Cordless Mic and Cake Toppers

I created a must-have file for our wedding...

I look at so much wonderful inspirtation and read about a lot of ideas, and needed a way to sort through the stuff we like and we stuff we absolutely must have. I'm proud to say the must-have file is fairly small, as I feel it should be. We can't have everything and we really can't bother ourselves with a long, long list of important details - that would drive us mad.

One of the things in my file, although it may sound silly, is a cordless microphone.

As many of you know, we're having a garden ceremony outside and I can't stand the thought of a microphone cord obstructing the view of us and our backdrop. I hate to use pictures of a real wedding to show something I don't like, but in this case I felt it was fine since I truly love this wedding (especially the couple's cake), and since they will probably never read this blog.

Check out the officiant in the third picture down.

While I can totally appreciate her excitement, that cord has got to go!! Maybe the couple was able to photoshop her (or the mic) out of these pictures. That is what I would have wanted to do!! Am I being crazy guyz? I don't want to be a snobby bride! Maybe I'm being a little picky here.

Did you request a cordless mic?

So onto what I love about this wedding.

The couple's cake toppers.

I adore the simple elegance of these love birds. Gor.ge.ous! I haven't even begun to think about what we want for our cake toppers, but this is going into the inspirtation file nevertheless. I hope we can find something as timeless and unique. Something like this would really compliment our garden theme too. I wonder if anyone has ever had butterfly toppers!  More on this later...

What's in your must-have file?

Have you thought about cake toppers yet?

Celebrity Wedding: Bethenny Frankel

Real Housewives Get Married too...

I know I'm totally late on this, but I was never a big fan of the Real Housewives of New York (I loved the Atlanta crew), which is why I had not watched the show Bethenny Getting Married?. However, recently, I caught a few re-runs and (I know she's been married for awhile now and had ber baby) finally saw the episode of her actual wedding!

I must admit, Bethenny was a good looking for a prego bride! I could not wear the dress she did now, let alone if I was pregnant! Overall, I thought this couple, Jason and Bethenny had a beautiful wedding. The ceremony was absolutely lovely and heart-felt, and the reception looked like a blast!

Some of the things about the wedding that really caught my attention were:  1. The cocktail hour before the ceremony. I know guests loved that. 2. Her reveal. When they pulled the curtain back and Bethenny appeared, she looked gorgeous! The look on Jason's face said it all! 3. The cake. Bethenny's cake was gigantic and beautiful! Apparently, it tasted pretty good too.

Here's a few photos I found of the couple and their wedding day details:

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The In-Laws

I talked last week about how much I love Aaron's family.

I've really gotten to know Aaron's parents and I couldn't be happier with the family I am marrying into. Aaron's parents have really gone out of their way to get to know me. We have been out to dinner numerous times. I've stayed at their house, we've watched movies together, and sat around the breakfast table. We've even celebrated birthdays and holidays, like thanksgiving together.

The last few years I have spent a lot of quality time with Aaron's family, but my family has not. My mom has only been around Aaron's parents a handful of times, and my dad and stepmom, Teresa have only met them 2 or 3 times, which includes our engagement party just a little over a month ago.

Thankfully our parents took it upon themselves to set a date to go to dinner.

Teresa and Aaron's mom, Paulette really hit it off at the engagment party and they talked about getting together again - just the parents - a few times before the wedding. I had no idea they would get together this soon after our party, but I'm really, really happy to report that the four of them (both sets of parents) had dinner this past Saturday!

Aaron and I were a bit afraid that the dads would not hit it off the way the moms did. Simply because our dads do not have a lot in common (as far as we could tell), and the few times they have been around each other previously, they didn't talk much. Aaron's dad asked me last weekend, when I was in Williamsburg for a few pointers about my dad. He said he thought there was a "wall up," and he wanted a few talking points to get past that. Needless to say, we were afraid that the different backgrounds and careers of our dads, would keep them from finding common ground.

Turns out our love for one another is enough of a common ground!

When we talked to Aaron's parents Sunday about dinner, they gushed about how nice it was. They said they had an excellent time. Aaron's mom said she opened up to my parents and even got emotional talking about how happy she that I am the woman her son is marrying (*tear*)! Yes, yes, I have an awesome mother-in-law! Not only that, but Aaron's dad talked about his discussion with my dad about the wedding. He detailed my dad's perspective on some things and it really sounded to us like they had finally hit it off! Yay!

My dad and Teresa described dinner the same way as Aaron's parents. They said they had a really, really nice time. Teresa talked a lot about how sweet Paulette is and she said they would be getting together again soon. My dad said he discussed the wedding budget and his plans to contibute with Aaron's parents. He said he felt they all had the same ideas about costs and that all of them wanted the very best for us.

This is big.

We are so extremely thankful that our parents got together. My family will feel more comfortable on our wedding day, knowing Aaron's parents and knowing that they are giving their daughter to a loving family. Aaron's family too, will feel good knowing the family and household if their new daughter-in-law.

We often think of marriage as the union of two people, which it is. However, it is also the bringing together of two families and two cultures. We're really happy our families care enough about us that they have made it a priority to get to know one another, and more than that, try to like one another.

Did your parents meet the parents of your future spouse?

How do your in-laws get along?

Must Haves: Garden Photos

The gardens at Oxon Hill are perfect for pictures.

Don't you think?

I always search online for real weddings at Oxon Hill and I recently stumbled across the photo above. I was immediately taken back by this gorgeous shot! I thought, "omg, we have to get a picture like this too!" It's sooo pretty and really shows off the pristine landscape surrounding the manor. I've talked about this area before here, here, and here.

Funny thing is, Aaron and I met this couple a few months ago! We met them at an open house tasting for Carribean Caterers. We were all at the same table and became fast friends once we figured out we were both Oxon Hill Manor couples. It's really kind of cool knowing the people in this picture and knowing their wedding turned out gorgeous.

  

See the rest of the photos here.

Image Credit: Heather Z Photography

Is there a particular place you plan to take pictures at your venue?

Love for Bouquets of Alike Flowers

Discovering My Style...

Ever since the first bridal show we attended, I learned that I am drawn to arrangements of the same types of flowers. It's not that I don't like mixing flowers, I love all types of flowers, but I really like the look of like flowers bunched together. It appeals to the organized, elegant bride in me. Isn't this beautiful?

I love this.

via Elizabeth Anne Designs

I also really like the idea of having each bridesmaid carry different bouquets of the same flowers (does that make sense?). I think the bridesmaids would appreciate being about to pick "her favorite flower," and get to take home a bouquet she loves. 

And this.

via prettychicky

This is all just talk really.

I have not been to a florist's shop yet and therefore, all of this is subject to change. I wish I was going flower shopping today actually. I can't wait until we are close enough that we're ordering our flowers!!! That's going to be a wonderful thing to obsess over (rather than invitations - ugh - so over it at this point!).

I just hope that my taste (loving the look of like flowers together) will work in our favor cost-wise. I think I'm pretty lucky to be getting married early spring when a lot of lovely flowers are in bloom. Also, my favorite flower, tulips are going to be at their peak in April. Score! I hope we have lots and lots of tulips! 

I took these!

What kinds of flowers do you love?