Am I Missing the Shoe Gene?

(Considering my apathy regarding lack of wedding shoes... It's quite possible.)

One of the tardier items on my planning checklist that I have yet to cross off is the inevitable purchase of the perfect wedding shoe. I mean, let's face it, shoes are like the most important part, right? These babies will actually get me down the aisle and married off to a good man. No trippy shoes or wobbly shoes allowed. Fashionability and functionality required. Yeah, that's right. It's kind of a big deal.

But according to my planning checklist, I should have accomplished this task a few months ago. By June at the latest. Uh, what? Isn't it almost September? I think my stomach just tied itself in a million knots. Deep breaths, Mere, BREATHE. You'll pull through, hon, just hang in there!

Clearly I don't know how to handle missing on my deliverables. It just doesn't happen. So why has this shoe thing been so hard on me? The so-called "Achilles heel" of my wedding plans? (Bam! Pun so intended.)

Perhaps it's time I 'fess up and come out of the closet on my feelings regarding shoes. I'm sorry to tell you like this, in a shabby wedding blog on the internet, but there's really no way around it. The truth of the matter is... gulp... I honestly hate (gasp!) shoe shopping. I loathe it. Despise the process. Execrate the very idea of a shoe-induced outing.

Omg, can't believe I just admitted that on the world wide web. I can see it now: women everywhere shaking their heads at me in scornful disdain. And rightfully so! I mean, how could I? Put "hate" and "shoe" in the same sentence? That's just not... female.

And while I can't fully explain this unnatural aversion to all things stiletto, I might be able to offer up some possible root causes. Such as:

(a) I have unnaturally large feet for my 5'7" frame. At a whopping size 10 shoe (so not fair), it's hard not to feel like the ugly stepsister with unladylike clunkers every time I sit down for a shoe fitting.

(b) I live in Austin, TX, a culture that scoffs at anything hinting anti-casual. (And with a closet full of flip flops and running shoes, clearly I've acclimated well to my hometown lifestyle.)

(c) I'm painfully frugal. Target and Payless are my homegirls. Amen. 'Nuff said.

Evidently I'm not cut out for the wedding shoe purchasing experience. Big feet, tightwad: it might not be possible with my DNA. And so how do I get myself out of this shoe rut? You can't just change genetics overnight.

I totally need a shoe consultant or something; someone to whom I can show my dress and explain my vision, who would then hopefully lead the way to my wedding shoe sanctuary. I feel like I know people out there who would fit the bill. You know who you are. Interested in helping a bride in need? (All qualified applicants should submit a photo or description of their favorite pair of fancy shoes. Payment commensurate with experience. Bonuses and perks include glasses of wine, squeals of delight, and spontaneous hugs and kisses from the delirious bride-to-be.)

In the meantime, here are the results of some personal web research on shoe candidates. From fancy to casual to fun to traditional: what "wedding shoe" personality am I?

That I can't really say, genetically-speaking.

[via Style Me Pretty and Once Wed]

[via My Glass Slipper and Peter Fox]

[via Once Wed and Green Wedding Shoes]

Things That Are Making Me Smile Today

Crate & Barrel's new line of cats
[Now available in gray, black, and calico!]

Shiner, sunsets, & sweethearts
[Taken the day after our engagement]

Very first suppers from our brand new dinnerware
[It matches. It's unchipped. We're such grown-ups!]

Really loooong ferret- like kitty cats
[Lucy's really stretchable]

Today, I am a Seedling

[via Maria Apostolou]

“To grow is to go beyond what you are today.

stand up as yourself.
do not imitate.
Do not pretend to have achieved your goal, and do not try to cut corners.
Just try to grow.”
-Svami Prajnanpad

Inspiration of the Moment

Over the past week or so, every time I sit down to write a long and thoughtful blog post on a pre-determined wedding topic or idea (I've got loads down the pipe, there's just so much to gab about!), the words simply won't come. At least not lately. I stop mid-sentence, hold down the backspace button, retype, rearrange words and sentences, consult the thesaurus, and then eventually end up saving a pitiful assortment of word vomit onto my computer before logging out in complete frustration and bitter disgust.

I'm left feeling empty. Unfulfilled. I'm left, for lack of a better word, speechless.

So tonight I've decided to post something other than words. I've decided to post lots of fun wedding idea photos instead. Because the planning doesn't stop for my temporary lack of linguistics. Because the wedding doesn't get pushed off or put on hold. (Ever. Oh we're doing this thing.) And because, well, a picture's worth a thousand words, right?

Hoping to get my voice back soon. And when I do, I'll be blogging with a vengeance! But until then, enjoy the images that have been flashing through my mind this past week. (I know I have.)

[Photos via stylemepretty, greenweddingshoes, and theknot]

Inspiration: A Short Love Story

A co-worker sent out a link this morning to artist Carlos Lascano, and while browsing through his website of work, I came across this beautiful stop motion video entitled A Short Love Story.

It made me think of my relationship with Clay, with all of the invaluable memories we've experienced behind us and the amazing journey we are about to embark upon in front of us. I just had to share this with you. Enjoy:

[A Short Love Story In Stop Motion from Carlos Lascano on Vimeo]

This is only the beginning. There is so much more in store for us two. This idea has been hitting me at random over the past few months; the idea of longevity and a future where Clay is always by my side. Of course I'd thought about that before we got engaged, but in the midst of wedding planning, and then seeing things like this video, those thoughts transcend the fantastical and become all the more real. They become closer to home.

