SIMPLY INSPIRATION: Personalized Wedding Details

I stumbled across this post last night on Yellow Brick Home while looking at some of my favorite interior design blogs (I randomly got on this intense kick to style my entire house last night... true story--go check out my obnoxious Instagram feed - anicole rene) and anyway, it just made me feel really good about everything I did yesterday. I have really challenged myself to get creative by stepping away from the laptop, stepping away from Pinterest, stepping away from wedding blogs, and by just immersing myself in real life. Sounds so ridiculous when you put it that way, but let me tell you what I have never been more inspired. Just spending an hour dilly dallying in Michael's and I came up with several DIY projects for our next styled shoot that I can honestly say I have not seen all over the Internet already. And ya know what, it is a little intimidating putting my ideas out there. What if people don't like them? What if the photographer doesn't like them? What if!? What if!?!! WHAT IF?!!? Then I remembered something I learned at Making Things Happen (I swear I probably will not ever stop mentioning this conference in my posts because it was just that incredible). But what I learned was the answer to What if!? And that answer, is "So what?!" So what is the worst that can happen!? And if you stop and think about what is the worse that can possibly happen the answer is 98% of the time not good enough to not try.

Ya know, this is so totally random + completely crazy that this thought just popped up in my head... but this post I am writing totally reminds me of a quote I used to love and use all the time. See, in my college days I was in this pretty little sorority, Alpha Phi dizzzle shizzle. And this may be top secret information so I apologize in advance if I am giving away something I shouldn't be, but anyway we used to have to write our favorite quotes for the new pledges every year. And my favorite quote? "Let your freak flag fly" by Celia Hodes on Weeds. Not deep words of wisdom or anything, but definitely relates to this post because in all honesty it's a pretty sweet quote. And let's be real, everyone is unique and different and I think if we were more willing to show that off then the world would be a funner place.

Now back to weddings, because this is a wedding blog after all. I have started challenging my clients to let me get to know them better. And let me tell you what, they are awesome. Seriously awesome. Because they have been so open to doing this and so open to going along with me on this that it has just made my heart light up with excitement. This is the good stuff. Because me getting to know that stuff translates into me helping them make a superiorly personalized event. And let me tell you what, me challenging them is in turn challenging me to really get creative. Here are some ways I love that (has been done or else there wouldn't be pictures of it) but still, some ways I love that incorporate the special couple in a fun way.

This DIY bohemian bunting seen on Green Wedding Shoes by Wednesday screams personalization to me with the old photographs, letters, postcards, and the different elements. This customized bunting is so simple and so easy to make and I bet you could find most of the supplies lying around your house somewhere so the cost could potentially be no more than $5-10. Just find some old photographs of your parents or your parent's parents, maybe some postcards of some places you and your fiance traveled to, maybe an old handkerchief from your sorority (haaaaha) or your grandma, or just random knick-knacks. You'd be surprised what you can find in the attic and garage when you really dig through. I remember my grandma always having these handmade crocheted squares she used to put hot pots on... I mean even something like that could be used. Anyway, the possibilities are endless and personal.

Alright I am guessing if I didn't have your attention before then I definitely do now!? I mean this neon pink giraffe by FB Studio VT I would assume has gotten your attention? At least it should. Anyway, here's another DIY idea that I love. And I have about 7 spray painted plastic animals roaming around my house to prove it. Say your first date was to the zoo? Or maybe your favorite vacation was a safari?! See where I'm going with this? All you have to do is pull some inspiration from your love story and voila! Personalized wedding details on every table that get your guests talking and wondering what was the inspiration behind this little guy? And then voila! Am I even spelling voila right? Hmm, but voila! Now you have guests talking, which is another plus and makes your wedding less stuffy, and they're talking about the inspiration and then they're talking to each other and learning about your first date at the zoo five years earlier.

Alright I am slightly obsessed with these little guys. How amazing are these cow skull escort cards!? Another DIY from Green Wedding Shoes. I'm not saying go out and make cow skull escort cards, but I think escort cards are another little way to customize your wedding. And if you can get super creative you can kill two birds with one stone by having the escort cards double as favors, because who doesn't want to bring one of these home and put it on their fridge or desk or whatever. I know I do... And I think these are awesome because the bride and groom are from Texas and wanted something incorporated in their wedding to share that little bit of information with guests. It's the unexpected little details that add a little flair to your wedding and make things a little more personal.

The moral of the story here? I like pretty weddings. I love personalized weddings and really weird things. And I know I probably sound like a broken record at this point but this blog is my little place to share things that I get excited about. And these are the kinds of things I get excited about. And the moral of that story is? Let your freak flag fly because you today you are you that is truer than true there is no one alive who is youer than you.

{Photo Credits} 'Today you are a you that is truer than true there is no one alive that is youer than you' Print via Yellow Brick Home // 'Let Your Freak Flag Fly' Print via Chopstyk on Etsy // DIY Garlanda via Green Wedding Shoes, bunting by Wednesday, photography by // Giraffe via FB Studio VT on Etsy // Cow Skull Escort Cards via Green Wedding Shoes, DIY skulls by Katie Prichard, photography by Studio Castillero