1

HITCHEDOutdoor Wedding Spaces

FLOURISHFloral Accessories for the DIY Bride

HOMEGROWN FLAVORLove is Sweet

TILL DEATH DO US PARTA Perfectly DIY Wedding

SHUTTER BLISSFinding the Perfect Photographer

Special Wedding Edition

cultivating your life

cultivating your life

in every issue Spaces Hitched: Outdoor Wedding Spaces

Decor DIY Decor

Found Forget-Me-Not Wedding Finds

Food Homegrown Flavor

14

34

18

48

22

58

24

68

table of

Flourish: Floral Accessories for the DIY Bride

Paper Cuts: DIY Stationary

Till Death Do Us Part: Jon And Courtney’s Wedding Planner

Shutter Bliss: Wedding Photography

special features:

ALICE LEWIS alice.l@till.com

EMILY MULLETemily.m@till.com

NOEL RIVARDnoel.r@till.com

MALLORY WIEGERSmallory.w@till.com

meet us

Hannah and Daniel Grover

March 24, 2012

The Art of Celebration www.canvasandcanopy.com

The Art of Celebration www.canvasandcanopy.com

Keds for

MADEWELL.COM

SUMMER

2012SOME 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.

madewell.com

outdoor spaces

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

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.

If you are not using your own

backyard, you will want to con-

sider what each site you visit has

to offer. Can you marry outside an

inn or bed and breakfast and then

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

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-

tractive focal point. Then you can come inside for

the actual reception. This works for a number of

reasons. You don’t have to worry as much about

the weather since you can always move the cer-

emony inside. If you’re already planning an indoor

reception, you know they have the space. Also,

you don’t have to figure out how you’re going to

serve dinner and drinks outdoors.

17

our favorite

1 Field: Field weddings hold an endless ar-

ray of opportunities, especially with decorations.

You can get creative with your set up of the cer-

emony: 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 en-

joy the serene atmosphere of this natural space.

2 Garden: Gardens and conservatories serve as

the perfect backdrop to your ceremony. Use the

natural beauty of the flowers and plants in your

advantage. Experience the sights and fragrances

of a wide variety of flowers and plants, all in their

natural settings.

3 Barn: There is something magical about lights

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

romantic place for your wedding, and also are a

great shelter in case it rains.

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.

5 Beach: Beach weddings are casual. The natu-

ral beauty and aroma of the water and sand make

it the perfect backdrop. A shorter dress is great

for the sand, and think about having your grooms-

men in shorts, and casual dresses for bridesmaids.

1

2

34

5

spaces hitched

Lighting your siteTo set the mood (and help guests see each

other), add paper lanterns, pinspot lighting,

twinkling lights or stately chandeliers. Light up

surrounding walkways for easy access to the

bathrooms. Think luminaries and small up—

lights along the paths and Mason jars with tea

lights hanging from nearby tree branches.

Creating a relaxing spaceWhether you’ve chosen a grand, grassy lawn or

a small backyard, pick an area and make it more

inviting with lounge furniture and lots of pil-

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

and plush chairs, arrange your dining area with

smaller 4—person reception tables instead of

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

intimate look and feel.

Cozy it up The more you bring into your space, the warmer

it will feel. Colored linens, miss-matched plates

and silverwear, vibrant up- lighting and quirky

knickknacks set a great vibe.

Restrooms If there aren’t any restrooms nearby (and even

if there are a few), you should consider renting

them. These days, you can find luxury portable

restrooms with amenities like in—room music,

granite countertops and air conditioning or heat-

ers depending on the season.

Keep bugs at bayTo control insects on your wedding day, think

about having your site sprayed by an extermina-

tor two days beforehand and placing citronella

candles throughout the space.

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

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.

for your outdoor wedding

19

decor centerpiece

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

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.

tips for creating centerpieces

hen it comes time

to create center-

pieces and other

arrangements for

dinner tables, cocktail tables, the cake table,

and so on, there are a million intriguing op-

tions. Consider placing small potted plants

on cake stands, using pitchers or antique

patent medicine bottles in lieu of vases, or

arranging flowers in a conglomeration of tea,

biscuit, or coffee tins (lined with plastic bags

to prevent leakage). Anything that can hold

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

about pilfering from friends and relatives,

especially if someone you know is a collec-

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

eclectic, featuring either one striking bloom

or masses and masses of the same flower

grouped together.

