Goodbye...For Now

Have you ever seen Hello Dolly? There is a scene where Dolly sings to Mr. Vandergelder "Goodbye! Goodbye! Goodbye! Goooooooodbye. Don't try to stop me Horace!" Dolly says goodbye, but she doesn't really mean it, since she has no intention of ever leaving.

Scroll to 44 seconds in the video.



I show you this so you understand what I mean when I say I'm pulling a Hello Dolly. I'm saying "Goodbye" but what I really mean is "Goodbye for right now". Friends and family frequently ask if I'm still writing for that Weddingbee thing, and my response is "Always!" I don't know if I'm ever going to be able to give it up completely, and so you will continue to hear from me sporadically throughout the years until Bee says "Enough Avocado!"

But for right now, I need a break. Somehow, life seems even crazier now that the wedding is over. I have school to worry about, a husband to take care of, and lot's of other exciting things going on in my life. Rumor has it though, that my sister is considering throwing her own big party this Fall, and since she has promised me the official role of wedding planner, I'll have plenty to tell you about!

Why the big dramatic post about my break? Before I was was a writer for WB, I always got so excited when the Bees I had followed from Will You to I Do would post their newlywed blog addresses so that I could continue to follow along with their lives. It feels presumptuous to type it out, but I thought there might be some of you who felt the same way, who might like to know what I'm doing now that I don't have wedding on the brain 24/7.

Shortly after the wedding I started a new blog called That Wife (before I was Miss Avocado I was That Bride). I write about my adventures in the kitchen, photography, struggles with my weight, my faith, my overwhelming desire to have a baby, and pretty much whatever else I have on my mind. I do challenges and those who sign up with me try to cook/bake something, take a picture, and make a lifestyle change all geared around a certain theme each month. I'm lucky to have such a supportive husband because I'm absolutely in love with my blogging! In November I committed to blogging for 365 days in a row, and I'm still going strong (sometimes posting multiple times a day even!)

So you won't see me dropping off the face of the internet anytime soon. Right now I'm all about my business ventures and avoiding school, and hopefully sometime soon you should hear talk of cribs and nurseries and little baby booties (not yet, but soon!)

When I received the email from Penguin informing me that I had been accepted as a Bee I jumped around flapping my arms and crying like I had just won Miss America. It has changed my life in so many ways. I've thought long and hard of some way I can express my appreciation for Bee, Peng, Mr. and BIL Bee, my fellow writers, and ALL of you readers. I thought about writing it in all caps, or using lots of exclamation points, or even composing you a little poem. None of that gets my point across strongly enough though. As melodramatic as it sounds, writing for WB has been one of the best things I have ever done. It wouldn't have been the same without all of your love and support. Thank you for following along as I led you through the craziness that was planning my wedding. Thanks for all of your kind and enthusiastic comments about my wedding recaps. You make me feel so loved.

All of you make Weddingbee what it is. Thank you for letting me BEE here with you! (I just couldn't pass that one up!)

Love,

Jenna

That Wedding: Hometown Reception

After a full week of absolute gluttony and decadence while on our Relaximoon, it was time for us to put on our wedding attire for the last time and pose as bride and groom. We had gone back and forth so many times about whether the hometown reception was a good idea, or even necessary, but now that it's over I'm really glad we took the time to spend some time with the community that helped raise me.

I wish I had a camera in my hand as we drove up the road to the reception site. Our dear friends who hosted the party for us had sprinkled their property with lamps, torches, and twinkling lights. It looked magical. Guests were directed to park in a lot a few hundred yards from the house, and if they didn't feel like walking (it was a cold October night!), they were escorted up to the house on golf carts.

I smiled as I walked into the tent. I was so happy that we had decided to create our centerpieces ourselves, because it meant we would be able to re-use them later. For very little money we had created a cozy and beautiful atmosphere for the evening.

Of course Mamacado was walking around with camera in hand before the reception started. I don't think she can leave home without it.

The food! Oh the food was amazing. We worked with Jeff and Michelle of Sage Catering out of Yakima, WA. They worked to create a completely personalized meal that had our guests raving. Their presentation was really got me, since I'm a detail person, and Jeff went out of his way to make all of the food look at delicious as it tasted. If you are a central Washington bride, get in contact with them! I'm really happy with what they did for us.

When they asked what kind of menu we were interested in serving, I mentioned that we would love to have a fusion of foods that described the childhoods of both Suavacado and myself. For the Polish dishes they made mini cabbage rolls, pierogi, potato pancakes, sernik (Polish cheesecake with chocolate glaze), and poppyseed cake. Mr. Avo couldn't get enough of the poppyseed cake and said it was some of the best he has ever had! The American style dishes included beef satay, sliders, french fries, crudites, fruit and dip, mini apple pie bites, and chocolate decadence.

I wasn't surprised when many of our guests went straight for the food line instead of coming to see us! Here are the pierogis, don't they look delicious?

