i heart peonies

speedier thank you notes?

2009-10-08T09:56:00.004-05:00

I love a handwritten note, and I enjoy writing them. I think a poorly written thank you is better than a typed one. I still thought FontCapture was kind of a neat idea- particularly for brides. You fill out a template, scan it in and you can create your own font. A little thank you note at the back of your programs, or your signature on the menu, would be more personal than a swirly font. It could work for holiday cards or valentines.

Our scanner is being crabby, so I can't test it out, but here is a sample from the site:

At the very least, it would be fun to make your own font. Would you consider using this for thank you notes?

broke-ass bride's wedding in a week!

2009-10-02T14:10:00.005-05:00

If you haven't been over to the Broke-Ass Bride yet, I definitely recommend that you go! She is doing a full week of fabulous giveaways. DIY facials, favors, aisle runners- everything you could need and all yours for the taking! Her blog isn't so hard to read either. She is one funny lady!

I particularly love the wedding map giveaway courtesy of Pantomime Papers.

Colorful and fun, these maps are guaranteed to knock your guests socks off. Good luck!

erica barraca photography

2009-10-01T10:06:00.004-05:00

My friend and former coworker Erica had a hobby of taking beautiful photographs of friends and family. Everyone has been begging her to make a real business of her immense talent, and she has finally done it! Here is her lovely website with some examples of her work. Congrats, Erica!

everything but the dress launch party

2009-07-20T08:46:00.004-05:00

The Left Bank Jewelry in Lincoln Park is starting a blog and hosting a little blog launch party on Wednesday night. This is such a sweet shop, I definitely recommend visiting, even if not for the party. Lots of fun and affordable jewels, custom veils and a variety of other wedding paraphernalia. If you know whats good for you, you will also coordinate your visit with a trip to Sweet Mandy B's across the street. Red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting... droool...

a dress for my mother, part 1

2009-05-07T09:00:00.005-05:00

My mom and I share clothes. Well, if we are being honest, I steal her clothes. We have very similar taste and gravitate toward the same stores and styles. She is a few inches shorter than me, leaving most pants off limits, but tops and dresses are fair game. I was one of the lucky girls who actually liked the clothes that my mother bought me for my birthday. I never imagined that shopping for her "mother of the bride" dress would be such a challenge.

What is with all the jackets? For a fancy event, Mom might grab a cardigan or wrap to keep herself warm at night. The matching jacket is kind of a conservative move. It definitely works for some women and it sometimes adds a little style to the ensemble. I get this look- although maybe not in that color!

From Marisa Baratelli

My mom, however, is not a dress and jacket kind of lady. We wanted something flattering and fun. Something cocktail length, nothing strapless, nothing too short or low cut and no black (mom's decision). She also didn't want to spend more than a few hundred dollars. This is what we found.

Nordstrom

Saks

All are lovely, but none were suited to my mom. A little too country club, not enough 50's dance hall. We did most of our research online and bought a few/returned a few. Next time, I can show you the dress and her runner-up.

mother of the wedding fashion show

2009-05-06T09:26:00.003-05:00

For the Chicago readers-

CS Brides and A'Lamour are offering a fashion show for the mommas! My mom and I had such a hard time trying to find her dress and I know others are in the same boat. I thought this might help- or at very least provide a list of new sources. There might even be a few dresses that don't come with a matching jacket!

A L'Amour & CS Brides present the Mothers of the Wedding Fashion Show

Sunday, May 17th

Fashion Show at A L'Amour

236 West Northwest Highway | Barrington

Featuring selections from Alyce, Cameron Blake, Daymor, Damianou, Jade, Jade Couture, Jovani, Modern Trousseau, Montage, Rina di Montella and introducing a new resource, Marisa Baratelli.

Please call for time and additional information. Limited Seating and Reservations Required

1.847.381.5858

pretty hairpieces

2009-05-05T18:47:00.006-05:00

Anthropologie has a few bridal worthy and cost-effective hairpieces on their site. I love how frilly and feminine they are- although the Lilac Breeze Barrette does come in black and a lovely shade of yellow.
I saw the Duchess Headband while out shopping on Monday. The metallic thread and glass beading give it a little more sparkle than it might appear in the photo.
I love the vintage looking lace on the Honeysuckle Headband. The glass buttons also glam it up a bit.

fire lilly truffle cones

2009-04-24T07:01:00.005-05:00

For the ice cream loving couple... I thought these FireLilly Gourmet Truffle Cones would be a pretty adorable favor or addition to the out-of-towner bag or candy bar.

