Pieces of Us

I was torn on this whole toasting thing. I had found a couple of viable options for toasting flutes on Etsy. They're cute and would easily go with our theme...but I was feeling a little "meh" about them. And a little "meh" on whether or not we even needed to buy anything at all, or just use whatever was placed in front of us.

But then Tina from With This Ring, I Obsess chimed in and shared she was going back and forth on this and was so glad she decided to do something special. I tracked back through her fabulous blog and found the great champagne glasses that she so cleverly personalized with charms from Paloma's Nest (did I mention that I <3>?!). Such a cute, clever idea Tina!

After searching on Etsy...yet again I was saved! I found this fabulous pair of platinum-rimmed vintage champagne glasses from Little Byrd Vintage. Oh, and did I mention that they were only $10?! I scooped them up immediately!

Source: Etsy

But, what to do, what to do for that extra little detail (you know, one of those details you obsess over, but only you and your mister will even notice!). I love the scrabble tile pendants I've been seeing all over the place on Etsy. They're so cute, but I'm not a big necklace purchaser in general, so I've never really had the urge to buy one...until, of course, my champagne glasses need some pizzaz!

Piece of Me Pendants on Etsy has an amazing variety of pendant designs...including... dahdahdah...a cupcake and a camera! Get it, get it? I love to bake, Mr. S is a passionate photographer...and the cupcake is even covered in sweet little hearts! They were only $5.95 each and I can easily reuse the pendants for other purposes (or even as a necklace, of course) after the wedding. Score!

Source: Etsy

Source: Etsy

I won't lie...the only less than stellar part of this $22 toasting project of mine was actually attaching the pendants to the stems of the glasses. I used white ribbon that I had on hand, and it was really quite too wide to do me any good. Did I stop and wait until I had something better? Of course not. I crammed the ribbon through the little pendant opening and somehow managed to wrap it around the stem of the glasses in a somewhat orderly fashion.

I could always swap the ribbon out later for a better look, but the they've really grown on me. I like that the pendants are positioned high up on the stems of the glasses and they're snuggly tied into place.

All-in-all, I love the sweet details of these petite little "his and her" glasses and that we'll be able to use them to toast special celebrations for years to come! (Whew...another detail...DONE!)

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Peek-a-Boo - Something Blue

I tried on my dress again over the weekend...I hadn't put it on since the day I bought it back in October, so I was a little anxious. At the time, the dress did zip, but it was tight. Really tight. Since it was a sample dress, what I tried on was what I was buying and the saleswoman assured me that my alterations person would be able to let it out a bit where needed.

My goal, like any typical bride, is to ensure that it won't need to be let out! However, after a long Chicago winter I was desperately hoping that I hadn't packed on the pounds and that the dress would still zip. It did and I could sort of sit down in it and as long as I didn't want to take a lot of deep breaths, all would be good. Needless to say, I've got a little work cut out for me and fortunately my first fitting is still months away! It was great spending some time with my mom this weekend and seeing how my veil and shoes worked with the dress. Love it!

So anyway, back to the blue. I took a lot of time looking at different garters and trying to decide what look to go for - something a little more sultry, a little va-va-va-voom, or sweet and innocent? Needless to say there are endless options out there, from favorite sports teams to garters afixed with feathers and crystal.

Etsy's Garter Lady has a wealth of different designs and at different price points. I finally opted for her "dainty" pale blue set with pearl accent. It's feminine and sweet with a vintage feel. The pale blue works perfectly as my "something blue" and I was able to keep to my budget, spending only $15 plus shipping for the set! Woo hoo!

Source: Etsy

I think this is going to look so sweet under my dress, although I'm still a little hesitant about this tradition encouraging Mr. S to be searching underneath my dress with all of our nearest and dearest around us! Anyone else out there have the same reservations?

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Bridesmaid Gifts: Part 2

So, I've already posted about the lovely clutches I'm working on for the bridesmaids. After I started thinking about what little things I wanted to tuck inside of the clutches (beyond their jewelry), my mind immediately went to vintage hankerchiefs. Since the bridesmaids dresses have pockets the girls can easily stash these hankies, to be pulled out **just in case** the tears of happiness start flowing.

I'd started my search on Etsy and was determined to get hankies with mongrams for each girl...which proved to be a rather unsuccessful effort. If you're willing to take the time and acquire these one by one, it's completely possible. If you're antsy like me and want to get it done all at once, you're probably going to wind up empty handed.

Instead, I set my sites on finding 5 different hankies that I felt all went together in some shape or form, but were all different - kind of like my bridesmaids! Each unique in her own way. I came across Etsy seller Kindred Thymes who had a great selection at fabulous prices. And, it's a much better deal overall to buy these from the same seller if possible.

Each and every one of these hankies is sweet and special while also being crisp and snowy white.

Source: Etsy

Source: Etsy

Source: Etsy

Source: Etsy

Source: Etsy

So, last time I posted about bridesmaids gifts I had spent $41.29 for the clutch material, or $8.26 per bridesmaid. I was able to get all 5 hankies for $24.25 (including shipping), so that puts me at a total so far of $65.54 or $13.11 per bridesmaid! Woo hoo!

