Ruche Bridal Dresses

Hi Guys!

So I came across this awesome site called Ruche.  Some of you might have heard of it, but if you haven't it is AWESOME!  I wish I had seen the site before I got married because some of the wedding dresses are not only amazing but also affordable.

Ruche is owned by a husband and wife team and they sell vintage inspired clothes and accesories that any girl would want to own. 

I also want to say that this is not a paid post just a site that I thought you all would love!

ONTO THE DRESSES!

Addison Eve, $75.99

Gabriella Rose, $72.99

Gwen in Pink, $449.99

Isla, $249.99

Tiffany, $349.99

Vivian, $349.99

Aren't they delightful?!  If Meridyth and I get hitched if it becomes legal in Maryland I just might buy one!

Check out there site:  Ruche.

Lots of Love,

Jess

Wedding Photographer Worrying

Hello everyone!

I am officially starting to come down from the wedding!  I have now been a married lady for 6 days!

Truthfully, it doesn't feel very different for Mer and I, but it is funny how the rest of the world views the relationship now!  More on that later, but for now I want to talk about the wedding photographer I chose for the wedding.

I put an ad for a wedding photographer on craigslist and probably got about a 1,000 e-mails with portfolio links.  Being a wedding photographer myself I knew what I wanted.  I looked at portfolio after portfolio for two weeks and was getting a little frustrated.  I wasn't getting anyone that had the "eye" that I was looking for.

Then came Jacqueline Patton.  I looked at her portfolio and was BLOWN AWAY!  She was exactly what I was looking for.  She is super reliable, adorable, e-mails you back quickly.

Forward to week of the wedding...After 2 months of heavy steroid packs I was feeling...FAT.

Very, very fat and unattractive.  I started to freak out.  Mer assured me I was beautiful (of course she did!), my best friend flew in from boston and she said the same thing.

Day of wedding I had my hair done, my nails, my makeup, put on my dress...I was feeling pretty good!

Then the wedding was literally a blur!  People arrived early and my prescious time-line was thrown out the window!  I am still processing the whole experience and I think that, that will take awhile!

Monday after the wedding sitting at work, I realized I didn't see Jacqueline very much during the wedding.  Did she get the shots I wanted?  Would I look pretty?  Would I be disappointed?

Then I laughed a little and realized that my clients probably wonder the same thing!

I purposely hired a wedding photographer who photographed in a photojournalistic way and wouldn't be in your face the whole time!  I wanted the images to be natural and who we really were.

Being the nut I am I was sort of stalking Jacqueline's facebook page this week, which you should like by the way!

Then yesterday a few pictures went up.  They were amazing detail shots and I started to get excited.  Then I received an e-mail from her this morning and there were more images!  They were beyond AMAZING!

She captured me looking right at the camera when Mer and I were walking down the aisle and I never saw her!  I didn't know she was there!

 Jacqueline Patton Photography

I guess what I am trying to say is that I never realized what it means to be a wedding photographer or to hire one.  You see their portfolio, you hire them, and then you hope that they are able to navigate your day with their camera how you want them to.

There is a lot of trust involved that I was unaware of before.

So my advice, for what its worth, is go with your gut.  Pick the person you are blown away by and then let them do there thing.  Trust that they will capture the day how you think they will.

I never should have been worried.  The picture above is all I needed to know not to worry.

Or you can also hire Jacqueline, she's pretty awesome!

Love,

Jess 

Wedding Fever and Table Ideas

Happy Tuesday Night!

How is everyone doing?

I am feeling a little crazy tonight...Wedding fever has hit.  I have been so calm and relaxed through this whole process, even doing the invitations.  I think because It Didn't Feel REAL!

Getting married didn't feel REAL!  It does tonight people...it really, really does.

About three weeks left, my best ladies have made flights and arrangements to come into town, I have a dress...Mer needs a dress.

I feel like I have a million things I need/want/have to do.

I just spent the last 45 minutes cutting out hearts to make my drink stirrers.

More importantly I need to write our CEREMONY!

AHHHHHHHH.......

