My Martha Wedding Inspiration...

a long while back, i think before i was engaged (yes, i am one of those brides, shhh...) i was flipping through a Martha Stewart Wedding mag (yes i did buy one prior to being engaged) and i came across this inspiration for one of the main focal points  of our wedding reception.

once i became engaged i stumbled across this reception look again, i had been searching for paper lanterns, i had seen many pics of receptions incorporating them.  although at that point i wasn't quite sure what look i was trying to achieve, other than a nautical feel....

then the above Martha inspiration came my way, instantly i knew i wanted white, blue, and a few purple lanterns in various sizes.  rather than Martha's approach of hanging the lanterns over a table, i wanted to use them to focus the attention on our dance floor.  after realizing my vision, my mom and i made the trek up to china town in los angeles on a mission to get great prices on paper lanterns, sure enough 16 lanterns and $60 later, my lanterns and i were driving home. 

 i was quite pleased with myself!

also, a few days ago my sis-in-law informed me that paper lanterns were on sale at 

Cost Plus World Market, so i found these fabulous brocade style lanterns! i think they are all really neat, but the blue are by far the winners in my book, since they work so

well with my color scheme!

so the problem is now, what would i do with these.... hmmm...

ha! i know, i could use them outside at the cocktail hour for decor! genius... 

this way the lanterns will tie the cocktail hour decor and reception decor together without being the same exact style! 

the next plan of attack was to use the centerpiece idea for some of my reception tables.

after that same LA trip, i was about ready to give up on the idea of 5 various sized hurricanes on each of these tables, wow that would cost more than just sticking with flowers!

well one night at Big Lots, i spotted a drinking glass set that was uber cheap, and had 3 various sized cylindrical glasses, which a candle would fit very nicely in... hmm.. since all the hurricanes will be wrapped in a white paper, it really didn't matter what they looked like! ha, i saved money again for my smaller "hurricanes."  

now the problem of the tall ones, well on a visit to good old WalMart, my brilliant sis-in-law saw the Catholic prayer candles (for lack of a better name) and thought hmm... hurricane plus candle all for $.99, can't beat that! cross off the candle situation, and it looks like the table decoration problems were solved.

crisis averted! 

More 2008 Earring Styles

Etoile in padapardcha & gold

Jardin in jade green, pearls, & gold

L'eau Drop in blue, teal, & gold

Rendez-vous shown in turquoise & gold

Etoile in gold crystal & gold

La Plage in white turquoise, bronze pearl, & gold

L'eau in white & gold

Champagne in bronze pearl & crystal 

with antiqued sterling silver

Petit Four in pink quartz, pearl, & sterling sliver

contact me for pricing, custom colors, or additional styles from previous seasons.

Something old, new, borrowed, blue...

borrowed from the Martha Stewart Wedding Etiquette Blog...

The Rite Stuff

"you know the custom: a bride should wear "something old, something new, something borrow, something blue" on her wedding day for luck.  it's an En

glish wedding tradition that began in the Victorian era- each item meant to symbolize a different element of the bride's life:

• something old: continuity with the bride's family and her past
• something new: optimism and hope for the bride's new life
• something borrowed: good fortune passed on from a happily married friend or family member (you borrow from a friend who is married)
• something blue: blue is a color associate in ancient Rome with love and fidelity

of course, this is just one or many different wedding traditions you can incorporate into your wedding.  whatever you choose, make sure it has special meaning to you, and as always put your own, personal spin on it."

i always love finding out where our wedding traditions come from, i know i plan on incorporating this tradition into my wedding, although i haven't quite figured out how i will do it exactly ... hmmm...

any suggestions, or ways you have incorporated these traditions into your own wedding?

Is your groom-to-be giving you trouble?

while flipping through one of the many wedding mags littered around my bedroom, i found this hand dandy "grooms" calendar accompanying the wedding to do lists that come in every wedding mag.  i quickly ripped it out thinking my oh-so-busy, law school studying, fiance might be in need of a wedding schedule... and as the semester progressed, and the clock started ticking, and it became more and more difficult to coordinate our schedules to accomplish our necessary wedding tasks.

needless to say this was driving me nuts, seeing how i'm mildly obsessive about my wedding timetable, and sticking to it!  well... it was time to search my wedding binder for that tear out that was stored someplace between it's covers. 

if you are like me, paranoid about falling behind on your wedding to do's, and would like some help from you fiance, know this ahead of time...  girls he CANNOT READ YOUR MIND, you'd think i would've known this ahead of time, but no, i've been learning this the hard way and becoming frustrated.  give him a little help this way he knows what you're expecting of him on a monthly basis... he can keep himself on track according to the general guidelines of most wedding planning to do lists.

hope this is a helpful tool to your groom-to-be!

