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and how do you win? well, i'm actually planning my wedding right now (big day is september next year) and like most brides planning their weddings, i'm freaking out!!! i'm a very hands on and picky person, so i'm not hiring a wedding planner and i'm going to do everything myself. there's going to be lots of diy projects, i'm planning on doing everything myself, from table decors, flowers, to invitations and the guest book (with the help of my lovely bridesmaids of course). so i'm looking for your advice on how to make the wedding planning process easier on me, my fiance k, and my bridesmaids, lol!
1. leave a comment and offer me a piece of advice for wedding planning, or a link to a great diy project that's suitable for a non-religious, outdoor, country chic wedding.
2. follow my blog and leave me a second comment, readers are ok too!
3. share the giveaway on your blog or on twitter and leave a third comment.
please make sure i have a way of contacting you! i will leave the giveaway open until sunday, november 28th at 9pm est, and it's open to anyone from anywhere in the world! good luck and thanks so much for stopping by!!
****comments are now closed. thanks to all who entered and offered me great advices! i'll pick a winner via random.org early next week.****
I saw this on Talk About Fabric. w00t! Thanks for sharing. : )
ReplyDeleteIt depends on what you mean by simple... DH and I got married at the Chapel of Love by the beach. The ceremony was just the two of us. Very romantic! Next we had dinner with immediate family in a private room in a restaurant. Now that's simple.
Congratulations on your impending wedding! I hope you get lots of good advice. It is an important day. Remember to stop and live in the moment of the day. You will remember it always.
Delegate responsibility and don't let the little things bother you. Only you will notice them!
ReplyDeletei tweeted!
ReplyDeletei follow you!
ReplyDeleteCongrats Tong! DH and I just celebrated 11 years of marriage (and 15 years of great love). I wish you all the happiness we've been blessed to have.
ReplyDeleteHere is a great site to visit:
http://www.weddingbee.com/
Also, little things we did that made my life easier. We had a seat yourself buffet. So we didn't have to plan meals or seating charts. We just made sure we had both meat and vegetarian options. Also found most people enjoyed grazing and mingling and not being tied to a table while a meal was being served. We put out disposable cameras and encouraged our guests to take memorable photos (that we later put into non-formal wedding albums).
There is so much more, but I don't want to eat up the whole thread comment section.
Check out the wedding bee. It does have some fabulous DIY ideas.
Best of luck to you.
We eloped!! I highly recommend it.
ReplyDeleteI follow you now! PS I found you through Flickr
ReplyDeleteLove the pin cushion on the right! I love wedding planning...well, party planning in general for that matter. Oh how I wish I could get married to the hubby again and plan a totally different wedding. My advice is to do things the way you want and don't let others influence you too much. It is your day after all.
ReplyDeleteAs for ideas, you should check out this website. Here is the link to a friend's wedding that I thought was absolutely beautiful and the website has lots of other really great ideas.
http://greylikesweddings.wordpress.com/2009/08/28/real-wedding-amanda-and-eric/
Congratulations and thanks for the giveaway!
My only advice is to just relax and have fun...in the end it will all work out perfectly because it is is such a special day! Enjoy the process!
ReplyDeleteHi Tong!!!! Congrats, so excited for you. Enjoy all the stress and fun of planning your wedding! Think paper lanterns, throw pillows, candles and a big basket full of complimentary flip flops for people to walk around in. I just love weddings.
ReplyDeleteLove the pin cushions too!!
Alison Dafoe
My advice is to get anything you need for DIY from here: http://www.save-on-crafts.com/
ReplyDeleteWhen I was maid of honor earlier this year and this was the cheapest place with the most selection for decor that we used for centerpieces and everything else! Thanks for the chance at HR fabrics!!
I am a new follower..............comment #2
ReplyDeleteHey - lovely giveaway. my mum and i did the flowers for my wedding and loved every minute of it. we had a wonderful time just the 2 of us together - but it took lots of time so plan for plenty. paula pryke - the uk florist is great for inspiration and definately worth borrowing some of her books out from the library.
ReplyDeleteIf you are going to try and do most things yourself, allow plenty of time for it... I would try and delegate some of it though, as I did most things myself for my wedding and it got pretty overwhelming at times! Do the things that really matter to you and then don't worry so much about the other stuff...
ReplyDeleteif you are trying to save money, the things you will really save on by doing it yourself is make your own invites, make your own wedding cake, make the decorations for the tables, make your own dress or have someone you know make the dress (this might not be an option though) and if you live near flower markets, do the flowers yourself by buying from the flower markets the day before and keeping them in a cold place...
Congratulations!!! Being as I was only 20 when I got married, there are so many things in hindsight I wish I'd done differently! We did a lot of DIY, some that I loved, some that I didn't. Definitely keep a special notebook to organize everything, keeping track of all the details and realistic goals for having them accomplished. Absolutely accept help and (without being bridezilla) be sure to speak up about what you do and don't want. My wonderful SIL did my flowers, but I hated them. I wish we'd gotten a better photographer, and we don't even have video of our wedding b/c I was planning on a friend/family member taking care of it (again, a naive 20-year old!).
ReplyDeleteNo matter how wonderful your wedding, there still are bound to be things you'd change after the fact. My little sister's was amazing and she still can pick a few things she wishes she'd done differently. So above everything, just remember what the day is really about. The wedding lasts just one day; marriage is for a lifetime and should be the real focus.
Oh, we did do disposable cameras (like Joree) and that was fabulous! There's so much you miss since you can't be with every guest every moment. It's still fun to flip through those photos and see what a great time everyone had :)
Now following your blog. Thanks for sharing your goodies with us, Tong! Oh, and I love the pincushion, too!
