RING-a-ding-ding: A Story about Her

So when we last left off, I told you about Mr. Sweet Cream's band that he chose during our trip to Philly's Jeweler's Row... a choice that will live on his finger for years to come.

But what about lil' ol' me??

Well, I might have shared my pretty bling one here once or twice...

A refresher you might ask?  Well, I am happy to oblige.

So while it's totally unique and something that I was almost in tears (silly me!) after Mr. Sweets told me it was sold before he could get to it -- what a trickster -- it isn't something that is easy to match a band to.

I was told by friends and jewelry sales people about making it a right-hand ring and heard stories about girls who wore their wedding band without their engagement bling.  That's all well and fine for other girlies, but it didn't sit quite right in my heart for whatever reason.  I know that my left-hand ring finger would feel totally naked if it left.

I realize that I could just get a band to shape around it, like I've seen so many Almost Misses do.  I love that for them... but not for me.

So, after Mama Sweet Cream showed me her Ciocia Mary's (remember... half of me is Polish! It's all fancy and Polish for "Aunt") wedding band that Ciocia Mary's sweet hubby, Lou gave to her, I knew that it had to be something like this.

I then had in mind something simple that could just slide right on under the unique shaped ring that Mr. Sweet's just knew I loved... Someone out there could make something like this... right?

So on our first trip down Jeweler's Row I talked to Joe at Lynn Jewelry who said that it was totally doable.  And sent me to Unique Settings to get an idea of what I wanted.

So after eye candy like this....

...we decided on and idea that wasn't like all of the others.  We would combine the dotted look of the last picture, with rows and rows of dots with something like the second to last shot -- a whole new ring that would match right up to the details of my 1920s bling.  And I got it wide enough and flat enough that it should work -- well for me, that is!

Me with my inspiration pics -- ready to chat bands with Lynn Jewelry, Joe.

I must admit that I am a little nervous that I am not doing as Mr. Sweets did and ordering something that I could see live and in person  -- but Joe promised that I'd leave happy, even if that meant reworking it.

And what could be better than picking our bands, grabbing some lunch in the city & then taking in a Phils game? Mr. Sweets was pretty content the whole time, knowing that we had a game to go to later...

I love that instead of acting like it was a chore to cross off the list (although we totally understand the madness that is wedding planning...some things are very "chorish")...that we made a date of it and have memories of our day picking out our bands.

Did you have an usual engagement ring that you worked with to pick out the band?  What was your solution??  Did you make your band selection a "date" with your SO or did you just cross it off and move on?

NOTE: All pics of the bands are from Unique Settings of New York.  They have amazing rings all over that site and it was a great tool to find just what I wanted!

RING-a-ding-ding: A Story about Him

One of the things that we knew had to be crossed off the list was getting our bands.  After all the dances were danced, pictures were taken and kisses were kissed at our wedding, isn't this what would last as reminder of our commitment to each other and the day that made us "man & wife?"

So, we decided to make a little trip to Philly's-own Jewelers' Row.

For those of you unfamiliar with this street, it's a little part of Philly that is dedicated to, you guessed it, jewelry shops. 

Me & Mr. Sweets made a date of it on Valentine's Day in February to stroll around, get some ideas and actually had the most delicious brunch to ever grace our lips at Smokin' Betty's (Mr. Sweets had country biscuits and gravy with homemade biscuits, sausage gravy & potato hash and I opted for the "waffle of the Weekend" which had delicious strawberries right in the waffle. So. YUM. I might have almost bit Mr. Sweets' hand off when he offered me a taste of his...it was THAT good).  

We went home with business cards and notes from our Vday Romp Around the City and didn't really think about it again until months later.  Just around 4th of July I looked at our list of to dos and noticed that wedding band wasn't even crossed off!  So we made a trip the day of an evening Phillies game to the one-and-only Jewelers' Row.

We need bands & we need 'em now!

So with our notes & idea in mind, we went back to a little place called Lynn Jewelers, who promised that custom work could be done & that deals could be had.

Let me tell you about Mr. Sweet Cream's band first.  The mister practically picked out his band on our February trip and immediately after carousing the jewelry cases knew that he wanted tungsten.

