Monday, August 31, 2009

Thinking of home

I'd love this lamp in my home. Simple and style, I really like this vintage lamp. Not sure 100% about the colour for the lamp shade, might be a little dated, I know its vintage everything is dated but like vintage things that are made modern - if you get my drift, but love the shape.

Found on etsy (where else) www.etsy.com

moving on out

C is moving this week, closer to me, yeah team. C and I have always live at least 30min away from each other, it hasn't been easy and after 8 years the travel is start to get old, so its supper exciting that he will now be living on a few short minute from my me, I can walk to his house. Yeah

The original plan was for C to move in with me before the wedding so we weren't paying heaps of rent while we were on the honeymoon, but the house it a little crowded at the moment and he definitely wouldn't have the quite he need for study, so he'd going to say with my sister and her husband until the wedding. We'll figure out what we do after the wedding later.

So busy week ahead, but its all for the greater good - more honeymoon spending money.

Thursday, August 27, 2009

Wedding Spiders

I was curious about the availability of some of the flowers I wanted for the wedding so today I stop passed a florist and casually asked. I was told I was dreaming that all the flowers I asked about wouldn't last for a wedding. I'm not sure why she said this, I mean I've seen heaps of flowers from real wedding using these flowers. But my sister was told the same thing, they said tulips wouldn't last the whole day, but they did - they lasted longer than just the wedding day.

But to be on the safe side I've found a few other flowers I like, and when I do my flower test a few weeks before the wedding (much to the discuss of my sister - who think I should just pay and get them done, or know exactly what I'm doing months in advance) I'll get a bunch of different things to try lots of options. I'm flexable, I go with whats good and available

I really like strange flowers, the kind you would see in Sci-fi movies, alien. So I thought Spider mums would be cool.

found on www.flickr.com

all the mums are pretty cool actually, cushion and football, I can just imagine a single giant white football mum coming out of one of the really bright vases, but a bunch like this could be cool too.

Also found on www.flickr.com

Cushions and Button poms come in lots of different colours, which is fun.

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Make pretty picture

Contrary to populate belief designers don't sit around drawing pretty pictures all day, but I have to say, it would be cool if I did. and I'd have a desk with lots of colourful pens, pencils, and lots of pretty paper. but I don't think school kid pays every well, but working hours rule.

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

moving on

So we've had a little hiccup which we'll figure out some how, but I'm not going to let it stop me enjoying the process and wedding. so back to enjoying.

I've bought a bunch of tea light holders that work great with the vases to spread along the tables, they where a bargain, i got them from ikea and got 200 tea light while i was at it. It really starting to bring it all together, we'll really get that deep colourful effect i wanted.
From IKEA they look a bit more red and dark purple in real life, I wouldn't be getting anything to pink, C wouldn't like that.

I know IKEA isn't everyone cup of tea but they really do have some cheap/affordable decoration stuff that can save you a bucket of money, or time, I'd love to get everything second hand but I really don't have the time to search second hand stores every day.

Monday, August 24, 2009

:( rant

So I'm not sure really want to say about this one, it seems reason doesn't always prevail and you can't always trust that spoken conversations are enough.

The problem is with our ceremony and Brunch venue the Shoalhaven lodge. Our plan for post ceremony had been to serve drinks post ceremony for the 45min so guest can mingle enjoy the surrounds and have some photos, while C and I have our photos. However they have decided that if we want to serve drinks we would have to hire portable toliets, even though we have hired all the the accommodation and the accommodation has 9 toliet (we only have 80 people max). This is dissapointing as it now means C and I plus the bridal party will stay have our photo and simply have to miss 45min-1hr of the reception.

The second problem, even though we had spoken about having all our friends back the next day and holding a brunch at the venue on the saturday a number of times both on the phone and in person, the owners have now decided we would need to pay $1200 + hire portable toliets. Considering we had hired the entire venue from Friday to Sunday and some of the venue on Thursday, $1200 seem to be crazy for having people stand and sit around for a few hours - we aren't putting up a maquee or anything. We where thankfuly able to negotiate this away, however the portable toliets are still a problem - C is looking into prices at the moment but I'm pretty sure we can't afford them.

