Cake Lovin'

My wedding cake is getting a little love!

Check it out - just click the 'next' button above the image on this article and ta-da you'll see my cake! (Or look...there it is below!)



One of the easiest decisions of my planning was choosing my cake. I knew exactly what I wanted! The purpose of the cake-detailing was to replicate the detailing on my dress as well as highlight the stephanotis in my bouquet. (It had become a family tradition to have stephanotis in our bouquets!)

Chad Fitzgerald of The Cake Guys made my wedding cake as well as my sister's. Chad is currently competing on TLC's Next Great Baker. Nearly 4 years later, I still LOVE my cake.

Best of luck, Chad!

Here are a few pictures to show some the detailing on my dress, my bouquet...and well, just some of my favs! I haven't looked at these pics in awhile, so it was hard to choose!






And, an early Happy 4yrs to my husband. It's been a 'treat'!!! (hehe)

A Turkey Tradition

My husband, David, and I love to host, and this Thanksgiving we hosted our 2nd "Orphan's Thanksgiving!" It's an Ortho tradition where couples who aren't able to go home to spend Thanksgiving with their families celebrate together. It sure makes being away from your family easier - we are blessed!

This year we had 17 adults and a handful of little ones. (A few more than last year, and we'd love it if it kept growing!) And with all those people, that means I get to decorate a lot of place settings. Hosting Orphan's Thanksgiving is among my favorites for two reasons: setting the tables and cooking the turkey. The only thing that could make this holiday tradition better is if I had a Thanksgiving parade march right down my street!




I love any excuse to get my china out (Vera Lace by Vera Wang)! The large silver bow on each matched the silver trim of the plates and helped make each setting special. (It was kind of like unwrapping your own little gift...and you knew you were going to fill that gift with an amazing meal that you'd been waiting an entire year for!) If you know me well, you might know that I love peacocks. These cocktail napkins that my mom gave me for my birthday were the perfect focal point for each place setting. They added to the richness of all-things-Thanksgiving! And, I have to thank a friend for letting me add in some of her china - didn't quite have enough for 17 - and for letting me borrow her great grandmother's sterling silver.


And there he is! A 22lb turkey and two hams! Thanks to everyone else who brought all the sides and desserts. We all have a lot to live up to next year.


Just as important as the decorating and cooking is the carving! A man's job!

And, I have to throw this in there as a side note. David helped me hang this new wall art just in time for our Thanksgiving guests - a little inspiration - Cook Like A Texan! Texas Monthly magazine covers I've been saving!

A Real Rustic Wedding

Here's a sneak peak at Dana and Jake's rustic wedding!

Both the ceremony and reception were held at the Mayowood Stone Barn - and they were beautiful! The barn has such character and might just be my favorite venue in Rochester.




The barn has a bridal suite as well as very neat Blacksmith Shop (above).






Decor outside the main entrance.


And now the details!


LOVE this saloon sign that Dana's dad made her. And, it was so fun to see her reaction when she saw it for the first time. So special. Gotta love dads!



The head table!


Both the bride and her mom were very crafty. They added little touches to just about everything you could think of - including these chairs, the place mats and the burlap and cinnamon sticks on the candles below! I think the wedding suited Dana perfectly.



Love the arches. So authentic.


To. Die. For. This old high chair is amazing!


There were a few fun items ready for the cocktail hour - as you can see Grandma Marley's Mix was quite the hit!


The barn has a stable full of furniture and all the knick knacks that you can imagine. It was fun searching for this stool and crate to display the cups for the snack mixes.



The ceremony was held upstairs in the loft. If you know me, you probably know that I love surprises. One of the things I enjoyed most about this wedding, was the big reveal of the reception area. We had curtains drawn as guests made their way upstairs, so that they couldn't see what was waiting for them downstairs! As the ceremony was going on, I was busy lighting candles and pulling back the numerous curtains, so that as the guests returned downstairs for the cocktail hour, they would be wowed by the decor and the barn itself!


And the beautiful ceremony site. Imagine the view from that huge window - if that's what you can call it - when it's open. I've seen the it in the summer time and it's stunning!



I have to attribute my bow tying skills to my mother! Thanks, mom!!!




Dana and Jake, thank you so much for letting me be a part of your wedding day! You are wonderful, your friends are great, and your family is so kind. (Dana's parents were sweet enough to make sure I was enjoying myself too. They even insisted that I eat dinner at their table!)

A Change in Seasons...

...means a change in home decor!

Well, there is no denying fall now. The mornings are crisp, the leaves are changing beautiful colors, and it's football season. (Go Frogs!) I went to an apple orchard today, and needless to say, I came home inspired to decorate our house with a new sense of fall!


What's great about all of the little pieces that make up this arrangement is that everything (expect the pumpkin) came from my yard...or my neighbors! Shhh.

My absolute favorite thing about this arrangement is the dried hydrangea. During the summer, I had bright pink, purple and blue hydrangea bushes, and I love how they have turned this fall!

To make this arrangement, I simply worked in layers. I set the pumpkin in first, positioned the sticks in the back for height, and then worked my way around the front with the hydrangea, sedum and yellow leaves. Once I got to this point, I felt like it needed a little something extra, and so I laid my eyes on a tree in our front yard with these great red berries!


And moving inside...



These jumbo acorns from my mom are the perfect touch to my dining room center piece!



Love it! Besides the great, new centerpiece, the richness of this room is so inviting. We have three walls painted a putty gray and the wall you are seeing is a plum brown.The jewel of this room is the light fixture! Just a side note!


These leaves I actually saved in a baggie from last year...did I think Rochester, MN wasn't going to have enough leaves this year?! I also adore pheasant feathers...and I have to say, though they aren't from my yard I didn't buy these either! hehe.

These same items add a bold color to really enhance our mantle.




Had to throw in my hand-painted, purple acorn from my mother-in-law. Wonder why she picked purple?!


Ohhh, and I found these dark berries in our backyard. They added an extra dimension to this arrangement.

From our house to yours...Happy Fall!