The Four Somethings

My mom emailed me last week asking me if I had figured out what I was doing for my "something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue." Truthfully, I hadn't thought about this since my very initial stages of planning over a year ago when I bought a blue handkerchief while Kyle and I were in New Zealand. Out of curiosity I looked this up to see where it originated, and what it really means. And, thanks to Wikipedia, I learned a new thing or four!

"Something old" symbolizes continuity with the bride's family and the past.

"Something new" means optimism and hope for the bride's new life ahead.

"Something borrowed" reminds the bride that she can depend on her friends and family.

"Something blue" refers to a long tradition of blue at weddings, going all the way back to ancient Roman times when brides wore blue to symbolize love, modesty, and fidelity.

I have my "something new," which is pretty much everything I'm wearing. I have my "something blue," which is that little handkerchief which I'll keep for my happy tears. But here's some traditional ideas, and some new inspiration for all of the four somethings!

Something Old

  Bubbly Bride; Top Knots, photo by Carrie Patterson; BHLDN gloves

Something New

  Jenny Packham, Johanna Johnson, BHLDN

Something Borrowed

  One Wed, photo by Thousand Word Photography; Style Me Pretty, photo by Hannah Persson ;Style Me Pretty, photo by Tohnya Kae Photography

Something Blue

  Style Me Pretty, photo by Andi Hatch; BHLDN; Style Me Pretty, photo by Sequins and Candy

Did you do the four somethings at your wedding, or are you planning on doing them for your wedding day? I'd love to hear what you used, and what meaning those items held for you! I am searching for ideas and inspiration.

Oh, The Places You'll Go!

This past weekend marked our negative one year wedding anniversary! So far our engagement has flown by and I have a feeling that the next year will fly by even faster. With 362 days and counting until our wedding, it is definitely time to nail down a destination for our bachelor/bachelorette party. Having friends spread out across the country, we decided that a joint bachelor/bachelorette party would be a great way for everyone to meet before the wedding. Attending our friends’ combined bachelor/bachelorette celebration in Mexico a few weeks ago (with fellow bride blogger Rachel!) has only solidified this further. Austin is at the top of our list so far.

Sources: 1, 2, 3, & 4

I hear Austin has an amazing nightlife, music and food scene. Plus, it's central location will hopefully make it easy for everyone to get there.

Sources: 1, 2, & 3

Another front runner is Palm Springs.

Sources: 1, 2, 3, & 4

Pretty hard to beat a weekend lounging by the pool with your favorite people in the world.

Sources: 1, 2, 3 & 4

Of course we have tossed around the idea of Las Vegas as well.

Are you planning or have you been to a joint bachelor/bachelorette celebration? Any cool (easily accessible) destinations I should also look into?

Clutchspiration

Today is exactly 50 days from my wedding day. 50 DAYS. I think I'm in shock. Just 50 days ago it felt like we had a million years to get all of my little projects and concepts completed. Now every single day is just slipping through my fingers. Thankfully this past weekend we got away for a couple of days to celebrate our 6th anniversary. We ran away in the Triumph to Healdsburg for some sunning, wine tasting, and a mind-blowing vegan dinner at Cyrus. It was a bit weird to think that this was our last anniversary as boyfriend and girlfriend, fiancé and fiancée. So now what happens... do we start back over at one again?

Anyways, among all the impending decisions I need to make, one of the fun ones is picking a purse!

BHLDN

A vintage clutch would be lovely. Or a modern art deco inspired clutch would make me just as happy. So let's fantasize for just a minute about the absurdly expensive ones.

top: Judith Leiber clutch, bottom: Bijou Tresor clutch

Okay, now that I've drooled on the keyboard, let's look at the more affordable ones.

top: Anthropologie, middle: Monsoon Accessorize, bottom left: Monsoon Accessorize, bottom right: Monsoon Accessorize

I'm really loving the idea of using a clutch as my something blue. What do you think?

Do you have any great tips for where to find a cute vintage inspired clutch? Which one is your favorite? Do you even need a clutch on your wedding day?

