Today’s wedding had a “Dude of Honour”, a “Groomsgirl” and the bride and groom reading their vows off  from their Iphones.  With fun elements like that you know that Thanisha and Ian’s wedding was going to be a blast.  200 guests shared their fun filled day at the  Holland Ranch, San Luis Obispo in California.  Bride Thanisha first learned of Etsy from her Bridesmaid who was raving about what she called a “ridiculously awesome crafty site”.

The Details

Giant initial letters and the table numbers by thebackporchshoppe
Custom stickers for the “Thank-you” goodie bags by MAUpromos
Boy and girl robot wedding toppers for the dessert bar by Littlebrownbyrd
Vintage typewriter we used in lieu of a guestbook. Guest could either type us a message or write us a postcard by amyquerin
Fabric squares for reception tables by fabriccloset, fabricpalooza, mimis, fernridgefabrics
Sign to direct guests by TheWoodenOwl

Photography by Jen Rodriguez Photography 

What was your theme/colors and what inspired it?

Our wedding to convey a romantic but rustic chic feel. In San Luis Obispo, there are a plethora of gorgeous locations and we had a lot of out of town guests coming to the wedding so we wanted to showcase how beautiful it is where we live. From the color palette of soft peaches and corals of the bridesmaids dresses to the khaki color of the groomsmen (and groomsgirl). My bouquet and all the flowers were local and what was in season. We had a lot of wildflowers and herbs infused throughout the wedding.

What is the most memorable moment of your day?

Ohhh I can pinpoint just one so here I go:
1. Having my brother walk me down the isle while the theme song from Amelie was playing
2. Seeing my soon to be husband at the end of the isle waiting for me
3. Reading our vows off our Iphone
4. Calling him my husband for the first time

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

It was important to me to have unique elements in our wedding that our guests would not see at other weddings.  It started out with our invitations. I wanted our guests to get the invitation and say “wow that’s going to be a fun wedding” My bridesmaid Pam (who is a goddess and will be opening up a shop on Etsy in winter) made the invitations and programs. I love flowers and the floral look so my mother in law made different floral fabric squares for every single table. Instead of having my brother on the grooms side I had him on my side as my “Dude of Honor”. My husbands sister was a groomsgirl. My husband is gluten intolerant so we had a completely gluten free dessert bar. My mom even made her famous peanut butter cookies (gluten free of course).

What was your favorite Etsy find?

The Robot Wedding toppers that matched my tattoo. My husband loved this so much when I showed him.

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

Remember it is about two people in love. Make your wedding personal and something that really reflects both of your personalities. Your guests will enjoy it more if your try to keep it about you two and not a cookie cutter style wedding.

Today’s couple truly had a Real Etsy Wedding.  Bride Misty bought over 25 items from Etsy for their Oregon wedding.  The two tied the knot in front of 56 close friends and family at the Atavista Farm in Brownsville last May.   

The Details

Butterfly place cards by TimelessPaper
Olive brooch (for my bouquet) by AgedandOpulentJewelr
Bride’s Copper pearl open hoop earrings by KateVanDorenStudio
Candy shaped mdf sign by popalicioustoo
Copper ring bearer bowl by CocoandChia
Guest book table by JoyandJoshua (Shop now closed)
Photo props by whiskerworks 
Hat boxes by Frippelous
Hooray flags by soinviting
Hair comb for my veil by Saralibbey
Vases by retrosugar
Vases by dotvintage
Vases by grandmasjewelry777
Vases by anothertimeantiques
Vases by SweetKathleen
Vases by BettysKitschen
Vases by room0031

Photography by Glen Johnson

What was your theme/colors and what inspired it?

Being from Montana, we have blue sky, green trees, and copper mining. It was only fitting to surround myself with my favorite colors and memories of home. The color scheme of teal, chartreuse, and copper couldn’t have been better picked. 

What is the most memorable moment of your day?

I was hidden by a hedge as the ceremony started and when I watched the flower girl and ring bearer walk towards Alan, it was so hard not to cry. Just seeing him there I wanted to run and hug him.

