The lovely Miss Amanda from Is This Thing On? will be making the cupcakes for our wedding and kindly stopped by on Christmas Eve Eve to give us a tasting of some of the flavors we'd proposed. And seriously? Did you get a look at that perfect frosting job? Awesome.
We're getting married in the fall, so we wanted to get fall flavors that are nostalgic, seasonal and unique and most of all, reflective of us. Sean's favorite dessert of all time is apple pie and I love anything with Bailey's, so here's where we landed, left to right:
Apple cupcakes with homemade vanilla buttercream icing (which will have a caramel drizzle on the day of the wedding).
Pumpkin swirl cupcakes
Chocolate Guiness cupcakes with Baileys icing
We had a ceremonial tasting and here were our thoughts ("our" including me, Ashleigh, Amanda, Sean and his family):
Apple was moist perfection. Seriously. The vanilla buttercream was perfect and I can't wait to try it with caramel drizzle.
Pumpkin spice was okay. Sean and his dad loved it; Amanda was on the fence; I thought it was a little more like a muffin than a cupcake.
Guiness with Baileys was a revelation. Seriously. The Guiness really only added a layer of flavor to the chocolate and the Baileys was, as always, fabulous. I've had so much Irish Cream lately that I'm almost tired of it ... nah.
We're still open to creative cupcake ideas. I suggested maybe a champagne cupcake; do you have any ideas?
ENTER TO WIN COOKWARE
Cookware.com approached me about giving away any item on their site worth up to $30. To enter, go to this entry and leave a comment about your cooking-related New Year's Resolution.
We're at the two week mark and things are surprisingly calm over here at casa SE! I'm settling into the new job, and the training hours have been super conducive to running wedding errands in the afternoon. Our programs were just printed yesterday, and have been mailed to FMIL in Atlanta for assembly.
Mr. SE and I had a fun little adventure yesterday during our lunch break- we got our marriage license! The processes was simple as ever and we were in and out within a matter of minutes. The ladies working at the Davidson County Clerk were super sweet and were sweet enough to take multiple pictures of us. We walked out of there super happy, and it made for a great start to the weekend!{proof that someone needs to keep doing their arm workouts}
Oh and this morning we realized that not only are we getting married in 14 days, but we're going to Mexico in 16! Woot!
This was just too fun not to share with you - I'm here in Birmingham where I'll be speaking tomorrow at the A Bryan Photo workshop, and I am so excited to be here. I get to hang out with the whole A Bryan Photo team, the awesome Jonathan Canlas, Bill from Richard Photo Lab, Brian from Cypress Albums, and some other really wonderful people. Anyway, I get really nervous speaking in front of groups, so wish me luck with my talk!
Oh, and check in for some pretty posts this week - two engagement shoots and a wedding that I just couldn't keep to myself any longer.
Jonathan Adler always creates something adorable for your home. Here are some really cute salt and pepper shakers that would make a unique gift for the bride and groom. Get it at Delight.com.
Since we've changed our date again (it's official I promise- but more on that later) we won't be needing shawls anymore. But I'm still in love with this image. Perhaps other cool-weathered brides could use this for their guests.
Some people are just naturals at being domesticated.
My friend Nicole was like that. She comes from this big Italian family and she loves to cook and make sure everyone is happy and stuffed. She can whip together a homemade tiramisu, paint her own porch, replace her own doors and mow her own lawn.
I stayed with her briefly before I moved in with Sean and during that time, her kitchen table was covered with germinating seeds. By the time she planted her little soil squares, she'd have more herbs than I would know what to do with. Her house had plants in literally every room, spilling over bookshelves and cupboards. It was awesome.
I am pretty much the opposite. I have tried to grow a plant twice in my life: sunflowers in 2nd grade (planted in a spot that got literally no sunlight) and lima beans for a 3rd grade class project. So imagine my thrill when I opened one of my gifts from my stepmother: a Chia herb garden!!
Cue the theme song.
CH-CH-CH-Chia!
The herb garden came with six spice packets...
And these incredible (and poorly photographed) Chia-trademarked soil sponges. Seriously, they are amazing. The kit also included 3 terra cotta planters and plastic plant markers.
