Momma Cupcake's Wedding!

Some of you may recall that my fabulous, amazing, beautiful mother has been planning a wedding of her own recently. After having an icky cold that had me out of commission for a few days last week, I was glad to be feeling better for her big day this past Sunday!

To say that the day was wonderful would be an understatement. Forty-three guests gathered to celebrate the love of these two amazing people at Simon Pearce in West Chester, PA, the place they first met. My mom and George wrote their entire ceremony, and there truly was not a dry eye in the room. Every time I looked at Mr. Cupcake, he was looking up at the ceiling to keep from crying :-) (My sensitive man!)

My brother and I were their attendants, and we each did a reading (I managed to not cry until after my reading!). Mine was by Victor Hugo:

When two souls, which have sought each other for however long in the throng, have found each other, when they have seen that they are matched, are in sympathy and compatible, in a word, that they are alike; there is then established forever between them a union, fiery and pure as they themselves are, a union which begins on earth and continues and continues forever in (eternity). This union is love, true love, such as in truth very few men can conceive of, that love which is as a religion, which defines the loved one, whose life comes from devotion and passion, and for which the greatest sacrifices are the sweetest delights.

The wonderfully talented Alison Conklin photographed the day's events; Alison captured the spirit of my mom and my new step-dad, George, and also beautifully documented the love of the friends and family who were there to support the happy couple. At first my mom wasn't going to hire a photographer, as she figured I would just take lots of pictures that day, but I told her that I didn't want to be held responsible for documenting their entire day! I wanted to enjoy the day as a guest without having that kind of pressure hanging over my head. I found Alison via The Knot and she did such an incredible job, much better than I ever could have done!

Here are a sampling of photos from the day. If you would like to see more, check out the slideshow that Alison put together on her website!

Cool exterior shot of Simon Pearce

The dining room all set up for the brunch reception

The beautiful (and ridiculously delicious) cake from Sweet Jazmines

Getting ready for the ceremony to begin! (My mom was beaming like this all day!)

The lovely backdrop of the Brandywine River with snow-covered trees provided a beautiful contrast to the cozy room we were in

Brother Cupcake doing his reading

Exchanging vows

It's official!

I love this picture. Aren't they the cutest?

My brother and I toasting the happy couple

The adorable "perfect pair" favors that sister-in-law Cupcake made

Another cute shot. Seriously, she never stopped smiling!!!

The food at Simon Pearce is amazing.
I had this — salmon with asparagus and potatoes. Yum-o!

Me, Momma Cupcake, new step-dad Cupcake, and Brother Cupcake
(I must point out here that my dress was a recent 50% off purchase at Betsey Johnson, and it is the perfect little black dress that I can't wait to wear again and again and again!)

The whole clan, including Mr. Cupcake and sister-in-law Cupcake

I love this shot of me and my future hubs :-)

Time to cut the cake!

The end :-) (or, the beginning!)

Please credit all photos to Alison Conklin Photography

Accessories for Dummies

Confession: I am a terrible accessorizer. I wear the same few pairs of earrings and two or three necklaces in a constant rotation, because they're safe and I *think* they don't look stupid together, but I usually don't have a clue. I usually feel silly wearing bracelets. I can spot great jewelry on anyone, but when it comes to putting it on myself, I never know how much is enough or too much, or what looks best with what, or if earrings and necklaces should match each other. As an artist, you'd think I'd get into it, but this is one blank canvas I can never quite figure out.

Wedding jewelry is no exception. (Mr. Cupcake, this is where you stop reading). My dress is v-neck, so I'm assuming that unless I want to wear a choker-type of necklace (which I am pretty sure I don't), I should go sans necklace. But then the earrings.... should I make up for the lack of necklace with dramatic earrings? Or keep it simple?

