Real Wedding Inspiration

You know I love weddings with color. Check out this amazing Scottish wedding shot by Lillian and Leanard Wedding Photography. See more here.








I don't know what I love more, her dress or the yellow and fuchsia tissue paper pop poms. Absolutely gorgeous!

More Cake Love

Over the weekend my fabulous friends had a bridal shower and bachelorette party for me. It was great fun. One of the best parts was the cake my friend Steph made.


She was inspired by the Mexican flags from our invitations and I think she did a great job! She also designed, in cahoots with Matt, an NPR inspired Wait, Wait Don't Tell Me bridal shower quiz. Instead it was called Mate, Mate, Don't Tell Me and luckily I won the prize of our dissertation committee member's voice on our home answering machine. This may sound like a lame prize but if you knew us or him it would be hilarious.

Luckily the gals didn't do to much to embarrass me. Although I did sport around a "veil" later in the night.

Cool Find of the Week

Wouldn't this make and unusual and amazing wedding cake?



Imagine a gorgeous all white tiered cake covered in fondant. With detailed piping and maybe even some white sanding sugar to make it sparkle. And once cut the amazing bright colorful center is exposed! I think it would make for amazing photos and cause everyone to be surprised.



You wouldn't have to go all out for the Rainbow theme. Doing just a few of the wedding colors would also be great.



All photos and cake tutorial from the fabulous Hostess with the Mostess

More Wedding Comics

I posted the comics leading up to these here.

From PhD Comics.





This last one is particularly funny because we had just finished writing out vows before we saw this. I wonder if we should include some of this wording...

Blog Award

Thank you Jess from Project: 10K Wedding for this Lova Ya award!




“These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers. Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award.”!

In no particular order, I'm passing this on to:

Krista @ Canadian Bride
Blablover5 @ Introverted Wife
Jeana @ My Dream Ring (thanks for the giveaway!)
Jenny @ Happily Ever After
honey my heart
jessica @ Mason Jar Bride
jemmessica @ Wedding Peephole
Hannah Noel @ That Engaged Girl

DIY Project: Cupcake Stands

Continuing with the DIY projects....

I turned this cupcake stand from Martha Stewart Celebrate products sold at Walmart

photo from here.

into these for our Sprinkles cupcakes:

The stands are really affordable (only $7.88 each). I didn't use the included paper garland as shown in the photo above. I used my favorite edge punches from Martha Stewart (you sense an obsession with her?) to make mini papel picado banners that I used on the invites, and some ribbon in our colors.

A quick review comment: Don't be fooled by the photo. The edges of the cardboard are not white but rather unfinished brown cardboard. It probably was fine but I thought it was unsightly so I painted the edges white to match.

I also made matching signs to point out the different kinds of cupcakes. I was going to pick the top 3 from the blog quiz I posted for our final flavor selections. I know that the quiz is officially on-going but I needed to get this off the list so went ahead with what currently was in the lead (which also was what we wanted anyway). My choice was Chocolate Marshmallow, Matt's choice was Chocolate Peanut Butter, and the blogosphere's choices were Red Velvet, Coconut, and Vanilla Milk Chocolate.

Yummy!

The signs were simple. I used leftover cardstock from the invitations, the Martha Stewart Crafts edge punches, and the Avery sticker labels.

The stands should hold about 4 dozen and we can reuse for the Nebraska Dessert Reception. But what to do about the 5th dozen? The reception venue has some trays we can use and since I am running out of steam this may be what happens. Normally I would care that I have no idea what they look like and freak out that they probably won't match. But I am in a new zen-bride kinda mood and going to let what happens happen.

Anyone else having cupcakes? What flavors?

An Omen?

One of the coolest things from my Bridal Shower in December was to have the guests write a piece of advice for me on a piece of card stock. My sister-in-law came up with this idea instead of a guestbook. She read some of the advice cards - many of which were quite funny. One of my favorites was from a friend of my Mom's. She said when your husband asks how much it costs reply "less than $1,000" and if it costs more than that, say nothing.

My mom took the assignment a little differently and wrote her wishes for me rather than advice. This is what she wrote:

Just notice the P.S. statement. We have talked for years about taking a trip to Italy together. I know that she would love everything about it.

Well the other day I got this in the mail.

I won it on a contest from Weddingbee. Perhaps the universe is telling me something?

Don't worry Mom. I will take you to Italy someday. But first I want to take a honeymoon trip with Matt.

DIY Project: Agave Favors

You may not be asking for wedding advice, but I am going to give it.

DO NOT try to grow your own wedding centerpieces or favors!

