A huge thank you to Brides New York Magazine for mentioning KenzieKate in their Fall 2006 edition! What a wonderful way to start the week!
If you want to read the little article above, click on the image and it becomes larger. Well, the article doesn't become larger, but the image of the article does. You know what I mean. Just click on it.

This is my 100th post! Super! When I first started posting I never thought I'd grow to like blogging this much. I look forward to writing and hearing all of your comments everyday. Who knew I'd get readers from Singapore, India, Spain, Isreal, or Japan?! Craziness. A big blogger "woot" to all you international readers.
Speaking of international... I'm off to Toronto for the weekend! I'm going to my soon to be sister-in-law's bridal shower, where we'll be putting together more paper poppy pomanders. I'll be sure to upload some pictures when I get home. Have a nice weekend everyone!

If you constantly find yourself mad at your mother, bemoaning your bridesmaids, or cursing the caterer, take 27 minutes, watch this. I challenge you, nay, I triple dog dare you to still be upset after watching Bob Ross. Most likely, you'll be fast asleep, head on the keyboard pressing the spacebar over and over with your forehead.

Thanks so much to Cute Overload for being AWESOME and posting this, I'm truly soothed.

Let's pull up the net, see what we've got this time!

* Shoes that are so retro-tastic.
* This wedding gown, which, if you took the poofy bottom part of the sleeves off, you could totally call it a Claire Pettibone.
* A hanky that's too pretty for anything other than tears of joy.
* A stunning orange wedding sari
* A gorgeous 1930's wedding kimono
* An empire waisted, bell sleeved gown from the 60's (a la that white lacy Micheal Kors frock that kept popping up all over the place this spring)

Via Oh Joy, I've discovered John Derian.
Truly, a great place for gifts if you have to shop for a couple who has it all, or if you want a unique gift that's off the registry.
The decoupage letter trays are my favorites. There's always a place in any home for a high class letter tray, that's what I always say.
If you're in the market for a really special cake stand for your wedding, there are some wonderfully creative options here. I love the idea of a white cake on the blue stand above. Check out the different flower themed stands if blue isn't in your wedding palette.

One thing I can't, CAN NOT abide by is a messy looking cake. You think its pretty from afar. You say to yourself, "Oooo, pretty!". But upon stepping closer to examine the details you can see little whatsits. No thanks. No whatsits for me today.
I'm surprised that I'm drawn to these particular cakes. They are, in the words of the blogging world "adorbs" and I'm not usually into adorbs.
However, these are so neat and tidy and perfect I cannot resist. Adorned just to a point of looking tasty, and remaining tastful. I cannot and will not resist posting about them.
"Them" are all from Jacque's Pastries in Suncook, New Hampshire. I suggest you visit their website for some more inspiration.

You are hip. You are young. You are tan, and cool and YOU are going to a party. Perhaps a rehersal dinner. Perhaps a bridal shower. Perhaps not.
You arrive a little late. You slink past the other guests with a shy smile and you greet your host with a cool calm, accepting her compliments on your dress. You breeze over to the buffet table, on the prowl. You are looking fine and you are feeling slinky and you are hoping that there is still paté.
Alas. There is not, and you are slightly pissed.

But you are fine with it because you have the coolest dress at the party. You eat a chicken wing instead. It is delightful.

Check out the Diadem collection from Sophiei for some inspired takes on the tiara/headband. I especially love that the tiaras are light, with out looking too wirey, you know what I mean? Sophie says she'll be more than happy to ship to the US, so don't be shy!

Bridesmaids need not dress alike: we all know this. But consider this, (you better sit), I don't think they need to be wearing dresses made by the same designer either! Oh my. I love the short champagne-y options for a crisp fall evening affair, and the shimmery greys would be lovely at any time.
If you ask me, the easiest way to go about the whole bridesmaid thing, would be to tell your friends what color you'd like them to wear and send them on their way. They'll be sure to get something flattering, something they can wear again, something in their own price range, and being your friends (with no doubt fantastic taste) they'll look fantastic! No worries. Best of all, NO dress fittings!
Lets see if I can remember where I found all these:

Halter Dress, from Betsey Johnson at eDressMe
Gold Party Dress by BCBG at eDressMe
ABS by Allen Schwartz Shantung Dress
BCBG Tulle Party Dress by Max Azaria at Nordstrom's
Tadashi Ruched Silk Dress at Nordstrom's
Strapless Tulle Party dress from BCDG at eDressMe

I love the modern yet goddess-y mix of these pieces by Yen Jewelry. Perfect for a beachy affair, or with a some sort of grecian inspired gown...

