Pop the Bubbly!

We have a winner! Kristine, keep an eye on your email inbox for a little gift from me and J.Crew!

 From the bottom of my heart, thank you all for your feedback and your support of A Crimson Kiss; what started as an obsessive collection of pretty wedding pictures has become much more than I would ever have imagined, and I'm so grateful to each and every one of you.

Image by A Bryan Photo.


P.S. If you're crazy for A Crimson Kiss, I hope you'll nominate it for BrideTide's 100 Best Wedding Blogs, along with two of your other favorites! Happy Friday, everyone!

Jasmine

I love a good engagement ring and a well-matched set will make me swoon, but it's hard to ignore the appeal of a single ring that does double duty. Isn't this diamond-studded floral band just gorgeous?


Do you wear a matched set or stick to your wedding band? Are you dreaming about a gorgeous engagement ring with a center stone, or a band covered in bling?

Jasmine band by Brilliant Earth.


P.S. A Crimson Kiss is hosting its first-ever readers survey; head here to participate and be entered to win a J.Crew e-gift card! A winner will be announced tomorrow! And if you're really crazy about A Crimson Kiss, I hope you'll nominate it for BrideTide's 100 Best Wedding Blogs here!

Courtney and Anthony

After a proposal and surprise birthday celebration for the bride photographed by Meghan Sepe at Castle Hill Inn in Newport, Rhode Island, Courtney and Anthony had no questions about where their wedding would be held, or who would capture it. They wanted the big day to reflect their sense of fun and romance, and worked with event planner Rebecca White of Castle Hill Inn to craft their intimate celebration. Papers from Kelly Elizabeth Designs spoke to the marriage of playful and polished that the couple simply adored.

Courtney wore a silk organza J.Crew gown with a delicately beaded belt and sparking Jimmy Choo peep toes. Her bridesmaids wore blush gowns from Amsale, and carried petite versions of her lush bouquet created by Stoneblossom Floral and Wedding Design. Anthony wore a Hugo Boss suit, Tod’s shoes and an understated white boutonniere.

They were married at the water's edge by one of the groom's closest friends, beneath an arbor covered in spring flowers. Thanks to Joyce Holland at Stoneblossom Floral and Wedding Design, the bride's favorite flower, the blush peony along with hydrangeas, roses and candles also filled the reception tent. After an elegant dinner, the newlyweds and their guests danced the night away–a perfect ending to one gorgeous Rhode Island day.

 

 

 A big thank you to Meghan Sepe Photography for generously allowing me to feature her gorgeous work; tell me, what's your favorite detail of this classic celebration?

Rosette

A sweet pink t-strap with rosettes I simply can't get enough of–what's not to love? 

Image by NGG Studios. 

P.S. A Crimson Kiss is hosting its first-ever readers survey; I hope you'll head here to participate (and be entered to win a J.Crew e-gift card)!

Fluff

This weekend felt a lot like this bouquet; there were sunny morning spent under our new white duvet, lots of fragrant herbs, and plenty of beautiful flowers. I'll bet you'd never guess that John is actually the master floral arranger in our house! 

On Thursday, John prepped our well-brined bird while I slept in. Besides the turkey, there were roasted garlic mashed potatoes, gravy, green beens with shallots, Mrs Lilien's cranberry sauce (a new favorite), and Zuni Café's bread salad with a bottle of California cabernet, followed by apple, pecan and pumpkin pies. No, we didn't have any guests. After a long walk to the beach, we headed to the packed theatres to see Skyfall–and indulged in another piece of pie once we got home!

We spent Friday working on respective projects–John on another movement of his latest concerto, me on a financial accounting course I started this month (it doesn't sound fun, but trust me, it is!), pausing for cat naps, turkey sandwiches and episodes of Extreme Couponing, which has completely sucked us in. After another early evening walk, we headed to our local Thai place for a delicious meal that didn't feature tryptophan.

 We were up early on Saturday morning, and after a slice of breakfast pumpkin pie and a cup of tea, I enjoyed some of the lovelier things in life, including the latest issues of Southern Weddings Magazine and Brides while John practiced. We decided to bottle our White House Honey Porter that evening so John grabbed bottles and caps, and I devoted some time to downward dog. After a spicy Italian dinner and a big glass of cabernet, we lined up our bottles and got to filling. My favorite part about our latest brew? The adorable cherry red caps!

