Royal Wedding Inspirations

Yes, I was one of those people who woke up at 5:30 to catch a glimpse of the royal wedding!  How could I miss such an amazing and historic moment?  When I turned it on, Catherine was in the middle of her car ride to Westminster Abby.  She looked so beautiful in the car with her father while waving to the public I couldn't help but become teary.  When she stepped our of the car, I was overwhelmed when I saw her entire dress.  It was simple yet elegant and regal.  I also LOVED her veil!  It gave her entire look a soft touch since it was a silk tool.  Her entire outfit fit her perfectly and accentuated her body in an appropriate and elegant way.  I only wish to look as polished and stunning as she did.  

After watching most of the ceremony and the first kiss (with my students during my first block class, haha) I realized that there are many inspirations from their day that can be subtly incorporated into a "normal" wedding.  First, the readings from the ceremony were traditional but very meaningful.  T and I will be thinking about the most meaningful readings for our ceremony but what Catherine's brother read was heartfelt and fitting to the couple.  
Another inspiration that I hope to incorporate would be the choir that sang the beautiful hymns.  The singing along with the organ gave a very traditional and ethereal feel.  
Call it insignificant, but I also loved how Catherine's father and Prince William held her hand down the aisle.  
One last inspiration that we might implement on our big day will be the mandatory hats and fascinators... 

or maybe not.

Dress decisions...

So, I visited the Bridal Suite again today with my mom, one of my bridesmaids and my flower girl.  It was so much fun having my flower girl (Kay) pretend to be on "Say Yes to the Dress" and dance around in the many flower girl dresses.  She was adorable, as usual, and was a wonderful model who work each dress she tried on.  We had her try taffeta, chiffon and satin.  We all agreed that Kay looked the cutest in a floor length satin, ivory gown with a purple sash that would match the bridesmaids.  The choice is very traditional but I think it makes her even cuter (if she can get any cuter...)!  Kay had so much fun and was ecstatic when the shop girl told her she could stay in the dress for the entire appointment while her mom tried the bridesmaid dresses on.  Kay continued to entertain and crack everyone up with her little witty comments.  

Next, Mary (one of my bridesmaids and one of my 3 future sister-in-laws) tried on the 5 dress options I had chosen earlier this month with my cousin.  All the choices were from Bill Levkoff, satin and eggplant in color.  Mary looked beautiful in each dress while expressing her likes and dislikes (which I was thankful for).  The last dress she tried on was a mix between chiffon and charmeuse and it was a deep plum color... very different from the borderline-maroon eggplant color of the satin.  When she walked out, right away she mentioned how comfortable it was and how much she loved the dress, especially the color.  My mom agreed and said that she loved the color compared to the eggplant.  I knew right away that plum was what I really liked.  Knowing that I could not get any satin dress in plum, I had to made some decisions.  I originally did not want chiffon because I had thought it was too summer-y.  My mom and Mary quickly noted that the fabric gives the dresses a romantic, enchanted feel and that was all they had to say... I was sold because that is totally what I am going for!  Once this idea was planted into my mind, I found every chiffon dress they had and Mary, like a trooper, tried on every dress I wanted (thanks again, Mary!).  Each dress was gorgeous!  

So instead of the satin, eggplant dresses, I am asking my bridesmaids to choose from 12 different styles of Bill Levkoff, chiffon, plum dress.  So far, 3 out of the 6 girls have chosen different styles... we will see what the other 3 choose!  I am so excited about these dresses and truly feel confident that these are the right choices for the girls (fabric, color).  They would, of course, look beautimous in anything they wear! 

Table numbers...

T channeled his inner Lumberjack yesterday.  He used a chainsaw to help cut down trees that had fallen from the storms this month.  While he was cutting the trees, I noticed that we could use them somehow for the wedding.  My wheels began to turn.  I checked the diameter of each piece he cut and thought the size would be perfect for table numbers.  T agreed and cut small cross sections of the trees; 18 to be exact, which will be more than enough and gives me room for error.  I felt as if I were on an Easter egg hunt scrambling to pick up the pieces as T was cutting them!  After the pieces dry out, my dad will help us to Dremel script numbers into the wood pieces.  We will then paint the grooves with a dark paint to make them stand out.  These will go perfectly with the centerpieces and decor in the room.  I also believe this will tie the theme of enchanted forest together even more throughout the space.  Here are the pieces that T cut and will be made into the table numbers...

