Friday, July 29, 2011

Ceremony readings - Part 2

There's one wedding reading I fell in love with.
It couldn't be more real or more meaningful.
Even now when I read it, my breath catches in my chest a little at the end. And I feel a bit choked up.  It is special.

Union, by Robert Fulghum
*we worked it into the ceremony, so this is a slightly edited version, as it sounded on our day
Jessica and Adam,
You have known each other for seven years, from the first glance of acquaintance to this point of commitment. 
At some point, you decided to marry.

From that moment of ‘yes’ until this moment of ‘Yes’, indeed, you have been making promises and agreements in an informal way.

All of the conversations that were held in a car or over a meal or on long walks—all those sentences that began with “When we’re married” and continued with “I will and you will and we will”—those late-night talks that included “someday” and “somehow” and “maybe”—and all those promises that are unspoken matters of the heart.
All these common things, and more, are the real process of wedding.

The symbolic vows you are about to make are a way of saying to one another, “You know all those things we’ve promised and hoped and dreamed—well, I meant it all, every word.”

Now,  face one another to make your vows. Look at one another—remember this moment in time.

Before this moment, you have been many things to one another—acquaintance, friend, companion, lover, dancing partner, and even teacher, for you have learned much from one another in these last seven years.
Now you shall say a few words that take you across a threshold of life, and things will never be quite the same between you. 
For after these vows you shall say to the world:   This—is my husband. This—is my wife.

Gasp... it still gets me!
Here is the moment:



Ceremony readings

Sometimes I can't decide what I want this blog to be.
Sometimes it is a reflection and keepsake of my own wedding.
Sometimes I see new ideas that fit my theme perfectly, that i wish i'd seen earlier and that i want to share.
Sometimes I want to write about different events entirely... that aren't even rustic.  But this isn't the place. I'll save those ideas for another blog.
This is about the rustic garden party. Our rustic garden party. And the frame of mind, inspiration and fun things that made us plan it.
So.. let me share more of 'us' with you. The bits we chose, not just because they were pretty, but because they were meaningful, special and 'us'.

Here is a reading from our wedding. It was read by Adam's niece and nephew. (who are actually now my niece and nephew too, i suppose!).


It is an excerpt from a children's book from the 1960's: I LIKE YOU, by Sandol Stoddard Warburg.

I like you and I know why.
I like you because you are a good person to like.
I like you because when I tell you something special, you know it's special
And you remember it a long, long time.
You say, Remember when you told me something special?
And both of us remember

When I think something is important
you think it's important too
We have good ideas
When I say something funny, you laugh
I think I'm funny and you think I'm funny too

You know how to be silly
That's why I like you
Boy are you silly
I never met anybody sillier than me till I met you
I like you because you know when it's time to stop being silly
Maybe day after tomorrow
Maybe never

I like you because I don't know why but
Everything that happens is nicer with you
I can't remember when I didn't like you
It must have been lonesome then

If you go away, then I go away too
or if I stay home, you send me a postcard
You don't just say “Well see you around sometime, bye”
And I like you because if we go away together
And if I get lost
Then you are the one that is yelling for me

I will go on choosing you
And you will go on choosing me
Over and over again
That's how it will happen every time
I don't know why I really like you
I guess I just like you
I guess I just like you because I like you

Jake and Molly (afore-mentioned niece and nephew) did a fantastic job. Truly fantastic. It was one of the most emotional parts of the ceremony. They are cool kids.

Thursday, July 28, 2011

Hanging Bottles

I love lovetty love these gorgeous hanging bottles!
I wish I had thought of this before my wedding.
They would have looked fantastic hanging above our bridal table.. or along the big wooden walls. 

100 Layer Cake
I love the flowers too. What is that pink one? Is it a Dahlia maybe? I'm not sure.. It's pretty though. I would like a bunch in my house right now. 


Monday, July 25, 2011

Alternative Ceremony Seating

Ceremonies don't last that long in the scheme of the whole wedding. But they are the important bit. And they often set the tone for the rest of the day/night. I think it's a part that often gets neglected in the styling sense, but has lots of potential to be fun, different and special.
Here's a few ideas for ways to seat your guests for your ceremony....

Summer wedding, beautiful setting, casual vibe? Why not spread your guests out on picnic rugs on the grass?
Provide a basket or bucket with Champagne, Glasses and Nibbles. Delightful!
Oh Happy Day


For the rustic, country feel I love so dearly.. how about hay bales.
They can be plain and farmyard looking.. or dressed up to look cozy and comfy:

Simply Bloom Photography
Or they can even be turned into little lounges!
Elizabeth Anne Designs

When it comes to plain old chairs to sit on (imagine that!), I ADORE these East Hampton Chairs with floral cushions, from Lovebird Weddings:  (and by the way, if you happen to live in QLD you should totally be checking out this company. Their work is all things beautiful!)
From Lovebird Weddings

How about some old church pews. This is cool:
From Style Me Pretty
Or these cool old metal things:

All so very different, fun, special!

Sunday, July 17, 2011

Happy Birthday to me!!

Today is my birthday! I am 29!
Later, I'm heading out for lunch with some friends, and plan to drink a lot! Yay!

My first birthday as a wife has started out rather slowly, with my dear husband outside doing some paving in our yard (and not making much of a fuss of me!) So I thought I would send myself some flowers!






These are straight from my C Drive (so sorry, no credits), and are from when I wanted bright oranges, pinks and yellows in my bouquet (which is not what i ended up with). 
These colours are so pretty and happy!

....Now I'm going to ask Adam where my ACTUAL birthday bouquet is!?

Have a lovely day!

