Week in Review: May 15th (with a bit about Sunday NY Times weddings)

Every Sunday I engage in a ritual that's taken place since I was a teenager: make a cup of coffee, turn on CBS Sunday Morning, and delve into the Sunday vows section of The New York Times. I used to fantasize that someday, my own wedding would be featured there. But I got over that when I realized that all vows couples posses the following set of credentials:

• One (or preferably, both) members MUST have attended an Ivy League school. Bonus points if they are graduates of an Ivy grad school as well. Super bonus points if they carry dual graduate degrees (MBA + law degree/PH.D/medical degree) MEGA bonus points if either attended Cambridge or Harvard.
• The couple graduated college with "the highest honors."
• The couple are employed as lawyers, physicians, professional musicians/actors/singers, politicians, or investment bankers.
• The couple were married by a prominent mayor or governor.
• The bride's mother is on the board of a major metropolitan hospital or museum. Preferably she is president of such an organization.
• The bride's mother owns an art gallery, is a professor at a fancy liberal arts college, or is a kindergarten or first grade teacher at Choate/Chapin/Dalton/Spence/Collegiate/Lycee Francais.
• The bride's father had ancestors who were Revolutionary or Civil War heroes.
• The groom's father is dean of a college/professor/publisher/pioneered a lifesaving medical technique/
• The bride's parents are major political campaign contributors.
• The couple were married at the family estate/compound/farm in the Berkshires/the Hamptons/Maine.
• A past President attended the wedding.

So, yeah. As a solidly middle class, non-Ivy League educated, non-silver spooned woman with NO affiliation with politics, art galleries or compounds in Maine I had ZERO hope of ever appearing in the section. Never in the cards for me. But that hasn't robbed me of the joy of reading this section. Oh my God. I really need no introduction for this incredible video that's been making the rounds from the wedding of Lin-Manuel Miranda, the creator and composer of Broadway show "In the Heights," and Vanessa Nadal. It's impossible not to laugh, and pointless to try not to cry. Believe me, I've watched it like five times since this morning.

Even before seeing the video I had decided that I really liked the featured Vows column on the couple. "She knows she's dope," Miranda said of his bride, melting my heart. "She's beautiful but not vain. She's smart but not arrogant. It's like, all killer, no filler."

Greatest line ever. Srsly.

I loved the description of his pre-"In The Heights" routine:

"Onstage and off, Mr. Miranda dressed like a rapper/English professor in baggy jeans, T-shirts and tweed caps. He was working on "In the Heights," often writing lyrics on the subway, and earning rent money performing at bar mitzvahs. "I was literally one of those guys who shows up in a black satin shirt and tries to get kids and old people to dance," he said. "It was bleak.'"

As for the wedding, Lois Smith Brady wrote probably my favorite paragraph ever in Vows:

"On Sept. 5, they were married in Staatsburg, NY, at the Belvedere Mansion, a white pillared inn facing the Hudson like a supermodel looking in the mirror. The bride looked like a young Elizabeth Taylor in an Oscar de la Renta strapless gown with a low-cut bodice and a wildly frilly skirt that appeared to be made of feathers, clouds, whipped cream and youth."

Feathers, clouds, whipped cream and youth. No joke, I want to commission a calligrapher to write that down in script so I can frame it and hang it on the wall of my bathroom and stare at it when I brush my teeth, or, barring that, I might tattoo it on my stomach.

While I'm flipping through the paper and daydreaming of being a New York Times bride, here's what went down on Dress With Courage this week:

• I listed the best mobile shopping, fashion and style apps for iPhone;
• Wore a vintage floral dress for Everybody, Everywear;
• Explored the habit of the blogger over-apology;
• Continued my Thrifting 101 series with a post regarding dating vintage clothes by era: the 1960's;
• and answered questions about outside influences for Fashion Beauty Friend Friday.

I'd also like to take a moment and welcome my newest followers:

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