Fabulous Finds: July
Our first ever “Fabulous Finds” post debuted in June, and and we can’t believe it’s already time for our July edition! These are some of the things that we just can’t seem to get out of our head this month. From cool songs to make your wedding memorable, beautiful photo mementos on the bouquet, and specially made soda or beer bottles, the theme this month is make it personal, personal, personal! Enjoy, and hopefully some of these finds will make their way into your big day!
1. Using unique songs for your wedding dances: I recently did a post on Non-traditional music ideas for your wedding, particularly for the major dances that take place during the reception. I was inspired by my friend Clare who used Jason Mraz, Old Crow Medicine Show and The Avett Brothers in her wedding, and my friend Becca who adorably danced her first dance with her husband, Billy, to “Is This Love” by Bob Marley. While writing my post I found it especially hard to find unique songs for the dance between the mother and son, but now that I’m done, songs are just popping up everywhere! I heard this one while downloading the B is for Bob album for my daughter and thought the lyrics would be so meaningful for a mother/son dance. Take a listen!
2. ABC Paper Cups : Are you thinking what I’m thinking, guys? Using these cups to spell out your proposal could be so clever and cute. Beyond popping the question, you could also use these cups to spell out your new monogram at your reception, or even something as simple as an “I love you”! The cups are made by IaM Design.
3. Flower Belts and Necklaces: If you remember my Pops of Pink post, I included a beautiful fuchsia and blush colored floral belt. The necklace below is very similar and would add an ethereal, natural touch to bridal party attire. Necklace below is by Emerson Made.
4. Pictures on bouquet: What a great way to remember the loved ones that can’t be part of your big day! I have never seen this before and thought it was unbelievably creative and sentimental. This idea came from Andy and Brandy Southard’s wedding in Staunton, VA.
5. Personalized soda, wine or beer bottles:You know I’m all about personalization, and these specially made bottles are no exception! I saw this in Larkin and Jason’s VA wedding and thought it was the coolest idea for a favor, especially because the beers were brewed by the bride and groom themselves! They created custom labels, and named it “Gibas I Do Brew”….how cool? If you’re not into beer, check out the specially made labels for the Jones soda bottles.
6. Photos in mason jars: You can also get personal with your table decorations by adding old wedding or family photos in beautiful mason jars to give a rustic yet romantic charm to the setting. You could place them around the cake as a tribute to your parent’s and grandparent’s wedding days or you could put different pictures of you and your fiance on each table. The pictures could even correspond with the table name; a picture of you and your future spouse at a baseball game could be at the “Orioles “table, for example. Get creative with this lovely idea!
Hope you enjoyed some of our favorite things this month. Let me know some of yours!
Real Weddings with Larkin and Jason
For our Real Weddings feature, Larkin and Jason have been chosen to share their beautiful spring wedding pictures and the story behind them so we can get a glimpse into their big day. I love the bridal party attire–patterned bridesmaids dresses are all the rage and the groomsmen suits are so hip and retro. Also, don’t forget to check out that gorgeous vintage ring–so unique! I also wore an estate piece for my “something borrowed” so I love that idea, even though for Larkin, it kind of happened on accident! Lovestruck Images (formerly Labor of Love Photography) really captured the fun personalities of this couple, from their cool groomsmen gifts to the whole crowd boogieing to “Sweet Caroline.” Speaking of music, I love their first dance choice to Dave Matthews Band,which should be added to my list for non-traditional music ideas. Another personal touch I loved was how they chose to name their tables, much like I mentioned in my Fabulous Finds for June. And what girl wouldn’t want to end their wedding night with “Time of My Life” from the Dirty Dancing soundtrack! Read on as we hear from the bride herself on the inspiration behind all of these unique and intimate details.
From the bride:
Since the bridesmaids dresses were so colorful we pulled the moss green, gold/yellow, and gray/silver out to be our color scheme.
The church is a historic church in Old Town Alexandria, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, and my godmother actually got married there too. The kiss with the prayer book was just for fun!
My dress is Watters Brides, Torrean, and I’m obsessed with it. I didn’t want to ever take it off and it is still hanging in our guest room where I can look at it whenever I want. I still need to get it cleaned and preserved. The saddest part is not being able to wear it again so I’m considering possibly altering and dying it into a formal cocktail dress or something. But for now I can’t bring myself to do anything to it! 
The shoes are Paris Hilton and I absolutely love them! My favorite part is the hot pink sole! I’ve actually worn them with another dress to another wedding! All my friends know that I’m obsessed with heels so I had to have something fabulous.
