shoes - the final post

do you see this?  see this bag?  know what this means???

it means... my shoe guy at saks hooked a sister up... once i finally made up my mind, that is.  and the final wedding shoe winner is....

the christian louboutin parisienne plato suede in nude.  the most amazing shoes i will ever own and the perfect final piece to my wedding day ensemble.  if you thought my "what makes you happy" post was over the top, you don't even know what is going through my head right now!!!

so as you know, i have been going to my local saks, neiman marcus, & barneys every month in search of the perfect wedding shoes.  i go online to each website nearly every day as well, in search of the perfect red heeled wedding shoes and in hopes that something new will pop up.  i even bought 2 fake pairs from china (and promptly returned them, embarrassed that i even attempted such a thing -it didn't help that they smelled like gasoline and looked like "escort" shoes-).  

the salesmen at all of the department stores said "what about these lovely prada shoes?  what about these manolo blahniks?"  no.  i have always had my heart set on a pair of louboutins, with the red heels.  we all know this; i have over 7 posts about this. it's ridiculous!  it's even in my very first inspiration board that i made last october!  

but then last tuesday i walked in and found the ones.  THE ONES.  and i knew my search was over.

but they only had 1 pair left...in the entire country.  and they were not in my size.  so i gave up and chalked it up to fate... but then my shoe guy, kevin, called me to let me know that he just looked in the system and there was another pair left - and it was my size!  he was able to track them down from the houston saks, and next thing i knew, after some discussion with pat about whether i was crazy to be making this purchase, they were on their way to san francisco.

and now they are here.  they are mine!  and i could. not. be. more. excited.  seriously.  i am going to wear these babies around the house as much as i have to so they're like buttah on the day of the wedding.  SO. excited.

and there you have it - the shoe search comes to an end.  no more concerns over wearing my rainbow flip flops on the day of the wedding.  was the time and effort worth it?  you bet!

pat came home to me on the couch in my new shoes watching bethenny's getting married from my DVR.  i have no shame in any of this.  do you see the glowing happiness? :)

happy friday everyone!!  off to tahoe this weekend for some nor-cal summer fun - catch you back on monday :)

searching for the perfect fragrance

the sense of smell is so amazing.  i love how catching a scent in the air reminds me of a memory, a special place, or a loved one.  i recently bought a new facewash and it's amazing how the smell of facewash can make me happy - the fragrance reminds me of the sweet smell of my grandmother, she must have had some kind of bubble bath that was made with the same floral aromas.  and beach roses remind me of summers in nantucket when we had no cares in the world.  i could go on and on...

but now i'm searching for the perfect perfume to depict our wedding day.  i want that smell to remind me of all the wonderful memories of the day - all the tiny details that i know existed but most people probably won't even notice, and most importantly, i want it to remind us of the best day of our lives.

my cousin posted about this last year as well and ended up with falling in love by philosophy.

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i love the philosophy perfumes - they're so elegant and romantic.  and falling in love was definitely the perfect scent for courtney.  

i've always been in love with stella by stella mccartney - Sweet yet sensuous, this sophisticated scent pairs feminine notes of rose and peony with juicy mandarin and intense amber for a scent that's both sexy and unmistakably stylish.

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other ideas:

marc jacobs - classic, luxurious, and comfortingly feminine; sensuous and uncomplicated, complementing the wearer without overwhelming her; with notes of  Gardenia, Wild Muguet, Skin Musk, Cedar, Ginger.

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love and white by creed -  with Orange zest from southern Spain, young glistening rice husk from Tonkin in the south Asian seas; iris from Egypt; white jasmine from the Italian coast; daffodils from the French Riviera; magnolia from the mountains of Guatemala, Bulgarian rose, Vanilla from the island of Java; ambergris from Calabria; and sandalwood from Mysore, India.

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sugar by fresh - a vibrant fragrance incorporates sparkling citrus notes with delicately sweet heart and lingering warm base notes

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princes by vera wang - a flirty blend of water lily, lady apple, mandarin meringue, and golden apricot skin are melded with sheer floral notes, accented with dark chocolate, and finished with a pink frosting accord, amber, warm woods, musk, and vanilla

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romance by ralph lauren - a sensual essence of velvety woods, extravagant florals, and seductive musk.