Choosing a Hairdo for "I do"

One of the biggest things I worry about for the big day is my hair. Folks I'm gonna be real honest with you here, my hair kinda sucks.The color? Great!So blessed! But styling is a no-go the majority of the time. I actually wear my hair down most of the time and it's just straight with a mind of it's own. Hairspray only seems to anger it and it laughs at my pathetic attempts to curl it. It gets a great frizz when on the beach and even takes what would be a nice wave for some people to the "did she put her finger in a light socket?" level. So what's a girl to do? If you're answering scour the web for options and including a "please let me hair not suck that day" in my nightly prayer, you would be correct (and a tad overdramatic...). So here's what I'm loving...

Down with curls and a hairpiece. I'm initially drawn to this option since down is sort of my signature. But with uncooperative hair and lots of dancing, I doubt this will be a realistic option. But look at these options! How can you resist?

Source: Green Wedding Shoes, Martha Stewart Weddings

Braids! There is something so romantic and sweet about braids. I  love that you can do something sleek and sophisticated or messy and beautiful.

Source: Delightfully Tacky, Style Me Pretty, Hair and Make-up By Steph

Half up seems like a great compromise to having my hair down, but I still worry about what the ends would look like at the end of the night.

Source: Martha Stewart Weddings, ImgFave

Up, up and away! These are something beautiful to look at  and and with a great hairstylist should look great the whole night.

Source: Style Me Pretty, MODWedding

I'm in the processing of getting the info for a potential hairstylist and I have lot's of time to decided what I want, but it's one of the big unknown's right now. (Which I hate unknowns!)

Which is your favorite?  Any advice you could offer me?

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Over a Year Till I Do & Halfway Dressed

Okay, so, I’m going to admit it:  I have never been one of those girls who has dreamed about her wedding day since she was a little girl. When I got engaged last November, the questions started piling up fast. “Where will you get married?”, “What do you want your dress to look like?”, “What is your vision for your wedding?”.  Almost 9 months later (yes, I realize 9 months is an entire engagement period for some couples), I still can’t completely answer any of these questions, but I certainly have a better idea of what I want and how to best make it happen. I never thought that I would care as much as I do about my wedding dress.  I started my search by aimlessly and casually browsing through Bridal magazines mentally tearing apart everything I saw.  Searching for wedding dresses on Pinterest only confused me further, because the styles and silhouettes I was gravitating towards were all so different.

Source: Dove Sparrow Photography, Watters Brides, Samuelle Couture, Jenny Packham, Lindee Daniel, Melissa Blackburn

After looking at three bridal shops (Panche Bridal in Santa Barbara, Lovely Bride in Los Angeles (my favorite shop!), and Camarillo Bridal in Camarillo), I discovered that I have expensive taste. At each shop, the dresses that I liked most were on the higher-end of my dress budget, and I was not completely in love with any of them.

The search continued while I was visiting some friends in San Francisco a month ago and decided to try my luck at Glamour Closet, a discount bridal shop that sells sample wedding dresses at up to 75% off retail. I was in luck! I walked away with a Monique Lhuillier lace corset (very similar to the photo below) at a price too good to pass up and a new vision for my "wedding dress."

I had never thought about looking at two-piece dresses. I had wrongly mentally labeled them as 90's prom dresses gone wrong. But, once I started trying on two-piece dresses, I began to see how this concept would give me more flexibility, more creative control, and maybe even keep me within my dress budget.

Source

And so, my search for a perfect bottom continues. I am leaning towards designing my own (maybe even two: a long skirt for the ceremony and short skirt for the reception) with the help of a local tailor. The following are my inspirations so far.

Source: Sarah Seven, Bonzie on Etsy, Carol Hannah

Have you thought about or gone the two-piece dress route?  Do you have pointers for designing your own dress? Am I crazy??