 

The type of font I like is from 1001 Free Fonts (thank you Lauren).  It is called Champagne and I think it unites old script with a whimsical twist.  Take a look...

New Inspiration Board...

I have just created my first comprehensive inspiration board!  It incorporates almost everything that has to do with our wedding and the ideas that we have so far.  Now you can see how all over the board I am... Check it out!

Invitations have arrived!

A few days ago, our trial invites arrived in the mail and we couldn't be happier!  Now the hardest part... making a decision.  We are both leaning towards #1 but the princess in me really likes #2... decisions, decisions...

Favors...

As I sit here alone with a swollen jaw from a missing wisdom tooth, one thing that cheers me up is blogging so here it is!

T and I have been deliberating about favors for our guests for quite a while.  Originally we wanted to go with caramel apples since they are the quintessential fall treat.  But there were a slew of problems that came with ordering, shipping and storing the delicious treats on a stick.  Also, we were only able to get the apples with peanuts.  Being a teacher, I know people could have allergies and I am not a big fan of my guests going into anaphylaxis at our wedding!  Our next choices we bottle openers and pint glasses engraved with our names and date.  These were great ideas but I wanted something people could nibble on and knew not everyone would appreciate bottle openers and pint glasses.  After those ideas we took a break on brainstorming.

My love for chocolate was still in the back of my mind.  My mom makes Easter chocolate lollipops every year and as I was helping her, she asked if we ever thought of chocolate favors.  I mentioned we were going to look at the famous David Bradley chocolatiers but they were uber expensive!  Then she prompted me to look up fall leaf chocolate molds.  I did and found fantastic maple leaf molds that looked perfect!  We continued to brainstorm and came up with this idea: a chocolate maple leaf in cellophane with a dark purple satin ribbon and a personalized sticker.  PERFECT!  This idea brings things we love and would love to share with our guests: a warm fall theme and chocolate!  We found a site that makes personalized favor stickers and the ones we love have a little tree with our initials carved into it with the date of our wedding.  And since we are leaning towards the chocolate linens, the leaves scattered on the table could really make the tables resemble the fall forest floor (thanks for the brilliant idea, Jane!).  It's amazing how a favor could bring a theme together so nicely.  Check these pictures out... The label plus the leaf with purple ribbon (I know you love my amateur Paint skills).

Our song...

We have been deliberating as to which song we should dance to for our First Dance as husband and wife.  At first, it was a no brainer because "You and Me" by the Dave Matthews Band resonated with us as a couple and always gave me butterflies (let a lone tears to my eyes - yes, I am quite the sap!).  The song talks about a whole life together as a couple focusing on each other saying that we can do anything with even a nod to idea of kids (in the future of course)!  Also, this was the song that played before he proposed so it had even more meaning to us.  Worries arose when we thought about the pace of the song.  T was concerned that it might have been too fast for a slow dance but being a veteran dancer myself I tried to reassure him that we could slow our dance to still match the beat of the song.  Knowing he was apprehensive about this, I immediately thought of another Dave song that meant a lot to me and made me think of our relationship.  That song was "Steady as we go."  It is a much slower song with wonderfully beautiful words that make my heart flutter.  After I introduced the song to T, he liked it a lot... the pace, especially.  So we have been at odds about which song to choose until this morning.  We actually practiced dancing to "You and Me" and to our (mostly his) surprise, it worked perfectly!  I showed him how we could slow our pace of dance to match the beat of the song.  We had a moment while dancing as we both realized this is our song.  We even practiced a little twirl that matches the chorus for a  little added flare!  

Even though we have made our choice for certain, we will still make it a point to play our second choice during the reception.  We are elated to have made our choice and cannot wait to make the dance real and embrace each other in  dance for the first time as we are married!

