Rustic Chic Pennsylvania Wedding by Sanderson Images

Today I'm excited to share a very special wedding with you all. Remember one of very first E&I brides Kate? She was our fabulous Rustic Chic bride planning a Pennsylvania wedding. Well, she has since tied the knot and had her wedding featured on Style Me Pretty!

I loved everything about her fabulous wedding day. So many crafty details, a gorgeous dress and some totally awesome florals. Check out some incredible shots from her wedding day. Big huge congrats to Kate and we wish her all the very best.

See how she planned her wedding and follow her journey here on Engaged & Inspired.

Photography: Sanderson Images / Venue, caterer, and cake artist: Normandy Farm / Florist: Love N Fresh Flowers / Music: Synergetic Sounds  Day of Coordinator: Molly Hartman of Glitter + Rye

Sneak Peek: Number Two

I’m back with a few more words of wisdom, and to share just a few more pictures with all of you.

Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff.  I think everyone tells you this, but it’s so true.  The morning of the wedding the hair salon called me to say the stylist who I’d had my trial with (it was not my regular salon) had come down with the stomach flu!  They said she was ‘trying to get herself together to come in’…to which I said, no way!!  I told them I’d take someone else; no chance was I was going to be sick on my honeymoon.    And it turned out the backup stylist did an even better job than the original stylist did, so I was thrilled.  It could have been a big deal, but I decided not to let it be that way.  And, it all worked out for the best.

I think it’s important to just decide on the wedding morning to make the best out of everything, for the most part it’s too late to change things, so why worry about it?  So my advice is to make a conscious decision to let unexpected things slide.  Don’t let them ruin your day, it’s not worth it.

Be in the Moment.  So many times I have been to weddings where the bride & groom later say it passed by in a blur.  I definitely did not want that, and knew that I would have to make an effort to stay focused in the moment.  I honestly felt calm and relaxed the whole night.  Yes, the night went by fast – but it certainly was not a blur and I think you have to keep reminding yourself to soak it all in.  Don't let the night pass you by too quickly.  Be present in the moment, you'll be glad you did.

All photos by Sanderson Images

It's been a blast blogging here for all of you, I will definitely share more wedding pictures when we get them.  And if you want to keep up with me you can follow me here or here.  :)

Post-Wedding Post: Advice from the Other Side

I’ve been married almost a month now and it still seems so crazy to say “my husband”.   Our wedding day was amazing, even better than I expected.  We had such a great time with our family & friends!  We don’t have all of our wedding pictures yet, but I thought I’d share a few pictures that we do have, and a little wedding advice from the other side :)

 Pick Vendors You Like.  It seems like common sense but I think the most important thing we did was pick vendors that were incredibly talented, but also that we felt we really clicked with.  You’re going to be spending a lot of time with them on the wedding day, and in the planning process, so you want to be really comfortable with them.  I really felt like our vendors became friends and that was such a good feeling.  I can honestly say we loved each and every one of our vendors.  They were fantastic to work with, and they really made our wedding day vision a reality.

 

 Do the “First Look”:  We did a first look, and I’m so happy we did.  We were both nervous, but seeing each other beforehand had such a happy and calming effect.  We both lost the nerves and were able to just enjoy the day.  I know I was worried about being in front of such a large group of people for the ceremony  but I felt totally at ease, not even a little nervous.  Which was surprising since I tend to get a little anxious.  Our ceremony was on the shorter side, so that definitely helped too.  We also got some amazing pictures from the first look.  We did all of our bridal party & family pictures before the ceremony as well, so we got to enjoy the cocktail hour and mingle with our guests.  I know it’s not for everyone, but if you’re considering a first look but aren’t sure then I’m here to tell you, DO IT!  It was one of the best decisions we made.

All Photos by Sanderson Images

 Do you have any questions for me now that I’m old and married?   I’ll be back next week to share a few more pictures and words of wisdom.

The Final Week!

