Happy 2013!

Wishing you good times, good cheer & a Happy New Year!

As the clock strikes midnight, Koru Wedding says "Cheers to 2013!"

*Please remember Koru Wedding Style is on hiatus on January 15!

Photography: Love Me Do Photography via

Merry, Merry Christmas!

May your heart be filled with Love & Laughter this Christmas & throughout the New Year!

Merry, Merry Christmas to you & yours from Koru Wedding!

*Please remember Koru Wedding Style is on hiatus on January 15!

Photography: via

Happy Holidays from Koru Wedding!

 

With Christmas just days away & 2013 hot on its tail, the time has come for me to wrap up.  I always take a holiday break but this time around, I'll be gone for longer than usual due to my early January surgery.  I may pop in for a post or two but for the most part, the blog will be dark until January 15, aka my second wedding anniversary.  I want to sincerely thank each & every one of you for reading & supporting my blog as I truly appreciate it.  I already have some beautiful real weddings lined up & I just know that 2013 is going to be a fabulous year- I hope you will join me here!  

On behalf of me & Koru Wedding, I would like to part ways with a simple, heartfelt "Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!"

Photography: Haley Sheffield via

{Holidays 2012} Home for the Holidays

Welcome to our home for the holidays!  Today, we're going to take a little tour of our home sweet home, dressed up holiday-style.  We don't have a strict theme or color scheme so our home will never win any holiday decorating contests.  But it is decorated with a lot of heart & we love it!

 A fresh wreath adorns our front door & fills our entrance with the holiday smell of evergreens:

When our first two Christmas cards arrived in early December, I absentmindedly placed them on the mirror in our front entrance until I could find a better spot.  I decided I really liked the look & made a small display of the good tidings & cheer sent to us by family & friends:

On our dining room table, we have our modern Christmas tree decorated with a few of our favorite Christmas ornaments:

The dining room shelves contain many Christmas decorations but my very favorite is our glitter platter that dances in the light of our hurricane candle:

The small white chest that holds our wedding shadowbox gets a holiday upgrade with Christmas ornaments, Christmas cottage & green candles:

We don't have a chimney so hung by the white chest with care are our traditional red & white stockings with a bit of snowflake bling:

The top of our armoire is cleared off to make way for my snowy Christmas village:

 

And then we have our Christmas tree, decorated with a mixture of my ornaments, my husband's ornaments & our ornaments given to us at my bridal shower.  So pretty, so special:

Thank you for joining me for a short & sweet tour of our home for the holidays!

{Holidays 2012} maybe next year

I committed to two DIY holiday projects this year: Christmas cards & Glitter candles.  There's only so much one girl can handle.  My holiday-loving heart hasn't stopped pinning DIY holiday projects though.  I'm thinking maybe next year!   

The Christmas ornament shadow box is my latest find & as the easiest, most affordable option, it's the most likely to get done next year.  I'd go with white & silver Christmas ornaments to match my love for winter white snowflakes:

It pretty much drives me crazy that the photo isn't centered but I truly adore the golden wreath made of thumbtacks.  Yes, thumbtacks!  Made in gold or silver with the recipient's favorite color bow, the thumbtack wreath would make a lovely gift:

Mason jars may get a bad rap, yet there is no denying the simple beauty of the holiday mason jar.  Again, very inexpensive & very easy.  Just a jar filled with greenery, cranberries & floating candle.  Maybe I can squeeze this project in this year:  

 
Last but certainly not least is my very favorite holiday DIY project: the rustic crate centerpiece.  The centerpiece shown below features a vintage Pepsi crate filled with Mason jars, pinecones, greenery & holly sprigs.  I would be torn between copying it as exactly as possible or playing with the container & filler to make it my own.  I just LOVE this natural beauty:

By the time next Christmas season comes, I'm sure my DIY Holiday Project wish list will have grown!

Tune in tomorrow to see our humble home decorated for the holidays!

Photo 1: via;  Photo 2: via; Photo 3: via; Photo 4: via

{Holidays 2012} Holiday Date Night

The very first year RZ & I were dating, we had December date in Manhattan, admiring the city in its holiday finest.  We've done it every year since, a holiday tradition now known as our Holiday Date Night.  This year, we did things a bit different.  We started with drinks in the World Financial District & stopped to pose by the Christmas tree afterwards:

My picture isn't the greatest but we paused to admire the still-in-progress Freedom Tower that reaches well into the dark sky:

We enjoyed a delicious dinner in Wolfgang's in Tribeca:

Then we headed to midtown for a short tour of Manhattan's holiday sites.  First, we stumbled upon Radio City Music Hall, looking a little extra special as they celebrate 85 years of the Rockettes:

The red Christmas ornaments on Sixth Avenue are always a holiday favorite:

And then the always stunning, the always beautiful Christmas Tree at Rockefeller Center:

Every year, we search the crowd until we find another couple trying to take a self-portrait with the tree & we strike the "I'll take your photo with the tree, if you take our photo with the tree" deal:

My husband & I have witnessed many things at the tree (an engagement once!) but this year was unlike any other.  Many, many people were openly praying & beautifully singing prayers for the 27 angels gone too soon in the Newtown, CT tragedy that had just taken place earlier that day.  We will continue to keep those souls, their family & their friends close in our hearts & prayers this holiday season.  It's fitting that my last photo in this post is one of the beautiful angels at Rockefeller Center:

May everyone find peace & comfort this holiday season!

{Holidays 2012} Spreading Holiday Cheer

I've done it again: I lost my holiday mind & decided to make our Christmas cards this year.  Even though I clearly vowed to never do so again after the insanity of last year.   Oh, & I signed up for a handmade holiday card swap.  Oh, make that two handmade holiday card swaps!  Yes, I knowingly committed myself to crafting 60+ Christmas cards.  Plus I'd already made 10 cards for Holiday Mail for Heroes.  As I mentioned, I lost my holiday mind!

Except that I do truly love designing & making cards :-)

For the Brooklyn Bride 6th Annual Holiday Card Swap handmade card swap & the Brenda's Wedding Blog Handmade Holiday Card Swap,  I created my Natural Holiday card with kraft paper card, snowflake border stamped in white & holiday message handwritten in silver:

On the inside of every holiday card design, I kept things simple with a handwritten message in silver & the finishing touch of a snowflake stamp in white:

For our family & friends' cards, I created two designs.  The first is my Let it Snow card with red card stock, silver snowflake border stamped in silver & holiday message handwritten in silver: 

The next design is my Merry & Bright card- so different for me & really jazzy & fun!  I used red card stock, fine silver glitter & silver metallic pen:  

Every holiday card was tucked into a coordinating envelope & sealed with cute snowman stickers:

Designing & making our Christmas cards was quite the project!  One night, the entire house was covered in silver glitter from top to bottom, including our pup.  There were definitely moments when I was tempted to give up & buy cards but all in all, it's great fun to step away from the computer & tv to be creative.  I love crafting & spreading holiday cheer to fellow crafties, family & friends!
  

wedding balls

Many moons ago, I fell in love with weddings while I was working as an intern for a local wedding planner.  One of the first weddings I worked was a Christmas wedding.  Held about one week before Christmas, the winter wedding had classy, beautiful holiday touches.  I have never forgotten that unique wedding & I think this amazing, Christmas ornament bridal bouquet would have fit right in:

  
Isn't that bridal bouquet gorgeous?  I adore the mix of shiny & matte glass Christmas ornaments in the prettiest shades of gold, blue & pink, topped off with a neutral ribbon.  The bouquet manages to beautifully balance the beauty of the holidays with the traditions of a wedding.  Perfection!  

Photography: Amanda Thomsen Photo via

dark side

When you peruse wedding blogs & magazines, the vast majority of wedding photos are light, airy & sunny.  I haven't conducted an official study or anything but, in general, I'm pretty sure this statement rings true.  Now the dark side of weddings can be just as incredible with black skies & dramatic lighting.  Here's some love for dark, moody & romantic wedding photos!!

The happy couple (me & my hubs!!) posing by their bright yellow cab on a cobblestone street really shine against the glittering downtown Manhattan skyline & blackish-brown skies:

The colorful lights of the Ferris Wheel add a whimsical touch to a nighttime wedding portrait:

A Bride & Groom look downright angelic surrounded by a burst of white light in an otherwise dark photo:

A sparkly heart makes for a lighthearted nighttime wedding portrait:

 The Bride & Groom are the focal point of a dark perspective on a wedding portrait: 

I love how the darkness & the light truly create dramatic wedding photos.  Very different, very cool.  Do you love the dark side of wedding photography?

Photo 1: Timothy Glenn Photographers; Photo 2: Love Me Sailor Photography via;
Photo 3: W.Scott Chester Photography via; Photo 4: via; Photo 5: Photography by Dan O' Day via

only in ny

Only in New York City!  That's all I've got to say about this one, folks.  It's pretty safe to bet an amazing wedding kiss against the regal backdrop of the Empire State Building in Manhattan says it all.

