Guest Blogger: Live Creating Yourself

Today, I have the multi-talented Alaina of Live Creating Yourself filling in for me.  Not only is she a graphic designer and blogger, but she and some fellow bloggers are in the process of launching a new online magazine, called Rue Magazine, coming in September. And, on top of all of this, she just planned her sister's wedding (and is sharing all of the details with us):


My older sister got married this past weekend on a beach in Michigan, and I was in large part responsible for orchestrating the entire event. Bad news is that I had two and a half months to plan the low budget wedding. Good news is that only 19 people attended - immediate families only, and it was low-key to the umpteenth degree. As with most things in my life, the majority of the inspiration for decorative accents came from images I've seen on other blogs. I thought I'd share some of the "see it, do it" images with all of you while Ms. Emily is away on vaca.

INSPIRATION 1: invites

Joanna Goddard shared her wedding program with her readers, and my sister loved the whimsical design and illustrations of the bride and groom.

Being a graphic designer, I was able to whip up a design and illustration using Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator. Fortunately, only six invites needed to go out.

INSPIRATION 2: signs

Our Labor of Love shot this beautiful country wedding, and I fell in love with the charm of this hand-painted sign.

I sent the inspiration image to Paul (sister's new husband) and he created this fun sign. We used some thin twine/rope and hung it over a post on the deck pointing in the direction of the beach where the ceremony was held.

INSPIRATION 3: blue mason jars

I don't actually remember where I first saw an image of a blue mason jar as a centerpiece, but thought it would be perfect for a beach wedding.

We bought six blue mason jars from an etsy seller and ordered the blue and white hydrangeas and white dendrobium orchids from Costco. Voila! Wedding centerpieces on the cheap.

INSPIRATION 4: twinkle lights

I knew twinkle lights would be an essential ingredient to a charming outdoor wedding, and I thought John and Sherry of Young House Love executed the look flawlessly, creating a starry canopy over the tables at their backyard wedding.

I saw the exact same globe twinkle lights for sale at Target and bought up the lot. Half an hour or so with a staple gun and ladder (very Chevy Chase in Christmas Vacation), and we had our own starry night on the back deck!

All in all it was a magical, pretty evening. Everyone had a blast, it was very casual, and stress was kept at bay. What better way to spend the happiest day of your life, right?