Mrs. Perfume, DCAge and Occupation: 36, Consultant (and Part-Time Professor)Fiance's Age and Occupation: 41, ConsultantEngagement Date: May 13, 2008Wedding Date: May, 2009Venue: The Homestead, Hot Springs, VirginiaAbout Me: I'd like to think that I'm a modern day Little Edie Beale. Only not as..."talented". More realistically, I'm a foodie who can't bake; a dancer and dilettente; an art collector with a penchant for the whimsical and subversive. I live in the city and adore the country, but not much in between. I like smart design, great craftmanship and good value. Most of all, I love the new vintage aesthetic: classic, sweet, delicate, bespoke. If I had to do it all over again, I'd go for a culinary arts degree rather than a PhD; but wouldn't trade Mr. P for the world.
Notice I used the word “gathering”. It wasn’t a party. There were no themes, plastic phalluses, matching tank tops with sparkly wordz, games, and most of all, no plans. There was no time. On the Saturday before the wedding, there was so much to do, including that dance lesson and baking the last batch of macarons.
I was a little sad earlier in the week when I thought that I would miss this rite of passage (though I never envisioned a traditional bachelorette party). No one was really game, and plus we already had the couple’s pre-wedding non-shower party and my bridal shower.
But last minute, my sister came down from New York, and a few friends who happened to be around rallied.
Mrs. Perfume, DCAge and Occupation: 36, Consultant (and Part-Time Professor)Fiance's Age and Occupation: 41, ConsultantEngagement Date: May 13, 2008Wedding Date: May, 2009Venue: The Homestead, Hot Springs, VirginiaAbout Me: I'd like to think that I'm a modern day Little Edie Beale. Only not as..."talented". More realistically, I'm a foodie who can't bake; a dancer and dilettente; an art collector with a penchant for the whimsical and subversive. I live in the city and adore the country, but not much in between. I like smart design, great craftmanship and good value. Most of all, I love the new vintage aesthetic: classic, sweet, delicate, bespoke. If I had to do it all over again, I'd go for a culinary arts degree rather than a PhD; but wouldn't trade Mr. P for the world.
Recall in the previous installment, I dropped the camera doing my signature side-veritas shots in Portofino. Idiot. But there was still one more city–Venice–on our itinerary. How sad would it be to not capture Venice for posterity? Well, maybe not that sad. The problem was the LCD panel on the camera wasn’t working — so we couldn’t see what we were taking pictures of. I didn’t want to buy another camera, but I didn’t want to miss the rest of our honeymoon either! So I took my chances and snapped images randomly. Most were blurry… Read more…
Mrs. Perfume, DCAge and Occupation: 36, Consultant (and Part-Time Professor)Fiance's Age and Occupation: 41, ConsultantEngagement Date: May 13, 2008Wedding Date: May, 2009Venue: The Homestead, Hot Springs, VirginiaAbout Me: I'd like to think that I'm a modern day Little Edie Beale. Only not as..."talented". More realistically, I'm a foodie who can't bake; a dancer and dilettente; an art collector with a penchant for the whimsical and subversive. I live in the city and adore the country, but not much in between. I like smart design, great craftmanship and good value. Most of all, I love the new vintage aesthetic: classic, sweet, delicate, bespoke. If I had to do it all over again, I'd go for a culinary arts degree rather than a PhD; but wouldn't trade Mr. P for the world.
We left off with the hydrofoil ride from Bellagio. We picked up a rental car in Como and headed towards our next destination, Santa Margarita Ligure along the Italian Riviera. Here are some of the highlights. Unfortunately, I broke my camera halfway through…
Mrs. Perfume, DCAge and Occupation: 36, Consultant (and Part-Time Professor)Fiance's Age and Occupation: 41, ConsultantEngagement Date: May 13, 2008Wedding Date: May, 2009Venue: The Homestead, Hot Springs, VirginiaAbout Me: I'd like to think that I'm a modern day Little Edie Beale. Only not as..."talented". More realistically, I'm a foodie who can't bake; a dancer and dilettente; an art collector with a penchant for the whimsical and subversive. I live in the city and adore the country, but not much in between. I like smart design, great craftmanship and good value. Most of all, I love the new vintage aesthetic: classic, sweet, delicate, bespoke. If I had to do it all over again, I'd go for a culinary arts degree rather than a PhD; but wouldn't trade Mr. P for the world.
