HAPPINESS IS...

My Wedding 16: Design Details

For today's weekly wedding post, I'd like to take a step back from the actual event and show you all the handmade design details.

My mom painted the directional signs on scraps of wood, similar to the ones leading our guests down the driveway. I didn't notice until halfway through the wedding that the fireworks sign was upside down! Apparently, the arrow was painted in the wrong direction, so my dad nailed it wonky on purpose. I think it adds a bit of quirky charm.

We chose simple off-white linens over long tables with natural-colored wood chairs. It was a puzzle figuring out the table layout on the imperfect lawn. I wanted a U-shaped around the dance floor so everyone could face each other, but our space wasn't wide enough. Thanks to my dad's mathematical magic, he made it all work to my liking. The layout made it feel less like a wedding and more like an intimate dinner party... of 100!

Here's where the vintage mismatched plates and antique green bottles come into play. My original plan was to have only ferns, herbs and greenery on the tables. But the flower farm dahlias were so inexpensive, I'm so glad we used them instead. I love the bright pops of color. There were a ton of leftover baby artichokes after making the bouquets (they were shipped to us in a huge batch from Pezzini Farms in California). So we peppered them around the bottles as table decor.

We numbered the tables with nostalgic vintage Viewmaster reels placed halfway inside Viewmaster viewers, spray painted gold. I collected them all year long! When our guests arrived, they were given a green ticket to match the Viewmaster table numbers and find their spot. 

Remember the little plastic dinosaurs? Hal cut a slit in their backs to hold the Viewmaster reel place cards with our guests' names printed and glued to the center. If there was a reel from my collection that reminded me of someone, I used it to mark their seat. For example: Lauren Santiago got a travel reel of Santiago, Chile. Our friends from Arizona got a Phoenix reel. Outdoorsy friends got a national park reel. Our pilot friend got an outer space reel. And of course, the children received cartoon reels. I got such a kick out of watching people click through their viewers with big grins on their faces.

Our wedding favor was a CD of our soundtrack, placed inside kraft card stock sleeves. Each disc had a different engagement photo printed on the label. We burned the songs onto Verbatim Vinyl CDs to look like old 45s. If you're curious, you can listen to the entire 2G4E soundtrack on Spotify.

Wondering who the heck H+S is on Track 1? That's us! Before the wedding, I begged Hal to record our own version of "You Belong To Me", the ukulele duet from The Jerk, one of his favorite movies. Like a good fiance, he agreed. This was a big deal, people. Hal is NOT a singer and he hates the sound of his voice recorded. I think he did an awesome job. 

You can hear it for yourself...

YOU BELONG TO ME - By H+S

Wish boats took the place of a traditional guest book. We provided origami paper and invited our guests to write down their hopes and dreams for our future together, fold them into a paper boat, and place them in my Grandfather's old suitcase. Every anniversary, Hal and I will select one to read and sail it off to sea. 

The vintage percussion instruments leftover from the ceremony were quickly snatched up by the kiddos. 

Our 2G4E marquee letters were lovingly made by Hal himself out of cardboard, gold spray paint, and small round bulbs. We hung them from the the string lights over the dance floor and they looked even more beautiful as the night grew on. We kept them after the wedding and now they're hanging on the wall above our bed.  :)

Next week... our first dance tango!

SEE THE REST OF MY WEEKLY WEDDING SERIES HERE.


{Images by One Love Photo}

My Wedding 15: The Rowboat Ride

It feels like it's been awhile since the last wedding series post! To refresh your memory, I left you hanging at the end of the ceremony. We exited down the steps onto the dock, waved goodbye to our guests, and climbed aboard our getaway vehicle. An old rowboat! My dad gently nudged us out to sea as husband and wife.

I shared a sneak peek of a few of these shots when Heather posted them on her blog. If you missed them, go and take a look. Today, I'll reveal the rest, with a funny behind-the-scenes story.

Meet Jordan, Hal's buddy and handsome coxswain of the OTHER boat. We had a second rowboat to hold Jon and Steve, the media team. As you'll soon find out, Heather smartly remained on shore.

As a child, I spent many memorable summers on these waters, paddling around in the canoe with my family. It was such a treat to be able to experience this again, with my love on our wedding day.

It was around this time that Hal and Jordan decided to race. Silly boys. It was also around this time that Jordan, Jon and Steve noticed that their boat was leaking! My dad warned us that one of the rowboats was nearing the end of days. Thankfully, Hal and I chose the solid one.

Hal and I wrote our vows to each other on large pieces of paper folded into wish boats. We intended to release them into the lagoon as a symbolic gesture. It was a sweet idea in theory, but there were a few minor flaws. After discovering the other rowboat was sinking, we realized we forgot the paper boats on land! My dad had to run to retrieve them and relay them back to us.

When released, the boats didn't float away as beautifully as they did in my imagination. The current tipped them over and pushed them against the boat in a sad state. Wah wah. It was quite hysterical.

From the water, we heard the band playing and our guests enjoying the cocktail hour. We were itching to partake in the festivities, so we swiftly rowed back before the tide left us stranded. My dad tied up the boat and escorted us up the steps to join our friends and family.

Next week... the design details!

SEE THE REST OF MY WEEKLY WEDDING SERIES HERE.


{Images by One Love Photo} 

My Wedding 14: The Ceremony

Today, I'm delighted to share with you our ceremony! Cue the music....

SOULFUL STRUT        

The entire wedding party came down the aisle to Soulful Strut, by Young-Holt Unlimited. We chose this song because Hal used to say back in the day, there's no way to not look cool walking to it! It really does give you a natural swagger.

While the girls and I were waiting in the garden, the boys lined up next to Brian, our officiant, one of Hal's best buds since high school who got ordained online just to marry us.

Then came the children's parade. Cannon got shy and froze, so his pops carried him down the aisle and waved the flag for him!

Since the aisle centered around a fire pit which couldn't be moved, we stuck dahlias into the ashes to pretty it up. Later in the evening, the flowers were pulled out to build a bonfire.

Then the band began to play my song. My favorite love song of all time. One Hand, One Heart, from West Side Story. I found the most beautiful brass quintet version and asked the band director of Route 66 to learn it for my entrance.

ONE HAND, ONE HEART

As you can tell, it was a long descent! I walked down the entire length of the yard. But I loved having this time with my dad. We giggled the whole way down.

By the time I got down to the water, my emotions got the best of me. Hearing my song. Seeing so many happy faces. I just couldn't believe this was happening. I locked eyes with Hal and lost it. Almost forgetting to hug my dad goodbye.

Brian acknowledged Hal's father, Hal's adoptive father, and my grandfather. All of whom have all passed on, but were with us in spirit and forever in our hearts.

One of my best friends and freshman year college roomie, Carrie, was supposed to be a bridesmaid. But she got an amazing opportunity to work in Africa for a year, helping mothers in childbirth. I was so proud of her, yet selfishly heartbroken she wouldn't be at the wedding. A few weeks before the big day, she pooled her flight miles with Eddie, a mutual friend of ours, and flew to Gig Harbor from Africa! I was over the moon. She didn't have any wedding attire, so my sponsor, Ruche, kindly shipped us the chiffon mint dress from their bridesmaid collection.

I asked Carrie to do a reading. Keeping things light-hearted and playful, we chose passages from nostalgic story books...

A Lovely Love Story by Edward Monkton

The fierce Dinosaur was trapped inside his cage of ice. Although it was cold he was happy in there. It was, after all, his cage.Then along came the Lovely Other Dinosaur.

The Lovely Other Dinosaur melted the Dinosaur’s cage with kind words and loving thoughts. “I like this Dinosaur,” thought the Lovely Other Dinosaur. “Although he is fierce he is also tender and he is funny. He is also quite clever, though I will not tell him this for now.”

“I like this Lovely Other Dinosaur,” thought the Dinosaur. “She is beautiful and she is different and she smells so nice. She is also a free spirit which is a quality I much admire in a dinosaur.”

“But he can be so distant and so peculiar at times,” thought the Lovely Other Dinosaur. “He is also overly fond of things. Are all Dinosaurs so overly fond of things?”

“But her mind skips from here to there so quickly,” thought the Dinosaur. “She is also uncommonly keen on shopping. Are all Lovely Other Dinosaurs so uncommonly keen on shopping?”

“I will forgive his peculiarity and his concern for things,” thought the Lovely Other Dinosaur. “For they are part of what makes him a richly charactered individual.”

