Something borrowed...well, that's kind of gross, isn't it?
I don't know if I ever mentioned this, but I have a dress. A wedding dress. A dress for my wedding. Because I'm getting married.
It's white and I love it. That's all I'm going to tell you. I like being mysterious. That and Le Fiance doesn't want to know ANYTHING about what I'm wearing that day. Nothing. Which is kind of okay with me, it just gets hard to keep my mouth shut. Oh, the things we do for love.
But now that I have the dress, I'm running into problems. The old adage "Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue" is great and all, but what's old that I could wear on my wedding day? That kind of weirds me out. And I'd like to borrow something, but what? What do you borrow from people? Thinking about it kind of gives me the shivers. The new part is easy: dress, duh. And so is the blue. One of the first presents Fiance gave me was blue rope bracelet; it's plain, it's kind of camp-y, but I love it. When he gave it to me he said "Every time you look at this think of me" (cheesy, judge) and I do. And he has a "matching" yellow one, so somewhere on my person will be the blue bracelet. But can you double up on them? Can I get blue shoes, too? Then it would be "Something old, something new, something blue and another thing blue" right? Does that count? Or can I just change it altogether?
I know that somehow, some way I will have all things "something." But what do I borrow? I want to borrow accessories (again, can't say much because of Fiance) but I'm kind of (okay, REALLY) picky. And can I buy shoes and wear them and count them as "old"? I just don't know these things.
But the main thing is I have a dress. OH and a fiance. A wonderful one, at that.
What did you borrow on your wedding day? Or did you opt out of that tradition?
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Monday, April 11, 2011
The "I Dos"
I think hands-down, one of the hardest things about wedding planning is remembering what comes after: the marriage. Don't get me wrong, I think about the marriage part all the time. We're going through premarital counseling right now, so we're DEFINITELY learning about how things "really" go (I know what you're thinking, "Wait, it's not all cuddles and romantic dinners?" I know, it surprised me too! Kiddingggggg.). But somewhere between the cake tasting, decoration making, and vendor confirming it's easy to lose sight of what the wedding means and symbolizes, the joining of two people. Forever.
And maybe that's why I struggle so much with the vows. To me, the vows are what "make" the ceremony. The vows are, in essence, a snapshot of the couple; it's the part I wait for and look forward to at every ceremony. What are they promising to do? To have and to hold? Or to take out the trash every Tuesday and let her cook one chocolate dessert every week? I think traditional vows are perfect for some couples, repeating words that have been voiced for centuries and saying the same things your parents said is a powerful thing. I also like non-traditional vows, ones that are unique to the couple.
But I see issues with both. The traditional vows are just that...traditional. I love them, I do, but Scott and I aren't exactly traditional people and our wedding will reflect that. I think the words are touching, but just not "us." Then there are non-traditional, which are cute, but sometimes leave people out of the loop and asking "Wait, what'd he just say?" or "Was that supposed to be funny? I don't get it." Granted, I know this is our ceremony, but it's still a day that we're sharing with people and I don't want to have to plant people in attendance to laugh at the right time. That's just awkward.
So I think we'll combine both, traditional and non-traditional. Maybe we'll just re-word some things and make it more "us" or maybe we'll google "vows" and see what happens (Is that bad? Because that's probably what we'll be doing.).
Either way, I can practically promise you that some of what this darling couple says will make it in there. Seriously. I cry every time I watch this.
I mean, really? So adorable. I die.
So what were your vows? Did you go the traditional route, or choose to write your own?
And maybe that's why I struggle so much with the vows. To me, the vows are what "make" the ceremony. The vows are, in essence, a snapshot of the couple; it's the part I wait for and look forward to at every ceremony. What are they promising to do? To have and to hold? Or to take out the trash every Tuesday and let her cook one chocolate dessert every week? I think traditional vows are perfect for some couples, repeating words that have been voiced for centuries and saying the same things your parents said is a powerful thing. I also like non-traditional vows, ones that are unique to the couple.
