April 2011
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“That quiet mutual gaze of a trusting husband and wife is like the first moment...”
– George Eliot
March 2011
21 posts
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By the Light of the Silvery Moon...
…and some well-placed candles. Yes, yes, yes, I know the whole moon line is from a nursery rhyme, but hey, inspiration where you can find it, yes? And I happen to think that nothing is more romantic than an evening wedding with lots of candles (I might or might not have bought 500, give or take a few, for my own wedding). Flowers are lovely when done right, but give me hundreds of candles...
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On Being Dapper
You’ve picked out your stunning, modest gown (the one that will make his jaw drop and knees weak). It’s SO perfectly you. Your bridesmaids are each fitted out with an amazing dress that suits each beautiful woman. And all of you have probably gone through hours of being jabbed with pins while a seamstress makes the fit just perfect.
And then, into this lovely vision of customization...
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The Ring's the Thing
With apologies to Shakespeare, when it comes to engagements, it’s (usually) all about the ring. Now, I know plenty of people who chose not to go the ring route, but most women I know started dreaming about a ring on that all-important finger shortly after they were old enough to spell engagement! So if you were like me, the ring shopping started way before you even met your husband. Maybe in...
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Cover to Cover: Good Stock
I am dangerous in a bookstore. Really, really dangerous. I just LOVE books: the smell of leather, the heft of a properly bound book, and the joy of discovering something lovely in the stacks of an old bookstore.
Growing up, I loved to read biographies, and one of my favorite parts were the photographs and their attendant captions. Oh, the captions. It’s fascinating to me to see what the...
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Demure Design: Jasmine Bridal
Hello all! I apologize for the radio silence last week; a trip out of town combined with a series of technical difficulties (including someone deciding that my new cell phone would have a better home with them…) conspired to derail my posting plans. But I’m back this week, and have a lot of great things to share with you!
Does anyone remember the Barbie Fashion Plates toy from the 70s...
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Real Modest: Sheena's Bridals
Today’s “Real Modest” feature comes to us courtesy of Amber Weimer, who you may remember from her work with Jackie and Jang. Sheena is a bride after my own heart: her bridesmaids wore gray!
How did you meet? Trent and I met at school. We were both studying photography at UVU and he was the TA during my class time, so I had to check out equipment through him. (He likes to add...
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“So, one of modesty’s paradoxes, then, is that it is usually a reflection of...”
– Wendy Shalit in A Return to Modesty (via jlgerhardt)
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Move Over, Shirley Temple
I actually have nothing against Shirley Temples — those sweet concoctions of lemon-lime soda and grenadine. But I don’t drink, so it always makes me happy when I go to a restaurant, and they have interesting non-alcoholic drinks that don’t involve cherry syrup (my most recent favorite involved apple cider, seltzer, and a secret fruit ingredient I’m still trying to figure...
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The Master Plan
I am what might charitably be described as Type-A…all the way! So when it came to planning my wedding, I didn’t just have a notebook, I had a notebook, a file folder, a binder, an online wedding file, and a step-by-step guide to our big day. As you might imagine, then, wedding organization is a topic that is near and dear to my heart.
Let’s take a look at some of your wedding...
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The Illustrated Bride
Having spent a good of my childhood in Pensacola, FL (aka practically Alabama!!) and Tennessee, I am fairly conversant in Southern wedding traditions. Including bridal portraits, usually displayed at the wedding or reception. I didn’t choose to go that route; I’m shy enough that I threatened, on my wedding day, to barricade myself in my dressing room and make my husband and our pastor...
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Demure Design: Melissa Blackburn
Sorry for the lack of post yesterday…I was in bed all day, fighting the flu (or The Plague, as I assured my husband in my more melodramatic moments). Today it looks like I’m going to remain in the land of the living, so I’ll have a couple of posts to make up for it!!
Did you see this wedding? Well, all of the gorgeous photos of the dress made me curious about the designer. So I...
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“There is no more lovely, friendly and charming relationship, communion or...”
– Martin Luther
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Paper Love: Lion in the Sun
Happy Friday, everyone! As I’ve mentioned before, I love paper. All things paper. So what better way to head into the weekend than with a look at some paper loveliness? Today, I wanted to share one of my favorites: Lion in the Sun.
