S*** Brides Say

In case of your Wednesday is in need of some humor...how about some wedding humor: 

Shit Brides Say (I didn't feel right putting that as the title!).

I am guilty of: 

- Pinning!

- Just DIY it

This is a good reminder to laugh and not take life or this whole wedding thing TOO seriously.

Also hilarious, check out: Shit Yogis Say

Debbie & Jeremy's Wedding

While the world was enthralled with the Royal nuptials across the pond, a very busy bee was wrapping up her own wedding details in California. On Saturday, April 30 Debbie and Jeremy tied the knot in front of 450 of their closest family and friends in Turlock, California.

Leading up to the wedding I kept telling people how excited I was for the Cotton wedding. Maybe because it was the first of this year's wedding season, or now that I'm engaged weddings are that much more exciting; but I think it was because I knew firsthand all the time, energy and creativity Debbie had put into making this day amazing!

 

The Cotton's ~ April 30, 2011

Turlock, California

Highlights and my favorite details:

Although it may be a little hard to see from the photos above, Debbie wore a gorgeous strapless gown. For the ceremony at the church, she had a lace bolero made (as seen in photo on the left). It was so classy and coming the day after the Royal Wedding, its like she knew lace sleeves were the next big thing!

Classic white Adirondack chairs, with button monogrammed d & j pillows, greeted guests as they arrived at the reception. If you look carefully at the flower pot you'll see the ampersand, sweetly tying the whole thing together. The chairs reside in the couples backyard!

In honor of the groom's favorite hobbie, the guest book was custom surfboard! Guests were invited to sign their names in the white space around their custom logo. See the completed surfboard here, which will now hang in the couple's home.

This charming chalkboard sign pointed guests in the right direction to dinner. I especially loved the flower arrangement in the bucket at the base of the sign. See how they were made here.

Throughout the reception there were gorgeous flowers everywhere. Below are a few of the different arrangements, with the bottom arrangement being the highlight. These lanterns were made by Debbie's talented brother. Take a closer peak to be further impressed with his handiwork (clearly craftiness runs in the family!). I loved how the flowers spilled out of the sides of the lantern.

{click to enlarge}

When it came time for toasts, we were handed a glass of champagne complete with floating blueberries!

In addition to making all of the centerpiece lanterns, Debbie's handy and thoughtful brother surprised them with this heart shaped sculpture with their initials. This sculpture will be placed in their backyard.

In addition to cake, there was a full dessert bar filled with candy, cookies, cupcakes and traditional Portuguese sweets homemade by the Mother of the Bride. Treat bags and boxes were available for guest to take treats home!

Who doesn't love photo booths? We took a few turns in the booth, but here we are on the dance floor posing with a few of the props. See my guest post here  if you want to learn how to make your own props!

 

When we checked into our hotel, we were handed a well crafted Out-Of-Town gift bag. I appreciated the large bottle of water and Portuguese sweets, but my very favorite was this personalized door tags.

Congratulations Mr & Mrs Cotton! Wishing you a lifetime of happiness. Thank you for inviting us to be part of your big day and allowing me to share my favorite details here.

Sign I made for Debbie & Jeremy's hotel room. The MOH added to the decor by creating a trail of cotton balls from the hallway into their bedroom!

Priceless

While there are many gorgeous images from the Royal Wedding, this one has to be my favorite...  

{npr}

 Priceless! While millions watched and cheered for the Royal kiss, this little bridesmaid looks less than amused. Makes me laugh every time!

 I opted for sleep over watching the festivities but turned on the TV as soon as I woke up. I can't imagine watching it live, because the highlights alone got me teary eyed. What can I say, I'm my mother's daughter and a hopeless romantic. Considering how many people were watching them, the bride and groom looked so calm, happy and in love.

The only special moment I caught live was the couple leaving Buckingham Palace in the Ashton Martin decked out with streamers, balloons and the perfectly personalized JU5T WED license plate. I'd like to borrow that sweet ride for our big day. And while I'm borrowing ideas, I think we'll ask our guests to wear fun hats too!

Melissa & Parker's Wedding

One month ago Melissa and Parker tied the knot on the beach in Costa Rica! 28 of the bride and groom's closest family and some friends made the journey to Tambor, Costa Rica (as I mentioned here). From sunrise to well past sunset, their wedding day was perfectly relaxed and so beautiful. 

We spent the day relaxing by the pool/beach and in the afternoon cleaned up for the wedding. That usual pre-wedding stress and tension was non existent. Prior to the ceremony the ladies helped Melissa get ready and a few last minute details. The guys all made sure Parker stayed upstairs, where he couldn't see Melissa. 

Meanwhile the house coordinator decorated the entire patio and beach where the ceremony took place. The house and beach were beautiful to begin with, but the added details made it into a classy beach wedding. Clouds and light rain threatened but did not dampen the festivities.

Here are the highlights and a few of my favorite photos from the big day...

