Category Archives: D.I.Y

Megan & Frankie’s Elegant Sydney Wedding

Megan and Frankie envisaged their wedding day to be a relaxed, classic day, with the focus on their future marriage rather than just the first day of it.Careful to avoid a ‘photo-shoot’ feel, the couple chose a simple black and white theme which reflected their personal styles, and involved as many of their friends and family as possible to create an intimate atmosphere.

A 1pm ceremony at St Aidan’s Anglican Church in Annandale was followed by an afternoon tea celebration catered by friends for our 300 guests. The reception was a sit-down dinner for 100 of Megan and Frankie’s nearest and dearest at Sugaroom restaurant in Pyrmont.

      

       

From Megan on her gorgeous wedding dress:
“I am fortunate enough to have a seamstress for a grandmother! Though initially I wanted lace, when my mother and I went to the Vietnamese fabric shops in Cabramatta we stumbled upon the pintucked Dupion silk and knew we’d found ‘the one’! We travelled up the coast to my grandma’s house a few times for fittings, and I discovered there is no better feeling than having a dress made especially for you!”

Her fixation with bows!:
“I wore black Kate Spade heels with a bow that I fell in love with on a trip to New York last year and I silver bow and pearl earrings bought from Etsy”

The Flowers:
“We were thrilled, the flowers were exactly what I had envisioned. The owner [of Florist, Red Fragrance Floral Design] Charlie is a friend of a friend, and was so enthusiastic, easygoing and helpful! I had a simple bouquet of white carnations bound in ribbon made from my dress material, the girls had posies of pink and white carnations, and the boys all had boutonnieres of green succulents.”

Special memories:
“Especially for our wedding day, my uncle restored the Rover that my nana and grandfather drove in the 60s! They have both passed away now so it was a lovely connection to drive to our wedding in their family car. [I also] wore my nana’s diamond wedding ring set that she left me when she passed away.”

Staying on budget:
“Keeping to a small budget was a priority so we DIY’ed as much as possible and loved the chance to be creative! The whole family was involved in drinking 100 Italian juice bottles that were used as individual vases/place settings at our reception. My mum and I arranged the flowers and other decorations at the ceremony and reception. My mother-in-law Tina is a graphic designer and helped me produce the invitations and all the stationery for the whole wedding which all featured a tandem bicycle motif. We also designed our own engagement and wedding rings. Our wedding was a real collaboration of all our family and friends’ talents!”

The Music:
“I walked down the aisle to ‘Strawberry Swing’ by Coldplay and we walked out to ‘Wouldn’t It Be Nice’ by the Beach Boys. A band of friends from our church played the hymns in the ceremony, and our friends Emma and Will played ‘The Swan’ by Camille Saint-Saens on piano and cello while we signed the register. We kept it simple as we are both classical musicians and didn’t want too many of our muso friends to have to ‘work’ on our wedding day!”

Favourite Memories:
“After the busy preparations, I just loved feeling so relaxed all day, and so happy to be with our loved ones, many of whom had travelled a long way to share the day with us! Our favourite memory, besides saying our vows and sealing the deal, would have to be floating away from the reception in a water taxi at the end of the night, waving goodbye to all our friends and family on the shore then turning to each other and really realising we were married! It sounds so clichéd but it was the best feeling!”

 

Megan & Frankie’s Wedding Style Guide
Venue: Sugaroom
Photographer: Nerida McMurray Photography
Florist: Red Fragrance Floral Design
Bride’s Shoes: Kate Spade
Groom’s Suit: Herringbone
Cake: Adriano Zumbo
Hair: Emma Attenborough
Make-Up: Hayley Dutton

D.I.Y Wedding Favour Bags, Envelope Labels & Bonbonnierre

What we did before Etsy I don’t know. (And the internet for that matter. Yellow Pages perhaps?) Brides can especially benefit, with a world of creativity, whatever your style, just waiting to be explored. A quick search of what you’re after, and in seconds, an endless list of quality, original designs that can be easily incorporated into your wedding day theme appears on your screen.

