#34. I heart flowers...

Some people think baby's breath = filler flowers... I think THIS looks stunning. This would also make for great centerpieces - especially in beautiful colored vases. Or empty wine bottles. Possibly I am missing an even more clever (and obvious) solution... Like copper tins? Yes. Like copper tins. Pink, copper and white. Hmmmmm. :)

Picture from The Bride's Cafe.

#33. Blush and Bashful

Quick! What movie? Okay, okay, even *I* think pink and pink is a bit much... But what about pink and copper?

Picture from Snippet and Ink.

#32. What kind of bride will I be?

I'm pretty sure no one has ever accused me of being TOO laid back. In fact, I will be the first to admit that I am exactly like Monica from Friends. However, after reading through my fave blog sites - A $10,000 Wedding and A Practical Wedding for a couple of months, I am wondering what kind of bride I will be?

Over Thanksgiving, I went with the bf to his home. The day after, the men in his family and I went on a hike, and we stumbled across a beautiful lodge in the middle of a beautiful lake. Could I be a nature bride? Could I do something that would allow for everyone to take a hike, enjoy the fresh mountain air, and maybe even have a picnic wedding? Could I give up the downtown view, sit down dinner, DJ + dance floor wedding I have dreamed of my entire life for a relaxed, fun, "everyone will remember this for years" type wedding? Maybe. After all, the celebration is about two people.

Image found here.

#31. Wedding Favors

I'm not opposed to wedding favors, I just don't know that I always see the benefits... I mean, how many bags of Jordan almonds can one eat in a year?

I like out-of-the-box ideas. Mainly - "A donation has been made in your honor to..." Since most "favors" get left behind, I think this idea rocks. Now, I'm not opposed to tying said note to a heart-shaped cookie cutter that includes a recipe on the back... (Aka a really great wedding favor I once received.)

Photo via nutsonline.com. You can't make this stuff up.

#30. Shower ideas

There comes a moment in every girl's life when every occasion, every party, every gathering is about her. It usually comes when you are throwing the most expensive party of your life. Why not have fun with it? A $10,000 Wedding had an interesting post about showers and they had many ideas, which included: a book shower, a Christmas ornament shower, a kitchen shower, and a stock the bar shower. All of these ideas are wonderful! If you are only given one shower, is it okay to suggest that people consider what it is that they can afford and consider books/ornaments/wine as a gift instead of an expensive mixer or sets of sheets/towels?

Side note - I love this invitation found via google images on Cal Slayton's blog. Do you get the host reference?

#29. I love Real Simple

DIY bouquets. I honestly think that this, a couple of bottles of wine, the Mom's, sisters, and bridesmaids would make for a lovely post-rehearsal dinner project. Possible pre-rehearsal if you can assemble the troops. I'd rather spend the extra money a florist would get on something more important. Like booze.

#28. Registering

I would be lying to you, my one reader, and myself if I didn't say that sometimes when I walk through Williams Sonoma I think to myself, "I cannot wait to register for that, and that, and that!" I then picture my beautiful new kitchen with new appliances, good (read: copper) pots and pans, a block for my lovely set of knives that came with a sharpener that I can use to cook with... It's official - I like to be domestic. Now, on a related note, where can one find a website where you can register at multiple stores and have them all on one handy little online list? This way, you can make sure that you didn't actually register for two of these, these, or these. I'm quite certain that Williams Sonoma isn't the only place to sell them, and I might go through one of those, "well, I'm not sure if I registered for that yet, so I should just in case. I can always return the other one" moments. The "related note" reference was also supposed to mention that this would be good to give to family for Christmas and birthday gift ideas. Now I must stop being selfish and go forth to purchase more presents for other people. 'Tis the season.

#27. Pretty pretty flowers...

So, Fall weddings seem to have replaced Spring/Summer weddings as the big thing to do - or at least, in my group of friends. How great are these flowers? (All found on this super awesome blog for the Hostess with the Mostess.) I love that in the bottom picture, the idea is to use 1" colored masking tape! How inventive.

#26. Guest Book

Do you remember making a Valentines Day box with a shoe box growing up? I loved decorating mine every year... Wouldn't an adult version be a fun kind of guest book? You could get some valentines and put them out and have your guests slide the cards in for some fun post-wedding reading. (Picture from this blog.)

#25. Tunes...

My boss just informed me of this awesome site: www.pandora.com where you can essentially create your own radio station of streaming music (for free.) Maybe this wouldn't work as well for the reception, but it might be a nice (free) way to get some interesting cocktail hour tunes?

#24. Sweet Endings...

