Another Wakeema Hollis Post
If you blew on her she'd probably fall over but I still love me some Wakeema Hollis.
Chanel Iman, Arlenis and Jourdan may be getting the lions share of bookings among black models but this Memphis born American girl with the angel face is one of my favorites and I am always pleased to see her on the runway. Fortunately for her fans, she's been booking a steady stream of jobs. Well, on US runways anyway.
My excitement was dampered a bit by the fact that Wakeema's signature natural hairdo has been MIA in nearly all her recent runway and editorial work. I posted a little on this before on this blog, and I am aware that sometimes designers have all their models strutting their stuff wearing wigs but c'mon already. Why is it that white models are the only ones that get to enjoy distinctive looks? Mouth breathing top model Agyness Deyn has been sporting the slight variations on that same bleached blond short hair on the runway and in print for as long as I care to remember. Will there ever be a day when natural hair longer than an inch will be commonplace on kinky haired catwalkers? At least one? I'm not holding my breath.
Photos: The Fashion Spot
My first Tweetup in NY
Here is my first participation in a Tweetup (David calls it a Tweeter Party). @KatjaPresnal, formerly of Skimbaco.com and now of Lady Bug Landings and her social marketing consulting business, organized the shindig at Le Pain Quotidien at W. 58th and 7th Ave. Even though it rained, we had several out of towners! Including @ReelInvitations from CT (www.reelinvitations.com) and @PopJudaica from Brooklyn (www.popjudaica.com). @SavvyAuntie was there, and we talked about her site Savvy Auntie site for baby and toddler gifts, and how I purchased something from it that day. Newcomers for me were @BabiesGottaHavT who is a one woman show with her baby as they vlog about baby products, and @kaibigan7, a photo retoucher and in demand at the table.
So you can imagine the conversations! And then, @PopJudiaca pulled out bunches of her hot Schlep Totes (pictured)! And I actually had to use it on my way to my next outing!
Chanel @ GUCCI - Don't Call it a Comeback...
Chanel Iman, who has worked an astonishing 40 shows this catwalk season between New York, Paris, and Milan, made headlines when she showed two looks for Gucci Spring 2009.
Fashionologie, reported that she became the first black model in a Gucci show since Tom Ford left and was replaced by Frida Giannini in 2005. Iman was the sole non-white model on the stage that was populated almost exclusively by models with nearly identical blonde shoulder length hairstyles.
Photo: fashionkid90/catwalking
In Other Blogs...Not Much Diversity in Milan
Milan Fashion Week is notorious for its lack of diversity on the runway and this season has brought out more of the same in spite of the universal love for Vogue Italia's "Black" Issue.
The Shophound is a great fashion blog that has been tracking the presence of Black and Asian models during Fashion Week.
Bottega Veneta featured the most diversity. Out of the 28 models on their runway, four were black and one was Asian. In second place was Dolce & Gabbana, who had three black models, 1 Asian and 1 South Asian model. A few shows had one token non-white models and many more had none. Read more of the numbers at The Shophound.
Photo: ONTD_fashinfags
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Unfortunately, There is No Red Carpet Event for this Awards Show
Andrea, The Cruel Secretary, has bestowed my blog with the Certified Honest Blogger Award. I must say that I'm really touched.
I am required to give this award to seven other bloggers which was tough because there are dozens of bloggers out there that I read and admire. After giving it a little thought, these are the blogs with which I wish to share my award:
5. Safera
The rest of the requirements for receiving the award are below. Hopefully, I can get all this done by the end of the day today :)
1. When you receive the award, you must write a post showing it, including the name of blog that has presented you with the award and providing a link to that blog.
2. Choose a minimum of seven blogs that you feel are brilliant in their content or design.
3. Show their names and links and leave them a comment informing them that they were recognized with this award.
4. (Optional) Show a picture of those who awarded you and those you give the prize to.
