As a lover of great perfumes I wanted to find a special fragrance to wear the day of my wedding. For me, perfume has always had a big effect on how I feel. Eric loves perfume and amazingly seems to notice every time I wear something new. I want to find something I can wear that will take us back to our special day. Much like an old song can take you back to that special time and place.

Finding a new fragrance that exudes love and romance was a journey I couldn't wait to embark upon. While in Paris last fall I began the search. This post is dedicated to the top 5 fragrances for the bride on her wedding day. I will only be revealing numbers 5 to 2 in this post. I want the fragrance I have chosen to remain a secret until after our wedding day. I will post the winner upon our return from the honeymoon.

Chloe, Love

Number 2: Chloe Love

This was a very tough choice. This fragrance could just have easily been THE perfume for my day. This fragrance can turn every woman into a goddess and transform every sinful thought in a virtue. A contemporary interpretation of Paris. Chloe Love is shy and dewy, sensual by its subdued innocence. Perfect for the bride planning a chic wedding with a vintage twist. This one is really hard to resist. (I'll will have a bottle with me during the honeymoon).

DKNY Be Delicious Fresh Blossom

Number 3: DKNY Be Delicious Fresh Blossom

A romantic fragrance that marries freshness, vibrancy, and femininity. A blend of sparkling grapefruit, cassis, and sunkissed apricot meets a blooming floral heart of sheer muguet and petally rose wrapped in luminous jasmine. Perfect for a bride planning a sweet, small and romantic wedding.

Vera Wang Princess

Number 4: Vera Wang Princess

A sexy fragrance that includes a mixture of water lily, apple, mandarin meringue, and golden apricot skin, dark chocolate, amber, musk, and vanilla. Radiant, romantic with a hint of whimsy. Perfect for a bride planning an informal, outdoor wedding!

Stella McCartney Stella

Number 5: Stella McCartney STELLA

A sensual, intense and feminine fragrance. Top notes of rose essence has been fused with peony flower and mandarin essence, while the heart note is based on rose absolute. The base notes of woody ambers inject sexiness to the mix. Perfect for the bride planning and elegant and sophisticated wedding where no detail is forgotten. This fragrance exudes confidence and intrigue.



Vessie Cole Callicutt

Today would have been Grandma C's 88^th birthday. I grew up just steps from grandma's front door and when I got home from school I would make a bee-line into her arms. Grandma was a strong, spirited and loving person. She always spoiled me and I always let her. She loved gardening, traveling and she was a top-notch cook. Throughout all those years I now know that many of the things I do and believe today are a direct result of what Grandma taught me. This post is dedicated to everything I learned from Grandma “C”.

1. Keep your house clean and tidy – you never know who might drop in
2. Select beautiful dishes of solid white – you'll be able to set the table for any season and the dishes will never clash
3. Sing a gospel song when you are sad – ain't nothing like an old timey hymnal to lift your spirits
4. Serve something Peppermint at Christmas (preferably a peppermint cake – it's really hard to beat)
5. Never be afraid to voice your opinion – if you don't no one else will....or can
6. Keep at least one pair of yard shoes by the door and never wear them inside (otherwise you'll have alot more cleaning to do)
7. You should never be bored – there's always something to pull in the garden or clean in the house
8. Drive fast and smart – speed is a good thing
9. Use a cream or lotion on your face at morning and night (this is a must do – Grandma's skin was amazing)
10. Always have dessert – it'll make any meal seem amazing if if your eating leftovers

This concludes my list. Although there are other words of wisdom I gained from grandma the thing I miss the most is her smile and her laugh. She really had a great one!

I spent this week traveling on business to Buenos Aires, Argentina.  Traveling this close to the holiday season had me stressed out but what a blessing the trip turned out to be.  I spent three days working with some of the nicest, most sincere individuals I have ever met.  I am not fluent in Spanish (I only know basic words) and I was worried about my ability to get around easily but everyone was so nice and helpful.  While visiting I had dinner and lunch with several different individuals and during these moments I took the time to ask them about the wedding traditions in Buenos Aires.  I learned that dancing is a big part of the celebration after the wedding.  Argentinian wedding celebrations last for many hours and usually end with a nice dinner.

Bridge of the Woman (meant to look like Tango dancer)

Another tradition I found to be just wonderful is that for New Year's everyone dresses in white.  The white is a symbol of peace and is practiced throughout the country.  In addition, ladies tend to wear pink undies for love.  How sweet.  It got me thinking how nice it would be if the US had a tradition where for one day we could stand unified for one really great cause.  What could be better than standing up for Peace?

My journey was long and my time in Argentina was short but so enriching.  I will never forget the trip and what I gained both professionally and personally.  Thanks to everyone for showing me such a great time and taking good care of me!

Miss America Pattern Compote

Few things remind me more of my childhood than thick, heavy, depression glass.  When I was young I had no idea it was something special but I definitely remember seeing it in my grandmother's home as well as the home of many of my great aunts and uncles.  The story of Depression Glass is quite interesting.  Depression glass is so named because it was made in the United States primarily during the Great Depression — from the middle 1920s through the 1930s.  Although the majority of depression glass patterns were made in crystal, colored glass enventually became very popular.  In order of their popularity, the top depression glass colors were:  pink, green, amber-yellow, cobalt-blue, red-ruby, black, and amethyst.  The during its day the glass was oftentimes viewed to be “cheap” or “poor” glass because it was mass manufactured by machine, and often given away as a premium or promotional gift for buying a certain product.  It was also used as an incentive gift to get people to buy at a local store, and often could be acquired by saving coupons off of purchases.