Please know that I'm not a super frugal or stingy bride because I'm tallying up the costs! I absolutely love giving presents and don't automatically go to the price tag for things. However, multiplying everything by 5 quickly adds up, so I want to make sure I'm keeping tabs on things so I don't let myself get completely out of control! Secondly, it's rewarding knowing that I'm able to put together thoughtful, meaningful presents that aren't about expensive price tags or trendy brand names, but rather reflect my relationship with these ladies and my appreciation that they're a part of my big day!

And, of course...who doesn't love a bargain?! :)

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Put a Veil On It

The first veil I ever tried on was around $275. But it was a long, cascading veil, right? Wrong. It only went to my elbows. $275 for a piece of tulle on a comb that barely hits my elbows?! I started to panic at that moment about whether or not I really needed to do this whole getting married thing. Should I be expected to pay so much for something so little just because "wedding" is attached to it?!

Since I'm not the beading/crystal/lace type of bride, I knew that my veil needed to be simple at best, because simple would match my dress perfectly...as well as my personality.

I told my mom that I had found some veils on Etsy that would only run around $30. A deal! Fantastic. She seemed slightly sceptical, but she's not yet smitten with Etsy the way that I am.

And, of course, as I looked through options I was completely overwhelmed with the options, especially the different veils that "cascaded" and were "2 tiered" and this, that and the other. How is a girl to choose?! I flagged a few that I liked and kept on going back to the pictures until I knew I had a favorite. Bella Bridal Veils on Etsy had a simple 1 tier veil with a pencil edge that they would do in diamond white. Best of all, they know how we brides are with decisions, and allow you to return your veil within 10 days if it's not quite right.

Source: Etsy

No, this is not me in the pictures...as I'm not made of plastic.

Source: Etsy

At $24, this is probably one of the best deals I've gotten for my wedding. Since I didn't want all of the bells and whistles that a veil could possibly offer, I couldn't imagine investing much more for something I'd only wear for an hour or two.

I can't wait to have a picture of myself in the dress and the veil (and the shoes, and the jewelry...and the list keeps on going...) and see how it all pulls together!

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5eizen on Etsy...after my own heart!

So I bought my dress this past October and it's been torture not to wear it! I've heavily debated whether or not to post pictures...but I know Mr. Stiletto (as I will refer to him from here on out, as much as he might hate it!) has been thoroughly instructed to not check out any of my wedding posts. And, since I've told only a small handful of people about my blog, my secret is pretty safe from those who will be at the wedding!


First let me say that I saw that the dress had tiered layers and absolutely refused to try it on. Once I finally did (after the saleswoman forced me) I absolutely fell in love. However, because it's rather plain - I didn't want any lace or beading - the salewoman put different (overpriced!) belts and sashes around my waist so that I could see some different options. Which is fine, but they just weren't my style, and with the buttons going down the back of my dress, I hated how the sashes wouldn't lay flat.

I decided that because the dress has such a soft, flowy feel, having my alterations person attach a flower at the waistline would be a great way to add detail. Since I only spent a mere $600 on the dress (from Wedding Belles in Barrington, IL), I'm not worried about making any changes to it (if, say, Vera was involved in the evolution of my dress, I might think twice!).

Last week I saw an Etsy Wedding post highlighting the wonderful work of Irene of 5eizen on Etsy. I saw this ring pillow with her "Elle" bloom and swooned. It's so soft and delicate.

Source: Etsy

I contacted Irene to see about a custom listing - a white bloom on it's own that I could have attached to my dress (she did offer to put it on a pin so that it could be removed from the dress, but I've opted to have it permenately attached).

Source: Etsy

Irene was so fabulous to work with. She gave me a lot of different options on the shade of white (since my dress is "diamond white") and was so responsive with different ideas. I'm anxiously awaiting my flower!

The selection of ring pillows, floral hair pieces and birdcage veils available through 5eizen are phenomenal, modern, and chic. And...the prices will make your jaw drop. She just added a line of floral belts as well that I seriously considered - how vintage yet modern is this belt?!

Source: Etsy

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Bought it on Etsy

I couldn't get through the day without starting up regular post topics - Bought it on Etsy and Spotted on Etsy posts. Over the past few months, I have fallen head over heals with Etsy.com. It is the planning resource that I think every bride should utilize - with a network of such creative individuals and a wide variety of prices, Etsy falls within everyone's grasp.

My very first purchase on Etsy was last September. I found a pair of earrings that I just had to have, and it didn't matter that my wedding was a year away, or that I didn't even have my dress. I needed these earrings, and the details of my wedding would just have to work around them!

Emily at Precious Meshes does an amazing job on all of her work. You can see the craftsmanship that goes into each piece, and almost every piece she creates is perfectly suited for wedding jewelry, but at the same time doesn't scream wedding.

I wanted something unique and special, while keeping away from pearls (they're lovely, just not for my wedding day). These netted crystal earrings could not be more perfect - they have an amazing presence and yet they're still delicate. They sparkle. And they're made from "vintage faceted glass chandelier crystal." They could be your something old!

Source: Etsy

I was able to take them along when I bought my dress...and yes, the dress did work around my perfect pair of earrings...like they were meant to find each other!

I can't wait to work with Emily in the coming months as she works to create a necklace to pair perfectly with these earrings.

While I may be slightly out of control with my Etsy shopping sprees, one thing is for sure...my wedding will definitely be handmade. And in the meantime, I'll just continue to enjoy the Etsy purchases the mailman leaves for me each and every day.

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