This is marta12's Blue Wedding!

I've been looking for this tape and ziplog bags all over. Aren't they fabulous!!! They are sold out everywhere. I need it...I want it....I gotta have it.

This would be so perfect for my Tiffany Blue and Black damask wedding!!!!

This would be a VERY inexpensive way to add some fabulosity!

UPDATE: Damask Packing Tape can be found at www.organize.com (Thanks Sonya!)

A little past present and....well at least past and present.

We love our man don't we ladies.

Whether he watches ESPN for 10 hours straight, plays basketball for 2 extra hours, brings sausage pizza for dinner (I DON'T EAT SAUSAGE), hugs the covers, picks me up late from school, snores, whines, thinks paying $200 for Jordans is OK, drives with the music so loud my ears are about to bleed....

I love my man just the way he is and what's even more amazing is that he loves ME FLAWS AND ALL.

I'm a train wreck in the morning
I'm a bitch in the afternoon
Every now and then without warning
I can be really mean towards you
I'm a puzzle yes in deed
Ever complex in every way
And all the pieces aren't even in the box
And yet, you see the picture clear as day.

I don't know why you love me
And that's why I love you
You catch me when I fall
Accept me flaws and all
And that's why I love you [3x]

I neglect you when I'm working
When I need attention I tend to nag
I'm a host of imperfection
And you see past all that
I'm a peasant by some standards
But in your eyes I'm a queen
You see potential in all my flaws
and that's exactly what I need.

I know that my jewelry will depend on the dress and hairstyle but that hasn't stopped me from eyeing some pieces that I think suit me and my fashion sense.

I love long earrings and drop neckleces, cuff bracelets and vintage brooches.

I don't plan on spending a lot of money on my wedding day jewelry. I do want something new and sparkly for the big day.

Most of these are from http://emitations.com/ and some are from http://whiteaisle.com/ Emitations makes beautiful jewelry for a fraction of the cost what the real deal would cost. Sometimes they get pricey but most of the items are well worth the price.

If you've never been on emitations I have to warn you: its addicting. I'm almost positive I will splurge on the Damask Bracelet. I'm hoping they will have it on sale one of these days. Or I find a coupon for some % off.

Which ones do you like?

Finally I mobilized myself to take some pictures of my ring (since I'm home sick with a cold). The store picture does not do it justice.

I tried to be a little creative with my Tiffany blue ribbon :)

Look at this lovely thing.

Music is VERY important at our wedding. We both are music buffs. We have a somewhat eclectic taste ranging from Jay-Z to Josh Groban (with a little Frank Sinatra on the side)

We've put together a very LONG list of songs we want played at the wedding. Its very important to us for people to have a good time and DANCE! We're terrific dancers!

Some musts include:
Mariah: Vision of Love, Fantasy..and probably a few more

Jay-Z: Bonnie and Clyde, Dirt off your shoulder
Stevie Wonder: My Cherie Amore, Knocks me off my feet
Barry White: You're my first my last my everything
Beyonce: Baby Boy
Jackson 5: Dancing Machine, Shake your body
Eurythimics: Sweet Dreams

New Edition, 112, Michael Jackson, Whitney, R. Kelly, Usher, lots of Reggae, Tina Turner, Bee Gees, Donna Summer, Outcast, Kanye, UB40 etc etc.



P.S. If you don't get the title look up Leif Garrett!

Since our reception is in the evening I've been thinking that some cool lighting could really set the mood.

Lighing options are pretty pricey so I need to really research this before we decide on it.

Is anyone having any special lighting at their reception? Did you hire a service or just rent the pieces?

I really like the way uplighting looks. I also like the monogram floor or wall idea.

Maybe just lots and lots of candles?

Thoughts?

This might be impossible to accomplish for the reception with that many guests but I am loving the idea of diamond ice at least for my shower and bachelorette party!

Ice cubes trays that are in shapes of bling. http://Spoonsister.com/ $9.50
Thanks to FabulousMrsKlein also check out http://amazon.com/ for these beauties.

How cute is this?

After not much deliberation we decided on our first dance song....

ENDLESS LOVE by Mariah Carey and Luther Vandross

I'm a huge Mariah fan and always have been and couldn't be more excited about our choice. I wasn't going to push a Mariah song but he thought it would be so "US"....and that is why I love my man.

The lyrics are also very well suited.

I definitely want the head table to be the center of attention. However I don't want to over do it on the decor for it to appear cluttered and take focus away from well me and fiance.

I'm using shorter centerpieces for the guest tables and really like the idea of tall dramatic centerpieces for the head table. I think tall simple callas would be gorgeous.

