DIY Buffet Tray

A few months ago we got a new buffet for our kitchen- mainly because we needed a lot more kitchen storage space... But the bonus was that I got a whole new area to decorate!  My husband and I decided that one of the things we wanted for the top of the buffet was decanters for liquor/wine/etc.  So I thought, why not get some kind of cool tray to display them on- or better yet- make one!  So, off to Michael's!  I didn't really know what I wanted to do, so I just wandered around Michael's for a while to see what I could use to make a tray. And this is what I came up with!  All in all it probably cost me about $10-15 to make, and was really easy.  The hardest part was being patient as I waited for everything to dry. The cool part is that you can use this same basic idea and customize it with whatever colors and design you want.  Here is what I did:

Materials:

• Wood Plaque (I used an 11x14 oval, but pick whatever you want)
• Spray Paint (I used brown)
• 2 Pieces Scrapbook Paper (Pick whatever design you want!)
• Scissors
• Mod Podge (I homemade mine- just equal parts Elmer's glue and water!)
• Sponge Brush
• Krylon® Crystal Clear Acrylic Gloss Coating

Instructions:

The first thing you want to do is trace the plaque shape onto your scrapbook paper.  You will have to use 2 12x12 sheets if you use the 11x14 oval, so match the designs up as best as you can.  Nobody will notice if it isn't perfect!  Trace the shape with pencil onto the paper, and cut out the circular shape.  Next, spray paint your plaque and allow it to dry.  Be sure to get the sides really well, since that is the painted part which will show.  Once it is dry, you are ready to Mod Podge!  Coat the tray with the Mod Podge, and stick the paper onto the tray, matching it up as best as you can.  Use your sponge brush to brush the Mod Podge over top of the paper, being sure to smooth it out as you go.  Do a thin coat (if it is too thick, the paper may get wet and tear).  Allow it to dry to the touch, and repeat the Mod Podge coat a few more times.  I probably did about 5 coats, letting it dry in between coats. Once it is all coated and dried, you can finish it off.  Spray the Krylon gloss coating over top- this will make it waterproof and seal it all up.  Once that layer is dry, you are done!  Time to admire your fabulous new buffet tray!

I love how this looks on my beautiful buffet, and it is a perfect size and shape to display our decanters.  It was nice to be able to customize it to perfectly fit into the decor of the room, too!

DIY Springtime Wreath

I have seen a ton of DIY wreath ideas on Pinterest and other places lately, so I felt inspired to make my own.  It is finally transitioning to springtime here (well, as spring as it gets here...), so I decided to start transforming our house away from the depressing wintertime stuff, and get some joy and color into our lives!  This wreath took about 30 minutes and probably $10 at Michael's to make (as long as you go during a sale and armed with coupons as I always do).  It was really easy and I love how it makes the house look!  Hope it inspires you to make something similar for your house...

Materials:

• 1 Grapevine Wreath (I used the 14" I believe)
• 3-4 Bunches of Fake Flowers (I used white and yellow)
• 1 Small-Medium Wooden Letter (of your last name!)
• Acrylic Paint (I used turquoise)
• Paint Brush
• Hot Glue Gun
• String/Twine (for hanging)

Instructions:

First you want to paint your wooden letter using your acrylic paint and brush.  I only did one coat and it was fine, and dried in about 20-30 minutes.  Set it aside to dry.  Take your flower bunches and separate them into individual strands or stems.  I found it easiest to stick the flower stems into the wreath and secure them as best as I could by kind of winding them into the wreath.  I also used the hot glue to glue down certain areas, especially at the end points.  Play around with the placement to get them looking how you want.  Once the letter is dry, use hot glue to attach it to the wreath.  Finally, attach some twine/string to the top (my wreath had a loop at the top to make it easier), and cut it to the length you need for hanging.  Hang it up and admire your cheerful springtime wreath!

Wine Cork-Cork Boards

We drink a lot of wine in our house, and we always keep all of our wine corks.  At one point about a year ago, I realized that we just had a vase full of wine corks, and they could probably be put to good use.  So I went Pinterest-ing of course!  There are a MILLION wine cork craft ideas out there, but I wanted to make something that was actually functional in our house.  So I have been making "cork boards" using actual wine corks.  It is super easy and the most important ingredients are corks and a hot glue gun.  Check out some of the ones I have made!

