First time dress shopping!

Whew. I apologize for not posting this week, I had to get accustomed to my new job, and thus, new work schedule. I have to say that I love my job, love the hours, love the people, and even love the commute! Starting next week, you can expect 3-4 weekly posts from me. Okay, on to the dress.

So last Saturday, the girls and I went to the Cymbeline showroom for my first dress fitting! The first dress that I put on was Bruand:

via Martine Marriage.

via Cymbeline Paris.

As soon as I put it on, I was completely in love with it, even though it was exactly the type of dress that I didn't want to try on: big and poofy, with a long train. But putting on the dress and the veil completely transformed me. It felt like I was wearing a dress version of myself, if that makes any sense at all.

We all figured that our reactions to Bruand were due to fact that it was the first wedding dress that I tried on. But I tried on one beautiful dress after another, and I still couldn't get Bruand out of my head.

Other notable favorites were Agadir, with its breathtaking lace detail that reminded Leia and me of traditional Filipino dresses:

via Cymbeline Paris.

via trojmiasto.

And Cassie, with her sweetheart neckline, lace detail and a mermaid skirt:

via Cymbeline Paris.

I was extremely disappointed by Saline and Cybella. Saline was just too informal for our Catholic wedding. Amanda commented that the priest would have a heart attack! And Cybella just paled in comparison to Bruand. The entire experience was so fun! I plan on heading back once I am settled in my new job, new apartment and new (and hopefully slimmer) waistline. I have to say that Ivy at Cymbeline was absolutely darling to me and the girls, and she actually picked out Agadir and Cassie for me. Amanda picked out Bruand. :-)

Reluctantly, a color scheme

Being a color-loving individual, I was initially against the idea of a color scheme. Pink is my favorite color, but too much pink makes me barf, and I hated the thought of eliminating other colors.

I stumbled upon the Sherwin Williams Visualizer and decided it might be nice to at least try a color scheme. This is my attempt to express my idea of a pink, white and black palette, accented by bright, springtime hues. The bridesmaid dresses/flowers will fit into the pink, black, and white theme, but accessories (shoes, headbands, jewelry) will fit the accent palette.

1st row: Eros Pink, Dragonfruit, Vivacious Pink
2nd: Zany Pink, In the Pink, Impatiens Petal
3rd: Black of Night, white
4th: Calypso, Center Stage, Confident Yellow

The app is pretty fun, you drag and drop the colors into a bin and then you can email yourself the colors. I used Paint program to assemble them into this picture. I like the idea of using full-bodied hues as accents. This is by no means exhaustive, and I'll probably play around with the app again. Can anyone else see what I'm trying to do here?

DIY OF THE CENTURY

OMG I am so excited about this!

Okay, so remember a few days ago when I posted this thousand dollar beauty?
Well I just discovered that Maegen of ...love Maegan posted a DIY project to make these shoes!

via Design*Sponge.

I can't wait to try it myself!

When you gotta go...

This is dedicated to Amanda and April, who gave me my first lesson on going to the restroom as a group. And who will likely be the lucky ladies holding my dress when this happens on my wedding day:

Amanda and Tom's Wedding, via Wedding Cabaret.

Up next...a fabulous DIY project!

Giveaway: pink nylon Vera Bradley

Lauren Nicole Gifts is sponsoring a fabulous giveaway of this adorable Vera Bradley clutch. Entries are accepted until midnight, Thursday May 28. Just submit your email address to be entered in the random drawing. ENTER NOW!

via Lauren Nicole Gifts.

Go ahead, let your hair down

Stephanie Williams photography, via Truly Engaging.

I am IN LOVE with this wedding, featured on Truly Engaging. The splashes of yellow throughout are PER. FEC. TION.

I especially love the gorgeous bride's hair!! It's pretty rare to see long-haired brides rocking their hair down. My hair isn't nearly as thick, and I can't pull off the full bang (I've tried), but this is similar to what I want to pull off on my wedding day: hair straight (duh) and down, with a birdcage veil and fabulous hair accessory.

Ibid.

Birthday Update!

Okay, one teeny post all about me, and then on to wedding stuff!