Guests were greeted by this frame as they entered the tent. It's a wedding gift from Mr. Avocado's aunt, and the pictures are of my cute little husband as a boy with his grandpa. The poem is in Polish, written by his grandfather about the time they spent together. We really wanted to find ways to make the decor and atmosphere very personal at this reception, and putting this poem on display really set the tone for the night.

For the festivities, I did my favorite fancy hairdo. My sister wasn't there that evening, and when talking to her a few weeks later she said, "I heard your hair looked really great that night!" I also loved being able to put on my birdcage veil one last time.

I love this picture of my Mr. Avocado and Papacado.

Who would be crazy enough to have an outdoor tented reception in Washington state at the end of October? We would!

My grandma knit me this very cozy, very soft shrug to keep me from turning into a popscicle that night. Now that the wedding is over, details like this shrug that I can use over and over in my everyday life are my very favorite.

It got so cold that our fabulous hostess dug into their snowmobiling closet for some heat packs. Once the guests saw mine they started asking for their own set as well. I spent most of the evening holding them over my ears and nose.

When I created the postcards for our guestbook at the Seattle wedding, I made sure they were general enough that we could use them for our hometown reception as well without anyone realizing that we made them pull double duty.

The little ones stayed entertained with a free wedding themed coloring book I found on the blu sky designs blog.

We had one of the images from our After Wedding Shoot with Mamacado on display. The benefit to having your mom take the pictures is that you can have the session on Friday, and display the images on Saturday. I'm not sure many other couples see such a quick turnaround time. :)

Although it was quickly thrown together, the slideshow of images from our relationship was a big hit. I was really overwhelmed by the amount of gifts we received. It was wonderful to spend time with so many people who care about us.

Compared to our wedding extravaganza the previous weekend. our hometown reception was a really laid back and informal event. There was no first dance, no cake cutting, and no bouquet. What we did have was good food, family, friends, laughter, and love. I realized that these things are all we ever needed.

Koniec. The End.

Previously:

That Wedding: Bridesmaid Party!
That Wedding: Whole Foods (Rehearsal-ish) Luncheon
That Wedding: Harbor Sailing
That Wedding: Putting My Face On
That Wedding: The Gift Exchange
That Wedding: Dressing The Bride
That Wedding: Bridal Details
That Wedding: The First Look
That Wedding: Into The Woods
That Wedding: Woodsy Family Portraits
That Wedding: To Wed! To Wed!
That Wedding: Showered With Love, Coins, and Hugs
That Wedding: Group Shots With a Little Spice
That Wedding: Those Groomsmen
That Wedding: The Whole Party
That Wedding: Me and My Maids (+ Manmaid)
That Wedding: Ring Ceremony Prep
That Wedding: The Ring Ceremony
That Wedding: Let Us Whet Your Appetite
That Wedding: Photobooth
That Wedding: We Dance
That Wedding: Dining Details
That Wedding: Toasting
That Wedding: Bridesmaid Cake Pull
That Wedding: 8 Lovely Cakes
That Wedding: Bedding Down
That Wedding: Grand Exit

That Wedding: Seattle Skyline Finale

WPPI 2009 in Vegas: Part V, Dumpling As Bride

Together Dumpling and I ate tapas, crepes, watched the fountains and gossiped about all things wedding related.

But the highlight of our time together was the night she dressed up in a rented gown for a photo shoot with Mamacado! (AKA Denise Andersen)

The whole experience was such an adventure between driving out to the middle of nowhere and bargaining for a dress, and shoving people out of the way to get the best shot possible in front of the Bellagio fountains. Think of this as a little behind-the-scenes sneak peek before the full post that Dumpling is planning for next week!

Here's the bride! Oh wait, that's me. I just can't get over being the one in the white dress and pretty veil.
Actually, I was the test subject for the photographers to get their settings just right. I'm not sure why I was wearing the veil? I think that might have been my idea.

Here is the real bride! Isn't she darling? (Do your best to pretend she isn't all blurry.)

The plans for the shoot were set in motion almost a year ago, when I posted my bridal portraits in Rome by Mamacado, and Dumpling, before she was a writer for WB, commented on my mom's blog to say how much she loved the photos and would love my mom to take hers. We were already on our way to Vegas for WPPI so we set this session up!

I love this candid of the two of us!

I was really serious about this ring shot apparently.

Our first location against a yellow-orange wall was really secluded, so we had hardly any crowds to deal with. Once we moved out to the Bellagio fountains, it was a completely different story! Dumpling was posing in front of something like 100 people, and I spent the majority of my time chasing idiots men out of the photos. She is this sweet thing with southern charm so she posed politely every single time they jumped in with her.

I, was not so polite.

This guy didn't jump in with Dumpling, he jumped right in front of the camera!

