DIYing Cake Toppers

When my brother and his husband were married a couple of years ago, both were oblivious to the concept of wedding cake toppers. With a week until the reception and no time to order custom made, I decided I would make their set. I'm crafty, but not a professional. Having never made cake toppers, I went to the dollar store and bought objects in the shapes that I thought I might need. My brother loves fish and caring for his aquarium, so I decided simple goldfish were the way to go.

They turned out better than I could have imagined! The top hats are foam hair curlers, the bodies are decorative artificial lemons, the stands are pencils. It was a perfect topper for their cheesecake tower and basically one of my proudest moments! Now that one of my best friends is getting married, I hoped to recreate the magic but with cats. However, it turns out cats are much more difficult than minimalist goldfish!

Where things got more tricky were the faces. Unlike the goldfish, faceless cats didn't look right to me. The goal was to have the groom be a black cat, and the bride a white cat. The groom's face evolved rather quickly into looking like my own cat (which worked because the groom loves Kitty Posner!). Painting the bride, though, revealed some design flaws. The white paint accentuated every grove in the artificial limes used for the body and the Styrofoam ball head. Switching to grey paint helped.

Though they didn't turn out exactly as I had pictured them, they are awfully cute! Once I realized that they were more likely to be shower decor than on the actual wedding cake, I was able to have a bit more fun. The bride is a big fan of Lil Bub, so I added a Lil Bub tongue to make the kitty bride more personal. My favorite part of the process? Adding the necklace and sewing the tiny veil. Kitty bride needed to be "jacked up!" To tie the whole thing together, I displayed them in a flower pot as the bridal shower had a garden theme. So cute! Now, to start my dollar store crafted pet statuette business!

Friday Favorites: Courthouse Weddings

For many couples, a courthouse wedding is the perfect way to get hitched. For some it's a money saver or simply more practical. Some can't wait to be married, some are about to be deployed in the military, and others just don't see the point in a lavish occasion. For others, it might be the only option. For lesbian and gay folks in Michigan, for example, there was only a 4-hour period the day after the marriage ban was overturned during which couples could legally marry, before Gov. Snyder appealed.  While I could go on and on here about how awful and unfair Michigan's government is being right now, I will spare you and keep this a fun Friday. Here are some of my favorite courthouse weddings from around the web.

You need to check out the source for this one. Looking at this couple's entire wedding got me all teary. So happy and beautiful, these two really set the bar high for eloping!
[SOURCE: Munaluchi Bridal]

[SOURCE: Christy Cassano-Meyer]

[SOURCE: Aphrodite's Wedding Blog]

[SOURCE: Huffington Post]

[SOURCE: 100 Layered Cake]

[SOURCE: Kate Murphy Photography]

Bridesmaids by LC

Is there anything Lauren Conrad can't do? She's classy, creative, and so cute! I'm convinced she's my generation's Martha Stewart. She may have charmed her way into our homes and hearts by starring on MTV reality shows, but LC is here to stay! 

Now that she's engaged, she, along fellow engaged Paper Crown co-founder Maure McManus, are trying their hands in bridesmaid dress design. And they are nailing it! The new collection, which can be found HERE, is romantic, simple, and soft. A couple are almost unusually minimalist, while others feature lace and ruffles. The only downside is that they are a bit on the pricey side for bridesmaids, costing $220-$325. But hey, if it's in the budget, these dresses deserve a double take!

My favorites:

Alex

Lauren

WOAH! 

Maura

Jeannie

THEY'RE SOOO PRETTY.

 Dress Photos: Paper Crown

Friday Favorites: Save the Date!

Happy Friday! This week we're looking at save the dates. Formal, cute, funny, sparkly, or otherwise representative of the soon-to-be newlyweds, these little cards serve as the first impression for upcoming nuptials. So, of course, they should be fabulous! [Sources are hyperlink-ed]

[SOURCE - normadorothy]

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[SOURCE - The House that Lars Built]

[SOURCE- hellolovepress]

[SOURCE - digibuddhaPaperie]

[SOURCE - TheRocheShop]

[SOURCE - DAYDREAMPRINTS]

Pixie Brides: Accessorizing Short Hair

When I cut my hair short for the first time, my best friend's main concern was, "What if you get engaged!?" At the time, I thought, "I'd have to grow my hair back out," but returning from the salon today, happy with my shortest crop yet, has me thinking "Why would I need long hair?" Though I'm not planning a wedding just yet, I've been having fun perusing bridal accessories for shorter hair with my new epiphany!

While a bride with a short style could still wear a long veil, securing it in 2 (or less) inches of hair may get tricky. Short hair under a long veil can also create a vintage look, which may or may not be what a bride is going for. And so the question is... what's a short-haired girl to do?!

Rock a Short Veil - A shorter veil means less weight, and a smaller chance that it will get tugged when hugging a billion people, thus making it easier to be and stay secured in a shorter 'do. A veil that comes closer to your hair length could also create a more streamlined, cohesive look.

1. Etsy: Bouquet By Rosa Loren
2. Etsy: Bella Bridal Veils
3. Sara Gabriel - Drew Veil

Top it off with a Glamorous Headband - The options are endless here - floral, bling, bows, you name it! Again, securing a headband is much easier than clips or barrettes. And you can keep the styling to a minimum. Pop a headband on a sleek bob or pixie, and you're done!

4. The Knot Blog
5. Dolly Couture
6. Wowhairstyle.com

Get Cagey - Another popular and vintage-inspired option is the birdcage. Simple and sweet and surprisingly versatile! While the fishnet style has more of a retro feel, a birdcage made of a closer-knit material can complement a formal dress and fit beautifully into an elegant celebration.

7. Ross Oscar Knight
8. Prettydesigns.com
9. Wedding Channel
10. French Wedding Style

If the bride is committed to making a long veil work, there are luckily a ton of beautiful options out there. A headband with veil attached at the bottom is a great way to work a long veil more easily!

StyleCaster

Friday Favorites: Naked Cakes

Another Friday came quickly! Today's focus is on naked cakes. As delicious as frosting is, something about these cakes is so appetizing. And they look beautiful all dressed up in flowers and fruit! Enjoy!

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