But I see issues with both. The traditional vows are just that...traditional. I love them, I do, but Scott and I aren't exactly traditional people and our wedding will reflect that. I think the words are touching, but just not "us." Then there are non-traditional, which are cute, but sometimes leave people out of the loop and asking "Wait, what'd he just say?" or "Was that supposed to be funny? I don't get it." Granted, I know this is our ceremony, but it's still a day that we're sharing with people and I don't want to have to plant people in attendance to laugh at the right time. That's just awkward.
So I think we'll combine both, traditional and non-traditional. Maybe we'll just re-word some things and make it more "us" or maybe we'll google "vows" and see what happens (Is that bad? Because that's probably what we'll be doing.).
Either way, I can practically promise you that some of what this darling couple says will make it in there. Seriously. I cry every time I watch this.
Gene + Jill // Two Pease in a Pod from capture studios on Vimeo.
I mean, really? So adorable. I die.
So what were your vows? Did you go the traditional route, or choose to write your own?
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Sweet Corn Tamale Cakes
Last week my family and I went to a Mexican restaurant here in town. For most people in our area, this is not uncommon (let's be real, most people have Bueno almost once a week); for me, though, well let's just say I'm not a big fan of Mexican food. It makes my tummy feel funny.
So imagine my surprise when we ordered a dish that I LOVED. I mean, downright wanted to stop eating and take it home just so I knew I could have it the next day. I didn't, of course, because I wanted to eat it then, too. My mom and I looked at the menu online because I needed to decide what I wanted before we got there (I'm notorious for taking wayyyy too long to decide at the restaurant) and we saw on the appetizer list something intriguing: sweet corn tamale cakes. Hmm. I like corn, but I don't like tamales. But it was topped with avocado so of course I said, "Sign me up!"
After dinner, I declared that I would recreate the dish at home. I had to. I needed to have a recipe like this in my life. I would say I came pretty close...of course I didn't get everything right, I knew I wouldn't. But that just gives me an excuse to go back, right? Perfect!
Enjoy the recipe! If I had to do it over again, I would probably double the recipe. This cake wasn't dense necessarily, it just didn't rise like the cakes at the restaurant. I considered baking it in muffin tins, but was hesitant about the baking time. Let me know if you try it!
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Sweet Corn Tamale Cake with Creamy Avocado Topping
Adapted from Knead for Speed's recipe
Corn Cake
Using a blender or food processor, blend the sweet corn until it's smooth but still a little bit chunky. Set aside for later.
In a small bowl, combine the masa harina, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt. Save for later.
Beat the butter until fluffy using an electric mixer. Make sure you're using a bowl big enough for all the ingredients, but not so big that you feel like you're just chasing the butter around the bowl. I'm speaking from experience, here. Add the honey, corn mixture, water and milk to the butter. Mix to combine. Then add your masa harina mixture to the honey/corn/butter/etc mixture and mix to combine.
Pour your batter into your baking dish. Cover with foil and bake for about 35-45 minutes. Allow to cool for about 10 minutes before serving.
While it's baking, you can whip up the avocado topping. Slice the avocado in half, remove the pit, and cut the avocado into medium-sized squares. Place in a small bowl. For the cream cheese, I used whipped for two reasons: one, I felt like it would coat the avocado better and two, I'm on Weight Watchers and still really wanted cream cheese so this was my solution. Measure out the whipped cream cheese and add it to the avocados. Drizzle a little honey in, to taste. Using a rubber spatula, stir all ingredients together until the avocados are coated and it looks like the honey's been incorporated. Cover and put in the fridge until you serve the corn cake. Dice up the tomato and set aside.
When you're ready to serve, cut the cake in squares (Knead for Speed even recommends using a cookie scoop! I think I should have done that) and top with avocado topping and diced tomato. Drizzle a little more honey on if you wish, and enjoy!
