The Little Things: Table Numbers

Ant and I are {hopefully} about to be snowed in for the next 36 hours or so!  So we are busting out the wine and I just put brownies in the oven, but before we start our mega Netflix marathon I wanted to share some more wedding details with you!

Early on in our wedding planning, I knew there were a few projects I was definitely going to want to DIY.  I don't think we did NEARLY as many DIY projects as Brittni - but I'm pretty proud of the few we did pull off!  Table numbers are definitely one of those.

Travel is huge for Ant and I - and we have been to so many fun and special places together.  We wanted to incorporate that into our wedding day in a pretty and fun way, and this was the perfect solution!  I combined a few different ideas I had seen around on pinterest and other wedding blogs - the image below is one example. {again - so old I don't have the source - sorry!!} 

I loved the simple frame with the gold numbers - and the way the backdrop was pretty but not distracting.  This gave me the idea to try it with black and white pictures as the backdrop instead!  We went to the dollar store and bought roughly a million frames, all 4x6 but all different styles, colors and designs. {and ALL $1!!!}  We then POURED through all of our favorite travel photos and came up with our top 20ish {not knowing how many tables we'd end up having} and printed them all in black and white.  We loaded up on gold and gold glitter spray paint, and went to Hobby Lobby on a search for numbers!  We found smaller numbers than the example above, which I thought were perfect.  The smaller number allowed you to see more of the photo itself, which was really the most important part.

Don't ask why we set this up inside in the living room....I don't have any good reasons.  But that's okay!  We took the glass out of a couple of the frames and spread them out in the living room to test the gold and glitter on both the frames and the numbers.  As it turns out, its a good thing we got the gold glitter, because the plain gold was very very dull.  The glitter added JUST the right amount of extra sparkle!

After testing a couple, we brought the rest out into the driveway one afternoon for a massive spray painting session.  I painted frames while Ant mowed the lawn! 

I love the way the numbers were small and subtle, allowing the picture to speak for itself.  For our sweetheart table we used a photo of Chaffinch Park, where Ant proposed to me, and I used a scrapbooking heart shaped punch to make the "number."  So perfect!

Our total cost for the table numbers, including all of the spray paint was less than $50....just the type of budget I was looking for!  I love how they were a simple addition to the tables, and gave each table a little bit of special meaning to us.  We wanted our table set ups to be very simple and clean, and I think they came out perfect!  Below are the photos our wedding photographer took that night:  Table 4 was Annecy, France...Table 3 was Geneva, Switzerland...and Table 11 was Florence, Italy. {This is also a sneak peek at our STUNNING centerpieces from Earth Blossoms!}

Of course, this was my favorite table of the night {not that we ever sat there}....my bouquet, our Kate Spade champagne flutes and Chaffinch Park for the sweetheart table.

Have you thought about DIY-ing for your wedding?  What projects in particular are you planning to tackle???

xoxo

Wedding Flowers: Earth Blossoms

Okay so it has been MONTHS since I last chatted about flowers...but I'm back for the next part of my three part installment on wedding flowers.  You're getting alllllll the nitty gritty!

Last time I told you about the two meetings I had with florists and my MIL.  As it turns out, from a budget perspective, both florists came in at almost exactly the same number - so finances were basically a non factor in the ultimate decision.  In the end, I essentially went with my gut.  I wish I could give you a better explanation than that....but I can't.  Both were very professional, in different ways, and I'm sure my flowers would have been stunning with either florist...but my MIL said it simply: it's YOUR wedding.  You choose.  So I did!  I emailed Noreen back almost immediately and told her we couldn't wait to work with her for our wedding day!  She made me feel so comfortable.  Her email after our initial meeting was so detailed and specific.  There were no surprises - everything we had talked about was there in front of me on one sheet.  Her communication was also AMAZING.  She emailed me back almost immediately, every time...and was so reassuring that I knew I wouldn't need to stress the details.  The little things, like communication, can make the big difference when you're planning a wedding.  So I went with my gut!

Throughout the process, she continued to be absolutely wonderful with communication.  When I randomly emailed her after the new year with a few ideas I'd been rolling around in my head {and this picture I had found of the fireplace with string lights!}, she got back to me within HOURS with her opinion and a promise to add the information to my file.

The next time I emailed her was June, this time with a couple images of bridal bouquets I loved, and a request to change the flowers I used for the place card table.  Again - she wrote back immediately, and even though she was busy with other weddings took the time to make sure I knew she was on my side. {on a side note, who doesn't love everything LC does??}

She emailed me again later that month to confirm a few remaining details from our initial meeting...little details I had even forgotten about!  I got another check-in from her in early July when she had found urns that she thought would work perfectly for my ceremony.  When she went to a wedding the month before ours at the Branford House, she came back to me with a few questions and concerns that we were able to talk through.  All of this communication helped make me feel more than comfortable that she and I were on the same page, and that she knew what I was looking for.  Again - this is amazing considering I still wasn't even sure what I imagined it all looking like!!!

