Joanna's Rustic Carnival Theme Bridal Shower

Recently I attended my friend Joanna's bridal shower. Her sisters Carly and Bryne created an adorable carnival themed shower that was laid-back and kid-friendly. I wanted to share the details, as well as capture the day for Joanna.

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The bridal shower was held at the home of one of her bridesmaids in Rathdrum, Idaho. The song lyric "over the river and through the woods" summed this location up just about perfectly! It was a hidden gem in an otherwise residential neighborhood. I couldn't believe how beautiful it was; I envy Audrey for getting to wake up out there every morning! The surroundings were so rustic and earthy, I loved it!

The bales of hay really did double duty by adding to the carnival vibe and providing extra seating. Some of the kids put on a puppet show for entertainment using the elaborate puppet show stage.

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JoJo's mom and a family friend worked the food both. They served fun carnival themed food -- corndogs, popcorn, bags of peanuts and corn on the cob. They also did prize giveaways of gourmet treats!

The yard was filled with funny wedding related carnival games. The resident puppy especially loved the "Cake in the Face" game, because it meant he got to sneak over and help clean up the cupcakes and frosting that people were throwing!

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My personal favorite detail was the fun face-cut-out prop of a bride and groom. That's Joanna as the bride and me as the groom!


This is Joanna with her newly married twin sister Carly. Of course they were maids of honor for each other.


JoJo's sister Bryne and a friend made these sweet treats as a parting gift. What says carnival more than caramel apples? Yum!

Green, Brown and Acorn Wedding Theme

I know it's been a while since I've posted an inspiration board, but it's because I have had a mental block. I've been really straining my brain trying to work with some colors and details for our wedding, which seems to require an extra effort. It's fun and a little easier for me to detail color palettes for inspiration, but a little more tricky when I decided to incorporate some of the specific elements we plan to use.

Here are some of the goals for our wedding:

We want autumn warmth, without being cliché. That means no pumpkins, and avoiding the more traditional orange, yellow and red palettes.

We love the symbolism of acorns and oak trees, so we want to feature them in our details, but in cute and hopefully not cheesy ways.

A little DIY craftiness is a plus, because it emphasizes heart-felt sentiment when you know that someone put the time and effort into making it themselves.

Here are some of the things we're going for:

cozy

expressive of our personalities (go ahead, you can call us "nuts")

intimate

rustic
woodsy

sentimental

romantic

elegant

comforting

celebratory

So what do you think? What comes to mind when you look at this board?

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The green oak leaf menus, the green napkins with green acorns, and the pinecone and acorn boutonnieres are from Michelle Rago.

The oak branch candle holder centerpieces, the acorn cakelettes and the acorn ornament are from me. The acorn cakelette pan is from Williams-Sonoma.

The acorn boutonniere in the top right corner is from Martha Stewart.

The bowl of green acorns was photographed by Kathryn Kleinman.

The chocolate tablecloth is what we're supposed to receive in the mail any day now. The green fabric is a sample of what we're considering for an overlay.

The lime green twig ball pomander with mini leaves is from Modage Floral on Etsy.

The green paisley fabric is a close-up of a Brioni handmade silk tie from europeansilkcompany on eBay. We love paisley, so I'm thinking about splurging on it for Dylan.

I don't know who made the chocolate cake, but it looks delicious so I thought I'd use it as an example of our desire to serve delicious comfort foods. (To my future mother-in-law Jinx, who can't eat chocolate: don't worry, we will have some kind of cake that you can eat, too!)

The tufted moss ring pillow is actually a really great DIY project from Once Wed. I love the faux bois ribbon around the edge, but you can customize it however you'd like!

Hello, Cupcake!

I'm still in brain-storming mode for a couple of new palettes, but things still haven't slowed down enough for me to put it all together just yet. This week I have multiple doctor appointments. Today I found out I am allergic to one of the weirdest things I've ever heard of: Celery. Who is allergic to celery?! Well, me, apparently. I hope you enjoy my posts in the meantime, but there are more palettes to come!

