Mismatched Vases

When it comes to wedding decor, I plan to keep it simple, mixing vintage and recycled items. I really love the look of mismatched vases.

Sources:  1, 2 & 3

Sources: 1, 2, 3 & 4

Over the last year, I have been collecting potential wedding decor from thrift stores, flea market and estate sales. I am gradually building my collection of vases.

I have also been saving interesting bottles which I may dye or paint.

I came across the following how-to articles if you are interested in a DIY bottle coloring project:

Tinting Spray painting Painting 

I plan to try these out and will report back on what worked the best for me.

Sources: 1, 2 & 3

Did you mix match vases or bottles for you wedding? Know any great pointers on dying or painting bottles?

Woodland Engagement by Michelle Johnson Photography

This sweet engagement shoot offers some fun details and some totally personal touches that are totally pinworthy. I love engagement shoots with a few props, but I love engagement shoots that document love just as much. Together, this is the perfect touch of beauty and fun.

Are you adding props into your engagement photos?

Thankful for {family}

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays (I think I say this at every holiday). I love Thanksgiving because it's all about bringing loved ones together to cook and enjoy a wonderful meal and remember what we are all thankful for. No presents. Just family, football, lazy couch time, cooking together, feasting and a long weekend ahead. ahhh I love Thanksgiving! So this week I've been thinking a lot about family and how we can incorporate our past generations into our wedding day, show a little bit of our families' histories, and also honor some people who will be there in spirit. I love the idea of using pictures, because it adds a personal touch and gives guests a chance to see that you have your grandma's nose or your grandpa's gap-tooth. You can't go wrong with pictures.

Source: all images above

Source: Mason Jar Photos

Source: Lockets on Bouquet

Are you doing something special to honor your family?

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Hope you enjoy the holiday with those you love!

Ready, Set, Location!

I concluded in my last post, that we decided to limit the guest limit making the final number 35 people.  So how do we find the right size space to accommodate this quantity?

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We knew that we didn’t want an outdoor event because the uncertainty of the weather would have caused us stress up until the last minute.  The venues that I was familiar with were too large for our small guest list and I didn’t want to have us feel lost in the room.  I wasn’t finding as many smaller venues in our area so I started looking into function rooms within restaurants and didn’t find just the right space.

I broadened my horizons outside of the Raleigh area and still didn’t have as much luck as I had hoped.  I then began focusing in on B&B’s thinking that might be just the right direction to take: ceremony and reception all in one.  And there it was…The King’s Daughters Inn!  It is the perfect blend of 17 guest rooms, a parlor for the ceremony and reception, sun room for cocktail hour, and a dining room for dinner and cake.  We rented the whole Inn and our wedding will be an overnight getaway for our guests!

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Has anyone else had to alter their venue ideas to better suit your guest list headcount?

the meeting of the mom's

I'm a family person, I always have been & always will be; it means everything to me.  It's not the old days where the parents meet at the wedding & exchange pleasantries but nothing more.  I want more than that.  My dream is to one day be one of those couples who have both parents visit for the holidays.  I'm lucky that both of our families raised us this way & that hopefully this dream will come true.  But first, the families need to meet!  I decided mother's first.  And, I couldn't think of a better event for them to meet than to go wedding dress shopping with me!  It gives the perfect backdrop: excitement, smiles, laughs (ok, maybe also some happy tears), and of course champagne!

Source (from top left): Westside Wedding, Bijou Bride, Intimate Weddings, Wedding by Color, Intimate Weddings, Pronovias, What Anna Loves, themette

I had previously fallen in-love with this adorable vintage wedding dress stamp, so I decided to make invitations using it to send to my mom, future mother-in-law, and 3 of my local bridesmaids.

And this gave me the opportunity to try out this DIY faux calligraphy.

Source: Side by Side

 I've recently become obsessed with my embossing gun & this was the perfect time for me to add another project to the list!

