Progress and Martha Stewart

Readers, we've reached a pivotal part of the wedding planning experience.

Things are being made.  Tangible elements of my wedding are being shaped, gilded, created. Before this time of progress, dessert labels, table numbers, a whole slew of objects existed solely in my mind.  Carefully, I have begun to extract them from the paper they have slept in so long--their dreams?  To be shaped.  Formed.  Glued and pasted.  I have created something from the fabric of life itself.

BEHOLD!

This is what progress looks like. (Stargate re-runs optional)

And Martha--let's not forget Martha.  It all started when I saw a DIY dessert bar sign that I just had to have.  I'd already laid plans to work in lace and doilies throughout the wedding decor (and before you wrinkle your nose at me, let's not forget my name is Lacey) so when I saw the set of Martha Stewart decorative paper punches needed to complete the DIY, I thought 'great, I can use them all over the wedding.'

But at this point, you won't be able to escape from them at the wedding.

I decided the time had come, busted them out and started practicing.  At first, this was not an easy task.  There is a punch for the corners--which you punch first--and then you have to carefully line up the scalloping and take out the edges.  It took a while to get good at it.  But especially after I figured out the corner punches (it actually just works better if you use it upside-down), it became fun.

Since I'd already dragged out a bunch of paper and crafty bits, I decided to just transition from one project to the next, drug out my 5,000 page notes on wedding decor and skimmed the page for anything to DIY made of paper.  Five episodes of Stargate (and we won't mention how many beers) later, I'd made a bunch of stuff!

After I get new jewelry tools (curse you old roommates! *waves fist*) I'll  be making simple wire posts to stick these in our flower arrangements as table numbers.  Simple, but sweet huh?  I figure the tables will already have a lot going on without some crazy-nuts number device.

Dessert bar labels--so you know what sugary goodness is going down your gullet.  But the dessert bar is a whole other post...

Triple threat drink tags!  (sorry about the blur!) They're gonna go tripsies as our escort cards, making sure people know which table to go to (the number will be on the back), and so guests don't get their drinks mixed up all night!  Best part about using mason jars instead of renting flimsy glasses? I get to keep the jars and can all summer!

How did other brides stay on top of their DIY schedule?  How did you keep yourself organized?

My Maidys

A few of you might know what a struggle the BM dresses have been for me!  I'd like to take this opportunity to thank my lovely (talented, intelligent, awesome, laid-back) maidys for sticking by me through my indecision!  All of you remember how fast I found my dress!  I'll tell you the BM garb was infinitely more difficult for your's truly!  First, I told them I was looking for something blue (to go with the Boulevard venue).  Then I told them black with colorful shoes.  Then I told them I didn't know.  And then black again.  And then FINALLY I ran into the best idea for bridesmaids ever!

 

The Mismatched Maid look!

Not long after I started wedding planning--and Maidy dress exploring in particular--I became disenchanted with the flood of creepy BM images.  Rows of presumably, unique, special women shoved into matching dresses in horrible hues, often regardless of dress fit, and flattery cast (far) aside!  Given, brides and the industry have gone a long way!  Several bridal salons now carry lines of dresses so brides can choose a color and her Maidys can pick their silhouette.  But the  Mismatched look resonated with me immediately.  I hate it when things are too matchy-matchy anyway.  You guys already know that I have a rather large wedding palette.  Why not highlight it? I told them whatever dress they want.  I gave them half the color wheel to choose from.  I hope they go nuts and love what they're wearing.

So I recently entered an online contest through Weddington Way to win Bridesmaids dresses!  This place has a truly fabulous selection of dresses that you'll actually wear again with some really cool online tools.  They let you 'shop' for dresses and save them to your favorites in whichever color you choose.  Then you can put them in a 'dress line-up' to see how they'll actually look next to each other!  Snazzy, huh?  Well, I guess to promote this new feature they're giving away $5,000 of BM dresses in a contest.  All you have to do to enter is use their new tool and upload your Bridesmaid dress line-up.

Here is the board that I made on Weddington!  I made it with my particular Maidy's in mind, too! (and no, there's still only four of you... it just had to be five people/I don't know how Kalie (hey girl!) will lean towards yet!

From left to right!:

1) Something cute I can see Kalie in... although more pastel and less tangerine, more likely!

2) A good foundation for something Nas might wear!  I think you'll like the details at the dress hem.

3) For Ariel, undoubtedly!

4) Andreya,  I think it reflects your cutesy Retro tendencies!  And you told me you were thinking of pink, anyhow.

5) Something SUPER cute I can see Kalie in--plus her rad tattoos would show on her back!

And look-out!  I'll be giving you each jewelry to wear on the day!  So be sure and give me your specs as soon as you get them AND if you have a strong preference for earrings, a bracelet, or a necklace.

