{idea} Boutonnieres

P and I have pretty much decided to go with the feather centerpieces that I blogged about previously. Given that, I've been trying to decide how I can continue that modern vintage feel throughout the wedding. I think I will include some feathers in my bouquet, and then I also thought how fun it would be to use feathers instead of flowers for Boutonnieres. I went onto Etsy (where else?) and after 1 quick search, found this lovely bout by Rationale. P isn't quite sure what to think, but I definitely feel inspired!

Photographer

It's finally official! We have chosen our photographer and sent the deposit, and we couldn't be more excited!! We will be using Twilight Images based out of Richmond, VA. Twilight images is run by Melody Smith, who specializes in a blend of styles, ranging from modern vintage to classic photojournalism. A few sneak peeks at her incredible work are below!!

Inspiration Board

I love these inspiration boards! I think a mix of these 3 boards, of course infused with our own unique style is exactly what we're going for!

Each of these inspiration boards seen first here!

{idea} Centerpieces

So after going to Virginia and seeing the room again, I realized the centerpieces I was planning are not really what I want for the feel of my wedding. So as I was just browsing the internet for new ideas, I came across this lovely idea for centerpieces. Ostrich feathers! So posh... so elegant. Lovely, yes? Definitely considering.

Wedding Planning

P and I just got back from Virginia where we were able to meet with the reception venue folks and make some plans! It was the first time P saw the room in person and I was so excited to show it to him! Both our parents also met us to check out the ballroom and everyone loved it. Yay! I made a good choice. It was great to see the ballroom in person again -- very helpful to envision the centerpieces I wanted. There was actually a wedding happening that evening, so the ballroom was all set up for the wedding... which just happened to also be a black & white wedding like my own! The placecards were the same that I plan to use, ha! At least it looked fab!

We also checked out the church that we plan to use for the ceremony, and I went in and talked to some other hair stylist & make up artist to get an idea of Day-of planning. I felt good that we got a lot done.

Then it was time to celebrate someone else's love! P's brother is actually getting married in August and there was a couple's shower for him & his fiance. It was sooo much fun & so great to see P's extended family. They are such a hoot and I always have a great time.

Now it's back to real life...

{idea} something blue

So I've been racking my brain trying to figure out how I incorporate something blue into my wedding attire. Blue jewelry just wont work. It's all about the pearls. Blue shoes? Maybe... but what else? Then I remembered something I had seen on one of my favorite blogs - the BudgetSavvyBride. This bride purchased little blue fancy (glittery maybe?) sticker letters from a craft store and affixed them to the bottom of her shoes! On the left shoe, she wrote the couples names, and on the right shoe, she wrote the couples wedding date and the words "I Do." How cute!! and creative. and fitting for my budget! :)

{steal} earrings

Earrings I loved with my dress at the bridal shop - $144. Ummm, no thanks.

Handmade earrings that look exactly like the ones at the bridal shop - $15. Yes, please!

Savings - $129... priceless.

I can't tell you how much I love Etsy. And the SaharaAmaya shop. Check out her blog and other jewelry here. It was so easy to work with the SaharaAmaya shop and anytime I had a question, I received a response immediately. She was able to whip these beauties up for me in a matter of days... what more needs to be said?! I highly recommend you check out the jewelry there!

I just received my earrings in the mail yesterday and they are fab!

{idea} cuff links

Again... my obsession with Etsy. While browsing the wedding section, I had the idea to give personalized cufflinks to each of the groomsmen. So I searched for cufflinks, and came upon the Bellamodaartist shop. One word - fantastic! There are almost 300 unique & fun cufflinks available to choose from, and if you can't fidn what you want, you can just convo the shop and ask them to customize. How neat! And affordable. Most are less than $20. Now we just need to decide what to get for each guy --- sounds like a wedding task for the fiance to get started on! ;)

Check these out.. I'm Kind of a Big Deal Cufflinks

And these would be perfect for one of my brothers, as every screenname he has ever had since he was 16 has ended in "007"