{what i learned about weddings}

so you know all that great stuff you hear about "your wedding day"...guess what? it's better!

the ceremony was the closest thing to having tunnel vision i've ever experienced. {my eyes were focused on the prize.} somehow your vows flow even when you realize, mid-sentence, you never practiced. you're MARRIED. nothing can prepare you for the incredible feeling of hosting all the people you love in one big room. to top it off, everyone is dressed to the nines...looking all adorable in their suits and dresses. it moves you.

here's my tiny collection of wedding "tips" passed along from family and friends

{and a few of my own}

...

breathe. answering questions about your wedding gets old. don't get me wrong, it's really fun for a while...but it slowly starts to consume every conversation like a weed. during the final two months we were ecstatic to have any discussion far removed from reception food, color choices, or flowers. and don't even get me started on all those last minute, "why aren't you doing this?" requests. save yourself a few tears...or an evening sitting on your cold bathroom floor in the dark wondering why you didn't just elope...and breathe. deeply. 

stay organized. excel spreadsheets saved my sanity. we tracked our budget, guest list, even the seating chart with glorious excel documents. bless you, microsoft! it's inevitable possible i color-coded them too. our vendor paperwork was kept in a binder. we meticulously used a calendar for all our appointments. and guess what? besides the mind-boggling cost of anything with the word "wedding" in front of it, the event itself is not stressful. invest in the important details...and save on the rest. in the end, it's your day!

trust your vendors. should you voice your opinions? absolutely! but acknowledge that they are the professional and that's why you hired them. no one likes a micro-manager. do your research early and hire people you'd be happy sharing lunch with on any regular day.

wedding dresses are made to be loved. get your dress fitted. steam it to wrinkle-free perfection. have every detail exactly the way you want. enjoy a beautiful ceremony in an equally beautiful dress...then let loose! for every spill, dirt stain, or rip {oh yes, it happened} on my dress, there was a warm hug or hilarious dance move to accompany it. who expects a perfectly pristine wedding dress at the end of the night? not this girl!

be present. just about every married friend we have offered this advice in some fashion. don't get so wrapped up in the whirlwind and forget to remember what it's all about {for once, it's not the hokey pokey}. don't let your conversations feel rushed. take that one extra photo with your siblings. eat dinner! and spend the whole event hand-in-hand with your new spouse.

it IS possible to use the restroom by yourself...even in that giant dress. most of you think this is a virtually impossible task without the skirt falling in the toilet, but it worked like a charm. around 11pm, when my self-appointed "bathroom assistant" sister was busting moves on the dance floor, i tucked away and conquered the oval office on my own. i will spare the actual details on my blog...but if you want to know how, just ask!

you will never, ever talk to everyone. i still feel horrible for the handful of people we missed at our reception. we gave it such a strong effort, but people inevitably leave early...or uncle bob has a great, 30-minute story to share. remember to write an extra special thank you cards to those you miss.

married life isn't drastically different. maybe it comes from being being stubborn enough to date someone for seven years before exchanging i do's, but the world has not flipped upside down since we got married. it's the same life. with the same goals. and the the two same people. we're just "officially" taking this fun journey called life together! 

can anyone promise your wedding day will be flawless? no. are there things you will want change after it's over? YES. let it go. i promise...a day filled with smiles, laughter and a few tears {all for the sake of love} is nothing short of perfection.

{all images in this post belong to our marvelous photographer, gail werner}

© 2011 gail werner photography, llc
www.gailwernerphoto.com

{jenna}

meet jenna.

18 years ago, jenna was about this big {imagine me motioning with my hand to the height of my kneecap}. she was in diapers for crying out loud. our families have been friends since i can remember. when jenna's mom asked if i would take her senior photos, i had to think...don't you mean eighth grade? oy vey.

now here she is...this gorgeous high school senior getting ready to leave the nest and go to college. i've heard whisperings about time flying by...but it hit me hard the day i took these photos.

