The Vision

I can't lie - I've been planning this wedding in my head for about two years. But don't think I'm completely crazy, at the time I was working for "the-online-wedding-registry-company-from-hell". Or, MyHellHole.com as I affectionately refer to them. During my time at MyHellHole, I spent a lot of time scouring wedding blogs, WeddingBee, The Knot, etc. Suddenly, my head started filling with ideas and inspiration. This was long before Pinterest, so what was a girl to do? E-mail myself all these genius ideas of course! Over the last two years I quietly e-mailed myself anything I came across that sounded interesting and stored these emails in a Gmail folder. 

It's completely normal to create your own monogram pre-engagement right?

When Pinterest finally debuted "secret boards" I pounced. Finally I was able to create and save all my ideas in one visual place. Without looking like a total nutbag. Around December of last year, The Groom had all but confirmed to me that we would become engaged sometime in 2014. In between walking on air and keeping my fingers freshly manicured, I did research on what I really wanted this wedding to look like and what would be a good representation of us. 

And thus... The Vision was born. 

Source: Style Me Pretty

The Vision is what I hope and dream this wedding will look like, feel like, capture, and reflect. It is not finalized, and will continue to evolve. It also may get scrapped completely as we move forward with wedding planning. However, The Vision is giving me parameters and is helping to guide me in piecing together this little wedding of ours. And - bonus, The Groom is completely on board with The Vision. Did he sit around dreaming about what our wedding would look like for two years? No. But he does have a sense of style and taste, and he's loved everything I've shown him so far.

Source: The Perfect Palette

So: I give you The Vision. A romantic, Fall, rustic yet elegant vineyard (or vineyard-esque) wedding. Featuring a lot of purples, bronzes, golds, and other autumn elements. I do not want to limit myself to two or three colors, but instead want to work within a general palate and create an overall ambiance for the wedding. These are the images I am using as a reference tool. Eventually I'm sure I'll create my own mood board, but for now these have been very hand. 

Source

Source

Source

 This week I start the venue hunt. I'm visiting two vineyards in South Jersey. I'm hoping these venues fit the bill so that we can lock down a date, and The Vision can come to life. 

xoxo

I SAID YES!

May 26, 2013 - The happiest day of my life (so far!).

Monkey and I were invited to go up to Maine to spend Memorial Day Weekend with two of our best friends, BFF-Puppy and Big Guy. We've been up with them a few times over the years, and it's become one of our favorite destinations. Here we are on our first trip up there, November 2010.

 Our first day, Saturday, BFF-Puppy and I spent running errands and shopping while the boys relaxed and play with the dogs. Saturday night I made a point to tell Monkey that I really wanted us to all spend some time together Sunday, little did I know that this fit perfectly with his plans. The next day we all decided to head out to Two Lights State Park. 

  We'd never been to Two Lights before, and was guaranteed to be pretty interested. We headed up there and enjoyed a lobster lunch before decided to take a walk along the water. As we were walking on these rocks overlooking the water, Big Guy and BFF-Puppy went off to "look at the Lighthouses and take pictures". Monk took this opportunity to walk me on down closer to the water. At this point he started saying very sweet things to me. My heart started racing and all of a sudden, he was down on one knee asking me to marry him. I really don't even remember him getting down on one knee because a wave of intense joy and happiness completely washed over me. Suddenly I was crying and shaking, and nodding vigorously because I couldn't speak yet. Eventually I said YES and looked down at the gorgeous ring on my finger. 

 

We stood there and smiled and kissed (of course) for a bit. When we were done I looked over and BFF-Puppy and Big Guy were snapping pictures of the entire moment. I am so glad they did so, I will cherish these pictures forever. After taking a few more pictures, we decided to head into Portland. In all our years of visiting Maine, we'd never been! I also took this time to ask BFF-Puppy to please be a bridesmaid! I knew I couldn't possibly get married without her by my side. 

 We traveled into the city and found a charming wine bar. Sadly, the wine bar wasn't open yet. However, BFF-Puppy in true Puppy-fashion exclaimed that we just got engaged and we HAD to have a glass of champagne!! They took pity on us and allowed us to sit at the bar and celebrate. I'm so grateful they did. It was the absolute perfect way to celebrate.

After our drinks, we picked up 8 lobsters and headed home to cook up a lobster feast and drink a few more glasses of champagne. I called my family, and MOH-Sugar, but decided to keep it to ourselves after that. As much as I wanted to tell every person I'd ever met, I wanted to at least have one night to keep it between us. It felt like I was holding in a beautiful little secret.

The next day, we made the rest of our phone calls and notifications on the 6 hour drive back to New York City. The drive flew by as our phones were ringing off the hook and we shared the story with all our family and friends.