Mr. Sweet Cream, who is involved in the tool business & is a tool freak, had sparkles in his eyes when he first heard that there are such things as rings made of this type of stuff.  I guess it just so happens that they use this metal in tools too?

For those like me who weren't familiar with tungsten, I refer to Wikipedia who says:

Tungsten carbide is an inorganic chemical compound containing equal parts of tunsten and carboncarbide.  In its most basic form, it is a fine gray powder, but it can be pressed and formed into shapes for use in industrial machinery, tools, abrasives as well as jewelery.  Tungsten carbide is approximately three times stiffer than steel and is much denser than steel or titanium.



So with the fact that it a darker metal, was tough, shiny & that it could be used in tools, Mr. Sweets knew that he had to have a tungsten band.


And he knew that he loved a beveled edge.  

via tungsten rings blog

But then got thrown for a loop with a concave version.

via Brent L Miller

So with the Phils waiting for us, Mr. Sweets remembered what he liked about each.

Mr. Sweets trying them on for size.

And then he decided on something different!  Mr. Sweets hadn't seen this tungsten beveled edge band before with a stripe of silver going through the middle. 

I am madly in love with Mr. Sweet Cream's choice of tungsten & silver!

 

So just like that he picked out his ring.

Now for me, it wasn't so simple...


What type of band did your guy decide on to sport his finger?  Was he super picky?  Did his choice surprise you?

*All pics personal unless otherwise noted.

Please Mr. Postman

Just as I get ready to share the final final versions of the invites that I teased you with I just had to put something out there to make sure that I didn't cross the super-crazy-yes-I-know-that-I'm-a-mad-psycho line in wedding planning.

As you will soon see, our invites wound up needing a bit more postage than the typical invite.  This was A-OK by me and I kinda had a hunch this would happen.  That's why I took my first one to the post office to get weighed before buying any postage.

Now I realize that some things like stamps can send some brides into freak-out mode and others (count yourself one of the lucky ones) to not care so much.

I originally swooned over the whole idea of using vintage non-canceled stamps.

via Martha Stewart

via pomodoro papers

via Paisley Quill blog

That is something that I just KNEW had to be a part of our wedding plans.  But as the wedding got closer I realized that there were many other things higher on the list of importance and that idea was scrapped, just like other really good (but not practical due to time or cost or probability) ideas had got axed before it.

So thank heavens, like many other brides gone before me, I discovered artist, Jeanne Greco's 18th century French playing card inspired, King & Queen stamps.

via Design Scouting

After some digging it turns out many a bee has mentioned these pretty little things before me, like Mrs. Bee, Miss Seal, Mrs. Scissors, Mrs. Hippo... the list goes on & on.

So I, like many before me, went to the post office and bought all the King & Queen stamps out... but sadly there wasn't enough.  I should've knew trouble was ahead when the nice lady at the post office couldn't scan the stamps and needed to perform a whole mess of operations to allow me to take the home with me that day.  "Strange," she told me.  "This never does anything like that."

So you can imagine my surprise when just days later I went to another post office to hoard in on some more lovely little stamps and was told that they don't have any.  

"Hmmmm..." I thought to myself.  "I'll just call around to neighboring post offices."  But nobody had them.  The bride in me began to let panic set in.  

And then on the call to the third post office I was told the most horrifying news.  The King & Queen stamps have been discontinued.  The gentleman at this post office told me that they were all told to send them back...and even at that time, they didn't even have any to do so.  He told me to keep trying in hopes to find the office  who might not have gotten word yet.  

via Poster Gods

Just in case there is a reader or two whose heart is beginning to rapidly race, let me tell you the story ends "happily ever after."  After some freaking out and getting really really scared --over stamps.  Yes.  stamps -- it turns out Mama & Papa Sweets' post office had 40 left.  

"Phew!" I thought.  But then the crazy took over & since things couldn't be left to chance, I called Papa Sweets from work and begged him to run and get them before some other bride who is short 40 King & Queen stamps snatches them from my grips.

"They are just stamps Sweet Cream," Papa Sweets told me.  That silly, silly man.  Obviously he has never been a bride.

So - Am I crazy for going a little insane about stamps that are just meant to get invites from our door to our guests?  Did you too have a panic attack over silly stamps? Or did you not really care all that much?

