Cupcakes for Days
Since Sir Luke and I spent a good amount of time at Billy’s Bakery while we were dating, it seemed only fitting to have a plethora of cupcakes instead of a traditional cake. We chose a few flavors and had some very generous friends make them for the wedding day. My mom bought all the ingredients and supplied everyone with cupcake liners and aprons, and we benefitted from their efforts.
For months I told everyone that I would be smashing a cupcake in Sir Luke’s face on our wedding day. He took the challenge head on, or nose on, as the case may be.
Thankfully my mother made me a classy apron so I wouldn’t ruin the perfect dress she made me! Again, I had no idea Luke and Leia were siblings…woops.
Photos by the incredible Jessica Peterson
Photo Booth
We’re definitely not conventional people. So when I was deciding on a guest book I knew it wouldn’t be a book with signatures. Back in the days of 2007, Polaroid wasn’t out of business yet. So we stocked up on a ton of film and assigned my adorable niece to man out photo booth.
It was a hit! Kahla took the pictures and the guests wrote a message on the bottom of the pictures. It was a perfect way to get photos of all the guests that attended and have a little fun in the booth ourselves.
Photos by the incredible Jessica Peterson
Wedding Wear
Let me start this by saying, I did not want a “wedding.” I wanted a marriage. My mother said I had to have a wedding before I had a marriage. And in hindsight, I’m glad I did. Needless to say, I wasn’t the typical bride planning her big day.
What was I most excited about? My dress, Sir Luke’s duds, and buying him a special wedding gift.
I found a dress during a brief stint of wedding obsession in 2005 when processing tons of weddings for the amazing Jonathan Canlas while I was working in a photo lab in college. It’s a tea length Carolina Herrera dress, and I drooled on my keyboard when I saw it. I knew someday I would be married in it
My wonderful friend, Ann designed the pattern and we sent that and some luscious fabric to Los Angeles from NYC for my mother to sew into the beautiful bridal gown I hoped and dreamed for. And it turned out perfectly. The lace detailing nearly killed her.
I was adamant that Sir Luke wear a three piece chocolate brown pin-stripe suit. And even though it was nearly impossible to find, we did, at Mens Warehouse. And he looked like a total stud. I found him the perfect tie. And he wanted to puke when I told him it was $75 at Nordstrom, having only ever bought ties at thrift stores. Boy, please! It’s your wedding day! He looked sharp.
I found him a pocket watch to commemorate the day. Thank you ebay and a watch that was fixable and the wonderful jeweler on the upper west side that fixed ‘er up and engraved ‘er for me. I think it was a hit.
P.S. Yes, those are my actual white legs. That’s what happens when you’re lilly white and you’ve been living in New York in the winter. Disturbing, I know.
Photos by the incredible Jessica Peterson
Make It Monday: DIY Movie Poster Favors
This coming Saturday is Sir Luke and my fifth wedding anniversary!
I still can’t believe it. Five years. He’s put up with me far longer than I thought he would 😉 I love having our anniversary in December. For me, the fact that it comes at the conclusion of the years makes me really ponder the last twelve months of our marriage and reflect on what things have been good, great, or could use improvement.
To celebrate this momentous occasion, I thought I’d share some of the things we did for out wedding all those years ago. The first of which was a looooooong and lengthy process of favors. Mostly, coming up with the idea. I don’t think I’d ever been to a fancy enough wedding to have favors. So when a co-worker of mine asked me what we were going to be giving away to our guests, she was aghast when I suggested I didn’t have time to add it into the equation. And upon seeing said reaction I enlisted Sir Luke to help me come up with an idea.
I wanted something that would represent our interests and reflect us as a couple, so…along came the Photoshopped movie poster favors. (P.S. I love that photoshopped is in my computer’s lexicon)
We took some photos with my rinky-dink point and shoot and I then turned them into candybar wrapper sized movie posters. I think the results turned out pretty cute. I often wonder how we managed to pose ourselves so perfectly in most of these pictures. Unfortunately, the Star Wars one was the most hideous of the bunch. I resemble some kind of pig-person. And being that the cover is Luke and Leia is a little creepy, seeing as how they are brother and sister. But, unbeknownst to Sir Luke, I didn’t know this fact, having never seen any Star Wars movies before (he doesn’t count episodes 1-3). Don’t fret, it was remedied after two years of marriage when I mentioned it in passing. And yes, had he known that prior it could have been a deal breaker.
How To: Take Better Photos Now
You know how sometimes when you stand up in front of a group of people and start talking and losing our breath because you’re actually forgetting to breathe? No? Just me? Ok.
A couple weeks ago I taught a little Photo 101 class at my church. I made up the semi-cute (don’t judge me, I’m not a designer for a reason) handout detailing some tips on how to take better photos. While I do think me explaining the tips to the classes was uber helpful I think reading through these things will help you take better everyday pictures, even with your phone!
Jennifer & Dennet: Married! Las Vegas Wedding Photographers
I remember the first time chatting with Jennifer on the phone and thinking, this will be a beautiful wedding and a perfect match. I was so happy when Jennifer chose me to be her and Dennet’s wedding photographer at their Vdara wedding in Las Vegas. The couple came from Houston to tie the knot and really embraced the Vegas theme.
Two days before the wedding the three of us went out to the desert and the neon museum to photograph their engagements. You might remember those from here. It was such a perfect way to break the ice and meet each other. When I saw Dennet the day of the wedding he told me he was glad I was there. I was so grateful to be a part of their joyous wedding day. Unfortunately, Dennet’s mother was in the hospital suddenly and wasn’t able to make the trip to the wedding. I made sure to take photos with his phone during our bridal time so that she got to feel a part of the day from so far away. I hope these photos will help her relive the day along with the bride and groom.
Bride’s gown: Lazaro
Hair and Makeup: Your Beauty Call
Hotel: Vdara
Reception: Silk Road