Till Magazine by Emily Mullett

HOMEGROWN FLAVOR

Love is Sweet

FLOURISH

Floral Accessories for the DIY Bride

HITCHED

Outdoor Wedding Spaces

SHUTTER BLISS

Finding the Perfect Photographer

TILL DEATH DO US PART

A Perfectly DIY Wedding

cultivating your life Special Wedding Edition

cultivating your life

table of in every issue

14 Spaces Hitched: Outdoor Wedding Spaces

18 Decor DIY Decor

22 Found Forget-Me-Not Wedding Finds

24 Food Homegrown Flavor

special features:

34 Flourish: Floral Accessories for the DIY Bride 48 Paper Cuts: DIY Stationary 58 Till Death Do Us Part: Jon And Courtneyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Wedding Planner

68 Shutter Bliss: Wedding Photography

Hannah and Daniel Grover March 24, 2012

meet us ALICE LEWIS alice.l@till.com

EMILY MULLET emily.m@till.com

NOEL RIVARD noel.r@till.com

MALLORY WIEGERS mallory.w@till.com

The Art of Celebration www.canvasandcanopy.com

Keds for madewell.com MADEWELL.COM

M SUM

SOME THINGS ARE JUST NO BRAINERS, like knowing you can always find a lot of organic food at our stores. As the first nationally certified organic grocer in the US, we offer you the biggest and best choice we possibly can because it’s an important part of our commitment to you and the planet. Choosing organic supports farmers and producers who believe in good health, quality foods and earth-friendly sustainable agricultural practices. And that’s good for everyone, from the farm worker to the planet to your family—and future generations too.

201

spaces

hitched

he outdoor wedding is one of the most magical weddings of all—if you do it right. When you are scouting locations for an outdoor ceremony and wedding reception, keep some important factors in mind. You will need to select a spot that allows for a contingency plan. If it rains, what will you do? If you’re having a tent, you can rent one that has flaps so guests

outdoor spaces

won’t get wet. You can also plan to have a wooden dance floor (and not just grass) so that guests can still dance if the ground is wet.

Bigger weddings that are outdoors are going to require a staff to man them. Many places will offer a ceremony outdoors by a garden, terrace, or at-

If you are not using your own

tractive focal point. Then you can come inside for

backyard, you will want to con-

the actual reception. This works for a number of

sider what each site you visit has

reasons. You don’t have to worry as much about the weather since you can always move the cer-

to offer. Can you marry outside an

emony inside. If you’re already planning an indoor

inn or bed and breakfast and then

reception, you know they have the space. Also,

have the guests stay over? This works well with a small wedding. You could choose to rent a beach house and hold your ceremony on the shore and then have guests stay at the house with you

you don’t have to figure out how you’re going to serve dinner and drinks outdoors.

spaces

hitched

Don’t feel like you have to settle for barbecue just because you’re having an outdoor wedding. Some of the most upscale weddings have been designed outdoors. Just make

our favorite

sure you choose a locale that has access to bathrooms, indoor facilities if it rains, and provisions for other extreme weather like excessive heat or a freak hail storm.

1 Field:

Field weddings hold an endless ar-

ray of opportunities, especially with decorations. You can get creative with your set up of the ceremony: Try using hay bales with colorful blankets draped over them for seating, or place pews from a church in the field. You and your guests will enjoy the serene atmosphere of this natural space.

2 Garden: Gardens and conservatories serve as the perfect backdrop to your ceremony. Use the

1 2

natural beauty of the flowers and plants in your advantage. Experience the sights and fragrances

for your outdoor wedding

of a wide variety of flowers and plants, all in their natural settings.

3 Barn: There is something magical about lights

Lighting your site

Cozy it up

being strung up in a barn. This is a very rustic yet

To set the mood (and help guests see each

The more you bring into your space, the warmer

romantic place for your wedding, and also are a

other), add paper lanterns, pinspot lighting,

it will feel. Colored linens, miss-matched plates

great shelter in case it rains.

twinkling lights or stately chandeliers. Light up

and silverwear, vibrant up- lighting and quirky

surrounding walkways for easy access to the

knickknacks set a great vibe.

4 Orchard: Orchards

are

beautiful

places

alone, so you can’t go wrong with this location. Choose an orchard with a perfect backdrop for the ceremony.

bathrooms. Think luminaries and small up—

3 5

lights along the paths and Mason jars with tea

Restrooms

lights hanging from nearby tree branches.

If there aren’t any restrooms nearby (and even if there are a few), you should consider renting

Creating a relaxing space

them. These days, you can find luxury portable

Whether you’ve chosen a grand, grassy lawn or

restrooms with amenities like in—room music,

ral beauty and aroma of the water and sand make

a small backyard, pick an area and make it more

granite countertops and air conditioning or heat-

it the perfect backdrop. A shorter dress is great

inviting with lounge furniture and lots of pil-

ers depending on the season.

for the sand, and think about having your grooms-

lows. If you don’t have room to bring in couches

men in shorts, and casual dresses for bridesmaids.

and plush chairs, arrange your dining area with

Keep bugs at bay

smaller 4—person reception tables instead of

To control insects on your wedding day, think

larger 8— or 10—person tables to create a more

about having your site sprayed by an extermina-

intimate look and feel.

