I just wanted to pop in to say that the Taffy recaps will be making a comeback soon! This past year has been very crazy for us, as we only saw each other on the weekends due to my US / Canadian commute! Well, before the recaps continue, I wanted to share some exciting news with you- we decided to take the plunge and move to Canada!



image source

Yes, after 13 months of commuting, we are living under the same roof all week long! :)

Before the move, the commute was taking up too much time to work on the recaps. Since we decided to move in November, we have been up to our ears beginning the immigration process, and were busy moving our household here and looking for places in Canada. All of our household items came to our new place at the end of November, and Mr. Taffy arrived full time mid January. It is SO wonderful to see him everyday! We have picked up our newlywed / nesting phase where we left off in December 2009, and have had a great time cooking, baking and relaxing together. So much so that we haven't completely unpacked yet. ;) 

It has been great to use all of my baking items again! (we didn't cook or bake much on weekends together while I was commuting)





Yum!!!

I hope you all will take a look once the recaps get started again... it feels great to be blogging again. :)

Lots of love,
Mrs. Taffy

While Mr. Taffy and I were having our portraits taken, our guests enjoyed cocktails and hor d'oeuvres. The two lovely ladies below are enjoying one of our signature drinks: Champagne Punch. mmmm.



All photos by our fabulous photographer, A Girl In Love.

Something tells me our groomsman was about to order a pint of Bell's Oberon or Two Hearted Ale. (or both!) These two Michigan beers were also signature drinks. We were happy to serve Michigan beer!




We love the happiness captured in all of the photos!













This is one of my favorite shots!



We also had a non alcoholic punch as a signature drink- I loved the floating blueberries! We called it "Something Blue" punch, and it was delicious. 







After our portraits were finished, Mr. Taffy and I had a little break to ourselves in an adjacent room. We had some water and a plate of hor d'oeuvres waiting for us... it was nice to have a moment to spend some time together before entering the reception! 




My maid of honor helped me switch veils...




And we were ready to go!

Up next, the reception begins!

Have you missed anything?

See us celebrate at our rehearsal dinner!
Watch the fun begin at the salon!
Dresses fly as the Taffettes get ready!
Watch as I conquer the floof!
See me sneak up on Mr. Taffy for our first look!
We bask in the portrait glow, pre ceremony!
I get past my nerves, and walk down the aisle.
Watch the Main Event: Our Ceremony!
We pose for the camera with our families.
Take a Peek at our Wedding Details!
Witness the Bride + Groom Portrait Smoochfest!


Our Parisian Honeymoon / 1st Anniversary Trip:

Part 1 -Our First Glimpse of Paris!
Part 2 -Mr & Mrs. Taffy conquer the Louvre!
Part 3 -A very fabulous birthday at Versailles!
Part 4 -Mrs. Taffy's French Finale!

 Let the smoochfest begin!



All photos by our fabulous photographer, A Girl In Love.


Muah ha ha. Ok, ok. I'll try to mix it up a little. 

























We relaxed and took our time wandering the grounds of the Union. I love how the bright green foliage looks... it was such a beautiful Spring day. 

But soon enough, it was time to go upstairs and join the party! :)

Up next, see what's shakin at the cocktail hour! 

Have you missed anything?

See us celebrate at our rehearsal dinner!
Watch the fun begin at the salon!
Dresses fly as the Taffettes get ready!
Watch as I conquer the floof!
See me sneak up on Mr. Taffy for our first look!
We bask in the portrait glow, pre ceremony!
I get past my nerves, and walk down the aisle.
Watch the Main Event: Our Ceremony!
We pose for the camera with our families.
Take a Peek at our Wedding Details!


Our Parisian Honeymoon / 1st Anniversary Trip:

Part 1 -Our First Glimpse of Paris!
Part 2 -Mr & Mrs. Taffy conquer the Louvre!
Part 3 -A very fabulous birthday at Versailles!
Part 4 -Mrs. Taffy's French Finale!

 We had a great time putting the details together before the wedding... it was wonderful to see everything come together!
(And to finally get them out of our house! They were multiplying and taking over!!!) I'll give you a peek here before we take a look inside our cocktail hour. :)

Many of the details were meant to coordinate with our invitations, which Mr. Taffy's brother designed and made for us.

