Martini Talk

From Ms. to Mrs.

noreply@blogger.com (Christa) — Sat, 26 May 2012 03:29:00 +0000

Photos by Clark + Walker Studio

It's been two weeks since our wedding day and even though we got back from our honeymoon three days ago, I still find it hard to believe that it all really happened. They say to enjoy every moment because the day will go by so fast. I can honestly say that I did not feel like the day flew by. I actually thought it went by at a smooth, even pace. I do, however, so wish that I could have been a guest at my own wedding so I could experience every little detail that all our guests have been talking about. Thank God for photos!

I spent the majority of the day staring out the window on a gorgeous sunny day, watching all of my planning fall into place as my bridesmaids got their makeup done. The weather gods were truly shining down on us that day. I watched my makeup artist arrive, the florist's truck pull in, guests beginning to arrive as we got closer to 5 o'clock. I also got to sneak down to the reception barn to see how all of the decor was coming together just as I envisioned.

And then it was my turn. Once my hair & makeup was done, I got to put my dress on and never felt more glamorous from head-to-toe. It was finally time to see Charlie and I was so excited.

One of the things that surprised me the most was how calm I was. I didn't get as emotional as I thought I would. The time I cried the most was in the morning when one of my bridesmaids asked me to be her baby boy's godmother -- the sweetest wedding gift. I felt like I was going to someone else's party. The only thing I needed to do was get dressed and let the pros that I hired do their jobs. And the results were fantastic.

A few other things did surprise me though -- in a good way -- which I don't want to forget about, so I've started to keep track as I settle back into reality ...

Of the two of us, Charlie was the most emotional, especially during our ceremony and first dance. Heart him.
In my whole life, I don't ever remember my mom smiling as much as she did on that day. She looked so pretty and so excited.
Likewise, I never experienced my dad at such a loss for words. Click here if you'd like to know why. Love you, dad.
My handsome brother helping out in so many ways, and doing "The Ronnie" dance at the reception -- so great.
My adorable twin nephews acting too-cute-for-words as they got ready to walk down the aisle. They took my mind off of everything that was going on around me and made me so relaxed.
Best. Maid of Honor Toast. Ever. given by my dear friend, Dayna.
How excited all of our guests were to see us and how amazing everyone looked. Given that our wedding took on the color palette of the season, many of the ladies coordinated very nicely -- a Style Editor's dream.

Best Day Ever is here!

noreply@blogger.com (Christa) — Fri, 11 May 2012 12:43:00 +0000

And the weather is perfection.

Cookie Time

noreply@blogger.com (Christa) — Sun, 06 May 2012 17:12:00 +0000

Finishing off our welcome bags with some homemade Mexican Wedding Cookies - a nod to where we fell in love and got engaged.

This recipe from Paula Deen was super easy - you can find it on the Food Network. Three batches took no less than 6 sticks of butter ... Oh that Paula - hope they taste as good as they look!

Sunday Morning

noreply@blogger.com (Christa) — Sun, 06 May 2012 13:19:00 +0000

Lemon-blueberry-vanilla pancakes with my baby while listening to Lapis Luna - perfect last Sunday morning as BF & GF.

New Blogger App!!

noreply@blogger.com (Christa) — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 21:43:00 +0000

Yes, I am posting from my iPhone right now. SO COOL!

Where has this app been all life? Expect to hear a lot more from me!

12 Days to Go!

noreply@blogger.com (Christa) — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 21:16:00 +0000

I'm so over this sign, but with less than two weeks to go until our wedding, its my new motto.

A Little Design Love

noreply@blogger.com (Christa) — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 18:47:00 +0000

So much has been going on lately with the wedding, that I haven't had a chance to catch up on my Google Reader, which is where all my favorite design and event blogs await. One of my favorites is David Stark's Sketchbook.

