Damn you, Martha!

I was feeling so proud of myself for finally posting my flowers. I have been on the project for months now, but somehow posting about it feels like copyrighting the idea or something :P

On Saturday, I went to visit my mama, and was ecstatic to find the new issue of Martha Stewart Weddings waiting for me! My FMIL bought me a subscription when Matthew and I first got engaged, and I love getting inspiration from the magazine.

In the newest issue, however, Martha not only steals my idea (which was inspired by her in the first place, but whatever!), she does it soooo much better than me!

How can I compete with this?

Now, Martha does offer a tutorial. Don't you sometimes think that she gives us the step by step just to mock us? I wouldn't be surprised if she did a DIY guide to brain surgery one of these days! I might have my mama take a look at the pattern and see if she can whip them up. Than I could have two types of flowers alternating on the tables. Sigh. I should probably just stick to my easier, more plain version, but I am an envious person by nature, and these are just so beautiful!

Perhaps my Martha addiction is an unhealthy one?

Martha, Martha, Martha

Fabric flowers seem to be up-and-comers in the wedding world (as evidenced by recent Weddingbee posts by Miss Beagle), but I swear I've been working on this DIY idea since I got engaged last August.

When I saw this idea in a past Martha Stewart magazine, I knew that it would be a beautiful addition to our wedding!

I loved these fabric flowers as name tags, and wanted to make some of my own. Unfortunately, Martha was a tease....she gave the idea, but no tutorial. Thank goodness for the Internet! I found a tutorial for fabric flowers on a wonderful blog called Wise Craft (find detailed instructions and templates here:http://blairpeter.typepad.com/weblog/2006/03/fabric_flowers.html).

Here is the process that I went through:

1. Gather your materials. For the first part of the project you will need the flower templates, material of your choice, a pen (or chalk...pen worked for me because my flowers are blue and white, so blue ink blends right in), scissors, thread, and a needle.

2. Trace the flower templates onto the material and cut them out. There are two templates: one large and one small. For each flower you will need two large flowers and four small ones (Hint: Fold the material so that you can cut several layers at once. Just be sure to have good scissors!).

3. Cut a slit every two petals in all the templates.

4. Place the two large flowers on top of each other. Fold the small flowers in half.

5. Stack the smaller flowers on top of the bigger ones. Weave them on top of each other so that one end of each flower is under and one end is over. Sew the flowers together.

6. This is where my flowers differ from those of the Wise Craft blog. The author instructs that you cover a button and sew it in the middle, making the flower look like this:

Although these are beautiful, they are meant to be pinned onto a shirt or purse, and I found that they looked very flat when laid down. I needed to improvise to make them more fluffy. Using old hairspray (I haven't been blond in years), I sprayed the entire flower, hoping that it would stiffen the fabric. I then gathered the flower and tied it with an elastic on the base so that the fabric would dry in this position. I left the flower like this over night.

7. Finally, I removed the elastic and fluffed out the flower. The result looks like this:

I am planning on attaching a ribbon or slip of paper with the guest's name on it onto each flower. I am currently storing the flowers in their pre-hairsprayed stage until closer to the wedding. I have about 50 made already...only 150ish more to go! With (mostly) willing helpers like my dear sister and Maid of Honour, Renata, I am sure that we will be finished this project in no time!

Hate: Wedding Dress Trends

My last post was all about trends that I love and want to incorporate into my perfect gown. I am going to dedicate this post to dress elements that I hate.

Now as a disclaimer, I must express that this is my opinion only, and I am in no way judging anyone who loves these styles. I am not Tim Gunn, so my opinion has no real meaning, and should not be taken seriously.

So, wedding dress trends that I hate, in no particular order:

1. Strapless

I don't think a picture is necessary here. I don't want to be pulling up my dress all night long. My 85 year old, WWII surviving grandmother would not survive being flashed by me.

2. Colour (Yes, with a "u", I am Canadian after all)

I really am not jumping on the coloured wedding dress bandwagon. See this beautiful and very popular dress from Alfred Angelo? I hate it.