Don’t hate me. I’ve been a bad blogger and went on hiatus, adjusting to married and normal life!
I last left you with the overview of the wedding. Before I do a full rewind, I’ll warm up and ease my way back into blogging with some snapshots of our foodie honeymoon in northern Italy (Bellagio, Italian Riviera, and Venice).
Here’s Part 1: Bellagio. Run your cursor over the show until the drive buttons come up. Click ’caption’ to view captions.
Mrs. Perfume, DCAge and Occupation: 36, Consultant (and Part-Time Professor)Fiance's Age and Occupation: 41, ConsultantEngagement Date: May 13, 2008Wedding Date: May, 2009Venue: The Homestead, Hot Springs, VirginiaAbout Me: I'd like to think that I'm a modern day Little Edie Beale. Only not as..."talented". More realistically, I'm a foodie who can't bake; a dancer and dilettente; an art collector with a penchant for the whimsical and subversive. I live in the city and adore the country, but not much in between. I like smart design, great craftmanship and good value. Most of all, I love the new vintage aesthetic: classic, sweet, delicate, bespoke. If I had to do it all over again, I'd go for a culinary arts degree rather than a PhD; but wouldn't trade Mr. P for the world.
Mr. P’s cousin, Margo, wrote the following message to her family about her trip to rural Virginia for our wedding. I thought it a neat overview of the weekend.
“All weddings are beautiful, but Mr. P and Perfume’s was definitely an elegant affair! What I would call a “destination wedding”. It started the night before; all the guests were invited to the rehearsal dinner at a beautiful music center tucked into the side of a mountain. We went back to our cute B & B which had been converted from an old mill. They had even converted the old silo into guest rooms.
Mrs. Perfume, DCAge and Occupation: 36, Consultant (and Part-Time Professor)Fiance's Age and Occupation: 41, ConsultantEngagement Date: May 13, 2008Wedding Date: May, 2009Venue: The Homestead, Hot Springs, VirginiaAbout Me: I'd like to think that I'm a modern day Little Edie Beale. Only not as..."talented". More realistically, I'm a foodie who can't bake; a dancer and dilettente; an art collector with a penchant for the whimsical and subversive. I live in the city and adore the country, but not much in between. I like smart design, great craftmanship and good value. Most of all, I love the new vintage aesthetic: classic, sweet, delicate, bespoke. If I had to do it all over again, I'd go for a culinary arts degree rather than a PhD; but wouldn't trade Mr. P for the world.
As I mentioned in my last post, I left the cake in the capable hands of our coordinator. We don’t love cake, and it was last on my priority list of details. But… the cake was, obviously, too big a detail to be laissez faire about. I don’t know what I was thinking.
Anyway, in the weeks before the wedding, we were focused on macarons, and escort cards, all the final little touches. And the weekend came, and the rehearsal, ceremony, cocktail hour were all wonderful, and we were on a just-married high!
We walk in, get introduced as Mr. and Mrs., do our little first dance (more on that later - it was hilarious). We sit down, enjoy, smiling, taking in the scene of everyone around us… then I look over my shoulder… [all images are by guests of the wedding unless noted]
Mrs. Perfume, DCAge and Occupation: 36, Consultant (and Part-Time Professor)Fiance's Age and Occupation: 41, ConsultantEngagement Date: May 13, 2008Wedding Date: May, 2009Venue: The Homestead, Hot Springs, VirginiaAbout Me: I'd like to think that I'm a modern day Little Edie Beale. Only not as..."talented". More realistically, I'm a foodie who can't bake; a dancer and dilettente; an art collector with a penchant for the whimsical and subversive. I live in the city and adore the country, but not much in between. I like smart design, great craftmanship and good value. Most of all, I love the new vintage aesthetic: classic, sweet, delicate, bespoke. If I had to do it all over again, I'd go for a culinary arts degree rather than a PhD; but wouldn't trade Mr. P for the world.
