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Sunday Edition #87

by Our Labor of Love

Real Wedding: Catie & Michael

The bride from today's wedding shared a little bit about the day, and about the way she decided to think about her wedding and planning:

I wanted to be able to look back at my wedding and not regret that I had done something that would be severely dated. I also wanted to spend as little as possible. The important thing to me was marrying Michael, and even though the reception was fun, and everything I had hoped for, I kept Michael as my focus and did not let the other things bother me. Life is too short to worry about making sure we got the invitations from the "right" place, or something like that.

Catie's brother-in-law happens to be the talented Jonathan Canlas, so naturally he photographed the day and sent over some beautiful pics...














How cute is this little guy in his blazer and tie!


(I couldn't help it - I had to include this shot of Jonathan and his beautiful family. He said it's the first time his whole family has all been in the same photo, which I guess happens when dad is the guy behind the camera.)




Says Catie, "I was hooked up with awesome music by The Gatsbys, one of whom happens to be another brother-in-law. They kept the party going and did awesome cover songs for dancing. It was so much fun having them, and it made it even more special that [my brother-in-law] Micah was the master of ceremonies."

Venue: Sleepy Ridge Golf Club in Orem, Utah

Bride's dress / shoes / headband: Jessica May Bridal / rsvp / Lottie-Da Designs

You can see lots more from this wedding on Jonathan's blog, which is always full of inspiring photos. Congratulations Catie and Michael - wishing you a lifetime of happiness!

Happy Weekend!

Last weekend my honey and I went to see Exit Through the Gift Shop, and we both loved it - it's all about street art, and if you can find it at a local theater, it's definitely worth checking out. This weekend we get to start the always fun task of packing up our apartment to get ready for our big move. Even though we've only been living in Austin for a year, I'm really going to miss it - I wish I could bring our movie theater and my favorite tacos with me. And sno-cones...


{via We Heart It}

Congrats Joanna!

I'd love to get one of these as a wedding gift, via Design*Sponge.

How cute is this couple!

So glad someone is telling this story - really worth watching.

Connect the dots.

Pretty pretty cake toppers, via Clover & Bee.

Coffee party.

Appreciate beautiful branding.

Mrs. Lemonade.

Customize your chocolate. Chocomize.

Disposable tableware might as well look good, via Design Crush.

The why of weddings.

Finally, a stamp for square envelopes, via @thinksplendid.

A case for making your own wedding dress.

If I had an £10,550.00 laying around... via Keg Design.

Have a wonderful Memorial Day weekend - here comes summer!

Discounts, Giveaways, Etc.

Discounts

Get 20% off all orders of Doie Designs* kimono-style robes when you enter Brides20 at checkout. Get 30% off when you buy 5 or more (bridesmaid gifts!).

David Newkirk* is offering Snippet & Ink readers 15% off all wedding photo packages. Just shoot him an email and mention Snippet & Ink.

From now until 8/15, 3 Bees Paperie is offering free samples from their Couture Weddings and Baby Bee collections.

Papeterie* is offering Snippet & Ink readers 20% off notecards. Coupon code: snippet20

Giveaways

Intimate Weddings is giving away a $100 gift card from Photo Card Creations. See details here.

1st Class Wedding Invitations is giving away a 7-night all-inclusive honeymoon to Riviera Maya. See details here.

OneWed is giving away a vintage necklace. See details here.

Brenda's Wedding Blog is giving away $150 toward Nai Wedding Favors. See details here.

Etc.

Congratulations to Katie Stoops on the lovely new website!

Failures of the Kimberley Process have resulted in blood diamonds being labeled as conflict-free. Brilliant Earth* has launched a petition calling for reform of the Kimberley Process. Learn more here.

If you're in the New York area, stop by the opening of J.Crew's first bridal boutique, hosted by Martha Stewart Weddings editor Darcy Miller. 6/2 from 5:30-8pm at 769 Madison Ave. RSVP to kate@jcrew.com

Join Cynthia Rowley for the launch of her new bridesmaid collection* at her store, in New York, Charleston, or Chicago. RSVP here.

