The dress. Let me start this off by telling a little history. I was more of a tomboy growing up so I never had this big magical wedding planned out like some little girls did. My parents owned and operated a wedding and video business while I was growing up. I have watched my dad editing many a wedding video and I have seen my fair share of weddings.  Watching those weddings over and over made me a little disenchanted with the whole ‘fairy tale’ wedding. So when it came to a dress I didn’t want some poofy thing, no offense, it just wasn’t me. I wanted to feel relaxed and comfortable in my own skin. I didn’t want to try to ‘fit’ into a certain size by my wedding, that just seemed silly to me. I wanted to just be me, not the stressed-out-self-conscience-skinnier-version-of-the-me-I-thought-I-should-be-for-my-wedding-day. 

Most girls go right out and pick out the dress first thing. I drug my feet. I was in no rush. I never stepped foot in a bridal store through the whole planning process because the thought of paying those prices to a company that probably bought the dress dirt cheap from an underpaid third world seamstress just did not sound appealing to me in the least. I had briefly chatted with a friend make it for me but she had several wedding dresses she was already working on. I looked at a few thrift stores to see if there was one that would be cool altered. I searched etsy, Tradsey and a couple other random places to find a handmade, second hand and/or vintage dress. Nothing really struck me. Until an out of town visitor suggested I just make it. This was quickly dismissed since I cannot follow a pattern to save my life and have no experience in dress making other than simple skirts. But then I got to thinking about the possibility of having another talented seamstress friend teaching me. I sketched up a simple dress that was more of what I was looking for and I asked my friend Kristin, about 2 and half months before the wedding, what she thought about this. 

She was all over it! She was excited to teach me and work together on it. I could not have asked a better teacher, she was patient and broke things down for me. I originally found the large chunky rose lace for $19 a yard at a local shop and fell in love but did not fall in love with the price. It was important to me to keep things as simple and low cost as possible. I searched etsy found the same lace for half the price. The under layer was a little difficult because I needed to touch and feel how it would look with the lace so we picked up a cream knit material at JoAnn’s with coupons. I already had the Zipper and thread, although we used Kristin’s thread more.

I thrifted this braided belt at Goodwill in the little boys section for $.99 and loved how it fit with the dress. I think my mom wanted some kind of sash, I just wanted to feel relaxed. At one point I told my mom I didn’t want it to be too tight and  I was also planning on putting pockets on my wedding dress and she said something to the effect of “Amber Dawn! Good grief, it’s your wedding for Pete’s sake I think you can afford to be a little girly for one day in your life!” haha So I nixed the pockets, mainly because we were running out of time, and that was just one more thing to do.

Shoes from Target clearance. I wanted a different pair but Dylan found me these so we couldn’t decide and bought both and waited till I finished my dress to see which ones looked best.  Dylan’s pair won. He liked them because the mint color tied in with our color scheme. 

I’m not a huge jewelry person so when it came to jewelry I didn’t wnat a bunch of glitzy glammy stuff. I bought one bracelet (pictured) from a little local boutique/salon.  Dylan bought us matching ‘amber’ necklaces in mexico a few years ago and our leather from them has since deteriorated off our necks so I found a few chains we had laying around and bought some jewelry wire and fixed them for us to wear at the wedding.

The hankie was a gift from a dear friend who just thought of me when she saw it at a bed and breakfast/antique store. Super sweet!

My friend Kristin is awesome! Words cannot express how awesome she was through the whole dress making time. She not only set aside time for me, she patiently taught me and put up with a lot of annoying questions from me. She is absolutely amazing! It took us about 6 sessions to get it done. We used my rough sketch and the bottom portion from a prom dress pattern to make it. Kristin taught me how to do darts and armpits (those things are difficult), some cool tips with sewing zippers and so on. taking turns sewing and having some girl time before the wedding was awesome!

Kristin went to school for costume and set design and she is taking more seamstress tailoring jobs right now so email me if you would like to get in touch with her. 

Emma had a little something too. I originally wanted her to wear a flower wreath of some type. I made one with fake flowers to try out with her a few months before the wedding… she hated it and kept trying to rub it off. So I decided to go with the tried and true bandanna route. This dog absolutely loves to wear bandannas, if she sees that you are holding it to put it on her she immediately sits so still and upright for you to slide it on.  I used scraps from my wedding dress lace and just stitched up the edges. We also bought a simple leather leash on etsy from a shop called Leather Rush. The price was decent and free shipping in the US so I was pretty happy. We tried to buy handmade, second hand or vintage as much as possible.

Total cost for my dress was right around $90. I could not have been more pleased to wear something that was special to me and that I felt comfortable that I could move around in. The peace of mind knowing that I felt like I had spent my parents money for a dress in a responsible and somewhat sustainable way made me feel good about it.

All photos (except for the ones of Kristin) are by the talented Sugar and Spice ladies! 

-Zon

We desire to live simply and to not live beyond our means, so when I told Dylan last year that I preferred just a simple band I meant it. When Dylan proposed earlier this year he proposed with a beautiful but simple ring from his mom that was inherited from his great great aunt. When it came to deciding on a wedding ring I really wasn’t too picky. I had an idea that I would like an onyx ring but wasn’t sure about it. I realized that wasn’t very traditional but if my family were to describe me, “traditional” or “normal” would not be in the description. When we went back to Missouri over the summer my mom had been keeping an eye out for a ring for me and had discussed it with my aunt and uncle who buy and sell jewelry. They generously gifted me this diamond ring! This was such a huge blessing a I am really thankful for it.