This ring was my great-great-great aunt’s ring, so very vintage. It was given to her by a man as a promise/engagement ring but sadly they never got married; long story. My actual engagement ring was left at the hotel (another long story my brother will never live down) so there aren’t any pictures of it, sadly. But I wore this vintage one on my right hand.
I gave the florist creative freedom, but I’m pretty sure my bouquet was mainly peonies, roses, and maybe some miniature ranunculus.
The bridesmaids dresses are J.Crew. I always knew I wanted a patterned bridesmaids dress and when I saw these I fell in love with them. They are so fun, bright, and more importantly re-wearable!
Both my fiance (now husband) and I knew we didn’t want black tuxes, and when I got the bridesmaids dresses and saw they had gray in them it was perfect for gray tuxes. We also got lucky and found perfect gray suits and black ties for the boys, and so it made sense for Jason to have a black tie and vest, to distinguish him from the groomsmen. There was no way we could have matched any green/yellow with the gray tuxes so we tried to keep it simple.
We had a hard time coming up with bridal party gifts and again, wanted to do something somewhat unique. So, I gave the bridesmaids the gray silk flats that they wore and Jason gave the guys the silver aviators. We loved the idea of wearing the sunglasses in pictures and they added a fun element to everything. In this picture all the girls put on a pair of the guys glasses.
We named every table at the reception after a bar in Blacksburg, Virginia because that is where we met and both went to college (Virginia Tech). Our head table was Hokie House.
We both love unique beer and love trying new micro brews, and we wanted to do something unique for wedding favors. A few years ago we found out about a local brewery, Shenandoah Brewing Company located in Alexandria, that lets you come in and brew your own beer. It’s a really neat process. They keep your beer to ferment and then you go back when it’s ready to bottle and label it. You can create custom labels, too. It was hard keeping it a secret from our family because we needed all the help we could get to bottle and label 9.5 cases! We brewed a Red Ale, and named it “Gibas I Do Brew.”
Our first dance was to Dave Matthews Band, “You and Me,” however everyone in Jason’s family knows that the most important song of the night is “Sweet Caroline,” which you can see in action. Whenever that song comes on everyone goes crazy and it’s so much fun. It has become a family tradition, choreographed dance and all. We ended the night with one of my absolute favorites from Dirty Dancing, “I’ve Had the Time of My Life.” I grew up watching that movie every day after school with my matron of honor, and it was the perfect ending song to the perfect party where we definitely had the times of our lives!!
Thank you Larkin and Jason and Lovestruck Images (formerly Labor of Love Photography) for sharing these beautiful photos and details with our readers!
Summer Via and Nathan Sheets: A Proposal Story
Congratulations Summer and Nathan on your engagement! We wish you the very best as you begin to plan for your lives together.
Monday’s Montage: Personalized Wedding Gifts
During this busy wedding season, you may be running low on unique gift ideas. It’s always thoughtful to use the couple’s registry but if they are out of items in your price range, or if you want something that makes a lasting impression, think about getting a personalized gift. A customized wedding present is sure to be a hit because brides love to see their new last name in writing and a gift with an inscribed wedding date will help make sure the groom never forgets their anniversary! These silhouette mugs (see below) can be made using the couple’s actual photos. How appropriate for newlyweds who’ll be sharing their morning coffee for years to come. A personalized crock with the last name and wedding date would be perfect for the traditional couple with a more rustic style. The personalized shadow box is great for the sentimental couple. You could save things from the wedding process, such as invitations or photos at pre-wedding events to fill the box, or let the bride and groom fill it after the wedding however they’d like. Monogrammed coolers are also a fun way to give a customized gift for the social couple that loves to tailgate. Personalized “name frames” use professional photographs that capture letters from nature, architecture and everyday life to spell out last names. A frame with the couple’s last name in large, bold letters organized around a photo of them together would also be a great gift, especially to help decorate a new home. Finally, adding an initial pillow would be the perfect touch to complete a less personal gift, like a gift card or registry item. Overall, if you want your wedding gift to make a everlasting impact, consider getting something personal for the next wedding on your summer tour!
Credits: Silhouette mugs, BROOKLYNrehab (top left); Personalized wedding crock, Plow and Hearth (top center); Wedding keepsake box, Pottery Barn (top right); Monogrammed cooler, Ida Claire (bottom left); Last name from using photographs, Name Frames (middle right); Family name frame, Personal Creations (bottom center); Initial pillow, Alexandra Ferguson.
Benchmark Rings Contest Winners!
Where To Get Engaged and Benchmark Rings are proud to announce the winners of its Benchmark Wedding Band Giveaway. To enter the contest, couples created a Couple’s Profile, complete with “their story” and added their favorite 3 Benchmark Rings to their wish list. The winners were selected at random. We would like to thank all the couples who entered the Benchmark Wedding Band Giveaway.
