Perpetuum Mobile

Anticipation. Excitement. Love. This piece encompasses how I feel right now and how I will feel on my wedding day:) Thank you Penguin Cafe Orchestra for this amazing piece of music!!!

Lace Veil

I did a post a while back on antique lace restoration and my sister and I decided to go with Gentle Arts for the restoration of our antique handmade point de gaze lace (with gorgeous double petaled tulips and roses). Leigh Reveley has been working diligently on our veil and we opted to have the lace re-attached to beautiful silk tulle. The silk tulle is a little less stiff and voluminous than nylon tulle but we wanted to go for authenticity so we stuck with the silk tulle. I've been anxiously awaiting the arrival of the restored lace veil (any day now!) and to calm my nerves Leigh emailed me some before and after photos. Here is a glimpse of the cleaned repaired lace (no more holes!!!!!)

BEFORE:

AFTER:

*UPDATE: I received my veil!!! Leigh Reveley saved the day---she did an amazing job. I can't recommend her enough!

Paper Trail

Image Source

We are finally winding down with all of our last minute wedding plans but it just seems like a never ending to do list. It is exhausting! We are so blissfully excited for the wedding and honeymoon but probably just as excited about never having to do wedding planning ever again! (ok, I amend that.... except for my siblings of course). Anyway, I've been working with Theresa Patton over at TT Patton, a stationary store based out of Barrington, Illinois for all of my miscellaneous paper needs. I came to her late in the game and she was willing to help me out at a moment's notice (thank God). Anyway, she carries a huge variety of products and in my case she happened to carry Alexa Pulitzer's La Cartoleria products which I love. Alexa Pulitzer is based out of New Orleans and her designs have a particular New Orleans flair. Here are some of the items I picked out to go with our gastronomically inclined theme (more to come on that soon) :

Place Cards for our sit down dinner (to go with the wine cork place card holders above!). All calligraphy has been done in chocolate ink:

Gift tag:


Menu:
You can get the wine cork place card holders here.

L'Heure exquise by Reynaldo Hahn

I love pretty much everything that Argentine Reynaldo Hahn has composed but my favorite, and perhaps his most famous composition, is L'Heure exquise. Our cantor, Megan Dearie, will sing this remarkable song when we light the unity candle in our wedding ceremony. Enjoy!

Ceremony Readings

Jack and I decided pretty early on that we would have a Catholic ceremony without the nuptial mass. Since Jack (and a good portion of our guests) are not Catholic we thought it would be best to avoid the mass and not make our guests feel excluded. This made things a little easier to plan but picking the readings and gospel still proved to be difficult for us. I don't think I'm alone here; most would agree that choosing the readings can be tedious at best. There is so much to choose from and it really is a boon to the couple if they have a patient and understanding priest who can guide them in making their choices. Typically two to three readings are done with one reading from the Old Testament and one from the New Testament. So without further ado.... we finally picked out our ceremony readings! With our priests blessing we choose our first reading from the Old Testament and our second reading is an excerpt that really means allot to us. Are there any special readings that you will or have incorporated into your ceremony?

1st Reading: Song of Solomon 8:6-7

Place me like a seal over your heart,
like a seal on your arm;
for love is as strong as death,
its jealousy unyielding as the grave.
It burns like blazing fire,
like a mighty flame.

Many waters cannot quench love;
rivers cannot wash it away.
If one were to give
all the wealth of his house for love,
it would be utterly scorned.

2nd Reading: Excerpt from "Captain Corelli's Mandolin" by Louis de Bernieres

Love is a temporary madness; it erupts like volcanoes and then subsides. And when it subsides you have to make a decision. You have to work out whether your roots have so entwined together that it is inconceivable that you should ever part. Because this is what love is. Love is not breathlessness, it is not excitement, it is not the promulgation of eternal passion. That is just being in love, which any fool can do. Love itself is what is left over when being in love has burned away, and this is both an art and a fortunate accident. Those that truly love have roots that grow towards each other underground, and when all the pretty blossoms have fallen from their branches, they find that they are one tree and not two.

