THE URBAN BRIDE

MINI SCULPTURES OF LOVE.

I am all about repurposing things. Or using normal everyday objects to create something incredibly original and totally unexpected. So today we are absolutely smitten with these miniature sculptures. These miniature works of art. Sculptures involving so much love.

Crafted with only a razor blade, sculpting knife, and sewing needle, artist Dalton Ghetti began making these for fun. And the most incredible part? He refuses to sell them, maintaining that he wants them to be viewable to anyone.

Incredible, no?

Full story and more photos available here.

31. August 2010 | 1 RODE IN A CAB »

I PIXEL HEART YOU.

Found these amazing engraved wood tags over on the fabulous Oh, Hello Friend and may have let out an audible squeal. Created by Etsy seller Bullfrog Laserworks, these custom-made beauties can be designed in nearly any shape and with whatever design you desire.

And, before you cross them off your list assuming they’re out of your budget, coming in at only $39 for a pack of 100 of them, well, we kind of think this might be the perfect addition to your invitations. Or favors. Or programs. Or thank you cards. Or, well, let’s face it – pretty much anything you can tie these suckers to.

All images property of Oh, Hello Friend and full post can be found here.

Pretty fabulous, no? What are you using to embellish your goods?

27. August 2010 | 0 RODE IN A CAB »

#10 URBAN INSPIRATION.

Mmmm we do love ourselves some gray and yellow.
Image by Kansas City Wedding Pictures.

26. August 2010 | 1 RODE IN A CAB »

RECEPTION FOOD – OR – FATTY MCFATTERSON LOVES HER EATS.

Written by Liz Chenery.

There are two things that I find most important above all else when it comes to weddings: the photography and the food. Photography is obvious—the day flies by so fast, you’ll blink and miss a few things, so you better get some proof! Food, on the other hand, is a complete department, with decisions, tastings, and organizing to the T.

After living in Nashville with the amazing restaurants, menus, and options, I’m quick to both try new things, but know what I like or don’t. So I want to be very picky when it comes to my wedding food. It’s more than just having a caterer show up with some food on a plate. Wedding reception food should show off not only a caterer’s amazing skills, but your own personality and flavors. However, you can’t neglect your guests, either!

There’s a fine line when it comes to food. For example, my wifey Erica, is a vegetarian. This means that I cannot accidentally starve her at my reception just because I love every animal on the farm. I want to be considerate of those who have certain dietary restrictions, but I don’t want to feel like I’m giving up on certain things JLo or I might love.

The Knot is a great resource for those just starting out with their wedding planning. Even if you’re not doing any tastings, they have great advice for your almost-but-not-quite-within-your-reach-yet food plans. For example, they express you need some color on your table for an eye-catching, make my mouth water in anticipation experience. After all, the first thing one should do before eating anything will be to look at it, observe it, and make sure it’s appetizing. I know I personally am not going to eat anything that resembles dog food, so it better be pretty.

Sometimes, it’s not even about dietary restrictions. I remember photographing a wedding last year and the reception had a sit-down dinner. By the time I got around to a bite or two, my plate had gotten cold. And it was chicken marsala. With mushrooms. I am almost violently opposed to mushrooms. They’re one of those things I never have, never will eat. (And would rather eat dog food given the choice.) Usually I can pick them out, but not on this plate. It was like a momma mushroom exploded her children all over my chicken and I could do nothing but sadly put my fork down and wait for cake. I know I’m not the only person who feels this way about certain food items.

When I think about my wedding, about 70% of my thoughts are about the food. I think about my and Jason’s favorite things and how I can make them work for everyone else. I’m in love with the idea of heavy hors d’oeuvres. I don’t care for the formal, sit-down meals where everyone has to send in an RSVP card for their meals. The easier and more options there are for my guests, the better on my wallet and stress levels. I love finger foods and think that not only are they adorable, but it’s easier to deal with than fancy plates that need to be eaten sitting down, with the proper silverware. If I can eat delicious margherita mini-pizzas or bite-sized BLTs, sign me up!

So as beautiful as this image is:

Photo by Luster Studios; Source.

I still feel as though my tastes and wants are more geared toward tasty items like these:

Source.

Little quesadilla and kabobs make for great snacks with big flavors because you can put anything you want on them. I’m also completely in love with the idea of late-night snacking for your guests. Tomato soup shooters with mini-grilled cheeses? Holy rainy day snack, Batman!

Source.

And then there’s these delicious pieces. Now, my vegetarian people clearly are out of the loop on this one, but I’m willing to make an exception for this dish. Beef sushi. Those are pretty much two of JLo’s favorite things, so that seems like a no-brainer. I’ll take four, please.

Source.

It’s not that I don’t love bacon-wrapped scallops or mini-quiches. But I don’t want to have the same old thing you see at every other reception and those, while tasty, are the average hors d’oeuvres you see at just about every place you go. There are other ways to go with food, too. For example, a big trend I’m seeing right now are food stands in the late hours of the party. Taco stands, hot dogs, and dessert bars are all the rage right now for refueling your guests in between dance moves.

I know we’ve talked about the candy buffet before, but it’s a whole different ballgame when you throw items other than candy into the equation. I absolutely love the idea of milk and cookies before ending the night and would definitely do this. So I decided if I have to torture myself with cookies, I might as well leave you drooling with these exciting little pieces:

Source.

