We asked our readers this month what your plans were for your wedding dress after the big day. A whopping 62% will be putting it away so here are some top tips for safe storage:

• Make sure you have removed any pins as these will leave rust marks over time, and don't use a wire hanger

• Don't leave it in the plastic cover from the dry cleaners, this will eventually discolour the dress

• If you are using a cardboard box for storage remember these still contain acid, so it will need to be changed every few years

• Before packaging your wedding dress, wrap it in acid free tissue paper for extra protection, but not coloured tissue paper as this may stain the fabric

we ♥ october

We hope you love, love, loved this months fun retro wedding theme with its mad men style. Thanks again to everyone who contributed and commented. And a BIG thank you to everyone who entered our blog giveaway this month! The feedbacks been fabulous, really helpful, so we'll be putting it to good use and trying to make the 'i do' it yourself website easier to use. We'll announce the competition winner tomorrow.

Pics: This month we fell in love with the work of Australian weddings photographers CK Metro, this gorgeous shot is from Tina and Tims French provinical themed wedding last year.

Paperkilp Design based in Sydney create a range of beautiful paper garlands and pretty bunting for your special day, like this pink and red mini party bunting for US$17. The Ritzy Rose stocks a lovely range of wedding bouquets hand-crafted from unique vintage brooches and jewellery.

And finally how about getting everyone together with cute heart shaped balloons for a fabulous group wedding shot like this one, by Leighton Joskey Wedding Photography.

Things that made us go ooo this month...
• Shona and Michael's cute courthouse wedding over on Snippet and Ink, complete with guest book typewriter

• If you liked the typewriter theme and are looking for projects to use up the rest of those old keys, try these cute place cards via Martha Stewart

• We loved these beautiful old jars filled with traditional sweets, great for a retro wedding

• Cute cans of sparkling wine for wedding favours

• Check out these retro coca-cola bottles used as table decorations, via Elizabeth Anne Designs

• Looking for some 60s dining inspiration? Try these classic recipes like Deviled Eggs and Baked Alaska

• A tea length vintage inspired wedding gown from Bridal Bliss Designs

• Cute cufflinks from Vintage Typewriter Jewelry

• Oh so cute wedding DIY project, vintage fashion place card dolls via Intimate Weddings

a knotty mention

Our copy of the knot, Australias latest wedding magazine, arrived yesterday and we're so pleased to see our love love love invitation featured on page 72 as 'a loved-up deep red invite'. Thanks guys! Looking forward to reading through the issue properly this weekend.

be my bridesmaid

Here's a cute little retro DIY idea. Make your own cute little 'be my bridesmaid' cards with our cute new paper doll printable file.

Dress her up with six different hair styles, two dresses and accessories to choose from. Just print out as many as you like, cut out the elements you want, glue to your card and decorate!

Just $5 from the 'i do' it yourself shop.

real wedding: Donna and Matt

Married just before Valentines Day, Donna and Matts fun retro wedding was full of love, love, love - and lovely details. Gorgeous Vivienne Westwood 'I heart you' pumps and Donna's amazing dress. Transformed with the addition of a bright red satin sash and a fabulous layered petticoat of red and black polka dot and purple tulle.

Donna and Matt injected a great sense of fun into their wedding with cute and quirky ideas like Matt's Yoda boutonniere and gerberas cut into heart shapes. The beautiful wedding program was full of little puzzles and games to keep guests entertained. They even had colour co-ordinated cupcakes!

Photography: Loic Photography

hugs and kisses

If the latest doughnut trend isn't your thing how about some hugs and kisses. XOXO that is. Grab yourself an alphabet cookie cutter set and use the X and O shapes to make sweet treats for your guests, pic by Williams Sonoma. Or try brilliant bright red cupcakes and decorate with cute cream cheese x o icing. Click here to try a fabulous red velvet cupcake recipe from Pinch My Salt to get the beautiful vivid colour.

who needs cake...

... when you can have doughnuts! Say good bye to the cupcake, move over the macaroon, the new wedding craze is the doughnut. Whether its just a selection added to the dessert bar, a whole doughnut wedding cake or an actual doughnut cart set up, these treats are sure to get guest talking - well thats if they're not too busy stuffing themselves silly.