5. Pass it on!
TRACE: Black Girls Rule
I can never find this magazine on the newsstands anymore but fortunately TRACE is still alive and well and putting out a Black Girls RULE! issue. It's available free (as a .pdf file) on their website. What I love most about BGR is that it always features a few new faces and not just to 1 or 2 black models of the moment. This issue has been available online for awhile but I thought I'd share it anyway :)
Mini-Rant on Allure Magazine
This month's Letter from the Editor in Allure Magazine takes a swipe at Kimora Lee Simmons and her over-the-top glam persona. In the letter, editor Linda Wells, starts by bemoaning the excess packaging of expensive beauty products and how all that unnecessary plastic and cardboard may be harming the environment while making us more beautiful .
"The packaging of beauty products has gotten out of control," she says. "Whatever happened to the ideal of the French woman who wore the same Yves Saint Laurent jacket for 20 years?" And then "The beauty industry has to move away from the Kimora Lee Simmons approach to luxury." A branding specialist added that "All of that shiny cellophane and metal is not sophisticated."
While I agree with her that excess packaging on all products is problematic her other two points just rub me the wrong way. First of all, I also admire women who can look stylish in vintage clothing or with small wardrobes. Hell, I hope to be one of those women someday but to the best of my recollection, this ideal has NEVER been idealized in fashion magazines which exist to push the latest and trendiest clothing and accessories down our throats. Any celebrity or socialite in vintage pieces in one issue will more than likely show up in the same space the following month wearing something fresh off the runway to coincide with whatever advertiser bought the most ads.
Second, though I have a serious love/hate thing going on with Kimora I was miffed at the insult. For one, her cosmetics line doesn't tout $200 beauty creams and certainly isn't over packaged. Sure, she's as flashy as she is mouthy but criticizing her excess in a magazine the regularly praises all manner of pricey concoctions is a bit hypocritical.
This issue alone pushed a $75 per day juice cleanse diet, a $1,125 fox fur vest, $9K Cartier watch, $4,100 Versace gown, a $700 Garren NY haircut and $925 YSL shoes (that definitely could NOT be worn for 20 years!)
If they really wanted to criticize a celebrity for excessive living they should have looked no further than their August cover girl Victoria Beckham.
Photo: Emilie/TFS
Michael Kors - Fall 2008
I will readily admit that I never paid much attention to Michael Kors until Project Runway. Now that his Fall 2008 collection is arriving in stores and in magazine editorials, I can't just get enough. One runway review said that this collection had a pronounced Alfred Hitchcock vibe. I don't really see that but what I do think when I look at these pieces is that Kors perfectly captured that grown and sexy quality that appeals to me. It manages to be both classic and current without making the wearer look like a secretarial pool extra from Mad Men. I could easily envision Michelle Obama wearing any number of these looks, this belted floral dress in particular.
S: Style.com
Is Fashion Racist? Vogue Readers Say Yes.
Reader chimed in and responded to the article "Is Fashion Racist?" which appeared in the July issue of American Vogue. The "Talking Back" section printed four letters, three of which named Vogue magazine itself as part of the problem. Sandra Robbins from Memphis,TN wrote: "I am a black woman, and one of the reasons I refuse to purchase Vogue is that there are not many people who look like me in its pages...Wake up and smell the coffee." Reader Janna Pankey of Laurel, MD added: "...to whittle down diversity to simply a case of 'white and black' is not a step in the right direction. It marginalizes other ethnic groups, reducing their significance to something less than 'other.'
Damn. If these are the letters they printed, I would love to read the stuff that didn't make the cut!
The Fashion Spot Interviews EBAY Style Director Constance White
The interview is not what one would call in-depth but might be worth a look if you are a fan of Constance's EBAY blog or have a dusty copy of her book Stylenoir on your bookshelf. In the interview, Constance talks very briefly about her favorite collections and models this season.
I was paging through Stylenoir the other day. It's not heavy on color photographs and definitely seems a little outdated but I would love if Constance would publish another style book for black women. It seems there is a new one coming out each week from the likes of Rachel Zoe and Nina Garcia (both of whom published books that I really liked) so why not White too?
New Business Venture for Me :: Collective-E
Everyone:This is an adaption of an update I created for people who I know on email, and here it is now for those of you who I know via online outlets, including FashionMista Comments, and even those who don't comment, but silently keep up with how this designer quit her day job to make her dream job a reality. And let me tell you - this is a reality that has taken on its own life based on listening to the needs of and support from others.