So imagine my surprise when we ordered a dish that I LOVED. I mean, downright wanted to stop eating and take it home just so I knew I could have it the next day. I didn't, of course, because I wanted to eat it then, too. My mom and I looked at the menu online because I needed to decide what I wanted before we got there (I'm notorious for taking wayyyy too long to decide at the restaurant) and we saw on the appetizer list something intriguing: sweet corn tamale cakes. Hmm. I like corn, but I don't like tamales. But it was topped with avocado so of course I said, "Sign me up!"
After dinner, I declared that I would recreate the dish at home. I had to. I needed to have a recipe like this in my life. I would say I came pretty close...of course I didn't get everything right, I knew I wouldn't. But that just gives me an excuse to go back, right? Perfect!
Enjoy the recipe! If I had to do it over again, I would probably double the recipe. This cake wasn't dense necessarily, it just didn't rise like the cakes at the restaurant. I considered baking it in muffin tins, but was hesitant about the baking time. Let me know if you try it!
Pin It
Sweet Corn Tamale Cake with Creamy Avocado Topping
Adapted from Knead for Speed's recipe
Corn Cake
- 1 can (14-15ish oz) sweet corn, drained--YES, sweet corn. Nothing else. Hence the sweet corn cake.
- 1/2 cup masa harina (you can find it at Wal-Mart in the Hispanic food section!)
- 3 tablespoons yellow corn meal
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 1/2 tablespoons butter, softened
- a little over 1/4 cup honey--I just let it overflow for a second. I like sweet things, okay?
- 3 tablespoons water
- 2 tablespoons skim milk
- 1 avocado
- 3 tablespoons whipped cream cheese--get it out of the fridge when you start making the cake. You'll want it to be a little bit soft.
- a little bit of honey
- one Roma tomato
Using a blender or food processor, blend the sweet corn until it's smooth but still a little bit chunky. Set aside for later.
In a small bowl, combine the masa harina, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt. Save for later.
Beat the butter until fluffy using an electric mixer. Make sure you're using a bowl big enough for all the ingredients, but not so big that you feel like you're just chasing the butter around the bowl. I'm speaking from experience, here. Add the honey, corn mixture, water and milk to the butter. Mix to combine. Then add your masa harina mixture to the honey/corn/butter/etc mixture and mix to combine.
Pour your batter into your baking dish. Cover with foil and bake for about 35-45 minutes. Allow to cool for about 10 minutes before serving.
While it's baking, you can whip up the avocado topping. Slice the avocado in half, remove the pit, and cut the avocado into medium-sized squares. Place in a small bowl. For the cream cheese, I used whipped for two reasons: one, I felt like it would coat the avocado better and two, I'm on Weight Watchers and still really wanted cream cheese so this was my solution. Measure out the whipped cream cheese and add it to the avocados. Drizzle a little honey in, to taste. Using a rubber spatula, stir all ingredients together until the avocados are coated and it looks like the honey's been incorporated. Cover and put in the fridge until you serve the corn cake. Dice up the tomato and set aside.
When you're ready to serve, cut the cake in squares (Knead for Speed even recommends using a cookie scoop! I think I should have done that) and top with avocado topping and diced tomato. Drizzle a little more honey on if you wish, and enjoy!
Thursday, March 17, 2011
What not to wear
Thanks for your comments regarding the arbor! I think I've come to a decision....I'm going to go with the fabric-draped arbor! Not sure if I'll use color fabric or not, but I just think it will be the right touch of whimsy. Or something like that.
I thought that deciding upon the arbor would open the gates to decision-making across the board...how wrong I was. I still have so, so many decisions to make. So. Many. Decisions. But I have been making some progress! The biggest accomplishment is purchasing bridesmaids dresses. They're CUTE, let me tell ya. Now all we have to decide is what the boys are wearing, what shoes I'm going to wear, what kind of veil I'm wearing, how to decorate the mantle in the lodge, what's going on the aisle for the ceremony, what our programs will look like.....okay, so we've still got a way to go.
