Happy Monday! Not as excited about the beginning of a new work week as I? Think the summer is racing by? Just remember... we still have a month before fall! xoxo... Jessica of the Wanderers
sisters
I met Morgan and Whitney through Regan before they were even married. Since then they have had two beautiful baby girls. What luck for Emma and Annie, I always wanted a sister growing up.I have two brothers, Chris and Bear, who taught me how to defend myself, never give up, and keep my word. Mostly because boys like to fight, my brother was always three years older than me no matter how badly I wanted to beat him in swimming races, and Hansen's have loooong memories. In other words don't say anything unless you will still mean it for at least five years.So I imagine Emma and Annie will learn different lessons along the way. I never had to share my shoes, share the spotlight in my dance classes, or compete for a boys affection. All of these were very good things because I was a terrible dancer. You can follow Emma and Annie's exploits on The Little Hen House.
I thought It would be really fun to see how another blogger would curate a post. So I asked Morgan to pick her favorites from her family shoot and I would pick mine. I'm a big fan of collaborating so I was stoked when Morgan agreed to play with me.
Happy Friday, xoxo Suzanne
Here are my favorite images.
Kiss and Tell : Acumen August with Palka
Palka, Hrishi and their families opened their hearts for three days to Suzanne and Mike. They never got caught up in the festivities and always knew why and what they were celebrating. Suzanne loved how warm, inclusive and involved both families were. Palka's incredible amount of energy cannot be described in words but her sincerity and emotional availableness shine through the pictures. Mike's favorite part of the day was the groom's procession to the ceremony. It was full of excitement, laughter and music. He loved all the outfits, colors and enjoyed shooting the care-free members of the family. Meet Palka and hear what she has to share! Feel free to voice your thoughts!Dos Besos, Katie from the Wanderers
1) How did you mentally prepare for the big day?
-I am honestly not sure. I guess I would say that I focused on the small things. Kept my mind focused on what mattered and didnt get boggled down with the stress. I had a great support group in my family and my husband so I always leaned on them. But towards the last few days/weeks...I think I focused on the excitement..you can feel it building...and when you start seeing your friends and family coming into town for the day...it just makes you feel warm inside and just so darn happy!
2) Did you have any events surrounding the wedding. I.E baseball game, rehearsal dinner, brunch, bachelorette party? Tell us about it.
-Yes we had plenty! Events started on Thursday evening with a mendhi party/bridal shower (henna party with all my girlfriends and family). Friday morning we had a religious ceremony at my parents home (to summarize its like a purification and blessing done for the bride before she starts a new chapter of her life). Friday evening we had a cocktail party (sangeet party). All our close friends and family were invited (200 guests) and we had an outdoor venue set up...dancing, drinking and just spending time with all the people that came to San Diego to celebrate the big day with us. Probably the most fun evening. Saturday we had both the wedding and reception and Sunday we had a brunch for both families at our house. We were EXHAUSTED after all that! (not sure how much detail you want for this..let me know I can always add more?!)
3) What is something that makes for a great wedding day?
-A great day...hmmm...I think to just remember the focus of the day. Its about you and him. And you want to share that with your close family and friends. All the details of the wedding are not important. Just be happy and focused on the love you share...and the love of all your friends and family. That is what honestly got me through. Seeing everyone around you celebrating and having a good time is just priceless.
4) Did you see your spouse for the first time before the ceremony or during the ceremony? How did you feel?
-I saw my husband before the ceremony for pictures. It was exciting...little nervous...as it hit me then that we were really getting married...the big day was here!! I was scared/nervous/excited...all and every emotion was going through me.
5) What is one of your favorite memories?
-One of my favorite memories...was when my husband and I got a few moments to ourselves after the ceremony and before the wedding. I think that was when it really hit the both of us...we were married...holding hands...and we just looked at each other and our eyes were smiling.
6) What song do you most remember on the dance floor?
-"It wasnt me" by Shaggy. LOL. That is one of my husband's favorite songs...and he was going wild on the dance floor when it was playing. So fun to watch him.
7) What is a piece of advice you wish you had known before the big day?
