Garlands, and banners and streamers, oh my!

For the record, I just slapped my self on the wrist for you all... it has been far too long since my last post! If it makes you feel any better, I blame it on the fact that I'm on vacation... in Hawaii... yeah, that probably doesn't make you feel any better, but hopefully these fabulous finds will. 

Martha's done it again with this sweet, simple garland. String it across your head table, over your dessert display or wherever else your little heart desires. 

A DIY lantern project from the lovely Once Wed...

I absolutely adore these vintage paper heart cutouts, the red ribbon is just the perfect touch. Find them on Etsy by LoBoheme. Or maybe try a DIY project with sheet music paper, old book pages, etc.

Such a fun accent to your beverage table... Martha, you slay me.

Imagine this little pretty dangling across your ceremony alter. So sweet and delicate. By Poppylarity on Etsy.

FREE Magazine Subscription!

Get 'em while they're HOT! My fabulous friend over at Confessions of a Couponaholic just sent me a link to a FREE 2-year subscription for Bridal Guide Magazine! Thank you, Couponaholic! We just adore freebies :)

Freebies!

Is it just me or are pinwheels popping up like crazy in wedding decor? (If it is just me... humor me anyway). This week Once Wed featured some adorable barn door monograms made out of bright, multi-colored pinwheels. And the ladies at 100 Layer Cake have a great DIY project for "Prize Ribbon Place Cards" for your guests. Their example features a ribbon project, but I think you could easily sub the ribbon with paper and get some equally cute results. "But how do I make such fun, unique creations?" you ask... Enter the Freebie!

If you are a siren of the sewing machine, you are probably already very familiar with Amy Butler. Her fabric designs define c.u.t.e. Besides showcasing products on the website, Amy offers one of my favorite freebies of all, templates. And one of these templates just happen to be, you guessed it, pinwheels. 

Some more pinwheel ideas to incorporate into your wedding decor...

• invitations
• menus
• garlands
• wedding favors
• centerpieces 
• pretty much any paper project you can think of :)

Happy Monday!

I thought I would start the week off with a little treat for your feet :) You can find all of these beauties at nordstrom.com. If you're looking for something really special for your special day, right now is a great time to start the search since the holiday season brings so many fun embellishments and colors to fashion. Let's take a peek, shall we?

"Peony" by Bourne. Snake skin & diamonds? I'd like one in every color, thanks.

"Spicy" by Charles David... I couldn't agree more, Charles.

"Lesley" by L.A.M.B. I just love the feathers!

"Lavish" by Fergie. Classic & pretty in a gothic kind of way; I can just see these walking down the aisle of an old, dark, candlelit church.

"Carissa" by Betsey Johnson. Classic romance in a heel... love ya, Bets.

"Anita" by Glint. I love the mesh of architecture and soft, feminine ruffles here, no?

And, my personal favorite... "Carly" by Kate Spade. Big bow + sequins = true love in my book.

"Ohmygosh..."

I had another post planned for today, but these were the only words/word that kept running through my head when I stumbled upon sarahseven.com today. My heart seriously just about jumped right out of my chest as I drooled over the romantic styles of this lady love. If I am a little behind on the times for just now discovering this little treasure, my sincere apologies. If I could go back and restyle my wedding weekend, it would look something like this...

Oh, hello. Welcome to my rehearsal dinner you saucy little mustard skirt...

And this is my bridesmaid, her name is Gorgeous.

And you can bet your toosh I'm partying mine off at the reception in this sassy little number. Sarahseven calls this dress "powdered sugar", I call it pure genius... to each their own :)

This is only the tip of the ice burg my lovelies. I am racking my brain for a reason to make a purchase from sarahseven immediately. Ah, that's right... I have a dentist appointment next month. Sold.

Freebies!

If you haven't checked out the Wedding Chick's blog, it's about time you hop on the train. They feature gorgeous real weddings, sell the cutest line of wedding day "getting ready"/bridal party wear, showcase a plethora of DIY projects, and {my personal favorite} offer F.R.E.E. invitation, save-the-date & thank you note templates; just to name a few. Here's a little taste to get your wedding wheels turning...

So pretty :) It would be so easy to add a belly band or other embellishments to really make these unique to your personal wedding style. Check out the blog and indulge in the many beautiful styles of, ahem - FREE, downloads.

Also, FYI, I must mention that one of the two lovely ladies (I've never met them, but I can tell that they are lovely) who make up the wedding chicks, is also Joceybella Invites. If you think these downloads are somethin' special, you should check out her invite site. Such fun style and tons of custom options, love it.

Cheers!

Check out these pretty alternatives to your everyday toasting flutes. I am a big fan of all things Anthropologie for your closet, home & why not wedding?

These tumblers could serve as sweet little vases for your centerpieces, no?

It's the little things...

While searching for vintage table linens on Etsy last night, I ran across these little darlings...

