Southern Sweethearts: All the Small Things

"As a journalist, the details always tell the story. "
James McBride

Oh, how I completely understand this quote! (I am a journalist, photographer, and self-proclaimed perfectionist. So details are kinda my thing.) And that's why I had details galore in our wedding! Many of them were DIY details that I'm sure some of you have been waiting a looong time to see in action.

They'll be plenty more details in coming posts, but here's some to get you ready for the main event: our ceremony! :)

First, my lovely DIY flowers!

At first, I wanted an all white peony bouquet. But when our colors changed, I decided on a pink bouquet and I absolutely loved the way my bouquet came out!

My something blue!

Unfortunately, I didn't have time to gather family photos for my special locket. My Mom had recently moved and all of her stuff was in storage, making it extremely difficult to get to the photos in time. :(

I loved ALL of my bouquets (bridesmaids, flower girls, mothers, and toss)...

...but I put a little more effort into the matron of honor bouquet. Hers was a mix of all the flowers used, and it had its own cameo to distinguish it from the others.

Do I spy Loubies?

Why yes I do!

I had the shoe clips custom-made through an Etsy seller using the "alchemy" request. The clips were originally a different design but when she sent them, they were too small! There was some trouble with the redesign, shipping, and communication. But in the end, they turned out fine even if they weren't quite what I wanted and I almost had a heart attack thinking they wouldn't be done in time. And to top it off, I ended up losing one of the clips on the way to our reception site! :(

If you recall, my Louboutins were missing most of the wedding day. Thankfully, they were located before the ceremony. But they still weren't on my feet just yet...

And since I'm showing off the bling, might as well show off the DIY ring dish I made for them to chill in on the way down the aisle.

Remember my DIY wreath and my DIY mason jar/magnolia aisle liners with the "faux" water?

How about my semi-DIY double duty program fans?

And the last little detail wasn't one I had planned on. Best man Don snuck in some mini-liquor bottles for some ceremony "tailgating" if you will.

Just a small indication of what's to come!

What are some little details you're going to include in your wedding? Will any of them be DIY creations?

Previously on Southern Sweethearts:

• Southern Belles Do Tea
• A Rude Vendor Interrupts Our Rehearsal
• We Have Dinner on the Savannah River
• A Spooky Ghost Tour and My Last Fling
• Our Wedding Trailer
• Becoming a Blushing Bride
• I Slip Into My eBay Wedding Dress
• The Fellas Get "Sessay"
• He Got Boudoir, I Got Bling
• An Unplanned First Look
• Our Wedding Party...and Paparazzi

Next Up: We Get Hitched!

*All professional photos by Lindsi Jones Photography. Some images may have been slightly altered by moi.

Piece of Cake Part 3: Breaking The Mold

[Note to Pengy: Please put the second photo as the default on the WB post so Mr. Lab won't know what it is! Thanks!]

So I finally found someone to do our groom's cake at a price that didn't include an arm, leg, soul, or firstborn child! I'm working with Sonja of Art Cake Company in Savannah and can't wait to show you the finished cake! But since I can't share the cake with you quite yet, I figured I'd at least share a couple details about it not mentioned in previous episodes of my cake saga.

Mr. Lab: With only single digits left until the big day, I think you're more than capable of refraining from clicking on the link below! :)

First off, the cake flavor! How does bourbon chocolate with a Kahlua filling sound? Delish? Yeah, I thought so! ;)

Okay, here's the part I REALLY wanted to share! Remember the cake topper I wanted?

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Well, I loved it, but it was obviously missing something. I'm not sure if you've noticed it or not, but I don't exactly have the same skin complexion as that cookie cutter cake topper. I searched high and low for something similar to it but featuring an interracial couple, and came up empty handed. The closest I got were some custom toppers that cost a fortune. So I decided to take matters into my own hands. I bought the cake topper and painted it!

I grabbed some leftover paint from other projects and started with the shoes. I figured they would be the easiest fix if something went wrong.


