Archive for category Wedding Details
Wedding Treasure Hunt
Posted by Jill in Real Weddings on November 4th, 2009
My man is a yard sale snob. I was never much into buying other people’s “junk”, until I met him and discovered the practically unused treasures that people were almost GIVING away. Now we go yard saling (sailing?) all the time. In fact, it has become one of our favorite things to do together. He’s Southern. Very Southern. And has never met a stranger. For him yard sales help him connect with neighbors and friends… and get a bargain. I’m not nearly as outgoing and friendly, so I like going with J. That way I don’t have to say much… I can just browse for deals! And on Saturday I found some KILLER deals!!!
I found 150 slightly used wedding bubbles for $1! Yay! I haven’t really decided if we’ll be one of those “bubbly” couples… but for a dollar it was worth having the option!
I also found a pair of wedding shoes at the same yard sale. They were worn once by a MoB. They’re Kenneth Cole, with rhinestone straps. $60 originally. And, delightfully, they only have a slight kitten heel. I LOVE high high high heels. But I hate being taller than my man. And can’t imagine towering over him on our wedding day. They are a just a tad tight across my toes. But I figured they’d either stretch out, or I’d give them to MY MoB, who has more dainty feet than I! Due to J’s expert haggling I got them for $7! Much more logical than the $900 Christian Louboutin bridal shoes that I’ve been lusting over! I mean, who even sees your feet!?!?
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School Sweethearts Save The Date
Posted by Kari in Invitations on November 2nd, 2009
I LOVE this Save The Date from Wedding Paper Diva’s – it’s unique and fun. It would be perfect for couples who were school sweethearts but it could be used for anyone. I know I would enjoy seeing little kid pictures of the couple on the Save The Date.
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You see curtains…. I see TABLE RUNNERS!
Posted by Jill in DIY Weddings, Decorations, Wedding Themes on November 2nd, 2009
I’ve searched high and low to find black and white damask linens. (Yes, I recognize that my priorities might be slightly scewed, as we have no date nor venue… but I digress.) Other damask brides have gone to great measures and great expense to get their ideal table linens. They fret over the exact right pattern of damask. Whether it is white on black or black on white. They have their pattern SILK SCREENED onto fabric. They enlist MIL’s to sew countless runners. And have them re-sew them if they are slightly off center. They spend $20 per runner. Or buy $15 yard fabric from some fabric wholesaler in China.
I have to say, after reading their stories, I was ready to throw in the towel and go with some other color scheme.
That’s where my beloved Craigslist comes in. I have no idea why I was searching under the “Household” tab, probably searching for SOMETHING wedding related! And I came across a post for a black and white damask bedding set. This woman was selling her King sized comforter, pillows and curtains. Thankfully she sold me her curtains seperatly… as much as I love damask I’m not so sure I want to sleep on it… For $30 I got four LOVELY panels of curtains. They are BEAUTIFUL! I am going to cut each panel into three runners (or have my wonderful, beautiful, talented mother do it!). 12 runners for $30! Not too shabby! 
Maybe I should rent them out to those ladies that are on their way to the silk screeners…
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A-ha Moments
Posted by Jill in Invitations, Real Weddings on November 1st, 2009
I’ve had a significant number of “that’s it” aha moments during the course of our lengthy engagement… and a few important ones pre-engagement too!!
J and I are both television producers at the same television network. In fact our offices are right across the hall from each other… which I think is cool… But our co-workers probably get sick of me yelling out “J come here I have to show you these custom monograms/bridesmaid’s bouquets/centerpiece mock-ups”… who am I kidding, I’m sure he gets sick of it too, but the wonderful fiancé he is, he rarely acts disinterested!
At the very beginning of our relationship J and I were in St. Louis, my home town, for an even our television network was putting on. Since the event was in my hometown I went as an attendee, he went to work. I drove 10 hours to get there. He flew non-stop 1 hour to get there. The girl I drove with ended up getting ill and flying back, so I was stuck by myself to drive 10 hours without any company. J offered to give up his quick and easy flight to join me on the loooong drive… in a compact car! His sacrifice spoke volumes to me. That’s the official moment when I knew he was the “one”!
