Y’all (I’m going on vacation soon, I’m allowed to say y’all on the blog) know our friends at MagnetStreet, right? No?! Well, allow me to introduce you!! MagnetStreet is a premier, national online stationery company specializing in outstanding, original, custom designs. Known for their magnet Save the Dates, MagnetStreet offers a complete line of coordinating wedding stationery including invitations, reception items, thank you cards, programs, and more. All of their designs and products (magnetic and paper included) can be completely customized to fit your unique (and pretty) style. Upload your own photos, input your own wording, choose from more than 100 font styles, and diverse color palette to truly make any design your design. At MagnetStreet, it basically comes down to the following philosophy, “your wedding, your stationery, your way.” And we heart them because of it!!

When it comes to planning a wedding, color is one of three things (style and theme being the other two) that you need to first seriously consider. Everything else, your bridesmaids dresses, your flowers, your invitations, stems from knowing those three things. Because MagnetStreet knows how important colors are to a bride (they also bring meaning, help set the tone, and create feeling), they built a color swatch maker/finder into their website (beginning right on the main page). Choose your colors (or create your very own custom color) and see them previewed in the designs as you shop online!! Better still, they’ll send you these FREE Color Swatch Cards so you can see how it all goes together in person! (Being a very visual person, this only makes complete sense to me, and my heart happy.) MagnetStreet will even print additional swatches so you can share with your bridal party and vendors too!! Cool, right? Yeah, we thought so too :)

GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

Think MagnetStreet is pretty fabulous? They are!! Want beautiful stationery that celebrates your colors and style? You do!! The lovely folks at MagnetStreet would like to offer one lucky Heart Love Weddings-reading lady a $250 Wedding Stationery Shopping Spree!! The Giveaway Code will be emailed to the winner (randomly chosen by random.org) and must be used by October 31, 2013. Please note that the Code is valued up to $250 and is for one use only.

THE SHOPPING SPREE GIVEAWAY starts today and goes until next Tuesday, June 25th at 12AM EST. Winner will be randomly chosen by random.org and announced by 3PM EST on Tuesday, June 25th!!

TO ENTER:

Leave a comment on this post telling us and MagnetStreet which design is your favorite and how you would personalize it with your colors! This is your OFFICIAL (ONE-TIME) entry into the giveaway, and you must leave your email address. It will not be shared, used for promotional purposes, or anything other than for us to contact the winner.

FOR ADDITIONAL ENTRIES:

• Like MagnetStreet Weddings and Heart Love Weddings on Facebook
• Share this Giveaway on Facebook. Be sure to either tag Heart Love Weddings or share directly from our Facebook page so we can keep track of you!!
• Follow @MagnetStreetWed and @HeartLoveWed on Twitter
• Share this Giveaway on Twitter with the following: “I’ve entered to win the @HeatLoveWed + @MagnetStreetWed Shopping Spree Giveaway!! (insert link here) #SHOPSPREE
• Be sure to come back and leave another comment for each of the above actions you take.

All my love and luck, girlies!! xoxo

There are none too many things I love more than a classic New England seaside wedding. Oh, look, I happen to have a beyond lovely one from Deborah Zoe Photography to share with you today!! From the seafoam and mint green bridesmaids dresses and beyond gorgeous bouquets to the seashell centerpieces and seaside inspired cake, you are all in for a treat!! My favorite part though might just be the signs the minister held up during the ceremony letting the audience know when to say “OOOOH” and when to say “AAAAW”!! Completely and totally SO cute!!

Amanda and Jason met about 10 years ago through a mutual friend. They both had significant others at the time, but secretly thought the other was cute. There was definitely a connection though, and finally, in early 2011, their timing worked out perfectly. This was a year after they were supposed to go on a first date but Amanda cancelled. Jason saw that her relationship status was single and decided to try again. Amanda’s quite happy that he persisted :)

They went out on Superbowl Sunday. Amanda remembers her brother telling her that if a guy takes you out on Superbowl Sunday, he must really like you. That was definitely true. Jason was a real gentleman that night, but when he went to give her a kiss on the cheek goodnight, Amanda snuck one in for real!!

