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Invite your guests to save the date with interactive stationery.  As always, change the colors of the paper and ribbon to reflect your theme.   

Clockwise: table centerpiece, drink dispenser ,jar with flowers, tree decor, and cookies

For me, mason jars have always been an adorable form of storage for office supplies.  I am delighted to see they have broken into the wedding scene!  Mason or Ball Jars come in many sizes and can be cleverly repurposed for your wedding.  Use them to light the walkway to your ceremony or reception and line your ceremony aisle by sliding a votive candle inside.  Switch out traditional large centerpiece vases for a collection of different height mason jars filled with coordinating flowers.  For a beach wedding you can put sand in the bottoms of the jars and fill them up with shells.  For a more refined winter wedding try Epsom salt or faux snow in the bottoms and finish them off with mini ornaments.  Add your guests’ names and table number to a tag on a mason jar.  They’ll be able to use them as a drinking glass and take them home as favors.  For your stationery, invest in a mason jar stamp and personalize away!  

Clockwise: Petal scroll, floating candles, lit trees, flowers with ribbon, garland, ribbon closure

While not a requirement, adding detail to your ceremony aisle can enhance the aesthetic of your space.  An aisle runner is a common addition and should be cut to the length of the aisle before the wedding.  When you order an aisle runner most companies will ask for the measurement and take care of this part for you.  Outdoor aisle runners are a bit more complicated and should be made from a slip proof, durable fabric. (No one wants their heels to punch through!)  Becoming ever popular are lush petals spread down the aisle, often in ornate patterns. When you have an aisle runner (fabric or petals) use a ribbon to tie off the entrance so guests won’t walk through before you and the wedding party do.  Another idea is to add flowers to the ends of pews or rows of chairs to give a welcome touch of color.  Large candles in tall glass vases can anchor down an aisle runner or stand alone at the inside of the aisle creating a beautiful ambiance at your ceremony. 

How are you planning to decorate your ceremony aisle?

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Saying goodbye to your guests at the conclusion of your wedding will come sooner than you think.  One of my favorite pictures from my wedding is walking out underneath a flurry of bubbles.  Here are some ideas for your farewell:

1. Bubbles – no clean up and they come in many shapes and colors
2. Sparklers – lots of fun but can be a little scary
3. Leaves – free and a nod to the fall season
4. Petals – romantic and classic but can be pricey
5. Mini Flags – add a monogram or go all out with red white and blue for a 4^th of July wedding
6. Ribbon Wands – simple to make and can match your color scheme 
7. Dance Away – guests line up in parallel lines and cheer while an upbeat goodbye song is played for the bride and groom’s exit.
8. Confetti – makes a party anywhere and can be difficult to clean up  

 What are you planning to do for your grand exit?

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Want to give a little excitement to an otherwise mundane reception table layout?  Try mixing rectangle and circle or square tables together.  This mix increases the visual design and interest of a space.  Keep your selection to two kinds though; you don’t want it to look like a hodgepodge of random tables.  Print out a floor plan of your venue and cut post it notes to the scale of the tables to work with the arrangement.  You can place rectangle tables end to end if you are running out of space at a circle table or want a grand banquet like feel.  As for the table décor, keep it the same.  Centerpieces can be mixed high and low as long as they are similar arrangements.  

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I love thinking of and finding new ways to use old things.  Today’s post is dedicated to the clothespin.  Its simple design and easy use make it perfect for a nod to a diy wedding.  The cost of these wooden gems is low… so the more the merrier!

Save the Dates

This clothespin was intended as a business card.  Use it as a save the date instead. Stamp your names and wedding date on the clothespin to give your guests a hint of what is to come at your wedding.  Add a magnet on the back to make it more practical.  Perhaps your guests can pin their travel reservations and eventually your wedding invitation to their refrigerator.  Extra credit: painting the clothespin before stamping, colored inks, ribbon decoration, your wedding website clipped in or printed on the back.