Yard Stick Cork Board

Materials:

• Yard Stick
• About 40-45 Wine Corks
• Hot Glue Gun
• About 1 inch of string/twine

Instructions:

Before you glue, lay out your corks so that you know you have enough and the proper placement.  I also made sure that they were all facing the same direction and arranged them the way I wanted.  Once you are ready, glue them on one by one, starting at the top.  Once the yard stick is covered, you are done!  So easy.  To hang mine, I made a loop out of a bit of twine and hot glued it to the back of the top, so that it could hang from a small nail.  You could use any type of hanger you want though.  I think it looks great on my thin room-dividing wall!

Framed Cork Board

Materials:

• Picture Frame (mine was 10x10 and I got it on clearance at Michael's for $2)
• Spray Paint (if you want to paint your frame)
• As many Wine Corks as will fill it
• Hot Glue Gun

Instructions:

Since I wanted to change the color of my frame, I took it apart and spray painted the frame itself brown.  Remove the glass, since you won't be using it.  My frame came with a cardboard backer behind the glass, so that is what I used to attach the corks to. If yours doesn't, you can cut a piece to fit and use that. Arrange your corks in the pattern you want and make sure they will fit, and that you have enough!  I put the frame back together once it was dry (minus the glass) and glued them right onto the cardboard so that I was sure to fill up all the space in the frame.  Glue them on one by one until they are all on there nicely.  And that's it!

There is so much you can do with wine corks, and I hope this provided some inspiration!

Wedding Program Templates

Making your own programs is an easy way to save money and personalize your wedding, as long as you have some time.  For my wedding, I printed the inserts on purple paper and then used a pre-printed designed paper for the cover.  Then I punched two half holes on the edge and fed through some white sheer organza ribbon to tie it all together.  My sister's programs were a bit more complex, as I did a lot of paper cutting and glue-dotting to make them just right.

Regardless of how much effort you want to put into them, you definitely need to know what to say on your programs!  Below I have 2 different templates- one was the basis for my programs and is a bit longer and involved.  The other was the basis for my sister's programs and is more concise.  Hopefully these will offer some guidance for future brides making their own programs!

Here is the longer, more detailed template (click to make it larger):

Here is a more concise version (click to make it larger):

DIY Card Holder

This is one of those details that a lot of people don't think much about.  At your reception, you will have a gift table, but what about the cards?  You will definitely want something to hold the cards, and it is best if it is a container that will hold the cards in securely (so nobody could take one out...).  There are a ton of pre-made boxes out there that you could buy, but they aren't usually very special.  You could also make something yourself out of boxes etc, but even that can be more work than it is worth (though I have seen some really pretty and unique containers). 

For my wedding, I went with something cheap and easy, but unique and beautiful.  I used a bird cage. Now, you can buy special "wedding" bird cages, but like all things "wedding," they are expensive and not the best quality.  Instead, my mom found a decorative birdcage at TJ Maxx for around $10. You could also look at places like Ross, Marshalls, Home Goods, or even a thrift shop.  They are pretty common in the "decor" sections.  The one she bought was a copper/bronze color, so we did a few things:

1.  Spray paint the whole thing.  We decided on white, since it was a wedding after all, and it would match with any decor.

2.  Embellish with tulle/ribbon.  You do not even need to do this, but it was my kind of thing.  I wrapped a bit of white tulle around the top and tied a bow.  Then, for my motif, I added a jewel to the middle.  We actually used the same bird cage for my sister's wedding, but instead of the jewel I added some black tulle to the top. 

3.  Set it up on your gift table and wait for the cards to come in!

Here you can see my birdcage on the gift table during the wedding:

Military Weddings with Your Own Twist

Have I mentioned that my husband is in the US Air Force?  Well he is.  That being the case, we wanted to do a traditional military wedding.  Except, I still wanted to do things my way and incorporate all the fun and colorful things that I loved.  So I decided to meld it all together with my own twist!

