now for the details {table settings}

159 days and counting until I become Mrs. DiCarlo. Now that I have surpassed the 6 month mark, it feels like time is just flying by! Surprisingly, I am very relaxed. I have been extremely organized in my planning thus far, and just last week I checked off some BIG items.

• Bridesmaids dresses- check!
• DJ- check!
• Officiant- check!
• Videographer & photographer- double check!

The next meeting I have with my wedding planner will be with the florist, then the bakery to do some cake tasting!

If you've been following me along on this journey, my love for succulents is hard to ignore. My biggest challenge now is incorporating the flowers I love into a table setting that is affordable and reflects my style. I'm envisioning something simple, elegant, and a bit mid-century chic. Here are some images that have inspired me so far:

What's your table style? Simple & chic, grand elegance, or perhaps somewhere in between? Feel free to share your thoughts and ideas!

pretty & personal {signs}

Having gone to a lot of weddings in recent years, there is one thing that always sticks out to me... the personal details! And one of the most adorable and tasteful way you can get personal with your wedding is by using signs! I happen to like a more vintage/DIY look when it comes to pretty & personal signs. Check out some of my inspiration!

My favorites signs were hand crafted by my friend Jessica Haro at her gorgeous Sonoma wedding last year. (I've given her many a shout out on this blog, because, well, she's pretty fabulous at designing a wedding.) I loved walking up to the ceremony site and reading these heart-felt signs on the way... it made me feel so connected to how excited she and Mike were to say "I do!"

Here are some other sign ideas that I may use- with my yellow & grey mid-century motif, of course!

Source: The Loveliest Day

Source:  Rustic Wedding Chic & Design Sponge

Source: 1 & 2

Source: 1 & 2

Will you be adding signs to your wedding decor? If so, what's your style? What are you envisioning? Any tips on how to easily create something ala DIY? Please share!!

Oh, and a side note: as far as my planning goes, I got A LOT accomplished this weekend! DJ & officiant- CHECK!!!

See you next Tuesday :)

{welcome bags}

Let's talk about welcome bags. Since we have family and friends traveling from all over the country to be in Long Beach on our special day I think it's appropriate to leave a welcome with a personal note & bag full of goodies to show our appreciation. I found a helpful list from The Knot that gives suggestions on what to put in your welcome goodie bag. I am all about the personal touches. Here are some ideas I think I may incorporate into my welcome bag:

Local postcards & a vintage map of Los Angeles! (I like how a personal welcome note was wrapped around the postcards!)

photo credit: Intimate Weddings & Etsy

I'd also like to have custom totes that our guests could reuse. I'm envisioning something with a map of southern California, or perhaps something sweet and simple like these:

photo credit: Intimate Weddings &  Style Unveiled

photo credit: Wedding Chicks & Etsy

This tote (above) can be custom made! Photo credit: Ruffled Blog

Here's the tutorial on how to DIY!

Some other items I plan on adding to this bag are Advil ;-) snacks, magazine, transportation info, wedding itinerary, bottled water, and perhaps a burned CD of our favorite tunes.

What are your thoughts on welcome bags? Are you planning on giving one to your guests, or are you going to keep it simple and just leave them a sweet welcome note & itinerary? Feel free to comment and leave tips/advice!

for crafty brides {DIY thank you cards}

Ever since I was a little girl, I've always been creative and artistic. I actually almost majored in art when I was applying to colleges! Even though I took the journalism & sales routes in my career(s), creating things is still in my blood. Throughout my planning I have had my hands in everything! For example, we are hiring a DJ and I plan on giving him a specific list of songs to play. And as you read last week, I am working with an invitation designer to create a unique & custom invitation that suites my style! In my opinion, crafty and creative weddings feel more personal and unique!

In this week's post I'm deterring from my timeline and sharing with you some inspiring DIY thank you cards! I'm looking forward to tackling this task when the time comes :)

The photo below is of an ADORABLE thank you card for your bridesmaids. Click on the picture and you'll see the entire tutorial. I think I'm going to make these for my maids :)

Martha Stewart's website has a TON of ideas for DIY thank you cards any other cool crafts for weddings! Here are some of her examples below that inspired me.

You can never go wrong with a thank you card that has a photo of you and your hubby holding a sign that says "thank you." So simple and sweet.... I think this is the direction we're going in.

What kind of ideas did you explore for thank you cards? Did you do something simple? Something crafty or unique? Please share your ideas!