To start, our escort cards, which were a labor of love:



All Photos by our fabulous photographer, A Girl In Love.


The three colors of ribbon served as a code for entree choice. 



This table held the guest book cards and the voting area for the charity favors.



The three jars were filled with tokens by the end of the night!



The blue cloth book held descriptions of the three charities that we chose.



The birdcage held our guest book cards.



Our cake was wonderful!!! We were worried about the design translating well to frosting. Our baker did an amazing job, and Mr. Taffy's handmade stand looked perfect.



Our vintage topper was doctored a bit to match my sash before going on display... :)




Mr. Taffy's Groom's Cake was awesome! We were thrilled to see his DIY label in action. We placed a photo from our record store engagement shoot on the table. 



These Just Married signs were one of my favorite things to make! :)




Our tulip centerpieces are not looking so hot in this photo... but they were lovely! ;)



Our handmade table numbers!



Each place setting had a note explaining our charity donation and a token to vote; and the Flickr cards, which were very popular! We were so excited to see everyone's uploads to the site.



A friend gave us these beautiful porcelain birds from Simon Pierce for our wedding. Since we received them early, we thought they would be a lovely addition to the glasses at our place setting. They were a nod to our two wonderful pet canaries.






We kept the ceremony decorations really simple; paper garlands and a petal aisle were all that we needed. Our florist brought and installed the petals.



These reserved signs were fun and quick to make!









Our florist did a lovely job. The boutonnieres were exactly what we wanted.



The bridesmaid bouquets were light and cheerful...



And I loved my bouquet! 




I saved my favorite for last- our homemade photobooth backdrop, and custom sign from claremont road's etsy shop! The photobooth was SO much fun, and the backdrop really tied everything together.



The photobooth in action:
(stay tuned for the full post!)




I crafted my heart out!!! *wipes brow* ;)
Much love to the hive for all of the inspiration and support!

Are you buried in any projects at the moment? May the force bee with you! :)


Have you missed anything?

See us celebrate at our rehearsal dinner!
Watch the fun begin at the salon!
Dresses fly as the Taffettes get ready!
Watch as I conquer the floof!
See me sneak up on Mr. Taffy for our first look!
We bask in the portrait glow, pre ceremony!
I get past my nerves, and walk down the aisle.
Watch the Main Event: our Ceremony!
We pose for the camera with our families.



Our Parisian Honeymoon / 1st Anniversary Trip:

Part 1 -Our First Glimpse of Paris!
Part 2 -Mr & Mrs. Taffy conquer the Louvre!
Part 3 -A very fabulous birthday at Versailles!
Part 4 -Mrs. Taffy's French Finale!

 Ah yes, it was time for family wedding portraits! Once again, Mr. Taffy and I met at the steps of the Union, where we enjoyed the weather and the company of our families, as well as the new rings on our fingers. :)

Here we are with Mr. Taffy's (and my new!) brothers.



All photos by A Girl In Love.



Posing with my two wonderful sisters!



Mr. Taffy's parents:







And my mom. :)


Mr. Taffy poses with his Dad, and his Grandfather.







With my entire immediate family:



And my awesome siblings.



When it was time for everyone to get together, Mr. Taffy and I were caught in our own world... literally stopping to smell the flowers. 



I love how Melissa captured this moment!



We snapped out of our newlywed cloud for this last shot. :)



Our families went upstairs to join the cocktail hour, and Mr. Taffy and I stayed for some shots of the two of us. 

Next up, a peek at our wedding details!

Have you missed anything?

See us celebrate at our rehearsal dinner!
Watch the fun begin at the salon!
Dresses fly as the Taffettes get ready!
Watch as I conquer the floof!
See me sneak up on Mr. Taffy for our first look!
We bask in the portrait glow, pre ceremony!
I get past my nerves, and walk down the aisle.
We make it official at the main event- our ceremony!


Our Parisian Honeymoon / 1st Anniversary Trip:

Part 1 -Our First Glimpse of Paris!
Part 2 -Mr & Mrs. Taffy conquer the Louvre!
Part 3 -A very fabulous birthday at Versailles!
Part 4 -Mrs. Taffy's French Finale!

