My 'Build the Bar' Bridal Shower

Back in July, I mentioned that my bridal shower was coming up and i was picking out dresses. It was so so wonderful and I thought I'd share with you guys some of the details that made it so special and give some ideas if you're looking to host a shower of your own.

My bridesmaids asked me at the beginning of the summer if I wanted it to have a theme. I do think that its nice to have a bit of a theme to streamline the gift situation so that a smaller group of close women to you don't have to sift through your entire registry. Plus, we were still 8 months out from the wedding so Erik and I didn't really have a good handle on our registry yet. So I was talking to a friend of mine and she mentioned she had recently been to a "Build the Bar" shower and I thought that sounded like a great idea! Long ago Erik and I decided we wanted a nicely designed and well stocked bar in our future home so this was the perfect way to let our friends and family be a part of that tradition.

This week I wanted to just share some of the beautiful images that were captured by our talented friend Rebekah Gough that showcase the details of the day along with some links to the resources that my girls used. Next week I'm going to round up some amazing gift ideas based on what I received if you're looking for something to help someone prettify their home bar. Perfect as we approach the holidays!

Danielle, my Maid of Honor, blogged about the invitations that Minted so generously provided here and here which gives you a pretty good idea of the tone of the party. Perfect colors for me and just that right touch of whimsey.

The girls decided to do small bite and cocktail pairings and they found an awesome book called Tiny Food Party that they used. They made sliders, crab cakes, and teeny tiny churros. So amazing! Danielle found milk bottles at Ikea that matched the invitations perfectly and filled them with flowers from our local farmers market.

They also used this download from Jones Design Company to make labels for 3 bottles of wine: One for the night we get back from our honeymoon, one for our first christmas, and one for our first anniversary. Such a sweet idea - the gift that keeps on giving (well, for the first year, at least!)

Oh, and my darling fiance stopped by the end of the party to bring flowers for the important ladies in his life (me, his mom, my mom). He's a keeper ;)

It was such a joyful day, and it really was nice to be able to capture that summer sun as part of our wedding festivities since everything else will be late winter/early spring.

Thanks to all my bridesmaids, friends, and family to helped make this day so special and to Rebekah Gough for the amazing photos.

Premium Printing {and a Gold, Navy and White Invitation Suite}

First of all, I want to say how ecstatic I am to be back blogging for E&I. I had so much fun doing this when I was planning my own wedding last year. It’s great to be back now as both a married woman and a member of the wedding industry! When it comes to selecting your invitations, searching for designs and inspiration is a lot of fun. There are so many creative people out there who have created GORGEOUS designs in a million different styles.

While choosing your design might be the easy part, figuring out all the logistics and options for printing and production can get a little tricky. I'm here to share with you some different printing options, their pros and cons and everything you need to know before "hitting print" (figuratively speaking, of course). Full disclosure: I'm a designer and, while I do have an education in printing, I am not a printer. I have exposure to many forms of printing but always work closely with the experts and rely on their knowledge on specific projects. 

Today I'm going to start with some high-end printing methods: foil stamping and letterpress (and a fun star and moon suite to show you just what I'm talking about).

Letterpress is a very popular method these days and rightfully so. The deep impressions in the paper are created by real craftspeople and have a timeless look with a lot of texture and personality in each piece. You really can't go wrong with a letterpressed invitation; however there are some limitations.

The biggest limiting factors are actually closely related: the number of ink colors and the price. Your invitation is going through the press one time for each color that is printed. There is one big roller that inks the printing plates (the things that make the actual printing impression). So for each additional color you have in your invitation, the time and labor required to print it increases and therefore the cost is going to go up. Most letterpress designs have 1 to 3 colors (though more is certainly possible if you have the budget for it). The graphics will usually be pretty simple with no shading or small details. So if you have your heart set on a vintage postcard or are using an engagement photo, letterpress isn't the way to go.

Foil stamping is also a popular—and really stunning—option. Foil stamping is one of the best ways to achieve a metallic, shiny finish. It is also a great technique for printing white on to a dark, colored paper. I've used both white and metallic foil on this celestial invitation. Foil stamping also uses a big die to make its impressions, so you’ll have similar limitations as letterpress, such as fairly simple designs and few colors.

