april 2010

Sorry it has taken forever to finally get around to this! Life is crazy as usual in the big apple, and my computer died (and was fixed very quickly, thanks to the amazing people at the 5th Ave. Mac Store - and $150 of my hard earned cash). I also wanted to take some time to play around a bit with new ways to frame images in Photoshop or Illustrator. I finally just figured it out! So - at last, here is some of what happened in the weeks before our big day :)

the beautiful dyson vacuum

my parents got us for an

early wedding present

derek "putting the vacuum together"  :)

easter sunday at our church in hoboken

neff family pictures in freeburg

for dave and lisa's 30th anniversary

a fun night in the NJ

apartment - 4/2/10

(making margaritas!)

lunch break on the steps

of the main NYC post office

at 32nd and 8th

working on table place cards

for the wedding reception

norma from work made me

a handmade "bride" card... 

...and some for all of

my bridesmaids (made to

resemble their dresses) - so nice!

More to come soon!

ah!! one month!

Oh my goodness!!! Only 1 month 'til the big day! I should probably look for something to wear!

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Just kidding :)

(back in 2007 on one of his visits to UD)

So excited to marry this amazing man snoring next to me!!! He even makes dinner for me when I work late. Tonight it was "easy balsamic chicken". Sorry ladies. He's mine. :)

a few of my favorite things

A few great shots from the engagement photo shoot...

engagement session

Engagement pics are done! Here's the link to the photographer's blog, where she posted a few of the pics. These aren't necessarily our favorites, so whenever I get the rights to the whole album, I'll post our personal favorites in the 'photo album' on our wedding website!

details

With all of the things that go into planning our big day, I keep drifting back to how everything will look. I went to school for fashion design, but really, something burns inside me for interiors and that type of design. Foreshadowing? :) TBA. Anywho, I'm all obsessed at the moment with centerpieces, reception lighting, etc. I found some amazing blogs that dedicate themselves to the style I envision and how to go for what you're imaginig. I've tentatively decided on a sort of 'theme' I guess you could say. After going back and forth between a sort of clean, bright, peppy sort of aesthetic, and a natural, outdoorsy, semi-country feel, I think I'm drifting more towards the later. With that decided, everything has sort of rushed into my head all at once. I'm thinking mason jars everywhere. Mason jars with peonies and dalias all over the place, mason jars with tea light candles floating in water, mason jars with candles hanging from trees or whatever as guests filter into the reception on our farm, mason jars with velvety ribbon that will somehow match our color schemes. Mmm.. It feels so homey and warm and... us. While I love huge fussy arrangements and decor, it doesn't quite feel Emily Derek.

Some thoughts:

(http://snippetandink.blogspot.com/2008/06/real-wedding-saturday-karima-aaron.html

(http://pics.boards.weddingbee.com/22830.ead.jpg)

(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-_T0z05bIWA/SXONoN2l2XI/AAAAAAAABkg/
htQUpugxmOs/s1600-h/Fitch_small-306.jpg)

(http://abackyardwedding.blogspot.com/2009/02/q-how-do-you-light-backyard.html)

And these two blog posts:

• D.I.Y. Mason Jar Lanterns
  
• Real Weddings Blog: Nathan & Angela
  

On an entirely separate note, I'd love to have a photo booth for guests to take classic black and white strip photos of themselves (like the ones below) when they first get to the reception. I found a place near Harrisburg that will print two copies of each strip so that the guest can keep one, and we (Derek & I) get to keep the other for memories. I lovvve it. Just not sure if it'll happen yet. Stay tuned... :)

fotografias

11 months to go! Got our engagement pictures taken last Thursday! We did some at and around the Freeburg Elementary School (we both went there and it is sentimental to both of us) and the rest around my family's farm. We finished up with a few final shots at Derek's apartment out in the yard with Jake, our dog. It was a blast, and we think they're going to be really great. I'll put a link up to the online gallery when Jess is done editing them!

we're engaged!

Derek and I are engaged!!!! It took a couple of days to let everyone know, but I promptly asked Court (my sis) to be my maid of honor, and Lisa Diker (college friend), Corinne Ciaverelli (college friend), and Kelsey Neff (Derek's sister) to be in the wedding. They all said yes. :)