What stamps adorned your invites?

NOTE: I later found out that you can still buy the stamps online at USPS.com.  But I don't know for how long. So if you love those stamps, don't take them for granted.

Dry-Run Chow Down: La Decisión

I've told you how I've bounced around everywhere from a cool little Mexican BYO to a Polish place known for their pierogis for the locale of our rehearsal dinner.


While life was still in Part Uno, Cousin Sweets decided that she'd love to be in charge of the margaritas.  This lady is someone who loves food, cooking, experimenting & planning just as much as me, so she took her task pretty seriously researching some yummy tequila-laced infusions.  And then I think I broke her little heart when I told her that I thought that we were going to try out Rosmaryn.


She loved the idea of it all.  After all, she's 50% Polish too and thought that everything from the traditions to the potato vodka would be a hit.


But as I told her that I wasn't sure if people would get lost along the way and that I wasn't sure of the neighborhood or where people would park she told me the nicest thing.  Cuz Sweets said that she would be honored if I let her cater our rehearsal dinner.  She said of course, not to feel any pressure.  But just play with the idea in my head.  You see, me & Cousin Sweet Cream could Facebook message each other back and forth until we are blue in the face about different recipes we were trying and ideas for entertaining, among other things.  I loved hearing about her ideas as she started to cater parties with a friend in Portland.  


But when she suggested the idea of her catering I immediately thought "No! That's way too  much work to pull off."  But she assured me that I could be as involved or not during the cooking leading up to the rehearsal dinner.


She has worked at an uber-trendy Mexican restaurant in Philly and knew her way around some Mexican choices that could be prepped ahead of time.  Then she began a list of Mexican restaurants in the area that she knew she could get some of the key ingredients at and then knew that our local market would have the rest.


Let me tell you a thing or two about the ladies in my family. We love planning -- even if the event itself never, ever takes place.  Call us crazy.


So before the green light was given, Cousin Sweet Cream sent me an email.


As far as the rehearsal dinner, let me know how the Polish place works out. If not, I of course already have a menu and classy cantina DIY decor ideas lined up. 


Mexican spiced chocolate cupcakes would work awesome with the theme and churros with fruit and chocolate sauce choices for dipping or even mexican wedding cookies?  ( I've made them all before, so recipes are at the handy and I have a pastry piper for icing and the churros.) I'm also envisioning tin cans with the little holes to create a design and to work as candle holders. Below I have included some taco ideas. I'm thinking a few different types of guac and salsas, as well as black beans with pickled onions, refried pintos topped with tortilla slivers and cotija cheese, plain rice, a serrano chile rice, and I just found an AMAZING recipe for tortilla chips with an option for some chile tortilla chips as well. 


If you want apps, a ceviche could be an option, gorditas or flautas? Also, mexican corn on the cob is GREAT! Grilled corn (with braided husks, you just insert a skewer into the bottom end and braid the peeled back husk around it) the corn then has a chile crema, chile salt, and shaved queso fresco. Beverage wise... coronas and negro modelas, melon margs, maybe a mango melon, watermelon basil, strawberry hibiscus, pomegranate, cranberry, and lime, apple and prickly pear (I love seasonal things. :) oooohhh and maybe that green tea zen sangria (it has pear which is perfect for the season) ? I have a list somewhere of ones I have been saving for you, and for non-alcoholic there could be horchata, fresh fruit juices, and a hibiscus tea?   


Ok... I'm done... Just wanted to throw some ideas your way to give you more of an idea of what I was thinking. Let me know what you think and no pressure my dear, this took me all of a few minutes to come up with in my head. ;)  If anything you will enjoy my ideas and for that alone... I love you!!!! :)


