Musically challenged

Along the same lines as Miss Robin's post about her first dance song, I thought I'd jump on the music bandwagon and throw out a few options to the hive....

**Note to readers: the Cupcakes are slightly less agile than (but just as physically fit as) this dashing couple.

I know that our wedding isn't for nine months, but our first dance song is still a popular topic of discussion between Mr. Cupcake and myself, and we can never quite come to a decision! I have a feeling that the decision is not going to get any easier, so here are our current choices for you to weigh in on:

1. Billy Joel • You're My Home: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52B2e2YcZ9E
   (Please excuse the fact that this YouTube video has clips from the show "Supernatural" — it was actually the most normal one I could find that included the song!)
   I have always loved this song, and it has a few lines in particular that I think are very "us" — including a mention of the famed Pennsylvania Turnpike which we traveled every weekend for the first two years of our relationship to see each other :-) There is also a less twangy live version from the "Songs in the Attic" album that could be a contender. The only concern, though, is that it might be a little too fast-paced for us (we'll be sticking with the classic "sway" move in lieu of a choreographed dance.... Mr. Cupcake's feet would not agree with any fancy moves!). We practiced to it once, and it didn't necessarily flow.
   
2. Neil Diamond • We: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYp8lVb1Q6s
   As nerdy as it may sound, Mr. Cupcake and I love us some Neil Diamond! Sure, some of his songs are a bit hokey and most people our age only know "Sweet Caroline," but Mr. Cupcake grew up listening along to his mom's Neil Diamond albums and we both have a sweet spot for some "Forever in Blue Jeans" or "Cracklin' Rose." Come on, admit it — when no one is watching, you belt out those Neil songs that you hear on the radio! The song "We" is on a more recent album of this great American songwriter, and it is very playful and light-hearted, just like us. Plus, the lyrics are really cute and true! It is a good dancing tempo (we practiced to this one, too!), but it is incredibly repetitive and I don't want people to get bored with it. Maybe I'm just reading into it too much, though?
   
3. Harry Connick Jr. • A Wink and a Smile: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrCg6JGb6Y4&feature=related
   (Again, don't mind the YouTube selection.... actually, it's kinda cute!)
   I have always been a fan of Harry Connick, Jr., but Mr. Cupcake just recently became a fan when we heard Harry play at the New Orleans Jazz Fest 2007 (we were right up front!). Aside from being incredibly nice to look at, he has a great, soulful voice and plays classic standards and jazzy tunes in a swoon-worthy way. Although I'd be open to finding another possible Harry tune to dance to, I adore "A Wink and a Smile" (which you may remember from the movie "Sleepless in Seattle"). Just like the Neil Diamond song, it is playful and light-hearted, and a good tempo to dance to. But, Mr. Cupcake's mom suggested that my heart might not "be in the right place" when dancing to it (since I'd be thinking about Harry!!). Ha — she knows me too well, and is totally right! Although, I could do my best to get over my Harry-love for the sake of our first dance ;-)
   

So.... what do you all think? Which song do you think would be best (based on the little that you know about the Cupcakes)? Is there one that you think wouldn't work at all?

Bring on the opinions!

We Wish You A Merry Cupcake

I'm sure it will be quiet in the hive over the next few days, so I wanted to take this opportunity to wish you all a happy holiday season, whatever holiday(s) you may be celebrating! Thank you to all of you for bringing lots of cheer into my life in 2007. I wish the same to you over the holidays and in 2008!

For those of you who celebrate Christmas and may have a little gift shopping left to do, how about a little Cupcake cheer? Johnny Cupcakes is a fun company based out of Boston that makes these great t-shirts and other cool items, with cupcakes replacing images in all different familiar pop culture icons. I discovered them online last year, and always get a kick out of their designs. It's too late to order online in time for Christmas, but those of you in the Boston area still have a shot at picking up some of these super awesome designs :-)

Sweet Cupcake Engagement Photos

I've already rambled on and on about how much we love our photographers, The Wiebners... so for the sake of not killing you all with suspense, I'll get right down to business and show you our fabulous engagement photos!
















On a sunny Sunday morning in the town we live in, we spent a few hours with Rita & Joel Wiebner to get all these shots. We basically walked from our apartment through the "downtown" area and stopped to get shots wherever we/they felt inspired. This included a theatre, a playground, a park, and a handful of hidden little nooks throughout town. It was such a blast, and I am so glad we sprung for an engagement session. We absolutely love the photos, and we also got a feel for how the Wiebners work and what we can expect on the wedding day.

By no fault of theirs, we were a tiny bit nervous/tense throughout the beginning of the session. We had never had professional photos taken together before, so it was something to get used to. Joel and Rita did a great job of loosening us up and making us laugh, so by the end of the shoot we were a lot more at ease.

