My First Giveaway!!

Can we get a break on some of this whole wedding cost thing?? I mean, how often do we actually get something for free?

Well, the lovely people over at UPrinting.com have given me the opportunity to give away 250 completely free custom business cards to one reader. Yup, completely free, you don't even have to pay for the shipping (as long as you go UPS ground, ya know...the regular stuff, nothin super speedy).

I personally am planning on printing up my escort cards using UPrinting's business cards. I'm going to print a background (I'm thinking like a Spanish tile or wrought iron pattern) on the back and then around the edges of the front, corner punch the corners with something pretty, and then just write guests names on the cards. Easy peasy.

{ photo by Chris Humphreys Photographers via The Wedding Chicks }





















{ photo by belathee via Wiley Valentine }

How could you use the FREE business cards?

Just leave a comment on this blog post telling me how you'd use 250 business cards, wedding related or not, by November 2nd at midnight, and I'll choose a winner by random. Get an extra entry by subscribing to my blog (or telling me that you already subscribe), and then ANOTHER entry by blogging about the giveaway (just send me a link to your blog post). So, you can get a total of 3 entries.

Giveaway Prize:
250 business card for One Lucky Winner (Free UPS Ground Shipping in USA)
Sizes: 2 x 3.5”, 2 x 3”, 2 x 2” (square card) or 1.5 x 3.5” (skinny card)
Paper: 14 pt gloss cardstock, 14 pt matte cardstock or 13 pt recycled uncoated cardstock
Specifications: Full Color Both Sides; Offset Press; 3 Business Day Printing

Shipping: FREE UPS Ground Shipping
Eligibility: Limited to US Residents due to shipping costs. We will negotiate better shipping rates soon.

Check out some reviews of UPrinting while you're at it too! I'm really excited to be able to offer this to you guys!! Good luck! I can't wait to read your ideas!

* This is a sponsored post *

The Psychology of a Wedding Dress

Has anyone else been watching all the dress updates on Martha Stewart's Blog? It's just still so amazing to me that there can be thousands and thousands of versions of a white bridal gown that all look so unique.

{ all photos via The Bride's Guide }



Vera Wang



Oscar De La Renta



Liancarlo



JLM Couture



Rivini



St. Pucci



Badgley Mischka


What is it about THE dress that attracts brides? The fabric? The cut? How it fits? It's just so interesting to me to think about all the different brides out there and how one dress could be the most beautiful thing one bride has ever seen, and the most heinously awful die-of-barfness dress to the next bride.

I look at all these pictures of brides dancing at their reception and know that probably 90% of these brides went through some sort of struggle to find "the one". We all have such different tastes. Some dresses I think are beautiful, some I would never ever wear, but each makes the person wearing it feel like a million bucks.

It's neat to me to think about the bride finding "her" dress, trying it on for the first time, and thinking what it is about that dress that makes it so special. We're all such very different people, and although most of us will be wearing basically just a lot of white fabric of some sort, how very different and unique each one of our wedding dresses are. But how cool is it that when we find "the one" that we all feel so special and beautiful, no matter who we are or what our dress looks like.

A-List Invites

I can't help but feel a little starstruck...

Lehr & Black is responsible for the wedding invites for a bunch of A-List celebrity couples (um, including BritBrit & KFed, Jen & Ben, Nick & Jessica...lovely examples of celebrity relationships), and I totally admit to feeling really cool about getting a glimpse into what these celebrities chose for their wedding.

For serious, if Gwen used them? You KNOW they're hip.
{ all images via Lehr & Black }

Gwen & Gavin:



BritBrit & KFed!



Nick & Jessica



Ashley Simpson & Pete what's his name (one of my favorite invites though with the Alice in Wonderland theme...so different!)



Eva & Tony Parker:



For real Shaq? A tiara and a crown?



I actually love this seal...nicely done JLo & Ben



Tell me it isn't kinda cool to get to see these...

Taking it all in

I love this photo and I hope that we're able to slow down and have a moment or two like this at our wedding...













