Welcome 2013

New Year's Eve is finally here, in a year that has flown by more than any other I've experienced. Mr. V and I spending the evening with a few fabulous friends, sipping champagne and then heading out for dinner and drinks on the town. 

What a year it's been, and I can't wait for the upcoming one as well! Our wedding is only three and a half months away now, and we've been planning a lot over the past few weeks. Tonight will be a great celebration of an awesome few months and many more ahead of us. Happy New Year's!

Images via 100 Layer Cake. 

Birthday Brunching

Mr. V's birthday was this past Friday, and we celebrated on Sunday with friends over brunch at August in the West Village. It was a low-key and delicious way to ring in a new year for him, and we all really enjoyed it. He even got a candle with his french toast! 

The baked eggs with mozzarella were also delectable, and the Staub cocotte they came in had me dreaming of our wedding registry (cocottes are definitely making the list!). I'm so lucky to be marrying Mr. V,  the most handsome, kind, supportive man in the world. Happy birthday to my dear fiancé, and I can't wait for a lifetime of celebrations together!!

Images taken by me, with my iPhone. 

Engaged Life

A photo booth snap of the future hubby and me at a wedding this past summer. 

Really looking forward to April! Six and a half months to go...

Fashion Files | French Engagement

A flash of white, feathered and beaded, adorned with a gold belt of leaves...I dare say that there is no lovelier outfit for an evening in Paris (and clearly she's in a hurry to a magical engagement).

And, I know that I have unions on my mind lately, but this would be the most perfect wedding dress. Imagine a city hall elopement or a nighttime rooftop urban ceremony...The fabric fluttering in the wind while catching and reflecting each piece of light. Heavenly!

Image via Pinterest. 

Vows | Our April Wedding

A little glimpse at our beautiful wedding venue, The Foundry...

Over the past few days, Mr. V and I have been working a lot on the details for our nuptials next spring. Slowly but surely, elements are coming into place, but planning is truly a long and detailed process! We're combining a secular Western ceremony with Hindu rituals, and we're imagining an urban garden party with an exotic twist...The ironwork, brick, and snaking ivy of the venue will provide a beautiful backdrop for that evening. Truthfully, as much as I love working to create our ideal wedding, I just can't wait to get to the day where I get to marry my best friend.

Images by Jen Huang via Snippet & Ink.

Late Summer Musings

As August winds down and Labor Day weekend begins, I've found myself clinging to the last bits of summer. Thinking back to May 12, when Mr. V and I got engaged, it feels like minutes have gone by, much less three and a half months. This has been the best summer I can remember, but it was also a whirlwind...

Since the end of May, I've been to Berlin, Martha's Vineyard, Milan, Torino, Vermont, Virginia, and Florida. We've celebrated several friends' weddings (Mr. V has been to ten ceremonies since January; I made it to eight of those). Mr. V and I have also been working hard to plan our own wedding, which is seven and a half months away and feels like it's just around the corner. Additionally, we recently adopted a sweet kitten that we just adore. With all of these wonderful summer memories and experiences tumbling around in my mind, it feels hard to let go of the season. However, today's weather finally ignited a small yearning in me for fall. The air felt warm, yet crisp, and the light streamed through the trees, illuminating a few yellowing leaves, just as in this beautiful image of a farm's garden. It has left me exited for a new season and a fresh start, and I'm going into the long weekend feeling ready for the change. Have a happy final few days of summer!

Image via Modern Hepburn. 

Vows | Blissful Parisian Wedding

Since we got engaged in May, I've spent copious amounts of time browsing wedding blogs for inspiration for our April wedding next year. We've booked our ideal venue, a restored 19th century foundry in New York, complete with ivy-covered brick walls and ironwork throughout, and I've been dreaming about a soft, neutral palate to create an urban garden party feeling for the evening. When I saw this wedding a few days ago, I was so struck by how similar it is to the aesthetic I want to have on our big day...Light whites, grays, and taupes, beautiful calligraphy, a minimalistic cake, and a natural bouquet of white and green florals.

 

This really is the most gorgeous affair I've seen in all my looking! Mr. V and I will likely be incorporating Indian elements into our outfits and ceremony, and I think that will fit in beautifully with some of these lovely touches as well.  

All images by Rylee Hitchner via Style Me Pretty. You can see all the images from this wedding on Style Me Pretty.

Fashion Files | Relaxed Fit

Slightly tousled, natural hair coupled with cool blues and bright whites...These looks are definitely my fashion inspiration for these final weeks of summer.

Mr. V and I are spending this weekend with both of our families at my parents' house in Virginia, and I'm really looking forward to some time with everyone together. These past few weeks have been so busy and summer feels a bit as if it's tumbling by at full speed. We've been traveling almost every weekend, largely to celebrate nine (soon ten) weddings this year already - and also planning our own for next April! It's been very exciting, but also hectic. I can't wait to share some of my inspiration with you in the coming months. Have a happy weekend!

Image one via Sincerely, Jules; Images two and three via They All Hate Us. 

Happy Weekend!

Today Mr.V and I are headed to Vermont to celebrate the wedding of our friends in Manchester. I've never been to Vermont, and we're really looking forward to our road trip (our first experiment with a Zipcar) and a few days away together!

Between all the travel I've been doing and wedding planning, I've been terribly remiss about blogging, but I vow to get back in the swing of things! I can't wait to share all of the exciting design that I've discovered while preparing for our wedding. Happy weekend, everyone!

Image of mountains near Manchester via AllPics. 

Happy Weekend!

