Just an FYI....

We are registered at Target, Macy's, and Pottery Barn.....just sayin'

Tis a battle royale....

 zig zag runner w/yellow napkin

 OR

 Paisley runner w/ gingham napkin

Here is the deal...my mom likes the paisley....and I like the zig zag. My opinion is that the zig zag option is like indie rock music and lemonade...I heart it a lot, but mom is pressing the paisley. MY DAY MY WAY!!!!!!!!!!

This is how wedding planning makes me feel.....that is not a happy face!

My Brain Hurts...

Who said that planning a wedding was fun...not I! ARGH, but I figured I would post what my flowers will be sitting in on each table.........yeaup....tin cans. I love this idea...I meet with Dave from Dee's Florist tomorrow afternoon and Julie is taggin' along. We are really going to be billy ball pushers. SO MUCH TO DO!!! Thank goodness this quarter of classes will be finished up at the end of next week...then I can focus on getting stuff done...I know my mom will be happy to have my full attention...right now she only has about 10%.

What is a billy ball?

The craspedia billy button ball...you are like little drops of sunshine and unicorn smiles. I am inviting you to be a part of my boho state park wedding...please come and bring your buddies lavender, chamomile, dill, wheat grass, lambs ear, maybe your bud hydrangea and mint...I promise that you'll love the tin cans and mason jars you'll be sitting in. P.S. you are super fantastic...and so much better than a monkey ball!

I heart yee vintage...

 Okay...let us use our imaginations...vintage white wing-tipped tux shirt found at "Dreamland Vintage" in Baltimore (with sleeves rolled up and tea dyed) partnered with a pair of vintage brown wool slacks and a pair of suspenders that button into the inside of the slacks...with flip flops of course!

A big fat thank you goes out to Jeannie Dalmas for finding these treasures for Jack. I am so in love and you really hit the nail on the head with what I was thinking about. Now all that is left to find is a pair of comfy flip flops, suspenders, and a tailor to fit those pants to my hunnys buns.

I've always loved strawberry shortcake...

Oh the wedding cake...a traditional piece of the traditional wedding. My opinion...I could have done without it because I know that if Jack and I cut the cake...somehow cake will end up in my nose!

What the heck is the point of getting your makeup and hair done, purchasing an expensive dress (that most only wear once), then having cake shoved in your face by your husband? This is not a good start to the marriage! Jack needs to understand that if he shoves this wedding cake in my face I will take my lady gloves off and throw down like Charlie Brown.

Now to the ladies that provoke the cake in the face by making the first move....what are you thinking...do you want to wake up tomorrow morning with a crazy break out because of that royal icing? It just does not make any sense to me.

On to the wedding cake (that will not be smooshed in my face)...our buddy Danielle will be making it for us. It will be a giant take on a strawberry shortcake...below are some photos we liked. Opinions please...

"I Do....want Aunt Donna to marry us"

It was important to Jack and I from the start to find a close friend or family member to marry us. We wanted an intimate ceremony that was officiated by someone who loved us, and who has known us through our ups and downs.

I had gone out with Jacks Aunt Donna a few weeks back and had brought up the fact that I was searching for someone to officiate the wedding. She quickly said that she would go get ordained so that she could do it. I received an email from her this week saying that she was officially ordained....WOO HOO! So now all we need to do is figure out the ceremony.

Got Beef???

So after months of back and forth about my menu I finally decided that a caterer was going to be the easiest for my guests and myself. I had originally wanted to serve BBQ/pit beef, then decided against it because I wanted to save money. So I thought about doing deli trays and homemade sides....lots of work! After sitting down and talking to my buddies Melissa and Julie, I decided that the caterer was the best route to go. It may be more then what I originally wanted to spend, but because I've saved so much money so far I can't say no to the convenience that caterer will bring to my special day. So the menu is as follows from "Beefalo Bob's": pit beef, ham, turkey, and peppered turkey, shredded BBQ beef, BBQ chicken, mac 'n' cheese, baked beans, macaroni salad, potato salad, hot dogs, hamburgers, and fresh fruit. So my guests better come hungry!!!

