Hair Down Glasses Off

(Note for those 2 readers who actually read my blog: apologies for the semi-confusing recent posts. I've started blogging on a wedding site, and, to preserve anonymity, we are referred to as Mr. and Miss. Candy Apple. So that's where that is coming from. Also, you may see me re-posting one or two things. Just ignore. Pengy, you can take this paragraph out ;) Please!)

Or, Our Engagement Shoot: The Saga

Our engagement shoot was a long time coming. Let me just say that there are many, many reasons why planning a wedding long-distance is difficult! Mr. CA and I aren't able to get out to Seattle very frequently (6 hr flights + ridonc airfare = not many visits), and our photogs are always shooting weddings (duh!!), so it was tricky getting a time that worked for everyone.

Then, once we finally were able to figure out a time, I of course started freaking out about what to wear. I realize that this may have been unncessary stress, but come on, I wanted to have a cute outfit! Because the shoot was going to be in Seattle, in February, all of my adorable dresses (that I really really really wanted to wear) were out of the question. Unless I wanted to get hypothermia. Sigh. So, I dragged Mr. CA to multiple stores looking for the perfect e-shoot outfit, mainly because I don't know how to dress myself. I tried on about 10 different jackets/ sweaters/ swackets at Anthopologie, in an attempt to get a slouchy, boho-chic look, and then progressed on to J. Crew, trying on some various sparkly tops for a more prepster look. Yeah, that didn't happen. I ended up with a cute little sweater that was more mid-century housewife than boho or prepster.

Then there was the whole weather issue. Snow and rain predicted for the day of our shoot? Yeah, not such ideal weather conditions for an outdoor engagement shoot. Yikes. Add to that the fact that we had a very early, very busy day on Friday, and I officially was not looking forward to the shoot. Not going to lie, my nervousness had progressed to full-on terror. Compound that with the fact that I am not the most photogenic person, and I was peeing my pants a bit over the whole engagement-shoot thing.

We started the day at 7:45am (keep in mind that we got in from the East Coast super late the previous night) for my hair and makeup, with the fab Tiffany Lowry. She didn't have much to work with (ie my face/ hair), but she was awesome. And hilarious. I am SO glad that I had her work her magic before the shoot - I felt way more beautiful as a result than I would have if I had done my own makeup. And guys? She put false eyelashes on me. I KNOW! I was scared too. But really, they looked awesome - not crazy (like this)

{Via Sweet N Sassy Girls}

She also put some purple eyeliner on me. WTH?? I was a nervous about this too, but of course she's an artist and knows what she's doing, so I didn't question her (out loud. Internally, I was all don't you dare eff up my makeup, lady). And the purple? It rocked. It seriously made my blue eyes pop. It was so awesome, in fact, that I went out and bought some purple eyeliner. I'm so fashion-forward!

My hair involved some kind of funky braid going across the back. It sounds crazy, but it was excellent. I told her I wanted something Scandinavian-esque, and she looked at me like I was nuts (I am). I think she got the vision I was going for, though.

And then there was the shoot itself. Yes, I am awkward in front of the camera. Yes, I do not think I am photogenic. Yes, I felt like a beached whale at times. This, along with the fact that we were in some of the most awkward poses ever, made me slightly uncomfortable. Laying head-to-head on a damp, mossy picnic table. Sitting on tree branches. Scrambling up said tree branches. Leaping around in the mud until my shoes fell off. Gazing up at Mr. Candy Apple, keeping my chin down, and simultaneously straining to avoid the dreaded double-chin. Yeah. Fun, huh?

But I promise, it was fun! After a while, I warmed up a bit to the whole thing, and we had some fun with it. It was nice meeting our rockin' photographer, hanging out with Mr. CA, and canoodling in public.

I'll leave you with a few more pictures (because I'm vain)...

I am holding him up here. That branch was a lot further off the ground than it looks!

Lovely light. Lots of cuddles.

How was your engagement shoot? Did you feel awkward at all? Were you as self-conscious as I was? Any mishaps (I want to hear!)?? Did the pictures still come out looking awesome?

*All images are (c) Sarah Rhoads Photography, unless otherwise noted

Clubbin'

Mr. Candy Apple and I had a tough time figuring out the venue for our reception. I mean, you don't find many barns in Seattle. At least not cheap ones (why are barns so expensive, anyway? For serious). 

