snippet & ink: daily wedding inspiration

And the winner is (plus a discount!)...

2009-12-18T13:15:00.000-06:00

Congratulations to Sammy who said:

I have just seen the new collection and LOVE it! I have an unhealthy obsession with headwear so I would probably have to let number 11, number 12 and number 104 fight it out for my affection. But 104 would probably win x

You are the winner of the beautiful crystal headband from Ban.do!!! Sammy, email me with your mailing information so that we can get that to you right away.

And for everyone else, the ladies at Ban.do have extended an offer for Snippet & Ink readers to get $20 off your purchase from the Ban.do bridal collection from now until Christmas day! Just enter coupon code snippetandink at checkout.

Thank you so much to the nearly 300 people who entered and shared your fun ideas for how you'll wear your Ban.do, and thank you to Jen and Jamie for sponsoring this fabulous giveaway!

Happy Weekend!

2009-12-18T09:00:00.001-06:00

Today is a big day... my trip to the post office to mail out all of my Christmas goodies. It's right around this time that I realize I should have started this whole process six weeks earlier, just to avoid the goat rodeo that is the post office the week before Christmas. So wish me luck with that. Also, don't forget to check back later today when I'll announce the winner of the Ban.do holiday giveaway! But until then, here are some delightful links from around the web this week...

{from Ryan Schude's flickr via It's Mary Ruffle}

A very talented woman's beautiful winter wedding.

For Christmas, I'd like this home. Or this one. Thank you.

Winter citrus. Pretty and delicious.

Amazing Brooklyn Bridge engagement pics, via Brooklyn Bride.

Gingerbread houses galore, via Delphine Ephemera.

Itsy bitsy little chapel.

Itsy bitsy little puppies!

Sure do love a sassy groom.

Burnt caramel sauce is my favorite. Ice cream optional.

Darling wedding with a travel theme.

Cross-stitch badges, via {frolic!}.

Optimistic maps.

Looking for some last minute gifts? Check out some of my suggestions over at So Chic.

Happy happy weekend!

Discounts, Giveaways, Etc.

2009-12-18T05:30:00.001-06:00

Discounts

If you're looking for bridesmaid gifts, or last-minute gifts for any of the lovely ladies in your life (or for me), Albeit Jewelry is offering 20% off all orders. Coupon code: FAMILY&FRIENDS

Raquel Reis (the photographer behind yesterday's beautiful real wedding) is offering 15-20% off for all couples who book their wedding photography with her before 12/31.

Laura Hooper Calligraphy* is having a big sale from now until 12/31: get 25% off standard large tote orders, 20% off all bifold and trifold invitations, and 20% off custom compasses.

If you're in NYC, get 50-75% off retail prices at the Chloe & Reese sample sale, TODAY, 10am to 7pm at 313 W 37th Street #601A.

Estilo Weddings is having a year-end clearance sale. See all of the sale items here.

Get free shipping on all orders over $99 from Beau-Coup until 12/31.

Giveaways

Rachel Garcia is giving away free wedding photography to one couple. See details here.

Custom Printables is giving each person who signs up to follow them on Twitter a free monogram. See details here.

Brenda's Wedding Blog is giving away a pair of "Bride" or "Love" leather sandals. See details here.

Project Wedding* is giving away $210 worth of Gingi Skincare products, as well as the chance to win $1500 in prizes when you submit wedding blooper videos before 12/31.

Etc.

If you'd like to help a good cause, register to be a "Fresh Air Fund-Racer" in the NYC half-marathon on 3/21. See details here. The Fresh Air Fund gives thousands of inner-city children the opportunity to spend time outdoors and in the country during the summer, and relies on donations to keep doing this good work. Check it out!

*Snippet & Ink sponsors

Real Wedding: Clelia & Blake

2009-12-17T05:30:00.000-06:00

Today, a gorgeous wedding sent to me by photographer Raquel Reis. One of the things I love to hear from a bride is what inspired them while thinking about their wedding. Clelia and Blake pulled from a number of sources for inspiration, from A Midsummer Night's Dream, to early 20th-century Orientalist paintings, to Blake's love of nature and botany. But above all of that, says Clelia:

"We wanted our wedding to be a celebration with the many people who we love and who have loved and cared for us. It was really important to us that every one of our guests felt
comfortable and appreciated and that they had an amazing time. We tried in all of our decisions to be honest - to make decisions that reflected who we are, what our values are and how we live. We wanted to avoid a wedding that felt canned in favor of something that was personal and real."

In addition to several incredibly talented vendors, friends and family helped to pull this event together by helping to set everything up the day before the wedding. And what an amazing job they did!

Clelia's bridesmaids wore the same Butter by Nadia dresses, just wrapped in a different way, and each chose her own whimsical headpiece to wear, like this one by Which Goose.

