the flower girl dress

This dress is so very beautiful!!! It also matches my dress with the pick-up theme on the skirt. I found it a JcPenny for only $28 ON SALE!!! I was so excited!!!

the tissue paper pom poms

Decorating with tissue paper pom poms may be a great alternative to hydrangeas if I use light blue tissue paper. This is my attempt with recycled pink tissue paper ... not to shabby :)


This is a picture I found for inspiration:


Actually, I'm thinking of decorating the church with white pom poms going down the aisles [the church has blue-gray carpet so we need some white in there]. The blue pom poms may be used to indicate reserved rows and used at the reception somehow.

the table runners

I have been searching FOREVER for table runners and finally found them! They were at TJ Maxx for $10 each so I purchased two of them. I will be using them at the reception for the cake table and gift table. The good thing about them is the back side is black so we could possibly use them again in our home! :)

the wedding songs [not complete yet]

I just discovered the cutest father/daughter song ... Daddy's Angel ... I LOVE IT!!!

the wedding favors

Since spending a lot of money on 150-200 wedding favors is completely ridiculous, we're opting for the cheap route. I'm thinking Hershey's Hugs & Hershey's Kisses wrapped in white tulle fabric, tied with black and light blue ribbon. Attached to the ribbon will be a piece of paper stamped with the stamp below [purchased at Micheal's for $1 each] and on the back of the paper will be "Hugs & Kisses ... "

the reception

This is the venue the wedding reception will be held at. Very bland and ugly! WITH BURGUNDY CHAIRS!?!?!?! YUCK! [We really don't have any nice local places to have a reception... this is it! And it's only $250+$18 and hour for security lol] However, with the right touch and soft lighting [maybe some white Christmas lights in some ficus trees? lol] it could turn into something nice and presentable. There is also a flat screen TV hung on the wall [not pictured] that we can put a picture slide show on ... maybe the gift table can be under that? The bad thing is that the venue is said to ONLY hold 100 people [I don't believe it and who will be counting anyway?] but we have around 150+ invited guests . We'll see...


Since our wedding will be in the afternoon, the reception will have finger foods and such. Here's some things I would like to be on the menu:

wedding cake :)
groom's cupcakes
chicken fingers
meatballs
small sausage weenies
pasta salad
veggie plate with dip
cantaloupe & grapes
watermellon
pineapple
cheese cubes & crackers
strawberries [chocolate covered?]
chocolate fountain
blue punch
buttermints
M&Ms [black and white]
black jelly beans
soda
water
coffee/creamer/sugar

The type of wedding cake I would like consists of black scrolls or a damask print. I would like butter cream icing but not sure about the cake flavor yet. Here is a cake I LOVE:


I really want my fiance to have a groom's cake but he will not hear to it. We will have groom's cupcakes instead ... basketball themed. I would like to make them myself but we'll see how that goes...

I purchased a 3 tier plate stand from the local TJ Maxx for $10 and the 3 damask print plates for $3.99 each. We can for sure use it for something!


Since I purchased those damask plates I decided I wanted the others that were there too. So, I went back and got another large plate and 4 smaller ones for $2.99 each. We can put food on them...


On Target.com, I purchased these [set of 3] damask prep bowls for $20. They are a little tiny but can be used for the buttermints/M&Ms/jellybeans...

Also, my mother bought 7 packs of damask print beverage napkins [20 in each pack] at Target for $1.99 each. We plan on purchasing more black napkins in the same size in case that isn't enough...


I found toasting flutes on sale at Belk for $30 per pair. I had a $10 gift card for registering at the store. So, I only paid $20 for Noritake crystal toasting flutes that originally would have been $60 for the pair! What a deal!

the damask tin pail

I found this at Hobby Lobby for $1.50. It's almost to small for anything but maybe the flower girl can carry her petals in it...

the damask rub-ons

I found these at WalMart for $2 but I'm not sure what to do with them yet. Maybe rub them on to some inexpensive toasting flutes?

the photo frames

I purchased these cute, damask, mirror photo frames at Ross. The larger 5x7 frame was $5.99 and the smaller 3.5x5 frames were $3.99 each. A good investment, I think! They may be used to display engagement or bridal pictures.

the gift book

My plans are to use this tiny little book to keep up with wedding gifts we receive so we can send accurate thank you notes. At the bridal showers, I plan on having my maid of honor write down the gifts.

