stumbled across

Today I was wondering around and found these two great shops Cute Cups and Spruce your home. Check them out.

Checkout more at Cute Cups

Checkout more at Spruce your home

Another crazy idea

I want to make fans for my wedding. I've had this idea for awhile but only found a picture today, but I probably would not use a heart shape.

found at oncewed.com

I know do I really need another DIY project (probably not) but if I have time I want to make fans.

Because the wedding is in December and its going to probably be really hot, I think it will be cool. I've gone to heaps of wedding in summer and used the program as a fan but since I'm not having programs I'll have fans. And I have a bunch of wooden sticks left over from my engagement party, that would be perfect for support.

I want to have 2 baskets filled with them for when people arrive for the ceremony, I want to have little pockets of tissues as well - I'm a crier and I know I'd appreciate that when I go to a wedding.

Just found this picture and had to add it. I love the information on the back, as we aren't doing programs or anything we can introduce our wedding party.

Found on riflemade.squarespace.com

1st attempt

And I still need a little practice - but this is my 1st attempt at making a vase.


When I pulled it out of the mold it seemed really tacky in places. I've done some research and it could be for a few reasons.

If I got the measurements even slightly off it can take longer to cure or maybe never sure - so need to be more careful measuring.
If it was too cold (which I think it might have been) one part of the 2 part mix becomes too thick to mix properly, so next time I have to dip the sealed container in warm water for a little while.
I might just have been a bit too impatient and not mixed for long enough before pouring.

So next time do all 3 things and hopefully it will work better.

Also I was a little excited and poured too quickly and ended up with bubbles, but I figured that out early and the end had a fewer and I'm sure it will be better.

To Write or not to write

Been thinking about how to address the invites. Should I hand write in a modern calligraphy or should I use the fancy font from my invites and print directly on the envelopes?

Found these great examples by Paper Finger for hand written. Love these - however it would be very time consuming.  

Images from Paper finger

getting priorities straight

So C and I sat down and wrote sorted out our wedding priorities, giving us a better plan of what we should spend our time and money on.

So what important and not to us?

Top:
No debt - if we don't have the cash for it we don't need it, we can't leave for 5 weeks in Mexico with debt.

Keep it personal - make sure we do it because its right for us not because its expected or it s wedding tradition

Everyone involved - our friend and family are really important to who we are as individual and as a couple so we want everyone involved somehow.

Stress free day - this means I'm going to delegate EVERYTHING. We can't afford a DOC, but we have heaps of close family and friends that we can spread thing out. We also need everything well planned so if/when something goes wrong we can easily go to our backup plan.

The things that we'll have forever
Photos - our memories worth investing in.
Rings - we'll wear them everyday for the rest of our lives we should love them, we should treat them as the important symbols they are.

High:
Food - good and lots of it

Drinks - make sure everyone is catered for drinks and non drinkers a like

Music - love the atmosphere a live band creates, they get everyone dancing and into the sing of it.

bridal party all look good - I'm not the kind of person who want to make sure no one out shines me so I dress everyone is ugly dresses, I want everyone to look their best

Relaxed - I want all our guest to be able to relax and enjoy the day o rushing or fussing

Well Designed - I'm a designer so its important, if I can't afford to do something well I'd rather not do it. I want to make sure what I do, looks good and all works well together.

Medium:
Saturday Activities - want to get together with everyone the next day relax and enjoy the amazing destination, we aren't likely to have everyone together in these surroundings like this ever again. And its our last chance to see everyone before we go away, since we are away for xmas and new year we want to see everyone.

Cake - C doesn't think its a celebration without a cake (I'm happy to go without)

Lolly bar - I'm a lolly fiend, I'll probably hang out here most of the night.

Transport - part of making sure everyone has a really relaxed weekend is making sure we look after everyone properly and everyone gets and home safe so we are getting a bus.

Low:
Trimmings - flowers
- ceremony decorations
- bridal party transport

so pretty

Check out ben amun, really pretty earrings perfect for weddings, found 5 different pairs I'd be more happy to wear.

Check out these and heaps more at www.ben-amun.com

1st and last are my fav.

cute

Love this so cute. great as either an veil alternative or as part of the veil.

Image from vintage glam blog

Still hunting

Haven't yet found any earring yet, however I did stumble across these beautiful earrings which I'm considering. Will be watching these on ebay and may just make a purchase.