So when we were in Seattle this past summer, we decided to check out a few spots. We puttered around downtown, looked at a few hotels. Forced my mom to drive us by SODO. Forced my mom to scope out another few venues (she's a trooper!). And what did we end up finding? A place that I have gone to for a lot of my life! Seriously, it was right under my nose. Have you heard of it?

Ladies and gents, we are having our reception at the Seattle Tennis Club. And I have been a member there since I was in middle school. Yep, a long time (I am an old lady). I hadn't really considered it as a venue because, well, I spent a large amount of my youth there, running around in little swimsuits, attempting to conquer the high-dive and rolling-log, and getting sun-burnt. For some reason, I guess it just didn't really pop out in my mind as wedding material.

It is most definitely not a barn. Duh, it's a tennis club. And it's perfect. It is right on the shores of Lake Washington, and has beautiful views of Mt. Rainier. Score! Scenic shots are my favorite (clearly). And, it was on the lower end of estimates that I got from other venues. Double Score!! Don't ask me why, because it is an AMAZING venue, people. I got lots and lots of pictures the last time we were there. And by "I," I really mean "Mr. Candy Apple," because he stole my camera. Unfortunately, you can't really see Mt. Rainier in these pictures, but I promise, you can see it in person.

{see? told you the views were pretty}

{me, enjoying the view. or texting.}

See those balconies? Yeah, the ballroom where the cocktail hour and reception will be held is on the second floor. So, if when it is sunny and beautiful for our August wedding, people can go out on that little rail for the cocktail hour! Gorgeous. I LOVE Seattle in the sun. And aren't those views b-e-a-utiful? Told you.

I love the STC because it has tons of little nooks and crannys to take cool pictures in. Like this one (because I'm totally a tennis pro):

{Photography by Michele M. Waite}

Mr. Candy Apple and I need to find some sweet old tennis rackets.

And this one:

{Photography by Sarah Rhoads Photography}

And seriously, are you NOT obsessed with the chairs?? I might be a little bit obsessed. I almost died when I saw this next picture. Chiavari shmavari; I love the backs of these chairs. And they come with the venue?? Yes, please!

{Floral design by Steven Moore Designs/ Photography by Michele M. Waite}

There is even a little room for me and the girls to get ready, and a manly bar area for the boys to get ready. A few cool old rooms with neat chairs and fireplaces. A sweet stairwell. Oh, and there's a dance floor. Obviously. You know, so we can get down with our bad selves.

I am honestly so excited for the reception to be here! I love that it holds a special little place in my heart already, and that it will really show off Seattle's goods for the out-of-towners that are traveling to make it to our big day. 

Did you pick a venue that was hiding right under your nose? Was it different than what you had initially wanted? Do you not care?! Are you as excited about the space as I am? Did YOU have your wedding at the STC? So many questions!

All pictures are personal unless otherwise noted

Adventures in Cake Tasting: Round 2

Alternative Title: We Had Our Cake And Ate It Too.

After our first cake tasting with Suzanne, Mr. Candy Apple and I were already feeling slightly full. But we had several hours to kill before our next tasting (I like to budget extra time for things such as traffic and alien abductions and such) so, of course, we decided to grab lunch. Who wouldn't want to eat more after eating large hunks of cake?! We ducked into a teensy restaurant in Ballard and, as I was slightly nauseous at that point, I suggested that we split something. Mr. Candy Apple's choice? Buffalo chicken sandwich. Yeah, not my idea of a light meal.

I had about two bites and was done. I basically sat there like a blob, with a stomachache, on a sugar high. Do we have to eat more cake? I asked. I never thought that day would come - the day that I couldn't eat more cake. What is wrong with me?! Maybe it was because I have been trying to cut out sugar recently? Dang you Caveman Diet, and dang you anti-sugar fiance! You have ruined sweets for me.

But onward we pressed. Someone has to do it, right?

We somehow rolled made our way to Trophy Cupcakes, an adorable place in Wallingford Center that I have been going to since it opened (I used to get my hair cut at The Edge right next door).

So we got there, and the lovely wedding-coordinator sat us down in the cute Trophy booths in the middle of the Center across from the cupcake stand. If you've never been there, people just meander by your table. Children, specifically, meander by your table. The coordinator then proceeded to bring out 12 cupcakes. Yes, 12. It was obscene. And amazing.

