Music Lovers

Hello there everyone! It's been quite a while since my last posting, and I do apologize, but there have been so many great things happening — visits with friends and family, wedding celebrations of my dear friend Rachel, a wonderful and adventurous trip to Ireland (!), work, play, and so on and so forth. Life is just so busy, it's hard to sit down and write about it! However, for this post today, I am not going to be talking about present day happenings, but instead the past.....our wedding's ceremony music!

Choosing the music to our wedding was no easy feat. I'd like to say that I'm sort of musically-inclined — I played the flute when I was younger and can carry a tune (a somewhat shaky tune...let's just say, I'm not tone deaf!). However when thinking of what ceremony music to choose for our wedding, I was left sort of overwhelmed without a clue as to where to start. Mike and I had made a playlist of all our reception music a month or so beforehand, and that was a piece of cake...in fact, we had to trim the list down several times in order to fit in all our chosen songs!

But there was a friend of mine who would soon act as my fairy godmother — helping to guide me in my decisions. That fairy godmother was Melissa Hyman — my very talented musical friend. She'd contacted me when Mike and I got engaged, saying if we needed someone to perform during our ceremony, she'd be happy to do it. What an amazing friend!

Melissa is great — she is just an all-around happy person who exudes a positive, generous vibe. She so effortlessly puts anyone around her in a good mood. Aside from her genuine kindness and easygoing, funny personality, she is an amazing singer, celloist, and guitarist. I said she was talented, didn't I? Over the past few years, Melissa has been touring all over Western North Carolina and beyond, has come out with her own CD, and performs with a slew of other extremely talented individuals and bands in the area. I honestly don't know how she does all of what she does! What energy!

Please please check out her awesomeness at reverbnation.com/melissahyman.There you can hear samples of her funky, feel-good music and get to know more about her as a musician and singer/songwriter.

One late summer afternoon, Melissa and I sat down with each other to discuss the type of music Mike and I wanted in the ceremony. I really wanted a blend of different genres to give our ceremony some personality. Listening to a bunch of options helped tremendously, and since Melissa has played for many weddings in the past, she had a good idea of the kinds of songs I had in mind. We listened to a bunch of options; Melissa even busted out her guitar to showcase some of the tunes she already knew, and we came up with a list I was really happy with. We chose some oldies like Sam Cooke and the Beatles — and classical music as well, like Handel and Pachelbel, but nothing too high church-y. Being kids who were exposed to a good amount of 60s and 70s classics, we really wanted to pay tribute to those tunes that are so nostalgic (in a good way!). Melissa would play her cello and guitar and have a violinist — Ashley — accompany her.

After narrowing down a good handful, I took the list home that night and went over each song with Mike — playing them on YouTube to see if the chosen songs were ones we both liked. Of course there were some differences in opinions. Mike was not a huge fan of Ashokan Farewell or Edelweiss...granted, they are a little on the sad side, and this was a happy occasion!, but we finally pinpointed our favorites and gave plenty of options for Melissa and Ashley.

Here is what we decided for the processional/recessional:
Wedding party processional: Air from Water Music (Handel)
Bridal processional: Canon in D (Pachelbel's Canon)
Recessional: "I Will" (Beatles) 

Melissa (right) and Ashley playing at our wedding!! They were wonderful!

Since I had complete trust in Melissa and Ashley's skill and selection, it was so nice to have our ceremony music all settled. They had their pick of many different songs before the actual wedding started, and the processional and recessionals had been decided. Believe me, when you can finally cross something off your Wedding To-Do list, it's a heavenly feeling!

As I heard Pachelbel's Canon being played and I was about to walk down the aisle — stepping out in front of all my dearest family and friends — it was an indescribably good moment. There were so many emotions going on inside me at once — I was elated, nervous, scared, sad, excited — that all I could do was hang on tightly to my dad's arm and let the beautiful music lead me down the aisle. Thank you Melissa and Ashley for doing such a fabulous job!!

