Cheap Wedding | Affordable Reception | Discounts

Cake Tasting Tips

noreply@blogger.com (Tracie) — Thu, 24 May 2012 17:00:00 +0000

After meeting with some prospective bakers and you have narrowed it down to one you like your next step is the cake tasting. For a successful cake tasting here are some things to keep in mind:

*Prepare- Bring photos for inspiration of cakes you like, cake topper or any decorations you have planned to go on your cake, fabric swatches of your colors, and anything to help figure out the cake design you are aiming for. Also make sure to eat beforehand and treat this like a "dessert course" and drink plenty of water to make sure your taste palette is clear.

*Budget- One of the first things you should discuss with your baker is the budget then from there they can offer you different flavors and designs that fit into your price range.

*Eat- Savor each and every flavor. Take your time to figure out what ones are your favorite. Try to keep your guests in mind not everyone likes unique flavors so try to include one classic flavor.

*Style- Your baker should be able to sketch out a possible design of what your cake will look like, make sure at that point if there are things you don't like to let your baker know of any changes that need to be made.

For more help trying to pick the perfect cake for your wedding contact tracie@yourethebride.com or call 248-408-4602

~Jessie

Photo Credits:

merrybrides.tumblr.com

Get Me to the Church on Time!

noreply@blogger.com (Tracie) — Wed, 23 May 2012 17:30:00 +0000

Planes, trains and automobiles are just some of the common means of transportation nowadays. What kind of vehicles, however, should be used on your wedding day? There are many creative paths one can take in choosing means getting around to use on your special day. On the other hand, functionality is just as important. Here are some unique but practical ideas on ways to hop around on your wedding day.

-Begin by figuring out the total amount of people you need to transport. This will most likely include the bridal party but may also include parents, grandparents, etc. Decide if you’d like the transportation for the entire event. This would include taking everyone to the ceremony, from the ceremony to the reception, and then to a hotel or other location after. This is the most expensive option but costs can be eliminated in by just having pickup/drop off or one way.

-After this, choose what type of transportation you’d like and make sure it can accommodate everyone. Options vary from town car to limousine from party bus to trollie. Keep in mind your theme and keep it realistic to your day’s plans.

For assistance in planning your perfect wedding contact Tracie at You’re The Bride via email tracie@yourethebride.com or call 248-408-4602. Happy planning!

~Samantha

Photo credits: www.pinterest.com

Got game?

noreply@blogger.com (Tracie) — Tue, 22 May 2012 18:00:00 +0000

Save the serious stuff for the big day! Ceremony, toasts, speeches are all apart of the traditional wedding day event. At the bridal shower, however, it’s nice to let loose and have some fun before all of the formal events occur. Here are two games that you could play at your bridal shower:

1. Toilet paper dress and veil: look no further than your local grocery store for this game. All you need is a couple rolls of everyday toilet tissue and your set! Start by dividing guests into groups of three or four. Then each team selects one member to be the model. Start a clock for one minute and each team must create a gown, veil, and accessories entirely out of toilet paper. The guest(s) of honor will then select the winning group. Each member could receive a prize or even just bragging rights. This is an easy and fun game that will boast the most scrapbook/photo album potential.

2. Bridal Bingo: use this game as an icebreaker. This way guests who don’t know one another can meet and learn how they know the couple. Simply create Bingo cars with phrases like “college roommate”, “cousin”, or “also born in 1985”. Each attendant finds someone who fits the standards for the particular square and directs them to initial the spot. The first guest to fill the cards wins bragging rights or a prize!

For more bridal shower game ideas and assistance in planning your perfect wedding, contact You’re The Bride via email tracie@yourethebride.com or call 248-408-4602. Happy planning!

~Samantha

Photo credit: www.pinterest.com

Preserving Your Cake Top

noreply@blogger.com (Tracie) — Mon, 21 May 2012 17:00:00 +0000

It is tradition to save the top layer of your wedding cake for your one year anniversary, but what happens when you finally go to take it out and it's more like a giant iceberg. This is a common thing when brides try to preserve the top layer but here are some easy steps to follow to make sure it doesn't happen to you:

*Go Simple- If you intend on following this tradition when selecting your cake keep in mind what flavors will freeze well and which won't. Cake with fruit fillings aren't going to freeze as well as simple chocolate or vanilla

*Talk to your Baker- They can help you decide what will work best in order for you to save your top layer and know ahead of time your planning on doing so

*Plastic Wrap- Make sure the catering staff knows you are saving your top layer and appoint a family member or friend to take it and do the following: make sure to remove anything that is not edible, leave the cake in fridge or freezer over night so the icing hardens, wrap the cake tightly so you have about five layers of plastic wrap, then place in a zip-lock bag and make sure it is air tight then store in the freezer. DO NOT use aluminum foil this can cause freezer burn

*New Cake- If after a year your cake is freezer burnt or you just rather not eat a cake that has been sitting that long call your baker that made your wedding cake and have him recreate a small version of your top layer for your and your husband to share

For more advice on wedding cakes contact mailto:tracie@yourethebride.com.com or call 248-408-4602.

~Jessie

Photo Credits:

http://www.weddingclan.com/

10 Biggest PreWedding Mistakes

noreply@blogger.com (Tracie) — Sat, 19 May 2012 13:30:00 +0000

You want your wedding day to be perfect so before saying "I Do" here is a list of some of the most common mistakes before your wedding:

*Blowing off your budget- Many times brides start making purchases and booking vendors without having a budget in mind and are shocked when they realize they've already spent all they can afford and still need a lot for their wedding

*Messing up the marriage license- There are so many different rules surrounding marriage license so make sure you look into it and get yours in the right time frame

*Ordering your wedding dress too late- Make sure to order at least six months ahead to leave time for shipping and alterations

*Booking your hotel rooms too late- Brides tend to wait last minute to block rooms at a hotel, but keep in mind if its during busy months they may not have any room availability

*Inviting too many guests- Make sure your reception site will hold as many as your have on your guest-list, assume 80% will respond yes

*Last minute diets and beauty treatments- Don't plan any facials, tanning or other beauty treatments the day before make an appointment at least 2 weeks ahead. After all your fittings crash dieting right before your wedding can lead to your dress not fitting!

*Underpaying invitation postage- Make sure to weigh at least one invitation before mailing them all so your know the proper amount of postage to include on there

*Ignoring religious restrictions- Meet with your officiant after getting engaged and discuss any religious rules and try to pick out a date before booking vendors

*Planning your wedding alone- If you were lucky enough to be offered help by family and friends, take it! Delegate and give each person things to take care of

*Forgetting to focus on what is important- Remember this is a start to planning your life together, not just planning a wedding

For help planning your perfect wedding contact tracie@yourethebride.com or call 248-408-4602

~Jessie

Photo Credits:

chiqweddings.com

May Bride of the Month ~ Lindsay

noreply@blogger.com (Tracie) — Sat, 19 May 2012 02:34:00 +0000

May's featured Bride of the Month is Lindsay and her fiancée is Erwin. Lindsay and her friend Emmy who happened to be Erwin's sister were students at Champion Karate. Erwin was and still is an instructor there. Lindsay then went her separate way to concentrate on her studies and after six years she revisited the new Champion Karate. They spent a few nights out with mutual friends and Lindsay finally asked Erwin out. On their first date they took a walk down to Hart Plaza and this began their love story.

