I Could Flip for a Flip Video Camcorder...

I keep seeing these everywhere, and I keep thinking that I definitely need to get one for us before we get married. I figure it'll be perfect for our honeymoon or any other special event (say the showers) and many other events long after we're married. Flip Video Camcorders sell at a range of prices (especially depending on if you get HD quality video or not) but most average anywhere from $99-$199. They hold anywhere from 60-120 minutes of video and come complete with a usb key which connects directly to your PC for easy transfer to your own files, but also to myspace or youtube. Also, they come in a variety of colors (white, black, white w/ yellow, and white w/purple).

If you are just rolling in the dough, you could even give these to your bridal party as a thank you, or set one at each table during your wedding, so that guests can send you messages or videotape parts of the wedding your videographer might miss. If only I had that kind of money!

I suggest you take a look at sites like Amazon and Ebay if you're looking to get a better deal than buying directly from Flip. I found some great deals, like the white 30 minute one for only $59.99 or the 60 minute one for only $99.97. Of course these are not the HD versions. But again, definitely search around for deals because they're out there. I actually saw these at Costco today but didn't look up to see the price--again, I'm sure they're cheaper than buying direct from the manufacturer.

Last thought, put them on your registry! I'm thinking we should do that and then we wouldn't even have to pay for it ourselves!!!

Beach

I am off to the beach...so I'll try to post up some great pics of the Oregon Coast when I get back, for any of you who are thinking about a possible ocean-side wedding on the Northwest Coast.

Until then, I'm off to get a suntan (burn)!

Ciao! ~A

UPDATE: we got there and surprisingly, only an hour away (when we had sunshine and 80-something degrees here) we hit fog and mist at the coast, with temperatures in the high 50's/low 60's. So no photos...heck we only stayed for about 30 mins and decided to come back to our house to party instead. So for anyone wanting to get married at the beach in Oregon (and it is gorgeous) beware that the weather often has a mind of its own, so be prepared to wed in the rain or find shelter nearby.

Can You Help Me???

So I'm working on creating a real-life inspiration board for my own wedding (well I should say two inspiration boards since I have so many photos), and there's a picture that I saw on a blog somewhere months ago, that I really need to complete this, but I can't remember where in the world I originally saw it.

It's a picture of a few young flower girls in red tutu's and ballet slippers (I think). I wanted to say it was an Elizabeth Messina photo, but I could be very wrong.

If you happen to find this picture, or know where I can find it, please either email me at triedandtrueweddings@gmail.com with the picture or a link to it, or at least email me and tell me where you think I can find it.

Thanks for any help you can offer!

Amber

WC Couture

Wedding Chicks is a blog I often visit for ideas, but yesterday on Style Me Pretty I saw reference to a new line of clothing, signs, and more designed by those same Wedding Chicks, being sold on their etsy page. I absolutely love them all and I just had to share them with you!

I think I'll definitely have to buy either their t-shirt combos (for the bride, maid of honor, and bridesmaids) or their really cute tote bags (customizable with our initials and colors) when I get a little further down the wedding planning line.

Check out their Etsy site here!

Here's a couple of pictures of some of their items for sale, just in case you don't have the time to run over there right now.

New Show for Us Brides!!

I think I first saw Jung Lee and her company Fete on tv years ago (I don't know, at least 5 years ago) and she was my favorite coordinator to watch! I think every one of her weddings turned out absolutely fabulous. So I was even more excited when I was watching "Say Yes to the Dress" yesterday and saw a commercial for a new show on TLC called "Wedded to Perfection". It's a show which chronicles Jung Lee's company Fete once again, but this time it's only her and no other consultants! I instantly set the Tivo to record all of the upcoming episodes and the very first one starts TOMORROW! So set your own Tivo's and if you've never seen her work before, you won't be disappointed! Note After Watching: OMG was this show amazing! Not only was it what I thought it would be, but it was so much more. Now I am totally into doing mirror boxes and plexi glass boxes with candles in them for the wedding. This is a must see (and save) so don't miss it!

In fact, go to her website to see some of her work or to get information on having her as your wedding coordinator! Click here to go to her website! She also just put out a book (which of course I ran straight to Amazon to order for $30) and so that information is also available on her website (as seen below).

Sun & Sand Beach Wedding Inspiration Board

I have never been one to envision myself getting married by the ocean (mainly because I hate the feeling my face gets when it's been wind whipped too many times) but if I was, I think this inspiration board would shape how I would do it! This is one of those just a few friends, but really memorable weddings.

Pictures from the inspiration board above come from: JL Designs Blog (woman on blue couch and blue wedding rings), Martha Stewart Weddings (monogram at bottom and blue candy favors at top), Sweet B Papers on Etsy (ring pillow), West Elm (the blue vases, white shells, and candles), Zenadia Designs (tablescape), Amorology Weddings Blog (the ocean scene), The Knot (bridesmaids and table card), and more.

If your photo has not been properly attributed, please contact me and I will make sure to fix it asap. Thanks!

Come Back Tomorrow!

I am really excited, because I think I have a really awesome inspiration board to show you! If you are planning an oceanside wedding, you better come back tomorrow to see it!

