A Trunk Full of Vintage Wedding Accessories

So we all know that "shabby chic" wedding details are big right now, so of course wedding decor rental places are making lots of money on vintage reproductions and refurbished antiques. It makes it so easy to jump on the bandwagon—because it is EVERYWHERE! Sure, maybe I am one to follow the flock, but even before this new trend took off I was obsessed with old things (hence my History degree and my huge library of history and historical fiction books), so I would like to believe I would have had these vintage details in my "classic romance" wedding anyway.

Recently, one particular wedding decor rental place in the area went out of business (the owner is starting a family) and my mother and I went to check out their garage sale. Well, we came away with a lot of good finds and some tips on repurposing thrift store and antique store items.

We got five grey boxes that can be used as a place for cards or flower arrangements. I figure Kenny and I could use them as planters later (they come with plastic liners). We also got eight silver painted fence posts that we will make into direction signs for the wedding. Using "bundling" techniques I learned by watching American Pickers on the History Channel, I was able to get everything, including the Bridal Shower sign post as a 'free' item thrown into the bundle, for under $75!

So excited about these finds for such a great price! If you are planning a "shabby chic" or vintage detailed wedding, here are the tips they shared with me...

1) Real Deals is a good place to find vintage reproductions for a great affordable price—whether for a wedding or your home.

2) Don't be afraid to go check out different Goodwills. You may be surprised at what you find and there are so many tutorials online on how to distress furniture and decor, so you can achieve the look you want.

3) Search local antique stores. I have been traveling to all different antique stores in the area as well, in search for my guestbook table vision. I really would like a short dresser, sideboard, or buffet that I could use again in my own home. Two promising antique stores in the Portland metro area are: Monticello Antiques on Stark St. and Stars Antique Mall on Milwaukie Ave.

Happy planning!

Romance in the Snow

In the snow @Skibowl.

Yesterday Kenny and I ventured up the mountain for our wonderful engagement shoot in the snow with Jennifer O'Donnell Photography. A few miles outside of Welches, Oregon we found some romantic snowy paths surrounded by snow-dusted trees. The snow was beginning to melt and fall from the trees, but we kept each other warm with laughs, smiles, and kisses. If you would like a sneak peak of the engagement session, there are a few photos posted on the Jennifer O'Donnell Photography Facebook Page. We couldn't be more pleased with how the photos turned out and can't wait to see the rest! (Definitely makes us ecstatic about our future wedding day photos!)

Not finished with our fill of snow, Kenny and I drove a little further up the mountain and were able to take some of our own pictures at Skibowl. On our way back down, we were talking about how much we love snow and the Cascades—so it was not hard to dream about one day investing in a romantic cabin in the mountains. We talked about how great it would be to sit by our stone fireplace, with coffee or a hot toddy in hand, watching the snow fall. There is just something so romantic and peaceful about the snow covered landscape, which encourages us to dream about our future together.

Valentine's Day & Saturday Surfing

After a busy week of errands, holidays, and subbing, I am taking a moment to update my blog this afternoon. I thought I would start with what Kenny and I did to celebrate our love. And yes, even though I would agree with most that Valentine's Day is so commercialized by this point, it is run by flower shops, candy stores, and primarily Hallmark—I have to say in the busyness of life, it is easy to take love for granted. So Kenny and I both agreed that it was nice to have an excuse to spoil each other and go out on a much-needed date. Kenny seems to out do himself every year and I think he found the biggest box of chocolates he could find! Complete with the best Disney love story ever and beautiful diamond heart earrings (sorry they are hard to see). I was able to gift Kenny a gift card for a massage, which he so appreciated!

For dinner we went to Gustav's, drank beer (Kenny) and wine (me), while eating cheese fondue and wonderful dishes of chicken schnitzel and roast duck. After a wonderful dinner we went to Cinetopia for more drinks and saw the movie Safe House. It was a very "Bourne Identity" movie. You just have to love Denzel Washington!

And drum roll please! Tatatatatatat...Kenny shaved his beard! I was totally joking with him when he picked me up that night that I was cheating on my fiancé with my boyfriend! Haha. He got a kick out of that! It is crazy how a simple shave could get my heart fluttering again—I was completely twitterpated all evening.

After this eventful week, I am taking a moment this afternoon surfing the web and saw this on my favorite site: Engagement Ring 101. You should see the different celebrity engagement rings! They're crazy huge!

Last weekend I celebrated my dear friend and bridesmaid's ("schmookums") birthday. It was so nice to have a girls night out and of course we went and saw The Vow. And loved it! If you love sappy romantic movies and Rachel McAdams, you will more than likely enjoy the movie. Check out this blog entry: I Vow to Love the Smell of My Significant Other's Farts. And if you did not know already, this movie is based on a true love story: The Vow: The Kim and Krickitt Carpenter Story.

Our Save-the-Dates

Despite all the busyness of the last few weeks, I was able to take some time to sit down and finish my save-the-dates. It is so helpful to have the help and support system of friends and family—without them I probably would not have been able to send them out by our six month mark (yes, six months on February 10th! I can hardly believe it myself!). Thank you to my wonderful friend and wedding planner for designing the vintage telegram-style save-the-dates, my wonderful sister-in-law for taking our engagement photos, and my loving future mother-in-law for addressing most of the envelopes. I could not have completed them in time without you all!

So toward the end of last week, with the Etta James Pandora Radio Station playing in the background and some of my favorite Greek yogurt for fuel, I stuffed and sealed, stuffed and sealed until the sun set.

Front of the Save-the-Dates w/ photos by Haley Danielle Photography

Back of the Save-the-Dates

Complete with silver "S" wax seal.

Getting the wax seals just perfect is harder than it looks.

Finally! I can now check off save-the-dates from my ginormous list of wedding To-Dos! I just can't wait until I can finally say "I Do!"