Check Us Out – We’re Featured!
Written by Sara on December 11, 2010 – 2:27 pm -Happy weekend, readers! We’re currently snowed in (a blizzard’s a-brewing outside!), and we’re quite happy about it – even our puppy Wyatt loves the snow! Check out this picture of Wyatt after a romp outside in the snow today:
I’m breaking radio silence this weekend to let you all know that one of our wedding photos has been featured by Whisker Works, the lovely talent behind the mustache props that we used in our wedding photos!
Check it out here. Big thanks to Whisker Works for featuring us on their Staches in Action page!
Happy weekend!
Posted in Adornments & Embellishments, Inspiration & Insight, Our Wedding, Personal | Comments Off
Joy: Our Wedding – Reception Table Centerpieces!
Written by Sara on December 8, 2010 – 10:46 am -{Click here to catch up on our wedding recaps:
Hair appointments; Picking up flowers; Getting ready; The Gown; Our First Look, Girls & Guys Attire, More Photos, Jitters and Communion, Ceremony Decor; Our DIY Ceremony Programs, Prayers, Readings and Music, Walking Down the Aisle, More Ceremony Shots and The Getaway Car}
Here’s a look at the centerpieces that we utilized at our wedding! We used the following items for each table, as well as the cost per item:
- 1-2 birdhouses (depending on size) from my mother’s collection. We did purchase a few birdcages (my Mom mostly has birdhouses, and I love cages!), so I would say that we spent $50 max on 2-3 birdcages.
- A picture of our relatives on their wedding day. While we borrowed many, many picture frames from family members, we needed to purchase a few frames; I would estimate that we spent no more than $25 total.
- Mason jar, tied with ribbon, with a candle inside. We brought these from the ceremony site to the reception site (yay for reuse!), but we needed to purchase one set of jars (my mother had the others!), candles and the ribbon. I would estimate about $25 for this project; we purchased a ton of candles from IKEA for super cheap!
- Letter ‘G’ to represent our last name, Gillis. I purchased these at Hobby Lobby, painted them ivory and distressed them with sandpaper. Total cost for this project: about $15.
- Square of burlap, which acted as an anchor of sorts for the centerpiece. I know that we purchased a large bolt of burlap from Joann’s Fabric for 50% off one day…I’m sure it didn’t cost more than $20.
Here are a few more pictures, including our cootie catcher favors, a note for our wedding guests, our DIY fabric napkins, and our DIY photobooth tickets!
Up next: More reception decor – the wishing tree and our photo displays!
[All photos by Creative Kindling, our lovely photographers]
Tags: birdcages, birdhouses, burlap, candles, cootie catcher favors, Creative Kindling, DIY fabric napkins, DIY photobooth tickets, mason jars, reception centerpieces, Wedding Recap
Posted in Adornments & Embellishments, Budget Weddings, Decor, DIY, Eco-Chic, Inspiration & Insight, Our Wedding, Personal, Photography, Stationery, Venues, Vintage Beauties, Wedding Recap, Weddings | 3 Comments »
Joy: Our Wedding – The Getaway Car
Written by Sara on December 4, 2010 – 9:31 am -{Click here to catch up on our wedding recaps:
Hair appointments; Picking up flowers; Getting ready; The Gown; Our First Look, Girls & Guys Attire, More Photos, Jitters and Communion, Ceremony Decor; Our DIY Ceremony Programs, Prayers, Readings and Music, Walking Down the Aisle and More Ceremony Shots}
For our getaway car, I really wanted to rent or borrow an old classic car to ride away in. Luckily, one of my father’s coworkers restores cars, and he allowed us to borrow his classic Chevrolet free of charge (actually, all he requested as payment was a photo of us with the car, looking overjoyed – how sweet is that!). It was so much fun to ride away in it. My lovely father drove us from the ceremony to the reception; here are a few pictures!
The only downside to the car was that being a classic car, it lacked air conditioning. Since we were married on literally the hottest day of the year, it was quite miserable inside the confines of that car. However, our emotions were running at an all-time high, so we were too overjoyed with the variety of people honking at us in celebration to care much about the heat!
For those of you that are curious, our “Just Married” sign came from Etsy seller Earmark – it was whimsical and perfect!
Up next: the centerpieces at our wedding reception!
[All photos by Creative Kindling, who we couldn't recommend higher!]