One thing I learned is that Mr. Cupcake and I look a little ridiculous when we try to be serious! There are some shots in our proofs that just make me giggle, because for some reason, we don't know how to make serious faces! Maybe it's because we're so accustomed to being silly? Whatever the reason, it was again by no fault of the Wiebners, but maybe now we will know to act a bit more natural and allow ourselves to laugh more when being photographed on our wedding day!

A Picture is Worth....

I'll be completely honest: my hunt for a wedding photographer began a few months before we were even engaged! My best friend/MatOH had gotten married several months earlier, and the wedding bug had bit me a little tiny smidgen of a bit since helping with some of her details. I'm really into photography, so I thought doing a little research before Mr. Cupcake popped the question wasn't such a bad thing (since we had gone ring shopping once and I knew it was coming... eventually!). No harm done, right? Right??

I did some sleuthing on theknot.com and throughout other wedding resources, compiling a list of some of my favorites. Unfortunately, a lot of those favorites were very high-priced, and although I was only planning my fantasy wedding at this time, I knew that I couldn't get my heart set on any of these shutterbugs because I'd be setting myself up for disappointment when it was time to plan the real thing.

Then, one day, I happened upon the website of The Wiebners, a husband and wife team based out of Lancaster, PA. Their work can't be categorized as any one particular style — it is a combination of photojournalistic, artsy, whimsical, and just plain fantastic. I was drawn to their raw, fresh style; not a lot of feathery images, nothing too lovey-dovey or too contrived. Their photos were simply of real people with real emotions, photographed in an incredible way. I was also drawn to the fact that even their posed shots had a somewhat candid quality to them. And, their starting prices didn't make me gag with disgust. Score!














I sent an email to the Wiebners inquiring about their services and how far in advance they typically book weddings. I explained that I wasn't exactly engaged yet, but who needs technicalities anyway! Rita emailed me back promptly, and was so incredibly sweet. She said that they do book fairly far in advance, especially for busier wedding months, and she didn't think I was completely nuts for emailing her before I was even engaged (or, if she did, she didn't say so ;-)).

Once we did get engaged, and after finding out the dates available for our reception at The Desmond, I emailed Rita to see if they were available for any of our possible dates. Fortunately they were, so I promptly set up a meeting. Mr. Cupcake and I ventured out to Lancaster one Saturday morning to meet with Rita and Joel, and we were immediately sold. Not only was their work incredible (which we already knew), they were also fun and laid back people whom we connected with and could see ourselves hanging out with. This was incredibly important to us, seeing as we'd be spending the most important day of our lives with these people!

We made our decision without meeting any other photographers (which may be crazy, but we were just that sure of their mad skillz!). They were a bit of a splurge, but photography is one thing I can't bear to scrimp on (and they are still a lot more affordable than other local photographers whose work I don't even like as much). Plus, we're getting two amazing photographers, whereas many other photographers charge more for an assistant or second shooter (whose work might not be up to their caliber).

I'll leave you in a little suspense before I post photos from our engagement session.... To tide you over, here are a few more reasons why we fell in love with the Wiebners....

Choosing our Reception Venue

Mr. Cupcake and I got engaged in February, and when we started talking details, we weren't 100% set on any particular date for our wedding. We knew that we preferred a Saturday evening reception, but otherwise we were fairly open to seeing what was out there.

No more than two weeks after Mr. Cupcake proposed, Mama Cupcake and I were playing hooky from work and spending the day checking out various reception site possibilities in the area. Mr. Cupcake was perfectly content with us doing the leg work and reporting back to him, and this was fine with me :-) We weren't as interested in having a city wedding as we were hoping for a more relaxed setting in the Main Line area of the Philadelphia suburbs, so that is where we began our search.

We first checked out The Radnor Hotel in Radnor, PA. Located a stone's throw from I-476, this was an ideal location for guests who will be traveling to our wedding, which is pretty much Mr. Cupcake's entire family, a portion of mine, and a good majority of our friends. It is a lovely hotel with very friendly staff, and their package was enticing. However, the more questions we asked, the more we realized that the price per head was fairly steep considering that it didn't include as much as we had hoped for, and the ballroom wasn't quite what we were looking for. It is a fairly narrow space, and I felt as if it would separate our guests from each other too much; it wasn't the open, welcoming space we were hoping for.

Our next stop was the Crowne Plaza Valley Forge Hotel in King of Prussia, PA. I was pleasantly surprised by how lovely the lobby area was, complete with a baby grand piano and some nice lounge areas. The ballroom, though, was again a bit of a disappointment; it was nice, but very plain and would take a lot of dressing up (which, of course, equals $$$). Also, the possibility of another event going on at the same time as our wedding reception made me a bit nervous. I could have tolerated the location (directly across the street from a parking deck for the King of Prussia Mall) had I loved the other details, but I just didn't think it was the right location.