“I will forgive her skipping mind and her fondness for shopping,” thought the Dinosaur. “For she fills our life with beautiful thoughts and wonderful surprises. Besides, I am not unkeen on shopping either.”

Now the Dinosaur and the Lovely Other Dinosaur are old. Look at them. Together they stand on the hill telling each other stories and feeling the warmth of the sun on their backs. And that, my friends, is how it is with love. Let us all be Dinosaurs and Lovely Other Dinosaurs together. For the sun is warm. And the world is a beautiful place.

We asked Helen, my dear family friend and neighbor since childhood, to read the second passage from a classic book we all know and love...

The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams

‘What is REAL?’ asked the Rabbit one day, when they were lying side by side near the nursery fender, before Nana came to tidy the room. ‘Does it mean having things that buzz inside you and a stick-out handle?’

‘Real isn’t how you are made,’ said the Skin Horse. ‘It’s a thing that happens to you. When someone loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real.’

‘Does it hurt? Asked the Rabbit. ‘Sometimes,’ said the Skin Horse, for he was always truthful. ‘When you are Real you don’t mind being hurt.’

‘Does it happen all at once, like being wound up,’ he asked, ‘or bit by bit?’ ‘ It doesn’t happen all at once,’ said the Skin Horse. ‘You become. It takes a long time. That’s why it doesn’t happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in your joints and very shabby. But these things don’t matter at all, because once you are Real you can’t be ugly, except to people who don’t understand.’

‘I suppose you are real?’ said the Rabbit. And then he wished he had not said it, for he thought the Skin Horse only smiled. ‘Someone made me Real,’ he said. ‘That was a great many years ago; but once you are Real you can’t become unreal again. It lasts for always.’

For our final reading, we asked my cousin Kassia's cherub children, Sawyer and Miles. They are brilliant beyond their years. And c'mon, those dimples! Each line of the poem alternated between the two boys...

Me Without You by Lisa Swerling

Me without you is like...
Sky without blue
Hair without do
Ghost without boo
Kung without fu
Peak without view
Biker without tattoo
Cow without moo
Dove without coo
Eskimo without igloo
Party without yahoo
Clock without cuckoo
Harry without you-know-who
Fisherman without canoe
Kanga without Roo
Foot without shoe
Picnic without loo
Rainbow without hue
Shoobee without doo
How without do-you-do?
Rebel without a clue
Mowgli without Baloo
Cock without a doodle-do
Panda without bamboo
Show without queue
Sneeze without atchoo
Yacht without crew
Potty without poo
A picture that's skew
A knot I can't undo
Me without you?
What would I do?
Phew!

At the end of their poem, their little identically-dressed brother, Teague, 

ran out of the crowd to join them! It was the cutest thing ever. I guess he was used to being around his older brothers while they rehearsed at home. 

Then it was time for Hal and I to recite our personally written vows. My wedding anxiety dreams about not having my vows ready in time prepped me well. 

Hal has requested that I keep his vows between me, him and our guests. But I don't mind sharing my own with you...

I'm not sure how I got through them with the lump in my throat.

Day 1, I loved you before I knew I loved you. Because I already knew you. Because you didn't know that I already knew you. But maybe you knew all along.

Month 2, I loved you because you'd laugh, and I'd laugh because you were laughing, and it'd go on like that until we could physically laugh no longer.

Year 3, I loved you because you'd ask me to talk, but I couldn't. So you'd ask me again. And again. And again, until I talked. You never gave up. Even when I began to talk too much.

Year 6, I loved you because it wasn't just me who loved you. My friends loved you. Their men loved you. Strangers loved you. The world was charmed by your charm.

Year 8, I loved you because you left behind your known life to share an unknown life with me. This might be why I loved you most of all.

Long after we chose this date to get married, I came across a poem by Pablo Neruda that reminds me of our relationship. Strangely enough, it's called, September 8th:

Today, this day, was a brimming cup,
today, this day, was the immense wave,
today, it was all the earth.
Today, the stormy sea lifted us in a kiss
so high that we trembled in a lightning flash
and tied, we went down to sink without untwining.
Today our bodies became vast,
they grew to the edge of the world
and rolled melting into a single drop of wax or meteor.
Between you and me a new door opened
and someone, still faceless,
was waiting for us there.

To me, this poem is about evolution. Our evolution. And our growth. You were always there. Squeezing my hand like a gentle reminder. Leading us here. To this day. Today.

Year 10, Month 9, Day 8. Because I loved you. Because I love you. I promise to love every moment with you. To Year 60 and beyond.

For our ring exchange, we recited the vows from West Side Story, alternating lines...

I, Hal, take thee, Shannon
I, Shannon, take thee, Hal
For richer, for poorer
In sickness and in health
To love and to honor
To hold and to keep
From each sun to each moon
From tomorrow to tomorrow
From now to forever
Till death do us part
With this ring, I thee wed.
With this ring, I thee wed.

Mozel tov! Hal is half-Jewish, so we included the breaking of the glass. Traditionally, the groom does it, but I felt left out of the fun and wanted to stomp on the glass too. Hal ended up stepping on my toe and I let out a little scream.

"I NOW PRONOUNCE YOU HUSBAND AND WIFE!!"

The kiss. Or a few!

MORE TODAY THAN YESTERDAY

Cue exit music. We chose More Today Than Yesterday, the cheesy one-hit-wonder by Spiral Starecase. Because really. It doesn't get more joyful than this. Before the ceremony began, we marked the wedding party's places with vintage percussion instruments.

As soon as the song came on, they grabbed their cowbells, tambourines and triangles for a sing-a-long celebratory exit! Feeling quite foolish, I might add. But that was partly the point.

Instead of following our friends up the aisle, Hal and I hung back for our post-ceremony row boat ride. We danced down the steps to the makeshift dock and waved to our guests who gathered around the edge of the bank above. Bon voyage!

Next week... we're on a boat.

SEE THE REST OF MY WEEKLY WEDDING SERIES HERE.

{Images by One Love Photo}

My Wedding 13: Before The Ceremony

While Hal and I were taking our beach portraits, our guests were arriving via school bus! My mom hand-painted these wood signs to lead everyone down the long driveway...

Right this way
We'll see you soon
Get ready, get set
For a fun afternoon

Follow the music
Find your chair
Head to the water
We'll meet you there!

Funny side story: the wacky bus driver, a toothless older woman wearing pigtails with scrunchies and a neon reflector crossing guard vest, whom we later found drinking our beer and eating from our dessert table after the reception, got LOST on the way out to the house! Thank goodness, our buddy Tim knew where to go and turned her around.

Remember when I was looking for a smaller-sized big band or jazz orchestra to serenade our guests as they arrived? With our budget, this didn't seem possible. Then I discovered the Seattle swing band, Route 66. They were willing to cut down their crew, yet still keep a large sound, so we could afford to have them play a few hours.

Our friends and family meandered down the lawn to the theater seats and pews set up by the water. Designer, Kristen of Coates Willie, made the tepee and shipped it out from New York just for the wedding.

Introducing the cutest flower girl and ring bearer known to man: Talynn and Cannon, my bridesmaid Tara's delectable children. My mom and I made them pipe cleaner crowns, gold streamer wands and green flags.

Although we hired a caterer for dinner, we decided to save money by providing our own pre-ceremony snacks. This was a full-day affair, after all. We set out cheese, crackers, fruit, nuts, olives, flavored water and lemonade for our guests to nibble on as they arrived. The goldfish were a hit!

I love this photo. It's typical Hal, scribbling out his vows on a tissue box at the very last moment. He had them written on his iPhone and forgot to transfer them to paper for the ceremony.

Up at the house, my ladies and I had a toast! Or five! A bottle of champagne (and a can of Rockstar) was popped. I don't remember what we were laughing about, but it was some funny isht. So funny that we didn't even realize the groomsmen had started their descent! We quickly grabbed our bouquets and scrambled down the stairs.

My pops met us at the entrance to the circular garden, where we had a moment or two of waiting time inside. I have a vague memory of the girls and I singing a song? Sounds like something we'd do to calm my racing heart. 

One by one, they exited the garden on other side to walk down the aisle. Leaving my dad and I alone to take it all in. I grabbed his arm. Deep breath. Here we go...

Next week:  the ceremony, vows and all that good stuff! 

SEE THE REST OF MY WEEKLY WEDDING SERIES HERE.