Carnitas
Crisp & juicy braised pork topped with salsa verde, onions, cilantro & queso fresco 
Pollo Asado
Spicy chipotle rubbed grilled chicken topped with crema, salsa roja & pico de gallo
Pollo Verde
 chicken braised in tomatillo salsa & topped with salsa verde, onions & cilantro
Carne Asada
chopped steak, served traditional-style with grilled onion and topped with salsa roja, cilantro & onion
Barbacoa
beef brisket braised inside banana leaves in a Yucatan-style three chile barbacoa salsa, topped with onion, cilantro & queso fresco
Verduras 
Delicious mix of seasonal vegetables
Pescado
Cornmeal encrusted Alaskan Cod topped with crema, cabbage, salsa verde, onion, cilantro & pineapple
Calamari
Wild squid & bell peppers sautéed with chili seasoning & topped with crema, salsa roja & pico de gallo
Camarones
Wild shrimp, sautéed with chili seasoning & topped with creme, cabbage, salsa verde, onion, cilantro & pineapple


And just like that the whole gang was on board with having a home-based rehearsal dinner where we could relax, stay as long as we want, wander around, linger and sit around a fire.


Cuz Sweets already is envisioning lights like these, which she's packing in her suitcase:

String Lights / via Amazon

And these for some low light:

Soup Can DIY Punch Hole Lights / Image & Tutorial via CraftZine

I'm envisioning using Mr. Sweet Cream's Grandmom's tablecloth circa 1950s that is "Mexican" themed to serve as additional inspiration!  We love the seafood green with bright blues, yellows & reds.

And then we got to chatting even more and began to think about things like...


Vintage Mexican Postcards...

Via Cafe Press

...Papel Picado...

San Francisco Street Photography by John Agoncillo / via Alapan

...And Mason Jar Margaritas...

Via The Yummy Life Blog

So Cousin Sweets is DIYing all kinds of things that she plans to either ship across the country or bring with her when she comes.  She's putting together lists of things we need and we plan to get down-and-dirty with prepping and cooking when she gets in the day before the dinner.  We can do this.  I love that it will not only be a totally amazing rehearsal dinner...but wonderful visiting time & memories with Cuz Sweet Cream.


Did you wind up having an at-home rehearsal dinner?  Did you DIY that too?  Did anyone throw an amazing wrench into your original plans that you are so stinkin' excited about?

Dry-Run Chow Down: Part Dwa

So I mentioned that my fantasy of the perfect rehearsal dinner at a local Mexican BYO did not shake out as I had originally imagined.

That didn't slow me down.  Just like Jay Z and Swizz Beatz I was "on to the next one."

I turned to google to try to help me uncover a unique BYO that was out there in our neighborhood.  Of course I would give the rehearsal dinner a rehearsal and go try it out for myself.  There were options.  But nothing that wowed me.

Until I stumbled upon Rozmayrn in Northern Trenton, not too far from our little Catholic Church in Bucks County.  Now this was perfection! I am half Polish and Gmom Sweet Cream smiled when I told her about the idea.

via Foody (Poland)

The crazy out-of-control imagination of mine took a hold of me all over again after I found out that rosemary was considered as a symbol of friendship and remembrance and that it was used in Polish weddings as a symbol of love and faith.  So much so, that bride's friends would make her a wreath made out of rosemary to wear on head on her wedding day.  I could just picture little pots with rosemary in it as the center piece for each table with a little note about the herb's relevance.

Then, after some more research I also knew that we would have to have a Polish hand-binding ceremony.  This was even better than my long-held Tijuana Flats idea.  I was on top of the world!

 "Zrekowiny" Painting by Wlodzimierz Tetmajer / Via dobrykadrerz 

Here are some details about a Polish hand-binding ceremony for those of you who aren't familiar...

One Polish tradition that took place before rings became popular was called "zrekowiny" -- the hand binding ceremony. A master of ceremonies -- usually an uncle, a trusted male friend, or someone instrumental in the marital match -- was appointed.

The couple would join their hands together over a loaf of bread placed on a table covered with the best white tablecloth in the house. The MC would bind the couples' hands together with an embroidered cloth made especially for the occasion, symbolically indicating the willingness of both parties to be married and share their lives and duties. Then he would bless them, saying: "Two hands joined together over a loaf of bread -- that is the most beautiful sign of togetherness and the happy joining of two people traveling the same road. Two hands joined together until death do them part."

