Napkin Surprises

April 15, 2013

I never would have thought that I would be writing a post solely on napkins! In mentally setting the table for our wedding I am having a hard time figuring out how all of these different pieces (napkins, china, linens, flowers) will work together in harmony instead of competing with one another. I am leaning towards renting some mismatched china, so I would like to keep the napkins and linens fairly neutral. But, people are getting so gosh darn creative with their napkins these days it is hard to rein myself in! Check out these adorable DIY ombre dyed napkins.

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Add a touch of lavender.

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Go for a pop of color.

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Or, add even more color with mismatched napkins. I found this esty vendor that will even make them for you in your pattern and color scheme. So cute!

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How did you decide? Did you agonize over this silly detail as much as I have? Did you buy or rent? Love to hear any tips on where to buy napkins!

The Well-Suited Gentleman

April 12, 2013

While wedding dress shopping was quite the undertaking (hi Mom! hi sister! hi future MIL! hi BFF!), my fiance basically tried on one jacket at Nordstrom, and bought a wedding suit in under 30 minutes. Really doesn't seem fair, does it? That won't stop me from spending endless internet time finding him the perfect accessories to match his stunning suit. You're welcome, honey! Here are some of my favorites.

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Braving Rain on Your Wedding Day

April 11, 2013

Spring is the time for beautiful greenery, blooming flowers and the season where a rain plan is a must. Having gone through rain (and hail) during my wedding, I have a few wisdoms to bestow upon you rainy day brides.

I was not willing to accept that rain was going to be an option on my wedding day, therefore I didn't ever prepare for it. Very luckily my mother-in-law brought her umbrella which I grabbed right before heading into the barn. And this is the shot we got right before being announced for dinner.

Accessorize up with a colorful umbrella and maybe even some galoshes. If rain does come, at least you will get some pretty awesome photos out of it.

Amazing right? Almost makes you WANT the rain to come.

Groom Fashion {navy suits}

April 10, 2013

This past week my fiancé sent the suit we picked out to the groomsmen to order. We had been looking for a nice navy suit for a while with no luck. It was not the easiest color to find at rental companies, so we thought if we could find it for under $200 (not too much more than a rental), we would ask the guys to buy them. We were super excited when our friend had the idea of J.Crew's Factory store and the suits were nice and affordable. My post on the full color scheme can be found here.

Now that we have the suits picked out, it's time to think about how to pair it with shirts, ties, and shoes...

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This groom kept it classic and simple, but added some fun with the gingham shirt.

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Here we see some other colors used - purple and grey.

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This guy paired his suit with a white shirt and light blue tie. I like.

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I'm loving the brown shoes on this groom and how he added some personality with the socks! I also love how the bride tied in the deep blue color with her earrings and heels.

I'm not really sure how to coordinate it so that my groom and his guys all go together. I also don't want the guys to have to buy any more items, so I'm thinking we could have them wear white shirts and then get different ties - they could all be similar colors and shapes, but with different patterns. Or we could have everyone wear their own different-patterned or plain blue shirts and do a simple navy tie. Option #3 would be to keep it more simple with white shirts and the same ties. For the shoes, we'll ask them all to wear their own brown leather shoes.

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What do you think? How are your men coordinating?

On another note, we are about to order the proofs for the invitations. I can't wait to see them in-person!

The Trip of a Lifetime: Planning the Honeymoon

April 5, 2013

This week, I've been obsessing over our honeymoon for a couple of reasons. 1) It's still hovering around 30 degrees here in beautiful Ohio, so a summer trip to somewhere warm and beachy sounds incredible right about now.

2) I've discovered the secret to those annoying early Spring/Summer dresses and sandals that pop up everywhere in February--buying for the honeymoon! (Somehow this seems a little more forgivable...don't question the shopping strategy!)

For our honeymoon, we're planning on flying into Paris, and traveling to Lugano, Switzerland, then to Florence and Cinque Terre, Italy. Isn't there just something beyond dreamy about honeymooning in Paris? I hope we can make the timing work (if only I could take a month off of work...). Lugano is the "ancestral village" of my Swiss-Italian fiance, and a stunning resort town, so I'm really looking forward to that, as well. And Florence and Cinque Terre will fill out our trip with equal parts touristy activities, and rustic, remote beach town!

Here are a few images that are so stunning, I may just make them my desktop background at work.

The Bridal Shower {Evolved}

April 4, 2013

I honestly cannot believe how quickly time flies. I feel like I just got engaged and well now it's been over a year since that happened. This month starts all the really fun activities leading up to the wedding. First there's finalizing our menu (with tasting!), my first dress fitting, and my first shower. It's all starting to feel really real and I am anxious to get it all started. When my aunt called to tell me she wanted to host a shower for me, I was giddy with excitement. But then she asked, well what kind of shower do you want? Umm what?! I didn't even know there were different types of showers. Well little did I know..showers have totally evolved and there's so many fun options.

Brunch Shower

Garden Party

Bridal Soiree

Veiling It

April 3, 2013

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My lovely future mother-in-law has offered to make my veil for me. She made her daughter's veil last year and it turned out great, so I trust that I'm in good hands.

Last week I went to Britex Fabrics and got some swatches so I could match them to my dress color. I can't wait to see how it turns out and get everything on!

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I want my veil to be simple and on the longer side. I'm getting married in a potentially-windy location and I've been told longer veils are actually better because they have more weight to them so they won't blow around as much. The one thing I'm concerned about is there being too much volume. My dress is somewhere between an A-line and a ballgown silhouette and I don't want it to be over-the-top. I think the last image, above, is a good example of a fuller skirt with a long veil that looks natural and tasteful.

Should I go Waltz, Floor-length, or Chapel?

Bridal Beauty + Floral Details

April 2, 2013

Did you LOVE yesterday's bridal beauty photoshoot? I thought it was absolutely breathtaking! There were simply too many images for one post, so today I have the second installment for you to swoon over.

Photography: Jennifer Fujikawa Photography Floral, Makeup & Styling: Cammy Lau Dresses: Marisol Aparicio Model: Anne Miles

Colorful Place Setting

April 2, 2013

I've been having a ball playing around with place settings recently. (Did you see my spring-inspired place setting?) Today's setting is a little vintage, a little colorful and one of my faves to date. Thanks to the fabulous Jason & Anna Photography for shooting these gorgeous images.

Don't you love those forks? They are one of my favorite Antique Faire finds. I lugged an entire set around the faire for hours and hour before I finally got them home! I bring them out for fancy parties :)

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Buying Used Dress + Nearly Newlywed Bridal Boutique + $100 Coupon

April 1, 2013

I'm a huge believer in the used wedding dress market. I find it to be a great alternative for brides looking for the perfect dress without shelling out the big bucks. Similarly, it is also a great way to find dresses you might not otherwise find in your local bride shops. I think we can all agree that there is one huge problem with buying used wedding dresses. It is a much too important decision to leave to online purchasing with private parties (and potentially spammers). After dealing with a few spam "buyers" I turned to Nearly Newlywed to sell my own dress. This is why I find Nearly Newlywed to be such a brilliant place to purchase used dresses without all the stress potentially associated with the transaction. Aside from their wonderful shopping experience, brides have the option to sell the dress back to Nearly Newlywed making it a pain free process for you on both ends.

Melissa Sweet | Eze | $1000