Sweetly Sophisticated

Just Wed

sweetlysophisticated@gmail.com (Sweetly Sophisticated) — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 18:27:00 +0000

what a beautiful day. we laughed, cried a lot, and married. so happy...

2 days and counting

sweetlysophisticated@gmail.com (Sweetly Sophisticated) — Wed, 27 May 2009 21:49:00 +0000

I know I haven't shown ANY updates of my upcoming nupitals so I will make it up to you by giving everyone recaps of EVERYTHING when this is all over. Since my engagement was pretty short (6 months) I've been juggling with a lot of things so please be patient and I will show you plenty of good stuff. Can't wait!

In two days I will be a Mrs. So happy that our engagement has been so smooth and we've been blessed to have so much support during this time! Very exciting!!

Out of the closet..a preview

sweetlysophisticated@gmail.com (Sweetly Sophisticated) — Tue, 05 May 2009 20:59:00 +0000

So it's taking me awhile to get back to blogging mode. I've been busy for the past month or so but now it's starting to wind down. Have I ever told you that throughout this 6 month engagement I have not been stressed once?!?! I am blessed. You see, I am the type to panic and get stressed over the littlest things but I've been on cruise control throughout this entire process. I plan to keep it this way until the very end. Sure, I've had minor moments but all in all it's been extremely easy and fun to plan the wedding. It might be due to the fact that I am super organized and pretty much had all the creative juices flowing before I even got engaged. I was meant to plan and organize weddings. =P

Well, this post is long overdue and I apologize for scaring everyone away but I hope I can make it up to you by giving everyone a glimpse of our engagement session. Here's a little background process of what I did in order to find our photographer. I literally contacted every single photographer in Southern California and I narrowed it down to priorities that must be met. I needed the photographer to have a certain type of style I was looking for, had great post processing skills, and the most obvious was it must be within my budget. After many weeks of searching, we finally met Vince. Vince and Carla are a husband and wife team who have a great passion for photography and just great photos to back them up. I will in the near future have a little Q&A session with Vince so that other brides can get an idea of what they should look for in a photographer and how to pick one for their wedding day.

Without further ado, I give you my engagement photos. I am coming out of the closet and I guess so is my fiance, by default. Enjoy!

I love this shot of us sharing a milkshake. When I shared this photo with a friend, she reminded me of the day she first saw us as a couple and in a sense, "caught" us in the act of dating. Side note, we were keeping it hush, hush for a few weeks in order to see if it was going to work out and she crept up on us as we were sharing ice cream at Costco. Ha! I also love this shot because of our silhouette. Later, I will share our invitations that reflect a constant theme for the wedding. I love silhouettes!

The tree we were under was so beautiful and lush. I realize that the photos are coming out small. So until I figure out how to enlarge my photos, please visit their blog and site to view more of Vince and Carla's work.

More updates on DIY projects I've been working on to come.

{all images via VinceandCarla.com}

decor8

sweetlysophisticated@gmail.com (Sweetly Sophisticated) — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 04:34:00 +0000

I'm not even going to explain my absence so I'll just jump start to a few images that are really inspiring me lately. Just know that I am alive and posts will be sporadic as life just keeps happening. :) Thanks folks for still stopping by!

We bought furniture this past week and I am so excited to start decorating! I am so lucky to have a husband-to-be who gives me free reign to decorate to my hearts' content...within reason, of course, and light on his pocket. :)

I've been browsing sfgirlbybay's earlier posts of her "Ode to My Deco" Domino files and I am enamored with charcoal and gray walls. I've been smitten with gray walls for awhile and I really think I am going to paint our bedroom with a soft gray tone color. I am so sad that dominomag.com is no longer but so excited to use these images as my inspiration! Here's a few that I really adore:

Dark walls with soft, light accents will definitely keep the mood serene and calm.

The perfect pair: mustard yellow and gray! LOVE IT!

Did I ever mention that I am DETERMINED to have a chalkboard wall somewhere in the house?! The husband-to-be is not too keen on chalkboard dust everywhere but I can reassure him that it won't be messy and since I am a neat freak, it won't happen. Ever. :)

Too perfect for words...