Tags: classic car, classic Chevrolet, Creative Kindling, Earmark, Etsy, vintage car, wedding getaway car
Posted in Adornments & Embellishments, Beauty & Polish, Budget Weddings, Decor, Fashion, Flowers, Inspiration & Insight, Our Wedding, Personal, Photography, Venues, Vintage Beauties, Wedding Recap, Weddings | 2 Comments »
Joy: Our Wedding – More Ceremony Shots
Written by Sara on November 27, 2010 – 1:35 pm -{Click here to catch up on our wedding recaps:
Hair appointments; Picking up flowers; Getting ready; The Gown; Our First Look, Girls & Guys Attire, More Photos, Jitters and Communion, Ceremony Decor; Our DIY Ceremony Programs, Prayers, Readings and Music, and Walking Down the Aisle}
Here are some more shots from our wedding ceremony, which took place at the Augustana Chapel in Sioux Falls, SD:
Up next: Our Getaway Car!
[All photos by Creative Kindling, our lovely and talented photographers]
Tags: Wedding Ceremony Pictures
Posted in Adornments & Embellishments, Beauty & Polish, Budget Weddings, Decor, Fashion, Flowers, Inspiration & Insight, Our Wedding, Personal, Photography, Venues, Vintage Beauties, Wedding Recap, Weddings | 2 Comments »
Joy: Our Wedding – Walking Down the Aisle!
Written by Sara on November 20, 2010 – 9:28 am -{Click here to catch up on our wedding recaps:
Hair appointments; Picking up flowers; Getting ready; The Gown; Our First Look, Girls & Guys Attire, More Photos, Jitters and Communion, Ceremony Decor and Our DIY Ceremony Programs, Prayers, Readings and Music}
After communion, my father and I spent a few moments alone in the pastor’s office. I was a nervous wreck – I knew that the moment had finally come to walk down the aisle, and that made me nervous! I wasn’t nervous at all to marry Jordan, but I was nervous for everyone to look at me! Silly, I know, and looking back, I overreacted, but in the moment, I was taking in and living my authentic emotions.
While my father and I were waiting for our turn to walk down the aisle, Jordan escorted my grandmother and our mothers in, and then he took his place with my Uncle Rick for the ceremony:
This picture below is one of my absolute favorites from the entire wedding; it makes me so, so proud to call my father mine, because he’s such a wonderful man:
He was a complete gem that day, so calm, telling light-hearted jokes to make me giggle and smile and forget that in a few moments, everyone in that church would be watching me walk down the aisle. He revealed the next day, at our gift-opening brunch, that he too was nervous to walk in front of the 130 guests in attendance, but I never would have guessed it. Both of my parents were so wonderful on our wedding day; they both had joy in their eyes that I won’t ever forget. My mother was with me the majority of the day, helping me to get dressed – it was an emotional day, and it was wonderful to have my parents with me.
After our groomsmen and our bridesmaids took their places, and our flower girls graced the aisle with yellow rose petals, it was finally our turn.
With my sister-in-law singing “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” as I walked, I felt goosebumps take over my arms. I clutched my dad’s arm, and when I saw Jordan, I grew so, so excited. Today was our day; it was finally here.
Up next: More photos from the ceremony!
[All photos by the outstanding Creative Kindling]
Tags: "Somewhere Over the Rainbow", Walking Down the Aisle
Posted in Adornments & Embellishments, Beauty & Polish, Budget Weddings, Decor, DIY, Fashion, Flowers, Inspiration & Insight, Music & Entertainment, Our Wedding, Personal, Photography, Venues, Vintage Beauties, Wedding Recap, Weddings | 5 Comments »
Joy: Our Wedding – Ceremony Music, Readings, Prayers & DIY Programs!
Written by Sara on November 12, 2010 – 4:32 pm -{Click here to catch up on our wedding recaps:
Hair appointments; Picking up flowers; Getting ready; The Gown; Our First Look, Girls & Guys Attire, More Photos, Jitters and Communion and Ceremony Decor}
Jordan and I wrote our wedding ceremony together from a sample Methodist wedding ceremony, given to me by my uncle, who was performing our ceremony. I labored over the prayers and the readings in particular, because I wanted every bit of that ceremony to reflect Jordan and I.
So, here’s what we ended up using:
Music – I walked down the aisle to my lovely sister-in-law’s rendition of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.” I still get all starry-eyed every time I hear that song, because it makes me think of clutching my dad’s arm, and of seeing Jordan at the end of the aisle.
We also had my sister-in-law sing “We Are Man & Wife” by Michelle Featherstone while we signed our marriage license. Every time I hear this song (it’s evidently a song that my Itunes DJ likes to play), I smile from ear to ear. This song will always make me think about our wedding, and I get tears in my eyes whenever I hear it. It’s such a special, emotional, personal song for me.
