Friday, June 29, 2007

Surf & Sand Inspired Weddings

We are getting ready for vacation ourselves, but it seems like everyone else we know is already at the beach! Here are our favorite beach wedding details:

Cakes (find more of our favorites by The Cake Girls and April Reed here, browse our favorite Lovin Sullivan cakes here)
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{(L) coral cake from Martha Stewart Weddings, (M) Asian-inspired wave cake from Martha Stewart Weddings; (R) starfish cake by The Cake Girls}

Paper- We love the combination of cork and sea glass by Two Paperdolls. The sea glass could also be used to prop up escort cards. (More sea-inspired paper products here)
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{all photos from Two Paperdolls}

Boutonnières
(more choices here)
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{all photos from Brides; clockwise, L to R: seashell, yellow freesia, hot pink calla lily, hydrangea and orchid with sea glass beads}

Thursday, June 28, 2007

Something Blue...to Eat!

Who would have imagined that pastel blue cake would look so mouth-wateringly delicious?
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{Top (L to R): garlands and wreath from Martha Stewart Weddings, robin's egg blue cake on Brides, gift box cake on Brides;
Bottom (L to R): something blue from Martha Stewart Weddings, cake with silk corded closures from Martha Stewart Weddings, individual cakes on Brides}

Luggage Tags

With more and more couples choosing to throw destination weddings, travel seems to be becoming a theme in itself. Personalized luggage tags are great favors that can double as place cards and napkin rings, and they are a sweet touch for any traveling guest.
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{clockwise, L to R: silver luggage tag on Brides; Tepper Jackson leather luggage tag on Brides;
place cards on Brides; boat luggage tag on Brides}


Martha Stewart also featured these vintage print clip-art luggage tags (left). In Martha Stewart Weddings, traveling place cards (right) were made using paris street map gift wrap by Cavallini, but you could pick any gift wrap that matches your own colors.
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{photos from Martha Stewart}

Wednesday, June 27, 2007

Beaulieu Gardens

If we had planned this wedding even remotely close to the West Coast, we would have been seriously tempted to have it at the Beaulieu Gardens in Rutherford, California; a private estate at Beaulieu Vineyards in Napa Valley. All the wedding pictures we have seen from Beaulieu make it look like 'The Secret Garden': imagine a reception dinner with a natural arbor in full bloom overhead and taking a stroll through the vineyard in your wedding gown. The venue can only be booked through Elaine Bell Catering.

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{photos from Brides}

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{photos from Brides}

Chelsea Lembi-Muraswki, otherwise known as The Charming Gardener, also held her wedding at Beaulieu Gardens. I love how, even though they all chose the same location, each wedding has such a different feel- but what they share is the same stunning and naturally beautiful surroundings.

Art Deco Earrings

I finally tracked down my art deco style Adriana Orsini earrings for the wedding. I first saw them here and then here, but they were never in the store! Finally, I found mine at Saks Fifth Avenue (the third Saks I went to). So excited to wear them!
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Martha obsesses over dog details too!

One of the best things about starting this blog has been the unexpected friends that Faye and I have made. Some of our favorite bloggers like Miss Kiwi from WeddingBee and Sarah from Toast & Tables have been so friendly and we really appreciate the warm welcome! This is why we are excited about our post this morning, because it comes courtesy of one of new friends at Martha Stewart (!!!) who noticed that I am a little obsessed with dog details. She was nice enough to not only tip me off to an article in the summer issue of Martha Stewart Weddings, but to also share some of the pictures and step-by-step instructions from the story to share with all of you!
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{(L) pearl collar; (R) D-ring collar}

Making a pearl collar

  1. Measure loosely around dog’s neck; add 12 inches to total.
  2. Thread 18-mm faux pearls (3/4-inch wide) onto embroidery ribbon. Knot ribbon at each end close to pearls.
  3. Knot strand loosely around dog’s neck.
  4. Cut 2-inch-wide satin ribbon to be 1 yard long; tie around ribbon into a big bow at the back; trim ends on an angle.

Making a D-ring collar
  1. Measure dog’s neck, and add 8 inches; cut grosgrain ribbon to final length.
  2. Lay face up, and fold one end under by 4 inches. For a buckle, thread two D rings onto ribbon, and slide them all the way to the fold. For a loop to attach leash, thread on another D ring, sliding it to 2 inches from the buckle.
  3. Slip a 2-inch piece of fusible webbing between layers of ribbon, between buckle and loop, and another between the layers after the loop. Iron to fuse. At other end, fold edge over toward front of collar, and secure with a small piece of fusible tape.
  4. To buckle, thread end through both D rings, then back through the bottom one, and pull loose end to tighten.