Tuscan Yellow Inspiration Board

So since I took a few days off for vacation, I thought I'd be kind enough to make an inspiration board for all of you. This is kind of daisy wedding meets Tuscan flair. At the wedding maybe your colors are more yellow and white (with perhaps a hint of pink or grey like in the photos above), but when you hit the reception you bring in some browns (darks and lights) to formalize the feel a bit.

The photos above are taken from the following sites: The Knot (cake, almond favor, table number, drinks), Martha Stewart Weddings (yellow and green bouquet), Amorology Weddings (flower fascinator), Natalie Moser Photography (bride and bridesmaids with parasols), Blue Ribbon Design (cupcake photo with flags), and some various photos (sorry but I've forgotten where they came from).

If your photo has not been properly identified, please feel free to contact me and I will fix it right away!

Memorial Day

I'm not sure that any of you know this, but my fiancee is a Lance Corporal in the Marine Corps and the picture above was taken at his graduation from boot camp about two years ago (back when I had short hair). We met right after he had joined, but before he had to leave for boot camp. Three out of the first four months of our relationship were spent only writing letters to each other (you weren't allowed any other form of contact, i.e. no phone, no email, no nothing) and it wasn't easy!

With a dad who was a former Air Force pilot, I grew up with a great sense of appreciation for those men and women who risk their lives everyday to keep ours safe, and now I will spend much of my life with my husband gone overseas protecting our right to breathe, speak, live, etc.

So this Memorial Day, amongst all of the bbq's and beach front tanning, please take a moment to remember and honor those that have passed away in the line of duty--from the soldiers of the Revolutionary War who gave us Independence, all the way to now, where our soldiers fight to give that same Independence and Freedom to other nations...and remember that there are wives and children and families out there who may be spending this Memorial Day one person short because of it.

I plan to take this weekend (probably blog free, sorry) to revel in the moments I have with Guillaume, because he will likely spend much of our future fighting for this country in a place far from home, away from me.

Lots of Love and Happy Memorial Day weekend! ~A

Best Flowers by Color

If you are not a flower enthusiast, you may not be aware of what kinds of flowers would best fit with your color scheme...so hopefully this helps you! I would look at your color scheme, say black and white, and then google the flowers listed for those colors so that you can see what they look like. Then you can pick some flowers that go well together...and ps for black and white, I would definitely go for black and white anemones!

This list was taken from The Knot's Book of Wedding Lists, so it's their opinion, not necessarily mine.

Best Flowers by Color:

• Red: anemone, dahlia
• Pink: peony, rose
• Yellow: mum, sunflower
• White: lily, stephanotis
• Purple: sweat pea, iris
• Blue: hydrangea, veronica
• Green: cymbidium orchid, button mum
• Orange: zinnia, tiger lily
  

Engagement Photos from Natalie Williams

I found Natalie Williams through a contest on another blog, in which Natalie offered a free wedding photography session to a couple who was having a hard time at life--i.e. death, finances, etc. When I sent in an entry I let Natalie know about my blog, and I think we've followed each other since.

My mother is getting married in San Diego in September, and Natalie was the first person I thought of to photograph her wedding. Surprisingly she wasn't booked and now she'll be spending September 4th and 5th with us at Hotel Del Coronado and the surrounding areas--I hope she knows what she's in for, lol. I'm really excited to get to work with her for the first time, and we've talked about possibly shooting a few head-shots for me during the whole thing, so that I might have some more professional photos of myself for Tried and True. What a win-win situation!

But anyways, I digress. I was looking at her blog, as I always do, and saw the most awesome engagement photos! There's so much variety in the locations and moods of the photos, and well, I wanted to share these amazing photos with all of you. If they don't make you rush to her site to hire her, they will for sure inspire you for your own photos.

So here they are. The couples' names are Sarah and Ryan and of course, they're photographed by Natalie Williams of Natalie Williams Photography. Thank you Natalie for sharing your work with us!!! Enjoy! PS: here's a link to her blog to see more of her photos: click here.

Cupcake Social

I must say a huge thank you to Style Me Pretty for introducing me to Etsy dealer Cupcake Social! If you're in need of a great cupcake liner or topper, you must stop here and check them out! They have such a variety of liners and toppers, I think you could find one for any type of event...believe me they have toppers of ballerinas, beers, skulls, and more!

Here's two of the cool liners...but I promise there's much more to see...

New Event Venue in OR!

I have done a lot of venue searching..especially given that I'm a wedding planner planning my own wedding (and yet I still don't know where I'm getting married but that's another story). And despite the million searches prior to today, I stumbled upon a brand new venue, and I found it in the weirdest place. I was doing some fact finding for my company on one of our donations and found out that North Marion HS was having its prom at the West End Theater in Portland. I had never heard of it, so I had to go check it out!

Well I get to the site, www.westendballroom.com (btw), and the place (from the pictures) looks like a great venue, especially for a reception. It has a large plasma screen monitor (movie size) for your slideshow, a state of the art lighting system, and a top notch sound system as well. Prices range from $495-$2995 (with something about a 2 hr photography session included) and I haven't gotten a hold of them yet to find out what the packages include, don't include, etc., but if you're looking for a brand new place that maybe hasn't gotten the attention it deserves, then check out the former West End Theater aka the West End Ballroom.

