Real Wedding Saturday: Amanda & Matt

When Amanda emailed me with the slideshow from her recent wedding, the photos, taken by Jessica Johnston, were so gorgeous that I knew it had to be featured for a Real Wedding Saturday. Then when Amanda told me that she and Matt had put this wedding together for under $15,000, I had to know more (once you see these photos, you'll barely believe it). Here's what Amanda had to say about staying within their budget:

We skipped some things in order to upgrade others. We wanted a unique venue and an amazing photographer. By having an ornate venue, we didn't need to decorate much and still gave guests a great impression.

Our venue does not allow hard liquor, so we served beer and wine and nobody seemed to complain. We also skipped the champagne, which saved on champagne, champagne flutes for the two of us and rental flutes for the guests.

Matt and I hated the idea of having a DJ - we think it's cheesy and we always hear horror stories about bad DJs. So once our musician left after dinner, our iPod came into action. Our venue had the audio setup, so all we needed was to bring the iPod.

Our cake and flowers were made by people who work out of their homes, so we didn't pay storefront prices. The cake was insanely delicious and only $2.50 a slice. Word of mouth is the best advertisement one can have!

If that's not inspiration enough, then take a look at these photos!


Amanda found some vintage clip-on earrings on eBay for $8, and clipped them onto her custom-dyed shoes.














Amanda's bouquet, by Michele Nonis (586-776-1201), consisted of orange and peach roses, white sweet peas and orange ranunculus.


Amanda's dress is by Casablanca - and she ordered it off the internet without ever trying it on!


The wedding took place at The Guardian Building in downtown Detroit. Most of the inspiration for the wedding came from its Art Deco style, and the color palette came from the colors of the elaborate ceiling: gold and orange.


Amanda made the pomanders herself out of tissue paper.




She also made these fabulous programs, modeled after Western Union telegrams - such a fabulous detail!












Day-of coordinator, Two Foot Creative.


The centerpieces were lots and lots of candles, to create a "path" of light down the banquet tables. I love that such a simple thing creates such a dramatic effect, and by not using floral centerpieces, Amanda and Matt kept their budget down.


There were only 75 guests at the wedding, which made for an intimate and emotional event, as well as helped to keep costs down.




The cake was based on Amanda's own design (a subtle Art Deco pattern) and topped off with a cake topper from the 1930s. Covered with white buttercream, each layer was a different flavor: red velvet with French vanilla filling, white cake with chocolate mousse, and chocolate with chocolate mousse. Made by Cakes by Lisa (313-881-2888).


Matt is a photographer, so he already had most of the equipment to set up a photobooth for guests - such a fun element, that didn't add a whole lot of cost. You can see more of their photobooth shots here.


Thank you to Amanda, Matt and the talented Jessica Johnston for sharing these stunning photos with us! What a truly beautiful wedding, made all the more unique by do-it-yourself
elements and creative budgeting.

For a closer look at the planning process, check out Amanda's Knottie Bio where she shares her story, her inspiration, and her do-it-yourself projects.

{to submit a real wedding, email me at kathryn@snippetandink.com}

Sneak Peek: Amanda & Matt

Make sure you stop by tomorrow for the fourth installment of Real Wedding Saturday! I promise you - this one's a stunner...

Board #173: Carnival Ride

Sometimes themed weddings seem like they're trying too hard. But sometimes they are too fun to resist, like this carnival themed inspiration board! There are so many ways to play with this theme: using tickets, balloons, carnival food, etc. If you want to splurge, you could have a fireworks show to end the evening; if not, how about sparklers?

Mood: fun and games
Palette: red, yellow, hints of blue

{click image to enlarge}

Top row from left: photo by Mel Barlow, tent from Fete NY, miniature crudites from Martha Stewart Weddings, polka dot dress from J.Crew
Row 2: carnival dessert buffet from Rebecca Thuss, Milkmaid Press invitation via Elizabeth Anne Designs, tulips by Details Details
Row 3: yellow parasol photo by Heather Mabry, candy apple photo by Whitebox Weddings, boutonniere via Brooklyn Bride, photobooth via The Bride's Cafe

Update! Look at this fun photo by Whitley Goodman Photography.

Board #169: Spring is Here!

Hello all! I hope everyone had a great week, and that you're as excited as I am to see inspiration boards return. Even though spring officially started last week, it was still snowing in my neck of the woods on Friday. But, it appears that spring has truly arrived in most places, and I thought I'd start back up with a bright and colorful tented wedding, largely inspired by this gorgeous bouquet photographed by Mallory Samson. (Wouldn't those quilts draped over a fence make for a fun guest photo backdrop?)

Mood: vivacious and vibrant
Palette: fuchsia, yellow, orange, pale pink, green

{click image to enlarge}

Top row from left: bouquet and dinner photos both by Mallory Samson, quilt photo by Whitebox Weddings
Row 2: ring pillow photo by Lisa Lefkowitz, green dresses by J.Crew
Row 3: photo via Matt Bites, boutonniere from Martha Stewart Weddings, tent photo by Mantas Wright
Row 4: cake from Martha Stewart Weddings, veil by Leah C., enfinlavoila invitations via Etsy Wedding, centerpiece by Ariella Chezar

Happy Easter!

...inspiration boards will be back tomorrow!

Real Wedding Saturday: Hillary & Mitch

Kristi Amoroso has put together some truly beautiful and unique weddings, including this one in late Fall that she offered to share with us! Hillary and Mitch held their wedding in one of my favorite places in San Francisco, the Ferry Building, and it is clear from these photos that it would be a magical place to have a wedding.


Dress by Christina Hurvis, Couture San Francisco.


All flowers and event decor by Radeff Design Studios.