I had the same aha moment when J and I were shopping for rings. I put one on that I thought was way out of the budget but “knew” it was the “one”. I felt like Cinderella when I tried it on. And felt like the luckiest girl alive when he popped the question with it! I still catch myself staring at it! And I still feel like the luckiest girl alive!
Not long after J proposed I found myself in a Michael’s (let’s be honest girls, isn’t that where most newly engaged diy budget brides find themselves!? Haha). And came across this LOVELY black and white damask invitation set, by Brides. I “knew” they were our invitations. Despite the fact that I hadn’t done ANY invitation research yet, I called my mom and she bought every box in the St. Louis area, with a 50% off coupon. Cheapo! Can’t wait to find some great ways to make them a little more custom. Maybe a belly band? Or a great monogram? Who knows, I just loved them and knew they would set the tone for our dreamy delightful diy damask wedding! 
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The jazillionth damask bride of the season
Posted by Jill in Real Weddings, Wedding Themes on October 31st, 2009
I’ll admit it. I have expensive tastes. It didn’t take me long after being engaged to come back down to earth. HOLY MOLY, weddings are EXPENSIVE!!! I was overwhelmed at all of the options. Do I want pin tucked custom linens and crystal candelabras?! ABSOLUTELY! Do I want to be in debt forever? Not so much.
My first step was to brain storm… what do we want our wedding to look like? Feel like? What do we want our guests to remember? What are our top priorities?
We decided that we want our wedding to be elegant, classic, and FUN! We want the food to taste good, but we’d rather spend a chunk of change on a band that can get a party started! We (I) want a show stopping dress, but not one that I’ll be paying for until I’m old and gray! Our first goal was to prioritize….
My second goal was to figure out what I liked in other girl’s weddings!
I’ve always been drawn to black and white damask (and black and white toile, but my bathroom is decorated in that… and I didn’t want my wedding to remind me of my bathroom! Haha!) So I typed “damask” into good ole` www.weddingbee.com and came up with so many beautiful options that I decided that was a GO!
So I am officially, ANOTHER damask bride! I certainly hope it’s not too “2009” to fit in to my desire for a “classic” wedding. But I guess most bride’s have to answer to their children someday “Yes, honey, I had damask table cloths, I know they are SO out of style right now . . . but at least my bridesmaids didn’t wear HATS like at your grandma’s wedding!”
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A bell’s not a bell ’til you ring it. A fling’s just a fling ’til you bling it!
Posted by Jill in Jewelry, Real Weddings on October 30th, 2009
As I mentioned in my previous post, I had a TOTAL Cinderella moment when I found my ring. I was THRILLED when J presented it to me when he proposed, and still laugh that he said “I hope you’re not disappointed” right before he opened the ring box, in one last miserable attempt to throw me off!
Last May I went to a brilliant bridal show thrown here in Birmingham, Al, called Style in the Sky. Anne Barge (more on my Anne Barge obsession soon!) was there complete with fashion show and seminar and Sylvia Weinstock, and David Tutera were there too. I was in total and complete bridal bliss!
At this bridal show I entered oodles of drawings. One of them was for a $1000 gift certificate to Diamond’s Direct, the jewelry store where J bought my e-ring. Right before they announced the winner I thought to myself “I’m gonna win this”, and lo and behold they called my name! I couldn’t believe it! Ah, the power of positive thinking!
I texted J right away and told him the good news. I was shaking! Barely able to push the buttons on my phone. Minutes later I got a text back from J that said “Sure you did, Sweetie”. J, ever the jokester, thought I was playing a joke on him. *Sigh* It wasn’t until he held the gift certificate in his hands that he believed me!!
