Homegrown Wedding

Decor Inspiration

 {Images via Merci New York}

Recently I have been feeling really overwhelmed with too many inspiring ideas, but no decisions on what I truly want to do for certain aspects of our wedding reception decor.  This, along with what to use to decorate the ceiling, are my last two big decisions & I could not make them! 

I stopped looking at photos & put that decision on the back burner, choosing to {finally!} focus on our wedding invitations.  After I pushed through the design decisions, our invitations are currently in the hands of my very talented future-sister-in-law, Deb, who is working on various custom illustrations.  Phew!  Let's give that task a semi-check mark.

Back to the reception decor.  Whilst perusing Merci New York I came across the New York Magazine Weddings Event recap & saw these two photos & was like, "That's it!  I'm done.  There it is!"  The top photo's tablescape was done by Hatch Creative Studio & was just the inspiration I needed for our escort card display/table.  The bottom photos's display was by Jillian Events & Lovely Bridal.   So gorgeous!  It got my wheels turning for the dessert table display as well! 

To see more of the New York Magazine Weddings Event, check out Sofia Negron's extensive post with tons of photos!

Festive DIY Garland

{Image via the Purl Bee}

The Purl Bee dubs this the New Year's Garland, but I like to call it the festive-fun-party-time garland.  The combination of bright colors, felt, & circles caught my eye immediately.  Thetutorial is super simple & it would easy to mix in a few different shapes, say a flower.  Wool felt comes in an array of colors so the garland could easily match any wedding or event color palette.  The Purl Bee is a great resource & Giant Dwarf's Fancy Felt is so pretty!

Word Garlands

{Images via Design*Sponge, Crafts Dept., & katie did}

I am still on the hunt for the perfect garland/lanterns/lights/banners/buntings/what-have-you to hang from the ceiling of our reception venue.  I am came across these super fun word banners the other day & loved the idea!  I have not a clue what words, phrases, or songs I would pick {so many ideas!}, but has a lovely & whimsical effect.  Perhaps you would pick the words to "your song," a few love-inspired quotes, or even your wedding vows as a subject.  The possibilities are quite endless.
 

Sheep Welcome

{Images by Belathée Photography via Once Wed} 

Love everything about these photos. 

Roll & Tumble Press

{Images via Roll & Tumble Press} 

Every time Christie & Caleb of Roll & Tumble Press come out with a new letterpress poster, I want it!  Each of their posters feature original, hand-carved illustrations with hand-set type & are letterpress printed by hand.  I recently purchased the Smile &  Kissing Booth prints to hang at our wedding.  We are going to have a photo booth & both of those prints will work perfectly near the booth.  There are a few blank walls that will need some filling, so I got this idea of an art gallery {of sorts} in my head.  I have so many prints, many of which are up in our house, but some lie in wait in a folder in my studio.  Most of them have to do with birds & since that is the underlying theme of our wedding, it makes sense!  So of course I am going to need the Love Nest print, & the Gig-Love poster...just because it is awesome.  

Displays + Backdrops

{Images via Carter & Cook Event Co.}
  
There are two things I have on my brain with regards to our wedding {well two out of hundred or so...}: The escort card display & the dessert table backdrop.  Our reception venue is just waiting to be customized.  It has a soft, neutral color palette with little, to no decor so I cannot wait to make it "us."  However, to make it "us" is going to require some work & a few props {so happy Rich, my father, & brother-in-law are all very handy men}.  These props are going to have to travel well, be quick to put up, & even quicker to take down  because we have to have everything out right after our reception. 

In these two photos I love the re-use of old household items - doors & shutters.  The doors may present a challenge, but the shutters are small & easy to take down.  I also like the candles & up-lighting, which may be necessary as we are told it can get quite dark in the room {third thing on my brain - what to hang from ceiling that is not a lantern but still has lights...that is a later post}.   Well, at least I know the desserts that are going on the actual table.  That is a start!

Record Engagement

{Images by Sarah Rhoads via Snippet & Ink}

These engagement photos are adorable.  We {finally!} have our engagement photo session with our photographer this Sunday in the Boston Public Garden.  We live in Providence & were originally going to have our photos done here, but the trees are bare & it looks like winter.  Strangely enough, the leaves in the garden are still ablaze & still looking like the autumn in New England.  Yes!  Now to find a vintage traveling turntable...

Decorating with Gourds

{Images via MS Living} 

Pumpkins, squash, & gourds...it's Autumn!  With an Autumn wedding in Maine, I would love to have some of these quintessential items of the season deocrating the ceremony, cocktail, & reception sites.  However, I do not want just an orange pumpkin plunked down on the ground.   I am loving these creative ways to pretty-up & decorate with grourds.  There is something so elegant & vintage about the lace-patterned pumpkins & the toadstool pumkins are completely adorable for a woodlands-inspired wedding.  Continuing with my garland love, these simply strung gourds add a touch of rustic charm & are super simple to make.  The gourd lights would be perfect for a tented or outdoor wedding.  I better invest in some carving tools!

The Perfect Chandelier

  
{Image by Pottery Barn via Oh So Beautiful Paper}

Nole posted this amazing chandelier today & I am in love!  I am trying to figure out how we could use this for our wedding,  which how I have been assesing all of my purchases as of late.  If we can use it for the wedding & everyday life after the wedding then I am sold!  I think this chandelier would be perfect for holding escort cards or displaying photos. You could also leave it empty & have guests attached little notes to it.  At the end of the evening you would have a unique piece to hang in your new home.  I would love to hang this in my studio! 

Find Your Seat

 
{Images by Orchard Cove Photography via Ruffled}

Once we decided on using record album covers as our table numbers, I began to wonder how we would convey this simply & creatively on the escort cards.  We could just write the name of the album along with the guests' names, but some albums may be less obvious than others.  We will be selecting albums that are familiar to {most} guests & trying to sit guests at an album they will recognize {aunts at Johnny Cash, cousins at Michael Jackson, friends at Bob Marley, & so on...}.  But then I saw these perfectly perfect escort cards today & I think this is it!  I love tags & twine!  Combined with photos of the album covers & pretty calligraphy, guests will surely find their way to their tables.