Her favorite date (and when she realized she was falling in love) was at a Rascal Flatts concert in Manchester, New Hampshire. They both love country music and had such a great time. They danced and sang the lyrics to each other – to them it felt like they were the only two people at the concert.

While she tried to keep it cool in the beginning, the more time Amanda spent with Jason, the more she wanted to be around him, and the feeling was completely mutual.

Jason popped the question on April 14th on a long weekend in Stowe, Vermont. Amanda had had her suspicions for a while, but did her best not to get her hopes up in case it didn’t happen. Meanwhile, Jason had gone with Amanda’s brother to the jeweler to pick out the ring a few weeks before, and had kept it hidden in the house ever since. He’d called for reservations at one of the best restaurants in Stowe and asked for an extra nice table because he planned to propose. The chef even sent out complimentary champagne and strawberries (after she’d said yes that is)!!

{From the Bride} Our wedding day was a dream!! We could not have asked for more perfect weather for a Maine wedding at the beach.

We knew we wanted to get married in 2012, so we started planning right away. We totally lucked out with our date because the venue had had a cancellation. So we put it together in 4 months!! We could not have done it without our stellar wedding planner, Diana from Diana Ma Weddings – she was a lifesaver!

My favorite memory is our First Look. I am so glad that Deborah suggested it because it was everything she described. It was amazing to have that private moment just Jason and I, and totally helped calm both our nerves. And we have that intimate moment captured on film forever!

Our first dance was “Your Everything” by Keith Urban. We both picked that song because it’s how we feel about each other. We just had so much fun during the wedding and didn’t sweat the small stuff. We had faith in our amazing vendors and they took such great care of us!

At the end of the night, Jason suggested we “escape” up to our hotel room before things officially ended. So we said goodnight to our parents and disappeared. Best. idea. ever. We got to watch people leave from our balcony (they didn’t see us) and bask in our post-wedding glow.

{Advice for Couples} Communicate, communicate, communicate! That is key :) No one is a mind reader, so you need to ask for what you need and that’s ok. As far as the wedding planning goes – remember that it is about the two of you, and that in the end, you get to marry the man/woman of your dreams. It will be stressful, but you’ll get through it. We really had the wedding that we both wanted because we made it totally about us.

Congratulations, Amanda and Jason! Thank you so much for sharing your wedding and love story with us!! We wish you both so much love and laughter in the many years you’ll share together! Many, many thanks to Deborah Zoe for sharing their very special day with us today!! xoxo

On Tuesday, I shared the beginning of our love story. On Wednesday, I shared some inspiration of what our wedding would look like if we were planning now. And today, I’m bringing you how I planned (yes, that would be me, the bride (not unusual back then)) our wedding.

Our wedding was pretty basic, simple and straightforward. Nothing out of the ordinary for the early ‘80s and New England. Total overall cost: approximately $3,000. Memories: Priceless. Yeah, I went there. I’m going to share, in bullet form, how it all played out. Because really it’s the best way. That’s me. My parents largely paid for our wedding. It’s the way things were done. They of course, had a lot of say and control. Made sense to us. So here’s how it all played out… Some of the more memorable details and planning that is.

Rental Hall – Free! There was no discussion. A German club, where my parents were members, would fit the bill.

Photographer – a friend of my hubby who was a professional and cut us a deal. We paid $500 and got to keep the negatives. Gasp! That was just not done. Brides today are soooo lucky.

Wedding Planner – say what? Nada. Actually, that would be me. And yes, I realize that many young ladies don’t have a wedding planner now. I just needed to clarify it.

Guest List – this was probably one of the only real challenges that we faced in our wedding planning. We were on a budget. One hundred people max. We were at 120. Why? Because my hubby’s father had to invite his golfing buddies. Why? Because. No matter of convincing could diswade him. It was a battle and we lost. Sigh. However, at least 10 were no-shows – thank you - and those that did come, well, let’s just say that their gifts were interesting. Nothing off the registry. The most memorable – (1) white bath towel with (1) white face cloth. Did they not realize that they were going to a wedding with two people? Yes, these towels came in quite handy to dry the dog. :) We were very grateful, she says with tongue in cheek and rolling eyes.

