Add some spice

Happy Wedding Wednesday!! Today we wanted to share some easy & super cute ideas to add some spice to your fall wedding. From distinctly fall flowers to blanket baskets for guests to keep warm, there are so many fun options! One of our faves however, are these DIY mini-pie favors {top right}. If you love them as much as we do, check out the "how to" over at On a Sweet Note, complete with the info to buy those adorable little boxes!

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Featured: Molly & Thomas

If you saw our stationery post from last Wednesday, you know that we're all hyped up about one of our sweet clients being featured in Martha Stewart Weddings! Yes, it's hard to contain ourselves!!! The issue hit the shelves on Monday so of course we wanted to take this Wedding Wednesday to share it with you! If you have a chance, pop in a store and pick one up- nothing quite compares to turning those beautiful glossy pages!

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This letterpress, foil laden invitation suite {shown on the page below} is one of the most unique & modern suites that we've designed. All of the main cards have a tone on tone feature and contrasting but complementary patterns on the backs. We wrapped all of the pieces with metallic gold tissue paper and finished it off with a wax seal of their monogram.

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Isn't it to die for? Just like the rest of Molly & Thomas' big day! Take a peek at their feature online too.

Thanks for being so excited with us!! Happy Wednesday!

BACK TO PRESS

Perfecting the LWD

These days finding the perfect LWD {little white dress} is a necessity for every bride. Whether it's for the rehearsal + dinner or for a getaway dress, this is a MUST. The one time in our lives where we get to rock a plain white frock without the worry of a faux pas. Once I realized this great opportunity staring me in the face, I started the hunt for my own little white dress. While on my journey, I stumbled upon these:

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What do you think?? I need help!

Make a statement

For brides that are looking to add some character to a simple, classic dress, we're loving the idea of accessorizing with a fabulous statement necklace. There are so many beautiful options out there and not only are they reasonably priced, but you can wear them again!! I'm going with a statement necklace for my big day and along the way on my search, I fell in love with these:

1- Aldo

2- Tildon

3- JCrew

4- Kendra Scott

5- Natasha Couture

6- Kate Spade

As a hint, the one I chose is not on here! ;)

Fresh guest book ideas

Today we're taking a break from weekend inspiration to let you in on some recent research I've been conducting. As you may know, my man and I are in the peek of wedding planning (about a month away!!!!) and so we're checking off lots of things on the grand to-do list. One thing that I've been mulling over is a creative approach to a guest book. While I'm not against the often seen book of photos from an e-session, that option is not on the table for us since we've had such a whirlwind, short engagement... and didn't have time for the traditional photo shoot. So here are some fun, unique ideas if you're in the same boat, or if you're just craving something different:

Stack of coasters:

How cute would these be displayed in stacks and tied together with a ribbon?!

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Plates:

Have your guests sign china to display in your home... on the wall, on a hutch or otherwise!

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Your new initial:

You're getting a new last name so why not embrace it with pride?! There are many shops on Etsy that you can order letters on- you can even choose the size and color!

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Travel lovers:

Have guests sign a globe to display in your home. They can even write a little note about where they think you should visit!

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Puzzled:

I love this idea of having guests sign the back of puzzle pieces, though the picture would either have to be massive or the pieces would have to be pretty little. Either way, it's such a fun idea!

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Have a fabulous weekend!!

It's a two-fer!

I'm a huge fan of scoring a good deal, especially when it comes to bridesmaids or wedding-related things. When I heard about Durga-Kali and their reversible bridesmaids dresses, I just about fell over. Imagine the possibility of getting to flip your dress inside out and get another LBD out of the deal!

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With lots of styles and colors to choose from, I'm dying to know if this is too good to be true. Has anyone tried one yet?! For now, I stand in awe of this brilliant invention.

