These days I’m sifting through ideas left and right. Things that are small that have been put off until a later date and that later date is now. We have about 4 months (okay and a half) left to go before the wedding and I am picking up ideas and putting them down like shirts at Macy’s looking for the right ones. There are many ideas that we have held onto and will take them with us when we check out, but others that we liked have been replaced with ruffle tops we like better.

Ideas we looked at and put back on the shelf:
1. Digital scrapbook/guestbook – we loved the idea of this, but I just don’t have the time to devote to it and make it wonderful right now with all the other diy projects we have going on, my job, life, planning my sister in law’s wedding, and grad school.

2. Wishes jars or similar – I didn’t want to overwhelm my guests with hoops they had to jump through. I really wanted our reception to be a laid back, family dinner. I wanted to be able to see my guests, talk to each of them, get pictures with them, and be able to spend time with the people we love.

3. How we know everyone chart – I liked the idea, but I wasn’t sure how to display it. Although, now I am reconsidering this and putting it in the program. Okay, maybe, but only if I have time.

4.Games – for the guests to play… see my answer for 2.

5.Traditional Wedding stuff – no unity candle, that didn’t resonate true to either of us instead we have opted for a candle light ceremony. No ultra cheesy heard a thousand times songs (ie: Bless the Broken Road!). In fact, my entrance song is so unique… I’m waiting until after the wedding to tell you. No real bouquet or garter toss. Instead we are giving those items (or something similar) to friends that we know should have something special. No punch!

Ideas we loved and kept to wear on that day:
1. DIY photobooth – We work on a college campus and JRock runs the bookstore. So he has college kids working for him. One of my favorite employees of his is a blast to be around. She’s fun, spunky, crazy awesome. She is doing the camera manning for pizza. Seriously a great deal and it will be fun to see those pictures of our family and friends.

2.Quaker style marriage certificate – We really wanted something special for our marriage certificate that was beautiful, one of a kind, meaningful, and had some sort of resonance for our guests and us. It lets them know that we are accountable for this marriage. They know we have said we would go through the trenches to make this marriage last and not be a statistic and says to them… we know you know and you have to be our support community and help us through all the trials. It really meant quite a bit to us.

3. Knowing our officiant – JRock and I both had our officiant in class. He was my work study advisor. He really connected with me and he is someone we both know, love, and admire. We were glad that he accepted our request. He really is a great man.

4. Good food we LIKE – We went with foods we already know we love. Regional favorites that make our mouth water. True northern Italian pizza from a local pizzeria, desserts made by the hands of our family, true comfort lasagna, handmade breadsticks, cookies and milk. It’s not fancy, but it sure tastes good.

5.Small guest list – we have a max of 60 and we like it that way. It means we get to spend time with our guest rather than smiling across the crowded room at them. Plus, we are having a big reception in our home town for our family and friends who couldn’t come and that is pot luck and wonderful.

6. Cultural Elements - Menhdi, UT football (it is cultural in the South), books, and things. It is a truly unique and personal wedding.

Invitation Suite

I am putting the finishing touches on our invitation suite. I was torn. I really wanted to diy our invitations, but I really wanted letterpress. So to save money and compromise…. I ordered our main invitation and envelope in letterpress. You have seen them.

Then, I made our hotel and area information sheet, the RSVP, the RSVP instruction card, the photo upload information card, our rehearsal dinner invitation, and finally our after party invitation.

It’s taken me months and I’m still not done. Everything is done but the RSVP which is taking forever since they each have to be hand typed. Our RSVP mimics out Save the Dates.

I have had a blast doing them, but I seriously want to warn brides. If you do not have the time or patience to print, design, cut, and man handle all your invitation pieces…. get the set.

Sorry for the horrible quality of the picture. I’m waiting to let Nikki get the best picture of all of this madness.

Nice Things

I’ve been busy on the wedding front in many ways. Jonathon and I went back to our hometown a few weekends ago. We met with our officiant (Dr. Roberts) and took our flower girl and my future sister in law to lunch. (We also got new cell phones, but that’s aside from the point.)

Hannah, my sweet flower girl, is Jonathon’s cousin. She’s 11, smart, precocious, and fun to be around. She actually said to me “I’m glad you’re marrying Jonathon.” Which made my day. I love Hannah. She’s sweet.

I have also worked on other little things, but my mom got me part of my wedding jewelry for my birthday and my garter. I have to share these two things with you.

My garter mom got on sale. It’s a Mindy Weiss set.

I really wanted a nice garter, but nothing really fancy. We aren’t doing a traditional toss, but we are doing a toss. Basically, Jonathon only has one single guy friend and he is going to give the garter to him instead of tossing it.

The necklace, my mom got from an Indie website called Shana Logic. 

I really wanted my something blue (a light blue ribbon choker) to not be wasted or hidden. I happen to love blue and orange together so I opted not to hide it. Instead, I found this lovely cameo (which I love cameos… I have since I was a little girl going through my great- grandmother’s cameos.) So, as another tribute to her and to accentuate my lovely choker I am going to use this. I’ll take it off the blue and put it on my choker. Sigh. So lovely.

So, how are your wedding plans going?

