer traditional, white flowers or would you go a more spunky pop of color?

My Clutch!

2009-10-23T19:17:00.005-05:00

As I promised to share with you all the purchases I've made for my big day, here is another item I'm really excited about! I had this gorgeous bag custom made for me by Robin of UPSTYLE Design, another great Etsy vendor. I told her I was looking for a navy bag to go with my wedding colors, and said I would love to incorporate a brooch or embellishment onto the bag to fit with my vintage theme. Instead of a brooch, she sewed the embellishment onto the bag, and I think it looks just lovely. It is so sparkly in person, and reminds me of a snowflake, which will be perfect for my winter wedding!

Here is the real life picture of the bag:

Hair Inspiration: Sexy Updos

2009-10-22T10:58:00.003-05:00

Another challenge to planning a destination wedding is finding your beauty experts. There are a lot of bad hairstylists out there, and I was really worried about booking one without ever having seen any of her work. My main goal was to find someone who does hair in a natural, modern way. I asked for a recommendation from my makeup artist, with whom I also graduated high school, and she gave me a great referral.

Now there is only one more week until I head out East and have my hair trial. I am eagerly awaiting the appointment, and am really having trouble deciding what I want my look to be. I am strongly leaning towards having an updo, but I love that these are much more tousled, natural looks, as opposed to sleek, tight hairstyles. As my hair is really fine, it gets straight and flat easily, and I am really digging these voluminous, wavy locks, and hope I could pull something like this off.

My other dilemma is what to do about hair accessories. I will be wearing a cathedral length veil, so I'm not sure if I even need hair accessories, but if I do I know I want flowers. I'm going to do other posts about hair flowers (both real and fake), however, so sit tight ladies! I will be sure to post lots of pics from my hair trial, as I'm sure I'll be wanting feedback after!

I Won!

2009-10-21T18:45:00.005-05:00

Super excited to find out that I won The Alternative Bride's Wedding Paper Divas giveaway! Got my gift certificate and I can't wait to order me some holiday cards with a photo of me and my honey, taken by our wedding photographer, Seth Kammueler, whom we just booked (more about that later).

Trouble is, I'm having difficulty choosing which design to order. I like the first design because the red is more holiday to me, and I really love the french toile design. However, I also am a big fan of the unique, woodsy design of the second choice, and I guarantee this will make a statement! I also like that we could include 3 of our favorite photos, instead of only one. The downside is it's more expensive, so I wouldn't be able to order as many, and I would like to have as many as possible to send out to guests, especially ones who could not make it to the wedding. Which would you choose?

Free Personalized Card!

2009-10-21T14:13:00.004-05:00

Just saw this on A Chocolate Lover's Confessions and wanted to quickly share that free personalized cards are being given away by Traylor Papers. All you have to do is send them an email by October 28th at VIP@traylorpapers.com and include your name, address, favorite colors and/or style (whimsical, classic, girly, etc) and they will mail you your card! Also, for you bloggers out there, if you post this on your blog and include the link to the post in your email to them, they will send you a few extra cards free as well!

Their cards are really cute! Here are a couple of my faves (can you tell I'm a fan of all things preppy??):

My Shoes!

2009-10-21T13:51:00.009-05:00

As a frugal bride, I had several requirements for potential wedding shoes, the foremost of which was price of course. In addition to being cheap, they needed to be comfortable, have low heels or be flats (for the height and comfort factors), and be navy blue. Wanting navy shoes, combined with my limited budget, was what made my quest for affordable footwear the most challenging. Had I been willing to spend a lot, I could have gotten any of these:

Yet, I think every couple on a budget has to choose what they are willing to splurge on and what compromises they are willing to make. I knew that because my dress will go to the floor that my shoes will rarely be seen, so expensive footwear was not in the cards for me. I didn't have a price in mind per se, but I went to DSW and found a pair by Caparros that met all of my standards. They were navy and comfortable, their heels were only 2.5" tall, and I like that they have a little rhinestone accent that will match the rest of my vintage style jewelry. Best of all, they were on sale and under $50.

Our Cake Toppers!

2009-10-19T15:41:00.007-05:00

Just have a quick tidbit to share with you! If you recall my previous post about cake toppers, I featured a couple of great Etsy vendors. Well, I decided to go with Italian designer Samyii, who created figures that represent me and my groom. She emailed me this morning to tell me that she completed them and shipped them today, and included the picture below. I'm so excited! I think they are adorable and I cannot wait to see them in person!

The First Dance

2009-10-19T09:26:00.003-05:00

I'm just gonna throw it out there. My fiance and I are not good dancers. We dance like white people. And not white people like Justin Timberlake. My fiance in particular is terrible, and my dancing abilities go way down due to his inability to properly lead. Thus, we need a nice, slow song to gently sway to for our first dance, so people don't comment on our horrendous skills. We also need to get a dance DVD stat to start practicing, so recommendations are appreciated.