ReplyDeleteI am a follower :-)
ReplyDeleteI have been following your blog for some time and I would love to get my hands on some Heather Ross fabric. Good luck with your wedding planning, sorry I can't help. I have no experience with weddings other than freaking out over what to wear and eating all the food.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all... Congratulations!!!
ReplyDeleteAnd thank you for the chance of winning this cool giveaway.
There are so many cool DIY for weddings. Take a look at these sites with lot's of tutorials for invitations, favors, decoration, etc.:
http://www.intimateweddings.com/blog/diy-wedding-ideas-tutorials/ http://doit101.com/crafts/wedding.html
http://sewmamasew.com/blog2/?p=5455
http://sewmamasew.com/blog2/?p=5627
http://www.do-it-yourself-weddings.com/
http://www.wedding-flowers-and-reception-ideas.com/
Have fun!!
And I've also became a follower :)
ReplyDeleteJust one word DELEGATE !!!!
ReplyDeletePlease!
Gill
I'm a follower
ReplyDeleteGill
I just found my old note book (from 21 yrs ago!) with little tags for church, dress, reception etc - it was such a great way to keep track of everything (I even had receipts tucked inside it!) I was so organised I knew what was done and what needed to be done, which was the key for me. And as well, I wasn't aiming for perfection, just enjoyment and for everyone to feel like they were at fun celebration.
ReplyDeleteHere's a lovely blog I read and her nephew's country wedding with some lovely ideas. http://chalkygilbert.blogspot.com/2010/09/beautiful-village-wedding.html
I'm following you. Lovely giveaway fabrics, thanks for the chance.
ReplyDeleteIf I had opportunity to have my wedding once again, I would make it simple and only with close family (like fathers, mothers and sisters) and a few friends! We have got a huge party (all day and night) and it was too exhausting! Think only about your love and... beautiful dress:) the rest is not important:)))
ReplyDeleteI'm your follower:)
ReplyDeleteWhat a nice giveaway!
ReplyDeleteI don't know if I can give you any advice about wedding, as I am French and we don't do the same kind of things here when we marry.
When I got married 5 years ago, we had the ceremony at the town hall, we took photos on the garden outside the town hall, and then we drank champagne at my place, and ate some mini cakes my mom had prepared before, and stored in her freezer. Then we all came to a restaurant we had all for ourselves, which already had a nice decoration. We had chosen the menu before, and added flowers on the table before (my husband's aunt wanted to do that). We had hired a DJ for the night.
It was pretty simple but it was what we wanted.
And I am a follower now ;)
ReplyDeleteKeep a simple 3-ring binder with document protector as the place to store/log all of the things you like, such as three pics of your favorite cakes, then when you decide which to go with, copy the picture of your choice (glue photo/mag clip to a blank page and add the place that is making it, the date ordered, price, date of delivery and who took the order, then you'll have a visual running log of where you are and what you have left. Plus, if you have someone helping you, you can make a duplicate log/binder for them to verify that all of the details are in place and finalized. The 3-ring binder is how I am keeping up with craft/doll patterns that I am making from books w/pictures of the finished projects. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteHow generous of you!
ReplyDeleteMy advice is more of a post-planning thing, but still very useful: don't freak out if something looks "wrong" on the day of the wedding. You're the only one who'll know the difference and everyone else will never even notice. i.e. the altar flowers at my ceremony were the wrong flowers, wrong style arrangement, wrong placement.....I noticed and shrugged it off. Who else would know?! They were still pretty.
Follower on Reader! :)
ReplyDeleteCongratulations! I was like you when planning my wedding. Nearly pulled my hair out... So advice to you is to let people who love and care for you help you out. Don't be afraid to ask for help. It will make the madness easier to handle.
ReplyDeleteI became a follower! Woo Hoo!
ReplyDeleteCongrats, and I'm sure it will be a lovely wedding. Our wedding was like this, and I'll send a separate email about a few things so this isn't too long! But one thing I wish had been around is Spoonflower.com (where you can get your very own fabric printed)- I would have designed fabric for personalized napkins.
ReplyDeleteCheck out stylemepretty.com - GORGEOUS wedding photos and tons of great DIY ideas. It's inspiring to look through!
ReplyDeletemake a list of priorities or "musts" for your wedding and prioritize them. That way you have focus on the real important things instead of the not so important little details that we can let ruin our big day.
ReplyDeleteDon't try and save money on your dress! My dress was the one thing I really splurged on. I got the one that I was head over heels in love with even though it was expensive and never ever looked back. You have to wear it morning until night and everyone will be looking at you; you want to feel perfectly beautiful!
ReplyDeleteAnd... I'm not following you :)
ReplyDeleteTong!
ReplyDeleteI had no idea you were getting married!
I'm a wedding planner and consultant--or I was till I had kiddos....
I suggest getting dresses out of the way right away! they can take a while to come in and unfortunately they don't always get ordered by the shop when you think they should :(
then make a budget...
Look at your money and make categories of how much you want to spend on each thing...
make yourself a binder with plastic sleeves in it organized by themes (dresses, cakes, colours, favours, etc.) and look at magazines....anything that suits your needs to be torn out and put in one of those sleeves...then you have something to go off.
I have tons of advice and ideas, please call me or flickr mail me if you need some help or just want to hash it out....
I've done this alot and I'm certainly not willing to work on weddings at the present moment but I'd love to help.
there's so much I could say!
good luck!
I'm a follower :)
ReplyDeleteTweeted. http://twitter.com/AmberCemer
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on getting married! I just got married in the Spring and my advise to you is to take at least one night a week and do something other than talking about wedding plans. It will consume you if you let it.
ReplyDeleteWow, how awesome of you to give away some of your studio sale goodies! And that pincushion is awesome.
