Oh Lovely Day

{A Lovely Winner} Custom Garter + Weekly Wrap Up

noreply@blogger.com (chandra ~ oh lovely day) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 15:30:00 +0000

Wow! You brides REALLY want a garter. We got more entries for this giveaway than any other we've ever had. You have great taste in garters. I'll reveal who our lucky garter winner is......after the break! Sorry, bad Seacrest impersonation. Seriously, our winner is:

Comment #128 from love.inspire.create! Congrats. You'll be getting an email shortly. Thanks to everyone who entered. I'm sorry you all couldn't win!

And in case you missed any of our other lovely posts from the week, here's a wrap up:

Neon is SO happening!

I love baby goats, and I love this love shoot on a Lithuanian farm.

This wedding totally illustrates my mantra: make your wedding YOU. And it is full of rustic fall goodness and DIY inspiration.

A lovely e-session with abandoned buildings and a field of yellow flowers.

Go catch up on my One Wed posts too!

how I got my $5000 for $1900

the good, bad, and ugly of wedding DIY

wedding tradition to keep: something blue

why I happily spent $30,000 on my wedding (it isn't what you think!)

wedding flower style: multiples

And instead of doing lovely links today (I've had insomnia for 3 nights and need to hit the sack) I'm just going to link to my two favorite things from the week. First, whether or not you watch The Bachelor, you must read the recaps by The Knotty Bride. They are, in a word, priceless. See the latest one here.

And second, you all know how much I love the Gosling right? If your answer is no, you must be new to this blog. So anyways, I love the Gosling and I've found a site that is perfect for you Gosling-loving brides out there. Here's a little teaser:

{via my new favorite place on the web, practical ryan gosling. He's hot AND practical!}

Have a lovely weekend! xx

{Real Engagement} Mikaela & Aaron: Rustic Monterey E-session

noreply@blogger.com (chandra ~ oh lovely day) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 13:21:00 +0000

This sweet couple lives in Calfornia's Central Coast (one of my favorite places!) and met while playing soccer at Cal State Monterey Bay. They wanted a simple outdoor engagement session and the old buildings at this Monterey military base provided the perfect backdrop. I love the vibe of these old buildings and the contrast between them and this lovely couple.

{jor.dan photography via two bright lights}

{Real Wedding} Brittany & Sergio: Rustic DIY Wedding with Native American Influences

noreply@blogger.com (chandra ~ oh lovely day) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 14:34:00 +0000

This wedding is so full of great DIY inspiration and rustic charm, I had to pass it along. Full of warmth, perhaps it will help those of you battling freezing temps. It is perfect inspiration for you brides planning a wedding for next fall, but many of the DIY and decor ideas could translate to any wedding season. Enjoy the photos and the details from the bride.

Our wedding planning journey began even before Sergio proposed as I had been compiling a list of venues in the area that fit our criteria. I even had an appointment to a venue on the day we got engaged! We knew we wanted to be married in the fall, outdoors, surrounded by nature. To me, autumn is the most romantic season with the leaves changing, the air getting crisper and fireplaces roaring to life (even though San Diego has less than adequate change of seasons). We found our venue, Temecula Creek Inn, the second weekend we searched. The Stone House is nestled against a mountainside in a grove of oak trees. It’s like taking a step back in time and a world away from the city. The Stone House was used as a mess hall in the 1800’s for miners from the nearby quarry.

We wanted a rustic, organic, natural feel while using the jewel toned autumn palette and mixing traditional with unexpected elements. I am Cherokee and was raised with the Cherokee heritage and culture. Sergio is Kumeyaay, a tribe native to San Diego. Though we still wanted to have the traditional Western ceremony, we also wanted to incorporate our cultural background. To honor Sergio’s heritage we were getting married on his homeland. We asked my dad to perform the Cherokee portion of the wedding ceremony. On wine barrels set on either side of the entrance of the aisle were abalone shells with burning sage bundles. As the guests walked to their seats they were smudged with the smoke from the sage. Smudging cleanses people and the area of bad spirits, feelings or influences while the ceremony is conducted.

Our tables had burlap runners I made and napkins with wheat stalks and tied in raffia. Our table numbers were wood burned tree slices. Each table was based on a day that was significant in our relationship. We also made the wooden signs.

You know my mantra: Make Your Wedding YOU. I don't even know this couple and after seeing these photos I feel like I know them. They clearly made their wedding personal to them, and that is how you make it a lovely day. So, tell me: what's your favorite DIY element? How much to you love the aisle decor of leaves? How does this wedding inspire you? How are you going to make your wedding YOU?

Vendors: Photography: Emily Faulknor Photography / Day of Coordination: One and Only Events

Ceremony and Reception Venue: Temecula Creek Inn / DJ: Vynce with DJ Phreek / Florist: Tessilk

Cake: Yves Fournier / Pies: Julian Pie Company / Bride's Dress: Custom Casablanca via 2000 Dreams Bridal / Cinematography: Ashley Video Productions / Design: Bride + friend Denise Slepak / Officiant: Alison of One and Only Events / Stationery: Bride + friend of bride / Calligraphy + Hair and Makeup: AnnaMae Ouimet of One and Only Events / Catering: Temecula Creek Inn / Bridesmaid's Dresses: After Six / Groom and Groomsmen Attire: Men’s Wearhouse

{Love Shoot} Dalius & Zivile: Love on a Lithuanian Farm

noreply@blogger.com (chandra ~ oh lovely day) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 14:23:00 +0000

This love shoot is so rustic and sweet I just couldn't resist. Shot in the countryside of Lithuania, it highlights a slower life and a simpler time. The lovely light, adorable couple, and goats and chickens, plus sweet DIY details, make it a love shoot you'll love too! And the amazing photographic work by Blue Colibri doesn't hurt either.