Watercolor Wonderment

Tomorrow will be the 3 month mark for our wedding day. EEK!! Time to start thinking about our invitations. We want to somehow relate them to our fly-by-the-seat-of-our-pants Save the Dates, except without all the pirates... I'm really in love with the idea of incorporating watercolor, because that brings in a little of the water element of the Save the Dates, and, well, it's just darn pretty. Watercolor stationary is popping up more and more, and I just think it's so romantic.

love & lobster

Plus the watercoloring adds that handmade element that we loved (and loathed) about our Save the Dates.

source: jtru designs; invites by wedding paper divas (left and right)

Here's even a cute little DIY for that beautiful white font look I love!

Check out the step-by-step for these gorgeous "Will You Be My Bridesmaid?" cards over at Glamour & Grace. Just stunning! I wish I had been that creative for my girls.

What do you think of the new watercolor trend? Yay or nay?

Take A {Bridal} Shower

This Saturday was my bridal shower! I love this wedding tradition--getting to spend time with your favorite women, drinking cocktails, eating good food and having wonderful conversation. Ok, I guess being the guest of honor don't hurt either. ;) My bridesmaids did an amazing job putting the shower together. Tissue paper poofs decorated the trees and pottered herbs served as centerpieces. We drank bellinis while playing games and opening gifts. Isn't it pretty!?

Chances are, you're not only a bride but a guest, or even host, at lots of showers as well. In fact, I went to a shower of a family friend on Sunday, so it was a shower filled weekend. At each and every event, I'm taking notes for good ideas, cute decorations or clever gifts. Here are some of my favorite ideas and tips.

I think a shower should feel special. It doesn't have to be over the top, but a few decorations and games really make the event feel important. And when it comes to decor, I say go girlie! The bride is probably trying to keep the wedding sophisticated, so let the shower be vibrant, feminine and fun!

Pink and Black, Chalk Hearts, Poofs, Monogram

Or, how about making it a unique activity. How cute is this picnic shower?

Picnic Shower

I don't know about you, but I'm always trying to brainstorm unique gift ideas. Registry gifts are great, but sometimes feel impersonal. For a shower, why not give the bride something that she can use at the wedding! How adorable are these personalized hangers and signs? Or Kate Spade's gorgeous "mrs." necklace. LOVE. (Full disclosure, these were not my ideas. My Co-MOH and college friend gave me both the hanger and the "mrs." necklace and I just love them so much!)

Kate Space Necklace, Embroidered Sign, Personalized Hanger

One favorite shower tradition is the ribbon bouquet. You end up with such a masterpiece to use at your rehearsal! As I guest, I think you should have fun with your wrapping so that the bride has an amazing bouquet. How about cute fabric flowers or colorful string?

Ribbon Bouquet,Ribbon Bouquet, Colored Ribbon Packaging, Paper Flowers, Fabric Flowers

Tell me about your wedding shower! Any good ideas to share? I have plenty more showers to attend in the future! :)

Oregon Showers Bring July Flowers

The countdown is on! My fiance and I are officially getting married in less than a year! So now when I read the wedding check lists I will actually need to pay closer attention to the "12 months before" section. The cool thing about being a year out from our big day is that this is the one time we are in our wedding month - July! Which has me thinking about all things seasonal - weather, food, and flowers, among other things. But right now it's mostly flowers. And even though booking the florist is on the "8 months before" list in my Brides magazine, when it comes to seasonal things, I think the perfect time to think about what you want is during the season your wedding will be in. Last month I posted about my wedding color palette, so this week I want to delve further into the flowers - such a big part of the color scheme. We are doing light neutrals for the bridesmaid dresses, grey for the guys and pops of bright with the flowers. See more on my wedding colors in my post, here.

So, for the flowers...I am liking the bouquets with bright colors, but that are balanced out with some lighter, neutrals.

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I LOVE the look of the single flowers for the bridesmaids (also budget friendly, I would think). Including the peonies in the brides bouquet ties it all together. I think for my color scheme I would do similar to one of the colors below for my bridesmaids.

Source: left, right

My next task on the flower front is contacting some florists in the Columbia Gorge area to see if these flowers are doable in July.