tor two days beforehand and placing citronella

5 Beach: Beach weddings are casual.

The natu-

candles throughout the space.

decor centerpiece

tips for creating centerpieces

1 2

If you use opaque vases or containers, then the stems won’t be visible, and your arranging doesn’t have to be as precise. Another option is to wrap a bouquet of a single type of flower, such as a calla lily, in florist’s tape and then ribbon and then prop it up in a slender clear glass vase filled with a couple inches of water, so the flowers jut out at an angle. (Make sure the ribbon wrap doesn’t get wet.) You could even put several bouquets of different types of flowers at different heights in a

3 4 5

low glass vase, anchoring them with glass marbles or river rocks. Avoid placing fragrant flowers near food. If the arrangement will go on a table where people are seated, remember to keep it either very low or so high that it’s above the sight line. Anything at eye level will more than likely hinder conversation. You can line clear glass containers with big, shiny leaves for a sleek look that also conceals stems.

To make centerpieces more unique and

secondhand

specific to the bride, collected vintage tin cans and containers can be filled with varying flowers for an eclectic feel. Additional object could be incorporated as well such as old books, trinkets, figurines or candles Each table will be slightly different and unique for the guests. This will allow personal tastes to reveal to guests as well as display flowers in a engaging way.

hen it comes time

biscuit, or coffee tins (lined with plastic bags

to create center-

to prevent leakage). Anything that can hold

pieces and other

water can serve as a container; don’t be shy

arrangements for

about pilfering from friends and relatives,

dinner tables, cocktail tables, the cake table,

especially if someone you know is a collec-

glass jars or vases

and so on, there are a million intriguing op-

tor. Again, either go full-on matching or very

are inexpensive

tions. Consider placing small potted plants

eclectic, featuring either one striking bloom

and easy to find

on cake stands, using pitchers or antique

or masses and masses of the same flower

at specialty-food

patent medicine bottles in lieu of vases, or

grouped together.

stores, tag sales,

arranging flowers in a conglomeration of tea,

New or vintage, tin containers and

thrift stores, and online auctions.

PAGE PAGE

found things we love

wedding

1 Our favorite things

It is the special touches that make a wedding stand out. Make your wedding unforgetable with these items that are

perfect for your dream garden wedding.

Chalkboard paint is a must for any garden wedding. It adds a handmade element and is so handy for labeling food, seating, and signage.

chalkboard paint, hobbylobby.com, $3.49

With a little twine and gift tags you can make these simple napkin holders. Use rubber stamps to turn them into place cards also!

Paper lanterns can add a romantic glow to your outdoor wedding space. Use colorful ones like this picture for a fun and festive look.

paper lanterns, peir1.com, $12

Find different antique pitchers at a thrift store to use as vintage inspired centerpieces.

water pitchers, thrift store, $10

twine, walmart.com, $9

Mason jars can be used to add a rustic touch to your wedding. This couple used them as glasses and personalized them with handmade tags.

mason jars, kmart.com, $10.34

Embroidery hoops make the perfect garden accesory! Here they are used to make decorative signs hanging from a tree branch.

embroidery hoops, amazon.com, $7

3 6

Collect various beer bottles for these DIY vases. Be sure to pick out bottles with cordinating labels and green or brown glass.

beer bottles, your local liquor store, $12

food homegrown flavor

If you love desserts, why stop there? Indulge your fantasies and have a dessert buffet. Here, treats are playfully displayed on stands and sticks and in cups and bags, as they would be at an old-time carnival. Familiar favorites, such as toffee apples, snow cones, and caramel corn, make an appearance.

love is

Traditional wedding cakes are out and the fruit cakes are in.

2 1 ice cream cakes Frosty sorbets are served in lemon peels for a light and refreshing accompaniment to the wedding cake. Cut lemons in half and scoop out the flesh. Pack the peels with your favorite sorbet and freeze until set, about one hour. Slice into wedges just before serving. As a prelude to the wedding cake,

homemade popcorn cake

give each guest a miniature version molded from sorbet, a palate cleanser.

Here’s the step-by-step for the popcorn cake, dreamed up by Cortnie from Canvas

2 by the slice

& Canopy:

The mocha cake (top left) is flavored with three buttercreams—vanilla, and light and dark cof-

1 large popcorn

Ribbon

Popcorn

Scissors

Fabric

Glue gun

fee—between tiers of dense devil’s food cake. On the bottom layer: a bittersweet-chocolate ganache. White-chocolate pistachio cake (top right) is made with airy layers of pistachio sponge cake nestled in

— Cut off the top quarter of each bucket and discard that trimmed off bit. — Use hot glue and a glue gun to attach the fabric to each bucket.

wedding cake is a focal point on your special day. It is hard to define what exactly constitutes a modern wedding cake—although most people agree that if you opt for a white tiered cake then you have gone the traditional route. Modern cakes are infused with fun and whimsy. They reflect the personalities and tastes of the couple instead of being just a sweet and pretty looking dessert. They are works of art that a cake designer has labored over. The modern wedding cake is a magnificent marriage of creativity, taste explosions and unparalleled beauty.