{Photographer: Blue Colibri}

I'm sort of obsessed with this shoot! But I do love anything with a goat, especially a baby goat. Someday I will have a baby goat as a pet. Named Billy. Seriously. And the lovely girl in this shoot is just gorgeous! So, what do you think? (either about the shoot, or my future baby goat, or anything that's on your mind!)

{Inspiration Board} A Modern Neon Wedding

noreply@blogger.com (chandra ~ oh lovely day) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 14:20:00 +0000

{palette} neons + neutrals

{inspiration} If you're a modern girl or a color-lover, this board's for you. Neon is going to be big 2012, and there are lots of ways you can incorporate it in your wedding. Loving that dip dyed flatware and the neon invitation. If you don't like an all-neon palette, just use little touches of it complemented with a neutral color. It is vibrant, fun, and perfect for spring & summer!

After I already made this board, I found this photo, which I had to include in this post:

{via in the city with crystalin}

So what do you think of neon? Love it or not a fan? How would you use it?

{board photo credits: concept by Vane Broussard of Brooklyn Bride & Jenny Ebert photographed the photos at top left (cake) and bottom right (table setting) via Design Sponge, dress by Christian Siriano via Style.com, decor photo from Simplemente branco & Pinga Amor via Somewhere Splendid, eyeliner via vanity gossip, wedding invitation by Ladyfingers Letterpress via Oh So Beautiful Paper, flatware via Note to Sarah, neon twine DIY by A Girl Who Makes, flowers by Sania Pell}

{Lovely Giveaway} Custom Garter from The Garter Girl

noreply@blogger.com (chandra ~ oh lovely day) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 15:33:00 +0000

I'm excited for all of you brides today, because this giveaway is a doozy! Our very own Lovely Vendor member, The Garter Girl, is giving away a custom garter valued up to $100! In case you didn't know, I wore a Garter Girl garter as my something blue (well, one of my somethings blue) but I bought mine. You can win one for free! And even if you don't want to do a garter toss (I didn't do one) you still want to wear a garter. You just aren't a bride without a garter!

The deets: One winner will win their choice of one garter, custom or pre-made, up to a $100 value. To enter, visit the Garter Girl's site and come back here and leave a comment telling me what kind of garter you'd pick. You can also gain additional entries by doing the following:

Become a new fan of Oh Lovely Day on Facebook. If you are already a fan, post a link to this giveaway on your facebook page. Be sure to come back and leave a comment here that you've done this.

Become a new follower of Oh Lovely Day on twitter. Comment that you have become a follower here. If you are already a follower: Retweet this giveaway on twitter with the following "I just entered to win a garter from @gartergirl on @oh_lovely_day here http://su.pr/3AtBVF." Come back here and leave a comment that you retweeted.

Become an RSS follower of this blog. Leave a comment here that you have become an RSS feed follower. (follow by clicking the link above or the yellow RSS button at the top right of my blog and must do it this way for the entry to count)

Become a follower of Oh Lovely Day on Pinterest. Come back here and leave a comment that you are now following my pins.

Become a follower of the Garter Girl on Twitter. Leave a comment that you've done this.

One winner will be chosen at random from the comments left on this post. You MUST leave a comment here for each entry to count! The giveaway ends at 8 pm PST on January 26th and the winner will be announced on January 27th.

{Real Engagement} Elizabeth & James: Old Fashioned Picnic E-session

noreply@blogger.com (chandra ~ oh lovely day) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 14:15:00 +0000

I love that this couple just wanted to have a picnic with their dog Sammy for their engagement session. They made sandwiches, cookies, and sweet tea and just had a fun date! And it made for some really lovely photos by Jenny Evelyn. In fact, there were so many I had a hard time narrowing them down!

{Jenny Evelyn Photography via Two Bright Lights}

What is your favorite type of engagement session? What did, or are you planning to do, for yours? And how cute is Sammy!?

{Real Wedding} Kate & Tim: Pretty Pink + Peach DIY Wedding (that cost under $4000!)

noreply@blogger.com (chandra ~ oh lovely day) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 15:48:00 +0000

Yes, you read that right - this wedding's budget was $4000! This wedding shows you that it is possible to have a gorgeous wedding full of fun details without spending a small fortune. And I LOVE the color palette!

From the bride:

About the DIY: We tried to do as much DIY as we could to keep our budget below $4000. I made my veil, all of the bouquets, corsages and boutonnieres, the flag bunting, the little flags for the cake and cupcakes and all of the print pieces (invitation, menus, various signs around the reception area, etc.) I'm a graphic designer, so that part was really important to me.

What was your favorite moment: My favorite moment was definitely when we read our vows. We wrote them ourselves, so it was emotional, happy and so full of love. I think it really showed everyone just how much we love each other!