Cultural Traditions

Wedding traditions are completely cultural. In America, white dresses are completely common. However, in India the most common color is red. There are many differences (as I bet we all already know) between wedding traditions. Most traditions regarding attire are based on what makes the bride feel beautiful and happy in that culture.

In college, I spent a summer in India. I fell in love with the amazing culture, the people, the religion, and the customs. I got henna when I was in Mumbai. I loved the way it looked on me. The sienna color on my skin is stunning.

It was one thing that I knew I would want at my own wedding. I knew I would want henna. Jonathon wasn’t sold. He is a traditionalist (and a democrat which is odd I know) and he didn’t want me too. However, when he saw how important it was to me he relented. I’m glad because henna does make me feel beautiful. Although, the condition is I must wear gloves at the ceremony.

It’s also traditional to have the groom’s name hidden in the design. Then, he tries to find it. I think I want to incorporate this into our first time seeing each other pictures. I think I’ll be behind the door of the chapel and I’ll stick my hand out for him to find his name and when he does, I’ll let him pull me out from behind the door.  Cute? Mais non?

*Top image from Style Me Pretty. The middle images are my own.

Bow to the Orange

Let me preface this by saying that is so not me and Jonathon. I’m not that tiny and Jonathon isn’t that bold. LOL.

But every time I tell someone our color scheme (I shy away from “wedding colors” like I do “themes”. I’ll explain more in a bit.) is orange, ivory, and gold I tend to get one of two comments.

1. Oh you must be Vols fans!! (Jonathon is yes, but I picked the color scheme because orange is my favorite color.)

2. A weird fixed (read: dismay, shock, and disapproval) face and nod.

I will say, it’s kind of amusing. Mostly, because sure it is a December wedding and most people would assume I’d say “Oh, red and white, of course!” or “navy and silver” or “ruby and emerald” or some other holiday color scheme. But I love the color orange! And gold and cream with hints of orange is so stunning to me.

I mention this because I notice a ton of people talking about themes or “our colors". And there is nothing wrong with themes or colors. But I think it limits creativity or options. I hesitate when talking about themes because a theme could unify a whole thing… like no color but a carnival theme. I guess, what I am trying to impress upon you is that if you do have a theme make it one that describes BOTH of you as a couple. (Like if Jonathon and I had a theme it would be something like “an orange Indian fairytale book nerd winter ray of sunshine” or some other impossibility. ) Or if you have colors both parties should agree… like if your man hates pink… stay away from pink and pick colors you can agree upon.

*first image from here. second image from …. please let me know. I googled this ages ago and well I didn’t save where it was from.

Vases Part 2

I wanted to share with you some pictures of my new vases collection. These will make up the centerpieces at the reception. I got most of them for $12 at the Goodwill at home. However, the smaller ones I got at Hobby Lobby. (Excuse my messy kitchen counters.)

I’m really not sure what to do with all of these once I am finished with them. I’ll keep the small ones and some of the larger ones, but I won’t ever need 25 vases again. Perhaps, I can pass them along to another bride in the area that needs them.

Wedding style

I have been trying to refine, not just my personal wedding style, but the whole wedding's style lately. I have collected hundreds if not thousands of pictures from the months of planning. For a long time, I've felt like our wedding was an eclectic mix of styles. And it bothered me. However, I know right now, that our wedding is an eclectic mix of styles. And I am okay with that.

Our wedding has a high fashion, diy, book, India, orange, with some UT touches style. I'm okay with this because it is an accurate portrayal of Jonathon and I. I am obsessed with India and high fashion. Jonathon is obsessed with UT. We are both obsessed with orange and books and diy. I think it accurately expresses us. It may not look like it will all come together but I think it will.

I have been thinking a ton about dresses. I love this beautiful Claire Pettibone dress above. The cost? $2475. Sad face. I won't get it, but maybe a knock off? Hand made for me? Possible. Our next big wedding purchase is my dress.

I'm also working on music, decorations, stationary products, our guestbook, and others. But I just wrote our ceremony script. I am so terribly in love with it. It's sob worthy. I have included three readings, family and friends intentions, customized vows, traditional vows, and very special ceremony that is not a unity candle (gag)*. We are both now happy with the wedding ceremony.

*Unity candles are fine for some people, I have seen them at so many weddings with them, and if they have meaning to you that's awesome, but I grow tired of seeing unity candles with no meaning behind them.

Inspiration Abounds

Wow oh wow. So, I've been browsing on and off all day at the beautiful, inspiring ideas in two places in particular. One is the beautiful ideas and quirkiness of classicbride. The other is the DIY projects and inspiration from oncewed.

I really have put alot of general ideas into my wedding plans and have bookmarked ideas of things for details and I have so many ideas floating around in my head it's a bit crazy. Anyway. I was thinking that I am so eclectic and I love so much eclectic stuff that my wedding is going to have to be streamlined or else it will look like a mish mash of randomness. Which while that does describe me and my boy it is not the way I want to present us.

So, while at classicbride I found the lovely invitation designer, Mew Paper Arts. And while I borwsed invites I also looked for other things. And I found the cutest cards ever. So I bought some.



I thought they would help me write wonderful notes to people. Plus, I am in love with all things India.

Next post I'm going to show you my location sites and tell you some about the ideas I have floating in my head. I'm crazy today. Really. I'm all over the place.