The Way That You Walk

A Star Is Born

2011-09-07T13:40:00.003-05:00

On August 29,2011 at 1:09am, our son Bixby Elias Moak Hyman was born. He weighed in at 7lbs, 5 oz and measured 19 ¾". He is perfect.

Follow is progress - and ours - at facebook.com/bixbyhyman.

♥ Sarah

Push

2011-08-21T15:54:00.005-05:00

I've put together a "push mix" for my labor and delivery, which hopefully, will happen any time now given our August 24th due date. (Seriously, we are so ready.) This playlist contains some obvious standards, a few unconventional choices, a bit of a space theme, and a whole lotta stuff I just like regardless of whether or not it'll get me through labor.

Below you'll find links to the corresponding YouTube videos for each song. If you're on Spotify, you can listen to everything here.

Love Today | Mika
The Sound of Sunshine | Michael Franti & Spearhead
Rudie Can't Fail | The Clash
Always the Sun | The Stranglers
This Is the Day | The The
Ghosts | The Jam
Ringing Bells | Mando Diao
Another Day | Jamie Lidell
Valerie | Amy Winehouse
La Vie En Rose | Edith Piaf
Day Old Blues | Kings of Leon
Through the Roof 'N' Underground | Gogol Bordello
Everyday | Buddy Holly
This Is the Way | Devendra Banhart
California Stars | Billy Bragg & Wilco
Neighborhood #4 (7 Kettles) | Arcade Fire
Blackbird | The Beatles
Pink Moon | Nick Drake
Cosmic Dancer | T.Rex
Across the Universe | Fiona Apple
Georgia Bo | Davíd Garza
King of the Road | Roger Miller
Wonder Boy | The Kinks
All I Want Is You | Barry Louis Polisar
Sydney (I'll Come Running) | Brett Dennen
Oh, Boy! | Buddy Holly
The Magic Position | Patrick Wolf
Ride on Shooting Star | The Pillows

For more on our adventures in pregancy and new parenthood, check out Bixby's Facebook page.

♥ Sarah

Happy Anniversary... to Us!

2010-04-09T11:52:00.005-05:00

March 29th was our one-year anniversary! We did it!

Thanks to the many amazing and loving people who helped with the wedding a year ago and who have supported us.

Photos from our anniversary trip to Marfa, TX are up here.

♥ Sarah & Justin

Star Trek Round-Up

2010-03-16T11:35:00.004-05:00

Here's a long overdue list of all the Star Trek references we managed to shove into our wedding. We had a lot of themes going on, but Star Trek was one of the biggest, nerdiest ones.

Our programs featured subtle ST references, including the star date and a quote from Worf.
Our tables signs were the most obvious homage. Rather than being numbered, our tables were named after ST characters.
During the processional, Justin walked out to the Next Generation theme, and I walked out to the Voyager one.
Our signature drink, created by Justin, was the "Inertial Dampener."
The ST logo was in our invite.
Justin's cufflinks were made of the United Federation of Planets logo.
The groom's cake had a borg topper and ST logo base.
Justin's tie tack was the Vulcan salute ("live long and prosper").
We used the ST logo in various signage.
The Vulcan salute was thrown around a lot.

I think that's everything.

-- Sarah

OffBeat Wedding

2010-03-01T08:41:00.003-06:00

Hooray! We're so excited to announced that a few weeks from our first anniversary, we've been featured on OffBeat Bride.

You can read about our wedding here. Thanks to Ariel and the OffBeat Bride team! OBB is one of the few wedding sites I still check regularly.

--Sarah

Link Round-Up

2010-02-24T15:54:00.012-06:00

Our one-year anniversary is coming up in four weeks (we'll be spending it on a mini-trip to Marfa, Tx), so I decided to compile a list of all the important links from our wedding planning.

OffBeat Bride featured wedding: Sarah and Justin's geek-chick, backyard fiesta
Green Bride Guide/Real Green Wedding featured wedding: Trekkies in Texas
Star Trek Details
How Green Was Our Wedding?
Photos
Our Program
Our Menu
Table Signs
Playlists
- Prelude
- Big Events
- Cocktail Hour
- Reception One Two Three Four
Vendors
Planning

Enjoy!

-- Sarah

Attention: Photos Moving

2009-12-28T20:36:00.008-06:00

In April 2010, the subscription to our wedding flickr, flickr.com/waythatyouwalk, will expire, limiting the number of photos we can display. We'll leave our summary, any videos, and duplicates of most of the guest photos up at flickr.com/waythatyouwalk, but all of the professional wedding photos are now on my personal flickr gallery at flickr.com/mamomo.

You can find a list of the new photo galleries here.

-- Sarah

Wow!

2009-06-20T16:44:00.002-05:00

The Green Bride Guide is currently featuring our wedding on the "Real Green Weddings" feature! You can read all about it here.

Thank you so much to all of our family, friends, and vendors for making our green goals (and, well, the entire wedding) happen, and thank you to Kate and Stephanie at the Green Bride Guide for recognizing us and for all your help! Green Bride Guide is an invaluable resource for anyone looking to have an eco-friendly, sustainable wedding, and we are so lucky to be a part of it.

-- Sarah

Our Programs

2009-06-10T11:39:00.005-05:00

Below is the text from our program. I designed it using a template from DIY Bride. You can read about the seeded paper we used for the covers here. Thank you so much to Palmer, Ysabel, Miriam, and my dad for all the hard work they did to assemble these for the wedding.

Click an image for a larger view.

Edit: Lol I just realized that when I screencapped from Word, it caught all the spellcheck notices. So, please just ignore the red squiggles and any mistakes, which weren't in the printed program. Sorry I'm too lazy to recap and upload each page.

-- Sarah

Our Menu

2009-06-10T11:23:00.004-05:00

One of our main goals for the wedding was to have memorable food, and our caterers, Pink Avocado, went above and beyond with the menu they created. They also helped us stay green by using locally-sourced and/or organic ingredients whenever possible and by providing disposable tableware that was corn-based and biodegradable.

THE MENU
Veggie skewers
with citrus rosemary dressing

Roasted tomato bisque
with mini grilled cheese panini

Vegan samosas
with sweet chili sauce

Antipasti platter
with fruit skewers, grilled veggies, cheese and artisan breads

Rosemary garlic flank steak platter

Smoked salmon canapés

Seared polenta
with Parmesan crust

Turkey meatloaf cupcakes
with piped sweet potatoes

Sweet potato latkes
with applesauce

Game meat confit
with brioche rolls, Stilton cheese, dried blueberries, and arugula

Baked, fried, and wrapped brie platter
with toasted baguettes

Tater tots and mini corn dogs
with organic ketchup

I want all of this right now. :/

-- Sarah

Table Signs: Aliens

2009-06-10T10:38:00.003-05:00

Instead of table numbers, our tables were named after our favorite Star Trek characters. It was really hard to narrow it down to only 16 characters from 5 series and multiple movies, but we managed to do it. Justin is responsible for the text, I'm responsible for the layout. Below are the aliens. Click on an image for a larger view.

(We used Tribbles for the kids table.)

(Our Worf sign was double-sided simply because we had a hard time choosing just one quote for him. We even included one of his quotes on our program.)

-- Sarah

Table Signs: Hu-mans

2009-06-10T10:30:00.003-05:00

Instead of table numbers, our tables were named after our favorite Star Trek characters. It was really hard to narrow it down to only 16 characters from 5 series and multiple movies, but we managed to do it. Justin is responsible for the text, I'm responsible for the layout. Below are the humans or humanoids. Click on an image for a larger view.