One of my favourite things about Etsy is the the printable designs. Clickety-click and the design is emailed to you for printing. No waiting for the postman, which is especially good as if you’re anything like me, you need to strike while the D.I.Y bug is strong.

Here are a few DIY printables to complement your wedding invites and styling.

Party Favour Bags

Personalise your Candy Bar bags or make your own sweet bags for guests.

(Top to bottom) Orchard & Brown, Print Your Party, Blush Printables

 

MATCHBOOK COVERS
Personalise matchboxes as bonbonnierre or a cool bar accessory.

(From top to bottom) Orchard & Brown, Print Your Party, Twig & Thistle, Twig & Thistle.

 

CONFETTI BAGS
A sweet idea for a garden wedding, bird seed is an eco-friendly ‘confetti’ option with the added bonus of attracting some pretty wildlife.

Birdseed confetti bags from Orchard & Brown

 

ENVELOPE LABELS
Add ‘wow’ factor to simple envelopes whilst saving on calligraphy with these stylish envelope labels.

Envelope labels from Blush Printables

Inspired yet?

Bells n Whistles on how to plan a wedding on a budget

The lovely and talented Jennifer Kennedy, founder of Bells n Whistles Event Planners and Stylists has agreed to her top tips for planning a wedding on a budget.

Read on and find out what secret tips from the wedding industry on what to scrimp on, what to splurge on and for those who are embracing D.I.Y and are doing their own flowers. Jennifer did all the planning, styling and the flowers for Chris and Karen’s gorgeous wedding. You won’t believe the results this budget-savvy couple were able to achieve with Jennifer’s help.


If couples are on a budget, where are 3 areas that they can scrimp whilst achieving their dream look?

1. Decorations
You can do so much yourself before the big day…make garlands, signage, placecards, bomboniere/favours – anything and everything. BUT, you do have to remember not to try and do it all yourself on the big day!

It’s a good idea to map out all the things you want to do and how they will all work together. You also have to start early if you are making things yourself – making one origami placecard was easy – making 100 of them will take its toll on you!

Starting early also allows you to spread the cost over a longer period of time. You can also buy alot online or go to Ikea – you’ll be amazed at what you can find there. Everything from lanterns, candles, vases and votive holders.

Top planning tip: Use glass tumblers as tea light holders. They’re taller so if wind is an issue – the taller glass can help keep the candles lit.

2. Wedding Cake
You want your wedding cake to taste awesome, but if you want to save, avoid intricate detailing, piping and sugar flowers. These things are all hand work and are charged accordingly.

A beautiful (and budget-conscious) alternative is to choose your favourite flavour of cake (let’s say chocolate mud) and get a simple marzipan icing. Top with fresh flowers. The effect is lovely and can tie in with your other flowers. After all, you’re going to cut it up and eat it anyway right?

3. Flowers
I have a great respect for florists – their skills, talents and knowledge of all things flowers…but if you just don’t have the budget for it – then try doing it yourself. It will require a practice run!

The best trick is to speak to florists to find out what is in, what works well in bouquets etc and the difference in costs. Before you head to the markets, make sure you know:
- What is in season.
- What flowers work with each other
- The approximate cost of flowers and how much you get in a bunch
- The flowers: Do you need to buy them open or closed? How long till they open?

Then head off to the flower markets – go early and talk to the people selling – they are usually happy enough to give some advise about whether you should buy open or closed flower heads….depending on the day and weather.

Then take your beautiful flowers home and play with them. Youtube is filled with videos on how to make your own arrangements/bouquets/corsages – everything!

What are your tips when buying flowers at the markets?

Don’t be intimidated – it’s loud, chaotic and busy. There are people there buying flowers for their own businesses – they know what they need and are quickly buzzing about getting their flowers.
Don’t think that you are not as important or that your sale is not as valued. Speak up, ask questions, get in there and have fun…the flowers are gorgeous and I personally think it’s a great place to go for inspiration.

Top Planning tip: Some things are best left to the experts, and bouquets, corsages and boutonnières require practice and training. Have a florist make your these items and then do all the other flowers yourself.
You still save money but means you don’t have to worry about doing your own bouquet on the day. You would also work in with the flowers the florist is using – creating synergy!