Music is also very important to me. While I enjoy the classics, I also like to keep abreast of new music that many people may not be familiar with. My latest find is European singer Katie Melua. I adore her angelic voice, and fell in love with her cover of the classic 80's song, Just Like Heaven, by The Cure.

Just Like Heaven is one of those fun, upbeat songs that you would normally never use as a first dance song. But Melua sings an acoustic rendering, and it makes it sound like a completely different song! I highly recommend listening to her album, Piece by Piece, on iTunes. Though I knew the original and could sing along easily, as I'm sure most people can, I never actually stopped to really listen to the words until I heard Melua's version. Here are the lyrics from her version (slightly different from the original, as Melua changes "she" to "he"):

"Show me how you do that trick

The one that makes me scream," he said

"The one that makes me laugh," he said

And threw his arms around my neck

"Show me how you do it

And I promise you, I promise that

I'll run away with you

I'll run away with you"

Spinning on that dizzy edge

I kissed his face and kissed his head

And dreamed of all the different ways

I had to make him glow

"Why are you so far away?" he said

"Why won't you ever know that I'm in love with you

That I'm in love with you"

You, soft and only

You, lost and lonely

You, strange as angels

Dancing in the deepest oceans

Twisting in the water

You're just like a dream

Daylight licked me into shape

I must have been asleep for days

And moving lips to breathe his name

I opened up my eyes

And found myself alone

Alone above a raging sea

That stole the only boy I loved

And drowned him deep inside of me

You, soft and only

You, lost and lonely

You, just like heaven

You, soft and only

You, lost and lonely

You, just like heaven

My Jewelry: Part 1

2009-10-18T20:54:00.006-05:00

My love all of things vintage began with my engagement ring. My engagement was not a surprise by any means, as my fiance and I had been talking for awhile about getting married. My fiance was also hesitant to buy a ring without any guidance from me, worrying that he would not know what I would like, other than not to buy yellow gold as it is not as flattering on me. I knew I wanted a vintage style and loved this halo ring that I saw at Tiffany & Co:

But I also knew that rings from those chain stores are greatly overpriced, so my fiance and I were referred by a friend to a local jeweler by the name of Edmund D. Schmelzle & Sons in the diamond district of Chicago.

Long story short, my fiance choose a round diamond, which I actually prefer, and I ended up with the above ring and couldn't be happier. My advice to ladies and gentlemen when ring shopping is to always go to a diamond district if possible and avoid chain jewelry stores, unless you have money to waste, because the diamond that my fiance bought is actually valued at practically double what he paid! It is also much better because these jewelers tell you where your diamonds come from, so you can wear it with a clean conscious knowing that you are not getting a cruel "blood diamond." Most of all, I like the idea that my fiance took the time to custom design something for me. Everytime I glance down at it I think of him and smile.

We of course decided to go back to the same jeweler to have our wedding bands made. I had a band made that matches my engagement ring (though the picture below is taken from Tiffany's, but it looks identical).

But my biggest dilemma was what to do about a necklace. I was not feeling any of the costume jewelry that the bridal store had put on me when I tried on my dress and veil. It was too gawdy and I wanted something more classic and simple. Then I remembered that when my grandmother passed away, she left me her engagement ring. It was not something I could wear the way it was, so I decided to have the jeweler take the diamond from it and turn it into a necklace. I found a setting I liked, also from Tiffany's, and he created it using my grandmother's stone. I'm happy that I found a way to have a more green wedding by upcycling an old piece of jewelry instead of buying something new. Even more, I love that this can not only be my "something old," but that it is also a sentimental piece of jewelry that I can wear long after my wedding day!

DIY Project: Cameo Brooches

2009-10-18T16:06:00.008-05:00

As a bride on a budget, I'm so excited to begin my DIY project series and share my first project with you!

Since my wedding is having a vintage vibe and I'm incorporating brooches (for example, I'm wearing one on my bracelet, to be featured in anther post), I knew I wanted to use one to jazz up my bouquet. I really feel like it's the little details in a wedding that make it special, so I began scouring Etsy for affordable brooches ($10 was my maximum) that would fit with my Christmas winter wedding. I initially found some lovely ones that were in the shapes of snowflakes and wreathes, and was strongly leaning towards one of them because I loved their combination of crystals and pearls, which I will also be wearing.

The above all fit within my budget, but then I also though it might be cool to search for pins of the letter G, as that will be the first initial of my married name. I actually found one here and loved it, it was in immaculate condition, but over budget at $25 :-(

I was really tempted to blow the budget and just purchase the G brooch, but something inside me told me to keep looking, and I decided to change course and do a search for cameo brooches. I've always admired cameos because they really take me back in time, as my grandmother loved them and always wore them. I have fond memories of being a little girl and rifling through my nana's jewelry box and admiring all her lovely cameos.