(Our McCoy sign was double-sided to allow for TOS and the new movie, which came out shortly after our wedding.)

-- Sarah

Table Signs: The Captain's Table

2009-06-10T10:23:00.005-05:00

Instead of table numbers, our tables were named after our favorite Star Trek characters. It was really hard to narrow it down to only 16 characters from 5 series and multiple movies, but we managed to do it. Justin is responsible for the text, I'm responsible for the layout. Below are the characters used for the head table. Click on an image for a larger view.

(Our Kirk sign was double-sided to allow for TOS and the new movie, which came out shortly after our wedding.)

-- Sarah

Honeymoon Photos Are Go!

2009-06-08T09:01:00.003-05:00

You can find photos and information on our trip to Italy here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mamomo/sets/72157616810492396/

Wedding Playlists: Reception (4/4)

2009-06-04T09:48:00.002-05:00

This is the seventh and last in a series on the music played at our wedding. Links go to YouTube or online music players, so you can listen to the songs.

66. Do You Want to Touch Me | Joan Jett & The Blackhearts
Originally performed by Gary Glitter
67. Can You Picture That | There
Orig. performed by Dr. Teeth & The Electric Mayhem
68. We Trying to Stay Alive | Wyclef Jean featuring Refugee Allstars
Sample's The Bee Gees "Stayin' Alive"
69. Oh My God | Lily Allen
Orig. performed by The Kaiser Chiefs
70. Night Time is the Right Time | Creedence Clearwater Revival
Blues standard
71. Beautiful Girls | Sean Kingston
Samples Ben E. King "Stand by Me"
72. The Way You Do the Things You Do | UB40
Orig. performed by The Temptations
73. SexyBack | Rock Plaza Central
Orig. performed by Justin Timberlake
74. Light My Fire | Mike Flowers Pops
Orig. performed by The Doors
75. Police & Thieves | Junior Murvin
~~Orig. performed by The Clash~~ I had this backward - Junior's version was first, so the Clash version is actually the cover. Oops. :O
76. Stand by Me | John Lennon
Orig. performed by Ben E. King
77. L-O-V-E | Joss Stone
Orig. performed by Nat "King" Cole
78. I Melt with You | Nouvelle Vague
Orig. performed by Modern English
79. Puttin' on the Ritz | TACO
Made famous by Fred Astaire
80. All My Loving | Jim Sturgess
Orig. performed by The Beatles
81. Try a Little Tenderness | Paul Giamatti
Made famous by Otis Redding
82. When All Is Said and Done | Pierce Brosnan & Meryl Streep
Orig. performed by ABBA
83. Don't Stop the Music | Rihanna
Samples Michael Jackson's "Wanna Be Startin' Something"

-- Sarah

Wedding Playlists: Reception (3/4)

2009-06-04T09:05:00.003-05:00

This is the sixth in a series on the music played at our wedding. Links go to YouTube or online music players, so you can listen to the songs.

44. Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me) | Erasure
Originally performed by Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel
45. Ring of Fire | Adam Lambert
Orig. performed by Johnny Cash
46. Me & Julio Down by the School Yard | Me First & The Gimme Gimmes
Orig. performed by Paul Simon
47. Jabuticaba | Bonde do Rolê
Samples "Summer Lovin'" from Grease
48. There She Goes Again | The La's
Orig. performed by The Velvet Underground
49. Mustang Sally | The Commitments
Made famous by Wilson Pickett
50. Crimson and Clover | Joan Jett & The Blackhearts
Orig. performed by Tommy James & The Shondells
51. Money | Velvet Revolver
Orig. performed by Pink Floyd
52. Mama Told Me Not to Come | The Wolfgang Press
Made famous by Three Dog Night
53. The Ballad of John and Yoko | Teenage Fanclub
Orig. performed by The Beatles
54. Pretty Green | Santogold
Orig. performed by The Jam
55. Stuck in the Metal | Eagles of Death Metal
Orig. performed by Stealers Wheel
56. Gin and Juice | The Gourds
Orig. performed by Snoop Doggy Dogg
57. Shake That Body | Technotronic
58. I Want Candy | Bow Wow Wow
Orig. performed by The Strangeloves
59. Rocket Man | Me First & The Gimme Gimmes
Orig. performed by Elton John
60. Spirit in the Sky | Dr Hook
Orig. performed by Norman Greenbaum
61. Revolution | Jim Sturgess
Orig. performed by The Beatles
62. I Want You to Want Me | Chris Isaak
Orig. performed by Cheap Trick
63. I Fought the Law | The Clash
Made famous by The Bobby Fuller Four
64. Common People | William Shatner
Orig. performed by Pulp
65. 20th Century Boy | Placebo
Orig. performed by T.Rex

-- Sarah

Wedding Playlists: Reception (2/4)

2009-06-03T15:56:00.004-05:00

This is the fifth in a series on the music played at our wedding. Links go to YouTube or online music players, so you can listen to the songs.

22. Forever Young | Alphaville
23. Panic | The Puppini Sisters
Originally performed by The Smiths
24. Everyday I Write the Book | Alison Brown
Orig. performed by Elvis Costello
25. Handle with Care | Jenny Lewis & The Watson Twins with M. Ward, Ben Gibbard, & Conor Oberst
Orig. performed by Traveling Wilburys
26. Act Naturally | The Beatles
Orig. performed by Buck Owens
27. Brand New Key | Rasputina
Orig. performed by Melanie Safka
28. What's New Pussycat | Bob Marley & The Wailers
Orig. performed by Tom Jones
29. Crazy Little Thing Called Love | Dwight Yoakam
Orig. performed by Queen
30. Some Kind of Wonderful | The Commitments
Orig. performed by The Drifters
31. Dancing with Myself | Nouvelle Vague
Orig. performed by Billy Idol
32. I Don't Want to Face It | The Fab Faux
Orig. performed by John Lennon
33. Proud Mary | Ike & Tina Turner
Orig. performed by Creedance Clearwater Revival
34. Hard Headed Woman | Wanda Jackson
Made famous by Elvis Presley
35. California Sun | The Dictators
Made famous by The Rivieras
36. Walk on By | The Stranglers
Orig. performed by Dionne Warwick
37. Come on Eileen | Save Ferris
Orig. performed by Dexy's Midnight Runners
38. Power to the People | Black Eyed Peas
Orig. performed by John Lennon
39. Gone Daddy Gone | Gnarls Barkley
Orig. performed by Violet Femmes
40. Chick Habit | April March
Orig. performed by France Gall
41. I've Just Seen a Face | Jim Sturgess & Joe Anderson
Orig. performed by The Beatles
42. Take a Chance on Me | Erasure
Orig. performed by ABBA
43. Solsbury Hill | Erasure
Orig. performed by Peter Gabriel

-- Sarah

Wedding Playlists: Reception (1/4)

2009-06-03T14:59:00.003-05:00

This is the fourth in a series on the music played at our wedding. Links go to YouTube or online music players, so you can listen to the songs.