The day of their proposal Lindsay and Erwin went downtown to the Motown Museum with Emmy and another friend. This was followed by dinner and some fun at the casino. Erwin had suggested a walk down to Hart Plaza again where they reminisced about how it all began and then Erwin got down on one knee and proposed.

Their wedding will be taking place June 16, 2012. The ceremony will be held at St. Anastasia Catholic Church in Troy followed by their reception at The American Polish Cultural Center. Their wedding party consists of 3 bridesmaids and 3 groomsmen. The colors they have chosen are teal and orange. Lindsay and Erwin have had many great memories in Detroit and have decided to name their tables after streets in Detroit. They will also be incorporating the Filipino traditions into their mass. We at You're The Bride wish Lindsay and Erwrin a happy wedding day and are excited to share in their event!!

Spring Wedding Flowers

noreply@blogger.com (Tracie) — Thu, 17 May 2012 11:00:00 +0000

Having a spring wedding in Michigan is a great idea. During the spring months the weather is just right for your hair, makeup, scenery, but most importantly your flowers! By choosing flowers that are in season you can keep your cost down too. There are so many great spring flowers to choose, here is a list of some of my favorites:
*Carnation- This is the "flower of love" and comes in many different colors perfect for spring like peach, pink, yellow and more!

*Hydrangea- This comes in a variety of beautiful blues, pinks, and white

*Bells of Ireland- Add a touch of green to your wedding and a little "good luck"

*Tulip- These flowers mean "perfect love" and come in many different color choices

*Daisy- Simple and sweet this flower shows purity, innocence, and loyalty

For more help choosing flowers for your wedding contact tracie@yourethebride.com or call 248-408-4602.

~Jessie

Photo Credits:

bouquetbridal.blogspot.com

thebridescafe.typepad.com

marthas-vineyard-vacation-tips.com

Save the Date!

noreply@blogger.com (Tracie) — Thu, 10 May 2012 13:27:00 +0000

Work, school, family, friends...the list goes on and on about what is included in our typical but busy schedules. Your wedding, however, should be a number one priority and remembered date amongst all of these daily activities. Many brides nowadays are using save the date cards to give guests notification of their upcoming wedding. Here are some tips about these cards and how they can really assist in planning your wedding:

*The wording for save the dates consist should be short and sweet. Just your names, date of your wedding, location, and that an invitation is to follow. No other information is really necessary.

*As far as design and style of the card, these cards are a great way to introduce your theme, if one has been established, giving guests a sneak peak. You can incorporate colors or other features of your wedding scheme.

*These cards can be done a little more casually. Things such as magnets are a fun but functional way to do save the dates. They should be creative and not as formal as your actual invitations.

*These cards are typically mailed six months in advanced and maybe even earlier for a destination wedding or a date near a holiday. This will most likely prevent a lower amount of attendees to your wedding

For assistance in planning your perfect wedding contact You’re The Bride via email tracie@yourethebride.com or call 248-408-4602. We have several save the dates available for purchase at
http://www.yourethebride.cceasy.com/CasPage1.cfm?prev=1&TempPrev=0&blnPreviewRequestSubmitted=0&recordsperpage=12&CompletedOrder=0&sBasketID=0&alogo=1&menu=none&morethanonepage=YES&HostDomain=www%2Eyourethebride%2Ecceasy%2Ecom%2F&FirstTimeThrough=1&format=STDCasEnsDT26

~Samantha

Photo Credits: http://www.pinterest.com/

Summer Wedding Hair Trends

noreply@blogger.com (Tracie) — Wed, 09 May 2012 02:44:00 +0000

With summer just around the corner, it is time for brides to start thinking about how they want their wedding hair. The key to looking timeless is all about recreating a refreshing look that fits the bride and her dress. Here are some of the popular styles for summer:

*Classic Chignons- Very glamorous and even modern. If your going for romantic this is the perfect style and great to accessorize too

*Side Swept Braid- This is a soft look and good way to show all your facial features. This style compliments one-shoulder dresses nicely

*Audrey Top Knot- A high bun with a very clean finish that goes well with a headband. This is a super sleek and classy look

*Vintage Glam- This can be done with up-dos or down by using soft waves. Also a romantic look but can be made modern

For helping trying to figure out the perfect style to fit into your wedding or any other questions contact tracie@yourethebride.com or call 248-408-4602.

~Jessie

Photo Credits:

beautifulhairstyles.com

bride.net

ifashionmagazine.com

hairsthebling.com

Wine Registries

noreply@blogger.com (Tracie) — Sat, 05 May 2012 15:12:00 +0000

The wedding registry used to mean dragging your groom to the department store to choose things like china, kitchenware, glassware, and all other things needed to start a home. But today there are so many more options then that. Most couples these days are getting married later or have already lived together and have all the necessities for their home. Couples are focusing more on registries that can entertain them or they can build hobbies with together. One of the newest types of registries is the wine registry. This is a unique websites that allows couples to registry for different types of wine from all around the world. Check out websites like Bottlenotes, Wine Cellarage, and Vino Classics to create your wine registry list.

For more advice on how to register or for help planning your wedding contact tracie@yourethebride.com or call 248-408-4602.

~Jessie

Wine, Registry

Photo Credits:

mywedding.com

The Art of Perpetual Compromise

noreply@blogger.com (Sara E. Cotner) — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 21:00:00 +0000

For Matt and me, there was a lot of negotiation and compromise involved with planning our wedding. For example, we wanted to stand in front of the lake to get married, but there was literally no space. We could have cleared the whole area of the trees and bushes that stood in our way, but that would have conflicted with our desire to express our eco-friendly values.

Matt suggested that we stand on top of one of the picnic tables to tie the knot. I hated that idea (we were already doing everything so unconventionally!). I tried to logically point out that if we stood on one of the picnic tables to get married, we wouldn't have enough space for everyone to sit. He replied logically, "Well, then we can have people sit at the table we're standing on."

Really?!?

That kind of back and forth ("I think we should do it this way" and "Well, I think we should do it this way.") didn't stop once we had the marriage certificate in hand. Matt and I have to make all sorts of joint decisions as we craft a life together.

Now we're entering into the phase of building a house together [insert ominous music]. It's exciting, of course, but it's also nerve-wracking thinking about all the negotiation and compromise that's going to take place so that our new house reflects both of us. First point of contention: the color of our counters. We've agreed to birch cabinets, but now we disagree about the color of the countertops. Our options are white, black, or gray.

Oy vey!

Photo republished via Remodelista

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Today on Feeding the Soil: I might be pregnant!

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REMINDER: The last Purposeful Conception Course: Preparing Your Mind, Body, and Life for Pregnancy starts May 7. Register today! We'd love to have you join us!

JEWELRY TRUNK SHOW

noreply@blogger.com (Tracie) — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 04:10:00 +0000

A Special Trunk Sale Event from our friends at The Wedding Shoppe !

