A.Mountain.Bride

wedding wish wednesday #21: banish bashfulness

2009-12-09T07:00:00.000-05:00

oh man, Sedona is so powerful! Jenni Goldman Photography

I wrote about my confessions of a shy bride a long while back and I'm ready to revisit that issue.

Like I said in the previous post, I'm not a big fan of being the center of attention. I don't like people making a fuss over me. I tend to feel awkward in these situations, though I wish I didn't. My shyness doesn't pop up in small group settings of course, or one on one situations...but in large groups...don't know quite what it is. (yep...I can just feeeeeeel my friends shaking their heads at this...because around them I am confident and self assured!)

So. Dear Wish Granter...please kick the silly bashfulness out the window (how about forever, not just my wedding?) Many thanks.

blog policy update

2009-12-09T06:30:00.001-05:00

There have been some new laws go into effect this month relating to blogging...and sponsors...and comments...and lots o hoopla. So I figured this would be a dynamite time to post a few blog policies.

A Mountain Bride tries to site all images used responsibly, and to give credit where credit is due. If you see an image that is incorrectly labeled, or if you would like it removed, please let me know! We strive to use all images that are copyrighted to their owner, and are used here under the Fair Use Doctrine of US Copyright Law. I do my best to source all images properly. Again, should any situation arise - please email me!

One of my personal joys through this blog is inducing conversation, collecting ideas, and stimulating thought. I love when readers take the time to share their experiences and insights with me. However, it must be noted that if there are mean, inappropriate or otherwise offensive comments made, I have the right to delete such comments. Understand that by adding your comments you are authorizing that they are subject to approval...by me. *smile*

Fortunately, A Mountain Bride has several lovely sponsors, most of whom are vendors with whom through our own wedding planning has been established. Occasionally, a posts may be labeled as "Sponsored" and will indicate that it is a paid feature of a sponsor's goods or services. Sponsor payment may take the forms of discounts on services/goods, cash, or bartering goods to be used by A Mountain Bride. This is new to our site and will go into effect immediately (12/1/09).

to choreograph or not?

2009-12-08T07:29:00.001-05:00

All photos via Alison Conklin

Having choreographed dances are more than all the rage these days. They are practically required for a first dance! The majority of weddings I attend, the bride and groom twirl with style and grace on the dance floor as we all gaze out with smiles and applause. I like this idea and think it's fun! Though, I think it's monstrously intimidating.

One thing that My Guy and I have always wanted to do was take dance lessons. Swear. Not necessarily solely for the purpose of our "first" public husband/wife dance, but because we actually want to know how to dance, as opposed to just standing with my arms gripping his neck and swaying back and forth.

But. Time is not on our side for this endeavor for our wedding. As I won't even be living in the same TOWN as my sweetie until the month before the wedding, taking months of dance lessons is clearly not in the picture. And, from what I've heard, it's quite a costly venture as well! We recently had some friends price dance lessons in Phoenix and they were upwards of $700!

What are you doing? Tango? Twist? Waltz? Booty-licious moves out of MTV? Good old fashion jr. high sway? I'm curious. I wonder what we will end up doing. Probably the jr. high sway. I'm cool with that.

Someday we'll learn all the fancy steps. We have a lifetime to learn.

real life: do-able details

2009-12-07T07:05:00.000-05:00

This pretty wedding was sent my way from Sarah...and thank goodness it was! There are a few things incorporated into this celebration that I have been talking about for ours...and I'm pleased to see it all working in such glorious harmony. All photos by Alison Conklin Photography.

*personal note: I moved to Rhode Island Thanksgiving weekend... I always love it here. I started my last east coast hospital rotation a week ago - and whoa...intense! On a brighter note, it really feels like Christmas here...New England is charming everywhere I look. And the love shown to me by my new family makes me all warm and cozy inside. They are a blessing.

I just adore these beautiful birdseed outdoor ornaments. We will definitely be using these on our day! Ours are found at an etsy shop called Nature Favors (crazy affordable and such a selection of lovely shapes!)

