More wedding ideas

So, following on from yesterday's post, here's a few more images of our decorations (images courtesy of truephotography.com

Along with the invitations suite, I also did the multi-page ceremony program as seen above. (Extra invitations allowed me to make a few bookmarks). I designed and printed the program and had a local letterpresser - czarpress.com - press the invitations. I printed out the invite inserts on my pro-printer at home.

See those vases? With florals and candles? And see the square wood base? Well, I have those available for rent (minus flowers but I can provide silk ones if you like). There's big vases, and medium vases, and small vases as well as a host of votive sized holders.

How do you rent them? I'm kinda sorta affiliated with All You Need is Love Event Planning. Check them out at allyouneedisloveevents.com - they've just been awarded a place on the "Best of..." list on the top internet wedding site, theknot.com. If you do the sensible thing and use AYNIL as your wedding co-ordinators, for a nominal fee they can let you borrow vases, votive holders and bases. AYNIL also has their own photobooth backdrop which can also be rented out for your special occasion. Check back with me or with AYNIL in the coming weeks for more information.

So how did this all start?

I come from an artistically inclined family. My Dad loved to draw pen and ink landscapes and built intricate models from teeny tiny matchsticks. My brother went to art school and ended up in the fashion industry. My Uncle was a film cameraman and a portrait artist. I later found some fashion designs my paternal grandmother had drawn. Simple but really really good. I was miffed because I couldn't draw - not landscapes, not portraits, not anything. I was even put in the lower level art classes at school, and my sewing teacher was dismayed that I insisted on putting the colors green and red together on an apron.

But artistry isn't just about the ability to draw. Artistry is anything that requires creativity and a whole lot of aching fingers. It wasn't until my 4 year old daughter took up ice skating and I decided that I wasn't going to spend copious amounts of money for someone else to make her dresses. So I made them. And before too long I was hunched over a sewing machine, and hand-sewing sparkly sequins and diamonds on dresses in an ice-cold rink, not just for her, but for other little skaters and for an entire precision skating team.

Fast forward a few years, and the figure skating ended, as did the sewing. And then my daughter - bless her, she inspires me to do everything - insisted on getting married and searched every entire wedding blog on the internet to get inspiration for her own wedding. And boy, was she ever inspired. Every day brought a new idea until it was time to put the leash on and narrow it down to a few select ideas.

Strangely enough, my daughter had more faith in my ability to pull off all she asked me to do than I did myself. And I'm going to toot our own horn here and say, yes, I think the two of us did a darn fine job of creating the simple, almost vintage, do-it-yourself charm we wanted for her destination wedding. Take a look at some of our photos and see what you think. Did we do okay?

(photo courtesy of True Photography)

(last two images -courtesy of truephotography.com)

More images next post!

Yes, I have an addiction

I have finally come to terms with my addiction and how I can deal with it.

I love crafting, I love designing, I love fabric flowers. I love weddings and I love brides. They are the happiest people on earth, and I want to be a part of that happy feeling.

I cannot stop making fabric flowers, and now I've started adding feathers, and soon I'm making a trip to the flea market to find vintage findings, buttons - anything that makes me say "I could make something with that".

So how can I deal with my addiction? Here's what I've been thinking. Are you a bride? First off, many congratulations and take lots of deep breaths. Relaxation is the key. Are you a bride on a budget? You are not alone. Are you a bride who cannot stop looking at all the bridal blogs out there? You've just looked at your hundredth blog - you've got more than a hundred ideas of what you want. And then that vintage hair accessory, or that adorable simple centerpiece, or that ceremony fan to keep your guests cool at your destination wedding, catches your eye - and THAT's what you want.

BUT - and this is the important part - you don't have the time, the patience, the

resources to do it all yourself. You know what you want - but you want someone to do it for you, exactly the way you want, without blowing the budget on custom designs.

I can do that. I can be your DIY partner. You come up with the blog and the idea, let me know how you want to include your own special touches, and I'll re-create your vision. I'll listen to every single idea you have, steer you back to the right path if you get overwhelmed or lost in the bridal blog world, let you know if it's something I just cannot do, and perhaps even find a way to do it.

What I do:

Invitation suites - seen a great invitation design but can't afford the price? I can design something similar, or can create a simple original design. I also have a couple of great letterpress guys close by who won't ask for an arm, a leg and your firstborn child in payment (or at the very least you won't have to skip the honeymoon because the invites blew the budget).

Fabric flowers for just about anything - hair accessories for you and your bridesmaids; bouquets, boutonnieres, centerpieces.

Centerpieces - in boxes, vases, baskets, galvanized steel, brushed steel, candles in vases and votives.

And more - Guest cards, escort cards, ceremony programs.

But wait, there's even more........ no seriously. It all starts with YOU and that DIY project you found on a blog - send it to me. I'll see how I can re-create it especially for you. And I'll keep my prices within your budget (I do negotiate!)

Check in again soon as I introduce you to some of my most recent wedding projects and the latest additions to my fabric floral designs. Can't wait to hear from you!