Sneak Peek: Discounts, Giveaways, and More!

Before you head off to your gleeful days of weekend freedom, I wanted to give you a sneak peek of what we have ahead for us next week. I’ll be announcing some spectacular Etsy giveaways and special discounts for {grey} readers. Also, I get to feature our first edition of a Q & A with the fabulous Mindy Gayer from Cotton Idea Studio. She has several special giveaways for our readers as well, so stay tuned and be sure to check in next week! Happy weekend!

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Inspiration Request: Lakeside Vintage Whimsy

I received an email from Whitney, who described her upcoming wedding in September, which will take place outside, next to a lake. Here’s what she wrote:

I have an idea of relaxed, vintage, whimsical (if that makes any sense). I was thinking using colors like grey (not silver. I’m talking grey cotton), maybe light yellow, or green. I really have no idea. I need help! It’s going to be at night with LOTS and LOTS of lanterns that I found on superwholesaler.com. I am using a ton of old vintage dishes and my fiance and I are making cloth napkins out of vintage, floral material. Maybe you can kinda see where I am going??? Sorry I don’t have more direction!

I think Whitney is headed in a GREAT direction, and I instantly started researching some ideas for her. Believe it or not, I got totally carried away. For colors, I went with grey, a few hues of green, and accents of vintage gold, with a tiny splash of cool minty blue. I especially love how well the gold adds to the vintage look.

Notes on what I’ve included:

: : Love the first pic of the fabric brooch. It has a very homemade feel and it would be cute in the hair, on the dress, in lieu of corsages, attached to a ribbon and wrapped around a vase, or affixed atop an apothecary jar filled with ferns.

: : Flowers on the chair. So cute. Creating unexpected elements, like an old garden chair, to display some of your florals adds to the whimsical component.

: : Lace doilies piled on a cake platter. Why? Why not?

: : Bales of hay covered in crisp white linens. Church pews, but not. Swoon.

: : Feathers. Weeds. Herringbone material shaped like a leaf. All great details to make a boutonnierre so much more.

: : Old bench [+] pillows of mix-matched patterns [=] delight.

: : The bronze locket etched with a bird would be a super cute addition to the bouquet stem.

: : Old house numbers found at flea markets and antique stores are reinvented as table numbers. LOVE it.

: : Canopy your buffet tables to add a romantic elegance to your outdoor setting.

I hope you enjoy! (For inspiration requests, feel free to email me.)

Sources left to right from top: 1. Etsy 2. Rebecca Thuss 3. Martha Stewart 4. Ritzy Bee 5. Etsy 6. {frolic!} 7. Ritzy Bee 8. Rebecca Thuss 9. Ritzy Bee 10. Etsy 11. Bride’s Guide 12. Flickr 13. Junebug Weddings 14. Ritzy Bee 15. Etsy 16. Etsy 17. {frolic!} 18. Etsy 19. Wedding Report 20. Etsy 21. Rebecca Thuss

Peacock Chic

I’m currently lamenting the loss of our beloved monthly addiction: Domino Magazine. So much so, that last night, I started going through my archived copies. I came across a cover that I really loved and thought I’d do an inspiration palette based on the cover. The beautiful blue colors quickly lead me to peacock feathers, which I happily added. (MADLY in love with those earrings, by the way).

Quick note: For those of you, like me, that love to add gobs of candles to your tables, you ought to strongly consider the amber votives I’ve included here. They are a slight departure from the standard clear glass, and I’d choose them any day over the plain-jane version. I really think these add such a lovely warm glow to tables– quite irresistible, really.

Sources left to right from top: 1. Eva Vintage Earrings from MiaBeads at Etsy 2. U-Handbag 3. Margaux Lite headband from VieModerne via Etsy 4. Oak Leaf Cuff from Bijoutiful at Etsy 5. Beautiful Birds from Quirky’n Berkeley via Etsy 6. Hegat 7. Paper Crave 8. Paris Parfait via Elizabeth Anne Designs 9. Amber Votive 10. Image Shack 11. Marchesa dress 12. Source

Found this GORGEOUS ring from DiVanity Design after the fact and HAD to feature it. Swoon.

Inspiration Request: Purple

I had a reader email me to request some inspiration for a purple wedding. (Speaking of…if you’d like to request an inspiration board, please feel free to email me!) Now, I’m going to admit something and I sincerely hope you won’t hate me for it: purple and I have had a falling out, and of all the colors on the wheel, she is my least favorite. Purple lovers, please forgive me. It is disheartening, I know. So, after I received a request for purple today, I decided I’d make the effort to get reacquainted with the old gal.

For starters, I must share with you this picture, which has me thinking, maybe I’ve been wrong all this time:

That being said, I’ve done a palette board here, and each row from left to right approaches purple from a different angle.

