The Broke-Ass Bride

The Ride of our Lives: A pre-ceremony pitstop

When we left off…. I was just arriving at the ceremony site, along with the ladies of my bridal party. We took off our shoes before ascending the stairs, as was tradition at the Shumei Center, in whose Hollywood garden we had our ceremony.

I knew the time had come, and all I wanted was to peer out the upstairs window at the guests gathering, but I was quarantined upstairs so as to avoid being spotted by Hunter. We hid out in a spare room, and waited, all a-buzz with bridal delight.

Ta-Dizzle!

Our dear friends own a company specializing in tea, accessories, and gourmet goods called Algabar (in whose former shop I worked for years) which also offers marvelous tea-inspired catering as Fete du The. As a wedding gift to us, they offered to serve a ceremony refreshment, and we loved the idea!

They served our favorite tea cocktail that they had invented, The Mrs. Palmer: a lavender-infused lemonade blended with earl grey and lavender tea, (with an option to spike with vodka), and sweetened with lavender syrup. As soon as we got upstairs, I was all… “someone get this bride a drink!” Just one… to take the edge off. Hey, I may be an actress – but standing in front of everyone without a character to hide behind, is still intimidating. And, I was about to get freaking married!

wetting my wedding whistle

Our friends served the drinks in mason jars that I BrideShared with a bride I met on the indiebride kvetch forum, at a table off to the side of the ceremony seating. The guests later gushed about how much they loved and appreciated the tasty drinks.

Then of course, thanks to my drink and the nerves, I had to pee. Now, I am posting this out of love for you readers, and because I keeps it real. But you gotta know, it probably will happen to you. And you’ll need help. That’s what your maid of honor is for. That’s what sisters are for. So, ladies and gentleman (that’s you, dad)… I give you, The Broke-Ass Bride at her very finest!

It happens to the best of us...

I just had to post this picture because MaPo took it and I love it. (and in the hopes it will help you forget the previous photo)

Feels like a fairy tale.

Headpiece and earrings by TS Tiara

Next thing I knew, Sharlene our intrepid DOC, was upstairs telling the ladies it was time to line up for the processional. I quickly rallied the troops for some last-minute wall pushups to get strong and make ourselves feel ultra bad-ass.

for last minute toning...

And it was time to go! I took a moment to be alone upstairs after the girls left, to breathe, to give myself a moment. I gave myself a “be present” pep talk and felt a HUGE smile creep across my face. I was nervous, but mostly just excited and calm and steady and ready.

I could hear the processional music beginning, and I knew that everyone was lined up downstairs, ready to walk that aisle before me. That my father was waiting to walk with me on that path. That the garden would be full of my favorite faces and most beloved friends and family. I knew at the end of that aisle stood my husband.

The Ride of our Lives: A Cinderella Story, part 1

I relished in every single minute of the “prettifying” part of my wedding day like it the sleepover party of my dreams. Surrounded by my favorite ladies (sisters Dawn and Kim, future SIL Cathy, bestie Mapo, future SIL Judith and my mom), getting the royal treatment, feeling full of joy, relaxed and openhearted, my body buzzing with anticipation. It was a fairy tale transformation that made me feel like a bad-ass princess, ready to take on the day, find my prince charming and waltz our way into our happily-ever-after.

Cinderella smile.

It started with my hairdresser Martina putting tight Shirley Temple curls all around my head….

Curlsplosion!

…which she then had to brush completely out to achieve the perfect look, before fastening my gorgeous, custom TS Tiara headband across me like a whimsical crystal halo.  At this point, Martina had been my hairdresser for nearly 2 years by the point we reached this day. She’s adorable and bubbly and warm, and she made my hair look ultrafly. I loved having her there to share in the excitement.

tying the knot before tying the knot.

Meanwhile, my dress was waiting patiently….. showing off for the camera.

with my coat of many colors.

Even the dresses had their own special makeover party.  A few days before the rehearsal, my wedding dress designer Deborah Lindquist saved the day by doing a last-minute alteration on my rehearsal dress.  When we picked it up, she thrilled us with a generous offer to come over the morning of the wedding not only deliver but steam my dress and help me into it. You might remember that I worked with Deb for nearly a year, after bartering a work-trade for a discount on the gown, and we bonded through that experience. I was so touched when she offered to come help.  That morning she surprised us by offering to also steam the bridesmaid’s dresses so everyone would look perfect. I felt so spoiled with love! Having her there was so special.

a colorful gaggle of tafetta.