End of the Week Inspirations

Another week has gone by — very fast, I might add — and with it, plenty of inspiring images and fun things to think about. As part of our publications during the year at Sophie Magazine, we are coming out with our 3rd issue of "I Do!" — our wedding magazine. As part of my job as Copy Editor/Writer, I'm always in search of article topics, photos to use, concepts to discover, and fresh ideas. This blog is a tremendous help on that front!

Speaking of our upcoming "I Do!" publication, my dear editor and boss JeanAnn, is letting me feature my own wedding as a three page spread!! We are trying to highlight and feature more "Real Weddings" and I will be featured as one of a few in the Spring/Summer issue! How exciting!! It is such an honor to feature our lovely wedding photos from Kirsten D'Onofrio, the beautiful flowers from BobbyMark's Designs, the captivating setting of Deerpark Restaurant at Biltmore, and all the details and work that went into making our wedding spectacular! Don't worry — as soon as it comes out, I will definitely post the spread here for all to see! :)

So, ready for the weekend? I know I am! My younger brother will be visiting this weekend, and I am so thrilled to see him! But first, a little eye candy for you to savor...

100layercake.com

What a lovely dessert table this is — the vintage table against the stone wall is the perfect look for old European-inspired wedding decor....I'm thinking France or Italy!  I can see it now — stacks of cupcakes, cookies, pies, lovely cutlery, and vintage plates...ooh la la!

ragandbonebindery.com

We didn't have a guestbook at our wedding — just felt too formal and "not us" — but if you were to have this classic memento, I just love the binding and look of this one. It's understated yet pretty. The gold hue is perfect for weddings as well.

wishflowers.tumblr.com

This is so easy to do — all you need are lots of mason jars and votive candles. What a glowing, romantic look this gives off! As if you're following its trail for a surprise just around the corner!! Love it.

valentine.tipjunkie.com

This is a really cute idea for either a bridal shower gift, a gift to your mom or Mother-In-Law, or even an idea for a groom/bride's gift...for your new home together! What a fun, DIY-project for the savvy crafter. Just scan love notes or heartfelt messages into the computer, and print onto an iron-on transfer. Voila!

lovemydress.net

These lovely purple herbs and flowers in glass jars are the perfect wedding decor — especially for a spring or summertime wedding! So simple too. And of course, anything lavender is right up my alley!! Tie some twine or ribbon around the tops of the jars -- it gives it just a bit more oomph.

ohthelovelythings.blogspot.cc

This is the perfect bridal shower gift idea! In fact, some of my best friends at my bridal shower gifted me a basket of bathroom treats for an at-home spa night. I definitely made use of them before the wedding. These bath salts are a must-have for the bride-to-be, and making them just reminds her how much you love and care about her!!

mineralia.tumblr.com

Fluorite from Mexico — what a beautiful stone. If you're wanting to go a different route, have this crafted into a rockin' engagement ring (pun intended...I had to). It's different from the classic diamond, but packs plenty of personality and pizazz (like the alliteration?). You could always buy a diamond-set wedding band if you're wanting diamonds as well. Talk about bling!!

stylemepretty.com

This vintage hair clip is the perfect "something borrowed" — or "something old" come to think of it! :) Gorgeously set against the backless dress, the lace, and the intricate bun makes it come to life.

ohthelovelythings.blogspot.com

Can't afford that vintage hair clip for your wedding day? Make your own clip! This is an easy yet pretty hair comb to place in your hair. It's delicate and timeless....and much more affordable!

bhldn.com

This gorgeous BHLDN gown is stunning. I love the sweetheart neckline — it's a fresh update to classic styling that hearkens back to the stylist icons of Old Hollywood. Such a beauty!