Customize Your Own Swarovski Crystal Jewelry

Join us for the Jewelry

TRUNK SHOW

Bridal & Mother of the Bride

Friday, May 4th - Saturday, May 5th

SAVE 15%

during the Trunk Show

By Appointment ONLY

Book Your Appointment On-Line

or call (248) 541-1988

Work with the Designer

Work directly with the designer to customize your wedding jewelry:

Change Crystal Color (add a touch of color)

Add or Remove Pearl Accents

Customize Lengths of Bracelets and Necklaces

Pierced or Clip-on Earrings

MAKE IT YOUR OWN!

Save 15% During the Disney Bridal Jewelry & Distefano Bridal Jewlery Trunk Show

May 4th - May 5th ONLY

By appointment ONLY

Offer Expires: Enter Expiration Date here

The Wedding Shoppe
27333 Woodward Avenue
Berkley, MI 48072

Custom Stickers

noreply@blogger.com (Sara E. Cotner) — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 20:25:00 +0000

I recently attended the Austin Earth Day festival as a representative of the school I'm trying to start in Austin. I look forward to sharing a couple of posts to tell you all about it.

First, I wanted to share with you the custom stickers I ordered from an Etsy shop called Shop Toast. They were perfect! It was easy to whip up my design, and I had a great time working with them to ensure that my stickers arrived when I needed them. I was so thankful for their willingness to donate to our event.

As part of our booth, we invited children to plant lima bean seeds in eco-friendly cups. We used the stickers to label each cup. At the last minute, I also decided to use them to add a little color to our volunteer nametags. That way, I could create the effect of professional, colored nametags without actually having access to a color printer.

With customized stickers, the possibilities are endless!

OWN A CUSTOM MADE, HIGH QUALITY WEDDING GOWN

noreply@blogger.com (Tracie) — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 00:40:00 +0000

.

NO MIDDLEMEN. DELIVERED IN 30-35 DAYS. 100% SATISFACTION GUARANTEED.

SimplyBridal started with a basic idea of helping the bride, not the middleman. After hearing from countless friends and family members about the high cost of wedding dresses, our founder Lawrence Ng decided to start his own bridal company that met the needs of his loved ones: outstanding quality in fabric, materials, and fit without the inconvenience and costs of traditional bridal boutiques and retailers.

Our designer has over twelve years of experience in the fashion industry, and has designed for BCBGMAXAZRIA in Los Angeles, and Suzi Chin for Maggy Boutique in New York. She holds a BFA degree in apparel design from the Fashion Institute of Technology. She sources only the finest fabrics and embellishments for SimplyBridal, and sets the same high quality standards that are demanded by the New York fashion scene.

Ultimately, Simply Bridal is about making your wedding dress process easy by using principles of efficiency. By combining design, production, and distribution under one roof, we keep the overhead low and the quality control high. When we make and sell dresses, it's always gowns that we would want our family members and friends to buy, wear, and love. That means we only use gorgeous fabrics, flawless beading and embroidery, and expert tailoring. Not only are our dresses better quality than gowns that cost thousands of dollars, but they are also-made to fit our brides. Most boutiques will alter a pre-made gown, but not at Simply Bridal.

With our unbeatable prices, friendly returns and alteration policy, and high quality standards, the perfect wedding dress is just a click away.

Right now, we are offering an exclusive 15% off all purchases with a special discount code. Simply enter "SAVEBRIDAL15" during the standard checkout process!

Contest Winner

noreply@blogger.com (Sara E. Cotner) — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 19:59:00 +0000

I'm so excited to announce the winner of a $500 (yes, that's a fourth of our wedding budget!) gift certificate to 123print.com. I have to confess I'm a little jealous, but, nonetheless, I'm happy for:

Amy Tr.

Congratulations! Please e-mail me to claim your prize!

Spring 2012 Wedding Dress Trends

noreply@blogger.com (Tracie) — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 16:47:00 +0000

With the trends in fashion constantly changing, we see a lot of new wedding dress trends as well. Here are some of the most popular dress styles for the spring season:

*Sexy Slits- Formfitting, very daring wedding dress

*Off-the-Shoulder Neckline- Mixing this neckline with a tulle skirt will give this neckline a whole new look

*Beaded Bodices- Decked out beaded tops with very simple skirts are very hot this season

*Embellished Illusion Neckline- Crystal and pearl appliques give this look a more glamorous vibe

*Frothy Ruffles- This a very playful and fun style that can also be very flattering

*Cap Sleeves- Dainty sleeves can give the most body-hugging gowns feel statuesque

*Voluminous Ball Gowns- Very full dramatic skirts have been making their way on the scene this spring

*Peekaboo Hemlines- Ultra fashionable and a great way to show off your wedding shoes

*Sheer Lace Capes- The newest trend to cover up is gracefully draped capes

*The Color Purple- After being a favorite hue for bridesmaids dresses, purple is taking center stage becoming the hottest wedding gown shade to hit the runway

For help choosing your perfect wedding dress and planning a fabulous wedding contact tracie@yourethebride.com or call 248-408-4602

~Jessie

Photo Credits:

onewed.com

magicweddingdress.com

championweddinggownspecialist.com

Planning Big Events

noreply@blogger.com (Sara E. Cotner) — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 09:10:00 +0000

Beyond all the fun parts of DIYing aspects of your weddings, there's also just the nitty-gritty legwork that goes into ensuring that you've thought through every last detail to make sure you have everything you need at the event and that everything runs smoothly.

I'm reminded of this process as I prepare to attend my first community event as a representative of Magnolia Montessori For All. We'll be at the Austin Earth Day Festival this Sunday. You should stop by if you're in town!

We'll be helping children plant lima bean seeds in recycled cups (labeled with stickers that have our website). We'll also have a Montessori puzzle about the parts of a seed and a book about seeds. I made a plan to ensure I thought of everything, but now I actually need to execute the plan!

I made the plan by visualizing everything that would happen that day and then making a list of what we would need to have with us. The visualization process also helped me generate a few more action items related to my list, such as e-mailing volunteers instructions to make sure they're on the same page.

There's lots to do, but I need to stay focused on taking it one step at a time so I don't get stressed.

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REMINDER: The last Purposeful Conception Course: Preparing Your Mind, Body, and Life for Pregnancy starts May 7. Register today! We'd love to have you join us!

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Today on Feeding the Soil: Crime and such.

Alice in Wonderland

noreply@blogger.com (Tracie) — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 13:48:00 +0000

Having a theme wedding has become one of the most popular trends this season. One in particular that we have been seeing a lot of is the Alice in Wonderland theme. This is a great theme for a couple who is playful, unique, and non-traditional. There are so many ways to incorporate an Alice in Wonderland theme to your wedding. Here are some fantastic ideas to help you out:

* Add a colorful palette to your decor like hot pink, orange, lime green, and aqua

* Go to thrift stores or flea markets and look for teacups to use for decorations

* Have a Mad Hatter inspired wedding cake

* Have "eat me" and "drink me" labels on food and beverages

* Use tea tins for the vases of your floral arrangements

* Use an assortment of different chairs

* Use large playing cards and chess pieces for decoration

* Put clocks in the room that are stopped at tea-time

* Use lawn flamingos

* Use flowers from the book like tiger lillies, daisies, violets, larkspur, and white and red roses

* Order custom made tea bags or tea flavors for your guests

For more ideas and help planning your Alice in Wonderland theme wedding contact tracie@yourethebride.com or call 248-408-4602.