Now that I'm back from a beautiful lifetime union, I am back in the saddle, quickly getting back into client projects, as well building that of my own new project with two other partners, set to launch Sept. 24th, called Collective-E. Some of you know about it already, some of you are coming to the launch party, and I hope more of you will be coming to the launch party and will check out our website when we officially unveil it. But mainly, I wanted you to hear about this new venture from me personally.
A few months ago, two women and I got together in order to grow an experience we shared together in a Ladies Who Launch incubator here in NYC. These two women are Sabina Ptacin, co-founder of Red Branch PR, and Beth Schoenfeldt, co-founder of Ladies Who Launch and the incubator series. We recognized, and thrived from (hello...I quit my day job to expand Katie James to include website design!) the power of a group of women and the resulting sharing of ideas, vision and strength.
Sabina, Beth and I wanted to continue pumping business strategies, online tips, PR leads and whatever else crossed our paths, to everyone we knew, which culminated in the forming of www.collective-e.com, a world-wide collective of women entrepreneurs with tools to leverage this community to exponentially increase resources, opportunities and support. As businesses owners, we recognized four key elements to creating and maintaining a successful business: business strategy, online strategy, solid PR and business branding, and Community. We are experienced in each of these areas and are working with experts in these and more areas in order to nurture ideas and build brands.
Our launch party is Sept. 24th from 7-9pm here in New York, at the woman-centered shared office work space, In Good Company (it's beautiful, btw). I'd love to see you if you can come! I know it's a little short notice, but that's ok, because we will be having other parties, events and workshops. Some of them may be member-only, but maybe you'll be a member by then. ;) To get details about the launch party, go to www.collective-e.com. You can even freely participate in a "live" gift bag we are doing, that is kind of like trick-or-treat! We've started a newsletter of free PR Leads that will soon be member only, so sign up for some great leads, tips, opportunities and future offers at www.collective-e.com.
Thanks as always, and maybe I'll see you on the 24th! Space is limited, so if you can only come for a bit, that's ok! David will be there as the bartender/photographer/supporter.
xoxo,
Katie
ps: This new venture is in addition to Katie James, LLC and all of the projects that spiral out of that!
Joy Bryant in her Angela Missoni designed wedding gown
The actress married boyfriend, stuntman David Pope, in the Hamptons on June 28th at a private beachfront estate. The former model enjoys a close friendship with the designer. Bryant met her beau while filming Welcome Home, Roscoe Jenkins.
Writing for The Go Getters Blog
Facebook. My old friendships are spreading wildly as old friends popup, requesting to be friends. I'm talking long lost girlfriends who I really didn't think I've ever hear from again, and sometimes long for the days when we had our moments of friendship.
One such friend found me: Casey. She is adorable. We went to different schools, but had many of the same friends, as she seemed to be in just about every circle. Toward the end of high school, she became my saving grace when going to our coming out ball (in 7th grade, I was tricked into participating in this...My mom asked me if I'd like to wear a big white dress at a big party, and I said "Yes!" and then I was signed up, going to dances once a year with the same people who danced with the same people...and they weren't my people...sniff sniff).
During my senior year of high school, when friendships at my school got a little funky as everyone headed to college, she and I could just hang out and do random things, like go to cowboy bars or who knows what. In fact, she now lives in Colorado. Hmmm! It's all making sense!
Then more than ten years go by, having not heard from each other, and I get a friend request from her in Facebook. Yay! And she has a blog! It's called The Go-Getters and it's all about going and getting what you want. Their motto: "If you want it, go get it". She invited me to blog on it with them, since I seem to do things from time to time, and tonight, I wrote my first post! It's on how I accidentally taught Stretching to some Harlem girls in Central Park when I really just went out to jog. They saw me stretching, something I do every day and is just a part of life, but to them, it was something new, and they wanted to try. So I did it, and it was fun. As it relates to Go Getters, I guess it was these girls getting some stretching practice, and me experiencing the barrierless sesssion.
Here's an excerpt:
"I like to stretch before the run just to keep everything flowing. I did this, while listening to some girls in the distance blaring some rap music - that they were singing. Normal for New York. A little loud for a Saturday, but that's OK. After I completed my last stretch, I hear: "Can we stretch with you?"