{Images by One Love Photo}

My Wedding 12: Beach Portraits

After taking portraits with the wedding party, our friends walked back to the house while Hal and I stayed a little while longer on the beach.

Skipping rocks wasn't planned at all, but it seemed only natural! I am not a good rock skipper compared with Hal, who usually gets 4 to 5 bounces each throw. But I was pretty proud of myself here. I got a nice 3 jumper at one point. Maybe it was all the wedding day excitement.

We were loving our time alone on the beach, until someone glanced at their watch. The guests were arriving!

I didn't want to let go of his hand. We walked back, mostly in silence. And the occasional bout of laughter when it dawned on us that we were about to get married. The next time we'd see each other, would be when I walked down the aisle.

Next week... the moments before the ceremony!

SEE THE REST OF MY WEEKLY WEDDING SERIES HERE.


{Images by One Love Photo}

My Wedding 12: Bridesmaid & Groomsmen Portraits

After our first look photos, I regrouped with my gals to take wedding party portraits. It was decided to do them before the ceremony so we could spend more time with our guests later on. Since we were walking to the beach, we slipped off our fancy heels and changed into comfortable flats. And me, into my beloved motorcycle boots.

I asked my bridesmaids to pick out their own vintage dress and hair accessories in the green, mint and gold color palette. I'm pretty sure they were each under $100. Don't they look fabulous? I wasn't quite sure how it would all come together, but I have to say, I couldn't have asked for a better mix of styles and shades. And their baby artichoke bouquets seal the deal!

The men were asked to find their own vintage (or vintage-inspired) suit and hat while Hal provided the green and gold ties he picked up at local thrift stores, including his own. The Harley Sportster was inherited from Hal's father and is his most prized possession. Makes for good tough-guy groomsmen pics, right?

This series cracks me up. I think Jon asked them to do something funny. So Hal apparently busted out a musical number. They look like an an all-male a cappella group.

We led the entire wedding party through a neighboring trail down to the beach. My brother and I used to spend our summers down here as kids, swimming in the Sound, building driftwood forts and searching for hidden treasures.

These walking shots made us laugh. We had to pretend like we were strolling at a normal speed. It felt like we were in a slow-motion movie scene. I loved how they turned out!

Next week... Hal and I alone on the beach.

SEE THE REST OF MY WEEKLY WEDDING SERIES HERE.


{Images by One Love Photo}

My Wedding 11: The First Look

Remember when I asked Hal if he wanted to do a first look? He wasn't into it. But as you can see, we were convinced otherwise.

Heather and Jon scouted out a sweet spot in a quiet wooded setting on my parents' property. While my bridesmaids were still getting ready, Heather lured me out of the house to sneak up behind Hal, who was waiting for us with Jon. I was giddy with anticipation.

That special light you see near Hal's head? We're pretty sure it was his father. ♥

Only my face is shown in these shots, with uncontrollable giggles, I might add. But Hal's reaction was just as I expected. Calm, cool and collected with a big adoring grin.

My baby ain't 'fraid to show his emotions! You'd think a first look would get all the tears out before the ceremony, right? Wrong. As you'll see in later photos, we're both saps. What can I say.

The 360 degree spin and dress approval!

We're so grateful we had this chance to be "alone" before the hustle and bustle. Seeing each other before the vows didn't take anything away from the ceremony. It saved us time and calmed our nerves.

Stay tuned for next week... the lovely ladies and dapper dudes that make up our wedding party!

SEE THE REST OF MY WEEKLY WEDDING SERIES HERE.

P.S. If you like first look photos, here are 9 more.


{Images by One Love Photo}

My Wedding 10: Getting Ready

My friends, today is a big day. It's the International Day of Happiness, woo! It's the first day of Spring. And it's the day I finally reveal my official wedding images by One Love Photo. There are a ton, so I'm breaking them up into easily digestible weekly segments. Thank you for following me on this journey so far. Over the past few weeks, I've really enjoyed being able to share with you the details and process behind the greatest creative project I've ever pursued, leading up to the happiest and most emotional love-filled day of my life.

Here's how it began. Our guests would be arriving at 1pm, so Hal and I woke up at 5am to practice our first dance. This seems crazy, I know. But we had been taking tango lessons and never had a chance to practice our choreographed dance on the smaller-sized dance floor my dad set up on the lawn. The sun was rising and there was still a layer of dew. We were slipping and sliding all over the place and couldn't help but laugh about the absurdity of it all. This was actually one of my favorite memories of the wedding. It was a sweet way to connect with Hal in the quiet early hours before the chaos.

My special lady friends came to the house around 6 am (such troopers) and we got to primping. My girl, Cara, spent most of the morning helping our day-of coordinator arrange the table settings and flowers, bless her heart. My maid of honor brought over a tray of fruit, croissants, OJ and champagne, which was such a nice gesture. I had zero appetite, but knew I had to cram something down so I wouldn't pass out later in the day.

While we were dressing upstairs, the boys got ready in the basement. Hal told me later that he was freaking out because he couldn't find his tie. But as you'll notice in the photo, he put it on before buttoning up. You can see the outline of of the tie as he's tucking in his collared shirt! So funny. I'm pretty sure that's why the rest of the guys were laughing at him.

My very sweet friend, Sarah Wong, did my make-up. She flew up from LA early for a trial run to make sure I was comfortable with the final look, natural and classic old-hollywood with a bright lip. The lovely Sophia VanSlyke did my hair. I call it "the illusion". People thought I cut it! I asked for a half-updo so the back of my dress could be seen and she came up with this pretty 20's style creation that worked perfectly with my headpiece. This photo was taken later in the day, so I'm a bit wind-blown. I actually prefer it this way.

The green part of the headpiece is an antique Art Nouveau woodland headdress from 1911 Germany! Pippa from Pippatree sourced it out for me. It arrived in a darling heart-shaped wood box with a matching men's corsage and a pillow embroidered with the names of the original bride and groom. I wanted to wear it like a halo, but it didn't fit around my entire head. So I took a piece of vintage jewelry that I already owned and fastened it to the ends to make a crown.

My gown is Tadashi Shoji. I posted before about my dress-selection experience and final fitting, but never clued you in on how many dang alternations this puppy needed. Like most brides, I lost a bit of weight. But my seamstress needed 4 separate appointments to get it so the back wouldn't bunch. The intricate beading and embroidery was extra tricky.

And remember how I told you my bridesmaids made the bouquets the day before? Here is it is. My beautiful artichoke bouquet with ferns and herbs. Theirs, which you'll see in later photos, are a smaller version with baby artichokes. The day after the wedding, I unwrapped my bouquet, boiled it, and savored every last bite.

Next week... the first look!

SEE THE REST OF MY WEEKLY WEDDING SERIES HERE.


{Images by One Love Photo; Dress by Tadashi Shoji; Shoes by Remix Vintage; Half of headpiece by Pippatree; Hair by Sophia VanSlyke; Makeup by Sarah Wong}

My Wedding 09: Welcome Sunset Cruise

Ahoy mates! After the rehearsal, the wedding party and our out-of-town guests met up at Jerisch Dock in downtown Gig Harbor. In lieu of a traditional groom's dinner, we rented My Girl, a local charter yacht for a cruise around the Puget Sound. Captain Paul led the way...

We were hoping to navigate over to my parents' house to point out the wedding venue from the water, but there wasn't enough time. Instead, we exited the Harbor and traveled underneath the Tacoma Narrows Bridge and back. Here's a map if you're curious.

The boat was two stories, with a full bar on the enclosed main level, and a covered dance floor up top. Hal had an iPod's worth of bossa nova we intended to play through the sound system, but we completely forgot to set it up. Doh! You know you're having fun when you don't even notice the lack of music. For food, we had a low-key taco bar for people to nibble on at their leisure.

Funny side note: It was around this time that I realized I was wearing my vintage lace mini dress inside out! I quickly changed in the bathroom and asked if people had noticed. Thankfully, they didn't, or they were too polite to say otherwise. Ay ay ay. That's how scatterbrained I was that day.

My cutie pie parents had just celebrated their 39th anniversary. 

A big thank you goes out to my big brother, Christopher, for being the official photographer, and to AAA for arriving in a flash when he locked his camera in the car moments before boarding!

After we docked, many of our friends went out for drinks and karaoke at El Pueblito down the street. But I went home for my beauty sleep. Tomorrow would be the biggest day. of. my. life.