Those are our wedding rings and Alexandra’s Paloma’s Nest ring bearer bowl – I took the picture though.

Invitations – less than  $75. Plain beige parchment paper with poo brown printing. That’s it. Nothing fancy. Really quite ugly. My mom got a deal on all the paper products because she knew the printer. It included the standard package – invitations, response card, cocktail napkins, matchbooks and thank you notes. Yes, that is the way it was done. The invitations were also my mother’s biggest stress. She freaked at the initial price of over $100! Why? Because she miscounted the guest list. She counted everyone. Instead of counting couples and families as one. We had a real good giggle over that one, and she was soooo relieved when the price came down.

Flowers – You’re going to love this one. I wanted a silk flower bouquet that I could hand down to my daughter someday. Alexandra? Are you listening? Oh, yes, it was so pretty with peach flowers that she could exchange for whatever she wanted!!. Someday. You should see Alexandra’s face when I tell her that story. Priceless! I also had a basket of peach silk flowers made so my maid of honor could use it again for her dining room table. Once she had a dining room table. Hey, Janet, you still have that basket, right? ;)

Yes, this is the infamous bouquet. In perfect condition after 32 years. Isn’t it pretty? Guess I’m going to save it for my granddaughter. :)

Wedding Attire – I made my dress. Yep. Made it. And I will admit that most would have thought this stressful but I did not. I allowed myself plenty of time and did a little every day. Cost: $95 for all the material including the lace and train. My grandmother added a few touches to dress it up, like fabric covered buttons to the sleeves and train. My veil was a gift from an aunt in Germany. It wasn’t quite what I wanted but I made it work. :) I did buy brand new shoes. White.

Now here’s some fun info. Remember, many, many brides will utter the most famous and favorite words that every bridesmaid and maid of honor loves to hear: “Oh, you can wear your dress again later! It’s perfect!” Well, I kind of did it a little differently. My MOH was my best friend. She wore a very pretty peach dress to prom four years earlier. “Hey, I love that dress! Janet, why not wear that for your MOH dress? You haven’t worn it since, so it’ll totally work!!” Tee-hee.

My hubby had a John Travolta, disco, “Staying Alive” suit (yes, be sure to check it out in the movie). No sweat there. We just bought him one of those fancy shirts from the tux store which by the way was ordered in January 1981 and it arrived two days before we were married June 12th, 1982.

Food – this was the one area that Fred had to have control of. He was going to cook. Yep. He cooked. I resisted at first, thinking he was not going to be able to pull it off especially since he wanted to golf before he got married – a lifelong dream of his. Golf before getting married. Fortunately he quit after 16 holes to finish cooking. We served fruit cup from a can, fresh salad, prime rib (which Fred did have a friend who was a chef finish off while we were at church – getting married), baked potato, some kind of vegetable, and a rum cake for our wedding cake. I am not fond of rum cake but my parents sure were.

Most of our wedding really went along without a hitch and was planned in less than six months. We did do a first look! Gasp! This was unheard of!! I dare say it was the first and only one of its kind in 1981. We did it because we wanted photos at our favorite park, and since we got married at 5:30, didn’t want to run the risk of it getting too dark afterwards. Plus, we didn’t want to keep our guests waiting. What trendsetters we were.

Those are our wedding rings and Alexandra’s Paloma’s Nest ring bearer bowl – I took the picture though

Now, I do have to tell you a little funny about our wedding night. Nothing personal, promise. We closed out the wedding at around midnight, changed, grabbed our bags, and went to my in-laws to say goodbye; where my brother-in-law noticed we had a bulging tire. Okay. Let’s get this puppy fixed… Check. We then drove to Rockport, MA, where my cousin had a beautiful B&B. (We were on our way to Maine for our honeymoon.) It was a two and a half hour drive. Fred had been up for 24 hours by this time and I couldn’t drive his stick shift car. Yeah, that was a fun drive for the last 40 minutes. Think of me, whacking his leg and snapping my fingers to keep him awake. We get to the B&B around 4:30 am. I ask: “Honey? Do we want to take the bags and very expensive camera equipment up to our room with us?” NO, was the answer. Okayyy, I’ll just grab it. Picture this, me with two duffle bags, camera bag, pushing, dragging Fred up two flights of stairs to our room. Which was lovely by the way with roses and champagne. I dropped everything, including Fred, on the bed, and went to change into something a little more … I told you I wouldn’t share anything personal. :) I come out of the bathroom and Fred is out cold. Fully clothed, boots and all. I had to check and see if he was still breathing. Barely. I left him there. Like that. Sigh. I changed into flannel PJ’s (we were going up to Maine. In June. It’s still cold there) and went to sleep. We tried again in the morning. <giggle>