~Jessie

Photo Credits:

daily.wedshare.com

Contest: Enter to Win $500

noreply@blogger.com (Sara E. Cotner) — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 09:10:00 +0000

Woo-hoo! So excited to announce this week's opportunity to win $500 worth of customized wedding stationery from 123Print.com.

Seriously, 500 big ones!

You could use your gift certificate to order wedding invitations, wedding programs, RSVP cards, and other items for engagement parties, bridal showers, etc. You can use one of their templates or upload your own design. This site would have been perfect for printing Henry's birthday party invitations.

To Enter to Win:

Leave your first name and first two letters of your last name in the comments section.
Enter by Sunday, April 22 at 11:59pm.
US residents only, please (my apologies!).
One entry per person (but feel free to send your partner over to enter!).

Wishing you luck! (And wishing I could enter...)

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REMINDER: The last Purposeful Conception Course: Preparing Your Mind, Body, and Life for Pregnancy starts May 7. Register today! We'd love to have you join us!

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Today on Feeding the Soil: More updates on building a community.

Hospitality Bags

noreply@blogger.com (Tracie) — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 14:25:00 +0000

Welcoming your out-of-town guests is a great way to show them how much you appreciate the effort they made to come to your wedding. It is most likely that when your guest arrive they are tired and hungry and since you can't be there physically to greet them this will make them feel just as welcomed. Here are some great ideas of things to include in a hospitality bag:

*Most common thing to include is bottled water, but consider location of your wedding for instance if your getting married in Napa Valley you may want to put a small bottle of local wine
*If you have a favorite cookie, candy, or muffin you could include this sweet treat for your guests

*Get travel size packages of Tylenol, gum, mints etc

*Fresh fruit or other snacks that would not be found in a mini bar

*Visit your local visitors' center and grab some free coupons and brochures to throw in the bag

*Include an agenda, itinerary, or map of the events for the weekend

*You can download and print free word puzzles or soduko for your guest to unwind before going to bed

A great place to help you create a unique hospitality bag is Lisa's Gift Wrappers in Royal Oak you can contact them at www.lisasgiftwrappers.com or call 248-547-9094. Be sure to tell them your friends at You're The Bride sent you!

~Jessie

Photo Credits:

flairfordetail.com

Apriil Bride of The Month~Camille

noreply@blogger.com (Tracie) — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 12:31:00 +0000

Camille and her fiancee Rajeev had a philosophy class together but never really got around to talking much. They didn't see each other for a semester but reconnected when they were each invited to a mutual friends party in 2003. They dated for five years and on August 22, 2008 Rajeev popped the question!

Rajeev went through a lot to find the perfect ring for Camille. Through extensive research online, Rajeev came across The Chicago Diamond Exchange where he then had to sneak away to Chicago to create the perfect ring. After all the preparation and planning Rajeev took Camille to a picnic in Gallup Park with her favorite food and dessert and that is where he asked Camille to marry him.

Camille and Rajeev will be having a traditional Indian Ceremony at the Bharatiya Temple in Troy on Saturday, May 26th followed by a traditional Christian Ceremony and the reception held at The Royal Oak Music Theatre. They have a wedding party of 10 people and their wedding colors are purple and silver. The couple has chosen to use the park where they got engaged as the theme of their wedding incorporating branch centerpieces, imagery of them on invitations, and a topper of the couple under a tree for the cake. You're The Bride will be providing day-of coordination and is looking forward to celebrating this day with such a wonderful couple!

The Power of Two

noreply@blogger.com (Sara E. Cotner) — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 09:10:00 +0000

Planning our wedding wasn't just about putting together an awesome party with our nearest and dearest. It wasn't just about commemorating and celebrating our lifetime commitment to one another. At an even more profound level, it was about proving to ourselves that we could come up with our own authentic vision for our lives and make that vision happen for ourselves.

That process of digging deep and unearthing what is most authentic to who we are is at the core of living a meaningful life. The art of collaborating with another person to align your authentic visions into a coherent life path is at the core of maximizing the fullest potential of marriage.

Matt and I recently moved our family to Austin because we're taking steps toward making our vision a reality. We wanted to live in a place that had more nature. Now we take advantage of weekend hikes with our son Henry and our bloodhound Hoss. We also wanted to live in a place where I could work toward starting a public Montessori school. And so I'm doing it! I'm working to create Austin's first public Montessori school.

And now we're working on the next piece of our trajectory: figuring out where we want to settle and build community. Initially, I had big dreams of building a little pocket neighborhood on two acres of land, but that vision is shifting, partly because I'm realizing that certain priorities matter more (such as feeling safe and living closer to the city center) and because our timeline is more urgent. We want to buy or build a home sooner rather than later.

I find that the process of identifying your most authentic path is a difficult one. Sometimes I think I want something but really it's just something that the ideal version of myself would want. Does that make sense? It's a difficult concept to explain. I think I'm less at risk for doing what others think I should do and more at risk for doing something because I think it's what I want to do (but it's really not). For example, I could totally see myself buying a farm because the ideal version of myself would love to live on a farm and take care of it. But in reality, that's not who I am. I would rather spend my free time on the computer or at the sewing machine. So I have to separate out who I really am versus who I wish I were.

One strategy I've been using to identify my authentic path with regard to building a community and a home has been to take baby steps in a certain direction and see how they feel. I'm looking for something that we can get really excited about.

We may have found it. We found a 1/2 acre that backs up to a creek bed in a pretty safe neighborhood near where I want to start the school. I'm partly sad that we won't be surrounding ourselves with people who intentionally want community, but I'm pretty convinced that we can seek out connection within the neighborhood. We could use the front area for a small garden (with small being the operative word, if I'm being honest with myself). But do you know what I really want? A pool! I hate to say it, but it's true. I think pools are hugely irresponsible (environmentally and financially), but I can't get over the fact that I think it would greatly contribute to our quality of life while we raise a family in a place that is swim-ready six months out of twelve. I just have visions of Henry and his friends swimming in our pool all summer long. We can sit out there and read/work on the computer, or we can watch from inside the house. That's pretty much how I spent every summer visiting my grandparents and aunt in Florida as a child, and I would love to provide the same opportunity for Henry.

A small garden. A light-filled house. Windows that open to trees. A pool. A large fenced-in area for our chickens and Hoss. A cul-de-sac for Henry to learn how to ride a bike. A neighborhood association to join. Solar panels to work toward net zero. Composting. Walks to the park. Working nearby.

I think it's a vision we could get really excited about creating together.

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Today on Feeding the Soil: Updates about Henry's Montessori floor bed.

DIY: Easy Wedding Centerpieces

noreply@blogger.com (Sara E. Cotner) — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 09:10:00 +0000

I swear this picture does not do this craft justice. You see, Matt, Henry, and I were on our way to visit some new friends (whom we met via this blog!). When they came to our house for dinner, they came bearing a tomato plant (awesomeness!). We decided to return the favor by getting them a little succulent. To cute-ify the plant, I took a thank you card, sprayed some adhesive on both sides of the inside, and folded it shut over a garden stick. I clipped the corners diagonally with scissors, wrote a quote on the front and a note on the back, and voila!

We were running late, so I sprinted into Whole Foods and grabbed the first good looking succulent I could find (which happened to cost only $2.50). I tried to take a picture of the craft in the car (for your viewing enjoyment) but quickly realized that my good camera (a Nikon D60) didn't have its SD card. So I had to iPhone it. Sorry about that.

