Yea for Fridays!! 🙂

Idea’s We Love – Fragrant Mists

Summer weddings can be beautiful affairs, but they often come with warm weather, which can also come with some uninvited guests of the flying variety. We thought these homemade, all-natural mists we found in latest issue of Martha Stewart Living were a lovely alternative to offering conventional bug spray and are super pretty to boot. I’m  going to make some of these for our next big cookout. These are not only easy, but such a thoughtful idea for your guests. Definitely a “good thing”, indeed!

Courtesy Martha Stewart Living

Courtesy Martha Stewart Living

“A refreshing spritz of fragrant water is a great way to keep cool in summer. To create sprays, simply fill mist bottles with water and a few strips of julienned cucumber or sprigs of lavender and mint. Label bottles (labels from chroniclebooks.com), and set them on a tray at your next backyard barbecue. Bonus: Cucumber is known for its hydrating properties, and lavender and mint are reputed insect repellents.”

People We Love – Erin McDermott Jewelry

Full disclaimer – Erin, of Erin McDermott Jewelry, is a wonderful friend of ours and we’re incredibly excited to be shooting her Spring wedding next year, but we think you’re going to love her, too! She is an amazing jewelry designer and has been creating beautiful, unique pieces for years. (I can attest to that as I have several pieces myself – I especially love her turquoise work.) Erin loves designing bridal jewelry for brides, their bridesmaids and their Mothers. One of her specialties is working with each individual client and learning more about them as individuals, their own personal style, their likes and dislikes and what mood they’re looking for, as well as designing pieces that will compliment their dresses and flowers.

Be sure to check out her website and she’s adding new designs all the time. I love the fun names she gives her pieces, too like Drive in Movie drop earrings, Rhythmic Rock Candy Charm bracelet and Cream Custard & Cloud Countryside necklace. Also, if you’re local to Charlottesville or find yourself in our lovely town on a Saturday morning, be sure to visit Erin’s booth (staffed by her warm and friendly assistant, Patty) at the Charlottesville Farmers Market, April-October. Come early though as it only runs from 7am-Noon (otherwise known as the time Anne gets up on a non-wedding Saturday!).

Here are just a few of my new favorites.

Courtesy Erin McDermott

Courtesy Erin McDermott

Courtesy Erin McDermott

Courtesy Erin McDermott

Courtesy Erin McDermott

Courtesy Erin McDermott

Courtesy Erin McDermott

Courtesy Erin McDermott

Courtesy Erin McDermott

Courtesy Erin McDermott

Courtesy Erin McDermott

Courtesy Erin McDermott

Courtesy Erin McDermott

Courtesy Erin McDermott

Erin is also having a special promotion right now. If you refer a bride to have her bridesmaid’s jewelry designed by Erin McDermott, she’ll send you a free pair of earrings…your choice. How cool is that!? You’ll also want to visit her inspirational blog – don’t miss the adorable pics of her little Sukie, as well as her latest jewelry designs.

Idea’s We Love – Silhouette Escort Cards

So I found this fun idea after I had already featured some fun and different silhouette ideas in last week’s installment of FAB Finds, but I just had to share it with you anyway. It’s that good. 😉

Courtesy TheKnot.com

Courtesy TheKnot.com

“Silhouettes help guests find their seats in style. Put your profile on your family’s escort cards and your fiance’s on his family’s. Even for a small wedding it’s a good idea to pick guests’ seats instead of letting them choose their own. Otherwise, your grandparents can get stuck in the back while your fiance’s coworkers score prime spots.”

“Wedding” Movies We Love – Rachel Getting Married

Yup, you read that right. Bill and I recently watched it and amid the intense family drama infusing this movie, there’s an actual wedding that is one of the coolest and most unique we’ve ever seen. Who cares if it was only a movie wedding. It’s really cool to see the different cultural aspects that make this wedding about not only the couple, but their family and friends who all play important parts in the wedding (and rehearsal dinner), as well.

The movie, smartly directed by Johnathan Demme, is about as un-Hollywood of a movie you can get and that’s also part of why we loved it. And even with all the heavy drama, the joy and levity of the wedding festivities helps keep the film balanced. (Compared to Revolutionary Road, which we also saw recently (thanks Netflix!) and while the movie was very well done, was quite the downer.) The music and appearances by Robyn Hitchcock and Sister Carol East (she was also in Demme’s Married to the Mob as the Hello Gorgeous salon owner, another fave “wedding” movie!), as well as the groom, who is played by the lead singer of TV on the Radio, just to name a few, may be enough on their own to draw you in. But look deeper. All of the family relationships in this drama ring strikingly honest and real and while it certainly has it’s heavy moments, the film is by no means depressing. Shot largely on hand held cameras, the documentary feel to the film makes you feel like you were there. You can watch a trailer here.

Courtesy Amazon.com

Courtesy Amazon.com

Fridays FAB Finds are all about showing you unique ideas and ways to make your wedding your own – not your parents’, nor your best friend’s. If you see the movie for no other reason, check it out to see how the couple infused their personalities and style into their laid back, backyard affair. You can find inspiration everywhere you look…even in the movies!

Have a great weekend and if you have a few moments to contribute, we’d love to hear what is currently inspiring you!