1. It's De-Lovely | Robbie Williams
Cole Porter standard
2. Elephant Lovely Medley | Nicole Kidman & Ewan McGregor
Featuring songs originally performed by Paul McCartney, U2, and more
3. Can't Take My Eyes Off of You | Lauryn Hill
Originally by Frankie Valli
4. The Rainbow Connection | Willie Nelson
Orig. performed by cast of The Muppet Movie
5. Pencils in the Wind | Flight of the Conchords
6. Superstar | Sonic Youth
Orig. performed by The Carpenters
7. Hey Ya | Matt Weddle
Orig. performed by Andre 3000 of Outkast
8. Pale Blue Eyes | REM
Orig. performed by Velvet Underground
9. Skullcrusher Mountain | Jonathan Coulton
10. Nobody Does It Better | Radiohead
Orig. performed by Carly Simon
11. Real Love | Regina Spektor
Orig. performed by John Lennon
12. Umbrella | Marie Digby
Orig. performed by Rihanna
13. Our House | Desconocido
Orig. performed by Madness
14. Rhinestone Cowboy | Radiohead
Orig. performed by Glen Campbell
15. Slave (acoustic version) | Daví d Garza
16. Your Song | Ewan McGregor & Alessandro Safina
Orig. performed by Elton John
17. Across the Universe | David Bowie
Orig. performed by The Beatles
18. Turn Your Lights Down Low | Lauryn Hill & Bob Marley
Orig. performed by Bob Marley
19. Somewhere Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World | Israel Kamakawiwo'ole
Orig. performed by Judy Garland/Louis Armstrong
20. La Vie en Rose | Raul Malo & Robert Chevrier
Orig. performed by Edith Piaf
21. Something | Jim Sturgess
Orig. performed by The Beatles

-- Sarah

Wedding Playlists: Cocktail Hour

2009-06-01T16:32:00.006-05:00

This is the third in a series on the music played at our wedding. Links go to YouTube or online music players, so you can listen to the songs.

1. Ain't That a Kick in the Head | Robbie Williams
Originally preformed by Dean Martin
2. Don't You Make Me High | Van Morrison
Blues standard
3. The Girl from Ipanema | Nat "King" Cole
Bossa nova classic made famous by Astrud Gilberto
4. Dance Me to the End of Love | Madeleine Peyroux
Orig. performed by Leonard Cohen
5. Independent Women | Elbow
Orig. performed by Destiny's Child
6. Just Can't Get Enough | Nouvelle Vague
Orig. performed by Depeche Mode
7. Dream a Little Dream | Saladillo & Terry Hall
Lounge classic make famous by Dean Martin
8. King of the Road | Rufus Wainwright & Teddy Thompson
Orig. performed by Roger Miller
9. L-O-V-E (French version) | Nat "King" Cole
Orig. performed by Nat "King" Cole in English
10. Mack the Knife | Robbie Williams
Orig. performed by Bobby Darin
11. Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps | Cake
Pop standard
12. Everybody's Talkin' | Madeleine Peyroux
Orig. performed by Harry Nilsson
13. Wonderwall | The Mike Flowers Pops
Orig. performed by Oasis
14. The Night Chicago Died | The Recliners
Orig. performed by Paper Lace
15. Then He Kissed Me | Moe Tucker
Orig. performed by The Crystals
16. Cruisin' Together | Gwyneth Paltrow & Huey Lewis
Orig. performed by Smokey Robinson
17. Can I Kick It? | A Tribe Called Quest
Samples Lou Reed's "Walk on the Wild Side"
18. Watching the Wheels | Matisyahu
Orig. performed by John Lennon
19. At Last | Raul Malo
Orig. performed by Etta James

-- Sarah

Wedding Playlists: The Big Events

2009-05-31T19:34:00.006-05:00

This is the second part in a series of posts on the music played at our wedding. Links go to YouTube or online music players, so you can listen to the songs.

1. Jurassic Park Theme | John Williams
Seating of ushers and grandparents
2. Theme from Star Trek: The Next Generation | Jerry Goldsmith
Wedding party and groom's processional
3. Theme from Star Trek: Voyager | Jerry Goldsmith
Bride's processional
4. I Love You Baby | Brak
Recessional
5. I Think We're Alone Now | Tiffany
Start of yichud
Originally performed by Tommy James & the Shondells
6. Rebel Alliance Theme | John Williams
Our entrance and announcement as husband & wife
7. I'll Stand by You | The Pretenders
Our first dance
8. To Sir, with Love | Al Green
Father-daughter dance
Originally performed by Lulu
9. Mama Tried | Grateful Dead
Mother-son dance
Originally performed by Merle Haggard
10. Sugar Sugar | Wilson Pickett
Cake cutting
Orig. performed by The Archies
11. Girl, You'll Be a Woman Soon | Urge Overkill
Bouquet toss
Orig. performed by Neil Diamond
12. Highway to the Danger Zone | Kenny Loggins
Garter toss
13. Time after Time | Paul Anka
Last song
Orig. performed by Cyndi Lauper

-- Sarah

Vendor Reviews: The Best of the Rest

2009-05-21T16:26:00.008-05:00

This is the final part in a series reviewing all the amazing people and businesses that made our wedding happen. The businesses below contributed to everything that hasn't been previously mentioned. The order is alphabetical. No rankings, solid As for everyone.

AJFF
Justin met the two amazing women (Wendy and Meredith) who finalized our invitation through the AJFF.

aJudaica
Source for our kiddush cup (seen here).

Austin Flower Company
Source for all of the flowers and greenery used in the bouquets, corsages, and boutionnieres.

Christine Renee
Source for our sweet button favors.

Craiglist
Source for the bamboo for our chuppah.

eParty Unlimited
Source for our sparklers.

FedEx Office
Where he had our invitation printed.

Garden Ridge and Lowe's
Source for more chuppah supplies.

GreenerPrinter
Where we had our save the date postcards printed.

Hobby Lobby, Jo-Ann Fabrics and Crafts, and Michael's
Source for tons of DIY materials and decorations.

IKEA
Source for most of the centerpiece items and various decorations.

MP Artworks
Source for our incredible ketubah.

Of the Earth
Source for our program covers.

Posta Bella Stationary
The owner and artist created our save the date layouts and did the initial designs for the invitations.

R Frantz Design
Source for our cute guest "book" (seen here).

Shoal Creek Nursery
Source for our centerpiece herbs.

Twisted Limb Paperworks
Source for our original guestbook. We decided not to use it but still highly recommend Twisted Limb!

Uline Shipping Supply Specialists
Source for the silver mailing tubes used for our invitations.

United States Postal Service
Source for all our mailing needs.

Thank you and good night!

-- Sarah

Vendor Reviews: Fashion & Grooming

2009-05-21T15:29:00.007-05:00

This is the third in a series reviewing all the amazing people and businesses that made our wedding happen. The businesses below contributed to our wardrobe and stylish good looks. The order is alphabetical. No rankings, solid As for everyone.

Ace Custom Tailors
Where I had both my dresses altered.

American Apparel
Source for Justin's undergarmets and the dogs' collars and leashes.

Banana Republic
Source for Justin's shirt and socks.

Converse
Source for Justin, Dan, and Jack's custom Chucks. Thanks to everyone who wore a pair to the wedding!

Cyberoptix Tie Lab
Eco-friendly source for Justin, Jesse, and Dan's cool wind turbine ties.

Ebay
Source for a lot of accessories (seen here), plus part of Justin's suit and my reception dress. Most importantly, we found my lovely dress here at a bargain price. Much thanks to Ana, the Queen of Ebay.

Eco Clean
Where Justin's suit and my dress were pressed.

Embellish Nails and Boutique
Source for our great manis and pedis, plus a relaxing facial for me. (Check them out - they gave me the best manicure I've ever had. It lasted all through Italy.)

The Gap and Old Navy
Original source for my reception dress, plus various odds and ends.

J.Crew
Original source for my wedding dress and Justin's suit.

