World Cup Celebrations

Before I go any further, let me say that, yes, I am well aware of the Blackhawks winning the Stanley Cup.

But.... a little closer to my heart is the fact that the World Cup has just begun. I'll admit that I am by no means a sports fan, but having been practically raised on a soccer field, the sport is inescapable in my family.

I love it for the fact that it is truly the sport of the entire world. Having worked with refugees over the years, I know that soccer is often an escape from the harsh realities of life for many people, especially children. I can clearly recall a time several years ago, when I brought a donated soccer ball to a Somali family with three sons. The look of joy on their faces was the best thank you I could ever get. It still makes me smile.

So, I am compelled to share the news that there was a another sports celebration happening today. It was the opening game of the World Cup in South Africa. The South African consulate is hosting Celebrate Africa right here in Chicago, which will include public viewing parties and soccer tournaments.

This morning, Daley Plaza played host to the viewing of the Mexico - South Africa game (which ended in a 1-1 tie). In addition to the game, there was plenty of entertainment, including musical performances by a South African drumming group and a Mexican Mariachi ensemble. I heard a re-cap of the event on Worldview on WBEZ and it sounded amazing. One of the highlights was when the African drummers joined the mariachis and had a spontaneous jam. Could this happen any place else??

Just to get you in the spirit of this incredible world-wide party, here's the official World Cup song (in Spanish & English).

Is This a Great Party, or What??

This evening I met with a very cool couple, and I'm so excited that I'll be officiating their wedding at Brookfield Zoo this fall. Not only have I been dying to do a wedding at the zoo, I can tell I'm going to have a ball working with this couple. Yay! It's going to be so much fun!

This got me to thinking about an article I saw a few months ago, which was all about having a fun wedding. The article,cleverly titled Ideas for Having a Fun Wedding (found at 2000 Dollar Wedding, one of my favorite wedding blogs) had some great tips.

My favorites include:

Having a hula-hoop contest
Hosting a scavenger hunt
Renting a juke box
Pinatas (as you may know from past posts, one of my favorite ideas!)

Plus, readers posted some of their own favorite fun ideas, including foam swords for the groomsmen and kite-flying for the guests.

Gotta love it!

Attention Crafty Brides: Make Your Own Bouquet!

Let me tell you a tale of woe. It's the sad saga of my wedding bouquet.

So....my sister said she knew someone who could preserve the flowers from my bouquet. I handed over the flowers after the wedding, so they could do their magic.

A few weeks later, my sister presented me with a beautiful wreath, created with the flowers, which had been dried. It was so pretty. I was thrilled! I hung it on my wall and thanked my lucky stars for granting me a thoughtful sister.

Now the sad part. The person who "preserved" the flowers actually didn't. I'm guessing now that the flowers were just put somewhere to dry. A car trunk maybe? Okay, I know that's a little snotty, but as they hung on my wall, they began to disintegrate. There was always a little pile of dust on the floor every few days and I realized that the flowers were falling apart. Grrr.....

So, with that sad story in mind, I got all excited when I saw this fabulous project at one of my favorite wedding blogs, Offbeat Bride.

Then I realized, "Oh wait a minute. I'm already married." Darn. Not that I don't love my dear hubby, but man, this is one cool DIY bouquet! So check out the article How to DIY Your Own Button and Bead Bouquet. Although it may take some time, it's not difficult. Even I could do it! (And I just may......)

Plus, you can have this bouquet as a keepsake..... forever!

By the way, my sad bouquet story does have a happy ending. My husband took a photo from our wedding to a floral shop and had them make a wreath with the same flowers that were in my bouquet- this time with silk flowers. He gave it to me for our first anniversary. Yup, he's a keeper. I'm gonna go give him a big smooch right now.

Questionable Cake Decor

This cracks me up every time I see it!

My friends found this cake topper -or should I say cake "topless" - at a garage sale. They couldn't resist bringing it home, and boy am I glad they did!

Did someone actually put this on a cake at some point? I guess they thought the large bow and necklace would hide the fact that the bride is semi-naked.

Oh well, who am I to judge....

Getting Married? Blog About it!

One of the couples I'm marrying this summer, Carol & Matt, have a blog that I thought was so cool!

It's called (surprise!) Carol and Matt.com and is devoted to their upcoming wedding. The site has lots of helpful information for wedding guests, as well as amazing photos of the couple. I love that a bunch of their photos were taken in Uptown, right by the Riviera Night Club - scene of their first date.

I just love these people!

They're also writing about the wedding planning process, which is a fun behind-the-scenes peek that friends & family don't normally get to see.

So..... if you're planning a wedding and can manage to find the time, (how DO you do it, you guys?) look into putting together your own wedding blog. You can do it for almost nothing - just register your domain name and go! You can also use a blogging site, such as blogger, which offers templates, so it's super-easy.

I bet your friends would get a kick out of it. And so would your Aunt Marge!

Now get going! And thanks to Carol & Matt for the inspiration. I can't wait for your wedding! Only 78 more days ...... I know, because your website told me so!

Jamie & Eric's Wedding - A Bride's Tell-All Memoir

Tell-all memoir? Maybe I'm exaggerating a little. Okay, maybe a lot.

Jamie and Eric were married in April at the Catalyst Ranch..... as we know, one of my favorite spots - EVER!

I would have loved to write a delightful and witty description of their festivities, but it's already been done. There's no way that I even come close to the write-up done by.... (drum roll, please).... none other than the fabulous bride herself.

Suffice it to say that I truly adore this couple and was so happy to be a part of their day. I smile every single time I think of them!
So, here it is! Read Jamie's wonderful and witty blog post.

Just pretend you read all about it here first. Humor me.


P.S. - I "borrowed" (or stole) this photo from her post. Thanks, Jamie!

Marci & Zach's Outdoor Ceremony

Last weekend I had the honor of marrying a wonderful (and fun!) couple in an outdoor ceremony at the Hickory Ridge Marriott in Lisle.

Marci and Zach's ceremony took place at the pavilion in a little wooded alcove on a hill, in front of a beautifully decorated trellis. It was the perfect spot for a ceremony! The area was decorated with paper lanterns and the walkway was accented with pictures of the couple from childhood to recent times.

The ceremony began with great music - "Lean on Me" for the bridal party's entrance and "Stand By Me" for the bride. The very long aisle was soggy from the heavy rainfall, but the bridesmaids still had a sway in their steps!

Marci and Zach incorporated a handfasting ritual, in which their mothers took turns wrapping and unwrapping the cord. The ceremony was punctuated with laughter and smiles - it was such a joy! It ended with a kiss, and the couple walking back down the aisle to Queen's "You're My Best Friend," which I still cannot get out of my head!

Best wishes to you, Marci and Zach! Ten-Four!