Amanda + John get hitched!

This past weekend my best friend of 20 years, Amanda, got married to the love her life, John, in our hometown of Bethlehem, PA. I felt so honored to not only be one of her bridesmaids but also the singer during her ceremony at the beautiful St. Simon & St. Jude church. (You really can't beat the acoustics in an old church) After the "I dos" we headed to the Historic Hotel Bethlehem for drinking, dancing and all around wedding merriment. It was a fantastic day! 

Our gorgeous bride walked down the aisle in a custom made Amsale gown. The belt was to die for!

The men (Jake, Kyle, Weston and Neil) seriously dressed for the occasion!

Posing with the Bride + Groom after their ceremony!

I was head over heels for the gorgeous bouquets we carried. The oranges and reds really popped against our chocolate brown bridesmaid dresses. 

Also two of my favorites from the iPhone photos I snapped ....

Kate Makes: A 15ft Wall Unit (ok... Paul Makes it)

Well, Monday came and went and now my Kate Makes post is LATE. Oy. But hopefully this makes up for it... 

While most 20-somethings who are out to furnish their first apartments flock to big box stores like Ikea, Target and West Elm, I head... well, home. To my sweet and talented Daddy. 

Below is a sketch I drew out in one of my moleskin journals back in early June. Because our apartment is lacking in square footage, I knew I needed a work horse of a wall unit. It had to function not only as a bookshelf, but also as kitchen and office storage and as two clothing wardrobes. And it had to fit EXACTLY along our living room wall. No one but my Dad could build it. Everyday I wake up and smile as I walk by and see the stacks of music books and nicknacks that now live on this massive piece of furniture made with LO and VE by none other than Pauly C. :)

Two months and an incredible number of hours of hard work later by my incredible daddy (with assistant from Jake and my mom) - here is what we got!

Some details of our living room below...  our favorite chair from Aunt Hortie and my Jonathan Adler pillow (from the back and front) a peek into Jake's wardrobe, my favorite moment framed, my new clutch from Roberta Freyman, my sacred Domino Magazine collection, my children's book selection and the Ampersand Jake gave me a few years ago, a few of my favorite owls, and Rufus (our Rhino's profile!) ....