Wing-ing It

Today I ordered the flower girl shoes because the website was having a black Friday sale plus free shipping. Fingers crossed their feet don't grow too much before March. So that leaves wings, because they're my little fairies. I started looking around again and came up with a few options.

I started with Etsy and was immediately drawn to these:

They're sewn from cotton fabric. They made me wish I could sew. Great idea, durable washable wings. I love how different they are. That being said they're not quite as whimsical as the rest of the ensemble. Apart from that they weren't offered in an appropriate fabric. They attach around the front with big bows. Which is adorable for dress up and more comfy than elastic, but I want something more discreet for the wedding.

The next pair of wings to catch my fancy were:

These are on sale right now. I like that they're small and the copious color options. I just hate the big flower in the middle. At this point I decided to look else where.

I found these on Amazon:

No big flowers and they're reasonably priced. I like the triple wing design. They're budget friendly, but they're a little boring. The other option is to DIY some and I found a tutorial, but I'm on the fence about at least until I enlist help.

It occurred to me during my research today that 2yr old girls may not want to wear wings. I had thought a couple pictures and the ceremony weren't too much to ask. Now I'm worried that the girls won't keep them on long enough for pictures, which would be so sad. I mean am I just kidding myself with this idea? They'll have the flower wreathes, dresses, tights and shoes without considering wings. If they're attached with elastic Riley won't last more than 10min. Hmmm...

Head To Toe: Maids

So, my girlies are pretty much set as well. For my attendants I went less whimsical and more classic 1950's. I fell head over heels for their dress and It's another part of my style as it were, so there you go.

Hair
It's called a chignon, apparently. I thought since I was doing half up with flowing curls it would be a nice contrast for them to wear their hair up. I want it low like this picture, but perhaps a bit messier. Maybe making a crisscross of hair above the beginning of the fold. Maybe some tendrils? It's going to look so nice with their dress.

They'll all have one of these in their hair on the side. It'll unify all the girls' dos since 3 will have their hair up and MOH's hair is too short for the chignon. They'll also have anemone wrist corsages and be carrying antiqued lanterns with anemones and dark green fern leaves instead of bouquets. My original wedding colors were black, white and emerald and it lives on in the maids.

Make-up

My beauties all opted to do their own and I trust them to be radiant.

Jewels
This is the necklace the girls agreed on. It's got a touch of classic style with the pearl and a some whimsy with the leaf. I really like it and I hope they all wear it again after the wedding. I gave them free reign for any other accessories they want.

Dress

It's Jim Hjelm Occasions style 5007. It's dupioni silk and tea length. We ordered it in emerald. So pretty. Much more fun than the plain strapless black dresses I was initially looking for. They should be in by January. I can not wait to see them in the right color.

Shoes

I found these at Payless. Don't you love a little sparkle on a shoe? I'm very tiny so I insisted on flats and when I found these I let the girl choose the color they wanted. They all got black. So, all the girls will be head to toe black, white and dark green. I'm certain their shoes will get worn again. There's nothing like a simple black flat.

Ta-da, again!

Head to Toe: Bride

So, I've almost got the whole wedding day look together. My exact dress isn't done yet and I'm going to get all my undergarments when I have my dress. So let's start at the top and work our way down:

Head Piece
In lieu of a veil I'll be rocking this headband and probably for part of the honeymoon. It's so pretty. Yay!

My Hair
I want a more upscale version of this. I had my hair down in loose curls here. I'd want my hair half up, possibly a Juliet style halo braid with my headband threaded through it. Lots and lots of loose curls falling down my back. Yay, Rapunzel hair.

Here's the right braid placement. Here's the right style curl-wise. It's Cinderella's stepsister from Ever After with my face (thanks Mike). It works well on me, right. On an emotional note I completely intended to have this hair style for High School Graduation, but right before Prom I cut all my hair off like a dope. Hence refusing to loose any length in the locks since the official engagement. Yay princess hair!

