distractions...: I'm already blushing...

So, it's been a little while. I've been in the throws of reading every good wedding blog, Web site and martha stewart magazine trying to gather ideas for my future nuptials.

We haven't picked a date yet but I do know that it won't be until Spring or Summer of 2009. I'm a planner and I want to be able to take my time and make the right decisions, plus it gives me more time to gather up all my extra change so hopefully my parents won't be sucked dry by the end of the whole thing.

There are so many good and creative ideas out there that it seems a bit overwhelming. I do have an idea of what I want, I just have to find a way to put it all together and make it happen.

I think the hardest part is going to be finding a venue that suits us and what we want. I am in no way, shape or form going to be the "banquet hall" type of person.

I'd really like to do something open, either a loft-like setting or a tent of some sort. I want lots of natural light during the daylight hours and then at night for it to be twinkly and overall have a sort of "whimsical" kind of "kitschy" but still fancy feel to it. Pretty untraditional in most ways.

Sounds sort of like an oxymoron, but I hope to make it happen.

As of right now we know that we want:

No D.J., but an Ipod instead.
No cake, cupcakes...of course.
Photobooth

I've been gathering some "inspirational" pictures...a little glimpse into my vision so far.

There is this wonderful blog, snippet & ink, which posts inspiration boards daily. There is some really cool stuff on there. A few of my favorites:

I can't remember where I found the rest of these pictures. I've looked at so many sites.

Table Numbers

I saw a cute idea for some alternative place cards from etsy sellers:

As for the picture below, I really like these flowers, especially the color combinations. I love the zinnias (like the right hand photo in the second row), those and dahlias are what I would really like. I'd also like to work some dogwoods in as an ode to where I was born and spent most of my childhood. It's the Virgina state flower (or tree, really) and it's quite a nice one too!