Photo Freak Out!!!

Okay, all of you bloggers, this bride needs your help!!! We booked our photographer a year ago and I have decided that I am not comfortable moving forward. Soooo.....now we are back to square one and I would love to hear from all of you who you think we should book. It's between three different photographers and I wont even mention price because it's all over the board. Keeping in mind the feel of our wedding (see inspiration board below) who do you think best fits our vibe?? http://www.dolcestudios.com/ **See Dolce/Associate portfolio as the other just Dolce is booked. http://www.dupuisphotography.com/ http://www.carolineyang.com/ I would love to hear from you! I need your help!

Inspiration...C'est Moi

I ADORE the blog, Snippet and Ink so much that I decided to take a cue and create my very own "Inspiration Board". So here is a sneakpeak at the vision for our wedding!

Now, to explain the details...

(From upper left)

The highly coveted bridal shoes - I almost broke down and bought these for $265 but luckily patience payed off and I was able to get them for $130!! They are so beautiful, vintage yet sexy, and such a unique color - it plays off the dusty rose tones of the wedding so well!

An image from one of my favorite designers (did I mention I was an interior designer?) is Suzanne Kassler. This is an image from her home that epitomizes the feel I would like to convey - Parisian and gilded with a touch of history!

Two of the five dresses that my beautiful ladies in waiting will be wearing. I have been scouring for almost a year and every time a dress in a champagne or gold tone goes on sale, I snatch it up. My girls are so different and every dress I have found will really make each of them look and hopefully feel beautiful. Plus at under $150 each, they will have enough money to play up the shoes and jewelery of their choosing. I want them to have fun with ther ensemble - the more unique the better!

(Middle Row)

An image from a dessert bar - I swear we thought of this first, but it seems the dessert bar is all the rage! Ours will feature cakes, cheesecakes, mini desserts, bars, cookies, and vintage candies like Boston Peanuts and Rasberry Malt Balls!

Andrew is very proud of his Scottish heritage, so in lieu of the kilt (my aunts are way too crazy for the mystery of the kilt!), the boys and fathers will be wearing pocket squares in his family plaid. We are also having a Scottish themed rehearsal dinner to honor his family.

A 1957 white Bentley Limo will escort us from the church to the reception!

I have been collecting antique milk glass since I was 18. Over 200 pieces will be filled with a monochromatic colorblock of rose, salmon, and rasberry toned flowers to serve as centerpieces. In addition to the several pieces of glass and flowers, the round tables will feature gold chargers, champagne satin runners, dozens of tea lights, bottles of wine and our table names (more info to follow). The look will be messy - like a late Saturday night in Paris at the home of an established fashionista's dinner party after too many bottles of Vouvray!

(Bottom Row)

Andrew and I were engaged in the Loire Valley, 2 hours outside Paris, so the wedding will take on many French influences. From wording on our stationary to our signature drink, we want our guests to fall in love with France the way we did!

Andrew and his groomsman will wear their own black suits with bow ties and the aforementioned plaid pocket square. So very, "An Affair to Remember"!

The lovely "Coffee Break" Rose will be mixed with "Terra Cotta" and "Leonida" roses, carnations, orchids, cocscomb, and a amaranthus to create a tone on tone bouquet for myself and my girls. Luckily, I have the worlds most talented sister (and matron of honor) who just so happens to be an in demand floral designer with her own company! This is one category I dont need to sweat!

And lastly, our invite which I designed and features a scroll motif that will be repeated throughout the stationary. The motif was found in one of my wallpaper books - the beauty of working in a design studio - inspiration is all around!

Coming soon - our Save the Date! Finally mailed on Saturday!

I Dream of Vera

5:30 am...my roomates kept me up all night with their not so light footsteps, I have a 10 hour workday ahead of me. The alarm goes off, "I am not working out today...I'm too tired." 2 milli-seconds, "Okay Okay, Vera i'm coming."

This is my daily ritual. When the trail of tears started, otherwise known as "you have seven months to lose those lunch lady arms", I needed SOMETHING to make me snap out of my slumber, sluggishly throw on a sports bra, and turn the treadmill on. This is how, "I dream of Vera" was born.

I will post more information on my dress soon...the shopping, the nightmares, the fears, the sticker shock, the drama with the sales lady, and the happiness of finding the one. In the meantime, I leave you with another Vera dress to oodle (remember, Mr. Gibbons reads this too!) and let you know that as of this morning, I am down another 2.8 - total weight loss: 14 lbs!!

Ahhh Bliss

Getting married for me, in addition to the lovely party, the exchanging of vows in front of our families and friends, and the life long companionship is really just a means to an end...BABIES!!! I cannot wait to have children! It is what I was born to do and I cannot tell you how much I am looking forward to meeting these little things that Andrew and I create. I just cant wait! Well, that is I can wait until after June 27th, and 9 months after that just to be sure. Luckily for me, I have been blessed with a sister who has kept my need for children at bay for the last three years. Jack came into my life and everything changed. I left my job and life in Chicago and moved back to be closer to him. He is my angel and a devil at times, but my buddy in the truest sense. Yesterday I was blessed once again with a new little man! Charles Walter was born at 8 am weighing a whopping 8 lbs. 10 ounces. He is such a blessing and I can't wait to watch him grow. Jack is beside himself excited and loves his baby brother already. I have gotten Jack all to myself as the family stays at the hospital. Andrew is on Jack duty today (so cute to see your fiance one on one with an inquisitve little boy who is not quite fully potty trained) and we get to play house at night. This is why, today, I have to sigh....Ahh bliss...

Here is our little angel, Baby Charlie.

Heaven with Eleven!

As I have mentioned in my headline, one of my too large for life challenges this year is losing the weight in time for the wedding. Well ladies, it's time to invite you in to my literal uphill challenge!

I have been on a mission since we returned from our trip the last week of October to Italy. I ate and drank my way through the Tuscan countryside and up through the amazing Mediterranean coast. This is the only way to travel through Italy. That being said...

I came home to the staggering reality that I was 8 months from wearing a tight white dress. It has been 58 days and three holidays, and ladies, I am happy to report that I am down 11 pounds and 3.6% body fat!! There is plenty more work to be done - I have 19 more pounds to go until my goal weight, which seems like alot, but I know my body and I know that I wont be satisfied until then!

I encourage all of you to use a system that I believe is the only way to lose weight healthily and for life. It's on an line food diary: http://www.myfooddiary.com/.

It registers everything you are eating and gives you an idea of where you are headed and where you have come from. It is a true life saver!!

I weigh myself every Monday morning...so I will keep you posted next week!

To Shoe Or Not To Shoe?

As the details of the day begin to take shape, I have turned my focus towards the ever popular bridal shoe. I didnt think this was a detail I would care greatly about, however, who am I kidding, I probably own over 100 pairs.

I am loving all of the "shoe shots" out in wedding land. The socks, the cowboy boots, the colored pumps...but how to chose?

I have found two options that will fit my dress and look to a T. Now, when it comes to price, I ask you...is it worth $265??

Here is a pair I found that are darling, a comfortable heel height and will put me back about $130.

Here is the pair I REALLY want, but come in at the lovely, little price tag of $265.

What to do? What to do??