Escort cards with mini clips and Hanging escort cards 

Add dimension to your escort cards by standing them upright with mini clothespins. String them at eye level for your guests to find their tables.

Seating Chart 

Create a seating chart by hanging corrugated cardboard on a larger display board (think framed cork board or the like).  Print the table names on the flags and the guests names on the individual clothespins.  Have the table names/numbers correlate with the color of the clothespin.

Menu and Favor Box 

Both of these items can work double duty for you as table or place cards.  I would write the guests’ names on the clothespin vertically, glue the tag onto the top of the clothespin, or put the tag inside the clothespin.  (To make this menu all you have to do is put the paper bag through a printer – super simple.)  This box is adorable and would be a delightful wrapping for bridesmaid gifts and/or favors.  Skip the wrapping paper if you’ll be using these at tables and opt for a nice box instead. You don’t want the wrapping paper trash cluttering up your lovely tables.  I love the attached flower to hide the metal part of the clothespin.  Switch it up and use a silk flower to match your color scheme or add a butterfly, piece of lavender, or small bow.  

More clothespin details: Wreath, Buffet/Dessert Table Sign, Hanging Rings

This wreath is made with doll pins (which are similar to clothespins but do not close) and an embroidery hoop.  Change the ribbon and paint or adhere fabric to the clothespins to make it your own.  The second image is a darling price tag complete with a ribbon and button detail.  Make a tag like this for your buffet stations, dessert table or table numbers.  Hang your wedding rings from a line of twine for a great photo opportunity.  You could also tie the clothespins to a small pillow and clip your rings in for the ring bearer to hold. 

Clothespin Boutonniere

This clothespin boutonniere is both creative and simple to use.  No more fussing with pins and lapels!  I would cover the clothespin entirely in ribbon to make it less noticable.  To make the boutonniere just clip the flowers in the opening and you are ready to go!

Do you have any new and exciting ways to add clothespins to a wedding?  If so, please share!

Clockwise: beach theme, pumpkins, drink menu, nests and branches, ornaments, table number, tulips, succulent, cheese with place card

Looking to display a collection of items or add a little something to a smaller centerpiece?   Get your hands on a glass bell dome also known as a cloche.  You can set them atop of a traditional pedestal, piece of wood, vintage plates, trays or plainly on top of the table.  Cloches are also great option if you are not doing floral centerpieces as they add dimension to the objects.  Add them around your reception on the dessert table, the mantle, as place settings or even a bar menu.

What would you put in your cloche?

Searching the internet for wedding ideas?   Keep the images you love organized and labeled in one area with out having to right click and “save as”.  How?  Try Pinterest.  Pinterest is a free virtual pin board that lets you create and share inspiration boards.  You can make your own wedding boards to keep visual reminders of all the things you love.  But please, don’t limit yourself to only wedding inspiration.  Make boards for fashion, recipes, DIY projects, home ideas, and anything else that tickles your fancy.  Best of all, Pinterest automatically saves the website where the image is from for future reference.  I do have one disclaimer though:  Pinterest is highly addictive.  If you need an invite please message me through the contact page.  Take a peek at my boards and follow me at www.pinterest.com/monogramwedding.

How do you maintain all of your wedding inspiration?

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Greige = grey + beige.  This lovely color lends itself to an industrial shabby chic feel or can be completely updated to a clean modern style.  Try switching greige for black and other neutrals in your wedding color palette (or wardrobe).   For some amazing greige inspiration check out greigedesign.blogspot.com and be on the lookout for this trendy new color!

What are your wedding colors?  Does greige appeal to your aesthetic?

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What mom (or grandmother) wouldn’t love for you to wear her bridal gown on your wedding day?  Most likely, your styles aren’t the same and you probably not in the mood to have it tailored to a more updated style.  Honor your mom by taking a few bridal portraits before your ceremony in her dress.  She won’t feel left out and you’ll both have a beautiful memoir for years to come.