These are cloth napkins screen printed with a recipe for Irish soda bread by artist Georgia O'Keefe... random? Uh huh, but what a fun party favor idea! How about screen printing them with an old family recipe? Or the recipe of your signature drink served during cocktail hour? They will give your guests a little piece of your family history and keep them neat and tidy :) I just love killing two birds with one stone, don't you?

Oh, Martha...

She may have just cured my "summer time's over" blues. I could practically smell the hot, spiced cider while clicking through these delicious, autumn ideas for your October/November nuptials. Please enjoy... it's on me... and Martha :)

I love how this gorgeous bouquet is wrapped up in a ribbon so big it could be a scarf.

Such a fun way to incorporate some branches in your decor.

This is a great centerpiece idea if you are using long, rectangular tables at your venue, as opposed to the more traditional round tables. And I'm pretty sure I saw those exact same gold leaves at Michael's... just add a 2x4 and your handy dandy drill and I believe you've got yourself a DIY project, peeps!

Such a pretty, rustic alternative to a chandelier.

Charmed, I'm sure

How about adding these little pretties to your toasting flutes...

And maybe these for your guest's glass of vino... sweet, simple little party favors...

Yes, please :)

For the love of Vera...

Oh, hi there. I see that you're checking out the sweet little dresses below. Yeah, they're by Ms. Wang. What? What's that you say? Where do you find these gorgeous creations? Well, you could wander down to your nearest Vera Wang retailer, which, if you don't live in the big city, could be hundreds of miles away. OR... you could just order them ON-LINE. Yes, that's right ladies and gents, may I introduce to you... the Maid to Order collection from Vera Wang. With a few simple clicks of your mouse, you could be the proud owner of one (or many, don't let me hold you back!) of these lovely dresses. This is a great option for those of you who:

a. don't live in the big city

b. don't live near your maids

c. want a quality dress for your maids but don't have the time to be wrestling with racks and racks of frocks

d. L.O.V.E. all things Vera, or

e. all of the above

These colors just scream whimsical, autumn wedding...

Love the jewel tones for fall... don't you?

I like to call this one "champagne wishes & caviar dreams"... you should check out the precious little bustle detail on the back... I die.

Just be sure to order these early enough to give your maids time to make any necessary alterations. And, voi-lah! Bridesmaids, check!

Let's Get Crafty: Shadow Boxes

Who says you have to stop the wedding crafts after the church bells ring? You have probably worked the equivalent of a part time job when you add up all of the hours spent on preparing for your big day, and those hours produce some beautiful souvenirs. So what to do with any left over programs, invites and party favors? Make them a memory. Creating a shadow box is a great way to display some of your favorite wedding day mementos...

 Here is a program I embellished with some miniature brads.

A sweet, sparkly monogram I found at a local craft store and a ribbon from one of the Pottery Barn gifts we received from our registry.

Some fabric versions of flowers found in my bridal bouquet. I took out the stems and replaced them with brads to keep the petals together.

Wedding date stamped on some cute scrapbook paper, I burned the edges before I stamped to make sure the date would fit.

After gathering some pictures, I started by laying out the scrapbook paper on top of the shadow box backing, which pops right off the back of the box like the backing on a picture frame. The shadow box I chose came with a velvet back and a piece of velcro to secure the final product to the backing. Once I had all of the pictures and other elements laid out, I put some double stick tape behind each piece to keep them in place. Then I secured the final product to the velvet backing with the velcro.

Stick the backing in the frame and... tah-dah! 

Here is a list of the materials I used to make this bad boy:

shadow box (which came with velcro/velvet backing)

wedding program

pictures (Traci Griffin Photography)

scrapbook paper

ribbon

double stick tape

fabric flowers

glitter letters

mini brads

photo corners

stamps

White Hot!

I must need a vacation. Today is October 1st, which means I should be dreaming of big comfy sweaters and Pumpkin Spice lattes, but while perusing ETSY for a Wilma Flinstone Halloween costume (more original ideas welcomed), I stumbled upon this little beauty and could only think one thing: destination wedding...

by Nostalgia, on Etsy

Will someone please buy this dress for their destination wedding/sexy engagement shoot on the beach before I do? Trust me, you need it more. If it stays there much longer I may not be able to contain myself... and there's gonna be one stylish Mrs. Flinstone wandering the streets on Halloween.

And how about this little ditty? I'm thinking New Year's Eve cocktail wedding...Oh, how I love thee, Max Azria...

And I really wish I had known about this little gem before my nuptials... can we say after-party dress?? Another genius Max Azria creation. LOVE.

Hello, world!

Welcome to my brand new, beautiful blog completely dedicated to all things wedding! I am a recent June bride (June, 6 2009 to be exact!) and I loved planning my wedding soooo much, I have decided to share my ideas, and hopefully gain some new ones, to share with any future Mrs.'s out there :) Enjoy, and please do post a comment, it would make my day! And since no post is complete without a photo-op, here's a pic of me and the Mr... love him!