the story of jess' ring

if you have read the 'about us' section on the website, you have seen pictures of jess' beautiful engagement ring that jeff did so well in picking out. the ring is a lovely handmade piece from a jewelry designer in seattle. it is a simple but graphic design with a large raw herkimer diamond held in placed by several large prongs. its best kept secret is the tiny heart at the base of the diamond- a sweet reminder of the one who picked it out. it is a perfect ring with the exception of one thing - it ended up being quite fragile! as time went on, it continually got caught in pockets, snagged on shirts, and tangled in finn's hair. as beautiful as the ring is, it was not really the most practical for the everyday wear of a mother of a toddler.

we had been saving up to buy a new kitchen table. we had one in mind that came with a hefty price tag, so after months and months, we were finally close to our savings goal. we then found a table we liked almost as much as the original,  but at half the price! yippy! so with the left over saved money, we decided to invest in a slightly more sturdy but equally beautiful ring for jess. the new ring is a stunning piece from tiffany&co -  jess loves it because it reassembles the simplicity and feeling of her old ring, but is much more toddler friendly. and now she has TWO beautiful rings - lucky lady~

food glorious food

as you may have already read on our website, the food at our wedding will be anything but traditional. jeff and i have loved getting a little creative with some of the details of this wedding and the food is no exception. two things that are on the top of our list of favourite things (of all time!) are popcorn (i literally could eat this every day and have used it as a substitute for meals on more than one occasion. tisk tisk, i know.) and rootbeer (we aren't huge soda drinkers, but we both love a good rootbeer as a special treat every now and then). we thought the two things together would be pure perfection as well as a fun way to kick off our wedding festivities.

for dinner we thought long and hard about something that would be yummy and universally loved - obviously one thing pops into most peoples minds... pizza!! we love pizza (most people do!) so when we found a caterer with a mobile wood fired pizza oven we knew it was a match made in heaven! rustixx wood fired pizza will be cooking up gourmet pizza all night long (which, if you have never had wood fired pizza before, you are in for a real treat!) we will have a few varieties available to pick from- you can all fill your bellies with toppings like pineapple and feta (our most favourite pizza ever!) or, if thats not your thing, perhaps something a little more traditional. whatever you choose, it will be delicious! we will also be whipping up a few varieties of salads and a couple other treats to complement the pizza- be sure to bring your appetites (and maybe a pair of more comfortable pants for afterward). 

lastly, DESSERT!! jeff and i are both guilty of having a little (ok - major) sweet tooth! we opted to forgo the traditional wedding cake and instead replace it with a table filled with all our most favourite sweet treats. pies, cookies, donuts, maybe a cupcake or two- no shortage of sugar and, hopefully, something for everyone!

somewhat interesting wedding fact: all the food served on our special day will be vegetarian.

sparkle pony

a while back, i came across a woman who took toy animals and covered them in monochromatic glitter - i LOVED the look but could never afford the hefty price tag. When i stumbled upon a big bag of (super cheap) plastic animals on a recent shopping trip, i knew a can of metallic gold spray paint and a sunny afternoon would create the perfect addition to our wedding tablescape.

note: jeff's brother kyle will shudder at how terrible my spray painting skills are - i can hear the scolding already :) BUT we now have a little army of golden animals!

all lined up and ready to get sparkled 

after!

sandy beach

our wedding ceremony will be held at sandy beach, a little park near our house where we spend endless summers wading in the river, sharing popsicles, and soaking up every last bit of sunshine. we really love the space and because of its happy memories, decided it would be the perfect place to get married. we have also decided that no matter the weather, we will have the ceremony outdoors. if it rains, there will be last minute scrambles to collect umbrellas (jess always wanted to wear rain boots with her wedding dress), if it snows, dig out a warm jacket and grab a hot chocolate on your way over, and if its a beautiful indian summer afternoon (which it will be) come dressed however you like and enjoy the pure loveliness that our favourite park has to offer. we promise that no matter what the weather, the ceremony will be simple, quick and as fun as possible.

mr. and mrs. goblets!

i found these goblets at goodwill a while back and knew immediately they would be perfect for jeff and i to use at the wedding (and for me to drink my double americano's out of each morning until then). the rest of the guests will be using mason jars, so i wanted something equally laid back and casual, but still special and unique for our especially special day!

capturing photographs

given jeff and my background, it's no surprise that photography for our wedding was one of the first things we talked (endlessly) about and one of the most important aspects of our wedding. with Jeff shooting so many photos himself and me capturing every giggle and snack on my iphone, its rare that we get to be pictured TOGETHER, so we are both really excited to have a day where we wont need to click a single shutter!

it's a bit of a funny story actually- i had emailed two different calgary photographers that i have followed (and LOVED) for many years. i emailed each of them telling them about our wedding and asking if they would be interested in photographing it for us. the reply i received was totally a wonderful surprise. it explained that the pair were SISTER-IN-LAWS and after talking to each other, were hoping they could shoot our wedding TOGETHER! really, i couldn't have asked for a better situation to unfold - i loved both of their work so much, and really had no idea how i was going to choose between the two of them- so to be able to pick them BOTH- well- it was just meant to be! 

here are a few photographs that we adore from each of them.  they are so truly talented, beyond amazing and each have the most incredible ability to capture those special moments. (they both have ridiculously beautiful families too!) We are so excited to have them be a part of our special day!

Eden's website can be viewed here
Maria's website can be viewed here

Eden Lang

Eden Lang

Eden Lang

Eden Lang

Maria Lang

Maria Lang

Maria Lang

Maria Lang

vintage stamps

i have always loved the look of vintage stamps - they are cool and different and filled with lovely memories of a different time. when i found doug - a guy on kijiji that had not only inherited a GIANT stamp collection but was also selling his duplicates at discounted face value, i was beyond stoked! stephanie and i took a leisurely sunday afternoon drive across town to pick out beautiful and unique postage for each and every wedding invite. i cant wait to get these onto envelopes and into the mail! they will be totally perfect and everything i had hoped for!