Cup 'o Joe...I found my coffee pot!

I am so beyond excited about this that I have decided to dedicate an entire post to it.

I. Found. My. Coffee. Pot. 

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What. A. Beaut.

Now that I've contained myself, let me explain...I blogged about the beloved heirloom china we inherited from David's Grandmama earlier this year. After patiently waiting and dutifully checking flea markets, Craigslist, and eBay for months and months, I finally found a mint condition Castleton-USA Gloria Coffee Pot & Lid at a reasonable price. (When I say reasonable, I mean they accepted my very first Best Offer bid with no countering involved.) 

This whole time, the exact same coffee pot has been listed on eBay for $549.99. As much as I wanted it, there was no way I could/would pay $549.99 for it. The Teapot & Lid is listed for $599.95 at Replacements, and the Coffee Pot & Lid is listed for $569.95. I was desperate enough to put the teapot on our registry split up into 8 increments. (As if that was ever going to happen! Ha.) 

Anyway, the patience and waiting has paid off. A "sweet lady" in Dothan, AL decided to downsize before moving to a retirement home. She sold her complete set of china to an antique store, where a buyer purchased all 12 place settings but opted not to purchase the coffee pot, demitasse cups and saucers, sugars, or creamers. While I'm not sure what that person was thinking passing up this gem, I am so glad that s/he did. Their loss is my sweet, sweet gain. :)

While I will continue to keep my eyes and ears open for the matching teapot I still want, I am ecstatic to announce that my set is basically complete. Yay, me! *Triple clap*

Now...one lump or two?

Luv,
the Bride

PS: Has anyone else ever wondered by teapot is one word and coffee pot is two?

#h54f

Happy (belated) High Five for Friday!

1) Love this bridal shower card I made for Britt, 2) That is A Lamb, but not THE Lamb, 3) Finished all the save-the-dates (read about it here!) 4) Finally met my cousin/nephew, baby Edwin. He's got a serious 'stache. 5) Had so much fun Saturday with our BFF couple and good friends celebrating Brittany & Michael.

Behind the scenes of our save-the-dates

Note to self: do not refer to save-the-dates as STDs. ;)

Our engagement shoot with Brian Mullins was so much fun. I put a lot of thought into the styling of it:

I also knew I wanted to include our three dogs in the shoot since they are such a big part of our lives. 

So many have asked me how we got all three dogs to pose for the photos. David will tell you that my dogs are should be expert models by now. For the most part, all three are very photogenic. However, getting all three to pose while sitting in front of us and wearing ridiculous wooden signs around their necks was a bit tricky. Luckily, we had Brian and a pocket full of dog treats. :) See? They're not always that good.

That being said, we ended up with so many wonderful photos, that we couldn't pick just one...so we chose four!

Brian did such a great job! They are printed very high quality card stock with a pearlized finish. It's amazing what quality card stock will do.

Before the shoot even happened, I had already decided I wanted to come up with something special and memorable to include with the save-the-dates. Being in the fashion and textiles field, I came up with the idea of designing, printing, and sewing a custom fabric bookmark.

Each save-the-date came with a custom bookmark (or two).

The back of the bookmarks read: This bookmark was designed and created by the bride. It is digitally printed on 55% linen 45% combed cotton fabric. Hope to see you at the wedding! -Dorothy & David

Last but not least, I wanted to add a few personal touches to the envelopes--from the calligraphy and postage, right down to the embossed return address.

(The address is blurred out for obvious reasons.) My favorite part about this is what the stamp represents: Big D, little d.

I am so pleased with how everything turned out. It was a lot of work, but I am proud of each and every little thought and detail that went into the process. The finished product is something that (I hope) our guests will appreciate and remember.

Luv,

the Bride

What NOT to wear...

While not everyone will agree with my opinions, I have decided to write about what I consider to be inappropriate wedding guest attire. (Personally, I think I've earned the right since I am a year away from earning my doctorate in fashion. *Wink*) For the most part, I very much agree with this post by TLC. I've also added a few points of my own.

What NOT To Wear: Inappropriate Wedding Guest Attire

• A White Dress -- This includes anything ivory, cream, or off-white. Traditionally, the idea is to avoid wearing anything that could mistake you for (or upstage) the bride. While there are many cute off-white sheath dresses, I personally would just avoid wearing any kind of white/cream/ivory/off-white dress. It is the bride's time to shine, and it is important not to take attention away from her. I once attended a wedding where the mother of the groom wore white. I specifically remember the bride complaining about this. There are so many other colors to choose from, so why risk disrespecting the bride (or causing other guests to talk)?

This same dress comes in different colors! Skip the ivory; go for the coral.

• All Black -- Although more people are starting to wear black to weddings, I would personally not wear all black. Black is traditionally considered a color of disapproval or grieving. If you must wear black, save it for an evening or black-tie affair, and pair it with a colorful cardigan or shawl. Remember, this ain't a funeral!

You can brighten up a LBD with a colorful cardigan.

• Jeans/T-shirts/Flip-Flops/Sneakers - Unless casual dress is specified, I would avoid these items. And guys, please wear a tie. You can skip the jacket, but at least wear the tie.

Self-explanatory.

• Anything Skimpy/Revealing/Risqué - This includes anything low-cut, too short, see-through, or too tight. I'd also reconsider wearing super high heels. Again, you don't want to wear anything that draws attention away from the bride. Also, some places of worship actually frown upon anything sleeveless. And though you may not have the same (religious) beliefs as the happy couple, it's important to be respectful. I would just play it safe and bring a cardigan.

