First comes love

Framed table numbers

Fellow WC Bride Adrianne has pulled together a great tutorial on how to make these really cute table numbers:

Craig and I are still debating between numbers or names for our tables but if I were to go with numbers this would be a perfect look.

Paper lanterns

Pretty lantern projects make me wish we were having an outdoor wedding.

Same with this:

(tutorial here)

Afterwards, you could hang them in your backyard or porch.  If I made these I would tart them up with some ribbons or maybe use printed tissue paper.  Or both, because the version in my head is over the top and still somehow fabulous.

Butterfly cakes

In the list of "wedding stuff" I'd have to say that the cake rates pretty low for me.  I don't have much of a sweet tooth and it kills me to think of spending hundreds on something that will be demolished in a few hours.  Mind you, I have seen some  gorgeous confections that make my eyes pop out and jaw drop, but I know in my heart they don't really have a place in our day.

Now, just because I don't particularly care doesn't meant I don't want it to look nice.  When Kris gave me the Winter 2009 issue of Martha Stewart Weddings I thought the cover was stunning:

A plain 3 tier white cake from Marks&Spencers can be under 200 pounds.  The fabric butterflies are cheaper than I imagined as well.

But say those butterflies are a bit too realistic looking for your taste, you can also put a little DIY time in to create some beautiful origami versions like these:

(from here)

Here are a variety of butterfly origami instructions.  You would just have to attach a bit of wire (or an unbent paper clip) to the butterfly and stick it onto the cake.

Save the Date card idea - photobooth magnet

We've hit a bit of a speed bump with wedding planning but now that the 1 year away mark is quickly approaching we've had to sit up and take notice.

First thing is the Save the Date cards. 

Fun fact: Did you know on many wedding websites people shorten this to "STD cards"?  I don't care if it's immature of me to be slightly disgusted with that, I will never refer to them that way.

We have an idea of what we want to do for them, but I'm keeping that under wraps until they're sent so that there's an element of surprise for the recipients that are readers of this blog.  It's been pretty tricky to come up with something that ticked all the boxes for me:

• Is it within the planned budget?
• Is it something I could imagine someone holding onto, put on their fridge, stick on a bulletin board?
• Is it different enough but still wedding-ish but not cheesy?

That last box has proved to be the trickiest!

Since I can't share what we're going to do, I'll share with you a really cute idea I found - photobooth magnets! AND it's DIY!

From here

I've been kinda hesitant about using a picture of us for these cards but that was when I was imagining formal engagement session photos.  You wouldn't even need a photographer for these (check out the DIY instructions, you don't even need a photobooth). I love that they are useful and it would just blend in with the other usual bits people stick on their fridge.  I swear this isn't what we're thinking of doing but damn if I'm not tempted!

Free prints from A Print a Day

I love A Print A Day blog. Yasmine is such a talented artist and I really have to admire her consistent output of inspiration and generous freebies. (freebies provided that they are for personal use of course).

Take for example these labels, stickers and notepad template:

Love the bright candy colors.

Or imagine what you could do with these lacy labels:

 

She also sells kits and I particularly like this one.

She also recently announced her involvement with Feed Your Soul, another great outlet for artists and art lovers.  There are some fantastic free prints in their downloads section that I like to print out and cheer up my gloomy cubicle and I think some of them are fantastic sources of inspiration for wedding daydreams like this one:

Cute, n'est pas?

Free "french fry" gift box template

Cuuuute!  Would be great to surprise bridesmaids with:

Free "french fry box template" (via)

Although now I can't use it for my own bridesmaids since I've ruined the surprise.

Or Have I...??!

Favor idea: Customized slide boxes

Cute cute cute:

From Martha Stewart weddings. (via)

I have different plans for favors that won't need boxes but I thought these were pretty unique compared to the normal flap folded favor boxes I see.

I just might use this idea for gifting socks instead.  :)

Paper origami baskets

Origami basket from here, via here

Wouldn't these be really cute for holding candy favors at a reception table?  Jellybeans! Or Mentos! Mmmm I love Mentos.

I also wonder in lieu of a guestbook, if it would be possible to make a really big one with large paper to collect wishcards from guests?

Or maybe a big one for a flower girl to hold her petals?  I'm thinking patterned paper with a giant bow at the top of the handle... kinda makes me wish I had a flower girl for my wedding!

How else could they be used for a crafty wedding?

Pretty customized lanterns

Aren't these so pretty?  They would be perfect for an outdoor wedding in the countryside.

From decor8.