Quickly

The wedding is coming up quickly so its time to finalize the details and lock in all my ideas. So I thought I'd start at the beginning, the ceremony. We have a beautiful location so I didn't want to do too much to it.

We have:
- 20 few chairs some of them with reserve place cards hung by ribbon,
- A table with white tablecloth, for the signing with a feather pen that was given to us as a present, I think I'll have a mini tin pails, (that I use as balloon weights for the engagement party) to hold our bouquets while we sign,

We will have (when I finish):
- either a welcome or ceremony sign - need to finish signs
- a table with red and white table cloth, galvanised tubs with beer, sparkling and water for post ceremony toasting while we have our photos and the guest wait for the bus - need to buy drinks

Other ideas I'm tossing up:
- fans to be handed out to guest as they arrive - this might be too much work
- a table with flowers at the beginning of the aisle or where the guest get out of the bus - need to look into what the flowers would cost, would be DIYing.

Table inspiration, image found duet-weddings.com

The sun comes out

So a few weekends back C and I went down the coast for a wedding. We arrive early on the Wednesday night and the weather was awful, to be generous, it was raining. No one held much hope for the weather on Saturday. As most guest had arrived early everyone meet at the local pub for dinner and it seemed most of the female conversation revolved around what we were wearing and how we planed to combat the cold.

But on Saturday morning when we woke up the sun was out and it was warm, I'm not going to say hot but a huge improvement on where we had been. Looking back I felt that was appropriate, getting married within 2 month of one another the bride and I had spoken to each other a lot about the ups and down and helped each other out as much as we could during the whole process. She had a rough time planning her wedding so when the sun came out on Saturday and everything seemed to fall into place it seemed right.

I know there would have been problems and some things wouldn't have gone as planned, but as a guest I didn't notice any of it, to me it seemed perfect. The day they deserved after all the hard work.

I didn't take my good camera but I got a few shoots with my point and shoot, so I thought I'd share some of the awesomeness of it. (Just the details)

I've always said my weakness is food, Lollies, cake, dinner.

PARTY

So I've reached that point in the planning process when you become very busy with all the last minute jobs and parties. Because everyone will be paying for accommodation for the wedding I didn't really feel comfortable having anything else that would cost people money so I said no parties. However some things just aren't in my control. My sisters are putting on a bridal shower. And it was made clear by everyone that it would be a big let down to everyone if I didn't have a hens.

So a parties we are having, the hens is still being worked out but I'm also having a shower in 2 1/2 weeks. I don't really know much about whats going on, just when and where, I did ask for them to say no presents (again don't want people to think they have to spend money) but I'm not sure they did that. Since we are having party now I have 2 requests

1. we play the toilet paper dress game - looks like some much fun
2. we have a Decorate your own cup cake stand

I 1st saw the Decorate your own cup cake stand on weddingchicks.com and after checking out the entire party at Boutwell Studio I decided I must have it. So simple, you start with the cake, tell people to decorate, provided some decorations, and there you have it fun.


The whole party is put together so well, I can't wait until I have a backyard to do something like this in.

Check out more over at Boutwell Studio

Still more

Yes I still have more ideas for the lolly bar back drop.

Coloured lights, I was shopping with friends a few weeks ago and saw this awesome light display, I automatically thought it would be perfect for the lolly bar.

Its a little out of my price range but I'm sure their would be a way to DIY this using fairy lights I already have. But I don't think this is something I want to attempt 2 1/2 months before the wedding, I have a few other things I'd rather do (Like plan my honeymoon)

And last but certainly not less, tissue paper fans. Cheap, easy, looks really cool this could definatly work. and it would totally work in with the spirograph stuff.

Found via Snippet and Ink from ahanadesign.com

Love it, and they look so good when the light hits them becuase they are slightly translucent.

So my top 3 options are:

material flower garland, my friend was able to get some fabric scraps large enough so as soon as I have time I'm going to give it a go and see if it ill work.

Paper Circle garland

Tissue paper fans think I'll give thes a go if the material garland doesn't work.

More ideas

So I said I still had more idea for the lolly bar backdrop and I wasn't joking. Ideas are

Garlands of coloured circles, either hanging vertically uneven throughout the space or made to look like a big top.

Image from tenthousandonly.blogspot.com

Just imagine it colourful, fun right. i just hope not too fun, don't want it to start looking like a kids party.

Image from tenthousandonly.blogspot.com

Set up like a bit top, cool right and classy, they did this one using material flags but thats a little expensive for us, so we'd we doing coloured circles cut from paper. I think it would look fun and be a good use of the space.

But wait I'm still not done.

When I 1st saw these I wanted to use them for the ceremony, until I decided I didn't want to decorate the ceremony, let the beauty of the place speak for itself. More garlands this time made from with either coffee filters or cup cake cases, I like the idea of using lots of patterned cupcake cases.

