a big IF...

so hello, the sale is almost here again. the once-a-year-go-for-broke-because-it-won't-be-back-for-a-good-long-while sale. just for fun, i decided to pose this question to myself: "self, if it were to go on sale for 70% off, what one piece of jewelry would i have to buy, even if it's a bit of a splurge?" 

well, i thought about it for about a nanosecond and came up with the answer. i want, want, want the antonio bernardo earrings that magically appeared during his recent event in the store. i might have opted for the gorgeous ones i borrowed for my wedding (see post below), but these actually call to me more. they're also quartz, and yellow gold, but i think there's something in the geometry of the marquise shape that makes their allure so powerful. 

if those don't rate a 70% off mark, i think i'll rush to the alishan case for that long necklace that i've toyed with off and on for a long time. oxidized sterling links, tahitian pearls, red gold and that funky, arty alishan touch -- who could want more? plus, as much as i admire his work, i don't own a single piece by him...yet. 

and if the discount on the necklace doesn't make it quite approachable enough? not a problem! this girl can cope. besides, what am i doing pining for yellow gold and dark silver when i'm a bright sterling girl at heart? and there's that chunky, crazy handcrafted silver bracelet margoni left behind after the designer show. the one with the nuggets of aquamarine and blue topaz. i have added a lot of blue to my wardrobe lately...

reality check? fine. i may be crazy to even begin to expect deep discounts on these killer, popular pieces. but that's really ok. because i know that when i walk in friday morning, there will be a pleasant surprise waiting for me. and then i'll have my little splurge on a piece i can't imagine now, but i know i will have to have it the moment i see it. 

unless you beat me to it. 

i'm getting married in...

wisconsin? yep! and in truth, i got married – in september – but couldn't resist using the title. humor me. it's been a little busy since then.

anyway, i was the last person on earth to ever want to have a "destination" wedding. but, for family reasons, that's exactly what it became. and since our destination was a family cottage in door county, wisconsin, that seemed kind of cool instead of excessive. in a handful of weeks, we threw together a sweet and simple family ceremony on the lawn overlooking green bay, followed by a small reception to which we invited a few close, local friends. it was a lovely, if windy, day. 

everything was perfect, including our totally special todd reed rings and my "something borrowed" i. gorman jewelry: deceivingly simple but oh-so-stunning earrings from antonio bernardo and a to-die-for bracelet by majoral. i took a big gulp of faith with the tsa folks at the airport; i've never taken anything that valuable through security! 

our great day with the photographer took us, with my bouquet of perfect garden roses in tow, from our favorite art gallery to the beach. maybe not picture perfect, but perfect all the same. 

it was very, um, "grown up" in a classy, totally fun, far-from-stuffy kind of way. we made our own playlist on an ipad, burned a cd and played it on a boom box (seriously!) with a very long extension cord. jeff beck, holly cole and sinatra never sounded better. 

the reception overlooked the bay as well, and our wonderful guests were great sports when we had to move indoors because the wind off the water only increased with time. they happily enjoyed the cherry-champagne cocktails and passed hors d'oeuvres and an awesome selection of local artisan cheeses served on beautiful pottery made by friends. even if they hadn't left room for the best cherry pie ever (who wants cake?), they made it! the gorgeous flowers were totally simple, natural and rustic – no need to add a lot of fuss and flash in a lovely place like this.

it was a memorable evening of laughter and love, which is pretty much all we wanted. the amazing sunset over the bay was a beautiful bonus. 

a special thank you to karl boettcher of visual image photography for his spectacular shots and the permission to use them here!

we couldn't have done it without the help of incredible local friends and businesses; if you find yourself lucky enough to be planning a door county wedding, i encourage you to look them up and promise that you'll meet some of the greatest people on earth:

delicious rehearsal dinner at parador  –  www.paradorwisconsin.com, fab photos taken in the wonderful sculpture garden at edgewood orchard galleries – www.edgewoodorchard.com, photos by karl boettcher, visual image photography – www.vipis.com, a perfect reception at horseshoe bay beach club – www.horseshoebaygolfclub.net, wisconsin's best cheeses from schoolhouse artisan cheese – www.schoolhouseartisancheese.com, my lovely bouquet and flowers by the talented helene at flora – www.doorcountyflowers.com, very special handmade platters created by clay bay pottery – www.claybaypottery.net, and the best cherry pies in door county from schartner's farm market – who are so wonderfully local, they don't have a website!