I made them

{Handmade Boutonnieres}

After checking the mailbox (everyday) for all my supply purchases from etsy, I finally had a chance to assemble these for the boys. I'm really happy with the end result. My fiance said they looked Tim Burton inspired. It must be the stripes.

click for details I made (2) styles: one with a ginko leaf charm & one with a four leaf clover charm.

Santa Monica pier

In an effort to keep things moving, we took a long drive on Sunday to scout the Santa Monica Pier as a possible engagement session site. Plus it gave us a chance to visit his sister (my friend & MOH), at her new diggs in Woodland Hills. After visiting this location, I kind of have mixed feelings of doing the shoot here. There's a whole convergence of sea brine & dirty city. I don't know what I expected... it seems like every time I visit LA & think it will be cool, I end up missing Orange County (even after one afternoon). Other locations I'm majorly considering: Laguna Beach & Long Beach (Queen Mary & The Pike).

Family tree

I was reading this from Kelly, & it reminded me that family structures are not always perfect. My fiance's family is a mixture of divorces, remarriages, stepbrothers, half-brothers... it goes on. But then I started thinking of my family too. I have an uncle that was unofficially adopted into my mom's family. I have aunts & uncles who are not related to me by blood, but are very close friends of my parents. Families don't always make linear sense, but what's important is that you have one. That they will all be there on the day that you decide to start your own family.

Earl grey in the morning

I love coffee. A lot. But today, I love my earl grey tea.

Carnival

images via Max Wanger Photography

I've made some progress on the engagement photography session research. I found Aaron Wilcox - a photojournalist style photographer. We've been chatting by e-mail the last couple of days & I'm starting to get a little excited again. For $300 we get 2-3 hours of photography- with as many locations as we can fit in, plus online & printed proofs. Sounds good to me. I want the photographs to feel playful, as well as heartfelt. Aaron suggested Belmont Park (at Mission Beach in San Diego) as a possible location, which has a boardwalk/carnival setting. Anyone know of any other places in LA/OC like this?

I'm doing this

{CD Wedding Programs}

I am all over this ~ instructions via Style Me Pretty. I think having a wedding program is nice, but you go through all the work of making them with possibility of guests tossing them right after the ceremony. I think people will be more likely to hold on to them if there's a CD inside with a matrimony mix, which will be particularly special because we are not doing traditional ceremony music. Plus, it fits perfectly with my previous program idea. I love it when new ideas compliment with new ones.

Something sweet

{Head wrap prototype}

I made this piece out of scraps left over from my bouquet project. I want to do ribbon wrap headbands for my flower girls - something sweet with lots of tulle poufs & flowers.

Inspiration:

Attempt #2

{Adding Texture: embossing with stamps}

So apparently, the embossing heat gun that looks like a standard hairdryer is the key to successful embossing (it gets really hot). I did several tests using card stock & a standard envelope. Surprisingly, the envelope test yielded a better application (less ink bleeding into paper). I really like the green embossing powder. It has more of an antique finish & feels a little like sandpaper. I will most likely be using one of these images to deck out my invitation envelopes.

Made with love

{A gift for my Mother}

My mom was so impressed with my fabric bouquet that she wanted me to make her a hair piece to wear at my wedding. Her dress is champagne with lots of pretty sparkles. I made this hair flower with champagne organza and cream & taupe threaded silk. Using a monochromatic neutral color pallet gives the flower more depth. In the center of the flower, I added a piece of crystal embellished vintage lace, cream Swarovski pearls & tiny gold beads.

Embossing

With my invitation envelopes in mind, I did a little experiment with embossing powder. I was a little disappointed. The powder didn't stick very well to the ink. I tried 2 different papers & used a hairdryer (on very high heat setting) to dry & still no success. I might try again after some more research, or maybe I'll just use regular stamping ink.

Procrastination

I really need to figure out this whole engagement shoot thing. My wedding photographer won't be available for this, so I'm going to have to search for someone else. It's not a necessity, but I really want professional photographs of us in a more casual setting.

Yes

image from chereeberry.com

I really like the texture that is created by this envelope liner. Stripes or maybe a black & white damask print. I wonder if making your own envelope liners is difficult. Has anyone out there done this before?

Something old

{Vintage Beaded Clutch}

I really like these clutches - a pretty edition to a bridal ensemble. I love art deco inspired pieces & some of these gorgeous finds are actually from that era. These range from $8-$45 and are simply glamorous. The problem is... I love them all & I am having a difficult time deciding. Thoughts?

