Engagement Ring Part 1million...

I'm a little obsessed with my engagement ring.  I've been an annoying brat pestering Beau about it multiple times a day since the day we decided what to get.  Today he told me that he got a picture of it by email, and I was so happy that its finally set, but also exasperated because he flatly refused to forward me the picture.  Damn, him!

I think a big reason I want the ring so badly is that I despite the fact that we are clearly engaged, I don't really feel engaged.  For example, I'm in Jersey for a few days and whenever I come home my mom and I always go into The City (ie NYC - the only city that matters) and I was planning on making appointments at Pronovias and Birnbaum and Bullock just to see - dresses go on sale this time of year so maybe I would get lucky.  But when it came down to it I felt a little embarrassed going to such fancy places without a ring.  I was a little afraid that they wouldn't take me seriously and think that I was wasting their time, or that they would look down on me.  I know how ridiculous that sounds because when it comes down to it I am the dress buyer and they are the people who work there for minimum wage.

Also while in the city today, my mom and I were walking down 5th Ave and as we were passing by Tiffany's we just decided to go in.  My mom has never had any diamond jewelry (mostly by choice), so she wanted to see sizes, and I had never been in Tiffany's so why not?  We went up to the engagement ring floor - literally, they have an entire floor devoted to engagement rings - and we looked a around a little and found rings similar to mine (the Lucida and the Novo for those that know Tiffany stones/settings).  Clearly, we weren't there to buy, but a saleswoman was nice enough to take stuff out to show us.  I tried on a few rings, price range $17000-24000 and I doubt I will ever have anything so expensive on ever again!!!  The rings were quite lovely, even the ones in under $10000 cases were beautiful - to be honest, other than size I couldn't tell the difference between a $8000 or a $17000 Lucida ring.  The stones Tiffany's uses are clearly of the highest quality.  I now have a better understanding of why you pay a premium for them - the stones I've seen at places like Jared's don't even compare.  As we were leaving I saw at least four couples sitting with salespeople, sipping champagne and picking rings, and I was kind of disappointed that Beau and I couldn't have a similar experience.  We may have saved a ton of money, but it was certainly not romantic.  I also realized that as much as I want to know exactly when my ring is arriving, I'm really happy that Beau is planning on surprising me with it in some romantic way.  

Competitive Brides

I had lunch with my friend, Ms. Lovely, yesterday.  Lovely is also engaged, and her wedding is quickly approaching in May.  Luckily, she has most of the planning done and is very relaxed and is generally enjoying the planning process.  Ms. Lovely and l'Homme (her French fiance) are paying for their wedding themselves, and are not going into massive debt.  Their whole attitude is exactly how I want to be - relaxed.  From what she is telling me their wedding will be chill, classy, and above all fun (there will be a polka band - does it get any better than that?!).  L'Homme, is still a graduate student and didn't have the means to buy Lovely a ring with a huge diamond.  Happily, they found a ring that Lovely just loves.  It has a small center stone with surrounding accent stones and is absolutely stunning and sparkly - well at least Lovely and I think so.  The WIC, diamond cartel and mainstream society probably wouldn't appreciate the more subtle beauty of Lovely's e-ring.

Now, that I've given you a bit of background on Lovely, I 'll get to the point of this post.  

Lovely has a close friend (with whom I am also aquatinted) who is also recently engaged.  This friend, WIC Bride, has started a little "competition" of sorts with Lovely.  As you may have guessed, WIC Bride has taken up the mantle of the WIC without thought, and is slowly morphing into a Bridezilla.  I don't want to get into the details of how WIC Bride is behaving, but I will say that whenever WIC Bride and Lovely discuss wedding related topics, WIC Bride makes little jabs at Lovely about her smaller ring, or her smaller budget, or her dress...  Ms. Lovely, as you might expect, doesn't care one bit, she is content and thinks that WIC Bride is just acting kind of strange.  

I tend to agree with Lovely, but it also makes me sad.  I just don't understand why WIC Bride would be consciously (or unconsciously) trying to put down her friend just because she doesn't have a lot of money to spend on a wedding.  The ironic part to me is that it sounds like WIC Bride is going to have a cookie-cutter wedding in big ornate ballroom, in an ornate dress with no bit of imagination or personality, while Lovely is going to have much more memorable affair in a unique location with a great band and lots of personal touches - I would much rather go to Lovely's wedding than WIC Bride's wedding!

