Layers, layers, and lace

I have mixed feelings about this right now. Haha... haphazardly I wound up with layers and lace that make the look a bit girly.  For someone who wears mostly black all the time, I'm still struggling to visualize myself in a long white dress. I'll sit on it for a few weeks and see how I feel about it then.

Something Blue

BCBG Paris Jaze Suede d'Orsay Pump

It really blew my mind when I found out that an entire style of shoes is named after d'Orsay. Now I feel like I will definitely need these shoes to complete my wedding! I spent one of my most memorable years of life living right along the Seine, in an apartment sandwiched between the National Assembly and the d'Orsay museum, spending many Sunday mornings lounging around the cafe at le musée d'Orsay.

I incidentally just got back in touch last week with a friend that I made in Paris. She also happened to have gotten married last year, so we have many emotions and stories to share. Life is beautiful that way.

Anyway, this pair of shoes is now in my google shopping bag, pending fiancé approval. It won't work with the vintage lace and beads on my wedding dress, but maybe I can work it into a rehearsal dinner outfit... it would be poetic, and sentimental, even if only in my own mind. 

But... how can we go forward with hope and conviction, without appreciating where we have first set foot?

Still waiting for a venue

Had a good chat over the phone with the events director at the venue we have our hearts set on. Unfortunately there haven't been any updates as to the status of our date...

We are in an unusual circumstance because the venue we want is a non traditional site that's normally used for something else... And that schedule hasn't been released for the fall yet.

Feeling a strange combination of anxiety, disappointment, and hope. I've not been inspired by any other venue, so the wait continues...

DIY dress

Making my own dress has been one of the most challenging sewing experiences. I'm pretty happy with what I have so far. I just never thought that making a dress meant so much iteration and coming to terms that vision isn't always reality. To be honest, this looks nothing like what I first set out to make. But that's life!

Back view of the dress... Because I still have to figure out the front ;)

Venue waiting

So much depends on the venue. Can't send out save the dates, can't visualize much without having a confirmed site.

FI and I went to our first and hopefully only venue. We're still waiting to hear back about its availability, so the uncertainty is a lot to deal with right now.

I won't commit to any distinct photographs until we know we have it for sure, but here's a snapshot of a random corridor while touring the place. Even he admitted to having his heart set on this place. Seriously gorgeous space... Warm colors, natural elements, and modern design. Love, love, love! Hopefully we'll have good news in a few weeks.

The proposal

The engagement is setting in, and I've now had a few conversations with girl friends to kind of finesse my interpretation of the proposal. 

So for some background, last January we had a lovely getaway weekend in Napa Valley, where we blended our own bottles of wine and dined at our now favorite restaurant, La Toque. We stumbled across this restaurant because we were staying at the Westin Verasa, and rain was pouring outside. We cancelled our original restaurant reservation and opted for in house dining.

We both agreed that we'd try to make it a tradition to go back in January (off season). So this was our first time back since last year. 

Sometime during dinner, he apparently asked the valet to pull his car up, and soon we were driving north on highway 29. It was already 11pm at night, so I couldn't imagine there being anywhere to go in Napa Valley. Of course, I went with it anyway.

We finally pulled over on a road about 25 min north of Napa, and then he told me where we actually were. We were parked right outside Roots Run Deep, the private winery that produces Educated Guess, the wine he chose on our first date. We spent some time admiring the starry sky, and then he got down on one knee and asked me to marry him :).

Since last January, we've been introducing the wine to friends and family as our favorite wine (it's actually really good!) So we hope that we can find a venue that's BYOB.

FI applies meaning from the name; he's mentioned that dating me was an educated guess. I thought that was a completely unromantic thing to say, but I guess that comes along with being nerdy-cheesy. Haha. I'll drink to that.