It didn't take long for me to get the hang of it and learn the best techniques. But as I was taking photos for this post, I realized something was still missing:


It was the red sole on my shoes!


But I didn't have any red paint laying around the house and I really didn't want to go out and buy a whole tube just for those tiny, Barbie-sized heels. *cue light bulb over head* RED NAIL POLISH! If nail polish good enough for Mr. Louboutin's first red-soled shoes, it's good enough for my cake topper!


This wedding planning business has really helped me become more creative AND resourceful!


And here's the finished topper! It's not perfect, but the flaws won't be noticeable in the dim reception lights. Not to mention it looks a LOT more like us now! :D


Have you had to customize any "cookie cutter" pre-made wedding items to better reflect you or your fiance?

The Bridal Party "Look Book": Inspiration Boards Included!

Okay, are you ready for the big reveal? *cue drumroll*

For my bridal earrings I chose the lovely gold and pink bow earrings for the amazingly low price of $13.oo plus $3.50 shipping and handling! (Can you tell I'm channeling my inner Billy Mays? Man, I'm gonna miss that guy.) Aren't they beauts?

I could have easily picked any of the choices in my previous post because they are all so beautiful. But it was ultimately the price tag and Mr. Lab's approval that did it for me. (I had him pick his favorite before telling him my fave-we both picked these!) I think they'll also compliment my dress and whatever pink shoes I end up with perfectly. My bridal "look" is coming along quite nicely but is missing a little something. Perhaps a dainty bracelet to match the earrings?

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I love the romantic and vintage look of cameos. And this bracelet fits pefectly into the bridal color scheme! But oy! Again with the price! $278?!? No thank you. Back to combing the interwebs for an affordable cameo bracelet....

Wait, what's that you got there Ebay? Oh, a cameo bracelet just as charming for a fraction of the price? I see how you do!

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So for less than $25, I will have wrapped up my bridal jewelry for the big day. Yes, I am a full-fledged bargainista. :D

Warning: Sensitive information coming up. So if you go by the WB moniker of Mr. Lab, stop scrolling now. I mean it!

In honor of these great new finds (and my obvious new obsession with Picasa's collage feature), I created a "bridal look book" inspiration board:




I'm being serious Mr. Lab. You go any further and I'll sell one of your kidneys on the black market to pay for my Louboutins! ;)




Okay, I think the coast is clear.

*TA-DA!*

This board features: My earrings and bracelet and the shoes I covet. My hair and makeup inspirations. My dream dress and a gorgeous fascinator. And an adorable clutch and lush bridal bouquet*.

And no, I haven't forgotten my bridesmaids! For them I chose the pink topaz and swarvoski crystal earrings.

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Although these are $39 a pop, I couldn't help but fall in love. They would match the bridesmaids' dresses so perfectly! So I crossed my fingers and contacted the seller in hopes of finding a way to negotiate the price. After a few messages back and forth, she offered to replace the pink topaz with pink quartz and give me a 12% discount because of the larger order. That brings the total down to $22.88 for each pair. Still a bit more than I was looking to spend, but definitely doable for such gorgeous pieces that I will be gifting to my fabulous girls. I may even see if my MOH's MIL (holy acronyms!) could replicate these for me since she's somewhat of a jewelry extraordinaire. Anywho, the moral of my Etsy story: never hesitate to negotiate price with ANYthing on Etsy. I saved a ton on my save the dates by negotiation.

And so the bridesmaids aren't left out of the inspiration board fun, I created this:

Their dresses will have a skirt closer to the chocolate color swatch shown. And I just decided today that I will be making their (fake) bouquets using dahlias, ranunculus, peonies, and possibly hydrangeas, all in a monochromatic pink tone. The girls will wear whatever shoes they like since no one will see them anyways. Now I just need to decide whether or not I want them to have necklaces to go along with the earrings, or just go with bare decolletages.

*Yes, I'm changing my bouquet color! You shall hear more about this soon enough!

I'm no "shoe"per woman...

