A Country Girl Wedding

Our Wedding: Details

2010-11-21T16:57:00.001-05:00

The bridal path was lined with sheppard hooks that we purchased at Giant Tiger for $6.00 each. My dad’s lovely hanging baskets perched on them beautifully.

We got married under this beautiful willow tree. The day before my brother was up on a ladder, trimming and cutting to make the perfect opening. White paper lanterns were hung in the tree. A small antique table at the entrance held the programs.

The driveway directed people where to go with these hand painted signs my mom made.

The tent. It was really amazing to see it up. For so long the whole thing was just a concept. This was the physical reality and it really looked beautiful.

This was the final result of the lovely trellises that my dad made. This was the original inspiration that my dad worked from. I was so happy with the result and the yummy smelling sweet peas.

I used this shabby antique hutch as a punch stand that my parents purchased at an auction. {love}

The reception table. I found this vintage suitcase on Queen Street and knew I had to get it. I bargained with the guy because he didn’t want to sell it as he just set up a record display. I told him it was for my wedding and I didn’t know if I’d find another one like it. I gave him doe eyes and he sold it to me!
My sister made our guest book which I’ll feature later.

A shot from inside the tent. My sister in law and her boyfriend worked tirelessly the night before hooking up the lanterns. They looked amazing illuminated.

Our Wedding: Flowers

2010-09-01T22:20:00.000-04:00

If you've been reading this blog, I'm sure you know by now that I adore flowers! I bet over half of the posts on here are related to flowers in some manner. So it was really difficult for me to pick out the flowers for the wedding which is why I didn't really until 2 days before the wedding. My mom and I went to the wholesalers on Thursday and picked out everything that morning. Here are the results of the beautiful bouquet my mom designed for me and the three bridesmaids, as well as the centerpieces for the tables and a few other vases here and there.

Engagement Photos

2010-08-31T20:51:00.000-04:00

The wedding has come and gone...and I'm finally getting around to updating this blog.
Just wanted to share some of our engagement photos we did in Toronto in the beginning on July. They were taken by Jordan Nahmais, check out his website and blog.

2 Weeks!

2010-07-29T20:46:00.000-04:00

This blog has lost me. To many things to get done. To little time. I'm tired and I still have two weeks to go. There are certainly a lot of tasks and items checked off the list that I last posted. This is a good thing people, a very good thing! The program and table numbers are finished and will be printed tomorrow. I had a hair and makeup trial (fun times). We took engagement photos, can't wait to see those! Mom is doing some sign making. We met with our musicians and decided on songs. I bought a cocktail dress just in case it's too hot for me to wear the gown all night. Have my accessories, made the bridesmaid's necklaces. Got my shoes. A suit, shirt and shoes for Tayson. Wow, I'm tired just writing that. Oh ya, and we moved! It's been a really crazy month and I am getting so excited for everything to be finished and for the big day to be here! Yipee!!

Of course I still need to pick the flowers with my mom. Seriously, this is the hardest thing for me. I'm sure half of the posts on this wedding blog are related to flowers. It's cause I just love them! But I think I've narrowed it down.

Here are some pretties to gawk over.

White Poppies and Ranunculus.

Lisianthus, so soft and feminine.

Not my colours, but still pretty.

{Things to Do}

2010-07-06T18:48:00.000-04:00

Paper Things

Ceremony Program
Seating Chart
Table Numbers
FavourTag
Guest Book
Vows
Speeches

Girly Things

Hair Trial
Makeup
Veil

Other Things

Make Wooden Signs {Parking} {Wedding} {Ceremony} {Bathrooms}
Decide on flowers
Order of Ceremony
Meet with Musicians
Meet with Servers

Does anyone else have anything to add? Yicks! :)

Cute wooden wedding sign

I like the idea of setting up the programs on a small antique table.

(and another sign)

The think the likelihood of it being HOT is high, so some parasols will be a much needed accessory for the guests.

I think the patterned paper for the cover of the program is super cute, and the fact that it's displayed in an old crate.

Low down on the Low Bun

2010-06-25T10:49:00.000-04:00

I'm leaning toward a low, pretty bun or twist at the nape of the neck.

I think it's really elegant and will keep the heat off.

It also looks nice with a small birdcage veil or a flower in the side.

Kate is always a pretty one!

I like this twisted looking do!

Pina's Perfectly Pink Wedding {Real Wedding}

2010-06-20T19:27:00.000-04:00

BFF and I attended a pretty pink filled wedding last weekend. Pina is a good friend of BFF's from University whom I've had the pleasure of getting to know. One of the first times I met her was at dinner at her home where there were pink M&M's present. Enjoy the pictures from her beautiful wedding.

Matt, Pina, Myself and David

The beautiful brides bouquet, fresh with fuchsia peonies, white poppies with black centers, and white and pink roses.

Center piece at the church

Bridesmaids bouquet

The black and white damask ballroom.

The gorgeous cake topped with pretty pink poppies!

The Happy Couple!

All the best to the two of you in the days, months and years to come!

