Inspired: Fabric Garland

I have to admit, that when I saw this photo, I was smitten.  Yes, our wedding is over, but this garland could be used to dress up any party: a summer picnic, a baby shower, a child's birthday, shiny fabrics would make this amazing for a holiday buffet.

This is a link that I will keep close on hand for future parties!

The entire bridal shower decor can be found here: The Sweetest Occasion


If you are into the shabby-chic, or a bit of a feminine garden party, or even just a flowy touch to a rustic reception, this is a great image to keep in your files.  I know it's strange for me to do a post on one photo, but I was so inspired.

Check out one brides' DIY on how she accomplished her ribbon bunting here:  Miss Bunting

Simple Wedding Flowers

The bathroom is getting closer to being completed... It is tiling, grouting & fixture-ing away from being functional again & as soon as it's done, the recaps will begin.  Until then, we will continue to spend our evenings working on the room!  We are hoping to get most of the tiling done tonight.  Finish tiling and grouting tomorrow, then start to add the fixtures this weekend.  Maybe a toilet Friday night & a sink Saturday night?  We'll see!!!

But because I am bored at work today, I do have time to do a quick post.  Because I am still in love with all things involved with the Royal Wedding, I figured I might do a bit of a wedding post today - one based on flowers.  It is May, and wedding season is in full bloom (pun totally intended), so it makes sense to bring back some wedding information.

One thing that I found extremely refreshing with the Royal Wedding was the simplicity of the florals.  While there were enormous trees & large ferns, the flowers were simple & white.  Cathrine carried a simple bouquet filled with lily of the valley.  Her attendants had small bouquets and baskets filled with the same flower, and it made a simple, yet beautiful impact.


Hugo Burnand/AP Photo


I remember being overwhelmed by the cost of flowers, and though we did go fairly simple with our flowers, using seasonal florals in white and green, we still spent over $1,000 on flowers.  Small centerpieces, simple bouquets & boutonnieres, still over a grand in flowers.  So Cathrine's simple bouquet got me thinking... maybe we (as brides) spend too much money, and time worrying on our flowers.

Some of the most beautiful flower arrangements I have seen are simple, so I thought I'd gather some here for everyone to see.  Sometimes leaving flowers out completely is not something a bride wants to do, myself included, so here are a couple interesting solutions for a wedding bouquet.  These solutions still make an impact, but won't break your budget:



This is a simple bouquet that could be carried by the bride
or the bridesmaids.  Add color as needed!
Photo Credit: Link



A few tiered roses with some greenery is simple and beautiful. 
Adding a wide ribbon brings extra color and texture to the mix.
Photo Credit: Link



This bouquet is modern, simple & unique.
Photo Credit: Link



A few simple Calla Lilies make a dramatic impact.  Make them red, orange,
almost any color really, to match your theme.
Photo Credit: Link



Even a simple bouquet of lavender can be made into a beautiful bouquet.
If purple is in your theme, consider this!
Photo: Project Wedding



One of my favorites is baby's breath.  This is an amazing bouquet for anyone
in your wedding party.  If you want the bride to have a bigger impact, have her
 carry a bouquet of white roses to set her apart!
Photo: Project Wedding

I know I have discussed alternate wedding centerpieces here before, but I want to try to add some examples of simple centerpieces that DO use flowers.  Our centerpieces used 2-3 large hydrangea and greenery in black vases to make an impact.  As much as I LOVED the look of a big ball of beautiful flowers, adding different types of greenery can make a beautiful effect with a much lower price tag.


When we had our wedding, hydrangeas were about $5.00 each, with greenery the
centerpieces were $12-$18.  I got the vases online for $5.00 each.



Using three different vases, and simple submerged flowers, this centerpiece
is simple but dramatic.
Photo: Project Wedding

 

More unique greenery in long stalks is beautiful in this centerpiece.
Photo:  Project Wedding



Another place where simple baby's breath can make a beautiful arrangement.
Photo: Project Wedding



One bloom in lots of different vases is a great alternative.  Throw in a
couple bottles with stems of your favorite greenery & you have a great display.
Photo: Good Housekeeping

 The most important lessons when trying to lighten your floral bill are as follows:

1.  Choose flowers that are in season.  This is very important, as flowers that are not in season can run you $5-$8 each.  Trying to get a peony in August, you are going to pay for it.  There are lots of websites that can direct you to good in-season flowers.

