Spring has finally started to peek out, and we can all start looking forward to longer evenings, picnics in the park, and plenty of sunshine. For their engagement session, Shannon and Eric took their dog, Mochi, to Griffith Park in Los Angeles for an afternoon of long walks and relaxation. How cute is Mochi?! This laidback day was beautifully captured by Amanda McKinnon Photography.
Cyrus and Jillian (and their trusty sidekick Nellie) decided to take their engagement session to their favorite bar and then the beach at Balboa Fun Zone. So jealous of all the fun they had with Joielala Photographie! Check out their beautiful sunset-drenched pictures, which just goes to show that you don’t have to have a super-complicated e-session to come out with amazing images.
This weekend we got to try something new: puppy-sitting. Yes, that sweet, brown-eyed, shiny-coated little girl in the photo above, who lives with my parents and responds (most of the time) to the name “Dagny,” got to come visit Aunt Anne and Uncle Shayne for two days while Mom and Dad went skiing.
And, oh boy, did we have our work cut out for us.
It’s a little funny, because I love this dog. She’s a complete sweetheart, if a bit rambunctious (puppies just can’t help having way more energy than they know what to do with), and has a tendency to find a way to curl up and fall asleep on my feet when I stand still for longer than two minutes. She’s got the biggest, saddest eyes I’ve ever seen, and I swear her tail never stops wagging.
But, she’s also a master of food detection, a sniffer of everything that’s below four feet in height, and manages to turn playing fetch into a full-contact sport.
Oh, and our house, with its lack of children and pets alike, is in no way dog-proofed. As in our wine glasses are sitting in an open cupboard at knee level (which is perfect height, in case you were wondering, for full-on dog-slobber investigation). Oh, Dagny.
I think I said the word “no” more times over the weekend than I have in the last three months and rescued more socks and gloves than I can count. Shayne, somehow, managed to play good cop the whole weekend and remain her best friend. Sigh.
But, even following this rather large and incredibly curious puppy around for 48 hours, I did manage to enjoy her company, her oddball personality and the way she changed the dynamic of what would have otherwise been a typical weekend. Like the long walk we ended up taking on Saturday morning in the open space near our house. And watching her literally jump up and down when Shayne pulled out a tennis ball to throw. And the evenings, when she would get sleepy and help herself to my favorite chair, curl up in a tiny ball of brown fur, and pass out.
Still, I do think we both learned something valuable in our puppy-sitting adventure: we’ll probably wait to have kids until we can find somewhere else to store our wineglasses.
Thank goodness that the majority of the time the wedding finds we feature are available to all of us, regardless of where we live (the power of the Internet lives!). Every once in awhile, though, I run into something that is such a great idea it makes me briefly think about buying a plane ticket just to check it out in person. Like this cake – this would be worth a trip to Toronto, don’t you think?
I’ve long been a fan of the blog Sweetapolita, which documents one woman’s love affair with sweets (she posts the gorgeous photos of her creations, often complete with recipes and how tos). And now if you’re in the Toronto area you can order her custom confections for your wedding! Lucky ducks.
So, you want your pooch included in your Big Day, but don’t want to have to worry about getting him to and from the wedding, worrying about feeding him and, ahem, taking care of needs. Enter Dog Walking Diva, out of Florida, who will take Fido off of your hands for the day and make sure he shows up groomed and picture-ready when you need him.
Terrariums have been popping up more and more as a sustainable alternative to flowers for your centerpiece décor (they can last several months with proper care). Chandra Abel Designs in Southern California has created an off-shoot to her floral design studio, Planted, which specializes solely in locally grown terrariums. Not only would they make great take-away gifts at your wedding, but they are surprisingly budget-friendly!
Just about every major city is hopping on the food truck craze, bringing tacos, burgers, and cupcakes to the streets. And most of them are also available for hire for special events like, say, your wedding. How much fun would it be to have the Sweetery pull up outside your reception, handing out freshly baked cookies, croissants and cakes?
There’s something about having a sun-kissed glow on your wedding day, isn’t there? Rather than hitting the tanning booths, though, Plush Tan brings custom color tans right to your door for an easier and safer option. Plus, she has a great deal where if five of your bridesmaids decide to get a tan as well, yours is free!
Is anyone in your local area have something cool going on we need to know about? Let us know in the comments!
And to find vendors in your local area, make sure to check out our local guides!
What was the theme or design inspiration for your wedding?
We wanted it to look like us – we didn’t want it to look manufactured or standard in any way. We wanted it to be eclectic, but simple and classy at the same time. Ultimately our own aesthetic sense and style were the inspirations, as well as the landscape around us.