For those that don't know, David Stark is an event design G-E-N-I-U-S. His clients range from Target to Benjamin Moore to the Robin Hood Foundation Gala. If you're lucky, he'll also design your wedding. I just love drawing inspiration from his work, which always has an eco-friendly angle to it as well. Take a look:

From this year's DIFFA by Design. Photo courtesy of BizBash.com

Outside the New York Public Library

Read more here about this fantastic installation

So amazing, I just want to crawl inside his mind and live there for awhile.

It was meant to be...

noreply@blogger.com (Christa) — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 13:38:00 +0000

I've always believed in fate and signs, and the notion that "everything happens for a reason" ... even more so during this past year. So I've been keeping track on my iPhone of all the coincidences that have occurred as I planned my wedding. All of these little things have helped me feel like I was on the right track choosing the various details. Here's the list so far:

- Right after we were finishing up ordering my wedding dress at Priscilla of Boston in New York, I learned that the woman who was helping me grew up in Philly, just a few blocks down from my old apartment in Chestnut Hill.

- The woman who helped us pick out the bridesmaid dresses at J.Crew in King of Prussia has the same wedding anniversary as Charlie and I will have.

- The name of the woman who is altering my dress is Theresa -- that was the name of Charlie's mom, who passed away long before I had a chance to meet her. According to Charlie, believing in things like signs and astrology is one thing we have in common. For some reason, that puts a smile on my face.

- After hiring them, we found out that the lead singer of our Brooklyn-based wedding band grew up 15 minutes from my parents house in the Philly suburbs.

- The room where we are having our rehearsal dinner at the Cock 'n Bull restaurant is called the Neshaminy room. Neshaminy is where I went to high school.

- The woman who helped me with my invitations used to work in one of my hotels. And, when we were narrowing down our invitation selections, one of the designs featured an image of a dogwood tree. When we were little, my cousins, brother and I used to spend entire afternoons climbing up and down a large dogwood tree outside my Granny's house. I hadn't thought about that tree in years, until I saw that invitation. It was such a sweet memory.

- The woman who register us for a marriage license is friends with one of my friend's moms.

I'm sure there will be more as we continue to get closer to the date. I'll keep you posted!

- The girl from HollyHedge who carried my train asked me where I grew up as we were walking to the ceremony. Turns out she recognized a few of our guests and also grew up on the same exact street as I did, one block away!

The Bridal Shower

noreply@blogger.com (Christa) — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 21:49:00 +0000

We are officially in wedding crunch time with 33 days to go. Last weekend, my bridesmaids threw me my bridal shower and they did such a great job! While the date was not a surprise (I need to plan my outfits accordingly), the rest of the day was. The girls chose an Italian restaurant in Huntingdon Valley. Everything from the flowers to the desserts to the invitations and hand-painted wine glass favors were perfect.

Here are a few photos taken by my bridesmaid and SIL, Jen, who recently started her own photography business.

My girls: Jen, Camille, Tracy, Me and Dayna

My glass - my mom customized it with my new monogram

My MOH - the mastermind behind the whole day, love her

Yes, they made me where one, hence the
crazy-behind-the-eyes look on my face

Fiesta Time

noreply@blogger.com (Christa) — Sun, 25 Mar 2012 15:43:00 +0000

Last night, Charlie and I had four of our good friends over to celebrate our three engagements. Since we all bonded in Mexico, that was the theme of our little dinner party. Here's the menu:

Appetizers
Chips, Salsa, and homemade Guacamole

Main Course
Pulled Pork Tacos - my best friend Dayna's recipe, super easy!

(1) 2-21/2 lb Boneless Pork butt or shoulder Trim some of the excess fat.

In a Slow Cooker/Crockpot combine:
(1)16 oz Jar of Store Bought Salsa
(2) TBS Chili Powder
(2) TBS Cocoa Powder
(1) Tsp Salt

Add Pork to the Crock Pot and turn to coat. Cook, covered, until the meat is tender & pulls apart easily, on High for about 4-5 hrs or Low 7-8 hrs. Using 2 forks shred the pork and stir into the cooking liquid.

