THE "do"

and of course by "do" i mean "hair-do"! another dilemma that all brides go through is whether to do their hair up or down - or maybe even half-up/half-down. some want the romantic look of having their hair down but also want the worry-free benefit of putting their hair up. and then if they can't decide or want a little of both they do the half-up/half-down option. i was definitely one of those brides...i wanted my hair down but since the wedding was on the beach i didn't want to keep messing with it. i ended up going with an up "do" which i am so happy i chose after everything was said and done. in my experience seeing many types of bridal hair - the ones that wear their hair down...about 95% of those brides have fallen hair by the time they get to the first dance. not saying that will happen to you - but i know it was amazing to know that my hair was in place and not frizzy or flat and perfectly in the right place for pictures. and to be honest by the end of the night i was so hot that my hair would've ended going up into a ponytail. whichever you decide is up to you, but as you decide i have included some hair inspiration below.

say it with me..."i can do DIY!"

DIY aka" Do It Yourself" is a popular term for weddings, but for most brides it is something that seems like the impossible or daunting at the very least...especially if you don't think of yourself as very crafty. but i challenge you - pick ONE item for your wedding and do. it. yourself. from personal experience, i didn't think i had it in me either, but after i finished my first project i found it to be so fun and rewarding that i ended up doing 10+ DIY projects. 

if it is a mountain that you don't want to climb by yourself - then request the help from your bridesmaids, they will be more than happy to help (especially if there is food and drinks involved). to get you started on getting the creative juices flowing, below are some examples of fun projects.

ps. a great place for unique paper designs or general card stock check out www.paper-source.com and trust me...you can print almost anything off of your home printer and it will turn out great!

happy hump day!

(click on image for templates or how-tos)

vintage door know place cards

"keep warm" favors

diy mustaches and lips

save the date template

save the date template

diy wine bottle menus

diy flag banner

diy papel picado banner

diy wedding altar

diy ribbon + fabric chandelier

diy colored mason jars for flowers + table settings

diy silhouette drink escort cards

diy cake decor

diy wedding pinwheels

oh! nom. nom. nom.

every bride allocates different parts of her budget for numerous things. depending on what is most important, you will budget more for the things that matter most. for some it is photography and for others it is THE DRESS. sometimes the cake is the last thing a bride things about and then sometimes it is in the top five. no matter what kind of bride you are, surely the photos below will inspire you when deciding the cake you want. 

coming soon: for those of you that just aren't into the whole "cake" bit i will be posting about some alternative options

boudoir bride

plain white tier cake made beautiful with fresh flowers

destination bride option

"wood" cake great for ranch or barn weddings

lace cake for the elegant bride

"grow old together" cake

"bling-bling" bride

simple, yet unique

hand drawn

save the date!

since most of the posts i have created have been about on the wedding itself, i thought i would mix it up and focus on the newly engaged couples! 

one word of advice i would give on the save the dates (even if you are a "by the book bride") is to HAVE FUN with these! the more fun they are, the more excited your guests will be about your wedding! in the spirit of FUN check out these uber cute and creative save the date ideas :) 

for the music loving couple

awesome record player save the date! (click pic to see it in action)

for the foodies :)

message in a bottle (great for destination weddings)

boarding pass

matches

message within a picture

puzzle save the date

UBER awesome save the date "movie trailer"