#556: um.

why is february so short.

i need to step it up a notch. i've been dilly dallying, using invitation-threading as an excuse to be flighty with other stuff.

well that and i only have so many hours in a day.

this weekend's to do's:
1) check out the rehearsal lunch space
2) visit the jewelry district
3) attempt more paper flowers (this time, 2-ply)
4) finish up the invitations
5) get names/address list from my parents
6) practice patience when the parents don't give me the info
7) don't cry

wishing you a wonderful weekend. and i'm not that good with compliments (giving or receiving)...but you're beyond lovely.

xoxo,
tto

#555: plan b. ish.

i have my centerpieces. kind of.

but i'm getting distracted. by pretties like jessica's centerpieces. i've said multiple times up-down-sideways about not wanting candles in our wedding (too much trouble). but now i'm double thinking that whole thing.


via tying the knot.

see? simple. DIY-able. and very very pretty.

main cause of my centerpiece roaming eye is the paper flower trial last weekend that pretty much failed. i was able to buy an amazing amount of paper at an amazing price and i had hoped that it would work. because that would have been amazing.

but the paper's just not the right weight for the project. not so amazing.

hm. while i was typing this post, i just had a thought. how about adhering two pages together to make thicker paper and THEN attempting the flowers. eh. it might work, it might not. i'll try it tonight. it'll be my last ditch effort until i suck it up and go back to michael's to buy heavier stock.

or until i decide that paper flowers are a no go, period.

or until i decide that rock candy was always the best idea.

or until i decide that candles are the obvious choice.

#554: let's eat cake. or something.

i don't think i've ever really talked about or featured cakes on this blog.

and it's because i don't plan to order one. srsly.

i mean. if we do order cake, it'll most likely be yummy sheetcake to serve. not a grandiose wedding cake for display. maybe we'll have a little one so we can do the cake cutting thing. i don't know. to me, the wedding cake is as memorable as the favors. which to me, means it's not that memorable. key words: to me.

i will say that i happen to like one of the major wedding trends (is it fading yet) of serving cupcakes in lieu of wedding cake. fiance and i happen to lurve cupcakes. sprinkles being our fave, of course.

but at $3.75 a pop (as big as they are), i'm not sure we want to go there.

enter starbucks.


$5.95/four cupcakes.

they have vanilla, chocolate, and red velvet. the triad. the trinity. i haven't done the taste test yet. but i would suspect they're good. sugar + butter = friends forever, right?

we haven't discussed yet what we're going to do about the whole cake thing. but when we do, i'll bring this up as an option.

#553: "somewhere over the rainbow".

remember the rainbow on acid talk?


via snippet and ink.

this board is killer. it's so fun...in a 'busy dream' kind of way.

#551: woe.

i feel like crap today.

i just got played bigtime by one of my girlfriends and i'm just not feeling very inspired in general.

so.

#550: pull it off the shelf.

a lovely message via photog natalie williams:

I would like to show my son that even when we have rainy days, and when we can barely hold our heads above water that there is still room for love. That love is truly more important than work, despite the financial stability it can bring.

I am offering up my photography services for free to those who are currently struggling. I am asking YOU to nominate these people, even nominate yourself! These well deserving people must have been truly affected by the current economy along the lines of a loss of home, the loss of a job, or even those who are just plain struggling. If you would otherwise not be able to afford full coverage for your wedding or an album this contest is for you. Here is what I am offering:

1 Wedding and 1 portrait session

The Wedding includes:

Up to 10 hours of coverage
A second shooter
All images on a DVD
All images hosted online
A 20 page 10×10 leather album

The portrait session includes:

A 3 hour portrait session
All images on a DVD
All images hosted online
A 20 page 8×8 leather album

I am asking you to tell their (or your own) story via photos, video, or in writing. I would love to hear details of your big day, or your portrait session. All entries must include a photo of the person entering or being nominated as well as a valid email address. Approach your friends and neighbors, anyone who you truly think this would benefit! All entries are due by March 21st, 2009 at 11:59 p.m. The winners will be announced the following week March 28th by 11:59 p.m. The coverage must be scheduled between now and December 31st 2010.

email: natalie [at] nataliewilliamsphotographer [dot] com




images by natalie williams.

