Under the weather...

Hi all! I seem to have caught a cold, which was at least polite enough to wait until the day after my birthday to hit me, but which is keeping me laid up in bed. So, no fabulous wedding inspiration for you today. Instead, some links that I'm enjoying...


{via Lolita}

I love Paris in the springtime.

Brave enough to try making your own french fries?

Adding this plaid bag to my wish list.

The most beautiful city? I say yes.

I don't care how the bon-bons taste. The packaging is delicious.

Charm school.

Try the cinnamon truffle. Mmmm...

Congrats on the cover, Elizabeth!

Am I the only one who wondered where those pretty toothbrushes in the magazines came from?

Happy Tuesday, friends! Hoping to be back tomorrow with wedding inspiration...

Sponsored Post: Williams Sonoma + $250 Giveaway!

I love Williams Sonoma. Love. It. Whenever I step inside one, I imagine all of the things that will one day live in my dream kitchen - KitchenAid Mixer? Check! Wüsthof knives? Check! Let's just say that my honey and I will definitely be registering at Williams Sonoma. And not only do they have just about everything you could possibly think of to outfit your new home, but they also have all kinds of great specials when you set up a registry.


{Left: KitchenAid Pro 610 Stand mixer; Right: Wüsthof Classic 8-piece Knife Block set}

One you've registered for your KitchenAid Pro 610 Stand Mixer, Williams Sonoma will send you a free gift valued at $19.95.

When you add $450 worth of Wüsthof items to your registry, you'll receive a free gift valued at $20. When Wüsthof cutlery purchases from your registry total $450 or more, you'll receive a gift valued at $55.


{Left: Ceramic and Stainless Steel canisters; Right: All-Clad Stainless Steel Standard cups and spoons}




{Left: Le Creuset Round Dutch Oven; Riedel Vinum 7-piece Gift Set}

When you register for six or more pieces of Le Creuset cast-iron cookware, you'll receive a gift valued at $20. Once your friends and family have purchased $500 or more of Le Creuset gifts for you, you'll receive a gift valued at $150.


{Left: Breville Ikon Panini Press; All-Clad Stainless Steel Strainer Set}

When you register for $500 or more of All-Clad products, Williams Sonoma will send you a gift valued at $30. Once your friends and family have purchased $1500 or more of All-Clad gifts from your registry, you'll receive a gift valued at $120.


{Left: Monogrammed Stainless Steel Beverage Bucket; Right: Cuisinart Food Processor}

Okay, so this is all awesome, and you're probably already busy clicking away setting up your registry at Williams Sonoma, but just in case you need an extra incentive, I'm giving away $250 to one lucky reader! All you need to do is to sign up for Williams Sonoma's Bridal Registry, and then leave a comment below to let me know you registered. If you're already registered, just add something to your registry and let me know what it was.

UPDATE! I've extended the deadline for this contest. You now have until Monday at midnight to enter, and I'll announce the randomly selected winner on Tuesday, 4/6. Happy registering!

UPDATE! This contest is now closed.

Sunday Edition #78

by W. Scott Chester

Happy Weekend!

I'm really looking forward to this weekend! I'm home visiting my mom, meeting my dear friend's baby for the first time, and meeting up with a bunch of fabulous wedding folks while I'm here. And since it's my birthday, and I've been dreaming about this marble cake since I first tried it a month ago, I'll be picking one up as soon as possible. Mmmm..... But first, a whole bunch of links for you this Friday!


{via Lolita}

I love the baby name game! via Bliss.

Be content with who you are.

Happy 80th birthday!

I'm telling you, balloons never get old, via Once Wed.

An entire shop of folded paper, via Abby Tries Again.

Signage.

If I had an extra $4900, I'd buy this awesome desk shaped like California, via Oh Happy Day.

I heart this wedding.

Same hill, different day, via A Cup of Jo.

Say yes to the vest.

Greenhouse in springtime. Just lovely.