 

 

 {correct me if i'm wrong, but isn't everyone supposed to be awkward during high school? not this girl! maybe i'm a wee bit jealous since my senior photos are just a hodge podge of hand-me-down clothes from gap, short/trendy hair, and majorly over-plucked eyebrows.}

{dear...}

dear autumn, i wish you lasted 9 months of the year. the other three months can be reserved for spring, summer, and winter.

dear graeters, if it ever comes down to this...i will give my right leg in exchange for the last pint of black raspberry chip ice cream at the grocery store.

dear facebook, i've been married for less than a month. you can knock it off with those baby ads already.

dear pontiac, please hold it together for at least another year. my bank account is mad enough at you already.

dear husband, {wow that word is fancy!} some nights i whip up super impressive meals...other nights we have string cheese, lucky charms, and roasted asparagus for dinner. thanks for still loving me.

dear thief in my apartment complex, i sincerely hope you're a 10-year-old boy who dreamed of having your own bike. you must have needed it more than me. please ask next time.

dear mom, hi!

dear socks, seriously...how do you lose your match from the washer to the dryer? they are less than two feet apart. it's called the buddy system.

dear nashville, we're coming! promise.

{my list: movember}

that's not a typo ladies and gents...it's movember (otherwise known as my sister karen's favorite month of the year). time to grow out your best 'stache, gentlemen!

clearly, september and october were one giant, happy blur! so here i am on the first day of the month in full force. and i couldn't resist the opportunity to post about my favorite fall things (i.e. the best season of the year).

• my hunter welly boots - dearest welly boots, you are the single best piece of apparel i own. you've waited patiently in my closet all summer...begged for rain in september...and finally relived your glory last month when the temperatures started to drop. i feel partially stylish yet strikingly similar to paddington bear when i wear them (both are positives in my book). what's the best part? you can buy super soft liners so they double as snow boots! swoon!

• all things holiday - halloween has come and gone...so peppermint white mochas are back, christmas lights are popping up everywhere, and the hunt for holiday card designs has commenced! the holiday season is the one bright spot in an otherwise bleary midwestern winter.

• merona® matte jersey skinny pants -  a.k.a. leggings thin enough to wear with boots, but thick enough to pass as actual pants and not show your business. i never thought i'd jump on the "hey, look at my not-real-pants pants," but these babies make it hard to resist. they have an extra seam up the front and back of the leg...making them feel extra fancy. available at tar-jay...plenty of color choices too!

• apple cider > apple juice - nothing says autumn like a warm glass of apple cider...with a dash of cinnamon and maybe some hwhhhipped topping if you're feeling sassy.

{photos courtesy of google}

{bottle it up}

well hello there.

i've missed you!

i'm officially back in action...fresh off a nice, long break and with a new last name! the hub-ster and i had a fantastic wedding from start to finish. the weather was amazing and the day went off without a hitch. we were both wrapped up in ooey gooey wedding mode all day long. i bet it's hard to find a single photo from our reception where i'm not smiling or laughing. this newlywed stuff is complete bliss. if i could bottle up this feeling to share on a rainy day, i would!

{for the record, husband has a much better ring to it than fiancé...i think i called him my boyfriend up until the day we got married}

back to the photo business...

here's a little peek at three projects i am wrapping up in the month of november.

 fashion shoot for pink apple photography

jenna's senior portraits

the keyifli-holt wedding

full posts to come!

xo

{the great quiet}

if you read my blog, you may be privy to the fact that i'm getting married next month (in 16 days to be exact). as a result of my own personality, i tend to take on a lot of projects at once and our wedding has been no exception. add that to a laundry list of other "to-dos," photo sessions, and a year full of family weddings and traveling. to put it mildly, i'm exhausted...but so thankful for all the celebrations and memories thus far!

about a month ago, when almost every necessary piece of equipment in my life (computer, car, home, etc...)  malfunctioned in some giant way, i stopped to take a deep breath - mostly to hold back the flood of tears. i was reminded that no matter how great my intentions, no matter how many "oh yeah, i can make that happen faster" promises i extend, and no matter how many organized lists i make...sometimes i can't handle everything.