Another point of contention is that my dress has a lot of beading, but no crystals. When I tried on veils and shoes with crystals, they just didn't go with the overall look. For jewelry, I'm sure I'll have to stick with beads and pearls, which seem to be a lot less popular right now (which means they'll be harder to find). I'm not even sure where to begin looking for inexpensive but well-made jewelry.

Eek. Me confused :-(

Wanted: A New Camera That Doesn't Suck

I don't know what it is about me and cameras; I buy a new one every few years that I research and research and research about, but after a little while of thinking it's the latest and greatest piece of photography equipment, I start finding flaw after flaw after flaw.

My biggest issue lately is a common gripe with digital cameras: the delay. I love digital, but I am a big fan of candid shots, so there is nothing more annoying than missing a great moment because my camera needed to "think" for a few seconds first. I also yearn to be able to take decent close-ups without them being a blur-fest. Maybe it's my newfound blogger status that has put me over the edge, but it drives me insane when I can't get a single good shot of a project I've created that I want to show the world!

The honeymoon is now only about 7 months away, and although we haven't booked a trip yet, I know that wherever we go I'm going to want some fabulous pictures to come home with! I don't want to regret missing any great shots just because my camera didn't have the chops. I'd love to get a new camera now so I have some time to mess around with it and get to know it a little better while being able to better document the wedding planning process.

I don't even know where to begin with researching, now that there is just so much out there to choose from. I'd like something somewhat compact that I can fit into a purse, and speed, zoom and clarity are my next big priorities. Can anyone out there in the hive recommend a great camera that has met your standards, and may just meet mine?

(Signature) Cocktails, Anyone?

I love the idea of having a signature cocktail served to guests at our cocktail hour. It would be a nice way to incorporate another personalized element while adding a splash of color. Not just any color, mind you, but a color that fits into our scheme of teal and chartreuse. And really, any excuse to create more work for myself by making cute little drink flags is what I'm all about.


With a simple Google search I came upon Drinkalizer.com, where you can search for cocktails by category, spirit or — you guessed it — color! There are certainly some, ahem, interesting (read: gross-sounding) concoctions out there, but many sound yummy and look so pretty!

Since liquor is included with our venue, any signature cocktail that we may choose has to be comprised of basic bar ingredients (unless we want to pay more, which I really don't think is necessary). I have come up with a few that might work, but if you're providing your own liquor for your venue, you have the pick of the litter!

What about you? Are you having a signature cocktail? Tell us about it!

"Dancing with Confidence at Your Wedding or Party"

No, this is not an infomercial.... this is the name of the dance class that Mr. Cupcake and I signed up for!


When I was growing up, dance was my "thing." Some girls played sports, some girls were in band or orchestra, and I was at dance class three nights a week. I never really took it seriously enough to pursue as a career, but it was something that I felt good at and I loved doing. Mr. Cupcake, on the other hand, was involved and sports and music, and actually was pretty talented at multiple instruments. However, his knowledge and understanding of rhythm does not translate to the dance floor.

When we go to weddings I always want to get on the dance floor the moment the DJ starts busting out some tunes, but I pretty much have to drag Mr. Cupcake to join me. I don't think he's a bad dancer — but his typically secure level of confidence swiftly drops the moment his soles touch the hardwood, and I hate knowing how uncomfortable it makes him. I think dancing is all about fun and I don't care what he looks like out there as long as he's enjoying himself, but when he gets nervous and starts to break out "the sprinkler," I know we're in trouble.

To cure his lack of dancing confidence, I delicately brought up the idea of taking a dance class together, and to my surprise he was all for it. There is a great organization in the Philadelphia metropolitan area called Main Line School Night, and they offer classes in dance, cooking, computers, entertaining, languages, fitness, writing, crafting.... you name it, they've got it! So after 5 weeks of an 80-minute class per week (and for only about $100 total for the pair of us), we'll be on our way to looking like Fred & Ginger at our wedding!


