Inspiration Friday: Garden Wedding
With summer right around the corner, you may be planning a fabulous outdoor garden wedding. Here is some inspiration courtesy of Etsy Wedding Team members curated by the ever talented Karen of ItTopsTheCake.
1. Garden Party Flower Girl Dress – Amanda Archer
2. Brooch Bouquet in Garden Pastels – Haribows Wonder World
3. Happily Ever After Drink Straws – Go Against the Grain
4. Pink Peony Luggage Tag Magnets – Mavora Art and Design
5. Garden Wedding Lavender Rose Bouquet – Kate Said Yes
6. Cherry Blossom Favors – AbbeyandIzzieDesigns
7. Herb Garden Marjorie Invitation and RSVP Card Set – Creative Montage
8. White Peony and Ivory Rose Silk Flower Wedding Cake Topper – It Tops the Cake
9. Wreath Floral Wedding Invitation with Postcard RSVP – Lasso’d Moon
Father’s Day from the Bride
Dad Cupcake Toppers by Go Against the Grain
Father’s day is coming up (June 16th, 2013) and what better way for a bride to find something unique to give from etsy! Here are some great gift options from the Etsy Wedding Team!
Lincoln penny cufflinks by ShellScapes
Green bow tie by The Social Seam
Custom Father of the Bride caricature glass by Crystal Peace Studio
Do You Need a Wedding Planner?
(Umm why yes, yes you do!).
We asked former wedding planner, turned talented EtsyWeddingTeam member, Shelly of CompanyFortyTwo for her advice on if brides need a wedding planner. Read on to hear what she says. Be sure to visit her Etsy store for chic rustic table decor, custom rustic wedding menus, unique rustic escort cards and place cards and more!
Do you need a wedding planner? This is just one of the many questions you will ask yourself once you get engaged. For most brides the one single deciding factor for all of their wedding decisions is their budget. Whether it is a shoe-string budget or a budget that would make David Tutera jump up and down with glee, most brides have to decide what is most important to spend their money on.
When I got married my top three must-haves were great photography, amazing reception decor and tasty food. Even though a wedding planner was not on the top of my list I knew it was a must. Having been a planner myself I would recommend every bride have one. Try not to think of wedding planners or wedding coordinators as another nail in your budget coffin. Try to think of them as a gift you are giving yourself. Weddings are stressful, tiring, and can drain you of every emotion you have! Brides put a large amount of pressure on themselves trying to plan the perfect day and if you can eliminate a huge portion of that stress then by all means you should.
Second Photo Credit: FancieStrands
So why do you need a planner? Here are some of the reasons:
1. Just say no to STRESS ~ They help elevate stress and take the burdens of planning off your shoulders.
2. Professional Connections ~ They have access to fabulous vendors and can help negotiate pricing and discounts for you to help you save money in the long run.
Photo Credits: Left - SiboDesigns Middle - AngeeW Right- NatalieBriggs
3. Knowledge ~They are in the know about the latest industry trends and can offer expert advice.
4. Peace of mind ~ Planners are excellent at fixing “day-of-disasters” and most likely you will not even know something went wrong on your big day.
5. Your time is precious ~ Most brides-to-be work and have other facets of their lives that keep them very busy. A planner can help you nail down the best of the best in your area and within your budget. So instead of interviewing ten bakery’s you only have to interview the top three in your area.
6. Your wedding is out of town ~ A planner is practically a must in this situation. Having no prior knowledge of the area or local wedding vendors, a planner can guide you through this uncharted territory.
7. All the right things ~ Planners can help you with all your etiquette questions regarding save the dates, invitations and any possible etiquette issue you may be having.
Photo Credits: Left – YellowBrickGraphis Right – CompanyFortyTwo
8. All about you ~ Most importantly, the day of your wedding is just that…YOUR day! The planner takes care of all details concerning your wedding day so you can relax, sit back, look beautiful and ENJOY your day!
Photo Credit: PowderBlueBijoux
Ways to fit a planner in your budget:
Having been a wedding planner myself, I think every bride should have a planner for her own peace of mind but I am not unsympathetic to budget woes. Here are some ways you can still have a planner but not break the bank.
1. Hiring someone who is new to the wedding scene. This is a little risky because the planner may not have a lot of experience under their belt but he/she will most likely be offering their services at a discounted rate until they are established.
2. Hire a company that offers wedding coordination and day-of-services only. This helps eliminate the more expensive “planning” service and the coordinator will only be responsible for day-of-services.
