It occurred to me today at the doctor’s office…that when you are engaged…you can easily have a conversation with just about anyone…and at any time.  Of course the subject of discussion is… the WEDDING!!  Why is it that all of a sudden I feel like the lady at the bank that helped us set up our joint account wants to have us over for her next dinner party??  And does the pharmacy tech really care about what flowers I’m going to have on the cake table??

It’s amazing how a shinny rock on one’s finger can suddenly make everyone want to know everything about you and your husband to be…where you went to school…how you met…where you are getting married and when…the list goes on and on.  Suddenly I find myself having 30min conversations about shoes and candles with people I used to just smile at and say ‘hello!’

Then when you go to wrap up the conversation…they end it with “oh you just HAVE to bring in pictures from the BIG DAY  next time you’re in!!!!”

source

Really….you really want to see my wedding album?  What so you think I’m just going to lug that thing around everywhere I go? (ok myabe I will)  …and then what…so I drive through the bank to cash a check and you want me to shove it in that drawer-esq thing to you??  Or the cashier at Target…do you really want me to hold up the line while you go through every page??

I’m guessing most people say this just to make me feel good…so for that 1 min as I walk away I can think to myself, “heck yes…my weding is gonna ROCK…that’s right…you WILL want to see my pictures because it will pretty much be the most awesomest of awesome weddings ever…”

Heck…if someone brought in a wedding album for me to look at everyday at work….I know I wouldn’t complain…would you?

{via Heart of Light}

Rachel of Heart of Light created these corsage pins for her Etsy Shop (aren’t they beautiful!?)

Don’t you think that these would make great escort cards?  This could be the start of a new project for me!

When Deniz emailed me a link to her amazing Etsy shop, reflectionsbyds, I became completely smitten by her amazing handknit and crocheted items.  So naturally, I am thrilled to partner with Deniz to give one lucky EAD reader a gorgeous Secret Garden Mohair Capelet!

To be the lucky bride to win, simply visit the reflectionsbyds shop and comment below with your favorite item!  I will choose one random commenter as the winner on Friday at 12:00pm CT.  Good luck (and happy ogling)!

xo,
E.

Remember when I was pretty convinced I wouldn’t have a cake…and then ordered a cake? Well, I wasn’t planning on having a cake topper, either. I know, the gall of going sans topper to my cake! (Our baker basically thinks I’m crazy for this one, let me tell ya!) As it turns out, there will be a cake topper after all, because I stumbled upon Quitesparkly on Etsy and fell in love with these paper roses she crafts by hand from the pages of old romance novels. Romance novel roses for the book-loving bride and her English teacher groom? It’s absolute perfection at a price that could not be beat. I think they will be absolutely divine stuck in a cluster atop our delicious cake - a little bit vintage, a little bit unexpected, a little bit sensational. Now, everyone cross your fingers that they get here in time from Australia! Are you using a cake topper or another element you found in an unexpected place?

[Paper roses by Quitesparkly]

As my wedding plans were coming along and vendors were getting booked left and right, the one place where I kept hitting a brick wall was the flowers.

Here’s my take on flowers: yes, they’re lovely and yes, they are an important part of the day, but they don’t make or break the wedding. At least for me they don’t.

I’ve long understood the importance of investing in a photographer. That is the person who is solely responsible for recording your wedding day. I understand investing in a venue. That is the place where you will promise to spend the rest of your life with your love. But flowers? Really? I mean, they die the NEXT DAY.

Given my attitude and the way the budget was shaping up, we really weren’t looking to spend a whole lot on flowers. But every florist I talked to wanted lots and lots of money to do our wedding flowers. I heard $2,000 minimums. I even heard $5,000 minimums. All of this was inconceivable to me. You want me to pay that much for something that DIES THE NEXT DAY!?

That said, I do want flowers in my wedding. I like the color and energy and earthy-aliveness they bring with them. And I did have some pretty specific ideas of what I want. I want an interesting, varied looking bouquet with different types of flowers and even some twigs and feathers thrown in. Kind of like the gorgeous bouquet this lovely bride is holding:

{Meghan Aileen via Green Wedding Shoes}

{Read the rest of this entry…}

As do many of us who began our mini-adult lives with nothing to our name but our grandma’s chipped fiestaware and much-loved box-sets of Sex and the City (I even have Seasons 1-3 on VHS, what-what!), I am firm in my belief that its the accessories that make the clothes that then make “the look.”

And once I had “the dress” in my hot little hands, the hunt for wedding day accessories that invoked an elegant, vintage vibe (bonus points if I could wear them again) was on like Donkey Kong!

My very first piece of ornamentation actually found me before I even found my dress!  I had purchased this silk floral and feather headpiece during the “First Dress Debacle,” and I remained absolutely obsessed with it even after realizing that my initial gown choice was not right for me.  For the life of me I cannot remember who designed this piece, but I purchased it at Warren Barron in Dallas.  This piece was so much fun to wear - I loved how it moved and how it made me feel like a “bride” even after the veil came off!

Next up came the shoes… oh the shoes!  I knew I wanted punchy, colorful shoes to add that like pop of fun as I walked and danced.  Initially, I had a lot of trouble finding exactly what I was looking for and actually purchased ivory satin shoes with the idea that I would dye them a deep pink color and maybe add a shoe clip for some pizazz.  Then I found these beauties - absolutely perfect in every way - at J. Crew.  I also ordered raspberry colored platform flip-flops to change into, but these were so comfy that I wore them all night!  And I’ve worn them several times since the wedding - I love these shoes!

