Ten Ten Ten or In Vino Veritas

Well hive, I think this may be my last post as a Miss! With the whirlwind that's about to hit my life I don't know if I'll see ya until the middle of next week!

The weather in Napa is perfect for this weekend and I couldn't be more lucky. Marrying my love amongst our favorite people, nestled in wine country-- I feel like I'm dreaming. Somebody pinch me. =)

I have a plethora of details to still share, but it's hard because they're all coming together at the last minute. For example, I glued and bow-d over 200 corks for our escort cards, but the actual paper cards are with Mom Barrettes at her hotel and Mr. B constructed an amazing photobooth idea for me 2 days ago, but it won't be ready to use until later tonight. Oh, and mom's dress made mine! The final product is a hit.

Looks like I'll have plenty to blog about while we wait for our pro photos!

Here's a sneak peak--

 Mr. Barrettes making my photobooth dreams a reality...

 Our wine bag wedding favors, tagged with the personalized wine charms and filled with purple hugs, kisses and bliss!

Our favorite wine pourer in the Peju tasting room, Richie, said we are perfect together-- he called Mr. B a "Roman warrior, re-incarnated over and over" and me a "spicy butterfly". We always have the best time at our last tasting of the day.

Signing off as a Miss! In Vino Veritas-- In wine is truth!

Yours Truly,

Miss Barrettes

*Squee* Purple Satin Shoes!

My shoes finally came in the mail! I've been dying to show them to you since I stumbled upon them online a few months ago.

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Aren't they pretty? Badgley Mishka Randall in Purple Satin.

 Oh, that box got ripped open.

 Shoe bag.

 Hello pretties!

Happy feet! (yes, vein-y, i know)

I'm going to wear them around the house for 30 minutes each day until the wedding to break them in. I don't want blisters on my wedding day! They look a bit blue in the photos, but I swear they're a pretty shade of purple.

My shoes arrived 8 days before the wedding. Anyone else receive important details at the last minute?

Walking That Fine Line, Elation vs. Anxiety

I've been trying to come up with a clever "10-day countdown" post, but it's not coming. I know I've forgotten at least a few posts on wedding details, but they seem so trite for my mood. I also want to wait until all the pieces come together before I present them to you. I know, it's last minute, but I'm hoping you'll like our escort cards and our wedding favors-- I'm totes loving them!

I'm living in a heightened sense of reality. Everything is either a complete miracle or total disaster-- there is no in-between. Me finishing my escort cards all by myself: complete miracle. My wedding shoe order being cancelled: total disaster. I cried in the shower for 30 minutes yesterday. I can't even tell you what I was crying about-- it just all kept coming. I feel like I'm walking a thin line between total elation and total anxiety.

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I'm so sure about our marriage and our union, and that is the comforting part. What I'm unsure of is the actual wedding. Am I doing enough? Will our guests be happy? Should I be hosting more events? Will they be picking their noses?

I think I just worry that our guests are taking time out of their schedules, and spending a pretty penny to stay in Napa for the weekend-- I want them to feel like they're loved and appreciated. I wish we could host a giant party every night of the long weekend, but parties Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday are just not in the budget. Don't you just wish you had a suitcase with a billion dollars in it?

But then I try to remember how much fun Napa is and how happy I am when I'm there. You guys, it's crush season!!!! V. Sattui's Crush Party is the night before our wedding! I keep trying to remind myself that the guests will be happy enough being in wine country. Hello? Miss Barrettes?? Tasting in Napa all day long can make even the most sour soul happy!

So hive, that's where I am. I still have things to show you, things to tell you, but they're still falling into place and in the meantime you're just left with what's going on in my brain. Thanks for letting me vent--it's so much more productive than crying in the shower.

xo Barrettes

A Walk-Through of Our Wedding at V. Sattui

OMG, I thought I was in love with our venue before--- now I'm head over feet! We are in Napa, meeting with our vendors and making sure all of our details are buttoned up. Today we met with our Day-of-Coordinator, chose our wines for the cocktail hour and reception, and finalized our catering menu. V. Sattui rocks my world!

We saw V. Sattui Winery from the road and my heart started racing!!!

We met with our DOC and went through every possible detail of the big day. I love that we are all on the same page and that she is providing all the major players with timelines. Organization is something that I will not have to worry about. Priceless.

Hi! I'm a ham-- have had this fountain as my desktop wallpaper for months. The weather was beautiful and I'm living for how beautiful this day is!

Ok, so we walked through the 'plan'-- the fountain will be the staging area for the wedding party once the guests and groom are in place. Guests will enter from either staircase leading to the courtyard.