Take a listen to our wedding song!  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kD9CrZODlNA

Bridal Shows...

As planning continues I cannot help but notice the many advertised bridal shows in the area.  Being a girl who loves nothing more than pillaging free treasures, I try to go to as many shows as possible.  I am careful to not drive myself crazy with getting my money's worth (or should I say time's worth since most of them are free to attend) and not fall into advertising scams that run rampant at these shows.  Below I have made 2 lists explaining the pros and cons (channeling my English teacher cronies) of attending bridal shows from my experiences so far.

Pros

• Free stuff:  Hors d'oeuvres, cake samples, coupons, gift certificates, cocktails, hair trials, makeup trials, jewelry deals, door prizes and give-aways, and in rare cases free bridal gowns.  
• Vendor Networking:  This is when you can sample vendors work, check out what they have to offer and sometimes work deals for what you are looking for.  During shows, vendors are wanting your attention and, most of all, your business.  The ball is always in your court at these events so the ability to bargain is known.  Entertaining companies (DJs and bands) usually put on a show for all attendants to display what their teams has to offer.  Their performances can be cheesy at times but that shows you what you could have at your event (whether its bad or not).  
• Fashion Shows & Ideas:  If you are unsure of what you want with regard to style of dress for your party this is the place to window shop.  Usually the bridal shops that sponsor the shows put on a nice demonstration of new lines from designers in the favorable colors for the seasons.  The last show I attended was definitely worth my while because as I was watching the fashion show, they brought out four girls in the same color (eggplant!) but different styles of dress... exactly what I want!  This helped me visualize my thoughts.  Also, some shows have tables set up in many different styles and color pallets along with floral arrangements that could give you ideas for your own day.  Take many pictures and bring the ideas home to place into your wedding binder (if you are like me) and show to your fiance'.
• They can be really fun!  Especially if you are with people you love and are in your party.  Eat, drink, relax and have a great time bonding!

Cons

• Info Sharing:  going to these shows sometimes means that you must pre-register in order to be eligible for door prizes (which sometimes could be good!).  Pre-registering means that your information will be shared will all of the vendors present, whether you want them to or not.  Soon after the show in over you will begin receiving emails, phone calls and fliers from those vendors.  These can be nuisances and can be avoided my only giving an email.  another way this can be avoided is by creating a temporary email specific for wedding correspondence (thanks for the idea, Tricia!). 
• Scams:  Your information is not only limited to the vendors present but are also shared with companies that will contact you about possible free honeymoons and trips if you only agree to certain things (attending shows, time share presentations...).  You might also find yourself searching for deals that were advertised to you only to find that you have been lead to something that is not worth your while or might cost you more than what the item is truly worth.  Be careful and cautious.  The tried and true saying, "nothing is ever free" reigns true here. 
• Peddling:  If you have already booked a certain vendor and do not need to look for, say, a DJ or a photographer, be prepared for peddling that could be annoying at times.  A vendor that you do not need to see will be asking who you have chose and why and if you are happy with them... I always thank them for their time but do not tell them who I have gone with (just my preference).  Also, some vendors will say what you want to hear in order to get your business so be weary... but polite :)

Despite the Cons, I find bridal shows to be fun and exciting as long as I am prepared and know that I need none of the vendors' services... I am only there for the fashion show and the free stuff, food and drinks!  Have fun attending the shows and getting the royal treatment!

Table ideas and more...

As you have seen in a prior post, we are going for an enchanted fall forest theme with our flowers; bright colors, whimsical fiddle heads... 

As for the centerpieces, we have chosen to have high vases with willow branches protruding out of the top.  The willow branches are important to bring the idea of a forest into the room.  We are thinking about having two options for the centerpieces.  Perhaps half of the pieces could have flowers at the top of the vases (like the picture below) and the other half of the pieces could have flowers at the bottom of the vases (second picture). 

We are choosing to have hanging votives from the branches which we hope will give a warm, romantic feel. Candlelight is something that I love and think gives a sense of charm!

