Sunday Simplicity: Spiked Apple Cider

Happy Halloween to you! We hope you're having a spooky, scary day! Today's Sunday Simplicity is a warm-you-up spiked cider recipe. What better to indulge in on Halloween?

Recipe and image from House and Home

Ingredients: 6 oz. hot apple cider, 3 whole cloves, 1 stick of cinnamon, 1-1/2 oz. bourbon

Directions: Pour cider and bourbon into a mug. Garnish with cloves and cinnamon and serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Have a Spooky Halloween!

Wishing you all a very spooky Halloween! What fun are you scaring up this weekend? Check out a few favorite finds for the perfect spooky bash.

Image found here

We think these brain treats are just disgustingly perfect for Halloween!

 Image and recipe from Martha Stewart

Mix up potions for your Halloween bash like our talented pal Kristi at Luna and Chloe Weddings did. Head over to her blog for the most enchanting and spooky Halloween table you ever did see.  Perfect for table decor, why not mix up magical potions for your guests to drink in these beakers? 

  This autumnal setting from Country Living is charming and oh-so spooky. Imagine the sounds and creepy crawlers that will descend on this table when the sun sets!

Image from Country Living

  Happy Halloween!

Engaged! Romantic & Fun Engagement Photos

'Tis the week for engagement shoots! We are all about our couples being themselves and we adore engagement shoots that are reflections of each couple. The balloons are the only props this sweet couple's engagement session from Free Spirit Photography needs. Their love speaks volumes..how perfect is this?

What props would you use for your engagement or "married" shoot?

Real Wedding Photos & Black and White Imagery

Our clients Amy and Jimmy are some of the sweetest, kindest people you'll ever meet. They tied the knot in a lovely morning ceremony at the Rancho Bernardo Inn followed by a scrumptious luncheon reception. Not only was the wedding utterly romantic, the timing allowed for them to enjoy a total private post-photo shoot with their photographers, Rick and Bernadette from Narrative Images {we love when couples do this!}.


We adore the resulting black and white images and just had to share! Of course, this spun into a post wondering why we don't see more black and white photos!

Image from Narrative Images

 How classic is this photo? We really don't see enough black and white images these days! Black and white puts such a vintage Hollywood spin on Amy's look, no?

Image from Narrative Images


And how about this incredible photo from our couple Brad and Katie's engagement session? We're in love! This could have been taken years and years ago!

Photo from Llanes Weddings


We just don't see enough black and white photos these days and we want to see more. There's something so classic, so timeless, and just so unique about black and whites.

Image found here

Our photographer peppered in quite a few black and whites in our wedding photos as we wanted our coastal celebration captured in a timeless way, too.

 Image from Frank Ross Photo

Image from Frank Ross Photo

Black and white just captures fireworks and real life so well.

Isn't this photo simply magical?

Image found here

Are you a fan of black and white photography?

Engaged! Apple Orchard Sweetness

We were so happy to see this gem of a fun shoot sent over by Dawn E. Roscoe Photography. It took place in an apple orchard in Wisconsin called Apple Holler {how charming is that?}.

It's perfect for this time in fall - just as the leaves are turning crimson and gold, a few days before Halloween, and right when apples and pumpkins are ripe for the picking! Enjoy!

From Dawn: What makes this engagement session special: The couple first met in high school at age 14, lost touch during college, reconnected via the Internet, endured a long distance relationship and are now are set to marry in November. Since the couple love the Fall, they wanted to have their engagement session in a special place where they visit every season and have some great memories. The location spot was Jim's idea and the orchard is a place where the couple visit to have some fun while picking apples for baking and pumpkins for Halloween. The orchard is located just over the border of Wisconsin, has 75 acres of apple trees and over thirty varieties of apples.

Will you be visiting the pumpkin patch this year?

Photos by Dawn E. Roscoe Photography

Thank you again, Dawn! We are so happy you sent this shoot our way!

Monday Coffee: Make it a Triple!

Happy Monday! Today we're bringing you a triple-shot of Monday Coffee goodness! {Scroll down for our giveaway!}


First up: Giving Guests the Welcome Treatment {a snippet from our post on Brenda's Wedding Blog}
Whether you have guests traveling from out of city, state, country, or continent, don't forget about them at your wedding! We know this can be easier said than done but visiting with each guest, even if it's brief, speak volumes. Yes, this is your wedding day, but your guests care about you enough to make it to your wedding and they're here to see you. Consider giving a welcome toast that thanks each group who came. Talk with your photographer ahead of time to schedule group photos with each family, group of college friends, or work colleagues so that no one is left behind. Thinking ahead will ensure you have the memories {and photos} to last a lifetime.

Photos from Hailey Bartholomew via A Practical Wedding

Tasty Treats: Candied Apples
If candied apples don't signify fall, what does? We love the idea of offering up demi candied apples to guests tray passed. What an elegant way to display such a fun treat!

Image via Martha Stewart

 Or display candied apples in an assortment of apple varieties, coatings, and toppings.

Image and recipe from Cooking Light

Better yet: allow for your Halloween party guests to dress their own candied apples with tasty gourmet toppings!

Image and recipe from Country Living

Finally: It's a giveaway!
This is our third glassybaby giveaway and we are so excited to roll out this fun giveaway right in time for the holidays! If you'd like a glassybaby of your very own, please visit their site and check out their incredible assortment of glowing gems. Come back and comment here on your favorite glassybaby.

You'll receive two entries if you're following us on Twitter and/or Facebook {three if you follow on both, but be sure to let us know}!

Stay tuned when we announce a winner on November 8th!

Sunday Simplicity: Coffee Meringues

How tasty do these little morsels look? The recipe from Sunset Magazine is too easy! Whip up a few batches of these for a brunch or to have on-hand during the holidays; your guests will love them!

Image from Sunset Magazine; click here for the recipe