Vendor Crush: Naked bouquets

Now that I've got your attention {eh-hem, must we use the word 'naked' in the title to do so?!} I am dying to share with you a huge vendor crush I have. Yes, today I am going to dish! I've been in the market for a florist for my big day so as of late, I've been paying much more attention to arrangement styles, vessels and what blooms are in style during various seasons. While scouring Pinterest for direction, I fell upon Naked Floral's blog and I haven't been able to stop thinking about their stunning style ever since.

*all photos courtesy of Naked Floral

Constructing a beverage bar

For the big day we're putting together a beverage bar, so naturally I've been looking for ideas and inspiration on how to spice it up and make it special. While it never occurred to me to put an emphasis on non-alcoholic drinks, going this route will create a balance between our friends & family members who don't drink at all and those who do can obviously enjoy something from the other bar. :) Everyone wins, right?! In searching for inspiration, I've been obsessed with this picture ever since my eyes met it:

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So if we brought it to life, this is how it would all go down:

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Whether you're planning a beverage bar for your wedding, a shower, a birthday party or a summer picnic, consider spicing up the presentation to make guests feel extra special.

A little bling, a lot bridal

It was a pretty exciting day when Ann Taylor released their line of beautiful wedding gowns and bridesmaids frocks!! Have you seen it? While I've been perusing all things wedding, I stumbled upon this GORGEOUS feathered bag {shown at bottom} and fell in love. Then I realized, how many other awesome options there were!! Take a peek at some of our textured faves: Check out more of their beautiful bridal clutches & accessories here! Happy Purseday!

At least consider it

Finding a bridesmaids dress that suits all your ladies can be quite the task, especially if you have a large bridal party. This is a challenge that I've recently had to face and while trying to consider budgets, color and styles they'll all feel comfortable and beautiful in, I've come across some helpful options that I couldn't resist passing along in case you're in the market too! Consider the option of renting!!! If this was an option during the peek of my friends getting married, it not only would have saved me hundreds of dollars, but also some valuable closet space. Why did I keep the dresses for so long? I have no idea! #fashionfail Anyway, there are 2 awesome options should you choose to go that route.

Little Borrowed Dress is a site specifically for bridesmaid dresses! You can choose different dresses in the same color or the same dress in different colors!

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Rent the Runway {also great for showers & rehearsal dinner wear!} has some stellar options in a variety of colors and styles. This site is perfect if you're looking for a non- traditional bridesmaid style.

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You can have either site send two different sizes of the dress so each bridesmaid can pick the one that fits them best. They'll arrive in the mail {professionally cleaned and ready to wear} to the address of your choice. Rent the Runway has a 4 or 8 day rental {you pick the arrival date} and Little Borrowed Dress arrives 2 weeks prior. After the big day, your friends just pop their dresses back in the provided return mailing materials! Super simple!

Manly flowers

Flowers. I've got flowers on the mind lately and I've been dreaming of luscious, soft & elegant bouquets for my big day. After talking with my man I realized his dislike of large, flowery boutonnieres so I've been scouring Pinterest and some of my favorite wedding blogs for inspiration to help narrow down the options for the manly portion of our floral. I would love to know if you have any ideas for early fall {September} wedding flowers in the northwest, but for now here are some of my picks:

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Any fun and creative ideas for a manly, flowery variation?

A loving little reminder

One thing that I'm learning as a soon-to-be Mrs. is that no matter how many decisions we have to make for the future, or how much wedding plans can stress me out {or seemingly take over}, the most important thing is to keep our eyes on the prize. The prize being a lifetime with my best friend... the most sincere, thoughtful, considerate, driven, trustworthy, romantic and hottest man I could ever imagine sharing life with. I could go on and on about all of the reasons that my guy makes my heart leap, but on this Wedding Wednesday, I'll instead encourage you to set wedding plans aside and remind your loved one of all the things that you adore about them.

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 Life gets busy, but keep your eyes on the prize!