Underwater church, via my honey and Lovely Little Things.

If I had a land line (a what?) I'd have this phone, via Mrs. Lilien.

Will someone please get married here? via Clover & Bee.

Yummy Easter bunny.

Decorate your pretty little head.

Whisper rings.

Have a happy weekend, pretties!

Discounts, Giveaways, Etc.

Discounts

If you have any discounts going on, go ahead and leave them in the comments section!

Giveaways

Project Wedding* is giving away a custom ring bearer bowl and custom bridal bouquet text tile, both from Snippet & Ink favorite, Paloma's Nest.* See details here.

Navy & Lavender is giving away a $150 gift certificate. Enter to win by following them on Twitter, leaving a comment on their blog, or become a Facebook fan. See details here.

Four Winds Weddings is giving away a luxury vacation to Costa Rica, valued at over $3200. See details here.

Blue Green Arts is giving away a vintage paper pack of French poetry pages. See details here.

Etc.

Congratulations to MaeMae Paperie on the new blog, and to AisleDash on their launch!

Williams-Sonoma* has just added a Wine Club to their registry offerings - great gift idea! Learn more here.

Check out Julianne Smith's new garter collection at the launch party, 4/7 in Washington DC. See details here.

For brides in the San Diego area, check out the wedding showcase at the US Grant Hotel, 4/11. Featuring The Knot, Tiffany & Co., Bloomingdale's, and more. See details here.

Real Wedding: June & Paul

June and Paul's beautiful wedding is full of such wonderfully whimsical details - ribbon streamers, butterflies and dragonflies - and Amanda Bevington's photos are lovely as always. I hope you find as much inspiration here as I have!








June shares one of her favorite parts of the day: My favorite moment was seeing Paul and his family walking down the aisle next to me. We walked down two separate aisles at the same time and for a split second saw each other through the trees. Our families met in the middle and hugged before they left me and Paul together. It was truly amazing to walk down the aisle at the same time - it felt like the right way to start our marriage!










How about these hanging frames - a literal family tree! June and Paul credit Rebecca Stone at Duet Weddings for helping them create their dream wedding. Says June, "If you live in LA, hire her. She will change your life. Not only did she make the day everything I wanted, but she also made the process everything I wanted."










Some advice from June: Remember that if you are having a good time your guests will too! We danced so hard my legs were aching the next day. And although I was a sweaty, mascara running mess by the end of the night, I had so much fun! Oh also, remember to bring your room key with you when you leave for the wedding to avoid what happened to us. Yep, that's right, I locked us out of our room on our wedding night. Paul was...not pleased!



I love this budget advice from June: Major budget tip! Start off with a lower number than you actually have to spend. This way when you go over budget - which you will, just embrace that fact! - you are still working from a modest number. (This tip also works for setting morning alarm clocks and any other area of your life where you need to delude yourself into thinking you're better off than you are!) One thing I will say about spending more than I ever thought I would is this: It was the best day and I don't regret it one bit!

Venue: Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History

Planner: Rebecca Stone at Duet Weddings

Bride's dress: Melissa Sweet

Groom's suit: Hugo Boss

Flowers: Modern Day Design

Catering / cherry lemonade: Pure Joy Catering

Cake: Crumbs Santa Barbara

Music: Santa Barbara DJs

Congratulations to you, June and Paul! Thank you to the couple for sharing so many great details, as well as to Rebecca from Duet Weddings. And of course, thank you to Amanda Bevington for sharing these beautiful photos - you can see lots more photos from June and Paul's wedding over on Amanda's blog.

Board #472: Red Bistro Chairs

Today's wedding board was inspired entirely by Silvana di Franco's photo of the red folding bistro chairs. The simplicity, the muted colors. Like yesterday's inspiration board, something about it feels like this early part of Spring - soft gray with glimpses of color. Used judiciously, red is one of my favorite colors. It has so many moods, from playful to sexy. Here, I think it's both sophisticated and sweet. For this couple, I imagine a low-key luncheon with just a few perfect details - personalized menus, a single peony instead of a bouquet, a getaway bicycle - and just their closest friends and family.

