"I Caaannot Bee-lieve it!": A Seal Introduction

Oh, hive...sweet, sweet, hive. I cannot believe I am being afforded the chance to address you all right now. But alas, the world (and Pengy & Co) is kind and here I am, in all my Seal-y glory.

So who am I? Who, who...who, who. For one—I watch way too much television (hence the nod to the CSI theme song back there...it was kind of obscure, don't feel bad if you didn't catch it). Secondly, I break out into song often and without forewarning. Quirks aside, I am a fun-loving, family-oriented young lady planning my dream wedding to my dream man in my favorite city in the world: San Francisco!

I was watching "Sister Wives" one morning (I told you, I watch a lot of TV) when my iPhone made a familiar sound alerting me of a new e-mail. After weeks of feverishly checking my inbox for a response to my bee application, this sound no longer excited me. In fact...I'd successfully managed, for self-preservation purposes, to convince myself that my first response was going to be a rejection. So try to imagine my ridiculously gleeful surprise when Pengy told me that they would be excited to have ME on board as the newest bee. Poor Mr. Seal got quite the face grab and shoulder-shake after that one!

Now. Why the Seals? Let's break this down.

1. San Francisco - We are planning a San Francisco themed wedding and seals (well maybe more sea lions, but my seal icon IS kind of ambiguous) scream bark San Francisco!

Pier 39 in San Francisco—right outside one of my favorite clam chowder joints (in case it snuck past you...I added the ball):

Main image via TheDailyBite/Ball added by me via Icon Finder

2. Baseball - Mr. Seal and I are baseball fanatics. He's from Brooklyn and roots for the Yankees. I, on the other hand, am a big time San Francisco Giants fan. My team's mascot? Lou SEAL. (Extra fun trivia: I got my acceptance "bee-mail" on baseball's Opening Day—it was fate, I tell you).

My Lou Seal bobblehead:

3. I LOVE Seal!

Photo from Amazon.com

Okay, okay. Maybe that was a bit of a stretch. I mean, I like to belt out the lyrics to "Kiss From a Rose" as much as the next kid (and I DO think Seal and Heidi Klum make a sweet couple)—but that really played no part in my decision.

Anyhow, I still can't grasp that I am a bee and that I get to share my wedding and planning with all of you wonderful people. I promise to bee the best bee that I can bee...alright, that was too much.

Photo courtesy of The Marin Studio

PS—Big high-fives if you can figure out which kid's show I was quoting in my title (I swear I only watch it with my 2-year-old niece).

With love and appreciation,

Miss Seal

I'm a Bee!

Hello faithful readers! I have some very exciting news :)

About three weeks ago I applied to the Weddingbee. The bee is a popular wedding resource site in which real blogging brides share their wedding planning stories. Only about 5% of applicants are accepted and I am happy to announce that I have been selected as the newest bee! Engaged Bliss will continue to be updated, but please forgive me—the next week or so will be a bit slow as I edit some of my old posts for publication on the bee.

You'll also get a sneak peak at my intro post before it goes live on the bee site.

I know this is all kind of confusing but check out www.weddingbee.com for some clarification, I swear it will start to make sense. Oh, and to further throw you for a loop, I will now be known as Miss Seal! Woohoo.

"No More Wire Hangers!": Hangin' Up the Dress

Alright guys, I have a confession: I have my dress. In fact, I've had my dress for ages and have been holding out on you.

I, however, have absolutely no intention of showing it to you here on the bee until my wedding day re-caps. This is for quite a few reasons. Most importantly, Mr. S reads the blog and no matter how hard he tries to convince me that he'll be a good boy and heed my cute "Stay Out, Mr. Seal!" warnings...I can't risk it. It's not that I don't trust him, it's just that I know I wouldn't be able to resist a monumental temptation like that so I surely shouldn't ask it of him!

Can you forgive me?

Image via Princess Paradox

Anyhoo, hows about I make it up to you wiiiiith...WEDDING DRESS HANGERS! OK, I know that's definitely not an even exchange, but is definitely the most important hanger I will ever use, riiight? 

So. Hrmm. Well, we have a few options here.

There's the padded hanger:

 

Hanger via WD Trade; Dress photo via Style Me Pretty/Photo by Aaron Delesie

Orrr, the classic wooden hanger?

Hanger via Target; Dress image via Wedding Chicks/Photo by SNS Photography

The plastic hanger! Eek.

 Hanger via Everyday Hangers; Dress photo by Art Vision Studio

And finally, the personalized wire hanger:

Wire hanger via Tim Harman Photo/Courtesy of Lila Frances; Dress photo via Jamie's Precious Peas

I am a sucker for the custom wire hangers, but I couldn't get Mommy Dearest out of my head screaming, "NO MORE WIRE HANGERS!"

 Image via Dos Borreguitas

I opted for a compromise. I found a lovely seller on etsy who makes hybrid wooden-wire hangers and settled on the saying, "happily ever after". Mr. Seal and I are big Disney fans and it well-reflected our affinity for storybook tales.

Take a looksie! I can't wait to hang my dress on this baby. (I can already envision the dress photos!)

Images courtesy of twistedwords

Will you even think twice about your dress hanger or am I a bit crazy for details? What kind will you opt for?

A Moment for Us: The Father-Daughter Dance

One of my favorite parts of any wedding reception is the father-daughter dance. I am undoubtedly a huge sap but there truly is something so revealing and special about this tradition. I love watching the interaction between the bride and her father while dissecting the lyrics of the song they've chosen—I weep. Every. Time.

So, when it came to figuring out how I'd approach the F/D dance at my own wedding, I wanted to make sure we chose something special and meaningful. I can be quite the ham, but I don't want to make people laugh with a choreographed father-daughter jig—I want big salty tears, people!

I'm sadistic, I know.

Image via Simpsons Wiki

Anyhow, I'm not purely evil. I just wanted to choose something that accurately reflects the kind of relationship I have with my father, and though we definitely make corny jokes and share lots of laughs, a silly dance just isn't our style.

So I started brainstorming and a couple of obvious options came to mind.

"Isn't She Lovely?"

Well I AM pretty lovely, and I love me some Stevie but it's a bit fast, a little narcissistic of a choice, and didn't invoke enough emotion for me. No go.

"Unforgettable?"

A definite contender and an obvious tear-jerker, but aside from its general sentimentality, it holds no special meaning to either Daddy Seal or I. So I nixed it.

I searched song after song and I started to feel a bit overwhelmed. I stopped trying so hard and started thinking about my dad. He's a musician and as such, music has played an extremely important role in my life—there had to be a song that meant something to us. So I kept thinking.

Little me and Daddio Seal after one of his shows:

As a result of his profession, my dad isn't physically around often and never has been. I've never ever felt deprived, but I have definitely learned to treasure all the times I share with my father. So it was then, when I started recalling my highlight reel of father-daughter moments, that it hit me.

Like a ton of bricks.

When I was little and when Dad wasn't touring, he sang me to sleep. This was something I greatly looked forward to because it was a moment just for us. I even recall a time in college when I was particularly stressed out and missing Daddy Seal—he, being ever clairvoyant, phoned to check in and unexpectedly decided to end the call with the familiar lullaby. I cried. (I told you I am sappy!)

I tracked down the song and discovered several different versions. Based on how daddio sang it to me, I was pretty certain I found the right rendition but decided to double-check anyhow.

Everyone told me to surprise him at the reception with my song choice. However, after reading his response to my email (simply asking for the artist of the song so I could add it to my collection), I knew he not only needed forewarning, but a choice.

His response:

"Hi Topo [his nickname for me],

There are a lot of different versions of the song that you've asked for but, this is the version that I remember.

I hope that you know that this is an extremely emotional song for me and that I cannot hear it without crying.

You are, and always will be, my one and only, little princess. 
I love you,
Dad"

After that reply, how could I not tell him? So I did. AND I gave him an out. If this song was going to be too emotional for us then we could surely choose something else. Heck, I'd even opt for a goofy boogie if he wanted.

Nevertheless, he decided against the latter option. In fact, he told me that no other song would do and that he would listen to the song repeatedly to practice maintaining his composure.

He's not the only one.

Here it is—it's not a very well-known song, but it's our song:

If you're fortunate enough to have your father in your life, will you partake in the father-daughter dance tradition? How did you choose your song?

With love,

Miss Seal

Visions of Mimosas, Make-Up and Music: The Wedding-Day Morning

You know what wedding-day thought gets me all antsy and giddy inside!? Other than marrying my Sealman and spending lots of time with all the people I love most in this world, I am uncontrollably excited for the morning of the wedding.

This is about how I think it will go down (I'm interested to see how this vision matches up with the day's actual events but I suppose we'll have to wait quite a few months to make that comparison):

• I will spend the night in the bridal suite with my bridesmaids and will get an insufficient amount of rest. I never sleep well the night before big important days—first day of school, interviews, presentations...you name it. I can only imagine that this will be exponentially more difficult with the presence of my ladies and our established ability to chat well into the night. 

 Image via the Frisky

• My alarm will sound and I will curse my existence for not getting more rest the night before. This awakening will be followed by a mild panic attack upon noticing some nasty bags under my eyes. 

 Image via Edvard Munch Gallery/Art by Edvard Munch

• Said bridesmaids, who will now be joined by other female family members (i.e. Mama Seal, FMIL Seal and my aunties), will assure me that my eyes look beautiful and well-rested. Eager to believe them, all will easily be forgotten and we will enjoy some breakfast and mimosas while awaiting the arrival of our hair and makeup entourage.

 Image via Bay Ridge Talk

• While listening to a customized playlist for that very morning, our make-up and hair will git did.

 Image via Lina Jang Photography

• Via a trusted courier, Mr. S and I will exchange cards and gifts from our respective rooms. This will be a widely photographed occasion of which I will immediately regret once I start blubbering like a baby—Mr. Seal's cards always make me cry.

• The make-up artist will touch up the mess Mr. Seal's sentimental words made of my face.

• I will then skip to track 12 on the wedding-day playlist and my sappy tears will morph into "I'm ready to get hitched" excitement! 

Enter Bruno Mars:

• The florist will arrive with our bouquets and all will simultaneously squeal in floral merriment!

• Mama Seal will help me get into my wedding gown (which will fit absolutely perfectly).

 Image via Kelly Chandler Photography

• After three more hairspray and perfume showers, the ladies and I will head down to the lobby. When done posing for a few pictures, we'll hop on the cable car to the church where my groom awaits. 

Image via SacBee

If I'm a big nerd for daydreaming about this so often then...color me some super nerdy color.

Am I the only one? Do you ever think about the morning of your wedding and how you'll spend it?


Lots of love and appreciation,

Miss Seal

Baseball and Fog: A San Francisco Engagement Shoot, Part II

After our 2.5 hour tour of AT&T Park, our photographer suggested a more scenic location for the next set of photos. By this time the rain had pretty much subsided and we were hopeful that we would be able to get some nice shots with the Golden Gate bridge at a local park.

Although there was no rain when we arrived at Crissy Field, there was absolutely zero visibility of the bridge thanks to some super dense fog. Though the circumstances were not what we had hoped for, we definitely made the most of it—what says San Francisco more than fog and us Seals?

All below photos courtesy of The Marin Studio:

Did the weather cooperate with you during your engagement shoot or did you have to roll with the punches?

Baseball and Fog: A San Francisco Engagement Shoot, Part I

I absolutely love our photographer. I am so impatient and I mentally prepared myself for a month of agonizing waiting after our engagement shoot before we'd see any photos. Well surprisngly, he only took two days to edit. That, my friends, is what I like to refer to as: an ENGAGEMENT MIRACLE!

Thank you to Ramin of The Marin Studio for all of the following amazing photos. Despite a vicious lesson in Murphy's Law (complete with dense fog and lots of rain), we ended up with amazing photos that we will cherish a lifetime!

And another special thank you to my little cousin Christina for my hair and makeup :) She went through quite a bit (including being the victim of a hit-and-run) to make me feel beautiful all day long and I am so grateful. You are a total rockstar and I am a lucky girl.

The first set of photos that I am going to share were taken during a private tour of AT&T Park in San Francisco. As I'm sure you've all gathered by now, Mr. Seal and I are big on baseball and it seemed the perfect backdrop to our love story.

Enjoy:

I had a Yankees shirt under my jersey too ;) 

 

 

The cheesiest grin...ever:

Why did you choose your engagement shoot locale? Does your location say something special about you and your fiance?

Up Next: Baseball and Fog: A San Francisco Engagement Shoot, Part II

Celebratory Cigars: Classy or Nasty?

Disclaimer: I am not encouraging the use of tobacco nor am I attempting to glamorize smoking. I am very well aware of the terrifying statistics. These are just my opinions, take them for what they are worth: not much and all mine. I am not an advocate of smoking—just a silly woman getting married :)

Image via Couture Sapier/Photo by SarahQ

I'm not exactly sure when or why we started exploring the cigar bar idea—I'm not a smoker and Mr. Seal only occasionally indulges in a nice cigar. However, I do recall that the idea was met with much criticism by Mama Seal.

I really can't blame her for not thinking the idea is as classy as I do. I mean, cigars create smoke and, well, cigar smoke is kinda nasty and dangerous! So, when she immediately thrashed the idea, I was only a little hurt. We are both pretty stubborn ladies (I guess this apple didn't fall far from the tree), so I kept bringing the idea up...and the debates kept getting more heated. I could no longer understand what the issue was—the cigars would be smoked outside and away from guests and I wasn't asking her to pay for them, just to be super excited and LOVE the idea. Hehe.

Anyway, I never won that argument but the fact of the matter is, we are indeed having a station to enjoy cigars at our wedding (and I think Mama Seal is at least coming around to the idea).

For all of you critics, lemme explain why:

1. Historically speaking, cigars represent celebration—and what will we be doing at our wedding reception? Celebrating our marriage, of course!

2. Cigars give off that old-timey feel we are going for—in fact I think it helps put the "Old" in "Old San Francisco".

I've got some proof...George Clooney looks pret-ty debonair and mature, eh?:

Image via Listal

3. Some of the world's classiest and most interesting people in the world enjoy a recreational cigar:

 Image via Cool Spotters

Image via NYDailyNews

Okay, the last one was a joke, but I do stand by my point.

4. Daddio Seal smokes, and considering the amount of time and money he is investing into this wedding, why not repay him with a small token of appreciation? A designated location for him to enjoy a nice cigar with his buddies is a thought that brings me a lot of joy.

Anyhow, Brother Seal and his wonderful fiancee Maria thought the idea was so brilliant that they offered to pay for the cigar roller as a gift. I attempted to decline their generous offer, but they insisted (and seeing as how he is my eldest brother, it served me best not to argue any further).

We did some research and with little effort found a wonderful company (Oye Productions) that will provide the service and cigars we want for our reception.

Then I bought some custom matches to celebrate the occasion:

What's your stance on cigars at a wedding? Classy or Nasty? 

Lots of love,

Miss Seal