'i do' it yourself

beautiful bridesmaids

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn) — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 21:00:00 +0000

Once you have your own dress in the bag what to do about your beautiful bridesmaids? Here are some tips and inspiration for getting the perfect gowns to compliment your own.

Colour - the best starting point when choosing a bridesmaids dress. You probably already have a colour theme in mind for your wedding and bridesmaid dresses are a great way to introduce it. In our cherry blossom wedding this month we're obviously going to go with pink, but what shade? Once you have decided on your colour its time to look at all the different shades available. It's quite common to have lighter shades for earlier in the day and darker shades for an evening weddings. Obviously all this will come down to what you can find in the right size and style! Its a great idea to always carry a swatch of the shade you are after in your purse - just in case you spot the right dress or those all important matching shoes. Just grab some paint swatch charts from your local hardware store!

Credits: Blossom pink textured organza strapless gown by Carolina Herrera from the 2011 Resort Collection. Strapless pink chiffon dress from Nordstom, L'Occitane Cherry Blossom Eau de Toilette, 'Randee' shoe by Badgley Mischka. Pretty pink parasol. Mayor Ozaki's Gift Dress from Mod Cloth. Wooden heart earrings engraved with cherry blossoms by Genevieve Motley. Shu Uemura light pink cream eye shadow.

culture bridal couture

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn) — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 15:31:00 +0000

If you're looking for a cherry blossom inspired wedding dress the you can't go past Culture Bridal Couture. Based in Leichhardt, Sydney, their unique gowns fuse designs from around the world and even use the most exquisite vintage Japaneses Kimono and Obi fabric.

Satin Cherry Blossom Kimono Wedding Gowns by Culture Bridal Couture. Photo by Glenroy Photography, make-up by Laurel Brown

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn) — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 21:38:00 +0000

I loved my wedding dress, but I don't feel the need to keep it just sitting in a box in my wardrobe. Do you know anywhere I can sell it? - Amy, Sydney

We were recently asked this question by an 'i do' it yourself blog reader and as luck would have it Savvy Brides dropped us a line a few days later!

Savvy Brides is a boutique bridal service that specializes in buying and selling used designer wedding dresses. Based in Double Bay, Sydney, simply make an appointment to see their selection of pre loved gowns all in the one location - no more traipsing around all over the city! Visit Savvy Brides at www.savvybrides.com.au

Have any other ideas to help Amy? Visit our facebook page and join in the discussion.

sweet sakura

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn) — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 20:32:00 +0000

You can always tell spring is just around the corner when the cherry blossoms, or sakura in Japanese, start to appear. Romantic and feminine with their soft pretty pink petals, its no wonder they're such a popular wedding feature especially at this time of year.

Credits: Model shot via Elilte Models. A stunning canopy of cherry blossom trees, the perfect setting for a spring wedding, pic unknown. Sakura kimono silk, pic unknown. Sweet sakura cookies via Wed Central.

Delicious cherry blossom macaroons by Cannelle Vanille and pink blossom cake via Sasi Wedding. An amazing table setting via Martha Stewart weddings. A cherry blossom wedding is the perfect excuse for pretty pink ruffles and cute pink parasol, pics unknown.

Colour palette: pink

we ♥ august

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn) — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 20:53:00 +0000

We just loved putting together this months dreamy pastel wedding, hope you loved it too. Thanks again for all your comments and contributions, keep them coming.

This month we fell in love with bokeh photography, epitomised by this beautiful shot by Big City Dreams. Sweets were the theme and we were just overwhelmed by the all the delicious ideas out there like these petits fours from Dragonfly Cakes. And check out these totally delicious popsicle soaps, great for wedding favors, by So Stinking Sweet! Love heart sweets via tumblr.

Hope you had a sweet month, next month spring is in the air...

real wedding: the pop up wedding

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn) — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 20:37:00 +0000

Last year Martha Stewart weddings organised the pop up wedding chapel. Five lucky couples were married in a setting right out the pages of Martha Stewart weddings magazine and the style just seems perfect to wrap up our sweet hearts theme this month. Leah and Michaels pop up wedding in Brooklyn was a colourful combo of peach and pinks with beautiful yet simple paper decorations. Check out the wedding photos on Martha Stewart Weddings.

blog loving

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn) — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 03:43:00 +0000

Hi everyone, just a quick post to say if your loving the 'i do' it yourself blog then head on over to bridetide and vote for us! Share the love!! :)

DIY project: bokeh photography

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn) — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 10:48:00 +0000

If you've ever wondered what that beautiful blurry light effect in photos is, its called bokeh. It's used to describe the out-of-focus areas of a picture and comes from the Japanese word meaning blur. There is a simple way to take your own romantic bokeh shots and all you need is a bit of black paper! Just cut a circle of card to cover your lens and make a hole in it the shape you want your little lights. Check out this quick step by step for how to set up your camera.