Adam and Lee are the winners of our Benchmark Giveaway Contest on Where To Get Engaged. They have won a 4mm and 6mm wedding bands in white or yellow gold! Benchmark Rings come with a lifetime warranty as well. Benchmark has been in business over 40 years and offers a fantastic lifetime warranty with every band.
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Adam and Lee’s Story
In March of 2006, Lee moved into a duplex in a neighborhood just north of uptown Charlotte called NoDa. She received an email from Adam on a social networking site called Friendster (the predecessor for Facebook and Myspace). They emailed back and forth for about a month. She discovered he lived in NoDa too, and they have mutual friends in the neighborhood. She decided to meet him for coffee at the local coffee shop, Smelly Cat. She was having a great time so she agreed to join him for dinner and a music concert at the Neighborhood Theatre. They went on a few other dates and lost touch. In September, Adam and Lee started dating again. He took her to Gallery Crawls, concerts at the Neighborhood Theatre, and to dinner at some of their favorite restaurants. Over the last 3 years, they have traveled to New York City (2 times before he moved there), Washington, DC, the NC and SC coast, and San Francisco. In addition to traveling, Adam and Lee have seen over 50 theatre performances, been to dozens of museums and galleries, and both share an unwavering love of the Carolina Panthers.
The Proposal:
One rainy, dreary Sunday morning, Adam and Lee planned to have Sunday Brunch with his sister, Jennifer, and his mom, Chris, at Boudreaux’s, a great Cajun restaurant. Despite the fact, that Lee had to go straight to work immediately following brunch, Adam insisted on driving. Before brunch they detoured into their local coffee shop, Smelly Cat where they first met. They walked into Smelly Cat. Lee saw Adam’s best friend Will, then one of her best friends Dee.
She was very confused to enter a coffee shop full of people she knows. Lee turned to Adam and he was on one knee. She combusted into tears and still doesn’t have any clue what he said but knows what her response was. She said yes! Adam orchestrated the whole thing. He had her parents, his family, and their close Charlotte friends await their arrival to the coffee shop, and he even got Lee’s best friend Amy to come up from Atlanta. Lee had no clue that her friends and family could keep this a secret from her and is still so impressed. Needless to say it was the best moment of her life, so far.
The Wedding:
Adam and Lee are exchanging wedding vows at their Methodist church and having the wedding reception at one of their favorite art museums. These rings will be the symbol of their love and commitment to each other.
How to Buy a Diamond
People mark special events with sentimental gifts of jewelry. While weddings reign as the biggest diamond event, there are many small yet glorious celebrations that are honored with beautiful sparklies, too, such as new jobs, anniversaries, graduations, births…the list, happily, is endless.
So how do people learn about diamonds so they can buy, own and enjoy them with confidence? The nonprofit Gemological Institute of America (GIA), the world’s foremost authority in gems and jewelry and the creator of the famous “Four Cs” of diamonds offers these five tips:
Choose a qualified jeweler. Select a jeweler as you would a doctor, a lawyer or any professional. Ask around. Find someone who is a trained gemologist, a GIA Graduate Gemologist or GIA Accredited Jewelry Professional, and is affiliated with a professional jewelry association.
Research. GIA’s Web site on www.gia4cs.gia.edu offers in-depth information on diamonds, pearls and other gemstones. Knowing the Four Cs helps you speak the language of diamonds and communicate with jewelers.
Learn the “Four Cs.” All diamonds are rare and no two diamonds are alike. A diamond’s quality and rarity is determined by its unique combination of characteristics of Color, Cut, Clarity and Carat Weight. The International Diamond Grading System, used around the world since its invention by GIA in the 1950s, is based on the Four Cs.
• Carat: Diamonds are weighed in metric carats. Two carats weight about the same as a small paper clip. A carat is divided into 100 “points”, so a diamond of 50 points weighs 0.50 carats.
• Clarity: Nearly all diamonds contain unique clarity characteristics. Flawless diamonds are exceptional and costly. Most inclusions are invisible unless magnified.
• Color: Colorless diamonds are extremely uncommon. Most diamonds have a slight yellow or brown tint. GIA uses letters to represent colors, beginning with D (colorless) and ending at Z (light yellow or brown). “Fancy colored diamonds” come in every color imaginable, are also very unusual and have their own GIA color grading system.
• Cut: While diamonds come in different shapes, such as round, pear or marquise, the term “cut” refers to proportion. The well-cut, balanced diamond has unbridled brilliance, sparkle and fire.