the guest book

I purchased the PERFECT guest book at a little shoppe downtown a few weeks ago. I walked in and there it was, looking at me. For $16 I couldn't pass it up! Now I'm just looking for a pen to go with it...

the gifts [so far]

I love each of my four bridesmaids dearly so I wanted a thoughtful present for them but useful as well. I purchased the damask gift bag/miscellaneous use bag at Michael's for $1 each. The white scroll votive candle holders came in a pack of four [how perfect???] for $4. The candle inside of the holder was on sale for $0.60 each at Bath and Body Works. The lip gloss case I also found at Bath and Body Works on sale for $1 each. I plan on getting a few more goodies to go in the bag including lip gloss for the case, high heel shoe inserts [for comfy wedding day feet], matching jewelry, and maybe one more goodie.


The honorary bridesmaids and guestbook attendant[s] will get something too but I haven't decided what yet. They will be recieving their gift in the same damask gift bag/miscellaneous like the bridesmaids.

The flower girl's gift will be a stuffed animal [maybe from Build a Bear] in wedding attire.

I plan on giving these goodies out at the bridal luncheon which will be held sometime in May.

The preacher may recieve a tie [hopefully damask] to wear at our wedding as his gift.

The pianist and singers may recieve gift cards ... I'm not sure about them yet.

I would like to get my parents a personalized address stamp to stamp the invitation envelopes with ... this can also be used on a daily basis!

I'm not sure what the fiance has in store for his groomsmens', ushers', and parents' gift ... :/

the cute photo album

Well, it isn't completely my type of damask but it certainly is damask-esque. One of my sorority sisters gave it to me as a Christmas present this past year. I will be using it for pre-wedding event photos [the proposal beach trip, me finding THE dress, bridal showers, bridal luncheon, maybe the rehearsal dinner and rehearsal, etc.].

the new address book

I purchased a damask print address book at the local TJ Maxx for $3. I think it would be a good way to keep up with guests' addresses for the wedding.

the engagement gift

As an engagement gift, my fiance's grandmother gave us a Demdaco Willow Tree figurine entitled Together. She said it reminded her of us. I thought it was the sweetest gesture! I LOVE HER!!! She's so kind and thoughtful :)

the everyday dinnerware

I found Corelle dinnerware on sale at the outlets a few months ago. I thought the bargain was too good to pass up [$35 for four place settings, $50 normally]! We will be needing every day plates after we're married so I purchased two boxes [eight place settings]! The design is called Muse from the Corelle Lifestyles patterns. I think it is very damask-esque.


At the outlets, I also found Libbey smoke colored sweet tea goblets. They seemed very classy so I bought eight to go along with the dinnerware.


Target also carried the Libbey 16 piece glassware set [$20] to go along with the goblets. What a deal!

the handmade votive holders

I developed a totally awesome idea for an easy DIY project. I purchased a square votive holder and traced a damask design onto the outside of it with black puff paint [normally used on fabric]. Then I added a small stick-on crystal to give it a little extra pizazz! I am very happy with the outcome and I'm in the process of making many more for the reception tables. PS - I put another glass votive candle inside of the holder because I'm not sure if open flame will cause the puff paint to melt.

the photographer

I'm an artsy kind of girl so of course I would want my photographer to be out of the ordinary. Not a snapshot kind of photographer but someone with a vision! I first liked the girls of Poiema Photography but it turns out they were way out of our price range.

So, I started researching photographers in North Carolina. I ultimately ended up finding a photographer who's advertisement was on Facebook. His name is Eddie Stokes and he seems completely wonderful! I'm so excited for him to be our photographer and I know he will be able to capture our wedding day in the way I envision it to be! :)

the stationary

When I began searching for invitation ideas, I saw nothing appealing in my cost range. I'm a fairly creative person so I decided to DIY the stationary. I drew my inspiration from google-ing damask wedding invitations and viewing the pictures. I created everything using Power Point and Microsoft Office Publisher. I then converted everything to the .jpg format. I am printing the save the date photo cards off at WalMart and then printing everything else at Staples on card stock.

save the date photo cards:


invitations:


rsvp cards:


cover of the wedding programs:


I was also thinking about using these damask rubber stamps that I found at Micheal's for $1 each. I may stamp them on the RSVP envelope flap.