What does it all mean, C and I + our wedding party will miss the 1st hour of our own reception and we have to find an entire new venue for the brunch and with only 3 month I'm alittle worried about being able to find anything. I'm alittle annoyed as i check all of this before booking anything, the reason we choose the Shoalhaven Lodge was because it was by the river we have and we were able to have all our friends back, if these problems had been brought up earlier we would never have booked, but 3month before the fact we aren't going to be able to find something else as everything is booked. We even offered to pay an additional bond and use the toliets in the cabins that we are already paying for anyway and any problems or damages (I can't really imagine any) would come out of the bond.

So now I'm running around talking to all of the other accommodation properties to asking if we are able to use their properties, hopfully that will be more helpful and reasonable. N ot what I wanted to do this close to the wedding, with so much still to do.

Friday, August 21, 2009

Lesson learnt

Ignore what ever anyone tells you, forgot how much faster the phone is, email is the best form of communication when dealing with vendors. That way you have everything in writing and can solve arguments and problems when they come up. if you have face to face conversations with people go home and write a follow up email to them about what was covered and agreed.

I have almost all my communication in writing, expect... (more on that later, still working) very frustrating. Lesson learnt, I'm not going to make that mistake again.

Thursday, August 20, 2009

it happens to everyone

Everyone will as some point in the planning process will come up against a major issue.

I think I've just got mine. Its not pleasant, its got my stomach in knots and my mind racing 1000 m/h trying to find a solution. I've tried so hard not to get my heart set on anything for the wedding incase things go wrong and I can't have them. I only let myself get excited about things when we are booked/done ready to go, that why it is so disappointing to think its not going to work. It seems crazy that I'm getting so upset and worried, at the end of the day C and I will still get married and we'll still be surrounded my our nearest and dearst, but that silly person inside that says "but its my wedding and I really want it" I don't like that little person and I will overcome it if/when need but for the moment C and I are negotiating hard and coming up with backup plans. I'm just hopping we can figure something out.

I'm just think it would be good if this is our only wedding crisis, it would work out nicely to have it over and done with earlier in the game, rather than the week/weekend of the wedding, that would be a really good silver linning.

I know this is very criptic but I don't want to put anything negative out their until I have attempted everything to fix it every way I know how.

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Esty Love

I dream of a place to call my own. C and I have been thinking more and more about the home will we have together, and what we will fill it will. I hope it will be filled with pieces like this, simple and not over worked.


get the at www.etsy.com

I know that at some point I will defiantly have a light something like this. Oh for a house of our own and all the pretty things I could do with it, I will have it one day.

Monday, August 17, 2009

Cheering up

A little worn down at the moment, not sleeping very well (hence the late night posts), but these pictured cheered my right up. These flowers are do big and colourful, and they are all picked straight from the garden.

Party

As promised some photos of our engagement party. The inspiration came from Wedding Style Guide magazine.



All C really wanted was lots of meat on a spit


At the last minute we organised a marquee to minimised the effect of the rain


Pretty before the rain, we bagged peanuts and pretzels in brown paper bags and filled zip locked bags with fairy floss, we also set up some games and balloon dart game and a knock'em down tin can ball game.


One of my favourite parts of the night was sitting on the picnic rugs under the trees watching the fire twirler

This was a huge learning experience for C and I, and a defining moment for us in the way we have processed to plan our wedding. This was the moment we decided we needed a small guest list. The night was the beginning of a some slow changes in our life. It directed our focus on what was important to us, our marriage, the beginning of our new life, our incredibly loving and supportive family. The engagement party really brought out the best in some of our friends, I will be forever grateful for the lovely words and thoughtfulness of Mel, Ange, Casey not to mention our family who when everything was going wrong made me laugh and feel all was not washed down the drain.

Don't have many good pictures, the rain distracted people a bit.

Sunday, August 16, 2009

Slowing down

Things have been a little busy of late and its been making it hard to enjoy the planning process, so I've slowed down. I fully intended on getting back up to speed when other things slow down a bit, the wedding is just 5hrs of my life and I'm not so obsessed with planning small details that I'm going to wear myself down and get stressed out. I'm still getting things done, thinking and planning things but just not running around all weekend doing wedding stuff and working on a new project every night. 

Its actually been really nice, its given C and I a chance to think and talk more about the really important stuff for the wedding... the ceremony. I know food, decorations, flowers, dress and shoes can seem hugely important when your the vacuum that is the wedding world, but none of that really matter. Slowing down has reminded me what I'm doing, I'm marry C, we are starting a new journey, building a life together. So C and I have started working on our ceremony and I'm getting really excited, it will be a long process and I'm thinking pretty emotional but really rewarding. 

