Amber….there really aren’t enough words to describe her, but top of the list is sweet, caring, genuine, and faithful. I could go on and on and on….as I have known Amber since she was a baby. Yes, that long….and I was already in my teens (please, do not do the math here). Amber has been my “little sister,” my roommate, and my friend. Celebrating with her was such a treasure, as she joyfully married her love….Norm.

Norm is a good match for Amber. He’s kind, he’s thoughtful, loyal, responsible, faithful, and a lot of fun too! I don’t know him as well as I do Amber…but I have to say, big “sis” approves.

Amber and I spent a LOT of time dreaming over wedding details…cutting burlap….making crafts…and just being brides & friends together. It was truly a special time.

One thing Amber really really really wanted for her December 22nd wedding was snow – white fluffy snow. The girl got what she wanted (and a little more!). Two days before the wedding, northern Michigan was pummeled by snow. Not blanketed, pummeled. Power was out, trees were down, and roads were closed. Any bride would have freaked out. Amber….well, she rolled with it. Generators were hooked up, candles were lit, and at each stage, it just didn’t matter, because it was all still perfect.

Despite the frigid temperatures and the enormous amounts of snow, the bridal party (and family!) braved the elements for beautiful outdoor photos. I can’t say enough to thank them for being so accommodating.

The reception, at Castle Farms, was absolutely perfect – beautiful details, which I know Amber put her heart into – every last one of them. From mini-chalkboard signs to table numbers burned on pieces of wood from their own property, and of course, lots of lovely burlap (we love our burlap!). Jars filled with cranberries and salt gave each table a nice warm wintry feel.

Amber & Norm, we loved celebrating with you, and we love STILL celebrating your marriage with you. Love you so so much!

Lynell, Dan & Zeus (and Zeus misses you!)

Ladies, brides, let’s talk Pinterest.

I could probably launch into a long discussion of how it’s a time waster, how it makes us feel like we aren’t doing enough or being enough or crafting enough, but we all know it.

But I love it. Oh, do I love it.

While some recipes may be a total fail, others have been tastefully successful.

Craft projects have been half finished, and others are finished & shared with others.

Some have contributed to the idea of organization. Yes, that’s what I said – contributed to the idea. Not actually been successfully implemented.

Like many brides, prior to our engagement I had a board of wedding inspiration. I tried to hide it as “shots that inspire me.” Ha. It was all what I wanted. Once the game was ON, it was time to create a REAL board.

All my pretties, all the lovely details I wanted, and all of the dreams I had for a perfect wedding were lovingly wrapped up into MY wedding board. You can check it out here.

And while I know it will be beautiful, and while I hope it incorporates many of these elements, wow was there a lot of extra work. Add to this was the pressure to provide a lot of details for everyone to enjoy….and I’m certain you will all remember them forever.

You will. (Please!!??!!)

Like every bride I have dreamed of my wedding day, but I must admit, I think I may have pushed myself a little too much on the details. Don’t get me wrong – I’m glad I did them, because it will be so lovely – and so US. I can’t wait to see it all come together – in 5 days, 14 hours, and a few odd minutes.

This blog post isn’t to tell brides to avoid pinterest, or to just focus on the relationship, or to tell you what to do. It’s just to share my process, my inspiration, and frankly, to share some of my pretties with you.

As much as it has been a lot of work – I’ve had fun – I’ve been able to spend time with friends over glasses of wine & hot glue guns. I’ve shared ideas and gotten amazing feedback. I’ve driven Dan nuts with the dust from burlap threads.

And at the end of the day, all I will have is the beautiful pictures from my amazeballs photographer, a few stray strands of buralp hiding in corners, and the memories I created while preparing for what will be the best day of my life.

To see some of them as they have unfolded, or to continue to watch them on the day of – there is yet another social media feed outlet – check out our instagram hashtag #shooksmillerwedding and follow along.

I’m getting excited – and look forward to sharing how our journey has gone…past the point of pintervention. 🙂

5 days!