So now we’ve saved some cash, what are 3 things you should always splurge on?
1. Shoes

You need to be comfy! Happy feet are a must-have at your own wedding…and that goes for the guys too. Girls, make sure you wear your shoes in – wear them about the house in the weeks leading up to the wedding – don’t leave it til the last couple of days as you may find they give you blisters…and the last thing you want is blisters on your blisters on your wedding day.
Amour Amour tip: The aptly named ‘Party Feet‘ are an absolute must-have. Pop them in at the reception and you’ll get a whole new lease of life!

2. Food
You and your guests need to have a happy belly. Many guests remember the food from weddings. Personally, I can actually categorise all the weddings I have every been to by the food! Whilst it isn’t the be all and end all (people won’t think you had the worst wedding if your food isn’t up to scratch) but it is a sticking point. Make sure you trial the food options on your menu and make any changes you think are necessary.

Top Planning Tip: Remember the season – for a winter wedding, perhaps some hearty starters to warm you up.

3. Wedding planner or co-ordinator
Ok I am biased but believe me, planning a beautiful wedding and leaving it to chance to go as planned is a recipe for disaster! Not only that, but it leaves you free to enjoy your day rather than worrying about everyone else. It’s inevitable that unexpected things will come up; guests who forgot to mention special dietary requirements, drunk guests, last minute table arrangement changes, and keeping an eye on the time to ensure you fit everything in.

A coordinator isn’t just about making everything look pretty. We make it all work seamlessly and any troubles there are, you’ll only hear about them when you return from your honeymoon (when they will make you laugh, not cry!)

If your budget can’t stretch to having a planner every step of the way (though remember it can help you get great deals from vendors), use a wedding planner for On the Day coordination. Bells n Whistles provide an all day service – unlimited hours. This includes a handover meeting a week or two prior to the wedding so we can make sure everything is in order before the big day (and we have time to sort things out if things are not quite there). We also assist couples in venue documentation, payments to vendors, runsheets, guest table seating etc…we do more than just turn up on the day.

Top Wedding Tip: The biggest thing with choosing your wedding planner is meeting them – seeing if you want this person at your wedding, advocating for you in the lead up to your day…because if you don’t get a good vibe, then find someone else.

And your best tip for couple’s on a budget?
A trend at the moment with small budget weddings is to do the ‘big’ ceremony thing, followed by a champagne service. After that, some of the guests will then go to a restaurant for a nice celebratory dinner with the couple (each pay their own to keep costs down).
Top Wedding Tip:
Reuse the ceremony flowers for the restaurant tables to give it a wedding reception feel.

Unbelievably, the budget for Chris and Karen’s wedding was $4,000. Unbelievably, this included celebrant (Robyn Pattinson), decorations, photographer, the Jay, of Photos by Jay, venue (Balmoral Rotunda for the ceremony), hire equipment (chairs, tables, linen), flowers – everything. Jennifer was able to work within their budget to create exactly what they wanted.

Thank you Jennifer for your fabulous tips, and to Photos By Jay for the lovely photos. Congratulations to Chris and Karen! Thank you for sharing your beautiful wedding day!

Many thanks

Daily Wedding Inspiration: Dessert Buffet by CakeInk

This gorgeous dessert buffet and accompanying table-setting is just the thing for an afternoon garden wedding or engagement party. The versatile lemon theming- used both for the colour and to create the delicious sounding menu- is both chic and fresh.

The touches of D.I.Y- the sweet cake flags , chalkboard and unique dessert jars add to the charm of the setting.

The custom designed placecards and coasters are stylish and personal while the centrepiece of fresh lemons ties the theme back.

Dessert buffet, styling and stationery: Cake Ink

Will you be my bridesmaid?

When bride-to-be Emma wanted a sweet and unique way to ask her sisters and dear friends to be part of her wedding day she turned to favourite childhood toy to tell the story.

A trip down Barbie lane in Target, Emma found 4 Barbies that resembled each maid, discovering along the way that brunette Barbies are quite the rarity!