Bridesmaids Gift Ideas

like many of you engaged women out there, i've been throwing some ideas around in my noggin about what gifts to give my BMs as gifts, not only for their friendship, but also the many duties they helped with leading up to the wedding. i obviously wanna do a gift bag they can use long after the wedding day. but i would like to fill that bag with some useful goodies for that day, and for many days to follow!

**** BMs do not read any further, unless you wanna spoil the surprise****

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DIY bridesmaid gift idea

the sandals- 

since our wedding will take place near the beach, i thought it would be nice to have a comfy, yet stylish pair of flip flops for the BMs to change into for the reception.   here's an example of what i plan on doing (note: i have experience be-dazzling cell phones, so make sure to test out before starting this DIY)!

what you need:

swarovski flatback crystal in size ss16 or ss20

pair of sandals - Old Navy $5 or 2 for $5 flip flops

crazy glue adhesive - i like future glue from any craft store

tweezers

how to sandals: 

• you will need to pick up the various sizes of sandals for your girls (find Havaians, Old Navy, Jcrew sandals)
• purchase flat back Swarovski crystals (can find many selections on eBay, or a jewelry wholesaler)
• crazy glue (do not use a glue gun, the glue is not strong enough to bond the rubber and crystal together)
• depending on size of the thongs, you will need to line up crystals, typically in rows of 3, start working from toe area of the thong and work your way out ( <--|-->) back towards heal of sandal.
• when applying glue, put it on the back of each crystal, then use tweezers to apply and position crystal on thong.

BMs totes: 

i found the following bags during my most recent adventure at Old Navy believe it or not for $7 buckos! great deal... they come in the following colors, get the while they last on clearance

It's Raining Bridesmaid Dresses

so i was inspired by the most recent hot colors pick by the Knot and looked for great BM dresses (that are fully functional, don't look like typical bm dresses, nor are  they ridiculously overpriced).

straight from NY fashion week :

regal purple, aubergine, and lilac - the hot new colors coming our way in the fashion world it reflected in the wedding world).

- all four of these dresses 

   can be found at Nordstrom

hot color combo 

for summer 08: 

lilac & celery

lime & blue are also a knot.com color combo for summer 08!

stay tuned for more practical, and oh so pretty non traditional BM dress options!

 

dress can be found at Bloomingdales

Coming Attractions...

DIY gifts for bridesmaids and totes for those gifts!

WWW = World Wide Wed (in Style weddings)

above are screen shots of Wedding Window and eWeddings.  i personally chose to go with wedding window, however i purchased our own domain name through godaddy.com.  i recently flipped through the winter 2008 In Style Wedding Mag and found this uber helpful page about wedding websites... i'm picking out the info that i thought was great and was helpful for me.  

get creative

• forgo the standard photos like baby pics and a stiff, posed engagement shot. instead, show more interesting candids of you two together over the years.
• tell the story of how you met, his proposal and other defining moments in your courtship.  offer important details, but try to keep it concise; sometime less is more (i have a problem doing this, but my fiance is great at editing!)
• tip: make sure to only share items suitable for your grandmother.

let guests participate

• ask folks to vote for a first-dance song or to suggest songs they'd like to hear (or don't) at the reception.
• ask for lighthearted advice in a section where other can post words of marital wisdom (we did this).
• include a memory board so guests can share stories about you & your groom. 

put your stamp on it

• repeat elements, such as a motif or a joint monogram, that appear on your save the dates, invitations or other stationery. (we are using a blue paisley pattern and a sand dollar)
• incorporate your wedding colors to give guests a hint of what to expect at the event.
• have you and your groom's song serve as background music while family and friends are logged on.

share honeymoon plans

• don't just give your destination; explain why you two chose it and what places you might visit while there.
• upload photos of the resorts where you'll be staying and colorful local sights.
• when you return, create captions for you favorite pics, and post the text and images for guests to view.

the nitty-gritty

• don't forget the basics: the date and location of both the ceremony and reception, as well as directions, maps, and itineraries. (see screen shot below)
• recommend hotels, restaurants, bars, shops and nearby must-see attractions for out-of-towners, and include links to web sites about your suggested spots where possible. (see screen shot below)