This Christmas Diamond’s Direct is having a special 20% off Holiday Extravaganza, everything in the store is 20% off, even my wedding band! For a couple of budget snobs like J and I the thought of using my $1000 gift certificate at the 20% off sale to get my wedding band practically makes us salivate. *I sure hope they accept the gift certificate during the sale! Say a prayer they do!
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Meet Jill
Posted by Jill in In The News, Real Weddings on October 29th, 2009
I’m in love with a man that is the complete opposite of what I expected. Years ago I wrote “the list”, and oh sure, he has all of the important things (ie. loving, close to his family, great sense of humor) but none of the qualities in my subcategories (ie. No Doctorate from Yale. Dark and handsome… but definitely not tall. And much to my chagrin, he’s not a millionaire). In fact, after our first date I turned to him, as if I were the hiring manager at a job interview, and said matter-of-factly “you have none of the qualities on my ‘list’”.
Thankfully this didn’t dissuade him.
Fast-forward two years… In the exact same spot where he asked me to be his girlfriend, he asked me to be his bride.
I burned my “list”.
Now I’m planning to marry the most unexpectedly magnificent man I’ve ever encountered.
My parents are equally magnificent. They have generously agreed to pay for our wedding. Then my dad got a pay cut at work. In a shaky economy he’s grateful to have a job, but this throws a major loophole in the extravagant “platinum wedding” I’ve been dreaming about since I was a little girl (and admittedly, planning since well before I was engaged.) Mom and I are working hard to reign in our expensive tastes. After weeks of touring Crystal Ballrooms in fancy hotels, we’ve agreed to only view places that actually fit into our tight budget.
Thankfully, for me, finding deals is like a game. I love wearing designer clothes that I got from thrift stores, jewelry from yard sales, and shoes from clearance bins. And I LOVE telling people that my dress only cost $2.00, after they compliment me on my style! With so many great deals available, I pride myself on being high maintenance… on a budget.
We believe that with some creativity, ingenuity, and great sales we can create a platinum wedding on an aluminum budget.
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Cute Gifts for The Littlest Guests
Posted by Kari in Wedding Favors on August 21st, 2009
I was watching Martha Stewart today and she had Hilary from Lilly Bean Market as a guest on the show. Hilary makes adorable felt play foods for kids and she sells complete kits to create your own as well. On the show, she demonstrated how to make the cherry pie (very simple and so cute!) and while I was checking out her site, I thought “This would be so cute for a wedding!”. The felt play foods would make great gifts for a ring bearer or flower girl of course – but what about wedding favors for the kids?
If you have children on the guest list, a special wedding favor just for the kids would be a wonderful touch that they will love. These kits are very very affordable – and there are so many that you really could suit any wedding. You only need to buy one kit – and then order extra felt to make additional pieces. My favorites are the Chocolate Cake and the Christmas Cookies.
The Chocolate Cake kit sells for $5 (pattern and enough felt for one cake) – and you could purchase additional felt and customize the cake to match your own wedding colors as well. The Christmas Cookies set sells for $10 and makes 5 cookies – that’s $2 per child – perfect for a Christmas time wedding!
The Cherry Cake which was featured on Martha Stewart would be great for a summer wedding – and you can get complete instructions on Martha’s web site or you can order a kit from Lilly Bean Market for $6!
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Little Red Wedding Wagon
Posted by Kari in Wedding Details on June 24th, 2009
This gorgeous photo from the talented Taylor Jackson has inspired me to write about Little Red Wagons. The little red wagon is an essential part of an all-American childhood. Most of us had one, most of our parents had one, and most of our children will have them. They are fun – and so versatile! From giving rides to lugging toys from one friend’s yard to the next – they carried us and our “stuff” from one childhood memory to the next.
The little red wagon is also a great addition to your wedding as well. Here are just a few great ways a little red wagon can become part of your perfect wedding:
- Transport younger children down the aisle – especially children who are to young to walk or still young enough to be to shy to walk down the aisle alone.