The most prominent issue for me in regards to the military wedding was the color scheme. The problem is that US military uniforms are not just plain black suits/tuxes.  For the Air Force for example, they are navy blue.  Really, they look great, but the question becomes: what do all the other wedding party members wear?  This was a very stressful issue for me! I cannot stand the thought of navy blue mixing with black- they are far too similar but different enough that they would just clash.  So that eliminated tuxes for the guys, as they pretty much come in black.  Next, we considered navy blue to match with the groom, but that made it tough to match the shade of navy blue to his uniform. Navy blue is tricky! I had already planned to wear white, and I decided on purple for the girls (which looks great with navy blue), and silver accents for the wedding, so the problem was just the boys!  Eventually, we came across these beautiful grey suits which looked great with the rest of the color scheme.  In the end, I love how the look came out with me standing out amongst the girls in purple and my husband standing out in his blue amongst the guys in grey. Of course purple looks good with blue, grey, or black, but I liked how we had a pretty unique style using all of these colors for the whole bridal party!  Check us out:

The next thing you must have for a great military wedding is the Sabre Arch.  This is so classic and so fun!  I won't share all the details, but basically right after the end of the ceremony or entering the reception, you and your new husband walk under the arch made by the military members in formation.  You kiss at the end, and everyone cheers. It is a lot of fun and makes your wedding really special.  Talk to your service member spouse-to-be about getting this set up.  You can have your military friends serve for you, or ask a local base or detachment to supply volunteers to come serve.  Oh, and make sure you get the sabres (usually from a local base).  Typically there are 6 or 8 of them in uniform to make the best arch.  Check out the pictures from our wedding:

There are a few more traditions that you can use, but the other one that we chose to use was incorporating a prayer/acknowledgement of military service members into our ceremony.  We had a traditional Lutheran ceremony, which included a time for prayers, and we wrote one specially dedicated to military service members.  We also included a little blurb in our programs.

Like I said, there are more ways that you can include your military traditions into your wedding day, but these were the ones that worked for us.  Military couples should incorporate as much or as little military traditions as they want, and remember- you can still have your own fun and exciting ideas in there as well!

Must Have Beauty Products for Your Wedding Day

I know many brides these days opt to get their makeup done by a professional, and believe me, I did too.  It's nice to have someone pamper you like that on your big day.  If you are doing your own makeup- more power to you!  Regardless, there are some things you should definitely have for yourself that day, just to ensure a flawless look that will last for hours. 

Best Mascara Ever. I buy mine at sephora.com

First, all brides (and women) need to have a great mascara.  Often times, your makeup artist will use your mascara (for sanitation purposes), and if you have a great go-to mascara like I do, you'll want to use your own anyway.  I have tried many mascaras in my time, and the best one I have found is definitely Diorshow by Christian Dior.  This mascara rocks.  I have pretty short and straight lashes, and this one makes them look a million times longer and fuller.  It also comes in waterproof (which is the one I used for my wedding day, of course) and a few other varieties.  I have tried the others, but I always go back to the original.  This is definitely a must-have for me everyday, and it is a great choice for your wedding day- it will last all day, but keep some in your emergency day-of bag just in case you want a touch-up!
 

My favorite loose powder, found at sephora.com

Next, you should definitely have some loose powder handy on your big day.  My go-to is bareMinerals Mineral Veil because it is light and airy but keeps you looking clean and fresh.  I use this along with bareMinerals foundation every day, but I also had it handy on my wedding day.  I found that you want something to touch-up with (since your makeup artist likely won't be following you around all day), especially if it is a hot summer day and you have been sweating.  Even if you got airbrushed, you may need some powder to fix you up after a few hours.  I love this powder and I highly recommend it no matter what your skin type or what the occasion!

Found at retailers like sephora.com

Finally, you will surely want your favorite lip gloss handy to keep your lips shiny and glowing all day long.  Many makeup artists will use a lip stain which gives you color all day, but it is up to you to keep them looking glossy and gorgeous.  My recent favorite is Urban Decay Lip Junkie Lipgloss because I love the color and shine that it gives to my lips.  Then again, I am just a fan of all Urban Decay beauty products these days (particularly my recent obsession with the Naked 2 palette which I recommend to everyone!).  Regardless of your favorite brand or shade, be sure to keep your lip gloss handy for touch-ups and to keep your lips looking glamorous and kissable for your first moment as man and wife!

So ladies, no matter who is doing your makeup on your wedding day, be sure that you at least have these 3 great products handy to keep you looking fresh and gorgeous all day.  Believe me, these are all well worth the money, and I guarantee you will fall in love and make these part of your daily makeup regimen. 