{Read the rest of this entry…}

Before I start my post today, I just wanted to tell you sweet readers thank you for your excitement about our house, and we are happy to announce that they have accepted our offer!  We are doing inspections this week, and we close on August 10th!!  It is so surreal and exciting.  I told Vince the thing I’m the most excited about is putting our new KitchenAid Mixer right here on the counter:

So, on to today’s post:

My mom and I were browsing Etsy for ideas (naturally) for bridesmaid gifts and we came across this pattern that we love from seller Keyka Lou:

{Read the rest of this entry…}

On Tuesday evening, M and I went out and got his ring size determined by a couple of jewelers. (Naturally, I forced him into two places to double check the first size was correct - totally normal, right?) I told you we were considering going with Etsy for his wedding band, and after some further consideration, I decided to go for it! I love Etsy, I love supporting independent artisans and the price could not be beat. Really - $45 for a wedding band, no tax nor shipping? Now that is a language I can speak. Fluently.

So we got home that night and I took one last look through the many styles offered by Titanium Knights and ultimately decided on a domed ring with cut grooves on either side. It’s 6mm wide with a combination of a brushed finish in the center and polished bands on the outside. It’s classic but with a bit of detail while still remaining simple. And truthfully, it’s perfect for him.

[Ring by Titanium Knights]

Titanium Knights have super quick turn around times (2 - 3 days production time before shipping) so I should have it in my possession soon and I’ll be sure to let you know what we think of the quality and share additional photos. They have great feedback on Etsy so I’m confident it’s going to be perfect, but in the event it’s not I figure we’ll just upgrade his band for our first anniversary. I’m really super happy with this decision and can’t wait to see his ring! It was a lot of fun to pick it out and it’s one of those little things that makes this whole getting married thing feel a lot more real.

Thanks for all of your feedback before on whether or not to give Etsy a whirl - has anyone else decided to go the handmade route, too?

Congratulations to Carla for winning the Bel Canto Designs bracelet giveaway!

For those of you who fell in love with her amazing jewelry, Mari has offered all EAD readers the lovely gift of free shipping from her Etsy store through June 7th.  Simply convo her “Elizabeth Anne” before ordering and you will receive the free shipping.  Thanks Mari!

Keep an eye out for another amazing contest we’ll be posting tonight!

xo,
E.

WEEKEND!

Phew. Sorry. I get a little excited when it comes to weekends lately. After all, I’m still in class, studying for finals, getting ready to start my internship, planning a wedding, moving, trying to keep my fiance sane as he studies for the board exams…phew! So weekends are always a welcome time for me to catch up on sleep and wedding details.

Unfortunately, it’s been drizzly and rainy here in Southern Cal. All the more reason for me to stay in bed with a nice cup of hot chocolate and peruse some blogs…alas! There is no time, mon petit choux! I realized today that I’ll be flying back to Colorado in exactly 2 weeks! That means it’s panic time here in wedding planning land. Here are a few of the things I’ve done this week:

{Photo from author’s personal collection of semi-blurry photos}

Our bride and groom chair covers are (finally!) complete. They certainly took some work and were a definite labor of love. They consist of a linen background, the flowers I showed you all how to DIY last week, feathers, some leaves cut from scrap fabric, and ribbon to tie them to the chairs with. I think I’ll be reworking the lettering on the “bride” cover to make them look a bit more uniform, but overall I”m fairly happy with them! They fit right into my homespun, kraft-y wedding. And while all these little details may be a lot of work…I just know I won’t be satisfied with myself if I don’t give my wedding it’s own personal thumbprint. Speaking of which, I’m thinking/hoping/wishing/praying that peonies will still be blooming mid-June: please look.

{From author’s collection}

DROOOOOOOL! How is it that peonies can just class it up merely by plopping down in a cup and saying “here I am! Admire me!” They’re sitting here by my bed right now, putting off the most amazing scent ever. Pleasepleaseplease keep blooming, lil’ peonies! 3 more weeks! (More eye candy below!)

{Read the rest of this entry…}

Brides often hear a lot about how important it is to send thank-you cards to guests after the wedding (and it is important!), but sometimes we forget about giving cards to our close friends and family on the day of the wedding.  These cards can be a nice way to say thank you to those who have helped and supported you the most during the wedding planning process, or just write a simple message to tell your loved ones how much you care and value them on such an important day.

Last week, while in New York for the National Stationery Show, E and I stopped by to say hello to our friends over at Tallu-lah - which has a letterpress card line that is just perfect for brides (and grooms!) who want to write out a short note to their family + friends:

{Read the rest of this entry…}

We are so excited to partner with Bel Canto Designs to give away a fabulous vintage-inspired bracelet to one lucky EAD reader!

I love the timeless quality of her pieces and this bracelet could be yours!  For your chance to win, simply visit the Bel Canto Designs shop and leave a comment below letting us know which piece is your favorite.  One random winner will receive the bracelet pictured above, finished to their wrist size.

Contest closes at 12:00 PM CT on Friday May 29th.  Only one entry per person please.

Good luck!
E.