I’m ending the week with Christy and Kyle’s super cute wedding.  Christy is the artist behind Etsy Shop Happy Yogini Designs  and was actually introduced to Etsy by Kyle.  They married last August in front of 100 guests.  The ceremony was held  in the south park blocks and the reception was at The Cleaners in Portland, Oregon.  Enjoy!

 The Details

Vintage inspired wedding themed flashcards for table decorations by CariKraft  

Custom neckties for the groom and groomsmen by MeandMatilda  

Paper mustaches, lips, and beards on a stick for photo props by LittleRetreats  

Chalkboard thought bubble for photo prop by PlayingGrownUp 

Vintage milk glass vases by TheVintageCabin 

Thank you tags that hung on the coffee satchel gift bags by YourAngil 

Vintage, yellow cocktail napkins by KickStandProductions   

Vintage, gray cocktail napkins by recycledcharm

Photography by Brenton Salo

What was your theme/colours and what inspired it?

Our colors were yellow and gray, and our theme was Modern with Vintage Flair.  I felt that both modern and vintage aspects were representative of my husband and I as individuals.  He, being a wonderful technology nerd, is more drawn to a newer, modern aesthetic, while I am a lover of antiques and all things vintage or vintage inspired.  It was a culmination of both aspects that I believe made our wedding charming.

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

The DIY aspect of the wedding was my favorite part.  My bouquet was made of vintage enamel flower brooches that I collected for months.  Through the use of craft store items, including the ever useful hot glue gun, I managed to turn them into a lovely, handheld bouquet.  Being a jewelry seller on Etsy, it was only fitting that I made all of the earrings that my bridesmaids wore on the wedding day.  I also cut yellow and gray fabrics into pieces with pinking shears, turning them into satchels that held a half cup of local coffee beans for each guest to take home as a gift.  We also had an entire wall of the reception space (25’ wide x 12’ tall!) that was covered in strips of ribbon.  This was definitely the biggest project I took on, and for two months before the wedding I spent evenings cutting ribbon to the exact length of the wall so that hanging on the day of would be quick.

What is the most memorable moment of your day?

The most memorable moment of my day was the pedicab ride my husband and I took from the ceremony to the reception.  It was only seven blocks, but we got to have that time alone to just enjoy what was happening.  The nerves from the ceremony were gone, and we knew that the rest of the evening was going to be an amazingly fun party.

What was your favorite Etsy find?

My favorite Etsy find was the milk glass vases.  I knew for a while I wanted vintage milk glass, but didn’t realize how expensive it was.  The seller gave me an incredible deal on eleven vases, and even threw in three extras!  It was a great find.

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

My best advice for brides to be is just to enjoy the process.  This includes all of the planning, whether you have a year or one month, as well as the day of the wedding.  I gave myself ten months to work on the wedding, which turned out to be a luxurious amount of time.  I also got a massage the week of the wedding, and I did extra yoga that week as well. On the wedding day I didn’t try to control anything, I just enjoyed whatever happened, and honestly everything was just how I dreamed it would be.

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!!!

After an impromptu trip out of town, I’m back with a gem of a wedding.  Leah and Marc were married in Hampton, New Brunswick, Canada.  They were married  on June 26, 2010 in front of 150 guests.  Leah was first introduced to Etsy by her Maid of Honour who also happens to be a wedding planner. 

The Details

Brides hair accessory by radokri 

Groomsmen ties by cyberoptix tie lab

Invitations by FeliceDesign

Wooden bracelets by inbloomdesigns

Wedding rings by Minter&RichterDesigns

Photography by Jennifer Partridge

What was your theme/colors and what inspired it?

I tried to stay with a natural, rustic, country picnic theme throughout. I love pink peonies and tried to incorporate pink and yellow with small details that would have a big impact.

During the wedding we had popcorn, candy, lemon meringue pie and chocolate chip cookies for snacks throughout the evening.  There was a photo booth, and finger print tree and squares of fabric in replace of a guest book which I hope to make a quilt from. My parents had their reception at the same venue 32 years before so I really wanted to incorporate this. I collected wedding pictures from our family and friends and put them up all over the walls for an interesting conversation piece at each of the tables.  And to have the bride and groom kiss I put together a “love bingo” where you have boxes with different items that you have to get people to sign to encourage people to mingle.

The whole evening was beautiful and wonderful and I loved seeing everything come together so perfectly. 

The colour scheme was loosely pink and yellow but I wanted the girls all in white for a really clean summery feel, and let them choose their dresses to show their personal style. I found some amazing pink frilly shoes to tie them all together on zappos.com, which ended up being the show stealer. For the boys we found some wonderfully interesting ties from cyberoptix tie lab and topped off their suits with some handmade boutonnieres which I personalized for each of them.  For decoration at the church we kept it pretty simple with only large paper flowers Marc and I made to line the aisle.

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

I love sewing and painting and knew right away that I wanted to do as much as possible myself for our wedding. I found these lovely engraved tree invitations on etsy by Felice Design and knew immediately that they would be perfect. We decided on a picnic theme for the day and wanted to incorporate our love for nature into the overall feeling.

There is a tree on my grandmother’s property where her brother had engraved his and his wife’s initials about 40 years ago and you can still see them today. So I took this idea and ran with it. I started collecting various old bottles and gathered up some old milk bottles from my grandfather’s farm and stumps which I wood burned with our initials for the centerpieces. My mother and I sewed all of the table runners and napkins for the tables, and the flowers were all picked the day of the wedding from various family gardens. 

What is the most memorable moment of your day?

So many but one that definitely stands out is everyone singing along to “All you need is love” in the church while we were signing the register. A family friend played guitar and it was really a magical moment that set the mood for the rest of the evening.

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

Keep the day meaningful for you and your husband. Try to incorporate as many details that have significance for you and give your guests a glimpse into your relationship. Involve your partner in the decisions and DIY projects if they are willing, they will be even more excited and connected to the end result. And trust your vision. When you have a picture in your mind of the décor, dress, ceremony, etc don’t sway from it, write as much down or create inspiration boards to come back to when you are making the big decisions or are unsure.

What was your favorite Etsy find?

I would have to say our invitations. They really kicked off the whole theme of the wedding.

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!