Serve with Tortillas, sour cream, and your choice of fixin's.

Side Dish
Black Bean and Corn Salad

Beverages
Skinny Girl Sangria & Margaritas, Pacifico beer, lots of red wine

Dessert

Homemade Churros with Chocolate Dipping Sauce! Courtesy of our friends Jen & Mike. Not sure which recipe they used, but click here for an easy one.

Churros!

PS: Breakfast the next morning

Baked Huevos Rancheros

Toot too hey, beet beet

noreply@blogger.com (Christa) — Sun, 25 Mar 2012 15:13:00 +0000

Friday night I had the tastiest cocktail I've had in a long time at Antibes Bistro. The Red Rivington, shown above, is a blend of Grand Marnier, Lillet, beet juice and cardamom. To finish off this sip, the bartender garnishes it with a skewered beet -- so good, and not too sweet.

Spring is in the Air

noreply@blogger.com (Christa) — Sun, 25 Mar 2012 14:10:00 +0000

Can you smell it? Just wanted to share the lovely view outside our home. So much better than the half-naked people walking around New York last week who seem to think the city just morphed into Miami - a not-so-pretty site.

Meet the Parents

noreply@blogger.com (Christa) — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 14:31:00 +0000

My parents, at my best friend Dayna's wedding

This weekend my mom and dad came up for a visit. Charlie and I were so excited to show them our new home and take them on a tour of our neighborhood and surrounding area. And, of course, I was super excited to cook up a couple of awesome meals in my own kitchen! Here's what was on the menu.

Pasta with Vodka Sauce
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Chopped garlic to taste
Crushed red pepper flakes to taste
1 can 28 oz. crushed tomatoes with added puree
1/2 pint heavy cream
2 tbsp. vodka
Chopped parsley to taste and garnish
1 lb. pasta (I prefer Penne)

Saute garlic and red pepper in olive oil. Add tomatoes, stir until bubbly. Add heavy cream and stir. Add vodka and simmer. Drain pasta, add to sauce, let thicken. Garnish with parsley.

Ice Cream Cake
1/2 gallon of vanilla ice cream
Reese's Peanut Butter Cups
Thin chocolate wafer cookies
Homemade whipped cream (1 cup heavy cream + 2 tbsp. confectioner's sugar mixed until stiff peaks)

Line a 9-inch loaf pan with wax paper. Layer crushed chocolate wafer cookies, followed by ice cream, then whipped cream, then crushed peanut butter cups. Repeat. Keep in the freezer until ready to serve.

Bacon, Tomato & Cheddar Breakfast Bake with Eggs

Click here for the recipe.

Hair Trial Time!

noreply@blogger.com (Christa) — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 14:13:00 +0000

I'm so excited to have my hair trial today, and I can't wait to see what my hair stylist, Meg Garmers, comes up with for the wedding day. I don't have much of an idea about what I want, except that I know I want to wear my hair up, maybe with a low bun-type knot off to the side. But honestly, I am open to anything.

The one thing I'm sure of is my hairpiece. I originally wanted to wear a cage veil, but after looking at lots of photos of brides who wore one, I realized I don't really like the way they look in photos. I've only seen a couple of brides who could pull them off well. So instead, I'm doing a hair comb that has the cage netting, an awesome brooch, an -- of course -- feathers.

I love Sara Gabriel's headpieces, but since I didn't want to spend a lot of money, I enlisted my of-so-creative mom to make one for me. With the help of a hot glue gun and supplies from Michael's and M&J Trim, she created a stunner. Take a look.

Sara Gabriel - my original inspiration

Annie comb, Sara Gabriel

Our supplies

We took a regular cage veil on a comb and folded down.

Feathers, feathers, everywhere

The finished piece

Weddingmares - They Do Exist

noreply@blogger.com (Christa) — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 22:45:00 +0000

I've started having wedding nightmares again. I had these in the very beginning of the planning process, and now I've had them for the past two nights. Apparently, I had them all night last night because today I was pretty tired.