The Harts ~ February 27

Tambor, Costa Rica

gorgeous black&whites of the groom and bride before they got to see each other!

You may remember their creative passport invites

the Hart's bling with a heart shaped drift wood. 

we found the heart while search for larger driftwood for the alter (as seen in ceremony photo). 

adorable flower girl dress made by the mother of the bride

wedding ceremony on the beach

father of the bride wrote a song that he preformed during the ceremony. 

as you can imagine, it was a real tear jerker. 

the happy couple!

the poolside reception

In addition to attending their special day, I was able to help with a few of the details. 

FLOWERS

Melissa's bouquet and the men's boutonnieres

Melissa and I's friendship really blossomed during the years we worked together at a flower shop. Since then we've both done flowers for other friends weddings. When she asked if I'd help with hers, it was a no-brainer! Although on the day-of things got a little busy and we couldn't do them together, I'm so happy I could be her flower girl. 

For Melissa's bouquet we used all white calla lilies, tied together with rafia. Her grandmother's cross was also tied to the bouquet as her something old. The maid of honor, mother's and grandmother's bouquets included the same calla lilies and orange alstroemeria. They were tied together with the same rafia as Melis' bouquet. 

Parker's boutonniere was one of the white calla lilies. The father's and best man's boutonnieres were two of the alstroemeria flowers. All were tied with rafia.

PROGRAMS

Melissa's mom made each guest a welcome bag filled with goodies to help enjoy their stay. I put together programs that went in each bag.  

The programs included: welcome letter from the bride and groom, Schedule of Events, How it all began...Melissa and Parker's story, Who are all these people? a blurb from each guest.

The outside of the programs were made with colorful card stock. Using coordinated paper, I made M&P letters on the Cricut. I cut two small holes on the side of each booklet and tied them together with hemp cord. 

GUEST BOOK

While looking for wedding ideas, I came across this Surprise wedding. It reminded me of Melissa because she always talked about having a surprise wedding. I loved many of the sweet details, especially the postcard guest book. Since their wedding was a destination I thought that postcards would make a perfect guestbook! 

After a few online searches, I ordered four different postcard prints from Zazzle.com. The best part about Zazzle is that you can customize the front and back of the postcard. With the help of Jess, I picked the following cards: 

On the back of each card I had M&P's address already printed and a large space for a message. After the ceremony I passed out markers and postcards to each guest to write a message to M&P. I collected them all back to be mailed. I intended for them to be sent from CR, but that was a lot harder than expected. Instead, they traveled from CR to CA and a few put into the mail each day. I hope M&P receive all the cards and will enjoy the sweet message for years to come!

Thank you to Melissa and Parker for allowing me to attend your beautiful wedding and share the details here! 

Passport Required

Today marks ONE MONTH until Melissa and Parker tie the knot in Tambor, Costa Rica!! They have planned a small destination wedding with immediate family and close friends. The wedding will take place on the beach at sunset...how awesome is that? 


I've never been to Costa Rica, but I've heard so many great things. In addition to the wedding and time with friends, here's what I'm picturing our trip to look like:

{jnelly}

{style me pretty}

{style me pretty}

Perfectly fitting for their destination wedding, Melissa and Parker created Passport wedding invitations from the website Beach Wedlock.

The inside of the invitation includes all the important wedding details in the layout of an actual Passport. It's so clever, I love it!

This was also a good reminder for me to check my passport to make sure it hasn't expired. Good news - I have until 2015 (phew!). Over the next month I will be continuing to workout, finish up a few fun details I'm helping with and figuring out how to pack within a 26 lbs weight limit (not a typo). Costa Rica here we come!

2011 Wedding Season

With the new year comes the obvious change in date, resolutions and of course...another wedding season!! It's a time of year I always look forward to. This year promises to be another busy but exciting spring and summer full of weddings! 

I wanted to share our current line-up of 2011 weddings we'll be attending, their cute pictures and a few of the details... 

Melissa & Parker

February 26 ~ Tambor, Costa Rica

Melissa and Parker are having a small ceremony on the beach with immediate family and a few friends. They choose a destination wedding for a few reason, the biggest (no pun intended) being that they're expecting a baby in May (see the bump here)! They wanted to tie the knot now and plan to have a large reception back in Colorado in late summer or fall, after the baby is born.  

I will be traveling to Costa Rica sans B, but with some of my favorite high school ladies (plus Dave!). Not only am I looking forward to watching one of my besties tie the knot, I'm thankful for the motivation it's currently given me to workout! I am currently helping with a few wedding details (and surprises!) that I will share after the big day.

Debbie & Jeremy

April 30 ~ Turlock, California

Debbie and Jeremy are having a large ceremony (350+) and reception in Turlock, California (Debbie's hometown). While in Boston (Jeremy's hometown) last spring they had engagement photos taken at Fenway Park, home of the other love in Jeremy's life, the Boston Red Sox! 