But the awesome news is...WE'RE GETTING OUR ENGAGEMENT PICTURES TAKEN SOON! I'm. so. excited. We're getting them taken at Camp, where we met. Now the most pressing decision for me is....what the junk do I wear? Seriously. I love fashion and styling, but I'm so lost. Do we "theme" the shoot? If so, I'm not really up for wearing our Camp gear; Chacos and Nike shorts aren't exactly the most "bride-like" attire. We're probably going to bring a quilt to the shoot (I know, kind of engagement-cliche but I like it) and Fiance's going to bring his ukulele, but other than that I really have no ideas.We've thought about doing a picnic-y type thing, with me baking some treats and what not, but I didn't know if that was too much. So, again, I'm asking for your help! I do have an idea on one outfit but still need help. I've been making some style boards on Polyvore but am still open to suggestions! I'm lookin' to this gal for style inspiration, too. Because she's adorable. And I love her.
Also, do you think I should get my make-up done for this? Seriously. It's a pretty well-known fact that I'm, well, less than skilled with makeup. Also known as if I leave the house with anything more than mascara and blush it's a good day. I've been debating this for a while and didn't know if that was too much.
So help a sista out. Let me know what I should wear! I know that you're not completely familiar with my closest (thank goodness) but generics work well, too! Looking forward to your opinions. I know I've got some super-stylish friends out there.
I thought that deciding upon the arbor would open the gates to decision-making across the board...how wrong I was. I still have so, so many decisions to make. So. Many. Decisions. But I have been making some progress! The biggest accomplishment is purchasing bridesmaids dresses. They're CUTE, let me tell ya. Now all we have to decide is what the boys are wearing, what shoes I'm going to wear, what kind of veil I'm wearing, how to decorate the mantle in the lodge, what's going on the aisle for the ceremony, what our programs will look like.....okay, so we've still got a way to go.
But the awesome news is...WE'RE GETTING OUR ENGAGEMENT PICTURES TAKEN SOON! I'm. so. excited. We're getting them taken at Camp, where we met. Now the most pressing decision for me is....what the junk do I wear? Seriously. I love fashion and styling, but I'm so lost. Do we "theme" the shoot? If so, I'm not really up for wearing our Camp gear; Chacos and Nike shorts aren't exactly the most "bride-like" attire. We're probably going to bring a quilt to the shoot (I know, kind of engagement-cliche but I like it) and Fiance's going to bring his ukulele, but other than that I really have no ideas.We've thought about doing a picnic-y type thing, with me baking some treats and what not, but I didn't know if that was too much. So, again, I'm asking for your help! I do have an idea on one outfit but still need help. I've been making some style boards on Polyvore but am still open to suggestions! I'm lookin' to this gal for style inspiration, too. Because she's adorable. And I love her.
Also, do you think I should get my make-up done for this? Seriously. It's a pretty well-known fact that I'm, well, less than skilled with makeup. Also known as if I leave the house with anything more than mascara and blush it's a good day. I've been debating this for a while and didn't know if that was too much.
So help a sista out. Let me know what I should wear! I know that you're not completely familiar with my closest (thank goodness) but generics work well, too! Looking forward to your opinions. I know I've got some super-stylish friends out there.
Monday, March 7, 2011
Help, prease?
In my hunt for all things wedding, I've noticed that I gravitate towards decorations that could be considered "whimsical." The problem, however, is that they also could be considered "childish" or "trashy." There's a very, very fine line between these adjectives. And I feel like I'm gravitating towards the "trashy."
Yeck.
A source of major concern is the arbor. Do I want to decorate with real flowers? Do I want to decorate with streamers? Pom pom streamers? Honeycomb balls hung on streamers? Chiffon draped over the arbor? The answer is yes. To all of them.
Honestly, I think my main concern is this: I don't want people to think that I'm taking my marriage lightly. Believe me, I understand that marriage is a blessing, but I also acknowledge that it takes work. Lots of work. Fiance and I are under no illusions that marriage will always be hunky dory; it takes time to adapt to living with another person, and even 50 years down the line it will still be difficult.