Next week... the wedding photos!!

SEE THE REST OF MY WEEKLY WEDDING SERIES HERE.


{Images by Christopher Bachmann}

My Wedding 08: Rehearsal Day Instagrams

The wedding weekend has arrived! Guests are flying in. My folks are pulling their hair out. And I'm a bundle of nerves. Ah, rehearsal day.

Hosting a wedding in your parents' backyard, without a wedding planner, is no easy feat! There was so much going on, my mind is still a blur. I'll do my best to remember how it all went down...

In the morning, we met up with one of our photographers, the delightful miss Heather of One Love Photo, to give her a tour of the property and scout out portrait locations. She took this shot of us on the beach. I remember Heather asking me if I'd had a breakdown yet. I hadn't, but I was fully expecting one to happen at any moment. Her advice? Make myself cry as soon as possible, to get it out of my system before the big day. That didn't happen, but not because I didn't want it to. There was just no time!

The wedding party drove to our house in the "boonies". Out on the Key Peninsula of Gig Harbor. Most of them were from California who had either never been to Washington or ventured away from Seattle. I loved seeing their reactions when they arrived. I got a lot of... "wait, you grew up here"?!

I've yet to attend a rehearsal that wasn't semi-chaos. Everyone gets all excited, talking, goofing around and not paying attention. Mine was no different! But it probably didn't help that I had an intricate exit strategy and some wacky post-ceremony ideas involving tambourines and cow bells. Special thanks to Hal's best man, Eric, an assistant director in Hollywood, for taking charge and whipping this rehearsal into shape!

Then we put our friends to work! Setting up tables and chairs, hanging lights, testing the sound system, constructing a teepee (yes, I said teepee), and other last minute preparations. Thankfully, my dad, Hal and our buddy Tim, hauled down the crazy heavy ceremony seating the day prior.

The story of the theater seats is a fun one. A few months before the wedding, I came across a Craigslist posting that blew me away: 29 antique theater seats for free! A 100-year old Masonic Lodge in Portland was renovating and needed them gone. I begged the woman to save them for me and had her sign a 2-line contract I drafted up. She held her promise and the strenuous 3-hour U-Haul trek was worth it.

29 ceremony seats were obviously not going to be enough. So I scoured Craigslist for another steal and found vintage church pews (not shown). It's amazing what you can find in the "free" section. My dad, my extremely awesome dad, picked them up for me in his truck, which he later regretted after almost breaking his ankle transporting them. 

While the men did the heavy lifting, the women (and one helpful dude) did the flowers and bouquets. Earlier in the day, my mom picked up the dahlias and greenery from Bea's Flowers, the neighboring flower farm down the street. Our entire flower bill was roughly $100! Budget brides, take note: local flower farms are the way to go.

The vintage beer and medicine bottles were being used as vases, so they needed to be rinsed free of dust and filled up with water with a single dahlia placed inside for an easy set-up the next day. Not only that, but we had to make bouquets. I remember my girls, Cara and Alissa, asking me how I'd like them done. I gave them a freak-out face and pointed to some ferns, leaves, hops (shown above), and another secret ingredient to be revealed later. I came back 30 minutes later and poof, eight gorgeous professional bouquets, done and done. I was in awe.

We were racing to get everything completed before rehearsal dinner, so it was a massive group effort. When I think back on this time, I have a very distinct and happy vision of 20 of us working our tails off in an assembly line, washing bottles, arranging flowers and laughing. Sigh, I love my friends.

Meanwhile, in the garage, our little gilded dinos were drying.

By the time we had to leave for the rehearsal dinner cruise, most everything got done that needed to get done (my parents may tell you otherwise). We quickly freshened up and headed for the Harbor... photos will be revealed next week. Stay tuned!

SEE THE REST OF MY WEEKLY WEDDING SERIES HERE.


{Images by: 1. Lauren Santiago; 2. Heather Gilson of One Love Photo; 3. Regine Ali; 4. Donna Bachmann; 5. 6. 7. Lauren Santiago; 8. Cara Johnson; 9. Regine Ali; 10. Hal Shafton; 11. Lauren Santiago}

My Wedding 07: The Website

For this week's wedding post, I'm revealing the website! My brother and I worked really hard on this puppy and it was one of my favorite parts of the wedding planning process. Because as you can see, it ties everything together. Our colors, our engagement photos/art, the vintage nostalgia theme from our save-the-dates and the movie theme from our invitations, now all make better sense.

I definitely could have made things simpler by using one of the many pre-designed wedding websites available. What, Shannon takes the easy road? Never! Christopher built his own wedding website many moons ago, so I was thrilled when he agreed to help with mine. I shared my design ideas and with his expert coding skills, he manifested a playful and interactive website for me and Hal to enjoy for life. Yay for big brothers who happen to be photographers AND web programmers!

The coolest thing he did was the randomization code for the main photo on the homepage. I asked him to animate our head-shots so that one of us was always looking at the other at the wrong time. (This is something silly Hal and I do together for a laugh). But Christopher thought, and I now agree, that we should eventually look AT each other. He made it so we catch each other's eyes... sometimes! You have to watch for awhile to even realize our heads are turning back and forth.

For the PLOT header, we told our story. How we met, fell in love, broke up, got back together, broke up again, and reconnected for good. I don't think I've ever shared with you our full history before. So if you'd like to read up.. pour yourself a cup of tea and kick back. It's a long one!

The CAST & CREW part was extra fun. Since I already knew we'd be premiering our Amelie-inspired movie at the wedding (the video was added to the site later), I dug out our toddler photos and came up with a few more likes and dislikes that didn't make it into the movie.

We asked our bridesmaids and groomsmen to do the same. The result is a hilarious and quirky mix of cutie pie childhood photos and personality tidbits of our friends.

Christopher made a nice horizontally scrolling gallery of our engagement photos/art. This was the first time they were revealed, so I'm sure our guests were somewhat bewildered!

Hal had been collecting songs for our wedding soundtrack since before we got engaged. Combined with my own list of tunes that remind us our relationship, the list was 50 songs deep! We only wanted to give out one reasonably lengthed album as wedding favors, so we majorly cut it down to 20, plus a hidden track. It's an awesome sentimental-to-us mix of old soul, classic jazz, 90's rock and hip hop.

To save some stamps, we asked our guests to RSVP online. Christopher installed a clever form box that pulls down from the top.

As you click on each header, the body scrolls down to a new section of the site. At the very bottom of the GIFTS page, we put in a secret photo of us dangling from monkey bars. Some of our guests told us later they never knew it was there. Surprise!

So that's everything. What do you think? Are we nuts or what? To fully experience the entire website, visit:  www.shannonandhal.com

SEE THE REST OF MY WEEKLY WEDDING SERIES HERE.

{Images by Christopher Bachmann}

My Wedding 06: The Movie Premiere

Loves, I've been dying to show you our wedding movie!

Last year, I gave you a sneak preview with a few film stills. At the time, I hadn't seen any actual footage and was nervous about the final product. But Katia Herrera, our fabulous director, proved I had nothing to fear. She knocked it out of the park!

Hal and I are pretty big movie buffs. We loved the idea of setting up an outdoor screen at the wedding for our guests to watch classic flicks from blankets on the grass underneath the stars. A true green carpet premiere. But rather than showing full-length features, we landed an opportunity to make our own 3 minute, 28 second movie instead.

While writing the screenplay, I was inspired by one of my favorite movies of all time, Amelie. I wanted to tell our story in a similar fashion, to reinforce an emerging theme of our wedding: vintage childlike nostalgia and simple pleasures.

And here's where I gush. I watched Katia's save-the-date videos and immediately knew she'd be able to bring our vision to life. She is talent, folks. If you're a future bride looking for a super creative wedding photographer or videographer, Katia is your gal. She's based in Mexico, but is expanding globally and loves to travel. I adore working with people who get as excited about a project as I do.

So now, ladies and gentlemen, your feature presentation... 2G4E (together forever).

Sit back with a bowl of popcorn and enjoy!

Director & Cinematographer: Katia Herrera
Assistant & French Voiceover: Samuel Catherine
Editors: Katia Herrera & Marcelo Hdz
Music: Amelie Soundtrack by Yann Tiersen

SEE THE REST OF MY WEEKLY WEDDING SERIES HERE.

My Wedding 05: DIY Invitations

Ta da! Our invitations. Lovingly letterpressed and linocut by Hal himself.