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eau de cartier by cartier - with Yuzu, Bergamot, Violet Leaves and Flowers, Musk, Lavender, Cedarwood, Patchouli, Amber.

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petite cherie by annick goutal - a fruity-floral fragrance in which vanilla, peach, musk rose and freshly cut grass recall purity and boldness. 

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and lastly, a helpful guide to choosing your wedding perfume from thingsfestive.com

Perfume or Cologne?
The list below gives the concentration of the standard fragrance types and how they should be applied.

• Perfume - Very concentrated; use sparingly. Best to avoid in very warm weather.
• Eau de Parfum - Very concentrated, but weaker than perfume; apply to pulse points only.
• Cologne - Half the concentration of perfume; apply to pulse points or lightly spray.
• Eau de Toilette - Generally weaker than cologne; spray normally.

Shopping Tips

1. Experiment at least one month before your wedding to be sure you like your new fragrance and that you’re not allergic to it.
2. Shop alone for your fragrance to avoid having the opinion of others cloud your judgment.
3. Never shop for a fragrance while wearing one. The scents will conflict.
4. Take your time to find the right fragrance as your scent says a lot about your personality.
5. Always test a fragrance on your skin. Smelling a fragrance in the bottle only reveals the top notes. The base notes develop when fragrance touches your skin and takes a little while to develop fully. Spray the tester, then walk away for an hour or so.
6. Limit the number of fragrances you smell at a time. If your sense of smell becomes confused, try sniffing coffee beans to refresh it. (Fragrance counters in upscale department stores now have coffee beans available for doing this).
7. If coffee beans aren't available and your sense of smell becomes overwhelmed, ask for samples to test at home.
8. If you intentionally selected aromatic wedding flowers, make sure your fragrance and flowers don’t compete.
9. Tie your wedding day fragrance to your wedding theme. Will yours be a traditional, romantic affair? Light floral scents will work best.

Wedding Day Suggestions:

1. Let the barometer guide you: you’ll need less fragrance in warm weather. Stick to body mists and scented lotions.
2. Spray on fragrance before getting dressed to avoid possibly staining your dress.

lastly, i just got this great idea from nicole at that's life: "Another thing I heard at a shower to help you remember that day is you keep the tissue paper from gifts and then line your drawers with the tissue paper and spray them with your perfume you wear on your wedding day. Then when you open the drawer up that smell there fore thoughts surround you all over again."
 
any other ideas for the perfect wedding day fragrance?

operation: happiness

what makes you happy?  

i love reading all the blogs i follow every night after work (and sometimes i squeeze some in early before i head to the office) because they don't involve my brain to be thinking of my next work project or proposal or what i have to do that day - it is so uplifting!  i love looking at all the inspiration and pretty things.. and most of all i love reading all the optimistic "glass is full" posts filled with overall glowing happiness - it really is inspiring!  unlike facebook where you have debbie downer complaining about work, or being sick, or it's raining... on here, you just don't have that (i try to leave my rants of horrible days off the blog for this very reason, but understand the need for other brides to vent - after all, what better place to get all this support!).  i love it.  i just said "i love" 4 times... is there life after wedding planning?  :)

so along with the 25 things about me post inspired by dancy, i wanted to post 15 things that make me happy.  and i hope you'll follow suit because it's a nice chance to take a break from it all to think about what's really important to you?  what makes you tick? (and if you do it, let me know so i can check it out!)

so without further ado, my "operation: happiness" list:

1. pat - knowing he is there and we will be together through thick and thin.  i can't wait to start the rest of our lives together and eventually start a family.  thinking about what is to come is just as exciting as what already is.

not my puppy but i wish it was.  if it was, it'd be on here.

2. my family - near or far, they've always been there for me and have made me who i am today.  while i'm somewhat sentimental about changing my last name, i know that this isn't what connects you to your family and it's all about the values they've taught you and the bond you have with them that really matter.  and i'm honored to be taking on a new last name to represent the family that i will be starting with pat, and to be gaining 21 new family members from his side!

3. my friends - whether in australia, new zealand, fiji, england, wales, canada, new jersey (hey wait - that's not a country!), and all over the US.  my friends keep me sane and keep me laughing.

 

4. flowers - it doesn't matter how horrible the day is.  flowers make everything better - or at least let you smile for a moment even in the tough times.