Ohhhhhhhh A trolling we will go, A trolling we will go, Hi-ho the dairy o', A trolling we will go.

This antique veil is blowing my mind.
This hair pin would look adorable on you.
A collection of lacy hankys to give to your lady friends, a la Martha Stewart.
An antique Chinese wedding tiara, because culture becomes all of us.

For the price of a pair of Louboutin's you can get yourself a totally custom made pair of heels. Not sorta custom, not a little customized, but entirely custom! London based shoe designer Emmy has designed footwear for a variety of the highest end fashion houses and is now focused on making bespoke wedding shoes out of her boutique on Cross Street. Each style of shoe can be customized by color, adornment, material, and heel height. Her wide range of shoe shapes and variety of bells and whistles leaves no doubt that the pampered bride will get exactly what she's after.
She'll even send her creations across the Atlantic to us bespoke-challenged North Americans.

I found these beauties via InStyle Weddings, and it turns out that the empire really does strike back! Woo hoo. Love it. I'm in favor of all fashion that allows a girl to eat a little dessert. I think all these dresses do a lovely job with the empire waist, dropping it just enough to keep people from whispering.
From the left to the right: Claire Pettibone, Reem Acra, Ramona Keveza, J Crew. (note: none of the dresses pictured above can be found on their maker's websites except for the J Crew dress. What's up with that?)

I always thought plain white cakes were kind of... plain. You know me, I always like a little twist. Over in The Land of Tea and Crumpets they seem to be spicing the old white wonder up a bit. I'm loving both of these cakes, inspired by dressmakers details.
If you've wondered why I'm posting a bunch of stuff from England, I just got a copy of the British edition of Brides magazine. I'm taking a drive on the other side of the road today just to see what there is to see. I'll let you know if anything else strikes me.
left: Maisie Fantaisie Wedding Cakes, where all the cakes are this nice. Even if you don't live in their neighborhood, they're worth a look.
right: Little Venice Cake Company, a posh shop with some inspiring takes on cakes.

I found these somewhat off beat shoes at Faith, a British shoe boutique. No worries though, they can ship across the pond for a nominal fee. The shoes in the middle are actually a pale pink, but it's hard to tell. The ones on the end would look adorable at a more casual affair. They also sell some really nice flats for those of you who are blessed with height and don't need to suffer the torture of 4 inch heels.

Oh, blog... I feel as though I've been away from you for too long! Hopefully today I'll be posting lots of goodies to make up for my weekend slackitude.
First off, I found another fun wedding blog that I'll be adding to the daily reads list. The Wedding Register is a great mix of interesting wedding related finds and equally interesting wedding related gossip. Blogger Melissa is quite a hoot, you should check her out.

A few days ago Priya over at Love made Visible posted about Freddy & Ma handbags. I believe Outblush did as well. I'm think I'm just going to jump right on this bandwagon, and sing along!
Anyone who's ever struggled to find just the right bag can see why this company is so amazing! They offer 6 styles, and each style is available in at least a billion different patterns and solids (maybe not exactly a billion). You choose the fabric, the metal for the closure, the leather for the straps, every little detail! Priya suggested that these might make wonderful bridesmaids gifts, which I thought was very astute. I also think they'd make for a fun flash of color in the bride's ensemble at a more casual affair. I whipped up a few options in the "hazel" style handbag, focusing on some of the blue patterns for obvious reasons.
Check it out, play around. It's only a matter of time until you come up with the perfect bag. I'm saving up for a "palo alto pouch" of my every own. I have it all planned out...

*Update* Freddy & Ma offer special bridal services, as mentioned by Pilot Publicity, (thanks for the tip!) in our comments section. View the comment and link to a detailed description of their bridal and bridesmaid's offerings.