- That people want to help. I always thought that planning a wedding and asking for help would be a bother to those around me. So I tried to do a lot of it on my own...but I didnt have to do that at all...there were friends and family all around that wanted to help. And I should have asked. Its would have helped me out..and it would have made them feel good too. Lesson learned!
8 ) Weddings are wonderful, but share some marriage tips please!
-Marriage tips...so many different things: But most importantly, to help each other be a better human being. To work as a team towards your goals in life and in the relationship. And to remember to laugh and have fun always! I think I love my husband more today than I did the day we got married.
Kiss and Tell : Acumen August with Erin
Romantic and Stylish are two words that Suzanne used to describe Erin and Greg's wedding. They got married at night, inside the El Cortez, which suited them perfectly. The atmosphere was warm and love was in the air. What made their wedding that much more special was that their friend officiated the ceremony. The ceremony was emotional and beautiful, as the bride shed tears of joy. This was Suzanne's favorite memory of the night! Brides-to-be, here is Erin sharing her love. Hear what she has to say and let us know what you have to say!Dos Besos, Katie from the Wanderers
1) How did you mentally prepare for the big day?
I don't think I did anything special. As calm as I was throughout the 15 months of planning, I started to panic a little in the week leading up to the wedding. But, I just had to convince myself that I trusted my vendors and everything would work out. The day before, I had a spa day with my mother, sister in law, and bridal party for a day of relaxation.
2) Did you have any events surrounding the wedding. I.E baseball game, rehearsal dinner, brunch, bachelorette party? Tell us about it.
Greg had a bachelor party up in Santa Barbara. Not the Vegas type, he rented a house and had about 7 guys drive up together in his parents' RV for a weekend of barbecuing, surfing and football on the beach. I also opted for something low key for my bachelorette and got a hotel room up in Santa Monica with a few friends. We had a great dinner and went out for drinks afterward, and brunch the next morning. The night before we had our rehearsal dinner at Ortega's, a restaurant we love. Because our wedding was small to begin with (80 people) the rehearsal dinner was limited to family and the bridal party, so after dinner we met up with our friends from out of town at Basic for a few drinks.
3) What is something that makes for a great wedding day?
I think just realizing that everyone at your wedding is there to celebrate you and your significant other. Because the wedding was small, we knew everyone really well, so it felt really special. Also, just letting little things go, if some things aren't quite "perfect" or exactly the way you envisioned them. It's still your wedding day (and no one else will notice!).
4) Did you see your spouse for the first time before the ceremony or during the ceremony? How did you feel?
I did see my spouse prior to the ceremony, thanks to Suzanne! I had originally wanted the first time he saw me to be walking down the aisle, but I am so GLAD we did pictures before hand! That way we were able to actually attend our cocktail hour (and eat the amazing food by Guiseppe) and walking down the aisle was still really special and emotional.
5) What is one of your favorite memories?
I think my favorite memory was the vows. I LOVED our ceremony and was something we labored over for months, since we wrote it ourselves (and I am DEVASTATED we don't have a copy of it). We also wrote our own vows and I think Greg's vows were so sweet and humorous, just like him, but I was crying so much after hearing them I could hardly read my own.
6) What song do you most remember on the dance floor?
I remember our first dance the most -- There is a light that never goes out, by The Smiths -- mostly because I got a killer foot cramp and could hardly move. It wasn't quite the romantic moment I had been hoping for. I also remember dancing with all my college friends to Whitney Houston's I wanna dance with somebody. Mick was really hesitant when I asked him to put that on our playlist, but when it came on everyone loved it, dancing and singing every word.
7) What is a piece of advice you wish you had known before the big day?
I don't think there's anything I wished I would have known...
8 ) Weddings are wonderful, but share some marriage tips please!
My two wedding tips are not terribly romantic but... 1) Go to bed angry. If you're fighting, a good night's sleep can give you such different perspective and clarity. 2) Remember you guys are in it for the long haul -- till death do us part! There will be bad days, maybe even bad weeks, but the bottom line is you love each other and it gets better. Marriage is work... and just wait till a baby gets thrown in the mix! ;)