5. pretty things - no joke.  i heart pretty things.  i love inspiration boards, i love looking at pretty wedding pictures, i am just pretty much obsessed.

6. the beach - and everything about the beach.  i love being outside, in the sunshine, sitting in the sand and swimming in the salty ocean water.

7. wine - i love exploring wine country!  i love tasting new wines and pretending i'm in tuscany (never been, but it's fun to pretend).  i love learning about the wines and how they're made, and the differences between regions and grapes.

8. cooking a really hearty stew or soup - soul food.  really i just love cooking things that take a lot of steps and involve a lot of love and time.  and i love sharing them with people!

9. canning my own pickles and jam - you know you're from new england if... you call yard sales "tag sales", you call the liquor store a "package store", you call chocolate sprinkles "chocolate shots"...  and if you can make your own pickles and jam :)

10. happy hour on a friday afternoon - the week is over, your blackberry is off, and the weekend has begun with a cold beverage of choice and a salty trainer-not-approved appetizer.

11. hand-written letters - there's something so special about a hand-written letter.  someone took the time to sit down and write you a note and put it in the mailbox instead of sending an email.  mimi always did this.  i want to try and do this more (with my new stationery of course!)

12. sleeping in on a weekend morning and having no plans whatsoever - i LOVE having no plans.  even though i'm an event planner at heart (and by profession), i love knowing i have no obligations and nowhere to be.  it's amazing.

13. going back east - being with my family and friends from home, getting to see the family pets, going to yankees games, listening to hot 97 and e-street radio, eating tons of horrible food (then coming back to SF and running the extra miles up and down the hills to work it back off :)

a REAL bagel!

the city!

bobby in her car seat

real pizza.  modern in new haven.  the BEST.

14. clean sheets and an empty laundry basket - i love the smell of laundry detergent but i love the fact that the job is over even more than that.  there's nothing better than a freshly made bed with nice, clean, soft sheets.

15.  planning the wedding and writing this blog - it has provided me with an outlet to share my planning experiences and everyday life with my friends and family who live 3,000 miles away.  and i've gained several new blogger comrades along the way who are going through the same experiences as me!  and my "vendors" have become more than that, they've become friends!  it is so much fun - i just can't wait to post all the secrets and surprises from the big day (but not til it's over!)

ok now i've said "i love" ~17 times... i guess that means there really is life after wedding planning.  :)

what to get the GUYS?

there's no way i can even start to talk about the bridesmaids' gifts on here, because they will all see it!  but i can say with plenty of confidence that none of pat's guys have ever visited the blog, (oh wait - except when i started it and they ripped on pat for like 3 weeks telling everyone it was his blog called "she said yes!" - it wasn't funny at first but i got over it :))

so what to get the guys?  we're less than 2 months out now - holy crap - and it's really time to get things done.  i've googled "groomsmen gift ideas" like 40 times and it always comes up with the same things... but after being in several weddings himself, pat wants to try and come up with something his guys won't already have.

some thoughts...

the ever-necessary flask.  ask my friend regis (code name), who brought one of these puppies filled with jack into a bruce springsteen concert a few years back and made the night quite eventful.

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then there's the cufflinks.  but pat got those in our friend's wedding last year, and most of our guys were in that wedding too.  good idea though, if he didn't already have them.

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then what about the cooler bags?  those are good.. but pat's dealing with a bunch of NY firefighters and wall street guys and i just can't picture them toting this little number around (but their wives and girlfriends would LOVE them!!)  i still think they're nice though, but we'll see how it goes.

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and the personalized pint glasses?  nice - but they'll last about 15 minutes between the rehearsal dinner and getting them back home (because most people are making a bit of a road trip for the wedding).  and after what pat and i went through to clean out our cupboards and make room for new glasses, etc., i'm not sure how long they'd stay around.

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now this is cool (i think), but if the guys aren't cigar smokers, would they appreciate a cigar humidor?  we're not too sure about that but this is a definite contender.

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one of pat's guys got him and the rest of his guys tickets to a giants/jets pre-season game.  that was a good idea and something they could all do together... but with us living on the other side of the country, it's tough to plan something like that.

pocketknives?  good idea but for the travelers, it won't work.

sports memorabilia - maybe a signed picture of jeter or a signed jersey or something... but again.. .who knows what the guys already have?

personalized pub signs?  could be cool considering most of the guys are irishmen and enjoy their brew... 

