instant gratification

Weddings these days are attacked by technology every which way.  I am so conflicted, because yes, you have hired an amazing professional to document the day, but I just can't seem to put my phone down.  Yes, just five years ago when the Mr. and I were married, the iPhone was not what it is today.  It was the time before social media took over the world, and in some ways, that is pretty great.  But today, I'm going to share one part of social media & weddings that I love, personalized hash tags.  Yes, the good ole' hash tag has made its way into even the world of weddings, and I'm very okay with it.  Last weekend [was that just last weekend, it already feels like it was a month ago, at least] our awesome friends got married, and had an equally awesome wedding celebration.  And I'm not just saying it because we love the couple, their wedding rocked.  When I saw the little instagram hash tag cards Jaymee designed in the boxes we were packing up for the reception I literally squealed with delight.

So, suggestions for rocking a personalized hash tag at your wedding, here you go:

-Check in advance for just the right hash tag that will not be shared by others.  If you have a unique spelling to your name as our Jaymee does, then, you will have an easy time with this one.
-Make sure to share with your guests the hash tag to use.  Even though Jaymee did this, some guests still weren't sure which hash tag to use, so they made up their own variations, which was pretty entertaining in itself.
-If you are participating in the hash tagging, STAY OUT OF THE WAY of the professional photographer.  Thankfully, we happened to know the photographer at this wedding, because she has also shot every important moment of our lives.  So when we were being obnoxious with our phones at the end of the night, we could all have a good laugh about it, but I wouldn't suggest this with a professional you do not know.  Thanks Sarah for not punching me in the face when I smacked your oh so expensive camera with my iPhone!

I think the reason why I love this idea so much is the instant gratification that comes with it. Every person who took a shot of your wedding can share it immediately where you the bride, and all your family, can enjoy them together.  I loved when Jaymee and I were enjoying some quiet time at the "after party" skimming through their hash tag, because at that point, that was all the energy we had left!  Back when I was married I remember I had only one picture taken of my wedding ceremony that I got to see before our professional ones were ready, and that one just wasn't enough.  I also love that you can catch the moments that your professional photographer may not be present for.  For example, who knew the lighting in the stark white waiting room with funky botanical prints hanging on the walls at the venue was going to yield some of my favorite photos of Everly and I?!?  I also love that you can instantly see parts of the wedding you weren't physically a part of, because who can be everywhere all at once?  Not this mama!  Oh, and sometimes you get a photo like this one that instantly becomes the lock screen on your phone...

Thanks to the following wedding guests for sharing your photos with my via #drewandjaymee - 

@megacatz  @carriekeyes   @jsrp     @qwelli   

#drewandjaymee

This weekend our amazing friends Drew & Jaymee tied the knot after ten years of dating. I could not imagine any two people who are more deserving of such an amazing celebration of their love. I had a blast instagramming the whole wedding, well, until my phone died!  Seriously, you could feel the love just about everywhere this weekend. But, even love can get you tired, so I'll share more photos here soon!  But no, not tonight.

making a pretty picture spot [for any gathering]

lately, I've been having fun creating a little space

at a party, holiday, or shower

that is perfect for taking some close-ups of friends and family

turns out, that group shot with a lamp coming out of your friend's head

isn't really going to become a "framer" any time soon

when planning Jaymee's bridal shower
I knew that I wanted to incorporate some patterned folded pinwheels

but instead of hanging them, I wanted to use them as a little picture place

folded paper pinwheels are really easy to make

see how here

and I think they make a great addition to some close up shots

for our outdoor location, I just used some poster putty to adhere

and even though it was crazy hot that day, all but one agreed throughout the entire day

see our new year's eve home made photo booth here

and the rest of Jaymee's bridal shower here & here & here

it's all in the details [jaymee's shower part III]

one of my favorite parts of party planning

is paying attention to all of the little details

and thankfully, I worked with one of the most detail

oriented bridesmaid on the planet

so here are some of the details that just can't be forgotten

from Jaymee's beautiful shower

details not to be forgotten:

*the succulent garden was actually an amazing shower gift*

[yes, that is a heart shaped cake pan found at a garage sale]

*many of the poms were made by several of the groom's relatives, including grandpa*

*even the mini clothespins were painted gold with a touch of glitter*

*some cheating may have occurred during bridal BINGO*

[the bride's aunts are hilariously competitive]

*the circular streamers were not only impossible to hang, 

they were quite tough on the sewing machine that made them*

*the bride & groom initials were made out of brown coffee filters spray painted with a hint of gold*

*I was the only one in the bridal party, including the bride, that knew to make her rehearsal bouquet from her gift ribbons - it helps being the old lady in the group*

*and according to the old wives tradition, Jaymee will be having many children*

[don't worry Jaymee, we will let you have two!]

love is sweet [Jaymee's bridal shower part II]

You get together a bunch of women celebrating an upcoming wedding, and yes, many sweets and yummy dishes were consumed.  Thankfully, everyone pitched in to create this amazing spread, and the groom's sister made this amazing dessert bar for all of us to enjoy!

^^^the bride with her dessert of choice^^^

and yes, this dessert bar could have fed an entire wedding!

[see part I here]

soon we will be hearing wedding bells [bridal shower part I]

One thing that I absolutely love about this time in my life is the joy of my friends getting married and having babies.  Getting to be a part of someones wedding is a pretty amazing gift, and I am so happy to be there for the beautiful and amazing Jaymee as she gets ready to tie the knot this coming September. I have known the happy couple since they started dating way back in middle school, and they happened to be best friends with my little sister.  So, in the beginning of our friendship, I was the big sister with the car that could drive them to concerts.  Fast forward a decade or so, and we all ended up living in the same part of town, and the five year age difference was no longer a thing.  [After all, they both have their own cars now].  Yesterday, I had the chance to throw Jaymee her bridal shower, and everything turned out amazing.  Thankfully, I had the groom's rockin' sister to help with everything, because, man, I've been a busy girl the past few months.  I think the two of us were able to give Jaymee just what she hoped for!

 

^^^Jaymee approves^^^

^^^homemade peppermint sugar scrub favors^^^

 

^^^the bride & her ladies^^^

^^^Everly is smitten with Jaymee too^^^

^^^playing "he said, she said"^^^

 

^^^Everly and Grammie made it into the "lighting round"^^^

^^^looks like Everly is guessing Jaymee said it^^^

turns out, when it comes to bridal showers, I get a little camera happy

so I'll break up this massive photo post up over the next few days

yay to happy posts!

a wedding by the boardwalk

on saturday our friends tied the knot in santa cruz, california

and at one point in the evening I did describe myself as 

a kid in a candy shop

here are just a few reasons why