Getting There is only 1/2 the Battle

Perhaps I am picky. And I by no means want to be mean, for that reason I am putting out a disclaimer. This is an actual verbatim quote written by a bride on the afterthoughts of her wedding. I am not going to put where I saw it or who wrote it but I thought it was a bit much. Maybe it's just me but if these were the thoughts AFTER a terrific wedding, what was it like for all those around during the planning. Hopefully, she takes it all in stride and we're just missing that emotion because it's in writing. Hopefully.

1. I got my eyebrows waxed the day before my wedding on a whim. Big no-no, as I conveniently forgot that I was using Retin-A micro for my acne, and I got a huge-ass burn/scar in between my eyes. Major freak out here - I had a huge ass red scar smack in the middle of my face! Well the upper-middle of my face anyhow. Anyway, I was saved by the miracle of makeup. You couldn’t see it unless you got super close to me and were looking for it.

2. Two bridesmaids left their bride-issued footwear in miscellaneous places, resulting in one wearing flip flops in many of the portraits and the other wearing chocolate brown satin heels instead of my regulatory gold-strappy sandals - no biggie - on the day of the wedding I miraculously became a go-with-the-flow kinda gal.

3. The limo incident - the limo was very late picking up the boys, following an incident with the law and breaking into the limo garage. The driver was dressed like a skank (for a limo driver professional anyhow) and rude.

4. My aunt didn’t follow my detailed step-by-step breakdown of the flowers. The centerpieces were not in accordance with the bloom to branch ratio that I had envisioned. Many-a-thing was improvised NOT according to my plan - I had a split-second bridezilla moment, but then made a conscious decision not to be pissed until after the wedding was long over.

5. The hubby forgot to get a guestbook as I had previously assigned to be one of his only duties - he had to run to get one before the ceremony.

6. The favors were left behind and someone had to be called to rush to get the favors during the ceremony, and our coordinator was rushing to set them up during the reception.

7. My uncle got into a motor vehicle accident while turning into the ceremony venue - it was his fault.

8. One of my cousins decided it would be a good idea to dress as a skank to come to my wedding.

9. It was hot! The hubs was sweating like a pig! The minister joked about it being due to nerves, so it ended up being kind of cute instead of plain gross.

10. The aisle runner was left out at the ceremony site during the reception and it decided to monsoon. I had to dry out the runner in my garage for several days before it was dry enough to send back to the linen company.

11. During the “interview” portion of the wedding video footage, my mind went blank! The hubs, however, managed to pull out some really romantic stuff out of his ass at the last moment, making me look really bad. Bastard!

12. We tried to cut the cake together unsuccessfully - we accidentally cut into the faux Styrofoam layer upon the advice of someone (I don’t remember who) - they thought it was the 4th tier, but it actually the 3rd tier, which we happened to attempt to cut into. Makes for a funny story I suppose.

13. I almost couldn’t zip up my cake dress during the 1st reception (the short ABS dress) - I ate too much during the reception and forgot about how form fitting my second dress was. The food was THAT good!

14. I got my period the day before the wedding. I knew I forgot something - to start taking BC to regulate when my period was gonna be. As such, I was forced to wear big ugly undergarments under my ivory gown - big ol’ sexy spanx and boyshorts - hot, huh?

That’s all I can remember for now. I can’t wait to see my wedding video, whenever that happens to come in!

Target for Wedding Wear

Head on over to Bride - O - Rama and see the post I did on purchasing all of your wedding weekend attire from Target for less than $350.00
It CAN be done.

Forget Dispoable Cameras

Thanks to Miss Lemon over at Weddingbee for this idea. I Love it!

So many digital cameras… so many ways to get them from your friends and family! There is an abundance of websites that make collecting photos from others online quite simple, and it can often be difficult to choose how you’re going to do it.

After weighing the alternatives, I opted to ask my guests to submit their photos to Flickr for quite a few reasons:

• I wanted anyone (including myself) to be able to download the photos in the full resolution
• Personalized web address for easy viewing
• Organization tools that let me rearrange the photos into sets and groups as I’d like
• “Privacy” function for photos — they’d still be uploaded and available to me, but not to everyone
• Super easy and reliable uploading tools
• Easy way to upload all of the professional photos for viewing

So, I created an account with an easy login and password for our guests, and quickly paid the $25 upgrade fee to make it a “pro” account to allow unlimited uploads. At the wedding reception, I included the following small business card in everyone’s menu/evening program:

While it took people about a week to start putting their photos online, slowly but surely we started collecting hundreds of pictures. Each person uploaded their photos into little sets online with their name, which made things really easy to organize. I created photo sets like “Rehearsal Dinner” and “Reception (non-pro)” within the Flickr group, and easily extracted the photos from each person’s set that matched the themes. Then… I made all of their uploads private, and all you can see as a guest are the organized little groups.

Now some friends chose to publish their photos online with Picasa (aka. Google) Photo Albums, which was just as handy for me, since you can download the entire albums with a simple click. All I had to do to add them to Flickr was simply upload them from my computer… and I saved them the added task of doing it themselves.

In the end, I’m really happy I went with flickr and I’m sure I’ll be continuing to use their pro membership for years to come… mainly due to the unlimited storage and upload space!

If you’d like to see how well the album organization turned out, feel free to view our Flickr page.

My Calligraphy Obsession

I don't really need to say much more than that. I love paper, and this make pretty paper even prettier, it's like French buttercream icing....

Some Faves: Anne Elsner Atlanta GA


Crystal Kluge;



May+Belle Calligraphy San Francisco

Trash YOUR Dress???

We all love fads. Toss your beautiful bouquet, let a guy crawl under your dress, grab a garter and throw it at his boys, have cake smashed into your $250 makeup job etc. So why not Trash your dress??
For those of you who haven't heard, the latest greatest fad in weddings is to take the dress you spent four months looking for and several thousand dollars in wages on the day after your wedding and roll around in the water and mud.

Lovely.

Photographers have found a new line of business and for that I am not mad, I am all for new revenue streams, but I LOVE my wedding gown and to intentionally destroy it, to me, is like kicking the dog.

But c'est la vie.

Anyone living in Arizona check this out:

We have so much fun doing them that Darby Elizabeth Photography has teamed up with My Wedding Film to give away a FREE Trash The Dress session. Basically we are going to pick one lucky bride who will get a Trash The Dress mini-Film and Photo Session.