I looked around, but I was the only one anyone could be talking to. The girls had come down the hill and wanted to stretch with me. Was I getting robbed? Was this a sting? Was I going to turn my back, and their boyfriends were going to get me? I have gotten accosted before in Central Park, but that was at night when I was alone because Gerdy was snooping in the woods. But I played along..."
Read the whole thing >
One such friend found me: Casey. She is adorable. We went to different schools, but had many of the same friends, as she seemed to be in just about every circle. Toward the end of high school, she became my saving grace when going to our coming out ball (in 7th grade, I was tricked into participating in this...My mom asked me if I'd like to wear a big white dress at a big party, and I said "Yes!" and then I was signed up, going to dances once a year with the same people who danced with the same people...and they weren't my people...sniff sniff).
During my senior year of high school, when friendships at my school got a little funky as everyone headed to college, she and I could just hang out and do random things, like go to cowboy bars or who knows what. In fact, she now lives in Colorado. Hmmm! It's all making sense!
Then more than ten years go by, having not heard from each other, and I get a friend request from her in Facebook. Yay! And she has a blog! It's called The Go-Getters and it's all about going and getting what you want. Their motto: "If you want it, go get it". She invited me to blog on it with them, since I seem to do things from time to time, and tonight, I wrote my first post! It's on how I accidentally taught Stretching to some Harlem girls in Central Park when I really just went out to jog. They saw me stretching, something I do every day and is just a part of life, but to them, it was something new, and they wanted to try. So I did it, and it was fun. As it relates to Go Getters, I guess it was these girls getting some stretching practice, and me experiencing the barrierless sesssion.
Here's an excerpt:
"I like to stretch before the run just to keep everything flowing. I did this, while listening to some girls in the distance blaring some rap music - that they were singing. Normal for New York. A little loud for a Saturday, but that's OK. After I completed my last stretch, I hear: "Can we stretch with you?"
I looked around, but I was the only one anyone could be talking to. The girls had come down the hill and wanted to stretch with me. Was I getting robbed? Was this a sting? Was I going to turn my back, and their boyfriends were going to get me? I have gotten accosted before in Central Park, but that was at night when I was alone because Gerdy was snooping in the woods. But I played along..."
Read the whole thing >
Jada Pinkett Smith Loves Her Some Bangles
Jada and her artfully bangled wrist at the premiere of "The Women" in Westwood, California. I love how perfectly balanced the look is with the right number of small and wide bracelets.
source: aagc
Estelle in Versace Pre-Fall 2008
It looks a little snug on Estelle but the color is beautiful on her. I also love what I can see of her jewelry. What do you think?
S:Fashion_Girl22, zimbio, style
ETA: Vivica Fox in Dior
I haven't alway been a fan of Aunt Viv's personal style but lately she is looking glamorous and age appropriate. Does anyone out there watch her VH-1 show about stylists? Is it worth tuning in?
S: ConcreteLoop, Dior.com
Duro Olowu in Vogue Magazine
Vogue's Sally Singer featured Olowu, along with Roberto Cavalli and Tracy Feith, in her short piece about the best "bohemian" designers. Singer also wrote the much maligned article "From Here to Timbuktu" that appeared in Vogue a few months ago, so clearly she is their go-to person for ethnic influenced clothing. Here, she credits Olowo for "keeping wild graphics in check" and praises his "caravan of dreams creations." Ok, whatever. When I look at Olowu's designs and textiles, I just think beautifully layered clothing that a colorphobe like me might fantasize about working into my Beatnik uniform.
Donyale Luna in NYLON
Even though I cancelled my free subscription, I still get NYLON in the mail every month. It's like the Jehovah's Witnesses of the magazine world -- when I least expect it, there it is at the door and I feel obligated to at least look at it though I'd rather be doing something else.
This month's issue was devoted to "IT" Girls. There were a few black faces inside this month's issue but it still hit the recycle bin in record time. I did pause on this page, featuring a photo of Donyale Luna which I hadn't seen before.
The woman had issues but my she had beautiful teeth.
Wedding Pictures of The Day
Hi All. Below are pictures of The Day by friends (including this graphic designer), as we await photos from the photographer. I tried to get full pictures of The Dress, but on The Day, forgot all about it and didn't make sure to get these angles.