While letterpress and foil stamping are total show-stoppers for an invitation suite or other paper goods, they can be quite expensive. For this suite, I combined both printing methods with some lower cost printing techniques and added some DIY embellishments.

I definitely think it is worthwhile to invest in some fabulous printing for your invitation. However, since RSVPs get mailed back to you and details cards often get stuffed in to bags when your guests are traveling to your wedding, letterpressing or foil stamping your invitation and flat printing the other pieces in your suite can be a great option. To get a few extra metallic touches on the flat printed designs, I hand drew them in with a shiny gold pen (gel pens are great, as are liquid gold leaf pens). Other touches to your suite, such as lining the envelopes or using metallic script for the addresses, can make your invitation look really special without breaking the bank.

When it comes to printing, costs can vary significantly. Letterpress and foil stamping make a huge statement and are definitely worth the cost if you can afford it. But remember that there are lots of ways to make a big impact with your invitation suite no matter what your budget is. Check back next week for some budget friendly invitation printing ideas.

Photograher: Lili Durkin | Invitation Design: Bright Room Studio

Swarovski Elements Wedding Directory + Contest

So, we all love Swarovski right? I mean, how could you not? If you are a bride who wants a little bling on your wedding day, you'll be excited to hear that the Swarovski Elements Wedding Directory is now your go to spot to find a lot of bridal designers who use their coveted crystals. This directory is filled to the gills with pretty, seriously, trying to pick which pieces to showcase here was so hard. Just a take a look at some of these designs, of course, go poke around the Wedding Directory for yourself.

Haute Bride

Jennifer Behr

Gülen Yalçin

Want a chance to win something sparkly? Head over to the Swarovski Elements Facebook page, pick what you like, and pin it with hashtag #somethingsparkling ! Today is the last day to enter, so go fast!

Bride Blogger Emily | Nice to meet you!

Hello E&I Readers! My name is Emily, I recently got engaged in June to an awesome guy named Ryan.   He popped the question as we were standing on Lover's Beach in Cabo San Lucas with a gorgeous custom engagement ring from Brilliant Earth, which he designed himself-major props to him!  The best part was my sister captured every moment on camera!  Ryan and I live in Portland, Oregon with our Golden Retriever-Roxy.

The photos above were taken by my sweet sister, she had no idea this was happening!  The photos she took I will cherish forever- she did an amazing job of capturing every moment while crying tears of joy and excitement!  My engagement ring is gold- with a gorgeous hammered effect all around the band.  I cannot wait to design the wedding band with Ryan- that post will come later. :)

I am so excited to share with you my wedding inspirations over the next few months!  I am an avid blog-reader and since becoming engaged have enjoyed finding wedding blogs to obsess over now too.  Our wedding will be bright/colorful, rustic/DIY and budget friendly.  I hope I can help you with ideas on where to cut cost, when to splurge and in the end still have the gorgeous wedding of your dreams!

A few weeks ago Ryan and I finally booked the venue and picked our wedding date!  We had been going back and forth with the idea of a destination wedding in Mexico or staying local in Portland, Oregon.  We met half way and decided on a mini-destination wedding in beautiful Bend, Oregon.  Bend has stolen our hearts, we love taking weekend trips with friends/family and with an average of 300+ sunny days a year, what is not to like!  We picked a venue through the Bend Park and Recreation District called Aspen Hall-located in Shevlin Park.

 

 

Source: Top | Middle Left | Middle Right | Below

We fell in love right away with the venue!  Aspen Hall had everything we wanted with indoor/outdoor space and the gorgeous landscape of Central Oregon.  Another added bonus is it was well within our budget that we set aside for the venue space.

Before signing off I wanted to include a few photos that have caught my eye to shape the vision for our wedding.

Source

I love this table for the reception!  I think ivory, burlap or a light brown tablecloth will fit perfectly into the indoor space at Aspen Hall.  It will compliment the exposed craftsman-style wooden beams and the huge brick fireplace.

Sources: Top | Middle |  Bottom

My ideas around the ceremony altar are crafty, colorful yet simple.  We will get married with the small Lake as the backdrop, so I do not want something that is too overbearing as the nature being backdrop is gorgeous enough.

Source: Above |Below

Thank you for reading and cannot wait till my next post is ready!