A Brunch of Fun

2010-06-11T21:29:00.000-04:00

A lovely shower was thrown for me last weekend by my dad's side of the family. My Aunts and Cousins and I enjoyed an amazing brunch spread, lovingly prepared by everyone and graciously hosted by Kev and Ang. (my uncle and aunt whom I do not call "Aunt" nor "Uncle). I realized after I did not get a picture of the great food, but just to tickle your taste buds here is a sampling of what we chowed down on: Quiche, Rhubarb Muffins and baked Rhubarb Crumble, Apple Pancakes, Fresh Fruit and Yogurt, and lots more. It was all so GOOD!
I feel so blessed to be part of such a fun, loving, caring and supportive family.

Cousins!

The lovely Hostess! Thanks for everything Angie.

And Laura made this beautiful and tasty cake!

Check out the amazing design, and it was her first time trying fondant.

Florals

2010-06-08T20:08:00.000-04:00

As the time nears closer I'm considering my options for the bouquets. Last night we finalized the bridesmaid's attire! Yipeee!!!! I don't want to give to much away, but here is the colour pallet for the flowers that would look wonderfully beautiful.

There is something about white poppies with black centers that I love.

Productive Busyness

2010-06-03T21:50:00.000-04:00

A lot of items have been checked off the "I do" list as of late. Some of which are wedding related and others just related to life and the changes that are taking place. The biggest one that is off my list, is our new home! We found a place on the weekend in our ideal location. Is it the ideal place? Let's just say I imagined it differently, but God knows what was needed and before we left to view 5 places that morning, I prayed that he would direct us. We knew instantly that this was the one. I feel really relieved that this BIG decision is off the list.

Our officiant is booked! The sound system is booked! We met with a baker to design the cupcakes! Tayson came to the 'taste testing' and enjoyed it the most. He was cute giving his opinion. The best thing about the bakery is that it's a local company, located right in Kettleby! I couldn't believe it. Check out Dorio's Bakery.

I also ordered BFF's ring! Yipee! From the beginning he told me he was not a real ring kinda guy, so I located the perfect "non wedding ring" from Etsy seller Naturalezanica. Check out their shop which sells natural wood jewellery. Here is a sample of some rings:

Thrifting Cake Plates

2010-05-24T20:13:00.001-04:00

What can you buy for $10 dollars? How 'bout four beautiful cake displays? For the wedding I want to create a pretty dessert table that is reminiscent of a "Road to Avonlea garden bake off." I'll be asking (if any of you are reading) my aunts and cousins and friends to bake something delicious for the dessert table so there is an eclectic collection of goodies after dinner.

Here is what I found:

1 covered glass pedestal cake display, 2 footed glass plates and 1 DIY cake stand.

(I used my mini loaf pan to make mini banana loafs!
Love it!)

Can you believe I paid $5.00 for this!?

Like what? Garage Sale find!

Then I scored two of these plates, $2.00 each at separate garage sales too.

And this weekend, on a quick thrift with my mom at the local Salvation Army in Huntsville, I picked up these two (2) separate pieces to make a taller display.

See? The base is a glass candle holder that I will glue to the bottom of the glass plate.

Each piece was... wait for it... 50 cents each!

So I am quite thrilled with the latest finds all for $10 dollars! I know, I can barely believe it myself.

{Attire 2} Hers

2010-05-20T18:20:00.000-04:00

The four of us maids went on a shopping trip a few weeks back. We found a great dress but two problems: 1) The price 2) more formal than I wanted. But that left us in a pickle. We've all really been trying to think of the best thing to do as all my maids are different sizes, ages and well, one is preggo! So I was at Joe Fresh the other day, which is a line of clothing found in most Loblaws and Superstores. They had some REALLY cute pieces at fantastic prices. Here's what I spied out:

This is a really cute beige skirt that can be paired with any cute blouse.

Fun textured skirt!

Pretty frilled sleeveless blouse

Purpley-blue scalloped skirt

Another sleeveless bowed blouse

I'm pretty sure this black skirt is the same one as the beige one.

Just to give an idea of what it may look like on a person.

And I'm totally loving this look from Ruche, an adorable online store.

Peachy Pale Pinks and Other Pretties

2010-05-17T15:50:00.000-04:00

I don't know how I'm ever going to decide what kind of flowers I want for the bouquets!

I love so many different things.

The first three designs were done by the lovely girls at Poppies and Posies.

Check out their website to see more beautiful work!

I'd love this for our cupcake display!

Wedding Inspiration

2010-05-11T21:09:00.000-04:00

There are so many details from this wedding featured on Green Wedding Shoes that I am adoring!

I like the pretty yet semi-casual look of these bridesmaid outfits.

LOVE the individual bottles with clusters of various flowers.

Birds and wood and Bells of Ireland. Perfect.

A dessert table with homemade cake plates.

Table Numbers {Inspiration}

2010-05-05T19:32:00.000-04:00

Starting to think about the smaller details of everything for the wedding is the fun part! It's narrowing down all the ideas that is hard. But I think I found a great way to display the table numbers that ties into the rustic, natural theme of our outdoor wedding.

