Professional Pictures

I just spoke with my photographer today, he said the pictures will be ready next week! Ahh it can't come sooner :)

I think I will just post my favorites on my website (and facebook if I can upload all the rest of my backlog in time!) instead of giving out the password to the uploaded ones on my photogs site... that will be for family only :)

Also, Jon and I just scheduled our "re-bridals" session! I never used my engagment session so Jon and I have a "free" session left. Bridals are when the bride dresses up and takes pictures in her dress before the wedding, so re-bridals are when you do that after. However, I can't not include Jon! I am currently trying to decide on a location -- any good ideas in the DC area? I've also thought about doing shots in the portrait studio, but I think I am leaning towards outside. The venue would have to be very different from Oatlands. I am also having another bouquet and bout made -- this time I will do a colorful one! We'll have to get Jon in a colorful bowtie, as well. I'm thinking of doing something funky for the flowers so stay tuned.

Only a few days after the photoshoot Jon and I will pack up and move to Atlanta. While I am continuing my job search, Jon will help his father with the opening of his family's second restaurant. Jon will love the feeling of being a manager again. Bye bye, Bodos!!

Groomsmen "Sexy Can I" Dance

Check out the dance our groomsmen made up... granted, they got really drunk before performing due to stage fright haha, but still a bang-up job. Jon is on the far left in the black vest :)

Check out the video on YouTube here!

6.18.11: A Day to Remember!

I just wanted to take a second to document my favorite (and not so favorite) parts of the day!

The day started out a little rough; I had initially planned on taking pictures at a room at Lansdowne Resort but Jon and I were not pleased with the quality for the price so we booked a suite for Saturday night at the Ritz instead (note to the gentlemen, who probably don't read this anyways haha: ALWAYS DO THE RITZ!! :). Thus I had to get ready at my house in lieu to stay in the area. Not ideal but the dining room/living room area is pretty so it was okay.

I went to get my hair and make-up done, and for those of you following me on facebook my hairstylist called out on emergency three days before, yikes! So I was given a new person... the "best." Needless to say, I was not very impressed... I actually did not like my hair very much BUT I knew my lovely gay make-up artist would make everything better! Ladies... get your make-up done, its worth it! It might seem like a lot... but its for the photos :)

My Dad forgot the programs and bubbles. That is actually a pretty big deal, but since Mother Nature let the rain hang off I didn't let it get to me. We used the bubbles at the end and then I was able to make my recessional song a surprise which I initially wanted (Clocks by Coldplay - the instrumental strings only version).



Okay... Jon will kill me for saying this but when he teared up (lets be real - cried like a baby ;) during his vows -- that was great! I tried so hard not to tear up. Actually it was pretty easy haha. He said I have no soul... but he says its alright since I decided to change my last name :).

We unanimously agreed that we should have gotten dance lessons... we can't dance.

I was so impressed with the flowers... they were amazing and all I had hoped for & more! Our colors were light pink and raspberry and I had her add a touch of lavender... it really gave the pieces depth and dimension. LOVED them.

My dress petals kept falling off during the reception when they'd get caught under peoples shoes... if you found one its good luck ;)

Both our limo/bus rentals were free upgrades... hello white stretch limo and... stripper pole party bus? Sweet.

Overall it went by without a hitch! In hindsight it would have been nice to have a wedding planner (separate from my catering coordinator who liked to act as one or even separate from the Oatlands wedding consultant) -- someone that always touches base with you throughout all the mayhem! Some of the bridesmaids bouquets were left behind and I would have liked to dry one rather than have it thrown away.

Yes. All the extra flowers went to my house. So pretty. I'm drying my bouquet and Jon's bout for a keepsake as well, yay!

We did it!!

Languasco Family, Est. June 18, 2011

Still waiting on the professional pictures, so excited! I will try to make a few posts in the coming weeks regarding lessons learned and good tips picked up along the way. Also, once I get my professional pictures in, I will make a couple collages and "feature" the wedding and all my vendors, similar to what legit wedding blogs do (see this cool blue & green wedding in Elizabeth Anne Designs).

Apologies for dropping off the face of the earth after March... closing up the conference (which still isn't done, sigh), finishing my thesis & classes, looking for a job (still in the works!), tying loose ends with the wedding, & graduating got the best of me ;)! But now it is all over, like they say it sure does go by quick! So quick it is a little bit hard to savor and enjoy it... but for those of us into photography, it is well worth the pictures. Then I will branch off into a separate blog to start detailing the married life :)

Caroline and Jon Update: Invitations ordered!!