Picture Perfect

$100,000 dollar celebrity weddings and picture perfect Martha Stewart real wedding spreads don't faze me or make me feel less of a bride/person. It's a standard that's completely foreign to me so I enjoy the visuals and try to incorporate any ideas I get from these "standards of perfection". Then I make them imperfectly suited to us:) But everytime I run across the bridal beauty countdowns in my monthly Barnes & Noble wedding magazine perusal I freak out. I get anxious and my palms start to sweat. According to these countdowns, I am months behind. Months. Is my freak out really necessary?

According to the bridal industry it is. But after thinking it through rationally my beauty routine shouldn't change because I'm getting married, it should change for the sake of improvement. Heck- anyone has room to improve, even the model above. The only place I really lag behind is keeping up with my facials and manicures (I had a traumatic facial in college) but my basic upkeep is pretty good. In fact, I wanted to share some products I use frequently that have worked wonders:

Hair: I live and swear by Kerastase Paris Nutritive line. I started using it before it came to the States and it instantly smooths and nourishes my dry, thick hair. If you want to keep your locks shiny I also recommend using a Mason Pearson brush- they last forever (if properly taken care of).

Body: I'm addicted to the Sugar Bodycare at Fresh. The scrub will leave your skin insanely soft and polished and the oil does an amazing job at keeping my skin moisturized. I sometimes prefer using an oil instead of lotion/creme to avoid feeling "sticky". Basic shea butter from the grocery store also keeps my skin moisturized during the cold Chicago winter months.

Skin: To date nothing has moisturized by face better than the Estee Lauder Comfort Creme. I use it at night before bed (when I remember to use it) and it keeps my skin baby soft. I'm a little less liberal with it during the summer. To avoid the dreaded pimple I also keep a stash of Dermalogica products on hand.

Teeth: Crest white strips and a good tooth cleaning! Whitestrips work without having to spend $500 getting your teeth whitened and then having to deal with super sensitive teeth afterwards. Although I hate visiting the dentist I love the feel of having squeaky clean teeth afterwards.

My New Perkier Self

Well I think I've had a spiritual epiphany. I have risen from the ashes as a big, bold and beautiful phoenix. Ladies (and gents).....I got myself a pair of new bewbies.

No, no- I did not get implants. Nothing as drastic as that. Instead of going under the knife I went under the tape measure. After going through life for almost 30 years wearing ill-fitting torture contraptions I just had enough. I finally got myself measured properly at a bra fitting and it was worth the embarrassment of having to strip in front of a complete stranger and have the little ladies analyzed (this is coming from someone that doesn't even like changing in locker rooms). Lo and behold I went up a full cup and bra size. Not until I tried on the bras in my new size did I believe it possible. No more bra pinching or horrible back and armpit fat rolls. I actually look thinner and my breasts perkier. They now stand at attention and salute. In a word I feel glorious.

I can't recommend a proper bra fitting enough. Please, please make the effort and get yourself fitted. You'll feel like a new woman! Case in point: as I left the store I felt like Mary Tyler Moore when she tosses her hat in the air.... instead I threw my old bra in the trash and never looked back.

(Ladies in Chicago: Check out Intimacy, The Bra Fit Specialists)

SiBelle

Now that fall is here I'm pining for lazy summer beach days. I've been on the lookout for a comfortable but stylish cover-up to wear on the beach and I came across SiBelle who makes the most gorgeous beach caftans and lingerie. She is based in New York but you can buy her stuff online at her site. Put on a caftan, some chunky jewelry and gladiator sandals for a sexy pool/beach look. Here are my favorites:

Wedding Clutch

I'm on the lookout for an evening handbag and wouldn't this Valentino baby blue masterpiece do the trick? A little something blue I can use over and over again. Enough drooling. Time to find something similar:)

Wedding Website

Lo and behold little ol' me actually created a wedding website! I didn't realize what a necessity it was until I started getting bombarded with questions from guests. It really helps having everything online for people to view. After searching online for a "free" wedding website I came across Bridal Fever. And yes, it really is free. You can create your website from a variety of templates offered which I found to be pretty cute and customizable compared to other similar sites. They offer basic html instruction so I was able to add links, add my own background (a really cute fleur de lis pattern) and customize whatever details I wanted. After saving images for inspiration, it was a breeze to insert pictures I already had on hand throughout the site. I chose to buy a domain name for personal use (Wedding and Non/Wedding related) from Go Daddy for a steal (compared to what you have to pay for at regular wedding sites that typically expire soon after the wedding) and I forwarded my bridal fever site to my domain. I highly recommend going this route for an easy to use, inexpensive and design friendly wedding website.