Photography: Lauren Gabrielle Photography via

{fur babies + weddings} girl's got style

Every once in awhile, I start to think that I have done or seen it at all when it comes to weddings.  I have logged in over 12 years as a wedding planner & wedding addict who regularly pores over my clients' weddings & weddings in magazines & blogs.  Naturally, something always comes along to slap me in the face & remind me that weddings, much like life, will always surprise me.  Case in point:

Yes, my wedding loves, that is a darling chihuahua donning a faux fur jacket on her parents' wedding day.  It's too fabulous & adorable for words!  This chihuahua has style for miles.  You know I love me a winter Bride in faux fur but I never imagined a fur baby in faux fur.  Not in my wildest wedding dreams.

I would say now I've seen it all in the wedding world, however, I'm sure the next surprise is just around the corner!

Photography: Avena Studios via

{Still Standing} 10 Months

Later this week, December 6 will mark 10 months since my first pregnancy ended in a miscarriage.

On the first Tuesday of each month, I link up with The Journey at Still Standing Magazine to discuss where I am on my journey towards motherhood after a devastating miscarriage last February.  No, this monthly post has nothing to do with my true passion, weddings.  But life does continue after the beautiful wedding & it's not always all sunshine & rainbows.  I have gotten through this tough time largely due to the support received, & hopefully given, from Still Standing encouraging me to share my journey.  Here I am at Month 10.

Life has been happening to keep my mind off the miscarriage & its aftermath, things like hurricanes, holidays & ovarian cysts.  Yes, ovarian cysts.  Let me back up for a moment.

After much discussion & research, my husband & I chose a new doctor who specializes in reproductive medicine.  A doctor who can help us figure out why I haven't gotten pregnant again, help me get pregnant & help me stay pregnant until the birth of our healthy rainbow baby.  That's our hope anyway.  I wasn't surprised that many others have the same hopes &, therefore, I had to wait over a month for my first appointment on the day before Thanksgiving.

While others were prepping their turkeys & dusting off their fine china, I had my first appointment which was long & thorough.  The ovarian cysts were discovered during a routine ultrasound.  I have one large & one medium cyst in my right ovary & one large cyst in my left ovary.  Their discovery explains a lot of symptoms I've experienced & blamed on other things.  These unwelcome guests must go; their eviction (surgery) is scheduled for early 2013.

We should have more answers & a better idea of what comes next after the surgery.  For this, I am thankful.  At last!  I feel confident & hopeful that we will be ready for whatever it may be.  Bring it on.  

Thus far, my journey towards motherhood has taken me down, up & all around.  Hope & grief ride the roller coaster with me, although I keep wishing grief's safety belt will break & send him crashing.  Each twist & turn brings something new, usually largely unexpected.  At this stage, I can only hold on tight & hope for the very best!

{Holidays 2012} Crafting for Our Heroes

To kick off the festive holiday season, I was really honored to spend the day crafting for a good cause with Jen, Emily & Louisa.  Jen kindly hosted us at her place where we gathered with mimosas, treats, & craft supplies galore to make holiday cards for Holiday Mail for Heroes, a great Red Cross program that distributes cards to veterans, military families & active duty service members around the world.  Crafting is always fun but crafting for a worthy cause is just plain wonderful. 

Not only did these ladies bring their amazing talent, they brought enough awesome craft supplies to make a well-stocked craft store blush.  You name the holiday-themed supply & we had it: stamps, punches, stickers, ribbons, embossers, etc, etc:

I have a real soft spot for snowflakes so all my cards featured snowflakes:

When the fun day of crafting came to a close, we made over 40+ beautiful cards for Holiday Mail for Heroes!  Here is a small sampling of the handmade holiday cheer that will be spread to our heroes:

A big thanks to Jen & the always adorable Humphrey & the too pretty Mila for hosting us in their beautifully holiday-decorated home.  As you can see, Humphrey & Mila are as cute as can be:

Last year, I sent one card to Holiday Mail for Heroes & I was so excited to send 40+ cards this year.  Big thanks to Jen, Emily & Louisa for making it happen!  If you would like to show your support & send holiday cheer to our military, it's so easy.  By Friday, December 7, simply send a signed card to:

Holiday Mail For Heroes
P.O. Box 5456
Capital Heights, MD 20791-5456

For more information & complete instructions (no glitter!), please visit Holiday Mail for Heroes.

Here's to hoping everyone's holiday season is merry & bright!

ever green

This weekend, we have big plans to put up our Christmas tree & decorate it until it sparkles & shines so I have evergreens on my mind.  Speaking of which . . .

Isn't the evergreen ring shot just perfect for the season?  I imagine a warm, snowy Christmas wedding held at cozy ski lodge going quite perfectly with this ring shot.  Or perhaps a casual, mountaintop wedding held at a woodsy camp site for an outdoorsy couple.  The ring shot is very natural, very pretty.      

Do you have the holidays on your mind today?