Speaking of beautiful flowers, I want to give a shout out to my dear friends, Lauren and Nick Allen, whose gorgeous wedding was featured on Wedding Chicks last week - click here to see. I'm in the first picture all the way on the right and a couple pictures down with the glowing bride. ;-) Aren't their flowers amazing?!

Follow up from my post last week when I was trying to figure out what to do for our negative one year anniversary. We decided to go get drinks at the neighborhood bar down the street. After some delicious beer we grabbed takeout Ethiopian food, went home, popped a bottle of pink champagne (that we had been given as an engagement gift) and just ate, drank and laughed together. It was my ideal laid-back, negative anniversary celebration!

linens {more than just tablecloths}

Last week I met with my wedding planner to visit a florist and a linen store. Thanks to my preparation and research on flowers, the meeting with the florist went very well!! He was thrilled to have a bride who knew what she wanted! I even brought my iPad to show him photos from my recent E&I posts  ;-) The visit to the linen store was.... overwhelming to say the least. In hindsight, I should have done more research on my vision for table settings to at least have an idea of what I wanted.  To be honest, I didn't even know what to expect from visiting a linen store. I seriously thought, "Linens? I don't care about linens. Just throw on a white table cloth and napkins and we should be good." After the fact, I still don't care that much about linens, but I do know what I want now... something simple and elegant.  I am blogging about this today so all of you brides out there can feel more at ease when you check this off your list.

Here are some things to consider before you shop:

1. What color do you want the table cloths to be?
2. Will the napkins match?
3. Have you considered a table runner? If, so what pattern and/or texture?
4. Do you want your linens to have texture or shine? i.e. satin, cotton, lace, embroidery, etc.
5. What kind of chairs do you want? i.e. plain chairs covered in fabric with a bow, Chiavari chairs, folding chairs, etc.
6. Have you thought about a sweetheart table, or do you want the entire bridal party to be at the same table? This can get complicated if you have 8 bridesmaids and 8 groomsmen like we do.
7. If you have a dessert table and cake table, do you want the linens to match the other tables, or do you want them to stand out differently?
8. What items do you want to place on the table to add a personal touch? i.e. vases, birdcages, picture frames, etc. (stuff besides flowers)
9. Have you envisioned your cake table?

Here are some photos of tables, chairs, linens and decor to give you an idea of what to look for when collecting your inspiration:

Photo Credits: Green Wedding Shoes

Photo Credit: Style Me Pretty

As you can see, there's a lot to think about when it comes to linens. Are you a bride who has a passionate vision for your tables? Or, do you just let your planner run with it based on your colors and other inspiration. Please feel free to share your thoughts!

Bridal Beauty Breakdown

I'm 4 1/2 months out from D-Day (or should I call it W-Day?), and I haven't the slightest clue how I want my hair and make up to look. I haven't even booked a hair and make up person for my wedding day yet, and it's starting to stress me out. It's something I know I need to do, but for some reason it's just less fun than the other things I've managed to book. Will I find someone decent who will make me pretty? Or have I passed the point of no return? There are a few different looks I like, but I don't know if I want my hair up, down, half up, or in a side pony on top of my head. I don't know if I want red lips, nude lips, pink lips, no lips, or a mustache. But here are some of the bridal beauty photos I've admired, and perhaps I will be so lucky as to look this lovely on my wedding day.

  left: Exquisite Weddings Magazine, Joielala Photographie; right: Elle Belleza

Ruffled Blog, Lee Carter of Sakura Photo

  left: Grey Likes Weddings, Johanna Johnson headpiece; right: Style Bistro, Frazer Harrison

Once Wed, Polly Alexandre Photograpy

Well, now that I've posted all of those, it seems 83% clear that I want my hair up, doesn't it. Solved one problem today, hooray!

So, help me out please, how long before your wedding did you book your hair and/or make up person? When did you know how you wanted to look on your wedding day? Will I ever sort this out?

P.S. I think I'm going slightly crazy from all this wedding planning...