Wedding Shower Inspiration: Daniela's Vintage Tea Party

Every girl dreams of her beautiful wedding day with formal invitations, lush flowers, elegant  details, white dresses, and ever so helpful bridesmaids.  But, would you dream that your bridal shower could be the scene stealer?  Today we are pleased to share Daniela's "vintage tea party" themed bridal shower, exquisitely put together by her thoughtful and creative bridesmaids.  From homemade Vanilla extract favors to handmade doily garland and paper pom poms, this is a shower is full of charming personal touches that helped to create an elegant and sophisticated day for the bride to remember.

We asked one of the bridesmaids to give us her take on how they went about planning this event and here are some of the thoughts and insite she shared with us:

Was there an overarching theme for the shower?

Our initial thought for a theme was an elegant, soft, vintage inspired tea party, but we didn't want to take it too literally and serve just tea and put pictures of tea kettles and cups on everything. We wanted to keep it as elegant and sophisticated as possible. Towards the end it had felt like we broke pretty far away from our initial "tea party" idea but then seeing it all come together and looking at the pictures now, I think it translates as just that.

How did you come up with the ideas for the theme/decor?

Most of the ideas stemmed from things we knew Daniela loved and then we used our own ideas and inspirations found online to embellish on that. 

It seemed there were a lot of little details. How long did it take you to plan?

It's hard to say how long it took to plan since I'm sure we both had been thinking of ideas since before Daniela was even engaged. But I believe our actual planning probably began about 6 months ahead of time. For example, our favors (Homemade Vanilla Extract) had to sit for 4-5 months before being bottled and ready to use.

How did you choose the venue?

We knew we wanted to host it at a place where we had complete control and constant access so we could be planning and setting up in the months, days, and hours beforehand, so that is why we decided to host it in Sheryl's backyard. We felt having it at a hall or restaurant, although less work for us in the long run, would limit us.

How long did it take you to set up?

As for the set up, we did a lot of prepping in the months and weeks before the shower and stored everything in Sheryl's basement. We began setting things up in the yard the evening before (once the tent was set up and tables & chairs delivered) and spent the day of the shower doing the final touches. After the shower and the following day was the clean up...which with a lot of helping hands was a breeze!

What types of games did you play?

For games there was bridal bingo, a word search, and a Pat & Daniela quiz. We also placed LRC (Left Right Center) games along the table for people to play at their own will, but I think people were too busy chatting, eating, and drinking to be bothered to play .

Did you do it all yourselves?

We (Sara and Sheryl) did all of the planning and coordinating ourselves and tackled the majority of the decor and details. Thankfully both Daniela and Pat's mothers were very eager to help and were very generous in their contributions (tent, tables, chair & linen rentals, catering, and tons of additional desserts).

Was it a surprise?

The date, time and location of the shower were not a surprise to the bride to be -- we actually even placed an invitation to her own bridal shower on her front steps spruced up with some flowers. But we didn't let any of the details slip. 

Want to throw a shower like this?  Check the links these ladies have posted on Ruffled and Craig's List if you are interested in purchasing the china, glassware, server ware, and other items for your very own tea-party themed event!  Not all of the items are for sale, but it will certainly get you off to a great start!

Thanks to Sara and Sheryl for sharing these photos and detail with us and warmest congratulations to Daniela, the lovely bride to be!

XOXO

Jen & Saira

Real Wedding Wednesday: Kasey and Joey

We love to feature real weddings!. Today we are happy to share with you these favorites from the wedding of Kasey and Joey, by our very talented friends over at Marie James Photography.  We love Kasey's retro inspired tea length dress with its gorgeous overlay and think she looks so natural and radiant in these pictures.  We also are really loving the fun vintage looking flower in her hair as well as the groom's relaxed, yet formal, look with the gray striped pants, ivory vest, and solid black jacket. In addition to the bride and groom's great fashion choices, Kasey's bridesmaids wore alternating pink and green dresses, adding another element of fun and cheer to what we're sure was a beautiful wedding.  Are you a recent bride or a photographer and would like us to feature your wedding or a wedding you have shot, please feel free to email us the details to paperdollromance@gmail.com. We'd love to hear from you!

Thanks to Danielle over at Marie James Photography for sharing these with us.  Congratulations to Kasey and Joey.  We wish you happiness, always.