Photography: Kyle Hale Photographer via

heart marks the spot

Did you enjoy a Happy Thanksgiving?  Mine was just wonderful, blessed by good company & good food.  Now I officially plunged into holiday mode & started dreaming of Christmas . . .

I wouldn't mind finding a gorgeous, sparkly pair of Jimmy Choo heels under my Christmas tree!  But what I truly love here is the red felt heart.  Very simple.  Such a small, sweet detail for a Bride.  I can just imagine the Bride's excitement & anticipation for the wedding as she carefully applies the heart to her bridal shoes.  The heart may not be seen by many, may not even last long after hitting the pavement & perhaps that makes it even more personal & special.  After all, a heart marks the spot!   

Photography: Cly Creation via

{Holidays 2012} still thankful

2012 has been a difficult year as my husband & I have struggled to expand our baby family.  Now that Thanksgiving is near & I'm taking stock of the blessings in my life, I look back on the tough times with gratitude & hope.  I am so very grateful for family, old friends, new friends, blog friends & even complete strangers who reached out to give me support & prayers.  It means the world to me!

Most of all, I am thankful for my husband.  RZ is as heartbroken as me, yet he somehow manages to walk beside me, keep me strong & make me believe our dreams will come true.  Because I don't think I could possibly say it any better & the words ring true one year later, here is a rerun of my thankful 2011 post:  

Thankful.  Very, very thankful.

My husband RZ is at the tippy top of my gratitude list this Thanksgiving.  I dedicate this post to him.  

I am thankful to call you my husband.  I am thankful for the beautiful moment we clasped hands, looked into each other's eyes & pledged our vows in front of our nearest & dearest during our marriage ceremony.  I am thankful for the fun, rockstar party that followed.  I am thankful for our sunny, dreamy Hawaiian honeymoon.  I am thankful for the incredible, lovely newlywed times that came after our wedding & honeymoon.  & for the times that were not so happy or easy, I am thankful we weathered the storms together.  I am thankful for our sweet home we share with our sweet pup.  I am thankful that I look forward to the moment you walk through the door every night.  I am thankful for every big & small moment that we make special.  I am thankful for this amazing life that is ours. 

More than words. 

* * * * * * * * * *

Happy Thanksgiving to you & yours!

Photography: Timothy Glenn Photographers

 

pretty

Just a pretty Autumn bouquet today because sometimes just a little pretty is enough.

Image Cluney Photo via

{Mrs. Monday} Holidays 2012

With Thanksgiving just days away & Christmas right around the corner, I have the holidays on my mind.  It's not all blissful thoughts of love, family & laughter with a nice amount of holiday cookies & cupcakes mixed in.  No, before we can get to the celebration of the holidays, we must face the nitty-gritty logistics of where we are celebrating the holidays. 

Every couple we know has a different approach.  Some host the holidays.  Some spend Thanksgiving with her family, Christmas with his family.  Some split each holiday between her family & his family.  Some spend the holidays with their friends.  There a million different scenarios & the magic trick is finding the one that works best for your baby family.

After years of experimenting, we may have found the perfect solution for us!  RZ & I are following the same formula as last year: Thanksgiving with his family, Christmas Eve with his family & Christmas with my family.  In reality, we consider both our family- I say my family & his family just to for explanation purposes.  This holiday formula worked last year with us spending quality time with all of our loved ones while keeping the travel & stress to a minimum.  Now once we have kids, I'm not so sure the current plan will work anymore but we will cross that bridge when we must.  We will enjoy it while we can!

How do you navigate the holidays? 

Photography: Bring to Light Photography via

Wedding Wheels, Dedicated to Fin

I'm feeling a bit nostalgic on the subject of cars today because very early this morning, we watched my husband's flood-damaged car being towed away for good.  I have to admit, I was a little sad to see it go.  I remember the first time my husband, obviously just a guy I was dating back then, picked me up in that car.  Even as I remind myself it's just a car and others lost much more from Hurricane Sandy, I can't shake the lingering touch of sadness.

So today's Wedding Wheels post is dedicated to Fin.  Yes, I name my cars- did you really expect anything less from someone who loves cars?!  While Wedding Wheels celebrates all unique and unusual wedding getaways including cars, boats, bicycles and more, today's post is all cool cars, in honor of Fin.   

I love me a good old yellow cab but I'm digging this retro white taxi:

You can never go wrong with a classic, cherry red Mercedes convertible:

Hello, you incredible Great Gatsby beauty:

 Ah, a hot rod getaway car has the same spunk & spirit as Fin:

An antique blue beauty that oozes 1950's style:

Just as these awesome wedding wheels took these couples to great places on their wedding day, our Fin took us to countless great places.  We'll miss you, Fin buddy!

Photo 1: via; Photo 2: via; Photo 3: via; Photo 4: via; Photo 5: via