3. Pick-ups

Do you remember those dolls that had giant skirts that you could invert and turn into a cupcake? Let me jog your memory:

Well, to me, if you took a dress with pick-ups, like this one from Mary's Bridal, and lifted it over your head, you might just turn into a delicious dessert!

4. Bows/Flowers

I'm a simple kind of girl, and think that on most dresses bows, flowers, and sashes are just overkill. Unless a dress is really simple, I don't think that it should be ruined by over-accessorizing.

6. See-through dresses

I am a big fan of "Say Yes to the Dress", but every time a bride comes in and spends over 20 thousand dollars on a see-through Pnina, I cringe a little. I must say, some of her designs are absolutely gorgeous (and I wish that I could afford them). I just think that the tradition of a "virginal bride", although outdated, deserves to be honoured (that "u" again) and acknowledged by a semi-modest dress.

Once again, these are strictly trends that will not be present in my dress. I hope that I didn't offend anyone, and that you take my comments with a grain of salt. What wedding dress trends do you hate?

Love: Wedding Dress Trends

Those who know me realize how important the dress is to me. I LOVE dresses, and I wear them a lot. I have had the opportunity to wear many a fancy dress, and I feel the most beautiful when I am wearing one. Suffice it to say, I am very intent on finding the perfect dress for our wedding. Having a two year engagement ensured that I have a lot of time to do my research, and I am very diligent about it. Here are some dress trends that I LOVE:

1. Mermaid Silhouettes

This one isn't exactly a shocker, but I love the mermaid/trumpet style gown. Not only is this style sexy and classic all at the same time, but I think that it will accentuate my very particular set of curves.

Beautiful example of a mermaid by Perla D

and a trumpet by Anne Barge

2. Lace Dresses that seem as light as air

Lace is not new to the bridal world, but I'm not talking about traditional bridal lace, which is very stiff, and can be quite heavy. I'm talking about dresses that are composed of lace so soft that they seem "frothy"

Both dresses are by Alita Graham

By the oh-so-romantic Claire Pettibone

and Jim Hjelm

3. Tulle!

I love, love, love this trend! Although tulle and the mermaid don't often mix, I love how soft and romantic this material is. I think that it is a modern alternative for the romantic gal that wants to look like a princess on her wedding day.

I love this combination of bling and tulle by Pnina Tornai

David Fielden

The ultimate princess dress by Edgardo Bonilla

4. Interesting Necklines (Alternate Title: Anything But Strapless!)

I am not a fan of strapless dresses for several reasons. First of all, I hate having to pull up my dress because I am worried about the girls falling out. Second, I think that this has been a huge trend in wedding dresses for too long, and it's time for something new. Lastly, and this is a point that is perhaps more important than any of the others: I have football player shoulders * and find that strapless dresses highlight that :P

Here are some examples of designers who are going against the strapless dress trend:

Badgley Mischka

Jenny Lee


Jim Hjelm

Pnina Tornai


and Justin Alexander

(if I was having a winter wedding, I would totally rock this dress!)

Now, I realize that I cannot afford any of these dresses. This is completely a fantasy post. However, I have no doubt that some of these elements will find their way into my dress purchase. The perfect dress is out there, and I cannot wait to find it!

Lovely Lady Lumps

Have you ever done one of those quizzes in girl teen mags that claim to educate you on how to "Dress for your Shape"? Usually, your answers result in one of these four possibilities:

Once you know your "basic shape", the magazine goes on to educate you on the perfect date outfit for your body type, or a prom dress that will highlight your "positive attributes". Equipped with this knowledge, you can go on to be your most fabulous self!

But what about those of us who don't quite fit into these four standard types? Are we doomed to never find out which outfit will look best on us?

Out of these basic shapes, my results often tell me that I am an hourglass. I have a lot of the features of the hourglass: I have a very defined waistline, and the measurements of my ribcage are identical to those of my hips. There is one thing that differentiates me from the hourglass, however. The part of my body that I am most sensitive about: My shoulders.

I have very broad shoulders. Perhaps not football player broad, but I have often been mistaken for a competitive swimmer. Buying jackets is the bane of my existence, as I often have to buy jackets 4-6 sizes bigger than I normally wear because they either don't fit in the shoulders, or the sleeves are too short (I also have monkey-long arms). Thus, the tips that are often given to the hour glass, don't always apply to me.

