{real weddings} rustic chic winter wedding

i'm not sure where these images are originally from - i found them on another blog - but i am completely blown away at this gorgeous winter wedding. true inspiration!!

if you know who's images they are, please let me know!

{inspiration} weddings.

this couple seems out of control fun. i kind of want to be their friend. a lot. +

{tuesday shoesday} gorgeous & glam

hello, beautiful.

{real weddings} heidi & jesse, oregon

This is one of the most stunning weddings I have seen in quite some time - I feel as though I know the couple personally just from looking at these photos. I can just tell that they're incredibly fun and quirky couple!!

The bride, Heidi, wore a non-traditional dress paired with a birdcage veil, and looked effortlessly fabulous. Balloons - my new favorite trend! - were used carefully throughout the wedding. They really made their ceremony site pop (no pun intended).

Heidi and Jesse's rustic + vintage wedding took place in Portland, Oregon and was photographed by the amazingly talented brandon witzel.

{inspiration} candles create ambiance

there is nothing more romantic than a cluster of candles to create ambiance at your wedding.
nothing.

christmas traditions

It's CHRISTMAS!

I have a huge family that is rich with tradition and Christmas spirit. All 30 of us celebrate over the course of several days. Christmas Eve is spent at my moms house with a big lunch, lots of homemade cookies and desserts, followed by visiting with extended family.

In my house, it isn't Chrismas without....
- dad's Christmas CDs - he has the worst taste in music (ever heard of Yani's Christmas Special? I have!), but we absolutely cannot open presents without one of his CDs playing.
- mom's cinnamon bread. We drink coffee & eat mom's homemade bread while opening presents
- family. My husband humors me and takes me back to my parents at 8am every Christmas morning so I can be there with my family to open gifts.
- nana's cooking. She may go completely overboard with all the food (hello, 10 main dishes!) but it wouldn't be the holidays without her risotto, cornish hens, cucumbers, ziti bake and potatoes. Yummmm!
- A Christmas Story. It's like a law that this movie has to stay on for all 24 consecutive hours and no one is allowed to change the channel.
- Practical Jokes. My Aunt Christi has been teasing Ben since I met him. Our first Christmas together, my Aunt Christi wore a t-shirt to Christmas dinner that read, "I Heart Big Ben" on it. My husband was so embarrassed... but the next Christmas, he wore an "I Heart Christi" shirt. Then, she made a Flat Ben (remember flat stanley???) and made him sit at the dinner table with us. It's been WAR ever since.

So, what about YOU? What are your favorite Christmas traditions??

{inspiration} chic and floating decor for outdoor weddings

i love pretty little things that hang. to give your backyard wedding a gorgeous glow, why not consider using string lights? how about lace doilies backed with white lights? hanging lanterns or mason jars with candles? floating frames or gems?

it's a quick and easy way to make a bold statement and really add some glam to your outdoor wedding!

{tuesday shoesday} christmas edition

{have a very merry christmas!!}

{tuesday shoesday} peace, love, chanel

need i say anymore? +

{inspiration} wedding dresses

this. is. awesome.

{freebie friday} a little letter to santa

Christmas is only ONE WEEK AWAY! Can you believe it? I guess it's time to kick that last-minute shopping into high gear!! I know I'm still on the hunt for a few more presents.

When I was little, my brother and I used to leave a note out for Santa to read. We always set it out next to his plate and cookies, and we always left a little treat for his reindeer, too!

So here's a set of your very own free 5x7 printable letters to Santa. They come in three sets: Each with a coordinating color scheme, both with and without text.

Each Letter is a finished size of 5x7 and can be printed at home.

To use:
1. Download the Free Santa's Letters. The zip contains 6 files!
2. Print on cardstock (I use 110lb white matte)
3. Trim to size.
4. Have your child sign his or her name OR write their own personalized message to Santa!

{inspiration} wedding dresses

simply gorgeous. +

wedding trends for 2011

2011 is a very dynamic year for engaged couples. After facing the worst economic downturn since the 1930s, planning couples have frugality fresh on their minds. Driven by their budget conscious mind, brides and grooms alike are going to be strategically spending in 2011. Think smaller and more casual weddings, lots of texture, DIY projects and family heirlooms. Simplicity is making a strong comeback!


