Friday, May 28, 2010

Friday Faves

I hope everyone has a great Memorial Day weekend - I wanted to share some of my favorite finds from the land of wedding blogs this week before I take off on a little camping trip to wine country with my husband for the long weekend! All of today's faves have a patriotic or summer theme in honor of the holiday. Meet you back here on Tuesday! - xoxo Annie

A vintage 40's inspired wedding in a WWII airplane hanger by Rebecca Hansen via The Wedding Chicks. Loving the tea length and 3/4 sleeve dress + some fab navy Louboutins.

A vintage beach engagement session by Sara Evans Photography on Ruffled.

A delicious strawberry, basil and lemonade "flavor board" on Enjoy Cupcakes.

Honeymoon outfit inspiration boards on Love and Lavender. Loving this sailing outfit!

Thursday, May 27, 2010

Free Download Thursday: "Drink Me" Bottle Tags by Truly Smitten

Free Download Thursday has returned to Marry You Me - and it's a goodie! Who can resist a bottled drink with a tag that says "Drink Me"? I found this free download over on Truly Smitten - every one of the 3 tags has it's own cute saying underneath "Drink Me" - such as "I'm quite delicious", "refreshingly yummy" and "sip, sigh, and repeat". If I saw a beverage that told me straight up that it was quite delicious and then told me to drink it, I couldn't resist. Your guests won't be able to either.


Get the free drink tag download HERE.
All images from Truly Smitten.

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Backyard Picnic Party by Grey Likes Weddings

Who doesn't love a picnic, especially one as adorably thought out as this one? That's why I am love love loving this shoot put together by Summer of Grey Likes Weddings and T & H Photography. They threw a picnic in honor of mother's day, but I think it would make a groovy* (*yup, I said it) bridesmaid's luncheon, day before the wedding activity for your wedding party, a bridal shower or even a birthday party.


Flowers and Styling by Grey Likes Weddings.

Monday, May 24, 2010

Giveaway: Stella & Dot Necklace and Hair Flower Winner

I'm super excited to announce the winner of the Stella & Dot Uma silk necklace and hair flower giveaway!

And the winner is... Tracy who said:
Thanks so much to everyone who entered! Tracy, please send me an email t0 annie @ marryyoume dot com to claim your lovely Stella & Dot prize!!

Friday, May 21, 2010

Adorable Idea: Vintage {looking} Bottle and Tin Can Vases

I've always loved the idea of using vintage looking bottles and tin cans as vases and decor. Then I saw pics from this wedding that was coordinated by Duet Weddings and shot by Max Wagner and I fell in love with bottles and cans even more. The bottles served as place cards and favors, and fit in with the rustic vintage theme perfectly. The tin cans were the centerpiece containers for the larger table arrangements. So simple, yet they make such a statement! The sweet wild flowers are such a complement to their surroundings, and were done by Camille Panzarello of Modern Day Design.


Photos by Max Wagner via Duet Weddings Blog

Thursday, May 20, 2010

Pink Wedding Brunch Inspiration

I can't resist a brunch wedding. So it was love at first sight when I saw this photo shoot that Portland photographer Sara Gray shot on The Wedding Chicks. I am loving the soft pink colors on the paper items and the tablecloths with the bold pops of bright pink in the flowers. And the 'ice' chiavari chair? Divine. As are the macarons from Pix Patisserie - I've sampled them and they are heaven. Those shoes and the dress by Love, June Bridal are stunning. So much inspiration in just a few pics!


Credits: Photography and event styling - Sara Gray Photography, Invitations/Paper Goods - Foosie Design, Flowers - Fieldwork, Dress - Love, June Bridal, Shoes - Steve Madden Dyno at DSW, Hair/Makeup - Jennifer Rand Walker of Face Body Beauty, Rentals - The Party Place, Location - Saucebox Restaurant, Pastries - Baker & Spice, Macarons - Pix Patisserie

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Inspiration Board: Newly Minted

Sooo... in case you couldn't tell, I'm pretty into pale blues and greens. I just love how many different looks you can come up with for these colors. Here's a modern-ish take on mint greens and blues with a few antique touches. It's fresh and new - just like your marriage :)

Newly Minted

Sources: Dress by Alexis George, cake, invitation suite and chairs via Martha Stewart Weddings, chandelier photo via Style Me Pretty

Monday, May 17, 2010

Saying 'I Do' to the Right Wine

Wine is an often sadly overlooked aspect of weddings, which is a shame since it plays such a large part in your meal and for guests who sit at their tables sipping and socializing. Why not pay it some more attention? Just 'not into wine'?? Maybe you just haven't been trying the right wines! Go tasting, try different varieties from different regions and winemakers, and you'll be able to see what you like and don't like while cultivating a taste for wine. Even people who live in cities or nowhere near a local wine region (which BTW there are wine regions in all 50 states with at least one winery in every state!) can attend tastings at local wine shops, grocery stores, wine bars and restaurants.
Did you know that bringing your own wine into your venue and paying a corkage fee can be a HUGE cost saver while enhancing the meal and experience for you and your guests? This is something that venues generally won't outright offer, so you'll need to inquire about their corkage fees. A corkage fee will usually be in the $10 - $20 dollar range per bottle, which may seem steep, but considering the average markup venues have ($40 for a bottle of wine that you can buy for $15 at the grocery store) you can actually save money while customizing the wines to fit the flavors in your food. We brought in all our own wines from our favorite local vineyard, Talbott, which we paired to our cocktail hour and meal, then had Chandon champagne which matched our cake flavors wonderfully that we bought at the grocery store on sale plus a 20% discount for buying more than six bottles. After paying the corkage fee on only what was opened and poured, we saved hundreds of dollars, plus had leftover bottles of our wedding wines to store and save. (Again, talk to your venue's catering manager and request that they do this - you don't want to pay corkage fees on a bunch of opened bottles that were not used.)