12

34

5

New or vintage,

tin containers and

glass jars or vases

are inexpensive

and easy to find

at specialty-food

stores, tag sales,

thrift stores, and

online auctions.

To make centerpieces more unique and

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.

secondhand

21

PAGEPAGE

23

wedding

2

3Find different antique pitchers at a thrift store to

use as vintage inspired centerpieces.

water pitchers, thrift store, $10

Embroidery hoops make the perfect garden ac-

cesory! Here they are used to make decorative

signs hanging from a tree branch.

embroidery hoops, amazon.com, $7

With a little twine and gift tags you can make

these simple napkin holders. Use rubber stamps

to turn them into place cards also!

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

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

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

Chalkboard paint is a must for any garden wed-

ding. It adds a handmade element and is so

handy for labeling food, seating, and signage.

chalkboard paint, hobbylobby.com, $3.49

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.

Our favorite things

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

found things we love

6

7

4

5

1

25

love is

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

wedding cake is a focal point on your special day. It is

hard to define what exactly constitutes a modern wed-

ding 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.

1 ice cream cakesFrosty 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,

give each guest a miniature version molded from

sorbet, a palate cleanser.

2 by the sliceThe mocha cake (top left) is flavored with three

buttercreams—vanilla, and light and dark cof-

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

cloudlike white-chocolate mousse layered with pis-

tachio cream, served with a scoop of pistachio gela-

to. The blackberry buttermilk cake (bottom) is four

layers of fruit-studded buttermilk cake and black-

berry buttercream are encased in fondant, a deco-

rative sugar paste that helps keep the interior moist.

3 personal souffA slice of wedding cake concludes your special day

on a deliciously festive note. But if you love des-

serts, 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. Fa-

miliar favorites, such as toffee apples, snow cones,

and caramel corn, make an appearance.

Here’s the step-by-step for the popcorn

cake, dreamed up by Cortnie from Canvas

& Canopy:

homemade popcorn cake

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 fa-

vorites, such as toffee apples, snow cones, and

caramel corn, make an appearance.

1

2

3

1 large popcorn

Popcorn

Fabric

Ribbon

Scissors

Glue gun

— 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.

— 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.

Place the smaller container on top of it and fill it

with popcorn as well.

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

le

food homegrown flavor

Feel free to contact us if you need some advice on what to grow, or

for any questions or concerns.

anniesheirloomseeds.com

29

Cooking with organic

ingredients doesn’t

require any special

equipment or even any

unusual cooking tech-

niques. In fact, you’ll

find that with organic

ingredients, you need

to do less to bring out

the foods’ character.

barbecueA 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.

food homegrown flavor

clambakesB&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 foodFor those couples who wish to shed light on the sustainable and lo-

cal food movement, the Webber Restaurant Group offers “farm-to-

fork” 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 pictur-

esque 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 Mu-

seum offers stunning views of orchards and forests, and overlooks the

Nashoba Valley.

While choosing a caterer can seem

like a daunting task, the opportunity

for couples to make their menu as

unique as they are is well worth the

effort. With the abundant choices of

fresh, local food and scenic venues

in the area, your wedding can be a

day cherished as much for its menu

as for its memories. While choosing a

caterer can seem like a daunting task,

the opportunity for couples to make

their menu as unique as they are is

well worth the effort. With the abun-

dant choices of fresh, local food and

scenic venues in the area, your wed-

ding can be a day cherished as much

for its menu as for its memories.

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

—Steve Demos

menu

NAME

ADDRESS

CITY/STATE/ZIP EMAIL

NAME

ADDRESS

CITY/STATE/ZIP EMAIL

PAYMENT ENCLOSED.

PLEASE EMAIL ME THE MONTHLY TILL NEWSLETTER—FILLED WITH LATEST NEWS, REVIEWS AND MORE—FREE!

BILL ME LATER

PAYMENT ENCLOSED.

PLEASE EMAIL ME THE MONTHLY TILL NEWSLETTER—FILLED WITH LATEST NEWS, REVIEWS AND MORE—FREE!

BILL ME LATER

PAYMENT ENCLOSED. BILL ME LATER

NAME

ADDRESS

CITY/STATE/ZIP EMAIL

NAME

ADDRESS

CITY/STATE/ZIP EMAIL

RECIPIENT

BILLING INFORMATION D O N’ T M I S S A N I S S U E. S U B S C R I B E TO DAY.

