Classy and Woodsy stuff

Here is what I think I want the ringbearer to carry the rings in, a little handcarved wooden box!

http://www.etsy.com/listing/45689071/rustic-ring-boxfrom-reclaimed-wood?ref=sr_gallery_30&ga_search_query=wooden+ring+box&ga_search_type=handmade&ga_page=&order=&includes[]=tags&includes[]=title

Also, Russell and I plan to try this place and the next for possible caterers:

Catering By Design

http://www.cateringbydesign.org/

Or sontes...

http://www.sontes.com/

Also, for honeymoon, we are hoping to convince my in-laws-to-be that Greece is safe enough, especially the islands.

D-U-N DONE!

picked and bought bridesmaids dresses! Mother will fit them TO the girls when there's time!!

And the best part is they only cost $22 bucks!!

That leaves money within budget to still get cute little boleros or shrugs or something.

Plus, nice BLING!!

It's for real now folks...

So planning (as I was quite sure of) wasn't in vain! Russell asked me to marry him this may day 2010! I am really happier than I can express in words. So I'll just post pictures of the ring. :)

I know it's lo-quality and the same as my BB upload to facebook, but oh well. I really love the momentousness of when this photo was taken.

On to the planning stuff that's not so braggy. I got the hold on the art center reception area so that is en mode to GO and win

I wrote to all my bridesmaids and hopefully made it clear: NO MALE STRIPPERS. Or any strippers period! they are funny, but not classy. I want to drink and have fun with my girls a few nights before the wedding as the last big blowout with my girls as a 'single' woman, but I respect Russ for refusing them even as a stereotypical expectation, and I love him so much that I refuse to do anything but the same. When I decided to love him, I decided not to even participate in the grunginess that is any other man, especially 'private dancers'. Haha I will admit the thought is funny, but always at someone else's sake. and I do NOT want to be the entertainment in that sense.

Ok, rant over. Now, some pictures of fun stuff to lighten the mood.

LOVE LOVE LOVE these 'poms' by My Silly Bear on etsy

Shoe Gems "Something blue" by FairyTaleEvents

or for the hair or bridesmaid accessories....

for the ringbearer?

all found on etsy. too lazy to link them right now.

Love.

Jen

My Etsy

LOVE Ann Taylor

These dresses are IDEAL!!

One problem: price tag is in the $350 range. ew. The third one is about $180 which I still feel is too high.

Ugh.

Bridesmaid ideas continued...

To add a wedding-y touch that they can remove later from the dresses for later wear and their own purposes-- a little floral belt/sash? Adorable! an example below, also from gardensofwhimsy on etsy.

Here's how it looks...BTW which is better, the olive or clover colored dresses? I'm leaning toward the style and color of the one on the far left below:

Hairpiece obsession

I keep coming across adorable hair accessories like these by GardensOfWhimsy on etsy. I AM OBSESSED with "putting lots of random crap in my hair" to quote one of my best girlfriends. It is my inner hippie sneaking out. So, this with a traditional veil, or with a long sheer peice and a birdcage veil? or what? I really like the little hydrangea one a LOT. (the first image)

And...a green option!

I think if I did go green for the bridesmaid's dresses, they would be more olive (darker green) as that is more flattering and useful than clover or kelly green.

http://www.davidsbridal.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplayView?storeId=10052&catalogId=10051&categoryId=3001604&currentIdx=43&subCategory=-49998976%257c3001465%257c3001604&catentryId=6097106&sort=

Bridesmaids...But they're my friends!

The hardest thing for me is deciding what will affect the OTHER people involved with my wedding, (i.e. the groom, the groomsmen, parents, etc).

Specifically, my closest girlfriends who are all rather particular about clothes and I do NOT want to force them to buy something they will never wear again. Which seems inevitable.

So, here's the choices:

-Hand them all a paint strip and say: "Pick any knee/tea length dress from this color scheme"

PROS: They can find a dress in their budget and to their tastes.

CONS: Motley Crew for bridesmaids, unkempt photos.

-Register somewhere like David's Bridal, where there is ONE specific color and many styles.

PROS: LOTS OF CONTROL FOR A CONTROL FREAK BRIDE

CONS: Cookie-cutter bridesmaids that spent too much on semi-formal dresses that would never pass for anything other than a wedding-party dress.

Pick ONE color and ONE style at a bridal shop, and stick to my guns.