I took care of some last minute hygiene (to make sure that first kiss would be as sweet as ever)

brusha brusha brusha!

And carefully nested the bottle of wine given to us by our friend Nick, who crafted us the most gorgeous box for the box ceremony….

here's hoping we don't meet again soon.

I swathed it in a vintage sari depicting the Baraat (an indian wedding processional) which was a recurring element in our paper goods.

yards of marital marching.

Paco wanted to wish me a happy wedding day, too.

today, we become a true family.

I checked in with my mom for some girlish giggly glee…

Mamaw, you look marvelous!

While my vows, our rings and a letter from our best homey in absentia to include in the box ceremony canoodled quietly.  Our rings are nestled into a seashell from the beach in San Felipe on which Hunter proposed to me. My dad fastened a bit of ribbon onto the lip of the seashell with epoxy, we strung a ring on each side, and tied a bow. That way it could be passed around during the Ring Warming Ceremony (more to come on that) in a ‘cradle of love’, as-it-were.

Our rings sat in a seashell from the beach where he proposed.

I inserted my “cutlets” and maid of honor Dawn felt me up to make sure they were secure. I needed them to fill out the bustier of my dress a little better. What can I say, I”m a proud member of the itty bitty titty committee. These cutlets would prove to be the only thing that save me from certain death by mortification later that night.

Tune in tokyo.

Our incredible makeup gal, Jessica Rinsky, put the finishing touches on my momma’s lips. We found Jessica at the Laura Mercier counter at Nordstrom – The Grove, in a moment of desperation after a failed makeup trial elsewhere and hired her on the spot. Her personality and talent were bright shining stars! I am very particular about makeup… but she made me and my mother glow as if it were completely natural. If you don’t like feeling like you’re wearing lots of makeup, and want a really natural radiance, I totes recommend Laura Mercier’s line.

a perfect pout.

Then it was my turn to hop in the (effing fabulous) chair once more to get my final touchups done.

My sweatpants said "Love this Life" across the rear. And how I do.

Painting on the perfect pucker.

Waterproof mascara please (I'm a crier).

Pucker up, buttercup!

My ladies each signed the sole of my shoe, so their support would keep me sure-footed through the day.

What a gorgeous momma I've got!

Mapo drew a margarita. She knows me too well.

Sister Kim left her mark while Paco made a fort underfoot.

Let's play dress up!

….Then it was time to get in the gown! Come back for part 2: Dress up time!

(Catch up on past recaps here. See more details in our wedding highlight video here.)

Holla-worthy Headbands

Oh hello. Could you get any cuter?

I require a few of these delicious creations from Old Soul New Heart. My mom thoughtfully forwarded me today’s Daily Candy featuring these sweeties, which is extra nice when you consider that the duo behind Old Soul New Heart is a mother-daughter team, who keep it real by mixing vintage notions with modern twists, and make a bad hair day into something fun. Headbands, necklaces, and belts – oh my, I just love them!

I also love the prices – everything is less than $65.  Wouldn’t a row of badass bridesmaids absolutely kill it in a sampling of these?  Maybe they’d dress up your rehearsal look with just the right amount of jazz?  I know my Tuesday would be greatly improved with a little headband action….

What about using one of these belts as a wedding dress sash?  I DIE!!!!

The trouble is, of course, deciding between them all!  Which one should I get?  Which is your favorite?

Headband Envy

Holy feathered goodness! While I could wear one of these beauties every day of the week, methinks they’d look especially bad-ass on a bold bride. Little Von Loo makes clips, bands and combs that range from dainty and sweet to fierce and fabulous. From their site, it appears that down the road they’ll also offer custom designs; and with prices ranging from about $28-$130 – there’s something for any budget. Props to my mom, for turning me onto these and spawning a whole new obsession.

Better put a napkin down to prepare for the drooling that’s about to ensue….

I mean, c’mon… aren’t they just obnoxiously fly? These things are the YUM, yo!

Fascinators, Photos, Friends and Fun!

A few months ago, fellow blogger and friend DIY Wedding Girl asked me to model some hairpieces and earrings for a photoshoot. I jumped at the chance, figuring I needed all the modeling practice I could get leading up to our wedding, since I have quite a history of “frozenface”…. you know, that “I’m uncomfortable in front of the lens” look? Yeah, I’m a repeat offender. So, I thought some warm ups might be helpful, and they were super fun to boot! Of course, it was pretty easy, given the great company of Siena and her fabulous photog friend Alexandra Breckenridge… Oh, and the red wine helped too – ain’t no shame in my game!

