be our guest

the idea of making a diy guestbook is something that i'm really excited about making. of course it'd be great if i could actually make and bind a book, but that's just not realistic.

one wonderful resource is blurb.com! they allow you to incorporate any/all personal touches into a well-made, finished book for your guests to sign. i've seen so many brides are using this option for their guestbook. jesse and deanna [whose wedding i've posted about before!] used blurb to include many of their ticket stubs, pictures, and items that reminded them of the years leading up to their wedding. it looks awesome!



[images via jesse and deanna's blog]

another fun option is from guestbookstore.com! they have fun template pages that your guests can fill out and it allows the guests to show their creative sides and offer advice to the couple.


[images via guestbookstore.com]

plus, i couldn't picture anything cuter for the guests to use to fill out the pages with these rustic colored pencils!

[image via estiloweddings.com]

seems like a mixture of the two would be the most fun, but we'll see!

what resources are you using for a guestbook at your wedding? i'd love to know about other options!

strung along

when we chose the farmhouse as our venue, the idea of having our pictures hang from a twine clothesline was a must! there is nothing sweeter than having your guests be able to see some of the pictures that capture the memories that lead up to the wedding day! below are some of my favorite renditions! the best parts about the clothesline trend is that it helps spark conversation amoung the guests, it is very cute, and best of all - it is very cheap and easy!

[image via theknot.com]


[image via http://www.elizabethmessina.com/]


[if someone could please send me the link for this picture to give appropriate credit that would be amazing!]


[image via apracticalwedding.com]


[image via coralee penner via theknot.com]

p.s. wouldn't it be so cute to have all of the pictures printed through poladroid.net to have them look like polaroids?

[image via theknot.com]

sunday brunch

although i've always wanted an outdoor, night wedding with the string lights making the event glow, the thought of a sunday brunch wedding keeps looking better and better. for one, the vendor prices are more wallet-friendly and it just makes everything look more cheerful!

j and i aren't doing placecards or assigned seating, but if we were, this would be so cute for a sunday brunch wedding!

[image and idea from marthastewartweddings.com]

the below inspiration board from snippetandink is amazing! it is everything lovely and the outdoor picnic/ brunch setting is timeless. hmm...maybe it would be best to go this route...


did you find any inspiration during your wedding planning process that made you reconsider some things you'd always thought would be in your wedding?

"good plans shape good decisions. that's why good planning helps to make elusive dreams come true" - anonymous

first

so as of yesterday at 3:00 pm EST, jason and i officially became homeowners!!! this is our new house!

for this past week i have been so busy trying to make sure everything was in order to close on time for our house and i couldn't feel happier. j and i have worked so hard and now we will have a home to call our own. we can't wait to paint, garden, sew curtains, and just give our new house [gosh that feels so weird to say!] some personal touches. we know it's going to take some work, but we're ready! i will definitely share pictures of the rest of the house soon and keep you guys posted on the design and upgrades! if you have any advice or suggestions, please send them our way!

although we've got some work to do, i really need to kick it into wedding planning mode. i know i keep saying this, but i'm really trying to get myself motivated. jason and i worked on the design for the save-the-dates today and i can't wait to get them done so that i can share! i hope you guys will like it!

i think my biggest hiccup is the catering. we have the venue and if only the catering was decided on, i think i'd feel more at ease about the planning. the first catering proposal we got has EVERYTHING included but it also includes the hefty price tag (even considering the vegetarian menu). although i couldn't bear to pay the proposed amount, it sure would be easy to have the catering company handle all rentals and everything in between. i know i kept telling my dad that i could handle it all, but somedays i feel like having some intervention could really lessen the stress.

with a guestlist of 150, what would you suggest as the cheapest catering option? jason keeps suggesting that we ask family to help with cooking for the wedding, but i don't want to instill the stress or responsibility of feeding 150 people on our family.

hmm...maybe pizza could work? it looks awesome at the wedding below and the guests don't seem to have a problem with it! any thoughts?

in the meantime, enjoy this amazing portland wedding!



[all wedding images via evrim gallery]

"we shall not cease from exploration and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started...and know the place for the first time" - t.s. eliot

folk songs

jason and i listen to folk music probably 99% of the time. well that may not be entirely true, but pretty dang close. for the feel of our wedding, folk music is just simply inevitably going to be played a good bit. even though we haven't fully decided on a band versus a dj, i was so excited when i found a wedding song list from the folk alley blog i was so happy! below are some of my favorite songs from the huuuge list that will surely be played at our wedding! some will be best for the cocktail hour and obviously not the dancing reception, but they will be enjoyed nonetheless!

1. in my life - the beatles
2. if i needed you - townes van zandt
3. wedding song - bob dylan
4. song for the asking - paul simon
5. i want you - tom waits
6. give yourself to love - kate wolf

a few songs that aren't on the list that i loooove are:
1. dedicated to the one i love - the mama and papas
2. i will - the beatles
3. crazy love - bob dylan and van morrison
4. and i love her - the beatles
5. into mystic - van morrison

by the way, in case you didn't notice, i love the beatles.

i can't wait to share with you the music that we have picked out for our first dance, the ceremony, etc., but i'm not ready to share just yet. although i can promise you that it's going to be good!