This craft would look much better if: 1) you saw it in real life 2) you used a smaller thank you card 3) you planted it in a cute pot or covered the plastic pot with some fabric and ribbon 4) took a picture of it using a camera that blurred the background if you're trying to photograph it in a moving car.

It would make such an easier centerpiece (keep them on the smaller side so your guests can chat across the table) or gift for someone who helped to make your wedding happen.

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Today on Feeding the Soil: Updates about our plans to build a community in Austin.

What Your Wedding Colors Mean

noreply@blogger.com (Tracie) — Sat, 31 Mar 2012 12:39:00 +0000

Choosing the perfect color for your bridesmaids dresses can be tricky. You want to make sure you pick the right color to set the tone for your wedding. Here are some of the most popular colors and what they say about you:

*Blues- The general feel of this color is calmness. Lighter blues will give that dainty friendly feeling, darker blues are a strong but elegant choice, and turquoise will show a fun playful side

*Pinks- Pink is soft and sweet and less harsh then red. Lighter shades of pink will show tenderness, whereas hot pinks are more spunky and fun

*Greens- Green is a reflection of life, health, and a clean environment. This will give your wedding a relaxing tone. Medium to light green shades are great for spring weddings and for a sophisticated yet elegant winter wedding darker tones work perfect

*Silvers- Very classy color palette. You can incorporate silver in many ways whether is be for a really modern wedding or a traditional ceremony

*Golds- A very warm tone that gives of vibes of extravagance and richness. Can be a little overwhelming if used as your main color so try to just use it simply to add that luxurious feel to your big day

*Black- This is a sophisticated, classic color and is easy to use with almost any color combination

If you're still not sure what direction to take your wedding in contact tracie@yourethebride.com or call 248-408-4602 for a wedding consultation!

~Jessie

Photo Credit:

coricook.net

Wedding Vendor Contracts

noreply@blogger.com (Tracie) — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 13:12:00 +0000

Before you sign on the dotted line, you need to make sure you go over everything with your vendor. Many times there are hidden details within the fine print that a vendor will intentionally not mention. Here are some guidelines to follow to make sure you are getting the best quality service and price available:

*Shop Around- Don't settle on the first vendor you meet with, talking to other vendors can open your eyes and give you a better idea what you really want for your wedding. It will also allow you to check different price points based on services offered so you can find the best deal.

*Read the Contract- Even if your vendor gives you a "run down" of what is in there, make sure you read it over anyways. If there is anything you are unsure of, ask questions!

*No Verbal Contracts- Make sure to write down everything and include it in the contract, not just verbally agreeing. You will not be able to hold anything against them if it is not in writing

*The Deposit or Retainer- Most deposits are non-refundable and can be pretty expensive, so make sure you are 100% sure you are going to stick with that vendor

For more help looking for the perfect wedding vendors contact us at tracie@yourethebride.com or call 248-408-4602.

~Jessie
Photo Credits:

twesa.com

Homemade Whipped Cream

noreply@blogger.com (Sara E. Cotner) — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 09:10:00 +0000

Is anyone self-catering a dessert bar for your wedding? If so, may I recommend the addition of homemade whipped cream? The process was incredibly inexpensive, easy, and delicious (one of my favorite combinations!).

I put it on this cake and added strawberry sauce that I made simply by cooking down some strawberries in a little water.

My New Banner from BuildASign

noreply@blogger.com (Sara E. Cotner) — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 09:10:00 +0000

I could not be more thankful that BuildASign wants to partner with 2000 Dollar Wedding to exchange products for an advertising slot in the sidebar. It was a no-brainer for me, since I've already used their products personally (paying full price).

Their products will come in particularly handy as I plan a big Earth Day event for the school I'm working to start. The first thing I ordered was a 3' x 8' banner. Their user interface made the process very easy. Although they had templates to choose from, I opted to design my own. I uploaded a photo, positioned it using their tools, added the school's logo, and added some text. I did communicate with a BuildASign representative to ensure that the logo wouldn't get pixelated during the enlargement process (since it was difficult to tell on the preview).

When the box arrived, I was downright giddy. Seeing a bigger-than-life banner with my life's dream on it made the whole thing feel a little more real. I'm just so thankful that sites like BuildASign exist to help DIYers achieve professional results. Honestly, I think one of the reason we were able to sell our house without a realtor and save approximately $7,500 was because we represented ourselves professionally with products from BuildASign.

They have other things like Save-the-Date magnets, business cards, signs, bumper stickers--the list goes on.
I look forward to hanging this banner above our booth on Earth Day and feeling like a professional, legitimate school (okay, maybe it doesn't quite feel real yet).

Wedding Shoppe Ad

noreply@blogger.com (Tracie) — Sat, 24 Mar 2012 15:21:00 +0000

Here is our preferred vendor ad in the new Wedding Shoppe booklet for brides shopping at this store!

Wedding Day Checklist

noreply@blogger.com (Tracie) — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 14:09:00 +0000

Your big day has finally arrived and you have everything planned down to the minute. But sometimes it is the little things that we forgot about. Here is a list of wedding day must-haves to help you be organized on your wedidng day:

*Gown, veil, shoes, undergarments, hosiery,

*Jewelry

*Shoes

*Purse

*Makeup

*Perfume

*Nail Polish and manicure kit

*Emergency kit (aspirin, needle and thread, etc) You should see the new and improved
You're The Bride emergency kit, coming soon!

*Hair Necessities ( Dryer, Curler, Bobby Pins, Hairspray, Accessories)

*Deodorant

*Mints

*Handkerchief

*Programs

*Marriage License

*Copies of a timeline of the days events

*Toasting flutes,cake knife, unity candle, etc.

*Wedding Rings

*Copy of vows or readings to be recited at the ceremony

*Master contact sheet with names of vendors and numbers

*Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue

* Suitcases packed and ready

*Travel tickets and passports

Make sure to have an extra copy for the maid of honor to hold onto.

If all this wedding planning is too overwhelming for you and you need an extra hand, contact us at tracie@yourethebride.com or call 248-408-4602 to check out our wedding planning services.

~Jessie

Photo Credits:

weddingcolorado.org

Reducing Stress with Small Steps

noreply@blogger.com (Sara E. Cotner) — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 09:10:00 +0000

I'm honestly not a naturally organized person (even though I write posts like this one about my Weekly Action Plan). The truth is, I have to force myself to perform the daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly actions necessary to function like an organized person.

Even though organization does not come easily to me, I still crave it--oddly enough. For example, if I'm really stressed out, simply cleaning and organizing my environment can have a hugely beneficial effect. Matt and I planned our wedding during one of the most stressful transitions of our life. We were moving to a new city, looking for new jobs, and trying to buy a house (all while planning an unconventional wedding on a shoestring and worrying that we would bore everyone--at best--and give them food poisoning--at worst).