One day, I will post pictures of my own home and see how they compare with these images. Hopefully they'll be close!

{images via sfgirlbybay}

A black, white, and pink affair...and a happy friday!

sweetlysophisticated@gmail.com (Sweetly Sophisticated) — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 18:00:00 +0000

I'm sure everyone knows how lovely all of Kathryn from Snippet and Ink's inspiration boards are and they truly are an inspiration to all brides out there. I am having a black, white, and pink wedding and how fitting is it that she continues to make boards that inspire me and makes me feel hopeful that our wedding will be as sophisticated as her boards.

Here's a couple that just hits the mark:

Pink and Black

Black & Shell

Beautiful, aren't they?

Well, I'm off taking my engagement session today! So excited and will share when I can. Hope you have a great weekend!

(via Snippet & Ink}

Freebie

sweetlysophisticated@gmail.com (Sweetly Sophisticated) — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 19:52:00 +0000

I love freebies so I thought I share this with all of you. I wish I can enter this but alas, I'm already halfway in the wedding planning process.

If any of you brides are still at the beginning stages of your wedding planning, I'd suggest you hop on over and take the survey for your chance to win a FREE wedding! That's right, they will do everything for you....you just need to show up on May 31, 2009 and have your wedding in Atlanta, GA. This can be your chance to have a destination wedding if you're not in the area. woohoo!

What are you waiting for? Let me know if you win! Good luck!

{via Our Labor of Love}

Small feet woes

sweetlysophisticated@gmail.com (Sweetly Sophisticated) — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 02:40:00 +0000

Does anyone else have trouble finding shoes YOUR size? I am having THE most difficult time finding THE shoes for THE day! You see, I have small feet, size 5, mind you. Is that considered small? Because I think so, a lot of stores don't even carry size 5! Very angry about that but I shall digress...

Anyways, I am trying to find shoes in my size with a short heel about 2 1/2 inches to 3 inches. Though I am a short girl, I can't walk in high heels even if I wanted to. So here's my dilemma, I am looking for shoes in a size 5, short heels, and because I am a thrifty shopper, it needs to be decently priced (but for THE day, I might splurge a little). Oh, and I certainly don't mind buying shoes in a daring color!

Here's one shoe that fits the bill except that it's 4 inches high! BOO! They come in a lovely champagne color as well. Should I get them anyway even though I know I will die by the end of the night?! What is a short, petite girl to do!?! Oh, the small feet woes...

{photo via Zappos.com}

Pops of color

sweetlysophisticated@gmail.com (Sweetly Sophisticated) — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 22:30:00 +0000

Balloons are popping up everywhere these days. From high fashion ads to lovely engagment photo sessions.

So when I saw these photos over at Jonathan Canlas photo blog, I was blown away by the pops of color that were used in the couple's outfits and the soft pastels of the balloons. Seriously, can the couple be any more cuter? I am taking engagement photos next week and after looking at these photos, I might consider using props too. Would you use props for your engagement session? If so, what would you use? Do tell!

Jonathan Canlas is an amazing photographer so make sure to browse through his photos for more inspiration.

Well, I hope you have a good weekend everyone! I will be back in full force next week!

{photos via Jonathan Canlas}

I'm here!

sweetlysophisticated@gmail.com (Sweetly Sophisticated) — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 20:52:00 +0000

Oh my goodness, I apologize for my absence lately. Life just kind of crept up on me and I didn't realize that it's almost the end of the week! eek! Well, I am here! I will try not to do that again but if I do, I will tell you in advance!

I still need to catch up on my daily readings but I thought I should share with you today what I read this morning from Gwyneth Paltrow's weekly newsletter on GOOP. She shared a story about going to Paris with just her father one weekend and well I'll let her tell the story...