Clelia wore this amazing heirloom veil, made in Belgium for her great-great grandmother's wedding. Her great-grandmother, grandmother, and many cousins have also worn it.

I love this idea - Wilma curtains from IKEA hung on the sides of the tent.

Each table was set with vintage lace tablecloths, as well as a number of old candelabras, coffee sets, and other decorative silver plate items purchased on eBay, for $10 (or less) apiece.

Oh that bouquet! Ariella Chezar gets me every time!

With over 30 guests under the age of 10, it was important to Clelia and Blake that they provide lots of fun for the kids. A petting zoo and bubbles station kept the littlest guests entertained, and several baby-sitters supervised dinner, sleeping and movie-watching so that parents could enjoy the wedding, too.

Some guests, aware of the "enchanted" inspiration behind the wedding, wore wonderfully whimsical ensembles. A few of Clelia's parents' friends even dressed as frogs and princesses (with suits and dresses to change into later) - if the couple and their parents have a sense of humor, what a hilarious surprise this would be!

With 300 guests, Clelia and Blake were worried that the wedding would feel impersonal. In order to counter this, the couple wrote a personal note to each guest, which doubled as seating cards. Blake and Clelia "switched" families, so she wrote to each member of his family, and he wrote to hers. Says Clelia, "Even though this was a massive undertaking and took a lot of time in the days leading up to the wedding, I feel it was well worth it. I think it really did achieve its goal of making every guest feel welcomed and cherished."

Clelia's father is, as she puts it, "baking-obsessed." So it was only fitting that he make the wedding cake: chocolate with caramel frosting and raspberry filling, a favorite of the bride. He also decorated it himself with sugared flowers.

How amazing is this cookie spread?! I think the word I'm looking for is smörgåsbord.

Venue: bride's parents' home, Connecticut

Bride's dress: Carolina Herrera from Mark Ingram's Bridal Atelier

Bridesmaid dresses: Butter by Nadia

Groom's suit: J.Crew

Petting zoo / pony rides: Pied Piper Pony Rides

Flowers (bouquets, boutonnieres, floral crowns, head table): Ariella Chezar

Flowers (guest table centerpieces): Kamilla's Floral Boutique

Catering: family friend, Joan Embree

Cake: bride's father

Best wishes and happiest regards to Clelia and Blake! Thank you so much for letting me share your beautiful wedding here on Snippet & Ink. And thank you to Raquel Reis for sending over these lovely photos - such a treat for our last real wedding feature of 2009!

A Winter Holiday Soiree

2009-12-16T10:00:00.008-06:00

I've posted a number of winter wedding inspiration boards this week and last, so when my sweet friend Janie at The Bride's Cafe asked if I'd like to share this winter holiday shoot with you here on Snippet & Ink, I jumped at the chance. And that was before I'd even seen the photos! Created by some wonderfully talented ladies, including Janie, Courtney from Merriment Events, and Katie from Open Air Photography, this lovely shoot is exactly what I love - beautiful and thoughtful without being overdone. Whether you're looking for inspiration for your winter wedding or for next week's holiday party, you'll definitely find some great ideas here...

The tree was decorated with pine cones and mercury glass ornaments hung with jute twine.

Courtney created this garland by stamping the letters on vintage tags, then stringing them on jute twine.

Vintage sheet music can be found throughout the shoot, from accordion "garlands" on the mantle, to paper pinwheels, to gift wrap. (Can you see the name on that gift tag? It's Kathryn! How much did that make my day!)

Gifts were also wrapped with kraft paper and tied with gold ric rac, upholstery ribbon, or green satin. This one was embellished with vintage skeleton keys.

The mantle was decorated with various flowers in mercury glass vases and a vintage box filled with jute twine and silver ornaments. Silver serving trays were hung on the wall above the mantle - what a simple and effective way to fill up wall space!

Janie decorated the table with white amaryllis, French anemones, Victoria white ranunculus, supergreen parrot tulips, and white peonies all in mercury glass vases. Using only one type of flower in each vase allows each flower to stand out, and is simple solution for centerpieces. The amaryllis arrangements are rather tall, so they can be removed once guests are seated to allow for conversation across the table.

The menus were lettered in the shape of a star, and embellished with little stars made of sheet music.

Menus and place cards were calligraphed by Jen at Pretty Pen Jen, using gold ink on ivory paper.

Croquembouche is a perfectly dramatic and appropriate dessert choice for a winter wedding or party. This one, created by Jenny at Sweetest Thing Bakery, is drizzled in white chocolate.

For the winter brides out there, a bouquet of white peonies, gray dusty miller, nearly black privet berries, and tied with beautiful striped French wire ribbon.

Thank you so so much to all of these talented ladies for sharing this beautiful winter shoot with us - now I can't wait to throw a holiday dinner party! I hope we'll be able to have all of you back on Snippet & Ink again very soon.

