DIY Wedding Signs

I’m so inspired by worn, wooden, handmade wedding signs. Whether it’s a (seemingly confusing) directional or a shabby chic ceremony sign...whether it’s nailed to a stake in the ground or hanging from a tree, wedding signs are, quite simply, the best DIY feature any wedding can have.

And, they don’t just make great photos (as we all know, I’m plagued with a love for a great photo op), they’re also functional! “Where’s the ladies room,” a guest may ask. “Why, it's right over there, next to the restroom sign,” she says to herself!

Take a look at some of the beauties that I’ve come across.

Oh, signage, how do I love thee?


photo credits: Pen Carlson, Stacey Kane, Stephanie Williams, Leigh Miller, Southern Weddings

calling all past and present Chicago brides

I need your help...

I would like very much to feature more excellent and budget-friendly vendors on my little wedding bloglette, but I've just scheduled the last of my vendors, and it appears that I'll run out of reviews by the end of next month!!! Eeek!

Herein lies my request. Do you have vendor recommendations that you'd be willing to share with me? If so, dish, women, dish! The future brides of Chicago need to know!

Here's what I would need from you:
your name
your website, if you have one
your wedding date
number of wedding guests
vendor name
vendor cost
vendor contact information
short description of your experience
all emailed to me at TheEverydayBride{at}gmail{dot}com...

*The term budget-friendly is a relative one. Therefore, please do not hesitate to submit your vendor, whatever the cost, as there will undoubtedly be many other brides who agree with your definition of budget-friendly. Can't wait to read about all of your vendors!!!

Chicago Wedding Venue: Farm

I suppose this post should be entitled, Chicagoland Wedding Venue VII, as this next venue is in Glenview, but I'm a fan of consistency, so the title shall remain...

I've been helping my oldest and dearest friend, Charlotte, find a venue for her August 2009 wedding (yes, yes, the date is creeping up on her, but this former Chicago bride, and guest blogger, once told me that all one actually needs is 6 months to really plan a wedding) and bless Charlotte's heart, all she has requested is that it be an affordable and outdoor venue. Wonderful! There should be plenty venues like that within 20 miles of Chicago, right? Well, not as many as I had imagined...

But, finally, after sifting through 85 golf courses and 10 junky farms, I think I have found a venue that may be perfect for her: Historic Wagner Farms! It's 50% rustic and 50% manicured and 100% adorable! And, what's more, it's seemingly affordable, with only a variety of nominal site fees ($500 site fee for Saturdays and only $350 for Fridays...and they have some really laid back (read: affordable) meal options!!!!). Almost too good to be true...hmmmm.... I'll be sure to keep you posted.

Abandoned DIY Project I: DIY Mercury Glass Revisited

Thanks to Amanda over at the almighty VintageGlam citing my mercury glass project, I seem to have a number of new visitors here at my humble wedding-blog-abode. Thanks, Amanda! Naturally, I've received a number of Krylon Looking Glass inquiries as well. So, instead of continuing to reply one by one, I've decided to revisit my (ill-fated) DIY project in hopes to save the next DIY bride (or beginning-level crafter) from failure. Yes, I'll admit it: I failed. And yes, it's completely depressing. But, really, I'd rather see you succeed in DIYing your mercury glass, than to have failed in vain (a "craft and pass it on" of sorts)...

My first mistake: not enough time. I had a self-imposed deadline for all of my DIY projects so I wouldn't find myself awake at 3am - the morning of my wedding day, (you shake your head in disbelief, but I KNOW it's happened...). As a result, about a quarter of my projects were thrown overboard on various dates before our wedding, including my beloved mercury glass votives and cylinder vases (imagine all of these votives and pillar candles flickering in worn, seemingly-vintage, mercury glass, oh if only).