I found these damask thank you notes at Big Lots for $4.50 a pack that consists of 20 cards and 20 envelopes. So, I purchased 5 packs ... just to be safe! If I have too many, they can always be used again for something else!

the bridesmaid dress

I wanted the bridesmaids' dresses to be practical, somewhat cheap, and cool for the summer heat. I love this black dress from Davids Bridal! The dress is short charmeuse and strapless with ruching and in seam pockets. It could be worn again and again for any occasion ... PRACTICAL! I also want them all to wear pointy toe black pumps to elongate their frames [most of the girls are short].

the flowers

I LOVE blue hydrangeas and they are the perfect summer flower to go with our light blue accent color [not to mention they were my uncle's favorite]. I initially wanted my mother to make the bouquets/boutonnieres out of fake flowers but I haven't found any that look remotely nice ... at all. At the moment, I am considering real hydrangeas although they will be hard to keep from wilting in the summer heat. I really want to use the flowers off both my grandmothers' hydrangea bushes for the reception decorations. I'm hoping they will be in bloom! I would also like to use the bridal/bridesmaid bouquets as additional decorations at the reception.

My Bridal Bouquet:
blue hydrangeas
baby's breath
pearl sprigs
white ribbon around the stems

Bridesmaids Bouquets:
blue hydrangeas
light blue ribbon

Here are some pictures I like:

the bride's apparel

When I first started searching for THE dress I didn't know what I was looking for. As time went on, I began to get frustrated ... I felt nothing was out there for me. I loved different elements from different dresses:

white taffeta
corset back
pick-up skirt
embellishments
drop waist
a train but not too long
sweetheart strapless neckline

Well, as you may guess, I found THE dress!!! It was after a long unsuccessful day of shopping which almost ended up in tears. My mother suggested we try just one more shop to see what they had. She initially pointed out one particular dress but I bypassed it at first. I ended up rethinking her suggestion and took it to the fitting room. As soon as it was slipped over my head, I KNEW it was THE ONE! It is simply beautiful. It may seem a little plain on top because there are only a few beads around the bust [mostly pearls] but the pick-ups add to the look so it doesn't bother me that much. I am having the hip area taken in a little to give it the drop waist look. Here is an image I found on the web of my dress but it fits me much better ... hehe :)


I recently found a canvas black and white damask purse online at Forever21.com. I called to a local store and surprisingly they had only one left in stock! I requested for it to be put on hold and I picked it up the next day for only $10!!! It will be perfect to carry throughout the wedding festivities.


The same day I went to pick up my purse I decided to browse through the Nine West store because I was constantly on the lookout for light blue pointy toe heels. I FOUND THEM!!! I was ecstatic! They were only $20!!! The reason I wanted blue heels is because: no one will really see them so it isn't taking away from my 'all dressed in white' appearance, it's something different that matches the accent color of the wedding, and it's my something blue.

the purpose and introduction

I'm starting this blog to help me keep track of my wedding. I've already bought a ton of things so I'll be posting photos soon.

To begin with, I am totally in love with the damask pattern and I think it may have been when I bought my first bedspread [consisting of the comforter, two shams, and the bed skirt] for my first apartment in college. I found it at Ross for $24 [which was amazing!]. It is dark sea foam green with sort of a tan-ish scroll pattern on it.



The summer I bought the bedspread, my fiance proposed [on our 4 year anniversary ... at the beach!!! how sweet]. When we started discussing options for wedding colors I either wanted burgundy and brown OR teal-ish sea foam green and brown [after my beloved bedspread of course]. Ultimately, since we wanted a summer wedding we chose the teal-ish sea foam green and brown.

I began invisioning the groomsmen wearing brown tux and the bridesmaids in the unique color of sea foam. My mother tried to talk me out of the brown tux ... which worked. I also decided that the sea foam color would be too hard to find. I began searching for other options. I loved the baroque style design on my bedspread, so I used that for the inspiration. I could NOT figure out what the pattern was called so I was constantly google-ing to see what I came up with.

When I finially discovered the name of the pattern I liked, I began to read other brides' blogs about the damask design. I noticed it was quiet a hot trend and was mostly presented in black and white with different accent colors. As I researched more and more, I fell in love with the idea of a black and white wedding.

Now what about the accent color? I decided upon light blue [otherwise known in our parts as Carolina Blue]. My fiance and I LOVE the Tar Heels and both wish we would have attended the university. I didn't even apply to go there! That is my biggest regret ... but that's beside the point. I knew my boy wouldn't mind the Carolina Blue so I decided to go with it and made up my mind. I didn't consult with him on any of the themes or plans ... oh well ... :)

Here's my ring!