I will enter from one of the rooms on the top floor. I will walk around that upper level, down to the fountain, and down the stairs to my dad. He will walk me down the remaining level, down the main aisle, to the groom.

The string trio will be on the mezzanine, just above where the guests are seated. I love this detail. They were the last minute addition to our ceremony and I'm obsessed with them.

...and we marry here. I needed just to stand here together to feel it out... it's perfect :)

♥

This is the VIP tasting room, where we will be having our cocktail hour, immediately following the ceremony. Three wines we chose will be available, as well as cheese and fruit. It's rather large and is perfect for mingling before entering the barrel room.

Omigod. I die. Walking into the barrel room is awesome. So much larger than the last time we were here. They had done a small renovation on the room and it totally opens up the space.

Our sweetheart table will be against the left wall, facing out towards our 12ish round tables.

Dancing will take place in between the lit beams. The DJ will be set up to the left, near the dining tables, and the cake will be set up to the right. The signage and posters will be removed.

The courtyard will be broken down from the ceremony and will hold small bistro tables for guests to congregate outside. We will also have a cool 'photobooth' stand that Mr. Barrettes is constructing for me. (Post on that at a later date!) The rest of the grounds are also open for our guests, but we imagine everyone will stay around the party.

V. Sattui is more than a dream come true and we can't wait to see it through the rose-colored glasses of our wedding day! Taking a walk-through with our coordinator was perfect, and gave us a good idea of how the day is going to proceed. We even hashed out our 'getaway' details and I can't wait until you see the final trick we have up our sleeve!

Did you do a walk-through of your wedding timeline? Did it help ease your nerves for the big day?

New York Bridal Shower

This weekend was my bridal shower in the Big Apple! Our friends and family (some of whom cannot attend the wedding) in the New York area gathered to shower me with love and smiles.

We started with a wine tasting downtown, followed by dinner and games at Giorgio's of Gramercy. I'll let the photos tell the story!

We hopped on the subway to the WTC site, where we hoofed it the rest of the way to California Wine Merchant for our tasting.

Yours truly ain't no fool. I know better--I switched into my heels right at the front door.

My two cousins, who are bridesmaids, met us there and we all tried about 4 different wines before it was time to head back uptown to dinner.

I said goodbye to Mr. Barrettes at the tasting and he headed off into the city with my uncle for the evening. The shower was for ladies and gay men only!

I hopped in a car with my Mom and Aunties and we all made it uptown.

Once we were seated, Bridesmaid Melissa gave instructions for our 'icebreaker' introduction and adorned  the bridal party with sashes. John loves his bright pink "Maid of Honor" sash!

Our lovely family of ladies!

Seriously, the food KEPT coming. Each platter bigger and better than the last.

After I was embarrassed by everyone's "favorite" memory of me, it was time to open gifts!

My last gift was from my newly minted Sister-in-law, and it started the waterworks. I will do a separate post on it because it's such a great idea to share!

I laughed...

...then I cried.

I was also gifted my attire for the wedding rehearsal.

So happy to be reunited with my cousins after too many years! They are both recently married and would like me to be first with the 'baby-thing'.

How could I forget this one-- our party was split into 3 teams and had to dress my 3 attendants in toilet paper, while I picked the winner. Loved it.

At the end of the evening, Mr. Barrettes came back to say hello, and to meet some of my family members who are unable to attend our wedding.

He was digging my "Bride-to-be" sash. Can you even believe it matched so perfectly with my dress? Not planned!

We took a few more photos, I threw my ribbon bouquet (which Mom caught), and waved goodbye...

...jumped into cabs, and drove off into the New York night.

What Wedding Stress?

Feeling stressed? Head with your honey to the nearest amusement park! Definitely a good way to scream at the top of your lungs without turning any heads!

We are less than one month to go and seriously, I'm not stressing. Is it normal to feel so *meh* about everything?

This is not to say that everything is complete. I have the wine charms to finish, escort cards to begin, favors to fill, wine to taste, dress to find... Yet, I'm so blase about it all. Is it called 'living in the moment' or being dispassionate? 

I feel like I should be wound up about getting married in 4 weeks. But I feel as cool as a cucumber. I'm excited about seeing friends I haven't seen in years, but thats about it. It sort of feels like everything will come together in the end so what's the use about worrying. Even if all my projects fall to doggie doo, we still have the winery and the food and all the love, so everything else is just an added bonus right?

Am I missing the "Bride" gene? I'm not even caring about the facebook thing. You know what I did after my brother's wedding--- posted all my pics to facebook! As did all my cousins. So there goes that, I ate my own words.

