Real Life Bride: Week 34

We made a very important purchase last weekend - our wedding bands! It was pretty easy to pick mine out since I just wanted a band exactly like the one on my engagement ring {very thin}. Ryan did an amazing job picking out my engagement ring and he was so kind in making it an eternity band...which of course means that the wedding band needs to be eternity too, right? Well he definitely thought so and was sure to reinforce that idea when the jeweler asked if we wanted eternity or half-way for the wedding band - lucky me!

{photo by my good friend Amanda while we were out to brunch;

you can kind of see my tiny little band!}

Selecting Ryan's ring was a bit more of a challenge. We of course liked different options and in fact I would say that I strongly disliked the one that he wanted! Neither of us was surprised though as we have different taste in pretty much everything, except each other of course. And then there was the question of white gold versus Titanium. We both liked the darker look of the Titanium, but I feared that down the line we may not like it quite as much. Plus it was pretty light weight and didn't strike me as deserving such a grand role as "wedding band." Ultimately, he went with a classic white gold band 7mm thick; yes, we debated between 6, 7 and 8 MILLIMETERS!!

The difference in opinions continued the next day when we finally ventured out to look for suits for Ryan and the groomsmen. Way back when we first got engaged Ryan mentioned he might want to wear grey, so I took that idea and ran with it making our color scheme caspian blue, grey and ivory (although the only blue so far is in the bridesmaid dresses!). Well then a few months ago Ryan said he might want to wear black...so we got some grey ties! But I never quite let go of the grey suits, especially with our more laid back, rustic outdoor wedding. Apparently, though, grey suits for rent are not easy to come by! We went to Friar Tux, but their grey suit was too dark for Ryan's taste (I liked it). They had a grey tux, but this had a satin stripe around the collar and then down the pants, reminding me of the 70's (Ryan thought it was fine). Our next stop was Men Warehouse, where they don't rent suits, but they did have a grey tux with the satin only on the jacket, not the pants, but still...it was a no go. Never one to give up when I have my mind set on something, I called Elite Tuxedo after Beth let me know that they too rent suits. I asked if they had a grey suit and was directed to the website - this is their "grey suit."

Let me just clarify by saying that a morning suit is definitely not the suit we are looking for! I may just have to accept defeat and go with basic black and the original tie purchase, which will of course be fine, but with four months left, the search is still on for the perfect grey suit available to rent (and please feel free to comment if you have any suggestions!). In my dream world the groomsmen would all be wearing this beauty from my favorite store, JCrew. Too bad they don't rent.

Here Comes The Sun

Ladies, it's officially summer time.  I'm a huge supporter of sunscreen year round (I'll give my lecture on that another time), but if you are only starting to think about it now that the weather is warming up, here are some ideas for products that can be worn alone or under makeup.  With cutting-edge ingredients, you'll be fighting damage from the sun while also improving your skin in the process.  Fabulous!


Kate Somerville Protect SPF 55 Serum

Now, it's no surprise that I'm a big fan of Kate Somerville and her amazing skin care products.  And this sunscreen is no exception.  This mild, antioxidant-rich sunscreen is free of oils, parabens and alcohol making it oh-so-good for your skin.  It offers high-level protection against skin-burning UVB radiation and premature aging UVA rays. The delicate formula is non-greasy, not sticky and quick drying so it's perfect for layering over moisturizer (but before that makeup!).  Kate suggests waiting 20 minutes before sun exposure.    


Bobbi Brown Brightening SPF 50 Face Base

This soothing lotion helps shield your skin from the harmful effects of the sun with a high level of broad-spectrum UVA and UVB protection. Lightweight and quick-absorbing, it can be layered over moisturizer to help prevent future damage and help maintain a radiant, brightened, and even skin tone.


Kinerase Daily Defense Lotion SPF 30

This next one is a real beauty splurge.  Kinerase Lotion with SPF 30 protects your skin while providing superior moisturization, improving skin tone and reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles—gently and effectively. What's not to love?!?  