The would hold a silver coin to symbolize "being wealthy with good health & never in financial stress." It would follow by a sip of wine to signify "enjoying the sweetness in life," a spec of salt on their tongue to signify, "overcoming the bitterness in life."  -Taken from Laura's Wedding Traditions Blog

But I guess that before I got ahead of myself (which I am known to do), I should go have a look for myself.  As I envisioned the embroidered cloth used for the ceremony that I would create and that we would cherish forever, we headed off across the bridge to try to taste the reviews of "the best pierogis" in town.  It wasn't too far away, maybe 15-20 minutes from our ceremony site.  As Mama Sweet Cream flew by the discreet restaurant (Mama Sweets has a lead foot hive... she won't admit it, but she does) I yelled out "Stop! I see the sign!" and we circled the block looking for parking.

Rozmaryn's adorable little interior

via Rozmaryn website

And up several tall steps and through a little wooden door was an amazing little Polish restaurant.  We chatted with the owner who said that with 25 people she would close it down & heck, if our rehearsal lasted longer than we thought they would stay open until we were finished.  

And across the street was a liquor store that had a selection of Polish beers and Polish vodkas.  I was on a high.  

Yummy Polish Beer & Pierogies!

Mr. Sweets is waiting to crack open these bad boys for 

me to make pierogis & kielbasa again for dinner.

We ordered take out and I brought home Polish goodness for Mr. Sweet Cream to try (he didn't come since he was re-walling our shower and to him, that took priority at the time) simply delicious potato & cheese, sauerkraut & meat pierogies and some white borsht soup. (It actually inspired me to take Gmom Sweet's original recipe and have some fun in the kitchen incorporating everything from kielbasa to buffalo chicken into the traditional potato base).

Me & Gmom Sweet Cream in the parking lot after scoring some homemade pierogis!

Mr. Sweets loved the basic potato pierogi, but wasn't quite sure on the other ones.  I loved them all.  There were a ton of other options on the menu too.

I was making arrangements for everyone to officially go rehearse the rehearsal dinner and give it a whirl.  But then, I had a chat with Cousin Sweet Cream who had something else entirely in mind...

Did you wind up using your heritage in any part of your wedding?  What customs did you do to make your wedding week -- or wedding -- special?

Dry-Run Chow Down: Part Uno

Besides all the hours upon hours of planning that goes into a wedding, there seems like there is an awful lot of rehearsing too!

Optional -- but not mandatory -- practices include a hair trial, a make-up trial and perhaps a few drafts of the invitation.  But one things that is practically a must for any sort of ceremony involving a few folks is the rehearsal.

Via WordArtWorld Blog

We already have it all planned out to do a dry run at our local church the evening of the Thursday before the big day.  Simple.  But the thing that got me stuck was the dry-run chow.

You may or may not remember that food is a big deal to me.  And so is party planning.  And while I am at it, so is being thrifty.

Me & Mr. Sweets are the last people to be all fancy & I didn't want to break the bank --anyone's bank -- on the rehearsal dinner.  All I was thinking about was laughter, fun and good old-fashioned yummy food.  I was also thinking something involving a BYOB.

It's not like we are getting married in or around a down town metropolis area, so the options weren't as overflowing as I would like.  But hey, I can work with it.

My initial thoughts were a little BYO Mexican place, Tijuana Flats.  In some part of the states you may have heard of it and if you have not, I suggest that you learn real quick.  Although it might not be the most authentic Mexican restaurant I've ever been, they play rock music, have a hot sauce bar AND a "power light" menu (where you can get low-cal substitutes for things like sour cream, cheese & tortillas).  Plus, the food is so yummy. And just when you couldn't think that it could get more perfect, TijFl is a BYO so we are free to bring all the cervezas & margaritas our little spicy-lovin' hearts could desire.

Via Google Maps

I was so set on this idea.  This place is me & Mr. Sweets' go-to spot when our brains can't even think of where we might go to grab a bite.  And I was insistent that we could make it work.  It wouldn't put us into debt & it would be so much fun!

OMG. So much to chose from.  I never have a staple here.  Plus it's always

fun to bring our own margaritas to sip with our chips & salsa!

Partial menu screen shot via Tijuana Flats website

I added up our wedding party, our families and readers and we were looking at approximately 25 loved ones who would join us for the dry-run chow down.

