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Get Your Craft On

Get your Craft On

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Get Your Craft On

Calling all Martha Stewart wanna-be’s! This is your time to embrace your inner crafts(wo)men and tackle your wedding one delightful little detail at a time. Do it yourself most commonly known as DIY is the art of creating, replicating, etc. goods. With the right tools, a little creativity, and some patience you can practically recreate anything out there!

Want to learn how to emboss? Take a quick tutorial here: http://lovelylittledetails.com/2011/11/30/lovely-little-diy-embossing-101-lld-video-tutorial/

Get Your Craft On

Want to learn how to make fun little décor such as pomanders check out this fun step-by-step guide: http://ruffledblog.com/do-it-yourself-tissue-paper-pomanders/

Get Your Craft On

How about fun votive candle favors for your bridal shower. Check! http://www.heygorg.com/2011/07/diy-vintage-teacup-candles.html

Get Your Craft On

Want to create an aisle runner with your monogram? Or how about a unity candle? http://diyweddingplanner.hubpages.com/hub/How-To-Make-A-Monogrammed-Aisle-Runner-For-Your-Wedding

Get Your Craft On

There are so many wedding planners, designers, and the like that are dabbling in Marthaville-type projects that the possibilities are seemingly endless! Just think of all the fun projects you can learn to do and save some green while doing so.

If you have a Michaels, Archiver’s, Joann Fabrics, or Hobby Lobby in your neck of the woods…well you are in luck! These crafty spots always seem to have great prices, sales, and even coupons! Who doesn’t like 30-50% off?! In the long-run, every little discount, sale, or coupon can add up to save for your bottom line.

Of course, Martha is the queen of crafting, and her site is an unbelievable resource for all wedding things related, but especially DIY. Still seeking more inspiration? Check out Pinterest- http://pinterest.com/. Pinterest seems to be taking over the (wedding) world one pin at a time. With Pinterest you can search by the interest, look, design, or desired project such as “paper flowers.” By golly, you’re in luck. You can find the picture that peaks your interest, click, and away you go to learn how to master that craft.

Be bold and creative, save some money honey, and get your craft on!

Bang for your Buck

Bang for your Buck

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Bang for your Buck: Bridesmaids Dresses

No matter what any bride says there is a universal truth about bridesmaid’s dresses: you’ll only wear the dress once. “You’ll wear it again, right?” the bride asks, perhaps to make they feel better about asking you to shell out hundreds of dollars for it. Nope, you won’t. You’ll never wear that floor length, one-shouldered aubergine satin dress with the weird unflattering ruffles ever again.Bang for your Buck

It seemed like a lost cause, just part of the deal of being a bridesmaid–suck it up and buy the ugly dress, right? Wrong. Enter Rent the Runway and Little Borrowed Dress, maids can opt to rent a dress for the big day versus getting stuck with a frock they truly are not in love with.

Rent the Runway Weddings, an expansion of Rent the Runway, and a beacon of hope for future bridesmaids everywhere. Rent the Runway Weddings launched in 2011. It focuses on bridesmaids dresses. Badgley Mischka, Robert Rodriguez and Nicole Miller have designed bridesmaid collections that come in up to four styles in up to four seasonal colors exclusively for the site. Whereas Rent the Runway only allows users to rent dresses for a few days at a time, Rent the Runway Weddings offers 8-day rental periods. But the best part? The price. A Badgley Mischka bridesmaid dress averages at over $300. At Rent the Runway Weddings it’s $65.

Little Borrowed Dress does not have the big names like RTR does, but has very cute and simple options for your girls. With LBD, every style we carry was specifically designed to fit and flatter a variety of shapes and sizes. They are determined to design the ultimate bridesmaid dresses, so we use multiple fit models with varied body types to ensure the dresses will fit with no alterations required! Lastly, if you would like to try on before committing to the rental, that’s OK too. Why have an ill-fitting dress the day of the big day and a bridesmaid breakdown.

Another nice feature about LBD is that the process is simple, you can order color swatches beforehand, and if you’re girls DO want the option to buy a new dress…they can!Bang for your Buck

Love and Technology

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Love and Technology

Technology is engrained in our everyday lives from Skype, text, apps, hashtags, and smartphones. Why not incorporate technology into your wedding?

From a live broadcast feed of your ceremony on Skype to displaying your vows on a screen whilst reading them from your Iphone, these are just some of the ways people have gone about using these tools to enhance their special moment. You could save up to $360 using technology!