Today I just had to share a fun find. I think cupcakes are one of the cutest foods ever. They're almost a comfort food, just because of that childhood nostalgia and sweetness. Keeping that in mind, when I saw some of these pictures on Real Simple's website, I went bananas.

Corn on the Cob Cupcakes -- these just blew me away!

Owl Cupcakes -- wouldn't these be cute for Halloween?!

Pool Ball Cupcakes -- instead of a groom's cake, or for a bachelor party treat?

Terrier Cupcakes -- the book also has "Pupcakes" (even chihuahuas!)

Spaghetti & Meatball Cupcakes -- I cannot even imagine how these taste because they look so much like the real thing, but they're made with chocolates and jam!

All of these creative cupcakes are featured in this book:

{click on the picture of the book or the link below to go check it out on Amazon.com}

Hello, Cupcake!: Irresistibly Playful Creations Anyone Can Make by Karen Tack & Alan Richardson. I don't know if that's true and anyone can really make them, but I am willing to take that challenge.

The book also contains some really cute sunflower cupcakes that would be great to include if you're having a sunflower wedding or shower theme. One of my favorites is an assortment of cupcakes that look like an old-fashioned TV dinner! I have no idea what you'd use them for, but they crack me up. Maybe if your guy is a couch potato or has a real fondness for Hungry Man dinners? Who knows, but they're all so creative and cute!

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Oh, and happy 09/09/09 -- I wonder how many people are getting married today because of the date?

Light Blue and Red -- Cute and Crafty Theme!

I just asked Dylan what color I should call this shade of blue and he said, "Chartreuse?" I laughed and had to tell him that was actually a shade of green. Then he tried, "Um... light blue?" so at least he was getting closer.

Initially I wanted to do an aqua and red wedding palette, but as I sorted through photos I decided that the cute crafty stuff that I liked best was closer to a sky blue, pool blue, or yes, even just light blue.

I love the spunky combination of textures and patterns. I decided to use fewer pictures for this board because I didn't want to overwhelm the eye with too many details.

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The stitched flower cake by The Caketress (Lori Hutchinson Designs) inspired this board -- I just thought it was cute as a button!

The program pockets on the white chairs are from Martha Stewart.

The candy cones are from Brides.com (photo by Dasha Wright).

The rest are my crafty Etsy finds:

The button blossoms on the top right and bottom left corners are Retro Red and Aqua Plaid Pair by ButtonTails.

The cute little hair clips that go perfectly with that great cake are called Red White and Blue Trio by NinjaBowTique.

I love the button accents on the cake, so I also thought the Fresh Summer Red and Blue Button Charm Bracelet by MrsGibson was a great addition, too.

The Red Poppies Enclosure Cards with Aqua Envelopes are by Michelle Brusegaard.

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I started imagining more details of how a theme like this could be used for a wedding, and I started thinking about some wedding pictures I'd seen recently of a light-hearted, informal wedding where the groom was wearing a western style shirt untucked. This would be a cool theme for a couple with a rockabilly style, but it makes me imagine a wedding in the middle of a meadow somewhere like Montana or Wyoming. It's just relaxed and cool, with a whole lot of personality and spunk.

Here are some examples of some shirts that could be paired up with today's theme. These are all from Nordstrom:

(I think I'd like this one better if it were long sleeved, but the colors and pattern are good.)

(Is it just me, or does this guy want to be Robert Pattinson's less appealing brother? Still, it is a pretty color of sky blue. Especially if you have a blue eyed groom.)

(The colors aren't as good on this shirt, but this is more the style and fit I was looking for.)

Kitschy Woodland Wedding Theme

I keep seeing all these cute kitschy woodland wedding details lately that I finally had to put it together into an inspiration board. Even if this theme isn't your style (and I know it won't be for everyone), today is a GREAT day of wonderful wedding finds. Make sure to check out some of the artists and shops I'm featuring today, because they're really exceptional.

