Good friend or a smidge psychotic...

Okay, in the past week, I have been guilty of *completely* dumping *TONS* of wedding links + pics to my friend T who is getting married where I live, though she and her fiance are in NY. And honestly, all these links I've been sending her have nothing to do with her wedding happening out of town for her, and everything to do with my obsession :D

It's just that I've spared her the past 3 mos my obsessiveness, as I've been trying to follow the advice of these other wedding blogs I'd been checking out which told me to reign in my obsession around her + let her enjoy the fun of planning on her own ... But she recently came to visit and mentioned that she loved the first emails I had initially sent her (months and months ago), and said I was silly to hold myself back, she's getting overwhelmed with planning :D -- well, in this past week, it's almost embarassing how much info I've sent her.

It's just that, for example, we met with her florist, and her florist suggested a ring bearer pillow made of flowers, and T worried about budget. But the florist said that carnations look fabulous in volume, despite everyone's concerns with how cheap it looks, and of course it's budget-friendly. And I reassured T later that afternoon by showing her this article on The Hostess with the Mostess that i had *just* seen on decorating with carnations, and they were gorgeous!

But then I saw this:

(Adrianne Smith Floral Design, featured on The Bride's Cafe)

And it's been like that ever since -- one thing after another after another, that I absolutely want to send her now that I know she'd like a little help. But a little help, versus this steady stream? I could email her 3 times a day! A-hem. Fanatic, yes. Even despite my attempts to keep myself in check.

So, here's what I'm going to do: embrace my love of wedding planning, and rather than dump on T multiple times a day, dump on here :) She mentioned a friend of hers is trying to do a wedding on a budget in California, and I forwarded her another handful of links -- She mentioned wanting to scope out this blog, but -- gosh, I'm afraid the depth of my fanaticism still might scare her :D So, until she asks, I'll just post and tag to my heart's content :D Starting now!

MAKEUP

When we met for lunch last week, T had just come from her wedding makeup and hair trial.

And had 3-inch long false lashes, I could swear. And I told her I honestly thought they were fab, though she was self-conscious of them, and I readily admitted that everyone else might think they were probably a bit much.

But check this out:

(Mark Brooke Photography featured on A Wedding Cabaret)

Her lashes look fabulous! And you know those aren't naturally that long -- but she looks *beautiful*! T, if you ever read this, I vote 3 inches!

DRESS & VEIL

T's dress is *stunning*. Her dress story is hilarious. But the dress itself, in a nutshell, is a sample from the runway from designer Kenneth Pool, who apparently did not replicate this dress for retail. Wow, that happens? It's *stunning.* Crap, I said that already. But really, it is. Not this exactly, but close:

(Style Me Pretty: Little Black Book, featuring Laura Kay Photography)

That is, similar tulle butterfly/feathers detailing scattered through the skirt and more detailing towards the bottom, but no train. And it's a bell, I swear. Not a hoop-skirt, but there's some (*sweet*!) volume. And her bodice is strapless and has gorgeous beading.

But T and her fiance want a not-black-tie affair, and are aiming for cocktail. Which, I think, makes her not want a veil, because her dress is already too formal, she feels.

But hello, check this out!

(same from above)

I talked her into hitting up a bridal salon, just to try on some veils to make sure (since she'd had her wedding hair trial that day) -- but there just weren't any simple, single tier/layer veils that hit the right length like this that I had in mind, at the salon. (For sure, a cathedral veil is out of the question). Alas. I mean, of course this is where I embrace our differences. But darn.

Instead, she did find this *lovely* fascinator -- she sprung for it after maybe 8 minutes of hesitation!


Perfect size, incorporates lace + netting (since she's going sans veil) + a teensy bit of sparkle! AND not the $500 she was expecting to spend! (I have no idea where she was looking, although *man* Castle Bride Couture looks like it could *totally* be in that price range!)

I thought it was pricier than etsy comparables, since it rang in a $87 + shipping + taxes ($101 total), but I scoped out etsy (which we had discussed prior to entering this bridal salon), and it's a smidge more ($20-ish?) -- But it's absolutely perfect. And totally, the peace of mind she has, having tried on this particular fascinator with the wedding hair, rather than imagining/virtual shopping is worth more than $20, and made skipping etsy an easy choice for her :D

All of that on top of *loving* the fascinator! Seriously, she didn't want to put it down, and walked around the store with it in her hair for I can't say how long, while we looked at other dresses (and i tried on birdcage veils for myself, hee!) Hey, when you love something, why push :)?

Okay, long enough. I'm excited I can use this as an outlet now, whew! I can't tell you how many emails I've discarded already, semi-kicking myself + yet knowing I'll thank myself later!