I hope you've enjoyed these images and are as inspired by them as much as I am. Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

Project Wedding: Place Cards & Table Numbers

I wrote a post many months ago about place cards and the endless possibilities. I did quite a bit of research here and there, looking at ideas, and finally decided to make them myself. I wanted to do something clever -- like attach the cards to vintage keys or coordinate the place cards with our wedding favors in some way -- but I honestly was running out of time, so I decided to go the simple place card route, with an added touch of my own personality and style.

I went to Michael's to see what crafts and supplies I could find, and discovered the endless variety of stock paper they had! Aisles and aisles of it...all kinds of different decorations, colors, patterns, you name it! I must have spent over an hour just looking through everything, trying to figure out my game plan. And if you know me, I am paper obsessed and take it very seriously. :)

If you're a bride-to-be, you may already know that Michael's has an entire aisle devoted to weddings — invitations, favors, candles, guestbooks, etc. They had their own place cards as well...and believe me, I was very tempted to just buy those and not make my own. But they were oh so dull, and I wanted a pop of color and creativity!

I finally found a book full of beautiful card stock paper — in patterns of black & white, seafoam green, lavender, deeper greens, and creamy whites. The best attribute? The paper was double-sided, which meant when folded, you could see two coordinating colors complemented each other perfectly. It worked for our color palette — natural hues that were understated yet elegant. I decided I'd buy white card stock as well, to adhere to the tops of the place cards so as to write guests' names and table numbers.

Arriving home, I settled all my purchases onto the dining room table — my craft table for this project — and started cutting out the paper to match the width and length of average place cards. After cutting out 10 or so, I realized this was going to take a bit longer than I had planned. We had around 130 guests coming, which meant my "craft hour" had just begun! After cutting all the different place cards in coordinating colors, I started gluing the white card stock onto the folded placecards. This was much faster than the cutting part!

Once I was finished, I placed them all in an empty stationary box (with the loveliest pattern), and they waited there until I was ready to write names of guests and table numbers. This is where it got tricky.

Mike and I sat down with his parents to discuss the seating arrangements....who would be sitting with our bosses? What about our beloved aunties? Should we seat the bridesmaids and grooms at Table 3 or Table 4? It took a good bit of time, but eventually we had a seating chart everyone was happy with. Here are a few photos of the finished product at the wedding. Bobby Hill and Mark Arrington of BobbyMark's Designs decorated this table with leaves and birch branches for a rustic, elegant look!

spotteddogphoto.blogspot.com

spotteddogphoto.blogspot.com

spotteddogphoto.blogspot.com

As with any project, you never know just how it will turn out until the very last moment. With the placecards, I was thoroughly pleased — plus, they were handmade and took much more thought than simply buying pre-made cards! But I wasn't done yet...to go with these lovely place cards, I needed table numbers. My plan was to match the color palette and the card stock I had used for the place cards. Only that project took quite a bit longer....

Thank goodness for my sister Laura, who helped me create these bad boys. There were 16 tables in all, so we needed 16 table numbers. We started by tracing hand-drawn numbers onto the black & white card stock, then cut them out. Next we adhered the cut-out numbers onto a full piece of card stock that had a colored background — so the numbers would pop!

It doesn't sound that time-consuming, but it actually was! If I didn't have Laura's help, it would have taken double the time. To add to this, we started making these table numbers the day before the wedding! Ahh, wedding craziness....you gotta love it!

But the result was beautiful — we had 16 lovely, handmade table numbers that coordinated with each place card's color scheme. So that when a guest would pick up their place card, they would be directed to the table that a.) matched their table number (obviously), and b.) matched the colors they held in their hands. Delightful! Thank you, Laura, for all your amazing crafty help! Here is the finished product — displayed on the bride & groom's table!

spottedogphoto.blogspot.com

End of the Week Inspirations

I hope everyone had a lovely week and is ready for a refreshing weekend of relaxation! I am so excited to start the weekend, as it is my 26th birthday on Monday, the 23rd, and there will be moments of lovely celebration I'm looking forward to in the next few days!