Maybe I'll get more bride-y when we head to California. A visit to V. Sattui for our wine tasting might just do the trick!

Anyone else suffer with the case of the 'meh-whatevers'? Did you feel weird for not being 'bride-y'?

"Something Old" Un-hinges Me

I haven't written the post where I complain about one whole side of my family being absent from our wedding-- mostly because I believe the less energy I give it, the easier I can get over it.

However, I did see a handful of those family members at my brother's recent wedding and I'm so happy that we did get some celebratory face-time. I love them...and I tried my best to put on my I-ain't-mad-atcha face. We haven't been super close, but I appreciate the time we do see eachother.

Almost immediately after entering the rehearsal dinner, my dad's cousin stands and says she'd like to say something. She instantly becomes emotional and I can just feel my repressed tears inching their way to the corners of my eyes. She produces 2 rolled-up and ribboned papers and says one is for my brother's bride and one is for me. Me?! This isn't about me! If you want to do me, you have to wait another month and come to MY rehearsal dinner!

But I kindly take the roll and untie the purple bow. I can barely make out what it says before those silly little tears take flight. And by flight, I mean, everywhere. All over my face, my dress, my dinner--I clearly become unglued in front of my brother's entire rehearsal dinner. Mortification!!!

The letter reads:

To Melissa and Brianne,

Tradition has it that a bride, on her wedding day, wears something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue.

Here is "something old" for each of you, but first some H----- family genealogy.

On August 3, 1911 Sara B (1890-1978) married Robert I (1887-1918). Sara and Robert were my maternal grandparents. Robert was the brother of Ione May I (1882-1972), who married Ralph H, Nick and Brianne's paternal great grandfather.

When my grandmother (Sara) passed away, I inherited many of her linens. This year her daughter, Jeannette (1912-2010), my mother, passed away and I have been going through many of these linens again. Among them I found two lovely lace-edged handkerchiefs. I'm sure they date from the early 20th century if not earlier.

I pass one along to each of you, Melissa and Brianne, as a memento of those who went before in the extended H----- family.

Your cousin,

Terry Ann S. S.

The handkerchief was in a plastic zipped bag, attached to the letter.

I hadn't even thought of my "something old", but there it was sitting in my tear-stained lap. "Why did you become so un-hinged?" You may ask. And honestly I don't know what to tell you other than all of those feelings about my dad's side of the family being unable to attend (for one reason or the other), bubbled-up to the surface. The early 20th century handkerchief will be the only symbol of that family at my wedding.

I'm not sure how I will incorporate it into my wardrobe. Maybe sew it to the inside of my dress? Maybs fold it into my bouquet? Or dare I even use it as it was intended-- to wipe my tears (of joy, of course)? I'll keep it in a safe place and let it tell me what it wants to do on my special day.

Did something shatter your composure in your planning process? Please tell me I'm not the only one!

Brother Barrettes Ties the Knot!

Brother Barrettes tied the knot yesterday in a beautiful ceremony in Hawley, PA. At the end of the evening I asked the bride how she felt about the whole day and she said, "I'm so happy and surprised that nothing went wrong. If it did, I didn't know about it!"

Just before he began to tear up. He said I couldn't post the teary ones... :)

Unity Sand Ceremony

Loved the bridesmaids' dresses.

Moi with Mom and Dad.

Escort cards were satin covered Hershey Kiss roses.

Card cage and wish cards (in lieu of a guestbook).

Their table numbers were photos of them, holding the actual number, in special places in the town where they met and live. There were also disposable cameras on each table that the bride will use to scrapbook.

Best Man speech. Her face says, "Keep it clean." His face says, "Don't get me in trouble!"

Getting the party started with YMCA.

The traditional cousin shot. Don't mess...we're strong and we roll thick!

We all decided the "cousin tradition" would be our favorite line dance-- to "Dancing in September."

I was serious about catching that bouquet! It went over my head, but it's okay, I'm next to get married anyway...

The guys were pretty serious too.

We're next!

Their favors were candles, along with the satin rose. Honestly, there were a lot of candles left on the tables at the end of the night. Does that happen often with favors?

It was such a fun and loving wedding. We were all surprised about how teary my brother was throughout the night. He choked up while he was thanking everyone for coming, and also during his dance with our Mom. It was really sweet, as he is usually not a very emotional guy. Ahh weddings, gotta love 'em!

We were very inspired by their wedding and can't wait to for ours! Did you find inspiration from weddings you attended?