XOXO

Jen & Saira

Color Day: Peach, Olive, and Navy

Looking for the perfect laid back color palette?  We love the combination of peach, navy, and olive!  It's charming and rustic, perfect for your laid back barn or garden wedding. Navy and peach tend to remind us of a preppy nautical theme but when you throw in the moss or olive green accents, it changes the look completely to give it a natural and vintage foresty feel!

1. ao3Designs | 2. & 11. Green Wedding Shoes | 3. Southern Weddings | 4. Land Locked Bride |

 5. J Crew via VPOnsale | 6. Jodie | 7. Wedding Chicks  | 8. The Perfect Palette | 9. Juxtapost | 

10. Glamour and Grace |

XOXO

Jen & Saira

Tips for the Bridesmaid: 50s Style Bridal Shower

The best thing about Facebook's creepiness is that you can get a glimpse into other people's fabulous ideas. A few months ago I lurked photos of my friend at a 50s themed bridal shower, and I absolutely loved it! The planning is fairly simple -- the invite establishes the theme, throw in a few decorative items to keep the theme going, and serve basic finger foods that use a ton of butter! The real fun comes with having all  the guests dressed from head to toe in 50s finery. Think full dresses, pearl necklaces, printed aprons, perfectly curled hair, just adorable! This is a very manageable bridal shower theme that is sure to be a hit with your gal pals.

1. Flour Box Bakery | 2. Cupcake 555 | 3. Grandpa's Pocket | 5. Kala Supplies | 6. Past Versus Presents | 7. Mod Cloth

XOXO,

Jen & Saira

Real Wedding: Jennifer and Tavis

So, a while back we did a Color Day post on our friend Jen's "button inspired" wedding.  Photographer Angela Ferro exquisitely captured their day and, as promised, we're finally going to share some of our favorites with you! Jen and her hubs, Tavis, tied the knot on a beautiful, albeit rainy, day in Brisbane, Australia.  Australia is close to our hearts as PDR's Jen spent some time studying there in college and these photos bring back warm memories of BBQ's, relaxed and carefree vibes, and true Aussie hospitality.  Destination weddings are super hard to plan, particularly when you want to include as many personal touches as possible.  Luckily, Jen had brilliant wedding planners in her now mother-in-law and sister-in-law.  Her mother-in-law put her creativity and crafty skills to use with a number of DIY projects and the end result was a wedding bursting with character and charm.  We love the care taken to personalize this wedding and see Jen's warm personality and artist flare in pretty much every little detail.

Jen was happy to share her story and helped to shed some light on her overall wedding style and favorite moments.

On the importance of personal touches...

We also incorporated a few unexpected and nontraditional elements in the day. For instance, the initial plan was to play lawn games during the cocktail hour and use this time to take photos in the gardens. Unfortunately, it rained all day. One unexpected wedding event quickly turned into another as I told myself that I was wearing a one-use dress and was going to get the most out of it, even though it meant that Tavis and I were quite wet by the end of the photography session! Also, Tavis thought it would be funny to read his vows from his iPad and I then read my vows from my iPhone which I secretly had his best man carry for comedic effect. The ceremony was performed by both Tavis' brother and his best man and was both sweet and hilarious. For example, the first line of the ceremony was "Hello. This is a wedding." It was important to us to have a few personal details that really reflected us as a couple and I think these examples certainly allowed us to achieve our goal!

 On choosing to have a small, intimate wedding...

The wedding was cozy. Tavis and I both think that marriage is very intimate and personal and we wanted our wedding to be a great celebration of us. In fact, Tavis often referred to the wedding as a "party." We decided that the two things we wanted most out of celebrating our marriage were to be with the people we really love and take an awesome honeymoon. We happily remained true to ourselves and on budget by keeping these things in mind!

On her favorite moments of the day...

There were three really fantastic moments that stick out to me when I reflect on the day. The first was when I saw the cake. Planning the wedding from the US made me feel a little removed from the event. It wasn't until I saw the cake that it finally felt real and I became much more present; it was as though all the work had paid off and everything was going to be perfect. I am still in awe of how beautiful the cake was. The second of my favorite memories of the wedding was walking in the processional with Tavis' best man behind two bag pipers. The pipes made the most beautiful, heart-wrenching sound that set the tone for the ceremony, which Tavis wrote. Finally, was the first dance. Tavis and I danced to The Smiths "There is a Light that Never Goes out" which quickly became a sing-along for us and our guests. Then, at the end of the song, Tavis spun me around the room several times making everyone laugh and cheer. It was such a joyous event. The entire wedding was absolutely magical but these moments were definitely the most memorable for me.