Image from tenthousandonly.blogspot.com

Image from tenthousandonly.blogspot.com

Decorations

So I'm almost finished with the vases and I've been thinking about decorating the space behind our lolly bar. haven't decided if I defiantly want to decorate it or not yet, not sure if it will be to much or create a cool feature within the space.

1st the space - on the raised section, so we have quick a bit of space, the area is rather deep - space we aren't likely to need or use.


1st idea is to have multi-coloured ribbons randomly hanging from the roof uneven and deep. I think this might be a bit wasteful, I'd need a huge amount of ribbon to make this look good, and I'm not sure what I'd ever do with that much ribbon ever again.

2nd options - this is my favourite idea, to have a few fabric flowers garlands hanging vertically from the roof on string. Again hanging them from unevenly using the depth in the space.

Images from one of my favourite wedding ever - check out more pictures at oncewed.com

You can buys these on Etsy, personally I'd be making them, Martha Stewart has how too for a few different flower styles that could be mixed and matched. I wouldn't need a huge amount and it would be a really fun project, but material is expensive. A friend had earlier in the process offered to help with material and I had thought if they had off cuts we could use for free to create the flowers - however I'm not sure they will have the kind of colours will need, and the budget isn't going to allow for material.

3rd options - Paper garlands, as seem during the pop up wedding. we love the idea of creating a thick curtain of hanging paper garlands.

Image from Martha Stewart wedding

I'm just a bit worried that if we do something with our colours will be a bit strongh and overwhelming, our colours are so bright and dark in bulk like this it colour look like too much.

4th option - (yes we are still going I have alot of ideas.) This idea is cheap, easy and cool. Using honeycomb tissue paper balls in a few differnt sizes and colours hanging from the ceiling.

Image from Martha Stewart wedding

I like the idea but I'm not sure if it work in that well with the rest of the look might just be to heavy and over the top.

I still have more ideas. Post those later.

Done and Done

Shoes - Done
Jewellery - Done
Band - Done (I think still waiting on the confirmation)
5 vase (out of 20) - Done

Yeah for getting things done. My shoes are exactly what I wanted but what I wanted was double the price and I didn't really want them that much.

The jewellery is great, I had a hard time picking something because I loved too many differnet things, and had too many ideas. In the end I decided I better just get something I liked rather than search for day/weeks for something perfect and never find anything and miss out on what I liked, and now I've bought them I love them and they will be perfect, becuase I'll wear them when I marry C.

I'm loving the vase the process and the results, they will look really good. Hopefully making more tonight and over the weekend.

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

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.

Images from www.wholeblossoms.com

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.

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.

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.

Brunch

Since I still have heaps of stuff I need to organize for the wedding I thought it appropriate to ignore all of that stuff and focus on the brunch. (joking still doing wedding stuff as well). The recovery brunch for me a a time to relax, eat too much food, talk, swim, kick around a foot ball and generally hang out together. I would still like it to look pretty as well, so I've put together an inspiration board of my thoughts so far.

Images sources 1st row: Sorry not sure where I found this been in my I LOVE folder for ages, this is mine and is the brunch venue, thayerphoto.com, snippetandink.blogspot.com
2nd row: stylemepretty.com, twigandthistle.com, frolic, weddingstyleguide.blogspot.com,
3rd row: weddingstyleguide.blogspot.com, stylemepretty.com, snippetandink.blogspot.com, duet-weddings.com, snippetandink.blogspot.com

More on the plans and making this happen soon.

Marthaish

I'm feeling rather Marthaish at the moment. When I say Marthaish I mean crafty. I have a list of things that I really want to DIY - not wedding related, because it shouldn't all be about the wedding.

I am curious to try Homemade cordial. I haven't tried it yet but I'm already thinking of how I can improvise and create my own flavours. I think homemade cordial would be great in cocktails.

You can find the recipe and a label temple at styleguide.com.au

But it doesn't stop at one thing, I'd also really love to give Jam making a go, I don't eat that much jam but I imagine fresh homemade made jam on fresh homemade scones would be heavy in a tasty morsel. And can you image the smell while you are cooking it would smell amazing.

Images found on alovelymorning.blogspot.com she also has links to some recipies

Last but not least (this one is wedding related but not my wedding) is pom pom making. My good friend over at 7yearwedding.blogspot.com is having a pom pom making day on Saturday in preperation for her Engagement party and I will be helping with DIY engagement party magic. I know this probably sounds strange but I'm really excited about it, a fun ladies craft day.

Her inspiration found at 7yearwedding.blogspot.com

Also good news from the people at weddingstyleguide.blogspot.com Martha Stewart Celebrations range is coming to Australia and will be in stores at Spotlight soon.