• post a weather forecast a week ahead of time so your guests have an idea of what to pack. (this is also something we've done, i will update it a week before the wedding)

My Registry Advice

first let me say this is just my opinion about registries, you can take it or leave it, but i think its a great idea for setting up your gift registry (if you decide to register at Crate & Barrel)!

if you are registering at Crate & Barrel, go to one of their sunday wedding parties   they are throwing them Feb - March, so use that link to check it out... it's super fun, they close the store to engaged couples they have hors d'ouevres, demos of products (knives, blenders, espresso machine, etc..), reps from certain brans for Q&As, it was really a fun and informative morning!

my advice is this:

• register for Everything you want and need at your stores.  
• then go home and W's for wants and N's for needs on your print out.  
• then tailor your list accordingly, keep your lists in your wedding binder (i mean what bride doesn't have one?), then remove all the fun stuff you want, so only your needs are on the public registry, as those become depleted start adding on your wants to replace what's been purchased. 
• this way you can "steer" the generous people in your lives to purchase the things you really need first, rather than that frivolous thing you want.  
  
• make sure to check your registry a day or two before the wedding and throw all the wants back on to make sure you have your "completion discount" after the wedding!

happy registering!

Spring 2008 Looks - Joie de Vie Jewelry

the Joie de Vie Jewelry site is under construction right now, 

until then, if anyone is interested in pricing or more pieces 

feel free to comment on this post with your email and 

i will get back to you with the info you are requesting.

Blair

L'eau shown here in coral, peach, & gold

La Mer shown in blue & silver

Rendez-vous shown in turquoise & gold

Noir shown in black & gold

Etoile Bracelet shown in topaz & gold

Roses are Red, Violets are blue... but they're violet not blue?

has anyone every thought about that?...

i hate to say i just realized it but that rhyme doesn't make sense...

ok, if you didn't get that, completely dissreagard =)

so part 2 of my valentine's gifts:

the FI (fiance) and i got a little something for each other and here's my part of the exchange

it's called the "mackenna travel folio" from the Pottery Barn Bed & Bath catalogue.

since i design jewelry, and happen to have A LOT of it, this case will make traveling with my jewelry a whole lot easier.  i'm sharing this with you because if you're like me, when you travel you like to have accessory options, it's easy to tangle them, loose them, or flat out misplace them in your luggage.   to go along with that... one of my friends actually lost diamond earrings on her wedding day during the beautification process! not cool....

so this could be a helpful place to keep your precious wedding day and honeymoon baubles (preferably my designs of course!) =)

Side Note: FI and i started a trend to make gift giving more fun/spontaneous again, 

after 4 years we just started the bad habit of

 "hey what do you want for Christmas or __________(holiday)?"

we email each other links (well mainly me) of things we would like, and this folio just so happened to be on my email list. try it out, it would work well with parents, boyfriends, or emailing things you like to yourself!

Airing My Laundry...

while folding laundry today... the thought occurred to me to write about lingerie... even though your undies are rarely seen (unless you're that girl with her pants too low and thong a little too high). i don't know about you, but shopping for new undies is such a rewarding feeling, even if you are the only one who appreciates them.  one of my favorites is made by Hanky Panky. these are one size fits all (so no digging at the hips), they come a lowrise style (so you don't have to be THAT girl), and they have a million different color combos that are so cute and colorful!

i will say that they aren't cheap, but once you buy a pair you'll be hooked! i always look for them on sale at Bloomies, Nordi's, or Nordi's Rack. ok i'll let you in on my little secret... you can buy them on eBay too.

any other favorites (like Hanky Pankies) that anyone cares to share, i'm always on the lookout for great, new undies!

Hot Honeymoon Tip

i just received an email to this link for a 6 day 5 night vacation to the Tahitian island or Moorea with airfare included from Air Tahiti Nui all for $1399 per person!

this is an insane deal, my fiance and i are going to be spending our honeymoon in tahiti, moorea, and bora bora, and i can tell you that this is a steal to visit such a beautiful place for this price!!!

airfare alone during high season can run you at the lowest $1000 pp.  for all you summer brides, this deal doesn't apply, you must be traveling before may 31st, or after nov 1st - dec 10th.

check it out here Moorea honeymoon idea! this website's deals go quick so take a look.

i hope this post helps!

Trunk Show Update

the Tustin location of la soie is hosting an upcoming trunk show featuring 3 designers

Manuel Mota

San Patrick

Enzoani

the show will take place over the weekend of March 21st-23rd.

I'm partial to this salon since this is where i found my dress.