Cupcakes by Perfect Endings.








Catered by Paula Le Duc Fine Catering.


Deejayed by Dave Tutton (415-474-9283).


All photos by Suzy Clement.

Thank you to Hillary and Mitch for sharing your beautiful day with us, and to Kristi Amoroso and Suzy Clement for sending these lovely photos over to share with Snippet & Ink! This looks like a San Francisco fairy tale wedding, which is fitting for what Kristi called a "happily ever after" couple.

{to submit a real wedding, email me at kathryn@snippetandink.com}

A Chat with Laura Hooper

Laura Hooper is one of the talented people who inspires and makes possible the inspiration boards on Snippet & Ink. I have drooled over the work on her website time and again, and now she has a blog, with even more eye candy! Laura was kind enough to stop by Snippet & Ink today to answer a few questions.



Snippet & Ink: Your website says that you have been interested in calligraphy since you were twelve. What is it about calligraphy that you have always loved so much?
Laura Hooper: I have always been creative- I have liked to draw and paint since I can remember. I love calligraphy because it is very relaxing for me. I love to watch the flow of the ink onto the paper. It is so graceful..I never get bored.

S&I: There are so many incredible styles that you offer on your website. Are they your take on classic styles, or did you develop some of them yourself?
LH: Some of them are and some are not. Copperplate, Bickham, Bickham Swash Caps and Rook are all classic calligraphy styles that computerized fonts have adapted, but then I sort of add my own spin to them. I am completely self-taught, so I do somewhat of my own thing with the styles. Other styles, like Costello, Rosen and Splendid Flourish are my own creations that have evolved from other styles. It's funny when I look back at my samples from two years ago for Splendid Flourish, they look completely different to me.

S&I: Do you have a favorite style of project that you have done?
LH: My favorite style and project is one I just sent to print for letterpress. It has inspired me to start my own invitation line. I am planning to have about seven suites to start and they will all be calligraphy for letterpress printing. But I have to finish my website first!

S&I: What style is a favorite among your clients?
LH: Copperplate and Bickham, probably because they are classic styles as I mentioned, they match pretty well to anything, and they are reasonably priced. I also get a great response to Massy and Baby Script as well.

S&I: Calligraphy obviously isn't just for addressing envelopes - you have even hand lettered on compasses! What are some other examples of things that you have used your talents for?
LH: Spanish tiles, Lucite placecards, sand dollars, capiz shells... I love doing all these things because they are so unique and custom. I love creating new ideas for seating arrangements with luxurious papers, ribbons, or other things.

S&I: What advice could you give to a couple who love calligraphy, but have a limited budget?
LH: Don't use a computer or labels! Enlist someone like your mother or your bridesmaid with nice handwriting to address your envelopes. Please remember that the first thing your guests will see with regard to your wedding is not the invitation. It's the outside of the envelope. If you've slapped a label on it or the writing is crooked, it completely negates the gorgeous invitation inside. Factor calligraphy into the budget and perhaps select a less expensive invitation so that you have room in the budget.

S&I: What is the best part about your job?
LH: Not sitting in a cubicle selling mortgage loans. :) Yes, it's the freedom. I love being able to work from anywhere that has a flat surface and not having to worry about sick days and vacation days. I do have to worry about deadlines though, but that's okay. Also, seeing a project through to the end. Sometimes I start with a bride's save-the-dates a year and a half in advance, and then I work with them all the way through the escort cards, menus and other reception items. I really develop a relationship with them and it's always sad, after a wedding is over, to know I won't hear from them anymore (Until their younger sibling gets married two years later, which has just started to happen! It's a pleasant surprise.).

S&I: Is there anything else that Snippet & Ink readers should know about you?
LH: Yes. I remember all my clients and what styles they ordered. Also, I love creating new custom ideas, so if you see something you like, call me up and let's get started!



Laura, thank you so much for taking the time to stop by Snippet & Ink! Your work is lovely, and we look forward to seeing more of it on your new website and blog.

A Little Break...

Hi friends! I am out of town for the week, and will be taking a little break from regular blogging for now. But, please check in on Wednesday for my interview with the talented Laura Hooper and next Saturday for another installment of Real Wedding Saturday. Inspiration boards will be back on Monday the 24th.

Real Wedding Saturday: Julie & Kaori

There are few places more beautiful to be married than the Beltane Ranch in Glen Ellen, California, and Leah McCormick's gorgeous photos certainly do it justice. Julie and Kaori tied the knot at this historic venue in a September wedding, filled with beautiful personal details.








There are huge, hundred year-old raspberry bushes at the Beltane Ranch, so Julie and Kaori decided to incorporate raspberries into several aspects of the wedding. Kaori's dad drew the raspberries on their letterpress invitations and programs, and there were raspberries in the cake, salad, and flower arrangements.


Julie's dress is by Rivini and Kaori's suit is by Gucci.


Flowers by Lavender Floral.


The ranch had an old truck from the 1950's on it, and Julie and Kaori served lemonade out of the back of it as their guests arrived. At the end of the night, they filled the back of the truck with jars of local Sonoma honey for guests to take home with them. To echo the truck theme, Julie bought three old toy trucks on eBay to fill with flowers. (This is probably my favorite detail!)






















The cake, from Perfect Endings, had one layer of dark chocolate raspberry, and one layer of vanilla pound cake with crushed apricot preserves.




For their guest book, they put out markers, stamps, and a Polaroid camera and asked guests to take a photo of themselves and write a note or make a drawing - what a fun keepsake!









Thank you to Julie and Kaori for sharing their beautiful day, and to Leah McCormick for sending me these stunning photos!

{to submit a real wedding, email me at kathryn@snippetandink.com}