CRAVE Los Angeles Features Beth Helmstetter Events

We're honored to be included in the latest version of CRAVE Los Angeles. This is the handiest little book out there for urban ladies of the LA area who want to be pampered. The guide highlights the top female owned and operated business in greater Los Angeles and we were tinkled pink to be a part of the project. If you're in LA and want to know who to go to on everything from personal trainers to boutiques, you can buy your guide here. If you're not in LA, don't worry, CRAVE creates a guide for all cities. Click here to see who in your neighborhood can take oh-so-good care of you...

GUEST POST: Regrets from a Self-Proclaimed "Bridezilla"

Now, I truly hate the word "Bridezilla" and even though I've been in the wedding world for years, most people I know who actually work in this industry do not use this word. It's a word created by the media with the obvious meaning that a bride has turned into a monster while planning her wedding. Now, I wouldn't go so far as to call anyone a monster, but I would be lying if I didn't admit that some people get a bit more worked up than others during the wedding plans. Not that I can't relate or completely empathize, but emotions run high and some people are just better with stress than others. With this being said, I was really excited when one of my past clients, who admits, at this point, that stress got to her in the worst way, wanted to share some of her top regrets after planning her wedding. She's going to stay anonymous, of course, but maybe all of us can learn a thing or two from her experience:

1. I cared WAY too much about what people think: I was so worried about being perfect and having the perfect wedding day that I didn't enjoy the planning or the day. If I would have really took the time to have the wedding day I wanted and not what I thought people expected, I know I would have been able to enjoy things much more.


2. I lost sight of the true meaning of the day: In the beginning all I wanted was to marry my one and only. In the end, all I focused on was a party. I was rude to my husband, my family and my vendors just because it was "my day." I realized much too late that it's his day too. After thinking back on my actions, at this point, I just feel lucky that he loved me enough to see past my temporary insanity and marry me anyway.


3. I used the words "It's MY wedding!" as an excuse for everything: Past the age of 12, throwing tantrums when things don't go your way stops being cute. I know I'm not alone in this, but if you are an adult woman and are throwing a fit in front of everyone you know because you can't get your way, you need to have a reality check. You may be justifying your actions, but no one else is.


4. I didn't care about others at all. One of my best friend's got pregnant after many months of trying hard to do so. All I could think was "How could she do this to me?" instead of "Good for her!" I was so self centered that I damaged relationships with people I care about all while justifying it away as being a "normal" bride.

5. I was rude to my vendors. From day one if I heard anything that wasn't what I wanted to hear, you better believe my vendors knew about it. I fired several. Begged some of them to come back after realizing they weren't so bad after all. And overall just disrespected them and their expertise. On the wedding day, all were very professional, but also chilly. Though they did their job they were disgruntled to be a part of my wedding day rather than being thrilled to share my day with me. 


6. I looked for things to go wrong. With my pressure to be perfect, instead of spending my wedding day focusing on what was going right, I spent the day looking for things that were going wrong. I missed the meaning behind my father's toast because I noticed we were running 10 minutes late in the timeline we had planned. In the big scheme of things, those 10 minutes were so insignificant compared to the words my father was sharing with me at that moment. 


Thank you, "Bridezilla", for sharing your thoughts with our readers!

Do any of you have any bad moments you want to share? I would be happy to post them if you think a current bride could learn from your mistakes!

Real Life Bride: Week 33

I made it to just over four months out from the wedding being in "casual, lull mode" - but now it's time for planning! We've been pretty lackadaisical with things so far other than getting the vendors booked and just tossing around ideas of what we could do, how to make our wedding personal and special for our guests, etc, but now I'm ready to actually start doing/buying/making things happen!

