The Story of a Cape Cod Wedding: Inspiration

I have promised not to dominate this with posts about my own wedding planning, but I can't promise that I won't share a few details here and there. The story of my (gasp! really, mine!) Cape Cod wedding starts with this inspiration board:

 { Bouquet, pumpkins, mason jars with candles, cake, basket of blankets from Style Me Pretty;

Bridesmaid bouquets from James Bass via The Sweetest Occasion;

Groom's tie from Bows 'n Ties; 

Centerpiece from Real Simple; Dress from J.Crew; 

Tent from William Tangorra; Ribbon wands from Flights of Fancy  }

(Maybe someone wants to know how you put together an inspiration board. These are photos mostly collected over months of looking at blogs and saving copies of things I like. Some images I searched more specifically for based on an idea I had in mind. Keeping track of where the images can from is the hardest part. Then I play around with text blocks in MS Word and arrange the pictures until I like the way it looks. Snippet & Ink elevates this whole process an art form. Perhaps she'll one day let us all know how she does what she does.)   

What I (ahem, we) are looking for is neutrals, natural textures and seasonal without being overwhelmingly "fallish" for our October wedding. 

 

Why make an inspiration board? I think it helps your vendors understand your vision; it can act as a visual interpretation of the mood you are trying to set and the degree of  formality you are trying to achieve.    

But let's back up a second... what happens if you don't even know where to start an inspiration board? What happens when you have *no idea* what you want your wedding to look like, how you want it to feel?
Each wedding has to start somewhere. Maybe it's your favorite color. Maybe it's the venue you've selected or the dress you've fallen in love with. Like lemonade? You can plan a whole wedding around that. 

I really believe you need to pick just one thing that you LOVE, and base the rest of your decisions around that. Stick to things you love, omit the things you don't, and the end product will be an honest and unique reflection of who you are as a couple.

Think Spring

Ohmygosh. It's wicked cold outside. I stayed inside, cranked up the heat, wore flip flops and played Bob Marley all day 'cause I'm thinking spring.


I've also been daydreaming about the Pantone Color of the Year:

Which is about as spring as you can get. And could be quite perfect for a spring or summer Cape Cod wedding.

Executed to perfection in this bouquet:

{ via Wild Bunch Studio }

Pair it with navy:

{ Nancy Gould }

 Or with green:

{ The Knot }

Pantone says Honeysuckle is courageous and confident, and a 'brave new color for a brave new world.'  That's kind of a nice sentiment for a wedding. Or for a new season.

Think spring. It has to be here soon.

Tuesday Shoesday: Grey Day

It is a cold, rainy, grey day here on Old Cape Cod. A good day for curling up, watching daytime TV movies, and online shopping.

Is it OK to base a whole wedding around the shoes? I think so. Some gray beauties that sparked a whole Winter-on-Cape-Cod color inspiration:

{ Pour La Victoire }

{ Kate Spade }

{ Rocket Dog }

{ RSVP }

All from Zappos

P.S.

Do you ever think Style Me Pretty is reading your mind?

Just last night I stayed up way too late thinking about burlap, and pale orange, gray and white as a color palette, and using dusty miller in bouquets and centerpieces, and how does all that look?

And today, what do my wondering eyes should appear, but a Style Me Pretty day filled with just those things.

See them here, here and here.

And you know what, it looks good.

{ Aregrayline Photography via Style Me Pretty }