Gift Idea: For yourself or someone else!

After S and I returned from the honeymoon we were overwhelmed with the amount of presents and boxes that were EVERYWHERE. Suddenly our little apartment was taken over by waffle makers, appliances and boxes of dishes. (Not that we're ungrateful!) Little by little, we started opening the boxes, (especially with our new move, post coming soon!) and I was so happy to discover these lovely mugs given to us by our amazing photographer, Chad, and his family.

The are by Jessica Rust Designs and made in Minnesota. These mugs represent the four seasons so each mug is a little different. It is personalized with your initials and year "carved" into the birch tree. How great are these? If we weren't lucky enough to own them , I would by them for S and myself!

You can also register for these mugs and other items on Jessica's website here.

Photo via Jessica Rust Designs

Summer lovin'

As summer is slowly passing us by, I realize I haven't had the time to cook even half the things I wanted to. With that said, these next few weeks will be filled with chopping, baking, eating, and full bellies for family and friends. Stay tuned for lovely summer recipes and stories of my tiny New York City kitchen. Hoping to plan a lovely rooftop end of summer soiree! What are some of your favorite summer recipes?

Hope you're having a happy weekend!

Image via Decorative Country Living

The Archipelago of Kisses

Came across this lovely poem and thought it would be perfect for a wedding reading! S and I had three readings at our own wedding and I loved them all so much. It was so special having our family and friends involved. All of our readings were very different but all tied in together perfectly with our ceremony seamlessly. We had lyrics from a song, a verse, and another lovely poem. Are you planning on having any readings at your wedding?

Enjoy!

We live in a modern society. Husbands and wives don't
grow on trees, like in the old days. So where
does one find love? When you're sixteen it's easy,
like being unleashed with a credit card
in a department store of kisses. There's the first kiss.
The sloppy kiss. The peck.
The sympathy kiss. The backseat smooch. The we
shouldn't be doing this kiss. The but your lips
taste so good kiss. The bury me in an avalanche of tingles kiss.
The I wish you'd quit smoking kiss.
The I accept your apology, but you make me really mad
sometimes kiss. The I know
your tongue like the back of my hand kiss. As you get
older, kisses become scarce. You'll be driving
home and see a damaged kiss on the side of the road,
with its purple thumb out. If you
were younger, you'd pull over, slide open the mouth's
red door just to see how it fits. Oh where
does one find love? If you rub two glances, you get a smile.
Rub two smiles, you get a warm feeling.
Rub two warm feelings and presto-you have a kiss.
Now what? Don't invite the kiss over
and answer the door in your underwear. It'll get suspicious
and stare at your toes. Don't water the kiss with whiskey.
It'll turn bright pink and explode into a thousand luscious splinters,
but in the morning it'll be ashamed and sneak out of
your body without saying good-bye,
and you'll remember that kiss forever by all the little cuts it left
on the inside of your mouth. You must
nurture the kiss. Turn out the lights. Notice how it
illuminates the room. Hold it to your chest
and wonder if the sand inside hourglasses comes from a
special beach. Place it on the tongue's pillow,
then look up the first recorded kiss in an encyclopedia: beneath
a Babylonian olive tree in 1200 B.C.
But one kiss levitates above all the others. The
intersection of function and desire. The I do kiss.
The I'll love you through a brick wall kiss.
Even when I'm dead, I'll swim through the Earth,
like a mermaid of the soil, just to be next to your bones.

The Archipelago of Kisses, by Jeffrey McDaniel. via Peonies and Polaroids

photographer unknown, via Le Love

Apartment Hunt!

Since returning from our honeymoon, S and I have been on the hunt for a new apartment. We didn't want to leave our beloved neighborhood, or even worse...move to Brooklyn (gasp!). After a few tiring weeks of exhausting searches, open houses, brokers, and craigslist disappointments, we have found the PERFECT place! Problem solved, right? Well, to our surprise, the apartment next to "our" apartment is also vacant.

We love them both.

So now what? We must decide in the next 24 hours as we would like to move in as soon as possible. They are both in an amazing building in our neighborhood. The apartments have original features from the 1890's as well as the original floorboards and the molding. Really lovely! One of them has really amazing old shutters which were also original when the building was a private townhouse.

So what should we do??? Husband likes the smaller of the two with a walk in closet. I like the larger of the two but has (virtually) no bathroom. Also, the larger one has the original plumbing of the house which includes a tub in the kitchen! Hmmm....

Thoughts?!!

Ex’s & Oh’s

Finding an Officiant for Your Wedding

The most important part of choosing and officiant for your wedding is finding someone you are comfortable with, as they will have a large impact on the vibe of your wedding ceremony. Ideally, you want to have someone who not only reflects your individual qualities, but also shares the same values.

Now, neither K nor I had any desire to be married in a church being that we are not belonging to any particular religion. Luckily, we had it easy...

Enter our beloved friend Josh.

