March

My first round of To Do's for February went rather well. I completed everything except my table topper project (I've been distracted by my bridesmaid fan projects) The greatest news of all is that we found the DJ! Fly By Night Entertainment turned out to be the best deal with the most professionalism. Total price is $1050 ($950 for services + $100 travel fee). I am so impressed by their service so far. They mailed me a signed contract, details of service & a booklet detailing all their DJ's profiles. Plus, you can watch DJ demos on their website. The fiance & I have an appointment next Sunday to go over all the details. March To Do 1) Officiant search (has been deligated to fiance) 2) Research honeymoon destinations 3) Figure out what my b'maids will be holding 4) Collect e-mails for the guest list 5) Edit my Save-the-Date video 6) Table topper border... if I feel like it.

Pretty garters

{High Fashion Garters}

All available on Etsy.

Surprises

When you love someone you think of doing nice things for them. Tomorrow I'm going to surprise my fiance at work with an impromptu picnic lunch (picnic basket & everything). So tonight I'll stop by Trader Joes & pick up some tasty goodies.

A winning pair

{My Favorite}

This was the last pair available on Zappos (and everywhere else for that matter). I ordered the size 8 (I'm usually an 8.5) hoping they ran large & they fit perfectly! Plus they are actually comfortable. I love the scallop detail on the heel. So unique. Also...

A better shot of what the bridesmaid's hair piece looks like. Forgive the black & white photography - I'm not wearing any make-up.

DJ drama

Finding a DJ has proved to be the biggest headache in my vendor search. For those of you in the same situation, I would definitely NOT RECOMMEND After Dark Entertainment (Anaheim, CA). Yes, they quoted the lowest price/most for your money, but they are truly incompetent. I asked John, the owner to send me their 'terms & conditions'... John: "Oh, we don't really do terms & conditions." Me: "Okay... how about a signed contract from you prior to me giving you a $200 non-refundable deposit?" John: "You send us the $$$ first". Yikes! Plus after several correspondences, he called me Silvia. He couldn't even keep my name straight! Needless to say, they got a bad review from me on Project Wedding. However, the fiance came up with a good idea- asking our friend (who is a DJ) about the company he works for. Why didn't I think of this before?

Fly By Night Entertainment -their website is very functional & informative -they actually have a consultant that meets with you to plan the whole day -they have 20 DJs to choose from & they have video demos of them playing at actual events -they have been in business since '81 & are on The Knot's Best of 2008 list. -only $100 more that After Dark... $950 for 5 1/2 hours. Plus we might get a deal since we know someone that works for them.

DIY cupcake stand

A cute way to jazz up those cakes stands in the baking aisle at Michaels. Add pretty adornments. image from Vintage Flair

Bridal shoes IV

{Shoe Palette: Whisper Pink, Champagne & Pewter}

Since most bridal shoes are dyeable, why not try something other than white or ivory. There's something classic about a white shoe, but I can't help but swoon over these soft & feminine colors. Also... Sam & Libby Whimsy maryjane:

{Designer Bridal Shoes}

These are simply stunning... if I was willing to break the bank on shoes, I might splurge on one of these. (I especially love the top left & top right pairs).

However, I found 2 more 'reasonably priced' shoes that I like. The left shoe by Nine West is on sale on Amazon for $24. Can't beat that! Right shoe is by Dyeables.

What's for dinner?

Bon Appetit Catering preliminary menu. All organic ingredients; all locally grown. {appetizer} tomato basil bruschetta artisan cheeses. meats. fruit {salad} mescalun mix with cranberries. apples. pine nuts. poppy seed vinaigrette. {dinner} filet mignon with gorgonzola demi glaze. garlic + mushroom mashed potatoes. seasonal vegetables. ciabatta rolls. lemon garlic chicken with house preserved lemon + cream. garlic + mushroom mashed potatoes. seasonal vegetables. ciabatta rolls. {cupcakes} red velvet cake

with cream cheese frosting chocolate cake with raspberry bavarian filling + butter cream frosting white cake with vanilla frosting + coconut marble cake with chocolate chip + chocolate filling + butter cream frosting

Invitation inspirations II

This is exactly what I had in my mind when I envisioned the invites- the colors, art deco appeal, the monogram...

From StyleMePretty blog.

Bridal shoes III

I went to Off-Broadway Shoes today & didn't really find anything that 'wowed me' for the I Do shoe. I am returning my first round of shoe purchases from Zappos. There was one pair out of the original bunch that I liked (Culver shoe by Nina) but I'm not exactly sure if it will look good with my dress. Regardless, I placed another order with Zappos (above). I'm going a different direction: strappy shoes with sparkles.