I think that I have already "decided" that I am not a huge, fancy, expensive, (crummy) wedding cake fan. Here's another Knot-inspired idea that sounds pretty awesome to me! Who doesn't LOVE creme brulee???

#23. Simple, fragrant, me...

I love this idea from The Knot. I love the way that Rosemary smells, looks, and THIS is something that would be personal (and easy!) I'm not a big fan of assigning seats (assigning everyone a table number is totally different) so I wouldn't want to put a name on the napkin.

#22. Karaoke, yea or nay?

While I think it might be slightly inappropriate to have karaoke at a wedding (VERY few of my friends/family can sing, and I want people to dance) I do appreciate the lesser known tradition of the bride and groom meeting up with their friends for the simultaneous bachelor/bachelorette parties around midnight... How fun would it be to gather everyone (and their drunk selves) out for a little "Sweet Caroline" action? As an alternative, this could be a fun post-rehearsal dinner idea... OR, even better, engagement party? I don't think my friends would appreciate it, but I would love to be invited to one!

#21. Going Against The Grain?

I consider myself to be a very traditional person. I have always pictured myself walking down the aisle in a big white dress, with my hair up, and a strand of pearls around my neck. I wonder what it would be like to go against the grain? Part of me loves the idea of wearing something non-traditional, but striking nonetheless. My jewelry inspiration typically comes from one source: www.dogeared.com.

I wear this necklace on an (almost) daily basis. What about wearing this one (pictured above) with these earrings? Is it:

A. Too much

B. Perfection

C. Not enough

#20. Movie Inspiration

You know what movie I LOVE??? White Christmas. I'm watching it with the (napping) bf right now and I am inspired. I LOVE all of Betty's necklines - they are exactly what I am looking for. Not to mention tea length dresses. I wonder what this dress would look like if it came to half-way up my calves? Not saying I need it, just wondering aloud in my head... Tralalalala...

(I pulled this from another blog and apparently it's from the Alfred Angelo 2008 bridal catalog.)

#19. Quote of the Day

From the latest Real Simple magazine:

"A gift is pure when it is given from the heart to the right person at the right time and at the right place, and when we expect nothing in return."

--Bhagavad Gita

#18. Hair - Up or Down?

I have seen many people successfully pull off the "wearing the hair down" style for their wedding, but for someone like me - whose hair does not stay in anything successfully unless it is all up - the choice is simple. Because I have such fine, thin hair I don't think I could pull off a bun, without it looking really small. Not that I consider myself in any way, shape or form to me a N. Port look-a-like, but I think that we have similar hair...

Picture found on A $10,000 Wedding.

#17. This Is Not Wedding-Related, But...

... it's a fun fact. Last weekend I had a mishap with a candle. While being really excited to have my computer in hand to show off something fun I had found, I knocked over a candle that had been burning for a couple of hours. Wax went EVERYWHERE. I really thought it might be a permanent fixture until I stumbled across this link. Now, maybe it's my OCD-side coming out STRONG, but I really found this to be quite a remarkable process, and also quite satisfying. It works really well. I just cut up some paper bags, turned on the iron and watched the wax easily get picked up.

#16. Beauty Knows No Bounds... Or Does it?

Have you ever been to a wedding where you have been compelled to spend time on the dance floor barefoot instead of continuing to wear your heels? What about buying flip flops in bulk for your guests? At $1/pair, they might not be cute, but how much would you love this option at upcoming nuptials?

#15. Vendors

I don't know if you could find a more comprehensive list of Dallas vendors, although I wouldn't mind having access to websites and reviews...

www.applauseproductions.com

#14. Tuxes and Invites - A One Stop Shop?

While helping a friend with a wedding that happened recently, I learned something pretty cool. Did you know that a lot of tuxedo rental places will give you a really amazing deal on invites if you get all of the tuxes there? Yeah. Pretty cool. I'm not sure if I am a tux person or a suit person, but I think it is totally up to everyone.

#13. Lucky Number 13!

It is waaaaaaaaayyyyy too soon to even begin thinking about wedding dresses, but ever since I saw this episode of Friends, I have known. You know how you just know? What about this one as a possible alternative? For $130 it's almost worth it to purchase now. I won't, but...

#12. Must. Have. This. Pillow. Now.

Oh how I love this pillow. It would have no place in my home, but maybe I should make room for it. Tonight. This and many more shiny, pretty things can be found on this website. Oh, and did I mention that you can RENT it? Hmmmm...