#549: close but not really.

we went to michael's yesterday to shop for paper to do a trial of the paper flowers. we were able to pick up colored cardstock on clearance which i was really excited about.



but when we got around to making the flowers, something wasn't working. we started out with 1.5cm between the lines and then upped it to 1-inch. but i don't know what it is. maybe the stock isn't heavy enough?

at first, i tried to arrange the flowers by poking the branches through the middle of the flower. but i didn't like it.



and then fiance suggested we kind of glue the flowers together and drape them around the branches. it started off nicely and then ended up looking like a pom pom around the base. i didn't like it.



maybe i should stick to one color per centerpiece? eh, hopefully after another go at it, i'll figure it out.

or, maybe you could just tell me to my face if you happen to know.

p.s. 25 cards have been texturized. 1/3ish of the way there.

p.p.s. speaking of pom poms, fiance saw them at michael's and suggested we let the flowergirls throw them around while walking down the aisle in lieu of flower petals (not even thinking of using flower petals). i told him i'd seen pom poms used at a wedding before. i mean, not in real life, but in blog life. and in this instance, the pom poms weren't thrown by the flower girls but by the guests as the couple made their exit.


via once wed.

my initial feeling to this idea was "how whimsical and cute". but after a good night's sleep, i'm wondering if walking down a pom pom strewn aisle would perhaps increase my chances of slipping and breaking my neck. that wouldn't be good. no.

#548: she MADE these (part II).

see part I here.


via {elisebeth}.

************************************

so, like. do i say eff the rock candy and go with this instead.

#547: like this.

via a tale of two brides (yes, which is also v-bird from the previous post).

so. this is what my dress looks like pretty much exactly. minus the fur.

thought i'd share. because now i'm daydreaming.

#546: pins.

llubav via design sponge.

thanks to a comment left by victory bird, i'm now headed towards a different direction for the bouts. and lovin' it.

felt flower pins? never thought of that.

but i'm glad it's been brought to my attention. i mean. this pin would totally have a life after the wedding.

in my hair. or on a dress. or on a bag. or _________.

know what i mean.

#545: the timeline.

after my first attempt at a timeline, i realized it could use some work.

i think i'm close now.

10:30am - ceremony begins.
11:15am - ceremony ends.
11:15am - cocktailish hour. (cocktails. at 11:15 in the morn. don't you want to be at my wedding.)
12:00pm - bridal party entrance / slide show / our entrance / first dance. music keeps playing.
12:15pm - lunch is served. i.will.eat.
1:00pm - the toasts.
1:15pm - cake cutting / father daughter dance.

and then. p-a-r-t-y.

am i missing anything?

the time is going to disappear on the day of. i can already tell. i hope i remember everything.

*******************************************

dear day of,
please don't run away from me.

#544: "girl, i love you."

i don't know about you but i sometimes think about the what ifs and get crazy.

the fiance's not plugged into the blog world much (except for sites like f my life, which, let's be honest -- isn't a blog)...and has never indicated that he'd like to become as obsessed as i have about people i've never even met or spoken to in real life i'm weird i know.

i shared the nienie dialogues with him yesterday. i explained their story and had him read the entry nie wrote on february 7. out loud. {ok, go read it and come back...}

it's not just their current plight that gets me. it's the then and now, everything since even before the plane crash...her husband's love for her, her love for him, their love for their kids.

"girl, i love you."

i get scared sometimes, thinking about what could happen to either of us at any given moment. how would we deal with it. what would we do. from where would we draw the strength. is love enough.

#543: bouts.

i thought i needed 5 bouts.

groom: 1
groomsmen: 3
father of the bride: 1

but i think i need 3 more.

groom's brothers-in-law: 2
bride's brother: 1

that's a total of 8 bouts. and i desperately want to get them from myra but i haven't heard from her in almost a month, after i sent her two etsy convos. she's way in demand, i get that, and i know via her recent apologetic posts that she's been super busy.

i would give up altogether but can i just tell you. 3 trips to michael's later and i'm still stumped as to how to get the materials she uses. so. i guess i'll just have to wait.

unless. i decide fabric bouts are the way to go.


diy instructions via once wed.