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{(L) velcro-clasp collar, (R) velcro-clasp collar and leash}

Making a Velcro clasp collar
  1. For collar, measure dog’s neck, and add 6 inches; cut 24-mm satin ribbon to final length.
  2. Slip 3 inches of ribbon through one side of buckle from the front; use fusible tape to attach ribbon to itself.
  3. Try collar on dog, slipping other end of ribbon through open side of buckle from the back, and determine a comfortable folding point. Remove from buckle and refold; insert 3-inch pieces of iron-on hook-and-loop fastener between the layers, and iron to fuse.
  4. For leash, ”hem” ends of 80-inch ribbon with fusible tape. Fold one end into an 8-inch loop, and knot. Fold other end over by 4 inches; fuse hook-and-loop fastener between layers.
  5. To attach, open hook-and-loop fastener, wrap around center post of buckle, then refasten.

Of course, if you are not inclined to craftiness, you can always tie a little scarf around your dog's neck.
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{all photos courtesy of Martha Stewart Weddings}

I love this whole story and the dogs are so cute, our only suggestion would be to include a Bichon in the next puppy line-up. The whole summer issue is packed with some really great ideas, and we hope you try one of these ideas for dressing up your dog!
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{photo by Noah Sheldon}

Tuesday, June 26, 2007

Punchy Wedding Colors

Faye and I both love seeing pictures of real wedding elements, from the invitations to the flowers- we love all the little details! So I was really excited to find these pictures from Paperdolls Design. They customized an existing invitation design to include a vintage floral graphic in punchy colors that the couple planned to use in the flowers on the wedding day. We would definitely add this boutonnière to our favorites, and notice how pretty their garden chairs are! Click here to see our other favorite summer color palettes from Paperdolls Design.

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{photos from Paperdolls Design}

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{photos from Paperdolls Design}

Milk and cookies

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{photos from La Tartine Gourmande}

Is there anything better than milk & cookies? Just looking at these pictures makes me want to curl up in a warm blanket with my own little plate like Santa Claus. It seems like weddings are catching on to the comforting idea too- the summer issue of Martha Stewart Weddings included milk & cookies as a "good thing" and we definitely agree! Their version used pumpkin whoopie pies from One Girl Cookies in New York.

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{photo from Martha Stewart Weddings}

Here are some examples of real weddings on Brides that offered milk & cookies as a wedding favor. On the right, the bride and groom wrote "It is a delicious moment, certainly. That of being nestled in bed and feeling that you shall drop gently into sleep. Sweet Dreams." Mmmmm....
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{(L) milk and cookies: a perfect match!; (R) wrapped cookies were handed out with shot glasses of milk}

Monday, June 25, 2007

Martha Stewart Weddings Summer 2007

Just saw Darcy Miller, editor of Martha Stewart Weddings, on Martha's talk show demonstrating the silk screening techniques from the newest weddings issue. They looked amazing- can't wait to see more of the pictures!

Perfect Palette: Pink & Poppy
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{photos from Martha Stewart Weddings}

Here are some other details from the newest issue; we are really loving the sunscreen packets! And if you are interested in the button place cards (bottom left), you can order custom buttons from One Inch Round (via WeddingBee). Also check out this WeddingBee post for a $2 off coupon for the summer issue of InStyle Weddings (we know it's not Martha, but it is still fun to read!)
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{photos from Martha Stewart Weddings}

Best Pup

I feel like a crazy woman, but my fiance and I wrote our little dog into the wedding ceremony and, although I am strongly against dressing him up in clothes like a little puppy tuxedo, I am all for a wreath of flowers around his neck. My favorite is the wax flower wreath on the top left and the top right photo you might recognize as the cover of our favorite wedding book, but all of these pictures make me smile:

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{photos from Brides except top right photo by Liz Banfield}

I sent the little pug picture to my florist, and when I spoke with her on the phone, she definitely talked to me in that "I think you are crazy, but I'll do it anyway" tone of voice- which is just fine with me as long as I see my little guy standing at the end of that aisle with a little wreath around his neck (of course the fiance is also important!)