Winning ticket

{Wedding Raffle Tickets}

Wouldn't it be cute to do a raffle at the wedding? (for fun- I don't mean the guests would pay for ) The possibilities are endless... Instead of a money dance, raffle off a dance with the bride & groom... prizes... I think this would be a fun way to get guests involved.

Project #4

Leaves from Book Nook Creations; Ribbons from The Polkadot Strawberry; Feathers from The Little Beadhive.

{Supplies for handmade boutonnieres}

I've decided that it's cheaper to do these myself. I purchased these spotted Guinea feathers & vintage black velvet millinery leaves. Then I will be adding some sort of fabric cream flowers & binding everything using this green velvet ribbon. I also saw these:

{Antiqued gold charms}

I would love to incorporate 1 charm per bout - maybe mixed in with the leaves or wrapped around the ribbon base.

Supplies

click for details Something pretty for my bridesmaids: Vintage findings for bracelets.

Ribbons

I spent a lot of time on etsy today, hunting for pretty supplies for some up-coming wedding projects. I found some really great vintage ribbons for super cheap. I purchased 30 yards of vintage seam binding from Caramelos for $8: 27 yards of black, which is what I'll be using for the trim on my table toppers & 3 yards of olive (pictured below) which I may use as an adorement to bundle each wedding invitation.

{Hand Painted Ribbon}

I want to try this ribbon as corset laces for my dress. I love how the pink is very soft & gradually fades to white. If it looks bad with my dress, I'll probably use this for something in the future. 10 yards of faded rose ribbon from Antica $8

{Project: Girly handbag} Maybe I can make something like this using these ribbons.

Symbolism

During our ceremony, there will be an illustration of symbolism - like a unity candle, but not. It will involve various people who are important in both our lives who will place a tangible object into a receptacle of sorts. It is usually done with with flowers in a vase, but I am usual - so in theory, the tangible object could be anything. So that brings me to this... The large birdcage that I purchased as the cardholder came with a smaller birdcage (7x14") Why not use this as the holder for the symbolic act?

Pretty effect yes? Maybe I could spray-paint it gold (right)

~OR~

Building blocks

Symbolizes that relationships are about building up important qualities: love, trust, friendship, respect, etc. Each person could write on a wooden block what they think is important in a marriage. By adding it to the stack, they are strengthening our foundation as a couple.

~OR~

Romance novel paper flowers in a vase

Same effect as the traditional act, but with a touch of whimsy. Flowers by Sparklepants

~OR~ Rocks Because we rock.

DIY Petal cones

{DIY Petal Cups}

So easy and yet so sweet. Wrap a paper doilies into a cone shape, cover bottom with scalloped paper & finish off with a colorful ribbon handle. I'll hang these on the edge row of chairs closest to the aisle. Pictured left: Freeze-dried peony petals from Save-on-Crafts. $12 for 5 cups.

Officiant - check!

The fiance & I met with the officiant yesterday - Don Johnson. We both feel really good about him marrying us. I mean, neither of us are religious, and let's face it - weddings are usually centered around religion. We both wanted someone who would center the ceremony around our love & support for each other & that is exactly what he offers. I consider us very lucky that my mother remembered a ceremony he performed at a wedding she attended 8 years ago. At first I almost considered the ceremony part as a series of traditional practices - we walk, exchange rings, etc. I know that it will be cool, because I will be there with my fiance & that's all you really need. But after talking with Don, I'm actually really excited about the ceremony.

Magic

Lighting can play a major roll in setting the mood for a party or event. Our DJ also does lighting & we already added some basic lights. But for $200 we can add a custom gobo design with our monogram to be projected onto the dance floor. It's a lot of money for such a tiny detail, but this image of a couple's first dance really makes me want to add one to our event.

Image via Our Labor of Love.

A little lace

My bridesmaids will be holding these instead of flower bouquets. I like these. Hand fans that don't look too a) Asian b) Spanish. I am pleased with my purchase from Vena Cava Design (a UK company) even with the British pounds conversion, these fans were way cheaper than the ones I found on ebay.

These are cream Battenberg lace fans with gold threading. If you look closely, the gold shimmers in the light.

I also purchased facsinator bases for the hair pieces I made (p.s. these are hard to find!) Plus this lovely lace parasol to use as a prop during the pre-ceremony photo session.

