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!

Dance All Night

photo by me!

As promised, here's a Dance Friday post for you! This includes stuff from last week, too, since the FILs were here visiting. But some stuff is just too good to not post even though it's a little, tiny bit old. Like Liz's chocolate mustaches and noses:

photo via avoision

Liz is Felix at avoision's fiancee and though I've posted about her awesomeness before, she really has gone above and beyond this time. Check out the latest favors she made! Chocolate mustaches and noses for her candy bar! How cool are those? Plus how freaking adorable is that picture of the two of them with their little chocolate face accessories? Liz=kitchen genius!

Speaking of genius, I'm loving Miss Bunny at Weddingbee's homemade place card holders. She's got a great attitude about not spending money and she fashioned these out of old cookie cutters and wire. And though that might sound a little too MacGuyver-ish to you, they totally rock. Check them out here.

Little details like the place card holders are my favorite thing about wedding planning. I know when people show up to my wedding eventually most of them probably won't notice, but I know there's always those two or three people who appreciate the little quirky details, like my friend Mimi's post about this totally unique cake topper. Although A.P. isn't the tall one, I am. I'm thinking we'll need a bride ostrich. Haha! Mimi was really on a roll, too, because she also posted these pictures of her arrangements from her own wedding. I'm loving all the different white vases. Fantastic! But I expect nothing less from someone who came up with such an awesome guest book.

I'm loving all the Save the Dates that Brooklyn Bride has been posting lately. But I adore these and those. These because I love photobooths, and those because I heart The Little Prince! So much so, I've been trying to figure out a way to incorporate him into our invites! No such luck yet, though. And though Brooklyn Bride also featured these, I saw them first at Once Wed.

So, as many of you know, I'm a city girl. A big city girl, born and raised. And with the city life comes the train. If you're from Chicago, it's the "L". Anyway, as many of you also know, I heart me some Jeremy Lawson Photography. And if you live a hop, skip and a jump from Logan Square, then these pictures will make you swoon. I've told A.P. a million times that I want to take train photos on our big day. He doesn't get it at all, but I'm hoping these photos will convince him. Look at that train rushing past behind them as they kiss! I love it! (Btw, go check out the original...my polaroid doesn't do it justice!)

photo via Jeremy Lawson Photography

Speaking of wedding photography, you heard it here first: Fuck balloons, shopping carts are the new trend. Seriously.

Good God this is a long post! That's why you don't ever stop blogging! But it's worth it, right? Especially if you didn't already catch these weddings: Bowen & Brett at Green Wedding Shoes, Emily & Chris at Snippet & Ink, and Wren Handmade's wedding as featured at Once Wed. Part of what drew me to all three of these weddings were the clothes. Chris gives good suit, and I'm in love with Laura from Wren Handmade's dress!

photo via Once Wed

photo via Snippet & Ink

Finally, since A.P. and I will celebrate our three year anniversary in a month, this post with all it's sparkler fun reminded me of our first date, when we made a cake and lit sparklers on my back porch. It was fantastic, and I, like Something's Hiding in Here, am looking forward to the next set of adventures!

photo via Something's Hiding in Here

Have a greet weekend, everyone!