#11. Photo Booth Guest Books

I LOVE this idea. We have looked through my grandparents and great grandparents guest books from their weddings, and it was special, but having a photo would have been much more special. Plus, this means all you have to do is buy a nice (big) scrapbook without any plastic on it - this one costs $16.99 - and then you can paste pictures galore. (This Dallas vendor is $695 for 2 hours with an extra copy of each picture - and for only $90 more you can get a DVD copy as well. This way the guests can keep theirs, use the extra in the guest book, and you can get a copy of all of them later!) This is one down side of a NH wedding. I did a quick google search, and I think the options are much more limited.

#10. A sample $11,000 Budget

I am trying to help my friend Kim (also known as the lovely person who introduced me to wedding blogs) come up with an $11,000 budget. As she has a lot more experience reading up to 10 of these per day, she has pretty much figured out what she wanted to do for her wedding. And, like me, it happened pre-engagement. Then again, as I noted in my first post, I have now been planning my wedding for about 24 years.

Here is one idea (if we can make it work)

Brides dress/shoes - $500

(Groom is wearing a suit he owns = free)

(Bridesmaids are wearing black dresses they own, and groomsmen wearing suits they own = free)

Food, booze, venue - $4,000 (Kim is having a cake and beer/wine reception, possibly with light appetizers, on a Sunday afternoon)

Flowers - $200

Photography - $3,000

Centerpieces (DIY) - $100

Invites, programs, thank you cards (DIY) - $250

Postage - $150 ($100 if the invitation only requires one stamp)

Favors (DIY) - $100

Gifts for bridal party/family - $750

Tunes - $500

Marriage license/taxes/tips - $450

Rings - Brides wedding ring/Grooms wedding ring - $1,000

Officiant (most likely having a friend = free)

#9. Bridesmaids

I have a lot of opinions about bridesmaids, having been asked to be one in 7 weddings thus far. My friends joke that by my mid-thirties I will be just like the girl from the movie... I have actually been blessed to have friends with great (although, sometimes expensive!) taste. One suggestion that I do have is to avoid at all costs thick satin dresses in a light color. I was the maid of honor in a very good friends wedding last year, and while the dresses looked beautiful on the hangers, while in them we all looked about 10-15 pounds heavier than we actually are. I do have some thoughts, and I want to have them down in writing so that when I actually make that plunge and ask my very closest friends to stand next to me and celebrate this important moment that I know what I want.

1. The wedding is about the bride and groom getting married. No one focuses on the people standing next to you, so try not to ask them to spend more than $100 on the actual day - including dress/shoes. (Keep in mind, bridesmaids duties include (but are not limited to): an engagement party, helping plan a shower, buying a wedding gift - a really nice one, planning the bachelorette party, and in many cases travel, hotel rooms, cabs, etc... I have spent between $600-$1,000 on some weddings. That's a LOT of money.) Trust me when I say - they will appreciate it, be able to afford to get you a better gift, and will walk away from your wedding so happy to have been a part of it. I would like to note that this does not mean you are required to pay for nails, hair and makeup - just let everyone know in advance that all of these things are optional and what the price is. Another tip - have them buy the dress (and if it is a lot more than $100, offer to pay the difference) and allow them to wear their own shoes.

2. I am a HUGE fan of allowing your bridesmaids wear a black dress that they already have. Not only do they feel comfortable, look phenomenal, and don't have to spend any money - no one will actually notice! Photos will still turn out great, and your gift to them (in addition to not having to buy a dress) can be something they can wear that day: colorful shoes, beautiful jewelry, a scarf, or something that can tie them all in together. I have seen this done at a wedding and no one even noticed that they were not wearing the same thing, the bridesmaids loved that they were comfortable, and EVERYONE HAD FUN!

3. If you are a fan of bridesmaids dresses - think outside the box. Bridesmaids dresses do not have to be labeled as such, and when they don't have that label are a LOT cheaper. The 3rd wedding I was in, we chose a super cute black dress from White House/Black Market. They fit us beautifully (read: no alterations), were under $100, and I have been able to wear it to several other weddings while receiving compliments.

4. Come up with fun things to do with your bridesmaids so that - if they don't already know one another - they can get to know each other well. Most (if not all) bridesmaids should be willing to help you out when they can. Fun things you can do include: host a wine/cheese party and ask your guests if they wouldn't mind helping you stuff the invitations. (Asking in advance is always good - they might not like knowing they are coming to work after arriving.) The day before your wedding, ask bridesmaids, sisters, Moms, etc... to help assemble the bouquets. The bridesmaids might think that the opportunity to make their own will allow them some creative input, and they won't all look totally uniform.