Yum! What are you doing for reception food? Are you having a sit-down dinner or buffet? Or like me, want unique, delicious, heavier hors d’oeuvres to both satiate and impress your guests?

25. August 2010 | 0 RODE IN A CAB »

PUTTING THE FUN IN URBAN.

Written by Becka Knight.

Here’s the thing, “urban” doesn’t have to mean “serious”. Take artist Katie Sokoler for example. She is a freelance photographer and street artist in the most urban of them all… New York. And while she lives in a place that inspires many artists to put out brooding, intense artwork, hers is surprisingly FUN. My favorite work of hers are her gorilla style street art. She cuts shapes out of colored construction paper and sets up funny, dreamy, imaginative scenarios around the city. Here is an example of one of my favorites: PACMAN ATTACK.

Inspired by her childlike wonder, imagination, and love for all things lighthearted, we crafted this idea for one of our urban engagement sessions. (We left the hearts for passersby to enjoy after we left. I secretly wish I could have hid in the shadows to see what the downtown patrons thought of the cheery surprise.)

Images by Studio222 Photography.

So for you urban-istas with an inner child dying to get out, why not let it?
There’s no rule that “urban” has to be serious. Have fun!

23. August 2010 | 2 RODE IN A CAB »

TRASH THE DRESS // ALEXA’S PHOTOGRAPHY // GREENSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA.

Further proof that if urban is what you desire, you can make it happen just about anywhere. Shot in GREENSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA (not kidding), Alexa e-mailed me this fun session she shot back in May.

So what’s so great about it? The dress was bought off of EBAY for $10 and they cut it up. Played with it. And, of course, ran around the city capturing it all. From her loose, messy hair to her very model-esque expressions, I loved every detail of this shoot. And, ALEXA’S PHOTOGRAPHY did a simply amazing job. This session alone makes me feel like every bride should get the opportunity to have fun with a trash the dress. What do you think?

20. August 2010 | 0 RODE IN A CAB »

LET THEM EAT CAKE | PART 2 OF 2.

Written by Erinn Ryan.

Even though I’ve been a professional girly girl my ENTIRE life, I’m not all about the traditional wedding cakes with flowers for decoration and traditional wedding bells on the top. I must admit, I’m a self proclaimed “wedding cake TV show” addict and find much of my Sunday afternoons watching reruns of Ace of Cakes or Amazing Wedding Cakes. I mean seriously, in my next life I plan on being the most fantastic cake designer you will ever know.

I digress – what exactly do I love most about modern wedding cakes? The clean lines, the geometrical shapes, the pops of color that make me swoon? Yes, yes, yes. And most of all, I love how unique they are and different for every couple.

Wedding Cakes Sources:

http://vanillabakeshop.com/index.html, http://elizamagazine.com/blog/?tag=wedding-cakes, http://bklynbrideonline.com/page/7/?s=wedding+cake&x=0&y=0

And to top it off, why not add a fun and nontraditional cake topper to really make a statement?
Here are some of my favorites:

Cake Toppers Sources:

http://www.best-wedding-anniversary-gift-ideas.com/weddingfavors/cake-accessories.html, http://www.stylemepretty.com/2008/12/12/diy-from-around-the-blogs-iii/, http://thefunkyshack.blogspot.com/2010/06/new-rustic-love-cake-topper-and-table.html

19. August 2010 | 0 RODE IN A CAB »

#9 URBAN INSPIRATION.

Amazing photo by Alexa’s Photography.

Actually, a SNEAK PEEK of the amazing TRASH THE DRESS session we’ll be featuring by ALEXA’S PHOTOGRAPHY tomorrow. Come back then for more of this yummy urban goodness.

19. August 2010 | 0 RODE IN A CAB »

LET THEM EAT CAKE | PART 1 OF 2.

This week, ironically, two writers sent in posts on the exact same subject – not just wedding cakes, but MODERN wedding cakes. And, rather than spread them out I figured why not share them both as two different perspectives on the modern cake? Up first, Liz shares her view. Stay tuned for Part II – Erinn’s take on the subject. xo.

Written by Liz Chenery.

For the record, Google search “Modern Wedding Cakes.” You will get so sucked in by the awesomeness that the next time you look at the clock, you will have lost about three hours of your life. No joke. But you know what? Totally. Worth. It. Now give me a minute while I Windex the drool off my screen.

Whenever I hear that quote “Let them eat cake,” my first response is “Yes, please!” I’ve written before on my LemonBride blog on how I prefer cupcakes to cake, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t like to drool on my screen a little when seeing these beautiful pieces of art.

Cake these days isn’t just cake anymore. They really are works of art. The amount of time, money, energy and creativity put into these delicious pieces is probably ridiculous. I love watching “Ace of Cakes” because it’s truly amazing to watch them create this three dimensional sugary confection just by looking at a photo. If you don’t think that’s art, then you’ve never tried your hand at fondant!

Whether you’re having a modern wedding with classic colors or a day with tons of color, cakes can be made to any specification you could ever want. Some of them are just enough nerd for me (click here for a recent nerdy cake post I did for LemonBride), some defy gravity, and some make me catch my breath at their sheer magnificence.

So despite the fact I want cupcakes, I still love seeing modern cakes with color, decoration, and imagination. Here are some of my favorites after just one Google search: