Details: Socks Matter to Us

We've been on the hunt awhile now for a pair of purple striped socks. True most people would never notice the socks the groom or the guys are sporting, but it's important to us. 

Why are socks important? That's easy. First many of our friends have homes where no shoes are allowed. This forces one to express their fashion sense and individuality via their socks rather than their shoes. Second once you start noticing people's socks you just can't stop. And third, I absolutely love - and I mean LOVE - those shots of the groom and the groomsmen with quirky socks (see last Friday's What Inspires Me post).

Unfortunately there just aren't that many options available for men when it comes to purple striped socks. Most - while labeled for men - appear to be thinly disguised women's socks which will not do. We want our guys looking fashionable, not dorky.

Here's what we considered (some less seriously than others). 

Navy and Gray

Punto $24 at Saks Fifth Avenue

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Blue

Punto $25 at British Apparel Collection, Ltd.

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Blue

Punto $25 at British Apparel Collection, Ltd.

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Purple and Gray

Punto $24 at O'Connell's Clothing 

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Navy and Purple

Thomas Pink $30

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Purple and Pistachio

Paul Smith $30 at Barneys New York

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Navy

Punto Italy $21 at TonsOfSocks

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When we found the Navy Punto socks we rejoiced. That celebration was short lived. We needed 4 pairs of socks. TonsOfSocks had exactly 1 pair. Idea! cubes will wear navy and the guys will wear black. Nope, not to be. No black striped socks.

Any ideas on where to find Punto Italy Navy Striped Socks? Did you find yourself spending way too much time on a seldom noticed detail?

Attended: Promises and Pearls - Decor Recap

First let me say that I'm really bummed we can't use our tapers. I absolutely love how candles warm up a space. The wall of votive candles is such a classy look - not right for our theme, but perfect for a modern theme.

I liked how some of the featured tablescapes didn't use fresh flowers but rather tree branches, succulents, fresh fruit. Some of the displays with a single flower or a couple floating in water were to me the most eye catching.

If I was planning a destination or summer backyard wedding in Texas or Southern California, I'd definitely consider this play on ceramic tiles. The colors are so vibrant. I can see where the caterer was going with the fruity tequila shooters but alas I'm a gal that likes my tequila/mescal straight up for sipping.

Many of my friends love their tea. So when I saw this Marie Antoinette-inspired table I was immediately drawn to it. It's quaintness and cozy feel seemed better fitted for a venue flush with wood or Victorian detailing. I could totally see a mid-morning or early-afternoon wedding tea reception at our venue - The Swedish American Hall. (It wouldn't have even been that hard to get the decor - my mom, my sister, and I all have antique tea cup collections.)

The Bently Reserve is a very elegant, chic venue with its chandeliers, grand staircase and columns. With the exception of the tile inspired tablescape and tea inspired tablescape, I could see all of these vignettes in this space. I could also see the following decor options working nicely in Mer, Terra, or DogPatch Studios - spaces that we'd considered initially.

One thing to keep in mind about your decor - how well will it stand up to your guests? If it looks good for just a few minutes, you might want to think of doing something different. 

Sneak Peek: Out-of-Town Bags

When you plan a wedding it's easy to get swept up in "Me Too." To avoid this, for every DIY project or item we look at whether it reflects "Us."

As you've surmised by now, food is very important to us. As you're also aware, we're on a budget. A budget means we need to make decisions as to how much we do.

For our out-of-town bags (OOT bags), we wanted to spend no more than $500. That means our OOT bags are a DIY project where quantity versus quality came in to play. Here we opted for quality over quantity. 

Before we reveal what we're doing, I need some of our readers to stop reading here.

Members of Dan's Family

(Image Source)

PLEASE STOP READING NOW

Okay, is everyone who's in Dan's family gone? Yep? Yay! I hate keep secrets, but at the same time I want people to be surprised. 

We didn't want to skimp on food that represents San Francisco. We also didn't want to stock our bags with items that our guests were just going to toss. With these two goals in mind, we decided to limit the OOT bags to just cubes' immediate family (Mom, Dad, Nan, and sister Jamie will receive an OOT bag). cubes' brother is in our wedding party and will be getting a Day-of Survival Bag. Don't worry, there will be some additional goodies in his bag for cubes' Sister-in-Law.