ReplyDeleteMy husband and I had a very relaxed but beautiful outdoor wedding and kept costs under $5,000 for 150+ people. We had it catered with a really good southern BBQ buffet. We did mini cupcakes instead of cake. My mom did centerpieces that were tin buckets planted with various flowers and ground cover weeks in advance, and they were really cool! And much cheaper than centerpieces from a florist. We didn't do bridesmaids, but I'd suggest buying from a site like jcrew where you can pick a color, and the bridesmaids can all get a dress in that same color but in a style that flatters them. My brother officiated (free!) and it made it very personal as well. There are photos in my flickr stream.
The coolest DIY of our wedding besides the centerpieces was the tissue pompom flowers hanging from the insides of our tents. Martha Stewart has a tutorial, but I bought mine off of etsy and my SIL fluffed them the day of the wedding. I wanted to do buntings with some fabrics I bought, and table runners, but ran out of time. Good luck! And congrats!
And I became a follower.
ReplyDeleteseconding elopement. You can include your family in a dinner at your house later (we did). I still have the pretty dessert plates we bought to have enough for
ReplyDeleteYour description of your ideal wedding sounds exactly like my sisters (her wedding was Sept. 18th), and so my very first piece of advice would be BE FLEXIBLE. Sometimes trying to keep it "simple" makes things more complicated. If you want more specific advice feel free to email me!
ReplyDeleteSecond, have you see this website? http://www.projectwedding.com/ Perfect for us crafty types!
CONGRATULATIONS on the upcoming wedding!!! I'm so excited for you! My mom and I DIY-ed it for my wedding, and it's unbelievable how much money you save. I only recommend it to people if they have a least a year for planning like you do (I had a year and 3 mo), because occasionally it can be a little stressful and time-consuming, but it's totally worth it in the end!
ReplyDeleteHappy planning! And you know what all that wedding savings means? More money for fabric...hehe :)
I already follow your blog!
ReplyDeleteOh, and I forgot to leave a tip above, but I've been to many a country chic wedding, and I've seen ADORABLE table arrangements made with tiny pumpkins, some fall colored flowers, and these:
http://www.bridesvillage.com/mini-hay-bales.html
Oh...and tell your friends what you need! I've been a bridesmaid twice, and really wanted to be more helpful, and the brides kept feeling like they were already asking too much! As long as you provide the wine, they'll tie bows until dawn. :)
ReplyDelete(And I'm a follower!)
PLanning my wedding was the BEST! I had a 4 month engagement and would plan another wedding in a heartbeat. Pictures here: http://scobeyphotography.com/#/winston-wedding/
ReplyDeleteIf you have any questions about the projects, just let me know.
I made just about everything, but what made planning the easiest was finding a location that did everything. They had delicious food, they had linens, and tables, and a coordinator. Not needing to worry about tons of contracts and coordinating with lots of vendors was the BEST.
I follow!
ReplyDeleteMy best advice is enjoy the moment don't think about anything except that particular second, get a candle holder (if you're doing the candle thing) that you love and can keep the same candles on to light on special occasions. Simple and relaxed will make it a more memorable day for YOU and your new husband.
ReplyDeleteSweet giveaway! Know that not everything will be "perfect" so don't spend a minute of your special day fretting over the details. My niece was just a bridesmaid at a wedding where the bride spent the whole day upset and yelling at everyone until her mother cried. Yikes!
ReplyDeleteI'm a follower via google reader!
ReplyDeleteI follow via Google Reader.
ReplyDeleteMy advice would be to figure what you want to spend any significant amount of money on first. For us that was a photographer and the live band at the reception. Then we could do things like order the flowers online cheaply and had a friend who is extremely clever make all the bouquets and other flower arrangements. (It helps to have clever friends!) I did not spend a lot on my dress because I would be wearing it for one day...some days I wish that I had, but really...I'd rather spend any extra money on the honeymoon!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations! They have some wonderful wedding planning books out there, full of check lists, planning strategies etc. Also, don't try to do it all yourself. Delegate or else you'll be too frazzled to enjoy your special day. Thanks for the give away chance and good luck.
ReplyDeleteYes, I'm now a follower!
ReplyDeleteOh, I hear you -- I'm actually recently engaged and looking to get married next September/October (no date yet!) So far, I think the biggest help has been some of the online checklists -- it helps you prioritize the things you need to work on right away vs things that can wait. I think I found mine at the "The Knot" website...
ReplyDeleteAnd I follow now too -- I hope you'll keep us posted on your wedding planning -- would love to share ideas!
ReplyDeleteWOW!! Congratulations!!
ReplyDeletedo you want some ideas for wedding invitations??
http://www.design-for-special-days.blogspot.com/
or
http://simplesmentebranco.com/
this one is in Portuguese but you can translate it or just inspire yourself in those photos:))
and I'm a follower :))
ReplyDeleteI'm a new blog follower!
ReplyDeleteAnd my tip... don't go too overboard! We did all things for our wedding too but kept it simple... Flowers in canning jars, and my big tip: the favors/placecards! We had an early fall wedding and did apples and honey. A beautiful bushel basket of apples on a table along with small jars of honey from my hometown (the apiary jarred and packed them for me), with custom printed labels for the guests' names. Easy!
ReplyDeleteWhat a nice giveaway! Congrats on the wedding and my advice is the same as someone above said...
ReplyDeletedelegate "some" of the responsibility so you are not completely overwhelmed! Pick someone you trust to be your sounding board and that can do some of the lesser tasks. You don't want to get too stressed out. Let go of some of the little things!
sarahbeth814@yahoo.com
Ooooh, such a lovely giveaway - thanks for the chance!