I am so glad that I didn't freak out until right now.  Do some brides freak out for a year?!  I don't think that my heart or brain could take it.

However, tonight while I was cutting out hearts, I was thinking that I need to figure out how I want the tables to be set up.

Here are some ideas.

Image found on Wedding Bee

I love this theme of hearts.  It goes with our theme, but some of our tables are going to be outside and I'm worried the carefully made decorations will blow away.  Plus, we are having jars with floating candles and flowers.  Maybe too much?

Prost to the Host

I am not going to do this for each table, but isn't the heart cute  at each table setting?  Also, the DIY table cloth is going to be a definite for another party!

Nicole and Garrick's wedding by Kristin Korpos

I like the fun, easiness of these decorations.  They scream to me partay!

We are just having white linens so I have a blank canvas and three weeks to decide.

DIY Wedding Inspirations

I love this!  There is no instructions but I think all you have to do is spray on starch to make the string stiff.

Sorry I'm all over the place tonight!  A combination of little sleep, lots to do, and feeling a little manic tonight...maybe it's the Wedding FEVER!

Lots of love,

Jess

Back in Business!!!

Hi Everyone!

I have so missed blogging every day!  Have you guys missed me?!

Meridyth and I just got back from vacation last night.  We went to Florida to visit my parents and my sister/brother-in-law/three children one on the way.

The weather was absolutely beautiful!

We swam in the pool, saw family for a party, went to the beach, laughed A LOT, I took pictures with my Diana camera, oh and we bought my wedding dress (more on that later)!

Mer and I just got back last night, really late, and I think I actually face planted onto the bed and didn't move until my alarm went off at 7:30 a.m.

I feel like I have so much to share with you but for right now, especially since my brain in still just peaking out from vacation, I would share some pretty pictures I found around the web of West Palm Beach in Florida.  I wish I was still there!

This is how I always picture Florida in my head.  Fluffy clouds, beautiful sunrises/sunsets, dreamy light, and water!

Also, isn't this photographer great?!  All of these images are by Kim Seng.  He really captures what I think of in my head when I think of Florida and vacation.  Go here to see more of his work.  He has a blog, a monthly newsletter, and I found these images on his Flickr account...

Lots of Love,

Jess

Inexpensive Dresses that you could get married in

Hello Everyone!

I hope today was a good Thursday!  I worked a full eight hour day today for the first time and I am actually not hurting as bad as I thought I would!  I hope that I have finally turned a corner in terms of my neck and the chronic pain.

So, on a very happy note, Mer and I are getting married May 5th!  We are a little late on the planning because of everything that has been going on. 

One thing I do not have yet is a dress!  We don't have a lot of money to spend but I want to feel beautiful on our wedding day.

I have been going back and forth over dresses.  Should I wear a color or wear white?  Do I want dreamy or sophisticated?  I feel like when I put it on I will know, but in the meantime I love perusing the internet and dreaming of wearing beautiful yet affordable dresses on my wedding day.

Here are some I have found that I can picture wearing.  What do you guys think?  Do you like any?  Have any other suggestions?

This is a non-traditional fun dress from Vintage Dress Outlet for $43.95  Fun, no?

I found this pretty dress on the Wtoo site which is partnered with the brand Watters but is the cheaper of the lines.  I love this dress, it is described as a mini tafetta ballgown.  I would definitely go for the deep red color on the second dress.  You can find this dress on all different sites ranging in prices from $79-$200.

This white dress is only $199.  Not a traditional wedding dress but wouldn't it be perfect?

I found this stunner on UDreamyBridal.  This dress is selling for $98.23. Very Audrey Hepburn at a reduced price, don't you think?

There are so many places to look for inexpensive dresses.  I go on ModCloth A LOT!  However, make sure to read the reviews because they are really helpful!  Here are a few delicious examples.

I know the wedding dress is important and I want to feel fabulous, but I am hoping to buy something that won't cost an arm and a leg. 

I will let you know when I find it!  Look for another post with more traditional inexpensive wedding dresses!

