Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Alternative Color Schemes

Choosing our color scheme was actually pretty easy, as we went with process of elimination. As our motto/theme was to make it as personal as possible, I wanted to avoid colors that had already been used by my sisters (goodbye purple and yellow!). As much as I would have loved to do light pink/black/gray, Tom really didn't want pink. I wasn't really drawn to orange or red for a summer wedding, either. One of Tom's favorite colors is blue, and since I really didn't have a preference, I decided to go with that. Once I saw this picture, the colors really came to life and the decision was final:



Pool blue/apple green. Awesome.


However, if we were to have an infinite number of weddings that I could design/arrange differently every time, you best believe that color would be the first thing I'd play with.

I love this scheme of pinks, oranges, yellows, browns, apricots, greens and blushes:



It would look great with a spring/summer wedding, but would also translate nicely in autumn...


One scheme that I've found recently has become my ultra favorite: Dove gray, marigold yellow and crisp white. How fantastic would some classic Jackie-O type gray dresses with some bright yellow flowers look? Again, this could be used in any season, and could look super amazing in the winter!



What other colors do you love? If you had a second chance, what colors would you use?

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

I'm Back! (Sorta!)

So I know I said I was taking a quick break, and I still am, sorta. Instead of taking a complete hiatus, I'll just layoff talking about some of our specific details/arrangements until everything is a bit more refocused.

Enough about that --- on to the pretty things!

How sweet is this??


(via StyleMePretty)

Plus, if you removed the ribbon, you could always use those as centerpieces at the reception. This way, you won't have to sacrifice fresh flowers for the sake of the budget! :)

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

A Vacation, of Sorts...

Just letting all you loyal readers (probably all 5 of you!) know that I'm going to be taking a bit of a break from the blog/wedding planning right now.

We're taking a quick break from putting down deposits, as next in line is the caterer, and that's the biggest (and non-refundable) expense.

Hopefully a week will be enough to recharge, but who knows?? Once Christmas starts, I don't have to be back to work until January, so you won't find me within 5 feet of a computer!!!!

Friday, December 5, 2008

Needs Vs. Wants

So one great advantage to having this long engagement is the ability to spend time researching for the best vendors, negotiating great deals, and taking the time to make thoughtful, slow decisions.

It also encourages over-thinking.

For instance, a few weeks ago, I pointed out that I wouldn't be caught dead with chair covers. And now, working with a linen coordinator, I've been offered a GREAT deal on them. And I want them. Why? I'm not even really sure. I still don't find them "aesthetically pleasing," nor do I find them to add any comfort for my guests. I guess I find them the lesser of two evils, as compared to a plain banquet chair.

Or, am I just being sucked into the crazy "You-must-have-this-or-it's-not-a-real-wedding" mentality?

Since we're working on what we've decided is a "small-ish" budget for a Chicago wedding, we've really had to think hard about what we want, what we need, and what we'll sacrifice if need be. We both completely agreed that the location/venue was our number one priority. And while the Danada House is certainly not the most cost-effective choice, we don't regret the decision to have the wedding there. Second is a tie for food and photography. We lucked out with a great photographer who fit EXTREMELY well into our budget. The food, not so much. We're doing the best we can to try to get the style we want, the amount of food we want, along with a high caliber of service, all within budget. And we've discussed the fact that since this budget seems fairly unreasonable, we're going to have to pull some extra money out of our savings to get what we want. And we're okay with that.

However, we're not okay with pulling extra money from our savings for: chair covers, upgraded linens, a top shelf bar, valet parking, exorbitant floral decor, or organic grass-fed beef.

I guess we just have to keep reminding ourselves that there are more important things to put our money towards than satin-covered chairs...

Thursday, December 4, 2008

Apologies...

...for my lack of posting, lately.

Between the upcoming holidays, regular bills, and the demand for wedding deposits, our wallet has been stretched pretty thin, which always leads me to feel uninspired.

However, I think a brief recap may help to remind me of all the "good" that has been accomplished lately.
  • Still in talks with the caterers. There are 2 definite possibilities for the cocktail reception, and 1 definite possibility for a sit-down affair.
  • Met with a florist on Monday. Got a great quote for everything I wanted, proving that small budgets don't necessarily mean giving up what you want.
  • Will be meeting with a "linen specialist" soon. She's quoting us 60% less than the caterer. Talk about a markup!
  • Both the comb and my earrings arrived. I pulled my trusty dress out of storage (hiding under my bed!), and held them up. They both match perfect and I'm super excited that I bought them.
  • On a whim, bought paper to line the envelopes for the invites. It's a small touch that will probably mean a great deal of work, but I don't mind doing it! :) Plus, I got all the paper I need for $2.75. Total spent on invitations so far = $35.00. All I need now is the paper for the programs and I'm done...
  • We've almost finished our Christmas shopping, with the exception of one grab-bag for Tom and our parents. I just bought Tom an AWESOME gift, and I'm bursting to tell him. :( I can't wait to post some pictures of his gift after Christmas!!! :)

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

The Catering Chronicles: Part 1,004,567th

So the saga to find a flexible, delicious and budget-friendly caterer continues...

I finally received the last proposal I'd been waiting on --- the one that I think would be workable in our budget. As is the running theme here, I was pretty disappointed when the total was higher than what we discussed. The food was a bit on the haughty side, they included a wedding cake (which we're opting not to have), and they had the whole reception timed incorrectly. Ugh.

Luckily, I had the day off of work and was able to put a call into our rep right away to make a few amendments. So, I'm awaiting the "official" proposal, but it should include:

  • Passed hors d'oeurves (mini hotdogs, bacon wrapped dates, etc.)
  • Cheese & cracker display
  • Fresh veggie display
  • Carved beef & turkey stations
  • Mashed potato bar
  • Made to order salad bar (this might be nixed...I can't remember!)
  • Dessert table to include assorted brownies (rocky road, peanut butter, cream cheese), cheesecake squares, fresh fruit, and chocolate covered strawberries

And hopefully this quote will fall within (or near) our budget, making it that much easier for us to make our choice.

In other semi-related caterer news, how delicious does this look?