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I really wanted to showcase Rifle Design today. They are responsible for the custom stationery designs featured in the center of the inspiration board, and the thank you cards above. I just really like their artwork. It has a sweet folk art and almost campy feel to it, but in a really good way. I love flora and fauna, and the idea of using custom artwork for wedding invitations. They were a big part of the inspiration for today's board.

Martha Stewart Weddings magazine this month featured a really whimsical wedding that included the fantastic butterfly bouquet, the dainty butterfly placecards, the brightly colored dessert buffet, and the perfectly coordinated groom. I love how free-spirited and playful all of their details are.

The lush berry patch photos with invitations and coordinated badges or buttons were taken by the very talented Tec Petaja. This is a silly example of his photography skills, but his work is gorgeous. If he gives me the thumbs up, I'll have to highlight some of his work in a future post. Lately I've been researching for local photographers and I'm having a hell of a time. I'm dying to find someone like Tec Petaja, Jose Villa, or Stephanie Williams in Washington state. If you know a fantastic fine art style wedding photographer, send me an email!

The perfect little toadstool boutonniere is a Fritts Rosenow Bespoke Boutonniere. They have some of the BEST non-floral boutonnieres I've ever seen. They really customize them for each guy's personality, and they are incredibly detailed.

The ornate and delicate butterfly cupcake wrap is by Paper Orchid Stationery.

The daniblack Wanda Slide Sandal with the red and white polka dots just reminded me of the cute toadstool details.

I love to bake (even though I haven't had much time to do it lately) and I went bonkers when I visited the newly opened Layer Cake Shop. Dylan and I are both huge animal lovers, we want to include acorns in our theme, and I am the squirrel queen. It's a long story. But regardless, all of those things combined made my heart go pitter-patter when I saw all of the adorable cookie cutters and fun cake decorations on their site. I'm waiting for them to get back to me about some acorn possibilities, because I'm all over that. They even have a July special for free shipping with a $50 purchase. Another really cool thing they carry are really inexpensive and cute labels like the ones below. Wouldn't those be great to label some home baked goodness, especially if you're giving away edible wedding favors?

Refreshing Summer Reception Idea!

The first aqua and orange style board I posted two days ago incorporated pictures from a circus themed wedding. It had me thinking about the circus, carnivals, and going to the fair on a hot summer day. It gave me a fun idea that I wanted to share with you, especially if you're planning a summer wedding: SNOWCONES!

I did a little search and found Fresher Than Fresh Snowcones.

How adorable would it be to have someone like Lindsay and her little snowcone trailer at your outdoor reception?

It sounds like they have some really tasty and unique flavor combinations, like watermelon basil, green tea pear, lemon prickly pear and espresso with Mexican cane sugar.

If you don't live in Kansas City, you'll have to do a local search for a snowcone vendor in your area. While you might not be lucky enough to find someone with freshly made syrups, it looks like there are some fun snowcone syrup flavors readily available online. I saw a list of syrups that included flavors like Lychee, Daiquiri, Mango Margarita, and Passion Fruit. I've even seen Wedding Cake and Red Velvet Cake flavors! It'd be a great way to incorporate your palette into your reception by choosing syrups that compliment your color scheme. On the other hand, I've also seen flavors with disturbingly mysterious names like Ninja Turtle, Tiger Blood, Spongebob Squarepants, Rock N Roll, Popeye and Silver Fox. I'd steer clear of those, even if they do match your colors. :-P

P.S. It could also be a delicious and refreshing grown-up treat to make snowcones with something like Kahlua or a fruity liqueur.

Aqua, Orange and Yellow Wedding

I have decided to make a part two for the aqua and orange wedding theme, because I found so many cool possibilities.

Yesterday was aqua and orange, with dark brown accents. Today is aqua, orange, and yellow. I kept the orange yesterday a soft, almost coral color. Today the orange is brighter, ranging from papaya to persimmon. Speaking of tropical fruit, I think this would be a good island wedding palette.

