to me, it's all just black and white.

If I had nothing but black, white and silver... honestly I don't even need patterns, really, just some interesting texture, I'd be happy. I literally have to force myself to branch out into colour. Oh, I'm not saying I don't love me some bright coloured accents (flowers are my friend!), I'm just a neutral kind of gal. Now, that's also not to say that I like things bland. Not at all! I like my neutrals STRONG! Rich chocolates, and velvety greys, slick piano-key black, stark white, and creamy caramels, all bouncing off one another, making each other seem, brighter, darker, deeper, richer... So needless to say, when I saw this room, from Dublin's The Beacon Hotel, I just about swooned... can't you just imagine a bouquet of deep pink peonies on the bedside? And it certainly doesn't hurt that it has my all-time favorite combo of traditional + midcentury furnishings in modern finishes. I love it. I want it. Image from here.

other people's weddings: Debi & Dave

So, what can I say? I think there's finally been enough time since the end of my own wedding planning that I can begin to enjoy and appreciate the fun of it again! Trust me... by the day after I wanted NOTHING to do with weddings! It was SO nice to just NOT troll the blogs, buy the mags, etc. But they are SO pretty. And it can be SUCH a big help to find inspiration when you're planning your own, so I figure, maybe, once in a while, I'll post some pretties. Sound good? So with no further ado I give you a couple pics that seriously had me shouting (ok, not shouting out loud, per se, but definitely in my head!) "Oh, my god! That's MY idea!" Embellished flats? check. Sleek grey suit/tie? check. Peony, lamb's ear, and anemone bouquet? check. (my peonies bloomed a little too early and apparently I simply could NOT order anemones here. bummer. so I did roses and peony buds, which actually turned out pretty cute.) Pretty, simple hair? check. Yeah, you get the idea... Image found here.

never say never: pt. gazillion

Well kidlets, I did it. I finally sucked it up and ordered and paid for my flowers. And... I bought hydrangeas. You know, the flowers I SWORE I wouldn't get because everyone and their iguana uses them for weddings. Well, now so am I, I guess. Funny thing, though. Guess why? Because carnations, that's right, CARNATIONS were too expensive! I know, right?!?!?!?! Believe it or not, good old dime store carnations were almost as expensive as roses and would've actually cost me 3 times as much as the the hydrangeas! Crap I hate when trends catch on! Why couldn't they have realized everyone was using carnations now, like, a week AFTER my wedding?! Well, anyway, I'm only using them for lil' sis's bouquet, and frankly, she LOVES them, so it was probably meant to be afterall. And besides, even I can admit that that arrangement above IS pretty chic, and I mean, that's just white hydrangeas...
For the rest I bought 17 dozen pink roses... that's a hell of a lot of roses! Now I just have to hope that we have ok gardening weather and that I can take up my friends' offers to let me raid their peony patches! It'll be totally gorgeous without the peonies... but it'll be FRICKIN' amazing with them! Here's hoping! Fingers crossed... and toes... Image from Brides by Mark Lund.

o. my. fekk.

This is delicious. Honestly. How could I NOT love this?!?! Peonies. Raspberries. Purple. Vintage glassware. This makes me SO excited for summer. Can you smell those warm raspberries yet? Images from Ritzy Bee Blog by Corbin Gurkin Photography.

other people's weddings: Christine & Charles

Hoo boy... this one was kind of slow building for me. At first I was like, "oh man, those masks are awesome. How "Breakfast at Tiffany's"!" Then peonies. And a short-haired bride. And vintage, gold Ebay shoes. And a vintage dress. And vintage Modern Bride (oy, I wish I had thought of that!). And awesome shades. Um, yeah. I'm sold. You? Images from Vintage Glam Weddings by 3 Photographers.

just a little poof

So, I went to gather intel on my flowers... again. This thing just never dies. So I went to the store that had quoted me at $17.99 for 2 dozen only to be told they had raised it to $24.99. Needless, to say, I decided to shop around a bit. I ended up going to a flower shop my sis recommended. Though their price was even higher, the friendly, obviously knowledgeable staff, and great selection had me sold. I gotta tell you though, I think the poor girl was just about ready to pull her hair out as I shot down suggestion after suggestion. Though, in my defense, every suggestion were very much the "standard" wedding flowers: lilies, cala and otherwise, gerbera daisies (which I would have been ALL over... when I was 16), hydrangeas (I have an irrational hate-on for hydrangea bouquets. Which is weird since I LOVE them in people's gardens! Like I said, irrational), etc. And yeah, I get it, roses fall into that category, too, but that's where we're headed.

So it's looking like 250 roses across tables, etc. with my bouquet being composed of roses, sweetpeas, peonies, ranunculous, and anemones. What I'm most excited about, and what I'm sure I'll get the funniest looks over is Sis' bouquet: a tight, white poof entirely composed of large carnations. I know. Carnations. But seriously, how pretty is that example above from Martha?? SO PRETTY! It makes me happy! And kind of cracks me up. Irony is fun, yes?

other people's weddings: Kasey & Nick

My favorite part of this wedding I found over at What Junebug Loves? Check out just how many DIFFERENT little vignettes, textures, patterns, and details are included! Love it! I absolutely LOVE the idea of using slightly different little vignettes throughout your reception space, NOT just on the tables... Can't wait to incorporate all of the vintage pieces in our own hall! Oh, and you know, she's rocking my "colours" (typing that actually made me cringe. I refuse to accept that I have "colours") better than I ever could! And the peonies... oh, the peonies! Images from Jasmine Star Photography.