Wedding attire… Well, here’s what we did. We established our color scheme, girls in navy and guys in navy with touches of brown, orange, etc. We then gave our party free range on their attire with those simple instructions. We certainly wanted to feel like ourselves and we also wanted our wedding party to be comfortable and reflect their own style. Everyone looked amazing! It was super fun to see all of our favorite people looking so gorgeous and awesome! Some of us did have a little help with hair and makeup from the amazing, talented, and awesome Rebecca Gohl. We got engaged and I quite immediately messaged her to see if she was available on our date! She was, I’m not even kidding when I say I would have changed to the date if she was not, that is how good she is. I had also previously hired her for Naomi when my brother Stephen and her got married.
Now let’s talk about our attire. Stephan and I both felt like shopping for a suit and traditional wedding dress didn’t quite feel right. SO here’s what we did, we added wedding attire to the list of our usual thrift store runs and we picked up a nice menagerie of mix and match pieces for him. We ended up spending a whopping $15 on his outfit, and another $35 on some sweet shoes on clearance. He looked great, like himself, and I think honestly like he fell out of a late 70’s JCPenney catalog in this pic, perfection!
Now onto me, a much more difficult case. I’m not a fan of clothes shopping. I never like anything, it’s too expensive, it doesn’t fit right, never fits my bust, annoying, ick ick ick. I knew I needed to start right away. I scoured the mall looking at formal dresses, more casual white dresses with a 60s vibe, hit a couple of big bridal boutiques, thrifts of course, and I was coming up short. I didn’t really like anything or what I kinda liked was of course waaay too expensive and also not available in time, I was also re-confirming I didn’t like all white. I then purchased a dress on clearance that was way too big and was going to have it remade, but couldn’t find a place I was comfortable with. Then, a friend of ours told us about a lady opening up a new shop in South Bend, Indiana. It’s called Hourglass Bridal. She specializes in custom and sample gowns, works with all sizes, and everything in the shop was under $700. I immediately scheduled an appointment and my mom, our friend Judy, and I had all the time we needed as Angie schedules individually. I liked 2 gowns, the fit of one was perfect but too traditional and also white, the other had the elements and color I was looking for, so I ended up ordering a custom gown combining the two, and the kicker is it came in in less than 2 months, and was $470!!! Yes, a custom wedding dress under $500 in less than 2 months, worth saying again. I’m telling you the price because it’s insane as far as wedding dresses go, especially custom. Anything even close to this already in the store would seriously be at least $1200. Angie also has an amazing seamstress she works with, Diane, of Diane’s Sewing in Osceola, IN. Amazing work, amazing price! These 2 ladies are gems and really really know what they are doing! Go see them if you’re in the market for a wedding dress, formal dress, or need alterations. It’s worth the drive, trust me. And another great perk, I was able to support 2 awesome small independent businesses as well!
Accessories:
Cute shoe pic, yep.
I grabbed these sorta late 60s early 70s looking shoes at Nordstrom rack, and then I nabbed a vintage gold clutch at the thrift store. I made a hair comb for myself with some family items. Grandma’s comb, a blue leaf from her hat, a button of her’s, and a handmade doily from the Price side. I purchased a small off white silk rose and sewed it all together. I wore a string of pearls that was an add a pearl necklace given to me by my cousin. I entwined it with a set of my grandma Price’s baby rings that were made into a necklace and given to me long ago.
And I also sewed a ring bearer pillow out of some fabric from my grandma’s, and the fake rings were from my parents wedding pillow.
And by now you may know I’m a sentimental sap. I adore meaningful things, things with stories, and items with family history. So, when we got engaged I had an idea about my ring, and since I’m not much of a jewelry person it was extra important to me to have something very special and sentimental to wear forever. My grandma Price had her wedding and engagement ring made into another ring after my grandfather passed away. I’ve had her ring for sometime and have worn it on a couple of very special occasions. I wanted to have it remade into something that felt more like me, and I knew exactly where I wanted to go. Over the years I’ve seen the work that’s come out of Metal Art Studio here in Grand Rapids. I knew they would do a great job and create something I would love and treasure forever. So I had my grandma’s ring lovingly remade. Before on the left, after on the right. I need a better camera with a micro lense, I can’t do this ring justice. It’s way more beautiful in person! They created a modern twig engagement ring with offset large diamond and 6 tiny diamonds on the band, and then my wedding band in the same pattern with small diamonds is attached to the diamond creating the illusion that it goes through. I wanted a modern looking bezel set ring, with a natural element, with the diamond lowered so I wouldn’t catch on things with my busy hands! I just love it!
And finally here we are together! Taking a little walk in the wildflowers. What’s so sweet about this pic is that Stephan had leaned down and picked a little dried flower pod and is holding it in his hand. It was such a beautiful happy loving day in so many ways!
WEDDING FLOWERS!