*Snippet & Ink sponsors.

Real Wedding: Lisa & Ben

There's just so much to love about Lisa and Ben's charming Brooklyn wedding - the vintage dress, the skateboarding bride and groom, the city hall ceremony. From the bride:

We were married on May 5, 2010 at City Hall in Manhattan. 2 guests, 2 photographers. Our friend, Chris'tine stopped by on her lunch break to join in on the wedding fun. We couldn't imagine planning a big event and we decided to make it a relaxed fun day, ambling over the Brooklyn Bridge on our way to City Hall. Just me and Ben having fun, like we always do.


Lisa found her vintage dress just two weeks before the wedding, at Bopkat Vintage. "Like a museum, the selling floor only displays part of the entire collection. Just ask and dresses will appear. The owner pulled out handfuls of gowns from the back. I scored mine, an authentic 1950s prom dress for $150 and it fit with no need for alterations. The hat was customized to match the dress by Margaret Duncan of Bridal Veil Falls. Margaret (being super talented!) was super detail oriented and would not let me take the hat home until she had had a look at the dress first. She designed the flowers on the hat and added the net to give it more pizazz. She was very accommodating and had the hat ready for me within a day. So couture! And only $90. (I secretly LOVE hats. If I ever win the lottery, I'm going to buy lots and lots of vintage HATS)."




Ben and I are skaters, so our photographers, Charles and Tatjana of Wrinkle in Time Photography, suggested incorporating our longboards into the wedding day. We were all for it!




I picked up some white peonies from the Flower District on West 28th Street for 1/3 the cost had I gone to a conventional florist. Bound them up with ribbon for the bouquet. Then a stop at Key Foods grocery store to pick up an orchid to make Ben's boutonniere.




City Hall had their chapels renovated so you can plug in your iPod or iPhone and walk down the aisle to the tune of your choice. We walked down the aisle to "Let's Get Busy" by Rocket From the Crypt.


My favorite moment was putting that ring on his finger!






We had a gold airbrushed opera cake from Almondine Bakery in Dumbo. Because we were walking across the bridge before the ceremony, we didn't want to bring our own wine, so we bought some at a corner pizza shop. Buying it at the last minute meant that it was still nice and chilled when we served it.






Everywhere we went, we were greeted by enthusiastic tourists and locals alike, giving us their well-wishes and congratulations. New Yorkers often get a bad reputation for being rude, but we only received smiles. We were even cheered on by large groups walking across the Brooklyn Bridge. Our family and friends are happy for us, but how amazing to feel on that day, that the entire city was happy for us too! Receiving that wave of happiness was an awesome way to begin our lives together.

Bride's dress / hat: Bopkat Vintage / Bridal Veil Falls

Bride's heels / skateboarding flats: Annie / Rocket Dog

Groom's suit: Joseph Abboud

Cake: Almondine Bakery

Congratulations Lisa and Ben! Wishing you all the best, and thank you for sharing your sweet wedding with us. And thank you to Tatjana and Charles from Wrinkle in Time Photography for sharing these beautiful photos.

Board #482: Magnolia & Graphite

One of the things I miss about living in Mississippi is the incredible magnolia trees. The magnolia trees that grow in other places I've lived just don't seem to get quite as many blossoms, but I guess that's why Mississippi is called the Magnolia State. They're such dramatic flowers, and they just smell so good! Kari Herer's beautiful magnolia photo and pencil illustration inspired today's simple wedding board, with shades of white and green and gray. I imagine chalkboards, zinc tags, and pencil drawings, accented with magnolia flowers, of course - pulled together, I think they create a look that's both vintage-inspired and totally fresh.