What do you think?  Have you experienced any subtle or not so subtle "competition" from other brides (or others in general) about your budget, or unconventional wedding choices?  Any thoughts on why one bride might act like WIC Bride?  Personally, (without really knowing WIC Bride) I think that she is probably acting in this manner as a way to make herself feel better about some sort of insecurity in her relationship with her fiance, or with Lovely or just a general feeling of low self-worth.  What makes a friend put down another friend for a wedding?

*Image from the movie "Bride Wars" via IMDB.com

Budget

So, Beau and I are probably doing this ass-backwards, since we don't have a total budget yet, but we went to see a possible venue this past Saturday (I promise to post pictures after I get around to pulling them off Beau's camera). Mostly we went because we had time, they had time and I was excited.

Afterwards I had to sit down and figure out how much it would cost to have the entire wedding there - its a restaurant/gallery space so they would do their own catering and the building/ceremony fee is pretty much non-existent. I included all the elements that both Beau and I liked (example: hors d'oeuvres stations and passed), but wouldn't necessarily have. I budgeted for 90 guests (the max - I hope), and I included 4 hours of open bar (which may or may not occur). I had a nice number, and then I remembered that I have to budget for gratuity... and I did know what to do. How much does one leave? Is it like when you go out to dinner and you decide whether to be stingy or generous based on the service, or is there an expected amount?

My other dilemma is that I'm not sure how to proceed once we do have a budget. The amount that we would spend on a wedding at this venue (which we both love and is relatively inexpensive) would add up to about 40% of the number in my head and over 50% of the number in Beau's head. Is that reasonable for a number that includes ceremony and reception site fees, all the set up and take down, all the service, all the food (except dessert), 4 hours of open bar and 17% gratuity (a totally made up number that may have no basis in reality)?

I guess I really need to sit down with Beau and my parents to see what the actual budget is, and get a book/website/person to tell me (about) how much difference parts of the wedding cost.

Inspiration Board 2 - Green/Grey/Silver

Here is my second attempt at an inspiration board with my other favorite dress.  The earrings were the catalyst for this board - green vintage glass, awesome!  I bought them this weekend at large studio open house of local artists/jewelers/photographers.  Basically, I saw them and knew that they were the exact color green that I want for the wedding, so obviously I had to have them.  I don't download a lot of images (not sure why, just don't), but I had all of these already.  I had saved them with no obvious purpose in mind other than I liked them.  I'm so happy that (at least to me) they work so well together, and now have an overarching purpose.  

Enjoy!

Images - Wedding Dress: Pronovias; Earrings: Sara Silvio (local jeweler), photo by me; Candlestick and Centerpiece: Joy Thigpen via OnceWed; Shoes: photo by Elizabeth Messina via Style Me Pretty; Maids Dress: unknown via Sexy Red Frame.

Actually planning...

Earlier in the week my dad and his wife with the advice of Jewelry Gal helped us pick the stone for my engagement ring, and I'm now officially out of the loop.  Beau is making jokes about waiting a couple months to actually buy the stone and have it set, just to rile me - and its working.  As you may have noticed I like being in control!  Also, now that we've decided to get engaged I just want to get on with it!  

Anyways, it will come when its comes, and the most important thing is that Beau and I have decided to spend the rest of our lives together.  Now that I'm basically officially engaged I want to start planning the wedding, but I don't know how to begin.  I know I need to start with a budget, but there are problems...  My family and Beau seem to think that its too soon to start planning the wedding - none of them (despite my efforts to inform them) seem to realize that we really only have about 2 weekends when we can get married because of Beau's teaching schedule and we need to get on this because places book over a year in advance.  Despite this, I have an approximate budget in mind that I think with saving and my parents help we will be able to do, but still people need to be willing to talk to me about it!  But beyond that, I don't know how to begin.  

Choosing a date?  Finding a venue?  Finding a rabbi?  Dress shopping?  All the other little things that go into a wedding.  I'm totally overwhelmed.  

I did find one possible venue in the Rochester area; Beau and I will hopefully be going there for dinner next Friday or Saturday night, and possibly meeting with their event coordinator.  I guess thats a step in the right direction.  

