December 30, 2010

Holiday Delight

Hello Hello.
It has been a while since I checked in, but unfortunately we were victims to the "storm of 2010". Ha!
Traveling around the holidays is never fun, especially when flights are cancelled you are left driving home the last leg of your trip!
I wish this sign was posted at JFK and I could have been the one to grab this awesome pic!

Hope Everyone Had a great holiday!!

December 15, 2010

Photo Booth Dilema

The Photo Booth Dilema.....

They are a huge hit now at weddings, and def. bring in a new fun element. Plus what a way to introduce grandpa Joe to aunt Louise but with space limited--- what are the options?

I think DIY is a good way to go if you don't want to shell out the $1000-$1500 for the photo booth. Most  photographers offer a "photo" lounge as well with their services.

I have seen people on the knot set up their own laptops to take the snapshots (there is even software to do so)... or a good old fashioned polariod does the trick.

Don't forget the props!!

These are super easy to make with felt- or about 100 vendors sell em' on Etsy for about $2 a pop.


You can even do paper ones:

December 14, 2010

My Favorite Freebie!!

Today, I may have discovered my very favorite freebie ever!! of alllll time!!
As you know, I am not planning a "beach" themed wedding at all, although I am having my reception in an ocean front venue and getting married in a seaside chapel. Although super cute. It's just not my thing.

That doesn't mean I can't include really cute, ocean themed things into other parts of my wedding. For the rehearsal dinner we are almost positive to be doing some kind of clam bake, seafood restaurantish dinner.

This means, red and white striped table clothes, lobster bibs, and anchors galore.

I have also decided to make the "welcome" boxes at the hotels greeting my out of town guests to have the same "seaside" notes. I won't go into super detail on these boxes, but they will include local treats, tons of maps and things to do, plus some anchor themed items.

So How great was it when I came across this freebie at Weddingchicks.com? This anchor monogram. And I know just where I am going to use it. Hello Rehearsal dinner menus, invites, and even stationary to write notes to our OOT guests on. This really made my Tuesday morning....



Go snag this for yourself: http://www.weddingchicks.com/freebies/custom-goodies/nautical-monogram/



I did come across one little hiccup. I wanted to do one with the gold anchor and a hot pink swirl. I thought it would look super cute. But, for some reason some of the combinations of "swirls" don't show up when you use the gold anchor and lettering. Black swirl worked, pink did not. But... I wasn't really disappointed because I kind of love this one without the swirl and just want to run to Staples now to buy some linen paper to print this on.

December 13, 2010

The Long and Short of it

One thing I haven't spent much time on since its obviously a bit early is looking at dresses. For myself, I have checked out styles but I've yet to try on any dresses.

For bridesmaids,  I haven't put much thought into it yet. But I know I want something light, chiffon and in blush pink or champagne color--perhaps with a black accent.

I saw this photo of some blush pink Vera dresses that were organza and just light and airy look (google search : "blush pink Vera bridesmaid"  and you will find it) but at $280 a pop those won't fly with me for my ladies. So I found a few alternatives. Specifically from Bari Jay's line and the new LOVE Enzononi lines. Both lines are affordable and pretty trendy. Plus they carry the hard to come by (and worse to look at on a computer screen) "blush" color.

Some Great dresses:



The chiffon of these is hopefully a crowd pleaser. But then the question is long or short? There are arguments for both. I am having a decidedly formal wedding. Let's say we're going for "vintage glam" look for the girls because of this. Surely, a long dress is deemed appropriate.


Then there is the "comfort" and usability level of a shorter dress. But I'm not sure the "formality" is there. Arguably they are easier to use again, I mean no bridesmaid really "cuts down" their bridesmaid dress and wears it again. I keep thinking though (and this is likely me) that a bridesmaid dress still had the stigma of a bridesmaid dress--"wear it again" style or not. Short or long. I mean are any girls really throwing a blazer on over their old bridesmaid dress and heading off to work?! David's Bridal says they are...


Here is a cute option that I love for a short dress and I think it still says "Formal"
(albeit one of my bridesmaids has already worn it)....

Ohhh... the choices...

Winter Wonderland

It came to my attention last night while watching a Say Yes to the Dress Marathon that not everyone wants to get married in the summer.... and that just because I am-- does not mean there aren't a host of girls aren't out there that aren't (imagine that)...


When I sat back and thought about it there are an innumerate amount of reasons to get married in the winter:
The Sparkle of Snow!!!
Plenty of choices for favors (snowflake ornaments anyone? How cute is that)
Fur wraps for you and your bridal party
oh and did I mention HUGE discounts on vendors and reception sites! Enough to afford you the most magicaly of  a winter wedding.