Credits: Hugh Forte, Blue Sky Photography, Doughnut Divas, Harverys Gourment mini-Dounuts.

something new: paper crane wedding range

In Asia, it is commonly said that folding 1000 paper origami cranes makes a person's wish come true. So not suprising the paper crane has become a popular image at weddings. Symbolising peace, happiness and health, this beautiful modern wedding range is now available in our online store.
Shown here in pink and orange but available in any colour combination - just ask.

DIY project: typewriter guest book

At 'i do' it yourself we love alternatives to the traditional wedding guest books, our fingerprint tree has certainly proved pretty popular! So here is another great idea that we're seeing more and more of, the type writer guest book.

Search antique stores and markets for an old working typewriter. Set it up somewhere at your reception with paper and ask guests to type out little notes for you rather than writing in a guest book.

You can even use your type writer before the wedding to address your invitation envelopes or place cards to keep the theme going.

Pic credits: Amy & Stuart Photography via Snippet and Ink, Olivia Leight Photographie, refurbished royal typewriter, "target=_blank"Caroline Ghetes Photography via Ruffled, Meg Perotti via Elizabeth Anne Designs.

FREEBIE cocktail party menu

You can't have a 60s style party without cocktails! So this month we've designed this cute retro cocktail menu template for you to download for free. Just visit the 'i do' it yourself website to download our editable PDF and add your own personalised cocktail list. Have a go creating your own signature cocktails. Don't worry you don't have to drain the bar concocting new brews, just rename some classics. Marks magical martini, Carrie's crush, you get the idea.

Here's a simple recipe to start you off:

Elegant Wedding Punch
Makes 16 cups

1/2 cup Chambord raspberry
1 cup Triple Sec
1 cup Brandy
2 cups pineapple juice
1 liter of ginger ale
2 bottles dry champagne

Chill the ginger ale and dry champagne the night before the wedding. Combine the Chambord, Triple Sec, brandy and pineapple juice in a bowl, cover, and chill overnight too. When your ready to serve, combine all ingredients in a punch bowl with ice. Enjoy!

real wedding: Dan and Julie

Sixties style is great for creating a relaxed and entertaining atmosphere, I mean who doesn't love a dress up party! Dan and Julies Portland wedding last year was full of fun retro decorations, Indie chic and laid back style. With elements of bold red and yellow to inject some fab colour. We love the photo booth wall with its old wallpaper and real frames to poke through!

Shot by the wonderful You Look Nice Today Photography.

Website: www.YouLookNiceTodayPhotography.com

DIY project: typewriter key bouquet

This must be one of the cutest little DIY wedding projects around. Using old keys from a type writer spell out a word like love, or use the initials of your husband to be, to decorate your bouquet.

DIY project

Step 1. Scour local markets, etsy and ebay for old typewriter keys, you can pick up a whole set for around $10. Look for ones that have been cut leaving a smooth back so they are easy to attach.

Step 2. Wrap fabric or lace around the clutch of the bouquet and secure with one or two pins.

Step 3. Wrap ribbon around your bouquet and glue the typewriter keys to the ribbon with hot glue gun. Below is clever bride Deborah's trial run of her bouquet, a very good idea, and above the fabulous finished product. You can see more of Deborahs beautiful type inspired wedding on Wedding Bee.

Main photos by Chris Richards Photography

something borrowerd: DIY felt shoe clips

If the Vivian Westwood heart pumps from our previous post are a little over budget - or you just fancy a cute wedding DIY project - then how about making your very own pretty felt shoe clips? This design from Draw! Pilgrim could be easily adapted to love hearts for a gorgeous way to jazz up your otherwise ordinary wedding shoes. Click here to see the tutorial.

We've got a lovely giveaway on the blog this month, a beautiful colour cream in deep cherry to accent and highlight your lips, cheeks and eyes valued at $22. Just gorgeous!

How to enter:
Simply visit the 'i do' it yourself website, take a look around and leave us some feedback in a comment on this post. Tell us what you like, what you dont like. Feel free to tell us how wonderful we are, but we're after honest feedback so if you find anything hard to navigate or difficult to understand, let us know! We'll announce one lucky winner at the end of the month.

