the honeycomb will taste sweeter coming from my hand

A Celtic Wedding Pledge

You cannot possess me, for I belong to myself
But while we both wish it, I give you that which is mine to give

You cannot command me, for I am a free person
But I shall serve you in those ways you require,
And the honeycomb will taste sweeter coming from my hand

I pledge to you that yours will be the name I cry aloud in the night
And the eyes into which I smile in the morning

I pledge to you the first bite of my meat and the first drink from my cup
I pledge to you my living and my dying, each equally in your care

I shall be a shield for your back and you for mine
I shall not slander you, nor you me

I shall honour you above all others,
And tell no strangers our grievances

This is my wedding vow to you
This is a marriage of equals

Nearly two weeks ago, on 04 August 2012, I married the love of my life. He is the sweetest, most loving, honest, sensitive, and passionate (not to mention rugged & manly!) person I know; the man who has taught me what it means to truly love and whom before meeting I never believed in the institution of marriage. So much can change when you find the right person, or in my case, when he finds you and waits ever-so patiently because he knows you are worth waiting for.

Everything about the day was truly wonderful and came together perfectly: the sense of history, family, and community; the rustic, outdoor setting and natural elements; the blue skies and sweltering afternoon heat, which is exactly the kind of sultry weather I love best; all the homegrown, vintage, beautiful details, even if we did forget to photograph and capture so many of them, precisely because what stood out the most was the overwhelming love and joy that filled the entire day—from family and friends gathering together in the morning to help us set up, write on chalkboards, hang handmade paper globes in the black walnut tree, and lay out endless displays of green and white hydrangeas, to the intimate, personalized ceremony, to all the laughter and merriment, and the final group of closest friends and family who gathered in the backyard until nearly 5 o’clock in the morning because no one wanted the celebration to end. An entire community and their unending acts of kindness came together to make our wedding happen. It all felt exactly as it should, and there we were, holding hands and expressing our deepest love in the middle of it. 

I can't believe I get to grow old with him. 

the dress

i have been sitting on this with ever-increasing excitement for awhile now, from the moment it first stole my heart to taking the plunge and ordering it, to anxiously awaiting its arrival, and finally to trying it on and deciding whether or not it was actually the 'one.' to be honest, my heart is still fluttering and i still need some second opnions, but i think with a little bit of work (slight alterations and a good cleaning) it can be everything that i want it to be: classic, simple, understated, elegant, and even down-to-earth. 

i would like to introduce my vintage 1960s wedding dress:

it is white cotton pique with the loveliest floral embossed pattern, providing a perfectly subtle texture for a late summer wedding. the cut is just gorgeous, with a contour waist, semi-full voluminous skirt, and deep princess seaming that runs the length of the dress. i am tall and willowly, so the dress complements and even gives shape to my body, falling at about tea length. i am thinking of removing the beaded detailing on the collar and matching 'corsage' to keep it simple and uncluttered and to update its look, but also because i will be wearing my Nana's vintage pearls and i want them to stand out. i think the subtle details are the most important and are where all the fun and magic are.

both the dress and photos are from the ever-lovely vintage shop dear golden. Lauren's finds always seem to capture my heart, i couldn't imagine a better place to have found my dress. thank you so much Lauren, xo!

28 - paperie: handmade wedding card

my cousin is getting married this weekend (so excited!), so i threw together this homemade card with supplies i already had kicking around. they are a musical couple and play together in a band (he plays guitar and she has a wonderfully sweet, sultry, and rugged voice), so when i happened upon the sheet music paper, i thought it would make a fitting theme. i also couldn't resist the neutral (and natural) colours....

they are absolutely perfect together and warm my heart. i am so happy for them. cheers Lindsey and Leslie!