My second mistake: not enough stock. I ruined well over half of my cylinder vases and votives before I finally got the hang of it. Some of them came out badly streaked, while others looked like cloudy spray painted tin cans. It was bad... To safeguard against this, perhaps you could purchase some super cheap (like .39 votives) to practice on…

Here's the secret: short bursts. Spray one coat of Looking Glass very lightly and in short bursts on the inside of the cylinder vases or votives, while making sure to continuously turn the object while spraying, allow to dry, then repeat until you achieve the desired look. (Believe me when I say, you need a lot of time to complete this project - think of the drying time alone.) You might also want to speckle your cylinder vases with metallic leaf, or even shoot a few bursts of randomly sprayed gold-ish spray paint, before applying Looking Glass to create an even more worn effect. Below are a couple of crafty examples via Krylon.

Alternatively, this look (below) might be achieved via Chef Fifi's approach: using silver, gold or copper leaf (see last photo for her DIY apothecary lid). You might be able to section off a lace pattern with this Etsy seller's lace tape, wrapping the tape on the inside of the cylinder vase and using the tape as a stencil. You would then use Looking Glass as instructed previously, but making sure to remove the tape before the paint dries completely. Then apply metallic leaf on the inside of the cylinder vase, making sure to leave some surface area uncovered, so to highlight the lace pattern. Worth a try, at least.

Hope all of this information helps. Happy crafting!

Photo credits: Krylon, Krylon, Apartment Therapy, Brooker Pie, Chez Fifi

Happy New Year: NYE Wedding

Let's face it, New Year's Eve is like armature night. Every rookie from around the world feels obligated to spend a night on the town, turning all of your favorite hot-spots into a disgustingly packed, sweat fest. No thank you.

Instead, just once in my life, I would LOVE to have a wonderful New Year's Eve wedding to attend. We've all heard about them, but has anyone ever been to one? I imagine they're wonderful: glitzy and glamy, shiny and sparkly... Oh, if only...

photo credits: Sparklers Online, {frolic}, theknot, theknot, theknot

Bag Borrow or Steal

To all my budget-conscious ladies:

If you find yourself unwilling to buy expensive jewelery or an evening bag for your wedding because you can't bring yourself to spend hundreds of dollars on something you'll never wear again (I mean, really, the dress is bad enough), or if you find that your Saks taste doesn't match your Target budget, you should seriously consider "renting" your accessories. Bag Borrow or Steal has an extensive Wedding Shop that features everything from très expensive Rosiblu earrings to the totally affordable Kenneth Jay look-alikes. Quick, go check out the selection at Bag Borrow or Steal. Happy browsing!

For those of you who can't get married without a tiara (you know who you are), BBS even has a couple of those to choose from as well. (See above photo...)

photo credits: Bag Borrow or Steal

Everyday China

Nathan and I ended up with 7 sets of Fine China (it's called fine china, but it was only $89 a set, and it is dishwasher, microwave and oven-safe...) and only 4 sets of Everyday China. But, instead of going out and buying 5 more sets of Fine China and 8 more sets of Everyday China, we decided to cut back and only go with 8 sets of each...

What will we do when we entertain, you ask?

We'll mix the sets, of course! (See last photo for the best example of "mixed texture" dinnerware...) In fact, the lace pattern of our Fine China and the pearl pattern of our Everyday China go so well together, that I may even want to mix them all the time!

Yay for finding solutions...

While I love both sets of china, I must admit, I'm partial to our Ralph Lauren, Spring Lace Fine China. As one shopper explained: "Ralph Lauren continues to set the stage for casual elegance for the home with a china collection that shall stand the test of a timeless design. The Spring Lace Dinnerware collection is a classic twist on white with a subtle lace pattern..."

Once again...happy as a clam!

photo credits: 1) Macy's, 2) Crate & Barrel, 3) Crate & Barrel

Merry Christmas

Warmest wishes this Christmas and always. See you when we get back from PA...