Photographer

Last night I was surfing the wedding blogs and Rebecca at The White Aisle, had a post about her new favorite photographer - Eric Laurits.  I went to his website and spent way too much time looking through his galleries (and nearly crying because the pictures were so beautiful and emotional and real) and on a whim decided to contact him about doing our wedding.  This was maybe a little silly because we have no budget, date, location etc...  However, he sent me a nice email with a little more information and his base price - damn, it was high.  Not completely unreasonable, just about 2x as much as is recommended to spend on a photographer based on what I anticipate our budget to be.  He also picks and chooses which couples he works with, so even if I could pay him, no guarantee that he would even do the wedding.  I sent him back a relatively long email (since he had asked about our wedding plans) and told him about how none of my family lives in the states and about me and Beau, and some of the thoughts I've had so far about the wedding.  I guess we'll see what he says.  If he is willing to consider us, and I like him if we ever talk on the phone, I may even decrease my dress budget to pay for him!  Thats how much I like his photographs!  I'll keep you posted about what his response to my email is.

Three times a bridesmaid...

A year ago I had never been a bridesmaid. I had no close friends getting married. This year I find myself, in the completely opposite position. Two months ago my best friend got hitched, and not only did I get my first experience as a bridesmaid, I got to be the maid of honor (oh! the power!). In recent weeks I have also been asked to be a bridesmaid in two more weddings. I will be a bridesmaid to my darling Doctor Whimsy next October when she finally weds her man. And, this weekend I was completely surprised and humbled when Beau's sister asked me to be one of her bridesmaids in her August wedding. I'm very excited and a little apprehensive about the often mixed pleasure of being a bridesmaid.

I am not generally superstitious, but this morning I found myself thinking of the old wives tale "three times a bridesmaid, never a bride", and I got nervous about my future as a bride. My first recollection of this superstition is while reading the Anne of Green Gables series many, many years ago. In the story Anne cannot be a bridesmaid to one of her closest friends due to this suspect edict. It seemed very silly to me at the time and seems even more silly now, but still there is that doubt. There is a teeny-tiny part of me that thinks that I have jinxed my own happiness to provide for my friends. Despite the very little voice saying "what were you thinking, you're so screwed now!" I will be a bridesmaid three times. I will even be a bridesmaid more than three times (though, the fourth and fifth times -for my sister and other high school best friend- will almost certainly occur after my planned marriage to Beau) and bollocks to old wives tales!

Image of me from my best friend's wedding by the talented Sandi Foraci.

Less Than $500

Dresses at Nordstrom, all under $500!

None of them give me the same "aww, must have" moment as when I saw the Birnbaum and Bullock or the Pronovias dresses, but they are cheap and look good.  There is a Nordstrom near my mom's house, so I think I will have to go try some on.

Engagement Ring Part 4 - Impatience!

In a week we will be buying my rock, and deciding where to have it set (I guess I should call some places in the ROC to find out how much that would cost).  I've decided on a rectangular radiant cut, in a simple solitaire trellis setting.  

With the money Jewelry Gal is saving us, I will probably end up with close to a carat of good (not great) quality in a platinum setting all for about $1K less than I thought we would spend!  The radiant cut stone should be plenty sparkly on its own, so no sidestones.  But if I end up wanting more sparkle I can always get a wedding band with stones.  

Now that I've decided I'm getting really impatient!  I want my ring, like yesterday!  I'm hoping that by Christmas I will be an officially engaged lady.  

Speaking of Christmas, The Beau's family doesn't know we are engaged yet, and I'm trying to think of a cute way to tell them at Christmas, either by way of a book or card or present.  Any thoughts, because I've got nothing...

Damn peer pressure

I've decided that one of the reasons why I'm freaking out about my ring (other than I'm picky and a perfectionist and a wannabe princess) is that spending your life in a hospital is a great way to get ring envy.  Everywhere I look there are women with giant, gorgeous, sparkly rings.  Even the medical students (who are in massive debt) and graduate students (who make barely enough to live) generally also have large, gorgeous rings.  Obviously some of the students have significant others who aren't in school and have a nice salary, but a lot of them don't, a lot of their significant others are also students.  I would love to know how they are affording these rings!