Photography: Katie Stoops at Open Air Photography

Styling: Courtney Spencer at Merriment Events / Little White Book)

Flowers: Janie Medley at JM Flora / The Bride's Cafe)

Calligraphy: Pretty Pen Jen

Cake: Sweetest Thing Bakery

Hair and makeup: Sarah Valentine at Mango Hair Salon

Board #450: Gingerbread and Lavender

2009-12-16T05:30:00.003-06:00

This is sort of a mini-inspiration board - it just worked better this way than with any of the other images I tried to fit into it. Sometimes less is more...

If you're a winter bride who loves lavender, how about a bouquet of dried lavender, wrapped in soft velvet ribbon? After the ceremony, treat your guests to dessert and champagne (I'm dead set on bringing this type of reception back, can you tell?). Gingerbread linzertorte is a perfectly appropriate, yet totally unexpected, winter wedding "cake." Each dessert certainly doesn't need to be color coordinated, but the table also doesn't have to look like a middle school bake sale. Arrange things thoughtfully, maybe with a small vase of flowers, and let this table of sweets be the focal point in the room. Unless you're lucky enough to hold your reception in a room with a working fireplace - that would be the perfect focal point for a winter wedding. You'll have one less thing to worry about if you skip the party favors, though you might make small glassine bags available for guests to take some chocolate truffles home with them.

So what do you think? Can you still get a sense of this wedding with only 6 images?

Mood: sweet and simple
Palette: gingerbread, faded lavender, rosé

{click image to enlarge}

Top row from left: winter bride and groom from Brides, champagne coupes filled with rosé and chocolate truffles both from Martha Stewart Weddings
Row 2: gingerbread linzertorte from Martha Stewart, dried lavender bouquet with velvet ribbon photo by Elizabeth Messina, snow-topped church

Things are winding down here at Snippet & Ink - this is the last inspiration board of 2009! I've still got a few beautiful posts lined up for you, though, before heading out for the holiday. Later this morning, I'll be posting a beautiful shoot that Janie Medley, Courtney Spencer, Katie Stoops, and some other talented folks put together just for us! It's full of winter and holiday inspiration for a wedding or dinner party, so don't miss out on that. Also, don't forget to enter in the Ban.do giveaway before Thursday at midnight!

Happy Holidays Giveaway from Ban.do!

2009-12-15T11:30:00.002-06:00

To celebrate the season, and to celebrate the launch of their new bridal collection, the ladies at Ban.do are giving away this fabulously glamorous crystal headband to one Snippet & Ink reader.

This is just one of the awesome new styles over at Ban.do, so to enter, head over to the site, pick out another favorite (unless of course this is the only one for you), then come back here and leave a comment letting us know which one you love, where you'd wear it (to your wedding? someone else's wedding? a holiday party?), and/or what you'd wear it with (knee-length wedding dress? silver stilettos? velvet cigarette pants?). You have until Thursday at midnight to enter, and I will announce the randomly selected winner Friday morning. Good luck!

Update! This contest is now closed. The winner was announced here.

Board #449: Modern Vintage Circus

2009-12-15T10:03:00.006-06:00

Once again I've repeated a few favorites here, namely the large balloons with number tags from Randi Brookman Harris' wedding, and the black and white bouquet by Artfool (now Matthew Robbins Design). What can I say, they're favorites! I actually started with the intention of creating an all-white winter wedding inspiration board based around this gorgeous dress by Elizabeth Dye, but I think what I ended up with here is much more fun. Inspired by vintage circus ephemera and details, from the balloons to the souvenir card to the popcorn, this is a modern take on that look. Mostly white, with just a few well-edited dabs of black for contrast, it's both whimsical and chic.

Mood: chic modern whimsy, with a touch of vintage circus inspiration
Palette: glassine white, ink black

{click image to enlarge}

Top row from left: white dress with ruffled waist by Elizabeth Dye, balloons with number tags from Martha Stewart Weddings, Papermade stationery with black and white twine photo by Max Wanger via Style Me Pretty
Row 2: coconut chocolate cupcake photo by Victoria Pearson, white lemonade with straw flags from Amy Atlas
Row 3: black and white bouquet with sweet peas and privet berries by Artfool, vintage souvenir postcard, balloon ceremony photo by W. Scott Chester
Row 4: popcorn in glassine bags styled by Erin Quon, white piano from Janny Panns' flickr, milk glass cake stands from Martha Stewart via Classic Bride, vintage alphabet garland from Chronicle Books

This inspiration board is, I hope, further evidence that having a simple, and even budget-friendly,* wedding doesn't have to mean sacrificing style. The decor is mostly large white balloons (which can be found for under $3 each), some touches of black and white twine ($15 for 240 yards), and milk glass cake stands (check eBay and flea markets for these). The only flowers are in the bride's bouquet (and possibly the groom's boutonniere). Even the darling alphabet garland is only $13, and which could be used for any number of things (and used again and again after the wedding!).