Check out some of my pre-wedding shots of my makeup- loving that Diorshow mascara for sure!

How to Make an Outdoor Aisle

Outdoor weddings can be really beautiful, but they can also be hard to make work.  Apart from obvious potential difficulties like rain, cold, bugs, and natural disasters, it can also be hard to turn a grassy (or sandy) bit of land into a ceremony space.  One thing that I found really important was creating an aisle.  I love the look of rose petals used to create aisles, and we decided to make that happen for my sister's wedding.  Since the "altar" area for her ceremony was not in line with the stairs she would be walking down, I thought it was important to make an aisle that would flow from the staircase all the way to the "altar" (as seen in the photos). You can make your aisle thinly outlined like this, or you could opt for more rose petals and make it a bit thicker, or even cover the space entirely.  This aisle took about 50 roses' petals to make, so you can get a sense of just how many petals would be required for something thicker.  Personally, I like the look of an outlined aisle, as opposed to filled in- you don't want the focal point of the ceremony space to be on the ground!

Here you can see the yellow rose petals leading the way to the altar.  You can also see the palm plants used to mark the altar space- very appropriate considering we were on an island!

A closeup of the chairs (with my DIY programs) and the potted plants that marked the beginning of the seats.  These planters were found at the thrift shop for a few dollars, and the flowers were picked up at a local Home Depot on the cheap.  DIY!

The view from the top of the steps shows my flower arrangements (see My Life as a Florist for more on those), as well as the start of the aisle (and of course the lovely scenery!)

Purple, Purple Everywhere!

So, the main reason for this post is really that I finally downloaded a program to my computer that turns photos into collages, and I have been wanting to do something like this for a while.  I put together a bunch of my favorite purple pictures from my wedding to make a little theknot-like purple wedding inspiration board for all to enjoy!  Most of what is pictured here is explained elsewhere on the blog, but I hope the color pallet and ideas may be helpful to some future brides!

Hang Your Dress in Style!

I know I have posted a little bit about hangers before, but I decided the topic deserves an entire post.  I know you may be thinking, hangers?  Really?  Well, I am a big fan of using nice, fancy hangers for your wedding dress on your big day.  This is always on that list of "things every bride forgets," and I would agree that most people don't realize how important it is to have nice dress hangers!  Think about that classic photo of your dress hanging there, ready for you to get all dolled up.  You do NOT want a gross old plastic hanger that the dress came on.  It will ruin that classic shot!  Now, you can always buy something nice on Etsy or other places, but I preferred to make my own- much less expensive and very unique!

I made hangers for my wedding dress, my bridesmaids' dresses (also part of their gifts), and for my sister's dress for her wedding.  It was pretty simple- all I really needed were plain wooden hangers, paint, tulle/ribbon, and some time!

First, I bought a package of plain old wooden hangers from Bed, Bath, and Beyond.  I think I got them in packs of 5 for $10 or something along those lines.  They looked like this:

Next, I bought some paint (regular acrylic craft paint and spray paint- either works, spray paint is faster but possibly messy) and some tulle and ribbon at Michael's, of course.  The first thing I did to make these was to paint them all in the main color (purple for my wedding, white for my sister's).  I did my best to tape around the top so as not to get paint all over the actual hanger part while I painted.  I also found that it works best to hang them on a rod of sorts in order for them to dry faster and more evenly. 

For the bridesmaids' hangers, I wanted to personalize them with initials (plus this way they could tell their dresses apart on the day of!).  I found a font I liked and then printed out the letters in the right size and traced them onto the painted (and dried) hangers.  Then, I used a tiny paintbrush to paint in the traced letters in the darker shade of purple.  If you can find stencils that are in the size and font you want, I am sure that would be easier.  I did not have that, so I did the best with what I had!  I also added a gem or two to the dried hangers to jazz them up a little.  Here is a close-up of these hangers:

For the bridal hangers, I used tulle for mine and organza ribbon for my sister's to fancy up the plain hangers.  You can obviously do anything you want, but I pretty much played around with the ribbon to create fluffy bows that would add some excitement to the hangers.  For mine, I also added a jewel in the center of the bow because I am all about the bling.  For my sister's, I used a damask printed ribbon since that went with the wedding theme.  Feel free to be inspired to do whatever suits your style best, but I would highly recommend either making or buying some kind of beautiful hanger to accent the beauty of your dress! 