PROS: No wishy-washy business of evaluating the individual girl's picks of dresses by phone, email, etc.

CONS: Have to pick a color and style that I am completely sure will suit all for body shape, price, future wear, and flattering colors, etc etc etc

For the last option, I came up with this so far:

Dark brown "Mocha" or "truffle" dresses about knee length.

The dark color makes it very re-wearable.

Strapless though, could be a little sloppy after a few glasses of champagne....

So maybe, add spaghetti straps? or choose something like this....the bubble may be a little too trendy though.

Opinions, please!

Last Post of the First Day

Sorry, I just HAD to get all my ideas out there!

Here is the color palette I like in the form of Bazzill Cardstocks (GREAT sturdy paper for card-making).

The paper company also owns Basic Grey, a paper and textile company which currently features Fabric Birds on their homepage!!!

Can you tell me who made this bird?

This is ideal!

I can't figure out which etsy seller made these!? Guess I'll just have to make my own...

A cute wittle birdy who needs a mate so she can sit atop my cake and/or centerpieces!

Location, Location, Location

The biggest issue for me is:

To Marry outdoors or Not to marry outdoors?

Either way, I want the reception to be here:

Rochester Art Center (Minnesota)

Guests can enjoy all the art and culture in addition to the wedding festivities.

Bonus: it's in my and my honey's hometown, next to the lake/river and lots of open space and views of the outdoors/greenery.

Maybe after the ceremony....?

I WANT a photo like this. [Click for full view]

Perfect for a twiggy-tree lover like me!

3 Keys

(1) Brown Twigs & Green Stuff (preferably alive)

(2) Fat Birdies

(3) Vintage and Victorian

These are the MAIN ideas that I hope to make a point of sticking to so that the entire event doesn't become like my closet or bedroom floor-

-a mix of many good tastes that end up just looking like a hot mess.

Examples for today of ideas 1,2, and 3:

(this will be an easy and recurring theme for future posts, BTW.)

(1) CENTERPIECES:

Just found these two on Google--Perfect for me! I prefer the Mossy-ness of the second and the twiggy-ness of the first :P

Additionally, people will be able to see through them to chat at the reception, yet maintaining a feel of romance and privacy, which is ideal for guests of all ages.

(2) CAKE TOPPERS (fatty wittle love birds)

Etsy listing for this cake topper

Asked the man if he'd wear this...I got a "no" type answer, which I usually don't get from him, but I want this event to be HIS day too. He's very traditional about formal and momentous occasions. I think he may be convinced to have SOME twiggys in his boutonnière amongst the flowers though. SOME.

Etsy listing for this boutonnière

(3) Vintage AND Victorian-esque

A necklace, maybe for the bridesmaids?

Also on etsy.

And a lovely BIRD-cage veil. Haha, punny. My father would be proud, if he knew what a bird-cage veil was. I think I would attach (for the ceremony) a long sheer veil to cover the back of my head, which I would not wear for the reception. However, this cute little guy could be folded back and worn all night as a fabulous hair-accessory!

ALSO from etsy. This designer has a LARGE selection of hairpieces that I LOVE!

Long post, but good.

Be inspired!

-J

A million other things on my plate, but...

I decided today that I would premeditatedly begin planning my dream wedding to my dream man (already obtained, thank you!). I do this to escape the interesting monotony of studying to become an engineer and working for my major's University department.

Also, I think my mother will appreciate my foresight, and it will prevent her from planning prematurely for wedding ideas I distinctly disprove of (She has great taste, it's just not MY taste). To many of my reader's dismay, I am actually rather friendly with my mum, and enjoy her company...so I will relate to her occasionally.

If you dislike mother/daughter intimacy and happiness, this is NOT the blog for you.

If you like fantastic and creative shabby chic and naturalistic wedding ideas, this IS the blog for you.

For the first entry, I'd like to mention that future links, photos, etc will be very focused around etsy.com, the unique crafter's (and shoppers!) paradise for all things One Of A Kind.

And it is very important to me that my day be OOAK.

And affordable...So I will probably *vow* to make a lot of the things i discover myself based on the ideas of other more creative individuals.

*Note: I probably will never actually get to making half the things I like, and so my mother and/or her crafty friends will be left in charge.

Coming soon: actual photos of my *3 Key Concepts* for my big day!