Etsy Love: Monster Gallery

For a vintage camera lover these are pretty cool.

Found via Etsy store {monstergallery}.

Alysia's Lakeside Treehouse

When photographer and artist Alysia Cotter moved into her lakeside home a year ago, she decided she would decorate it without buying anything new, using only money from selling what she currently owned. Her 900 square foot 100-year-old apartment was filled up with vintage finds and recycled household items, and it looks amazing.

Two rules she made for herself:

1.) No mass produced items that have never been owned by anyone else.
2.) The Budget: $0 dollars. Do this without spending anything. The budget came from selling all her old furniture on Craigslist and that became her new budget, which came out to about $1,500.

Makes sense to be responsible consumers, doesn't it?

You can go on the complete tour at Apartment Therapy and see Alysia's personal work here. Also make sure to check out her favorite store {also considered to be full of items that are the "best of craigslist"} named TINI (This Is Not Ikea).

Solace

I've been sick for what feels like a very long time, tucked inside our little house in the folds of a long and persistently cold winter. I crave some ocean therapy to clear my lungs and feel it wrap it's salty breeze around me, embracing me in the peacefulness of nature untouched. When you're used to one thing always being your solace, how do you find a replacement? 

img via {comfortstudio}

Q&A: Affordable Catering

I've spent the last few days sicker than a dog, so please bear with me as I pull out a recent Q&A that I was emailed a bit ago. I'm always flattered when a bride turns to me for advice, and I hope that my experience in our budget wedding can be helpful!


Q: My fiance and I are trying to spend around $5000-$6000 and your wedding really inspired me. I was wondering if you had any tips on searching for a caterer. It seems like it can be the most expensive part of it all, and I know your budget was fairly limited in that area, too. Thanks!

 

 

A: I'd be happy to share my experience with our catering and how we made it possible in our budget! Catering was one of our most expensive costs, and it's usually determined by the number of people you're feeding, the fanciness of the meal, and specific day/time you're needing it served. 

 

I started by searching for a well known caterer who had great local reviews and I spoke with them about my budget. Luckily, they were able to work with me and allow me with the flexibility to look over the menu and pick and choose what I wanted. For example, I didn't feel like we needed iced tea for an evening wedding, so we scratched it and saved some money. We went with a cheaper version of fruit and cheese for the appetizers, and chose to provide our own eco-friendly paper plates, serving ware, and cups instead of the caterer's plastic and styrofoam ones. We skipped dessert all together, bought our wine from Trader Joe's, and rented a couple kegs for the beer. 

 

Another thing that greatly reduced the price was that we chose to have it served buffet style, meaning everyone had to stand in line. We only had 80 guests so that was possible, although not ideal. It was the only way we could afford the quality of food though, so we were willing to compensate. The cost is also of course dependent on what style of food you want to provide. We were having a pretty laid back wedding so at one point I was even considering an affordable barbecue option. Of course, if you're having a black tie event this probably wouldn't work. If you're not finding what you want through the local big wigs, try going through a restaurant. Ethnic food usually falls into a cheaper category and a lot of restaurants are eager to work with you. I've even known of people ordering sack lunches for their picnic afternoon wedding! Think outside the box a bit and don't be afraid to ask around, there's something out there that will be affordable and provide you quality, yummy food. 

 

 

Think of anything I missed? Please feel free to share your thoughts!

BridalHood Giveaway!

BridalHood is featuring her first giveaway: an awesome embroidered pillow or wall print! Check out the etsy store Cozyblue and then head on over to BridalHood to enter!

Siberian Love

From lack of any inspiration at all today, here's a photo from the duo behind {Davina + Daniel} photography.

Talent, talent, talent.

Mixed with an extremely nice camera and a cute dog.

Both of which I need immediately.

NEED.

Can we please enjoy winter?

It seems that January hits and everyone starts racing for spring. Little dresses are suddenly hanging on racks, inspiration themes revolve around fresh flowers and dewy grass, and everyone waits on pins and needles to hear the birds sing again.

Can't we just enjoy this beautiful season? Why are we always so antsy for more time to pass? Soon enough we'll be grasping for the fleeting years of our lives to slow down anyway, and we'll lose the excuse to stay cuddled up inside for hours together for the warmth. And I'm really enjoying that.

So here's to enjoying life, every bit of it.

via {tigerlace}

Dandelion Wine Ladybugs

   

Partly filmed with my dream camera, the 5D Mark II.
Creator: Michael Ramsey.
Music: Dandelion Wine by Gregory Alan Isakov.

Sikh Wedding Ceremony

These people are beautiful and these colors are amazing. Lindsey + Avi's Sikh wedding ceremony by {Jesse Leake Photography}, with their traditional wedding ceremony following after. These people go big, I probably could have paid for all of our student loans, started my own business, and purchased a designer dog with their wedding budget.

But get this, it's tradition that your knight arrives on a white horse to the sounds of jubilant music and cheers. Fun!!

Thanks to Aisling at Rangoli Jewelery for sharing a great find!

Yummy Knits {and happy birthday to me}

This big cilantro cowl is just yummy. I started to knit a scarf for my guy's Christmas present last month, but then I only finished about a quarter of it. Maybe that's what my New Years resolution should be: finish all halfway completed projects. I have a few of them.

My Aunt on the other hand, is the knitting queen and sends my sister and I something every year. Since my birthday's relatively close to Christmas (happy late birthday to me!), this December I received a little package containing a bright red scarf and hand warmers. Yeesss. This is me doing trying to do a non-awkward pose. Thanks Aunt Mikki!

Did you get any handcrafted gifts this holiday?

Tiffany and McKenzie: 1920's Theatrical Wedding

This bride did Imogen Heap hair and rocked it. Something that believe me, I was very tempted to do on my wedding day. But for a theatrical wedding? Perfect.

This visually overstimulating 1920's wedding took place in an old theater downtown Portland and was captured by a newly discovered favorite of mine, Jay Eads Photography. McKenzie is a composer and his stuff is rad. He played for his own wedding and a friend made Tiffany's gorgeous dress. Listen, look, and let the revolution begin.

*Moral of the story: Have the wedding your style, but step out of the box! Leap out of that damn thing! There's no rules for your wedding day.

{Jay Eads Photography}

Could of would of should of.

Boooaarrds, why didn't I think of boards? The most basic, rustic, organic, vintage, outdoorsy, down-to-earth, DIY, eco-friendly, recycling thing. WHY DIDN'T I THINK OF BOARDS?!

You can't get everything right the first time around.

*Just kidding... I'm not planning on a second time around.

via {100 layer cake}

From Alaska to Asheville: Wilderness Weddings

I've been on the search for photographers in Asheville who have that different look, something special in their pictures that catches your attention and gets you coming back for more. I've come across some great wedding shots in my search, but I thought it was funny that one photographer that really caught my eye was my previous Trash the Dress Alaskan Style guy, the talented Nick Gillespie, going by the name Blue Bend Photography. Looks like he's also made his way from Alaska down to North Carolina, it's great to know we're not the only ones!

Enjoy a quick look at some of his Alaskan weddings, I can't wait to see what he captures here in the Blue Ridge Mountains!