Inspiration Boards??

I love inspiration boards but WHY am I so bad at them!?!? I feel like I have a pretty good sense of style, color, light, blah blah blah... but I totally can't get one together.

So here are some fabulous inspiration boards that have got me wishing I could figure it out:

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At this point I am less than six months away from the big day and I am moving to Amsterdam in 5 weeks. I think an inspiration board would go a long way in helping me solidify my vision, and be a good thing to share with my wedding planner and bridesmaids who are trying to help me plan. Despite my best efforts I still haven't been able to put something together that really embodies my vision.

Have you made an inspiration board? Did you find it helpful? What program did you use to make it??

DIY Necklace

Recently I blogged about my love of statement necklaces. I have been keeping an eye out for the perfect piece but haven't found anything purchase-worthy, so like any crafty-bride-to-be I started searching for DIY options.

There are SOOO SOOO SOO many DIY pearl necklace tutorials available on the internet but I've filtered through a couple dozen and found my top favorites, which I picked because I thought the necklaces were cool, the inspiration was on point, and the instructions were fairly clear.

I think I may actually try to make my own necklace. One of the best things about living in NYC is the fabric district, it's called that but it's actually a source of all things crafty, from beads, lace, and ribbon, to crystal buttons, and feathers. Basically anything you would need for an arts and crafts project you could find in bulk in the fabric district! That being said, I figure I could make a list of the supplies I'll need and bring them with me to Amsterdam, this def seems like a travel friendly DIY project that I could work on overseas.

Here are some of my favorite DIY posts from around the blogosphere:
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I haven't quite decided which one I love....which are your favorites? Have you ever made your own necklace? Am I in over my head??

Surf, Swim, Sun ...California lovin'

Although it won't be warm enough to surf or swim, there will be some sun and lots of California love. We are headed to LA to spend Thanksgiving with D's family. It's actually pretty exciting for me because I'm not American so I had never had a "real" Thanksgiving until I started spending it with D's family. I really enjoy traditions... they definitely make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. There is also nothing more amazing then being invited into another family's tradition.

In honor of our journey to the City of Angels I wanted to do some sort of fall feast post or family post, but I really couldn't find a new take on it. Then I saw this post on Grey Likes Weddings.


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Who doesn't love sweet engagement pictures? And how much do we love an adorable vintage swimsuit. I love the idea of doing a swimsuit on my trash the dress/day after shoot... I've been playing with the idea for awhile but haven't really thought about it that seriously. D loves the water, his only request was that we get trash the dress pictures taken in the water. How can you deny a man his one and only request??

So the hunt for the picture wedding swimsuit begins. We all know how much I love Ouma! They have this fabulous playsuit, that is to die for!
{Source} The bow in the back is such a great detailor! But I def don't think I can convince myself (or my lovely fiance) that I should spend $168 on a playsuit.

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I found these cute little suits on Unique Vintage for $75.

{Source} Lolita Girl also has a selection of suits starting at $99 with a couple on sale for $69.

To be honest none of them make me swoon the way the Ouma one does... Perhaps I should go with a two piece??

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What can I say, it's a woman's prerogative, right? :D

Happy Thanksgiving!

Sparkles and Shines

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There is really nothing more amazing than a great statement necklace. I know there was certainly a time when a single strand of pearls was the only option but that was probably also when brides wore traditional veils and white satin shoes. There is obviously nothing wrong with traditional but there's also something amazing about moving away from tradition and expressing your personality on your big day.

For me that's not only gonna be a hot pair of pumps but a stunning necklace. I LOVE big bold necklaces and adore pearls. Yes, I know pearls and lace, could I be any more predictable, but I like what I like. Lately, I seem to be spotting a lot of great necklaces around the blogisphere and wanted to share:

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Aren't they gorgeous-ness!?! Also how much do you love those touching moments right before the wedding where the MOTB helps the bride put on her necklace.... so precious. I officially have a new obsession. These are the pearly possibilities I found today but the search is still young I am sure there will be plenty more to come!