Coming Attractions...

wedding website ideas... and my very own struggles with our site!

My Valentine

so my dad gave me my valentine's gift a little early, but i'm pretty sure i'm gonna love this gift and use it for a very long time!

thanks dad...

well it wasn't jewelry, candy, or a cute stuffed animal, no... it was a computer program! maybe to the average girl it might have been received with a yawn, but i'm not your average girl.

Bento is a personal database program, which will help so much for organizing my real estate business contacts, jewelry company contacts, friends and family, MOST IMPORTANTLY manage my guest list.  the latter was the main reason he picked it up on his trip to the Apple store.  i've been wanting to send my save the dates (STDs, it sounds terrible i know!) since about the ohhh... the day i got them from magnet street  but i needed a way to print the labels with all the addresses i've been stockpiling.  i had been keeping a database spreadsheet with all this important info, and when i couldn't figure out the best way to print the labels, i called my handy dandy local Apple store. what did i find out? oh, that none of the programs on my 1 month old laptop would help! $1000 for this.... as i was about to start grumbling...

dad to the rescue, he tells me about this great new software Filemaker came out with, called Benito??? well that same handy dandy apple store guy kindly corrected us and said it's called Bento, and yes it would be very helpful in solving my problem.

i'll update once i've spent time working with it, and give feed back about the program, but i'm pretty sure it'll suit me just fine!

Trunk Show Update

The Wedding Day Bridal Salon is pleased to announce a La Sposa & San Patrick (my dress maker) Trunk Show.

The date is Friday, Feb 15th to Sunday, Feb 17th - 10am to 6pm.

Special savings during the Trunk Show!

Call and schedule your Bridal Appointment today.

Their number is 714.593.5900

Vistt on the web at The Wedding Day

My 1st Wedding DIY Project

alrighty, so here we go...

i had a problem:  how to ask my 6 bridesmaids to stand by me on my wedding day? we all have busy schedules, live all over CA from fresno to los angeles to and orange county, and play lots of crazy games of phone tag.  plus, i didn't want to ask on the phone, that's just way too impersonal and not my style.  i was lucky enough to see one of my dear college friends, Jess, soon after the engagement, so i asked her while we were at dinner.  but what to do about the rest of my friends from high school? they all are in contact still and i wanted to ask them simultaneously, yet we didn't have any group events planned to do the asking.  one of those friends has referred to me as her "martha (stewart)" when it comes to creative and DIY projects, so i decided that's how i wanted to ask the other 5 girls.  

in true martha fashion i set out to create a puzzle to mail to the girls with one side being a picture of the fiance and i, the other side a personal note posing the question.  i could've made it simple by sticking the picture to the note, but i wanted it to look more 3-d.... hmmm... well, when i make shadow boxes i use foam board to make some elements POP , so that's exactly what i was going to, back both the picture and note on it, then create a pattern & cut it all out.

sounds simple right? it was one of those simpler said than done cases, so after prolonging the project ohhhh 2 months, i made it my goal one weekend to get them finished and mailed.

so here's what i did to make them, keep in mind i might do this a little differently 2nd go at it, but the girls loved it & a few of them said they were going to scrapbook it (i don't know how they will since it's double sided?)

take a look:

• printed a 4x6 picture or my fiance and i (could use a pic of you and the attendant you're asking)
• either type a note and cut to 4x6 or hand write, like i did, and crop to 4x6 ( i recommend using a large cutter, its more accurate than scissors)
• with a sharp (brand new), i mean ABSOLUTELY NOT DULL exact-o knife (i learned this the hard way) cut out your 4x6 foam piece.
• this is the time consuming part: i made a template for the puzzle pieces, traced the note out, then traced the picture & foam out all separately.  then i cut them all out individually.
•  if you stick the pieces together then cut them, you risk ripping the picture or note the wrong way when cutting the puzzle pieces!
• also try not to make more than 5 puzzle pieces, any more and you can't read the note or see the picture well.  also try not to make the puzzle lines cross major features of your faces (mainly stay away from eyes and mouth). in my example pic, this was my test run when i discovered all of these problems, oh course i didn't take any pics of the ones i sent the girls (except the Shayna note pic).
• so, after all pieces are cut, stick them all together, i used Scotch quick dry adhesive, i think i picked it up at target.
• if mailing them to your attendants, send in a bubble lined envelope to protect the foam from squishing.
• then you are all set!