Last but not least,  I emailed her roughly two weeks before the wedding asking if we could add a floral element to the wedding cake {similar to the photo below} as a last minute touch!  She was wonderful and pleasant through every step of the process.  She was willing to make suggestions, and always happy to listen to mine!

Choosing the right vendor is THE MOST important part of making your wedding planning process fun...and Noreen certainly did that for me!  How did you choose your florist??

xoxo

**The images above were from screenshots I found in my emails with Noreen from last year - so I hadn't saved the original sources!!!

#Wifey Diaries: airbnb on the PCH

I have always loved to travel.  I can thank my parents for that!  We always traveled a lot growing up, usually because of the various conferences and meetings they had for work.  That travel bug has only grown as I've gotten older - in college my roommate and I took a road trip across country....a whirlwind 10 days that was basically the best thing ever.  Every must see attraction - we saw it!  My junior year of college I studied abroad in Granada, Spain for a semester.  That officially solidified my love for travel - I would go back to Europe every year if I could!

Luckily, I married a guy who also loves to travel.  While I was in Spain the crazy kid came out and spent a week with me! {We had been dating a whole...5 months maybe?} Our first anniversary we road tripped to Niagara Falls - we celebrated our engagement with 2 weeks in Switzerland and Italy - etc. etc.  More often than not our gifts to each other involve travel over "things".  The perfect example is this Christmas - I got Ant concert tickets to see Sam Smith in Philly, so we spent 2 nights in the city....and in a couple weeks we'll be headed to Washington D.C. for my Christmas gift from Ant!

Long story short, the Mascias LOVE to travel.

We don't discriminate on big travel vs. small travel - as long as we are seeing and experiencing new things, it's good for me!  We are usually planning at least two vacations out.  Not FULLY planning, but talking pretty seriously about what we think is up next.  In this case, "up next" is Costa Rica 2016!

But first!!! This year our big vacation is a two week West Coast road trip!! 2015 has unofficially become our year of domestic travel.  We will fly out to San Francisco - enjoy Napa Valley and visit our friend Ryland in San Fran, then spend 10 days traveling north, through Oregon and Washington, with a quick detour in Vancouver!  There are SO many things we want to see and do while we are out there, we are planning on this being one of those vacations that you need a vacation from when you get home!  We want to have a good general plan of major things we want to see and do, and then leave some up to chance.  I don't want to be too scheduled on a timeline, so that we have the freedom to just stop and enjoy along on our way.

One thing we know for sure, is we will be using airbnb for 10 of our 12 nights! {Thanks Ryland for the futon to crash on!}  We used airbnb for our entire EMoon in Italy, and had the best experience!  We LOVE how you get such a unique and personal experience.  We've always had amazing hosts who give you great recommendations for food and can't miss spots!  For this trip especially, the trip is more about the places we see than the places we stay - so we are not trying to drop a lot of money on a bed where we're going to crash for maybe 8 hours!  Airbnb is perfect for that - we can get great options for a fraction of the cost....especially in some of the more well known areas {ahem, NAPA}.

We've already started doing some research - but our goal is to buckle down today and get at least 2 or 3 spots chosen and booked!  Below are a few of the places that have jumped out to me so far....

This one is NOT where Ant and I will be staying on this trip....but in the future with some friends and less financial constraints?  Yes please.

To me, this is the epitome of airbnb uniqueness!  Staying in Portland you can stay at a hotel....orrrrr you can stay at an Urban Garden Studio!  How cute is that???  Again - when we only have 1 night in Portland we will probably be more worried about a cheap spot to crash than a unique experience...but this is absolutely the coolest.

This one might end up being our Vancouver spot.  35th floor, parking included....you can't beat it.

I'm not sure if the location will end up making sense for us with this listing, but I wish it would!  Less than $150 for a night here.  ON the water.  

Have you traveled the PCH?? Do you have any recommendations for places to stay, or things we can't miss??  Please share!

xoxo

The Fergusons: DIY Details

If you remember - this past October one of my best friends got married!  She had a beautiful ceremony at the pond on her grandparent's property, followed by a tented reception!  It's finally time to share with you her many amazing fall DIY details!!  This wedding was truly a labor of love....DIY details take SO much time and effort and it was so much fun to see everything come together beautifully!!!

Wedding Favors:
Brittni and Stephen gave out mason jars as wedding favors - they doubled as your glass for the evening!  They painted each lid with chalkboard paint, so that you could personalize your lid and keep track of your cup!  They also created custom tags for each jar...one side said "Live well, laugh often, love much" and the other side said "B&S 2014 - Thank you".  The cutest!!!  As an extra little detail, the bridal party got blue mason jars to differentiate from the rest of the group.  Ant and I even took a couple extras home with us at the end of the night, so we have a full set!

