HALP! The Prime Minister has gone mad with power!

This is totally serious.

Look what I found in her secret prime ministrial files under the code name Pretty Girls:



AAAAGHHHH! There were others but I was too scared to look in the file that was horrifyingly titled Big Fuchsia Ruffles.

Awesome, Local Photography and Music

Well my droogies, I've been sick with some sort of uber-cold since I last wrote to you. But after four sick days, two bottles of NyQuil and a serious prescription, Eric and I have managed to get quite a lot done. We've signed contracts and paid our very first vendors.

I found local photographer Lara Swanson through an advertisement on offbeatbride.com. She is very cool and appreciates unique weddings, and is really excited to shoot our bike ride to the reception. It's really great to work with someone who isn't scoffing at your choices - you'd be surprised how much flack comes along with the simplest of diversions from the norm. There will be two photographers on the big day - Lara and Jen Smoose, who shoots for the Washingtonian. Eric and I are pumped to have such awesome coverage within our budget.

In other news, Eric tracked down a hip, young string quartet. Once Eric showed me their website, we couldn't help but daydream about starting a quartet of our own - I'll take fiddle and Eric will shred the cello ("...and I'm jello, baby.") Not only do they look and sound fantastic, but they're very affordable and can learn our choices for processional and recessionals. They also have a great mix of songs, including lots of the Beatles, in their existing repertoire.

There have been several new developments on the food front, since our last talk with Alli and E. Stay tuned for talk of local produce, vintage cake-toppers and a startling amount of country music.

Invitations Photo Shoot Outtakes

The photoshoot this weekend with Erin went swimmingly. It was about two hours of shooting with cut-out letters, posters and even some climbing rope. Here are a few outtakes...on the final product, keep an eye out for a fifth hand in some frames!

"I'm on a roll this time."

My trip to Arizona for Christmas proved inspiring for the wedding in several ways. A few significant highlights:

Grandma Mary (dad’s mom) worked her magic on my Nana’s (mom’s mom) dress, letting out the seams a bit to fit my non-girdled waist. As you may know, I’ve declared Amanda Ellexson the prime minister of costume, hair and makeup. She asked for pictures of the dress, so she could see how it fit. But I forgot to take pictures, so this drawing is the best I can do, what with the dress in Arizona and me in DC. I can’t decide whether I should be ashamed or proud.

I have more to say about costuming, but I’ll save that until I consult with the parliament.

On the food front: although we can fall back on a number of cheaper (but no less delicious…mmmm Boston Market) options, I’ve been talking with the Festive Foods peeps in Bethesda, Md. as a catering option. For months I looked high and low for caterers who work with locally produced food but didn't find anything, not even on Local Harvest. Festive Foods does work with local purveyors, according to an article in the Washingtonian. I’m looking forward to hearing what they have to say.

Just this week we've progressed a lot on the invitations front. Inspired by these save the date cards, Eric and I decided to do something similar for our invitations. I’ve enlisted the help of our incredible Trout designer, Jim Gray, to take care of the photoshop and design elements, and our friend Erin Dooling has agreed to take the pictures for us. The wording will be different, since we're skipping save the date cards. I figure everyone who's coming already knows the date - so get a pencil and write it down, for goodness sake. We might shoot as early as this weekend. I’m thrilled that a whim on Monday has become reality by Saturday. These will look wicked.

Elizabeth and I talked over a few options for the invitation design, and I think I’ve settled on the tall-skinny folding card, with the photo-booth awesomeness pasted onto the cover. My smiley Eric-and-Hannahs might not completely capture the tone, but you get the point. I’m enlisting the help of my crafty elder sisters for paper choices and a cross-country invitation sweatshop.

Well, I’m off to return a call from the Festive Foods peeps. More on that and my possible costume changes later.