How did you make your wedding YOU? From the start, we wanted this wedding to look and feel like us. The music, what we wore, the fact that our dog was part of the wedding, the bonfire - we wanted it to be like a big party outside with all of our favorite people. And that's exactly what it was!

How much do you love this wedding? I'm obsessed with the color palette and the mismatched bridesmaids. What's your favorite detail?

Vendors: Photographer: Amanda Perry Photography / Venue: Academy of Performing Arts / Dress: David's Bridal / Catering: Oklahoma Joe's / Drinks: Boulevard Brewing Company / Cake: Hy-Vee / Waffle, the dog's, bow tie: Etsy Shop Pipsqueak and Petunia

{It's in the Details} Embroidery Hoop Wedding Decor DIYs

noreply@blogger.com (chandra ~ oh lovely day) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 15:19:00 +0000

I love when I find something really simple that can be used in many different ways. Who would have thought you could find so many cool uses for embroidery hoops in wedding decor and details? They are cheap and make doing a little DIY for your wedding super easy!

{embroidery hoop ring pillow alternative}

{julianna collett via style me pretty, via brooklyn bride, by max wanger via 100 layer cake}

{embroidery hoop table numbers}

{via etsy, picotte weddings via style me pretty}

{embroidery hoop signs}

{DIY by burlap+blue via hostess with the mostess}

{embroidery hoop chandelier}

{via babble}

{embroidery hoop photo display}

{via twig}

{embroidery hoop decor}

{left and bottom right: janae hardy via love and lavender, top right: martha stewart weddings}

I love the idea of collecting fabrics in different patterns and colors and hanging them in embroidery hoops as wedding decor. You can move them into your home after and create a gallery wall display with them to remind you of your wedding day. Which is your favorite idea?

{Inspired by} The Golden Globes: Wedding Translation

noreply@blogger.com (chandra ~ oh lovely day) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 15:12:00 +0000

I know not everyone watches the Golden Globes, but my husband is an actor and we really like movies, so we're always tried to see all of the nominated films and have a contest as to who can pick the most winners. Now that we have a little one, it is MUCH harder to see all of the nominated films, or any of them really. But we've seen a few, plus lots of the nominated television shows (one thing we do get plenty of is TV time). Plus, I love to see what everyone is wearing and who Ricky Gervais is going to make a joke about. I was excited that some of my favorites were winners (yay Homeland, yay Claire Danes!) but I was pretty underwhelmed with the gowns. Did you love or hate? I do have a few looks that I loved though, and that I thought I could translate into some wedding inspiration for you too.

{soft makeup and sexy hair}

I could be biased because I LOVE Reese Witherspoon, but I think her entire look was perfect. But all three of these looks, with the soft makeup and sexy tousled hair, would make a gorgeous bridal look.

{pretty red lips}

Red lips, when done right, are perfection. I especially love the shade of red on Angelina Jolie, and both of their gowns were fantastic too!

{canary yellow}

Though I'm not a huge fan of these gowns, except maybe the last one on Paula Patton, I do love the bold yellow color!

{jewel tones}

Jewel tones, especially peacock blue, were very popular. I am a huge fan of mismatched bridesmaids, and I think the above color palette would make for a gorgeous lineup! Especially love Emma Stone & Sofia Vergara on the left.

{updos}

I think updos are making a comeback, and I think there were a lot of looks to inspire a bridal updo, but it looks like the long sideswept bang updo is the most popular. I'm sort of loving Stacy Keibler's whole look (and hating her for snagging her some Clooney! Lucky girl). Charlize Theron's look is a really pretty and feminine bridal look as well.

The biggest downer of the Globes was that my dream lover Ryan Gosling was a no show. SUPER bummed about that. I was planning on posting a big photo of him, but I'll have to wait and see if he is nominated and shows up for the Oscars instead.

So, did you watch? Did one of your favorites win? Did you love what anyone was wearing? Do you like my wedding translation? Anything you were particularly inspired by?

*all images by getty images

Blogiversary Giveaways Winners + Weekly Wrap Up

noreply@blogger.com (chandra ~ oh lovely day) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 15:15:00 +0000

Once again, thank you so much for your support over the last two years. And thanks to all who entered my celebration giveaways, and to the lovely giver-awayers! Without further adieu, the randomly selected winners:

The winner of the Paloma's Nest Ring Bearer Bowl is:

Comment # 24 from Allie @ Honey Bee Invites!

The winner of the Emmie bracelet from LC Vintage is:

Comment #30 from Julia Mahlstedt

The winner of the $50 shop credit to Little Bit Heart is:

Comment #7 from lacy robinson

The winner of the brushed gold pendant Fleurings necklace is:

Comment #20 from AnnaCake

The winner of the bridal fascinator from Bella and Beya is:

Comment #8 from Anna

And finally, the winner of the Tacori Keepsake Journal and Memory Box is:

Comment # 71 from Melanie

Congrats to all of the winners and please email me to claim your prizes!

And if you missed any of this week's posts, here's a recap:

meet my new baby, gilded. isn't she pretty?

need some help writing your wedding ceremony? here ya go!

loving the the quirky details and bright colors in this beach wedding.

this nautical e-session makes me dream of summer.

And in case you've missed any of my recent One Wed guest posts, go check them out and share them if you like them:

How I Got My Dream Gown on a Budget

Gorgeous Tabletops for your Vintage Wedding

Do you make your bridesmaids wear a uniform?