Mr. V and I are heading to brunch in TriBeCa to toast our friends who got engaged this week (yay!). Yesterday, we attended our other friends' wedding in the city, which was a fantastic lunch-time bash. They already had a stunning week-long wedding in Udiapur (that we got to attend!), and yesterday's nuptials allowed them to celebrate again with more friends and family stateside. I had never been to a daytime wedding, and it was a lot of fun!

This weekend I'm lucky enough to have a rare two days off with Mr. V, so I can't wait to get outside and soak up the warm, sunny weather in NYC and get some extra time with him. Happy weekend to you all!

Image from Lonny via The Glitter Guide. 

Happy Weekend!

Mr. V and I are spending this weekend in the city at the wedding of his family friend. Last night was the sangeet, where many of the female guests (including me) got mehndi and we all danced and celebrated the wedding. Tonight is the ceremony, and I'm looking forward to another fun-filled evening of revelry! 

I hope you have a happy weekend!

Image one via pinterest; Image two via Bella Pictures.

Vacation Days | Martha's Vineyard

Last week, Mr. V and I went to Martha's Vineyard to celebrate our friends' wedding, which was so beautiful. We made the trip into a four-day weekend, and spent the last two days exploring the island by rental car, seeing every town, beach, and lighthouse that we could find. It was amazing to be out of the city together for a little getaway, and here are some of the pictures from our adventure...

Summer Garden Party

Fresh off the happy news of our engagement, a few lovely lessons at Haven's Kitchen, and a class with the Little Flower School, I left last Wednesday for Berlin, where I spent a quick, great three days for a work trip. The weather there was magical - sunny and cloudless with temperatures in the mid-seventies each day. On Saturday, I flew to Florida for a party hosted by Mr. V's family in Palm Beach, where it was so nice to celebrate his brother's graduation, his parents' anniversary, and our engagement all in one weekend. I'm finally back in New York, but only for a short spell, as Mr. V and I leave Friday for a friend's wedding on Martha's Vineyard...

Neither Mr. V nor I have ever been to the island, and thinking about this weekend has me dreaming about an outdoor party under the sun...A rustic and casual affair filled with salty air and bountiful flower arrangements, a bit like these fantastic blooms that completely transform the landscape. How gorgeous! I can't wait to spend the weekend exploring the Vineyard and toasting to our friends' wedding.

Image one via Heartbeatoz; Image two via The Sweet Occasion; Image three via My Favorite and My Best. 

Happy Weekend!

Isn't this Rosemary and Rhubarb cocktail from bon appétit beautiful? I'd love to try it...It's ideal for this gorgeous spring weather. I am so excited to spend as much time outside as possible on this beautiful weekend...New York style, so that means eating and drinking at sidewalk cafés and taking a walk in Washington Square Park. Tonight Mr. V and I are headed to Alta for dinner with friends, and then to Sunday brunch tomorrow in the West Village. I hope you all have happy Easter or Passover celebrations! Here are a few links that I'm loving this week for you to enjoy...

Domino's Special Edition has already been spotted at the newsstands in New York! I can't wait to get a copy.

This week, Ruffled featured my friend Lauren's wedding, which was photographed by my friend Chrissy.

My obsession with Saipua's flower arrangements has only grown after seeing this fantastic wedding at the Gramercy Park Hotel.

Beyoncé's new Tumblr page.

Drake and Rihanna's new video.

This clear glass carafe would be a beautiful addition to a holiday table, as would this brass coaster (on sale!).

I'm dying to fix this Watermelon Radish Salad with Avocado Vinaigrette...Perfect for spring and summer!

A Fête for Friends

Kinfolk magazine recently held a family-style dinner party at The Green Building in Brooklyn (where my friends recently got married!) that is the epitome of a cool group feast. They used one long table, which was lined with benches and adorned simply with candles in varying heights and bright white dishes.

The casual, yet celebratory feel of this event is so appealing! This is a dinner I would have loved to attend...Or better yet, host! Wouldn't this be a lovely night to have with all of your friends?

Images via Kinfolk, Photographer: Leo Patrone.

New Blossoms

New York has had the prettiest spring weather the past week, and we took a long walk in Central Park yesterday to enjoy the warmth. The flowers there were blooming in bright and bold colors, and this beautiful table setting immediately came to mind...

These arrangements emanate cheer and romance - they feel very fun and fresh! Personally, I always gravitate towards slightly unkempt, natural bouquets like these. I'd love seeing something so fresh atop the tables at a wedding or dinner party...

Image from Elizabeth Anne Designs.

Wedding Fireworks

I can't resist sharing this spectacular image of the bride and groom's sparkler farewell from the beautiful wedding we went to last weekend, taken by my friend Chrissy.

A pitch-perfect photo of a very lovely night. Congratulations again to Lauren & Bennett!

Image via Christina Szczupak Photography.

Cheerful Celebrations

Last night, Mr. V and I went to the wedding of our friends at The Green Building in Brooklyn. We had so much fun catching up with friends and enjoying their sweet vows (it was a tearjerker), delicious food, and the endlessly entertaining photo booth. The room and decor were gorgeous...Strings of lit orbs cascading over the window to create the altar, hanging brass chandeliers, exposed brick, and mason jars filled with tealights.

There were so many personal touches - the bride and groom grew up together in Minnesota, so her family brought pretty birch logs from their home state to line the aisle, and his mother sewed plaid fabric into napkins for each place setting. They thought of every little detail for their big night, and it was lovely. For their send off, we lit sparklers and cheered as the happy couple left the party - such a nice end to the evening!

Image taken by me with my iPhone.

Journey to India

As promised, here are a few lovely highlights from our fantastic trip to Delhi and Udaipur for our friends' wedding last week...

It was a stunningly beautiful week in honor of two wonderful people, and I'm so glad I got to be there and experience it with Mr. V and our friends. Total bliss!