He became an ordained minister a few years ago through the Universal Life Church to marry another good friend of ours, so he was an obvious choice for our upcoming wedding. And, how many other ministers teach Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu classes during the day? That's right, not many.

The good thing about having a friend officiate your wedding is that (hopefully) they know you well enough already and will personalize the experience. We began brainstorming with Josh a few months before the wedding. He came to our apartment and we went over the details and the order of the program. We decided early on that we wanted to write our own vows. We also asked some of our close friends if they would do us the honor of reading selected pieces. The only danger of having a friend perform your ceremony is if they don't take the task as seriously as they should. Nobody wants a clown at their wedding!

Those who would prefer a religious ceremony should bear in mind the same qualities when choosing someone. All the better if it's a person who is close with you and your family. If that's the case, i.e., a clergy person, etc.

In the end, Josh did a fabulous job officiating our wedding and we were very happy with our decision. He brought just the right balance of sincerity with quirkiness – a true reflection of us.

Groom Style: Guest Post for PH+C by Made to Measure

~

{Paper Hearts + Cranes is excited to present the very first installment of a series dedicated to Groom Style by Dennis Cahlo of Made to Measure}

~

The world of wedding style for men is rapidly evolving. Where as before we had only the option of the traditional formal Tuxedo, we are now living in a time where the rules and game have changed.

If it was my own wedding I would wear a tuxedo because {a} I own one and {b} I like them. But what about if you just want to go against the grain a bit and wear just a suit? Well, my dear chaps, you are in luck but I am about to school you very hard and fast on what to avoid and what to look for.

The first option that comes to mind is a full custom suit. I mean, this is a huge day for you, sir. Why have something ill fitting on your frame and embarrass your bride, family, and soon to be in laws? Not to mention all those pictures your photographer will be taking. Ah, the memories. I digress. A custom suit is something really special and sacred that you will get lots of use out of way after your wedding. I suggest going for colors all depending on where the occasion is held. For example, if you are on a beach go for a beautiful Khaki cotton or linen suit. PLEASE DO NOT WEAR SANDALS. Pick up some nice loafers and make sure you go sockless. For something more formal but not as traditional like an outdoor setting you can go for a beautiful Navy or Gray pinstripe. Put a nice flower in the button hole of your lapel, slim down your tie, and throw a pocket square in that breast pocket of yours. You are going to look classy as hell and at the same time you will not outshine your bride to be.

As a second option, you can take a cue from Scott and buy a higher end off the rack suit (Paul Smith) and have it tailored to perfection. Again, follow the color guide lines based on where you are having your big day but MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE SUIT TAILORED BY A PRO.

For shirts I also suggest custom and you can go with white or pink. Make sure it’s nothing to flashy, ruffled, or heavily patterned. That is a huge mistake. You want to be subtle while still being bold.

The key to being creative with your wedding attire is to look really good and not break the bank. Stay away from clichés or even “ironic” looks. As I said before, this is your big day, buddy. Don’t mess it up.

For more information on where to get custom clothing please visit my blog here.

All the best,

Dennis Cahlo

Choosing your registry.

This is the fun part! However, when choosing to provide your guests with a registry list, you may feel overwhelmed. Do you feel like you are pushing your guests to buy you certain items or do you even feel rude assuming they would want to buy these for you? Don't! Friends and relatives will be looking to buy wedding gifts as soon as they hear about your engagement. Really! Take the guesswork out of gift buying by making sure they know what you really want.

Firstly, to decide what you need, take inventory of the things you already have and see where the gaps are. Talk about the style of home you'd both like, and what would fit in with your lifestyle (Do you need a stand mixer? You never bake!). One thing to consider is local shops vs online mega stores. If you are a Target shopper, you may feel comfortable choosing to register there. Target has thousands of options and is accessible to every guest, both in location and in price points. If you have a favorite local shop, go in and ask the owner if they have a gift registry option. You may be pleasantly surprised! Even smaller online shops have them now! It may be a bit more work but will be worth it in the long run, and you could be happily supporting a small business!

Another incentive to look for is discounts from vendors. When S and I were registering, I noticed companies like All-Clad and Le Creuset offer free merchandise when registering for a certain amount of their products.

And don't forget about Etsy! Contact vendors for special registry requests!

A final idea is either a honeymoon fund or having a list of fun things your guests could contribute to for your honeymoon, such as a snorkeling day trip or a couples massage. Contact your hotel or resort to find out about setting up such a registry!

You may also be wondering if you should include your information on your invite. We also pondered over this for quite some time but in the end, decided to add it since it was just easier than having everyone ask us or our parents. Some say it's a big no-no but we just thought it would make the process simpler for everyone!

Good luck!!

Brooklyn Bride

Thank you to the lovely Vane for posting us on her beautiful site this morning! We are so honored to be a part of this amazing community and to have our little wedding showcased to so many other crafty, imaginative, and creative people!

Check us out!!