1) Use your Phone

From phones, wedding websites, and apps, brides are using these devices more than you think. 69% of brides have a personal wedding website, 58% of brides are using their smartphones to take and share wedding-related pictures. 1 in 5 brides use a mobile app to plan, shop, or register for their wedding.

2) Guests Capture & Share Video

Video just isn’t for the wedding day anymore. Brides are having a blast making fun of the silly things they’ve said and done during their wedding planning. Over 25% of videos are captures on Smartphones. Save $1,400 by asking your guests to record and send you the videos to create a DIY wedding story. Storymix makes it easy with a mobile app, HD camera rentals, and custom editing services. Weddings.Storymixmedia.com

3) Reception Fun

Have access to a big projection screen or a big white wall? Instead of using it for a slideshow, use it for epic video game fun that most people can’t get at home on their small screens. Replace the game with your favorites like Rock Band or Wii Play, and you’ll have a reception activity that will have guests forming a line.

4) Social Media

This isn’t the first time cell phones have been at the altar. You’ve probably seen a YouTube video or two where a bride or groom whips out their cell phone to update their Facebook status or post a tweet. Have you ever seen it as a part of the ceremony, though? Before this groom is allowed to kiss his bride, they must update their Facebook statuses. Cool or cheesy?

Maybe you’re not into having mobile technology used that way during a wedding—we can understand that. But what if mobile technology could allow people, that otherwise couldn’t, be a part of your wedding? As we mentioned, not all guests can make it for your big day, so what if you could bring them to the wedding through FaceTime?

As mentioned earlier, consider how to incorporate technology into your wedding planning process. Such a method can allow for consistency in information sharing and time management. Take a moment to give it a try and see how this affects your planning.

Pinterest Pins of the Week

Pinterest Pins of the Week

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Pinterest Pins of the Week

Lipstick on the Mirror: This is a trend we thought was reserved for really colorful, Kate Spade- type of photo shoots. But the more we see this whimsical element, the more we sort of love the idea of giving guests a little lipstick art at your wedding. The idea is simple: Create frames, or write fun, cheeky messages on the mirrors in the bathrooms to encourage guests to snap selfies and partake in fun games like writing their own message ( in lipstick of course!) with a variety of special tubes you provide in a basket in each bathroom. We love seeing photos of guests in ultra formal wear taking pics from the bathroom with adorable mirror grafitti as their backdrop. And in the age where the selfie seems to rule, this is definitely the prime time to try this one!

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Pinterest Pins of the Week

 Via High Street Market

Mixed Media Lighting: Any art students out there will appreciate this mixture of approaches to DIY lighting. We’ve seen twinkle lights and we have most certainly seen Chinese lanterns, but it’s when you put the two together that things really get exciting. While the lanterns add a really stark artsy element and the lights add a warm, glowy feeling, the result of both of them intertwined together is bohemian and ultra welcoming. And the looks carries its own weight whether it’s a backyard affair or a black tie blowout. The best part? The set up is as easy as can be and lends itself perfectly to the DIY Bride and Groom.

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Pinterest Pins of the WeekVia Cheers at Lakeside Chalet

Embossing: Monogramming always ranks really high on our lists of signature touches that just never go out of style. The look is the epitome of classic and timeless so the idea of a subtle way to sneak in monograms is something we can’t get enough of. Embossing has been around forever, and it is the perfect way to use a slight color or simple leave things plain and just have a raised monogram that is perfect for paper, cocktail napkins and later on for thank you note envelopes. There’s nothing new here, folks, just a reminder that sometimes a return to the classic way of doing things is the best. And we were just reminded why this old fashioned method is one of our all-time faves.

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Pinterest Pins of the WeekVia Tradewind Tiaras, Inc.

Will You Be My Bridesmaid?

Will You be my Bridesmaid?

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Will You be my Bridesmaid?

Your wedding day marks a milestone in your lifetime. Why not surround your nearest and dearest friends and family to help celebrate and support you through this new journey in life? With so many options for wedding planning (e.g. invites), it’s equally as impressive to have a “cool” way to ask your maids to stand up in your wedding. The following are Six Unique Ways to ask your girls to be a bridesmaid / maid of honor:

1) Create a photo Collage:  Reminiscing over old photos of the two of you is a fun way to break the ice and then ask her to be your maid.

Will You be my Bridesmaid?via Pass the Pineapple Blog

2) Create a fun craft project:  Here is a fun DIY way to invite the girls.