• More couples will take the time to save money for their wedding, and will have longer engagements. Those getting married in 2011 will have been engaged for roughly 18 months.

• Family heirlooms will surely become a staple in 2011. Both meaningful and unique! {Blush loves the vintage look!}

• Smaller, more intimate weddings will remain a 2011 trend. This will allow for more luxuries and splurges, and more one-on-one time with your guests.

• Dessert bars will gain more popularity and will replace traditional wedding cakes. Local bakeries will begin offering a la carte services for dessert bars. [Fun Fact: We had a dessert bar at our wedding in 2008! It was a huge hit. Nearly three years later, our guests still rave about it!]

+

• Brides will begin to utilize bespoke services rather than rely on big-box wedding stationery stores, and will have a hand in creating one-of-a-kind stationery with an emphasis on DIY. {Printable stationery, anyone?!}

• Backyard weddings will gain popularity. Lots of candles and string lights will be used to make the space more defined and romantic.

• Couples will spend carefully: Instead of spending a percentage of their budget on each wedding vendor(s), they will place emphasis on one of two Must Have's... like splurging for a great photographer, a live band or a once-in-a-lifetime honeymoon.

• Bridal hairpieces will become the must-have item for 2011. Long gone are tiara's... make room for rosettes, couture pins , birdcage veils and feathers!

• Champagne toasts will make a come back. With smaller weddings, this luxury becomes instantly affordable!

• Lace, ruffled and corset dresses will be popular in 2011.


What do you think will happen in 2011?

vintage wednesday: 50s style home

Step back in time with me, hope you will enjoy the tour as much as I have:

The soda pop shop kitchen is perfect for Sunday brunch or a late night snack! And check out that juke box!

How about this, even a vintage car parked outside? Wouldn't this be a great place for a "vintage" weekend away?

{all images from airspace}

Cocktail Party to celebrate the official launch of Wish Upon A Wedding New Jersey!

The New Jersey Chapter of Wish Upon A Wedding will celebrate its official launch with a swanky cocktail party on January 18, 2011 at The Estate at Florentine Gardens in River Vale from 6:30PM to 9:30PM.

The lavish and newly renovated Estate at Florentine Gardens, located at 97 Rivervale Rd in River Vale, NJ, will host the organization's posh event featuring cocktails, music, entertainment and even a few fun surprises. To help make this a truly spectacular event, New Jersey wedding and event professionals & vendors will be donating their time, products & services. Guests who wish to make a donation will receive swag bags filled with incredible discounts, samples & goodies.

Wish Upon a Wedding is the world’s first nonprofit wish granting organization providing weddings and vow renewals for couples facing terminal illness and serious life-altering circumstances, regardless of sexual orientation. Officially launched in January of 2010, Wish Upon a Wedding currently has over 16 active chapters to serve Wish Applicants and will have granted 12 wishes by the end of 2010. The WUW NJ board members hope to raise awareness and invite other New Jersey wedding specialists to get involved.

The chapter is asking for a suggested donation of $20 per person at the party. Donations will go directly towards helping to grant wishes to deserving couples.

For driving directions, registration or to view the invite, please visit the event home page at www.tinyurl.com/njwuwlaunch. If you are a vendor and would like to contribute to the swag bag, please contact the chapter's Marketing Chair, Marni Gold at info@customcreativecardboxes.com. For more information on the Wish Upon A Wedding organization, please visit http://wishuponawedding.org

{tuesday shoesday}

these are so adorable, i couldn't resist. xo

{inspiration} wedding dresses: cascading ruffles

{weekend update} baby, it's cold outside.

We're bracing ourselves for the first snowstorm of the season (or was last winter considered "The Season?" It is still 2010, after all!) and boy, is it getting cold outside!

I'm spending my weekend finishing up a few design projects, writing articles, and (hopefully) starting a new project + taking photographs. This new project includes baking lots and lots of goodies, so hopefully I don't set my kitchen on fire (or gain 5lbs from all the sampling I plan to do!)

What are your plans for this weekend? Are you bracing for snow, too, or are somewhere enjoying warmer weather?!