The fit and length of the skirt on the left is just much more appropriate (and flattering) than the mini on the right.

Cover up an (otherwise) revealing dress with a cardigan. Avoid shoes: a) you cant walk in, and/or b) give people the wrong idea.

• Open-toed Shoes with Pantyhose or Stockings -- This is actually just a general pet-peeve of mine. Seriously, nobody wants to see your toe seam!

You don't have to wear pantyhose anymore. And if you insist on wearing it, consider the toe-less kind, or closed-toe shoes.

When in doubt, ask the bride. I'm sure she'd be more than happy to fill you in on the dress code!

Luv,

the Bride

Dorothy & David engagement shoot | Brian Mullins Photography | vintage car | Volkswagen Beetle | dogs

I am so excited to share some of the beautiful shots from our April 10, 2013 engagement shoot with Brian Mullins Photography. It took place at Harris Lake in New Hill, NC on a hot and sunny Wednesday afternoon, complete with an original 1965 Volkswagen Beetle straight from Germany. Top it off with some vintage suitcases, a handmade quilt, a picnic basket, and Grandmama's china, and this is what you get. We spent the latter part of the afternoon with our well-behaved dogs, Noah, Lamb, and Emery. They had been waiting patiently in an air-conditioned car until we were finished with the earlier part of the shoot. When it was time for them to join us, they wore their little save-the-date signs with pride and struck some (pretty darn cute) poses. We can't thank Brian enough for his flexibility, courtesy, and time during the shoot. Not only is he a genius when it comes to lighting and color, he knows how to angle the human body so that it looks its best. Special thanks to his wife, Ginger, who did an excellent job on my hair and makeup which did not whither or melt in the heat, and to Kate and Carey K. for lending us some of the props!

Credits

Photography: Brian Mullins Photography | Hair & Makeup: Ginger Mullins | 1965 VW Beetle courtesy of coworker, Carey K. | suitcases, picnic basket, books, quilt: vintage/heirloom | signs: handmade | coral dress: courtesy of Kate via ModCloth | green lace blouse: Sosie | 3-piece navy suit: Express | Dogs: Noah (black & white Chinese Crested Powderpuff, 9 years), Emery (Golden Retriever, 3 years), Lamb (Chinese Crested Hairless, 9 years)

Life is precious.

What I am writing about today is more of a "heavy" topic. It wasn't something I had planned on sharing, but while driving to MD, I had plenty of time to think about it and felt I wanted to share the story.

I made the trip home yesterday to spend the week with my mom and to try on my wedding dress which came in a few weeks ago. While driving, I was chatting with my mom on the phone as I often do (hands free of course). We were talking about the wedding and I brought up ceremony seating for my grandmother. Preface: My grandma is 87-years-old, and lost her husband (my beloved grandfather) a few years ago. She was hospitalized in March and underwent major surgery which requires a lengthy and uncomfortable recovery. She will also require further surgery to return to her normal self, but due to her age, the doctor does not want to perform this surgery until she is more than well. The soonest he would be able to do it would be 6 months (September), though he prefers to do it closer to 12+ months. 

Since this happened, I knew that there was a possibility my grandma wouldn't be well enough to travel for the wedding (in October)...though I have, until now, been praying and hoping that she would recover quickly and possibly be able to have the surgery and recover in time for the wedding. I have always been close with my maternal grandparents, and though I was devastated to lose my grandpa, I was thankful and hopeful to have my grandma there with me at my wedding. 

When talking to my mom, she basically broke the news to me that my grandma is more than likely unable to make it to the wedding. She had been talking with her siblings, and unfortunately due to the circumstances, it is best for her not to travel. If she were to have the surgery in September, it would be difficult for her to travel afterward without enough recovery time. At the same time, the surgery itself is very dangerous due to her age, and it's something that even now needs to be carefully considered.

This, of course, broke my heart. And right now, I am having a hard time writing this...but after I got off the phone with my mom, I began to think about things--how precious life is, how blessed I am, and I began to try to make peace with the situation. At first, I thought about David and the likelihood of both his grandmothers being at the wedding and couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy...but that quickly subsided. I thought about my best friend, and her mother who passed away during our freshman year of college. I thought about other friends of mine who have also lost their mothers. I thought about friends who don't have close relationships with their own parents. 

I realized that as much as I would love to have my grandmother there, that the most important thing to me is her health and wellness. It is more important for me to be able to travel to see her when she is well and healthy, than for her to attend the actual ceremony.

This situation, along with other recent happenings, got me thinking about how short and precious life is. It is so important to appreciate our blessings while we have them, and to spend time enjoying them, rather than moping over situations out of our control. Though I would be ecstatic to have my grandma there with us on our wedding day, I am happy that she is still here...and I am now planning a trip for after the wedding to go visit her in TX. :)

#h54f

Hive Five for Friday! #h54f

1. What's better than a beautiful bouquet of hydrangeas? A beautiful FREE bouquet of hydrangeas!
2. Inspired by The Lauren Elizabeth, I am in luv with this adorable and comfy outfit. 
3. Spent the day in Wilmington with the future hubs. So glad the rain stopped just in time.
4. Dinner at Elijah's on The Riverwalk consisted of a delicious plate of steamed crab legs.
5. Snuggled this cutie with an adorable lion cut last night. (His name is Loki.)