In reality, there are 6 standard female body shapes:

Unfortunately, those tests in Cosmo often disregard my inverted triangle body shape, and those ladies with the diamond shape are also often ignored. Thank goodness for the Internet! After doing some research, I found some tips for other upside down triangle ladies out there.

If, like me, you are an inverted triangle:

Your main style aims are to create the illusion of the perfect hourglass body shape by balancing your lower body to your upper body and to draw attention away from your upper body.

Do wear...

• Flowing fabrics
• Low to medium-low necklines
• Set-in sleeves
• Three-quarter length sleeves
• A good fitting, well adjusted bra
• Tops and dresses that flow through the waist
• A-line skirts
• Flared pants
  

Don't wear...

• Stiff, bulky, fabrics
• Styles that emphasize your shoulders
• High necklines
• Big collars
• Tapered skirts and pants

For more tips on how to dress for your shape, particularly if you are an inverted triangle or diamond, visit this website:

http://www.style-makeover-hq.com/body-shape.html#horizontal%20body%20shape

A rose by any other name.....

The changing of the last name is something that most brides-to-be spend a lot of time debating. Should I take his? Should I hyphenate? Should I just keep my own? Coming from a Polish family that I like to refer to as "hardcore Catholic", some traditions are not to be messed with. One of those traditions is the name change; even if I decided to keep my maiden name, my stubborn grandmother would still refer to me by my husbands surname. Why fight city hall? Also, I like the symbolism of sharing a name with my husband. To me, it represents the coming together of a new family unit (although I agree that you do not necessarily need to take the man's name for this to happen - he could just as easily take yours). Also, as a teacher, I hate the fact that sometimes a mother and child do not share the same last name. I know that this is a pet peeve based purely on my laziness, but looking up the proper name of the mother is a pain!

Nevertheless, to me the process of changing my name is particularly bittersweet. This is in large part due to my quite complicated and impossible to pronounce first name. You see, my name is a very, very popular name in Poland. In 2004, the name was the 5th most popular baby girl name in Poland. My name is the equivalent of a Jessica, Jennifer, or Amanda in Poland. My name is Agnieszka. As hard as "Agnieszka" is to pronounce, it is even harder to spell. The "z" in the middle always throws people off. Nevertheless, it is a very pretty name, and once people get past the shock, most of them love it.

When I came to Canada in 1992, I didn't speak a word of English. On my first day of school, my aunt introduced me to the principal by the English translation of my: Agnes. Honestly, I hate that name. It is quite possibly the ugliest name I have ever heard. The name was reserved for great aunts world wide. Nevertheless, the name stuck, and I was known as Agnes during elementary and high school, never really feeling the name belonged to me.

When I started university, I decided to use my real, full name, no matter how difficult people found it. I had regained my identity, and felt like myself again.

So you see, names are very important to me. I am not particularly attached to my last name, but Matthew's last name is extremely French Canadian. I am worried about how my very Polish first name will combine with his very French one. Still, I look at the bright side and tell myself that my new name will make me the poster child for Canadian multiculturalism.

Our Photographer

I am so excited about the photographer that we hired for our wedding. I spent months and months researching photographers trying to find someone who took artistic wedding photos and didn't charge an arm and a leg. Our wedding is on a very strict budget, but that doesn't mean that I am willing to give up on quality.

Enter Clint from Renaissance Studio Photography. I had been checking his website for months, looking at the pictures and pondering about whether or not we could afford him. When Renata and I went to meet him, we were both blown away by how easy going and professional he was. We definitly clicked, and he totally understood the vision that I have for our wedding. When he mentioned that he loved taking pictures of broken down barns, I was completely sold! (I've been obsessing over barns for years now....ask Matthew!)

Without further ado, here are some lovely wedding messages captured by Clint:

Starting with some engagement shots



Wedding Shots:

One of the best things that I like about Clint is that photography is his passion. He has a seperate website that showcases some of his "artsier" photography. I love that he has "an artist's soul". Here are some images that speak to me:

Now onto videography!