Mood: fresh, timeless
Palette: graphite gray, magnolia white, leafy green

{click image to enlarge}

Top row from left: magnolia with pencil illustration by Kari Herer, vintage silver tray with drinking glasses via Design Shimmer, cake with sugar magnolia blossom by April Reed Cake Design
Row 2: photo of gray suits and ties by Jose Villa
Row 3: framed chalkboard from Blue Bell Bazaar, letterpress thank you card by Missive via Oh So Beautiful Paper, magnolia bouquet by PoHo

Board #481: Nude & Gray

I love neutrals. Just about everything in my home, or that I wear, is either white or beige or gray. Not particularly bold or exciting, but I think done well, neutrals can be anything you want them to be, whether it's cozy, stark, romantic or modern. All of that is just an extended way of introducing today's inspiration board, with its palette of modern neutrals. Shades of peachy nude and cement gray are at once modern and romantic, and I think it's an utterly sophisticated look. If you wanted to introduce a pop of color, I could see bringing in shots of bright orange or hot pink, or perhaps a deep plum purple.

Mood: softly modern
Palette: nude in shades of peach and cream, warm gray

{click image to enlarge}

Top row from left: photo with gray peep toe heels by Alison Conklin via The Bride's Cafe, bird watercolor by DIMDi via I Suwannee, cake with satin ribbon and sugar roses by Maples Wedding Cakes
Row 2: French net veil with crystals by Jennifer Behr, stationery by Martha Stewart for Crane & Co.
Row 3: Brooklyn Bridge via Always a Bridesmaid, pearls with Lizzie Stewart illustration styled by Alice Gabb, pink tulle favors from Martha Stewart Weddings

Board #480: Poppy and Field

After a month-long hiatus, inspiration boards are back! Thanks to all of you for being so patient and for stopping by to check in with Snippet & Ink, even when posting has been a bit inconsistent. I hope this summery orange poppy wedding board brightens your Monday...

Mood: soft and bright, summer light
Palette: summer field green, orange poppy, whipped cream

{click image to enlarge}

Top row from left: poppy fields via Little Brown Pen, orange silkscreen stationery by Igloo Letterpress via Oh So Beautiful Paper, pale green dress via Dress Design Decor
Row 2: miniature cakes from Blah Blah Blahg, sweet tea with monogram napkin and butterfly paper lanterns both from Martha Stewart Weddings, vine-motif save-the-date by Austin Press
Row 3: cake topper by Dolci Odille, photo of wreaths with orange ribbon by Duston Todd, photo of hummingbird seating cards by Lisa Lefkowitz, white garden chairs from Wedding Style Guide
Row 4: photo of kraft paper favor bags with orange ribbon by Jagger Photography, vintage getaway car via Charleston Weddings, photo of romantic wedding dress by Thayer Allyson Gowdy

Sponsored Post: Doie Designs

One of the wedding details that I've been thinking about lately is gift ideas for my bridesmaids. I want to give them something beautiful and useful. Something I'd be happy to receive. How about comfortable and eco-friendly, too. Enter Doie Designs. Their robes meet every one of those criteria, and I know because I own one and I love it (mine is white with silver bonsai trim and it's lovely and comfy and I feel a little glamorous when I wear it).



Made of bamboo jersey, they feel like the softest, comfiest pajamas you've ever worn, and the 100% silk trim adds a luxurious pop of color. And I have to tell you, one of my favorite things about these robes is one of their most practical attributes: in addition to the outer silk tie, they have an interior tie so they won't come off when you're least expecting it. Brilliant. It gets even better: Doie Designs is giving Snippet & Ink readers 20% off your purchase of any of their eco-chic robes. Just enter Brides20 at checkout. I'm telling you, your bridesmaids will love getting one of these robes as a gift, and if they're anything like me they won't want to take them off - just make them promise to change into their bridesmaid dresses for the wedding.

Sunday Edition #86

by Samuel Lippke

Happy Weekend!