My girls and I vowed to have and keep our own schedule on The Day, and not get swept up in other people's to-do lists. We only had one "sneak-attack", as my former colleague Kelly Bear Mista and I call them. This refers to a mega-important job that is not in the schedule, but needs to be done now. This was the table assignments. It is documented below. And now, I give you, a lot of photos:
Prior to The Day, the largest amount of think time was into how the tables would be arranged in this Casino, which isn't a casino at all, but barn-like structure that has housed numerous parties, lobster bakes, and talent shows since the early 1900s. See those orange glowing balls? Dad has just hung those. They are China lamps that he surgically cut in order to envelop the real lamp globe that hung there. Up for debate was the type of tape he needed to serve as a seam.
The Men. That's my dad, his brother on the right, and David on the left. Godmother Mista had emailed, re-emailed, printed and sent a table arrangement she arranged in Excel to accommodate my mom's vision of No Round Tables. Mom wanted slanted long tables, 3 at a side, so that everyone could comfortably talk to each other. This chart was run past the other brother of my dad, who is an architect and worked on the Pentagon, and Godmother Mista's friend who was a top wedding planner. Both said that the plan was executable. The Men do not agree and are stumped as to what to do. In the end, the Excel arrangement was 100% accurate.
The Men are back at the Planning Table, planning. I think they are deciding on how much alchohol to buy, and are researching how much fits into a glass per hour. This is despite the fact that I had a list from the caterer. It appears that Brides have no say in matters.
This picture of Dental Mista and me was taken on Friday of the 3-day wedding weekend. It is midnight, and we've had Christmas Cove's famous Whale's Milk, which is as you expect: delish and potent. We have realized that we are but delightful pieces in the wedding, and have no control. It didn't look like people were leaving the bar yet (the only bar in Christmas Cove, which is where the wedding was), and we are collapsing. I had just said to her: "I think we're here until the cows come home." She responded with: "Where are the bleepin' cows?" It was a moment. ;)
The day before the wedding, I was not needed for the setup. So, we took to the car and went shopping. On the left is my sister, South American Mista (she's leaving for Argentina shortly after the wedding), and New Mom Mista.
I include this photo to show what it looked like most of the time for David and myself when we were together. We weren't together very often because we were like butterflies among our sides of guests. When we got together to say hi, the Paparazzi would arrive. In the picture from left is my grampa, David's dad, David's youngest sister, and David's oldest niece.
The night before the wedding, David stayed the night with his sister's family in a rental next door to our house. This house has a porch that overlooks our yard. Apparently, he tried to spy on me, but I was nowhere to be found. Dental Mista and I went on a peaceful walk to Smelly Beach (a beach of seaweed and rocks) with Gerdy and coffee. Dental Mista was preparing for Ramadan by kicking her caffine addiction, but I begged her to have coffee for this wedding weekend, to maintain both of our moods and sanity.
We returned from our walk, and into the sneaky sneak attack. Godmother Mista is on the left. My mom is carefully finishing her seating assignments on the right. Godmother Mista became Fraunk from Father of the Bride, and was basically a drill sergeant to keep the whole thing on time. She left the reception site setup to get the seating assignments from my mom, and there were holes in the assignments, and we didn't really know who was not assigned. The Girls and I postponed our appointments with ourselves to do our hair and nails, and swooped in to finish the job.
Film&Finance Mista, who I have changed to Bright Eyes Mista (blond in white shirt), was our adopted sister in the house, and basically assumed a roll of bridesmaid. There are several systems going on in this picture, and Bright Eyes Mista has taken over. In the back is Dental Mista, who remained in horrified disbelief that this was not done yet. No matter. We flew through it in a Cone of Silence. No one was allowed to talk to us. David's niece is far right, threading table numbers onto people's names. These all had to be individually cut. Woa is right. It was intense.
Finally we are getting ready! Dental Mista curls my hair as I prepare my nails. The coolest thing about this part was that there were two open windows in front of us, and the day was particularlly windy in that mysterious way. So, the winds of change blew on us throughout this process.