I like this simple idea of just folding a patterned piece of paper and adding a number.

Just something a little different.

This is cute, but I don't think really practical.

So this is definatly closer to the style I'm looking for. Really simple and cute.

But this is what I just feel in love with! Love the mini stump of birch.

I think my parents have a dead birch branch laying around.

Just might be perfect!

{Attire} His and Hers

2010-04-30T21:57:00.003-04:00

This week has been about finding attire for the bridesmaids and the BFF. Success came today for the BFF! We went on the hunt for a gray suit and after a morning of hunting around the mall, and a yummy brunch, we came upon the perfect one!

Here's some pics of a few gray suits that inspired our search:

As for the girls, Leah and I went out this week to finally see what spring and summer lines were out.
We found a lot of purple and gray hues in various stores. I really like the flowery one from RW & CO, but because everyone has different body types, I just want them each to find something that works for them.

This is the one I like from RW & CO.

And another one from there.

A gorgeous gown from Esprit.

A pretty pop of purple from Banana Republic.

DIY {Centerpieces}

2010-04-08T21:42:00.001-04:00

Keeping with the outdoor, rustic theme, I wanted something original and interesting for the table centerpieces. Of course I know that my mom will create a gorgeous floral arrangement, no worries there, but what to put it in?

I was first inspired by this idea a while back:

I like the feeling of a low, wooden box as it adds texture and a bit of character to the table.

Enter my grandfather, Pake Pete!

This is us on Easter weekend!

He is a semi-retired-ants-in-his-pants kind of guy. Love him to pieces, but both me and my grandmother know that he needs projects to keep him busy, especially when there is not enough to do on the estate (where we are having the wedding). So with enough barn board to go around, my dad and I mocked up a good ol' wooden box and asked Pake to copy it 20 times!

Le Sample!

Small side note: Got this adorable ice bucket for the drink table!

Don't ya just love the scoop!?

Checked in on his progress...and...

...Found four more were completed!

Totally awesome! Thanks Pake! I'm so thrilled by all the loving touches to everything.

Registry Musings {2}

2010-03-21T20:31:00.001-04:00

This Saturday officially ended our registry experience. It was a much more pleasant time at Home Outfitters and Crate and Barrel then it was at The B_y! We've canceled our registry there! :) Here is a small sampling of items from Crate and Barrel that caught our practical eye. Practical meaning: reasonably priced for something that we will use often!

A cute and colourful appetizer plate.

Pretty glass gravy boat.

Beautiful Mixing bowls.

Funky glassware!

{GASP} Boxed Dinnerware! and other Registry Musings

2010-03-16T15:24:00.000-04:00

Seriously Lady, get a life! Like I mean a real life, the kind where kids exist and drop cutlery on the ground. The kind where you heat up leftovers on a microwaveable plate. The kind where you go to your mom's for Christmas dinner and therefore do NOT need crystal glassware. Honestly, I do not live in a world that requires me to own expensive china or flatware or anything of the sort, nor do I even want it!

Can you tell I enjoyed our first registry experience? No joke, when BFF and I said we were not interested in registering for fine china, she replied with a gasp, “No! You don’t want boxed dinnerware for your wedding!” I had to refrain from getting up and walking away.

After spending about 2 hrs with a scanner in hand, the BFF and I only ended up scanning around 10 items! We quickly realized we were not made out for a registry for 2 reasons:

1) We both already have a lot of items as I live on my own and BFF did at one point too! Therefore we simply do not need as many items as someone who lives at home and moves out.

2) We are thrifty people. We buy things on sale and look for deals. We are both having a hard time putting items on the registry that we expect people to buy for full price. (Please, if you are reading this and are going to buy something for us, please try and find the item on the registry on sale, it will give David less anxiety!)

All in all, I know that it is helpful for people to buy items off a registry so they feel they are getting something useful. And I know it helps us so we don’t get items we already own, which to me would seem even more wasteful, possibly almost as wasteful as spending 2 hrs in a department store with a crazy registry lady gasping in disbelief at our practicality. I don’t think we were made me this!

Gett'n Dirty

2010-03-14T00:02:00.005-05:00

One of my very first posts on my wedding blog was about the flowers that I enlisted my dad to grow for the wedding. In January dad and I selected a variety of flowers to start from seed for planting around the property and in the trellises (Remember this post?) that will adorn the entrance of the tent. This weekend I spent Saturday morning seeding about 10 trays that will hopefully grow into some beautiful blooms!

Some of the flowers that I seeded were:

Bells of Ireland: Pretty for a tall vase arrangement

Larkspur: So gorgeous, also for tall arrangements.

Petunias: A bedding plant for my grandfather's gardens, they also look nice and lush in these baskets!

Impatients: Also a bedding plant for my grandfathers gardens.

Meet my Maids

2010-03-01T19:07:00.002-05:00

I'm pleased to introduce my bridesmaids. They are three lovely women who are my sisters for life. Well, one is my aunt, but I like to think of her as another older sister!