A reception with cupcakes, lemonade or punch, and popcorn will cost far less than just about any other option. There is no rule that says you have to serve your guests a full meal (though if you don't, make sure to hold your wedding in between meal times); in fact, for the longest time, a cake and punch reception immediately following the ceremony was standard. I think it's tough these days when, so often, many or most wedding guests are coming from out of town to attend, and it seems as though you ought to serve them a full meal at the reception - this is certainly something my honey and I have struggled with. But if that's not your style, or if it's just not in your budget, cake and punch, or dessert and champagne, is perfectly acceptable, especially if it means you can afford to have all of the people you love there with you to celebrate.

(*In fact, "simple" and "budget-friendly" are not the same thing. It can cost an awful lot of money to have a simply elegant wedding, and it can cost no money at all to lose sight of simplicity.)

I'm Late! I'm Late!

2009-12-15T05:30:00.000-06:00

Since I spent all day yesterday running around trying to get things ready to mail off so they'll arrive before Christmas, I didn't spend much of my day working on posts. I have an inspiration board that wants to be finished, but it's still missing a few pieces, so that will hopefully be up later today. Also, we've got an awesome giveaway from the fabulous ladies at Ban.do, so you definitely won't want to miss that. See you in a bit!

Board #448: Poinsettias in Pink

2009-12-14T05:30:00.000-06:00

Today's winter wedding board draws its inspiration from a classic harbinger of the holidays, the poinsettia. But instead of the traditional red, I've used poinsettias in various shades of pink and cream. With a mostly white palette and lots of candles, the pink isn't cloying - though it would certainly make for a sweet bridal shower as well as a wedding or holiday party. Invitations are all white, except for calligraphy lettered in pink ink, and they're finished off with white twine and sealing wax (if you want to send envelopes wrapped in twine, you'll need to put them inside glassine envelopes for mailing). I imagined this as a simple tea reception, with cake and candies, and of course champagne and tea - a budget-friendly option that's charming and sophisticated.

Mood: warm, charming
Palette: poinsettia pink, candlelight white

{click image to enlarge}

Top row from left: poinsettia wreath from Matthew Mead Style, white Christmas crackers from Rebecca Thuss, red calligraphy from Mr Boddington's Studio, red-lipped bride with pale pink dress from Martha Stewart Weddings
Row 2: various white candies via The Bride's Guide, blusher veil photo by Corbin Gurkin, tea cake from Crown & Crumpet, ceremony site with candles from Wonderful Graffiti
Row 3: bouquet with cattleya orchids from Martha Stewart Weddings, envelope with twine and wax seal from Linea Carta, vintage gloves photo by Anna Kuperberg, pink poinsettia from Matthew Mead Style

Sunday Edition #64

2009-12-13T05:30:00.000-06:00

by the bride's friend and witness, via East Side Bride

Love Shoot: Lindsey & Kevin

2009-12-12T12:30:00.001-06:00

As a kid, I spent summers (still do!) in the Rocky Mountains in Montana, so every time I see photos on Carrie Patterson's blog, it makes me a little homesick for that place. Lindsey and Kevin's engagement shoot was no different - an absolutely gorgeous shoot, complete with big sky clouds, in Wyoming's Tetons. I also love how simple this shoot was - pick a special place, throw on some cowboy boots, and take some photos with the one you love. What could be better?! Though the couple lives in California, Lindsey shares a bit about their decision to hold their engagement shoot and their wedding in Wyoming:

"Kevin spent his childhood summers in Wyoming with his grandparents, and his family owns a small ranch outside of Jackson. I knew from the first visit I took with Kevin that it was the ideal location for our wedding. We both love the natural beauty and laid-back style that the state offers, and we look forward to having our guests experience the serene beauty we love so much!"

Though a thunderstorm threatened that morning, it broke up into clouds, providing great natural lighting for the shoot.

Thank you so much to Carrie Patterson for sharing these beautiful photos with us, and best wishes to you Lindsey and Kevin! You can see even more from this shoot, and from the gorgeous Tetons, over on Carrie's blog.

Happy Weekend!

2009-12-11T10:30:00.006-06:00

Somehow this week just flew by - it never seems to me like there's enough time between Thanksgiving and Christmas. So, I guess all there is to do about it is to slow down with things like cocoa and cookies in between all of the rushing around. Oh, and how about a chocolate tasting? That's what my honey and I are doing this evening at one of my favorite little shops here in Austin, and it sounds like just my kind of night. How about you? How are you taking time to savor the holiday season? Hmmm.... savor.... I think that's my new word.

{by Little Brown Pen}

Inspired by Chelsea's holiday tables.

Let it snow! Let it snow! Let it snow!

Wonderfully bold wrapping paper.