Love,

Jess

Two new cards, Insomnia, and Mer's wedding inspiration board...

Hello out there!

Sorry for the radio silence yesterday! 

I have been having such a hard time sleeping (not sure if it is insomnia or the neck pain) that around 8 last night when I thought about blogging I couldn't get up! 

I was FINALLY comfortable in bed, with the icepack just right, my curly hair not bothering me, and my smushy pillows lumps in just the right place!  There was no way I was going to move to even go to the bathroom! 

I did get up in the middle of the night for an ice pack replacement but I finally slept pretty well!

How has everyone else's week been?

The really exciting thing about today was that I worked on two new cards yesterday that I put up this morning on LoveUPaperly. 

One is a set of three Thank You note-cards and the other card say's Hugs & Kisses.  Particularly good for Valentine's Day which is right around the corner!

The other images I wanted to show you was from an inspiration board I made for Meridyth for our wedding.

Remember I made one for myself from this blog post?  Well, I made one for her as well which I consider to be "classy".  Let me know what you think!

If one of these images is yours or you know the person who owns it please tell me and I would be happy to cite it!

I Love, Love, Love the ruffled cake on the bottom.  Gorgeous!

So, I think we are getting pizza and salad tonight which I could not be more excited for!

Until tomorrow,

Love,

Jess

Lovely Sunday Photograph

Happy Sunday everyone!

I hope everyone had a productive, fun, and relaxing weekend.  Not sure if all of those things go together, but why not!

Here's the lovely photograph for today.  It is a wedding themed photo.  Not just because I LOVE weddings, but also because Meridyth and I spent the afternoon with our mama's planning ours.

The image taken by talented a very talented wedding photographer Kelly Prizel.  The lighting, the framing, I think the image is just beautiful.

Enjoy!

love,

Jess

Overcoming different wedding ideas

Weddings...

My partner and I are getting married this May.  It might be legal, it might not, depending on how the vote goes in Maryland, but we have been together seven years in August and want to commit in front of our family and friends and of course throw a kick ass party!!!

Meridyth and I are both in school, but when I am not working, doing school work, or making art I am dreaming/looking/drooling over wedding images.  Images of dresses, of parties, of table settings swirl in my mind as I sleep.

To take you back further I was a hippie in college.  As in dirty, dirty hippie.  I still have some of that bohemian in me so I am dreaming of a handmade, colorful, and beautiful look.

Meridyth on the other hand keeps saying she wants it to be "classy".  That makes me laugh a little because so far the most stressful part of planning has been figuring out the correct etiquette on the Save the Date cards! 

Anyways, I would not use classy to describe me at all.  Maybe fun, sweet, colorful, good listener, whirling dervish...not classy!

This is me by the way!  We were at the beach.  My hair is much longer though.  I have been growing it for the wedding!

So in this post I am going to post images I like.  In another post this week I am going to post images  I think Mer will like and then show them to her.  A third post with hopefully have us meeting in the middle!

Now images I love for wedding ideas:  I will call it Bohemian Chic
(Note:  I am being a bad blogger because many of these images were downloaded months ago and I cannot find the source!  If you own it or know who does let me know and I will gladly cite it!)

What do you guys think?  Looking at the images they kind of all go together except for the pompom garland!

Until tomorrow lovelies!

Love,

Jess

Dresses by Elie Saab

I am not a huge fashion girl. Don't get me wrong, I like to look cute, but I work in a doctors office so my outfit everyday is scrubs and the only jewelry I wear is my engagement ring.

Usually on the weekend I wear sweatpants and a t-shirts. So, getting married and planning a wedding let's me dream a little, and dream I do!

There are so many gorgeous dresses out there to wear for the wedding and the week that everyone is in town! While looking at the many blogs I read at night when I can't sleep because of my surgery, I have come across the designer Elie Saab. Where have I been that I had never heard of him?  He produces whimsical, lovely, magical dresses that make me swoon. Here are a few that I am swooning over. Gosh, they are gorgeous!

If I was born a dress I would like it to be made by Elie Saab!