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

We really wanted our wedding to be small scale and we tried hard to reuse items (recycling for a good use). We tried so very hard to buy as little new things as possible! We collected a lot of old milk glass vases and cake stands. I made my own veil from a comb I found on Etsy. I knit my own shawl. We also designed, printed, and put together our own invites. We purchased and arranged all the flowers for the tables and ceremony site. We found vintage brooches for the mom’s corsages. We wrote out our place cards by hand. We restored and painted our guest book table from a purchase on Etsy. We folded paper airplanes for folks to toss as we walked down the aisle. We collected vintage hankies for those happy tears. And best of all, family and friends wanted to be involved! The groom’s mom (Paula) made the napkins and the groom’s sister-in-law (Shirley) made the flower girl dress, the baby sister’s dress, and all the young men’s ties and vests. Our dear friend Rita even made our wedding cake for us.

What was your favorite Etsy find?

It is hard to pick a favorite. We collect tiles when we travel/go adventuring so having a tile made for the groom’s gift meant a lot to me. It is a memento of our biggest adventure yet, our marriage. 

I also really love the Olive brooch. It was so exciting to find something in just the right color. It really looked lovely with my bouquet.

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

Make it all about the both of you! It was so much fun to have our close friends and family spend a day with us and the things we love (food, sugar, and lawn games!). We set out with the goal of having a fun and meaningful day and everything else was just a bonus. Set out a budget, pick a few things you really care about, and support each other in finding good deals and making it work.

Today’s couple have such a great story.  Megan and Pete were married last February at the Art Emporium in Knoxville Tennessee.     During their first date they came across a building that was on fire and used that as inspiration for their wedding  theme.

More from Megan on one of her very special Etsy finds.  ”I found Emily’s artwork (The Art of Emily Balivet) on Etsy and fell in love, then I dreamed a crazy idea involving 3 bricks from the building fire my husband and I met at.  Now understand these bricks are charred and have a lot of sentiment… I wanted me in my wedding gown painted on one, Pete in his tux on the other, and our quote “the fire is still burning on the other”. She agreed to do it, I mailed her the bricks and she began to work on them.    She did an amazing job and she didn’t have a picture of me in my gown, just a photo of it on a model, and just a photo of my husband’s tux on a model and two snapshots of each of us — and THEY WERE AMAZING.  They were gifts for my hubby to be at our table for our reception he cried, I cried and I cherish these like no other.  For weeks Emily worked and emailed me daily and man she is just amazing, I just can’t express how awesome she is!” 

The Details

Wooden Wedding Sign by Family Attic  

Hand painted’ Thank You Parasol by I DO Originals 

“Wedding Cake Topper”  by The Snippets  

Stickers for Candy Buffet Bags by MAU Promos 

Brides Shoe clips by MiaVonMinkGarters 

Grooms Wedding Band by Fabuluster  

3 Custom Painted Bricks by The Art of Emily Balivet    

Sculpted Flames “Wedding Cake Topper” (for decoration) by 3EyeStudio  

Grooms Cufflinks  “I will love you till the end of time” by London Particulars

Photography by Cindy and Mike Crabb of Visions in White

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

We both love graphic design and designed our save the dates, and our program. I also designed the centerpieces, it was pressed metal with antique wedding photographs from both sides of our family, and last but not least all the flowers were DIY.  However, every single touch was personal, not one thing got “thrown into it”. We planned every single detail down to the toilet paper for the restrooms (bride and grooms on it)    

What is the most memorable moment of your day?    

I walked down the aisle to You Are My Sunshine, and my husband was crying so very hard   

What was your theme/colors and what inspired it?     

Our theme was fire, and our quote was the fire is still burning, Our first date happen to run across a HUGE building warehouse fire  Our colors were Navy and silver perfect for a cold flurrying February day.

What was your favorite Etsy find?    

Are you serious? I don’t want to answer this question. Fabuluster made the ring I placed on my husband’s finger as I united as one with him. Emily Bailvet painted the most gorgeous bricks ever.  Snippets made the cutest bride and groom elephant for a surprise inside joke. Mia Von Minks made matching flowers for a Maggie Sotero wedding gown so I could have the perfect shoes and I Do Originals hand painted a awesome parasol that said “Thank You” which we used to grace the cover of our Thank You Cards — I loved all my Etsy purchases!      