Make-up
I found a nifty make-up tool on Brides.com this look is very close. I couldn't get the lip color right, bah. Anyway, light fresh powdery foundation, peach toned blush and maybe a light pinkish glossy lip. I am really unsure about lip color, though. I could also go Hollywood glam red lips if I found the right shade. Dramatic eye for sure. Dark eyeliner and fun eyeshadow. Long dark lashes. Any suggestion is more than welcome. Now I see the need for hair and make-up trials.

Jewels
Necklace:
So, pretty! Matches my engagement ring and I'll wear it tons after the wedding. I originally had my heart set on pearls, but this one called to me while I was ring shopping.

Earrings
TBD. I was originally going to borrow my mom's sapphire earrings for my something blue. That was when I thought I'd be wearing pearls, but if I wear an emerald necklace and have green on my dress I don't think they'll work. On top of which I learned your something borrowed is supposed to be an item from a friend or family member, whose good fortune in marriage is supposed to carry over to the new bride. Unfortunately, that also means I'm back to square one for my something blue. I'm open for suggestions on all that too.

Dress

Here's the design my dress is based on. It will be ivory and champagne in the same material. My skirt will be a little messier. I will not have the rose, ick. Instead I'll have some emerald blingy thing not sure exactly what. Light and flowy (for style, theme and practical reasons). I love the lace at the hem and that it doesn't have a train. So pretty! I can't wait to put it on.

Shoes

Ballet slippers that tie on the leg. I haven't decided whether they should be ivory or champagne. I love the lace on these.

Ta-da!

The Cherry On Top

Here's the picture from the Etsy sellers' listing:
(mignonnehandmade)

And here it is on me:

I think it looks better on me.
Isn't it pretty?

Now imagine my hair's curly and I'm wearing this:
(Etsy seller: PantorabyAndrea)
Remember my dress will NOT have the rose. We're going to do emerald bling of some sort instead. Also, the skirt will be champagne and ivory so it'll match the flower on the headpiece. I'm so excited. It's so Midsummer. Mike actually commented with sadness "so no veil?". I never really wanted one, but once I started asking myself "what will I do with this after the wedding" something like this is perfect. I'd totally rock this after the wedding. Why is it always boys who lament not choosing a veil? I feel like I've heard quite a few stories about that. Really though, what do you do with it after the wedding?

How much do you love it? I'd love to hear feedback on the bridal ensemble.

Accessorizing the Bride

I'm thinking about something like this:

It's a little big, but it's the right style. I was originally thinking pearls. I know how conformist of me, right. Sue me. Something like this:

I love pearls they're so classic and girlly. I also love a little sparkle and the bling on this one's appropriately nature inspired. I suppose I should wait for a look at my custom bling on the wedding dress before I make any decisions though. I'm starting to wonder if I couldn't DIY one of these.

I still love this head piece:

The good news is it'll go much better with my new dress than the one I was going to wear. It's also very Midsummer Night's Dream since it was set in Athens. I'm pretty sure I'll find an excuse to wear it long after the wedding too. Trust me, I was the girl who randomly wore a tiara or cat ears from middle school through college whenever I felt like it.

My shoes were easy. Not being able to walk in heels and wearing kid size shoes really narrows the selection. I'm going to dye them champagne to match my dress.

I know I'll sport these long after the event if they're still in on piece too. I adore ballet slippers (and anything ballerina related.

Also, on unrelated note I started to wonder if I'd made the right choose for the bridesmaids dress not that my own dress is so ethereal I love everything about, but I've worried from the beginning about a dupioni silk dress for an outdoor wedding in April. Florida weather is so unpredictable. I've looked around a little and I don't like anything as much as the one I originally picked. I hope the fact their tea length is enough to keep my girls cool. I have a feeling no other choice will measure up.

