The One-Year Anniversary

My dear readers. I have to sincerely apologize for my unannounced hiatus. I've been training for a marathon (that's a week-and-a-half away) and for awhile there, I was simply focused on putting one foot in front of the other for hours at a time. Please forgive me. I promise not to create such an absence again.

That said, I have some beautiful weddings coming down the pike that you'll adore. Before we delve into those, though, let's talk anniversary gifts, shall we?

I'm not one for following traditions completely. I like to do things my own way and indulge in traditions that I feel are significant for me. For instance, our "wedding cake" was a pie bar full of natural, different-flavored lovelies. My husband and I aren't huge fans of cake and so, for us, this made sense. Skipping a first dance, though? Nah. I wasn't going to give up that intimate tradition for the world.

Anniversary gifts? Just like partaking in a first dance, I'm following the guidelines to anniversary gifts. I halfway adore them because they narrow the playing field by giving you a recommendation on what to buy and they're also like a game: They give you a word ("cotton," "wood," "lace") and let you get as creative as you can. For instance, my husband and I just celebrated our one-year anniversary two nights ago. We decided to keep our gifts fairly inexpensive. According to tradition, the first year of marriage is meant to be celebrated with "paper." So, I bought him a subscription to his favorite magazine.

Another idea I had? Framing a vintage map of his hometown or county or state. Beyond the nostalgia, it'd look adorable in our house. Maybe I'll keep this one on file for a birthday gift.

Image from The Wifestyle Files

Next year, I'll be brainstorming different ways to materialize the "cotton" conceit. Right now, I dreaming of a gorgeously-crafted hanging quilt, like the Museum Collection from Pottery Barn.

Image from Curio Home

Our third anniversary calls for "leather." If my wallet agrees, I'll hopefully be able to buy him a modern and tailored version of a Lay-Z-Boy, like this:

From the Pale & Interesting store

Let's skip anniversary four's gift for right now, since I haven't come up with anything for "fruit/flowers" yet (a membership to jelly-of-the-month club?). Anniversary five is "wood." My dream? To buy us this and (slowly, but surely) convert it into our home.

Image from Zoopy

So that we can have rooms like this...

Image from Life Cycle Construction

Image from Willow Decor

Image from Remodelista

Image from Perfectly Imperfect


Image from House and Home

Image by Lindsay Christensen Designs

What did you get your honey for your anniversary? Do you follow tradition when it comes to anniversary gifts?

Real Wedding: Emma and Pat

First of all, I owe all of you an apology for my absence. This past couple of weeks has been over-the-top busy and I'm just now getting back to all of my real wedding submissions. That said, I have an adorable wedding for you from Santa Cruz, California. Photographer Melanie Duerkopp sent it over--the freedom of the day is so apparent in the photographs and that's why I love it.

Emma and Pat were married in Aptos Village Park. Emma is the associate creative director of food- and drink-related books at Weldon Owen Publishing. As Emma describes it: "It was outdoors in a lovely park in summer. My palette was dictated by nature and the season: fresh citrus green, pops of yellow, orange, and white. We named our wedding day: 'Happy Day in May'."

The flowers were bought by the bride and her family from a wholesaler in Santa Cruz the week before the wedding.

The groom's mom made sock puppets to resemble the bride and groom. They sat on the guestbook table.

Sorry to go Valley Girl on you here, but can we just talk about the incredible lines on her dress? I adore it.

Emma, her mum (she's British), her sister, and two of her friends put together the flowers the Friday before her wedding (and hours before their 100-person rehearsal BBQ at their beach house).

Emma was inspired by a signing book she'd seen on Etsy that used a tree. She had her mom draw a tree and then asked people to leave their thumb prints. "Unfortunately, a fat black marker snuck into the mix but I still love it," Emma says.

From Emma: "We love to entertain with family style dinners and impromptu BBQs. We wanted this day to reflect that--casual, fun, with delicious but simple food, plenty of chilled wine and buckets of icy cold Tecates. Good music and a feeling of freedom were what we wanted to give our guests."

Vendor Guide:

Venue: Aptos Village Park, Santa Cruz, California // Bride's Dress: Herve Lagerfeld // Bridesmaid Dresses: Vintage and Anthropologie and ones they already owned // Menswear: From Kohl's and Vans // Caterer: Tacolicious // Entertainment: Savior Fare // Photography: Melanie Duerkopp

Real Wedding: Sheena and Kyle

Today, we're launching a brand new feature here on Barnwood & Birch: The Real Wedding. I know you're all familiar with this concept so I don't really need to explain it. But, I'm so excited to be kicking it off today with original content thanks to many, many generous and talented photographers. The first wedding we're featuring was sent over by Columbus, Ohio, based Picture the Love photography.

Why am I drawn to this wedding? The bride is an art teacher so many of their details were handmade--including their adorable programs. Oh, and I might be partial to the red hair.

