Vermont wedding: Rehearsal dinner

My dear readers, this spring, I'm excited to feature few lovely, simple weddings of my friends. First up was Billy and Fanny's city hall wedding, and now I'd love to share Gemma and Andy's amazing Vermont wedding. Here's their rehearsal dinner...
The night before their wedding, the couple hosted a BBQ at South Pond in Vermont. "I grew up swimming there," Gemma says, "so I was excited that people swam!" Badminton was also set up in the field nearby.
After a refreshing dip, guests enjoyed chicken, ribs and sides from the local barbecue restaurant Top of the Hill Grill, followed by pies for dessert from Amy's Bakery. (Yum.)
The picnic tables were decorated with vintage floral tablecloths from the 1950's that Gemma had thrifted. And don't you love the wildflowers in Mason jars? Such a pretty touch!
Tomorrow, I'll post about their wedding day... (Congratulations, Gemma and Andy!) xoxo

(Photos by Anna Robin)

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Hitchcock stamps

How seriously rad are these Hitchcock stamps?! (His cheeky face always makes me smile.) You could mail them on letters to lucky friends, or they'd look awesome framed above a desk, don't you think?

P.S. Two more funny Hitchcock photos.

(Thanks, David)

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Street style

Pretty. I love her mix of winter and spring pieces.

(Photo by Mr. Newton for R29)

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Have a fun weekend!

My sweet readers, what are you up to this weekend? Alex and I are cooking up spaghetti bolognese and reading baby books. Also, I'm excited to try this goat cheese, which I found today at the farmer's market. (It's made by a husband-and-wife team, who left their big-city jobs to buy forty goats and make cheese. Awesome.) Hope you have a wonderful weekend, and here are a few great posts from around the web...xoxo

Gorgeous DIY filament bulbs.

Nautical style, I will love you forever.

Hilarious royal tea bags.

The seven most beautiful ferry rides in the United States.

The iPhone app for the entire cookbook How to Cook Everything is only $1.99 (for a limited time). Genius.

Love this army jacket.

Pisa was hilariously predictable, but this photo of Florence's Duomo is refreshingly original.

Cheeky recipe website.

This photo makes me want to take a road trip.

High-five note card.

Sweet nursery with a Babar poster!

Dear Weekend is having a sale on her lovely oil paintings.

What fun pendant pillows.

Beautiful pregnant belly dancing on the beach.

Attention, New Yorkers: Milkmade ice cream + The Big Apple Tweed Ride. (Thanks, Brittany!)

And a huge thank you to the amazing Erin Jang from The Indigo Bunting for designing my new header. xo

Plus, five Cup of Jo posts you may have missed:
* Sky play.
* Whoopie pies.
* Summer love.
* Pumpkin marriage proposal.
* Fairy lights.

Big kiss to you! Have a great weekend! xo

(Photo of Paul Newman from Getty Images)

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Picnic club

Every summer, I daydream about having a ton of picnics, but end up having fewer than I'd like. So, wouldn't it be fun to start a Summer Picnic Club? I've been thinking of inviting friends to meet at different parks around town every other Saturday. Everyone would bring their own blanket, plus a snack to share, and Alex and I would also bring frisbees and a bubble machine (and the baby!). It would be so much fun to have a recurring outdoorsy event to look forward to.

P.S. Refinery 29 posted a picnic guide today. I think it's a sign. :)

(Photos of our wedding brunch picnic by Max Wanger)

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Sammy the Seagull

I loved this seagull bag, and now there's a print! Apparently, the dapper dude is named Sammy.

(Via Design is Mine)

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Thursday Giveaway!

Today's giveaway is from Moop, a Pittsburgh studio that makes beautiful handmade bags. They're offering one lucky winner the bag of her choice. These soft and wonderful bags are perfect for adventures around town. And check out their two new designs--the Small Messenger and a collection of 100% organic bags.

For a chance to win, please visit Moop and leave a comment below with your favorite bag style. A winner will be chosen at random tomorrow. Good luck. xo

Update: Lauren W. is our lucky winner. Thanks for playing.

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Berries

Just a pretty photo for you this morning. Don't these look delicious?

P.S. A guide to berry picking.

(Photo by Tracy Sue)

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Wednesday Giveaway!

Today's giveaway is from Babette, a jewelry shop run by a British designer. She's offering a pair of these beautiful zen hoops. The hammered gold hoops display rare vintage silver metal beads from the World War II era. Isn't that amazing? These earrings would look gorgeous while drinking wine in a restaurant's garden this summer...or anytime really. :)

For a chance to win, please visit Babette's shop and leave a comment below. A winner will be chosen at random tomorrow. Good luck!

Update: Catherine is our lucky winner. Thanks for playing.

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Birthday cupcakes

Tina (aka Swissmiss) has the sweetest tradition of making her daughter birthday cupcakes, decorated with photos of her changing face. How adorable have the past four years been? Aww, happy birthday, Ella Joy! xo

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Musk for girls

One of my guy friends used to wear Kiehl's Musk 1921, which is the greatest scent. Luckily, it also works on ladies (deep, rich, tomboy-ish, awesome), so I've been trying it out myself. I have to say, I'm really into it. The sexy scent pairs well with T-shirts and jeans, and you won't be able to stop sniffing your wrist.

