Journey of Belle Bride Hollydawn: Devils in the Wedding Detail

I am getting super excited as it is not long until real life Belle Bride Hollydawn gets married and today she is sharing her penultimate post on devils in the wedding detail!

*****

The devil is in the details—much to my disdain.  I have never been a crafty person.  The last thing I ‘DIY’d was a macaroni telephone in the 8^th grade.  The same year I nearly failed art class.  Like any good daughter, I blame my parents: art was not a subject to them rather a pastime (much like French class).  This meant I was allowed to suck which made sucking all the more easy.  Until now.

You may not know it, but the Internet really really really wants me to handcraft my entire wedding.  And I’m not just talking about tulle bows, the Internet wants the whole kit and caboodle: DIY manicures, centerpieces, uplighting,  pinwheels, and hand painted signs for just about everything.

Believe me, I’ve argued with the Internet.  I told her about that time I hot-glued my hand to the inside of my sweater and pointed out how wrong she has been in the past (that rash on my foot was just a rash).  But as in any good relationship, sometimes you just need to compromise.  Today, I present to you my Internet-inspired DIY, DIT, DISE, and DDIAA.

DIY
Perhaps the most daunting of the ‘D’s, my Do-it-yourself projects scream computer-savvy, scissor-illiterate.

Will you be my bridesmaid?
I have 4 bridesmaids, minus the bridesmaid’s duties and plus the awesome dance moves.  I obviously jumped at the opportunity to tell them how much I adore them.  And who doesn’t still love snail mail?

Image from Wedding Chicks

• Wedding Chicks Template
• Cardstock
• Rounded-corner punch
• Scissors
• Powerpoint
• Printer
• Pretty font (mine was a possibly not-so-legal download)
• Witty words for your favorite girls
• Envelopes
• Stamps (rubber and post)

Livre D’Or
I hate to admit it, but I had a brief moment of Bridezilla.  G really wanted a Polaroid guestbook and I completely ignored him and bought an online voucher for a photobook.  In the end, and in complete shame, I made the photobook (with lots of blank pages) and G bought the Polaroid (with lots of film).  On the day, our guests can strike a pose, paste their portrait in our photobook, and leave us a lovenote.  Bridezilla-induced crisis forgiven, though never forgotten.

• Discounted voucher for a photobook
• Awkward childhood photos of the bride and groom
• Couple photos (preferably without drinks in hand)
• Gel pens
• Washi tape
• Polaroid and film

DIT
This buzz-word is a beauty: Do-it-together.

(Aside: Our first DIT was not so pretty.  We spent a night out with a bottle of wine, in a small French café making our wedding invitations.  We used a popular (free) site.  It took us hours.  One month later, the site went bust and our invitations and RSVPs were forever lost in the cyberdump.  It  has made for some awkward moments: ‘I heard there was a problem with your wedding invitations so I thought I should check, am I invited?’ No, you are not.  OR ‘are you mad at me for something? So mad you un-invited me from your wedding’  No and no, you are still invited!)

Playlist
We never had any intention of hiring a DJ, not due to budget but because listening to music for hours on-end is perhaps the most fun part of party planning, ever.  I don’t want to give too much away but our playlist features an eclectic mix of Edith, Woodkid, Janis, Bob, Johnny, and Manu. And Dubstep remixes of all those artists in between.

• Spotify Premium subscription
• Laptop
• Sound system
• A coin to settle arguments

DISE
I didn’t make this up, but whoever did deserves  a medal.  Do-it-someone-else.

Guest Favors
Another point for Etsy.  Our guests will receive plantable paper bookmarks, created by Jamie of Davita: Recycled Goddess, and hand stamped by moi.  They are lightweight/easily packed for those guests travelling onward and can be planted in pots for those who don’t enjoy reading.

Images from Davita: Recycled Goddess

Décor
Our seating plan and cagettes created by the lovely Milène from Fée Kabosse are a great beginning to creating a shabby-chic inspired reception.

Image from Fée Kabosse

DDIAA
Ok, I did make this one up: Don’t-do-it-at-all.  My list includes, but is certainly not limited to, the aforementioned pinwheels, bunting, backdrops, and anything involving paint.  And I’m ok with that.  For now.

*****

Hollydawn does crack me up! Whenever I read her posts it is always in another voice between Carey Bradshaw and Mary-Louise Parker….