They come in six flavors, including my personal favorite, peanut butter. They are individually wrapped and come in a convenient Costco-worthy container.

miss maisy

2009-04-15T08:47:00.004-05:00

There are very few things that I regret from our wedding. The major one is that I didn't surgically attach my bouquet to my wrist. Another is that we don't have any photos of our beloved Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Maisy. The Catholic church isn't big on dogs walking brides down the aisle, but she was present that day. She was allowed to stay at our hotel, which means that I got to see her that morning and she was living it up with the rest of us at the after party. I do not, however, have any photos of her.

While looking through these photos of Juliet and Gregor's gorgeous wedding on snippet & ink, all I could think was "damn!" I mean, dogs at weddings? Genius!

How freaking cute is little Gwenyth?

All photography by Meg Smith.

And here Maisy, lounging on our deck, wondering why she couldn't have been a dog model.

anne benjamin

2009-04-14T07:28:00.005-05:00

The Daily Candy Chicago Wedding Guide came this morning. I love the DC wedding guide for it's ability to point out small but fabulous local vendors. Take, for instance, Chicago invitation designer Anne Benjamin. Even her envelopes are cool.

I wouldn't want to send this back to the bride and groom!

A modern take on the classic silhouette

And a matching brunch invitation

Birds!

A simple invitation which really highlights the letterpress-And a not so simple liner to surprise the reader.

Daily Candy also launched a site entirely dedicated to weddings today. Be sure to check it out!

little birdy

2009-04-11T08:26:00.004-05:00

I saw this gorgeous arrangement on Saipua this morning and it reminded me of my sad, stolen bouquet. The fact that it plays into my recent fascination with birdy things isn't hurting, either. If only she could ship to Chicago...

Our dear departed friend.

sarah seven

2009-04-10T08:01:00.004-05:00

My sister sent me a link to Sara Seven's etsy shop yesterday and we drooled over the gorgeous fabrics and frothy layers of sustainable fabrics. The photography alone will grab your attention. Then Daily Candy sent me news that she had just launched her own online dress shop and I felt compelled to share it with you, just in case you missed it. Oh, and she donates part of the proceeds to charity. Warm fuzzies!

Some bridal, some just fabulous, but all right up my alley.

Peaceful Afternoon, in short and long

And my absolute favorite...

Robins Egg

new house photos- the second floor

2009-04-09T08:04:00.010-05:00

Let's go upstairs, shall we?

Creepy hallway before...
Now its my office/cozy reading space/laundry room (around the wall on the left)

The old master...and new.
We had to move walls around, so the space looks quite different. Jake's office before...

and now.
Old master bath-
Taking pictures of bathrooms is tough! Please ignore the ugly bottles in my shower.

A final shot of the whole home.
Up next- landscaping, window treatments, more paint. I have heard from other home owners that your house is never done- I believe it! We are going to rest and enjoy it for a bit :)

new house photos!

2009-04-08T13:14:00.012-05:00

One month and a few weeks later, my home is in a place where I can share a few more photos. It is still a work in progress. I do, however, love it so!

May I present... the first floor!

Kitchen before...

My sunshiney kitchen after...

My beloved farmhouse sink.

Bathroom before-
And after!

Dining room before-

Voila!

Lotsa milkglass!

Living room before...

Next time we go upstairs!

moving weekend!

2009-02-27T07:55:00.009-06:00

We closed on our new home the day before the wedding. Amid all the wedding craziness, Jake and I were back and forth with our realtor on closing costs and final offers. But, close we did and after six months of renovations we are finally moving in.

It is not yet complete, but here is a preview of the changes. These photos are actually several weeks old. I will need to take more tomorrow before the house is full of boxes! We do have paint on the walls and running water, no worries.

Before. You can't tell, but the stucco was falling off in several places around the house.

After. Hubba hubba! We opened up the porch. There are now three columns in arts and crafts style siding welcoming you to the home.

