when one of your best friends blows air into a ziploc bag so that she can safely travel back with two Kinder Sorpresa eggs from Italy because she knows they will put a HUGE smile across your face.
that amazing person would be one of my bestest friends, Lo, as she returned recently from a trip to Italy with her husband & family.
what?, you may ask, exactly is a Kinder Sorpresa?
while studying abroad i used to wander the cobblestone streets of Florence, Italy with what were soon to become some of my dearest friends in the world. we would take advantage of traveling just about anywhere once the weekend arrived, and with traveling came countless times that we were left to wait in transit for either a train or bus, etc. we filled that time with games, stories, & much laughter....
along with an occasional Kinder Sorpresa --- 'Kinder' being the brand name of this milk & white chocolate goodness, and 'Sorpresa' meaning 'surprise'!
once we unwrapped our delicate chocolate eggs,,,
we would then crack the egg in half........only to find a plastic morsel with some sort of toy, puzzle, etc. inside it!
it always amazed me by how something so small could contain at times quite an intricate toy once assembled. Kinder Sorpresa's were a gentle tap into our inner child... and even to this day, when my best friend pulled these out from her purse with a huge grin across her face, i couldn't help but feel giddy & wonder what surprise lay inside!
below, is the surprise i received in the egg i opened up. i think i am going to save my other egg & share it with a loved one so that they, too, can experience love & happiness through something so very simple, and sweet.
i also happened to find this, what i think is, an uber cute commercial for Kinder Sorpresa. the song is not in English, but you don't need to know the words to understand the message.
love is also....
genuine smiles & laughter that make you laugh & smile uncontrollably. that is exactly how i felt when i watched my nephew, Preston (you might remember Preston, Alexa & Steve from this previous post) swing with his Dad while visiting in town this weekend.
i also felt my heart feel full of love as he was embraced by his parents....
...and let out the most happy smile EVER!
to me, love is the innocence & incredible curiosity of a child, as well.
last but definitely not least, how can you not melt at this smile?!!!! Preston with his Mom... he radiates L.O.V.E. .... and i just love him so much!
happy start of the week to you! i hope it is filled with love in all forms, moments & happenings.
this week, i strive to be aware of all the love that surrounds me daily.
they met on New Years Eve. there was a distinct light that happened to spotlight Julie as his eye's meandered across the crowded, dimly lit bar. it was at that moment that Vince told his friends that he'd be right back,,, he had to '"go talk to a friend." little did Vince know that Julie had already noticed him, as well.
they exchanged a perfect first kiss at midnight amongst a sky colored with fireworks. it was from that point onward that Julie & Vince became inseparable, continuing to always celebrate New Years Eve for years to come.
so it is of no surprise to anyone who knows this passionate couple that they would get married on New Years Eve,,, where they would once again share a perfect kiss at the stroke of midnight.
we started the day getting ready at the Concorde Inn in Clinton Township. their ceremony took place at the lovely Our Lady Star of the Sea in Grosse Pointe Woods & it was undoubtably filled with great emotion. we then ventured onward towards Detroit for tons of photo fun & concluded the journey with a night of great food, dancing, laughter, tears & even... a Mariachi Band at the Concorde Inn! of course, Music Box Productions did yet another incredible job of not only hooking them up with music that makes your feet moooooove ... but also capturing every detail with their awesome videographers!
i have to prewarn you, though... this is QUITE a large post. there were so many different moments that happened that day, it was nearly impossible to narrow it all down! below are some of the toptop favorites, but be sure to also check out their slideshow at the end of this post for more. yes, even more!