This song now playing on repeat, thanks to this guy.

Say yes to suspenders, via Once Wed.

What a nice way to think about gifts.

No tree for us this year, but hopefully next year we can rent one.

I'd like some of these vanilla roasted pears with ice cream please.

Cupcake ruffles.

Wedding in 73 seconds, via A Practical Wedding.

Records on ice. Well, made of ice - absolutely fascinating!

Give the gift of root beer.

Modest Peach sent me a bracelet, and it's named after me! I'm blushing...

Have a happy weekend lovelies!

Discounts, Giveaways, Etc.

2009-12-11T05:30:00.004-06:00

Discounts

Modest Peach has named one of their beautiful bracelets after me - they sent me one and it's just lovely. And from now until 12/31, you can get 25% off your entire order at Modest Peach. Coupon code: KATHRYN

Blank Label is offering Snippet & Ink readers 10% off their custom men's dress shirts until 12/18. Coupon code: snippetandink

Through the holidays, Brilliant Earth* is offering FREE shipping via FedEx Next Day and 2nd Day Air, on every U.S. and Canadian order, 12/1 - 12/23.

For couples getting married between February and April of 2010 in or around New York City, Oh Darling! Photography is offering 15% off all of their wedding packages. Learn more here.

Get 25% off your order at Prismera Designs with their friends and family sale, until 12/31. Coupon code: FRIENDS25

Giveaways

The UK blog Pip Pip and All That is hosting 12 Days of Christmas Giveaways, including gifts like a fascinator from One Little Dove, rings from Haute Bride, and a garter from Julianne Smith. Check it out here.

Brenda's Wedding Blog is giving away 2 place settings of Lenox Opal Innocence china. Enter here.

Etc.

The incredibly talented Kate at Flowerwild is launching a new floral workshop for all stylists, designers, and flower lovers. It will be held at the beautiful San Ysidro Ranch in Santa Barbara next March, and Rebecca from Duet Weddings and photographer Bonnie Tsang (I love both of their work!) will be there too. Learn more here.

Award-winning German photographer Marco Schwarz and cinematographer Konrad Licht are offering a free wedding portrait session (valued at $5000) to two couples living in New York City. Couples will be responsible for the cost of airfare for the photographer and cinematographer. For more information, contact Marco at <info@schwarz-bild.de>.

Check out Pantone's unveiling of 2010's color of the year, including a mention of Dessy's* beautiful bridesmaid dress offerings.

*Snippet & Ink sponsors

Real Wedding: Ashley & Michael

2009-12-10T00:49:00.002-06:00

Here I am, running late again. Some days I'm totally on top of things, and other days I'm, well, not. But I do hope you feel the posts are worth the wait!

The day after I posted last week's "Keep It Simple" inspiration board, I got an email from one of my favorite photographers, Leo Patrone, because he had shot Ashley and Michael's lovely wedding in October, and thought it fit perfectly with that inspiration board: a city hall ceremony, a dinner party reception, all in San Francisco!

How cute are these love notes on a chalkboard wall in the entrance of the couple's home?

I think you all know what a sucker I am for balloons...

I love how joyful she is here!

People ask me what to do with your bouquet during the ceremony if you choose not to have any attendants. Simple! Just turn around and hand it to someone in the first row, like your father (I love that shot).

After the ceremony at San Francisco's city hall, the couple took their guests on a tour of the city's most picturesque spots, in a classic old cable car. With snacks! Guests nibbled on organic popcorn, vegan doughnut holes and lavender short bread cookies, all locally made.

Dinner took place in a private dining room at Spruce, decorated with tons of pillar candles. Everyone enjoyed a five-course tasting menu, planned by the restaurant's chefs and sommeliers for the wedding.

The darling cake was inspired by the design on Ashley and Michael's invitations.

Invitations: eco-friendly letterpress by Bella Figura*

Flowers: Natalie Bowen Designs

Bride's dress: Elizabeth Fillmore at Mark Ingram Bridal Atelier

Shoes: Pedro Garcia from Yoox

Ceremony venue: San Francisco City Hall

Cable car rental: Classic Cable Car Sightseeing

Reception venue: Spruce, San Francisco

Wooden place cards: sustainably harvested birch wood by Night Owl Paper Goods

Cake: Flours

Wedding Planning / Custom favor labels: Downey Street Events

Thank you so much to Ashley and Michael for sharing their beautiful wedding with us - best wishes to you! And thank you to Leo Patrone for thinking of Snippet & Ink and sending over these beautiful photos (I can't even tell you how tough it was to narrow it down to these few, there were so many great shots to choose from).

*Bella Figura is one of Snippet & Ink's sponsors.