#542: sis boom bah.

i have no idea what these are. but they look like pom poms. and i really like them. i guess it's time to visit a party supply store near me.


via oh happy day.

#541: she MADE these.

via {elisebeth}.

#540: i die.

saw this card on peonies and fell out of my chair.

if you knew my fiance, you'd know why.


via the beautiful project.

#539: on my mind.

1) hm. a diy photoboothy area seems like a cool idea.

2) is a guestbook necessary? yes. no. yes. no. i don't know.

3) my entire february to-do list:
practice hair/makeup, work on decoration for ceremony, finalize guest list, get guys' ties, decorate invitations, book rehearsal at venue, scope out la cienega park, book space at the park if necessary, are we getting a dj? - figure out reception schedule, be able to fit into my wedding dress.

among other things.

over the weekend, we sent out little packages to the fiance's family to officially ask his nieces and nephews to be flowergirls and bridesmaid ushers (yes, i made up this role for them and yes, i'm extremely proud of it). their ages range between 1 through 7 or 8 and one of our priorities from the very beginning was to include all of them -- 6 little kids in total.

whether they make it down the aisle as intended or not on the day of, doesn't really matter. i'm just excited they're all coming.

#538: update to the "i did a lot"s.

first up, the texturization of the invitations:




last night's stats:
cards per hour while watching tv -- 2
fingers pricked -- 2
number of times fiance yelled "it's not worth it!" -- 6

second, i tried the skinprep sample yesterday and my face felt effing nice all the live long day long. silky and matte. ladies, we have a contender. oh, and i figured out what the other sample from sephora was. it's a primer from hourglass. i'll be testing it out tomorrow. today, i'm giving the face a rest from makeup. because i want to.


third, there are zero sugar crystals on fiance's experiment. heh.

#537: i did a lot: part III of III.

so. i was hoping to take a picture last night of the third project i tested out over the weekend. but i forgot.

i threaded parts of the invitation. i used regular string, double layered it, and threaded a small section of the fuchsia tree. i used orange on top of the leaves...but it barely shows. it's very anthro-inspired...so i happen to appreciate it. but fiance doesn't get it because it's not obvious.

"you can't see it!"

but as long as a few people notice it, love it, and know that i've pricked my finger a few times for this shiz, that's good enough for me.

i'll try to remember to take a picture tonight to show you.

p.s. the fiance, aka scientist wannabe, is now experimenting with making rock candy. srsly. will let you know how it turns out. as of last night, nothing grew.

that's what she said.

#536: i did a lot: part II of III.

the fiance and i went to candy baron over the weekend and sifted through a couple of boxes of rock candy. they are a lot thicker than i'd imagined they'd be! but not to be deterred, we picked out the skinniest strings we could find and attempted our very first centerpiece.



is the picture shoddy? yes.

do i use the stationary bike? no.

so the first attempt came out muy meh. but to the rock candy's credit, all i did was drape it on the branches, which created an awkward and thick double layer.

i don't think we're going to do that for the real thing.

attempt #2 will be to cut shorter pieces and glue them directly onto the tree.

any other suggestions?

#535: i did a lot: part I of III.

i went to mac and sephora to get samples of primer after all the helpful comments on post #529. my goal: to test out at least 3 different primers.

so, mac was supremely cheapo and gave me less than a smidgeon of their primer in a little tube thing so i don't know if i'm really going to be able to test how it works. but this is what it looks like.


sephora gave me a sample of something called skinprep. it apparently works miracles no matter what type of skin you have. see conversation below.


"i have oily skin."

"it's good for oily skin!"

"i also have flaky skin."

"it's good for flaky skin!"

"i don't want to be shiny."

"it will decrease shine!"

"i think 'glowy' would be ok though."

"it will increase the glowy shine!"

"but i'm using bare minerals, not liquid foundation."

"it's good for use with powder!"

...

"you're ugly."**

"i'm ugly!"**

*********************************

sephora also gave me another kind of primer to test out but i've already forgotten what it's called. it wasn't the smashbox photo finish though. and for some reason, the saleslady wasn't too keen on smashbox. who knows why. kind of makes me wonder if the peeps at sephora really know what they're talking about...or if they're pushing the 'product of the month'.

