Going to the... Chapel? Church? Garden? Theater?... and We're Going to Get Married!

source: www.stpatricksvictor.org

I grew up in the Catholic Church and the Mister was raised with faith but not formal religion.

I was baptized, made my communion and confirmation and was the first female alter server at my church (my claim to religious fame!). And I always thought I would get married in my church.

Confession: I booked the church MONTHS BEFORE we were engaged because I feared all weekends being booked! That is how determined I was to get married at my church.

Once we were engaged and started planning, we found the restriction at my church a little tight. Actually, REALLY TIGHT! By tight I mean:

1. Restricted music list

2. Restricted reading list

3. No flowers on the alter

4. No flowers on the unity candle table

5. No flowers, petals, confetti to be thrown

6. The price tag was... alarming

I knew the music and readings would be an issue but I didn't foresee everything else.

On this day, when we become husband and wife, we want as many personal touches as we can possibly have. After all, this day is a celebration of our marriage!

The more I see ceremonies that are personal to the couple, the more I want that: The Us Factor.

The Mister is on board with whatever I decide. I keep coming up with scenarios that give us the ceremony we want but keep me connected to my church. Maybe have our painist just play our songs without the church's approve? Maybe have the flower girls bring down wagons filled with flowers for some color? Maybe have the ceremony somewhere else and attend church on Sunday for a blessing?

I just can't decide but I know if we don't have the ceremony at my church, my mom will be disappointed.

So what is a bride to do? Is anyone else torn between tradition and wants?

A Très Chic Wedding: The Modern-Traditional Bridal Party

Some of you might be wondering, "why was Très Chic so emotional over her brother's breakup?"
Well, to make a long story short, my younger brother has been the man in my life since I was 5 and he was 18-months (we have an older sister too, she was 7).

Fast forward to now and planning a wedding. My father and I do not have much of a relationship. When I called to tell him the Mister and I are engaged, he wanted to rebuild and reconnect. But the "rebuild and reconnect" tapered off within a few weeks. With that, I knew I had made the right decision.

My brother will be walking me down the aisle. Along with my mother, he will be giving me away and accepting the Mister as an additional member of our family. With my sister as my maid of honor (MOH), she will be right there with us.

I love that our family of four will all be together, on the alter, when I become a wife, a Mrs. and when the Mister becomes the second man in my life (well, officially and forever). It's not formal traditional but I think it's the modern-traditional.

Rounding out wedding party on my side will be my two cousins who have been there for me and have been my best friends since we were 7, 6 and 5.

On the Mister's side, the best man is his best friend from high school (and my good friend from college who let me stay at his place when I had rats and how I met the Mister) and three groomsman who are a combination of high school and work friends.

If you did the math, yes, I will have 3 girls and he will have 4 guys. I didn't know how to ask one friend without asking 3 others. So I kept it to family and one girl will have two escorts.

I am most excited for our little ladies and gentlemen; 5 flower girls and 2 ring bearers!

Was anyone else faced with dilemmas when it comes to traditions?

And if anyone has advice on how to tell my dad he won't be walking me down the aisle, let me have it!

Relationships Come...

... and relationships go. Despite age, years together or intensity, the loss of love can sting, burn, cripple and numb even the strongest of people.

I got a dreaded phone call from my little brother (he's 23 and not-so-little) this morning. His girlfriend of 3 years has broken up with him. He is heartbroken.

I find myself crying for him as I write this post; for him, his broken heart and because I know exactly how he is feeling.

This was his third relationship that lasted over 2 years. But this most recent relationship was a different. They made plans. They complimented each other. She was becoming family.

I had a devastating breakup too. All breakups are hard but, similar to my brother's, we had plans and he was becoming family.

I am grateful that my brother turns to me for support. I am a fixer. I have a hard time just listening to problems when there is no solution or no way for me to help. With friends, I can listen and offer support without a problem. But with family, I want to fix and make the problem go away.

Now, I won't be able to heal a broken heart but I can make suggestions on how to keep occupied, how to advance, looking at what lessons could be learned for the next relationship, etc.

But the hardest thing is knowing how much my brother can love. And knowing how hard it is for him to accept love. And worse, how long it takes him to trust. I know he will love again but I hope he can trust again.

No wedding plans today. Just positive vibes out to my brother. BIG HUGS!

A Très Chic Wedding: The Theme

As I mentioned before, when we first got engaged, I wanted a simple, clean and elegant look to our wedding. Kelly green, white and black as our color scheme but we didn't have a "theme".

I think I was fooling myself. I loved the color combination and the streamline look of my inspiration photos but there was something miss.

Both the Mister and I are hopeless romantics. We love long walks through the city or country, cooking dinner and dining by candle light, we are committed to date nights (every weekend for the past 4 years and counting) and can't sleep without each other.

This romanticism was lacking in simple and clean scheme. Sure I could inject candles, crystal and champagne but my vision was cold. And even worse, I was not in love with this scheme.

So how could I keep our favorite colors and incorporate the decor of the venue but have the soft, glowing, romantic ambiance I dream of?

Two words: Add pink! Pink is my runner-up favorite color.

So if I soften the green... Turn white into cream...

And add a hint of peachy-pink...

POOF! We have a color scheme.

I love the vintage feel of the peachy-pinks and creams and the green made me instantly think of a garden. And I love the magic of twilight (referring to the time of day but love the book!) and the glow of candles.

With that, our theme was born: Twilight in a Vintage Garden.

Sure, I can't tell you if a vintage garden really exist but the idea of channeling a Parisian garden circa 1920 is exactly what I was looking for. And it is kind of like me, right down to my engagement ring.

Do you have a theme? How did you come up with it?

sources: pic 1: www.soyscentsonline.com pic 2: www.icecreamjournal.turkeyhill.com pic 3: www.lesbonribbon.chainreactionweb.com pic 4: www.velspar.com

All Things French

My name is Très Chic and I am a French-aholic.

I have been obsessed with the language since 5th grade when we got to choose which foreign language we were going to take from 6th grade through high school.

I picked my name (Chantel) and fell in love with the accent, the food, the music, the art, the architecture, the culture and basically the entire French lifestyle.

source: http://www.zazzle.com/

My love affair with France and all things French has lasted about 15 years now and is still hot-and-heavy! This passion has seeped through me and in the Mister. He loves classic French jazz (music is HUGE for us), is developing a taste for the food, appreciated the romance Paris exudes and has even picked up on some phrases.

As a nod to our love our love affair and our French love affair, we are adding subtle elements into our ceremony and wedding.

For the ceremony, we are engraving our rings with a French phrase we say all the time, even out of context. The phrase: avec toi. Meaning: with you.

Our cocktail hour will be French bistro-style. We are having a few French h'ordeuvres, our favorite French wine (Red Bicycle...mmm...and cheap) and classic French jazz playing in the background.

source: www.google.com/images

And our favors will be cookies in a little brown bag, stamped with "Merci".

I also want to add some French flair to our sweetheart table. Any ideas?

I cannot wait to start my little projects!

I am sure no one will catch the French touches but it will be so special to us.

What petite touches will you be adding to your wedding that is just for the two of you?