DIY cards

A big thank you to brides little white book -- I was looking into making a few thank you cards and ran across this post for step by step directions on how to make your own fantastic (and very unique) note cards!

Happy crafting Friday!

A FREE wedding mag you just can't pass up

So thanks to Bride's cafe, here's a great offer..
For the next 8 days, the online version of the Wedding Style Guide (an Australian wedding magazine) is FREE. It's a great magazine and the online version is fantastic!


Check it out here!

I'm a sucker for succulents.

And one more thing...

While we were in Napa, we saw THE most amazing succulents. So I got to thinking, how COOL would succulents be as a favor?!?!

Well, I guess i'm not the first to think of this idea. Look at 100 Layer Cake's post from Kelly & Chris' wedding... Click here for a full DIY description.

Eat. Drink. And Be Married.

I am a lucky bride. For sure.

Man of my dreams, best friend, and mr. all around wonderful? Check.

Found the perfect location, dress, favors, and all the rest? Check.

Sharing it with the most bridesmaids a girl could ask for? Check.

So I've been SO swamped with finalizing the last little details of the wedding that i've failed to poast ANY information about the most amazing bachelorette party a girl could ever ask for....

My fantastic Maid of Honor and fab-u-loso bridesmaids planned a bachelorette trip to Napa!

The weeekend was complete with:

A crafty candle making party.

Fantastic food.

An amazing tour of Napa Valley. Seven girls. Four vineyards. A lot of wine. Hilarious.

Drinking wine at 10am (Hey, technically that would be 1pm east coast time, and isn't that well after lunch?) A spa party.

A surprise lingerie shower.

And OFCOURSE, silliness.

Thank you for such a fantastic weekend. I've got the best friends a girl could ever ask for. Seriously lucky.

A Must Read.

You've got to read this post about Marisa & John's wedding. What a great, and completely memorable idea!

Designer Dessert Tables

A huge thank you to Amanda at Elizabeth Anne for referencing Amy Atlas' AMAZING dessert tables. If you're considering doing a dessert table you absolutely MUST check out her website for inspiration! Getting married in New York, or have the cash for Amy's services... you've got to check it out. Her tables are nothing short of breathtaking!! Look at all those cute details!!

I <3 Ann Wood

So it's not really news, but it's worth another mention... I love Ann Wood's little creations. I love her birds, owls, ships, and all the fantastic little projects she works on. The miniature projects are so detailed and so fantastic that they almost transcend you into a happier, simpler time.

To be even a bit more specific, being a second-time around bride, as I got engaged and began imagining what I wanted for our wedding, I honestly felt a little stuck. As I started to try and put together a vision for the wedding - I found that it was hard to decide upon a theme and identify something that really inspired me. And that's when I stumbled across Ann Wood. I saw a picture of these cute bird cake toppers and thought, WOW... now THAT's something different. I quickly jumped on chat boards and wedding blogs and was able to identify that they were from Ann Wood.

Were they expensive? Yes. Were they WAY over our budget? Yes. Did I still have to have them? Absolutely. I tried looking for alternatives... but NOTHING really compared. So these little birds became the inspiration. Not because I was planning on having a bird themed wedding (yikes), but because I decided that everything I choose for our special day would be carefully chosen, collected, and put together... just like Ann's birds.

So i'm less than three weeks away from our big day and as I stand back and look at all the decisions we've made, and the details we've incorporated into the wedding.. I couldn't be more proud. Each detail is a reflection of 'us' and of the couple we are together... and I couldn't be more excited to share it with our friends and family. So thank you Ann... they may be little, but they sure do mean a lot!

And just in case you're wondering, Ann was kind enough to make a set for my fiancee and I... this cute little couple will be proudly perched upon our wedding cake. And will be a beautiful reminder of our special day.

PS: I just saw this posted on her blog from Design Sponge - a fun sneak peak into her studio! And another about cardboard horses.

(Visit her blog and click on the green button to the right to download the horse template)

A++ for Goose Grease

So in this bad economy it's up to us brides to find creative ways to save money and not go TOO overboard....in fact, blogs these days are buzzing with creative ways to do it yourself, or find cost effective alternatives to pricey bridal items.