{ photo by Jill Thomas Photography }

Wedding Movie Marathon

At some point during this whole wedding process, I'm really looking forward to having a wedding movie marathon.

{ images via Netflix, collage via Brooke Keegan }

I haven't even heard of all of these, but...

I saw Wedding Planner in the theatre, I cried at 3 different points during the movie. I lived My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Wedding Crashers might make me freak out...(please let no one crash my wedding!). Mr. and I saw 27 Dresses on the train down to Sevilla before he proposed. LOVED Bride Wars!!! Never seen Sweet Home Alabama.

I was thinking that it'd be fun the night before the wedding but I think it's probably a better idea to get some sleep. Besides, I'm sure I'll be finishing up SOME diy project or something.

Are you planning on a wedding movie marathon? If so, when? Any must-see wedding movies not on the list here?

Ode to the Blue Ring

Mr. had a hard time with the fact that I did NOT want a diamond. He thought I was only trying to be nice and "settling" for an aquamarine since a diamond was too expensive. Not at all. I completely trusted his judgment on what he wanted to spend. Even if I could have any ring in the world, regardless of price, I would *still* choose an aqua. Aside from the fact that I love the color, I love having something a little bit different, and it means a lot to me that my aunt has an aqua engagement ring as well. Finally I was able to convince him and I'm so happy with the final product!

{ photo by me }

It's certainly not traditional, but it seems like it's not as unusual as I had originally thought. Ever since we got engaged, I have noticed blue engagement rings all over the place!

Liz Taylor and Princess Diana had one? According to Issue 10 of Wedding Style Guide...




{ photos by Janine Kaye Photography }

I love the color of fellow EAD poster, Rachel's, ring:

{ Image via Duttson Rocks website}

How GORGEOUS is this ring???

{ photo by Punam Bean Photography }

Love this Tiffany Blue-inspired board:

{ board by Snippet & Ink, Top row from left: blue and white Christmas tree from Cottage Living; Tiffany jingle bell, Oscar de la Renta dress and centerpiece (with table number by May-Bell) all from Martha Stewart Weddings. Row 2: ranunculus styled by Lucyina Moodie via Decorology, cupcakes from Cannelle et Vanille, ring pillow from Martha Stewart Weddings, numbered table runner. Row 3: photo from Country Living via Design Editor, monogram neckties from Martha Stewart, bouquet by Mindy Rice from InStyle, aquamarine ring from Twist. Row 4: knit shell from J.Crew, ornaments via Lily G, invitation via Once Wed, cheese buffet from Martha Stewart Weddings }

Anyone else out there have/had their heart set on a colored stone engagement ring? What are the reactions that you get from it?

Church Decor

With all the ideas I have for our reception, I am left pretty blank on inspiration for the church. There are FAR fewer photos of churches in all the inspirational blogs and so it hasn't really been on the top of my list to think about. So what exactly do people do?

Off the top of my head, the only things I can think about are altar decorations, pew decorations, and maybe something on the doors.

Let's talk pews. Honestly, there are some seriously HIDEOUS pew decorations out there. Sorry to say, but just search "pew decorations" on etsy and...wow. It made searching such a drag.

Anyway, I was still able to find a couple pictures. You all know my love of ribbons!!



{ image via Modern Day Design }



{ image via snippet & ink }

Our church has a little hole in the top of every other pew...seems like you might be able to stick something in there like a hook or something to secure whatever you want to hang from it.

I loved this when I first saw it in Martha Stewart's Weddings book, not as much now, but still I think it is pretty:



{ image via Martha Stewart }

I'm just not that in love with it to spend the money to get fresh flowers. On the other hand, I just found poms as pew decor!



{ photo by lauren cekim via weddingbee }

Moving on...Door decor?



{ image via Martha Stewart }



{ photo by Jennifer Brum }



{ image via Martha Stewart Weddings }



{ photo by Sara France }



{ photo by Patricia Lyons }

What else has everyone seen or done with their pews, doors, and altar? I just haven't seen anything pretty and original in a while...