Janice

Janice - My older wiser gorgeous sister! Jan and I are only 18 months apart, so she was only without me in her life for a short period of time. She is married to Derek and has one hilarious daughter, Hailee. Her and her husband recently moved, they are settling in and adding another to their family soon. Jan has always been a constant and loving source of strength in my life. She provides heartfelt insight and has a genuinely caring heart for others.

Leah

Leah - My younger determined beautiful sister. Leah and I are 4 years apart. When we were younger we shared a room, a bed, she got my old clothes, . . . I think we shared too much because we used to fight like crazy! It's amazing what a little age and space will do for a relationship. :) Today Leah and I have a unique friendship where we can tell eachother any and everything. She frequently comes to visit after work and spends time with Tayson. Leah is a hard worker who sets goals and is determined to reach them. I'm so proud of her and that she learned how to design and create clothing! She's very talented!

Debbie

Debbie - My sarcastic caring gorgeous aunt! Deb has always been a constant presence in my life. From when I was very little I remember her being over at our house, mostly babysitting! Deb would agree that I was the perfect angel when she would babysit us! Right Deb? Deb generously gives of her time to her nieces and nephews and is always up for the latest adventure or family outing. There are many fond memories of spending summer vacations with Deb or just hanging out on weekends. She is an important and valued part of my life.

Not quite on Target

2010-02-22T19:02:00.001-05:00

The BFF and I went for a little day trip to pay a visit to our friends south of the border. We hit up Target first as the mall was not open when we arrived early.

As we were heading to the check-out, the last place I poked around was in the scrapbook/paper/crafty section. If only we would have known! They sell beautiful invitation kits that include everything you might need! And they are not just beautiful because of how they look, but also because of the PRICE! We found a few packages of 50 on sale for $17.00! Yes, $17.00! Converted that only about $20.00 CND buckeroos! My mind was doing mental somersaults, debating whether or not to buy them and see if I could return the paper I just purchased, or just go with what I had already set out to create. *Sigh* If I would have known, I would have gone with the pre-made, easy-peasy-put-together ones from Target, but since I did not know if I could return the paper and envelopes I just bought the week before, I was unsure if I wanted to spend more money on something we may not have been able to use. I was seriously kicking myself for spending so much money on invites that could have cost so much less.

So people, lesson learned is, if you are heading to the US of A and are getting married and still need your invites, check out Target FIRST!

We did end up buying some pretty Thank-You cards to send out after the wedding. I am happy with those!

Will you be my Bridesmaid?

2010-02-15T09:13:00.000-05:00

I thought it would be a cute gesture to mail my bridesmaids a little something, 'officially' asking them to be in my wedding party. While speaking to my sister a few days ago, she informed me that I never actually asked her...opps! Although she lovingly assumed she was one of my maids, I suppose it slipped my mind to actually ask her the question!

I saw this adorable trio of Matryoshkas doll tags from the lovely ETSY seller Lemon Tree Studio and scooped them up faster than you can say, "Will you be my bridesmaid?"

Cute as a button!

How to send them? Perfect, the bottom of a brown paper bag!

They fit snug as a bug in there!

Ready to be mailed! (blotted out the addresses)

Invitation Experiment {2}

2010-02-07T12:53:00.000-05:00

I was so excited to find these buttons! Perfect for the idea I had in mind. Perfect for that small 'antiquey' touch I was looking for. Here is a sample invitation that I just whipped up, close to what I'm assuming will be the final product. The BFF mentioned that he liked the idea of a monogram. So I think a 'D' and 'S' on the front, along with the date of the wedding, may be the perfect touch!

Something pretty and scrolling like this monogram.

I also made a pocket on the inside of the invitation to have a place for a map and any other information that needs to be relayed.

Yipee! It's Feb 7th and my goal for January was to have the invitations figured out. Check!

In the Family - Our Photographer

2010-02-05T13:15:00.001-05:00

I believe part of the joy of weddings is sharing it with family and close friends. People who care about you, people who have known you your whole life, people who have helped raise you, seen you grow into the person you are today, people you have come to know in friendship, who hold a place in your heart. I believe that these people are the ones you want to share this amazing day with, and they want to be there too.

Part of that, for me, also transfers into the people who play a bigger role on the day of, and before the wedding. Involvement of those you love is also a big deal to me. I want people to know that they mean something to me; therefore, if they are willing, I want to involve them in some way. Big or small.

How, you might ask, is this leading to our wedding photography? Well, Derek is my brother in law and he is also a gifted photographer. He was also the first one to offer his skills for our wedding! (he also does a great job at graphic design). That is a lot of ‘also’s’, but what can I say, the guys got skills. And I was happy that he was so willing to share them with us for our wedding.

I’m into the artistic side the photographs as well as capturing our personalities. And I know he’ll be able to all that and more! I’d like to share some of his work!

Thanks Steph and Derek for these photos.

Outdoor floral decor

2010-01-22T20:17:00.000-05:00

Last weekend was spent narrowing down ideas for the wedding decor both with my dad (who is growing some of the flowers) and with the tent rental company! It was a lot. But these are some of the ideas myself, and my dad and mom collaborated on. (sorry bff you were too tired!)