And because I believe every post is better with a picture, and because this has been a tough week and I'm trying to stay positive:

{via}

Have a lovely weekend. Enjoy every second. xx

{Real Engagement} Gracie & Brian: Nautical E-session with DIY Details

noreply@blogger.com (chandra ~ oh lovely day) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 14:51:00 +0000

Yesterday I posted this fabulous beach wedding, so in keeping with that aquatic theme, I wanted to share this lovely nautical engagement session today. This bride added just enough details to make this e-session unique and her own.

{Photographed by Kelsey Lauren Photography and styled by Weddings Inspired from the Heart}

This bride-to-be is so gorgeous, and she reminds me of someone but I just can't put my finger on it. Anyone else think so? I love the whole style and feel of this shoot. So tell me, what is your favorite detail?

{Real Wedding} Emily & Don: Colorful Quirky Beach Wedding

noreply@blogger.com (chandra ~ oh lovely day) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 14:37:00 +0000

This wedding makes me want to eat fish and chips and roast marshmallows over a beach campfire. The bold color palette, the fun, quirky details, and the super sweet couple make for one inspiring wedding. I especially love the buoy aisle decor!

Some details from the amazing photographers + invitation designers, The Goodness (multi-talended much?):

Don and Emily are adorable! They were married in Watsonville, CA at Pajaro Dunes, where Emily's family has been vacationing since she was young. The venue is part beach condos, part campground, so they wanted to incorporate both of those things when planning the wedding. We were excited to design their wedding invitations which featured their bold color palette, casual and quirky wording, and cute camping-related illustrations. They did an amazing job decorating and incorporating the beach-camping theme - all DIY! The flowers were done by the bride and her friends and family. The centerpieces were old-fashioned lanterns (just like the ones in her invites!) and camping pots filled with beautiful summer dahlias and billy buttons, accented with sea stars. Each place setting had a personal note from the couple and one of Emily's cute drawings. The favors were beach towels. Their cake topper was almost 100 years old! I believe it had been through 4 generations of weddings! One unique thing during the ceremony was a twist on the sand ceremony. Don and Emily had their mothers bring sand from their respective homes: Lake Michigan and the California coast. Another very important part of the wedding is that Don and Emily are expecting! I remember Don being so happy that their baby was there to share the day with them. One of the highlights of the evening was announcing the baby's gender during the reception - a girl! They are going to make fantastic parents! The evening concluded with making s'mores at a bonfire on the beach! A perfect ending to an amazing day!

Everytime I look at these photos I fall even more in love with it! And how sweet is this couple and their baby on the way!? For those of you who don't know this, you find out the gender around the halfway mark, which means the bride was 4-5 months pregnant here. She doesn't look pregnant at all, except for that gorgeous radiant happy glow! I already looked huge by this point. Lucky girl :)

Congrats to the happy couple on their marriage and growing family!

So, I'd love to hear - what's your favorite thing? The bold palette, the gorgeous DIY (yes, DIY!) floral arrangements, the beachy-camp details... So hard to choose just one!

{A Lovely Ceremony} How to Choose your Ceremony Style

noreply@blogger.com (chandra ~ oh lovely day) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 15:00:00 +0000

After deciding on an outdoor wedding ceremony overlooking the ocean in Southern California, my husband and I went to work deciding on the actual ceremony content. We knew we wanted it to last about 30 minutes, not too long but not over in a flash. We wanted a couple of meaningful readings. We didn't want to write our own vows (too many nerves, emotions, and pressure!) but didn't want to say the traditional vows either. We wanted to incorporate ideas that set our ceremony apart from the countless weddings we see on TV and have all been to...we wanted it to be more "us." We are what I would consider spiritual, grateful, emotional people, but not what I would call religious in the traditional sense. And we wanted to include our guests. And after it was all said and done (literally) we had a beautiful, emotional, and sincere ceremony. Isn't that the point?

Anyone who tells you that you can't do or say something you want to do or say in YOUR wedding should, in my humble opinion, be ignored. Listen to what your heart tells you that you want to do and say. It is your wedding, after all...

Here is a basic outline of what our ceremony consisted of, which was combined with our officiant's remarks. I hope it helps you planning brides who don't want to go the pre-written/traditional route but are having trouble writing their own ceremony:

-Warming of the Rings (Also called a Ringwarming Ceremony. This was done during the prelude music prior to the ceremony. Our rings were passed around all of our guests in a bird's nest and guests were asked to place their good thoughts and blessings on them)

The wedding rings are the strongest and most visable sign of the bond these two people are about to make. As these rings are passed amongst you, please hold them and give them your personal blessings. The ring warming means the rings will not only be a gift from the bride and groom to each other, but will be given with the love, support, and wisdom of all present.

-Prelude Music (a variety of songs by the Vitamin String Quartet - if you don't know them, check them out on itunes! They do string/classical versions of popular music. We had Yellow by Coldplay, God Only Knows by The Beach Boys, Just Like Heaven by The Cure, All I Want is You by U2, to name a few)
-Processional (I Want to Hold Your Hand by The Beatles, the T.V. Carpio version from Across the Universe)
-Welcome Remarks and Opening Thoughts (written and said by our officiant which included fun little anecdotes and stories about us as a couple, our long history (we were high school sweethearts, dated off and on for a few years, and then were together again for about 6 years before we got married).