 You watched as we made it down the aisle. Now, our ceremony continues!



All photos by our fabulous photographer, A Girl In Love.


We were so excited to begin our marriage with all of our friends and family present!



I'd like to share some of the wonderful ceremony that Minister Twizzler wrote for us. Not only did he introduce us (we met at his birthday party), but he was my roommate from the third month of our relationship until our engagement. I have known Minister Twizzler for over ten years, and he is an amazing friend to both of us. Here is what he wrote:

"When friends invite me to be a part of their wedding day perhaps my favorite part of the experience is exploring the roads they took to get here. There’s a great story when it comes to each of your roads to the chap-... er... Pendelton room. They haven’t been the exact same roads, but they have been cosmically similar, kind of like alternate dimensions. How many times have you two unwittingly crossed paths ... like ... Toyotas in the night? (Or Fords.) You’ve both studied design in New York, you’ve both lived in Ann Arbor, you both ended up in the automotive design world. Not always at the same time, and usually not in the same way, but with so many similarities it’s like you’ve been dancing around each other for years. Yet for most of that time... your destiny together has remained unknown to you. And the similarities just go on and on too. You’re both allergic to cats, you both love to cook, you both adore music, you both find... blood types fascinating... C’MON! It’s kismet! What was it gonna take to finally bring you two people together?

Oh I’ll tell you what. Some lutz you both met along the way gets together with his cat you’re both allergic to and throws a party for HIMSELF. But from there... it’s a classic tale of romance. The chance meeting. Sidelong glances across a crowded room. Atmosphere. Chemistry. That first flush of longing followed shortly by an exchange of MySpace pages.

A road to destiny is suddenly before you both."



That's right, we didn't even have facebook pages yet!  ;) And we did bond over all of those things, especially our allergies to cats!

Minister Twizzler continued:

"Mr. Taffy, as Miss Taffy's roommate during some of your early courtship, I can sincerely confirm that her joy and excitement at getting to know you, her thirst for learning about your interests and passions was unquenchable. The number of bouncing, giggling, elated post-date-with-Mr. Taffy's conferences we had is enumerable. Whether it was cooking dinner with you, spending time with friends, or just being together, Miss Taffy couldn’t wait for the next chance to be together. Sometimes we’d just be sitting in the apartment and out of nowhere she’d exclaim, “I love Mr. Taffy!”

Miss Taffy, Mr. Taffy is a man who not only cherishes everything you are and do, but one who can’t wait to find out what’s around the next corner. He once told me that no matter how much time passed everything with you felt new and amazing. When Mr. Taffy talks about sharing a future with you he delights in your sense of adventure and knows that everything your future holds will be alright because you’ll be experiencing and sharing it together.

So now, after all the concerts... after all the vodka sauces and art shows... after the spinach washing and Etta James 45s.... after all the different roads you’ve traveled to be together, here we are on this beautiful evening, overjoyed, to have the chance to see you both on the SAME road … “at last.”



"So at the risk of truly beating this road metaphor into the ground, now you are about to start down a new road, as husband and wife. The commitment of that union is your solemn oath to one another, that from this day forward you will be together – to cherish, love, and support each other, through success and failure, through joy and sorrow, and through times of sickness and health.

For my part, I ask you to celebrate not only the ideas and feelings you share, but your differences and diverse passions as well. Kahlil Gibran wrote, “Stand together, yet not too near together. For the pillars of the temple stand apart. And the oak tree grows not in shadow.” Your differences make you both so special, and celebrating them as you grow together, will keep your love vibrant and alive. I ask that you give a high priority to seeking out each other’s joys, needs and comforts, particularly when difficulty and frustration arise as they do in life.

Your needs will change and grow over time and it will take your continued effort to grow along with them. Devote yourselves to the strong bonds of friendship and love you have formed, and let them be your foundation henceforth. This ceremony will make your marriage legal, but your effort and dedication to one another will make it endure."

Miss and Mr. Taffy, today we have all come together to celebrate the love you have found with each other. By being here with you, each of us is declaring our support for your decision to join together in marriage.