Here's a great article from the Wall Street Journal about wines and weddings. Hope you are inspired to get out and wine taste with your fiancee and make it a fun and memorable experience - I know it was one of the highlights of the wedding planning experience for us.

Five tips for choosing a wine to serve at your wedding: (via the Wall Street Journal)

1. Taste at least 10 wines, five reds and five whites. You'd look at least as many rings before buying your wedding band.

2. Buy a good sparkling wine but don't waste money on Champagne; as one caterer said to me, "No one ever asks to see the label."

3. If you bring your own wine and pay a corkage fee you will almost always pay much (much) less than if you had chosen the catering hall wine.

4.Choose a wine with the widest appeal that also that will go well with food. This means wines that are fairly fruity and light-bodied with good acidity (i.e., Albarinos from Spain; Italian Dolcettos and reds from southern France.)

5. Most of the wedding wines chosen by the caterers are domestic but you can (generally) spend less money if you choose an imported wine. For example, you can get a great Chilean Sauvignon Blanc for $10 and an appealing Nero d'Avola from Sicily for $10. It's much harder to find that kind of deal in a domestic wine.

Friday, May 14, 2010

Friday Faves

I wanted to share a few of my faves from the wedding blog world this week before I embark on a lovely, sunny and warm weekend filled with gardening and home projects (and Pioneer Woman's chocolate sheet cake). Also, don't forget to enter my giveaway to win a pink silk wrap necklace and hair flower from Stella & Dot!
Hope everyone has an amazing weekend :) xo Annie

DIY Wheat Grass Seating Card Display from Project Wedding Blog

A Nautical themed wedding shoot via The Wedding Chicks

Love this dress and these pictures taken by Feather Love Photography


A retro mint and black inspiration to reality shoot on Style Me Pretty inspired by sweet Colette

Printable Alaphabet bunting free download by Two Brunettes on Ruffled

Thursday, May 13, 2010

Giveaway: Stella & Dot Necklace and Hair Flower

If you haven't heard of Stella & Dot, the oh-so-cute and fun jewelry company, this contest is the perfect chance for you to get acquainted! We're giving away an adorable Uma pink silk wrap necklace and matching hair flower that can also be worn on the necklace or as a lapel pin. It would be perfect for a bridal shower, rehearsal dinner and for on the honeymoon!

How to Win:
1. Go to the Stella & Dot website of Independent Stylist Amy McCann, and take a look around.
2. Leave a comment below saying what your favorite Stella & Dot item is.
3. Then you're entered to win!! One entry per person please :)
Winners will be drawn next Friday, May 21st.

Stella & Dot has been featured in magazines such as In Style Weddings, Modern Bride, Lucky, In Style and Marie Claire. Here's a few of my personal favorites:
Stella & Dot has some fabulous jewlery options for the bride on her wedding day...Be sure to check out the Bridal Boutique
Great ideas for bridesmaids gifts, too! Good luck! Can't wait to see what your favorite Stella & Dot pieces are!

*Contest open to US residents only.

Monday, May 10, 2010

Inspiration Board: Foodie Inspired

So many couples these days are discovering the joys of being "foodies" together. I'm a food lover myself - I have a love of restaurants, cookbooks and cooking gadgetry. (I also may or may not have watched Julie and Julia twice in a row last week.) So I thought, why not translate a couple's love of all things food into a casual wedding theme? It could also make for an amazing bridal shower for your foodie fanatic girlfriend.

Foodie Inspired

Some fun ideas for a foodie themed event:
  • Use stacked vintage cookbooks as centerpieces/table numbers.
  • Use kitchen utensils as decor: vintage tin pie plates as wall decor, vintage looking tin cans with colorful labels as centerpieces, egg cups for bud vases, jars of wooden spoons that can serve as favors that will definitely get used again.
  • A vintage mirror with red writing on it for a bar or buffet menu - very French bistro.
  • For a shower, do a kitchen/cookbook theme where every guest brings a cookbook for the bride with their favorite recipes marked.
Sources: Clockwise from top left - tin can vase arrangement by Blush Floral Design via Style Me Pretty, cookbook photo from Dinner With Julia, egg cup bud vases and pie tin wall from Better Homes and Gardens, blue macarons from Cocoa + Fig photo by Red Ribbon Studio via Style Me Pretty, red cordial bottles photo by Emily Steffen Photography via Style Me Pretty, mirror photo from Country Living, girl in kitchen photo via We Heart It.

Sponsored Post: Flower Girl Dresses by David's Bridal

Having little ones in your wedding? You probably already know that in addition to the challenges of getting them to cooperate ("No, no, don't cry...Walk down the aisle!") there is the whole other issue of outfitting them. Finding the right flower girl dresses that fit with the style of your wedding and the budget of the parents (or your budget depending on who is paying) can be difficult. That's why I love what David's Bridal has to offer for flower girl dresses and accessories. They have a great selection of adorable dresses, all of them refreshingly affordable.

Your bridesmaids wear colors, so why not have your flower girls wear colored dresses also?
Some of the colored flower girl dresses at David's Bridal come in as many as forty colors so you can match them to your wedding party, while parents will love that these dresses can be worn again!
Sweet little flower girl baskets can be customized in twenty seven different color options.

Looking for a traditional white flower girl dress? David's Bridal has great options that are super stylish and at a fraction of the cost that some flower girl dresses can run.
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