— Once the glue has cooled, wrap a ribbon around the middle of each container and secure it with adhesive. — Make your popcorn and fill the large bucket.

cloudlike white-chocolate mousse layered with pistachio cream, served with a scoop of pistachio gelato. The blackberry buttermilk cake (bottom) is four layers of fruit-studded buttermilk cake and blackberry buttercream are encased in fondant, a decorative sugar paste that helps keep the interior moist.

Place the smaller container on top of it and fill it

3 personal souff le

with popcorn as well.

A slice of wedding cake concludes your special day

— Place your “cake” on a cake stand and enjoy!

on a deliciously festive note. But if you love desserts, why stop there? Indulge your fantasies and have a dessert buffet. Here, treats are playfully displayed on stands and sticks and in cups and bags, as they would be at an old-time carnival. Familiar favorites, such as toffee apples, snow cones, and caramel corn, make an appearance.

Feel free to contact us if you need some advice on what to grow, or for any questions or concerns.

anniesheirloomseeds.com

food homegrown flavor

barbecue A popular option for on-site catering is barbecue. Plymouth-based T-Bones Roadhouse has won numerous awards and been named a “hidden jewel” by the Phantom Gourmet. Menu choices range from $9.95-$19.95 per person and include sides like pecan rice pilaf and corn succotash in addition to the range of barbecued meats. Dedham-based Tex’s BBQ Express has packages ranging from $11-$29 per person. Pawtucket-based B&M Catering takes alternative catering to a whole new level, offering on-site Carolina-style whole pig roasts, Hawaiian-style whole pig roasts, and an “islander” style menu with items like Jamaican jerk pork and grilled mahi mahi in addition to traditional barbecue.

clambakes B&M Catering also offers another huge trend native to the area: Cape Cod-style clambakes. While B&M’s business is to ship the finished clambake to the venue, companies like Clambakes Etc. bring the whole clambake process to your door. Based in Osterville, the company can come to the reception venue and either dig a pit to cook the clambake, or make it pot-style. Lobster, New England clam chowder and Cape Cod steamers are just a few of the menu items that make this clambake a truly local affair.

sustainable food For those couples who wish to shed light on the sustainable and local food movement, the Webber Restaurant Group offers “farm-tofork” catering options. The company uses as many local farms and sources as possible for their seven restaurants/catering services, but couples have the additional option of getting married at the picturesque verdant hills of the company’s main farm in Groton, Gibbet Hill. The Webber Group also offers the Fruitlands Museum in the town of Harvard as a wedding venue. Like Gibbet Hill, the Fruitlands Museum offers stunning views of orchards and forests, and overlooks the Nashoba Valley.

Cooking with organic ingredients doesn’t require any special equipment or even any unusual cooking techniques. In fact, you’ll

“The food already is brimming with flavor. All you have to do is use the food in a way that accentuates its natural goodness,”

find that with organic ingredients, you need to do less to bring out

—Steve Demos

While choosing a caterer can seem

caterer can seem like a daunting task,

like a daunting task, the opportunity

the opportunity for couples to make

for couples to make their menu as

their menu as unique as they are is

unique as they are is well worth the

well worth the effort. With the abun-

effort. With the abundant choices of

dant choices of fresh, local food and

fresh, local food and scenic venues

scenic venues in the area, your wed-

in the area, your wedding can be a

ding can be a day cherished as much

day cherished as much for its menu

for its menu as for its memories.

as for its memories. While choosing a

the foods’ character.

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Floral tips for the DIY bride

feature

FLOWERS

of flowers

likely learn the names of blooms you’ve admired for

hand the day-before and day-of work over to

years, and you’ll become familiar with types you’ve

g rin S Li Ra wee lacs An nun t Pe em cu as on lus es

sp early late

Tulips Hyacinth Daffodil

early

the planning and purchasing yourself and

your bookstore looking through flower books. You’ll

someone in your network, or perhaps do all

fa l

you. Also, spend some time in the craft section of

te r

questions and making notes about what appeals to

all on your own, why not delegate them to

gardens, flower stores, and farmers’ market, asking

Probably around 60-70% of the flowers out there are available year-round (though more expensive at some times than others), but there are a few types that captures the essence of a particular season. Here are some that are great for weddings:

Bittersweet

Instead of trying to do them

flowers, spend as much time as possible at botanical

m m H er yd ra F Q ue Lis ree nge en ian sia a A th St nne us oc ’s k La ce

Ch Z Dah ry inn lia s a nt eas s he m um s

may be treacherous territory for

While you’re dreaming up options for your wedding

Am Ile P Nar aryl x b oin cis lis e s su Gr rry ettia s ee bra s n er nch y es

fully, for maximum freshness—they

However, expect the best quality and lowest prices to be for seasonal wedding flowers that are in their normal flowering season.

Peony

early

are so delicate and time-sensitive—they need to be handled care-

flowers have a longer or even yearround season these days. This is due to imports from warmer climates, and commercial growers cultivating the flowers under glass, out of season. Commercial growing techniques now mean that flowers are available out of season.