Inspiration: Save the Dates

Tonight I meet with my dad (G!) to hit up his mad artistic ideas/skills for our upcoming Save the Dates. I get really excited whenever an opportunity for creativity pops up with the wedding, and so for the past few months I've been gathering inspiration from past invites, wedding magazines, and best resource of all, the world wide web.

There's so much cool stuff out there! One of my favorite themes is the less traditional video STD (unfortunate, but yes, that's the acronym). These are fun, energetic, and totally outside the box when it comes to reminding people to mark their calendars. Below are 2 such videos that I found on one of my favorite wedding blogs, Green Wedding Shoes.

I just love the couple in this first one. How adorable are they? And I hope they live right next to that beach; how peaceful and beautiful would it be to wake up to that scenery every morning?

[Save the Date from Floataway Studios on Vimeo]

This one features stop motion video - yes! It reminds me of that Amazon Kindle commercial that I love so much. And of course, you know I dig the song, as featured on one of my earlier blog posts here.

[Save the Date from Kishi-Grover on Vimeo]

We won't have the luxury of doing something this highly-produced for our wedding, but hey, a girl can dream. And I still think the video is an awesome idea. Maybe we'll all be sending out video birthday cards one day, or video Christmas cards with warm holiday scenes from old personal family movies. Video is in!

But I digress.

More Save the Date ideas that have inspired me, yet are more within the traditional realm of printed pieces, include anything from seed packets to vintage postcards to old maps, as seen here (click on each for an enlarged photo):

[Photos from Martha Stewart Weddings]

Not to mention the email Save the Date. The magnet. The uber creative message in a bottle that Clay's sister did for her destination wedding in the Bahamas. So many options! So much creativity! Amen! I just love it.

It'll be fun to see what we come up with. Oh, who I am kidding, it'll be fun to see what G comes up with. So glad we've got an artsy one in the family.

Mason Jar Mayhem!

My new favorite wedding accessory: the mason jar!

These adorable little containers are popping up all over the wedding blogs, with a million and one uses and counting. Beer mugs, centerpiece vases, aisle decor, water glasses, candlelit lanterns... the list goes on!




I especially love the DIY Mason Jar Lanterns, found on this local Austin blog. Sort of rustic looking with just a touch of casual elegance. Right now I am crazy over all things southern-chic, and the mason jar is no exception.

Is it too much to want mason jars all over my wedding venue? I hope Costco sells them by the case... or truckload.

Ode to 10.30.10 (My version of Joy)

Sung to the tune of that Sound of Music diddy.

Mini white pumpkins, antique purple roses,
Barbecue, cupcakes, and champagne-filled noses.
Dancing past midnight, Red Bull gives you wings,
These are the fruits of my wedding planning.


[Pumpkins via Lockette on Flickr. Roses via Jessica Joy Photography, also on Flickr.]

If my whole "take over the world" idea doesn't quite pan out, there's always the possibility of a songwriting career.

I won't quit my day job.

Inspiration: Flowers & Color

I'm pretty in love with these wedding bouquets, each for their own distinctively unique reasons. From dahlias to roses, succulents to gerberas, each arrangement inspires a different type of wedding. A different kind of feel to the evening, the setting, the event in its entirety.

While I've always envisioned (well, for the past 2 months anyway) carrying deep red flowers with me on my wedding day (red is my all-time favorite color), seeing some of these inspiring photographs makes me daydream not only in shades of red, but also in hues of orange, green, and purple, too.

Here are the flowers & colors that are inspiring me today:

[Red dahlias with touches of green]

[Beautiful yellow gerberas, orange baby roses, and of course, more green accent flowers. I could totally steal this idea, but perhaps trade out the yellow/orange for shades of red, instead.]

[Deep dark reds, with hints of an almost purple color. Taps into my romantic side...]

[While I'm not a pinky girl, I love the hues of red/orange in here. Perfect for fall.]

[Succulents! Such a cool idea for summer weddings (if only I were having one).]

[More deep dark reds/purples. :::Love::: ]

[Classic red roses in a classic red bouquet, tightly wrapped with white ribbon. This was my original idea for the bridal bouquet, but look at all the other beautiful competition!]

Who knew I could be so into flowers? That's one of the unexpectedly wonderful side effects of wedding planning: being able to tap into your creative side and create the perfect dream-like backdrop for all to share. It's like inviting your family, friends, and loved ones into your personal fantasy world of food, music, design, and color.

I love when my original ideas are challenged, and it will be fun to see what flower scheme I end up with.

What's your favorite bouquet?

Inspiration: Style. Dress. Happiness. Color.

[via Bride's Head Blog]

[via Home/ Away From Home Blog]

A few of my favorite things: Audrey Hepburn. The movie Funny Face. The color red. Two out of three of which I hope to incorporate somehow in my wedding (Audrey-style & red; I'll try and leave my funny face at home). Can you blame me? I mean, how stunning is the woman in these photos! I want to be her for a day.