plant bulbs in fall for spring flowers

NO I'M NOT GARDENING

It's a metaphor, silly.

And: A new blog of the week(ish).

I've had a blog crush (hell, a crush crush) on SAIPUA for forevs. She runs her own business, she takes gorg photos, SHE DOES NOT SHY AWAY FROM A DANCE PARTY. Blahblahblah.

But what I rly admire is the way Sarah talks directly to ME when I'm surfing the web at 12:39am, looking for Idontknowwhat, a fucking post for tomorrow is what I was looking for, let's be honest. When I really should be getting cracking on my next project.

Photo by Sarah Ryhanen

our big day (from 17beats)

Greetings from your resident cranky-pants and kill-joy, 17beats !!!

You've been getting a lot of emails from women hemming and hawing about eloping ... or questioning if they should just scrap their over-the-top wedding plans and retreat to Vegas. Here's our story (and a bunch of pictures) about the wedding that we thought would never happen.

The whole event was almost completely spontaneous, which truth be told, is very US. It wasn't until 36 hours prior that I even contemplated getting a dress; I just figured I'd wear something I already owned. After lunch with a good friend, though, I picked out this little number on a whim. It was somehow flattering (a marvel when you're 4 months pregnant) and seemed like it could be worn again. Everything else -- the bracelet, the ring, the earrings, the clutch -- was part of my hoard of sparklies. I had planned on wearing some brown pumps, but switched to black that morning, as it was chilly and I needed to wear a jacket.

The entire day was easy-breezy. No hoopla whatsoever! D's best friend was the witness and the photographer -- we called him the night before. I am lucky enough to be friends with a florist, so the bouquet & corsage literally appeared on our doorman's desk that morning (such a lovely gift from a dear lady).

We got an early start, and bounced over to City Hall and did the deed IN UNDER TWENTY MINUTES, and then headed uptown to buy rings. The sales woman was over-the-moon excited for us -- apparently we were the first newlyweds she'd ever helped (in 25 years) and she just LOVED our "story." We celebrated with a divine lunch at the Modern, and a leisurely stroll through MoMA, something we never seem to have the time for. That was the whole idea of the day -- to have the date we always promise each other, but never do because of work/crowds/etc.

We came home and D surprised me with a "Happy Birthday and Wedding" cake from my favorite straight-out-of-1960 Italian bakery. It was filled with chocolate pudding and cannoli cream and was absolutely delicious. It actually said "Happy Birthday and Wedding" on the top in perfect florescent pink jelly-icing script, which I found endlessly amusing. (I think I forgot to mention that it happened to be my 30th birthday, and the day before the world was supposed to end... HA.) After some cake, we slow danced to Lou Reed's "Perfect Day" and I sobbed like the sentimental sap I evidently am.

But that's because it was a Perfect Day. People fawned over us and went out of their way to be kind. There were "Mazel Tovs," "Best Wishes," and handshakes at every turn. Without a reservation, we somehow scored a table at the restaurant in under a minute. Countless tourists took our photos, and ladies-who-lunch toasted us with champagne. A little girl told us we looked like a prince and a princess, and a security guard cracked Will and Kate jokes. Even though we wanted the day to be completely private and JUST BETWEEN US, we ended up sharing it with all of New York. It was magnificent.

I am overwhelmed with joy that you sent me these photos.

I love them love them love them. And I love your story. It's just what I needed to hear on September 12, 2011.

a magical, confetti-strewn, nyc heat-wave elopement

May 6, 2010 (4:17 AM) 

Dear ESB

We live in the UK and are eloping to New York in late June. We're staying with very good friends who have recently moved to Brooklyn and they'll be our witnesses, along with their 2 year old daughter. Because our friends have only lived there a short while and I have no other contacts in NYC I could really use some advice/help with a couple of things...firstly -

City Hall or Brooklyn Municipal Building? - which is nicer?

and then -

We'd like to head to a park for a picnic lunch afterwards - would anyone cater such a small (4.5 person) event?! and which parks are nicest? oh and! is it true you can't drink alcohol outside in the states? would it have to be a booze free picnic?

Any thoughts/ideas from you and/or your readers would be so gratefully received, if it was at home we could make it ourselves and then ask a friend to help out and set up/deliver the picnic but we don't have that option...please help.

Thank you x

*****

Aug 25, 2010 (1:51 PM)

shit. shittty shit shit.

I JUST SAW THIS EMAIL. I have a whole funky forwarding sitch and somehow this one fell through the cracks.

SHIT.

Will you send me an update? Photos? Something?? Do you hate me foreverz???

love,
me

***** 

Aug 25, 2010 (3:11 PM) 

haha. you don't know how happy you've made me.

an email asking me to talk about my wedding 2 months after the event, when every one else i know is bored shitless of hearing about it.

So we decided against the picnic in the end cos it was just getting too stressful and required so much planning and that was EXACTLY what we were trying to avoid. so, on 25 June we went to City Hall, got married, and kissed under confetti outside - tissue paper confetti - is this usual in the States? Our friends sat up the night before cutting up tissue paper as they hadn't been able to find any in NYC, here it comes in little horseshoe and bell shapes in pastel colours...anyway - then we went to Cafe Gitane in NoLita and shared a bottle of Champagne - took a few photos outside the New Museum - HELL YES! - then off to Vinegar Hill House in Brooklyn for an amazing meal and finally to The Jane Hotel - just the two of us.

It's a cliche, but it totally was a magical and wonderful day, I felt completely connected to and grounded in what we were engaged with that day - ie - committing to each other sincerely, and I know, for myself, I might have struggled to stay with that quite as profoundly if there had been lots of people and a lot of hassle leading up to it. Oh and wonderful Saipua made my bouquet and my dress was from Mr Larkin. My guy bought his whole outfit in Brooklyn the day before.

I'm glad we never did the picnic in the end, because we were in New York for the heat-wave and honestly, being outside was a bit torturous, so I reckon it was divine intervention you not getting my email when I sent it...

Thanks so much for getting in touch - oh and you might like my my blog, your blog was the ONLY wedding blog I looked at in the run up to our wedding : )

love,
ic

flowers for Beyonce

Aren't they gorg?

I especially love the dogwoods. They're the provincial flower of BC (where we got married) but I've never seen em off the tree before!

By the fabulous Sarah Saipua.

another dj wedding

What is it with djs? They can't leave the rest of us with the illusion that we're cool?

Photos by Kate Webber. See more of Abigail & Eli's nyc wedding (including flowers by the rad Saipua) on The Bride's Cafe here and here.

I assume you've seen the portland dj wedding.

simple flowers in old bottles

Are where it's at.

Thank you Good Mouse, Bad Mouse for reminding me that I still love Design*Sponge, even if I do find the new ads a tad intrusive.*

And who knew Sarah Saipua was so f'ing hilarious? Did everyone know?

*Just because I blog my little heart out for free doesn't mean everybody else has to. But I have a question for the people with google ads. Have you ever received a check?