Say Anything

#2 - Just a quick tip to tide y'all over while our favorite bride is on the road.

Your wedding should be a time when you are surrounded by love. It's also a chance for all your favorite people to get to know each other and to better understand the roles we play in your lives. For these reasons (and 'cause it's tradition and I'm an old fashioned girl), you should encourage people to toast you!

I have been to more than one wedding where the only toast came from the bride or the groom and it's depressing. It's a lost opportunity when you have all these people gathered and we don't get to hear your dad's voice crack or watch your brother make a joke at your expense or see your best friend screw up her courage and say that she's really happy for you.

I understand if you don't want the toast to turn in to a roast, but asking one or two dependable (read: not drunk) folks to say a few words adds a lot to the day. And, I would guess, the memories will make a lasting impression because they are the moments you didn't get to plan.

hitting the road!

If you are reading this, it means we finally agreed on the wording for the rehearsal picnic invite, stuck those suckers in the mailbox, and drove away. (They should look something like this. Seriously.)

I hope to post sporadically from my dad's house as we pull everything together. I know I'll need moral support from the Blog Squad!

(Image from here)

I can't wait

I'm having almost as much fun packing for the honeymoon as I've had planning the wedding.

We fantasized about going to Barcelona, but partly for practical reasons and partly for romantic reasons (Badlands and True Romance are two of my favorite movies), I suggested we do a road trip instead. H-town went for it, and the best part is, it's his job to plan it!

I've been squirreling my honeymoon wardrobe away for months. I think I got a bit of a complex when I saw my MOH's honeymoon pictures from Paris and noticed she was wearing an adorable new outfit every day.

I have a new bikini and a fabulous cover-up (I've never had a bathing suit cover-up in my life!) and a Joe's Jeans mini I scored at Filene's Basement. And today I bought an amazing long gray zip-up hoodie/jacket/dress from Diesel. "Diesel?" you shriek with horror. "Yes," I say. I saw it in the window and it called to me. My 64-year-old mother has an orange Diesel hoodie that I have always coveted. If she can walk into that store, so can I.

Now I am done shopping. Done. (Except for maybe one awesome t-shirt from a diner along the way...)

The point is, people, I can't wait to be married! And to have my husband (!) to myself for two glorious weeks.

(Images from here)

fashion tip from Elizabeth Dye

If your shoes are perfect, you can wear a burlap sack. Put your dollars on your feet.
-Elizabeth Dye

Too good not to repost! More fashion tips from Elizabeth on {frolic!}

(Image from here)

Tell a teacher or another adult you trust

I'm flattered to be here. I haven't been in as many weddings as some ladies; those sorority girls stack 'em like cord wood! But I have been up and down the aisle enough times to know a few things. These tips are in no particular order, they're just advice from the perspective of a member of the wedding who knows this day is all about you and who wants to make your wedding dreams come true. (I really am that sentimental.)

#1 - Tell someone your plans; your maid of honor, your mom, the caterer, someone! Or, even better, write them down...with diagrams.

Leading up to and on the wedding day there will be many idle hands willing to work. And, despite your best intentions, you will NOT be available to guide them. I promise, you will be getting your hair done or deliberating over which shoes or fighting with your mom.

We need to know:
which chores need to get done - finish the favors, hang the twinkle lights, buy the ice

where things should go - how many chairs go around each table, where do we hide the computer

when everything is supposed to happen - is someone supposed to come out on the dance floor during your first dance to serenade you

and, most importantly, your priorities - what is the thing that must happen in order to make your day perfect and what can we let slide if we really run out of time?

Examples of bad planning I have witnessed:

the collection of antique dishes that had not been taken out of their ebay shipping box until an hour before the reception - thank god there was a dishwasher at the wedding site

the dirty bathroom with no toilet paper and no soap - a roll of paper towels sufficed

curtains being mistaken for tablecloths until 20 minutes before the guests arrived - good eye, Joanne!

the best man not being warned he should have a toast prepared - that one was just depressing.

