This is bananapants's Green Wedding!

Last night the Mister and I were watching a movie and of all things, a school celebration scene totally nailed the vision I had in my head for our ceremony decor. Gotta love Hollywood set designers! Take a look:



From KNOWING, an... ok...film with Nicolas Cage.

And here's other ideas I've come across:


I'm thinking we could drape these banners on something like this:

(My Dad could totally make this..) :)

Put painted sand pail flower buckets on each side of the "altar", and spell out L-O-V-E on one side, and X-O-X-O on the other, kinda like this:


And, just a refresher, here's some other pieces of the puzzle:

Ok. So. Uh.... On Sunday (hmmm, count 'em: 1, 2, 3...) THREE days ago, I put up a blog post of decoration ideas for our ceremony at a park. In that post, I wrote these famous last words:

Originally, the plan was to marry at my parents' home, in their front yard. However, plans changed (as they have a tendency of doing) when my Dad asked me to consider other options because he was not looking forward to all the work preparing the lawn/gardens/parking etc. for the 'big day.' I believe his exact words were: "Maybe you can make our home Plan Z. [Plan Z! Ha!] If I can, I'd rather skip all that stress!" Hmm. How could I say no to that?!

Ha ha ha. "Plans change." Heck yes they do! The very next day, (Monday, for those of you keeping track,) I get an e-mail from my Mom, saying basically that the park we had reserved got double booked. The band stand (where we were having our ceremony) was still available, BUT, the shelter was reserved for a family reunion. (We were just going to reserve it so no one else would have access to it, for privacy sake. The reception is at another venue, so we didn't really *need* it.) So, I stay calm, and say, ok, being such a small town, let's call the person that booked it and see what their plans are. If they plan on being done by 4 or 5, no problem. We can just push things back. But I am not changing the date - again. (There's a story! Let's just say a Bachelor Party trumped our original wedding date. Stupid boys...) :) Anyway, the family that rented the shelter is planning on PARTYING all day and well into the night, and kind of have a reputation for gettlng a little loud and "rowdy." Guh-reat. (Can you see it? Me, walking down the aisle, and some stranger yells out God knows what? Awesome.) And now parking was probably going to be an issue. Hmmmm.

The next day (Tuesday), my Mom said, "Maybe we should consider having the wedding back at the house. But, if you want to do it, YOU gotta convince your Daddy." Huh. Well, he's a typical guy, and bases all decisions on logic versus emotion. So, I drew up a list of pros and cons for each, to first figure out what made the most sense to me (while trying to look at it through his lens, of all the hard work/stress going into preparing things "just so" before-hand, because my Dad is not one to do things half-assed. If you're going to do something, do it right, dammit! That's his perfectionist motto.)

Well, if you're still reading this (God bless you), obviously, the pros/cons heavily weighed to having the wedding at home AND I was able to talk my Dad into it. :)
1) It's just plain beautiful.
2) It's sentimental and meaningful. Lots of good memories there.
3) Parking's going to be an issue at either place, so it's off the table.
4) Etc. Etc. (I don't need to bore you with the details.)

So, without further ado, here's a picture of the front yard, where the ceremony will take place:


Everything happens for a reason, right? If I hadn't already gone through the hassle of changing the date, I probably would have said, welllllllll, let's look at other date options. And the fact that our Plan B fell through? Just means something's telling us to stick with the original plan. And you know what? I'm much more excited about getting married at home. I thought I had let go of all of those preconceived notions and visions of getting married at the house, and was just as happy to be getting married at a very pretty park (but one that I had no emotional connection to.) But that wasn't exactly true, and I didn't realize it until we went back to Plan A. (Or Z, however you want to look at it.) :)

Anyone else coming full-circle with their wedding plans?

So, I was going through the Fossil website just now (a favorite pastime, really) and literally gasped when I saw this necklace.

One of you kick-ass ladies, please buy this, (and wear it on your wedding day), so I can live vicariously through you. :) Is it not AWESOME?

That is all... Oh, and they have even more fun stuff on their website. Go. Now.