Before. Ew.

After. The pedestal sink is quite lovely, as are the light fixtures that are now hanging on either side of the medicine cabinet.

A close-up on our honeycomb tiles before they put the bathroom fixtures in.

Before. Note the glass block windows. And the lovely floors- we kept those :)

After. Fireplace! Stained glass! Yay!

A close-up of our pretty windows.

More later- and moving tips are welcome!

wiyomu jewelry

2009-02-25T08:40:00.006-06:00

Thanks to Holly at Decor8 for highlighting wiyomu jewelry in her Etsy Take Five Tuesdays post. Lovely, lovely, lovely. The best part is that the designer encourages you to pick your own color jewels- potential wedding colors match, or it could be your something blue. I also loved all the lockets. Jake wore locket cufflinks at the wedding. He was able to carry sweet little pictures of us, our puppy and our family around on his wrists all day. I thought sweet little locket earrings would be similarly intimate.

petit locket doux earrings free shipping on earrings, too!

L.O.V.E.B.I.R.D necklace (pick your own colors!)

sweet swallow necklace (pick your colors, too!)

Some of the pretty colored jewels

did i ever tell you...

2009-02-24T09:15:00.012-06:00

about the time I was a model?

In a lucky turn of events, my photographer invited me to be part of a bridal shoot. It wasn't your typical trash the dress shoot, although I had some kind of weird tar substance all over my dress afterwards. Dean wanted to do something different- less Brides magazine, more Vanity Fair. The participants, all recently or soon to be married clients of Thorsen Photography, were just happy to put their dresses on again and get dolled up.

Getting ready at the fabulous studio of Amanda Hein Photography. Amanda was on the other side of the camera for the shoot. Amanda is a very talented photographer and I had so much fun with her that day! Sonia Roselli's team was on hand for make-up.

Here are some of my favorites.

It was crazy running around Chicago en bridal masse. People didn't know what to make of us. Was it some kind of wierd group marriage? I think my favorite part was our trip to Binny's. We were all needing a little liquid courage, and so, in full hair/make-up/bridal gowns, we headed into the liquor store. It was classy. Then they asked us for ID.

More here. All photos by Thorsen Photography.

i knew there was a reason that i loved that dress

2009-02-24T07:51:00.003-06:00

Thank you, AEO, for triggering my memory. I wrote about a certain Vera Wang gown in one of my very first posts, and it does look quite a bit like Taraji Henson's Roberto Cavalli dress.

So lovely...

oscar night wedding inspiration

2009-02-23T08:09:00.002-06:00

I love the Oscars! I realized an hour into the show that I hadn't seen any of the nominated movies (I should never have canceled my Blockbuster at home subscription) but I still found myself mesmerized by all the emotions and glam. I was rooting for Benjamin Button after I saw Taraji Henson in this gorgeous number.

Image from The Cut

I loved all the detail and the soft neckline. Layers of rough edged but gorgeous fabric. It would be a fabulous wedding gown!

paper source weddings

2009-02-19T08:24:00.003-06:00

Paper Source has a whole bunch of fun ahead for those lucky enough to be planning a wedding. The really lucky ones who live close to the Chicago suburb of Oak Park can see yours truly working the demo table. I took a job there last summer and have been happily stamping, backing and scoring since then.

Here are the details:

Complimentary Creative Wedding Demos

Saturday, February 21st (this Saturday, FYI)
11:30 am - Announcing the Big Day
12:45 pm - Inspired Invitations
2:00 pm - Tasteful Tabletop Décor (I will be running this demo!)
No appointment needed! Just stop by to learn how to DIY with the best of them. There will be some snacks, drinks and a raffle. Oh, and its free.

The Wedding Suite

Thursday, March 5, 2009
6:30 - 9 am
$35 per person
These events are selling out at locations all across the country. It will be kinda like last summer's Girls Night Out event (where I got to meet the fabulous Tina of WTRITO), but focused on wedding tips and tricks. This one includes champagne and strawberries... need I say more?