- Add a unique touch to your wedding theme with a decorated wagon (keep reading for ideas on how to decorate a red wagon for a wedding).
- A unique photo prop for your wedding photos or candid shoots during the reception.
- A great ring pillow alternative – if your ring bearer isn’t going to actually carry the rings a decorated little red wagon is just so much more fun for him and for your guests especially if you are having a garden or beach wedding.
- A candy buffet on wheels! Give your candy buffet a unique twist by arranging it in a little red wagon and assigning one of the older children to take the wagon from table to table during the reception.
To cover or not to cover your little red wedding wagon
In many cases, you will want to use the little red wagon in it’s traditonal signature red color. If you are having a vintage style wedding the original wagon will be a perfect fit. The red wagon also looks great in an outdoor wedding or as part of a wedding were red works with the wedding colors.
If you are planning a more formal, indoor wedding or the red clashes with your wedding colors there are a number of different ways you can decorate your little red wagon to suit. Here are a few ideas on how to decorate a red wagon for a wedding so the colors do not show:
- Paint it white – or any color that works well with your wedding theme and colors. If you are feeling really artisitic – you could paint or stencil designs along the sides of the wagon to suit your theme as well.
- Cover it – use a small table cloth, some tulle or a length of fabric in a color or pattern that matches your wedding theme to drape over the edges of the wagon, creating a soft, elegant cover for your little red wagon.
- Decorate it – Use decor elements like garlands, tulle, flowers, etc to cover the sides of your wedding.
Fill your little red wagon:
Obviously, if you plan to transport children in the wagon, you won’t want to fill the wagon. But – if you simply want to use the wagon as a unique accent peice here are some great ideas on how to decorate a red wagon for a wedding by filling it with items that will bring out your theme:
- Oversized Christmas ball ornaments are popular right now and they make a great filler for a Christmas wedding wagon.
- Boxes wrapped as wedding gifts in a selection of papers that match your wedding colors are a great idea for Christmas wedding or any time of year really.
- Fresh floral arrangements, silk floral arrangements or potted plants that match your bridal bouquet are a great filler for a romantic little red wagon.
- For a fall wedding, fall decor items like leaves, pumpkins, cornicopias and other fall goodies are perfect.
- If you are planning a dove release as part of your wedding, an elegant bird cage with doves inside can be taken down the aisle in your little red wagon.
A Few More Ideas
Here are just a few more ideas on how to decorate and use a red wagon for a wedding:
- Hang a small “Just Married” sign from the back. Consider adding trailing ribbons with cans at the end for a vintage wedding feel.
- Wrap ribbons around the handle of the wagon and leave a few trailing ends for a whimsical touch.
- If you are having an outdoor ceremony, a little red wagon can be decorated and displayed at the entrance to the ceremony area with programs, fans, bubbles and other goodies for the guests as they arrive.
- Large silk blooms attached to the center of each wheel makes a bold, beautiful statement for a garden or floral themed wedding.
- As your seamstress to help “dress” your wagon to match your gown, the bridesmaids gowns or the flower girl. Wearing a wedding gown with soft ruffled layers? Your seamstress could make a matching “skirt” of ruffles for your wagon that will look amazing.
- Clothespins can be decorated with flowers or other decor items along and attached to the wagon.
- Use your little red wagon to collect gifts and/or cards from guests as they arrive.
And of course, like any unique decor feature you incorporate into your wedding, make sure you get photos!
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The Best Invitation EVER!
Posted by Kari in Invitations on June 19th, 2009
I think Matt & Jill’s invitation has got to be the best invitation I have ever seen – hands down. I love that it is so personal and original – and it just screams personality. By the time I finished reading this invitation – I wanted to be at the wedding! You can tell it must have been one amazing party and the couple sound like people I want to be friends with.
Working on your invitations? Add some personality. You don’t have to go as far as this – but find a way to let your personality show. Use colors, unique wording, custom inserts or other little details to really make it memorable.
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