I believe I mentioned before that the rehearsal dinner is set to take place at Westlake Village Inn, so I recently contacted the coordinator at Saddlerock Ranch to book the space for our rehearsal itself. With the wedding in late October, there is no Friday wedding in our space so we are able to hold the rehearsal at our convenience. With that scheduled, we were able to set the time for the rehearsal dinner and get started on the invites - I love when checking off one item leads to checking off another! We were also looking into options for a small Sunday brunch with our families at the Four Seasons where we were set to stay, but they weren't particularly accommodating and we were less than impressed with the hotel being located right off the 101 freeway (you could literally see/hear it), so we moved our room and our families over to Westlake Village Inn which we find so charming. We booked a Master Suite for ourselves, so this is a special treat! We're just starting to work out the details of the rehearsal dinner and looking into a brunch, and it's nice to get the ball rolling.

Our invitations have been sent to the printer and we are on schedule for an early August mail date. Since we didn't send save-the-dates, I think it's good to get the invitations out just before the two month mark especially since many of the guests will be travelling. They include an accommodations card with information on our hotel room blocks, and I feel like receiving the invitation reminds people to start planning their trip - and with flights these days, earlier might be better! Here's a sneak of our adorable map created by my extremely talented sister!

I don't want to give away too many details on the reception itself in case anyone who will be attending our wedding actually reads this, but I can say that we will soon be ordering the items for the escorts cards and favors also. Yes, we are still four months out, but how sad would it be if something sold out and we couldn't get it? I enjoy the peace of mind knowing that all our items are safely at my parents' house!

The next few months are going to go by so quickly and I'm very excited to work with Beth on all the details!

I've Got To Hand It To You...

Show of hands (pun intended):  How many of you brides out there LOVE getting manicures?  Could it be with that new bauble on your ring finger, you feel a little more pride in those digits, as well as a little pressure to have well manicured hands when people stop to admire your engagement ring?   All of the sudden, you've become a hand model!   Well, I can't say that I blame you.

When there's the extra perk of an engagement ring on your hand, that little treat seems more necessary than before.   While some sources claim that weekly mani's and pedi's are a must for the bride-to-be, and personally, I would love to get them that often, I know that it isn't always possible.

For some time now, regular manicures and pedicures have been a part of my routine, so I've tried many, MANY products.  So, if a weekly visit to the salon isn't in the cards (or even if it is!) I present to you, some of the best products I've found on the market that will make those mani's and pedi's last longer, while giving you picture-perfect bridal nails.


Nail Color:  Essie Mademoiselle

This delightfully sheer and subtle pink will makes your hands look fresh and natural, and wont distract admirers from your ring, your dress, or YOU, the blushing bride.  Since the consistency of the Essie line of polish isn't too thick or goopy, it will dry quicker so you are less likely to smudge. I also suggest a single coat.  Try it out in the weeks before your wedding.  If you decide you want more coverage, go for two.

Bonus:  If disaster strikes and you chip a nail prior to the wedding, the color is so natural no one would notice.
Other Essie color choices:  No Pre-Nup (love the name) and Ballet Slippers.


Top Coat: Healthy Hoof Lacquer

I swear by this product!  This top coat adds days to my manicure.  It takes a little longer to dry, but it's well worth the extra time in the massage chair.  ;)  I am very hard on my nails:  typing, paperwork, cooking, dish washing, washing my hands, and oh yeah, wedding production, and it all takes a toll on my manicures.  This top coat ensures I get the most out my visits.


Cuticle Care:  ORLY Cuticle Oil

Depending on your environment, the conditions you subject your hands to, or just plain ol' genetics, your cuticles can take a daily beating, leaving you with dry or ragged cuticles, and make you prone to hang nails.   And nothing is worse for your manicure (with the exception of actually biting your nails) than ripping or biting off said hang nail.  Healthy, hydrated cuticles improve the overall health of your nails.  Keeping your nail beds soft and moisturized will encourage stronger and longer nails, and help to fend off painful and unsightly hang nails.



Hand lotion:  Kiehl's Ultimate Strength Hand Salve

To me, dry hands are the worst!  This purse-sized hand lotion goes everywhere I do for re-application after hand washings.  It's moisturizing and quick absorbing.  Everything a good lotion should be.