ReplyDeleteFor the wedding, for the party, for the whole idea of it all - don't let anybody tell you how it should be.... if you feel, it should be different - or in a special way - or in blue - or without this thing, everyone does - it is your choice. It is your day, and nothing should be in a way, you do not want it to be.
Have a wonderful wedding!!!!
Well, since I've never planned a wedding I can't give any advice but I do have a link for you: http://www.eatdrinkchic.com/post.cfm/diy-wedding-hanky-love-letters
ReplyDeleteAnd, because we live so close together and I see you every month and I am very crafty, I am offering myself to you to help with any of the DIY projects. Just let me know and I'll give you a hand!
And I'm a follower!
ReplyDeleteOh oh (don't count this as another entry), but I just thought of a great place to look - One Pretty Thing does DIY Wedding round-ups. Go to the site, click on categories at the top, then go down to Wedding Roundup and then go through date-by-date.
ReplyDeleteI saw this on the sew mama sew flickr group.
ReplyDeleteI just got married two months ago. . . married life is awesome! I am excited for you.
We did a LOT of DIY, but something I would highly recommend was what we did for the flowers. We got married in Oregon countryside so it was rustic, and I wanted things to be green and local. I found a farm where there are U-cut flowers: sunflowers, zinnias, snapdragons, peonies (were out of season for us but they have them), dahlias, etc. My bridesmaids and I went out to the farm the day before the wedding and cut flowers early in the morning, with the roosters crowing and chickens running about. it was perfect! We cut enough flowers for my bouquet, four bridesmaids, bouts and corsages, and some decorations (we didn't use a ton of blooms in decor) - four buckets of flowers total and it was $40!! My cousin worked at a florist shop for about a year, so she did the bouquets and we ordered lots of other supplies from saveoncrafts.com. They have some nice yet cheap stuff - I highly recommend them!
Hope that helps. I'd love to win the giveaway since I adore Heather Ross, but I love sharing about my wedding and what we did! Feel free to message me if you have any other questions since we did a lot of DIY. For an accessory: we made flower sashes for the bridesmaids kind of similar to the ruffle belt tutorial on 100layercake.com. They are a GREAT website, and have lots of other awesome ideas there too! I made my save the dates inspired by one of their tutorials as well.
GOOD LUCK and Congrats!!!
Congratulations! Planning a wedding should be fun, so try to relax when you start getting hung up on details. I did a lot of DIY like invites, flowers, centerpieces...but I took advantage of the setting to provide atmosphere without needing a lot of decor. Flower arrangements were very simple with flowers from local flower market. I enlisted artsy and crafty friends and family to help me (dad made prints for the invites, mom pulled off a lot of decorating logistics day before, etc). I would recommend paying someone to handle some of the logistics day of the wedding. I didn't hire a planner, but the woman who ran the inn where we had the wedding did a lot behind the scenes, received any deliveries, was there for musician and DJ set up,helped with advice on decor, etc. I didn't have to worry about too much on the big day and we threw an awesome party!
ReplyDeleteI follow you now.
ReplyDelete(your post got me thinking about my wedding - 10 years ago last week!)
I have been doing the same things with my wedding. We ended up deciding to elope (December 20th - right around the corner) but we're still planning to have a party with our friends to celebrate sometime this Spring. We're doing an outdoor, DIY party and here's an idea I'm using for the favors and centerpieces. We're getting a variety of succulents and I'm going to have my girlfriends over for cocktails and brunch and enlist them to help me create our favor / place cards. I'm using small terra cotta pots and planting a succulent in each. Then we're going to use raffia to tie around the pot to decorate and I'm doing hand written name cards on a twig stuck in each. Instant placecard / favor.
ReplyDeleteI am also a loyal follower.
ReplyDeleteAnd I tweeted about it here: http://twitter.com/#!/Etoile2B
ReplyDeleteBefore anything else, nail down your budget with anyone/everyone who may be contributing to the occasion. And STICK TO IT. The Wedding Day is wonderful and the weeks after do NOT need to include unexpected/unplanned bills.
ReplyDeleteI follow your blog.
ReplyDeletecongratulations!! how exciting. my best advice, is to loosen up! all that matters is your and k end up at the aisle on the big day! YOU are the only one who will know if things are perfect. really, everyone is just happy for you. my wedding was pretty low key...in fact, i made my mom mad for not giving a hoot about my flowers, or hall decorations! i just wanted to meet my own "k" at the end of the aisle!!! have fun. it will all be wonderful!!! best wishes.
ReplyDeleteI just tweeted about your giveaway on Twitter!
ReplyDeleteHave you seen this idea...
ReplyDeletehttp://www.kootoyoo.com/2010/07/how-to-make-pretty-girly-lights.html
It would look super amazing to light paths with!
I'm also a follower!
ReplyDeletesmile, and enjoy the day!
ReplyDeletethanks for a very generous giveaway- i have my fingers crossed!
im a follower too!
ReplyDeleteMy advise is to not freak out if something doesn't work out exactly as you had planned it. Either way you are marrying a great guy and it will be a beautiful day.
ReplyDeleteOne of my friends recently got married and as a gift her mother bought her a satin and lace garter with pearls on it (something new) and I beaded the first initals of her and her fiancee's first names and the initial of their new last name in size 15 powder blue beads for the something blue. I wish I had a picture because it turned out so pretty and delicate!
Just linked over from Talk About Fabric--thanks for the head's up! Wedding advice? Hm...I planned everything and then gave specific (i.e., responsible) people jobs to do on the actual day so that I could sit back and just enjoy it all. It went off without a hitch & I have great memories. Oh, and in addition to a professional photographer, disposable cameras on every table are a must!