...so will the Hive come to my rescue?

I think I may have lost it. After changing my wedding accent color, I fell in love with one particular image from the inspiration board that sparked the change. I've been obsessed ever since.

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Anybody who knows ANYthing about designer shoes will immediately recognize that signature red sole. Those shoes are a pair of coveted (read: rare & expensive) Christian Louboutins (the Coquine Pink Satin Pump, I believe). The lucky bride who owns these not only had absolutely fabulous shoes for her wedding day, but amazing shots of them as well. I want that, too! Even when my accent color was red, I still had plans to spotlight my shoes.

I fell so head over heels in love (pun certainly intended) with this image that I was determined to have my own pair of dusty pink Loubies (or even nude since they're so close to the pink shade). I googled "pink Christian Louboutin" and there they were:

Christian Louboutin Pompadouce

I originally tried to find an authentic pair since I may be able to afford them after finding my dream dress for even less than I originally planned (that's a whole 'nother post).* But I was having no luck. This only fed my addiction and launched a series of google searches with every combination of words I could think of that might bring me success. Still, nothing.

I am officially an addict. "Hi, my name is Miss Labrador and I've been up every night into the wee hours trying to find this pair of Christian Louboutin Pompadouce Pink Satin shoes to buy for my wedding. I don't care anymore if they're authentic, inspired by, or knock-offs. I just HAVE to have these before I go absolutely bonkers. I've already begun thinking that they are a myth created by some very cruel and sadistic fashion devil. Please help me."

Even Mr. Lab is feeding my addiction. He peeked over my shoulder during one search and said that the cut of the shoe and the skinny high heel are (and I quote) "sexy as hell". I can't let him down with just any ol' shoe now!

I'm at my wits end. The only explanation I could think of for these shoes not being available ANYWHERE is that their lucky owners are not giving them up. I mean, I don't blame them. Who is their right mind would give up something so beautiful?

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So here's the part where I ask for your wise advice, hive. I'm beginning to realize that if someone out there can't help me find these shoes, I'm going to need a contingency plan I can live with. I've already scoped out a couple of other Loubies I like.

Here are my options:

Option A: Very Croise Platform Slingback

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Option B: Lady Gres

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Option C: Very Prive Pailette

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Option D: Be patient and keep looking. A pair of the Pompadouce are bound to surface before the wedding!

Option E: Make my own Louboutin Pompadouce inspired shoes. I could buy an inexpensive pair of shoes in the same basic style and shade of pink (or even have them dyed). Then I could scour the internet looking for similar embellishments for the toes (maybe Etsy?). There are even places that sell red soles that I could have a cobbler attach. Who knows, this could be a fun DIY project for one of a kind shoes?

Option F: Let go of the Loubie obsession all together and find another pair of dusty pink shoes.

So what'll it be, hive?

[poll]

Option A : Very Croise Platform Slingback
Option B: Lady Gres
Option C: Very Prive Pailette
Option D: Keep looking for the original shoe! (Please share links that may be helpful!)
Option E: DIY Loubies! (Again, if you have any links to materials that will aid this project, do share!)
Option F: No Loubies. I have a link to a pair of dusty pink/rose shoes I think you'll like just as much or maybe even better! (Preferably with sky high skinny heels, a peep toe, and a sexy cut.)

PS. In case you happen to find what I'm looking for I'm a size 7.5/8 US or about a 38 Euro. I'd hate to get my hopes up just to find out they're not my size!

*I would never normally spend such a large chunk of change on a pair of shoes. But because I am saving so much money on my dress and my FMIL is contributing more than I originally expected, it has opened up my budget and allowed for me to afford these. And unlike my dress, shoes can be worn way more than once. So if it's hard for you to imagine spending a ton of moolah on a pair of shoes, think of it as inverting the cost of my dress with the cost of my shoes (seriously, my dress is THAT cheap-details soon!). And to be completely honest, I deserve to splurge on at least one thing for my wedding day! :)