I'll have a mimosa with my mai tai

I am TERRIBLE at blow drying my own hair. I've never been able to figure it out. Instead of looking like a curly frizzy mess it just looks like a semi-straight frizzy mess. No good. For a special occasion I wouldn't mind dropping $35 on a fancy blow-out at Dry Bar. How amazing is this place!? There are a bunch of different blow-out styles to choose from and a mimosa on the house at brunch time (sat and sun 10am-2pm) and happy hour (thurs-sat 5pm-9pm).

It would be such a fun start to a party...like a bachelorette party...just sayin'.

{via alalove}

{via nesting newbies}

This is vintage modern. Love the contrast.

I love these photos from Emma Case (thanks, Noa!). The interior reminds me of my parents house and Emma's photos capture the Victorian/vintage feel PERFECTLY. Gah, those twin clawfoot tubs!

I don't typically do this but I couldn't say no when Cristina emailed me asking for some help. She and her fiance, Danny, are trying to win a wedding. Please take the time to read their story (I was sobbing by the time I finished) and vote for them. I know once you read about their remarkable and inspiring journey you will want this for them just as much as I do! Plus they are an adorable, artsy, crafty couple after my own heart!

Our love story.
We (Cristina + Danny) met in college and fell in love. Life was going perfectly but things took a difficult turn. I (Danny) started getting crazy symptoms; three days later I went paralyzed. I was diagnosed with a very rapid growing cancer and needed surgery right away. I lived in the hospital for months. She would drive over an hour everyday to see me. After 9 months of chemo and another 2 years for me to relearn how to walk, I asked her to marry me with a ring I made myself. We’re so excited to get married!

Three important details about our Ultimate Wedding.
#1 - We want our wedding to represent "us" - not the formal, over-the-top, extravagant version people feel is necessary at weddings - we want to show the couple that loves picnics, bbq's, Mexican food, dance parties, and s'mores. #2 - I (Cristina) am a designer and it's important for me to make my own wedding dress. #3 - We want to represent our artistic side (we're both designers) through an eclectic gathering of mismatched colors and designs that will create their own harmony and add uniqueness to our wedding; just like us (and our guests!)

Our everyday dream day.
Our everyday dream day is pretty much every day that we get to spend together. I (Cristina) almost lost Danny to cancer so we have realized that every moment that we get to spent together is incredibly special. We treasure even the mundane moments - grocery shopping is an adventure to us! Being with each other, our families, and friends are the days that we cherish most. But since we love traveling those days that we wake up in another country seeing a new site and culture is an extra special dream day.

I'm starting to realize that I love pretty much every wedding Ben Blood shoots but I adore this one. The photos look like they could be stills from a movie.

best.advice.ever.

I wish I had read this little tidbit, oh I don't know, 11 months ago! New plan: I'm not going to plan another f*ing thing* until we get to MA in June.

{happy kids}

"today marks the third year of our marriage! what a wonderous trip it's been. i can't express well enough how lucky i feel everyday to have found him, my best friend, to spend my days with. he is endlessly inspiring, supportive and kind and i'm so glad to have him with me always. i will share with you a bit about our wedding day since i so love talking/thinking on it! initially we plotted a private union, possibly even a date at the courthouse followed by an extravagent party sometime later in the year however about two weeks prior to the date that we set i got swoony outside of holt renfrew and declared that i needed a lady friend by my side for this event to which landon responded he would need a man friend and that man friend would bring his ladyfriend and my ladyfriend would bring her man friend and so our little wedding party began! during the next two weeks we invited friends we happened to bump into and who did not have plans to leave the town for the holiday weekend. in the meanwhile sneaky father of mine caught wind of our growing party and booked us a glorious yacht complete with open bar and delicious grub for post-vow partytime. i was now in need of a dress and so i drew up a little sketch and sent it away with my wonderful talented friend who sewed up my adorable little dress to perfection (even adding a "something old" - her grandmum's buttons). it had all come together - only i was missing my bosom buddy who had recently moved out of our home and back to ottawa, i couldn't imagine the day without her and we spoke on the phone two nights before lamenting her absense. the night before the big event we had a joint bachelor/ette party/canada day party and in the middle of our festivities a very familiar face came through the door! my darling rebecca had joined us after all! my sneaky dad delivering the best wedding present of all. the morning of we went for brunch and then lazily made our way home to prepare. i was dizzy with excitement and hardly remember getting ready at all except for making up my ladies faces and drinking a good amount of the wine our friend had made for us. i rode to the beach with rebecca and my dad and i'm pretty sure as the three of us made our way towards our spot people thought that it was rebecca and i being married that day as we were both in white and dad was looking suspiciously priest like (save the badass skull tie). the rest of the story is better told in photos i think (but also because it's time for me to go and make eyes at landon). it was magic, i wish i could live this day over and over again! the best advice i can offer any bride to be is relax. i think people get their panties in a knot about this day but it's way too wonderful to worry about anything other than maybe having enough food?"

from hannah via esb (with another great piece of advice for the wedded folk)

*this may be an impossible dream at this point but I will keep my planning to a minimum, at least. No matter what Martha (or my mother) tells me I need to do.

Little White Dress

I received an email from Jessica Ciarla of CIARLAbride. Her bridal and bridesmaid designs are short and sweet and under $500. I love love love this tear drop dress.

{source}

I want long banquet tables but my mother just told me that the rental company "recommends" round and square tables. The tent company "recommended" the long tables. Make up yo' minds, folks! I might have to rethink centerpieces and I'm really digging the mismatched, fruity tables.

Pop-Up San Francisco

If I lived in San Francisco (I wish) I would definitely consider RSVPing for The Pop-up Wedding at the W Hotel. Either as a guest or for an "upscale" Vegas-style hitchin'. We don't celebrate Valentine's Day anyway so I don't have a problem sharing the date with my anniversary (of course, making reservations for an anniversary dinner would be insane). Anyone in the Bay Area going to tie the knot or for the free champagne?

Thank gawd Erin has joined the Style-Me-Pretty team. This might be the best wedding they have ever featured. I had to rush over to the Abi Q's blog to see more photos of my beloved Ace Hotel.

Yay! I was just wondering if anyone gets married in LA not at Marvimon or the Smog Shoppe and Green Wedding Shoes posts this lovely at the Women's Twentieth Century Club. I love the backyard feel (obviously) and GARLANDS!

I also love her crazy pouf and think I just found my wacky hair gear.

I am no longer allowed to look at or think about dresses. I made an appointment here over the weekend because Captain was a little sad about not getting to be a part of the wedding dress shopping. I told him he had to be brutally honest but he did exactly what I knew he would do - said every dress was amazing. Well, not all of them were but one was! And Stefani, the owner, is the sweetest lady in the world. She fed me chocolate and champagne and said nice things about my "sweetheart" and me. I know that's her job but I still love her.

ok. here's a peek.

More from Cori & Zack

Here are some of my favorite moments that Brion captured of Cori & Zack's wedding.

Coming up - the inside scoop from the bride.

Real Wedding: Cori & Zack

So 100 layer cake got to it first and now of course it's all over the place but whatevs. This is my friend Cori. She is a beauty and I am beyond happy for her and her man.