Wedding Wednesday: The Bridal Portrait

Last week I went home to Richmond for my bridal portrait.  I didn't realize until recently that this may be a bit of a regional (ie southern) thing.  Based on some very informal internet research, google searches for "bridal portrait" do seem to take you straight to photography studios in the Carolinas and Texas.  (And yes, I did spend a big chunk of time this morning looking at all the pictures I could find.)  If you are a reader from another part of the country I would love to hear your thoughts on this.

When I arrived in Virginia I was able to look at my veil for the first time and....it was wrong.   In fact, it was six inches longer on one side than the other.  A little stressful, especially since my portrait was in two days.  However, we took it back and the lady who made it  (at Couture by Lk Design) very quickly reworked everything and the final product was beautiful.  Even with that snafu, I would highly recommend hiring a good seamstress to make the veil.  We had a lot of control over the quality of the material and probably saved about $400 in the process.  Now, at the end of wedding planning, you are thinking about $400 in one of two ways:  either you are "hemorrhaging so much money" (in the immortal words of Farrell) that it seems completely inconsequential or you are becoming irrationally angry about any and all money expenditures ("No, I will not pay $0.50 per envelope for you to print my return address on my bridesmaids brunch invitations").  So anyway, a big thumbs up to not buying the veil at a dress shop.  Especially since another vendor told me she had seen a bride that morning who had received the wrong veil from a dress shop.  Then the shop called her a liar, even though the veil clearly didn't match the dress.  Basically, you can't avoid these sorts of problems no matter how organized/particular/bridezilla you are.  So you might as well save $400.

On to the portrait.  I am not a person who likes to be photographed.  If you are like me, I recommend a studio portrait where they tell you exactly how to stand, down to physically moving your foot into place for you- thank you, Wendell Powell Studio.  (The alternative is a sort of free shoot where the bride runs around in cowboy boots, bouncing soccer balls off her head has more of an opportunity to showcase her personality.)   The portrait was one of the more awkward things I have ever done, and I often wondered if there was any way the various contortionist-like positions would look natural, but guess what?  The results are great!  Apparently all those directions guarantee a good outcome.  Even the ones where the photographer told me I looked stressed.

So that's what's going on, besides yet another groom clothing switch.  But that is a whole different story.  (Also, why does blogger no longer have spell check???).

Project: Picture Molding

I recently moved into an apartment with 12 inch thick plaster walls.  You should have seen my face when the cable man suggested drilling a hole through one for the cable cord (we ended up stapling the cord along the bottom of the wall and over a few doors).  I was extremely nervous about hanging pictures (visions of crumbling plaster flashed in my mind) until I saw this article in Southern Living and realized we already have picture molding.  My project for the next few days is to get our "artwork" up, although I have a feeling it will not look like this (but here's to wishful thinking : ):

Kitchen Ooppps

In checking out Cooking Light's 25 Most Common Cooking Mistakes, I am learning I am not alone in some of my culinary blunders. 
I tend to have the most issues with #1, #10, #18, and #21, while my husband is a constant offender of # 12.
Anything on here that you all have problems with?

Wedding Wednesday (Thursday): Jewelry

I never paid much attention to Kate Spade jewelry, but it this year they have a lot of options that may be good for bridesmaid gifts or even for a bride.  The flower pieces pictured above could be a bold statement for bridesmaids at a spring wedding.  The starfish studs would be perfect for a seaside wedding.  Today I picked out the earrings I will probably wear on the big day.  No pictures online yet, but they are very pretty pearls that drop down on an inch long gold chain (I think they match the above necklace).  Pictures will follow in April : ) 

Winter Pasta

Check out this healthy(ish) pasta dish from Food Network Magazine.  I love the texture the breadcrumbs add and the uniqueness of a pasta entree without tomato or cream sauce.  Depending on what you have on hand, you could definitely sub in baby spinach or even basil for the escarole. 

The picture on their website is probably a little more appetizing than mine, but it tasted great, all the same!

Olympic Etiquette

The Winter Olympics are upon us, eh?  Even if you aren't headed up to Canada to parktake in the festivities, Rick Reilly's article on the do's and don'ts of Vancouver is worth a read!

Groom's Attire

It's not Wedding Wednesday, but I thought I would share our latest wedding dilemma anyway: groom's attire. 

Pink shirt +

Navy blazer +

Gray trousers?  Or

Cream trousers

April in Virginia.  Please feel free to share your thoughts.

(Pictures 1-3 from J. Press.  Picture 4 from Paul Stuart)

Indecisive Cooking?

Can't decide what you feel like eating tonight?  Cooking for a family of picky eaters who can't agree on the same meal?

Try this trio lasagna pan from Spoon Sisters.  Allowing you to make up to three different types of layered Italian goodness at once, this pan takes the commitment out of lasagna.  Perfect for those who can't pinpoint just what they want to eat tonight.....not that we know anything about that!

Delicious

I had a nice time last night thumbing through Lee Bailey's Country Desserts.  If you like to bake you may already have a version of many of these recipes.  However, the pictures are quite pretty and make the book suitable for both the coffee table and the kitchen.  I look forward to seeing more of Lee Bailey's books after reading his obituary in the New York Times.

Super Bowl Favorites

You may remember that while the actual football part of the Super Bowl is not our favorite, we do love the commercials and, of course, the food.

This past month, Food Network Magazine had a great feature on different types of potato skins created for each of the NFL teams.  After much consideration, I really cannot decide which might be my favorite!

If the Snowpocolypse that is predicted for Virginia this weekend veers off course and we are not snowed-in, I am planning to make the old-standby Buffalo Chicken Dip to take to a Superbowl Party.  Anyone planning to make anything fun or creative for Sunday evening?