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All of the larger photos and the flowers on this board are from a lovely wedding featured on amorology. I love that their tables are marked with cute names like Honey Buns and Lemon Drop, and that they decorated them in such a cute and simple way with feverfew flowers.

The gorgeous candy and dessert buffets were made by Sweet & Saucy Shop and Jesi Haack Weddings. Check out Sweet & Saucy's blog here and Jesi Haack Wedding's blog here. I wish they were all in my neighborhood, because their desserts and events look lovely!

The Spiegel Signature Graceful Jersey Empire-Waist Dress in Persimmon is available on Amazon for under $50. The aqua bridesmaid dress is by Watters.

The orange shoes are Diego di Lucca Ladonna Flats. The Velvet Angels Rainbow Room D'Orsay Pumps in Pool Blue might be perfect for your "something blue" if you're splurging.

My Etsy finds on this board are the aqua and tangerine glass lampwork bead bracelet by Steinbem and the Scrabble tile pendants called Mod Pop Flowers and Aqua Orange Paisley by Blue Finger Studios. I think these would all make cute little gifts for your bridesmaids. Blue Finger Studios is even offering a special right now that when you buy 3 pendants, you get the fourth one free. They have a ton to choose from, and from what I can see, they're all less than $10 - go nuts!

I think these earrings are pretty if you're looking for aqua with darker orange. They're called Exuberant by Designs by Autumn, made with apatite and carnelian briolettes.

I think this JPress bowtie is fun for this palette, too.

Aqua and Orange Wedding

I keep seeing the color combination of aqua and orange lately, and even though I'm not always big on orange, I love this palette. I have found so many great pictures, I think I may even make this a two part theme! I also included some dark brown accents on this board, but you could really play with this palette to customize it for spring, summer, or autumn.

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Some of my inspiration came from a really fun, whimsical circus themed wedding that was captured the photos of Josh Goleman. The details are great, including a kissing booth and the bride wearing a super short and flirty dress that you can almost picture up on the highwire. I'm also loving this trend of 'photo booth' style shots of wedding guests in funny poses or with interesting props. When we find a photographer, I'm going to have to see if we can make arrangements for something like that!

Another website that has some fantastic inspiration is amorology. I just discovered it recently, and it's definitely one of my new favorites. She recently posted a wedding with yellow, orange and aqua that I'm going to try to incorporate more in part two of this theme.

The cutesy eyelet lace look L-O-V-E sign, and the guest books in the lower right corner are from Darling Dexter, as are these color coordinated napkins:

Whitney (the voice of Darling Dexter) and her husband Dustin had a beautiful wedding with this color palette and tons of lovely DIY details.

The rest is from Etsy! I always like to include some handmade crafts into my themes, and I found a ton of great stuff using these colors!

• The orange rosette and aqua beaded necklace (called Scent of Lisabetta) is by Sora Designs.
  
• The tangerine chrysanthemum ring is by Gingeroni1.
  
• The orange / aqua stripe tie is by MeandMatilda.
  
• The funky bib style crocheted necklace is called Summer Statement by DaintyCrochetByAly. (Maybe I'm partial because we share a name?)
  
• The invitations are called Mum Madness by Decadent Designs.
  
• The turquoise button with coral flower earrings are by Sincerely Beaded.
  
• The coral branches picture is by ara133photography.
  
• The Clara earrings by JLeeOhioDesigns feature tiny briolette faceted citrine and moonstone with large blue topaz. While they are more expensive than what I usually try to feature here, her jewelry is really beautiful and I have to give Jennifer props for being a proud ASPCA supporter. Me too, Jennifer!
  
• A more budget friendly option could be the aqua chalcedony and orange carnelian drop earrings by The Gem Shoppe.
  
• I also think this Festival Felt Button Bracelet by Poor Robin is really cute with this theme:
  
  

I forgot to add this earlier, but I love love love these shoes with today's theme. They're John Fluevog Men's Rusnak in Vegas Dark Brown. I'm always happy when I can include some cool shoes or accessories for the guys!

