sans*tulle

marit hanson save-the-dates

2008-11-01T23:13:00.004-04:00

i'm elated by the creation marit hanson dreamed up for laura & drew's save-the-dates. they wanted something "artsy-funky" and after seeing the engagement photos we did, she decided to incorporate one of the images into the design. i may be biased, but i think they're perfect. ;)

when i visited her site, i found myself saying over and over again, "ooh, i like that...oh, and i like that...and that!" here are some designs that inspired "oohs" and "ahhs" ~

i'm really liking this whole ticket idea...

in a world where there is so much waste, i feel it's prudent to consider what will happen to all the paper goods that are born from weddings. so choose something fabulous. i mean, who could possibly throw something this lovely out?
{invitation design ~ marit hanson weddings / all photos © marit hanson, via marithanson.com}

be still my heart

2008-07-23T10:09:00.003-04:00

last month, i photographed a wedding in KY with amy of angela anderson photography. i love second-shooting. i can mill around and get all the artsy fartsy shots i want without having to worry about the schedule or if i'm missing something dire. and working with angela's studio is always awesome.

but how awesome is this?!? one of my shots was on freakin' TV. and the newscaster said our photos looked like they were done by richard avedon.

So don't be surprised when I bring an elephant to the next wedding.

for the news story, click here.

"but...i just checked that account!!!"

2008-07-17T19:30:00.007-04:00

all too often, i've gone to process a final payment for a client when the mysterious "error 4859047iourpoer;oiiblahblahblah" pops onto the screen. apparently "error 4859047iourpoer;oiiblahblahblah" is supposed to be less humiliating than the good ol' "declined" message.

turns out this is not due to overspending or bad record keeping. it's due to your ever-vigilant bank watching several multi-thousand dollar transactions flying through your account within a few days time. so how do they come to the rescue? they financially cripple you by putting a stop on your cards...which is SO much fun when you find out this fact after their help lines close for the day. as if you don't have enough calls to make in the weeks before your wedding, now you have to call the bank, sort it out, and resubmit all your payments. i suppose it's great that they keep an eye out for possible fraud and we should all be grateful, but i've heard of such things happening while people have been out state or overseas...and they arrive with no credit for their hotel, food, etc. in short: it sucks.

so anyhoo...i suggest you call your bank the week before you start making your final payments to your vendors so you can avoid the stress and embarrassment. let the bank know that they will be seeing several $k transactions coming through...you're having a wedding...and they should please make a note of it on your account...because if you're forced to pull out any more hair, you'll have to attach your veil with duct tape and no one wants that...thanks, mr. banker.

no more helmet head

2008-07-17T18:38:00.004-04:00

this stuff is simply brilliant. you tap a little of this powder onto the roots of your hair, work it in with your fingers (it transforms into a dry-liquid...yeah...i know...) et voila: actual volume. soft non-sticky scentless volume. fantastic for getting that slept in lift without starching your hair like the stars did in the 40s or reeking like a bon jovi fan suffering from a white-and-pink can aqua-net overdose. aveda pure abundance ~ $23...and well worth it.

delicious extravagances

2008-07-16T23:09:00.000-04:00

you know one of your bridesmaids is going to carry your stuff for you. "oh, don't worry; i can carry your lipstick in my bag" etc. my answer would undoubtedly be, "oh, no...i don't think it will fit." because i want one of these and even if they'll only fit my lipstick, a comb, and a pack of breath mints, who cares?!? seriously, just look at these things!

i judge the value of accessories and clothing by doing a little math. divide how much the pretty costs by how many times i'll actually use/wear it. all of these purses can be worn with a wedding dress or your favorite jeans. given that, these clutches are really quite economical (and that, friends and neighbors is how we women-folk justify such treats.) these next two are my favorites.

moyna bags $155 - $265

something blue ~ shoes

2008-07-15T23:34:00.004-04:00

it should be no shock to anyone that my first post official sans*tulle entry would be about shoes. i love them. especially stiletto cockroach-killers. but let's face it, they're a lot easier to look at than to walk in. so this something blue features some rather daring shoes as well as a few that are kinder to your feet.

ohhhhh, i love these. your blue doesn't have to be powdery and soft. it can shout and scream "look at me!!!!" $114

RSVP ice blue metallic. you can find some really amazing deals on 6pm.com. they are zappos' outlet site and have great markdowns. $21

i can see these betsy johnsons with an ivory dress for a garden wedding. they're so cute and well, girly. $87

if these had feathery fluffs instead of bows, you could wear them around the house and pretend you're marilyn. see the quilty lining inside? they look really comfy. $50 cynthia rowley makes a whole line of wedding shoes...with a blue sole. "tinsel" $222

another dancing-friendly find on 6pm.com. baby blue lumiani with a kitten heel. $40 (down from $100)

sans*tulle

2008-07-11T00:37:00.006-04:00

hello. welcome to the new wedding inspiration blog! you can still visit my photography blog for my latest wedding photos, but here's where i'll be posting fun stuff and tips. over the next few days i'll be in the process of moving over some posts from the studio blog and adding in details from real weddings.

about the site's name: "gazebos-suck.com" was available, i simply could not honestly use that title for this site. for you see, i finally found two gazebos i really like. unfortunately, one's in bruges and the other is in a quaint little town in ky, but it still makes the name null and void.

