Red Pattern

Saturday, June 30, 2012

Head Over Heels?

I hardly ever wear heels. It's not that I don't like them, it's more of just a technical thing.

I'm almost 5'10" and Mr. Coach is just an inch or two taller, so tall heels have always been out of the question for me because I'm not comfortable being taller than him. With that said, on occasion I will wear a small kitten heel, or maybe even an inch or two, but hardly ever anything higher than that. It makes shoe shopping pretty difficult because I really don't want to wear flats all of the time, but that's usually how it ends up.

The exception? This beauty:
Image via Dillard's
I found this particular shoe many moons ago at Dillard's, not knowing it was going to become my favorite shoe, ever. It's the perfect height, and so, so comfortable (which is saying a lot coming from this non-heel wearer.) In fact these shoes are so comfortable, I was wearing them one day a while back and literally thought to myself, "This would be the perfect shoe to wear for the wedding! I wonder if they come in red to match the bridesmaids!?" No really, I have those kinds of conversations with myself. 

The first chance I got, off to the computer I went, and discovered this:
Image via Dillard's
The exact shoe in the perfect color - too good to be true. I bought them and they fit great, but the red is a little plain in person (you knew there had to be a catch, right?)  Part of me wants to just wear the metallic ones since they've got a little more pizzazz, but when I see wedding photos like this, I really want that pop of color: 

Image via The Bride's Cafe / Photo by Ivy Weddings
I know that I really need to stick with one of these two options because it is HIGHLY unlikely that I will find another shoe that is the right height/color/comfort between now and the wedding, and honestly both shoes are great so I think I would be crazy to wear neither. 

What do y'all think? Will I be glad the red is a little more simple once I pair it with my dress, or should I go with the shiny sister shoe? Anyone else stuck between two shoe options for your wedding day? 

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Finding the Perfect Frame

Not too long ago, I mentioned that I really wanted to create a DIY escort card holder of some sort, possibly resembling one of my favorite inspiration photos:

image via The Knot, photo by Laura Novak Photography 
I found this photo a while back - I honestly can't even remember if I was looking for card holders, or just stumbled upon it. I know I've been holding onto it for a while though, because I took this photo to show Kristen when we met to discuss flowers. I told her my plans to create a board like this, and she agreed to bring along some flowers to polish off the look. I'm really looking forward to topping off the board with some fresh flowers, although there is something very elegant about all of the cards just lined up in rows.

Image via Brides
Image via Elizabeth Anne Designs, Photo by Melissa Schollaert
I thought the flowers are a nice touch though, so I was hoping to find a frame large enough to have extra space for some blooms. We are sending about 70 invitations, and this was the main number I used when thinking about how big of a frame we will use because this is how the names would be separated on the board (couples together on a card, singles on their own, etc.)

I started my search at Michael's. (Forgive me but I didn't take any pictures - they were about to close, I was in workout clothes, and still sweating like a dog, so I was trying to avoid any attention and make it a quick trip.) And a quick trip it was - I was a little let down by the choices. I think this page contains most of the items they had. Most of the open back options they had were much smaller than I wanted, and even if they were the right size they were way more than I wanted to spend. Even with my coupon in hand, I would still have had to spend around $50. Because I'm going with an open back frame, and planning to create the background/matting, I really wanted to keep the price as low as possible so I have money to spend on the rest of the project.

A few days later, I headed over to Hobby Lobby. This time with much more time to spare and post-shower ;) I was very pleasantly surprised by their large variety of choices - 2 aisles of open back frames! (I'm sure some of you would've gone straight to Hobby Lobby but I've never really shopped for large frames, so this was a learning experience!) 



These were some of the first frames I came across.  I really liked the intricate designs on each of them, but I didn't care so much for the colors. Painting them was definitely an option, but as I turned the corner I came across this beauty and I knew I would be able to use it in all of its natural glory. BONUS: I discovered the 50% off sign that I had somehow overlooked on the previous aisle. I was equipped with a 40% off coupon, but this was a nice surprise for some extra savings.


