Lock it up.

My Mom found this antique gold locket for me this past week. It's exactly what I wanted, and I'm really excited to see it in person. She thinks it's from the 1940s, which is perfect with our vintage, old-timey feel. I plan on attaching it to my bouquet, with a new picture inside.

Hah.

"Hair Hair!"

I already know that I want to wear a birdcage veil, but this would be a super pretty touch to have as a fascinator. Or even something to have in my hair for the reception.

Vacation Giveaway

Click here for the skinny

We can't all win.

When we first starting wedding planning, it was important to consider what we wanted from our wedding. I asked him what were his top priorities, and I mentioned mine. The top things that we wanted, and should focus on first and foremost.

His was open bar.

Mine was photography.

Well, after we started pricing things for the wedding, I think we quickly realized which dream had to die. And by which, I do mean the open bar. To be honest, it was a priority of mine, as well. We both said we were flexible with even a beer/wine selection, instead of having an open bar. But even to do that, when you really break down the cost of having that present, having a bartender on site, and paying the fees per person that is associated with liquor at reception halls....well you get the point. It's not cheap.

And we talked about it, if we had the choice between having a "dry wedding" or using the money to move to a new home... we would choose the extra money. So we did. It was hard, but also a lot more realistic to us.

As far as photography, that was tricky at first. But I got lucky, and through a referral found someone I feel comfortable and confident about. It was important to me, that even if we had our wedding in a dirty old alley, we should have great pictures to look back on.

Perhaps as great as the one of this couple.

You would already know

If you knew me, you would already know how I'm reacting to this picture. Now, I may have to figure one of these fellas into the centerpiece decor. I would want to change the color scheme to pinks/ whites instead of red....

but it's super quirky.

And if you knew me, you'd already know I'm a fan of the super quirky.

XOXO.

Love Ya Award!

Thanks so much, Jess! I've never gotten an award before.... so I'm seriously jazzed.

And what's funny, is that I originally went to send it to many of the same people you did!

Rules do accompany this honor:
“These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers. Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award.”!


I am giving this award to:
Jenny @ Happily Ever After
Holly @ a small town bride
Amy @ Fiance Meeting you Here
ten thousand only @ $10000 Wedding
Sara @ 2000 Dollar Budget
seersuckerandcashmere @ .classicly modern
kristen @ Kristen's Work in Process Wedding Blog (I give this to you, as encouragement to get out there and post!!!)
Jenna @ That Bride

I hope that everyone has an enjoyable day. Plant a tree. Read a book. Go give someone a highfive.

Hot Tamales

Zac Effron, if you won't have me.... I think this will do.

I have...

a few demands:

1. Go to Couture Lucky Luxe Correspondence.

2. Check out her save the date handkerchiefs.

3. Take a minute to look at the work of Mississippi designer.

4. Find me some vintaged handkerchiefs.

Swoon

I can't remember when I first fell in ♥ with Lela Rose.....

but it happened. And there's no getting over it.

If only.

Done and done.

I'm so glad that $10,000 Wedding reposted these paper flowers from Dozi Design.

I highly suggest you to stop what you are doing and click on over to Dozi, to see the blog slash shop slash flickr page. You pick.

Close your eyes, and imagine them pink.

Erm, maybe keep them open instead. They're far too pretty to not look at. :)

I do.

Do you ever feel like you are just one person in the world, and what kind of difference can you really make? Sometimes I do.

But mostly I don't.

What I mean by that, is I truly believe I am in the world to make some kind of difference. I just wish I knew how. I want to change the world, even if it means changing just one person. I want to have a life filled with passion, creativity, expression, music, love.

Mel.

So now that I've found Mel, it's time to get to work on the rest of those things.

Off the topic

Sometimes we all need a distraction from the wedding thang. So here's mine:


90 words

Speed test

I need some practice, so I don't make so many mistakes.
Go on, I dare you.

Happy Valentines Day

Aren't these escort cards super? I saw them on the knot today, and the couple had black and white buttons with the guest's names on them, attached to really pretty pink cardstock "playing cards."

Dry wedding? Not a problem.

Are you thinking what I'm thinking?

Rock...Paper...Centerpieces?

Since my budget for flowers is pretty much nonexistant, paper flowers might be the way to go.

In fact, I'm going to officially say that the centerpieces will be a combination of our rock candy chandeliers and paper flower arrangements.

I think I'm getting butterflies in my stomach, over all the DIY projects I have ahead of me!!!

Want to sneak a peak of the directions?

Yay!

Our cake topper is finished! The etsy artisian, Megan Lalli Bogonovich, just emailed me that it's complete and ready for purchase :) I'm so excited, because she made it with two bunnies just like how we requested. So now it won't "freak" Mel out, by having a bunny bride marrying a man. Oh lord.

The best part, is that I can keep it as a keepsake for afterwards.

It's all in the details

Wedding dresses are not cheap. You know, I'm on a budget here, people. [And by people, I am referring to the bridal industry. Feel free to pass my opinions along.]

Well these dresses from Bloomingdales are so fashion forward, while being completely budget friendly. (For a wedding dress, at least.) Just think, if they were found in your local bridal store, the detail work alone would merit an unneccessary markup of at least several hundred additional dollars. Why is that? Is there a reason why the wedding dress gods have decided that in order to get something detailed and original, you must earn enough of an annual income to get you on Platinum Weddings? Too unfair.