I had the most fantastic meal last night! I couldn't have asked for a better birthday dinner. It was amazing!
I started with a honeydew margarita with just the slightest amount of salt around the rim. It tasted like summer, all ripe and bright green and slightly sweet. I could have had 4, but then I might not have enjoyed the rest of my dinner so well.
Next were fluffy, mild and savory blue cheese dumplings accompanied by ripe figs and bacon crumbles in a hazelnut sauce. It tasted very familiar and unlike anything I've ever tasted at the same time. Salty, sweet, smokey, cheesy, nutty and rich.
The main course was grilled veal (oh, stop!) with tiny perfect mushrooms and roasted red onions in some sort of tangy reduction. I'm unable to describe the taste, it was again so familiar and so different. It made me wish I was wearing tweed, sitting in a lodge with antlers on the walls. It made me want to smoke a pipe. (I swear to God Mom, I've never smoked a pipe in my entire life.)
I'm waxing so nostalgic about last night's dinner that I don't want to eat anything today. I feel that the cereal and turkey sandwiches making up my normal eating routine would be totally disappointing after last night.
Why is all this relavant you ask? Well I'll tell you. Applewood caters! That's right. If you live in the New York area, Chef David Shea and his crew will feed you and your lucky lucky guests whether you're having a wedding, a birthday party, or a bridal shower. Oh, and if you could invite me, that would be great. Please?

I love this idea! These little decals from Venus en Mars stick to your china or glassware, and are reuseable. The food safe stickers are electrostatic, so there's no glue involved. Available online at Illico. Keep the decals after the event, and use them to decorate your own dishes during the holidays.

Forgive me, I couldn't resist putting up an image of one of my invites (the Manhattan), becuase they would match so well! It's kind of uncanny.

Happy Birthday to my sister Heather! And also to me! We're both 27 today.
I have a rule on my birthday, that I get to induldge in whatever tasty treats I want for the whole day, guilt free.
This morning, I had an everything bagel with sun dried tomato cream cheese, and it was everything it was cracked up to be.
For lunch, I'm not sure, but it has to be small because dinner is a doooozy, and I want to be good and hungry.
For dinner, the mister and I are headed over to Applewood, which never ever disapoints me.
Hopefully, after Applewood, there will be some sort of cake with frosting! Or cupcakes! Or petit fours! The options are all so delightful!
Have a great day Heath!

I'm hoping to make "Trolling eBay" a weekly feature, where I aim to seek out the tastiest vintage jewelry, vintage dresses, vintage handbags, and other wedding appropriate items to be had in the vast ebay expanse.
I'm going to insert a little caveat here, and say that I don't think it's a great idea to buy diamonds or other very expensive items on ebay. I'm a firm believer in the "you get what you pay for" school of shopping, and will not be pointing you in the direction of any 99 cent "diamond" rings. Too risky. So without further adooo-

ART DECO ESTATE RHINESTONE DRESS CLIP BROOCH ~VINTAGE
50s Vintage Lace Bride Bridal Wedding Dress Gown & Veil
SLEEK VINT ESTATE 14K GOLD FILIGREE TURQUOISE EARRINGS
Estate Vintage Sterling Silver Stylized Bird Rhinestone

I love the blue and white thing. I registered for some gorgeous hexagonal blue and whites for my wedding, (they are, sadly, no longer available). I use them all the time. But there are some really cool new designs out there, not your moma's Blue Willows.
(Just as I'm writing this, I'm thinking that I've seen somewhere recently a feature on just this topic, was it Martha? I feel like it was. I swear this stuff just seeps into my brains, all Opal Mehta style).
Ok so, regardless. Above: I like the Crate and Barrel version, up there in the top corner. The next collection is one I spotted at Nest in Brooklyn, (one of my favorite stores) called Tablestories Dinnerware by Tord Boontje. Last but not least, these "Blue Line" series plates can be found at Pearl River Mart. I have a ton of these plates and I heart them. They go really well with my now unavailable hexagonal blue and whites. I like to mix and match. Hell, it's all blue and white, not a huge leap.



I don't usually go back and add stuff to posts, but I just loved these blue and white plates from Rosanna, (via Design*Sponge) that I had to share.

Claus Porto makes gorgeous candles that come in these darling little boxes. I love the retro packaging. I first saw them at this store called Living on Seventh (219 7th Ave Brooklyn) where they never fail to have nice things.
I thought the candles (or any of their other products, including various soaps and lotions) would make fun gifts. They're just so pretty, it's hard to pass them up.