How do you enter? We want to hear some great ideas on how you would Trash The Dress. Send me an email at [email protected] with the subject line of "I want to Trash My Dress." The person with the coolest TTD idea wins.

For those of you that are local head over to the gals at Borrowed Blue they LOVE these sessions.

Candy Buffet Looking Shabby??

BestBuyCandy.com (http://www.bestbuycandy.com/), launched in early 2007, offers discount candy and snacks to online candy shoppers who want variety and value. The business evolved from a family run candy store (Balboa Candy, Balboa Island, CA - (http://www.balboacandy.com/) when owner Steve Bodenhoefer decided launch an online discount candy warehouse business by offering larger quantities at significant savings to the consumer.

Best Buy Candy online candy store offers a range of quantities and selection. Customers can shop by categories (e.g. gum, mints, candy bars, novelty, sugar free, etc.) and by occasions (e.g. weddings, event planning, holidays, etc.).

BestBuyCandy.com categories include: bulk candy, candy bars, chocolates, gum, gum balls and gumball machines, jelly beans, lollipops and suckers, nostalgic, novelty, nuts and snacks, salt water taffy, sour candy and sugar free. You will find brand name candy such as: Hershey’s, Jelly Belly, Tootsie, Wrigley, Jolly Rancher, Clark, Nut Goodie, etc.

About Best Buy Candy
Best Buy Candy, Inc. (http://www.bestbuycandy.com/) is located in Costa Mesa, Ca. and ships anywhere in the U.S. via FedEx and UPS. Bestbuycandy.com also offers additional discounts based upon dollar amount.

Wedding Picture Contest Anyone?

PicturesOnGold.com is having a contest. The website specializes in custom laser engraving on high quality gold and silver jewelry is holding its first ever Hottest Wedding Picture Contest.

PicturesOnGold.com will be giving away 3 prizes in their newest contest, with an estimated combined value of over $1,000 to the top 3 people with the most popular wedding photos.

The contest is free to enter on PictureOnGold.com’s website, and is based on the viewer’s votes. Each visitor to the site can vote once per day on the photo they think is the hottest wedding picture of them all.

PicturesOnGold.com will be offering three prizes to the three wedding pictures that get the most votes. First place wins a 14k gold with diamonds laser engraved locket with their picture of choice engraved for free. The runner up will receive a sterling silver and diamonds locket with their picture of choice laser engraved for free. The third place finisher will receive a heart shaped pendent with diamond cut edges and their picture of choice laser engraved on it for life.

Visitors can submit new or old wedding pictures, the bride and groom can be young or old, this competition is open to anybody with a wedding picture that is interested in winning fabulous prizes.

The PicturesOnGold.com website will be the host of the contest for three and a half weeks, starting today and ending on September 27th 2007.

To enter the contest please visit https://www.picturesongold.com/contest/index.html

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Promise for the Savvy Bride

I've spent the last couple of weeks bridal gown shopping around the D.C. area. I've probably been to ten stores in all so I feel like I now know the D.C. market pretty well. I have two more stores to visit but I wanted to start blogging about some of the stores I liked the most.

I know that store recommendations are a highly personal thing and it all depends on the type of shopper you are and what your budget is - one girl's "attentive" is another girl's "annoying." Some don't like to be bothered while others want attention lavished on them during their "moment." So my loves might be your hates.

So far my favorite store hands down has been Promise for the Savvy Bride in Bethesda. They have a small but varied selection of gowns from unique designers ...I like the idea of wearing something from a designer that isn't all over the place (no offense Vera and Monique). On average their dresses are b/t $2,500-4,500.

I worked with Kori who was very down to earth. No snobbishness here. She was very comfortable to chit chat with. Most important to me, though, is a KNOWLEDGEABLE attendant. What colors does the dress come in? What fabric is this? Can this neckline be changed? Kori knew off the top of her head and she didn't have to look at the dress tag to know. I really appreciate attendants who know their merchandise.

They were on time for my appointment, I didn't feel rushed, I was allowed to browse through dresses myself and with Kori, and try on as many dresses as I wanted. Kori made suggestions and when I asked her opinion she gave it honestly.

So far my favorite dress was from this store (a Kori recommendation) and it is my front runner. Like all things weddings it is "a little more" then I wanted to spend on a dress which is why I've continued to look around. If I do find something I like this weekend at a better price I might have to forget getting my dress from Promise but I can honestly say if I buy someplace else I'll be disappointed I couldn't have bought from them.

Speaking of Venues...

D.C. based photographer Rodney Bailey has a gallery on his website for D.C. area wedding venues. He has pictures of almost FORTY different D.C. venues. I can't explain what a great resource this can be when you are looking at places. First it helps you think outside of the norm and consider places you may not have considered before but more importantly you can browse from the comfort of your living room. Narrow down your choices to the few you really like and THEN go do the visits. What a time saver... Just go to his website , click on "menu", then click on "gallery", and finally click on "Washington Venues."


Evermay ^


The Torpedo Factory ^


Halcyon House ^


National Museum of Women in the Arts ^

Neiman Marcus...

First of all I have to thank Miss Capitol Hill for those marvelous pictures, they have me drooling at work!

Although I am waiting a few more months to start actively looking for wedding dresses, I have to admit I do manage to "peek" from time to time at different designers. One website that caught my eye was the Neiman Marcus's collection.

Personally, I am looking for something a little more classic ( full ball gown/A line). However, this collection would be great for women who are up to date on fashion and the latest trends.

One of my favorites :










Carmen Marc Valvo
Embroidered Wedding Dress
$1,365.00

Holland Photo Arts

In honor of Miss Alexandria finding a reception venue she likes I had to blog about my favorite photographers, Holland Photo Arts. Anne and Bill Holland are another husband and wife team who have won numerous awards for their photography. They are based out of Charlottesville but regularly travel to D.C. to photograph weddings. I love how they capture the everyday aspects of a wedding and make them look spectacular. I'm a sucker for vivid color in photos as well. Starting at $5,400 they are slightly out of my photography budget but when you consider that you are getting two very talented photographers I don't think that's a bad price at all. Many D.C. area photographers cost that much for just one shooter. They regularly update their blog and it is a great place to browse for wedding inspiration.












I know you are asking yourself "what the heck does this have to do with Miss Alexandria and her wedding reception location?" Well after I saw the pics of her place I remembered that Holland Photo Arts shot a wedding there last year. Check out this slideshow of Carrisa and Farrell's wedding at the Ronald Regan Building (International Trade Center) to see all the great pics you can get there.