Get an independent diamond grading report. A diamond grading report tells you the exact gemological quality of your diamond. Is it a natural diamond? Is it a synthetic diamond? Has it been treated and how? What are its quality ratings according to the Four Cs?
Have your diamond appraised and insured. A diamond grading report describes the precise gemological quality of your diamond while an appraiser puts a monetary value to the stone. You can laser inscribe a personal message or the diamond’s unique GIA Grading Report number on the diamond’s girdle.
Like true love, a diamond’s light and brilliance won’t fade with time. To learn more about diamonds, visit www.gia4cs.gia.edu.
Monday’s Montage: Tuxedo Options
Grooms, were you told by your bride that you were in charge of choosing your tux but have no idea where to start ? Well, there is a lot more to renting a tux than just walking into your nearest formal wear shop and asking for one. To avoid being overwhelmed and putting the task back on your bride-to-be, look at some different options now. When you go in, have an idea of what color, style, and fabric you want as well as what budget you’ll be working with for your groomsmen. Colors go way beyond your basic black, so ask your fiance if a chocolate brown, tan, white or even camouflage (it could happen!) tux would better complement the bridesmaids dresses and theme of the wedding. Base the style you choose on how formal your wedding is because options will range from full dress with tails, to a bow tie and vest, tie and vest, or just a tie with a jacket. The weight of the fabric should also depend on the season of the wedding, so be sure to go with something lighter for summer, and heavier for winter. Overall, choose a tuxedo that best reflects your personality, comfort level and feel of your wedding. Good luck!
Credits: All black Calvin Klein tuxedo, Ambassadors Formalwear by Gilda (top left); White tuxedo with yellow vest and tie, Ambassadors Formalwear by Gilda (top left center); Mossy Oak Alpine Camo Tuxedo, Adams and Madam (top right center); After Sixx Rhodes tuxedo, Stevie’s Formals (top right); Chaps Columbia Black Notch Full Dress, Adams and Madam (bottom left); Silver vest and tie with wing collar, First Class Tuxedo (bottom left center); Tan Catalina, Classic Tuxedos (bottom right center); Mahogany Summit, Classic Tuxedos (bottom right).
Proposal Story with Katie and Jamin
Read on to hear all about this beautiful proposal from the words of the bride, Katie Jarrels Engel. I love how personal it is and how they were able to capture the moment in photos. One thing I always regret is not getting pictures of my proposal and think Katie and Jamin will cherish these for the rest of their lives!
I thought I finally had a wonderful birthday surprise planned for my boyfriend to repay him for all of the intricate surprises he had planned for me over the past six years. I planned to take him to The Melting Pot for a special birthday dinner in Charlottesville knowing he would love that we would be able to cook our own food at our table. This dinner was a big deal since I had just finished my junior year at Bridgewater College and money was not something I had an abundance of in my wallet. Jamin picked me up and asked me where he should open his birthday presents for which I responded, “The River!” “The River” is a hidden gem below my parents’ home as it houses a cabin that predates the Civil War, and has beautiful views of the North River. We drove down to the river and I noticed there were little tables set up along a walkway.
I was chattering away with questions and Jamin said nothing! We started walking along this path and I realized that each table had a picture of Jamin and me with a bouquet of daisies, which is my favorite flower, and candles.We got to the first table and Jamin began talking about our first year together which coincided with the picture from our first year. As we walked on to the next table he talked about our second year together, and I could see this storytelling time was going to continue at each of the six tables representing our six years together.
I must admit I don’t remember a whole lot he was saying because all I was thinking was, “Is he FINALLY going to propose or is this him just trying to throw me off for when he really is going to propose?”
We finished walking the path, walked across the swinging bridge, and got to the other side where there was a picture of us from a wedding we had been to just a few weeks previously. There were numerous daisies, lots of candles, and a beautiful view of the river at this spot.
Jamin said that the station we ended at represented our present time together and our future. When he said the “future” part of his speech I was hoping he would ask, and then he got down on one knee, and asked me to marry him.
Of course, I said yes!
The rest is history, and our fairy tale love story continues each and everyday because of my wonderful, romantic husband.
Thank you, Katie Engel, for submitting your beautiful proposal story and for Bill Anderson for the lovely images!
Weekly Dance Watch: Surprise Reception Entrance
Do you love the Surprise First Wedding Dances? Did you fall in love with the JK Wedding Dance Entrance? If so, you’ll definitely be dancing to this Surprise Wedding Reception Entrance. This Bride & Groom got the whole wedding party involved in this crazy dance entrance. They started their party reception out the moment they danced through the door!