: : Row One : :  Shades of reds and pink brighten the sometimes drabby hue by adding a summery warmth.

: : Row Two : : Springtime purple, lightened up by the nearly-blue-periwinkle fabric, is a more subtle, lighthearted approach to purple.

: : Row Three : : DARK almost black purple accents which add a very elegant and dramatic contrast creating an unexpected and welcomed twist.

: : Row Four : : Chartreuse with a range of purple hues, creating a very fresh and vibrant palette.

: : Row Five : : Smokey purple, with sage, dark berries and light gold accents, make for a very romantic and sophisticated look.  Sources left to right from top: 1. Waterlily Pond 2. Martha Stewart 3. InStyle Weddings 4. Martha Stewart 5. Martha Stewart 6. Martha Stewart 7. Maddie K Weddings 8. Waterlily Pond 9. Martha Stewart 10. Wedding Wire 11. Grazier Photography 12. Grazier Photography 13. Etsy 14. Martha Stewart 15. Martha Stewart

Moby Dick, Nantucket & Nuptuals

One of my fave blogs lately is coco+kelley. She posted a grey and white tablescape from Social Design and I totally fell in love. Then I stumbled across the stationery set below, (which is actually by Karen Bartolomei for Grapevine Paperie) inspired by Moby Dick, and I knew I had to create a look around the two. I’ve been lucky enough to have a chance to tour New England and I fell in love with the beaches covered in long grass and weathered fences. Since that time, I’ve always thought what a delightful scene Nantucket might be for the backdrop to a wedding.

Zofia of Zofia Photo is based out of Nantucket and is responsible for several of these images, including this one.

Palette sources, left to right from top: Sources left to right from top: 1. Gentleman Joe 2. Unknown 3. Zofia 4. Michelle Rago 5. Social Design via Coco+Kelley 6. Michelle Rago 7. Claudia Kronenberg 8. Michelle Rago 9. Zofia 10. Source

Fitness: Bridal Buff

Today may have a few less posts, as it seems I have a frog in my throat (and a pretty darn mean one at that). However, I wanted to leave you with a PHENOMENAL blog I stumbled across last night: Female Fitness Blog. I was so inspired by her recent post on the most important goal, that I had to post it here for you. If you’re trying to get in shape for your big day (or any other day for that matter), this blog is a great resource. The copy below is taken directly from this article.

Usually when I meet with a client for the first time they tell me they have a goal to lose a certain amount of pounds or to fit into a skinny pear of jeans. I tell them to throw away their scale and think about something else more important.

I tell them they need to focus on another type of goal initially, then these other types of goals will kinda work out on their own automatically.

If you’re first starting out in a fitness program, it’s best to put the weight loss goal on hold and instead focus on learning how to fit consistent exercise into your life for at least 6 months. This is a lifestyle change, and when a person does this, weightloss or whatever other goal they have, becomes effortless.

Think about it. If you can’t exercise regularly for at least 4- 6 days per week, you won’t accomplish your fitness related goals no matter how good you created your goals. On the other hand, if you exercise regularly 4 – 6 per week following correct exercise principles and eat healthy, you can’t help but succeed. It’s that simple, really.

After 6 months of exercising regularly and you’ve successfully incorporated exercise as a lifestyle, you can then create other specific types of goals, such as reducing your bodyfat percentage by 2% within 30 days, fitting into your favorite jeans within 3 weeks, lowering your Total Cholesterol to 180 by a specific date, winning a tennis tournament by the end of summer, etc.

New Monthly Feature: Mascara Maven

I am so thrilled to announce our first guest blogger, Cathi Singh. She is a makeup artist who has worked in the industry for several years and has sent me so many great ideas, I’m bubbling over right now. I asked her to start off with a little about herself so you can get the full scoop. Without further ado, here’s Cathi:

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Hello grey readers!

I am so honored and excited to share one of my passions with you- makeup! I have been in the industry for several years- after college, I started out as a wardrobe stylist but was fascinated with what the makeup artists were doing and fell in love with makeup. I am a freelance artist with Smashbox Cosmetics and work all over Southern California doing print, bridal and, most recently, film. I was trained by celebrity makeup artist Tricia Sawyer, who does Sharon Stone, Jessica Alba, Lindsay Lohan, etc… From the girly girl and retro diva, to the minimalist who just loves chapstick, I hope to give you insight and helpful ideas to achieve your unique bridal look.

I thought I’d start off with basics, so today, I’ve got some tips for finding your look. First, there are a few key elements to determine the appropriate look for your big day:

: : Location : : Is it going to be indoor/outdoor- on a farm, or in a cathedral? You want to be dressed and made up to match your venue. If it’s on the beach, a bronzed glow with a peachy coral cheek and lip would be ideal.