Image from ebay

Must have

I've just discovered Timeless Vixen Vintage and I love these vintage dresses. They are a great shape for me and I love the colour and patterns they use. I think it would be great for the day after picnic. I really really want one.

Check out these and more at www.etsy.com

Drink up

We have a few non drinkers coming to the wedding and we want to make sure we cater for them with something nice/special as much as the drinkers. I have been thinking of having a mocktail or homemade ice tea or lemonade. And I have been thinking that it would look really cool to have big glass buckets of whatever punch we choose. A few inspiration photo.

found on www.oncewed.com

found on www.brides.com

I'd even love to have jars for punch cups. but I don't think I could collect enough jars.

found on www.oncewed.com

so happy

I'm so happy, C is the happiest man in the world tonight - why?

I gave him his engagement present tonight. I took him out to dinner to celebrate the end of exams and in between entree and main at the local Malaysian restaurant I gave him a small present. C was really surprised and thought it was just a little present to celebrate the end of exams, but after reading the card and opening the box he was really excited to see a 26mm eye piece for a telescope. He thought it was an eyepiece to use when we eventually were able to afford a telescope - I had to tell him and reassure him a number of times I was giving him the eyepiece to go with the telescope waiting for him back at home.


I should probably explain at this point that C is a supernerd and for the last 15 years (much longer than I've know him - 8 years) has dreamed of owning a telescope. Tonight I made his dream come true, and it was the best feeling I've ever had - I image this must be similar to how I felt when he proposed to me. With a very small gesture I was able to show him that his happiness and dreams were important to me and I would help him reach them. Even if that meant saving every penny for 5 months to do so.

I'm not sure that it's traditional or if its the correct budget savvy thing to do, but I do know that making C happy and seeing that smile tonight means more to me than anything else I've ever seen - I'd give up anything if I could make him smile like that everyday!

His word: My 2 great loves have come together tonight - I couldn't ask for more.

How can you not love him.

I wish...

Max Wanger could do my photos, I'm yet to see anything that I don't love.  I need to find an Australian photographer that is this good.

Check out his work at www.maxwangerblog.com

save this one

love it, balloons never looked so good

Image from daisy chain

My friendly neighbour

I thought I'd introduce my new friendly neighbour. He doesn't have a name or talk much but he is a very calming influence on the studio.

He is the biggest Goldfish to ever live, and he's not very good at staying still for photos.

Back on the horse

I'm back on the horse, and back to planning - on the search for a photographer and have contacted an old friend from school about possibly doing my hair and makeup.

I'm thinking I might do a photo something like these.

Image from amorology weddings

Sorry not sure where I got this from.

Bit over it today

Bit over all the planning today - working to a budget seems to be getting the better of me and I don't want to look at anymore things I can't afford. So I've taken the day off and I'll start fresh tomorrow

But I was cheered up when my friend from 7 year wedding posted a photo from the Donna Hay general store, and they have the knit ceramics that I featured in must have post earlier this month. I didn't think you could get them in Oz. Now I really must have one.

From 7yearwedding.blogspot.com

I heart this house

I hope my house looks this good and better yet each piece is bought for under $100, everything is from Thrift stores of flea markets. 

 found at design sponge online

Check out more on The Brick House

I need to spend more time in second hand stores. So many great pieces. C and I need almost everything - we aren't living together until after the wedding and we have a lot of furniture we are going to have to buy.

Love these guys think they are the best. 

If...

money was no object and I wasn't sure it was going to rain, this is what I'd want my wedding to be like

Image from daisy chain

What isn't to love, outside under the trees (I want to do it in the field by the river) white and blue, I'd add a hint of dark red with red hanging lanterns. Old mismatched blue and white china, cushions. What isn't to love about this. I want my wedding to be one big dinner party of friends. 

Maybe I could get some cushions to go on the chairs outside.

Just ask

Its really worth asking if vendors can do it cheaper. 

Yesterday I told the dressmaker my budget and asked if she could reduce the cost of the dress - yes she could, not having the calico mock up saved $40 per dress (still to expensive but getting better)

Today I asked the bus company if we get a discount for paying cash - yes $100 - and he was already $600 cheaper than all the other companies before the cash discount. Big thanks to David at Kennedys Bus and Coach. We now have transport for all our guest for the entire wedding day. 