Rustic Wedding with Birds and Acorns

I've been brainstorming over the last couple of days about our own wedding. Part of me imagines something very classy and elegant. While we are most definitely on a budget, I do have a keen eye for detail and I am a budget-shopper like you wouldn't believe. The other part of me loves quaint, charming and quirky. I'd like to be able to incorporate both elements, but it's a little harder than I would've imagined to find a good balance of both.

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Here are some of the key elements that I wanted to include in this inspiration board:

We live in "The Evergreen State" (Washington), so it's easy to imagine a woodsy element for our wedding. I'm a little too girly to go for full-blown rustic, but I like the idea of rustic with a touch of crafty cuteness. (Etsy, here I come!) I included pictures from Suzi Q (upper left corner) and Josh Goleman (lower right corner) to highlight a feeling of rustic elegance and whimsical romance.

Speaking of rustic elegance and crafty cuteness, I love these Penny Loves Kenny shoes! And they're less than $40!

As is probably apparent by now, I'm mildly obsessed with lovebird themes. I found the cute lovebird cake toppers at RedLightStudio on Etsy. The love bird ring nest is from Y&E Bridal on Etsy.

I designed the wedding invitation in the middle. It's harder to tell in this format, but it has a wood-grain background. I changed our names for privacy.

The acorn boutonniere, dessert tableau and the white chocolate speckled quail eggs are by Martha Stewart. I'm not sure how they did it, but they have a moss table covering on the tables that I think gives a great enchanted forest feeling.

If you saw my first inspiration board, you saw that we'd like to incorporate acorns into our wedding. When I saw this acorn cakelette pan at Williams-Sonoma, I thought they would make adorable wedding favors. I've baked them a few times now using different recipes ranging from a delicate maple flavor to a sweetly spicy pumpkin flavor. To add a little extra oomph, I brush the acorn caps with maple syrup and then dip them into raw turbinado sugar. (Although I didn't take this picture, or ever put my acorn cakelettes on the floor for a photo op.)

The oak branch and acorn candle holders retail for about $100 each, but I did some negotiating and I bought several of them for about a fourth of that! They're really high quality and heavy weight, and we're hoping to use them as part of our centerpieces if we can find a venue that allows us to use them. Otherwise, spoiler alert for friends and family -- you may be getting one of these for Christmas, or as a thank you for helping us with the wedding. Act surprised!

The earthy brown and green candy buffet is by Rebecca Thuss, one of the queens of event planning.

Rosy Copper, Mossy Green, Warm Brown

Some of the inspiration boards I've put together have been for us, while others have been for friends or just to have fun with different color combinations or themes. This is our current favorite for early autumn wedding. The colors are rosy copper, mossy green and warm brown.

I wanted to make an autumn inspiration board, but avoid the more stereotypical autumn decor (pumpkins, oranges, yellows, reds). It was important to keep a warm, cozy, autumn feeling. We love the idea of incorporating some flora and fauna with vintage romance. We especially love the lovebirds theme, and acorns because they're a symbol of good luck and potential for the future.

The emphasis for these boards:

• elegant
• vintage
• romantic
• whimsical
• woodsy

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My favorite parts of the upper inspiration board are the rich textures, the acorn boutonniere and the bouquet with succulents, scabiosa, roses and little tufts of feathers. And my ring, of course!

I found the adorable ring bearer's "nest" and flower girl's basket on Etsy.

We aren't religious, but we love the symbolism behind the Jewish chuppah, and the intimate space it creates for the bride and groom during the ceremony.

We'd like to have an outdoor ceremony, but I think my head would explode if we had to gamble on the weather. We're hoping to bring some of the outdoors in with elements like the oak branch and acorn candleholders (on the top row) and the woodsy decor.

So that's my latest take on an autumn wedding, I hope you enjoy it!