At their Park Slope store, they produce such gorgeousness as these invitations:
I am totally in love with these white-on-black invitations. In. Love.
...
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Signature Scent: Ka-mil-yin
One Mother’s Day when I was young, my sister and I discovered a store that let you make your own custom lotions and perfumes (I’m afraid the name has disappeared into the years) and created a custom scent for our mother. Ever since, I’ve been fascinated with the idea. So when I saw Leila’s bridal shower last year, I was jumping-up-and-down excited about the perfume...
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The Chalk Art of Dana Tanamachi
If you appreciate typography (and chalkboards!) as much as I do, then you probably already love the work of Dana Tanamachi.
She’s a graphic designer who moonlights as a custom chalk letterer. She starts with a sketch like this:
And turns it into a work of art like this:
Amazing, right? She’s available for commission, so you could have this kind of gorgeousness at your own...
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Papercuts by Joe
I love paper. Adore it. I might have been known to buy gorgeous paper just because it’s pretty, even if I don’t have a specific project in mind (I find a project for it! Usually.). So as you can imagine, I love amazing paper art, and one Etsy store that has been on my radar for a while now is Papercuts by Joe. Joe makes intricate, lovely, and sometimes cheeky papercuts, and I love his...
February 2011
23 posts
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Maids Monday: Shabby Apple
Think finding a modest wedding dress can be a challenge? Just wait until you look for bridesmaids’ dresses!! After looking for a modest dress for my ladies that was the right color, right price, and right fit for everyone, I finally decided to go with a coordinated but not matching look. They looked gorgeous, but I wish I had known about Shabby Apple then: it would have saved a LOT of time...
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“Love one another and you will be happy. It’s as simple and as difficult...”
– Michael Leunig
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Wedding Project: Chocolate-Dipped Marshmallows
I came across this fun project on goodLife {eats} (which I adore, by the way), and thought it would make a fun wedding project. Katie made it as a Valentine’s Day project, but wouldn’t these marshmallows be great individually wrapped as a wedding favor? Paired with some hot chocolate mix, this is one wedding favor that would definitely make it home with me!
photo from goodLife...
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Design Your Own Wedding Shoes: Milk and Honey
You know how I feel about customization. While I don’t subscribe to the theory that it being “your day” means you get to stomp on everyone’s feelings, I do think that it should be “your day” in that everyone who attends your wedding should feel like it’s so you. In my book, the more customization, the better!
So as you can imagine, Milk & Honey is...
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Demure Design: Alta Moda Bridal
Alta Moda Bridal definitely ranks up there as one of my favorite bridal boutiques. Many brides who are looking for a modest wedding gown have one of three choices: choose a gown that already has sleeves, add a jacket of some type to a gown that doesn’t, or alter a finished gown to make it more modest. Well, Alta Moda adds another option: they work directly with the gown designers to modify...
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Wedding Bouncers
Forgive the late post…I’ve been having winter travel “fun” and am typing this from the airport, where my flight just got delayed for the fifth time!
Despite that, it’s been a good day. I attended a training session on facilitation, one of the parts of my job I love the most. In one of the exercises, we were discussing the fact that when you’re dealing with...
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“Where you love somebody a whole lot, and you know that person loves you, that’s...”
– The Most Beautiful Place in the World by Ann Cameron
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Delightfully Sweet
I spent my early childhood living in Germany and, wonderful as it was, there were some side effects. Including a lifetime inability to truly enjoy Hershey’s chocolate. Thanks to my early introduction to European chocolate, I am, I must admit, a little bit of a chocolate snob. I’m not above enjoying the occasional Dove square, but my real weakness is for almost anything imported. These...
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Modest Inspiration: Winter Wedding Shoot
I am not ready for winter to be over with (although the weather doesn’t seem to agree with me). As one of the few people I know who actually seems to like the snow, I have been just the teensy-est bit appalled at how winter just seemed to vanish overnight! Maybe the weather will humor me and give us just a bit more winter, but in the meantime, go check out this great winter shoot featured on...
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Walk in Love. Secret Message Shirts
I adore walk in love. clothing. I’m not really a t-shirt person, but theirs are definitely the shirts I would wear if I were!! I’m especially loving their new secret message t-shirts.