It was truly the best weekend, and best possible proposal Monk could have ever come up with. It was more than I ever could have dreamed of. I'm so grateful we got to spend the weekend celebrating, especially with two of our best friends. It has completely set the tone for what we want our engagement to be, fun, romantic, and surrounded by our friends and family. 

I can't wait to begin planning our big day together!

xoxo

Wedding Dreams: A Gatsby Inspired Wedding Mood Boards

I couldn't design a Gatsby Wedding and not make a few mood boards right?! What would be in the fun in that. Here is my Gatsby Wedding Fashion Mood Board:

Gown, Headband, Shoes, Bridesmaid Dress

Oheka Castle, Invites, Tablescape

XOXO

Wedding Dreams: A Gatsby Inspired Wedding

Let's take a trip to Long Island's Gold Coast for a Gatsby Inspired Dream Wedding! 

The Great Gatsby has always been one of my favorite novels, and with the upcoming release of Baz Luhrmann's take on the classic I am officially in a 1920's frenzy. I thought it'd be fun to throw together some ideas for a 1920's Gatsby Inspired Wedding. 

This wedding is everything I loved about the novel. Reading about Jay Gatsby's parties, I remember thinking how magical they must have seemed. And magical is exactly how I would want this wedding. I would stick to art deco colors with a lot of gold, silver, black and white. Decor would be minimal but strikingly beautiful. A live jazz band would play throughout dinner, and waiters would serve speakeasy style cocktails. 

I love this letterpress suite from Lucky Luxe Couture Correspondence. I think it would set the tone for guests perfectly. The suite evokes art deco glam with it's understated simplicity and graphic styling. I would change the green in the invitation to a shimmery gold. Naturally, the suite is named "Gatsby". 

Gatsby Invitation Suite

The coordinating Save the Date is a piece of art, and absolutely frame worthy. 

Gatsby Invitation Suite

How sweet would it be to customize the couple in the bride and groom's likeness? Much better than a picture magnet, if you ask me.

I can't imagine this wedding taking place any other than Long Island's Oheka Castle. Oheka looks like it was dreamed up by F. Scott Fitzgerald himself. It is the perfect location for a summer soiree. I can see a ceremony in the gardens, cocktail hour outside under the stars, and the reception inside the estate. 

Oheka Castle

Oheka Castle

Oheka Castle

 Absolutely swoon worthy right? The decor would be 100% glitz and glam. Something along these lines. I love everything about this tablescape; it's beautiful, modern, and classic.

The Event Firm

Now, let's talk fashion. I would dress my ladies in a fun 1920's-esque cocktail gown, how beautiful is this one from Sue Wong?

Sue Wong

And now - the real star of the show, the BHLD Aiguille Gown. This dress inspired me to write this post. I just couldn't stop thinking about it. 

BHLDN Aiguille Gown

All I would add to this dress would be a touch of bling in the hair, and a killer pair of heels. 

BHLDN Everybright Circle

Christian Louboutin

And there you have it! My dream Gatsby inspired wedding.I think Zelda would be impressed, don't you? 

Zelda Fitzgerald

E-Party Planning: An Upper West Side Engagement Brunch

Let's plan a New York City Engagement Brunch, shall we? 

The wedding is hardly the only party one gets to plan once they become engaged. There are a whole slew of parties that come in between engagement and reception. And - if you love planning a party as much as I do, this affords you the opportunity to plan fun events that reflect you and your hubby-to-be!

The first party in the long line of wedding events is the Engagement Party! I think an Engagement Party is a great way to round up your nearest and dearest and toast to your exciting news. Some couples go all out and host a mini-wedding, while some have backyard BBQ's. Here are a few ideas for something in between formal and casual. I picture this Engagement Party for a fun, laid-back, city couple.

Every party begins with the perfect invitation. These invites from Wedding Paper Divas are just the right touch of "party", but still remain classy. I call this look "whismy-fun" and I think it sets the tone perfectly.

Wedding Paper Divas

Next up, comes the venue. One of my favorites spots on the Upper West Side is Gabriela's. It's a Mexican restaurant that is more upscale-gem then taqueria. They offer wonderful outdoor seating, or private spaces inside for groups. I think an afternoon brunch, completely with cocktails (of course), would be a great way to host a nice celebration but not break the bank. Brunch at Gabriela's is about $14/pp and includes one cocktail. This is great bargain over dinner, where entree's are closer to $20/pp and don't include a drink. 

Gabriela's

 Naturally, I'd be sipping on one of these bad boys:

Now, the guest list. Ultimately this comes down to who is hosting the event. If it were up to me, I would keep this intimate - immediate family and bridal party members. I think an engagement party is a great time to formally ask your wedding party members if you haven't done so already. It'd be sweet to have a card waiting for your Bridesmaids-to-be and her place setting. How cute is this one?

