'i do' it yourself

beautiful bridesmaids

2010-09-06T07:00:00.000+10:00

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

2010-09-04T01:31:00.000+10:00

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

sweet sakura

2010-09-02T06:32:00.001+10:00

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

2010-09-03T07:38:00.002+10:00

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.

we ♥ august

2010-08-31T06:53:00.002+10:00

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

2010-08-30T06:37:00.000+10:00

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

2010-08-29T13:43:00.002+10:00

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

2010-08-28T20:48:00.005+10:00

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.

something new... softspot

2010-08-22T19:35:00.008+10:00

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!

eye candy

2010-08-26T06:21:00.002+10:00

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

2010-08-24T08:35:00.004+10:00

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!

FREEBIES: sweets from the sweethearts

2010-08-20T05:58:00.000+10:00

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

2010-08-18T05:55:00.006+10:00

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

2010-08-16T09:05:00.003+10:00

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.

winter aussie wedding

2010-07-02T09:49:00.009+10:00

With the temperatures outside hitting record lows, I think it's about time we got really wintry on the blog. But unless your hitting the snow in Perisher on your big day, a winter wedding in Australia isn't really about ice and snow flakes. A quick google of winter weddings and you can see there aren't a lot of ideas out there that don't involve Christmas! So lets see what winter wedding ideas we can come up with that are uniquely Australian. And what's more Aussie than the bush and a gum tree?

This month we're going to take our inspiration from the beautiful ghost gum with its smooth white trunk. A colour palette of soft grey, white and silver for a dreamy and romantic Australian winter wedding.

Credits: Create your own Australian winter wonderland.

Model pic unknown, contemporary tree wallpaper by Cole & Son. Delicious white chocolate coated cakes and pretty paper centerpieces from Martha Stewart. The stunning ghost gum, photo by Gregor T. Fill pretty white cups and plates with sweet treats, photo by David Prince. Add a hint of ice with paper snowflakes. Stunning grey and white bouquet via the knot. Lovely lemonade by the amazing Amy Atlas. Simple but beautiful white on white tablescape.

DIY stationery: sweet hearts

2010-08-14T19:33:00.003+10:00

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

2010-08-12T03:12:00.004+10:00

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.

real wedding: Angela and David

2009-07-22T07:56:00.002+10:00

This gorgeous winter wedding shot by the amazing Stephanie Williams in New Mexico, is just perfect to finish up our Christmas in July theme. The ceremony was held surrounded by Christmas trees and beautiful decorations of baby's breath and glittery snow flakes. This couple certainly created a winter wonderland.

DIY project: lemonade stand

2010-08-10T07:43:00.004+10:00

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

2010-08-08T01:24:00.002+10:00

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

2010-08-06T04:49:00.004+10:00

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

easy breezy decorations

2009-11-22T10:30:00.007+11:00

Simple and stylish, keep your cool with these easy breezy wedding decorating ideas.

Sea urchins can be found in a range of colours to fit your beach wedding decor. Scatter them around the tables or use porcelain alternatives as beautiful tea candle holders.

If you're planning outdoor dinning by the beach then your venue decorations are pretty much sorted for you! Keep table centerpieces simple with beautiful bunches of colour co-ordinated flowers in silver pales. Just don't forget to weigh the corners of that table cloth down. Pic via Brides.com. A stunning table display simply achieved with old glass bottles as table centerpieces and a scattering of coral. Via Brides.com.

The perfect finishing touches: Hang a lavender wreath decorated with starfish. Fill large glass vases with seashells as well as flowers, pic Michelle Rago Events. Starfish and purple scallops glued to white ribbon creating a beautiful beachy garland. US$15 from Surf Gifts. Simple sprigs of lavender lie with place cards. Pic by Weddings by Two via The Brides Cafe. Metallic beads glued onto natural star fish make very pretty decorations and great favours, finished with a nylon loop they can be suspended in bunches around the room. Three for US$8 from Natural Home.

Going all purple with the table decorations, just gorgeous, bunches of lavender in footed glasses via Martha Stewart Weddings. Last bite - you'll find the recipe here for delicious macaroons with violet and vanilla bean buttercream by Tartelette.

decorating pretty picnic style

2010-01-22T22:04:00.005+11:00

As we said before a picnic is not only a beautiful wedding idea it can be a big money saver too. Decorations can be kept to a minimum, try some cute pin wheels like Heather and Grayson did, they make fabulous photo props. Via Green Wedding Shoes photo by Dana and Jeremy Photography. These decorative moss balls could be hung from tress or scattered on the grass to create a makeshift aisle. From Save On Crafts. White, tin or green gingham jugs for refreshments or flowers.

Don't forget the picnic baskets of course. Guests could each receive their own baskets filled with food and drink for the day which doubles as a great wedding favour. Or use them to hold the order of service programs (pic by Jennifer Davis Photography) or champagne glasses as shown here. String pretty paper banners from the trees, hearts, birds and butterflies.

For a sit down meal bring a little rustic charm to the table with a simple setting, hessian table cloths, old lace and napkins neatly wrapped in fabric tied with a cute little button. Pic by Zoe Lingard. Then all there is left to do, is to relax and enjoy your day.

chinese flair

2010-04-10T07:00:00.002+10:00

Bring your wedding decorations to life with a bright and bold combination of red and gold.

Credits: Paper lanterns are a quick and easy way to add some drama, especially on mass like this pic from Martha Stewart. Paper cranes from Made by Jo. A colourful combination of different table mat designs, pic via Burda Fashion. Beautiful Chinese bowls stacked together for an interesting centerpiece, pic by Sass Studios. Lucky bamboo make great favours. Frosted glass takeout holders via Stylehive. Cute little cocktail umbrellas can be used as place cards, pic from the knot. Pretty lotus candle holder.

nautical style

2010-06-24T03:19:00.003+10:00

Add some nautical style to your nuptials with these great decorating ideas:

Wedding programs tied up with blue and white striped ribbon are a smart introduction to the ceremony. Tie a little rope around votive candles for a quick sailing feel, pic via Wed Depot. Cute hanging fabric fish with beads and bells. Clever knot escort cards and rope table numbers from a lovely New England wedding via Amanda Stanford. Gorgeous sea urchin paper sculptures double as place card holders and a beautiful gift for guests to take home, US$56 for four from Kissa Design. Even simple little paper boats from sheets of old newspaper make great rustic decorations pegged to some string, pic by J. Malahy Photography. Shabby chic wooden sailboats make fabulous table number signs, US$21.55 from Signs of Vintage. Simple white flowers in silver buckets finished off with a little red and blue ribbon make sea-loving centerpieces.