Well, here we are, WEDDING WEEK!    I can’t believe it’s already here - our wedding is this Friday!  It seems like this last year has just flown by.  And, although we’re scrambling around finishing all the last minute details, I think we are in pretty good shape overall.  Our biggest concern is transporting wedding décor to the venue – they don’t have a ton of space to store it for us prior to the wedding.  Luckily the whole wedding party is staying at the hotel the night before – so we may just store things in our rooms.   We spent the weekend emailing back and forth with our vendors to confirm final details/ timing and organizing all of our reception décor.   I feel like we are in good hands – and won’t have to worry about too much on the wedding day.  I can't wait to see my rustic chic meet happy graphic vision come to life, I hope it's everything I hoped it would be - and that nothing I picked will clash!

I’m picking up my wedding dress tomorrow - I can't wait to wear it (I wish it was acceptable to wear it every day! what!)  Then I'm dropping off some items to our venue like escort cards, toasting flutes, cake cutter, and table numbers.   On Thursday I have a hair and nail appointment with a few of my bridesmaids, and then it’s off to the rehearsal, then celebrating at the rehearsal dinner with family & friends.  Friday will be such a whirlwind day, we need to remind ourselves to slow down and take it all in.

Do you have any last minute advice for me?  It’s been a lot of fun blogging here every Tuesday.  I really appreciate all the advice & support I’ve received over the last few months.  It's been great to have this opportunity to talk about the wedding plans here and get your feedback.  If you want to keep up with me then you can follow me here or here.

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  Be on the lookout for our wedding pictures in the coming months.   See you around :)

xoxo

~Kate

Welcome Bags..

I really like the idea of our guests being given a 'welcome bag' when they check in to the hotel.  We have been to a few weddings and we got things like advil, water, snacks, and gum in these cute little bags.  I think that while it might not be absolutely necessary, it's definitely a nice way to welcome our guests who will be spending the night.

I have seen some adorable cloth bags, like these cute bags from the wedding chicks, but I think we have a few too many guests (and are a little too close to the wedding) for these!

We might go with something a little easier though, like these adorable 'hooray!" bags from Handmade Weddings (my DIY bible).  I just love the fun vibe they give off - I think they fit in well with our theme.

    If we wanted to stick with the pattern on our invitations, then these chevron bags would be cute!

This bag is so cute, with a bit of a vintage vibe.  I like the map,  it's such a cute detail.  Clearly I am drawn to anything resembling kraft paper.  :)

Do you appreciate a welcome bag when you check-in?  What are some things you'd suggest filling them with?  I'd love some suggestions or opinions on things you like to receive as a guest!

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Details, Details..

We are now inside of 30 days for the wedding, I can't quite believe it! Most of our details are planned, but that means we're down to the not so fun logistical stuff.  Things like seating charts or deciding how to transport things to the venue.  I would LOVE any seating chart tips you have, this process seems daunting.  How about I tell you what we've done so far, and you give me pointers/tips/advice for making the next 24 days stress-free, deal? Deal! Seating.  So far we are tracking all the RSVPs that come in with a spreadsheet that says what meal each guest has chosen.  This gets tricky with families though, figuring out who is eating what if the kids aren't sitting at the same table as their parents.  I have created a large floorplan with all the tables exactly as they will appear in our venue (thanks Martha Stewart).  Next up is starting to write our guest's names on post-its so that I can 'seat' them on my large floorplan, but also easily move them if I need to make a change.  I'm hoping this makes the process a little more smooth.

Escort Cards.  I created a pegboard seating display with washi tape covered closthespins (with the help of my MOH) that I'm really excited to use.  However I cannot for the life of me figure out how to get two names + the table number onto the template that came with this project.  It was originally shown with one name per card, so maybe that's my issue.  But the whole thing is giving me a headache, so I have asked for help from the etsy seller who did our lovely save the dates and our 'guestbook' mad libs.  So, that's one less thing I have to do!  And it's made me feel way less stressed knowing that all I have to do is send her a pdf of the names/tables, and she'll produce professional looking escort cards.  I just don't trust myself to get this task done on my own, so it's money well-spent.