I suspect that many of us are seeing our facebook feeds full of profile pictures from wedding photos, pictures of chocolates & flowers, and proclamations of love left and right today. After all, it’s Valentine’s day, the day we feast on and dish out love to the world.

For many people, this day sucks. Sucks. Two years ago it was an ok day for me, last year it was great, and this year it marks the ten day countdown to marrying my love, Dan Miller. So I’m changing my profile picture, and I’m engaging in the ruckus of love love love. Guilty as loved.

The many years before these, well, I celebrated F-VD. Yep, it was that. It was a day to bury my head in shame, to be missing that someone (sometimes even that “anyone, darn it all”) feeling. It was a day to commiserate with girlfriends who were in the same boat. There was typically wine & chocolate involved, but they didn’t come wrapped in a bow and following a proclamation of “I love you” or even “You’re really cool and dating you is fun.” Sucked.

I have seen a few posts today from friends and even acquaintances who are still there…stuck in the “before love came along” phase. Or maybe even after it came along, shattered your heart and left you disillusioned phase. Or it just hurt a little when it didn’t happen phase. Or it still hurts and we don’t know how to fix it phase. It’s not what you hoped it would be phase. And while I’m eagerly celebrating my own love situation today, my heart hurts for those who aren’t. It wasn’t so long ago….I remember…..I still feel…and I still want to punch this day in the throat for you.

I thought about writing a lovely little blog post featuring all these amazing shots from gorgeous weddings I have photographed, and then thought that didn’t really share what was on my heart.

So I decided to put together a collection of photos that celebrate love. In its many different forms.

Yes, it’s at weddings. It’s all over weddings (note I did include a few examples!)
But it’s also in growing flowers in your yard and watching them bloom.
It’s in finding a challenge and accomplishing a goal (marathon, anyone)?
It’s in volunteering.
Putting on a tutu and dancing.
Between sisters.
A love of good music and good friends and celebrating those things together.
Love of a good beer.
Community. Family. History. Travel.
Farm animals. Some people LOVE them.
Being young and jumping in a pool and not caring who sees you.
Loving what you do and helping others love it too.

It’s love, it’s life, and it’s all around us. So while you may be saying “roses are read, valentine’s day is poo,” let me remind you that you can celebrate exactly where you are, every day. Today, go ahead and ignore it (if you can). Love isn’t just two individuals whose ships happen to bump in the night….it’s bigger. It’s bolder, and it’s a lot more beautiful, and if we can learn to see love every day, to proclaim it to and for each other more often, then maybe for some people, today won’t suck as much.

For those of you whose hearts hurt a little today….just know that you are loved and can love….beyond measure….and beyond today.

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There are so many decisions that go into wedding planning. So many. I didn’t realize how many. Decisions, indecisions, changed decisions, rescinded decisions. All different types of decisions.

Some were difficult for me, some difficult for Dan.

Take, for example, our shoe selections for our wedding day. Honestly, as a bride, I think the decision is easier (if the man is buying), simply because there is a good chance you will not wear them after the wedding day. Dan wanted a pair that was stylish and appropriate for the wedding as well as useful afterwards. (Ask him how many times I rolled my eyes and said “just pick one.”)

Me, I wanted pretty & sparkly. I adore the time that I get to take photos of a bride’s shoes. I know that most of the time picking those shoes wasn’t a quick process, and the choice was made very very carefully, and may take some time. My decision was fast.

I have a brand of shoe I love. LOVE. Poetic License. I have a number of their shoes – so unique – so pretty – and so so so me. Totally swoon-worthy. Naturally, I went right to googling their shoes and searched until I found the perfect pair….before I even found my dress.

Shortly thereafter, I also picked up two pairs for my bridesmaids (the girls had to choose, right)? Same brand. Same swoon.

I’m so excited to wear these – in just 20 days – to walk down the aisle in them, and to become Mrs. Miller in them, and then to dance the night away in them. I thought it would be fun to give you a sneak peak, and then share some other lovely shoes from some of our 2012 weddings.

Enjoy!

(The first three images are mine & my dear bridesmaids’ shoes!)