Free Opera Concert

Have you ever heard an aria outside at dusk? If not then here is your chance! Lyric Opera of Chicago is presenting a star-studded free outdoor concert as its annual pre-season gift to the city. Artists include Natalie Dessay, Nicole Cabell, Jonas Kaufmann, Gordon Hawkins, Raymond Aceto, Elizabeth De Shong, Amber Wagner, Dimitri Pittas, and The Lyric Opera Orchestra will be conducted by Sir Andrew Davis. We plan on packing a little picnic and riding our bikes to the Pritzker Pavilion and setting camp. See you there!

A Challenge

My sister had the temerity (gasp!) to nasay my views on the pocket square without tie calling it "messy and unpolished". I disagree sis, oh I disagree:) And to top it off she said men that wear purple could be seen as "girly". She challenged me to a duel so without further ado here are some images from the Satorialist that prove that men with pocket squares sans tie is stylish and sexy:

Pocket square without tie? Check! A bit of purple? Check!

The nail in the coffin. Take a look at this dapper fellow:

Clothes Make the Man

It's not all about the bride... right?!? The groom has to look sharp too. I found a couple of images going through my old MS magazines and I love this look. LOVE IT. It's unfussy and elegant. I'm usually really turned off by the boutonniere's I see out there; men typically look like they have a flower shrub on their chest. Here a single freesia blossom is tucked through the top hole on the lapel for a cleaner look and the pocket square adds a jaunty flair. I think utilizing the pocket square is a great way to add a little punch of style to a man's ensemble. It's the equivalent of the woman's handbag; it completes a look. For men that hate wearing ties you can still keep it stylish by forgoing the tie altogether and adding a pocket square for a sharp and elegant look.

The pocket squares I've looked at typically come in linen and silk. The linen pocket squares are typically "crisper" and more traditional. They have to be ironed out before folding to retain that crisp fold everyone loves. Silk pocket squares like the one below have a more billowy look to them so it really is a matter of preference. I'm not sure if you can see the tie below in detail but it has little fleur de lis on it! The colors also happen to coordinate with my bridesmaid dresses. If only I could get pocket squares with the same design/color! The tie comes from Duncan Quinn and they have a fabulous selection to choose from. Duncan Quinn is known for it's "rock and roll meets Saville Row" style. Check them out!

Marry in Blue, Lover be True

Before Queen Victoria popularized the white wedding gown, the most popular color to be married in was blue. In ancient Rome, blue represented purity and fidelity which was then syncretized by the early Christians and came to symbolize the same in the form of the pale blue robes of Mary. Blue was then forever tied with the concept of purity. I've always associated the color blue, especially baby blue, as a feminine color. In fact it's my favorite color. With that said, I'm hoping to include touches of blue during my wedding day. To date the only touch of blue I have is on my garter so I have been brainstorming on what other discrete touches of blue I can add. How will you be incorporating the color blue? Here are some of my favorite images/ideas I have come across:

Gorgeous Adrienne Landau pale-blue capelet to the left (Image Source). Larisa Barrera purse to the right (Image Source)

Festoon your getaway car in pale blue ribbon (Image Source)

If blue is your main color for the day you can use this beautiful pale blue invitation set by Lettered Olive as inspiration (Image Source)

Keepsake

I think this invitation set is brilliant. Michelle Rago worked closely with Grapevine Invitations to create an invitation suite that takes into account the rich history of the Nantucket area while keeping the set personalized by including the bride's love of books and the bride's fathers fascination with whales. The Nantucket area once had a major whaling industry and the journals whalers used to keep on their voyages served as inspiration. I think my favorite aspect of this set is the gorgeous linen covered book. What a wonderful keepsake!