Whenever my stress levels rise, I have to come back to my coping strategies. My life is getting increasingly busy as I take on a new part-time job (working as the Director of Operations and Compliance for a new charter school in Austin) and work to start my own school. I feel like I'm running from one thing to the next. Henry wakes me up in the morning, I breastfeed him, shower, and then realize I have exactly four minutes until I need to be out the door (and that's assuming there's no traffic, which is a very dangerous thing to assume when SXSW is going on in Austin). In the evenings, I'm too tired to adequately prepare for the next day, so I'm wildly stuffing things into my bag as I race to the car every morning.

So in order to combat my stress levels a little, I identified three areas that needed about 20 minutes of restoration (total): my work bag, the area by my bed, and my car. It's amazing what 20 minutes of a little elbow grease can do. I feel exponentially better already!

Do you have one small change you could make that would reduce your stress levels immediately?

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Today on Feeding the Soil: My updated plan for organizing myself!

Wedding Reception Music

noreply@blogger.com (Tracie) — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 14:05:00 +0000

Today we have a special blog post written by our friends at Joseph F Bauer Studios. If you are looking for a very talented cinemaphotographer please check out their website and facebook page. Joe has some tips on wedding music at your reception since he has been to countless wedding receptions.

1. Plan your music list with your guests in mind

Take the advice of your professional DJ when you are making your music list for your reception. If you have a good DJ and you give him/her the opportunity to do their job correctly by not being too restrictive in your music choices, you’ll have a better party. Be aware of the listening and dancing preferences of ALL of your guests when planning your wedding and you’ll have a more active party. It’s your DJ’s job to get people on the dance floor and keep them there. Let them do their job and you’ll have more fun. Sure, I know there are songs that you like and songs that you hate. That’s fine. Just keep your “Do Not Play” and your “Must Play” lists short. This is one area where over-planning is not good.

2. If you want a rockin party, the Bride and Groom must lead the way.

If you really want your guests to have a great time, lead the way! You are not only the guests of honor at your reception, you are host and hostess. The receptions that we’ve been to that really rocked had the bride and the groom on the dance floor most of the night. If you spend the night bellied up to the bar, so will your friends. Get out there and boogie…everyone will have a better time.

Joseph F Bauer Studios

http://www.jfbstudios.com/

586.446.2246

DIY Quilt Planning

noreply@blogger.com (Sara E. Cotner) — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 09:10:00 +0000

The first time I made a quilt was for our wedding. We incorporated it into the ceremony, and it has become a visual reminder of the community and connection that we felt during our celebration.

The next quilt I made was for our son Henry when I was pregnant. Making the quilt helped me to slow down and mentally prepare myself for his arrival.

Now I'm gearing up to make a quilt again, this time to celebrate our son's first year. I want to make a quilt out of his baby clothes. Of course I immediately turned to Pinterest for some inspiration. Here's what I've come up with so far:

Option #1: I like how this quilt is chunky and asymmetrical.

Option #2: I like how there are multiple pieces from the same outfit and how it's color-coordinated.

Option #3: Again, I like the color gradient, but the white background makes it even more vivid and striking. Honestly, though, I'm starting to realize that I need to look at his clothes to see what we're working with. We definitely don't have such vibrant pinks and reds.

Option #4: This one might work with the color pallette of Henry's clothes!

I also need to figure out what we're going to use the quilt for. It might be fun to make a giant quilt and put some kind of plastic material on the underside, so we could use it as a giant family blanket for picnics. It might also be fun to use it more of a lap blanket with a fuzzy, comfortable fabric on the other side.

Then again, I could forgo the quilt idea altogether and use the fabric to make something else. Too bad I already have birthday bunting! That could have been really cool. Maybe an apron? No, that's a stain disaster waiting to happen, plus it wouldn't be around for years and years.

Before I make any decisions, I think I just need to pull the clothing out and see what I'm working with.

I'll keep you posted!

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Today on Feeding the Soil: A busy girl's guide to composting!

You're The Bride in the News!

noreply@blogger.com (Tracie) — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 14:03:00 +0000

Check out a recent interview You're The Bride did for My Metro You Magazine on Destination Weddings specifically on a wedding we planned at Garland Resort in my hometown of Lewiston, MI.

Habits that Hurt Marriage

noreply@blogger.com (Sara E. Cotner) — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 09:10:00 +0000

Sometimes it's tempting to get so focused on the goal that once you achieve it, you forget to maintain it. Dieting is the perfect example of this. It's easy to become obsessed with eating right and exercising in order to attain your ideal weight. Once you attain that weight, however, it has to be maintained. If you revert to your old eating/exercising habits because you've already achieved your goal, you will obviously regain the weight. Healthiness has to be maintained; it can't just be achieved. Flexibility is the same way. If you work really hard to become flexible, you have to maintain it day in and day out.

Something similar can happen in our crazy wedding culture. The Wedding becomes the goal, instead of a healthy, sustainable marriage. The truth is, healthy relationships take work. They need to be maintained. They require reflection, adjustments, compromise, forgiveness, understanding.

It's so easy for me to take my marriage for granted. I mean, it's not going anywhere any time soon. We signed a contract! (And, more importantly, we've built a life and a history together.)

But that kind of nonchalant attitude will only set me up for heartbreak. The universe has a way of changing things in an instant; we should never take anything for granted. And in terms of what is actually in our control, Matt and I need to make sure that we pay attention to how we treat each other and that we continue to build rather than corrode our marriage through our daily actions.

The question for me is: "What habits do I have that hurt rather than help our marriage?"

One immediate answer is: I constantly offer up advice or correction about how to interact with our son, Henry. I imagine that that kind of nagging takes a serious toll on our marriage. It probably wears on Matt's confidence and joyfulness. I need to get into the habit of refraining from saying anything unless it is absolutely necessary (and, alternatively, I can bring up things later as a point of discussion about how we choose to parent rather than as an in-the-moment correction).

As I type this, I also feel compelled to acknowledge the deeper problem related to my personality (over-analytical, self-righteous at times, judgmental). Working on those parts of my personality would certainly strengthen my marriage.

Do you have any habits that hurt rather than help your marriage?

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Today on Feeding the Soil: My love/hate relationship with running.

March Bride of The Month ~Amy

noreply@blogger.com (Tracie) — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 18:55:00 +0000

We are pleased to announce we have chosen Amy to be our "Bride of the Month" for March. Amy met her fiance David in the winter of 2009 while they were both working at Buffalo Wild Wings in Canton. Things happened pretty fast between Amy and David and after only a few weeks Amy knew he was "the one". Amy and David welcomed their son on June 1st, 2010.

Around Valentines Day Amy started to pester David about buying her a ring, and her persistence paid off because on February 13, 2011 David popped the question. After getting the ring back and sized David re-proposed with an "I Love You" balloon, a dozen roses, and the song "Marry Me' by Train playing in the background. This will be Amy and David's song for their first dance.

Amy and David will be tying the knot on their 3 year anniversary, June 30, 2012. The ceremony will be held in Kellogg Park in downtown Plymouth, followed by their reception at Joy Manor in Westland. Their wedding colors are malibu, black, and white with a wedding party of 12.

David is a Controls Engineer employed by Spectrum Engineering in Warren, and the bride is a full-time college student at Eastern Michigan University triple majoring in Cognitive Impairment, Elementary Education basic and Elementary Education liberal arts. She is also a full-time stay at home mom to their 21 month old son Carter.

You're The Bride is excited to be a part of Amy and David's special day!