The instruction were:
1. Wet soil sponge. Squeeze it. Put it in planter.
2. Sprinkle seeds on top.
3. Water it again.
For the germination period (which was all of 4 days), I put sandwich baggies over the pots to mimic a greenhouse effect. And then, suddenly out of nowhere, this happened:
OMG. I have plants!
Basil and Cilantro. Parsley is not pictured.
I am SO excited. Now the only trick is getting these poor plants enough light, since we are majorly sunlight deprived.
I feel totally energized by this experience, but I feel like I'm fooled by the ease of Chia. I'd like to have some flowers or houseplants on the porch or inside. Do you guys have any suggestions of easy beginner plants that are good for apartments?
FOR THE BRIDE: Custom Made Wedding Gowns by Bridal Bliss Designs
I so love custom made wedding gowns. It gives the bride so much freedom and control of what her dress will truly look like. These custom made gowns by Bridal Bliss are simply gorgeous. She is currently not accepting custom design orders at this time. But you can choose from any of the designs currently featured in her shop and have it custom made to your measurements. She is accepting orders that have a deadline date of June 2011 or later. View her entire collection over at Bridal Bliss.
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During the entire experience of planning the ceremony, I kept equating it to my small amount of experience in the theater. Scene changes, costumes, places, lines...it all seemed pretty familiar to me, and when people asked me if I was nervous, I figured the worst that could happen was someone would mess up, and audiences love that.
I attribute that experience with my sense of calm on the actual day. When my friend Chanelle got married to her longtime sweetheart, whom she met in high school, she seemed preternaturally calm. I remember I asked her how she could be so calm, and she said she was just excited. Not emotional or overwhelmed, just excited. I wanted to be like that.
In reality, I got a little weepy pretty quickly after I arrived at the venue. I peeked through the windows onto the garden and saw that my vision — my carefully planned, explained, crafted vision — was reality and I couldn't look away. My bridesmaids and I kept running into guests who were unabashedly coming up to talk to me, despite my dress and all that, so we finally had to face our chairs away from the door.
My mother came in and I noticed her chin was wobbling, a tell-tale sign of tears. She said, "I just came in to say goodbye to my baby." I was like, "Oh, don't be silly" but then I said, "I really miss Nana today" and that really got us going.
Before I knew it, it was time to line up. I think Miranda literally said, "It's show time," and I was so excited. It didn't really hit me that this was really happening until the music started.
Our parents walked in to "Dream a Little Dream of Me" by The Mamas and the Papas, and the groomsmen walked in to "Our House" by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. That song makes me cry any day of the week, and this was no exception.
My bridesmaids walked down the "aisle" to "Here, There and Everywhere" by The Beatles.
And then it was my turn. I managed to stay composed until I heard that first magical strain of Cat Power's cover of "Sea of Love." I downloaded that song sometime in the winter of 2003 and knew at that moment it would be in my wedding. Despite my best efforts, I immediately felt my composure waver, and before I knew it, I was biting my lip to stop the tears. I decided to just smile through it.
My dad, by the way, thought the song choice was awesome. That's because he is awesome.
I think brides have a tendency to think they'll magically be a different person on their wedding day. A graceful, ballerina-like swan, perhaps. I was totally and completely, maybe embarrassingly, me. The sun blinded me as we walked down the aisle, so I scrapped my original plan of gazing into Sean's eyes and decided instead to look at my guests. I was so excited to see some of them, I mouthed, "I LOVE YOU!" in a big theatrical way.
I cried through most of the ceremony, I have to admit. Sean looked at me with such tenderness, I think I was almost in shock. I squeezed his hand as hard as I could.
But I was still aware of the outside world. At one point, birds flew into the tree and our guests audibly sighed with pleasure. Everyone told me later that it seemed almost too romantic. I heard the birds and the water from the fountain, and I remember thinking, "This must be beautiful."
I remember feeling such a big lump in my throat that I was surprised to hear my own voice echoing through the garden when I said my vows. I focused very hard on repeating them the right way, and was pleased my voice didn't waver. Sean, for once, didn't mumble.
When it came time for rings, I could barely get Sean's on his finger, so I just threw up my hands and said, "Close enough."
And then we kissed! And then we eskimo kissed; when we first started dating, I taught Sean about eskimo kisses.