Alexandra took this picture of us on Wednesday with her iPhone.

What We’ve Learned in 32 Years Marriage

I’m not going to sugar coat it. We’ve all seen the tips – fight fair, treat each other with respect, don’t go to bed mad, blah blah blah-bitty blah. I’m not saying we haven’t done that, but sometimes you won’t fight fair, harsh words will be said without thinking, you’re going to go to bed mad. Anybody that says they never did that, is, well, frankly, fibbing a little.

Two things that we do follow religiously is saying “I love you” everyday. Okay, well, I say it everyday. I’m a girl. He’s a boy. Enough said. :) He makes up for it in other ways. Usually. And surprisingly. But the number one rule that we have followed, and boy, has it come in handy a couple of times – now listen closely because it’s a big one – “Divorce in NOT an option!” Whenever we’ve had some bad times, and there have been a couple, we remind ourselves, that divorce is not an option. While it was not the automatic healing salve right away, once we were able to gain calmer perspectives, that phrase alone has dug us out of some serious situations. And for this I (we) are truly grateful. Please let it be known, that I am not advocating our rule in the event of infidelity or if you are in any kind of abusive relationship. But I have noticed, over the years, that many young couples seem to give up on their marriages all too soon. To make it this far takes a lot of hard work. It’s not always fun, easy, or pretty, but along the way, it is worth it. All I (we) know is that I (we) don’t want to go through life with anyone except each other and don’t know what we would do without the other. Amen!

I hope you’ve hung in there with me and our love story journey thus far. We don’t have all the answers when it comes to relationships, but we are loving the places we have been and where we’re going. We look forward to adding many, many more years to our love story. We’re in this thing for the long haul :)

xoxo

Two things I love more than words can say: the color purple and pretty monograms. You can imagine what went through my mind when I saw that this traditional Southern wedding from Ginny Corbett Photography had oodles of both!! So many sweet moments captured – my heart be still. And the reception is gorgeous!! Such a pretty sight to behold!! Every bit of it. You’re going to loooove it!!

Eric and Jenna never truly met because they grew up together. Their families have known each other for forever, and they were always at the same church and school functions. Eric was actually more of Jenna’s brother’s friend until his senior year (her junior year) of high school when their friends began to hang out more. They don’t know how it happened. They were suddenly just always together! They spent so much time together in a group that they can’t remember their first official date!!! But their first kiss however, they do remember!! They were on their way back from a church trip on a charter bus, Jenna was sleeping, and Eric surprised her with a kiss!

After graduating high school, Jenna went off to college and nursing school, while Eric joined the US Coast Guard. Eric had already told Jenna earlier on in their relationship that he loved her, but had yet to hear Jenna say it back. When he left for boot camp, Jenna gave him a letter that he wasn’t allowed to read until he got on the plane. In the letter, she told him just how much he meant to her, how much she loved him, and how hard the next eight weeks would be without talking to him.

In November of 2007, Eric moved to Long Island. For the next three and a half years, Jenna and Eric were separated by about 500 miles. They learned A LOT during that time. He would come home when he could, and she would head straight for New York on any break from school she got! They have so many special memories in New York like going into the city and driving out to the Hamptons. They learned so much about relationships and patience during their time apart, but firmly believe that the distance is what made their hearts grow even fonder.

In July of 2010, Eric finally moved back home to North Carolina. Jenna says he was always the thoughtful guy who would do anything for anybody. He’s quiet unless he’s got something to say and never ceases to remind Jenna how much he truly loves her.