One of the few things Hal felt passionate about during wedding planning was making our invites. With the money saved by doing them ourselves, we splurged on an inexpensive at-home letterpress machine. I designed the invitation wording and uploaded it to Lifestyle Crafts for our custom printing plates.

The tree was done as a linocut. Hal has linocut before, but it was his first attempt at letterpress. It took some trial and error, but he quickly got the hang of it. For weeks, he disappeared into his man cave cranking out 100 of them, one by one.

We included a vintage postcard of Gig Harbor, where the wedding would take place. Around 75% of our guests were flying in from California and other parts of the U.S., so I wanted to give them a nostalgic view of the small town they'd be visiting. The original postcard was blank and in order to replicate it en masse, I scanned both sides, added a faux postage stamp in Photoshop, and printed it for cheap on cardstock.

A second set of postcards, with a handwriting font on the back, were sent to guests invited to our rehearsal dinner cruise around Gig Harbor.

Playing off the "green carpet premiere" invitation text, I designed a little wood ticket to announce the wedding website using our H ♥ S logo. The Etsy shop, Bullfrog Graphics, laser engraved them for me and did an excellent job.

During a weekend-long marathon of Say Yes To The Dress, all of the pieces were neatly tied together with baker's twine and placed inside an A9-sized kraft envelope with an origami paper boat (which would later play a role in our wedding).

We were happy with how they turned out. A painstaking process? Yes. Would I purchase invites if I had to do it all over again? Um, quite possibly maybe probably yes. But in my eyes, nothing beats a handmade invitation. And I hope our guests felt the love.

SEE THE REST OF MY WEEKLY WEDDING SERIES HERE.


{Images by Christopher Bachmann}

My Wedding 03: Bridesmaid Proposals

For today's wedding Wednesday post, I'd like to share with you how I proposed to my darling bridesmaids.

I debated long and hard about whether or not to have bridesmaids at all. I know how girls complain about being one. Let's face it. It can be expensive, awkward, and there's always a chance of drama. But ultimately, I realized I needed their support.

Choosing my girl posse was difficult. I'm terrible with decisions, can you tell? I've been blessed with many close female friendships in life, so if bridesmaids were happening, there would be many. I chose 7 women to stand by my side. 3 from high school, 4 from college. There were a few others I would have liked to include, but Hal put his foot down, rightly so. I figured/hoped the gals I didn't ask were confident enough in our friendship so as to not take it personally.

I thought about how I could propose to them in a meaningful and original way. How were we all connected?

Books! We were all readers and 3 of the gals were in my book club. One day, while perusing a thrift shop, I happened upon the sweetest little vintage book: Friendship, by Hugh Black, published in 1901. I brought it home and miraculously found 6 more copies with the same cover through various online used book stores.

Inside each book, I placed a wooden bookmark engraved with their name.

As they flipped through the book, my proposal was slowly revealed in the top right hand corner. Initially, I planned to dog-ear the pages and write on the book directly, but it felt wrong to mark it all up. Instead, I cut off the corners of colored envelopes and placed them over the paper's edge like a slipcover. This way, the girls could take them off and have a keepsake book free of bridesmaid talk.

I don't like the word, bridesmaid, so I changed their title to special lady friend!

On the back inside cover, I glued a matching envelope with a card. In my tiniest handwriting, I wrote down all our shared memories. And asked if they'd like to make yet another.

They said, YES!

SEE THE REST OF MY WEEKLY WEDDING SERIES HERE.

My Wedding 02: DIY Save-The-Date Paper Dolls

I'm thrilled to share with you our save-the-dates!

To get the guests revved up about the wedding, I wanted to send them something unexpected. Something they could play with. Our theme wasn't yet established, but we knew we would ask our guests to come dressed in their vintage best. Racking my brain, I thought about old toys that conjure up nostalgic memories for all generations. Paper dolls? I bounced the idea off my mom and her eyes lit up. Yes!

I tried to draw the paper dolls myself, but failed miserably. So instead, we Photoshopped our heads onto vintage doll bodies. My mom and I scoured eBay for the perfect bride and groom with acceptable underclothes. I scored the perfect retro set! It came with hilarious outfits and accessories for the big day, the wedding night, and the honeymoon. No black kitties, but I found another hand-drawn cat image for Bailey. She had to be included, of course.

Initially, I planned to print on magnetic paper so guests could hang us on their fridge as a reminder. But I discovered reusable adhesive fabric instead. It's more affordable, lightweight, easy to cut, ink jet printer friendly, and leaves no residue. You simply peel off the backing and stick it to any flat surface.

Do you remember the hand-carved face stamp I had made? It was put to good use on our envelopes! I also got a custom address rubber stamp from NoteTrunk and designed a very simple H ♥ S logo for our postage stamps from Zazzle.

We got great feedback from our guests. Even my grandma loved them, which could have gone either way. A few friends sent us photos of the tux on me, the gown on Hal, and the garter around Bailey's neck!

P.S. For this project, a big thank you goes out to my mom, my brainstorm and research partner, my brother, the Photoshop wizard who made sure our heads looked like they belonged on our bodies, and my husband, who agreed to be seen by the world in shorty shorts and black knee high socks.

SEE THE REST OF MY WEEKLY WEDDING SERIES HERE.


{Images by Christopher Bachmann Photography}

Our Weekend At Wellspring - Part 2

Yesterday, I gave you a tour of the interior of Wellspring's Tatoosh Lodge. Today, I'll show you around the property. Come, the sun is out. Let's take a walk...

Underneath the snow-covered gazebo is a barbecue. The boys grilled a few ingredients here for our baked potato bar. And made some friends who were spending the night in the tree house.

There are 3 luxury safari tents hidden among the trees. This one is called the Tropics because the floor is covered in 6 inches of soft white sand!

Soaking in the Japanese-style cedar spa was a highlight of our stay. The temperatures outside were below freezing, so you can imagine how soothing it felt to slip into a warm tub after a brisk walk in the snow.

They say the labyrinth is a metaphor for life's journey. This must be true. Because Hal walked the full spiral while I got impatient.

There are 6 rustic cabins hidden throughout the property, ranging from classic to deluxe. All complete with feather beds and a wood burning stove. Some with full kitchens and a jacuzzi tub.

How sweet is this little garden? I bet it's lovely in springtime.

Wellspring's resident Doodle! His name is Riley. He would surprise us from out of nowhere to sniff our hands, say hello, and run away. Boundless energy, that one. He visited again later at the lodge for some extra pets and fell madly in love with my friend Kate.

I was told to make sure I visited the forest sanctuary. With no signs, it was difficult to find the trail in the snow. But I followed a set of Riley's footprints which led me over a bridge and through the woods to the secret spot. 

The ceremony setting was majestic. Had I known about this place a year ago, I might have gotten married here. The towering evergreens and zen stone slab alter took my breath away.

Thank you, Sunny, for sharing your magnificent property with us. Wellspring is magical. There's no better word to describe it.

OUR WEEKEND AT WELLSPRING - PART 1


{This post is courtesy of Wellspring Spa & Retreat}

My Wedding 01: Nature Goddess Style Inspiration

As promised, here is the first post of the new series on my wedding. Every Wednesday, I'll share with you a behind-the-scenes look at our wedding planning process. Leading up to the reveal of our professional photos of the big day.

Immediately after I got engaged, I envisioned myself as a vintage nature goddess bride. So I created this board to visualize the look of long flowing chiffon, greenery in my hair, and glamorous statement piece jewelry. If I had more space, I would have added this bridesmaid dress and these shoes. The colors would be greens and golds, and so not to compete with the natural beauty of our outdoor venue, the decor would be minimal with vintage details here and there.

The funny thing is, my wedding looked nothing like this. It was a lot more playful than the romantic images above. And my actual dress is very different from this Samuelle Couture. But I think we still somehow managed to pull off the vintage nature goddess vibe, with a quirky Shannon & Hal spin, on a very limited budget.

If you've planned a wedding, how similar was it to your original vision?

SEE THE REST OF MY WEEKLY WEDDING SERIES HERE.


{Images: 1. Invitiation; 2. Herb planters; 3. Goddess earrings; 4. Tree branch; 5. Walnut candles; 6. Nishi twig bangles; 7. Samuelle Couture gown by Jose Villa}

My Huge Collection of Green Vintage Bottles For Sale

The sale of my mismatched vintage china was a big success. A very sweet couple found my blog post and picked them up for their own wedding this summer. I love knowing they'll be put to good use. So I thought I'd do the same with my other collection of 307 green vintage bottles.