Rifle Paper Co

Last, but certainly not least, the attire. I personally feel that your engagement is the perfect excuse to wear nothing but little-white-dresses. This is one, I'm completely enamored with. It's sweet, but sexy too. 

SouthMoonUnder.com

So there you have it! An Upper West Side Engagement Brunch, perfect for the city couple that doesn't have a backyard to host everyone, but doesn't want to have it a Dad's country club either. Hope you've enjoyed the party!

Engagement Shoot Inspiration: Central Park

My heart skips a beat every time I come across a Central Park Engagement Shoot. Central Park is a backyard to many New Yorkers, myself included. I have spent countless hours walking through the Rambles and sunning on the Great Lawn. There is nothing as beautiful in the whole of NYC, as Central Park. At least in my humble opinion. 

That is why today, I am showcasing a few Central Park Engagement Shoots. These photos are just beautiful, and while the Park does take some credit, these photographers are truly amazing. I have sourced each photog below the pictures, so please check them out yourself for more beautiful images!

What I love the most about Central Park, is the variety. In some spots you have a clear view of the Midtown skyline, in others the forest is so dense you feel miles away from the hustle and bustle. These two pictures both feature two of the Park's 36 bridges (yep - 36!). As you can see, the first, more secluded bridge captures the rustic, romantic atmosphere, while the other  puts the skyscrapers on display and brings the NYC energy into the image.

Source: Victoria Souza

Source: Two Rings Studio

 This photo shoot, from Courtney Davidson, is just beautiful. I love the cherry blossoms and the bride's blue dress. I think it works perfectly in the outdoor setting.

Source: Courtney Davidson

Source: Courtney Davidson

I love that this shoot, from Pennace Photography, goes for a casual glam look. The couple is dressed up, but not overly so. They look like they are on their way to a nice dinner at the Boathouse!

Source: Pennace Photography

Source; Pennace Photography

Source: Pennance Photography

 Another great look for a Central Park Shoot, is to embrace the seasons. In this fall shoot, from Sarah Wright Photography, the couple matches the autumn season perfectly. I love the bride's orange scarf! 

Source: Sarah Wright Photography

Source: Sarah Wright Photography

 Last, but certainly not least, I adore the light in these pictures. Robert and Kathleen Photographers did an amazing job of incorporating the natural light from Central Park to really make these images shine. 

Source: Robert and Kathleen Photographers

Source: Robert and Kathleen Photographers

Source: Robert and Kathleen Photographers

Has anyone else out there seen a truly show-stopping Central Park E-Pic shoot? I'm obsessed with all these images, and can't wait to hopefully take my own Engagement Pics here too! 

XOXO

Friday Escape: La Fortuna, Costa Rica

It's Friday! In honor of the weekend, I'll be using Friday's to explore potential honeymoon destinations. Who doesn't love to daydream about a fabulous escape? I think it's just what I need to kick start the weekend!

This week, let's head to La Fortuna, Costa Rica! This rural town in the Central American country is a great honeymoon destination. It is becoming a very popular spot for Americans, but it hasn't yet become too overrun with tourists. La Fortuna, Costa Rica offers vacationers many options for outdoor activities like zip-lining, hiking, and rafting to more relaxing options like sun bathing on the beaches or soaking in the hot springs while gazing at the Arenal Volcano.

 While there are many beautiful destinations within Costa Rica to choose from, La Fortuna is perfect for those looking to experience the rainforest and Costa Rica's natural beauty. Activity choices abound in La Fortuna. I recommend taking it all in! Ziplining will get your heart racing, but for those looking for something a little more low-key, a canopy walk will take you into the heart of the rain forest and a hike to the La Fortuna waterfall will take your breath away. 

For those looking to experience the adventurous side of Costa Rica, but not get too down and dirty, I recommend The Springs. The Springs is a beautiful resort in La Fortuna, Costa Rica. The resort is top notch and offers beautiful views of the Arenal Volcano. After a full day of outdoor activities, nothing is better than soaking in one of the eighteen hot springs on site. 

 

Oh, and did I mention the resort is gorgeous? For those Honeymooners looking to save a little money, the Casa Luna Hotel and Spa is a great budget option. This small hotel offers intimacy and great service. While it doesn't have all the bells and whistles of a larger resort, it does offer a nice pool, restaurant, and spa for visitors. 

If you think these pictures are gorgeous, you need to experience Costa Rica for yourself. Words and pictures cannot do it justice! Oh and because I'm a sucker for a good mood board: 

Hope you've enjoyed this mini-escape to La Fortuna!

XOXO