Before I get started, I should probably backtrack a little bit. :)

Originally, the plan was to marry at my parents' home, in their front yard. However, plans changed (as they have a tendency of doing) when my Dad asked me to consider other options because he was not looking forward to all the work preparing the lawn/gardens/parking etc. for the 'big day.' I believe his exact words were: "Maybe you can make our home Plan Z. [Plan Z! Ha!] If I can, I'd rather skip all that stress!" Hmm. How could I say no to that?!

Knowing we wanted to get married outdoors, we scoped out 2 parks in the area, and made our selection. We stopped there this weekend (in the ice and snow) to try and envision decor ideas, and when we got back today, I started gathering ideas online:

This is the "Band Stand," where the ceremony will take place. (Excuse the craptastic tiny picture! It's the only one I could find during the summertime.)

Trust me, it's much better in person. Blech! But can you see the potential?

All the little pictures on the left are general ceremony decorating ideas I've gathered along the wedding planning journey, and will hopefully somehow tie in to the decor.

Today, I was trying to find ideas to cover up the doors on both sides of the bandstand. Magically/randomly, I found this:


Um, yeah! Spray paint sand buckets and use them for flower planters? Brilliant! Filled with zinnias/dahlias? On a relaxed, unstuffy shelf that will raise the buckets up a little bit so everyone can see them?


While I love our color palette, I don't want it to be E-V-E-R-Y-WHERE, so I'm thinking we'll spray paint the pails in colors like this:

and this (ok, so this is like our color palette, but whatever.):


And then, on the second tier of the shelf, get a tall canvas, and have the FH paint something that somehow ties in to the look/feel of everything. Either that, or add more shelves, and put fun little somethings on them that look cool and have personal meaning to us. We'll see where that one goes. :)

Suggestions? Thoughts? Ideas?

I came across this song tonight and immediately started swaying, even though my butt was planted firmly on the couch. Ohhhhhhh yeah...



Come on girls, join me. I *KNOW* I'm not the only one doing it. :)

Sigh. Such a good song. Al Green = Master. I wanna sneak away with my guy at some point during the day and just sway, laugh, and take everything in together. With this song playing in the background, cuz, um, it's perfect. I'm loving the visual. :)

Yep, gonna need to make this happen, somehow. Mom, I know you're reading this. Figure it out, will ya?! Ha!

I e-mailed my girls today about their bridal party looks. I don't want them to be "matchy-matchy," but I *WOULD* like them to coordinate.

So I gave them the following parameters:

*Knee length/Tea length
*Peachy shades of Pinks; to Coral; to Orangey shades of Red
*Nothing too formal; doesn't necessarily have to be a BM dress
*They have to loooooove their dress!
*They are In charge of their entire look, head to toe.

And I sent them this images, so they see what colors/feel we're going for:





(The second picture is from David's Bridal Dress Your Wedding. Great tool; fun to play and put ideas together, whether you shop there or not!)

So, what do you guys think?? Are you jumping on the non-matchy bandwagon too?

Do you guys ever have one of those days, were serendipitously, things line themselves up and pretty much lay themselves out FOR YOU? This happened to me yesterday with the guestbook, and I wasn't even focusing my attention on a guestbook! (Although I had it listed on my things to do this week on my planner, so it was in the back of my mind.)

I think to show what I mean, I'm going to list the links I came across yesterday, either here, on WBC, or from my Google Reader, in the order they came to me, throughout the day.

The Image is Found raved about this Polaroid Camera alternative. Love the mini pictures. So cute, and faux-tobooth like! (And *swoon* over the heart collage! Thinking we'll do something like that behind the dessert table? But that's a whole 'nother post for some other day.)



Then, I came across Melorbride's post asking about Guestbook Alternatives, so I hit up my inspiration folder and shared Stinkerpants' awesome idea (which I am SHAMELESSLY stealing because it's so flipping brilliant...as is she. If you haven't seen her wedding yet, click on her link!)



The card says:
"Welcome to our PhotoBooth Guestbook! We'll be placing your photo booth picture here after the wedding, so please sign next to it!

We would love if you would sign more than just your name! Tell us a story, give us some advice, draw us a picture... anything! We want this book to be fun to look at, so please, show us your personality!!!