Introducing: I'd rather be a bridesmaid

My oldest friend in the world drove down from San Francisco last weekend to co-host my bachelorette party. (That's her in the rabbit fur. I'm rocking the orange parka.)

Not only was she instrumental in making the entire weekend fabulous, she had some great down-and-dirty wedding-planning advice that I begged her to share with everyone.

So.... I'd rather be a bridesmaid will be posting now and then, offering wisdom gleaned from many years of participating in indie, artsy, and maybe even a few (gasp) conventional weddings.

She might give us some beauty tips too. I've already started using the organic skincare products she brought me from work, even though she warned me not to start a new regime right before the wedding. (Hey, my skin has never looked better.)

Hooray!

daytime wedding flats by Maloles

Pretty with just the right edge. (And a little peek of toe cleavage.)

From Net-a-porter.com, of course.

Groom Style: that pesky boutonniere

From The Sartorialist, via the eagle eye of Martha at Nibs.

Instead of pinning on the boutonniere, the groom could simply tuck it inside his breast pocket along with a pocket square. Simple and chic.

Also note: if the suit fits well, it's more elegant to skip the belt.

flapper headband by Boudoir Queen

Just roll out of bed and tug that baby on. No need to wash your hair.

Visit Boudoir Queen's etsy shop for more beautiful, crazy sh*t made from recycled vintage materials.

I will offer this bit of advice

Don't try to describe every detail of the bachelorette party to your fiance, your coworkers and your absent friends. They will never understand how amazing it was!

My ladies. Thank you thank you thank you. Now I'm ready to dance off into married life.

Another polaroid by {manda}

I've got blogger's block

Not much on my mind but the tedious to-do list. (And no more shoes to be shopped.)

Polaroid by {manda}

My squad

I started getting a little teary over my ice coffee reading your comments this morning. (Okay, maybe it's the wedding-planning hormones. Cut me some slack.)

And then Guilty Secret put me right over the top with "Give me an E... give me an A.... give me an S... give me a T..."

I love you guys.

(Photo by Stuart Bauer)

killer black wedding dress

One-of-a-kind layered dress with ruffled brocade collar by Holly Stalder.

Just languishing in her etsy shop.

(The fashion from Portland is kicking some ass today!)

for the avant-garde bride

One-of-a-kind dress by Leanimal, one of the new contestants on Project Runway.

Snap this baby up from her etsy shop! Seriously, buy it right now (and send me pictures, please).

F* the programs and the bubbles and the favors and the napkins....

I have to take a deep breath and remind myself we're just throwing a big party for our friends. And they don't care about any of that sh*t.

I can't let the wedding industry or the opinionated MOH or my own bizarre expectations throw my priorities out of whack.

Our wedding doesn't have to look like anybody else's. I wouldn't want it to.

(Image by James Barwell)

paper mache caketoppers

Made from 100% recycled newspaper by Middleburg.

The doves are looking at me like, "C'mon, buy us just to have around the house."

Via Polka Dot Bride.

a $1,000 wedding

Simple and beautiful.

Read more about Jessica and Matthew's laid-back forest wedding on Offbeat Bride, and see more photos here.

Groom Style: Jelsen

He's got it.

And I love the photos by Stephanie Land. (The bride's concept was a fashion editorial of NYC.)

See more of Bahareh & Jelsen's adorable park wedding on Brooklyn Bride.

my custom wedding earrings

Note: H-town wants to be surprised by my whole get-up, so I'm not posting pics of the earrings here, but there is a link below.

The search for my earrings turned out to be longer and harder than the search for the dress(es) or the shoes. I knew I wanted cast silver to complement my Digby & Iona engagement ring (though I was temporarily sidetracked by a pair of fuchsia rhinestones that went with the wrong dress). But everything I found was too fussy or too punk rock or not punk rock enough.

Then I saw a one-of-a-kind pair on Laurie Brown's Flickr and I just knew. She and I wrote back and forth and she created this pair for me.

I cannot express the sheer joy I felt when I took them out of their little wooden box and tried them on.

and for the bride who wants to light up

Electronic fashion by rhyme & reason.