As Families and friends, you form the community of support that surrounds Miss and Mr. Taffy. Each of you, by your presence here today, is being called upon to uphold them in honoring and loving each other. Always stand beside them, never between them. Offer them your love and support, not your judgment. Encourage them with your kindness and loving hearts, and honor this marriage into which they have come to be joined today."




We began our vows, as our bridal party looked on.







We each vowed:

"I choose you to be my best friend.
To join with me on this special journey,
As my partner and companion.
To be my spouse,
My confidant, My complement, My comfort,
My true love, For today, tomorrow and always."




We finished our vows and prepared to exchange rings.




"Rings are adornments, carefully chosen for their beauty and simplicity. They quietly sit upon our fingers, reminding us of the power of love and the pledge of the wearer to his or her partner, to be faithful and true, and to nurture their love so it will last a lifetime.

May these rings be a symbol to you both and to all others of the commitment and love you share, now and forever."




We both repeated:

"This ring is my gift to you.
May it always remind you
That from this day forward
You will always be surrounded by my love."




I have to admit, I still love putting that ring on his finger! Most days I beat him to it while he is getting ready in the morning. ;)



"This union has been made today and shall last for all time. Know that you have the pledge of your loved ones and friends to rely on and draw support from whenever it should be needed.

And so, Miss Taffy and Mr. Taffy, by the power vested in me by the great state of Michigan, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.

Family, friends, may I present to you, for the very first time, Mr. and Mrs. Taffy!"











And with that, we made our way down, down, down! :)











It was so exciting, walking down the aisle together as husband and wife! It definitely beat going up. ;)









Minister Twizzler looks very relieved!



As he should be! We loved his incredibly personal and touching ceremony, and so did our guests. There are not enough words to communicate how much it meant to us. The bridal party congratulated him on a job well done!





While we escaped downstairs to the steps of the Union, where we would meet our families for portraits. Our guests and bridal party headed down the hallway to our cocktail hour. :)

Up next, we enjoy more time outside, basking in the glow of Melissa's camera! :)

Have you missed anything?

See us celebrate at our rehearsal dinner!
Watch the fun begin at the salon!
Dresses fly as the Taffettes get ready!
Watch as I conquer the floof!
See me sneak up on Mr. Taffy for our first look!
We bask in the portrait glow, pre ceremony!
I get past my nerves, and walk down the aisle.


Our Parisian Honeymoon / 1st Anniversary Trip:

Part 1 -Our First Glimpse of Paris!
Part 2 -Mr & Mrs. Taffy conquer the Louvre!
Part 3 -A very fabulous birthday at Versailles!
Part 4 -Mrs. Taffy's French Finale!

 
As I waited with my mom to walk down the aisle, I couldn't believe that In a few short minutes, we would all be in position, and our ceremony would begin:



All photos by A Girl In Love


But first, we had to travel down the aisle, in front of all of our friends and family! eep. As cool and collected as I had been during our pre-ceremony portraits, I surely had the jitters now. Not for the actual ceremony... just a case of aisle fright. ;) Luckily, Minister Twizzler was the first brave soul to head down.




Mr. Taffy and the groomsmen followed shortly after.




The Taffettes walked down and took their positions...



















And it was time for us to go. Look how nervous I am! 



Thank goodness we have these lovely photos taken from the back. Whew! ;)
As nervous as I was, I was so happy to Mr. Taffy's face at the end of that aisle. 




I handed my bouquet to my Matron of Honor...




My mom gave us both a hug...







And we were ready to go! The hardest part was getting down the aisle. Once we were there, my nerves vanished.




Were you, or do you think you will be nervous walking down the aisle? I was even too jittery for tears!

Next, our ceremony begins!


Have you missed anything?

See us celebrate at our rehearsal dinner!
Watch the fun begin at the salon!
Dresses fly as the Taffettes get ready!
Watch as I conquer the floof!
See me sneak up on Mr. Taffy for our first look!
We bask in the portrait glow, pre ceremony!