Crate and Barrel 60% Off Sale

Just a few neat things I came across at this little sale over at Crate and Barrel Outlet.
Stock up quickly. They are having a 60% off sale both online and at a Crate and Barrel near you.

Vases great for your sand ceremony or unity candle (thinking outside of the Style Box)

Ripley Hurricane $13.95 and Maxwell Votive $4.95

Emerson Hurricane $12.95



Mesh Candle Holders from $5.50

Jeanie Vase great for a centerpiece holder $9.95

Save The Date....

I am still not 100% sure of my wedding date yet, but I do know once i have that cemented down I want to send out a "Save the Date". There are so many different save the dates out there...

This place has Great Magnets

However we came up with the idea of sending out a post-card--Just go to one of the picture websites ( like snapfish) turn your photo into a postcard, inscribe on the back and ta-da!

This is a favorite image:




We found this to be an economical yet personal way to inform our guests of our impending nuptials.

Cider House Rules!

Recently little bottles of champagne have become popular either as wedding favors, gifts in your out-of-town bags, or just a cute way for you and your bridesmaids to relax before the ceremony. Well I'm actually not a huge drinker and the church we are using forbids having any alcohol on the premises so so much for taking the edge off before the ceremony. I think a great (and cheap) alternative to the pricey champagne bottles are miniature sparkling cider bottles!

Alpenglow is a Virginia based, family run, business that produces five different varieties of sparkling cider. They sell to the public and they sell their miniature bottles as pictured below in a case of 24 for only $25 . That's only a little bit over a dollar a bottle. These would make great "welcome to Virginia" gifts in an out-of-town bag or cute favors to send your guests home with at the end of the night. Not to mention you won't have to worry about any DUIs.

If your colors are pink then the cute little pink bottle below would be perfect.

Reception Sights

The wedding reception, the main part of this huge puzzle. After much consideration and looking at five different places in one day, my heart is set on the Ronald Reagan Building.

If you are a bride looking for the same things that I am looking for, I recommend looking at the pavilion room. It's open, intimate and quite stunning.




The ceiling in the center of the room is an open dome,right above the dance floor--




Keeping my fingers crossed that we hear back from them this week, I'm pretty sure this is the place...One step down only 1,000 more to go ....

If you are having a larger wedding the Ronald Reagan Building has many rooms to accommodate all types of parties.

Art Deco on a Budget

If you are planning a swank evening affair or an art deco/20's inspired wedding then this dress by ABS Allen Schwartz would be ideal.

The price is ideal too - $498.00 at Nordstrom.

I-Gorman

Fiance and I started looking for wedding bands on Saturday. The first place I knew I wanted to go was I-Gorman Jewelers on 20th St. If you are a modern bride or you have a groom that is a little more cutting edge then the average guy then you have to stop by I-Gorman. They have the traditional bands too but they have a very wide selection of contemporary designs. These aren't your parent's wedding bands ;) Many of them are made in Germany or by other European designers and they definitely have the clean modern look that I go for.

I also really like the staff at I-Gorman. They do not work on commission so you never feel like you are being pressured into a sale. They are very forthcoming about alternatives to expensive platinum and they have a wide range of metals including steel, palladium, titanium, etc.

If you go I recommend working with Venita...she's extremely knowledgeable and has a warm and welcoming attitude.


For Her:




For Him:

Ann Taylor...

Priorities...That's the first thing my mom said to me when she arrived in D.C. on Saturday, ready to give her wonderful motherly advice.

I know she's probably right, my first priority should be finalizing a date/reception sight/church....but dresses are just so much more fun to look at :)


With that in mind, I am in love with the Ann Taylor Celebrations collection! I have been a bridesmaid more times than I can count ( 7).....What is that saying "Always a bridesmaid never a bride", guess that's not true! Anyways, from my experience as the bridesmaid, I know i want to get my maids dresses that are comfortable, semi-fashionable, and hopefully they are able to wear again, oh and not insanely expensive.


Although I am a JCREW fan, I have to agree with Miss Capitol Hill, for the price they are asking, they just did not appeal. However, Ann Taylor is great. Since I'm having a fall wedding I've decided on Burgundy for the Bridesmaids, I love this dress--

Annika Soremstan Will Wed.

Photo by: Scott Halleran/ Getty

The 36-year-old Sorenstam is engaged to boyfriend of two years, Mike McGee.

No date is set for the wedding, which will be the second for Sorenstam. She filed for divorce from first husband David Esch in February 2005.

McGee, once a top college pitcher, now works as managing director of the "Annika" business brand, which includes clothing, golf course design and a golf academy.

Congratulation Miss Adams Morgan!!

Or should I say Mrs. Adams Morgan. In a fantastically beautiful wedding at the historic National City Christian Church in Washington, DC. Miss Adams Morgan was wed. Pics to follow. I am sure she is going to want to give you all the details herself.

Regeti's

If you are a D.C. area bride and you haven't heard about Regeti's then you haven't started looking for a photographer yet! This husband and wife team are known for their crisp, colorful photos and their reasonable prices. They have also perfected the art of the boudoir photo session....so much so that they now travel around the country to do marathon sessions for groups of brides. I love the vivid colors below from one of their recent weddings. 3 of my bridesmaids are South Asian so I have a soft spot for colorful South Asian weddings. If you want to see more photos check out their blog. If you are interested in Regeti's for your wedding call quickly because this popular duo books up fast! My guess is that in another year or so they will be priced at the more expensive range because of their popularity.

Let's start from the very beginning....

Hello Everyone,

Wow my first blog! Let me give you some background information. I am recently engaged..as in last week! My fiancé surprised me with a very romantic proposal, to which I immediately said yes. I have known my fiancé since college, and we have been dating for the past year. They say "when you know, you know" and I know that my fiancé is the one, and I couldn't be happier. Now it's time for me to start planning my "dream" wedding.

I use the quotations since I am not exactly sure what my dream wedding entails, but I hope to figure that out. We don't have a date set, but we are planning on getting married in late September or early October 2008 in the D.C area.

My intent is to share with you my process, every step of the way. From the research to the actual planing it should be an adventure, but one that I'm looking forward to taking.

It's also nice to know that there are other brides-to-be in the area that are going through the same thing that I am.

My goal for my wedding is to make it an intimate, romantic, and fun event filled with close family and friends.