Woven cotton jersey embellished with hand-crocheted flowers and embedded with two dozen bright white LEDs.

Interchangeable from battery power to wall power so the dress can become a lamp instead of languishing in your closet after the wedding.

Um, awesome.

NOTCouture, you are a wealth.

LAmixx for the unconventional bride?

For $46, why the f* not? Wear it to city hall. Wear it to the afterparty.

Shop online at 80spurple.com. Via NOTCouture, of course.

two more that just make me happy

Emily, will you come style my house?

Photography by Aaron Dyer.

F'n Fabulous Bouquet by Emily Thompson

I knew I wanted a wild bouquet, but holy sh*t. This is the inspiration I needed.

Check out the interview with Emily on little winter bride. Visit her website. And see her fab spring picnic here.

(Photos by Lisa Vollmer)

Peonies and Polaroids has done it again

Eco-friendly soy candles in repurposed glass jars.

We've got a little DIY going on, but man, does this girl ever sleep?

Here are the incredibly practical (and hilarious) instructions. Read 'em for entertainment value even if you don't plan on making the damn things.

and awesome sailor-esque pants

Tell me, you lovely people at madeline wood, where can I buy these?

rad vintage-y clothes by Madeline Wood

Run to etsy right now!

carrots are my friends

We just hit the one-month mark and I resolved to go on a mini-cleanse diet. Not to lose weight, just to beautify.

So my coworkers decide to go on a field trip for macarons. And my favorite blond brings Dove bars to my house.

But I will prevail.

(Photo by strph)

Cool-ass wedding

I knew we should have specified "barn dance attire."

I love the vests on these dudes!

See more of Brooke & Tim's nuptial jamboree on a A Practical Wedding. Snapped by Belathee Photography.

handmade wedding purse

This could be just the thing. Picture it a little bigger, with a slightly finer yarn.

I can't crochet, but turns out I'm an etsy alchemy whiz... More on that soon.

From handmade by Calista via i'm not really a diva.

(Images courtesy of handmade by Calista)

a little reminder from Eloise

Don't let the grownups tell you what to do!

Images courtesy of Annina Teatime.

For the honeymoon: eco-chic beachwear

These robes by Surfmonk are made from bamboo, which has a natural antibacterial (I didn't know that).

Doesn't the long one look perfect for slipping on after a midnight skinny dip?

Via DailyCandy.

Groom Style: Custom suits for under $500

GQ Blue ($400) and Navy Pinstripe ($285) by Indochino.

I love the fit of these. And I think the gray one looks slammin' without a tie.

Via The Blay Report. Work research is paying off!

now here's a dress

Chanel. F'n fabulous.

(Although the way she's grabbing her boobs reinforces my decision to ditch the strapless dress.)

{Furi Kuri} Weddings via All Things Bright And Beautiful.

I've gotta keep up with my Google reader.

now I can delete my ebay alerts for Lanvin ballet flats

Buy it now price: $450

F* that. Designer shoes get stinky just as quickly.

ballet flats for me

I ordered these from Urban Outfitters to go with the cloud dress.

They're super cute, with a little detachable ankle strap, and they'll work on the beach. (I know H-town will approve -- I have a beat-up silver pair that he loves.)

Did I mention that they were $34?

F* etiquette

When we first launched into wedding planning, I spent too much time on Martha Stewart Weddings. I admit it. I was at sea and I got some great practical advice, but at a certain point H-town informed me that the words "Martha says" were banned from the bungalow.

But I continued to harp. And I put a big fat foot in my mouth on more than one occasion.

Martha says the invites should go out eight weeks before the wedding. Great. And Martha says tradition dictates that you put up your bridal party. (Which we can't afford to do! So why the f* would I bring that up with a member of my bridal party?!)

And most recently, when my mom told me how much she loved our invite wording, which reads "together with our parents," I burst her bubble and said, "it's proper etiquette, when you're helping us pay for the wedding." I should have just said, "I'm so glad!"

I bet Emily Post would never have uttered the word "etiquette" aloud. My advice is, read it then f*cking let it go.

Sorry, mom.

(Image courtesy of idahostudios)