But like some of my "visions," I just don't know if the whole idea is actually realistic.  I pictured me & Mr. Sweet Cream getting people to taste the different hot sauces, pouring fresh made margaritas into mason jars that I tied with string or ripped fabric and mingling with everyone at one long table -- with the rest of the commotion of the small restaurant being fuzzy to all in our party.

Well, since I do plan events for my day job I realized that I had to stop the fantasy and think about the logistics of reality.

TijFl couldn't have us at one long table because we wouldn't all fit since the 4 top tables would now only fit 2.  They warned us about Thursday being the start of their crowded nights and that of course we could stay as long as we want, but there might be people there waiting for tables and that we shouldn't feel rushed.  And they couldn't close the restaurant either... It was just too much.  They also said that it might be a little tight if we wanted to squish the tables together into groupings.

So, after months of knowing that this was the perfect fit I decided it was time to hang up the sombrero and cross Tijuana Flats off the list for the rehearsal dinner.

Sigh.  At least me & Mr. Sweets still have it as old-stand by for when our brains can't handle thinking of a culinary answer to our hungry bellies.

Did you have the perfect rehearsal dinner spot that just didn't work?  Are you going BYO?  Do you tend to have "fantasies" that -- hey, let's just face it -- aren't reality?

Shaken AND Stirred: A Striped-Paper-Straw Drink Stirrer Tutorial

As some of you may already know, striped paper straws just tug away at my heart strings.

Image via Sugar Spice Design

Sigh.  My heart still skips a beat at the sight of them.  So I knew that I couldn't resist ordering even more straws after the first order came in and I could touch, see & feel them in real live person.

This time I took the advice of fellow Bee, Almost Mrs-Oka & ordered them from Amazon via Kikkerland ($4.99 for 144 of them!).

But I didn't know just what I would do with them.  Then I got to thinking and besides having straws for our soda bar -- I just knew that drink stirrers would be just the ticket to squeeze in even more striped-paper-straw dreaminess.

There was great striped-straw-inspiration all over the wedding biosphere.  Just check it out for yourself!

Awesome DIY Tutorial for Drink Flags

at So You're Engayged

These super-sweet straws don't have to be just for Cupid's Day.

Image via Shabby Chic Crafts / DIY Tutorial at Papermash

Glue Gun + Felt + Striped Paper Straw = Adorable Perfection!

Image & DIY Tutorial via The Knotty Bride

How cute is this? Paper straws AND drink charm... all. in. one!

Image via Sugar Plum Invitations

I decided to mix it up... I had too many paper crafts on my wedding to do list and wanted something quick, down & dirty & oh-so-adorable to boot.  That's when I spotted Peach Pearl's super simple ribbon drink stirrer tutorial.  How perfect are these?! 

Image & DIY Tutorial via Peach Pearl

So with my striped paper straws, some ribbon that was on sale at A.C. Moore and a pair of scissors, I got down to work.  And here's how they turned out!  

(All pics from here on out are taken by me!)

Now that I'm done, I just need some kind of low-ball drink to stir and I'm set!!

Just incase anyone in the hive wants to recreate this super easy DIY project, let me walk you though what I did.

Here is what you'll need:

• Striped Straws
• Scissors
• Ribbon of your choice

First I put the straw into a similar-sized glass that low-ball drinks will be served in at the wedding (or you can just do the ones that you know you're using, but I didn't have that luxury).

Then I snipped the top of the straw where I saw fit.

This first one served as my "template" for all future stirrers.

Next put the ribbon around the stirrer, measuring it longer than I thought necessary, since some of the length would be lost in the knot.

Next, cut the ribbon and even out the sides so that they are even with each other.

Take both sides together and create a knot, making sure that it ends up really close to the base of the straw/stirrer.

Through the loop...

Pull it tight & taDa!! I cut the ends to make them even more adorable after I realized that it need a lil' something else.

And there you have your super-cute drink stirrer.  I was going to just put them out with a little sign that said "Shaken AND Stirred," but I read online somewhere that some bride spent so much time on her drink stirrers & people forgot to take them(!).  If she had to do it all over again, she would have given them to the bartenders, to people in people's mixed drinks.  Noted!!  I will certainly be taking that into consideration.

Are you having drink stirrers at your reception?  Did you go the DIY route?  Post a link a tutorial you used because I know that there are a ton of super amazing ones out there!