{astrid park gazebo in bruges, belgium} looks like the horses have abandoned the carousel...of course i would love it.

so, the title of the site is dedicated to one of my all time favorite brides, rachel. when she called me years back and described her gorgeous DYI organic autumn wedding plans to me, she said "and there won't be an inch of white tulle seen anywhere." i knew she was my kind of bride and i am pleased to name this blog in honor of her fine sensibilities and the quote that really helped define my own when it came to knowing "my kinda wedding."

so this blog is for those of you who wish to create weddings that really speak of you personally, as opposed to complying with conventions. it will feature fashion, beauty, creative tips & dyi projects, and environmentally friendly wedding ideas...as well as details from the weddings of my own fantastic clients!

enjoy!

something blue - bag, borrow, or steal it!

2008-06-08T23:18:00.000-04:00

today's something blue picks can all be found at bag, borrow, or steal. i don't know about you, but as much as i'd like to, i can't justify tossing $750 at a pair of earrings i'll only wear once...but i sure can consider paying $50 for the week to borrow them! this amazing service allows you to do just that. so if you think that prada bag you've had your eye on for your honeymoon is out of the question, think again, ladies.

these topaz and pave diamond Gucci earrings can be borrowed for $119 a week.

i can only imagine how these david yurman teardrops will catch the light...
it's difficult to find vintage couture that's both affordable and in fantastic condition. i love that they offer finds like this 1920s vintage purse.
really cute vera wang bow earrings!
i love the idea of a more smoldering look for brides. dark pearls and smoky eyes... the detailing of this lois hill bracelet is suburb, right down to the closure.
we all know that sun and squinting causes wrinkles. that's good enough of an excuse to wear these matthew williamson sunglasses at your outdoor reception. and you know if anyone tells you it's not proper for you to wear shades with a wedding dress, they're probably just jealous they didn't think of a way to stay comfortable and chic at the same time at their own wedding. ;)

heads up

2008-05-19T23:23:00.001-04:00

i've always loved the look of birdcage veils. probably because they're the best of many worlds: hair adornment, mystique of a veil, and the practicality of not having to take it off for the reception (and not getting it in your soup...) they also look fantastic with shorter hair, so if you're concerned about growing out your hair (just so you can put it up) think again!

ere are some gorgeous ones from Head Dress Couture.

and a few more from Artikal.

super-cute little "hat."

anti-ankle breakers

2008-05-01T21:46:00.000-04:00

God knows I adore pretty shoes. But everyone else knows that quite often, the prettier the shoes, the harder they are to walk in. And shoes tend to make us feel good in one of two ways (and rarely in both): in our heads or in our feet.

For those who cannot bear the pain of standing through an hour ceremony, running down church stairs, walking across fields, and dancing the night away in a pair of 110mm Manolos no matter how amazing they make you look and feel, there must be other options to give you comfort and visual pleasure. I am one who wouldn't make it past "I do" wearing anything over 2", so I feel your pain. So I have a new mission: find gorgeous and practical shoes that are pretty, well made, usable after the wedding, and easily walked in, even after half a bottle of champagne.

I especially like these silver sandals. They'd work under just about anything that's not very formal. With the strap around the back, you don't have to worry about them slipping off your feet while dancing. The design is so clean and simple, it's the next best thing to being barefoot.
For a little sparkle and colour. These would be too cute peeking out of a dress with a lot of poof.

I usually don't advocate shelling out a lot of cash for one-event-only items, but I might make a serious exception and splurge for these Kate Spade slingbacks. Look how pristine that bow is! Very Audrey Hepburn.
Of course, if you don't want to spend $250+, here's a nice Anne Klein version you can find on sale for $49 at My Glass Slipper. (They used to be $249!)

Ooh, comfort AND sparklies! Gold sparklies or silver sparklies...take your pick.
Or you could just go with these. ;)

Hello! Lucky / StyleMePretty.com contest!

2008-04-28T23:45:00.000-04:00

I really need to go to sleep. I've been working around the clock trying to catch up after the power-outage that robbed me of several days' work. It's because of life's little kicks to the head that I obsessively back-up, and thankfully, nothing that couldn't be redone was lost...just a lot of my time....

But I just can't go to sleep without cluing you in to a fabulous contest hosted by stylemepretty.com! Go to the site and answer a few questions and you'll be entered to win 100 free single-colour letterpress save-the-date cards from Hello! Lucky. Mmhmmm...."free" and "letterpress" in the same sentence... Just so you know, these little beauties would run you about $400. So check it out, put in your .02, and make sure you send me one if you win!