So you know we are setting up a tent. And my dad had all these great ideas for outdoor decor. (ya people, my dad rocks!) The first was a trellis idea outside the tent. We negotiated on what type of flower would climb the trellises but finally agreed upon Sweetpeas, mostly because they smell delectable but also because they are beautifully delicate. So my dad said he would actually build the trellis structures too! What a man!
This is just an idea found online, but I really like it!

This is a sweetpea climbing up.

They come in all sorts of shades!

Another idea is to have some giant planters at the ceremony entrance and later move them to the tent entrance. Something full and gorgeous like this!

Invitation Experiment

2010-01-09T14:58:00.001-05:00

One of our goals by the end of January is to have the invitations finalized. So to start the month off right I paid a visit to a favorite Toronto store, The Paper Place. I was hoping to get inspired by something there to come up with a creative invitation. Here are two samples of what I designed. I'm not totally impressed with either of them. So most likely they are not going to be the final product. I do like the green! Green is a must.

This is a long 'tea' length sample.

The top of the invite with some pretty ribbon.

A basic 5.5 x 7 sample.

Of course another touch of ribbon.

So there you have it. I think I want something with a little more umph! Or maybe a vintage type feel.

I found this sample online. I like the lace, but not sure if the BFF will approve. Might be to girly. *shrug* I don't know?

Inspiration

2009-12-15T18:55:00.000-05:00

I'm really feeling the square/rectangle shaped boxes for centerpieces.

My favorite flowers. So soft and sweet and beautiful!

Tulips, hydrangea, birch...what's not to love?

I've learned these are called succulents.

I like the different textures of his suit and vest. The layered look is lovely.

This bouquet is also gorgeous.

What an awesome lounge area.

I want green table runners with a white table clothe.

What the Subway will do to you

2009-11-17T21:40:00.000-05:00

I commute to work. Everyday for 2 hours a day. There is a lot of time to think if I don't have a book or newspaper. And today was one of those days. This is the list of things to do for the wedding that ran through my mind!

Call Tent rental to confirm my email.
Call caterer to confirm procedure to book him.
Make bridesmaid cards.
Contact girl from church about serving details.
Find bar tender
Make a bar
Find barrels
Make wedding signs
Find ppl to direct parking
Officiant selection
Games to play
Figure out musicians/songs selection
Paper stuff to make: order of cermony, invitations, seating cards, signs

There were lots of sub ideas within the main ones. Overwelmed? I little bit. Does anyone have any input for any of these things?

Inspirations - This and That

2009-11-04T12:12:00.000-05:00

LOVE THIS! Lemonade Stand.

I like the font they used in this frame.

Pretty Cupcake display

I like her dress.

Hurricane lantern with GORGEOUS hydrangea and roses

So pretty!

I really, really like the look of this wood box centerpiece and the design of the arrangement. It has a modern yet rustic type look.

Queen Anne's Lace {Love}

2009-10-30T16:05:00.000-04:00

Simple and elegant, that is what comes to mind when I think of Queen Anne's Lace. Can you believe it's a 'weed' that grows almost everywhere!?

Invites that are delightful!

Green and White, I'm pretty sure this is 'theme' colours I want to go with.

I like the lacey outline of the table seating board. Very pretty!

Happy Weekend. BFF and I are off to do our first taste testing for the wedding! Yummo! Free dinner.

DIY Projects (DIYWW)

2009-10-30T12:22:00.000-04:00

I know I'm in for a LOT of DIY (Do It Yourself) projects for our wedding. So right now, I am enlisting the help of all those who would like to contribute to our big day. I've already thought that sometime down the road when more details are figured out and a style decided upon, that I will be holding some DIYWW. That stands for Do-It-Yourself-Wedding-Weekends! These weekends will be full of projects that need to tackled in order to get all those little details completed! I look forward to doing this as I love crafty and creative projects, but I know that not all of you will be as enthusiastic about it as me! Don't worry, there will be detailed instructions on what needs to be done. Here is a small sample of some projects that have already been on my mind!

Wedding Signs to help guest know where to park, where to party and where to pee!

Banner flags! My great friend Jess will be in charge of this project as she is an amazing sewer/quilter/creator!

There is also this mini flag project I've seen on Project Wedding with all the how -to instructions!

Fun for a kiddi area of the party.

I just feel in LOVE with this wedding canopy. I want it! Will someone help make it with me!?

Some cute banners! This one is from Martha Stewart and even has downloadable letter for printing!

These are just a few for now, there will be more to come!

Vintage / Retro Wedding Hair

2009-10-28T11:25:00.000-04:00

I have always wanted to try a hair style from the 30's or some other era that gives off the vintage/retro feel. Those flappers just tickle my fancy. Audrey Hepburn is a fashion and movie icon. And some recent celebs have brought back the old doo's!

Love the hair, not Tyra!

I just love this picture and wanted to share it.