Today my fiancé and I are heading out to look at 5 different reception sights, so I will be sure to post on that later. Thanks for getting to know me, and I look forward to sharing my next year with you!

JCREW I DO

I have a dirty little secret...I don't like the JCREW bridesmaid collection. I know, I know, everyone thinks it's the best thing since sliced bread but in general I think their bridesmaid dresses are overpriced....sometimes in the $300-400 range. Honestly, if I'm going to pay that for a dress I'd rather spend it on a Nanette Lepore, Betsey Johnson, or Nicole Miller. I mean really, it's just JCREW.

BUT I do think their wedding dresses can be a great deal. Some are as low as $300. Their most recent addition is this gorgeous gown below. I love how feminine yet modern it looks. The price is reasonable - $895, which is cheaper then many lower end dresses. The bonus is that it's made out of silk which is not something you find in the lower end dresses. Those usually use man-made fabrics. The best part...try it out and return it if it doesn't work! What do you have to lose? Sign up for their emails and the next time they send out a 20% coupon you could take another $180 off the price.

Designer vs. Planner

Ok. I literally JUST, I repeat JUST finished an article for BridesNoir magazine that speaks about the differences between an event designer and an event planner. My muse for the piece was the UBER event designer and DC local Andre Wells. So what do I come across over at Social Design but a piece on the same topic. (Did I not just write a post on how I LOVE to be In Fashion:)

All I can say is AMEN. Brides all over want to recreate the weddings that they see in a magazine and can not understand why their florist or caterer or sometimes even their planner isn't making it happen.

Many designers are planners - They have a creative genesis and because they are capable of bringing their ideas to life they can successfully plan an event, because they truly understand what it takes to make it happen. (C'est moi.)

Many planners are NOT designers. - Their strength is logistics. They can make things works together and flow but do not necessarily have the innate creativity to develop a concept.

Your florist and caterer fit into one of the two boxes above but neither should be looked to to plan your entire event unless they, themselves express that capability and have the events under their belt to prove it.
Here are two of the most poignant thoughts from the piece take a ride here for the full article.

What do I need an Event Designer for? Isn't that why I have a florist?

By SocialDesign

We feel it's important that we take the time to educate and inform on event design. The more we work with clients and meet the wonderful couples we are lucky to know, the more we realize that people just don't understand what Event Designers really do and why it's a value.

Open up a Martha Stewart, You may see pictures like this:

1. This is the work of Rebecca Thus, a well respected Event Designer. Note the details and how everything seems to tie together. That is event design. An ED will create an overall concept for your event at the start of planning and should ensure that every visual detail works as a cohesive whole. This may include partnering with your florist and lighting specialist, or using one in house. Florists do flowers and can do some structural work depending on the florist. Event Designers, design events from top to bottom. So now you're may thinking, but I can do that myself. And you're right, you probably could. But the couples who hire ED's are very interested in creating a stunning and unique event. You're not hiring someone to go buy vases and tie bows. You're hiring a creative team for their brains. The same reason why artists can sell a painting for thousands of dollars. You aren't paying for the oil paint and canvas (bows and boxes), you're paying for the creativity that maybe you didn't have.
2. Clients who end up working well with event designers are those who value something different. A good event designer won't simply recreate what you saw in a magazine. They will instead take your ideas and create something that has never been done before (Or they should!)

BRAVO.

A Wine Suggestion

I am a fan of Kendall-Jackson, wines. So here I see that Blackstone winery now has the Blackstone Sonoma Reserve which includes a Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Merlot and Bordeaux-inspired red blend, Rubric. The wines are made by winemaker Gary Sitton.

The 2005 Sonoma Reserve Chardonnay uses grapes from the cool climate areas of Russian River Valley and Carneros, with small percentages drawn from the Sonoma Coast and sells for $16.99. The 2005 Sonoma Reserve Merlot uses grapes from the Russian River Valley, Dry Creek Valley and Sonoma Valley and also sells for $16.99. The 2005 Sonoma Reserve Pinot Noir uses fruit from the Sonoma Coast and Russian River Valley region and is aged for 12 months in French oak. It sells for $18.99. The 2005 Sonoma Reserve "Rubric" is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon with Syrah, Cabernet Franc and Petite Sirah. It is matured in a combination of French and American oak barrels and sells for $18.99.

As you are putting together your wines for your reception, keep them in mind and give a few a try.

DC Room Service Gets a Nod

Forbes Magazine gives a nod to our own Four Seasons Hotel for one of the WORLD'S best spots for room service. It's time to think about where you'll b spending your wedding night and where you'll be waking up the next morning. the Four Seasons serves their room service by the course. How special does that make you feel? Take a glimpse at the details....

The Four Seasons in Washington, D.C.

After you order, a server arranges a table in your room with Frette linens, white Bernardaud china and sterling silver and brings you each course one by one. Start with a tomato basil soup with garlic croutons, move on to the organic baby greens with aged vinaigrette, and finish with the milk-fed veal chop. End with the orange blossom crème brulee.

For more information, visit www.fourseasons.com.

Tailor Recommendation

I just got a pretty good referral for a decent tailor in the district. There are plenty of dry cleaners that tailor and do alterations, but they are kind of sketchy. From my experience all the really good alterationists and tailors seem to be highly booked and not always conveniently located, SO when I hear of a great experience I like to pass it on.

Do's Custom Tailors is a company that specializes in designing and creating custom clothing for both men and women. They have been in this business since 1963.

1083 Wisconsin Avenue NW Washington DC 20007

Tel: 202.333.2913

DC's Rumor Mill or the Real A-List?

Over at DC Nightlife Raw there is a strikingly intriguing tidbit that speaks to the hottest spots in the DC area, you know the one's that NOBODY can get into unless you either own the place or have a secret password. Now the piece does mention that they made up some of the clues and that not all of these spots exist here, but if anyone knows the identity of any of these spots DO TELL.

I mean, you want to have a slamming bachelorette party don't you? Well, it's GOT to be someplace worthy of your presence. Get to sniffing around my little brides and dish the dirt.

Here are the clues from DCNR:
DCNR has compiled a list of some of our favorite DC nightlife secrets (which we know first-hand to be true) as well as some that we just plain made up.

Did you hear about:

-The restaurant in Chinatown where you can get teapots filled with beer after last call simply by asking for “cold tea”?

