A Recap Among Recaps

So this is going to be a ridiculously long, picture-filled post. My apologies.

But, as we stand 4 months out from the wedding, here's the plans/inspiration so far:

This is the bouquet that started it all; Most of my decisions have stemmed from this picture:



The ceremony venue:



The apparel:

The ties for the gentlemen:


The flower girl dresses:

Symbolic of the black dresses my sisters are wearing:

My HOT shoes (but in blue):

The accessories:

The rings:

The paper:

Invitation inspiration (but blue, not pink):




The programs:


The favor boxes:

The details:

Our wine "guestbook":

Our personalized brick:

So I think it's shaping up nicely!

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...

Let's Recap, Shall We?

The past few weeks have been rather topsy-turvey in Weddingland.

We've ditched the original venue, are still in discussions about the ceremony location (well, actually not discussions - the decision's up to Tom...), honed in on small details, purchased a Gocco, and began a few DIY projects that will hopefully be featured soon. So, I thought that this would be an opportune time to recap.

When picturing the wedding months ago, I never really pictured the "theme" revolving around an object. I thought it would be dictated by the location, the time, or the season. And to a degree, it still is. But I've found myself making decisions based on a particular picture.

This picture:

(The Knot)

"I love her, and true love lasts a lifetime." (Nicole, name that movie!!)

This bouquet has really come to embody what I want to see from the day. It's elegant, fresh, fun, and just downright pretty.

I also love this. Not necessarily the daisies, but the overall look:


(Sweet Paul, via Snippet & Ink)

And I've bought these:


(Michaels)

It was a weak moment, I confess. But they match! And they were on clearance!!

And, sigh, this:


(The Danada House)

I've fallen in love with the Danada House. And I'm hoping that this weekend will only solidify that, rather than change it. We'll be meeting with the coordinator on Sunday, and will get to see it setup for a wedding :)

All in the Details...

So as I spend more time looking at pictures, thinking about venues, etc., the vision of the day becomes a clearer picture in my mind. Though I'm prone to changing it often (I've "planned" for at least 4 different places/dates now), I feel fairly certain that this vision will stick.

But that's partly because I've already spent money on the paper for the invites and the dress, so there's no way to turn back now! ;)

So anyhoodle, I've spent some time the past few days thinking about what the wedding would be like at any of the sites below, and the vision is fairly similar. I'd like to stick with the common chord of "garden elegance" but still have the fun, fresh touches that stop this from becoming a stuffy affair.

Idea #1: Lace.

I like lace in small quantities. I certainly don't want it everywhere, lest this look like the special occasion fabric section at a craft store, but I'd like to incorporate it in small touches. For instance, the tables:


(DeNormandie Party Linens)

Please ignore the crazy centerpiece and chair that could double as a fancy toilet. However, please pay special attention to the lace topper. Picture that on top of both pool blue and apple green linens. In my head, I think the blue will look better, but I like the color green more.

I'd also like to incorporate it into the ceremony (if it is outdoors, that is), but having it become part of the canopy (sorta like a chuppa), or even as an aisle runner (in lieu of flower petals).

And I love it at the bottom of this dress too:


(Jenny Yoo Bridal)

Just barely noticeable :)


Idea #2: Flowers.

Fairly self-explanatory, right? Too bad there's this little problem called a BUDGET. So, my thoughts for fresh flower centerpieces without the cost are this:



or actually doing a simple DIY project the night before. I can get vases as cheap as $2 a piece, and we could make a run to Trader Joe's or even a regular grocery store and buy several of their mixed bouquets. They can easily be split in half (or smaller depending on the size of the vases), running the cost to approx. $5 per arrangement.

Sigh. Roses and lace? I really am a lot more girly than I let on to be.

A Style Post

Okay, I think you've all seen enough of the crazy inner-workings of my mind.

What can I say, I'm a creative type. We bounce. We fluctuate. We obsess. We lose interest quickly. Meh.

Anywhoodle, below are some stylish-type details that I just love. :) I think that these small details really help set the mood of an event. Plus, if done correctly, they don't have to cost a lot of money (despite what the bridal industry leads you to believe!).

Wreaths for the ceremony doors:



Completely superfluous? Yes. Delicious? Absolutely!! These has sort of been an obsession of mine since we got engaged, and I don't really know why. Michaels, aka my second home, had a huge sale on floral stems (50% off!). So, I indulged and purchased enough to make two wreaths. Last year, I was able to pick up these amazing thin silver letters, covered in pearls. They're pretty hard to picture, so I'll just leave you to your imagination. I bought one set of our monogram, figuring I would use them somewhere. Then, a month ago, they had them again! I knew it was a sign, and picked up a second set. The best part? They're $1 a piece!

As soon as I get to Tom's and charge my camera, I'll embark upon the wreath journey, taking pictures so I can share with all of you :)

Okay, now tables.

I like this:



And I LOVE these:



Well, maybe not the tall candles, but I love the silver bases :)

And this:



It's just so simple and pretty :)

And of course, this, which I've showed you before:



I'm picturing candles. TONS of candles on the tables. Especially if we use the rectangular tables. For what, $10 a table, we'll have tons of candlelight? Can't beat that!

Returning to Regularly Scheduled Wedding Programming...

I'm sorry for yet another hodge-podge post, but I've run past some of these pictures, and I love them!!!

This is from a wedding that the couple hosted in their own backyard...it was awesome looking!



Teehee. Doesn't that just make you giggle? :)

And below are two centerpieces made of wheatgrass. It takes 7 days to grow the wheatgrass about 7 inches, and it only costs about $1/lb. I think it would look fantastic on tables: it's short which would allow for easy conversation over it, it's fresh & green, and it's fairly inexpensive.




Also, here's a photo strip save-the-date:



THOUGHTS?

Do Me a Favor...

So --- let's discuss favors.

Favors have sort of become a tradition at weddings. And though the tradition started in France with royalty, eventually spreading to Italy (beginning the tradition of Jordan almonds...), favors in the US are sort of a hot-button topic.

Are they necessary? How much is appropriate to spend? Aren't my guests just going to throw them out?

I'm pretty torn on this topic. As a guest, I really don't care about them. As a hostess, I feel sort of obligated to give them. However, I also feel that if I am going to send something home with my guests, I want it to be something useful and practical. And most likely edible.

So, I would like all of your thoughts. My mother has made her opinion perfectly clear: she thinks they're a waste of money, and I shouldn't bother. She also feels that way about corsages. Way to be difficult, Ma! ;)

A few ideas I like:



Yum. Chocolate covered sunflower seeds. Cute, tiny, fairly inexpensive.



Again, but in a tin I think is cute. But without the sticker. That's sort of lame.



Yum. Chocolate truffles in a cute box. Delicious, yet expensive. They average about $2 a box. $2 multiplied by 200 guests = $400. For chocolate. Do you know what I could do with $400?!?!


So, what are your thoughts (as the possible recipients of these)??????