{Nordstrom: $58}
{Banana Republic: $98}
{Ann Taylor: $138}
{J.Crew: $118}
{Nordstrom: $38}
{Nordstrom: $32}

Have you decided what you are going to do about jewelry? How much did you budget for your extra sparkles and shine?

New Shooooes!

For the most part, I really prefer Ideeli over Rue La La but Rue La La's shipping really dominates (with Hautelook at close second and Gilt in third). Ideeli is just SOOO slow. I ordered some sweaters two weeks ago and they won't even be in the mail for another week...sigh.

Well back to the main event... my NEW wedding shoes are here::


So here are the pros:
*These shoes are super comfortable!
*They are a little less busy than the Betsey Johnson's so they'll probably go with my dress better.
*I love the bling
*Easy to walk in.

Here are the cons:
*They may be too much. I worry that they are little glam for my wedding.
* I also prefer the color of the Betsey Johnson's they are a little softer pink and not so shiny.

That's about it. Thankfully I'm marrying the nicest guy in the world and he told me I could just keep them both :D YAY!

Giveaway: {Bradens Grace.Chalkboard Label}

I haven't shared a giveaway in awhile but this one is actually pretty adorable and useful for anyone (not just brides-to-be). Over at This Crazy Life, she's giving away a $15 gift certificate to Braden's Grace!



I am such a sucker for organizational tools...labels, charts, spreadsheets, folders, etc. These are so up my alley! I love that they are reusable and so user-friendly! They are also pretty reasonably priced so you should def check them out :D

To enter click here

Good luck and happy Friday!

Under Construction: Sort of....

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As promised I've been playing around with my blog design quite a bit because I really wanted it to better reflect the feel of my wedding... I felt that the blue and gray was starting to feel a little dark especially as the weather gets colder. It just wasn't making me happy and my blog if anything should make me happy :D

What do you think??!

What goes up must come down??

As you all know, I won this amazing birdcage veil from One Little Dove, however I haven't decided how I want to wear the veil. There are two issues:

1. Should I add a fascinator of some sort (feathers, flowers, a feather flower, crystals, etc)? (I will deal with that in a separate post)

2. Hair up or hair down?

While I was on the Bee today I saw this great post about first looks from Miss Sloth with this picture:
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Which got me thinking about the birdcage veil hair-up/hair-down dilemma. It also reminded me of this Style Me Pretty Costa Rica Wedding. (This couple is so gorgeous its not even fair!)


{Source **In case you don't remember, this wedding was planned by my wedding planner and photographed by my photographer. I know they ARE awesome.}

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So here's the dilemma it's gonna be hot and humid in Costa Rica so hair up seems like the more realistic option... BUT I also don't wear my hair down that often and I love the way my hair looks when its down. It is a special occasion so maybe I should wear my hair down...

Here are some other inspiration photos that I have in my hair folder. I apologize for not having sources. I collected these for my own personal use before I had a blog.
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After looking at all the gorgeous hair down options it seems like an easy call... then you see all these:

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There is something so bridal about a nice loose up-do... it's just so easy but it'll also make my neck, and shoulders stand out more in my strapless dress. Sometimes it seems like the decisions never end! I think the deciding factor is going to be DIY-ability, since I have decided that I will by DIY-ing my hair and makeup. I know craziness. That being said, you can look forward to a lot of DIY hair posts in the near future :P

What do you think? Did you pick your veil to match your desired hairstyle or did you pick your hairstyle first and then choose the best accent (veil, flower, jeweled headband)?

Design + Inspiration

Awhile ago Miss HoneyBear shared a link to free tape clip art which I have been dying to use, so here it is! I am still pretty bad at paint.net and can't figure out all the layers but I think they turned out alright.

As you can see I am also still pretty obsessed with things hanging from the ceiling! I am not entirely sure if I prefer flowers or those clear balls but they are all so pretty.