Pics via tumblr.

eye candy

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn) — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 20:21:00 +0000

It seemed to begin as an option for indecisive brides who couldn't settle on what flavour icing to have, so why not have them all! Today its evolved into something of a wedding phenomenon - the dessert bar! Check out this eye candy for some mouth watering wedding inspiration...

Credits: Green Wedding Shoes, Green Wedding Shoes, Bello Photography via Style Me Pretty, Mini Gaga, unknown, unknown, Once Wed, Style Me Pretty.

DIY project: lollipop escort cards

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn) — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 22:35:00 +0000

This is just the sweetest way to show weddings guests to their seats! All you will need is some large lollipops, round stickers and something to stand them in. Here we've used different shades of glass bottles but you could use a bed of jellybeans or smarties to keep the sweet theme. Print your guests name and table number onto the stickers and pop them on your lollies! Easy!

something new... softspot

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn) — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 09:35:00 +0000

I think its safe to say that I have a soft spot for weddings and wedding invitations (and if you're visiting this blog you probably do too). I hope you love our soft and romantic new stationery range - took me ages to come up with a name for it, and we've decided on softspot. This pretty bokeh photography inspired design is now available in our online shop!

FREEBIES: sweets from the sweethearts

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn) — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 19:58:00 +0000

This month we have the cutest little free wedding download for you. These favor or bomboniere boxes are just perfect for giving guests a sweet treat. The free template folds into a 5cm (2 inch) square box with the words 'Love is sweet' written on the front. Just download the file from our website here, print, fold, cut and glue. It's easy.

pastel perfection

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn) — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 19:55:00 +0000

Set the scene for a romantic wedding with pretty pastel decor.

Balloons and paper streamers make easy but effective wedding decorations (pic via 100 Layer Cake). Stunning centrepieces of pretty pink roses work beautifully with the pastel napkins and plates - even pastel shades of cocktails! (Pic by Studio22 Photography).

Paper streamers from Martha Stewart make a fabulous backdrop to a drinks bar. Customised and printable 'Sweet Heart' menu, $20 from 'i do' it yourself. A pretty handmade garland of paper flowers, $52, from Milla Love.

Delicious heart shaped cookies like these on each table are sure to delight. Or how about filling large jars with heart shaped sweets for fun and colourful centrepieces? (pics unknown).

A beautiful wedding tent in calm pastels shades of mint, peach and pale yellow, with cute bunting flags made by the brides mother, (via Ruffled).

something borrowed: crochet heart garland

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn) — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 23:05:00 +0000

Garlands of any kind make great wedding decorations, but these crocheted sweet hearts are just the cutest idea! Grab the instructions from Bella Dia and crochet your hearts in a mix of different pastel shades then simply peg to string as above.

DIY stationery: sweet hearts

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn) — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 09:33:00 +0000

I'm so pleased our latest printable wedding stationery range is now available. I love this cute little pastel design which has the key text written inside sweet hearts! Shown here in pink but as you can see by the loose insert above, you can have just about any colour you like and its great fun to mix and match the pastel shades.

Available in our online shop from just $15.

add some fizz

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn) — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 17:12:00 +0000

Add some fizz and pretty up your wedding with our new DIY lemonade bottle labels. Sure to impress wedding guests on a warm day the labels come customised with your wedding details (name and date).

Supplied as a PDF computer file and ready to print as many as you like at home on sticker paper (we recommend the waterproof kind) for an easy DIY wedding project. With a vintage vibe the file comes with two designs, pink lemonade and fresh lemonade.

Size: Each label is 210 x 90mm or 8 x 3.5 inches other sizes may be available on request.

So cute! To buy now for $15 visit our online shop.

DIY project: lemonade stand

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn) — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 21:43:00 +0000

Nothings better on a hot day than a cool glass of lemonade, especially if you've just been standing in the hot sun watching a wedding ceremony! So why not set up a lemonade stand for your wedding guests? Picture perfect and really easy to put together, it's just the thing for an outdoor wedding, you can even keep the kids busy by asking them to man the shop.

What you'll need:

• A stand, which can be anything from a wine barrel to a table covered with a pretty fabric cloth.

• A 'lemonade' sign - write it on a chalk board or print one out.

• And obviously some lemonade. You can keep it simple and just supply chilled bottles of pop or make up your own batches served in large glass pitchers and make paper cups or glasses available.

• Finish by decorating with a few lemons and your done! Refreshingly simple.