Over the weekend I went with the lovely Doctor Whimsy to a local chain jewelry store, so that I could pick out a cut and a setting to tell Jewelry Gal.  (BTW, I picked a rectangular radiant on a trellis setting - more on this another time)  While we were there we ran into one of our medical school classmates (lets call him Over Achiever) and his girlfriend (Sweetheart) - they were also looking at rings.  I know both relatively well and Sweetheart invited us over to see the setting that she had picked out.  I was a little shocked when I saw the price tag -$1500- but for platinum setting with sidestones, not bad.  As we were there the sales person was showing them 1.3ct round of decent quality to go with it - easily another $6000+ (based on BlueNile prices).  Now I was in shock.  How in the world could Over Achiever afford such a ring?!?

I'm not sure how my classmates are paying for these rings, maybe they are just going into even more debt.  I guess when your already going to be around $150,000 in debt and your future earning potential is over 6-figures, what's another $10,000?  

I personally was raised to avoid debt like the plague.  Obviously some is unavoidable (especially while in school), but I definitely try to minimize it as much as possible.  Beau is planning on paying for my ring with money in savings (he won't let me help pay), and I'm trying to balance keeping costs down with the pressure I feel to have a ring that will look good compared to all the other rings in the hospital...  I think I'm succeeding, but there are times I feel pressure to go back to my original budget, instead of my decreased budget after choosing to work Jewelry Gal so that I can get an even bigger, better ring.

Engagement Ring Part 3 - Florida

Turns out my dad knows a guy - well actually, a gal.  Jewelry Gal is the mother of one of Dad's former PhD students.  Jewelry Gal and her husband really like Dad and have been friends since their daughter studied in Dad's lab.  When Dad remarried, Jewelry Gal sold him his wife's engagement ring pretty much at cost and saved him about $2000.  Jewelry Gal is lovely, answers questions honestly, told me wholesale pricing on a couple stones in the range I was interested in and is willing to help me.  Because I want a nice ring without spending a small fortune, I really want to use Jewelry Gal.  I'm hoping that I can cut my ring budget by about $1000-1500 and end up with the same ring I would have had otherwise.  

Of course there is a downside.  Gal and her jewelry shop are in Florida.  I am not in Florida, I am no where near Florida and I have no opportunities to travel to Florida in the near future - crap.  This would seem like an insurmountable problem since I'm not the type of person to buy a diamond without seeing it, but my daddy has come to the rescue!  Dad and wife already have plans to travel to Florida the first week of December and already have plans to see Jewelry Gal.  The rest of this crazy (completely not romantic) scenario only works because I trust both Dad and Jewelry Gal.  Jewelry Gal is going to work with me over the next two weeks so that she understands exactly what I want and how much I have to spend and will have some stones available when she sees Dad and wife.  With me looking at digital pictures and talking to Dad over the phone we will then pick out my stone.  I then have the option of having it set by Jewelry Gal or having it Fed-Exed to me to be set here.  Completely crazy and totally not romantic!  But, I just keep thinking about all the other uses Beau and I could have for the money we save.  

I'll keep you posted on how it goes.  I'm going this weekend with the lovely Doctor Whimsy to look at cuts in local jewelry stores so I can tell Jewelry Gal exactly which cut I want.  I had pretty much decided on emerald, but Jewelry Gal suggested a rectangular radiant and the more I've looked online, the more I think this might be the right cut for me... I get the fire and sparkle of a round or princess cut, but the elongated shape that looks best on my hand.  Now I just have to go see some in person!

More Dresses

One of these days, I might actually go dress shopping, but until then I will drool over pictures.  Here are a couple dresses that I like from Peter Langner.  The hair and pose of the first model is quite unappealing, but despite her hideousness I think that the dress could be quite lovely.  

Prop 8

While I was writing that last post the Los Angeles Times updated their website. They are reporting that with more than 95% of the vote counted Prop 8 was approved 52.1% to 47.9%. Similar measures were also passed by large margins in Arizona and Florida.

I'm angry, depressed and shocked. I generally try to be respectful and tolerant of all views, opinions, and beliefs. The one caveat is that I just cannot deal with people who want to foist their beliefs onto those around them - like with Prop 8.

I have no tolerance left for intolerant people. I want them gone.

Post-Election Commentary

I'm so very excited that Obama won, but my happiness is tempered because (as of now) Proposition 8 in California (a proposed amendment to the state constitutional that would effectively ban gay marriage) is passing.

