Candy Girl

The other day, I was at Michaels looking for...who knows what I was looking for, but I found these in the baking section:


Aren't they adorable? I love seeing kiwi and teal in real-life situations, so I was in absolute color-heaven. At $5.99 a package (works out to be $12.13/pound), they are way too expensive for large quantities. However, I do think they would be a nice little detail for a smaller party - like a baby or bridal shower.


If you're interested in getting your own, you can head over to Michaels or Party City (yup, found them there too). Michaels seems to carry the entire color array (pictured above), so naturally I'd start there. However, last week Party City had them on sale (like $3.99/package; $8.08/pound) so its worth looking into if you're interested.

I am sooo interested. How 'bout you?

♥

To Figure Out

Despite having a good chunk of the wedding planned (note, I said planned, not to be confused with paid for), my to do list continues to grow – almost daily.

It’s starting to fill up with a category of things that I simply file under: To Figure Out. Some of it is standard fare: transportation, makeup and hair logistics, etc. But some of it is…well, lemme just give you an example. [Please bear with me, because I realize a lot of what I’m about to say is early onset Bridal Crazy Talk.]

This week I’ve been struggling with table number holders [toldya, crazy talk]. When I designed them, the plan was to rent table number stands (for $1 a piece) from an event rental company. Well, several decisions later, MamaP and I determined we did not need any of our other rentals, and it seemed silly to only rent table number holders. So I cancelled the entire order. But I still hadn’t worked out the table number display.

Initially, I thought I’d buy those same silver table number stands.
Turns out they’re too expensive.
Not willing to spend more than $1 per table (our original commitment).

Then I thought I could mount them onto folded card stock to make tents.
But what color? Teal would clash…
The linens are ivory, so white would stand out a lot…
They already have green backings, so what would I do with that?
Scrapped that idea too (pun intended).

Then I thought [in an especially crazy moment] that I’d use decorated binder clips as holders*.
Yes, binder clips.
And decorate them with paint or paper, a lot like this:


Cute, right?

::crickets::

So very wrong.
That got shot down because…
Well, because I wanted to use binder clips!

Exit crazy talk, enter a real solution. Enter Etsy.

{focus on the holder, not that heinous card. found them here}
It took a little bit of searching, but I was able to find these fairly cute wire table number holders that I plan to purchase as soon as I have a little cash. They have clear bottoms, so they will not clash (v.important), and are $1 each. Cute and cheap (enough).

I would have loved to DIY them, but obviously I was struggling. And that’s the moral of today’s story. With less than 5 months to go, a dissertation prospectus and move to Atlanta eminent, I finally figured out that I need to learn to pick and choose my DIY battles. I just can’t afford to waste the energy when I can simply purchase something that will fit our needs (and our budget) quite nicely.

MamaP always says that she is willing to pay for convenience. At this stage in planning the wedding, depending on what it is…and what it costs….I am too.

♥

*I originally got the idea from Real Simple, found here.

::swoon::

I found this yarn and fabric flower wreath on WeddingBee today, and am swooning. I think it was posted today, but I'm not really sure.* Anyway, the bride blogger posted a tutorial, so I definitely think I can re-create my own version. I'm just a little held up on whether or not I should.

Hanging them on a door seems to be the most natural place for them. There are definitely two doors that open up to the ceremony/reception space that could use a little decoration. Then of course, there are the front doors to the venue. Arguably, several small ones could be hung down the aisle (4 on each side or so), or....really the possiblities seem endless.

So, whatcha think? Worth exploring, or not worth my time? Would you keep them kind of large to make a statement, or make small ones? And where would you hang them? Thanks ya'll!

♥

*Several weeks ago, I purged my Google Reader of all things that were making me anxious about the wedding, or that I simply did not enjoy reading anymore. My former-beloved WeddingBee did not make the cut. Its something about the fact that there are almost a couple dozen posts a day was almost single handedly sending me into wedding overload. That and the fact that there were so many new bees and their personalities were just running together. So I quit WeddingBee. I do pop over there a couple times a month just to see what the new goings on are, but for the most part I don't feel like I'm missing very much.

DIY Week: Please Sign Our Book (day five)

Today is the very last day of DIY Week.* Its been such an awesome craft filled week, it will be kind of sad to go back to discussing the other wedding business (and you know there's some other stuff we need to discuss). While many of the things I've shown you this week may or may not get noticed, today's project is something I hope that every guest at our wedding will see (and enjoy): the Guestbook.

By now, you already know there was no way we would have a standard, uninspired guest book. Were having a photobook, filled with our engagement pictures (because seriously, what else do you do with those things) and lots of white space for people to sign and leave us messages. Before I go further, I better give you some visuals.


This is what you see when you first lay eyes on the book. It will probably be closed just like this on the guest book table.


Once you open it, you'll see that some of the pages have text. The text is the lyrics of our first dance song.


Some of the pages are just pictures with a good bit of white space. When we showed it to MamaD, she asked where people were supposed to sign. Spread the word: people are welcome to write in any of the white space.


