Rachel and Nick’s backyard wedding took place at the home of the bride’s parents in St. Catherines, Ontario, Canada.  Rachel first came across Etsy while she was searching online for a “Puppy Tux” for the couples dog Indie.  According to Rachel, it was love at first “site”!

The Details

Pearl Letter Cake Toppers (R & N) from myfrivolities

Personalized Ivory Wedding Garters with Pink Pearl Flower from makethisdayspecial 

Audrey Hoop earrings in sterling silver with ivory pearls for the Bride and 3 Anna Necklaces for the Bridesmaids from BGBJewelry 

Eco Chameleon Gown in Ivory for the Bride, and 3 knee length dresses in Satin Jersey in Steel for the Bridesmaids from Isadora Clothing 

Gerber Daisy Flower Girl Wands for the Flower Girls from zuzugirl 

Puppy Tux with Tie and Ring Pillow for our Dog Indie (our ring boy) from Pugpossessed 

Vintage Daisies and Pearl Headband for the Bride from BeSomethingNew 

Pink Daisy Smock Dresses for the flower girls from Purple Petal

Photography by Rachel’s father, John Looyestein of  The Perfect Image

What was your theme/colours and what inspired it?

Our colours were grey, white, and pink. Our wedding was a sunset wedding, so we wanted to go with really romantic colours.

What’s the best advice you have for planning your wedding now that you’re on the other side?

Don’t take it too seriously! Make the Wedding YOURS. Luckily, people are really starting to think outside of the traditions, and make their weddings unique or special to them. Don’t be afraid to leave parts out or add your own special touches. Its your day, have fun!

What creative (DIY) or personal aspects did you include in your wedding?

We really wanted our wedding to be intimate and personal, we wanted our day to be OURS. From everything to our clothing, to the cupcake stand, to our puppy “ring boy”, to the candy buffet – our day was full of FUN! Luckily our family and friends are so talented, so our entire wedding was creative and personal. Rachel’s mom did all the gorgeous decorating, made the cupcake stand, perfected the garden. Rachel’s father did the photography, built a dance floor, and set up the speakers outside. A neighbour made the cupcakes, a family friend performed the ceremony, while another family friend did the bar-tending, and Rachel and Nick picked all the music themselves for the entire evening. The stuff that we couldn’t do, we found on Etsy, everything is unique and one-of-a-kind!

What was your favorite Etsy find?

It’s so hard to choose! I loved my headband, and the puppy tux was a big hit, but if I had to choose JUST one, I would choose the dresses. I knew I wanted an Eco-friendly dress, and when I came across the wrap dresses at Isadora Clothing, I knew it was exactly what I wanted. The dresses were SO much fun! My dress was full length in ivory, and the bridesmaids got to choose their own colour, and all wanted the knee-length dress in Steel. We all wore our dresses different ways, and even switched it up throughout the evening. We all loved our dresses. They were comfy, versatile, very danceable, and we can wear them again!

What is the most memorable moment of your day?

The entire day was amazing, so it is really hard to pick one moment. Our weather was perfect, hot and sunny with blue skies! Our families met for the first time, and everyone got along great. We had our pictures done at the local carousel, which we rented for an hour. We had 2 ring-boys, 3 flower-girls, and a puppy in our wedding party! And our only request for the evening was that everyone had a good time drinking and DANCING! At the end of the night, when we lay in bed, in each other arms, we both agreed on how blessed we are. We had a night surrounded by family and friends, full of laughter, dancing, and love. We both have wonderfully supportive and loving families, and those two families were together for the first time to celebrate our love.

I’m kicking off this week with a gorgeous detail filled wedding that took place at Lillie Belle’s of Franklin in historical downtown Franklin, TN.  Kayla and Stefan were married last June in front of 130 friends and family.  Kayla and I first crossed paths about a month after her wedding and we’ve both been anxiously waiting to see her professional pics.  I think you’ll agree that it was well worth the wait. 

