Fido the Ring Bearer

After the NY Times recently wrote about nuptials featuring family pets as members of the wedding party, we went wild for the idea. Austin is famously pet-friendly, and this seems like exactly the kind of idea that Austinites would lovingly embrace - after all, we already bring our dogs to work, to lunch, for walks downtown and runs around the lake. Including Fido, a family member you snuggle and kiss every day, in your wedding party is a way to make your wedding ceremony feel fun and personal, and it's awfully darn cute. 

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More dashing canine companions after the jump!

WOW.

There are an infinite number of beautiful weddings out there - every day we find ourselves gasping and sighing over the latest posts on Style Me Pretty, 100 Layer Cake, Green Wedding Shoes, and the like - but there are a few weddings that stick out in our minds, and this is one has been haunting our collective mind for absolutely ever - we originally came across it on Pinterest and simply couldn't resist sharing it with you. The dress, the giant sash-corsages on the bridesmaids, the tea party and lush reception - this couple got it all exactly right. We will probably never get over it, ever. 

There are a million more breathtaking pictures at the photographer's blog - be sure to check them out and file them all away for inspiration, because holy moly. 

Flower of the Week: Cherry Blossoms

Cherry Blossom

Prunus serrulata

We usually see photos of cherry blossoms en masse, but they're absolutely precious close up!

All around the country, cherry trees are flowering into clouds of pink petals, a beautiful and delightful sight to behold. There are multiple cherry blossom festivals in the United States, the most noteworthy of which is probably the National Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, DC. Cherry blossoms have a long history and many varied meanings, the most famous of which is the Japanese tradition of hanami - essentially parties organized to view blossoming cherry trees. Originally hanami were philosophical excursions with the purpose of reflecting on the transient nature of life, but have evolved into festive gatherings to enjoy the beauty of nature. 

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Japan and the United States have been exchanging gifts of cherry trees as tokens of friendship since 1910. The first trees from Japan were planted in Sakura Park in Manhattan (sakura being the Japanese name for the cherry tree) and along the shore of the Tidal Basin in Washington DC, and this gift was renewed in 1965 with the planting of an additional 3800 trees. In 1981, a fire destroyed a number of cherry trees in Japan, and the United States was able to reciprocate the kindness of the Japanese by offering cuttings from the original trees planted in Sakura Park to Japanese horticulturalists working to restore the cherry tree population. 

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In Japan, the cherry blossom is a symbol for the ephemeral nature of life, extreme beauty, and quick death. In Chinese tradition, the cherry blossom stands for the empowerment of women, beauty, and feminine sexuality.

Friday Link Love

It's that time again, ladies and gents! Enjoy our favorite internet things for the last week (or two .... oops!) and have a wonderful weekend. 

1. We loved this article from the Harvard Business Review on how to quit your day job and go after what you really love. 

2. We're still loving ombre, and so is Preston Bailey - and we definitely love these tights for bridesmaids in a modern wedding. 

3. Everything about this wedding is flawless, but especially delightful is the hand-stitched leather and letterpress invitation suite. Holy cow. 

4.  French cats! We simply cannot. 

5. This weekend marks the 100th anniversary of the sinking of ill-fated ship of dreams, the Titanic. This gorgeous shoot is actually Downton Abbey themed, but since the sinking of Titanic sets off the events in our favorite deliciously dramatic Edwardian soap opera, we figured it's like a 2-for-1 deal on themes we're obsessed with.  

6. April 15th is also Leonardo DaVinci's birthday - happy 559th, sir. Check out the exhibit entitled "Da Vinci - the Genius" at Lubbock's Science Spectrum before it takes off! 

Happy Friday!