Vendor Review IV: Photobooth

Chicagoland PhotoBooth: A+

I must say, Nathan and I really lucked out with our vendors. This was in part due to plain old luck and in part due to my insane research tactics - seeking out referrals, reading every single article I could find on each vendor, and weeding through the propaganda or "sponsored articles", as those rarely reflect the whole truth. (…well, I did this with all except for one vendor, which turned out to be a huge mistake, but more on that in an upcoming post.)

Because we had such good fortune with our vendors, I actually feel somewhat obligated to pass along their information - otherwise I could see some creepy karma coming my way. So, in the spirit of "passing it forward", I'd like to tell you about another amazing AND budget-friendly vendor - Chicagoland PhotoBooth.

Really and truly, our photobooth was the highlight of the evening for many of our guests. From funny-faced cousins piling in by the dozens to priceless pics with my new hubby, our photobooth was a complete success. And, what’s more, the photos made a memorable guestbook…

While Chicagoland PhotoBooth does not have the “vintage look” I originally hoped for, it did have the price tag that was very happy with. (And, let’s face it, a photobooth is vintage and nostalgic, whether you have an original, 1960’s booth or a present-day, comfortable recreation of it…) CPB charged us $800 for 4 hours of unlimited photos (originally $900, but they were running a $100 off special). However, to stretch those 4 hours, they “closed” the booth during dinner and thus did not charge us for that time. Yay! Plus, because CPB is a smaller company, you have more of an opportunity to make a package fit your needs (i.e., closing during the dinner hours, etc.) And, to top it off, Jeff and Erin, the couple that owns the company, are the cutest, friendliest people I’ve ever met. It's a win-win all around.

Final thoughts on photobooths:

I know what some of you are thinking…photobooths are on their way to being “overdone”. But, really, it’s only serial wedding bloggers & planning-crazed brides that see photobooth after photobooth. In fact, not one of our guests had ever even conceived of the idea, much less considered it played-out. With that said, I highly recommend making room in your budget for a photobooth. I know, I’m the queen of a budget-friendly wedding, but I really believe that if you’re going to splurge on anything, it should be something that people are going to remember – like a photobooth, or a venue, or great catering – not on something that’s easily overlooked – like really expensive centerpieces or Veuve champagne…

Yay for photobooths! Yay for Chicagoland PhotoBooth!!!

image credit: Jeff from CPB created this poster for us after I emailed him this inspiration photo via the almighty, Mrs. Cupcake.

related posts: Vendor Review III: Wedding & Reception Flowers, our budget-friendly wedding II: ceremony, Vendor Review II: Hair and Make up, our budget-friendly wedding I: Attire, The photos are in!!!, Vendor Review I: Reception Music

Vendor Review III: Wedding & Reception Flowers (& candles)

Flowers with Feeling: A+

I really couldn‘t have had a more perfect experience with my florist, Flowers with Feeling. After months of being told that my budget wouldn’t allow for much creativity, Tina told me to give FWF a call…just to see what they could do. Boy, am I glad I did! My contact, Tammy, was actually willing to work with my mini budget (as you may recall, our flower budget took a huge hit when we decided to go with our fabulous caterer – review to come!).

I gave her some direction (by some, I mean I gave her a 20 page document that included all of my floral inspirations), but after hearing several people rave about her work, I was super confident with letting her do whatever she wanted to do.

My bouquet was inspired by the color of the bridesmaid dresses and had the most amazing mix of textures – it included dahlias, fringe & double tulips, ranunculus, coxcomb, and amaranthus, while my bridesmaids carried cream colored clutch bouquets with dahlias, English garden roses, and double tulips. Lastly, thanks to oliviamoon from Etsy, my bouquet included a pendant with a photo of my mother, so I could have her with me throughout the ceremony… The bouquets could not have been more fabulous!