Yesterday was actually THE BEST BIRTHDAY EVER!! Not only did Jeff and my sis COMPLETELY outdo themselves with food and presents (Filipino food! Junior's devil's food cheesecake! A charcoal grill! Disney dinnerware! and on, and on!), but I got the paralegal job I've been desperately hoping for!!! I was definitely not expecting to hear back on my birthday, and it was truly the best birthday of my life.

And tonight gets even better, with four out of my six bridesmaids coming to visit!

Up next, wedding hair!

Hold on to your diets: the cupcake post.

via Brides.com.

It might just be my birthday mood, but I am seriously into cupcakes right now. I love the fantastic pink frosting on the minis above, and I think I could learn to do it with the right piping tools.

• I am having a hard time deciding on round tiers or square. Any thoughts?

via Martha Stewart Weddings.

• Also I love the idea of having a small cake on top of the tower (much cheaper than a 3-tier cake):

via Cake That!

• When I mentioned to Leia that I would considering buying the cupcakes from Starbucks (before you judge: they are just delightful, and extremely reasonably priced at 4 for $5), she scoffed and said she would bake the cupcakes herself. I fully intend to hold her to that statement.

Red velvet, yellow cake and chocolate Starbucks cupcakes, via Send Cupcakes.

• And last, I just had to post this fantastic dress cake. Behold:

via Pink Cake Box.

Pop-up invites!

Since I started this wedding planning ordeal journey, I have rekindled my love of paper. The newest paper product to catch my eye were these gorgeous paper pop-up placemats (called a "PopMats") designed by Lian Ng.

Publique Living via Design*Sponge.

DEFINITELY check the designs out, they are so intricate and beautiful. I am totally in love with pop-up artwork, and seeing these made me want to do a pop-up style invitation. I definitely don't have the skills to pull off their designs, but I am going to play around with simple shapes over the weekend.

Up next...cake ideas!

Balloon envy

via Oh Joy!

Okay, this is totally cheating, because instead of writing a post about the fabulosity of balloons in wedding pictures, I'm just going to link to Miss Apple Cider's post from yesterday [GO READ IT AND ENJOY THE FABULOUS BALLOON SHOTS. Then come back. If you want.]

I totally meant to write a post about balloons, I swear! (I've got a birthday theme planned for the day...stay tuned for cake). Miss Apple Cider posted most of the pictures I've been hoarding, except for the beautiful garland(above), and this epic engagement shoot by Max Wanger.

via Max Wanger Photography.

So I've made up my mind: there will be an over-sized balloon at my wedding. Deciding between bubble gum pink, bright yellow or spring green. Thoughts?

23 Facts about Me (100th POST!!!)

To mark my 23rd birthday, I am starting the day off with a non-wedding-related post that's all about ME. I love reading personal blogs, but I always wish I knew more about the blogger. So if you feel inspired to do a self-centered post as well, link to it in the comments section and I'll read it! If you don't want to read about me, stop by in a bit, I will post wedding stuff later today.

Things I love*:
1. In middle school, I was convinced that Ben Affleck was my soulmate, and I was fiercely defensive of him. I still occasionally recall random facts about him at odd moments.
2. My current celebrity crushes are Bobby Flay, and most recently, Chris Pine (swoon).

via Snarkerati.

3. I roast a whole chicken at least once a week. Mmmm.
4. If I am not closely monitored in a department store, I can literally spend hours daydreaming in the kitchen section.
5. I am the eldest of four siblings, and I want no less than four kids.
6. I love romantic comedies, particularly those featuring J.Lo. (no, not kidding).
7. My ideal last meal would be a medium rare ribeye steak, a fried chicken thigh, a Hass avocado, tuna sashimi, and an entire Junior's Devil's Food cheesecake.

via Junior's.

8. My view of the world completely changed after I visited the Museé Picasso in Paris.
9. I can't imagine life without music - if I had to choose, I would rather be blind than deaf.
10. Seeing a morning moon is one of my favorite things ever.
11. I love the U.S.A.! I will FINALLY be a citizen in less than 2 weeks.
12. My favorite flowers are orange tulips, followed closely by pink carnations. (But I'd still rather get chips and guacamole than flowers any day).

via flickr.