Jose Luis Salon: A+
I lied when I said no ranking because I was beyond thrilled with the amazing and hard work that Blaine and Theresa respectively put into my fantastic hair and make-up. They deserve extra special thanks for their artistry and sweetness. The entire Jose Luis staff was very friendly, and I plain to make it my regular salon. I also have to give thanks to Justin's generous uncle and aunt who covered my hair costs.

Keyka Lou
Source for my adorable blue clutch (seen here).

Kruger's Diamond Jewelers: A+
Extra rankings for Kruger's, as well. David Kruger took the time to help me custom design my engagement ring (seen here), and he treated us with the utmost respect and friendliness. The entire staff was helpful and went out of their way to allow Justin to pick up my ring after hours as a surprise to me. We also purchased Justin's amazing tungsten carbide band from them. Highly recommended.

Plonka by Dalinda
Source for the also adorable clutch I got Palmer.

Roosters Men's Grooming
Where Justin and his boys went for their shaves and haircuts the morning of.

Urban Outfitters
Source for my lovely gray heels.

Groomingdale's of Austin
Source for our dogs' stylish looks. Bonus points for them for understanding JRTs.

-- Sarah

Vendor Reviews: The Key Players

2009-05-21T14:15:00.002-05:00

This is the second in a series reviewing all the amazing people and businesses that made our wedding happen. The businesses below contributed the most work to the ceremony and reception. The order is alphabetical.

Arol J. Horkovy Photography: A+
Booking Arol was one of the first decisions we made in the planning process, and we haven't regretted it. He has been nothing but nice, communicative, and professional. He did a great job with our engagement photos, which is no mean feat considering I was wacked out on painkillers that day due to sinus troubles. He and his assistant did an amazing job with our wedding photos, and we got a lot of fantastic work out of them for a bargain price.

Austin Outhouse: B+
Our preliminary dealings with Austin Outhouse went smoothly, but the day-of delivery was rough. They were almost 12 hours behind in delivering the outhouse, so that we were all at the rehearsal dinner by the time it arrived. Fortunately, they put it on the correct side of the house, and it ended up being an necessity for the reception. We're glad we made the decision to get one and that Austin Outhouse offers green toilets, which helped us keep our wedding environmentally-friendly.

Austin Party Central: A
APC had excellent customer service. They easily answered our questions and even offered us extra ways to save money, including working closely with our caterer. They have a wide selection of products and a very informative and user-friendly website. We had no problems with their delivery service.

Clean Air Limos: A
We were thrilled to learn Austin has such a service, which fit in with our eco wedding theme. The driver showed up well before the expected time and provided excellent service. When our limo didn't have the sparkling water we had requested, he voluntarily stopped and bought some for us. He also took us on the scenic route to our hotel downtown, which extended the moment when Justin and I got to relax together after all the chaos.

Coco Paloma Desserts: A+
Paloma not only made us a beautiful cake, she did so with organic and local ingredients, in keeping with our green wedding. The rosemary used came from her own garden! She also worked out a great deal with Justin's generous uncle and aunt, who covered the cost of the cake.

Junior's Wine & Beer: A
Junior's was a great resource for the 2 kegs we had at our reception. It's just a shame we couldn't send them back empty. :/

Pink Avocado Catering: A++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
We cannot sing the praises of PAC enough! They gave us a great deal, created amazing dishes, and provided phenomenal service. One of Justin's big goals for the wedding was to have memorable wedding food, and PAC went above and beyond that goal. We got more compliments on the food than anything else, and we're still always wishing we had some of our wedding buffet. Brent and his staff took great direction and were quick to help with anything. We got great feedback on their eagerness and friendliness, as well, and cannot recommend them enough.

Rabbi Monty Eliasov: A
We found Rabbi Monty simply through an online search, which can always be iffy, but he turned out to be an excellent pick for leading our ceremony. He was very informative and communicative, sending us emails with details about Jewish wedding traditions and resources. He met with us repeatedly to make sure we understood everything and that we were happy with it. The ceremony he wrote for us was incredibly beautiful, moving, simple, and sweet. It fit our personalities and wedding day perfectly. The only thing we received more praise on was the food!

Rock N Roll Rentals: A-
All of our sound equipment came from Rock n Roll Rentals, and their staff was very helpful in explaining which products we would need. The only snafu came with a miscommunication during returns, but it was quickly sorted out with a phone call from Justin.

-- Sarah

Vendor Reviews: Family & Friends (Wedding Party)

2009-04-29T15:06:00.010-05:00

This is the first in a series reviewing all the amazing people and businesses that made our wedding happen. I'm starting with the people who don't technically count as vendors but who shouldered more responsibility and work than anyone else. Without these amazing people, we probably wouldn't have had a wedding. Obviously, these aren't really reviews - they're more like accolades. The order is alphabetical.

The Key Players
Liz Aston: Wedding Coordinator
Liz is one of Justin's aunt, mother of the ring bearer, and the ringleader for day-of action. Liz is who we yelled for when we needed something. She helped with decorating and general people wrangling. She broke down a lot of the venue set-up. She was a general Renaissance woman who did a great deal to help us from having to worry about things ourselves. Thanks to her, we could relax and mingle.

Holly Montreal Cooper & Wyatt Ontario Cooper: Dog of Honor & Best Dog
These are our dogs. Do not ask me why they have different last names than us because I don't really know. They made an oh-so-brief appearance in the ceremony, kept us company in our yichud, and helped Justin greet guests. For a couple of Jack Russell terriers, they were very well-behaved! It meant a lot to us to have them there.

Jesse Burkhart: Usher
Jesse's brother was a general usher, and he stood alongside his and Justin's mom Miriam during the ceremony (and helped keep the chuppah in place). He and his super-sweet girlfriend, Shylo Faulkner, also ushered our dogs to the wedding site. Additionally, he connected us with our amazing caterer, Pink Avocado, whom he happens to work for. We were so grateful to have his help.

Jackson Hall: Ring Bearer
Justin's young cousin Jack was our dapper ring bearer, who defied the ring bearer stereotype by marching up the aisle like it was no big deal. No tears, no tantrums, all professional!

Kate Houston & Scott Graves: Dog Whisperers
Friends of the family, Kate and Scott walked our dogs during the ceremony, to keep them from disturbing the peace. They brought the dogs to us for a last goodbye, and with Justin's cousin Zoe, they took them back to our house for safekeeping. Zoe's friends also helped her look after our pets and home while we honeymooned in Italy. We owe the whole lot of them a huge, huge debt.

Suzanna Hutin: Guestbook Attendant
My longtime (and long-suffering) friend stepped up to the task of making people she didn't even know leave us lasting memories on scraps of paper. She even showed up ahead of schedule, which for Sue shows a massive sense of devotion. A born conversationalist, it was great to have her greet our guests.

Miriam Hyman: Mother of the Groom
Justin's mom was financial backer for the rehearsal dinner, but she also provided tons of help whenever called upon. She did craft projects, decorated, cleaned, and provided input and emotional support to a lot of people involved in the wedding, not just Justin and me. She also gifted us her entire tax return, for spending in Italy! I'm really lucky to have her as a mother-in-law.

Ysabel Hyman: Grandmother of the Groom
Justin's grandmother did a lot of miscellaneous tasks for us, but her coup de grace was the homemade Venezuelan rehearsal dinner she whipped up, complete with empanadas, tres leches cake, and other delicacies. She worked to feed about 30 people and was a very gracious hostess - it was better food and service than we could have gotten at any restaurant.