I love my Beau so much and I'm so saddened when I think of all the people out there that love just as I do, but who can't stand up and have their love and commitment publicly and legally recognized. To be completely honest, after the last two elections I didn't dare hope that Obama would win, I was convinced that the GOP would find a way to take this victory away, but I never doubted that Prop 8 would be defeated. I'm also very scared. If social conservatives can get such a bigoted and discriminatory law passed in arguably the most liberal state in the union they will become emboldened and go do it elsewhere. I can't believe I'm living in a place where in one day we can shed years of discrimination for how people look and elevate the first black man to the nations highest office, but at the same time codify the discrimination of another group of people for how they love.

Maybe something will change as more precincts report in, but I don't have anymore hope left right now.

Engagement Ring Part 2 and My Uncertainty

So yesterday we met the jeweler - David West Nytch of West and Company (there is link to his blog at the bottom of the page).  He was great!  David sat with us for over an hour and explained about diamonds and about the custom design process, answered all of our questions (and the ones I called back with a couple hours later...) and looked at pictures of rings that I liked that I had found on the internet.  There was not a single point where I felt pressured to try on rings, to buy something, to commit to something right then or to spend more than the (relatively small) budget we had presented to him.  I was also really happy with the courtesy and respect he showed us.  (As an aside - The Beau bought me a beautiful necklace for the holidays last year and went into a number of jewelry stores where he was made to feel very unwelcome and unimportant because he clearly did not have buckets of money to spend, so I think this was a nice change for him.)  David did not show us a single ring and the only reason I tried any on was because he had some that I had seen online and kind of liked and I wanted to try them on.  Overall, I was impressed with the store, the quality of the merchandise I saw there and David's attitude.  It was a really weird feeling being in a jewelry store and not being on the defensive.

My taste in rings is a little off the beaten path  - I want an emerald or oval cut stone (most likely emerald) and I like simple, clean, elegant designs.  Here is an example of a ring I like from Tiffany's, though I definitely don't like the price...

I maybe completely off here, but I got the impression that David is particularly interested in creating a ring for me because he rarely gets requests for emerald or oval cut stones - he doesn't even normally keep any in stock!  I knew that they were definitely less popular than round or princess cuts, but I guess because Tiffany's advertises both emerald and oval rings I thought they were a little more mainstream than they actually are.

So here is my uncertainty...  After the excitement of actually going ring shopping wore off I started second guessing our budget.  We set the budget about 6 month ago when we first started more seriously talking about getting engaged, and it seemed reasonable and a relatively small amount when considering diamond rings.  But since then there have been some expected (moving) and unexpected expenses (car repairs, owing money to the IRS instead of getting money back, economic meltdown) and there is less money in the bank and I just feel guilty spending all that money on one thing.  Even though it is one thing that I really want, that will most likely be made specially for me and that I anticipate having the rest of my life...  I'm generally quite indecisive (deciding on a restaurant to go to dinner can often be a difficult decision, let alone what to order) and only gets worse when its about spending lots of money - money that we don't necessarily have and that we may need for more important things.  

The Beau is also insisting on paying for the entire thing himself, which I both like and dislike.  I like it because its such a nice gesture and I know he wants to do this really great thing for me.  I dislike it because I'm a feminist.  I'm a modern independent gal - I didn't wait around for The Beau to propose to me.  We are a couple, we make decisions as couple and decided to progress to the next step in our relationship as a couple and if I want an engagement ring we should purchase it as a couple.  Also, I dislike the idea that I've been "bought" or "claimed" with a ring.  I also dislike that I will be wearing a very obvious symbol of our relationship while he will not be until after the marriage.  I am seriously considering getting him an engagement ring to go with mine.  This ring would probably become his wedding band when the time arrived.

WOW!  Longest post yet.  Surprisingly, I feel a little better now.  Maybe I can flat out ask David what the minimum amount we can spend and make a ring with a quality stone (I don't need or even want a large stone)?  I wonder what his answer would be?  If I ask, I'll post the answer.