ReplyDeleteMy wedding happened in a wonderful sunny day. I am from Brazil and my husband from Alaska, our weeding happened in Hilo-Hawaii at my mother-in-law's house in front of the beach.
ReplyDeleteWe married under a beautiful giant tree, everything simple, my dress it was very simple and we put chairs around the three with flowers for the guests.
I think you will love to use Haku lei in your head, it's a crazy beautiful Hawaiian crown of flowers
I have a pic of me in my blog, you can see http://brasilhawaii.com/about/
also you can look at Goggle http://www.corbisimages.com/Enlargement/AX049498.html other Haku ideas
I wish you much love and eternity in your wedding.
Here is the post from your give away ;) and I am your follower
Keep it simple. And let others help you whenever they are offering to.
ReplyDeleteAnd I am a follower.
ReplyDeleteOK I tried to post last night but had trouble and it looks like it didn't go through...definitely plan a formal exit from the party, before others start to leave. We had a casual wedding and ended up still at the party as the crowd dwindled, and then helping clean up the venue! Not the best ending to the evening.
ReplyDeleteAdvice for wedding planning - don't leave everything til the last minute! I got married on April 17th this year, other than finding a venue, I left everything til January this year, thinking it would be quick and easy. It's not when you've got a full time job!
ReplyDeleteWow, congrats on your wedding....next year! It's ok to want to do everything yourself but leave the tasks on the actual day to a close friend who can take care of EVERYTHING for you. You don't want to be a wreck on your wedding day.
ReplyDeleteprojectsbyjane at gmail dot com
I'm a follower!
ReplyDeleteI'm dying to get my hands on some Heather Ross! Thanks for the chance to win some :-)
ReplyDeleteOk wedding planning...since I'm not married I don't think I'll be much help with this one really! My advice would be delegate as much as you can. It's quite courageous of you to undertake it all by yourself and you need all the help you can get I would think!
My suggestion on the wedding is to keep it simple. Don't do too much but make sure that the things you do are done well.
ReplyDeleteLess is more!
The neatest thing I saw for an outdoor wedding was where they took hay bales and covered them in quilts for the guests to sit on instead of using chairs. Sorry I don't remember where I saw that. Thanks for the chance to win!!
ReplyDeletei've been married twice...the second one is definitely the right guy and SOOOO happy about it. both weddings were big on DYI and both done planned in 3 1/2 months or less, so i know how it can be done! i sewed my gown/dress myself for both and definitely look to online fabric sources for discounted silk and satin. i bought $40/yd silk for $14/yd at www.fashionfabricsclub.com. i also made the bridesmaid gifts the second time - embroidered monogrammed shawls. they were silk shantung and since we had an early february wedding outdoors, i lined them in heavier satin. i think it cost me about $10 each shawl and they're gorgeous.
ReplyDeletekeep things simple and relax. if you're using a banquet hall or location, make use of what they have to offer as much as possible. we were given table centerpiece options of a mirror and empty fishbowl, so i filled the fishbowl an inch or two with red and clear glass pebbles and a pillar candle with tea lights on the mirror corners and silk rose petals scattered. it was elegant and didn't overwhelm the table.
Congrats on your upcoming wedding!
ReplyDeleteThe best piece of advice I have for you is let your bridesmaids pick dresses that flatter them and that they can wear again instead of squishing them all into matching gowns. Happy bridesmaids = more help!
I don't know if this is what you are looking for, but I think there are some neet ideas:
ReplyDeletehttp://fredashive.blogspot.com/2009/10/just-few-snap-shots-from-weekend-in-no.htm
I especially like the hanging quilts, soda bar and boxed lunches. Thanks for the great giveaway.
spackattak7 at hotmail dot com
Wedding advice my mother gave me when I started panicking: Pick the three most important non-negotiable items that you want for the wedding to personally supervise/create. Everything else should be delegated to someone you trust.
ReplyDeleteMy top three: dress (made myself), flowers (mom & I did them), bridesmaid dresses (mom made them). Everything else I gave specific example pictures/instructions and whatnot to responsible people (ie, magazine picture of cake desired to reputable bakery). Mom and I focused on our top 3, and everything else fell into place.
Also, one more advice: only use the wedding planner timelines as guidelines as a "drop-dead" dealine. In a lot of instances, you're better off getting as much done early as you can. ASK FOR HELP - you're not weak when you ask, you're showing leadership & delegation qualities.
Enough of the advice. Hope I win!
-Carrie
jaynabug @ gmail . com
Advice? Remember to enjoy it, don't get too lost on perfection, there is a lot beyond control- weather for a start. It is only one day, what follows is the best bit x
ReplyDeleteIt's YOUR day - enjoy it for yourself and let others do all the worrying about it. Lovely giveaway for us in the UK fabric desert!
ReplyDeleteOh, what wonderful things to win. For your planning you have to buy a book to wright everything in. And I meen everything, all your thoughts from the very first day. Also wright all ideas you get, and try to sort them out week by week; what is the best for you two. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteAdvice on wedding: if others do not volunteer, ask them to help (both male and female) or get your relatives or prospective in-laws to find volunteers - making wedding favors, food, contingency in case it rains. The simpler the wedding the less chance for glitches. Keep a project plan (todos, dates, responsibility) and journal. Now - awesome giveaway -- adore your fabric selections and the pincushions. Please enter me! alternate email mlwright29 (at) hotmail (dot) com
ReplyDeleteThe main thing would be to relax and enjoy the whole process and to have everything organized ahead of time helps as well. Congratulations on your wedding.
ReplyDeleteI have now become a follower of your blog. Thanks for the great giveaway.
ReplyDeletewow, thanks for the great giveaway. i'm not sure what kind of advice to give you for a wedding, only that on the day of your wedding you really won't care about much, just that you finally get to be married, so don't sweat it.
