Gorgeous Wedding Decor!
We did it! We got hitched! And it only took us 9 years!
But 9 years later, and we have a home and a family, and the wedding budget was small. So, I’m here to share a few things we did to throw a gorgeous wedding, but on a budget!
First, if you are a planner like me, buy an actual planner and skip hiring one. I used a basic wedding planner from Amazon and tracked everything myself. It’s definitely doable!
Next, buy what you can, don’t rent, and resell when you are done. It was actually cheaper to buy tablecloths and runners than it was to rent them!
Third, pick a venue you like, but if you find a budget friendly option, don’t worry if it needs a little boost to get wedding gorgeous! I used Rent My Wedding and transformed our very inexpensive, albeit dated and bland venue to a gorgeous spot, on a budget!
Before:
Blah, drab, dated. But cheap. Enter Rent My Wedding.
We used white drape walls and uplighting to make the glow. We also added the custom monogram behind our table. It all turned our venue into our rustic glam dream spot!
The whole rental process was super simple too. It can all be chosen and rented online, and customer service is super helpful! Everything is shipped right to you. The directions made it all very easy to assemble and decorate. Then you pack in back up and ship back with the included labels. We even a scheduled a shipping pick up! Boom. We highly recommend Rent My Wedding!
Xx,
Jess
Quick and Easy Valentine’s DIY
I made these fabric hearts last year and loved them so much I put them out again this year!
It’s so simple that it doesn’t require much instruction, but a fun project for anyone because there are so many possibilities! I used scrap fabric that I had on hand, making this super inexpensive too! I picked a couple fabrics that complimented one another and had a rustic vibe. You could use anything at all! The only other supplies you need are liquid stitch (always handy to have a tube on hand!) and some stuffing. You can get both of these at your local craft store or a Walmart. The stuffing sold here at our Walmart was in too large of a bag and I knew I didn’t want a ton. So, quick fix was to buy a small pillow insert at Walmart. This was about $4 and I have plenty left for more projects.
Start by drawing a heart on cardboard. Try a cereal or cracker box! Then trace this heart onto the backside of your fabric. Do sets of two hearts in matching fabric. Then run a bead of the fabric glue around the heart. Leave a few inches unglued. I left a quarter inch or so around the edge. I used a few binder clips to hold these while drying. You could also set a book on them. When they are dry, stuff fabric into them. Doing it in this order allows you to fill them full and puffy without ungluing. Now add glue to the last few inches and clip to dry. You could always add sequins, embellishments, ribbon, or any extras too.
The other little white heart was super simple too. I used a cardboard hear, made little cuts around the outside, and wrapped yard around the heart. The cuts helps hold the yarn in place for the first layer of wrapping. Wrap all different directions. Glue with the fabric glue. Simple!
Viola! Hope you enjoy this quick and easy project!
Xx,
Jess
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Simple Table Setting For Two
We have been keeping busy around here. Mostly working on wedding projects, and although I would love to show you some of them, I am making myself wait until after the big day. So, here is a tid bit of the fun around here, a table setting just for the two of us. Jeremy even helped me think of the fun center piece! 🙂
What do you think? Simple, fun, and totally us. lol. Hope you are all having a nice early spring!
Easter!
Hope you all had a wonderful Easter weekend! We sure did here. We had a small family dinner at our house and then did some yard work. Very festive, I know. I thought I would share with you our Easter table!
Notice anything different? How about that table? Yes, I finally tried the Restore on it! It worked so well, I think I’m in love! It did not removed the weird patterned spot, so the table is still not perfect, and probably never will be. But, it is so much better! The Restore really does a great job on scratches and scuffs. Anyways, how about the Easter setting? Jeremy even helped to decorate some eggs! I blew out real eggs so that we can save them for next year!
Here is one of Jeremy and I:
Here are the three generations of women in our family who came:
What did you all do for the holiday? 🙂
Thanksgiving 2011
What a wonderful thanksgiving (and birthday!) I had! This was the first year I hosted the festivities at our home, thanks to a lot of help from my mom! It was a great break from work to be home on the long holiday weekend with my family. I wanted to share a few quick photos, especially my quick and fun table settings! …
Jeremy and I…
The family…
I also got to do a lot of hunting and trapping and some playing with cows. Yes, thats right. So, here’s one of me petting the giant bull…
Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving holiday!
More Flowers
A few of the seeds we planted in the spring (which I forgot about!) have popped up now! They are tall purple flowers, and oh-so-pretty! They are in the front of our house by the mailbox. Not very exciting out here, but they do brighten the space up a bit.
When I got home last night I was surprised to find flowers and candles on the table and a spaghetti dinner waiting for me! Aw! I had this vintage table cloth (from the engagement party) on the table the other night when we had friends over, so it looks all fresh and summer-y in here!
Sweet, huh? And, don’t worry, I do have a few more (and more exciting!) things to show you all this week! I am trying to figure out how to change bitmap pictures into something I am able to upload here. Any ideas? Anyway…stay tuned! 🙂
Our Engagement Party!
We finally had it! It’s all over, even the cleaning up! It all went great, and we also wanted to thank everybody for coming and for the great gifts and cards! And, I have a few pictures to share!