The Details

Antique Diamond White Venise Lace Double Scallop Garter with Satin Ribbon Bow and Swarovski Crystal Centering by JLWeddings

Custom Microfiber Ties for Groom & Groomsmen by Cyberoptix TieLab (Toybreaker)

3 Tier Custom Wedding Cardbox by Divine Wedding Decor 

Custom Bridesmaids Sets featuring Swarovski Innovation Crystals & Pearls by K.Y.M. Jewelry

Custom Monogram Unity Candle by Leigh-Ann Kline Weddings 

Custom Wedding Koozies by Barry Promos

Photography by Valeisha Kelly – Pedigo: Visions Photography 

What was your theme/colors and what inspired it? 

Our theme was ”Vintage Romance” with a summer twist. The color palette that we chose for our wedding were shades of Citron Green with Chocolate & Sliver accents. We also used a neutralization of creme & peach. I have always been obsessed with all things girly & feminine, and I knew for our wedding that I wanted to use delicate touches of sliver & peach, and candles to give the feel of romance. Since we were married in a garden courtyard at a historical Victorian home, I knew that a vintage style wedding & shades of greens were the way to go. Having a outdoor summer wedding helped us choose the rich & vibrant color combo. We knew that we wanted to incorporate summer colors but without going over the top & it turned out PERFECT!

What creative (DIY) or personal aspects did you include in your wedding? 

We wanted every little detail at our wedding to reflect us as a couple, so we choose several items that were custom made for us. We choose & designed our very own monogram that was used on our invitations, candy buffet boxes, Thank You cards & more. My mother was incredible at helping me or our coordinator with anything that needed to be done. She put every custom monogram sticker on our take out boxes used for the candy buffet & we purchased some of our favorites candies to be used on it. That way when guests made their boxes, they would taking a piece of us with them. I chose & designed the color palette,  size of pearl & crystals that were used on my bridesmaid custom jewelry pieces. 

My BIG (DIY) or personal aspect was PLANNING..I planned, searched websites (including Etsy), & did research f0r hundreds of hours to find items that fit into “our” theme & that represented us as a couple. From the monogrammed beverage napkins served at the bar to the Alabama “A’s” drawn on the strawberries (My husband Stefan is a HUGE Alabama football fan) were detailed. I wanted to show all the guests what I had always wanted for my “dream” wedding through all the meticulous details that were at the wedding. Almost every single guest told me it was one of the most detail orientated & beautiful weddings they had ever been to. Etsy helped me find personalized items that helped add those amazing touches to my dream day!!

What is the most memorable moment of your day? 

Wow! I have to pick just one?! The whole day was AMAZING but  I would  have to say that it would have to be my dad walking me down the aisle to my soon to be (now) husband. I didn’t get to emotional the whole day until I locked arms with my dad & he said “well my baby girl it’s time”. I completely lost it & it was at that very moment I realized I was getting married. It was a very surreal, sad yet exciting moment! Seeing all the smiling faces as we walked down the aisle, & then FINALLY seeing Stefan standing there waiting for me was the BEST feeling EVER!! It was definitely one of the BEST days of my entire life!!

What was your favorite Etsy find? 

This is a hard question for me to answer because I loved EVERY item I purchased from Etsy, & still catch myself browsing the wedding section to see what else I could have purchased! 

I loved my bridesmaids gifts, which was custom made earrings & necklaces that they wore at the wedding. They were so delicate, beautiful & perfect. I was OBSESSED with our custom made Unity candle & wedding card box. Both were something different that I had never seen before at weddings, & reflected my style. My husband & I loved the Unity Candle so much that we have decided that on our anniversary, we want to take a few minutes to light the candle & remember how much that day meant to us!!

What’s the best advice you have for planning your wedding now that you’re on the other side? 

I would say: Don’t sweat the small things & don’t let the little things get to you! I put my heart, tears & soul into planning our wedding. I was very detailed oriented when it came to planning our wedding & let small things, such as colors of ribbon that didn’t quite match like I wanted them to upset me to the point of tears. But at the end of the day you have to remember that it’s about the celebration of love between you & your husband, no one will even noticed the ribbon!  The whole planning process will fly by so fast & before you know it, it’s your BIG day! So, just remember to breathe & enjoy every minute of it!!!

Tiffany & Matt’s wedding took place on August 28th at the Sharon Lynn Wilson Center of the Arts, Brookfield, WI.  The two shared their day with 110+ friends and family.