Well said

My Mother may call me 'nontraditional' (hi Mom!) but I revel in my quest to have a different type of wedding. Traditional weddings by today's standards don't really represent what I want my marriage to be - love. personal. heartfelt. Sara explains this best. I blogged about this before I was even engaged. Re-reading this post reminds me that my feelings have not changed. It's Wedding Season... originally posted July 22nd 2007 Even though I'm only 26- I can already feel the pressure of family, friends & society pushing the daunting question of "So when are you going to get married?" I'm quite used to hearing this question from family- as I've been hearing it from relatives since Gary & I hit our one year dating anniversary (which was when I was only 18 and Gary, 19). I always brushed off the question as being completely ridiculous since I already knew that in my mind, I never envisioned myself considering marriage until after I finished college & have a good start on the career track. But now I find myself secretly jealous of all the lucky brides this year. Whether I know them or not, I have the unwavering desire to be an American bride too. This yearning is taught to us as young girls- though watching Disney cartoons where the princess has the ultimate wedding to her prince, though the encouragement of our parents- particularly our mothers & other sources in the American economy. It's really bothersome because it leads us away from the true meaning of marriage- which it's that "A Diamond is Forever." It's the idea that you value someone else as your equal- that you want to possibly start a family with this person & spend your life with them. I find the whole industry side of weddings to be so incredibly manipulative. I recently accompanied my engaged friend to David's Bridal, at which she purchased a gown on layaway. At first the salesgirl bagged her dress in a cheap plastic garment bag & added "You don't want your beautiful new dress to sit here in this bag for months... do you?" My friend paid the additional $15 for the higher quality bag. If they actually cared, they would automatically give their customers the good bag, being that their customers spend thousands of dollars in their store. The David's Bridal experience is just a small example of how businesses prey on brides & families "wanting the best" on what's viewed in America as the most important day of your life. So I find myself torn- when I become a bride, how will I be? Will I be content with keeping things simple & special? Or will I get caught up in the insanity of the business? I found this article to be interesting in dealing with this very thought. I appreciate that someone has noticed this whole wedding business thing getting out of hand.

The Wedding-Industrial Complex Exposed by Laura Rowley

Under the dress

{Monogrammed Garter Set}

I just placed a custom order through Monde Design for this adorable garter set (this is my lazy attempt at photoshoping the combination I ordered). The fiance & I have yet to decide if we want to participate in the old garter/bouquet toss festivities, but since these look so cute together, I decided to get a set... just in case. The champange garter will be the one I keep & I'm having "s" monogrammed on the button. It takes up to 4 weeks to complete - I will post another pic when I get them. P.S. - I received our ring bowl from Palomas Nest today. It is simply precious.

My darling deco design

I was home sick today, but in the afternoon I started to feel better. So I started my research on invitation options (papers distributors & printers) So far, Vista Print has the best prices & customized print options. They provide you with Photoshop & Illustrator templates so you can upload your own designs. I'd prefer to do this, as you can easily drop $60 on printer ink for at-home DIY printing.

click picture for details {Art Deco Inspired Invitations}

I also designed my first invitation. My design (pictured left) is 4x8". I found these great linen paper backings (4x9 1/4") from LCI Paper. I plan on adding an additional 4x8 card with directions & dinner options. Then wrap the bundle in some pretty ribbon with a monogrammed tag.

Make a statement

{Vintage Statement Necklaces}

Pretty finds from Circ. Vintage bits & baubles put together for unforgettable pieces.

Petals

This photograph makes me want to give my guests petals to throw as we leave down the aisle... so romantic.

what what what?!

Okay, I'm trying to fight off some momentary shock & panic before I get too carried away but... I contacted the reception venue to see how the catering pricing was going & they replied back with a total that seems way too expensive for what was discussed. I replied back, asking for an itemized invoice. So we shall see. I'm battling an end-of-winter cold & I'm already in a yucky mood... I just have to remember to breathe & wait for all the facts before I start freaking out! Easier said than done. Good news is, we got a 10% discount for the DJ. (It's all about who you know).

Mine

My custom made bracelet is completed & the etsy seller Carla (Lulu Splendor shop), was kind enough to post these amazing pictures of it. I'm excited to see it in person. The original inspiration for this piece was posted here.

Clutch

{Bridal Clutch} I love all these delicate details & embellishments.

Top: Antique Lace; Custom Brides. Crushed Velvet; Carrierojo. Ivory Flower; Shakuyaku Middle: Suede Ribbon; Cheap Therapy. Ivory Chrysanthemum; Red Ruby Rose. Donna White Feathers; leighannkline Bottom: All bags by Angee W.

Non-cheesy wedding video

This is really sweet. When I edit my own, using a collection of professional photos, guest-shot photos & guest-shot video, I hope it turns out like this. Christy Tom: A Super 8 Teaser Posted using ShareThis

Bring'n sexy back

{Pink Corset Laces}

I would really love to incorporate a whisper pink color into my bridal ensemble. So girlie & so romantic. My dress (on the right) has a lace up back, so maybe I will see what it looks like with pink ribbon.