Mayan Mystique Meets Urban Chic Invitations {LizzyBLoves}

I've learned something about myself through this planning process; I have a unique taste. In other words my style is not traditional. So, when it came to picking out wedding invitations I felt like there was nothing out there that really rang my bell.  However, the one invitation that I loved was custom designed by the bride herself... who happened to be a graphic designer. What I love about her invites is that they're simple, chic and a little retro. (note: Kelly + Chris' Palm Springs entire wedding is totally inspiring to me. And if you've been following me along, you'll see why :) Wedding invitations were not high on my priority list of spending, however I found myself feeling a little board with what was out there; everything looked so ordinary and predictable. I didn't want to straight out copy Kelly (above), so to overcome this obstacle I did what any Engaged & Inspired bride would do.... I got creative! I established my colors (grey and yellow) and I imagined what my perfect invites would look like, then I started a google image search. I am getting married at The Hotel Maya in Long Beach. The vibe there is described as "Mayan Mystique meets Urban Chic." Immediately I envisioned something with a Latin American flair with a modern twist. So, how does one find a custom invite that fits this locale? Well, I started by googling "mexican tile inspired invitation." Low and behold I stumbled upon Lizelly, owner of, and designer extraordinaire for Lizzy B Loves. Imagine how excited I got when I found these images!

I would love a custom invitation that has the tile/color scheme you see above in a format like the one below. By the way, the invite below is printed on Italian water color paper. It's textured and feels extra special.

Once I found the Mexican tile inspired invitations I was pretty much dead set on contacting Lizelly. As much as I use the internet, it was still pretty cool to call her and say, "hey I found your work through a google search. Will you design my wedding invitations?" Lizelly sent me hard copies of sample invitations she had done before and I loved them! Just recently I was in San Diego for my best friend's bachelorette party and got to meet Lizelly in person! We are working together to design a custom invitation that speaks to my style and vision. I feel so lucky to have found her. Thanks Google ;-)

Here are a few more hand-crafted invitations by, Lizzy B Loves. Enjoy!

How did you choose your wedding invitations? Were you pretty easy-going by just picking a simple template in person at a store, or were you pretty picky? Did you design them yourself? How crafty did you get? Feel free to share your story or any pointers you may have!

Oh, the places you'll go {honeymoon}

I've got to give credit where credit is due. I love Bride's magazine (thank you Shana for the subscription!). Every time I get stuck in my planning or don't know what to blog about I turn to the checklist page of my monthly issue. It's hard to believe I'm coming up on the 6 month mark of planning my big day! One of the things I plan on checking off in the upcoming month is our HONEYMOON!!! How exciting!

I'd like to share that although I've always wanted to, I have not done that much traveling. And when I say "traveling," I mean international travel. I've been to Canada, Mexico and the British Virgin Islands, but I've never been to Europe! Going to Europe may not happen this time around because we are getting married in November and we prefer to go when it's warm, but hey, a girl can dream ;-)

Through my research I found a very cool site where they breakdown suggestions on where to honeymoon based on the month you're getting married!!! For the month I am getting married, the site suggests:

November Australia, Bahamas, Bali, Belize, Brazil, Canada (ski destinations), Central and South Africa, Egypt, French Polynesia, Hawaii, Mauritius, Mexico, Morocco, New Zealand, Seychelles, Spain, U.S.(ski destinations, Southeast, Southwest)

Aside from these suggestions, here are some of the places I've been daydreaming of:

Greece! My dad is 100% Greek and I have always dreamed of visiting! My last name, Asimos, is really Asimakopoulos. Unfortunately, November is not an ideal time to travel there (though I hear May and June are awesome!) Plus, Vinnie has been to Greece before and we'd like to vacation somewhere neither of us have visited.

On that note, here are some other cool places... like BRAZIL! Vinnie trains Brazilian Jui Jitsu 5-6 times a week at the Gracie Academy... he's a purple belt ;) I know he'd love to visit Brazil, as would I!

I visited the Virgin Islands a few years ago and it was by far the most beautiful place I've ever been to! I wouldn't mind visiting again ;-)

Because we are watching our budget and we consider ourselves adventurous people, I don't think we're going to hire a travel agent. What are your thoughts on that? Do you consider yourself a DIY honeymooner? We also want to go somewhere we can relax AND play. Any suggestions or pointers on how we can find a balance of the two?

I leave you with, " you're off to Great Places! Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So... get on your way!"

-Dr. Seuss

if the shoe fits {bridal shoes}

I consider myself to be cheap'n chic. That being said, I love fashion that looks fabulous and does not cost an arm and a leg. Yes, my wedding day is going to be amazing, but that doesn't mean I need a $1,700 pair of shoes to feel fabulous. Yes, you read that number correctly. Some of you girls out there feel just fine spending that kind of mulah on a pair of pumps... but I, ladies, do not. Even if I had that kind of money to spend, I would not spend it on shoes... I'd spend it on a videographer. But, to each their own. This post is dedicated to the ladies who want to look and feel fabulous with breaking the bank. Who cares what the label says on the close-up your photographer is going to get of your shoes. (Gasp!) she is not wearing designer shoes on her wedding day?! Well, I might.... and if I do you best believe I'll get them at Loehmann's or The Rack ;-)

Here are some shoes I found inspiring. By the way, the sparkly one on the right by Enzo is only $159!

and who says they have to be white?

