Over the past couple of years, the idea of using birds and bird-type accessories for weddings has really grown in popularity. The more inspiration we see for Spring 2011, the more it looks like this trend is really going to take off! {Pun intended.} Here are some of our current favorite bird-themed items that you can currently find on Etsy:

{links to items, left to right: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9}

One of our recent clients, Lina, sent us this photo of the calligraphy order that we recently completed for her because she thought they looked so pretty! Thanks, Lina! You made our day!

We still have a few openings left in May for new orders, so contact us soon if you would like to work with us!

To all of our fabulous readers, we wanted to invite you to head on over to Brides Buddy and enter the giveaway that they are currently holding for $100 in FREE calligraphy from us! To enter the give away, go here.

The giveaway ends TOMORROW, March 12th at 10:00 p.m. EST so be sure to enter before then! Good luck!

So while perusing J.Crew this morning looking for some fun Spring dresses, I noticed that there are currently some GREAT bridesmaid options on the site for less than $150. And trust me, these are definitely bridesmaid dresses that will be worn again! Here are some of my favorites:

Sunshine Peony Coccinelle Dress, $138:

Strapless Embossed Lottie Dress, $140:

Solid Embossed Beach Dress, $98:

Silk Tricotine Sophia Dress, $89.99:

When it comes to bridesmaid dresses, you really can’t beat those price-points, especially for dresses that your best girls can wear again and again! If you’re still searching for dresses, check these out while there are still plenty of sizes and colors available… your bridesmaids will thank you!

While our “Best of Etsy” segment normally features several sellers, today we decided to do something different! We are SO in love with one seller’s work that we are giving them all the love today! That seller is:

D.I.Y. Paperie is a BRAND NEW seller that specializes in print-your-own invitations in some super sweet and modern designs. Here are some of our favorites:

{Vintage}

{Boy and Girl Bicycles}

{Antique Car}

And our personal favorite… WHERE were these agendas last May when I needed them?

{Wedding Day Agenda}

Not only are these invitations, save-the-dates and extras unique and fresh, but also the pricing is very budget-friendly! We’re smitten… and we think you will be too!

{all images borrowed from D.I.Y. Paperie}

Short Wedding Dresses!

Krista, by Amsale

Ally, by Amsale

Mimi, by Amsale

Michelle Roth, Style No. 31800824

Alfred Angelo, Style No. 2075

Priscilla of Boston, Style No. PL276

I am going to borrow a post from the personal blog that I wrote while planning our wedding because we had SO MANY questions and emails about this specific project. It is also the #1 Google search that brought people to my personal blog, so it is obviously something that brides want to know about!

Making your own wedding card box for your gift table is a very easy, inexpensive and fast project that will be absolutely necessary at your reception. I considered not having a card box at our wedding because I had no idea how many people actually give cash, checks and gift cards. For cosmetic and safety purposes, the card box is a must!

Here are the supplies you will need for this project:

• 1 Cardboard 10x10x10 inch box with lid from a craft store (approximately $5.99)
• 1-2 yards of the fabric of your choice – I bought 2 yards in case of mistakes (cost varies, mine was $5)
• A sharp craft knife or box cutter (cost varies, mine was $1.99)
• 1 can of spray glue (approximately $2.99)
• Ribbon to wrap around the center, at least 40″ (cost varies, mine was $0.97)
• Cardstock for the label on the front (less than $1)

Because I chose a damask-style fabric with a design that goes in one direction, I could not just wrap the box like a present. Instead, I cut 2 long strips of fabric, each long enough to secure inside the rim and just wide enough to fold the edges over. I sprayed the long sides and folded the edges so they would have a finished look. If  you can sew, you could just hem the edges before applying, but it is definitely not necessary. After getting the edges finished, I attached one panel to the box, which looked like this:

You would do the same thing with your second panel and apply it the opposite way as the first, covering the other 2 sides.  After applying both panels to the sides, then came the lid. I basically wrapped the lid like you would wrap a present, only making sure that the sides were straight instead of pointed, so that all of the edges would be covered and not showing any of the box underneath. After the entire box was wrapped with fabric, it looked like this:

For the slit in the top of the box where your cards will go, I would recommend using a box cutter instead of a craft knife if you have one. You need something that will cut through both the fabric and the top of the box. I cut a slit in the top that was about 6″ long and 1″ wide. It needs to be large enough for a card to fit through, and wide enough so that you can get your fingers inside to tuck the fabric under. Here is what it looked like after cutting the slit in the top:

Then, use a small amount of the spray glue on the underside of the rough edges and tuck them inside the box, giving the top a finished look. To complete the look, I sprayed the underside of the ribbon with glue and wrapped it around the center of the box. It is okay if it overlaps, you will be covering it with a sign. Then, I printed a small sign on my computer that simply said “cards” and glued it to another piece of cardstock and then glued the entire piece to the front of the box where my ribbon overlapped. Here is the finished product:

Things to remember if you plan to do this project:

1. SPRAY GLUE IS MESSY!!! If you can do this project outside, I highly recommend it. It sticks to everything in sight and has a pretty strong smell. If you have to do the project inside, definitely put down some newspaper or a drop cloth before spraying.
2. Make sure to choose the “prettiest side” before applying your ribbon. There may be sides that look better than others just based on the fabric or the edges, so overlap your ribbon on that side so you can place your label on that side as well.
3. It doesn’t have to be perfect. This was a REALLY DIFFICULT thing for me to accept when doing a lot of DIY projects for our wedding day, but it is the plain and simple truth. If one side is a little uneven or the slit on top isn’t perfectly in the center, your guests really aren’t going to care, or even notice.

If anyone decides to make this project, we would LOVE to feature your finished product on our blog!! Be sure to email us with pictures or links to your blog detailing your process!

In honor of today being Super Bowl Sunday, it only makes sense that we bring you an inspiration board for a football-themed wedding! Of course, we know football weddings aren’t the norm, but there are so many little things you can do to support your favorite team on your big day. Enjoy!

{sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9}

We personally think the football team garter can be a lot of fun – especially if it is a surprise for your groom when he goes to remove it. And really, how fun is the wedding entrance picture of the bride and groom in their respective teams’ jerseys? Whether this is your personal wedding style or not, we hope everyone enjoys a fun and relaxing Super Bowl Sunday!

In case you haven’t already heard, Crate and Barrel is currently holding the “Ultimate Wedding Contest,” and this is definitely a contest that we would want to win!

The grand prize is a $100,000 wedding planned by world-renowned event coordinator, Jo Gartin! There are also 18 other prizes for Crate and Barrel gift cards in varying dollar amounts. There is even a prize for “highest vote-getter,” so enlist your family and friends to get the votes rolling in! If you haven’t entered, you have until March 31st to do so. Head on over to Crate and Barrel’s Ultimate Wedding Contest before it’s too late! Good Luck!!!

KenzieKate Invitations! If there was ever an invitation line that fit our style perfectly, it would be KenzieKate. My only complaint is that I didn’t find this line back in May when I was planning my wedding! The patterns and color combinations are just perfect in our book. Here are a few of our favorites:

{top row: L to R: Casablanca, Montreal, Notting Hill; bottom row: L to R: Palm Springs, Seville, Savannah; all photos copyright of KenzieKate Invitations}

Aren’t those designs unbelievable? Another plus: the company’s website is very user-friendly, allowing you to change the colors of the designs to see what it would look like in your own personal color scheme. If you’re still on the invitation hunt, head on over to KenzieKate and be prepared to swoon over the entire catalog!

{Note: since this is our first “We’re digging” post, we wanted to let our readers know that these are NOT sponsored posts, just various products, vendors, etc. that we find to be particularly unique and noteworthy.}