Weekend Update
This weekend is my last FULL weekend with no plans so I tried to cram in as much wedding stuff as I could. I had my final makeup and hair trial, got most all the gift bags packed (I will post photos after the wedding so our friends can’t be snoopy and see their gifts!), got my ring back from the jewelers, packed the bathroom baskets, and I finished my bridal banner! As always, for your viewing pleasure….
Andy’s is a titanium with carbon fiber inlay. Mine is diamonds and pink sapphires.
The ushers (Blake & Tyler) will carry this down the aisle in front of the flower girl (Aaliyah) right before I make my grand entrance. I thought this might help Aaliyah be less nervous since she will be walking not far behind her cousins.
And, how cute is this:
We got Booed!
This little bag was left on our doorstep Friday with a cute poem about Halloween. You’re supposed to go to the store (good plot Walmart!), get two new “Boo Kits”, fill them with treats (ours had this cute candy dish and mini Reece’s Peanut Butter Cups…hmmm, where did those go I wonder?!) then leave the bag on the doorstep of your friend/neighbor. It also has a door hanger you put on your door that says “I’ve Been Booed!” so people know if your house has been booed!
It Just Keeps Gettin’ Better
Behold…our latest creation!!
I found a super fun photo online of a black & white cupcake stand so after much consideration we decided we would go with cupcakes in lieu of the traditional wedding cake. (What? Moi going untraditional…NO!!!) 
Of course, we agreed it had to be classy and fun, certainly not like a fourth grade bake sale type cupcake display. No way. So after some discussion with Aunt Pam, who will be doing our cake/cupcakes, the three of us came up with a design and just a few trips to the store and several hours later the above photo is what we came up with!!!
Don’t be frightened by the crazy hook like sculpture on top, it’s an ornament stand and we’re considering using it, but we’ll see. We do plan to have a small cake on the very top. I was really hoping to use black cupcake liners, but I can’t seem to find them anywhere. Seems odd…especially around Halloween. Grrr.
The cupcake stand isn’t actually finished yet but I couldn’t wait to share it with the world! 
We plan to add black trim and maybe some pink ribbon and bows around the boxes. But quite honestly, I think it could easily be used as is. At just over three and a half feet tall this thing is sturdy, and heavy. Made with plywood, foam board and fabric.
Do you want to know the best part…we designed it so the panels are completely interchangeable!!! How awesome is that?! We can swap them out and reuse this baby for special events or holidays. Or maybe resell or rent it! Or, knowing me, if I change my mind I can reupholster the whole thing! Does it surprise anyone that I have polka-dot and stripe fabric too, just in case?! LOL
Thank you Aunt Pam for your ideas and inspiration and thank you, thank you, THANK YOU Andy for being so awesome and handy. Just goes to show that we are SO good together!!
Home Sweet (New) Home
Although it may not happen until next year, but because it could possibly happen as soon as next month, Andy & I have decided get a head start on finding a new home. As such, we are going through all our things. I am told I am a pack rat and need to get rid of all excess “stuff,” including the inventory I have in stock from my old engraving store.
So…I’m having a sale!! I have a lot of very nice engraving materials & gift items in stock leftover from when I had my store. They are in brand new condition, just have been in storage since I closed up shop. What better way to get rid of “extra stuff” and help pay for our upcoming shindig?! Check back to see what else I can find.
Here’s the first item:
I have a limited number of beautiful 5×7 marble plaques that can be engraved with your favorite photo and quote. This design as shown above will feature one photo of your choice and one title/quote/saying. They make great gifts for parents, grandparents or to display in your own home…or garden! $40 each or request exact duplicates at a discount: 2 for $70, or 3 for $100. Price includes shipping & a display easel. (Sales tax will apply to Illinois residents.) Professional photos require a signed release from your photographer, no exceptions.
To order, please email me a high quality (300 dpi) scan of your photo along with how you would like the plaque personalized. I will send you a draft to approve and e-mail a bill via PayPal. Payment in full will be required prior to shipping. Other sizes and shapes are available, please contact me for details.
Thank you in advance for helping me efficiently unclutter my house & save for the wedding (& new house!)
How Exciting!!
I have been e-mailing back and forth today with Kate Harrison, author of The Green Bride website and book
I have actually been getting quite a few compliments on the calendars. (Although why doesn’t anyone leave comments on the website??? We are getting tons of hits every day but very few comments.) 
