'Day After' photos

or...
"We went to Dragon*Con and all we got were these stupid photos" - Stacey Bode.

{Photo credit: Stacy Bode. Clicky on the photo for more}

It could almost be the 'day after' since we were married on a Friday and these were taken on a Saturday...four months later. :)

When Stacey and I started hatching our plans we talked about several locations, but she kept coming back to Historical Oakland Cemetery. Stacey has been itching to use this particular spot and knew me well enough to know that I'd go right along with her. I'm no stranger to participating in photo shoots at the cemetery and the last 5 years I lived in Atlanta were just a block and a half away. In fact, their annual fall Victorian celebration, Sunday in the Park is this Sunday, October 4.

I made a new bouquet for the shoot and was crushed when our florist told us that neither ranunculus' or peonies would be available. I surprised myself by choosing the antique roses. They were stunning and for the most part, they held up well traveling from Charleston to Atlanta and the 3 days between pick-up and shoot. I combined them with the variegated pittosporum, and a lotus pod. I brought my feathers to use, but in the end we decided to keep it simple. I wrapped the stems in the same moss sheet/ribbon/acorn combo that I used for the wedding. I also had to remake Michael's boutonniere because I dropped the original the week of the shoot and the wheat broke apart. Thankfully it took me a fraction of the time to make the second bout.

Stacey, as always, did a spectacular job capturing our personalities. I've known her for a very long time and she thrives in working outside the box. Her creativity never ceases to amaze or inspire me. When people used to ask me what I'd miss most about leaving Atlanta, I'd always say, "My friends, Gail K. Fabrics, and DeKalb Famer's Market". Stacey could be her own category.

{Photo credit: Stacy Bode}

I would like to shout a big, "Thank You!" to Kat for featuring us on Rock 'n' Roll Bride.

More in the silhouette style.

I just can't get enough of this, but it's a little ingrained in me.

{Photo Credit: marthastewart.com}

Make it!

{Photo Credit: marthastewart.com}
Make it!

I'm not sure if I'm glad these weren't around before the wedding.

It would have been really cool to have recreated the part of the invitation with the trees and our silhouettes.

{Photo Credit: marthastewart.com}

Make it!

Photo from Dragon*Con

{Photo credit: Dawn Murphy}

This was taken Saturday night after our photo shoot. I was very surprised I could still get into that corset and bustle!

Green Wedding Shoes

{Photo credit: Stacy Bode}

These vintage Andrew Geller shoes were originally bought at Stefan's in Atlanta when I was a bridesmaid in Ms. Bode's wedding. They had sassy hot pink linen rectangular tabs on the toe, but for Stacey's wedding I pulled them off and replaced them with orange gerbera daisies. Our bridesmaid colors were orange and we carried bouquets of green hydrangeas.

Last year I had them resoled at Peter & Sons in South Windermere shopping center. The insoles and toe embellishments were done by me and the sterling acorn brooches were purchased on eBay. Swarovski hot fix rhinestones are olivine color.

{Photo credit: Evita Smith}

My shoes before I retired the daisies.

{Photo credit: Evita Smith}

After a resole by Peter & Sons in South Windermere shopping center. Our family has used them for decades!

{Photo credit: Evita Smith}

The cats were made from a Martha Stewart punch we purchased at Michael's last year. The green glitter sticker material is from my Peacock Goddess costume skull 'extras'. I ordered the sheets from Sam Flax (4 years ago).

{Photo credit: Evita Smith}

I pleated both the taffeta and double-side satin ribbon. I chose the taffeta because the pleating was crisper. Doing this project alone took FOREVER! This was close to how I originally envisioned the restoration until I was going through one of my fabric bins and rediscovered a fabric flower garland. I deconstructed a couple of flowers and BAM! The final product came to fruition. I let the process flow by it's own accord and I couldn't be happier with the end results.

DIY Ring Bowl/Nest

{Photo credit: Stacy Bode}
Aileen, ringbearer and friend extraordinaire.

{Photo credit: Evita Smith}

About two and a half years ago Michael discovered a nest being built in the side of the warehouse that faced our loft parking lot, just above and electrical juncture. He kept an eye on it because he feared that the nest would be abandoned due to it's precarious location. He was right, as usual. He did wait over a week after they stopped working on it before he brought it inside.

We realized it was just too fragile to use for the wedding and needed to look for something else. The bowl we choose has been a favorite of mine since I was a child. The moss came from Pottery Barn years ago. I know, we live in the land of moss but my mother fell in love with the green.

{Photo credit: Michael Judd}

{Photo credit: Stacy Bode}

{Photo credit: Michael Judd}

Michael's Greenman ring made by Bellchamber goldsmiths. They're awesome beyond words.

My engagement ring is an estate enameled white gold ring with a peridot center stone surrounded by diamonds. My wedding band is white gold eternity band and was cast from an antique mold.

{Photo credit: Stacy Bode}

Aileen acquiring last minute wishes from our friends before the ceremony starts.

DIY Graphics - Invitations

Being a native of the Lowcountry, nothing is more quintessentially 'Lowcountry' to me than Carew Rice's silhouette art (scroll down a bit). This is something of a tribute to his work.


Photo credit: Evita Smith.

We hoped that making a 'sandwich board' style invite would cut down on them either going in a drawer or in the trash. We bought two packs of black poster board, cutting all of the pieces. Michael made the nifty plexiglass cutting template for the top edge of the pocket. Total cost with postage was about $150 for 80 invitations and 70 mailings.


Photo credit: Evita Smith.


Photo credit: Evita Smith.
You can see the original invitation which shows Old Sheldon Church Ruins. We reserved the ruins for our ceremony until big changes happened in our family, causing us to move 3.5 months before the wedding. We had to change our venue location, adding a lot of work to prepare and make for our guests - our home.


Photo credit: Evita Smith.
Stamp and wax purchased from Wax-works which is more for custom stuff and Wax Seals is more for peel and stick.

Living Centerpieces

{Photo credit: Stacy Bode}

We crafted the boxes from old fencing we had in a scrap pile. We made them in the shape of a hexagon, which was an important element tying together our incorporation of bees along with our cake and the mead.

The oak seedlings were purchased from the Arbor Day Foundation. The moss, herbs and ivy were purchased earlier in the year and allowed to grow, allowing us to save a little money. The boxwoods were purchased the week before the wedding. The acorns are from the same batch that I used for Michael's boutonniere. We collected them a couple of years ago.

Measuring to make the cuts at 30°

Bottoms on with drainage holes and screens:

{Photo credit: Evita Smith}

DIY Graphics

Our logo.

Absinthe label for the absinthe we purchased. The 'damask' pattern is from our logo.

Mead label.

Cigar band.

Lucky Cat favor cards. There are several stories of the origins of the Maneki Neko and the following is the version we choose to share with everyone.

"Japanese legend holds that long ago an emperor was traveling on horseback when he spotted a small cat waving at him. After the emperor dismounted from his horse to get a closer look the horse was struck by lightning and killed. Subsequently, the emperor pronounced that cats in general should be respected as sacred animals and thus was born the legend of the beckoning Maneki Neko. This is just one of several popular tales regarding the origin of Japan’s most famous cat.

The legendary kitty has been transformed from an emperor saving Samaritan to a bringer of money and good fortune to all. "