Because she is so incredibly sweet, Dumpling agreed to let me post a few of my favorites, even though I am totally stealing her thunder by leaking her photos first. Keep in mind that the dress she is wearing is a rented one that didn't even fit properly! Can you imagine how out-of-this-world stunning she is going to look on her wedding day?

I don't think I've ever seen someone work a veil the way that she did. She's a natural in front of the camera.

I'm so excited for you all to see the rest! Post, post post Dumpling!

WPPI 2009 In Vegas: Part IV, The Tradeshow

If after purchasing a flight to Vegas, coughing up at least $100/night for a hotel room, and emptying your wallet for each and every meal you still have some money to spare, you will buy a pass to go to the classes at WPPI (I was able to go for free as a guest of my mom and I'm still mourning the fact that I didn't get a seat in Elizabeth Messina's class).

If you don't have that kind of money, or the inclination to spend it that way, you are like the majority of photographers who skip out on the classes and go for the more cost effective Tradeshow only passes (and for the networking of course!)

Speaking of networking, the business card exchange at WPPI reminds me of when I used to exchange and trade Pogs when I was in elementary school. It's definitely the "in" thing to do at WPPI.What would my business card have said: Mrs. Avocado. Weddingbee Blogger. Visit Weddingbee to read all about my wedding that I didn't choose you to photograph.

My three favorite cards were from Leo Patrone, Bobbi+Mike, and Jonathan Canlas (all letterpress and all so beautiful).

These two images were on display in the "awards" section, and I apologize to the photographers for taking pictures of their pictures, but they were so hilarious that I wanted to share!

The tradeshow is absolutely massive. It filled up the biggest ballroom I have ever seen, and spilled over into another one almost the same size. The booths are made up of pretty much every kind of photography related vendor you can imagine. The big names like Canon and Nikon were in one room, and the smaller booths in another.

I've never seen so many canvas prints and albums. I can't believe that so many businesses providing the same services can stay profitable. It made me realize the importance of shopping around before making such expensive investments.

I thought the orientation of this album was really unique. As you can imagine, it was also really heavy.

Many of the booths had speakers giving demonstrations on how to use their products.

This booth kind of made me laugh, which is probably rude of me, since pain is not a laughing matter.

Some of the booths weren't trying to sell anything, getmarried.com and theknot.com were there to promote their real wedding features to some of the best photographers in the world.

The Boudoir Divas booth was one of the hot items, as boudoir shoots are starting to become more popular (and socially acceptable I think).

While browsing the booths I ran into 2 of the coolest photographers ever, Bobbi+Mike! Bobbi is really easy to find with that red hair. She made me realize I need some kind of "signature look". Any ideas on what that should be?

Also I like Bobbi+Mike because they have icons similar to mine, except maybe cooler. Yeah, mine is cuter, but theirs is cooler. I told her I wanted her to know I didn't rip her off, and I taught her about the TV show That Girl where the original wig icon actually came from (IMO).

I also ran into Justine, aka The Unbride. Please go look at her wedding dress and veil right this instant. Amazing right?

Lot's of the booths were dedicated to backdrops and fake doorways (I never realized there was such a huge market for fake doorways. These damask backdrops were my very favorite.

Some of the products I saw were really different from anything I've ever seen before. This company specializes in putting your photograph onto square sheets to create a type of tiled image.

You can have your wedding day portrait turned into a rug.

I thought this metal picture frame was a unique take on the popular guestbook idea.

My personal favorite was the View-Master proof viewer. Who wants to see boring old 2d prints when they can look through one of their favorite childhood toys and see their images in 3d!

Remember how fun these were as a kid? Now you can see your wedding the way you used to look at the Winnie the Pooh story as a child. I did pick one up and look through it, and it's pretty amazing, although a little bit gimicky for my taste.

My favorite innovative products were these canvas prints. I love how the circular pattern on the floor is mimicked a little bit by the rectangles around the square.

You can't see it that well in this shot, but each of these rectangles that make up this canvas increase in size and height a little bit to add some depth. The company says it can do any print in almost any configuration you can dream up.

One of the very last things I did at WPPI was meet one of my photography "idols". Not only do I think Anne Ruthmann's work is fantastic, but she is a brilliant buisnesswoman. She thinks up ideas like the Las Vegas Wedding Project, and then she finds a way to network with her peers and make them happen. I admire her drive, and as I expcted she was a delight to talk to. I was sick that evening and so I was unable to meet up with her that night at the Lovecat party. I hope I'm able to attend WPPI next year so I can rock out with Anne in 2010!

I don't know if I mentioned it before, but I was able to spend a few days with one of my favorite friends, Kelli Nicole. I like her so much that I even let her share a bed with me, which is something very few people have ever done since sharing my sleeping space is at the very top of my pet peeve list.

While I ended my WPPI experience sick in bed, she was out partying it up at one of the best parties ever to hit Vegas, the BluDomain/Mammoth Men bonanza!

My last Vegas post involves a Vegas native, a wedding dress, and some famous fountains. Yay!