Wednesday, April 21, 2010

The THANK YOU - Our HANDMADE ETSY WEDDING - Dorana 12/26/2009


How do you thank not just the people that help you create a memorable and joyous wedding, bring happiness to your life both personally and professionally, but also the people that helped you become the person you are and cheer you on as you aspire to be the person you want to become?

We wanted a special way to say thanks to those near and far!


Thanks to the incredible photography of our friend Stephen Shadrach, we collected our favorite photos of the day and a favorite quote and designed our special 4 Page Photo Thank You Card.


We were fortunate to have our good friend Kat Wauters from Etsy's H20works.etsy.com bring our design to life!


It is the perfect keepsake and token of our incredible union.


Thank you for your wonderful customer service Kat!


A very special THANK YOU to our family and friends who helped make our day exactly what we had wished for!


To my ETSY "MORE MEANINGFUL GIFTS" FAMILY - there aren't words to thank you enough for all of your love and support!


siempre- dorana


THE BRUNHAMMERS

Photography by Stephen Shadrach.

Friday, April 9, 2010

The WISH - Our HANDMADE ETSY WEDDING - Dorana 12/26/2009


(Our Wedding Day featuring custom made gown by Etsy's cybersewingfairy.etsy.com, flowers by dkdesignshawaii.etsy.com, bouquet crystal jewels by 4classydesigns.etsy.com.)

I was thrilled to find a great Etsy Shop to make special personalized handkerchiefs as gifts for our parents and a special present for my new husband on our wedding day!

Linda from Etsy's EmbroiderybyLinda.etsy.com offered the PERFECT sentiments, fast shipping and the best customer service!

My mother cried at my personal message and proudly shared the story to the ladies at the spa during our pampering that morning

"Mom, thank you for teaching me the importance of corn, Uncle Buck, laughter and love.
Love, Dani 12-26-2009"


Linda's handkerchiefs were a perfect way to put into words what I have known since me and Yoda's first vacation!

Shortly after Yoda and I started seeing each other, we went on a mini vacation to Disney's Epcot Center. It's one of my favorite places as traveling has been such a big part of my life; imagine going around the world in a short afternoon!

In Morocco as we giggled over the silly genie lamps in the gift shop, a woman held one up and asked Yoda,

"What would YOU wish for!?"


He looked over at me across the way and said,

"... To spend the rest of my life with that girl over there!"
I didn't think I could love him more than at that moment...

Waking up everyday in the beautiful house that we're making into our home in this dreamy historic town, hoping to start a family soon, I know that a wish was granted that day...

But it is EVERYDAY that he makes all of my dreams come true and I love him even more!



Thursday, April 8, 2010

The DRESS - Our HANDMADE ETSY WEDDING - Dorana 12/26/2009


After all, isn't always about THE DRESS!?

Everyone knows that I've been fantasizing about a Autumn wedding ever since that last scene in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves where Marianne walks with her white dress floating around her while gorgeous leaves fall down upon them with the incredible colors of gold and reds creating that amazing backdrop!

We didn't do too bad ourselves with this incredible backdrop off of 72nd and Broadway! This picture was taken after the snow storm right before Christmas as I did a trial run of my makeup, hair and unmentionables! (And yes, I promise, I AM wearing shoes - strappy red-satin knotted heels!)

I absolutely fell in love with the off-the-shoulder, simple gown that Mary Jane wore in the Spiderman 2 movie in 2005! I learned that the dress was basically glued onto her body to create that off-the-shoulder, form-fitting bodice and that we would have to do quite a bit of creative design and sewing to pull it off with my ample bosom!

Another favorite dress of mine had a beautiful empire, straight skirt with beautiful embellishments.

I, of course turned to the amazing talented artists on Etsy to find a seamstress that could combine my favorite dresses into my perfect wedding dress!

I could not have been more blessed to have found a more patient, miracle-working seamstress in all of the world; Linda Mampalao of Etsy's cybersewingfairy.etsy.com ! Aside from having less than 6 weeks to make my custom designed gown with both Thanksgiving and Christmas in the mix, she helped me pick out the fabrics and added her own special touches tying the two dresses together!
I wore my great aunt's vintage yellow topaz and gold calla lily earrings, the pearl and diamond necklace that my mother gave me on my 21st birthday that my father had given to her the Christmas after I was born, and amazing red satin strappy heels!

The weather didn't quite cooperate on our wedding day, but nothing could have darkened my day wearing this breathtakingly gorgeous gown!

We are hoping to take the dress with us on our honeymoon to have the opportunity to take more pictures of the two of us together in the sun!

Thank you Linda!

Photography by Stephen Shadrach.