And how cute to give out dog treats as wedding favors! If more of our guests had dogs, we would definitely have stolen this idea:
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{photo from Brides}

In Defense of the Garden Chair

I can't believe we agonized even 10 minutes over this decision, but that seems to be what wedding planning does to you. I can honestly say that I have never noticed the type of chairs at any wedding I've ever been to, but for some reason- when given the choice- I got totally sucked into the allure of this chair! But now that I am regaining my sanity, I realize that paying $6 more per chair for Chiavaris is just plain crazy talk, plus I have heard that they are not that comfortable. Keep in mind that 1) we have a short ceremony outdoors and 2) our reception dinner is indoors- so we will only be needing these chairs for 20 minutes total. Also keep in mind that we are not in favor of plastic folding chairs, which is why this whole dilemma arose in the first place. Here are our competitors:
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{L: natural wood folding chairs on Brides; R: mahogany Chiavari chairs on Brides}

While I've never admired a rental chair before, the Chiavari does look impressive at first sight, but I actually think that in outdoor settings, the natural wood folding garden chairs look very simple and do not detract at all from the beauty of the setting. So if you are currently dealing with chair indecision, maybe these pictures will help you see that the garden chairs do not look always look cheap; in fact, they can look very elegant, especially with the right florist and photographer (which is where we believe the budget is better spent). I will leave you with some wisdom from Faye this weekend: when I asked her if it was possible that I was overthinking this issue, without missing a beat she said "Yes." I only hope that every bride has someone that will tell them that!
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{photos from Brides}

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{L: photo on Brides; R: photo on Brides}

Friday, June 22, 2007

My Little Devil: Place Cards

They say the devil is in the details, and entering the home stretch of wedding planning, I have quite a few little demons that won't get off my back. This past week I have finally tackled the guest book and am actually quite happy with the way that project is shaping up. But now I have to face a problem I have been avoiding since we began planning this whole thing: seating at dinner. Browsing through the Brides photo gallery, I had to laugh when I stumbled upon this picture:
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{photo from Brides}

Oh if only life it was that easy for Faye and I. We may all be "friends and family here" but my grandparents are divorced...and haven't been in the same room since 1986 (didn't turn out well then)...and we have only a few dinner tables. So assigned seating it is, and I can't tell if there is a difference between place cards, escort cards, and seating cards- but I know we need at least one of them! We definitely need a card at their actual assigned seat at the table (I'm assuming that this is what a seating card is). This is necessary because the grandparents have been strategically placed at opposite ends of the reception hall, such that neither of them is visible in the others' peripheral field of vision. I also have other guests positioned to run interference, in case someone strays from the playbook and goes to the bathroom the long way or tries to sneak out the back door instead of the front for a smoke.

So we will not be using any sort of system like these below; hopefully, with only a few tables, people can mill around and find their seats easily without it looking like musical chairs at a middle school dance. But if we were going to use place/escort cards, we would steal one of these ideas:
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{Clockwise, L to R: horseshoe escort cards; escort cards in seaglass; clothesline place cards; pinwheel place cards}

Thursday, June 21, 2007

Las Alamandas: Paradise Found

My fiance has always wanted to stay at Las Alamandas, on the Costalegre coast in Mexico. It is a six-villa hideaway, accommodating a maximum of 30 guests, tucked into Isabel Goldsmith's 1,500-acre private property of pristine beaches and tropical gardens. The resort even features its own runway for small aircraft! The rooms are all cheerfully decorated with Mexican folk-art with pops of turquoise, yellow, and pink. Kelly Wearstler, the well-known interior designer, recently chose the resort for her birthday celebration last year, and they are also a choice spot for luxurious destination weddings.

Their photo gallery is filled with many more stunning pictures of the resort and the view. And if you want to enjoy Las Alamandas' view of the Pacific Ocean while working out, check out Self's Bikini Ready Fast workout DVD- I just bought this and was pleasantly surprised to see that it was filmed on location at the resort, although you only see the beach and ocean on the DVD. I can't say the DVD is too great other than the view though- I'll be posting my favorite workout DVDs next week so check back!
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{photos from Las Alamandas}