Check out how nice our dress photos came out by using stylish hangers:

Flower Favorites

One of the hardest things to figure out when doing your own flowers is what kind of flowers to even buy.  Where do you start?  This was something I struggled with, especially when I realized that there are about a billion types of flowers out there.  Typically, if you go to a florist, you can give them the general idea of what you want, and they will fill in the rest.  So if you do your own, you need to figure out ALL of the flowers and filler that you'll be using.

So what did I do? Lots of research, some more research, and some experimentation.  Most people at least know the color scheme they are looking for.  When you want a color flower like blue, that will limit you right there, which may make things easier (hydrangeas, anyone?).  BUT if you want purple, pink, yellow... there are a lot of options!  Once I figured out my colors, I did millions of google searches looking for bouquets and arrangements with these colors, which definitely helped me find ideas.  I also did a lot of research on what types of flowers work best in bouquets.  FYI: THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT!  Some people loooove the look of peonies, but take them out of water, and they wilt very fast- not pretty.  Since I was doing hand-tied bouquets, I needed flowers that could survive out of water without a problem.  Lots of sites online can tell you about the sturdiness of flowers, or, see below.

Finally, we did some experimentation.  This means, buying a dozen roses (or callas, etc) and a bit of filler and practicing making bouquets, and seeing how they look.  This can help you, especially to know how big of a bouquet you want and how many roses/callas/etc you will need to buy for each one.  I would recommend doing some kind of tester before buying things.  Other than that, you just have to trust that what you buy will be enough and that your research paid off!  Here's some info that hopefully can help!

Roses, alstroemeria, lisianthus, and limonium of course top my list of favorites.  Callas are also a new favorite.

Roses: These are obviously a classic wedding flower, and for good reason.  Roses are very sturdy and make for a great base for any bouquet.  The stems are thick and make a bouquet easy to construct.  And I think they are beautiful! They also come in a ton of colors, and are easy to fit into any wedding color scheme.  In my opinion, they are a great addition to any flower arrangement!

Lots of color choices!

Alstroemeria (Peruvian Lilies): These are my new favorite flower.  They are super affordable and go really far.  Since there are multiple flowers on each stem, you really only need a few stems in each bouquet or arrangement (and they are often priced around $1/stem).  They also come in a ton of colors, and usually have a second color on the inside of the bloom, making them very interesting looking.  They also stay looking great out of water, and when they are in water, they will last for weeks (no joke).  As a filler in a bouquet or arrangement, these are a must have for me!

Lisanthus: I love this flower.  They are a little more delicate, and not strong enough to be the main flower in an arrangement, but as a filler they are fantastic.  I used different shades of purple as well as white.  I think they are beautiful, and lasted no problem out of water in the bouquets.

Limonium: This is a filler flower, similar to baby's breath.  I love this flower as a filler in bouquets, arrangements, boutonnieres, etc.  It comes in a lot of colors and is easy to kind of stick into any place you need a little extra filler.  I like using it in bouquets for just that little something extra.



Stock: This is a flower that is often overlooked.  It looks like an expensive flower (similar to freesia in some ways), but is actually really cheap.  I like this best in arrangements, as it is pretty sizable and fills in space really well.  You can also use it to add height, as the stems are fairly long.  Great addition to any arrangement.

Spray Roses: These are literally just mini roses.  They are really cute and are great for corsages, boutonnieres, and cake arrangements.  They also come in a ton of colors and are pretty versatile.  I probably wouldn't use them in bouquets (too small), but they are great for smaller arrangements.




Lemon Leaf (Salal): This is my favorite green to use as a color for bouquets, etc.  I have also used palms before which are very cheap/easy to incorporate into bigger arrangements.



Calla Lilies: I admit, I used to hate these.  BUT, after making bouquets of callas for my sister's wedding, I really do like them.  They are sturdy and stay in good shape out of water.  See My Life as a Florist for tips on how to make a calla bouquet.  I think if this is your style, go for it.  Bouquets are pretty simple to make, and they also look really cool alone (long-stemmed) in a tall vase as another arrangement. 