I stayed curled in bed with my Kindle and computer Sunday morning (I love reading PostSecret and The New York Times' Ethicist column) while John picked up supplies. We had a late breakfast of poached eggs and avocado, and while John cleaned our actual house, I cleaned up my inbox, my tabs and the last few weeks of 2012 posts! Then we curled up with some scholarly journals and dug into a musicology project that had us excitedly underlining for hours! Eventually hunger got the best of us, and what better for dinner on a foggy night than–you guessed it–Indian food! Paired with a long-lost and well-loved Indian Pilsner I uncovered a few weeks ago at BevMo and holiday movies (we saw Holiday Inn for the first time and now I can't stop singing!), it was the perfect way to end a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend.


Tell me, how were your celebrations? Were you traveling or hosting this year's big feast? I can't wait to hear all about your holiday!

Image by Braedon Photography, bouquet by NLC Productions.


P.S. A Crimson Kiss' very first reader survey is live; won't you head here to participate (and be entered to win a J.Crew gift card)? I'll be announcing a winner on Friday morning!

Apples

Apples have been a symbol of love, fertility, and abundance since ancient Greek times, when the goddess of the Earth, Gaia gave her granddaughter Hera a golden apple tree as a gift at her wedding to Zeus. Wouldn't a spiced apple cake filled with caramel buttercream and drizzled with caramel, then topped with golden lady apples be dreamy for a fall wedding?

Another dreamy thing I'm excited about is A Crimson Kiss' very first reader's survey; I'd absolutely love your feedback to build a better, more beautiful Crimson Kiss, and by participating you can win a J.Crew e-gift card–perfect for your holiday shopping! 

A winner will be announced next Friday morning, November 30th; to take the survey and be entered to win, head here! Happy Black Friday, everyone!


 Confection by Betsy Thorleifson of Nine Cakes for Martha Stewart Weddings.

Sweet Pear

Happy Thanksgiving, all! Whether you're rolling out handmade pie crusts, watching football or resting up for tomorrow's big sales, you'll probably need a drink–this pear and sage sipper comes highly recommended from my kitchen!

Sweet Pear

3 oz bourbon

2 oz pear nectar

1/4 oz freshly squeezed lemon juice

4 sage leaves

1/2 teaspoon superfine sugar

Gently muddle sage, sugar and lemon juice in a cocktail shaker until fragrant. Add bourbon, pear nectar and ice; shake for 10-15 seconds, then pour into a highball glass. Garnish with a slice of pear.

I hope your Thanksgiving feasts are delicious, and that you're enjoying the company of your guests and the grateful spirit of the holiday. Once you've recovered, come back to A Crimson Kiss tomorrow; I've got an exciting announcement to make, and someone's going to be a winner!

Image by Johnny Miller for Martha Stewart Weddings.

Caroline and Keating

 

 

 I've actually featured this gorgeous November wedding once already, long before most of you were readers; you can see why I thought it might be time for a revival! 

Caroline and Keating were married on Thanksgiving weekend in Charleston, SC in a celebration that highlighted tradition and family. The four-day festivities started with a Thanksgiving rehearsal dinner at McCrady's Restaurant, complete with roast turkey with stuffing and cranberries, glazed ham with cornbread pudding, mashed potatoes, and biscuits.

Navy and white invitations from Dulles Designs announced not only the bride's favorite color, but the wedding's historic location, 18th-century Middleton Place which boasts the oldest landscaped gardens in the country. Caroline, a fashion PR director, wore a silk-chiffon Monique Lhuillier gown, navy Christian Louboutin sandals and sapphire and diamond earrings from Graff; she wasn't anxious to be the center of attention, so her dozen attendants also wore white, in styles from Thread that suited them best. Keating and his groomsmen wore custom navy suits and silk pocket squares. 

1920's trolleys from Absolutely Charleston transported guests and members of the bridal party to Middleton Place, where event planner Calder Clark and florist Blossom Events had filled the ceremony room with hurricane lamps and votives, white hydrangeas, hellebores, ranunculus, roses and magnolias, and Caroline carried a bouquet of white poppy anemones with navy blue centers down the aisle towards her handsome groom. They were married by the bride's sister in a rainy early evening ceremony, but the weather took a pause to let the newlyweds capture some portraits in the historic gardens, a white J. Mendel capelet wrapped around Caroline's shoulders. 

At the reception, exposed oak tables featured unfussy arrangements of peonies, garden roses, lilacs, anemones, and hydrangeas in combinations of silver and clear glass vessels, inspired by an heirloom china cabinet. Guests enjoyed a traditional Southern meal by Duvall Catering & Event Design, and after the newlywed's first dance, "Better Together" by Jack Johnson, everyone was on the dance floor thanks to Anita and her band. 

An enormous thank you to Bryan Johnson of A Bryan Photo; he and his associate Caleb Chancey captured stunning images from this beautiful celebration, and I'm delighted to be sharing them!