Mood: perfectly simple, sweetly sophisticated
Palette: French red, white linen, stone

{click image to enlarge}

Top row from left: photo of red bistro chairs by Silvana di Franco via Wiley Valentine, bride and groom from Martha Stewart Weddings, photo of single red peony by Elizabeth Messina via Ritzy Bee
Row 2: photo of climbing roses and French house number via Creature Comforts, red nail polish via Mary Ruffle
Row 3: photo of bride and groom on bicycle by Yves Samuel, photo of personalized menu by Elizabeth Messina, berry cake from Martha Stewart Weddings

Board #471: Rough Winds and Darling Buds

I don't know why, but I'm really digging this dark moody gray right now. It feels like such a perfect neutral for this early part of Spring, the windy, rainy days paired with blossoming trees. I also like the way it has a masculine feel to it that balances the sweet, feminine pink in this inspiration board. What do you think? Do you like this charcoal gray as a neutral, or is it too dark for your taste?

Mood: romantic, moody
Palette: charcoal and slate grays, cherry blossom pink

{click image to enlarge}

Top row from left: Carolina Herrera ballgown from Charleston Weddings, photo of table with bentwood chairs by Jose Villa, gray suit from Brooklyn Tailors via this is not my work
Row 2: charcoal gray invitation by Gryphon Stationers, blossoming branches photo by Gemma Comas
Row 3: chocolates from La Maison du Chocolat, photo of car and oak tree by Jose Villa, flowers by Saipua

Sponsored Post: PreOwnedWeddingDresses.com

I think by now you probably know about my love for PreOwnedWeddingDresses.com - any website where you can find the dress of your dreams for less money is tops on my list! Here are some of my favorite current listings...


{L: Melissa Sweet, R: Monique Lhuillier}


{L: Amy Kuschel, R: Oscar de la Renta}

As if being able to buy designer gowns at a fraction of the retail price wasn't good enough, PreOwnedWeddingDresses.com keeps getting better. The newest upgrades? In addition to being able to search by designer, silhouette, and price point (to name a few), you can also search for dresses in your area. But my favorite new upgrade? Say you want to know whenever someone lists a Vera Wang gown in size 8, or all new Vera Wang listings, or just a specific Vera Wang style. Sign up for New Dress Alerts and you'll get an email any time that dress gets listed. With thousands of listings, and new ones everyday, you're bound to find something that's just right for you. PreOwnedWeddingDresses.com also hosts lots of great contests and giveaways, and right now on their Facebook page, you can enter to win a $200 gift certificate to Sephora. Yes, please!

Board #470: Ivy & Brick

If you're just at the beginning of your planning, browsing around the internet for ideas, I'd like to make a suggestion. Instead of starting with a look or "vision" in mind, and then trying to find a venue that fits that vision (because if you're anything like me, you'll drive yourself totally bananas when you realize that the perfect* place doesn't exist), start with a budget, a guest list, and a date or two. Find a venue that fits those things, and then develop a vision from there. I know that some venues aren't inherently inspiring - more like blank slates - but if your venue is (inspiring, that is), why not let it spark your vision? That's what I had in mind when creating today's inspiration board, which is based entirely around the idea of an ivy-covered, brick-walled venue.