Bonus: The 2.5 oz container is also airplane carry-on friendly for use en route to your honeymoon.



Toe Color:  OPI Tickle Me-Francey

I adore the neutral tone of this polish (it's my current favorite).  There's something about it that feels sophisticated, but not muddy or dirty... just pretty.  Maybe it's the name that conjures the image of a perfectly put-together French woman in delicious peep-toe pumps sipping on coffee and nibbling on a croissant.  It just feels romantic and goes with EVERY color of shoes or outfit I choose.

Bonus:  This neutral shade will take you into your honeymoon with style.  Should you be beach-bound, which just decimates a good pedicure polish, no one will notice a chip out this color either, unlike a red, pink or plum shade on your toes.

Tip: Pack a few disposable nail polish remover pads into your luggage for your honeymoon.  If all that action is just too much for your polish and you can't get yourself to a nail salon, just remove the old and put on some top coat for protection and shine.

There you have 'em!  My tips for the perfectly polished bride.

Hatch My House

Style Me Pretty recently introduced me to the greatest new registry option out there called, Hatch My House. It's a registry website where guests have the options to gift you funds to put towards the purchase of a home. Now, I'm the first to say, I'm not the biggest fan of asking for cash gifts. Simply because I believe many people still want to know they are giving you a wedding gift that you will keep forever. BUT, I think this registry accomplishes both goals. It allows the couple to receive much needed funds while allowing the guest to contribute to something that, while you may not have forever, you will create lifelong memories in. Anyway, if you have EVERYTHING you need and can't think of what to register for, go on over and check out Hatch My House. It's truly a great concept!

Real Life Bride: Week 32

About a month ago, as part of our attempt to do something special and fun together every week, Ryan and I decided to cash in on our fabulous engagement gift from his parents - a champagne brunch cruise through the harbor! Unfortunately for us, you have to book in advance and once you do it's non-transferable and this happened to be an overcast weekend. Apparently there is this thing called "May Grays" here in San Diego, and this is in addition to the "June Gloom" that I am familiar with from LA!

Nonetheless, I donned my cutest Sunday-brunch-worthy skirt and we were off! Little did we know of the adventure we were embarking on just to make it to the ship. Our directions lead us to the same street that goes in to the airport, which is also on the harbor a little further down. This would have been fine except for the fact that there was road construction and they were down to one lane entering the airport! It was a parking lot in the street and people were literally getting out of their cars (that people were dropping them off in, not that they were driving) and running to catch their planes! We decided to park the car and walk as Ryan's iPhone kindly informed us that we were only 0.3 miles away.

Well, that may have been the case had we gone the right way. I don't know if we said N. Harbor and it was actually S. Harbor or what, but we ended up in front of an empty Navy building - 10 minutes before our boat was supposed to leave (20 minutes after we were supposed to have arrived)! We frantically tried to figure out what was going on and were practically running down the boardwalk towards any boats we could see. It would have been helpful too if there were street numbers, but hey, I guess when you are on a harbor there isn't exactly a curb to paint with numbers? Or building to number for that matter. Anyway, we ultimately ended up passing our destination (where is the proper signage?!), asking for directions, running around like crazy people and then finally boarding at 10:55am! Phew!

Fortunately, we had a little private table by the window and were greeted with a glass champagne. Yes, please!

The brunch buffet was delicious and we sure didn't hold ourselves back (I still have five months to fit into that dress!).

After eating we made our way out onto the deck for just a few minutes to enjoy the ocean air and beautiful gloomy views.

{going under the Coronado Bridge - our self portraits aren't quite as good as Steve's!}

All-in-all it was a lovely morning and a little adventure to remember!

"Whatever Else Anything Is, It Ought to Begin by Being Personal..."

