Vintage photos

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Feeling knobby

I decided to get creative last weekend and up-cycle my chest of drawers that has been left unpainted for years in my bedroom. You know how certain pieces of furniture just sort of blend in after a while and you tend to forget they're actually not something you'd ever purchase anymore? Well, this was one of those a-ha moments. I realized I never really liked "Chester" unpainted, and what is so hard about painting? Nothing.

Unfortunately, I didn't get a photo of what Chester looked like before. I realized it halfway into painting, and there was no going back. But I managed to find one on Google that looked similar. Ah, the joys of the internet. You can find just about anything.

This is what "Chester" looked like.
I knew I wanted to paint it white, so choosing paint colors was a piece of cake. My goal was to have it mesh easily with my bedroom and continue to match other surroundings in future homes.

Commence to sanding, priming, and painting! The bulk of it took two afternoons - not too shabby. I unscrewed all the drawer pulls, and painted those as well, however I had planned ahead of time to switch those babies out for some vintage knobs. You know, to make it aesthetically pleasing. 

After painting, it was WHITE. So I sanded the finished piece one more time - sanding down the edges and areas where with time, it would naturally get roughed up. I was going for a shabby-chic rustic look for Chester. While sanding was good for some areas, I needed something a bit more abrasive to really make it look used. I took a kitchen knife to it and scratched away at the paint in choice areas.


After the paint job

If you look closely, you will see some scratches and wearing away at the corners and edges. I tried to make it look natural, but there's just something off about scratching away at your paint that, the day before, you meticulously applied.


Can I interject here and say how amazingly therapeutic painting is? I really need to do more painting and more home projects because it felt so relaxing to work on something from start to finish. Plus, I was on my porch with the sunshine on my back, listening to music, with the Fall weather all around me. Perfection.

Pleased with the amount of vintage touches I put on ol' Chester, I moved onto the knobs. I will tell a secret. I did not purchase these at thrift or antique stores here and there. While I would love to have that kind of a mind where I plan months in advance and keep my eyes peeled on accents that I will use in the future, I do not have that kind of mentality. And I wanted knobs on Chester asap so I could actually USE him.



World Market to the rescue! They have an unbelievably cute collection of knobs, drawer pulls, wall hangers, etc. The options are seriously endless, which is why I bought a bunch and just installed them all together. Who needs to match when you're going for vintage?!



It took me a good while to pick out all my chosen knobs to use. I chose 9 different selections. The two white ones you see in the middle were just too pretty to just get one. Can you tell I love white? With 10 knobs in total, my purchase came to around $35.


Pretty knobs all in a row

I chose the bigger ones to be installed on the drawers that carried the most weight. My sweater drawer got the two biggest knobs, whereas my lingerie drawer received the smaller, more dainty knobs. You get the gist.


Check it out - strategic knob placment right there

Super easy to install these guys. They even came with their own washers and screws. I would recommend some pliers to tighten them in place, but it took no time at all. The hardest part was deciding where to place each knob. Seriously.

The finished product!

Until the next project! I have a feeling it, too, will involve paint


Thursday, November 14, 2013

Feedspot feeds the soul

A few months ago I discovered a little thing called Feedspot. It's an RSS site that compiles content on a daily basis from websites you like. Great tool for busy people who don't have time to just surf the internet during the day. Feedspot sends you a daily digest email of fresh content that you know you're going to be interested in. A daily dose of inspiration for me!

Here's what the Feedspot dashboard looks like:


I'm especially drawn to Contemporist. Every day it seems they have content that is utterly mesmerizing. It's a mix of a little bit of travel, a little bit of architecture, a little bit of design, and a little bit of fashion. So if I continually post about pretty things I find on Contemporist, you'll know why. Here's what they featured today:

Corset Wall Tiles by Arbutus+Denman

When I read "corset" I had something completely different in my mind. I love how it takes your eyes a moment to get used to the layering of the tiles. And it's no wonder - these tiles are deceiving in that they're actually 3D. The spacing and structure are meticulous. I can imagine it took quite a while to design these little guys. Clever.

While the design aspect is original and takes your breath away, I'm not sure it I could have it in my living space. I get dizzy so easily - one caveat of getting older I suppose - so I don't think my equilibrium would like this too much on a daily basis. Can you imagine? Getting dizzy over breakfast. Then there may actually BE spilt milk.



You can check out more at Arbutus+Denman.

Wednesday, November 13, 2013

New Post

New post new post new post!