Engagement Ring Part 1

Tomorrow we are going to look at rings for the first time!  I found an independent jeweler nearby who seems very reputable and helpful.  I'm a little worried that our small budget may be too small for his time...  But I've been to the cheaper brand name stores and things just look cheap (even when they aren't).  I'm looking for something simple and elegant, but of obvious quality, I guess we'll see how it goes.  One of the reasons that I chose to start with this jeweler is that he does a lot of custom work and writes a great informational blog about diamonds and jewelry shopping.  From the blog he sounds like someone who is out to help you get the very best you can afford and isn't out to price-gouge you, reading his blog just gives me a good feeling.  If he is as nice and helpful as I think he is I'll post his website.

More Dress Love

This dress is "Carla" by Manuel Mota for Pronovias.  I love it.  I want it.  I think its fun and quirky and fairy princess as opposed to Disney princess, and would look lovely at an outdoor wedding.  

Even though I don't have a wedding date or a guest list or a budget or an engagement ring yet, I want to go buy it.  But then I think about my first love and get indecisive - at the very least I should go try both of them on - right?  Sooner rather than later - right?  Trying them on doesn't mean you have to buy them... I can spend thousands of dollars on a dress before I have a budget... right?

Engagement Photos

Buget Savvy Bride (who's blog I just adore) has been doing a lot of posts recently on engagement photos.  To be honest, before she starting blogging about them I wouldn't have known that such a thing existed.  But anyway, her posts started me thinking about them, and I've come to the conclusion that I think that the pictures she is posting are completely gorgeous and that I don't get it.  What is the purpose?  Is is just a nice excuse to get dressed up and have fun, beautiful, creative pictures taken of you and your beloved?  Do the pictures have some use beyond the remembrance of a random day?  Is is just another way that the Wedding Industrial Complex has come up with with get our money?  

I would totally understand it if by some remarkable amount of planning on the part of the proposer there was a photographer present to document the actual proposal.  That would be f-ing amazing!

Anyway, if there is anyone out there that can enlighten me I would appreciate it.

Ties

We've decided to let the men in our wedding (including the groom) to wear suits that they already own, so to distinguish them from the guests I wanted them to wear matching shirts and ties that we would provide.  The ties will almost certainly come from Toybreaker on Etsy.  Here are some of the patterns that I really like, that fit into my idea of a relaxed outdoor wedding.

I couldn't find pictures of the patterns I wanted in the colors I'm thinking about but most likely the ties will some shade of green with the pattern in silver or a different shade of green.

All images from Tiebreaker.

Save the Dates #1

I first discovered Adobe InDesign on my computer about a month ago (I have no idea how it got onto my computer) and I was so excited because reading Doctor Whimsy's fabulous blog had inspired me to try to make my own save the dates and invitations.  I really like the idea of designing my own invitations and save the date cards - I think they have so much more meaning when you do them yourself.

My first attempt at using InDesign was actually just a worse copy of an invitation that Doctor Whimsy had made as I learned how to use the software, so I won't show it.  

My second attempt was at a save the date card.  I wanted to do something that reflected me and The Beau as a couple and decided on an Ultimate Frisbee theme.  The Beau and I both really enjoy playing Ultimate and we actually met at a game, so I decided to go with an Ultimate theme.

The person on the card is not The Beau; its just a random guy from a random picture I found with a google search.  I used Photoshop to alter the colors and InDesign to do the rest.  I made this before I discovered DaFont and I think that if I were to do it again I would a more interesting font.  

If I actually end up using an Ultimate theme for my save the dates I will use a picture of The Beau and I throwing to each other.  I already have an image in my mind, now I just need the time and someone with photography skills to help me execute it.

Halloween Party

All of The Beau's friends have a "holiday" that they are responsible for hosting.  Some of the "holidays" include the Superbowl and Park Ave Fest, which, while fun, are not holidays - but that isn't really the point.  While at a wedding this summer his friends decided that we needed to step it up and choose a holiday.  They initially suggested St. Patrick's Day, which I vetoed and quickly countered with Halloween, they accepted.  I love Halloween, and I'm so excited that we get to throw a Halloween Party because now I get to go and buy decorations, come up a great costume and (best of all) use my burgeoning skills with InDesign to make an invitation!  Almost as much fun as designing the invites was using my new favorite website DaFont to get Halloween fonts.

Bellow is my first invitation attempt.  Its not very good, but I was so excited about all my new fonts that I couldn't choose just one.

This is my second attempt - better, right?

