Dining In

"Crab cakes and football, that's what Maryland does!" - Wedding Crashers

My dad was raised in Maryland, and my both of my grandmothers worked in D.C. for many years. Crab cakes were a staple in my family growing up, and still are. I remember eating my first crab cake as a kid ... and it was absolutely life changing! Maryland ultimately has the best crab cakes. Yet, when I get a craving for this delicious item below is my go-to recipe. 

What You'll Need:

• 1 pound lump blue crabmeat
• Basil Pesto Aioli
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs 
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, combine half of crabmeat with mayonnaise, panko, egg, mustard, and paprika. Season with salt and pepper and stir until thoroughly combined.

* Pro Tip: Mayo and egg help hold the cakes together and add moisture.

• Gently fold in remaining half of crabmeat until just combined; try not to break apart the lumps of meat any more than necessary as you stir. Form into patties and arrange on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

* Pro Tip: Panko bread crumbs are the perfect binder. They are light, crispy, and disappear into the cakes.

• In a nonstick skillet, heat butter over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add patties and cook, rotating and flipping occasionally for even browning. Crab cakes must be browned and crispy on both sides. This will take about 10 minutes.

* Pro Tip: Lower heat at any point to prevent burning.

• Lastly, serve and enjoy! I personally like to have my crab cakes on a bed of arugula with basil pesto aioli. Yum!

Enjoy!

XO, Analise

Cheers

"A toast to love and laughter, and happily ever after." — Unknown

Last October my best friend Alisha got married! When she asked me to be her Matron of Honor along with her older sister I was thrilled. Yet, when she told me that I'd have to make a speech at the reception I was a bit cautious. 

Alisha knows I'm not really keen on public speaking. Yet, she really wanted me to do a toast at her wedding. Finally, I obliged and started preparing a speech several months before the big day. When the moment arrived, I was ready, ... and the two glasses of champagne before the speech surely helped!

Below I'm giving my tips on nailing a toast on your best friend's special day.

1. Take note. Before you make the big speech, jot down a few ideas. It is key to highlight a few memories from your friendship. Also, it's important to celebrate the journey that your friend is embarking on with their new spouse. 
2. Introduce yourself and tell a story. You'll be meeting a lot of new people at the wedding. Be sure to introduce yourself! Along with giving a brief introduction, tell a story on how you know the bride and/or groom. This will help you connect with the audience. Also, you'll be able reflect on some great moments with the couple.
3. Stay calm and be natural. Before you make the toast take a few moments to collect your thoughts. The best speeches come from the heart. Try to gather your thoughts before speaking. Do not read from a script if at all possible. It is best to make sure your speech comes naturally and is authentic. 
4. Keep it short and sweet. It is important to keep the toast brief. Be mindful that several other individuals will make speeches throughout the evening. Try to make your toast impactful and meaningful without going over your time limit.

What are some of your experiences giving a wedding speech?

XO, Analise

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Photo Credit: Ward Photography

Matron of Honor Manual

"Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. Just walk beside me and be my friend." - Albert Camus

Last Spring, my bestie got the surprise of her life, when her boyfriend proposed to her. A few days before the proposal, Alisha's now husband reached out and told me his big plan! Hearing the news literally made my heart melt. He knew the importance of including me, her sister, and of course Alisha's mom in the process. I was super excited that this major moment was about to happen in my bestie's life! Most importantly, I was thrilled that I was a part of this milestone. Soon after the engagement Alisha asked me to be her Matron of Honor along with her older sister. It was an easy "Yes" for me. Alisha was my Maid of Honor a few months prior in my wedding. Being able to stand by Alisha's side, and watch her shine on her big day was something I would not miss. On October 7, 2017 I stood by my best friend, and watched her marry her new best friend. It was truly a special moment. 

While being someone's Maid or Matron of Honor is serious hard work, it can be very rewarding and a lot of fun! Today I'll be sharing some tips and characteristics one should possess while fulfilling this very important role.