      

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

To do list in small chunks, and space it out — don’t go crazy and enjoy every minute of it, because when it’s over you will miss planning so much!    

I first saw today’s  Real Etsy Wedding on the 1oo Layer Cake blog earlier this month.  I love the color palette so much that I’ve decided to share it with you today.  Laura and Ben’s wedding took place in Atlanta, Georgia and was inspired by a lovely butterfly hairpiece from Whichgoose.  These dreamy photos were shot at the Park Tavern on Piedmont Park  by W. Scott Chester. 

The Details

Bird with a French Fry Sign by  dazeychic
Maid of Honor Dress by sohomode
Cupcake Toppers by Goose Grease
Hair Piece by Which Goose
Ties by Tux and Tulle
Poms by Pom Love

Photography by W. Scott Chester

Holly and Alex’s wedding, captured by Katherine Birkbeck of Katherine Birkbeck Photography, was all about paying homage to the deep history of their families.  Married in front of 90 guests in Knoxville, Tennessee, they spent hours on Etsy finding unique touches for their May 1, 2010 wedding. 

More from the bride Holly:

I truly had an Etsy wedding, so this is probably a lot more information than you normally get.  As a professional floral designer focusing on weddings, I had A LOT of details which were completely personalized because I see generic weddings every day and wanted to make this a very special wedding for my husband and I and our families.

 The Details

Pearly Girly Necklace & Bracelet & Hair flowers by VirginiaGeigerJewels

Parfait Earrings by Plumbcrazy

Wedding day (and everyday) Mineral Makeup — Foundation, Concealer, Corrector, Blush and Bronzer, made by PinkQuartzMinerals

Customized Lumies for our tables by ilLUMIEnate

Ascot Tie Cravats for the Groom (Ivory), Best Man, Father,  & Ushers (Pale Pink and Pale Green) – elegantascot

Custom Wedding Cake Topper by RedLightStudio

Custom Wedding Directional Signs and Just Married Signs in our colors and font by OurHobbyToYourHome

Vintage Custom Stamp used for our wedding programs and favors by LovetoCreateStamps

Custom Monogram Stamp used on favors and wall projection by Modern Art Stamps

Vintage 1906 Hampden Pocket Watch by A Vintage Obsession

Katherine Birkbeck of Katherine Birkbeck Photography

What was your theme/colors and what inspired it?                                      

Times gone by, vintage, my great grandparents love letters during WWI, and the richness of both of our families heritage.  Alex’s grandparents immigrated from Greece-he traces his history back to Crete and Sparta, so naturally we had Greek culture mixed in.  My family immigrated to this country hundreds of years ago from mostly Scotland, Ireland and England with heritage traced back to the 13^th century—so we were married on May 1^st or Beltane, an ancient day of celebration and fertility in Scotland and the British Isles.      

As a tribute to our past, I created a memorial table with a vintage clock,  pictures back to our Great Grandparents and all of their wedding photos up to our parents generation, and black and white photos of loved ones no longer with us.  I collected quotes and wrote verse to add onto Lumies (we had made) to put on the table. “Love is all you need” was our message of the wedding day.

Everything was done in antique shades with pink, pale green, cream, champagne and an espresso brown.  All fonts and little birds and vines were continued in every detail of the wedding,  including our custom wedding bands.

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

I converted to the Greek Orthodox Church and went to Greek School and was baptised before our wedding! I made and designed the wedding programs, menus, picture cards, side table signs, and favors.   My husband and I chose a selection of favorite songs, including our first dance song and burned them on CD as our favors.  My husband took on the project of burning actual CDs together while I did the outer and insert design and my sister assembled.  I’m a floral designer with a local florist as well, so the design and flower choices were mine.  We brought in David Austin Garden Roses from England and Gardenia to remember my Grandma and Nana. The owners of the shop (Always in Bloom, LLC) did an amazing  job (as always) with realizing the flowers on my wedding day, since I was setting up our venue until after noon day of!  I found really great vintage inspired candelabras and put hurricanes on them to make my tables have a soft glow with candlelight, in addition to flowers.