Julie & Vince, as i write this my heart cannot help but to smile. your love is truly inspiring & wonderFULL in every sense of the word. i will never ever forget the first time Julie told me how you both met at her make-up trial, & then hearing Vince speak of it in his toast on your wedding day. two things stuck out at me immediately -- one, how incredibly in sync you both are & two, i could never ever get sick of hearing that story. your wedding day was yet another unforgettable love story... and i am beyond honored to have been able to document it for you both, as i am honored to know such amazing people in my life. thank you for being so open & heartFULL! Heather & i had a the best time. ...and without further ado -- please enjoy your big sneak peek!!!!
first up, Julie wore these butterfly clips on her first day of kindergarten.... & saved them this entire time, only to wear them again on her wedding day! could they be any more special?
i adored all the details.... especially her rockin' 'something blue' shoes!!!
i had the honor of doing Julie's make-up look! (thanks again to my super rad assistant Heather Savas for snapping these lovelies ) :
her dress was ah!-mazing :
her gorgeous niece's Marissa and....
Hannah!
the cutie-patootie flower girl, Aubrey :
girls will be girls!
getting ready time :
i really love this image taken while Jennie, her sister & Maid of Honor, was helping Julie get ready. i love the feeling that is exuded without even seeing the expressions on their faces. i also *heart* her sister's pregnant belly!
i love, looove these sweet moments. Aubrey naturally gazing out the window on the left... and Julie embracing Jennie on the right:
i just loooove the way her sister is looking at her in this image :
the absolutely glowing & beautiful bride :
the best part about this photograph is that it just naturally happened. their expressions & posture are priceless :
the lighting was so yummy :
*heart* this moment :
meanwhile Vince....
was looking quite his handsome self :
a top fave :
i asked him to think of Julie & this is what naturally happened :
to say that Vince's expressions when he first saw Julie walk down the aisle were priceless, is an understatement :
love this :
one of my toptop favorites from the entire day :
sealed with a smmmmmoooooch!
Vince & Julie had asked to do something a little different immediately following the ceremony... to have a photograph taken of them with everyone who came to their ceremony, seated as they were. i LOVED the idea & was very happy it all work out :
...and off we went to downtown Detroit City!
their bridal party was a blast
i love this photo. it makes me smile :
i *heart* all their awesome emotions!
can we say ga-ga-ga-ga-gorgeous!?!
they were such troopers... you would never know how cold it really was outside that day!
another top favorite :
yet another top favorite :
their Best Man, Jess with his daughter, Aubrey... a moment i adore right down to the curly-q ribbon of the balloon hanging in front of her:
Vince hanging with the guys :
Vince's brothers :
are Julie's eyes out of control or what?!!! LOVE it!
love, love, love :
we made a pit stop into Lafayette Coney Island, where Vince so lovingly feed a coney dog to his wife :
once we arrived at MGM Grand Casino, we had a little bit of trouble actually getting into the building with the security guards due to lack of ID. leave it to Vince & Julie to ask to take a photo & make it a light-hearted and fun thing to look back on!
i still managed to utilize the entry foyer, though. my thought was to make the bridal party look almost like chess pieces around Julie & Vince (naturally the 'king & queen' ) :
i knew 'wubbi', a.k.a Jones's blankey, was on it's way out when he walked into my room wearing it proudly as a cape a couple weeks ago. i just about lost my head with the type of laughter that you can't control but are desperately trying to hold it in so as not to embarrass the other person, err...umm.... animal.
i carefully tiptoed over to my camera so as not to cause any quick, excited movements by Jones. i just had to document this! maybe i am a bit biased considering he is my bubbaganoosh, but he was just the most precious version of himself at that distinct moment.
as i snapped a few photos, Jones eventually realized he wasn't getting a treat, we weren't going on another walk... it was just Mom with her camera again. he curled himself into his wubbi, let out a small sigh as i chuckled another watermelon-sized grin adoringly looking at my pup, thinking to myself, 'life sure is grand'.
hope this made you smile as it did for me. a most happy monday to you!
--- 'Kinder' being the brand name of this milk & white chocolate goodness, and 'Sorpresa' meaning 'surprise'!
.... and i just love him so much!
leave it to Vince & Julie to ask to take a photo & make it a light-hearted and fun thing to look back on! 