I immediately loved everything about this frame. The pictures don't really do it justice, but it's not so much of a gold color as it is a nice distressed looking silver. What the pictures do show you is just how many different size options they had in this particular frame. I was in wedding planning heaven, let me tell you. 


I quickly scanned the aisle, making sure there wasn't anything else I liked better. For a moment I considered these smaller (and cheaper) white frames because I had seen them used as well. However these particular frames were unfortunately not in the best shape. I just took it as a sign that I was meant to get the one I had already fallen head over heels for. 

Image via The Knot



I mentioned earlier that I tried to keep the number of cards in mind when I decided on a frame size. My first thought was to go with the largest one they had, but when I thought about it a little more, I realized I would have some wiggle room depending on how far apart/close together I put the cards, and how many flowers we use.

I eventually settled on a 22"x28 frame. Still large, but it should definitely hold all of the cards, and it won't look too silly if we have fewer people than I'm expecting and we need to space the cards out. If you are familiar with the small shopping carts at Hobby Lobby and/or the size of a McAlister's Deli tea glass, maybe this picture will help you visualize the size :)


Let's talk price - the frame was marked 49.99, but I got it for 1/2 off at $25. Not too bad for a frame of this size. Arguably not as cheap as I possibly could've found at a thrift store or the like, but I'm taking comfort in the fact that I don't have to paint it or fix it up in any way. The sticker on the back labeled it as "Vintage Sil" for anyone wondering the name.

So, that was a whole lot of talk about frames, but I'm expecting this to be a fun and rewarding project so I really wanted to share the entire process with y'all! More details coming soon!

Has anyone else done something similar with a frame for your escort cards? And more importantly, am I the only one who gets the urge to go run wedding related errands as the most inconvenient times, like 9 o'clock at night when I'm post-workout-not-so-fresh? Just me? Okay, then. :)

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

If All Else Fails, at Least I'll Have Something To Wear

Yesterday I received a much anticipated phone call from my favorite bridal consultant, Sarah, at Lasting Bridal Couture. After waiting for over 5 months* (164 days to be exact), my beautiful dress arrived at the shop and is patiently waiting for me to come in and try it on.

This whole wedding thing just got real, people.

Source
I'm hoping to head up to the salon either this week or next - the next few weeks are going to be a little crazy as I relocate from Waco to Dallas, but you know I will make time for my lovely dress ;)

After Sarah's call, I started thinking about all of the items I want to have to make the most of my dress fitting. I will absolutely want to take my shoes (more on those coming soon!) and I would really like to try on the dress with a corset/bustier similar to what I will be wearing at the wedding. When I originally tried on the dress, I borrowed one of the corsets they had at the shop. Since then I have searched a few places in person and scoured the internet for something similar. The ones that I tried on (at Dillard's, for those of you who are wondering) just didn't seem to fit right. They either had too much or too little in certain areas, if you catch my drift. I have a really hard time convincing myself to by clothing online, and I just couldn't make myself blindly choose one to order from websites like these. I'm planning to ask the girls at the shop where they bought their samples from, and hopefully I can order one as well.

As well as starting to think more about my wedding day attire, I also headed over to Hobby Lobby today to make a pretty significant wedding purchase. I'm planning on going into more detail about it very soon, but I will leave you with a little sneak peek, and the hint that it has something to do with this post.



When did y'all get serious about wedding planning? Was it at a certain date on the calendar, when you received a certain (important) item like me, or have you been working hard since day one?

*Not 100% sure, but I don't think this is the normal amount of time it takes to get your wedding dress in at Lasting Bridal. I ordered mine right after the new year, and many of the other girls in the salon had just gotten engaged and were having a summer wedding. Pretty sure I just fell behind those who were having theirs rush ordered. Either way, I have it in plenty of time for bridal portraits and the Big Day, so I'm happy!


Monday, June 25, 2012

Soundtrack for the Ceremony

A few weeks back, Mr. Coach and I spent the weekend enjoying two amazing Coldplay concerts in Dallas (we're huge fans, so yes, we went both nights!) I've mentioned before how much we both love music, and we're planning to make it a big part of our wedding. The concerts really got me thinking about what songs we are going to incorporate in the ceremony and reception, because I honestly have no idea.