The Details

Brides Swarovski Dangle Earrings from Rusty Alia
Titanium Knife Edge Wedding Bands from Titanium Knights
Bridesmaids Peacock Swarovski Crystal Necklaces in Sterling Silver from Azure Treasures

Photography by Adam Tyksinsky

What was your theme/colors and what inspired it?

Our colors were peacock blue, green, and gray. I came up with these colors, mainly because they were colors we both really liked and they looked good together. Once I told my fiance the names of the colors on the paint swatches, he told me he thought the “leaf green” represented growth, “cement gray” represented stability, and “peacock blue” represented the party we were about to have. I liked his interpretation!

What is the most memorable moment of your day?

Once the ceremony ended, we walked down the aisle, turned the corner out of sight from everyone, and hugged each other and cried.

What creative (DIY) or personal aspects did you include in your wedding?

Things we made ourselves: invitations, place cards, table numbers, large flower arrangements for ceremony, card box, and website.

What’s the best advice you have for planning your wedding now that you’re on the other side?

 
Figure out what’s important to you and your fiance first before you make any decisions, and try very hard not to forget what’s important along the way. It’s very easy to get sucked into the craziness. You’ll enjoy the process a whole lot more if you keep it all in perspective. On our wedding day, I had to laugh because there were so many things that I spent so much time and energy on that ended up being perfect, and it just didn’t matter in the end.

Today’s wedding took place last May at the Darwin Botanic Gardens, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia.  Bride Desiree first learned of Etsy through the wedding forum Australian Wedding Central.

The Details

Customised toasting flutes from Magic Brushes Workshop 
Silk flowers for bridal bouquet, bridesmaids’ corsages and buttonholes from Southern Girl Weddings 
Brides gold earrings from LuluSplendor  
Program fans from Impression Invitations  
Table number holders from The Funky Shack  
Shoe clips from Twisted Crystals  
Bindi from Miischelle 

Photography by Christopher Knight from Digifilm

What was your theme/colors and what inspired it?

Our wedding theme was Fusion (Indian + Western) to incorporate both mine and Matt’s cultures (I’m Singaporean Indian and he’s Australian).  The colors were red, white and light gold, inspired by my Indian background.

What was your favorite Etsy find?

It’s a tie between the silk flowers and the shoe clips! The seller for the silk flowers was just amazing. She was very patient and customized it to suit my wedding entirely. The shoe clips are my favorite as well because I can re-use them whenever I want

What is the most memorable moment of your day?

Walking down the aisle and seeing my husband’s beaming smile.

What creative (DIY) or personal aspects did you include in your wedding?

- Table numbers – I created our table numbers using photos of our 3 pets and the word ‘love’ in different languages.
- Handmade individual guest cards that were completed and compiled in a DIY guestbook.

What’s the best advice you have for planning your wedding now that you’re on the other side?

Compromise!

Rachel and Dion had an amazing destination wedding in Las Vegas, Nevada back in March.  25 of their closest friends and family turned out for the Ohio couples big day.  The wedding ceremony was held at The Chapel at the Mandalay Bay Hotel and the reception was held at Maggiano’s Little Italy in the Fashion Show Mall, just down the Vegas strip from Mandalay Bay.  Rachel first came across Etsy while searching for Christmas gifts.  She’s been hooked ever since.

Scroll down to the bottom of the post for some fabulous shots of Rachel’s “Trash the dress” photoshoot taken a week after the wedding.

The Details

Invitations, table numbers, and wedding photo frame by onereverie. 

Bride’s wedding jewelry by Sahara Amaya.

Personalized hanger by Lila Frances. 

Bouquet by Croska. 

Favor Tag by Fubabee. 

Escort cards by RepChi.  

Cake Topper by Dandelionland.   

Poographer byTodd Wilson of Bently & Wilson.   

Trash the Dress Photo Shoot  by Jennifer Mott. 

What was your theme/colors and what inspired it?

We didn’t have a theme for our wedding–Vegas is enough of a theme on it’s own without going out of our way! But, our color scheme was an espresso brown, and a fern green color–and, to be honest, was only decided upon when we found our amazing invitations on Etsy. My dress was a coffee colored silk, so, we knew not much would “go” with it, but we found the perfect invitations, and subsequently the perfect color scheme almost by accident!

