omg

Seriously. I'm not sure I can even get out the words to describe how amazing this is.




This is our ring bearer pillow. Nancy (the hankie lady) made this. Out of antique linens. This was the example my mom showed her:

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Sorry Martha, you lose this one. Honestly, I'm not sure I can even express how beautiful I think this is. All I keep imagining is my future daughter(s) and granddaughter(s) using this same pillow at their weddings, adding their names and wedding dates to the back. Passing down a piece of history - that started with me and the future mister. Such an amazing heirloom piece. Such a beautiful gift.

Do you plan on passing down any of the items you used at your wedding? Or do you have any heirloom pieces that were passed down to you?

inspiration strikes again

First off - I hope you all had a nice weekend! Wedding wise, mine was pretty successful - I've got tons to share this week.

I'm sure you've all probably experienced finding inspiration when you least expect it. Something really great popped out at me in the entrance to Hobby Lobby this weekend. I was there with my mom and she stopped to peruse the craft, hobby and DIY books at the entrance to the store. Books that I would just pass on by. But we were already standing there, so I started browsing and I found the PERFECT option for our flower girl basket. On Friday, I told our florist that we could use whatever he had available. It certainly wasn't something in the forefront of the crafting/DIY section of my mind. Seriously, though. This was too good, and too easy, to pass up.

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A flower girl basket made out of a crocheted lace doily! All you do is take a doily, drench it in fabric stiffener and shape it over the bottom of a bowl. Add a ribbon handle and fill with flower petals and Voila! I bought a cheap-o test doily and some fabric stiffener at Jo-Ann's. If my test is successful then I'll move on to use one of the nice doilies I have. So excited.

Where are some of the places you found inspiration when you weren't expecting it?

decorating our ceremony space

The future mister and I will be getting married in a brick-walled "sunken garden" surrounded by beautiful foliage. It is a space that is utterly gorgeous on it's own, which is why I hadn't given much thought to decorations or floral arrangements. I figured that we'd hang some mason jars or small vases with wild flowers from a few of the chairs lining the aisle and call it a day.

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My mom, though, wasn't really convinced that this would be enough (and she is much better at seeing the bigger picture). She asked me if I wanted to have an arch. No, thanks. Well, what about urns of flowers perched on top of the wall or on pedestals like so:

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Don't get me wrong, these arrangements are very lovely but just way too big for my tastes.

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And sorry Cupid, you're not invited either.

Then mom suggested something that I think will be the perfect way to add some flowers while at the same time keeping in line with my simple/rustic aesthetic and complementing, instead of taking away from, the natural beauty of the space.

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A simple bouquet, like the one above, hanging upside down from the pillars of the brick wall would add some color and just the right amount of pizazz. Here's my (sad) attempt at Photoshopping what it might look like:

Hey, it's good enough to get my point across. For now, I think I'll just let this marinate a bit until the next time I meet with Epting. They might have some ideas that we haven't even thought of yet.

What was your design aesthetic for your wedding? How did you decorate your ceremony space?

confetti poppers

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Doesn't this look like a fun alternative to the usual flower petals, rice, bubbles, or sparkler send off?

day of coordinator

A few weeks ago I mentioned that we had recently signed the contract and paid the deposit for a Day of Coordinator. I am extremely excited to have this checked off the list! I knew from early on that I wanted a coordinator of some kind, but was concerned that one wouldn't fit into the budget or that it would be considered unnecessary. Luckily, both my parents were on board with this idea and the future mister and I met with someone back in June.

After our meeting, we decided to go with their lowest package, which they describe as "for the couple with their event professionals and facilities confirmed, but who require a coordinator to facilitate their rehearsal, pre-ceremony pictures and ceremony." More specifically, this package includes:

planning sessions at 3 months, 1-2 months and 1 week prior to the event
unlimited email and phone conversations the month of the event
personalized, detailed timeline of pre-ceremony and post-ceremony photos
personalized, detailed timeline of ceremony
copies of personalized timelines distributed to all appropriate wedding professionals the day of the event
etiquette advice and guidance
complete wedding rehearsal coordination (1.5 hours)
pre-ceremony and ceremony coordination (4 hours)
emergency coordinator kit available at event

Our coordinator will also be able to handle some set-up as long as it is minor. For anything that is more involved or time consuming, our coordinator suggested we hire a second person at an hourly rate. We can also upgrade to full day-of coordination (to include the reception) at any time. This is where I'm torn and would love some advice. Initially, I was very happy with just rehearsal, pre-ceremony and ceremony coordination in order to save some money. After the post-ceremony photos, I figured that the DJ and catering manager could take things from there. But now I'm thinking that an extra $200 might be worth the peace of mind that comes from having a coordinator there for the entire day, pre-ceremony through reception. Which do you think is more important - saving some money or peace of mind?

bearing the rings

Here's some of the inspiration I'm sending to my mom for our ring pillow:

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I love the oversized flower and pop of color on this one, although I think it looks a bit too contemporary for our rustic/vintage/garden wedding.

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Since this one uses a vintage handkerchief, I thought it was a great tie-in with our save-the-dates. The color is a bit bland, though.

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I feel the same way about the color of this pillow as well, but the delicate vintage lace is just lovely.

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I think this one is my favorite. It looks rustic with the burlap, vintage with the velvet ribbon, and garden with the flower. And the pop of color is perfect.

I'm sure my mom will have some ideas as well. Which one is your favorite?

musically torn

Last week the future mister and I sat down to watch Shutter Island. Has anyone else seen it? Kind of creepy and, well, creepy movie = creepy music.

Imagine my surprise when a song started playing that I associate with weddings:





Max Richter - On the Nature of Daylight

I don't think it's a very popular song, but I first heard it on our videographer's website (click on Enter Gallery to watch a short clip). There's just something about it that fills me up with emotion. Sigh.

So, naturally, I want to find a way to incorporate this song into our ceremony. I always thought I would walk down the aisle to Canon in D, and now I'm torn. Here are the three options I've come up with:

1. On the Nature of Daylight - during the seating of guests; Canon in D - Bride's entrance

2. On the Nature of Daylight - Processional; Canon in D - Bride's entrance

3. Canon in D - Processional; On the Nature of Daylight - Bride's entrance

Which option do you think I should choose?