Some things have changed to this here blog. Pretty much the whole point of this blog is now different. But change is good. If you read my last post (which was admittedly, over a year ago), you will see that I was over the conceited wedding blog direction - no offense wedding bloggers - and needed a new purpose.

Because I'm lazy and didn't want to create an entirely new blog, I decided to keep the structure of this one and just change the name. Which may have totally screwed me in SEO or link building or all that mumbo jumbo, but whatever. There are other updates too, like the content. Less wedding stuff, more random stuff. You see, the concept of this "new" blog is still very much a work in progress. I will warn you, posts may be sporadic and/or random. Few and far between, haphazardly written, or just plain boring. I'm rolling with the flow my friends. I'm on a new chapter of my life where I'm going to investigate anything that seems interesting in life. Which may not be interesting to you. For example, book binding. At 6:20 this morning, I was on YouTube watching a tutorial video on Bookbinding for Beginners. You can watch the video here:


Thanks Alysiswriting for making this video and entertaining me at 6 AM.
Yep, stuff like this.

Turning a New Leaf

For over a year now, I have been blogging to you about my wedding inspirations, ideas, my own wedding details and projects, and I have loved every minute of it! It has been so much fun to share my ideas with you about my wedding and weddings in general! While I love sharing Put A Ring On It with the world, you may have noticed that my posts have started becoming few and far between. Weeks will go by when I'll suddenly remember, "Oh no! I need to blog — it's been so long!"

The truth is, my mind just isn't thinking about all things weddings as I was a year ago, or 6 months ago for that matter! For so long it was all I was thinking — what flavors should we make our cake? Where should we seat our guests? What accessories should I wear? We have to get the invitations out! What kind of ceremony music to have played? Please see last post. But ever since October 14, 2011, my mind has strayed...and can you blame me? I'm a newlywed! I am experiencing all the pleasures of being one! It was so relieving to be done with wedding planning, that I hate to say that Put A Ring On It suffered!

And so, recently I have been deliberating whether or not to start a new kind of blog — one that caters to weddings, however one that isn't so centrally focused on my own. I don't know if it's just me being shy or too concerned about what others think, but posting about my wedding when it happened 7 months ago, seems a bit self-absorbed or trite. And I certainly don't want to come across as that! I understand that blogs in general are very self-centric and a bit of a desire to talk about oneself and get oneself heard, but I believe it can be done in a tasteful manner — one that is classy and not annoyingly selfish!

A blogger I follow — religiously so I'm afraid of — Holly Becker of Decor8 has inspired me to switch things up a bit and follow what my heart is telling me. Yes, I know that sounds obvious, but so often we get stuck in ruts and it takes an outside influence — whether it's an article, a person, a song, a movie, a fellow blogger — to wake us up. This awakening is so important, because if we stay stuck in the same old routines for too long, before you know it, years will have passed! Be willing to shake things up in your life and you will definitely reap the benefits! How could you not? It's creating change, which in effect produces a more interesting and wise YOU!

I read something the other day that was really true and can be very comparable to our own lives and how we live them. I was reading about interior decorating — from HomeMint — a new Home Decor line by, of all people, Justin Timberlake and designer Estee Stanley. It was elaborating on interior decorating and how we must embrace change in our living space. They stressed the importance of rearranging our furniture, our wall art, and our decor every once in a while in order to live in a space that's refreshing, inspiring, and transformative. Change is good — a little scary, sometimes, but good!

I'm just spinning off ideas here. Perhaps I should feature other people's weddings on my blog as well as my own inspirations from other bloggers, designers, wedding planners, florists, photographers, etc. Even interior decorating ideas and projects that translate seamlessly into weddings! I've been on an interior decorating kick for a while now, and I truly believe it has so much to do with having an eye for detail and what works as far as weddings go too!

In fact, I'm taking a class at AB Tech this summer about Interior Design and Decorating that I hope to learn a lot from! I will have to dish all about it when the class begins in July!

Friday, May 11, 2012

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!!

Friday, February 3, 2012

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!

Thursday, January 26, 2012

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

Friday, January 20, 2012

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!

Saturday, January 14, 2012

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. :)

Friday, November 11, 2011

End of the Week Inspirations

Before I tied the knot with my hubby Mike (that's still just so much fun to say!), I read somewhere about newly-married brides getting slightly depressed once the whirlwind of their wedding is over. I remember thinking, "Well, that's just crazy!" But now that my own wedding is now almost a month past, I can see how that could happen. There are definitely times when I get a little sad that the whole planning process and anticipation of our wedding is over. With so much preparation and thought going into every single detail to make the day as perfect as it can be, reality can kick in in a not-so-nice way when you realize, all that is in the past! 