Credits: Once Love Photos via Once Wed, dessert table with pink lemonade via Style Me Pretty, vintage soda bar via Intimate Weddings, yummy punch from a yummy wedding by Katie Day Photo, mint limeade and pink lemonade from Martha Stewart, don't forget to check out the recipes while your there!

something borrowed: your own sweet hearts

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn) — Sat, 07 Aug 2010 15:24:00 +0000

The always amazing Martha Stewart has this gorgeous DIY project to make your very own sweet heart cookies! You can even stamp them with your own messages and conversation starters once the icing is completely dry. How cute? View the recipe here.

pretty in pastel

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn) — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 18:49:00 +0000

Pretty pastel colours have always been a favourites for bridesmaid dresses. And for good reason, soft pastel shades are romantic and feminine and look great up against the white wedding dress.

Below we've put together some examples of pastel clad bridesmaids, all with quite different styles, but all gorgeous.

Credits: Flint Photography via Snippet and Ink, Life Images, Sugar Love Weddings,

Raya Carlisle Photography, Alun Williams Photography

unleash your inner princess

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn) — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 15:43:00 +0000

If you're a fan of handmade etsy weddings then chances are you've come across the designs of Ouma Clothing. A popular seller on the wedding blog circuit, Ouma based in Phoenix, Arizona creates dreamy dresses made up of layer after layer of tulle. Each dress is made to order and there are plenty of pretty colours to choose from. Visit Ouma Clothing on etsy.

sweet hearts

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn) — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 12:30:00 +0000

As the saying goes love is sweet, and this month is sugar and spice and all things nice with a girly pastel wedding. Our inspired for this wedding theme has come from those cute love heart sweets, you know the ones with little romantic messages on them like 'You're Gorgeous' and 'Cuddle Me'.

With a colour palette of pretty pastel pink, buttermilk yellow, pale peppermint and peach this themes pure eye candy.

Credits: Model shot by Joshua Jordan; pretty party balloons in pastel shades are a quick and easy way to decorate (pic unknown), delicious desert bar cup cakes via Green Wedding Shoes. This months inspiration sweet heart lollies.
Beautiful bridesmaids in pastel shades, photo by Sugar Love Weddings. More mouth watering cupcakes from Wedding Magazine. Pretty paper pom palms by Gracious Paper. Pastel shades of an eye shadow palette (pic unknown).

we ♥ july

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn) — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 02:51:00 +0000

Few! What a month in the 'i do' it yourself office. We've been busy knocking out walls and putting a new kitchen in, things have been pretty chaotic but we got there in the end. (And I hate to say, but that was a much more stressful than organising a wedding!) Someone recently asked me what I think the one thing is that brides 'think' they need at their wedding, but they really don't? And I'm going to say perfection. At the end of the day don't loose sight of the fact that a wedding is all about the love of two people - not that the roses you picked out are exactly the right shade of pink. Don't sweat the small stuff as the say. The whole point of a DIY wedding is to enjoy the process. You're adding your special touch to the day, so have fun and be yourself!

We hope you enjoyed this months romantic winter Aussie bush wedding. Above are a few things we fell in love with this month. Getting back to the classics with beautiful veils (model pic via It's a Jamie Thing) Circular Veil With Fresh Water Pearl Comb, US$195 from I Do Wedding Veils in Sydney. The cutest little handmade custom wedding cake toppers made by the very talented Blue Butterfly Design.

Net month, we'll sweeten things up ...

DIY project: glitter gum leaf

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn) — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 15:50:00 +0000

Add some beautiful bling to your wedding day with simple spray painted gum leaves. Great for decorations, scatter them on tables or use them as gorgeous place cards with guests names written on. It's so easy. Collect fallen gum leaves and spray paint with a white undercoat. (You can leave some leaves like this is you want to mix colours up a bit.) Once dry spray paint with a top coat of either silver or glitter silver spray paint.

You can finish off by painting or use a gel pen to write guests names on each leaf to use as a beautiful alternative to tradition tented place cards.

something new... winter fingerprint guestbook tree

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn) — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 23:42:00 +0000

As our printable guestbook fingerprint tree is proving so popular, we've designed a new one for the winter months! A fantastic alternative to the traditional wedding guest book. Guests leave a fingerprint to act as a leaf on your tree, so cute to hang on your wall after the wedding! Supplied as a digital file, just take it to your local print shop for a quick and easy poster print.

Buy now for (AU)$25

Or visit our online shop

white on white

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn) — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 02:49:00 +0000

Classic, simple and stunning. White on white wedding decor is simply beautiful, take a look at some of our favourite decorating ideas...

Credits from top: Martha Stewart, 2-4 unknown, Pacific Weddings.