Please leave a note over here!"

Yup. Couldn't have said that any better myself.

Well...then, last night, Miss Pug on WeddingBee wrote about the SAME instant camera AND (here's the important part) about the guestbook she's using. It was EXACTLY what I had in mind, the price. is. right, and she did my homework for me and said that this was the best option she found for the money. Halleluah! Can you hear the angels singing?


I mean, seriously. That was easy. I wish I had my Big Red Staples Button all the time! Greaaaat Success! :)

Kind of related to this, SarahDarling is incorporating her ring-warming with the signing of the guestbook BEFORE the ceremony. I really really like that idea, (perfect for a larger wedding) and her set-up is super cute!


So, thank you, thank you sugardarlings for making this the easiest part of wedding planning so far! Wish it all came together this way!

A couple of weeks ago, I posted this blog post about my jewelry and shoes. My how things change. :) I took the comments to heart, and decided to go a different direction with shoes, and found these:

I had several parameters to contend with that really limited my shoe choices: I have reallllly wide feet (thanks Dad), so I needed shoes that came in extra wide sizing; my dress requires a 2 1/4" heel so I don't have to hem the lacework on it (royal P.I.T.A. and $$$); and I want reddish shoes, so I opted for dyeable ones. These fit the bill, I thought they were cute and they didn't break the bank, so, voila! I'll add some Foot Petals to them, and they should be fine all night long.

But the BIGGEST change was my jewelry, which I thought I was already 100% on. I was on the most addicting site EVER, Etsy.com and came across this beauty:


OhMyGosh! I want it, and I want it NOW! I messaged the seller, and asked if she would custom design me earrings to go along with them. She replied back within hours, and it's like she got inside my head and delivered EXACTLY what I wanted. It's all in rough computer-generated sketches right now, but here's the general idea:


*Swoon* (I know, forgive the crappy images, but aren't they beautiful?) The middle piece in the earring is vintage, so I now have my something old! La dee freeken dah!

And here's a board of how it all comes together: I love how the jewelry ties in to the straps on my dress. :)


Now I just need to figure out whether or not I want to find some shoe clips and doctor those puppies up. What do you think? Necessary? Or skip it? (I don't know what shade of red the shoes will be either...maybe I could dye them a champagne color, and add a red adornment on it? Decisions, decisions.)

I wanted to take advantage of the after-Christmas sales (really, the best deals of the entire year) and get my girls their gifts on the cheap. I mean, they're certainly worth full retail and all, but I got a budget to keep! [Oh great, I'm rhyming. Somebody stop me, please!] :)

So, yesterday I went to The Gap during my lunch break, and found shirts like these for $6.99, in a whole spectrum of colors and sizes. (They're not on the website for some reason...) Five girls, five colors. $35.00.


Today, I shopped online and was looking for loungy pj bottoms to complete the look. (Little sidenote: We're having a girls night at my parents' place after the rehearsal, and I thought new PJs would be fun. They're each choosing their own dresses and accessories, so no need to get them traditional BM jewelry.) I found the best deal at Aeropostale, and really liked these, at $11.85 each. Again, each girl is getting a different color, and I really thought about their style and color preferences when choosing who got what.


So, this means I got their BM gifts for a little under $100. Score! My mom knits slippers, and I think I'm going to ask her to knit each girl some slippers to match their PJs. They had them in college and LOVED them. :)

Woo Hoo for checking this off of my list! Now, onto the Man of Honor (my brother) and the Groomsmen. The Mister has some thinking to do...any suggestions?

Just wondering what your favorite weddings were that you attended, and why? (Or what is it that stands out in your mind about them?)

Mine mostly boil down to the people. The dress, the flowers, the food - that's all icing on the cake. But the people, the laughter, the emotion, the comraderie, and the love that shines through is what makes my favorite weddings my favorites.