Now, of course there are other great flowers out there!  Just be aware that you should really do some research and experimentation before committing to a flower, especially if that one flower is going to be the base of all of your arrangements.  Like I said, there are some that just get wilted and won't last (i.e. peonies, hydrangeas out of water), and you don't want that!  Best of luck and remember, it IS possible to do your own flowers!

P.S. If you are looking for a place to get your flowers, I would suggest finding a bulk flower wholesaler in your area.  This way you can actually visit the place to see some of the flowers in person before you order.  This is the type of place that florists order from, so you will need to make sure that they sell to non-florists too.  Another great option is Sam's Club online (provided you are a member).  They actually have great stuff for great prices.  I have also heard good things about fiftyflowers.com, even though I have not used them.  Good luck!

Non-"Bridesmaid"-Bridesmaid Dresses

Something I discovered a while back is that when something is "Wedding" Fill-In-The-Blank, it just means that it is going to be overpriced and generally lesser quality.  My mom helped me learn that lesson.  For instance, when renting a limo, the "wedding" package is going to be the same exact thing as an everyday rental, but it will be priced higher so that you think you are getting something really special.  You can buy "wedding" cocktail napkins for a ridiculous price, or you can find a bulk napkin printer and get your last name printed on there for a much better deal.  Same thing goes with "bridesmaids" dresses.  Essentially, they are dresses, just like you would buy at any store.  BUT you get to order them in bridal sizes (which by the way make you feel like you are 6 sizes bigger than you thought), pay a lot of money, and not necessarily have a quality dress that you would wear again.

For my wedding, and for my sister's wedding, my mom and I happened to find beautiful dresses at regular stores, NOT labeled as "wedding" dresses, for a great deal and a unique look.  I love that NO other bride will use the same dresses/style/color/etc as I did, because I found them in a non-bridal shop.  Here is my/our advice on how to accomplish this:

1. Decide on the type/color of dress you want.  If you want super formal long dresses, you may have a harder time finding them at regular stores.  If you want cocktail style dresses, there will be a plethora of options out there for you.  Try to be open when it comes to the shade/style you think you want.  I thought I wanted a lighter purple, but the dress we ended up choosing was darker and I am so glad for it.  My sister wanted a charcoal grey but the black dresses we chose looked classic and perfect. 

2. Start online.  Go to websites for Macys, Nordstrom, Belk, Lord & Taylor, etc.  Then check out places like modcloth.com, bluefly.com, lastcall.com for even more options.  These types of sites typically offer discount prices on designer dresses (though they may be "last season"... alas).

3.  Go shopping!  My mom came across the dresses for my wedding at TJMaxx.  Have I mentioned that I love TJMaxx? You have to check back every few weeks, but most have great dress departments and you can find some great options. For my sister's wedding, we went to the outlets, and got the dresses at BCBG for a crazy low price.  We are talking like $40 for both of these dresses (regular prices over $100).

4.  The hardest part is committing to the dresses, and making sure you can find a dress in every size needed.  This means getting dress sizes (normal, not bridal) from your friends and buying them a dress sometimes without them seeing it first.  It happens. They just need to trust you and be your friend.  For my dresses, we needed 5 sizes, so we actually had to go to multiple TJMaxx's and buy 1 or 2 online (I think at bluefly?  They all blend together now).

5.  Okay, the actual hardest part is being patient if you have been searching online/in stores for weeks/months and you still can't find anything.  If you have time, wait until the new season of clothes comes out.  If you don't have that much time, keep looking, or resort to the bridal shop if you must.

We happened to find success!  Take a look at the unique non-"bridesmaid" dresses below!

Dresses from my wedding- originally found at TJMaxx- Designer: Max and Cleo.  Actually, those straps were made and added by my crazy talented mother.

Dresses from my sister's wedding- originally found at the BCBG outlet- Designer: Max and Cleo (I guess we had a thing for Max and Cleo dresses... they are great quality though!)

So many newly engaged brides-to-be fall into the "wedding" trap where they think if it is a wedding, they better be buying a "wedding" item.  I want you all to know that it is possible to think outside the box- for dresses and beyond! Not to diminish those who want traditional bridesmaid dresses- if that is your vision or it is the easiest thing, etc, go for it!  Just know that there are other options out there for  affordable, want-to-wear-again, unique dresses!  Happy searching :)