Kathleen and I spent our Monday evening talking through our wedding playlist.  At first we discussed what we didn’t want played at the main even, then moved onto chatting about the specific artists we wanted to hear.  Nothing sets the mood like a nice playlist for a wedding, so we really put some time into thinking it through.  Kathleen is very much focused on her vintage theme, so we made sure to introduce a selection of Jazz, which will be played during dinner and cocktail hour.  Of course we want people to dance, so we’ve infused a number of pop hits that I think most will enjoy.  To top it off, we’ve introduced a number of Portuguese songs that will be peppered in throughout the evening, both new and old. 

The list is by no means all inclusive, as we’d like our DJ to to take some creative license, but it does set the tone with some of our favorite songs.  We’ll definitely be revisting the list as we draw closer to the wedding, but as it stands right now, we’re pretty happy with the first cut of our playlist.

Hope you enjoy it.  If anyone has any specific requests, do let us know as we won’t be taking requests at the wedding itself.  Yeah, I know, we really are control freaks. 

Continue reading if you’d like to see our draft playlist… continue reading »

As I mentioned in yesterday’s post, I’ve changed my mind on the color that I want for my attendants’ dresses.  I’ve decided to go with this color, which Jenny Yoo calls “Slate.”  I think it’s a bit more sophisticated than the deep red color (“Concord”) I had initially chosen, which is still very lovely but says “Bridesmaid” rather more loudly than the Slate.  I think “Slate” will look nicer when juxtaposed against the black Honor Attendants’ dresses and the groomsmen’s black suits.  Here it is in another photograph in the crinkle silk chiffon of which my attendants’ dresses are made:

continue reading »

When it comes to the kinds of flowers I want at my wedding, my thoughts have evolved dramatically since my initial “vision.”  Since we’re getting married in the Fall, I at first craved lush, dramatic blooms with deep, rich colors.  I wasn’t interested in the traditional Autumn pallet of burnt oranges, bright reds and earthy browns; I was thinking more along the lines of red-black Baccara roses and eggplant or “black” calla lilies.  I wanted tall, tree-like arrangements of curly willow and birch and accents of gold or copper.  This vision, however, quickly disintegrated after I fell in love with the Branford House.  One of the mansion’s features that I like best are its dark, hand-carved wood wall panels; these, however, prompted me to choose a color pallet for the reception decor that would provide more of a contrast.  Not only would the dark-colored flowers that I initially envisioned get “lost” in the dark interior of the Branford House and, for that matter, of Harkness Chapel (whose interior is even darker than that of the reception venue), but I would be in danger of it all looking quite dreary and gloomy.  So, I eventually settled on a more tradional “white wedding” pallet that includes cream and ivory roses and hydrangea, ivory ostrich feathers and gold accents and plenty of candles.  Here are a couple of photos of traditional “white wedding” details that I think are dramatic and fetching that I’ve used in my own musings for inspiration (note the ostrich feathers and lush florals in the centerpiece!):

continue reading »

As anyone who knows me is well aware, I dislike weddings as a general matter.  The stuffy formality, the bad bridesmaid fashion, the corny live bands, the treakly sentimentality … and the atrocious “wedding hair.”  Only “prom hair” is more hideous.  The tight, sprayed-to-within-an-inch-of-its-life, instant-face-lift bridal coif … the sad depths to which women sink when they know a camera will be pointed at them for several hours in one day.  For my own wedding, I want hair that looks soft and feminine and like it could actually move if assailed by a strong breeze.  Since I aspire to a vintage ambience for the event, I want my own hairstyle and my attendants’ to reflect that aesthetic.  I especially like the finger waves of the 1920′s and 1930′s, but with a modern twist:

continue reading »