Wanna Be on Top?*

A few months ago my mom sent me an article about people making and selling wedding cake toppers (all you have to do is go on etsy and you will trip over about a dozen handcrafted wooden brides and grooms). She was like, "You should do this!" and I was like, "Yeah!"

And then I realized that would entail making my own cake toppers. Hmm...

I added it to my growing list of DIY-To-Dos and put it out of my mind until December and Christmas break, which is when I thought I would take care of all my wedding stuff (rings, bridesmaid dresses, menu-setting), and then I realized my To-Do list had about 40 things on it and that I was actually planning on having a relaxing Christmas and that maybe I'd better get my rear in gear on some of this stuff.

So last weekend I turned on a movie, curled up in my Snuggie, and sculpted a mini-me and a mini-Dave. It was fun!

Aren't they cute? They will be painted normal people-colors and given real clothes (yeah I'm not sculpting a tux out of clay), which is why the bodies look a little wonky and mini-Dave needs "some meat on [his] bones" (to quote a certain groom I know).

I love their little faces. I designed them after the cartoons of me and Dave I draw.


Note the side bun! I like.

My only concern? They're heavy! Like, might fall through the cake heavy... I'm thinking of lopping off the heads (murder! muurrrrderrrr!!!) and attaching them to lightweight modeling clay, which will be hidden by the doll clothes. I'll post cake toppers v2.0 in a few weeks, but so far so good!


*Apologies to all the straight men/people over 40 for my America's Next Top Model reference. You're happier not knowing...

Crowns

sort of want these to be our wedding bands...

Flow It, Show It, Long as God can Grow, My Hair

I'm on a blogging kick! As the big pieces continue to fall into place (did I maybe get my SHOES in the mail today??), I'm having fun checking out miscellaneous pretty wedding details.

I have no idea what I will be doing with the mop-top on my head, but it is fun to look at pictures. I've actually been growing out my hair for the wedding ever since we got engaged. Pretty much the only opinion Dave actually expressed was that he likes my hair down and long. I like it too, but since we're getting married in August, and since my hair (long, thick, curly, dark) basically rivals solar panels for absorbing light and heat, he may have to give up the dream.

Right now I'm thinking lose, relaxed, messy braids, side bun.

I've long been envious of blonde hair
and how lovely it looks twisted up,
and this lady is no exception.
Also, does she not look JUST like Brita from Community?

This was my go-to style for the summer.
A sweeping side chignon with cute, 1920's charm,
it got me through two weddings and an outdoor date.
The best part?
It takes all of 4 minutes (and 40 bobby pins) to do.
Instructions here (from the always-enviable Martha)

Love love love
So sweet and simple and elegant and relaxed,
which make up some pretty nice qualities to have in a bride on any day.

This one might be stretching too much towards casual, even for me.
But I'll take the giant flower pin and delicate necklace, thanks.

Her hair might be closest to mine,
her sexyface not so much.
Still, if I were going to attempt to go hair down,
this is how I would do it:
big beautiful curls, maze of flowers, vavoom volume

So sweet, I love it.
Another one that actually looks pretty near to my real hair
(although sadly I lack the gloss and bounce).

And to top things off, a real bride!
She is adorable, and, if I do say so myself,
kicks the pants off the models up above.
There is nothing quite like a real-life blushing bride,
pretty and happy with that I just got married!!! glow,
to keep things real.

Married Life

Right now I'm in Chicago, taking the day off,
and in between making spaghetti with friends
and wandering around the neighborhood apartment-gazing,
I have been happily imagining my life with my husband-to-be.

If things turn out half as nice for us as they did for Carl and Ellie
(minus, you know, that whole not able to have kids thing...),
I will consider our marriage a success.

In other words,
here's a happy video full of love
to start you off on your week.

The Sound: Swingadelic

Music being the number 1 thing Dave and I don't agree on, I was a little nervous about having to find music for the wedding. On top of that, I do not love the DJs. I briefly toyed with the idea of an iPod wedding (despite warnings from the American Disc Jockey Association about what will happen if you try to use an iPOD!!!!!), but I have eclectic, unusual, and unpopular tastes (also no sound equipment. also no one to man the iPod, so to speak).

Since I don't really like the music DJs play and people don't really like my music (when will the world learn to love Lotion?), I started thinking about fun music in general that will get people up and dancing, and settled on......jazz!

I am not a huge jazz buff, by which I mean I know absolutely zero about good jazz, bad jazz, modern, classic (are those even terms?). All I know is I like to dance to it and Dave and I can agree it.

We decided on a band versus a DJ--something about live music that makes things more exciting--and found Swingadelic.

We went to go check them out in an outdoor concert in Hoboken, where we were joined by my mom and dad, and as soon as we heard them playing, we knew we'd made the right choice.

They made lovely summer night music that got every two year old within a half-mile vicinity up and dancing like some kind of eight-person Pied Piper. But aside from wowing us with their music, they were polite, friendly, and the ultimate pros (their motto: you get married once, we get married hundreds of times).

I am thrilled Swingadelic will be playing at our wedding and cannot wait to kick off what absurdly high (and cute) shoes I wear so I can git down on the dance floor with my friends and family and brand-new husband (dance lessons?).

Swingadelic plays frequently in New York and New Jersey, including several of their wonderful outdoor shows. Fall leaves, picnic, and jazz? Yes, please.

Shoooes!!!!

I was told I need to post more about the wedding...
but I am sleepy...
and I want to eat Halloween candy...
forEVER.
So....
SHOES!!!
I am a big fan of shoe-shopping, and I'm still debating what to go with. My first thought was bright, cheerful, yellow
I like stylish, comfy, unique (these fit the bill on all three)
And I am aaaalmost 800% certain that these little babies will make an appearance
Fancy cowgirl boots?
Right now these are the front-runners. Hello, adorable. They have giant gold bows on them. Look! Bright red toesies? Flowy white dress? I may have to steal every ounce of this stylish lady's fashion sense.
It's not too soon to buy shoes, right?