33

BUSINESS REPLY MAILFIRST-CLASS MAIL PERMIT NO. 360 LAWRENCE, KS

POSTAGE WILL BE PAID BY ADDRESSEE

PO BOX 7645LAWRENCE, KS 66044

NO POSTAGENECESSARY IF MAILED

IN THEUNITED STATES

BUSINESS REPLY MAILFIRST-CLASS MAIL PERMIT NO. 360 LAWRENCE, KS

POSTAGE WILL BE PAID BY ADDRESSEE

PO BOX 7645LAWRENCE, KS 66044

NO POSTAGENECESSARY IF MAILED

IN THEUNITED STATES

BUSINESS REPLY MAILFIRST-CLASS MAIL PERMIT NO. 360 LAWRENCE, KS

POSTAGE WILL BE PAID BY ADDRESSEE

PO BOX 7645LAWRENCE, KS 66044

NO POSTAGENECESSARY IF MAILED

IN THEUNITED STATES

WELCOME TO MONTANAUS. TRAVEL BUREAU

T H E R E ’ S N O T H I N G H E R ENothing but living color everywhere you least

expect it. An otherworldy landscape filled with

bears and wolves. Where abundant herds of elk

and bison follow the earth’s ancient rhythems.

With nothing on the fringe but charming towns

full of creature comforts. Nothing will take you

so far from home or you more comfortable in

ours. MONTANA. VISIT MT.COM

Floral tips for the DIY bride

37

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

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

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

fully, for maximum freshness—they

may be treacherous territory for

most brides. Instead of trying to do them

all on your own, why not delegate them to

someone in your network, or perhaps do all

the planning and purchasing yourself and

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

a talented friend? Then, on your wedding day,

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

feature FLOWERS

may your love

While you’re dreaming up options for your wedding

flowers, spend as much time as possible at botanical

gardens, flower stores, and farmers’ market, asking

questions and making notes about what appeals to

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

your bookstore looking through flower books. You’ll

likely learn the names of blooms you’ve admired for

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

only heard about. For a good basic visual primer

on flower varieties, visit the flower library at www.

aboutflowers.com. Floral design is deceptively tricky.

Anyone who’s tried to arrange a boquet of grocery-

store flowers in a vase knows that you need to have

a knack for it.

Peony

Sunflower

Bittersweet

Tul

ips

Hya

cint

hD

affo

dil

HydrangeaFreesia

Lisianthus

Queen Anne’s Lace

Stock

DahliasZinneas

Chrysanthemum

s

Amarylli

s

Narciss

us

Poinset

tias

Ilex b

erry

branch

es

Greener

y

Lilacs

Swee

t Pea

s

Ranuncu

lus

Anemon

es

sprin

g

summ

er

fall

win

ter

late early

late ea

rly

late early

late

e

arl

y

The good news is that many

flowers have a longer or even year-

round 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.

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

Probably around 60-70% of the flow-

ers 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:

of flowers

39

You have several options: growing your own, buying from a wholesale flower mar-

ket, purchasing online, or buying from a local grower (the best, most environmen-

tally 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-

quiring an unrealistic

minimum order quantity.

Farmer’s markets are the

best places to scout for

local growers. Approach

them and ask where their

farm is located and if they

would consider providing

flowers for your wedding.

your flowers

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

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

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

visit the Wholesale Florist and Florist Supplier Association (www.

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

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

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

ished their buying, usually in the early morning hours.

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 ven-

dors to determine a reasonable range. Not which vendors seem to

stock which types of flowers and plants, and take down contact in-

formation 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

There are an endless array of possi-

bilities when it comes to your bou-

quet and boutonniere. Check out the

inspiration page for ideas on color

palettes and flower choices.

41

LET’S TALK NUMBERS:

Pomander

Blooms cover a 3D ball-shaped creation carried by a loop of ribbon.

Arm

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

Cascade

Flowers fall forward in a waterfall effect.

Traditional

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

Flowers are counted by the stem, so you pay

for the number of stems in your hand, not

the number of blooms. As a general rule,

you’ll want eighteen to twenty-four stems

per table arrangement bridesmaid’s bouquet

(unless it’s something giant like a sunflow-

er, in which case three to five is probably

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

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-

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

out how man stems you can comfortably fit

in your hand.

For boutonnieres and corsages, however,

you do count the blooms: each boutonniere

is one to three blooms; corsages are three to

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

three or four arrangements.