So many of you know Dan & I are getting ready to “tie the knot,” and I can’t even count the number of people who have asked some specific details. Sharing who some of my key vendors are is a big deal to me. They are a big part of the flavor, the texture, and the mood of what we are doing. While I know you’d like some other details, here are a few fun ones!

We honestly have the most fabulous vendors available, and each of them is fitting in to what my dream wedding looks like – one surrounded with loving friends & family – and I consider them to be both. (Sorry, Dan, this page is all mine to write.)

Let’s start with the most obvious question. Who is going to photograph YOUR wedding?

The one, the only, Amy Carroll. I know a bajillion photographers, and I am friends with many, but I’ve known for years that when I say I do, I want Amy there. She is gracious, she is possibly the kindest person I know, and it’s not just her incredible skill that made me want her above all others. She is my mentor, my studio partner, my “wanna-be-like-her”-er, and most importantly, my friend. If you don’t know of her work, flip over the rock you’ve been living under, and click here: http://acarrollphotography.com/.

Second most obvious question. How in the WORLD are you pulling it together in 3 months?

Obvious answer: Dee Mitchell at Elements of Elegance. Certified Awesomeness in a combination of wedding planner, florist and dear friend. One of the first weddings I ever photographed was with Dee, five years ago, and I’ve adored her since the day I met her. I’ve since done a number of weddings with her, emptied a few bottles of wine, cried a few good cries, laughed over silly things, and there’s no one else who should be dealing with my questions of “Umm, how do I do this?” One of the things I’m MOST excited about is being surprised by the amazing creation of floral work I expect to see – because I know that Dee’s work is over the top beautiful. Not only is she the best planner, she’s my favorite florist. Favorite. I can’t wait to be surprised. If you’re planning a wedding (and beating your head on the table at the sheer magnitude of it all), you should call Dee. If you aren’t beating your head, you should stil call Dee.

Maybe not so obvious, but equally important. Chow.

I love good food. I love sharing that good food with people. Shortly after Dan & I started dating, we went for dinner with good friends to this little kind-of-off-the-beaten-path Italian restaurant, Amore Trattoria Italiana. Having been to Italy a few times, I have to say – authentic, amazing and leaves you the way any good Italian restaurant should….full and happy. At that dinner, we met Jenna, the owner/head chef, and developed a bit of a crush. 😉 Since then, I’ve had the fun of photographing her family, becoming friends, and we’ve had dinner there a few times, each time leaving fatter & happier than the time before (maybe not fatter, but you get my point). At our engagement dinner – at which Jenna SPOILED us – we chatted about wedding catering. I wanted amazing food, and something a little different than the average. That’s what we are getting – and so much more!!! Call, make a reservation, and consider it a test for what you will experience on our wedding day!

Fresh faced. The lovely Mrs. Allison Bower.

I’ve worked with Allison so many times it’s just not enough. Her work is top notch, and when I recommend makeup artists, Allison is the first name I speak. She’s done my makeup many times, and this day, I’m excited to have her help me look my best, AND give me waterproof mascara, because I WILL be a blubbering fool. I can’t state enough the importance of professional makeup – if you are hemming and hawing about it for your wedding day, stop. Go to this website: http://www.allisonbower.com/, and make your appointment with Allison. If you’re wanting to look your best, she’ll be there!

Bedazzled.

Earlier this year I got the pleasure of getting to know a sweet, sweet woman, Kacie, who has become a friend, and I know will continue to become a better and better friend over the years. We MAY have bonded over some bling while our men bond over beer, but what can I say, we’re girls! Kacie has this FABULOUS collection of vintage jewelry (my engagement ring is from her collection!!!) that she both sells AND rents. We worked together on a project, which is now becoming a reality, and I’m happy to say my jewelry will be from Calvara, a site (hers) where you can rent these pretties for your own wedding day. Each piece is unique, full of character, and I can’t WAIT to be wearing some of her pretties!

Seriously, this is longer than my wedding party “about” page, and I’m not quite done yet!