American Sweetheart Pattern Platter

There are many patterns that were manufactured to contain all pieces needed for a full dinner service including dinner, salad and bread plates as well as cake plates, butter dishes, serving bowls, etc.  Beginning in the late 1960's American's began collecting depression glass.  Since that time the value has continued to rise.

Rose of Sharon Pattern Cup and Saucer

I have been collecting pink depression glass for a few months now.  I am planning to create an amazing French dessert station at my party.  To make it extra special I will be serving the french delectables on beautiful pink depression glass.  Some of my favorite patterns include American Sweethear, Miss America and Rose of Sharon.  I decided to mix and match patterns because I think it will create more interest.  How appropriate that my vintage Parisian wedding party will include some truly vintage serving pieces straight out of history.

While in France do as the Frenchmen. Once Eric and I had determined that Paris would be the site for our wedding I began to research the traditions of a typical wedding in France. Many of the traditions in the US today are adaptations of what the French have been doing for centuries. Below is a listing of traditions not commonly seen in the US. Each of them will be a part of our french-style wedding in April.

Ritual Bath: This bath symbolizes the purification of the bride, ridding her of all evil as well as memories of any previous boyfriends

Coco Chanel Bath at The Ritz Paris

White Ribbons: On the day of the wedding the entrance to the church is blocked with white ribbons. The bride cuts the ribbon and she with her groom and guests enter the church. The ribbons are symbolic obstacles the couple will overcome together.
Order of Entry: Following one or more musicians the bride makes her way to the door of the church where she awaits her groom. They take hands and enter the chruch together signifying the beginning of their lives together.
Bridal Path: Laurel Leaves are placed down the path outside the church for the couple to walk over after the wedding

Coup de Mariage

Toasting: The couple toasts one another with a two-handled cup. This particular cup is then passed down from one generation to another. Known as coup de mariage, this tradition is one of the oldest traditions still in practice today.

I am devoting this post to my love for lavender.  During my recent travels to Paris I met with Karine Garillon who owns and operates a lovely florist in the heart of Paris (more coming in a later post).  She deals only with local, French growers and she buys only the most fragrant plants for her shop.  She will be creating my wedding bouquet and any other flowers we have on our wedding day.  I shared with her my love of Lavender and she is going to include springs of French lavender in my bouquet and in Eric's boutonniere.  Lavender is one of my most favorite fragrances.  Pure, natural and so soothing I find myself instantly drawn to the fragrance.  A few years back I participated in a craft show where I showcased hand-made items all scented with French lavender.  As it remains one of my best shows ever I dont' think I'm in the minority when it comes to the love of lavender.  Eric also enjoys the lavender fragrance especially in burning candles.  For our reception in Raleigh next spring I am planning to offer bundles of French lavender to our guests as a favor.  Just one way we can bring a little bit of France back home and share it with our cherished familty and friends.  In addition, most people do not know that lavender is also an excellent cooking herb.  One of our wedding cakes at the reception will be filled with Lavender and Lemon cream. YUM!

A brief history of lavender is posted below.  If you've never taken the time to stop and smell the ... lavender -- you should.  It just might lighten your mood!

As an herb, lavender has been in documented use for over 2,500 years. In ancient times lavender was used for perfume by the Egyptians, Phoenicians, and peoples of Arabia. Romans used lavender oils for bathing, cooking, and scenting the air, and they most likely gave it the Latin root from which we derive the modern name (either lavare--to wash, or livendula--livid or bluish). Perhaps first domesticated by the Arabians, lavender spread across Europe from Greece. Around 600 BC, lavender may have come from the Greek Hyeres Islands into France and is now common in France, Spain, Italy and England. The 'English' lavender varieties were not locally developed in England but rather introduced in the 1600s, right around the time the first lavender plants were making their way to the Americas. In Medieval and Renaissance Europe, the washing women were known as "lavenders" and they used lavender to scent drawers and dried the laundry on lavender bushes.

October 28, 1961. The car was washed, waxed and the tires were gleaming. Shoes shined, dressed in his Sunday best, he pulled onto a winding dirt road on his way to what would become the best day of his life.

Waiting at the house near the end of the dirt road she put the finishing touches on her makeup, put on her earrings and draped a necklace; all the while waiting patiently for him to arrive.

October 28, 1961. The day my Dad, W.E. Callicutt married my Mom, Alice Faye Nichols.

My parents were married at my mother's home place which is traditional in Southern weddings. Surrounded by love and supported by family they said “I Do” and a wonderful life together began. Mom's dress was white, street length and in pictures she was a beauty. Dad always loved remembering her that day and often recalled how amazing he felt when he took her hand in marriage. They went to the North Carolina mountains for their honeymoon and I'm certain the leaves were spectacular then just as they are today.

Mom and Dad were married for 46 years before dad passed away. They built a life together based on trust, love and respect and I feel so fortunate to have been born into such a blessed home. As I now begin to plan for my wedding in April it seems fitting that I look back on what my parents were able to build together. Dad's vow to always say “I Love You” even when things are rocky. His belief that giving a hug gets you 90% of the way towards forgiveness. Mom's unconditional love, support and dedication to a man and a family that could be more than difficult at times. Her unselfish willingness to make sacrifices all in the name of love. How lucky I am to have such a great example as I walk towards a life of wedded bliss. I know that Eric and I will be able to create something equally as special if we can just use them as our example.

In closing I would like to thank my Mom and Dad for teaching me about life, laughter and the true meaning of love!

Learn more about the bakery here.