For a quick second thinking of a winter wedding made me think about changing my wedding date--- for a REALLY quick second-- I mean imagine the things you could do with white painted Manzanita branches and crystals !!! (the i remember the work I put into guaranteeing I would get married on the dryest weekend slated for 2012 (thank you farmers almanac), in the dryest month of the year-- hello Hot august!)

but really. how beautiful are these wedding photos below:


This would be a must-have photo at a winter wedding (pending you are lucky enough to get a blanket of white)



See these manzanita branches and trees? I told you that magnificant winter things could be done....


I'm pretty sure this is the most romantic wedding photo I've seen!


December 10, 2010

DIY OF THE WEEK

I've been slacking with the blogging this week-- sorry, I have failed to be inspired by much other than green and red and things smelling of evergreen...


But I did find time to find this cute lil DIY project. Well I didn't find it now persay.. I have been talking about this little pomander project for some time-- but I thought it would be a good time to post it.


 



The ones to the right are made of actual paper. But my friend at House Of Smith's did them with crepe paper. You can find them on her blog and they came out adorable. They are nice for added decor-- or I am thinking of using them to decorate the aisle and pews.

(Pew hangers are on sale at SaveonCrafts this week!)








You can find the tutorial for these  here: 
http://houseofsmiths.blogspot.com/2010/02/hanging-roses-i-was-browsing-blogs.html


Happy DIYing and have a good weekend :)

December 7, 2010

Fabulous Florals

Flowers are another part of decor that will make such an impression on the day of...but I haven't spent much time laboring over them yet. I know I am planning on DIY'ing a ton... but I want to have a florist do my bouquet.

Here is the one bouquet that I love. It's romantic, luscious, fun and still really really pretty... how can they be all these things? Ah! Love em'

What other blooms are people loving?

Peonies make a luscious gorgeous bouquet


December 3, 2010

Obsession of the Day

Here is an obsession today. I have been talking about doing Moss covered letters except with White Hydrangeas to match my decor and put them on the outside of my church doors and at the reception venue doors....

Today I came across this photo:


I'm obsessed with these!!
So soon you will see a post for DIY letters..  but these I intend on doing a tutorial for!! Whoo hoo

Too Many Choices, Too Many Opinions

I wanted to take a bit of a different route today and "reflect" on some conversations that I have had in the past few days about Vendors, Opinions, and Options.

Here is my advice. Stop looking. When you know you have found the right place, the right florist, the right caterer-- Stop...

I will tell you a little story:
I looked at 17 venues. Yes, 17.
I spent the better half of the summer looking at venues, on lunch breaks, on weekends, at night, in the morning before work (one vendor agreed to show me a ballroom at 7:00 am)....it was exhausting.

In the end, I went with place #3 that we visited. I can tell you that I knew back in 2002 when I was a freshman in college I would get married there. I should have listened to myself.

Here's my second piece of advice today:
Don't tell people what you are planning if you don't want to hear what they have to say. Positive or negative. They will tell you... in fact, they feel its their right to tell you how they feel ,what they thing, etc... and if you are thin skinned--or just don't want to hear it, then don't talk about the wedding.

Well that's my two sense.

On to more fun stuff now.xo

December 1, 2010

Another Quickie DIY

Was in the mood to throw out another template today (non Wedding Related)

Cute little seasonal card, download and enjoy :)

http://www.downloadandprint.com/stationery-templates/1907/

DIY Project Of the Week

The DIY project of the week this week is one I will share with everyone.
I created my own logos for the wedding using the great templates from my friends at http://www.weddingchicks.com/freebies/

Follow their custom goodies to create some for yourself. Here are my two creations:

 I am not sure yet where I am using them--- But I was thinking the first one would be super cute printed out on stickers and stuck onto the paper bags in last weeks DIY project... rather than stamping.

The second one I was thinking of incorporating into my Menu or favors.

Inspired By Cakes

One of the most difficult decisions I have had so far is honing in on one idea of a cake that I love.
I obvisously have a lot of time over the next two years to come up with an idea, but I get inspirted everywhere- and love all the cakes. I know I am definetly one for a more intricate design-- but there are just soooooo many options.  I wish I didn't have to settle on just one design!


Take a look at these amazing cakes:

This is the original cake I was inspired by and since then my ideas have grown ten fold!



This is one of my favorites. It was featured in a Martha Stewart Binder my cousin gave me for wedding planning and its also on Martha's site. The idea of wedgewood look is so fresh-- but I was thinking of a similar design with the blush pink to match my decor. I am obessed with those draped flowers! How cute would they look brushed with gold?



this is just adorable! And all the work and details, it's unbelieveable

I don't know my feelings on monograms, but I do love the detail of tis one. And the draping on the bottom.
Basically, anything "gilded age" is right up my alley.



Speaking Of Guilded Age-- A cake fit for a Queen!