The Missing Link

{Bridesmaid Ensemble} mixing green & black

I did some photoshop work on these bridesmaid dresses from The Dessy Group. I love the green. I love the black. I don't want all my bridesmaids looking like clones. This dress is the answer to tying the whole look together: Clover green sheath with a black lace overlay.

Field Trip

{University of Redlands}

Yesterday we made another trip up to Redlands to meet with the caterers for a menu tasting. While we were there, we had a little look-see of the University of Redlands campus. The area is quite stunning, with panoramic views of snow-covered mountains, picturesque scenes of gardens & the turn-of-the-century greek architecture. This will be one of the stops on our pre-ceremony photography tour of Redlands.

{Santa Fe Train Station}

Located on the corner of Oriental & Orange Street, this now abadoned station was built in 1910 & yeilds potential for dramatic photos. Since this line has been abandoned, it might be fun to take some shots right on the tracks - for my train-loving father & brother.

A bride at my venue. Dark rustic corners... I love it.

Preliminary Schedule

$10k and only blog got me thinking about the schedule for the big day. For documentation sake, here is a first draft: 2:00 - 2:30 Arrive, get dressed 2:30 - 4:00 Photography 4:00 - 4:30 Ceremony 4:30 - 5:00 Cocktail hour/guests be seated/additional photos 5:00 - 6:00 Dinner 6:00 - 9:30 Reception (photographer leaves @ 7:30) 9:30 - 10:00 Vendor clean-up Processional His parents Mom & brother Ring Bearer Flower girl #1 Bridesmaids 1-2-3 Flower girl #2 Me & Dad

Fascinating

{Bridesmaid Fascinator: Design Two}

The original inspiration was made of sinamay, but I had to settle for a look-a-like alternative. For the ivory leaves I used needlework fabric, which has a stiff linen feel to it. I made the black petals out of 20 gauge black copper wire & tulle patterned lace. I stretched the lace over the wire & then stitched around the edges. Last, I added coque feathers for a little bit of drama. Total cost for materials: $13; Time: 1.5 hours

Just because

Black & Ivory

In my continued research of hand fans, I saw this fascinator (left; by Tiaras & Fascinators.com) made of sinamay & coque feathers. Although I really like the fascinator that I made, I can't help but wonder if this would be better.

Aside from that, I was very successful in my research of hand fans/feather bouquets. Pictured top right; a photoshoped prototype of a semi-handmade option. The lace fan is already made, I would be adding these adornments: black feathers, string of pearls & rossette brooch. Pictured bottom right; a feather bouquet, similar to the one from my last post.

{Inspiration from the past} This fan is circa 1880's. Layered with lace & sequins. Another option for adorning a lace fan.

Revisited

I've decided that I really don't like the hand fan I made in this post. It's been sitting next to my desk since I made it & the more I look at it, the more I detest it. sigh. Square one - find an ornate fan that doesn't look too Spanish or too Asian.

Then I saw this on the Style Me Pretty blog the other day & I really like it because it has vintage charm & a rustic feel with the use of the twine around the base. The overall feel is theatrical, which is what I'm going for with my maids' look.

DJ Research

After realizing that I don't want to pay $1,500+ for the DJ, I've completed a bit more research. One suggestion came from a fellow blogger for Mixterious Force DJ. 6 hours play time + 1 hour set-up = $1,025

Real Simple Weddings offered adja.org (American DJ Association) a resource for finding DJs, which is were I found Elevated Pulse Productions. 5 1/2 hours play time + Ceremony package = $1,195 After Dark Entertainment 7 hours for $850. We're getting warmer.

Project #3

{Prototype: Bridesmaid Hand Fan}

This is my first attempt at making the fan. I wanted to create something unique with a 1920s sort of flare. Although, I don't want it to look cheesy or too 'handy-craft'. I'm kind of undecided on this. This I will say, working with feathers & hot glue proved to be messy as hell. To the gallery: Is this lame or cool? I need honesty people.

Le Blush

{Wedding Night Lingerie} The best excuse to wear something luxuriously sexy. I love these elements

Bridal shoes II

Bridal Shoes: Round 1 Naomi by Touch Ups

Sue by Coloriffics

Culver by Nina

Roseanna by Touch Ups

I was really excited about these, but alas, they are rather uncomfortable.

Busy

I've been incredibly busy this week & have sooo missed blogging! But with the weekend coming up, I'm sure I'll find some nice goodies to post. Plus I have another project on my mind. Hint: Something pretty for my bridesmaids.

Bridal shoes

{Vintage Shoe Clips}

I scored these vintage art deco shoe clips from etsy seller The Hat Box. They are so ornate & glamorous. Plus it counts as my 'something old'. I can clip these lovelies to some plain shoes to jazz them up. The great thing: I can clip these to other dress shoes after my wedding.

