I Could Have Danced All Night

Photo by me!

First of all, thanks to everyone who commented congrats! I really appreciate the outpouring of love! I'm not as good as I used to be about responding to comments, so please forgive me, but I did read them all and appreciate them, as always.

I must try to hurry and get this posted because A.P. is taking me out to dinner tonight to celebrate my employment. And because I don't want to be that girl, you know, the one who always is running late (which I am 95% of the time when it comes to these things) I need to go shower, and get prettified. But first...there's the dance!

So, as I told you all before, I have designed a mock-up of our invitation. It's really, really, really in the beginning stages, and I have yet to scan it in, but after checking out Brooklyn Bride last week, I was stunned to see almost my exact same invitation! So if you're curious what ours will look like, go look at this, because I swear to God it's almost the exact same thing. Insane!

Also, remember how I said shopping carts would be the new balloons?? Um, yeah...CALLED IT! Don't believe me? Go look. Caroline Tran is a photographer I've featured before and she's worked her magic again with this delightful engagement session as featured on Green Wedding Shoes, featuring a SHOPPING CART. See? Trendsetter, or at least trend caller!

Still haven't found your wedding dress? Gangsta Bride had mad love for these under 1K dresses! I do, too!!

Now for the little details, which as you know, are my favorite! A.P. still doesn't understand why the little things always bother me, and I always say, it's because the little things are IMPORTANT. And they are. Especially when the little things are jars filled with wooden spools, vintage buttons, and woolen balls. Those are the stuff of dreams. I've been ebay browsing vintage keys, wooden spools and vintage wooden tops for MONTHS trying to make a nice collection not only for some interesting objets d'art around our house, but also for our wedding. The only issue I've had is trying to figure out how to display them. Enter Jordyn and Bradley's wedding as featured on Once Wed! Check out some of their centerpieces:

Photos via Once Wed

So simple and cute! Plus if little jars aren't your thing, check out these fabulous table settings as featured on Style Me Pretty. I love the little bird cage and bird (duh, right?)!

Or what about these fantastic papercuts as featured on Thoughtful Day? They would make beautiful centerpieces! Or if it's too costly, at least buy one and put it by your guestbook! Might I suggest the bird one? (Again...duh...like you didn't know I would suggest that one!)

Or if papercuts aren't your thing, and sparklers are (have I explained why I heart sparklers so much? One day I need to tell you about my first date with A.P.), check out this beautiful setup:

Photo via C. is for Charmed

Don't be surprised if you see something similar in my wedding photos! Or for that matter a take on these cute cake toppers from Party Perfect. Soooo adorable. I almost like the birthday girl better than the wedding one!

I keep starting paragraphs with "Or"...what am I? A manic wedding planning blogger? I can't help it. Simple pretty things get me excited. Like A Field Journal's Paper Lace banners. So simple and soooo easy! I don't know anyone who could mess this one up! I think even A.P. could make this (and maybe come wedding time, he will!).

Finally, I know I always go on and on about all these little details, and I'm sure many of you are thinking I'm crazy. But really, they do pay off. I try very hard to pick ideas for Friday dances, or just the blog in general that are simple, doable, and beautiful. So when I saw this wedding over on A Cup of Jo, I figured it would be a good example of how easy, cost-effective details can really pay off. So as my final farewell before dinner and Julie & Julia (which I've been waiting for since I devoured the book two years ago!), I give you, A Lemon Wedding!

All Photos via A Cup of Jo

Have a great weekend, party people! I'll be back blogging next week with a DIY project I've been dying to share with you!

I Bet You Look Good on the Dance Floor

photo by me!

It's late again...I know. A.P. had a half day yesterday and we spent the afternoon at a big book fair downtown stocking up on used lovelies, and then we grabbed something to eat, came home chillaxed, and then made dinner and watched Two Lovers, which I loved and he did not. Needless to say that there was no time in that quality time for blogging. Nevertheless...here it is, your Friday dance...Saturday...again.

So, I'm not going to lie: This week's dance is a little, shall we say light? You can tell because the pictures are bigger and two of them are of the same post! I perused so many sites this week, but call me picky, I couldn't find that much I was loving. Perhaps I'm too stressed to fully appreciate what was out there? I don't know. A.P. asked me the other day what happens to this blog after we get married. Well, if things stay like this, I'm thinking there won't be any problem. Haha. Just kidding. I still got love for my bridal blogs!

There were some posts that were awww-worthy. For instance this monochromatic beauty of a wedding over at Brooklyn Bride. First off, how cool is it that they asked everyone to wear white? I'm seriously thinking about stealing that idea! Why? Because that means all their photos looked like this:

photo via Brooklyn Bride

How aesthetically pleasing, no? They also had the nicest escort/place cards.

photo via Brooklyn Bride

This got me thinking because, as you may remember, up until now, I've been in love with these place cards, via Papier Valise's blog, Scissor Variations:

photo via Scissor Variations

The thing is, I use those same plant markers that this Brooklyn Bride wedding used! I buy them at Target every year in the cheap bins at the front of the store. They cost $1 for a set of six. This year when I went and bought more, I was thinking that they might make good nameplates. Then I decided I liked the ones from Scissor Variations more. After seeing those copper plant markers in use, though, I'm seriously changing my mind. Only time will tell, but for now, there's some serious competition. Perhaps A.P. will be the deciding vote?