 Tranporting Venue Decor.  Another thing that is a little concerning is getting all our decor to the venue.  We have 3 doors to use as a backdrop, which are pretty heavy and awkward to transport since we attached stands to the bottom of each door.  Our venue said we could drop them off early, but only if there isn't an event going on in our reception room - and we wouldn't find out until the day before the wedding.  Our day-of coordinator will take care of decor set-up/tear-down, so we just need to carefully pack and get our items to the venue.  We have doors, a typewriter, some vintage soda crates, vintage suitcases, and wire crates.  The escort cards, cake stand, reception signs are things we can drop-off a few days before the wedding.  And I also have an appointment with our florist this week to drop off mason jars, vases, and some milkglass - so that will be a huge help.

Oh, and did I mention we're moving into a new house this weekend?  So I am trying to packing wedding items carefully and keep them all together, especially all the glassware.

Bathroom Baskets.  I think we've all seen the basket of toiletries in the ladies room at wedding.  Hairspray, bobby pins, spray deordorant, etc.  Do you use these at weddings?  I can't decide if it's a nice courtesy, an outdated fab, or somewhere in between.  Is it worthwhile or a waste to buy all these items?

Flip Flops.  I have seen (and used) flips flops or 'dancing shoes' at a wedding or two.  But as a bride I'm not sure I feel they are necessary.  Would you use a pair of flip flops at a wedding, or would you just as soon go barefoot?  Or keep your heels on the whole night?

Thanks for sticking with me as I navigate through the not so pretty details - note the lack of a bathroom basket picture.  I'm getting so excited, but I'll be relieved when we have everything ready to go.  Any last minute advice would be appreciated!

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Dress Rehearsal..

I haven't given a whole lot of thought to my attire for the rehearsal dinner, but now that most of the big things are taken care of, I feel like I can spend some time on finding a dress.  I am not entirely sold on wearing white to the rehearsal dinner, I'm already pretty pale so I'm not sure I want to match my dress!  So I may mix things up and wear a bright color.  I don't want to be too dressy, but it is a good excuse for a cute new dress!  Here are a few I'm considering.

A bright green dress from Modcloth with a fun puffy skirt, and pockets! I'm a sucker for a dress with pockets. This bright blue dress from BCBG looks adorable with the bright belt and sweater.  I just love the color.

I also like the idea of a yellow dress, since yellow is one of our wedding colors.  This one shoulder dress is definitely a contender. Or I could go the more traditional route with a white (well, maybe more like cream) dress.  I love the tie on the back of this dress, so pretty.

This mint dress is pretty, maybe a tad bit low cut though. I originally wanted this white dress from modcloth, but I waited too long and it sold out, bummer.

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What do you think, which one do you like best?  Virtual shopping is a lot of fun, too bad I can't buy them all!  What will you (or did you) wear to your rehearsal dinner?

Honeymoon Shopping..

With our wedding just over a month away I am getting pretty darn excited about our honeymoon!  Two days after our wedding we're going to Antigua, and I can't wait!  Neither of us have ever been to the Caribbean, and since it's finally starting to feel like winter around here  a tropical getaway sounds perfect.   I mean look at this, can you blame me?  I can't wait to be on vacation with my husband (whoa, 'husband'!)!

Now, this brings up a very important wedding task: shopping for honeymoon clothes!   I always like to do a little shopping before any vacation, a few new outfits for the honeymoon are a must in my opinion!

 Swimsuits: I tend to buy a new bathing suit every summer, I can't help it!   J. Crew is definitely a go-to spot for pretty swimsuits. I love their simple, but stylish suits.

 

 I love this next swimsuit, a little reto & fun.

 Hats: I have never been big on straw hats for just any old beach trip - but I feel like they seem just perfect and super chic for honeymoon beachwear!