So my best defense? For now, Bloomingdales.

I Queen, take you, King.

I know what I'm doing for Valentine's Day now!!! I'm super excited! I feel like running out to the store and buying a stack of playing cards!! (And thankfully, I should already have some red ribbon) I saw this on Craftster.org, and love that it's a mix of sweet and silly.

I've actually already done something similiar for Melvin before, by making a long list of 100 reasons why I love him. But this is definitely a creative way to remind him once more. Plus, when you're engaged, I think it's a good opportunity to take some time out of wedding planning....

and tell your sweetie pie why you said yes.

I cannot wait.

Spoooooon!

I've actually seen this done before, but hadn't considered it a wedding detail until now. Forks can double as place card holders, and give new meaning to "Dinner Time."

It reminds me of when I grew up going to craft shows with my Mom, and there were artisians with fork and spoon wind chimes. Vintage silverware jewelry. And now place card holders?


Just think when the wedding ends, you can give them to guests as favors or keep them for yourselves :)


And now you won't need to stress over finding the perfect picture frame for your wedding snapshots.

Stop and Smell the Fake Roses.

So I have decided to do the flowers myself, to keep the budget in tow. And since I've been having some trouble finding exactly what I want in stores, I've started scouring the internet looking for some wholesale silk flowers.

My goal is to find peonies, ranunculus, and maybe some other extras for better deals than having a professional work their wonders. I think in the next few weeks, I will make some purchases online, so that I can attempt to put the bouquets together the week my Mom visits.

Cross your fingers for me.

I love you this much.

Sometimes the biggest acts of love, can come in the smallest packages. Especially when it comes to the World's Smallest Postal Service (WSPS).

"Lea Redmond is the Postmaster, setting up her tiny mobile office in cafes and shops where passers-by can write a letter and have it turned into a "world's smallest letter." The letter is transcribed on a miniature desk in the tiniest of script, sealed with a miniscule wax seal with the sender's intial pressed into it, packaged up with a magnifying glass in a glassine envelope, and finished off with a large wax seal..."

Thanks, Black*Eiffel for the perfect idea for Valentine's Day.

And sidebar: check out Leafcutter Designs for boatloads more creative and inspiring projects. Or some great stocking stuffers, like the matchbox theatre and my personal fav- the rolodex project.

Penny for your thoughts

On the topic of traditions, I plan on somehow having a penny in my shoe.

Placing a silver sixpence in the bride's shoe was to ensure wealth in the couple's life. Today brides often slip a penny inside their shoe before the ceremony in place of the hard to find silver sixpence.

Then after the wedding, I can have a necklace made with the actual penny used in my ceremony. Awesome, right?

you can call me mr. [and mrs.] clean

There are many traditional polish dances, the most common being the “money dance” or “dollar dance”. This is when the bride starts off dancing with her father and then other male guests “cut-in” to dance with the bride, paying a dollar (or more) for the honor. This is to give the bride “pin” money to bring to the marriage. The money is thrown in an apron or bag but in the past was actually pinned to the bride.

Until I saw it it done at my friend Leslee's wedding, I've always thought it was a little tacky. She proved me wrong. My mom had mentioned that we should do it, but I also had no clue it was a Polish tradition.

And dang, as long as I have an excuse to wear a scrubtastic apron like the ones from snappyshop's etsy site, I'm down.

I just thought it was an excuse to snag some C-notes.

I pledge my love to you...

Lisa, aka Ejacks84, writes on her knot blog....

"The engagement period is a lot like pledging. (yeah... go ahead and laugh, but you know it's true).

While you are a pledge, you have no idea how long the process is going to last or how it will end, but if you don't count that, there are a lot of similarities. With wedding planning, you get the control of setting the date and planning the way everything will go.

So why is wedding planning like pledging? Well you see, during planning, you have to do a bunch of tasks you probably would never do in your normal life. You also exercise and diet, which isn't something you'd normally do (or at least I wouldn't). And you all of a sudden get into arts and crafts. Remember having to make paddles for you big brother or sister? Well take that and multiply it by 1,000,000. Now it's invitations, card boxes, programs... and the list goes on. And by the end of the whole process, you are just exhausted and want the whole thing to be over with.

The grooms-to-be go through a test- can you handle being with the bridezilla your fiancee has turned into? Can you handle another conversation about paper, linen colors, and classical song choices for the ceremony? Can you handle another pre-marital counseling session or another dance lesson?

Finally, after a year or so, you make it through the entire process (hopefully). You are no longer a pledge (engaged), but something bigger than that, something special, new and different. You are part of a wonderful team, you are never alone, someone always has your back.
So I'm ready for the pledging to end. Soon I'll be getting my "letters" (Sosa), and I'm keeping them forever.

Some people end up turning in their letters, and some even end up joining a different organization. But not me... because like my sisters, taught me, Hoy y Siempre... "

Well said.

If you're wondering.....

....I am head over heels for this idea.

Imagine finding school buses to rent for the bridal party. I think it's a perfect tie in to the theme of "when I grow up" for the reception. The idea of loading the bridal party up into a big yellow school bus and driving over to the reception, sounds like a throw back to elementary school field trips.

I call back seat.