Tell us about the bridal attire:
The bridesmaids wore simple navy chiffon dresses and the groomsmen wore navy suits. The groom wore a pale grey Lanvin suit and the bride wore a vintage-inspired chantilly lace Vera Wang gown with velvet and chiffon floral bloom belt.
Favorite design element of your big day:
We decided not to have wedding colors which allowed for the design to be free and organic. We had lots of herbs and succulents, as opposed to just the standard flowers. We had lavender, wheat, sage and rosemary mixed in with a random assortment of succulents and white blooms. It was elegant, yet original. We also loved that we used large vintage-inspired metal numbers to mark the tables instead of numbers written on paper.
What advice would you give to a couple planning their wedding?
Excellent photographers and videographers are just a MUST. The day is over so quickly and then the pictures and the video are all you have left to remember. Make sure you find people who will capture the day the way you want to remember it.
What’s your favorite part of the wedding?
I have to put three:
1. We wrote our own ceremony with our officiant (who is a friend) and our own vows. It made the ceremony incredibly special and personal.
2. Our friends who are puppeteers created a simple, elegant, hilarious and touching puppet show of a Shel Silverstein book as a reading for the wedding. We picked the book because it was one of the first books I learned to read out loud, but it was also a love letter that I gave to Jordan the first year we were dating.
3. My father /daughter dance. I spent the weekend before the wedding at my father’s childhood home in Texas with my father and my grandparents. My father and I choreographed the dance together on their front porch. The dance was to Singin’ in the Rain – my favorite childhood movie.
Any specific reasons behind certain choices you made for your wedding? Maybe flowers that were your mom’s favorite, or your first dance song was the first song you ever heard together, that kind of thing?
We got married on my grandmother’s birthday. She passed away about 7 years ago and it was a nice way to make her a part of the day and every anniversary to come. The pillow that the ringbearer carried was also connected to my grandmother – it was a small pillow that she made out of a quilt that her grandmother had made. My mother tied ribbons to it and patched up a hole with extra lace from the bottom of my dress – it looked perfect. Also, the delicious banana wedding cake with rich chocolate frosting was made from Jordan’s grandmother’s famous recipe and it was a nice way to remember his grandmother as well.
Tell me something about your photographer, Viera Photographics, that you absolutely loved:
They were great for us because they caught the unique and unexpected images of our special day. Any photographer can take posed pictures, but it takes real artists to capture personality, movement and color the way they did. The photographs are works of art and we couldn’t ask for anything better than that!
Wedding Vendors and Services:
Wedding planner: Michelle Buckley at Mint Julep Social Events
Caterer and venue: Ojai Valley Inn
Band: West Coast Music
Officiant: Egan Reich
Florist: Jennifer Katz at Fiore Designs
Videographer: Skyline Videography
Photographer: Viera Photographics
Real Wedding Re-Run: Kurt and Kelsey’s Hidden Meadows Wedding in Snohomish, WA
Unique Boutonniere Ideas
Leah and Max's Mesa, AZ Engagement Session by Keira Grace Photography
An Outdoor, Ranch Wedding from Shy Laurel Photography
A Fantastic At-Home Engagement Brunch from Joy the Baker
An Artsy New Orleans Backyard Wedding from Offbeat Bride
Jordan and Julia’s Special Day in Los Angeles, CA
Affordable Custom-Made Suits for Your Groom and Groomsmen
Green Bride Guide Suggests Flower Alternatives
An Inspiration Board That’s All About the Ruffle
Brendan James Finalists Need Your Vote!
Green Wedding Ideas for Wine Lovers from the Green Bride Guide
Super Cool Customizable Sandals from Offbeat Bride
Roxanne and George's Glam Garden Wedding by Sloan Photographers
Matt and Rachel’s Table Rock, South Carolina Nuptials
Friday Link Roundup: Sparkly Tinsel, Tiffany Purses, Big Hair and More!
Inspiration Board: Place Cards
Cindy and Eli's Whimsical Vintage Wedding by Angela and Evan Photography
An Airfield Engagement Session by Dawn Sparks Photography
Offbeat Bride DIY Project: Scrabble Tile Keychain Wedding Favors
Sponsored Post: Storkie Holiday Cards Perfect For You and a Storkie Gift Card Giveaway
Sponsored Post: Consider a Unique Wine Registry with Bottlenotes
Inspiration Board: Fiesta Flair
Wedding Flowers: Lovely Inspiration for Your Bouquets
