Easiest DIY Project {EVER}

In addition to our wedding cake, we are going to have a table of specialty European style cakes at our wedding. Tiramisu, Cheesecake, Chocolate Hazelnut Cake, etc. They are going to be so good! So, I've been pulling out all of my cake stands and realized that I was one short. I browsed around online and found that making your own cake stand is the easiest DIY project ever! I am not kidding.

So, off to the antique shop I went. I found a beautiful milk glass candle holder for $3 and a gorgeous old plate (with handles) for $4. I came home, and with the help of my tube of Epoxy (Gorilla brand, found in the glue aisle at Home Depot), glued them together! Let it dry for 90 minutes and viola! My new cake plate:

{Personal Photos}

What was the easiest DIY project you completed?

My Orlando Bridal Tea

I was blessed with two of the most beautiful bridal showers I have ever seen. I am so excited to share the pictures with you all! Today, I will share my lovely Orlando shower thrown for me by my sister and my mom. It was a tea party held at an old Victorian mansion and it was a lot of fun! Thank you to Brian Hess Photography for the beautiful pictures :)

All us girls in our hats!

 Loved my bride to be banner!

 My beautiful friends!

 Gorgeous birdcage cake! I was in L O V E!

 My mom and I!

 Highland Manor (which actually closed two weeks after my shower)

 This bird knew I was incorporating birds into my wedding and decided to show up to say hi!

 Beautiful gift

 My sister and I in our fun hats!

 The sign-in table that my mom decorated!

Teapot Centerpiece

This is just the beginning!

Tell me ladies, have you heard this?

"Gosh, you spend so much time planning your wedding and making sure everything is perfect and then the day goes by so fast and you don't remember any of it!"

I've heard this multiple times over the course of my engagement and here is my very public response.

Wedding planning to me is not about our wedding day, August 13th, 2011, it's about much more than that. From the day I met my love, to our amazing engagement on August 20th, 2010, I have had so many meaningful experiences that made me realize that this is not about one day of fun, it's about planning for and working towards a lifetime of love and happiness. The parties where I'm surrounded by my closest family and friends, financial discussions, pre-cana marriage prep process, trying on dresses with my mom, compromise about what's important and what's not...that is what this experience is all about. I truly believe that each and every one of those experiences have made me a better woman, friend, and future wife. I feel so close to and supported by the people around me and it is the most wonderful feeling. Major life events bring us together and I have definitely witnessed that first hand.

You all know that I've spent countless hours planning this wedding and it's because I'm designing our reception to reflect CF and I as a couple. It will be formal enough to fit the sacredness of the occasion yet romantic and fun (like we are)! We want our guests to be treated like kings and queens because that is how they've made us feel all our lives. This won't be an ordinary night, where we "make due" and "settle"...it will be the most special celebration of our lives and our guests will know it! No, the wedding day is not the end, it's the beginning. It's so close now and I can hardly wait!

Wedding Wedding Everywhere

I am laying on my living room floor right now surrounded by stuff. Honestly, my house has never been this messy. I am covered in coupons, ribbon, shower gifts, bridesmaids gifts, and endless unfinished craft projects. You know, the ribbon wands, picture frames for the photo wall, personalized hangers, survival kits, etc. If I look hard enough I might even be able to find a cute curly-haired dog or my wonderful fiance :-) They've got to be around here somewhere!

Yes, I am officially in the "holy crap I'm getting married in 9 weeks and I haven't finished started my DIY projects" phase! The pressure is on and I promise I'm starting to get things done (and documenting the process). I've always worked best under pressure!

What DIY project are you currently in the middle of?

My Very Talented Friend

So I have a wonderful friend and her name is Jenny. She is very creative, crafty, and talented. In addition, she shares my love of all things girly! Ruffles, pink, glitter, hearts...if it's cute, we love it! So, as the wedding to-do list got longer and longer, I asked for her help and (thankfully) she was up to the challenge of working with me! :)

This girl is truly an event planner at heart and I've asked her to plan my bridesmaids' bruncheon. All I did was tell her the style I wanted (feminine with a little Southern charm) and she sent me back the most amazing inspiration boards full of details that I just couldn't take my eyes off of! She's that good and if you live in Florida and are planning a wedding you might just want to hire her. Check out her website and blog where she offers a lot of DIY projects, personalized stationary that you can download, wedding invitations, save the date magnets, and more! Oh, she also designs/sells the cutest cell phone covers! If only I had an iPhone.

Pretty adorable right! My girls are in for such a treat!!!

Are you doing everything yourself, or are you enlisting the help of a very crafty friend?