What type of perfume do you wear, my lovelies?

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What will the baby look like?

Now that I'm almost eight months pregnant, I've been thinking so much about what our baby will look like. It's so crazy to feel him kicking all the time and feel like I already know him, but still have no idea how to envision his little face. So, I've been looking through some of my and Alex's childhood photos, since he'll probably look like a combination of the two of us, right? (Blond hair with a big head, methinks?) Ahh, I CANNOT WAIT to finally see his teeny face and hold him in my arms!!!
My twin sister Lucy and me (I'm on the right side in all the photos)...
And Alex as a little dude. (Isn't he funny in that straw hat and red shorts?:)

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Hunter boots

I have a perfectly good pair of rain boots already, but I'd secretly love a pair of Hunter Wellington boots. They're elegant, slim and tall, so they make your legs look miles long. And the Queen of England wears them. La di da! I've been trying my best to rationalize a purchase.

(Bottom photo by Stephanie)

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Wedding dress + veil

I'm really drawn to simple weddings these days, so I'm loving Bryce and Stephanie's afternoon wedding in Michigan. Their dog Morty was the enthusiastic best man, and Stephanie carried a bunch of wildflowers. She found her beautiful dress at Loehmann's (Loehmann's!) for $55. And isn't it gorgeous how she tucked her veil under her bun? I don't think I've ever seen that before! So graceful and old-fashioned. xo

(Photos by Amy Carroll, via the amazing OnceWed)

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Have a magical weekend.

My lovely readers, what are you doing this weekend? My friends are sweetly throwing me a baby shower--a classic New York brunch with bagels and mimosas!--and our families are coming into town. I can't wait to see everyone. Also, the baby's crib arrived in a huge box today. Setting up the crib feels like one of those big life moments and kind of gives me goosebumps! Hope you all have a wonderful weekend, and in the meantime, here are a few great posts from around the web...

A 1980 love story.

A rad mirrored street performer.

LOVING these do-it-yourself painterly prints.

Accidentally matching sweaters with your dad? Awesome.

A Wild Things birthday party with the cutest invitations.

Gorgeous wedding cakes...

And doesn't this cake have beautiful icing?

Vintage rainbow dress.

Living in: On the Waterfront.

Unicycle bag.

Adorable chairs for nurseries.

Wouldn't you love to get a birthday-in-a-box in the mail?

Ban.do's beautiful new headbands.

Manhattan subway tape. (Thanks, Leni)

A raffle for Liam!

Swedish children's shop Polarn O. Pyret is offering 30% off until Tuesday. (I'm in love with this little girl's dress.)

And all pretty ladies, get 10% off anything at Eberjey with the code JoGirl for the next week. xo

Plus, five Cup of Jo posts you might have missed:
* Fabric portrait.
* Bookshelves as stories.
* Parisian street style.
* Backyard wedding.
* How genetics work.

(Photo credit unknown)

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Spring wish list

When we were little, my mom used to wear beautiful, baggy shirts like this one. (See exhibits A and B:) She would roll up the sleeves, wear her hair down, and look so relaxed and chic. When I saw this striped shirt, it reminded me of her, and I'd love to have it as a new mom.
And this elephant pillow is so cute, for kids or grown-ups, don't you think? The print is by the fabulous Elisabeth Dunker, from Sweden. xoxo

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Happy Earth Day

Just a pretty photo for you today. xo

(By Anna Bond)

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Cupcakes and cookies

Ming Thompson, a Harvard grad student with a sweet tooth, created this rad website with cupcake and cookie recipes. The recipes are all super creative, with ingredients like Guinness beer, figs, and lots of sour cream. Double thumbs up!

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Wednesday Giveaway!

Today's giveaway is from White Owl, a handmade jewelry shop run by two sisters. They're offering this Grey Garden Necklace, featuring black lace flowers on a vintage chain. I'm head-over-heels for this necklace, which would look amazing at a dinner party.

For a chance to win, visit White Owl and leave a comment below. A winner will be chosen at random tomorrow. Good luck!

Update: Fawn Fable is our lucky winner. Thanks for playing.

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New store: Lovely Bride

Readers often ask me where to go wedding-dress shopping in New York, and, until now, I never quite knew where to send them. (I found my dress at J. Crew.)

But now I have the perfect recommendation: Lovely Bride opened this month in the West Village, and it's absolutely amazing. The shop carries a beautifully curated mix of hard-to-find designers, including Sarah Seven (an etsy favorite), Elizabeth Dye (the darling of the blog world) and Samuelle (remember this dress?), as well as the stunning French line Delphine Manivet. I'm totally thrilled about this new boutique!

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Pretty things

Oh man, I just had my first (or third) pregnancy meltdown. I got super stressed over nothing and called Alex in tears, who was very sweet and thankfully did not write me off as crazy. Pregnancy hormones can really do a number on an otherwise regular person! On a happier note, here are two pretty things I've been thinking about lately...
Recently I've seen a few women wearing simple gold wedding rings by themselves (without engagement rings). I think it's such a chic, beautiful look, don't you?
Also, how pretty are these braids? Perfectly messy and lovely.

(Top photo by Our Labor of Love)

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