Here's my top 3, in no particular order, and the things that stood out most to me in each wedding:

Outdoor Colorado Ceremony/Reception - Amazing couple (each incredible people in their own right, and together, WOW!); toasts that were straight from the heart, and made EVERYONE cry; celebrating with my closest college girlfriends (YAY!) equaled lots of love, laughter, hugs, and dancing, and we were all ECSTATIC to be together again. (We're now scattered all over the country, so this doesn't happen nearly enough.) Ok, ok, and the spectacular mountain views, the SuperMan grooms' cake, and overall simple elegance was pretty awesome... : )

Back Home Wedding with MLB Twist - Groom is a HUGE (no, really,
H-U-G-E) Major League Baseball fan, and they incorporated this into their day, from their vintage baseball-inspired invitations to giving out Cracker Jacks as wedding favors and handing out Brewer Beads for everyone to wear on the dance floor. Best part though? Their obvious love for one another. I remember looking at the two of them and thinking, "I want THAT when I get married." (And woo hoo, I've got it!) And the dance was. SO. MUCH. FUN. I didn't want that night to come to an end!

Hippie Island Wedding - Bride walked down the aisle barefoot, hair down and flowy; reception at an old farmstead complete with hog roasts, corn on the cob, numerous kegs of root beer and beer all over the grounds; the smell of incense and pot wafting through the air; a barn loft dance floor accented with tie-die banners on the walls, and a bluegrass band. Obviously this wedding stands out in my mind for several reasons. But my favorite part of the day was dancing with my Dad, Grandpa, and favorite Uncle, and laughing at the the (maaaaaany) stories they had to share. : )

Thinking back on these weddings REALLY makes me look forward to ours because I know it will have these elements most important to me: heartfelt words, touching toasts, LOVE, hugs, non-stop dancing, and the joy of family and friends. (Sigh.) I cannot wait.

Now, it's your turn... your wedding favorites, why, and what does it make you look forward to with your wedding? Spill it!

Good.Googledy.Goo. Just click the link, play the music, and be prepared to be blown away. WOW.

And, just for laughs, here you go:
Mahna Mahna by The Muppets by bananapants

For added effect, here's the song I'm walking down the aisle to:

What do you guys think? Does this flow? Anything seem out of place?

LunaTina commented "FUN FUN FUN" in my last post, and that made me think about my grandparents. My grandma wrote that phrase in her diary the night she met my grandpa, and we love teasing her about it. (Actually, she wrote "Bob C. - Fun, Fun, Fun!")

"Fun, fun, fun" has kind of become the mantra of our wedding, and is the ultimate goal for our guests. You better believe we'll be sharing this little story with everyone, including details of the night my grandparents met! (I'll spare you the novel, and just say the night included roller-skating with friends and skinny-dipping at the local lake. Scandalous! NO WONDER it was fun, fun, fun!) ;) Kind of crazy to think that is the start to my dad's family...

Anywaaay, I got to thinking about my journal. It's been months since I've even peeked at it, and I couldn't remember if I had written anything about FH after we met. It so happens, I did(!) and I'm going to share that with all of you:

5/14/07
I met someone - a great someone who is everything I've been looking for, and nothing I'm not - at least, not to this point. :) N and I went on our first date in the first week of March and were a couple by St. Patty's Day. His birthday is this week, and for part of his present, I want to give him a list of things that I love and admire in him...

• the way he holds my face in my hands when we kiss


• that his hands can sometimes be colder than mine!
  [That's quite the feat!]


• his easy smile


• his considerate, caring nature


• the little moments of affection, like reaching behind the front seat to touch my leg when I'm behind him in the back, or coming up behind me and rubbing my shoulders while waiting in line at a store


• his fast hands :)


• his passion and talent for art and music


• that he's hard-working and driven


• his goofy voices and silly ways


• just that we're so much alike!


• his sexy ways and sexy moves


• the glint in his eye... "How dare you!"


• his humility


• Can we say good dancer? :)


• his sense of style


• HOTNESS! (DAMN!)


• RIGHT brained/LEFT brained


• that he admits he's a gaming nerd


• his energy and what he brings to a room


• his good heart


• his honesty


• how much and how easily he makes me laugh


• movie-time! (aka cuddle-time!)