Okay, okay, one (maybe two) more random post before the recaps…
Hello, I’m Mrs. P and I had an ugly wedding cake. Remember when I was trying to decide between the blue cake and croquembouche? Well, I should have gone with the latter.
On our last planning trip back in February, Esme (our coordinator) informed me that the resort’s pastry chef could not do the cake in my requested design after all.
The lacey details required a special mould which he did not have.
Mrs. Perfume, DCAge and Occupation: 36, Consultant (and Part-Time Professor)Fiance's Age and Occupation: 41, ConsultantEngagement Date: May 13, 2008Wedding Date: May, 2009Venue: The Homestead, Hot Springs, VirginiaAbout Me: I'd like to think that I'm a modern day Little Edie Beale. Only not as..."talented". More realistically, I'm a foodie who can't bake; a dancer and dilettente; an art collector with a penchant for the whimsical and subversive. I live in the city and adore the country, but not much in between. I like smart design, great craftmanship and good value. Most of all, I love the new vintage aesthetic: classic, sweet, delicate, bespoke. If I had to do it all over again, I'd go for a culinary arts degree rather than a PhD; but wouldn't trade Mr. P for the world.
I’ve been gone a while - we’re waiting for the pro shots to come in. I promise to post recaps soon (like you care, but I’m just saying). I’m so uninspired these days. But when I saw these images on one of my favorite blogs, Little Winter Bride (all images by LWB), oh myyyy, I couldn’t take my eyes off of this beautiful Italian wedding!
It made me (almost!) want a do-over. Oh the beautiful vintage-y, indie simplicity. I’m so inspired now!
We honeymooned in northern Italy - perhaps that’s why I’m so captivated by this bride and her Milanese affair. It makes me yearn for that la dolce vita; that making of sweet, sophisticated things out of simplicity. (Of course the Italians don’t have the exclusive rights to this sort of lifestyle - it’s just they seem to do it so well!)
Check it out:
No veil or long dress - just a lovely wrist corsage, a tea-length swing dress, cool head-piece, and an AMAZING black lace capelet. So beautiful!
Mrs. Perfume, DCAge and Occupation: 36, Consultant (and Part-Time Professor)Fiance's Age and Occupation: 41, ConsultantEngagement Date: May 13, 2008Wedding Date: May, 2009Venue: The Homestead, Hot Springs, VirginiaAbout Me: I'd like to think that I'm a modern day Little Edie Beale. Only not as..."talented". More realistically, I'm a foodie who can't bake; a dancer and dilettente; an art collector with a penchant for the whimsical and subversive. I live in the city and adore the country, but not much in between. I like smart design, great craftmanship and good value. Most of all, I love the new vintage aesthetic: classic, sweet, delicate, bespoke. If I had to do it all over again, I'd go for a culinary arts degree rather than a PhD; but wouldn't trade Mr. P for the world.
I love the crisp, lady-like style of the ’50s and ’60s cocktail dress. Oscar de la Renta has done a great job of creating lovely clean, classic lines (as demonstrated above) throughout his career. And he continues that today in his contemporary interpretation: Read more…
Mrs. Perfume, DCAge and Occupation: 36, Consultant (and Part-Time Professor)Fiance's Age and Occupation: 41, ConsultantEngagement Date: May 13, 2008Wedding Date: May, 2009Venue: The Homestead, Hot Springs, VirginiaAbout Me: I'd like to think that I'm a modern day Little Edie Beale. Only not as..."talented". More realistically, I'm a foodie who can't bake; a dancer and dilettente; an art collector with a penchant for the whimsical and subversive. I live in the city and adore the country, but not much in between. I like smart design, great craftmanship and good value. Most of all, I love the new vintage aesthetic: classic, sweet, delicate, bespoke. If I had to do it all over again, I'd go for a culinary arts degree rather than a PhD; but wouldn't trade Mr. P for the world.