However, that being said, I am not a depressed newlywed! Married life is just too awesome to get down and out about the wedding process being over!! For one thing, there is no more planning to do!!! I can now kick back and relax. For nearly a year, we were busy preparing this or that, making decisions on what time to schedule that and where to place this. And also, Mike and I can enjoy being husband and wife, spending time with one another and making plans for the next stage in our lives.

With all the craziness that a wedding brings, I realize now, there is a part of me that thrives on staying busy. There is a rush I feel when I have a multitude of tasks to cross off my list. I guess you could say, when the wedding ends, there's a bit of a yin/yang cycle going on. But if I ever feel I'm getting a dose of the wedding bug, I can turn to inspiring images that will set my heart a-flutter again! Not to mention, there are friends of mine -- one in particular, who is getting married this coming Spring! -- that are in the process of planning their own wedding, and I can live vicariously through them if I want to!

So, here are my end-of-the-week inspirations...beautiful images that put a big smile on my face!

stylemepretty.com
I love these gray bridesmaids dresses. They're muted and refined.

stylemepretty.com
Gorgeous reception decor -- so clean and crisp looking! And love the canopy it's under. 

stylemepretty.com
Uber classy! Check out those white couches! Although, that's a tad daring, especially if you're having red wine being served at the reception! Yikes!

stylemepretty.com
This table number idea -- placed in a frame -- was an idea I had....and now that I think about my own table number creations, this method probably would have saved a ton of time! I will be sure to post photos and details of how me and my sister Laura made my table numbers. They turned out lovely!

stylemepretty.com
How cute is this photo?! I love how their arms are entwined with each other! So sweet.

elizabethannedesigns.com/blog
How about a pop of color under that dress?! Love the idea. In fact, I loved it so much, that I did the same thing -- only my pumps were apple red! Also, love the flowers in her hair above -- so simple yet so elegant. 

elizabethannedesigns.com/blog
Beautiful outdoor reception site. Twinkle lights were a must at our wedding, and they definitely are the finishing touch here. 

elizabethannedesigns.com/blog
The ultimate goodbye! Saying adieu amidst rose petals. I like how this image is in black and white too. Gives it a romantic flair. And this is where I bid adieu, my readers! I promise to have more inspiration and more posts very soon. Perhaps I'll add in a DIY element that made my wedding heavenly.....Until then, have a wonderful weekend!!

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

October 14, 2011

If you've taken a look at your calendar lately, you'll know that October 14, 2011 has come and gone. Yes, that's right -- I am officially MARRIED!!!!!!  I still can hardly believe the wedding is over -- it seems like it was just yesterday when I was waking up to the day of my wedding. Each day, I keep getting little flashbacks of details of the wedding as the day progressed, and a smile always comes to my face.

As many of you know, weddings can get a little crazy...and mine definitely had some crazy moments! I barely had time to do laundry and pack for my honeymoon as the big day got closer, much less blog about it! So, I apologize for literally dropping off the face of the blogosphere for a while there. However, this is not me saying goodbye to my beloved Put A Ring On It. Oh no. I want to post about all the details and memories (along with the lovely photos that I will post along with them) that tied our wedding together in the best possible way. And what better way to remember the most amazing day ever than to blog about it -- remembering each moment all over again!

So, even though this blog started out as a wedding planning blog for my big day, it will still serve as a wedding blog -- full of reminiscent thoughts and intricacies my own wedding gave me. There are so many projects I want to start -- one of the big ones being that I need to build my ever-growing wedding scrapbook! At the moment, I have tons of wedding items nestled together in a bag -- ceremony reading print-outs, place cards, bachelorette party paraphernalia, letters, photos, you name it -- just waiting to be gathered together in a book to be shared with friends and family (and kids!) in the years to come.

So, even though the "Michael Jordan Wedding" (hehe) has officially been set in stone, there is still much to do and plenty more to post! I hope you enjoy my many more posts to this blog in the coming months ahead...I can't wait to see where it takes off from here. For now, here's a little bit of eye candy to get you excited about what's to come!

spotteddogphoto.blogspot.com

spotteddogphoto.blogspot.com

spotteddogphoto.blogspot.com