1. Support the Bride & Groom. As a MOH not only are you standing next to the bride on the big day, but you are supporting her decision to marry her beau. It is super key that you support and protect both of them. They will be very busy planning one of the best days of their lives. Be sure to help them both, whether it is giving them a pep talk or offering to search for vendors on their behalf. Whenever Alisha started her search for vendors I gave her my feedback. Also, I provided her my personal wedding spreadsheet that was created during my engagement. She got super lucky because we both got married in neighboring cities! 
2. Be patient and flexible. While this may be easier said than done, know that things may not happen as quickly or how you may like it. Always, be patient with the bride. She will be making critical decisions. Let her take the time to make plans, and if you see that she's overwhelmed help make decisions together. 
3. Stay organized. As the Bride starts making vendor selections create a list of contacts. Once she decides on her shower date, start researching venues and getting a guest list together. Do everything in your power to try and make things easier for her. It will be a lot of work, but it will be worth it to have a central repository of those important items and info she will need.
4. Budget & save your money. This is a big one, and is a topic that sometimes isn't always addressed. The moment I knew that I'd be in the bridal party, I started setting aside money for the upcoming purchases. Lucky for me, Alisha was very understanding about how the bridal party spent our money. We were able to select our own dresses and shoes within our price range - which was awesome. Also, she was super flexible and upfront with costs in regards to her wedding. 
5. Plan ahead. As we began to plan the big day, I started early with planning my time off for work. Also, the bridal party met bi-weekly, to conduct conference calls about upcoming events. This really helped all of the ladies stay on target! We lived all across the DMV (DC, Maryland, and Virginia) area.
6. Be honest. If something is bothering you or you have concerns, be honest with the bride-to be. She is your bestie at the end of the day, and it's very important to always communicate. 

What are some ways your MOH helped you on your big day? Also, if you were a MOH what are some things you would recommend to a newly appointed MOH?

XO, Analise

Photo Credit: Ward Photography

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In Sickness & In Health

"A good husband makes a good wife." - John Flori

This past November on Thanksgiving weekend, G ruptured his Achilles tendon. I am a "fixer" by nature, and not being able to fix my husband was incredibly hard. When we received the news G would need surgery and recovery time was 3 to 6 months - it was a hard pill to swallow. We pushed through and our close family and friends rallied around us. 

G is an incredibly strong man and has powered through his recovery like an absolute champ. I'm very fortunate to have married an absolute amazing and loving man. While it has been very hard, and we are almost at the end of this chapter in our lives, I'm sharing a few lessons we both learned during this time.

1. Do not take your spouse for granted. G ruptured his Achilles tendon in the right leg. Yep, that means he couldn't drive for almost three months. G couldn't do his normal routine or errands. This was tough for the both of us. Not only did a lot of responsibility now fall on me, but my very independent and strong husband had to sit a lot of things out. It was a challenging time, but it made me learn that G does so much. I truly began to understand and appreciate all that he does for me - I'm so grateful. G watched me take on a whole new set of responsibilities. He was so loving during this time, and it was nice having his support.
2. Take care of each other. People often forget about the partner who wasn't hurt - the care giver. During this time, I literally did not leave G's side, and also made sure he had everything he needed or wanted.  I forgot to take care of myself too! Women often take on so much - and in my true Olivia Pope demeanor, I would handle it all without skipping a beat. Yet, it was important for me to take a step back from time to time and just breathe. Our parents, my best friend Alisha and her husband constantly checked in to make sure that I was okay. It meant so much to know we had amazing people to lean on during this season in our lives.
3. Life is short, embrace each moment. We are so thankful that G's injury was repairable, and wasn't something far worse. G and I sat down once things mellowed out, and discussed what was really important to us in our marriage. We of course had this talk before, but this time it meant something a little bit different. Our priorities have now shifted. During this time, we saw who are true friends were. Watching the out pour of love and support from family and friends really meant a lot to us - it was a humbling moment.

Marrying G was one of the best decisions I have ever made. Being his wife is something I absolutely treasure and would never trade. When I said my vows almost two years ago, it was something I didn't take lightly. After going through this time in our marriage, it has made me love and appreciate my husband even more.

XO, Analise

Photo Credit: Shannon Moffit Photography