We were sitting there, in the middle of the mall, with a million cupcakes in front of the two of us. Children came up and stared with their mouths open. Mommy, why can't I have that many cupcakes? They counted them out loud. One, two, three, four...wow! They have a lot of cupcakes! Yes children, thank you for making me feel more obese and uncomfortable than I already feel. You are lucky that I am so bloated right now, or I would get up off my chair to shoo you away.

First two down...10 more to go?! Whaa??

 The lovely Mr. Candy Apple during the first two cupcakes. Back when it was still enjoyable, and my jeans still fit.

This was their special February raspberry ganache cupcake - I loved the heart! And yes, my hair/ makeup is still all fancypants from our e-shoot

Okay, I am exaggerating a wee bit. I really did like the experience. It was fun! We got to go hang out and taste lots of cake! I can't complain about that. The coordinator even brought us tea, and a huge binder of their wedding pictures to look at while we noshed on cupcakes (and were pointed at by the children). Just looking at these pictures makes me want to eat 12 cupcakes in one sitting. Thank goodness for selective memory.

But. That was a lot of sugar. A LOT. We finished the vanilla vanilla and the chocolate chocolate, had about 1 bite from 3 other cupcakes, and had to box up the rest to take home (I love that they let you do that!). Pathetic showing, huh? We were so overloaded with sugar for the next week and a half that we didn't eat any of the leftovers. Oops. Well, I actually may have had the last few hunks of Suzanne's cake for breakfast the next day. And maybe another cupcake on top of that. But besides that, we didn't eat any more sugar (don't tell Mr. Candy Apple).

All in all, though, a very good day of tasting cake. I promise that it was fun. I must admit, I am slightly ashamed at my cake-eating. I thought I was more of a champ than that! And, my pants are slightly stretched out.

How about you: were you overloaded on sugar during your cake tastings? Were you able to spread the tastings out a bit more reasonably? Was it still AWESOME even though you were in a sugar coma for days after?!

All pictures are courtesy of me/ Cupcakes by Trophy Cupcakes.

Adventures in Cake Tasting: Round 1

Alternative Title: Death By Sugar.

Or, I Developed Diabetes. I Also Became Morbidly Obese.

You guys, wedding planning is not a joke. You might think it is all fun and games, but it is not. It is a very serious issue. Consider this a PSA: every year, good people overdose on sugar in the name of planning their wedding. Please, I urge you to spread the word of the potential consequences of becoming engaged. Remember this the next time you schedule a cake tasting.

Okay, let me preface this post by saying that those who know me know that I could eat this every day for breakfast, lunch, and dinner:

{Cupcakes from Sweet, Photographs by yours truly. Mmmm frosting.}

It is a sickness. For serious - I have an impressive and unsatisfiable sweet tooth.

That being said, one of the many tasks we had to complete in Seattle during our visit was ye olde cake tasting. After our much-anticipated engagement shoot and my first dress fitting (More on that later!), we dragged ourselves to two cake tastings. Yes, two. In a row.

All I have to say is Thank God I didn't have my dress fitting after the cake tasting, like originally scheduled, because they would have had to roll me into the fitting room, a la Violet Beauregard.

Okay, just kidding, that's not all I have to say. I might have some more to say. Maybe.

Our first tasting was with Suzanne Rosellini of Rosellini Sweets. She is so sweet! (Bahahaha, I crack myself up sometimes) But really, she was super nice. We met up with her in Ballard, and got to taste three of her cakes: Classic Chocolate, German Chocolate, and Buttermilk. Being the totally horrible blogger I am, I did not take pictures at the actual tasting. Let's blame it on the fact that I felt slightly awkward whipping my camera out as she sat there watching us eat. Strange enough without me snapping a million pictures, yes? Anyway, she  pulled out 3 hunks of cake, and Mr. Candy Apple and I took a few bites of each. Suzanne was really nice; she showed us a bunch of pictures of her cakes and an updated menu, answered questions for us, blabbety blah. I felt somewhat uncomfortable just having someone watch me eating cake, but whatever, no big deal. I may or may not have had frosting smeared across my face by the end of the meeting.

