Last minute projects...I like to procrastinate!

The week before the wedding was an absolute blur, and I mean it! The amount of appointments and tasks on my to do list was staggering, but somehow the clan was able to pull it together in the end!

I wanted to share a few of my last minute projects that were pulled together before the wedding! Lets begin with...OOT bags! Our guests were staying at a suite style hotel, so each of their rooms was equipped with a full kitchen! This definitely allowed for us to provide some yummy snacks for them!

I'll be honest; I didn't take photos of the contents of the bags, but here is what each of them included:

• 2 water bottles with monogrammed sticker label (this one):

• 2 instant lemonade mixes
• bag of microwave popcorn
• 2 chewy granola bars
• 2 bags of Miss Vickie's chips
• 1 bag mixed nuts/trail mix
• 2 packs of crackers: cheese and peanut butter
• Welcome packet/information

All of the goodies were placed in a pretty gift bag that I adorned with pinwheels. Pinwheels? Oh yes...remember those pinwheels I told you about a few months ago? Well, that particular project was abandoned part way through, and I was left with a big stack of pinwheels that I wasn't going to use. Hello, OOT bag decorations! I used my hot glue gun to attach a few pinwheels on each OOT bag, and voila! Fancy pants bags!

***Sigh...*** Don't they look fabulous??? I know, I'm totally biased...

The next project on the agenda? Table letters! Yes...I said letters. I decided that I wanted to use letters instead of table numbers simply for financial reasons...less materials to purchase in the end! I am in love with how they turned out! Let's take a little peek at them...

I purchased all of my materials at Michaels, and the process of putting them together was so easy! I purchased the required number of wooden letters, the corresponding number of flat circular discs (located right next to the wooden letters in the store), a bottle of cream acrylic paint, another in brown, and 2 bags of reindeer moss. I painted each of the disc stands brown, and each letter in cream. Using my hot glue gun, I attached each letter to a stand, and then glued bunches of reindeer moss to the stands. Easy peasy...and I think they look fabulous!

And finally, the escort card display! I found some awesome antique-inspired trays/boxes one day, and I knew that they would be perfect to display our escort cards on! We realized that they were a bit too deep to just set the cards into, so we had to come up with a pretty solution! We used some leftover cardboard boxes laying around the house and created a "platform" of sorts in each tray. From there, we fastened some sheet moss to the cardboard so it was no longer visible. It created a pretty platform in which to display the escort cards I printed!

Of course, that really wasn't the end of the projects...but it is the end of the projects that I have photographic evidence of! Justin and his dad created a wonderful faux-to booth for our guests to enjoy, and Justin and I had some fun with spray paint to create our card box!

Don't worry - the garage door is open so we wouldn't asphyxiate ourselves! And finally, we committed my grandmothers, grandfather, and aunt to slave labor in order to create our favors...

Hopefully I'll have some photos to share with you of both of these items when my pro photos come back!

Do you ever leave projects to the last minute? Did you have any wedding-related projects that didn't come together until the final deadline?

Invitations: the assembly

Now that the wedding is over, I realized that I never fully revealed our beautiful invitations and how I assembled them! Many apologies...

Once I procured my invitation files from Mrs. Gloss, it was time to determine my printing and assembly options!

After driving back and forth to a number of printing locations (Office Max, Staples, Kinkos, etc.), I decided to use Kinko's. They offered a variety of colors of cardstock, and their "mesa white" was a perfect color of eggshell with some natural colored flecks in the paper. We had the invites run off, and I paid an extra fee to have the main invitation cut on their laser cutter. I was confident with cutting the rsvp cards myself though!

I ordered my beautiful envelopes from Cards and Pockets. They had a huge array of different color and size options, and the prices were incredibly reasonable! I also loved that you were able to order samples for $1 a piece (which I did), and you are able to order an exact number of envelopes...thank goodness for not having tons of leftovers! I selected a color called "meadow" for both my invitation and response envelopes. They have a slight metallic sheen to them and are so pretty!

Source

Once again, I downloaded a free font from Fontspace to use for addressing my envelopes. Yes, I did take the easy way out, but I didn't have the patience to handwrite all of my invitations! I selected a font called akaDora:

Source

I printed each envelope and then lined it with one of Mrs. Gloss' beautifully designed liners! For the rsvp envelope, we had designed a wrap around label that I glued on. I used a corner rounder for both the invitation and the rsvp, just to create a more finished look!

Traditionally, invitations feature an inner envelope that features the names of the individuals that are invited. Well, I really didn't care to purchase MORE envelopes on top of the ones I already had, so I wanted to come up with an alternative. For inspiration, I walked the aisles of Michaels until I found a wonderful solution! I purchased a tag punch and a bag of raffia to complete my invites.

I had purchased some extra pages of blank cardstock from Kinkos when I printed my invites. I used a 2x4 label template to print my guests' names. After they came out of the printer, I used the punch to make tags. The tag served as the "inner envelope" in my case! Also - to add a bit more detail, I used a stamp to create a design on the back of the tag.