Sunflower

nance type, full-on DIY flowers are doable. But because flowers

The good news is that many

late

f flower arranging is your specialty, or you’re a fairly low-mainte-

most brides.

early

late

may your love

only heard about. For a good basic visual primer

a talented friend? Then, on your wedding day,

on flower varieties, visit the flower library at www.

you can say “For me? You shouldn’t have!”

aboutflowers.com. Floral design is deceptively tricky. Anyone who’s tried to arrange a boquet of grocerystore flowers in a vase knows that you need to have a knack for it.

feature

FLOWERS

There are an endless array of possibilities when it comes to your bouquet and boutonniere. Check out the inspiration page for ideas on color palettes and flower choices.

your flowers You have several options: growing your own, buying from a wholesale flower market, purchasing online, or buying from a local grower (the best, most environmentally friendly option). You can easily combine flowers from a variety of sources. When buying from a vendor, you’ll want to find someone who will sell you at as close to a wholesale price as possible without re-

If you live in a big city, your flower market or flower district will likely

unrealistic

be quite easy to find—you may even already know where it is. If you

minimum order quantity.

are not sure where to find a flower market or wholesaler near you,

Farmer’s markets are the

visit the Wholesale Florist and Florist Supplier Association (www.

quiring

best places to scout for local growers.

Approach

wffsa.org) has a “find a wholesaler” link that allows you to search

them and ask where their

by state. Or you can ask local florists where they find their flowers.

farm is located and if they

Typically, these markets open to the public after retailers have fin-

would consider providing

ished their buying, usually in the early morning hours.

flowers for your wedding.

Plan a visit well ahead of the wedding, six to nine months in advance. Don’t be deterred by a “wholesale only” plaque in windows. Just go inside, and inquire whether they’d sell to someone planning to do her own wedding flowers. If they say yes, ask whether they’d do a special order. Then keep shopping. Compare prices at several vendors to determine a reasonable range. Not which vendors seem to stock which types of flowers and plants, and take down contact information for any you really like. If you’re lucky, you’ll find someone who’s willing to help you out for the right price.

feature

FLOWERS

Styles of bouquets

Pomander

Arm

Cascade

Traditional

Blooms cover a 3D ballshaped creation carried by a loop of ribbon.

Flowers are tied together and held in the crook of the arm like a baby.

Flowers fall forward in a waterfall effect.

This is a bouquet that looks like it was plucked from a vase.

LET’S TALK NUMBERS: Flowers are counted by the stem, so you pay

ter of taste, and grip—you’ll want to figure

for the number of stems in your hand, not

out how man stems you can comfortably fit

the number of blooms. As a general rule,

in your hand.

you’ll want eighteen to twenty-four stems

For boutonnieres and corsages, however,

per table arrangement bridesmaid’s bouquet

you do count the blooms: each boutonniere

(unless it’s something giant like a sunflow-

is one to three blooms; corsages are three to

er, in which case three to five is probably

five; and you’ll need one bunch of greens per

enough); ten to twelve stems for a small bou-

three or four arrangements.

BUY THE BEST

HYDRATING YOUR BLOOMS

Buy the freshest, highest quality flowers available.

Hydrate blooms immediately upon arriving

Choose buds that are somewhere between tightly

home. Use a sharp knife to trim off the bot-

closed and fully open, depending on how soon

tom of each stem, on the diagonal (to expose

you want to use them. In a pinch, you can get cut

maximum surface area), and plunge them into

flowers to open faster in warm water or warm air,

cold water. Using a knife ensures a clean cut

but never place them in direct sunlight.

and minimum damage to the stem.

3 NUMBERING

Select all the stems you want to use for an ar-

Don’t forget the greenery—sometimes the

rangement before you begin, and lay them out on

most striking elements of a floral arrangement

your work surface or put them in a bucket. Use

aren’t flowers at all. You may have interesting

off numbers of each flowers—three, five, or seven,

choices in your own yard or in a nearby park.

GREENERY

depending on how big the final arrangement will be—in a mixed bouquet.

quet for a mother of the bride or groom or a flower girl; and twenty stems for a robust bride’s bouquet. The exact number is a mat-

UNCONVENTIONAL BRIDE This beautiful bride rocked an orange dress on her special day. Branch out from the standard protocol and make it the kind of day that you could imagine as being as fun and meaningful as possible for you.

feature

FLOWERS

your Use this helpful page for inspiration for your flowers and accessories, plus find the meaning behind certain colors.

blue: The pale blue hues of a hydrangea or the purple: With its origins tied to royalty and cerdeep blues of an iris can calm worries and preoc-

emony, purple flowers represent dignity, pride

cupation representing peace, openness, and se-

and success. Whether grouped alone in a bold

renity, fresh floral arrangements filled with blue

range of rich hues or mixed in with other colors

flowers offers an antidote to anxiousness.

to provide depth and contrast, an arrangement filled with purple blooms represents accomplish-

pink:

Think pink and you think of grace, gen-

ment and admiration.

tility, and happiness. Regardless of the shape of the flower – from the tight, small buds of a pink

white: Often associated with innocence, humil-

garden rose to the delicate, open petals of a

ity, and reverence, white flowers evoke simple

pink caellia in full bloom – pink blossoms convey

beauty. Whether they take their shape as the

youth, innocence, and joy.

luxurious, silk petals of fragrant gardenias, the small, white bells of a lily of the valley, or the

orange: There’s nothing bashful about the color orange–its message is clear and blatantly proud. Symbolizing energy, enthusiasm, and warmth, an

quiet drama of a dozen white roses, fresh floral arrangement dominated by white blossoms conveys modesty and elegance.

arrangement of blooms in this vibrant color conveys confidence, satisfaction and a passion for

yellow: There’s a good reason why it can feel all

life.

but impossible to refrain from smiling when you spot a bouquet of bright daffodils or a pot filled

red: There’s an indisputable energy to the color red – an energy that has the power to transform an otherwise unassuming flower into the essence of desire, strength, and passionate love. With beauty, courage and heat as its symbolism, it’s

with sun-drenched chrysanthemums–the color yellow evokes feelings of joy and lightheartedness. Also a symbol of friendship, a bouquet bursting with yellow blooms sends a message of new beginnings and happiness.

no surprise that a bouquet filled with rich, red blooms knows no restraint.