Photography: Angela Ferro Photography

Venue: Home of the Groom's Parents - Brisbane, Australia

Floral Design: Brisbane Bouquets

Invitations: Keg Design

Catering: Wine & Dine'm

Wedding Cake: Josie Staines

Bagpipers: Brisbane Boys College

Bridal Gown: LoveJune

Bride's Shoes: Seychelles

Bride's Jewelry: Land and Laboratory 
Bride's Hair Clip: Ban.do

Hair: Jackie Trout Hair Design

Rings: Tiffany & Co.

Bridesmaid's Dress: Andrew Marc

Bridesmaid's Shoes: Stuart Weitzman

Men's Suits: Bill Paul Ltd.

Groom's Shirt: Sebastian Gray Clothiers

Groom's Shoes: Dr. Martens

See more details of Jen and Tavis' Wedding and read the story of how they met over at Style Me Pretty!

Thanks, Jen and Tavis for sharing these with us.  We wish you a long and happy marriage!

XOXO

Jen & Saira

Color Day Themes: Mad Men

AMC's award winning series "Mad Men" has really helped to increase the popularity of vintage style and bring retro inspired fashion to the main stream with collections from Banana Republic, Estee Lauder, and more.  Are you loving the vintage trend too?  Bring on the nostalgia and turn your wedding into a Mad Men themed event.  Grab some pearls, white gloves, skinny ties, a typewriter, and an Old Fashioned or two and get ready to party like it's 1965.

Mad Men Vintage Inspired Wedding

1. Emitations | 2. Beacon Lane | 3. & 6. My Sweet and Saucy | 4. Glamour | 5. Utah Bride | 7. Merci | 

8. Curvy Magazine | 9. Kodiakeskie | 10. Pretty Chicky | 11. Paisley Prints Etc. | 12. Amazon | 

13. JL Designs | 14. Banana Republic Mad Men Collection via Style Blueprint | 

XOXO

Jen & Saira

Color Day: Pink, Teal, & Seafoam

Ready for spring?  While there's still 26 days left of "Winter", it certainly feels like Spring's on it's way with these crazy 50 and 60 degree days in the northeast.  While we're sad to have missed out on snow storms (and snow days!) this winter, we are looking forward to Spring and are multitude of weddings that are coming up.  Here's a look at one of our favorite muted, yet modern, spring color combos. We love the contrast of the teal, which helps add a little sophistication and richness to this otherwise muted palette.

Teal, Sea foam, and Pink Wedding Inspiration Board

1. Snippet and Ink | 2. Dessy | 3. Flights of Fancy | 4. Fairy Forcast | 5. Baby Lifestyles | 

6. Caroline + Ben | 7. Juliet Marries Romeo | 8. Wedding Bee | 9. Jewelry Case |

 10. Modern Wedding | 11. BHLDN | 12. Wedding By Color |

XOXO

Jen & Saira

Bridal Market Week Recaps: Jenny Packham

When we saw Kate Middleton in that exquisitely beaded pink Jenny Packham dress back in June we secretly hoped that it might be a hint towards where the designer's Fall 2012 Bridal Collection was headed. And, needless to say, we certainly weren't disappointed. A little bit Gatsby, a little bit goddess, and even a little bit medieval, the Jenny Packham collection is the perfect mix of vintage elegance and bohemian charm.  We love love love this designer and the antique quality of these dresses, complete with intricate beading and a romantic sparkle that is truly glamorous.  This collection is so fantastic that we had a hard time choosing just eight pics, so be sure to click the link to brides.com to view all 30 equally gorgeous dresses!

Images from Jenny Packham via brides.com

XOXO
Jen & Saira

Mad Men Character Inspiration Part 3: Joan Holloway (Harris)

Sexy, confident, and always sassy, office manager Joan Holloway (Harris) never fails to steal the show. Taking her style cues from her idol Marilyn Monroe, Joan shows off her curves proudly. Her striking red hair, delicate features, volumptuous shape and love for bold, rich colors prove Joan is a force to be reckoned with.

A fun loving girl who's also responsible (sometimes) needs a wardrobe that is sexy while still being completely office appropriate.  This dress, from  ModCloth, has all the features that remind us of Joan - buttons, bold red color, form fitting shape, cap sleeves, and a waist cinching belt!