I used a piece of raffia to tie the invite and rsvp together. I added a few extra pieces of raffia to the knot to make it look fuller, and tied the tag to the top. Annnd voila! The invitation was complete! I was very satisfied with how it turned out!

From there, it was time to stuff, seal, and stamp...and then fight with some US Postal Service workers...but that story is for another day...

How long did it take you to assemble your invitations?

DIY French manicure/pedicure

Everyone has their vice...their go-to splurge that makes them feel absolutely wonderful. For some, it might be Starbucks, splurging on a new pair of shoes, or a stiff martini. For me...it is a pedicure. There is just something amazingly relaxing about sitting in a massage chair with your feet in warm water while having your feet transformed from something that resembles Hobbit feet to a beautiful set of piggies ready to be shown off in a cute pair of sandals. The only problem with pedicures? They cost money...and at the moment, I have very little of it. Saving up for a wedding has really made me take a look at what I spend my extra money on, and then cut back. Typically, I treat myself to a pedicure around once a month, which sets me back about $28. I haven't had a pedicure since July 2009...which means that I have saved about $224 at this point - yay!

So...how have I managed to not drive myself nuts in the meantime? I taught myself how to DIY my beloved french pedicure (and manicure)! After countless times sitting in the chair, I observed my nail techs, and decided to give it a shot myself. Ok, here we go...

To start...lets gather our materials! You will need:

*Acetone nail polish remover. Yes...acetone. Using the regular, less strong remover will drive you nuts. However, BE CAREFUL, because this stuff will literally take the varnish right off a coffee table (yep...it happened to me a while ago, dang it)

*White nail polish for the nail tips - I like Sally Hansen Maximum Growth "Pure White Tip"

*Pink/clear polish for the top coat. For pink, I enjoy Sally Hansen Diamond Strength in "Champagne Toast" (pictured). For clear/neutral, I like Sally Hansen Maximum Growth in "Innocent Nude."

*Nail file

*Nail buffer

*Cuticle pusher (not required, but I it)

*Cuticle nipper

*Nail clipper

*Makeup brush (I use an eyeshadow brush) that you are willing to sacrifice for french manicures. It should have relatively stiff and short bristles.

Ok - here we go!!!

1.) To start, clip your nails to a desired/even length. File them for a smooth finish, and use the buffer on the top of your nail surface to smooth out the bumps.

2.) If desired, use the cuticle pusher to press back your cuticles, then CAREFULLY clip them with the nipper. If you aren't sure of the technique, here are some short videos illustrating it for you:

3.) Next, use the white nail polish and paint the tips of your nails. It does not have to be anywhere close to perfect; at this point just make sure you cover the area that you want to be white. Don't believe me - see? I'm definitely not perfect...

Ewww look at what my crazy baby toe can do!!!

I painted my fingernails too...

4.) Pour a small amount of nail polish remover into a container (I just pour it into the bottle cap), and get out your eyeshadow brush that you have now sacrificed for the cause.

5.) Submerge the brush in the remover to soak for a few seconds.

6.) Are you ready? Here goes nothing...using the nail polish remover soaked brush, slowly brush from the center of your nail to the side (then repeat towards the other side).

Work slowly, and wittle down the white strip until you have your desired width. Don't worry if you mess up; you can always repaint the nail tip and start over!

7.) Repeat this technique on each toe (or finger)...until your toes look as awesome as this (haha...):

Here's a shot of my fingers....if you were wondering how they were coming along...

8.) Using the pink/natural nail polish, paint a top coat (or 2 if you like).

Voila - you are done, and have saved yourself a boat load of money by not going to the nail salon! You are now ready to show off your beautiful nails...maybe even in some engagement photos? Yep...I did!

Pilster Photography

As a disclaimer, DON'T be discouraged if your first try at a french mani/pedi doesn't turn out well! It took me a few tries to master my technique. If you mess up one nail, just wipe it clean with remover, and try again. Practice makes perfect, my friends!

Have you tried a DIY manicure? Do you have any tips or tricks that you always use?

Light it Up!

If you’re not already following along with the creation of my centerpieces…first I accumulated my vases, then I went through a trial run with the baby’s breath.

Next, I assembled a few samples!

In addition to my vase-purchasing frenzy, I also cleared TJ Maxx and Marshalls on any and all of these adorable little bird figurines. I now have a rather sizeable flock!

I wanted to create the ambiance/arrangement that we will have the evening of the wedding. Ideally, the lighting will be low and the reception tables will be illuminated with votives. Perhaps like this?

Aren’t the little birds adorable?

I plan to use one tall vase and one short vase in the arrangement. I’ll add a bird on one side, and the table number/letter on the other. Votives will be scattered around the table.

So…what do you think? Did you have an easy time turning your visions into reality for your reception tables?