old school

{ the girls }
The history of the bridesmaid varies across cultures, religions and time periods. In early Roman times, bridesmaids formed a kind of bridal infantry as they accompanied the bride to the groom's village. This "protective shield" of similarly outfitted bridesmaids was supposed to intervene if any wayward thugs or vengeful suitors tried to hurt the bride or steal her dowry.

The Western bridesmaid tradition seems to have originated from later Roman law, which required ten witnesses at a wedding in order to outsmart evil spirits believed to attend marriage ceremonies. The bridesmaids and ushers dressed in identical clothing to the bride and groom, so that the evil spirits wouldn't know who was getting married.

{ the boys }
According to Anglo-Saxon history, the groom kidnapped his bride in order to get married. The original best man, or the groom's warrior friend, helped the groom fight off other men while "bridesmen" or "bridesknights" made sure the bride arrived safely to the ceremony.

and to think, we don't get to do any of that fun stuff these days...

mum's the word

I saw these at a wedding online, and found a blog that broke it down. While working for a florist in Hawaii last spring, I learned that mum's are typically a funeral flower. Cheap, long lasting, & needing little care. But in groups, tightly placed, they look fantastic, and should be seen at weddings! I want to hang these with blue ribbon along the fence just above where we'll eat dinner. In a soft orange or yellow, or just white for simplicity.

Here's the how to. Girls, get ready to make some mum balls with me! (I'll provide the cupcakes)

You'll need: Floral Foam (the green stuff) Mums (any color you like) Floral Pins Army Knife Scissors
- Use your knife to carve the floral foam into 1" - 2" spheres
- Snip off the heads of your mums
- Soak your foam spheres in water one at a time just before you areready to assemble each (the foam retains some of the water and will keep your mums looking fresh)
- Begin attaching the mum heads to the foam sphere with your floralpins.

Continue until you have covered all of the green foam with mums. Now you have a mum ball!

ribbons and trims

I love these colors. I definitely want to incorporate different textures to the day, with grosgrain ribbon, linens, lace, etc. These are great ideas for holding napkins together. The ribbon on the left would be great for wrapping up bridesmaid flowers.

paper is amazing

I love this idea of paper flowers as a centerpiece. They are bold, they don't wilt, yet they are elegant and non-distracting. I love how they are low enough so that people can still talk to eachother and not have to peek around a tall vase or only feel they can look right or left. And of course the colors are dead on. It's very peaceful... You can buy an ivory flower kit at papersource. I think I'll look into that.

let's dance!

Why don't more couples hire people like this to entertain at weddings?

me and my fianky

Theses are a few of my favorites of Julia & I.

Tahoe...where it all came to be.

Damn, it feels good to be a Gangsta.

The sweetest of sweets.

The Male Perspective

I don't think you realize how much goes into wedding, until its yours. The day I asked Julia if I could hang out with her for the rest of my life was great, care free and almost dream like. The following day it was on, and since then her barrel has been hot, firing an overwhelming barrage of macro-detail oriented questions, soliciting my input. I figured it was a pretty simple process...wrong. And the classic "It doesn't matter to me, Babe," response does not solve anything. Being indifferent actually ignites more frustration on her end. She's insistant that the colors of dresses, flowers, napkins, bowties and eye shadow must accent one another. I've failed time and time again to retort with any constructive advice, so I was given my own list of responsibilities.

Which includes:
pick groomsmen
gather my guest list
organizing a table of Midwestern cuisine
playlist for reception
plan a Honeymoon
pick mens wardobe
and more as it comes

I think I can tackle that while keeping Julia sane. I hate that we've got to pull it all together so fast, but if anybody can make it happen, its her. I really get a kick out of how overly organized she can be. Definitely not my strongest attribute.

So, as I learn the art of organizing, coordinating and saying "Yes", I'll keep you posted.

how do i feel this week?

People say the hardest parts about wedding planning is the location, dress and guest list. I have almost 2 out of 3 done, but lately, this is how I've been feeling...

Jan says he's marrying me for my great organizational skills, and he wasn't worried about proposing later and giving me less time to plan because he had full confidence in my abilities. While in a way, that's a compliment, I still feel the desire for someone to invent a switch so I can turn my brain off and sleep better at nights, instead of it rattling off check lists of to-do's. I think this monkey has it right. Sometimes, it just helps to yell real loud. And then get on with your day!

oh so pretty

While these may not be exact, these are what I'm thinking of for our flowers. The all white w/mini blue flowers for me, and the soft palatte for the girls, and we'll add in a little blue for them. After photos, the girl's bouquets will become some of the table centerpieces for everyone to enjoy. I've been to way too many weddings where the bridesmaid's bouquets get set down in a corner or lost after the photos. Why not have them for everyone to enjoy?

come stay in marin!

