Orange & Blossom online boutique

I love Etsy just as much as any other girl, but it seems lately I just don’t have the patience to sift through the good, the bad and the ugly. Basically, Etsy has gotten so big that you can’t find the things your looking for as effortlessly.

Earlier this week I was contacted by Lisa Marie of Orange & Blossom, and she truly opened my eyes to the possibilities out there. Orange & Blossom is a highly edited shop created from a select group of artists, designers and vendors to bring you the best in wedding embellishments without all the digging.

I love the fact that the shop is updated every Thursday with new items, so you know you won’t get overwhelmed with a bunch of unrelated items. You can browse through items like jewelry, stationery, and my personal favorite—vintage items.

Check out some of the amazing items above by visiting the Vintage & Rare collection now, and keep in mind, all vintage pieces include free shipping!

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Vintage Framed Chalkboards

I love the blue bell bazaar shop on Etsy… so much that I find myself looking for excuses to browse. “Oh”, I think, “I could use this beaker as a trendy vase for my new mod bathroom”. Don’t need it, but must have it!

One thing blue bell bazaar is famous for, are their collection of vintage framed chalkboards. I love the muted colors and heirloom look, which is why I think they’d fit perfectly in a vintage inspired wedding. Indoors or out, you could write the menu on here, or the series of events for your ceremony (in lieu of a program).

Here are a few other ideas:

+ have guests write a message or draw pictures on it instead of using a guestbook. Then photograph it at the end of the night

+ Use it to write out a hand scribed thank you message to all your guests

+ Use multiple boards to point out places like the restroom, parking or beverage stations

+ Use mini chalkboards to name each table. Leave a few pieces of chalk out for the kids (or adults) to doodle.

The framed chalkboards are very affordable and would make a great statement in your home after the wedding as well!

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Double Duty: Flowers

Flowers are a beautiful way to dress up your ceremony site, but it can be hard to shell out the cash when you’ll really only be enjoying them for a few hours. Make your flowers work double time, as they fill your church and then later at your reception!

I love pomanders for this specific reason... after they're done dressing up your aisle or pews, you can repurpose them in a vase or on the back of your chair.

Sources: Row 1; 1, 2, 3. Row 2; 1, 2, 3. Row 3; 1, 2, 3.

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Welcome wreaths

Having flowers at your ceremony site can be a bright way to welcome your guests and symbolizing a special occasion. This is exactly why I love having floral wreaths or arrangements on the front door or church steps. Here are a few inspirational images to get you thinking!

Sources (starting clockwise left): pink, green + brown, black double doors, S monogram, blue monogram, small pink, black chapel doors, bright yellow, wreath on tree, green + orange on doors.

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Ring Pillows from estilo weddings

These silk ring pillows are handmade and so unique! I love all of the beautiful blooms and bright colors... I think I could plan an entire wedding around this one little detail! And an added bonus: they take custom orders! Check out their extensive collections at estilo weddings.

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Blooming Box by Muscari Designs

Think spring! I know I will be with another snow storm on it's way to Michigan!

The Blooming Box is a great alternative to a ring pillow, by Muscari for $45 (found at Brides.com). If you'd rather not spend the money, you could always DIY it with materials found around your garden! I just love the grass and daisy details, which could create some pretty nice ring shots as well!

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C'mon baby, light my fire

Unity candles are a must have in most traditional wedding ceremonies, but surprisingly there isn't a wide variety of them out there. I had a hard time finding something that excited me, and since we weren't filling the alter with floral arrangements, I really wanted this to stand out.

I chose an oval pillar candle that had an intricate floral pattern carved in to it. I found it at weddingaccents.com, and was very pleased with the quality and price. Our florist created a wonderful centerpiece showcasing it beautifully!

The best part of it all, is the fact that even after our wedding, we've displayed it along with a few other ivory candles in one of our guest rooms... and I love it there!

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Custom ring bowls on Etsy

I'm always scouring Etsy to find those lost treasures, and this morning I found something that caught my eye... The ring bowl!

Made by Paloma's Nest, this dainty ring bowl will work in lieu of a ring pillow, and has been featured in the fall/winter 2008 issue of BRIDES. She will custom stamp your choice of words into the hand made ceramic bowl, but I love the samples she has up on her shop! Great ideas!

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