So for now I'm in slow motion, working on the important stuff and trying my best to keep everything in perspective.

Thursday, August 13, 2009

stealing it

I love these invites, and I'm going to steal them, well not quite steal them, just the idea - illustration on brown recycled paper coloured really brightly. We already have an idea for the wedding invite, going to follow along the same theme as the save the date, but I think we can work this in for the Saturday brunch invites.


Found on oncewed.com

I could do all of this myself but I really like the idea of having people help to create the our day, so maybe I'll ask a friend to do an illustration for me. I'm not sure, it would be fun to do the illustration myself and everyone is so busy, need to give that one more thought.

Success

Things are hectic at the moment so this is just a quick one to show off my success. After the last amussing attempt at creating a vase I've had success. Dad and I pour a vase on Sunday and it looks really cool. We still have a few little kinks to work out but for the most part we have it sorted and can get started on making the rest. YEAH team.



I just need to do some sanding and polishing.

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

So fun

I have to thank One Boy One Girls for today inspiration, this pre-wedding bash Nixon and Egan throw the day before their wedding would be perfect for a relaxed yet stylish wedding. I love weddings where everything is aimed at being fun. Wedding really should reflect the couple and if you not one for formal events than bbqs and carnival style parties are a great idea. This idea would also work really well for anyone on a budget




found on www.oneboyonegirl.com

Its similar to what i attempted to create for our engagement party however our budget DIY attempt wasn't quite as polished as this.

Monday, August 10, 2009

Introducing...

Joshua Morris our photographer. Joshua was recommended to us by a friend of our who is a photographer. He isn't a traditional wedding photographer, but he has done them from time to time - which I'm not really worried about because his portraits are great and so are his landscapes, which that combination I don't see how the photos could be anything but amazing. And we aren't really looking for too many traditional photos, more natural candid shots.

check out more at www.joshuamorris.com.au

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

4 months

Getting close now. Yesterday marked 4months to the day until the wedding. After a look over the to do list I've decided I need to step it up a notch, I need more action, start getting things finished.

So I'm organising for the girl to get measured - finally got a dressmaker quote I was happy with and the girls all picked their material.

I'm finalising the flights for the honeymoon - Craig's back at uni so I'm taking over his list again.

And I really have to get to designing the invites - I've been procrastinating on this one.

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Party time

Let me introduce you to some friends of mine Aaron and Lenya, you might know Lenya from www.7yearwedding.blogspot.com. Saturday night we celebrated their engagement and BJB studios in Surry hills, Lenya did a great job decorating and really bring the place to life, with pom poms, installations, vintage furniture, candles and beautiful flowers created by cousin Mattew (sorry don't have any more details than that.) They really managed to infuse the place with lots of personality and it made the perfect stage for a great party.

So without further adue,

Meet Aaron and Lenya, the photoboth was a great talking point and got everyone into the swing

Pom pom Love, multicoloured pom poms hang the entire length of the studio and made the place pop.
These where all made by Lenya and family and friends.


Lenya borrowed white chairs and bought second hand chairs and painted them white to fit with her vision.
She also used pieces from the studio itself and made it personal with her own pieces from home.

This master hang from roof above the bar creating a eye catching focal piece for the room.



The pictures don't do these arrangements justise , Lenyas cousin Matt made these (and more) amazing pieces that spread all over the room, light by candles they made dramitic displays.

I apologise my photos don't do it the credit its worth, my point and shoot doesn't perform well in the dark.

I almost forgot, I helped out creating the invites for the night. Lenya had a pretty good idea of what she wanted so this was a quick simple job for me.


Lenya bought me a picture of an invites she love that used handwritten font, so I hand drew the couples name than cleaned it up on the computer to use as a header the the rest was simple, clean and easy.

Monday, August 3, 2009

Shoe love

I wasn't joking when I said I had a thing for shoes. I love them and in the process of looking for my wedding shoes I've found to had to my wish list, and todays 2 would have to be pretty high on that list.

I wish these Mimco badies came in a colour, I'd snap them up in a second (and figure out how to afford them later). The strap details is great, not over the top like so much of what I've been seeing.

Found on www.mimco.com.au

I'm keeping these shoes in mind as a back up plan incase I can't find red shoes I like. they would make really cute wedding shoes and i'd definately warm them all the time. Love the vintage feel.

Found on www.wittner.com.au