I want to add more natural feeling accents to I am thinking about have the table names placed on tree cross sections.  Originally we were going to print table names on natural paper and placed into nice frames.  We will have to look for examples of each to see which choice we like best.  I like the picture below sans butterflies...

I will be talking with our florist/decorator to get her opinions and see what she can do.  I will be updating with what she comes up with.

Linens are the next item up for consideration.  The Heldrich offers black, ivory or chocolate linens to adorn the tables.  We then have our pick of many colors for napkins.  We were originally thinking of ivory linens with dark purple napkins (below). 

 

However, after looking at pictures from other weddings at the Heldrich I am liking the chocolate linens (below).  It gives the room a warmer feeling than the ivory (if you ask me).  The chairs are a darker brown with leaf details so they seem to match better with the chocolate and I am not a fan of chair covers.  I will be discussing this with T and getting his opinion.

As an aside, I found this photo of an idea T and I are interested in.  Instead of seating cards, we would like to have a scroll with everyone's names and their seating assignments.  This will be in a frame set on an easel behind the guest book we hope all of our guests will sign. 

The guest book will be a photo book made on Shutterfly of our engagement photos adjacent to blank pages for messages and well wishes. 

I cannot wait to see everything come together!

Developing details and theme...

As the planning continues and the day gets closer (230 days to go!), details seem to be falling into place sporadically.  Discount stores have become my friends along with coupons for my favorite stores.  I have learned quickly that if I see something that could pertain to our theme in any way I need to buy it before it is never to be found again (as my mother has taught me, "You can always return it.").  

The first of many decor purchases was a metal coach that will be used in lieu of a plain white box with a pretty ribbon for gifts.  When I saw this at HomeGoods it felt as if the heavens opened and God said, "This is so you!"  I did not hesitate to purchase it for the incredibly low price, of course after I sent a picture to T to see what he thought.  He loved it as much as I did.  I am so excited because it channels Cinderella's coach (must I reiterate the meaning behind the title of this blog)!  

My fairytale is coming true! Take a look!

Another piece of decor that was discovered on one of my shopping escapades is this metal ampersand from Anthropologie.  No worries: I, of course, used a coupon when I purchased this piece.  I am thinking of putting this on the sweetheart table surrounded with flowers consistent with those used in the centerpieces. 

As for the ring bearers pillows (plural since there will be 2 ring bearers), T's Grandpa, who is an absolutely amazing upholsterer, will be making us very special pillows made from luxurious white damask fabric with rhinestone and tassels accents .  These are very dear to us because of who is making them... T looks up to his Grandpa and to have something made by him with love for us is extremely special to the both of us.  The fabric and embellishments will give the pillows a traditional, regal feel which we are going for.  The fabric below is not exactly what we are choosing but is very close.

I will be blogging about the cake soon but I would like to stay on track by explaining the cake stand.  T and I wanted a tree stump for the cake to sit upon so we have had our eyes out for a stump that would be the correct size.  This, surprisingly, has been a difficult task... until today!  My dad called my mom and asked how big our wedding cake was going to be because he found many stumps in different diameters!!  My dad saved the day and picked a stump made of cherry with a wide diameter which he will carve a special message to us and coat with lacquer to keep in good condition.  This will be another special piece to us that will be displayed for all of our guests to see at our wedding and in our home after the wedding.  We will cherish it forever.  This picture shows what we want the stump to look like... ignore the cake.

I believe the touches of metal and wood will bring a rustic edge to the otherwise traditional decor.  I am being careful to not overdo anything that has to do with our theme and would give that advice to other brides-to-be.  A theme should be apparent but should not exclude pieces that mean something to the two of you.  I have been trying to stay with my theme of a whimsical, romantic forest while adding pieces that will accent and some that just have meaning to us as a couple.  In the end, it is a day to celebrate the love we have for each other so why not add pieces that mean the most to us even if others do not "get it" or understand.  T and I will look back and remember little things that may have been overlooked by our guests but had a special place in our hearts.  I look forward to the day that T and I will make those memories but for now I am having a great time planning with him. <3 

We are so thankful for everyone who is helping us make our wedding day the most wonderful day of our lives.   We are truly blessed.