13. Of the people in my age group, I look up to my little sister Leia the most. (20 bucks says she didn't even read this...)
14. I guess I haven't changed too much since 7th grade. My favorite book is still The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton, and my favorite movie is still Good Will Hunting. I reread/rewatch these every few years and am always surprised by how they much still move me.
15. I loooove my poochie (technically the family dog, but we all know who his favorite is), Archie:

Things I don't love:
16. I have a (slight) fear of birds, that really only manifests when they approach me unprovoked.
17. I hate baking, except for apple pies. Homemade apple pies are one of my favorite gifts to give.
18. I have been a horrific nail biter forever. When the nail actually reaches (just reaches, not exceeds) the tip of my finger, I consider that long.
19. Before I moved to Brooklyn, I was terrified of sirens. Hah.
20. I am still terrified of thunderstorms. I completely regress to a child during a bad storm.
21. I am the only person on earth who thinks WALL-E was overrated. sigh.

Random facts:
22. I was not the kind of girl that dreamed about weddings. I was the kind that scuffed up my knees playing soccer in the parking lot and wore head-to-toe Michael Jordan gear with pride.
23. Except for Jeff, I've never had just one "best friend." Ever since kindergarten, all of my best friends have come in groups of twos and threes.

*besides shoes. obvi.

What's with florals?

Maybe it's just me, but I keep finding myself yawning at all the florals I'm seeing lately. They all blur together in a jumbled, watercolor mess.

That being said, I love this Robert Rodriguez day dress:

$408 via S|Sense.

I love the sweet pink color, the random arrangement of the floral appliques, the PLEATING (yum) and of course, the pockets. Not affordable (by my standards), but still fabulous.

Have any floral dresses caught your eye this spring?

Button bouquet!

Table 6 Productions, via Style Me Pretty.

I actually starred this post yesterday, and I fell in love with it all over again this morning. The button theme is sooo adorable, and the use of so many bright vibrant colors in such a fresh, modern way is inspiring! The eye candy in this wedding is can't-miss: cake centerpieces, mini bicycles, gorgeous art gallery, sigh. So yummy!

Okay, so this post isn't floral...

But I had to plug this upcoming show.

via My Space.

Gina Cimelli is an amazing singer/songwriter who happens to be a cousin of Kathleen, one of my bridesmaids! Her band, Gina's Picture Show, recently performed at Pete's Candy Store in Williamsburg, and Jeff and I literally could not stop talking about it. It was beyond fabulous! So I immediately updated my calendar when I found out that she is back in New York on Friday. Because most (ahem: KATHLEEN) of my bridesmaids are coming up to NYC this weekend, there was no question about whether or not we were going.

For any of you in the NYC area, definitely check her out!

Concert info:
$10 cover
Friday, May 22 at 8pm
Bitter End
147 Bleecker Street (between Thompson and LaGuardia)
New York, New York 10012

Florals in May!!!

Today promises to be a beautiful sunny day in the city, after weeks of cold and rainy May weather. I was so inspired by the beautiful floral prints I saw on my walk to work this morning that I decided that today's posts will all be floral in nature (yes, postS, I am determined to blog like normal again.)

First up, Louboutin petal sandals. I fell for these babies HARD. I am leaning towards the pale pink, but I loved both so much I posted the black ones too . There is no way I could ever justify owning them, but I honestly want them more than babies right now. I created a whole new label for them.

$995 Christian Louboutin, via Bergdorf.

I miss blogging.

I have been a very bad blogger. A lot of things have kept my mind off of wedding planning lately. But this post on {Grey} likes weddings made me smile, and I just had to post it.

via Accessori Design.

I had already decided to do a poster-style program (a fun front/back design, instead of a booklet), but I hadn't settled on the front artwork yet. I feel like most wedding stuff gets relegated to storage after the wedding (at least that's how it was in my family), so I love the idea of having something that I could legitimately hang up in my home as art once it's served its purpose. Come to think of it, since I began wedding planning I think I have subconsciously gravitated towards designs that express my day-to-day style, so that I could actually use my wedding paraphernalia (invites, programs, paper flowers) as home decor, rather than stuffing them into a labeled box for my daughters (or sons-- not judging) to enjoy twenty years from now.

Whew, that was more than I intended to say. Can you tell I miss blogging?

Happy birthday (!) and scattered wedding inspiration.

Okay, so I didn't post yesterday (gasp!), and I am crazy busy again today, but I thought I'd put together some of the things I've been thinking about...

• Firstly, Happy Birthday to Amanda!!! Sorry we couldn't celebrate this past weekend, but Memorial Day weekend is fast approaching and I am super excited!!!

