The Second Line

As most of you have now seen from the map included in the invitation, Travis and I plan to "Second Line" from the church to our reception site a few blocks away. If you are like me and not a Louisiana native that term 'second line' probably means little to you. So I did a little research:

"Second line parades are the descendants of the city’s famous jazz funerals and, apart from a casket, mourners and a cemetery visit, they carry many of the same traditions with them as they march down the streets. They range in size, level of organization and traditions, but in all cases they will include a brass band and jubilant dancing in the street. Indeed, the term “second line parade” refers to those who join in the rolling excitement. The people who are part of the hosting organization are the “first line” of the parade (the wedding party!) while those who follow it along, dancing and often singing as they go, form what is known as the “second line.” Second lining can also refer to the type of dancing that usually goes on at these parades – a wild, strutting dance step to carry participants forward in pace with the brass band – so one can go to a second line, be in a second line and do the second line all at once." (frenchquarter.com)

Let's just say our walk to the reception is going to be a party... and you don't want to miss it!

RSVPs!

Our wedding invites hit the post office on Monday and today we received our first five RSVP postcards back! Love it and the awesome comments, keep them coming!

{attending!}

Invitations: Nearly Complete!

Our dining table has become consumed by the assembly of the invitations, but I'm very excited to say they are nearly ready to be mailed! As I hope most of you would expect, these invites are not your classic white paper, embossed and gold-texted announcement. The invite sets the tone for the entire wedding, and the paper's history makes it that much more special:

       "The records of Papermaking in Thailand go back about 700 years. The bark of the Sa tree (Mulberry) is harvested, the tree will live on and generate within a few years. The pieces  are cut and torn and soaked in water. The soaked fibers are beaten to a pulp which is dissolved in a large water filled tub. A frame is dipped into this water to create the sheet by moving and then lifting the frame out of the water. The frame will then be left in the sun to let the sheet dry. The papers made in this tradition are durable, flexible and extremely versatile. Nowadays it is used for gift wrapping and writing mostly, but the main purpose in former times has been for making prayer books, and it has been used for maps, money and other documents."

Handmade and sustainable? After reading this on the wrapping paper packaging from Anthropologie I was sold. The production took countless hours of ironing, cutting, stamping and tying, but with each one being completely unique I think they turned out beautifully. Many thanks to everyone that helped put them together! As they begin to arrive in everyone's mailbox I'd love to hear what you think!

Wedding Flowers

The major theme of this wedding is keeping everything as local as possible. For the wedding flowers what could be more local than our front yard, a whole four blocks from the ceremony site. While I don't expect every flower to come from our own dirt, I do hope that we can have a large enough crop to adorn the tables at the reception. So far these little sprouts are enjoying our bout of California weather... cross your fingers for continued success!

{sweet peas}

Cake!

Wedding planning most definitely has its stressful moments, but one of the exciting thing that comes with all the planning is tasting the food. Even better than food? Cake. After meeting with Holly from Couture Cakes we got to take home a few cupcakes to try. Lets just say I can't wait for our wedding cake{s}!

cupcakes tasted

BHLDN

It was a very happy Valentine's Day and now it is officially less than three months until the wedding...Wow!

Yesterday was also the opening of the online wedding store BHLDN (pronounced 'beholden'), and can I just say.... dreamy. Though would you expect much else from Anthropologie? Here are a few pieces I'm lusting over:

{BHLDN}

Invitation production continues!

Hotel Indigo

This past weekend Travis and I had the privilege to stay at the Hotel Indigo before it opens on February 17th. Some friends of ours helped make the hotel a reality, and hosted guests for two nights in an effort to get feedback on the rooms, experience, atmosphere, and any quirks that might be lurking. Being that Hotel Indigo is one of the main hotels for wedding guests we couldn't turn down the offer.

Our findings? Pretty fabulous.

Pictures of defining local icons are blown up to adorn the walls, making it feel like the hotel was actually meant to be in Baton Rouge. The downstairs bar/restaurant has huge picture windows, which becomes a prime location to sit for a drink and watch the sunset over the river.  But what really sold it for me was the shower heads. Yes that's plural. For someone that often has to crouch under a too-short shower head that has mediocre pressure let me tell you.... I was sold!

Though they don't open until February 17th everyone is more than welcome to book their room for the wedding now. For more information check out the Hotel Indigo website and our accommodations page.

{view from our room at the Hotel Indigo}