A couple of patriotic finishes and a magical wedding!

Good morning, all! At least I think it's morning... We've been back from my youngest son's wedding for over a week now and my body and mind still haven't recovered from the effects of jet lag. Just when I think I'm back to normal, a wave of exhaustion hits me at random times during the day. That's what happens when you travel to a time zone six hours ahead of the one you live in! So, where were we? I'll share my stitching finishes with you and then move on to the wedding...

As soon as I saw this sweet design, I knew I had to stitch it! This is "She Stitched the Stars" by Needle Treasures Nook and it is stitched on 40 ct. raw natural Newcastle linen with the suggested colors. I did make a few changes, though. I aligned the stars in the arc to be symmetrical, stitched the dates using a smaller font, and added another little shoe instead of the draped fabric that was charted. 

"She Stitched the Stars" 

This stitched up very quickly and it was nice to have just two colors to keep track of! I debated as to what color of trim to add, but ended up with a simple ecru color cording tied in the corner with a rusty star glued on top of the hanging strands. Simple and sweet, don't you think? And a perfect way to commemorate America's 250th birthday coming up in July.

My second finish is one that has been a long time coming... I'm not quite sure when I actually finished the stitching on this one, but it's been a while. I came across it after we returned from the wedding and decided it was high time I fully finish it. "Grand Olde Flag" by With Thy Needle and Thread is stitched "over" one on 28 ct. black Monaco fabric with the suggested threads. I just love how tiny it came out! The stitched portion is only about 4 inches square. I debated about how to finish it and was leaning toward a pillow with ruched ribbon trim, but decided I would frame it instead.

"Grand Olde Flag" by With Thy Needle and Thread

This is a thrifted frame that I've used for two previous finishes--I just pop out the back checkered board and insert another. A great money saver... And another money saver is how often I repurpose my sons' old flannel shirts for backing a finish. That's what I used behind the stitched portion in this piece. Having had three sons who grew up in the '80s and '90s (when flannel and plaid shirts worn unbuttoned over a white t-shirt was so popular), I have a never ending supply of flannel. In fact I have a whole cupboard full of their old cut-up shirts just waiting to be used for future finishes!

How about my fellow Americans? Are you stitching anything patriotic for the 250th birthday this year? I have a few more tiny things I hope to have all finished up to share with you in July. After that, I'm moving on to fall and Christmas stitching.

   ♥ On to the wedding! ♥

A most special weekend... I had so many of you hoping to see wedding photos that I put together this little recap  for you. The wedding of my youngest son and new daughter-in-law was held in a fairytale setting at a castle in the beautiful hills of Tuscany.

Yes, their wedding took place in Italy!

Oh, my... I don't think any of us have come back down to earth yet. Every little detail was so well done--just perfect, really. I'll share some photos to give you a better idea of what this enchanting weekend entailed... 

Castello Banfi il Borgo was the perfect setting for my youngest son's wedding on June 6th. Some of the interior rooms have been renovated to act as hotel rooms and we were lucky enough to stay in a beautiful suite.

 

What a view! Our room was down on the bottom left of this steep slope--right across from an outdoor breakfast/lunch area.

 

Everywhere you look, the countryside provided picture-perfect views.

 

Me relaxing before the wedding on Saturday. I was, surprisingly, not nervous at all! By then, my attitude was, "What will be, will be."

 

The festivities began with the rehearsal dinner on Friday night which all 80+ guests were invited to. It was a fun pizza party with yummy salads, cheeses, and tiramisu for dessert. There was a three piece jazz ensemble playing background music and, of course, speeches were made toasting the soon-to-be-married couple.

This rustic courtyard was the setting for the rehearsal dinner.

 

The red checkered tablecloths lent a casual, cheerful atmosphere to the party.

 

The fresh tomatoes and white candles were such a fun, quick, and easy centerpiece. My little grandsons loved reaching over and plucking off the juicy tomatoes and popping them into their mouths!

 

The party went on into the evening accompanied by music from a jazz trio and speeches by family and friends. 

 

The wedding day... More perfect weather couldn't have been scheduled for the actual wedding day--puffy white clouds dotted the sunny, blue skies with temperatures in the mid to high-70s.

The bride and groom couldn't have asked for a more idyllic setting in which to exchange their vows 

 

A close-up of the aisle and seating area. Pretty parasols were even provided for sun coverage. Honestly, there were so many thoughtful details sprinkled throughout the day.

 

The newlyweds! What a handsome couple--even with their faces blurred (at their request). And her dress--absolutely stunning! I loved the burgundy calla lilies adorning her bouquet and his boutonniere, too. My husband and I walked our son down the aisle and it wasn't until we kissed him at the end of it that I shed a few tears. 