I also came upon this pomander type decor and since I'm in love with the whole pomander idea I really want to use this somewhere. Maybe on the guestbook table or the bar?

I still want to incorporate the flower monogram on the head table....

Maybe a row of candles and just tall callas and I can incorporate other things elsewhere? I don't want too much going on.

Thoughts?

I accidentally ran across the red monogram letters and I liked the idea. I did some searching and althought I haven't been able to come up with too many photos the green S is absolutely stunning. I like the ones that are made out of the same color and same flowers.

A whole name is too much but I like them individually.

I will probably use white, coral pink or dark pink carnations but I want at least one of these somewhere.

Maybe in front of the head table? Thoughts?

Update: One of the talented bloggers created one of these from silk flowers and it looks FABULOUS. Check out Haley's aka Soontobe flower monogram

ahhh shoes....there are two rules when it comes to shoes 1. You can NEVER have too many and 2. Buying shoes for one occasion IS perfectly OK!

I pretty much have a style in mind and I'm definitely looking at shoes that will be comfortable and let me dance the night away.

I am not planning on changing into any flats or flip flops, I'm a heel girl.

For long days when I'm planning to be on my feet a lot and when I will be dancing I prefer closed toes. I'm in love with the Mary Jane style and the round toe pumps.

The Stewart Weitzman Mary Janes are unfortunately discontinued and I haven't been able to find them anywhere.

Some of my favorties are Pura Lopez round and peep toe, Stewart Weitzman superbow, Yvette style by Grace, and the round toe Zantoni.

I'm including some color ones that I might want to take on Honeymoon for partying the nights away. The aqua chanel are one of my favorites.

I started to gather pictures of makeup ideas that I like and that I think will look good on me.

Few words about makeup. If you don't wear it on everyday basis I really do not recommend a ton of it for your wedding. I hate when the bride doesn't even look like herself. You should look like a refined version of yourself, that is who your man fell in love with, not someone he can hardly recognize.

I also highly recommend a TEST run of hair and makeup. Looking through some profiles on another site the brides face was TWO SHADES lighter than the rest of her body! That was insane looking.

Now to makeup. If you plan to DIY, go to the mall and have one of the makeup girls try stuff out on you. I highly recommend the Dior and Benefit counters. Chanel girls always want to slap red lipstick on people and give them smoky eyes EW.



Consider the dress you are wearing and the time of your wedding. You should avoid HEAVY makeup for day weddings.

The biggest pointer, take a photo before you makeup artist leaves. This is how your makeup will look on all the pictures. its my rule of thumb when I go out and know will be photographed!

My favorite is Alyssa Milano's. For fun I'm also attaching a color version of the makeup I did for a party we went to (same as in the b&W).

I really love the idea of having pomanders line the aise for the ceremony. I was thinking of doing them myself but don't know how I would feel doing flower arrangements a day before the wedding...unless I use silk flowers then I can make them weeks in advance and store them for use during the ceremony.

I'm not a big fan of silk or fake flowers but I'm already spending couple of thousand on flowers and this would just add more costs.

I like them when they are the same flower in one shade. I would like to use carnations or roses: a full bloom flower.

My ceremony is inside a church and I love the way they look outside. I haven't been able to find any pictures of pomanders in church or other inside ceremonies.

I love the coral ones.

These are some of my favorites that I've seen online. Two of the pictures are DIY steps for making pomanders.


Here is a website for making your own pomanders.
http://www.flower-arrangement-advisor.com/bridal-pomander.html

Pomanders also often serve as flower gifl flowers since they don't have to carry a bouquet and its easy to attach the ribbon string on their wrists.

As most brides and a la my blog below I've been putting a lot of time and energy researching and working out little details that I want to incorporate on our big day.

Besides Boutonnieres my latest obsession are place settings.

I'm thinking white table cloths, black damask runners(?still thinking about this?), white plates, white napkins, black/blue menu card, something blue favors, and a flower at each setting....seems like too much doesn't it. I'm going to try and recreate it at home this weekend to see if maybe the flower I want might be too much.

I was thinking that the something blue favors would help decorate the tables but now if I had to chose between a flower at each setting and the favors, I would chose the flower and let the favors be picked up either at entrance (serving as escort card holders like in the picture) or when people leave.

The flowers in the first picture would match my centerpieces. But I'm not sure if this is the flower I would use. I really love gerbera daisies (however they don't fit my theme), and tulips which would totally fit. Unfortunately I have not been able to find a picture with a place setting with a tulip on a napkin.

The one with the orchid looks tre elegante!