Real Weddings with Adrienne and John
For our Real Weddings feature, Adrienne and John have been chosen to share their beautiful spring wedding pictures and the story behind them so we can get a glimpse into their big day. I first wanted to use some of their images for a lime green themed Monday’s Montage, but quickly realized I loved too many details for a small collage! The bright green would be perfect if you’re planning a spring, summer or even fall wedding. Read on as we hear from the bride herself on the inspiration behind their unique and intimate details.
From their photographer, Jodi Miller:
“Their wedding was so elegant and stylish, with so many great DIY details and charm. Adrienne was the epitome of classic hollywood beauty…her hair, dress, and accessories were simply stunning! They had so many great vendors involved in their wedding including: the gorgeous florals, by Artistic Florist; the incredible folk band, Heart Gets Monkey, that provided the reception music; Adrienne’s hair by The Studio; hair accessories + clutches from Etsy; and cake by John’s brother, Brian.”
From the bride:
As far as my ring, it is vintage. The solitaire is my grandmother’s engagement diamond, which she later had reset with the other stones around it. I had a band made in white gold to fit around the ring since it is an unusual shape.
Don’t you love this vintage wedding set?
Beautiful ruffle-trimmed flats.
My bouquet consisted of green cymbidium orchids, ivory hydrangea, miniature calla lilies, assorted pods, hypericum berries and fiddlehead ferns (a surprise from the florist!- I had requested a fiddlehead in the groom’s boutonniere). The pomanders hanging from the chair were made from dried hypericum berries. I purchased the balls of berries already assembled and attached the ivory ribbon myself.
Love the punch of that lime green.
The bridesmaid dresses were by David’s Bridal. I gave them a choice of several knee-length dresses in the olivine color, but they all ended up choosing the same dress! I loved the color because I wanted a shade of green that would complement and enhance the natural surroundings of the Cross Keys Vineyard, where we held the wedding. This green was a kind of earthy tone and it blended perfectly.
Simple bridesmaids dresses complete the classic, timeless theme.
The clutches were from a shop on Etsy called Mollusa. I convoed her and described what I wanted based on photos of her work and within six weeks I had the clutches in hand! They were all black but each had a green fabric flower that was slightly different. I thought this would be a great gift for my bridesmaids that they could use again on special occasions.
Fabulous clutches make a great bridesmaid gift!
We wrote a wine ceremony into the ceremony since it was held at a Vineyard. The minister read a prepared section of The Prophet by Kahlil Gabran and we poured white wine from two carafes into a single carafe, then poured each other a glass from the single carafe. It was our symbolization of unity.
What a unique alternative to the unity candle!
The garden arch in the ceremony belonged to the vineyard. Our florist (The Artistic Florist in Harrisonburg, VA) decorated it with various ivory and green blossoms and greenery and did a fantastic job! We also displayed two flowering dogwood saplings which were at the front, on either side of the arch, which we planted after the wedding.
Serene backdrop and love that adorable patterned flower girl dress.
The ring bearer pillow and flower girl pomander were also made by the florist, out of live flowers (kermit mums). Beautiful!
That ring bearer pillow and flower girl ball of buds is are some of my favorite touches!
The overall theme of the event was Spring and all the symbolism it entails, with new life and blossoming all around. This is why I chose green as the central color and wanted an outdoor ceremony. I thought Spring was a perfectly fitting time to begin a new life together with my husband, and I wanted to convey that through the colors, decorations, and favors.
Captured love.
The moss-covered letters were also ordered from Etsy. These came from Happy Hound’s shop. She also sells a lot of neat stuff for dogs but these were so cool and can be stored for a lifetime because the moss is dried.
Okay, these grassy letter might be my favorite detail!
I had seen placecards displayed on grass mats in a magazine, so I purchased mats from a craft store. I wrote the names on the placecards myself with a green pen.
What a cool idea for the name cards to carry out the grassy theme!
The family tree is also an idea I had from seeing other people using manzanita branches to display things. I originally thought I would put the placecards on the branches with framed family photos underneath but decided that would be too chaotic and that hanging photos from the branches instead made perfect sense, making a “Family Tree”. I obtained wedding photos from relatives, mounted them on cardstock, and hung them with green ribbon.
What an awesome way to display your family tree!
In lieu of favors we donated money to two local animal rescue non-profit groups. We had cards at each table with photos of our cat and dog (both rescued strays) with a caption saying “Thank you” and an explanation of our favors. Our centerpieces were non-floral; living, potted hostas that guests could take home and plant.
Farewell!
Thank you Adrienne and John and Jodi Miller Photography for sharing these beautiful images and details with our readers!
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Find the Ring
Plan the Proposal
Plan the Wedding
