12.19.2012

Wedding Wednesday: Gifts Part I (Photography)


Christmas is so close I can smell it... that unmistakable whiff of generosity. So naturally, my thoughts have turned to giving this week.

That's one of the best parts of the Christmas season, isn't it?

Turns out, it was the same with our wedding.  




There were lots of {wonderful} gifts given. So many, in fact, it will take up the next three Wedding Wednesdays to talk about. That's how big the gift giving was! It's quite amazing really.... so many warm fuzzies....I could have made a quilt with them.

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Today's post is about ONE singular gift. It is a biggie ---the first, and arguably one of the most generous.



GIFT #1 - THE GIFT OF PHOTOGRAPHY

I'm talking about our photographer's gift of time: giving his...and freezing ours.

Along with his gift of talent, skill, patience, and art.


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We'll get to the actual wedding photos in the near future. But first, the before shots.

The engagement period is an important part of a couple's life as they transition from a casual couple to becoming more emotionally intimate with one another. It is significant to document this period, with photographs.

In September, Daisy and Jared squeezed in a quick trip to Provo, where Justin Hackworth lives, for their engagement pics.























Even though Justin lives in Provo, no problem! He is a world-wide traveler, and will go anywhere for his clients. He rolled into town the day before our reception, so Jared and Daisy fit in a quick photo shoot at the SunRiver golf course just as the sun drooped into evening. 







They took full advantage of the large grassy hill and clear sunny skies.












I can't say enough good about Justin's charm -- both as a professional and as a person. A simple search on Google will produce a bucket full of fun about him. But don't just take my word or Google's word for it.

Witness more of his work here.. Better yet, hire him and experience his magic for yourself!!



Thank you Justin (and Amy)!

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Have a very merry gift-giving, picture-taking Christmas!!

xoxo
Ms. Fish

PS: Speaking of love and gifts, here is a little gift for you. Treat yourself to some romantic Christmas R&B here.

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Next Wedding Wednesday: Gifts Part II (Heart and Heritage)





12.16.2012

On Sorrow





There are times when words or hugs cannot soothe a hurting Spirit. In such circumstances, the solace I seek can be found in a HOPE and a RISK.

HOPE ---- that The Man and His method will tenderly wipe away our tears, even those that have stained the soul.

And the RISK of IF only sweetens the reward.

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Peace,

Ms Fish
xoxo

12.14.2012

Fun Friday: Music + FREE Christmas Posters



When I was younger, I rarely paid attention to the words of the songs I listened to.

Maybe that is because I was listening to songs with lyrics like this:

There were plants
And birds
And rocks
And things

        -America

Then Jeremy changed that. 

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Sometimes when my family gets together to make music, my brother Jeremy will point out lyrics that he loves. Like this stanza from The Girl in the War

Her eyes are like champagne
They sparkle, bubble over
          -Josh Ritter

So I started paying closer attention to lyrics (which made me realize maybe it was a good thing I didn't pay attention as a teen! haha).

This conscious listening has opened up a whole new world.

Now I love songs with beautiful poetry even it is doesn't have the catchiest melodic tune. Lucky for all of us, some songs have both......

Like this song by Mindy Gledhill and this song by Jack Johnson; both artists I adore. Each song has a phrase I loved so much that I designed Christmas posters around them.

Below are the phrases. They roll off the tongue so wonderfully. Both use alliteration, great imagery, and represent simple beauty:

Cider simmers on the stove
Reading Dickens by the glow
'Neath the winter moon
         - Mindy Gledhill

So much peace
in their pitter-patter feet
          - Jack Johnson

The posters sit on a shelf in my home and it makes me happy happy to read these simple sweet messages every day.

christmas posters designed by ms fish: woodsy collection


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I suppose your Christmas decorating is all done for this year. My readers... all six of you... are organized like that.

But, you know what Martha always says:

There's always more
room for decor.

(Ok.. maybe she's never said that, exactly.... )

Or there is always next year, right? If you would like these Christmas posters in your home too, I would love to share them. With YOU! Just email me (in Contact section) and I'll send you the PDF file.

All you have to do is get them printed. They are 12 x 12.  It cost me $6 for all three. I mounted them on foam cor. Or they could be framed, if you want fancy.

They are available in two colors schemes:

CHRISTMAS BRIGHTS









CHRISTMAS WOODSY






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Of course, I still love & appreciate songs like this : brilliant, not because of the lyrics, but for the talent and blend and voices and musicality. OH MY!!!

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Doesn't music make the season joyful?!

Enjoy!!

xoxo
Ms Fish







12.12.2012

Wedding Wednesday: Attire

Have you ever considered how many decisions have to be made when planning a wedding? What kind of cake? Which flowers for the bouquet? How many invitations to order? What kind of music? Solid or patterned tablecloths? What color chairs? How many menu choices? What color scheme? Where to hold the reception? Which videographer? What to gift the bridesmaids? Tuxedos or suits?