This weekend, while I was "resurfching" (that's half researching, half surfing) I came across these clever little rings by Jennifer Dawes. The idea is that the jewels and or golden ball bearings slide around inside the track on top of the ring, creating a pleasant little poetry of motion on your finger. After some careful thought, I decided that I very much like these rings. Very modern jewelry can tend toward clunky. While I think the clunk CAN be very pretty, it's not generally something I gravitate towards. I like that these remain feminine and dainty but with a clean line and an almost engineer-y feel. Her approach to displaying the gems is unpretentious, and it's totally different from anything I've seen. Very smart. Very smart indeed.

Hi all,
On Friday, I had a run in with a bully (or a crook, I can't decide) and today, I had a run in with a very confrontational store owner. Both were rather aggressive and disturbing to me on a very personal level. I was shaken. Really. I wrote a rant right after my encounter this morning, and posted it here. After having written it though, I felt better and saw no reason it should stay up so I took it down. It was a little angry, and angry's not really my vibe.
So here we are, post bullies, post rant, and I feel good. I feel a real appreciation for nice people. So, *raises glass of Crystal Light* to kind, honest, helpful, people everywhere: Rock on.

These dresses represent a range of beautifully detailed work from Y and Kei. I thought they were inspiring. The intricate details of the middle one work so well on that sillouette.

Color. Embrace it.
Blue earrings would be a safe place to start.

From left to right:
a) Special, but not sparkly sea glass earrings from the actual sea.
b) Dainty and delightful blue glass cameos with a pearl drop, dripping with class.
c) Briolette brilliance, can't go wrong with that.

Recently, I've been in bathing suit mode... avoiding sweets and such. A note to those of you doing the same: Look away, avert your eyes.
After browsing page after page of cakes over at CakeWork, (it's now 11:05 am) I want nothing more than a big piece of cake. Don't skimp on the frosting. Actually, I could take or leave the cake, I just want the frosting. And I want one of those little tiny cakes over at oh joy! while we're at it.
The ever so tempting CakeWork is in San Francisco and the designer's specialty is cakes wrapped in white chocolate, rather than buttercream or fondant. I think it's gorgeous, not to mention highly vexing to those of us trying to foray into the dangerous world of bikinis.

I'm currently obsessed with the idea of glass jars filled with stuff as centerpieces. Fruit, candy, flowers... you name it I like it. I love this site for buying bulk jars and bottles at really great prices. The tiny colored jars would look so beautiful in combinations of blues in a variety of heights with single buds in each bottle. I'm thinking white peonies for some reason.
If you were thinking of filling jars (for the buffet table or as centerpieces), with sweet treats, check out Economy Candy for their amazing selection. I particularly like the look of different candies, all of the same hue, filling different sized glass jars. It's all about the golden ticket, candy shoppe, youthful joy of it all. *wistful sigh*

This is a great site for all those things you forgot you needed. Table runners, paper umbrellas, sandlewood fans, favor boxes, hanging lanterns, placemats, and a multitude of other things at relatively good prices. Use your imagination, look around, there's a lot to be had here. Asianideas.com

Whilst chillaxing this weekend, I found some really fun blogs that you should check out. Firstly, Fashion is Spinach is my new favorite fashion blog. I found myself reading all the archived posts, which is how I can tell if something is genuinely good.
Also on the radar is the already well known Go Fug Yourself, which had me laughing out loud as I read about the fashion tribulations of Hollywood's starlets. Heather and Jessica, the girls who write GFY are smart, funny, and they've got tongues like scimitars. Poor Mischa Barton just gets ripped to shreds, but I'll be damned if it isn't hilarious.

This just in from Martha Stewart: "Wasting time, it's a good thing".

I love this "Giant Pretty Glass Jar Filled with Drinks" craze. It's very useful and pragmatic, whilst staying well clear of the giant blue plastic Rubbermaid barrel filled with iced tea, (which would be... not as good). Although, if it were my jar at my event, I'd want it to have a spigot or spout of some kind with which my guests could properly pour. I don't like the ladeling of drinks into cups, it's too... drippy. So that being said, I found you all some spigoty jars, and on the cheap too. You can get them here.