Excerpt from Gwyneth Paltrow's newsletter:

Paris

When I was ten years old, my father and I took a trip to Paris, leaving my younger brother and mother in London where she was filming a movie. My dad believed in one-on-one time with us, and sometimes that extended to a weekend away. We stayed at a great hotel and he said I could order whatever I wanted for breakfast (French fries). We went to the Pompidou museum, the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre - the usual spots. It was pretty great. On the plane back to London he asked me if I knew why we had gone, just he and I, to Paris for the weekend. I said no, but I felt so lucky for the trip. He said, “I wanted you to see Paris for the first time with a man who would always love you, no matter what.” From that time on, Paris was and continues to be very special to me. I lived there for five months in 1994 and I have made many trips back. These are the places in Paris I stay and eat and toast my dad.

Love,

That touched my heart SO much! I went to Paris with a close friend last year and Paris will always be near and dear to my heart but the thought of going with your father and the sentiment behind that is so priceless. If you haven't already, be sure to sign up for Paltrow's weekly newsletter as she shares great insights about where to stay in her favorite places, recipes (next week, Mario Batalli will share some great recipes), child nurturing, and so much more. I just adore her.

{photo via Style.com}

Happy Friday!

sweetlysophisticated@gmail.com (Sweetly Sophisticated) — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 03:41:00 +0000

I hope everyone has a great weekend!

{photo via Ben Chrisman}

Right along the aisle

sweetlysophisticated@gmail.com (Sweetly Sophisticated) — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 02:13:00 +0000

Due to our venue's policy, we are not able to scatter rose petals over the aisle. To minimize costs, I am trying to think of alternate ways to decorate the aisle without the use of tulle and flowers. I have been thinking about using candle votives or hurricanes along the aisle. I think the candles would lit the ceremony so beautifully in the evening. However, the fiance thinks someone will knock it over or better yet, I might knock it over with my train! I see this can pose a problem but it seems like it can work. The wedding above makes me believe that it went off without a hitch. Don't you think?

I just love the simplicity of this ceremony. Absolutely no flowers were used and yet it created such a calm and serene space.

Perhaps using sturdy pebbles/rocks would help if someone tempts to knock them over!

I'd love to know what you all did to decorate your aisle. Any suggestions?

{photo via Hugh Forte Photography, F-e-t-e, unknown*}

*I apologize in advance as I have many images that I have saved prior to starting this blog and there will be times where I am not sure where the source originally came from. If you happen to know the source for the picture above please let me know. I want to make sure I credit the source when credit is due. Thanks!

Something blue

sweetlysophisticated@gmail.com (Sweetly Sophisticated) — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 22:05:00 +0000

I hope everyone had a great weekend! Isn't that dress above dreamy? I would love to see a bride wear a color such as this for their big day. The lovely lady over at Casando Ideias featured some beautiful dresses that are just exquisite. Here's some lovely vintage dresses that she posted up. I think the dress on the right is so pretty and delicate. {images via Casando Ideias}

May love sparkle...

sweetlysophisticated@gmail.com (Sweetly Sophisticated) — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 07:56:00 +0000

I hope everyone has a fantastic weekend.

Happy Valentine's day!
(gosh, I love sparklers!)

{photo via the image is found}

Let's talk about veils again...

sweetlysophisticated@gmail.com (Sweetly Sophisticated) — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 04:30:00 +0000

It seems like I'm not the only one thinking about veils. Meg over at A Practical Wedding is having two awesome ladies discuss the issue at hand. I particularly like Ms. Peonie's take on different alternatives to traditional veils. Go read it here. Make sure to also read East Side Brides's point of view and she even includes a picture (at the end) of her own wedding hairpiece ! Love it!

To veil or not to veil

sweetlysophisticated@gmail.com (Sweetly Sophisticated) — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 06:44:00 +0000

that is the question...

I am going back and forth about wearing a veil right now. I mean, I love veils especially in photographs and the way it blows in the wind but I am just not so sure if I want to spend so much for one as I plan on taking it off during the reception. I will most likely borrow a veil from a friend and I can count that as my "something borrowed". But should I forego the veil completely? Hmm...not so sure. What I do know is that I am planning on wearing a hairpiece throughout the night so I am turning to the ever so talented and crafty people on Etsy. Here's a few of my favorites:

I really adore this piece from Muscari. The guinea hen feathers and the soft pink petals ties in with my wedding colors to a T!