And as always, tell them Amber from Tried and True sent you!

If you're going to be in SoCal...

..then have I got a place for you to go! Michael Antonia of The Flashdance is going to be the featured dj at the Ace Hotel & Swim Club on Sunday, May 31 from 3-8pm. And not only will he be dj'ing, but Michelle from Mint Julep Social Events is hosting a bunch of photographers, bloggers, and more. There isn't a set schedule, but it's more just a time for people to hang out together and get to know each other. If you're looking for a wedding dj, or want to meet up with some talented people and get some ideas, then stop by.

The Ace Hotel & Swim Club
701 E Palm Canyon Drive
Palm Springs, CA 92264

Pay attention to the graphic above for the code to save you 20% off your room rate and 15% off any spa treatment!

It's a ways away from me, but to any who can go, enjoy! ~A

Where to Get Vintage Stamps...

Thanks to 100 Layer Cake, we have the answer. I love seeing invitations with vintage stamps. It adds so much extra to the envelope, and sometimes costs the same as a normal stamp--just make sure to leave enough room for all of the stamps (as often they're in small amounts, i.e. $.05) on your envelope or you might be in a fix.

Go here to see pictures of vintage stamps, and get the answers on where to find them!

What a Hottie!

Just had to share this picture of a totally hot hunk taken by Erika and Ryan of Rowell Photography. They do a great job, and all I can say with this one is, WOW!

A Perfect Gift for the Honeymooners!

Are you looking for a cute gift to give the couple traveling afar for their honeymoon or are you a couple looking for some cute/matching travel accessories? Then this package from Navy and Lavender is for you!

It includes: matching passport covers, matching luggage tags, playing cards, an ultra-soft blanket, and a chamomile travel blanket. And even more, it's not girlie-looking so your man might even oblige. The cost is $110.

Blake James Photography

Blake of Blake James Photography is one of my very best friends (since high school), and about a year and a half ago (to my recollection, sorry Blake if I'm wrong) he began his own photography business. He started out taking a variety of photos of landscapes, models, and a few weddings, and with time he has expanded into everything from bands to couples. Recently, on his blog, he featured some photos from a couples shoot, and I thought I would share them with you, in case they'd give you any inspiration for photos you might want to take at your engagement shoot, or even to introduce you to Blake's business and his work!

To see all of his work, you can visit his site here or his blog here!

And please tell him Amber sent you..cause he needs to know his best friend's looking out for him!

Playing with Color

Are you trying to figure out which color scheme to use in your wedding and you're not sure how? Well I have the solution. Typically, the advice was to go to your local paint store and grab paint chips in different colors, placing them next to each other to see if they worked together or not. This way you could play with your major colors and accents and make sure it was exactly what you were looking for.

Now, you don't even have to stop into a store to do it. Sherman Williams' paint site (and others may do this too) now offers a place to explore colors online, called Color Visualizer. Simply type in the color you're looking for and it'll give you a huge variety to choose from. Once you've picked one, then drag it to the "My Favorite Colors" section and once you've come up with your perfect combination you can print it or email it to yourself, and then you can even go into a store near you to pick up those exact paint chips if you want--perfect for an actual design board you keep to show vendors (like your florist for instance).

DIY of the Day

I subscribed to Martha Stewarts "________ of the Day" a long time ago (fill in the blank with: wedding tip or craft idea or cookie or organization tip, etc.) and a recent email gave me quite a great DIY idea.


You could make sugar cookies in any shape (I'm talking flower, bird, letter, etc.), ice them creatively (ask friends and family to help even, especially if you're not that great at it), and stake them (prior to baking I assume) before inserting them into some sort of holder (i.e. grass in this picture). These would be artistic, fabulous, yummy favors that would also add some extra coolness to your wedding reception decor. To go one step further, you could also use them to guide guests to their appropriate table. Simply add a small paper tag (one in the shape of a leaf would be great here) with the guest name and table number and then they can pick up their favor and place card all at once (and also save you money!). I might wrap the cookies in clear cellophane wrap (not plastic wrap) to ensure they stay fresh and moist. Tie it creatively and it won't take away from your display.

If you want Martha's how-to for making these sugar cookies, go HERE.

Fab Wedding Featured on Wiley Valentine

I love to stop by Wiley Valentine's Blog to check out their latest posts because they always feature something fabulous--whether it's their own creations or the features of others. I was so in love with a recent post of theirs from Braedon Photography that I tried to use their photos, but it showed up weird on the blog and so I went to Braedon Photography's blog and snagged some of the photos...and I hope he doesn't mind. It's all because I LOVE his work and I LOVE the details done by All About You Events. This wedding is a complete inspiration to me!

Check out these fabulous pictures from the Skjonsby Wedding! I am in love with the butterfly release at "I Do" and her dress is one of a kind. This is my perfect wedding, if I could look that good in that dress, hehe.