As for the reception flowers, we kept it simple (and small). We had long banquet tables each of which included 15 or so candles in varying sizes, and featured two mint julep cup vases filled with dahlias, roses, and snow berries – seriously, those are all the flowers we had, and honestly, that’s all that we needed! The flickering candles made the space intimate and romantic, and provided tons of visual interest and texture. Plus, Tammy let me purchase all of the mint julep cups, candles and cylinder vases on my own which totally helped to keep costs down - because I can hunt down a deal like it's nobody's business!!! It was perfect, and it was all because of Tammy and Flowers with Feeling!!!!

photo credit: Essence Photo and Video

related posts: ourbudget-friendly wedding II: ceremony, Vendor Review II: Hair and Make up, our budget-friendly wedding I: Attire, The photos are in!!!, Vendor Review I: Reception Music

our budget-friendly wedding II: ceremony

Personalizing our ceremony was our favorite part of the entire wedding planning process. (Yes, the reception was wonderful, and the photobooth was clearly a highlight for many; but, to us, a meaningful ceremony was paramount.) We hoped to create a tender and ethereal mood that focused on our love for each other as well as our love for our family and friends.

We chose lighter, more romantic processionals, Ave Maria, Joy of Mans' Desiring, and Canon in D, as opposed to some of the more robust (or even severe) processional options (which, of course, shall remain nameless, just in case someone reading this is a fan of powerful or up-tempo processionals...) We also selected passages that underlined the meaning of love and marriage.

New Testament:

1 Corinthians 13

...if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails.

Even though I've heard this passage perhaps a dozen times before, I still get choked up...even as I read it now.

Old Testament:

Ecclesiastes 4

Better than one, all by himself or herself... If one should fall, the other helps him or her up; but woe to the one all alone with no one to help when falling. Again, they keep warm who sleep two together; but how can someone keep warm alone? Where alone one would be overcome, two will put up resistance; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

The final personalized element to our ceremony was the Group Candle Ceremony and Group Blessing. After Nathan and I lit our Unity Candle, we shared our united flame with everyone in attendance. Our priest eloquently described our appreciation for our family and friends, for their unconditional love, support, and understanding, and asked them to bless our marriage by taking a vow to us:

Do you offer this Nathan and Colleen your blessing as husband and wife? "We Do"

And do you offer their marriage your support, as loving family and
friends, today and always? "We Do"

photo credit: Essence Photo and Video

related posts: Vendor Review II: Hair and Make up, our budget-friendly wedding I: Attire, The photos are in!!!, Vendor Review I: Reception Music

Vendor Review II: Hair & Make Up

Jill Gosser & Lisa Caputo: A+

Hair and make up are really and truly the unsung heroes of almost any wedding. I mean, really, when have you ever seen someone come out of a couple hours of professional hair and make up not looking great?! Never. Take the Olsen twins, for example; those are some simian looking girls, but you'd never know it from the way they look on the red carpet. But, I digress. The real purpose of this post is to give all Chicago brides-to-be the vendor tip of a lifetime...an affordable make up artist.

Jill Gosser is a senior make up artist who I found through BOC. Even though I paid BOC's prices for her services (because I had already signed a contract), I felt it absolutely imperative to pass along Jill's contact info, as her personal pricing is far less than BOC's. While her pricing varies depending on the size of the bridal party (i.e., the more people, the less it is per person), it is still afforable no matter how you slice it! For instance, if you and 3 bridesmaids would like full make up, and you're in the city, it's only $70 per person!!!! (note: to go to the burbs, there's an additional $30 one-time charge...) Compare that to BOC's $275 for the bride and $100 for each bridesmaid... INSANE! And, on top of that, she's so good! She made me look like me, but the best version of me there is! I can't recommend Jill enough. Seriously, use her!

Now for the pièce de résistance, my hair!!! I had always known that my stylist, Lisa, from Salon Envy would do my wedding day hair. She is the best hair stylist I've ever gone to, so much so, that I simply had to follow her when she made the move to Salon Envy... She interpreted my ideal look perfectly: loose waves, half-up with lots of height, and pretty to look at from the back... Voila, perfection! Lisa, I LOVE YOU!

photo credit: Essence Photo and Video
related posts: our budget-friendly wedding I: Attire, The photos are in!!!, Vendor Review I: Reception Music