Yes... kind of on the slow side. SWE Conference is this weekend though so after it is over I am freeeee. It also helps that I am capping everything at 120... my guest list after that is give or take final. Still needs a little work, though!

I decided to splurge on invitations, reply cards, invitation envelopes, and reply card envelopes. I am going to use 2-color letterpress for my invitations and reply cards, and 1-color for my envelopes (to print my return address). They are my DREAM ONES!! I love to scrapbook so paper is very important to me. I actually made a pie chart of my expenses (the enginerd in me) so I will update it in the future. After mid-week next week... what will I do with myself now that conference is over?? Oh, yeah... plan my wedding! Finally. Can't wait to think up DIY ideas!

Flowers 101: Blooming months and average prices

Once a girl gets engaged, she usually goes out and immediately buys a bridal magazine. Open one and you'll find gorgeous bouquets that you'll want to mimic for yourself -- but beware! Many flowers have specific blooming months and a lot of times they will not overlap, but in expensive photo shoots anything goes. November bride? Peonies are a lost cause. Peonies in May and June? Instantly available and way more affordable than off-months.

Price

Some flowers are notoriously expensive, others it depends on the time of the year. I found this great list of average prices, and I'll include pictures if you haven't heard of some of these flower (and non-traditional flower) types.

Most expensive: >$10 per stem

1. Callas Lilies -- mini & regular

2. Casablanca Lilies

3. Garden Roses

4. Hydrangea

5. Lily of the Valley

6. Orchids (A. Cymbidiums, B. Cattleyas, C. Phalaenopsis -- typical orchid)

Medium Price: $5-10 per stem

1. Dahlias

2. Fern Fronds (monkey tail)

3. French Tulips

4. Gardenia

5. Glorisa Lilies (isn't that interesting?)

6. Orchids (A. Dendrobiums, B. Mokaras, C. Oncidiums)

7. Peonies

8. Pincushion Protea

9. Succulents

10. Viburnum

Least Expensive: < $5 per stem

1. Anemones

2. Asiatic Lilies

3. Bells of Ireland

4. Carnations

5. Craspedia (Billy Balls)

6. Freesia

7. Gerber Daisies

8. Gladiolas

9. Grape Hyacinth (Muscari)

10. Green Fuji Mums

11. Hyacinth

12. Hypericum Berries

13. Larkspur

14. Lisianthus

15. Phlox

16. Poppies

17. Ranunculus

18. Roses

19. Scabiosa

20. Snapdragons

21. Stephanotis

22. Stock

23. Sunflowers

24. Sweetpeas

25. Tulips

26. Tweedia

Blooming months

Different flowers are available in different seasons. However, if you're willing to pay the price, you can almost get just about anything any time of the year, but it will likely be shipped in from another country. The #1 way to keep your flower budget down is to select blooms in season! Note: these listings below are not completely strict; my wedding is June 18 but I will be using a lot of Spring category flowers but they may be near the end of their blooming period near my wedding date.

Spring

Apple or cherry blossoms 
Daffodils 
Dogwoods 
Forsythia branches 
Hyacinth 
Iris 
Larkspur 
Lilies 
Lilacs 
Lily of the Valley 
Pansies 
Peonies 
Sweet Peas 
Tulips 

Summer

Asters 
Calla Lilies 
Dahlias 
Daisies 
Delphinium 
Geraniums 
Hydrangeas 
Iris 
Jacobs ladder 
Larkspur 
Queen Anne’s lace 
Roses 
Shasta daises
Stock 
Sunflower   
Zinnias 

Fall

Asters 
Chrysanthemums 
Zinnias 
Gerbera daisies 
Marigolds 
Roses 
Sunflowers

Winter

Amaryllis 
Camellias 
Forget-me-nots 
Jasmine 
Orchids 
Poinsettias
Holly

Caroline and Jon Update: 1/8 menu tasting!

This is a bit delayed but figured I would go over it!