Often times, we focus on the decor, flowers, the dress,  guest list,  and the food at the wedding.... the look and feel of the day.  And hey, those are the things that you can see in photographs long after the day is over.  It's also the areas where Beth and I are able to collaborate most with our clients!    But there is one part of a wedding that is truly personal to a couple and that's the ceremony.  To paraphrase a line from one of my all-time favorite movies "You've Got Mail", whatever else your wedding is, I believe, it ought to begin by being personal.

Now if you are having a religious ceremony, this could mean working with your officiant to incorporate scripture, songs, or other passages that have special meaning or significance to you and your intended.   Usually, your officiant will suggest passages that are meaningful to your union and can enhance the way you wish to begin your marriage.

If you opt for a less religious ceremony, you may have a wider field of inspiration to draw on.   You can choose an officiant who will either work with you to write your ceremony or vows, or you can choose to write it on your own.    So, if you decide to write your own vows or ceremony, where to begin?  I've found a helpful road-map to ceremony components can be found in the book "The Wedding Ceremony Planner" by Reverend Judith Johnson.  It gives you a breakdown of the typical parts you hear in ceremonies, including the welcome or gathering words, readings and songs, the marriage address, rituals or ceremonies (such as candle or tea ceremonies), the vows, ring exchange and pronouncement, just to name a few, along with examples to get you started.

For suggestions on wording and phrases that can add a personal touch to your ceremony,  books dedicated to special words and perfect things to say on your big day such as "Wedding Blessings" by June Cotner or  "Words for the Wedding" by Wendy Paris and Andrew Chesler can be very helpful.  These books are filled with hundreds of poems, prayers, quotations and phrases that can personalize your ceremony.   You can also consider drawing upon favorite quotes from your own life.  You can call on the words of a favorite song, book, movie or poem that has had special meaning to one or both of you.  Another idea is to incorporate the story of how you met to give your guests even more insight into your relationship.

Don't be afraid to dive in and be a little creative.  The writing of your ceremony or personal vows can be a great project for you and your soon-to-be-husband to work on together.  Coming up with words that express your feelings and embody your commitment can be a way for the two of you to bond even more.  It can help you remember the happiness you've found in each other, especially with all the other happenings during the wedding planning process.

 However the words of your ceremony come together on the page, I encourage you to try and make it meaningful to you as a couple.  Often, the ceremonies and weddings that are most remembered and beloved by guests are the ones that leave them saying, "That was SO them!"  So my advice is to make your wedding personal.  And there's no better place to start than at the beginning with your ceremony, which, after all is the foundation for not just your wedding, but your marriage.

Guest Blog: The Final Countdown by Kimberly Tobman

I just finished working with the lovely Kimberly Tobman, who was truly one of the most amazing brides to ever cross my path. You may remember Kimberly from her post she wrote a few months ago about the five ways she was reducing her wedding stress. I loved the article so much and couldn't have said it better myself...If you missed it, please click here. Well, a special treat for me...Kimberly wrote another post about the final countdown a month prior to her wedding called "The Things I Won't Be Doing Between Now and My Wedding," and again, I majorly loved it, so I just had to share. Enjoy!

THINGS I WON'T BE DOING BETWEEN NOW AND MY WEDDING
By: Kimberly Tobman

Here I am – less than a month before the wedding.  It all just hit me.  Over a year of planning and preparation… hiring vendors, finding a dress, scouting locations, trying desserts… and now, I can finally enjoy the fruits of my labor (and by “my” labor, I mean the labor of my wonderful mother and talented planner, Beth Helmstetter).  As the date gets closer, I have decided to make some very important decisions about what I will NOT be doing between now and the wedding.  Maybe it’s about maintaining some sense of sanity… maybe it’s because I have tried not to be a bridezilla.  Whatever it is, here are my very arbitrary rules for myself:

NO MORE WEDDING MAGS

Martha Stewart, InStyle Weddings (RIP), Elegant Brides (RIP) and The Knot are piled high on my bookshelf.  Even though most of the wedding details were finalized months ago, I felt compelled to buy the latest issues of my favorite wedding magazines.  After about a year’s worth of magazines, it’s time to give it a rest.  There isn’t anything in there that I haven’t figured out or decided on.  The only thing it does is create more of a mess for the fiancé to get annoyed about and occasionally cause me to second guess myself.  Bye Bye Magazines.

CRASH DIETING

The dress fits.  Really well.  Would I like to be more sculpted or trim?  Perhaps.  But why try to lose 5-10 pounds and risk an ill-fitting dress that took nearly a year to perfect??  I work out 4 times a week already – and I might increase the arm exercises, but as for losing weight before the wedding?  Nah… I look like me and I feel like me.  That works.

AGONIZING OVER THE GUEST LIST

I have spent a lot of time feeling stressed and overwhelmed as the number of invitees kept growing and growing.  I also agonized over all of the people that I could have/should have invited.  Not everyone is going to be happy.  Some people might be annoyed that they feel obligated to go to a wedding on a holiday weekend.  Others might be hurt or annoyed that they didn’t get an invitation.  I hope that everyone who comes to the wedding has a great time and I hope that those who were hurt about not receiving an invitation are able to forgive me.  There is only so much I can do – it’s a little late to worry about it anymore.

CHECKING THE REGISTRY

Yes – brides do it.  I have been doing it.  It’s quite exciting (albeit very self indulging) to watch the gifts you handpicked get crossed off the list as they are shipped to your door.  But I hate myself a little bit every time I check my wedding registry – and especially when I think “why hasn’t anyone gotten me this yet?”  I am even embarrassed to be writing about it – but I know all brides do this.  It’s normal…right?!  But I miss the element of surprise.  I want to get a box and not really know what is inside of it.  And I don’t want to feel like a totally selfish, bratty Veruca Salt.

Guest Post: Hannah Bergman from Steve Steinhardt Photography

 I was so in love with the images Alyssa shared yesterday from her engagement shoot and it got me thinking about engagement shoots in general. Engagement shoots can be a little trickier than a wedding for a lot of reasons. 1. It's likely to be the first time you will work with your wedding photographer so the nerves can be a bit higher. 2. You may or may not know what to wear, what works aesthetically, etc. 3. You may or may not have full privacy or ideal conditions at the venue you select for the shoot, giving the photographer more challenges than normal. With all of this being said, though, I'm definitely not the expert when it comes to photography, so instead, I asked one of the experts I have the honor of working with on a daily basis to share some tips to consider when planning your engagement shoot. With that, I give you Hannah Bergman, one of the uber talented photographers at Steve Steinhardt Photography, who coincidentally was the team to shoot Alyssa and Ryan's engagement pictures as well.

LOCATION
Inevitably this is the first thing you will consider during the planning of your session. Its always nice to consider a place that has sentimental meaning to the two of you, but not completely necessary. If you dont have that "special place" already in mind, dont hesitate to ask your photographer for their personal recommendations. A seasoned photographer should be able to give you a variety to choose from.
Also, keep in mind that there are many different types of locations and each will lend a different look to your photos. Do you want something urban and edgy or more organic and natural? Be sure to ask your photographer to research permits requirements as often times locations will require you to purchase a permit before using their location. In my experience they can vary from $15 to $500 for a single session.

 WARDROBE
 After your location has been nailed down you can start the fun process of picking out what to wear. While I consider this one of the most exciting  aspects of planning your shoot it can also be the most intimidating. Just remember to keep it simple. Neutral colors usually photograph best along with small pops of brighter shades. Worried about what to wear? Try looking through catalog for fit and style ideas and current trends. Also, rummage through your closet. Maybe you have a dress or top that has been waiting for it's debut. Retailers such as J. Crew and Banana Republic also offer complimentary personal stylists to help you coordinate outfit ideas. Call ahead of time to make an appointment and don't be afraid to bring in what you already have so they can help you build an outfit around an existing piece.

 The thought of coordinating what you and your fiance will wear can be tricky. If your anything like me, just a mention of the word "coordinate" and I cant help but conjure images of cheesy matching polos and jeans. Remember, you don't have to be match-y match-y. You don't even have to wear the same colors! Instead of bothering to matching colors, patterns, or specific pieces - think about the style of the outfits in relation to one another i.e. dont be wearing jeans and a tee when your fiance is wearing slacks and a button down. Going for casual? Keep it simple with jeans or chinos, shorts, skirts, sundresses, cardigans, tees, and blouses. Want to change into a more refined outfit? Blazers, pencil skirts, suiting dresses, heels, boots, and button ups are appropriate. Keep in mind that it is customary to bring 2-3 outfits to a single session. And don't forget the accessories! For him: hats, tie clips, sunglasses, ties, pocket squares, and belts. For her: necklaces, hats, scarves, belts, and hair accessories.

Real Life Bride: Week 31

As mentioned in last week's post, we recently spent a full wedding planning weekend in LA. After the menu tasting, visit with the pastor, stop at the winery to pick up some samples and then dining with our friends to try them, we finished up with our engagement shoot with the fabulous Steve Steinhardt!

Ryan and I are both somewhat awkward and uncomfortable with pictures in general, so having professional, posed-but-supposed-to-look-natural photos was pretty terrifying...at least for me. We aren't planning to do anything specific with our engagement pictures, it was just a good way to get more comfortable with our photographer and each other in these sorts of pictures before the big day, so that was important to me.

Anyway, our masterplanned weekend culminated with this Sunday evening photo session. We had decided to do the pictures at Shutters on the Beach in Santa Monica and then finish off at the Santa Monica Pier.  One of our first dates had been at the Pier and Shutters was the other venue we were considering for the wedding. We both love the beach (evening time only for me - sensitive skin!) and thought this would be fitting considering our wedding is no where near coastal.

Sure enough, there was a freak wind storm in Santa Monica that day. Steve initially suggested rescheduling, but this was at 5pm and I had already done my hair and makeup and we stayed all weekend to do this and we simply would have to tough it out!! Yes, this is me explaining to him, but even more so I was justifying it to myself. I basically decided that even if we had to just go inside and do awkward poses until we were comfortable with them then that's what we would do! Long story short, it definitely was not as uncomfortable as I had been imagining. Ryan was a sport through the entire two hours (and really only asked in the last five minutes if we could go home soon - remember, our home was another two hours away in San Diego!), granted he was in jeans and long sleeves - I was the one freezing in a skirt and short sleeves!

Despite the freezing wind, Steve was able to get some nice photos and we are so pleased already. I jokingly told him that I only cared about having at least five good pictures and with this special "sneak peek", I'm thinking I will definitely get my wish when we see the rest of the shots! 

Even if there were no other photos coming, I would be happy with just this one of me and my handsome fiance!

Thanks Steve & Hannah - we already can't wait to see pictures from the wedding!

Liz & Chris Get Hitched

As with all of the couples I work with, Liz and Chris were very special to me. While Liz definitely exudes style (those are Valentino's below) and every detail was thought of, before she even began the wedding process she had decided she was going to be happy with the outcome no matter what happened. She never once lost sight of the meaning of the day and even made sure to take a minute every now and again to just soak it all in both throughout the planning and on the wedding day. They didn't let things like timelines, rules or social pressures determine how they would spend their wedding day. And just one example of this was when they got up in the middle of dinner and decided that was the very moment they wanted to share their first dance as husband and wife. It was scheduled for much later in the evening, but as with life, you can't plan for the perfect moment for all things. Sometimes you just have to strike when the mood hits you and because they followed this instinct, their event felt so natural and uncontrived. Allowing their wedding plans and day to unfold more organically allowed them to have a wedding day that reflected who they are as a couple that much more and also felt so effortless and relaxed to the guests which only encouraged guests to enjoy the evening that much more. Not only was the day glorious, as you will see from the stunning pictures from Aaron Delesie below, but the couple and their love was something very special to witness. As always, I was honored to be a part of their day!