Our third and final stop of the day was The Desmond Hotel in Malvern, PA. Mr. Cupcake and I had attended a wedding at The Desmond in the summer of 2004, and we had an amazing time while we were there. Not only was the wedding spectacular, but the hotel itself was charming, comfortable, and the staff was incredibly friendly and accommodating. I will admit that I had sneakily scheduled our appointment at The Desmond for the end of the day, knowing that Mama Cupcake would be impressed after having seen some other options. My plan worked ;-)

The Desmond ballroom has high ceilings, an open floor-plan, and off-white walls (meaning I wouldn't be stuck with any particular color scheme!). Outside of the ballroom is a lovely and intimate cocktail area which opens onto a covered patio, where guests would be able to mingle throughout the evening if the weather permitted. There is only one ballroom, so no other event would be happening at the same time as our wedding reception. (There is a separate conference center in the hotel, but it is located on the second floor and is completely separate from the ballroom area.) Many of the guest rooms in the hotel have four-poster beds which I love, and there is a restaurant, an authentic English pub, and multiple lounge areas throughout. It is simply perfect.

The price range for a Saturday evening reception was quite reasonable, considering that our price includes centerpieces, a cake, chair covers, and a guest room for our wedding night. If we decide to go with another florist for our centerpieces (aside from one of the three that the Desmond recommends), or another baker for our cake, we will get a certain amount deducted from each guest's total. Considering all that The Desmond has to offer, it turned out to be the best value out of the hotels we had looked at earlier in the day.

Although I know I have mentioned that I tend to have trouble with decisions, this was one of those decisions that was quite easy to make. Mr. Cupcake and I simply love this hotel, and Mama Cupcake was completely sold on it as well. I know that there may be other hidden gems in the area that would have been much more of a blank canvas for us to create our ideal wedding, but to me that would just be too many decisions to make, too many vendors to seek out, and too much stress. We felt that we could still create our ideal wedding with the help of what The Desmond has to offer us.

Convenience for our guests is also a huge priority for us. I have often heard the argument that it's "our day" and we should do whatever we want, even if it means excluding some of our guests who can't afford to be with us or can't travel as much as we'd like them to... but we are not of this mindset. Of course the day is about us, but it is also important to us to share it with those we love. Although many of our guests will be traveling to the area, this is pretty much an unavoidable factor, regardless of where we get married. We can, though, control how convenient we make things for guests once they get there. We have a block of rooms reserved at The Desmond, which will be less than $130 per night for a double room. I have stayed at less luxurious hotels for much more money in the past, so I think this is a pretty good deal. We are hoping to have a shuttle that will take guests from the hotel to the church and back, so people don't have to navigate their own way through unfamiliar territory. It is also important to us that guests don't have to travel to another hotel after the reception, since they'll be able to head right upstairs to their room.

The Desmond is really the perfect choice for us, and I look forward to sharing more of our plans with you! What experiences do you all have balancing what you want out of your wedding with what conveniences you want to offer to your guests?

Jackpot!

Since the exciting purchase of my vintage-inspired gown, I have been thinking about ways to add other vintage details to our wedding.

Alas, on Perfect Bound a few days after buying my dress, I happened upon this:


This idea originally comes from Country Home magazine, which I have never picked up in my life, but to whom I am now forever indebted for this spectacular detail!

Our venue includes centerpieces, for which we can choose from three recommended florists, but I know that I will probably want more than what is included in their general package. This would be a perfect addition to what my florist can provide, adding both a touch of vintage flair and the eclectic look that kind of defines my style (which is kind of all over the place). Not to mention, Mr. Cupcake and I have a strange fascination with glassware and we always pore over it in stores like Pottery Barn, Crate & Barrel, and Williams-Sonoma.

I decided to start buying all different types of glassware at around or less than $1 each — which can easily be accomplished by shopping at places like Ikea, Home Goods, Marshall's, flea markets, and thrift shops — I can dress all of our tables with 5 glasses each at around $100. This does not include the cost of candles, but if I'm feeling super ambitious and want to pour my own wax instead of buying candles, I'll be able to save a bit of money there. I'll probably use white or ivory candles, since I'm not a fan of the yellow-ness in the inspiration photo.

Mr. Cupcake and I took advantage of the Yard Sale day that happens in our town every fall, and collected 30-something pieces within an hour in that one Saturday morning. With the help of FMIL, who has been collecting boxes upon boxes of cut glass from the Salvation Army, I have now accumulated close to 130 pieces! We haven't even stepped foot in an Ikea or Home Goods yet to look for additions, because we've found so many elsewhere. I venture to say that I might aim for 200, since many of the prices have been even better than we expected (some for as low as $0.25 a pop, or sold in sets for only a few bucks), and I think more candles can only add to the mood and charm.

Here is a sneak peak at what we've got so far!

Laid out on Mama Cupcake's dining room table... our apartment is too small to store all of these, so I'm using her basement!

A little collection of some of my favorites....

My absolute favorite... I think we have four of these.