We returned from our honeymoon in Italy yesterday. These two-and-a-half weeks have been sheer bliss, and I’m almost sorry to see it all come to an end!!! But I am very happy to be married to my lovey and look forward to many more happy days with him!
The wedding weekend was full of joy and emotion–we had so much fun!!!! I have much to tell, but I’ll just let some of the images do the talking for now… Read more…
Mrs. Perfume, DCAge and Occupation: 36, Consultant (and Part-Time Professor)Fiance's Age and Occupation: 41, ConsultantEngagement Date: May 13, 2008Wedding Date: May, 2009Venue: The Homestead, Hot Springs, VirginiaAbout Me: I'd like to think that I'm a modern day Little Edie Beale. Only not as..."talented". More realistically, I'm a foodie who can't bake; a dancer and dilettente; an art collector with a penchant for the whimsical and subversive. I live in the city and adore the country, but not much in between. I like smart design, great craftmanship and good value. Most of all, I love the new vintage aesthetic: classic, sweet, delicate, bespoke. If I had to do it all over again, I'd go for a culinary arts degree rather than a PhD; but wouldn't trade Mr. P for the world.
We’re getting married today!!! Four years ago when we first met, I never would have guessed that this would ever happen!!! Through the years (has it been years???) of travel, celebration, and breakups, we finally made it!!
I chose this picture because it represents a turning point in our relationship. During that summer two years ago, we reunited one last time after a long hiatus. I sensed something different, more committed, about our relationship. And eight months later, you proposed!!!
Mrs. Perfume, DCAge and Occupation: 36, Consultant (and Part-Time Professor)Fiance's Age and Occupation: 41, ConsultantEngagement Date: May 13, 2008Wedding Date: May, 2009Venue: The Homestead, Hot Springs, VirginiaAbout Me: I'd like to think that I'm a modern day Little Edie Beale. Only not as..."talented". More realistically, I'm a foodie who can't bake; a dancer and dilettente; an art collector with a penchant for the whimsical and subversive. I live in the city and adore the country, but not much in between. I like smart design, great craftmanship and good value. Most of all, I love the new vintage aesthetic: classic, sweet, delicate, bespoke. If I had to do it all over again, I'd go for a culinary arts degree rather than a PhD; but wouldn't trade Mr. P for the world.
I finished the last batch of the macaron favors right before I left to go for our emergency dance lesson on Saturday.
Yes, that’s right. I’m making macarons for our wedding favors!!! Why would a girl who is notorious for not baking decide to bake one of the most difficult pastries in the world for her favors?
Because I love them and I’m obsessed with Laduree. By now everyone knows I love macarons. And no self-identified foodie could get away with NOT making her own something for her wedding, right? Right… if she’s crazy. And so it goes…
I attempted the ridiculous and actually succeeded after several tries. Read more…
Mrs. Perfume, DCAge and Occupation: 36, Consultant (and Part-Time Professor)Fiance's Age and Occupation: 41, ConsultantEngagement Date: May 13, 2008Wedding Date: May, 2009Venue: The Homestead, Hot Springs, VirginiaAbout Me: I'd like to think that I'm a modern day Little Edie Beale. Only not as..."talented". More realistically, I'm a foodie who can't bake; a dancer and dilettente; an art collector with a penchant for the whimsical and subversive. I live in the city and adore the country, but not much in between. I like smart design, great craftmanship and good value. Most of all, I love the new vintage aesthetic: classic, sweet, delicate, bespoke. If I had to do it all over again, I'd go for a culinary arts degree rather than a PhD; but wouldn't trade Mr. P for the world.
What a ridiculously hectic weekend!!! I baked the last batch of macarons, my sister flew in for my (last minute) bachelorette party, and we organized and assembled all the paper goods and items to take down to our venue. Oh yeah, we also squeezed in a dance lesson!
So, after reading Miss Yorkie’s post on her dance lessons, I panicked and realized that I had forgotten to schedule lessons. Well, at this stage in the game, that means one (singular) lesson. Ha!!