***COMPETITION IS NOW CLOSED***

sixties glamour

It's easy to ooze style and sophistication with some sixties glamour on your wedding day.

Catherine certainly knew what she was doing when she sewed her very own 60s bubble hem gown, photo by Goudey Photography. Take a stunning ivory sleeveless silk-blend chiffon dress with gold embroidery by Jason Wu. Add a simple pearl necklace and some fabulous Vivienne Westwood Anglomania Lady Dragon Heart Pumps.

Or try a gorgeous cream and white flocked voile dress with some little lace gloves and a dash of Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Pure Shine Sheer Lipstick.

60s style

The 1960s was a time of change in culture, art, music and of course fashion. For this reason there is quite a difference from the nipped in waist styles of the early sixties to the mini at the end of the decade, so plenty of choice if you're looking for that vintage or 1960s inspired wedding dress.

The tight girdles of the 1950s were discarded and the A-line came into fashion with three quarter length sleeves and little gloves. As the hippie movement evolved so did a style totally different from the constrained strict fashions of the 50s. The empire line and baby doll styles hiding a womans figure. Long natural hair, the maxi and the mini.

Pic credits: Vintage Vogue from 1960. Vogue pattern from 1961 via Vintage Ditties. 1962 MaCall bell skirt wedding dress pattern. 1963 wedding fashion. Parisian wedding dress from 1964 from Vintage Posters. A-line ivory silk gown by By Edy the Vincent for Alfred Angelo retailed at $250 in 1965, pic via Vintage Gown. 1966 Misses weddings dress with detachable train, pattern sold by Pattern Guy on etsy. Slip dress with coat by Bill Blass from Bazaar Magazine 1967 via What I Found. 1967 Simplicity pattern. 1968 wedding dress via Manchester Art Gallery. John Lennon and Yoko Ono in a textured mini dress with kneesocks at their 1969 wedding.

DIY stationery: love love love

As the song goes, all you need is love, and all you'll need is this modern and fun wedding stationery! With the word love repeatedly stamped across the top it looks gorgeous in red but available in any colour you like, from save the dates to thank you cards. Available from the 'i do' it yourself online shop.

It's so simple to inject some fun and fabulousness into your wedding with these great printable designs. Just place your order and send through your wording. We add your text and email you a finished design so you can print, decorate and send.

Not sure if your home printer is up to the task? Don't worry, we can supply files for you to take to a professional printer or copy shop at no extra charge.

real engagement: Rachel and John

Adding props to your engagement shoot is a great way to bring photos to life with a theme or mood. A brilliant way to set the scene for a Mad Men 60s wedding is with an old typewriter. Here is an incredibly cute engagement session by And Unlimited Photography in Maine, America. There are lots of great photo ideas - typing out your name and wedding date would make a great shot for save the date cards, and we just love the engagement ring sitting on the old typewriter keys.

love love love

With everyone going mad for Mad Men it's no surprise that the popularity of a 1960s styled wedding is on the rise. Go retro with cocktails and canapés, pic via Martha Stewart. Ooze sixties style and sophistication, photo from July 1960 American Vogue. Diamonte heart from Topshop. Simple styrofoam balls transformed into a funky backdrop decorations - check out the easy step by step on Martha Stewart.

Sultry glamour in a white silk taffeta bodice with floral embroidered tulle skirt by Oscar de la Renta, via Brides. Hunt down an old typewriter, like this retro Remington, for a groovy guest book. Short dresses are all rage so make sure your shoes pop like these gorgeous red love hearts by Vivienne Westwood, photo by Stephanie Williams Photography. And don't forget to get your old records out for a touch of rock and roll!

Colour palette: red, cream and black

something new: lovebird guest book fingerprint tree

We just couldn't resist designing a new fingerprint guest book tree, they have proved so popular and are just the cutest wedding idea!

If you've not seen a fingerprint or thumbprint guestbook tree before the idea is rather than guests signing a traditional book they leave a fingerprint to act as a leaf on the tree. Guests can still sign as well if you like and it looks beautiful hanging on your wall after the wedding.

Simply have different shaded ink pads available on the day for guests to leave their print - and something so they can clean up :)

Available in a range of sizes so you can take to your local print shop for a quick and easy poster.

To buy now for only $25 visit the 'i do' it yourself website