FLOWERS

• Flowers and greenery

for your

• Florist’s knife

accessories

feature

• 26-gauge floral wire • Green stem-wrap tape • Clippers • Pencil • Ribbon or fabric • Corsage pin

hairpieces + boutonniere

1. Cut flower stems to 3 inches long, on the diagonal, using the florist’s knife.

A boutonniere is a very easy thing to make, and a

2. Take a lenth of floral wire and gently pierce the green

corsage and hair piece is effectively three boutonnieres

base of the flower, and then push it all the way through.

lashed together. If you need to make a lot of them,

(Make sure you push through the meaty part, but make it

however, this work can get fiddly and tedious, so enlist

closer to the stem than to the flower.

help. Also, consider making a small bouquet for moms and grandmas instead of the usual corsage.

Store

3. Bend the wire into a hairpin shape.

corsages, boutonnieres and hairpieces in plastic in the

4. Wrap the stem and wire in stem-wrap tape from top to

refridgerator, away from anything too cold — you don’t

bottom in a spiral.

want to freeze them. You can make them the evening before the wedding but no earlier than that.

5. Cut the “stem,” including toe wire, which may exten below the stem itself), to the desired length using clippers. 6. You can cover the stem with ribbon, if you like, or finish with a bow, but it’s probably best to keep the stem small and unobtrusive. 7. Pin on a lapel using the corsage pin.

PAGE

Christine and Ian’s invitations: designed and fabricated by the couple

major

theme

for

our

wedding surfaced early on: the drive to do as much as we can ourselves, or with the help of our friends and families. We’ve both found that the sometimes arduous work involved with creating something yourself is vastly out-weighed by the pleasure of looking upon something you created yourself. And in our opinion, it is also the only real way to let your personalities show through the work. We knew we could design our wedding invitations and hand them off to one of the many local letterpress printing shops and end up with something beautiful. However, this didn’t feel right to us. Beyond just designing them ourselves, we wanted to fabricate them ourselves as well. Not only did we think the process would be fun, but it also made the most sense for something as important as our wedding invitations.

feature

INVITATIONS

materials:

Another reason is the application of embracing constraints. By choosing to make the invitations ourselves, we limited our options drastically, making decisions much easier to make along the way. Modern print methods, and to a lesser extent letterpress, make almost anything possible. This can be a daunting realization when staring at a blank aking, but conversely opened us up to a new level of customization and rarely seen effects that traditional methods wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t allow. Luckily for us, there is a friendly neighborhood TechShop around the corner from our house. Just a two-minute walk down the street was a warehouse with custom-fabrication machinery for us to use.

main invitation card Ian designed the main invitation card beautifully and spent hours and hours at TechShop on the laser cutter. It took twenty minutes for every four cards. The kraft backings were also laser cut. Using an Xacto knife, the trees were punched out carefully and bent forward to create the 3D effect. The front cards were then sewn to the kraft backings with a sewing machine.

feature

INVITATIONS

The front and back covers of the Field Guide were laser cut. Sketches of local wildlife were drawn, scanned and printed onto legal paper. They were then glued onto the front and back covers with the adhesive dots.

invitations

materials: rsvp & map The RSVP cards were printed on our inkjet

» 80# Kraft Cardstock » Laser Cutter » White 8.5”x14” Legal Paper » Printer » Letraset Letratac Adhesive Dot

printer and individual names were stamped with red ink.

materials:

Wedding invitations are a perfect place to DIY. You can save a ton of money, create something entirely personal and unique, and go easy on the envi-

» 80# Kraft Cardstock

ronment at the same time, if you use recycled or wood-free paper and/or

» Printer

materials you already have on hand. Just keep in mind that what may look

» Stamps

stunning (and seem doable) when you’re working up a prototype could be difficult to re-create in large quantities, or could start to look sloppy when fatigue and boredom set in after a few hours of repetitive assembly.

feature

INVITATIONS

mailing tips

stamps: You can easily order personalized photo stamps online at www.stamps.com. though, sadly, you'll pay extra. But the post office always has at least two wedding~y stamp designs to choose from, along with plenty of nonwedding designs that might complement the personality of your event. (Go to www.usps.com to browse.)

envelopes: Some websites sell custom invitation and envelope patterns and dies, If you really. really want to DIY but most stationery shops have precut papers and envelopes in every shape and size. If you’re purchasing envelopes rather than making your own, make sure everything fits smoothly inside,

tracking: Put a return address on the main envelope. In case of mailing error. Be prepared for forgetful guests who might send back response cards without their names on them (it happens!) by assigning each guest a number and writing that number on the back of their response card with a pencil and a light hand. (This is easiest to do if you’re keeping your guest list In a spreadsheet.) No one will notice the numbers, and you’ll save yourself the trouble of tracking down the identity of any mysterious guests.

