Archive for April, 2010

(Mostly) DIY save-the-dates

Posted on April 30th, 2010 by Alyia. 5 Comments

Alyia

When I began thinking about save-the-dates and invitations, I wasn’t quite sure what direction to head in.  Stacy didn’t really have a preference, and I was tempted by several different styles—art deco-inspired, with stylized illustrations and delicious fonts, like this? Modern and crisp, like this? Perhaps the tried-and-true whimsical photobooth magnet strip, like this?  I liked all of them, but none of them really called to me.

Then I stumbled upon this one.  I loved that it looked handmade and rustic and sweet without being too cutesy, but quite honestly I didn’t want to pay $2.50 apiece, so I set out to create my own stamped save-the-date with this as my inspiration. I found a set of alphabet stamps that I really loved (which were of course promptly discontinued; thank goodness for eBay!) and some border/accent stamps and started playing around.  This was my first attempt:

Hmmm.  Since I couldn’t find a good periwinkle or burnt orange ink I thought a sage green would set the burgundy off nicely, but it looked more like a confused Christmas-party invitation.  I also changed my mind about the paper size; although I loved the idea of a bookmark format, it involved several extra steps, and all the DIY projects I’m taking on had started to feel overwhelming, so I decided a postcard would be better.   I continued playing around and came up with a basic idea I liked:

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Dress Shopping Fun

Posted on April 29th, 2010 by Jen. 3 Comments

Jen

Okay, so dress shopping was really fun.  Much more fun than it looks like in the picture!  I can’t bring myself to post my actual dress just yet, so here’s a peak at my aunt and my bridesmaid/bffl/high school prom date, Brian watching me try on dresses.

I wouldn’t say that I was nervous about dress shopping, but I was a little unsure of what to expect.  I mean, I’ve been dress shopping plenty of times, but there’s something about wedding dress shopping that can be a bit intimidating.  Honestly, I was anticipating having to cross out the word groom on forms and field awkward questions from pushy consultants.  I know, such an unfair stereotype about wedding dress consultants!

But, my family and I went to a total of six stores, and not one person uttered the word groom.  So that was nice.  Everyone was pretty focused on the business at hand, and we jumped right into the satin and lace.  Although I did strategically say “Samantha” instead of “Sam” a time or two to make sure we didn’t get any upsetting reactions.  I didn’t want to sign a contract with a shop that I didn’t feel comfortable with.

I ending up finding my dress on the first trip out, but we were very thorough and made sure to explore all our options before committing. After a few weeks of looking around (and repeatedly looking at my dress on the designer’s website), we went back and bought the dress that I fell in love with on the first day.

Also, I LOVED the consultant who worked with me to pick out a dress.  She had great opinions, and was more than patient while my mother, aunt, prom date and I bickered over satin buttons.

HUGE check off the giant list of things to do!  Now we wait (until August!), which is hard for me…

Did any other dress people brave the boutiques and find themselves pleasantly surprised?

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A (Straight) Country-Western Wedding

Posted on April 29th, 2010 by Raven. 3 Comments

Raven

Two weeks ago Liz and I traveled down to beautiful Temecula, CA to attend my Dad’s wedding.  My Dad and his lovely new bride live on a horse ranch, and so the wedding had a great, casual western theme.

The groom rode in on a horse….

All photos by Liz

Followed by the best man (my step-brother, David) with a shotgun.  Yes, these two senior citizens were having a shotgun wedding!

The bride followed suit.

And when the officiant asked the bride-to-be if she accepted my Dad in sickness and in health, etc, she ran off to pow-wow with her Matron of Honor and the three flower girls.

Lucky for my Dad, they said she should take the leap.

As you can see, this wedding was adorable, carefree, and fun.  It was a far, far cry from the rather formal affair that Liz and I are throwing (in just 5 months!  eep!), but it inspired us.  It hit home to us that as long as our event is a celebration of us and our love, it really does not matter what music plays, what food is served, what we are wearing or how we come down the aisle (though we are definitely opting out on the horses).  Everyone had a great time not because we sat on hay bales for pews, wore jeans and boots and drank beer out of longneck bottles but because all of those elements told you that this day was about these two people and their love for one another.  This relaxed wedding got us to relax about our wedding.  And all I can say is “yee-haw!”

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The Saddest Fabric Flower DIY Ever

Posted on April 28th, 2010 by Michelle. 5 Comments

Michelle
Wedding Date: November 10, 2010
Bio: I'm a teacher, reality TV addict and avid theatre nerd. My fiancée, Deborah, and I met during a production at a local theater a little over three years ago. She pretty much tap danced her way into my heart. We are planning a slightly off-the-wall but mostly traditional wedding in our hometown deep in the heart of Texas.

Full fabric or paper bouquets can be pretty expensive.  Most ‘book flowers’ average $3.00 a stem, and the fabric ones are much much more.  I like to think of myself as a crafty lady,  and so I attempted to make some fabric flowers the other day using this great how-to from Little Birdie Secrets.