ReplyDeletei always love the martha stewart wedding ideas...everthing is so classy and simple.
good luck with your wedding.
nettie pete at gmail dot com
I follow your blog.
ReplyDeleteI'm not very good at giving advice, but if I had to say one thing about planning something this big. I would say...don't sweat the small stuff. Figure out the things that are most important, and make those things extra special, but a lot of the little stuff will just work itself out. :)
ReplyDeleteCongrats...and thanks for the awesome giveaway!
~Teresa
I now follow your blog.
ReplyDelete~Teresa
I'm picky too and controlled way to much that I was so overwhelmed when our day came that we forgot to have someone video the ceremony, make punch at the reception and to get the toasts, cake cutting,etc.
ReplyDeleteWe bought our flowers at Costco (ordered in advance and picked up the day before the ceremony) and my mom made the bouquets in my kitchen while myself and my bridesmaids got our hair done in the living room. It was very budget friendly. $70 bought roses for the bouquets and centerpieces at the reception.
I'm a new follower too!
ReplyDeleteHere is a lovely tutorial I ran into a while back:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.oncewed.com/11871/diy-blog/diy/diy-lighted-paper-pendant-banner/
I've always wanted to try it out but I just never have, perhaps this summer... anyways, enjoy! (:
JasmineMaurie@aol.com
I'm a new follower. Now I'm off to explore your blog :)
ReplyDeleteKeep rested...don't get sleep deprived. Asking for help is good!
ReplyDeleteI'm a Heather Ross fan and also participated in her studio sale. I was one of her last orders to be shipped. She called me and said "I have very little fabric left and that is what you wanted" I can do this .....for you or this...... My response was "I'm sure I will be happy with what ever you send." Maybe next year I'll try again and stick to fabric only. It would be great to win your FQ. Thanks for the chance.
My advice is to take a deep breath and not focus on the wedding every second! It will turn out great, but it won't be perfect!
ReplyDeleteenlist the help of family & friends, & make sue to get rest the day before the big day. acp328@yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteFor our simple, rustic wedding, we assigned tasks to people we trusted, and then I just worried about MY assignments. Delegate, delegate, delegate! I just helped my sister plan her October wedding that way. It makes it easier on everyone.
ReplyDeleteMy biggest piece of advice would be to make a decision and stick to it. Try not to overthink things! It's your Wedding Day and ultimately the finding the exact shade of lavender (for example) will not make or break your special day :)
ReplyDeleteKeep is small and simple.........less chance of something going wrong, and more romantic! Thanks for the chance to win!
ReplyDeleteI am a follower through Google Reader too!
ReplyDeleteOh have fun planning. Like a lot of people have already said just remember at the end of the day it is about your love and nothing else. But my biggest help when planning was I bought a wedding planner, I called it my boyfriend that is how attached to it I was. It had timelines in it, places to store ideas, checklists, and a budget. It was very helpful for me. What a great giveaway!
ReplyDeleteI am now a follower.
ReplyDeleteI am now a follower
ReplyDeleteMy suggestion would be. Make a plan and stick to it.
ReplyDeleteDelegate to capable friends DIY well in advance and if you not entirely happy you still have time to Do It Yourself.
Keep a diary. Enjoy the journey not the task.
Your giveaway fabrics are so cute
Thanks for the chance
Gina
Don't over commit yourself when working on the wedding. I eloped the second time!!!
ReplyDeleteI am a follower too.
ReplyDeleteps: I meant to say that am a follower through Google reader. Ta
ReplyDeleteMy advice: Plan your wedding day how YOU want it to be. It is YOUR day (and your beloved's). This is not a time to be bound by imagined obligations or the expectations of others. That and stay within a reasonable budget.
ReplyDeleteI'm a new follower.
ReplyDeleteI Tweeted about your giveaway @birdie00000
ReplyDeleteWedding advice:
ReplyDelete1. Don't let your mom pick the photographer.
2. If it's a hot day, don't have chocolate icing on your cake.
3. Don't stress when a significant person doesn't show up on time. The show can go on without them.
4. Do ask one special, trusted person to something sweet, secret and special for you and your honey during or after the wedding...something that is a total surprise, but will be appreciated by you because that person loves and knows you so well.
5. HAVE FUN with the planning!!
Love nesting dolls - such sweet fabrics. Advice from a mom - when my daughter was planning her wedding, I told her "this is your day and you do it your way". She had a simple outdoor wedding under a tent in our backyard and we BBQ'd. People LOVED it.
ReplyDeleteOh wow I'd love to do my wedding day over...alas, that will never happen;) My only regret is not having a professional photographer. So so sad now that I scrapbook. It was 10 yrs ago and just not something we did. I too did most of my plannin, alot of it was I knew what I wanted but was not a super picky bridezilla! Everything worked out beautifully!
ReplyDeleteLOVELY giveaway! I'd so love that lovely little package!! Thanks;)
I follow you!! CROSSING my fingers. and toes and legs and arms and...you get the picture.
ReplyDeleteI just got married this May. The whole wedding cost us about $1000, and that's due mostly to having my dress custom-made for me (not a white poofy thing, but something for going swing dancing another day) and he got himself nice slacks and a Tommy Bahama shirt. The rest of the money went to catering - even though both of us love to cook, we didn't want that stress the day of or the three days before. Beyond that - I'd asked a friend to make our cake, but due to medical problems she couldn't so we chose store-bought cheesecake instead. Which was actually perfect because that's about the only dessert my husband *really* likes anyway. The wedding was in our front yard, under the beautifully blooming dogwood tree. We picked up a great big piece of crappy linoleum and laid it out on the driveway for our dance floor (easier to slide on than concrete). Our only other decorations were cardstock pinwheels I found on Etsy and lots of tiny white christmas lights we put up all over the house. I made our guest book pages by printing out big caption/quote balloons over questions like "who will play the bride and groom in the movie?" "where do you see them in fifty years?" "what's your one piece of advice for them?" "draw a picture of the happy couple (or yourselves!) here" and left out a pile of colored pencils for everyone. I laminated and bound the pages later at Kinko's.