Once we were done, she boxed up the rest of the cake, and we headed back to my car. Of course, I worked up a ravenous appetite on that three-block walk, so once we were safely in the car, I proceeded to rip open the box and devour the rest of the buttermilk cake. It was delicious. This is all that remained afterward:

{The carnage. Lovely images courtesy of me. Cakes by Rosellini Sweets}

Um, I also may or may not have eaten the remaining German Chocolate and Classic Chocolate the next day. For breakfast. I told you: sickness.

I realize those moist, delicious, chocolate-y brown mangled blobs may not do her cakes justice. So check out the beautiful eye-candy.

{Photograph by Garrett Grove Photography/ Cake by Rosellini Sweets/ Image via Rosellini Sweets}

{Photograph by Garret Grove Photography/ Cake by Rosellini Sweets/ Image via Rosellini Sweets}

{Photograph by Garret Grove Photography/ Cake by Rosellini Sweets/ Image via Rosellini Sweets}

{Image from the cover of the September 2010 Seattle Metropolitan Bride and Groom}

How could you NOT want that loveliness at your wedding!? As you can see, Mr. Candy Apple and I are not going for the whole traditional-wedding-cake-thing. I love the more vintage look of multiple round cakes on pretty, mis-matched cake stands. It goes perfectly with our wedding concept and vision! The thought of a gorgeous display with lots of cakes set on dainty stands makes me all warm and fuzzy inside. And the beautiful flower arrangements? Swoon. I am easily blinded distracted by ranunculus, though.

{Photograph by One Love Photo/ Cakes by Rosellini Sweets/ via 100 Layer Cake}

Obviously, Suzanne's style is right up our alley. Well, right up my alley. I don't think Mr. Candy Apple really cares one way or another, as long as it's some form of cake and tastes good.

Needless to say, we were pretty full after the tasting. Me? Full after a few measly bites (okay, a large hunk) of cake? Wha?? What has the world come to?! Alas, we weren't done with our sugar intake for the day!

Did you have a "traditional" white wedding cake with a million tiers? Did you go with any crazy flavors, or did you stick with the classics?

Location Location Location

I already posted about the location that wasn't (sigh). Today, I want to talk about the venue and style that wasn't (weren't)! I realize these posts may sound a bit negative-nancy, but bear with me; we're narrowing things down and will eventually get to "what was"! Well, is. But, you get the idea.

Once we agreed to have the wedding in Seattle (as opposed to Santa Clara - our college - or San Diego - his home city), I decided to channel my inner Pacific-Northwestern vibe and developed a very specific vision for the wedding.

 {Photograph by Mark Brooke/ Coordination by Joy de Vivre Wedding Coordination/ via Stylemepretty}

 {Photographs by Sean Flanigan, both from this post}

{Photograph and styling by Martha Stewart}

{Photograph and Styling by Martha Stewart Weddings}

Serious swoonage. Barn. Old, peeling wood. Moss. Lots of moss. More moss. Milk glass. Mushrooms (okay, maybe not mushrooms). Wood slabs. Shrubbery. Basically, I wanted to take the Olympic Peninsula and stick it in a barn-like venue for the reception (without the rain).

Yes. Love love love.

Unfortunately, that didn't happen. Sigh again. The place we were crushing on (Sodo Park, actually the second and third images above) was a bit out of our price-range, and it is in a super-urban area of Seattle. I suppose it wouldn't have been the end of the world, but we really wanted a location that was on or near the water, or that could at least show off the city of Seattle (and not make our guests schlep around by all the warehouses).

So we searched. And searched. And searched some more. But honestly? We could not find any other barn-ish venue. Not in the Seattle area, anyway, and because we have quite a few out of town guests coming, we didn't want anything too far away from the city center (or airport).

Thus died my dream of a rustic barn wedding. In the end, though, it was all for the best, because the venue we ended up with is amazing. AH-mazing. Trust me!

Did you go into your planning with a specific vision, only to have it change completely/ dramatically/ with-tears-involved due to location, budgetary issues, etc? Did you consciously change your wedding vision, or did you find that it subtly evolved through the planning process?

I'm Out

Well, I'm off. We're taking a long weekend and going to Seattle for, you guessed it! Wedding fun. Huzzah!

Yes, this is the joy of planning long-distance weddings: ridiculously short, crammed trips that attempt to get everything done at once. Awesome. Want to see our schedule? We start at 7:45am on Friday.

Friday
Hair and makeup for e-shoot. Yes, I am spoiling myself. I don't want to look like crap. Sue me.
E-shoot. This is what I'm dealing with, people. Cue panic mode.

