I heart.... flipbooks

So in my quest for generating ideas for MY wedding... I came across FlipClips... as many of you are aware, we are planning our wedding around the fact that we were high school sweethearts- and thus we are incorporating many retro elements into the day. We have been struggling with ideas for a creative engagement announcement... and I think that a flipbook is just the answer! How does it work? Go onto the site and upload a 15-30second movie clip... the clips are then converted into still frames (75 frames for 15 seconds)... then pick a cover design and message- and voila! You have yourself a flipbook in the mail. These can also be really great for thank-you's afterwards. Just have your videographer do a 30 second "highlights" edit of the wedding- The possibilities are endless, really....

We are going to take this concept even further by incorporating "flipbooks" on our website as well... Benetton Play allows you to make simple animations from basic drawings- and Flip allows you to combine video, audio, pictures, and drawings to create a multi-media presentation... our website is going to have the "look" of a high school notebook and we'll have little animated doodles on each page.... we'll be making them re-appear on items throughout the wedding such as place cards, menus, etc.... We really do not take ourselves too seriously so I think that it is great for our wedding to reflect that as well....

Good Luck and Happy Planning!

A little update...

Alright... so my schizo-bride has been tamed... and I can finally move forward with planning my wedding! I won't disclose all the details just yet... but here's a little board to wet your palette... we'll be doing a destination wedding a little south of Jax- to Boca Raton/Delray... at Old School Square... with the inspiration behind the design being the fact that we were high-school sweethearts that met in the cafeteria...

where are my manners?? sorry... here are the credits:
{Suit-H&M, Save The Date-Sway Space, Dress-Johanna Hehir, Invitations- ??, Dessert Display- Vanilla Bake Shop}

Tainted Love....

I am all for vintage lovelies... and I really appreciate a special sweet nothing... but when it comes to love and my relationship- I crave something a little more tainted- a little more true and real... You see, my fiance and I have been together nearly six years now- that's a lot of smiles - but more than that- it was a lot of tears and pain and obstacles- and without that sincere path, we would not be able to say with such certainty that this is going to be able to withstand the tests of time... thus when I found this spread in W Magazine (by chance)... I knew that this will HAVE to be the premise for our own engagement photos... I love that there is such underlying truth behind each of these lovely photos... and I do believe that this will be far more impactual decades from now then a few pretty pictures of us in our Sunday's Best.... hooray for Brangelina for inspiring me to be a little more honest in my quest for domestic bliss....

photos via the oh-so-talented fashion photographer, Steven Klein

It's Here! Hooray!

I am sooooo excited... my sample DVD just arrived for Well Spun Wedding Films... if you have not had the chance to check these guys out then you simply must! We are so torn on so many aspects of the wedding (we still have not even committed to which ring yet).... but I am absolutely certain that these guys are going to be a part of my special day.

My most favorite television series of all time has got to be "Wonder Years"... I idolized Winnie Cooper... and I will forever remember the opening credits with the montage of home videos... when I found Well Spun at the beginning of this year... their work was remnicent of this.... there is a vintage and honest quality to their work... and for anyone whose day has long past... and you are a bit unhappy with your videography choices- or if you have a collection of VHS and DVDs shot by guests... then I urge you to take a look at the service that they provide where they re-work the content and look at it with an artists eye... they are amazing!

I know that I have been known to openly profess my opinion on the importance of good photography... and now I will share my thoughts on videography. I do not think that it is necessary. I do not think that you should fit it into a modest budget. It is not that I do not like video- on the contraire (I just told you that I LOVE my future videographer)... it's just that wedding videography has been a bit slow to evolve into the new generation of standards and expectations. I have found a select number of video-artists that I respect (to the right in my links)... but in general it seems that this sector of the wedding industry is lacking in creativity... thus I do not feel that the cost will always be justified by the product..... All of that being said... I really hope that in the next few years that new talent emerges and the standards are raised... as video is becomming so easy to share via the internet, emails, and dvd's.... hooray for pioneers like Well Spun for taking it to the next level!

I would love to share a sample of the video, but I just don't know how to get the video feed from the dvd to a file on my computer in order to upload it... (if anyone is a tad bit more tech-savvy then I would appreciate the help)... in the mean time... just visit their site

Blushing Brides II.... A birdcage is like a reeses

There is just no wrong way to wear them... (in response to reader Kate's inquiry on what hair styles work best with the birdcage) the first picture is how I envision my hair being on My Happy Day.... and these are just a few more styles that can easily sport the veil... your hairstyle will be dictated by your face's shape and the length of your hair... such is the nature of the veil as well- I suggest doing a few mock run throughs with the veil to determine what works best for YOU....

Blushing Brides...

I love the birdcage veil... its style and simplicity and vintage undertones... but I am seeing it everywhere- and feel as though it is missing something.... last night I watched one of my favorite movies- Easter Parade.... and found myself browsing through my collection of Vintage Burlesque books... and discovered that my veil needs a hat! I found these little numbers at Couture Bridal... I like the size of the last- but the dainty nature of the middle...

I would really love to transition the look for the reception... entertaining this option... any thoughts?

Schizophrenic Bride...

Alright... so I have been asked to give a little insight on my journey as a bride-to-be... You see, the difficulty in planning my own wedding is not in having a creative block or in needing direction- o the contraire... I am having trouble committing ... to one idea that is... you see-

I want something timeless...

But I want something playful and true to us

And we haven't ruled out an intimate destination wedding...

But do we go with the lovely town of Decatur (which we have fallen in love with)....

Or just let ourselves go and do it big in Vegas....

You see... I am in this industry as a career and thus I will attend and design so many amazing weddings throughout my lifetime... and I never want to say "if only..." (though I am sure that I will... often) So I have a lot of decisions to make- the first being the ring (Still loving Vera- but also loving a vintage estate blue diamond with an almost-offensive amount of detailing in the setting and band... from my FAVORITE antique shop- I will sneak on over there later this week and snag a pic for you all)....

photo credits: First dress by melissa sweet, First two cakes by April Reed, Skull Couture ring by Dior, Tatto invitations by Milkmaid Press, hankie by Spitfiregirl, Sailor shoe found here, Chair via Artfool, Jackpot cake by Lovin Sullivan, cherry escorts by Invite Delight