Besides the choices, we had to consider the way Daisy wanted things, and the way Jared wanted things. Then there is the way I thought things should be, which isn't what my husband wanted to pay for. Then there is the way the groom's mother and father wanted things, and the way the grandparents didn't want things. 

It is a miracle that weddings happen at all. It makes me admire Elizabeth Taylor.

================== * ================

The decision about the clothing was one of the hardest. It felt like we were planning the Academy Awards. It was a big deal. It dominated all of our conversations.

One day when Daisy's brothers were visiting from college, they admitted, "we are glad we have moved away so we don't have to listen to this everyday."

================= * =================

At first Daisy wanted the bridesmaids in orange dresses and the groomsmen in linen colored pants and vests. Like this....

credit


We scoured the world for bridesmaid's dresses in orange, dresses that were modest and didn't cost a fortune.

No such thing exists.

So we hired a seamstress to make them, and started to search for fabric.

Meanwhile....

We couldn't find linen-colored suits or vests or tuxes, in a modern-cut, either locally or on the internet. (And now... da da da da da da....the color LINEN is a 2013 Pantone Color of the Year. There will be no more problem finding creamy off-white suits now).

Plan B was gray. Gray is hot hot hot right now. You will believe me if you look at any wedding blog. But Daisy wasn't too hip on gray.

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One day we were sitting in Adrian's watching Jared try on tuxedos. Daisy leaned over to me and said,

"I think we ought to do black, mom?"

I gasped. "Black?"

Black is the color of spiders. And WIDOWS.

"Black!" she confirmed.

How could this happen? Where did I go wrong? How could my daughter, who usually had a sense of style and good taste, want black?

I started to feel guilty about letting her eat so much macaroni and cheese as a child.... (was she showing latent signs of chronic malnourishment?)

Then one day I thought about Audrey and Cary. They look good in black.



I turned to Google and searched 'wedding parties in black.'

The more I looked, the more I liked.

I was starting to warm to the idea of men in black.

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 Then one day, Daisy made another startling announcement.

"I think we should have the bridesmaids wear black too."

Plan E

I could see the slippery slope where this was headed. Next thing you know, Daisy was going to want me and my husband to wear black.

Plan F

Wear black to my daughter's wedding??!!!


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What do five girls - one short, one tall, one buxom, one flat, and one who gave birth a month ago - have in common? A bridesmaid's dress they all hate."  - Ilene Beckerman

Daisy was thoughtful and sensitive about doing what would be best for her bridesmaids. After deciding against orange, she decided against custom-made look-a-like dresses. Instead, Daisy asked the bridesmaids to choose their own LBD (little black dress). This allowed each girl to showcase her personality with a dress that reflects her style. And that way, the girls would want to wear their dresses again.

And not hate us their dress (see above quote).

Celeste (far right) seized the opportunity and made her black dress (that she loved and rocked).

credit

Women look good in black. It slims and smooths. And every girl needs a LBD, right?

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Since we didn't use our seamstress for the bridesmaid's dresses, she made my dress instead.

I designed a dress, drawing my inspiration from a couple of different McCall patterns as well as other dresses. Stacey took my design, created a pattern, & made a sample dress out of muslin. Then sewed and measured. And re-sewed. And re-measured. She was amazing. It fit perfectly.

Since Daisy's dress was 100% lace, I wanted to incorporate lace into my dress.

So I could show my support of Daisy.

So I could be like Daisy.
 
You see.....I've always wanted to be like Daisy.





And as it turns out, I wore black.




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four beautiful bridesmaids

handsome mr fish rockin' his orange tie

my three sons: wearing ivory, orange and black

Buddies

Mom and son

Fisher fam

even my dad bought an orange tie - true devotion!

the groomsmen in ties, groom in bow-tie

my whole family except one brother (sniff, sniff). they all joined in the fun of wearing matching colors. what a great family!!

my sisters. all wearing pearls given to us by my parents.

groomsmen wore black tuxedos with black tone-on-tone striped ties

3 generations

Amy made all the nephews these adorable orange bow ties

my mom looked stunning in black


Jared looked so handsome in his modern-cut black tuxedo

I LOVED how everyone looked and I ended up LOVING the black: classy, elegant, timeless. Just the way Daisy wanted.

No worries afterall.

About Daisy's judgement.

Or the mac n' cheese.

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Sources:
Ties: Dillards, Nordstrom and Cheap Neckties
Tuxedo Rental: Adrian's St. George, UT
MOB Black heels: Nordstrom
Photos by Allen Hackworth (my daddy)
MOB dress - custom: Stacey King

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Thanks for listening!

xoxo
Ms Fish

Next week Wedding Wednesday: Gifts



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