Styles of bouquets

feature FLOWERS

UNCONVENTIONAL BRIDE

This beautiful bride rocked an

orange dress on her special day.

Branch out from the standard proto-

col and make it the kind of day that

you could imagine as being as fun

and meaningful as possible for you.

1 BUY THE BEST

Buy the freshest, highest quality flowers available.

Choose buds that are somewhere between tightly

closed and fully open, depending on how soon

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

flowers to open faster in warm water or warm air,

but never place them in direct sunlight.

3 NUMBERING

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

rangement before you begin, and lay them out on

your work surface or put them in a bucket. Use

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

depending on how big the final arrangement will

be—in a mixed bouquet.

2 HYDRATING YOUR BLOOMS

Hydrate blooms immediately upon arriving

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

tom of each stem, on the diagonal (to expose

maximum surface area), and plunge them into

cold water. Using a knife ensures a clean cut

and minimum damage to the stem.

4 GREENERY

Don’t forget the greenery—sometimes the

most striking elements of a floral arrangement

aren’t flowers at all. You may have interesting

choices in your own yard or in a nearby park.

43

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

deep blues of an iris can calm worries and preoc-

cupation representing peace, openness, and se-

renity, fresh floral arrangements filled with blue

flowers offers an antidote to anxiousness.

pink: Think pink and you think of grace, gen-

tility, and happiness. Regardless of the shape of

the flower – from the tight, small buds of a pink

garden rose to the delicate, open petals of a

pink caellia in full bloom – pink blossoms convey

youth, innocence, and joy.

orange: There’s nothing bashful about the color

orange–its message is clear and blatantly proud.

Symbolizing energy, enthusiasm, and warmth, an

arrangement of blooms in this vibrant color con-

veys confidence, satisfaction and a passion for

life.

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

no surprise that a bouquet filled with rich, red

blooms knows no restraint.

purple: With its origins tied to royalty and cer-

emony, purple flowers represent dignity, pride

and success. Whether grouped alone in a bold

range of rich hues or mixed in with other colors

to provide depth and contrast, an arrangement

filled with purple blooms represents accomplish-

ment and admiration.

white: Often associated with innocence, humil-

ity, and reverence, white flowers evoke simple

beauty. Whether they take their shape as the

luxurious, silk petals of fragrant gardenias, the

small, white bells of a lily of the valley, or the

quiet drama of a dozen white roses, fresh floral

arrangement dominated by white blossoms con-

veys modesty and elegance.

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

but impossible to refrain from smiling when you

spot a bouquet of bright daffodils or a pot filled

with sun-drenched chrysanthemums–the color

yellow evokes feelings of joy and lighthearted-

ness. Also a symbol of friendship, a bouquet

bursting with yellow blooms sends a message of

new beginnings and happiness.

feature FLOWERS

45

for your

hairpieces + boutonniere

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

corsage and hair piece is effectively three boutonnieres

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

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

help. Also, consider making a small bouquet for moms

and grandmas instead of the usual corsage. Store

corsages, boutonnieres and hairpieces in plastic in the

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

want to freeze them. You can make them the evening

before the wedding but no earlier than that.

feature FLOWERS

acce

ssorie

s

• Flowers and greenery

• Florist’s knife

• 26-gauge floral wire

• Green stem-wrap tape

• Clippers

• Pencil

• Ribbon or fabric

• Corsage pin

1. Cut flower stems to 3 inches long, on the diagonal, using

the florist’s knife.

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

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

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

closer to the stem than to the flower.

3. Bend the wire into a hairpin shape.

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

bottom in a spiral.

5. Cut the “stem,” including toe wire, which may exten be-

low 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.

47

PAGE

49

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 de-

signing them ourselves, we wanted to fabri-

cate them ourselves as well. Not only did we

think the process would be fun, but it also

made the most sense for something as im-

portant as our wedding invitations.

Christine and Ian’s invitations:

designed and fabricated by the couple

51

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 al-

most 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

wouldn’t allow. Luckily for us, there is a friendly neighborhood Tech-

Shop around the corner from our house. Just a two-minute walk

down the street was a warehouse with custom-fabrication machin-

ery for us to use.

materials:

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. Us-

ing an Xacto knife, the trees were punched out

carefully and bent forward to create the 3D ef-

fect. The front cards were then sewn to the kraft

backings with a sewing machine.

main invitation card

feature INVITATIONS

53

rsvp & mapThe RSVP cards were

printed on our inkjet

printer and individual

names were stamped

with red ink.

