Hair Accessories I Love!

Mighty Goods' blog is one of my go-to blogs whenever I'm in need of some trendy/funky inspiration. Clothing, accessories, gifts, home goods... this site has it all and I love it. The latest compilation is that of the fascinator.

Definition: fascinator: [fas-uh-ney-ter] n. a scarf of crochet work, lace, or the like, narrowing toward the ends, worn as a head covering by women. {Source: Dictionary.com}

Here are a few of my faves from the "fascinator roundup" and links to their creators' Etsy pages (Added bonus! Support Etsy artists!):

{Holiday Black Curly Feather Headband ~ Etsy seller: FeatherBrain}

{Love Me Two Times Pink Felt Comb ~ Etsy seller: pnkkim}

I totally wish I had this in pink to go with my New Years Eve dress! So fun!

{Violet Puff Rose Headband ~ Etsy seller: CharmSchoolDesign}

{White Feather Flower Comb with Coque & Crystal Velvet Hat ~ Etsy seller: Satanica}

Wax Seals

When I was younger, I loved to write letters to people. One Christmas, all I really wanted was a calligraphy set and a wax seal kit, so I could make my letters really nice and antique-looking. My ambition to teach myself calligraphy waned soon thereafter, but my affinity for wax seals still runs strong!

I was so happy to see these images on WeddingbeePRO's blog (posted by Flush Designs):

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Using wax (in your wedding colors!) & and a monogrammed seal in place of a knot or bow to hold programs/favors/invitations together adds an extra touch of personalization!

You can buy wax & monogrammed seal kits here for $34.

Bright Pops of Color

I have admired this New York State wedding for over a month and have yet to post about it... since I've got some spare time today, I just had to pick out a few of my favorite photos. The details and cheery colors are so amazing!

{Credit: I discovered this wedding on Design*Sponge's blog and all images were found on frecklegirl76's Flickr page}

Ceremony location... Pomanders are the cutest floral arrangements ever. I love them as aisle-liners, too.

You all know by now how much I love paper lanterns... and I'm starting to prefer long tables over round tables for receptions...

A beautiful rendition of the branch-seating-card display... Check out that calligraphy! I wish I could have splurged on having all of my paper items done by a calligrapher. It just adds a very distinct touch of personalization to everything!

Favors for guests: Homemade syrups with funky cloth squares covering the lids...

Table setting... Totally love the "groom" tag pinned to the glass. I did this for my Thanksgiving table setting!

Table numbers & menu... the turquoise ink really pops against the soft orange of the dahlia. Speaking of the dahlia: who says a centerpiece has to be elaborate and consist of tons of flowers?? The tiny tree trunks and clear glass vase for the bunch of flowers get the job done simply and (probably) cost-effectively!

This wedding is just beautiful!! I absolutely ADORE all of the personal touches.

Snag Some Jewelry on Sale!

It's the holidays and so many things are on sale right now... What a perfect time to buy bridal or bridesmaid jewelry! Here are just a few things on sale right this second:


Ann Taylor Loft ($6 standard shipping on all orders!)




Multi-stone Stretch Bracelet ~ $29.99
Short Grey Pearl Cubic Zirconia Keeper Necklace ~ $29.99
Silvertone Pearl Chandelier Earring ~ $19.99


Banana Republic



Oversized Chunky Faux-pearl Necklace ~ $24.99
Faceted Glass Ring ~ $29.99


New York & Company



Pear-shaped Pendant Necklace ~ $9.97
Crystal Flower Earrings ~ $9.97

ellothere Invitations

I haven't been on Etsy in a while, so I happily spent my down-time perusing some paper shops this morning. I came across ellothere's store and was delighted to see such simple & sweet wedding invitations.

Here's my fave: WINNIE and JAMES:

And some more invitation eye candy to enjoy...