Board #447: Fantaisie de Noël

2009-12-09T11:20:00.007-06:00

I love the holiday season and the way it lends itself to fantasy and whimsy and even a little mystery. Today's wedding board was inspired by this idea, and by the laurel garland from Tail of the Yak*, with the olive green, the pop of pink ribbon, and the aged gilt of the mirror behind it. I think it's a luxurious and unexpected twist on the traditional Christmas green and red, and it's definitely full of holiday fantasy.

(*Tail of the Yak is an incredibly well-curated and magical little shop in Berkeley, and if you ever have the chance to visit, do. It also happens to be where my engagement ring came from, which might make me a little biased, except that it actually is the most wonderful shop ever to exist. Promise.)

Mood: sumptuous holiday whimsy
Palette: laurel and pine green, fuschia velvet, bronze and chocolate

{click image to enlarge}

Top row from left: laurel leaf garland with pink ribbon from Tail of the Yak via Oh Happy Day, chocolate taffeta dress photo by Rodney Smith, centerpiece with magenta rose and begonia leaves by Ariella Chezar
Row 2: place setting with red napkin photo by Silvana di Franco via Wiley Valentine, vintage-style Roman-inspired crown from Heather Bullard, fuschia velvet chairs via My Little Apartment
Row 3: snowy library from Anthropologie's Nov. '09 catalog, bouquet with deep pink garden roses and jasmine by Artfool, hand-lettered menu with pink garland border by Cynthia Warren for Chez Panisse (photo by Aya Brackett)
Row 4: vintage fuschia velvet shoes via Nostalgia at the Stone House, designer Christmas tree with glass ornaments in shades of pink, chocolate chestnut wedding cake with sugared fruit and laurel leaves and diamond engagement ring in fuschia velvet box both from Martha Stewart Weddings

(I know I've been writing a lot more lately, and I hope that's okay with everyone. Some of you are probably just here for the pictures, and that's okay too.)

In the context of our recent conversations about keeping things simple, today's wedding inspiration board might not make much sense, especially if you are thinking of "simple" as "minimalist." There is certainly nothing minimalist about this sumptuous holiday wedding that I've imagined for today - it's full of outrageously rich fuschia velvet, it's decorated with garlands and Christmas trees, there's a crown and illustrated menu and fabulous vintage shoes, and a tiered chocolate cake covered with sugared fruit. I think, no matter how you try to make it fit, "simple" just doesn't apply here.

But I don't believe that richness and thoughtfulness are mutually exclusive. In fact, I think that they can and should go hand in hand. That was how I thought about today's inspiration board - it's the way I'd like to approach the holidays, my own wedding planning, and most parts of my life. It includes finding and creating beauty - both material and spiritual - in every day, thinking carefully which objects you choose to surround yourself with, giving to others, and doing these things in a way that is authentic for you. Below is part of an email I wrote to my friend Meg awhile back (she even posted it on her blog!) that seemed appropriate for this conversation, and that I thought I'd share with you:

...[I was thinking] about was why do I love all of the wedding details? Because I really do love them (well, most of them; there are a chunk that I find absurd). And I realized that it's because I love details in general, I love things that are done thoughtfully and beautifully, that are meaningful, and that are little gifts to other people whether they realize it's a gift or not. And if a bride doesn't feel that way about the details, and if all she feels is pressure and like she doesn't measure up, then that's not thoughtful or meaningful in a good way, and it's not a gift to anyone! People need to remember that their wedding day should reflect who they are, and if for them that means walking down the aisle to Johnny Cash, and not perfectly coordinated vintage stamps, then THAT'S their gift.

So, what do you think? How you feel about this idea? Is it something that resonates with you? How are you applying it to your own wedding planning (or holiday shopping, or whatever)?

Technical difficulties....

2009-12-09T11:06:00.002-06:00

So I'm running late today anyway, but now for some reason, when I try to upload the inspiration board, it's showing up with this totally weird color profile. I have never had this problem before, so I'm kind of at a loss for how to fix it. I'm going to keep working on it, and in the meantime if anyone has any advice, I'm all ears.

Board #446: Ivory & Evergreen

2009-12-08T05:30:00.004-06:00

I apologize for repeating images from time to time - there are some that I return to again and again. It seems like every year around this time, this sweet ruffled dress by Oscar de la Renta makes an appearance in one of my inspiration boards (like here, and here). I just can't help it - I love it! And even though it's short, it feels like the perfect winter wedding dress to me.

Though winter weddings are generally more formal than in other seasons - I think it's the fact that we're stuck indoors and wearing more clothes - that's no reason to sacrifice the simplicity that we've been talking about lately. Choose a dress that makes you feel beautiful, a classic color palette (inspired by this post), and choose a few details that matter to you and make them extra-special (like quirky calligraphy, or a wreath in lieu of a traditional bouquet, or miniature panettone for your guests to take home). As Gia Canali wrote in this insightful post (which I linked to on Friday, but in case you missed it), take it easy and do a few things well.

Update! Check out what Meg posted this morning over on A Practical Wedding!