Knowing she wanted very natural and neutral vintage styling with Mad Men style bridesmaids dresses, Emma found a Barbie clothes maker on Etsy and had 4 different frocks created; two wiggle-style dresses and two full skirt styles, each either strapless or with a scoop neckline and short sleeves.

A talented designer, Emma created tags using the fonts and ink colours we want to use throughout our wedding stationery suite which read

“I love you more than I love Barbies { which is a lot } Will you be my bridesmaid/maid of honour?”

The result? Nothing short of sentimental, unique and FABULOUS!

Thank you Emma for sharing your gorgeously creative and unique ‘invitation’ to your lucky bridesmaids.

D.I.Y Valentine’s Day Cards & Kate Spade e-cards

These sweet Valentine’s Day cards are printable, just the thing for the forgetful amongst us. Pop some heavy weight paper into your printer, hit print and ta-da, a D.I.Y Valentine’s card.

‘Je t’aime’ Mini Card set

Eat Drink Chic really is the queen of chic D.I.Y and one of my favourite sites for stationery and entertaining inspiration.

Download ‘Je t’aime’ from Eat Drink Chic.

Vintage inspired

This vintage inspired card is romantic and comes with a matching envelope design.

Download from Ruffled. Design by Two Brunettes.

Laurie Cinotto Floral Creations

When I stumbled across Laurie Cinotto’s creations some time back I could hardly believe she had hand crafted them all. Now, the crafty bug seems to have bitten me and I am inspired by Laurie’s pretty and natural designs.
Flower Garland
For the how-to see here.

Winter Wreath

For the how-to see here.

Bonbonnierre


Make simple a simple gift of chocolates and lollies all the more special with these pretty wrappings.

Ribbon Bouquet

This is so beautiful, but not one I would attempt at home.
Thankfully Laurie is available for custom ordering and through her site.

DIY Stationery With Cristina Re

Cristina Re’s stunning range of stationery has just gotten bigger with her new range, The Secret Garden. The range is inspired by the romance of watercolours by Australian Impressionist artists.

Cristina Re’s stationery papers capture the subtle shades of delicate blossoms and leaves, butterflies and exotic birds.

Not only beautiful, the range is also eco-friendly, using carbon-neutral paper which supports our environment

Some of the range from the Secret Garden, along with other popular Cristina Re designs are featured below.



The Cristina Re range provides all the necessary tools, accessories and trimmings to create your own truly individual and stylish stationery for your day. I particularly love the personalised gift boxes for bonbonniere!

If you are worried about navigating the etiquette minefield of wording your invitation, I recommend the Wedding Invitation Word Wizard.
By answering a few short questions about your style, personality, and reception plans, the wizard writes an invitation that is tailored just for you based on your answers.

P.S I’ll be visiting the new Cristina Re store, “Where a Girl Goes” in Collingwood Melbourne this weekend and I’ll be sure to report back!

A Woodland Wedding in Brooklyn

Laura Normandin’s beautiful butterfly bouquet and woodland wedding caught my eye in the latest issue of Martha Stewart Weddings. Little wonder, as Laura is an artist was formerly the crafts editor for Martha Stewart Living.

Laura’s exquisite taste and eye for detail is evident in every aspect of her stylish wedding day.

Laura and Ben’s wedding celebrations took place at Picnic House in Brooklyn’s leafy Prospect Park, a place that already had special significance to the couple.

A barbecue style reception followed the heartfelt ceremony which was attended by 130 family and friends. Laura’s crafty touch was evident at every turn, having been part of the design of almost every aspect of the day; the place cards,invitations (including calligraphy), programmes, potted centrepieces and the favours of pressed butterflies, leaves and flowers.

Laura’s gorgeous butterfly bouquet was lovingly created from silk and feathers, as well as the crown flower-girl Logan wore.

Katie Hatch, friend and style editor at Martha Stewart Weddings also took nature as her inspiration with the skirt on Laura’s dress reminiscent of flower petals.

Their gleeful getaway on ‘Just Married’ bicycles was reflective of the couple’s lifestyle as they often cycled at the park.

Image credits: Martha Stewart Weddings Laura’s Flickr and her lovely blog, Wren Handmade.