...about amy

2008-04-24T23:39:00.001-04:00

Stylemepretty.com is always featuring great schtuff and this is no exception. we've all seen the multitude of brides & grooms breaking out into a choreographed routine in the middle of the first dance and youtube.com is chock full of videos of the wedding party doing "thriller."

...but this is the most awesome thing ive ever seen. it just gets better and better, so keep watching! click the photo to watch the video on AMC Video's blog.

favorite things

2008-04-18T19:24:00.001-04:00

this is my new favorite thing ever. of course, you'd have to wear striped hose under your dress and a dagger in your garter.
Rainsend pirate cake topper, at Etsy...where else?....

something blue ~ for karen

2008-04-17T23:20:00.001-04:00

this installment of "something blue" goes out to karen mikols, who has asked for shoe votes on her own blog. after seeing her dress, my vote's going to these.

something blue pt deux

2008-04-15T23:07:00.002-04:00

it seems those Betsey Johnson shoes were a hit from the comments i've received about them. finding "something blue" beyond the traditional garter or "last resort" pinned-in $60 handkerchief can be a chore to say the least. so i hope you can get some inspiration from the fruits of my internet window-shopping spree in search of the often frustrating "something blue." i've tried to find things that can be worn/used beyond the wedding as well.

freakin' gorgeous. i love the stuff you can find on etsy. these hand-carved bone and blue crystal hairsticks made by lfaigen are perfect for adorning (and securing) your 'do. and the nice thing is lfaigen has been kind enough to post illustrations showing several different ways you can incorporate these sticks into a number of hairstyles.

another Etsy find from ifbdesigns. really sweet adornments for a little sparkle.

there's no law that says your dress has to be white. seriously...ivory, champagne, candlelight, etc are really just very light shades of a colour...so why not go with an ice blue? i can see this dress with a delicate bouquet of ivory and creams, peonies and roses...

no one actually needs to see your blue! these Victoria's Secret panties are aptly called "Cheeky."

i'll refrain from any elvis jokes here...but these are pretty cool blue suede shoes. also a bit more manageable than the Betseys. even better, these are on sale! i'm imagining these peeking out from the bottom of a '30s style ivory slipdress with some light ruffles.

of course, if you'd like to actually wear your shoes all day, check out these anti-ankle-breakers by Vigotti.

don't forget blue blooms. blue is the rarest pigment found in flowers and most "blue" flowers are actually lavender or violet. some true blues are hydrangeas, delphiniums, light blue iris, and sweet tiny forget-me-nots.

something blue

2008-04-14T07:30:00.001-04:00

Ok, so these Betsey Johnsons are simply astounding. i'll give a special prize to anyone who wears these as their "something blue."

DIY invites ~ sort of...

2008-04-09T01:09:00.001-04:00

These are some of the coolest invites i've seen. i'm in love with their minimalism and the best part: half the work is done for you! Eva Paul designs your invitations and sends you the files. from there all you have to do is the printing on paper of your own choice. my favorite place in columbus for gorgeous paper ~ On Paper on n. high street in the short north.

of course, if you're planning a green-wedding, you could always send out these invites through email...they'll be just as pretty and you'll save a bunch on postage and somewhere out there a tree will sigh in relief.

(images © eva paul)

pearls schmerls...

2008-04-05T00:27:00.001-04:00

i think i just dislike anything that is titled into the genre for which it was created. especially if it's tied to any type of holiday or any other single-day occasions. "wedding shoes" and worse yet, "wedding jewelry" totally make my eye start twitching. all too often, manufacturers (notice i say "manufacturers" and not "jewelers," "artisans," or "designers") know that these items are to be worn once and thereafter thought of as disposable...and they create these items with that in mind. and somehow the cheap-alloy sparkley chandelier earrings still get slapped with a $55 sticker. often these are items for which one wouldn't pay $15 for everyday costume jewelry and don't even make it through the first dance.

this is why i encourage seeking your accessories from non-wedding sources. not only will you find something more unique, you'll get better value out of something you can enjoy again (and remind you of such a happy day), AND it's less waste in the world.

i'm totally in love with ShySiren's earrings. the flower collection is full of gorgeous delicate pieces. these are my favorites for their subtlety:

these little tiny buds remind me of lily-of-the-valley. only about an inch long, they're just enough embellishment and won't take any attention away from one's face.

these little bells take care of your "something blue" with the sky coloured bead above the frosted bell. or you could go bolder with the blue bells.

lots of pretties for your bridesmaids, too.

and the best part? all of these earrings are between $17 and $30. they do custom order, too. you can find ShySiren on Etsy.com. tell them I say "hi!." (all of the images in this post © ShySiren)