Tent 'Rant'al

2009-10-19T11:45:00.002-04:00

Have you ever bought a used car? What about a vacuum from a door sales man? Or those super sharp knives that cost your whole months pay? What, you might ask, does that have to do with our wedding? Well as you know, we need to rent a tent for our outdoor venue which means finding a company that can facilitate and provide what we want and need for the big day. This means having a sight inspection to measure the space and explain all the details of the layout.

On Saturday morning we met with one such site inspector who, more or less, acted like a babbling car salesman, an annoying door to door vacuum seller and a, “lets upgrade to the best” knife swindler, except this guy was trying to convince us that we needed a certain type of cutlery because these are the thing our guests will remember. Last time I checked, as long as you have a fork to eat with, whether or not it had a ‘nice weight’, was what mattered.

Honestly, I’m interested in the tent looking pretty and acting as a shelter, that there is decent lighting, a table and chairs to sit at and plates to eat from. I understand this guy does not know me, but I said a few times that I’m a simple person and do not want nor need something over the top. I do not have the patience for sales people who push their product because they think it’s what we need. Nor do I have patience for someone who does not answer a point blank question, and goes off on a tangent of a story to ‘answer’ it.

This really has been our first face to face experience with something “weddingy.” I did not enjoy it. It told BFF that if we go with this guy (with the package of our choice) that he would have to be the one to deal with him. This is my first wedding rant, and it felt good to get that out!

Something White

2009-10-15T22:01:00.000-04:00

Just some inspirations

I could eat this {flowers}

2009-10-09T11:13:00.000-04:00

When I saw these amazing flowers at Design Sponge I just had to get them on my blog. Enjoy this deliciousness! Happy Canadian Thanksgiving Weekend!

Things I {Heart}

2009-10-08T15:27:00.001-04:00

This is just a lovely mish-mash of inspirational ideas that tickle my wedding fancy! I certainly hope to incorporate some of these aspects!

A cute little antique table

I'd love to find some old wine barrels to place here and there.

It's the perfect height to rest a glass of cool lemonade.

And where better to get a glass than at this totally awesome drink stand!

As a giant fan of antique windows, this seating chart really sparks the love in me!

Check out my post from my other blog about what you can make with old antique window frames!

I {heart} hand painted signs and tin watering cans!

I think the addition of parents and grandparents wedding photo's adds such a nice personal touch.

Miss matched plates. So fun!

Pretty Jewels

2009-10-07T11:31:00.000-04:00

On the weekend I started making a potential wedding necklace out of pearls I purchased at one of my favorite Toronto Bead stores. But I'm not exactly thrilled with it and so, I thought I'd look for a little inspiration.

Anthropologie Necklace $63.70

I think I could make this for about $20 bucks or less.

I know this is not jewelry but I like it! :)

Anthropologie $35.15

I feel bad for people who can't make this kind of stuff...what a rip off!

Here is a DIY Necklace tutorial @ Style Me Pretty

I love the layered antique look of this!

Tuttie Frutie {Centerpiece}

2009-10-05T12:00:00.000-04:00

I first saw this bright arrangement on Design*Sponge a few months ago and have never forgotten it.

Although I wouldn't incorporate fruit in my arrangements at my wedding (for reasons of flies) I still think there are some pretty fun tuttie frutie ideas! You can see step by step instructions on how to make this "We like it Wild" arrangement by clicking here.

I know this isn't fruit, but it's kind of interesting.

A step by step, here

Invitation Inspiration

2009-10-02T12:36:00.000-04:00

I like this simple botanical look.

The whimsical script on this save the date is really fun.

I recently had this up on another post but I'm drawn to the combination of bird and foliage.

This beautiful Cherry Blossom Invite made by

Etsy seller Cricket Printing

Beautiful Peony Wedding Programs

Etsy seller Almost Sunday

Loving the botanical graphics! Love it.

Etsy Siska Studio

And finally, I LOVE the layout and the different typography on this invite.

Etsy Hello Tenfold

Delectable Delight {Favors}

2009-09-30T12:38:00.000-04:00

I'm not sure about favors. Some sit and collect dust on a shelf once you get home. Others are left behind at the wedding. Some are eaten. I think the edible option is best. That way it's only collecting junk in someone's stomach and not in their home.

Bake it Pretty is a site I came across that has inspired me to possibly make something cute and sweet to eat. The online shop offers an array of fun and different chocolate mold options as well as cookie cutters, sparkly sprinkles for decorating, cute cupcake baking cups and lots of inspiration on their blog.

Pretty Baking Cups

Who knew there was such a thing as sparkly edible glitter?

Sugar Buttons!

I love this totally adorable chocolate birdy mold

These flower molds are made to have a stick fit into the soft chocolate before it hardens.

Owl Cookie cutter

A pretty Butterfly

A Quote

2009-09-28T16:00:00.002-04:00

"I love being married. It's so great to find that one special person you want to annoy for the rest of your life."
—Rita Rudner

Psst, A little birdie told me...

2009-09-24T11:40:00.001-04:00

If you read my other blog you'd know that I have a small affection for those flighty friends of ours. Understanding that BFF does not share the same passion, I know that the likelihood of having a cute little birdie something is slim. But here are some subtle ideas and some not so subtle ones that include a little birdie or two.