And suddenly, we were husband and wife. It was an amazing feeling to face this group of people who we love and who love us, and wanted to be there to witness.
And despite our fancy outfits and special words, we were still ourselves, as we walked away. I said, "Are you excited to be married?" and Sean characteristically said, "Yeah."
I had a very hard time narrowing my ideas for the wedding, and I couldn't have written the ceremony without the help of my cousin Deena, who served as our officiant. Deena and her husband are both chaplains, and she has always been my father's favorite cousin. She married my father and stepmother a few years ago, and at that time, I thought she was the best officiant I'd ever seen: warm and friendly, but capable of conveying the depth of the day.
As a former English major, I could have picked hundreds of readings, but I was able to choose just three: a selection from "Anne of Avonlea" by L.M. Montgomery, a selection from "Still Life With Woodpecker" by Tom Robbins and "Union" by Robert Fulgham.
My dear friend Sara, a children's librarian who went through the English program with me, read the "Anne of Avonlea" selection. We both have a shared love of Anne with an E. Here it is:
"It was as if a veil that had hung before her inner consciousness had been lifted, giving to her view a revelation of unsuspected feelings and realities.
Perhaps, after all, romance did not come into one's life with pomp and blare, like a gay knight riding down; perhaps it crept to one's side like an old friend through quiet ways; perhaps it revealed itself in seeming prose, until some sudden shaft of illumination flung athwart its pages, betrayed the rhythm and the music; perhaps...perhaps...love unfolded naturally out of a beautiful friendship, as a golden-hearted rose slipping from its green sheath."
Our friend Mark, a poet himself, read a selection from "Still Life With Woodpecker." Mark has excellent taste and is much more well-read than I, so I was hesitant to share my selection with him. Imagine how delighted I was when he said it perfectly expressed how he feels, too! Here it is:
"Love is the ultimate outlaw. It just won't adhere to any rules. The most any of us can do is to sign on as its accomplice. Instead of vowing to honor and obey, maybe we should swear to aid and abet. That would mean that security is out of the question. The words 'make' and 'stay' become inappropriate. My love for you has no strings attached. I love you for free."
And this one, "Union" by Robert Fulgham, is the one that made me cry. Deena read this one for us, and I've received many compliments on choosing it. It's very relatable for any couple:
“You have known each other from the first glance of acquaintance to this point of commitment. At some point, you decided to marry. From that moment of yes, to this moment of yes, indeed, you have been making commitments in an informal way. All of those conversations that were held in a car, or over a meal, or during long walks — all those conversations that began with, “When we’re married,” and continued with “I will” and “you will” and “we will” — all those late night talks that included “someday” and “somehow” and “maybe” — and all those promises that are unspoken matters of the heart. All these common things, and more, are the real process of a wedding.
The symbolic vows that you are about to make are a way of saying to one another, “You know all those things that we’ve promised, and hoped, and dreamed — well, I meant it all, every word.”
Look at one another and remember this moment in time. Before this moment you have been many things to one another — acquaintance, friend, companion, dancing partner, even teacher, for you have learned much from one another these past few years. Shortly you shall say a few words that will take you across a threshold of life, and things between you will never be the same.
For after today, you shall say to the world — This is my husband. This is my wife.”
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My brother toasts us. The awesomest best man toast of all time, in my opinion.
Title:At My Wedding Twitterring and Facebooking at the Altar
This was just done to be funny - we really don't Facebook THAT often :).
A special thanks to Mountain Christian Church in Joppa, MD. If you are in the area and are looking for someplace with great community, children, and small group ministries check us out at http://mountainchiristian.org.
I have a lot of family scattered around the country and we all use Facebook a lot to keep in touch. So when Tracy and I were engaged, most of my family found out via Facebook because we updated our statuses.
I surprised not only my guests, but also Tracy by pulling out my phone and posting on Facebook and Twitter from the altar during out wedding.
I had her phone ready in my pocket, so when she asked for it I could hand it to her. No one knew about this except the minister, and myself.
Here is the twitter post:
http://twitter.com/TheSoftwareJedi/status/5925126890
Documento sin título
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Wedding ceremony, Austin, Texas.
