So, you’re busy planning away. You have come up with a good idea. One that is “outside the box.” One that will wow your guests. One that makes your wedding unique.
But, then someone crushes your dreams with one little comment: “You can’t do that.”
To all of the naysayers, the bridesmaids, the groomsmen, the moms and dads, the grandparents who tell you brides and grooms that your idea is “breaking wedding tradition,” tell them this:
There are no rules. Traditions are what are important to you. Not what everyone else is doing.
Your cake icing can be colored and not white. You can see the groom (or bride) before the ceremony. You don’t have to have the same number of bridesmaids and groomsmen. Your bridesmaids can each wear a different dress. Hell, you don’t even have to have a wedding party.
Just remember: Make your wedding what you want to. After all, it is your wedding. I understand your parents may be helping to pay, but at the end of the day it’s your wedding, not theirs. Add the details that are personal. Stop worrying what everyone else will think. Forget about what is “in” and “hot.” Make it what you (and your significant other) want. And most importantly, you don’t have to follow the rules.
My fab friend and photographer, Lisa Hessel posted some seriously awesome photos from a wedding she recently shot. I cannot wait to share them all, but in the meantime, I HAD TO share these two.
Carl’s Drive-Inn is a local fave hot spot. I was surprised to hear when I found out not too many people know of this delish spot (which is totes unfortunate). It also happens to literally be down the street from where I live (I’m talking within walking distance people). If you’re look for delish diner food and awesome homemade root beer, Carl’s is THE place to go.
The bride even had these awesome aprons made for the wedding party so they could eat without making a mess. You have no idea how jealous I am of this idea right now. My mouth is watering.
Mr. A is from a semi-small town in Illinois. And, I was recently introduced to the fantastic photography of Kyle Shultz thanks to Meagan.
He recently shot a wedding where the bride and groom visited the State Fair Grounds. It’s too bad he couldn’t get the bride to go down the slides – now those would have been some photos!
So it has rained a lot this past weekend. A lot. Thunder, lightning, winds, tornadoes (yes, tornadoes). But, not only is it Spring, it’s always wedding season. Which means a lot of wedding showers will be planned in the next few months (including mine, woot!).
Local planner, Katie of Simply & Forever, recently hosted a wedding shower for her soon-to-be sister in law, which I just adored.
Katie used floral foam and fresh cut flowers to create this arrangement on the cake platter. She picked up all of the flowers and greenery from the Floral Market downtown the morning of the shower.
This centerpiece was created using artichokes and white spider mums. Super simple, AND you can use the artichokes afterward to cook with.
Katie had all of the shower guests bring a recipe to share with the bride, which were housed in a simple wooden box she purchased from Michaels and decorated with an adorable fascinator from Ink & Button.
And, she shared all of the recipes from the shower here. I’m quite a fan of the tea and plan on making it for myself!
Have you hosted a shower lately? What fun decor did you use?
Not too long ago, Wish Upon a Wedding made its way to St. Louis. For those of you who are unfamiliar with this organization, let me provide a bit of background:
Wish Upon a Wedding is a non-profit organization that was “founded based on the concept that two people in love should never be denied the chance to marry their soul mate, even if they only have months (or weeks) to live,” as stated by founder, Liz Guthrie. Wish Upon a Wedding provides weddings at destinations throughout North America for individuals facing terminal illness, regardless of sexual orientation. (Courtesy of Wish Upon a Wedding web site)
The even cooler piece of knowledge is the fact that this organization is extremely young – but the outpouring of support from the wedding industry has lead to its incredible success.
The Chicago chapter of Wish Upon a Wedding recently granted its first wish on April 18 to Beth and Nick. Beth was diagnosed with cancer back in December in 2009, and had to have surgery right away to remove part of her bladder, her navel and several lymph nodes. It was during Beth’s surgery that Nick ventured off to buy her a ring and propose. You can learn more about this deserving couple on the Wish Upon a Wedding site.
I wanted to share with you all the video, shot by the fantastic team at I Do Films (shout out to the owner Lori, who happens to be a Missouri native).
I encourage all of you to volunteer with your local chapter (if you have one). You do NOT need to be in the wedding industry, as they can use all sorts of help. And, I encourage you all to spread the word about this awesome organization!
So, weddings don’t have to be all about flowers (you can stop rolling your eyes). Think outside the box and look for ways to really bring nature into your wedding, or to simply try something different.
Succulents can add fantastic depth to not only your bouquet, but to floral arrangements as well. Plus, they very earthy and oftentimes are a great hue.
So, if you haven’t already picked up on the fact that I am a HUGE (which is an understatement) fan of baseball and the St. Louis Cardinals, here’s your chance to figure it out.
Local photographer, Benjamin Trevor, was lucky enough to photograph a wedding on home plate at Busch Stadium. Here’s to hoping the Cardinals kick a little butt today for their Home Opener against the Houston Astros.
Okay, well not all of them. But SOME of them. Pick something that fits both of your personalities. I love these photos from Jen Kroll. And, in flipping through all of their wedding photos, this couple was a ton of fun!
