Sometimes we like to shoot giant robots with pumpkins…

How do you know you live (kind of way out) in the country?  You might find yourself shooting giant robots with pumpkins, or watching uncomfortably as your six year old maneuvers what looks like a tank with ease.

Sunday afternoon, we took an impromptu trip up the road to visit a farm where we heard you could shoot punkin’ chunkin’ cannons yourself.  Since I’m pretty sure Mark has dreamt of this day since he himself was six, there’s no way we could pass it up.

But really, as totally crazy as they were, the most impressive thing about the whole deal wasn’t the cannons — it was the size of the robots!  I can’t even imagine what it must take to build these things.

A Little Inspiration: Halloween in White

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The idea of decorating for Halloween in shades of white has always appealed to me.  I love white, and even more, I love anything unexpected.  Anything I can do to put a new spin on an old tradition is good with me.  How about you?

What’s your favorite holiday trend?  Or would you rather stick to tradition?

Hello Fall Foods

Fall is one of the only seasons that enjoys an undeniable connection to a particular set of foods.  In fact, it might be the only… unless we count certain holidays on their own, in which case winter might also stake a little claim.

When the air gets crisp and cold I immediately begin to crave pumpkin, apple, and all things spiced… and long to ring in the new season with some of the best goodies around.

These are just a few that I’ve been dying to make…

1 // Brown Butter Spice Cake

2 // Pumpkin Spice Donuts with Cinnamon Butter Glaze

3 // Two Minute Carrot Cake à La Mode

4 // Nutty Hazelnut and Almond Pear Crumble with Elderflower Cream

5 // Pear and Cinnamon Frangipagne Tartlets

6 // Pumpkin Pie Bars

A Little Inspiration: Autumn

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Okay, call me cliché but I really do love the fall.  It’s sweater season (in theory… in reality it’s been 80 all week, but go with me here) the apples are at their best, the leaves are turning and the holidays are about to begin.

Fall is a time for savoring rich flavors, rich experiences, and gorgeous rich colors like the ones above.

Currently Obsessing Over: Autumn

Otherwise known as the best season ever.  What’s on your list for fall?

Photo: via Pinterest

Happy Friday!

It seems that while I was out, fall crept in.  In fact, I’m slightly suspicious that it may have followed me home.  Hot humid days have given way to crisp fall mornings and the bluest of skies… and folks, that is just fine with me.

The only odd thing about fall in Frederick is that our county fair, which to me (have I mentioned I was once a fair and rodeo queen? that might be a story for another day) will always be synonymous with the hot summer sun, doesn’t take place until now.

But the more I think about it… caramel apples, apple dumplings, fried things on sticks… all of those things are totally appropriate for fall.  And the fair is always fun, no matter when you go.  Which if you’re us is multiple times (what? you don’t spend the whole week there?).

I hope you’re enjoying the crisp fall air and feeling the spirit as much as I am… it’s just about time to start firing up the apple cider and pulling out the pumpkins!  Not to mention the fact that it’s just about time for my wedding (!!).

Here are a few things I’m loving this week…

This DIY couple’s Maine wedding and engagements.

The audience — who booed.

Five fresh (and yummy looking) fall salads.

Chelsea and Tec’s anniversary film.

Plums in wine and honey.

Jose, with a hasselblad, in Malaysia.

One last dose of summer.

Boxes and baskets — fall feels like a time for getting things organized.

Kate & Steven’s Hometown Engagements

You know those couples that you just look at and immediately want to be their friends?  Kate and Steven are that kind of couple… and after interviewing Kate, I think I’ve decided that my original instinct was spot on… she’s fabulous.  The couple are tying the knot in Houston this November, and it sounds like it will be amazing…

From Kate:

I love the casual feel of your shots, how did you decide on a location… did it have any special significance?

We are very casual people. We wanted photographs of us as we are, not us trying to be something else. We wandered through the neighborhood we met in and live in and stopped in a few different places for our photographer to take some shots. It was very important to us to have a natural feel to our photos, not something that was really staged.

What else did you do to prepare?  I’m already in a fit about what I’ll wear.  Was it hard to choose?

I thought way too much about what I was going to wear! The most unnatural thing was trying to “coordinate” with each other, since that isn’t something we normally consider when getting dressed for any other day. My advice would be to choose something you feel comfortable in.

How far in advance did you have your shots done?

We had our engagement photos done halfway through our engagement, 2 months before the wedding. The timing was perfect since we received our photos a month later, just in time to use for wedding shower decorations.

Your wedding is coming up soon… are you in the middle of a lot of last minute details?  Any big projects?

It IS coming up soon and we are SO ready for it to be here! The main project that I am trying to finish now that I am really excited about is the backdrop for our ceremony. We (my fiance and I) have made 4 large canvases covered in antique book pages which will hang behind the stage. I think it is going to be the perfect touch to the vintage feel of our wedding. It has been neat to work on this together as a couple for our special day.

Any advice for other brides on the planning process?

There are many “do’s and don’ts” and rules regarding weddings. My question is, says who? It’s not their wedding! Decide together as a couple what is important to you for your wedding day and stick to that. You will receive so much unsolicited advice and suggestions but ultimately it is your day to celebrate your commitment to each other with the people you love and who love you.

Awesome, right?

Thank you Kate!  And thank you Joseph West Photography for sharing these shots!!

Photographer: Joseph West Photography

{Real Weddings} Ashton & Michael’s Gorgeous Fall Fête

I am so excited to share today’s real wedding with you all… it doesn’t get much more up my alley.

The venue was personal, the decor was personal, the theme was personal… every little piece of this wedding represented who Ashton and Michael are as a couple (scroll down to the bottom for an awesome explanation from their photographers).  This is the way it should be.

… and it’s gorgeous to boot!  Just look at those flowers.

Oh, and by the way, this wedding was shot by the amazing husband and wife photography team, Scarlett & Stephen… if you think Ashton and Michael are cute, just take a look at them.  Here’s what Stephen had to say about this wedding…

From the first meeting I had with Ashton, she pulled out her wedding planning book (note to self, I still need to get one of those!) and showed me all the details she was putting together for her in-nature-themed wedding. Ashton and Michael love camping together and Michael even proposed on a camping trip, so the theme they wanted for their wedding was pulling in all things nature. Also, they chose to have their wedding at Stephen Foster State Park because Michael’s grandfather helped build the Florida Trail that goes from the top to bottom of Florida and runs through the Stephen Foster park too. The park also had a gorgeous old Southern plantation mansion in the middle of it that is now turned into a museum. I loved how organic this wedding was with burlap table details, spanish moss, and even the wedding cakes representing tree trunks. Also, for the altar, Ashton used her great-grandmother’s old lace drapes that her grandmother stitched together to bring some family history into the ceremony.

Venue: Stephen Foster State Park / Photographer: Scarlett & Stephen/ Hair and Makeup: Fran’s Salon & Boutique / Caterer: Catering for all Occasions / Floral Designer: Arlette’s Place / Cake Designer: Erika Maya / DJ: A Pro DJ

Pick Your Own

The weather over Labor Day weekend wasn’t the best, but there was this one day… so Mark and I decided to seize it as best we could.

We visited a local winery, Black Ankle Vineyards (they do weddings in case you’re looking!) and a pick your own wildflower field… and Mark is playing with a new camera, so I got to play model!

Photos by Dirt Hill Photography

Quiet Sundays

“By all these lovely tokens
September days are here,
With summer’s best of weather
And autumn’s best of cheer.”
~ Helen Hunt Jackson

Photo by Dirt Hill Photography