In April of 2012, Jenna was getting ready to graduate nursing school, and Eric had just graduated from law enforcement training. On April 20th, he told her they were going to visit the Coast Guard station in Wilmington, North Carolina (but that was just an excuse to get her to the beach).

They ended up driving right up onto the beach and sitting on the tailgate of Eric’s truck to look out at the ocean. She started to notice that Eric’s voice was growing shaky and he seemed uneasy. About that time, he dropped to one knee with the most beautiful engagement ring Jenna had ever seen and began to tell her that he couldn’t imagine his life with anyone but her.

After so many years (six and a half to be exact), the ring made it well worth the wait!!

{From the Bride} I wanted our wedding to be so personal for everybody involved and I believe it was! I used to work for my florist, used to babysit for my wedding planner, my cousin monogrammed all the bridesmaids and parents gifts, and my photographer became a great friend during the planning process!

For most aspects of the wedding, I had a picture in my head of exactly what I wanted everything to look like. However, I am a visual person and had a really hard time with some decisions. I wanted everything to be PERFECT and turn out like I had envisioned it…and it did. Like most recent and current brides, Pinterest became my best friend!

My favorite moment has to be when I started walking down the aisle with my dad and Eric and I saw each other for the first time. We held it together for a moment but then we both began to cry. So much time and so many trials had led us to our wedding day, and to finally be in that moment marrying the man God made for me was completely overwhelming! We decided against a first look because I, in many ways, am very traditional, and I wanted that feeling of anticipation when I would first see Eric at the other end of the aisle.

Our first dance was to Brad Paisley’s “Then” because it represents how our relationship has grown thus far.

Our wedding day was the most beautiful day in every aspect! From the weather to the smallest details, everything was wonderful. We wanted our day to be about love and it certainly was. My heart was so full of joy when I left!

{Advice for Couples} I would tell brides to pick vendors whom they absolutely trust! There is enough stress involved in planning a wedding, there is no sense in stressing if your vendors will do their job correctly when you’re paying them! Soak up every single moment because it goes by way too fast! Remember the day is about you and your husband and nothing else matters. Focus on each other!

Congratulations, Eric and Jenna! Thank you so much for sharing your wedding and love story with us!! We wish you both so much love and laughter in the many years you’ll share together! Many thanks to Ginny Corbett for sharing their very special day with us today! xoxo

Much like her ideal bride, Stephanie Cameron, owner of Belle Amour Designs, has a heart a “country mile wide,” and that’s just one of the many reasons we love this girl so much. The second reason being the most obvious: her custom vintage-inspired decor and accessories are gorgeous!!! Each piece is handmade with love for the most beautiful and special moments in a person’s life (weddings being the favorite of them all). Stephanie knows how special each couple’s wedding is to them, and so treats every item as if she were making it for her own wedding (yet another reason why we love her so). It was so hard to choose which pieces to showcase in the feature below – all of them make us swoon! :) Find out more about Stephanie and her fabulous little shop below!

{Who is Stephanie} She is a California grown country girl, a hopeless romantic, and thoroughly obsessed with love stories and weddings! She married her wonderful husband, Thomas, in August of 2012. They live in Northern California with their kitty, Ella. She loves the outdoors, drive-in movies, pretty flowers, chocolate, organization, the ocean, babies, rain, shoes, Christmas, Disney, laughter, and all things vintage. When she’s not crafting her heart out, she can usually be found dancing (tap and ballet are her favorite), or singing (at the top of her lungs). She is a firm believer in following your dreams, doing what makes you happy, and loving as much as humanly possible.

{How Did She Get Started} “I have always had a passion for weddings, all things vintage, and crafting. It was only obvious that when it came time for my own wedding, those three things came into play perfectly. I designed and handcrafted almost every aspect of our wedding. The response and love I received from family and friends was overwhelming. That was when I realized that I could turn my inherent talent and attention to detail into a business. The thought of creating beautiful, handmade decor and accessories for the most special moments in other people’s lives made me oh so happy! And so, after months of planning and brainstorming, Belle Amour Designs opened shop on February 17, 2013. Since then I have felt so blessed to be doing something that I love and that makes other people happy.”