Beautiful linen covered book that holds the invitation set.

Bows and Garlands

If you have deep pockets, good taste and happen to be in London then head on over to Bentley & Skinner on London's famous Bond Street. They have the most amazing antique jewelry collection... period. One could spend hours searching through their extensive collection and for those that live on the other side of the ocean you can search to your hearts content through their online search engine. A girl can dream right? Here are some gorgeous antique Edwardian diamond earrings. Which one's your favorite?

I smell like.... what???

So I chose my perfume, or my perfume has chosen me. I dragged Jack to Neiman Marcus (he has the good fortune of working two blocks off Michigan Avenue) and he was a good sport. As much as he huffs about going shopping with me, he knows he has good taste and he likes proving himself right. He didn't disappoint. We sniffed our way through 10 or so scents but we both kept going back to the Creed fragrances.

I wanted a perfume that was long lasting, subtle yet sensual, and suitable for an evening out on the town. I had a feeling I was probably going to veer towards the spicier scents vs the florals; and we did. I was tutored on how to wear perfume; it is important not to rub your wrists together after spraying perfume; it reduces, or bruises, the top layer of the perfume (I always thought it enhanced it). And a perfume smells different from person to person as we all have our individual body heat and inherent odor that personalizes the scents we wear.

My nose kept veering back to a lovely oriental scent called Tubereuse Indiana by Creed. A combination of tuberose, ambergrise, and amber with a welcoming hint of vanilla it is a non cloying, warm, sensual and elegant scent. It's also incredibly long-lived; the longer I wear it the sweeter and well-tempered it smells. The Creed specialist did something I've never seen before; she blended both the Tubereuse and Jack's scent of choice Green Irish Tweed. She wanted to determine if our scents matched and surprisingly they did. Both have hints of ambergris and musk and they are a match made in heaven. I was sold.

Given Jack's allergies we were advised to test the scents out, see if Jack had any adverse reactions to what we tried on, and come back the next day. I came home and looked up ambergrise and tuberose for fun. Holy cow batman do I have wacky olfactory appetites! Did you know ambergrise is a biliary secretion of the intestines of a sperm whale?!? Yes, sperm whale. Oh and it gets better. The lovely and expensive tuberose flower is known for its "honeylike and fatty sultry like notes... with similar notes like the scent of a woman's vulva or sweat". Apparently I have a suppressed liking for the smell of whales and vulva's; I wonder why the Creed specialist didn't divulge these little tidbits.. hmmm? No matter; vulva's and sperm whales it is and I smell beaaauuttifulll!!!

Scent of a Woman

Most peoples memories are strongly attached to certain smells or melodies; both good and bad. This is nothing new; scientists have found the exact location in the brain responsible for connecting certain events or sensations from the present to a distant memory of the past. To get technical it's called the CA3 region of the brain. Which is why a certain scent like perfume or a childhood melody will instantly connect you to a vivid memory from the past. When I smell a fresh new can of tennis balls I think of all the times my brother kicked my ass on the tennis courts when we were kids (both a good and bad memory!). Or the smell of baby powder instantly conjures memories of helping my mom bathe and dress my cute, wiggly green-eyed infant sister (I'm 7 years older).

There is perhaps no other scent in the world like my Mom's. She has the most comforting, lovely and ladylike scent in the whole wide world. Chanel No. 5 and Nina Ricci's L'Air du Temps are her perfumes of choice. And she wears the perfume vs the perfume wearing her. It's not cloying but just right. When I smell Chanel No. 5 I think of all the times I would watch her get ready for a night out with my Dad. Or when I had a bad day she would hold me close and her scent would instantly soothe me. When I turned 16 my mom gave me my own bottle of Chanel No. 5 and it just didn't feel right. I laugh thinking about it now; but I have strongly associated that scent with my Mom. And for a 16 year old it was way to strong; it's a scent for a woman not a pubescent pimply young girl. I think my mom was anxious for me to grow out of my awkward stage and all I can say is we both had a meeting of minds on that score!