Our Parisian Honeymoon / 1st Anniversary Trip:

Part 1 -Our First Glimpse of Paris!
Part 2 -Mr & Mrs. Taffy conquer the Louvre!
Part 3 -A very fabulous birthday at Versailles!
Part 4 -Mrs. Taffy's French Finale!

After out first look, we jumped right in to taking portraits with our bridal party. This was one of our favorite moments of our wedding day... it was like a happy, exciting pre party. ;) We were so elated, standing on the steps of our venue on what turned out to be a beautiful day, surrounded by wonderful friends, counting down the minutes to our ceremony... we were on cloud nine. :)

Our photographer did an amazing job capturing the afternoon!



All photos by A Girl In Love


My favorite shots with the Taffettes... 






Mr. Taffy had fun posing with his brothers!



And the rest of the groomsmen.



Including Tony, who has been one of my best friends since 7th grade! We were so happy that he could be a part of our wedding.



We took a little break...



And once again, I was caught with my camera. I just could not put it down! ;)



The view from the Taffy cam... :)



Everyone was in such a happy mood... it was so fun to feel the excitement in the air. Even the cars on State Street in front of the venue waved and honked during the shoot. :) I was so surprised how calm and relaxed I felt before the ceremony. Time seemed to be moving slowly, and we were glad to take everything in.








Our wonderful friend and officiant Minister Twizzler models the bridesmaid bouquets. 




And I modelled my own. ;)



Our photographer took these lovely shots of our favorite ladies and gentlemen:




































I had a hard time wiping this smile off of my face...



But Melissa somehow managed to get  a serious shot. :)




I have to admit, we faked the photo below! Since our ceremony and reception were in the same location, we thought it would be strange to have all of the guests come downstairs to stand around, just to go back up for the cocktail hour. So, we did a staged exit, with just the bridal party. I love the shots from the exit, fake or not! 




We did all of our portraits on the steps and grounds of the University of Michigan Union. We were happy to have this historical building as our backdrop!




Now, where did Minister Twizzler run off to?

There he is. :)



He did some warm up ceremony exercises...



Which worked like a charm!



Mr. Taffy and I had a few moments to ourselves on the steps...






The headed upstairs to the "chapel"... in our case, the Pendleton Room. :)



Next up, we head down the aisle! :)



Have you missed anything?

See us celebrate at our rehearsal dinner!
Watch the fun begin at the salon!
Dresses fly as the Taffettes get ready!
Watch as I conquer the floof!
See me sneak up on Mr. Taffy for our first look!


Our Parisian Honeymoon / 1st Anniversary Trip:

Part 1 -Our First Glimpse of Paris!
Part 2 -Mr & Mrs. Taffy conquer the Louvre!
Part 3 -A very fabulous birthday at Versailles!
Part 4 -Mrs. Taffy's French Finale!

Welcome to the final recap of our belated honeymoon / first anniversary trip to Paris! It has been wonderful sharing our trip here with you. :)

After eight days in Paris, we finally made it over to the Eiffel Tower...



But I am going to quickly rewind to the day before...

While planning our trip, Mr. Taffy realized that we would be in town during the French Open. He was really excited, as he loves tennis. We were able to order tickets for the final day, however the main stadium had already sold out. Remaining tickets, which were very inexpensive, would allow us into the general area, as well as the smaller courts surrounding the main stadium and a lounge where we could watch the match. We decided to go for it!

We took a very quick metro ride to Roland Garros, the site of the French Open.



That morning, Mr. Taffy and I woke up with really, really terrible sore throats. (Mr. Taffy had actually started to feel it the day before, while we were visiting Versailles.) I think I look about as rough as I feel in the photo below! We were very excited despite the sore throats, which ended up turning into bronchitis by the end of our trip.



We were thrilled to see the famous clay courts!




Mr. Taffy hides his sore throat better than me...



Although I think the sunglasses helped. :)



The complex at Roland Garros was beautiful! It was very fun to do some people watching as well. :)






This is the lounge where we watched the final matches between Rafael Nadal and Robin Soderling.



The flowers were so beautiful and fragrant! We didn't feel so bad that we weren't in the main stadium... it was right next to the lounge and we could hear the announcers and the crowd, which was fun.



Ice cream helped to numb my throat!



