Northern Girl, Southern Wedding

Our Wedding: A Few Details

I started this blog in fall of 2009. I can't believe that was two years ago. We are nearing the 6 month mark of our wedding day, and I've been looking at these wedding pictures for months. It's been SO HARD picking out my favorites, but I've narrowed them down to a few...hundred...or so.... :)

Way back when I was thinking about what it might all look like I created a mood board. Okay, many mood boards. I worked with the colors already present in the Cavalier Hotel. Teals, blues, golds. Pinks and whites. Amazing fabrics and wallpapers. Black and white tiled floors. It didn't take much to turn it into a fabulous party space. Especially when our focus was on keeping it classic and insuring our guests ate well and had fun! 

Let's just say we were both absolutely amazed with how everything looked, felt, and how much fun it actually turned out to be. Here are a few detail shots from April 30, 2011, including glimpses of my dress and "something blue" shoes, the cake, the vintage owl bank that we used as a place for our guests to leave us a bit of advice for our married life ahead, the vintage chalkboard we used at the bar, and oh, the gorgeous flowers!

All photos by Eleise Theuer.

NGSW on Pinterest

Pinterest. It's been blogged and tweeted ad nauseum but that's because it's so freaking useful. Especially for those who are bringing a vision to life -- whether you are planning a party, redecorating your home, or strategizing about your new fall wardrobe. 

For more snippets of inspiration check out what I'm pinning here. I find it a nice complement to this blog as it allows me to capture ideas in almost a "pre-" phase before they become true ideas, fully gelled.

Inspiration Board: Golden Summer

What if you have a heart for gold and white but your date is in the summer? It can often come down to textures and materials that make the difference. Think light and airy over heavy and dense. Think about adding another pretty color to the mix that softens the weight of metallics -- pinks, lavenders, corals and earthy greens all work well, among others. I made this board thinking about a special family member who is on her path to planning a golden summer wedding, herself!

 

Dress: J. Crew, Shoes: Nina, Flowers: Saipua, Invitations: Minted, Decor: Etsy

Honeymooners

Loving these little ballet flats -- new from Nina.

 

It's The Shoes

I want to take a minute to shine a light on my favorite shoe partnership -- for brides, that is. The Cole Haan + Nike Air line is the most genius idea. Thanks to them, brides can look stylish but also insure comfort on the dance floor all night long. For real. It's built into the shoe so that you can forget about packing the spare flats or flip-flops for that moment in the night when the dancing REALLY gets started...say, for example, when the brass band from New Orleans kicks into high gear (like they will at our reception!) 

They did not pay me for this endorsement, but let's just say I look forward to being a customer. You can find them on the Cole Haan website, at fine shoe retailers like Nordstrom, and through Zappos.com. 

Fun Flats

At a friend's wedding this past weekend I noticed that while her bridesmaids wore sky high heels, she wore flats. And whether for practical or stylish reasons, they looked perfect underneath her gauzy sheath dress. I haven't decided what heel height I'll be going with, but I couldn't help but pick up these pretties from Nordstrom...just in case. And yes, I actually might hold onto these without wearing them til next Spring (...just in case!)

Black Satin Strappies With Sweet Floral Detail

I don't know what else to say except that I LOVE THESE SHOES! By Rene Caovilla. Sexy and sweet at the same time.

Almost the Shoes

I was in Charleston, SC for a conference last week and in a free moment decided to walk High Street -- a quite fabulous several blocks of shopping.  I popped into a shoe store and noticed these beauties on the shelf (Stuart Weitzman Chantell in Gold). They were so comfortable on the feet and (I thought) matched my dress...I even had the salesman hold them for me. (Of course, since I'd found them in SC, I'd order them from him come payday.)

Which would have all worked out just fine until I decided the dress these would match wasn't the dress I still wanted for my wedding day to Jedd.

That said, I still want to find a reason to get these. I love them! Rehearsal dinner?

Impure Thoughts About Having Fun

 

I've been having some impure thoughts lately, I admit it. Thoughts like "what if we did the reception somewhere else altogether?" and "what if I want a dress that's less of a DRESS dress". I think at this point in the process, right before I actually have to commit to more of the details at a year out, it's probably normal for me to have these thoughts. And luckily, not so much has been committed that some of the (new?) ideas I have can't actually come true. 

The truth is, I feel like I went off of my own "brief". My own set of words that I said to myself about what represents us and the kind of wedding we want to have. Fun. Inclusive. Creative. But it kind of only really comes down to REALLY. REALLY. FUN.

While I love many of the boards I've put together and the ideas I've toyed with thus far, they in some ways feel off balance? So if anything, I tried to rebalance some of the ideas and priorities in this latest board. 

P.S. I did try on this dress the same day I found the DRESS dress and I kind of loved it, too. (Sassi Holford, Lucy. and P.P.S. I think it might be a sign that the other dress I thought was the dress -- the first time -- was also called Lucy, except it was from the Vineyard Collection of Priscilla of Boston. So maybe there was just a slight mix-up and I was supposed to end up with this Lucy? These are the crazy things a bride can think about.) 

Anyhoo. I'm actually surprised I was able to put this together tonight. The last thing I have been wanting to do is think about wedding planning stuff. I've been enjoying the time off but maybe have also been kind of in a rut. Of feeling like it was coming together really quickly and either there wasn't much left to do, or that I wasn't all that excited about how the ideas were gelling. Or not gelling, actually. And also realizing that I know this isn't the most important part, but that it is kind of fun, and that if I'm not having fun, why engage until I'm going to have fun again?

K. Rambling now. Time for bed!

As The Board Evolves...

I've been a little nervous. I'd gone away from my mood and inspiration boards for awhile just kind of picking and plucking different things that I liked from all over the web. Things I was drawn to. Things that might feel inspired by and fit nicely with "the dress".

I then sat for a couple of weeks thinking about nothing much wedding related (which was a nice break).

This week we got our proofs for the save-the-dates and I thought it probably a good time to reassess...see if the things I'm drawn to are actually drawn to each other. And I think, in fact, they are.

Inspiration sources: Matthew Christopher 'Imagine' dress, J. Crew shoes, jewelry, and bridesmaid gown; etsy crafts -- doily clutch and hand-drawn post card; save the dates by Lucky-Luxe Couture Correspondence; miscellaneous photography Eleise Theuer.

(Updated 11.29.09)

Textured Desserts: Cakes & Shoes

Two loves - sweets and shoes.

Thinking about a dessert table inspired by "the dress".

Thinking about shoes to dance in, but also that I can wear again.

And only really thinking loosely about the fun of deciding, since there isn't much to really worry about at this point.

Accessorizing The Party

Miscellaneous inspiration from many of my favorites digital spaces: The Inspired Bride, Little White Book, Priscilla of Boston, etsy, theknot.com, and 100 Layer Cake. I particularly love the guest genealogy chart designed to show how everyone at the event knows the bride, the groom, or both.

Shoes Glorious Shoes

While colored pumps under a flouncy bridal gown are a hot trend, the wedding day isn't the only event where a fresh pair might be in order. Fun treats for your feet from J.Crew - a place that has been surprising me lately with pretty florals and soft sweaters and tees in an otherwise perfectly preppy landscape.