Palmer McLean: Maid of Honor
My dear friend did an amazing job of filling the maid of honor position after our original MOH had to step down. If it hadn't been for her, I would have been a wreck waiting for the ceremony to start; she kept me calm, clear-headed, and hydrated. Anytime I needed something, all I had to do was ask, not just on the day of but every day leading up to the wedding. She also custom made my earrings, plus jewelry for the rest of the wedding party. (You can buy jewelry and other delightful goods from her at Crafts 4 Causes.)

Richard & Sue Moak: Parents of the Bride
My parents obviously provided massive financial support, but they also supported us in every other way possible. They shopped for us, decorated, provided therapy, and performed a variety of other tasks that pop up when you're planning a wedding. They crafted a lot of details: my dad made the ring bearer "pillow", he assembled programs and seating charts, and my mom made the bouquets and corsages. She also acted as my therapist. I'd've been lost without her and my dad, and we'd have been stranded post-wedding as they financed our honeymoon to Italy.

Brooklyn Nelson: Flower Girl
Brooklyn is the daughter of my childhood friend, and it was sweet to have a new generation involved in the wedding. She got a little too nervous to throw the flower petals, but she was adorable and made up for it later by pelting us all with flowers.

Dan Redman: Best Man
Justin's friend was our go-to guy and helped out a lot before the start of the ceremony, keeping track of rings, rigging up the chuppah, and getting Justin ready to go. Even in the days leading up to the wedding, he got us organized and kept people calm amidst the chaos. His support was greatly needed and greatly appreciated. He also generously gifted us all the wine for the wedding, from his importing business Mosaic Wine Group.

John & Larry Stavinoha: Ushers
My brothers seated guests and were also a part of the team of guys doing set-up at the rehearsal and last minute tasks before the ceremony start. It was nice to have them involved and have the family together.

Jason Vines: MC
After several failed attempts to hire an MC to make announcements and man the iPod, Justin's friend - a karaoke and improv enthusiast - eagerly stepped up to the task. With little direction, he kept the ceremony and reception events running smoothly, and kept busybodies from tampering with our playlists.

Ana & Brian Watson: Hosts
I can't even tally how much time, effort, and money Justin's aunt and uncle put into the wedding. Hosting a 110-person wedding at one's house is a big enough duty to take on as is, but they went above and beyond - having tons of work done on their home and yard beforehand, cleaning, directing foot traffic, delivery men, and work staff. Ana did numerous crafts to give her house a wedding atmosphere, including a yellow-and-gray makeover for our yichud room and the guest bathroom. She and Brian rearranged their entire house, hauling furniture out on the lawns to create atmospheric seating areas. They advised us on a lot of decisions and probably had a big hand in keeping me from turning into a bridezilla. This wedding would've been crap with out a lot of the people listed here, but it probably wouldn't have even happened without the Watsons.

Miscellaneous Shout-outs
Lisa Apfelberg:: Spiritual Adviser
Lisa is a friend we met through the Jewish Community Association of Austin and has provided us with a lot of input on Jewish life. She's a bit like our personal den mother. In addition to Dan and Palmer, Lisa was a witness on our ketubah, or Jewish marriage contract.

Natalie & Ellison Aston: Sous Chefs
All of Justin's family pitched in for the rehearsal dinner, but Natalie and Ellison left the rehearsal early to support Ysabel in her cooking endeavors. They were also early birds at the wedding and helped out when needed.

Dorothy Cummings: Grandmother of the Bride
My engagement ring was made with diamonds from a ring my grandmother gave to me when I graduated high school. She's a jewelry enthusiast, and the diamonds were the first ones she ever bought.

The Guests: Yay!
Thank you to all of our guests for taking the time to come to the wedding, for your support, for your generous gifts, for wearing Converse and yellow-and-gray. Our goal was to have fun, festive, loving atmosphere, and you all helped us achieve it!

Mike Hall: Tech Guy
A lot of our male relatives and friends willingly did manual labor for us, but Mike was one of the main guys breaking down the set-up at the end of the night. As a musician, he also helped set-up the sound system and advised us on using it.

The Neighbors: Keeping It Cool
Thanks to Ana and Brian's neighbors for being totally OK with having fifty-someodd cards take over their streets and letting us blast music all afternoon.

Zac Stavinoha: Chuppah Stabilizer
Our homemade chuppah was pretty but not as structurally sound as it could have been for such a windy day. Before Justin's brother and my dad could walk up the aisle to hold it, Zac kept it from blowing over.

-- Sarah

Planning: Online Tools

2009-04-21T11:41:00.001-05:00

Here are sites that feature helpful info or tools for planning a wedding.

Blue Orchid Designs

DIY Bride

The Knot

Martha Stewart Weddings

-- Sarah

Planning: Wedding Blogs

2009-04-21T11:29:00.006-05:00

I'm slowly transferring some of the stuff from our wedding website over here as the website goes offline at the start of May.

Here's a list of the blogs I visited constantly for inspiration.

100 Layer Cake

Absolutely Gorgeous

A Backyard Wedding

Black Eiffel

The Bride's Cafe

The Bride's Guide

Brooklyn Bride

A Desert Fete

Earth Friendly Weddings

East Side Bride

Eco Chic Weddings

Elizabeth Anne Designs

Etsy Wedding

Green Bride Guide

Green Wedding Shoes

Grey Likes Weddings

Junebug Weddings

Le Love

Life Love Lipstick

Offbeat Bride

Once Wed

Peonies and Polaroids

Polka Dot Bride

A Practical Wedding

Pretty Pretty Paper

Ritzy Bee

Snippet and Ink

Style Me Pretty

These sites aren't exclusively devoted to weddings but often feature them.

Pretty Pretty Paper

A Desert Fete

East Side Bride

-- Sarah

Wedding Playlists: Prelude

2009-04-16T10:54:00.006-05:00

This is the first in a series of posts on the music played at our wedding. Almost all music links will go to YouTube clips, but some go to online music players.

Prelude
These movie themes played while guests arrived.

1. Twisted Nerve | Bernard Herrmann
From Kill Bill Vol. 1
2. La Dolce Vita | Xavier Cugat
From La Dolce Vita
3. Indiana Jones Theme | John Williams
From the Indiana Jones film series
4. Harry Potter Main Theme | John Williams
From the Harry Potter film series
5. La Musica Notturna Delle Strade di Madrid no. 6/Full Circle | Luigi Boccherini/Iva Davies, Christopher Gordon and Richard Tognetti
From Master and Commander: Far Side of the World
6. James Bond Theme | City of Prague Philharmonic
From the James Bond film series
7. Overture (The Big Race) | Danny Elfman
From Pee-wee's Big Adventure
8. Main Title & First Victim | John Williams
From Jaws
9. Theme from Superman | John Williams
From Superman: The Movie
10. Main Title "Tara's Theme" | Max Steiner
From Gone with the Wind
11. Theme from Love Story | Francis Lai
From Love Story

-- Sarah

It's a Done Deal!

2009-04-14T14:30:00.002-05:00

The post-wedding post is up! With pictures, links, reviews, and more.

Thanks so much to everyone - we hope you enjoyed it! :D

-- Sarah

Wedding Photos Are Go!

2009-04-11T17:25:00.006-05:00

From our excellent professional photographer:

http://www.pictage.com/637258

All images are copyright Arol J Horkovy Photography but are available for purchase as prints from the above site.

Photos by various guests: http://www.flickr.com/photos/waythatyouwalk/

Thanks for sharing, everyone!

-- Sarah

To Everything There is a Season

2009-03-18T14:45:00.004-05:00

Yesterday I made a mock program using our lovey seeded paper from Of the Earth for covers. On a whole, the program turned out great, but just as I was about to do another test after fiddling with the margins, our printer decided to stop working because we are out of color ink. What a scam.

