"The Best Buns in Town"

(I know I know, I said I wouldn't be posting for a while, what can I say? I found some time)

Are at this place right here!

I couldn't agree more! Initially, Mr. Tal and I wanted our rehearsal dinner to be really laid back, we're talking pizza and beer at our apartment complex's community center. Then it occured to Mr. Tal that we could incorporate a little of our hometown into our wedding by holding the rehearsal dinner at Packo's. It ended up being a really great idea because all of our family and friends LOVE Packo's. It is scrumptious. So after our rehearsal we headed to downtown Toledo to Packo's at the Park, this location won over the originally because it offered a better room for our event..

They had the whole room ready for us and our family and friends ordered some drinks and food and we ended up having a good ol' time. I would like to elaborate more but we didn't really do much at dinner. We all hung out and talked. Oh yeah, and we handed out presents.

Our bridesmaids and groomsmen each got their gifts, along with our parents. Each one of my girls got a tote bag with their name on it, printed in their favorite color. Inside the bags were a bunch of goodies, lightweight hoodies to wear while getting ready, handmade pearls with matching earrings to wear the day of the wedding, a bridesmaid survival kit, some snacks, a pashmina, their clutch purses with flowers to carry down the aisle, and last but not least each girl got a necklace from dogeared.com that suited their personality. I know that it seems like a lot and I'll admit I went a little overboard but I did get a really good deal on everything I bought/made for the girls. The groomsmen each got a pair of handmade cufflinks with the Redwings symbol and a pair of Converse sneakers in maroon to wear to the reception. As for our parents, we got Momma Tal a beautiful digital picture frame that we pre-loaded with some pictures of the whole family. My dad got a frame which we had engraved with our invitation wording and my mom got a new purse with a bottle of wine and a necklace from dogeared.com.

Mr. Tal also took this time to speak for both of us, because I probably would have got too emotional, to personally thank everyone for helping us out and let them know that we could have never done it without them.

After dinner was over and the presents unwrapped we had to head back to the hall and finish decorating. But more on that at another time.

Tune in next time for more tales from a DIY bride.

A Home for the Hallmarks

Well, my blog still looks funny but I can't hold back any longer. I've been busy, busy, busy like a really big bee. The knot countdown has been making me a little nervous we are currently 66 days out and that just feels really close. I just can't procrastinate any longer. So yesterday I got my happy feet into Hobby Lobby and Michaels (a.k.a. my second homes) and got the last of the supplies to finish the card box, my bouquet, and one of the bridesmaids gifts. I cranked out the first two projects no problem, the third is taking a little longer because I have four to make. Anywho, without further ado, here is our card box:

This project was so easy that it was a little ridiculous. I got the metal greenhouse type thing (obviously that is the technical name, from here on out it will be known as the box) at Hobby Lobby a few weeks back. I knew it was perfect, especially when the original concept for the card box fell through. Originally I had two hat boxes that I bought in two sizes, the smaller one would be put on top of the larger one and the bottom of the small one and the top of the larger one would be cut out and they would be attached somehow. Well, I did it and it looked bad so it was back to the drawing board.

For this project, I bought the wooden letters and paint at Michaels and I had some floral wire already. All I did was paint the letters (dolphin grey) waited for them to dry. I took the dried letters and spaced them evenly across the front of the box, heated up the glue gun and glued the wire to the letters. I then slipped the wire ends through the sides of the box. The windows of the box are just a flexible plastic which are easy to push in if space is needed to put stuff (like wire) around the metal supports. Now I just need to figure out if we should prop the top open so people can just drop it in cards or if people can figure it out for themselves or if we should cut out the top roof panel. Thoughts anyone?

I really love how this card box looks, it's so rustic feeling and it looks great. I am actually happy that the original card box idea failed because this one is so much better.

Anyone else have a project failure turn into something better?

Tune in next time for more tales from a DIY bride.

P.S. Lauren- I turned on the comments, I think!