Centerpieces:

Brittni's Aunt Amy did all of the floral arrangements, which were STUNNING.  {She also did my hair for my wedding.  She's amazingly talented}  I loved all of the fall colors!  The wood that created the base of each centerpiece was cut by Brittni's step father from a tree on their property.  He cut one for each and every table!

Photo Pallet:

The photo pallet was probably my favorite decor detail from the night...Brittni and Stephen added twine to a pallet and posted pictures of themselves throughout the years - a mix of baby pictures, and some more recent ones of the two of them together!  It was so fun to look back at all the memories - and see how much they've grown and changed!

Guestbook:

Their guestbook tree was painted by one of Brittni's bridesmaids Julia.  They had three different color ink pads that you could use to add your fingerprint to the tree!

Chalkboard directional signs:

Brittni and Stephen had directional signs painted with chalkboard paint for a variety of things on site. The night of the rehearsal dinner, a few of us helped write them out!  Below are Ant and I with the ones we made, and then Brittni and Stephen looking adorable with their "Happily ever after starts here" sign.  I mean, seriously!

Ring Bearer "pillow":

Instead of a traditional ring bearer pillow - Brittni's MOH and sister Katie made this amazing book for the ring bearer to carry down the aisle!! She glued the pages of a Harry Potter book together, and then cut out a heart shape for the rings to sit in.  My favorite part - she even went so far as to cut out a page that had an "F" on it for the center of the heart!!

Cake Topper:

The Harry Potter themed cake topper was made by one of Brittni's very close family friends.  How cute are they??? She made them to look like Brit and Stephen, and it could not be any more perfect.  

Veil:

Yes, even the veil was DIY!  Blythe, who made the cake toppers, also made Brittni's veil.  The decorative edging was just the right amount of sparkle to add to her outfit!!  Isn't it beautiful??

Phew.  I'm tired just thinking about all of the work that went into each of these special details.  But doesn't it make all the difference??  The sun came out and Brittni and Stephen had an absolutely perfect wedding day with all of their closest family and friends!!  Love you both!

xoxo

#Wifey Diaries: Christmas Jewelry

This Christmas season was so special.  It was our first Christmas as a married couple, as a family of two.  We had the best time with both of our families - and I massively enjoyed my ONE day off of work!  Working the holidays just makes you appreciate the little bit of time off with loved ones that much more, I've decided.  I also may have decided this because it's better for my sanity, but thats besides the point.  I know Christmas seems like it was a longggg time ago, but I still have some pretty details to show you!

As a newlywed, I got a couple very special & fun new pieces of jewelry that I wanted to share with you!  They are PERFECT - and would be perfect gifts for any newlyweds in your life.  I squealed for joy with each and every one.  They were thoughtful and simple and very ME.

First - my #Wifey necklace!  I already shared this one with you here, but it's worth sharing again. My littlest sister Sara got it for me - it comes in silver or gold, and they've added a few different fonts...but I'm obsessed with mine!  The swarovski rhinestone "i" is the perfect little touch.

Next up is the necklace I just shared on Tuesday - my Friction silver state necklace!  Katie got this for me in New York, at one of the many holiday markets!  We go shopping at them every year together, and this year she specifically led me away from this particular shop, so I was completely surprised when I opened up this beautiful necklace.  This one kills me - it is all of my homes in one place.  There's a miniature Rhody, CT, and an "M".  The first pic below is a little awkward, but it shows each individual charm the best, so I'm leaving it for ya.  The second one is a more accurate image of how the necklace hangs.  You can also get this necklace in silver or gold, with any combination of states you'd like!!

The last piece of jewelry is this bangle bracelet my MIL got for me.  It is a simple silver bracelet with an engraving inside - "the joy is in the journey."  When Ant proposed to me he talked about the journey we would be embarking on.  I referenced this is my vows back to him during our ceremony...so the reference to the journey is a special one for both of us.  It was such a thoughtful gift!!  This exact bracelet is from Lia Sophia and you can't get it online anymore, but MantraBand has some similar styles, if you like this one!

Aren't they perfect??

xoxo

The Little Things: Pearls and Pastries

TGIF!!!

This week started out nice and normal - work has finally slowed down after the holidays, and Ant and I have had a chance to get back into a slightly more normal routine.  We got to see my parents this weekend, and his mom yesterday...I caught up with my BFFL for a girls night on Tuesday - all sorts of lovely normal things! and then today happened at work.  and I'm ready for a TGIF relaxing night at home.  Soooo, I'm opening a bottle of wine and waiting for my husband to get home with sushi, and I thought I'd share something sparkly with you! 

Enter Pearls & Pastries.