5. DO NOT be afraid to ask for help - see post 4. I have been in several weddings where the bride has almost had a nervous breakdown what with all of the things that go into weddings and not having time to do them all. If these are indeed your closest friends, they will love to help you out in any way that they can. :)

I am quite certain that I have more opinions, but I'll stop at this for now. This post is becoming a wee bit long!

#8. Table Numbers

I am a big fan of assigning guests to table numbers. I think that once they have been assigned to a table, people can select their own seats and (if using the place card provided on the clothes pin link) reserve their spot at the table while they go to the bar for an adult beverage. After all, I am sure that everyone has been to at least one wedding in the past where there were no table assignments and since you didn't get a table in advance, you were stuck sitting with strangers. That's never fun! I like the idea of getting a bunch of different picture frames (you could even do this FOR FREE by using ones you already have and printing the numbers on your printer) and having them at each table, like the one above.

#7. Family Wedding Photos

I love the idea of gathering up old family wedding photos from both sides of the family and having them on display somewhere... I think that it is nice to think that those persons no longer able to physically be with us could have a part in the wedding of the younger generation. I know I have seen pictures of this in the past, but google images was not showing me anything worth posting.

#6. Clothes Pins - A Whole New World of Opportunities...

Cute. Simple. Cheap. I love the idea of utilizing simple, every day items and having them help you make any special occasion more memorable. Recently, my best friend planned a baby shower and she used them to string some onesies, burp clothes, and baby socks as part of the decor. Above they are used for place cards, but I also like the idea of using them to hang pictures.

#5. Summer Lovin' Had Me A Blast!

So... I saw a seersucker suit on a ring bearer today, and it inspired me. A Spring/Summer wedding might be ideal as I can see my precious nephew looking dapper in one of these. Also, these would go really well with the flower girl dress in the 2nd post...

#4. Dream Wedding Part II

The hometown wedding... I am not sure if this will actually come to fruition. I have always felt much more connected to Texas than I have to NH, but I also think that having a destination wedding could be sweet - and I wouldn't have to limit the guest list as I know that not everyone would be able to travel. (Note from my Dream Wedding Part I post that the only people NOT traveling in the Dream Wedding Part II scenario are my Mom and my sister/her family.)

I can picture two different ideas. One includes a spring/summer wedding, which would allow the people able to come out in advance the opportunity to go on a hiking trip. Also, I could get my Mom to grow the flowers (hello MAJOR price saver - plus she is extremely thrifty and has a fabulous green thumb!)

The other is NH in the fall.... the colors, the leaves, the cooler weather, APPLE PICKING, and the opportunity to wear a white faux fur shrug... The only problem with a fall wedding is it might limit my floral options, and I REALLY want to get married with NH lilacs as my bouquet. They are gorgeous, smell amazing, and (truth be told) I love them. Now, I also love Stargazer lilies and if I HAD to make that swap, I think I would survive.

The options in NH are slim, but I think (think) I would like to get married in my hometown of Durham. (If not, I could totally come up with some awesome ideas in Portsmouth, but since I am not actually even thinking about planning a wedding, let's start with Durham.)

Ceremony - My church growing up - The Community Church of Durham. Mary Westfall is the pastor, and words cannot describe how lovely this woman is.

Reception - Three Chimneys Inn. It's so close to the Church you can actually (and we just might for additional picture taking options) walk there. Also, note the Inn in the title. This would be a lovely place for family to stay, and I would try to arrange for a bus to bring the friends out to the wedding and back to the Hickory Pond Inn. It's a LOT cheaper, and it might be a better place to "hang out" afterwards. Oh, and it has a golf course for the men the day of, and we might be able to get a group rate by renting the whole thing! Although, I might recommend a walk over to Libby's - the bar - post wedding... Okay, too many ideas. But, back to the Inn, my sister got married there and it was quite beautiful, from what I can remember.

Sigh... I have many many more dream wedding scenarios, but part of me really likes this one. Without being a downer, there would be something special about being married here. The walk to the reception site would include a walk by the place where my Father's ashes are buried. Also, I know that there are some people who remember and love him from the choir that I might be able to have be an important part of the ceremony. Although, it might be too tough for all of us. The last time I went to the church was for his memorial service.

#3. Dream Wedding Part I

I was born and raised in a small town in NH, and while there is something really special about being married in my hometown, it would mean that ALL guests - with the exception of my Mom and my sister and her family - would have to travel and get hotel rooms. Yes, I do love a good destination wedding, but fortunately I have a LOT of time before I even have to think about making this kind of decision.

Originally I was thinking that this would just be about blogging about wedding planning, but while I am at it, I should mark down ideas of my own, yes? Glad we are in agreement.