On Jon and I's 6 year anniversary we had our first menu tasting. We were able to try all four of our h'orderves, our first course (salad), our main dishes (chicken, salmon), and our two cake flavors (as in different layers are different flavors). Everything tasted delicious, and I think the only amendment we made was changing the cheese on our salad. I know I chose the right caterer -- the presentation was phenomenal -- very interesting use of ingredients... very artsy! And so is the china Jon picked out so it should all come together very nicely. Our menu also has two subtle themes (essences/repeated flavors/?) to it and I believe they were executed tastefully (hah hah, get it?) soooo hopefully they will be obvious and yummy :)

In addition to just being our caterer, the same company provides all of our linens, silverware, chairs (ceremony + reception), cocktail hour tables, misc tables (guestbook, escort, bar, etc.), and even the lounge we are going to have under the tent. It really helps to minimize the number of vendors we have to talk to/deal with. My caterer even had one of her florist friends make us a centerpiece for our tasting. I am probably going to use him as my florist, just because I really don't have time to compare and contrast vendors. As always though -- remember to check and see what people say about your vendors on www.weddingwire.com, its a great resource!

This is the centerpiece the florist made me only knowing I like "pink,"

mine will be fairly different which is why I'll post this.

I will still use some of the same flowers (roses, spray roses) and colors,

although I don't really want much or any white in my arrangements.

Bustles 101

Okay, here goes on catching up on a million posts!

This winter break I had my first fitting. Because the gown was cut to fit me, it was a perfect match. So my two main reasons for going were for (1) I was adding in a sweetheart neckline and (2) I needed to have my dress bustled.

[buhs-uhl]

A pulling up of fabric at the back of a dress where the bodice meets the skirt. Many trains may be bustled so they are out of the way at the reception.

There are many types of bustles to go with, and they can add their own stylistic flair to a dress. Usually the Maid of Honor (MOH) is in charge of helping the bride bustle her dress post-ceremony.

1 point bustle

The most simple and inexpensive. Can be over-bustled (left) or under-bustled (right). This is a very full bustle and should only be used on light fabrics because it is notorious for breaking with heavier fabrics like satin.

Another 1 point under-bustle

3 point bustle

The 3 point bustle spreads out the train more than the 1 point, and is more expensive but better at holding up heavier fabrics (see an overbustle below).

The French Bustle

This is a more complicated bustle, and is great for delicate and heavy fabrics -- a definite wow factor (but not too crazy)! This bustle has anywhere from 2-25 points, making it a bit more pricey. 

The Double and Triple French Bustle

Sometimes known as the "whipped cream" bustle -- for a good reason. Very dramatic and has a victorian charm -- my thoughts exactly on what a bride of Mr. Darcy would wear!

The Ballroom Bustle

This bustle is meant to create the illusion that there is no train to the dress. This tends to be pretty secure and is good for long trains.

The Australian Bustle

This bustle is becoming a new trend, it makes use of a pull and loop system of ribbons similar to window shades.

What about me? Actually, just a 1 point bustle. I hadn't done "bustle" research beforehand and my seamstress offered me 1 point and 3 point. 3 point pulls more fabric up and out for a fuller look, so my dress looked shorter. Having a fit-to-flare style, I have a semi-wide train area, so I didn't want it to look really short and full. I opted for a 1 point to retain a little length on my train (don't step on it! ;). It blends in really nicely, which I liked since I am not the biggest fan of bustles in general. Because of the very decorated nature of the bottom of my dress (that's all I'm going to say, most of my friends have seen it already) it has the effect of a ballroom bustle. I'm happy with it!

Jon Update

Jon has agreed to wear a bow tie!! Yes!

But it will be black :)

He will also be sporting a three piece Hugo Boss tuxedo. He even bought his white shirt. 

Way to go Jon! That's a check off of our list.

...somethin' like that!

6 months and counting...

Gulp! Under the 6 month marker! Things I need to do over break:

-Hire a DJ [hopeless]
-Pick an officiant [hopeless]
-Pick a florist [in the works]
-Pick an invitation set [extra hopeless]
-Select a bridesmaid dress(es) [semi-hopeless]
-Acquire bridemaids gifts [done! :)]
-Finalize catering [almost done]
-Finalize guest list and send out save the dates to family [in the works]
-Try on my dress for fitting [in the works - Dec 27!]

Wondering when I will crack and hire a wedding planner... although I will admit my catering rep is really good for that. She is introducing me to her favorite florist, and considering I have no direction or idea about who is good in the area, that will be fine for me. Often times your vendors will recommend other vendors they have worked with in the past. Often times this is the best place to hear about good options! BUT always double check their suggestions on http://www.weddingwire.com/! This is a great site for reviews by real brides.