I used to love reading all the funny wedding nightmares that brides wrote in when I was at The Knot. Now that it is happening to me, it's not so funny. In my dreams, the same thing always happens: my photographer or band is either late or doesn't show up. And usually its because I forgot to tell them where the wedding is and what time it starts. It's no surprise these two vendors are always in my dreams -- they are the ones who are most important to me.

Have you ever had one of these crazy dreams? If so, I'd love to hear it!

The Calm Before the Storm

noreply@blogger.com (Christa) — Sun, 11 Mar 2012 00:40:00 +0000

Right now, I am at a stand still -- and I'm trying not to let it drive me nuts. The wedding invitations are out, and now all I can do is wait. This doesn't mesh well with my personality. As a person who likes to plan, I also like to have everything done early. Unfortunately, I'm as caught up as I can be. There are so many things that are hanging on who exactly is RSVPing yes and who is RSVPing no, and I have to wait until April 1st until all the reply cards are supposed to be back. Things like:

the seating chart
how many tables we'll have
how many centerpieces we'll need
how many menu cards we'll need to print
how many welcome bags we'll need to make
how many table names we'll need to print, and how many frames we'll need to buy for those table cards

I'm all ready to pull the trigger on all of the above, but I got three weeks to wait it out. Shoot me. So this month, its all about gettin' pretty. I have my hair trial next week, another fitting the week after, and I've been shopping for outfits to wear to my shower (I'm thinking Joan from Mad Men), rehearsal dinner (a cool print or pattern would be nice), bachelorette (torn between sparkles or a bold, bright hue), and honeymoon (flowy, colorful, and sexy). Hopefully, I'll be a be able to find something that fits the bill for all of the above. Wish me luck!

Welcome Home

noreply@blogger.com (Christa) — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 01:06:00 +0000

Just thought I would share the rest of the photos from our new place. We actually had our first encounter with what it really means to be homeowners this past weekend -- a leak in our dining room ceiling. Luckily, I have a handy fiance who is now busy fixing the issue. Despite this unfortunate incident, I still can't wait to come home at night. Here are a few reasons why ...

High Ceilings

Airy Living Room

Colorful Dining Area

Clean, White Kitchen

Huge, Clean Bathroom

Laundry Room

Ample Storage Space

Cozy Spare Bedroom

When Charlie and I first got engaged and found out we were moving, we made a deal: I take care of the wedding; he takes care of finding us a place to live. He did a great job holding up his end of the bargain. Now, it's mine turn to produce the Best. Night. Ever. With that said, I'm wrapping up this post to go work on some wedding details.

Big Day! Wedding Invitations

noreply@blogger.com (Christa) — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 15:31:00 +0000

Today, we are finally putting our wedding invitations in the mail. Which means, I can unveil what they look like on this blog. I had such a great experience picking out our invites. I went to Village Invites in NYC. Their boutique is small, but super cute, and Adrienne (their wedding invitation specialist) is lovely to work with. She got my style -- and understood my budget -- from the moment I walked in.

Adrienne also introduced me to Spark Letterpress. I thought I knew every invitation designer in the book, but apparently not. Spark was created in 2005 by a Midwest couple, Jim & Valerie. Read their story here and you may fall in love with them like I did.

We chose their Ava suite, which features linen patterned peonies and classic stripes. Take a look:

Original Sample

Here's how ours turned out:

Invitation

Post Card Reply Card

Direction Card, from WeddingMapper.com

And to complete the look, I can't forget to mention our Save-the Dates. These were designed by my talented and soon-to-be brother-in-law James Protano. They were meant to look like a vintage post card.

Post Card Save-the-Date

Color Blocking the Bookshelf

noreply@blogger.com (Christa) — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 03:06:00 +0000

Today I had lunch with my friend Anne, who told me she was a little tired because she was up late last night working on a new project -- color blocking her new bookshelf. I almost fell off my chair in the middle of The Smile. Aside from painting, this was the very first home decor project I tackled in our new place. Charlie thought I was completely insane. I still think whoever thought of this idea is a genius. Now I can feel good about combining our books, even if his don't pair well with mine subject-wise (yes, I'm a little OCD). Check out the results.