Look how well everything started out:

This should be all you need to make quiet a few flowers. Photo by Michelle.

These were all the supplies that were listed on the how-to site.   I added in the tulle (the mocha roll)  and the floral wire and tape, because I was planning on making these stems, instead of putting them on a clip.

After gathering all the supplies, I began to work on the first flower. This is when everything went a little… er, sour.  To be completely honest, it was a hot mess!  In lieu of  ugly, blurry photos, I have compiled a list of important things to remember when crafting.  These are tips based on personal experience, and things I wish I knew before I delved into the world of flower making.

1. Use only organza, chiffon or silk. You have to melt the edges of the petals to prevent fraying.  If you don’t use organza, chiffon, or silk, the petal will catch fire.  If you can’t find the color or pattern you like in these fabrics, don’t assume other types of fabric will be okay.  Other types of fabric will catch fire.  Don’t bother trying to ‘just hold the fabric differently‘ or ‘maybe use a lighter instead of the candle’ because if it isn’t organza, chiffon or silk,  it will still catch fire.

2. Fire is hot. Melted petal edges are hot too. Please remember this when slowly turning your organza, chiffon, or silk petals around the flame; just because the fabric has been singed that doesn’t mean it has cooled completely.  If you aren’t careful, you will burn yourself (trust me).

3. Don’t try too much at once. Start by making a smaller flower and then try a bigger flower.  Learning to handle the petals and have them all arranged to be  sewn together is a bit tricky.  You’ll be really frustrated and doubt your creative ability.  Especially when your *best* flower looks like this:

That is one funky shaped flower! Photo by me.

4. Don’t give up and don’t do this alone! My sad pathetic excuse of a flower is disheartening for me, but I am choosing to believe it is a case of practice makes perfect.  So, I will persevere.  I am also going to ask friends to help next time around.  I think with more people helping out, the tasks of cutting, melting and sewing will be less tedious.  Even if they aren’t nice enough for the wedding, these little flowers can be used somewhere!

Hopefully these tips will turn your adventures in flower making into a very positive experience! If you do try to make some fun flowers, I say “may the melt be with you!”

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Reader Survey

Posted on April 28th, 2010 by Kelly. No Comments

Kelly
Bio: Chief Creative Officer and Co-Founder of So You're EnGAYged

Hey everyone!

So next week is a big deal for So You’re EnGAYged because we will be conducting a reader survey. This survey begins next Monday and will take about 5-10 minutes to complete. Now only will this survey help us better serve our readership, be a huge comprehensive study of what LGBT couples are doing for their wedding, it also helps us understand and promote the diversity in the LGBT community.

Did I mention there will be major prizes? We will be giving our amazon gift certificates- you could even win $50 for 5 minutes of your time and helping to understand our community.

So be on the watch!

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Real Gay Wedding at Mile High Station Denver, Colorado: Karen and Jacynda

Posted on April 28th, 2010 by So You're EnGAYged. 6 Comments

So You're EnGAYged

Karen and Jacynda got married at the Mile High Station in Denver Colorado which I now want to go to because the venue is so breathtaking! It’s big enough to have a giant hora dance and get killer shots of it.

Our day began as we arrived at Mile High Station in Denver, CO to greet our immediate family and wedding party. We got ready in separate spaces. We then shared a private moment when we saw each other for the first time in our dresses. After that, we again joined our immediate family and wedding party for pictures. While we waited in the mezzanine level above, our attendants and the children in our wedding party walked down the aisle. We each had two attendants stand up for us and we also had two flower girls and a ring bearer. After our attendants were in place, we walked down staircases on opposite sides of the room to meet our parents at the bottom. We walked together with both of our parents up the two aisles in the midst of our guests. Our officiant called everyone together and walked us through the various parts of our ceremony including a knot tying ceremony, vows, and ring exchange. At the conclusion of the ceremony, we exited to take photos together. Our guests went directly to the mezzanine area for cocktail hour.

When our photos were finished, we went back to the mezzanine area. Our guests had already been escorted back to the main level and seated for dinner. We made our entrance to the reception down one of the staircases. We immediately danced the Horah. After this it was on to speeches and dinner. The cake was cut and we danced the rest of the night away!

During our ceremony we added several elements to make it ours. First, we walked down the aisles at the same time and met in the middle in front of our guests. This was meant show everyone that we were coming from our own spaces to meet in a common place to move forward together. We also wrote our own vows. We performed a knot tying ceremony to express our joining together in a very tangible way. Our ceremony held the theme of coming together as one.

We have different moments that stand out for the same reasons. I recall us kissing and turning to all of our loved ones at the end of the ceremony while “Here Comes the Sun” began to play. Jacynda remembers coming down the stairs into our reception full of our most important people as “Let My Love Open the Door” filled the room. Having the people we love with us and music that was meaningful to us both made up our favorite moments.

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