Our amazing view! / Personal Photos
I think the fact that we both love music, and so many different types, is making the decision surprisingly more difficult. Every time I think about choosing ONE song to walk down the aisle to, or ONE song to be our first dance, I cringe at the thought of having to narrow it down that much. But, with just a little over three(!) months left, it's time to start making some of those decisions about details.

All of our ceremony music will be played by a harpist, so anything we choose has to be something she already knows how to play, or something she can find sheet music for and then learn before the ceremony. She has a pretty extensive list on her website with clips of some of the most popular songs she plays. She also gave me a demo CD with a few others, as well as making it clear that she uses her iPad to play off of during weddings and is happy to look up other songs.

For the music while guests are being seated, I'm planning to just pick a few songs we like and then let her fill in songs that fit our style. I really want this time to be filled with songs that a lot of people would recognize. One of my favorite things about our harpist is that she plays current and popular music and this is the point during the wedding where I really want to take advantage of that. Some of my favorites from her website are All I Ask of You, Bittersweet Symphony, and I Can't Help Falling in Love. I think any or all of these would be beautiful during this part of the ceremony.

I'm still trying to decide which songs would be good for seating of various family and I'm having a really tough time making a decision about the Processional music - I do love a classic Canon in D but incorporating a song that has meaning, like Yellow, could be nice too. Yellow has always been one of "our" songs (and I will never get over how amazing it is live!) but we agreed that the original version is a little too upbeat for our first dance, so I would really like to incorporate it into the ceremony or reception in some other way. The processional could be a great way to do this - Jenny's harp version is so beautiful!

I know this post is filled with lots of unknowns, but there is one thing I am almost positive about. There is a section on Jenny's website of Disney music, and I absolutely LOVE the idea of the flower girls making their entrance to a Disney classic. How precious would it be to have them walk down the aisle to Someday My Prince Will Come or A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes? Of course, their song should be the easiest because they will be adorable no matter what song I choose, even if they decide to clean up the petals rather than toss them down ;)




Anyone else having a difficult time narrowing down the songs for the ceremony? Did you try to incorporate songs that you liked outside of wedding planning, or did you just choose songs that fit well into the ceremony?

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

What to Wear: Getting Ready

We chose to keep our bridal party small, with both Mr. Coach and I choosing three of our closest friends to stand next to us on our wedding day. I was pleased with the decision when we made it, because I think I will really enjoy having just a few of my favorite ladies with me on the big day. Now that I'm thinking about gifts for them, I'm even more pleased, because it allows me to do something special for each of them without having to worry about breaking the bank over a huge bridal party!

I have plans to find a special gift for each of these ladies, possibly a unique necklace for each of them to wear with their dresses, or maybe just a fun care package. I've even thought about taking them for a spa day, since there's only a few of us and I could probably make it fit with the budget. The only problem with this is location - we will all be in different cities up until the day before the wedding. So, I think having a personalized gift to give to each of them is going to be the best option.

Along with the gift I choose for each of them (which is still to be determined), I want to have something for all of us to wear while we're getting ready on the big day.

I've seen a lot of people choose robes for their getting ready attire, but I just wasn't feeling them. If I was going to go with robes, some of the printed ones are gorgeous, but I really want to wear white the entire day of the wedding, including getting ready - I plan on milking this bride title for all it's worth!
Image via ShopMomento on Etsy
This shop has tons of prints to choose from! / Image via UnderWrapzRobes on Etsy
Another option is personalized tanks or t-shirts. Although, the idea of wearing a regular shirt really didn't sit well with me because of getting our hair done then having to remove it. I would rather something with buttons or can easily be taken off when we want to put our dresses on.
 Image via PerfectLittleDetails on Etsy

Image via TheLittleBridalShop on Etsy

Then, I came across the option of personalized men's Oxford shirts, and fell. in. love. I've only recently seen pictures of girls doing this, but I thought it was a great idea. 