Unless of course you have a green thumb - which apparently I do not. I have previously posted about the pots with small agave plants that I am using to decorate the reception tables. Afterward the guests can take home and plant as a favor. I have really enjoyed this project but think I have killed at least half of the plants. There was a horrific storm a few months ago and my lack of attention caused many casualties. Not to fear because I have recently "obtained" some more small agaves with the help of some covert graduate students, long gardening sheers, and a recently bloomed agave plant on the ASU campus (thanks ladies!).

Recently I finished the signs that will go with each pot.


On the back of the sign I adhered a Thank You note and directions on how to care for the plant using the Avery sticker labels. Each sign is made from a colorful Lotteria cards (a popular Mexican bingo-type game) and a Popsicle stick. So even if I kill the rest of the agaves I will have something to display.


Another great thing about the lotteria cards is that our quests can learn Spainish while they enjoy a Mexican dinner!

Want an Inspiration Board?

Well your in luck because a small town bride is giving a custom board away to celebrate her 100th post! Enter here before Friday. Be sure to check out her blog as well, she has some really great ideas (not to mention some fabulous wedding shoes that I wish fit me!)

Blog Changes

I have been doing some blog changes. I updated my favorite blog lists and finally got around to posting a blog banner inspired by our wedding theme. If you have my blog listed on your page and I don't have yours listed here, let me know - at the very least I want to redo the shout out.

I also added a new quiz. Let me know what you think about dancing at a wedding reception. We are not huge fans of dancing so weren't going to have it formally organized. We want to just let it happen organically if people feel the mood to boogie. We get some weird raised eyebrows when we say this. So I thought I would throw it out to the blogosphere to get some feedback.

Hope everyone had a Happy Valentines!

Happy Valentine's Day!

I don't know if it is because it is Valentine's Day or if I am just so in love, but I am obsessed with having all heart shaped desserts at our reception in Nebraska. Here are just a few of my latest inspirations:

All heart shaped maybe just a little overkill. Maybe I will settle for these Conversation Heart Cookies.

all photos from Martha Stewart

Happy Valentine's Day!

Dress Fitting Success!

I had my second fitting this afternoon with my dress but it was the first time I had it on. Make sense? Probably not. If you have been following along, I got my dress a little over a month ago in the mail but was unable to fully put it on because the zipper was broken. To make a long story short there was a forgivable zipper mix up at the factory. All is taken care of and my local seamstress is amazing.

When I went to the seamstress the zipper was replaced and I was able to wear it properly for the first time and have fallen in love with it all over again. I am so relieved!!! and excited to wear it. There are still a few necessary alterations before it is finished. Amazingly it needs to be taken in (yeah Wii Fit Yoga). Unfortunately I didn't get any non-blurry shots of me in the dress but since people have been asking here is a little teaser of it hanging in the dressing room.

I want to take it home so that I can stare at it. But unfortunately I will have to wait a few more weeks. Is that creepy? Anyone else weirdly obsessed with their dress?

Invitations Are Out!

We finally got the invitations in the mail!! But after some delays because of a few days of constant rain (yes, it does rain in the desert) and not wanting to risk get the invitations soaked. For those of you we see on a regular basis - don't worry - we will hand deliver as soon as we see you.

Here is a shoot of the different labels we made using Martha Stewart's craft punches and the amazing Avery labels I talked about in an earlier post.

My favorite is the Doily Lace punch bought from Walmart (pictured on the bottom). Michael's Craft Stores also has the punches from Martha Stewart and the store seems to get new ones everyday. I wish we would have gotten this Valentine Lace punch before we did the labels.

The best thing about being available at Michael's is their 40% off coupons. I have one in my purse and maybe this weekend I will have to get this punch. Or this Mini-heart punch.

Tough decision.

Signature Drink

I read somewhere that a good signature drink incorporates something from the couple's past with the "theme" of their wedding. Following that tradition we are incorporating

prickly pear syrup (from the ubiquitous prickly pear cacti in Arizona where we met and live)
+ Tequila (from our Mexican Fiesta theme and engagement site of Mexico)
= a Prickly Pear Margarita

photo from Martha Stewart

Unfortunately our reception site doesn't allow for frozen margarita machines but I have sampled many a prickly pear margarita on the rocks and it is just as good.