Besides a Wedding VIP Contact card, customized Google Map, and Weekend Guide, here's what we're going to be including in our OOT bags.

The Goodies ($420 - less than our $500 budget)

1. Canvas Maptote from at the WeddingChannel. On sale for $13.99 (regularly $15.00).
2. San Francisco Food Lover's Pocket Guide, Second Edition from BettyCrocker Store. $8.15.
3. Tickets for Anchor Steam Brewery Tour. Free.
4. Tylenol, Advil, and Pepto-Bismol packets from Minimus.biz. $0.39 to $0.95 each.
5. Columbus Italian Dry Salame. $8.50.
6. Tcho Hot Chocolate and Chocolate Bars. $21.50.
7. Ritual Coffee Beans, 12 oz. $15.95.
8. Boudin 8 oz Sourdough Round. $2.83.
9. Re:newal Premium Spring Water. $1.29 each. (This bottled water is eco-friendly. The BPA-free, biodegradable bottle and label are made entirely from plants not crude oil.) 
10. Bi-Rite Creamery Gift Certificate. $10.00.
11. Portable Wine and Cheese Set from Picnic Fun for picnicking in the park or at the vineyards. $18.00.

What did you do for your OOT bags? Did you go for quantity over quality?

Check back next Wednesday for a Sneak Peek at the Survival Bags we put together for our wedding party.

What Inspires Me: Bright Fun Colorful Socks for The Boys

Over the past year, more of our friends have moved into places where "No Shoes Inside" reigns. For me this has been somewhat of a problem as I love adorable shoes and often wear them without socks. However, my feet get cold easily so there's no way I'm traipsing around barefoot or in my super comfy but totally unstylish padded white Hanes socks. For me it was MultiKulti, off Valencia, and Sock Dreams, out of Portland, to the rescue.

This shoes off policy has me wondering if our friends - specifically the boys - consider their footwear as carefully as I now do. (For the girls I know this to be true - they're the ones who introduced me to MultiKulti.)

I love the splash of color socks can add to a man's wardrobe, especially at a wedding where everyone is in black tuxedos or black suits. Check back on Monday to see what we're planning for boys at our wedding. Are you doing something special for your boys or just letting them wear their everyday socks?

In the meantime, here are some of my fav sock shots from recent weddings and engagement sessions.

Photography Credit: Tina Sargeant of Sargeant Studios via Glamour and Grace

Photography Credit: Unknown via Miss Cola on WeddingBee

Photography Credit: Sarah Yates Photography via Green Wedding Shoes

Photography Credit: Anna Hardy via Whimsical Wonderland Weddings

Photography Credit: Erica Velasco of Vision Photographs via The Bride's Cafe

Attended: Promises and Pearls - Vendor Recap

Hands down our (ok my) favorite vendor was Raffine Chocolates out of San Ramon. I love chocolate and OMG Raffine's sweet treats did not disappoint. For just over $2.50 each, we could treat each guest to a bite of heaven wrapped up in a box that matches our wedding colors.

At times it seemed as if Mooflyfoof and I were the only two brides getting married this year or in under six months. Because neither of us were engaged last year for the Third Annual Promises and Pearls we weren't really able to take advantage of vendor specials or planning tips. Most vendors for our respective weddings and receptions have already been chosen and are already booked.

Throughout the space, there were vendors offering furniture rentals, specialized table linens, chair covers and sashes - as well as the elusive Ghost Chairs.

I'm glad we didn't start our foray into the wide world of wedding planning at this event. The theme was decadence and neither of us embrace that in our every day lives. I kept thinking "Wouldn't it be great if there was a Maker's Wedding Salon or Etsy DIY Wedding Fair?" As both Make and Etsy options flow from authenticity, such a fair is probably unrealistic - each bride and groom have a different story to tell.

Formalwear as well as dress salons were in attendance. The trend appeared to be lots of bling - for bridesmaids as well as for the bride. I flipped through a bunch of catalogs scanning for potential Mother of the Bride outfits. I quickly realized that most MOB outfits are targeted for women in their late 40s or mid 50s. Or potentially women who have had some reconstruction work done that they want to show off.