final touches The wood buttons were cut using a band saw at TechShop. Each button was hand drilled and sanded. The text paper was cut into thirds and then each band was folded into thirds to wrap around the entire bundle. The removable glue was used to keep the wrap closed.

materials:

Each return envelope was stamped with the return address and the

Kraft Paper Band

C/I logo. The #10 envelopes were also individually stamped with a

» Text Paper in Paper Bag from Paper-Source » Removable glue

stamp kit. The main invitation card, RSVP and map, Field Guide and Return Envelope were put into a bundle and wrapped with the kraft

Return Envelope and #10 Envelope » 4 Bar Envelopes in Paper Bag from Paper Source

paper band. Red and white twine was wrapped around the entire fin-

» #10 String and Button Envelopes in Paper Bag from Paper Source

ished bundle and a wooden button, individually picked for each fam-

» Stamps

ily, was attached. It was then put into the #10 envelope and closed.

Total cost: less than $200.

PAGE

materials:

13 12

Death Do Us Part

A PERFECTLY DIY WEDDING Meet Jon and Courtney Roberts窶馬ewly weds currently living in

southern Cali-

fornia. This young couple fits our profile for the ideal DIY wedding with impecable taste for all things fresh. From proposal to honeymoon, Cournety and Jon maintained a keen sense of resourcefullness. All the while, Courtney kept a journal of her findings and is sharing it with you.

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WEDDING

“and away we went

May 02 2011 • Los Angeles “The Sunday.”

Apr 12 2011 • Los Angeles “In the Land of Sugar”

I’ve been thinking some random thoughts lately.

Because cake is one of my all-time favorite foods, I think a professional

One of those thoughts is how I should be blog-

cake-tester would be at the top of my list of dream jobs. This kinda came

ging more, but the following thoughts viscously

true last Friday :] Another to-do was marked off of the wedding checklist

squash my aspirations. In the past week, I have

at Sara J Bakery in West Hills. I have yelp.com to thank for pointing me in

closed a big chapter of my life : tennis. I played my

the direction of this gem of a bakery.

Fruit tart, Mango mousse, Fruit & Custard Florentine, Lemon Mousse, Tiramisu, Marquis,

last singles and doubles match this last Thursday, I knew it was going to be a great morning when I walked in and saw these…

Hazelnut Crunch Cake, Chocolate Mousse Trio,

It feels strange to be letting go

.a daily treat of mine when I was in Israel! Little did Jon and I know that

Flourless chocolate cake, Passion Fruit Mousse,

as told by

of that title (“college athlete”) and to no longer be

we had discovered an Israeli bakery in the heart of LA! Even though they

Creme Brulee tart, & Pyramid Chocolate Cake.

required to practice. From here on out, tennis is

aren’t kosher-approved (because they work on Saturdays), their bourekas

And there we stopped, because to keep going

1. Fruit tarts for life.

purely recreational…& that might be a good thing.

and challah bread are highly sought after. I loved meeting Sigar (the owner)

would have made things extremely complicated.

and her daughter who had just returned from her two-year service in the

This is my favorite kind of decision to make :]

army in Israel.

Come September, you will be tasting sugar at its

gave it my all one last time, & soaked up the time with my team.

Goodbye tennis, hello finals : they exist to remind me that I should be glad I’m graduating early. I’ve

best….several of the above desserts and also a

been pushing back those year-end projects the

big vanilla cake with vanilla creme stuffed with

last couple of weeks to spend my time….

the fresh fruits of the season. They call it their

2. Cholla and I. Holla! 3. Holy macaroons!

“fruitcake”, but for obvious reasons I refuse to give it such a name.

registering for the wedding…we might be 1/3

Sara J’s Pastries

done, maybe I’m excited to take my parents to Sara J’s this weekend, simply to remove the above image of

Established in 1996, Sara J. Pastries has been providing the hos-

“fruitcake” out of their mind. Sigar and I share a

pitality, gourmet restaurant and catering industries with fine

similar phobia :: fear of dry cake ! For this and

quality gourmet cakes and pastries for a decade. Specializing in

many other reasons, I am eagerly anticipating September 4! We will have only the best for our guests and loving family.

fine European and continental pastries, Sara J. Pastries emphasizes the use of only the freshest and finest ingredients to create the highest quality and state-of-the-art products.

3. 61

WEDDING

Jun 06 2011 • Kansas

Jan 25 2011 • Los Angeles

“The Outrage of the Day”

“On The Warpath”

as told by “We found some breathtaking views of California splendor.”

venue

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I NEED A VENUE // to channel my excitement

I find that trusting God becomes applicable in a

Outrageous food // I’ve been talking with some of you about this

frustration // that allows me to express myself //

new way once again. I think telling yourself to “re-

book, a read that I strongly recommend for those who have a curi-

for our wedding

lax” and be at peace is impossible without letting

ous palate. Food has been on my mind a lot lately as I’m consider-

the mess inside your head find a new home…&

ing different lifestyle choices & how to be prepared for marriage.

