When You Wish Upon A Star. . .

Yes, I am That Girl; the one who scoured the woods looking under leaves and rocks for frog princes. When I found them I would kiss and kiss them some more, wishing and hoping they would transform in front of my very eyes into Prince Charming. Having grown up on classic Disney fairy tales I distinctly remember believing that it was possible.

From my earliest memories fairy tales have shaped my view on the world. I can remember standing outside of OLQM in Detroit staring up at the first twinkling stars in the early night sky and wishing with all my might, "Star light star bright first star I see tonight. I wish I may I wish I might get the wish I wish tonight." I closed my eyes and asked for a tabby kitten. I doubt I would have done that if I hadn't believed Jiminy Cricket. A few years later after moving to Greenville my grandmother brought me to the side of the road where I resued a little tabby kitten, Tiger. I had kept that secret wish to myself and yet it came true. From that moment on I never doubted a wish made upon a star.

Classic fairy tales were and still are my favorite. Give me Sleeping Beauty, The Little Mermaid, or Cinderella any day. I have several versions of the books and movies. I couldn't seem to get enough of them. But then again, I have always been a traditionalist. I have always wanted to find my Prince Charming. I have always wanted the big "Cinderella dress". I have always wanted a white picket fence. Sometimes I would find it hard to believe that it could happen to me, but I never once doubted that true love existed: not once.

Then along came an adventure. It really is amazing how much my life has mirrored the fairy tale story arch. I came of age and left my home on a grand adventure, leaving everything behind to find myself in a whole new world. And then when I least expected it love managed to find me. When you strip away the castles and evil nemesis you are left with a reality even more wonderful than any tale that could be told. Why? Because for the first time the tale becomes real. I became the heroine and the frog prince magically transformed into the fraternity brother across the poker table... and it hit me like a hurricane. (Please forgive the cliche.) Everything I had been dreaming of and waiting for and wishing on stars for was possible. Because I realized that he was set on this earth as a gift just for me. He is my other half. And even though he may not wear a golden crown he is Prince Charming.

I think Disney was on to something. Hope: and an eternal truth more wonderful than I could have imagined.

The second star to the right
Shines in the night for you
To tell you that the dreams you plan
Really can come true
The second star to the right
Shines with a light that's rare
And if it's Never Land you need
It's light will lead you there
Twinkle, twinkle little star
So I'll know where you are
Gleaming in the skies above
Lead me to the one who loves me
And when you bring him my way
Each time we say "Goodnight"
We'll thank the little star that shines
The second from the right
~ Peter Pan

Venue Details: Amway Grand Plaza Hotel

It definitely took some convincing and fancy math work (don't laugh) on my part, but Jesse and I have finally booked our wedding venue! Ever since I was a little girl traveling to Grand Rapids to see the symphony with my grandparents I have dreamt of getting married in that magnificent hotel. We would drive past the hotel flags billowing in the wind, the chandeliers sparkling behind the revolving glass doors. Grandma would tell me how my mom and dad spent their wedding night there. . . To my eight year old self, the Amway Grand seemed like something out of a fairy tale, a place for royalty and the rich and famous: an untouchable place.

Now, 17 years later I will marry the love of my life in that very hotel. Jesse and I have booked the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Ballroom for our ceremony. It really is my kind of room. Five chandeliers, Georgian pillars and moldings, and French Blue walls make this ballroom perfect for our ceremony. It's soft and romantic and dramatic enough. (You know me, there has to me some element of drama.)

For the cocktail hour and reception we have booked the Imperial Ballroom which boasts a spectacular second floor gallery that will allow guests a unique bird's-eye-view of our reception. We'll enter the reception down a grand staircase under a filigree carved wood ceiling. It also has stately Georgian pillars. (I'm sensing a trend.)

The Amway really is proving to be the perfect wedding venue. The staff has been amazing to work with and almost anything you could think of is included with the package price of the venue. In addition to the rooms we will receive a premium open bar, tables, chair, linens, china, glassware, silverware, dance floor, special event lighting, wait staff, bartenders, day of coordinator, half off rooms for Jesse and I and our guests, wedding cake, and several course meal... I am sure I am forgetting something. Bottom line, all Jesse and I have to worry about are flowers/decor and photography. I really don't know why more people don't book this place. Our wedding would probably cost twice as much if we had to rent all of that on our own.