Good Fortune Press

Good Fortune Press is a line of letterpress wedding invitations designed by Hello! Lucky and manufactured by Manifesto Press. Invitations by Good Fortune Press are available through eInvite.com and pricing is $389 for 50 letterpress invitations and $506 for 100 (see website for pricing for larger quantities). If you are a Costco member, you can get 25% off or more of your order if you go through the Costco website. Our favorite design is "Bella Flora" but here are the others:
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{L: Poppies; R: Peony and Dots}

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{L: Cottage Garden; R: Bella Flora}

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{L: Art Noveau; R: Peony Silhouette}

Dogwood Inspiration from a Napa Wedding

We love dogwoods, so we really fell for this wedding where the bride used silk dogwoods in her bouquet and her hair because real dogwoods were out of season. The bride also owns her own custom stationery business, Rebecca Van Sickle Paper, so she designed all the paper products herself with a dogwood motif. We also loved her creative guestbook (I'm stealing this idea!). The peaches, yellows, and creams in subdued shades make this wedding a modern afternoon event.
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{photos from Brides}

Wednesday, June 20, 2007

Black, white, and pink all over

We love black and white combined with pale pinks. Powdery pink anemones are perfect all by themselves, tied with a simple black and white polka dot ribbon in a bouquet and bunched together in a low black vase. I'm sure black fondant wedding cake sounds a little dreary, but call it "onyx" like one of our favorite cake designers, April Reed, does and trim it with silvery pink mokuba ribbon and no one will mistake it for a Halloween cake. The place setting here is one of our favorites: the black and white polka dot ribbon around the napkin looks casual, but the lacy tablecloth adds a little fanciness.
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{Clockwise, L to R: bouquet by Artfool; cake by April Reed; table setting from Brides; centerpiece from Vine Floral Design}

Alice in Wonderland Party

Just spied these amazing photos by the talented Jessica Claire of an Alice in Wonderland themed birthday party for three 5-year-old girls (via Design Mom). Jessica Claire is also an amazing wedding photographer, which she sometimes shares on her blog as well.
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{photos by Jessica Claire}

I know this party was for 5-year-olds, but I think it would be so fun to have a Mad Hatter tea party for a bridal shower! If I did, I would use this invitation from Bird & Banner:
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{photos from Bird & Banner}

Matthew Mead Style: Weddings made simple

Yesterday, Holly at Decor8 posted about Matthew Mead Style, whose new summer site is up with some really beautiful ideas. But last summer, there were a lot of amazing ideas for weddings:
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{photos from Matthew Mead Style}

And these sweets look amazing!
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{photos from Matthew Mead Style}

Check out the rest of the Weddings made simple archives- beautiful pictures and step by step directions for how to do everything!

Tuesday, June 19, 2007

Guest Book Ideas

Faye has been politely reminding me lately about the issue of the guest book, which I had previously dismissed because it seemed like another detail that would add to my stress level. So I have been politely ignoring her prompts until now. The more I think about it, the more I like the idea of having something like that to always remember the day and the people who shared it with us. Here are some neat ideas for guest books- can anyone suggest other guest book ideas?
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{Top: envelope album from Brides, giant carnation from Brides;
Bottom (all from Martha Stewart Weddings): origami guest book, typewriter guest book, colorful cards}


I'm leaning towards the top guest book which the bride made with a Kolo photo album, using dogwood ink stamps and multi-colored mini envelopes from Paper Source. The giant carnation is pretty as well, but I'm wondering if people might like the idea of their notes being kept private in the little envelopes. Of course, all of Martha's ideas are so cute, but since everything will be set up outdoors, I am liking the idea of book so that none of my precious mementos will be blown away! So please help me decide by leaving a comment with your vote (especially you, Faye!)

Shopping for the Mother of the Bride

As long as my daughter Greer has expressed dreams about getting married, I have visualized what a lovely bride she would be. I could see her in a wedding dress with a handsome man, the whole event, and of course, me looking fit and fashionable. Within a few weeks of the official engagement, we had already secured her dream dress in a small bridal boutique and reserved her and her fiancé’s first choice for a casual outdoor garden wedding on a summer evening. Everything seemed to be moving along fast but smoothly with the color scheme, and therefore my dress, still a work in progress.

Every mom wants to look lovely at her daughter’s wedding; after all, Greer may see some similarities between us in 30 years. Having poured over all the etiquette books that were dropped off by friends shortly after the engagement, I started shopping with only two rules in mind: 1) the MOB will not clash with the wedding colors or embarrass the bride (no frumpiness and “No Talbots!” exclaimed the bride) and 2) avoid all black or all white. Simple enough!

