INVITATION INSPIRATION

Figuring out the wording for wedding invitations can be a bit of a task, primarily because there are so many options to choose from.  My parents are divorced and our wedding is a pretty casual affair so I didn’t want to confine myself to standard copy and style.  Once you embark on this step, you will be shocked to discover how many ways there are to invite people to your wedding.

I ended up goggling frequently used invitation copy, which led me to the website Offbeat Bride (a fantastic resource).  The blog headline was: “wedding invitation wording that won’t make you barf”.  Perfect!  One of my favorites:

We laugh, we dream, we love

And on this day, we marry

Together with our parents, we joyfully invite you to our wedding celebration

A few other copy contenders were:

Please join us

to share our joy and support our love

As we exchange vows and are united

in the commitment of marriage

Because your love and friendship

have guided and inspired us,

we invite you to join us as we exchange

our wedding vows

The rest is pretty much by-the-book:

Day, date, month

Year

Time (At 5 o’clock in the evening)

Location Name

Location Address

City & State

Dinner, cocktails and dancing to follow

Two friends are designing our invites (a husband and wife team), which will include an RSVP post card along with an Events card that outlines where to be throughout the weekend, including a map.  I actually just got the design and oh my goodness am I obsessed.  Amanda & Jack Schuler are uber talented and I really couldn’t be happier.

Our wedding is adults only and while it is clearly stated on our website, I wasn’t sure if I should reiterate that somewhere within the invitation.  After reading several etiquette posts that advised against it, I had to trust word of mouth, our website and how the invites would be addressed.  The envelope should clarify who is invited: Amy and Adam Smith vs. The Smith Family, however I’ve heard many horror stories when it comes to this portion of the process!   

Some of my favorite designers/designs from top: Mavora, A Day In May, Alee & Press, CECI New York, Amanda & Jack, BirdDog Press 

TRENDING: SASSY SHOES

If you know me, you know that on my free time I’m usually barefoot.  If I must wear heels to an event or for a night out, they typically come off within an hour and there is no telling where they end up.  I had no doubt that I wanted to wear flip-flops on my wedding day (for comfort and to avoid losing a $500 pair of shoes) and I figured my girls would enjoy that as well – not to mention, I didn’t want them towering over me in photos!  Brides can be very Carrie Bradshaw with a shoe choice; similar to the approach her man takes with his socks.  Go all out – it’s the best way to showcase your personal style and tie in color.  

Since yellow is so representative of spring and a key player in my color pallet, I’ve picked some favorites below.  Mostly heels because even though I have no business wearing them, it’s pure eye candy. 

Photo courtesy of Julie Harris; shoes from top: Valentino via perfect bound, Guess via The Knot - Agnes Lopez Photograhpy, Dollhouse via Jose Villa, Manolo Blahnik via Barneys 

DEDICATED: HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MOM!

This post is dedicated to my mom and all things daffodil.   Today is her birthday and what an amazing gift she is to my life.  For as long as I can remember daffodils have been her favorite flower and I am forever trying to find gifts that are unique and thoughtful, signifying something she loves.   

Thankfully my mom and I both live in Denver so throughout my wedding planning, she has played an integral role.  Truthfully, there is absolutely NO way I could have done any of it without her.  To meet her is to love her and to know her is to be in awe.  Happy birthday, Momma.  I love you best of all.

From top left: Vintage Daffodil Note Cards , Flower Wand , Paper Daffodils ,  Fabric Inspired Cake , Daffodil Arrangement , BeeGee Bags , Daffodil Stamp , Daffodil Arrangement II, Bottle Vase , Daffodil Paper Flower Kit 

TRENDING: MENS SOCKS

There are many photographer consistencies when it comes to weddings: the rings, the hair, the flowers, the shoes.  I love it when brides take a playful approach to accessories because there is really no reason to stick to any sort of norm.  I’ve noticed a lot of grooms adding some stylish funk into their outfits as well, more specifically, his socks.   I’ve pulled some of my favorites below, a colorful way to spice things up.  And a girl always loves some spice.   Photo courtesy of James Christianson.  Socks from top: Richard Chai Bar Striped Sock, Paul Smith, Comme des Garcons Homme Plus, Barneys New York

LOVELY LOVE

I saw the sweetest photo session on Jose Villa’s blog today and it made me so excited to get married and share the rest of my life with one special man.  I believe in the sanctity and beauty of marriage and while I am prepared for the tough, the scary and the not-so-fun parts, these two gorgeous people inspired me, warmed my heart and made me smile.  Love exists in such amazing forms and moments, very evident in this lovely couple.  Married 65 years.

If you haven’t had the privilege of seeing Jose Villa’s work, do yourself a favor and check out his blog.  His photographs will make you want to jump through the computer screen and land smack in the middle of wherever he is.  Perfection. 

Jose Villa's blog can be found at: www.josevillablog.com