One of my favorite parts of the book are the two-page spreads. I wouldnt really recommend writing on these, as it could be difficult, depending on which spread it is. The two-page spreads have a yearbook-y quality to me, and I think they really showcase our photographer's talent and how beautiful Athens, Georgia can be in the fall.

I've mentioned several times that guests will be instructed to write in the white space. I haven't decided if there's going to be a guest book attendant or not, but in the event there isn't one (or she's busy), I made a little sign (surprise, surprise) to hang out with our book. Here's my mock up:


Essentially, its just the book, some pens in a votive candle holder and the sign telling people what to do. I don't anticipate our guests having a whole lot of trouble with this. You either write a message or you don't. I really hope everyone will though.


There are quite a large number of places you can have photo books made. I decided to go with Blurb, because I'd heard good things about the book quality, the prices were competitive, and the software was very easy to use. I had a positive experience with Blurb and would highly recommend Blurb books to anyone wanting to show case their photography, their writing, or some combination of the two.

So there it is folks. Our photo guestbook. This was not nearly as cheap as many of my other projects, but I was willing to sacrifice cost for quality and bridal satisfaction (lol). The PHI and I love this little book and we can't wait to see what kinds of things our guests decide to fill in the white space with.

♥

*Sidenote: who knew blogging daily would be this much work? When is the last time I posted so many days in a row? Oh, I remember. Spring Break. And then I took almost a month off. I promise I wont do that this time!

Gimme some suga

Bridal showers have been on the brain lately. My maid Naima is spearheading what I'm calling my Atlanta shower, and she's been trying to get a date down in the books. My MnOH (matron of honor) is coordinating my SoFla shower. Both MamaP and MamaD are crunk about these showers and have pledged their support. From the looks of things, August and September are my months to get a little wet (lol), and I'm actually starting to get excited about the possibility.

Interestingly (or not), I really don't have a preference for how my girls make it rain. But I ran across this French Heart-Shaped Sugar that would be perfect for any kind of tea-themed party:


I know I'm biased, but I think these things are absolutely adorable. They come 64 to a package, and right now they're on clearance for $9.99. So, cute but a little overpriced.

Idunno. A little cute goes a long way with me, but maybe not that far. If you were throwing a tea, would you spring for the sugar to complete the look? Or would you spend that cash elsewhere?

♥

Can I have one of these?

(found it here)
I haven't given a whole lot of thought to ceremony decor. But I do know that I want something like this up at the altar. I think I've been avoiding thinking about ceremony decor because I haven't been able to get this (or something like it). But that time is over. I'm going to use all my little resources to accomplish this for our ceremony. Painted a soft ivory, or stained dark cherry (oh how I ♥ cherry wood). With better greenery and fewer flowers.

In the meantime, how would you decorate your ceremony space? I still need some ideas for the rest of it!

Before I go, I know I've been absentee this week. And I feel bad about it. I've been swamped with school, work, gym...life. I know I owe you the follow up to the veil series, and I'm dying to show you our save-the-dates. The PHI is away this weekend, so lets pencil in some quality time together this weekend, k? Just you and me.

♥

DIY Details: Signage

click on it to enlarge...you know you want to!
To date, we have taken care of the majors: we have a place, a date, someone to prepare the food, take the pictures, and everyone mostly has something to wear (even me). So now it feels like we're basically dealing in details.

So what have I been cooking up? Those lovelies at the top of this post. Say hello to our table numbers, reserved seating signs, and our bathroom basket signs! Now people will know where to sit, where not to sit, and who provided the goodies in the bathroom (people would assume I did it anyway - lol). The swirly font is Freebooter Script, and the plainer font is Century Gothic. I'll be using those two on everything (so get used to it).

Oh, and so you can see my the reserved seating signs in action, I did a mock-up:


I wont spend the remainder of this post prattling on about what I would have done differently. Believe it or not, it took me very little time to design and assemble them (not like that aisle runner that I still have some choice words for) so I consider them to be a rewarding use of my time. Plus, for those of you (still) struggling with the kiwi/teal combo, I think my signage provides a lovely preview.

Long story short: I already love them to pieces.
Next stop on the DIY train? Gotta get those save the dates out.
♥

This MUST be with a coronary feels like

It's official, you're looking our new scheme: Kiwi, Teal, Ivory, and Peacock.*
I am so worked up.

Like I-need-to-eat-something-and-maybe-have-a-glass-of-wine worked up.

I talked to mom and Dani and were a go for the change. So before I start working out the logistics, I wanted to share some research on the new scheme.

I knew Mrs. Cupcake had a teal and chartreuse wedding, and after some digging, I ran across the inspiration board she shared with the hive. Interestingly, she went through a similar phase where she had purple in her color scheme. I can totally relate now. You can read about her color scheme drama here.

It is the unexpected and uncommon combo that I had been searching for, while also including two colors that I am often drawn to in the rest of my non-wedding-related life." -- Mrs. Cupcake
She said it so much better than I could.

