More + More Decor !!

"Loving my job but neglecting this blog" ... that should be the new name of this blog !!  Ha Ha !!  Finally sitting down to a glass of chardonnay on this sun shinning day to fill in a few gaps.  

It's not like I'm NOT thinking about the BIG day or this fun blog but season in the wine country wipes this girlie out !!  I can't tell you how excited my job makes me but hear me out ... I have multiple projects going on at the same time that all take place within a few months of each other.  My down fall is that I go to one meeting and am so lit up on that particular project I'll neglect all other projects until my next meeting for the next project.  There's so much love for what I do with the lack of multitasking built within me. Opps ... yep I actually said it.  What can I say, I'm an all or nothing sort of gal and I'm either all in one project or not in any of them.  Case in point this blog.  Tonight I one picture REALLY napped me (the last picture of table decor) and I became ALL in again by researching a few other pictures and jotting this down.  An upside to this ... you know when I post that it's something that really GRABBED me and not wish wash I posted just to post.

The GREAT pictures I've pulled tonight are forming over my love for burlap.  Not only does it fit into most budgets as DIY projects but it's becoming so popular that all the high end linen rental companies are carrying it.  To soften up the edges we're planning on adding a lil lace to all the designs.  I am a complete OCD gal so all my burlap and lace have to match.  It would drive me crazy to order everything from different vendors and have it all mismatched so I'm taking on the DIY projects to maintain the same color and pattern of each.  Yes it's a lot but I do have until August of 2012 and winters are long here !!  So what am I making ??  At the moment (please don't hold me/limit me too) I'm thinking of creating:

Ceremony:

The runner for the ceremony, 

Ring bearer pillow, 

Flower girl baskets, 

Hay bail covers for ceremony seating.

Cocktail:

Table linen for cocktail tables

Pillows for lounge area

Reception:

Table runners for each guest table

Fingers crossed !!  For now ... take in these photos and dream with me !!

A lil California poppy orange mixed with our sky blue ... 

Add a touch of bubbles (of course) ...

On our romantic ranch styled burlap and lace decor !!

This girl is out of chardonnay and off to get a tad more !!
Cheers.

Color Pallet

Where's the freaking picture (freaking, hello).  Sorry no patience tonight !!  Here's a lil verbage tho ...

Between you and I, I did more wedding planning while on trains in Norway during the first 7 days of being engaged then I have done in the past 7 weeks !!  Oppise-Daises ... does time fly.  Honestly who can blame me ??  I have events coming out my ears for both the Winery, BB Events and personally.

On top of that my Dad is getting married in September of this year ... yes you heard that right ... Daddy Bruce is doing it for the third time.  That being said I am trying to delay all wedding planning, engagement parties and pictures until after they've said I DO.  A piece of me is doing it out of respect, a little bit of me is waiting because I know I still have 15 months and don't want to be THAT bride that changes their minds a million times !!

Speaking of changing minds ... mine has done a bit of a 180 (of course) !!

Before  I was engaged I envisioned our wedding color pallet involving purple and navy.  I love always loved lavender purple and as a swimmer navy blue is always a must.  As far as John he wasn't interested in either.

Once engaged I starred at my IPAD on the train from Trondheim to Oslo, Norway without one excitement in the planning process.  Nothing.  Just a general feeling.  I figured I had tarnished the experience by being in the business as there was no passion for my own wedding.  Until ... Kate Spade popped up !!  OMG Kate Spade came out with their own wedding line and it was fun, it was electric ... it was Electric Avenue !!  You know the song ... don't get embarrassed if you start humming, I did ... I am !!  That's when I saw COLOR !!  That's when I saw stripes of fresh green, royal blue, girlie pink and sunshine yellow.  John was on bored ... the only obstacle ... making it look fun without making it look like a circus tent.  Still, the idea lit my spirits for weeks.

Now home and out of vaca mode I feel that less of a fantasy and more of a reality is setting into the color pallet.  Although I heart Kate Spade and I heart electricity I am walking away from it.  This is after all a wedding and my only wedding at that.  Do I really want to risk the chance of going too far and my guest feeling like their in Barium and Baileys Circus or not going far enough and feeling like their in a cheap beach ball themed party ??  NO !!