-First Reading: “Why Marriage” by Mari Nichols-Haining, read by a family friend (this really described what being married meant to us and what we wanted it to be):

Because to the depths of me, I long to love one person,
With all my heart, my soul, my mind, my body...
Because I need a forever friend to trust with the intimacies of me,
Who won't hold them against me,
Who loves me when I'm unlikable,
Who sees the small child in me, and
Who looks for the divine potential of me...
Because I need to cuddle in the warmth of the night
With someone who thanks God for me,
With someone I feel blessed to hold...
Because marriage means opportunity
To grow in love in friendship...
Because marriage is a discipline
To be added to a list of achievements...
Because marriages do not fail, people fail
When they enter into marriage
Expecting another to make them whole...
Because, knowing this,
I promise myself to take full responsibility
For my spiritual, mental and physical wholeness
I create me, I take half of the responsibility for my marriage
Together we create our marriage...
Because of this understanding
The possibilities are limitless.

-Group Declaration of Support for the Couple: (Guests respond by saying "We Do")
As family and friends,

You form a community of support
That surrounds ________ and _________
Each of you, by your presence here today
Is being called upon
To uphold them in loving each other
Always stand beside them, never between them
Offer them your love and your support
Not your judgment
Encourage them when encouragement is needed
And listen to them when they ask for advice
In these ways, you can honor this marriage
Into which they have come to be joined today
Do you offer your love and support
To strengthen their marriage
And bless this family created by their union?

{We Do.}

-Exchange of Vows:
I, bride/groom take you, groom/bride, to be my husband/wife, my constant friend, and my love from this day forward. I vow to be your faithful partner, in sickness and in health, in good times and in bad, in joy as well as sorrow. I promise to love you unconditionally, to support you in your goals, and to cherish and respect you. I will love and honor you all the days of my life.

-Exchange of Rings:
Groom, take Bride’s ring and place it on her finger and repeat after me:

I give you this ring as a sign that I choose you
To be my lover, my partner and my best friend, to the end of my days
Wear it, think of me, and know that I love you

Bride, take Grooms’s ring and place it on his finger and repeat after me:
I give you this ring as a sign that I choose you
To be my lover, my partner and my best friend, to the end of my days
Wear it, think of me, and know that I love you

-Second Reading: A poem written for the couple and read by a family friend
-Blessing of us as a married couple
-Introduction of the Couple
-Recessional (Vitamin String Quartet's version of Jason Mraz's I'm Yours)

Music is another important element (I think) in your wedding ceremony, so use this as an opportunity to let your personality come through. If you don't like Canon in D, then don't play it in your ceremony just because lots of other brides do. At the end of the day, this is really the most important part of your wedding, what it all should be about, and it should reflect you as a couple just as much (if not more!) than the style, decor, cake, florals, etc.

What was/is your ceremony style? I'd love to hear your favorite part, a unique element you incorporated, or a tradition you chose to keep. Your comments and sharing will help other planning brides, so share away!

Photos by Jennifer Roper

You can find more about my ceremony here. Also, if you'd like to see more full ceremony content for help and ideas, Kathryn from Snippet & Ink shared her ceremony as well, and it's really lovely so check it out. Good luck!

A Lovely New Venture: gilded {vintage + custom rentals}

noreply@blogger.com (chandra ~ oh lovely day) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 15:25:00 +0000

I've been working on it for years and talking about it for weeks, and the day has finally arrived! I'm so excited to introduce you to Oh Lovely Day's newest venture: gilded {vintage + custom rentals}. gilded is my second baby (until I have a second baby, and then it will move to the #3 spot). I've dreamed, planned, collected, and dreamed some more about starting this business. And while it isn't 100% up and running, (website is in the works and you'll find it soon at gildedrentals.com!) gilded has finally been born. What is gilded, you ask? I created an inspiration board to give you an idea:

When I was planning my own wedding I searched flea markets and thrift stores, and used my own collections, for mason jars, milk glass, skeleton keys, and other little treasures that I wanted to incorporate into my wedding. But there were some things I couldn't find, and at the time no one really did vintage rentals. So I thought, why don't I start a vintage and custom rental business? Well, day jobs, financial obligations, and a baby got in the way and delayed things a bit. And now there are quite a few vintage rental companies. But gilded will be a little different. Not only will we have a growing inventory of items perfect for all of your event needs (wedding, bridal shower, engagement session, baby shower, or photo shoot, you name it!) but we will also do custom searches for the item of your dreams and style it all for you too. And if you're dying for some bunting or custom signs or other pretty custom piece but don't have the time or ability to DIY, you can rent them from us. Let gilded DIY for you! And in keeping with our name, many of our featured items will be, well, gilded!

This is a joint venture with my design savvy friend Jessica, who DIY’d her English wedding, and we're both really excited to get the ball rolling. While we get our inventory photographed and up for your drooling pleasure, feel free to contact us about a custom search or a DIY creation that you're dying to have. And if you need some ideas, come by and check out our vintage props pinterest board and vintage wedding ideas on our facebook page (gilded's very own twitter, facebook, and pinterest pages are coming very soon!). And while gilded will be based in and serving Southern California, if you have vintage rental needs elsewhere you'll be able to check our Lovely Vendor Guide for recommendations in other parts of the US and Canada.