{Her Etsy Shop} Belle Amour Designs is all about love. The name itself means: “Beautiful Love.” Stephanie handcrafts custom vintage inspired decor and accessories for the most beautiful, special moments in a person’s life. She works with couples to ensure that their wedding decor perfectly reflects their personalities and wedding vision. While she specializes in weddings, she also offers custom accessories for babies and special holidays we well. All of these things are just bursting at the seams with the most beautiful love there is.

{Why You Will Love Her} “I know how special each couple’s wedding is to them, and so I treat every item as if I were making it for my own wedding. I love working with brides, and customizing orders to fit their personality and wedding vision. I believe that the most special day of your life should also be the most beautiful, and I absolutely love that I get to help make it that way!”

{Who is Her Ideal Bride} “My ideal bride is a lover, a dreamer, a hopeless romantic, and she’s got a heart a “country mile wide”. She grew up swooning over all those old classic romantic movies and dreaming of the day her own love story would come to life. Now that she has found her Prince Charming and said yes to his undoubtedly heart melting proposal, she is ready to start planning the day she has always dreamed of. She wants a wedding that is romantic, elegant, and filled with gorgeous vintage inspired details, but still stays sweet, simple, and true to her country roots. Most of all, she wants her wedding to reflect the beautiful love that she and her fiancé share, and the beautiful life that they are starting together.”

{Most Frequently Asked Question From Brides – Can you customize this item to match my wedding style/colors?} “ABSOLUTELY! One of my very favorite things to do is work with a bride’s vision to create something new and beautiful to reflect the couple’s personality and fit their wedding. If you have a specific vision, I can create exactly what you want, or if you just have a general idea, I will take that and create something I think you will love. I will continue working with you and sending pictures until it is perfect!”

{Tips & Advice for Brides} “When it comes to wedding decor, I am a fan of the “less is more” approach. Your wedding is about the two of you and the beautiful love that you share. Don’t underestimate the power and elegance of sweet simplicity! Most importantly, just make sure that your wedding reflects your personalities and who you are as a couple. As long as you do that, it will be perfect!

Enjoy every second of the big day! Being engaged and planning a wedding is one of the most exciting times of your life. It can (and will) become stressful at times, but it is so important to remember that this is a once in a lifetime experience. I can almost guarantee that you will miss planning once it’s all over! So breathe, take it all in, consult wedding professionals whenever possible, and keep giving your loving, supportive fiancé the attention he deserves. Remember that you get to marry the love of your life and that is the most important thing. All of the other details will fall into place.”

{What She Loves Most About Weddings} “I have a hard time picking my favorite thing about weddings, because I love EVERYTHING about weddings! I love what they represent: Two people, so in love that they are vowing to spend the rest of their lives together, putting each others needs before their own, protecting each other, honoring each other, and making each other smile forever. I love the details too! The dress, the flowers, the cake, the decor, the way that friends and family all come together to share in that special day. Oh, and the look on the groom’s face when he sees his bride start down that aisle makes me weak in the knees every time!”

{What Inspires Her Professionally} “I am so inspired by love in general. Love is the reason that people vow to spend their lives together in marriage. Love is the reason people have weddings. Love is the reason that I get to do what I love to do. It is such an honor to be even a small part of someone’s love story, and it is for this reason that I pour so much love into every single one of my designs.”

{Her Favorite Love Song} Make You Feel My Love written by Bob Dylan, performed by Adele

{Need to Know} Pricing for all handmade vintage-inspired decor and accessories falls within the $15 – $150 range. All products are made to order and can be customized just for you! Stephanie loves to work with brides to ensure that every piece fits with their personality and wedding vision. Don’t hesitate to get in touch with any questions at all!

If you would like to see more of Stephanie’s gorgeous designs and purchase your own, please visit the Belle Amour Designs Etsy Shop! Don’t forget to ‘heart’ your favorite pieces!! :) Stephanie would love to have a conversation with you on Etsy. You can also seek her out on Facebook or email her directly. She’s the absolute sweetest, and we know you’ll love her even more than we do (hard to imagine but I know it’ll be true)!! xoxo