Extra! Extra!

Read all about it! I love a reason to make a newsletter, and what's more news-worthy than a wedding! To keep guests informed, even before the invitations go out, I created a wedding newsletter. It contains a little behind-the-scenes information about the wedding, travel arrangements, accommodations, and information about the area. I also included a little section on weather and what to wear, which seems to always be in question for wedding guests.

I also directed guests to our wedding website and this blog. Is it weird to write a blog post about a newsletter that talks about a blog post? Oh well, circular logic aside, Enjoy!

Make a Wish (Tree)!

OK, so I was torn between two guest book ideas. I loved the idea of the wish tree because it is beautiful and it is a Scandinavian wedding tradition, a nod to my Norwegian roots. I found a beautiful photograph in a Weddingstar catalog, featuring a manzanita branch with tissue paper blossoms. I also loved the idea from Martha Stewart Weddings, which provides guests with sentence starters like "Love is..." and "We wish you..."

I decided to combine them into a wish tree, with cards that guests can select to finish and hang on the tree. There will be 3 sentence starters: "We wish you," "Love is," and "Once upon a time."


Guests can complete the cards and then hang them on the branch. I also designed a corresponding sign to place next to the tray.

I even found a beautiful silver tray and silver snowflake pens for the wish tree.

I think this idea will be a beautiful addition to the decor of the reception. What it doesn't do; however, is really provide guests a chance to write more personalized messages. As a result, I've created fun guestbook pages that will be placed on each of the tables at the reception. They are a fun combination of conversation starters and a guestbook. The pages will be sized 8" X 8" so that I can slide them into scrapbook page protectors after the wedding. You'll have to wait for a later post to see those... A girl has to have a sense of mystery after all!

These "Bouts" Are Made For Walkin'

Down the aisle, that is...

I've been searching for fun and creative boutonnière ideas for our December wedding. It was one of those items that I knew we'd have to do, but didn't really get excited about. That is, until ETSY changed my mind. Now I'm so excited about another diy project that I can hardly contain myself. I had never dared imagine anything other than a rose, a leaf, and some baby's breath. Silly me! Look at all the fabulous items from ETSY vendors (Erica Cavanagh, Kate Said Yes, Emily K Botanic Studio, and Boutique In Bloom:

I love the idea of incorporating organic elements like small pine cones and feathers, with silk elements like faux berries and pearls.

I think I'm probably going to tackle this project myself, along with some ETSY inspiration. I definitely want to create something unique and one-of-a-kind for the fellas!

Ribbon Wand-erful!

I was stuck on the idea of wedding flags. Having people waving fun congratulatory words like "yay" and "congrats" and "hooray" just seemed like so much fun. While I've seen some pictures of flags and completed projects, I've never actually seen a photo of them in action, which gave me pause. Hmmmmm...

I knew I didn't want bird seed and I wasn't sold on bubbles, but I did want to provide folks with something for guests to do that would herald our new status as husband and wife. Then I found ribbon wands, and I fell in love. I mean, how fun will it be to skip back up the aisle, surrounded by a sea of waving ribbons? Never seen them in action? Take a look:

They seem so joyous and celebratory. That's exactly the feeling I would like to invoke at our ceremony. I ordered almost 60 white dowel rods from a craft vendor on Bonanzle for less than $7. I'm planning to purchase red satin ribbon from Nashville Wraps, which is approximately $6, so the whole project will cost less than $15... totally in the budget!

Bridesmaid Survival Kits

I've been so inspired by other brides' projects that I've found on the web, especially bridesmaid survival kits. I hadn't really considered these before I saw them on other blogs, but after seeing all the great ideas, I had to come up with my own.

So, after a very productive trip to the dollar store, I now have 3 survival kits:

Final list of supplies:
Body spray
Deodorant
Mouthwash
Tums
Tylenol
Breath mints
Shout wipes
Lip gloss
Lint roller
Sewing kit
First aid kit
Manicure kit
Tissues
Cotton swabs
La Fresh wipes (nail polish remover, deodorant, makeup remover, hand sanitizer)

All of these handy items were enclosed in a little makeup kit that I also found at the dollar store.

I used the same design elements on the tag, but I changed the colors to match the case. I also incorporated the mint green that is on the Bridesmaid tote bags that I purchased each girl (Oriental Trading). Once it gets closer, I'll add a little pack of Hershey's Kisses.

The back of the tag has the following poem:

This Survival Kit was made just to say,
I'm thrilled you're beside me on my wedding day!
There's chocolate to give you that sugar high,
And a packet of tissues in case you should cry.
Lip gloss to help you care for your smile,
If a nail should break, I've included a file.
There is Shout if you should spill on your dress,
And mouthwash to keep your breath minty fresh.
There's Tylenol and Tums if it's ill that you feel,
And Band-aids to help you tackle high heels.
I've put everything in this handy pack,
So you'll know that this bride has got your back!
This kit was created so that you can see,
How much you mean to the bride-to-be.

I know that some folks think these little extras are unnecessary, but I think it's a sweet little gesture. Plus, I'll know that my girls will be ready to spring into action at any sign of trouble! :)