Fab Finds Friday: Spoonflower

Posted by Khris in Fab Finds Friday

Fab Finds Friday is a weekly showcase of some of the fabulous resources available to the wedding community. This week’s wedding goodness comes to you from Spoonflower.

Oh, friends, I am so excited to share this resource with you! Spoonflower is one of the coolest, most innovative services to hit the crafting world in a long, long time.

So, what exactly do they do? They print custom fabric designed by you. Yep, that’s right, you can create your own fabric for a mere $18 a yard with no minimums. Just imagine what you can do with this: ring pillows, table runners, handbags for your maids, chair covers, neck ties, vests, photo booth backdrops, invitations (shameless plug: see The DIY Bride book for the Couture Silk Invite) … the list goes on and on.

Spoonflower has just come out of their beta phase and is now open to everyone. Sign-up is free and they have a number of online resources for inspiration and to help get you started.

I’m looking forward to my first order with them and will be sure to share my experience (and projects).

Elka’s DIY Wedding

Posted by Khris in Real DIYers

I absolutely love it when readers share the details of their DIY weddings! Elka from CasaSugar was kind enough to share two slideshows with us from her bridal shower and wedding. Both are casual, unique events that are beautiful and environmentally-friendly to boot.

Garden Bridal Shower

Elka’s Wedding

TLC’s “Say Yes to the Dress” Is Seeking Couples In Need

Posted by Khris in Opportunties

Do you have seemingly insurmountable wedding problems? Need a helping hand? You’re in luck, my troubled friends! TLC is coming to the rescue of some deserving couples. Could you be one of them?

Here’s the scoop from the production team:

TLC’s “Say Yes to the Dress” is kicking off its third season with a one-hour special featuring unique and heartwarming wedding stories, and we need your help.  We’d like to hear your story and help you make your wedding exactly what you want.  Is your wedding date in the next one to three months?  Is your budget limiting what you’d really like to do, and you need help?  Are you dealing with a challenging situation or a crisis that is affecting your plans?  Has your venue fallen through and you’re scrambling to find a new one?  Have you found your dress?  Did you find one…but it’s not what you really want?  Have you picked out your rings, or are you trying to do something special and different with them but don’t know where to start?  Having trouble locking in all the last-minute details?

Would you love for a family member or friend to be part of your day, but they can’t afford to travel?  Are you and your fiance and/or family far apart and you’re doing all the planning yourself?  Are you eloping…but you secretly want your family to be there too?   Are you already married but would like to renew your vows?  Want to get married in NYC and need a dress, rings and venue–and you want to do it as soon as possible?

These are just some of the stories we’d like to tell.  What’s yours?  Is there something special or different about you or your relationship that you’d like to share?  Send us your story at sayyesspecial@yahoo.com.  You can also apply for the regular show or the special via the Kleinfelds website at http://www.kleinfeldbridal.com/tlc/index.cfm (indicate that you are applying for the “ONE-HOUR SPECIAL” in the special circumstances portion of the application).

[Note: Please do not contact DIYBride about details for this program. I am not involved in casting. I am only the messenger here. Questions may be directed to the email address and URL above. Thank you!]

Inspiration Board Contest: Win A Copy Of The DIY Bride Book

Posted by Khris in Contests, Opportunties

[See edits below for an example]

Hmmm … it’s been several weeks since I’ve given out a copy of The DIY Bride: 40 Fun Projects For Your Ultimate One-Of-A-Kind Wedding, hasn’t it? Since I have a few left in my stash and I need to make room for all of the baby stuff rolling in, I’m thinking it’s the perfect time for a contest!

This one is going to put your creativity to the test. Think of it as a warm-up for all of the crafty, creative thinking you’ll be doing in preparation for your wedding.

The Scoop:

Since the economy and wedding budgets are very much in focus right now, I’m asking that anyone who wishes to have a chance to win a copy of the book submit an inspiration board with the theme of The Under $500 Bridal Ensemble. Each person who submits a board that fits the theme will be entered in the running to receive a copy of the book.

How To Enter:

Submit an inspiration board that contains the following:

• bridal gown
• veil/headpiece/tiara/hair accessories
• shoes
• jewelry/other accessories

When combined, the total cost of all of the pieces of the ensemble must be less than $500. All pieces must be new (no vintage, second hand, clearance/sales, or consignment). Entries must include links to the products and list the prices to qualify. Please send to info AT diybride DOT com.

Oh! Please send entries in .gif, .jpg, .png, or .tiff format. Gracias!

Deadline:

Submissions must be in by the end of day on November 17th. Winner will be chosen via a random drawing on November 21st.

EDIT: Here’s a quickie example I threw together to give you an idea of what I’m looking for.

Dress: Mocha Ruffle
$125.00
SarahSeven http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?ref=sr_gallery_7&listing_id=15887335

Hair Piece “LAUREN” (custom design)
$85.00
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?ref=sr_gallery_2&listing_id=16624348

Two Lips Shoes “Gorgeous”
$86.00
http://zeta.zappos.com/product/7413030/color/552

Classic Pearl and Topaz Earrings from Peggy Li
$49.00
http://www.peggyli.com/clpeandcrea.html

Total Ensemble Cost: $345.00

**I ask that only brides-to-be (and grooms, too) enter the contest, please. Since they’re the ones in the most need of the info & inspiration in the book, I strongly feel they’re the ones who should have the opportunity to win a copy. Thanks for your understanding!**

Fab Finds Friday: bklyn pillow

Posted by Khris in Fab Finds Friday

Fab Finds Friday is a weekly showcase of some of the fabulous resources available to the wedding community. This week’s wedding goodness comes to you from bklyn pillow.

With as much creativity and innovation that the wedding industry has fostered in the past few years alone, it’s odd that the ring pillow has been frozen in some 1980′s time warp of design. You know the ones I’m talking about, right? Those white satin with strings o’ pearl deals that seem to appear in every mass bridal retailer’s catalogs? Yeah, those. Bleah.

Don’t despair! Sweet pillowy relief is here, my style-conscious friends. The wonderfully creative Vané Broussard, editor of Brooklyn Bride blog, has introduced her own line of handcrafted ring pillows. Available in a range of hip, modern and fashion fabrics, Vane’s designs elevate the humble pillow into a stylish accessory worthy of carrying your wedding rings.

(How adorable are these?!)