ERIC and JESSICA





HAROLD and ELAINE:

ERIC and EMELIE:

Wedding Workout

Many brides (and grooms!) have some sort of weight-loss/tone-up strategy for their big day, and while I definitely do NOT promote losing tons of weight just so you will look good in a strapless dress (dapper tuxedo) for one day of your life, I DO promote adopting a healthy lifestyle. Planning a wedding can be stressful, and it really does help when you can work up a sweat to get some agression out. :)

Personally, I enjoy working out at home. I do realize this isn't for everyone, but it works for me. I don't have to pay a gym membership, and I'm so close to everything I need when I feel like working out. Just grab my shoes & a sports bra & I'm good to go! Also, I love my Comcast OnDemand Exercise TV station, which has an ever-changing array of workouts available at my fingertips for FREE (well, not technically free - but it is included in the cost of my digital cable package). Other times, I like to pop in a workout DVD from my small, yet varied, exercise collection. Here are some of my faves:

Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred

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There are 3 workouts included that are 27 total minutes in length (including warm-up and cool-down!). This is a great workout if you are short on time or low on motivation. The workouts are cardio/toning intervals, and your heart rate really gets up there! You definitely feel like you get a good workout.

Women's Health: Train for Your Body Type

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This DVD is so cool. You can mix & match your workouts, depending on what you have time for, or if you want to alternate cardio days with strength days. The mix & match sections are: Warm up, Upper body, Lower body, Cardio, Abs, Cool down... and some extra bonus sections for added butt-kicking! I really like Jessica Smith, the instructor, because she is great at telling you what move is coming up next, and she isn't annoying to listen to. I also like that the moves are simple (I hate really choreographed cardio). The cardio totally KICKS your butt, too, even for being only 22 minutes long.

These are two of my workout DVDs that are in high-rotation at my house, but for more ideas, I highly recommend CollageVideo.com.

You Can Never Have Too Much Glitter!

I bet Martha Stewart just sits around all day thinking, now what else can I cover with glitter to make it look more glamorous?? Here's something:

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Glittered nuts! Who would have thought sparkling walnuts would look so chic?!

Flickr Mosaic Maker

I'm having the best time with Flickr's Big Huge Labs! The Mosaic Maker is such a fun little tool - I can definitely see couples using this to make picture mosaics to put on programs, thank you cards, invitations...

Glitz on the Cheap

Oh, Martha, how you inspire me so...


I just saw this easy DIY project on Martha Stewart's website in a Christmas Table Settings photo gallery: Glitter-covered candles.

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Directions: Lay candles in a box, spray with adhesive, then cover with glitter. Let dry for a few hours or overnight.


I think a centerpiece consisting of 4-5 various heighth glitter-covered pillar candles would be so chic and simple. Candlelight makes everyone's complexion look better and adds a tough of romance to the atmosphere. What's not to love about candlelight?! The glitter adds a little glam to an otherwise super-simple centerpiece.


You can buy pillar candles in bulk from sites like Candles 4 Less, Candles Just Online (huge sale on unscented pillars right now!), and Quick Candles. Glitter and spray adhesive/craft glue can be bought at just about any craft store for relatively low prices.


NOTE: Always opt for unscented candles. Not only could scented candles bother some of your guests' noses, but scented candles muddle the yummy smells of the food you serve and could even affect how the food tastes. PLUS, unscented candles are generally cheaper than scented.

Custom Kleenex Boxes

I'm afraid I haven't been able to think of witty titles for my blog posts lately... so I've turned to writing the most literal titles ever. This post is no exception.

As I was catching up on my Google Reader "wedding-related" blogs, I noticed a post on Weddingbee by Miss Fondue about bathroom baskets/trays.

[SIDE NOTE: At my wedding, my mom LOVED the task of putting together girl & guy versions of "the bathroom basket". She literally called all of her friends and asked, "If you were a guy/girl at a wedding reception, what might you possibly need that I can put in this bathroom basket??" Tip ~ Consider only making a bathroom basket for the girls. Hairspray, bobby pins & tampons (must-haves for the girl basket) are much more likely to be used than anything you could think of putting in the guy basket.]

I digress. Miss Fondue included a custom box of Kleenex tissues on her "bathroom tray" - complete with damask pattern, their names & wedding date! How fun! How do you make custom Kleenex boxes, you ask?