{Photographs by Brooke Courtney Photography}
How great are those?? I think this would make a perfect fun gift for your bridesmaids — maybe for something comfy to wear before you all start...
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Demure Design: Justin Alexander
I’m discovering that I have a particular weakness for dresses with collars.
This Justin Alexander beauty, in particular, reminds me of the amazingly gorgeous riding habits women used to have. When I was little, I wanted to have a time machine just so I could go back and have one of those habits! I grew out of that particular delusion, but I still love anything that reminds me of my...
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And...We're Off!
I think of the day after Valentine’s day a little bit like the day after Thanksgiving. So many people get engaged between Christmas and Valentine’s Day, and I’ve always thought of the day after as the official beginning of the wedding planning season. All of you who got engaged at Christmas are really getting into the planning now, and those of you who got engaged yesterday are...
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We Wish to Welcome You to Munchkin Land!
Everyone likes things made especially for them, but that’s never more true than when you’re talking about children. As anyone who has searched through what feels like 500 keychains to find the one with the name of a child in your life, kids LOVE things that are personalized.
This past weekend, my sister had her first baby shower (my niece will be making an appearance in April!), and...
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Lovely Things: Villa Figura
I am not, as a rule, a huge fan of Valentine’s Day. Or hearts. In fact, I became notorious during the planning for my wedding by declaring (loudly and to anyone who would stand still, and a few who wouldn’t) that there would be no hearts or frills anywhere in sight. Luckily, I married a man who is as underwhelmed by February 14th as I am. Please don’t misunderstand me: I love...
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Real Modest: Jackie and Jang
When photographer Amber Weimer sent these photographs to me, I nearly swooned! (Yes, I just used the word swooned. I’m an old-fashioned kind of girl). If there is one thing I love, it’s anything that has the elegant glamour associated with Old Hollywood. And do these photos ever!!
If Sinatra and Crosby make your heart go all pitter-patter, then prepare to be just as bowled over as I...
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Maids Monday: Clutches
Technical difficulties got in the way of yesterday’s post, so this week, “Maids Monday” will be on Tuesday!
I love clutches. Adore them. I’m dangerous around them, though…after the fifth time I left one sitting someplace and forgot it, my husband threatened to hide every purse of mine that doesn’t have a strap!
If you have a little better luck with keeping...
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Real Modest: April & Ben
Today’s wedding was submitted to Modest Bride by the lovely Karen of Karen Schlink Photography. Karen is one of the most genuine and enthusiastic wedding photographers I’ve ever met, and she truly loves what she does (she tears up at every wedding she photographs!).
How did you meet? Ben and I met at our church and were friends for a year before he approached me.
Tell us about...
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Shower Ideas: Truffle Bar & Floral Design
If you’re like me, the thought of the “traditional” *ahem* “night out on the town” for your bachelorette party never even crossed your mind. It turns out that a growing number of women are, in fact, choosing something a little less risque for their pre-wedding celebration.
If you’re looking for an interesting idea for your bridal shower or bachelorette party,...
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There’s something so terribly sweet and innocent about carving your initials into a tree, and yet…the poor tree!!
Photo by Gail Fielding
Well, now there’s an app for that. Country Living has created the “Treemail” app for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.
You can choose from a range of different options for your carving, and then share the result digitally!...
January 2011
4 posts
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Maids Monday: Thank You's
Every Monday on this blog, we’re going to honor the women who cheer the loudest when you say “Yes!,” who talk you down when you’re stressed over wedding details, and who stand up with you on your big day: your bridesmaids.
With the average engagement lasting a year or more (and even when you clock in at a speedy six months or less, like I did), there’s a lot of time...
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Demure Design: Joan Shum
Who says modest dresses have to have puffed sleeves? Adoring this regal dress by Joan Shum, via Poppies & Posies.
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Real Modest: Amy
Wonderful real wedding, featured on Avenia Bridal’s blog, Fashionably Wed.
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Let's Call the Whole Thing On!
No, you’re not weird.
Let’s just get that out of the way to begin with. As the song goes, “you say potato, I say potahto…”
Maybe your preference is related to religious standards. Or you’re shy. Maybe you’re one of those people who’s always cold. Or you just want to keep a little bit of mystery alive. For whatever reason, you prefer a wedding...