ReplyDeleteMy biggest advice - figure out what's most important to you about it, and let everything else happen the way it happens. For me it was (1) the party must include dancing, (2) the whole thing shouldn't be so stressful I drive everyone around me crazy and (3) my friends and family go away from it saying "yeah, that really fit them".
Mary Jane's Farm magazine has had a series for the past few issues on a couple who are doing several DIY projects for their upcoming wedding. I can't find it online but it's worth checking out!
ReplyDeleteshannoncarman at yahoo dot com
Congrats on your engagement! I think these are adorable "escort" cards: http://www.100layercake.com/blog/archives/4961
ReplyDeleteThanks for the chance to win!
I am now following your blog! :)
ReplyDeleteWe saved alot of money on florist bills. We did a grip of tape on our silver pitchers & filled them with red roses from Sams Club online. A florist is VERY expensive so if this is something you want more info on I can send you some pictures.
ReplyDeleteWe saved a ton on table linens..we found it cheaper to buy instead of rent or sew them ourselves. We bought them from cvlinens.com for CHEAP! We alternated runners & to the floor cloths...runners are $4 each and floor length clothes are $23. Everyone said it was BEAUTIFUL and we had something to keep.
I love the empty baby food jars with wire hangers and tealight candles hanging from the trees. Beautiful in the evening!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great giveaway! I haven't been to a lot of weddings lately. My own wedding was very simple and just immediate family attended. I say to be true to yourself. Have things that YOU love and don't spend too much money. You have a whole life ahead of you and you don't need wedding dept to bring you down. Making things will make it more intimate and memorable. Hugs Ariane
ReplyDeleteI'm a follower!!!
ReplyDeleteGo to oneprettything.com where they have links to all kinds of DIY wedding projects in their archives. Good luck and have a beautiful wedding!
ReplyDeleteLeslie S. in MN
esclante at comcast dot net
posted to my blog: http://junebugworld.blogspot.com/2010/11/fabric-giveawayaholic.html
ReplyDeleteI'm a follower
ReplyDeleteI love hello kitty themed wedding. may be you can try that..
ReplyDeleteI did a country-themed small wedding too. My favors were chocolates and a packet of sunflower seeds (to plant) wrapped up in a bandana and tied up with raffia. They looked like the little bags on the end of hobo's sticks (you know, the thing tied on the end of the stick when they walk around in cartoons). If you don't want to do those for favors, bandanas work for napkins too - very country-looking on the table!
ReplyDeleteYou could get a 3 ring binder and the plastic sleve inserts to hold all the important papers. My friend used this and she had photos of decorations, flowers, colors, the forms from any thing involved with the wedding.
ReplyDeleteBest wedding advice... remember that it's just one day, but the start of a whole life together. You should enjoy the process of planning as much as the day and the years after. My advice to you simplify as much as possible. We planned and did the wedding in two weeks because the stress was getting to us. Beautiful blog.. finding you through Talk About Fabric -- best of luck with your wedding planning! describehappy at gmail dot com
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to looking around your blog. Following now :) describehappy at gmail dot com
ReplyDeleteOh what a lovely giveaway! We celebrated 10 years of marriage this year. It goes quickly. My advice for your wedding if you're making most everything yourself - start early! I used a notebook/binder to keep track of everything, and I had a list of to-dos for each month to make sure everything got done in time. By the last month, the lists were weekly. It helped.
ReplyDeleteI'm now a follower!
ReplyDeleteKIS ... and remember it is all about friends, family and fun - not things you buy or decorations ... Thank you for the giveaway!
ReplyDeleteI am a new follower.
ReplyDeleteWedding advice... just remember that through all the stress of planning and finalizing plans for your wedding, you can't lose sight of what the wedding is really about - you and your spouse.
ReplyDeleteI hope you have the best wedding you could have ever imagined. :)
Whew! I blogged about it for you :) Good luck wedding planning! Read it all here: http://wp.me/p19Hxd-1Z Because it is too long to c/p here. scg00387 at yahoo d ot com
ReplyDeletehttp://twitter.com/#!/SwoodsonShoe/status/4389371255984128 scg00387 at yahoo dot com
ReplyDeleteI wish someone had told me to *mellow* out about my wedding...I too was my own (OCD) wedding planner. Everything was planned to the T. After it was done and looking back I realized that I put WAY too much energy into it and as a wedding guest I enjoyed the weddings and parties more that are laid back and more natural. The focus is having fun, not stressing about favors and centerpieces and placecards that disappear into time. Splurge on the pics though! :)))))
ReplyDeleteFollowing on Google Reader! Thanks for the chance at those Heather Ross fabrics :)
ReplyDeleteMake sure you wake up with PLENTY of time to get ready, even if all of your planned helpers get pulled away to help elsewhere, otherwise you won't have time to go over everything and decisions that were made in your absence before people start arriving. :P
ReplyDeleteI follow your blog.
ReplyDeleteTweeted about the giveaway. http://twitter.com/#!/kprantis/status/4499181733412864
ReplyDeleteI planned our wedding myself and we loved everything about it. One thing we did in the beginning was to attend a wedding show in our town. We were able to get tons of ideas all in once place at one time. It was super helpful to us.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations! We were supposed to have an outdoor wedding on the river at his aunt and uncle's place. The day before the wedding was beautiful, the day of our wedding we woke up to 6" of snow! And it continued to snow all day. So, of course, everything got moved inside. I was initially disappointed, but I got over it quickly. It was a gorgeous day and we still got our pictures by the river. :) We still had delicious food and a great band, and we were able to share it with our close friends and family. We couldn't have asked for a better wedding day!!!