» 80# Kraft Cardstock

» Printer

» Stamps

materials:

» 80# Kraft Cardstock

» Laser Cutter

» White 8.5”x14” Legal Paper

» Printer

» Letraset Letratac Adhesive Dot

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-

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

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

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.

invitations

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.

55

ToTal cosT: less Than $200.

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.

Each return envelope was stamped with the return address and the

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

stamp kit. The main invitation card, RSVP and map, Field Guide and

Return Envelope were put into a bundle and wrapped with the kraft

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

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

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

mailing tips

final touches

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.)

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,

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.

stamps:

envelopes:

tracking:

Kraft Paper Band

» Text Paper in Paper Bag from Paper-Source

» Removable glue

materials:

Return Envelope and #10 Envelope

» 4 Bar Envelopes in Paper Bag from Paper Source

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

» Stamps

feature INVITATIONS

57

materials:

13 12

PAGE

59

Death Do Us Part A PERFECTLY DIY WEDDING

Meet Jon and Courtney Roberts—newly

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 main-

tained a keen sense of resourcefullness.

All the while, Courtney kept a journal of

her findings and is sharing it with you.

61

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

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

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

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

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

the direction of this gem of a bakery.

I knew it was going to be a great morning when I walked in and saw these…

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

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

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

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

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

army in Israel.

May 02 2011 • Los Angeles“The Sunday.”

I’ve been thinking some random thoughts lately.

One of those thoughts is how I should be blog-

ging more, but the following thoughts viscously

squash my aspirations. In the past week, I have

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

last singles and doubles match this last Thursday,

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

with my team. It feels strange to be letting go

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

required to practice. From here on out, tennis is

purely recreational…& that might be a good thing.

Goodbye tennis, hello finals : they exist to remind

me that I should be glad I’m graduating early. I’ve

been pushing back those year-end projects the

last couple of weeks to spend my time….

registering for the wedding…we might be 1/3

done, maybe

“and away we went

1.

3.

as told by

Fruit tart, Mango mousse, Fruit & Custard

Florentine, Lemon Mousse, Tiramisu, Marquis,

Hazelnut Crunch Cake, Chocolate Mousse Trio,

Flourless chocolate cake, Passion Fruit Mousse,

Creme Brulee tart, & Pyramid Chocolate Cake.

And there we stopped, because to keep going

would have made things extremely complicated.

This is my favorite kind of decision to make :]

Come September, you will be tasting sugar at its

best….several of the above desserts and also a

big vanilla cake with vanilla creme stuffed with

the fresh fruits of the season. They call it their

“fruitcake”, but for obvious reasons I refuse to

give it such a name.

I’m excited to take my parents to Sara J’s this

weekend, simply to remove the above image of

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

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

many other reasons, I am eagerly anticipating

September 4! We will have only the best for our

guests and loving family.

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

pitality, gourmet restaurant and catering industries with fine

quality gourmet cakes and pastries for a decade. Specializing in

fine European and continental pastries, Sara J. Pastries empha-

sizes the use of only the freshest and finest ingredients to create

the highest quality and state-of-the-art products.

Sara J’s Pastries

2.

1. Fruit tarts for life.

2. Cholla and I. Holla!

3. Holy macaroons!

feature WEDDING

63

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.

Jan 25 2011 • Los Angeles“On The Warpath”

I NEED A VENUE // to channel my excitement

frustration // that allows me to express myself //

for our wedding

Oh California, your beauty and your wealth of re-

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

& I have been on the hunt, scouring the Internet

(blogs, photographer sites) for our dream location.

After several weekends spent driving through

parts of LA that remain an unknown to most peo-

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

sive, no open dates, the wrong “feel”, overpriced

catering (over $50 for a meal? $9 per person for a

dry bar?) It adds up.

orcutt ranch

as told by

“We found some breathtaking

views of California splendor.”

I find that trusting God becomes applicable in a

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

lax” and be at peace is impossible without letting

the mess inside your head find a new home…&

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

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

ance as we sniff out the most affordable venues

& keep reminding ourselves :: the reason for a

wedding is marriage. That…carries far greater re-

sponsibility & more trials than a day-long event

&&& should take considerably more preparation.

All that said, we found some breathtaking views

of California splendor // hills, vineyards, lakes,

parks // from Malibu.

Jun 06 2011 • Kansas“The Outrage of the Day”

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

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

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

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

After 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 power-

ful 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.”

