purdy.

Eyeliner, vintage, greys, creams, pinks, a red-headed groom, and fortuitous use of baloons... Really they had me at eyeliner. Image from here.

other people's weddings: Lauren & Desaray

While planning my own wedding I would often come back to A Practical Wedding, not so much for design tips or diys or visual inspiration, but for inspiration of a kind that is found it what it MEANS to get married, and be married. Especially since me and the hubs were together for eight lovely years, pre-engagement, I often felt silly and wasteful to be planning this "party" all about us... seriously, how conceited are weddings? But over and over I found the writers there found, through their own voices, those of other writers, or from bits and pieces of their faiths, way to inspire me to find in myself and my husband the truly special, wonderful, and significant reasons to go through with this time-honoured ritual... And the wedding here is no different. From the AWESOME idea of the buttons as favors (rock 'n roll, cute and kitschy all at once!), to the "buttoned" cake, to what I think are some of my fave pieces of wedding advice... well, see for yourselves! Images from here.

"We ordered buttons as wedding favors and I made sure to create special buttons for volunteers and guests of honor. I spent quite a bit of time “pinning” people during the reception, which was a wonderful and whimsical way to literally touch my loved ones, look them in the eye, smile and thank them."

"I think passing heavy appetizers also saved us some money. There’s the obvious difference in price compared to a seated meal or a buffet, but then there’s table, linen and dish rentals, centerpieces and escort cards that we just didn’t have to worry about – or make or buy." This is a GREAT idea/point. In our small wedding (and I'm assuming a lot like it) one of the biggest expenses was the linen, centrepieces, etc. Though I'm wondering what the cost, staff-wise would be? Or maybe you just set them out on pretty cocktail stations here and there? Or buffet-style?

And ok, this might seem cheezy, but this was probably my favorite piece of advice, if only because it's SO true. Definitely falls into the category of you won't understand until you're in the thick of it (and by that, I don't mean the making of a wedding, but rather the GETTING MARRIED part). "My biggest piece of advice about weddings is just to have one. So many people, especially gay people, are so deeply ambivalent about throwing a wedding and for a lot of good reasons. But, really, it’s hard to understand the power and the purpose of a wedding until you are planning your own."

great ressource XVII: Little White Dresser

Doooods... I just found the prettiest little Etsy shop! Little White Dresser's stuff is super pretty, pretty reasonably priced (that pretty headband up there is only $12... not too shabby, especially for a special occasion...), oh, and did I mention pretty? Yeah. Seriously, so gorgeous! Check it... (though I've seriously got my eye on that "Golden Leaf Neclace"... you've been warned!)

best bridal hair evah.

omg. Do you ever wish you had the hutzpah to just go all out? K, maybe not so much the style (pretty but not necessarily awe-inspiring), but the colour. Oh, the colour! Beautiful. Image from here by Steep Street.

winner: couple style

Often, the bride is amazing. Or the groom is super stylin'. And let's face it, most couples look amazing on their wedding day. But some folks take it to the next level. That would be these two for me. This would have been my DREAM wedding getup for both me and my man-friend. Except that I'm not that, well, petite. And neither is A. And that dress costs more than my entire wedding. But in a perfect world, this would have been it! I am lime green with jealousy (and admiration, but mostly jealousy!) Image from The Bride's Cafe by Jennifer Dehry.

great ressource XVI: Girl Meets Dress

So, I saw Girl Meets Dress mentioned over on my girl Anna's blog and I gotta say, um, "how in the H-E-double hockey sticks, did I not know about this?!?!" Oh, my, if I had only known that I could RENT THAT DRESS above for only £59.00 GBP?! And that's for a full seven days INCLUDING cleaning fee?! Craziness, I tellz ya! Good score, Anna baby! Or maybe one of the lovelies below, including the gold Marc Jacobs(?!), as a wicked wedding dress or killer second dress? Oh, the possibilities!

periwinkle

My mom has always had a think for periwinkle, that soft purply-blue, slightly dusty shade, and it always reminds me of her when I see it. Even without the periwinkle, this dress'd make me swoon... Images from Green Wedding Shoes by Erin Hearts Court.

other people's weddings: Melissa & Pete

This is freaktastically close to the EXACT look and feel that I've got in mind for my own wedding. I was so stoked to see how well all of the details ended up working out together! Loves it! Images from Project Wedding by Tec Pataja.

*gasp* i want that

I've never tried to hide the fact that, while I love and covet trendier, more modern styles, and have a crazy amount of admiration for folks who rock all that is different, unique, slick, or earthy, I am, at heart, a classicist. I know. I feel betrayed, too. Hold me. It's true, though. I love me a hilarious, boxing-inspired invite, but I went with classic script in a not-so-classic size and colour. I tried to break out of my comfort zone and do a "zen" bathroom, only to throw out the bamboo, and put my black and white photos, and silver julep cups, and pink peonies back in... I may be boring, but it's who I am, and at least I accept it. And at least classic never goes out of style. And one area that I haven't even TRIED to push myself on has been flowers. No crazy colours. No vegetables as flowers. Nada. All I've ever wanted is a smallish pile of my favorites, hopefully in soft, dusty, creams, ivories, pinks, and maybe violets, with minimal greenery, and a prettily wrapped handle. Classic. In a good way. Which is why the bouquet above, found over here, originally taken by Braedon Photography Blog just made me go, "*gasp* oh. my. oh, hell yes." I don't care if it's boring. It's pretty. ***So there.
***Sometimes we try so hard to be different we forget that being ourselves is more important than being different.

pretty pretty patterns

Whoo buddy, this dress that I saw over at Once Wed is g.or.geous. Good call sister. Photos from Abby Ross Weddings.

other people's weddings: Amy & Craig

Awww... I love this wedding... this is a great example of my favorite level of... well, I guess the word would be formality. Notice how the details are all still special: the shirts are crisp, the shoes are killer, the dress is detailed and amazing, BUT the overall feeling seems to be one of warm, summer nights, with your best friends. I know this sounds silly, but to me, a really great wedding ends up conveying the same feelings as any great party, and our greatest parties always seem to be our barbecues! Great music, great food, and cool friends... Really, you can have all the lighting schemes you want, but that combo is unbeatable... As long as you're able to keep it "special" (no hockey jerseys or sweatpants... and no, I'm not joking. Both of these things have been worn to weddings I've been to!) you're good to go! These gorg details were shot by Heather Wendling and more can be found over at Style Me Pretty. Now I just have to convince both my brothers to wear suspenders *words I never though I'd be saying!*

other people's weddings: Leith & Stewart

Whoo, boy! Do I ever love the feel of this wedding from Carrie Patterson (found at The Bride's Cafe). I think it's the near perfect combo of relaxed but still special details. Oh, and the pic with the little blonde girls in the white sundresses suckered me in right quick! I gotta say, I know we might not have done things "the right way", but I wouldn't trade the experience of being able to share my wedding with my daughter for anything. If anything, it's made it more special for me... To watch her seeing us make this commitment to each other will, I hope, be a great example to her about what love can and should be. That parents aren't just two people who live with you, but people in their own right who really and truly, not just love each other, but are IN love with one another.... Anyway, I'm rambling... I going to hit "publish" then go kiss my daughter and giggle about "loooooooooveeee..." Good times. (Oh, and isn't her dress just so beautiful?!)