Anyhow, here is the story behind our program cover paper (the inside pages are on regular white recycled printer paper):

This handmade lotka paper is made in the highlands of Nepal by rural craftspeople in an environmentally-friendly process with 50% recycled content. The raw material for our paper is the Daphne bush. It is farmed and harvested from 3-4 year old plants that are cut down and stripped of their bark. The plant is not destroyed when cut down; it regenerates from the root. The cane-like stick, once its bark is removed, is dried and used to heat villagers' homes, to provide fuel for cooking and also for the production of the paper. All of the water used in the paper production is reclaimed and reused. The bark is beaten by hand and boiled to break it down to a pulup (where it is mixed in with recycled pulp and paper scrap collected from the card and envelope manufacutring process) that is then poured into screens to form the sheets. These sheets are then dried in the sun. The whole process is not only earth-friendly but also provides a large community with a healthy enterprise.

Not only can you recycle this paper, you can compost it or even plant it and watch flowers bloom. We have embedded these sheets with a combination of tiny seeds that will grow in North America. The seeds found in our paper include 15 annual species which tolerate partial shade, need 4 hours a day of direct sunlight and grow to about 3'. Seeds include Red Corn Poppy, Corn Poppy, Spurred Snapdragon, Catchfly, English Daisy, Showy Evening Primrose, Gold Yarrow, Roman Chamomile, Tussock Bellflower, Foxglove, Fringed Safewort, White Yarrow, Red Yarrow, Monkeyflower and Creeping Thyme. If you plant this paper in a pot or in your garden, please cover with just 1/8" of soil and keep moist until established.

16 Day Progress Post

2009-03-12T13:17:00.003-05:00

***DISCLAIMER: IF YOU WANT TO BE SURPRISED ABOUT ANY ASPECT OF OUR WEDDING, DO NOT CLICK THE LINK BELOW.***

Our 16 day progress post is now up! I'll probably do at least one more progress post before the wedding.

-- Sarah

Silver and Gold

2009-02-25T09:40:00.003-06:00

Hooray! Our color scheme is on Etsy Wedding!

Speaking of our color scheme, check out these adorable and cleverly-designed yellow and gray invites.

Flickr.com has a great collection of yellow and grey/gray photographs.

-- Sarah

Shoes and Booze

2009-02-24T08:51:00.003-06:00

Our ringbearer's custom Chucks came in yesterday - they are too cute!

Also, we've updated our signature drink, the Inertial Dampener. It'll now be lemonade, ginger ale, and vodka on the rocks, garnished with candied ginger!

-- Sarah

New Photos!

2009-02-20T15:01:00.003-06:00

Photos from our recent wedding shower - a small co-ed affair for family and wedding party members - are now up on the Flickr, along with a delicious preview of our reception menu!

Inertial Dampener

2009-02-09T18:43:00.003-06:00

Inertial dampers are a system used on almost all starships to counter the effects of rapid acceleration/deceleration of a starship by sustaining and absorbing the natural inertia of a vessel as it either moves through space or if it is under attack from another vessel.

A starship cannot jump to warp speed without inertial dampers, as the rapid acceleration would smash the crew into the walls, killing them instantly. (VOY: "Tattoo")

Although the inertial dampers are activated by default, the crew can enable/disable and configure the strength of them manually. If the inertial dampers are disabled, they can be reactivated by resetting the inertial dampening field base at three-zero-zero and re-initializing the dampers. (VOY: "The Cloud") This use of them can exaggerate the damage sustained by a starship in a battle as the ship rocks more violently when its inertial dampers are disabled. (TNG: "The Chase", "Gambit, Part II")

The entire crew of a Jem'Hadar attack ship (while saving a Changeling that would later die) was killed apparently when their inertial damping system failed as the ship went into warp. (DS9: "The Ship")

On stardate 50482.2, a cascade virus previously planted in the computers of the USS Defiant by Maquis defector Michael Eddington wiped all systems aboard. Several days later, the inertial dampeners had not been fully repaired and, while the ship could reach warp 6, Chief O'Brien added, "Don't expect a smooth ride". (DS9: "For the Uniform")

Our signature drink, a ~~frozen ginger lemonade with or without vodka~~ concoction of lemonade, ginger ale, and optional vodka, on the rocks and garnished with crystallized ginger, has been dubbed the Inertial Dampener (by me).

-- Justin

70 Days and Counting

2009-01-16T11:53:00.003-06:00

SPOILER ALERT!! IF YOU WANT TO BE SURPRISED ABOUT ANY ASPECT OF THE WEDDING, DO NOT CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW!!

Our latest progress post is now up at http://community.livejournal.com/weddingplans/16234266.html!

ETA: If you are curious about The Doctor, featured in the highly praised Star Trek table sign in the link above, he is my favorite character in the entire Star Trek-verse and this is his best scene:

-- Sarah

Who's It Gonna Hurt?

2009-01-08T09:04:00.002-06:00

As a follow-up to this post, here is a video of the song that inspired our URLs. Enjoy!

-- Sarah

The Great Wedding Caper

2008-12-18T13:21:00.005-06:00

I don't know why we haven't incorporated the Muppets as one of our eleventy billion wedding themes. Here is a great song from The Muppet Movie about cooperation and friendship.

Movin' right along in search of good times and good news,
With good friends, you can't lose,
This could become a habit.
Opportunity knocked once, let's reach out and grab it,
Together we'll nab it.
We'll hitch-hike, bus, or yellow cab it.

Movin' right along, foot-loose and fancy free.
Gettin' there is half the fun; come share it with me.
Movin' right along (doog-a-doon, doog-a-doon)
We'll learn to share the load.
We don't need a map to keep this show on the road.

Movin' right along we found a life on the highway,
And your way is my way, so trust my navigation.
California here we come, that pie-in-the-sky land.
Palm trees and warm sand, though sadly we just left Rhode Island.

Movin' right along, hey, L.A., where've you gone?
Send someone to fetch us, we're in Saskatchewan.
Movin' right along (doog-a-doon, doog-a-doon)
You take it, you know best.
Hey, I've never seen the sun come up in the West.

Movin' right along, we're truly birds of a feather,
We're in this together, and you know where you're goin'.
Movie stars with flashy cars and life with the top down.
We're stormin' the big town.
Yeah! Storm is right, should it be snowin'?

Movin' right along, do I see signs of men?
Yeah, "welcome" on the same post that says "come back again."
Movin' right along, foot-loose and fancy free.
You're ready for the big time, is it ready for me?

Movin' right along
Movin' right along

-- Sarah

Remember, Remember the 30th of November

2008-12-02T15:39:00.004-06:00

November 30 was our one-year engagement and/or common-law anniversary! We celebrated by going to one of our favorite restaurants, Uchi, and getting a quick drink at the new restaurant down the street from us, Cover 3. All in all, it was a fun, fancy, wintry night.

One year ago, Justin came home and said, "You want to go look at rings?" I said, "Okay." And that was pretty much it; we were engaged. As Homestar Runner says, "Nothing fancy, nothing fancy." We then called everyone and went out for drinks and dessert with Justin's family at Fonda San Miguel, where these pictures were taken.

Meanwhile, you guys, the wedding is less than 4 months away!

-- Sarah

140 DAY PROGRESS POST

2008-11-07T15:39:00.002-06:00

***SPOILER ALERT: IF YOU WANT TO BE SURPRISED ABOUT ANY PART OF THE WEDDING, DO NOT CLICK THE LINK BELOW!***

I put up a new min-progress post at http://community.livejournal.com/weddingplans/15807242.html.