Dresses:  I am looking forward to our relaxing (and delicious!) dinners, maybe even one on the beach!  Our resort has 11 restaurants, so obviously I'll need a few new summery dresses for these dinners.  I love this striped maxi dress, it seems casual and very beach-appropriate.

I recently read an article here that says packing in a specific color scheme for your honeymoon makes things easy, so you can just mix and match most outfits.  I thought it was a pretty good tip!  I always like blue, so I might try to keep most items in the blue color family.  Although a LBD couldn't hurt, and still matches everything!

And of course a cute cover-up (or two) is always fun.  I like these two a lot.

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Are you doing any honeymoon shopping?  I would love to know where you're going on your honeymoon, and what you're packing!

Wedding Programs: Word for Word or General Outline?

My next to-do is coming up with ideas for our weddding programs.  We put together a ceremony that I love - but I'm not entirely sold on printing it word for word in our programs.  I have seen some adorable wedding programs on various blogs that give you the general outline of the ceremony, but don't spell every word out.  Our ceremony will be short, about 20-25 minutes total, so I don't feel like our guests will feel lost without the words.  But I'd like to hear your opinions!  Is it odd to just do a fun outline of the ceremony?  I feel it's more us, and I could always print up our ceremony & get it framed if I really wanted to.  Here are a few I have seen, so you have an idea of what I mean!  And, if we decided to tweak any wording at the last minute - no one would even know!

 This is my favorite so far.  It seems casual & cute - not to mention funny!

 Specific events will be detailed, so guests won't miss the important information.

Obviously a cute box or basket is important for holding the programs, no matter what they say!

If we had more time I would love to have done something like this - personalized drawings of the wedding party - love it!

Poster-size is always a fun option too, this one is pretty cute.

If we did print the whole ceremony we could still have a sweet & fun message on the cover like this pretty program.

I love the simplicity of this one.

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What do you think?  Will guests feel out of the loop if they can't follow along?  Does a general outline get the job done? I'd love to hear your thoughts!  Also, if you have any last minute advice I'd love to hear it, we're under two months now and I'm frantically checking all our checklists for things we may have missed!

Happy Valentine's Day!  Hope you're all doing something fun to celebrate :)

Cut the Cake...

I have to be honest, the wedding cake has never been high on my priority list.  I think fondant looks cool, but tastes pretty terrible.  And I really don't want ribbons or giant flowers on my cake.  It's just not really my style (or my fiancé's!).  Our venue will bake the cake, which is much easier then having to find our own baker.  We decided on a 6-inch chocolate chip pound cake with vanilla buttercream icing.  So we'll have the mini-cake to cut, and then cupcakes for all of our guests!  I mean, who doesn't love a cupcake? Our little cake will be tiny and adorable, but I still think it needs a little something extra.  Enter the personalized cake stand or cake topper! Maybe even both?   So far I'm having a hard time finding a topper.  I like the one below, it's just a pink heart on a stick - but I think it's pretty cute.  And, I'm pretty sure I could DIY it - which is always a plus.

This heart topper is cute too. I could try to sew this, it looks pretty easy.

As for cake stands, this simple white cake stand is pretty and wouldn't take away from the cake.

We could also go with a personalized cake stand - it really would be a pretty keepsake.

Or just this pretty ruffled stand, I'm loving the yellow!

As for toppers, I like these wooden name toppers a lot.

There's also this sweet je t'aime topper with mint green hearts.

This quirky wooden topper could be fun - we could get it customized to look like us.

I also like these mini bunting flag toppers.

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 Is getting a cake stand silly?  I don't think we need one, but they sure are pretty!  The baker has a print-out of the first picture as our inspiration - so I hope our cake looks just like that.  We are just under two months away from the wedding now, time is flying!  We are finalizing all the minor details - and I'd love to check this one off the list.  Which topper do you like best?  Did you have a cake stand and topper?  Oh, and what song did you play during the cake cutting?  I'd love to hear your opinions/advice!