Soooo, not many blogs seem to be dedicated to boutonnieres a.k.a the man flowers. Man don't give a monkeys bottom about this but I'm sure so many brides like me will lose/lost countless hours looking for the right boutonnieres.

My flowers are calla so D will also have a Calla boutonniere.

I didn't think there would be so many choices on the calla boutonnieres.

The girls will have roses so the groomsman will have a rose boutonniere.

I hate baby's breath and a lot of the rose boutonnieres have baby's breath on them. Florist has been specifically instructed that I don't want to see baby's breath in any of the arrangements.

One of the things I'm currently excited about the most is picking our sweet table items. There is such a variety its hard not pick the entire selection.

Our baker is OakMill Bakery and they make the most delicious pastries. They specialize in chocolate desserts and fruit desserts. Here are some pictures of sweet table selections they offer.

I love the chocolate covered strawberries tower. I would love to have some made up as the bride and some made up as the groom.

I might also get some personalized tiffany blue cookies for the sweet table.

What looks good?

Over 5,000 dresses seen on various internet sites. I am in love with 4 Sophia Tolli Dresses. They are pictured in ivory but I would get mine in white.

I love the peakaboo tulle full skirt with a material overlay. I found one by Sophia Tolli that I LOVE and one by Justin Alexander that I fancy as well.

I haven't decided which one. I would like to try on all of them first. I will be going dress shopping soon and I can't wait!

I recently found some of these beautiful round cylinder centerpieces and now I'm torn between the round and the square as well as simple or mixed flowers.

I'm in love with the mixed peach/pink vase, its breathtaking.

I like the black background arrangement. Similar to the one in the Tiffany Bag blog below.

Instead of petals I wants to "sprinkle" some faux diamonds on the tables around the centerpieces, guestbook, cake and name cards. Or put them into the glass cylinders with water insted of colored stones.
They come in various sizes. I found them relatively cheap on ebay. Seller Gracious Bridal Store.
They sale them on all those wedding favor sites but they are way to expensive. I rather put that money towards a photographer or something.

Another splurge I've been looking at is a card box I also found on ebay. I wasn't initially planning on spending close to $100 on a card box but this one is just super cute. Seller The Wedding Main Street.

I don't want to over do it with the blue or the decorations, I tend to like things on a simpler more elegant side.

I want to give my bridesmaids something fun and useful. I did want the tote to be somewhat in style with the wedding but its not a must. I love this one.

The "I do" Tiffany favor box is adorable and at $3 each I would only get it for the bridal party and attendants not all the guests.

The mini photoalbum is a nice idea but I might distribue these later, after the wedding, when I get prints and include photos of that member of the bridal party.

The Tiffany votive candle might be nice for everyone, I especially woud like to add these to the reader and usher thank you bags.

The "Thank you" boxes are cute and most likely I would use them for the Jr. Bridal party members.

most of these were found at http://www.hansonellis.com/hotnewproducts_recentlyaddedproducts.shtml

they have a lot of nice favors especially for a theme weddings


I will also have personal day of emergency kits for all the girls: some things I want to include are a sewing kit, and a manicure set.

I'm creating my own Save the Dates. Not sure yet if they will go on magnets or postcards. I like to give the guests a first taste at the color theme and feel for our reception. I used a picture of the same ring I own which I love, and I'm excited for everyone to see it, especially those that haven't seen it in person yet..

If I put them on postcards I will have lots of room to add extra info on the back. I also like the idea of sending them like postcards and using zazzle to create a stamp with our picture on it (courtesy of lovely chicago knottie).

For those that are interested this was created using photoshop.

What do you girls think? Comments and suggestions are needed :) Does it look too much like a Tiffany box?

They will serve as table decoration on each plate as well as a favor for guests to take home. Couldn't be any more perfect for a Tiffany/Aqua colored wedding.

I saw them on practically every wedding favor site. Some are ridiculously high and some are just over a buck for each one. They also have them on ebay . Search "something blue candles." Although I can't say that ebays prices are the best. You end up paying more becase of shipping costs

I have to find matching tags that I will put on them. That might be a DIY project!

We will be having a signature drink to match our wedding colors. Hpnotiq will do the trick with the aqua color. I love martinis!

I need to find a good place to buy Hpnotiq wholesale.

To create or find your own specilized/signature drink talk to a bartender to see what will go with your theme. Also check out www.drinkalizer.com/drinks/drink-recipes-by-color.php to find a drink by color.

These centerpieces might be cute for my shower. They are too "relaxed" for ther reception but might be cute for my bridal luncheon. I do love the flower arrangement inside.