wow.  i think i might like to go here.  http://www.kamahi.co.nz/ 

In addition to being in New Zealand (which is pretty much all you have to say to me to induce a wistful look in my eye), and being just so darn cute (but not cutesy), you can go on a farm tour, eat gourmet homecooked meals, and explore the stunning countryside.  It reminds me of New England charm.  I love.

this afternoon the boss took us out to lunch for a baby shower (not a random one, a coworker), I had fish tacos and way too many warm chips and guac and am now not only HYPER and thinking in Joycean-length sentences, but very very full and had to unbutton my jacket to allow my stomach to expand. 

this thinking is not so much about weddings as it is about me going slightly ballistic over the fact that i don’t have a digital camera.  i am a blogger.  i don’t have a digital camera.  okay, technically i own one, but it’s at a destination wedding in Cabo right now with my guy (he doesn’t have a cute blogging moniker yet) who forgot his own camera and thus was lent mine.  but it’s really irrelevant because i hate that camera.  it’s poopy.  i want a pretty new one.  in a color.  like blue.  this sounds very mature, but if you met poop camera, you would agree.  you have to nudge the shutter open with you fingernail because it refuses to open automatically.  this is not only obnoxious and annoying, but results in odd and unuseful diagonal pictures.  i want to be able to show you the lovely things i notice and am inspired by around Denver and i am thwarted in this effort by my very nice but very un-blog-friendly film cameras.  grrrrr. 

plus, i have the completely uncontrollable urge to go buy out Anthropologie.  that is all.

you could make something like this super cool lamp as wedding decoration?

I found it at Inhabitat. It’s called the Ash Pendant lamp by Tom Raffield, and I think it’s cool and modern and eclectic and gorgeous.  The ash looks a lot like matte raffia, and I wonder if one could simply glue some of this:

onto these: 

yes?  very cool?  probably time consuming.  maybe i’ll try it for a party and let you know how it goes.

I’ve been trying to find a post Eddie Ross wrote on making your own cake stands, but I can’t.  I hate it when I’m looking for something particular, especially online, and can’t find it.  Then I think maybe I was dreaming or I’m way more creative than I actually am and invented something new.  Anyway, the gist of it was gluing plates to vases or candlesticks.  I found this to give you an idea of what I’m talking about, but you could also mix china plates and antique candlesticks, or whatever you find at the flea market or Salvation Army. 

Anyway, as so often happens during my searching, I found something else worth posting about.  Check out this post on The Kitchn about making your own wedding cake (come back! not that scary!).  If anything, this picture should entice you.

Varying the height of cake stands is a great way to make a visual statment at your dessert table (do those have official names?  I am clearly not in the industry), especially if you have several different cakes or desserts instead of one main focal point.

If your dessert table is full of great family recipes, you could even print out the recipes on lovely cards and offer them as favors! Dingbat Press at Etsy has these fabulous letterpress recipe cards:

what will your guests remember from your wedding?  what is your wedding really about? 

I was just reading through some wedding prep blogs and found myself unreasonably frustrated with women fretting over the cost of an open bar vs. the fact that they “owe it” to their friends to have one, the ideal centerpiece vs. the $300 price tag per arrangement, and elaborate cakes. 

Has anyone actually eaten wedding cake?  Because mine usually gets taken away while I’m on the dance floor or off talking to other guests.  And the few cakes I have eaten, I don’t remember.  Which is rather sad, given the enormous price tag associated with wedding cakes.  I love dessert way more than the next person, and I want yummy things at my wedding, but how about a dessert table with pies and cupcakes and brownies?  That way your guests have some options, wonderful food, and you pay less.

As for open bars, I feel like there is too much pressure on the wedded couple to provide alcohol so that guests can drink their way to fun.  I like the idea of offering beer, wine, and a signature drink.  I wouldn’t want people attending my wedding just for an open bar, and a fun party celebrating the love of two people and the support of f&f shouldn’t drive the couple into debt.

Okay, I’m done sniping.  Have some donuts.