-- Sarah

What the Chuck

2008-10-22T16:08:00.005-05:00

Justin's custom Chucks came in the mail this week. They're pretty fantastic; he's resisting a lot of temptation by not wearing them now.

His shoes were a part of Product Red, which means a portion of the sales went to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria in 136 countries.

-- Sarah

195 Day Progress Post

2008-09-14T15:21:00.004-05:00

SPOILER ALERT! DO NOT CLICK THE LINK BELOW IF YOU WANT TO BE SURPRISED ABOUT ANY ASPECT OF OUR WEDDING!

For the latest wedding details and plans, check out the 195 day progress post I did at http://community.livejournal.com/weddingplans/15384442.html.

It took me all damn day!

- Sarah

Is This an Angel's Wish for Man?

2008-07-25T22:44:00.003-05:00

Somehow, Sarah doesn't think that this is the perfect song to dance to for our first song....

-JUSTIN

Fun with Internet

2008-07-24T10:53:00.004-05:00

So, Ok. Yesterday I was "Surfing the Web" when I came across a fun little site where you can make your own Medals, Street Signs, Billboards, and Prescriptions! Also you can design your own Wedding Chapel sign. (Did you know that sign is not spelled sighn? Well, I do now.) Anyhoo, here is one I did in a "Flash". (See what I did there? Also, try and spot the Marky Mark reference!)

-- Justin

Those Were the Days...

2008-07-23T15:34:00.005-05:00

Just added a new photo album to our website with pictures of Justin and I as kids. You can view the album at www.waythatyouwalk.com and even more photos as flickr.com/mamomo. As you can tell, I had an interesting wardrobe, Justin loved hamming it up, and we were both freakishly blond.

-- Sarah

Huzzah!

2008-07-22T09:11:00.006-05:00

IT'S OUR TWO YEAR ANNIVERSARY!

It's been 2 years today since we went on our first official date at Longhorn Caverns. We attended an Alamo Drafthouse event that showed the excellent horror movie The Descent in a big cave. Afterward, we got to crawl all around through the other caves. For me, that trip and our cave adventure really stands out as one of the best times of my life.

This picture is from a few weeks ago. Alas, there are no photos from our first date.

-- Sarah

It's So Easy Being Green!

2008-07-03T09:41:00.022-05:00

Recently on her blog, Eco Chic Weddings, Emily Anderson said of environmental consciousness, "this is not about a theme...it's about a way of being."

Over the past year or so, we have been trying to adjust our life to be more earth-positive. We're really excited about moving out of our apartment and into a house soon because of the sustainable options it will give us, and we really do want to make 'eco chic' a way of life. While going green is, in a way, a theme for our wedding, it's not a trend. For us, it's a way for one of the biggest events in our life to have as little environmental impact as possible.

In order for us to keep track of what we're doing to have an environmentally responsible wedding, here's a list of our green wedding goals and accomplishments, in no particular order. Update: Our wedding is now featured on the Green Bride Guide's Real Green Weddings! You can read all about it here.

1. Our caterers, Pink Avocado, and our bakers, Coco Paloma Desserts and Justin's aunt Ana Watson, are dedicated to using organic and/or locally-sourced ingredients in the buffet food and our cakes.
2. We'll be serving organic and biodynamic wines and organic or locally-brewed beers. Our best man, Dan Redman of Mosaic Wine Group, will be helping us on the wine front.
3. The plates, cutlery, napkins, linens, and glasses will all be reusable. Most of the disposable cups, cutlery, and cake plates are biodegradable and made from corn. Our cocktail napkins will be made from recycled and/or biodegradable paper.
4. My engagement ring uses vintage diamonds once owned by my paternal grandmother. My wedding band belonged to Justin's maternal grandmother.
5. All paper products used for programs, invites, etc. are recycled (and recyclable). Some of our paper goods will be printed by a green printer using soy-based inks and environmentally-responsible processing. Our programs will have covers made from seeded paper that can be planted to create a little garden.
6. We'll be purchasing carbon offsets for our guests and our own electricity and automotive usage to create a carbon neutral event.
7. Our limo runs on biodeisel!
8. We're going to use as many in-season and/or locally-sourced flowers, fruit, and plants as possible for centerpieces, bouquets, etc. All of the decorations for our wedding will be reused or recycled.
9. The sun will provide most of our lighting, but all of the candles will be made entirely or partially from soy wax and placed in reused glass containers.
10. Some or all of our outfits are reused (found on ebay), and we'll definitely wear them and our accessories again. Many of our accessories are handmade, rather than factory made, and some are made with environmentally-conscious materials. Our dry cleaners are eco-friendly and PERC-free!
11. We're doing as much online as we can to cut down on paper-usage.
12. All of our photography, by Arol J. Horkavy, is digital, which means no harsh chemicals and no wasted paper.
13. Through the I Do Foundation, 5% of any online purchase from our Target registry will be donated to Earth Share of Texas. Learn more at www.idofoundation.org/waythatyouwalk. We'll be recycling all wrapping and packaging used on our registry gifts.
14. We've also set up an easy way to donate directly to Earth Share of Texas via the From Us section of our wedsite.
15. Our ketubah vendor is working to become a certified green business. Ready more about their goals here.
16. Our pre-wedding parties and events will use the same green party supplies mentioned in #3, and some of our food will be locally-sourced and/or organic. We plan to recycle as much waste as possible. All invites will be electronic rather than paper.
17. Our portable toilet makes use of environmentally-friendly technology rather than chemicals. Read more about it here.
18. The majority of our vendors are local businesses, which often results in a lower carbon-impact than that created by large or chain businesses.
19. Our wedding night will be spent in the Driskill Hotel, which has specific list of green goals.

We'll be updating this list as planning continues, so check back for more info. To learn more about sustainable weddings, please visit the above-mentioned Eco Chic Weddings, The Green Bride Guide, and Earth Friendly Weddings.

-- Sarah

Ch-ch-changes

2008-06-26T08:39:00.006-05:00

I got this about a week ago but have forgotten to post it. It's my new driver's license with my new name! And a new picture in which I'm looking a little maniacal. Justin was making me laugh.

-- Sarah

Steak and Salad

2008-06-17T13:34:00.009-05:00

In case anyone is wondering where all of our URLs (waythatyouwalk) are coming from, they originated with a song sung by the character Brak on the now defunct show Cartoon Planet. Justin and I think this song is hilarious, and in a bizarre way, it reflects our relationship.

Click here to listen to it.

Lyrics

Yeeeeah...

I love you baby -
I love the way that you walk.
I love you baby -
I love the way that you talk.
I really like it when you call my name,
'Hey Brakky Wakky.'

Oooohh.
I like you sister.
I like your Aunt Louise.
I like your doggy.
Hey, I even like his fleas.
I really like it, when you tickle me...
Hehehehe stop it!

Somebody left a cake out in the rain.
Ohhhh Nooooooo.
I was gonna eat that cake, but now it's all wet
And I don't think I want any.

We could get married,
Just the two of us.
You could get a job driving a school bus.
I love you baby.
Will you marry me?

You don't have to decide right away.
Think it over.
Who's it gonna hurt?
Where ya going?

-- Sarah

I've Got a Dress!

2008-06-14T15:34:00.006-05:00

I've looked at a lot of styles of dresses, but the one I've had my heart set on is this fouf-y empire-waisted number from J.Crew:

However, J.Crew doesn't carry this dress anymore, and even if they did it would be way out of our budget. We'd much rather spend money on other things than a dress I'm either never going to where again or will have turned into a cocktail dress.

