Photo Inspiration

Image Courtesy of Nistor Photography.

I love this photo that was featured on Vintage Glam.

Angie & Ryan: I think these would look beautiful along the walkway leading up to the front door and on the patio at your reception. I really like how they are clustered together in this shot. We could tie them with thin ribbon [in your colours] and include them on the buffet table and pie bar.

This arrangement would also make a beautiful [& cost effective] Holiday Centerpiece by adding a few sprigs of berries, twigs, or greenery.

Organize your way to a great Christmas!

Image courtesy of Kristen Mary.
A planner at heart, I am always looking for ways of organizing the [many] thoughts, ideas, and plans I have going through my.busy.brain.

Naturally, I was ecstatic to find tools to help me organize my favorite holiday.

[A big thank-you to Laurie Turk for sharing this great idea via Tip Junkie & Executive Homemaker].

Christmas Planner:


There are many templates available to download and print [for free] including a Party Planner, Family and Friend Gift Guides, as well as my favorite document: a Memory Planner.

Happy Holidays & Happy Planning.

[an example of] A Bride's Worst Nightmare

"It's like rain, on your wedding day..."
Alanis Morissette

Although rain is not something one would hope for one's special day, issues arising from wedding day rain can be solved quite easily with proper planning.

A [less common] disaster that is a bit more difficult to address is a "Gong Show" cake. Because wedding cakes play such an integral part in [most] weddings [& are such a large expense], they are best entrusted to their creators.

As Geneve so accurately advised us: never take responsibility for transporting a wedding cake. Ever. Ever. Ever.

Now I know why:

[Thank goodness Liz is such an easy going bride: she put up with rain, wind, and an upside down cake]!

A&R: I think your pie bar is a safe alternative!

a charming outdoor wedding

I love this garden wedding featured on Snippet & Ink last weekend.


This is such a gorgeous bouquet. [I'm sure Angie will agree: the bride's Melissa Sweet dress is fabulous].


The beautiful details are consistent throughout the entire event, from the service to the reception. I just adore how the wedding's rustic and vintage feel is accentuated with the intimate setting of the garden and luscious purple and green palette.
[These vintage canisters were from the bride's mother's jadeite collection. What a great way of incorporating special mementos].


[I am officially looking forward to experimenting with fruit centerpieces: they are beautiful]!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

... and that makes me excited.

When Starbucks cups turn RED, the stores are full of decorations, and the Stanley Park Train is covered in lights {next weekend} I am a happy woman.

I.Love.Christmas.

These cards [$18.75 for 6] are adorable.

In the spirit of my favorite holiday, I wanted to include a couple of clips from one of my favorite movies: Love Actually.

Two of my favorite [love inspired] scenes:


One of my favorite songs.


One of the cutest [movie] love gestures.

Enchanting Centerpieces

I was so excited to see Kim's Eggplant Centerpieces.

I have been toying with the idea of using eggplant somewhere in Ryan and Angie's reception [on the buffet table or welcome table]; however, I was unsure as to how to pull this off.


Head of the Table has outdone itself again, providing us with an elegant, sophisticated, and classy looking centerpiece [inspired by a fruit].


We are already using these lovely cala lilies and I think this arrangement would be beautifully accentuated by candle light.

Mere colour, unspoiled by meaning, and unallied with definite form, can speak to the soul in a thousand different ways. Oscar Wilde

Bridal Party Burlesque.

How fun are these photos? I love the 50's style, glamorous make up, and sexy outfits. The Classic Pin Up Girl will never go out of style.

That's why I was so.excited to hear about Seattle's Old School Pin Up's.

How much fun would a Bachelorette-Party-Pin-Up-Photo-Shoot with your best girlfriends be [because - honestly - how many times can you go pole dancing]?


All images courtesy of my favorite magazine, Vanity Fair.

An awe-inspiring reception.

My Vision for Angie and Ryan's rustic and romantic, candle-lit reception is beautifully depicted in this lovely photograph courtesy of Love Luck and Angels.

Bridal Party Style.

J.Crew has an amazing selection of beautiful [wear again] bridesmaid and MOH dresses.

Each season they offer similar dress styles in new colours. The upcoming Spring 2009 swatches are beautiful.

Angie and Steph, take note: "Spiced Wine" looks like it could be an elegant eggplant for your bridal party.


There are so many flattering styles and beautiful designs to choose from. They can all be found here.

Best.Worst.Dog.Ever.

Marley and Me Trailer http://teaser-trailer.com
Uploaded by movie-release

Although this is a completely NON-Wedding-Related post, it's worth the post. This trailer had me in TEARS with laughter because it is so close to my heart. Marley reminds me of MY [Best].worst.dog.ever.

[I know that we will find ourselves in a movie theatre on Christmas Day].