Other Blog Posts:

Birdie Bath {Room}

A Secret in the Barn

Penny People Print

This little nest was featured on Once Wed, A Handmade Wedding Details.

Have a look, I love all their handmade things!

Guest Book from Etsy seller: Art Kitten

Cute Save the Dates by Etsy seller: Sunshine and Ravioli

Check out her shop, she has really neat vintagey looking paper things!

Guest address box, allows guests to leave a note and contact info for your new home

Etsy seller: Cut the Cake Designs

Flowers {Ranunculus}

2009-09-22T15:01:00.001-04:00

Ranunculus: Funny word eh, it's ridonculious! I have found the flower I love, only thing is, I'm not certain that they will be in season in August. Boohoo! I'll have to check to be sure, unless my dad can just plant them later so they will be in bloom! Talk about manipulating the elements. Here are some beauties to show you, so you can fall in love with them too.

I love their papery, delicate looking petals and the soft pastel hues they come in.

Hang'n Around

2009-09-18T15:13:00.000-04:00

I love the look of illuminated lanterns, paper or glass, especially as the sun is set and they can let off this romantic glow. There are plenty of trees at our location that can be beautified and adorned by some pretty lanterns. I also enjoy the homemade look of either paper or fabric flag garlands. Then there are paper pom-poms made of tissue paper. And I'm sure there are plenty of other ideas for things to be strung and hung. Here I share a few with you. What do you like best?

So gorgeous!

This is a DIY project found at Martha Stewart Weddings

Fun flags

Tissue Paper Pom-Poms

DIY @ Martha Stewart Weddings

From a wedding featured on Once Wed

I like this simple string of white lights. Also featured on Once Wed

The Cake Debate

2009-09-16T15:59:00.000-04:00

Cakes are pretty, they are tasty and delicious, but I've never been one for the big giant fancy wedding cake. Funny story, my co-worker told me when her sister got married in the early 90's, they rented a fake wedding cake, just for pictures! Too weird!

Seeing as BFF and I are opting for the simple yet fun approach for our wedding day, we are playing with a few different ideas for the dessert debate.

Idea #1

Cupcakes

Now this is not a totally unique alternative wedding cake idea, but I think it's darn cute and a perfect size for something sweet. Look at these absolutely stunning masterpieces at Cake Journal. How pretty would those be on a sweet table!?

Or check out these beauties from Cupcake Delight. They are like a work of art! These pictures were found through The Bride's Cafe.

Idea #2 A Mixed Dessert Table

Why not offer guests a variety of different deserts? BFF loves Tiramisu, apple crisp and Key Lime pie. I enjoy truffle desserts, sponge cake with fruit and anything cheesecake. I like this idea because there is bound to be something that every guest enjoys.

Idea #3 A Sweet Table

Have you heard of Amy Atlas? She is the New York Queen of amazingly sweet table designs! Her work is immaculate when it comes to matchy-poo goodness. She always works off of a festive theme that is incorporated into the food that sparks a delightful table of drool worthy, oogle worthy greatness. (Can you tell I like her stuff?) I believe that all her work is inspirational and can be mimicked to reproduce something for our wedding. I LOVE candy. So this is fitting. And it can also be used as a favor at the end of the night for guests to take home a little bit of sweet love.

Her website does not allow copying of her photos....so PLEASE click here to view her amazing work.

This is an Amy Atlas Inspiration table done by My Life, My Love.

Click to see more pictures of her daughters birthday party.

Wedding Resources

2009-09-14T14:41:00.001-04:00

After all the excitement of the engagement slowly faded (well I'm still super excited, but I've calmed down a little bit) the reality of all the planning that needed to be done started to sink in. Now don't get me wrong, that is part of the fun, but to be honest I'm not a list/schedule/ultimate planner type girl. One of the biggest differences between BFF and I is that he thrives off of these things. For example, he set up an online calendar for us to share, he enters gas mileage into a spread sheet that I'm expected to update as well, he makes grocery lists of all the sale items for that week, you get the picture. In the beginning of our relationship, we even used to have fights over my lack of planning skills. Teehehe. As much as I bug him about it, and as much as it makes me laugh, I LOVE him for it. My weakness is his strength, it's a good balance.

The Knot

So when I told David that there were things we needed to get done and figured out immediately, of course he asked me to write it down or provide a list for him. Here is where The Knot comes in. This wedding website has all sorts of amazing resources literally at your finger tips. With the click of a mouse you can make a budget, enter your guest list, make a checklist of things to do, create a website ... all for FREE after you make an account.

Martha Stewart Weddings

Of course everyone knows Ms. Martha has a plethora of beautifully designed ideas. From flowers to table settings, invitations to cake decorations, this website allows for maximum creative potential to incorporate at your own wedding. I love how it even provides free downloads for a variety of crafty templates. Martha Stewart weddings also provides "Planning Tools" as described above in the Knot.