Wedding Workshops

If you don't want to travel from far and near to visit the Oak Park location, you will have to check the workshops homepage. I wanted to highlight a few at the OP, mostly because I am teaching one of the classes :)

Intro to Script
Tuesday, Feb 24th, March 3, 10 & 17th
6-8 pm
Make your handwriting pretty so that you aren't embarrassed of your placecards

Wedding Day Delights
Thursday, April 9th
6-8 pm
The name stinks, but the instructor will make up for it. We will work on some lovely favors, programs, menus and all the other fun paper stuff that will make your wedding fabulous.

Beyond the Invitation
Saturday, April 18th
12-3 pm
This class will give you the skills to make the invites for all the other lovely parties that surround the big day- save the dates, showers, bachelorette parties.

Anyway, I am done shilling for the man. I would love to see you this weekend!

a not-so-classic gold band

2009-01-20T08:20:00.005-06:00

I'm just going to sneak in here as if I hadn't been gone for months and write two quick posts :) Pretend like I had been here the whole time...

I saw this gorgeous ring on Etsy and I had to share. Gold bands are usually so traditional and simple. The way in which this particular band has been crafted gives it a little sparkle without needing to add diamonds or design. The organic shape of it gives it a little unique appeal as well.

Since white gold/platinum is the norm, I thought it was fun to see a yellow gold band shirking the trends.

blush and bashful deal!

2009-01-20T07:57:00.003-06:00

Emilee from Blush and Bashful Event Boutique asked that I pass a little message along to all the Chicago brides. They are offering a few extra perks if you book before Valentine's Day!

In their own words, from their blog: We’re feeling the love here at Blush & Bashful and we want to share it with you! If you book a Day Chic! Wedding Day Coordination Package with us for the 2009 calendar year by Valentine’s Day, we’d love to give you a sweet little bonus. After the booking process is complete, you can choose one of two treats; an additional consulting meeting with your coordinator, or our preferred vendor list at no extra charge.

There are quite a few fabulous wedding coordinators in our town (my own included!). The girls from Blush and Bashful have definitely built up a great reputation!

i am a lucky girl

2008-12-19T10:51:00.004-06:00

Our wedding was chosen for the next issue of Brides Chicago magazine! Here is a sneak peak, courtesy of my photographer, Dean Thorsen. Thanks, Dean, for making a bite size image for the post.

There is a little more on Charlene's blog, too. I am still waiting (impatiently! ;) for my hard copy. The digital version will have to work for now. It is so surreal to see your wedding photos laid out in this way, and to read captions like "Natalie and Jake chose this because." It has been very exciting!

If you live in the Chicago area, look out for the real deal on December 23rd!

to my chicago girls

2008-12-04T22:11:00.002-06:00

and boys- are you out there?

Last year, at the encouragement of Weddingbee's Mrs. Jasmine, my mom and I participated in the Sun Times' Letters to Santa project. The program pairs local Chicago children with volunteer Santas. These children are from low-income areas and may not receive a Christmas gift this year. As Santa, I was asked to buy a $25-30 gift. I received an adorable hand-written and illustrated letter from Jose, sweetly asking for a pair of Heelys or "books and stuff." The kid knew what he wanted and, fortunately, it was in my price range!

I can't even tell you how much fun we had buying, wrapping and shipping those gifts. I was even invited to write a note from Santa, telling Jose to be a good boy this year. I know that material goods aren't the most important thing, but I cannot give Jose peace or stability. I just gave him a little hope that Santa exists and that there is someone out there watching out for him. My letter this year (from Cruz) was just as adorable. He even clipped a coupon from Toys R Us for me :)

Anyway, with this crappy economy and normal holiday stress, this project might give you a little holiday cheer. Even if you don't live in the Chicago area, I guarantee that you will feel a little holly jolly when you send off that gift.

The Sun Times is currently short 7,471 Santas. Ho, ho, ho?

a dress that could have changed it all

2008-12-02T09:32:00.004-06:00

I have been slacking on the blog lately, but this dress forced me to post immediately.

Reem Acra Gown

This would have changed my entire wedding. Winter wedding, pale blues and silvers, hopefully some fresh snow. I am not sold on the billowy arm cuffs, but the rest of this dress is completely perfect.

If you live in the Chicago area, Belle Vie is hosting Reem Acra and Justina McCaffrey trunk shows this weekend and next. You could go see this dress in person! They have a beautiful salon, and with Vera Wang a few floors down, it could be quite a weekend.