-The secret name that all bouncers at Smith Point are instructed to let you in on if you use it, no matter who you are? (Hint: It’s not Jenna Bush)

-The new “House of Secrets” where professional athletes and visiting celebrities party with their underage guests almost every weekend?

-The Capitol Hill watering hole that has a hidden tunnel leading directly to a maintenance room in the House of Representatives wing of the Capitol?

-The just opened Milk and Honey inspired NW DC destination owned by Todd Thrasher whose unpublished address can only be obtained by patrons who dial their unlisted phone number for reservations?

-The Dupont Circle restaurant with a fully-functioning underground casino?

-The old-town Alexandria bar that serves a drink made with Louis XIII Remy Martin cognac to anyone who knows the “password” for $25?

-The non-descript and unmarked doorway next to a well-known Georgetown restaurant which leads to an upstairs nightclub that is the new weekend destination of the Late-Night-Shots crew?

-The highly-reviewed Penn Quarter restaurant that is currently acting as a front for an all-night brothel? (We no longer eat there for reasons we don’t want to explain)

-The Connecticut Ave establishment that is funded entirely by mafia profits?

-The DC Gentleman’s club with a secret-panel-wall/two-way mirror that leads to a pillow-clad “unsupervised champagne room” know to be the film set for DC’s largest producer of adult entertainment movies?




Hmmmmmmmm......... I want to go to them ALL!

The REST of your Wedding Music

The Wedding CD is a long drawn out process. Do you put together a Cd of your favorites? Do you recap all the music from your ceremony and reception? Do you put together period music that supports the theme of your wedding? All great ideas but this fantastic site, given to us by Darcy and Martha as I shall forever refer to them, Audiostiles, is a little different. They are music stylists. (Don't you already love the sound of that?)

They will load your iPod or burn CDs with one-of-a-kind playlists to help you get in the groove. This is PERFECT for all of the other occasions surrounding your Big Day, the rehearsal dinner, bridal luncheon, day after brunch etc. etc. etc.

An online questionnaire lets Audiostiles know your musical taste, the type of tunes you’re looking for, and how long your custom playlists should be.

I would head on over and play around just for the heck of it. Customized music based on your musical tastes? I love it.

More on Sand...

In a recent post on Sand Ceremonies, we made reference to an online company that is packaging the items together for ease in purchasing. The owner of the company wanted to rebut and did so in the Comments section, i wanted to make sure that his voice was heard, in case everyone doesn't make there way through the Comments. I stand behind my opinion on the product but also want to be fair. So here it is.


Hi Folks! We're a new company and are learning how to make the website better and get the priceing lower. Really appreciated the feedback! The current production costs are high to include the vase, six bottle of sand, name tags & packaging, but with increased popularity, we can bring Memory Sands for less! We hope the convenience of a complete kit will save the running around to target and Crate & Barrel for all the pieces. Our kit is ready to go, one stop!
Thanks,
Robert Marshall
Memorysands.com

It's A Surprise!

I apologize for whetting your appetite with this little tidbit. But the gals over at Bridal Bar let this out of the bag and it only pertains to couples in CA.

Do you want a celebrity to plan your wedding? If you are getting married in October or November 2007 in Southern California then there is a new reality show looking for you.

The show, Surprise Celebrity Wedding Planner is looking for couples who LIVE in the Los Angeles area and are willing to turn over control and planning to a mystery celebrity.
The entire wedding will be planned in one week with the assistance of family and friends, so the suspense and drama won't actually kill you.

Hopefully you end up with someone with great taste like Kathy Hilton (say what you will the woman has great taste) rather than someone like Cyndi Lauper (no comment).

District Sample Sale Get Your Tickets

The date is set and tickets go on sale TOO-DAY.
Wednesday, Sept. 12th | 7:00-9:00pm | VIP hour from 6:00-7:00pm | 3307 M Street, NW

Tickets: $40 in advance

• Admission to the Sample Sale from 7-9 p.m.
• Onsite admission: $55, if available

VIP Tickets: $100

• Admission to the VIP Shopping Hour featuring DJ Eric Hilton (6 p.m.)
• Goodie bag and T-shirt (while supplies last)

For more information head over to their website.
Participating vendors this year include:
Fall 2007 Participating Stores and Designers
Alex Boutique
Caramel
Daisy Too
Hysteria
Lettie Gooch
Maggie and Lola
Muléh
My Sister’s Closet
Periwinkle
Pink November
Proper Topper
Queen Bee Designs
Redeem
Sassanova
Sherman Pickey
Simply Soles
Sissy Yates
Sugar
The Purse Store
The Shoe Hive
Urban Chic
Wink/Blush
Zelaya Shoes

Eureka!

I am so excited I can hardly keep still.

Lip gloss in a tube that has a beam of light to illuminate your little lips while you apply.

Whew! I am glad I got that out. How neat. Think about by the time you get to your reception and get your party on, the lights will all be down really low. But the pictures are still flashing and how envious will your girls be when they see your pictures and your lips are perfect the entire night. And come on, tell the truth you KNOW they will notice something silly like that. (But won't you smile!!!)

This genius little item, Light Beam Lip Gloss is by Rimmel and available at Ulta for 10.99 in six shades. They even think its genius.

Luxury Correspondence

You are all quite aware that I am a lover of all things paper. I now amend this and state I am a lover of Luxury Correspondence. How apropos is that statement? The folks over at Alia understand all too well. They custom design social papers that are downright decadent. I could mount each one on a wall and just remain mesmerized. Sigh ... If your invitations are a high priority ( and your budget agrees that they are a high priority.) Give them a buzz Left Coasters can call 650-387-3330 and Right Coasters ( and Mid-Westers) can call 630-783-9630

Can you imagine opening this and its only the SAVE THE DATE???

Keesha and Chad - Idyllic

I could not have asked for a more perfect client. These two are a dream. This is a bride that found herself traveling for her law firm in Shanghai and India for the full SIX WEEKS before her wedding. Only arriving back in the States eight days before her nuptials jetlag and all.

Do you think she was crazed? Not a bit. The cucumber was named after this kid, she was so cool.
Again another fantastic job done by Natalie and Jamie at Borrowed Blue Photography

Check out the slide show here:

DC Really Wed- Laura and Rodney

Take a peek at a few of the recent weddings we have completed. It was a tough summer with more weddings than we could shake a stick at, but shake sticks we did and are proud of our accomplishments. First let's just say the WE LOVE the gals over at Borrowed Blue Photography
Natalie and Jamie are UBER cool.
Laura and Rodney had a lovely wedding, a truly intimate family affair.
Check out the slide show here

And these images are a sampling from the Borrowed Blue blog. Thanks for the kudos ladies!!