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a share or two of a good stock?  i saw this on weddingbee, the groom bought a  share in a company that is personalized to each of his groomsmen..ex- for the golfers he got them Callaway or Nike, and gave them a framed certificate and bottle of booze.  could be good?

ray bans?  i think they're niiice, but would the guys?  not sure how they'd feel about someone pre-picking sunglasses for them.

seriously, like it's not hard enough for women to shop for guys, imagine guys having to shop for guys?  it's really challenging to find something that the guys will like, use, and something they don't already have!

now if i was in charge, i would have all these pretty ideas like vineyard vines ties  or something like that.. but there's a reason i'm not in charge and i get to choose the other detailed stuff..  i'll leave this one to pat :)

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what's everyone else thinking?  anything different??

my first earthquake!!!

holy crap!  this past friday i experienced my first earthquake since moving to california (and first ever!)... it was CRAZY (luckily, not like "dangerous" crazy, but just shocking to me!).  it only lasted for like 2 seconds but for an east coaster like me, i was pretty freaked out for a lot longer than that afterwards.

and here it is:

it was a 3.5 magnitude which on the record books isn't much to write home about, but it still left me pretty shaken (no pun intended).

so i was sitting in my office in san bruno, about 13 miles south of san francisco, when all the sudden i heard this loud BOOM! noise, i can't even explain what it felt like - it was almost like a mack truck hit my building, like a sudden jolt, like someone rear-ended my car, followed by this weird feeling like my office was riding a wave in the ocean.  i suddenly jumped up and out of my office, and saw some of my colleagues looking at me (all californians) - the conversation went something like this:

me: "WHAT WAS THAT!!  WAS THAT WHAT I THINK IT WAS?" (all caps because yes, i was yelling)

colleagues: "yeah - it was."

me: "OH MY GOD!! AN EARTHQUAKE?!?! WHAT DO I DO?!!"

colleagues: "um, it's over.  but you can stand in the door frame if it makes you feel safe."

haha!  

that's what happens for a first-timer in an earthquake i guess (and i can only hope that this is my first and LAST experience!)

ranunculus. yes! ranunculus!!!!

i have now raved about my florist in about 4 different posts.  but now the crowning glory has happened.  i have been absolutely obsessed with ranunculus since before i was even engaged.  they're kind of like mini peonies, and they are absolutely gorgeous.

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but, as we all know, i'm getting married in september when these lovely gems are unfortunately no longer in season.  even though i had it in my head that i wouldn't have these on the big day, i still had this glimmer of hope inside and threw it out there every time i spoke with my florist (jennifer hodgins at branford flower shop).  and just the other day, a miracle occurred.  i received the following email:

Subject: Fw: RE: Ranunculus in Sept

Hi Jacin,

I know you just got bad news about your blog*, but I have some good news about your ranunculus.  I was surfing like crazy this weekend** trying to find your ranunculus.  Please read the forwarded emails and let me know if you want me to go ahead with this.  :-)

- Jennifer

Jennifer Hodgins
Branford Flower Shop, LLC
203-488-7770

*i was in the running for the best real bridal blog on weddingchannel.com - this was the day the winners were announced and i found out i didn't make the cut by a whopping 2%, haha - what has my life come to?  hilarious.  BUT - i was thrilled to see that erin at sparkle & hay won the editor's pick!  it was great to see an underdog like me beat out the big names, and being the editor's pick is the real deal!  check her out, she's amazing.

**seriously?!  working on a weekend to find these crazy flowers i've been obsessing over?  if you live in the CT area and need a florist get on the phone with jennifer immediately.  she is amazing!  i can't even say enough things about her.

so back to the story - low and behold, in the email chain that jennifer sent me, was a flower dealer who would have my magical ranunculus, in september, in time for our wedding... and in the color we wanted!!!!!!!!!  i was ecstatic!!!  i still am!  can you see all the exclamation points?  it's almost frightening!  :)

so now i present to you, without further ado, the inspiration board i just created based on the actual flowers for our wedding.  i. am. so. happy. :)

we are going to use burlap table runners under our blue mason jars filled with bright pinks and whites, and eucalyptus to represent cali.  there will be beach stones and beach grass and candles...it's really all coming together and i am so thrilled.  