So with that in mind I can't help but think that having a wedding day perfume is anything but a silly notion; the memories both Jack and I will have of our wedding day will be tied to the scents and melodies of the day. I really like the perfume I've been using for the past 5 years or so but I'm thinking I need something a little bit more sophisticated. Case in point; here's the website description of my perfume of choice "Petite Cherie" by Annick Goutal: "A fruity-floral fragrance in which vanilla, peach, musk rose and freshly cut grass recall purity and boldness. Like a naive and determined woman-child who both stirs the senses and moves the heart". Enough said.

I have to tread carefully though. Jack has an attachment to Petite Cherie which he helped me pick out. It throws him off in a bad way if I wear anything else. Which I totally understand; if my mom wore anything else but Chanel No. 5 I would also be thrown for a loop. Strange as it may sound I'm asking Jack to help me pick out a perfume for our special day that he will hopefully like. I'll continue to wear Petite Cherie day to day (if I didn't I would be totally remiss) and wear my something new for evening. Who knows, if we are lucky to have kids perhaps one day they will be attached to my scent as I am to my Mom's:)

Are any of you contemplating a wedding day perfume? If so what scent will you use or did use?

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Biedermeier Styled Wedding

I was at the bookstore looking at all the current bridal magazines when I came across an Elegant Bride's piece on a "Biedermeier" styled wedding. Jack could see my eyes pop out of my head and I could hear him thinking "Here we go again...". I think Elegant Bride did a spectacular job re-creating the elegance and feel of the Biedermeier period. But mostly I was tickled pink because I've been obsessed with Biedermeier furniture for years now. After I wiped the slobber off my face and bought the magazine I started going through my huge Biedermeier file at home filled with magazine clippings, historical details and listings of my favorite stores. Yet again, I was re-inspired. Here are some drool worthy pics:

I never thought pink fondant would look this good. And I don't even like fondant. It's the ribbon like ornamentation that makes me weak in the knees. It reminds me of the bows and swags on my lace veil. Also- take a look at those french macaroons!!!!

The blonde veneer commode also makes me weak in the knees. I love the combination of fruits and flowers as a decorative element. The soft pinks pairs surprisingly well with the dark plums and reds of the fruit. The above reminds me of Dutch still-life.

Sweets Overload

Help! My teeth are about to fall out of my head! I'm looking at a list of desserts we would love to serve at the wedding for our dessert table and I want to serve them all. But I can't. It would be a sweets overload. So I need to pare down my list and I'm having trouble deciding what to axe. Keep in mind that we do plan on serving a wedding cake and the wedding will be small. But everything just looks so good!!!! I'm thinking we either do the café au lait or eggnog and if we did the beignet station that would probably be the only accompaniment to the cake. So I'm enlisting your opinions- what are your favorites?

Croquembouche
Passed Pate a Choux Pastry filled with Grande Marnier Crème, Chocolate Mousse and Lemon Curd drizzled in Caramelized Sugar
*
Bûche de Noël
Small almond dacquoise with a delicate almond blanc-mange, surrounded by a toasted almond mousse
*
Assorted Chocolate Truffles
Hand rolled dark and milk chocolate truffles
*
Macaroons

An assortment of raspberry, chocolate, pistachio and passion fruit French Macaroons
*
Beignet Station & Café au Lait
Traditional Pate a Choux Pastry dusted with powdered sugar served with Chicory Café au Lait
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Entremets
An Assortment of Entremets (petite individual sized mousse cakes)
1. Chocolate and Pear
A buttery pecan cake with layers of Madagascan chocolate mousse, poached Anjou pears and a delicate Poire William chiboust.
2. Bananas Foster
Vanilla sponge cake with sautéed bananas and a rum crème brulee encased in a velvety vanilla mousse.
3. Brown Butter Apple Tart
A delicate pate sable crust filled with a brown butter infused fragipan, topped with roasted Fuji apples.
4. Bluet
An ethereal balance of lavender mousse with a jewel of fresh blueberry gelée.
*
Gingersnaps & Eggnog
Brandied Eggnog served with a petite Black Pepper Gingersnap
*

(image source)

Agent Provocateur Sale!