I share with you today (yes, today) who knows what it will be in 7 more weeks let alone 7 more days ... the colors that bring me joy and the electricity needed to represent that between John and I are navy blue and poppy orange.  Elegant-Electric.  Where is poppy orange coming from you ask ...  a blanket my grandmother Martha made for me a few years before she passed away.  There are 8 grandkids in the family and she started knitting blankets from the youngest to oldest (I am the oldest), we all got to choose our colors but by the time my blanket came around my favorite colors were chosen.  I asked her to choose a color she thought best represented me and she chose poppy orange.  Saying it represented the bright glow around me and everyone I touched (such a grandma thing to say).  That being said, I hope on this special day that this electric glow touches John and everyone we touch together ... forever !!

ENGAGED !!

John and I in Trondheim, Norway the day he proposed !!

~ ENGAGED ~

After being involved in wedding/event planning industry since I was in high school and then graduating into a wedding planner/event coordinator I am finally ready to take on my own journey as a bride !!  After 3 years of dating my best friend John we headed off to Norway (where my ancestors originate) and became engaged on 3/30/2011 !!  Whoop Whoop !!

I've starting this blog to document the differences of being IN the wedding industry (as a wedding planner) and being THE wedding industry (as the client/bride).  So far I can only speak from my experience in the industry ...

Although my head has always been in the game of weddings ... it has never been on my wedding.  I have always been focused on the task at hand remembering the bride is number one and doing everything in my powers to make her feel that way.  Never once did I hold back an amazing idea I had for myself when a bride was in need knowing every wedding and bride differ within every season and trend.

That being said, the second the ring went on my finger I have been starting from scratch and the ideas have evolved (that's a nice way of saying changed) just like every other bride I have ever worked with ... and evolved and evolved !!  I feel like I have lost my compass and need to find that one anchor that will launch this special day for Johnny and I into a memorable one !!

My question today ... Does working within the wedding industry make it easier to be a bride ??  After all we have hook ups within the industry and can save ourselves and family a ton of green, we know which local vendors will get the vision we're going for ... the first time and we have a realist outlook when it comes to the budget and overall event.

Or does working within the wedding industry hinder your experience as a bride ??   After all, the fairy tail aspect of your special day is mechanicalized into a simple step by step process we repeat on a weekly basis, excited new aspects wedding guests experience have been done by us over and over and lost all luster and on top of it all the special day takes place within our work environment.

With about 17 months until John and I say I DO there is no rush on anything yet ... good thing as this is as far as I have gotten after one month:

Ceremony:

• At John's family's ranch on a rocky knoll
• Take place around 5pm as it will be HOT in Sonoma during August !!
• Hay bails for ceremony seating with matching embroidered SR design on all and aisle runner
• Bridal Party is in between 5 or 8 bridesmaids and groomsmen on both sides
• When we kiss at the ceremony the guys and girls have a surprise for the guests
• Our dogs will be involved (we have 2 Boston Terriers, 1 Lab and 1 Australian Shepherd) 

Cocktail Reception:

• At John's family's backyard swimming pool
• Taking place until 7pm
• Serving full bar and light apps 
• flower balls, tall cocktail tables, small lounge area, lights hung over entire site
• Midwestern lawn games for kids and kids alike: ladderball, beanbags and horseshoes
• Lively music by a dj forcing people's energy up while bridal party are away taking pictures

Dinner Reception:

• At John's family's baseball diamond 
• Taking place until 9pm
• Find natural wooden tables covered in newspapers and chairs with bibs 
• Flowers and candles on the table as well as pretty serving dishes for the crawfish
• Guest will find their salads served prior to sitting and then it's a Crawfish styled dinner for all
• Dj to introduce bridal party and parents and then music to follow throughout dinner

Dancing Reception:

• Back to John's family's backyard swimming pool
• Taking place until midnight !!
• Light all candles and turn on twinkle lights and heaters around the pool
• Dance floor; photo booth; cigar, port and black/white slide show area; cake and dessert station
• Dj to spin a mixture of classic rock, country, pop and rock
• First dance at 9pm, cake cutting at 10pm, John and I to depart around 11pm 

As a bride I am thinking," WOW !!  Almost there !!"  

As an industry planner I'm thinking this, "Good thing we have 17 more months !!"

For now this bride to be is focused on my June engagement party while the wedding planner in me is mapping out the three 2011 brides (June, Sept + Dec) while the event coordinator in me is getting together the summer line up of weekly events due to overwhelm every free minute from May to October !!