My Sister's Vineyard Wedding- the cereemony

Sorry I've been MIA lately, my little sister, Olivia, tied the knot last weekend, so I've been in recovery mode since we got back!  I thought I'd do small recaps, so I could point out the details.  We'll start with the ceremony!

Olivia and Jamie were married at Grassy Creek Vineyard and Winery in State Road, NC. One of the great things about the property is that when you rent it, you get it for the whole weekend.  We were able to have the rehearsal dinner on site and have lodging for the wedding party.

Shepard's hooks with white ribbons led the path from the parking to the ceremony site.  Then smaller Shepard's hooks with mason jars hanging down lined the path the wedding party walked into the ceremony.  The ceremony site was beautiful, on a grassy spot overlooking the lake. 

My sister and dad on their walk to the aisle- beautiful, right?

 The bridesmaids wore a beautiful royal blue and carried yellow garden roses and blue hydrangeas.  The same flowers covered the white metal arch at the alter.

 The groom is in the military, as are many of the groomsmen, so those men wore their dress uniforms, while the others, including my husband, had black tuxes and blue vests/ties. 

 The ceremony was pretty traditional, but there were a few things that made it extra special!  One was that the groom's aunt, an ordained minister, presided over the ceremony.  I think having a special, personal relationship with your minister makes the ceremony so much more meaningful.  Another special part was the song "I will be Here" (Steven Curtis Chapman) sung by a family friend.  It was beautiful and really touched everyone there.  The ceremony was truly beautiful and conveyed the love these two shared.  I'm just so happy and blessed I was able to stand up and be a part of it.  More tomorrow...

-Jordan-

MIA

Hey guys,

Sorry I've been so MIA... apparently this whole "throwing a wedding thing" is a little more exhausting than I thought.. go figure.  Add in traveling, time zone change, and staying up before to get ready to leave, and you're left with two very tired people! I'm on the mend, though, and I'm hoping to have a post up tonight to recap some of the wedding stuff.. have a feeling there may be more than 1 wedding post to come...

Hope you're all doing well!  Be back soon!

Top 2- Royal Wedding

Since this IS a wedding blog, it would be awful of me to neglect the Royal Wedding of Price William to Kate Middleton... that said, last week when it actually happened, I was swamped with work, and I now think it's really been done.  Therefore, I'll just leave you with my Top 2 pieces of the wedding shindig:

#1- The STUNNING Bride.  While some were a little disappointed (and I, myself, was surprised) that Kate's dress was not more trendy/modern, but I love a classic, timeless look.  I think she nailed it, head to toe!  (For the record, Pippa looked amazing, as well, in my opinion)

#2 For me was the love you could just feel between the two of them.  The stolen glances during the wedding really showed how strong their feelings were for one another.  Neither of them looked remotely nervous about marrying the other.  It's nice to sense the love, even when all you're doing is watching their wedding on TV a million miles away!

Best wishes to William and Kate! 

A Few Foodie Favorites

There are lots of great new food trends for weddings (and the surrounding events), and a few I don't so much care for.. but here are a few of my favorites...

Tapas- these tasty bite size appetizers encourage your guests to get up and mingle (to keep cohesion, try keeping it all in one theme)

Shot glass/ Martini glass Treats- use these many glasses to make treats perfect for an individual serving (and of course, up the cute factor!)

Individual Wedding cakes- this trend could get pretty pricey, but instead of one big wedding cake, have a small cake at each table at the reception, each with a different flavor!  I love these.. the white really ties them all together!

Nitrogen Bars- Okay, this one's a little out of the box, but so cool!  You can use liquid nitrogen to serve up ice cream to your guests!  Talk about presentation, huh?  (And who doesn't love a good ice cream, especially during prime wedding season- summer!)

Savory Cupcakes- To branch off of the cupcake trend, the new idea is to serve appetizer and entree items in cupcake form!  What a genius way to make an easy individual serving?!

(photos and trends courtesy of The Knot)

What's your favorite food trend (either from here or otherwise)?

-Jordan-

Dress of the Future

I often think back  to my beloved wedding dress and wonder what I would choose if I were to get married again now, 3 years later.  

 (it's a little hard to see, but basically my dress was fitted through the waist and then a full box-pleated skirt with some beading at the waist and the same along the bottom)

While I loved my dress, and wouldn't have changed it, the styles are different now, so it's fun to imagine what my dress of the future (aka now) would be... take a look at  a few I loved (a few of many).

 Maggie Sottero

Vineyard Collection

 Priscilla of Boston

 Lazaro

Impression Bridal

Ella Bridals

(all images were found at theknot.com)

Just for the sake of imagination, I didn't think about price range or availability... we're just dreaming here!

-Jordan-

Love and Marriage

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Once in awhile,
Right in the middle of an ordinary life,
Love gives us a fairy tale.

 ~ Anonymous ~

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I dreamed of a wedding of elaborate elegance,
A church filled with family and friends.
I asked him what kind of a wedding he wished for,
He said one that would make me his wife.
~Author Unknown

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There is no more lovely, friendly and charming relationship, communion or company than a good marriage.  ~Martin Luther

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A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person.  ~Mignon McLaughlin

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Love and Marriage

-Jordan-

Cocktail Hour

Cocktail hours, that infamous period of time between the wedding and reception when the wedding party is off taking pictures.   This time can be so important because it's where guests first get a hint of what the reception will be like, but it's also a time when good weddings can go bad if not done right.  Typically, Cocktail Hours include light food/ appetizers and some kind of drink.  From there, it varies from just mingling to photo booths, to outdoor games.  

Often, what you do or don't do during your Cocktail Hour depends on the vibe of your wedding and your group of guests.  If everyone is a tight knit group, they may just enjoy mingling, however, if you'd like everyone to get to know each other, an activity like a yard game or photobooth might help break the ice.  Food is usually kept light, just enough to keep everyone happy until the main attraction, while a signature drink is a great, fun way to "say" a little something about the happy couple and keep to  it simple!

What was your cocktail hour like?  Or, what was the best cocktail hour you've attended?

-Jordan-