Dylan and I spent quite a few hours on Etsy attempting to find both of our rings and we had come across some pretty sweet guys rings. We both thought a wood ring would be pretty cool and olive wood bears some significance in Dylan’s family. His parents found a charred olive wood branch the night they were engaged on the beach that they have kept all these years as a symbol. In addition our wedding plugs were olive wood too! We settled on this one from Olive Wood Jewelry, an Etsy seller based in Croatia. Dylan’s ring is olive wood with a tungsten center. 

The little box is one I found at an antique store in Missouri for under two dollars and decided this was the ring bearer box. I made a little pillow that tucked in there and attached strings to tie the rings in so they didn’t jostle about. It is a little beat up box but I loved it and thought it was the perfect size. I also liked the fact that I could use it to store little bits after the wedding. 

My mom took me to go get me hair colored and nails done a few days before the wedding. I bite my nails, yeah I know it’s bad, but having to keep my nails in good condition two days before the wedding was nerve racking enough to make me bit my nails, haha. 

I had never had a manicure before but I thought surely they can do something cool on mine, so I asked them to do an anchor on my ring finger. Dylan’s plugs have anchors so I thought it would be cool to tie together. 

All photo are by the talented Sugar and Spice Wedding Photography ladies. They’re the best!

-Zon

 I am really excited to share some photos of the wedding by the oh so talented Sugar and Spice girls.

Hoping to share a handful of DIYs as well.  

-Zon

Sorry, I have been a little inconsistent lately. Kinda getting married in 10 days and having two receptions over the next couple weeks. So excited! Lots of planning and lots of little handmade things here and there being made for the wedding. I am thoroughly exhausted and ready for the dust to settle. A two week honeymoon will be nice.

I am making a floral crown to wear for the wedding and I realized I really had no clue how to make one so I thought I better practice.  All the tutorials online really didn’t help. I just had to mess around until I got it. I’m not a 100% satisfied with the outcome but I do have some tips and ideas of what to do with the real deal. 

I picked up a cheap bouquet of roses (all they had was purple) and floral tape and wire. It was a process. Lots of messing up but I felt like a princess when I finally put it on. 

I’m making little decorations with our wedding colors, its been fun but so time consuming. Dylan made a comment “well this is why people pay for wedding planners.”  It all makes sense now, haha.

There are very few “things” that I have really wished/longed to have at our wedding, a jadeite cake stand was on of them. Yesterday it arrived in the mail from my grandma! Stoked to continue collecting jadeite.

When the UPS guy arrived I ran out and through my hands in the air and exclaimed “Oh good! I’ve been waiting for you!”    … the guy gave me a confused smile. haha

To see a few more photos of the wedding prep go here.

-Zon

We are so excited to share our engagement photos with you all. I shared a little preview of what was to come but now I get to share them all with you! The amazing Sarah VanTassel took them down in Panther Hollow a couple weeks ago. I am pretty terrible at posing and awkward in front of a camera, unless I’m making a goofy face, but Sarah did wonders with us.

To follow more of Sarah’s work go to her website or her facebook page.

She also blogs over at Ain’t that the Berries. Check them out!

Don’t forget to go vote for Our Engagement Story, the voting ends Sunday!
To view more details of our upcoming wedding go to www.rookewedding.com

-Zon

We received some fun mail today! I was so excited! A few days ago we got Dylan’s wedding ring in. A handmade olive wood ring from Croatia. Pictures to come with wedding pictures later.
My friend Adam makes these awesome plugs, custom, and we were tickled pink to get them! Roses for me and anchors for Dylan and I surprised Dylan by having our names and wedding date engraved on the back. 

One problem, Dylan was off on his sizing so now I have two pair! haha. Go check out more of his plugs on his instagram, Plug Haven.

We are extremely happy with our olive wood plugs for the wedding. Highly recommend him!

We also received our engagement Polaroids and digital in the mail from the ever so talented Sarah Van Tassel. Look at that cute packaging! Dadgum cute!

Post of engagement pictures to come soon! That is, if you’re not already sick of seeing pictures of Dylan and myself. I would be if I was most of you. 

Don’t forget to go vote for our engagement story! We are currently in the lead and would love to win with your help! Its ridiculously simple and literally takes 10 seconds (or less), no email or anything. Vote Amber and Dylan.
Thanks Friends!

-Zon

Sometimes I see a spot that I think might make a neat background for a picture and I make Dylan pose for me. I’m thankful he humors me from time to time.  He also likes to turn the camera on me. We have fun together. I like him… a lot.

I have been on the hunt for a tin this size for quite awhile, looking at so many thrift stores and antique malls. Emma’s dog food is currently stored in a plastic container and I wanted something a little more aesthetically pleasing for her food since my space is small and I don’t really have the luxury of  a whole lot of closet space or any space at all)  to hide things away. I had literally mentioned it to Dylan while walking through an antique mall in Asheville, North Carolina and about a minute later he found me this one! I was tickled pink! It is perfect!

What a hunk! Can’t believe I’m marrying him in a month! Holy Moly!

Dream Boat!

-Zon

The benefits of your boyfriend growing out of his old clothes.

-Zon

The lovely Sarah VanTassel took our engagement photos last week. She is extremely talented. We are so excited to see the rest of them! Go check out the rest of her photography.

-Zon

Things are coming together for our wedding, even though there are days that I feel like I have nothing together. It’s happening and I couldn’t be more thrilled!
5 weeks!
Go to our website to check out more details!

 

Driftwood has been collected.

Tents have been bought and tested.

And succulents are in the process of finding all of their new little homes.

How did people get inspired for wedding planning pre pinterest? Seriously, most of the wedding magazines I have seen are garbage, loaded with ads from companies hawking their wares for exorbitant amounts. If anything Pinterest has helped me to remember what sites I found specific items to order or price check, that’s handy for sure.  Ok there’s my Hey-thanks-Pinterest-for-being-invented rant.

-Zon