The bride and groom in front of their venue: The Venue at Smith Brothers, Columbus, Ohio

The programs made by the bride

How can you not adore the freckles on this bride's back?

Bridesmaid Dresses by Amanda Archer via Etsy.com

The photo wall was DIY'd and a solution to covering up the business signage that took up much of the lobby of their venue. Just look at those two adorable pups that the bride and groom included.

Invitations handmade by the bride

Vendor Guide

Venue: Venue at Smith Brothers, Columbus, Ohio // Bride's Dress: Purchased at European Bridal in Cincinnati, Ohio // Bridesmaid Dresses: Amanda Archer via Etsy.com // Flowers: Crepe paper bouquets made by bride and bridesmaids // Photography: Picture the Love

Stay tuned for more real weddings...

Flower Inspiration As Of Late

While combing through the web today, I came across so many gorgeous floral displays in so many rich, jewel-toned colors I couldn't help but share. It's another detail I'm noticing lately that makes me want to go back and have a technicolored wedding.

Flowers by Amy Osaba (of course) via Green Wedding Shoes

Flowers by JL Designs via Once Wed

Images from a treehouse wedding via Snippet & Ink

Photo from Once Wed

Flowers were DIY via La Belle Bride

Florals by Cedarwood via Style Me Pretty

Florals by Cedarwood via Style Me Pretty

Which one is your favorite??

Ode to the Little'ns

One of my favorite things from around the wedding inter-webs are the images of precious, little ones at weddings. There's something so innocent and sweet that comes across in portraits of children and seeing them all dressed up never ceases to make me smile.

Photo by Tec Petaja

Photo by Aaron Seable via Snippet & Ink

Photo by Eric Yerke via Style Me Pretty

I honestly wish we'd had more kids at our wedding, but it wasn't up to us. Our friends don't really have kids yet, or they decided they'd rather leave them with the babysitter and celebrate care-free (which was fine with us too!).

Photo from Australia's Paper + Lace Photography via Green Wedding Shoes

Photo by Simply Bloom via Green Wedding Shoes

Photo by Elle Parks Photography via Style Me Pretty

Okay, I could honestly go on forever posting children-at-wedding photos. Will you be having any little'ns at your wedding?

Italy, India, or Bali?

With Eat, Pray, Love about to his theaters, promotions are every where! For instance, the-adorable-store-I-wish-we'd-registered-at World Market is currently holding a sweepstakes to win a trip to one of the three countries she travels to in the book: Italy, India, or Bali. What an amazing way to score a free honeymoon.

But: where would you go?

I can come up with pretty convincing arguments for all three of these countries. Let's take a stroll through each, shall we?

Italy:

Of the three countries, Italy is by far the most accessible. It's also, quite possibly, the most expensive. So while you might travel there on your own at some point (because it's somewhat close), it'll put a bigger dent in your wallet.

Photo by Paolo Margari

What I love: there are medieval towns to explore, beautiful accents flying all around you, amazing cibo ("food," in Italian), and a general attitude about life that makes you want to move here. Everything is quite sensual.

Photo by Gari.Baldi

The wine and the seaside ain't half bad, either.

Photo by Ferdi's World

India:

I've never been here so I can't speak from experience. But, I can tell you that this was my hubby's choice of the three countries. This is a place I'd love to adventure around for many reasons: how exotic it is, the grit, my fond memories of A Little Princess, because it might be depressing but it will be eye-opening and make me feel something, yoga's birth place, Bollywood and so much more.

Photo by Frisko Dude

Image by Rahuld Lucca

Where else would you see such bright, vivid colors and ornate buildings?

Image by Sir Watkyn

Bali:

Based on no real life experience in this region, I'd pick Bali. I love the beach, the sand, the spirituality associated with this place. I also think this is somewhere that I think of as so exotic, I can't see planning a vacation here on my own. At least, not right now. So, letting someone do that for me sounds glorious.

Photo by Michael Dawes

Photo by Druida Bruxux

Photo by Heidi & Matt

So, where would you go? Italy, India, or Bali? And why? Would you and your significant other agree on where to go?

Groom Style

A friend of mine sent me over a link today to a recent wedding photographed by the amazing Jill Thomas. There was so much style infiltrating this wedding, but the thing that stuck out to me most was the groom and groomsmen style. It prompted me to run down the top trends in groom style right now. So, on with it:

1) Amazingly awesome bow ties.

These brand new Forage bow ties come from Something's Hiding in Here are a treasure trove of fabric that makes you think of summer and simpler times.

2) Stripes.

Image from Joy Thigpen

3) Suspenders.

Image from Green Wedding Shoes

4) Checks.

Image from Jill Thomas

Image from La Belle Bride

5) Succulent boutonnieres.

Image from Green Wedding Shoes

6) Hats.

Image from Once Wed

7) Plaid.

Image from Green Wedding Shoes

What's your favorite groom trend these days?