Case in point? Our rehearsal dinner cake.

Being that my fiancee is in the Navy, I REALLY wanted to order one of Mike's Amazing Cake's speciality cakes. I mean, look how fabulous this hat cake is! Problem? Yes! For a cake to feed only 20 people, the cost was over $150. Even if I could stomach that, the shipping cost (almost another $175) was enough to set me WELL over my budget.

Cost effective SOLUTION? I worked with Goose Grease (who was featured in this last issue of Martha Stewart Wedding) to create these one of a kind cake toppers. Our venue already provides a cake, so rather than have another 'grooms' cake, we're just going to decorate the existing cake with our fabulous goose grease cake toppers.

I have to give a shout out to the ladies at goose grease... not only did they do a FABULOUS job, but they were SO amazing to work with. I sent them photos of my fiance's uniform, and of what our dog, etc look like and they replicated it almost exactly.

Looking for a cost effective, but incredibly unique cake topper? Be sure to give the ladies at goose grease a call.

PS: they also do miniature cupcake versions... how cute these would be on top of a cupcake-tree.

Battling against cold feeet

So, it's a well known fact that i'm an ETSY addict. But when I came across these gems I actually laughed out loud. THIS is exactly why ETSY is so fabulous... I mean where else can you go to find such unusual and customized gifts that help complete any fab. party/wedding/etc.

So yes, I immediately added these to the cart. I mean, my fiancee couldn't live another second without these funny socks... right? :)

Check out Erin's shop - she's also got customized socks for the father of the bride, and the father-in-law to be.

Happy sock shopping!!

DC Garter-fest

Looking for a fresh take on traditional garters? Check out Julianne Smith's wedding garters at the launch party of her new collection.

When: This Wednesday (May 27) from 7:30-9:00pm

Where: Hello Cupcake (1351 Connecticut Avenue NW, in Washington, DC)

Must: RSVP to info@herpersign.com

Anyone else going, I'm thinking this is a must :)

FINALLY back!

My blog-apologies... i've been gone for SOO long :(

My grandmother died a few weeks ago, and I guess it's just been a bit hard getting back into the swing of things.

But i'm back now and have a few great things to share... more to come.

AHOY Mate'

So I just had to share this... this SERIOUSLY just popped into my inbox. Why get married the 'normal way' when you can get married aboard a floating chapel! I know I'm going to be a Navy wife, but this is taking it a bit too far!

Oh, and just in case you're interested.. the email said they are actually SELLING the boat, so if you're interested in getting into the floating chapel business, be sure to give them a call! :)

Mix and Match.. the more the merrier?

I'm finally back (I'll explain later) and have banked a few fun ideas from fellow bloggers that I wanted to share...

While I myself purchased custom stamps using zazzle, how amazing is this idea? Using vintage stamps, mix and match stamps in your wedding colors, creating a a chic rustic effect with a variety of stamps. See 100 layer cake on specific how-to's.

But I loved this idea, not only is it incredibly unique but budget friendly as well. Got to love that!!

Cupcake BLING - DIY Style

I came across a few fantastic ideas for fun ways to decorate cupcakes.. having a cupcake wedding cake, or just love making cupcakes (like I do)? Here are a few fun ways to decorate your cupcakes.

Courtesy of Une-Deux Senses and Wedding Cabaret- here are instructions on how to make your own cupcake flags.

Here's another fantastic idea... Goosgrease has been featured in this month's Martha Stewart Wedding Magazine. In addition their adorable cake toppers, they also do a smaller cupcake topper. How fantastic are these? (ANNND... only $40!)

Another cute cupcake topper (great for birthdays) are Goosegrease's round toppers.. How cute are these? A set of two costs $10 and can be customized to match your color scheme!

Addressing the issue at hand...

Okay, so a quick apology for my absence. Family emergency pulled me away from my beloved laptop for a few days. But I'm back.. and have a few fun things I've found this week...

Check out this vendor (courtesy of from I will to I do) - how fantastic are these address labels?

Have any other fantastic address label websites? Please share! I mean, can you really EVER have enough stationary?