**didn't really happen.

#534: sentiment.

my bms aren't really into sentimental details. they're more of a..."practical" bunch. well, it's either that or they just don't get my attempts of endearment. which wouldn't be all that surprising because apparently i'm...diff.er.ent.

in any case. i'd love to make these boxes for them and fill 'em to the brim with homemade goodies.



via frolic.

would you get it if i gave this to you? would you get that it's from my heart to yours? would you get that i love you? would you get that i spent the time to make it for you?

just wondering.

#533: sneak-a-peek.

our venue has a thing called 'sneak-a-peek' where we can check out the setup of a real ceremony/reception before the day of our wedding. i'll be going to one in march and i made up a list of things i must do on that day.

1) measure the doorframe/ entrance. in case.

martha stewart weddings.

2) take the big trees (there were 2 of them!) to see how they'd look, or if they'd even fit, on the mantle.

3) figure out how many chairs there are per row in the oak room so i can pre-arrange seating.

#532: another decision.

i'm chugging along with the decision making. kicking ass and taking names. or something.

***

so for those of you who don't know what my invitations look like, here's a peek.



i was thinking and thinking what i could possibly do to dress them up a bit without busting the busted budget.

and i figured it out.

i'm going to texturize the cards with some good old needle and thread. yes. each card. by hand.

good thing our guest list is limited.

oh, and yes, this is a project the fiance could help me with. in fact, he actually does all the sewing between us (rips, tears, buttons that have fallen off, etc <-- he's your guy). don't judge.

happy friday y'all. and have a lovely weekend with your loved ones. not because it's v-day.

but just 'cause.

xoxo,
tto

#531: the colors.

the fiance has chosen the graphic.

so now we're on to the colors. he had initially picked sage. but after he told me he wasn't tied to it (get it?), i suggested dove grey ink on ivory for him (as in the solo shot below) and dove grey ink on charcoal for his boys (tie on the far left in the first picture).

because correct me if i'm wrong. but i figure there's a higher chance that the guys will sport the tie again if the color is more muted than loud.

groomsmen gifts? check.



via toybreaker.

#530: i crush on her.

photo by daria bishop via snippet and ink.

#529: le face.

image from here.

i'm doing my own makeup for my wedding. and sorry to say. but i don't have that 'natural beauty' thing going on for me. which means. i will be calling on my inner makeup artist to create something bold and beautiful. hi inner makeup artist. please show up.

my daily routine consists of eyeliner, blush, mascara, and filling in my brows. to kick it up a notch, i sometimes smudge on some eyeshadow. and for very special occasions, i even out my complexion with bare minerals.

i have that type of oily/glossy-ish skin that is at the same time a bit flaky. ATTRACTIVE. so i don't like using wet stuff. like wet foundation or wet concealer, either in tube or palette form. ideally, i'd love to be completely matte on my wedding day but realistically, my skin will not really allow for that. at the moment, i'm trying out MAC translucent blotting powder and i think it helps but after an hour or so, i'm back to being shiny. now i'm considering trying something like smashbox photo finish primer. i've never used it, or even seen it, but hey, if it's supposed to help, why not. i'll do a little testy test and let you know how it goes. has anyone fought the shiny-battle and won?

one thing i'm certain about...are fake eyelashes. that's not even a question. i'm going to do it and prove it. 100%. what's your favorite out there?

#528: "date day".

i just got an email called "date day".

Valentine's Saturday:

You...me...and some lovey-dovey....

Valentine's to do's:
- Check out the Malibu Country Mart
- Brunch at one of their fine establishments
- Indulge in some rock candy (that's what she said) from Candy Baron
- Culture ourselves and go to the LACMA to check out the Vanity Fair exhibit
- Dinner TBD
- Stop by Blockbuster and pick up Zach & Miri Make a Porno
- Bottle of wine
- Watch the movie and make out all night

and of course i responded.

haiku:
it all sounds awesome
i can't wait to make out yo
"porno", really? ha.

