I’m so happy to share some details from our reception! You will recognize things we have been talking about for the last year on this blog. The flowers were all done by a local flower shop, Colonial Flowers. All of the paper goods were done by yours truly of course. (I never want use a paper cutter again, EVER)

We used black table linens and black chair covers to create a dramatic setting to show off the beautiful white and green flowers.

My MOH’s bouquet:

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Hi Buds! A funny thing happened during our wedding planning. I took so much care and consideration planning the reception and decor, that I didn’t give much thought to the ceremony itself!

Our goal was to have a simple, beautiful ceremony in a natural setting. To make this happen, we chose to have our ceremony on the golf course where our reception was also being held. We found a location that was secluded, yet close to the parking lot, and far enough away from flying golf balls!

The only decor items added were the 4 urns of flowers, which allowed the beautiful trees that hung over the guests to be the center of attention.

Walking down the aisle with my dad was a real highlight.

Our minister is a family friend and neighbor, which made for a perfectly personal ceremony.

Our 2 1/2 year old ring bearer Riley was a perfect addition. When using children in your ceremony, don’t set them up for failure – only require them to do tasks that they can handle easily. We only had Riley walk a few steps up to hand me the rings, and it was well worth it for the cuteness factor!

Leading the way back to the reception had to be the most fun part!

Next post: reception details!

I have been taking photos of Sunflower Dude and I for years, but nothing is as special as our wedding portraits!  In general, I have a tendency to find traditional wedding portraits a little stiff.  For this reason, we asked a friend of ours shoot some ‘fun’ engagement photos a few weeks before the wedding. Here’s my favourite, with the dog of course:

We ended up using the ‘fun’ photos to create a guest book with Blurb. It was a huge hit!

On the wedding day, we decided to see each other before the ceremony.  I felt this would help cut down on the ‘runny-nose-crying-bride’ look. Also, taking photos before the ceremony meant that we could enjoy cocktail hour with our guests!

Our first photos started off in my parents back yard:

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Hi All! Just settling back into real life in the next few days – can’t wait to share everything from the wedding. Talk soon!

Isn’t The Knot great for inspiring photos?  I was hoping for a particular hairstyle, so I went on there to grab pictures to show to my hairstylist.  Lucky for me, I had my hair done by a great stylist while on bridesmaid duty.  This hair experience was very valuable, as I liked her so much I booked her for my wedding!  She asked that I bring lots of pictures of my ‘vision’, so I wanted to share what I’ve found.

If you are also looking for a low-messy-bun-with-thingy-look, look no further!  I will be using a real gardenia in my hairstyle to mimic my bouquet and a family tradition.  This look can be done just as beautifully with a hair fascinator or vintage hair clip.

all photos from theknot.com

Is anyone else going for a similar look?  I love this!

Hi All,

I have gone through many ideas here and here, about how to go about having a guest book for the wedding.  Like Lotus Bud, I decided to go with the Blurb photo guest book.  In the end, we found this route much simpler than the other ideas I was batting around.  We used the 12 x 12 format with image-wrap cover because I love the simple modern look.  This book will be with us for years to come!  Here is a pic of the front and back:

You can see by the background that we took the photos right in our dining room, with the help of a friend who is a fine art photographer!  Inside, there are simple pages with full images, and quite a few blank pages for guests to write in.  I was very excited when I learned I could even use my carefully chosen ‘wedding font’ for the text in the book.

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You have all seen many paper projects I have been completing along the way, including my invitation suite and STDs. My final job was making little signs for around the reception. I don’t encourage the escort card project unless you completely love cutting and gluing paper, but glad I did it in the end! (thanks so much to my helpful sister that can cut a straight line!)

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Hi Friends, I thought I’d share with you my most recent Etsy finds!  For those of you who don’t know – Etsy is THE place for DIY, vintage, and unique bridal accessories. This post could go on all day with the cool things you can find there (custom ties, monograms, hair accessories…) but today I’ll just tell you about the things I’ve recently purchased!

Amazing vintage clip-on earrings from Belle’s Booty.  I think they are perfect for the rehearsal dinner.  It’s amazing what you can find for $10!

Vintage fun from Etsy shop Belle's Booty

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I have been finding that there are a lot of neat ways to create an aisle out there! Our venue is outdoors on grass.  I love the idea of decorating it in some way, for that last special walk as a single woman!  The big question is: How do you choose?

Flower petal aisle

Allegrophotography.com

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We will be offering a signature drink at the reception (among many non-alcoholic options!).  We would like to offer something that has few ingredients (easy on the bartender), is attractive in a rocks or tall glass, and will be liked by most.

Which would you like to try most at a wedding?

Orange Fizz

Ingredients: Rum, orange juice, lime juice, topped with lemon-lime soda

Pomegranate Bubbly

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