The Toss: Garter Version Revised

Some time around the 14th century, wedding guests used to believe pieces of a bride's wedding dress was lucky. So much so, that they'd just help themselves tearing off pieces here and there. Can you imagine? Over the centuries the groom started tossing the garter to appease the crowd.

Aside from general good luck apparently if a man gave the garter to his love she'd be faithful forever. Again, I think the bouquet and garter tossing traditions are fun. Although, I had to wrack my brain to think of unmarried guests and am now considering a short dress for the reception. How high do you wear those things anyway?

Here's the one I originally liked:

The lace is in the pattern of the Celtic Love Knot.

I found myself thinking, "I guess I'll order two. One to keep and one to throw." Really, what the heck would I do with it after the wedding? It doesn't seem like I'd have a lot of occasions to wear it.

I also like:

The more think about it, it will just never do to single out our very few single guests for this. I think we'll call all the men up for a shot at the "lucky" garter. Everyone could use a little luck. One magazine I read suggested making a bouquet out of lottery tickets or gift cards to throw. I think attaching a prize will motivate a fun competitive spirit especially among the guys who don't necessarily long to be the next to marry.

Either way I will NOT be making the garter catcher and bouquet catcher do anything more than pose for a picture together. Although, I wonder if the people who did the catching at wedding ever ended up married? It'd be a romantic story to tell later. Now that I say that it is kind of the plot of Picture Perfect.

However, Mike's parents wedding was responsible for three other marriages so maybe there is something to taking a piece of luck and love home with you however intangible. I myself was a participant in at least 3 bouquet tosses. I never caught a single one, but I did get knocked on my ass every single time.

The Veil Issue

Let's begin with this: my choices are never meant as judgment of anyone else's choices past or present. I mean it. These are just my personal opinions. I like hearing supportive and conflicting ones because it forces me to examine my motives and either become more confident in them or go back to the drawing board.

Here is where I started on the subject of veils four years ago:

I wanted a fingertip length, double veil with some kind of pretty trim. I had also hoped that it would detach from the comb for the reception leaving just the pretty hair piece behind.

After coming back to my dress (and the wedding) with fresh eyes I've been thinking something more like this:

Scattered flowers in my loose curls, no veil. It's very Midsummer Night's Dream don't you think? Also, I like the idea of little pops of color here and there.

Today when discussing this with someone I heard myself say "well, maybe a small veil. They are kind of ethereal." Hmmm...

Pretty, but not quite me. I'm just not sure. I was leaning heavily towards just flowers, but I also really like this "bridal halo" I found on Etsy:

Now that's a real possibility...Maybe something like this, not this one because Geez Louise where do they get off charging that much for some pretty bent cooper wires?!? I digress, something like this with the flowers? Maybe a few less flowers or maybe none?

I do remember and have confirmed no one is certain of the wedding veil's original purpose. Some sources think it was another symbol of purity and modesty. One site comically suggests it was to keep grooms from backing out of arranged marriages because of the bride's ugliness! I happen to think it falls more along the lines of obscuring the brides features from evil spirits and preventing wedding day misfortune.

There are a lot of wedding day misfortunes in literature and even more wedding traditions based in preventing evil deeds by ghosts or men. It dictated the side the groom and his men stand on, so they have easy access to their swords. It is why bridesmaids originally matched to confuse the evil sprits and rivals for the bride’s affection. It goes on and on. It makes me smile thinking about it.

I know that when I watched Lara's veil go on, I welled up with tears. It made her look that much more bridal. I also know that Sandy not wearing a veil didn't make her any less breathtaking. I'll keep pondering the deterrence of evil spirits and the opinions of those I trust and post when I make a decision. Whatever I decide (in all matters wedding) is not intended as anything more than attempt to make it a day that is deeply meaningful to Michael and I and I will not apologize if it is not what people want or expect.

This one's really pretty too.

I'm not usually big on fabric flowers in the hair, but I'm really drawn to this. Curse you, Etsy and your endless sea of beautiful things how's any girl supposed to make up her mind?.