• his creativity


• his openness to new things


• the little scruff of facial hair under his lip


• the way he makes me feel


• how his eyes smile when he looks at me


• the way talk of marriage already slips out


• kisses!


• his patience with my non-coordinated ways! (And the way he offers advice and support without being overbearing or annoying!)


• the way he acknowledges others

I LOVE THIS MAN!!

I wrote this not even two months after we started dating. We've now been together almost 2 1/2 years, and all of these things are still as true today as they were then, and with all of that time together (and more shared experiences) the list is even longer, and will only continue to grow in our marriage.

The reason I'm sharing this all with you is this is the backbone to my vows to FH (we're each writing our own) and I thought it may inspire some of you to do the same. What things do you love about your FH?

God help me, I love TARGET. (And I know that I am not alone in this.)

I stopped in a few days ago to pick up some wedding gifts for this weekend's and next weekend's weddings. (It seems every year we have a lot of weddings to attend, but this summer is NUTS! 7! 8, if you count the one we couldn't attend. OMG.)

Anyway, I took my time strolling through the store, and found WAY. TOO. MANY. goodies. Amazing how that happens every time I stop in.

Admission: I am a HUGE dork, and case in point, the purchase I was most excited about is the weekly/monthly planner I bought. They already had their "Back to School" supplies out. (Really, Target? REALLY?! Can't we just enjoy summer a little bit before you throw THAT in our faces?) Buuuuuuuuuut, I have to admit, as soon as I saw this, I went straight to the planners, giddy like a little school girl, and found the most ridonkulously awesome planner for $6.99. It even has a slot on the cover for a pen-holder, and the months are divided by different colors. (Oooh, pretty!) And best of all, there's enough room for me to write BIG. Whoop whoop!

You better believe I'm going to spend this afternoon planning backwards from our date, figuring out a timeline of what I need to have done by when, trying to set it up so the week before the wedding I can just RELAX and ENJOY. Told you I was a dork. But, I'll be doing this out on the patio, with a fruity frothy drink in hand. That makes me at least a little less nerdy, right?

I just came across this song, and thought I should share! Perfect for a first dance song for SOMEONE out there:

What If I Loved You by Joey Gian, from the "Return To Me" soundtrack...ah, SUCH a good movie... (sigh)

I would just embed the video, but it's not working, so the link will have to do. But trust me, it's worth checking out, especially if you're having a vintage/retro wedding!

And anyone struggling with finding that perfect first dance song - check this thread out for a BUNCH of great ideas from real brides.

Had a little Aha! moment today and wanted to get it down ASAP, before it leaves my mind. And while I was looking for images to put on here, I saw another bride did this and it was a huge success at her wedding. Yee to the Haw!

I REALLY want to put fun, retro date-type pictures of us on the tables at our reception, (channeling Mrs. Lovebug's table numbers on weddingbee). The original plan was to incorporate them into picture frame vases for our centerpieces. Now that we're doing balloons and skipping the flowers (see previous posts), I needed to come up with Plan B.

And laying in bed this morning, it hit me...bum da bah! Trivia Cards from the wonderfulness that is Moo.com!








Every place setting will have it's own card, something like this:


We'll set it up so each person at the table gets a different trivia question. Help get conversation flowing. (I know at least a few tables will turn this into a competition!)

Here's the first question that came to mind:
What holiday did N & J become a couple?
a) Valentine's Day
b) St. Patrick's Day
c) April Fools' Day
d) Easter Sunday

I am SO excited about this idea! Can't wait to see how this comes together. :)

Anyone looking for more info on doing this, can find tutorials here and here.

Man, I just love these pictures. (Super cute, no?) This one's my favorite:

They pretty much capture everything we're going for with our wedding day - joy, admiration, being in the moment, sunshine, home, simplicity...

And then there's this one, which makes me laugh EVERY time I see it:

Love how she rocks the sunglasses! :) This little girl has got it all figured out.

I have a feeling I'll keep coming back to these whenever I'm stressing over details. They're literally my "big picture" and help me put my priorities in place as they should be. (Of course, re-reading our wedding ceremony that we wrote works wonders too!) :)

What do you do/use to keep it all in check?