Jesse and I have purposefully had a long engagement. And now that we have put our deposit down on the venue it all seems to be real. I mean, I knew it was real when I said yes but he and I have been dreaming and talking about marriage for such a long time that now there is a venue we've gone beyond day dreaming to doing. This is an amazing feeling! I really am going to marry Prince Charming.....

Fairy tales really do come true.

Bridal Look: Drop Veil

This year instead of ghouls and ghosts, witches and goblins, I spent my Halloween in Lansing, Michigan with Mom and maids of honor. This year, instead of throwing a Halloween party I bought my wedding gown! It embodies everything I was looking for, soft, feminine, elegant, quiet drama. This gown does not sparkle like a sequined prom dress or dancer. It shimmers like fresh snow under the moonlight or dancing sunbeams on the water. It's stunning.... Unfortunately, I am not going to post any pictures of the gown. My fiance is rather traditional about the whole thing and doesn't want to see me in the gown or know anything about it until he sees me walking down the aisle.

The gown is by no means simple; that's just not my thing. Since there is so much detail on the bodice, and the skirt for that matter, I decided to go for a classic and subtle veil. I want it to compliment my gown, not overpower and compete with it. Since I don't like large and puffy veils I am opting to wear a drop veil. I have ordered a sample from Veil Shop and another from Occansey Designs.











Here's some drop veil love!

Details: Mercury Glass

Long have I been in love with antiqued mercury glass. One of my favorite things to do is rummage through dusty hole-in-the-wall antique shops treasure hunting for unique pieces of mercury glass. I love it all. My most cherished Christmas ornaments, the candlesticks on my dining room table, and many other objects in my apartment are all mercury glass. I prefer the antiqued look as opposed to the flawless chrome-like finish of newer and/or more well taken care of pieces. I just think it gives it a bit more depth and character.

Fabulously luminescent and a glimmer into bygone eras, antiqued mercury glass is exactly what I am looking for. It captures the entire look and feel I would like the wedding to have.

I have spent countless hours coming through design books, wedding websites, and watched hours of Who's Wedding Is It Anyway? looking for inspiration for the reception and centerpieces and nothing really seemed to pop at me. It was all so sleek. . . . . . . . . and modern. And while that look works for others it just is not our style.

I don't remember what triggered it exactly, but I remember the light bulb going off in my head. Aha! Mercury glass centerpieces! Eclectic yet uniform, refined, elegant, perfect. If everything works out according to plan the centerpieces should look something like this:
But different flowers and less modern mercury glass. I have more ideas on where/how to use mercury glass but more on that to come...

Cultural Exchange

A few months ago after news of Jesse and I's engagement had spread around the office, one of my co-workers surprised me with a makeshift engagement party. Mai came in to work that day with several extra bags than she normally carries in. Moments later, she called me over to her desk where she had set up "tea for six" and these fantastic gooey dates.

"It's not much," she said, "but in Saudi Arabia when a woman gets engaged it is considered a very big deal. I have been wanting to give you something in congratulations so I brought in Arabic coffee and dates to celebrate."

I was so touched that she would have thought to do this. There we stood, the IT guy, Mai, myself, and Lee, huddled in the IT cubicle drinking exotic and fantastic Arabic coffee and eating these fabulously delicious dates.

This was a Friday. She went on to explain that in her country (Saudi Arabia), the end of their week is on a Wednesday. So on Wednesdays, co-workers take turns bringing in treats to "help make the time go by faster". And since it was Friday, our end of the week, she thought this would be a good way to celebrate.

Thank you Mai.

Wedding Inspiration: Baroque Revival

I created this Versailles-inspired inspiration board for my wedding! Jesse and I are planning a classically elegant wedding in 2011. The reception will be absolutely stunning with black, white and purple.

Step One: Engagement

Ever since my fiancé proposed to me I have become obsessed with everything wedding. Well lets face it, I've always been obsessed with weddings so I suppose this is not anything new. However, this time I get to plan my own wedding. And after countless hours combing through blogs, wedding advice books, bridal magazines, and boutiques I have decided to take up blogging my wedding in an attempt to get organized. Hopefully this will help me keep track of ideas and be able to share them with close friends and relatives better than a late night phone call trying to describe the centerpieces I saw earlier that day. Oh don't get me wrong, they'll still get the call but they will have a visual refereance as well. Hopefully it will be a fun way to check in on the wedding planning. And who knows, maybe along the way someone will stumble accross this blog and it will provide them with inspiration for their own wedding.