 

{Real Brides} Courtney: Romance and Fun

Hi Engaged and Inspired Readers! I am so excited to be here. I've been a long time reader and now that I'm planning my own wedding I knew I needed to share my planning journey with the blogging community.

I'll be here every Tuesday documenting the joys of being an engaged lady and planning a semi-destination wedding. I thought I would share a little bit about myself and my fiancé to get us acquainted..I hope you don't mind.
Bride: Courtney
Groom: Patrick (Pat)
Age: 26
Occupation: Online Community Manager
Wedding Date: June 22, 2013
Venue: Spanish Oaks Ranch
Planner: Bride and Davia Lee Events

About us:
Pat and I are both San Francisco Bay Area natives, growing up in San Jose. We met our freshman year of high school and continued to become close friends as the years went by. We started dating our junior year of high school and have been together ever since.

I'll be the first admit that I am one of those girls that has dreamed about their wedding from a young age. I've joined TheKnot.com when I was 19, saved wedding inspiration images, and started reading wedding blogs WAY before I was engaged. So sue me, it's true. We all have to have a hobby, right? ;)

Currently, Pat and I live in San Francisco and will be planning our wedding Santa Margarita as out-of-towners. We will be getting married and having our reception at the beautiful Spanish Oaks Ranch.

I look forward to being back next week when I share a little bit about why we chose to do a destination wedding  and why Santa Margarita, CA. And of course, in the meantime find me on Pinterest, I'd love to connect!

Gray Bridesmaid Dresses from Asos

Who's ready to hang up those blush pink bridesmaid dresses and go for something a little more bold? This patterned dress is just killing me big time. I absolutely love it, and boy would it look so amazing on a group of gals! Head on over to Asos (my GO TO place for bridesmaids dresses BT-dubs) to pick up this one.

I do realize that all of you might not be ready to go so bold, so these gray bridesmaid options are perfect for a a subdued look.

Gray Bridesmaid Dress, Gray Bridesmaid Dress

Who is planning on having their girls rock gray on your wedding day?

My Favorite Accessory

It was almost one year ago today that I received my favorite accessory.

Derek popped the questions the day before Thanksgiving while we were visiting family in the Bay Area. We met in San Francisco so the city will always hold a special place in our hearts. He proposed overlooking the city after we shared a bottle of wine at the wine bar where we had our first date. It could not have been more perfect!

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I had absolutely no part in picking my ring. Derek did it all himself and spent months looking for the perfect one. And he did! The ring is vintage from the 1920's and has extra significance because some of the accent diamonds were replaced with diamonds from his grandmother's engagement ring.

It's hard to believe that a year has already flown by. Something tells me it will be hard for this Thanksgiving to live up to last years!

Minted Holiday Card Collection

I'm totally in love with Minted's Holiday Card selection. These chic designs are totally perfect for sending to family and friends. I just can't seem to choose my favorites out of all the designs they offer (there are seriously so many good ones!).

My favorite part of the site is the number of wonderful designers they have contributing to this site. These are some of the most refreshing designs on the internet!Oh and you don't have to stop at Holiday cards, they have an incredible selection of invites, kids cards and some beautiful greeting card options.

Check out just a few of the favorites that I have picked out :)

Happy Holiday Card, Be Merry, May Your Days Be Merry, Happy Everything, Family Card

Flights of Fancy {feathers as wedding inspiration}

My fiance, Mark, and I have a long-running joke about me walking down the aisle carrying a live white peacock instead of a bouquet. I'll take the flowers, please and thank you. The last thing I need is a frantic animal in my arms during our wedding. Needless to say, I have a strong and deep love of all things feathered, which I've inherited primarily from my mother, who is about as obsessed as they come. Feathers are popping up all over the place in wedding decor, bridal attire, accessories, even invitations. Here are a few of my favorite iterations:

Surely, I wouldn't look this glamorous carrying a bird.

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Feathers as decorative details...

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Feathers in your hair...

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How will you be incorporating your feathered friends?

P.S. If you've seen my Pinterest, you know I have much, much more feather inspiration, so just wait for shoes and dress posts!