I love the crisp look of the all white shirts, possibly with red monograms to match the girls dresses? I also really like the idea of giving the girls a shirt thats a little different, like the blue stripes below, or maybe even a solid red with white writing, and have theirs be opposite of mine. 


*All monogrammed shirt photos found here!

Either way I LOVE this idea, and FMIL Coach said she could help me out and monogram them on her sewing machine which should save a lot of money since they're going for about $40 a shirt on Etsy! The shirts will be perfect for getting ready since they can easily be unbuttoned with no worry of messing up our hair! 

My only problem with the shirts is that unlike the robe, I don't think the girls would get much use of it after the wedding. This is the main reason that I'm planning to not only have the shirt for them, but another gift as well that they can wear or use. Such a nice perk of a small bridal party! 

Any suggestions on colors for the monogrammed shirts? Has anyone gone this route with the shirts, or done something else really unique for getting ready attire?

Monday, June 18, 2012

Pondering Postage

Now that invitations are on my mind, I am also consumed with thoughts about stamps. (What is it about wedding planning that makes even the smallest, and typically unimportant details, so incredibly significant!?) Truth be told, I probably wouldn't have even thought about stamps yet had they not been the cause of a potential-but-carefully-avoided-freakout when sending our save the dates.

I mentioned previously which save the dates we chose, but just for kicks and giggles, I wanted to give you an idea of what the final product looked like. They are the Bold Stripe Save the Dates from Minted, and I was really pleased with how they turned out. We chose to go with the add-on option of putting a picture as well as a short paragraph on the back, and I'm really glad we did because I think its a nice, cheery surprise when you turn the card over!



All save the date photos are personal!

After addressing and stuffing each envelope, and then attaching the return address stickers, they were all ready to go except for postage. Up until that point, I hadn't even thought about choosing stamps. I figured I would just head to the post office, choose the nicest stamp they had, and hopefully it would be wedding stationary appropriate.

I was wrong. So, so wrong.

After waiting in line at the post office for almost 25 minutes (what is this - the DMV?) I stepped up to the counter and pointed to a cute "love" stamp I had been eyeing on a poster on the wall. They were out of that one, go figure. I then asked for any wedding related stamps they had - again, all out. How about anything cute anything that's not a liberty bell?

I was given these beauties, and told they were out of everything else until sometime the next week:
Source
Romantic, right?

Moment of truth - rant or retreat? ...I shrugged it off, vowing to make up for my lack of preparation when we worked on invitations. So, here we are. I started my search on the USPS website and found a few options that could work, including the original "Love" option I had spotted.
Image via USPS

Image via USPS




These standard stamps really weren't doing it for me though, so I hopped over to Zazzle to see what I could come up with there. There were almost TOO many options. Monograms, wedding flowers, and save the date - they had it all covered.

Image via Zazzle
Image via Zazzle
Nothing was really catching my eye other than the simple monograms. Some of the others were cute, but I didn't feel like they would really match the style of the invitations I wanted. The monogram was classy, understated and nice to look at. I really thought it would add to the look of our invitations, rather than distract or make them look worse.


Image via Zazzle
The only drawback? The price. While the USPS stamps would run about $9 for a sheet of 20, the Zazzle postage is going to cost $22 for the same amount. And with about 75 invitations going out, we're talking about almost ninety bucks for postage. Yes, the personalized stamps would look better, that's why I'm searching in the first place, but I just don't know how much money should be put toward postage that someone will only glance at.

So, this is where I stand - bound and determined to have nice postage for the invitations I'm in love with, but unsure whether or not it's worth the money to pay for it.

Do you guys think it's worth the extra cash to spring for "wedding-like" postage? Tell me how you solved your postage dilemmas!


Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Going With My Gut

A while back, I shared my excitement over choosing our photographer, and promised to share a little more about how we made the final decision. It was somewhat of a difficult decision because the photos and video that we will receive after our wedding day are very important to me. Mr. Coach jokes that after the wedding he expects to come home from work many nights and find me sitting on the couch crying over our wedding film and/or photo album.

Honestly, that's probably not too far from the truth - I do love to reminisce. So, I knew that I was putting a lot of faith into whoever we chose to document our day.