2.  Cut back on the size and number of flowers.  While you think that every table arrangement should have 20 roses, that can run you $75 each - minimum.  Add two shorter vases with floating candles & wrapped in twine or with submerged banana leaves and go with a smaller display.  When it comes to your bouquets, if you want to have the bridal bouquet be large and in-charge, fine, but scale back on the 'maids.  A simple bouquet will be beautiful for them and will save you major money!

3. Submerge.  One flower, candle & add water - it is still dramatic, and much more cost effective than a dozen of your favorite flower.  Consult with a florist to find the best flowers for submerging.

4.  Add Greenery.  I was against this, and I wish I had done more research, but there are some beautiful greenery items that can be added to your bouquets and arrangement.  Cabbage, Kale, all kinds of interesting vegetables can be added too.

Hopefully some of these hints and photos will help you brides out there who still want flowers, but don't want to spend a small fortune decorating.  Happy Wedding Season!

DIY Blue Mason Jars

My favorite color is blue.  Not just any blue, but bright lovely shades of turquoise, aqua and teal - saturated and stunning.  Funny how blue isn't a main color in our decorating.  It's probably because my husband's favorite color is red.  So we ended up going with a neutral, earthy palette in our home.  Which is okay with both of us.

Knowing that my favorite color is blue, and that I love DIY, I really, really fell in love with this project.  Making your own Blue Mason Jars.  If you have seen the original thing, they are a thing of beauty.


Photo Credit: HERE

They have been very popular with the rustic wedding vibe lately, and people are dying to get a hold of a few of these antique jars.  Unfortunately they are hard to find and expensive.  They can run you $5-$20 each!  Insanity!  But take a look at how beautiful they are displaying flowers at a wedding.


Photo Credit: HERE

I can totally understand why couples are clamoring to get a hold of these jars.  But when planning my own wedding (who's colors were not blue OR red....) I found a DIY on how to make these jars from plain, old, affordable clear mason jars.  You can buy 12 packs of regular jars for about $12.  Way more affordable than splurging a minimum of $60 for a dozen of the originals.

I will give credit where credit is due, and link you directly to the blog that has the how-to instructions.  You can find a wonderful blog here: Bridal Buzz 

But since you are here, I will also give you the how-to from Bridal Buzz's site so that you can see how easy and affordable these lovely jars can be for you!  Whether you are planning a wedding or not, these jars are amazing to house flowers, seeds, plants, etc.

The blogger uses a product called Vitrea160, a transparent glass paint, and purchased the color "turquoise" (approximately $4 each) and a thinner from the same line to get a lighter color on the glass.  She put a jar on a tupperware container, upside down.  She then dipped a fan brush into the thinner and mixed it into the turquoise & just painted it on the glass jar.


Photo from Bridal Buzz

 You let the jar set for 24 hours, then bake it for 40 minutes at 375 degrees F.  Apparently when you paint the liquid on you will see brushstrokes, most of these disappear after the baking process.  Personally I'd try to take extra time to put the paint on as evenly as possible.  But if you are going to put something in these jars like liquid, seeds, soil, you will most likely not see the strokes.

Photo from Bridal Buzz

Here is a link to her DIY for this project:  Bridal Buzz Mason Jars

If I can come up with the perfect place for a few of these jars, I might just be making this project.  I love those darn jars so much!  There are warnings of course to monitor use with candles.  While it's beautiful, there is always the chance that glass and over heat and break, so be sure that the tops are not on, and the candles are monitored if you are using them.  Also beware that any striations in the paint will be seen with candles!

Happy Crafting.
  

Spring Wedding Decor

One way to make things bright and cheery on a cold, grey day is to think about Spring Weddings!  They are almost a genre all to themselves.  Granted you can have any wedding at any time, but there is just something about spring weddings that puts a little "bright and cheery" into your smile.