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I like the way the balls look like bubbles. It reminds me of that scene in Cinderella....(I heart Disney). I've been starting to really consider bubbles instead of petals or confetti at the wedding. I love the idea of the having bubble guns (so I can really get the volume of bubbles I want plus I don't want weird blowing pictures...hehehe).

Now how would I go about making a bubble gun look wedding appropriate?!!? I think it may require more than just ribbon... but who knows.

Flower Inspiration

Despite my continued claims that I am "not a flower person" I can't help but swoon over these pretty little green-leafed beauties. Ever since I was told that I may have the option of having dahlias at my wedding, I've noticed them everywhere.

Unfortunately, beautiful flowers don't come cheap! Like most brides, I headed straight for google to figure out how to save money on flowers. It seems like the top five ways to save money are:

1. Shop smart - This means picking flowers that are in season and are available locally. This also means, if you are getting married around Valentine's or Mother's Day, traditional flowers such as roses may cost you more.
2. Double Dip - Pick flowers for the reception that you can re-use at the reception. This means pick flowers that will last the duration of BOTH events. For example, while hydrangeas are budget friendly flowers they are SUPER prone to wilting because (as their name implies) they LOVE water. In order to preserve the bloom you can't simple cut the stem at an angle. The traditional angle won't give the flower enough surface area to get the water it needs. What you need to do is gently peel the outer layer of the stem off the bottom inch. In other words, do your research!
3. Think creatively - Instead of a bouquet, each of your bridesmaids could just carry a single flower. Sunflowers for instance make a great impact and would look great at a rustic outdoor wedding. OR if you have lots of bridesmaids they could each carry a single flower, such as a rose or a peony and then at the alter you could collect them for your wedding bouquet. This would obviously take some maneuvering but could definitely be a great (budget-friendly) choice.
4. Green is good - Use lots of fillers. Greenery will make your bouquet look fuller without adding too much to your bottom line.
5. Trust your vendor -Once you've shown your vendor what you like and discussed your color scheme, they probably have a lot of great suggestions on how to stay within your budget.

* 6. Boycott flowers!!- I didn't include fake flowers because I am personally not a fan of fake flowers. This is definitely a personal preference but obviously silk or even paper florals can be really great, if done right. Also, there is NO rule that there has to be flowers at a wedding. Personally, I love button bouquets and brooch bouquets! Unfortunately, they aren't really my style and I don't have the time or the energy to spend months collecting buttons/brooches.

There are obviously a lot of great ways to save money on flowers and the best thing about being cost-effective is that its also great for the environment!

So, after much searching I think that I have found MY dream bouquet. It is a perfect combination of the tropical yet romantic feel that I love. I love the use of the white orchid and the soft pinks.
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This is my second favorite bridal bouquet. How gorgeous is the HUGE white flower?!?!

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I'm still working on the rest of my florals but these are some inspirations that I like for the bridesmaids' bouquets and centerpieces. I was thinking that we could deconstruct the bouquets and put a few stems in little glasses vases. I figure that tall centerpieces don't really make sense at a morning brunch.

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What are some other ways to save money on flowers? Did you find that the more you looked at flowers the more you appreciated their loveliness?

I HAVE A CINEMATOGRAPHER!!!

WOOOOOOO HOOOOOOO!

It was just a few weeks ago that I thought I wouldn't be able to afford a cinematographer. Today I can officially announce that Jon from Well Spun Weddings will be filming my wedding! I entered this contest a while back and even though I didn't win, Jon loved my entry and offered to do my wedding at cost. At first I thought it was a huge scam and didn't even want to respond to the email. I googled Jon, his company, and read all the reviews I could find... and finally I called Jon and after talking to him, I knew it was meant to be.

To be honest, everyone at WSW has been so A-MAZING! I don't know anything about film or filming a wedding but Jon was just super patient and super nice. He explained things that I hadn't even thought about (ie. getting there early to get time lapse film of sunset/sunrise... yea, that's how they do that! I just assumed it was all canned film!) and was just really easy to talk to.