Out,

-LMC

It's (mostly) downhill from here

Some of you might have noticed the elephant in the room.  Some of you might have been blind, forgot, or didn't know.

Please raise your hand if you knew I was moving to the Netherlands in the first two weeks of April?

Well, I may have forgotten a little.

The funny/sad/depressing thing is that I've actually had a list of the stuff I need to get done for a long time.  I've even done a fair amount of the stuff on it.  But suddenly, hopping the pond is right around the corner.  It's there.  It's here.  It's almost now.  It's like running into an awkward acquaintance on the street.  You fiddle your feet, trying to avoid eye contact and hoping they don't strike up a convo.  And then they do.  And you wonder what you did wrong.  Audience, let's face it--I'm sweating bullets.

I'll try and get to the point--the sharp, deadly wedding edge.  What I find myself thinking a lot is simply 'WHO DOES THAT'?  Who plans an international move smack-dab in the middle of their wedding planning?  Sure, it wasn't our choice, but dear God in Heaven, this blows.  I'm trying to find a band while at the same time researching info to get my cat overseas in one piece.  Trying to find homes for my plants while making gifts for my loverly bridesmaids (and no, you can't know what they are).  The cherry on the sundae might just be that I haven't seen Dennis in... ungh, it's only been two weeks and feels like a million years.

I guess, the positive side--WHAT I SHOULD BE FOCUSING ON--is that after the move, things should be coming up roses.  Mostly.  I mean, I hope so.  I'm applying for a sweet-ass job at Yelp that I have high hopes could pan out. (not to mention, it's pretty much a dream job)  I'll be moving into a house.  A bonafide roof-with-four-walls creation.  With my husband.  Holy crap, shut up.  Ideally, the weather in Holland will be warmer than here, if not somewhat soggier... but hell, at this point, I'll take it!  And I get to see Dennis in 26 days (and no, I'm not counting...).

I feel a little guilty about spewing real-life drama over my wedding blog (twice now), but I guess for me, it really is a caveat in the whole wedding-planning shebang.  The part where you remember that your wedding is just one day in your life, and your life is, well, every day of your life.  And the reason your wedding is special is because it's a celebration.  A celebration of the first day of the rest of your life that you are choosing to build with the person you love.  What part of this whiny-loud-violin-story isn't important in the saga of my wedding?  Or another readers?  Because this is a reminder, ya'll (ooh, yeah, I went there): it's not (always) about your wedding.  It's about your marriage.  And your new shared life.  And what you're doing with it.

I just gotta breathe, baby.  And it'll be fine.

Love you, babe.

-LMC

Digging for gold

I feel like I have oodles to report after my fun wedding-related afternoon yesterday!  I set out for my second dress alteration/fitting appointment wicked early, per usual (damn you weird bus line 3 schedule!).  Grabbed a paper, coffee, saw a traffic accident--gave my statement to the police.  Yeah, only a little out of the norm!

Well, with almost 45 minutes to burn I decided it was time--I was going to go on my first long-planned-for search for vintagey treasure goodness.  I know they say that fashion very rarely evolves, mostly it recycles.  I've never felt they were so right about that until yesterday!  I asked the owner if I could take pictures, but that didn't go down so well.  Instead, I settled for raiding the $5 bin for a good half an hour.  So many shiny things!  And a lot of them are, somewhat miraculously back in vogue!  It was funny to me, holding a pair of large rhinestone clip-ons, that I simultaneously thought "Grandma would wear these" and "These would great for my rehearsal dinner!"  Is anyone else getting this grandma-love in their vintage search?  I kinda like it!

The first thing I really fell in love with are the plethora of creative post-style earrings.  Danglie-style earrings have been my repartois for a long time: I make my own, buy quite a few, find lots, scavenge lots, and am gifted way-too-many.  Until recently, post earrings held little allure to yours truly.  But you can't crack open any remotely style, decor, or fashion-related 'zine these days without tripping over about a dozen pairs in the table of contents.  Well ladies, word to the wise--don't go rushing online to scour the nets for the cutest pair.  Just pop into your nearest pawn shop or antique store to find a vintage bargain!  I snagged a pair that will surely make an appearance at the nuptials.

I'll save my dress news for tomorrow--but do feel free to get excited!  It's coming along nicely!

Best,
-L

Inspiration

Because every bride needs it in spades!  It's so easy to get caught up in budgeting and napkins and DIYing my soul into oblivion... How is it possibly so easy to forget that I'm getting married to the most amazing man I've ever met?  And my life is gonna be upside down for a while.  And it's only gonna happen once.  And I should savor every moment.

So rock out.