Oh California, your beauty and your wealth of re-

there is no better place to leave it then at the foot

After all, we do eat three times every single day, and yet how many

sources can be so enticing…& yet so elusive. Jon

of Christ’s cross. Pray for our sanity & persever-

people care to know what they are actually eating (food is a lot more

& I have been on the hunt, scouring the Internet

ance as we sniff out the most affordable venues

complicated these days). If nothing else, it has spurred me on to dream of

(blogs, photographer sites) for our dream location.

& keep reminding ourselves :: the reason for a

what impact I can have on the future of our food. Knowledge is so power-

After several weekends spent driving through

wedding is marriage. That…carries far greater re-

ful that it causes people to do one of two things : run or change. Mr. Pollan

parts of LA that remain an unknown to most peo-

sponsibility & more trials than a day-long event

states that many people today seem perfectly content eating at the end of

ple, we reached the point of despair. Too expen-

&&& should take considerably more preparation.

an industrial food chain, without a thought in the world. One of my favorite lines….”But in the end this is a book about the pleasures of eating, the kind

sive, no open dates, the wrong “feel”, overpriced catering (over $50 for a meal? $9 per person for a

All that said, we found some breathtaking views

dry bar?) It adds up.

of California splendor // hills, vineyards, lakes,

of pleasures that are only deepened by knowing.”

parks // from Malibu.

orcutt ranch

my wedding palette

The lush manicured gardens and towering oaks of

the Orcutt Ranch make this historical monument

a perfect setting for a garden wedding or special

event. The patio areas provide picturesque back-

drops and dappled shade for your reception or

party. A cozy guest house which has two separate

dressing rooms is also available to the bridal party

before the ceremony.

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WEDDING

Take a 3-hour cooking class with your fiance. I highly recommend the

Jun 06 2011 • Kansas

sushi course if you bring

“The Outrage of the Day”

your man…he enjoyed Outrageous food // I’ve been talking with some of you about this book, a read that I

the fruit of his labor with

strongly recommend for those who have a curious palate. Food has been on my mind a lot

5 rolls that day and left-

lately as I’m considering different lifestyle choices & how to be prepared for marriage. After

over for the work week.

all, we do eat three times every single day, and yet how many people care to know what they are actually eating (food is a lot more complicated these days). If nothing else, it has spurred me on to dream of what impact I can have on the future of our food. Knowledge is so powerful that it causes people to do one of two things : run or change. Mr. Pollan states that many people today seem perfectly content eating at the end of an industrial food chain, without a thought in the world. One of my favorite lines….”But in the end this is a book about the pleasures of eating, the kind of pleasures that are only deepened by knowing.”

Here’s a quick drive-by….

Don’t eat anything your great-grandmother

wouldn’t recognize as food.

2 So that’s us: processed corn, walking. 3

“These quotes are stuck in my head as I try to put my new knowledge into action.”

Were the walls of our meat industry to be-

come transparent, literally or even figuratively, we would not long continue to raise, kill, and eat animals the way we do.

While the surgeon general is raising alarms over the epidemic of obesity,

the president is signing farm bills designed to keep the river of cheap corn flowing, guaranteeing that the cheapest calories in the supermarket will continue to be the unhealthiest.

The sheer novelty and glamor of the Western

diet, with its seventeen thousand new food products every year and the marketing power – thirtytwo billion dollars a year – used to sell us those products, has overwhelmed the force of tradition and left us where we now find ourselves: relying on science and journalism and government and marketing to help us decide what to eat.

PAGE

September 4, 2011 Despite all of my attempts to slow down time, the day flew by & left me with a bouquet of snapshot memories. I guess all the best days do. These shots were handpicked from 700+ in an effort to share this most special day with you.

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PHOTOGRAPHY

finding the right Great wedding photography doesn’t just capture the essence of the day. It also captures the essence of your relationship, your feelings for one another, and your affection for your guests (and vice versa). It’s impossible to take your own photos, of course — you’ll be in front of the lens, not behind it — but you can DIY by choosing a photographer who shares your vision, using all the amateur resources in your stable,

raditionally, wedding photographers made portraits, friends and setting up ways for and family took care of the candids. That’s changing, as more and more brides and grooms want photojournalism-style

guests to capture their own images. The best way to get brilliant re-

shots, or images of their big day that lookmore like fashion or art sults is to work all the photography.

beyond

The great news is that, when you look

the

territory

wedding

you’ll find a world of options.

photographers,

If you have a family mem-

angles: recruit several helpers, and choose two or three of the various techniques described in

ber or close friend who’s a good photographer, then half your work is this article. done. If you aren’t so lucky, start looking for help in all the unusual places, colleges near you, or you can post a notice on a bulletin board on campus to see if that shakes out any candidates. Ditto for your local newspaper—call the photo desk and ask if anyone does weddings. You may find your man or woman on the first try.

hiring a friend or a relative Hiring a talented friend or family member may require a delicate touch. Choose your approach based on whether the person in question would be invited to the wedding even if you didn’t want his or her services. Photographing a wedding is hard work. And if this is someone you’d be inviting anyway, and you’re asking him to shoot your wedding, then he’ll be working hard instead of enjoying leisurely vodka tonics and canapés, and you shold acknowledge as much. Say something like, “We’d love for you to shoot our wedding, but only if it would add to

BLISS

your enjoyment of the event.”