MyKleenexTissue.com

Here's a mock-up of one I whipped up in about 5 minutes:

Only $4.99 + shipping!

I'm totally decking out my office with some custom Kleenex boxes after Christmas is over!

Cupcake Bar!

Everyone pretty much knows the amount of joy a candy bar can bring to a wedding reception, but what about a CUPCAKE bar?!

There are a few brick-and-mortar cupcake bars opening up around the United States (Jilly's Cupcake Bar in Saint Louis, MO... The Cupcake Bar in Austin, TX... The Cup Cake Bar in Cary, NC), but I just saw a post on Weddingbee by Mrs. Avacado about doing a cupcake bar at an office party... which makes me think it should certainly be done at a wedding reception!

How much fun would your wedding guests have as they choose the cake flavor, filling, icing & topping of their very own custom cupcake?!? Great fun, I think.

Just check out these scrumptious-looking concoctions from The Cupcake Bar in Austin, TX:



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You could even do this yourself on a smaller scale for a bridal shower... pre-make the cupcakes, whip up (or buy) several types of icing (in the bride's wedding colors if you really want to make her happy), and load up on crazy toppings. Mmmmm.

Bride Avatar

I admit that this post won't help you plan your wedding very much, but it sure is fun! SanJoseWeddings (Twitter ID) just posted a link about The Knot's "My Inner Bride" avatar creation webpage. How fun!!

Here's my bride avatar (even though I'm already married, I refuse to move on with my life!):

Rolodex Seating Cards

This is one of the best seating card ideas I've ever seen! So simple (you can DIY), yet ultra-effective in getting your guests where they need to go at your reception.

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Rolodex Seating Cards!


Imagine how cute this would be if the bride or groom worked at a library (think: Dewey Decimal System!). :)


The full DIY post and more pictures can be found here on Vintage Glam's blog.


{Blog post found via Elizabeth Anne Designs}

Spring 2009 Bridal Gown Trend

Over my lunch break today, I decided to click through the wedding dress gallery on Brides.com. I narrowed my search to view only the Spring 2009 collections and saw some repeating trends across designer dress lines. One trend I really liked was bust/waist embellishments. Ruffles, bows, cinching, pleating... all draw your attention upward. Here are some of my favorites:

Giambattista Valli

Christos

Jim Hjelm Bridal

Lela Rose

{All images from Brides.com dress gallery}

Hockney-style Polaroids

I just discovered this incredibly cool tool in flickr's Big Huge Labs: the Hockneyizer. It turns any photo into a jumble of Polaroid-framed (or no-framed) images. Here's our famous Wedding Feet photo in Hockney-style:

Fabulous!

Christmas Tree Decorator Tool

Forgive me for continuing to expose you to fun online tools that affect your work productivity, but you MUST check out Better Homes & Gardens online Trim-A-Tree tool. This totally gets me in the mood for Christmas!!!

In keeping with yesterday's "teal & forest green" theme, here is my Christmas tree inspiration:

Loves it!

Teal & Forest Green

The latest Martha Stewart Living magazine contains a segment on holiday wreaths. While flipping through the pages of this segment, I flipped right past this picture:

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At first glance, I didn't think much of this picture, and I'm not sure why. But over the last week or so, whenever I close my eyes, I envision this festive winter-y doorway! Call me crazy, but this color palette has totally struck me and I am now completely enamored with teal & forest green hues.

The colors are just a smidge apart in the color spectrum, which makes them perfectly complimentary to one another. The stark contrast of the white door frame, makes the door & wreaths really pop.

Just think of how amazing a color palette of teal + forest green + white or cream would be! Sophisticated, yet current.

Using the DeGraeve color palette generator, I created this palette:

Beware! This is another tool you could mess with all day!

Anyways, you could bring this palette with you when picking out bridesmaid dresses, flowers, linens, invitations... I could go on and on, but I won't!

Choosing Your Wedding Date

In light of the fact that it is now DECEMBER (!!) and many young couples out there will soon become engaged over the holidays (aw!), I thought I'd make a list of pointers for choosing a wedding date. This is likely to be one of the first things you do together as an engaged couple, and it's important to do some research before you tell everyone on earth when you're getting married.