Here are the goods:

• 102 small assorted medicine bottles without labels: $200
• 192 antique German beer bottles in their original segregated cases: $300
• 13 large assorted bottles & vases: FREE with the above

At my wedding, each bottle held a single dahlia.They looked lovely lined up along the center of our long tables, catching light from the sun. Green bottles are very rare! I'm asking $500 for the entire lot, much cheaper than scouting them out individually. I'd love to not break up the set, but will consider it, if necessary.

If you're a Northwest bride or vintage rental business and would like to snatch these beauties up before I advertise elsewhere, please email me. First come, first serve!


{Images 1-2. me; 3. One Love Photo}

Our Engagement Pics on 100 Layer Cake!

I'm so honored to be featured on one of my favorite wedding websites, 100 Layer Cake! Have you seen it? They posted our engagement photos. Blush!

A little back story. Hal was very adamant on not doing typical engagement pics. If it were up to him, we wouldn't have done them at all and I'm sure a lot of men would agree. So I tried to come up with an idea he would like, that represented us, minus the cheese. And he was down with retro graphic art.

I turned to Christopher, my photographer brother, for a sibling collaboration. He captured Hal and I goofing around in front of a green screen, doing things we actually do together in real life. Christopher then sent me the cut-outs of our bodies and I arranged them in Photoshop, adding different shapes, colors and other graphic elements.

If you've been following me for awhile, you'll know I was somewhat secretive about this and other details of our wedding. But I'm thinking about doing a new series starting in January: a weekly post about all the stages of my wedding planning, from how I asked my girlfriends to be bridesmaids, to our save-the-dates, to our website and everything in between. This will lead up to our professional photos of the big day.

What do you think? Would you be interested in learning about the behind-the-scenes of my wedding planning process?


{Photography by Christopher Bachmann}

Mismatched Vintage Wedding Plates For Sale

It's time to say goodbye to my collection of beloved mismatched vintage china. I don't have room for them and my mom wants them out of her house.

In the year leading up to the wedding, we collected 118 dinner plates and 67 dessert plates from various thrift stores. They really looked lovely lined up on our long tables. I thought about renting them out to other brides in the area, but I don't want to deal with hauling and storing. It sort of breaks my heart to let them go. But I did sneak out my favorite set to keep!

Are you a Northwest bride or vintage rental business looking for a hand-picked collection of mismatched plates? I'm announcing it here before posting on Craigslist or wedding boards. We are asking $300 for the full lot, which is still cheaper than scouting them individually. And much more convenient.

Please email me if you're interested. First come first serve.

UPDATE: The plates have been sold!

Saying Thanks

What are you up to this weekend? We'll be diligently devoted to wedding thank-you cards. I feel guilty for taking this long to get them done. So to our generous guests, rest assured you'll be receiving our sincerest thanks in the mail shortly!

I hope you all have a relaxing few days. Please enjoy the links...

How to make edible photo lollipops.

Reason enough to be envious of Paris.

A sweet pumpkin proposal.

Have you heard about the iTypewriter?

Keep your kitty warm in the winter.

This couple had a Rice Krispies wedding cake.

10 hearty vegetarian pasta recipes.

Android users, I want your Field Trip app.

These pretty wellies would have come in handy this week!

A creature surprise in your coffee cup.

And some posts of mine you may have missed...

• Delicious Autumn
• Postcard Purses
• Gray

{Image by Karolin Schnoor}

Our Wedding Sneak Peek!!

Sorry darlings, but I'm interrupting the honeymoon recap for a teaser posted today by our incredible photographers, Heather & Jon of One Love Photo. I'm just too darn excited not to share! A funny story accompanies these shots, but that, I'll save for later.

It's strange seeing photos of your wedding for the first time, because you don't even remember doing the things that were captured. Like me raising my arm like that? Wha? By the looks of it, we must have been giggling the entire time. And if it didn't show on my face, I was most definitely giggling inside.


{Images by One Love Photo}

Our Honeymoon - Part 1

Okay sunshines, here we go! Part 1 of our honeymoon journey begins in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico. After getting hitched, we boarded a red-eye the very next day. To say we were exhausted would be an understatement. Since I didn't have time to pack before the wedding, I had a mini panic attack. Okay, a full on breakdown. All the stress of the prior days came out in the 5 minutes before we were supposed to leave for the airport. Poor Hal. He just married a crazy woman! Like a good husband, he calmed me down and we thankfully made our flight. I only left a few major items at home.

Once we arrived in Cancun, Hal found his name in the crowd. I've always wondered who those people are who get greeted with a sign. Cool people like us apparently.

We were shuttled to the Viceroy, welcomed with cool wet towels and milky lemongrass drinks, then escorted to our villa. It was divine. A private pool, an outdoor shower, and a hammock. What more could you ask for? Hal carried me over the threshhold. We were giddy. And sleepy. So we both passed out.

After nap time, we showered and set off to explore. Along the jungle path, we spotted our first iguana. The peaceful smell of incense led us onward. We reached the spa and were asked to face each other and close our eyes while a shaman blessed our marriage.

We meandered down the path to the beach and found a special surprise waiting for us there.

To be continued...


Our Honeymoon - Part 1
Our Honeymoon - Part 2
Our Honeymoon - Part 3
Our Honeymoon - Part 4
Our Honeymoon - Part 5
Our Honeymoon - Part 6
Our Honeymoon - Part 7
Our Honeymoon - Part 8
Our Honeymoon - Part 9
Our Honeymoon - Part 10
Our Honeymoon - Part 11
Our Honeymoon - Part 12
Our Honeymoon - Part 13

Working With Honeymoon Islands

While I organize our photos from Mexico and Belize, I'd like to provide my future brides and newlyweds with a little honeymoon planning tip... GET HELP! Unless you have super human powers, it is incredibly difficult to plan a wedding and a 2-week long vacation at the same time. Especially if your future spouse isn't a planner and you've been dreaming about your honeymoon since your very first plane ride.

So I reached out to Teresa of Honeymoon Islands. And I'm so glad I did. My initial research got us to the Riviera Maya. But Teresa got us to our accommodations. She gave us a list of special spots according to our personalities and travel desires. For instance, she knew that first thing after the wedding, we'd love The Viceroy in Playa Del Carmen due to its luxurious vibe and romantic seclusion. She was right. She knew we'd enjoy Blancaneaux Lodge and Turtle Inn, the two Coppola resorts in Belize because of their boutique feel and rustic charm. She was right.

Before we set off, she made us a detailed personalized itinerary with all of our confirmation numbers, contact information, and maps. This handy guide was a life saver. And with her connections in the industry, we got some perks! Special honeymoon treatment we wouldn't have gotten otherwise: rose petals and candles, a room upgrade, and complimentary massages.

But I have to say, the best part about working with her was the assurance that she had my back. Some billing problems came up a week before the wedding. She stepped in and took care of it. I sent her a frantic email from Tulum with worries about the Belize-to-Mexico transfer company not confirming our pick-up. She immediately called them from the States and within a few hours, they emailed me with an apology and and ended up arriving 15 minutes early.

Thank you again, Teresa, for all your advice and guidance. With your help, our honeymoon was just as we had dreamed.

P.S. Stay tuned for photos and stories!


{Image via Brides by Gisel Florez}

Life Is But A Dream

Hey honeys, I'm home! As a full-fledged card-carrying wife. Wild!

I don't even know where to begin. The amounts of joy I've felt these last three weeks has been indescribable. I've been preparing myself for the hard hitting reality that it has come to an end. But for now, I'm still flying high from all the love. What laundry? What inbox?  

I'll be sharing our honeymoon photos here in the coming weeks if you're curious about our adventures. As for the wedding shots, we'll have to wait until the professional ones get edited and featured. But maybe I can sneak in a few of our guests' photos here and there, like this one.

Thank you for supporting my guest writers who kept Happiness Is afloat while I was away. Hal and I loved reading all of their unique perspectives on love. What did you think? If you missed any posts, you can find them all here...

Lia
Randi
Caroline
Naomi
Chelsea
Brandi
Tiffany
Rachel
Melina
Meagan
Lillian
Tali
Ellen
Summer
Christen
Donna

{Image by Jenn Harrison}

Why I Love Him - Reason #1

He wants to spend his life with me! That's why I love him. Through highs and lows. Ebbs and flows. He will be beside me, experiencing the world, hand in hand. And it's the most comforting feeling I've known.