The cupcake trend - reported by NY Times - to be dead, appeared to be still be in vogue. Although the cookie bar - no vegan options unfortunately - was more tempting to me.

Did you attend any Bridal Shows when you were engaged? What was your experience like?

Be sure to visit the blog tomorrow for the last Promises and Pearls recap featuring tablescapes.

Attended: Promises and Pearls

Last night we attended Promises and Pearls with Mooflyfoof. The event held at the Bently Reserve was hosted by MB Wedding Design and Events and Especially Yours Chair Covers. It was billed as an evening of decadence and it did not disappoint.

There was lots to see and do, so I'm going to split the recaps into multiple posts. Today I'll highlight the goodie bag and the food. Tomorrow I'll highlight the desserts so come on back!

Each couple received a goodie bag as they checked in (they ran out of bags so it was actually wise to grab the bag and carry it around). You could easily spot the grooms as they were typically standing off to the side sporting the bag hoisted over their shoulder. There were samples - cookies, chocolates, pastries; resources (Here Comes the Guide); and more (measuring tape with level, emery board).

The first room had a latin theme with Ceviche for sampling. There were three types. We weren't able to sample the ceviche until later in the evening as the ice bowls were almost always empty. Brides obviously like their ceviche!

ProTip 1: Arrive on time for events if you want to sample everything. Signature drinks and truffles (at The Beauty Bar) were gone by 7:00 pm and were not replenished.

In the middle of the main room there was a handroll station. On our first couple of passes we met with almost empty or empty platters.

Waiters frequently appeared with passed appetizers on granite slabs. They moved quickly through the throngs of people with food disappearing in a blink of an eye. Sorry for the blurred shots (they moved fast).

Brides appear to come ravenous to tastings. You've been warned.

ProTip 2: Stand by the door to the kitchen for the best selection of passed appetizers. Don't be bashful, grab the food as it goes by when you have the chance.

DIY Project: Out-of-Town Bags

After traveling for work and heading out to Belden for Priceless, we're back! And we're thinking/planning our wedding once again.

Over the past month, 100 Layer Cake has featured a couple of Guest Totes. One for NYC, Brooklyn, and last week Palm Springs. These guest totes got me thinking about our OOT bags once again. (These are one DIY Project that has been added to and deleted from our To Do list many times so far.)

San Francisco is known for many things. So it stands to reason that putting a unique out-of-town bag (OOT bag) together is somewhat challenging.

Before renewing the search for San Francisco items, I took a step back and thought about what represented us. We love food. Cooking and our favorite restaurants are featured in our wedding. Idea! Our OOT bag should be about food!

The Goodies from San Francisco that We Love

1. San Francisco Food Lover's Pocket Guide
2. Anchor Steam Beer Maybe we should offer guests the option to go for a tour of the brewery the Friday before the wedding?
3. Bi-Rite Creamery and Bakeshop Where we ventured for dessert on our third date. We first stuffed ourselves full of pizza at Delfina Pizzeria.
4. Boudin Sourdough The oldest sourdough bakery in San Francisco. My favorite sourdough bakery was Parisian - the second oldest sourdough bakery - which is now unfortunately shuttered.
5. Columbus A salame I grew up with. Once located in North Beach/San Francisco, they've now moved to Hayward.) Or Molinari & Sons Italian Dry Salame an Italian Dry Salame that's still located in San Francisco - unfortunately one that I'm unable to eat as it's made with dairy. Or Boccalone with its retail location in the SF Ferry Building (production is across the bay in Oakland).
6. Ritual Coffee Roasters They offer tea as well. In fact on one of our early dates, we stopped at Ritual on Valencia for a cup of tea. NOTE: We considered Blue Bottle - our favorite coffee - but it originated in Oakland, not San Francisco.
7. Tcho Say chocolate and San Francisco and immediately everyone thinks Ghirardelli or See's (headquartered in South San Francisco near where I grew up). At Priceless this past weekend, I discovered Tcho - the only chocolate factory in San Francisco today.

What do you think of our OOT bag so far? Think it represents the San Francisco we know and love? What else would you add?