If I had my druthers, I would love love LOVE to get married in Dallas. It's the city where I live, where my brother lives, and where most of my friends live (and of the ones who don't, most are only 3-4 hours away, as is a good portion of my family.)

I would want to get married either in the Spring or Fall (this is Texas, summer weddings are not ideal) at the Dallas Arboretum. This eliminates the need for ceremony decorations as the gardens are already beautiful. (Also, as a side note related to flowers, I am a HUGE fan of making your own arrangements the day before with your family and bridesmaids. See the above picture for some inspiration - gotta love lilacs!)

For the reception, I think I would have to choose Times Ten Cellars. It is a wonderful Dallas establishment with good wine, and the ability to bring in your own beer and food. The owners are fabulous people who are so wonderful to work with, and I love supporting local businesses. Also, given the decor, minimal or no additional decorations would be necessary. It would just be candles, candles and more candles!

In a perfect world, I would have Cafe Madrid, my favorite restaurant in Dallas, cater the event. As I do not think that they cater, nor do I know if I could afford to pay for their services for 100-150 people, I will probably go with a fajita (and queso) buffet. Part of me is dying to find a way to incorporate a macaroni and cheese bar, but I think that I might be getting ahead of myself.

Oh, and for dessert, I'd love to get Sprinkles to do a cupcake tower with red velvet cake and cream cheese frosting.

I have a feeling that by listing everything above (and NOT listing a really amazing photographer) that I might have gone way over budget. Then again, this post is not titled "the really super awesome wedding that will totally cost less than $10,000" it is called "Dream Wedding Part I." Get ready for parts II and III to be posted soon, and include non-Dallas options.

#2. The Dresses!

I think one of the greatest things about weddings are the dresses that are involved. Now, I am not currently planning a wedding of my own, but were I in the planning stages, this is what I envision my flower girls (yes, multiple, I have 3 nieces) wearing:

A white satin top that looks like a leotard.

A VERY light pink skirt made out of tulle.

A light green bow around their waist.

I cannot seem to find anything remotely similar to these online, so I would probably have my Mom (seamstress extraordinaire) make them. I don't think I would be able to ask her to make a wedding dress, but she does love making clothes for the little girls!

Have I mentioned yet that I am super girly? If I was in the market to purchase something, for some reason I think that this dress is really cute - and I love the hat! (It's a Watters dress - I love their stuff!)

#1. The Intro...

Me? A Blogger? Sure, why not! I am an aspiring wedding planner in Dallas who is starting this blog with the goal of launching a part-time wedding planning career. Wherever did I get this idea? Oh, from my boyfriend. Yes. A man is actually encouraging me to explore in greater detail the scary world of weddings.

I will say, however, that we have very different ideas of what this special moment entails. His idea can be summed up in one word: Vegas! When he mentioned that recently to a friend of mine, it took me a moment to wipe the look of horror off of my face.

It's not that I have anything against Vegas; I have a friend who recently pulled off a stunning Vegas wedding. The key elements were there - her family, her close friends, the beautiful white dress... The difference is, his idea of a Vegas wedding includes two people, flip-flops and shorts.

As I was saying, before I went off on the Vegas tangent, I would like to start this blog to network with other wedding bloggers. I am new to this world (it was just a week ago that I discovered the wonderful world of wedding blogs, thanks Kim!) but I already love reading A Practical Wedding and A $10,000 Wedding. In fact reading A $10,000 Wedding was what jump-started this whole blog process.

To say I have a lot of ideas about weddings is an understatement. I have been thinking about (and "planning") weddings since I was three years old. Every day until I was around 7 my Barbie and Ken would get married. She-Ra and He-Man attended each service. I have exactly one start to finish wedding under my belt thus far, however I consider myself the unofficial event planner for my group of friends, and I have been a resource to many of them on their big day.

The name for my blog was inspired by something I have heard many times - that when women get together we talk about "hair, nails and pretty, shiny things." Of course, most people knowthat there is more to it, but I am a fan of all of the above (with the addition of "sparkly"). After all, I think glitter makes people happy. Glitter and saying the word Pflugerville. Life is all about loving, living, and the small stuff.

All of that being said, I am ready and willing to take on more weddings. I can assure you that I am fully capable, I have plenty of event planning experience (I was an event planner before entering the awesome world of advertising) and I have worked for a non-profit. (Read: I can pull off events quickly and cheaply.) I am located in Dallas, but hopefully some day my absolutely fabulous wedding planning capabilities will allow me to plan weddings anywhere you would like! (I am up for the challenge now if you are willing to pay for me to go wherever it is you are going!)