Smile

Today was really terrible... but this made me smile.

A Figure of Speech brooch pin by Peppywanders

Update

I added a disclaimer to my last post about the jerky DJ because of this...

My response to his e-mail:

This was not wise. The community of brides share notes about vendors who are unprofessional. And by the way, the only reason I didn't book with you is because you were out of my price range. I wouldn't have wasted your time if I knew up front that you were outside my budget.

Stephanie

His response:

What are you talking about. You knew my rate, you even checked back weeks later to see if I was still available. You didn't hire me so you don't know how professionally I treat my clients. You are not a client and if you post something that implies you were or anything else, I will sue you. I will be on the lookout for anything you post and will contact my attorney. I hope you have a big budget for an attorney since you will need one. GOT IT?

No need to be nasty!

Oh, the DJ drama never ends! I thought it would be a nice courtesy on my part to inform the DJs that I sent inquires to that I decided to book with someone else. These were also the two most expensive & realistically, well beyond my budget. Of course, you never know that they're out of your price range until after you've listened to their sales pitch- which really bugs me. All I want is a price list so I don't waste your time & you don't waste mine. That said after I sent my "Thanks for your time" email, The D'Jay Company was very professional & responded with this:

"Thank you for letting us know. We’ll take you out of the system. We wish you the best."

In contrast, this was the highly unprofessional reply I received from the DJ:

Disclaimer: I did not hire or contract services for this DJ to perform. I was a potential client only. No monies were deposited and no payments were made. Any opinion stated here is in no way a testimate to the quality of his service or professionalism as a DJ to paying clients.

"Thanks my effort and time you say in your email? Why would you thank me? What good was it if your going to end hiring another dj that I can guarantee doesn't do even 1/2 of what I do to make sure there are no problems and everything goes great and your wedding doesn't end up being a complete pile of crap? So it didn't help you and it certainly didn't help me to spend all that time back and forth. Ya thanks a lot! "

Yeah, thanks for reaffirming my decision that you clearly are not worth $1,650 of my hard-earned cash! I highly doubt my wedding will be a pile of crap because I picked the wrong DJ. What really annoys me is that there is no real way of informing other brides that this guy is a total jerk! The Knot, Here Comes the Guide - both very popular online resources for wedding planning - do not allow vendor reviews from users. What kind of crap is that?! It's because these vendors pay these sites to be listed. Money speaks louder than truth! I'm going to do my part, starting now, and completely boycott these sites. I really didn't like The Knot to begin with- mainly because they equate weddings with corporate sponsorship. I resent being exploited in the wedding industry. Sorry for the ranting - I started this blog to post pretty things, but as I'm slowly discovering, planning a wedding can sometimes get ugly.

Etsy love

{A Few of My Favorite Things}

Etsy was buzzing with so many pretties today. Clockwise from left: 1) I found these great bouts for the boys (I'll have to see if the fiance likes these too before I order). 2) Adorable green clutch I'm not sure if I will have a little handbag or bridal pouch on the big day, but what a fun way to add some color punch to my ensemble. 3) I love, love, love monograms & this garter is just too cute! 4) Lastly, a victorian-inspired fabric cone - a different play on the traditional flower girl basket.

Ha!

I just saw this on Etsy. I like mine better because I made mine with my own two hands, but still I think it's funny how similar we all are. Bouquet by Hannah Roses.

Dear Diary

After having lunch with a dear childhood friend the other day, I realized that there is so much that has been forgotten. It's funny how subjective memory is, and I find it interesting how different people remember varying details about events. Growing up, I used to keep a journal. I still have all my old journals today & every so often, I'll flip through them, laugh at how naive I was or even surprise myself with how insightful I was at just 12 years old. I haven't kept a journal since my sophomore year in high school - ironically since I met my fiance. But it's got me thinking... there are so many moments that have happened, are happening now, that I would love to read about when I'm 40 - or 80 years old. How many moments get lost in the shuffle as more and more years of living get added to the mix. That said, I think I might start journaling again.

relaxed and rustic, but still elegant

This real wedding was posted on Style Me Pretty today. Can I just say that I really love it? It puts my mind at ease to see that someone else already did what I am envisioning. It's like saying "yes, this crazy combination of ideas you have will work out in the end."

Ideas I might steal from this wedding: Nests on candle holders. Genius!

Green Ties: Groom wears a different patterned tie. I don't exactly care for these stripes, but the idea is good.