{source}

First dress fitting. Eeek!!
Cake tasting 1
Cake tasting 2. Can we discuss how excited I am to have a platter of cupcakes served to me? Thank God my dress fitting is BEFORE.

{source}

Wine tasting with my awesome aunt. She and my mom bought a bunch of the wines that my venue serves, so we're going over to their house to taste them and figure out which wines we like best.

Saturday
Meeting with coordinator at the STC to do a tasting, plan some stuff. Not really sure. But I get more food!

Sunday
Bridesmaid dress shopping. So excited to spend time with my favorite gals!
Meeting with Day-of Coordinator. Hopefully she can tell me how to plan my wedding.


Obviously, Friday is our busiest day. I am dreading it, and looking forward to it at the same time. I think one issue that I am really having with this long-distance planning thing is that I am a control freak, and need to be involved in everything myself, rather than relying on other people to deal with it for me.

Ultimately, though, this all just means that I will have tons of wedding stuff to share when I get back (yay)!

Did you have to plan a long-distance wedding? How did you handle the distance? Did you make lots of trips home, or rely on a few trips here and there?

.cheers.

Please please please

Guys, please send good vibes my way.

Do you see this 10-day forcast for Seattle?!?! Yes. Rain/snow showers the day before our e-shoot. Let's please hope/pray/whatever that the forecast for friday stays 'sunny.' I will now officially be checking the weather every hour.

I realize that sometimes, those rainy or cloudy shoots can actually be the best, because of softer lighting, fun props (colorful umbrellas, hello!!), etc. But I just really want sunny weather! Plus, J already is totally against Seattle because of the depressing weather, so I am really hoping we get some sun while we're there.

How was the weather for your engagement shoot? How did you prepare if there was rain expected?

.ho ho ho.

.we're off to seattle!.

i can't wait to be home with family and friends, lots of christmas cookies and wine. hope everyone has a wonderful holiday!

.cheers.

.nuts.

.yes, i suck at blogging.

but let's be honest, it's boring when i can't post pictures. granted, they're not the best pictures, but still. i'm a boring person.

i still haven't been able to download my pictures, since j took my only means of download. so you're stuck until i visit in july. lame, i know.

i've been super busy with work lately, and haven't really felt like posting much. i need to get out of here! anyway, enough of me going stir-crazy.

i realized, looking back on my past posts, that i have not yet done a post that i meant to do ages ago. it is about my friend, the squirrel. now, this i took this series when i was in seattle in march, and it is quite possibly my favorite, most amazing series of photographs ever. i shouldn't try to explain too much. i will let the images do the talking.

meet mr. squirrel. he is amazing. j, my dad and i started watching him out in the backyard after my dad put in a new double bird-feeder that was, oh, a good 3-4 feet away from the fence this little guy was on.

isn't he cute? i thought he was adorable. i love squirrels. i love watching them. i think they are quite possibly one of the most amazing animals ever. they are hilarious.

doesn't he look all contrite here? him and his fat little belly. you can see his little brain working, just eyeing those bird feeders. poor guy was hungry. so he just sat there. and sat. for a long time. getting up the courage...

...to just...

jump!! sorry, you all know i'm a terrible photographer, so he is all blurry in this shot. but i still love it. look at that arch! he is awesome. i love him. he had a ton of jumps like this where he didn't quite make it, or he made it and just slide right off the feeder.

but finally, he stuck the landing. hold it...

okay, phew. he's safe. good job, buddy.

and now, to feast.


okay, seriously, this picture is my favorite picture that i have ever taken in my life. i mean, come on. the expression on mr. squirrels face when the bluejay crashed his feeding frenzy is just priceless. absolutely priceless. he's like, dude, what the hell are you doing on my bird-feeder?

i love it. i love him. so much.

but, he got over it. and went back to eating. smart move.

with his little butt in the air. you can still see the bluejay lingering in the foliage in the back.

and here mr. squirrel looks like he's going to vomit from eating so much. and the jay is just hanging out. watching.

and a nice close-up of mr. squirrel's butt. i got pretty close to him, and then he freaked out and ran away.

ahh, this series of pictures always makes me laugh out loud. it just cracks me up. i could sit watching squirrels all day. and i'm pretty sure i watched this one for a good half hour or so.

.cheers.