snow in august

It's wedding season, and I can't help but feel nostalgic about our own. Colin and I finally went through the photos from our photographer Sabin Gratz a couple of weeks ago. It was like reliving the whole weekend all over again. Some of my favorites are from the shoot we did out in the snow before the ceremony. For months, we hummed and hawed about whether or not to do it, since doing so would mean seeing each other before the I-Dos, and we certainly got lots of advice NOT to do it. But in the end, we decided to go against the grain—we realized that having photos of us in the snow was a must. (I was sure to keep most of my dress covered the whole time, so at least that was a surprise later on!)

Months later, I'm so glad we did. Here are some of the my favorites from the shoot. Sabin did an amazing job. He submitted some of these to Vermont Vows magazine and this first one got picked to be in the Fall/Winter 2010 issue!

little black book

I'm staring at a small black notebook—a journal filled 30 or so pages deep with my own handwritten scrawl. I bought the notebook at a bookstore in Kauai so that I had something to write on, besides a hotel notepad, without having to open a laptop on our honeymoon. I wanted to write it all down. Write down every feeling, every emotion and sensory moment of the wedding weekend prior, before the moments were left to the fate of my own fickle memory.

And then, of course, I planned to bring the book back and post all of my musings for the world to see. But I didn't.

For all the stuff I've posted out there in the ether, and for such a public event as a wedding is, why am I now feeling that I want to keep this moment private? I want to move on and start writing about other things. I want to keep the book to myself and Colin, my husband.

Is that okay?

For the record though, I will post a small summary and one of my favorite photos from the weekend by our friend Isaac. He took a bunch of pics that weekend and you can see them here. (Note to self: for all private feelings, emotions, sensory moments, please see Little Black Book)


Colin and I were married on January 23, 2010 at Trapp Family Lodge in Stowe, Vermont. A beautiful chill and sunny day—the sky blue like a swimming pool, mountains cloaked in icy white hoar frost. A rare kind of day, not often seen in Vermont winters. As dusk approached, guests gathered in the candlelit Mozart Room of the lodge.

Both sets of parents were present, as well as siblings and their spouses, a few aunts and uncles and close friends from near and far. My bridesmaids were my two sisters and my 2 best friends from college, Bibba & Brooksie. Colin's groomsmen were his brother, brother-in-law, and 2 best friends. My father officiated. My mother and sisters sang a song that they had written together. Auntie Lucy read a poem: Colors Passing Through Us by Marge Piercy. Colin's sister Kristen read a poem: A Birthday by Christina Rossetti. There were tears. We exchanged vows in front of a fireplace. We exchanged rings. Kissed. My mother played Edelweiss on the classical guitar during the recessional. Then we celebrated. We ate amazing food. We cut the cake. We danced and danced and danced all night long.

Lots of people told me before this day to expect my wedding to be a blur and that I might not remember many of the details. I was determined not to let this happen and in the end the entire day played out like a movie—like a long, romantic, perfect movie. And everything still remains as clear in my mind as the crisp blue sky that day. It was magic.

And now we're married. And I say to my new husband, Grow old with me, the best is yet to be.

our wedding soundtrack

We got the idea from our friends Brett & Elisa to make a mix for our out-of-town wedding guests to listen to at the hotel and on their trips back home. Every song or band we picked to go on the mix means something special to us. We had a lot going on the wedding weekend and forgot to include play lists in the welcome bag. Well here it is. Best soundtrack ever. :-)

L'autre Valse d'Amélie – Amélie
Lisztomania – Phoenix
New Theory – Washed Out
With You – Stars of Track and Field
This Charming Man – Stars
The Dress – Blonde Redhead
Night Time – XX
Inní mér syngur vitleysingur – Sigur Rós
The Funeral – Band Of Horses
Heartbeats – José González
Anything You Synthesize – The American Dollar
Love's Lost Guarantee – Rogue Wave
Strange things will happen – The Radio Dept.
Yours to Keep – Teddybears Stockholm
Pretty In Pink – The Psychedelic Furs
Hey You – Pony Pony Run Run
Vanished – Crystal Castles
Don't Ya Know? – Moonbabies
Help Help – Mates Of State*
Green Grass of Tunnel – Múm
Till There Was You – The Beatles

*going to see them on Wednesday at Higher Ground! So excited.

and we're back

Post-wedding. Post-honeymoon. So much to tell... but how to do it in just a few words? The whole thing was magic. I want to write more and post more. But later.