 

My husband and I were all smiles after the ceremony. I think we clean up pretty well for two 71 year olds :) And almost 6-year-old  Mister B, my oldest grandson, was beaming as the proud ring bearer. After all my agonizing over buying a dress, I ended up with this simple black knit one with a pearl and rhinestone embellished neckline that I found at Nordstrom. (You can see some close-up views of it on their website right here). It was SO comfortable and the only dress of the ten that I tried on that felt like me. Most were either too matronly or too prom-like. This one traveled perfectly and had a simple, but elegant look that I thought suited a black-tie (optional) wedding.

The reception... After the wedding ceremony took place and the photographers finished with the family and bridal party photos, the reception was held in the courtyard of the castle. It began with "aperitivo,"  a traditional Italian pre-dinner cocktail hour with drinks and small bites.  Aperitivo is intended to "open your stomach and stimulate your appetite before the main meal." I don't think I had a single appetizer--I was too busy talking and catching up with family members I hadn't seen in years! We then moved on to the stunningly set dinner table for a feast of veal, eggplant parmesan, or turbot. 

 

One of the most charming scenes of the day was the shape of the table for the reception dinner--so soft and lovely. Can you spot my son and daughter-in-law checking to make sure all the place settings are perfect?

 

Beautiful crystal chandeliers, floral centerpieces, and personalized menus (with our names inscribed on the burgundy ribbons!) added an elegant touch to the table.

 

The meal was delicious and it was so enjoyable just chatting and relaxing as the sun set over the castle.

After the delicious dinner, complete with speeches by the matron of honor and the two best men (my two older sons shared that honor), we moved to a grassy area for cake and a big surprise!

 

Instead of a traditional wedding cake, an Italian Millefoglie cake was served. Oh, my! So scrumptious... My husband actually ate four (yes, four!) pieces of it. It was fun because my son and daughter-in-law got to help make it themselves! The cake consisted of two layers of vanilla cream custard layered between three layers of delicate puff pastry. That part of the cake was waiting for them on the table and then they smothered the top of the cake with fresh berries and sifted powdered sugar over the whole thing. I may just have to try making this at home! 

 

Surprise! Surprise! No one knew fireworks were coming except for the newlyweds and their wedding planner. As the cork popped on the celebratory bottle of champagne, the fireworks began lighting up the sky in the valley below. And yes... I actually gasped (and I wasn't the only one!) It truly felt like something out of a movie!

 

I have to admit, I teared up when the fireworks began. The surprise of them was simply breathtaking!

And finally, the celebration concluded with lots of joyful dancing on the black and white checkered dance floor as my oldest grandson, Mister B, showed us his (very impressive!) moves. A fun trio including a trumpet player, a saxaphonist, and a drummer played along to music chosen by the couple. Baby N missed out on the festivities--he was with two wonderful Italian babysitters who cared for him during the wedding and reception. 

  

Mister B showing all the grown ups how it's done! I think the videographers got more footage of him on the dance floor than anyone else. 

The band, the fireworks, and the entire weekend left us with huge smiles on our faces.

We left the party close to 1:00 AM tired, but fulfilled... The whole weekend couldn't have gone more perfectly. It still amazes me at the amount of planning and decision-making that goes into a wedding and, suddenly, it's all over in 8 or 9 short hours. My son and daughter-in-law went through a lot of ups and downs working with the Italian wedding planner over the past year... There was the time difference to contend with, the language barrier now and then, and different expectations on both sides. Would they do a destination wedding again? I don't know... but, for those of us lucky enough to attend, it was truly a magical experience to remember forever! ♥ I am so happy to have a new daughter-in-law in the family and I wish them many years of love and laughter ahead! ♥

I'm a small-town girl having grown up in a village with just one traffic light in southwestern New York. Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined having a son who would some day get married at a castle in Italy. There is something so peaceful and calming about the Tuscany region... My husband and I were blessed to be able to stay on for another week after the wedding and explore many of the small hill towns in the area. I'll be sharing more photos in future posts of our post-wedding travels so I hope you'll come back soon!

 

Until then, I'll leave you with a few final photos taken at the wonderful Castello Banfi il Borgo. Tuscany has captured my heart and I truly hope to return some day!

 

This was the view from our bedroom window at the castle.

The castle: enchanting from every angle

 

 

Thank you, Tuscany, for providing the perfect setting for a magical wedding weekend for all!

Thank you so much for visiting me today! After two weeks away, I'm doing my best to catch up on reading your blogs and seeing what you all have been up to. Enjoy this last bit of June, my friends--another year is passing by way too quickly! Take care of yourselves. Bye for now...