- this cake. I made it and it's amazing! Thank you for posting it!

- her ring. wow.

- cheese cakes. literally. like this one from this lovely blog.

(Lily, now THIS is do-able!)

- an awesome cocktail hour idea.

- hearing all the updates from my newly pregnant friend

- this hair piece from Twigs 'n Honey. I can't wait to order mine!
- enjoying my last summer days in Vancouver before heading to B#2. BBQs, shopping, hot yoga, Angela!

- trying to enlist my sister to make this for the day-after bbq

- planning a day in Toronto to shop with my super cool amazing surgeon friend for her wedding dress. (any shop suggestions??)

Ah, the hair. I wish for easy, casual, beachy hair. I hope to avoid the hair-spray rich, over done updo that I've had at every other formal affair. I don't know if I'm asking for the wrong thing, or if I have some unrealistic expectations for what is possible, but I've never really felt like "me" with my hair done.

I'll be letting my hair grow out a bit from now until the wedding so I'm hoping for shoulder-length -- hopefully enough for a super low updo. If not, maybe just some loose waves?

These are the few photos I've tucked away. I'm not sure where they come from, so please let me know if I should credit your site with the image. (ps. does anyone know that reverse photo-look-up site?)

Is doing your own hair the only way to avoid the overdone look?

It's not the life-long commitment. It's not rain on the wedding day, a fire at the venue, the bar running dry, etc.

No.

It's....

hair and makeup.

Seriously.

I hate having my hair done. I hate looking overdone and I've never had a good experience with formal hairstyles. They usually end in me running home and washing my hair 15 minutes before the event begins. I think it's because hairstylists fear my thin, limp mane. They over compensate with volume and pouf. Or, I'm just crazy.

I also fear looking at the pictures and seen cakey, creasy, overdone makeup. ew. So I thought I'd search for some inspiration.

Let's start with makeup and the great artists at Two Fishes Artistry. I think their brides always look gorgeous, dewy and natural. Pink lips, pink cheeks, perfect skin....yes, please.

All photos from their website.

How is Martha able to make tacky, tissue paper decorations seem so cool? I never thought I'd be considering tissue paper bells as serious contenders for my wedding decor. The garlands would look amazing as a curtain behind the head table! They don't really go with out "au naturale" theme, but I think they'd be completely adorable for a wedding shower, my friend's baby shower, or our day-after bbq.

Find them here and here. Oh, and here.
Inspiration photos here.

It feels like it's been a long spring. School was tough, the year was long and I went a lot of time without seeing B#2. He was here a few weeks ago and we took a wonderful vacation. But part of me was still here, worrying about school, about patients, about finishing my research.

Then June turned the corner into July and things feel like they've fallen into place. My research is making progress, I have my patient work organized for the summer and it finally feels like the dream of taking my work across the country to work at B#2's will become a reality in a few short weeks.

People are at the beach, we're drinking beers on patios, the sun it out, evenings are warm and I've put down the text books and read some real books. Oh, how great it feels! There really is no place like Vancouver in the summer. Did I mention I'm a mere few blocks from this beach?

I haven't been motivated on the wedding front, but I'll have things coming. I'm looking forward to shopping with one of my bestest friends for her dress/mine in Toronto very soon.

I hope it feels like summer for you too. There really is nothing else like it.

Have you been watching this season?

How could you get rid of the winemaker and breakdancer and keep a guy named kipton and WES!? argh!

Ed was my pick from the minute he stepped out of the limo, though.

poll from here.

My only real wish for our photographer is that he's able to capture moments like this between B#2 and I and our guests. What more do you need?

photos from here.