Much like the moment when Julie (my photog) said she was a ninja, I knew Jon was "the one" when he said "I really like to plan down to the minute. From the time I leave the house to the moment I get back on the plane." L.O.V.E. He's even beta testing a program that would allow all your vendors to sync up their various wedding day schedules into one document which you could print and review! If I get my hands on the program, I'll be sure to see if I can pass it along ;)

I really couldn't be happier. I know they haven't actually DONE anything yet, but based on my experience thus far I couldn't recommend them any more strongly!

Here's what I learned about hiring a cinematographer:
1. Make sure that you really like the people who are going to be there the entire day! It doesn't matter if you hate your florist or your caterer, if they do a good job, but your wedding planner, your photographer and your cinematographer, they will be there for the most intimate moments of your big day so you want to make sure that they aren't a black cloud but an extra star helping YOU shine bright :D

2. Ask questions! Don't be afraid to ask, if even you think they are stupid questions! If they aren't willing to answer even your stupidest questions now, who knows what it'll be like once you get closer to the day!

3. Do your due diligence! Don't just take their word for it, google is your friend. Double, Triple, Quadruple Check! It's your wedding and your money, make sure its what YOU want, at a price YOU can live with, for services YOU want!

4. Be yourself! Let them know who you are so they can know what to expect and how to meet your needs. It's a two way street so don't make it too hard on your vendors.

I guess that's all...

I've posted these videos before but just in case you missed them I certainly feel they are worth re-posting!

Mexico from Well Spun Wedding Films on Vimeo.

Melissa & Rodrigo from Well Spun Wedding Films on Vimeo.

After the week I've had, I really needed this! It's been one of the most exciting developments of the entire wedding planning process...What has been your favorite moment in the wedding planning process? Have you had any unexpected surprises?

November Letterpress (invitation) deals

I can't believe that we're already half-way through November! I am so so so excited to go to LA for Thanksgiving next week but dreading getting back (Because that means that finals are right around the corner!) That being said, I haven't gotten nearly as much done on the wedding front as I thought I would. Surprise. Surprise. I had all these grandiose delusions of having all my DIY projects completed or planned (bought supplies) before finals so I could work on them in my down time and pack them all up in a nice little box before we move to Amsterdam. Denial.

My new goal is to get my invitations done this month. While me and LA had a great brainstorming session last week, I still haven't started doing anything. So I spent a little time today reviewing letterpress options and it looks like the wedding gods are shining down on me! There are great deals to be had all over the place.



White Aisle is having a bunch of sales including:
*10% off Thermography (raised ink printing)
*$2 Wood Save the Dates
*10% off Letterpress
I have a soft spot in my heart for White Aisle because the owners just survived a major health scare. Just to be clear, they posted it on their website a few weeks ago while they were closed, and it just stuck with me. Another great thing about White Aisle is that because they do more than just letterpress they are able to mix and match our invitation suite. In other words you could have the invite letterpressed and everything else digitally printed. It'll match flawlessly and be budget friendly!


Bella Figura is offering a very... patriotic deal. If you send them a a photo of yourself going out to vote, you’ll get 25 free letterpress invitation sets when you purchase 75 or more! Email press@bellafigura.com with your photo to take advantage of this special promotion! (Orders must be placed by 5pm on Tuesday, November 30 to be eligible. A photo is required to participate.)


Parklife Press is also offering 10% off all letterpress for the month of November. The great thing about Parklife Press is that you'll get a free hour of design for every $250 you spend and they provide a la carte pricing so you can pick and choose the pieces that are most important to you.

Last but not least here are a new budget friendly letterpress printers that I thought I should share:
Matthew Kelsey.

If you know of any other deals, let me know! I'm hoping to make my final decision about where to print before I leave for L.A.

What are you goals for November? Do you expect to get a lot done during the holidays or are you taking that time off from wedding planning?