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PHOTOGRAPHY

setting up a round robin If you can’t find—or don’t want—a single (professional or amateur) photographer to capture the wedding day from start to finish, or you just want more coverage, consider creating a friends-and-family photographer roster, with everyone taking a shift. Make sure you have a high-quality digital camera, along with a gigantic memory card (or two, or three) and a backup battery, available for their use. Make a list of the best photographers among your guests. Break the event up into shifts (ceremony, reception until dinner, dancing, and the like—whatever makes sense to your event) and assign two people—a photographer, and a buddy/assistant/drink fetcher—per shift. Make it the responsibility of each photographer to hand equipment off to the next, but make sure a reliable bridesmaid or groomsman knows the roster, just in case.

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PHOTOGRAPHY

Photographers should be notified if anything big (such as the cake cutting or bouquet toss) is scheduled to happen during their shift, so they don’t get distracted shooting the ring bearer stealing maraschinco cherries from the bar and miss it. (Another tip: Put anyone who likes to booze on an early shift.) Because it’s not a fulltime job, you shouldn’t have trouble getting people excited about volunteering. They’ll likely be flattered that you asked, and they will enjoy the excuse to be near the celebs of the day. Even if you don’t set

how to

up a roster, encourage your friends to bring cameras and snap away. You’ll be grateful for their shots—someone who knows you will know what to look for and may wind up capturing better moments than a stranger ever could.

For your wedding photos Your hair and makeup are flawless, but your

snapshots

nerves? A little frazzled with that camera lens in your face. Heed these tips to guarantee great shots -- of you, your groom, and your friends.

1 2

“PROM” PHOTOS AND MORE! Once you know you’ve got the basics covered, it’s

During formal pictures, “stand at a slight angle, not straight on. Take a deep breath, exhale, then tilt your chin down and look up.

time for some fun photo add-ons. Remember your

cause the beautiful people swarm by in an end-

prom photos? That fake arbor, those sparkly lights,

less stream while the shutters pop like firecrack-

maybe a slogan emblazoned on a banner behind

ers. Whatever you call it, a station set up with

you. No matter the setting, the result is the same:

a portrait background (yes, sort of like the photo

put up a backdrop, and people instinctively begin

studio at Sears) and a camera can capture some

to pose. In the world of red-carpet photography, this

priceless moments.

clasping both hands around it, clutch it loosely with one and let the other hang naturally by your side. It’ll look more relaxed.

People look slimmer when photographed from an elevated point, so ask your pro to hop up on a chair for some shots.

phenomenon is called a “step-and-repeat,” be-

Hold the bouquet with one hand, rather than

Be nervous -- it’s okay! Everyone’s a bit jittery on the big day. Rather than forcing a smile the whole time, let yourself be real.

Bring a friend, have her stand off camera to carry on a conversation -- bonus if she’s the funniest bridesmaid.

2 1

4 3

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PHOTOGRAPHY

ALMOST ANYTHING CAN SERVE AS A BACKGROUND

You can either assign a guest to man the camera, or set it up as a self-service station—you may get funnier shots that way. As an alternative, you can even rent a real photo booth from a party supply company. It could set you back around $1,000, but it would

Here are some ideas:

make for great, easy favors for your guests. Assign someone to

Scout around for a visually appealing surface

keep one eye on the photo station to make sure everything is go-

somewhere in or around your reception space, such as a brick wall, cool wallpaper, heavy curtains, or a garden wall covered in ivy. A red carpet step-and-repeat background usually has a sponsor logo on it, so why not take the same approach and put in a plug for your wedding? Locate some clean, blank wall space and stick up custom vinyl lettering with your names and the date, or use stencils to decorate a bed-

You can either assign a guest to man the camera, or set it up

later, either attached to an e-mail or in the form of a printed

as a self-service station—you may get funnier shots that way.

photo card ordered from an online photo service. Assign some-

As an alternative, you can even rent a real photo booth from a

one to keep one eye on the photo station to make sure every-

party supply company. It could set you back around $1,000,

thing is going well. Put a digital camera on a tripod and attach

but it would make for great, easy favors for your guests. Assign

a bulb, or print up step-by-step instructions on how to use

sign company to print inexpensive banners of

someone to keep one eye on the photo station to make sure

the camera’s self-timer. You can send the shots to people later,

the kind that you really might have had behind

everything is going well. Put a digital camera on a tripod and

either attached to an e-mail or in the form of a printed photo

attach a bulb, or print up step-by-step instructions on how to

card ordered from an online photo service.

sheet or drop cloth with letters and/or designs. Ask your photographer if he or she has access to a muslin backdrop, or rent one from a photography supply store. For a kitschier approach, you might hire a local

you at prom.

use the camera’s self-timer. You can send the shots to people

“

”

Advice from real couples We got married in vegas, and, instead of having a traditional guest book, we had a life-size card board cutout of elvis. Instead of signing in, guests were asked to pose with elvis while my bridesmaids took pictures. Now we have all the photos of our guests hamming it up, which can be put into a nice photo album. I think it’s an idea that could work at other venues: if you were on the beach guests could pose next to a tiki torch or palm tree; at a new york wedding you could have a cheesy cutout of the brooklyn bridge or statue of liberty.

-LARA COREY, SAN FRANCISCO

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FUN AND UNIQUE

LITTLE GIFTS FOR EVERY OCCASION

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