In the interest of being eco-chic and economical, I’m not sure what kind of role flowers will play in my wedding.  Many green brides forgo the traditional bouquets in favor of something like this:

I just love it, and was envisioning it on my mantle for years to come when I realized that brides usually toss the bouquet or give it to someone as a thank-you.  Boo.  I wanted to keep the pretty feathers!  And I’ve never liked the bouquet-toss or the garter-throw, so who says I have to have them at my wedding?  But would it be too selfish to keep the bouquet?

The Knot’s blog actaully had some lovely alternatives to bridesmaid bouquets – candles (magical for an evening ceremony), fans, parasols, or baskets or bells (which I can’t really envision).

I love fresh flowers, especially wildflowers, and think it’s always nice to add natural elements.  The question now is, what is the cost?  Not just the literal cost, but the environmental cost as well.  Organic, local, and in-season flowers are a good option.  This website has seasonal flowers, and this one has native and regional plants.

Or, use potted plants.  Succulents especially look sophisticated, make a big impact for their small stature, and can be given as favors instead of tossed out (or composted) like bouquets.

For something a little different, and with more olfactory appeal, what about little pots of herbs lining the table?  Rosemary, mint, and thyme all smell fresh and wonderful.  Again, something your guests can take home and put to use.

Welcome to Ampersand! I’m going to leap headfirst into the wedding planning waters and discuss my philosophy of weddings and wedding dresses. First, the eye candy:

Amsale Blush gown

The taffeta gown (on the left) is by Amsale Blush; it’s $320 at Saks. (They call it “camel,” but I’m going with gray.)

BCBG Max Azria gown

The white is BCBG Max Azria; it’s $360 at Nordstrom.

Yes, I do believe you can have a gorgeous wedding dress for under $500 (just think! then you can spend another $500 on shoes, borrow mom’s jewelry, and your whole wedding garb is under $1K, which is at least 1/5 of the usual grand gown ensemble). I know I am not the first or only person to think that a wedding dress doesn’t need to a) look like something a Disney princess would wear (not that there is anything wrong with that!) or b) cost the equivalent of a down payment.

In fact, this whole blog is going to be devoted to weddings outside of what $2,000 wedding’s Sara calls “the wedding industrial complex.” So let’s get that straight right now. If you’re idea of the perfect day is a lavish wedding possibly mistaken for a million dollar fundraising gala, this is probably not the blog for you.

If, on the other hand, your wedding ideas center around a celebration of love and commitment with the support of friends and family with more emphasis on quality (as in the honesty of your love) than quantity (as in monogrammed favors that no one really wants), then you might recognize yourself here. Welcome!

I have always loved these sweet little cardboard suitcases (seen at paper stores; these are $8 at Paper Source and come in red, “papaya,” and black):

I used one that I filled with stationery and little gifts as a going away present, but I think they would also be great in a wedding.  you could stack them as decorations on a buffet table for a travel-themed wedding, fill them with flowers and use them as centerpieces, or use them as favor boxes.

Part of me always thought of an engagement ring as more than a symbol of commitment.  I can’t find a history of engagement rings that includes this, but I always thought the ring acted as a kind of wearable bank account, guaranteeing a (potential) widow something substantial to live off of should the breadwinner pass away.  I know it’s antiquated and not in keeping with my feminist self, but I assumed this was part of tradition.  All this to say that I wanted a Rock, thinking the larger the diamond, the more love.  Please be quiet, it’s silly and consumerist, I know.  But it’s so easy to browse through the bridal magazines and get caught up in “bigger and better.”

Fear not, however, for I have learned my lesson!  Now, it’s important that my ring be made of recycled gold and carry a cruelty-free diamond.  And while browsing through my favorite wedding blogs, I found rough-cut diamonds; this one in particular:

It’s raw and beautiful, simple and elegant.  It feels natural and inspired to me, which is fitting with my love for the outdoors.  It’s made from recycled gold and conflict-free diamonds, and it costs $2,800.  Sarah Perlis also works with customers to create custom wedding bands, so I think I’ve found my dream engagement ring!