I soon found out that there is a lot more to shopping than finding something you like. MOBs cannot shop for an outdoor summer wedding in the winter unless they plan to dress in cruise attire or so many sequins and bugle beads that they become strobe lights (violates 1st rule- would surely embarrass the bride and self). After 3 months of us both searching, Greer spotted a wonderful royal blue silk chiffon dress from Nordstrom. The dress did not come in petite sizes (petite for short, not invisible). We ordered two sizes and I found out why petite sizing is so important: the neck and shoulders produced a hump back that startled me and scared my seamstress. Add rule #3: Alterations cannot perform miracles. Do not expect seamstresses to correct misaligned armholes, incorrect zipper closures and an uncomfortable waist. Sigh, back to the drawing board.

Since it was clear that I needed a petite dress, Greer and I decided to exhaust all our petite-sized options at Ann Taylor and J. Crew, but still no Talbots. We loved a pale pink halter-style dress from J. Crew but would have to order petite sizes online. I fired off the catalogue picture to moms who had inquired what the mother of the bride will be wearing to the wedding. Low and behold, their comments flooded the phone wires and my inbox and I quickly retreated with a fourth rule that seemed strikingly less flexible than my previous rules: “No bare shoulders!”

Then came my trusty Talbots catalog for spring, which I happily devoured that afternoon without thinking once about my non-existent mother-of-the-bride attire…until I saw the perfect dress for me: a solid ice pink silk and linen sleeveless sundress and matching short jacket. I hesitated to tell Greer and bravely ordered in my petite size. When the suit arrived it needed no alterations, it wasn’t frumpy, it wasn’t sequined, and it had a jacket to cover my shoulders. I excitedly modeled for my husband who can be quite opinionated about color, but he loved it. I paraded through the house, modeling the dress for his brother and almost any visitor; I was getting “definitely-yes” responses!

But the label violated Greer’s # 1 rule: it came from Talbots. Should I cut the label out before Greer saw it? I thought it best to broach the subject in person, so I waited anxiously for her next visit home. When I was finally ready, I mentioned casually that there was a Talbots dress I liked for the wedding in the latest catalogue, and perhaps we should give it a chance? She grimaced a little, but then said “Well, let’s see it!” Surprisingly, she loved the dress in the catalog as much as we all did, and much to her surprise, I ran right upstairs and put it on!

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{Top: (L) pink aster sundress and jacket (the one!), (M) blush dress and bolero, (R) mica skirt suit;
Bottom: (L) sand dollar dress and jacket, (M) sateen sundress and bolero, (R) dress and bolero}


Things I learned: shop where you normally shop (if you have a favorite store for everyday, it is natural to look there for special events, too), fit trumps all rules (if you are petite, buy petite- don’t count on alterations fixing everything), and don’t be afraid to break some of rules (even if set by the bride). However, I would still try to avoid all black or all white, especially for long dresses. Black & white ensembles, though, can be really lovely (see two of my suggestions above). Finally, stretch the rules to fit your style and needs- I needed something sleeveless because an outdoor wedding at the peak of summer might get too hot, but the indoor reception might be too cool, so I chose to have both options and will try to cover my shoulders during the ceremony. If I need to take off my jacket to cool off, I’ll do it without thinking twice. What I think Greer learned: Talbots does not equal frumpy, and you have to trust people to know what looks best on their body and what they are most comfortable in. Weddings are not necessarily the best time to get out of your comfort zone.

A few weeks later, Greer and I were shopping for engagement party dresses at Bloomingdale’s when we spied a woman wearing a very loud white dress with bright large navy flowers unflatteringly stretched across her crotch. She immediately ran over to us and whispered “I can’t trust this saleswoman- she says this dress is perfect for the mother of the groom, what do you ladies think?” Inside both our heads: “Nooo!” Instead, I explained that I recently went through the same thing, and my best advice is to follow your gut and buy something you are comfortable in. I pointed out that she seemed hesitant and didn’t look comfortable in that dress, to which she exclaimed “You’re right- I’m not!” So here is my best advice: shop where you like to shop, find something you love and feel comfortable in, and trust yourself - you know best what looks good on you. As for me, I am thrilled with my quartz pink Talbots suitand can’t wait to wear it out of the closet, label proudly intact.