So then I turned back to my latest wedding-related interest: dresses for my girls. Substituting teal for plum, we'd get something like this:

Alfred Angelo dresses in Tealness
For the sake of brevity, I did only floor-length dresses. Not bad, huh?

Staying with Al Angelo, MamaP could end up in something like this:

Alfred Angelo dresses in Seafoam, Lettuce, Pistachio and Pool - not in that order
Like before, ideally, she'd go with a similar but coordinating shade. The palatte seems cooler this go-round, doesn't it?

Here's what I'm thinking now:

1. Not sure how the girls are going to feel about wearing teal. I realize its an acquired taste :)

2. I need to sit down and figure out how to work teal into the decor. Thats something I didn't spend much time on before, and now I'm determined. The flowers are going to be primarily green and white - white hydrangeas and roses. The table linens, ivory. Not doing menus on the table, but we'll find some ways to bring in color.

3. I'm not going to stress too much about the plum I've already purchased. I'm fairly certain the ribbon can be exchanged and the flowers (I got some silk flowers on clearance at Michaels) can be used anyway as a further accent because the idea of teal flowers makes me uncomfy.

Thankfully, my pressure is now returning to its normal rate (whatever that is) and I'm not feeling nearly as anxious. I'm running off now to send a few emails. Don't worry, I'll be back soon though.
♥

*Okay, Peacock isn't officially in the color scheme, I just added it for good measure because its fun.

Having a minor crisis

Hello my name is Patti, and I love teal.

In fact, teal is one of the few colors that makes it on the ever-changing Favorite Colors list* I also love the way teal looks with kiwi.

A couple days ago, I found myself saying to the sales lady at New York and Company that if I had to do it again, I would do a kiwi and teal color scheme. Why the hell were we talking wedding color schemes? I have no idea. Why the hell were we even talking about alternative color schemes? Still..no idea.

I feel guilty for even considering alternative color schemes. Like terribly guilty. I know, I know. Its my purogative. I'm the bride, its my day, blah blah blah. No one will really care but me.

I could change the accent color, right?

So that's where I am folks - considering changing my accent color. And pulling together examples of it in action/contacting my team captains to get their input.

Before I run, there are some things that are stalling my teal-kiwi dreams:

1. How much money will I have wasted on plum things and is it possible to re-use or exchange them for teal?

2a. If we bring teal on board, lets do it full force - make it an official color, and maybe use plum (at least those plum flowers I purchased) as an accent.

2b. How would I incorporate teal into the color scheme?

3. Am I going to get some drama for changing my mind about another (this time more central) detail?

4. Is teal fall enough? Plum was my in...it gives off a fall vibe. Does teal? Its South Florida..so does it matter?

As a parting gift, I'd like to leave you with a real-life example of kiwi and teal in action. Vera Bradley does it beautifully**.

Vera Bradley's Peacock
I feel the guilt subsiding already. Its amazing how much better I feel after simply admitting it aloud. I'll be back later with an update...if were changing the color scheme, I'm doing it today so I can start strategizing.

♥

*Officially, I don't have a favorite color. But teal, red, camel and bright green consistently make the list.

**Oh Vera, how I love thee...I couldn't count the ways. On topic, Peacock is the official accessory inside my famously large handbag. I have the small cosmetic, change purse and checkbook holder.

Not a bird or a plane...a pomander!

Mom and I spent alot of time discussing weddings. Like, so much so that it prompted my self-imposed vacay from the wedding.

One of the things Mom and I came up with (while discussing ways to decorate the location) was to hang flower pomanders from the ceiling. Let me explain: Theres a catwalk that hangs directly above the center aisle. We thought it would be cool to hang round orbs from said catwalk. Not only would it provide some aerial visual interest, it would serve as an abstract ceiling thingie. Something like this:



They would need to be big if they were going to be seen from the ceiling. Like beach ball big. Eventually we settled on using large paper lanterns as the base. But what to cover them with? We definitely wont be making them out of live flowers. It adds a time and budgetary constraint that we just cant accommodate. The next logical step was silk flowers. Silk flowers can also be pricey (I'll save that rant for another post). Now paper flowers? Those may work. Tissue paper flowers to be exact.

I googled tissue paper flowers and ran across Amanda's post on her VintageGlam Blog. She used paper flowers based on Martha Stewart's tutorial found here. Generally speaking, she takes ALOT of simple tissue paper flowers like this:



and turns it into this:


(First image courtesy HawaiianWeddings.net, second and third courtesy VintageGlam Blog)

Aren't they just fab! You can read about exactly what she did here. Can you imagine big white green and plum ones hanging over the event space? Okay, maybe you can't...its okay. The PHI usually needs to see a visual too. Mom and I have plans to make a mock-up when I'm home in December. We'll be using Martha's tutorial as well, and the plan is to hot glue the tissue paper flowers onto the paper lantern. If we like what we come up with, we'll be making plans to get our little crafty hands on as much tissue paper as we can manage and I'll be making paper carnations until the cows come home.

I'm pretty excited. Anyone know where I can get a paper lantern for cheap for the mockup?

♥