Masked party look

My husband works for In-n-Out Burger. If you live outside the California/Nevada/Arizona area, perhaps you've never tasted or even heard of their burgers. They are amazing & I highly recommend you try one if you're ever on vacation in California. Any way, every year the corporate office throws a very elaborate holiday party. This year's theme is masquerade. This made me very excited because I love anything that involves me wearing anything costume related. Since the theme is so fun, I'd love to wear something outside of the traditional black dress. Enter yellow dress.

yellow dress; Watters & Watters. mask; Revolution Garden.

I love, love Zooey Deschanel's look. The Watter's dress might not be available in time for the event, but perhaps I can find something like it in stores.

New.

So perhaps you've noticed that I've redecorated. I needed a change. One thing you need to know about me is that I love both modern & vintage. Finding some sort of middle ground (especially in home decor) has always been a challenge. Well, I know it looks rather plain at the moment, but that is because Blogger is deciding to be buggy right now. I made a very cute custom header for my blog, but for some reason it's not showing up. I remember having this problem in the past & one day everything just 'magically' corrected itself.

The end of the affair

{The Grand Exit}

I wanted sparklers, but those are illegal in our area. So my Mom came up with this idea: very thin pillar candles for guests to light our exit. She used paper doilies to catch the dripping wax and attached cute little charms & green ribbons. Generally speaking, so few guests stay until the very end of receptions. It's very special to walk down a small aisle of candlelight comprised of only parents, siblings & closest friends at the end of a fabulous evening. It was sort of magical. And warm.

Although technically we did not leave at this point. These were the logistics: all my stuff was still in the bridal suite & we needed to stick around to haul back some of the decorations in our car. So when we got to the end of the candlelit aisle, I took that opportunity to thank the wonderful people in our wedding party, parents & remaining wedding guests for sharing our special day with us.

Then we kissed and walked back down the aisle of candles where I gathered the rest of my belongings... and a chocolate raspberry cupcake To-Go.

The Photobooth

As you may recall, I was very smitten with the idea of having a photobooth at the wedding. A lovely wedding trend that may seemed played out by now in the wedding blogosphere, but our guests had a blast with this. I didn't want the added expense of hiring a second photographer for this, so my brother Ryan was kind of enough to volunteer (actually I slightly begged, but what's the difference right?) to be the photographer for the booth during the cocktail hour. He set up his camera on a tripod & borrowed some lights from a friend. Most of the shots came out pretty good, but some of the shadows became a little tricky with multiple guests posing in a single shot.

Untouched photo. Green striped fabric from Ikea was draped over a wall mounted bar. Luckily our venue had the perfect set-up for this. The shot was framed wide, with two fill lights on each side of the camera.

Using photoshop, I made a sepia toned photo filter layer. Then I added a black mask around the edges to give the photo an antique quality. This served as my template.

For each individual photo, I adjusted brightness/contrast, converted the photo to black & white, then added a diffuse glow for sheen.

My parents. I'm stoked they actually used some props.

My bridesmaids: Lisa, Gina & Melissa And for good measure, we posed for a couple ourselves I really like this one.

Total cost for this DIY option: Ikea fabric $12 Ikea photo frame prop $24 (I totally plan on converting this awesome frame into a stylish bulletin board for my office) Mustache on a stick prop supplies $4 Other props were from old Halloween costumes

On a side note, I really wanted to have a giant chalkboard for guests to write on, but it was one of those things I put off thinking 'I'll get it the next time I'm at Michaels'. And it just never happened. When it gets toward the end all those really cool ideas & inspirations you've been collecting simply get swept under the rug. But really, no one notices their absence except you... and maybe a few hundred blog readers. And on another note... regarding my recaps. I won't be posting in any particular order. That is, there will not be a chronological order to things. I will highlight certain details as I see fit, when I feel ready to share them with you all. Like, the un-rehearsal dinner might be the last thing on the list and such. Sorry, I'm feeling rambly tonight, as technically it's 1:46 in the morning right now :)

Bracelets

{Something Old; Something New}

I didn't have a chance to post these pre-wedding, mainly because I finished them the day before the un-rehearsal dinner. These are the bracelets I made from my bridesmaids & flower girls. All 5 are partially made from the same vintage bracelet. I added new antiqued metal chains to make the difference in length. The girls wore these at the wedding.