Turns out I was super optimistic about all the things I could get done while recovering from a major surgery, like blogging, or thank you cards. Stephan and I just happily celebrated 1 month of married life while I’ve been on the mend! I’ve decided the best way to talk wedding details is in segments. SO, let’s talk one of my faves, wedding flowers! What does a lady do when she’s the one who usually designs the flowers?!? There’s no time to do them all, well maybe I could have squeezed that in magically but there were plenty of other things to do and enjoy like rehearsals, hair and makeup, and time with out of town family and friends, and then the relaxing. I picked the flowers out, ordered them up, and wrote recipes for the bouquets. Then, my trusty and super amazing friend Michele stepped up and did an outstanding job! We went and picked them up together, spent a little time prepping, and she took the reigns. I knew I was in great hands so it was easy to relax! Besides being an awesome friend, Michele is a talented artist and curator, check some of her work out here and while yer at it, check out the shows she curates at Kendall College of Art and Design if you’re in GR! Thanks to Michele and Cat for capturing a lot of these pics too!
Color of the Month October 2016 and Rehearsal Brunch!
It’s mid month and yep, late on the color of the month post. BUT, for good reasons like getting married!!! And for not the best reasons like recovering from surgery. So, this month I give you color of the month in aqua blue along with rehearsal brunch bits too! I have been saving up aqua vintage because, well I love it…and I always imagined using it for a wedding shower or party of the sort. SO, when it came down to our rehearsal wedding brunch I knew exactly which direction I was headed! Color of the month, here we go!
Stay tuned, more wedding details coming soon! 🙂
Color of the Month September 2016!
September! I’m a bit behind on the post but it’s Wedding Month! SO, lots to do at home and out and about, thinking, planning, doing, figuring out, gathering. So, back to color of the month…tomorrow is Stephan’s birthday and so this month he requested orange!
Color of the Month August 2016!
Woah, hello August! I’m a few days delayed with my color of the month. Distracted by wedding planning and adjusting to my new awesome life with Stephan. 51 days to go as he informed me today! SO, this month I incorporated a few of his pewter pieces in giving a gray and pink theme. Kinda fun to have a little twist on my usual setup!
Magazine Press!
Hooray! More magazine press! This time see my organic strawberry tea towel in Romantic Homes July issue on page 10!
Thanks so much Romantic Homes Magazine for featuring my towel!
July 2016 Color of the Month!
July, bam, here it is. Let’s celebrate sunshine and warmth with yellow! I find this time of year super dreamy with all the plants and flowers and gardening that’s abound. The cottage garden is looking great and producing delicious pea pods, onions, radishes, lettuce, and herbs. Here at home we’ve been doing a major overhaul on the yard. It hasn’t looked like this since I put the gardens in about 10 years ago! Turns out my fiance is an amazing yard machine digging up the bamboo grass that wandered all over the zen side. Let me just say I could barely even get the shovel in the ground and he was digging trenches. The man is utterly amazing in all ways. Friends who have so far seen the yard in progress are speechless. I’ll post some pics when it gets all mulched up. So back to cheery color of the month! Three cheers for being able to enjoy the outdoors, nature, cottage time, picking fresh food and flowers from the garden, and being with people you love.
Color of the Month June 2016
June, full garden revamp is in effect! Plants, plants, and more plants, digging, moving, removing. The cottage garden is in, my veggie gardens are in and my backyard is in the midst of a mini makeover so color of the month is GREEN all the way!
On a more serious note, I’m dedicating this color of the month post to our family friend Jim. He passed away Memorial Day and will be greatly missed by my family. His inquisitive mind, quarky sense of humor, and kindness will not be forgotten. I could never thank him enough for how much he believed in me and my business. Always following what I was doing, buying pieces, even though I would be just as happy to give him whatever he wanted. Jim, maybe you’re still reading these from a new place of comfort, peace, and rest-we love you and will miss you, and thank you.
Color of the Month May 2016!
Hey MAY! Wow! I’d say I’ve had a pretty stellar start to this year so I’m going with COOL blue this month. Feeling a little bit behind here with all the busyness and travel as of late, but oh well, loving it! I’ll be doing a post soon on my trip to Nashville to the Country Living Fair which was at the end of April in case you missed my social media posts. Be sure to follow along if you aren’t already, links at the bottom of the page. I’m keeping it short here as I try to play catch up with work and general life responsibilities, enjoy the May color of the month! Also garden season is here! Prepped my veggie gardens last night! YAY!
APRIL color of the month!
Yes! April! Spring is now official! The cottage is back open, I haven’t been yet but soon, soon! I can’t wait for some quiet island time, bird watching, and starting the garden there, and the garden here at home for that matter. Plenty to do in the meantime. April is a busy month traditionally with family activity, work, and the commencement of rummage sale season. Spring is a great time to dig deep as we renew and refresh from the winter. With my upcoming birthday, giving me my last year before I hit the next decade, and going into my 10th year in business I’m digging extra deep these days. SO, I give you red this month, an emotionally intense charged color.