The Challenge Is Met!

Hi  I was beavering away all day yesterday with some of the fabric from the lovely   girls - and look what I made:

I love the candy colors of the Amy Butler Paisley print and I combined it with some green polka dot cotton sheeting I had.  I'm really pleased with how well the yummy colors go together and think the velvet looks way too cute - now all I need is a bit of sun to start using it!

I've also got an announcement - I've actually been keeping this one under wraps for a couple of weeks until we could tell my parents (they've been on holiday) - I'm getting married!  John & I have decided to get hitched, tie the knot, stroll up the isle, make it official etc, etc!

I'm so excited and there isn't much time either.  We've chosen May 31st as the date and don't want a bit reception, cars, hats and so on.  Instead we've going to have a very quiet ceremony and then a big party in the evening.  We're planning on keeping the costs to a minimum - We simply don't have £25k to spend on a wedding and anyway, I'm a crafting obsessive so what better excuse to get crafting then a homemade wedding?  So any ideas you can send my way would be gratefully received.  I want it to be modern and fresh, with color and  yummy things to eat. We've chosen the local community center for the party as it's cheap, just up the road and sits in a cobbled, tree lined square - you wouldn't think you were in the middle of a city when you 're there. I want the decorations to be simple yet stylish and for the whole thing to have a relaxed, homemade feel.  I'm thinking of having tissue paper pom poms everywhere as seem here

I thought about having mini pop pom flowers on twiggy sticks as table centerpieces with maybe so string lights in bowls  to provide pretty light (what's a party without string/fairy lights?)

I've NO idea what to wear - I'm thinking I'd like to have a bit of color instead of all white (I tend to look pretty washed out in white or cream) and definitely not floor length.  I'm almost tempted to attempt to make something - tell me if I"m being WAAAAAY to ambitious!  (Remember, my sewing experience currently runs to bags and 1 skirt!)

I've got so much that needs to be done - invitations, ideas for low cost flowers, food (I'm thinking of doing a hundred of so cupcakes instead of one big wedding cake - although John thinks that means I'm certifiable!)

So please send me all of your ideas - You're such a creative bunch that I'm sure you've got tons of great things I could do.

And please forgive me for being ridiculously overexcited!

Jo x

Comments

[Florence]

Congratulations! That's lovely news. I love the fairy cakes idea. x

[Alli]

Wow, congratulations! When I was married I wasn't crafting as much as I am now, but we were on a *tight* budget, so I did lots of DIY. My Knot bio, which has an outline of everything I spent (I know that I found other people's budgets really helpful when I was planning), is still up; my username is sophi.the.bride. You should also check out the budgetbridesbio - there are lots of great ideas there. As far as wedding websites go, however, indiebride.com is about a million times better than The Knot. My personal best piece of advice is to do what makes you happy, rather than what the wedding industry says you "should" do. It sounds like you have that under control already, though! Remember that putting it together should be fun, and if it's not, then it's probably a good sign that you should do it differently. Enjoy it!

[Marie]

CONGRATS! I'm super excited for you.

And the bag looks lovely! I do love the colors you chose. It's so sweet and feminine.

I haven't a single idea to give you for wedding. I only want to warn you a bit. I tried to do so much by myself that the whole event became so stressed. Two weeks before the wedding, I broke down and cried to Dan. So, please, please, don't do too much. Only do the things that you truly love to do: like bake your special cakes. Of course, you should sew your own purse for the event, since you're so darn good at it and maybe one for your mum and mil. I wouldn't do too much else. Just enjoy the day. Oh, and hire a good photographer!

[Stefanie]

As I read about the feeling you are going for I thought of this blog take a look I think you would like her decorating style (And she did it all herself!)

http://blairpeter.typepad.com/weblog/2008/03/d-o-n-e.html

[Jo Black]

Thank you all sooooo much! Stephanie, you're on just the right track (although I might give the green a miss!) and Marie - you know me so well!(yes, I'm really gonna have to watch that something that's meant to be fun turns into something super stressful. And Ali, thanks for the tips and the sites - I'll definitely be checking them out.
Jo x

[mom2fur]

Oh, congratulations! The end of May is a perfect time to have a wedding. There should be some beautiful flowers in bloom for outdoor pictures!
My wedding was simple, too. I was married in 1980, and my wedding cost 1/4 what it cost my bil and his bride the next year. My bridesmaids made their dresses, and we all picked out a pattern that could be cut down and used again. My mom made my bouquet from silk flowers, plus all the bridesmaid's bouquets. Mike and the ushers wore classic black tuxedos. The girls were in red. (It was a November wedding.) I did wear a traditional, long white gown. But I got it off the rack for only $125, which was a steal even back then. And I borrowed my veil from my brother's wife!
The place where we had the reception was a non-pretentious little restaurant. My mil admitted later that her first thought was "oh, no, they're having it in a K of C hall!" But more people came up to her, and to my own mother, to say they'd had the best time ever! So you don't need to spend thousands and thousands to have a good time.
BTW, regarding my bil's wedding? They were divorced after 4 years. Sometimes, people forget they aren't planning just a wedding...but a marriage!
Oh, here's another tip. A friend of mine got married about 10 years ago, and got a decorated sheet cake from the grocery store. No kidding. It was beautiful, delicious and reasonably priced. Your local bakery will custom make it for you. Honestly, why spend all that money on something that gets cut up, anyway?
For your centerpieces, you could get some clear glass plates, set a nice fat candle in the middle and surround the candle with flowers that match your wedding colors.
Just remember that good food and good company are more important at a reception than cakes with fountains (my cousin had one of those...ugh) or ice-sculptures!

[Kenners]

I don't have any personal ideas for Crafted weddings but I know Sweet Sassafras had a handmade wedding and there is quite a bit about it on her blog
http://www.sweetsassafras.org/2007/10/18/handmade-wedding-the-photos/

[Kenners]

You're probably already aware of this but I saw it and remembered your handmade wedding and hence thought I would point it out!

This (http://www.etsy.com/storque/search/tags/handmade-wedding-series/) is the etsy e-zine handmade wedding series... a trove of handmade wedding treasure!