English, Irish, and Decidedly Greek

Being adopted, I don't have documented information on my exact genealogy or family heritage. Somewhere it was written that I am a combination of English and Irish (and perhaps French). But for me, family has always been about people and love and those you choose to make a part of your life - and little to do with blood relation. I grew up calling Mama Seashell's best friends "auntie", and their children "cousins". I looked up to my childhood babysitters like they were my big sisters, and holidays were spent with loved ones - "family" or not.

Just as we have embraced friends into our family, they have done the same in return. Years ago, my childhood best friend (now my BM) Carrie and her family went to meet her mother's birth family in Greece. Soon after their initial meeting, we took a trip to Greece to "meet the family" as well. We were overwhelmed with love and acceptance, and were made to feel like an extension of their Greek family.

Over the years, my family and Carrie's family have taken countless trips together. Carrie and I learned to read together one summer in St. Thomas at age 4, and toured Anne of Green Gable's house on Prince Edward's Island when we were 11. We've explored more European cities than I can recall, and eaten more amazing food than I'd like to admit. As our families have grown (and aged) Greece has become an anchor for our travels. Trips back have become more frequent, and bonds have grown stronger. We have taken in the culture, and shared ours in return.

 Greek Relatives with MOH Julia, Me, and BM Carrie (in red) circa 1994

So, when you're someone who believes that family is what you make it, I'm proud to tell people that I'm "English, Irish, and Decidedly Greek".

What does this mean for me and Mr. Seashell? You'll have to wait and see... But I'll tell you this: it will involve some Greek dancing, lamb on the spit, and a lot of "Opa!" come summer 2011.

Getting Pretty: The Result

I know, I know. I left you hanging. So I was seated and had all my materials out for my hair and make-up trial. Staci, the salon owner, informed me that all hands would be on deck as she and her assistant worked as a team with the make-up artist. I'll let the photos tell the story.

Was that intense, or what? I think the only other time you have that much attention is if you're an actual supermodel or perhaps having major surgery. Sensory integration issues? Yeah, check those at the door.

Oh, and I can't forget the before and after comparison:

And last, the test of time (8 hours later):

So, hive, what's the verdict? (And I apologize, I'm sure you've seen enough of my face for quite some time. I'll go back to pew leaves and such.)

Alright, fine, I won't leave you hanging on my thoughts. I think the front needs to look more like this:

{Source}

Now, discuss.

Getting Pretty

This past weekend I flew to Providence with a serious wedding "to do" list in hand. Among the many things to tackle: my hair and make-up trial. I'd tucked away inspiration photos for months, all with a consistent look and feel.

{Source for Images}

I'll admit that I was a little nervous going alone. I mean, of course the hair dresser and make-up artist were going to tell me I looked fabulous. I needed sincere feedback and brutal honesty! So in an effort to be as prepared as possible I arrived with the following:

• Hair Inspiration Photos
• Photos of me in my Wedding Dress
• My Veil
• Camera
• Laptop (in the event additional photos/inspiration was needed)

I was all set up and ready to go...

The result? Stay tuned!

Did you bring people to your hair and make-up trials? Or did you brave it alone?

Pew Leaf Progress

Remember my FMIL's Pew Leaf Prototype?

Well, she's been hard at work!

 ...and most recently our thick, rich, lush ivory bridal ribbon arrived!

(all personal photos)

Are any of your projects coming together? If so, aren't you LOVING it?

Not Another New England Wedding

New England bees like Mrs. Tiramisu, Mrs. Gloss, Mrs. Corn, Miss Potato Chips and Miss Starfish all gave a nod to what makes the northeast so special. So how can I, a native New Englander, have a wedding devoid of the color navy, anchors, starfish, lobsters, men in khaki suits, and all things preppy and nautical?

We have all the elements of a New England wedding right at our fingertips. The autumn leaves. The venue by the water. The guests with the Rhode Island accents. Lovers of lobster and clam cakes. And inspiration like this:

 (Style Me Pretty)

As much as I adore my Rhody roots, a nautical New England wedding would have little to do with Mr. Seashell and I as a couple. We met and live in Chicago, and live a pretty urban life. Sure, we'd love to go sailing, but every time I try to get Mr. Seashell to buy a pair of boat shoes he gets irrationally mad.

(source)

c'mon, honey! they're cute!

A preppy New England wedding would be more about me, and less about us. Similarly, Mama Seashell has been an integral part of the planning process, and New England prepster isn't her scene either. I think a lot of people assumed our wedding would go the traditional New England route because it's such a staple of the region. However, it simply didn't "fit". Did your wedding surprise anyone? Did you break a mold?

Dressing the Sis: The Sash Solution

I honestly have no idea how this idea came up during our meeting with the florist. I don't remember mentioning adding a sash to my sister's dress, or the fact that it was going to have some sort of floral detail. Perhaps when we were discussing bridesmaid's bouquets it somehow got thrown in the mix. I'm not familiar with "bridal amnesia", but if it's a thing, I clearly have a mild case.

However, at some point during our meeting with our florist, it was decided that she would create a sash with a fresh floral detail for my sister's bridesmaid dress. I loved this idea because it would then be guaranteed to coordinate with her bouquet, and not be too "busy".

(source for all above photos)

I think it will ultimately look the most like the first photo, though I wanted to throw in the other ones for your viewing pleasure.

Did you consider using fresh flowers as an accessory?

Slideshow for a Saturday

Soon after our engagement photos were posted on our photographer's blog, she not only sent us our digital proofs but also created a slideshow! I knew she would create a wedding slideshow, but one for our engagement pics was a total treat.

It absolutely makes our engagement session come alive, and makes me fall in love with our photographer and Mr. Seashell all over again. Oh, it was such a fantastic day...

Dressing the Sis: The Decision (& Details)

After Mama Seashell e-mailed me the photos from her dress shopping trip with my sister, she called me to say that there was a clear winner:

After Six 6277 in Smashing

Dress 2!

She said it was the most flattering, and Sister Seashell liked it best. I'll admit I preferred dress #1 from when I had seen it in the shop, but since I was letting the girls pick their dresses I realized this was part of the deal. Additionally, I figured we could add a fun sash to this dress to spice it up a bit.

I searched Etsy for inspiration.

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None of these were quite "it", but definitely a step in the right direction and a great source of inspiration!

Next, we were on to shoes. After a quick stop to Krystal Shoes in Cranston, RI (and by "quick" I mean literally in and out in 10 minutes) we found these cuties:

(Personal Photo)

Did you make any alterations to your bridesmaids dresses? What was the easiest accessory to find?