DC Gets West Elm !

Yippee! I have been a West Elm mail order fan for years, their catalogs are terrific. But now they are here in the District, not that traipsing into Tyson's is ever a bad thing.

Located at woodies 1020 g st nw washington, dc 20001 202.347.8929.

This is really a furniture store but carries wonderful accessories to round out a look.
The candle holders shown here are only $29 for the set of three. Can anyone say centerpieces???
They do have a section for projects, it is searchable by name and location and could easily serve for a wish list or registry.
Check em out!!

A Guy's Perspective... That I Concur With!

Ramit Sethi over at I Will Teach You To Be Rich
Has a sound head on two strong shoulders. In his post titled

The $28,000 question: Why are we all hypocrites about weddings?

I love it!

The post delves into the perceptions we all have about spending money on weddings and how easy it is to get carried away, but swear that we're not. He makes some great points. Give it a read, it will ground you, if only for a few minutes. :)

And don't skip the Comments, they are terrific.

Hats Off to You!

Talented Charlottesville photographer Rob Garland recently featured an Alexandria bride on his blog that totally rocked a bridal hat. It's not a style everyone can get away with but when done right it looks great.




Of course on the other side of the pond hats are the norm at weddings...but the guests wear them instead of the bride. British photographer Dan Johnson features some really great hats on his blog.





Alas, I don't think you can force your American wedding guests into hats. However, if I were a Maid of Honor it would be great fun to throw a bridal tea, buy up a few church hats in the off season from discount stores like Marshalls and T.J. Maxx, and then let everyone play dress up at tea! Every woman has to love playing with big hats.

I Love When I Am "In fashion"

While visiting the newly developed Martha Stewart Bridal Blog called The Bride's Guide, I see where Darcy has given a shout to the Cartier Love bracelet. I have wanted this bracelet for decades and yes, it is quite expensive. But my own loving husband, found it in his heart to silence my cries by purchasing, not the bracelet, but the wedding band from this collection and presented it to me. What a keeper ( my husband... ok and the ring too). I love the sentiment and that is is understated with the tiniest perfect diamond inset. The entire Love Collection has a wonderful slideshow if you head over to the Cartier site, you will really enjoy it. I also love when someone gives a rave to something I already own. It's my own private, yet guilty pleasure.

Philippa Tarrant

I'm still in the midst of choosing a florist but before I started even talking to florists I did a ton of research by looking at different floral websites. I wanted to be able to offer my florist plenty of images that would easily convey the "feel" I was going for. Plus I wanted to find as many floral types as possible in my wedding colors that I liked so if [insert name of really expensive out-of- season flower X] was not available then I could say "well that's o.k. what about flowers y and z?"

I really liked the artistic talents of D.C. florist Philippa Tarrant. As you can see from the
photo below she uses a lot of vibrant colors, unique textures, and has a modern approach to floral art.




For the average bride with the average budget someone with such skills might be out of your price range but that doesn't mean that you still can't draw inspiration. If you look outside the "wedding" album on her site you can get a lot of of unique ideas that could be easy to create and possibly even to Do It Yourself (DIY). So if you are a budget bride I bet with some practice you could imitate some of the below









The added bonus is that with minimal floral designs like the ones above you can really save money on flowers because you're only using one or two flowers per display and/or using non-floral materials such as branches.

For more beautiful pictures or if you'd like to contact Philippa to see about your own wedding check out her website.

So Sari

We work with a number of Asian brides both Indian and Thai that wear saris, either for the actual ceremony or for the festivities leading up to the wedding like brunches and the rehearsal dinner.
I ran across this designer, Ritu Beri and man is she fantastic. If there is such a thing as a contemporary sari designer this is your girl.

Destination Innovation

We all know that you can go to a Caribbean Isand and have a destination wedding on the beach.
But what about other areas IN the US??
This is a neat site called Rent Jill's House they can provide you with vacation rentals and private homes for rent across the United States, Canada and yes, the Caribbean. I think it would be cool to do an Aspen wedding with a ski theme just because you and your family enjoying skiing. You can see numerous views of the exterior and the various rooms of the property you are interested in before renting. Pricing is available via email.

A Toast... To You...

Aren't you worth the very best life has to offer? If not you then who? Matsuzakaya Department Store in Japan, ( I would give you the link, but even translated the majority of the page is in Japanese) is selling the world's most expensive bottle of Dom Perignon at the cool price of $11,000 run, don't walk to get your bottle.

The store started selling them this past Wednesday and the reason these particular Dom Perignon's are so expensive is that they're part of a limited group of 100 bottles available worldwide that are vintage 1995, which is considered a good year. 20 of the bottles are slotted to be sold in Japan, with the first 5 being sold at Matsuzakaya. Of course the bottles are not only numbered, but are also "elaborately wrapped" to help attract customers, and so far 1 bottle has been sold.

The Sands of Time

The Sand Ceremony or Unity Sand Ceremony is a lovely novel idea, especially if you are outside and the winds make a unity candle prohibitive. It's simple enough to accomplish by hiking over to a local craft store and picking out your choice of kiddie craft sand and three containers. But as is expected in our Society, someone has to package it all together for us, to make it easier....

Memory Sands has done just that for us. My original intention was to plug the company but as I thought about it. The site is a little crazy and it took me FOREVER to find out how to purchase the daggone item and once I did I learned that the kit costs $79.99. ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

Kiddie Sand is about $1.79 per bag and you can locate really beautiful containers from Target, Pier One or Crate and Barrel for about $30.00 for the large one and a few bucks for the smaller 2. So in good conscience I cannot plug the company but can suggest that it's still a nice idea.

My Inauguration!

Don't worry I don't have a speech prepared! Before I get down to the great exchange of wedding ideas I wanted you all to know a little bit about me -

Fiance and I both work and live in the D.C. area and we're planning a May 2008 wedding.
What my wedding is about: Warmth, Intimacy, Elegance, Simplicity
What it isn't about: Monograms, Aisle Runners, and Poofy Meringue Dresses
My promise to you: Henceforth no more posts without pictures and I will never re-post something I saw on another wedding blog site (that's lazy man blogging and if you are obsessed with weddings then you are already reading those blogs!)