{Bridal Shoes}

How could I possibly start a wedding blog & have this be my first post about shoes! Well here it is, semi-affordable options from Zappos. I want my shoe to be...

1) Glamorous 2) Strappy 3) 2-3 inch heel 4) Comfortable 5) Stay on my foot so I don't take a spill down the aisle

Handsome

{Suit Ensemble}

The green color element in the wedding has transformed into a monochromatic mixture of bright green & olive green. I think the brighter green pops better with my maid's ensembles & the table toppers. However, I think my flower girls will look better in the olive. My centerpieces have olive colors in them. Plus my bridal bouquet has both shades of green. So what to do with the guy's outfits? My fiance wants to wear a regular black suit & white shirt. I figure I can work the color in through either a green necktie or pocket square, as pictured left.

{Boutonnieres} Real flowers or these handmade options?

I feel lovely

{Pretty} My Veil ~ Short Blusher Birdcage Veil - 9 inch in Ivory $19.00; handmade by etsy seller Brenda's Bridal Veils My Fascinator ~ Triple Feather Flower Hair Clip $60; handmade by etsy seller Q.G. Designs

Tasties

{I Heart Cupcakes}

As beautiful as wedding cakes are these days, there's something sweet about these cupcakes. After watching the 'I want candy' montage in Marie Antoinette, I want these scrumptious mini delights - complete with fancy details & textures.

Fan fair

To keep costs down & because I dare to be different, I am not doing flowers. I've already made my bouquet out of handmade fabric flowers, my centerpieces are made of dried flowers. I still debating the guy's bouts. There's a trend for having bridesmaids carry parasols & hand fans - which is cool because I can acquire these lovely ornate sandalwood fans for about $1.50 each. But they are rather plain, so why not dress it up?

Ideas: add ribbons, paper flowers, jewels like pearls or rhinestones. And then there's these fabulous feather options...

(Pictured Left) This will definitely add drama to the bridesmaids ensemble & brings in the sub-theme of 1920s. (Pictured Right) Maybe too Marie Antoinette, but still beautiful.

Love, acoustic

{Love, acoustic} My fiance has been playing the guitar since he was in his early teens. Some of my favorite memories of us as a young high school couple involve him playing acoustic guitar for me.

While working as editor for my college magazine, a student poet - Valerie Lewis, submitted this lovely whimsical piece entitled Love, Acoustic. I've always loved it - how it incorporates art + captures an intimate moment. I would love to put this on the inside of the wedding program, because it so beautiful articulates the love & comfort of our relationship.

Each strum vibrates up and down your thin neck My head rests in the dip on your side My arm hangs gently over you Feeling you resonate through me Resonate through me

The Plan

Getting fit for the dress

2008 was a learning experience for me when it came to health & fitness. I learned... 1) Stress is very, very bad for you 2) Eating 'low fat' doesn't help you lose fat 3) What a difference a change in diet can make I lost 20 lbs last year, simply by eating 5 small meals a day. Switching from low fat (aka high sodium) foods/excess sugar/fast food & replacing with whole grains & fiber-rich foods. Despite all this, I still need to lose about an inch around my hip area to prevent the alterations gal from letting out my wedding dress. I have exactly 3 months until my first fitting. I've successfully maintained a 2-day a week gym schedule, consisting of 30 minutes of cardio; weight training. I really need to bump it up to 4 days if I really want to see improvement. My secret? -Dragging my lazy butt out of bed at 5 AM. Going first thing in the morning prevents excuses that I might come up with later to avoid going. Plus it's so early that I'm too tired to argue with myself. -Tote along a pumping iPod playlist and a good book. Distraction is good when you're running for 2 1/2 miles in the same spot. Goal: Lose 10 pounds or 1 whole dress size. Whatever comes first!

I couldn't resist

Yet another adorable flower girl dress. I love the bow details on the shoulder.

Dessy Group Style FL4015 in Olive; black trim

Ahoy

{Ahoy: Nautical Themed Engagement Session}

I've been pondering the idea of an engagement photo shoot ever since an acquaintance of mine offered up her photography skills. Today I thought... Queen Mary in Long Beach. How adorable would this be?!

Part: the 2nd

Adventures in guest list edits After seeing some old friends last night, the fiance & I decided that a revisit to the guest list was mandatory. I have to admit, I've been kind of dreading it since we made it months ago - much like I dread doing my finances each month. I was scared of finding a runaway guest list, but to my surprise, we're in pretty good shape. After eliminating some questionable + 1's and deciding that we are doing 'an adult only reception (with exception of flower girls & ring bearer)' we found that maybe we can add some people to the list that we feel should be there to share our special day.