My Handheld Sanity

folks, i know that there are a great many of you out there fascinated by oh so marvelous iPhone... even though i am an "all things apple person", my phone is not one of those thing.  on the other hand i prefer my Palm Treo for organizing my daily life.  it's perfect because the calendar feature on the treo is amazing! i can set tasks to be accomplished via my handy dandy Bride Ideas notebook, which i add to it at the start of every week (have you noticed that i like being organized?) =).  i can also enter in my work schedule and appointments, not to mention remind myself of the gym classes i so optimistically think i'll make it to every week, but at least it's there.  there's also my vendor appointments, dress fittings, and appointments to go on dates my fiance and the other people who are so near and dear to me. yes i did say "appointments".... but hey when you're planning a wedding time becomes slim and you do what you have to in order to stay sane!

yes the iPhone is a fabulous idea for the people who like to "play" on their smartphone, but i absolutely love my Treo, i bought it last year (doubling as a business write-off) and and i'm still a BIG fan.  other fun features, i can check the web on the go, get emails while i'm our running errands, make audio notes, and best of all... my texts are all kept in folders similar to IM chats (no more deleting old texts to receive new ones).

i love this phone, and if you are i need of a new phone, or have the budget for one, i highly recommend it, the Treo really is a "smartphone" that keeps this crazy bride-to-be on track, most of the time... =)

pause for reflection

i just wanted to note that 5 - 10 years ago, Blogger didn't exist, nor did the technology for it... sometimes i think people take for granted this supreme power we've been blessed with. the internet is a very powerful tool for many things, it helps me keep an online journal of frivolous things that i like, it also has a tendency to drive me up the wall sometimes! like when i go crazy trying to figure out a new way to post pictures on this site or change the layout to look a specific way... ugh!  despite my lack of knowledge or the internet's flaws, TECHNOLOGY RULES!

Bridesmaids Dresses part 3

so i thought i might look into j crew since they have a very classic style, one that i happen to like, just usually don't like the price tag.  

i've been struggling with the thought of asking my friends to wear a dress for my wedding that they won't ever want to wear again!  so i set out on the mission to find dresses for my friends that i, myself would want to buy to wear.  that has been my motto, must find a dress i like and i absolutely would wear again....

in my 1st post about the girls dresses i posted a marine blue one with knots under the bust, that is by far one of my top favs, i love the light airy look of the silk chiffon, there's something very romantic about the way it seems to float in a breeze.  now back to j crew, i found another favorite dress!  presenting....(drum roll please) Juliet another silk chiffon ensemble which is strapless, like my wedding dress (which is ideally what i want the girls to have).  while at Le Soie, the bridal salon where i found my dress, Linda my wedding assistant pointed out that some of the other BM dresses i had picked out didn't look right with the style wedding dress i would be wearing.  she was right, i hadn't thought of that... so when i went back to the drawing board i found juliet.  i usually don't like most of the dresses from j crew, but to my surprise i fell in love... not only would i buy this dress for everyday wear, i was pretty sure the girls would go for it too.  so i have ordered the dress in blue for the girls to try on, here are some pics of the dress.

Reception Decor ideas....

so i don't even remember how i stumbled across this company but i know i've seen some event planner use them for a "platinum wedding".

Wonderful Wedding Graffiti is truly fabulous in my opinion. not only do they specialize in tying together an overall theme for you wedding invitations, favors, and day of details... they also have a whole world of domestic graffiti for the home or other creative projects.  this image is what i plan on doing at my reception, since the yacht club has a massive fireplace that i had planned on making the focal point of the party! i love it because it places attention on the vows of a wedding, which in my opinion, aren't cherished these days the way they used to be, especially since so many couples opt for writing their "own vows".  not me, i'm sticking to the traditional vows, and i will showcase them on the mantle! =)

Bridesmaids Dresses

i have been in a 4 weddings, and have been a guest at many, and man the "don't look prettier than the bride" motto must really be on the brain when some brides pick out these dresses for their closest family and friends.  either that or some brides don't have the foresight to know that the colors/ styles they choose for their bridal party will determine how their treasured keepsakes (i.e. pictures) will immortalize the bride & groom's wedding style. 

when i started thinking about bridesmaids dresses, it was back in october while i was still deciding on my own gown.  my gripe with being a bridesmaid is you invest so much money in your friend's wedding that all you are left in the end is a $150-$350 (in extreme cases, yes one wedding i did pay that) dress that you won't wear again.  

when i started the adventure of dictating what my friends would wear, i had some ideas, here are some images of those ideas. keep in mind they are for style purposes, not color scheme.