for love of video

Joyous occasions come and ago and some memories last while others fall by the wayside. But there's one event I really want to remember & that's my wedding day. Unfortunately, memories (read: videography) don't come cheap. In my search, I asked myself a few questions:

• What style videography do I want? Will it be soft? modern? cinematic? 
• Do I want to tell a wedding story or have organic film?
• How much am I willing to spend?

I spent browsing through vimeo and videographers in the area. I mean, who can resist? A couple of favorites:

Alix & Ollie | A Martha's Vineyard Wedding Trailer from I Do Films on Vimeo

Leah and David : Same Day Edit from Jason Magbanua on Vimeo

And finally, the vendor with whom I'll be leaving a deposit:

kristy & scott - october 22, 2011 - Shenorock Shore Club, NY from Love & You Video on Vimeo

dressing the maids

I've pretty much decided that I'm a backwards sort of person. I haven't finalized the venue, picked out my dress or decided on a color scheme but I'm already looking at bridesmaids dresses. Maybe some of you can sympathize - how am I supposed to choose everything else without getting an idea for what the full picture will look like? I'm not planning on buying the dresses today (my wedding is over a year away) but I absolutely want to get a feel for what will and won't look good. I also want to decide on the basics - will dresses be long or short, formal or informal, matching or mismatched?

Matching vs. mismatched is giving me the most trouble. I love the idea of mismatched bridesmaids dresses (same color and material but different styles) but I'm worried that they're more trouble than they're worth. I want everything to look cohesive. In comes the inspiration.

First, a couple of mismatched bridesmaids looks to inspire you:

I love the style of the two below but, are they inappropriate for the maids?

via  La Femme, Amsale

And a few more dresses I'm considering:

via  Sophia Tolli, Liz Fields, Enzoani, BCBG

Would love to hear your thoughts on any of the above or of your own plans!

in sweet October

my to do's for the month of October:

• choose a wedding venue (pricing & impressions from my visits to come shortly)
• begin interviewing photographers
• decide on a budget (this one should probably have been done already)
• blog at least once a day
• cook dinner 2x this month (I swear I'm not a bad fiance, we just don't live together yet)
• resume my Zumba workouts!

what are your October "resolutions"?

autumn, the year's last, loveliest smile

I love fall. The scent, the look, the feel. To me, it's all romantic. It's also one of my favorite seasons to shop for. Fall is a chance for designers to experiment with textures (wool, cashmere, suede, and leather) and different patterns. A new purchase needs to live up to the potential of the season. Friends? The beauty below will be a fall staple.

via Modcloth

engagement pictures that leave me breathless

a Notebook themed engagement shoot (link), eskimo kiss in an open field (link) and a sophisticated shot in the middle of Paris (link)

 et c'est tout?

trend report: rustic weddings

Rustic. Non-traditional. Vintage chic. Call it what you want but I'm in love with the recent shift towards personalized, home-spun weddings. I think oftentimes in planning a wedding people lose sight of themselves, of their budgets and of what truly matters. The new take on an old trend (homespun weddings were the norm in our grandparents time) can be adopted by most anyone irrespective of budget. Don't believe me? Take a look at the beauties below.

[Via the amazing Style Me Pretty]

[Via Luna and Chloe]

a world where roses bloom

Absolutely amazing. Her dress is beautiful, the camerawork is impressive & the location is to die for.

a thursday pick-me-up

I get nostalgic around this time of year - summer in August is always bittersweet since you have fall lurking around the corner. Because I needed a little extra cheer today, I complied a list of things that make me smile. Hope you enjoy as much as I did!

Nude accessories (via Asos),

Gold & aqua interiors (via House of Turquoise),

Polka dot nails (via Cosmetic Cupcake),

and Lavish parties (via Apartment34)

penguins mate for life

I haven't booked a venue, looked into a band or thought about my wedding theme. I do, however, have one very important detail marked off of my to-do list... penguin wedding cake toppers! These little suckers are freaking adorable and I love the symbolism behind the penguin theme (monogamy and serial love). Now I just need to convince my other half that this is as genius as I think it is...

Penguin cake topper via Red Light Studio

Penguin cake topper (w/luggage base) via kikuike

Penguin cake topper via fliepsiebieps

inspiration: kate moss great gatsby wedding

Completely breathtaking images from Kate Moss' wedding last month, courtesy of Vogue magazine. Beautiful venue, a gorgeous dress and a touch of whimsy. Wouldn't  expect anything less. 
--
“I wanted it to be kind of dreamy and 1920s, when everything is soft‐focus,” Moss explains of the ceremony. “The Great Gatsby. The code name was GG for a while. That light and that kind of fun decadence. It’s rock‐’n’‐roll Great Gatsby!”

See the full slideshow [here]

l'amour pour l'eternite

There are probably three things integral to my relationship: food, travel and laughter. So when David (my fiance) called and asked me to take a weekend trip to Maine to sample some lobster, it seemed like a natural request and I was quick to agree.

We arrived in Portland, Maine on Friday afternoon, dropped off our luggage at a beautifully kept bed & breakfast and set out to explore - we visited Victoria Mansion, dined at J's Oyster (highly recommended) and walked the streets of the city. We spent a lazy Saturday morning dozing in our bed and sharing little jokes over a cup of coffee. As we started getting ready for the day, David suggested that complete one of the top items of my "to-do ASAP list". I've been in love with lighthouses for as long as I can remember and, as a result, have been the butt of many a bad joke for probably just as long - although I love lighthouses, I'd never actually been to one. I was finally going to get a chance to visit the lighthouses I'd dreamed about!

We pulled up at Spring Point lighthouse - a small lighthouse with an amazing view and a long jetty leading up to the main house. Because I was wearing heels, a staple in my life but not well-suited for walking across jutting rocks, I was clutching David's arm as we walked across the jetty. Finally, we arrived at the tip of the jetty and looked out into the ocean. I guess it was at this point that I knew something special was going to happen - David wasn't looking at the amazing view instead, he was looking at me. While the words he said are personal, the sentiment expressed in them isn't. He loved me. We'd been together for 8 years and he wanted to continue building on those years forever. He literally took my breath away.

welcome to wonderland

Welcome to Seven Carrots! Given the recent changes in my life - new fiance, new job, new home - I thought it would be a good time to begin a blog to share my journey. If my name was Alice... I'd be in wonderland. Since it's not, I hope to create one here. I think this will be a place for me to share my thoughts, wedding inspiration, wedding planning process, and other things that I just plain love. It all begins when I click "publish this post".

"A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step." - Lao Tzu