Foggy, Twinkly, Half Moon Bay Wedding

Hi ESB, 

You may remember the gold dead stock barrettes from this post that I snapped up approximately 30 seconds after you posted them.... We got married this August in La Honda with 100 of our closest family and friends from all over the world. While I wouldn't say that wedding planning was remotely my favorite activity, the day itself was really great, despite a nice layer of fog from the coast. My cheeks ached the next day from smiling so much.

My husband and I both agree that two of the best decisions we made were hiring Christina Richards as our photographer and Elizabeth Clayton as our planner. Both were great to work with and made the day run smoothly, and I think Christina's pictures speak for themselves. 

I found my dress on the only day I went shopping on a whim at a sample sale at a local dress shop in Sacramento before we decided on the venue but I loved the dress so much I didn't worry about how it might fit. It was also everything I didn't think I wanted in a dress but ended up being perfect, especially once I had pockets added. I accessorized with Loeffler Randall Anja gold wedges,* the barrettes and an amazing ruby bead necklace I was given for my college graduation years ago (not exactly traditional, but I was pleased with how it all came together).

The food was awesome and the music got everyone on the dance floor without being too cheesy or too archaic. Our official first dance was to Sam Cooke's That's Where It's At, which was great, but the one I remember better was to Solsbury Hill later in the night.  

I find it hard to put much more into words about our wedding, it was amazing to have our loved ones there and have a great party but also felt so personal and meaningful which I suppose is a great way to feel at the end of it all.

I love it when you guys take my advice. (I mean, what did I tell you about Loeffler Randall being the official shoe of ESB??) But even more than that, I love how much fucking fun everyone is having at this wedding.

Also, I am a sucker for twinkly lights. ALL TWINKLY ALL THE TIME.

(Check out tons more of Christina's photos over on her blog)

Dear My Readers: Where should we stop on our west coast-ish road trip?

I've got two weeks left at this casting gig* and then H and are gonna get the hell out of LA. We plan to throw our shit in the car and meander up BC to visit my dad.

Which route should we take? Where should we stop along the way? Of particular interest are: Flea markets, rodeos, dive bars, lakes, hot springs, swimming holes. Beaches are pretty cool too, I guess.

And. Do you have recommendations for….. camping? We did the trip once before (on our honeymoon!) but we didn't camp. This time we're feeling braver, and thriftier.

Photo by Christina Richards

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*Anyone in LA want a free tattoo?

my sponsors are the coolest

Check out this custom photo album that Christina Richards commissioned from Hinged Strung Stitched.

I think my wedding polaroids are still in the refrigerator.

Either that or they're in one of H's desk drawers?

We haven't even printed the 35mm negs.

Seeking: A NON-Velvet Wedding Album

Hi esb,

I just passed my two year anniversary and am finally looking at putting together an album of the day. But I'm having the hardest time finding a rad album and hope you might be able to recommend some.

I don't want overpriced velvet (or any velvet), faux leather or shiny polyester fabric. And I don't want all my photos reprinted into a coffee table book either.

The other question I have is, is it better to get an album where I buy the stickers and stick them onto the paper which is covered with that soft white paper, or to get an album where the photos sit behind plastic?

Side story - I was in a stationery shop and asked the clerk about photo albums and when she asked "for what?", I reluctantly admitted it was for wedding photos. She took me to the shelf of gaudy, embellished, shiny, white albums, just the kind of albums I don't want. She then noticed I was wearing a single ring (that has diamonds) on my ring finger and exclaims "oh you're getting married!!!!!! How long have you been engaged?" and I said "No, I am married already" so she snaps back "How am I mean't to know you're already married if you only wear one ring!?" W-T-F right!? I left the shop pretty soon after that.

*****

Um. You do realize I'm the lady who's still "storing" her wedding polaroids in the refrigerator three years later?

I emailed my lady Christina Richards to ask if she had any advice for us. Here's her reply:

I wish I could be more help to you here. I've been looking for affordable diy albums since I got married but without much luck.

I actually just ordered a sample of that velvet book. The 10x10 is $150 at Jenni Bick and it's made in the usa with archival materials so I don't think the price is crazy (just my 2 cents).

Since you're not into the look of it anyway what about a book cloth or paper covered album?

Rag and Bone and Kolo both make paper page (you mount the prints) and photo-sleeve versions.

Mounting the prints in a paper page album can be a little tricky, you will need to have a lot of patience to get those prints in there perfectly. Whatever album you end up with it's best to use prints from a professional lab and make sure the album and adhesives are archival.

Maybe some of the readers have found better resources, I would love to hear more suggestions.

Editor's Note: I kind of don't hate the velvet album. I kind of like it a lot more than the Rag + Bone with the stupid flowered diaper-bag fabric (just my 2 cents).

♥

I love these photos Christina Richards took of Gilly + Joe's Sonoma wedding.

I've said it before, but I'm such a fan of wedding photos that don't look like wedding photos. You know what I mean?

Are Brooklyn weddings just cooler?

Or have I been blinded by the style/hotness of this particular groom?*

Photos of Shanna and Johnny's wedding at Galapagos by (new ESB sponsor!) Christina Richards.
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*If that guy is not an actor, I am not a wedding blogger.

Update: My bad, he's a ROCK STAR. But c'mon, check out the costumes.