It's that time of the year! Agent Provocateur annual sale is up and running and they are offering up to 50% off! I'm a huge fan of Agent Provocateur but unfortunately they don't have a store here in Chicago so I usually wait to take advantage of the sale with free shipping every summer. I snapped up two sets in a blink of an eye and I can't wait to receive my black and pink box! They offer a wide range of lingerie; from sweet to sexy; classy to tastefully risque that appeals to a wide audience. Unfortunately their Classic Collection is not on sale but it's totally worth checking out. I bought the Love Collection for my wedding day and the Fify and Francoise Collections would make a lovely addition to a lingerie trousseau. For something a little risque you can order a sheer playsuit or an ouvert if you dare:)

Réveillon: A Creole Christmas Feast

I would have to say the most fun we have had with our wedding planning has been centered around food. We are driven by the need to provide a gastronomic feast that will tantalize the palate of our guests. I previously talked about how we were going to try to incorporate Colombian appetizers into our menu but it looks like that will be a little tough to do. Which in the end works out to our advantage. We had to look no further than our wedding location for inspiration. Our inspiration is the wonderful New Orleans Christmas tradition called "Réveillon", a dinner ritual inherited from European immigrants that is celebrated across the city.

During the 19th century, French Catholic immigrants brought over the réveillon tradition to New Orleans; a dinner/breakfast celebrated in the wee hours of Christmas morning. Catholics would fast during Christmas Eve and would then break their fast after attending midnight mass. The réveillon, meaning "awakening" in French, would follow and this celebratory dinner symbolizes the awakening or revelation of the birth of Jesus. Restaurants across the city would stay open into the early morning serving the réveillon to hungry Catholics. The dinners are usually very elaborate and "heavy" to ease the hunger pains from the fast. Courses would include gumbos, tasty shrimp remoulade, sweetbreads, rich turtle or oyster soups, souffles, and a delectable assortment of desserts that include the rich Bûche de Noël, meringues, and a selection of tasty pastries. Eggnog, coffee, champagne and brandy were served aplenty. Tables would be elaborately set with fancy sugar sculptures, candles, towering Croquembouche's or baskets of crystallized fruits. The picture above is a réveillon scene from Brennan's Restaurant and as you can see it truly is a sight to behold.

One doesn't have to be Catholic to take part in this feast. The réveillon tradition has expanded in the 21st century and is now celebrated ever night of the holiday season, albeit with earlier hours. Restaurants like Brennan's or Commander's Palace will offer special menus that celebrate this tradition in high style. We hope we can offer our own "réveillon" feast by serving many similar items, especially the desserts! Are any of you getting married during the Christmas season and if so what culinary traditions do you hope to include?

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Dirty Coast

Dirty Coast is a small but rapidly growing t-shirt business in New Orleans. They make some kick-ass shirts that will make you smile. The tongue in check humor, the neato designs and unabashed love for NOLA makes me want to buy every single tee in stock. Here's just a sampling of what they offer:

Te Casan

Just like the rest of the world I was glued to the telly Wednesday night watching Project Runway. The pint sized Natalie Portman was the guest judge and they mentioned her "vegan cruelty free" shoe line and I had to check it out. Sold at Te Casan, a company established in 2006, they sell limited-edition footwear from a roster of awesome designers. My favorites are Zoe Lee and Natalie Portman:



Natalie Portman's "Plath" in petal pink. It's feminine but not over the top girly. I love the ballerina pink and the little pom pom for glamour.

Zoe Lee's "Lily".

Zoe Lee's "Petal Shoe":

Good Stock

I don't remember how I came across Good Stock but I have to say what they offer is sheer genius. Good Stock is a press and bindery company that creates instant heirlooms by turning your family history or any other special moment you would like documented into a beautiful book. Jack's family immediately came to mind. They are currently recording his grandfather's WWII stories to keep and treasure. Out of all the stories he's told the one that boggles my mind is how a 16 year old managed to enlist in the Navy and then survive his ship being sunk twice in the Pacific. Yes.. twice. If any of you are helping your parents or grandparents with your family history or would like to document a special moment in your life then this is the place to go. They will help you every step of the way; from the layout to helping you write your story.