Pitchers & Cake Stands

noreply@blogger.com (Christa) — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 02:50:00 +0000

Lately, I seem to be obsessed with pitchers and cake stands. I currently own three pitchers and I have registered for two more. I plan to make a vignette out of them somewhere in my house. And the same goes for cake stands. I never thought I needed one (or two, or three) until my friend Susie told me they come in handy when entertaining. I got my first at Christmastime from one of my aunts. I love it. It's square! I also registered for two, one with a dome and one that is purple and vintage looking. I envision myself creating lots of Amy Atlas dessert displays over the next few years....

And when it comes to our wedding, a stylish cake stand is a non-negotiable. I cannot stand those huge, silver square things that most venues offer. I think they are hideous and take so much away from the cake. At first, I had my heart set on a fenton hobnail cake stand. Unfortunately, they don't make one in the size I need (18 inches). Enter Sarah's Stands - expensive, but totally worth it. I got a plain white one. Now, I don't have to worry about the photos of our wedding cake. Let's just hope the cake design I have in mind works out too.

Our Wedding Cake Stand, Sarah's Stands

Fenton Hobnail Cake Stand, Etsy

Vintage Modern Cake Stand, Macy's

Xmas gift from Aunt Anita

Brunch!

noreply@blogger.com (Christa) — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 03:01:00 +0000

For years I have always dreamed of having a great kitchen with lots of good appliances so that I could cook and entertain family and friends -- now its finally happening. Today, Charlie and I hosted out first official brunch party to celebrate his father's birthday.

I had so much fun setting the table and pulling out some of our new serving pieces. Unfortunately, I was too preoccupied with making sure the food was coming out OK that I forgot to take photos. But I thought I would share my menu with you. Here goes:

Starters

Assorted bread basket

Banana Bread, Tuscan Lemon Muffins, Irish Soda Bread, Semolina Bread

Fresh Fruit Salad

Entrees

Goddess Salad with Haricots Verts & Feta

Prosciutto & Mozzarella Frittata - definitely a make again. SO GOOD.

Kale, Potato & Onion Frittata

Breakfast sausage & bacon

Dessert

Layered Chocolate Mousse Cake (courtesy of my soon-to-be in-laws)

Milano cookies

Cappuccinos

Beverages
Bloody Marys, Mimosas, Citrus Water

Twenty-five eggs and one slow-baking oven later, I'd say our first brunch gathering was a success!

Our House: The Master Bedroom

noreply@blogger.com (Christa) — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 02:02:00 +0000

I'm so excited to finally be sharing some pics of our new home. We are still putting the finishing touches on all of the rooms, hanging pictures and the like. But we have come along way since a few weeks ago.

First up is the Master Bedroom. Here's what it looked like when we moved in:

The Before

If you haven't figured it our already, I'm completely obsessed with orange these days. I think I would even go so far as to classify it as my favorite color (shhh ... don't tell purple). I've always wanted to try out an orange-y color for the bedroom and when I came across the photo below, I immediately thought I could pull it off in our bedroom considering our existing duvet color and furniture.

The Inspiration ... from Houzz.com

Below is where we are at so far. I'm still looking for the right photos for the wall and a stark white vase for the dresser, but I'm likin' where it's headed.

The After

TISK: Registering is harder than it looks

noreply@blogger.com (Christa) — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 02:03:00 +0000

I couldn't wait to register for my wedding. Having lived on my own for quite sometime, I literally starting keeping a registry wishlist on my iPhone way before I even met Charlie. The very first thing I registered for? A KitchenAid Mixer. That appliance I knew for sure I wanted. Surprisingly, everything else was a little more difficult to decide, especially my dishes.