hope everyone has an amazing weekend :)

just sayin'..

my wedding band arrived a few weeks ago...  

i may or may not take it from it's safe hiding spot a few times a week, open the ring box and try it on.  again.  and again.  and again.

i can't wait to get married!!!!!!

i heart this song.  cause down the shore, everything's alright.

a makeup staple for the big day

...especially for the summer brides!  i stumbled across this stuff by accident after hitting up my local benefit store (and the girl of course had to give me a makeover even though i was clearly in my gym clothes and just wanted to get some mascara, but..) and i had the option for a free sample with my purchase and picked up this little gem.

benefit's dr.feelgood is a weightless balm that you can apply under makeup to prevent shine, or use as a touch-up tool for later in the evening to keep that matte look - you don't want people to see their reflection in your forehead, or a flash reflection in photos, right? :)

seriously, get this stuff.  it's amazing and a complete necessity for the makeup bag! 

 

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i also have to add a disclaimer that i have REALLY sensitive skin, and this stuff does not clog pores or feel cakey.  you can't even feel it, it's so lightweight and just does it's job as a little miracle worker :)

girls night out - stationery workshop recap!

remember i told you how much i love the paper source?  well, you can multiply that love by a thousand now, because last thursday night i went to one of their monthly workshops, "Sassy Personal Stationery - Girl's Night Out!"... and it was amazing.  if you haven't been yet, click HERE for a list of classes near you!

all pics taken from my blackberry cam:

i went with my friend geri (who's getting married in november in wine country, how amazing is that!), and thankfully she was able to go with me otherwise it would have been girl night out :). we decided, what girls night is complete without a margarita to kick it off?  and mine happened to be really pretty too :)

then when we arrived we were greeted with cupcakes, wine, cheese and crackers. 

each spot had a cute name badge and a bag to take our goodies home in.  note the red velvet cupcake and glass of wine :)

our first station taught us how to create cute cards using paper cutters, shape cutouts, string, holepunches and eyelets.  i took all of the time to just create the crab and anchor one - i was the slowest person there!

next up was the stamping/heat embossing station.  this was my favorite part and i wish i could have stayed there all day embossing everything in sight.  heat embossing is actually very simple, all you need is a heat gun (~$23), embossing powder (~$3-7), stamp (~$4-8), and a stamp pad (~$4).  the stamp pad color doesn't even really matter, because all you're seeing is the color of the powder once the heat hits it.  

what you do is:

1. take your stamp of choice and put it in the stamp pad, making sure it is evenly covered

2. stamp your paper of choice

3. while the stamp mark is still wet, sprinkle embossing powder over the paper where you stamped (like you'd put glitter over glue) and put the excess powder back in the jar.

4. turn on the heat gun and hold about 1/2" from the powder-covered stamp - move over the area until each section is shiny and looks "plastic-y"

that's it!  it's so easy and it dries very quickly - i'm definitely going to do this for my menus and ceremony handouts and anything else that needs to be created.

lastly we had the invite lining station where we cut pretty paper in to the right shape for each envelope and used tape liners to make them stay.  this part was actually really easy, surprisingly.

when you left they gave you a 10% off coupon (definitely going back to get the embossing stuff and some paper!) and a nice little case for the stationery you created.

definitely worth the $25 - i highly recommend going!

i think i found the ones...shoes part 97

i think i have finally found them.  or at least i've narrowed it down to 2 pairs.  it was like it was meant to be - i went to saks, neiman marcus and barney's today and in my first stop at saks i came across the very last pair of the most amazing shoes i've seen to date.  don't remember the others?  check here, here, here, and here.

to say i've become obsessed with the perfect pair of shoes for my wedding day is an understatement.  but i've always dreamed of wearing that signature red heel on our special day, and i think i've finally found the final 2 contenders (and considering they were the last 2, i think it must be a sign, don't you?):

all photos taken with the handy blackberry cam:

i really wish i took another picture because this does them no justice.  but i can DEFINITELY wear them again, they're the perfect nude peep toe shoe.

but then, there's these....

they're not even too tall!  they're just right.  they're just... gorgeous.  and the only shoe left in the country in MY size just happens to be a phone call away, i just have to make my decision by wednesday!

update!  just found these gems.... decisions, decisions...

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