If you're a reader of this blog, you know I'm always stressing that you should make your wedding YOU. We want to help you do this by providing the little details that you love but can't find or DIY yourself. So now you can make your wedding YOU, with a little help from US! We can save you time, money, and a migrane or two from trying to find the supplies, scour the internet for tutorials, and find the time to sit down and just do it yourself. Trust me, not all brides are meant to DIY.

And at the end of the day, we want to make sure your event is just what it should be: lovely, and gilded!

*other than inspiration board photos, all photos are the property of Oh Lovely Day and gilded
and are samples of our current inventory.*

{Inspiration board sources} cake via brides, frame via aged and gilded, lock & knob via this is glamorous, via ritzy bee, birdcages via pinterest (no other source), mirror via the decorista, via etsy, frame via aged and gilded, gold mason via glitter guide, chair via this is glamorous, gilded leaves via fresh garland co, blocks on scale via cabin 7

{Blogiversary Giveaway Week} #6: Engagement Journal & Keepsake Memory Box from Tacori + A Weekly Wrap-Up

noreply@blogger.com (chandra ~ oh lovely day) — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 14:22:00 +0000

Rounding up my blogiversary celebration giveaway week is something perfect for the newly engaged! If you know someone who is, feel free to enter and gift the prize to them (how thoughtful are you, by the way!?)

The prize is an Engagement Journal & Keepsake Memory Box by Tacori. Enclosed in the Keepsake Box is: a scrapbooking book with detachable Tacori Love Notes, Magazine “flag” Sticky tabs and more, a Tacori pen, Tacori stickers, Tacori keepsake envelopes, keepsake Photo Corners, diamond sticker tabs, & a Tacori anti-tarnish jewelry pouch.

Plus, the inner drawer converts to a jewelry box, perfect for your engagement ring and future wedding bands!

So here's how you win:

The deets: One winner will win the Tacori Engagement Journal & Keepsake Memory Box. To enter, leave a comment telling me when you got engaged, or if you're entering for someone else, tell me about that. You can also gain additional entries by doing the following:

Become a new follower of Oh Lovely Day on twitter. Comment that you have become a follower here. If you are already a follower: Retweet this giveaway on twitter with the following "I just entered to win a keepsake memory box from @Tacori on @oh_lovely_day" with a link to this giveaway. Come back here and leave a comment that you retweeted.

Become a new follower of Oh Lovely Day on Pinterest. Come back here and leave a comment that you are now following my pins.

One winner will be chosen at random from the comments left on this post. You MUST leave a comment here for each entry to count! The giveaway ends at 8 pm PST on January 12th and the winner of the week's giveaways will be announced on January 13th. Good luck!

And don't forget to enter all of the giveaways from this week! You still have time:

A Paloma's Nest Ring Bearer Bowl is a wedding must-have!

I'm obsessed with this Emmie bracelet from LC Vintage Jewelry. Like, seriously obsessed.

Pretty pretty paper goods $50 shop credit to Little Bit Heart.

A gold pendant necklace that holds water and a real flower!? The perfect gift for your bridesmaids!

Your choice of floral bridal fascinator from Bella and Beya. How do you choose!?

Also, I've been posting on One Wed again. In case you've missed any, go catch up. And please comment, retweet, like them on facebook, and otherwise show your love if you love them!

Gorgeous table tops for your vintage wedding

Are you making your bridesmaids wear a uniform?

What would you change if you could re-plan your wedding?

Ditch the bridal bouquet toss...

And ditch the garter toss too while you're at it

{Blogiversary Giveaway Week} #5: Bridal Flower Fascinator from Bella and Beya

noreply@blogger.com (chandra ~ oh lovely day) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 14:11:00 +0000

Giveaway #5 of blogiversary celebration week is for my lovely bride readers! You will win your pick of one of the three pretty bridal fascinators shown below from Bella and Beya. How perfect would one of those be for your wedding hair, huh? SO perfect!

{clockwise: Dahlia facinator, Classic facinator, Odette facinator}

The deets: One winner will win their choice of one of the three Bridal Facinators shown above. To enter, visit the Bella and Beya etsy shop and come back here and leave a comment telling me which you hope to win. You can also gain additional entries by doing the following:

Become a follower of Bella and Beya on Twitter.

Become a new follower of Oh Lovely Day on twitter. Comment that you have become a follower here. If you are already a follower: Retweet this giveaway on twitter with the following "I just entered to win a bridal facinator from @bellaandbeya on @oh_lovely_day" with a link to this giveaway. Come back here and leave a comment that you retweeted.

Become a follower of Oh Lovely Day on Pinterest. Come back here and leave a comment that you are now following my pins.

One winner will be chosen at random from the comments left on this post. You MUST leave a comment here for each entry to count! The giveaway ends at 8 pm PST on January 11th and the winner of the week's giveaways will be announced on January 13th.

And don't forget to enter the earlier giveaways from the week:

Paloma's Nest Ring Bearer Bowl

Emmie Bracelet from LC Vintage Jewelry

$50 Shop Credit from Little Bit Heart

Gold Pendant Necklace from Fleurings

{Blogaversary Giveaway Week} #4: Brushed Gold Pendant Necklace from Fleurings

noreply@blogger.com (chandra ~ oh lovely day) — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 14:01:00 +0000

I think you’re going to love today’s giveaway, # 4 of my blogiversary celebration giveaway week! Up today is this unique brushed gold pendant from Fleurings by Samantha Lock.