So when I came across a set of three cameos featuring mermaids, my heart literally skipped a beat. Not only did they cost a mere $1.50 for all three, but the mermaids on them are very sentimental for me. My mom has made a tradition out of always including something with a mermaid in our Christmas stockings, and every year my sister and I look forward to her latest find. I knew that this would be the perfect addition to my Christmas wedding, and loved the fact that I could purchase three, one for me and two for my bridesmaids, who include my sister and future sister-in-law, so we can continue our tradition. And who knows, maybe mermaids will become a part of our family's wedding tradition too now!

I only purchased the cameo featured on the bottom, of the single mermaid, from Cathysjewels. There was only one problem: these were not set in anything, and the vendor didn't have anything in which I could set them. So after a lot more searching, I found a vendor who sells antique silver plated settings that fit the cameos. The settings were only $2.75 each from Dangled, and here is a picture of them:

The great thing about these settings is that he sends you the pin backing to attach any way you'd like, which works well because my brooches are horizontal, and it was challenging to find a setting that was oriented correctly. So basically all you have to do is superglue (or, the vendor recommends using E6000 glue, which you can buy here) the pin onto the brooch in the correct direction, and then attach the cameo to the front of it and walla! You have yourself a cheap, cute DIY cameo brooch!

I don't have a picture of my final project to show you yet (I promise to add some after my wedding), but here is a picture of a gorgeous bouquet with a cameo. I will not be adding a bow to the cameo, but it is really pretty and I'm sure it would be easy to do.

A Winter Bouquet

2009-10-18T14:02:00.006-05:00

In my search for the perfect winter bouquet to compliment my white and silver color palette (also including touches of navy), I recently stumbled across a couple of examples that I adore.

This first picture is my absolute favorite. Including metallic pine cones in the mix is just brilliant. I've always loved peonies and know I want to include them in my bouquet, and I love how they are mixed here with ivory roses. I was never sure about mixing ivory and white flowers before, but I have to say, this has assuaged by fears. Lastly, in case you're wondering what those little grey/silver balls are, they are called silver brunia, and I am now obsessed with them as well. Who would of thought that you could actually find silver flowers to include in your bouquet?

Another lovely winter bouquet below also features silver brunia. I think the green is very pretty as well, and love the little pieces of crystal bling scattered throughout! It's not really my style, but I do think this would go well with a snowflake themed wedding.

Ceremony Reading Inspiration: Thomas Moore

2009-10-18T10:59:00.008-05:00

I am still having trouble choosing a ceremony reading and my pending nuptuals are quickly approaching! So, I wanted to share with you another poem that is definitely a top contender. It's by the Irish poet Thomas Moore, and I admire it not only for it's lovely prose, but also the fact that it would incorporate some of our Irish heritage into the ceremony. Compared to the Louis de Bernieres excerpt that I previously blogged about, "Believe Me, If All Those Endearing Young Charms" is the much more romantic poem of the two. Thomas Moore wrote it for his new bride to assure her that he would still love her ardently even if her beauty faded tomorrow. I love the message that he sees that her beauty on the inside, and not on the surface, and that he will love her more over time, not less.

Believe me, if all those endearing young charms

Which I gaze on so fondly today,

Were to fade by tomorrow, and fleet in my arms

Like fairy gifts fading away;

Thou wouldst still be adored

At this moment thou art,

Let thy loveliness fade as it will.

And around the dear ruin each wish of my heart,

Would entwine itself verdantly still.

It is not while beauty and youth are thine own,

And thy cheeks unprofaned by a tear,

That the fervor and faith of a soul can be known,

To which time will but make thee more dear!

No, the heart that has truly loved never forgets,

But, as truly loves on to the close,

As the sun-flower turns on her god, when he sets,

The same look which she turned when he rose!

Either way, I am probably going to incorporate both pieces into the ceremony. One will be printed on the front of my program, and the other will be read by a friend during the ceremony. Thus, the question becomes do I choose the romantic, flowery poem to be read during the ceremony or the realistic poem that more represents us as a couple?

My First Award!

2009-10-17T16:39:00.002-05:00

I was pleasantly surprised this morning to learn that my good friend at Cupcake Wedding gave me a Kreativ Blogger award!

Supposedly these awards are passed along from blogger to blogger to honor and recognize talented, creative bloggers. In return for receiving this award, the recipient is supposed to list 7 tidbits of information about themselves, and then pass the award onto 7 other deserving bloggers.

So here are 7 facts to help you get to know me better:

1. When I'm not blogging about my pending nuptuals, I'm working on my Ph.D. in psychology.

2. My fiance, friends and I are big dorks and are so addicted to LOST and True Blood that we have weekly get-togethers to watch the shows.