For now, Isaac took some really nice pictures and put them on his site. Here they are. Thanks dude.

Tata for now,
Love, Mrs. Alger

2 weeks

This is the countdown for real. 14 days till the wedding and I'm feeling surprisingly calm. Just a few last-minute details, but for the most part everything is all set. See? Being such a planner has its perks. I'm trying to take everyone's advice and just really ENJOY this time. Colin is secretly planning our honeymoon trip. 2 weeks in Kauai! I can hardly wait. But first: the wedding, getting hitched with the man I love, seeing family and friends, music, dancing, good food, seeing all of our creative planning come to life. Then: a well-deserved vacation for the both of us. Yay!

a quiet morning

Today is Sunday, December 27. We go home today. We've been at Colin's parents in Katonah, New York since Thursday. I'm laying in bed, the sun is shining so bright into the window. And I'm thinking about the last week, the last month, the last year and, wow, I can't believe it's all over.

It's been a very good year, crowded mostly with wedding bells ringing in my head (but that's a good thing!). If I had to encapsulate this year in a single word, it would be: family. We've watched Baby Sapphire, a blessed child, grow and smile. Hannah came home. I've become closer with Colin's family and he with mine. We started family night—a weekly dinner every Sunday night with Emi, Kev, Hannah and sometimes Sapphire when she's awake, sometimes Isaac, sometimes others—that I believe has made us closer. Despite one special family member passing the year before, I've seen more of my auntie Lucy and uncle John—and that makes up for it a little bit.

Some friends have become family: my girlfriends, the Kouris (Kevin's clan) opened their doors to us for Sapphire's dedication, Thanksgiving and many other times too. Friends and family had babies, got married, got engaged, got pregnant. Colin and I have just a few weeks left and then we will be married.

As for special memories and accomplishments: one of my favorites is the road-trip that Colin and I took to Prince Edward Island this summer for a friend's wedding. The trip was long, the stay was short, but all in all fantastic. I will never forget that trip. We worked on the house a little bit more, painted more rooms. I became a better snowboarder. My sister Emma got her Ph.D. Hannah began a new phase of her life: on her way to become the best hair stylist ever. At work, I've never worked so hard since Middlebury. We launched a new Website and had a relatively good year despite the economy. Still Colin and I weren't totally immune: there were budget cuts and pay freezes, but we made it through okay. We still feel so lucky and blessed to have amazing jobs, a beautiful home and supportive family on both sides to help get us through any challenges.

Next stop: Wedding Central, and I can't wait!

girly nonsense

With our wedding now less than two months away, it's the only thing on my mind. I'm totally obsessed. Which means that if I write anything at all, it's most likely going to be wedding-related. (Sorry!) So here's an indulgent girly post:

I was never the kind of girl who fantasized about her wedding. But I did love to dress up. I used to sneak into my mother's closet and put on her wedding dress and attached the pretty opal costume brooch that her Gramsy gave her to wear on her wedding day. I didn't dream about ballgowns or white roses or limousines, but I did covet that brooch. So one day, I snagged it from my Mum's jewelry box—and I've been keeping watch over it ever since: I too will wear it on my wedding day. (Mum, I promise I'll return it afterwards!)


So now I've been searching for some earrings to match. Hannah and I were going to make some, but when we figured out that it would be cheaper to just buy them, I went straight to Etsy (of course!) and found the perfect pair of earrings from Marie Wu designs. Here they are, aren't they lovely?? At first I felt guilty about buying them, but then Hannah reasoned that I can pass these down to my daughter on her wedding day (or at least to Sapphie if I don't have a daughter). She said: It's your wedding day, afterall! And I said, You're right! And I'm so excited about these babies:

checking things off my list

I'm feeling very accomplished.