The above is the general view of the backyard before the party. The picture doesn’t really do it justice. It was really nice, relaxing, and cozy. It was impressive for those who had seen our backyard a few months ago when we moved in!
The above is the table before all of the food. The vintage table clothe came from Fred and Ethels. The vintage letters are always hanging in our bedroom, and of course we had to have a big diamond! Isn’t that silverware bucket cute? My mom found us that. We also had some big dice (of course!) on the other end.
There were antique Ball jars scattered on the table tops and even in the grass that held candles for lighting up the night.
I love all of the paper lanterns. These were so easy, they had batteries! And, they were only a couple of dollars at the dollar store! They set a nice mood.
And at night everything glowed!
I hope some of these simple, but fun ideas help you with your next party. I loved them so much that I will use some of them for our casual BBQs and bonfires!
Engagement Party Decor
We are finally ready to throw the long awaited engagement party!! We have been patiently (or not so much) waiting for good weather and a finished yard in order to throw an outdoor fest. We now seem to have both (or as good as its going to get). So, bring on the party!
I have a few simple ideas swirling around in my head, but for some fun inspiration I put together a few photos I’ve spotted.
This idea is so simple and cute. Although the picture is more fall decor it could easily be summer-y with some sand or shells in the jars!
This scene is so pretty. We already picked up some red paper lanterns that are perfect to go under our trees around the fire because they are battery operated.
These vintage letters would look neat in our yard showing our initials or wedding date.
I love the colors of this space. We hope to use some random candle-light as this photo does.
Are you all in the mood for some outdoor time yet? We will keep you updated with our party pictures- the party is on the 20th of June…
Some New Year’s Inspiration: 100 Things I Love
I recently saw a list some one had made of 100 things they loved. It seemed so inspiring to think about that many things that you enjoy or care about. So, I tried it. I thought that it also helped to take a deeper look at your style and personality. So… here’s my list. I hope it might help inspire you too…
100 Things I Love:
- Black and white photos
- Polaroid cameras
- Roller coasters
- Pepsi
Spiral Staircase by Martin Haesemeyer (Flickr)
- Huge sunglasses
- Antiques
- Old records
- Small collections
- Holey jeans
- Thick sweaters
- Movie nights
- Internet shopping
- Color coordinating items
- Crushed ice
- Photo booths
- Horses
- Beaches
- Lists
- Thunderstorms
- Coconut lotion
- Fireworks
- Shoes
- Moving sidewalks
- Sports
Bathtub and Fireplace by decorology (Flickr)
- Candles
- Typewriters
- Outdoor concerts
- Bonfires
- Wooden boxes
- Old picture frames
- Ferris wheels
Dice by kagedfish (Flickr)
- Ticket stubs
- Crowns
- Silk sheets
- Hot nights
- Lazy days
- The outdoors
- Corndogs
- French manicures
- Treasure hunts
- Auctions
- Handwritten cards
- Miniatures
- Vintage items
- Chocolate
- Street shops
- Motorcycles
- Dinner parties
- Eyeliner
- Sweatpants
- Mud
- Blank paper
- Road trips
- Black and white movie
Candles glowing... by annpar (Flickr)
- High heels
- Lilies
- Secret passageways
- Cubbie holes
- Shiny things
- Clean clothes
- Gum
- Fluffy beds
- Music
- Shiny lipgloss
- Claw foot bathtubs
- Tire swings
- The River
- Moc croc
- Small towns
- Big yards
- Hayrack rides
- Massages
- Inside jokes
- Old books
Sunglasses by sveltkamp (Flickr)
- Dice
- Keys
- Inspiration boards
- Fancy bottles
- Layered pillows
- Free catalogs
- My brother’s art
- DIY projects
- Wild jewelry
- Fireplaces
- Confetti
- Planners
- Mistletoe
- Freshly cut grass
- Harvest time
Polaroid Land Camera 1000 by Fallen Angel / Angel... (Flickr)
- Sunshine
- Fried food
- New Year’s Eve
- Long eyelashes
- Cowboys
- Accents
- Coffee shops
- Sidewalk chalk
- Diamonds
- Spiral staircases
- Clear furniture
- My own house!
Old record player. by MFinChina (Flickr)
Next Comes The Bathroom and Master Bedroom
This is the bed. Matching side tables and lamps.
A close up view of the side table. This one happens to be Tony's.
This is the dresser facing the bed. An old full length miror stands against the wall and an Asian keepsake box sits on the floor next to it.The dresser is vintage from when my mom was a little girl. She used the room set and then I did when I was little. The black strips are removable, and flip over to change colors. We painted one side of each black.
The hand is a vintage glove mold, the box is an old Kodak box, which we keep our momentos in. The mirror is an antique medicine cabinet, which we painted black and added a chendelier crystal for a pull. Close up of sink and storage.
The view from the door into the tiny bathroom. It feels really bright and spa-ish because of the light blue walls and white curtains. We added a blue rug and blue curtain hooks.
The little shelf we hung across from the toilet with pretty perfume bottles on it. The only little "extra" that fits into the space!
Close up of sink and storage. Pretty much the entire bathroom.
Make Mine Eclectic 