Editor’s Letter: Confessions of a Reluctant Bride
I spent the week leading up to my wedding crying and throwing up. It had nothing to do with nerves or cold feet – in fact, my husband and I had gotten legally married on a whim nine months earlier (at Conor O’Neill’s, where we had our first date). No, my physical reaction was due to the stress associated with the planning process.
Don’t get me wrong; I love weddings. Other people’s weddings. I’ve subscribed to bridal magazines since I was in middle school and write for several still today. I love looking at the pretty pictures of flowers, dresses and – best of all – cake. I just never wanted that for myself.
My husband is the reason we had our wedding. In what probably isn’t the best way to start a marriage, we argued back and forth whether or not to have one at all. I, of course, defending the not and he insisting we tie the knot publicly. He wanted the ceremony, he said, to commemorate this huge milestone in his life. I was quite excited about the milestone, but less so about the party that went along with it.
He won.
Our quasi-compromise was to have a destination wedding in Jamaica. If I’m being forced to have the W-word, I thought, I better get a vacation out of the deal. But that just made everything worse. As a control freak, I wanted to have my hand in every- thing – to know what it would look like and what it would cost. This wasn’t compatible with a resort operating on island time.
And so I stressed. And stressed. And stressed. What if the weather was bad and I had made everyone fly all the way out there just to sit in their hotel rooms? How much, exactly, is that open bar going to cost? Who’s going to hang the orchid strings I was bringing along? What if I forget to bring along the orchid strings??
There were a few more tears once we got to Jamaica, but in the end we got hitched without a hitch. It was a good day, but I still stand by my original feeling of loving weddings – so long as it isn’t mine.
Which is why I had so much fun with this issue – I’m not the bride. I especially enjoyed partnering on the Downton Abbey-inspired bridal fashion shoot with the talented photographer Brooke Trexler, event planner Gina Malefyt and all the other amazing people who contributed to the shoot.
If you’ve got a wedding to attend this summer – have a great time! And if you’re the star of the show – the bride – here’s to hoping you have a tear-free, vomitless journey to the altar.
Allyson Reedy, Editor
AReedy@LifestylePubs.com
Boulder Philharmonic Season Announcement Soiree
Music lovers gathered in the Gallery at Macky Auditorium for the unveiling of the Boulder Phil’s 2013-14 season. Highlights include a unique partnership with the Open Space and Mountain Parks Department and the world premiere of Boulder composer Jeffrey Nytch’s Symphony No.1.
Community Food Share – WhiteWave Foods Spring Fest
On April 13th, more than 200 people attended Community Food Share’s Denim & Diamonds Gala at the Omni Interlocken Resort. The proceeds from the event will help Community Food Share provide 520,000 meals to those in need of food assistance in Boulder and Broomfield Counties. For more information, visit CommunityFoodShare.org. PHOTOS COURTESY OF ARTIST I PHOTOGRAPHY.
Humane Society of Boulder Valley’s Puttin’ on the Leash – Animals in Wonderland
Nearly 1,200 people attended the Humane Society of Boulder Valley’s annual Puttin’ On The Leash event at the Coors Events Center on April 27. The event raised more than $370,000, and proceeds will support the Humane Society’s lifesaving services for 9,000 animals each year. PHOTOS COURTESY OF R! SERIES PHOTOGRAPHY.
Walk and Bike Month
For 30 days in June, Boulder will celebrate Walk & Bike Month with a slew of events around town. Kicking off the month-long celebration is the Circle Boulder by Bicycle Ride on June 2. Other walk and bike events – of which there are nearly 80 – include New Belgium Brewery’s Clips Beer and Film Tour and the annual Bike to Work Day on Wednesday, June 26 (followed by the brand new Bike from Work Day festivities at the Twenty Ninth Street Mall).
For more information and a listing of all the month-long activities, check out WalkandBikeMonth.org.
Foothills United Way Announces New CEO
Doug Yeiser has been named the new president and CEO of Foothills United Way. With 24 years of experience in nonprofit leadership and resource development, Yeiser has held key positions advancing the United Way mission throughout the United States and serving as interim senior vice president of resource development for United Way Worldwide. Prior to joining Foothills United Way, he was senior vice president of strategic markets for the United Way of San Antonio and Bexar County.
“The Foothills United Way Board of Directors conducted a national search. Doug Yeiser brings vast experience with United Way programs throughout the United States to benefit Boulder and Broomfield counties,” said Jon Kottke, board chairman. “Our board sought a strong leader to move the organization forward, and Doug’s experience and skills are a good match for our community.”
3rd Annual Boulder’s Best Mixologist
303 Vodka hosted the 3rd annual Boulder’s Best Mixologist competition, with seven of Boulder’s top restaurants vying for the title (The Kitchen, Salt, Aji, Q’s, The Corner Bar, Riff’s and Basta). Participating bartenders spend months prepping for the competition where the only rule is that the only alcoholic ingredient in the drink can be 303 Vodka.
More than 200 attendees voted for their favorite drink, crowning Conor McDermott of Salt the champion with his drink, Until Next Time. Visit Salt to sample the creative concoction, which consists of 303 vodka, fresh- squeezed lemon juice, chamomile simple syrup, strawberries and egg white.
Source Local Foods Launches Mobile App
SOURCE Local FoodsTM, a leader in sustainable food system innovation announces the launch of a new mobile app that will change the way people interface with their food. SOURCE the FOOD APP provides real time supply chain data that empowers users to make more informed decisions about grocery purchasing and restaurant dining.
The innovative new tool is bridging the gap between produc- ers and consumers by enabling users to see where the food they buy, sell and eat is coming from. The app delivers robust, real-time supply chain data through a fun, elegant user experience. Users can perform directory searches using any combination of criteria: product type, product attributes, farm/source, food miles, product category, retail location, retail category and “catch all.” Detailed company profiles help consumers learn more about their food and the farmers and vendors it came from. Available free for iPhone and Droid users.
Photography Special for Boulder Lifestyle Readers
Susannah Storch Photography specializes in lifestyle portrait, pet and wedding photography for Boulder and beyond. We capture joyful, authentic and unexpected moments of your children and pets by having lots of fun in a non-stuffy outdoor or studio environment. Celebrate your family this spring and summer by booking an outdoor session at rates special to Boulder Lifestyle readers. A $150 photography session (that’s a $50 savings!) includes the best images of your family edited, an online print ordering gallery and a 5×7 print. Digital files and other products are also available for purchase. Call or email today to reserve your special photo session rates. And then grab your suntan lotion, dog treats and favorite toys, and let’s have some fun capturing your family’s personality. Visit SusannahPhoto.com/portrait-galleries/ or call 303.775.0824 for more information.