Eggplant Elegance

I adore this Style Me Pretty inspiration board.

My favorite detail: The lovely calligraphy [& the contrast of the light font on dark paper].

weddings and wines.

I was so excited this morning to see a Snippet & Ink Inspiration Board in Ryan and Angie's colours!

I love the flowers included on this board. The bouquet in the top row uses the pretty eggplant tulips that Angie&co. and I fell in love with at Granville Island.

So elegant, so cost effective, so beautiful.

The dress in the third row would be stunning for bridesmaids or for a Maid of Honour.

[Doesn't this inspiration board make you crave a glass of good red wine?]

Love, Matt White

What a fun song. This song would be so cute for a couple leaving the ceremony, entering the reception, or even for the first dance.

Video Courtesy of Matt White Music.

Wishing Well.

The days of traditional guest books are gone. Couples use personal and interesting methods of documenting their guests' attendance as well as gathering thoughts and well wishes from their loved ones.

The Knot provides great guest book inspiration. Here are a few of my favorites:


I love this classic looking B&W guest book.


How precious is this idea?! This couple used a vintage typewriter for their guests to hand type notes to them. [Apparently, these well wishes are now framed around the couple's home. How sweet]?


I really like this idea. Guests hand wrote personal messages on stones that the couple could use throughout their home and garden.



I love.love.love. these wishing trees. The bird branches are just cute. Do you like these, Angie?
This tree was inspired by the couple's trip to Japan. In Japan, individuals write their hopes and dreams for the couple on small pieces of paper that they tie to branches all over the local town.


This couple's "take a wish, make a wish" table is so clever. Guests were asked to write down well wishes for the couple and then to take a wish for themselves.


This idea is very sweet. [I have heard of wedding couples purchasing 5 bottles of wines that are special to them for guests to sign with the intentions of drinking them on their first 5 anniversaries. Lovely].



Angie and Ryan are planning on using this idea of photo matte guest book. I think it's a great way of documenting those in attendance of their special day as well as creating a conversation art piece. [I think it would be awesome with a candid wedding shot of A&R].
{Photos i & ii}.

Classic Brides

Speaking of classic women, I wanted to share a couple of my personal style icons: Audrey and Jackie.

It is quite clear that I am a fan of Ms. Hepburn. Her style, humanitarianism, and spirit are timeless.



The images, that speak for themselves, can be found here & here.

Jackie Kennedy Onassis set the bar for First Ladies to come and women everywhere. "Classic style" is often illustrated with her photograph and her name is used to describe a woman with such a look.



Jackie O's wedding dress = timeless elegance. {Images found here & here}.

Viva Obama.

Without getting [too] political, may I just point out what a classy, stylish, and iconic first family we have south of the boarder.

The Obamas exude something the [quote] All.American.Family. [end quote] should strive for: strength, courage, and refinement.


Furthermore, from a stylistic standpoint: it is so refreshing to see such a classy First Lady. Amen, Stacy from la boudoir.

First Lady Michelle Obama and Jill Biden.

Images found here, here, here, here, and here.

Play that funky music...

One of my favorite blogs, the Australian Polka Dot Bride, is a great resource for wedding music selection.

Ms. Polka Dot has great "Mix Tapes" for song selection inspiration:

- First Dance
- Father Daughter Dance

Polka Dot Bride has also compiled the ABC's of Weddings. Here she discusses D: dancing! [There is a list of great first dance songs].


Image courtesy of Tapeworthy.

Candyland

Just a little candy.bar.colour.themed.inspiration. for a cloudy Monday.


The calligraphy notes on the candy jars are very cute. [These photos are from a Breast Cancer fundraiser where inspirational notes were placed on each jar].
I think it would be precious to have the wedding couple's favorite quotes [or quotes about candy] on each jar attached with pretty ribbon.


I love how they incorporate flowers into the candy bar. It really makes it become a part of the overall decor.
Angie: I think the candy bar could house all of the extra flowers that we don't use in the centerpieces. [And maybe some curly willow]?


I also like the varying heights of this candy bar. Angie: I think we can accomplish something like this that is easily accessible to your guests, don't you?

All images are courtesy of Brooklyn Bride and Survivor Soiree.

Link Love {Part.II}

I am a devoted reader to coco+kelley's blog.

I spend a lot of time marveling at her superb sense of style: her posts focus on interior design, fashion, and other beautiful things. Her ability of pulling amazing things together & creating lovely palates never fails to impress me.

Recently, she launched a website devoted to her portfolio, complete with a "creative direction: wedding" section that is to die for.

Angie, the featured wedding reminds me of your vision. Were you able to pick up any new ideas from this piece?

If we weren't already doing a candy bar...

This favour idea found at Style me Pretty would be perfect for Ryan and Angie's bird theme. How sweet?