{Limited Edition 2009 Birdie Desk Calendar: Joom's Etsy Shop}

DISCLAIMER: These are only guidelines. If your heart is set on a particular date, go with that date! These are just some things to consider for you and your guests' sakes if you are worried about travel costs and/or lodging availability.

#1. How long do you want your engagement period to be? Some couples get engaged knowing they want to remain engaged for quite some time - say, when one person is finishing up school - while other couples want to get married within a few months. Hopefully, you and your fiance have talked about this prior to getting engaged, so deciding where to start your date-search is not a big deal.

#2. If you are having a short engagement (i.e. 6 months or less), try to avoid Saturdays in the months of May, June, July, August & October (the busiest wedding months). Given that many venues book events well before a year in advance, you might run into issues securing a location in these busy months. If you do decide to get married in a busy month, consider a Friday evening (what I did) or Sunday afternoon ceremony. If you are set on a Saturday evening wedding during a busy month, think about alternative locations for your ceremony & reception (i.e. a park or cool library or a relative's home).

#3. Holidays = Expensive! Some couples are dead-set on having a Valentine's Day wedding, but if your budget is at all a concern, you might want to reconsider! Holidays are not only more expensive in terms of venue rental, but also in terms of transportation & even flower costs (hello?? roses on Valentine's Day??)!

Here is a list of 2009 holidays and the day of the week each falls on:

New Years Day = 1/1/09 (Thursday)
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day = 1/19/09 (Monday)
Valentine's Day = 2/14/09 (Saturday)
President's Day = 2/16/09 (Monday)
Ash Wednesday = 2/25/09 (Wednesday)
St. Patrick's Day = 3/17/09 (Tuesday)
Palm Sunday = 4/5/09 (Sunday)
Passover = 4/9/09 (Thursday)
Good Friday = 4/10/09 (Friday)
Easter = 4/12/09 (Sunday)
Mother's Day = 5/10/09 (Sunday)
Memorial Day = 5/25/09 (Monday)
Father's Day = 6/21/09 (Sunday)
Independence Day = 7/4/09 (Saturday)
Labor Day = 9/7/09 (Monday)
Rosh Hashanah = 9/19/09 (Saturday)
Yom Kippur = 9/28/09 (Monday)
Columbus Day = 10/12/09 (Monday)
Halloween = 10/31/09 (Saturday)
Veterans Day = 11/11/09 (Wednesday)
Thanksgiving = 11/26/09 (Thursday)
Hanukkah (1st day) = 12/12/09 (Saturday)
Christmas = 12/25/09 (Friday)
New Years Eve = 12/31/09 (Thursday)



#4. Even if you aren't a sports fan, your guests or members of your wedding party might be! You should check out major sporting event dates, and avoid having your wedding on those dates if you want these guests to show up! Hopefully, your guests think your wedding trumps any sporting event, but they would probably appreciate your consideration in avoiding the date if at all possible. If your city will be hosting any large sporting event, that could also cause lodging & transportation problems.



Here are some sporting dates to consider:



Superbowl XLIII = 2/1/09 (Sunday)
March Madness = 4/4/09 (Saturday)
Indianapolis 500 = 5/24/09 (Sunday)
World Series = 7/14/09 (Tuesday)

#5. Make sure to check your city's calendar of events to make sure conventions and other large events will not cause lodging availability or transporation issues.



#6. Will you be having a destination wedding? If so, consider college & high school spring break dates. The last thing you want is for drunken co-eds to be stumbling through your beach wedding ceremony in Cabo!



#7. Are you in school? Are you a teacher? Do you have kids' school schedules to plan around? It could be that the only convenient time to get married is during a school break (i.e. Christmas, Spring Break, Summer vacation).



Like I said, these are only guidelines. Choosing your wedding date is an exciting step in the planning process, so enjoy discussing it with your fiance!



One last tip: Try not to involve too many people in the decision. This is your day, and there most likely be at least one person who can't make it to your wedding for one reason or another. Trying to please everyone is a great way to burn yourself out on wedding planning!