Oh well. Perhaps I can bribe…er um, I mean…encourage comments by offering some wedding freebies?? I will add things as I can find time. The more comments and encouragement I get from my readers, the more I’ll try to share with you!!
So check out the new page for Freebies and check out the post about us on Kate’s site. And for Pete’s sake (whoever Pete is) please start leaving me comments so I know the 20 hours a day I spend online are for a purpose greater than talking (typing?) to myself!!! Okay, yes I am over exaggerating a bit; I do sleep some nights so 18 hours is probably more truthful…although sometimes I dream that I’m online, but that probably doesn’t count, does it? Anyhow, I digress…
And More Fun Stuff
Do you remember making Fortunte Tellers as a kid? (Also called Cootie Catchers – why I don’t know…) I thought they might be a fun addition to the reception. But I need your help. I haven’t figured out what to put inside them! This is what I have so far:
Outside: Laura, Andy, Meckley, Wedding
Inside 1: 1 Love, 2 People, 3 Dogs, 4 Ever
Inside 2: Pink, Orange, Black, White
Fortunes:
BLANK!!! AGH!
Please comment below and help me write some fun fortunes!
I need 4-8 fortunes. Thanks!!
Speaking of the Invitations…
I realized I have not posted photos of my revised invitations and the inserts. So here ya go! Oh yeah, made by yours truly, the mastermind behind elle Z designs of course. (Gotta throw in my shameless plug; I’ve gotta pay for this wedding somehow, right?!)
Front – Gatefold Style
3D Name Banner – My Favorite Part!
Entire Set – Invitation, Directions/Info Card, RSVP Postcard
I’ve said it many times and I’ll say it again, 1 year is too long for me to plan a wedding. Obviously I love all our wedding ideas, crafts, etc. but after poking around online and seeing other amazing work from FABULOUSLY creative and talented brides, I have started to second guess some of my projects. I keep looking at things and finding minor details I would do differently now that I’m up to my ears in wedding ideas.
Check out these girls and you will see what I mean: Amber (who has similar colors, GORGEOUS invitations, AND PERSONALIZED BRIDAL CONVERSE SHOES that make me so insanely jealous I might have to “borrow” the idea! ) and Heather who is also extremely talented. So many fun ideas!
But, I am trying to keep myself from redoing everything. Instead, I keep adding on more and more projects. This crafty wedding may be overkill for some so…you’ve been warned!
Who else has had too much time planning that they find themselves redoing projects or adding more and more to their list?
DIY Aisle Runner – Part 2 (almost) Complete!
Aggghhhh!!! I am so excited I could just scream! I am *almost* done with our aisle runner. Here is the second part in this three phase project:
You may notice I still need to do some outlining but I am anxiously awaiting the paint to dry. It’s killing me to wait but I was starting to get a little sloppy in my rush to finish. After this is done I will attempt to line the entire 50′ of it in black ribbon.
I do believe this is the largest crafting project I have ever tackled. Well, the centerpieces took some time too, but I had two helpers. And so did the invitations. Okay, to be fair, this is the single most time consuming item. When it’s done I expect I will have at least 10 or more hours into it. I stopped counting after the first couple days of work.
What is the biggest DIY wedding project you have done?
Will You Be My Bridesmaid/MOH/Attendent/Usher??
I have been meaning to blog about this for a long time but I had to wait until everyone received their package and then I guess I kind of forgot about it. Other brides have posted on forums asking how other people asked people to be in their wedding and it reminded me that I have not shared my photos and stuff online yet.
For the girls I made a CD Jewel Case Calendar. I found photos and quotes online and did a layout in CorelDraw.
Read the rest of the entry for more photos, quotes, details & even a free template!
Hand Painted Aisle Runner – Part One COMPLETE!
Yay!! After about 4 sessions, or an estimated 8 hours of tracing, painting and
outlining…I present to you the completed part one of our personalized aisle
runner!!!
Ta-Da!!
Now, part two is to finish the monogram section and part three
is to put ribbon around the entire thing. We’re talking over 100′ of ribbon
folks. I’m a little nervous that I might mess up this whole project at the very
end. Stay tuned…
Who Wants Pink Crinoline? I DO! I DO!
I poke around the Internet A LOT. So much that I don’t know how I ever lived without it! It’s a great source of information – you’ve virtually got the entire world at your fingertips. I find a ton of really fun ideas, many that I will be incorporating into our wedding. I found this site and decided I too, MUST have a pink colored crinoline slip! Read more