Mood: vintage urban
Palette: brick and ivy green

{click image to enlarge}

Top row from left: topiary in terra cotta pot via Design*Sponge, ivy cascade bouquet from Martha Stewart Weddings, buttercream cake with olive leaf decorations photo by Jose Villa, ivy-covered brick wall photo by Anna Boudreau
Row 2: rose petal toss from Wedding Style Guide, bride and groom on balcony photo by Rebecca for Millie Holloman, rustic seating card display photo by Jose Villa, ivy plant wedding favor via {frolic!}
Row 3: galvanized tub of wine bottles from Brides, ivy covered basket photo by Belathee, banquet table in brick courtyard from Jo Gartin, vintage stamps

*A note on this word, perfect. Back when I was planning my wedding in what I like to call "Round 1," the biggest source of stress (okay, insanity) for me was the idea that my wedding had to be perfect. That it could be perfect. Perfect in the sense of perfectly scripted, costumed, directed, produced. But here's the thing. That's not a wedding day; it's a movie. An impossible goal, and you will make yourself crazy trying to achieve it - and miserable when it doesn't happen. For myself, I'd rather focus on having a day where I get to marry my best friend, hopefully surrounded by the people who love us, and hopefully followed by cake. I'm not sure it gets more perfect than that. (If you need more convincing that going for perfect isn't where it's at, Meg's got a great post on it over here.)

Sunday Edition #77

by Our Labor of Love

Happy Weekend!

All this traveling is making me completely lose track of the days! I didn't realize until 2:30 yesterday that it was Friday, and that I had totally forgotten to post my weekend links! Anyway, I love weekend links, and even though they're a day late, I hope you'll love them too. The weather is practically perfect here in Austin, so I plan on spending as much time out of doors as possible, maybe doing some reading (any good book suggestions?)...


via Abby Sharp

Répondez Vite — ou Mourez!

Wanderlusting.

DIY inspiration kits.

More happy from Sunday Edition #75.

When life hands you lemons, via A Cup of Jo.

Online marketing and the plus-sized bride.

Songs for February - better late than never!

Wear a little vintage.

Cherry blossom doughnuts for Spring.

If you're going to get a paper cut... via Oh So Beautiful Paper.

Lovely letterheads.

Have a wonderful weekend, lovelies!

Discounts, Giveaways, Etc.

Discounts

The Paper Whale is celebrating 100 Facebook fans with a sale - 15% off purchases from their Etsy store until midnight 3/21.

Blush Paperie* is offering 15% off all letterpress invitation orders of 125 sets or more until 3/31. See details here.

Get 15% off all bridesmaid dress orders at Coren Moore placed by 4/30. Orders of 8 or more of the same style receive 18% off. See details here.

Giveaways

PreOwnedWeddingDresses.com* is giving away a $200 Sephora gift certificate. Enter on their Facebook page.

Marry You Me has some darling free downloads for lemonade labels available. Check them out here.

Mirassou Winery is launching their 2010 "I Do with Mirassou" contest. Engaged couples can enter to win $10,000 toward your dream wedding, and a trip to San Francisco to meet with wedding planning experts. See details here.

Project Wedding* is giving away a Disney fairytale honeymoon valued at $2000. See details here.

Wedding Nouveau is giving away a $50 gift card to Beau-Coup. See details here.

Souris Mariage is giving away three prizes valued at $50. See details here.

Brenda's Wedding Blog is giving away an eco-cupcake stand and $40 to shop at Green Party Goods. See details here.

Bells and Bouquets is giving away a Rembrandt home teeth whitening kit. See details here.

Etc.

Congrats to Nancy Howell on the new site, Ban.do* on the new blog, and Classic Bride on the new online shop!

Check out top photographer Christian Oth's vendor recommendations.

If you're in the Los Angeles area, check out the bridal event, Unveiled: Bridal Style Revealed on 3/28, which includes designers Monique Lhuillier, Carolina Herrera, and Vera Wang, as well as Snippet & Ink favorite Ban.do!* See details here.

*Snippet & Ink sponsors.

Real Wedding: Jenny & Kyle

I have a few favorite photographers whose work I feature again and again, but I also absolutely love sharing new talented photographers with you (well, they're new to me, anyway). Wentzu Chang is one of those photographers, and she got in touch with me about featuring the wedding of her friends, Jenny and Kyle - and how could I say no! The couple wanted an outdoor setting where all of their guests would feel comfortable, so they chose the Temescal Canyon Gateway Park in the Santa Monica mountains for their charming DIY wedding.