Title:At My Wedding Twitterring and Facebooking at the Altar
This was just done to be funny - we really don't Facebook THAT often :).
A special thanks to Mountain Christian Church in Joppa, MD. If you are in the area and are looking for someplace with great community, children, and small group ministries check us out at http://mountainchiristian.org.
I have a lot of family scattered around the country and we all use Facebook a lot to keep in touch. So when Tracy and I were engaged, most of my family found out via Facebook because we updated our statuses.
I surprised not only my guests, but also Tracy by pulling out my phone and posting on Facebook and Twitter from the altar during out wedding.
I had her phone ready in my pocket, so when she asked for it I could hand it to her. No one knew about this except the minister, and myself.
Here is the twitter post:
http://twitter.com/TheSoftwareJedi/status/5925126890
Documento sin título
Videos Relacionados:below I show related videos and not so related to this article.
TitleAt My Wedding Twitterring and Facebooking at the Altar
This was just done to be funny - we really don't Facebook THAT often :).
A special thanks to Mountain Christian Church in Joppa, MD. If you are in the area and are looking for someplace with great community, children, and small group ministries check us out at http://mountainchiristian.org.
I have a lot of family scattered around the country and we all use Facebook a lot to keep in touch. So when Tracy and I were engaged, most of my family found out via Facebook because we updated our statuses.
I surprised not only my guests, but also Tracy by pulling out my phone and posting on Facebook and Twitter from the altar during out wedding.
I had her phone ready in my pocket, so when she asked for it I could hand it to her. No one knew about this except the minister, and myself.
Here is the twitter post:
http://twitter.com/TheSoftwareJedi/status/5925126890
Title:The BEST Best Man Speech EVER
My brother toasts us. The awesomest best man toast of all time, in my opinion.
Are any of you on the search for the perfect tile for that home you're building? Yeah, me either, but sometimes the perfect tile (or sink or couch or whatever) just appears before you and all you can do is pine for the day it will be yours.
That's how I'm feelin about the new collaboration between Dwell and Heath Ceramics. The tile line is comprised of three tile shapes: diamond, wide hex and half hex. The layouts can yield endless combinations of color and pattern. The collection goes on sale Aug. 1 here.
Wino Wednesdays is back! Except it was on Thursday this week because of stupid weather. Boooo.
This time around, it was my turn to host and as per usual, I went a little crazy with the Valentine's Day-themed decor. We were having dessert wines and desserts and boy, was it sweet.
I literally made that doily garland while watching LOST...I'm a nerd.
Above, raspberry brie bites. Recipe coming this weekend!
The menu: deli spirals (the easiest, most crowd-pleasing storebought item ever), raspberry brie bites, smoked cheddar popcorn, creme brulee bars, chocolate raspberry mousse (which I unfortunately still have) and French macarons from Trader Joe's.
I dug out my grandmother's crystal. Valentine's Day was her birthday and always reminds me of her.
We tried:
Jackson-Triggs Icewine: an incredibly smooth, honey-like dessert wine. Very sweet but very good.
Verdi Peach Sparkletini: A super fun, bubbly spumante with a hint of peach. It also comes in raspberry, which I'm dying to try.
Harris Ruby Porto: This was my first port and I actually really loved it! I said drinking port made me feel like one of those old dudes who plays chess in a library filled with leather chesterfield sofas.
BLURRY PICTURE ALERT!
Butler Cassis Noir: A very tart black currant wine, excellent served over cheesecake. Very tart and earthy.
Banyuls: I can't read the label, so I kinda suck at this. I bet it was good though. Oops.
Bitch Bubbly: I was the only one who kinda like this; it was a very bubbly, berry-flavored sparkling wine. Fun, but not rich in flavor.
More pictures and recipes to come later! Big dessert wine tip: The wine should always be sweeter than the dessert you pair with it.
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The lovely Miss Amanda from Is This Thing On? will be making the cupcakes for our wedding and kindly stopped by on Christmas Eve Eve to give us a tasting of some of the flavors we'd proposed. And seriously? Did you get a look at that perfect frosting job? Awesome.
We had a ceremonial tasting and here were our thoughts ("our" including me, Ashleigh, Amanda, Sean and his family):
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