Until next time-

Emily

Summer Style Engagement Shoot by Kimberly Macdonald Photography

From the photographer, Kimberly Macdonald Photography: I've been patiently (well thats a lie actually, Ive been very impatiently) waiting to share Valora & Kurtis’s styled engagement session because they’re just THAT darn cute! As a photographer, there’s this sense of overwhelming happiness when you know that the shots you are getting are amazing, and that feeling overwhelmed me for this entire shoot. Their images reflect who they are as a couple: sweet, playful, deeply in love, admiration for another, beautiful as individuals and as a couple, and fun.

Kurtis & Valora are getting married in the fall of this year and I just can not wait to capture their day! Both are extremely photogenic, such calm and happy demeanors, and honestly just a dream to photograph. Can you tell yet how much I adore them?

Photographer:  Kimberly Macdonald Photography //Floral Designer: Bella Vita Event Productions //Makeup Artist: Brittney Lee Artistry //Event Venue: Flying Cloud //Cake Designer:Occasional Cakes //Equipment Rentals:Pineapple Planet Productions

Beach Engagement Shoot by Camarie Photography

This lovely engagement shoot is so fun and romantic all at the same time. The beach lighting and sweet details make for a beautiful engagement session.

From the Photographer, Camarie Photography:  Miyoko and Jason have such a natural love for one another! I enjoyed every second of working with them and am excited to photograph their wedding in May as well. They were referred to me through Rose Wade events at Brookside Equestrian Center, where I will be getting married at as well this Fall!

Fun at the bar

  One of the things we were looking for in a venue - although it wasn't mandatory - was the ability to stock our own bar. And luckily for us, we found a venue that would allow us to do that. Not only will we save a good amount of money by bringing in our own alcohol, but we can customize which types of beverage we want to serve, and we can showcase some local wineries, breweries, and distilleries. Because we're saving on what we're serving, I thought it would be fun to make some bar accessories to make this a really fun part of the party. The bar will be the focal point of the cocktail hour between ceremony and dinner, so I thought it would be fun to infuse people's drinks with the spirit of the event: Bright, Bold, with a little quirk. Here are some of my favorite ideas I've found so far:

Source: Studio DIY

Source: Somewhere Splendid

Source: Scout Blog

These geometric stirrers definitely capture our aesthetic, and they're really cute! I think painting each facade a different color with a stirrer or two for 150 guests might be a bit much, though.

Source: Confetti Pop

Instead, I think I'll buy plain wood faceted beads and we'll casually dip dye them in bright colors like these ones I found on etsy. After I round up the supplies I'll be sure to share how they turn out! Now that the weather is cooling down and we're coming inside from a seattle summer I've got DIYs up my sleeve left and right!

Source: Like Beads 8

 What are your ideas for sprucing up drinks for your guests

Boho Beautiful Engagement Shoot by Amy Cloud Photography

This engagement shoot is so magical, so beautiful. Amy Cloud Photography did such an amazing job capturing these two. And her outfits? I'm loving both the boho look and the sequin backless dress. She looks incredible, am I right?

Sushi Proposal Story by Jaye Kogut Photography

This is such a sweet little proposal story. Jaye Kogut Photography captured it beautifully. These photos definitely portray the raw emotion that is a proposal story. Read on, it is pretty darn cute!

From the photographer, Jaye Kogut Photography: Mark had asked me to document his proposal to his girlfriend, Kelly. He was so excited about doing this that he planned it down to the music the restaurant would play while they dined! Mark took Kelly to their favorite restaurant -a tiny sushi place in the heart of Belmar, New Jersey. The tables were adorned with flowers and the staff knew what Mark had up his sleeve! The wait staff had garnished a separate plate with rose shaped sushi and hearts with the words "Will you marry me?" on it. Mark got down on one knee in front of the entire restaurant and asked Kelly to marry him. Caught by complete surprise and a few tears, she said 'Yes!' No proposal would be complete with out a champagne toast!

Ciao From Italia

Ciao from Italia! As most of you know by now I've been planning a destination wedding (and a little trip for myself) for about a year now. And finally, finally, it has all come together! We are almost half way through our trip right now and heading to the Amalfi Coast. So far we have seen Venice, Florence and Scansano. It has been absolutely amazing. I'll be sharing more of my favorite shops and restaurants when we get back but suffice it to say, you should all go to Italy. Here are a few snapshots from my Instagram. There is so much more where these came from.