Mr. Taffy really enjoyed the matches. :)



We took this in front of the main stadium. :)



I was obsessed with the awesome uniforms for Roland Garros! Love the orange details. :)



The next morning, we headed to my absolute favorite bakery, Maison Colet. We came here most days for breakfast.... mmm.



I wish I could go back today!!! mmmmm.



We had our usual breakfast of pastries, fruit, coffee, and my favorite: the crouque-monsieur.



The croque-monsieur is a French ham and cheese sandwich, toasted to perfection. We had many of these during our trip, but we thought that this bakery had the absolute best croque-monsieur of the city! 

Oh crouque-monsieur, how I long to hold you once more!!!




The bread was so fresh, and the sandwich itself was so creamy! mmmm!




After breakfast, we went to a pharmacy, where I was able to communicate our intense sore throat symptoms. They gave us the most amazing solution- strepsils. These magnificent lozenges completely numbed our throats, enough so we could talk and swallow without pain. I wish I had known about these during the years I suffered before I had my tonsils out!!! Mr. Taffy and I went through an entire box in one day.

Once our throats were comfortably numb, we made our way to the Eiffel Tower! After seeing this beauty for days from afar, it was really awesome to finally see it face to face! :)



We were lucky to have such beautiful weather!!!



As we stood in the long line to enter the tower, I realized that I had not put sunblock on my feet. I stood in my shadow to avoid burning!



The view from the tower was wonderful! We loved seeing the green space in the front.



This was the first time that we could see the Seine River from the top of a monument. 



It was crazy to look at the structure from such a close view!!! 







We took one last beautiful glimpse...




Ate some more throat drops, then headed to the Galleries Lafayette to do some shopping. This gorgeous Art Nouveau department store, which was built in 1915, was absolutely delightful to visit. 



The dome was incredible!!!




We also went to Printemps, which was wonderful- especially the home/kitchen area. We stopped for a macaron (or five)...



Then went to the top of the store, which had an excellent (and free!) view of the city.






Many more throat drops and one day later, we started our day at this charming cafe.



The flowers helped cheer us up, as we were feeling quite worse than the day before. The virus, which we started referring to as the French plague, was going strong.



Determined not to let the plague ruin our day, we headed to the fun, charming Le Marais district for more shopping. Did I mention that the Euro was very low during our stay in France? 



We loved exploring the beautiful shops!



This fabric and trim store stole my heart. I wish I could go back right now!!!



I loved their beautiful collection of buttons.



I wish that I could tell you about this lovely little courtyard, but I am not sure exactly what it was! I blame the French plague.










We headed to more shops, including the Adidas store, where I talked Mr. Taffy into these:



We stopped for lunch at mi-va-mi, which had the best falafel that we had ever had!



We loved the colorful interior. :)



Oh delicious falafel... you made me so happy!



Nom!!!!!



After more widow shopping, we made our way over to St. Germain area, admiring the peonies on our way.



I stopped inside this chocolate shop... I had to have something other than throat drops! ;)



They were absolutely wonderful!



Before we devoured them, we had dinner at a lively cafe. All of the wine that we tried in Paris was incredible! Another good reason to go back...



After dinner (and still before the chocolates!), we had gelato at the shop next door to the cafe. The presentation of the cone was really fun!



We took our chocolates and barely caught the last boat of the night for a cruise on the Seine. It was a lovely, romantic way to end the evening. 



Our next to last morning in Paris, I realized that I needed to enjoy as many pastries as possible before leaving. This raspberry concoction was a great start! ;)




We headed over to the Opera Garnier, a stunning Neo-Baroque masterpiece!



I was thrilled to see The Dance by Jean-Baptiste Capeaux in person! (The Musee D'orsay had some studies of this piece as well).



The interior of the Opera house was incredible. We planned on visiting during a scheduled tour, which was very interesting and  a great way to spend the afternoon. We learned that the Opera Garnier was the inspiration for The Phantom of the Opera. We later realized that the masquerade ball scene in Marie Antoinette was filmed in the main staircase that you see below. It was so fun to watch the film and recognize the structure!






We highly recommend visiting this amazing building!