The photo below was turned into their save-the-date, which you can see here on Debbie's blog. You can also follow along with her wedding projects as she counts down 30 before April 30. 

Over the last year or so B and I have both become good friends with Debbie and Jeremy so we are both really looking forward to witnessing their big day! I'm especially looking forward to seeing all Debbie's projects come to life, I know they won't disappoint. 

 Katie McElwee Photography

See their entire engagement photo session here! 

Sara & Andy

May 28 ~ Denver, Colorado

Sara and Andy are getting married over Memorial Day weekend in Denver. Their ceremony will take place on the grounds of Denver University, followed by a reception at an art gallery on Santa Fe. 

Perfectly aligned with their city wedding, are their adorable city engagement photos. The top photo was used in their save-the-date cards.

When Sara began her planning I was honored that she asked me to be her coordinator. After one talk we decided it would be more fun to help plan along the way and attend the wedding as a guest. Sara ended up hiring another friend as her wedding coordinator, Jackie with Jaclyn Michelle Weddings (great name, eh?)! And Kaci will be baking the cakes!

Angie Wilson Photography

Sarah & Derek

July 29 ~ San Rafael, California

Sarah and Derek are getting married this summer in San Rafael where they currently live and work. Their ceremony will take place in a local park and fitting for these teachers, their reception is at the St Vincent School for Boys! 

Their engagement photos were also taken in their neck of the woods and I just love everything about them (the photos and the couple)!

Sarah and Derek have been together for over five years, so I've known them both a long time. I know I'm not alone in saying that I can't wait for their wedding! I have a feeling it will be just like them - unique and a total blast.

 Meghan Roberts Photography

Layna & Dave

August 5 ~ Denver, Colorado 

Layna and Dave are getting married towards the end of summer, just outside of Denver at the Boettcher Mansion (same venue as Stephanie & Mark's wedding). These love birds will tie the knot in their element - surrounded by the trees and their families and friends.

Over the holidays Layna's twin sister, JNelly, took their engagement photos in Beaver Creek. Not only are they an adorable couple, but these photos truly capture their love of the outdoors. The photos will be used for their save-the-dates, which are currently in the works!

I've known Layna since Kindergarten and have been friends for a better part of that time. I could not have better hand selected a man for her to marry. I am very much looking forward to being a part of their special day!

JNelly Photography

 I promise to share details along the way and highlights after each. 

2009 wedding highlights: here

2010 weddings highlights: here, here and here

Cheers!

Stephanie & Mark's Wedding

Stephanie and I met about five years ago at work. We quickly became friends outside of work and had many adventures planning parties, helping with friends’ weddings, running races, ski trips, concerts, volunteering and camping trips. We also share a passion of organizing things - just for fun, watching the Today show, bad reality tv shows and laughing at each others good and bad jokes!

Fast forward to the 2010, Stephanie met the man of her dreams (via match.com): athletic, an early riser, traveled the world, is good at planning, likes to ski, has a great job that he loves. Before too long they were engaged and planning a summer wedding. 

While I was home for the holidays, Stephanie asked me to be her maid of honor. As her only attendant it was a huge honor. Regardless of my official role in the wedding, as soon as they were engaged I started helping them plan the big day. Throughout the whole process, it was fun to see Stephanie and Mark collaborate in the planning. The day truly reflected the two of them and was such a fun party.

The Sikora's ~ July 9
Venue: Boettcher Mansion
Golden, CO
The couple: Stephanie & Mark
Colors: Fuchsia, lime green and black
Themes: Damask, Classy, Outdoor Wedding
Highlights:

This is my favorite photo of the couple - gorgeous! 

Who doesn't go for a mountain bike ride after they get hitched?

We bought our dresses separately but ended up having the same neckline and ruching so we were well coordinated!

This is one of my favorite moments from their special day. Right before they walked down the aisle, the Father of the Bride pulled out his camera and took a self portrait! I love that the photographer captured it too.

Stephanie and I wore the same shoes. It was so fun to be coordinated with her! I'm a huge fan of brides wearing bright colored shoes. I think it's such a nice pop of color, as you can see here.

The guys had coordinating socks too!

Stephanie and I made all of the candle holders and centerpiece vases the month before the wedding. The day before the wedding I arranged the centerpieces (dahlias), which were ordered from an online wholesale florist.

One of their 'splurge' items for the reception was a photo booth. It was so.much.fun. Pictured here are my brother and mom modeling some of the photo booth props.

A tribute to their love of skiing and a fun addition to the party were the ski shots. These were made by the Father of the Bride. Seen here with the sister of the groom - great photo!

Wedding party does the ski shot

Stephanie surprised Mark with a cake highlighting all the places he's traveled across the globe. Cake was made by the fabulous Miss Kaci!

It truly was an honor to be part of your special day, Stephanie & Mark! 

Thank you for letting me share the details here.