If you are going to walk down the aisle to Pachelbel’s Canon in D, you might as well do it to The Piano Guys amazing arrangement.
It’s definitely less ordinary. :)
We’ve all probably seen this by now, so we’ll just leave it here for safe keeping.
Get the tissues.
So lovely.
An absolutely stunning bride, a super cool groom, and a slew of amazing family and friends made Christine + Mike’s April wedding simply perfect. We couldn’t have imagined a better day for one of our favorite couples to date. Congratulations, Christine + Mike!
Photographer: Cristina G Photography
Venue: Germania Place (hi Katie!)
Sometimes, I just really need to watch a Harry Potter movie. When I turned on HP7.1 the other day, I fell in love with Fleur’s wedding dress all over again. It’s only shown for a few seconds in the movie, but it’s amazing!
Michael Reagan
Manhattan Beach, California
June 1971
Dear Mike:
Enclosed is the item I mentioned (with which goes a torn up IOU). I could stop here but I won’t.
You’ve heard all the jokes that have been rousted around by all the “unhappy marrieds” and cynics. Now, in case no one has suggested it, there is another viewpoint. You have entered into the most meaningful relationship there is in all human life. It can be whatever you decide to make it.
Some men feel their masculinity can only be proven if they play out in their own life all the locker-room stories, smugly confident that what a wife doesn’t know won’t hurt her. The truth is, somehow, way down inside, without her ever finding lipstick on the collar or catching a man in the flimsy excuse of where he was till three A.M., a wife does know, and with that knowing, some of the magic of this relationship disappears. There are more men griping about marriage who kicked the whole thing away themselves than there can ever be wives deserving of blame. There is an old law of physics that you can only get out of a thing as much as you put in it. The man who puts into the marriage only half of what he owns will get that out. Sure, there will be moments when you will see someone or think back to an earlier time and you will be challenged to see if you can still make the grade, but let me tell you how really great is the challenge of proving your masculinity and charm with one woman for the rest of your life. Any man can find a twerp here and there who will go along with cheating, and it doesn’t take all that much manhood. It does take quite a man to remain attractive and to be loved by a woman who has heard him snore, seen him unshaven, tended him while he was sick and washed his dirty underwear. Do that and keep her still feeling a warm glow and you will know some very beautiful music. If you truly love a girl, you shouldn’t ever want her to feel, when she sees you greet a secretary or a girl you both know, that humiliation of wondering if she was someone who caused you to be late coming home, nor should you want any other woman to be able to meet your wife and know she was smiling behind her eyes as she looked at her, the woman you love, remembering this was the woman you rejected even momentarily for her favors.
Mike, you know better than many what an unhappy home is and what it can do to others. Now you have a chance to make it come out the way it should. There is no greater happiness for a man than approaching a door at the end of a day knowing someone on the other side of that door is waiting for the sound of his footsteps.
Love,
Dad
P.S. You’ll never get in trouble if you say “I love you” at least once a day.
“
| — | Some beautiful advice from Ronald Reagan to his son, a few days before his wedding. |
When Obama endorsed marriage equality…
… wedding planners were all:
We are thrilled, that’s for sure.
Thank you, Mr. President.
(Check out that tumblr, it is wonderful.)
Amanda + Drew, 10/22/11
We absolutely loved being a part of Amanda and Drew’s wedding at the University Club last October! They were so in love, and it was an absolutely beautiful day. Check out the gorgeous snaps by David Bracho.
And our favorite:
Amanda and Drew, we wish you all the happiness in the world! <3
- Amy + Carolyn
Bachelorette season is upon us.
Ladies, the bachelorette party is a night to let loose and have fun and maybe wear some distasteful-yet-hilarious plastic around your neck. But we implore you - don’t take it to a gay bar. Yes, clearly, gay bars are the best. You don’t get groped or hit on, your shoes are complimented and you can dance stupid without too much judgment. And your gay friends? Also the best!
But gals, bringing a bachelorette party to a bar tailored to people who legally have no right to marry is just kind of…mean. Just ask the owner of Cocktail. Of course you don’t intend it that way, but sometimes it’s seen as a slap in the face.
Keep fighting for equality. Take a stand. But until we are all equal, let’s keep the bachelorette parties in Wrigleyville.
This has been our PSA. Back to posting pretty pictures. :)
carolyn + amy
Why you need us!
Wedding season for AELO starts this Saturday and we are stoked (hi, Mike and Christine)! And on that note, we would like to address something:
We are often asked the question “So what do you…do? Why should I hire a coordinator? Can’t my mom do it?” A majority of brides don’t necessarily need Full Planning, but Day Of Coordination is becoming a necessity. But why? Why do you need AELO?
Of course we’re going to make a list, don’t be silly.
1. We do this all the time. You’re only doing it once. We know how a wedding goes, we know which things will take less time than you think and which will take a LOT more. To us, running a wedding day is fun and easy and we LOVE being in charge.
2. We know vendors, and our vendor base is growing every season. We can make excellent recommendations based on that.
3. We know what things should cost and how to negotiate a deal.
4. We’re detail oriented. We get down to the nitty gritty and won’t miss a thing.
5. We know what trends to avoid and what traditions are still happening. Mostly, we just want the wedding to be yours uniquely, and we’ll tailor it to you.
6. You don’t want to make your friends and family work on your wedding day! We’ll take all the stress off of their shoulders, and they won’t have to light a single candle or worry that the photobooth is not on time.
7. We’ll put out all the fires. And there will be fires no matter how meticulous you are. Whether it’s running out for more booze, hemming a dress, or fetching your bouquet right before you head down the aisle, we’re on it.
8. The week before your wedding should be relaxing and fun. We will take over all communication with your vendors. Your only job will be to show up, enjoy yourself, and let us handle it.
9. We’re cost effective! Not to brag, guys, but we’re quite often told that AELO is the best money a couple spends on their wedding. And I bet you we’re only 4% of your budget.
MOST IMPORTANTLY: We will stage manage your wedding day. Start to finish, we’re by your side. You won’t go hungry or thirsty, we’ll set up everything per your instructions and we’ll make sure everything goes smoothly and on time. We tailor each day to the couple. We’ll be wherever you need us, whether it’s wrangling flower children, pinning on boutonnieres, running a flawless ceremony, keeping you in champagne or even taking a turn with Grandpa on the dance floor, we’ll keep you stress free so you can enjoy the day you wed the love of your life.
Check out our Yelp for some incredible reviews by our gorgeous couples. Shoot us an email and we’ll chat about your day. We would love to hear from you!
- Amy + Carolyn
(Also, we’re pretty cool. So there’s that.)
Our first 2012 wedding, and one of our most stunning couples! Aren’t Katie + Chris gorgeous? Their January wedding was beautiful, and their friends and family know how to have a good time! Congratulations, Katie + Chris!
Photography: Meagan Lloyd @ George Street Photography
Church: St. Michael’s Cathedral
Venue: Hotel Allegro