Couple things I'd like to hit on. One...that the wooden table is exposed...our venue has great wooden tables, and I'd hate to cover ALL of that glorious wood with table cloths. I like how they used burlap runners (our tables are round...any suggestions on how to accomplish a similar look??). Also, jars with candles. Love. And blooms in a cohesive color scheme throughout - double love.

The mix and match wooden chairs is a subtle, yet chic choice. Also noteworthy is that there don't have to be flowers draping every square inch of the table for it to look lovely and decorated. I need not go overboard on blooms because a few go a long way.

Tree gifts. Oh how I flipping love tree saplings as favors. We aren't doing this...but it's still so awesome.

As of late I've been trying to come up with a cute "find your table" idea. I still have no idea what we will do...but found this to be rather noteworthy. I love the trees drawn on them. Cute.

All in all - very beautiful wedding. The details were lovely - not in your face - and they all seem magical and manageable at the same time. I like that.

love words weekend: without words

2009-12-05T08:23:00.001-05:00

Saw this...thought it was too fun...had to share....enjoy!

will i be a good wife?

2009-12-04T07:09:00.002-05:00

another me and my sweetie shot - Sarah Neal Photography

Over morning coffee in the cutest lil cafe in Old City Philadelphia, I started somewhat rambling about how I wondered if I would be a "good wife." My Guy calmed my heart with this,

"Being a 'wife' isn't a role you have to play. I'm marrying you because you are wonderful and I love you and I can't imagine a life without you."

He's great like that.

american honeymoons

2009-12-03T08:04:00.004-05:00

If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?

I love to entertain my thoughts with this quandary. I have a list about a mile long of places I yearn to experience. Currently at the top of my list are classics like Prague, Venice, Greece, Ireland....oh and from here my list can get obnoxiously long. Unfortunately (or fortunately...depends on how you'd like to look at it) fantastical journeys abroad aren't in the cards for us this year.

So now we are looking at honeymoon spots here on our American soil. We are toying around with the idea of camping...and some places we are entertaining:

Yosemite National Park

Glacier National Park

Yellowstone National Park via here

Are you honeymooning stateside? Where are you going?

birthday

2009-12-02T08:04:00.004-05:00

*Today is my birthday*
(Yep. Me and Brittney Spears.)

I effing love birthdays...
and the food associated with such celebrations.
I think I'll go eat some more sugary perfection now :-)

You should go treat yourself to this fun thing:
- enter to win one of these garters from Florrie Mitton Couture
(the most glorious and glamorous garter collection of all time) hosted by Thirty Something Bride.

See? holy amazing, right? Florrie Mitton Couture

feed the birds this season

2009-12-01T07:51:00.002-05:00

I'm so obsessed with these ornaments! They are such a great gift for a loved one to find under the tree...or for a co-worker...or for the teacher at school...or for the person who already has everything under the sun... or as favors at a wedding or bridal shower. PERFECT for the gardener, or nature lover, or bird appreciator :-) These little organic beauties are from etsy shop NatureFavors...hand crafted ornaments made entirely out of birdseed! Hang them outside to feed our winged friends...functional and fabulous. I love.

6 months out - recap

2009-11-30T09:10:00.001-05:00

One Love Photo

Holy moley. We get married in SIX MONTHS! In 6 months I will become a wife, a partner, a companion to the one I love best. Wow. Big stuff.

Six months sounds like eons away. But I know it will fly by in the blink of an eye. These days are precious. Sure there is all of the "planning" that needs to happen...but I look forward to spending this time reflecting on the big picture of things to come: to cherish these last few months with the last name I was born with, to prepare for moving 3000 miles away from my family and friends, to enjoy being a strong and autonomous fiance, and to continue to cultivate my relationship with the coolest guy I know.

I rather enjoy being a fiance. Haven't you noticed that people get all excited and smiley when you tell them you are getting married? I am showered with congratulations and inquiries about wedding plans all while they are probably reflecting on memories of their own nuptials. It's pretty cute. I feel like handing out a card with my blog address on it - and saying, "here...this is what I'm thinking..."