David's adorable sister, Dayna, and a bridesmaid. How cute is she! The bridesmaid's outfits and my dress were my big contribution to the wedding, and are Katie James originals (designed by me). I got a bridesmaids outfit for myself because I liked them so much.
My sister decides to get ready in front of the mirror, and the tub is in her way. She is determined.
Some of The Girls. Before this picture, they were all scrutinizing something on my face. Could have been a mosquito bite/zit.
Meanwhile, outside, we hired some young people to help us set up chairs and such. This is Michael and his friends. Michael is a volunteer fireman while his friend is a lobsterguy.
This is my Nana and her beau, Bill. The house where we had the wedding is one that has been in her family for generations. This yellow house is that of our neighbors, who let us use their yard, as well as their hydrangeas.
This is the 8-page program that was chock full of information about the location, the families, and the seating chart (so it had to be right!). Mom made the Katie James Twitterpaited desktop background the theme to much of the wedding, which was actually originally created for Reel Invitations's website.
Cue the precision timed walk down the isle music - Pachabel Cannon in D. Godmother Mista will have to weigh in with what version she found in her extensive classical collection.
This is David, his brother-in-law and best man, and my brother.
David's twin sister.
Dental Mista.
My sister.
David's neices of his youngest sister.
Lexa, David's niece of his oldest sister, and escort of Gerdy, who bears the rings around her neck in a Katie James jewelry pouch.
That's me and my dad.
The Cocktails on the Porch party. We were taking pictures around the corner the whole time.
Gerdy's either being really good, or someone just told her about a Cookie.
See Gerdy on floor. She came with us to the reception - on her own choice - and slept at the feet of everyone the whole night until dancing started, when she was escorted home. xo
Jam on the left, made by a couple in the area, a buckey in the box, made by my aunt, and the stellar table cards on bottom.
What a stud.
Our favorite picture of the wedding. My dad dancing with Dental Mista. More like tangoing/marching her across the room.
These are the pictures, my friends. Sorry to end abruptly, but I'm doing this at night, and it's 2:15am! And my brain has finally shut down. More pictures may come if they are different enough, and if new ones come from the official wedding photographer. Thank you for looking, and happy weddings and marriages to all!
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo
My girls and I vowed to have and keep our own schedule on The Day, and not get swept up in other people's to-do lists. We only had one "sneak-attack", as my former colleague Kelly Bear Mista and I call them. This refers to a mega-important job that is not in the schedule, but needs to be done now. This was the table assignments. It is documented below. And now, I give you, a lot of photos:
Prior to The Day, the largest amount of think time was into how the tables would be arranged in this Casino, which isn't a casino at all, but barn-like structure that has housed numerous parties, lobster bakes, and talent shows since the early 1900s. See those orange glowing balls? Dad has just hung those. They are China lamps that he surgically cut in order to envelop the real lamp globe that hung there. Up for debate was the type of tape he needed to serve as a seam.
The Men. That's my dad, his brother on the right, and David on the left. Godmother Mista had emailed, re-emailed, printed and sent a table arrangement she arranged in Excel to accommodate my mom's vision of No Round Tables. Mom wanted slanted long tables, 3 at a side, so that everyone could comfortably talk to each other. This chart was run past the other brother of my dad, who is an architect and worked on the Pentagon, and Godmother Mista's friend who was a top wedding planner. Both said that the plan was executable. The Men do not agree and are stumped as to what to do. In the end, the Excel arrangement was 100% accurate.
The Men are back at the Planning Table, planning. I think they are deciding on how much alchohol to buy, and are researching how much fits into a glass per hour. This is despite the fact that I had a list from the caterer. It appears that Brides have no say in matters.
This picture of Dental Mista and me was taken on Friday of the 3-day wedding weekend. It is midnight, and we've had Christmas Cove's famous Whale's Milk, which is as you expect: delish and potent. We have realized that we are but delightful pieces in the wedding, and have no control. It didn't look like people were leaving the bar yet (the only bar in Christmas Cove, which is where the wedding was), and we are collapsing. I had just said to her: "I think we're here until the cows come home." She responded with: "Where are the bleepin' cows?" It was a moment. ;)
The day before the wedding, I was not needed for the setup. So, we took to the car and went shopping. On the left is my sister, South American Mista (she's leaving for Argentina shortly after the wedding), and New Mom Mista.