Thursday, July 14, 2011

Alternatives to a Wishing Well

We didn't want a typical wishing well for our wedding, but we still needed something that people could put their cards and gifts into.

I tossed up quite a few different ideas of what we could use (things like birdcages -which are also a bit typical, old suitcases, a letterbox, a rustic old crate, a box covered in pretty paper, etc etc) ...in a later post I'll share some of those pics. 


About a week before the wedding I hadn't arranged anything.. and suddenly had no time to trawl through op shops looking for the perfect item. So I ended up using the picnic hamper you see above. It was my mums.. and was actually green on the inside. It also had leather straps which held in plastic cups, plates, cutlery, etc. It was a bit daggy really.

So I set to work with a little more DIY and re-lined it using the same orange gingham that featured on our Jam Jars... and is very similar to our groomsmen's ties.


Step 1 - Cut leather straps off and discard all contents. 
Step 2 - Cut fabric to size
Step 3 - Use hot glue gun to make fabric stick

_______________________________________________________________________

I'm pretty sure that when you plonk 'something that looks like it could store things' at the entrance to a wedding reception... people pretty easily work out what it is there for (i.e. putting cards and gifts into). But it was one week before my wedding and I didn't want any room for error.. so I created some little tags to explain. These tags are the same ones that were tied to our invitations. 

Step 1 - Buy Tags
Step 2 - Decide they are too white and need look more rustic
Step 3 - Make a cup of coffee and dip tags into it. 
Step 4 - Once dry, write on tags


Of course i also went into a panic about whether it was ok to put 'cards' or 'gifts' on the hamper.

ME: - "Does it seem greedy? Does it seem like we are expecting people to bring gifts?"
Reality:- "But people will bring gifts"
ME:- I know, but we don't want them to think we expected them!
Reality:- "But we have a registry"
ME:- Yeah but what if someone doesn't bring anything?
Reality:- Well don't put anything on it then. People will work it out.
ME:- "But then people wont know where to put stuff. OK, we shouldnt put 'gifts'.. that's greedy. Let's just put 'cards'.

Pathetic really. Nobody tells you how much you'll worry about irrelevant details in the lead up to your wedding. Our guests probably barely registered this hamper.. nor the tags!

Saturday, July 9, 2011

Wedding Kisses: the good and the bad

It's been a week of celebrity weddings, and I cant help but comment on the contrast in kisses.

First we had Prince Albert and his hostage bride Charlene. This whole story has had me troubled all week.
As if the stories of her trying to escape days before the wedding before being stopped by police and having her passport confiscated weren't troubling enough.
But her tears throughout the ceremony, her sad eyes and defeated looking posture only cemented the perception that something just isn't right in this relationship.
And  THEN... the kiss. Discomfort central. This is how NOT to kiss on your wedding day. They look like they cant bear each other!
The poor girl.. I'd be cringing if I had to kiss him too!

pic from The Daily Mail


Then we had Kate Moss and Jamie Hince.
Another attractive, blonde, 30-something woman tying the knot on the same day. But the similarities stop there.
Posing happily with their (ahem) 15 bridesmaids, this couple looked the picture of love.
And they had a kiss full of love to match.
Look at the passion in this one. She's pulling him in, and he's holding her so close with that arm around her waist. I think there may even be tongue... although i feel slightly sleazy analysing this too carefully! Especially since they seem to be in a world of their own, seemingly unaware that anyone is watching!

Pic also from The Daily Mail

And just to finish things off (coz really, where else will i ever display this picture?!)... here's my wedding kiss. I think it falls somewhere in between Kate Moss (raunchy) and Prince Albert (revolting):


I have to pose the question.. how much passion is too much passion in a wedding kiss? You want more than a quick peck surely.. but can there be tongue? And how long is too long? Would love to hear your thoughts!

Thursday, July 7, 2011

Hand-made Table Numbers

I had a few ideas about table numbers.

I thought about using little blackboards.

And I thought about using wood, like the bits i used on tables.



Instead, I bought some little wooden  numbers, some little wooden bases, some super glue and some orange paint.  It all cost me about $15.

The result....Ta-da!



(^ Our tables had to be numbered by row, not table. Hence the 2 numbers on one table!)

What other table number options are out there I wonder...Please share any interesting ideas you've seen!

Jam Jar Favours / Bonboniere

These sweet little jam jars doubled as favours (or bonbonierre, whatever you call them) and place cards at our wedding.



Our 100 year old venue used to be a Jam Factory, back in the day.. so we thought this was fitting. 
Plus it fit with the overall rustic theme.

I had every intention of making the jam myself, but I soon realised that was slightly beyond me. Have you ever read about how to make jam?? Despite my expectations, it is NOT as simple as cooking fruit and sugar and bottling the mixture. First you have to find mini jars as cute as the ones above. Then there's all this technical stuff.. like you have to heat the jam jars so they are hot when you fill them wit hot liquid. Which means you have to handle them with tongs, not hands (fiddly!). And then you cant just put a lid on... you have to boil them (with lids on) in order to sterilise and seal them (messy.. and still fiddly!). 

Have I put you off making your own jam yet??

Well.. what if I tell you that you can buy ready made jam in mini jars for only $1 each? Yep, that changed my mind too! I picked up 150 jars for about $150.

Then I set to work with a little DIY. 
I removed the existing labels so that they looked a little more home-made and rustic. 
I cut little squares of orange gingham (which matched our groomsmen's ties perfectly). 
And I tied them up with string (which tied in with our invitations).
Then we attached tags with guests names. 

They looked great and the guests loved them.
I'm pretty sure our niece opened hers and ate it on her bread roll at the reception!