Our favorite spots in the Opera were the Night and Day rooms. I liked Night, and Mr. Taffy liked Day. :)






The day room had tinted mirrors to mimic the sun. You can see Kirsten Dunst and crew exiting from the Sun room in Marie Antoinette as well!



The grand foyer was also used in the film. It did look very much like the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles. 



The theatre was closed due to a rehearsal, so we did not get to see the Chagall ceiling. The rest of the Opera was so stunning, we did not really mind!



We ended the night at our favorite cafe, and enjoyed one last amazing french dessert. Oh yes.That one. :)



This concludes our trip! The flight home was pretty rough, as the French plague had turned into full blown bronchitis by then. I didn't mind the suffering as much when I was on land, in my own bed. ;)

Some quick observations about visiting Paris:

*Pick up a map that is laid out by arrondissment- you will never get lost! A French Canadian colleague lent us her copy, and it made navigating the city a breeze. This little book was a life saver.



*Save lots of money by eating breakfast and or lunch at your local bakery instead of your hotel or at a cafe. The food is way better, and a mere fraction of the price!

*We felt very safe overall, but Mr. Taffy did stop a team of two thieves from stealing a man's wallet on the metro. He was preying on all of the tourists leaving the French Open. The victim (who we think was from Spain) had no idea that his wallet was being lifted. Definitely pay attention, especially if people on the metro are creating unnecessary commotion at the doors. (that was this team's method) Also avoid all of the typical tourist scams... we were kind of surprised to see every single one listed in the guidebooks... some repeatedly. 

*I would like to recommend our hotel, Hotel Bellvue Chariot d'Or, which was extremely budget friendly. (around $85 per night!!) Although it was very, very bare bones, it was immaculate and had a large private bathroom. The location was incredible- walking distance to everything (about 12 minute walk to the Louvre and the Seine). As long as you don't mind plain and somewhat dated decor, it is a great fit for a thrifty travel budget. Staying here saved us so much, we were able to plan our stay for two weeks. To book this hotel, reservations are made through email. 

I hope that you have enjoyed these posts. :) I am excited to return to the wedding recaps... starting with one of our favorite parts of the day- portraits!

Have you missed anything?

Our First Glimpse of Paris
Our Parisian Adventure Continues
Mr. & Mrs. Taffy explore Versailles

This post is dedicated to the lovely Mrs. Perfume, who's wedding was inspired by Marie Antoinette!

I was very excited the morning of my 30th birthday... making the trip to Versailles was one of the things that I was anticipating most about our trip to France. Going there on my birthday was just a bonus! (Having a wedding anniversary five days before my birthday has its perks!) ;)

We wanted to get to the palace before opening, as we knew it would be swamped on a Saturday. The fountains at the palace only run on the weekends, so we didn't mind the prospect of heavy crowds very much. I wanted to see the palace grounds in full swing! ;)



Getting to Versailles from Paris was incredibly easy. We went to a metro station that serviced the RER train, and off we went! The train took about a half an hour from our station, and cost about 6 euros roundtrip. The entire trip, from hotel to the palace gates, was about an hour.


The first thing that we saw upon entering the palace was the beautiful chapel, where the marriage of Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI took place.




We continued through the palace, taking in the unbelievable amount of gold and marble!





We were very excited to see the famous Hall of Mirrors, which also gave us a peek of the palace grounds.




The Queen's formal bedroom was insanely ornate. This was the site where many royal children were born... we could not believe that childbirth was a spectator sport in the French Court! We also saw a neat hidden door in this room, which was used as an escape route by Marie Antoinette during the French Revolution.


 
I've already shared my obsession with all of the blue French doors in Paris. I found that the blue hues used in the Royal portraits were just as irresistible!



We took a few more minutes exploring the palace...




Then headed out to experience the grounds! I was very excited to see the fountains. :)




We were very lucky to have such lovely weather! This was our view after leaving the palace. It was very crowded close to the building, but was less congested further into the grounds.



Which seemed to go on forever! We were really impressed by the sheer size of the land.



The fountains were absolutely amazing. I was very happy that we scheduled our visit while they were running.



After about 20 minutes outside, I was already overwhelmed! (In an awesome way.)