I am sure everyone is familiar with a margarita. A prickly pear margarita is the same but with the addition of prickly pear fruit juice or syrup (added sweetners). Prickly pear cacti found throughout the Southwest produce the most wonderful bright pink or fuchsia fruit in the spring after flowering. Added bonus of matching our wedding colors!

photos from Wikipedia

In the markets of Mexico and some grocery stores in the US you can find the fruit for sale. I tried to extract the juice from a fruit once and only got about 2 Tbls. Definately not a DIY project to make sufficient quantities of juice. We went to the pros and ordered a gallon of prickly pear syrup to combine with margarita mix for the reception. The recipie is simple - just add 2 oz. of syrup for every 8 oz. of margarita mix. Add lime wedge and enjoy!

photo mine

But what do we call it on the bar menu? Just 'Prickly Pear Margarita'? It seems that good signature drinks also have clever names.

Any ideas?

Real Wedding Inspiration

I just love this wedding! I saw it recently featured on Wedding Bee Pro by Megan @ Princess Lasertron. Be sure to check out her Etsy shop, Princess Lasertron. She makes amazing custom bouquets and boutiners out of felt and vintage buttons. If we didn't already have this taken care of, I would totally think about getting these custom made in our colors.

All photos from Austin and Cassandra Huck.

Isn't her dress cute? Not to mention her shoes! I am pretty sure it is the "Pasadena" from Dolly Couture. The same designer as my short vintage inspired dress.

And how fabulous would a reception in a bowling alley be? I sort of wish we would have checked out bowling alleys and skating rinks as reception options.

Anyone having a reception in a quirky location like this couple?

Just Married Signs and Getaway Cars

Did anyone else see this post featureing Just Married Signs from Ritzy Bee today? It gave me some inspiration on how to use our Just Married Sign.

I just love this one:
Aw... now I want to rent a cute convertible.

This brings me to a wedding etiquette question. Who decorates the bride and grooms car? I am not sure this is something we necessarily want but I am not sure of tradition here. It is probably something that the wedding party does. Hmmm, but we aren't having attendants.

Anyway, I just love these ideas from Martha Stewart Weddings.

Cool Find of the Week

All grad student geeks like me are probably familiar with PhD comics. PhD Comics reminds grad students of their "life (or lack thier of) in Academia." The last couple of weeks have featured an ongoing storyline of grad student wedding. These comics hit close to home so I thought I would share.

Click to enlarge comics.

Original here.

Yep, academic departments are pretty incestuous. Matt and I are both in an archaeology graduate program. For awhile we shared an office but now we are just 63 steps away (yes, I have counted). It is nice to walk to work and have lunch with my guy.

Original here.

So we didn't get that technical with our budget, but I do have all of our wedding budget and to-do lists in a relational database. And yes we can relate to a ramen budget.

Original here.

Yup, did anyone read my rants about social and environmentally conscious wedding decisions.

Original here.

Yeah, sometimes I feel like this is pretty much the case. We both are trying to write our dissertations as well as plan a wedding. Normal life doesn't stop.

Anyone seen other fun wedding comics?

Best Wedding Product Ever

Okay, so it really isn't intending for weddings and I am sure there are tons of other "best wedding products" out there. But for a DIY bride like me you can't live with out these:

They are 8 1/2 x 11" stickers that you can feed through your laser printer. I think that Avery also makes some for Ink Jet printers as well. It is only about $13 for a pack of 25 sheets and are avaiable at Office Max and Staples. They are intended for shipping labels but can work for som many other things. Maybe they are not as cool as having a Xyron Sticker Maker but I feel they work just a good, if not better, and more economical. The sticker is very thick and easy to work with.

I have been printing labels galore and cutting them down to whatever size and shape I need. I have used several craft punches like pictured below to keep consistent with our papel picado banner theme. These are way easier to use than printing something out on paper and then gluing/taping to another piece of paper. It is also much more secure. For some earlier projects I did without the stickers, I had problems with the corners sticking down, etc.

From Martha Stewart Crafts at Walmart.

I originally got the labels to make our invitation address labels to go on our black envelopes. They worked like a charm. Matt did all of the printing, punching, and adhereing to the envelopes.

I have found many more uses for them and they will pop up in a couple of more DIY projects I will feature over the next few weeks.

I have found that searching the aisles of office supply stores has provided me with several shortcuts for my wedding decor. Craft stores are great of course, but the office supply stores also have products you can make work for your DIY projects. Sometimes you just have to think outside the box.

Anyone found their own "best wedding product ever' and want to share?

DIY Project: Thank You Sign

Inspired by these:

From here.

From here.

From here.

From here.

I decided to make this:

In keeping with our papel picado banner decor I made a little flag for each letter. It was a really easy project. I printed out the letters using the same font as our STDs and Invitations. I worked out the number of banners so that the back side could say this:

I am not sure if I will print Thank You's with the sign picture but wanted to have a couple just in case. I plan on using pics with the Just Married sign in a wedding announcement card to other family and friends who can not make our celebrations. Hopefully our pics will be super cute!