I pick up choreography and dance very quickly, because, well, I spent the better part of my life in ballet and jazz classes. The problem is, when Mr. P and I dance together, I usually lead… for example, I dip myself:
Mrs. Perfume, DCAge and Occupation: 36, Consultant (and Part-Time Professor)Fiance's Age and Occupation: 41, ConsultantEngagement Date: May 13, 2008Wedding Date: May, 2009Venue: The Homestead, Hot Springs, VirginiaAbout Me: I'd like to think that I'm a modern day Little Edie Beale. Only not as..."talented". More realistically, I'm a foodie who can't bake; a dancer and dilettente; an art collector with a penchant for the whimsical and subversive. I live in the city and adore the country, but not much in between. I like smart design, great craftmanship and good value. Most of all, I love the new vintage aesthetic: classic, sweet, delicate, bespoke. If I had to do it all over again, I'd go for a culinary arts degree rather than a PhD; but wouldn't trade Mr. P for the world.
I’m jumping on the hair flower train. Sure, the oh-so-popular trend will date my pics. (Oh well!) I like the trend. But, I like giant flowers. It was confirmed after I saw this on Oncewed.com. It’s highly stylized, only good for editorials and, of course, totally impractical. Perfect!!
So, as you may know, I’m not a crafty person. At all. But I’ll try just about anything. Most of the time it’s a failure, with a capital F. But I’m never discouraged. So… last night I tried making a giant flower corsage (for my rehearsal dinner dress) as practice for a giant flower fascinator. Let’s just say it wasn’t failure. It took me all of 15 minutes, so… Read more…
Mrs. Perfume, DCAge and Occupation: 36, Consultant (and Part-Time Professor)Fiance's Age and Occupation: 41, ConsultantEngagement Date: May 13, 2008Wedding Date: May, 2009Venue: The Homestead, Hot Springs, VirginiaAbout Me: I'd like to think that I'm a modern day Little Edie Beale. Only not as..."talented". More realistically, I'm a foodie who can't bake; a dancer and dilettente; an art collector with a penchant for the whimsical and subversive. I live in the city and adore the country, but not much in between. I like smart design, great craftmanship and good value. Most of all, I love the new vintage aesthetic: classic, sweet, delicate, bespoke. If I had to do it all over again, I'd go for a culinary arts degree rather than a PhD; but wouldn't trade Mr. P for the world.
I was up late last night pasting on the labels for the favors and emailing back and forth with Lindsey on the menu and program designs. Mr. P has been doing a lot of coordinating and is really on the ball with managing Esme and logistics (even while he’s in Seattle). Things are really coming together! Hopefully by Saturday we’ll be done with everything and we can relax!! My goal is to have nothing to do next week!!!
Instead of table numbers, we’re doing table “places”. They’re the cities to which Mr. P and I have traveled together. Our wedding website’s gallery (shamelessly goes to cheesetown and) documents all the major excursions of the four years of our relationship.
So I thought, ‘why not continue the theme of travel’ (sans our grinning mugs, which I’m sure our friends and families are sick of by now!)?
I worked with Lindsey Ryan (once again!) to come up with VINTAGE (yes, more vintage) images and postcards of each city. Here they are:
Mrs. Perfume, DCAge and Occupation: 36, Consultant (and Part-Time Professor)Fiance's Age and Occupation: 41, ConsultantEngagement Date: May 13, 2008Wedding Date: May, 2009Venue: The Homestead, Hot Springs, VirginiaAbout Me: I'd like to think that I'm a modern day Little Edie Beale. Only not as..."talented". More realistically, I'm a foodie who can't bake; a dancer and dilettente; an art collector with a penchant for the whimsical and subversive. I live in the city and adore the country, but not much in between. I like smart design, great craftmanship and good value. Most of all, I love the new vintage aesthetic: classic, sweet, delicate, bespoke. If I had to do it all over again, I'd go for a culinary arts degree rather than a PhD; but wouldn't trade Mr. P for the world.
We’re getting married today!!! Four years ago when we first met, I never would have guessed that this would ever happen!!! Through the years (has it been years???) of travel, celebration, and breakups, we finally made it!!