BLOGS

There is a HUGE world of wedding blogs (some of which are listed on the side bar). All you have to do is type wedding blogs into Google and voila, you can search to your hearts content!

These are just a few resources that I have found useful in the last few weeks and I'm sure I'll be adding a lot more as I continue planning for the big day.

Ring Bling

2009-09-11T20:17:00.001-04:00

There is a story behind everything right? And I love the story of my engagement ring. Here goes:

In the summer of 2008 BFF and I went to Stratford, Ontario to watch Romeo and Juliet at the Stratford Festival. On our way into town, I had spied a rather large warehouse with a giant "Antique" sign. I begged dear BFF to stop in on our way home, just for a quick peak. (A quick peak turned into two hours!) Little did I know that not even 5 minutes into the Antique Warehouse, I would set my sights on what is now my engagement ring! There were cases of glass with antique jewelry, and, like my grandmother who is always attracted to shiny, sparkly things, I just had to take one small look. I saw this ring immediately and LOVED it. I did not say anything to BFF for fear of being thought silly for looking at such things. But secretly my heart pumped, my mouth watered and my hands got clammy. Then came three very unexpected questions: He asked, 1) "See anything you like?" Now was my chance, I thought. I leisurely pointed it out, not wanting to seem too excited. 2) "Do you want to try it on?" Sorry, like what? Umm, ok! It was even more gorgeous on my finger. Love at first site. 3) "Should I buy it?" I remember my face feeling hot. Was I faint? What was BFF saying? We had only been dating a year! But he said if I loved it and it was what I imagined my engagement ring to be, then he would buy it, so long as I did not bother him with questions about the future. So, with his credit card in his shaky hand, he confidently bought me the ring, knowing deep in his heart that one day he would be able to put it on my finger.

Check out our other Antique Adventure

Flower Love

2009-09-10T15:12:00.000-04:00

Dear BFF and I, along with his mom, my mom and dad all have a {love} for flowers. From as long as I remember, my mom has worked with flowers. From the local greenhouses, to various flower shops, to doing family wedding in our kitchen, my mom is a lovely and talented florist. Who could ask for anything better when it comes to your own wedding!?

My dad has his own greenhouse in which he 'putters' around, as my mom likes to say. Over the years he has grown various veggies, including a few giant pumpkins, as well as a variety of flowers. This past spring he even started some flowers from seed for BFF's mother's garden. Share the love! So I've asked my dad already if he wouldn't mind to grow all our flowers in his garden for the wedding. I just love the idea of keeping things local, very local indeed, and starting it all from seed. Of course we'll be putting in some hours of planting, transplanting and (oh dread!) weeding those nasty weeds out of our wedding flowers. I'm hoping it will save us a few bucks as I'm anticipatinge a bundle of beautiful blooms on the big day. Here are some ideas I'm loving:

The wild flower look

I {heart}antique glass jars

There is something about a simple hydrangea that I adore!

{Real Wedding} Allison and Paul

2009-09-09T15:11:00.000-04:00

My sisters best friend recently got hitched! Here are some details from the wedding day that included a few DIY features. Allison's family is in the printing business, so the invitations and programs had a special touch. The accented theme of green and blue was touched upon with a granny smith apple as the place setting. The bouquets and other flowers were designed by
{my mom}! Ally you looked so gorgeous and you and Paul look so happy together. Many Blessings for the future! Thanks for letting me share your day!

Surprise Engagment Party

2009-09-08T21:24:00.002-04:00

My BFF and I got engaged on an early Sunday morning. To be completely honest, it was not a huge shocker to me. But he did totally and completely get me later on that day. I was under the impression that we were simply paying a visit to my grandparents to tell them the good news. Little did I know that while I leisurely made my family play a game of "Apples to Apples" at my parents, a whole crew of people were gathering at my grandparents for a surprise dinner party. Needless to say, I was SHOCKED. I simply had no idea that anything else was happening that day. I mean, come on, the day was already fabulous enough with some new bling on my finger. But to top it off with a party where both our families and friends gathered to celebrate, made a perfect ending to a perfect day.

My mom and sisters did a lot of the decorating and made it delightfully pretty and marvelous.

A mason jar illuminated with a floating candle.

A vase of hydrangea's filled with lemon and cucumber slices.

Hand picked bouquet from the garden.

Location, Location, Location

2009-09-07T17:50:00.000-04:00

Location is most likely the element that many newly engaged couples seek out first. As venues usually book a year or two in advance, it's vital to really get talking about what the both of you envision. For my BFF* and I, we were pretty much hands down sets on having an outdoor wedding.

Seeing as neither of us have a large enough backyard to land a tent in, our options were rather limited. Luckily my grandparents live on an estate and the owner willingly obliged to letting us have our wedding there! Talk about being totally blessed. So now that the location is nailed down, the other large items can be slowly checked off the "I do" list.
*BFF = Boy Friend Forever ;)

This is a view of the driveway looking down toward the road.

A view of the wide open flat space for the tent.
Plus there are plenty of mature trees.

A beautiful wood fence, oh the creative potential available!

A lovely lone willow. The plans we have for that tree!