Same goes for this piece from qgdesigns.

A very classy and elegant hairpiece from JMGJewelDesigns will also do the trick!

I think I can kill two birds with one stone with this veil-like hairpiece from brendasbridalveils.

I love every single one of these pieces and it's so hard to choose. If only I could wear each piece every hour...that would be heavenly. Which one do you like the most?

Tea Party

sweetlysophisticated@gmail.com (Sweetly Sophisticated) — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 22:56:00 +0000

I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend and is staying warm and dry.
I am doing just that at home wrapping myself with a blanket and fuzzy socks to keep me warm from the rain we've been having a lot lately.

Since I recently started our wedding gift registry, I've been thinking about home decor and it has been on my mind a lot lately. It was such a fun experience so I wanted to share some eye candy with you today.

The most cutest cake stands I have ever seen.

I am loving this teapot and it definitely helps when it's in a lovely cobalt blue.

This doily like coaster compliments the teapot above just perfectly.

Doesn't it seem like I want to invite you all for an afternoon tea party? Well these items would be just perfect for a lovely afternoon affair and I would love to have everyone over for some tea and cake with these beauties.

{images via Whitney Cecelia Smith, Toast, and Rose and Radish}

One hot potato

sweetlysophisticated@gmail.com (Sweetly Sophisticated) — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 04:39:00 +0000

I know, I know you thought I'd start with something sweet and pretty...it will surely come...just you wait.

Well, this potato is pretty...as in pretty darn good. You see, not too long ago I made some curry for dinner one night and well I had one potato left. I didn't know what to do with it. Then I remembered I've been intrigued by the idea of hasselback potatoes. I'm not an expert in cooking but I certainly love trying new recipes. I remember reading about them on Orangette and couldn't wait for the opportunity to try it.

I just wish I had more potatoes because I wanted more after that. I sliced the potato very thin and instead of bay leaves, I inserted garlic slices in each cut. Oh, how I love garlic. I drizzled some really good extra virgin olive oil that I had bought from Florence at the Mercato Centrale last summer and voila, it was the best potato I ever had.

Unfortunately, I don't have a picture of the finished product because I was too busy eating it with a big juicy steak my fiance grilled for me. I will next time...I promise.

And with that, I hope you all have a great weekend and hope you get to try this at home very soon!

{photos by me}

Subtle signs of love

sweetlysophisticated@gmail.com (Sweetly Sophisticated) — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 00:26:00 +0000

In the spirit of Valentine's day or just any day for that matter, wouldn't this necklace be so lovely to wear for your special someone? This necklace is handmade and would also be the perfect gift for your bridesmaids... Best of all, it doesn't burn an empty hole in your wallet! Only $30! You can buy it here.

{photo via JoiedeVieJewelry}

Starting slow

sweetlysophisticated@gmail.com (Sweetly Sophisticated) — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 03:55:00 +0000

I've been having interesting dreams every night this week and I wake up thinking, "Wow, I should write this down? Because it can totally be in a movie..." but a second later I forget. Does that happen to you? Well, all I know is that I end up saving the world from flying sea lions..err was it flying pigs? I forget but it would be very entertaining and I would make box office hits. I wonder as I dream, if I'm as happy as this girl and move as graceful as her.

What a lovely video.

{via Black*Eiffel}

Why Hello.

sweetlysophisticated@gmail.com (Sweetly Sophisticated) — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 23:38:00 +0000

I did it. I have been a blog lurker for months and months and so I am taking the plunge. Will you welcome me?

My name is Jisun. Say it like the letter "G" and the sun in the sky. It's surprising how so many people can pronounce my name in the most peculiar ways. I'll have to share at another time. But first things first, I wanted to tell you all that I am so excited to start sharing my thoughts about weddings, living, food, and just about everything in between that makes me happy. I am here to stay, so thanks for welcoming me.