We met with the Trapp florists yesterday to go over ideas for the wedding. They're two wonderful, lively and bubbly women, Amy & Pam. I can't wait to work with them. I asked Colin to come along, even though he didn't feel like it. But once we were there he had some good ideas. He's not your typical groom—and I'm glad of that! He's been helping me every step of the way.

It was such a cold and rainy day, so we stopped for some soup in Stowe on the way home.

Later, Colin went and did his own thing with friends. I went over to Emi and Kev's for dinner. Sapphie is getting over an ear infection, but she was in very good spirits. She started pulling herself up (almost), which was very exciting. When Sapphers was asleep, Emi, Kevin and I watched Britcoms and then Sherlock Holmes. Just like the good old times! Perfect Saturday night.

Today, more wedding stuff (it takes up so much time!). We got the invitations back from Mummy. She hand addressed each and every one—and they look fantastic! Colin and I designed guest info cards to go with them and we worked on our website. Again I say, Col's not your typical groom—and I'm glad of that! Colin began the design, I added my two cents and we came up with something we really liked. I love that we work so well together with the creative stuff.

Once the fun stuff was done, we had to do some fall cleaning: put away the hose, the outdoor furniture, put in the storm windows. Vacuum up the house. But now we're officially winterized and it feels good.

Somewhere between all that action, I managed to clean the house, do laundry and bake an apple tart for dessert tonight. Which reminds me: it's time to go to family dinner.

Have a good night!

from Russia with love

So, I'm getting married in the winter. In Vermont. What to wear?? I'll have my dress, of course, but bridal fabrics only go so far to keep a girl warm. So I've been searching high and low for a pretty winter wedding cover up—one that's not furry—that's not cheesy. Do you realize how difficult it is to find wedding garb that is not cheesy?

Originally I thought velvet. Some gorgeous mossy green capelet to cover my shoulders. But I say it again: Do you realize how difficult it is to find wedding garb that is not cheesy?

But by some stroke of luck yesterday I happened upon a wonderful designer on Etsy, who makes hand-felted wedding shrugs out of wool and silk. I know that might sound a little frumpy; a little country bumpkin. But let me tell you, these things are gorgeous and refined and not at all cheesy.

The designer's name is Tiana Agapcheva (Here's her wedding shop on Etsy). She's Russian and has studied architecture, which makes sense when you look at her beautiful designs.

Anywho, last night I was going gaga over this one particular design (you'll have to wait and see). And finally this morning I just had to splurge and order it. So now it's done and a package will be coming to my doorstep from Russia with love. All for me. A wonderful one-of-a-kind piece of art to wear on my wedding day. (Let's pray for snow!) And now I can just stop trawling those terrible cheesy wedding websites.

tasting

On Saturday, we had to go to Trapp Family Lodge in Stowe for a wine and cake tasting for our wedding. (That's where we're getting married in January.) We thought the wine tasting might be a little overwhelming, so we asked Hannah, Emi, Kevin & Sapphie to come with us.

Planning a wedding can be overwhelming and tiresome at times, but there are some really fun aspects and the tastings are my favorite part so far! We started with the cake, which was delightful. Only a few more modifications and we'll be there.

For the wine tasting, we tried 4 different whites, 3 bubblies, 4 reds and 2 dessert wines. Such a big job! Then as if that weren't enough, Kira, our wedding coordinator gave us a copy of their entire 25-page wine list to take home and mull over in case there are any more that we'd like to try. Needless to say, we're far from picking our winners.

We did however find a favorite bubbly. We tried a champagne from France, a sparkling wine from Napa and a frizzante from Austria. The winner—which surprised us all—was the frizzante from Austria. (The darkest one on the far right.) It was the least fizzy with some hints of red currant. And we all just fell in love. I love the color too.

But that's the only thing I will divulge. We need to have some surprises...


Here's Colin tasting the frizzante. And Emi diligently taking notes...


Hannah in heaven and Kevin inspecting the wine...

Sapphie was there somewhere playing... she had a good time too :-)