If we had the opportunity to have a wedding outside, or at least the reception, we probably would have.  Because of the volatile weather in this area, it would have been a big gamble though, so we went with an indoor wedding.  However, there is something about a spring wedding that just calls for green grass, bright flowers & a day filled with sunshine.

Photo: Project Wedding


This wedding decor special will be a little all over the place, as you can modify your spring wedding to be modern or traditional, rustic or contemporary, colorful or simple.  I'll try to touch on a little of all of it, while embodying what I think of when it comes to spring!

Project Wedding

Flowers:

First I'd like to start with the flowers.  After a long, cold winter, everyone is looking forward to bright and beautiful flowers.  It's also one of the easiest places to add a pop of color.  When I think about weddings, I try to think about what is in season when the wedding is occurring.  Not only will this keep the price of your flowers down, by going seasonal, but it helps to paint the picture of when your wedding is occurring.

What do I think of when I think of Spring Flowers?  Peonies, Peonies & more Peonies.  These flowers are in their prime in May.  They are full and romantic and by far my favorite flower.

 



Photo: Project Wedding



Photo: The Knot

Another spring flower that I adore: Tulips.  Early in spring, tulips are in full bloom.  These are beautiful for a centerpiece or a bouquet.



Photo: Project Wedding

Here are a few other flower shots to give you some inspiration:

Photo: Project Wedding



Photo: Project Wedding

Decor:

Next I'd like to touch on decor.  You have the opportunity to go with something fun and simple or bold and dramatic that is completely seasonal.  For example - Cherry Blossoms.  Spring is the season of the cherry blossom & cherry blossoms on branches in a clear vase are beautiful as a centerpiece, bar decor, or even aisle decoration.



Photo: Project Wedding

You can still do lovely branch centerpieces.  Because things are still blooming in spring, you can do a branch centerpiece with green buds on the branches.  You can toss in a few roses, or hydrangea, as they are in season throughout the year.



Photo: Project Wedding



Next Exit Photography

 You also have the opportunity to have a couple small vases on each table with just a couple blooms in each one.  This can make a dramatic centerpiece without spending a fortune on flowers.  For extra money savings, alternate and have half of the center pieces be floating candles in a vase with a submerged orchid or cherry blossoms.


Photo: Project Wedding



Photo: Project Wedding

To add a little drama to your ceremony, you can use flower petals on the bright green spring grass, this is a beautiful look.


Photo: Project Wedding

Or you can decorate your aisle, ceremony site or reception with great tissue paper or flower poms.  This s a great DIY project that can be affordable and add a lot of color and drama to your event.


Photo: Project Wedding


Fashion:
One thing I don't touch on much is fashion, however I think that a few quick photos of some great wedding parties can inspire some great color combos.  Also note that all of the dresses do not have to match!  Do you love orange and yellow, but can't choose?  You can use both colors in your bridesmaid dresses.  Put the maid of honor in orange with a yellow sash, and the other maids in yellow.  For the budget bride, have all of your bridesmaids pick a knee-length, flowing dress in any shade of pink or orange or go ultra-bold and allow them to pick any spring shade that goes with your theme.


Photo: Project Wedding



Photo: The Knot



Photo: Sandra Pan Photography



Photo: Project Wedding

I am also a big fan of light suits for spring weddings as opposed to the ultra formal tux.  Everyone wearing beige, light grey or medium grey suits will look amazing for your spring event.

Cakes:
I just want to add a few quick photos of cakes.  You can go modern or traditional, but keeping the florals seasonal and bright and adding just a touch of delicate decor to the cake can make the prefect confection.  These cakes scream spring wedding to me.



Photo: Project Wedding



Photo: Project Wedding

 Spring Color Combos:
For me, spring is about pale and light colors.  The closer you get to summer, the more you get that pop of color.  Below are some of my favorite spring combinations.

Ivory, Light Pink, Beige, Ecru & Peach
White, Pale Yellow & Coral
Ivory, Light Grey, Light Pink, Pale Green
White, Beige, Bright Green & Orange
Ivory, Gold, Pale Yellow & Coral
White, Tiffany Blue, Medium Grey & Light Pink or Yellow
Medium Grey, Light Pink, Medium Pink & White
Dark Grey, Light Grey, Bright Green, Light Green & White

Lavenders, Corals, Oranges, Lemon & Pale Yellow, Greens, Greys, Beige, all of these colors can be mixed in to make a great combination.