We're so excited to see all our family and close friends at our wedding! For those of you coming in from out of town, I've complied a list of hotels for you to reserve for the big day. The weekend of the wedding will be Friday July 27th to Sunday the 29th. You are welcome to come in any earlier to sight see and enjoy San Francisco. You are welcome to look at other places as well. Our family lives in Tiburon (Abelmann's/Rygh's) and the ceremony/reception is in San Rafael.

Below are hotels, as well as the distance from my family, as well as to the reception location:

The Lodge at Tiburon (1 minute to family, 25 min's to reception)
415.435.3133

The Mariott Courtyard, Larkspur (15 min's to family, 10 min's to reception)
415.925.1800

Embassy Suites, San Rafael, CA (25 min's to family, 8 min's to reception)
415.499.9222

who takes the photographer's photos?

This was definitely a big dilemma. I turned to the web & magazines to find a creative idea to have stylized photos, without the cost. Don't get me wrong, there will be talented people shooting during the ceremony, reception, etc. but I don't want them working instead of dancing and eating cake. This idea gives them a break. Fabric backdrops, with my colors, tripods and cameras. Everyone walks into the ceremony venue, 'snap!', signs the guestbook, and gets ready to look for me in a dress. Then, it's open for anybody to jump in and have fun.

It combines the things I love about a studio, photobooth and polaroid effect, in one. Char suggested a small basket of fun items, like vintage hats, boas, etc. I think I agree. My father rocking a western hat? priceless!

cake tasting? for real?

This is the moment I was waiting for. I thought that trying on my dress was wonderful, but this was definitely it's match. An entire plate of cake samples waiting to be tasted! Debbie ran a little late, but made up for it in cake. Mom & I sampled caramel mousse, tiramisu, chocolate cake with chocolate and orange mousse, and my two top picks for my own cake: white cake with lemon mousse and rasberries, and chocolate cake with chocolate mousse and rasberries. Delish!! It's a good thing I had a full day of photography in the city to walk off the sugar.
I'm having her customize it to follow my dress pattern, and putting pale blue flowers on top to tie into my colors. Hopefully people eat all of Caroline's cookies and leave me extra cake!
This lady is awesome, made Jonathan's cake and received rave reviews. If you want a good cake, go with Debbie Does Desserts.

under the old oak tree

I went home last weekend and confirmed our location at Falkirk Mansion w/m&d. It definitely has potential, and with my talented friends and family to help decorate, this place will be perfect. After Jan sends over the 'ok', I'm calling the lady today to secure it. I am very behind in schedule according to Martha, so I am hauling now, so I can slow it down and enjoy the last few months. We will probably get married under the large oak tree (it's all green and pretty now), and have the reception in the back wedding garden. Dancing will follow on the deck of the house. We're shooting our save the date photos this weekend, so stand by! The venue has a limit, so it won't be a huge wedding, but it'll be filled w/lots of family and good times!

it's official!

We are engaged! For those of you who are wondering the how and when and where's, here's the story, as told by me:

I had asked Jan if we could have an egg hunt at his parents house over easter because that is my favorite tradition from the Abelmanns. I bought some chocolate eggs, and filled some plastic ones and gave them to his mom to hide. She combined it w/real eggs and a bigger prize for each of us, and after hiding in the basement for a few minutes, we took our skills outside and began to hunt. I wandered for a good 5 minutes by myself, and then Jan came up alongside me and we started looking together. He slyly led me toward the back of the yard and over behind his dad's shop where his mom 'always hides good stuff'. I, always one to get excited about finding more chocolate, eagerly followed him. We went around the corner, I started looking, and came upon a huge Ostrich egg with 2" pieces of blue duck tape all over it. Confused, I looked at him to which he responded, 'It's a present, maybe you should open it!' And so I did, piece by piece, until the last piece revealed a piece of fishing line. I started pulling it, and from within the egg, out of some tissue, came the most beautiful ring I'd ever seen. I just held it and looked at him like...ohh...and he got down on one knee and proposed. After lots of hugs and kisses and a 'yes!!!' from me, we went around the corner toward the rest of the family to find his dad lighting off a whole bunch of bottle rockets and then coming over and giving me a big hug. The rest of his family..hugs, congrats..then pics...everyone, him on one knee holding up the large egg....it was so overwhelming and my eyes were watering and wouldn't stop, and...I've never been so happy.