Bus transport is one area we have decided to splash out - I still found the best possible deal, but it was something we didn't have to have. But C and I decided it was something we wanted, people can drink if they want (paying per head so we want them to be able to), and the older people that we were a little worried about driving late at night in an area they don't know are taken care of. Money well spent I feel. 

 

I was just thinking about that

I've been thinking about flowers and what I'm going to do about my flowers, and I found that great picture the other day than today snippet and ink posted these great flowers by Pam Zsori of Ink & Peat and Housematin fame.

Check out more of her flower designs (and she has a lot of amazing work) at housemartin.typepad.com

In the back of my mind...

I've been worried I wouldn't be able to get the resin vases to work, so I've always been thinking of other ideas I would use.

We are going to have canapes and traveling entree outside the Boatshed and to decorate  we are going to use heaps of glass jars with candle in them which we have been collecting for a while now, with the help of some friends. Today while looking around A Practical Wedding I saw this image 

Image from www.apracticalwedding.com

I could still use the original idea of having some with candles and some with single flowers, I just need to up my intake of food in jars. I would be recycling and its a great budget ideas, I love the look, I even like the idea of using jars as drinking glasses but I'm not sure some of the grandparents will be a fan of it.

Comedy of errors

Sunday I spent the day attempting my 1st ever mould with the intention of being able to use it to create beautiful vases to be used for the centre pieces. The day ended up being a comedy of errors.

1st I had gone shopping without a list, I thought I would remember everything - I was wrong. I broke one of my first rules of shopping and went without a list and came back with play-doh instead of plasticine.

2nd while I was making my play-doh vase, that would be used to create the mould, I momentarily propped the play-doh up around a glass – that went on to get stuck which meant I had to make the mould with the glass as well.

3rd the PVC pipe I was making the mould inside was a little bigger than I intended and meant the mould was much thicker and less flexible than intended and used heaps more pinkysil than I should have used.

4th because I used play-doh and cup in making the mould it was almost impossible to get them out afterwards. We ended up having to scoop out the play-doh with a paddle pop stick and we had to smash the glass to get it out.

But I got it done 1st mould made. I think in the end this one will be left in the test gone bad pile but it will work for the testing portion of the process. My dad and I have given it some thought and we have come up with a much better plan for the next one. So this week I’m going to attempt to pour my 1st resin vase – exciting.

Rethinking

I'm rethinking the flowers, as I'll be doing them with the help of 2 friends I'm thinking I should pick something a little less structured, that way if we don't make them perfectly they will still look good.

I jumped online last night to find some inspiration.

I love these flowers I found at www.oncewed.com photo by www.allisongarrett.com

I'd want to replace the pink flowers with something darker or brighter, but its not to overly planned and structures.

Found these on www.oncewed.com

These flowers are really cool and I think they come in a dark red as well - but I have no idea what they are called.

Standing tall

more shopping. I'm not just looking for flats but heels as well. What I've found so far.

Love these shoes by Kate Spade - but I don't think my shoes budget will stretch to $400

These would great great with my dress but I swear they are the tallest shoes I've ever seen, it would be like walking on stilts and I'm sure I'd fall over.

These could work but I'm not sure I'd ever wear them again, and I want shoes I'll wear again.

These from nine west are great - good colour, under budget, nice height - but I'm getting married in December and it will be hot it may be very hot so I'm worried they will be too closed in for winter.

If I was going to wear white shoes these would be the shoes.

More Spirographs

Found these on How About Orange so cute. I wonder if we can do anything with them?

Check out more pictures and tutorials at howaboutorange.blogspot.com

found these at the...

supermarket, so pretty for supermarket flowers. Would look great in a Bouquet - and you'd only need 5 or so as they are so big.

Every girls weakness

I admit I have a weakness for shoes, when you can't find anything else you look good in you can always find a pair of shoes. I love a good heel however I don't wear heels for any extended period of time. This is were my problem lies, wearing my heels and being on my feet for 5-7hour on my wedding day dosen't sound fun - however heels make me taller which I need for photos and I want for the ceremony and I will stand taller and straighter in them. So I'm getting heels but I'm also going to get a pair of flats to change into.

With all the sales on this week I thought it would be a good time to look for shoes found a fe good deals on flats.

I'm going to go out shopping again this weekend and have another look, hopping to find a better deal. but if I can't find anything, I'm thinking I'll go with the last pair. I realy like them and I'll wear them to work after the wedding.