But, before everyone departs from their computers — as I am prone to do over the weekends — I wanted to give you a bit of inspiration that popped up here and there for me throughout this week! I love moments like those — where an image will spark an idea, and you can just revel in the beauty of it all.

This Parisian dinner evokes wondrous ideas that will inspire wedding decor and reception ideas! I just love the billowy fabrics and the way it just falls on the street (although I can only imagine how dirty it will be!!) This image just has a certain je ne sais quoi! 

ebeautyblog.com

This gorgeous "Princess Braid" is actually pretty easy to master — with a bit of practice of course! It's so wispy and elegant. Would be a perfect complement hairstyle to an empire waist gown! 

Grace Kelly

I am so enamored by Grace Kelly — her radiance, her style, and her natural beauty! Her style has such refined elegance, that I'll look at images of her whenever I need my own personal dose of inspiration!

isa2.stylemepretty.com

These ribbon-backed reception chairs give off a whimsical, feminine flair that is so easy to master. For small receptions, you could decorate all the chairs in this way, or for bigger parties, just the bride and groom's seats. 

oncewed.com

How darling are these herbal boutonnieres?! These are perfect for a spring or summertime wedding — they'll smell splendid while you wear them and are an inexpensive alternative to floral boutonnieres. 

reasonstobreathe.tumblr.com

This would be the ultimate place to have an outdoor wedding, wouldn't it?! (Of course, not in the road obviously.) The vibrant colors of the trees and the pink petals covering the ground is just breathtaking.

myfotolog.tumblr.com

 This vintage post box would be a great addition to a wedding reception....stick little favors inside, family photos, engagement photos, bud vases, trinkets, candles, and more into the little holes and you have an enticing little treasure-filled box guests can have fun with.

kissthegroom.com

What a clever little idea for a before-wedding-getting-ready shot? Dainty, with a touch of vintage. Kind of reminds me of The Secret Garden, no?

yellena.com

I can't get enough of this color scheme — the blues, greens, aquas, and lavenders complement each other so lovingly. Has a mysterious vibe to it as well that is so captivating....a Klimt painting comes to mind also! 

Well, there you have it. Another week's worth of goodies and images that will hopefully make you smile and foster some inspiration in your own creative worlds! Until next time!

Invitation Keepsake Ornament

When Mike and I got back from honeymooning in Los Cabos, we spent an afternoon unwrapping all our amazingly generous gifts from our wedding guests. It was like pre-Christmas with all those gifts spread before us. We had a ton of fun and we discovered so many lovely presents that we were so excited to use. Among those gifts, Jennifer, one of my Maids of Honor, made me a beautiful Invitation Keepsake Ornament -- just in time for the holiday season that was around the corner. There was such creativity and thought put into it, that I immediately wanted to share it with the world!

Here's what she did:

- She took our Wedding Invitation, and cut it into long, thin strips, carefully cutting between the lines of the invitation so you could still see the wording on the page. She then curled each strip of paper around a pencil, so that they became dainty little curlicues.

- She then placed the curled invitation strips into a clear plastic ornament, placing them so that you could see the intricate design detail and the invitation's wording through the ornament.

- After tying a ribbon around the top so as to hang on a Christmas tree, mantel, whatever, the ornament was complete!

This past Christmas, I proudly displayed it in our home. However, since I thought it such a darling craft idea that is fun and simple to do, I asked Jennifer if she wouldn't mind writing up the directions and submitting it to Sophie Magazine, the magazine where I work. She was very excited to show off her idea, and it was published in our December issue of Sophie.

Be sure to check it out, and make one of your very own Keepsake Ornaments!! You can use not only wedding invitations, but baby shower invites, birthday invitations, anniversary cards, photos, even pretty card stock! I've included a photo of the craft spread that was published in Sophie Magazine -- with steps and photos to follow. You can also check it out by clicking here: December Crafty Girl

It was such a sweet way to use our invitation to remember our wedding by. It is something I'll cherish forever! And every Christmas, it will be placed on our tree. :)