Meant to Beeman - A Millbrook Vineyards & Winery Wedding

Melissa and I met each other a few years ago when she posted on Facebook that she was looking for cowriters for her blog, Picturing Disney. As time went on, we became friends and have shared some of the best and the worst life has thrown at us. And want to know something funny - Melissa and I have never met in person.  Needless to say that the day Melissa announced that she and her awesome beau, Jason, were getting hitched was met with endless congratulations and brainstorming about how I could assist her with her big day.

Before we worked on anything for her big day, we worked together on a design for both her Engagement Announcement and her housewarming party. When it came time to start working on her invitation for her big day, Melissa wanted to take a little bit of a slightly different direction. She wanted to share a little bit of a more rustic vibe with a little bit of modern convenience. 

Melissa + Jason's invitation was constructed with a tear away RSVP. That RSVP was a post card that only required a stamp to send out.

Needless to say that her big day was out of a fairytale, rustic dream. Here are some detail shots of her big day and some insight directly from Melissa herself.

What did your big day feel like?

"It was perfect. It was worth everything I went through before that. It was worth everything Jason went through before that. It was a fairy tale. It was crazy, and had its disorganizations and snafus, but our family and our friends and the people we surround ourselves with are the kind to laugh it off with us and move on. Our cups runneth over from start to finish, with love (and wine)!"

"My mother made our wedding cake and all of the book bouquets, she did it because she is wonderful and used to bake as a side hustle for a while. The books featured in the bouquets were: Bride - The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, Bridesmaids - MacBeth, Pride & Prejudice, A Child Called It, Mists of Avalon, Everything Everything, Alice in Wonderland, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh."

What is the best memory from your big day?

"The knot tying ceremony with my entire family (Jay and the Kids) at the ceremony, and our first dance (When I Am Married by Wilder Adkins, performed by the Squids whose lead singer happens to be my Uncle."

Do you have any advice for future brides in what to look for in a stationer?

"Be honest with yourself and be fair to the stationer. I think some people expect miracles or have no idea what they want and then blame other people when things do not come out perfect. We had a vision and we had complete faith in Monique to bring that vision to fruition."

Did your stationery design reflect what your wedding looked and felt like?

"Absolutely, 100% from start to finish. I used to much chalkboard (painted with white acrylic paint rather than chalk) for decorations, similar to our initial announcement and Engagement/Housewarming invite, and mimicked the font on the Invites for a lot of the stuff I created. I also think the kraft paper was perfect for our romantic-rustic vibe."

Is there any additional advice you would like to share?

"Life is short and when you meet the right person you know it. If you don't know it in your soul. Don't settle, don't waste your time or your hustle on anything less than big love that shines in your eyes brighter than any constellation in the night sky. The person who makes your foot pop, heart skip a beat, and rights all your wrongs is out there for you. When you find them, don't let go, just be brave, smile, say 'hello', swipe right."

Vendors

Wedding Venue - Millbrook Vineyard & Winery

Pre-Wedding Venue for the Bride and Bridesmaids - Fairytale Cottage at Wing's Castle

Photographer - JacPfef Photography

Hair and Makeup - Revivalon Main Salon Spa

Caterer - Victoria's Wood Fired Pizza

Invitations - Only One Mark, Inc. (US!! 😍)

Officiant - Rev. Jim Rooney

Musicians - The Squids

Our Magical Evening on Broadway

We recently took an amazing last minute trip to New York City for Valentine's Day Weekend. Besides the fact that we almost froze (more about that here), one of the biggest highlights of our trip was a major check off my bucket list. We got to go see Aladdin the Musical on Broadway.

For any of you that might not know, I am a huge Disney Fan. Aladdin is my absolute favorite movie. So much so, it was our wedding theme. ;)

New Amsterdam Theater

Photo Credit: Disney Insider

Photo Credit: http://newyorktheater.me/

Photo Credit: http://newyorktheater.me/

To quote one of the lyrics from the show, "It's the plot that you knew, with a small twist of two, but the changes we made were slight". In this stage version of the 1993 film, our favorite characters have been given a lot more depth. Aladdin recently lost his mother (insert song Proud of Your Boy by the late Howard Ashman) and is trying to become the great man she always dreamed he'd be. Jasmine has a lot more spunk and is a woman who knows her worth. Genie is just WOW, Jafar is as sinister as ever, and, in place of Abu, we get the funny and witty bunch of Babkak, Omar, and Kassim. To put it plainly, it is a show that can't be missed. ;)

I literally sat in awe as the story unfolded and the familiar sounds of Arabian Nights were sung. Each scene so well thought out. ;) Every detail polished to perfection. It was like Agrabah was real. Best Part: The reimagined A Whole New World scene. It was everything I could have ever dreamed (naturally wiping tears of joy while mouthing each syllable to the familiar melody). And of course, we went to the backstage door to nab some photos and autographs from the actors who have literally been with the show since its beginning in Seattle. Although we missed Jonathan Freeman (the one and only Jafar), everyone was there. :)

It was truly a magical night and was a Valentines Day I will never forget. I leave you with some photos from that night. 

We were so excited to be sitting so close to the stage in a pretty much packed house. ;) 

Needless to say, I think both Gus and I couldn't believe how close we were sitting. ;)

The details of the theater was amazing. You could just feel the history from the entry way to the very seats we were sitting in.

Curtain Call

Courtney Reed (Jasmine)

Adam Jacobs (Aladdin)

James Monroe Inglehart (Genie)

Until Next Time!

Our New York Adventure

We had planned to make a short getaway during the Valentine's Day weekend to St. Augustine, Florida for some rest and relaxation. That was until 3 weeks before we were to leave. That's when Gus made a change in plans. Instead, he thought it would be better to go to New York!! This way we could hopefully see snow and mark some memories off of our bucket list. 

Needless to say, planning with 3 weeks until the trip was not easy. We were really lucky to find a great hotel, decent flights and, third row seats to Aladdin the Musical (more about that in a later post). Take a look below at some of the amazing memories we made in New York.  :D

Time Square is more overwhelming than I ever thought it could be.

What would be a trip to Times Square and not go to the Giant Disney Store?!?!

Let's not forget to mention checking out the NBC Building in Rockefeller Center and sitting at the Today Show Desk

This was ice that had frozen INSIDE our hotel room. Our Valentine's Day weather broke the record apparently. 

Seriously the best chicken and waffles we have EVER HAD!

We also took time to see one the most popular icons in the Museum of Natural History....aka the Night of the Museum museum. Meet DumbDumb (and no...he didn't ask for gumgum).

BEST. VALENTINE'S. DAY. GIFT. EVER.

We had a great 360 degree view of New York from the One World Observatory. 

9/11 Memorial

We got to see the original Batmobile and some of the props, costumes, and drawings from the beginning of the Comic (Illustrated Novel) Days at the New-York Historical Society.

Across the street was Central Park. Three Words: WE. SAW. SNOW!! We got to see it cover everything!!

Had to make a pit stop and visit Alice in Central Park. 

Full on Snow Selfie!

This trip was definitely one for the books. We had so much fun. I have no idea if we will ever be able to top this trip to New York. Seeing snow fall for the first time, all the bright lights, and the all of the amazing food! Yup. Its going to be a tough one to beat, but I'm definitely glad Gus vetoed our location for the trip. :D

Until Next time!