Checklist

I have been so one note in my blogging. I have been so focused on the big things, but the small things still need to be there!

So, I've told you all a lot about the venue, the dress (ha, understatement), the invitations, the photography. I've been very hush hush about flowers, decor, cake, uhhh, etc...?

This is because of a huge internal struggle: Everyone tells me I have to start thinking about these things, making contacts, setting up meetings.

Well, I have a huge problem with the price tags on certain items, namely flowers and cake.

Let me be perfectly clear, everyone and their mother has told me not to even think about DIYing these things. But I can't help but keep coming back to how easy that particular cake would be, or how awesome it would be that I could make that bouquet ahead of time and not have to worry about wilting flowers, rushing, etc...

What I keep coming back to also is that I have scoured the internet for normal bouquets and have yet to find anything that I like! I can't pick out a single flower and say 'Yes, I like that type of flower.' The only two that are contenders right now are the ranunculus and the calla lily and I don't think either are in season during my wedding (this is not a cost issue, I really want to stay with local, organic flowers because in my opinion, out of season flowers look out of place).

 

Also, not so sure calla lilies will go with our theme, which is a little too rustic; callas are a bit too sophisticated. And ranunculus are kind of vintage. Anyway, maybe you'll say I'm being nit-picky, but you see the dilemma??? Even when I find flowers I like, I find reasons why they won't work!

So far, I like the idea of the balsa wood flowers just like in the bouquet up top, with wheat stalks, a few feathers, and for a splash of burgundy, perhaps I'll cave and get callas anyway, but I also like those silly curly ferns:

Aren't they silly looking?! But I think they also look wild-looking, as in like you picked them out in the woods. You know, rustic. You do not pick calla lilies out in the woods.

So these ideas are still formulating in my head, rolling around and getting dirty and tangled. I am so mixed up about it. Ah, I just remembered (see, I have to untangle these thoughts one by one) I also wanted to incorporate herbs in some way. I love sage and rosemary and thyme (not parsley though). And I found some great herb bouts:

(I would want to throw some color in here somehow, but otherwise, I LOVE this boutonniere*!)

*you know you're spending too much time wedding planning when you can spell boutonniere without looking it up or spell checking.

Lastly, I'd like everything wrapped with burlap and tied with twine, hello! to match the invitations and the general theme! And I think keeping burlap in a few key places but not overdoing it is really going to make the theme.

This is a good tie in, because I need some advice; I was thinking of doing a small (maybe 1'X1') swatch of burlap in the center of each table where the centerpiece sits. Is that too much? I don't have any pictures to show, I need the other parts of the centerpieces to make a mock-up. But I was thinking if I isolate burlap to these three places: the invitations, wrapping the bouquets/bouts, and under the centerpieces, it would still be tasteful and convey the theme.

Here's a pretty good representation of my first centerpiece inspiration:

Only add burlap underneath, moss on top of the burlap, and the wine bottle/table marker in place of that small candle. Simple (Kyle wants simple), rustic, and I was thinking a fiddlehead fern and two wheat stalks coming out of the wine bottle and some feathers scattered around the moss.

I know I know, it's a lot of info and it's hard to visualize without pictures! I have to see if these curly purple ferns are even possible to get my hands on, and try to get a mock up for you.



Lastly, so we don't go information overload, a very quick note on cakes. I want to reiterate that the cake up top is something I could make in an afternoon... YES, an afternoon, I have done harder cakes than that one and they took me a day. I want to impress upon everyone that I do not want frills and fancy piping all over it. I was even thinking that I would not need to cake to be that big, because we'll be having a groom's cake as well... NO ONE mention this to Kyle... and more on that later.

Anyway, I know a lot of people don't like fondant because it's just sugar paste, BUT #1, what if it was chocolate flavored, it would actually have a taste, and #2, I'm not 100% set on fondant, I love the look of a really nice decadently iced chocolate cake:

 

Ignore the flowers, I just put these up for the chocolate swirly icing. I would incorporate the balsa wood flowers just like the top cake, and possibly the fiddlehead ferns and wheat stalks. This of course would be even less work than a full on fondant cake because there's no rolling fondant, smoothing, etc etc...

The cake would then go on a wood slab like the centerpieces, moss all around it (feathers in the moss), and a swatch of burlap underneath it all. Add a couple more of those candles in the tall glass candle jars with the twine wrapped around it, and I think you've got yourself a really cohesive, rustic, warm, welcoming reception area.

Back to flowers real quick; I have no idea if I'm capable of any of this, BUT the materials are all readily available. I haven't jumped on this yet specifically because I change my mind a lot, I edit, I add, I subtract. I wanted to make sure this idea was stuck in my head for a couple months before I was assured that this was indeed the look I wanted. Now that it has been a few months, I am sure, and I can now start buying a couple materials and putting some things together. I know I've said it before and I know it's such a teaser, but I cannot WAIT to see it all put together and show you!!

Next up... HAIR!!! I can't wait to share hair ideas too!!