I do

...believe in a short short-sleeved dress, sky-high heels, and a diva hat.

{via A Mountain Bride via Once Wed}

Dress Envy

I've already blogged about this stunningly perfect dress pre-engagement, but now that I'm actually in the market for a wedding gown, felt it was acceptable to restate my complete and utter lust.

I really wish I could go to Barcelona and have Cortana make me this masterpiece.

{Photos via Snippet & Ink}

Dresses with Sleeves

I don't know why or when strapless wedding dresses became The Thing, but I don't really get the whole fetish. Personally, I find them rather unflattering. I'm partial to anything with sleeves. They always lend a sweet, vintage look.

Utah seems to be a hot spot for sleeved dresses. The place also breeds really great photographers.

I think perhaps these folks should pack up their cameras and some cap sleeve dresses and head out to the East Coast asap.

Any suggestions on where to get awesome non-strapless dresses?

{Photos by Allison Cox Photography - here here here via Oh Happy Day}

{Photos by Leo Patrone - here here here here here}

A Practical Wedding

...is always right on the money, and Meg's post about the WIC - Wedding Industrial Complex- is no exception.

Veils off to you Meg!

Wedding Priorities

A pretty damn good To Do list if I do say so myself.

{Photo via Rock n Roll Bride}

A Clarification

I realize that, more likely than not, I've generally come across as a righteous, judgemental wedding-phobic wench.

The thing is, I think weddings can be a spectacular and wonderful event - heck, they SHOULD be an incredibly monumental day in your life.

I am not a wedding hater. Not by any stretch of the imagination.

I tear up with the best of them everytime I hear that bridal march. And I've discovered there really is something to be said for a long white dress swirling around your ankles.

My frusturation rests primarily with the wedding industry. And those brides who fall prey to the wedding industry's conniving ways.

My wedding freakiness stems from the fact that people tend to go along with what they think they should be doing, in an effort to keep up with the Jones', rather than creating a unique, memorable, and personal event that truly represents the couple's wishes.

So, my apologies for ever coming across as a high and mighty bride who looks down upon the foolish save-the-date-sending peasants.

More than anything it has to do with a mindset - one which recognizes the importance of the Marriage, puts the wedding itself in an appropriate context, and allows the bride and groom to enjoy their day (whatever that day may include), without stressful mayhem or billions of dollars.
So marry on, my friends. Just remember the point of it all. Remember it's all about the love.

{Photo via Rock 'n Roll Bride}

Dum dum dum dum

This is a recycled post, which I posted on my other blog back at the beginning of March. But I felt it was a pretty good summary of my general wedding feelings, so thought I'd republish here. Please enjoy my extreme sarcasm and general distate of the wedding industry...

Some of you may have realized from previous posts that I am not the hugest fan of the whole wedding hoopla. OK, fine. "Not the hugest fan" is kind of a euphemism for "I think it is all the hugest load of materialistic crap."

There, I've said it.

I think the whole fancy schmancy Save the Dates, mile-high centerpieces, cake-crafted-in-the-shape-of-an-Orca-whale, $10k Vera Wang dress is a huge insult to the institution of marriage.

Basically, people want to have a huge blowout performance, flaunt their wealth, and try and upstage their friends.

I despise it

My wedding hatred has increased exponentially over the years, as I have more of a first hand look into the inanity involved with the whole process. Suffice it to say that I have vowed to myself to never, ever, be a Bridezilla. In fact, I consider myself the anti-Bridezilla.

But.

That was before I was cursed with The Power of The Ring, which, wouldn't you know, has Crazy-Making properties all it's own.

Within 24 hours of getting engaged, I had been bombarded with the question "So have you set the date? What are you thinking? Do you have a time frame yet?" approximately ten thousand times. Who knew some diamonds came along with so much pressure?

The low point was when Jared and I decided to create a preliminary guest list, just for kicks, just to see what we're looking at, and... wow. Mistake. Big mistake. HUGE. Let's just say, within minutes I was all Bridezillaed out and snarling evil ring-induced retorts about some of Jared's choices.

I've chosen to think of that Guest List Bridezilla Hour as my wake up call. In my desperate resolve to have a mellow, fun. and completely non-stressful wedding, I started stressing out pretty much immediately.

I will be trying my very very hardest not to fall prey to the Bridal Crazies again. And be warned that I will NOT be having Save the Dates, a poofy dress, floral centerpieces, favors, a wedding party, or any of that other malarkey.

My sister, on the other hand, may be well on her way to the land of the Maidzilla...

{Photo via lenacorwin - aka a perfectly lovely, mellow outdoor wedding}

A Helpful Motto

...for brides round the world.

"Self, it is time to step back and chill the hell out."

Now, let's all repeat it over and over again, and perhaps weddings will deflate back to a managable size.


{via the wise (and always hilarious) Holly}

Do's

Having your friends video your wedding with Super 8 cameras. 

I don't consider myself much of a crier, but the minute the bride throws her arms around her father at the end of the aisle, I couldn't help myself....  Not a good sign.

{Video via A Cup of Jo}

Do's

a sweet cocktail dress.

a stolen kiss.

a bicycle for two.

{Photo via Once Wed by Yves Samuel Photographe}

Do's

Shiny cocktail wedding dress + fabulous streamers on sticks for the guests to wave (a perfect alternative for messy confetti!)

{Photos via Style Me Pretty}

Hello

My name is Kathryn.  I am an Anti-Bride.

It's very likely that my strong anti-wedding feelings stemmed from a college internship with a national bridal magazine.  

I spent many hours stuffing lace-covered, bead-smattered, tulle-filled monstrosities into too-small boxes and shipping them back and forth to bridal salons and designers around the country.  I played in the beauty closet and took home many a high-end lipstick that have never been worn.  I attended photo shoots where 8 hours were spent fluffing the same five gowns over and over again.  I saw too many bare breasts on too many underfed models.  I fondled 3 karat mammoth diamond engagement rings and imported lace cathedral veils.  

Disgust brewed.

I got engaged on February 27th, to a very good man indeed.  Our wedding is in 18 months.  Not because I need that much time to plan.  Heavens no.  Because he has to finish studying The Law and taking The Bar and all sorts of other practical and rational reasons that I wish could be ignored.

As a blog addict, I've started spending a good deal of time on wedding blogs.  For kicks.  Because I have an obsessive personality.  Because I always need to focus on one thing or another, and weddings seems the most apropos at this stage of life.  Because it's fascinating to peek into other people's lives and see how they live them.

I continue to be shocked by the excess.  

By the ridiculousness.  

By the show-off-ness.  

By the look-at-me-ness.  

By the unnecessary-ness.  

For whatever reason - because we are always such fans of bigger and better and more more more - the American wedding has exploded.  The average cost of a wedding in the U.S. is between $21 - 24k.  Average.  Often much higher.  

In my opinion, there are many things wrong here.

There are big honking diamond engagement rings.

There are pricey letterpressed save the dates.

There are ten thousand dollar couture gowns.

There are personalized monogrammed waterfall displays. 

There are performances and choreographed first dances.

There are extravagant welcomes packages for out of town guests.

There are 3-day weekend extravaganzas with picnics and brunches and games and dances and events and activities.

There are 500 person guest lists.

There are Swarovski crystal chandeliers and custom made tiaras.

And somewhere, buried deep down beneath the fluff and fuss, curled forgotten and alone, is a Marriage.