Fleurings has pendants, earrings, lapel pins, and more. Isn’t it such a fun and unique idea!? They are perfect for bridesmaids gifts, and you can use them with water and fresh flowers, or silk florals. Go here to see more about how they work! And now one of you lucky readers will win a piece of Fleurings of your very own.

The deets: One winner will win one brushed gold pendant necklace as seen above. To enter, visit the Fleurings site and come back here and leave a comment telling me your favorite item. You can also gain additional entries by doing the following:

Become a new fan of Fleurings on Facebook. If you are already a fan, post a link to this giveaway on your facebook page. Be sure to come back and leave a comment here that you've done this.

Become a follower of Fleurings by Samantha Lock on Twitter. Comment that you have become a follower here.

Retweet this giveaway on twitter with the following "I just entered to win a gold pendant from @samanthalock on @oh_lovely_day" with a link to this giveaway. Come back here and leave a comment that you retweeted.

And don't forget to enter this week's other giveaways:

Paloma's Nest Ring Bearer Bowl

Emmie Bracelet from LC Vintage Jewelry

$50 shop credit from Little Bit Heart

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Fleurings is a sponsor of Oh Lovely Day

{Blogiversary Giveaway Week} #3: $50 Shop Credit from Little Bit Heart

noreply@blogger.com (chandra ~ oh lovely day) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 14:57:00 +0000

Ok, my lovely readers I have another fantastic giveaway for you today, just to say thank you for being such loyal readers. Today's giveaway is a $50 credit towards paper goods from Little Bit Heart, a shop dedicated to pretty little papergoods! Get yourself some personal or family stationery, or if you missed sending out holiday cards, send out some Happy 2012 cards instead!

Here are some of my favorites!

The deets: One winner will win a $50 credit towards anything in the Little Bit Heart shop. To enter, visit the Little Bit Heart shop and come back here and leave a comment telling me your favorite item. You can also gain additional entries by doing the following:

Become a new follower of Oh Lovely Day on twitter. Comment that you have become a follower here. If you are already a follower: Retweet this giveaway on twitter with the following "I just entered to win a $50 credit from @littlebitheart on @oh_lovely_day" with a link to this giveaway. Come back here and leave a comment that you retweeted.

Become a new follower of Oh Lovely Day on Pinterest. Come back here and leave a comment that you are now following my pins.

And don't forget to enter the earlier giveaways from the week:

Paloma's Nest Ring Bearer Bowl

Emmie Bracelet from LC Vintage Jewelry

{Blogiversary Giveaway Week} #2: Emmie Bracelet from LC Vintage Jewelry

noreply@blogger.com (chandra ~ oh lovely day) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 14:54:00 +0000

Next up in my 2 year blogiversary giveaway week (otherwise known as thankyouthankyouthankyou here are some pressies for being awesome readers week) is this super pretty bracelet from LC Vintage Jewelry called the Emmie, because it was seen at the Primetime Emmy awards and the stars loved it! And now you can win your very own. I really wish I could enter, but then that would defeat the purpose of my thanking you by giving you pressies. So maybe I'll just ask Santa for one. Oh wait...

The deets: One winner will win the Emmie bracelet as pictured above (to be clear, you only win one). To enter, visit the LC Vintage Jewelry shop and come back here and leave a comment telling me your favorite item. You can also gain additional entries by doing the following:

Become a new follower of Oh Lovely Day on twitter. Comment that you have become a follower here. If you are already a follower: Retweet this giveaway on twitter with the following "I just entered to win an Emmie bracelet from @LCVintageJewels on @oh_lovely_day" with a link to this giveaway. Come back here and leave a comment that you retweeted.

Become a new follower of Oh Lovely Day on Pinterest or follow LC Vintage Jewelry on twitter. Come back here and leave a comment that you are now doing one of these.

One winner will be chosen at random from the comments left on this post. You MUST leave a comment here for each entry to count! The giveaway ends at 8 pm PST on January 10th and the winner of the week's giveaways will be announced on January 13th. Good luck!

And don't forget to enter yesterday's giveaway as well to win a Paloma's Nest Ring Bearer Bowl!

{Blogiversary Giveaway Week} #1: Paloma's Nest Ring Bearer Bowl

noreply@blogger.com (chandra ~ oh lovely day) — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 17:26:00 +0000

In case you missed today's earlier post, today is my 2 year blog birthday, or as I'm calling it, my blogiversary! I can't believe it has been two years since I published my first post. I never dreamed that anyone would ever read my blog back then, let alone that so many eventually would! I still have to pinch myself. And to celebrate that, I'm doing a week of giveaways to thank you, my lovely readers, for all of your reading, commenting, following, liking, tweeting, love, and support! You deserve some pretty little prizes, don't ya think? Up first is one of my favorite things, a Paloma's Nest Ring Bearer Bowl.

And if you don't already know, let me just tell you that I am the biggest fan of Paloma's Nest. I've said so many times on this blog, and I have in my own collection the heirloom bowl with our wedding vows and my baby's first Christmas ornament was one of the stamped animal ornaments. He also got one this year for Christmas #2! We also got his first plate, a birthday crown, and the heirloom memory box from Paloma's Nest. They were all such wonderful gifts that I'll always treasure.