But, I have ended up with a J.Crew dress. I won't tell you which one - you'll have to wait and see! Two awesome things about it are that (1) my mom won it off of ebay for a bargain price and (2) I'm going to be able to dress it up with some seriously funky accessories, inspired by some of the looks I've seen on Offbeat Bride.

-- Sarah

Zoom Zoom

2008-06-14T15:07:00.008-05:00

Justin booked our getaway car this week. We'll be leaving the reception in a Mercedes E300D provided by Clean Air Limo.

From their website:

The Mercedes E300D is the only limousine of its kind in Texas. We won't have to compromise our conscience while riding in this vehicle because it combines luxury with ecological responsibility. The engine runs on biodiesel, which is made from vegetable oil. Biodiesel is the only alternative fuel to have fully completed the Clean Air Act's health effects testing requirements. To learn more about biodiesel, please visit the National Biodiesel Board.

-- Sarah

Yum!

2008-06-14T13:30:00.009-05:00

Yesterday, Justin and I went to a cake tasting at Coco Paloma with his aunt Ana and uncle Brian, who are paying for our wedding cake. Paloma Efron made us a miniature lemon rosemary cake with a rosemary-infused lemon curd layer and vanilla buttercream frosting. Citrus and herb is one of the many themes of our wedding, and we've been set on having a lemon rosemary cake for a long time now.

The cake was delicious, and Paloma Efron, our baker, made sure that many of the ingredients were organic and/or locally-sourced. The rosemary came from her own garden! We're going to forgo fondant because it's mostly sugar and chemicals, and just stick with a buttercream outer layer. Paloma was very nice and her bakery was adorable. We expect to hear back from her in a few months with potential designs for our cake.

Ana will be making Justin's groom cake, which will look something like this:

Ana's also going to make a special little cake for Justin's grandmother, who will be celebrating her 75th birthday the same day as our wedding.

-- Sarah

Dress Shopping

2008-06-07T18:30:00.009-05:00

Today was my first attempt at dress shopping. I went with my mom and a friend to Unbridaled on South First. It was a very cute store, and the staff were incredibly nice and helpful. The in-store selection is small, but they can order any dress from the designers they carry. For someone like me who is not looking for a poufy princess dress, they have a great selection. Even if I don't get my dress from them, I still highly recommend Unbridaled.

This isn't the dress, by the way.

-- Sarah

Wedding Ceremony & Reception FAQ

2008-06-05T11:14:00.013-05:00

This is an addendum to information on our wedding website and wedding invitations, once they are sent out. Keep in mind that our ceremony and reception will take place at the same location.

I've gotten the wedding invite, but I'm confused - how do I RSVP?
You can RSVP to our wedding one of two ways:
1. Call the number listed on the invite, which is for Justin's phone. Just let Justin (or his voicemail) know if you're coming and who is coming with you.
2. Visit www.waythatyouwalk.com and click on 'Wedding RSVP' in the left-hand sidebar. The RSVP function on our website lets you tell us how many people are coming, what their names are, and any other info you'd like to share.

We're having a buffet that includes a variety of foods, including vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options, so there is no need to include food preferences in your RSVP. If you are bringing kids, we'd like to know their ages, so we can make sure they're accommodated.

Maps, parking info, and hotel locations are located in the Directions section of our website. Use the Contact Us function to send us a message if you need the password.

By the way, what do all the images on the invite represent?
Glad you asked! You can learn more here.

Where can we park?
UPDATE: Parking is now available in the streets surrounding the wedding location. Carpooling is greatly encouraged. Please note that there will no longer be parking in or shuttle services to and from the nearby Bull Creek District Park. A map for the wedding site is located in the Directions section of our wedding website. The wedding site is also denoted with a star on the map included in the wedding invitations. Feel free to contact us via the wedding website with any questions.

What about lodging?
The wedding will take place during the day and the reception will end at 9:00 pm, so anyone who lives close to Austin may want to forgo staying the night. If you do stay in town, though, there are many affordable and high-end hotels throughout Austin, and you can find a listing of them here. You can also find a list of hotels closest to the wedding venue on the Directions page of our wedding website (if you need the password, just message us via the wedding site). We will not be blocking or reserving hotel rooms, but we may be able to make accommodations for some of the wedding party.

What is the dress requirement?
Our wedding is going to be informal and outdoors, so we request that you leave the tuxedos, business suits, gowns, and high heels at home. There will be dancing, yard games, lounge areas, and mingling, so dress comfortably. We do ask that you don't wear anything too casual but, rather, the type of clothes you might wear to church or 'business casual.' If you got a favorite pair of Chuck Taylors, though, please wear them! Keep in mind that the wedding will be in March, when the weather is not quite hot and not quite cold, so you may want to dress in layers. The bride wants you to know that she doesn't mind at all if anyone else wears white, and if you feel the need to match our wedding, our colors are yellow and gray.

Where are you registered?
Justin and Sarah are registered at Crate and Barrel and Target.

Can we bring our kids?
Kids of all ages are welcome, but we ask that anyone with very small children or babies keep in mind that they may not be comfortable being at a wedding ceremony and reception for several hours and we will not have any babysitting or designated "baby areas" available. Note, though, that we will have a kid-friendly menu for the under-12 crowd in attendance.

Can we bring our dogs?
We love dogs, but to keep things under control they won't be allowed at the wedding. Our two Jack Russell terriers will make a brief appearance at the very start of the ceremony, then be whisked away for the evening. No dogs will be present for the duration of the ceremony and reception, but our hosts' dogs may be around the morning of the wedding, as everything is put into place.

We're going to take lots of pictures. How do we share them with everyone?
For long-term galleries, we suggest you use either kodakgallery.com or flickr.com. Both sites allow for public or invite-only viewing and both provide the opportunity to order prints, postcards, photo albums, and more. We have a wedding flickr site and will provide guests with a password and login at the wedding so that everyone has access.

Since your wedding will be outdoors, can I smoke at it?
No. The ceremony and reception areas are no smoking only. However, we will have a designated area for those of you who need regular smoke breaks. Some of our guests are very sensitive to cigarette smoke and smell, so please be mindful of that.

You're having a Jewish wedding ceremony? What's up with that?
Well, Justin is technically Jewish and Sarah's converting. Judaism and the Jewish culture mean a lot to us, and we are very excited about incorporating it into our lives. We will explain all elements of the ceremony in our wedding program, but you can also learn about Jewish wedding traditions here.

What's the deal with all of your wedding themes? What are they?
When we first started planning, we had one theme: citrus and herb. This theme was inspired by our desire to have a lemon rosemary cake and by our Martha Stewart color scheme of marigold and pewter. Since then our color scheme has evolved to include any shade of yellow and gray, and our themes have increased in number. At our wedding you will see elements of the following: Star Trek; Converse sneakers; our pets; a variety of movies; Judaism; nature and gardening, particularly Texas flora; Italy; cover music; plus the original citrus and herb and who knows what all else! Additionally, we have an over-riding theme of environmental consciousness. You can learn more about that here. We hope to bring it all together in one cohesive feeling of fun and festivity. Mostly, we want our wedding to reflect us in its uniqueness.

Where are you going on your honeymoon?
We'll be heading to Italy the day after our wedding! We'll be there for 10 days as we visit Rome, Florence, various Tuscan towns, and the northwestern coast.

If you have any other questions, please contact us via our wedding website at www.waythatyouwalk.com. Thank you!