This is the first list I've compiled of our accomplishments...we still have a ways to go...but it's getting there!

getting engaged - (remember our situation?)
location - Flagstaff
venue - Snow Bowl
photographer - One Love Photo
officiant - Mrs. Meg
invitations - Earthly Affair
bridal party - 5 on each side...with two maids of honor and two best men...it's how we role
bridesmaid dresses - whatever they look amazing in
bridesmaid gifts - yay!
cake - Christine the magnificent
gifts - Nature Favors
cake topper - Middleburg
bridal portraits - A Sophisticated View
engagement pictures - Sarah Neal Designs
Save the dates - Vista Print (sent...a looooooong time ago.)

As you can see - we have a sh*t ton of stuff left to do. But the list about looks pretty good - and I'm happy with it all...this whole shin dig might just go off as planned.

win beth cyr jewelry!

2009-11-29T07:43:00.001-05:00

One of my fave blogs partnered with one of my FAVE Etsy jewelry artists to start the holiday giving trend :-) Trot on over to Down and Out Chic to enter to win this beautiful necklace from Beth Cyr!

love words weekend

2009-11-28T09:20:00.000-05:00

One Love Photo

“Thank you, God, for this good life
and forgive us if we do not love it enough.”
- Garrison Keillor

quote via Metropolitan Mama

contest winner!

2009-11-27T08:52:00.003-05:00

(photo by me....i so totally dig my new camera...thanks mom!)

The winner of the
$25 gift certificate
towards
MyWeddingFavors.com
is

Brooke b
who said
"i am thankful that my sister is coming home next week
and that i will get lots of time to spend with her over the holiday."

harvest table details...and giving thanks

2009-11-26T08:14:00.002-05:00

This Thanksgiving will be spent with my future in-laws and their extended family in Rhode Island, while My Guy spends the holiday with my family in Arizona. Funny how perfect that worked out. My time in New York has rapidly come to a end. I was not expecting to fall so madly in love with it here...but it happened and I'm hooked. This place feels like home.

However, it's the holidays and I always wish I was home for the holidays. I'm so grateful for my family, for My Guy, for the air I breath, for the beauty of our world, for my freedom, and everything in between... like pumpkin pie. Have a blessed beautiful day.

Enjoy these pretty little table details...via here (thanks, yet again, to lovely Linda).

wedding wish wednesday: #20 avoid the bridezilla

2009-11-25T08:19:00.004-05:00

Via here

Do you ever watch that show, Bridezilla? It is so disturbing. I'm sure it's meant to be funny. It never makes me laugh. If anything it makes me really really sad. Those women act like crazy b*tches. And I just wonder why? What is wrong with them? Are they intense like that in real life towards their husbands and families? How could they be so selfish, so caddy, so mean, on their wedding day? I just don't get it.

That being said....I don't want to go down that road.

I don't want to go nutty - yelling and screaming and cussing and freaking out on people and not taking others feelings into account. Or even showing my annoyance when things don't go "perfect". (This is actually a possibility - when I get annoyed, I can rarely hide it.)

Please please please...to whomever grants wedding wishes...don't let me turn into a psycho lunatic bridal beast. I appreciate it. (And so does My Guy.)

full circle streamers

2009-11-24T08:11:00.001-05:00

Via here

One of my fave readers, Linda, sends me the greatest lil finds. I LOVE when readers send me ideas and inspiration and stories of their own life. Keep the love coming folks. It makes me day!

I like the idea of incorporating something simple like this to draw attention to different locations in our wedding venue. It has recently turned into a huge square room where our cake table, guest book table, blah blah blah will be located in the periphery. Hanging a few strands of "fun" from above would help draw attention to these attractions. Don't you think? Great idea, and o-so-chic.

decorating with firewood

2009-11-23T08:06:00.001-05:00

a backdrop for the wedding ceremony (personally...love this)

a backdrop for the wedding band :-)

If you've got loads of logs at your fingertips...please please rock this look. Wood is so naturally stunning, and these ideas are awesome. Via here.

Thanks for sending this idea Linda!

enter to win $25!

2009-11-22T09:31:00.001-05:00

Remember to enter the $25 to MyWeddingFavors.com give-away!
Click here to enter (your chances are crazy good!)

love words weekend

2009-11-21T08:52:00.001-05:00

Chris + Lynn

When I saw you I fell in love,
and you smiled because you knew.