Though our wedding is in Charlottesville, Virginia, I hope I'll bring you the best ideas from around our area to help make your wedding everything you've been hoping for.

True Confessions

I like to think of this space as a safe place to vent and work through your planning problems, which normally stem from the people in your life. But after seeing this site
it occurred to me that sometimes anonymity is the only recourse. True Bride Confessions is a site where you can post your deepest most profound rants, vents and secrets in total secrecy.
Some of the posts are short and sweet. "I hate Him." Others are much deeper. If nothing else it will make you grateful that your situation is only what it is.

And on those days, ,where it is just unbearable, at least you have somewhere to go....

Shuffle Off To Buffalo

Or maybe Dubai is where this Shuffle should take you, the I-pod Shuffle that is.
This little gem, and i mean that literally is bedecked in $40,000.00 of diamonds and Gold.
Now correct me if I am wrong but doesn't the Shuffle cost $79????????

But hey Bling is in right and I have never been a real fan of the fake out so why not spend your entire IRA on these babies as wedding favors.

If you are interested please take a look here for more of the insanity.

Asian Flair

Li Xi Gift Envelope

This neat little item is available at Design Night and I thought they were incredibly beautiful. Wish your loved ones good fortune and happiness with this beautiful lasercut envelope. The design celebrates 2007, the Year of the Pig. The card design was inspired by the ancient craft of papercuts, an original art form created in China. Perfect for Chinese New Year (February 18), birthdays, weddings, graduations and other special occasions.

Size: 4” x 2.85”

$6.50 each also available in quantity.

Area Rave: Ibiza Salon and Spa

In my daily travels (online travels, that is...) i am always on the lookout for thing that everyone seems to love. I get hundreds (literally, hundreds) of requests for recommendations of vendors. For the vendors I love this is terrific, but I often ponder about those I don't yet know. So I plan to do something about that this season and post raves on area vendors for you guys to benefit from.

First Up;
Ibiza Salon

2401 Pennsylvania Ave NW
Ste G
(between N 24th St & N 25th St)
Washington, DC 20037

(202) 659-4249

www.ibizadayspa.net

Anita specifically gets the highest praise for her eyebrow arching. The experience is one where she can merely look at your face and arch your brows in such a way to compliment its shape.
The Salon is also highly praised for it's bikini wax. $45 (please verify before arriving as prices are subject to change) can you say bargain????
Their full price list is online and they offer a bridal package that includes mani/pedi, waxing and an updo!!!
There is a coupon online as well for 10% off your first visit (not applicable on spa packages.)

Check them out and let me know how it went.

Road Trip!!

Direct from Daily Candy here are the upcoming New York Sample Sales. You Fly, I'll Buy?

Sample Sale Report
NYC Sample Sales

Catfights are just so last year. Let’s hope.

What: Prada
Why: Italian powerhouse unloads ready-to-wear, shoes, and accessories for men and women at 70 percent off.
When: Aug. 21-23. Tues.-Thurs., 9 a.m.-7 p.m.
Where: The Fuller Building, 45 E. 57th St., at Madison Ave., 2nd flr. By appointment only. Register online at pradasamplesale.com.

What: Jimmy Choo
Why: The notorious sample sale with shoes, bags, and accessories from 65 percent off.
When: Aug. 23. Thurs., noon-7:30 p.m.
Where: Warwick Hotel, 65 W. 54th St., at Sixth Ave.

What: Mulberry
Why: Up to 75 percent off the coveted English luxury leather goods.
When: Aug. 22 & 23. Wed. & Thurs., 10 a.m.-7 p.m.
Where: 140 W. 57th St., b/t Sixth & Seventh Aves., ste. 9b.

What: Intermix Warehouse Sale
Why: Stella McCartney coats, were $1,760, now $549; Chloé dresses, were $1,560, now $499; Sergio Rossi flats, were $495, now $149; Alice Ritter cropped jackets, were $460, now $159; Geren Ford tops, were $255, now $79.
When: Aug. 23-26. Thurs.-Sat., 9 a.m.-8 p.m.; Sun., 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
Where: Metropolitan Pavilion, 125 W. 18th St., b/t Sixth & Seventh Aves.

What: Aero
Why: Up to 75 percent off Aero; Thomas O’Brien; and vintage furniture, bedding, tabletop, and other home accessories.
When: Thru Sept. 1. Mon.-Sat., 11 a.m.-6 p.m.
Where: 419 Broome St., b/t Crosby & Lafayette Sts. (212-966-1500).

What: Charlotte Ronson
Why: Summer dresses for $75; wedge shoes for $45; sweaters for $70.
When: Aug. 22-24. Wed.-Fri., 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
Where: 1071 Sixth Ave., b/t 40th & 41st Sts., ste. 301 (212-616-1005).

What: Hayden-Harnett
Why: Up to 80 percent off clothes, bags, and other accessories, with 20 percent of proceeds benefiting the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence.
When: Aug. 22-25. Wed.-Sat., 12:30-7:30 p.m.
Where: Edge NY, 65 Bleecker St., b/t Broadway & Lafayette St. (212-358-0255).

Martha is Trimming Your Budget

The maven of all things Terrific - Martha Stewart has fifty tips for trimming your wedding budget.
Check out, these were my favorites.

• Check into wine that's available in magnums (bottles double the size of regular ones); several quality wines are. Wine sold in a magnum costs less per ounce, and because the corkage fee goes twice as far, you'll save on two counts.
• As an alternative to traditional flower centerpieces, group favors together on the table. Even if you spend a bit more on the favors themselves, you'll probably save overall.
• To avoid hiring two bands and paying two separate fees, ask if just a few pieces of the band can play during the ceremony and cocktail hour as well as at the reception.

Organize It!

All brides start off pretty organized with a binder and dividers and folders and little holders for business cards. Let's face it there is an art to those of us who can organize by Pile. We know which pile to look in for everything we need and even know just how deep into the pile we must delve to place our pretty little pinkies on said document.

For those of you without The Gift there are these fantastic organizers to help you out with a bunch of Life stuff. Over at See Jane Work there is a Moving Kit
a Cross it off the List kit ( complete with DELEGATION PAGES!!) and the Life.doc Kit to help get your life into order (you can complete it by hand or on your computer via its CD Rom!!)

Do You Choo?