I found her on instagram through my ongoing search for all things fun and wedding related.  I immediately loved all of the sparkle she has, and thought it would be the perfect little detail to add to my wedding day!  She often runs sales if you follow her - so one day when she was running 20% off, I ordered a hanger for myself!

When it came in the mail it was packaged with a pinch of confetti - so much fun! 

In the scheme of things, it was SUCH a small detail of the day, but when I look back at these pictures of my wedding dress it adds a totally beautiful touch! {also, can we just reflect again on those walls??? sighhhhh}

The gold was stunning, but if we're being honest.....this black and white photo is my absolute favorite.  Talk about timeless!!

I bought her standard hanger, but she has so many other fun options if you are looking to make your closet sparkle a bit!  Below are a few photos from her instagram of some of her other hangers for sale....never mind gifts for myself, I think these would make some amazing bridesmaids gifts!!  Who doesn't love some sparkle?  Or a personalized hanger just for them??

The little things may not make or break the day - but they sure do add some fun!! What was your favorite "little thing" from your wedding day??

xoxo

#Wifey Diaries: Mix and Match Mama

I told you my first #Wifey Diaries post would be about my crock pot....so now that you're all thoroughly excited...here we go!  This post is more specifically about Mix and Match Mama.  and how Mix and Match Mama makes me feel like a #SuperWifey.

Mix and Match Mama is the "foodie blog" of Shay Shull.  Shay is the sister of Sean Lowe {as in Sean from the Bachelor}.  I pretty regularly read both of her blogs, and recently Mix and Match Mama has become my favorite spot to go to for recipes, especially crock pot recipes!  They're sort of her thing.  Ant and I discovered the joys of crock pot cooking when we lived in our apartment but horribly underutilized it.  Since moving into our home, we have learned just how incredibly valuable it is!  There is NOTHING better than crock pot meals - especially in winter, which also happens to be one of my busiest times at work!  Crock pot meals are almost always comfort food...warm, and delicious and EASY.  Ahhh the easiness is unreal.  Even when I feel like I have zero minutes in my life, I can still find the 10 minutes it takes to prep the food for the crock pot, throw it in and hit start!  By the time we get home after a long day, dinner is ready.

She changed my life with this particular recipe for Sweet Corn Chili. {click the link for the full recipe!}  The shopping list was this:

Shopping List
1 pound of ground beef (or ground turkey)
1 onion, chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 (6 oz) can of tomato paste
1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14 oz) can of creamed corn
1 (14 oz) can of diced tomatoes
1 1/2 cups frozen corn
Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
Salt and Pepper
Sour cream and/or shredded cheese to garnish, optional

The first thing that stood out to me was that it was SIMPLE.  None of those ingredients looked at all complicated.  Ground turkey was a win for my *trying to eat healthy* husband.  I then decided to use her slogan "it's more about the method than the recipe" and ad lib it a bit.  I don't love onions, and I HATE jalapeños, so I skipped them entirely!  I stuck to ground turkey, chili powder, frozen corn and all of the canned goods! Talk about an insanely simple shopping list! {and if you know me and my grown woman grocery store temper tantrums, the more simple the list, the better}....I brought it all home, cooked it up....and had dinner waiting to surprise the hubs when he got home! and guess what?

It was amazing.  By far one of the best crock pot recipes we've made to date!  We eat it as chili...we eat it as tacos with sour cream and cheese added....we eat it as a nacho dip with tortilla chips...you name it, we've tried it!  It's good as dinner, it reheats well for lunch at work. It's a win/win/win.  

Yup.  That's right.  #SuperWifey speaking.

The same can be said about many of her other recipes as well - if I'm looking for something simple and delicious, 100% of the time I search her site first.  We had dinner with two other couples the other night, and I was bringing a side dish.  Something simple and delicious AND easy to transport?  Mix and Match Mama to the rescue!  I tried out her Mashed Potato Casserole.  I was able to do all the pre work at home, and when we got to our friends house I just threw it in the oven for 20 minutes and it was done! 

The thing I love about Shay is that she doesn't pretend to be too fancy or over the top.  Her recipes don't make me nervous about whether I'm going to screw them up or present them properly!  She uses disposable baking dishes for parties so clean up is easy, her dessert recipes often include boxed mixes as a starting point...she isn't worried about anything other than a delicious end result!  I may not have 3 kids, but my life is still pretty busy and it's nice to know that I can still feel like a wonderful hostess and wife without losing my mind in the kitchen! {besides, the reality of the situation is Ant is still a better cook than me....Shay just helps me hold my own!}

There are so many delicious recipes on her site, I occasionally browse to get an idea of what I might try next...I think this one is at the top of my list for next summer!

What sites are your go-to for recipes?? I'm always looking for new ones!  Do you have a favorite crock pot recipe?  Share, please!!  This girl will take all the help she can get :)

xoxo