The big shopping day

I'm not gonna lie... today is pretty stinking exciting because it's Wedding Wednesday and I get to post for the first time about my OWN wedding! After years of getting giddy with friends and clients over their big days, beautiful plans and gorgeous gowns, I'm giving it a go!! This weekend I'm heading to Seattle {my homeland} for venue visits, brainstorming sessions with some of my dearest lady friends and of course, dress shopping. Today, I've got dresses on my mind. Where does a girl begin with the dress shopping? First, I've been studying up on the 14 Must Read Gown Shopping Tips... obvs the title alone makes me feel like a fool not soaking that one in before we get started. Second, I've been perusing the pages of my copy of It's All About the Dress, just in case there is some life changing tips from dear Randy...

All of this "research" and I'm not going to lie: I'm vision-less, on a short time frame and getting pretty nervous. Current and previous brides, do you have any tips for this novice? Please pass along any wisdom or tips you may have!! :)

Personal Touches

When it comes to wedding day decor & accessories, we LOVE when couples incorporate special touches that reflect their unique personalities and/or their story. These coasters from BHLDN are a great way to encourage your guests to participate in making the day unique to the couple too!

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How fun would these be to flip through after the honeymoon? This might be a new favorite alternative to a guest book!

You're invited to Fashion Crush

We've joined forces with some other awesome local vendors for a super fun event next Thursday night {05.16.13} at Crush Boutique on Charles Street. Swing by during the open house to see some of the seasons hottest wedding trends- whether you'll be the bride or a guest! Grab the gals and enjoy some bubbly, some bites from Fireside Catering and a shopping discount at the boutique! Here are some more details...

Hope to see you all there!!

Changing names

One of my favorite things in the WORLD is monograms. What could be more fun than personalizing something... especially when it's in honor of a new last name?! Needless to say, we at Paper Moss adore designing monograms for stationery {wedding or otherwise} but here's a round up of some of our favorite jewelry & gift pieces right now!!

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Are you monogram obsessed too?! What is your favorite go to piece?

Return of the dots

During a client meeting just last week, we were discussing some of the fabrics that our bride is planning to use for her big day. If you know that I studied textiles in undergrad, you'll know that conversations like this excite me beyond belief! While I won't divulge the sweet details that said bride is dreaming up, I will say that one of the fabrics we discussed is the ever classic, Dotted Swiss. Just days later, I was super excited to see that J.Crew's 2013 Spring Bridal line features a gorgeous gown made of just that:

I personally am loving the Carenna Gown but if it's a little too casual for your bridal taste, there is also a shorter option {AKA the Catie dress} which would be adorbs for a rehearsal dinner or for bridesmaids!! And while we're loving on Dotted Swiss, I'm kind of obsessed with the fabric inspired cake that perfectly replicates those sweet little dots:

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Have a lovely Wedding Wednesday!

Pretty Paper: Marissa & Brian

We here at Paper Moss love a good challenge, especially when it comes to designing. When Marissa & Brian came to us with visions of a vintage and folk art inspired wedding, we instantly fell in love with the concept. Through working closely with Marissa and her event planner Sarah True, we brought it to life on paper and had a fabulous time carrying the designs through to details on the big day. For now, take a peek at their letterpress invitation suite!

But today's wedding inspiration doesn't stop there!! Just last week, the ladies at True Event shared a few pics from Marissa & Brian's wedding day. If you're digging their folk art & farm inspired style, check out their mini-feature! More photos to come... ;)

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Happy Wedding Wednesday!

*Invitation suite photos courtesy of Laura Ashbrook Photography

Wedding Inspiration: Romantic Neutrals

When it comes to creating a romantic glow for your wedding, we're totally swooning over the idea of pulling together muted, chic neutrals to make it happen!! Less feminine than the blush alternative, this palette is versatile and timeless. Check out our pairing of beige, cream, white and gold and let us know what you think...

{clockwise from top left: shoes; table setting; chair signs; bouquet; bridal party; cake; gown; ring}

Are you in to the neutrals or do you prefer bright & bold colors?