Problem Child

Dear ESB,

My fiance and I have enjoyed a long engagement. In the earliest of wedding planning stages, we asked my fiance's sister if her son Eli* could be our ring-bearer. Eli is my fiance's only nephew. He is three years old. He's adorable. We love him to pieces. Over the past year, however, Eli has become a problem child. So much so, he has been kicked out of his preschool, and his exasperated parents are seeking behavioral therapy for him. He's ornery, unruly and unpredictable. My fiance and I are exchanging vows in a beautiful, impeccably preserved plantation home listed on the National Register. (Antiques! Winding staircase! Gardens! So many danger zones for Eli!) We are a month-and-a-half away from our wedding day, and my fiance's sister has emailed me about What Eli Should Wear. How do we tell her that we are not only having second thoughts about him being our ring-bearer, but we are now considering NO KIDS AT ALL at our ceremony?

Thank you,
Worried Bride

*name changed to protect the not-so-innocent little boy

*****

WB, can I tell you something? Ring bearers kind of skeeve me out.

I’m willing to tolerate the occasional flower girl, but the whole idea of clipping a bow tie onto a little boy and sending him down the aisle clutching a beribboned pillow when he would really rather be whacking something (or someone) with a stick….

Anyhoo.

Tell your future sister-in-law the truth. You love "Eli" to death, but no way are you letting him anywhere near your impeccable antique-y plantation-home wedding.

XOXO,
ESB

(Photo by Christina Richards. Please note: This kid might actually be construed as adorable. Nothing to do with the bow tie, in my opinion.)

You are the bread and the knife

Litany

You are the bread and the knife,
the crystal goblet and the wine.
You are the dew on the morning grass
and the burning wheel of the sun.
You are the white apron of the baker,
and the marsh birds suddenly in flight.

However, you are not the wind in the orchard,
the plums on the counter,
or the house of cards.
And you are certainly not the pine-scented air.
There is just no way that you are the pine-scented air.

It is possible that you are the fish under the bridge,
maybe even the pigeon on the general's head,
but you are not even close
to being the field of cornflowers at dusk.

And a quick look in the mirror will show
that you are neither the boots in the corner
nor the boat asleep in its boathouse.

It might interest you to know,
speaking of the plentiful imagery of the world,
that I am the sound of rain on the roof.

I also happen to be the shooting star,
the evening paper blowing down an alley
and the basket of chestnuts on the kitchen table.

I am also the moon in the trees
and the blind woman's tea cup.
But don't worry, I'm not the bread and the knife.
You are still the bread and the knife.
You will always be the bread and the knife,
not to mention the crystal goblet and - somehow - the wine.

Billy Collins

I think this poem would make a great reading for a wedding ceremony. It has such a terrific, dry sense of humor and then BAM! The last bit just slays me.

If you happen to have a three-year-old on hand to recite it, so much the better.

(Image by Christina Richards Weddings; Words via even*cleveland)

My family thinks my fiancé has anger issues....

Dear ESB:

My fiancé and I are supposed to get married this July, but recently some family drama has happened. I am very close with my family (mom and two sisters), and always have been. About a week ago, my fiancé and I invited my sisters and my brother in law over to drink/hang out. To make a long story short, my fiancé ended up getting into a fight (very physical) with my brother in law’s best friend, which he (the friend) started. My family now thinks that my fiancé has anger issues, and that he is violent. He isn’t. My mom told me that marrying him would be a mistake, and they want me to postpone the wedding. They don’t know him as well as I do (duh), and he is one of the kindest people I have ever known. He would never hurt me, and regardless of what they think I am still going to marry him. They have this misconstrued idea of what kind of person he is, and are completely wrong about him.

This has completely torn my family and I apart (or torn me apart from them), not to mention devastated the fiancé. So now here we stand, with a wedding date set for two months from now, not knowing what to do. I have never been the type of girl to daydream about what my wedding would be like, but I have put so much of myself into this wedding that the thought of not having it makes me want to hurl. On the other hand, the thought of carrying on the planning (with my mom) for the next two months and walking down the aisle with my family pretending they are happy for me makes me want to run away and say “screw you”.

So…. Do we elope, or do we carry on like nothing ever happened and have the wedding as planned?

*****

Wow. 


Well, you can't carry on like nothing ever happened. But I think (I hope) that if you and your fiancé calmly proceed with your plans to get married in July, your family will come around.


Are you the youngest? It sounds like your mom is having some issues with letting you go.


(Photo by Christina Richards)

merry merry. or whatever.

Wishing you lots of bad HDTV and great movies, homemade truffles made by sweet ladies down the street, and the strength not to bite the heads off your family. Um. Did I say that out loud?

Time to sign off for a few days....





I miss you already.

Photo by my lady Christina Richards

p.s.

Don't miss the giveaway for a print from crPhotography.

Photo by Christina Richards

my first giveaway!

***closed***

I haven't done this before because honestly I would never give something away that I didn't want myself.

But when Christina Richards emailed to tell me how much she likes the blog (Ihavethecoolestreaders) and I discovered that she just opened an etsy shop, I begged her to let me do a giveaway.

So go visit crPhotography. Then come back and tell us which photo is your favorite. Or if you're really really lazy and you happen to love Bubbles (pictured) feel free to leave a comment right now.

The winner (to be chosen at random a week from today) will receive the fine art print of her choice.

Photo by Christina Richards