Shakespeare

*fun note: My Guy is making a sortof impromptu trip to Philadelphia this weekend...so I'll be driving down from upstate NY to frolic in the city of brotherly love with him. sooooooo excited :-)

boys in suits are hot

2009-11-20T07:53:00.000-05:00

The Brides Cafe via Discovery Street

It is so easy for a man to look damn fine. Yes yes, they look good in worn out jeans...their work out basketball shorts...and in their hoodies (or at least...I dig My Guy in all of the aforementioned situations). But really, a man in a suit is a beautiful thing.

This has been a topic of our recent wedding discussions. Groomsmen attire. I kinda figured that the guys would all wear the same suit...or different suits in the same color...or vests :-)

My Guy had the idea of his guys wearing whatever suit they had - especially since all my ladies will be wearing whatever dress they wanted. I really poo-pooed his idea. But now, I take it back. That could look awesome.

Melissa Dunstan Photography

Southern Weddings via Discovery Street

JCrew via DistrictWeddings

One Love Photo (this is a double whammy because I adore her bouquet too)

Snippet & Ink

Snippet & Ink

*ENTER TO WIN $25 from MyWeddingFavors.com HERE!*

real life: sedona

2009-11-19T07:57:00.000-05:00

Flagstaff photographer, Melissa Dunstan, recently posted a pretty pretty Sedona wedding. I just love Sedona...it's such a spectacular place. It's where my darling boyfriend knelt down on one knee to propose *sigh*

With scenery this magical, decorations are not even needed! That's my kinda place!

men in vests

2009-11-18T08:08:00.000-05:00

JCrew

It could be that my childhood obsession with the movie Newsies has influenced my affection for this look...or it could be that I see vest adorned grooms online more. I dunno...but I'm loving it. I keep hinting about it to My Guy...

It's a casual step down from formal...but it's a huge step up from casual and makes a man look special. Irresistible in fact.

Newsie boys :-)

100 Layer Cake

Green Wedding Shoes

Once Wed

my wedding favors give.away

2009-11-17T07:01:00.002-05:00

Ohhhhhh have I got a treat for you!

$25 gift certificate at MyWeddingFavors.com

cute stuff! rad options! something for everyone!
for weddings, showers, birthdays, HOLIDAYS!

To enter:
1. Go check out MyWeddingFavors.com
2. leave your first name and last initial...and include ONE thing you are thankful for...
(it is Thanksgiving after all)
3. for a second entry, blog about the contest (and include the link)
4. for a third entry be a follower (or join!)

Contest ends November 26th at midnight!

stick my face in

2009-11-16T08:00:00.000-05:00

Alison Conklin Photography

I wanna stick my face into this soft, full bouquet...

and inhale deeeeeeeeeeply.

They look so fragrant. And velvety.

I know I'm all obsessed with the yellows scheme I got going...
but how loverly is this sweetness?

*in unrelated news...my vacay to New York City flew by and was DAZZLING!

i wanna wake up in the city that doesn't sleep...

2009-11-11T08:32:00.001-05:00

Taking a few days to explore New York City this week. I flipping love this place. I feel so alive here. If you are around, you can find me at the MET. (I'll actually be observing at a few hospitals this week, so it's not totally alllll play...and cross your fingers for me!) Will be back next Monday.

Love these NYC window displays, captured by Katie Riggan Photography.

A.Mountain.Bride

wedding wish wednesday #21: banish bashfulness

blog policy update

to choreograph or not?

real life: do-able details

love words weekend: without words

will i be a good wife?

american honeymoons

birthday

feed the birds this season

6 months out - recap

*win* beth cyr jewelry!

love words weekend

*contest winner!*

harvest table details...and giving thanks

wedding wish wednesday: #20 avoid the bridezilla

full circle streamers

decorating with firewood

*enter to win $25!*

love words weekend

boys in suits are hot

real life: sedona

men in vests

my wedding favors *give.away*

stick my face in

i wanna wake up in the city that doesn't sleep...

win beth cyr jewelry!

contest winner!

enter to win $25!

my wedding favors give.away