Homemade with love

Awwww, what a sweet sweet title!

Well, it's true, I love my parents, and because I love the idea that DIY-ing makes the whole affair seem more intimate and special, I thought asking my parents to do a few small DIY projects would feel even more special!

Here is what I mean, the first time I was in a bridal salon, I was struck by the generic, frilly, lacy garters lining the walls in the accessory section. It was disappointing and puke-inducing!

Yuck. Just not for me, it's generic, it's lacy... Eww.

So I said, I'm going to have to find one that fits my criteria, that I sort of designed. Then a genius thought strikes me: Mama!! Will you make my garter belt?!

She said "Hey yeah!!" I was pleasantly surprised because she seemed to think it was a good idea and I think she was probably thinking like me; the more homemade touches, the more intimate and special the day will feel for all of us. And I know she wants to be a part of the preparations, and I want her to be a part! So I then had to think, hmmm, what kind of garter do I want?

I like the Victorian ideal:

In theory! It's still too lacy and frilly, but I like the rustic, old feel of it. I think more and more, I'm moving farther and farther away from white, because it feels so generic too me.


Also, there's nothing wrong with white in certain places and situations, but I'm doing this whole rustic woodsy thing, and so then I stumbled across this:

Minus the pinwheel looking thing in the middle, I thought 'Yes!! feathers instantly translate something pristine and shiny and girly into something a little more country-fied!'



I found a few more that are sweet, rustic, or otherwise favorites:

Also, I like these because they look homemade, and therefore humble and sweet. I really like that. If I wanted my mom to create something that looked just like one of those garters I can get at Claire's, I would just do to a crappy statement jewelry shop and buy one!

Lastly, I found a very different one; I had never seen garters like these, and I think I like it, but I'm on the fence still:

 I think I would miss the bunched elastic that's kind of a hallmark, but it's still really cool!

So here's what I was thinking. Something along the lines of the one with the roses, or the one with the hand-stitched initials and date. Instead of roses or maybe with much smaller roses, I'd like it to have some feathers and then maybe a 'bow' or some other type of small accent in brown suede or twine. I'm looking really hard for a comparable one online, but it's really really hard to find just what you want, which is precisely why I asked my mom! I was thinking ahead and saving myself the trouble of looking right off the bat!

Now, that's not all, I love my Daddy too!! And I found this great idea on one of my blogs (Weddingbee to be exact) instead of a guestbook!

A guestBENCH!!! It would be so much more meaningful and will actually be used!! Every time I sit on it to take off my shoes at the end of the day, I'll think about all the people who were able to make it to our big day!



Also check these out:

I love the green one for it's weathered driftwood look, and I love the one with the shelf because we ALWAYS need more shoes space. My baby has a shoe problem. Who'd have thunk it would be the man who has more shoes than the woman???

Well, I haven't asked my dad to do any of this yet, but he's pretty handy. That being said, if he doesn't want to, Kyle is pretty handy as well. But I'd love it if these two things that mean a lot to me could have my mom and dad's touch on them. Soooo... it's time for everyone to get to work!!!

What does everyone think??