ReplyDeleteMy advice: Plan all you want, but be prepared to throw everything out the window and go with the flow. All anyone's really going to remember is how beautiful you looked and how happy you two are. :)
As a photographer, I'd say be sure and set aside some photo time that's just you and your sweetie, no one else around. You will get some of the most treasured images of your day that way. Have a little kit on hand that has things like bobby pins, safety pins, anti-static spray, bandages, tide-to-go, tylenol, etc. Also, remember, most weddings do have something not work out perfectly--but that doesn't mean the day won't be perfect. Enjoy your special day!
ReplyDeleteThe only thing you need for the day to be perfect is for you and your fiance to be married in front of your family and friends. Everything else is just details, so don't get stressed out if little hiccups happen! Delegate as much as you can and keep things simple. Congratulations!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your wedding! Planning it can be a pain though. I don't have advice for the planning part, but I would suggest taking bride/groom photos a few days before the wedding to free up more time on the wedding day for being with the people you love. We did this and it was so nice to only do group shot photos before the reception.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great giveaway!
claireelarson at gmail
I follow your blog on my reader.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your upcoming wedding. Relax and don't sweat the details. The day will be perfect because it is your day.
ReplyDeleteFollower!
ReplyDeleteGet assorted vintage frames and display pictures of great-grandmothers/fathers, etc., those loved ones who have already passed and/or are unable to attend.
ReplyDeleteI've always enjoyed Heather Ross fabrics-and your little pincushion is sweet.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations! I'd suggest a notebook and dividers for all your record keeping. Jot down every little thing because it may be useful in the next several months.
Good luck; you'll do a great job with everything, I'm sure.
Organization is the key to planning a wedding. Do as much as you can way ahead so that the final days are free to enjoy and be stressfree. All of the notebook suggestions are good advice. Just enjoy if all and expect a few things to go astray. In the end these will be some of your best memories. thanks for the giveaway!
ReplyDeleteA wedding is meant to be a pleasurable memory, so remember to relax and enjoy the process - if you are all stressed out it won't make for good memories
ReplyDeleteI am sure I am not the first to tell you this. But make lists. Lots of lists and tick things off as you do them. I think you can even buy a wedding planner list book - well you can here in England. Make it as easy as possible because this your BIG day and you don't want to spoil it by worrying. So my main advice to you is DO NOT WORRY what doesn't get done doesn't get done and that's the end of it. Just please ENJOY YOUR DAY and make it full of wonderful memories.
ReplyDeleteLove Patti xxx
Okay it's on my blog even though I didn't want to put it there because I really want to win it.
ReplyDeleteLove
Patti xxx
Lastly but by no means least I have become a follower. But as soon as I start a quilting blog you will be on there in my bloglist. I do have a blog but it's a stitching one.
ReplyDeleteLove
Patti xxx
I would say have lots of fun but don't put off to last minute things that need to be done. I am a procrastinator, not good! I love wildflowers for a DIY country chic wedding, so pretty!
ReplyDeleteejxd95@gmail.com
following your blog on GFC
ReplyDeleteejxd95@gmail.com
Keep it simple and keep a notebook. I kept track of everything wedding related in a notebook--swatches, receipts, lists, new addresses, etc. I would have been in big trouble if I lost it. Good luck.
ReplyDeleteI'm a follower in reader.
ReplyDeleteFor a great guest book memory cut leaves out of different leaf colour cardstock... have those for guests to sign... later when you know how big your "tree" has to be, buy a canvas and paint the tree with bare limbs... attach the leaves and done :)
ReplyDeletecaitlindevlin@hotmail.com
and I'm a follower :)
ReplyDeletecaitlindevlin@hotmail.com
love the pin cushion
ReplyDeleteI would like to enter. I´m a follow reader and I put your draw on my blog.
ReplyDeleteI´m doing a draw too. Would you like to participate?
Hugs
I subscribe to your blog!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on getting married! Although this isn't a link to actual DIY wedding projects, this was a very beautiful DIY wedding where you might get some inspiration!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.designspongeonline.com/2010/08/angie-and-tysons-diy-wedding.html
I also follow your blog on google reader!
ReplyDeleteI'm loving Heather Ross so here I am with entry #3 and blogged about your giveaway. SO on the off chance the stars are aligned in my favour, you can contact me over on my blog :D
ReplyDeletehttp://asquilts.wordpress.com/2010/11/27/heather-ross-fabric-giveaway/
Have other people help you prepare for your wedding, delegate as much as you can to help not get stressed out.
ReplyDeleteSome couples exchange a note the night before the wedding. But depending on the circumstances, it's hard to find the time the day of the rehearsal dinner etc to have another task to your plate. Instead, jot notes and thoughts down to your loved one throughout the process. We found it's easier to have little snippets (compared to a large note) of how we felt after we told our loved ones about our engagement, my thoughts as I found and tried on THE dress. His thoughts after asking his bestman to be in the wedding etc, any event you feel noteworthy, or sometimes it doesn't take an "event of the day" to make an entry. Having your last entry be the day before your wedding, gives each other a journey to read about and reflect on the night before, when so much is swirling in your head, and swirling around you in preparations. Found it to be very grounding and peaceful :) Congrats!!
ReplyDeletensue21702 at gmail dot com
I am a follower ! Congrats on the big day and wishing you much FUN in the preparations!!
ReplyDeletensue21702 at gmail dot com