But does that mean I can't have loads of tissue paper and streamers everywhere? I honestly don't know. As a couple, fiance and I aren't exactly the most serious people. And by that, I mean we're goofy. All de timez lolz (Too much? Yeah, I figured.). So at the reception, I know we can get away with having some fun little decorations around. But is it pushing it to have them at the ceremony?
Basically, I need your help. Do we go pseudo-traditional and have flowers on the arbor? Or do we go with the whimsical-ness of streamers and pom poms? Or do we combine a little of both, with chiffon-like fabric and some other decorations? I'm letting (read: begging) y'all help decide!
So here's what the arbor looks like (it's from behind but you get the idea). It's kind of pixelated, but it can be found here:
And here are the options (click on the links for bigger pictures!):
This was my original idea for the arbor. Simple and sweet. I still love it. If you need picture inspiration, check her photos out. I LOVE them.
These are some garlands made of dyed coffee filters. I love this. In different colors, I think it would be beautiful!
Ohhh my dear, I love this, too. In shades of light pink and turquoise? Yes, please.
Oh doilies. My weakness. So pretty. Can you picture garlands of these? I can.
So I know these are on a car, but can I still think it would be super cute on an arbor!
...and then there's these. This one's the perfect color, and this one's just plain gorgeous.
So what do you think? Which one do you think would look the best with my whimsical wedding? Looking forward to hearing your opinions!
Yeck.
A source of major concern is the arbor. Do I want to decorate with real flowers? Do I want to decorate with streamers? Pom pom streamers? Honeycomb balls hung on streamers? Chiffon draped over the arbor? The answer is yes. To all of them.
Honestly, I think my main concern is this: I don't want people to think that I'm taking my marriage lightly. Believe me, I understand that marriage is a blessing, but I also acknowledge that it takes work. Lots of work. Fiance and I are under no illusions that marriage will always be hunky dory; it takes time to adapt to living with another person, and even 50 years down the line it will still be difficult.
But does that mean I can't have loads of tissue paper and streamers everywhere? I honestly don't know. As a couple, fiance and I aren't exactly the most serious people. And by that, I mean we're goofy. All de timez lolz (Too much? Yeah, I figured.). So at the reception, I know we can get away with having some fun little decorations around. But is it pushing it to have them at the ceremony?
Basically, I need your help. Do we go pseudo-traditional and have flowers on the arbor? Or do we go with the whimsical-ness of streamers and pom poms? Or do we combine a little of both, with chiffon-like fabric and some other decorations? I'm letting (read: begging) y'all help decide!
So here's what the arbor looks like (it's from behind but you get the idea). It's kind of pixelated, but it can be found here:
And here are the options (click on the links for bigger pictures!):
This was my original idea for the arbor. Simple and sweet. I still love it. If you need picture inspiration, check her photos out. I LOVE them.
These are some garlands made of dyed coffee filters. I love this. In different colors, I think it would be beautiful!
Ohhh my dear, I love this, too. In shades of light pink and turquoise? Yes, please.
Oh doilies. My weakness. So pretty. Can you picture garlands of these? I can.
So I know these are on a car, but can I still think it would be super cute on an arbor!
...and then there's these. This one's the perfect color, and this one's just plain gorgeous.
So what do you think? Which one do you think would look the best with my whimsical wedding? Looking forward to hearing your opinions!
Monday, February 28, 2011
diy? Try d-i-die.
From the beginning of wedding planning, I have decided to make a lot of things for this wedding myself; not all, mind you, but a lot of things. I like knowing that the ceremony and reception will have personal touches, things that I made specifically for Fiance and I's special day. And, let's be real here, I did like (okay, love) the idea of having control over things. If I make them and mess them up, my fault, try again! If someone else makes them and messes them up...bad news. So, so bad. Plus, I had over a year to make everything, right?
Oh, how wrong I was. Now, here we are, six months out from le wedding and what have I made? Uhmmm....nothing. I've purchased some things, but overall, the whole DIY thing isn't going too well.
This is where the panic sets in. I know it's probably too soon, but it's happening just the same. Gone are the days that I could claim I had a year to make things. Sigh.