The Dress

We are back from the honeymoon. It was fabulous of course. I'll be recapping that a little later. But first, I arrived home to a sweet surprise. Our photographer already posted some teaser pics of the wedding. Since I've been very candid about sharing, here's a first look at some amazing shots of my dress.

all photos by Ryan Bethke Photography

This one was taken pre-ceremony at the University of Redlands. The campus has breathtaking views & architecture.

Post-ceremony outside of our venue. The nearby train tracks yielded some great perspective shots at sunset.

First thoughts

photo by Klas Persson

We are married. It was an amazing ride yesterday. All of the planning, crafting & frustrations were totally worth it. Seriously, it was a dream come true. Everything I imagined in my mind - the feel of the event, the people who were there supporting us - it all happened. That's not to say there weren't a few road bumps, which I'll share with you all later. But there are moments, new memories that I will cherish forever. I think that's what having a wedding is all about. Creating those moments and realizing how many people out there are really cheering for you. For your love to prosper. People kept asking me this week if I was getting enough sleep. I slept great all week (probably because I've been so busy). I was relaxed. I knew that things would come together. I didn't fear that something so tragic would happen that we wouldn't be able to cope. I did however have trouble sleeping last night. At 3:15 I woke up & couldn't go back to sleep. I kept replaying all the moments that we had just experienced throughout the day. It wasn't just a blur (like so many brides say). I experienced every moment. Took in every feeling and enjoyed it. That's where I'll leave you for now... Aloha.

"ya killin me Smalls"

6. Yes six people have last minute un-RSVP'd to the wedding. I hope there won't be more :( Anyway, I'm busy with the last minute details. Today & tonight: Finish the programs. My brain is running a mile a minute with last minute to-dos. One thing at a time now. and P.S. - if you got the reference in the blog title, kudos to you.

The best of both worlds

Okay, like I said...Jim & Pam got married last night on THE OFFICE. This couldn't be more timely, and I firmly believe that laughter is the best cure for stress. If you watch the show, you know that pretty much everyone is crazy, with the exception of the two office lovebirds - Jim & Pam. I love these characters because they depict a level of realness that I think lacks in most television shows. I couldn't relate more to this couple right now, to quote Pam, minutes before their church nuptials "Everyone is driving me crazy..." Of course Jim's solution: "Plan C" as he puts it, knowing full well that their wedding would become a stomping ground for office shenanigans, elope on a boat under Niagra Falls- Just the two of them.

Then they come back to the church to have the ceremony in front of family & friends.

I found this to be incredibly romantic. Jim is rather candid about his plans, but he always has a plan. I guess he kind of reminds me of my fiance in that way.

My two cents.

Is it me, or does it feel like Style Me Pretty's Style Circle is manipulating brides to create content for their blog? - And, earning a killing in profit from advertising in doing so. Clever. At first I was excited about the idea - a forum to build wedding boards, write your own wedding blogs, share with others. It's a fabulous idea and I can definitely see it being a nice service for brides, but I'm seeing more and more 'Style Circle Guru' posts on the main SMP blog, highlighting their favorite reader contributions. It seems like a way to just fill their daily content with the hard work of others who are not being paid for their talents. I'm just turned off by the idea of someone else getting paid for my creativity. If I choose to blog for a profit, it's going to be on my blog.

Here's where I'm at

One of my bridesmaids came over last night to help me finish the favors. I was ever so grateful! We jammed through them in less than 2 hours, then enjoyed a lovely Italian meal at my favorite restaurant. The big project that is weighing on my mind is the program CD booklets. This is the killer of all DIY projects, as it is the most time consuming and I have to make about 90 of them. And it's the last thing on my To Do list. My fiance is very sweet and already volunteered this time if I need help. And in unpleasant news... I received an un-RSVP today. The excuse was totally unwarranted & was a result of poor planning on the individual's part. The situation just plain sucks, because we already paid the caterer. Why do people do this? And on a side note... I saw the promo for this week's episode of THE OFFICE. We're getting married the same week as Jim & Pam. He he.