I think learning the basics and a few key moves will help Mr. Cupcake to feel less self-conscious on the dance floor. Now, there is no way we're doing a choreographed routine for our first dance (I'm picking my battles, ladies!), but at least he will be able to sway with his head held-high, without worrying that all eyes are on us!

The Other V-Day

Now that Valentine's Day is a thing of the past, I thought I'd take the opportunity to talk about another V-Day you may or may not have heard about. (Although this is not necessarily wedding-talk, it certainly relates to our freedoms and sexuality, and I thought it would be something that many of you bees and bee-readers would be interested in!)

V-Day is a global movement to stop violence against women and girls. V-Day is a catalyst that promotes creative events to increase awareness, raise money and revitalize the spirit of existing anti-violence organizations. V-Day generates broader attention for the fight to stop violence against women and girls, including rape, battery, incest, female genital mutilation (FGM) and sexual slavery.

Taken from The V-Day website: www.vday.org

During my undergraduate career at the University of Delaware, I was first introduced to V-Day when a friend of mine organized a performance of Eve Ensler's "The Vagina Monologues" to raise awareness and funds for anti-violence organizations. I happily contributed to the event by photographing the performance, and in the process I was moved and intrigued by the show and its purpose. It is daring and sometimes shocking, but overall it is honest, heartfelt, and unashamed and brings to light the important issues facing women everywhere who are victims of sexual violence. That same year I went to NYC to see an amazing performance of "The Vagina Monologues" at Madison Square Garden, with stars such as Oprah, Brooke Shields, Calista Flockhart, and Queen Latifah performing the monologues. It was beyond moving.

After that first year of watching from the sidelines through my camera lens, I got up the nerve to perform in the show my senior year at UD. It was exhilarating and wonderful to look out into the audience during my monologue to see the smiling, laughing, crying, beautiful faces of women who want to end the violence that so many women face. I performed in another production of the monologues two years ago, and no matter how many times I take part, the message never loses its meaning.

If you are hoping to make a donation to a charity in lieu of traditional favors at your wedding, I urge you to consider V-Day. Or, check out the V-Day website to find an upcoming event near you to support. You will not only be educating yourself, you will be entertained while contributing to an amazing cause. (In Pennsylvania alone, there are 73 V-Day events occurring this year! And I'm proud to announce that my alma mater Delaware has continued to keep V-Day alive on campus.) If you're lucky enough to live in New Orleans, get thee to a box office pronto to buy tickets for "V to the Tenth" on April 12 at the Superdome, the tenth anniversary performance of V-Day featuring such participants as Jennifer Hudson, Oprah Winfrey, Jane Fonda, Sally Field, Marisa Tomei, Jessica Alba, Eve, Rosario Dawson, and Glenn Close.

As they say, V-Day until the violence stops!

A Loving Gesture....

For anyone who may have a case of the Mondays, here's a photo/story that is sure to give you a giggle....

Friends of ours got married in October in Maine; Mr. Cupcake and I were unable to attend because we had a family wedding occurring the same weekend. Apparently, though, some funny business went down during the exchange of vows, which the groom has so graciously allowed me to share with you, in his words:

During our rehearsal, the minister reminded us to look at each other when we say our vows. His rationale was that even though we were repeating his words, we were making promises to one another and not to him. I was going to be speaking first and when the big moment came, he whispered a quick reminder to look at each other.

My (now) wife has the stereotypical Italian habit of constantly gesturing with her hands. Upon hearing the minister's reminder, she decided to lighten the mood by doing her best Robert De Niro impersonation from Meet the Parents and gestured with her fingers to remind me to look into her eyes. My uncle was playing amateur photog that day and happened to catch the moment from a slight angle in the congregation......


I guess I know where I stand in her book for the rest of my life!!

Nothing says "I love you" quite like an (accidental) obscene gesture! :-)

The Search for the Perfect Shoe

I used to call shoes "shoes" because, um, that's what they're called.... but since watching shows like Project Runway and What Not to Wear, I have learned that the real style-mavens of the world call them by their singular name — it is not a pair of shoes. It is a shoe.