Will You be my Bridesmaid?via Lox Papers

3) Buy them a Keepsake:  An ornate, beautiful personalized handkerchief can be functional for the day of the wedding. But she may need it to wipe away tears of joy when you ask her!

Will You be my Bridesmaid?via Benign Objects

4) Wine Glasses or Champagne Flutes : A functional and fun way to get the party started.

Will You be my Bridesmaid?
via Etsy

5) Personalized Bridesmaid hanger to hang their gorgeous dress on:

Will You be my Bridesmaid?
6) Treat her to a Spa Day: Nothing bonds you better over some good ole fashioned girl / pamper time.

Will You be my Bridesmaid?

There is no right or wrong way to ask your future maids to stand by your side. If budget is standing in your way of creating some of the above options, you can always just ask face-to-face with no frills attached.

Warning: If you have a very large group of girlfriends narrowing down the lot may end up hurting people’s feelings. However, you should feel confident in your choices and explain to your friends that this does not reflect on your relationship. Believe me, it will happen.

DIY Wedding Bouquet

DIY Wedding Bouquet

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Simply Bridal’s DIY Wedding Bouquet

You know the saying: If you want something done right, then do it yourself.  And, although you often have to rely on others when planning your special day, there are a few things you can tackle yourself… like making your own wedding bouquet. Now, you might think this is a huge challenge, but before you completely dismiss the idea, check out SimplyBridal’s DIY Wedding Bouquet infographic for simple step-by-step instructions to create a gorgeous bouquet.

To make sure everything goes smoothly, make sure you decide on a color scheme before you start assembling your bouquet. The flowers you choose should fit in nicely with your color palette and overall theme for a fluid and clean look. It also doesn’t heart to research what each flower you select symbolizes to avoid sending the wrong message. So what are you waiting for? Let your creative juices flow and get started on your very own DIY wedding bouquet!

DIY Wedding Bouquet

Establishing A Wedding Budget

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Establishing a wedding budget you can stick to is one of the biggest challenges of getting married in today’s world. Your budget will determine decisions for every detail from the venue, dress, food, etc. First thing first, is sit with your fiancé and determine what is feasible without sacrificing your current quality of life.

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Establishing A Wedding BudgetImage via The Examiner

Things to consider: Will your wedding be paid for by your parents?  Are your fiancé and you solely responsible for paying? Have you saved any money to put towards this event?How many people are you considering inviting to your big day?

These sample questions should be addressed early on in the planning process.  Who will be paying for wedding festivities is the foundation when planning. There are traditional and cultural circumstances to consider. However, every family is different, and thinks differently about money. It is very important to make these decisions together as a joint family rather than assume that under the archaic thought that the bride’s parents will cover everything.

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Establishing A Wedding Budget

There are many tools and calculators out there to help guide you. Otherwise, Excel and some basic math skills work just fine too! Some tips to consider when figuring out your budget:

1) What are the most important aspects to the two of you? Are you foodies? Must you have a 10 piece band rather than a DJ? We recommend you splurge on the most important items to the two of you, and save money in other aspects.

2)  Consider incidentals into your budget such as postage for the invitations. Also, remember to add in gratuity, sales tax, parking, and tips, where applicable. If you don’t adhere to your budget, you could end up spending a lot more for all the “incidentals.” Stay posted for some guidelines on tipping in the near future!

3) Brides on a budget look to DIY projects to make customized additions to the event. From making your grandma’s homemade jam as a favor to creating your own invites if you have a knack for graphic design, there are ways to save money by doing it yourself.

4) Finally, remember to have fun! This is supposed to happen once in a lifetime. You want to make sure this is a special time of your life. Sure, there will be stress and some hiccups along the way, but that’s life. Ride with it!

In closing, pay close attention to both fixed and variable costs. Variable costs are contingent on how many wedding guests you have and fixed costs you will have to pay regardless of the size of the guest list. Managing costs means paying attention to both, but recognizing that you will get the biggest impact by lowering variable costs, since they are multiplied by the number of guests and adds up quickly.

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Wedding Guest List Tips

 

 

DIY Centerpieces

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DIY Centerpieces

Let’s talk about “Do it yourself” centerpiece ideas that every bride has…but not every bride wants to get into. Most brides think of DIY as a cheaper, easier way to make their vision a reality. This can be true in most instances but beware of the costs that stack up when buying the supplies to craft a master centerpiece – you might just as well have paid someone else to do it!