Bridal session inspiration

source

I am super excited (and not for the obvious reason that I'm getting married this Sunday!). I saw this bridal photography session today & literally, it's what I saw in my head when I imagined what I wanted to do for mine. The dreaminess. The bride holding the birdcage. It's all so artistic & lovely. The session will be after the wedding. I'm thinking Laguna Beach for the location - although I will definitely have to scout out the location a little more. Or perhaps somewhere a little more woodsy. There's this nature preserve that I pass on my way to work. I might have to take a hike there one day & scout it out.

Halloween inspiration

{THIS is HALLOWEEN}

I spent the majority of my weekend crafting wedding decorations, so I thought it might be fun to put together an inspiration board for Halloween. My friend sent me this link this morning & I'm loving this chic take on celebrating Halloween. I'm glad to see that the holiday is going back to it's origins- moving away from the kiddie land & being reclaimed for adults. Although I love seeing an adorable child in a pumpkin costume.

I'm too lazy for sources today. My apologies.

Escort cards

{Escort Cards}

I went simple. I tried using these tags, but they were just too small and the guests names were coming out illegible, which defeats the whole purpose. I'm slightly bummed because I really wanted these to work. But like these & my table squares, sometimes it's better to just cut your losses and go a different route. I'm sure I'll use the tags for something else down the road.

I took my existing tiny meal ticket bags & stamped a pretty lace design on the opposite side. I printed my guests names & table assignments and printed on vellum paper. Then I cut into strips, hole-punched and tied with twine. I'm happy with how they turned out. They sort of have a rustic elegance to them.

meal markers. My fiance really likes these.

Lace lovelies

{Lace Centerpiece Candles}

I'm really loving how these came out. They look so gorgeous when lit. For the tiny votive on the right, I took a small square of black lace, wrapped it halfway around the votive & affixed with jute twine.

For this candle holder, I used a small mason jar. I cut a wide strip of black lace & tied around the top. I finished with some twine & added a mini chalkboard with our initials. One thing I've found is that in order to get the fine details on chalkboards, you have to use stamps or paint markers. It kind of defeats the purpose of chalkboards being 'green' or reusable, but really it's the only way for them to not look smudgy.

Prop sign

{For the photobooth}

I made this out of a folded olive green card, scrapbooking letters & vintage scrabble tablets.

Nevermore

{My Halloween party invites}

I'm a little excited to break in my new last name (legally speaking, it's not even mine yet). Anyway, our monogram is "P" which is the same as Poe. Like as in The Raven. That was the inspiration for the invite. I must say, I think this is the best invitation I've ever made. Including the wedding invite. I used a real wax seal too.

I outfitted the envelope with embossed images. On the backside I used a raven stamp. On the front side I spelled out N-E-V-E-R-M-O-R-E (quote The Raven) and our monogram in a decorative flourish.

I included a black feather on the inside of each invitation.

The outside of the invitation actually has a very faint layer in which Poe's The Raven is written in script.

Next.

Many of those who know me in real life often ask me this. Will I continue to blog after the wedding is over? The answer is yes. The immediate future of love&lace will revolve around... Wedding recaps. There will be photos. Wedding graduate advice & reflection. I truly think planning this wedding has changed both me and my fiance. For better or for worse? I'm not sure yet. My real life. I've been slightly candid with the details of my life other than how it pertains to wedding planning. It would be nice if I began with some posts about what I'm all about. Nesting. I really like this because it's a way to chronicle our lives, building a home together. Plus, I really like posting all the cool stuff we're doing to the house. Crafting. I'm seriously considering opening an etsy shop post wedding. I would love to have a category devoted to all my creations.

Fruit is cute

I know that I'm definitely not the first person to feature fruit as part of a wedding centerpiece. I just came across these images today and I thought they would be super cute with oranges too. I picked up a bag of clementines, as my nervous system is in need of some serious vitamin C. There's a cold circulating the office and I am not getting sick the week before my wedding! Any way, I've been experimenting with oranges & twigs from my last post about escort cards. We'll see what I come up with.

Featured III

Those are my boutonnieres at the bottom, via The Savvy Event

Wow! Two of my DIY projects have been featured this week. I get excited when I see my work on other blogs. That's part of the fun of blogging - reaching out to other people who may have similar interests/hobbies or inspiring others to extend their creativity.

My bouquet via You Can't Take It With You