#527: aww MAN.

i'm normally not one to get googly-eyed when i see pictures of brides. i mean, i only stare at wedding stuffs all the live long day long. and nothing really pops out at me anymore.

but. something happened.

dear meg and chelsea, thanks for making me want to roll around in some fabulous tulle.


via a practical wedding.


via frolic.

i thought my headpiece situation (yes, it's a situation) was all sorted out. but now i'm thinking.

about adding a veil to the mix. there's just something magical about seeing your hubs through a veil for the first time...and then being fully revealed to him at the altar. and i've never seriously considered a veil. but now i am.

#526: pin cushion.

via black eiffel.

if you're the type of person who has extra bits of fabric laying around, i think something like this would be brills as place cards.

not me though. i'm busy collecting cereal boxes.

#525: it's a good day.

via max wanger blog.

first, i am now totally motivated to get a tat on my wrist. it will take some convincing of the fiance...to reassure him that my veins will not pop during. but now i really want one.

second, max wanger has a blog. srsly. i've been checking EVERYDAY for it. and now it's here. YES.

#524: eastside, this is for you.

heh.

actually, it's for me.

actually, it's for the fiance and the boysies.

i asked him to pick a design to be printed. colors TBD. and i didn't tell him to "THINK ABOUT THE THEME". because.

we don't have a theme.

and he picked this one.


via toybreaker.

swoonsers.

#523: done.

via city of beverly hills.

rehearsal lunch venue? check.

#522: in action.

i just saw this picture on fiance meeting you here and i'm rather encouraged about how my bms are going to look with their jewel-toned, multi-hued solid calypso dresses. it's not the same dress but the idea is similar. yay.

not that i ever worried about it. like ever.

#521: rehearsal dinner.

Hi, I have ask you to post what you are thinking of for a money-saving rehersal dinner? Here's my deal: the grooms parents are a different religion and at this point are refusing to come or pay anything for the ceremony. Obviously, we are devasted about them not willing to come (especially becasue we have tried everythign to get them to come.) Anyways, this also means we are footing the bill for our rehersal dinner and we need something cheap to do becasue we are already footing the bill for most everything else for the wedding. Please help. Any tips or anything on cheap rehersal dinner ideas. I don't want to punish my family and friends by not doing anything

i haven't talked much about the rehearsal dinner because...i haven't thought much about it. i don't know what the tradition is when it comes to who pays for what...but i do know that we are footing the bill for everything and anything that involves the wedding. and that includes the rehearsal dinner.

thinking out loud:
1) our rehearsal will most likely be held on friday morning, the day before the wedding. which means. we will be having a rehearsal lunch.
2) after the rehearsal, we can trek it over to a nearby restaurant.
3) or, we can trek it over to someone's house and cater.
4) and if we do the latter, i could cater from somewhere like california chicken cafe, wahoos, or boston market. yum.
5) ok, so now that i've thought about it, i think i will cater. not only is it cost effective, but it will keep things cool and casual, which is keeping in line with the vibe of the weekend. i just need to figure out whose house i could borrow.

so, in conclusion, catering from a local fave is what i plan to do. there are simply soo many fantastic cheap eats out there...it would be an absolute shame to not consider their catering services.

alternative options:

*costco is a great resource for bulk goodies, especially if you're open to prepping the foods yourself. which i'm not. but if you are, i'd say there's a good chance you could save even more money going this route.

*i'm not into the idea of potlucking because i feel like making my peeps work wouldn't go over so well. BUT. you may have family members or close friends who are totally into potlucking. i don't. but if you do...do it, prove it.

at the end of the day, you are not "punishing" anyone if you decide not to have a formal/informal rehearsal dinner. in fact, maybe you could have a small desserts and tea type gathering instead right after the rehearsal if that works better for your budget.

the entire point behind a rehearsal dinner/gathering/anything is to say thank you. that's it. so as long as you do that, whatever you do as a sidenote to strengthen your expression is just that. a sidenote.

words are mightier than food*. hear me?

*not always but definitely so in this instance.

#520: jewels in the hair.

can you tell i've been slacking off on doing wedding stuff? instead, i'm busy scouring the nets for pretty images and contests to share with y'all.

sometimes you feel like being productive, sometimes you don't. know what i mean?


via project wedding blog. did you know they have a blog? they do.