Shoes cause a lot of problems for me. I love them and my husband doesn't get it. He can't really grip the needs for shoes in every color, very heel height, both casual and dressy styles, seasonal wear, specific shoes bought solely to wear ONLY with one outfit etc. etc. etc. i am running out of excuses to give him on why i really do 'need' another pair of shoes. The closest we've come to a truce is my sworn promise to get rid of a pair in order to buy another. All i can say is i am REALLY glad I have a head start....

Jimmy Choo has renovated their NY location and if you love them take a read at the article done by the Times and learn a little about the brand and it's founder. (Then head on down to Chevy Chase and get your shop on!!)

So You Want Cash?

Over at Slate magazine Daniel Gross has written an interesting article on the practice of asking wedding guests to give money as opposed to gifts to the happy couple. You may be surprised at his response. Take a glimpse.

A Billionaire's Specialty Drink

Looking for a specialty drink for your wedding fit for a Billionaire?
The drink is called the Billion-Ayre's Bet and was created for Carl Ayre, billionaire founder of BoDog.com

Here is the recipe:
Billion-Ayre’s Bet
3 ounces Bombay Sapphire gin
2 ounces freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
3/4 ounce Campari
Squeeze of lime
Champagne
Ice Cubes

Shake gin, juices and Campari with ice cubes. Strain and pour into Rocks glass filled with fresh ice cubes. Top with champagne. Garnish with lime wheel.

Having Your Green Go Green

I will admit that it took me a moment to research and investigate and delve into Organics and even moreso into really Going Green. I have made great strides on both fronts and I am proud at my progress, even if you do occasionally see me toss my Starbucks cups into the nearest trash bin rather than saving them and recycling.

I say all of this to say, if Green is your thing and you are planning your wedding fandango you may want to look into the ReDirect Guide Visa , a credit card that promises to help fight climate change with every purchase and offers customers discounts from green businesses. A percentage of each purchase goes to carbon offset programs to fund renewable energy and sustainable development programs through Sustainable Travel International. The card is offered through ShoreBank Pacific which is the first FDIC-insured commercial bank in the U.S. committed to sustainable community development.
What better way to keep YOUR green, Green.

Photo Guest Book For Dummies

Being a planner and always coming up with fantastic "new" ideas for our clients. i myself often having to develop an SOP (standard operating procedure) for lots of things. Such was the case of the photo guest book when i started doing them 2 years ago. Well it involved tables and a team and cameras and scrap booking supplies etc. etc. etc.
Thank goodness for progress. You can now have a terrific photo guest book with none of the former hassle of The Photo Guest Book. These books like at Adesso Albums are personalized with your names and wedding date. The beautifully bound books have slots on each page for the Polaroid photo to slide right into. guests just then sign their little hearts away all while waiting for their picture to develop. Before the night is over, your book is done and you can read the wonderful sentiments of your family and friends.
Also available at the site is a kit replete with cameras and film to boot. What a no brainer!!
Note: Keep an eye out Wedding Channel has been known to put these on sale!!

Black Hispanic White or Asian?

We do a great deal of work with clients of varying ethnic and religious backgrounds. We have been delighted to plan Korean, Chinese, Thai, African, French, Irish and many other phenomenal cultural weddings. Our brides and grooms come in all different colors and are paired as only the heart can. So when it comes to cake toppers the vast majority opt for flowers because the traditional cake toppers don't represent their union.
Now there is a great site called Renellie
You pick and choose the correct head for the bride and the groom. Asian and African American, Hispanic and Caucasin, etc.etc.
I think it's way cool.

We are looking for our next round of brides-to-be to blog their way through the planning process.

Lots of renovations are on hand for the site and ready to hit in the next couple of weeks.
If you are already married but LOVE weddings, we can use you to scout out hot items, trends, sample sales, bridal shows and the neatest Real Weddings you can find.

In return for your blogging you will receive a complimentary Day of Wedding planner to ensure your perfectly planned day goes as planned. Along the way you will also have first hand access to a certified wedding planner local to Washington DC that can help out when you get into a bind.
If you are interested. Send us a blurb about yourself and your honey, your wedding date and location and if you have ever blogged before.

Please send to info at holymatrimonyonline dot com

You either need to be here in the area planning your wedding or elsewhere planning your wedding in the Metro DC area. (Baltimore is cool too, we won't discriminate)Many thanks,
Mrs. Nearlywed

Three Days to Go!

With only THREE days to go, I have become Bridezilla, to say the least. I'm not sure how it happened, but once the calendar hit August, the claws came out. My vendors were just not very cooperative and I had lost any and all patience I'd been storing up, and nothing seemed to go right. I was NOT a happy bride-to-be. The sashes that came were white instead of ivory. The limo company's fax machine was broken and no one confirmed until YESTERDAY that we are going to have a limo, a drought in California dashed my hopes of having white stock for my bridesmaids, the jewelry order was put in incorrectly. The flower girl gown which was supposed to be a tea length came as a floor length. The bridesmaids shoes just got here YESTERDAY and the hair salon I went to burned my hair horribly on top and the color had to be redone a second time, drying my hair out so badly, I've not been "allowed" to blow dry my hair for the last two weeks. Not to mention having horrible burns all over my forehead after an eye-brow wax gone awry. On top of that, on Friday, the groom, his daughter and I all woke up SICK. To say the least, it has become a struggle with these final steps, but it all seems to be coming together!

We now have the bridesmaids' gowns and flower girl dress....

We have a nice arrangement set up for the maids to carry....

The centerpieces (which will include white callas)are going to be gorgeous....


My final fitting went wonderfully....

Found the perfect shoes....

The perfect hair style....

And the perfect cake....

The church has confirmed....

The restaurant seems to have everything under control....

We've written out our place cards....

And the chair sash company is sending the ivory sashes before the wedding!


Now, I have to go make a last minute trip to the mall to get a garter. I was originally NOT going to do a garter toss or bouquet toss, b/c I think they are horrible ways to single out single people, but after a midnight phone call from my family begging me to stick with tradition, I have decided to add them on. Can't break with tradition, right?

So, with three days to go... I have made a maschocistic decision, indeed. I am COOKING the rehearsal dinner. That's right. I am cooking for TWENTY-SIX people the day before my wedding. A big task, I know, but I'm Italian so I was made for this sort of thing, right?

Let's hope so!


In a few more days, what took months and months of planning will fly by in 6 and a half short hours, and the groom and I will be back on the beach in Turks & Caicos, destressing. No better way to spend the last week before I start my second year of law school. :)

Yeah... I'm stressed!