FREE Envelope Printing Offer

noreply@blogger.com (Tracie) — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 13:20:00 +0000

Good thru 3/31.

Creating New Rituals

noreply@blogger.com (Sara E. Cotner) — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 09:10:00 +0000

Matt and I have had meaningful and memorable experiences with creating our own rituals (like we did for our wedding with the quilt-wrapping and tree planting). When it came time to celebrate our son's first birthday, we wanted to think of something that was simple yet meaningful--something we could implement year after year as Henry reaches each birthday milestone. We wanted a ritual that would make time for us to focus on the "value of being witnesses for one another, celebrating the unfolding of one another's lives as a sacred gift." (from Living Passages for the Whole Family).

Inspired by the Waldorf birthday celebration, I started searching for candle holders. I stumbled upon this simple, beautiful, wooden candle holder on Etsy, and I thought about what we could do with nine spots for candles. And then the idea hit me: We could light a white tealight candle for each year of his life. When he turns 10, we can use a colored tealight candle to signify 10 and then add one white tealight candle every year in the remaining spots until he reaches 18 and the ceremony is complete.

This beautiful 9-hole candle holder could be used for so many things. You could light a candle during your wedding ceremony for the promises you make to your partner or for people you want to remember who cannot join you on your wedding day. If you incorporated it into your ceremony, you could come back to it during your anniversary celebrations. I love the idea of having a tangible object from your wedding that you bring out every year or leave out on a regular basis as a reminder of your formal commitment and love.

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Today on Feeding the Soil: We get ready to start toilet training our one year-old.

Tagging Glasses

noreply@blogger.com (Sara E. Cotner) — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 10:10:00 +0000

I wanted to share a simple and inexpensive option for tagging reusable glasses at a party. I simply looped a rubber band through a tag from the office supply store, and voila! The only downside was a slight rubber smell, but the lower you place the rubber bands on the glass, the less you can smell it.

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Today on Feeding the Soil: Balancing my needs with Henry's.

Contest Winner--Hooray!

noreply@blogger.com (Sara E. Cotner) — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 10:10:00 +0000

Thank you to everyone who entered our contest to win a complete wedding set from e.m.papers (and thank you to Eleanor for sponsoring such an awesome contest!).

Without further ado, I'd like to announce the lucky winner:

Erica Me

Please e-mail me within one week to claim your prize!

Stay tuned for more contests coming soon...

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Today on Feeding the Soil: Henry goes to school for the first time (and my heart breaks a little).

Wedding Vendor Open House

noreply@blogger.com (Tracie) — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 15:40:00 +0000

We have extended the wedding vendor open house RSVP to this Thursday, March 8th. See below on where to email your rsvp to. This coupon is good for admittance of 2. See you there!

Book Update

noreply@blogger.com (Sara E. Cotner) — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 10:10:00 +0000

It's seriously happening. The book! It's honestly coming together. I e-mailed the manuscript to my editor for my final deadline at the beginning of January. She just sent it back with tracked changes (mainly copy editing kinds of things). I also got to take a sneak peek at the photographs they took of the DIY projects that accompany the book. I mailed those to the publisher at the beginning of January, too.

It's such a surreal experience. I really don't even know what to say about it. My words and thoughts are getting transformed into something that will be sitting on bookstore shelves. That's completely weird to me.

I keep trying to write this post, but I am honestly at a loss for words. I guess I just want to say, "It's happening!" and "Gasp!"

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Today on Feeding the Soil: My monthly reflection and goals for the upcoming month.

Party in Review

noreply@blogger.com (Sara E. Cotner) — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 10:10:00 +0000

Oh, the party. I have much to tell you.

Do I start at the beginning when it was awful or start at the end when it was wonderful? I suppose I should tell the story chronologically.

If you've been following along, then you're aware that the planning process has been a lot of fun. I made invitations and a pinata and planned a low-key celebration in our backyard. We had a ton of people to invite, even though we just moved to Austin a month ago. Everything was on track for a fun party.

But then lots of folks couldn't come. And even worse, people who said they would come (like good, good friends from Houston) started canceling at the last minute. Even worse, we had to call some folks to find out they weren't coming. In all honesty, it was pretty crushing. It's one of those examples when my expectations are just too high for the world around me.

In all fairness to others, I think it's hard for people to realize just how important a first birthday party can be. Of course Henry won't remember it once he's older, but he will see it in pictures. Plus, it's the first birthday, so it sets a precedent. It helps us figure out what kind of family we aspire to be. And for us as parents, we're celebrating, too. We're celebrating making it through a whole year of transition. We're celebrating our new, expanded life. We're celebrating our ability to do that which--at times--felt downright impossible.

So you want your good friends to be there to celebrate with you. And when they change their minds at the last-minute or don't RSVP and wait for you to call them so they can tell you they aren't coming, it hurts. But rather than wallow in that place of hurt, I simply tried to hold on to how I felt and incorporate it into how I interact with other people. I will do my best to RSVP on time and to say yes to invitations as much as I can. I will make the effort and take the time.

But all of that made it hard to get motivated. I was also juggling trying to find Henry childcare. And I had ten meetings the week leading up to the party (as well as a migraine that included vomiting). It was a lot, and it meant that we didn't get started on the party until Saturday morning. We made our way to the grocery store as soon as it opened at 8 (well, we actually arrived at 7:30 and ate breakfast together as a family while waiting for the store to open). We got all the food we needed and headed home. I quickly realized (way too late) that three hours is not enough time to make chili, chop up onions/cheese/cilantro for a chili bar, make guacamole, slice pineapple and strawberries, bake cookies (at least I made the dough in advance), put cookies into wax paper bags and sew a cute note to them for favors, make a salad, fill up a glass decanter with water (and sliced oranges), blow up balloons, make a birthday cake and icing from scratch, move the stereo outside and set it up, clean off the back porch, hang a pinata, vacuum the house, clean the bathrooms, and take a shower (even when they're are two of you and the baby takes a 1.5-hour nap).

So there was stress involved. Matt was mad at me for not cleaning as I cooked. I was mad at him for not realizing that we needed to triage and cleaning was not as important as everything else on the list.

But we did our best to make it work. The cookies got thrown on a plate instead of put into cute bags (no one cared, honestly). We only blew up a few balloons and decorated with Henry's toys instead. We hung the pinata during the party.

Once the party started, I did my very best to immerse myself in the experience and to just enjoy it--imperfections and all. Instead of stressing about the fact that I had to frost the cake during the party, I simply asked my friend Claire to help me, so we were able to spend some quality time chatting in the kitchen.

In the end, it was a wonderful little party. There were nine of us total, which was a great number to feel festive without being overwhelmingly stimulating for Henry. He had a ball. He smiled and laughed the whole time (and thoroughly enjoyed licking cake off his fingers). It was fun writing a letter to him about the party over at Feeding the Soil.

Next time I'll remind myself to plan out our time a little better in the days and hours leading up to a party. It's silly to leave everything to the last minute and be stressed. But if I don't follow my own advice next time, I hope that I can be self-forgiving again and truly immerse myself in the experience. That's where we find joy--when we turn off all the should have and musts and live in the what is.

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Today on Feeding the Soil: Henry's final letter of the year.