"Your marrying a dude with white guy dread locks and a 1860's beard...."

So I purchased my dress, well another dress. I had purchased one from Davids Bridal over a year ago. I paid it off, but it just wasn't going in the direction that I've been moving in. It is really important to us that our day be totally relaxed. Jack has seen the dress...not on me, but he has seen it. I'm unsure about shoes, but I know my hair will be down in loose curls...light makeup...flowers in my hair..........SIGH!

My Handmade Cake Stand...Ain't It Purrrrrdy

 The wedding thoughts were put on hold for awhile due to the holidays and my increasing stress level. I'm not really back to the planning yet...but had to share this beautiful stand that was made special for Jack and I.
I had asked Jack's Stepmom Terri's new hubby Stevie to make me a cake stand for the wedding back in the summer, and he totally came through. I could not have asked for something more perfect. It's rustic and whimsical...and handmade with love!
My friend Danielle and I have been tossing around ideas for what type of cake to make.  We are thinking a un-iced strawberry shortcake......sounds yum-o to me!

BHLDN = Great Ideas....



These items were pulled from http://www.bhldn.com/ which happens to be my beloved Anthropologies bridal site. Some things that I came across...WAY...expensive (the wedding dresses are amazing), but others I thought were pretty reasonable (toasting flutes and felted garland). These are just things that made me go "OH" and I just wanted to share. I believe that I'm going to attempt the felted garland at the bottom. Would be cute wrapped around napkins or around the entry to the pavilion...

 

I Love FREE!!!

Okay...so the other day we had a tenant appreciation event in the business complex where I work. Apples were given away from a local orchard so there were empty apple crates everywhere. I had called about the crates the day of the event and was told that someone from the orchard would come by and pick the crates up later in the day. So I was a little bummed out, but then received an email today saying that because so many people requested the crates they were going to let the tenants that wanted them take them. I jumped in the handy dandy elevator...then jetted to the area the crates were in and grabbed up six of them before anyone else had made it downstairs. I'll make use of them somewhere on the big day whether I turn them upside down and place my treats on top...maybe use them as planters...don't know yet. What I do know is that free is the best way to obtain items for your wedding, the crates are super cool, and I couldn't be happier with this freebie!!!! 

Cupcakes need clothes.......

Momma, Carly, and Adi picked these baking cups up for me last night...just imagine my Elvis cupcakes in the white and and lemon cupcake in the lavender....oh yum-o!

Oh Cake Toppers...

So I purchased these little guys last year off of Etsy from "CountrySquirrelsRUS"....I loved them...and still do! They are the same color as the ones shown as well. I'm picturing them sitting upon a rough iced cake just for Jack and I.

Pavilion 2...Side View

This only cost me $152.75 to rent for the day...not to bad! I see a lot of potential here...

The Spot...Pavilion 2

A playlist fit for a wedding...

Okay so I'm really getting into the spirit of our union...and decided to put together a little playlist for the day. I don't really see a lot of dancing happening, but I could be wrong. I'll explain how the day is going to happen (or atleast this is how it's playing in my head)...Jack and I will meet before the ceremony and get photos taken around the park while we're still fresh (prior to heat and fake eyelashes lifting from position)...then we will meet back at the picnic area and greet our guests as they arrive..hence the "Arrival Tunes"...and then we will walk to the ceremony spot with friends and family...once the ceremony is finished we will come back to the pavilion and feed our faces to some relaxing alternative/indie rock songs...after the face feeding we will then move into some more upbeat stuff so we can shake our tail feathers if we so wish. I'll be adding to this list...and I have to time everything out....