What creative (DIY) or personal aspects did you include in your wedding?

We tried our best to make our wedding as “us” as possible, which was hard because, at the time, we lived in Ohio–getting things to Vegas for the wedding would be difficult. So, it was the little things that we did in an attempt to tie it all together–and, surprisingly enough, Etsy helped make that possible. We were able to, through multiple vendors, stick with the same color scheme, and make it all look cohesive, despite being thousands of miles from home. We DIY’ed our favors (mini glass jars of personalized M&M’s and chocolate covered espresso beans, with labels from Etsy), and I dyed my crinoline blue (as my something blue) for under my dress

What is the most memorable moment of your day?

For me, the most memorable part of our wedding day was the few hours my husband and I spent taking pictures alone prior to our ceremony. We had a “first look,” followed by two and a half hours of picture taking at various locations throughout Mandalay Bay. It was an amazing feeling to spend time with my husband alone prior to the big moment; it was extremely calming, and not to mention fun! We definitely felt like celebrities walking around a hugely populated casino in our wedding attire!

What was your favorite Etsy find?

It’s definitely a toss up between my bouquet, the personalized hanger, cake toppers, and invitation print that now serves as our guest book, if only because we have constant reminders of them placed throughout our home! 

What’s the best advice you have for planning your wedding now that you’re on the other side?

The best advice I have is two-fold:

1.) No one cares about your wedding as much as you do. It’s sad, at the time, but it’s true. For as excited and involved as I was–well, no one else matched my level. It was disappointing at the time, but looking back now, it makes sense. It was our wedding, so it was obvious that it would be more important to us that others. 

2.) insofar as no one else will care about your wedding as much as you do, no one will notice when things don’t go as planned–so, don’t stress the small things. Weddings are like life, they aren’t perfect, and things will undoubtedly go wrong, but in the grand scheme of things, it doesn’t matter, and isn’t worth fretting over on the day of the wedding. If, at the end of the day, you’re married to the one you love, then the wedding was a success!

 Trash the Dress Photo Shoot

More from the bride on her Etsy purchases:

Our invitations, table numbers, and wedding photo frame all came from the amazing onereverie.  They were fantastic to work with, and incredibly helpful when we continued to go back with more ideas for additional needs. We started with just with invitations, then returned back to the store months later for the table numbers, and again for a print that resembled our invitations to use as a photo mat to sign for our guest book, and they were amazing every single time! 

My wedding jewelry was from Sahara Amaya. I couldn’t have asked for more beautiful jewelry. Although I didn’t end up wearing every piece, I can’t say enough about this shop. I had trouble with the back of my earring staying on, and she was quick to send me back ups–talk about professionalism! 

One of my favorite purchases was a personalized hanger from Lila Frances.  I knew in advance that my wedding dress would be too heavy to hang on the hanger (to be fair, my dress was gigantic!), but I still managed to find a way to get it into some pictures. And now, it’s proudly on display with my amazing bouquet. 

Speaking of my amazing bouquet, it was purchased through Croska.  I knew I wanted something unique when it came to a bouquet, but, in Vegas–unique would have cost a small fortune. When I realized I could have something unique that would last forever, I was sold on this bouquet. I was fairly late in the game in order this (and two smaller versions for our sisters who were our attendants), Croska did everything in her power to make sure they arrived before we left for Vegas. Now, if only I could stop my cat from attacking the feathers on the bouquet…. 

The tags for our favors came from Fubabee.  This purchase was one of the easiest ones we made!! There was no thought involved; the tags we went with matched our color scheme perfectly! 

For our escort cards, we decided to spice them up a bit with personalized buttons from RepChi.  These buttons were such a hit, and I still hang on to my “Team Bride” button!

Our “cake” topper came from Dandelionland.  We knew we wouldn’t be having a traditional wedding cake because we had such a small guest list, so we went with mini-cupcakes for our guests, and two regular-sized cupcakes for us and our mini-look alike toppers. They not only turned out great, but now serve as cute decorations!