The accessories are by Marla J Designs on etsy – how cute are they?

Ah, the many faces of me:


Ivory open rose fascinator with white peacock earrings


Silk red rose fascinator with guinea feathers

Sexy peacock earrings

Satin chocolate fascinator with black onyx and feathers

Marla J’s work is perfect for a wedding day, or any day! I had a lot of trouble giving the pieces back, especially those dope peacock feather earrings – rawr!

I highly endorse just playing around with some wine, friends and a camera if you’re photo-shy before your big day. Its great for loosening a bride up, and it helps you see what angles work best for your beautiful face!

What do you think? Cute, no? Which is your favorite piece?

Guest Post: A Ring With Balls

*I asked Hunter to write a post about his ring, since its such a personal selection for him, so please give my main man a warm welcome for his first ever guest post! (cue applause)*

Hello wedding blog world! This is my first time writing so I think I should let you know a little about myself: I am a man’s man, the manliest of many and manlier than most men. I drink beer, can bench twice my weight, and like things that make lots of noise while breaking other things.

Hmmm… well maybe I’m exaggerating a bit. I do like beer as long as it’s lite enough to still be refreshing if I splash it on my face while jogging, I could bench twice my weight if I weighed 25lbs, and while I don’t have a need to break things, stemware of any sort only has a 50-50 chance of survival when washed by my hands.

So, maybe I’m not the most testosteron-y of men, but when it came to the idea of wearing a ring, I have to admit, I got a little freaked out. Sure, I’m down with the concept of the wedding ring 110%. “Check the ring Ladies, This conversation has been a delight, but this fella is taken, sold, off the market… I am married… to my wife.” But I have always had a weird thing about jewelry. I think Dana is her most beautiful with out any jewelry (except her engagement ring, that’s crazy sexy!) and I feel weird about wearing jewelry, since I’ve never worn any – not even a watch! My dad, while he loves my mother dearly, never wore a ring either, so there is no childhood precedent for me.

I had two options: Either not wear a ring or somehow find one I liked. I’m pretty sure the former option would have resulted in Dana pulling out a Bosu Exercise Ball and performing a deathly attack while simultaneously working her core muscles. With this thought I decided I better find a ring I liked.

But what to do? I looked at countless rings one more boring than the next. Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying all men’s rings are lame. I’m just the kind of guy who walks in to the DSW and curses the 30 aisles of women’s shoes, while huddled in his men’s corner to choose between brown or black, laces or loafers. I don’t need to make a statement, I just have particular tastes and like my style to be a touch outside of the box.

I wanted something that feels symbolic. Something forged from a love that has been tested by many trials, but has remained and will continue to remain strong, inspiring and proud. I wanted a ring that can stand the test of time. The idea of the old west kept popping into my head.

More specifically two images:

1) An old railroad track, created from the pounding of hammers, stampeded upon by train cars and worn by time, but still standing strong leading to wherever your destination may be.

2) A notched gun. The tale goes that many outlaws etc. used to notch their gun for every kill they made. Now don’t get it twisted, in general I’m not a fan of guns. I’ve shot them, but anything that could kill another person with just a subtle twitch makes me nervous (remember my issue with stemware), and there ain’t nothing romantic about murder. But in the old west a gun was often a man’s most prized possession, his only form of protection in a lawless world. The image of notches representing trials in which this object of protection served its purpose, is an aesthetic that spoke to me. For anyone who is concerned by the whole gun analogy, I make this vow to you: I promise not to shoot anyone with my ring.

I didn’t know if it existed but I finally knew what I wanted. I looked and looked but found nothing like it. I then tried to find someone who might be able to design it with me, but still no success. No one shared my aesthetic, or my price range. As I was trolling Etsy like a ringless wanderer, I came across Contraptions Studio. A shot of light beamed down from the sky upon the computer and Paco our dog started making angelic choir noises (which is totally weird ‘cause normally he just writes his thoughts down in a journal), “This IS EXACTLY WHAT I’M LOOKING FOR!” I declared. Paco cocked his head, and seemed to pant in approval. Together, we marvelled over the discovery of what is without a doubt the coolest guy’s ring I have ever seen. Get this: it’s called “Battle Scar.” Totally Manly, totally cool and its totally a ring that I could bench press my own weight with (well, a guy can dream). Check it:


Pretty badass, huh?