Arrival Tunes:
Louis Armstrong - La Vie En Rose
Frank Sinatra - You Do Something to Me
Billie Holiday - The Very Thought of You
Nina Simone - Here Comes the Sun
Bobby Darin - I'll Be Your Baby Tonight
Wanda Jackson - Stupid Cupid
Annie Soundtrack  I Don't Need Anything But You
Edith Piaf - Toujours Aimer
The Zombies - Summertime
The La's - There She Goes
Yo La Tengo - My Little Corner of The World
The XX - VCR
Joan Jett - Crimson and Clover
The Pixies  Here Comes Your Man
The Innocense Mission - Bright As Yellow
Amos Lee - Arms of a Woman
Amy Winhouse - Love Is A Losing Game
The Beatles - With a Little Help From My Friends
The Bird & The Bee - I'm Into Something Good
Jon Anderson - Loved By The Sun
The Cure - Friday I'm In Love
The Troggs - Love Is All Around
Mama Cass Eliot - Dream a Little Dream of Me
Neil Young - Harvest Moon
The Crystals - Then He Kissed Me
The Shirelles - Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow
An American Tail - Somewhere Out There
The Flamingos - I Only Have Eyes For You
Rod Stewart Have I told you lately that I love you (jacks request)
Salt -N-Pepa - Whatta Man
Junip - Always
Phil Collins - Groovy Kind of Love
The Black Keys  Howlin' for You
69 Boyz - Tootsie Roll
Matt and Kim - Daylight
Ingrid Michaelson - You and I
The Rolling Stones - Shes A Rainbow
She & Him - Wouldn't It Be Nice
The Sundays - Wild Horses
R.E.M - Shiny Happy People
Arctic Monkeys - Baby I'm Yours
House of Pain - Jump Around
Wheatus - A Little Respect
Said The Whale - The Light is You
B-52's - Loveshack
The Darkness - I Believe In A Thing Called Love
Mat Kearney - Dancing in the Dark
Billy Idol - Dancing With Myself
Def Leppard - Pour Some Sugar On Me
Starfucker - Girls Just Want to Have Fun
The Kinks - All Day and All of the Night
MC Hammer - You Can't Touch This
Robert Palmer - Simply Irresistable
The Kooks - Young Folks
Ram Jam - Black Betty
Passion Pit - Little Secrets
The Turtles - Happy Together
The Yardbirds - For Your Love
She Wants Revenge - Take The World
The Naked and Famous - Young Blood

I made you a favor....tag

I have found in the last couple weeks of wedding planning that if you can make it the less money you are going to spend....a lot less! I originally went to a local craft store with intentions of making little tags to tie around my mason jar center pieces, this little idea has turned into some serious work. I purchased for about $5.00; a set of twenty white gift tags on string. I took them home crumpled them up and tossed them in tea and soaked them for a day. Once out of the tea and dried I took a lighter to the edges then to finish off I took my trusty Creative Memories fine tip pen and went to town on the fronts of each tag.
Once the twenty tags were finished I decided that I wanted them tied on each one of my favors (little blue bird cookies) instead of around the mason jars. So to keep from spending any more of that precious green stuff, I just found a template online and printed out 80 tags on cardstock then got to cutting. This project has taken some hours to prepare, but the finished product is something hand made and special. The plan is to tie them onto my favor bags with twine or burlap. Oh...and I have to add that my momma (who is a fantastic cookie maker) will be making these little blue bird favors.

I Mustache You A Question...

If money grew on a tree in my back yard I totally would pick that money and get a photo booth for my wedding. Alas...there is no such thing as a money tree and photo booths are a little pricey. I decided to just craft some mustaches on sticks so everyone can class up their photos during the reception. They can also be used as favors to those that can't grow in their own luxurious lip warmer.
The mustaches were very quick and easy to make...and super cheap! I believe that I spent around $7.00 for twenty. I just purchased a bag of dowels (20 pcs) already cut to 12 inches in length and then two sheets of 12 by 12 brown cardstock. I made my stencils for the staches out of some old manila folders from work (recycling is cool). The staches were then hot glued to the dowels...instant facial hair! I love them and I think they'll be a funny touch.