Readings – Ecclesiastes 4:9-12; Excerpt – The Velveteen Rabbit (found here); “i carry your heart with me” – e.e. cummings
I’ve loved the Ecclesiastes verses ever since I was young; the notion that “two are better than one” gives me tingles inside, and the imagery of the three cords (one for each of us, and one for God) remaining unbroken is the strongest symbol of marriage that I’ve ever heard.
The Velveteen Rabbit reading sort of fell into my lab one day as I was scanning the blogosphere for reading ideas; I love, love, LOVE it. It’s the first book that we’ll give to our (someday, future) child, I think. These are the words that Mommy and Daddy read at their wedding ceremony. I’m tearing up already.
Lastly, the e.e. cummings poem was so, so perfect for us. I had the lovely Paloma’s Nest on Etsy make me a bouquet charm that read, “i carry your heart with me,” and it’s such an evocative poem…makes me giggly thinking of my husband carrying my heart in his.
Prayer – I really, really wanted to honor our grandparents (we’ve lost seven of our eight grandparents) at our wedding. In addition to the seven candles that we placed on the altar, my uncle and I also composed a grandparents prayer, which went like this:
Through the joys and struggles of life, you two have emerged as unique people, thanks to God, your family and friends, including some who have gone before us. Our prayers go out to them this day as well as to others who, for whatever reason, cannot be here in person.
We offer prayers of thanksgiving especially for the grandparents who have fostered your dreams and enriched your lives. We remember today and always the lives of [names], honoring their contributions to your lives.
All who cannot be here today still share in our joy through the Spirit of LOVE, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. We praise God for His presence with us, and especially in the solemn creation of this marriage covenant, through Jesus Christ our Lord. -Amen-
This prayer was so, so emotional for me; it took almost everything I had not to cry.
And, here are a few pictures of our DIY programs…an 8-page labor of love that Jordan and I created while holed up for a weekend in his tiny, tiny apartment watching the ENTIRE Lord of the Rings series.
Up next: Walking Down the Aisle!
[All photos by the fantastically talented Creative Kindling]
Tags: ceremony music, DIY wedding ceremony programs, prayer for grandparents, wedding ceremony readings, wedding prayers
Posted in Adornments & Embellishments, Beauty & Polish, Budget Weddings, Decor, DIY, Inspiration & Insight, Music & Entertainment, Our Wedding, Personal, Photography, Stationery, Venues, Vintage Beauties, Wedding Recap, Weddings | 4 Comments »
Joy: Our Wedding – Ceremony Decor!
Written by Sara on October 30, 2010 – 7:00 pm -{Click here to catch up on our wedding recaps:
Hair appointments; Picking up flowers; Getting ready; The Gown; Our First Look, Girls & Guys Attire, More Photos, and Jitters and Communion}
Before we get into the actual wedding ceremony, I thought it would be fun to show you how we decorated the chapel space! Because the chapel at Augustana is already so, so beautiful, we wanted to keep the decor simple. So, we lined the center aisle with candles in mason jars tied with ribbon…
And after a failed attempt at creating these tissue paper pom-poms to hang on each pew, I purchased these rustic-looking burlap bows from Etsy! I purchased these from a seller who had used them for her own wedding; how fun! I added some grey and yellow ribbon to these, and I also adorned each bow with a brooch that I purchased at an antique store in Lincoln, Nebraska, before Jordan and I were even engaged!
We also placed seven beeswax candles on the altar to honor our grandparents who have passed away. We used yellow mulberries (from my mother’s collection!) to adorn the silver charger plate.
Also, now would probably be a great time to show you our guestbook, which we placed just outside the sanctuary in an entryway. From Etsy seller Lovliday, we had our guests stamp their thumbprints on this canvas and sign their name nearby. How fun!
Next up: A glimpse into the readings, music and prayers that we used in our ceremony!
[All photos by the outstanding Creative Kindling]
Tags: burlap pew bows, Creative Kindling, Etsy, guestbook, Lovliday, mason jars, simple ceremony decor
Posted in Adornments & Embellishments, Budget Weddings, Decor, DIY, Eco-Chic, Inspiration & Insight, Our Wedding, Personal, Photography, Vintage Beauties, Wedding Recap, Weddings | 2 Comments »
Joy: Our Wedding – Jitters and Communion
Written by Sara on October 24, 2010 – 8:48 pm -{Click here to catch up on our wedding recaps:
Hair appointments; Picking up flowers; Getting ready; The Gown; Our First Look, Girls & Guys Attire and More Photos}
Hello, readers! After a LONG hiatus full of teaching, grading, and learning (I’m a graduate student and I also teach English Composition to college freshmen), I’m back with another recap post!
