Bee's Knees & Bowtie Boulevardier

To make up for my long absence, I thought I'd double up on the delicious cocktails this Friday. The Bee's Knees and the Boulevardier are actually two of my favorite drinks, and I can't wait to shake up one of each–or toast to the Supreme Court's monumental decisions this week!

The Bee's Knees

2 oz of gin
1 oz of honey syrup
3/4 oz of freshly squeezed lemon juice

Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake for 5-10 seconds, then strain into a cocktail glass or serve with ice in a highball.

Notes: Honey syrup is easy to whip up in advance: just add equal parts honey to hot water and stir until combined. Cool before you start shaking, and use in iced tea, iced coffee or lemonade. Since the spirit really shines in such a simple cocktail, now's the time to try a daring gin: Hendrick's, St George Spirits Terroir or Botanivoire gins, and Barr Hill's honeyed gin would all be divine.

The Boulevardier

1 1/2 oz bourbon

1 oz Campari

1 oz sweet vermouth

Combine bourbon, Campari and sweet vermouth in a mixing glass with ice; stir well. Pour into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with

Notes: The Boulevardier is the Negroni's Kentucky cousin, substituting gin for bourbon. If you're daring enough to mix dark and light spirits, I can promise you won't be disappointed by this delightful pairing–cheers!

Image by Cliff Brunk.

Pretty Penmanship

Calligraphy by blue eye brown eye.

In addition to bridesmaid duties like artfully arranging the bride's train, executing a cake display and fetching lipstick, I also spent the better part of a Thursday afternoon and evening addressing my darling friend's wedding invitations. Since it wasn't quite as simple as it might seem, I thought I'd share her questions and my tips for getting gorgeous envelopes! 

First things first, how do you address your invitations? Mr and Mrs? The Addams Family? Luckily there are few hard and fast rules, besides spelling your guests' names properly. If your wedding is formal, try "Mr and Mrs Gomez Addams"; if it's a more casual affair, "Morticia and Gomez Addams" will do the tick. If the kids are all invited, use "The Addams Family"–and don't be afraid to use a combination of all three if you want to honor the older generation in attendance or make your best friend's boyfriend feel particularly welcome.

But what if your bestie and her boyfriend don't cohabitate, or your little brother's bringing an unnamed guest? When in doubt, trust your gut–etiquette is intended to make others comfortable, and you know your guests better than any expert.

Now that you've got names and titles sorted out, it's time to make sure you've got your addresses correct; check with your guests (or Google) to make sure every number is correct. Avoid abbreviations, even "Dr" or "Capt" unless you absolutely cannot fit "123456 Doctor Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard" on your envelopes–that includes states, street names and personal titles.

Once you've got your addresses collected, it's time to start writing–and hopefully you've been practicing! I suggest writing a few addresses on scrap paper before you put pen to envelope–my first few were stinkers. A light pencil line drawn with a ruler can help steady your hand and keep your text centered.

And how many extra envelopes should you buy? While the pros only need 10 to 15%, why not give yourself a little more wiggle room? Envelopes are often sold in packs of 25; if you find you have lots of extras, they can be always repurposed for vendor tips and thank you notes!


If you're looking for more advice on addressing, Wedding Paper Divas' Ask Etta column is a terrific resource–tell me, do you have any tricks for addressing envelopes, or etiquette questions?  I'd love to hear them! 

Kristin and Jacob

 

Jacob and Kristin both grew up vacationing on Bald Head Island, NC as children, and their families even rented the same home each summer, so after they met, fell in love and got engaged, there was no question about where they should tie the knot.

On the day of their wedding, the bride dressed in the same house where she and her fiancé had vacationed as children; her slim beaded lace gown by Claire Pettibone, a silk flower in her low updo, Alexis Bittar’s Siyabona earrings, silver flats and a bouquet of garden roses and anemones by Kim Fisher Designs were the perfect compliment to her beachy bridal style. Her bridesmaids were outfitted in periwinkle dresses from Swoon while the groom and his closest pals wore grey suits and blue ties from Indochino. 

After a spectacular first look, the newlyweds exchanged their vows in a ceremony lead by Jacob's uncle at The Shoals Club. Guests celebrated with the bride and groom in the Shoals Club's oceanfront pavilion, which had been transformed by Joyce Nelson of Classic Weddings on Bald Head Island. Grey and white striped tablecloths, anemone and garden rose arrangements by Kim Fisher Designs and mismatched votives graced the round tables, and white Chiavari chairs perfectly matched the glorious ocean views and Kristin and Jacob's classic, laid-back style. After a sumptous meal, the new Mr and Mrs indulged in confections from The Boiling Springs Lake Doughnut Shop before hitting the dance floor with friends, family and The Troupers.  

I was already head over heels for Julia Wade Photography's images when I spotted Kristin and Jacob's wedding video by Merigo Films, which was too beautiful not to mention. Tell me, what's your favorite photo or moment from this stunning collection by Julia Wade? I love the incredible shots of Kristin walking down that long dock toward her groom, but I think every single image is frame-worthy!