The first and easiest is acquiring glass jars or vases in whatever shapes and sizes you want. Pick live or plastic flowers, greenery or beads to grace the inside of the vessels and then fill with water. Place a small tea candle on the water and viola; you’ve got a simple, cheap centerpiece for your table. We love to vary the sizes and heights of the vases for a more appealing, eye catching elegance.

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DIY CenterpiecesDIY Enthusiast

A second option is to gather vases, again of varying sizes and heights, and put sand or rocks in the bottom. A beautifully simple addition is beads on top of the sand. The beads can go with a bride’s color scheme or just plain elegant pearl like. Place the candle in the sand and you’ve got lovely shadows that dance over the beads.

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DIY CenterpiecesJuxtapost

Brides can be very creative with these kinds of center pieces and candle light always lends a romantic feel to any venue. Making your own centerpieces is helpful when you have that vision in mind and it’s not found in the cookie cutter aisle in a Hobby Lobby. The most expensive part a bride will have to think about is how many glass vases? The vases can add up anywhere from $1 to $10 a vase but sometimes you can get discounts when buying in bulk. Also, be sure to talk to your florist, as sometimes they can get deals on vases for the flowers they’re already supplying since they will use those vases after your reception for their shop. We find that putting these DIY centerpieces along windows or lining a certain area can add refinement and set the mood for guests as soon as they walk in.

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DIY Centerpieces

Photo by The Nichols

DIY Makeup Infographic by SimplyBridal

DIY Makeup Infographic by SimplyBridal

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Creating the perfect wedding look takes time and precision, and one of the finishing touches to your overall look is the makeup style you select. This doesn’t have to be a painstaking decision, in fact, it should be one of the most fun parts where you get to experiment with different shades and styles to create the DIY makeup look which you’re happy with.

To get started on selecting the perfect makeup look , consider your wedding theme and what will work best. For instance, if you’re having a beach-themed wedding you’d probably want to go for softer more natural makeup whereas a winter wedding allows for darker more intense hues.

At the end of the day, the makeup style you select should make you feel beautiful, but also comfortable at the same time. If you’re someone who doesn’t usually wear a lot of makeup then dark, smoky makeup may not be the right choice. SimplyBridal has compiled four fabulous makeup looks to help you find a look that will fit your wedding look to a tee.

DIY Makeup

Ombre is Everywhere!

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Ombre is Everywhere

A few years ago, the word “ombre” probably didn’t mean very much to anyone besides the super chic fashion loyals who were coveting the Prada ombre hobo bag, the hottest designer carrier of the season! But even to the average gal, (or guy even!) the trend is everywhere and it’s certainly a term we are all seeing pretty much everywhere. And whether you subscribe to the trend in order to gracefully and gradually darken your summer- lightened locks or are donning the dip dyed look in your latest wardrobe endeavor, we are all shamelessly in the midst of ombre mania. So it was no surprise when everything ombre became the next super trend in weddings! And it pretty much became officially the next thing when Style me Pretty featured a stunning feature giving tips on how to ombre everything!  Here’s our thoughts and some majorly easy and eye catching ways to bring the fancy craze to your wedding day!

ombre2

The best part about ombre is the many hues you can get from just one color. The idea is to gradually lighten or darker by showing every shade in between of the same color. We love the idea of picking a color and sticking to it. It makes it a huge focal point, and monochromatic without being boring or one note. It also has great symbolism in that showing the inflections of each color is like taking a walk through time and reminds us of falling in love. Our favorite picks for a romantic hue? Pinks and reds of course! But we also love yellows and purples for spring!

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Our favorite parts for a wedding? Ombre cakes! You can have your baker spray the color over white plain frosting to fade from dark to light. The look is super fun and a great way to a add a pop of color to any scheme.  Dip dyed linens are also perfect for the look. Think Gwen Stefani in her custom Dior wedding gown that was dipped in hot pink at the bottom and faded to light pink then to white! It may seem risky but it actually turned out to be quite classic. The trick is sticking with one color and letting that make the statement. Another great way to ombre is with your menus and invitations.  Stylemepretty.com gives a complete rundown on their ombre dinner party guide with perfect tips on how to DIY almost everything. The trend it seems is also fairly inexpensive to replicate!

ombre dress

Whichever way you choose to embrace the trend make sure it is for the right reasons. If you absolutely love a certain color and are looking for a way to do something stunning and also visually interesting this may just be the perfect look for you!