back in the day

So. Things have progressed a little faster than anticipated.

May I present to you

(drumroll please...)


MY RING!


Long story incredibly short:

Yesterday morning Brian and I walked to breakfast and over too many cups of coffee decided that when we finished grading we would go to the mall to look at rings so he would have an idea of what I liked and we could see what certain rings would look like on my tiny fingers.

We got there. We tried this one on. We both fell in love with it. I now have an engagement ring!

That I'm not allowed to wear.

Brian wants to officially ask my dad and then still wants to plan a proposal that is more special than, "Do you like this one? OK, I'll buy it."

Things just got a whole lot more interesting.

dress you up

all via J.Crew Weddings

a perfect circle

I am a modern girl, and I require a modern ring (well, I don't really require anything, to be honest). Two designs I've been considering (Brian is being very patient with me).

Diamond Ideals Stardust Active

Brilliant Earth (conflict-free!) Seacrest Ring with Diamond Accents

picture perfect

I WANT A PHOTOBOOTH!

via 321photobooth.com

I've seen a lot of DIY photobooths, which would be a far less expensive (but still totally awesome) alternative. I really like the idea of a Polaroid photobooth, but Polaroid cameras and film are hard to come by... I'll keep thinking...

SO CUTE with the picture frames! Mini white boards would be fun too.
via Flickr

party!

While we would ideally like to have our "party" at the home of either his parents or my own, neither house would really allow for the type of gathering that we are thinking of having. I mentioned Nestldown in a previous post, but that's a bit of a fantasy. Here are a few other ideas off the top of my head:

Boaventura Vineyards
Livermore, CA

(It has a red barn and a bocce ball court!)

Landmarks Art & Garden Center
Tiburon, CA

Pema Osel Ling Mountain Retreat
Watsonville, CA

strike a pose

PosePrints.com allows you to create customized stationary in minutes with look-alike "poses." I made this one for fun:


I like the idea of sending a single save-the-date type postcard as the entire wedding invitation, with all of the RSVP, driving directions, lodging, and registry info online. PosePrints cards are $2 each, but since we only plan to have maybe 50 people attend the wedding, it might be a relatively inexpensive stationary idea.

greeeeen

I love this entire board from Kathryn at Snippet & Ink


I think regardless of the season, green will be the main color in my design palette, in one shade or another. I like green, purple, and brown for fall, winter, and spring weddings and green, yellow, and cream for summer.

CHUPPA!

We are not Jewish, but I have always wanted a chuppa at my wedding:


The chuppa represents two things:

1. the home that the couple will build together - the "home" lacks furniture as a reminder that home is made up of the people within it, not the possessions
2. openness and hospitality

Beautiful!

goosegrease

Custom Cake Toppers

via goosegrease

favor me

Cuuuuuuute

Enduring Oak 12-pack
via Seeds of Life

brrr

Summer is nice, but I am also taken with the idea of a winter wedding. These details might help seal the deal:

via Frances Photography

Coffee and Bittersweet Chocolate Mousse

Beautiful green and brown accents
via Martha Stewart Weddings

Pinecone Hurricane Vases
via Martha Stewart Weddings

Mini Mac and Cheese Hors d'Oeuvers
(maybe lobster mac and cheese?)
via Martha Stewart Weddings

yum

Pear-Lemon Fizz

Ingredients

• Ice cubes
• 1/2 ounce (1 tablespoon) pear vodka
• 3/4 ounce Lemon Verbena Simple Syrup
• 1/2 ounce (1 tablespoon) fresh lemon juice
• Champagne, for topping off (about 1/2 cup)
• 1 fresh lemon verbena leaf, for garnish

Directions

1. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add vodka, syrup, and lemon juice. Shake, and then strain into a glass. Top off with Champagne. Garnish with lemon verbena.

via Martha Stewart

words

Beautiful Vows

I promise to love you earnestly,
with passion and enthusiasm.
I promise my loyalty and that I will stay by your side
through hard times as well as the good.
I promise to work with you to reach your goals.
I promise to be patient with our differences
and to remember that they imbue our relationship
with resilience, strength and humor.
I promise to do what I can to stay healthy and fit
in body and mind so that I may age gracefully
by your side.
I promise to help create a home that is welcoming,
inclusive, spirited and inspiring.
I promise to keep our relationship fresh and lively
and to always remember that you are my lover
and my beloved.
I promise to love you all the days of my life and to be with you in spirit even after I die.

smooch

I will pin this on my bouquet!
(and then get a keychain)

paper lanterns

DIY paper table lanterns

Nestldown

Nestledown Private Estate

Old Santa Cruz Highway
Los Gatos, CA

the what and the why

About a month ago, Brian and I decided that we would get married. I currently have nearly 8o wedding-related bookmarks saved on my Delicious. It's been helpful to catalogue things that I like, but I'm too much of a visual person to just keep a list of links. I need pictures.

Brian and I haven't set a date yet, but we're thinking summer 2009. We want a small, private ceremony and then a party with all of our friends - not necessarily on the same day. I want to wear a short dress and bright shoes. We don't want a cake. Or a garter/bouquet toss. Or a bridal party. Or a first dance.

We're simple people. We just want to spend the rest of our lives together.

And we want to party.