Today will be my last day here, but I won't leave you in the cold. I have daily guest bloggers scheduled for the next 3 weeks while I prep for the wedding and relax on my honeymoon. Please stop by to read their beautiful words, thoughts and advice on the theme of lasting love.

Thank you, my darling dears, for your incredible support over the past year. I look forward to sharing all experiences upon my return. HUG!

P.S. Happy blue moon!


{Image by Christopher Bachmann}

Saying A Little Prayer

My lovely loves, I ask that you do me a favor. When you read this, please send a silent prayer into the universe for a glorious 75 degree day on September 8th in Gig Harbor, Washington.

Reason being? We have no back-up tent! Call me crazy, buy they're thousands of dollars. I'd rather dance in the rain than fork over that much dough for something I may not use.

So back to that prayer. I figure if enough people hope hard enough, the heavens have no reason not to comply. Thank you sweet readers. Much appreciated! xo


{Image via LYST}

Rings & Other Things To Remember

Now that I'm nearing the end of the wedding planning process (hooray!), there are few things that almost slipped my mind. And they're all things I thought about earlier in the year that I kept putting off. So here's my tips for future brides to be. Don't forget...

1. The wedding rings. Since my engagement ring didn't come as a set, and since Hal doesn't think about these sorts of things in general, we almost forgot ours. Thankfully, we pulled it together to have them made and shipped in the nick of time. Cheaply too, with the goal of upgrading later. Thank heavens for Etsy artisans!

2. The marriage license. This just fell through the cracks. And now we have to squeeze it into our jam packed schedule next week. Washington has a 3-day waiting period. So if we apply for it in person next Tuesday after Labor Day, we'll be in the clear. Barely.

3. The vows. My reoccurring nightmare was this: minutes before the ceremony, I realized I hadn't written my vows. And you know what? As soon as I forced myself down with a cup of tea and wrote out a draft, the anxiety dreams disappeared. I know a lot of people who wait until days before the wedding to write their vows.  But for people like me, who stress about not having the right words to say, it's a good idea to write them as early as possible. I wish I wrote mine as soon as I got engaged! It would have saved me quite a few sleepless nights.

I'm sure come wedding day, I'll have 5 more things to add! Married friends, was there anything major you forgot to do before the big day?


{Images The Aviary by Bernd Westphal}

My Bridal Hair Trial

Tonight, I have my bridal hair trial. I've collected a good amount of photos for inspiration and I'm hoping the stylist and I will come up with the perfect wedding hairdo built around my headpiece. It's an antique German Jugendstil / art nouveau crown! Even more fascinating, it came with a matching corsage and a small pillow embroidered with the names of the bride and groom who wore it back in 1911. All inside the original wooden heart-shaped box.

Have a lovely weekend, honey bees! Please enjoy the links...

Did you know today is daffodil day?

Because I often doubt my decisions, I love this quote.

Stain your lips with Kool-Aid.

What would you tell your 25-year old self?

A cheeky cheese platter.

Is it a bookcase or a garage door?

A big floppy hair bow tutorial.

How to carve more time into your day.

Incredible sea floor sculptures.

Famous album covers recreated with socks.

And some posts of mine you may have missed...

• Chinese Fortune Sticks
• My Love Grub Recipe
• A Chapel I'd Get Married In

{Image via My Daily Glamour}

A Stand-Up Paddle Board Wedding Ceremony

Wouldn't you have loved to be a guest at Jessie & Jane's wedding? Their friends and family got to witness their nuptials from a cliff-side hot tub while they joined together on a tiny island in the middle of a lake. Via stand-up paddle board! In a red dress, no less. My kind of people.


{Images via Rock n' Roll Bride by Jesse Holland}

My Final Dress Fitting

I have my wedding dress final fitting today. At least I hope it's my final fitting! I've been told that it will be a very enjoyable experience. When your dress is shaped perfectly to your body. When you envision yourself walking down the aisle. When you truly fall in love with your gown.

Married ladies, is this true? I want that feeling. Wish me luck!


{Images by Delphine Manivet}

Wedding DIY Projects

On Wednesday, we hit the 30-day mark! Yikes. With less than a month away from the big day, I made a list of wedding projects that still need to get done. A bit overwhelming, I must admit. Starting tomorrow, I plan to ignore the sunshine and lock myself in the house to get cracking on DIY favors, programs, escort cards and seating arrangements. And trying to remember that this should be fun!  :)

Have a productive weekend, my friends. Here are your links...

A little free library.

Corn on the cob: 3 ways.

Turn hand-written recipes into tea towels.

600 shoes tied up with string.

The meals that Olympians eat.

Grilled peaches for dessert.

Magical branch sculptures.

A heart-pattern friendship bracelet tutorial.

52 things I love about you.

Summer camps for grown-ups.

And some posts of mine you may have missed...

• Beegee's Hair
• A Balloon Lamp
• Flutter In Pinhole

{Image via Style Me Pretty by Sasha Gulish}

With The Band

Remember when I was searching for an affordable smaller sized jazz orchestra to play big band music at our wedding? Well, we found them! And I received word that they're learning to play an instrumental verison of the tune I'll be walking down the aisle to. I really hope they do it justice. It's one of my favorite love songs ever in life. A song I always dreamed would be incorporated into my ceremony. A song my mother wanted in her wedding almost 39 years ago. Thank heavens for waterproof mascara.


{Images via Oh Sully! by Sully Sullivan}

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

We had a wild time in Portland for the bachelorette, involving a chance run-in with a bachelor party, a silly school bus ride, bottled jungle juice and karaoke.

It did not involve frothy petticoats, bedazzled sunnies, colored smoke bombs, or an English countryside, but I'm taking notes for next time!


{Images via Rock n' Roll Bride by Andrew R Moore}

Sampling The Menu

Tonight, we're sampling our wedding menu! My mouth is already watering. Remember when I was going to multiple tastings and having a difficult time deciding on which caterer to hire? We eventually went with Seattle's infamous food truck, Skillet. Mainly because they're unstuffy and creative with their ingredients. And who doesn't love the vintage Airstream trailer kitchen?

We're doing a family-style buffet for an al fresco sit-down dinner. Luckily, the chef was open to a few of our recipe ideas in order to fulfill my vegetarian-heavy gourmet comfort food requests. And the menu? I'm dying to spill the beans, but some things must be kept a surprise. One thing's for sure. This bride will eat!


{Images by 1-2, 4-5: Mastin Studio 3: Laurel McConnell}

Yoga Engagement Photos

Here's an engagement session you don't see every day. Kelsey and Isaac are doing acro-yoga, which I'd never heard of until now. It's a partner style practice that combines acrobatics and thai massage. It's supposed to be great for couples who want to build trust and foster a sense of play.

I'd like to think Hal and I would enjoy this. But knowing us, we'd be laughing too hard to hold the poses. Have you ever taken acro-yoga before?


{Images via Junebug by Kiera Eve Photography}

My Surprise Bridal Shower

Over the weekend, I thought I was going to a girls "happy hour" at my friend's house. But when I walked through the door, I nearly jumped out of my pants! My sweet bridesmaids, Kate and Tara, threw me a surprise bridal shower! I teared up when I saw the smiling faces of my mom, sis-in-law, her mom, my cousin, and a few more dear friends who all pitched in to help. Even Hal was in on the secret and strategically made me arrive late!

The theme was "Shan In Wonderland". Everyone brought me a vintage piece of china to use at the wedding. There were pom flowers hung on trees with money inside! Yummy tea party treats. Rare Polaroid cameras. A puppy in a princess costume. A dragonfly. A ladybug. My baby niece Ayana. And no bridal shower would be complete without a toilet paper wedding dress fashion show. I was the judge. Gina, shown above, clearly won.

Good work girls! You went above and beyond.Thank you again for showing me how much you care. I'm still on cloud nine from all the love. xo


{Images by: 1, 4-7, 9. Kate Perkins; 3. Evi Feltus}

The Lover Wiccan Dress

I thought the Muse dress was my favorite piece from Lover's White Magick line. But now, after seeing these images of Jessica strolling down the streets of Florence in the Wiccan asymmetrical lace dress, I've changed my mind. Isn't it gorgeous? If I could afford a second wedding gown for dancing, this would be it.