• This SomeECard made me laugh (because it's true), and I thought I would preemptively post it:

via Wedding Bee.

• Also, I am OBSESSED with the gorgeous shades of pink in this beautiful inspiration board (I WANT THAT DRESS!)
• via Beautifully Ever After
  

• And I love this idea of a DIY photobooth. I'm thinking a cute bedsheet could work. Must start collecting silly props. (ALSO: How freakin' cute are their t-shirts??!! Sigh, another thing to add to the DIY list)

more pictures at Wedding Bee.

• Lastly, at our lunch break every day, Jeff and I each take a walk and call each other. Today, he went to the Disney store near his office, and his excitement was palpable. He mentioned a lot of things from the store that he wanted, but he made sure to point out that they had Mickey and Minnie bride and groom ears. This is the photo I found online:

via Theme Park Shopper.

They are kind of hokey. But I think the ears could be a cute goodbye shot before we leave for the honeymoon. (Did I not mention that we are going to Disneyworld? Because Jeff probably wouldn't marry me if we didn't.)

Another meeting with the apartment broker tonight. Crossing our fingers.

Handmade wedding inspiration

Derren and Lisa's wedding part 1, part II, and part III, via Style Me Pretty

I was struck by this wedding. The bride handmade nearly every element, and I think it's unbelievably gorgeous. I don't actually plan to use any of the specific elements that she used in her wedding (I'm not that crafty), but I am inspired by how she did everything herself, and did it her way (seriously, have you ever seen bouquets like that?), and look how wonderfully it came out! Taking the DIY route for my wedding makes me nervous, but this wedding shows how a DIY wedding can actually look handmade and still be chic.

Engagement Shoot: Part I (sneak peak!!!)

Last Saturday was Jeff's birthday, so Leia (my sis/MOH) and I surprised him with his ideal day: Wolverine and Outback Steakhouse. Because our movie theater (The Pavillion at Prospect Park) is so gorgeous, Leia brought along her camera and decided to take some engagement shots in the area. I was so excited that I snuck into her computer and am posting a few of my favorites (before she's finished doing fancy photo-editing stuff that I don't understand).

She made the edges of this one vintage-y, and mentioned that she wants to get rid of the van:

I think the movie titles behind us are oddly appropriate.
Also I dig the "M" showing on his jacket:

Leia did good,right? The pictures turned out waaay less awkward than we felt that day. I never realized how uncomfortable it is to be the object of a photograph; Jeff was miserable. We don't really have a lot of pictures of us, so I'm incredibly grateful for this set. I have one more engagement shoot planned (!!!).

Good thing Jeff doesn't read this blog...

via Disney Weddings Japan

...because he would absolutely FLIP. OUT. if he saw a Mickey silhouette on the inside of his wedding band! I have already found the person that I want to make his ring (!!!), but I don't know if he can do a Mickey etching. Crossing my fingers!

(For those who don't know me, Jeff and I are not getting matching wedding bands, and I have zero interest in the pink Mickey ring. But Jeff has a very sweet and very strong affection for all things Disney, so I need to make this happen!!!)

Photoshop inspiration

Recovering Lazyholic via Oh So Beautiful Paper.

I just love this design. Especially since Jeff says it to me every time I'm rushing or lazy with my goodbyes.

Inspiring pink striped dress

$79, via Dillard's

I came across this dress while hunting down bridesmaids' dresses. I don't think I want my bridesmaids to wear it, and I'm not moved to buy it for myself, but there's something so delicious about it. I could get drunk on that shade of pink, and I just love the bow. Would it be crazy to have that exact bow on my wedding gown?

Under $100 Bridesmaid options 3

I have been in a state of shock since finding out about a close friend's loss. I've avoiding wedding blogging (okay, so it's been a day, but look at the archives. A day is a lot for me), but I realized that I needed to do something to keep my mind off of things. Since I can't cook at work, I started looking for bridesmaids' dresses. It was actually very calming to pore through hundreds of dresses.

Arden B, $68	CharlotteRusse, $35	Yoox, $98
eDressme, $90	J.Crew, $59.99	Macy's,$69

I think the colorblock dress (bottom right) would be cute on Chrissy. This particular combination of dresses doesn't work together well, but I think each individual dress is cute and would be acceptable at my wedding.