I include this photo to show what it looked like most of the time for David and myself when we were together. We weren't together very often because we were like butterflies among our sides of guests. When we got together to say hi, the Paparazzi would arrive. In the picture from left is my grampa, David's dad, David's youngest sister, and David's oldest niece.
The night before the wedding, David stayed the night with his sister's family in a rental next door to our house. This house has a porch that overlooks our yard. Apparently, he tried to spy on me, but I was nowhere to be found. Dental Mista and I went on a peaceful walk to Smelly Beach (a beach of seaweed and rocks) with Gerdy and coffee. Dental Mista was preparing for Ramadan by kicking her caffine addiction, but I begged her to have coffee for this wedding weekend, to maintain both of our moods and sanity.
We returned from our walk, and into the sneaky sneak attack. Godmother Mista is on the left. My mom is carefully finishing her seating assignments on the right. Godmother Mista became Fraunk from Father of the Bride, and was basically a drill sergeant to keep the whole thing on time. She left the reception site setup to get the seating assignments from my mom, and there were holes in the assignments, and we didn't really know who was not assigned. The Girls and I postponed our appointments with ourselves to do our hair and nails, and swooped in to finish the job.
Film&Finance Mista, who I have changed to Bright Eyes Mista (blond in white shirt), was our adopted sister in the house, and basically assumed a roll of bridesmaid. There are several systems going on in this picture, and Bright Eyes Mista has taken over. In the back is Dental Mista, who remained in horrified disbelief that this was not done yet. No matter. We flew through it in a Cone of Silence. No one was allowed to talk to us. David's niece is far right, threading table numbers onto people's names. These all had to be individually cut. Woa is right. It was intense.
Finally we are getting ready! Dental Mista curls my hair as I prepare my nails. The coolest thing about this part was that there were two open windows in front of us, and the day was particularlly windy in that mysterious way. So, the winds of change blew on us throughout this process.
David's adorable sister, Dayna, and a bridesmaid. How cute is she! The bridesmaid's outfits and my dress were my big contribution to the wedding, and are Katie James originals (designed by me). I got a bridesmaids outfit for myself because I liked them so much.
My sister decides to get ready in front of the mirror, and the tub is in her way. She is determined.
Some of The Girls. Before this picture, they were all scrutinizing something on my face. Could have been a mosquito bite/zit.
Meanwhile, outside, we hired some young people to help us set up chairs and such. This is Michael and his friends. Michael is a volunteer fireman while his friend is a lobsterguy.
This is my Nana and her beau, Bill. The house where we had the wedding is one that has been in her family for generations. This yellow house is that of our neighbors, who let us use their yard, as well as their hydrangeas.
This is the 8-page program that was chock full of information about the location, the families, and the seating chart (so it had to be right!). Mom made the Katie James Twitterpaited desktop background the theme to much of the wedding, which was actually originally created for Reel Invitations's website.
Cue the precision timed walk down the isle music - Pachabel Cannon in D. Godmother Mista will have to weigh in with what version she found in her extensive classical collection.
This is David, his brother-in-law and best man, and my brother.
David's twin sister.
Dental Mista.
My sister.
David's neices of his youngest sister.
Lexa, David's niece of his oldest sister, and escort of Gerdy, who bears the rings around her neck in a Katie James jewelry pouch.
That's me and my dad.
The Cocktails on the Porch party. We were taking pictures around the corner the whole time.
Gerdy's either being really good, or someone just told her about a Cookie.
See Gerdy on floor. She came with us to the reception - on her own choice - and slept at the feet of everyone the whole night until dancing started, when she was escorted home. xo
Jam on the left, made by a couple in the area, a buckey in the box, made by my aunt, and the stellar table cards on bottom.
What a stud.
Our favorite picture of the wedding. My dad dancing with Dental Mista. More like tangoing/marching her across the room.
These are the pictures, my friends. Sorry to end abruptly, but I'm doing this at night, and it's 2:15am! And my brain has finally shut down. More pictures may come if they are different enough, and if new ones come from the official wedding photographer. Thank you for looking, and happy weddings and marriages to all!
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo
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