Favors

When we got engaged, I told myself that I was not going to do favors. I thought they were wastes of money and time. I didn't think any of my guests would want a frame/bar of soap/candle with our names and wedding date. When I told my mom that I wasn't going to do the imprinted cocktail napkins, I think the poor woman died a little on the inside. I'm still hoping to talk her out of the napkins (or order just one set for her), but I did run across this idea on Martha Stewart Weddings.


The company that makes these lollipops, Ju-C Suckers, has tons of different styles, flavors and colors (one is even "sweet tea"--for real). I think I'm going to replicate the Martha Stewart idea using these apple shaped lollipops.

The small one on the left is $0.50 and the large one is $0.95. Ju-C Suckers will send them to you wrapped in cellophane (like in the photo above-you provide the ribbon) with a custom label on the back. LOVE IT!

flowers

Two great ideas for budget-friendly flowers for the bridesmaids. My bouquet, of course, will be different. Haven't ruled out the button one yet, Meg!

Carnations and baby's breath. Seriously. (And not together).

Carnations:
I have always had an aversion to carnations. To me, they've always looked like cheap, filler funeral flowers. Well, guess what readers? I was WRONG! Carnations can be absolutely GORGEOUS when composed in the right way. Take a look at these photos.













How can I hate carnations now?

The pink bouquet above was made with flowers found at the local supermarket! Seriously! And since carnations cost about $0.65 per stem (where roses cost $1.15 and up), you can save a TON by using them.

Baby's Breath:
I know, you're all wondering if I've lost my mind. I have not, I assure you (though today is testing me). Baby's breath, like carnations, often get a bad rap. But, when allowed to shine alone in a bouquet, they are almost ethereal. They cost about $13.00 a bunch (with 10 to 12 stems), so they are also very economical. Another benefit is their hardy nature. You won't see these guys wilting after a few hours. No, sir! Check out this lovely bouquet.
I may have a florist do these, but they are totally DIY as well. I would recommend ordering flowers from Blooms by the Box, a site I found via another wedding blog.

Centerpieces

I'm cheap. Anyone who knows me knows this.

I've seen so many weddings with beautiful centerpieces made of lovely flowers. Flowers that, by the next day, will be totally and completely dead (or on their way to their death). I just can't see spending thousands of dollars on this. So, no flowers.

I can hear you all saying it now -- "Well, just use candles! They're cheap and easy". I wish. No candles allowed in the old, log lodge. Fire hazard, I suppose. On to something else. But, what will this something else be?

That's where I need help. I'm thinking of hosting an orchard trip as part of the rehearsal dinner. Since it will be fall, North Carolina mountains are only a few miles away and the pre-wedding day is a Saturday (when most people will be off from work), I think we should all take a day trip and pick some apples! We'll then put them in glass vases or in baskets to make the centerpieces. They'll be reusable too!

Here are some inspiration photos.

Colors

So, I've pretty much decided on my color scheme. I'm like 99% sure of what I want. But, I have this one little nagging idea that won't leave me alone. I'm just not sure that idea #2 is appropriate for a fall wedding. Here are the two ideas:

#1 - Royal Blue and Chartreuse (see first photo)
I love royal blue, especially as a color to wear. I think it looks great on every skin tone, it's bright without being neon and it is different. When thinking of a color to pair it with, I wanted something that would reflect my favorite things. Well, since my other favorite color is green, that had to be it. Yes, they are two bold colors together in a pair and yes, they are different. But, I think the chartreuse will allow us to use Granny Smith apples in the decor! So, the wedding will have a fall feel without me having to use orange. Me + orange = no love.

#2 - Aqua and Poppy (red)
I have seen this on Martha Stewart weddings and in several other places. I LOVE this theme, but it seems to be out of season for a fall wedding. For a summer wedding, it can be tweaked for a beach theme. Winter weddings can use the aqua for snowflakes. One other reason I'm not a fan is because I don't want red or aqua bridesmaids dresses. Red isn't my thing and aqua can never be worn again (or very rarely can). I guess I will just have to love this one from afar.

Things I know right now (I think!)

The Venue:
Table Rock State Park Lodge

The Dress/Veil:
It's a secret! I'll say that the dress is a Casablanca and the veil was made by Erica Koesler.

The Food:
Aunt Sue's Country Kitchen, Pickens, SC

The Photographer:
the lovely and talented Jessica Raney!

The Girls:
My MOH is my sister, Kayla. The other girls are close friends that I have known for many years. Anna is my oldest friend (we go way back to 6th grade!). Steph is one of the first people I met at PC and we've been BFF's ever since. Kari is another PC friend who is one of my fave people ever. Megan is our "cupid" since she finally gave us the push to get together!

The Boys:
The Best Man (don't want to abbreviate this as BM...haha!) is Andrew's father. His groomsmen are: Scott, his brother; Joel, his closest friend from Reinhardt and bandmate; Jeff, his bandmate in the WOW; Brad, who is Steph's husband and a good friend of both myself and Andrew.

The Officiant:
Andrew's oldest brother, Jody, is a pastor at Campus Church of Christ in Norcross.

The Videographer:
Andrew's brother-in-law, Aaron, will be filming our wedding as a gift to us. He's extremely talented, so I know it will be great. And since I wasn't planning to spend the $$ on a videographer, getting one for free is so sweet!

That's about all I know for now (or as it should be titled - things I cannot change my mind about).

The Venue

When I started the wedding venue search, I decided that a couple of factors had to be met in order for me to consider a place.

1.) There had to be room for an outdoor ceremony.
2.) The venue had to allow flexibility with regard to vendors, especially caterers.
3.) I didn't want a "wedding factory" venue. IMO, a WF is a place where multiple weddings are held in one day and they all virtually look the same.
4.) The venue had to be less than $1000 to rent, including chairs and tables.
5.) It would have to be centrally located to my family (in the Anderson, SC area) and A's family (in the Athens, GA area).

After much searching, I found a spectacular place...Table Rock State Park lodge! I think it will be an excellent place to hold our wedding, but it is not without its own challenges.

Positives: This beautiful 2 story log lodge has room for an indoor ceremony (in case of inclement weather), a separate reception area, tables and chairs included, and total flexibility with vendors! Plus, it overlooks the lake and Table Rock mountain! The Sunday rental price is only $856, too!

Negatives: You are not allowed into the lodge until 10 AM on the day of your event. So, no rehearsal and no setup until day of. Holy stress, Batman! Also, there are not too many vendors nearby (I did find someone to cater, but that's another post). There are very few places to hold a rehearsal dinner the night before unless you do it in Greenville or Easley (each about 30 miles away). One last thing...we have to do the cleanup.

But, in the end I decided it was worth it. The venue is beautiful, the price was right, it's a unique place to get married, it was in South Carolina and I wouldn't have to spend an arm and a leg to rent chairs at $3 each.

You can see another Table Rock wedding here. Also, check out the pictures below and let me know what you think!

It's been a while

Per Miss Meg Brown, I have to start doing better at the whole "blogging" thing. So, I'm going to do my best. I'm going to leave this post as an apology and recap my wedding plans to date in a few future posts.