Nordstrom also offers a great selection of mother of the bride/groom dresses for petite to plus sizes and every size in between, although they primarily focus on long dresses. So if you are shopping for a formal evening wedding or even an outdoor garden wedding where it might be a little cooler, here are some options for every budget:

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{L to R: ivory lace dress with bolero; short champagne lace dress with bolero; champagne shantung dress and jacket}

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{L to R:platinum charmeuse gown with beaded jacket; platinum bustier gown with bolero; hazel blue brocade jacket and taffeta skirt}

For more formal options for the mother of the bride, read Abby's recommendations on her blog, Style Me Pretty.

Thanks for reading! ~Faye

Turq Bridal Jewelry

We love the online bridal shop for Turq Jewelry because you can shop bridesmaids' necklaces by color, and they offer a 10-15% discount when you order 3 or more of the same necklace. For a bridesmaids' gift, I would be excited to get one and I would definitely wear it again!
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{Miss Mills aqua necklace by Turq Bridal, photo from Brides}

Monday, June 18, 2007

Bee Save-the-Date

Last week we posted our favorite bee wedding invitations but today I just found the most beautiful bee save-the-date, and it is from heatherjeany, who custom-designs the most gorgeous gocco screenprinted invitations. You can browse more of her wedding invitations here. I love the little bee on the cornflower blue envelope and the beetle on the card.
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{photos from Flickr}

Blackberrying

"Nobody in the lane, and nothing, nothing but blackberries,
Blackberries on either side, though on the right mainly,
A blackberry alley, going down in hooks, and a sea
Somewhere at the end of it, heaving. Blackberries
Big as the ball of my thumb, and dumb as eyes
Ebon in the hedges, fat
With blue-red juices. These they squander on my fingers.
I had not asked for such a blood sisterhood; they must love me.
They accommodate themselves to my milkbottle, flattening their sides..."

-excerpt from Blackberrying by Sylvia Plath
{photo from Martha Stewart Weddings}


This is one of my favorite poems- just reading it makes me think of summers at the lake picking blackberries along the edge of the water. This is also where my fiance and I have chosen to have our wedding, so here is what I am looking at lately to get inspired for my summer wedding.

Berries are perfect for a summer wedding without being too "themey"; love these custom gocco screenprinted wedding invitations by Etsy merchant heatherjeany:
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{photos from Flickr}

Hand-written welcome notes on blank letterpress cards are a nice personal touch for wedding guests when they arrive, and colorful berries make a wedding program actually look fun:
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{Top: (L) summer strawberry letterpress card by Papered Together, (R) wedding program by A Day in May via Brides;
Bottom: (L) farmers' market letterpress cards by Yee-Haw Industries, (R) raspberry letterpress card by Boiled Art}

A Whiter Shade of Pale

We already posted our favorite white bouquets, but here are our favorite other white details. We love the variations in white, from pale ivory to blush pinks, with a little green mixed in. Complement shades of white with silver from candelabras, tiered serving trays, and cake stands to create a lovely elegant look. The wreath is also a beautiful simple way to dress up a blank wall or fireplace that is glaringly dull; this wreath in particular is one of our favorites, along with one designed by Tara Guerard for Claire & Jake, featured in Southern Weddings.
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{photos from Brides}

Perfect Party Dresses

We are loving these BCBG Max Azria sundresses (from Nordstrom)- they are perfect for a bridal shower, casual engagement party, or any summer party! If you have never tried BCBG, their dresses fit beautifully- especially if you are petite (under 5'4"), although you can find several of their dresses in petite sizes at Bloomingdale's and Nordstrom.
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{Top: (L) embroidered cotton voile sundress, (R) cap sleeve dress;
Bottom: (L) cotton voile strapless, (R) surf cotton voile sundress}


Check back with us tomorrow for some beautiful dresses picked by Faye for every mother, figure, and budget!

Friday, June 15, 2007

Word Puzzles for your Wedding

Martha Stewart Weddings recently featured customized crosswords for the next-day brunch, but word searches are also a fun idea to include either in a welcome bag for out-of-town guests or as a wedding favor. You can give Courtney from Flush Designs up to 30 words to put into your customized word search; she can do letterpress or ink jet printing.
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{photo from Flush Designs via A Little Sussy}

If you want to make one yourself, you can buy Crossword Forge software (they offer a free demo) to design your own crosswords and word searches. You can also use the Discovery Channel's free puzzlemaker online to create your own wordsearch or crossword.