Mood: classic sophistication, elegant whimsy
Palette: ivory and evergreen

{click image to enlarge}

Top row from left: tea-length Oscar de la Renta dress from Martha Stewart Weddings, shoes and birdcage veil photo by Jose Villa, olive branch heart via Cafe Cartolina, miniature panettone favors from Martha Stewart Weddings with letterpress tags by Austin Press
Row 2: bay leaf garland from Martha Stewart Weddings via The Bride's Guide, chapel photo by Mark Staff, white rose petals photo by Jonathan Canlas
Row 3: laurel-wreath table number from Alison Events, cake with greenery decorations photo by Jose Villa, whimsical calligraphy by Betsy Dunlap, wreath "bouquet" from Martha Stewart Weddings via The Bride's Guide

Board #445: Baby It's Cold Outside

2009-12-07T05:30:00.001-06:00

Gosh it's starting to feel like winter, even here in Austin. We actually did have a tiny bit of snow on Friday, which was so exciting - there's always something a little magical about snow flurries. Then on Saturday, my honey and I went to a friend's house and decorated cookies and watched Home Alone. And of course I've been listening to Christmas music since before Thanksgiving (I know! I couldn't help myself!). Anyway, I thought that since we're well into December, it would be fun to do a week of winter wedding inspiration boards. First up, a winter wonderland of cold white and sophisticated blue, with a few touches of silver glitter.

Mood: quiet winter chic
Palette: snow white, silver ice, royal blue

{click image to enlarge}

Top row from left: snow bride photo by Kdog Photographers, royal blue stilettos photo by Jose Villa, cake with silver crown topper photo by Elizabeth Messina, snowy farm photo from Martha Stewart
Row 2: white flowers and votive candles via Daisy Pink Cupcake, blue birds and holly invitation suite by Austin Press
Row 3: blue settee photo via Design Shimmer, white chocolates and teacup from Martha Stewart Weddings, sparkly headband by Jennifer Behr, peony bouquet photo by Jose Villa

I also just had to share this bit of wonderful news. My cousin sent out an email on Saturday night to everyone in our family, announcing that she and her boyfriend would be getting married the next day! So in case she happens to stop by Snippet & Ink: Congratulations Barb and Mike! I love you!

Sunday Edition #63

2009-12-06T05:30:00.000-06:00

by Leigh Miller

Real Wedding: Julie & Dan

2009-12-05T11:00:00.001-06:00

Since there was so much talk this week about intimate weddings with a keep-it-simple mentality, this really felt like the perfect time to share Julie and Dan's wedding with you. As soon as I read Julie's account of the day and their wedding choices - even before I saw the beautiful photos from You Look Nice Today - I knew this was a wedding after my own heart. In Julie's own words:

Dan and I dated for about three and a half years before we got married. All along I mostly thought that we would elope or have a destination wedding as I wasn’t into the idea of a traditional wedding. Being an event planner by trade, the last thing I wanted to do was plan my own huge party. Additionally, I hate to be the center of attention and the idea of hundreds of people staring at me, well it really made me nervous.

When Dan proposed (in Paris!) and we told our folks, I realized that a wedding could really be just the excuse we needed to see family and friends from out of town, not to mention the cocktails and dancing in fancy outfits. So, the wedding was on. We were engaged in April and married in September which definitely helped ease my anxiety as well as create a sense of focus. I knew I wanted it to be small, low-key, modern, fashionable, cheap(er) and fun!

So here we go. How this couple kept things sweet and simple...

Julie got ready at the very cool Ace Hotel (okay, I've never been there, but I hear it's pretty cool, and it looks way cool...). Julie, her mom and her sister did all of the flower arrangements in the hotel a couple of hours before the ceremony, with flowers purchased at the grocery store.

From Julie - "I did not spend a lot of money on décor. I brought things from our home, like an old typewriter, some old books, framed posters of Paris, an old globe, wedding pictures of family members. I used tall glass vases and white willow branches for our 'altar. I added tissue paper flowers to add some color. I also bought crepe paper streamers and paper wedding bells from our local party store. Modern geometric fabric from IKEA was used as table cloths."

If you're worried about a cocktail party not being special enough in the food department, listen to this menu: Dungeness crab cakes, prosciutto & basil with peaches and melon, pulled pork silver dollar sandwiches, antipasti, gazpacho shots, and duck confit quesadillas. Yes, please.

Mini cupcakes in red velvet, carrot, and chocolate.

Says Julie, "I’m a big fan of design blogs and used some of them for inspiration along with indie wedding blogs. I’m drawn to the style of the 1960’s and knew that I wanted to incorporate those elements with a modern/natural edge. An idea we borrowed from a blog was the Wedding Tree. Our graphic designer friend Matt created an image of a barren tree. We asked all of our guests to use various shades of green stamp ink to stamp their thumbprints on the tree as leaves. This, along with our typewriter, was used as our guest book."