Similar to Mrs. Boa Constrictor, I found myself caught between choosing the more expensive professional, and the budget friendly, but also very talented, photography student. Let me tell you, it is a tough place to be, or at least it was for me. I mean, these are my WEDDING PHOTOS we're talking about. Thoughts kept running through my mind of all of moments throughout that day they couldn't be repeated or replicated.

I did contact a few others just for comparison's sake, but the professional photographer who's work I had fallen in love with was Alex Maldonado of AlexM Photography. I had discovered his work during my Freshman year of college, when I also fell in love with the work done by Vanessa McKellar, and I had been stalking his blog ever since. I really loved his fun take on weddings and the way he captured the "typical" wedding events in a unique way.

Photo by AlexM
But he's not all fun and games - he also just takes really amazing photos.

Photo by AlexM

Up until I actually started planning a wedding I just KNEW I was going to have Alex shoot the big day. But then, budgets happen, and you have to be realistic. By no means did I think Alex's wedding packages were overpriced, in fact, I thought they were pretty reasonable for the amount of work he was going to do and the quality of his work. But reasonable or not, money is money, and I really didn't want to spend that much on photography. I'm not sure what I was expecting - some kind of low-priced miracle, apparently - but I knew I had to look at other options.

I mentioned I had contacted a few other photographers, both in the DFW area as well as near my hometown in East Texas. Although there are many talented photographers out there, I just didn't feel like any of them were the right choice. Some were way overpriced, others were going to limit us on time to a mere 3 or 4 hours, which wouldn't even cover the reception.

I needed someone who could 1) take great photos, 2) who was willing and able to shoot the entire day - from getting ready to final exit, 3) who was reasonably not expensively priced, and for the icing on the cake, I would love a second shooter.

This is where the lovely and talented Megan Fortner comes in. Megan is a talented photographer, studying art at a university in Dallas, and we also went to high school together. She fulfilled each and every one of those requirements (!!) and was available on our day. It almost seemed too good to be true. After a good bit of deliberation, I finally just went with my gut and chose Megan.

Photo by Megan Fortner

Photo by Megan Fortner

Why yes, that IS a Piazza Wedding! / Photo by Megan Fortner
Did I worry about the fact that we didn't choose an "experienced professional" to photograph our wedding? At first, yes I did. I went back and forth, asking myself if it was the right choice. I wondered if maybe I should just find the money in the budget for Alex and let that be that.

But then as Megan began to post more weddings on her blog, and told me about the two internships she was doing (one of them with another wedding photographer) I knew she was going to get even more experience before October got here. On top of that, she did our engagement photos, and I was MORE than happy with the way they turned out. I 100% believe that what she may lack in experience she makes up for in the freshness of her work and the "young" ideas she has. I know she is learning great techniques from school and internships, and she will also have newer and exciting ideas for our wedding day photos. I went with my gut feeling, made a decision, and honestly can't wait for her to shoot my bridal portraits, and finally our wedding day!

What was the hardest decision you guys have had to make regarding the wedding? Maybe it was choosing the photographer, which dress you like best, or maybe just which flavor of cake is the tastiest? :)




Monday, June 11, 2012

Let's Get This DIY Show on the Road

As much as I love picking and choosing vendors to take part in our wedding day (mainly because they are pro's and I know their work will be fabulous!), there are certain items I would really like to DIY and prepare myself. Outside of wedding planning, I LOVE to craft and create. (One of my favorite rooms in our new house is my dedicated crafting room! Thanks Mr. C!) I promised myself early on that I wouldn't get overloaded with projects during the planning process, but who says I can't still squeeze a few in here and there!? :) Although I won't be physically creating some of the larger aspects of the wedding, like the floral arrangements, I have plans to create some smaller, yet very important details for the Big Day. So far, I have plans to:
  • sew/create the Ring Bearer's pillow
  • design some sort of holder, probably a frame, for the escort cards at the reception
  • put together a gift/care package for my lovely bridesmaids
  • create table numbers for the reception
  • decide on our exit from the reception, and then put together whatever "supplies" will be needed.