3. Enlist a friend. If you absolutely have no money in your budget for a planner then I would suggest asking a friend to help you. This should be someone who you trust to help make decisions for you (on the day-of) and who has a “take-charge” attitude.
I hope this helps anyone who has been sitting on the fence about hiring a wedding planner. One final tip: Make sure you interview several planners before you make your decision. You want to work with someone that you can trust and connect with. Go with your gut, if the chemistry seems a little off keep interviewing potential planners until you find someone you “click” with.
Happy Planning! - Shelly Nakabayashi of CompanyFortyTwo
Rustic Wedding Treasury
Rustic Wedding Treasury curated by Parsi. Click photo to access.
New Item of the Day with BelleJouJou
From time to time, we will be posting newly created items from members of our Etsy Wedding Team. Today, we are featuring items from BelleJouJou. BelleJouJou creates custom bridal and bridesmaid clutch bags as well as evening and daytime clutch bags. She is introducing us to her knew monogrammed clutch below and says “It’s a great new way to personalize your wedding”. To learn more about this personalized handmade item, click on the pictures below.
Inspiration Friday: Great Gatbsy
Here at the Etsy Wedding Team, we are very excited for the theatrical release of The Great Gatsby. If you’ve never read the book, The Great Gatbsy is set in 1922, during the “Roaring Twenties”, a time of great prosperity in the US after WWI. That era is also known for the evolution of jazz music, flapper culture along with bootlegging and other criminal activity. The main setting for the book is at the lavish mansion of Jay Gatsby, a mysterious millionaire who holds extravagant parties in hopes of his first love, Daisy, by chance appearing so the two can resurrect their former romance.
Often times, our Etsy Wedding Team members get requests for Great Gatsby themed wedding products and now, due to the movie, we have even more visual inspiration to help make our brides weddings a dream come true. Karen of ItTopsTheCake put together these amazing inspiration boards curated from items made by the EtsyWeddingTeam. To learn more about these items, click on the links below each picture.
1. Amanda Archer – Beige Lace Enchantment Dress
2. Fancie Strands – Champagne Wedding Head Piece
3. ANGEEW - Ivory and Champagne Bridal Clutch with Alencon Lace
4. Lavender Paperie – Wedding Lace and Glitter Program Cards
5. Originals by Lynette - Glamorous Vintage Rhinestone Bauble Hair Pin Set
6. BellesandCrystals – Art Deco Rhinestone Bridal Garter
7. Powder Blue Bijoux - Crystal and Freshwater Pearl Bridal Bracelet
8. Empress Bride – Silk Bridal Dress Sash Belt
9. Beadz2pleaz – Wedding Cake Server Set and Crystal Toasting Flutes
10. LaceyClaireDesigns – Couture Dupioni Silk Card Holder
11. Natalie Briggs – Vintage Style Brooch Heirloom Ring Bearer Pillow
12. Alisa Benay – French Alencon Lace Wedding Bolero
13. Serephine – 1920′s Inspired White Feather Wedding Halo
14. Mikiye Creations – Bridal Crystal Cubic Zirconia Drop Earrings
Real Weddings With Cottontail Press
I am so excited to be sharing this blingtastic wedding that comes courtesy of Adrianne Curran of CottonTailPress! Her clients, Shayla and Erik were married in Los Angelas, CA on May 4, 2013. They worked with Adrianne on custom invitations, signage and paper decor to match their bling wedding theme, and WOW, the results were amazing. To see more of what Adrianne of CottonTailPress can do for you, click on any of the images below to visit her Etsy Shop.
New Item of the Day from the Etsy Wedding Team
From time to time, we will be posting newly created items from members of our Etsy Wedding Team. Today, we are featuring items from LavenderPaperie!
AnnMarie from LavenderPaperie says “We are excited to share one of our hottest designs this season, lace with GLITTER wedding invitations. It’s all about the glitter this season. Take a look at our etsy shop for some of our other glitter invitations.” To shop this design and other items from LavenderPaperie, click on the picture below.
Stop back again soon as we post more new items from the talented members of the Etsy Wedding Team!
The Great Gatsby (Wedding) Treasury
EtsyWeddings Treasury by LaceyClaireDesigns
Click Photo to access
Inspiration Friday: Romantic Wedding
Today, we are featuring items from the Etsy Wedding Team for a wedding full of romance.

1. Crystal and Pearl Bridal Headpiece by Hairbows Wonder World
2. Large Wedding Bird Cage Card Holder by Mackensley Designs
3. Vintage Lace Wedding Invitation by Appleberry Ink

4. Bridal Clutch with Embroidered Organza by Belle Jou Jou
5. Photo Thank You Post Card by Mavora Art and Design
6. White Winter Rose Clay Floral Bouquet by Parsi
7. White Lace and Pearl Hair Comb by One World Designs

8. Lavender Rose Silk Wedding Bouquet by Kate Said Yes
9. Vintage Garden Wedding Invitation by Sunshine and Ravioli
10. Wedding Garter Set in Ivory with Swarovski Crystals by Sugarplum Garters
*Created by Karen from It Tops The Cake
