My family, who flew in from Oregon and California, was integral in assembly and set up…especially my sister Erene (Matron of Honour), and my brother Davey (who stood in for my father down the aisle). I did all of my own Wedding Day makeup myself with Pink Quartz Minerals products…I’m highly allergic to everything else!  We had Alex’s suit custom made (he’s 6’8”) in a vintage grey with pin stripes, shirt with French cuffs and a vest. My dress design was custom creation only available here—as I am 6’2” they had to make it very long! My Mother-in-law actually made our Stefana—Greek Wedding Crowns, for our Greek Orthodox wedding ceremony.  We also had the First Chair Violin, Viola and Cello of the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra play at our ceremony.

 What was your favorite Etsy find?

Seriously, I have to choose one?  Very hard to do!  What you see as my wedding day Etsy selections…is the culmination of quite literally hundreds of hours of research to personalize our wedding over the course of our year long engagement.  I enjoyed every minute of it!

My guests were delighted by our Cake Topper, as it looked just like Alex and I, down to our hair, clothing, boutonniere and bridal bouquet.  I really loved my Pearly Girly necklace.  Alex was very touched by his 1906 pocket watch.  We met in 2006 online (by accident-not on a dating site), 100 years before it was made, so it was a very special gift.

 What is the most memorable moment of your day?

In a Greek Orthodox Wedding Ceremony, we don’t take vows.  You are considered married by God, with the priest as your guide. The moment — holding Alex’s hand, while we,  the Priest, our Koumbaro (Best Man), and my Matron of Honour circled the altar table three times…we took our first steps as husband and wife.  He looked at me and smiled and squeezed my hand and traced my wedding band with his finger.  I’ll never forget his face, I could hear him think “My Wife” and I wordlessly echoed “My Husband” when I looked back and squeezed his hand.

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

Stick with choices that reflect you as a couple.  Include your fiancé in decisions and make sure that you get his honest opinion. You won’t always agree, but it’s good to include him.  I am fortunate to be in the wedding industry as a florist, so I know a lot of inside info, and I actually knew all of my vendors before the big day.  Even if you don’t…it is integral to your wedding that you choose vendors whom you click with and that you know have a good reputation

Remember that this is the biggest party most of you will ever throw, so know when to splurge and when to be conservative.  Focus spending on areas where people will be the most time in one place—like your reception details.  Incorporate DIY to offset costs, use Etsy to find unique personal touches, and definitely learn to DELEGATE things to people when they are at a point where you can simply direct someone to assemble or finish something.  Even if you have financial help from others, let your vision guide you through everything, and make small concessions and wishes to people helping you, so that they feel they are part of your day.  Don’t be afraid to say NO, but do it in the right way.  If someone is insistent and pushy, tell them that you already had them in mind in helping with a different project and that you have whatever it is they want to do taken care of. 

Don’t wait until the last moment to do things.  Make lists… Have a month before list, two week before list, a week before list and a day of list.  Cross things off and save your sanity.  You should have a larger vision of the entire event, but breaking it into smaller pieces will make enjoying this special time in both of your lives so much sweeter.

Biggest advice ever.  Never, ever let family or friends be one of your wedding vendors—unless they do what they are offering to do for a living, or have done so professionally (for a length of time).  If your Aunt is a professional wedding cake baker, then she should do your cake, but don’t have grandma bake it because she did it 50 years ago once.  I see the end result of bad choices on the bride or groom’s part in letting family or friends be “vendors” when I set up flowers at venues. You want professionals working on your wedding day.  You also want your guests and family present, happy and not exhausted before you walk down the aisle.  Oh…and don’t forget to eat.  I was too nervous to eat and almost fainted. Bring snacks and water bottles!

Final bit of advice?  Something we say to our brides in consultations:  At the end of the day, you will be just as married, even if something goes wrong, so you can choose to let it ruin your day or have a fabulous time.

  Thank you Holly for sharing your wonderful story with us!