So far I have ideas for the ring pillow, something with a big bow, and possibly lace:
via HandAndHeritage on Etsy
via OneBlushingBride on Etsy
As well as the escort card holder - I'm thinking a large frame with ribbon hung across it to hold the cards, like so:
image via The Knot, Photo by Laura Novak

It's not a very extensive list at this point, but I do love the idea of a few handmade items making their way into our wedding in some way, shape or form. 

The only problem is... finding motivation to start on these projects. I'm always so afraid of making something and then stumbling across something I like better or a different way I should have done it. The procrastinator in me likes to justify why I'm waiting so long to get started :)

Help me out, guys! How do motivate yourself to get started, rather than waiting until the last minute for some of those important "little" projects? Any tips on any of these potential projects?



Sunday, June 10, 2012

When In Doubt, Organize!

A few nights ago, I was having trouble falling asleep. After watching more episodes of HGTV's House Hunters than I care to admit, I decided to focus on organizing some of the wedding information I had been setting aside stuffing into a binder until I felt like putting it into its proper place. Well, my organization obsession got the best of me, and I started what ended up being a 2-day process of organizing/printing/labeling all of the important wedding info I have, and creating my ultimate wedding planning binder.

Now before you ask - yes, I know that you can go to any bookstore and find oodles of choices for wedding organization. In fact, shortly after Ryan and I got engaged, I was sucked in to the wedding section at Barnes & Noble, and bought this little guy:

I just HAD to have it / Image via Barnes and Noble
I looked at each and every one of their options before finally settling on this planner. I loved that it not only had an extensive overall checklist, but also a check list for each sub-section as well, with to-do items for things like booking a florist and making sure your bridesmaids get their dresses on time. It seemed like a great purchase - I had 12 months of planning ahead of me, and I loved the idea of being organized from start to finish.

Then, somewhere along the way, I realized I really wasn't using the planner. While I loved the extensive information as a newly engaged bride-to-be, I began to realize there was a lot of fluff taking up space in this particular planner. I considered sifting through the pages, taking out things I didn't need, but the binder itself is very large, and I have a weird pet peeve about a large binder with only a few pages. This led me to my next option, making my own planner. This is where my sleepless night comes into play - I decided to start fresh with an empty binder I had left over from a class, and use the elements of the binder I had bought, mixed with my own organization.

Personal Photo
Personal Photo

First of all, I kept the calendar right up front where I would see it immediately. I use it only for important dates and payment reminders so they don't slip through the cracks.

I chose to not only divide the binder into sections like ceremony, dress, and music, but also into subsections. This really helped me to personalize the planner, and include sections for vendors I had already booked.
Personal Photo
Subdivision of Music into Harp & DJ / Personal Photo

For each vendor, I printed out the contract we had signed, as well as the lists of information from the Piazza about what our package includes. I did the same thing with the photographer and videographer so that I would have the information easily accessible if I needed to look back at what our package included.
Megan Fortner Photography / Personal Photo
Personal Photo


Finally, because the front looked a little bare, I headed over to Wedding Chicks and printed off one of their wedding signs. Nothing fancy, but it gets the job done! (Excuse the wrinkles on the paper - Memphis likes to stand on top of the binder for some reason.)

Personal Photo

The most significant part of this organization was taking the time to get all of my wedding information in one place. Before, I would just refer to my email when I needed to look something up, but now it is so much easier to have it all in one place, and have a hard copy to look at. It will also be convenient to carry the planner with me when I start meeting with our coordinator at the Piazza three months out from the wedding (we're getting so close! how is this possible!?)

If I could give my self seven months ago some advice, I would definitely tell her to skip the bookstore planner, and just create your own. There are so many great resources online that can be printed out - I love the spreadsheets here - and you can really create a planner that is personalized and fits your wedding.

Side note: for all of the things I can't easily do with pen and paper, I hop over to Google Docs. It made creating the guest list and getting Save the Dates ready such an easy process. It also allows my mom to help me with addresses and add them in her self!

How do you organize the oodles of information that come with planning a wedding? Did you create your own system or rely on Martha Stewart and friends to help you out?