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.

my wedding palette

feature WEDDING

venu

e

65

Jun 06 2011 • Kansas “The Outrage of the Day”

Outrageous food // I’ve been talking with some of you about this book, a read that I

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

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

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….

1 Don’t eat anything your great-grandmother

wouldn’t recognize as food.

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

3 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 ani-

mals the way we do.

4 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 flow-

ing, guaranteeing that the cheapest calories in the supermarket will continue

to be the unhealthiest.

5 The sheer novelty and glamor of the Western

diet, with its seventeen thousand new food prod-

ucts every year and the marketing power – thirty-

two 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 mar-

keting to help us decide what to eat.

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

Take a 3-hour cooking

class with your fiance. I

highly recommend the

sushi course if you bring

your man…he enjoyed

the fruit of his labor with

5 rolls that day and left-

over for the work week.

feature WEDDING

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.

PAGE

69

BLISS

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,

and setting up ways for

guests to capture their

own images. The best

way to get brilliant re-

sults is to work all the

angles: recruit several

helpers, and choose two

or three of the various

techniques described in

this article.

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

your enjoyment of the event.”

hiring a friend or a relative

feature PHOTOGRAPHY

raditionally, wedding photographers made portraits, friends

and family took care of the candids. That’s changing, as more

and more brides and grooms want photojournalism-style

shots, or images of their big day that lookmore like fashion or art

photography. The great news is that, when you look

beyond the territory of wedding photographers,

you’ll find a world of options. If you have a family mem-

ber or close friend who’s a good photographer, then half your work is

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 lo-

cal newspaper —call the photo desk and ask if anyone does weddings.

You may find your man or woman on the first try.

71

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 pho-

tographer 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 responsibil-

ity of each photographer to hand equipment off to the next, but make

sure a reliable bridesmaid or groomsman knows the roster, just in case.

feature PHOTOGRAPHY

setting up a round robin

“PROM” PHOTOS AND MORE!

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 ex-

cited 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

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.

Once you know you’ve got the basics covered, it’s

time for some fun photo add-ons. Remember your

prom photos? That fake arbor, those sparkly lights,

maybe a slogan emblazoned on a banner behind

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

put up a backdrop, and people instinctively begin

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

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

cause the beautiful people swarm by in an end-

less stream while the shutters pop like firecrack-

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

a portrait background (yes, sort of like the photo

studio at Sears) and a camera can capture some

priceless moments.

1

how to

For your wedding photos

Your hair and makeup are flawless, but your

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.

During formal pictures, “stand at a slight angle,

not straight on. Take a deep breath, exhale, then

tilt your chin down and look up.

People look slimmer when photographed from an

elevated point, so ask your pro to hop up on a

chair for some shots.

Bring a friend, have her stand off camera to carry

on a conversation -- bonus if she’s the funniest

bridesmaid.

Hold the bouquet with one hand, rather than

clasping both hands around it, clutch it loosely

with one and let the other hang naturally by your

side. It’ll look more relaxed.

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.

1

2

3

4

5

3

4

5

2

feature PHOTOGRAPHY

snapshots

ALMOST ANYTHING CAN SERVE AS A BACKGROUND

Scout around for a visually appealing surface

somewhere in or around your reception space,

such as a brick wall, cool wallpaper, heavy cur-

tains, or a garden wall covered in ivy.

A red carpet step-and-repeat background usu-

ally has a sponsor logo on it, so why not take the

same approach and put in a plug for your wed-

ding? 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-

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 photogra-

phy supply store.

For a kitschier approach, you might hire a local

sign company to print inexpensive banners of

the kind that you really might have had behind

you at prom.

Here are some ideas:

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 al-

ternative, you can even rent a real photo booth from a party sup-

ply company. It could set you back around $1,000, but it would

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

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

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 ven-

ues: 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

“ ”Advice from real couples

feature PHOTOGRAPHY

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 make for great, easy favors for your guests. Assign

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

card ordered from an online photo service.

77

PAGE

LITTLE GIFTSFUN AND UNIQUE

FOR EVERY OCCASION

look forward to

SpacesFall Party Venues

Food13 Ways to Cook Pumpkin

FoundThe Best Candy Options Around

DecorDIY Fall Wreaths

FEATURES

Pumpink Recipes Galore

Fall Party Invitations

How One Woman Captured Autumn

Sustainable Harvest