I don't know where this week has gone, but it sure flew by. I spent most of the week getting wedding things done - rehearsal dinner venue, save the dates, hair and makeup trial, and I finally bought a dress! Something about buying the dress makes it all feel even more real than setting a date and booking a venue (is that weird? anyone else feel like that?). This weekend I'm hoping to catch up on blogging, so I'll have some fun posts for you next week. And for now, some of my favorite links from this week...


{via Kate Spade}

A riot of paper flowers.

New (cute!) use for pencil erasers.

Retro undies.

If you're in San Francisco, stop by the Decorator's Showcase.

Share your candy.

I love this cottage by the coast - a dream vacation home!

Best paper doll ever, via Design Crush.

Must remember this...

Newest item on my wishlist: Fleabags.

Dig these still life photos by Carl Kleiner.

Just about the cutest thing I've ever seen.

I cannot wait for Rifle's wedding line to launch.

Look on The Bright Side!

Anyone thinking of Vargas-inspired boudoir pics?

Gelato on a stick, via simplesong.

I love Martha Stewart Weddings. Janie interviews editor Darcy Miller.

Brussels in bloom.

Mmmmm... homemade pizza... drool...

Have a happy, happy weekend!

Real Wedding: Anna & Chris

I stumbled across this Aussie wedding on Anna's blog, and it's such a sweet celebration - planned in just three months! 25 of Anna and Chris' closest friends and family joined them in Sydney for an intimate garden ceremony followed by a simple, festive lunch (complete with party hats!). Anna joins us today with some of the details from the DIY wedding.


I designed and illustrated the invites, name cards and order-of-service.




I was 24 weeks pregnant, so I found a dress at a local boutique that fit my belly. It was by a local label called Rodeo Show. I wore handmade white brogues by an Italian label called Nylon, and Chris found his outfit about 4 days before the wedding. His shoes were his old beat up oxfords that he bought second hand in London.








We were married on a Friday in November at Wendy Whiteley's Secret Garden in Lavender Bay. It really is a secret garden - if you didn't know it existed you would easily miss it. We had a small ceremony with 25 of our close family and friends. Chris serenaded me on the guitar and sang 'From St.Kilda to Kings Cross' by Paul Kelly as I walked down the steps with my dad (it's a song about both of our hometowns, Melbourne and Sydney).








We went to the local florist on the morning of the wedding to pick some flowers for my bouquet. I was lucky because peonies happened to be in season and the are my favourite! My mother made it for me.








Afterward the ceremony we hired a private water taxi to take everyone across the harbour and over to Mosman where we had our reception at the local Scout Hall. It was an old blue stone heritage listed building, right on the bay (I think it cost about $200 to hire!) We spent the afternoon eating fresh baguettes and watermelon and playing bocce ball in the park nearby.






My engagement ring and our wedding bands were custom made by Brooklyn based jewelry designer Blanca Monros Gomez.




We decorated the Scout Hall ourselves. I made the bunting and bought fabric for the table cloths. We thrifted all the cutlery and plates, and hired the wine glasses. I bought colourful lanterns on the internet. My husband is a chef, so two days prior to the wedding, we got up at 4am and went to the Sydney markets and fish market to buy all the food. He spent the next two days preparing it and we hired a refrigerated van to transport it. It was very simple, Mediterranean style food, beautiful baked fish, lamb and lots of vegetables and salads. Our friends helped with the barbecue on the day. My mother-in-law made the cake with a mix of everyone's recipes – lemon citrus cake on the bottom layer, pistachio cake in the middle and baked cheesecake (made with my mum's Polish recipe) on the top, all piled high with hand made truffles. Our family and some friends helped us clean the hall, as we needed to be out by 9pm. We made sure everyone got into taxis and then we walked home hand in hand together and talked about the day.

I love weddings that remind us you don't necessarily need to spend a year planning to have a thoughtful and charming day. Thank you Anna and Chris for sharing your wedding with us, and congratulations on your new family!

Photos by Sean Murray.