I knew I wasn't a fine China girl, but I did want to get something nice. Once I started thinking about how those dishes would hopefully be set out for many holidays to come, the pressure was on. How could I choose between so many options? I ended up picking the Kate Spade Wickford Collection. Textured white is what I was going for, this way I can mix-n-match with more colorful accent pieces. But what I like about it the most is that it is actually Lenox -- a brand my mom, aunt, and Granny have been collecting for as long as I can remember. I guess I can be a little traditional sometimes ....

Kate Spade Wickford Collection

Another challenge is knowing how much to register for. All the stores say you should register for twice the number of items as guests. But I'm afraid that will be too much ... I'm trying not to go crazy registering for everything under the sun. One rule to keep us from going overboard is that we stayed away from specific appliances that can only be used for one thing, such as an ice-cream maker or panini press.

Finally, when I started my registry a few months ago, I was actually in the process of moving and all of our stuff was packed in boxes. It was hard to remember what we really needed. So tonight I updated my list once again ... and noticed that a few items have been fulfilled already! How exciting!

Valentine's Day, Then and Now

noreply@blogger.com (Christa) — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 01:29:00 +0000

Linzer Cookies for Charlie - hardest cookies to make but so worth it!

Yesterday, our cable and Internet got installed in our new place. Since it was Valentine's Day, I resisted the urge to hop online and blog. Instead, Charlie and I cooked dinner and had a little QT time. It's amazing how far we've come since our first Valentine's Day "together" -- best. story. ever.

Charlie and I had only known each other for about a month when he asked me to join him in the Riviera Maya, along with a bunch of friends. At first I thought he was kidding, but he wasn't. So I booked a plane ticket to Mexico using my air miles. We couldn't get on the same plane, but we were flying the same airline and I was arriving about an hour before him so we thought we would meet up at the airport. It was President's Day weekend and also Valentine's Day.

When I landed in Houston to catch my connecting flight to Cancun, my cell phone started blowing up -- Charlie and his friends had missed their flight! Not only that, as the day unfolded, they were unable to get on another flight until the following morning. Which meant I had to fend for myself in Mexico (poor me, right?), until he got there, which wasn't until 2 p.m. the following day. Luckily, his other set of friends did arrive in Mexico on time and we connected. Mind you, this was the first time I was meeting anyone that he knew. I could have been totally pissed and freaked out, but at the time, I traveled a lot on my own for work and was used to having to make conversation with people I had never met before. I just remember thinking, "Oh good, these people drink. Everything will be fine." By the time Charlie finally arrived, his friends were on their way to being my friends too. Two Valentine's Days later, the six of us are all engaged, and Charlie and I bought our first place together.

Playa del Carmen, February 2010

NYC >> LI

noreply@blogger.com (Christa) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 01:04:00 +0000

Right now, we are in the middle of moving to Long Island, which is why I haven't blogged in a few days. On Friday, we went home to our new condo and spent the weekend there painting the bedrooms, sleeping on an air mattress, and making regular trips to Home Depot.

On Sunday night, we went to a Superbowl party at our friends' house in LI - it was so nice not to have an hour-plus drive home! Then on Monday, the movers came and we also spent the afternoon at the DMV. Good times. Needless to say, we were exhausted by the time we came back to the city Monday night.

Tonight, we are finishing up packing and are going to head out to LI permanently after work tomorrow. So excited! While I know it's going to be an adjustment, I already miss our new home, and I can't wait to show it off. As soon as we get a little more settled, I plan to do a couple of before-and-after posts. In the meantime, I'm pinning away and making a list of things we will need ... eventually. So far, that list includes:

from houzz.com

Two area rugs, preferably one with a zebra-print as shown above
Throw pillow covers
Entertainment center
Coffee table
Artwork (something with words ... like NYC neighborhoods)
Chalkboard (for reminders)

I'm going offline for the next couple of days, but will be back as soon as we get our Internet hooked up in the new place. Stay tuned!