I know there are a lot of you out there that may disagree with me on the subject of shoes. I have many girlfriends who are passionate about their Christian Louboutin's and Manolo Blahnik's thanks to Carrie Bradshaw. But tell me ladies, how much is TOO much to spend on shoes?? Oh, and what color are you going for? Traditional white, or something more daring? Please share!

Affordable Shades of Grey {bridesmaids dresses}

Now that I have hired a wedding coordinator I feel like a lot of things are falling into place. For example, we finally hired a photographer!!! What a relief! The next step in that area is locking down a cinematographer and an officiant (expect a post on that soon). In a couple of weeks we are interviewing 2 officiants, a DJ, then visiting a florist...and that's all in one day!  Now that a lot of the big aspects of my planning are almost complete it's time to revisit the bridesmaids dress hunt. You may have read my original post about bridesmaids dresses. Since then, one thing is for sure now: I want grey dresses for my maids. What's not for sure is the style... long, short, mixed styles, etc.

Last night I was watching the movie "Bridesmaids" and I had to laugh when one of the women suggested they choose a dress that was $800. That amount is ridiculous, which many would agree. However, I also think anything north of $250 is absurd. When I first started casually looking at dresses for my girls I discovered that finding something affordable would be a challenge.

My best friend Shana is getting married this June and found fabulous bridesmaids dresses at http://www.dessy.com/ They have every style imaginable and tons of colors to choose from, and they are AFFORDABLE!!! The one piece of advice she gave me was make sure you see the color in person and have one of your girls try on the style you like. This seems like a no-brainer, but can you imagine just ordering online then finding out later that the cut and color you chose was unflattering in person? What I also like about Dessy is that they will tell you the nearest store to you where you can see the dresses in person. Awesome!

Here are just some of the styles I like from the Dessy Group that are affordable (less than $250).

Any other suggestions for affordable bridesmaids dresses?  Please share your ideas and websites!

Succulent Centerpieces & A New Engagement

Side-note before I get started on today's post... over the weekend my brother, Christopher PROPOSED to his girlfriend, Rachel!!!! They have been happily together nearly 6 years and are now engaged! I couldn't be more happy for the two of them. Let the countdown begin for my wedding and theirs! Cheers to the future Mr. & Mrs. Asimos! :)

At this point in my planning I am feeling much more relaxed. I have checked off many things on my list. On April 7th I will be meeting with my wedding coordinator and visiting a florist. Since flowers are not high on my list of budget 'must-haves' I'm interested in seeing what my money can get me.

I'm envisioning something simple, classy, and elegant. Oh, and succulents are a must. Here is some of my inspiration.

Check out these tiny white daisies below along with the tea wedding favors. (It says 'love is brewing' ... So cute!) I also wouldn't mind incorporating some baby's breath.

My friend Jessica shared with me a great idea that she used for her wedding. Reuse the flowers that are used in your ceremony and have them transfered over to your reception during cocktail hour. That way you get two for the price of one! She also advised that not every table needs a floral centerpiece. Instead every other table could have a candle centerpiece or something different.

Do you have any advice on where I could save money on flowers? I definitely want my flowers to be pretty but I don't want to spend an arm and a leg. Ideas welcome! Comment away! :)

A Picture is worth 1,000 words :: {video is priceless}

It's funny how some things I thought were important to me in my planning are now not that important. For example:  when I first started planning my wedding I was sure that I wanted live music.... now I don't mind having a DJ. Vinnie and I have our growing playlist on a shared google doc and we're totally okay with having someone just pull songs from that. However, the more time has passed, the more photography has become my main focus, or concern, if you will. When it comes to budgeting, I'm willing to give a little on other things so we can have awesome photography and not have to compromise. But one thing has been added to this mix.... videography! Ever since I watched my friends Jess & Mike Haro's wedding video by Love Spun I have been SOLD on the fact that I must have quality wedding video.

Here are a couple beautiful photos from their wedding

But watch their video and you'll see why I am SO inspired to have something like this to call my own :)

Mike & Jess Haro {Viansa Winery} Sonoma from Lovespun ~ Handmade Films on Vimeo.

I also love the cinematography from Picotte Weddings. Here are a couple photos from a wedding they shot

And here is the video where it all comes to life!

Maria + Sheffer . Le Chateau, Saddlerock Ranch . Malibu, CA from Picotte Weddings on Vimeo.

From my research I have found that good wedding cinematography can range anywhere from $2,800 to $6,000+

For my budget I am planning on sticking to the lower amount, but I am having video regardless. What are your thoughts on having your wedding documented on video? I have heard from some of my bride friends who did not opt for video that they wish they would have done it. What are your planning for your big day? Do you have any recommendations for a great videographer in southern California.... or maybe someone who's willing to travel? If so, please share by posting a comment :)