So, my friends, if you get an invitation to a "super fun girl's night!" bring a glue gun, a paintbrush, some thread, and a good attitude. I'm putting you to work.
The good news? I have a dress, a venue, a caterer, an officiant, a photographer, a bomb set of bridesmaids, and a smokin' hot fiance.
Bring it on, September.
And because I know you're dying to see...here's a sneak peak of some centerpiece ideas we're working on! And some fabric to be used elsewhere. And flowers from Fiance because he's the best. And my kitchen table, but we're not bringing that to the wedding. That would be just plain weird.
Oh, how wrong I was. Now, here we are, six months out from le wedding and what have I made? Uhmmm....nothing. I've purchased some things, but overall, the whole DIY thing isn't going too well.
This is where the panic sets in. I know it's probably too soon, but it's happening just the same. Gone are the days that I could claim I had a year to make things. Sigh.
So, my friends, if you get an invitation to a "super fun girl's night!" bring a glue gun, a paintbrush, some thread, and a good attitude. I'm putting you to work.
The good news? I have a dress, a venue, a caterer, an officiant, a photographer, a bomb set of bridesmaids, and a smokin' hot fiance.
Bring it on, September.
And because I know you're dying to see...here's a sneak peak of some centerpiece ideas we're working on! And some fabric to be used elsewhere. And flowers from Fiance because he's the best. And my kitchen table, but we're not bringing that to the wedding. That would be just plain weird.
Monday, February 21, 2011
Contradiction Cookies
I've never claimed to be a simple person. As my Grandpa puts it, "Girl, you're what we call high maintenance." I think I'd have to agree.
I'm a woman of many contradictions, especially when it comes to food. Oranges? No thanks. Orange juice and Pellegrino? Sign me up. (Like I said, high maintenance.) Ham? I'd really rather not. Ham and cheese quiche? Yes, please! (Secret's out, Mom! I really do like it.) Cheesecake? Not so much. Debbie Thomas's cheesecake for Tea? Ohhhhhh snapppp, I'm in. Mexican food? My stomach hurts thinking about it. Cafe Elote? Get in the car, we're leaving now. (I blame this girl for dragging me along..and by dragging I mean I prayed for a snow day so I didn't have to go to work and could tag along.)
Well, my friends, I now present you with another food contradiction. I've never been a fan of anything mint flavored. To be honest, (nerd alert) it reminds me of asthma attacks. Anyone else have to suck a peppermint and drink warm water during an attack? Anyone? No. Moving on.
As much as I hate mint flavored things, I borderline despise mint and chocolate. It just plain weirds me out; chocolate needs to be enhanced, not funkified.
Here comes the contradiction: these cookies. Oh. My. Lanta. I first had these cookies about a year ago at Fiance's house. It's his Grandma's recipe, and his mom had made them for Christmas. The second I ate that cookie, I saw the chocolate and mint light: it all made sense.
And so, I share them with you. It's only right. But don't worry, I'll spare you the recipe Fiance sent me; I'll put it this way, it took me a while to decode. Daises=flour, etc. He's a goob, that one. But I love him.
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Andes Mint Cookies
Andes Mint Cookies
- 1 cup butter
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 Tbsp water
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3.5 cups flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- Andes mint baking chips or Andes mints
Preheat oven to 375.
Cream together butter, both sugars, and eggs. Add water and vanilla, stir to combine. Then add flour, baking soda, and salt and mix together well. Now, here's the part where you can get creative! I add in about 3/4 a bag of Andes mint baking chips and mix it all up and love my life. But, since I'm generous, I'll give you some options. Also known as what I think is the original way of making them. If you want to make things look a little fancy, you can wrap the dough around half an Andes mint and seal the seam with a pecan. Mmm.
I used just scant of a cookie scoop and ended up with around 75 cookies. But don't worry, these things disappear like David Blaine. Okay, that's weird. Ignore that.
Bake for 8-10 minutes and love your life. Make sure you keep a secret stash for yourself. You won't regret it.
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