BTW, all the images are also fonts that I arranged into pictures.

PS - Thanks to Doctor Whimsy for being a great friend and wedding mentor, and also for introducing me to DaFont!

Wedding Cookie?

So, I'm in one of my favorite coffee shops working on a take-home exam and eating a black-and-white cookie (aka moon cookies) when I thought to myself:  I love these.  I wonder where the coffee shop gets them or if they make them?  I wonder if they could make a lot... like for a wedding? Naw, you can't have black-and-whites instead of a cake... or could you?

Upon further thought I decided that they would make a great alternative to a wedding cake.

Reasons:

1. They are super yummy!

2. They are made in a serving, so no cake-cutting fees

3. They have a cake texture, so are like cake

4. They should cost a lot less than a wedding cake (I'm only assuming, this is an unsupported statement)

5. They can be arranged in nice ways (see picture bellow)

Thoughts?  Have a come up with a new trend, or am I completely out there?

(picture from here)

Galit at Etsy!

I'm really excited because one of my Israeli cousins started a store on Etsy selling handmade jewelry, and I'm going to shamelessly promote it!  In my opinion her pieces are beautiful and well made (I have one of her necklaces).  Please go visit her store: Galit, designed by hand.

Here are some examples of her work.

All images from Galit, design by hand at Etsy

My first love and Inspiration Board #1

I first started getting into wedding planning about 7 months ago after my best friend got engaged.  When talking to her about the kind of dress she wanted it quickly became apparently that we had vastly different ideas on what makes the perfect wedding gown.  Her philosophy: "if you've got it, flaunt it" - meaning, the she wanted a sheath dress that would showoff her figure.  My philosophy: its the only day in your entire life when you can dress like a princess and not look ridiculous, so go for it - meaning, show me the way to the big, poofy ball gowns!  (My philosophy may stem from the fact that my high school nickname was Princess, and I thoroughly enjoyed it!)  

While supposedly helping my best friend search for dresses on The Knot I found the dress that I had to have.  Its a Birnbaum and Bullock, I spent weeks thinking about it, and its my first love.  I've since cheated on it with others, who you will meet in the future.

Thinking about this dress led me to think about what my wedding might actually look like and I made my first (and currently only) inspiration board.  I love purple and green and seven months later I still want them as my wedding colors, but everything else has really changed.  More to come on that.

All images from The Knot

Martha Stewart

In the last year of my life quite a few of my friends have gotten engaged, and I got sucked into the wedding world ahead of my time.  During my forays into the world of wedding blogs I've noticed that everyone loves (LOVES!) Martha Stewart Wedding with a fervent passion.  Because of this, I occasionally visit the site, and I have this to say (even though I will likely alienate the entire wedding blogging world before I have any readers): 

"Dear Martha Stewart, 

Please fire who ever is responsible for "Best Cake Toppers" and "Wedding Color Palettes - Green".  These two slide shows are horrendously bad!

Thank you, 

Intercontinental Bride"

I would just like to point out some of the worst transgressors.

From "Best Cake Toppers" our second runner up is "Quince and Chocolate" - its a cake, not a tree!  

Our first runner up is "Crepe Paper Bouquet" - I have no idea what part of this is actually cake, and it is  therefore unappetizing and completely useless as a cake.  Also, what guy would ever agree to having this cake at his wedding?

And our grand prize goes to "Garden Roses" - can I have some cake with my flowers?

From "Wedding Color Pallets - Green" I have two related pictures, followed by a rant.

Why is it that green is always associated with clovers?  There are so many other more interesting, unique things that are green, but invariably, clovers always seem to come up.  As a clover-disliking, non-Irish person its frustrating and clearly overdone.  I thought Martha Stewart Wedding was supposed to show us new, trendy ideas; not the same-old, tired, over done stuff!

Ok, I'm done.  And for all you non-existent readers out there, sorry to start off so negative, I don't plan on it happening often.

All images from Martha Stewart Wedding.

hello internet

I've never written a blog before, and I've been agonizing about what to write in my first post.  Should it be some sort of introduction to me, or something about my relationship, or should I just hit the ground running with wedding related thoughts.  Finally, tonight, after weeks of thinking and rethinking, and starting and deleting and restarting, I've decided to just say this:

"Hello, internet.  I'm here.  I'll try not to be too boring."