#519: are you in indiana?

click here for details.

#518: happy monday.

if i had to pick ONE dream dress, and was getting married in a church, and not getting married in LA in the month of may...

...i'd say this would be it.

#517: inheriting china.

don't those words just roll off your tongue.

and isn't this really pretty?

sara's inherited china via 2000 dollar wedding.

fiance and i registered a couple of weeks ago at a major department store. i won't go into the pros and cons that duked it out in mine eye. i'll just say we ended up at a department store with a scanner gun in hand and had a lot of fun for about 45 minutes.

i don't think our registry is extensive by any means. we didn't have an action plan when we got to the store and we only registered for items we REALLY 'needed' or wanted. our list is limited to superphatty pots and pans, different kinds of mixers, a toaster (we don't have one!), a few matching towels, baking pans, a chef's knife (yes, that would be ONE chef's knife. bourdain says you only need one.)...

...and an itty bitty deep fryer. srsly.

wait, let me show you a picture because i'm really excited.



i know.

anyways, we didn't register for tableware because our target stuff has lasted yeeears and we didn't want more plates and cups and things crowding our kitchen. and we definitely didn't feel any love towards expensive china.

maybe, if we owned our own place or knew we would be living where we're living right now for years to come, it would make sense to register for a brand new set of china. but at this point, not so much. and actually, even then, i don't know if we'd ever really want to own our own.

the only draw i can really think of to owning our own china...would be so we could one day pass it down to our heirs.

grams? ma? you reading?

sike. i'm anonymous, remember?

#516: the load.

dear husband-to-be:

a quick email to tell you not to worry about planning the honeymoon. i will take care of it all.

thank you for supporting my dreams and working so hard to create a privileged lifestyle for us.

you spoil me.

love,
wifey-to-be

******************************************

the fiance's company recently experienced a reorg. and i'm sure you know what that really means. fiance is fortunately still with the company...but is going to be extremely overwhelmed and busy with work stuff over the next few months.

in slightly less important matters, this also means that although i had delegated the honeymoon bit of the planning entirely to him, i will now have to take that on myself as well.

when i first realized that i'd have to do everything a-z, i felt a pang of exasperation. because i'm a selfish broad and it doesn't help that fiance spoils me like crazy.

but i'm learning from him. and learning to be more like him. and most of it is good. *wink*

the point: the exasperation was short-lived and now i'm eager to help relieve him of this burden. yes. it's like i'm growing up. or something.

#515: i'm a feature of the month, biatch.

ok. i'm not.

but this blog is.

check out what the lovely peeps at for the modern bride have to say about me. i mean, this blog.

*thank you!*

#514: thanks for your list, craig.

snapped a pic before loading them up. and yes. rock candy is back in the picture.


we are considering linen overlays to cover the base of the centerpieces. i bought 1 yard to practice with. in other words, we may or may not end up doing this.


we weren't even going for this. but do you see what i see.

p.s. a fake tulip bouquet.

$7.99 at michaels. for the little flower girls? so they can trash it as much as they want? fiance was all about it but i'm not so sure. what do you think.

#513: torn.

happy monday y'alls.

i'm curious.

1) how important is / was the music portion of your event?
2) how much did / are you willing to spend for a DJ (or live music or equivalent)?
3) if you had an ipod wedding, what were the pros and cons? and would you do it again without a doubt?
4) i've only reached out to 1 dj so far and he's going to put me out over $1000. eH?! i definitely don't wanna. thoughts?

please feel free to answer one or any or all of the above.

gracias.

#512: we gots it.

so. we did good this weekend.

we have our centerpieces.

and we know what we're doing for our ceremony decorations (sadly, we will not be doing anything garlandy. even after finding inspiration here, here, here, and here.)

squeals.

me = uber relieved. it feels soo good to knock this stuff off the to do list. srsly. i mean, there's still work to be done, of course. but now i have something to work with. ahhhh.

p.s. it's kind of cool when a theme just emerges out of nowhere. just sayin.

p.p.s. hope you all are enjoying the superbowl. i'm obviously not paying attention.