: : Time : : Is the wedding in the afternoon or at sunset, going late into the evening? If it’s earlier in the day, you will want to keep to the lighter colors- peach, pink, lilac, honey and gold, so you show up in pictures, not just your makeup. If it’s an evening wedding, you can definitely use some darker colors, but focus on one part of your face to emphasize- eyes or lips.

: : Season : : The time of year and where you live will likely determine the location, given the weather. If you’ve always dreamt of a winter white wonderland wedding, you can get away with darker colors. But don’t ask for a bronzed, golden glow- you will clash with everything! Think burgundy, eggplant colors for lips, accented by a hint of warm honey tones and earthy browns for the eyes. Or you can play up your eyes with a subtle smokey eye using cooler hues like grey and pearl, complimented by a soft, light pink lip.

: : Style&Theme : : This goes hand in hand with location and the style of your wedding decor. If you are doin’ it up with a retro vintage flare, go ahead and spring for that cat eye with black eyeliner- but remember, you still want to look like you- not a movie character or your favorite pin-up.

: : Grandchildren : : I know, I’m jumping ahead a few steps, but thinking about your future 40 years from now is vital. Do you want to open up your wedding album and explain why blue eyeshadow and hot pink frosted lipstick were “so “in” back in our day”? You want something that is timeless and will always look classic and beautiful.

In honor of the Oscars, here are some beautiful looks from this year’s red carpet that are totally wedding worthy:

: : Ann Hathaway : : Classic, timeless old Hollywood feel. Very matte- no shimmer needed.

: : Jessica Biel : : Natural, playful look with light rose pink lip, light bronze eyes

: : Sarah Jessica Parker : : Evening, formal look. Heavy, dramatic eye, light pink lip.

: : Freida Pinto : : Very subtle smokey eye, nautral palette- warm, earthy tones

: :Jennifer Aniston : : Perfect example of glowing, beachy outdoor afternoon look

As the big day approaches, here are a few more tips to take you from
finding the right look, to accomplishing the right look.

• Once you have narrowed it down and are starting to envision your look, find a makeup artist that you can trust. Always schedule a consultation to meet with your artist, discuss likes and dislikes, and try out one or two looks until you are happy. Makeup artists love to see pictures of what you want- so don’t be afraid to go through your magazines and blogs!

• It’s always great to have family and/or your maid of honor there for input, but too many cooks spoil the broth- don’t make it a party. It will be too distracting for you and your artist.

• Many brides book their hair consultation on the same day so they can see the looks put together. Get your hair done first. Make sure to take pictures at this time as well- not only will you have a reference point on the big day, it also helps if you are still picking out jewelry.

• While your wedding makeup will most likely be more than you wear on a daily basis, it doesn’t mean you have to paint on a new face! Just enhance your natural beauty – that’s what he fell in love with

For more questions about makeup, or to reach Cathi, email {grey} at greylikesweddings [at] gmail [dot] com.

Show-stopper

I got to have dinner with some friends last night and spent some time discussing show-stopping decor. Where does one go for incomparable, mind-altering design? Michelle Rago, Ltd. Here are some things I found when I went on a search. 

Fresh and Vintage

This beautiful aqua, green, blue, and yellow palette was actually inspired by the typewriter. My sister called me this weekend to tell me about the wedding she’d just attended up in Washington. Her favorite feature was the guestbook: a typewriter with one long piece of paper, where guests typed their sentiments for the bride and groom. My sister was disappointed that I’ve seen this idea done, but I thought, maybe all of you haven’t seen it. Here’s a super cute palette based on a typewriter I saw at Three Potato Four. Sadly, it’s already sold…but I’m sure some flea market or ebay seller out there has something that will do the job!

Sources left to right from top: 1. Effervescent Chandelier from Anthropologie 2. Three Potato Four 3. Floral Steampunk Necklace from Bionic Unicorn at Etsy 4. D.Magazine 5. Chameleon Pillow from Anthropologie 6. Weeder’s Digest by Sarah Ryhanen via Design*Sponge 7. Three Potato Four 8. J.Crew 9. Moonlight from Something Different at Etsy

Mon Amie Trunk Show

For those of you in the Orange County area, Mon Amie in Costa Mesa is hosting a trunk show this weekend (February 27-March 1) to feature the Ramona Keveza’s bridal gowns and Renee Pawele’s accessories. What a great opportunity to go out with the gals and check out what’s new this spring. Click here for Mon Amie’s spring trunk show schedule and for R.S.V.P. information. 

Ramona Keveza

Ramona Keveza

Ramona Keveza

Renee Pawele