3. I've lived in Boston, San Francisco, New York City, Chicago, London and Madrid. Boston feels like home, but I'm enchanted by London and Madrid.

4. I used to be an accomplished equestrian and was on my college's equestrian team. I haven't had the time or money for riding since moving to Chicago, and how I miss it!

5. I am a huge Red Sox fan. HUGE. I also enjoy the Patriots.

6. Two of my favorite activities to do with my fiance are riding our bikes on Lake Michigan and scootering around Chicago on our silver Schwinn scooter.

7. I have a problem with smiling and laughing at inappropriate times.

Spreading the love to blogs I admire:

1. The Alternative Bride

2. Westside Wedding

3. A Los Angeles Love

4. Vegan Bride

5. A Practical Wedding

6. Eco-Chic Weddings

7. Ruffled (formerly Vintage Glam Weddings)

Wedding Dress Inspiration: Nicole Miller

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I tried on a plethora of dresses in my search for the perfect gown, and one store I went to was Nicole Miller in Chicago. Trying on her dresses was a real pleasure, as they were all so soft and comfortable, I didn't ever want to take them off! They really evoked the feel of a breezy beach day, and would make a perfect destination wedding or beach ceremony dress. My favorite dress was the one in the top center, for it's unique crinkly metallic fabric, but ultimately I chose a different dress when we decided to have a winter wedding on the Cape instead.

I have heard recently many modern brides saying they are not fans of poufy, princess dresses, and want something simple and chic. If that is more your speed, then I definitely recommend trying Nicole Miller. Her dresses are so figure flattering that I literally loved every dress I put on. I think you will feel the same.

Cape Cod ♥: Chatham

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I've been feeling homesick lately and cannot wait to go home at the end of the month to get more wedding planning done. So I decided to share with you some amazing pictures of my hometown, and perhaps you'll understand why I'm so eager to go back! The stunning photographs below are taken by my good friend, and talented artist, Caleb Pennypacker.

A Cape Cod Bride

JewelMint Giveaway Winner!

JewelMint Giveaway!

Shabby Apple Giveaway Winner!

Wedding Recap: Our Cake!

Shabby Apple Giveaway

Wedding Inspiration: Love Birds!

Wedding Jewelry on a Budget: JewelMint

Daisy Days Giveaway Winner!

Daisy Days Giveaway!

BHLDN On A Budget!

Announcing My New Company: Viator Gear!

New Color Combo: Charcoal & Emerald

Engagement Rings With A Conscience

The Best Wedding Decision I Made

The Ultimate Prep: A Seersucker Wedding

Natural Inspiration

A Pink Palette

Hello Again!

Wedding Recaps: Gettin' Ready - The Dress!

Daily Inspiration: Beach Wedding Invitation with a Twist

Rustic Wedding Inspiration: Wine Barrels!

Vendor I (literally) Heart: Stories of Gen

Wedding Season Oh'Ten!

Premarial Counseling - A Must?

A Word of Advice: Stranger Danger!

The Bling Thing

Want to be on TV?

Vendor I Heart: Origami Bijou

Well Wed's Cape & Islands Wedding Affair Contest Winners!

My First Giveaway: Tickets to Well Wed's Wedding Affair!

Contest Shout-Out

All About You!

Transportation on a Budget

Going Against the Grain: DIY Table Names

A New Marriage, A New Blog!

Wedding Recaps: Gettin' Ready Part 1

A Word (Or Many) About Gay Marriage

Are Wedding Blogs the New Vogue?

Going Against the Grain (literally!): DIY Sand Ceremony

Top Ten Blogger Brides Posts of 2009

A Blog Makeover & A Big Announcement!

A Winter Wonderland!

The Dress Reveal!

Engagement Photos: Urban Shots

Engagement Photos: Lincoln Park

Holiday Cheer!

Engagment Photos: Botanical Garden Shots

Engagement Photos Sneak Peak

Engagement Session Outfit

Going Against the Grain: A Guest Book Box

I'm on Weddzilla!

Going Against the Grain: Bridesmaids Dresses

This Is YOUR Wedding: Do Things Your Way

My Rehearsal Dress

Over the Top!

Another Award!

A Sparkly Send-Off

My Hair Trial

Yay Awards!

Don't Forget Stamps!

Wellies Under Your Dress?

The Knot Wedding Shop Sale!

Hair Inspiration: Floral Fabulous

My Clutch!

Hair Inspiration: Sexy Updos

I Won!

Free Personalized Card!

My Shoes!

Our Cake Toppers!

The First Dance

My Jewelry: Part 1

DIY Project: Cameo Brooches

A Winter Bouquet

Ceremony Reading Inspiration: Thomas Moore

My First Award!

Wedding Dress Inspiration: Nicole Miller

Cape Cod ♥: Chatham