i made a conscious effort to fully engage myself in the most important things right now. i didn't want the weeks before my wedding to feel like a blur, or to feel guilty when i couldn't exceed everyone's expectations. i want to be present in my own life.

to those of you patiently waiting for photos, for favors, or for phone calls, thank you! i cross my heart and promise...they are coming...and you will be wildly happy for the wait! i'm just taking care of me right now. my hand-written lists no longer include "make sure to blog!" and i declined to take photo sessions during the month of october. and guess what? it feels great!   

i read a post this week from one of my favorite blogs that really stuck with me - pour yourself a cup of tea and READ IT HERE.

i won't be gone for long, but i will be enjoying this great quiet for a few more weeks. when i return, make sure you have a front row seat for loads of photos and a big (i mean BIG) announcement!

hint: we're going country!

xo,
L

{six}

• someone please help me understand french pedicures. why would you pay someone to make your toe nails look like they have long, white tips?

• i do not love wearing shorts. they love me, just in all the wrong places.

• a good portion of my early high school life was spent wishing i was michelle branch (confessions of a geeky teenager).

• the best yogurt is "fruit on the bottom"...eating the plain yogurt on top and saving all the fruity goodness for the end. mixing it first is for the birds.

• very few men can pull off a white suit. if you're on the fence...assume you're not one of them.

• it might be pronounced marshmellow, but it's spelled marshmallow.

{the girls of pink apple} preview

here's a peek at a sassy session from the girls behind pink apple photography!

  

meet gwen & lara
*click on the images for the larger, lovelier photos*

{jennifer's custom cookies}

did the last three weeks leave you dreaming about cookies? i don't blame you...

as i mentioned in my preview post, jennifer is an extremely talented artist, not to mention one of the most genuine people i know. she decided to put her background in architecture and design to work in the form of hands-on, edible artwork. it was an absolute privilege to see her cookie art process first-hand.

i spent the afternoon with her...watching as her simple sketches turned into jaw-dropping creations right before my eyes. the steps are tedious, but it's clear that jennifer loves all the detail work. she makes cookies for any occasion...birthdays, showers, graduations, school activities, and more. and did i mention the the cookies taste fantastic?!

check out this awesome toy story cookie!

(made specially for her nephew's 5th birthday)

are you ready for the finished product?

.....

 (and just for fun...look at her adorable nephew with all that determination!)

now that you're salivating, go check out more of her amazing creations at jennifer's custom cookies blog!

{taking charge}

oh, blog...sweet blog of mine...i'm sorry i've neglected you. life has been a little busy these days.  and busy is an understatement. i know what you're going to say...most some of it is self-inflicted. i know. but i promise my lack of blogging is not intentional. i am going to take charge and make you a bigger priority.

what's that famous saying?  

"i've always wanted to be a procrastinator...i just never got around to it."

cue the violin.

my weekends are filled with traveling (so much fun, but it leaves little to be desired if i don't share a little more)....

my days are chock full of work (have i mentioned i have a big kid job during the week?) p.s. big kid jobs are overrated...

my evenings are overflowing with photo editing, countless wedding meetings, snacking, more editing, making to-do lists, calling old friends, awkward attempts at baking, cleaning, packing/unpacking and more editing...

*note - don't get married and start a business and make giant life plans all in the same year*

so what's coming up?

• jennifer's custom cookies - finally...the full post!
• sneak peak of the outrageously fun girls behind pink apple photography
• more ramblings from yours truly

and now...a tiny photo from last weekend. because a post is no fun without a photo. and because i like to show off my rarely clean hair and ridiculously cute fiancé.