40 fabulous guests joined Julie and Dan for their celebration.

{Left} "I have so many favorite moments from the whole weekend. Our families and friends really stepped in and helped us in so many ways. One of my absolute favorites was dancing with my brother and sister to the B-52’s Rock Lobster. I’m not sure how many folks are familiar with the dance that accompanies that song but let’s just say that we were on our backs, kicking our legs up like lobsters while everyone stared in disbelief!"
{Right} "The biggest DIY element was our photo booth. I saw the idea on one of the wedding blogs and thought that it would both highlight our love of photo booth pictures (we have a ton and used one for our Save-The-Date) and it would create an activity for our guests to take part in. Weddings can sometimes be so awkward for your guests, especially if they haven’t met before."

Venue: Center for Architecture, Portland, Oregon

Bride's Dress / Veil / Red Shoes: Lena Medoyeff / Coco's Masquerade / John Fluevog

Groom's custom Suit, Shirt, Tie: Duchess Clothier, Portland, Oregon

Ceremony music: Friend of the couple, Christopher Corbell

Reception music: iPod playlist made by the groom

Catering / Cupcakes: Phresh / Cupcake Jones

Thank you so much Julie and Dan for sharing your beautiful and inspiring wedding with us, and thank you to Ryan from You Look Nice Today for sending over these awesome photos. I leave you with this bit of advice from the bride: "Take a deep breath and know that you cannot control everything. From our gas BBQ falling out of the truck on the way to the reception, to the large glass vase that broke the day of the wedding, our day was filled with Murphy’s Law. And you know what, it didn’t make any difference. The other bit of advice I have, and I know you’ve all heard this before, but really try to step back and take a mental picture of the day. It all goes by so very quickly!" Amen, sister.

And in case you missed it earlier today, check out Julie and Dan's engagement shoot here.

Love Shoot: Julie & Dan

2009-12-05T05:30:00.002-06:00

I was so excited to hear from Ryan Wilcox of You Look Nice Today Photography and see his work, and I'm thrilled to get to share it with you today. He sent over these sweet engagement photos of Julie and Dan, and in addition to adoring his photography, you know how much I love a red balloon! Here's what Ryan has to say about working with this couple...

"When I first met Dan and Julie they screamed to me everything I love about my home city of Portland, Oregon. They are totally hip, fun, and a little quirky. So for their photo session I chose the industrial district of south east Portland and when Julie showed up with a big red balloon I knew they would be one of my favorite couples that I've ever had the privilege of shooting. Looking at the photos now I really feel that we were able to capture their unique personalities and indie rock style. I seriously HEART this couple."

So here's even more fun - later today I get to feature Julie and Dan's wonderfully sweet Portland wedding. Until then, here's a little teaser...

Happy Weekend!

2009-12-04T10:30:00.001-06:00

It is definitely starting to feel like the holidays around here. I've started a bit of my holiday shopping, drinking chocolate is making regular appearances in our apartment, and there's even talk of snow! In Texas! What are you doing to get in the holiday spirit? How about some of these great links from around the web this week (like roasting chestnuts!)...

{by Darling Dexter}

Beautiful brides in pink ombre and black sashes.

Mmmmm. Lavender.

Striped icebergs. Absolutely unreal.

Q is for Quail, and for sassy bridesmaid dresses.

How to roast chestnuts.

I've never been so excited about food coloring in my life.

My newest dream wedding, via Once Wed.

Oh, snap!

A magical little nook.

Isn't this what we've been talking about all week?

Great inspiration-to-reality series on SMP.

Best Christmas card ever.

One of my inspiration boards became this reader's wedding. How fun!

These would be a nice surprise in my stocking this year.

I always enjoy Hollister's gift guides.

And a big congratulations to Elizabeth Anne Designs on the beautiful new site!

Have a happy happy weekend!

snippet & ink: daily wedding inspiration

And the winner is (plus a discount!)...

Happy Weekend!

Discounts, Giveaways, Etc.

Real Wedding: Clelia & Blake

A Winter Holiday Soiree

Board #450: Gingerbread and Lavender

Happy Holidays Giveaway from Ban.do!

Board #449: Modern Vintage Circus

I'm Late! I'm Late!

Sponsored Post: Anderson Green Events

Board #448: Poinsettias in Pink

Sunday Edition #64

Love Shoot: Lindsey & Kevin

Happy Weekend!

Discounts, Giveaways, Etc.

Real Wedding: Ashley & Michael

Board #447: Fantaisie de Noël

Technical difficulties....

Board #446: Ivory & Evergreen

Sponsored Post: BravoBride

Board #445: Baby It's Cold Outside

Sunday Edition #63

Real Wedding: Julie & Dan

Love Shoot: Julie & Dan

Happy Weekend!