{Images via Tuula by Zanita Morgan}

The First Dance

Robin's wedding was a fairy tale. Especially their first dance. She and Tony floated across the dance floor to So This Is Love, from Cinderella (1950). It was perfectly Robin. She's always had soft spot for old Disney movies and we still sing the classic princess solos together to this day. Watching her dance with her own Prince Charming, I had a lump in my throat the whole way through.

So this is love, Mmmmmm
So this is love
So this is what makes life divine
I'm all aglow, Mmmmmm
And now I know
The key to all heaven is mine
My heart has wings, Mmmmmm
And I can fly
I'll touch every star in the sky
So this is the miracle that I've been dreaming of
Mmmmmm
Mmmmmm
So this is love

Hal and I are still deciding on our first dance song. If you're married, which tune did you choose? And if not, is there a song you've always dreamed of dancing to?


{Image via The Disney Princesses}

My Maid Of Honor's Wedding

I can't believe this day has come. Robin, my lovely maid of honor, is getting married in Santa Rosa on Saturday. It's going to be the most beautiful wine-themed wedding. She got engaged after me and when she set her date for two months before mine, I was worried she'd be too stressed out for both roles. But she has been extremely supportive throughout this entire process and somehow executed my bachelorette weekend in the midst of her own wedding planning. She is so selfless and deserving. I'm incredibly proud to stand by her side as she marries the man of her dreams.

By the time you read this, I'll be in California. So have a happy weekend, dear ones. I'll see you again on Monday. xo


{Image via Style Me Pretty by Jose Villa}

Dinner With Friends

This weekend I'll be going home for a slew of wedding-related tasks, but taking some time out for my newlywed friends' intimate dinner party on Saturday. They're making homemade pesto, mmm.

Have a spectacular weekend, dearies. Here are your links...

Summer's prettiest cocktails.

4th of July printables.

Do you know your neighbors?

A wedding dress with a show-stopping back.

Make a gigantic banana split.

She makes me want pixie hair.

A picnic basket and boombox in one.

Where I'll stay if I'm ever in Sicily.

Ladies, would you rock the ombre lip?

A cozy garage-turned-art studio.

And some posts of mine you may have missed...

• The Seattle Beer Fest
• Pottery Poems
• Cotton & Green Tomatoes

{Images via Finch & Thistle by Chantal Andrea}

Coqui Coqui Tulum

I'm really looking forward to spending a few nights here on my honeymoon. Doesn't it look like a dream? Coqui Coqui is a 7-room boutique eco-hotel, spa and perfumery in Tulum, Mexico, built and run by designers, Nicolas and Francesca, tucked away on a quiet stretch of the Mayan Riviera surf. Romantic bohemian rustic chic done right. I'm dying to fall into that bed.


{Images via 1-4: The Selby; 5-8: Mr. & Mrs. Smith; 9: Socially Superlative}

My Honeymoon on SimpleRegistry

My loves, I completely forgot to update you on our honeymoon destination! Originally, we were looking at Bali, Thailand or the Philippines. But flights to Asia got to be too expensive. So we switched gears entirely and chose a place closer to home. We've always had a soft spot for Mexico. The food, the beaches, the food. We've vacationed together in Baja and Mazatlan in the past, so we decided to hit up the Caribbean side and travel along the Riviera Maya coastline down into Belize.

2012 is an especially unique time to visit the Yucatan Peninsula. As you know, it was the Mayans who predicted the "end of the world" and all.  We're excited to visit the ancient ruins and learn about the area's fascinating historical and spiritual significance. We're planning to stop in Playa Del Carmen & Tulum in Mexico and the Cayo District jungle & Placencia seaside in Belize. Here's the draft itinerary. Has anyone made this trip before? Do you have any sight-seeing suggestions?

In order to afford this dream excursion, we decided to register for our honeymoon. I did a lot of research on which online registry to use. There's a dizzying amount of choices out there. But my favorite, by far, was SimpleRegistry. They have a lovely minimalist design, the lowest fees around, and you can use it for life. The best part is, you're not limited to honeymoons. You can add anything you'd like from any store. For instance, I listed cheese. Hal listed tools. You can get creative.

Would you like to see our registry? We had so much fun creating it. I got very detailed and specific so our friends and family would be able to connect with the gift and feel as though they're contributing to something special, as opposed to money in a pot. We've gotten a few gifts so far and SimpleRegistry sends you sweet little cards in the mail with each purchase. They keep track of your gifts, which makes writing thank-you notes a snap. We're really loving the whole process.

Did you register for your honeymoon? Or are you planning to?


{Image via Elena Viles; edited by me}

My Wedding Colors

When I initially told people our wedding colors, I got strange looks. For some reason, people couldn't imagine emerald-green, mint-seafoam-sage green, and sparkly-gold going well together. Oh yeah and wood grain! So I created this mood board to make it easier to visualize the colors. So tell me loves, do you see it how I see it? :)

My seven bridesmaids are wearing mismatched vintage cocktail dresses in either green, mint, or gold. With wood shoes. Just kidding about the shoes, but wouldn't that be rad? I think they're going to look so gorgeous together!


{Images via: 1. That Bohemian Girl; 2. 3. Maggie McGowan; 4. Wildcat; 5. 6. The Lisa Porter Collection; 7. Anthropologie; 8. Coming Up Strong; 9. This Is Glamorous; 10. Yummy & Olympic; 11. My Favorite And My Best; 12. The Fashion Spot; 13. 14. 15. Specs & Wings; 16. }

A Double Wedding

I thought double weddings happened only in the movies. Apparently not. Sisters, Lauren and Dana, wanted to share their big day. If only they could have orchestrated a double rainbow! 


{Images via Ruffled by Bryan Rupp Photography}

Sending Out The Invites

We're finally getting the invitations out this weekend, hurrah! Guests, we thank you for your patience and we hope you think they're worth the wait. Hal designed, wood block printed, and letterpressed them himself and I'll be packaging them up pretty and hand-addressing the envelopes. Then it's off to the post office. There's something sort of scary about mailing them out. It means it's happening. We're really doing this!  :)

Have a super weekend, darlings. Please enjoy the links...

A rice crispy treat wedding cake.

Awesome chalkboard maps.

Cat lovers: your new favorite app.

DIY water bottle chandeliers.

Vintage Volkswagon van tents.

Cool cross-stitched portraits.

A washi tape dress.

Teeny tiny food sculptures.

Guess what's the most satisfying food?

Lovely calligraphy necklaces.

And some posts of mine you may have missed...

• Illustrated Wedding Invitations
• Barefoot Sandals
• DIY - Clever Upside Down Racks

{Images by Anne Robin}

A Sneak Peek of Our Wedding Movie

This will probably be the first of many posts about Katia, the director of our wedding movie. She's a brilliant photographer and videographer from Mexico who I've been communicating with for months over email. When we finally met and spent 2 full days together this past weekend, I discovered she's just as talented, sweet and funny in person. Plenty more on her later, but I squealed with delight when she sent over these sneak peek stills. They turned out so dreamy. I can't wait to see the first edit!


{Images by Katia Herrera}

Trashing A Dress

I've never really understood the whole "trash the wedding dress" concept. Why ruin a gown you spent so much money on? But my opinion has changed after seeing these joyful photos of Bre. This red dress is the actual dress she wore during her Paris elopement.

Would you ever trash a dress for fun?


{Images via The Bride's Cafe by Rebekah Hoyt}

Nature Goddess Headpieces

For me, what brides wear on their head is just as important as what they wear on their body. I've been searching for the perfect bridal headpiece to match my gown, and I think I found it. I think. Nothing as wild as above, but somewhat similar in aesthetic. And that's all I can reveal!  :)

Did you or will you wear a headpiece, hairpiece, or veil on your wedding day? What did or will it look like?


{Images via FGR by Paul de Luna for Mojeh}

Ask Alice Stationary Kits

I'm such a sucker for kits. Especially when they're as cute as these by Ask Alice.

I'll be doing plenty of my own packaging and mailing in the next week or so. Hal is almost done with the letterpress portion of our wedding invitations. Then I'll be packinging them up pretty and popping them in the mail. Since we didn't send out our website with the save-the-dates, we're a little behind schedule. DIY will do that to ya. So guests who are anxiously waiting for wedding details, thank you for your patience!


{Images via Bloesom by Ask Alice}