So, I am looking for "a shoe" for my wedding that will accomplish the following:

• thou shalt make me taller, but not quite as tall as Mr. Cupcake (who is only about 3.5" taller than me)

• thou shalt not make me grimace in pain and curse the day that I bought thee

• thou shalt look dazzlingly handsome with my vintage-esque Casablanca gown

• thou shalt not have too much "stuff" that interferes with the detailed beading on said gown

• thou shalt not cost so much that I feel the need to wear them to work with jeans after the wedding in order to justify the cost (even if they are just that cute)

I have never really worn a peep-toe heel, but for some reason that is all I am drawn to when I look at wedding shoes. There is something classic and sophisticated about them, and classic and sophisticated is what I'm pretending to be on my wedding day!

I haven't done tons of searching yet, but on My Glass Slipper I did find the following contenders:

Touch Ups "Abby" • 1.875" heel • $47

Colorful Creations Style CC81630 • 2.75" heel • $56

Nina "Celine" • 2.5" heel • $99.95

Touch Ups "Melissa" • 2.75" heel • $82

Caparros "Val" • 2.5" heel • $89

Cynthia Rowley "Trilogy" • 3.5" heel • $210
Definitely too high of a heel, but look how pretty they are.... sigh....

Stuart Weitzman "Tallulah" • 2.5" heel • $255
By far my favorite of the bunch that would give me the perfect amount of extra height....
unfortunately, also the most expensive!
Come on Tallulah, don't you want to come home with Miss Cupcake?

Where have you found your perfect wedding shoe? Are there any other adorable 2.5" peep toe pumps that I am missing?

The Horror, The Horror!

You know how it goes.... you innocently lie down to go to sleep after a long day of working and wedding planning, looking forward to retreating into the peaceful world of sleep for the few hours you have away from vendor emails and big decisions, only to be terrifyingly awakened by it. There's no avoiding......

THE WEDDING NIGHTMARE
(dun dun DUNNNN!)

Maybe it's because we've been engaged for almost a year, and the wedding — now less than 8 months away — truly seems "real" now. It's no longer all about looking through glossy magazines for pretty pictures of my dream wedding and leisurely choosing vendors; it is "down to business" time. And by getting "down to business" I mean "getting as much done as possible to just barely dangle on the edge of sanity so I am not quite as insane as I am likely to be in the last few months leading up to the wedding."

Along with the real-ness of the looming wedding have come these pestering little frightful dreams about the big day. The nightmares never have anything to do with my future happiness with Mr. Cupcake, which is great news, but they do annoyingly have to do with a lot of the details that I have become fairly invested in over the last year. A few noteworthy 'mares:

• About five minutes before the guests are to be seated in the ballroom for our reception, our event coordinator takes us in to see the room set up..... and I find that the linens are not teal as I specifically requested, but FOREST GREEN. The Horror!
• I wake up the morning of the wedding realizing that I shouldn't have put off so many details because I find myself without a dress, no flowers, and no food for my guests. Everyone awkwardly tells me what a nice wedding it is even though I am disheveled and there is nothing to eat. The Horror!
• Instead of taking a honeymoon, Mr. Cupcake and I find ourselves going to work the Monday after the wedding. When I walk into work, no one says a word about the wedding or even bothers to acknowledge that it happened, which tells me that everyone had a horrible time and it was the most boring wedding ever. The Horror!

In relaying my recent nightmares to one of my coworkers, she informed me that before her wedding she constantly had the same recurring nightmare — instead of flowers, she was always walking down the aisle holding her purse! Each and every time, she felt embarrassed and wondered why on earth she had to carry her stupid purse. (Since she told me this story a week ago I still giggle profusely every time I picture this scene.)

I know I'm not the only one out there with the wedding terrors.... what wedding nightmares have you had??