Category — rachel

I’m so excited to share these pictures with everyone!  The only good pictures I had were of the back of my dress, on a model, so it’s wonderful to finally share what my dress looks like on me!!

Yesterday was my very first dress fitting for alterations, and my next one will be in about a month. Hopefully that will be it, but I’ve left myself some time in case more needs to be done.  I think I’ll be okay - I’m only having the top taken in and the length shortened slightly.  Other than that, it fit like a glove!

I brought along my orange shoes, my “shapewear”, and a veil a family friend is willing to let me borrow.  After she was finished pinning….. :

And here is a picture of the vintage brooch I bought off of Ebay last week, to pin under the bustline:

Along with a vintage bracelet:

Okay, so I’d like your advice!  What do you think of the veil??  Is it too short?  I think the comb is a little large, but I could deal with that.  I’ll be wearing my hair in a low bun, kind of like the last picture, and will have a fluffy flower piece in from Myra at Twigs & Honey.  Any suggestions or ideas??

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

I am really looking forward to our day after portraits! When we first met with our photographer and were talking about different packages, she brought up and suggested we do day after portraits. I had never really heard of these before, but they are a great way to get some beautiful portraits of the two of you without having to worry about getting your dress dirty, keeping your guests waiting, or anything else you may be thinking of the day of your wedding. You can just relax and have some fun!

*above photos from Jessica Claire

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I love old things. I love the sense of history behind them, their character and charm. When I was first planning my wedding and thinking about what type of “look” or “feel” I was going for, vintage came to mind. I don’t want my wedding to be a costume party, but I do want that classic look that isn’t so rooted in today’s trends that in 10 years I’ll be groaning over my photos! I want something pretty and classic with a nod to both the past and today.

Today, many brides are going for the vintage look in their weddings whether it be tea length dresses, birdcage veils, or other traditional elements. I thought it would be fun to take a look at some true vintage weddings as well as some more modern ones that were vintage-inspired.

One element that is still around today, no matter what type of wedding you’re having, is having the groom look different from his groomsmen, oftentimes by wearing a different colored tie:

*above vintage photos from here

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One of the reasons we chose our venue was because of the giant stone fireplace downstairs in the Great Room. Since we’re not getting married in a church, I thought the fireplace would be really pretty to get married in front of.

*That’s my Mom, who’s 5′6″, standing in front of the fireplace.

The next step in the equation was to figure out how to decorate the fireplace for our wedding, but since we are on a fairly tight budget it couldn’t cost a lot. After searching around online, I found this photo by Melissa Schollaert via Snippet & Ink. I love that the candles give off a warm glow, and the greenery intertwined with it gives some interest. I also liked that the mirror would reflect not only the candlelight, but whatever is going on in front.

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Has this happened to anyone else? My florist went out of business.

Luckily for me, there are three things that make this not so bad.

1) I had only put down $50 to save my date

2) Another local florist is supposedly honoring the contracts and all monies already paid

3) My DOC (who rocks!) is very good friends with her recommended florist

Saturday, I am going to meet with the new florist, the one who my DOC uses, to talk bouquets. I’m wanting to use roses as they are beautiful, always available, and have a million different color options. I love the Leonitas rose, which is a terracotta color, but I may do something more of an orange. The other local florist, who has been around a long time, has kind of irked me a bit… they haven’t returned my phone calls! That’s never a good sign, so I’m assuming I won’t be seeing my $50 again. And if I needed any help deciding not to use them, not returning my phone calls fits the bill!!

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Last week, I used Iris’ (Kate Winslett’s character) charming English country house for inspiration for a wedding. This week, I’m using Amanda’s (Cameron Diaz) very clean lined, modern Mediterranean house for inspiration.

The house they used for exterior shots was built in 1928 in Pasadena by famed architect Wallace Neff as his own residence. Interior sets were built on a soundstage (but are still beautiful!)

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Recently, over at Cote de Texas, Joni profiled the two houses featured in the movie “the Holiday” with Cameron Diaz and Kate Winslett. I LOVE this movie, and partly due to the two beautiful houses they feature. Being in the design field, I believe you can find inspiration from many different areas of your life - your wardrobe, your house or apartment, or even pictures of clothes or rooms you’re drawn to and like. They say a lot about you, and what styles you prefer. So today, I thought I would take a picture of one of the rooms from the movie, and try to use it as inspiration for a wedding!

I decided to use Iris’ charming English cottage:

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I can’t believe it, but Tuesday was the 4 month mark! 4 more months of singledom. 4 more months of my last name as I’ve known it. 4 more months until W-day, the day I’ve been planning and thinking about since last fall. It’s coming quickly! Time to really start locking in my choices and ordering things like the bridesmaid dresses, buying the invitations, and getting on with the DIY!

I thought I’d post what I have so far, in pictures. Because I’ve changed my mind on some things - oh, how I’ve changed my mind!! You’ll remember that I’m an indecisive bride, a phenomenon that was explained perfectly over on A Practical Wedding this week (seriously, this was a *brilliant* post!). BUT!! I can confidently say that now, after thinking through a gazillion different alternatives and options, I really think I’ve found the ones that I’m truly truly happy with. Ones that make me say “Yes! That’s it!”. Finally.

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I know, I know, it’s an overused word - BUT on your wedding day, you want your jewelry to be special. Whether you want it to stand out and make a statement, or be simple and elegant, you don’t have to spend a lot to get a lot of bling for your buck!

These lovelies from David Yurman are gorgeous. But they will set you back $1400.

And these beautiful earrings? $1200.

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Happy Fourth of July! I hope everyone is having a great holiday weekend.

Since this is a holiday, I thought I keep it quick and show you how I’m planning on styling my hair for the wedding. After selecting my dress, and knowing that I’ve always wanted to wear one of those large flowers in my hair (ever since seeing Molly Sims wear one in a Cover Girl ad!), I knew that I wanted my hair pulled back. I wasn’t sure if I wanted it up a little high, or low and loose… at first. I made my mind up quickly, though, after seeing this picture of Michelle Williams from the Oscars a couple years ago:

{Image Source: People}

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