{cold veggie pizza}

i relish in taking the "scenic way" home on a warm, breezy afternoon...or tackling a lofty craft project...or making a 5-hour chili and licking the bowl with complete satisfaction.

but let's get real here. i also love a good shortcut.

in honor of late summer- and one of the prettiest days we've had all month -i thought i'd share a quick and easy appetizer. most of you have seen adaptations of this before...it's straight-forward and contains simple ingredients. it's the perfect shortcut when you need a snack or an easy, no-thinking-required recipe. *to my sister, katie. i think you could even handle this!*

cold veggie pizza

ingredients: 

• 1 pillsbury thin crust pizza dough (found near the cookie dough and crescent rolls)

• 1 cup broccoli florets, chopped
• 1 cup red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1 cup carrots (cheaters like me will buy the pre-cut carrot slivers)
• 1/2 cup shredded cheese of your choice
• other tasty toppings – any other color bell pepper / cauliflower florets / olives (if you don’t think they taste like dirty socks, like i do)

• 8 oz. brick of cream cheese (i prefer the reduced fat variety)
• approximately ½ cup – 1 cup of mayo or sour cream (plain greek yogurt probably works well too). you just need some creamy dairy to make the cream cheese silky.
• 1 pack of dry ranch mix to taste. you may not need the entire packet. (i buy the harvest dill variety…if you buy plain mix, maybe add fresh dill to your toppings list!)

step-by-step:

• let your cream cheese sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes. just let it soften and do its thing.
• bake one pillsbury thin crust pizza dough on a large baking sheet (follow package instructions for baking…it takes a little practice to roll the dough out evenly into a large rectangle). sometimes i brush a little olive oil on top before it goes in the oven. it makes me feel gourmet.
•  while the dough bakes, chop up your veggies.

• take your pizza crust out of the oven (stop to admire your work) and let it cool for a solid10-15 minutes.
• while it’s cooling, whip up your ranch mixture.
• spread the cheesy ranch mixture across the dough and top with veggies and cheese (lighten press all the toppings down with your clean hands to get everything to stick!)
• cut into single servings.

*i also cheated and borrowed all these images from google*  

{c is for cookie}

my job is really tough. sometimes i photograph cool friends who create deliciously edible masterpieces. i am tempted by the scent of freshly-baked cookies and candy-coated sprinkles for hours. occasionally, i'm forced to taste test. feel bad for me yet? (didn't think so)

take a little looksy at my friend, jennifer, and her amaaaaaazing talent.

 full story coming soon!

{my list: august}

first things first...can someone please tell me how on earth it is august?! i think my brain is stuck somewhere in 2007.

these are the things topping the charts right now...

• west elm - imagine walking into a crate & barrel store...can you see all those clean lines and trendy accessories? now try to picture everything getting a little softer. more muted. a bit more lived in. dare i say the prices are even a little more fabulous? too bad they don't have a gift registry. (le sigh)
  
• coffee - i'm having a lot of trouble being a "morning person" these days, so i've developed this strange habit of frequenting starbucks...usually on my lunch break.  random, i know. coffee is generally preferred in the morning, but i find an afternoon treat to be a nice break in my day. i was even offered a job there last week (true story). over the past few months i've savored a handful of mocha coconut frappuccinos. i've guzzled down a passion tea lemonade or two. and i've relied on enough non-fat, no whip white mochas to keep a small army alert. *you know you have reached a new level of addiction when your drink is that anal specific* and have you seen their new bistro boxed lunches?! holy cow, people. they are worth every delicious penny. 

• fruit popsicles - what's the single best way to combat all this summer heat? delicious fruit freezer pops, of course! nom nom nom.
• trader joe's - my love for tj's (you see, we're using nicknames already) started on a trip to tennessee a few years ago. i needed to kill some time before a friend returned home. i wandered into their friendly store-front and never looked back. i came out with my arms fully loaded. i could seriously swim in a pool of their roasted red pepper hummus...scoop up every $8.99 potted orchid (crazy cheap)...and cook meals with their delicious food every day. it's pretty funny when my list of "where to live" specifications includes a tj's within 15 miles.

 

• almond everything - let's face it, almonds are the new soybean. i'm a bit slow getting on the almond bandwagon, but i've been testing out some yummy almond goodness as of late. almond milk,  almond butter,  almond oil infused body wash (is that excessive? perhaps).
• hall & oates - i might be the single reason this video will exceed 4 million hits this month. gotta love that 80's hair.

xo