My dress needs a bustlift...

So, after much thought, I've decided I need to embellish my dress a bit. Here's some inspiration:

 I feel like this could add extra coverage I need...

 Since my skirt is tulle, this could work as an ornate sash... Although, it's very 80's. I don't know if it would flow with our rustic theme...

 

 A large sash could do it...

This seems like it would be easy to do...

I'm not quite sure what I want. I feel like I need additional coverage but also want a sash...

Photographers!

So, I've been looking at photographers, and I've compiled a list of favorites. The problem is, they're all above our budget. Knowing nothing about photography costs, we set a budget for $1300. After looking at several photographers, I'm realizing that we grossly underestimated the cost.

So, I guess I'm looking for some input. I've included 3 photos for each. Let me know whatcha think!

1. Paco & Betty ($4500 + tax = 6 hrs, an engagement session, disk w/ photos)

(They're pictures are really artistic, fun and beautiful... And they offer a photo booth for $1500)

2. Studio Castellero ($4000, full-day, engagement session, DVD)

(Their pictures are really artistic and beautiful, featuring a lot of post-production flare...) 

3. Kate Harrision ($4250 = 6 hrs, engagement session, disk w/ photos) 

4. Carlie Statsky ($3500 = 6 hrs, touch ups and proof magazine, $4500 = album, photos on DVD, engagement session)


5. Melanie Duerkopp ($3000 = 6 hrs, DVD with negatives, touch ups, $325 for engagement)

6. Emily Scott ($2900 to start = engagement session, disk w/ photos, more to come)

Adele - Lovesong (cover of the Cure - live)

Shoes!

I'm kind of in love with these Seychelles: (Click here for others on my list!)

(Find them here. Seychelles "Peacock." $35)

(Find them here. Seychelles "Gypsy." $44)

Invitation Inspiration!

So, we've decided on a venue (WHEW!). We're going ahead with the Log Cabin - cheap, rustic, spacious with lots of photo opportunities!

Now that that's over,  I can now focus my energies on fun, crafty things! Like our invites!
I realize I'm jumping the gun - I should be working on my save-the-dates, but I've stumbled upon a bit of inspiration!

A while back I bought a Texture Boutique, which embosses images onto paper. One of my embossing folders (aka designs) creates the image of a tree trunk on paper. Since we're celebrating in a LOG cabin, I figured this folder could be mighty helpful. THEN, I looked for a die-cut design of a heart, along with our first initials to put in the middle of the "tree." It should resemble this (except, with our initials in the center):

BUT I NEED YOUR HELP!

I'm not sure which font to use!!!!!

So, if you feel inclined I'd love to hear your favorite!

Shoes!

I'm on the shoe hunt and I need YOUR help! These are some of my newly discovered faves. Some I'd probably embellish, pulling off a DIY project like this. What do you think?

(Find them here. Kate Spade. $298)

(Find them here. Calvin Klein, "Cara." $97.30)

(find them here. Badgley Mischka, "Humbee II." $200)

(Find it here. Badgley Mischka, "Elia." $200)

(Find it here. Badgley Mischka "Oliver." $180.50)

(Find it here. Boutique 9, "Alfa." $79.99)

(Find it here. J Crew, "Love Me Knot." $285)

(Find it here. Badgley Mischka, "Maybel." $245)

(Find it here. Aldo, "Nauss." $90.)

(Find it here. Badgley Mischka, "Formslag." $129.67)

Log Cabin: Presidio

We visited the Log Cabin in the Presidio today! We really liked it - and the fact that San Francisco was CRYSTAL clear today was... it was gorgeous!

Inspirational Thematic Pics - greenweddingshoes

I LOVE this wedding! So many amazing little details..

Budget Inspiration

My dear friend Kim forwarded this, and it's a breath of fresh air!

Weddings for less than $10K:
http://www.wellheeledblog.com/2011/01/15/10000-wedding/ 

Bridesmaids Dresses and Venue

I love how the bridesmaids are wearing COMPLETELY different dresses at this wedding!

The venue, The Dent House (Ojai, CA) looks amazing - perfect for an intimate, mini-destination wedding!

Beautiful Gowns

I just learned about this designer on greenweddingshoes. BEAUTIFUL!
http://www.sajawedding.com/collection_2011.html

You can also buy directly from oncewed.com.

Inspiration!

Pics from 100 Layer Cake and The Inspired Bride (both featured on my Knotty List!)

Invites: Heat Embossing

A while back I posted a DIY piece involving heat embossing. Well, I tried it today... and it works! The DIY piece mentioned using a heating tool to melt the adhesive powder, but I found my stovetop (electric, not gas) to be much faster and a LOT cheaper (the heating tool I came across in the store was $35).

Here is the embossed stamp on textured card stock paper:

Here's the stamp on construction paper:

To use this for my invites, we'll probably use brown slow-drying ink and flat card stock (that, perhaps, won't absorb the ink as quick as textured card stock?)

I LOVE IT!

Planning - A Kink in the Knot

So, I've been engaged for almost a month now, and planning the wedding is absorbing all of my excess energy. The wedding isn't for another 18 months, but I'm feeling anxious to check things off my to-do list. Already, I've had my dress ordered and we're closing in on a venue. At this point, if I proceed with this much momentum, the wedding will be completely planned by this summer (unfortunately, the knotty fund will not have matured by then).

Speaking of a wedding budget, we sat down last night and hashed out an exact amount. To give ourselves some perspective, we used two resources:

1. The Knot has a budgeting tool. It asks for a total amount and number of guests, then distributes the money accordingly. The one thing I don't like about this tool is that it doesn't explain the distributions and some of them seem really unrealistic:

I really don't know if my 6'4" fiance can even rent a tux for $66.

2. We looked at what people are paying on CostHelper.com. This lists average prices for products and services gathered from various associations (like The Bridal Association of America or The National Association of Catering Executives). 

We jotted down the distributions from The Knot and compared them to the averages from Cost Helper, determining our own averages (while being mindful of where our comfort levels were). We then added up the totals for each area (reception, ceremony, music, attire, transportation, accommodation, gifts, etc.) and came up with a budget. 

Having seen a few venues already (and really enjoying one in particular), we found ourselves manipulating totals to accommodate our choice, which may cause more harm than good. The whole point of having a budget is to determine whether you can afford a product or service. I want to be able to tell a vendor how much their service or product exceeds the budget (if it does), in hopes that it might initiate some negotiation. On the other hand, if you determine that you want a venue despite its cost, you can then alter the other areas of your budget accordingly. 

I'm hoping that once our venue is locked in, I can relax a little.

The next things on my list include:
1. Picking a location for "Ladies' R&R" (in lieu of a Bachelorette party) - I'm thinking a spacious house, some wine tasting and spa treatment (maybe in-house massages, manis and pedis - I think I've seen that advertised)
2. Choosing a Save-the-Date and Invite template
3. Finding AMAZING "Carrie Bradshaw" shoes (Maybe that should be #1 on my list - what's more relaxing than shopping?)

Bridesmaids Dresses

So, I really want my BMs to wear something 1. they like, 2. they'll wear again. I really don't care if they wear the same dress (I'd kind of prefer that they didn't). In fact, as long as it works, the dresses can be different colors or prints:

From Left: MyLolaFashion, Anthropologie, Urban Outfitters

Sand Rock Farm, Part II

Here are more pics of Sand Rock Farm, our front-runner in the venue race!

This is where we would have the buffet tables (notice the window panes!)

This is the Cellar, where the reception would take place...

This is the front/side of the B&B...

This is the Redwood Grove, a potential ceremony location (looks a little gloomy here, but the contrast wasn't actually this intense).