Contest: Enter to Win Invitation Template

noreply@blogger.com (Sara E. Cotner) — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 10:10:00 +0000

Hooray! Another contest! This time, e.m.papers is offering an entire wedding set for one lucky winner to download. The set includes these designs:

5" x 7" Wedding invite
5" x 4" Save-the-date
4^7/8" x 3^1/2" RSVP
5^1/2" x 4^1/4" Thank you
51/2" x 81/2" Program
8^1/2" x 11" Seating list
3^3/4" x 4^1/4" Table #s
3^1/2" x 1" Place cards
4^1/4" x 11" Menus

Eleanore's designs are created with the home printer in mind, so you can blend professional graphic design with a little DIY elbow grease. I worked with Eleanore during my book-writing process, and I can personally attest to the loveliness of her designs (I had a hard time choosing one!) and the simplicity of the process. You can easily customize all the text right on the design itself.

So what are you waiting for? Head to the comments section and leave your first name as well as the first two letters of your last name. The contest closes Sunday, March 4 at 11:59 ET.

Happy Entering! (and thank you to Eleanore for sponsoring this contest!)

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Today on Feeding the Soil: A letter to Henry about his first birthday party.

Finished DIY Pinata!

noreply@blogger.com (Sara E. Cotner) — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 10:10:00 +0000

The pinata is done!

This is another one of those posts that could have gone a lot of different ways. At one point (or more like several points), I almost gave up on the whole idea. I was trying to follow Jordan's directions about making fringed crepe paper. It involved making a big stack of crepe paper, snipping fringe on both sides, opening up the crepe paper, and then folding it in half. The folding in half part made me want to poke my eyeballs out. It looked terribly time-consuming. As I tried to wrangle the crepe paper into submission, all I could think about was all the other things I should be doing (like designing a booklet for the school I'm starting, making business cards, revising the website, etc.). I thought: "Who am I doing this for? No one will even notice if we don't have a pinata."

I decided to abandon the "proper" technique and instead just start wrapping the thing Ace-bandage style. I had flashbacks to wrapping my ankles and wrists in middle school. Why did I have so many injuries that required the use of an Ace bandage? Bizarre.

Anyway, wrapping it with crepe paper was much more efficient (although not perfect by any means). In the end, I took a risk and decided to start cutting fringe into the wrapped layers. I was talking to my mom on the phone, so I didn't even notice that it was a time-consuming process.

Before I started the wrapping process, I made a little trap door and filled the pinata with plastic balls from Henry's ball pit. He loves those balls, and they are lightweight. I think he will be giddy when they fall from the air when he pulls on the right string. As for the string, I attached one to the trap door and several others to the pinata as decoys.

Henry was actually really excited to see the finished pinata when he woke up from his nap. He immediately started pulling on the strings, which was no surprise because pulling on fan cords is one of his top five hobbies....

In the end, I'm proud of myself for creating a pinata for scratch, using only materials we already had at our house. I definitely went through the Stages of a DIY Project (except I never, ever thought, "I'm going to start selling these on Etsy!"). When I start to get insecure about starting a school from scratch, I can give myself this little pep talk: "Hey, you made a pinata from moving boxes. You can do anything."

(It's a little bit delusional, but let's go with it for now, okay?).

Creamy Tomato Soup Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Sara E. Cotner) — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 10:10:00 +0000

As part of the Gourmet Grilled Cheese Bar for Henry's birthday party, I went looking for a creamy tomato soup to make. This one from Martha Stewart is surprising simple and tasty. We had it for dinner last night, and it's definitely Henry-approved!

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Today on Feeding the Soil: An important tip for pregnant couples!

Gourmet Grilled Cheese Bar

noreply@blogger.com (Sara E. Cotner) — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 10:10:00 +0000

For Henry's birthday party on a budget, I'm most excited about the gourmet grilled cheese bar (with tomato soup in the crockpot--thanks, Ellie!).

The trick to keeping costs low is to offer enough options to make it interesting and fun but not too many that it becomes expensive and wasteful.

My search revealed that Martha Stewart--of course--already came up with the grilled cheese bar idea. Alas, I'm sure it will still be unique and interesting to our guests...

For bread, she recommends:

Rye
White
Sourdough

For cheese, she recommends:

Cheddar
Gruyère
Fontina

Here are some of the combinations she suggests:

Gruyère, Apple, and Sage on Rye
Cheddar, Jalapeno and Cilantro on White
Cheddar, Cherry Preserves, and Basil on White

It might make more sense to just set out some ingredients and let people mix and match in ways that make sense to them. Here are some ingredients that sound good to me:

Avocado
Strawberries
Pear
Arugula
Tomatoes
Pickles
Jalapeno jelly
Grilled peppers and onions

I need to keep thinking about this...

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Today on Feeding the Soil: Thoughts on when and if to try for another child.

Happy Valentine's Day!

noreply@blogger.com (Sara E. Cotner) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 10:10:00 +0000

I apologize for not having any cute DIY projects to share on this day devoted to love. Matt and I prefer to invest our time and energy in our anniversary, birthdays, and Christmas (when it comes to presents and heartfelt cards), so around here, Valentine's looks like a heart-shaped pizza from Papa John's. Not very inspiring, I know!

But I do have an interesting article from the New York Times to share, courtesy of long-time kindred spirit, Anna. Here's an excerpt:

"The most important predictor of marital happiness for a woman is not how much she looks up to her husband but how sensitive he is to her emotional cues and how willing he is to share the housework and child-care."

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Today on Feeding the Soil: A glimpse into how Matt and I divide chores equitably.

Contest Winners--Squeel!

noreply@blogger.com (Sara E. Cotner) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 10:10:00 +0000

Thank you to everyone who entered our contest to win a copy of Meg's new book:

A Practical Wedding: Creative Ideas for Planning a Beautiful, Affordable, and Meaningful Celebration

I'm excited that Meg's fresh and grounded perspective can now be picked up, held in your hand, and read from cover to cover in one sitting.

So, without further ado, I'd like to announce the two lucky winners:

Jocelyn Go.
Dale Ma.

Please e-mail me within one week to claim your prize!

Stay tuned for more contests coming soon...there's one coming on Wednesday and a prize will go to the first ten people who leave a comment!

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Today on Feeding the Soil: More thoughts on Henry's upcoming birthday.

Pinata Update

noreply@blogger.com (Sara E. Cotner) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 10:10:00 +0000

Henry and I worked on the pinata for his first birthday party this weekend (er, I worked on it while he crawled all around the garage looking for interesting things to put in his mouth).

I followed Jordan's directions for making a number pinata over at Oh Happy Day. It really wasn't difficult at all. I simple used a box cutter to get two, flat pieces of cardboard, drew the number on one of the pieces (using a ruler), used the box cutter to cut out the first number (again, using my ruler for guidance), and then used the first number as a template for cutting out the second number (careful to put down extra cardboard so I didn't cut the floor). Next, I cut strips of cardboard to make the edges of the number. I taped the front number and the back number together using the additional strips of cardboard.

At first I thought I was smart for using packing tape since it is stronger than masking tape, but now I'm realizing that it's going to be difficult to glue on the crepe paper. We'll see what happens!

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Don't forget to enter to win a copy of A Practical Wedding: Creative Ideas for Planning a Beautiful, Affordable, and Meaningful Celebration! Contest ends Sunday.