Jenny wore the same ballet slippers that her mother wore on her wedding day.


The couple grew amaranth and zinnias from seed for boutonnieres and bouquets. Centerpieces were herbs from the Hollywood farmer's market, planted in containers that Kyle made out of wood recycled from and old fence at Jenny's parents' home.




Jenny and Kyle wrote their vows and ceremony, and a friend officiated.










Large Marge Sustainables created a delicious vegetarian menu. The couple provided their own alcohol.




Instead of purchasing a wedding cake, the couple challenged their guests to a bake-off. Several guests filled the dessert table with cakes, cookies, and cupcakes.



Venue: Temescal Gateway Park

Bride's dress: LoriMarsha

Groom's fair trade hemp suit: Rawganique

Flowers: DIY

Catering: Large Marge Sustainables

Congratulations Jenny and Kyle! And thank you to Wentzu Chang for sending over your beautiful photos - I hope you'll be back on Snippet & Ink soon!

See you tomorrow...

Taking a bit of an unplanned break from blogging today, but I'll be back tomorrow! Hope everyone is having a great week!

Real Wedding: Julia & Brett

I know most of us are looking forward to Spring right now, but this vintage-inspired winter wedding was just too lovely not to share with you (Julia and Brett describe their wedding vision as old world European meets post-war America, with some inspiration pulled from Moulin Rouge and Amelie). Plus, I'm really excited to share Genevieve Nisly's photography with you - she's a talent you'll want to know about.






Julia and Brett designed and made the stationery suite themselves, from the rounded corners to the gilded edges (with Martha Stewart materials from Michael's), and each invite was customized for its recipient. Says Julia, "Not only did we save several thousand dollars creating our own stationery, but it grew into one of the elements of our celebration that we really cherish, and that received an overwhelming response from the recipients."














Julia on her dress: "I saved massively by buying a floor sample, and I cannot say better things about [the designer] Eden Bridals - unbelievable customer service. They sent me a list of every boutique in the United States who had sample of my dress in my size, and by finding the size I needed, I ultimately needed no alterations whatsoever, which was also a great cost saver."






"Huge money saving tip: Buy fewer slices of cake than you need, especially if you have another dessert or cookies like we did. Our cake served 82 and though we had 125 guests, we were still was able to save the top and had many slices left over." The cake included layers of red velvet, almond, lemon and spice, all frosted in Crème de cacao butter cream, and it was topped with vintage handmade bride and groom clothespin ornaments that Brett's parents used to announce their engagement to Brett's mother's family.



Ceremony venue: Saint John the Baptist in Canton, OH

Reception venue: The Canton Club

Bride's dress / shoes: Eden Bridal's / Zappos

Flower girl dresses: J.Crew

Ring bearer's ensemble: eBay

Groom's 3-piece suit: Target

Ring pillow / crowns: Insignes

Paper / envelopes: Envelopper Inc.

Cake: And Eat It Too

I just had to share this tidbit from Julia, for any bride who worries that everything won't turn out exactly as you've planned or envisioned: "The only thing I had really really really always envisioned for my wedding was to wear my hair in perfect marcel and finger waves, and it unfortunately just didn't happen. I could have cried about my hair, but I just had to let it go. I found the love of my life and married him, and we had the most gorgeous and fabulous party with our family and friends from all over the world, and that is what matters. Have a vision, be flexible, prioritize, and let it go when you must. Don't lose focus on what it's really all about. Like every one told me, something (or ten things) always go wrong at the last minute. They totally did, and we lived."

Congratulations Julia and Brett - thank you so much for sharing all of these wonderful details with us, and thank you to Genevieve Nisly for sending along this beautiful photos! You can see lots more from this wedding over at Genevieve's blog.