Yesterday, mom and I drove to Tontitown, Arkansas..near Siloam Springs to check out this store called "Oops!" AMAZING!! I heard about it from my photographer. This store had tons of discounted items...I was most interested in their floral and home decor dept. The floral dept. was huge! Really good quality florals.. I purchased gorgeous white cupped peonies and hydrangeas for the foyer arrangement at the reception. I purchased small white ranunculus flowers,purple hydrangeas, and lavender for "mini-bouquets" for guests to take at the reception (another idea in the works!) ..not wedding related but I also purchased a rug for my new preschool class ~ 4 bucks! ..it was worth the drive..and so was eating at Callahan's Steakhouse! soon we are going to check out this other store "A to Z" in Alma, Arkansas.. it is said they have nine buildings and and tons of wedding items!

to send the bride and groom on their way!

The bubbles, ribbon wands, and recently purchased bells all are done! They will be in baskets for the bridesmaids and groomsmen to hand out after the ceremony. I've been to many weddings where most of the favors are not taken because they were not handed out. I really like the idea of the bridal party handing them out. The ribbon wands are extra special.. I really only had to buy the polka dot ribbon because the rest I already had.. If you don't know me..I LOVE ribbon! When i was a little girl, about 4 or 5 yrs. old, I had this habit of tying ribbons on door knobs, dresser knobs, ...anywhere that i could find to tie a ribbon! Everyone in my immediate family remembers this and now they comment whenever I dress something up with ribbon..even Thomas does too...haha..

pillows!

So the pillows are finally made from those fabric samples I purchased... The pillows are mismatched fabrics and will set on the benches outside the reception venue. I made two out of canvas and transfer paper. One of the images was bought on Etsy..the circular image I made out of a combo of three images I found on the internet. I love, love, love them!

I have no idea what my theme is.. I really don't like having to say it's this or that theme.. I don't like being confined to a theme...I want it to be a reflection of my taste rather than a set color theme or idea. So... if anyone has asked me what my "theme" is...I'll have to say a french country, pride and prejudice influence in some areas, shabby chic, sorta vintage in a way, garden like, country sorta" I like french country..I like the scrolly carved wood, eggshell/off white chipped paint..I like the elegance of pride and prejudice with the stationary and piano forte paper cones..I like the colors of the shabby chic brand and allowance of mixing the colors and patterns, I like the garden theme for moss and tulips, peonies, hydrangeas, ranunculus flowers..I like vintage like the old birdcage I left rustic and old picture frames..but I try to stay away from silver teapots and doilies.. and then there's the country influence.. I am mostly from the south, I want the mood to be laid back and relaxed, we've got the mason jars for lemonade outside for a casual intro, some of the music will be country and i'm bringing my boots! So lately we've made 100 napkins for the tables.. I think it really ties everything in.. they are casual, yet elegant, and mixed and matched.. we purchased the fabric at the new joann grand opening store... funny that the the canopy fabric was from the old store moving sale...

I have always wanted a canopy to get married under.. sorta like a chuppah.. I researched renting them and the only one I found here was $400 to rent! So we found some diy directions online and the frame basically consists of 1" and 1.5" pvc pipes, and 12 connectors...We had to improvise from the directions because Lowe's didn't have the right connectors that fit.. So 15 min. till the store closed thomas is running up and down the connector bins trying to create something that works.. but it works! I'm trying to find some inexpensive pure white hydrangeas and flowers for the gatherings...

mason jars

All glassware was on sale at Hobby Lobby this week.. I bought the large jars for the bridesmaids bouquets that will be on the head table.. I'm in the process of creating a long burlap table runner and transferring some French design on them..can't wait! The bouquets aren't done yet... I still need to add a few more flowers to each and tie the stems with burlap and lace.

We finally got motivated to make those centerpieces.... well some of them... We made all the arrangements for the candelabras. There will be 11 tables..2 tall vases, 3 semi tall vases, and 6 candelabras... I read somewhere online or in a magazine that said to have different heights.. I like it because each table will be a little different. So..the candelabras I'm renting can have a candle in the center or flowers.. I opted for the flowers so they'll tie in with the vases at the other tables. So if you can imagine the white flowers..gone from the photo and the pink peonies in the center where the candle is supposed to go.. I grabbed a tall candle holder from my bedroom to kinda see how it would look..

the cake

With some help from the family, some cardboard, tinfoil, and all that leftover packing paper from NY...we made a mock cake last night.. it looked a little silly before the flowers..and it was really wobbly..lol..I knocked it over twice...but I wanted to make sure I had enough flowers.. and to see actually if it would be as tall as I'd hoped..I've always admired Catherine Zeta Jones' white wedding cake..and I wanted a BIG cake.. Thomas' grandma is making the cake...the design on the icing will be pretty simple..all white with simple swags.. I'll be putting the flowers in between the layers the morning of the wedding..haha.. as if we don't have enough planned we'll have to do.. but I wouldn't have it any other way..I love creating/decorating..

dance lessons

These videos were taken last year..after we came back from our very first dance class.. hopefully we are ALOT better by now.. : ) The first one is us showing off the one step we learned... the box step..over and over.. and the next dance video proves just how multi-talented thomas is.. haha : )

I reposted my music player and now it features some of the songs that our dj is going to play during the reception..(sidebar) there's a few ceremony songs in there too. enjoy!

Today we went back to visit one of our rental places.. for.. I don't know.. the third or fourth time?! I wanted to look over the place settings and linens again...and I brought my mock arrangement and menu card to try it out on their table. Went to David's bridal with one of the bridesmaid's bouquets to double check that they matched. They do..thank goodness! I should have done that from the very start. I also looked at my bridesmaids' shoes once more and got a swatch of the dress color to take home. annnnd I ordered my flower girl dresses. I have two adorable flower girls who will be pink ballerinas for the day!

PS. I found out yesterday that Super Target has French Macarons! (as of February 2011) I didn't see them at mine..but hopefully they will get there soon!

Table Numbers

My photoshop program is working again..hooray! I made all the table numbers last night. Decided to mix the frames with the three wire stands I had (and didn't know what to use them for). I downloaded some handwriting brushes on photoshop..layered them and changed the opacity. And then added the frame image and the numbers. I also painted the Mr. and Mrs. signs that are going to hang off the back of our chairs. Bought the wooden plaques at Michael's, painted, and nailed some ribbon to the back.

look what wedding planning has done to me!

before

(nice fun loving girl on a night out with her fiance ..casually dressed ..presentable)

after

(frazzled bridezilla at 4 in the morning with moss hot glued to her fingertips!)

mossy..moss..moss

Tried to recreate a look I found on etsy.com. Found two mini baskets and moss at that JoAnn's craft store moving sale and the wooden hearts at Michael's. Used the moss also to put on a picture frame (sign for thumb print tree) and add to the birdcage (from thefree garage sale).