Another great reception idea? Dessert buffet. No, I know, you're like, "Marty, you're losing your touch! That idea is soooo two years ago!" You're right. It is sooo two years ago...if you serve your desserts on coordinating cake plates or in various sized apothecary jars. I'm talking about dessert buffets with your pastry lovelies served out of interesting repurposed antiques. Here, look:

photo via Oh Joy!

I got this idea from a post I saw over at Oh Joy! It featured some lovely photos from a bakery and the lightbulb in my head went off. Wedding gold! I may or may not do this myself. It just depends on how lazy I'm feeling since I'm already planning so many other tentative DIYs.

Speaking of Oh Joy!, they also featured these great papercut maps, which of course you know I love! Go! Check them out! They'd make a nice wedding gift if the people have some sort of connection to either London or Paris. I myself am holding out for Brandon, FL (A.P.'s hometown). I'm certain they will be available in 2010.

Speaking of London and Paris, anyone thinking about having their wedding abroad? If so, please emulate this Italian villa wedding featured on Once Wed...especially the bride's epaulette (I don't know what else to call it, really).

photo via Once Wed

Not at the wedding dress, location , or reception ideas portion of your wedding planning yet? Just getting your invitations sorted? Then go oooh and aaaah over the adorableness of these invites featured on Green Wedding Shoes. Sigh.

Finally, go scan this article on MSN, and be glad that your life will not be as confusing as these two's. (One person shouts, "Kelly?" Both respond. Chaos ensues.) I wonder if it'll last...is that wrong? Oh well. Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Dance Fridays!

photo by me!

Wow. What a week. I'm so exhausted. So I rarely talk about my job here because of the nature of what I do, and the privacy issues involved. Plus, I just want to keep it as separate from my personal life as possible. I'm still not going to talk about my job here, but I will say that the temp. job I've been doing ended this week, and it's been very bittersweet. I was so sad to leave, and will miss the work terribly. That being said, it has been the most exhausting week ever! I got two and a half hours of sleep last night because I came home and cooked a lunch for the people I work with. It took me all night! Ugh...I came home today and slept from 5:30 until 10pm. I was exhausted! I still am. Anyway, that's my (lame) excuse for not blogging that much this week.

My knee is FINALLY starting to feel better! Thank God! Today and yesterday have been the best days so far. It still isn't 100%, but it's a vast improvement over, you know, barely being able to walk a week ago. Dance Fridays are, for now, still a couple of weeks away, but I feel them coming.

Now that I've entered the world of temporary unemployment again (hopefully just until summer!), I'm at a loss for what to do other than finish up school, which has two weeks left! So, I've been contemplating doing some re-decorating around the house. I've been particularly inspired by The Maiden Metallurgist. A little background on the fair maiden...I saw her wedding featured on A Practical Wedding when I first started my wedding blog obsession. I fell in love with her whole wedding, and the location. A.P. and I are planning on trying to have our wedding at the same venue. More on those details later, though. For now, there is her week long reveal of house projects she's been doing with her husband as part of their Apartment Therapy 8 Step Cure. I was so impressed with her projects that I made these birdie (go figure) canvases, and am planning on making three more for a little canvas collage in the entryway. I'm also thinking about doing some other projects around the house.

photo by me!

Anyway, a lot of this week's dances are design-related. Enjoy!

I've been collecting Altoids Tins lately for DIY projects. I was planning on making little keepsake boxes of some kind, but found these great ideas on Design * Sponge. There are the mini tin gardens, which are my favorite, as well as the tin message board. I love that both are eco-friendly, too!

My thirst for papercuts *and* birdies was quenched by another Design * Sponge post.

I sort of wish that One Love Photo had included more specific instructions for how they pulled this off.

The birdie-obsessed in me likes these gift tags not just as gift tags but also as something to incorporate into a centerpiece. I'm certain I could DIY a similar thing. Is it wrong that part of why I love Etsy is because I get ideas for stuff I want to DIY?

Plus they would match this awesome cake stand from Once Wed. I think maybe a good unemployment project would be to take all this birdie, wood, peet pot shit and make a damn inspiration board already. Does that mean I'm selling out???

I love Apartment Therapy's post on the return of cardboard. It made me feel good about my convincing A.P. to buy this a year ago. See? I'm ahead of the trend. In two years, everyone will be doing surprise weddings. This blog shall act as proof of my geniusness!

Finally, I wish I had a wedding with a smoking lobster! And I hope I ride away happy from my wedding on a bicycle built for two! We should all be so lucky!

photo via Green Wedding Shoes