There was so much to take in... the sculptures, the beautifully manicured shrubs, the spraying water... we just walked around with our jaws on the floor!











On either side of the main walkway and canal, there were smaller gardens hidden behind hedges. Each garden had a different theme, with sculptures, fountains and flowers to support it. It was super fun to "discover" all of these beautiful spots!



The roses smelled wonderful!



We walked toward the side of the palace...


And then headed toward the Petit Trianon, which was quite a walk from the main area of the grounds. The hedges were so tall along our path! 



After a long walk and a bottle of water, we reached the Petite Trianon. Although not originally built for Marie Antoinette, it became her private escape from the strain of court life during her time at Versailles.



We loved the vibe of the interiors here. The palette and decor were much more relaxed, and quite beautiful.



This was my favorite room! So delicate and feminine.



The details of the interiors were stunning!




Another Royal Portrait, another gorgeous blue color. :)




We left the charming building and headed toward Marie Antoinette's Estate. As we walked, the grounds became more natural and unkept. This area was devoid of other tourists, and very romantic!



We stopped at a bench to have my "birthday cake", which came in a pretty pink box...



Oh yes. The moment had finally come! Although we had been in Paris for 6 days, we still hadn't tried a Ladueree macaron. We had been past their flagship shop twice, but not during their open hours. You can imagine my delight when we saw the small Lauderee boutique in the palace at Versailles! What better time to try these famous French treats than on my birthday, sitting in the lovely grounds of Versailles? :)

I was a little worried that they wouldn't live up to their hype, but they were seriously amazing. The taste, the texture, the color... just unbelievable. We made it a point to eat many more before we left France!



We took a closer view of the Temple of Love, which was across from our bench.







Then we continued on toward the Queen's Hamlet.



When I was in fashion school, I learned about the Hamlet, a fake farming village that Marie Antoinette had created in order to enjoy the simple life. In this village, she and her friends would dress up (or down, in this case!) and pretend to be peasants and milkmaids, which was a way for them to escape the stiff reality of the French Court. Ever since that lesson in my fashion history class, I have wanted to see the place where all of this went down! I was thrilled to find that we could tour this area of Versailles. :) The village was a lot larger and even more picturesque than we imagined! I suppose we thought that the buildings would be in worse shape after being exposed to the elements for so long.



The hamlet looked like something out of a fairy tale.








The gardens were incredibly charming!
















We made our way past the cottages, toward the farm.



The animals were adorable!



Every way we looked seemed perfectly orchestrated, straight out of a story book. It was really something!










We toured the marble dairy, enjoying the cool air inside.



The whole village was so beautiful and relaxing. 



We made our way back toward the Petit Trianon, enjoying the beautiful scenery along the way.







We stopped to peek inside the miniature opera house that Marie Antoinette had created for her and her friends. It was life sized yet seemed like a dollhouse theatre. Some of the gardening "tools" used in the peasant inspired performances were on display in the Petit Trianon.



The gardens surrounding the Trianon were lovely!



We made it back to the main grounds in time for the fountains to start spraying again. In order to conserve water, the fountains run for a few hours in the morning, then again in the afternoon. Visiting the Queen's estate turned out to be perfect timing for this schedule.



We found an ice cream stand behind one of the gardens. It was the best ice cream that I had in France! The consistency was so perfectly icy. mmmm. :)



We explored the different gardens...



Which were just incredible. The whole day, I must have uttered "Incredible" every five minutes. The grounds just blew us away.



Mr. Taffy loved seeing the way that the fountains were turned on. :)



We settled for a rest by the Dragon fountain. The fountain was near Neptune's Basin, where the grand finale would take place just before closing time.







The grand finale was amazing! We were so hot that we wanted nothing more than to jump in!



The whole experience at Versailles was just stunning. We cannot recommend it enough!



We headed back to the train, exhausted but incredibly happy. The palace and grounds have such a remarkable history, and it was wonderful to see it first hand. After our trip we rewatched Marie Antoinette by Sofia Coppola. Since the movie was filmed at Versailles, we were thrilled to watch it after touring it ourselves. It was really fun to relive our visit that way! :)

Have you been to Versailles? What was your favorite part of the tour?

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