After we finished up with our posed pictures with the wedding party and with our families, my girls and I headed back to our “getting ready” room to relax before the ceremony. My sister-in-law Larissa touched up my make-up, I re-curled part of my hair that had fallen victim to the humidity, spritzed myself with perfume, and then all of a sudden, my Dad arrived to take me back to the chapel for communion with Jordan. As soon as my Dad arrived, I began to get nervous…not nervous to marry Jordan, but nervous to walk down the aisle and have everyone look at me!
It was very important to me that Jordan and I take the time to have communion together before the ceremony, so with about 20 minutes to go, Jordan and I met my Uncle Rick, a retired Methodist pastor who married us, for communion.
This ended up being one of my most favorite parts of the day, mostly because I knew that in the moments to follow, my entire life was going to change. My heart was beating, my palms were sweaty, and all I felt was nervous excitement. It was wonderful to have those few moments alone with Jordan before the ceremony!
After Uncle Rick completed the communion blessing, Jordan headed out to ready himself to escort our mothers and my grandmother into the sanctuary. I frantically called for my Dad to help calm my nerves before the ceremony, and soon enough, it was time to line up!
Stay tuned for a peek at our ceremony decor. I promise, I’ll try and blog very soon!
[All pictures by the amazingly talented Creative Kindling]
Posted in Adornments & Embellishments, Beauty & Polish, Budget Weddings, DIY, Inspiration & Insight, Our Wedding, Personal, Photography, Vintage Beauties, Wedding Recap, Weddings | 6 Comments »
Joy: Our Wedding – More Photos
Written by Sara on September 23, 2010 – 9:00 am -{Click here to catch up on our wedding recaps:
Hair appointments; Picking up flowers; Getting ready; The Gown; Our First Look and Girls & Guys Attire}
A few more photos for you all! Check out some of our fun posed shots:
Then, we moved downtown for some (super-fast!) outdoor shots – it sure was warm outside!
Check out our guys’ cool socks – a gift from us! :)
Then we returned to the chapel for some family shots!
Up next: pre-ceremony activities…and my nervous energy!
[All photos by the amazingly talented Creative Kindling]
Tags: argyle socks, posed photos, wedding party photos, wedding party posed photos, Wedding Recap, yellow & grey
Posted in Adornments & Embellishments, Beauty & Polish, Budget Weddings, DIY, Fashion, Flowers, Inspiration & Insight, Our Wedding, Personal, Photography, Venues, Vintage Beauties, Wedding Recap, Weddings | 6 Comments »
Joy: Our Wedding – Girl & Guy Attire!
Written by Sara on September 15, 2010 – 12:09 pm -
{Click here to catch up on our wedding recaps: Hair appointments, Picking up flowers, Getting ready, The Gown, and Our First Look}
While Jordan and I were having our “First Look” moment and snapping a few pictures, our bridesmaids, groomsmen, ushers and flower girls were getting dressed!
If you can recall, I had one heck of a time selecting a dress for my gal pals to wear on our wedding day. But, looking back, I couldn’t be more pleased with our final dress selection (dresses by Dessy)!
Here’s a picture or two of my beautiful bridesmaids; don’t they look gorgeous!? {NOTE: Preview pictures from the ceremony!!}
The guys (both groomsmen and ushers) looked equally fabulous in tuxes that we rented from Evelyn’s Floral and Formalware in Sioux Falls; I believe that the tuxes were Calvin Klein:
And, who could forget my darling little flower girls! Dresses were made by BoutiqueSophia on Etsy:
And now, the cutest baby picture ever: our niece and flower-girl-in-training, little Miss Harper:
Love that baby!
Up next: a few posed shots of my hubby and I, our wedding party, and our families! Stay tuned…
[All photos by the amazing Creative Kindling]
Tags: BoutiqueSophia, bridesmaid dress, Calvin Klein tuxes, charcoal grey bridesmaid dresses, Dessy, Etsy, Evelyn's Floral and Formalware, First Look, flower girl dresses, flower girl in-training, grey and yellow tuxes, Sioux Falls, tutu flower girl dresses, Wedding Recap
Posted in Adornments & Embellishments, Beauty & Polish, Budget Weddings, Fashion, Inspiration & Insight, Our Wedding, Personal, Photography, Vintage Beauties, Wedding Recap, Weddings | 3 Comments »