Not only do I think that Contraptions has a ton of cool jewelry but it is incredibly affordable (which makes a Broke-Ass Groom very happy). Shane, the designer, makes all of his jewelry custom order, so each piece is unique. He sent me photos of the initial ring, and after a few groomzilla notes, he took them and came back with a ring that was modified exactly as I had hoped. Wow a great price, incredible customer service and EXACTLY what I wanted. Can it get any better? Yeah it can. It will become the symbol of my love and bond to Dana. Yeah this ring has super powers for sure.

What super powers does/will your ring have?

Hot Hot Heels

***Hunter, there are details in here about my rehearsal dinner outfit. For the love of surprises, I command you to avert your eyes! Thanks, baby ****
__________

Um, people, my rehearsal shoes are like whoa.

Has your love for a pair of shoes ever creeped up on you? You know, when you look at a pair, cock your head, and think “um, no” but you can’t look away and suddenly you find yourself thinking dirty thoughts about them and realize you luuuuuuve them? Where its almost like a pair of shoes are actively seducing you?

(*crickets*)

Well, maybe its just me. But that’s exactly what these babies did to me.

(source)

This one in particular:

It is eversosexy on my foot.

But what’s so exciting about them is their innovative design. They’re from the brand-spanking new company, Opposites Attract, and all of their designs have a customizable quality.

See the doily-looking business under the ruffle at the back, on the gold shoe? It is a snap-on addition. The shoe came with those, and another tempting alternative.

FRINGE! Oh.ma.ga. Unfortunately they don’t have a photo of it on a lighter so its easier to see. My gold shoes came with sort of a darker gold, coppery fringe.

I could also wear them without either snap-on, and let just the ruffle be there. Right now, I’m leaning toward the doily. Its just so very…. bridal! And it matches my rehearsal dress (a hotttt, chalk colored little BCBG number with a feather hem that I got at the outlet mall for $80 down from $460!!!!!) so I think it will tie the outfit together quite nicely.

The thick heel makes them very comfortable, so I’m not worried about being crippled after a night in them, rehearsing, mingling and dining. I know they’ll be versatile and useful beyond the wedding too, but I sure can’t wait to sport them for that special night! Honestly, y’all, I’m loving these shoes so much, I might run off and have babies with them.

How about you – have you ever been unwittingly seduced by a pair of shoes?

I like.

via Toybreaker on Etsy.

Frickin’ Sweet.

Baubles for Bridesmaids: Your input required!

***Note: If you are a bridesmaid in my wedding, do not read this post, or risk missing out on a spontaneous moment of surprise and delight when the items in this post are finally revealed to you. You don’t want to be the odd-woman out, right? RIGHT? That’s what I thought. Now kindly move along… nothing to see here.******

All the bridesmaids’ dresses have arrived, and miracle of miracles, all the ladies seem to like them! I’m still trying to get the girls to send a photo of them in the dress, and so far, I’ve only seen MaPo in hers, but its adorable.

One thing I’m having a hard time deciding now, is what color shoes they should wear. My instinct says yellow – which looked redonk in the picture on the jcrew website…

So I threw together a polyvore board to compare yellow, with my other color ideas, blue or gold.

I’m still not sure… what do you think?

Aside from shoes, I knew I wanted to get them a unifying accessory, too… to complete the picture. When I stumbled across RachelleD’s shop on etsy, I nearly bounced in my chair with excitement. I mean, how freaking sweet are these necklaces?

Oooooh….

Ahhhhh…..

Swooon…..

Sigh……

I just adore the simplicity of them. The feminine, slightly retro feeling is so romantic and sweet. I also think they’ll look fabu with the dresses and spice up the neckline just a bit. They’re super reasonable, at between $20-30 each… I couldn’t pass them up! I contacted Rachelle, and she’s working with me to develop a custom style so I can pick any color I want (not just from the pictures above). The only problem is…. what color?

If I do yellow shoes…. should I do yellow necklaces? Am I at risk of turning my bridal party into a circus with all the color? Would blue be more subdued, or gold more bold? Help me, fashionistas. My bridal parties cuteness depends on you!

1. what color shoes do you recommend?

2. what color necklace(s) do you recommend? (Remember, I can choose any color/combo in the world – not just from the styles above.)