Wedding Design: Sleek & Chic

Now is the time when summer brides start to go into overdrive.  Invitations are being ordered, dresses are purchased, they are looking at wedding bands & finding the perfect shoes, they are choosing their ceremony music & thinking about their bridal party gifts.  All very exciting, and I wish all of those brides luck in this crazy time.

I thought I'd tackle another wedding style today - the sleek, modern, loft wedding.  Originally I think this was the first scheme I wanted, but when we selected a traditional hall, I think we were left with having to do something less modern, and more simple.

Here are some amazing photos that show this style:


Photo: The Knot



Photo: Link

What do I think of when I think of a sleek modern wedding. 

The Venue:  Obviously, as I showed above, a loft like restaurant or space is ideal.  Exposed brick, wood or steel exposed structure, ambient lighting - something sort of bare or raw, almost deconstructed.  Also a blank white slate provides a perfect backdrop for this type of wedding.

Photo: The Knot

Museums, gardens, wineries - these places are all ideal for your modern wedding reception.  I think that the ceremony can take place just about anywhere with this scheme.

The Flowers:  With modern weddings, I think bold graphic flowers - calla lilies, orchids, button mums, bouquets and centerpieces that have modern shapes and do not use greenery.  Architectural flowers work best in this scheme - making the arrangements inherently more modern.  Right now tight bouquets of a single flower make a powerful impact, even something as simple as carnations can be very simple and when done well, very modern.



Photo: Link



Photo: Link



Photo: Link

The Cake:  Again, bold, simple and graphic are three words that I would use to describe a modern style wedding cake.  A simple white background with simple but bold decor.  A bright ribbon on each layer, one large flower, an architectural shape

Photo: The Knot



Photo: Link

Centerpieces:  Simple and Elegant are easy to accomplish for a modern wedding.  Again, modern flowers give a nice style to your table.  Candles are a great way to take advantage of a non-flower centerpiece opportunity.  Submerged flowers in vases filled with water is also a very modern and attractive option. 


Photo: Link



Photo: Project Wedding



Photo: Project Wedding



Photo: Project Wedding

There are a lot of DIY opportunities here in the centerpiece category.  It's easy and affordable to come by clear vases, candles, water.  You can talk to a florist about submerging flowers, or even use life-like faux flowers for the submerged effect without anyone being able to tell the difference.  You can use food coloring to change the color of the water.  You can buy river rocks and floating candles in three different height vases for a great non-floral opportunity.  You can use interesting fillers - moss, seashells, in-the-shell walnuts, coffee beans - just keep it to one type of vase, a single filler, keep it to one color, add a candle and you are done.  When you start to mix types of vases and fillers, you tend to lose a bit of the "modern" vibe and head toward a little more eclectic.

Other Decor:  Lighting is incredibly important, most modern weddings make very good use of lighting.  We mentioned candle light of course, but wall washing is very modern.  If the venue doesn't include it, you can rent lighting for this effect.


Photo: Project Wedding

Paper lanterns are another exciting lighting opportunity.  They are affordable, and very "in" right now.  Grouped together over a table, over the dance floor, or even covering the roof of a tent, they are very modern and give a very beautiful effect. 



Photo: Project Wedding

Color Combinations: There are literally a thousand amazing modern wedding combinations that I have seen lately. 
White, Grey & Fuchsia
White, Yellow & Grey
White, Black & Green
White, Navy & Honeysuckle
White, Grey & Purple

The key to making a successful modern theme seems to be: White, plus a dark neutral, plus a bold color.  All of these schemes are amazing, and all of these color combinations really pop.

Overall I think the things that describe this style the best are simple, bold & graphic.  Use geometric shapes, architectural flowers, bold accessories, but think clean lines, simple and unified bouquets, centerpieces and linens.  There are so many things that you can do to pull off this style and really make it your own.