Another great vintage look that is making waves right now is the vintage wedding dress. Many vintage-inspired gowns have been introduced in recent collections. A real vintage gown is a great choice because it is generally a lot less expensive then a new, vintage inspired gown. It is also a very green choice, because you are reusing rather then create more “stuff”.

You can find vintage gowns in flea markets, online auctions, estate sales, cosignment clothing stores, second hand clothing stores, etc. You might be lucky enough to find a style that is perfect for you - or purchase one that you like, and have it altered to suit your taste perfectly. Perhaps that means removing sleeves, altering collars, adding or removing beading details, etc. Often, you can purchase a used dress and pay to have a local seamstress update it and still save hundreds or even thousands of dollars.

Here are a few vintage gowns I found on eBay that I loved!

This was a 1970’s Wedding Gown with an empire waist styling. It’s a very cute gown, and would also work well as a maternity bridal gown. The sleeves are gorgeous but do need a little work on the trim. This true vintage gown is also a HUGE steal - listed for $20!!

Here is a 1980’s Wedding Gown that I am absolutely in love with! It is amazing! I love the delicate lace sleeves and beautiful beaded detailing! Gorgeous! It is also a steal, listed for $25!

Here is a very unique 1950’s Wedding Gown. I particularly like the combined lace and tulle effect on the skirt. It’s very simple and lovely. It’s also amazingly priced at $15.50 right now!

Click Here for More Vintage Styles

Bride's Attire, Vintage Weddings | No Comments »

Vintage Style is very hot right now, and many new lines are coming out with items that have a vintage look to them. But - for true vintage, you have to do a little looking. Vintage pieces can be found in garage sales, auctions, flea markets, second hand stores, estate sales and of course, eBay. You can also ask your mom, grandmother, great aunts, great grandma, etc - you may discover a vintage treasure in their storage chests. Today, I thought I would show you some Vintage Wedding Cake Toppers that I found on eBay.

Most of these come from the 1940’s and 1950’s. They also have another added benefit: most are under $10! So, you get both the true classic vintage look, with a much lower price tag! Click here to see more Vintage Wedding Cake Toppers.

Click here to see more Vintage Wedding Cake Toppers.

Vintage Weddings, Wedding Cakes | 1 Comment »

Today I thought I would feature some affordable bridal tiara options. In a bridal store, a tiara can cost you hundreds and if you can afford that, it does make a lovely keepsake. But, if you are on a budget and are just looking for an affordable accessory for that special day - these are some lovely options:)

First - our favorite find today - this was a $150 David’s Bridal Tiara that has been used but is in perfect condition. It is listed with a starting price of $5 and no reserve. Definitely a great steal!

Now, here are a few more great finds:) All of these were listed for less then $5. I tried to pick items that also had reasonable shipping with a total price of $10-$15 max. These are just a few - for a current selection of beautiful bridal tiaras, click here.

And, some samples:

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Yesterday, I made this personalized memory game for my daughter as part of the Kodak Printer Giveaway Challenge and I wanted to share the idea with you. The game was SUPER easy to make, and there are so many ways you could use it for a wedding.

SOME USES:

Flower Girl/Ring Bearer Gift - use photos of you with the child, things that are important to the child, things they love, etc - for an affordable personalized keepsake gift.

Out-Of-Town Gift Bags - make one for each bag, a fun game to play while they are at the hotel winding down for the night. Use pictures of things that have meaning to you as a couple and include a sheet explaining the meaning of each. Guests can have a little childhood fun, and learn more about you as well.

At The Reception - Have one on had for little guests who get bored, or use it in place of the kissing game. Guests have to find a match in order to get you to kiss. To make it more interesting, include an interesting fact related to the pair which the guest must read before you kiss.

Bridal Shower Game - make a game using pictures from the bride’s childhood/growing up years and have guests guess at the significance of each pair their produce. Make sure to have a prize for the winner of course.

MAKING THE GAME:

You will need to pick out an odd number of photos (I used 15 for this set) and then print two copies of each. You will also need one 12×12 sheet of patterned cardstock for every 3 sets (6 photos). Pick a pattern that matches your wedding theme and/or colors. Cut the sheets into 4×6 pieces, and use glue or spray adhesive to attach one photo to each piece of paper.

For extra measure, I took mine to Staples and had them laminated. They put 6 per sheet, which made it a lot more affordable - but I did have to take the time to cut them all apart afterwards.

Approximate Cost per set:

Printing 30 photos: $6
5 Sheets of Cardstock: $5 (I used dollar store paper which only cost me $1.50 total)
Laminating (optional): $12.50

$11 without laminating
$25ish with laminating

DIY Weddings | No Comments »

Most of my loyal readers already know that I am into weddings - and that I design and sell wedding gowns. I also do graphic and website design, which is what my “official” education is in. Recently, I have been working on a new project: Wedding Invitations!  The goal right now is to come up with a new collection of wedding invitation designs which will be released in January. Right now, I am working on design ideas and making samples. So far, 4 designs have made the final cut and I thought I would give you a sneak peak:)

First - How it will work:

Each collection starts with a basic photo card design which will be customized with your text, fonts, images and colors. Then, brides can pick the style that suits their wedding and budget best: basic photo card, double layer invitation, triple layer, folded invitation or gate-fold invitation. Paper colors will be customizable to of course. For the folded and gate-fold invitations, there will also be accent options for the front of the invitation. Last, but not least, there will be options for matching reception cards, RSVP cards, envelopes, etc.

SO - here is one of the 4 designs, shown in the 5 basic style options:

And here is a sneak peak at the 4 designs that have made the cut so far:

As I said earlier, this will be released as part of the complete collection in January. If you can’t wait and would like to have me make your invitations, send me an email and we’ll make a deal:) dcakru@mts.net

Invitations | No Comments »