THE dress vs. my mom's dress

THE dress

versus

Mom's Dress

When I saw the Fondant Tea Dress, I immediately thought of my mom. If you enlarge my mom's wedding photos here, you can see some of the detail on her dress.  Aren't they similar? Don't you get the same feeling? My mom's dress is not available, so I believe this to be a totally acceptable substitute.  Yay or nay?

Ideas For My Dream Wedding (Part 1)

Okay, so I really want to get married outside in the morning on a farm in the summer.  I want the reception to be outdoors during the afternoon and into the evening.  Josh, my FFI (future future intended) suggested that we also invite our wedding party and close friends to camp over night.  Now we are really getting somewhere!  The last few weeks my mind has been a-buzz with all the pretty ideas I'd want to use for our special day/weekend. I decided to make this post for inspiration.

Firstly, I absolutely love old, blue canning jars.  I'd want these everywhere, on every table as a vase, place-setting skewer holder, etc.  Love them.  The only problem is finding them is difficult, and paying for them is expensive.  During a Google search for "blue canning jars" I was delighted to find a tutorial on how to make your own blue jars out of regular old canning jars!  I also want to use the regular glass canning jars as glasses. Hey, at least I already own one blue jar!

Something else I love are vintage cake stands.  These will come in handy, especially since instead of a wedding cake I want to have a table full of baked goodies... cupcakes, macaroons, cookies, you name it!  This cake stand I found in FBvintage's Etsy shop.  So cute!  I want them in all coordinating colors to match my (as of yet undetermined) color scheme.

What better accessory for a cake stand (besides a cake) than beautiful contained cupcakes?  This is where Bake It Pretty will come in handy.  This is a one stop online shop chock full of fabulously fun finds for all your baking needs.  Cups, liners, molds... and also another things I'll desperately want to provide my guests with...

Bakery boxes and other containers from Bake It Pretty!  I want to have such an abundant supply of treats that we'll want -nay, need! - guest's to help us out a little, and bring some home for later.

So, since I don't want a cake... I want to find a cake topper that can fit on a cupcake or separate bride and groom ones to fit on two cupcakes.  I do have these super cute green lovebirds salt and pepper shakers that I've been thinking about using... as long as they fit in with the color scheme.  But I do like this cake topper to the left, from WeddingStar.  It's even more appropriate because Jessie does this awesome thing called The Un-Booth, and she has a frame that can be used as a prop... could this be a sign??

I really love all the colors from this Playful Vineyard Wedding featured on Once Wed, photographs by Our Labor of Love Photography.

This wedding on Snippet & Ink is incredible.  Definitely the vibe I want to capture.  And how cute are those handmade corsages and boutonnieres the bride made?  Find more pictures of the couple on Loved despite great faults.

I love this DIY pinwheel tutorial on Style Me Pretty.  Such a great idea!

I definitely want to get a custom silhouette done of each of us, have them framed, and hang them somewhere in the reception.

I've pretty much decided to get my dress off of Etsy when the time comes.  Check out this beautiful gem of a dress I found on there!

These Fabric Flower Garlands are super cute.  I want them all over at my wedding!

Inspiration: New Color Palettes

sources: {here & here}

I subscribe to The Knot's newsletter. Today I received an email containing "20 (New!) Wedding Color Combos", so of course I had to look! The above two are my favorite of the bunch. It makes me want to revisit that post I made a while ago about color palettes, and do some more work. What are your favorite colors?

Suzannah | Dresses

I love these cocktail dresses from Suzannah!  These would make the cutest bridesmaid dresses, the petal style dresses with different top cuts would be perfect for different shapes. 

From her site:

"The Suzannah Cocktail dresses are the perfect party or chic black tie dress. They are carved from the most premium of Italian cloth designed to sculpt and flatter in the newest and most unique of silhouettes based on Vintage couture references. Suzannah loves chic Parisian style from the 20s to the 70s. Combining this charming influence with a modernist city outlook the divine romantic dresses are created to make you look and feel amazing."

Monique Lhuillier Dresses Part 2

Like I stated earlier, I think Monique Lhuillier makes the prettiest dresses. This is my favorite dress, "Ingrid". Absolutely. I wonder if I can find enough detailed pictures if it would be feasible for Jane to recreate something similar?

I think this must be what it's like to find your "dream dress". Warm fuzzies.

Bridal Bliss Designs

I think I just died and went to Wedding Gown Heaven.

If you have some time before the wedding (enough time to, say, order a custom wedding gown), you should must check out Bridal Bliss Designs on Etsy.

I'm in total awe right now.

Jane specializes in "Custom Design Reproduction". Essentially what this means is she requires specific, detailed photographs of the design you're asking to be recreated, then she re-creates it using high quality/bridal quality fabrics and materials. All dresses include lining, interlining and boning for support.

Now as an anxiously un-engaged, I have never tried my hand at wedding dress shopping. But if I could have a "dream dress" made specifically for me, while supporting an independent business woman, I think I would jump at that opportunity. Perusing Jane's Bridal Bliss Designs shop on Etsy, I can tell you I've fallen fast and hard. *Swoon*

Here is but one of her customer's testimonials:

"As it turns out, my best wedding decision (other than the groom!) was ordering a dress from a stranger on the internet with no feedback. :) My dress was based on another one that I had bought, but with some changes. The parts that were supposed to be the same were nearly identical, and the alterations were perfectly done and exactly what I wanted. For not much more than the first dress, this one is noticeably higher quality in fabric and construction. And best of all, it was perfectly made to my measurements. Add fast and friendly communication, and it was the perfect dress-buying experience. Thanks again!" - Amber E. - Flagstaff, Arizona

Monique Lhuillier Dresses

I think Monique Lhuillier makes -omg- the prettiest dresses ever. I suppose I should start saving now if I want to be able to buy one...