But what Paloma's Nest is known for is the Ring Bearer Bowl, and that is because they are the original designer of them. A small ceramic dish designed to replace the traditional ring pillow, you can personalize the bowl with whatever you choose (a saying, your wedding date, whatever your heart desires!), tie your wedding bands to the bowl with the attached cord, and then use the bowl as a ring dish, ornament, or other memento long after your wedding day has passed.

So today we're giving away either a Custom Ring Bearer Bowl or an Original Ring Bearer Bowl - winner's choice!

The deets: One winner will win their choice of a custom or original ring bearer bowl, as pictured above (to be clear, you only win one not both). To enter, visit the Paloma's Nest site and come back here and leave a comment telling me your favorite Paloma's Nest item. Unfortunately this giveaway is open to US residents only (for prize shipping purposes). You can also gain additional entries by doing the following:

Become a new fan of Oh Lovely Day on Facebook. If you are already a fan, come follow my pins on Pinterest instead. Be sure to come back and leave a comment here that you've done one of these two things.

Become a new follower of Oh Lovely Day on twitter. Comment that you have become a follower here. If you are already a follower: Retweet this giveaway on twitter with the following "I just entered to win a Custom Ring Bearer bowl by @palomasnest on @oh_lovely_day" with a link to this giveaway. Come back here and leave a comment that you retweeted.

Become a new follower of Paloma's Nest on Twitter. Come back here and leave a comment that you are now following Paloma's Nest.

One winner will be chosen at random from the comments left on this post. You MUST leave a comment here for each entry to count! The giveaway ends at 8 pm PST on January 9th and the winner of the week's giveaways will be announced on January 13th. Good luck!

It's my Two Year Blog Birthday, or as I'm calling it, my Blogiversary!

noreply@blogger.com (chandra ~ oh lovely day) — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 13:15:00 +0000

Happy 2012! I hope everyone is recovering from their fun NYE celebrations. Mine was low key, although I did have a bit of a champagne headache most of yesterday (this momma's tolerance ain't what it used to be, and a hangover is so much worse when you have to get up at 7 am to take care of a toddler, am I right?)

{via marlein overakker}

So the extra special thing about New Year's Day for me is not only a new year and a fresh start, but my blog's birthday! {pop pop!} Yep, two years ago I started Oh Lovely Day, and published my first post. It wasn't even really intended as a blog - more of a journal for me to keep track of things I loved, wedding ideas I had, DIY projects I did for my own wedding, and things I learned in the planning process. I just loved planning and designing my own wedding so much that once it was over I didn't know what to do with myself. That's how Oh Lovely Day was born. Who knew that little idea would grow into what it is now - a real blog, with real readers, and quite a lot of you at that!? I know I didn't! I'm still so humbled and honored to have so many of you lovely readers who find inspiration from my blog, who take the time to comment, and who come back every day.

As I said on Christmas, you've helped make my dreams come true by reading, following, commenting, and supporting this blog, so to show my appreciation I'm doing a week of fantastic giveaways! Come back later today, and every day this week to enter a new one! It's my way of giving a little blog birthday gift to you.

And very soon, probably at the end of the week (I'm just working out a few final details) I have a very exciting annoucement to share with you all. It is a labor of love and another dream come true, and I'm really excited to share it with you all! xx

{Ringing in} 2012

noreply@blogger.com (chandra ~ oh lovely day) — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 03:11:00 +0000

{source}

Happy New Year to all of your lovely faces! Thank you again so much for your support in 2011 and I can't wait to spend 2012 with you as well. Cheers! xx

Wedding Gowns by David's Bridal*

noreply@blogger.com (chandra ~ oh lovely day) — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 14:18:00 +0000

As my lovely readers know by now, Oh Lovely Day is all about making your wedding YOU, and if you can do that affordably and while staying within a budget, even better! These affordable wedding dresses from David's Bridal are both beautiful and budget-friendly, the perfect combination.

Just so pretty don't you think? And they won't max out your credit card. Which is your favorite? I really can't choose...

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{*David's Bridal is a sponsor of Oh Lovely Day}

{Lovely Sponsor} Wedding Bands by Tungsten World

noreply@blogger.com (chandra ~ oh lovely day) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 16:05:00 +0000

Most brides spend a lot of time thinking about their own wedding band (I know I did), but not much time is spent choosing the groom’s wedding band. Some grooms don’t want to wear one, others lose theirs, plus they get scratched up, and most guys just don’t care. But I’ve got the perfect solution for you. Get your groom a tungsten carbide band. They don’t scratch or get worn with time. They’re more masculine and stylish than other groom bands, so your fella will want to wear it. My husband and I choose a tungsten band like the one at the bottom left, and he loved it as much as I did.

And to solve that “they’ll lose it” problem, buy your groom’s tungsten carbide wedding bands at Tungsten World. If you’re groom loses his ring (like mine did after about 2 years!) or if anything happens to it, TungstenWorld.com will replace your ring under their lifetime warranty. I wish we had bought ours there, so we would have only had the sentimental loss instead of the one in his wallet too.

And brides, they have bands for you too. Happy shopping!

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Tungsten World is a sponsor of Oh Lovely Day