A typical day at the office calls for a not so typical dress, like this one from Nordstrom.  This 3/4 sleeve dress features a bold blue color, fun retro looking collar, and thick black belt to help those of you who don't have Joanie's perfect hour glass shape.

A vision in emerald, Joan makes the other women in the office green with envy. Luckily, Joan always knows just what to say to keep everyone calm and productive.

Joan Holloway is a whole lotta woman and for fancier occassions she needs a dress that can do her justice.  Be a stunning lady in red and show off your figure in this this sexy dress from Macys.

But, Joan doesn't wear dresses all the time!  Sometimes there is a skirt and sweater combo mixed in there.  We love this dark green sweater and it's old fashion button details and think it would look perfectly Joan-y with a tweed pencil skirt and pointy toe heels!

Pencil skirts are a very well known staple of the Joan Holloway wardrobe.  We love them in all colors and styles and think they make every woman look sexy and shapely, enhancing (or creating!) curves.

Joan doesn't mess around with sky high heels.  Walking around the city and office all day means you'll need heels that are low and comfy, but still super sexy and pointy!  Pointy toe kitten heels or ones that are slightly higher, like these Nine West heels, would be just right. Here are some in plain black, but you could also find colors that coordinate with your outfits which we have also seen Joan do on occasion.

What would Joan be without her signature necklace?  This necklace, available at Amazon, is similar to Joan's vintage pen necklace. Jen has one of these and has gotten many compliments on it, plus, it really writes so you don't ever have to worry about not having a pen handy!

And, of course, you'll often see Joan wearing a gold brooch along with the necklace above.  Etsy has a variety of vintage style gold brooches, like this round floral shaped one by Archives Chicago.

Likes to laugh, lives to love.

XOXO
Jen & Saira

Mad Men Character Inspiration Part 2: Betty Draper

Today we are excited to feature our second Mad Monday. We love vintage looks and, when it comes to feminine style , there is none more charming than model turned housewife, Betty Draper.  Betty is the epitome of how the modern 1950's wife and mother should look. Her style is a little bit of a mixed bag and goes from pretty and youthful (a la Grace Kelly) to respectable and sophisticated (think Jackie O) little by little.  But, regardless of her choices, she never fails to look fashionable and picture perfect with not a single hair out of place.

One of Birdie's favorite styles to wear is the sleeveless, button down dress.  Throughout the show you'll see her in a variety of these dresses, usually as her everyday kind of wear, and typically paired with a skinny belt.  We can certainly see her wearing something like this around the house, grocery shopping, or at one of her Junior League meetings.

Entertaining guests or just looking to impress?  Be the perfect hostess in a simple but stunning dress like this with it's modern colors and pattern and classic silhouette. Betty usually doesn't choose colors like these but she will for a festive occasion or for when she is looking to get a little attention.

Sure, there is another side of Betty (the pants wearing side) but that is one that we rarely see.  When you do you can bet they'll be some pretty unique and fashion forward pants like these plaid ones!

Charming business men isn't easy!  To wine and dine her hubby's coworkers at formal dinners and weddings, we think Betty would have loved this dress from Macy's.  This dress is modest and appropriate for an upper class woman of her time with it's full skirt and lovely pale pink color.

Being wealthy isn't easy and your bound to have more than a few social events to attend to. If your planning to attend a more modern and fun cocktail party, you could opt for this adorable little number.  All eyes will be on you in this gorgeous dress with feminine colors, a bit of sparkle, and Betty's signature full skirt that creates the perfect hourglass.  Don't forget your white gloves!

In later seasons you're more likely to see Betty is something like this.  As her life changes (no spoilers!) she starts dressing a bit more conservative and respectable, showing that she is growing up and changing. While dressing more mature, she is still as classy and beautiful as ever.

When Betty needs some time to herself she hits the stables for some riding and is, of course, dressed appropriately. This would be the perfect chic and modern equestrian outfit, complete with boots,  riding pants, and a conservative sweater and turtleneck all in neutral classy colors.

Now, let's not forget accessories.  Betty's accessories are classic and feminine and very simple.  Need to add a pop of color to an outfit or make yourself look more respectable and presentable?  Just add a chic silk scarf and you're ready to go!

And, of course, Betty is never without the blue blood staple, pearls!  She is often seen wearing big, oversized pearl stud earrings or a delicate necklace.  Slip on a pair of these and your double strand pearl necklace and you'll feel instantly glamorous. 

XOXO,

Jen & Saira