[image via music stack]

yes please!

jason would whisk me away for a beach destination in a heartbeat. the concept behind the destination wedding is ideal, but sadly i never felt that a destination wedding would be the right fit for me. i have a huge extended family [most who have never traveled via plane] and it just wouldn't feel right without everyone there to celebratewith us on one of the happiest days of our lives. jason's family is also very large and his grandparents would have a hard time traveling to the wedding. the farmhouse is actually somewhat of a compromise since it's about 1.5 hours from atlanta and we'll stay on site. that kind of counts as a destination, right?

with that being said, this next wedding makes me want to grab a sundress, some sandals, and just promise everyone a large party upon our return! just kidding...kind of!





[all images via kvetch.indiebride.com]

after drooling over these pictures, one word immediately comes to mind: honeymoon!

centerpieces

when i first started planning my wedding, i kept envisioning mason jars with wild flowers on every table. mason jars and farm weddings go hand-in-hand, right? my tastes have changed slightly, but only in the sense that now i want mason jars and various glass jars. i have started collecting a random assortment of glass bottles from thrift stores and flea markets despite j's dissatisfaction with having them all over the apartment. i keep assuring him that after the wedding, i will make sure to donate them or give them away to help him sleep better.

we haven't fully decided on the flowers, but i'm leaning towards ranunculus, dahlias, calla lillies, wax flowers, and craspedia. regardless of the flowers, we are looking for timeless simplicity with a personal touch.

speaking of personal touches, i am sure you have all seen jesse and deanna's fabulous diy wedding, but their wedding turned out so beautiful and they are the cutest couple! and the invitations, favors, and birds are awesome.















[all images via jessedeanna.blogspot.com]

happy birthday little buddy

[card via someecards.com]

just kidding! however the past week was very long and heart-wrenching. i won't go too much into it since it's now a new week and time for smiles and joy [at least i'm going to try my best to make it that way]. and i feel so grateful to be able to say that last tuesday's inauguration was probably the best and most inspiring event that really helped me to stay positive and serene. sadly some family sorrows occured and everything has been turned upside down; however, i have always been a huge believer in perfect balance and i know that everything will work itself out for the better in the end.

also, i've been keeping a very large secret. j and i have been house hunting and we found a house! we have been negoiating with the family that owns the house and hopefully we'll be able to all agree on a price soon. with all of the counteroffers last week, i felt very devastated (i know, i have broken the cardinal rule and fallen for the house - so shoot me), but j and i have worked out every number in our budget and may get some monetary wedding gifts early so we're keeping our fingers crossed that it all works out. regardless of what happens, i am finally at peace with whatever the outcome is.

anyways, moral of the story is that there have been many things that have sadly pushed the thoughts of wedding planning to the back of my head for the past week; however, we did meet with 2 different catering options yesterday which has helped spark motivation to get back on track! the two different companies we met with could not be at complete opposite ends of the spectrum! the first company sat down with us for 2 hours and talked about everything involved in the wedding which was great, but i can tell the price tag is going to be huge. the second company was so laid back and other than the food, they are not involved in anything else. i will say that their prices seemed pretty high considering how laid back they were. now if we could only find a cater with medium involvement and a lower price. you would think having all vegetarian options would help cut costs, but apparently not...

...when meeting with caters or planning your wedding, what resources did you use to cut back on catering costs? any suggestions would be wonderfully appreciated!

and before i go, and most importantly, today is my niece [and future flower girl] natalie's 4th birthday! happy birthday sweet baby!

let the games begin!

i am so excited for our weekend wedding celebration. there will be more time for each other, catching up with family and friends, and fun!

j and i have always thought that the main focus of our wedding would be that our guests have a great rockin time. during the cocktail hour and reception, we're going to have tons of games set up for everyone to play!

some essentials:
croquet!

ladder ball/ bollo or whatever you call it!

[image via lightstamp's flickr]

badminton!

cornhole!

[all other images via saladito's flickr]

by the way, if you've never checked out zach and leann's wedding on saladito's flickr account you are really missing out! this wedding has been super inspirational for me and has such a wonderful, peaceful, and blissful feel.







see what i mean? enjoy!

resources

when i told my dad that i didn't want [moreso need] a wedding planner he was shocked. dialogue went as follows:

dad: you need a wedding planner.
me: no dad, i'll be fine.
dad: there's no way you can do it all yourself. it's just too much.
me: dad, i promise that it'll all be great. trust me, there are so many helpful resources to help me out there.
dad: ok, if you say so, but it's too much for me to even think about.
me: take a deeep breath dad.

ok so maybe that's not verbatim, but it's pretty dang close. and of course when i say resources i mean: family, friends, and the lovely internet.

oh family. they love you unconditionally and therefore get majorally sucked in to helping with the wedding. haha. just kidding! since my extended family is made up of all ladies there are definitely very many brains and hands to help! decorations, flowers, invitations, cakes (see "variety" post), etc.

friends. i have so many great friends who have offered to help me on anything at all. you better believe i will take them up on it as soon as i get there. i know i need to delegate, but most days i need help with just the delegation part, let alone the actual ideas! go figure...

the internet. the trusty companion for inspiration and how to's. whether it's a major wedding site (i.e., martha, the knot, etc.), a blog, or just flickr - there is a plethora of information at your fingertips! i recently found the wedding style download site and it is awesome! let me show you (that is if you haven't already discovered this internet wedding gem already):




you may be wondering what these pictures have to do with diy, but if you go to the link you'll get loads of free downloadable templates for drink labels, bridal party games, game signs, recipe cards, invitations, etc. i think there's something available for everyone's wedding here (whether it's the wedding, rehearsal, or a shower). hope you enjoy! and in case you're wondering - issue 7's "little bit country" is my favorite. shocked?

[all images via wedding style ]